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Wednesday, September 9, 2026 @commonwealthtimes @theCT1

VOL. 73, NO. 4 SEPTEMBER 9, 2026 THE INDEPENDENT PRESS OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY

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VCU celebrates historical LGBTQ+ group with celebratory marker OLIVIA RINE Staff Writer Nearly 50 years ago, VCU’s Gay Alliance of Students — otherwise known as GAS, won a historic court case against VCU. This October, a historical marker will be rewarded in celebration between the Commons and Temple building, according to VCUnews. A group of students founded GAS at VCU in September of 1974 as the first openly LGBTQ+ student organization, according to the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. The school originally denied the society’s application for official recognition, which led to the historical federal case that was ruled in favor of the GAS.

GAS MARKER Continued on page 3

Photos by William Spencer.

TAG, YOU'RE IT!

Ultimate game of tag held in Monroe Park ELLE COTA Spectrum Editor For one hour on Sept. 3, Monroe Park looked less like a downtown Richmond park and a little more like a playground. More t ha n 10 0 people gathered from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. for Infection Tag, a free event organized by Ruckus, a communityba sed org a n i z at ion focused on providing resources and spaces bringing love. The group was led by Odist Powell alongside his longtime friend, Joe Armstrong. The event featured four rounds of tag, each lasting around 12 minutes. The organizers sectioned off portions of the park near S. Belvidere St. and W. Main St. so participants could run without disrupting others using the space.

At the beginning of the event, Powell asked participants to stretch physically and mentally by talking to someone new. At the beginning of each round, organizers selected one person to be “it.” After giving the other players 10 seconds to scatter, the runner in a pink pinnie jersey chased them down. Each person tagged grabbed a pink pinnie jersey or sweatband before rejoining the game as another tagger. Powell drew inspiration from an event he attended in New York City in February called Wrestling Speed Dating, hosted by the organization Grown Kid, a social club for people who believe that the meaning of life is play. He traveled to the event as a referee and met Gael Aitor, co-founder of Grown Kid. “I wanted to take it back home,” Powell said. “How can I bring this kind of sense of connection that isn’t traditional in the way of just like a book club.” The event was designed to give people a chance to step away from the pressure of adulthood and simply have fun, Powell said. Making the event free and holding it in the middle of Richmond helped remove barriers to socializing and lessen transportation needs. INFECTION TAG Continued on page 11

Photo by Alex Tenhover.

Scott’s Addition raises funds for new park see SPECTRUM page 9

VCU suspends cancer research project over animal mistreatment MADELEINE BIONDI Staff Writer VCU laboratory staff failed to follow ethical protocol on mice subjects in a cancer research study, resulting in the suspension of the project in June and a voluntary end to all projects involving animal testing. The VCU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee determined that researchers failed to euthanize the mice in adherence with human endpoints designated by protocol. Humane endpoints are guidelines that researchers use to determine when an experimental animal’s distress should end through euthenasia or being removed from the study. Project suspension is reserved for cases of severe animal suffering.

MICE MISTREATMENT Continued on page 2

Cross country kicks off new season

Opinions: The climate crisis is here

see SPORTS page 6

see OPINIONS page 12

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News

Stories of the week

NATIONAL: Five people were killed in an Amazon-branded cargo plane accident at Miami International Airport. Five other people were injured. INTERNATIONAL: The United Kingdom, France, Canada and nine other countries announced they are banning trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

MICE MISTREATMENT The project’s principal investigator, Paul Dent, self-reported to the Committee on June 15 and voluntarily suspended all animal testing in the days following. Dent is no longer listed as a principal investigator on any other projects. Michael Budkie, executive director of Stop Animal Exploitation NOW stated in an email that animal testing treats animals as if they are discardable and inanimate and calls on VCU to ban Dent from future animal research. “Failure to follow the protocol both abuses animals and makes seriously flawed ‘science’ even worse,” Budkie stated. The IACUC voted to suspend the project until Dent met with Animal Care and Use Program leadership and the action plan was determined, according to an official NIH document. Due to protocol violation, the research was not allowed to be published. The Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center preclinical trial aimed to understand how a speci$c protein variant impacted cancer treatment. In an official complaint to VCU, Stop Animal Exploitation Now stated, “Failure to follow these endpoints means that animals endured extreme su%ering because lab workers were either unconcerned and couldn’t be bothered to perform euthanasia, or they intentionally chose not to perform the euthanasia/pain relief to collect more data.” VCU animal research guidelines abide by the three Rs: Reduction, Replacement and Re$nement which aim to minimize

the use of animals and provide humane treatment, according to the VCU Animal Care and Use Program. All protocols involving animals must be approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee prior to testing. “This matter did not involve research misconduct,” VCU Public Relations stated in an email. “Rather, this matter was identi$ed during routine monitoring by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.” The project received $257,125 in funding by an award from the National Institute of Health, spanning from 2024 to June 30 due to suspension, according to VCU Public Relations specialists. The awarded funds have been retracted and reabsorbed, and Budkie has called on VCU to return the funding to the National Institutes of Health, according to the Richmond Times Dispatch. “This is the most common violation that we see,” Budkie stated. “While not all of these failures are this serious in terms of animal welfare, this is still a major issue. This usually does not become public.” VCU laboratories have a history of selfreports involving animal mistreatment, including three instances in April due to negligence, improper pain management and administration of unapproved drugs. The university has experienced backlash for National Institute of Health-funded animal testing projects, including using hard drugs on animal subjects, according to ABC News. The VCU animal research lab received

VCU President Michael Rao gives his ‘State of the University’ address at James Branch Cabell Library on Feb. 12. CT file photo by Andrew Kerley. notable increases in funding year-over-year, experiencing a 54% increase between 2020 and 2024. VCU also plans to purchase the Altria Center for Research and Technology for $230 million. VCU president Michael Rao announced that he planned on transforming VCU research from a national to an international hub during the 2026 annual State of the Research event, according to VCU News. Budkie stated that animal research continues to attract federal funding. Sen. William Stanley failed to pass a bill last session, that would have required detailed accounts of animal health, funding

and operations within animal research labs to ensure transparency and accountability. The VCU Animal Care and Use Program said that while it is possible to achieve a future without animal testing, no alternatives currently suffice. “Moving to better technology (organ on a chip tech, 3D bioprinting, etc.) would eliminate the use of animals,” Budkie stated. “This will generate better, more accurate science because it removes interspecies di%erences.”

Virginians vote on reproductive freedom in November DEBORAH AGUILERA Contributing Writer Virg in ia ns w i l l decide whet her reproductive freedom shou ld be a fundamental right in the state constitution on Nov. 3. Question 1 on the ballot proposes that every individual has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including personal decisions regarding prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, miscarriage management and fertility care. Currently, reproductive healthcare is a statutory protection in Virginia, meaning it can be altered by future legislative majorities, according to KFF. Making reproductive healthcare a constitutional amendment would guarantee Virginians the right to reproductive freedom. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the authority to regulate abortion was returned to the states.Virginia currently stands as the last state in the South with abortion access passed the 15th week. According to Reproductive Freedom for All, under Virginia law, constitutional

Courtesy of VCU Planned Parenthood Generation Action.

amendments must pass two consecutive General Assembly sessions with a legislative election in between. The measure cleared the 2025 and 2026 legislative sessions and will now go directly to the voters. Jamie Lockhart, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates for Virginia, discussed the organization’s mission, which includes educating the public about reproductive health issues and engaging with Virginia communities. In addition to its educational and advocacy e%orts, the organization evaluates candidates for public off ice based on their stances on reproductive health and endorses candidates whose views align, Lockhart said. The amendment would protect an individual’s ability to make decisions about their reproductive health while limiting government involvement in those decisions, Lockhart said. “This amendment protects the freedom to reproductive decisions and ensures the government cannot intervene,” Lockhart said. Planned Parenthood Generation Action at VCU is a student organization that brings the mission and resources of Planned Parenthood to the university community.

The group focuses on providing students with information about reproductive and sexual health while creating a space where students can learn about available resources and healthcare options. The organization aims to make conversations about sexual health more approachable for students, according to Anna Ndahi, an executive board member at PPGA. The group’s purpose is to reduce the shame surrounding sexual health and to keep students educated on the matter, Ndahi said. Through education and campus activities, the group provides students with opportunities to learn about topics related to sexual and reproductive health. learn about topics related to sexual and reproductive health. Reproductive healthcare and individual decision-mak ing are central to the organization’s advocacy, Ndahi said. “reproductive healthcare ensures voluntary autonomy,” She stated that “reproductive healthcare can save lives.” Generation Action seeks to connect students with information and resources while encouraging conversations on campus.

Courtesy of VCU Planned Parenthood Generation Action.

GAS MARKER When GAS submitted their application, it was not sent to the VCU Office of Student Life, but instead the Board of Visitors, which was an unusual practice. The VCU BOV ultimately rejected their application, claiming that it was not in the best interest of the institution. The GAS was the only one denied in the 1975 school year out of 145 organization applications. According to Justia, this led one student to sue Alfred T. Matthews, Dean of Student Life and Wyndham B. Blanton Jr., member of the Board of Visitors, for recognition as an official organization, and to grant GAS with the same resources as other student organizations on campus. The landmark occasion became for an outlet for LGBTQ+ students and staff to commemorate and advocate for their community among campus, according to Josh Leidy, director of affinity programs at VCU. Leidy said he hopes that the historical marker will be representative of a moment of hope, especially in a time where things can feel dark and upsetting. “VCU has a responsibility to make sure that they are giving support and resources to all of their students, regardless of their gender identity or sexual identity,” Leidy said. Leidy said he partnered with VCU to host several events, including Lavender Mic, an open mic for students and alumni to share their stories and experiences. They worked with the library to provide an archive and research guide on the GAS. “This [marker] is the culmination of

year-long events and other initiatives we have done,” Leidy said. “This is sort of the end of a really intentional year that my office and VCU has put together to push forward progress for the LGBTQ community.” William Sachau, VCU GAS secretary and vice president from 1984 to 1985, shared the society’s main goals, which mainly centered around educating the VCU community on LGBTQ issues. “There was a lot of education needed at that time, especially in Richmond. It was a very hostile place for LGBTQ people, and VCU was sort of like a bubble within Richmond,” Sachau said. The GAS landmark for the GAS is an important feature added to VCU’s campus, because it highlights the community’s journey, according to Sachau. “Everything is so cyclical in history,” Sachau said. “You have times where you have more victories, and lately we’ve had more defeats. But having something like this to note our place in society, and that we will keep trying to move forward to educate the community at large about LGBTQ equality,” Sachau reflected on the difficulties of advocating for LGBTQ equality in the 80s, amidst the HIV and AIDS epidemic. He said it is a part of history that students should be more aware of. “We have aspirations like everybody else,” Sachau said. “We want to build families. We want to build friendships and connections. We want to contribute to society. So just having a place at the table, and keeping that place at the table.”

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

October 28th, 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of Gay Alliance of Students v. Matthews, which forced the VCU Board of Visitors to accept the Gay Alliance of Students’ application as an official club after a 2 year legal battle. Photo by William Spencer.

Former Governors Jim Gilmore and L. Douglas Wilder on stage during the Virginia at 250 Symposium on September 1st, 2026. Photo by John Brown

Democracy and Spanberger: Wilder School holds ‘Virginia at 250’ symposium KAYLA MUÑECAS Assistant News Editor VCU’s Wilder School of Government and Public A%airs held a “Virginia at 250” symposium to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary on Sep. 1. The panelists included Robyn Diehl McDougle, interim dean of the Wilder School, former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, former Gov. Jim Gilmore and political analyst and founder of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, Larry Sabato. Political analyst Bob Holsworth mediated the panel. “The Wilder School’s symposium is one of our key programs that we do annually and it really follows what [former] Gov. Wilder is always saying, which is that the people are ahead of the politicians and politics,” McDougle said. The panel’s discussion surrounded concerns about democracy and heightened political polarization and how Virginians feel about the state’s direction and the importance of civil discourse.

McDougle, who established the Commonwealth Poll, said that Virginia differs in comparison to other states because it is more issue driven rather than party driven. “Our founding fathers would have been very ecstatic for that kind of bipartisan belief for around one issue,” McDougle said. “That’s an example and a very partisan decision that policies really are impacting voter interests.” McDougle said Spanberger came into office at the height of redistricting e%orts and likely struggled to frame the issues on her agenda due to redistricting. According to McDougle, a Commonwealth Poll showed that Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s approval rating fell in the low 40s, despite winning the election by double-digits. “One of the things I think did drive a bit of that was the uncertainty with the budge” McDougle said. “The budget is a relationship between the legislature and the governor, and it’s the longest we’ve gone without a budget.”

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore said that parties have evolved beyond what they once were. “This is no longer the Democratic and Republican parties of John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, that’s not what’s going on,” Gilmore said. Gilmore said he believes the media is partially to blame for intense partiality. “The problem is that the public is not being discerning about what they’re seeing and whether or not they’re making a decision based upon propaganda or reality,” Gimore said. “And this is heightened by this media society that we live in.” Political analyst Larry Sabato said that knowledge is key in facilitating discussion. “When we don’t know what’s going on and we don’t understand the issues…we can’t make a well-informed choice,” Sabato said. We have to understand that both sides have something to be said.” According to a Commonwealth Poll in February, over 40% of Virginians reported that they headed to the polls over concerns of maintaining democracy. According to a Commonwealth Poll

in July, 81% of registered voters support requiring data centers to o%set their impact on the state’s electric infrastructure. Seventy two percent of registered voters opposed granting data centers tax cuts as incentive. Sabato said that if politicians do not explain their plans of action involving data centers to the public, they should not be surprised by the public’s reaction. “That’s one reason why [the Iran] war is becoming extremely massively unpopular,” Sabato said. “Data centers are another good example.” Sabato said that in stagnant political times, voters tend to vote for the opposition and demand quick change, forgetting however unhappy they might have been with their predecessor. Wilder prompted Spanberger to heed the polls and begin to work on the issues she campaigned on. “If you resonate with the people, if you listen to the people, if you do something and the record shows that you have done something for the people, they’ll hear you,” Wilder said. “And once they hear you, they will respond.”

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News

Former site of William ”Extra Billy” Smith statue at Capitol Square. Photos by Mary Ngodoki.

Three Confederate statues removed from Capitol Square

ELLIE WALTMAN Managing Editor SAL ORLANDO News Editor The Department of General Services removed three Confederate statues from Richmond’s Capitol Square on Aug. 28. following the passing of a budget item by the General Assembly.

T he monuments were honor ing Confederate leaders Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, William Smith, and Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire, according to AP News. The memorial had been displayed in the public park and civic campus for more than 100 years. Former Virginia state Sen. Adam Ebbin, patroned Senate Bill 636, directing the removal in the 2026 General Assembly

session. Thed bill failed in the House appropriations committee. The monuments will be relocated to battlefield sites within the Shenandoah Valley, and preserved by the Shenandoah Valley Battle$elds Foundation to “preserve and interpret Virginia's historic landscapes and cultural resources.” Keven Walker, CEO of the Shenandoah Valley Battle$elds Foundation, shared the

following statement with 8News, which can be read as follows: “Preservation is more about the future than the past, and ensuring the preservation of the Capitol Square monuments is a part of that clear vision,” Walker said. “At the core of all we do is the belief that our shared history can unite the people of our nation, that there is strength and inspiration for our own times to be found in the struggles of the past.”

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Sports

Stat of the week

VCU women’s field hockey wins their second game in a row to improve to 2-1 on the season.

GAME RESULTS 9/2/26 VCU MSOC ! AT #14 HPU DRAW 1!1

9/4/26 VCU VB ! VS ETSU WON 3!2

9/5/26 VCU MEN’S XC ! SPIDER ALUMNI OPEN 6TH PLACE / 14 TEAMS

VCU WOMEN’S XC ! SPIDER ALUMNI OPEN 9TH PLACE / 16 TEAMS

Adapting to the new era: How VCU athletics is maximizing revenue sharing in year two TYRESE PERKINS Assistant Sports Editor

Before the House v. NCAA settlement effective July 1, 2025, athletic departments could not directly share institutional revenue with student-athletes. Athletes could only receive benef its such as scholarships and cost-of-attendance assistance, while Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities primarily came through outside parties. The settlement allowed Division I schools to directly provide athletes with compensation tied to their athletic revenue. This change created a new distinction between the money an athlete receives directly from their university, and money earned through NIL opportunities. “The revenue-sharing process for us is solely focused on student-athletes,” VCU Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin said. In March 2025, McLaughlin estimated that the university could only afford to spend approximately $5 million annually

on student-athlete compensation while remaining competitive. This August, McLaughlin said that entering into year two under the NCAA settlement, would increase their previous $5 million threshold during year one. “Players may now come and go faster than what we’ve expected, but the reality as an athletic department is that we must be ready to adapt,” McLaughlin said. The majority of VCU’s planned revenuesharing money would be directed toward men’s and women’s basketball, while athletes across the athletic department wou ld st i l l be el ig ible to receive compensation, according to McLaughlin. “I’m happy to buy into the revenue sharing, I actually think it’s great for the student-athletes… student-athletes can leave college debt behind and create generational change for themselves,” McLaughlin said. Basketball is VCU’s most prominent revenue-generating program, bringing in about $12 million in annual revenue,

Illustration by Zoë Luis.

accounting for roughly 30% of the school’s entire athletic department revenue, according to College Factual. In October 2025, McLaughlin said that approximately 25 to 30 VCU studentathletes received direct revenue-sharing compensation, while more than 300 did not. VCU has not publicly identif ied the 25 to 30 athletes awarded or how its revenue-sharing pool was divided among its programs. VCU has already begun looking for new revenue opportunities. The athletic department has plans to rent out the Siegel Center for outside events and there are still conversations around how concession and ticket sales can increase across the athletic programs, along with boosted alumni engagement. “It’s not only about f inding more avenues for growth, it’s growing what we already have,” McLaughlin said. VCU’s men’s basketball revenue and attendance increased by 20% in 2025, with men’s baseball and other Olympic-sports

VCU VB ! VS UVA LOST 3!0

9/6/26 VCU FH ! AT W&M WON 4!2

VCU WSOC ! AT W&M DRAW 2!2

VCU MSOC ! AT #15 MU LOST 3!1

9/7/26 VCU GOLF ! ISLAND RESORT INTERCOLLEGIATE 12TH PLACE / 12 TEAMS

also experiencing substantial growth, according to VCU Athletics. In May of this year, McLaughlin acknowledged that VCU’s first year of paying athletes was successful, but the cost of building a competitive roster had increased. VCU places immense value on roster retention. “What we do, how we do it, and the experience our athletes are going to have here will never change,” McLaughlin said. While the long-term playbook is still being written, one thing is certain: VCU Athletics core mission remains unchanged. “We will continue to develop young adults into great versions of themselves,” McLaughlin said. “We’ll do it through sports and what they’re proud of doing.”

The VCU men’s basketball team celebrating their A10 championship against the University of Dayton on Mar. 15.

CT file. Photo by Alexis Washington.

The Commonwealth Times

VCU cross country kicks off new season BEN MARTINDALE Sports Editor VCU men’s and women’s cross country teams made their season debut Sept. 5 at the Spider Alumni Open. The men kicked the event off with a 6K race and the women followed by running a 4K. The hot, muggy weather added difficulty to the match, said second-year Jonathan Hess.

“When it’s hot obviously you’re gonna be working a whole lot harder,” Hess said. “The added humidity just makes the air thicker, a little bit harder to breathe, and that can do a lot.” Hess admitted that today was not his best performance because much of the team’s focus is on staying healthy for indoor track, but he still managed to be one of three men’s team runners to $nish in the top 50. Hess’s older brother, third-year Thomas Hess, $nished $rst among Rams competitors and 20th overall, posting a 6k time of 19:15.5. “The team performed pretty well,” said coach Austin Savage. “Really our only goal was to get out here and be competitive and for some people that meant being more

aggressive and some that meant being more conservative and moving up throughout the race. I think generally everybody abided by the standard they set for themselves and what they wanted to accomplish. Successful day really.” Third-year Madelyn Anderson $nished second among VCU women’s runners and 51st overall posting a 4K time of 15:50.9. “As a team we performed really well given the circumstances,” Anderson said. “It’s hot, sunny but we all worked together, we all pushed through. Just got through it, really showed how strong we are.” First-year Emma Trupp posted a 4K time of 16:54 and was pleased with her performance, but has her sights set on bigger goals.

Photo by Ben Martindale.

“This is just a 4K so a lot of us have kind of been saying just get it done, it’s not the real thing yet,” said Trupp. “We’re looking to train hard for those 6K races. For me personally, this is the $rst cross country race I’ve ran since eighth grade.” VCU cross country will next compete at the CNU Invitational on Sept. 18.

VCU battles back for 3-2 win over ETSU

The Rams celebrate on-court during their match against ETSU at the Siegel Center on September 4th, 2026. Photo by John Brown. DEVYNN ALSTON Staff Writer VCU women’s volleyball and East Tennessee State University battled through $ve sets on Sept. 4 at the Siegel Center, with VCU winning 3-2. ETSU scored the first point of the match with a kill by third-year outside hitter Makayla Bays. VCU quick ly responded with a kill of their own from fourth-year outside hitter Gabby LaPata. At the start, neither team could establish a lead, but ETSU soon took control, building a 10-6 lead. The Buccaneers continued to extend their lead behind kills from Bays and $rstyear Karis Chat$eld and strong serving, taking a 15-8 advantage at the media timeout. VCU struggled to generate momentum but attempted a late comeback, winning four consecutive rallies in a row to cut the de$cit. That effort was not enough, as ETSU closed out the $rst set 25-14 following a block assist by third-year middle blocker Gianna Blair and second-year outside hitter Sophia Davis. The second set was a test of wills, as neither team could establish control. ETSU brie%y built a three-point lead but VCU responded with timely kills by multiple members of the team to keep the set close. The Rams tied the set at 21-21 and took a 22-21 lead after an ETSU setting error.

The Buccaneers answered with back-toback kills to regain the lead, but the Rams continued to $ght. Deep into the set, the teams traded points, reaching a 28-28 score before VCU took a two-point lead to win and even the match. “I think tonight was a big stride towards figuring out who we are on the court,” VCU head coach Tim Doyle said. “Where we work together, where we’re good at, how the girls around us play.” ETSU attempted to regain control during the third set. After VCU scored $rst, the Buccaneers quickly responded with three straight points, including two kills from Bays. ETSU built an 11-4 lead and entered the media timeout 15-7. The Rams attempted to close the gap with three quick points, including an ace by $rst-year setter Maddalena Fiolo but ETSU maintained its advantage and won 25-16 to take a 2-1 lead. In the fourth set, VCU responded immediately, taking an early 3-1 lead and building its advantage throughout. The Rams’ blocking game gave ETSU trouble as VCU extended its lead to 12-7. A kill by f irst-year outside hitter Dominka Kasinkal pushed VCU’s lead to 16-8, and the Rams continued to control the set before winning 25-16 and forcing a decisive $fth set. The $nal set remained close, with the teams exchanging points and reaching a 7-7 tie after a strong rally by VCU. Neither

team was able to pull away, but the Rams ultimately won 15-13 to complete the comeback. The Ram’s win showed the team’s ability to stay aggressive and $ght through difficult stretches. “We’ve been working hard to pursue every single ball and to just $nd our way to

kill the ball and to get the ball up,” fourthyear middle blocker Nina Boledovicova said. VCU will carry this $ve-set victory into the rest of the invitational and the rest of the season with them.

Middle Blocker Letizia Galli and Outside Hitter Gabby LaPata block the ball during VCU’s match against ETSU at the Siegel Center on September 4th, 2026. Photo by John Brown.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Sports

Middle Blocker Letizia Galli hits the ball during VCU’s match against UVA at the Siegel Center on September 5th, 2026.

VCU falls short against Virginia in straight sets BENNEY KOCH Staff Writer VCU faced the University of Virginia in the second match of the VCU invitational on Sept. 5. The Rams lost 3-0 but broke their 17 year old attendance record as 1,677 fans came out to support VCU volleyball. From the start of the first set, UVA controlled the game. While VCU struggled early to find its offense, UVA hit .500 according to statbroadcast, which allowed them to pull away and win the opening set 25-13. Early in the second set, VCU made

adjustments and began f inding some success against the Cavaliers, taking an 11-9 lead. However, UVA responded with three straight kills from second-year outside hitter Reagan Ennist, second-year middle blocker Caroline Lang and fourthyear outside hitter Lauryn Bowie that would keep VCU from holding onto their lead. UVA would not trail again in the set and ended up winning 25-17, putting themselves within one set of the match victory. After the break, the Rams made adjustments and throughout the third set they were more offensively imposing and

in turn able to stay within a few points of the Cavaliers. Rams first-year outside hitter Molly McCall had seven kills on 15 swings in the set according to statbroadcast, and was a big part of the Rams trimming the Virginia lead to 24-22. However, VCU could not complete the comeback and the Cavaliers closed out the set 25-22 to complete the sweep. While the Rams could not get the win, some individual performances shined from the game. Third-year middle blocker Letizia Galli was super efficient with seven kills hitting .500 on the night according to statbroadcast.

Photo by John Brown.

Third-year middle setter Cansin Sendir led the team with 19 assists while thirdyear libero Kayla Foley led the team with eight digs, according to statbroadcast. With the loss to UVA, VCU’s record on the season falls to 1-3. VCU volleyball continues to build their new identity and looks ahead to continue to gain experience and grow as a team throughout the remainder of the season. On Sept. 10 VCU will travel to the West Virginia Invitational to take on West Virginia University at 5 p.m.

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Spectrum Henrico comes alive with jazz at Deep Run Park On This Day

On Sept. 9, 1956, Elvis Presley made his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, with roughly 60 million people watching.

DEBORAH AGUILERA Contributing Writer

R i c h m o n d- b a s e d j a z z musician Chan Ha l l brought h is mu sic to Deep Run Park on Sept. 6 for Jazz in the Park, a free com mu n it y e vent hosted by Hen r ico C o u nt y. T h e e v e nt , held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., gave attendees an opportunity to experience live jazz in an

outdoor setting while learning more about Hall’s work as a musician. The performance provided Hall with an opportunity to share his approach to jazz while connecting with a local audience. Hall said his pursuit to become a jazz musician was inspired by listening to Chick Corea during his time in high school band. “I took a trip to Washington D.C at the Kennedy Center,” Hall said. “I saw a jazz trio in the lobby and ever since I saw that jazz trio that made me want to play jazz and everything.” The jazz scene in Richmond is booming, according to Hall. “The musicianship is incredible,” Hall said. “It’s a lot of music, a lot of jazz. You can walk down the street and hear jazz in Carytown, outside, or in Relever. It mixes with the culture here.” Hall described his e x per ience in Richmond as great and he

has a lot of respect for the jazz community. Other than the competitiveness and slight lack of opportunity, Hall said performing in Richmond is a good stepping stone and a pivotal point in his career. The audience saw the event as an instrumental way of musicalit y and transcending between genres, according to Hall. Hall said that he is in Richmond for the culture and keeping the music alive. He encouraged people with a passion for it to pursue music although it can be difficult. Azaiah Bell, special events coordinator for Henrico Recreation & Parks, helps organize free public events throughout Henrico County. The events feature a variety of activities, vendors, entertainment and live music, and are held at different parks throughout the county. According to Bell, Jazz in the Park originated from a jazz series Henrico Recreation & Parks held last year. Fol low ing t he ser ies success, t he department decided to continue offering jazz performances this year. Bell said the department has since seen a signi$cant increase in attendance at jazz events. Bell said one of her favorite parts of her job is partnering with local groups and organizations and building connections within the community. Bell $rst discovered Hall after attending one of his performances at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Soon after, Bell invited him to play at Jazz in the Park. “I fell in love with the experience that he was able to create,” Bell said.

After seeing Hall perform, Bell reached out to invite him to participate in Jazz in the Park. Val Jett, a frequent visitor of Deep Run park, said she decided to attend the event after seeing a sign for Jazz in the Park while she was walking by. After hearing Hall perform, Jett said she enjoyed the music and would like to listen to him in the future. Jett said it’s great to have a jazz event and bring everyone together. It’s great to have this event and bring everyone together,” Jett said. Lindsay Troyer, an attendee, said she often visits the park with her family. She decided to spend the holiday weekend at Jazz in the Park to take advantage of the great weather. “It’s nice seeing people out and about and getting to socialize,” Troyer said. “ We’re def initely glad the Henrico Parks Department is putting this on. It’s wonderful. It’s great for the community.” H e n r i c o R e c r e a t i o n & Pa r k s promotes its events through their social media platforms on Instagram at @ henricorecparks and their Facebook, @ Henrico County Recreation and Parks, as well as through program guides and printed materials distributed at community events.

Drummer for Chan Hall performs at Sunday night’s Jazz in the Park. Photo by Chiara Wells.

Saxophonist for Chan Hall performs at Sunday's event. Photo by Chiara Wells.

Park Raiser brings back joy of creativity, builds community engagement through art FAKEHA NAEEM Contributing Writer Set in The Galley, courtesy of Black Iris, an art gallery and social club, had live murals and art pieces for auction. Park Raiser, an event held on Sept. 4, at 321 Broad St., offered a glimpse into a world full of color, friendships and community built through art. Despite the unpredictable weather, with intense heat and downpouring rain, the event was abuzz with art enthusiasts across all ages, watching and supporting artists as they painted murals live.

The free fundraiser to support the art park was unique because the organizers blended live music and art from noon to midnight. The live painters included Jesse Smith, Jason Ford, Anna Perdue, Tedi Kuma and Barry O’ Keefe. The Little Giant Society, a nonpro$t whose mission is bringing Richmond’s $rst public art park to life underneath the Manchester Bridge, was created alongside vice president Kathleen Cortez and marketing director Ben White, according to Ian C. Hess, director and president of the Little Giant Society.

Hess gained inspiration while visiting FlevoPark in Amsterdam, where he discovered pylons stacked one after another with graffiti work. The nonpro$t was unintentional, and instead put together in the spur of the moment to create a dedicated space for creating, according to Hess. He believes the addition of an art park is inevitable. Since then, the organization has held many events including Proof in the Park, which displayed murals on nine large walls created by varying artists, according to Hess.

Many artists are setting up for the September 4th Park Raiser at the Arts District. Getting their art work ready for the public showcase. Photo by Catt Brito.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026 Artists are excited about the art park’s completion so they can come and paint, Hess said. “It is truly giving something to Richmond,” Hess said. “It has given me everything I have from my business, career and the nonpro$t.” Hess, whose art style is in the realm of realism and surrealism, has worked as a full-time artist in Richmond for the past 12 years. He said he personally reached out to artists to contribute their work for the event. Perdue’s work is a hybrid mix of tide creatures and unique plants. For this event, she painted hybrid Orchids with alien-like features. “I want to encourage people to embrace unnatural and weird,” Perdue said. Tedi Kuma is an illustrator and VCU arts alumni recognized for his distinct black-and-white, hip-hop style street art. Kuma contributed to the Park Raiser event by creating a live mural of a black and white lady inspired by a record cover. Kuma began drawing at an early age, carrying his sketchbook wherever he went. His picture book “Off The Wall” is the work that he believes is the closest representation of him, including some of his son’s drawings. Previously, he created

murals for Park in Deck and Proof in the Park. “Some murals take a few hours and some might take up to a whole weekend to $nish,” Kuma said. “Proof in the Park mural took 8 hours to complete. I see creating murals as a challenge and also being part of the artist community.” Kuma said he would love to see a space dedicated to street art. Edward Alan Gross, an artist and VCU alumni, attended the event with his family. Gross’s daughter, Maxine, said she enjoyed watching the artists paint live. Mara Beatnick, an attendee, said the vibe was great and each piece of art was unique to its artist. Lauren Jones, an illustrator and graphic artist, said the event brought attention to the street art community and its often overlooked subculture. The event caught the interest of many local and international artists. The park raised funds through auctioning art from Little Giant Society’s previous events, including Hess’s work. The live art auction will continue until Oct. 3 and can be accessed through the Little Giant Society Park Raiser auction website.

Bold artwork coming from the talented artists presented at the Park Raiser at the Arts District on September 4th. Photo by Catt Brito.

Planting a new future: Scott’s Addition raises funds for park ELLE COTA Spectrum Editor Families gathered around tables, dogs moved through the crowd and live music played at Brambly Park from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 6 for the Plant a Park Fest, an event to raise money and awareness for the $rst permanent public park in Scott’s Addition. Plant a Park Fest was a collaboration bet ween the Capita l Region Land Conservancy, Brambly Park and the Greater Scott’s Addition Association. Performances included Afro-Zen Allstars, Jared Stout Band, Painted World, Prabir, Tiara & Andrew, Sun V Set and Brian Caperton. Proceeds from ticket sales and a portion of food and beverage sales went toward the permanent public green space effort. Matt Szucs, Capital Region Land Conservancy donor relations manager, said the festival grew out of a broader fundraising effort for the proposed park. Kevin and Christy Berry purchased the Norfolk Street property in 2012 for a little more than $200,000. After retiring and moving to Colorado, the couple sought to preserve the green space that they had created on the property. The property was appraised at about $2 million. The Berry’s agreed to donate $1.4 million in land value, while the CRLC and its partners worked to raise $600,000 to acquire the property. After closing on the property, the CRLC had about $270,000 left to raise. Szucs said the organization

f inanced part of the purchase with a $300,000 loan from the Berry’s. More than 24 businesses had supported the project through fundraising efforts during the summer, Szucs said. There was no specific dollar amount goal for the festival, but organizers hoped to sell at least 200 to 300 tickets. An open house at the future park site ran from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., allowing visitors to enter portions of the property that had previously been fenced off. The proposed half-acre park would help advance Richmond’s 10-minutewalk goal to access public green space, by giving more than 1,000 residents access to public green space who currently lack it, according to Szucs. Szucs said the response to the project has been over whelmingly positive, including from businesses that contributed despite economic uncertainty. “The immediate response is like, ‘Well, that’s long overdue,’” Szucs said. Bobby Kruger, owner of Brambly Park, suggested turning the Labor Day weekend into a music festival to bring more attention to the proposed park. “I suggested that we do something bigger and see if we could take a big swing, get some publicity for the park,” Kruger said. Kruger and Pete Leblanc, Brambly Park programming director and owner of BariPete Productions, worked with organizers to create the music lineup. Kruger said organizers designed the

event as an all-ages festival that allowed dogs and re-entry. “We think that we can do this every year and kick some money into stuff to bene$t the park,” Kruger said. Kruger said that he would like to see more intentional urban planning, including city efforts to acquire property and set it aside for public parks. “They’re going to throw apartment buildings in place, and that’s great, we want people in the area,” Kruger said. “We want more commercial in the area, but we need more green space for people to use that’s just publicly available green space.” Leilani Leach and Grant Ledford have lived in Scott’s Addition for a year and attended the festival after seeing posters around the neighborhood. It was their $rst time at Brambly Park. “We’ve noticed that Scott’s Addition is kind of hot and full of concrete,” Leach said. “It would be nice if there were more green spaces.” Ledford envisioned the future park as a smaller gathering space similar to Scuffletown Park in the Fan District. He suggested outdoor seating, natural areas and a community garden. “I’d be curious to see if there’s going to be any further, rezoning of old, like there’s a bunch of torn down warehouse areas around here, I’m curious if any of those will be absorbed by the city to be other green spaces,” Ledford said. Anne Hunter Saunders and Ian Saunders, who have lived in Scott’s

The fountain located in the proposed park in Scott’s Addition. Photo by Ryan Hensley

Addition since 2017 and 2018, said the proposed park would add a green space near their work place. “I think it’ll be great to have some green space in Scott’s Addition where it’s so industrial,” Anne Hunter Saunders said. “Just adds to the communit y. It’s a nice place for people to kind of congregate and hang out.” They did not have a specif ic list of amenities in mind, though Ian Saunders said native plants would be a welcome addition. S h a n non C ol s on a nd Che l s e a Tatum both grew up in the Richmond a rea . T he y at tended t he fe st iv a l because they supported adding green space to Scott’s Addition. Tatum said turning the property into a permanent public space would give residents a designated place to gather without paying for admission. “I mean, I think it’s a nice investment in the community,” Colson said. “I think there have been studies that have shown if you’re within 10 minutes of a park, your mental health is better.” The proposed park ’s f inal design remains in workshop as organizers prepare for the formal community engagement process led by Capital Trees, a nonpro$t dedicated to transforming Richmond with public green spaces. The $nal design will be community-led and developed with residents, visitors, nonpro$t partners and the neighborhood association.

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Alpha Phi Omega: Strengthening one another through community ARIEL LEBOW Contributing Writer A lpha Delta Iota , Vi rg in ia Commonwealth University’s chapter of the national service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, is a Greek Organization committed to improving the world and building a community of like-minded peers since 1994. APO is a service fraternity, meaning they are gender inclusive and centered around community service. There is a one month long rush period to join APO that teaches the club’s history, including how it was founded and its transition to becoming a gender inclusive organization. The rush helps acquaint pledges with organization expectations. Abby Hollis, a fourth-year who has been a member of APO since her freshman year, has ser ved multiple semesters on the E-board. “I was completely new to Richmond and it helped me f ig ure out what Richmond was,” Hollis said. “The people in Alpha Phi Omega know Richmond very well and are always really nice and were willing to answer questions that I had about Richmond.” Pledges are assigned bigs that guide them through the adjustment to collegiate life, forming friendships as they help them integrate into the community.

Grace Smith, APO’s vice president, loves that A PO is a col lection of diverse students from different majors coming together. APO members are required to do thirty hours of community service each semester by partnering with organizations within and outside VCU to achieve this goal. “In APO we do a lot of service together and within those service events, they can be through the campus,” Smith said. “Sometimes we partner with different orgs, like with the blood drive or the Richmond marathon.”

A PO a lso teaches leadership to promote the professional development of its members. “I also plan different conferences that happen for APO and through that you can sign up for leads courses, which look really good on resumes,” Smith said. “It’s basically just leadership training and tells you how to facilitate different groups when you’re going to be a leader.” APO holds friendship events each semester, along with its weekly brotherhood meetings. These events range from bowling and roller skating to cozy movie nights.

Alexia Jennings, chapter president for APO, has been a member since her second semester at VCU. “It’s really like a second family, we’ll naturally hang out because we like spending time with each other, while being able to give back to the community that we live in,” Jennings said. For more information, you can contact APO directly on Instagram at @apo_adi.

Alpha Phi Omega members featuring their club at SOVO fair. Courtesy photo of Alpha Phi Omega. ADVERTISEMENT

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

RVA Spotlight

Features

Get up and dance with the Mambo Bones Salsa Dance Studio at The Graduate Hotel’s Byrdhouse Rooftop every second Friday and final Sunday, from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door or at mambobones.com.

TAG, YOU'RE IT! Ultimate game of tag held in Monroe Park

It’s either chase or be chased in Richmond’s biggest game of infection tag. Photos by Alex Tenhover INFECTION TAG ELLE COTA Spectrum Editor “It’s tag,” Powell said. “We’ve all played it before. We all know what it looks like.” Izzie Clayborn, a $rst-year Brightpoint Community College student, attended after seeing the event on Instagram. She said she wanted an opportunity to play tag, meet new people and do something outside her normal routine. “Even though I would say you could play it at any age,” Clayborn said. “So, it kind of allows people to break through that social norm a little bit and allows people to kind of go back to having fun and being carefree.” Abby Portz, a $rst-year University of Richmond student, who attended with Clayborn, wanted to become more social with the start of college and saw the event as a chance to try something new. Portz said she used to play tag almost every day in elementary school and with her cousins. She said a lot of people’s best memories and moments are from their childhood, so if they get an opportunity to relive that, they take it and go for that community. “I know being independent is usually associated with being an adult, but I feel like I’ve been more childlike and free … since I got here,” Portz said. Reese McInnis, a third-year Virginia

Commonwealth University psychology student, said the idea of hundreds of college students playing tag in a park sounded like the kind of spontaneous community event that was worth attending. “We’re like emerging adults now, so we’re getting bombarded with actual work,” McInnis said. “I think just the aspect like, you know, just playing a game again for fun is really enticing to a college.” Preston Herring, a recent transfer student from Reynold ’s Community College to VCU, initially expected Infection Tag to be a normal game of tag. After seeing Ruckus’s emphasis on forming a community, it convinced him to attend. Herring recalled his last time playing tag being in $fth or sixth grade, but said this game of tag did not bring back many childhood memories for him. “When you’re a kid, you can go to the playground and make friends ‘cause you’re all together, but when you’re an adult the only real way to meet people is at a job or at an event you’re doing with your community,” Herring said. “I think stuff like this is really important ‘cause it brings everybody together ‘cause it’s something anybody can do, really.” Aidan Cleray, first-year VCU urban and regional studies student, came to meet people and be part of the community. “I think it’s a reminder of your childhood,” Cleray said. “I think a lot of people lose creativity and just the ability

to have joy without worry once they age.” Matthew Blackin, a first-year VCU business and economics student, and friend of Cleray, said the last time he played tag was last year during Halloween in his hometown. Blackin decided to come to the event after seeing a quote that read “the antidote to adult dread is childlike fun.” As the game ended and participants left

Monroe Park, the laughter and running gave way to the routines of adulthood waiting beyond the park. A simple game of tag gave more than 100 people a chance to be carefree again, reminding them that growing up does not have to mean leaving that feeling behind.

Organizers of “Richmond’s biggest game of infection tag,” Ruckus, pose for a photo before the game begins. Photo by Alex Tenhover

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Quote of the week

“The more I am aware of my mortality the better person I am and the better I am at choosing a life that is aware of its beauty.” — Ada Limón

The climate crisis is here URJITA MAINALI Contributing Writer On Aug. 26, a f lash f lood with the magnitude of a 5.2 earthquake hit the region around the Nepal-Tibet-China border, according to CNN Weather. Natural disasters have previously hit Nepal, with the region often preparing for extreme weather. Monsoon rains make travel difficult or dangerous, especially in more rural and mountainous regions as the roads fall into disrepair. It is also a seismically active region, according to BBC News, making it prone to earthquakes and landslides. While it always made me worry for my family, news about natural disasters has never been entirely unexpected — but when I saw the $rst videos coming out of the massive waves of water, mud and debris, I felt that the scale of this disaster was di%erent. At the time of writing, the death toll has surpassed 1,290 in Nepal, and thousands remain missing. In the days following the disaster, experts linked the deadly f lash f loods to a glacial collapse in the Himalayan region associated with climate change, according to The Guardian. In the region,

temperatures have been recorded as warming twice as fast. The lives impacted and lost by floodrelated disasters have risen rapidly across South and Southeast Asia, a trend that is likely to continue and worsen. Nepali Prime Minister Balen Shah has called upon the international community to support e%orts to mitigate the impacts of climate change, citing it as a global responsibility. Yet, the impacts of climate change are incredibly disproportionate between the Global North, responsible for the majority of carbon emissions, and the Global South, the most a%ected regions. Lately, I have noticed that this discrepancy exists in how the West speaks and educates about climate change as well. Most conversation, in and outside of the classroom, posits the climate crisis as a looming threat on the horizon. The focus is on what will happen if climate change is not mitigated — flooding, worsening disasters and the impacts of AI data centers and personal AI usage, according to Cornell Chronicle and United Nations, respectively. The base of our knowledge, usually taught since elementary school, about the changing climate emphasizes

our personal actions in an e%ort to avoid a “point of no return” – notably, one that was set in the future. With this knowledge, it is understandable that conversation around climate change still posits the point of crisis in the future, especially in the West, where it seems that climate change is remarked upon most when the weather is poor. But we have reached that point of no return, according to the UN as reported by CBC news. The climate crisis is here. In the Global South, rising temperatures and sea levels have made many regions inhospitable and millions of individuals are forced to consider leaving their homes for their safety and livelihoods. Some nations are at risk of being entirely submerged, leading to a loss of life and culture that cannot be undone. Natural disasters have worsened, rain and f lood patterns have changed, infectious disease poses greater risks and unprecedented heat waves threaten lives. These are not predicted futures — this is the reality of millions as you read this. The climate crisis is not only a%ecting the Global South. In the United States, natural disasters have occurred more frequently, at

greater scales and regions impacted by natural disasters are expanding. Coastal and island regions in Europe are at risk for flooding and are also experiencing rising temperatures and consequent health risks posed by heat. The way we talk about climate change has to expand and evolve to reflect the climate crisis we are facing now. While you should not intentionally pursue a lifestyle that will contribute to a higher climate impact, putting responsibility onto the individual is not a feasible solution. We need the conversation to go beyond what the impacts of climate change will be and begin to include how we will respond to the impacts that are here now. Massive, sustainable infrastructure change and development is necessary and needed most where it is the hardest to acquire. As students, the careers that we pursue are likely to touch the climate in one way or another. With this change in focus and paradigm, perhaps it will be possible for us to respond to the reality of the world we live in now. In order to prevent dozens more estimates, predictions and projections from becoming reality, our focus needs to be on the present.

Society’s ‘Obsession’ with romantic dehumanization BELLA FRATARCANGELO Contributing Writer Director Curry Barker’s low-budget horror hit, “Obsession,” tells audiences what most women have known for centuries: nice guys are often not nice guys, they are not nice lovers and cool girls do not exist. In “Obsession,” a twenty-something “nice guy” named Bear wishes on a collectible children’s toy that his long-time crush, Nikki, would love him more than anyone else in the entire world. From this moment until the curse is broken, the real Nikki loses her autonomy and embodies a caricature of a crazy girlfriend, nicknamed Freaky Nikki. Barker, in an interview with “The Collider,” rebuked the notion that “Obsession” is a stor y of someone “possessed” by a demonic entity or ancient spirit. I interpret Nikki as Bear’s possession, a reward he supposedly deserves after years of sweatily pinching the sleeves of his vintage sweater collection, pining after an artsy baddie. To him, her inauthentic, ham-fisted, manic love is preferable to romantic rejection. Nikki is dehumanized by the male gaze — speci$cally, Bear’s gaze. Told through Bear’s perspective, the $lm only confronts fleeting moments of Nikki’s suffering that are unavoidable for Bear. The audience does not get to know Nikki intimately. She is only the object of Bear’s a%ection and the victim of his sel$shness. Male audiences fear living with a Freaky Nikki. Female audiences fear living as the real Nikki. “ Tr ad it iona l ” rel at ionsh ip s a re characterized by a power imbalance between those who possess someone and are pleased by them and the possessed who pleases. “Obsession” is a snapshot of how centuries of traditional relationships have marred value appraisal or bestowal

Illustration by Devin Smith. practices in romance. Philosophers have historically confused appraisal and bestowal of value with one another. This confusion can be defined by the Euthyphros Problem: “Does love appraise what is valuable in the beloved, or does love bestow value onto the beloved as a person?” I $rmly believe that both are at the core of a healthy relationship. To be loved is to be valued. To give love is to value. However, as philosopher Irving Singer wrote in “The Nature of Love,” love and the want for love are not “inherently moral.” Bestowal involves participation in, appreciation of and partnership through someone’s smiles, frowns, ups and downs. Although Bear feels a twisted responsibility for Freaky Nikki (as the progenitor of her neuroticism) he does not desire for the real Nikki to return for any other reason than to do away with Freaky Nikki. Bear never wanted to love Nikki — he wanted her to love him. “Obsession” is a pulp morality tale for

Gen Z. Bear appraises Nikki, bestows next to nothing on her value as a person and disregards her freedom to reject him. Barker ascribes horrific fictional consequences to a timeless patriarchal fantasy: the cool girl. In “Gone Girl,” author Gillian Flynn describes this fantasy: “Cool girls never get angry, they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want.” In reality, cool girls are pretenders who act as what men want with no complaints, for the purpose of earning empty a%ection. The demand and supply for cool girls is systemic. In “The Nature of Love,” Singer declares that reciprocity of bestowal is the best method to develop authentic, enjoyable love with another human being. Still, in heterosexual relationships, women are socially expected to commit the lion’s share of bestowal while men are socially expected to serially appraise women, bestowing little upon them. Furthermore, everyone, regardless of gender, is expected

to self-appraise to self-extinction. All of these social expectations are echoed throughout popu lar online communities and trends: the Red Pill movement, trad wives, love robots and chatbots, femcels and pick-me girls, couples content and so on. Nothing good comes from othering and dehumanizing our potential lovers. It is my hypothesis, as a seasoned armchair psychologist, that the root of Gen Z’s loneliness epidemic is appraisal prioritization. Everyone, especially men, needs to remind themselves that romantic partners are multidimensional human beings. If you want a sex robot, buy a sex robot. If you want to love another human being, try $nding a life partner. If you are not prepared to be a life partner, try $nding self-ful$llment.

Lesbians, please stop fighting MARITZA BAPTISTE Staff Writer Every time I open my Twitter feed, I am bombarded by in-$ghting amongst the lesbian community. Suddenly, it is considered weird to call your butch partner your boyfriend or to call yourself a lesbian if you are dating a trans man. According to some Twitter lesbians, butch/ femme relationships are heteronormative. Topics like these, labeled as discourse, have become widespread invalidation of identities that are interwoven in lesbian and queer history — and they are predominantly happening within lesbian spaces. I have identi$ed as a lesbian for over two years now. My sexuality was truly an awakening for me and I have spent the last two years loving the liberation it has given me. But just as I was coming to know myself, I also had to acquaint myself with a community I was mostly unfamiliar with. A plethora of dating roles and identities fall under the umbrella of lesbianism. Butch lesbians, femme lesbians, lesbians using he/him pronouns and trans masc lesbians all exist within the community but these identities are largely misunderstood.

Many of these conventions challenged my previous perceptions of lesbianism being a restrictive label and I came to realize that it is far more expansive. I had to learn over time that queerness can seem contradictory even when it is not. I see the errors of my previous mindset reflected in the recent “discourse,” especially in those who have taken it upon themselves to decide who is and is not “lesbian enough.” While ignorance is a glaring issue, intolerance is widening the gap between acceptance and invalidation. In our conf lict, we are using the tools of our oppressors against ourselves. Historically, queer communities have been subjected to scrutiny over how we identify and present ourselves. Producing that same scrutiny towards butch lesbians, trans masc lesbians or relationship dynamics when they do not $t into your idea of what a lesbian is, whether you are one or not, is reductive towards the historical work done by lesbians just to exist. Not all discourse is anti-queer. There are valid conversations to be had around transphobia, misog yny, racism and biphobia within the lesbian community. However, this is not discourse or the

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Opinions

Illustration By Zahraa Hadi

calling out of problematic behavior. It is anti-queer, ignorant rhetoric from those who think their identity by itself grants them authority. Queerness does not have to make sense. Queerness is meant to live outside of social norms and boundaries. It is contradictory, it is boundless and it is beautiful. It does not take a complete and total understanding of an identity to

respect it. Lesbians, please stop $ghting with each other. Lesbianism looks di%erent on everyone. Let us celebrate the liberation we have sought through queerness with respect and love for one another. Let us do away with creating boundaries and instead embody the expansive queerness of lesbianism.

Illustration by Zoe Luis.

The commuter problem does not end at the parking deck MOLLY CHRISTIANSON Staff Writer Virginia Commonwealth University simply does not have enough dorms to house the majority of its students, and because of that, many students commute. Many find off-campus housing within walking distance or at least a short drive away. However, there are still students who drive 30 minutes to an hour to get to campus. There are numerous parking decks in and around campus that students can buy passes for and this is something VCU does well. It is easy — or at least as easy as it can be — to commute to a giant school in the middle of a city. However, just because VCU has made it easier for commuters to get to campus does not mean commuters are comfortable once they are there.

What does VCU do to accommodate students who drive an hour from home and are then stuck on campus all day? In short, not a lot. There is a nap pod in the University Student Commons and microwaves sprinkled throughout campus as well. These are both really great things and I appreciate them equally, but what about everything else? What if I need to change or get ready for an event later in the day? What if I just want 20 minutes to sit alone without people constantly around me? What if I need a nap before driving home late at night? I know I phrased all of these as “what ifs,” but they have all been very real scenarios for me. The answers usually lie somewhere between bathrooms, my car or driving home when I am way too tired. I know VCU cannot just open a shelter for students to take naps, change

or decompress in, but I do feel like they could do more. Even making some existing spaces speci$cally available to o%-campus students could make a huge di%erence in terms of quality of life. The library study rooms are an option, but it feels awkward to book one just to sit there or take a nap when there are people who actually need them for group projects, tutoring or other academic things. It would be insanely nice to know that if I end up on campus longer than I intend to, I have a safe and quiet place to go. The Commons and academic buildings eventually close and that is where the existing nap pod is located. Implementing a few more pods, even bringing back the ones they took away or creating a designated quiet space in a building like the library, which remains open later, could be incredibly bene$cial for commuters. Honestly, these changes could bene$t

on-campus students as well. We have all heard various roommate horror stories and sometimes people just need a break from inhabiting the same room. Maybe your roommate has friends over, is studying, is on the phone or you simply just do not get along. Having a quiet, private and safe space on campus would give students somewhere to go without having to leave campus entirely. A student-only space with 24/7 access that is included with tuition would be incredibly helpful, especially when students do not want to go to the library or spend money just to have somewhere to sit. VCU has made getting to campus relatively commuter-friendly. Now, it needs to consider what happens after commuters get there.

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Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Puzzles Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

Lo s A n g e l e s Ti me s Sunda y C ro s s w o rd P u z z l e

By Katie Hale

ACROSS 59 Imagined 71 Significant amount DOWN 1 Add some oomph 61 Issa of “Barbie” of spots? 1 Petulant cry to 62 “What a downer” 74 Piglet moms 2 Petulant look 6 In good __ 63 Rte. finder 75 Drank daintily 3 Salt and pepper, 11 “The Marvels” 65 Anxiety-related 79 Edited __-back by Patti Varol e.g. By Katie Hale 80 Unsettling look director DaCosta med. condition 4 Like Dracula 14 Latch (onto) 67 Novelist Dinesen 82 Target of some 5 Air pump meas. ACROSS 59roll Imagined 71therapy Significant amount6 Super Monkey DOWN Ball 18 Speckled horses 68 Tuna wrap laser 1 Add some oomph 61 Issa of “Barbie” of spots? 1 Petulant cry 19 Dodge 69 Singer Stefani 85 City bond, for short developer to 62 measured “What a downer” 74 Piglet 2 Petulant 20 Zingy flavor in 86 Birthplace of moms MLK 7 Rating for mild look 70 Force 6 In good __ 63 Rte. finder 75ball Drank 3 Saltperhaps and pepper, newtons 21 “Sorry, I slipped” 87 “The mustdaintily hit language, 11can “The Marvels” 65ofAnxiety-related __-back e.g. 22 “You lead a 71 Start a lament the79 cushion before 8 Countess director med.android condition 80 Unsettling horse to water,DaCosta but 4 Like Dracula 72 “Star Trek” dropping into the look counterpart Latch (onto) 67 soundtracks Novelist Dinesen 82 Target you14can’t make it 5 Air pump meas.73 Movie pocket,” e.g.?of some 9 French farewell 18 Speckled horses91 With 27-Across, 68 Tuna roll wrap drink,” e.g.? laser therapy 10 Recliner 76 Family-friendly 6 Super roomMonkey Ball 19 Dodge 25 “Frozen” reindeer 69room Singer Stefani 85 City bond, for short hotel patriotic Muppet 11 Part of developer a table 20 Zingy 26 “Come back flavor __!” 70anchovies Force measured in 86 Birthplace 92 Home security co.of MLK setting 7 Rating for mild 77 How 27 See 2191-Across “Sorry, I slipped”93 Malaysian packed 87 “Thefleet ball must hit 12 Shoreline feature perhaps may benewtons language, 28 Like barrels 78 Guinness serving, 22rum “You can lead a 94 __ for tat 71 Start of a lament the cushion before 13 Sales 8 rep Countess 29 Ms. Marvel, one but often 95 Mexican lager into the14 “Gee, that horsefor to water, 72 “Star Trek” android seems dropping counterpart 30 Fruity drink suffixmake it97 AKB48pocket,” stuff genre e.g.? you can’t unlikely” 73 Movie soundtracks 9 French farewell 81 59-Across 32 “Oral contracts are 100 Miami fair drink,” e.g.? 15 Treasure-y note? 76 Family-friendly 91 Beach With 27-Across, 10 Recliner room 82 __ Lanka binding,” e.g.? reindeer for gallerists of “Barbie” and 25 “Frozen” room patriotic Muppet 16 __ glasses 11 Part of a table 83 Michaelhotel 35 Cause of a soccer 84 Vegan thickener 17 Jen Psaki’s 26 “Come back __!” curators 77 How anchovies 92 Home security co. setting ball27 bending midair 102 “Chickens will be fleet network See 91-Across may island be packed 93 Malaysian 12 Shoreline feature87 Indonesian 40 Vigor 88 Gawk fed94 in the coop,” 20 Dress-up boxrep item 28 Like rum barrels 78 Guinness serving, __ for tat 13 Sales 41 Fish 89 Tripoli resident “The that seems 29eggs Ms. Marvel, for one e.g.? often 95 Mexican lager 23 Liam 14of“Gee, 42 Character who 90 Small insertsstuff 107 Designer initials Naked unlikely” Gun” 30 Fruity drink suffix 81 clock 59-Across 97 AKB48 genre calls Yankee neckline note?96 “And 32Homer “Oral contracts 108 are Former 82I’m __finished” Lanka 100 Miami Beach fair24 Draped 15 Treasure-y “neighborino” 97 “Come along forof “Barbie” slugger,forfamiliarly of “The binding,” e.g.? 83 Michael gallerists and31 Moore 16 __ glasses 43 Romania neighbor the 84 ride” 109 “That wasn’t wholly Substance” 35 Cause of a soccer Vegan thickener curators 17 Jen Psaki’s 45 Lettersball saidbending while midair true” 98 Italian 87 “You’re Indonesian island 102 “Chickens will be33 Get close network go Dress-up bragh!” box item welcome” showing a badge 110 Tennis fed starinNaomi 40 Vigor 88 Gawk the coop,”34 “__20 35 Shuts tight 47 “Ew, calculations 114 Airport e.g.? pickup 41stop Fishtalking!” eggs Tripoli resident 23 up Liam of “The 99 Bet89 star Elba 50 “A new pope shallwho option 42 Character 90 noisily Small clock inserts 107 Designer initials 36 “Hijack”Naked Gun” 101 Drinks in be chosen a 102 Wasabi product 118 Space City proYankee 37 Dabble callsat Homer 96 “And I’m finished” 108 Former 24 Draped neckline 38 Just31hanging conclave,” e.g.? pieces 119 “Wear slugger, sensible familiarly “neighborino” 97 deco “Come along for Moore about of “The 103 Some 39 Dozes Substance” (off) 55 Fall43 (over) 104 __ Wafers Romania neighbor shoes the ride” 109 and “Thata wasn’t wholly 42 Sweet Sixteen org. 105 Sludgy 56 Et __: and others stuff “You’re support 45 Letters said while lumbartrue” 98 Italian 33 Get close 44 __ 34 and“__ vigor 57 Polite contraction sounds go bragh!” 106 Big cat welcome” showing a badge belt,” 110e.g.? Tennis star Naomi 58 Castle protectors 122 Coming-of-age 35 Shuts up tight 111 Finger 47 “Ew, stop talking!” 99 click Bet calculations 114 Airport pickup 45 Toned 46 Sarajevo’s region 59 Turn 112 College basketball 36 “Hijack” star Elba 50to“Arubble, new pope shall story subject, 101 Drinks noisily option often Candle” briefly be chosen at a 123 Cheap, coach plasticCity pro 48 “Light 37 My Dabble in 102 Barnes Wasabi product 118 Space singer 117-Down 60 Ancientconclave,” land of the 113 Potter’s oven deco pieces camera type sensible 38 in Just hanging about e.g.? 103 Some 119 “Wear 49 Long-term goals Fertile Crescent 124 Curtainshoes beam,and often 39 Dozes (off)for 115 Objections 55 Fall (over) 104 __ Wafers a some 63 Scout Wiesel stuff 125 Agree to take part 42 startups Sweet Sixteen 116 org. Author 56 leader? Et __: and others 105 Sludgy lumbar support 51 Sleeper 64 NHL setcat in sounds 126 Latin 101 verb 44 __sofa and vigor 117 Musical 57trophy Polite contraction 106 Big belt,” e.g.? namesake Alphabet City click 127 Copy 45 leader Toned 58 Castle protectors 111 Finger 122 Coming-of-age 52 Dubai 53 “Downton Abbey” region 66 “The is 128 Public story 120 Involuntary spasm affairssubject, often 46 Sarajevo’s 59strike Turn zone to rubble, 112 College basketball countess between the chest 121 Southwestern network 48 “Light My Candle” briefly coach Barnes 123 Cheap, plastic 54 Powdery mineral and60knees,” e.g.? of wealth singer in 117-Down Indian Ancient land of 129 the Sourcecamera 113 state Potter’s oven type Fertile Crescent 124 Curtain beam, often 49 Long-term goals for 115 Objections some startups 63 Scout leader? 116 Author Wiesel 125 Agree to take part 51 Sleeper sofa 64 NHL trophy 117 Musical set in 126 Latin 101 verb 52 Dubai leader namesake Alphabet City 127 Copy 53 “Downton Abbey” 66 “The strike zone is 128 Public affairs 120 Involuntary spasm countess between the chest 121 Southwestern network 54 Powdery mineral and knees,” e.g.? Indian state 129 Source of wealth

Edited by PattiHale Varol READ THE INSTRUCTIONS by Katie

Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol

Level

Sudoku By The Mepham Group

Level

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

8/26/26

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