The Commonwealth Times; October 31, 2018

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Vigil attendees gathered to show support for the Jewish community in light of the violence at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh.

Photo by Erin Edgerton

Stories of the week

national: Eleven people died and nine were injured Saturday after an anti-semitic gunman opened fire at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

international: Sahle-Work Zewde, diplomat and United Nations special representative to the African Union, was appointed Ethiopia’s first female president Oct. 25.

Richmonders mourn, memorialize victims of anti-Semitic synagogue shooting

LOGAN REARDON Staff Writer

A vigil was held Tuesday at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center for the people killed in the Oct. 27 mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue.

Considered the deadliest attack on the Jewish community on U.S. soil, 11 people were killed and nine injured when Pittsburgh resident Robert Bowers attacked the Tree of Life synagogue. Bowers was charged Monday with 40 federal and state charges, including 11 counts of use of a firearm to commit murder during a crime of violence. U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said federal prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty in Bowers’ case.

Jonathan Revenson, a senior in the urban and regional studies program at VCU, was born and raised in the Jewish community. He said he was “devastated that this could have happened anywhere.”

“It just seemed so out of the blue,” Revenson said. “When times are dark, rely on your community ‘cause they’ll hold you up.”

Tuesday’s vigil primarily focused not on the increase in hate crimes, but the unity shown by communities in times of sorrow.

In a study by the Center for Hate and Extremism at the University of California, San Bernardino, 2017 had the highest number of hate crimes in more than a decade, despite a decrease in overall crime. Specifi-

cally, hate crimes committed against people of the Jewish faith accounted for 54 percent of all religious-based hate crimes.

Holocaust survivor and vigil attendee Jay Ipson said tragic events like the mass shooting affect the entire community.

“We are a united community here,” Ipson said. “What hurts one, hurts all, and we’ve learned through experience and time that we all bleed red.”

Cantor Dara Rosenblatt of the Temple Beth-El performed “A Walk to Caesarea” — commonly known as “Eli, Eli” — a Jewish song often played on Holocaust Memorial Day. She said seeing everyone in the community show their support at the vigil was “quite moving.”

“It was really beautiful to see all of the community coming together from all across the religious spectrum,” Rosenblatt said. “Not just from other synagogues, but from other religious affiliations.”

President of the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond Ellen Renee Adams said it is important for members of the Jewish community to “care for and support each other.” She added that the religion “gains strength from [its] broader family.”

“Tonight we are not Jews, we are not

Muslims, we are not Catholic or Baptist,” Adams said. “Tonight we are one family leaning on and supporting each other.”

First lady of Virginia Pamela Northam, Attorney General of Virginia Mark Herring and others spoke to the massive crowd.

Northam said the shooting in Pittsburgh was a “violation of all of our humanity.”

“We must have the courage to continue to reject bigotry, racism, to seek peace and reconciliation,” Northam said. “Hate has no place here.”

Herring said that, while “hate is turning deadly with frightening frequency” in the U.S., people should not give into cynicism.

While the number of mass shootings in the U.S. is roughly the same as in the 1980s and ‘90s, mass shootings in the 21st century have become more deadly. Out of the 28 mass shootings of 10 or more people beginning from records in the 1940s, more than half have been committed in the last 18 years.

“Indeed, as people of faith, we have a special opportunity to continue carrying messages of hope and healing, love and unity,” Herring said. “I know many of you have experienced fear when you worship and live your faith. Please look around tonight and find strength.”

Trump’s gender definition would remove protections for transgender people

SARAH ELSON

Contributing Writer

JESSICA CRUZ

Contributing Writer

The Trump administration is attempting to redefine gender as strictly biological — a move which could lead to the erasure of federal recognition of the 1.4 million Americans who identify as transgender.

The planned changes were leaked in a memo to The New York Times. According to the Times, the memo — spearheaded by the Department of Health and Human Services — states, “sex means a person’s status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth.”

If the alterations are made, they would negate a 2014 memo stating sex discrimi-

nation “based on gender identity, including transgender status” would not be tolerated under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act protects employees from discrimination on the basis of race, color and religion, among other characteristics.

To do so, sweeping alterations to Title IX — which protects people from sex-based discrimination in federally-funded educational programs — and the aforementioned Title VII would be required.

State governments can allot more civil protections than the federal government if they feel the federal government has not done enough. VCU political science professor John Aughenbaugh cited one Supreme Court case as an example.

“Some state courts, like Hawaii and Massachusetts, relying upon state constitutional language, recognized same-sex marriage equality years before the U.S. Supreme

Court did in the Obergefell v. Hodges case,” Aughenbaugh said.

Moving toward a binary definition of gender would remove legal protections for people whose genders do not fit the societal norm.

Students from the Queer & Trans People of Color Collective at VCU said they were not surprised by the recent memo issued by the Trump administration.

“I think of this more as a scare tactic because Trump has been systematically working since he got to office to eradicate rights for trans and nonbinary folks,” said senior Khudai Tanveer of the QTPOC leadership board. “This memo is not anything that he has not already previously said.”

As a result of the ongoing threats against transgender rights, alongside protests and rallies, the hashtag #WontBeErased was created online.

“With any and every issue, social media can both being detrimental and empowering to social issues and the issue of the definition of gender is no exception,” said VCU sophomore Savannah Kent. “However, ultimately I think that social media has helped bring more awareness to this issue than there would have been.”

Kent said social media also makes people aware of protests and allows them to “hear the stories of the transgender community.”

Freshman Anthony Belotti has been working closely with Amnesty International at VCU to promote awareness and change in light of the memo.

“Marches and rallies are great,” Belotti said. “But when it comes down to [it], making sure that we are even holding our local officials accountable because they can also pass legislation.”

A list of the 11 victims of the mass shooting was on display at the vigil.

Photo by Erin Edgerton

Holocaust survivor Jay Ipson attended Tuesday’s vigil. Photo by Erin Edgerton

Tonight we are not Jews, we are not Muslims, we are not Catholic or Baptist. Tonight we are one family leaning on and supporting each other.”

Ellen Renee Adams, President of the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond

University unable to find site for spring graduation ceremony

ZACH JOACHIM Executive Editor GEORGIA GEEN Managing Editor

VCU will not host a university-wide commencement ceremony for May 2019 graduates after the administration failed to secure a venue.

The Richmond Coliseum has hosted spring commencement for 46 years. But the venue is not booking events past December. President Rao wrote in a letter to students and faculty explaining the administration’s decision.

“We explored several alternative venues across the region, but all were unavailable because of cost, size or access,” Rao wrote.

A protest was planned the day of the announcement for Wednesday afternoon. Protest organizer Kaylin Cecchini, a junior double majoring in political science and philosophy, said the decision is insensitive to the graduating class.

“This cancellation feels like a slap in the face to the class of 2019 and their accomplishments and hard work, as well as the time and effort they have put forth into our community,” Cecchini said. “This is a moment we all work toward, where we are able to graduate in front of our loved ones and experience the pride of this accomplishment.”

The protest was scheduled to take place in front of the president’s office at 910 W. Franklin St. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to its Facebook event page.

“This is going to serve as a drumbeat event to a larger protest against the broader administrative master plan of irresponsible spending and commencement cancellation,” Cechini said in regard to the ONE VCU draft plan slated to go before the board of visitors in December. “We want VCU to live up to their slogan of ‘One VCU.’ The university has to reinstate the commencement regardless of cost.”

VCU tweeted Tuesday that funds which would have been spent on the university-wide ceremony will instead be used to “augment the college and school ceremonies to ensure they meet a consistent standard of excellence.” This includes making the official university commencement program — which names each graduate — available at every ceremony, among other “enhancements.”

Senior political science major Caitlin Poos said she is frustrated by the decision.

“The fact that I hurried through college and now I don’t even get a true ceremony is super upsetting,” Poos said. “Plus, it felt like VCU’s response was basically saying, ‘oh, well.’”

Though individual department ceremonies will still take place — which the university described as “well-attended” in its statement — Poos said only attending the smaller ceremonies will affect the number of family members she can invite. She said she will not be able to bring her grandparents or boyfriend; only her parents and siblings will be in attendance.

“On a larger scale, [the commencement cancellation] reflects the administration’s continued lack of consideration for the students’ welfare,” Cecchini said.

I’ll admit compared to the amount of people that graduate, not a lot of people go to commencement, BUT it’s crazy for VCU to only give a certain amount of tickets for some departments AND get rid of commencement.

@Kaynificent

I’m so hurt VCU is not having a commencement graduation ceremony like damn. I worked hard for this shit man, disappointed. I really wanted to walk across that stage smh!!!

@McCudi_

This ABSOLUTELY ridiculous!!! And not even an option, all I gotta say is y’all have until May to Figure it out ��

@oldhamsydney1

Mom of a 2019 grad here. I am extremely disappointed in your decision. We’ve lived through 4 years of tuition increases and you can’t try harder to find a venue?

@whitneybwest

So disappointing!!!! I was so proud to graduate from VCU with my friends but now each one of us will have to graduate from each department separately. I’m sure there’s another way!

@itsmalaz_e

This is terrible. Very disappointing in the school I chose to attend and graduate from. You have thousands of dollars of mine, as well as money I’ll now owe back to loaners for the next x number of years, yet you can’t afford to grant students a commencement ceremony? Very sad.

@Wade_Wallace3

Professors, journalism school condemn murder of Saudi journalist amid investigation

LOGAN REARDON Staff Writer

The story of Jamal Khashoggi has circulated the news cycle for weeks — the Virginia resident and Washington Post contributor walked into the Saudi Consulate in Turkey Oct. 2 and was gruesomely dismembered by Saudi operatives.

The Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture at VCU condemned the killing Oct. 19. The school also backed a letter sent from the Society of Professional Journalists to the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia, “urging a full investigation” of the situation.

Jamal Khashoggi.

journalists in the U.S. — such as the Capital Gazette shooting in June — dropped the country two places in the 2018 World Press Freedom Index to No. 45 of 180 countries. The most recent instance with mail bomber Cesar Sayoc, who sent bombs to CNN’s New York and Atlanta headquarters, happened after the index was released.

Khashoggi’s criticism against Saudi Arabia and others close to the regime prompted multiple attempts to suppress his voice. According to The Independent, Khashoggi was banned by Saudi authorities in December 2016 from TV appearances or publications “for criticizing U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.”

tively exaggerated.”

“It doesn’t seem as you think here — it’s not the hell,” Kattan said. “Any journalist can have that amount of risk.”

Salman has been praised by many as a “progressive figure” in Saudi Arabia — last year, he struck down a law prohibiting women from driving.

Just 10 years ago, men and women in the journalism field were separated, Kattan said, but now with Salman as the crown prince, she said he is “doing things previous rulers could not do.”

Christopher Saladino, a political science professor at VCU, said the Saudi monarch “wears two masks.”

Due to extensive U.S.-Saudi relations, experts are skeptical if sanctions will be forced on Saudi Arabia if the investigation finds the regime responsible for Khashoggi’s death.

Kattan said she believes Saudi statements saying Salman did not know about Khashoggi’s murder and that the operatives allegedly responsible for Khashoggi’s death acted without the regime’s orders.

Others, like Saladino, said it is hard to believe the Saudi government’s claims.

Jeff South, associate professor of journalism at VCU, said the Khashoggi situation “underscores the fact that journalism is under attack throughout the world.”

“If what everyone alleges has indeed happened, it shows how brutal some governments are in pursuing their critics, including journalists,” South said.

The increase in threats and attacks on

According to The New York Times, before his death, Khashoggi and other critics of the Saudi regime were “victims of a cyberbullying campaign” by Saudi “Twitter trolls.”

Despite the treatment of Khashoggi by the Saudi regime, VCU doctoral student and Saudi journalist Wedyan Kattan said the western media’s perception of journalism in Saudi Arabia is often times “nega-

“There’s incentive to reform that are for the good of the state, for the good of the regime and for the good of the people,” Saladino said. “On the other hand, my reading of it is that there’s significant evidence that he is reforming on mostly low-hanging fruit — easy stuff, stuff that’s not going to ruffle the feathers too terribly much.”

Continuous changes by the Saudi government in the story of Khashoggi’s death — going from suggesting to Bloomberg he left the consulate after “a few minutes or one hour,” to a recent statement that his death was “premeditated” — have pointed to Salman’s attitude toward dissenters.

“Formally, [Saudi Arabia’s recent statement] is so extremely fluid that it would be foolish I think to assume that what we heard today was a bottom line of truth because it’s a fairly weak statement,” Saladino said.

The Robertson School said it supports its students and current journalists in their attempts to “hold people in power accountable and shine light on information that the public needs to know.”

“We are appalled by today’s climate of hostility toward journalists around the world,” the Robertson School statement read. “As we prepare our students to enter the journalism profession — to report news accurately and fairly and to engage readers and viewers in discussing issues important to them — we stand united beside our students as well as current journalists.”

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The Richmond Coliseum will not book events beyond December. Photo by Erin Edgerton

Protesters, residents view pipeline as environmental injustice

CHRIS WOOD

Contributing Writer

Protesters and residents of Union Hill in Buckingham County are frustrated by the government’s approval of Dominion Energy plans to establish a second compressor station in the area, a decision they consider a civil injustice and environmental racism.

Much of the land in Union Hill, including the second Atlantic Coast Pipeline compressor site, has been passed down from generation to generation, originally acquired by the Freedmen’s Bureau.

“There are a lot slave burials — some of them are unmarked, but more and more are being identified,” said Chad Oba, co-chairman of Friends of Buckingham and resident of Union Hill. “So there’s a lot of historical significance here and they’re supposed to look at that and they didn’t.”

Oba added that he is worried about the environmental impact the compressor would have on the community — noting the residents do not trust their board of supervisors.

“That was the one place where locality could have stopped this dead,” Oba said. “It was clear that people made a lot of good reasons why we shouldn’t have it here and it was really a large majority of people and they passed it anyways.”

ACP Media Relations Manager Aaron Ruby said the surveys of the site did not find “evidence of any graves, burial grounds or other cultural resources.”

“We share their concern for these sites, and we’ve taken meaningful steps to protect them,” Ruby said.

Mary Finley-Brook, professor at University of Richmond and member of the Advisory Council on Environmental Justice (ACEJ), said the pipeline issue is partly due to environmental racism — and the subsequent burden on low-income people and communities of color, she said.

Finley-Brook also said the statistics ACP used in its federal permit application are not necessarily applicable to Union Hill community. According to the 12-page letter sent to Governor Ralph Northam from the ACEJ, of the 99 households within two miles of the proposed compressor station, 85 percent of residents are African-American.

Oba also said Dominion Energy submitted its application for the construction permit to the DEQ — which was rejected multiple times. The DEQ ultimately

worked with Dominion Energy to have the permit passed.

“The first proposal never would have passed,” Finley-Brook said. “And DEQ, instead of rejecting it, just continued to feed Dominion Energy the information they would need and how much they would need to do to squeeze by on different levels.”

With the ACEJ being the only government agency in Union Hill speaking in favor of the residents’ interests, Oba said there is a high degree of helplessness the community feels against the government and private corporations.

In the ACEJ letter to Northam, the advisory council listed multiple civil rights and environmental violations associated with the ACP — ultimately recommending the governor suspend the air permit.

“We’re also using some of the strongest emission controls ever used by the industry,” Ruby, ACP’s media relations manager, said. “Most air emissions at the station will be 50 to 80 percent lower than emissions at other compressor stations in Virginia.”

According to the advisory council, the proposed compressor station would release 51.6 tons of carbon monoxide and

8.30 tons of sulphur dioxide, which could contribute to hypoxic-related illnesses and acid rain, respectively.

“Natural gas produces half the carbon emissions of coal and 80 to 90 percent less sulfur and nitrogen,” Ruby said. “By replacing coal with cleaner natural gas, we’ve lowered our carbon footprint by more than 40 percent since 2005.”

In Finley-Brook’s research, she and her team found that “health complaints of populations living near gas infrastructure include respiratory problems, eye and skin irritations and elevated cancer rates.” They also noted that, “permits seldom consider cumulative exposures from other proximate sources of pollution.”

In 2015, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League filed a 20-page civil lawsuit against county officials after granting a special use permit, saying the Buckingham County Administrator Rebecca Carter signed and submitted the Local Governing Body Certification Form to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality — one year before the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the matter.

In Northam’s one-page letter to the ACEJ rejecting their recommendations, he stated the Virginia DEQ has held a number of public information sessions in the Union Hill community. However, Finley-Brook said there was no meeting ever held at Union Hill and that the only sessions held were at the Buckingham Courthouse and Buckingham County Middle School.

“I was at every one of those meetings. I know when they were and where they were,” Finley-Brook said. “The only meeting that happened in Union Hill was not a meeting, it was a community tour.”

Finley-Brook said the “tour” of Union Hill only included two community residents and Virginia DEQ representatives, including Director of Air Division Michael Dowd, Air Toxics Coordinator Patrick Corbett and Manager in the Office of Air Permitting Tamera Thompson. The meeting lasted approximately 20 minutes.

It has been more than four years since Dominion Energy submitted its first proposal, with the Virginia DEQ helping them along the entire process. Union Hill residents who are against the ACP have one month to prepare a counterproposal.

“We have to go out and beg for help, get pro bono help, or raise funds and pay people,” Oba said. “We get 30 days.”

Department hosts talk with South-Sudan presidential candidate

LOGAN REARDON Staff Writer

The Department of African American Studies at VCU hosted a book signing and talk Friday for Bol Gai Deng, a VCU alumnus running for president of South Sudan.

The event promoted “Bol Gai Deng: Legacy of an African Freedom Fighter,” a collection of stories describing Deng’s escape from slavery and his life in the U.S. as a refugee.

Speakers during the event included Deng, his campaign manager Donald Blake, African American studies department chair Shawn Utsey, political science associate professor Bill Newmann and former NBC12 anchor Andrea McDaniel, who authored the book.

This is the first book McDaniel has written and published. She said she chose to write about Deng’s story because “it needed to be told.”

“We’re talking about a lot of horrible things that happened,” McDaniel said. “He’s glossed them over, but he’s been through hell and back — and he’s the most optimistic person that you will ever ever meet — and all he cares about is his people in South Sudan.”

Utsey has known Deng since he was a student at VCU. He said Deng’s “commitment to his country and village” has always impressed him.

“Deng [has] never forsaken his people,” Utsey said. “He’s always been committed to try and reach back and make Sudan a better place.”

Newmann was one of Deng’s professors at VCU. Newmann said, through stories Deng told in class, he was able to “get a picture of the life he had led,” and was “impressed by his perseverance.”

“This is amazing because he shouldn’t be here,” Newmann said. “He shouldn’t be anywhere at this point, and yet he’s persevered

through all of this.”

Deng has always had high praise for VCU and said the school was a place that changed him — and continues to change many students today.

“VCU is a great place to be,” Deng said. “You don’t know this now, but when you get out, you will be a different person.”

Deng said they are planning on having another book signing event in the future.

The current president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, has been in office since 2011 — before the people of South Sudan voted for independence, splitting the nation in two.

Voting for the presidential election of South Sudan was originally supposed to be held in 2015, but the South Sudanese parliament voted to amend the country’s transitional constitution from 2011 to extend their terms to 2018. It is currently unclear when elections will be held.

Alumnus Bol Gai Deng is running for president of his home country South Sudan. Photo by Tatyana Bailey

Residents of Buckingham donned masks to call attention to the air pollution associated with the pipeline. Photo courtesy of Nat Linton

Stat of the week

Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox recorded his first career touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. AlieCox caught the ball one-handed after a 75-yard drive.

Curry leads Rams over UVA-Wise

NOAH FLEISCHMAN

Staff Writer

Men’s Basketball defeated UVA-Wise 87-41 Tuesday night in its final preseason tune up behind freshman guard KeShawn Curry’s game-high 15 points in only 15 minutes played.

Simms, who made a 3-pointer from the corner, during the big first half run.

Back-to-back blocks by Rams from Jenkins and redshirt-sophomore forward Corey Douglas got the crowd on their feet.

Curry made a loud entrance to the Siegel Center, scoring five points within 14 seconds. He was fouled shooting a layup, converted the bucket and hit the free throw for the 3-point play. Curry then stole the ball after the inbounds pass from the Cavaliers and capped it off with a monster dunk.

“He’s a really good key factor on the top of the diamond and you are going to see a lot more flashy dunks by this kid,” said sophomore forward Marcus Santos-Silva. “He’s really good.”

“Tonight just showed a sneak peek, he’s a really good player,” junior guard De’Riante Jenkins said of Curry.

The Rams jumped out to an early fourpoint lead in the first half. They then added to the lead with an 11-0 run that spanned more than six minutes of play.

Freshman guard P. J. Byrd made a big steal right after he entered the game and dished it to redshirt-junior guard Mike’L

The Black and Gold took a 4521 lead into the halftime break as Santos-Silva led the team with eight points and seven rebounds.

VCU opened up the second half the same way as the first 20 minutes — the Rams went on a 10-0 run in the first 7:35 of the half.

Redshirt-senior forward Michael Gilmore gave the Black and Gold faithful something to get loud about in the second half as he recorded two blocks in less

than a minute for the Rams.

The Rams kept their foot on the gas as they went on another run, outscoring the Cavaliers 20-6 over a six minute span.

VCU scored 50 points in the paint compared to UVA-Wise’s eight. The Rams shot 41 percent from the field and 25 percent beyond the arc.

The Rams outscored the Cavaliers 32-17 in the second half.

Santos-Silva and Jenkins each finished with double-doubles. Santos-Silva had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jenkins logged 10 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes on the floor.

“I didn’t realize how much I missed this crowd and atmosphere,” Santos-Silva said. “One thing [Jenkins] told me last year was, ‘It’s going to be a long wait until your sophomore year.’ I didn’t realize that until now and it was a long wait.”

The Rams distributed minutes throughout the entire roster with Jenkins logging the most at 22.

“Coach says we are an army,” Douglas said. “We’re sent in waves and we will keep coming every couple minutes sending new guys in, fresh legs, and creating havoc.”

Sophomore forward Marcus Santos-Silva played 18 minutes Tuesday and shot 41.7 percent from the field.

Photo by Jon Mirador.

Freshman guard KeShawn Curry played 15 minutes in the exhibition game against UVA-Wise. Photo by Jon Mirador.

Coach says we are an army, We’re sent in waves and we will keep coming every couple minutes sending new guys in, fresh legs, and creating havoc.”

Corey Douglas, redshirtsophomore forward

Volleyball sweeps weekend play, reduces magic number to one

KAYLEIGH FITZPATRICK

Online Editor

Volleyball is now one win away from clinching a second consecutive regular season Atlantic 10 Conference Championship after a pair of victories over the weekend against Saint Louis Oct. 28 and Dayton Oct. 26. The Rams (16-7, 11-0 A-10) overcame a slow start to defeat SLU 3-1 and prevailed 3-2 in a five-set thriller against Dayton to complete season sweeps against both teams.

Junior outside hitter Vicky Giommarini paced the Rams offense for the weekend, recording 39 total kills — 21 against SLU and 18 against Dayton. Senior middle blocker Tori Baldwin moved to within two blocks of 500 in her career.

The victories extended VCU’s school-record conference winning streak to 27 matches while bringing its overall winning streak to 12 matches. VCU also improved its postseason resume in its pursuit of a second-straight berth in the NCAA Tournament, as Dayton was 30th in the RPI rankings.

SAINT LOUIS

After an emotional five-set victory Friday, the Rams overcame a slow start against the Billikens (5-18, 4-7) by dropping the first set before rallying to win the next three to win the match 3-1 Sunday afternoon at the Siegel Center.

VCU committed an attack, receiving and serving error, respectively, in the first four points played to quickly fall behind 4-1 in the first set. The Rams eventually rallied to hold set point before a series of poor passes allowed Saint Louis to win the set on a 3-0 run.

“[Friday] was a grueling match mentally. I think we had to get dialed in a little bit more,” said head coach Jody Rogers. “Teams are going to come in and play us hard and we can’t have a B-game. If we don’t have an A-game we are going to lose. I reiterated to them that losing to this kind of team can ruin the chances of making the NCAA tournament — I challenged them and they responded. I love the resiliency we showed.”

Rogers’ challenge bred instant results as VCU started the second set on a 4-0 run enroute to a 25-19 win. VCU continued to bear down as it held SLU to attack percentages of .135 and .000 in the final two sets while hitting .333 and .444 in the same sets.

“We knew we either had to pick it up or we were gonna lose our streak, especially to a team that isn’t the best in our conference,” Baldwin said. “Coach got into us a little bit more in the locker room. That spark lit a fire in our eyes and we picked it up and won.”

For the match, the Rams outhit the Billikens .305 to .158, out-blocked them 13-9 and out-dug them 72-61. Freshman libero Alyna Draper paced the Ram defense with 22 digs and added eight assists. Giommarini led the match with 21 kills — all in the final three sets.

DAYTON

Vicky Giommarini gathered her team after a kill and told them all to relax.

VCU had just lost the second set after allowing arch-rival Dayton (17-7, 8-2) to go on an 11-2 run. A questionable call of a touch on VCU in the third set gave Day-

ton a point and ended a run of momentum the Rams had built.

Flyers run that they never relinquished as they won the set to take a 2-1 match lead. VCU’s school-record 25 straight conference win streak appeared to be in doubt.

Except senior captain Baldwin was having none of it. During the huddle between sets, she spoke to the team, imploring them to have heart.

“‘Guys, we have to be better and we have to have more heart,’” Baldwin told her team. “‘When it comes down to it, whoever wants it more is going to win.’”

The Rams responded with their best two sets of the match, winning the fourth set 25-19 before cruising 15-6 in the fifth and final set to win the match 3-2. They held the Flyers to a combined .067 hitting percentage in the final two sets combined.

“This was huge,” Rogers said of the victory. “This was an exciting match and there was a lot of emotion. Once we got relaxed and executed, we were fine. The girls just had to have the mindset that they could do it and that they are there for each other. That’s what our culture is and what they did for each other tonight.”

The victory also gave the Rams a sweep in the season series with the Flyers. VCU now holds the tiebreaker over its rival in the final conference standings in regular season play.

“I think this match was a defining moment for us in earning first in the conference,” Baldwin said. “We still have teams left to play, and we can’t underestimate any of them, but I think this earned our first spot in conference.”

Giommarini led the Rams with 18 kills and added 19 digs, which also led the team.

“Vicky was absolutely huge for us tonight,” said junior middle blocker Jasmin Sneed. “She played so well and kept us emotionally level.”

The junior captain reminded her team to breathe, relax and execute. Her team responded to go on a 6-2 run to tie the set at 10-10. Another questionable call from officials on a tipped ball — this time in VCU’s favor — sparked a 5-2

Volleyball returns to action this weekend with road matches against George Washington Nov. 2 and George Mason Nov. 3. A win against either team will clinch the A-10 regular season championship for the Rams. The next home match for VCU will be Nov. 7, an out-of-conference matchup with High Point.

VCU holds off George Washington to advance in A-10 Tournament

NILE MCNAIR

Contributing Writer

Sporting a four-game winning streak, Women’s Soccer entered the Atlantic 10 Tournament with a dominant 15-3 record. Saturday night, the Rams hosted a quarterfinal match against George Washington.

VCU started the scoring off with an early goal within the first four minutes. Senior forward Kelly Graves gave VCU a 1-0 lead after intercepting a bad pass by the Colonials and shooting from the top of the 18-yard line, scoring into the bottom left corner of the net.

GW tied the game back up later in the first half. Senior midfielder Sofia Pavon beat VCU goalkeeper Grace Young and scored a goal on an open net for the Colonials, forcing a 1-1 tie heading into halftime.

In the second half, VCU took over the game. Graves scored her seventh goal of the season and second of the game via an assist by sophomore forward CiCi Fox. The Rams had luck on their side as they benefited from an own goal committed by GW. Graves’ goal and the own goal gave VCU a 3-1 lead with less than 10 minutes remaining.

The Colonials did not end their season without a fight. After a foul by VCU in the last minute of the game, Pavon scored her second goal to cut the deficit to one.

The Rams survived and advanced as they came away from the home victory over GW with a final score of 3-2. Graves led the way for VCU in what will be her final A-10 tournament.

VCU advances to the semifinals Nov. 2 in Dayton, Ohio against Saint Joseph’s.

Women’s Soccer heads to the semifinals Nov. 2 to compete against Saint Joseph’s.

Photo by Teresa Bricker.

The Rams stretched their winning streak to 12 games and remained undefeated in the A-10. Photo by Jon Mirador.

I think this match was a defining moment for us in earning first in the conference. We still have teams left to play, and we can’t underestimate any of them, but I think this earned our first spot in conference.”

Tori Baldwin, senior middle blocker

Dayton snaps VCU’s conference winning streak

JARON NUTTER Contributing Writer

The Rams failed to extend their sixgame winning streak as they fell to Dayton 1-0 Oct. 27 in Ohio.

Flyers’ midfielder Jonas Fjeldberg scored a header to the far post in the 31st minute off an assist from David Lianes. Dayton outshot VCU 18-5 overall and 6-0 in shots on goal.

VCU junior midfielder Siad Haji and junior midfielder Fortia Munts failed to find the back of the net in the 51st and 53rd minutes. Redshirt-senior midfielder Joseph Gonnella and freshman forward Martin Ngoh took one shot each. Ngoh was almost the hero with a shot in the 87th minute, but it was blocked by a Dayton defender. Sophomore goalkeeper Mario Sequei-

ra recorded three saves, bringing his season total to 44.

Rams head coach David Giffard told VCU Athletics why his side failed to win their final road match of the regular season.

“I think we focused on the outcome tonight instead of how to play to get the outcome we want,” Giffard said. “Disappointing for sure, but we need to learn and move onto Wednesday night.”

The Flyers improved to 7-5-4, as the Rams fell to 9-5-1. VCU currently still sits atop the Atlantic 10 standings with a 5-1-1 record in conference play, good for 16 points. The Flyers are in seventh place with a 3-3-1 record and 10 points.

The Rams will look to bounce back against St. Bonaventure Oct. 31 at 7 p.m., their last game of the regular season.

Rams in Action: Tori Baldwin and Jasmin Sneed

KAYLEIGH FITZPATRICK

Online Editor

Tori Baldwin’s hands were shaking. “Do you see this?” she asked, holding out her hands. “My hands are still shaking I’m so excited.”

Baldwin, a senior middle blocker, had just finished leading her team down the court to celebrate with the band, following her team’s exhilarating come-from-behind 3-2 victory against the Dayton Flyers on Friday.

“This game was such an extra rush of emotion,” Baldwin said. “The first two points, I’m coming in and thinking, ‘Ah, just gotta tip the ball over’ … It was an emotional rollercoaster for me a little bit. This was such a fun game to play in.”

That energy is transferable — when Baldwin is subbed off in a rotation, in comes junior middle blocker Jasmin Sneed, the NCAA leader in blocks per set this season and the second-leading blocker in VCU history. Sneed will often pick up where Baldwin left off. In the match against Dayton alone, there were three separate occasions in which Baldwin and Sneed blocked an opponent’s attempt on consecutive points.

“We just gotta keep the block party going, always, and of course, it’s my job to block them,” said Sneed, who set a new school record for blocks in a single season with 180 last season.

Having two elite — and ultra-competitive — middle blockers is a luxury for any volleyball coach, but one of the factors that make the duo of Baldwin and Sneed so effective is how they block. At 6-foot-3-inches tall, Baldwin has height to her advantage, while Sneed, a former standout basketball player in San Antonio, Texas, has unparalleled athleticism.

“They both have that strive to be awesome and they are both so competitive,” said head coach Jody Rogers. “They hate losing even if it is like checkers, and that mentality permeates throughout the program. Tori Baldwin walks into a room and demands respect immediately. But [Sneed] just jumps so high. She can come out of nowhere and is like Spider-Woman.”

to disrupt their opponents offense and the impact of getting touches on balls has not gone unrecognized by the rest of the team.

“It’s the thing that allows us to be able to [have the opportunity for kills]. We have really great setters and without good net defense and good passes, we can’t run our offense,” Tuzzolo said. “Having a solid defense allows you to run the offense from wherever you want … The middle crew, they bring such a great energy. They feed off each other and they mesh well together.”

With only four matches remaining in the regular season before the A-10 Tournament in mid-November — which VCU will host for the first time — Baldwin is focused on keeping her team ready to play, no matter the opponent.

Baldwin, the school record-holder for career blocks with 498, leads with her emotion. When she gets a block or spike — or a teammate does — she lets out a roar and turns to celebrate with her team, and they feed off that passion and energy.

“Getting a block is really exciting because you don’t get them as much as you get everything else,” said junior opposite hitter Gina Tuzzolo. “It’s exciting for the whole team. The bench gets really excited and there is this energy in a block that we just feed off of.”

Barring injury, Sneed will supplant Baldwin for the career block record before she graduates. It is a feat Baldwin hopes she accomplishes.

“Records are meant to be broken,” Baldwin said. “I never imagined when I came [to VCU] that I would set the school record or get 500 blocks. And I’ll be rooting for Jasmin. I hope she breaks my record.”

For the Rams, the abilities of Baldwin and Sneed to get their hands onto more balls leads to a more productive offensive counter-attack. In 10 of the last 11 games, VCU has recorded double-digit blocks and has three players — Sneed (1st), Baldwin (2nd) and senior opposite hitter Julia Adler (4th) — ranked in the top-5 in the Atlantic 10 conference for blocks this season.

“It’s great because they both bring two different sides of play,” Rogers said. “[Baldwin] is a little bit more physical and [Sneed] is more athletic. [Baldwin] brings in such a leadership piece. The team is always on point when she is in there.

The prowess of the Rams’ frontcourt

Records are meant to be broken. I never imagined when I came [to VCU] that I would set the school record or get 500 blocks. And I’ll be rooting for Jasmin. I hope she breaks my record.”

“We aren’t going to lay down or underestimate anyone,” she said. “We are going to fight to the very end, no matter who we are playing against. We are going to act like the underdogs the entire time.”

For a team that has won 26 consecutive conference matches, that mindset could leave VCU’s future opponents shaking, and not out of exhilaration.

Junior defender Ryo Shimazaki started 15 games this season and scored one gamewinning goal. Photo by Michel Maulding.

Junior middle blocker Jasmin Sneed (2) has recorded 165 kills this season. CT file photo.

Senior middle blocker Tori Baldwin has recorded 338 attacks this season. Photo by Michel Maulding.

It’s the thing that allows us to be able to [have the opportunity for kills]. We have really great setters and without good net defense and good passes, we can’t run our offense. The middle crew, they bring such a great energy. They feed off each other and they mesh well together.”

Gina Tuzzollo, junior opposite hitter

Tori Baldwin, senior middle blocker

Field Hockey pitches shutout against Davidson in season finale

ANDY RIDDLER

Contributing Writer

Field Hockey defeated Davidson 3-0 in the regular season finale Oct. 27 in North Carolina. The Rams’ 7-1 Atlantic 10 record is VCU’s best since moving to the conference. It took less than eight minutes for senior forward Emily McNamara to get the Rams on the board, scoring off an assist by senior forward Lauren Kaup. The assist was Kaup’s first of the season.

McNamara’s second goal came in the 27th minute following a pass by sophomore defender Emily van Hijfte. The assist was van Hijfte’s second of the season.

McNamara completed her hat trick in the 47th minute on an assist from freshman defender Litiana Field. The goal extended McNamara’s school record for goals in a season to 25 — four more than the previous mark she set last season.

Freshman goalkeeper Sasha Elliott recorded three saves on the way to her fourth shutout of the season.

VCU outshot Davidson 10-6 and 7-3 in shots on goal.

The Black and Gold will continue their quest for a conference championship Nov. 2 at Saint Joseph’s.

Press Box: The NCAA basketball recruiting scandal

NOAH FLEISCHMAN Staff Writer

The college basketball recruiting process could have major changes in store as the NCAA decides how to punish programs embroiled in the “College Basketball Trial,” technically U.S. v. Gatto et al., which took place in New York City.

“Pay-to-play” — that is what was echoed around a New York courtroom as former Adidas executive James Gatto, former Adidas consultant Merl Code and wannabe agent Christian Dawkins sat on trial for allegedly paying high school athletes to attend certain colleges.

All three were found guilty Oct. 24 on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charges carry a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Unfortunately, the practice of paying college recruits, especially basketball players, has become the status-quo. The players should not receive compensation while being recruited, or the future of recruiting will be negatively affected. In the future, big corporations should not be able to fund the recruitment of star high school athletes because the playing field needs to be leveled between schools. I am all for paying collegiate athletes, but not during the recruiting process.

This trial has opened some people’s eyes, as it has shown the corruption of the NCAA and its recruiting system. This method of recruiting has been an ongoing practice for years.

Dallas Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. was used as an example in the trial as the U.S. government alleged that North Carolina State University paid him $40,000 to enroll. NC State was allegedly given the

money from Gatto to give to Smith Jr., so he would sign and play at the Adidas-sponsored institution. The payment was made to Smith Jr.’s father, Dennis Smith Sr. The younger Smith was not aware of the payment, but it still would have qualified as an NCAA recruiting violation.

Former VCU Men’s Basketball head coach and current head coach at Louisiana State University Will Wade had his name brought up during the trial. Wade was caught on an FBI wiretap talking on the phone with Dawkins about “funding” a highly recruited high school senior, Balsa Koprivica, in order to get him to sign with LSU, according to a report by ESPN. Yahoo Sports posted a transcription of the conversation.

“Would you want Balsa?” Dawkins asked.

“Ooh, the big kid?” Wade said. Dawkins confirmed.

“OK, but there is other [expletive] involved in it,” Wade said. “Wait, I’ve got to shut the door … I can get you what you need but it’s got to work.”

Koprivica tweeted June 21, 2017, “Blessed to say I have received an offer from LSU.” This implies Wade was ready to give the recruit what he wanted.

“It was a little bit surprising,” Wade told ESPN at SEC Media Day. “I’m not really gonna react to what the defense attorney said. I will say I’m very proud of everything I’ve done as LSU’s head coach … I or we have never, ever done business of any kind with Christian Dawkins. That’s what I’ll say about that.”

Wade’s wiretap was not admissible in the case because it did not deal with the Adidas executives who were sitting on trial. The content of the wiretap is enough evidence for the NCAA to take action against Wade if they deem it necessary, which they

should, because this is clear-cut evidence of illegal recruiting practices.

“It’s a blip. It’s not what’s happening,” Duke Men’s Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski said at a press conference Oct. 15.

Well, Coach Krzyzewski, the pattern that we have seen does not look like a “blip” on a radar, as multiple schools have been accused of paying their athletes. It is surprising that many high-level players, including star recruit Zion Williamson, have elected to go to Duke and turn down large amounts of money. That raises the question of whether Krzyzewski has paid his recruits.

Williamson’s father allegedly asked for money, a job and housing, according to evidence presented during the trial. The highly sought-after recruit then committed to Duke, which was a major shock around

college basketball.

College athletes, regardless of what sport they play, should be paid for their services that they provide during their time at their universities. Colleges and universities profit off the likenesses of the players as they market the athletes across campuses and cities.

However, they should not be paid during the recruiting process as some have been over the years. The investigation and trial opened the eyes of the public as it saw the large sums offered to players by certain schools.

The scandal changes the way we look at college basketball recruiting and shows how the future of recruiting is in limbo. The trial is setting a precedent that action will be taken against those who seek to corrupt the NCAA recruiting system.

Mulhern strides to third place at A-10 championships

NOAH FLEISCHMAN

Staff Writer

Men’s and Women’s Cross Country hit the course at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville to compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships Oct. 27.

MEN’S

The Rams finished 12th out of 14 teams, averaging a time of 27:07.66 to earn 362 points in the meet.

Junior Bryce Catlett led the Black and Gold with a 25th place finish as he ran the 8,000-meter race in 25:35.8.

Junior Lucas Sidle placed 78th with a time of 26:28.7 as the second Ram to cross the line.

Freshman Archie Blaes and redshirt-junior Michael Villagomez ran sideby-side, finishing 110th and 111th with times of 27:30.6 and 27:32.4, respectively.

Freshman Sean Moulton rounded out the top five for VCU as he finished 121st with a time of 22:41.5.

Freshman Owen Walker finished 124th at 23:07.4.

Dayton won the men’s title, finishing with 72 points and an average time of 25:11.30.

WOMEN’S

Senior Emily Mulhern led the way for the Rams in the women’s race as she finished third overall with a time of 17:22.4. The Black and Gold finished 11th out of 14 teams with 322 points.

Junior Ashley Brown was the second Ram to cross the finish line as she ran a time of 18:13.7 in the 5,000-meter race, good for 31st overall.

Right behind Brown came junior Delaney Savedge who finished 39th at 18:23.1.

Redshirt-senior Nichelle Scott finished 55th with a time of 18:38.8 while junior

Judith White finished 126th with a time of 20:33.9 to round out the Rams in the meet.

The Rams finished with an average time of 18:38.38, which allowed them to finish ahead of Rhode Island, UMass, and St. Bonaventure.

Richmond took the women’s crown with 41 points and an average time of 17:35.54.

Next up, the Black and Gold travel to South Carolina to compete in the Southeast Regionals Nov. 9.

Sophomore defender Emily van Hijfte has scored three goals and has a shot percentage of .176 this season. Photo by Shayla Bailey.

Illustration by Nan He

A man and his monster

Iconic “Hellboy” comic book creator speaks at VCU

SEBASTIAN GRANT

Contributing Writer

Creator of the “Hellboy” and “Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense” comics Mike Mignola — famous for his unique drawing style and storytelling — discussed creativity, insecurities and the artistic process at the W.E. Singleton Center for Performing Arts Oct. 29.

TyRuben Ellingson, department chair for VCUarts Communication Arts and a former Hollywood prop designer, is Mignola’s longtime friend. They engaged in an insightful academic discussion that often slid into stand-up comedy territory. The jo-

vial chat touched on some personal topics, including Mignola’s insecurities and fears when it comes to his artistic process and his tales of humorous falls and a near-fatal encounter with actor Jeff Goldblum.

In anticipation of the discussion, Mignola hoped to speak on human emotions that many people might not expect from a comic book superstar.

”Hopefully, we’ll get into my endless parade of insecurities and fears. And the fact that I could overcome so much of that stuff to do this stuff,” Mignola said.

This candid sentiment resonated with students at the event.

“I think it’s really funny that a man

whose comics really seem to calm my anxieties and my fears struggles with the same kind of stuff,” said Claire Willard, an avid Mignola fan. “His work has a really positive effect on me.”

Audience members asked questions regarding Mignola’s motivations and inspirations. Mignola cited urgency and foresight as strong motivators throughout his career.

“There’s a part of me that’s always looking ahead,” he said. “I’ve always had this feeling of ‘I’ve gotta get going.’”

Mignola touched on the value of individuality throughout his talk, encouraging attendees to be distinct and unique. Mignola cited comic book legends Bernie Wrightson and Frank Frazetta as artists he initially wanted to emulate. However, he later learned it was best to just be himself and embrace his personal style. With this in mind, he cautioned artists against following too closely behind their idols.

“People look at my style and they say ‘who the hell are your influences?’” Mignola said. “That’s a good thing.” His individuality has significantly impacted the comic book community.

“Mignola is probably the most influential comic book artist of the past 20 years,” said Patrick Godfrey, owner of Velocity Comics on Broad Street.

Works like “Hellboy” have achieved such a high level of pop culture status that Mignola’s ideas have now spanned into two feature films, animated projects, video games and more. An R-rated reboot for the “red renegade” releases sometime in 2019. But Mignola said you’d have to ask his wife for the specific date.

Mignola told The Commonwealth Times he could never have anticipated such mainstream success for a character he originally began drawing on tablecloths.

“My story is that a guy with a pretty limited skill set figured out how to take his limited tools and do what he wanted and become very successful,” he said. “It’s not an unattainable thing. I’ve been very lucky, but there’s a lot of hard work that went into getting that lucky.”

The talk was warmly received with countless moments of applause and laughter. The scene at the Singleton Center following the discussion was emotional — many attendees were inspired, informed and entertained by the enriching event.

“This was one of the most impressive talks I’d ever been to — and I’ve talked to presidents,” said Gayathri Prakash, a VCUarts student. “He said he had a lot of doubts, and that was very relatable.”

Mignola hopes his work and story inspire people who are interested in working in the comic book industry.

“I just want people to come away thinking, ‘if he could do it, then I could do it,’” Mignola said. “It’s all about knowing what you want to do and figuring out a way to just go do it.”

Magician Harry Houdini died Oct. 31, 1926 in Detroit of gangrene and peritonitis after suffering a ruptured — which he continued to

Photo by Erin Edgerton illustration by Steck Von

TyRuben Ellingson, department chair for VCUarts Communication Arts and longtime friend of Mignola, helped lead the discussion.

Photo by Erin Edgerton

Listening sessions begin for potential documentary center in Richmond

ANDREW RINGLE

Contributing Writer

Community members, journalists, photographers and filmmakers gathered Oct. 27 to discuss the potential of creating a documentary center at 1708 Gallery.

The discussion was led by VCU alumna Kate Fowler, who graduated in 2013 with a degree in photography and filmmaking. She has since contributed to the Magnum Foundation in New York City and Appalshop, a media center located in Whitesburg, Kentucky. In both programs, Fowler focused on education, often working with young creators between the ages of 14 and 21.

The listening session covered a range of topics, including the potential center’s impact on the city, along with consideration of existing members in the local documentary community. The attendees discussed possible construction sites, especially weighing proximity to public transportation like GRTC Pulse — the transit line which runs along Broad Street.

Existing organizations mentioned in the discussion included the Richmond production company Fourth Line and Richmond Story House, a non-profit organization focused on documenting the stories of the local community.

“In Richmond, there’s a great fine art world for photography in marketing and commercial fields,” Fowler said. “But there are no spaces for documentary media makers to get together and collaborate outside of VCU.”

Fowler said the first listening session was intended to be a “landscape of the existing field.”

“The goal was to determine what already exists and what could exist in the future,” she said.

The project was spearheaded by Fowler and Michael Beller, a Los Angeles creative

who specializes in digital media and content marketing. Beller’s role in the potential documentary center is focused on including education within the facility structure.

“At the end of the day, it’s about the legacy we’re leaving for future generations. I believe that something like this, if done correctly, can be a beacon for the community at large,” Beller said. “It can be something which invites everyone to tell their story and document that story while having a conversation with other creators.”

The documentary center plans to include studio spaces, galleries for finished projects

and a lending library of books and media equipment. It will serve as a place reserved for filmmakers, journalists, photographers, podcasters and any other creators of non-fiction media.

Among the participants in the discussion was Norma Haynes, a folk musician from Massachusetts and friend of Fowler’s. Haynes visited Richmond to attend the listening session and share her stories as an artist of traditional media.

“This project is about making the community into something you want it to become,” Haynes said. “And it has the potential to develop along with Richmond for years to come.”

Her perspective on the city as a visitor represented the way a documentary center might connect Richmond to the larger media world. That connection, Fowler said, makes a local documentary center more important than ever.

“I don’t just think Richmond should have a documentary center, I think every city and town should have one as well,” Fowler said. “Storytelling is important to democracy. We’re more empowered to be better citizens when we know how to tell our own stories and share our own media.”

The next listening session will be in November at Candela Gallery. An exact date has not been determined.

Endeavor Art Studio provides all-inclusive creative space

Executive Editor

Endeavor RVA, an art studio and space for Richmond creatives of all sorts, will celebrate its three-year anniversary at its Nov. 2 First Friday show.

Creative Director and co-founder Ian Hess said the studio became a possibility “over a drink and a concept.” The VCUarts painting and printmaking graduate jumped at the opportunity when he saw the space at 316 Brook Rd. become available in September 2015. Along with fellow founders Eli McMullen and Wing Chow, Hess has since developed Endeavor into a hub for creative collaboration.

kind of been that stabilizing force, a reason to make work because people are going to come see it.”

Hess and Communications and Marketing Director Nick De Souza said Endeavor is not geared toward a specific artistic medium. Rather, the space is a place for burgeoning creatives of all disciplines to display and craft their work.

“Once you’re out [of school] there’s really no easy means of publishing your independent work,” De Souza said. “Whether that’s writing, events, painting, really everything. So we’ve always geared the space since day one as a medium for other people to get their work out.”

De Souza graduated from VCU in 2016 with a degree in public relations. He said the creative practices at Endeavor range from laser cutting to performance art, comedy shows, writing, poetry slams, pottery making, illustrating, 3D modeling, leatherworking and cinematography, among others.

Although the space is home to frequent events and critiques, the pair said many artists come to Endeavor in search of the opportunity to simply share creative energy and work alongside one another in a communal setting.

“It’s been absolutely amazing — the best community I could have asked for, misfits and weirdos coming through left and right,” Hess said. “All these people are radically sincere in their pursuits.”

their field of study. It is Endeavor’s mission to “leave [students] with tangible projects for their portfolios and with intangible knowledge of Richmond’s creative workscape,” according to its website.

The studio accepts submissions for its internship program year-round for the spring, summer and fall semesters. Applicants can email Endeavor a resume and up to three portfolio examples.

up, we couldn’t believe it,” Hess said. “The response we got from people was so overwhelming. It seemed like people were hungry to have this kind of grassroots show.”

The three-year anniversary show will feature 15 artists and four performers. Hess and De Souza said they hope the event can help draw even more creative Richmonders to their artistic community.

De

“It was a super fortuitous circumstance. It was kinda like, after graduating they sit you down and they’re like ‘well, you’re probably going to have a job serving coffee for four years and good luck,’” Hess said. “It’s

In an effort to provide VCU students with the same creative and professional opportunities that have meant so much to them, Hess, De Souza and their co-workers at Endeavor started an internship program at the beginning of 2017. The program has drawn students from several departments and allows them the opportunity to hone their skills in the art industry. Participants receive individualized projects specific to

Additionally, Hess and De Souza said they hope to develop an independent study class in which students can learn the logistics of putting on an art show.

Hess said he has been blown away by the support Endeavor has received from the Richmond community since its opening in 2015.

“At our first show when we opened up, somewhere around 1,000 people showed

“We want to give people the opportunity that we’ve had with such an awesome space,” De Souza said.

Endeavor hosts free critique nights on the third Monday of every month at different venues across Richmond. For more information, sign up for Endeavor’s monthly newsletter and read about upcoming events at endeavorva.com, or follow the studio on Instagram or Facebook at endeavor.rva.

VCU alumna Kate Fowler led the discussion on building a possible documentary center

Photo by Andrew Ringle

ZACH JOACHIM

Ian Hess (left) and Eli McMullen (right), founded Endeavor in 2015 along with Wing Chow. Photos by Erin Edgerton

Once you’re out [of school] there’s really no easy means of publishing your independent work ... So we’ve always geared the space since day one as a medium for other people to get their work out.”

Nick

Souza, communications and marketing director

LANDON ROBERTS

Contributing Writer

Entertainment company A24 and coming-of-age stories have become synonymous following the production of films like “Lady Bird,” “Eighth Grade” and “20th Century Women.” While all these films may take place during different time periods, the theme of finding a sense of belonging is evident in each one. The same can be said for A24’s newest film and Jonah Hill’s directorial debut “Mid90s,” a heart-wrenching look at the skate culture of the ‘90s.

Sunny Suljic plays Stevie, a 13-year-old boy who finds refuge from his troubled home life in a group of skaters who likewise seek a similar sense of freedom.

The theme of escapism through skateboarding is the fulcrum of this film. Scenes of the misfits skating help bring the audience back to simpler times. As the film goes on, the spectre of responsibility looms over the group’s head, leading to scenes of vibrant discourse within the group.

These scenes would not have worked if it were not for Hill’s natural and masterful work behind the camera. He constantly lets the camera sit on the actions of the characters, creating many long static shots. This lets the audience digest every minute detail of the scene, taking in every emotion the characters are experiencing.

He also employs dialectical montage and

creates an almost identical effect to the static shots — a technique best used when Hill also implements music. This combination leads to a music video-type feeling of raw emotion, similar to ‘90s MTV videos.

This emotion carries over to almost every performance in the film. Sunny’s Stevie is minimalistic but incredibly effective. The shy shell of introversion is broken with every interaction with his new group of friends. Every action and its repercussions can be seen through his thoughtful execution of reactionary expressions of joy, remorse and determination. The subtle character growth creates incredible scenes of rebellion that pull on the heartstrings.

The skaters Stevie aligns himself with also bring the same subtilty to their performance. Ray, the leader of the group, is played by Na-kel Smith who creates an aura of morality around his character that offers levity to the extremes of the film. There is a monologue he executes near the final act of the film that is so genuine and real one can become completely lost in his character.

Olan Prenatt’s character Fuckshit is defined by his carefree attitude and reckless abandon. Ray and Fuckshit show two different mindsets of skate culture and create an interesting conflict through their naturalistic performances.

The best performance throughout the film is Lucas Hedges’ Ian. Hedges plays the bully brother perfectly while showing

a vulnerability and complexity through his small gestures and glances toward his brother Stevie.

This film is ultimately a story of brotherhood and through the impressive camerawork and natural performances, Hill was

“Mid90s” captures skate culture, nostalgia and growing up Landon and Sam’s recommended horror movies

able to put together a story that is relatable, funny and heartbreaking. It will be hard not to think about the carefree summers and childhood friendships while viewing this incredibly nostalgic love letter to skate culture and the ‘90s as a whole.

LANDON ROBERTS

Contributing Writer

SAMUEL GOODRICH

Staff Writer

Sam’s picks —

“EYES WITHOUT A FACE”

While it is a tad dated by modern standards, “Eyes Without a Face” is still a haunting, poetic film that isn’t afraid to get gory. The film follows a mad doctor who kidnaps women and surgically removes their faces. His goal is to reconstruct his daughter’s disfigured face — which is covered by a mask — that has since become a pop culture icon. The dreadful atmosphere created by the eerie fog and gothic mansion setting are enough to put anyone in a spooky mood.

“IT FOLLOWS”

The fear of stalking and the inevitability of death are common themes in most horror films, but “It Follows” tackles these ideas head-on with terrifying results. The movie follows a teenage girl who is given a “disease” of sorts after having sex with her boyfriend. The disease comes in the form of a being which can disguise itself as anyone and will stop at nothing to kill you until you pass it on to someone else. The film is a clear allegory for sexually transmitted diseases while also capturing anxiety and paranoia through subtle framing and camera techniques. It will make you scared to stay anywhere by yourself.

“HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH”

Notable for being the only film in the Halloween franchise not to feature Michael Myers, “Season of the Witch” is an underrated good time. A cheesy and at times hilariously dated movie, “Halloween III” creates its scares from the premise and surprisingly shocking death scenes, touching on evil cults and the commodification of the holiday. It is a bizarre film that is charming more than it is spine-tingling, but it works best as a double feature with the equally fun “Trick ‘r Treat.” Both are perfect visualizations of Halloween,

capturing the spirit and atmosphere of the season.

Landon’s picks —

THE A24 “DOMESTIC HORROR TRILOGY”

A family’s biggest fear is the death of a loved one. When A24 released a thematic trilogy with “The Witch,” “It Comes at Night” and “Hereditary,” it combined the deep primal fear of loss in a family with supernatural terror. The process of grief alongside supernatural elements leads to a family dynamic made up of anxiety-driven

choices which make you tremble from disbelief. Tears caused by moments of pleading family members are always followed by the terror of realization of the actions that built up to that exact moment and the eventual actions that will proceed. Moments like this can be found in all three of these masterclasses of horror filmmaking.

“THE CABIN IN THE WOODS”

Horror comedies have become a prevalent genre in the last ten years. However, none have been as meta as this soon-tobe cult classic. “The Cabin in the Woods” follows a group of teenagers that go to an isolated cabin with many hidden secrets. The intentionally-cliched plot allows the film to poke fun at horror conventions, creating moments of unexpected gut-busting laughter and thrills.

“THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER”

Laughter ultimately leads to disgust in “The Killing of a Sacred Deer.” Years after a heart surgeon makes a fatal mistake on one of his patients, he is faced with a cruel choice that will affect him and his family. The stilted, blunt dialogue mingled with the plot creates a feeling of competition that grows more sinister with every scene. The movie is filmed with the camera positioned in a manner that evokes an ever-present weight on the character’s shoulders. This creates a sense of uneasiness that will make you squirm deeper and deeper into your seat even after the film ends.

IllustrationbySteckVon

Illustration by Adam Goodman

The undead rise in Carytown

DESTINY HALL-HARPER

Contributing Writer

Zombies have finally arrived, and they’ve taken over Carytown.

The 14th Annual Richmond Zombie Walk took place Oct. 27 starting at the Byrd Theatre and meandering to Kroger and back. The walk itself is in conjunction with the American Cancer Society and all participants were encouraged to donate five dollars to the cause.

Anthony Menez, one of the coordinators of the event, gave insight into the magnitude of those in attendance.

“When the attendance peaked at almost

700 a few years ago, we stopped counting,” Menez said in an email. “I think the rain in the morning scared off a lot of potential walkers. We estimated around 300 this time around.”

The Zombie Walk has been a staple in Richmond for years, originally conceived by Menez’s friend.

“It started as a flash mob idea by one our friends, Roger Barr, back in 2005,” Menez said. “He started the whole thing then we [Menez and Josh Bishop] took over and have been running it every year since then.”

There is a simple criterion to be considered a zombie.

“There are many subtle levels of the

dead/undead. I could go on and on about what I personally think,” Menez said. “It is pretty subjective really. Off hand, I don’t know...blood, blood and more blood.”

The costume contest entices many participants each year. The winners of the contest this year ranged from those dressed up as an undead fast food chain icons Ronald McDonald and Wendy to a corpse bride.

“This year marks the 14th year of the annual event, longer than I had ever anticipated,” Menez said. “At this point I think it is like a Supreme Court nomination — we are in it for life.”

UPCOMING EVENTS

FRI. 11/2

3 Year Anniversary Exhibition at Endeavor RVA

Endeavor RVA, an art studio created by VCU graduates, is celebrating its third year with a First Friday exhibition. The event will feature 15 artists and four musicians. Visit endeavorva.com for more information.

5-11 p.m., Endeavor RVA (316 Brook Rd.)

TUE. 11/6

Cabell First Novelist Award Night

VCU’s M.F.A. in Creative Writing program presents this award to an outstanding debut novel that was published in the preceding calendar year. This year, the winner is Hernan Diaz’s “In the Distance.” Diaz is a Pulitzer Prize and PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction finalist.

7-8:30 p.m., Cabell Library, Third Floor Lecture Hall

Do something

WED. 10/31

Child Development Center Costume Parade

Join VCU’s School of Education in handing out candy to kids from the Child Development Center. Dress up in kid-friendly costumes and bring peanut/ tree-nut free candy. The children will start arriving at 10 a.m.

9:45-11 a.m., Trani Courtyard (behind Oliver Hall, 1015 W Main St.)

FRI. 11/2

Campus Sustainability Day

This nation-wide celebration allows universities to create events centered around sharing ideas, resources and information with members of VCU and the community. Vegetarian food, sustainability item giveaways and local organizations providing information will all be part of the event.

10 a.m.-2 p.m., Commons Plaza (907 Floyd Ave.)

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

THU. 11/1

Science on Tap: Tribute to Grunge

This educational and entertaining experience will teach visitors about different topics relating to science while connecting them to 90’s grunge culture. Attractions include Black Hole Sun astronomy show, Pearl Jam oyster science, Smells Like Teen Spirit sniffer challenge and more. There will also be live music from Pilots and Pearls at 9 p.m. Belle Isle Moonshine and Growlers to Go will sell drinks and Go Go Vegan Go, Sammich and Happy Empanada will offer food. The event is 21+ and admission is $10. Visit smv.org for more information.

6-10 p.m., Science Museum of Virginia (2500 W Broad St.)

MON. 11/5

“What’s Menthol Got to do With it?” Everything!”

This guest talk with Dr. Philip Gardiner will focus on how menthol cigarettes are disproportionately targeted to and used by African Americans. When menthol is added to cigarettes, it causes deeper inhalation, greater intake of toxins and makes it harder to quit smoking. African Americans are dying disproportionately as a result of this and although the Senate banned 13 cigarette flavors in 2009, menthol was not part of that list. Local governments have since began restricting the sale of menthol tobacco products.

4-6 p.m., Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU (601 W Broad St.)

The idea for the Zombie Walk originated as a flash mob concept.

The 14th Annual Richmond Zombie Walk took place Oct. 27 in Carytown. Photos by Teresa Bricker

Costume contest winners ranged from fast food icons Ronald McDonald and Wendy to the corpse bride.

Quote of the week

On Halloween, kids get to assume, for one night the outward forms of their innermost dread, and they’re also allowed to take candy from strangers — the scariest thing of all.

— Kate Christensen, ameriC an novelist

My open letter to masked villain Michael Myers

BRIANNA SCOTT

Contributing Writer

While most of you ladies are gearing up to dress in sexy costumes for Halloween, I will be in the movie theater cozied up with a bucket of popcorn watching the love of my life on the big screen slice-and-dice some stupid teenagers.

I may have a slight obsession with a certain masked villain — Michael Myers.

I never really liked horror movies as a kid, but I started to get into the slasher classics because Disney simply didn’t cut it for me anymore.

I was intrigued by the plot of “Halloween.” What was his motive for going on a killing spree? Why did he look so good in that blue jumpsuit he stole from the mechanic he butchered?

Let me stop drooling and back up. What was Michael’s motive? In the first movie, he seemingly has no reason for killing. Consider the opening scene of the movie: he appears to be a normal kid living in a nice, suburban home with his parents and sister, the latter of whom he kills at only 6 years old.

Now, I believe in the wise words of Randy Meeks from “Scream”: “It’s the millennium, motives are incidental.” But in “Halloween II,” a potential motive is given to explain Michael’s sinister ways.

After he killed his sister when he was 6, Michael spent time in a mental hospital until he broke out at 21. He returned to his hometown and began murdering

random people, stalking babysitter Laurie Strode, who is revealed to be his sister in the second movie. Perhaps Michael is just cleaning up some unfinished business. Even so, it doesn’t explain why he started killing in the first place.

Jason Voorhees from “Friday the 13th” kills to avenge his mother and keep people away from Camp Crystal Lake. Freddy Krueger from “Nightmare on Elm Street” kills because he’s a creepy, sadistic murderer with a particular affinity for children. Carrie

White from “Carrie” kills because she was bullied and comes from a wildly religious and abusive home.

The newest “Halloween,” released this month, is a direct sequel to the first “Halloween” (1978) but ignores the sister storyline. With or without another sibling to kill, we have no idea what drove Michael to his first kill. This mysteriousness draws me in.

Michael gives off an energy that lets you know he isn’t playing games. I like a man

An Ode to Self Care

This is easier said than done. You have to figure out what you want — without your parents, school or any other external factors clouding your judgement. If you don’t know what you want, then trying to tell the difference between these things is pointless. This can be a lot to think about. In the meantime, just do your best to avoid falling into a day-to-day routine that feels like a mind-numbing hellscape of compromise and disappointment.

What am I supposed to do when I’m in love with two different people?

Recommended listening while reading: “HUMAN”

Kimbra

Help. Graduation is right around the corner for us December graduates. I’m scared I’m not doing what I want and I am only doing what I “should” be doing. How can I tell the difference?

Again, this is not a “supposed-to-do” situation. Try figuring out what you want to do. I think you need to be honest with the people involved. If they do not want what you want, then at that point, I think you will have a better idea of what to do. Either way, that is never a fun situation and I hope nothing but the best for you while navigating it.

Why does it bother me that four of my friends have referred to their boyfriends as sociopaths, yet continue to date them?

Oh, girl. As a psychology student, I hate when people throw around terms like this without really understanding what they’re saying. That aside, their boyfriends are not sociopaths — they just sound like self-absorbed asses. I think it bothers you because it’s really annoying when your friends chronically date those types of people. You are the good friend they lean on when they are shattered, and you’re always there to piece them back together — but you are also allowed to be sick of that. Maybe sitting down with them and having a good old-fashioned talk about their worth and why they shouldn’t date such men will help. If not, maybe it’s time to find new friends.

I just really want to fall in love with someone who is kind, witty and sexually attractive, and have them love me back. Why does this seem so impossible nowadays?

I don’t think it’s impossible nowadays, so to speak. I think the only issue you are facing is you are mistaking kindness, wit and sexual attraction for long-term compatibility. Moreover, it sounds like you to have love confused with infatuation. Calm down, and breath. I have a feeling that whomever

who knows what he wants.

He has “the blackest eyes, the devil’s eyes,” according to his psychiatrist Sam Loomis. I could stare in those eyes for hours. Michael is stoic, cold and a little shy — he doesn’t talk much.

I imagine our first date would be him bringing me to the Myers home. He wouldn’t look at me or hold my hand, but he would order me takeout from Elephant Thai. We’d eat and sit in front of a window and watch adorable kids go trick-or-treating. I’d eventually drag him to some Halloween party — he already has his own costume so there’s no excuse not to go. I would dress up as Mrs. Voorhees from “Friday the 13th” since I’ve got plenty of turtlenecks in my own closet to emulate the vengeful mother. We may get some stares at the party, but we’d make a cute couple.

I’m joking, but I do think he is one of the most fascinating slasher killers. Some may think he’s boring, but his ability to slink around in the dark and hunt down his victims without running is impressive. He creates an air of suspension that keeps you constantly watching your back. The fact that he waited more than a decade to break out of the hospital shows his true dedication and patience. These are good traits, albeit executed badly.

Nevertheless, I think Michael’s lack of motive is scary and inherently human — even though he (spoiler alert) gets supernatural after the second movie and comes back to life after being burned to charcoal.

you are looking for will pop up as soon as you stop looking and caring so much. The universe has a wicked sense of humor like that. Stop falling in love with love. Instead, try loving and nurturing yourself and those around you.

SHAUN JACKSON Staff Writer

Illustration by Sammy Newman

Illustration by Alex Hwee

Trick-or-treating isn’t what it used to be

MARGRETTA SAKOR

Contributing

Writer

When I was a child, trick-or-treating started at 8 p.m and didn’t end until midnight. Families were still outside late at night handing out loads of candy, and Halloween costumes ranged from basic sheet ghosts to elaborate princesses and power rangers.

Dressing up was fun, but what really mattered was being out with your friends all night collecting candy. It’s one of the few nights a year parents allowed their kids to be out so late, and it was exciting.

That is what Halloween is supposed to be — a late-night adventure. But that isn’t what is happening today.

There are so many more threats present, that’s one of the saddest things. Our parents were scared too, but they trusted us. And when we came home, all the candy got checked.”

Margretta

Nowadays, trick-or-treating starts at 5 p.m. and ends before 9 p.m. As soon as kids get out of school, it’s time to go knocking on doors. I think that is just wrong. Trickor-treating should not start so early. The point of Halloween is for the night to be dark and scary — it’s called trick-or-treat-

ing for a reason. The depths of the night is the best time for tricks.

Back when I was younger, there was a strategic plan to trick-or-treating. You hit up your neighborhood first, especially the houses you knew left bowls of candy outside the door. Then, you crossed the street into the other neighborhood and cleared those houses. After that, you hit up the local stores that handed out candy, because they were open late.

Going through all the different neighborhoods took a long time, but at the end of the night you had pillowcases filled with sugary goodies. I remember sometimes we’d have to go home and get new pillowcases or bags because they become too heavy to carry.

At the end of the night, you’d dump it all out on the floor and examine your night’s work. You’d pick out what candy

you wanted to take to school the next day and which pieces you would spend the night eating. That’s the Halloween life I remember.

Now, there are special places to go trickor-treating. Many neighborhoods put together events for the kids. I’ve noticed in the last couple years the households that hand out candy have shrunk. A previously exciting all-nighter event has turned into a three-to-four-hour event where people are packing up by 8:30 p.m. to go inside.

Another big thing I’ve noticed is the ages of trick-or-treaters. It’s become shameful to trick or treat as a teenager or young adult. I for one love trick-or-treating — last year, I dressed up as an ‘80s character and knocked on doors right next to my siblings. But this is the first year I won’t be doing so.

There is now a law in many states prohibiting anyone older than 12 from trick-

or-treating. That is just crazy. Granted, when I was little, teenagers used to steal our candy, but that simply added to the thrill. We had to think of plans to avoid them. It kept us on our toes.

I know part of the reason trick-or-treating has changed so much is for kids’ safety, but nothing ever happened while we went out on Halloween as kids. I understand parents are more frightened today than they were a decade ago. There are so many more threats present, that’s one of the saddest things. Our parents were scared too, but they trusted us. And when we came home, all the candy got checked.

Of course, little kids don’t notice the difference as long as they get to go trickor-treating. As long as they are having fun, it doesn’t matter. But this is an unfortunate sign of how much the times have changed.

Balls and bats don’t define masculinity

MARLON MCKAY

Contributing Writer

I don’t like sports. I don’t understand sports. I don’t even watch the Super Bowl. For me, sports are simply groups of people running really fast and throwing, kicking or hitting a ball really far. My family jokes that I can’t tell the difference between a touchdown and a homerun. While I don’t completely ignore sports, I’ve always felt they isolated me from other men.

Whenever I go to a barber shop, the first thing my barber asks me is, “What’s your favorite football team?” to start up a conversation. There’s nothing wrong with that, he’s just trying to be friendly. However, constantly being asked about something you don’t care for gets annoying. When I answer “I don’t watch football,” an awkward silence follows as my eyes glide over the barbershop walls, decorated in sports posters and paraphernalia.

As a male, I’m supposed to care about sports. That’s why it remains the go-to conversation at barbershops. Men are supposed to be strong rough-housers — sports perfectly emulate that aspect of society’s masculine gender construct. Sports should be fun and entertaining while also providing a sense of community. But for me, they just feel like another awkward obstacle.

Love for sports is so deeply rooted in our society that I once had a high school teacher who made us create our own

March Madness brackets as an assignment. I remember being too embarrassed to admit I didn’t know what March Madness was. My embarrassment only grew

when the teacher looked at my sheet of teams and chuckled at my completely random choices. While the rest of the class was excited about the assignment, I

coiled into my isolation and awkwardness and read my book until the bell rang.

Whenever I tell people I don’t like sports, there’s always the comment that it’s simply because I’m not good at them. But that is not true — I don’t like sports because I don’t find them entertaining. My parents signed me up for flag football when I was a kid, and I complained so much they let me leave within a week of joining. I’d rather be sitting at home reading a “Black Lagoon” book.

My ideas of fun include staying at home, writing short stories in my journal and watching movies like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “H2O: Just Add Water ” or “W.I.T.C.H.” A majority of my sources of entertainment — aside from Pokémon — are aimed toward the female demographic. When I was younger, the chances of going out and meeting another man with the same interests as me were slim. The few male friends I had would probably laugh at this article — if I didn’t hide it from them so I wouldn’t see them laughing.

While I’m over that type of embarrassment, it is still gut-wrenching when people close to me tell me to go out and play sports. Despite my obvious lack of interest in sports, because I am a man, people assume I want to watch or care about the latest game. I don’t like sports, and regardless of how much society tells me I should, I probably never will. That fact doesn’t make me any less of a man or undermine my masculinity.

Illustration by Steck Von

Illustration by Steck Von

Sakor, Contributing Writer

THE CT STAFF

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Zach Joachim joachimz@commonwealthtimes.org

MANAGING EDITOR Georgia Geen geengr@commonwealthtimes.org

NEWS EDITOR Nia Tariq news@commonwealthtimes.org

SPORTS EDITOR Jessica Wetzler sports@commonwealthtimes.org

SPECTRUM EDITOR Katie Bashista spectrum@commonwealthtimes.org

OPINIONS EDITOR Caitlin Barbieri opinions@commonwealthtimes.org

COPY EDITOR Saffeya Ahmed ahmeds@commonwealthtimes.org

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Erin Edgerton photography@commonwealthtimes.org

ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR Steck Von illustrations@commonwealthtimes.org

ONLINE EDITOR Kayleigh Fitzpatrick fitzpatrickk@commonwealthtimes.org

SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR Fadel Allassan allassanfg@commonwealthtimes.org

STAFF WRITERS Logan Reardon, News reardonlj@vcu.edu

Adam Cheek, Sports cheekan@vcu.edu

Sam Goodrich, Spectrum goodrichs@commonwealthtimes.org

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Midnight Snack by Erin Joo

The Harvest by Karly Andersen

Costume Party by Ellie Erhart