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UMich community gathers on the Diag to show support for Ukraine amid Russian invasion Local leaders join rally welcoming refugees, advocating for greater sanctions on Putin
IRENA LI & NIRALI PATEL
U.S. Department of Education announces distribution of ARP funds in higher education
Over $64 million allocated for University of Michigan, financial relief for students
Daily Staff Reporters
Dozens of signs with messages such Dozens of signs with messages such as “We Stand With Ukraine” and “No War” could be spotted alongside the yellow and blue hues of Ukraine’s flag on the University of Michigan Diag, where over a hundred people gathered Saturday afternoon to show support for Ukraine and its people amid an ongoing invasion by the Russian military. The “Stand with Ukraine” vigil and rally featured six speakers, including U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., and Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor. In between remarks, the crowd recited chants such as “ ,” a Ukrainian national salute meaning “Glory to Ukraine.” Social Work lecturer Carrie Rheingans opened by thanking attendees and calling for a moment of silence to honor the lives lost in the ongoing invasion. Dingell said she wants to see the United States impose strong sanctions against Russia and condemned those in the U.S. who have expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the wake of the attack. “I do believe we need to take stronger sanctions,” Dingell said. “I want us to do everything we can to help the people of Ukraine right now, but if the situation escalates, the president must seek congressional approval pursuant
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to the War Powers Resolution before any U.S. troops deploy into areas of situation where there is an imminent risk of hostilities.” Dingell went on to praise Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his leadership despite being “Putin’s numberone enemy.” “(Zelensky) is a hero,” Dingell said. “He is an example of those that believe in their countries
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… and (are) fighting for the people that (they) represent. His leadership is giving strength to so many in Ukraine.” Mayor Taylor followed by saying Ann Arbor will welcome any and all Ukrainian refugees just as it welcomes migrants from a myriad of backgrounds. “Just as we regularly welcome immigrants and refugees from all corners of the globe in the weeks
to come, we particularly welcome the immigrants and refugees from Ukraine who make it to our corner of the world,” Taylor said. “They will have a home here, honored and always.” One attendee held a sign reading “Russians are against war in Ukraine.” Over the past few days, thousands have gathered across multiple Russian cities to protest the invasion, resulting
in the arrests of hundreds of demonstrators. Rackham student Egor Korneev, who is Russian, said he attended the event to show support for the people of Ukraine, adding that many Russian citizens are afraid to act publicly for fear of retribution by the Russian government.
See UKRAINE, Page 2
The U.S. Department of Education announced the detailed state-bystate spread of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) — which was approved just under a year ago on March 11, 2021 — funding in a press release on Monday. The press release was followed by a press conference focused predominantly on the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II), which focuses on funds for colleges and universities as part of the American Rescue Plan. The state of Michigan received over $1 billion in funding for the state’s colleges and universities. Under the plan, the University of Michigan will receive $64,724,747. Michigan State University will receive $81,753,998, and community colleges
in the state will receive $303 million. During Monday’s press conference, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona responded to inquiries on the oversight for the U.S. DOE to ensure relief funds are properly distributed by universities. “(It’s important) that we’re also communicating with colleges, with districts, with states on how the money is being used,” Cardona said. “There are reporting features. It’s important for us to know, but it’s more important for you to know. So it’s really important in our messaging to them that they make this information public.” The release declared that the ARP requires half of the funding to be used for direct financial relief for students, and the DOE expects more will be allocated for this purpose. Read more at MichiganDaily. com
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Rackham ‘We have to rebuild trust’: Mary Sue Coleman sits Graduate School to down with The Michigan Daily for first interview back discontinue GRE test requirement for Returning U-M President talks presidential search, sexual misconduct on campus all Ph.D. programs JASMIN
Dean Mike Solomon said standardized exams no longer needed to encourage holistic applications ISABELLA KASSA Daily Staff Reporter
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) will no longer be required for Rackham Ph.D. candidates, the school’s Executive Board announced Wednesday. The GRE is a standardized test graduate school applicants are often required to take, similar to the SAT or ACT for undergraduate admissions. The announcement said the Board made this decision using input from Ph.D. departments and faculty. Rackham Dean Mike Solomon wrote in the announcement that this decision was made in hopes of making the graduate admissions process more holistic for future applications. “By leaving these scores behind, the rich information of the doctoral application can be reviewed in ways that are truly holistic and responsive to the broad demographics of our applicants,” Solomon wrote. On the Frequently Asked Questions page, Rackham said removing the GRE requirement will make the application process more equitable. The FAQ also said the school did not find indications that the GRE is indicative of success in graduate school, citing a
presentation from Fall 2021. According to a virtual survey conducted by the Rackham Executive Board , over 90% of the responses favored lifting the testing requirement. The school will provide support and consultation throughout the process of changing the admissions criteria for all Ph.D. programs over the next three years. Those programs with high application numbers will receive compensation and additional resources, such as consultation teams, to support the transition. In an interview to The Michigan Daily, Solomon said removing the GRE requirement is critical in creating a more equitable space in academics. “A doctoral degree is critical to higher education,” Solomon said. “It’s a pathway to faculty positions in colleges and universities. This training leads to all sorts of careers — in (higher education), government and nonprofits. What Rackham has announced is really designed to increase access to the Ph.D. education, to reduce barriers to applying and succeeding in the degree. Discontinuing the use of the GRE removes a barrier (to education).” Read more at MichiganDaily.com
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The Michigan Daily sat down with Interim University President Mary Sue Coleman on Wednesday morning for presidential search, the controversy with Mary Sue Coleman: Before we get started, I thought I’d just tell you about several things that have been really on the top of my mind. I want to make sure the University continues with carbon neutrality because those efforts are really important to me. I was really happy with the regents meeting at the Geothermal Facility up on North Campus — that’s really a groundbreaking way for us to achieve Carbon Neutrality. And I’m excited about that and looking forward to it, and then we’re getting these electric buses. One of the things I’ve heard from students was this worry about food insecurity, and so we’ve put forward $20,000 into the bulk pantries on the North Campus. The third thing is Spring Break coming up, and I know some people are staying, some people are going, and I just encourage everybody to take a COVID test before you leave and a COVID test after you get back. I know people will be responsible. The Michigan Daily: What is it like being back at Michigan? MSC: I love the University. I had some of the best years of my life here from 2002 to 2014; even though the circumstances were sad when I came back, when the regents called me, I thought ‘Oh, well my life is going to be sort of upended.’ But quickly, I shed all the responsibilities that my husband and I had and came back. It’s a different time — eight years is quite a long time, and a lot has
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happened in the world and in the community …. What I worry about is mistrust, and I think we have to rebuild trust and confidence. I’m glad that people are speaking out now about harm and so that’s been a big positive for me, because I don’t think you can really address harm unless you’re willing to talk about it. So many things are the same, some things are different, but the University is just doing so many exciting things that I sort of revel in learning more about those. TMD: Looking back into your tenure, what would you have done differently? MSC: The times are so different, and I think you have to adjust your actions and your expectations to the times, and so everything changes. I think we know more now about things that created harm for people. And
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so we look at things differently now. But for me, change has been positive because we evolve, and we get better at what we do. We hope and we try. TMD: As interim president, what role do you have in the Presidential Search Committee and what qualities are you looking for in a good University president? MSC: I have no official role on the Committee. The most important job of the Board of Regents is that they pick the president of the University, and I am really pleased with the approach that Regents Denise Ilitch and Sarah Hubbard are taking. Having these listening sessions on campus is essential because they need this input to get information about what people are looking for in the future president, and I think they’re hearing a lot. What I’ve said to the Board of Regents is if they wish for any advice
from me, or if they want to talk to me, I’m always available to them, but I don’t have any official role. I think their goal, which I’m very pleased about, is that they are hoping to have this process completed by early to midsummer. I’ve told the Board that if they wish, I would be very happy to help with the transition, but it’s really their call, not mine. TMD: On Jan. 19, 2022, the University announced it had reached a $490 million settlement with survivors of the late Dr. Robert Anderson. It was widely reported that part of the settlement was Jon Vaughn stopping his protest in front of the President’s house provision in the settlement? Can you confirm if these reports were accurate? If so, do you support this provision in the settlement?
See ‘We have to’, Page 3
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UKRAINE
From Page 1 “Killing other people never brings peace, and that’s why I try to support Ukrainians,” Korneev said. “I really hope that the war will end as soon as possible. Ukrainians have the right to live as they want … Many Russians are really afraid of (publicly opposing the war), but many of us share the view that peace should be brought to Ukraine.” Taylor also acknowledged the presence of Russian members of the Ann Arbor community and their
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Black History Month closing ceremony highlights accomlishments of all Black people
Dance performances, vocal music numbers featured at 2022 festivity RACHEL MINTZ Daily Staff Reporter
Throughout the month of February, the University of Michigan and the Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs Office (MESA) organized events to celebrate Black History Month (BHM) and the 50th anniversary of the Trotter Multicultural Center and MESA. The BHM Planning Committee decided on the theme BLACK JOY! with events ranging from a celebratory round table on singer Eileen Southern and the music of Black Americans to a dance workshop for ballroom dancing. MESA and the BHM Planning Committee organized a closing ceremony for the month, which included dance ensemble performances, vocal music numbers and a keynote presentation by Robin Wilson, associate professor of dance and associate professor in the department of african american studies. LSA senior Kori Tucker, a member of the BHM Planning Committee member, began the ceremony by welcoming guests and explained why the planning committee chose “BLACK JOY!” as the theme for this year’s Black History Month. “Throughout this month, we have made it a mission to celebrate ourselves,” Tucker said. “We realized that Black people experienced many hardships, therefore we didn’t want to focus on that. As the planning committee was brainstorming ideas for what this year’s Black History Month theme should be, we decided that this campus in particular was overdue for a celebration of our joy, which is how we came up with BLACK JOY!.” Business junior Omar Elrashid,another member of the committee, spoke about the priorities for the celebration of “BLACK JOY!”
support for Ukraine. “It’s important that we acknowledge and support Ann Arborites who are from Russia,” Taylor said. “You are not to blame for this … Thank you for standing up for what is right. Thank you for helping and standing up to support the people of Ukraine.” U-M alum Natalia Kujan Gentry, Ukrainian-American attorney and former president of the University’s Ukrainian Students’ Club, spoke about the cultural suppression Ukraine faced under Russian occupation and shared stories from her family that narrated life under Soviet rule. She emphasized the importance of combating misinformation with
storytelling. “These are the stories that we must tell,” Gentry said. “We must grab a hold of the narrative, and we must control (it). Our only weapon against misinformation is anecdotal storytelling.” Mykola Murskyj, chairman of the Ukrainian-American Crisis Response Committee of Michigan, said he was concerned about his friends and family and Ukrainian statehood, but said he had faith Ukraine would come out victorious. “But I know for a fact that Vladimir Putin cannot win,” Murskyj said. “The insurgency that he will face will be bloody, it’ll be the worst in history.
There is no way that the Russian leadership can continue to oppress the Ukrainian people. There’s no way that Vladimir Putin’s gonna win. It’s not gonna happen.” Ann Arbor resident Vlada Zviagina, who is Ukrainian, spoke to the crowd about how Ann Arbor residents could help support Ukrainian citizens, such as donating to trusted humanitarian funds. “(There are) at least three things that you can do: sign petitions, call your elected officials and donate to the cause,” Zviagina said. Daily Staff Reporters Irena Li and Nirali Patel can be reached at irenayli@ umich.edu and nirpat@umich.edu.
U-M community honors Hail to the Victims protest in celebration at UMMA Anderson survivors commended for 100 days of advocacy Daily Staff Reporter
LSA professor Silke-Maria Weineck introduced Jonathan Vaughn, a former University of Michigan football player and sexual assault survivor, at the beginning of a celebration commemorating 100 days of protest organized by faculty to show support of the survivors of the late former University doctor Robert Anderson. The event was planned by Art & Design Professor Rebekah Modrak. The School of Art & Design partially funded the commemoration. Speaking at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) Wednesday night, Weineck and LSA professor Allison Alexy granted Vaughn an honorary “Bachelor of Justice” degree, conferred to him on behalf of 302 faculty, and an unofficial honorary diploma commemorating his work on behalf of the survivors. “It is my great joy to present you with the People’s degree,” Weineck said. “Hereby it is certified that upon recommendation of the rules of decency, the undersigned faculty of the University of Michigan have conferred upon Jonathan Stewart Vaughn, in recognition of his unflinching courage, public leadership and dedication to the cause of the institution’s integrity, the degree
of honorary Bachelor of Justice.” Applause from a standing ovation filled the room as Vaughn accepted his degree, along with a black felt graduation cap and trophy. He tried to speak but was overcome by tears and emotion. Fellow Anderson survivor Chuck Christian comforted Vaughn with a pat on the back. When Vaughn was able to speak, he began by thanking his mother, family, colleagues and supporters for helping to make the protest a success. He followed with critiques of the University’s leadership and their handling of Dr. Anderson’s abuse. “Nothing has changed in this toxic culture,” Vaughn said. “Ex-president Schlissel just got caught, and Mary Sue Coleman knows where all the bodies are buried. We will not let that stand.” He continued to condemn other members of the University administration, including the Board of Regents, for their “persistent silence” on abuse scandals in the University community. Vaughn called out each regent by name for their failure to meet with him individually to discuss systematic change on campus. “Your constructive knowledge, functional blindness and incredible guilt needs no introduction,” Vaughn said. “I will not be the scapegoat. You need to prove that you are serious and committed to not allowing this type of
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atrocity to ever happen again.” Vaughn also called for the removal of the Bo Schembechler statue and renaming of Schembechler Hall. Others in the community have also called for removal of the statue; last November, an anonymous local resident splattered red paint over the statue. Vaughn told The Michigan Daily last semester that the act was not associated with his protest. Vaughn said he is willing to testify before Congress like the survivors of Larry Nassar, a former Michigan State University gymnastics coach. He then requested a meeting with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist to discuss the legacy of Anderson and his abuse at the University. Vaughn ended his speech by stressing the importance of the unification and empowerment of sexual abuse survivors everywhere. “We are sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters,” Vaughn said. “We are teammates. We are citizens in your districts (and) in your states. But most importantly, we are all survivors of something. We stand together as victorious victims. And whether they speak it or not, none of my brothers or sisters are John or Jane Doe. I will never be John Doe, I will always be Jon Vaughn.”
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UMMA receives $12 million collection donation, largest in museum’s history
Over 70 pieces of Chinese calligraphy pieces added to University MADISON KRAFT Daily Staff Reporter
The descendants of late artist Lo Chia-Lun donated a Chinese calligraphy collection valued at over $12 million to the University of Michigan Museum of Art in January 2022, making it the largest art donation in the museum’s history. The collection is composed of works created by colleagues of Lo Chia-Lun, a leader of China’s May Fourth Movement — an anti-imperialist
movement that started after student protests in Beijing in May 1919 — including Cai Yuanpei, Chen Duxiu and Shen Yinmo. Works by other artists and cultural figures such as Xu Beihong and Zhang Daqian are also included in the collection. The collection includes a total of 72 pieces, with art from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, spanning from the years 1271 to 1911. Assistant professor of Chinese arts and cultures Lihong Liu explained in an email to The Michigan Daily the significance of calligraphy in
Chinese culture throughout history. The art form can be traced back to the Eastern Han period — 25-220 C.E. — when people began to create treatises on calligraphy. “It was this time the socalled ‘cursive script’ (caoshu) became popular, marking a highly personal expression in calligraphy, with an unimpeded flow of energy across the linear movement instigated not only by the body, but also by an inner urge,” Liu wrote.
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TEDx event discusses meaning of ‘shatterproof’ in 13th annual conference Eight speakers focus on topics ranging from renewable energy to storytelling to mindfulness in media
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Content warning: mentions of sexual assault Over 1,300 University of Michigan community members attended the annual TEDxUofM event Friday at the Power Center for Performing Arts with the theme SHATTERPROOF. Eight speakers from across the University of Michigan community presented 10-15 minute talks on topics related to resilience and withstanding adversity. In addition to the talks,
the event included musical performances from Gmen and Groove, two music student groups on campus. Returning to an in-person event this year, TEDxUofM is a student-run initiative inspired by TED, but independently organized by U-M students. Throughout the event, University-affiliated presentations, performances and speakers discuss ideas across different disciplines, while all connecting to a specific theme. The conference first launched in Ann Arbor in 2010, and has occurred annually since.
LSA senior Amala Nayak, one of the co-directors of the event, told The Michigan Daily that organizing this event was gratifying because the process was very collaborative. “It’s so rewarding to know that you are creating an event that people really care about and are excited to go to,” Nayak said. “I just love how dedicated our team is … I think we’ve done a really good job of creating a collaborative community this year.”
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UMich students, healthcare professionals reflect on STI testing on campus Community members speak on reproductive health culture
ISABELLA KASSA Daily Staff Reporter
With hookup culture and discussions on sex as common themes on college campuses across the nation, it’s important to know: how is reproductive health valued at the University of Michigan?
‘WE HAVE TO’ From Page 1
MSC: That was never an official part of the Anderson settlement, as far as I’m told. I wasn’t part of the Anderson settlement, that was a confidential mediation, but I don’t think that was a real condition. However, I thought doing the settlement was the right thing to do. I’m glad that the University did it. It’s going to take a while to get it all through the process because when you’re talking about a large number of people who were involved and a large amount of money, it will take time. We’ll work through all that, but we are where we are. TMD: What are your thoughts on Jon Vaughn announcing he is continuing his protest past his original plan of 100 days? Do you plan on speaking with Jon Vaughn during your term as interim president? MSC: Everybody has to decide what they want to do, and I think the settlement was the right thing to do. I think we now have a responsibility to help with healing, and so I wish Jon Vaughn the best. TMD: The WilmerHale report regarding sexual misconduct allegations against former Provost Martin Philbert says you were made aware of allegations against Philbert but didn’t remember receiving them. The report states if you had received them, you and others “likely would not have given (them) the same weight in 2010 as they would today.” Can you clarify what you meant by this and how would you have handled this situation today? MSC: I’ve learned a lot since that happened, and part of my learning was being president of the Association of American Universities where we conducted the largest survey on sexual misconduct on university campuses that has ever been done. The first one was 150,000 respondents, the second one was 200,000 respondents, and they were undergraduate students surveys, but there was some indication within those surveys about faculty misconduct and staff misconduct. So our understanding really expanded. There are two things that have happened that I think have been very
In 2019, the University Health Services (UHS) discontinued free testing for sexual transmitted Infections (STIs) until students advocated for the need of these free and confidential services, leading to the program being reinstated months later. Since then, STI testing has increased at the University but what has changed? The Daily spoke
with students and experts on the current state of STI testing and how reproductive health can continue to improve on campus. Dr. Susan Ernst, chief of Gynecology Services at UHS, wrote in an email to The Michigan Daily that since September 2021, UHS has tested just under 2,700 students with appointments, and an addi-
tional 8,700 through asymptomatic testing, which screens for the most common STIs. Ernst also wrote that UHS has seen a 23% increase in the number of serious cases this year. “We’re finding increased rates of STI this year compared to last year,” Dr. Ernst wrote. “Specifically we’ve noted an increase in
the rate of chlamydia, gonorrhea and mycoplasma infections and in the more serious (infections) for people with a uterus – Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, or PID.” STI testing at the University has also increased by over 40% since last year, according to Michigan Medicine health professionals. One of the students who tested positive
for chlamydia in 2021 shared their experience with The Daily. The student has requested anonymity to preserve the confidentiality of their medical record and will be referred to as Sam for the rest of the story.
positive. First of all, victims are more willing to come forward. I think the #metoo movement has been very positive in that regard. And I frankly learned a lot more about the prevalence of misconduct. At that time, the reports that we got about Martin Philbert were anonymous, and we tried to investigate, but nobody would speak. Nobody would come forward because I think people were afraid. So now, I think they would come forward, and I think that’s a good thing. So that’s what I meant by that comment. I learned a lot and I think society learned a lot. TMD: What are your thoughts on the new and revamped Office of Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX (ECRT), formerly the Office of Institutional Equity? MSC: I had the pleasure of seeing Tami Strickman and her team. They made a nice presentation at the Board of Regents meeting about the plans for the office and what they’re going to do, so I was very impressed with the team and Tami in particular. I think the plans they have for the office are extremely good. They want to do a lot of education. They want to provide services to the departments. They want to streamline investigations. They want to do all the things that we heard from the community that would be helpful in restoring trust, changing the culture and really getting us to the point where these incidents don’t happen. Or if they do happen, they are few and far between. I think this is a very positive step for the University. Though, eyes wide open, we have a cultural journey. We’ve got to change the culture, and that’s going to take time. We started with the survey that was done last week about “What are people thinking now?” I think that office will be very, very helpful to the community and I’m looking forward to it. TMD: Current ECRT Director Tamiko Strickman is currently facing two lawsuits for mishandling cases of sexual misconduct and racial discrimination at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Do you have confidence in her ability to run this office based on these allegations? MSC: I do. I absolutely have tremendous confidence in her. She is a very impressive woman. TMD: With the Omicron variant
subsiding both on campus and across the country, Washtenaw County removed its mask mandate for K-12 education and other Big Ten universities, such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison, have also announced plans to phase out indoor mask mandates. Does the University have any plans to lift its mask mandate in the foreseeable future? MSC: I think what we’re focused on now is what we’re going to do in the fall, and a lot will depend on (scientific) evidence. We have a very, very excellent committee working on this headed up by our head of University Health Service, and they’re meeting weekly. They meet several times a week to look at case counts, illness and what’s happening in our community. What’s important to realize is that every community is different. What phase Washtenaw County’s community is in is different from our own University community. And so what we want to do is to make sure that we listen carefully to the evidence that (the committee) comes forward with. We don’t have any plans at this moment to lift the mask policy. TMD: After Sunday’s situation with Juwan Howard, what were your conversations like with Wisconsin’s chancellor and Warde Manuel? What is your opinion on Juwan Howard’s actions? MSC: Let me set the scene for you: My husband and I were at the women’s basketball game, and it was a tough game against Maryland and oh boy, we were sitting down close. One of the things when you’re sitting down close in a basketball game, you really see how physical the game is and, oh my gosh, it was an amazing, amazing game. But during the game, I got this video that was handed to me, and I saw the incident from the Wisconsin game. Immediately, I got up and went up and spoke with Warde. He immediately got on the situation. I called Chancellor Blank at the University of Wisconsin to apologize on behalf of the institution because I thought it was very important. It’s never acceptable, I don’t care what happens, it’s never acceptable to throw a punch. On the other hand, I was so impressed with Coach Howard and how he came forward with a very — I thought — sincere apology. He’s been
suspended for the rest of the season, and it was appropriate. What was done by the Big Ten and by our own athletic department was the appropriate remedy here. I was proud of everybody in this situation, as well as Coach Howard, because I thought he did the right thing by apologizing. It’s what is expected of Michigan. You can make mistakes, nobody’s perfect, but then you can do the right thing after you make that mistake and I think he did. TMD: With Provost Susan Collins stepping down in May 2022, who are you considering as interim provost? Do you have any idea on who the permanent provost will be? MSC: Yes, Provost Collins will be leaving May 15 and going to a very exciting job. I was so proud of her. I’ve been in conversation with an interim provost. I can’t reveal the name right now because we’re still in discussion. But that announcement will be made at the March board meeting. That position will take a year to be filled because what we need to do is to give the new president time to come in and sort of get the lay of the land. The permanent provost will be picked by the next president because the relationship between the president and the provost is really important, and that person is critical to the efficient and effective running of the University. I’m thrilled with the interim that we’re going to be announcing and just really so grateful to Susan Collins because she stepped in at a time of need for the University and has served admirably as provost for the last couple of years. TMD: Will the interim provost be an internal or external hire? MSC: You can’t do an external search in the few weeks that I’ve had, so you can assume that it’s internal. If it were external, we would have had to do an announcement, and we’d have to have a big search committee. I did shut down the search for the permanent provost, and we disbanded the committee. I talked to the committee so that they understood why I didn’t want them to go through all that work because I thought we needed a good solution for the next year. We really want
to give maximum flexibility to the new president, and this does that, so I’m very happy with the outcome, but we’re still in the negotiation process. TMD: I know you mentioned this briefly in your introduction, but what are your thoughts on the recommendations from the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality? Are these recommendations a priority when looking for a future president? MSC: Absolutely. The commitment of carbon neutrality is a University commitment. It’s not my commitment, it’s not a personal commitment from the President, it is a University commitment. Let me give a little bit about my background. My husband and I put solar panels on our house here, even though there’s not that much sun, just because we believe in it. We have an electric car because we believe that we have to personally reduce our carbon footprint. So I was so happy when I came and saw those recommendations from the committee and the fact that the University has has already begun to act on them. We’re going to build the Geothermal Facility up on North Campus, which I think will be groundbreaking. It’s really wonderful. The fact that we’re going out and getting the electric buses right away, and we’re trying to think about electrifying the fleet — all that’s going to take time. We’ve put about $5 million into trying to have LED bulbs across campus to reduce that energy use. There are all these things that we can do, and I hope that students will see what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint. We’re all part of this, and we all have to make an effort. I can’t imagine a president coming in not committing to carbon neutrality because this is such a highprofile program for the institution. I’m assuming the search committee will probe that question. This has been happening at universities all over the country, so yes, I know that commitment to carbon neutrality will probably be there. That will be one of the factors that the Presidential Search Committee will question candidates about. TMD: Could you speak more on other current initiatives from the recommendations that are in action right now?
MSC: We have a whole list. We just issued some bonds and $300 million of those bonds are going to be for green investments. We’re putting our money where our mouth is, and we really want to promote those efforts. I know the University is in discussion right now about a big solar farm and expanding that to renewable power agreements through DTE. We want to make sure what we’re sourcing through the energy companies is as green as it can possibly be. There are multiple initiatives going on across the institution, and in the next year or so, students will see more of that rolling out. TMD: We always like to end these interviews with a fun, light-hearted question, so what’s the one thing on campus that you’ve missed the most? MSC: Oh, the students. During my tenure as university president before 2014, we had these Fireside Chats; E. Royster Harper, who was the vice president for student life at the time, and I would do these together. Her office would invite students to come, so the students who came had an invitation, and we would normally invite students who were upset about something and had something to complain about because we thought, ‘come on in and talk,’ and so we had these over in the Union. They were usually four o’clock in the afternoon, and we’d have cookies and punch. At the end of the day, I would always think, ‘Oh, I’m so tired. I’m going to go to this session,’ but it was so much fun and so interesting that at five o’clock, when that session was over, I was completely re-energized again because it was just fun. Those sessions, even though people maybe had a complaint or something was wrong, we always had really good and interesting discussions. They weren’t complaint sessions at all, and they didn’t end up that way at all. I learned a lot about student life and what students were experiencing and how they felt about Michigan. One of the things that always just astonished me about the University is how students get connected to the place and how they love the place. It was very inspiring. So I missed that the most. Editor-in-Chief Jasmin Lee and Daily News Editor George Weykamp can be reached at itsshlee@umich.edu and gweykamp@umich.edu
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Arts
4 — Wednesday, March 9, 2022
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
‘Wordle’ has a New York Times problem MADDIE AGNE Daily Arts Writer
I’M LEANING OVER MY friend’s shoulder in the middle of a party trying to help him guess the day’s “Wordle.” The music is loud and so are the people, but it’s been a long time since I’ve felt this locked into a task. Two of our friends are sitting next to us also trying to solve the puzzle, and it soon becomes a group effort until we land on the word. Do I remember what the word was? No. Do I remember all four of us exploding in cheers and clapping, briefly drawing the attention of other partygoers? Yes. Do I recognize that it is strange to be so absorbed by a word puzzle game in the middle of a college party? Also yes. However, I don’t think many “Wordle” players would blame us. “Wordle,” the online word game that has captivated much of the world in recent months, was released in October 2021 by
creator Josh Wardle, who originally made the game for himself and his partner to play during the pandemic. “Wordle”’s gameplay is fairly simple: Each day a new five-letter word is picked, and players have six tries to guess it. The puzzle is presented as a five-by-six-square grid; the game denotes wrong letters in gray, correct ones in the wrong place in yellow and correct ones in the right place in green. The game blew up around December 2021, and became an internet phenomenon as people began sharing their results in easy-toshare graphics online. In November 2021, “Wordle” had 90 players and by January, that number jumped to over 2 million. People have a tendency to love puzzle games — “Words With Friends,” “Candy Crush,” “Tetris” — but “Wordle” stands out and took off because you have six tries to guess the word, and whether or not one can guess it correctly, those six tries are all
Design by Erin Ruark
you have until the next word is released. It keeps players on the edge of their seats for the next puzzle, and since every player gets the same word, solving the game becomes something of a pride point for players online. It is good, wholesome fun in our pandemic landscape. Devoid of politics or opinions, “Wordle” is a perfect way for people to connect over a shared love of a free,
simple word puzzle game (hence college students playing during a party). Then The New York Times bought “Wordle.” On Jan. 31, 2022, The New York Times acquired the game for somewhere “in the low seven figures.” If you’re keeping up, that is at least one million dollars. The game will be part of The New York Times Games section, which
is home to the publication’s daily crossword puzzle and the game “Spelling Bee.” The acquisition of “Wordle” is a part of The NYT’s quest toward “becoming the essential subscription for every English-speaking person seeking to understand and engage with the world.” In a Twitter statement, Josh Wardle referred to “Wordle”’s popularity and its upkeep as “overwhelming” and went on to call the purchase “very natural.” His excitement about the move and handing control to a larger team was palpable, so we should all be excited for him, right? Well, let me tell you, the afternoon of Jan. 31 on Twitter was insane. As I logged onto the app for probably the millionth time that day, I was met with “RIP Wordle” on the trending page. Most users worried that the game would be stuck behind The NYT’s notorious paywall. One Twitter user summed the predicament up pretty well: “ I
have never seen twitter as immediately mad as it is rn about the NYT wordle buyout. the NYT took one nice and simple thing that a lot of people really liked, a dumb bit of fun in our exhaustingly dark times, and implied that they’ll stick it behind a paywall. exhausting.” Others used the opportunity to poke fun at the nature of capitalism, “rip wordle, there is nothing sacred to capitalism apparently.” Some turned the acquisition political: “NYT buying Wordle is the puzzle equivalent of an out-oftouch politician instantly killing the appeal of a pop culture thing.” The cheekiest among us even brought back the classic millennial adage, “‘How millennials killed Wordle’ -NYT op-ed tomorrow.” However, the humor seemed to be only a thin veneer masking a very real sense of anger over the acquisition of “Wordle.”
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The titular protagonist of ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ hits rock bottom… again SERENA IRANI
Daily Arts Contributor
MRS. MAISEL (RACHEL Brosnahan, “I’m Your Woman”), affectionately known as Midge, is drunk, on the verge of a breakdown and all-out spiraling after a man has completely upended her life; her impeccably put-together ensemble is only looking ever so slightly worse for wear. This is the pilot premise of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”: a character at absolute rock bottom, who the audience inevitably falls in love with as her life falls apart. My question is: Why is this an equally accurate description of the show’s season four pre-
miere? The first three seasons of the critically acclaimed show have progressed along steadily, the character-driven plot hardly having a chance to catch its breath against the breakneck speed of creator Amy Sherman-Palladino’s (“Gilmore Girls”) witty and sharp dialogue. To call it fast-paced is akin to saying Usain Bolt would fare well in a speed-walking contest. Fans of the show have come to expect this signature trademark of Palladino’s writing, so why has Palladino chosen this crucial moment in Midge’s trajectory to slow things down and go back to where it all started? From the downtown New York club circuit of season one, to Paris
and the Catskills in season two, to a national tour in season three, the scope (and magnificent production design I might add) of the show has grown, each season building on the last, expanding in reach to give Midge the proper domain to flourish in her stage and familial presence. After closing out the last two seasons on career highs, Midge has been knocked down a rung on the ladder of success and finally faced some real consequences for the impulsivity and raw honesty of her act. We’ve regressed further than ever before, the parallels to the pilot washing over this season’s premiere: from familiar apartment sets to drunken impromptu stage takeovers and, of course, another
arrest for her rap sheet. A silver lining to the whole blastfrom-the-past act is the pure contradiction of Midge herself. She radiates an air of self-assuredness and confidence in her own capabilities so often reserved for male characters of incontestable genius that is so unbelievably refreshing to watch. At times, she can be infuriatingly shallow and full of herself but, unlike her male counterparts, she’s likable. Brosnahan firmly grounds her character, makes her egoism more endearing than irksome, her arrogance more attractive than aggravating. You can’t help but root for her as she runs against the grain of a white man’s world of comedy.
Even though Midge isn’t always self-aware, the show itself certainly is. In a moment of laughable frustration, she vents to her toddler Esther, “It’s a fucking man’s world,” and in response to being told to “be the bigger man,” she says, “Well, I’m a woman so, fuck that.” Midge is headstrong and uncompromising in her beliefs; a well-seasoned pro has no time to spare in doubting her talent or questioning her decisions. Apart from the initial breakdown, Midge bounces back quick as ever and is fairly level-headed about moving forward after the near-collapse of her career. A true highlight of this premiere is the Wonder Wheel scene at
Coney Island. Midge’s parents have rescheduled Ethan’s (Matteo Pascale, debut) birthday for their convenience, to which Midge shows up unannounced to tell everyone she’s been fired. As per usual, Palladino never fails to take advantage of an overlapping conversational scene between the entire family. A change of pace from the usual outbursts at dinner or the synagogue, everyone is shouting and cutting each other off as the camera swiftly hops from car to car to catch a glimpse of everyone’s reaction. It’s well-executed and a real testament to the show’s smart writing and innovative camera work.
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‘Kimi’ is frustratingly average ZACH LOVEALL Daily Arts Writer
SUDOKU
Release 23, 2022 Release Date: Wednesday, February March 9, 2022
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ACROSS ACROSS 1 Expand, as bread dough 5 Lift option 13 Responsibility 14 It borders It. 15 Crown-wearing literary elephant 15 Slippery 16 Work out like a hairdresser? 19 Time worth naming 20 Late time, in ads 21 Bills worth a hundo 22 Enjoy a La-Z-Boy
puzzle by sudokusnydictation.com
interjections 25 A lot, to Auden 26 Mother of life, in Greek myth 27 Needing to be settled 30 Work out like a bartender? 35 Evidence of shortages, for short 36 Catch, as a flick 37 __ menu 38 Work out like a fine artist? 43 Good buddy 44 Little winged singer 45 Slice (off) 46 Crew implement 47 Top-flight 51 Training song in
4 Medium ability 5 Take advantage of 6 Raised landform 7 Tennis immortal 8 U.S. __ 1, East Coast hwy. 9 Saintly symbol 10 Share a border with 11 Tinseled fabric 12 Half of seis 15 Literally, “tray 17 Bring together 18 Parental control option 23 Much, casually 24 Relaxed
33 Arena worker 34 Harvests 39 Like many a Broadway musical 40 Bingham of
49 Otherwise 50 “Fun Fearless
41 Conic section 42 Canapé base, often 47 Sing like Michael Bublé 48 Slide (over)
54 Centenarian fashion icon Apfel 55 Fork-tailed flier 58 Relaxing resort 59 Courtroom affirmation
51 Company message 52 Cut
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
27 Gregorius of the Phillies 28 Either of two Monopoly properties that Abbr. 29 Ballpark figs. 30 Have trouble with 29 Prep 31 Where much of “Children of the 32 Coal, for one
03/09/22 02/23/22
55 Protagonist of novels 56 Exec with the purse strings 57 Work out like a stockbroker? 60 Be worthy of counterparts 62 Destine for failure 63 Partner of ends 64 Avonlea adoptee 65 Numero dopo le sette DOWN 1 Rodeo performer 2 Accustom (to) 3 Component DOWN of the spice blend
By Judy StellaHughes Zawistowski By ©2022 Tribune Tribune Content Content Agency, Agency, LLC LLC ©2022
WHISPER WHISPER “Spring break is too short.”
“I need a full break.”
03/09/22 02/23/22
IF YOU’VE EVER scrolled endlessly through streaming service after streaming service, randomly picked a movie you’ve never heard of starring an actor or actress you recognize, mildly enjoyed it and then fallen asleep, you probably have a good idea of what “Kimi” is like. Steven Soderbergh’s (“Ocean’s Eleven”) newest film “Kimi” isn’t going to blow you away or draw you in for a second watch, but it also won’t leave you upset after spending 90 minutes watching it. “Kimi” is an HBO Max-exclusive, filmed and set during the pandemic. It stars Zoë Kravitz (“High Fidelity”) as Angela Childs, a worker for the tech corporation Amygdala. The titular Kimi, Amygdala’s primary product, is an Alexa-esque smart speaker that uses human workers to correct the errors in its voice recognition software. Angela, who suffers from severe anxiety and an almost obsessive aversion to the outside world, discovers a recording of a woman’s murder. She is forced to go outside in order to bring the recording to the FBI, braving hitmen, streets full of protesters and corporate cover-ups. Kravitz carries much of the movie single-handedly. For most of the movie, Angela is the only character the audience gets to see directly, with everyone else obfuscated by video calls and glass windows. She makes Angela’s anxiety feel realistic, which gives the movie’s basic premise a solid foundation. Without her convincing portrayals of Angela’s panic attacks at the idea of going outside, this whole movie would have felt ridiculous. There is a noticeable shift in the camerawork once Angela leaves her apartment. The slow shots of her walking throughout her spacious loft that the movie started with are gone. We are now treated to shaking footage at angles that put Angela in the corner, small and scared of the world around her. The film has a sped-up quality to it, zoomed out to make the camera appear to move faster than it actually is, as well as many quick cuts, making these scenes
feel panicked and off-putting. These tricks work wonderfully the first couple of times they are used but become stale by the end of the movie. The movie ramps up tension for the first half, only to then plateau off toward the end. There is a level of artificiality to the tension of the movie. It is rife with coincidences that were clearly inserted to obtusely heighten the drama of early scenes. A precariously placed glass falls just as Angela first discovers the murder; Angela’s boss calls her the moment after she discovers the identity of the woman on the recording; her shut-in neighbor walks up the moment Angela is brought back to her apartment drugged and about to be murdered. All of these coincidences might seem small, but as more and more start to build up, they become increasingly frustrating. The movie is a very tight 90 minutes; the multitude of fluke occurrences feel out of place when compared to the well-planned chase scenes and anxiety-inducing setup. The movie is at its best when it leans on the paranoia Angela feels, especially after she leaves her apartment. Every step in her quest to uncover the murder she stumbled upon is met with doubt from the people she meets along the way. Her anxiety and discomfort are telegraphed for everyone in the audience to see very clearly. While not subtle, it is nonetheless relatable to see a corporate higher-up condescendingly talk down to Angela, pretending to listen when just trying to save their own skin. This aspect of the movie was the only one that really kept my attention and didn’t leave a nagging voice wanting substantially more. “Kimi” leaves you underwhelmed with the knowledge that you could have been given more. The filmmakers demonstrate that they know what they are doing, but at very key points, seem to have chosen the easy route. The movie doesn’t try to go above and beyond; instead, it settles as another enjoyably forgettable action thriller. Daily Arts Writer Zach Loveall can be reached at zloveall@umich. edu.
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 — 5
Carmen Maria Machado creates surreal 6 Black-authored books to realities as a Zell Visiting Writer read next KAYA GINSKY Daily Arts Writer
CARMEN MARIA MACHADO and her work is everything and everywhere at once. On a chaotic, snowy day on campus, I was grateful to finally catch her in UMMA’s Stern Auditorium. Machado, the current guest in the Zell Visiting Writers Series, is known for her work across nearly every genre of writing: humor, comic books, short fiction, essay, memoir and journalism. Her work is featured in art exhibitions and album covers (most recently, Phoebe Bridgers’s Punisher), and celebrated globally, recently awarded with the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Nonfiction and The American Booksellers Association’s Indies Choice Book Awards. Machado’s most famous work, a series of short stories titled “Her Body and Other Parties,” unpacks the lives of women through their bodily experiences in stunningly real science fiction. In her memoir, “In the Dream House,” she flips what we think we know about memoirs, depicting life and complex relationships through a surrealist lens. Her recent comic series, “The Low Low Woods,” addresses complex social issues through nightmare-ish comic strips. Her unmistakable genre-bending style is why The New York Times named her a member of The New Vanguard.
In this reading, Machado does what she does best: give readers a completely different worldview, in this case, literally. In her 2017 short story, Blur, a woman loses her glasses at a highway rest stop on the way to meet her girlfriend and blindly searches for hope in an unfamiliar world. Machado takes us through this unfamiliar and unsettling experience as if we were experiencing it first hand. Her low whisper shakes the audience as we see reality through the narrator’s troubled eyes. The rich imagery (mostly auditory) snaps us back and forth between the harsh, and at times, funny, reality of the rest stop, and the narrator’s racing thoughts as she fears the fallout with her abusive girlfriend. The darkness and disorientation pick up as Machado delves into a confusing bedlam of sounds, colors and feelings. Machado takes the audience out of their near trance-like states as she switches voices. Machado turns into key characters with no names: the rude mother who promises her children did not steal the glasses, the girlfriend who hypothetically screams at the narrator, begging to know “who she is fucking” at the rest stop, the woman in the bathroom who prays and the almost surreal “man in the blue suit.” Machado slows her reading as the man in the blue
suit hands the narrator a candy bar, the “sweetest thing I’ve tasted in years,” and later speeds up as they walk the distance to Indiana together. The narrator’s mind races with fear of the future and reflections on past moments. Her tone suddenly changes as if reading us a ghost story. The man in the blue suit narrates the story of a woman who could not see and devoted her life and love to a horrible monster. The clear parallels between the monster and the girlfriend make Machado’s narrative as a whole all the more haunting. As the narrator and the man in the blue suit continue their highway journey, the audience is left in painful suspense. As Machado transitions to the Question & Answer portion of the night, her haunting tone suddenly switches to a jovial one. She sits for a talk with MFA student Anna Majeski that feels like an enriching dinner party conversation that the audience is allowed to watch. Machado discusses her love of others’ work, ranging from “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” to Shirley Jackson’s short stories, her struggles with anxiety and her dreams and nightmares that inspire all of her work. Machado’s work famously deals with sickness, which she says is a “way into her own fear,” the “best space” for her to write. She laughs as she describes COVID-19 as something out of a story she
wrote. She is honest, funny and nothing like the dark and horrifying scenes she creates for millions of readers around the world. She explains that these stories come directly from her fears, like her recent comic series, straight from her worst nightmare of leaving a movie theater with amnesia. Her stories also come from the frightening realities of life, especially the female experience. She calls the repeated themes of her work the things she “just can’t shake.” Her constant anecdotes are reminiscent of her writing, in which a single page carries infinite stories. Yet, just like with her writing, every word she speaks has a purpose. As the Q&A opens to the auditorium and Zoom audiences, everyone is starstruck. Nearly everyone who comes to the microphone calls her an inspiration. Yet she maintains her humility, laughing as she teaches the audience lessons on forming plots by “throwing things at the wall and seeing if they stick” and building upon character perspectives. As the night ends, readers line up to chat with Machado and get her works autographed. The event goes over by nearly 30 minutes, and the audience hopes to follow Machado into whatever reality she creates next. Daily Arts Writer Kaya Ginsky can be reached at kginsky@umich.edu.
dodie enchants Royal Oak Music Theater with music and love on night five of her ‘Build A Problem’ tour KAITLYN FOX Daily Arts Writer
THE COLD FEBRUARY rain didn’t stop dodie fans from arriving early to the Royal Oak Music Theater for the fifth night of her “Build A Problem” Tour. Bundled up in winter coats and umbrellas in hand, a long line of fans wrapped around the timeless theater in eager anticipation for the UK-based singersong writer’s performance. For many (myself included), this show was the first concert since the COVID19 pandemic began, and dodie surely didn’t disappoint with her warm welcome back to a live performance. Taking the stage with her five band members, dodie kicked off the night with “Air So Sweet” off of her May 2021 album, Build A Problem. “We’re going to delve into feelings,” the 26-year-old singer announced before transitioning into “Cool Girl,” also off of her latest album. After kicking off the night with newer music, dodie announced that she would be revisiting some of her older songs. Sitting at her rustic piano, she laughed into the microphone, admitting that she was “on the right side of drunk” after taking a shot with her bandmates before the show. Besides a few faulty chords, one could never tell that dodie was feeling a bit tipsy — her vocal delivery was f lawless and possessed the pensive, nostalgic energ y that had audience members swooning and wiping away tears. dodie is an extremely talented and versatile performer, and she kept the audience on their toes from start to finish. Between her spontaneous interpretive dancing and clarinet and drum solos, dodie’s performance remained true to the authentic, quirky musi-
TESS CROWLEY/Daily
dodie performs at the Royal Oak Theatre in Detroit Wednesday night.
cianship that launched her career nearly six years ago. What’s most remarkable about dodie, however, is the way she connects with her fans. When she’s on stage, she’s constantly on the move, dancing alongside her band members and offering witty responses to fans when they’d shout messages of love. At one point an audience member even hurled their bra on stage, to which dodie asked, “Alright whose bra is that?” while suppressing a fitful of laughter. Just how dear fans hold dodie was most clear when she performed “Rainbow.” Before performing the song off of Build A Problem, dodie asked the crowd, “Who here is gay?” to which the crowd erupted into a clamor of applause and shouts. dodie, who is bisexual and a champion for the LGBTQIA+ community, beamed and explained how “Rainbow” is a song she wrote to overcome the stigmas she has witnessed and experienced as a queer person who grew up in a conservative town that was cold toward the LGBTQIA+ community. With rainbow lights accompanying dodie and her band, there were
cheers and tears shed as the Royal Oak Music Theater celebrated love in all of its forms. Perhaps the most moving part of the night was when dodie performed her 2019 hit “She.” After playing the song on the piano to a chorus of fans singing along, dodie explained how she tries to find new meaning in her older songs when she performs them live. On that cold February night, dodie expressed how “She” has become a metaphor for her past self who felt trapped in her hometown, a reminder of how far she has come since the days when she felt ashamed of her queer identity. The auditorium was still as she described how she’s so happy to see more acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community and how much she wished that her younger self could have had the support she has now. dodie’s U.S. tour includes opener Lizzy McAlpine, a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia. As the lights dimmed in the theater, fans chanted “Lizzy” until the 22-yearold singer-song writer took the stage for an acoustic set. Performing songs off
of her upcoming album five seconds f lat, the packed theater was filled with a chorus of voices reciting every word to McAlpine’s songs. The only thing that could have rivaled McAlpine’s set were her retro jeans, as several shouts of “I like your pants!” were heard from across the auditorium. During her set, McAlpine even commented on how the audience “sounded so good” while singing along to her songs. For both McAlpine and dodie’s performances, nearly every person around me knew all of the words to their songs and was singing along the entire time. Some fans knew the music so well that they were even harmonizing with the band, creating a mesmerizing sea of voices. This phenomenon alone is a true testament to the energ y both dodie and McAlpine brought to Royal Oak, and it was beautiful to witness two powerful song writers pour love into their art and share that love with their fans. Daily Arts Writer Kaitlyn Fox can be reached at kjfox@umich.edu.
Design by Grace Filbin
THE MICHIGAN DAILY BOOK REVIEW Daily Arts Books Beat
IT IS INTEGRAL to seek out Black voices at any point in the year, and especially during Black History Month. In hopes of highlighting voices that are oftentimes wrongfully overlooked, The Michigan Daily Book Review came together to curate a list of some of our favorite Black-authored novels. Read ahead to find books to read for Black History Month and beyond. — Meera Kumar, Book Beat Editor and Emilia Ferrante, Senior Arts Editor “Memorial” by Bryan Washington Called a “queer traumedy” by the author, “Memorial” by Bryan Washington centers on the dysfunctional relationship between two queer men of color. The protagonists, Mike and Benson, are in their 30s and lead unglamorous lives, struggling with weight and other insecurities. They spend most of the novel apart. When Mike finds out his estranged father has been terminally diagnosed with cancer, he jets out to Japan, leaving his partner Benson behind to receive and entertain Mike’s visiting mother. What follows is the gradual bonding of Mike’s traditional Japanese mother with Benson, an HIV-positive daycare teacher. In Japan, Mike slowly acquaints himself with his difficult father. The novel is bursting with beautiful turns of phrase and quiet character development that builds to a satisfying climax. Honest to god, the novel made me cry — I didn’t know how much I needed middle-aged, unsexy queer sex until I got it. Washington, illustrating how family can both anchor and damage us well into adulthood, coaxes out tears of love and sympathy. Daily Arts Writer Elizabeth Yoon can be reached at elizyoon@umich.edu. “Pet” by Akwaeke Emezi “Pet” by Akwaeke Emezi is a bonechilling YA fantasy that focuses on Jam, a Black trans teen in Lucille (a town that claims to be free of monsters), as she accidentally conjures the eponymous Pet, a “monster”-hunter from another universe. Emezi wrote the piece in response to the “mass gaslighting” they feel occurs with the intentional ignorance of many older people when younger generations worry about issues of injustice; at first glance, the title appears oversimplified, but as you settle into the novel, the metaphor takes on new meaning. As Jam tries to investigate the presence of monsters, the adults in her life do everything to get her to ignore the surrounding evil — not because they don’t respect Jam’s perceptions of the world, but because they’re afraid of what they’ll have to admit to themselves should they listen to Jam. As we follow Jam’s interactions with Pet and her best friend Redemption in the 208-page novel, the tale settles into a rhythm that peaks in a graphic confrontation at the end — even though the book is for young adults, any reader will be able to enjoy this slightly terrifying work of speculative fiction. Emezi’s body of work is dynamic, ranging from literary fiction to autobiography to (upcoming) romance; readers can consume more of Emezi’s complex, illustrative writing (made accessible for younger readers) in “Pet.” The novel was overlooked when it was released; for many reasons, it should be reconsidered as a work of YA genius that is sure to stay relevant for decades. Books Beat Editor Meera Kumar can be reached at kmeera@umich.edu. “My Sister, the Serial Killer” by Oyinkan Braithwaite “My Sister, the Serial Killer” by Oyinkan Braithwaite was published in 2018, and I haven’t stopped recommending it since. Set in Lagos, Nigeria, the book revolves around three central characters: Korede, a nurse; Ayoola, her younger sister; and
their mother. Ayoola is known for her beauty and is the preferred sister of the two. Though she is beloved in the community, Ayoola has impulsive murderous tendencies, as is revealed by the title. Korede is constantly forced to clean up her sister’s messes, both figuratively and literally. All of Ayoola’s boyfriends end up dead, yet she is continuously discounted as a suspect. Though Korede has tried to stop Ayoola from killing, it isn’t until Ayoola starts to hang around Korede’s coworker crush that Korede finally intervenes. Though the novel’s primary focus is the relationship between Ayoola and Korede and Ayoola’s ceaseless murders, Braithwaite includes another storyline that focuses on their late father. As the story progresses, f lashbacks about their father are revealed that leave the reader pondering the circumstances of his death and the role both Ayoola and Korede might have played in it. Braithwaite’s expert pacing and crafty divulgence of family secrets make “My Sister, the Serial Killer” a quick, exciting read. The plot is gruesomely addicting, the characters impressively complex. Braithwaite tests each character and the reader by extension, begging us to question who we can trust and what information is true. Managing Arts Editor Lillian Pearce can be reached at pearcel@umich.edu. “They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South” by Stephanie Jones-Rogers “They Were Her Property” is an illuminating look into the active role that white women played in American slavery. Oftentimes, narratives around slavery focus solely on the harm of the white male slave owners while only giving negligible acknowledgment that white women were also part of the problem. Jones-Rogers pushes back on the idea that white women were bystanders and uses first-person narratives and legal documents to show that white women directly benefited from and engaged in the practice of slave labor. Combining discussions of gender, race and economics, “They Were Her Property” revolutionized the way I think of myself and other white women. At the end of the book, JonesRogers talks about the ways in which white women’s personal investments in slavery pushed them to uphold systems of white supremacy and segregation in the South post-Civil War. By better understanding the ways in which white women have historically benefitted from the subjugation of Black people, we can better understand their role in other white supremacist movements following the Civil War and today. Daily Arts Writer Isabella Kassa can be reached at ikassa@umich.edu. “Native Son” by Richard Wright “Native Son” is a book I was required to read in high school but has stayed with me far past graduation. Written in the 1940s, it follows a young Black man, Bigger, living in poverty in Chicago who gets a job working for a rich white family. After an unfortunate situation causes Bigger to commit a major crime, he struggles to outsmart and outrun authorities and is quickly caught and thrown in jail. While in jail, Bigger has a long conversation with his lawyer where he grapples with his identity as a Black man. This book is good because of its engaging plot, but great because it forces readers to understand themselves in the unfairness of Bigger’s situation and the system that is up against him. Wright never makes Bigger’s crime okay, but rather helps the reader realize that it was the forces out of Bigger’s control that led him to that point. Daily Arts Writer Isabella Kassa can be reached at ikassa@umich.edu.
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Michigan in Color
6 — Wednesday, March 9, 2022
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
South Asian artists you need to start listening to! Pt. 2
Design by Roshni Mohan
ROSHNI MOHAN MiC Columnist
Growing up as a young South Asian girl in a small city in Michigan, finding representation in music always felt nearly impossible. I had two easy options when it came to listening to music. I could either listen to whatever was trending in the U.S., or I could listen to the South Asian music my mother would blast on her phone while cooking. And as much as I loved listening to A. R. Rahman and Dhanush while helping my mother roll out her chapatis on a random Tuesday night, I never felt seen by their artistry. It wasn’t music I could dive into, getting lost in the melodies, replaying the lyrics over and over in my head like a trance. My knowledge of Tamil is very limited. I can understand basic conversational Tamil and repeat back a whopping 14 words. So understanding f luent melodic Tamil was already a challenge, but being able to sing along to the lyrics was unimaginable. So I did what 11-year-old me thought was my only option — listened to the radio. 98.7 was my channel. I’d get into my mom’s car from school and immediately pause the Tamil song she was listening to since I couldn’t understand the lyrics, just to put on Detroit’s 98.7, which played whatever was trending on the Billboard Hot 100. Through the years, this radio obsession quickly switched over to whatever song my brother played in the car through his phone in middle school, eventually then jumping to whatever my friends listened to or what Spotify recommended to me in high school. I could understand and sing along to every song I heard. But gaining this meant I
lost any form of the musical representation that the Tamil music gave me. So a few years back, I fell into a Spotify playlist searching frenzy, finding South Asian artists that I could listen to, enjoy and relate to. After finding a few that I featured in part one, I decided to continue my hunt. Here are some more of my favorite artists so far. Nikhil Ramani Nikhil Ramani is originally from Chennai, a city in South India, where my family currently resides. Both he and his roommate, Luke Duckworth, have been creating music together and releasing it on Spotify since 2020. Through this, Ramani has accumulated over 1,500 monthly listeners. I stumbled upon Ramani’s music last October when I heard the duo’s song “seventeen.” The song grapples with the end of one’s youth: the period of shifting from adolescence to adulthood, ref lecting on all the fun times they had as teens. The lyrics paint a clear story about Ramani and his friends when they were younger, filled with imagery about the “Chennai heat” and the “salty breeze” that loomed around Ramani growing up. This was one of the first things that made me gravitate so strongly to Ramani’s music. The lyrics were so direct, letting me follow along to his story as if I were there. It made his music feel so homey and relatable. As if he was someone you knew, could talk to and listen to for hours. The music felt raw and less manufactured, almost like a home video, something so hard to find nowadays. To get into Ramani’s music, start by listening to “seventeen” and “Halfway Across the World.” Anjali Taneja Taneja is an Indian-American artist
releasing music since 2017. Her latest single, “How It Feels,” has been playing on rotation in my Spotify playlists since its release in January. Her music takes a unique spin on R‘n’B through a more indie sound, creating a f lowy feeling that cannot help but bring out a deep calmness. The equal blending between the music and more relaxed vocals drew me into Taneja’s music. “How It Feels” is a song that immediately makes me close my eyes and forget every pressure in my life for two minutes and 18 seconds. Her song “Paradise” has become another one of my favorites. The song title itself describes the vibe of the song, exuding a light and airy feeling. To get into Taneja’s music, start by listening to “Paradise,” “Keepsake” and “How It Feels.” Shravya Kamaraju Kamaraju is a singer and songwriter who first started out by making covers of popular songs on TikTok. She would add desi inf luences, like adding Bollywood mashups to the covers which led to her rise in popularity. From TikTok, she began creating her own music. Her most popular song has amassed over 220,000 Spotify streams. I first listened to Kamaraju this past summer, when she released “Fire Hazard.” The song focuses on the outside world pressures she faces as both a young adult and college student. With lyrics like “carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders” and “all in good time / even natural disasters subside,” the song centers on how she’s falling apart with too much on her plate, but still wanting more but with the hope that eventually this feeling of dread and pressure will pass. The upbeat music contrasts with the feeling of mental exhaustion translated through the lyr-
ics, highlighting the hope that things will get better. To get into Kamaraju’s music, start by listening to “Fire Hazard” and “Night to Remember.” hrishi With only five tracks released on Spotify, Indian American artist hrishi is quickly gaining popularity. He brings his desi music inf luences into both his TikTok covers and his original music. hrishi was trained in Carnatic music, a traditional style in South India, for over 10 years, and highlights this talent in his music while creating Carnatic remixes of popular songs on his TikTok. His song “20somethin” begins with clear Carnatic vocals. The song was released in May 2021 and has already picked up over 130,000 Spotify streams. The lyrics focus on young adult life and how it isn’t always the life of the party society paints. To get into his music, start by listening to “20somethin” and “Paul McCartney (superstar).” Sne With only 203 monthly listeners, Sne’s music is severely underrated. Her most popular song, “Honey,” showcases Sne’s smooth and sweet vocals. Every time this song plays through my earbuds, I can’t help but just fall back in bed and lie there all day while the song sits on repeat, losing track of time in her melodic golden voice that perfectly f lows across the music and immediately sends me into a trance. The lyrics focus on fantasizing about someone — the thought of them consumes your mind the way Sne’s voice does, echoing in the back of your head. Where being with them becomes the only wish and thought you have. Even with only four songs out, Sne has quickly climbed my Spotify hierarchy
and become one of my most listened to artists. To get into her music, start by listening to “Honey” and “Miss You.” Dameer Dameer is a singer and songwriter born and raised in Bangladesh. His Bangladeshi roots mix with the Western musical inf luences he heard growing up to create his modern sunshine indie sound. His song “Michelle,” with over 700,000 Spotify streams, diffuses a happy feeling every time it plays. Hearing the song for the first time sent me into a spiral of queuing every one of his songs over and over, until I could quote every lyric. Dameer’s first 2018 releases quickly created buzz, leading to an album release in 2019 called “For We Are Distant.” This past year, Dameer has gone independent, breaking away from the label he signed with as a teenager, releasing “Bashbo Bhalo,” his first independent song as well as his first song fully in Bangla. To get into his music, start by listening to “Michelle” and “Air.” All these artists have given me music that I can dive into. Music whose melodies I can get lost in. Music whose lyrics I can replay in my head. Music that I can lie in bed all day and listen to, daydreaming to the sound of their voices. Music I wouldn’t mind playing in the background while I help my mother roll out another batch of chapatis on the weekends when I’m home from college. But most importantly, it’s music that I can listen to and still feel close to my South Asian roots. They’re artists who represent me and artists I can relate to. I have compiled a playlist with all of the mentioned songs as well as other South Asian artists I think you should start listening to. I hope you listen and enjoy.
Where are you from? SARAH OGUNTOMILADE MiC Columnist
I have often been quite wary of the question, “Where are you from?” Mainly because I felt like there was no answer that accurately informed the inquirer about who I am or what has formed me. You see, I could answer with a good selection of locations, yet all of them result in more questions, more doubt, more confusion and none of them provide the clarity that you, the asker, might be looking for. I am a habitual victim of the question, “but like where are you really from?” So much so that I refuse to answer with a location at all. I am from my father’s house, I say A man who arrived in the United States at the ripe age of 29 as Adeoye but whose colleagues currently address him by John You see, I am no stranger to
assimilation A month prior to my senior year of high school, my father informs me that we will be moving back to the states from Maputo, Mozambique My first day of school senior year, I was introduced as “Sarah from Africa.” I had a strong accent that has since been rid of My Portuguese slang was not quite understood I am from throwing away parts of my identity for the comfort of others. I am from my mother’s aspirations A woman who never fails to plan Who puts everything into her children Who taught me what it looks like to be a good friend I come from good friends Around the world who know me better than I know myself Who are willing to give me advice in English, in Portuguese, in Yoruba, in whatever language
will make it stick that I am loved I come from love. I come from writing love poems to boys who will never read them Writing lines like “I don’t believe in scripted prayers but the part about you is pretty much the same every time” Or “To be honest sometimes I just felt like your moon, an empty beacon by which your light shone through. I loved that I could show the world what it was like to be close to you.” I am from looking for love in all the wrong places. I am from my paternal grandmother’s confidence A matriarch who was the first young girl in Ikere Ekiti, Nigeria to pass the exam into secondary school without status and without wealth I, too, am familiar with the feeling of being in rooms that people wonder how I got into I am from constantly proving that I am worthy.
I am from constantly saying goodbye Never getting attached Always wondering when the director will say cut When I will be plucked out of this scene and forced into another. I am from the theatre A performer, truly So much so that I no longer know the difference between who I am and who I pretend to be. I am from a Black woman that came from a Black woman that came from a Black woman Or whatever Rihanna said. And I will give birth to a Black woman I am from amazing mothers I am from never doubting my appearance because generations of men fell in love with women that look like me. I am from pretty brown skin That people write poems about I am from constantly writing poems but never calling myself a poet.
Courtesy of Sarah Oguntomilade/MiC
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Michigan in Color
The ironic erotic KARIS CLARK MiC Columnist
“Suck my dick,” among its many vulgar variations, remains a hallmark of the various mundane and profane phrases heterosexual men utter to each other every day. Maybe it’s the immense and intense visceral sensationalism, the colorful imaginative elicitation, a temporal subconscious sexual re-orientation or perhaps just a joke, but there appears to be an ongoing tendency among straight men everywhere to ironically express erotic sentiments toward each other. What might seem to be a banal social phenomenon in actuality places us in an expansive linguistic liminality, especially when we consider the broader implications these suggestive sayings hold in relation to homo-sociality, masculinity and manhood as a whole. To philosophy scholar Jeff Casey, “Queerness is a specter that haunts straight male relations.” He maintains that straight masculinity contains within it a colossal amount of internal contradictions. The rigid chains of heteronormativity, the paradoxes of the patriarchal system and the corruptive nature of capitalist ideology all serve as a testament to the fervent and phallic testosterone-fueled psyche of the modern (heterosexual) man. The creation of class society (a male invention) has structured our current social existence to be rife with unfettered individualism, competition and vice, thus antagonizing any authentic intimacy among men. It is ironic that the subtext of many straight male bonding activities is exquisitely erotic. Jungian psychotherapist Thomas Moore ascribes our bodies as imaginative, mythical and mythological erotic landscapes. Our penchant for literalism hinders us from seeing the inherent homo-sociality in the male-dominated endeavors of contact sports, video gaming, working out, pre-going out rituals and nightlife, Greek Life, the military and gang activities. As Black womanist Audre Lorde describes, the erotic can be viewed as “providing the power which comes from sharing deeply any pursuit with another person.” When consider-
As feminist theorist Marilyn Fryre explains in “The Politics of Reality,” “All or almost all of that which pertains to love, most straight men reserve exclusively for other men. The people … whose respect, admiration, recognition, reverence and love they desire … those are overwhelmingly other men … From women they want devotion, service and sex.” The favorite actors and musicians, athletes and politicians of straight men remain majority male. Y’all saw their Spotify Wrapped reveals. Ironically, straight men seek approval from other (straight) men above all else while often avoiding actual intimacy. Casey claims that “Paradoxically, the embodied desire for heteronormativity depends upon homosocial relations that in turn often manifest homoerotic and even homosexual desires and behaviors.” In other words, in constructing a society of male supremacy built on rigid gender binaries and hegemonic masculinity, heterosexual men have indirectly subjugated themselves into segregated same-sex spaces, all of which hold ambiguously erotic orientations. This is not to suggest that straight men are repressed homosexuals, but quite the contrary. Such spaces simultaneously create what gender scholars Nils Hammarén and Thomas Johansson refer to as a “straight panic in which individuals experience anxiety about how others perceive their sexuality, and thus, feel a need to confirm their heterosexuality.” Inevitably, heterosexuality requires homophobia. Psychology scholar Gregory Herek asserts that hegemonic masculinity is in part determined by “what it is not — that is, not feminine and not homosexual.” It is not enough to not be gay, but one must be anti-gay as a means of maintaining and reaffirming one’s status as heterosexual. Likewise, sexuality scholar Jay Clarkson claims that “even the most masculine gay man’s homosexuality denies him the ability to truly achieve the power inherent in hegemonic masculinity no matter how masculine the gender performance because he will always be marginalized simply because he is not heterosexual.” While growing up, I presented more feminine and flamboyantly than I do today. I was thus incessantly mocked and made fun of, mostly by other males,
yet antithetical it is to actuality. Conversational irony is an “intentionally inconsistent” verbalization, which is often associated with aggressiveness, a common characteristic of hegemonic masculinity. In conversational irony, there is often an opposition between what is said and what is meant. Yet as linguistic scholars Rachel Giora and Ofer Fein explain, irony does not entail an elimination of what has been said yet “communicates the difference between the dictum and the implicatum.” So when straight men say “suck my dick” to other men, it might mean metaphori-
“Paradoxically, the embodied desire for heteronormativity depends upon homosocial relations that in turn often manfest homoerotic and even homosexual desires and behaviors”
cally to merely “shut up” or may suggest some other negative evaluative expression. Nevertheless, we can also understand what is literally being said as an exemplification of hidden values: receiving (oral) is traditionally associated with masculine sexual dominance, while giving is seen as passive submission. Note, keeping with the patriarchal positioning and the corrosion of capitalist ideology, giving and receiving become imbued with a hierarchical structure in which to give is perceived
Design by Zoe Zhang
ing the notions of Moore and Lorde in tandem, it becomes clear that much of male homo-sociality is simultaneously homo-erotic (not to be infused/confused with homo-sexual). Eros, according to French writer Georges Bataille, always entails a certain transgression. Sports and video games simulate (physically or virtually) a breaking of societal norms and behaviors through their systemic brutality. We inter-act in ways in which we normally wouldn’t. Act is the key word here. The performance of masculinity that many straight men act out is characterized by what sociology scholar David Grazian describes as “relentless competitive spirit, distant emotional detachment, an insatiable heterosexual desire, all commonly displayed by the sexual objectification of women.” Grazian likens the male affairs of nightlife as a homo-social “girl-hunting” ritual rife with rivalry. He makes the claim that pre-gaming — which often occurs along gendered lines — involves an indulgence in drinking, drugs and party music, which maintains and fast lanes confidence and courage for the night ahead. In the animalistic world of mating and dating, Graizan proclaims that males’ peers remain the “intended audience” for their performance. With their sexual encounters as events of the ego, paradoxically, many men objectify women, not just for ephemeral pleasure, but in order to gain high standing and status, high ranking and reputation among each other. And the post-gaming cool-down, run-down and discourses of the night between male friends only furthers this phenomenon.
for how I dressed and spoke, for my mannerisms and mere existence in the world. I was threatened by those I thought I was close to — called a faggot to my face and behind my back by boys I thought were my friends. Even today, as I stand comfortably in my own queerness and bi-sexuality, many of my relationships with straight men have felt oppressive, rife with unequal power dynamics and treatment. My sexuality is rarely seen as legitimate to theirs. The comfortability, desires and preferences of straight men, without fail, prevail over anyone else. Embracing my bi-sexuality has become complicated by our society’s dualistic tendencies to see everything within the binary of male/ female, masculine/feminine or gay/ straight. The hyper-masculinization and hyper-sexualization of Black men as well as the vast array of anti-queer sentiments within the Black community have ultimately convoluted my ability to be physically, emotionally or spiritually intimate with anyone. Yet as queer liberation theologist Marcella Althaus Reid posits, bi-sexuality is not limited to a physical sexual practice but a mode of thinking that transgresses the constrictive boundaries of being. At the end of eternity, our souls have no sex. Sadly, many straight and gay men and women persistently perpetuate biphobia, abnegating the multi-faceted essence of our existence. Nonetheless, it is clear that queer men as a whole will never hold as much worth in society as their straight counterparts. Along these same lines, the irony of straight male ironic eroticism is evident in how simultaneously aligned
as lesser. Thus, an ironically erotic demand for one of the same-sex to suck another man’s dick presupposes the act of giving orally and being passive as an inferior state of being. Even in queer spaces, topping, which does admittedly correlate with giving nevertheless maintains it’s connection to “manliness” through it’s concurrence with penetration. Despite the venereal vulnerability of bottoming and its bodily byproducts, to bottom in today’s times is to be subjugated to relative femininity, literal passivity and fallacious inferiority as a result of our colonial conditioning. As critical gender and culture scholars Billy-Ray Belcourt, George Dust and Kay Gabriel assert, “In a homonormative semiotics of sex, topping is an enactment of gender; it is a performance of masculinity, which is bound up in the erotic life of whiteness.” The unnerving notions of neo-liberalism — as observed in our culture’s collective digital mediation of sexuality through the seductive lure of algorithmically antagonistic corporate-owned social media, dating and hook-up apps, as well as the co-optation and de-radicalization of queerness — has manufactured within modern-day queer spaces an all-encompassing superficiality and hyper-sexuality. To Belcourt et al, “Relations between gay men are stuck in the rut of the sexual.” It makes sense, then, why “suck my dick” and other erotic explicatives issued by heterosexual males are expressed as ironic. The hyper-sexual nature of homo-eroticism pervades all same-sex male interactions. Beyond
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 — 7
Holding onto and letting go of the hypothetical you
Design by Andy Nakamura
ANDREW NAKAMURA MiC Assistant Editor
It only takes a slight glance in my direction or a minor corridorcollision and an ensuing “Oh, I’m so sorry about that” (or god forbid, a single conversation) for me to start mentally arranging the furniture in our future quaint suburban home by the sea. My heart swells, I suddenly can’t find my words and my face reddens. I begin to sweat if I’m wearing my leather jacket, and I probably am because, secretly, I want you to compliment my outfit. And when you do give me that validation, I smile so wide it feels like the outer corners of my lips tear at their f lesh-fashioned seams, but I’m hoping you’ll find it endearing. And when I fall asleep, you appear in my dreams. I’m hoping you won’t judge me, but I didn’t really become a hopeless romantic until anime poisoned my impressionable brain in early middle school. From Kirito and Asuna to Sakuta and Mai, most of the anime I watched portrayed romance as dramatically direct love confessions while the characters sit atop high school rooftops at sunset or watch fireworks shows at the summer festival together. Yet the buildup to these relationships are predictable and uncomplicated; the audience knows from the beginning that the two main love interests will get together. I didn’t even know liking boys was an option for me until I was at least 14, so while other kids my age were making out behind the classroom buildings after school, I could only live vicariously through the media I consumed. Amid mentally selecting the fonts for our future wedding invitations, the picture of my parents’ wedding photo sitting on my grandmother’s old dining table appears in my imagination. They stand hand in hand, beaming directly at the camera and consequently, the viewer. Suddenly, their eyes watch me as I navigate this dreamscape. The fantasy I’ve constructed fractures as their inescapable gaze permeates my thoughts. The top and bottom rows of my teeth slowly clench together so hard they grind down my enamel. My sweat-infused, water-based eyeliner cascades down the space between my epicanthic eye folds and my nose bridge. My words lodge themselves inside my trachea, and in my gasps for oxygen, blood fills my warm face. My heart swells until I can feel it pounding in my fingertips like it wants to break free. When I awake from my daydreams, their smiling faces appear in my nightmares instead. I want to rant to you about these feelings, but I can’t because you’re not really real. The hypothetical “you” in this piece, my chanceencounter dream boy, is just that — a dream. On the other hand, homopho“suck my dick” men will say phallic phrases like “on his ass” as a metaphor for berating someone. The frequently uttered, “F— you” carries with it an ironically ambig uous,
“Sexuality remains much more complex than our culture is willing to confess.”
obvious yet often obscured notion
bia is hyperreal. It looms above me at all times, especially when I start thinking about the future. For many, Queer love is often a transaction, forcing us to surrender parental love for romance. The power imbalance for young Queer people always results in an unequal trade, especially when our heterosexual counterparts never need to relinquish much of anything. Furthermore, it places undue pressure on the success of the relationship; what happens if I come out and am exiled from my family only for some shitty Tinder boy to ghost me tomorrow? In order to destroy these vivid future anxieties of inescapable familial confrontation, I must construct even more detailed fantasy worlds as a defense mechanism. It is unrealistic for me to expect to run into my ideal partner in the grocery store aisle, which is precisely the reason I hold on to my phantasmal musings of love. If I set my criteria for romance so high, I never need to worry about the future because I’ll never have one with you. When I return from class or the grocery store or wherever I see you in passing, the pile of dishes festering inside my sink is the only thing waiting for me at home. Once I turn on the faucet, I let the running water eng ulf my hand, slipping in between the finest ridges and notches of my fingertips. As I scrub down chicken karaage residue and tomato paste stains, I wish you were beside me, drying the dishes as I hand them to you. I wish we had eaten out of these bowls and tossed fried ramen in this frying pan together. I wish we were just coming home from class or the grocery store or wherever we met up, walking hand in hand all the way back. In the middle of my daydreaming, I don’t even notice the rising water temperature until my scalded skin becomes red. Instinctively, my left hand turns on the cold water and holds my writhing right hand under the stream. My fingertips, pressed together in pain, rub against my cracked, dry knuckles, embracing each other until the aching subsides. Even within this piece, I had tricked myself into thinking that you, my imaginary lover, could ever protect me. In truth, there is no escaping omnipresent homophobia. It invades and corrupts every inch of my mind, and I keep trying to construct new barriers to run deeper and deeper into my own ideal world. Life is too short to continue evading love and its consequences. Queer love comes with strife but I must allow the pain to wash over me in order to embrace the warmth within the ang uish. Even on the precipice of catastrophe, hypothetically rejected by both familial and romantic relationships, I will only have my own hand to hold. Leaning over my sink, with my hands clasped together as if in prayer, I let you go.
of eroticism. In the undertones of what’s uttered is the staggering association of penetration with weakness and fragility. These phrases falsely equate sexual passivity and penetration as an inherently punitive subjugation. Deconstructing the ironic eroticism of male heterosexuality allows us to see how the social construction of sexuality in our society has played out along rigid patriarchal lines. It also enables us to see the homo-sociality embedded in everyday male culture that is often expressed in such ways that eschew authentic intimacy. Sexuality remains much more complex than our culture is willing to confess. From the physical and literal to the fig urative and metaphorical, we should do more to divulge in discourse on our every-day sexuality. In doing so, we can gradually unravel the unruly formations of patriarchal power for good.
Opinion
8 — Wednesday, March 9, 2022
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From The Daily: Focus on COVID-19 as an endemic THE MICHIGAN DAILY EDITORIAL BOARD
I
t has been almost two years since March 13, 2020. Almost two years of not seeing loved ones, wearing masks, quarantining, testing, vaccinating, mandating and sanitizing. Almost two years and it’s difficult to think of a time when the COVID-19 pandemic will not be involved in every aspect of our lives. After these two years, many wonder when there will be a time their efforts to protect themselves and their community from this disease will lessen. As COVID cases decrease nationwide, some states — most notably, the state of California — have begun to consider COVID-19 as endemic. Shifting to endemicity does not, as we might hope, entail removing all coronavirus restrictions and returning back to our pre-pandemic lives. Instead, it means reorienting our minds, our resources and our public health policy towards approaching COVID19 as a long-term issue. A pandemic, which is what we have referred to COVID-19 as for roughly the last two years, is a rapidly and unpredictably spreading disease that infects a wide and diverse range of people. COVID19 has infected every continent, illustrating its reach and labeling it a pandemic. An endemic disease, which is what many states are beginning to consider COVID-19, is one whose spread is predictable and consistent and whose reach is limited to a certain area. While a disease becoming endemic does not mean that all infection and death ceases, it does mean shifting toward treating it as a consistent issue to mitigate, and not an imminent threat to mobilize against. As we come to terms with COVID19’s long-lasting effects, it is vital that the federal government provide at-home test kits, KN95 masks and over-the-counter medications to reduce the severity of the disease for those who still become infected. The pandemic exposed how grossly underprepared the United States was for combating a widespread disease outbreak, to the point where even Robert Redfield, then-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, acknowledged it all the way back in August 2020. Masks and tests were scarce, and the vaccine distribution was insufficient to prevent the further spread of the
disease and the emergence of new variants. If new variants pop up, we should be adequately prepared to quickly equip ourselves with the necessary preventative measures. Awarding domestic manufacturers with federal dollars so they continue producing a robust supply of tests, masks and antiviral drugs will be the cornerstone of effective endemic policy. One of the best ways that the federal government can incentivize states to shift to this endemic focus is by awarding states grants to beef up PPE manufacturing, accumulate vaccine and mask reserves and continue to encourage vaccination for those who are eligible. As we shift to an endemic stage, the importance of data cannot be undermined. Recently, it surfaced that the CDC was not fully disclosing all the data on COVID-19 hospitalizations and wastewater surveillance it had collected throughout the pandemic. Although CDC officials cited concerns about releasing potentially inaccurate information, they have since received funding intended to improve their ability to collect and disseminate information in a timely and accurate manner. States and localities would benefit immensely from greater access to a state-ofthe-art wastewater surveillance database. Receiving that data in real-time would allow jurisdictions to quickly modify public health policy in case of an outbreak and delimit those measures for the region in which the outbreak occurs. Moreover, communicating accurate data to the public could help rebuild public confidence in our medical institutions. Some of the recent moves by state governments to end mask and vaccination mandates seem to convey the message that “endemic” means “stop trying.” Indoor masking requirements for vaccinated persons have expired in jurisdictions such as California, Illinois, New York and Washington, D.C. Masking requirements in K-12 schools are also being lifted. Compare that to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s SMARTER plan, which is intended to treat COVID-19 as a permanent part of life — allowing people a sense of normalcy without becoming vulnerable to future COVID-19 variants. Newson’s plan includes stockpiling millions of masks, continuing to encourage vaccination and the development of treatments.
RUSHABH SHAH
Treatments in particular are key to a safe future. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved one antiviral drug for adults and issued emergency authorization for others. Pfizer’s oral COVID-19 treatment, Paxlovid, was in short supply in the months after its emergency authorization. The federal government should play a central role in encouraging the development of more COVID-19 treatments and ensuring that those treatments are widely available throughout the country. A large federal effort akin to Operation Warp Speed could help the states transition to an endemic stage without risking thousands of lives. Additionally, one major factor in ensuring that COVID-19 can remain an endemic disease is ensuring that countries around the world receive an adequate number of vaccines. A concerning number of the world’s largest countries have vaccination rates far below the percentage that could provide herd immunity. Should this state of affairs continue, more variants, including potentially vaccineresistant ones, have the potential to persist. This is because variants are far more likely to emerge when the virus is able to spread, and the virus is more likely to spread through unvaccinated individuals. As a wealthy country with a higher-than-average vaccination rate, the United States has the ability, and a moral obligation, to improve the vaccination rates of other countries. An easy way to begin that task would be to donate excess doses to said countries. While the U.S. has, as of March 6, donated around 413.7 million doses of the vaccine to other countries, that number is minute compared to the nearly 3 billion people around the world that have yet to receive even one dose of the vaccine. While there may not be sweeping policy changes to be made, moving into an endemic state will require a revised mindset and long-term shift. Treating COVID-19 as endemic, and thus returning to relative normalcy, means being prepared to quash future outbreaks quickly. That requires a large and easily accessible supply of masks, tests and treatments and ensuring that the entire world, not just its wealthiest countries, is adequately vaccinated. Endemicity doesn’t mean giving up — it means being prepared to ensure that COVID-19 never again becomes a pandemic.
W
ith the winter semester still in its infancy, my friend and I were on the lookout for fun things to do on campus. Consequently, we bought tickets to the TEDx event hosted by the University of Michigan. TED is an organization that invites individuals from across the world to give talks about “ideas worth spreading.” A TEDx event is organized completely by an independent body, like the University of Michigan, but is still affiliated with the now world-renowned brand. Both my friend and I had grown up at schools where our teachers would often use TED Talks as educational material, so it didn’t take too much to convince us to buy tickets when we found out that the University was going to have its own TEDx. The night we bought the tickets, we also made a pact — one day, both of us would give a TED Talk of our own. After buying the tickets, I began looking into the details of the event. This year’s theme was ‘shatterproof’, which I thought was pretty cool. I knew what the word meant, but sometimes I like looking up words I know to see how they’re officially defined. I typed ‘shatterproof’ into the search bar and Google defined it as: “constructed of material that resists shattering.” I didn’t find that particularly useful — my teachers had always told me that a word, in any shape or form, should never be used in its own definition. Fast forward to the day of the event, the event organizers provided the audience with their own definition of ‘shatterproof’ right before the first speaker
was introduced. They referred to it as “the ability to withstand adversity and not fall apart.” I liked that definition more. To me, it captured the core essence of the word — being able to fight against the odds and come out stronger. Four speakers — a professor of environmental science, a producer, an engineer turned filmmaker and a senior in the field of social sciences — came and went. As the crowd dispersed for a brief intermission before the next four speakers, I found myself still digesting what each speaker had said. Although I enjoyed listening to all of them, there was one thing I just didn’t get: for the most part, these talks didn’t really seem to revolve around the idea of being shatterproof. However, they did have one message in common, and it was one that I rather liked. They focused on the idea that everybody, be it an individual or a community, has a story to share and that story deserves to be heard. For some of these speakers, like Thomas Laub, stories are a way of taking a lesson or a message and converting it into something that can be shared. He believes that stories have the ability to hold a mirror up to society and portray some harsh truths, while also providing an escape when times get tough. Razi Jafri implored the audience to be mindful and to seek authentic artists and storytellers, because each community deserves to be seen with truth, nuance and respect. Finally, LSA senior Becca Wong made it clear that you are in control of your story and that you are a lot more than the stereotypes and labels society tries to put on you. Having started her speech by comparing herself to a phoenix,
she ended with the phrase, “You can never put the flame out,” suggesting that no matter how hard others might try, her story and her journey will live on. And that’s when it hit me. The amazing thing about TED Talks is that they give people a chance to share their stories — stories of how they overcame adversity and fulfilled all their dreams. The story of how they moved halfway across the world to pursue a career in dance, in the case of Dr. Fangfei Miao, or how they went from losing a leg to cancer at the age of 13 to becoming a paralympic gold medalist in the case of Sam Grewe. I have always been a huge advocate of the idea that stories are one of the best, if not the best, ways to document one’s journey through life. With stories, we can show the lessons we’ve learned, the values we live by, the journey we have been on and the people we’ve met. With stories we can decide how we are remembered, because, as novelist Salley Vickers once said, “Stories are all we humans have to make us immortal.” By the time all eight speakers had given their talks, this idea had been ingrained in me: it is our stories that are shatterproof. If we are able to share real, authentic stories with the world, there’s nothing anybody can do to tear them down. There is no better way to express our emotions — love, friendship, kindness — than with stories. There is no better way to share our experiences than with stories. As my friend and I walked out of the auditorium that day, we repeated the promise we had made earlier with renewed vigor. We both will give a TED Talk one day. And if we don’t, we are certain that, one way or another, our story will still be told.
Exams in the face of Spring Break
Design by Anya Singh
Bolstering our cyber defenses should be a top priority EVAN STERN
Opinion Columnist
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ver a recent weekend, I found myself with some spare time and decided to pick up “The President Is Missing,” a novel co-written by former President Bill Clinton and seasoned author James Patterson. I had some doubts about the story while reading the early chapters, but the novel, a political thriller published in 2018, turned out to be an incredibly suspenseful page-turner packed with remarkable insights into the American presidency. While a work of fiction, Clinton and Patterson’s gripping novel sheds light on a real-world danger that threatens our entire country every day: cybersecurity. In the nearly four years that have passed since “The President Is Missing” hit bookshelves, the invisible cyber threat lurking behind our computer screens has only deepened. In a world where living without phones and
the internet is virtually impossible, the fictional cyber crisis depicted in the book felt all too realistic. As cyberattacks become increasingly common with technological advances, it’s time our leaders devote more attention to addressing our digital vulnerabilities. Anyone following the headlines knows that the cyber threat is at the top of the minds of business owners, government officials and everyday Americans around the country. And for good reason. In recent years, cybercriminals have grown increasingly sophisticated, turning to tactics that make attacks harder to detect and mitigate. A 2020 report from Microsoft focusing on the cyber threat warns of a dramatic “leap in attack sophistication.” Just last year, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), a division of the Department of Homeland Security, reported an alarming uptick “in sophisticated, high-impact ransomware incidents against critical infrastructure organizations
globally.” In the U.S. in 2021, only two of 16 critical infrastructure sectors were left unscathed by cyberattacks, with industries related to defense, emergency services and agriculture all being hit by cybercriminals. Last May, a massive ransomware attack took a major oil pipeline running along the East Coast offline, leading to headaches and long waits at the gas pump for millions of drivers. The attack, which is believed to be the largest against oil infrastructure in American history, went unresolved for days until the pipeline’s operator — the Colonial Pipeline Company — paid more than $4 million in ransom to the hackers. Amy Myers Jaffe, an energy expert and researcher, called the closure “a definite alarm bell,” telling Politico the incident was “the most significant, successful attack on energy infrastructure we know of in the United States.” And in recent days, some officials have begun making preparations for possible Russian cyberattacks against the U.S. as tensions over Ukraine soar.
Cyberattacks may often be shortterm nuisances that are resolved with little disruption. But in an era where everything is dependent upon technology — from our hospitals, water supply and electrical grid to our banks and schools — the most basic services millions rely on could be compromised on a minute’s notice. A sophisticated, widespread attack launched by cyberterrorists could precipitate massive disruptions, shuttering critical systems and putting millions of people in danger. While this kind of catastrophic scenario is perhaps a bit far-fetched by some measures, the latest moves by attackers on the web demonstrate that America needs to be ready for anything. A good first step to fortify our cyber defenses would be directing more time and money toward addressing this startling threat. President Joe Biden has already made cybersecurity “a top priority” for his administration, devoting more federal resources to confront cyberattacks. But these
increases in funding for cyber defense aren’t enough. Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, wrote that “the government will have to maintain this double-digit growth (in cybersecurity spending) for several years if it is to have the resources it needs to deal with cyber threats.” The U.S. government has over $30 trillion in debt and needs to spend more carefully than ever. But if there’s one priority that needs to be funded generously, it’s cybersecurity. With cyber warfare now a distinct possibility both at home and abroad, it’s imperative America has strong defenses, whether that be on land and sea or in cyberspace. Congress also has more work to do on confronting the cyber threat. On a recent visit to the University of Michigan’s Flint campus, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., detailed new legislation he introduced on the Senate floor that would improve the reporting of cyberattacks.
If passed, the Strengthening American Cybersecurity Act would “require critical infrastructure owners and operators and civilian federal agencies to report to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) if they experience a substantial cyberattack,” according to a press release from Peters’s office. Peters — who serves as the chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee — said these “efforts will significantly bolster and modernize federal cybersecurity as new, serious software vulnerabilities continue to be discovered.” It’s critical Congress passes bills like these if we want to stand strong against the cyber threat and be prepared for any attacks that come our way. As the digital world continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, ensuring America has what it needs to defend itself in cyberspace is more crucial than ever. Strengthening our cyber defenses must be a top priority as we navigate this emerging threat.
Opinion
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Advice Column: Group project romance ELIZABETH PEPPERCORN Opinion Advice Columnist
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ear Elizabeth, I’m struggling. One of my best guy friends has recently been making some homophobic comments that are not hateful but are clearly rooted in some sort of discomfort with sexuality as a whole. I don’t want to push him to talk about it but I feel like its something that is making everyone uncomfortable — a lot of our friends have also pointed it out — and I want him to be able to talk it through and grow in a healthy way. Do you think it’s my/our place to address this? – S ’22 (He/him) Hello! I think this is a common issue people have with their friends and knowing when it is or isn’t their place to say something. It can be uncomfortable to confront a friend and start a serious conversation with them. However, if you start the conversation from a place of wanting to talk through the problem, then you can get your point across in a healthy and productive way. It may be hard for your friend to not be immediately defensive, so I recommend reminding
them that you know it is not on purpose and that their intentions are not to cause harm or tear apart their character. Overall, I think you/any of the other friends that have noticed this issue would be helping this person out by stepping in and expressing the discomfort their comments can cause because otherwise those comments will continue to make more people uncomfortable or have greater harmful impacts. I have a crush on someone on my project team. Is it ok to ask them out even if we work closely together? – A ’22 (He/ him) Great question! I think that if the project is temporary, then it would be best to ask closer to the end of the project or when it is over so that if something does go poorly, it doesn’t impact the work or work environment. However, if it is a long-term project and you are picking up signals that they are interested as well, you could ask them to do something more casual like coffee or lunch and take it from there! I’m a sophomore in college and I’ve never dated or been in a relationship. I am not in any hurry really for something serious but I feel like everyone around me is always talking
about dating, hooking up, or their significant other. But I don’t really know or am friends with any guys and I am too afraid to use a dating app because I just want a nice wholesome guy. So I need advice on how to meet guys when I don’t really interact with many and how to get into the “dating world.” – K ’24 (She/her) Thank you for writing in, I have a lot of friends in college who have struggled with this same problem! It can be hard to meet new people once everyone is in their routine. I recommend joining new clubs or sitting next to new people in class and introducing yourself! Most of the college relationships I know started in class, through dorms or mutual friends. I also recommend not putting too much pressure on yourself to have a ton of dating experiences in college. Everyone has different levels of experience and it doesn’t mean you are behind just because you haven’t dated anyone seriously yet. I am a firm believer that the best things happen when you least expect it, so I would join clubs and events that you are interested in for yourself and then if you meet somebody through it, it’s a plus!
Morning classes: In one ear, out the other
Design by Maddy Leja, Opinion Cartoonist
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 — 9
We need to rethink the value of selective public high schools ALEX YEE
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Opinion Columnist
very year, herds of pimply eighth graders file anxiously into classrooms across the country to take one of several special exams. The stakes are high. Students who perform well on these exams might earn a coveted seat at one of their city’s selective public high schools. Graduates of these schools go on to matriculate at top colleges and universities, including the University of Michigan. Research from The Daily found that in 2019 a significant number of out-of-state freshmen came from several of these schools: Bronx Science and Brooklyn Tech in New York City; Lane Tech and Walter Payton in Chicago; Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia. Selective public high schools (SHSs) are some of the best public schools in the country. They provide an extraordinary catalog of instructional and extracurricular resources, create spaces for highcaliber students to learn and socialize with one another and are considered a foothold for upward economic mobility, especially among working-class, AsianAmerican immigrant households. They also admit a small number of Black and Hispanic kids — Chicago Public Schools’ system is the only slight outlier. Stuyvesant High School in New York City, for example, admitted only eight Black students in 2021 out of 749 spots, even though Black students make up 26% of NYC’s public school system. Initiatives to increase the number of Black and Hispanic students attending SHSs have been numerous and often politically controversial. Bill de Blasio, former New York City mayor, tried unsuccessfully to eliminate the entrance exam at several of NYC’s schools in 2019. New Yorkers pushed back forcefully against the idea, killing de Blasio’s hopes for the New York Legislature to pass the measure. In 2020, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology instituted a new merit-based lottery admissions system. The school eliminated its entrance exam, began considering applicants’ socioeconomic status and mandated that at least 1.5% of students from each middle school in the region be admitted. As a consequence of the policy, the racial composition of the current freshman class is markedly different than previous years. The percentage of Asian students admitted decreased from 73% to 54%. With respect to economic diversity, 25% of students offered a spot were classified as economically disadvantaged. Notably, the average GPA of the newest class did not change significantly. That last item did not seem
important to the community, however. Outcry at the first consequence was swift and serious: a group of parents quickly filed a lawsuit alleging that the policy unfairly discriminated against Asian students. In a similar series of events, three San Francisco school board members were recalled last week, due in part to the new merit-based lottery admissions system put in place at their district’s SHS, Lowell High School. I find myself agreeing with the parents’ arguing against lottery systems, to an extent. The issue at stake is similar to the one raised in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, at least with respect to the relationship between Asian students and admissions to elite schools. Using data on New York City’s SHSAT as a proxy, Asian students are more likely to take the SHSAT and perform better on it than other racial groups, as evidenced by the higher number of enrollment offers they receive. Admissions criteria that devalue test scores are implicitly discriminating against Asian students. In New York, Census data shows Asians have the lowest median income in the city, and therefore do not, by default, have an unfair economic advantage over the students who would benefit from the policy change. A partial explanation for the success of Asian students in NYC are the grueling test prep classes their parents are more likely to enroll them in to prepare for the SHSAT. That, to me, indicates that even if Asian students perform better on tests, the means by which they do so are drastic. It shows that the education system is failing these students just as poorly as students who don’t suffer through test prep classes and score lower. As I wrote in an earlier column, America’s hyper-fixation on testing tends to crowd out other conversations about our education system and about other proposals to improve it. The argument on behalf of reforming SHS admissions rests on two main planks: one, that the reformed system would increase the number of Black and Hispanic high-achieving, low-SES students at SPHSs, and two, that these students would benefit from attending these schools. TJHSST and Lowell High School support the first claim. The number of Black and Hispanic students at both schools increased immediately after the merit lotteries were introduced. The second is less clear. A study conducted by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis found negligible differences in academic outcomes between students who fell just under or just above the cutoff score to get into Chicago’s SHSs. Distressingly, the GPAs of students who barely made the cutoff were
ultimately lower. The authors qualify this finding with the fact that GPA measures achievement somewhat relative to other students, but even so, that evidence suggests academic gains for these students are marginal, if anything. Competing against students who come from better backgrounds shifts students who don’t lower in the grade distribution, as one would expect. They did find, however, that students at SHSs felt safer and more respected. They also generally reported a higher level of well-being. A separate study examining lowachieving middle school students in New York City found that these students preferred to attend high schools that were geographically closer, rather than schools with the highest reported educational outcomes. I interpret those findings to mean that families and students balance considerations beyond just academics. The physical burden of a long commute to another school and the emotional tax of transitioning to an unfamiliar social environment are weighty concerns. We would like to imagine that institutions such as selective public high schools are one of the last few bastions of equal opportunity in this country and therefore inviolable. The belief that entrance exams serve as an impartial, even somewhat moral, sorting mechanism is difficult to challenge. They do rank students efficiently, even if students who score lower are similarly intelligent to those who score higher. Explanations for score differentials are numerous, however, and mostly not related to intelligence. Different levels of income, different primary school resources, non-English first language and cultural attitudes toward test preparation are some of the many factors that come into play alongside intellect. Putting these tests on a pedestal as proof of a fair education system is a shallow argument. A system that forces students to put themselves through intense mental anguish for the slim chance of admittance to a high school where attendance requires them to leave their community and their friends and start over in a new environment can have negative consequences. They might begin to develop imposter syndrome because they are, for the first time, surrounded by kids who get better grades (because those kids went to a better middle school); this is a bad system. Efforts to reform public education should not be focused on moving kids to better schools, but instead should aim to move better schools to kids. That will require asking hard questions about how we fund our public schools. That might require resources concentrated in SHSs to be distributed, effectively destroying the concept of SHSs as we view them today. Perhaps that’s okay.
The time has come: end mask mandates for children DEVON HESANO Opinion Columnist
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asks, and the mask mandates that often come along with them, have been a flashpoint of contention for close to two years. They have become extremely politicized, often seen as a quick indicator of ideological allegiance. Policies legislating these mandates have been the opposite of uniform, with laws varying not only state by state, but city by city and often school district by school district. America is at the point where governmental policy surrounding masks, specifically for children younger than 12, ought to be uniform. With emerging data on the reality of COVID-19 infections in schools, readily available vaccines and a notable decrease in COVID19 cases, the sound policy is clear. It is time to do away with mask mandates for kids in schools. I must preface this all by stating unequivocally that this is not from an anti-mask, or even a blanket antimask-mandate, standpoint. The data is clear that well-fitted medicalgrade masks are extremely effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Moreover, mandates have at many times been sound policy. Mask mandates were unfortunately quite
necessary before the widespread distribution of the various COVID19 vaccines. This piece is not meant to diminish the pandemic that has taken the lives of over 900 thousand people in the U.S. alone. Rather, this call is centered around costbenefit analysis in tandem with new information on COVID infections in schools, a changing environment and comparative policy with other venues where people socialize — such as bars and restaurants. On Feb. 14, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the city would soon be ending its vaccination requirement for indoor businesses, along with the vast majority of mask mandates. No longer would masks be required in restaurants, sports and entertainment venues, gyms, churches and the vast majority of other indoor locations, with few exceptions. Unfortunately, one of those lone exceptions was for schools. Indeed, six-year-olds sitting in class for eight hours a day would be bound to wearing a mask, while grown adults were free to rip off the mask in crowded bars. Indoor stadiums packed with tens of thousands? No mask. But for those little kids comparatively spread out in their classroom of 20, the burden was still there. Though I fully support the loosening of restrictions, for Bowser
to stop at schools in the way she did is nothing short of infuriating, and it defies science. This follows a nationwide trend, one which we should be deeply worried about. Children in this cohort have been proven to be less susceptible to severe infection and death from COVID-19 than every other age group. Every kid five years and over has safe and extraordinarily effective vaccines readily available. Schools do not have the density that venues like large concerts and sporting events do. These factors alone make decisions like Bowser’s terribly misguided, and furthermore should be reason enough to drop the mandates entirely, regardless of their presence in other localities. Most kids in schools are wearing cloth masks, which with the emergence of Omicron have been rendered almost if not entirely useless. Little kids often struggle to keep a mask on their faces, and it can be extremely hard for teachers to enforce. One-way masking is effective, so those who cannot be vaccinated, or who have insanely decided not to get vaccinated, still have the means to protect themselves regardless. COVID-19 cases have absolutely plummeted, dropping 90% since January. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, data are beginning to show quite clearly that there is a real adverse
effect to masking of kids in schools. Psychological effects are real, and aspects like brain development can be hindered. Personal interaction is more difficult, and kids often struggle to remember faces in schools, lack emotional connections and more. Academic issues — for example, the inability to read lips for kids learning language — also exist. Moreover, the net benefit of mandatory masking for little kids in schools has never been consistently clear. In fact, the World Health Organization explicitly discourages masking those five and under, and they make a point for those aged 6-11 that it should be decided on based on relevant data at the time. At this time, the information sided against mandating masks for children in schools. As a recent Atlantic article also pointed out, the extremely few Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies they have long used as the crux of their argument for mandatory masking in schools have serious flaws, to the point where their conclusions are only vaguely, if at all, supported by their own data. Take, for example, that one of their studies found masking teachers to cause a statistically significant decrease in COVID transmissions. The same could not be demonstrated for students. Or the one in Arizona, which did not
account for vaccinations. Some schools in the sample weren’t even open, and specific case counts were not even collected. There have been a total of zero randomized trials looking at the efficacy of masking with children. One of the main problems government officials and health agencies have had throughout the pandemic is their lack of a clear barometer for when measures need to be taken and when they can be relaxed. Off ramps — conditions that need to be met before the relaxation of measures — are vague, if not nonexistent. When mandates are reimposed, for example, when a new variant emerges where early data is worrisome and its full effects may not be known, or when cases spike up drastically, they have been based on the emerging data. The inverse has not been true. Municipalities are often reluctant to meaningfully relax measures after a wave of COVID has passed, instead leaving their — largely vaccinated — citizens to languish in the precautions of last year’s surge. As Dr. Leana Wen pointed out, when you continue to impose the same ‘red alert’-like restrictions, and those restrictions are not loosened when new data emerges, you lose leverage to impose restrictions when they are actually needed most down the line. We
are in a clear position of vast improvement, where masking needs to be loosened, especially for little kids in schools, who are safest from COVID-19 and yet face the most adverse effects of constant masking. Compared to many, younger kids have had an especially hard time dealing with the societal effects of COVID-19. The lack of in-person schooling, interaction with kids their age and unwarranted restrictions in which they often bear more responsibility than any other age group has been deeply damaging. The hypocrisy of school and government leaders who continue to implement mask mandates in schools, then themselves do not follow those rules, is insulting to the very kids they claim they care about. When masking is not required for large indoor events like concerts and sporting events, where individuals are much more tightly packed than kids in schools and in all likelihood are composed of more vulnerable age groups, it is insulting to kids who must still endure the restrictions. Adults, who should have no problem keeping a mask on all day, who do not suffer the same sort of psychological and learning effects of masks, are free of restrictions. Kids, the most vulnerable population to mandatory masking, are not.
10 — Wednesday, March 9, 2022
The Michigan Daily
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Sheet-Pan Chocolate Chip Pancakes By Jerrelle Guy
Normalize no-flip pancakes. University of Michigan students now have access to New York Times Cooking — which means your normal food routine just became anything but.
Activate your free Cooking subscription.
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Sports
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 — 11
From unknown to ace, Alex Joey Goodsir: For Michigan, yet another regional exit Storako’s journey to the top NOAH KINGSLEY
Daily Sports Writer
Alex Storako has reached the mountaintop. At least for a pitcher in the Big Ten, that is. The senior right-hander is the reigning Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, and her previous campaign was vital to the Michigan softball team’s conference title. Now, in her senior season, expectations are as high as ever. Storako is again the Wolverines’ coace alongside fifth-year left-hander Meghan Beaubien. Already, with a season remaining for both of them, Michigan coach Carol Hutchins has likened the pair to other pitching greats of Michigan history. “When you speak of Meghan and Alex, you put them on the same wall as the (former Wolverine pitchers) Jenny Ritters and the Jordan Taylors,” Hutchins said prior to the season. “They’ve been fantastic pitchers; they’ve been top five in the NCAA in a bunch of categories, and we’re so lucky to have them on our team.” But for Storako, Michigan softball greatness wasn’t something that she could have expected. In fact, it was far from it. Entering her junior season of high school, Storako was uncommitted on where she would play college softball. She received some offers — mostly from smaller schools such as DePaul, where she initially committed during her sophomore year. After transferring to Lincoln Way-East High School, she immediately became one of the most crucial members of the team. “About midway through her junior year, she found her rhythm,” Lincoln-Way East coach Elizabeth Hyland said. “She got in her groove and it was smooth sailing from there. … You look at your pitcher as a leader, and during that year’s playoffs, she really led us.” Even as Storako put it all together on the field, the successes she had hoped for didn’t come off it. Offers stayed few and far between as she continued to fly under the radar of larger programs. By season’s end,
Storako remained unsure where her softball career would continue. But she was unwilling to settle for just anything. “There was so much maturity there,” Hyland said. “She knew exactly where her sights were set, and she was just gonna go for it. … She just wanted to prove herself.” So, she took a chance. Storako remained uncommitted into her senior year, and joined the Sparks Premier 18U club that fall. On the larger club stage, she continued her success, and finally, larger programs started to take a look at her. “Going into that year uncommitted, I had the mindset of just enjoying the moment,” Storako said. “I tried to play to my potential and have fun, and that led to me performing really well and getting a lot of looks from a lot of places.” By the end of that fall season, Storako had done enough to garner an offer from Michigan. She soon took an official visit and fell in love with the program, committing on the spot. After exposing herself to the possibility of failure, she found the success she was looking for, becoming the last member of the Wolverines’ 2019 recruiting class. Upon reaching Michigan, Storako found herself in uncharted territory once again. She came into college as a self-acclaimed “raw pitcher,” having never worked with a true pitching coach. Given the opportunity to learn from Michigan pitching coach Jen Brundage, she absorbed as much knowledge as she could. Together, Brundage and Storako worked to solidify Storako’s potential, shaping her raw talent with Brundage’s deep technical knowledge. Brundage helped Storako develop into a pitcher who could contribute right away, readying her for a rapidly approaching collegiate debut. Storako first entered the circle for the Wolverines in their season opener. She tossed three hitless innings, the first of many successful outings that year. But when Storako looks back at those early moments of her freshman season, that success isn’t what jumps out at her.
MADELINE HINKLEY/Daily Alex Storako rose from a lightly-recruited high schooler to a Michigan ace.
“My first collegiate start was against (then-No. 7) Arizona,” Storako recalled. “The most memorable thing about that game was when I gave up my first collegiate home run to Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza, who’s now an Olympian. … “It was just like, ‘Well, welcome to the big leagues.’ ” In reality, that outing against the Wildcats was a speed bump during an otherwise very strong freshman season. Storako finished that year with a 2.02 ERA and 190 strikeouts, and was selected to the Big Ten All-Freshman team. It’s a testament to the way that Storako motivates herself, that in a season with so much accomplished, she still looks back at the first time she couldn’t get the job done. At the start of her sophomore season, Storako came roaring out of the gates once again. Through her first 17 appearances, she recorded 141 strikeouts in just 75 innings. But of course, the season ended on a poor note, as the beginning of the pandemic brought it to an abrupt halt. For Storako, that swift ending was turned even more bitter by her season’s final outing. “The last pitch I ever threw that season was supposed to be an intentional walk,” Storako said. “I threw it in the dirt, and we lost in extra innings. I think that was a very defining pitch in my career. … Some of my best friends ended their softball career on that pitch.” That pitch — and the lessons she learned from it — propelled Storako through the uncertainty surrounding the rest of that year. She continued to work every day to improve, knowing that when she did get a chance to pitch again, she wouldn’t let it slip away. By the time the 2021 season finally arrived, she had built up a massive chip on her shoulder. From there, Storako took off. She delivered a masterful junior campaign, leading the nation in strikeouts-per-seven-innings while posting a 1.05 ERA. Her performance earned her a wide array of achievements, from setting Michigan strikeout records to a unanimous selection as the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. Now, Storako is in the midst of the best season of her career. Through 11 appearances, she has a 0.75 ERA and is limiting opponents to a .138 batting average. Heading into the Wolverines’ home opener, she’s coming off her first ever nohitter, an eight-inning gem against Drake. Even as she soars to greater heights, Storako still recalls when her future in softball was uncertain. “Being a small recruit and a late add to Michigan, I wasn’t expected to make a really big impact,” Storako said. “Having an impact now, years later, I’m grateful for every opportunity that comes my way. There’s a lot of things that could be very different if I chose a different path or if things didn’t go a certain way.” So as Storako adds to her ever growing mountain of success, the foundations hold sturdy to the moments where she couldn’t find it.
would be unacceptable
JULIA SCHACHINGER/Daily The Michigan softball team needs to break its postseason slump. area plaguing the Wolverines the When Duke coach Marissa most — shed some light on where Young presented Michigan softmore reasonable frustrations lie: ball coach Carol Hutchins a jar Candrea made it out of the tourof maize and blue M&Ms follownament’s first weekend in ing her record-setting all but three years in his 1,675th win, it was a sym35-year Arizona tenure, bolic reflection towards while Hutchins has only softball royalty from her managed to do it in about high-achieving descenhalf of her 36 years at Michdants. igan. But also a reminder of The rate has most the work left to be done in recently manifested itself in the present. a regional-victory drought Hutchins’s win came JOEY over the past five years, in Durham during an GOODSIR one that has left some of Ann Arbor reunion two the best players in program weekends ago, as Young history unsatisfied — and coming pitched under Hutchins from back to school in order to change 2000 to 2003. Northern Kentucky that. was also led into the same Duke “There’s a lot of goals that I invitational by Kathryn Gleaset for myself in each year that I son, who was a Michigan captain haven’t been able to achieve yet,” and two-time World Series team fifth-year left hander Meghan member in 1995 and 1996. Beaubien said in February. “That’s For someone who always turns a big reason I’m back. I’ve never the credit of milestones towards been (to the Women’s College those who played under her, it World Series), I’ve never made it was a fitting first moment with out of the regional, and I’m not Hutchins again becoming the happy with that. No one who has sport’s winningest coach of all been here for five years is happy time. But any time the attention with that.” turns back to her positioning in Players like Beaubien are why the coaching pantheon, especially accomplishments during the relative to the coach she passed five-year drought can be taken in Arizona legend Mike Candrea, for granted. Led by assistant one can’t help but read between coach Jennifer Brundage, Michithe lines. gan’s dominance in the circle has “Mike Candrea has eight brought in a steady stream of Big national championships and what Ten championships. he has done for the game of softBut cold bats, failed execution ball, he’s on a level all by himself,” and tough matchups have cut each Hutchins said. “I will look up to team short in the exact same round him forever. … All we’re trying just as often. to do is, we’re trying to get to the To anyone who has followed World Series. We’ve been able the Wolverines since their last to get to the World Series. As the regional breakthrough — its 2016 goal of this year’s team is the goal Women’s College World Series of every team. We have to win appearance — that recap probably games to do it and that’s my only feels redundant. It’s on the top of focus, but all I can do is tip my hat all the Wolverines’ mind too, and to Mike Candrea.” developments this past offseason There is certainly not a sane reflect that. voice out there saying Hutchins Faith Canfield, a former twoneeds to pull seven more national year captain who played at Michititles to prove her on-field greatgan from 2016 to 2019, returned ness, nor should there be. But as a volunteer coach. She batted comparisons to Candrea’s track an impressive .390 or better durrecord in NCAA Regionals — the
ing the last three years of her playing career. Choice grad-transfer selections from the portal in outfielder Kristina Burkhardt and utility player Melina Livingston also reflect this push for batting action. Both transfers sought Michigan as a powerhouse destination from which to close out their career under a legendary coach. But as other contenders such as UCLA, Oklahoma and Florida stamp the World Series as a destination they see routinely over the last five years, the Wolverines fade behind in relevance by not even seeing a Super Regional. Additionally, holding up a role as the cream of the Big Ten is no longer a given. Sure, the top-heavy reality remains, but Northwestern’s loaded start and Minnesota’s emergence threaten. While Burkhardt leads other new faces in a batting boom that provides positive momentum into the home opener, the quiet lack of returning security at the plate from senior outfielder Lexie Blair and fifth-year infielder Taylor Bump could doom Michigan to hit the same wall once again. “A lot of it is timing — they need at-bats to get it back,” Hutchins said. “They definitely need to not put the pressure on themselves or go to that place of ‘Well, I did good last year.’ Last year is over.” But the collective output, along with pitching security led by senior right-hander Alex Storako, tallies a win-loss resume that puts the Wolverines exactly where they want to be. At 13-6 they have collected wins over four ranked teams, most recently in an 8-0 victory over No. 10 Kentucky this past weekend. More importantly, even in the highly-touted matchups lost, they’ve remained within reach. The elite expectations are there, the elite mindset is slowly building the team to shape. Now, the results of an elite program need to follow. And elite programs can’t get bounced from the road to Oklahoma City on the first stop every year. As much as anyone, Hutchins knows that.
Abbie Telgenhof: For Michigan, it’s time to worry INDIANAPOLIS — The No. 10 loss, ending the team’s short-lived Michigan women’s basketball team time in Indianapolis. With the has lost four of its last six games. same struggles following MichiIt’s time for the Wolverines to gan through each game, it’s clear start worrying. the Wolverines’ problems run Worrying about their deeper than just individchances of returning to the ual matchups. Sweet 16. Worrying about After Michigan’s win their crumbling defense, over Indiana on Jan. 31, once the team’s backbone. the Wolverines were Worrying about their on top of the world. struggle to find offensive They were in the drivconsistency. er’s seat in the Big Ten Entering the Big Ten and ranked sixth in the Tournament, it seemed as ABBIE nation (the best ranking if Michigan would be hunin program history); the TELGENHOF gry for revenge. Dropping season looked to be all three of its five last reguMichigan hoped it would lar season games — and losing its be. Accomplishing the seniors’ hopes at its first ever regular sea- career-long goal of winning a Big son Big Ten Title — should be the Ten Title seemed within reach. perfect fuel for a tournament run. Then things came crumbling Instead, the Wolverines added down. Two stunning upsets Nebraska to their growing list of in early February at the hands losses. of Michigan State and NorthIn an inconsistent game, the western — two unranked teams smaller issues plaguing Michigan — brought Michigan’s champiculminated in a heartbreaking onship hopes into question. And
after a short run at redemption, the Wolverines faltered, falling to Iowa in a final bout for the Big Ten Title this past Sunday. Against Nebraska on Friday, the result was no different. Allowing the Cornhuskers to score 20 points or more in three quarters, Michigan’s defense — which the team has prided itself on all season — broke. The Wolverines’ offense could not execute down the stretch. Their foul trouble allowed Nebraska to make 14 free throws in the second half. “I think our biggest thing is our defense,” senior forward Naz Hillmon said. “I think that that’s one thing that really fueled us early in the season, playing teams with potent offenses.” So the natural question is, what happened? Maybe they peaked at the wrong time. Maybe they rely on Hillmon too much. Maybe their end of season schedule was too difficult. Maybe they needed
senior wing Leigha Brown, who missed time with a lower leg injury, to return much earlier. There’s a million answers — and excuses — to that question. Most are valid concerns the Wolverines must address in the upcoming break between now and their opening game of the NCAA Tournament. After touting their ability to focus on one game at a time, and wanting to be the hardest working team in America, Michigan needs to hone in on its team philosophy now more than ever. As the fate of their NCAA Tournament run hangs in the balance, just as their once possible Big Ten Title once did, it’s time for the Wolverines to be concerned about the issues that have plagued them down the stretch. “I think these last couple games have exposed the attention to detail that we need to have,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “Which we definitely
have been working on, but when everyone’s not out there together, I think it’s really important.” Only proactive solutions based on solving the recurring problems will save Michigan’s season from the clutches of defeat. It’s no longer enough to move forward
hoping the issues will iron themselves out. Or to maintain that things will be OK once Brown comes back to full strength. Or to hope that the defense will finally click. Or that the schedule will get easier. Instead, it’s time to worry.
GRACE BEAL/Daily Michigan lost its opening game in the Big Ten Tournament, leaving cause for concern as the NCAA Tournament looms.
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With Dickinson ill, Michigan mounts comeback to shock Ohio State JOSH TAUBMAN Daily Sports Editor
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OLUMBUS — sometimes, it’s not how you start. The Michigan men’s basketball team walked into the locker room at halftime down by seven, a lifeless offensive performance making its chances to win the game — and make the NCAA Tournament — look bleak. But in the second half, the Wolverines surged. The offense found its footing, and combined with a stellar defensive effort, they garnered the sort of performance they needed to stun the Buckeyes on their home court. Michigan (17-13 overall, 11-9 Big Ten) took down No. 23 Ohio State (19-10, 12-8), 75-69, in its regular season finale, securing a huge resumé boost with Selection Sunday only a week away. “I’m just in awe of the players’ character,” acting head coach Phil Martelli said. “I’m in awe of the support staff’s knowledge.” There was plenty for Martelli to marvel at, especially considering the blow the Wolverines were dealt before the game even began. Just hours before tip, they learned that sophomore center Hunter Dickinson had been ruled out with a stomach ailment. Without Dickinson, Michigan knew it would be nearly impossible to make up the offensive production of its premier player. Instead, it turned to its defense to slow down the Buckeyes. “I believe that when we play as a
team, no matter who’s missing, we’re definitely going to give a challenge to any team that we play,” freshman forward Moussa Diabate said. “We obviously need him, but we did what we needed to do and it worked out.” For much of the first half, that gameplan worked. The Wolverines frustrated Ohio State, generating six steals and eight offensive rebounds to secure extra possessions for an undermanned offense. But Michigan couldn’t cash in on those extra possessions, as it shot a measly 13-for-37 in the first half. The defense fought tooth and nail to keep the game within reach, but late in the first half cracks began to show. The Buckeyes finished the final three minutes on an 8-2 run, giving the Wolverines a 37-30 deficit at the break. A maligned offense now had to pull itself out of an even greater hole. “I was worried,” Martelli said. “Because there had been a little bit too much engagement with the referees. Like we could have come off the court whining about zero foul shots and that kind of thing.” But coming out in the second half, no one panicked. And the shots at last began to fall. Michigan shored up its interior presence while also playing aggressive on offense to tie the game at 39 coming out of the break. Back-to-back triples from graduate guard DeVante’ Jones shortly after helped Michigan surge ahead, proving the Wolverines would not go away quietly. Instead, quietness hung throughout a shell-shocked Value
City Arena. Michigan continued to apply the pressure to Ohio State, raining down threes to take a 58-49 lead into the under-eight timeout. A win that had seemed unattainable at the halftime buzzer was suddenly very much within reach. “I think the biggest thing in the locker room was coming out with energy,” sophomore forward Terrance Williams II said. “…I feel like that was the biggest part — and that we stayed together throughout Ohio State’s run in the end of the first half.” The Buckeyes, though, kept fighting — and the lead at once shrunk. They cut a doubledigit margin to six, and as the clock ticked under four minutes remaining, the Wolverines’ chance to complete the comeback was teetering in the balance. But the resilience Michigan displayed throughout the second half continued to shine through. An emphatic block by Diabate with two-and-a-half minutes to play maintained a two-possession lead for the Wolverines. A clutch three from freshman guard Kobe Bufkin moments later served as the dagger. “(Bufkin) raised up like the ball was going in,” Martelli said. “And not just Kobe, but too many times this year, we’ve had guys raise up and they hope it’s going in. If you’re hoping that a ball is going in, don’t shoot it.” Despite missing its best player, despite an ugly first half, despite the fact a loss would’ve sunk its tournament chances, Michigan found a way to win. For once in this tumultuous season, when the Wolverines needed to do so, they finished.
Gabby Ceritano/Daily | Design by Lys Goldman
The Oxford Edition Our intentions in this edition are to memorialize the events that happened at Oxford High School on November 30, 2021. We want to write these pieces to heal, to be heard, to increase visibility of Oxford and the community’s continued pain, and to uplift the voices of those affected. We also hope to educate and encourage the public to remember this tragedy. We thank you for reading. We thank you for remembering. -The Authors of the Oxford Edition In memory of Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Justin Shilling and Hana St. Juliana.
Teddy bear in the snow BY RILEY HODDER, STATEMENT CORRESPONDENT Content warning: Language about violence, school shooting. November 30, 12:50 p.m. If you asked, I could recall the day, not like it happened yesterday, but like it’s happening now. Like I’m still stuck in that moment. I can smell the crisp air. It’s cold, but not that cold. I walk to class without having to wear my mask to protect my face from the winter wind. I’m on the phone with my friend, walking to class, laughing. We talked about a story I was writing. It was an ordinary, plain day, one I thought I would most likely forget. But I never will. As I put back on my mask and walked to class,
kids an hour and a half away were running. I enter my calculus classroom — room 2353, Mason Hall. I sit in front of the window and I can see the Diag. It still looks like fall, even though it’s late November, nearly December. I smile. Maybe this winter will be light, I think. I get the text not even five minutes into my lecture. It was from my dad: Active shooter at Oxford High School. We have Abbey. Abbey is my younger sister, a sophomore who was at Oxford High School on that cold-but-notcold November afternoon. I didn’t know then, but she was down the hall from the shooter and had crawled out of the window after barricading the door with the rest of her classmates, running to the Meijer around the corner. She was with my parents before I even knew what was happening. It was a relief. My sister was safe. But my best friend wasn’t. Not yet. Her name is Olivia — a senior at Oxford
High School despite only being two months younger than me. I sat there, frozen, ignoring the lecture happening not two feet in front of me. I texted her with shaky fingers. The words I shared with her that day are one of the few things I can’t remember about November 30. Maybe I chose to forget the terror behind everything I said and to forget that feeling I never want to experience again. All I know is that I told her I loved her. I waited for every text, hanging on the bubbles on my screen. Every minute was more agonizing than the last. I knew she had other people to contact, other people to say goodbye to — just in case — but I didn’t know what was happening. What if the words I had sent to her were the last words I’d ever get to say to her? I told her I loved her again. And again. And again, for good measure. I told her I loved her until the police came to her classroom and escorted her out. I told her I loved her until she got to the Meijer parking lot. I told her I loved her until she was back at home with her family. I still can’t believe I’ll be able to say those three words to her again. I came closer to the last time than I’d ever like to. But I knew that others would never be able to say “I love you” again. I knew that my pain was a drop in the ocean that was theirs. I couldn’t fathom it – couldn’t even begin to comprehend it. It was real I lay in my bed. After I left my calculus lecture, far too early, I
Where do we go from here?
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 // The Statement — 2
ILLUSTRATION BY MELIA KENNY PAGE LAYOUT BY SARAH CHUNG met up with my sister. We went to a private place on campus and cried. I called my little sister, Abbey. I didn’t want to hang up. I was terrified she would slip through my fingers like sand, like she almost had. I was wrapped in the fuzziest blanket I had, trying to comfort myself. I had my tissues beside me. My phone was tuned to a local news station. I had watched my high school from the outside many times — often with a sense of dread as I sat in my car in the early morning, before the first-period bell. But this time was different. I watched a drone fly high over the ceilings I knew so well, I saw the parking lot from every angle. Cop cars and ambulances lined the streets. I had spent the last few hours convincing myself that this was all somehow a mistake. I knew there were idiots at my school — I convinced myself that one of them had just crossed the line. That someone, in a sick joke, had brought a BB gun to school and pretended to freak all the students out. I had convinced myself that the terror was only imagined — that my family and my friends were not in any real danger. I shielded myself with that fantasy. It was warmer and more comforting than any blanket in my dorm. But it was all a facade. A facade that was about to be destroyed. The event’s press conference was held in a parking lot — the Meijer parking lot where students were
Read more at MichiganDaily.com ILLUSTRATION BY SERENA SHEN PAGE LAYOUT BY SARAH CHUNG
Moving forward after the Oxford tragedy BY ALYSSA DONOVAN, STATEMENT CONTRIBUTOR Content warning: Mentions of gun violence, school shooting. How could this happen here? Why is my high school, my hometown, in headlines? I felt utter shock and horror seeing my home, which holds the people I love and the places I grew up, plastered across the media on November 30, 2021. I felt a sort of willful ignorance as I anxiously waited to hear from my loved ones at Oxford High
School, terrified to learn of the events that unfolded in those halls. But, nevertheless, I was desperate to know if everyone was safe. Within minutes, the headlines changed: “Active Shooter at Oxford High School” became “3 killed, 8 injured in shooting at Oxford High School.” The moment that disgusting, heinous individual opened fire, my town was forever changed. Within minutes, three lives were lost, several people were injured and a school of students, teachers, staff and administrators were traumatized. The next day, one of the injured victims passed away. Once again, the headlines changed to reflect the new death toll. I could not fathom that this was real — every text from my loved ones, every story from that day, every headline in the news, served as a sobering reminder that this was all real. As soon as resourc-
es appeared to help aid the families of the victims and survivors, I knew I wanted to find a way to help from Ann Arbor. I made an online tool called a ‘linktree’ to consolidate ways to help. And yet, instead of jumping to contribute and spread information, people from outside of Oxford (or those who were not connected to the event) took to social media, flooding it with some of the most awful words I have ever read. Oxford was in mourning. But, rather than recognizing the agonizing losses we had just experienced, strangers on social media were slandering the names of school officials or teachers they did not even know, claiming what they “should” have done or how they failed, as if everyone in that building are not also survivors of this traumatic event. And further, they were posting the face of the murderer on their timeline — an incredibly triggering act for survivors that has the potential to encourage copycat threats. While of course, the internet isn’t real life and staying off social media is often one of the first recommendations after a school shooting occurs, I learned how quickly a town can be tainted by tragedies. My town held a vigil that week for those lost, and there was a panic caused by an attendee fainting. Someone yelled for help, and out of fear, everyone scrambled. My step-father scooped up my little brother and just started running. Survivors of the shooting reliving trauma, people in my town running for their lives, all due to the aftershocks of the
shooting at Oxford. Media outlets present at the vigil were shoving cameras in the faces of mourning people, sobbing people — the vigil was only one of the many places that media outlets asserted their invasive presence. *** Once the initial shock wore off and I had taken the time to begin coping with the events of November 30, I realized that this tragedy took place after a devastating number of precedents. In March 2018, a group of Oxford High School students held a walkout in solidarity with the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students. After we walked out, we held a vigil with 17 minutes of silence: one minute to acknowledge each victim of the Parkland school shooting. I remember helping to hold the pictures of some of the victims, looking at their innocent faces and then lifting them up for the crowd to acknowledge each life that was taken by the senseless act of violence on February 14, 2018. I silently reflected on this day this past December, as I drove home to Oxford from Ann Arbor to attend a memorial service for one of the Oxford victims. The silence was eerie as I drove past “Pray for Oxford” billboards and posters, the air growing denser as I reached closer to my home. I live on a
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3 — Wednesday, March 9, 2022 // The Statement
What they don’t talk about BY PAIGE HODDER, MANAGING EDITOR Content warning: Mentions of gun violence, school shooting. I grew up in Oxford, Michigan. For better or worse, this town is my hometown. I used to complain about how boring it was, how nothing ever happened. We all did. God, how I wished that hadn’t changed. On Nov. 30, 2021, an Oxford High School student brought a gun to school and opened fire, injuring 11 people and killing four students. The events of this tragedy took place in under 10 minutes. Within those minutes, my baby sister and the rest of her chemistry class were ushered out the window and down the
street to safety. Luck feels like the wrong way to describe her relationship with these events; she was not lucky to be merely classrooms away from such violence. But I was able to go home and hug my sister that night, when an unforgivable number of families were not able to do the same. Their loss is one I cannot fathom, and one I will not try to claim or portray through my words. *** As an American public school student, school shootings, with such precedents as Sandy Hook and Parkland, are no longer surprises. But they all leave their impact on us. Each time, I mourned for the losses and felt close to the pain of the loss of those students. After the Parkland shooting, which took 17 lives, many other students at OHS and I gathered before school to honor and grieve those lost. Splattered across the news and social media, it is easy to feel like you understand the impact,
the reverberations of these sorts of events. I never quite expected a school shooting to happen in my community, and I naively thought I had an idea of what it would mean to experience it personally. I was wrong. Plenty has been said about those 10 minutes, and even more about the events leading up to them. Far less has been said about what happened to our community afterwards, but it is something that often comes up in conversation with my family. Throughout the weeks and many conversations with my sister, we have come to see patterns in the often ignored feelings and moments, and these are what I want to share with you. *** They don’t talk about what it means to experience a tragedy as a community. Minutes after it was announced in the press conference that three people, students, children, had died, I began making calls. In the dim light of my apartment, the blinds drawn and my roommate held close, it still didn’t quite feel real. Scrolling through Instagram and my contacts list, I placed calls to any name I recognized from high school. To anyone and everyone that I could get ahold of who had family or friends in our high school. One of the first people I called was a girl I had known since kindergarten but hadn’t spoken to for over a year since leaving for college. We were friends in the way kids are in a small town; we grew up together yet were never that close.
A love letter to Oxford BY MCKENZIE MILLER, STATEMENT CONTRIBUTOR Content warning: Mentions of gun violence, school shooting. When I first met my dorm floormates my freshman year, the interaction was a flurry of quick introductions on a few predictable topics. When the conversation inevitably arrived at “Where are you from?” I was shocked to find that almost all of the girls did not like their hometown. They shared a variety of negative sentiments about their high school, neighborhood or the people in their town — and collectively agreed that they were happy to leave it all behind. They were relishing their mutual hatred for their former lives so much that I actually began to feel left out — because I loved my hometown. I love my hometown. Oxford, Michigan, was the best town to grow up in. Every place has its pitfalls and shortcomings, but I’ve always felt like Oxford consisted mainly of good people and a supportive community. Teachers remember your name years after you’ve been their student; they also recognize your siblings right when they walk into the classroom. Our coaching staff is full of Oxford alumni who came back after successful college and professional careers to give back to the programs that gave them their start. A large portion of my friends’ parents and my teachers were Oxford graduates, and now raise their families there. Tome,Oxfordhasalwaysbeenasafeplacetoreturn
to, and I know that a lot of people would echo that sentiment. I have always been proud to call Oxford my home, the kind of place where you can go to the homecoming game and see all of your teachers, coaches and extended family members coming out to reunite and support the school. The restaurants and stores downtown would close for parades, cater events and host fundraisers for school programs. The administration and other staff members would subject themselves to falling in dunk tanks or getting smacked with pies in the face for our charity events, and were front and center playing games at our pep assemblies. The Ddean of Sstudents knew almost everyone by name, and there wasn’t one teacher who wouldn’t open up their classroom for a student at lunch if they needed extra help with work, or even just some quiet time alone.
While I certainly do not claim that Oxford is a perfect school or community, I am proud to be from this place that fosters so many wonderful things; this feeling has only grown stronger following recent events. Reflecting on that long-ago “hometown talk” I encountered innumerable times during move-in weekend, I remember that when I said I was from Oxford, Michigan, the only responses were a bunch of blank looks and “where’s that” comments, even from the girls who were also from Michigan. For my first few years at U-M, that was how it went; unless they were from the immediate surrounding area, most people didn’t recognize the name. Of course, now it’s a different story. After the events of November 30, everyone has heard of Oxford — on every news channel, trending on Twitter and Instagram under the hashtag #OxfordStrong for weeks after the event. It’s such an odd feeling to go from having no one think twice when you say where you’re from to suddenly facing a
ILLUSTRATION BY TAMARA TURNER PAGE LAYOUT BY SARAH CHUNG “Hey.” Her voice wavered as she accepted the call. “Kyle?” Her brother. Tears falling down my face, I couldn’t bring myself to ask. “He’s fine, he’s OK,” she sobbed. “Abbey?” My little sister. “She’s OK, she’s OK.” The sobs overwhelmed us both. What stands out most about this call — a moment I have often thought about since — is our parting words. “Paige?” she asked, still hoarse, voice quiet. I remember being huddled like a ball on the couch, hunched tight around my phone. “Yeah?” “I love you,” she said, much stronger now, adamant. “I love you too,” I said, pushing as much feeling as I could into the words. Driving home that night, I would call many more people who I hadn’t spoken to in years. College had caused us to drift apart, but one moment had yanked us back together, the shared trauma taut like a string between us. It was a pain that stretched between us, an unimaginable pain, but it was one we shared. These bonds stretched from the physical into the digital realm, too. For days, weeks, the tragedy overwhelmed my social media feed. But, more than the activism or awareness I expected, there were posts meant to support the community.
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ILLUSTRATION BY ERIN SHI PAGE LAYOUT BY SARAH CHUNG variety of responses: pity, sadness, shock and even no acknowledgement at all. A few weeks ago, I was talking with my little sister, a sophomore at Oxford this year. She noted that, following the event, it was strange going to her travel volleyball practices with her teammates from other schools, sensing that they were all looking at her and thinking about it the whole time. She also told me that even now she feels hesitant to say where she is from because she doesn’t know how other people will react. Despite this, we both agree that, although sharing the nameofourhometowncarriesadifferentweightnow, it is still one packed with love, pride and resilience. In these past few months, the community of Oxford has done a lot of healing, aided by a surplus of support locally, statewide and nationally. Surrounding schools and organizations have hosted fundraisers, craftedapparelemblazonedwiththe“OxfordStrong” slogan, sent gift baskets to teachers and students (according to my sister) and made donations to many of the GoFundMe pages that were created. Troy High School even did a charity week to help Oxford fund its prom and other student activities. At the college and professional level, the Oxford block O with four hearts (in honor of the four students whose lives were lost) could be seen adorning jerseys and T-shirts. During
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Wednesday, March 9, 2022 // The Statement — 4
Drawing by Barrett Dolata, a survivor of the Oxford High School shooting
Resources to Support Oxford 42Strongtate.org - Help continue Tate’s Legacy cfound.org - Tate Myre Memorial Scholarship gofund.me/c3e2a796 - Help Oxford Community Schools Get 5 Therapy Dogs tinyurl.com/5abksvbf - Help Kylie’s Family with Financial Costs tinyurl.com/y64yzp8v - Help Eli’s Family with Financial Costs tinyurl.com/4ecsf9ut - Help Aidan’s Family with Finanical Costs gofundme.com/f/vpdt8p-for-phoebe - Help Pheobe’s Family with Financial Costs