The Commonwealth Times; Nov.29, 2023

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VOL. NO. VOL. 67,67, NO. 8 8 NOVEMBER 2023 NOVEMBER 29,29, 2023

VOTERS LOOK TOWARDS THE 2025 GUBERNATORIAL RACE Abigail Spanberger, D-VA, is running in the 2025 gubernatorial election. Photo courtesy of Abigail Spanberger.

SELNA SHI News Editor Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-VA, launched her bid for the 2025 gubernatorial election in a video on X, formerly known as Twitter on Nov. 13. Spanberger currently serves as the representative for Virginia’s 7th congressional district.

Spanberger made the announcement a week after the Democratic party won a majority in both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly. Spanberger is currently the only candidate to officially announce a run for the governorship. “ The November 2023 elections demonstrated that they [Virginians] want elected officials who will protect their fundamental rights – including the right to choose,” Spanberger stated in an email.

“They want strong schools and universities.

And they want a government that is more accountable to the people.”

Former governor Ralph Northam endorsed Spanberger a day after she announced her bid.

“In Congress, I’ve led a team that has built a track record of making progress on some of the most pressing challenges facing our Commonwealth,” Spanberger stated. “I have worked to help our neighbors struggling with addiction, lower prescription drug costs, provide resources to Virginia’s Veterans, and make smart investments in Virginia’s physical infrastructure.”

Spanberger, a centrist Democrat, stated she has built a reputation for working with both parties and breaking from her own party sometimes. She built headlines in 2022 when she called for former House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, to step down for mishandling legislation that would ban Congress members from trading stocks.

Spanberger along with 424 other representatives cosponsored a bill that supports Israel’s action to defend itself.

Spanberger also voted “Yes” to censure Rashida Tlaib, D-MI, the only Palestinian representative in the House for speaking against Israel’s attacks on Palestine.

Spanberger has not started on her campaign trail yet, she stated.

“This is the place where I grew up, where I am raising my own family, and where I intend to build a stronger future for the next generation of Virginians,” Spanberger said. “I look forward to meeting many VCU students along the campaign trail as 2025 approaches.”

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney has not officially announced his bid for the governorship yet, but “will make an announcement on his political future by the end of the year,” according to Keith Zeithaml, a spokesperson for Stoney.

Politico reported that Stoney has begun assembling a campaign team.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin cannot seek reelection as Virginia governors can only serve one four-year term, according to LIS. Virginia is the only state in the country that bars its governors from seeking consecutive terms.

No Republican candidates have announced their bid for the governorship, however, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Attorney General Jason Miyares are widely seen as contenders for the next gubernatorial race, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Riley Emick, a UVA student and originally from the Hampton Roads area, said she hopes for a governor who will protect abortion rights and combat climate change.

“As a resident of Hampton Roads, I am hyper-aware of the growing threat of climate change that has contributed to growing sea levels and flooding,” Emick said.

Emick said Virginia needs to address gun violence problems. Three UVA football players were killed by guns last November, according to Emick.

“As a UVA student, watching our community grieve the loss of Devin Chandler, D’Sean Perry and Lavel Davis Jr. has only strengthened my belief that we need legislators who are willing to prioritize gun safety measures,” Emick said.

Emick said she also believes that the current and next governor should “speak out against the atrocities the Israeli government commits” in Gaza. Emick dislikes Youngkin, specifically his anti-trans policies and banning critical race theory in schools, she said. However, Emick said she’s concerned about Spanberger as well.

“Abigail Spanberger’s position as a moderate Democrat I think makes her potentially more electable or gives her broader appeal, but it makes me concerned about her commitment to progressive politics when she is inevitably challenged by conservatives,” Emick said.

Emick said Spanberger might not “aggressively” address issues such as police brutality and gun violence.

Emick said she has family who have lived and worked in Appalachia for generations and feel “abandoned” and “alienated” by legislators.

“I would love to see resources invested into Appalachian communities, specifically surrounding the transition from coal to clean energy,” Emick said.

In Congress, I’ve led a team that has built a track record of making progress on some of the most pressing challenges facing our Commonwealth.

I have worked to help our neighbors struggling with addiction, lower prescription drug costs, provide resources to Virginia’s Veterans, and make smart investments in Virginia’s physical infrastructure.”

Abigail Spanberger Representative for Virginia’s 7th congressional district

Ellie Lafon, Virginia Tech student who born and raised in southwest Virginia, said she’s hoping to see the next governor care for all of Virginia and not just Northern Virginia.

“Virginia needs a governor who is dedicated to all of Virginia, not just NOVA, not trying to get close to DC, not trying to become a senator or president,” Lafon said.

“Someone who will secure our rights and care about our state issues.”

Addressing unequal wealth distribution in schools is also a stance Lafon is looking for in a candidate, she said.

“I know it comes down to tax brackets, but I feel that the excess of wealth in places like Loudoun county, where they are buying the students iPads while some schools in places like Danville are struggling to buy their students up-to-date books and essential school supplies,” Lafon said.

Loudoun County is ranked the richest county in the United States, followed by Fairfax County, according to Forbes.

Lafon said the next governor should care more about protecting the environment. In the area Lafon grew up in, the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline project plans to build 303 miles of natural gas pipeline, from southwest Virginia to northern West Virginia.

The project has sparked grassroots movements by residents in the Appalachian mountains since 2014 to protect the mountains and the natural resources.

Charlottesville resident and VCU history student Cindy Buezo Sanchez shared similar feelings with Lafon saying she hopes the next governor will continue the protection of abortion rights. Sanchez also said she hopes protecting public education is also on the priority list of the next governor.

“I want to be an educator, so I think we need to be careful with moving towards censorship in our state and like others such as Florida,” Sanchez said. “It’s extremely disconcerting and a little scary to pick out books that students can’t access or read despite having a connection to their identity and culture.”

Sanchez said she dislikes Youngkin and his policies on critical race theory and that he is not a “fair representation” of the state.

Spanberger was the representative for Sanchez’s district before Sanchez moved to Louisa County. Sanchez said she appreciated Spanberger’s effort to expand broadband access during the pandemic but Spanberger “did not represent” her community.

“I would not like a former CIA agent as our governor and I also do not think she aligns too much with the Democrat party and she is too centrist, leaning too much towards the right at times,” she said.

Sanchez said she’s hoping there will be a movement that will mobilize a third-party candidate and that “we are way past the two-party system.” “ We are not a monolith and our government has the ability to adequately address our needs in the various regions,” Sanchez said. “We all have issues we feel strongly about, but transportation needs improvement, specifically in the area of railway systems. D.C. is not the only desired destination in the state, we need to be able to connect to Richmond, the very capital of our state. It feels less prioritized than all of NOVA.”

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The Commonwealth Times

Stories of the week

national: Derek Chauvin, former officer convicted with the murder of George Floyd, was stabbed in prison. international: EU court says public employees may be barred from wearing head scarfs, Reuters says.

VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL ADDRESSES PRO-PALESTINE ACTIVISM ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES ANDREW KERLEY Audience Editor Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares sent a letter to college and university presidents on Nov. 16, urging them to address the “rise in antisemitism on campuses,” citing student groups like Students for Justice in Palestine, or SJP, as examples.

In the letter, Miyares called the popular protest chant “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a “call for the complete destruction of Israel and a denial of its right to exist,” noting that the First Amendment does not protect speech inciting or producing imminent lawless action.

Link Alexio, co-founder of VCU’s SJP chapter, said the chant is not antisemitic, but rather a statement “just asking for freedom.” “‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,’ is a statement about Palestinians having freedom,” Alexio said. “If that statement implies Israel needs to end, then that means Israel itself is oppressive.

If the freedom of a people depends on the end of another people, then you have an inherent issue.”

Alexio said calling the chant antisemitic is trying to pin the blame on people for standing for the oppressed.

“Anti-Zionism, which is [against] the support of the state of Israel, is not antisemitism,” Alexio said. “We stand with the Jewish people.”

Zaid Mahdawi, president of the Richmond chapter of American Muslims for Palestine, or AMP, also condemned antisemitism at a march to the Capitol on Sunday. AMP has organized multiple marches, walkouts and other demonstrations in the VCU-downtown Richmond area since Oct. 7, according to previous reports

by The Commonwealth Times.

“When we use those terms, they believe we’re calling for a genocide,” Mahdawi said. “But, what they don’t understand is that what we’re calling for is a state free of oppression for any ethnicity, any race, any religion and any background or nationality.”

One anonymous founder of the new campus organization Progressive Jewish Student Union, or PJSU, spoke at the march, saying their family told them to stay silent about Palestine.

At the request of the students, The Commonwealth Times has omitted the students’ name to prevent further concerns of doxxing, a form of online harassment

be concerned about being doxxed and worrying for them and their roommate’s safety.

“That experience has made me brutally aware of the hostility and antisemitism within the Jewish community that is aimed at pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist Jews,” the anonymous PJSU member said at the march. “You get called antisemitic or Nazi, or maybe someone tries to revoke your Jewish identity.”

Miyares’ letter comes after multiple instances of pushback against activists. The attorney general opened an investigation into AMP for potentially not registering with the state prior to soliciting contributions, and for allegations of indirectly funding terrorist organizations in October.

AMP c al led the al legations a “defamatory and dangerous smear” in a statement released the same day.

w h e re i n d i v i d u a l s ’ personal information is made public without their consent.

PJSU describes itself as “a safe space for discussion and critical t h i n k i n g re g a rd i n g Jewish identity, culture and politics” on its Instagram. The organization was created after some of its founders felt ostracized from their communities for being antiZionists, according to PJSU. The anonymous PJSU member said they were previously the president of another Jewish campus organization, but had to step down after receiving community backlash for a pro-Palestine post they made on Instagram.

“There were well over 50 people, Israelis and Zionists in the Greater Richmond community, in this group chat, saying that I shouldn’t be allowed to be a member, let alone a leader,” the anonymous PJSU member said.

The anonymous PJSU member said their advisor told them that some people may have wanted their information, leading them to

“American Muslims for Palestine is a duly registered non-profit organization that has stood up for justice here and abroad for over a decade in compliance with the law,” the organization stated. “We are currently in consultation with our legal team to ensure our work continues and our constitutional rights are protected.”

The Commonwealth Times reached out to the Office of the Attorney General, but they declined to comment on the ongoing investigation or provide evidence of either claim.

Miyares signed a different letter, along with 19 other state attorney generals, to the Secretary of State on Nov. 9, calling for the deportation of international students supporting terrorist groups, also using the national SJP organization as an example.

VCU has not made a statement regarding the letter at the time of this article’s publication.

Protestors march on Broad Street on Oct. 15. Photo by Kobi McCray.

Wed. November 29, 2023

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Sesha Joi Moon. Photo courtesy of Moon.

Sesha Joi Moon becomes first queer Black woman to establish endowment at Wilder School TARAZHA JENKINS Contributing Writer VCU alum Sesha Joi Moon will be the first and youngest black, queer woman to create an endowment at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, named after the first Black governor of Virginia.

The scholarship is the second endowment ever established in the Department of African American Studies, according to the Wilder School.

The Dr. Sesha Joi Moon Endowed Scholarship will provide $50,000 to students in need, pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in the Department of African American Studies at VCU’s College of Humanities and Sciences or the Wilder School. An endowment is money given to an institution.

Moon’s academic and activism journey began in the third grade when she first ran for Student Government Association president at John B. Cary Elementary School in Richmond “As the daughter of a civil rights activist from Blackwell, as well as a legacy of educators from Byrd Park on my mother’s side,” Moon said.

Standing on the shoulders of her ancestors’ and community leaders like her parents, she pursued two degrees at VCU and received a doctoral from Old Dominion University, propelling her into a notable career in social justice, mobilization, and diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, or DEIA, in the government, Moon said.

She was one of the first students to receive a degree from the Department of African American Studies in 2005. Later, earning her master’s degree in criminal

justice from the Wilder School.

The VCU alum graduated a decade ago and now, alongside her family, plans to pay it forward in the Richmond area, establishing three endowment scholarships for students at VCU, and two at local historical black colleges and universities, or HBCUs. Moon told the Wilder School that a family trip to Georgia helped push the initiative forward. During the trip discovering that she comes from a long lineage of those who pursued education her great grandfather would send family members from Georgia to attend Virginia Union University and Virginia State University, she said.

“We have a deep legacy which we wanted to pour back into the students at VCU with the establishment of my endowed scholarship,” she said. “The exact same times we also did an endowed scholarship at Virginia Union and Virginia State in honor of my grandparents.”

The Moon family donated $20,000 to endow the George Ernest Johnson Scholarship Fund at VSU for students playing in the marching band or pursuing a music degree. Moon’s grandfather played in the marching band while attending VSU. “One of the biggest things that I know is that there would not have been a VCU for me if there had not been a VSU and a VU for my grandparents.” Moon said.

“Not losing sight of all of the different HBCU’s and MSI’s within the Richmond community was ver y important to our family.”

The family also gave a $25,000 donation to endow a VUU scholarship named after her grandmother, Inez Orzene Jaudon Johnson, for students seeking a degree in education, sociology or social work.

Her mother, Michon Moon, is a scholar from Byrd Park and three-time VCU graduate, who served as the director of victim witness for the commonwealth’s attorney officer in Virginia, before retiring.

“I followed in her footsteps,” Moon said.

“I’m a proud product of both my parents and their ancestors.”

August Moon, her father, was a social justice activist, recording artist, record label owner and entrepreneur from the southside of Richmond. Born during the Great Depression, at the height of Jim Crow in 1937.

“He made it from Blackwell Bottom, to having a daughter who’s a senior executive at Congress,” Moon said.

Many Blackwell residents referred to him as the “Mayor of Hull Street.”

The “grassroots foot soldier” was a notable figure at city council meetings, contributed to the Stop the Violence Campaign and United Struggle Movement around Richmond, and served as the sergeant of arms for Crusade and Voters, an organization founded in Jackson Ward to effectively promote Black political participation and education.

“He had ‘Tell It Like It Is’ – a notable television show,” Moon said. “Which people say you couldn’t even run for office if you did not come and stop by and see August Moon.”

August Moon passed away this summer and now his daughter Sesha Moon is eager to carry his legacy on, with her sister Enjoli Moon, co-founder of the JXN Project and executive director of the Richmond Afrikana Film Festival.

Before Sesha Joi Moon was appointed into her current position as Chief Diversity Officer for the U.S. House

of Representatives, she was a federal government intern.

“Most of the people that I know who are co-executives, across all sectors, we all began as interns,” she said. “It’s probably one of the most beneficial two years I’ve ever spent.”

Moon soon became Chief Diversity Officer in the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, gaining the attention of Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

However, long before she became a figure in Richmond and D.C., she was an active leader at VCU. Moon served as president of the congressional Black Caucus and vice president of the Eta Tau Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. the first historically black Greek Organization chartered at VCU in 1970.

“I was actively engaged in issues that had to do with the governance of the institution through the lens of a marginalized community or students,” Moon said.

The VCU alum hopes the endowment will encourage other alumni to pay it forward.

“I think it’s a huge lesson – I’m young, I’m black, I’m queer, I’m a woman. I’ve established this fund and people poured in because they’re looking for spaces to really fill up,” she said.

On VCU Giving Day, the Dr. Sesha Joi Moon Endowed Scholarship was the number one fundraised endowment outside of the medical school, according to Moon.

“One of my biggest accomplishments with establishing this fund is the fact — we came in number one,” she said, “Because of that we actually received an additional $10,000 dollars that allows us to unlock the scholarship fund earlier than anticipated. It encourages other alum, such as myself, to really lean back and give back,” Moon said.

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The Commonwealth Times

Stat of the week

Alphonso “Fats” Billups III led the Rams with 23 points in their win over Penn State while shooting 88% from the field and 83% from the three-point line, according to VCU Athletics.

PRESS BOX

18-year-old Connor Bedard is NHL’s next superstar DAN ELSON Contributing Writer

The 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick Connor Bedard is already the face of the Chicago Blackhawks at just 18-years-old and has a chance to be the next superstar in the NHL. W hat makes the Canadian native so special is the way he can deke and dangle past players. He’s also famous for his dangerous wrist shot and scoring goals at a consistent pace, which can produce jaw-dropping moments.

In his time in the Western Hockey League, Bedard finished with 271 career points in three years. He scored 134 goals and had 137 assists in just 134 games according to the Canadian Hockey League. Bedard’s best season was the 2022-23 campaign when he finished off with 143 points in 57 games—71 goals and 72 assists.

Bedard averaged 2.51 points a game that year according to the Canadian Hockey League.

Sometimes players with big expectations like Bedard get off to slow starts early on into their careers.

Bedard has already proven he can keep up with the fast pace in the NHL. He’s tearing it up right now with 10 goals and seven assists in just 19 games into the season as of Nov. 28, according to ESPN. Among players that began their NHL careers at 18 years old, Bedard is the third fastest player to hit the 10-goal mark according to NBC Sports Chicago.

It’s quite impressive to see quick success like this early on into his career. It just shows that he’s going to be a special player for a very long time.

Beda rd g rew up idol izing Pittsburgh Penguins legend Sidney Crosby. The Blackhawks played the Penguins in their first game of the season. Bedard, a center, took the opening faceoff against Crosby. It must have been a dream come true for him to take a faceoff against one of the all-time greats.

Crosby once had the same expectations as Bedard has now — to be a superstar in the NHL. In 2005, the Penguins selected Crosby No. 1 overall.

“I think he’s a guy that’s more than ready at this point,” Crosby said in an interview. “He’s been dealing with the expectations for a while now. I think at this point, he’s just ready to finally start and get all

Illustrations by Olivia McCabe.

of that over with. You can relate to things like that.”

Bedard scored his first career goal on Oct. 11 on a wrap-around against the Boston Bruins in his second game. A graphic showed on the scoreboard how many more goals he needed to catch the great Wayne Gretzky, the all-time leader with 894 goals according to ESPN. To have a graphic like that appear on the scoreboard can be overwhelming but it shows how bright his future is and what he’s capable of.

Bedard told reporters after the game that his first career goal was “a big relief.”

You want to get one really bad quick and kind of get that out of the way. It was [a] really cool moment [and a] cool building to do it in [and] the family was [there].”

Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson said in an interview on the night Bedard scored his first career goal that he is “dangerous” on the ice.

“He shot the puck in the goal line with some guys driving the net and [created] a lot of confusion,” Richardson told reporters. “He just knows where to go. He was one of those guys that has instincts and he picked up that rebound and knew that he had time and room but he did it pretty quick. So he’s really fun to watch and seem him enjoy that one.”

Bedard picked up his first career multi-point game on Nov. 9 against the Tampa Bay Lighting. He scored two goals and had two assists.

“He’s new to the league and… he’s starting to really figure it out and use his skills at the best of his ability and it paid off for him and us [that night],” Richardson told reporters.

Even though it’s early in the season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wins the Calder Memorial Trophy this year. The Calder Memorial Trophy is the equivalence to the Rookie of the Year award.

Right now the Blackhawks are 6-13 on the season as of Nov. 28. It would be great for Bedard to get a taste of playoff hockey in year one in the NHL. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were elite players for the Chicago Blackhawks. They delivered three Stanley Cups for the Blackhawks. There’s no reason why Bedard can’t deliver a Stanley Cup or two.

Wed. November 29, 2023

SCOUTING REPORT: VCU VS. UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS VCU men’s basketball will face the University of Memphis Tigers at the Siegel Center on Wednesday, Dec. 6.

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

VCU ANDREW MCGHAN Contributing Writer Christian Fermin - The sophomore forward leads the team in blocks and rebounds with 31 total, according to VCU Athletics. Fermin recorded his first career double-double against Samford University with 10 points and 10 rebounds, according to VCU Athletics. He also recorded a career-high five blocks in the win over Samford, according to VCU Athletics.

Fermin scored a career-high 12 points against Iowa State University, according to VCU Athletics. In the seven games Fermin has played he is averaging 5.6 points and 5.4 rebounds, according to VCU Athletics.

on the floor, which included the first two 3-pointers of his collegiate career. Belle has a season average of six points and eight total assists, scoring a total of 42 points between the seven games he played thus far, according to VCU athletics.

UOFM THAILON WILSON Sports Editor Jahvon Quinerly - The graduate student guard transferred to the Memphis Tigers this season after a successful campaign with the Alabama Crimson Tide that earned him the 2023 SEC Co-Sixth Man of the Year award as well as being selected to be a part of the 2023 SEC All-Tournament team, according to Memphis Athletics.

Throughout the six games the Tigers have played so far, Quinerly is averaging 11.5 points per game, 4.3 assists per game and 1.3 steals per game, according to ESPN.

VIOLET VELASQUEZ Contributing Writer Jaykwon Walton - Jaykwon Walton is an athletic senior guard playing his first season with the Memphis Tigers. In the 2022-23 season, Walton was a key contributing player for the Wichita State basketball program. Walton collected many accolades including four appearances on the American Athletic Conference, or AAC, weekly honor roll, leading the AAC conference in effective field goal percentage at .618 and true shooting percentage at .649 ranking 31st in the nation, according to Memphis Athletics. Walton has been working hard this season playing a total of 169 minutes and with those minutes has secured the third slot on the team for best field goal percentage averaging .434.

As well as collecting 11 assists, six steals, and 18 defensive rebounds, according to Memphis Athletics.

Illustration by Killian Goodale-Porter.

EMMA SCHIRMER Contributing Writer

GAME RESULTS

NOVEMBER 12, 2023 VCU MEN’S SOCCER VS. DAYTON LOST 2-1

NOVEMBER 14, 2023 VCU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. EAST CAROLINA WON 55-50

NOVEMBER 15, 2023 VCU MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. RADFORD WON 73-50

NOVEMBER 17, 2023 VCU WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. FORDHAM WON 3-2

NOVEMBER 18, 2023 VCU WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. LOYOLA CHICAGO LOST 3-1

VCU MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. SEATTLE

Michael Belle - Michael Belle is a 6-foot7-inch freshman forward and guard from London, England. Belle made his career debut for the Rams at the McNeese season opener game on Nov. 3 this year; in which contributed seven points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks, according to VCU athletics. He completed two of three attempts during the game as well. In the more recent Thanksgiving game against Iowa State, Belle had a season-best and was a game leader, scoring 14 of VCU’s 64 points, according to VCU athletics. He also converted four of six of his attempts

WON 60-56

NOVEMBER 19, 2023 VCU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AT JAMES MADISON LOST 78-65

NOVEMBER 23, 2023 VCU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. ST. JOHN’S WON 56-51

Pick Of The Week: The Timberwolves defense will lockdown the Hornets

BERSABEH KEMAW Staff Writer For this week’s pick, we are heading to the NBA to see the Minnesota Timberwolves go up against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center arena in Charlotte, North Carolina on Dec. 2.

The Timberwolves are currently first in the Western Conference, with a record of 12 wins and four losses, according to ESPN. Although the Timberwolves won’t have home-court advantage in this game, their success so far this season has shown that won’t impact their skills too much.

Anthony Edwards leads the team in points and steals, averaging 26.6 points per game and 1.4 steals per game, according to ESPN. Other notable key players on the team include Karl-Anthony Towns, who is averaging 21.8 points per game, Rudy

Gobert, who is averaging 11.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, leading the team in both, and Mike Conley, with 5.8 assists per game, according to ESPN. The Hornets, on the other hand, are at No. 12 in their conference, with five wins and 10 losses so far in the season, according to Fox Sports.

With Hornets starting point guard LaMelo Ball injured, other players will have to step up.

Terry Rozier and Miles Bridges have also been efficient with scoring for the team, with Rozier averaging 22 points per game and Bridges averaging 20.8 points per game.

Though the Hornets will have home court advantage, the Wolves have a great, arguably the best, defense in the NBA, which will make it harder for the Hornets to win this game, which is why I believe Minnesota will win this game, without a doubt.

VCU MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. IOWA STATE LOST 68-64

NOVEMBER 24, 2023 VCU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. SACRED HEART WON 76-62

VCU MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. BOISE STATE LOST 65-61

NOVEMBER 25, 2023 VCU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. PUERTO RICO-MAYAGUEZ WON 69-30

NOVEMBER 26, 2023 VCU MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. PENN STATE WON 86-74

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The Commonwealth Times

On this day

In 1832, Louisa May Alcott, author of “Little Women,” was born.

Events bring Krampusnacht traditions, history to Richmond

Attendees dressed up at the Krampus Walk. Photo courtesy of Dave Parrish.

EMILY MCCAULEY Contributing Writer Krampusnacht comes from century-old alpine lore and is celebrated traditionally in Europe by men and boys dressing as big hairy beasts with horns to represent Krampus, according to Nicole Pisaniello, co-founder of RVA Krampusnacht.

Krampus is the furry, fanged, clawed and honored beast that acts as the counterpart to Saint Nicholas, according to RVA Krampusnacht’s website. While the saint deals with the good children, Krampus deals with the naughty ones when making its rounds throughout the Alpine villages in Austria, southern Germany, Slovenia, The Czech Republic and other mountainous regions of central Europe.

In celebration of this lore , RVA Krampusnacht hosts Krampus-themed activities in Richmond, according to Pisaniello.

“It looks like Halloween has spread into the wintertime,” Pisaniello said.

To kick off the Krampus-themed events, horror illustrator Brit Austin will host a panel discussion covering the different history and folklore of Krampus on Nov. 30 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Sinisteria Unleashed, or Switch RVA, according to Pisaniello.

Additional panelists include author and illustrator of the “Yuletide Monsters Oracle deck” Madame Onca, author of the film and analysis podcast “Queerdo Babes from the Horror Pod-O-Rama!” and mask maker and digital artist Steven Warrick — who will host a mask making event following the panel discussion, according to Pisaniello.

RVA Krampusnacht includes other events such as Yuletide Monsters at Gallery5 on Dec. 1, Holidaze Market at Gallery5 and the 11th annual Krampus Walk in Carytown on Dec. 2, according to its website.

RVA K rampusnacht’s events also feature traditional European characters other than Krampus such as Belsnickel, Frau Perchta, Schnabel Perchten and Mari Lwyd, according to Pisaniello.

The characters stem from European culture and folklore from countries such as Austria, Germany, Slovenia and the Czech

Republic, Pisaniello said.

“We also want to acknowledge a lot of the monsters that tend to come out during the dark half of the year,” Pisaniello said.

The Schnabel Perchten, one of those characters, looks like a woman with a giant beak coming out of her kerchief, according to Pisaniello. She carries a large pair of scissors and will go into your house around the wintertime to ensure it is tidy. If she finds you have not been a tidy housekeeper, she will slit your belly open with the scissors and stuff your guts full of old wool.

“I think it’s really important to remember these traditions and to carry them forward through artwork and through costumes and through performances so people see this and think ‘what the heck is that’ and want to know more,” Pisaniello said.

There is also the Mari Lywd, which looks like a decorated horse holding a person wearing a white sheet and a stick, according to Pisaniello. The Mari Lwyd will meet individuals for a rhyme battle and if one loses they must give the creature all of their alcohol and snacks.

“I think it’s a really cool tradition. I think it brings us back to remembering that there’s consequences for your actions and not everything is just flowers and rainbows all the time,” Pisaneillo said.

Gallery5’s annual Yuletide Monsters art show on Dec. 1 will be a part of RVA First Fridays and is RVA Krampusnacht’s second event of the year, according to Parker Galore, co-founder of RVA Krampusnacht and original team member at Gallery5. The event features Krampus-themed artwork, a burlesque show and performances by The Embalmers and Girlspit.

The Krampus-themed art show has included many mediums in past years, including sculptures, homemade masks, drawings, costumes and even a Krampus carved out of crayons, according to Galore.

“It made sense for multiple reasons to have an art show with all kinds of different interpretations and mediums of Krampus and the Yuletide Monsters,” Galore said.

Gallery5 wanted to host an art show on First Friday involving RVA Krampusnacht because the Krampus Walk occurs the next day on Dec. 2, according to Galore.

Gallery5 also hosts Holidaze Market

before the walk, which features 20 local vendors inside and around the building.

RVA Krampusnacht began pairing the walk with an art show after its first year to showcase people’s creativity, according to Galore.

“Christmas is not just celebrated in one way, and in fact, there are so many ways that this time of year has been acknowledged and celebrated, and a lot of different pieces of lore and mythology that were kind of left out of the Americanized Christmas because the whole thing is evolved over time,” Galore said.

The band The Embalmers will play at Yuletide Monsters at Gallery5, according to David Wiskman, lead guitarist and keyboardist in The Embalmers. The band

has played at the event almost every year since it began.

“When it comes to monster-themed, horror-themed bands in Richmond we kind of are it,” Wiskman said.

The band ties the Krampusnacht theme into their performance by wearing horns on their Fez’s and playing creepy surf-rock style music, according to Wiskman.

Richmond has a unique, funky artistic vibe and this is a great thing to keep Richmond weird, according to Wiskman.

“The artistic crowd in Richmond — I think they really get off on it because they can make their Krampusnacht and get the costumes going and just be creative,” Wiskman said. “It’s just a good time to party.”

The 2023 Krampus Walk poster. Photo courtesy of Autumn Haynes.

Wed. November 29, 2023

7

COSTUME DESIGN ENHANCES CHARACTERIZATION, COMEDY, TIME PERIOD OF 17TH-CENTURY COMEDY

Costumes in ‘The Imaginary Invalid.’

Photos courtesy of Sarah Moore and Kasey Brown.

PEGGY STANSBERY Spectrum Editor Costumes act as a subconscious element of theater that helps transport people into a different world; when producing a period piece, such as “The Imaginary Invalid,” costumes do so and set the period, said Kasey Brown, costume designer of “The Imaginary Invalid.”

VCUarts Theatre presents the comedy “The Imaginary Invalid” at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts from Nov. 30 through Dec. 3, according to VCUarts Theatre’s press release.

“The Imaginary Invalid,” the last work of the celebrated French satirist, Moliére, is set in 17th-century France, according to VCUarts Theatre’s press release. It covers the story of melodramatic Argan, who suffers from imagined ills and endless, unnecessary treatments and wants to marry his daughter to a doctor to save on his medical bills.

In addition to setting the period, the show’s costumes help support its comedy because 17th-century fashion was gigantic, funny and bizarre itself, Brown said.

Fashion of the 17th-century restricted women’s movement, and women couldn’t raise their arms higher than shoulder height, causing the moment on stage to be comedic and lending to the show’s physical comedy, Brown said.

Designing costumes for a period show involved a lot of research, especially since there were no photographs from the period, Brown said.

“My goal when I was researching was to laugh at almost every picture I found,” Brown said. “So I really just tried to use the period to make myself laugh.”

The main character Argan, the invalid, wears gigantic breaches that look like a diaper and a bib, according to Brown.

These costume items are all from researched images from the period.

Argan’s costume supports his characterization because he acts like a big baby, and everyone has to take care of him, Brown said.

Brown hopes the costumes make people laugh and feel stunned, but she believes costumes shouldn’t distract from the other elements of the production, she said.

“If they’re just thinking about my clothes the whole time and the things that I’ve done, I think I failed at my job, because this is a collaborative art and it should all mend together and create one whole picture instead of just one aspect,” Brown said.

Costumes play an important role in the production, said Jeffrey Darland, director of “The Imaginary Invalid.” How the characters dress, look and hold themselves — which represents the socioeconomic hierarchy — helps the audience understand

who the characters are and their position.

Darland has worked closely with Brown while directing, he said.

“We definitely talked about character again and what motivates these characters, and what their intentions are,” Darland said. “Kasey, our costume designer, was able to kind of incorporate it into the outfits, and then I make sure that the performers feel empowered and accentuate all of their beliefs within the costumes themselves.”

The costume of Argan’s second wife Béline, who plays the archetypal wicked stepmother, accentuates the archetype of her character, Darland said. The costume includes a large and poofy wig and images of thunderstorms — featuring lots of purple and a dark and stormy look.

“Because this is a period piece, the way the characters hold themselves is very important,” Darland said. “So if they are of a higher status, how they kind of gesture or even simply walk across the stage can very much be affected by the skirts that they’re wearing or the cane that they hold.”

The character Dr. Purgon wears a regal cape that helps inform the performer how to hold themself, move and gesture, which illuminates characterization, Darland said.

“I, as an actor, believe that costume design is everything,” said Evan Kagarise, who plays Argan. “It’s my favorite part of the whole process is getting costumed and

I think VCU has one of the best costume departments.”

The costumes tell people who the characters are and help the actor feel more confident and become the character, Kagarise said.

“I think getting to have these bold, beautiful costumes, it allows our performances to be bold, and it allows the audience to really see who the characters are,” Kagarise said.

Argan wears bright, beautiful colors and a long, fabulous robe, and gives Kagarise a feeling of wealth, Kagarise said. Underneath the robe, Argan’s diaper and bib-looking costume bolster his infant-like quality and adds another layer to the character.

“It opens up a whole new avenue that I can take with the character because so much of this show is physical comedy and physical improvisation,” Kagarise said. “Suddenly, I have a whole new group of things that I can improvise with my costume.”

Kagarise feels most excited about the costumes and making people laugh when performing “The Imaginary Invalid,” he said.

“I love to make people laugh,” Kagarise said. “It’s been a second since I’ve done comedy. I haven’t done a comedic mainstage here. So I’m excited to do that and to hear laughter in Hodges theater.”

8

The Commonwealth Times

Students collaborate to create production company, learn professional skills SOFIA HUSSAIN Contributing Writer Students in a VCU Media Entrepreneurship course, MASC 410, have started a production company called 410 Productions and developed a documentary.

The students have been developing, shooting and marketing a documentary portraying the diverse lives of three students in Richmond navigating a postCOVID world, according to Devon Todd, a MASC 410 student and marketing lead for the documentary.

The documentary’s screening will take place on Dec. 6 at Grace E. Harris Hall Auditorium, according to a press release.

Todd said her experience working on this project has helped her learn more about herself and how to face challenges while working in groups.

“Taking initiative, getting input from other people and trying new things really helped me learn a lot throughout the process,” Todd said. “However, finding out how to market in different, creative ways has been a challenge.”

Todd hopes that viewers can understand how important teamwork is, she said.

“We have all had our hands in the project,” Todd said. “Everyone on this team is passionate about this project and has taken on a role.”

This is the second semester MASC 410 has been taught and the first time the class has created a production company and a documentary, according to Kristen Furlo, a MASC 410 student and lead producer of

the documentary.

The documentary prioritizes exposure of students’ mental health and an inside look into students’ lives in order to help outsiders understand what goes into being a student today, according to Furlo.

“In the class, we focus on how working as a team and relying on one another is crucial in getting a project like this moving,” Furlo said. “The class has allowed us to build and grow our own company with the luxury of having a professor to catch us if we fall.”

The documentary featured amazing people with interesting stories and diverse perspectives, said Zachary Watkins, a MASC 410 student and a producer of the documentary.

“I’ve had an amazing experience working on this project. It has forced me to be detail-oriented and figure out how things work at all levels,” said Watkins.

“I’m most excited for other people to see the documentary and to share the pride of my classmates working hard on this project.”

Figuring out the dynamic of the team on a professional level and making sure everyone is communicating efficiently has been a crucial part of the learning experience, according to Watkins.

The project f uses various Mass Communications concentrations available at VCU, according to Robert Milazzo, the instructor of MASC 410.

“Whether you are a student in public relations, media production, journalism or advertising, we have a little bit of

everything in the project,” Milazzo said.

“I am a believer in education that crosses concentrations.”

The students involved in the project have done an amazing job working together and seeing a different level of responsibility with their work, Milazzo said.

The poster for 410 Production’s documentary. Photo courtesy of Kristen Furlo.

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Wed. November 29, 2023

9

Quote of the week

“This is where the quote of the week goes. This is where the quote of the week goes.”

— Bernardo Bertolucci

The CT seniors say farewell o

••

Opinions Editor says farewell

••

••

News Editor says farewell SELNA SHI News Editor

••

Managing Editor says farewell HOLLYANN PURVIS Managing Editor I’ve been at The CT for almost two years now, which means I’ve read my fair share of senior farewell letters. I’ve also cried at 90% of them.

Well, now it’s my turn. And I don’t really know what to say.

I can’t list all the amazing people I’ve met at The CT without running the risk of crying and never finishing this. You know who you are, and I love you.

I don’t know what other workplace will listen to every detail of my Hinge dates like you all did.

My time at this paper was special because of you guys. Thank you.

HP, SO.

Illustrations by Killian Goodale-Porter

@channel, my time at the CT has come to an end and while it is bittersweet, I am excited to see what my next gig is.

Anyways, here’s a poem that I wrote to summarize my feelings about the CT. I have struggled as the News Editor Like the ones before me The stress is like a predator Rawr XD We wrote about Glenn Youngkin The election and VCU Dine Ahahaha we’re journalists or something Always on the grind Word by word we read We type in “FINAL” and we are freed I take pride in what I do And love working with the crew My passion for writing has grown I hope my work has been made known Thank you to all with me on this journey I’m going to celebrate with a panini Okay, that’s all and also I love oxford commas. :pepe-sparkly-heart

Executive Editor says farewell GABRIELA DE CAMARGO GONÇALVES Executive Editor “Today I used my new ‘press pass,’ and it was so cool. I’m going to give this newspaper thing my all. I have my work cut out for me,” I wrote in my journal in October 2021 after working on one of my first articles for The Commonwealth Times.

Two years and many articles later, I’m saying farewell to The CT and VCU. Anyone that has been in my life this past semester knows “graduation” has been a prohibited word. The thought of finishing a cycle is exciting, but hauntingly terrifying.

I could cite every graduation and farewell cliche — it would make summing up my time here easier — but all I can do is thank everyone that has been with me through it all. Without my family and friends, this wouldn’t have been possible. Well, I guess I had to say that cliche at least or else they’d be mad at me.

Even as a writer, it’s hard to express what it all means to me and put these two years into words. Thank you to all the different writers and staff members I have worked with throughout my time at The CT; thank you for the laughs, friendships, hard work, and lessons I’ve learned from you.

Thank you to the readers and the stories you’ve allowed us to tell.

Thank you to this newspaper that has given me opportunities this Brazilian immigrant couldn’t have dreamed of.

KOFI MFRAMA Opinions Editor I wanted to be an architect when I was young. I always loved the idea of creating something abundant in both beauty and function — a trellis for the soul and body.

This career aspiration didn’t last long for me, I would spend most of middle and high school searching for my purpose. I changed my mind a lot. I wanted to study chemical engineering at some point (for whatever reason). But with every dream deferred, every career path forgone, writing remained at the center of it all.

Writing, as an art form and a means of expression, became a safe haven for me. I’ve always found solace in its barren vulnerability. Words on a page, as simple as they may be, can pierce the heart and stretch the mind with such frankness and honesty.

What I loved most about writing and editing for The CT is the opportunity to confirm and expand the worldview of those who interact with my work. I’ve also been so blessed to work with great writers who were so willing to lay bare the inner workings of their minds and nuanced thoughts of the world around them.

As my tenure as Opinions Editor comes to a close, I will carry these lessons and perspectives with me wherever I go.

Special thanks to everyone who has inspired me in my time here: Anna Chen, Chloe Hawkins, Ishaan Nandwani, Hollyann Purvis, Gabi de Camargo Gonçalves, Katie Farthing, Selna Shi, Thai Wilson, Peggy Stansbery, Arrick Wilson, Killian Goodale-Porter, Andrew Kerley, Solimar Santoyo, Victor Romanko, Olivia McCabe, Gabe Molina, Breyana Stewart and Arielle Andrews.

Whenever inspiration is slow to come, I’ll always find words in all of you.

Thank you.

10

The Commonwealth Times

THE CT STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves decamargg@commonwealthtimes.org

In A Nutshell by Ollie Hoffmaster

MANAGING EDITOR Hollyann Purvis purvishm@commonwealthtimes.org COPY EDITOR Katie Farthing farthingk@commonwealthtimes.org NEWS EDITOR Selna Shi news@commonwealthtimes.org SPORTS EDITOR Thai Wilson sports@commonwealthtimes.org SPECTRUM EDITOR Peggy Stansbery spectrum@commonwealthtimes.org OPINIONS EDITOR Kofi Mframa 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 Arielle Andrews

Sad Reality by Anthony Duong

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

Overdue by Killian Goodale-Porter

ADD YOUR VOICE The opinions pages of the CT are a forum open to the public. Contributions are welcome by email to Kofi Mframa, 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 © 1968-2023 The Commonwealth Times. No part of The Commonwealth Times may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

All rights reserved.

Wed. November 29, 2023

LEND ME YOUR EARS!

Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle LEND ME YOUR EARS!

Lo s An g e le s Time s Sunda y Cro s s wo rd Pu zzle

By Ricky Sirois

ACROSS 64 Place for matches 77 “Whichever” 2 Hydrocarbon gas 1 Kid around 65 “I speak for the 79 Bit the dust 3 Position 5 Agcys. trees” Seuss 81 Invents, as a word 4 Gamble (on) 9 “The Goonies” role character 83 Taurasi who was the 5 Sounds of for Ke Huy Quan 68 Practical first WNBA player meditation

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76 Chinese tea mystery novels

Level 1

2

3

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis

LEND ME YOUR EARS! by Ricky Sirois

L o s A n g el es Ti m es Su n d ay C ro ssw o rd Pu z z l e Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis

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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

1/15/19 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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11/29/23

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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

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