The Forum March 2021 Edition

The Forum is the official student newspaper at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The Forum is funded in part by the student activity fee; members of the UALR community are allowed one copy per edition. The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the staff and contributing writers and do not represent the official views of UALR. The Forum is published 7 times in each of the fall and spring semesters. The Forum editor can be reached at editor@ualr.edu. All material published in this newspaper is copyrighted.

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Opinions

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COVID-19 BREAKS SPRING BREAK

How are students handling a pandemic spring break?

BY AZALEA ANDRADE

The pandemic has affected a lot of people’s lives in various ways. For students, their college experience has been virtually non-existent due to online classes and the cancelation of on-campus events. Spring break is a big deal for students because it is a time to get away for a while and do something fun with friends. However, COVID19 has hindered many students’ plans.

Gage Pipkin, a junior at UA Little Rock, didn’t have many plans previous to COVID-19. However, he might still go out of town.

“I didn’t plan anything because of COVID,” said Pipkin. “I was contemplating going to the beach because I’ve worked there over the summer, but due to everything going on and not trying to go many places, I just told my parents I may come home to say hi.”

Mikayla Stertmann, a freshman, had COVID-19 put a damper on her plans.

“One of the main people that

wanted to go [on our trip], her parents said no because of COVID-19, and they didn’t know the house we were going to, so that sucks,” said Stertmann.

A typical vacation college students take is spring break at the beach but many will not be doing that because of the pandemic. There are other more safe activities that can still keep with the Center for Disease and Control guidelines.

Susan Schade, a graduate student, is going to use this time to relax and plan ahead due to her graduating in May.

“My plans for spring break are to rest, work on my research and wait to hear back on a job,” said Schade. “I may try to go hiking, so I may have to take precautions for that activity.”

The natural state has a lot to offer when it comes to outdoor activities such as lakes, hiking, parks and more. Having these options is vital especially during this pandemic because it allows you to be active while still enjoying

yourself in a safe manner. Vaccines are rolling around Arkansas but many college students might be the last to be eligible so opting out of spring break plans seems to be the safest option for UA Little Rock students.

Some students, like senior Jasmine Pugh, are trying to see the positive side of this pandemic.

“[COVID-19] hasn’t really had an effect on any plans for me,” said Pugh. “I was actually able to accomplish a lot more due to [the pandemic]. I’m looking forward to protecting my craft and exploring my options in different fields.”

Regardless of plans or no plans, some UA Little Rock students are hoping that those who are moving on with their normal plans are either vaccinated or are being responsible for their actions.

“I feel like we live in a state of constant rule-bending,” said Pipkin. “It really is up to people what they feel comfortable with and what their safety standard is. I don’t really blame anyone. It’s more

are [they] acting and doing things in a responsible way.”

Schade is staying home with her family and relaxing, but similar to Pipkin, she hopes people can take their precautions because she does understand that the vaccine isn’t the end all be all.

“When it comes to regular plans for others I just hope they are being smart,” said Schade. “If they do have the vaccine, people can still get sick if too many people are together.”

Stertmann understands that some situations are more acceptable than others when in public during a pandemic.

“It depends,” said Stertmann. “If it is a friend group you hang out with all the time and you go out and have a trip, that’s fine. Now if it’s going to a party with multiple people you don’t know, no, I do not agree with that.”

The world has been indoors for too long and most are itching to get out and travel. If that is your plan, be as safe as possible to try

and slow the spread of COVID-19. For those deciding to stay home or don’t have extensive travel plans, hopefully, you find peace in knowing that the spread is slowing down. It is important to find positivity within every little win that you can achieve.

“Having these options is vital especially during this pandemic because it allows you to be active while still enjoying yourself in a safe manner.”

BY DESI KELLY

This month, the Diversity Council at UA Little Rock organized numerous virtual events to celebrate diversity. I enjoyed each of the virtual events that I attended and was able to gather valuable information.

While attending these virtual events, I realized that the topic of diversity has a lot more depth than I thought. After doing further research I discovered that there are many segments of diversity such as gender, religion and ethnicity. For instance, with transgender people feeling more comfortable as themselves, it has shifted the norm of gender identification around the world. A non-binary or transgender identification option will most likely become a permanent gender selection option on applications and legal documentation in the near future.

Furthermore, there are many religions around the world that have different physical expressions of God. Some of these religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Yoruba, Santeria etc. Another person’s different version of God could be seen as the devil to another, which is why the diversity of religion is being revolutionized. The world is constantly evolving, making ethnic diversity a popular demand. Despite our different shades of skin tones, we are all human and breathe the same oxygen. In other words, all ethnics

groups are diverse and have a unique history, nobody is better than the other. While the UA Little Rock racial diversity is high, due to the absence of a non-binary or transgender selection option on UALR admission applications, the gender diversity is low. According to College Simply, UALR racial demographics are 52% White, 27% Black, 7% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% international and 9% two or more races. Whereas, the gender demographics at UALR are simply 62% women and 38% men. As I stated before, the world is rapidly evolving each decade. Therefore, there will most likely be an increase in UALR’s racial and gender demographics throughout the next few decades.

UA Little Rock’s Diversity Council was established to make a change and create a diverse community on campus. It is interesting to know what the Diversity Council will do to expand diversity on campus for the next ten to twenty years. In addition, the Diversity Council has a “Live & Learn” series that addresses diversity topics. To share topics about diversity like religion or ethnicity, you must fill out a form online and the Diversity Council will contact you. Also, if you would like to become a member of the Diversity Council or want to nominate someone, the deadline to send a letter to the chancellor is April 1st.

DIVERSITY MONTH AT UALR

BY REMINGTON MILLER

UA Little Rock provides free counseling services to students, but with Therapy Assistance Online, TAO, they hope to reach more members of the UA Little Rock community.

The program is an entirely online resource that can be used for self-help or with a counselor to supplement sessions or add to them. Counselors at UA Little Rock are pushing clients to use this in order to get the best help possible.

Director of Health Services and Counseling Services, Dr. Mike Kirk, described the grant work that went into purchasing this resource for UA Little Rock. When he was approached about writing the grant in 2018, he was only the director of counseling services. They didn’t get the grant in 2018 and were surprised to receive it after all this time.

Kirk chose TAO after he met the director of counseling at the University of Florida. The University of Florida was overwhelmed with requests for counseling sessions that the university was unable to meet. Even hiring new counselors was not a solution. There was not enough of a budget to hire enough counselors to meet the needs of the university.

“She realized she could not hire her way out of it,” Kirk said. “There was a waitlist of sometimes three weeks to a month to get in to see a

counselor.”

The United Health Foundation released America’s Health Rankings data for 2020 that states, “While the majority of the population (70%) lives in close proximity to a mental health treatment facility (less than 10 miles), mental health provider shortages remain common.”

Within a pandemic, it is even harder to access resources, especially mental health resources that are already in high demand. The United Health Foundation also stated that increasing the use of telemedicine might help populations cope with this mental health provider shortage.

Kirk said TAO at UA Little Rock is, “a way to provide online resources for our students that might be beyond what we could possibly provide with our limited staff. Or, to supplement the work counselors can do when they are working with our students.”

Aresh Assadi, assistant director of counseling services, described the perks of TAO. It allows more control of the subject matter and can be done at their own pace. TAO also allows safe video-conferencing between counselors and clients.

“People can go in on their own time and listen to different videos on different subject matters that they might be dealing with on their own time,” Assadi said. “That will make it easier for them.”

For UA Little Rock students there is no need for an enrollment key as long as the user signs up using their UA Little Rock email. Students, staff, faculty, and alumni of UA Little Rock who still have access to and use their UA Little Rock email can access TAO.

Assadi said that TAO allows counseling services to make groups. If any group on campus or student organization is interested in a group where all members can work together on TAO, Assadi urges leaders to get in contact with counseling services. Any member of the group can email counselingservices@ualr.edu.

“We would be happy to touch base with them and create programming just for them with their own enrollment key,” Assadi said.

Assadi and Kirk encourage students to follow @ualrwellness on Instagram to receive more information about resources that UA Little Rock Counseling Services is providing.

To access more information about TAO or register for TAO, UA Little Rock students can go to https://ualr.edu/counseling/tao/. There is no need to be referred to TAO by a counselor, it is open, free and accessible to all members of the UA Little Rock Community.

UA Little Rock Increasing Counseling Outreach with TAO

How this new online mental health platform could really help students

Lifting the Mask Mandate: Is it Too Soon?

BY MADDIE BECKER

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced on Feb. 26 that the state's COVID-19 directives will now be considered "guidance" which do not carry penalties for businesses or individuals.

He also announced Arkansas' mask mandate will end on March 31 if the state reached certain goals.

The new order changes the directives into "guidance" which he defined as a "strong recommendation." At the news conference, he and Health Secretary Dr. Jose Romero said they don’t expect Arkansans behavior to change, as mask-wearing, hand washing and

social distancing is still necessary.

On CNN’s ‘State of the Union,’ Hutchinson said goals announced in February to lift the mask mandate, which include the 7-day rolling average of testing positivity rate remains below 10 percent after an average of 7,500 people tested daily, or fewer than 750 hospitalizations, are being met and he believes the mask requirement will be lifted.

"You can't keep directives in place forever," Hutchinson said. "This gives us a safe path to move forward following the guidelines. And if a business believes that they can keep their customers safe and

their employees safe and they want to tweak it ... then there's more flexibility."

Former UA Little Rock student, Jeffery Huber said the way Gov. Hutchinson has handled the pandemic is the best job he’s done since he’s been in office. “He’s put together a really smart team to surround and advise him,” he said.

When asked how he thinks business will handle the restriction being lifted he responded, “People need to understand that each business has the right to require you to wear a mask.”

He said he doesn’t think the restriction being lifted will set

An Overview of ‘Black Feelings’ by Dr. Lisa Corrigan

BY PAYTON DHOOGE

Dr. Lisa Corrigan gave her online lecture on Anti-Blackness, Social Feelings and Public Policy: 19542020 this month. Sponsored by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Coopers Honors Program in the English Department, in her introduction, Dr. Corrigan gives insight into how the book was written as a response to white critics who rejected her initial idea of a book written over black activists.

She gave an overview of her thesis during the lecture.

“Black feelings traces the surging optimism of the Kennedy administration through the black power era’s powerful circulation of black pessimism," Corrigan said. "To understand how black feelings were a terrain of political struggle for lack meaning, representation, and political agency.”

Essentially, it describes the disappointment Black communities felt about not truly being equal and how the response was Black power.

Chapter one, "Postwar Feelings"

looks at John F. Kennedy and his lack of hope for the black community but immense optimism for the white communities.

Chapter two, "Contouring Black Hope and Despair" covers Martin Luther King Jr’s critique of the Kennedy administration in the Birmingham campaign. The white hope promised and waiting for progress is what was stalling real social progress.

Chapter three, "American Negritude" is about Malcolm X and his importance to Black power as he used his rage (not aggression) to argue against racism.

Chapter four, "Feeling Riots" as infers is about the riots in the late 1960s. In response to a question about how similar the 1960’s riots are to the recent Black Lives Matter protests, Dr. Corrigan describes them as the same. There remains a misreading of rebellion as the destruction of property instead of outrage over social issues and injustice.

Chapter five, "Mourning King" covers the assassination of MLK and the national trauma that followed. Essentially, the shift from black optimism to black pessimism.

Chapter six, "Revolutionary Suicide" is an autobiography by Huey Newton who was a co-founder of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. The chapter covers the autobiography and Newton’s importance to the movement.

Chapter seven, "The Obama Coalition" brings us to 2008 where Barack Obama ran on hope. Dr. Corrigan’s book covers the effect different political figures have had on the African-American community and how they have been disappointed over and over with the prospect of hope that never leads to real progress.

Arkansas back in the progress made since the pandemic started last March.

Veronica Lindsey, a senior from Philander Smith has a different take on the proposal. “I feel the governor is a little more relaxed than he should be with the mask mandate,” Lindsey said. “In my opinion, it is still a little too early to let individuals walk around or go into various businesses without a mask on because the coronavirus is still prevalent and a big concern to many individuals around the world and even in this state.”

Lindsey said that she thinks the restriction being lifted will set us

back in our progress.

“The cases are still high and prevalent in Arkansas, and everyone has not been allowed to receive the vaccination yet,” Lindsey said. “Even though we will be able to go out without a mask, I will continue to wear mine until I feel more comfortable being without it in a public setting.”

On March 24, a week before the mask mandate is expected to be lifted, Arkansas had 231 new positive cases and 172 active hospitalizations.

CONNECTING FROM AFAR: LAUREN WILSON BRINGS IMPROVEMENT TO MULTICULTURAL CENTER

BY MAGNOLIA RISLEY

Before she became Assistant Director of the Multicultural Center for UA Little Rock, Lauren Wilson was an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas. She knows what college life is like for students of color at a school that lacks diversity, and that is what drives her in the improvements she is bringing here.

Wilson appreciates that UA Little Rock is diverse, but no university is perfect.

“The Multicultural Center is important not only to provide programs and safe spaces for students of color who haven’t found a place on campus yet,” Wilson said. “But it also provides educational programming to teach about other cultures. Come learn something you didn’t learn before, come meet someone with a different perspective… We don’t just provide support, but also education to engage people [to meet peers] they wouldn’t have met otherwise.”

As an undergraduate at Fayetteville, Ark., Wilson participated in mentor programs and valued connecting with others. The program there paired freshmen with upperclassmen and allowed students who endured similar experiences and practiced similar cultures to automatically connect.

“Everything came full circle,” Wilson said, as she has been working to improve SADI or the Student Affairs Diversity Initiatives, to make the program more successful and able to help more people.

“I learned I had a passion for mentoring as a graduate student and as a teacher,” Wilson said. “Forming mentor relationships with students came naturally, so that revitalizes SADI. I hope to provide similar experiences [that

I had] to UA Little Rock students.”

Wilson taught 10th grade English after receiving her undergraduate degree, then came to UA Little Rock to work in higher education at the Ottenheimer Library as a student support and training specialist. Wilson helped students, faculty and staff learn about the services and technology that the library provides.

Wilson was not aware that she could finish her graduate degree here until she connected with the graduate department and learned that her credits from a previous graduate program would transfer.

That’s when she met Dr. Mia Phillips, who had just started working as the director of the Multicultural Center. Wilson became her graduate assistant and the rest is history.

“I [have been] really fortunate to connect with the people at UA Little Rock, and that’s why I was drawn to stay here,” Wilson said.

She knew after being a graduate assistant in the Multicultural Center that it was the perfect area of higher education for her to work in. She started full time in her current position in December of 2020.

Wilson recommends that students get involved in “everything on campus, but definitely SADI.”

SADI partners a freshman student with both an upperclassman mentor and a professional mentor, as well as Wilson herself. That way, every student has a support group behind their endeavors, not just one person.

“The goal of SADI is to provide students with a team,” Wilson said. “We let them know about events and opportunities, and they have a community even though we haven’t gathered in person. We see the same faces and names virtually… It [creates] a space where you

know that you have folks you can reach out to if you’re struggling.”

The Multicultural Center also hosts “First Fridays.” These sessions are currently being held over Zoom on the first Friday of every month, and they are open for anyone to attend. They will be in person at the Multicultural Center on the second floor of the Ottenheimer Library once COVID19 restrictions are lifted on campus.

“First Fridays” often have a theme, from mental health to how to become a resident assistant.

“We get UA Little Rock faculty and staff to speak on topics they are familiar with,” Wilson said.

First Fridays are more than educational. They are a space for regular conversations where students can discuss their feelings.

“We provide a space for people to get things off their chest,” she said.

The Multicultural Center also hosts “Reality Checks,” where students learn about life skills from financial literacy to self-care. This programming takes place on the third Thursday of each month.

The Multicultural Center recently hosted Black History Month activities in February and is hosting Diversity Month activities during the month of March.

“I [am] so happy to collaborate with students, faculty, and staff to put forth the effort for amazing programming,” Wilson said. “We started meeting back in December 2020 to pull together different departments and student organizations, and we’ve been hearing some really awesome feedback.”

SADI student mentors Kayla Maxwell and Lakendra Mackey value what the Multicultural Center has added to their college

experience.

“What I can tell from this first semester working with my group is that they will provide an amazing, unconditional support team [to each other],” Maxwell said. “I feel so comfortable with the staff and other mentors being open about my college experience. I know that this is the start of a lifelong relationship.”

Both mentors have been checking in with their mentees virtually.

“Like many things during the time of COVID-19, this has taught me how to connect with people from afar,” Maxwell said. “I have never met any of my mentees in person, but when I first introduced myself, I was open [about] who I am and what I like to do. It has taught me to expand my horizons and not be afraid to open up.”

Mackey was pleasantly surprised at the tasks that being a SADI mentor entailed.

“I became a mentor because I thought it would be easy… but it’s not like that at all. I am worried about my mentees when they reach out to me [with] something bothering them,” Mackey said. “I am deeply invested in them having a good college experience. I don’t want them to drop out for any reasons that could have an easy solution that they might not see.”

While they are both helping their mentees, the Multicultural Center and Lauren Wilson are helping them.

“Ms. Lauren Wilson kept me in touch with reality… the whole Multicultural Center has continually encouraged and cheered me on during this pandemic,” Mackey said. “I was able to walk out in faith, knowing that I would have genuine support regardless of the outcome. Even when I am no lon-

ger a student here, I feel that people I encounter will always be rooting for me, and I will be for them.”

Both students recommend that others get involved.

“When I saw the opportunity to join the team that Ms. Wilson was heading, I took a leap of faith and started something new despite my nerves and it was honestly a great decision that I don’t regret one bit,” Maxwell said. “I am not afraid to get out and do more on campus. I believe the Multicultural Center had a lot to do with that.”

Mackey is proud of how many different groups of students can interact through the Multicultural Center.

“The point is, we have workshops that make us all interact, connect, and make lasting friendships,” Mackey said. “I can see how someone from a different culture feels about a topic that does not seem important to me but is to them. It can open my eyes to their plight.”

More information about the Multicultural Center can be found on their social media pages, @ UALRMC on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. They are also hoping to develop a TikTok in the near future.

“We are here for all students, reach out and let us know how we can help you,” Wilson encouraged. “If we need to connect you with other departments, [we can]. We have a nice physical space that people can come into... Holla at us! We can find someone to talk to you.”

THE ARKANSANS’ FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19

BY DANIELLE SPENCE

On Feb. 27th, Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield and their community partners organized a COVID-19 Vaccination Event at Arkansas Blue Cross North Little Rock Campus. This event was just one segment of the 'Vaccinate the Natural State' initiative, sponsored and led by Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, whose mission is to educate, engage and encourage locals to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

During the Feb. 27th event, almost 50 volunteers from the various community partners worked the drive-through clinic. They surpassed their goal by vaccinating almost 550 people. The event for the second dose was held Mar. 20th.

"It was truly a community effort," said Dr. Creshelle Nash, M.D., Medical Director of Public Programs for Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield. Dr. Nash went on to say that "Arkansas Blue Cross has been involved in more than 35 COVID-19 vaccination events since the first vaccine arrived in Arkansas just a few months ago." There are 33 future events scheduled, joining the hundreds of events throughout Arkansas that are listed on the Arkansas Department of Health's website.

"There is a lot of misinformation that we hope to correct through 'Vaccinate the Natural State,'" said Dr. Nash. "The health of our communities relies on every eligible Arkansan getting the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available to them. Vaccinations offer our best path for eliminating the virus, ending the suffering,

and starting the process of returning our lives back to some sense of normal. The organizations that have come together to fuel this movement represent best-of-class knowledge coupled with connected networks that can ensure the word gets out that Vaccinate the Natural State can be life-changing for all of us."

Regarding vaccines at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Sharon Ann Downs, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, and W. Cody Decker, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Chief Data Officer, have released a statement as of Mar. 25th about the ways that students can receive the vaccine, including an on-campus vaccination clinic and an off-campus vaccination option. According to the release, "Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson has opened COVID19 vaccination phase 1-C," which includes students "who reside in campus housing" and students "who have a condition that puts them at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19." Cornerstone Pharmacy, who is a partner of Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, will be administrating the vaccine to residential students at UA Little Rock on Apr. 5th at DSC Ledbetter Rooms.

Students may sign up for the vaccination and future vaccinations through a portal from the release. As Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield, their community partners and UA Little Rock work together to provide and administer vaccines to Arkansans, you too can do your part by educating, engaging and encouraging one another to join the fight against COVID-19.

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

Women’s History Month: Celebrating women who are making a real difference

BY AZALEA ANDRADE

Women’s History Month celebrations date back to 1978 when it started as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. Eventually, in 1980, the fight for this celebration to become nationwide was successfully lobbied and thenPresident Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8, 1980, as National Women’s History Week.

There were multiple resolutions that were passed between 1988 and 1994, and since 1995, it officially became a month of honoring women that have made contributions to the United States and to recognize all wonderful and impactful women.

During Women’s History Month, we honor all women who have made a positive change within their industries and other people’s life. All over the country, there are impactful women at all levels and Little Rock is no exception.

Lena Moore is the chief development officer at the Baptist Foundation who works every day to ensure pragmatic progress for Arkansas. Her journey was one of perseverance but also chances.

Coming from Malvern, a small town in Arkansas, a lot of her leadership skills and development came from sports as she had a fullride scholarship playing basketball at Henderson State University.

“It wasn’t really a well-planned journey,” said Moore. “It was a journey of opportunities and chances that just came up along the way. I actually learned a lot of my skills through team sports. I learned a lot about how important it is to know your role. I learned a lot about how to lead and then I learned a lot on how to follow because you have to do both.”

Pamela Freeman is an elementary principal in Little Rock who thrives in her role as an educator and leader and strives for equity within the education system. She started her journey in education after graduating with an elementary education degree from the

University of Central Arkansas.

She taught for three years and decided to become a business owner. After 10 years in that industry, she realized that there was more to the educational journey she wanted to explore and eventually acquired two master’s degrees, one from UCA and one from Arkansas Tech University in educational leadership.

“I went back into teaching and ended up working for a female principal that saw some leadership qualities in me,” said Freeman. “She encouraged me to pursue a degree in library media, so I went back to UCA and got a master’s degree.”

Many times women have to show up twice as much or work twice as hard as their male counterparts to achieve similar positions of power or goals, especially as mothers. However, the balance that comes from motherhood and professional life is one to be proud of.

“I am definitely proud to be able to be a mother but also to be a leader in the workplace,” said Moore. “There is something about mother guilt and balancing the two, and it is not easy, but I am proud that I am able to get up every day and start the day knowing I got another chance to get it right and be okay with that.”

Freeman felt that while running her own business, she had the opportunity to be very present during the developmental years of her son.

“I loved being self-employed,” said Freeman. “A really cool part about that was when I had my son, I took him to work with me, so I was able to work but still be a mom too, so that was a blessing.”

Both Moore and Freeman have had their struggles but their experiences have made them wiser and they share a few words of advice for young women seeking leadership positions in any industry.

“Always speak up, have a voice in the room, and don’t be afraid to,” said Moore. “When you approach anything with observation and

with a listening ear, you will probably be able to gain way more than you would if you walked in with a loud voice.”

“You have to know what your core values are, who you are,” said Freeman. “[You have to] lean into those as you lead so that you’re authentic to who you are...and that we believe our voice is valuable regardless of who’s in the room.”

Female empowerment is vital to the betterment and progress of this country; there is an understanding that in order to be stronger and fight for equality, working together is the best way to start. Women’s History Month is a great time to focus on that and continuously try to make an effort for extraordinary chances within our country.

“Because I value working as a team,” said Freeman. “I always say I don’t have to be the smartest person in the room, I just had to bring all the smart people with me. I like to make sure that that room is diverse and surrounding yourself with other strong women...and knowing who your support group is, is valuable as a leader.”

“I am very proud that women are starting to find their voice,” said Moore. “We are starting to appreciate who we are, even our imperfections and I think that is something that we often as women try to hide that we are imperfect because we feel like we are already judged before we walk [into a room] as being as such. There is some confidence that you gain in knowing that I am not perfect and it is okay.”

A woman in leadership brings diversity within an organization as well as a different perspective. Because this country is a melting pot, women’s voices should be as recognized just as much as a man’s. Women’s rights matter and this country can only progress when there is a mutual goal in mind.

“I do love that it seems like women are doing more to build each other up in this day in time than we have in the past,” said Moore. “There is definitely strength in that.”

DR. CHARLES BOLTON WINS LITERARY PRIZE

BY REMINGTON MILLER

Dr. Charles Bolton opened his email during a quarantine day, taking a break from research and spending time with his family to see an email about his book. He was excited to receive the news that his book, “Fugitivism: Escaping Slavery in the Lower Mississippi Valley, 1820-1860” had won an award.

Bolton, who is professor emeritus of history at UA Little Rock, was surprised as he had won this award once before in 1999. The Booker Worthen Literacy Prize was originally awarded to the best books in nonfiction that were history-related to Arkansas. Now, the literacy prize is given to the best published book by an Arkansan.

“I was particularly excited,” said Bolton, “to win a prize that applied to all Arkansans and was open to fiction and nonfiction. That’s a really big deal for me.”

His book focuses on the topic of being a fugitive and escaping slavery. He got this idea when he was working on other research for the National Park Service. He found that he was interested in runaway slave advertisements, especially how slave owners were portraying these advertisements as wanting to get their property back.

“Fugitivism: Escaping Slavery in the Lower Mississippi Valley, 1820-1860” was a project that took Bolton eight to nine years to write.

He was working on it before he retired from UA Little Rock in 2009.

The book was published Aug. 22 2019 by the University of Arkansas Press. He strived to make his book as full of information as possible but also wanted to avoid making it too technical. Bolton described the book.

“What I was trying to do,” said Bolton, “was write a book that would appeal to a broad segment

A POT OF GOLD IN LITTLE ROCK

Celebrating St. Patricks Day in Little Rock during COVID-19

BY DESI KELLY

When you think of St. Patrick’s Day, you may think of all the times you’ve been pinched for not wearing the color green, ouch! You may even suddenly get the urge to binge watch the “Leprechaun” series on Hulu or go to your local grocery store to purchase a box of General Mills “Lucky Charms." Be that as it may, the history of St. Patrick’s Day is more than what’s shown on television and advertising brands.

St. Patrick’s Day is a popular legend about St. Patrick, a patron saint of Ireland who died on March 17th in the year 493. Legend says, St. Patrick rid Ireland of snakes and was a popular missionary that traveled north and west of Ireland. St. Patrick has been seen as a savior who brought good fortune to

of the population who might be interested in not only AfricanAmerican issues but racial justice... at the same time you have to write a book that will be accepted by professional historians.”

He hoped his book would be able to enter the conversations about race that are happening today. Bolton tried to denounce the myth that most escaped slaves ran to the north. Escaped slaves escaped for a variety of reasons.

“Lots of times they wanted to go to a city," Bolton said. "People in the lower Mississippi Valley escaped to go to New Orleans. I mean they’re just like me and you. They’re attracted to cities.”

The book received positive reviews and is now the winner of the Booker Worthen Literacy Prize. Bolton enjoyed the positive parts of writing, like spending time learning and researching new topics and new places. He described how

Ireland for centuries, which is why the St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock symbolism is associated with good luck.

Franciscan Scholar, Luke Wadding, made certain that St. Patrick’s date of death would become a feast in the Catholic Church. Although it began in Ireland as a feast for St. Patrick’s death, St. Patrick’s Day is now a global festival that is also celebrated in Arkansas. The pot of gold at the end of Ireland's rainbow is the Irish Culture Society of Arkansas (ICSA). The ICSA is a non-profit organization that provides Irish food, art, folklore festivals, and concerts of Irish music and dance.

The Irish Culture Society of Arkansas is hosting its fun and free 21st Annual St.Patrick's day parade at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, March 13, 2022. The event will feature

much easier technology makes research. The accessibility makes it easier to find information about the topics he was interested in. There are more learning opportunities now than before.

Bolton gave advice to students that are interested in academic research and writing.

"Take all the courses, professors want you to write," Bolton said. "The history department you now have at UA Little Rock is as good now as it ever has been.”

He continued, “If you want to write, you’ve got to write. Work with the best people you can work with. Look for people who are going to give you solid criticism, you have to learn to accept that. It’s not that your critics are always going to be right. But, your stuff is going to be better if you do.”

musical and dance performances, which will be like a breath of fresh air after being contained indoors due to COVID-19. If you need volunteer work experience to enhance your resume, good luck has bestowed upon you. The ICSA is looking for volunteers to assist with its annual parade such as float decorating, sound equipment set up, and much more.

Don’t forget to order your green outfit for the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day parade in Little Rock! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

“If you want to write, you have got to write.”

EAT BEAT

A review of Little Rock local restaurants and cafes by Magnolia Risley

HURRAHS FOR ZAZA’S

Zaza’s is an Arkansas pizza gem, tucked off Kavanaugh Blvd. Though it has its own parking lot and guests do not have to worry about parallel parking, much of the lot is reserved for pickup orders, so parking in front of the restaurant, if guests plan to dine in, is close to impossible. This is a good option for guests who are more cautious with the pandemic, though.

Upon entering the restaurant, the line to order food is sectioned off from the gelato section into two different lines. Social distancing stickers on the floor help guide guests through the line, but when I visited during a Monday lunch rush, there were quite a few people in the restaurant and social distancing was difficult. Despite being in a rush, the staff was friendly and patient with hearing me through a mask and the glass partition. It is good to visit a place that encourages employees to be cheerful.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is welcoming and unique, with wood logs stacked floor to ceiling, going up to a second floor loft where guests can eat and look out across the first floor of the restaurant. The patio area was set up well, and is dog friendly, so that was where I chose to eat.

I enjoyed a half order of the Santa Fe South salad, with no tomatoes and medium dressing. The salad was fresh; the ingredients were colorful and the perfect crunch I needed to go with my Margherita pizza. I liked how I could see my salad being made and receive it directly after paying, that way I could eat my salad as an appetizer while waiting for my pizza to cook. It was cooked well in a brick oven, and the fresh mozzarella was definitely my favorite part of the pizza. They even brought the pizza outside to my table after it was ready.

Zaza’s has more artisanal pizza than a typical pizza place, so if guests are looking for the greasiest, cheesiest pizza in town, this is not the place to go. My only complaint about the food would be that the parmesan shavings on top of my pizza kept falling off the slices after I picked them up, but that is not too bad of an issue. All pizzas are one size, so some might find that to their disadvantage if they want more or less pizza, but overall, the food is amazing. It is worth the price, but somewhere I would not dine at frequently; it is good for special occasions. This also a favorite among other staff writers.

Zaza’s is located at 5600 Kavanaugh Blvd., and their menu can be found at zazapizzaandsalad.com. They do not require reservations to dine in. Guests can visit anytime 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

The Hillcrest area, conveniently located for UA Little Rock students straight down University Ave. from campus, houses some of the best dining and shopping options Little Rock has to offer. A five minute commute can get students to a historic area of Little Rock that has culture and a change of scenery from campus. I encourage the community here to get out and support

these local businesses that are very close to the university. Follow them on social media, tell your friends about them and get out there to find new places you can enjoy. They have Lime scooters along the sidewalks to ride, too. That is a classic Little Rock activity students must engage in before graduating.

BOBA TEA CRAZE STEP BACK IN TIME AT BURGE’S

sits Kawaii Boba Tea. The corner store is directly off Kavanaugh, so parallel parking is more tricky for guests. The pink walls in the shop give it a playful atmosphere upon entering. There is art from local artists on display and for sale, and the shop also sells Japanese snacks and different trinkets. They have a bookshelf with graphic novels and anime that guests can look through, as well as a TV playing anime near the front door.

The menu is somewhat complicated, and the one online is different from the paper copy guests receive in the store, but once they figure out what kind of drink they want, they will keep coming back. I personally get a regular size raspberry fruit tea on ice with strawberry and kiwi popping boba. There is variety in the kinds of teas- there is milk tea and fruit tea, and then the beverage can be blended (like the consistency of a smoothie) or on ice. Guests can choose from popping boba, jelly boba or the traditional tapioca boba, with many different flavor variations of each. If they would rather not choose the makeup of their drink, they can pick from specialty drinks off the menu. It is a lot of fun to go in and try new drinks, and the shop also offers Japanese pastries to go with the tea.

There has never been a time that I have visited and it was not busy, so that testifies to how popular boba tea

is right now. After a guest’s first purchase, they receive a loyalty punch card that gives them a free drink after purchasing 10. I am halfway to my free drink already and I just discovered this place a little over a month ago! Guests can also pick up a free sticker after they order. I have one on my laptop and another on my minifridge.

I think that if someone is already willing to spend a little extra money at Starbucks, trying Kawaii Boba House at least once is worth it. Both places cost more than a typical drink at Sonic would, but boba tea is a different kind of drink that offers culture and fun flavors. Nearby boutiques and shops are fine with guests bringing in drinks; I have abused that privilege before. 10/10 recommend walking around Hillcrest with boba tea. There’s several murals and walls painted that would be perfect to take photos in front of, too. Make a day of your visit.

Kawaii Boba House is located at 5625 Kavanaugh Blvd, and their website is kawaiibobahouse.sqaure. site. Their business hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day except Sunday, when they are open noon to 5 p.m.

Before I visited this restaurant, I thought by the name Burge’s Hickory Smoked Meats and Hams that this was more of a pick-up-meat-by-the-bulk type place, but that was definitely not the case here. After I saw a video of this restaurant on my For You Page on TikTok, I knew I had to check it out. I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped through the front door and saw the old fashioned, diner-style restaurant. There were some neat artifacts and vintage decorations on the wall, and I enjoyed walking around and looking at what they had up.

The menu features catfish, coleslaw, salads and sandwiches with smoked meats that guests order upon arriving at the counter, and their food is brought to their table on a tray when it is ready. Food is served in paper containers and bags that remind me of my high school cafeteria, but I think that method of food delivery is classic and fits the restaurant perfectly here. It is so different from other places that people can dine at in Little Rock, it is like stepping into a time machine with authentic decor and food from decades past.

I was disappointed that they did not have milkshakes, though. I feel like that would have completed the whole visit.

My smoked turkey

sandwich tasted great, and usually I am picky about sandwiches because I don’t like when sandwich bread sits and gets soft. This bread was crispy and good. I also had an order of onion rings, and liked them with the dipping sauce that resembled horseradish so much that I ate all of them and went back to order another serving! It is difficult to find good, homemade onion rings and this restaurant nails them. I feel like I could have explored the menu better here, but I enjoyed the food I ordered. I also saw a refrigerator where you could grab different types of smoked meats and sides to take home and they had fried pies on their menu, so I need to go back soon.

Burge’s Hickory Smoked Meats and Hams is conveniently located with its own parking lot-- no parallel parking here-- at 5620 R St. True to its old fashioned traditions, Burge’s is closed on Sundays, but open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Interested guests can visit the restaurant’s website at smokedturkeys.com to view the menu, read about awards Burge’s has received and the history.

CONNECTING TO THE COSMOS

Darrell Heath has his own ‘sky blog’ and students should watch

BY DESI KELLY

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is honored to have Professor Darrell Heath as an asset to the Biology Department. Mr. Heath is a professor by day and astronomer by night. After working in the lab on campus, Heath spends the evening exploring the stars and discovering how two stars make a gamma-ray burst.

Heath’s extensive knowledge of astronomy has heightened by volunteering with the Jet Propulsion program at NASA, which explores the galaxy and it's unexplained mysteries.

Heath is a producer and host of the “The Night Sky," which is a monthly program that Heath uses to connect the general public to the cosmos. Each episode of “The Night Sky” thoroughly explains the scientific and mythological meaning of the multiverse. Astrology plays a hidden role in our lives. Knowing about retrogrades and astrological placements can help you in ways you could never imagine. For instance, mercury retrograde involves the planet that governs communication and technology. Knowing about mercury retrograde would help all UA Little Rock students be proactive and complete assignments, exams and projects early to avoid WiFi and computer glitches during mercury retrograde.

As a communications major, I use mercury retrograde as a personal guide to know when not to verbally participate in discussions to avoid miscommunication and when to complete assignments early in case technical difficulties may occur. Birth charts are important to know because they thoroughly explain each astrological placement, which helps you gain

a better understanding of yourself. For example, my sun is in Taurus but my moon is in Aries. Because of my sun sign I am logical and analytical but another part of me is spontaneous and unpredictable because of my moon sign. You can learn a lot about yourself through these signs.

Astronomy is great for all UA Little Rock students to learn because it allows the curious mind to ask questions about the world around them. You can join Heath and other avid astronomy buffs to discuss astrological events at the next Central Arkansas Astronomical Society meeting.

Heath currently serves as the president and outreach chair at the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society. The CAAS offers affordable student memberships for UA Little Rock Students, with rates starting at $7.50 per month. If you are interested in the “The Night Sky,” CAAS student memberships, mercury retrograde or astrological birth charts – check out the links below for further details.

caasastro.org astro.cafeastrology.com/natal. php google.com/…/when-is-mercury-retrograde-2021-dates-times

DR. BRIAN MITCHELL’S GRAPHIC NOVEL BRINGS LIGHT TO AMERICA’S GRAPHIC HISTORY

BY CHLOE MCGEHEE

The year is 1819, a carpenter by the name of James Dunn has just come to New Orleans and falls in love with an enslaved woman, adopting her son and buying them out of slavery, he became the stepfather of Oscar James Dunn, a man who would become a piece of American history. Many years later, when young Dr. Brian Mitchell is staying with his great-grandmother, Mattie Jackson Dunn, he discovers a scrapbook about his distant relative Oscar Dunn, and opens the door to a world he never knew about before.

Oscar James Dunn was the first Black Lieutenant Governor in America, making history in Louisiana, but his story, along with many others, has been buried by the whitewashing and euphemization of history. UA Little Rock history professor, Dr. Brian Mitchell works everyday to change that, and recently published his own graphic novel, “Monumental: Oscar Dunn and His Radical Fight in Reconstruction Louisiana.” He worked with editor Nick Weldon and illustrator Barrington Edwards, to bring Dunn’s story to life in his 256-page book.

Dunn’s story is truly american dream-esque, born a slave and working his way to a Lieutenant Governor position. He worked in labor as a plasterer for walls, then found his passion in music as a music teacher. From there, he was able to help freed people get jobs on plantations without being taken advantage of, making him wildly popular. Dunn advocated for civil rights and universal suffrage, and when the south rioted in response to the 15th amendment, he got his opportunity to replace the militarily removed former confederate offices. He would be voted into the city council, and then he would become the first black man to preside over a court, to be a judge. When it comes time, Dunn is nominated to be lieutenant governor and he's elected. Hearing such a story, it is hard to imagine why we would not learn about Dunn in school, but much of southern history has been rewrote to fit a narrative Dunn does not fit into.

“You have to understand what

happened and why we really don't teach reconstruction,” Dr. Mitchell said. “Following the Civil War, southerners became willing to use violence to restore the south to what it had been, and when we talk about the most violent periods of American History, this is why I would say Reconstruction is by far the most violent period.”

It’s true that Reconstruction was a violent time for America; murders were regular, there was extreme brutality and massacres. It also gave way for the birth of many domestic terrorist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. In order to end the violence of Reconstruction, both political parties had to compromise, but this came at a price.

“This is probably one of the worst deals Congress has ever [made],” Dr. Mitchell said. “It was a huge betrayal to the AfricanAmerican community, because they had been extremely loyal Republican voters. They got a Republican president, but the south demanded they could do whatever to Black people they wanted, take away their 13th, 14th and 15th amendment [rights] without interference. Once they have control of the south, they begin rewriting everything, and begin taking away voting rights, which they have to use extreme amounts of violence to do this.”

Dr. Mitchell knows Reconstruction is an extremely important piece of American History, and he wants to spread more knowledge about it in any way possible.

“Every summer I teach workshops for secondary-education teachers,” Dr. Mitchell said. “I help them develop curriculum so they can bring these things to the classroom. A lot of what I do in the summer is training teachers so they know the history, and you'd be surprised at how many of them are hearing it for the first time or aren’t very versed on it and that's the reason they're not teaching it. They're just not comfortable with it so by helping them become comfortable on how to teach it, I hope that they’ll teach it.”

It seems shocking that even teachers of higher education would not know about the details of

Reconstruction and Black History, but even decades after the Civil Rights Movement, the stigma surrounding Black History is real.

“There are so many amazing things black people have done, but half of those things I wouldn’t have known about if I didn’t do my own research,” sophomore Nakiah Willis said. “The education system won’t teach the real truth. I think it’s done in our history to uphold the false presumptions of black people being lawless, ghetto, unintelligent [and] lazy. [People] can’t accept the truth that black people have paved the way for this country, along with Native Americans, so they rewrite history to fit their own agenda. It’s definitely unfair. Give credit where it’s due.”

Dr. Mitchell also knows part of the reason for the whitewashing of history to minimize reconstruction and the severe consequences of the era.

“One of the reasons I believe they don’t teach [reconstruction] is that then people would be more empathetic about where the black community is today and the sort of fears that we have around politics like the Voting Rights Act, and why we were so defensive when the Supreme Court took away the protections of the Voting Rights Act,” Dr. Mitchell said. “We realize what comes after that. What happened on Jan. 6th [2021] is a stark reminder of what happened during Reconstruction. It just reminds us of back then, and one of the reasons that you will hear a lot of African-Americans say we really have to be hard on these people is because we appeased all of these people that committed violence during Reconstruction and all of the violence got progressively worse. So [we have] the great fear that if some punitive measures aren't laid out that deter people from doing more egregious acts, that people will continue and then they'll feel supported by the government if they don't act.”

When it comes to ways to fix these issues, and the erasure of history, we have a long way to go, but Dr. Mitchell knows we can get there.

“Nothing I learned in history made a lot of sense,” Dr. Mitchell

said. “I was taught slavery was not this bad a thing. The narrative I was fed never made any sense. I felt like this [history] is something we need to know, especially as divided as we are now. We have to know we’ve been through something like this before, and we made the wrong decisions then. This time we can make the right decisions and it will be much better for our children and grandchildren.”

Willis also thinks that we can take steps to fix some of the damage, especially as college students entering the workplace.

“I think the best way [to fix this] would be to talk about the real truth,” Willis said. “As long as the real truth is on our backburner, it makes whitewashing easier and more believable.”

One of the ways that we can start to learn from our mistakes is teaching ourselves about Black History in different ways. Dr. Mitchell’s book is one way, but there are also videos, short and long, everywhere. There are lots of books and movies that can teach us about Black History in deeper ways than what we learned in school.

Dr. Mitchell even specifically made his book with the idea to reach a larger audience in mind. He released his manuscript from his dissertation, and he could see where lots of high school students were reading it, but did not think anything of it until he was contacted by a young student who was particularly impacted by the book.

“We were all talking and laughing on the phone,” Dr. Mitchell said. “I was quizzing hime, and I said ‘you know how could I get more people you know your age interested’ and he's like ‘I'm kind of nerdy so I read a lot more than an average kid’ but he said if I did it as a graphic novel, a lot of kids would want to read this. I thought it's a really, really good idea so that is when I started the approach of trying to do it [the way I did.]

Writing the book, especially as a graphic novel was not an easy feat. Graphic novels take longer than traditional books, and replacing words with images is an art unto itself. Dr. Mitchell, Weldon and Edwards even visited old churches and a custom house in an attempt

to try to make the images in the novel as authentic as possible. Publishing made it all worth it, though, as Dr. Mitchell is passionate about spreading history and teaching. There is a lot to learn from “Monumental,” and a lot to learn from Oscar Dunn and the people like him who shaped our nation, but have been erased by time.

“One of the things I always tell people is that people in the past are driven by the same motives that we’re driven by today,” Dr. Mitchell said. “My grandmother used to tell me there is nothing new under the sun. The same treachery that existed today existed in the past. The same racism that exists today existed then, it’s just different circumstances. One of the things I hope people take away from this is that our nation is what we make it. We can see each other as different for things like skin color that are very trivial, but that comes with a great, great cost. Sometimes that cost is violent, sometimes that is unbearable infrastructure. We could see each other as equal and brothers and sisters. I believe the world can be a better place if we learn from our mistakes, but if we never talk about our mistakes then we are unable to use them as tools to learn from. History is no good as a useful tool if you never use it or alter it in a way to only tell one side of a story. It becomes propaganda at that point.”

“This time, we can make the right decisions and it will be so much better for our children and grandchildren.”

DRAKE MAKES HISTORY WITH NEW ‘SCARY HOURS 2’ EP

NOTHING BUT ‘GOOD NEWS’ FOR MEGAN THEE STALLION

BY DESI KELLY

Drake’s highly anticipated 6th studio album ‘Certified Lover Boy’ was set to be released Jan. 2021 however, due to Drake’s knee operation in late Oct. 2020, it was delayed. As always, Drake surprised his fans with a three-track EP on March 5th— and the rest is history. ‘Scary Hours 2’ is a masterpiece; all 3 songs are lyrical, commercial and doing major numbers on the charts. The first song on ‘Scary Hours 2’ is “What’s Next," the official music video to “What’s Next” trended #1 on YouTube for 48 hours and accumulated 13 million views in 7 days.

On the day of its’ release, “What’s Next” debuted at #1 on US iTunes, #1 on US Spotify, #1 on Apple Music US and had over 360K first week US sales. “Wants and Needs” featuring Lil Baby is the second single from the threetrack EP and it debuted at #9 on US iTunes, #2 on US Spotify, #7 on Apple Music US and had over 305K first week US sales. The third single from the EP is “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” featuring Rick Ross and it debuted #12 on US iTunes, #11 on US Spotify, #3 on Apple Music US and had over 230K first week US sales.

On March 15, Drake made his

tory by becoming the first music artist to occupy the top 5 spots on the Hot 100 Billboard charts. This is a major accomplishment; Drake is one of the three artists on the planet to ever have songs in the top three spots on the Hot 100 charts.

“What's Next” debuted at No.1, “Wants and Needs” featuring Lil Baby debuted at No.2 and “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” featuring Rick Ross debuted at No.3. “What’s Next” is Drake’s eighth number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and his twenty-fourth number one on the US iTunes charts.

By looking at Drake’s stats, it's obvious why his industry peers are delaying their projects and scared of what's next to come. In just 10 days, Drake made history, achieved over 895K pure sales and accumulated over 170 million streams. If Drake can make history in less than 20 days with a three-track EP, what do you think he can do with a full body of work?

Scary sight isn’t it? While speaking on OVO Sound Radio, Drake mentioned that “Certified Lover Boy” is on the way stating that, “ I don’t have an exact date, but it’s in the pot and it’s coming soon."

Enjoy ‘Scary Hours 2’ and stay tuned to see what Drake does next!

BY MAYGAN BRYANT

Megan Thee Stallion has left her footprints in the sands of Rap once again with her debut album, "Good News". The “Hot Girl Summer” rapper took to social media to reveal the official 17-song tracklist for the album on Nov. 17, 2020, causing fans to erupt with bubbling anticipation. The official release was just three days later on Nov. 20, through the 300 Entertainment record label.

Within the album’s running time of 50 minutes, every nanosecond was utilized, overflowing with fierce wordplay and thumping beats that you can’t get out of your head. Thee Stallion embodied the phrase “go hard or go home” by having over 14 producers and 10 features on this debut. The features included DaBaby, City Girls, Lil Durk, SZA, Popcaan, Mustard, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Beyonce and Young Thug.

Needless to say, with so much talent being hands-on for "Good News," each song was

certainly expected to be impressive. Out of the 17 songs, the most noteworthy were "Shots Fired", "Crybaby" featuring DaBaby, "Girls In The Hood" and "Savage Remix" featuring Beyonce.

"Good News" made an unforgettable entrance as soon as the first song, "Shots Fired," began. Rapping over the sample of the iconic Notorious B.I.G’s "Who Shot Ya," Megan addressed her situation of being shot in July of 2020. A standout jab from this was, “...and if it weren’t for me, same week you would have been indicted." Thee Stallion later addressed this particular line, stating that she did not want to immediately tell the police who shot her due to her fear of police brutality. Megan also referenced the shooting in another song on the debut, Circles, saying “Bullet wounds, backstabs, mama died, still sad.”

"Girls In The Hood" was a standout song due to similar reasons as "Who Shot Ya", sampling icon Eazyz-E’s "Boyz-nthe-Hood." Thee Stallion paid

homage to this classic in her own way by flipping the narrative to reclaiming her authority, causing fragile egos to tremble.

DaBaby is no stranger to working with Megan, and the duo returned once again for the hit "Crybaby." The power pair went bar for bar, interchanging the lines “Her friends and her mom hate me” and “His friends and his dad hate me.” The playful track was a perfect suit for the two’s reunion.

The "Savage Remix" not only left its mark on the album but left its mark at the Grammys as well, winning the 2021 Best Rap Performance along with the Best Rap Song. The song escalated from becoming a viral TikTok dance trend all the way to blossoming as Thee Stallion’s first Grammy wins, and her first number one on the U.S Billboard hot 100. The Houston natives brought the “Beyhive” and the “Hotties” together in a powerful union.

Since its release, "Good News" has marked the charts for heavyhitters such as Billboard, Complex, Los Angeles Times, and Rolling Stone, ranking within the 50 best albums of 2020 for each.

"Good News" undeniably symbolizes a victory lap for Megan Thee Stallion after a past year of enduring many unfortunate circumstances. Megan used the rocks that were thrown at her to build her stepping stones, all while effortlessly dropping rhymes that made listeners’ jaws drop. The success of this debut album is certainly the “good news” to read all about.

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON

BY TESSAH CONATSER

It looks like Disney has done it once again. While in 2016, Moana shot off the charts with a powerful Polynesian woman as the leading character, the release of "Raya and the Last Dragon" has followed in its footsteps.

This Southeast Asian princess has joined many of the newer representations of race that we are frequently finding in our new animated shows. Disney broke out with Moana, transferred to Elena and now we have Raya. The movie was released on Disney+ with premiere access for an additional 30 dollars on Mar. 5, 2021.

This Disney movie has all kinds of imagery of tradition-

al Asian culture. This story stems from mythology from several parts of Asia. This was thanks to the original screenplay writers Oui Nguyen and Adele Lim. This allowed many set and character artists to create a vivid world with both magic and truth.

The Disney team even created a Southeast Asia Story Trust, which created a coalition with visual anthropologists, linguists, botany, choreography, architecture and variously skilled members of the team.

Disney is picking up its game in recent years. While there is still an expanding system and animation system, they are getting more realistic in each movie. Being able to maintain the animation while blending in character beliefs is a

BY BENNETT WOOD

Warning! “WandaVision” spoilers ahead!

Marvel Studios’ first foray into a cinematic style television series is introduced through “WandaVision”, a nine-part limited series on Disney+ that focuses on the story of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and her fellow Avenger turned husband Vision (Paul Bettany). The series follows two of the more freshman heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe directly following the life altering events during “Avengers Endgame”, which brought the ending to half of the original team’s stories.

A catchy jingle and an opening sequence yanked right from a 1950’s era sitcom introduces the audience to the two protagonists. We are then further submerged into the black and white sitcom inspired reality of Westview, a fictional New Jersey town Wanda constructed from her past, pain and her grief. A fictional town created by Wanda that has trapped thousands of innocent bystanders.

This same premise follows the show throughout the first three episodes as Wanda and Vision live out their ideal lives with one another. Each episode brings with it the influences of a specific decade of 21st century American sitcom television. Time passes at a higher speed in Wanda’s reality of Westview, moving through each decade as the sitcom style episodes air weekly.

Referencing quintessential sitcom television series like, “The

Dick Van Dyke Show”, “Bewitched”, “The Brady Bunch”, “Malcom in the Middle” and “Modern Family” helps the director and producers to create scenes that are authentic to specific periods of time and style.

Director Matt Shakman (“Game of Thrones”, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) and Executive Producer Jac Schaeffer (“The Hustle”, “Timer”) filmed the “WandaVision” series as era accurate as possible. Visual effects are traded in for special effects, further highlighting the show’s level of craftsmanship and attention to detail at every level.

While the foolish antics of this fabricated reality keep Wanda and Vision preoccupied, traces of the real world’s main reality begin to seep into their consciousness.

These two realities are differentiated on screen by switching between two aspect ratios. The traditional 4:3 aspect ratio depicts Wanda and Vision’s reality inside of the Westview anomaly, while the more recently adopted 16:9 aspect ratio signifies a return to the main reality.

The first three episodes set the tone and flow of “WandaVision” while introducing us to more of the cast. Agnes, aka Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), is a witch dating back to the Salem Witch Trials that is utilizing the ‘nosy neighbor’ trope in order to gather information on Wanda.

Accompanying the fourth episode is the introduction to the main reality, the world outside of Westview and all of its accompa-

nying characters to the audience. Background details and character development for Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), Director Tyler Hayward (Josh Stamberg), Dr. Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) and Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) are introduced to the audience in a distinct MCU style.

Beyond the technical feats and innovative methods involved in filming and the production of WandaVision lay the characters, their stories and their motivations. Wanda, Vision and each character successfully drove the plot of the story rather than letting the plot dictate how the characters interact.

Focusing on the emotional undercurrent of this sitcom turned Marvel movie reveals exactly what caused this split in reality, which turns out to be Wanda’s grief.

Wanda grew up knowing only heartbreak as she was orphaned when a bombing killed both of her parents. Once she and her twin brother Pietro joined the MCU in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” it was not long before she lost him to enemy gunfire. After falling in love with the world’s only vibranium synthezoid (Vision), Wanda is then forced to sacrifice Vision by killing him in order to save half of the universe.

Multiple years of untreated trauma, loss and heartbreak are channeled through Wanda the moment that her grief explodes into red chaos magic that reconfigures part of the real world into her Westview reality.

Other than the special and visual effects, unique production

and amazing acting, the emotional journey of Wanda Maximoff is what holds the audience’s attention. Grief and its many stages are the main thematic centerpiece that is constant throughout this limited series.

The viewers meet Wanda during the first episode which coincides with the first stage of grief, denial. As the season progresses so do the stages of Wanda’s grief. Anger comes right after denial in episode two, and it is what helps guard the fictional reality of Westview Wanda created.

Bargaining for her happiness, Wanda blows past this stage of grief when she threatens military agents who tried to kill her to leave her alone. Bargaining bleeds into depression which is marked by her complete breakdown of control in episode seven. Grief’s final stage of acceptance arrives in the season finale.

Wanda realizes her responsibility to the town people she has terrorized while living in Westview as her final battle with Agnes unfolds. The importance of accepting reality and defeating Agnes is what finally brings Wanda to terms with accepting her grief.

The finale episode of “WandaVision” included MCU grade scenes filled with action, fight sequences and magical battles, after which Wanda flees the scene after receiving her infamous moniker: The Scarlet Witch. Postcredit scenes hint at a continuation of Wanda’s story as she grows more aware of her powers.

“WandaVision” is the first of its kind and a juggernaut of a show. It plays around with different methods of producing, set and light design, editing, filming and even acting to create the first television series of its kind. The superhero television show helped create a dialogue around how to deal with and discuss sorrow, grief and loss. As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across the world and take lives, this lesson on handling grief seems quite poignant.

Community is one main reason why this series is as popular as it has become. During the age of streaming services, people tend to binge watch television shows out of convenience. Marvel Studios helped recreate a sense of community amongst viewers of “WandaVision” by dropping episodes every Friday. This weekly ritual drove viewership up while inspiring debate and connection with each other while the world has to social distance.

The first attempt at a television formatted MCU series hits a homerun in terms of quality, entertainment, conflict and resolution while staying true to Marvel’s core—a good story and great characters. Whether you are searching for a new show to binge, a diehard comic book fan or even a parent watching with your child, “WandaVision” has a lesson everyone can learn from or be entertained by. Watch all nine episodes of the limited series “WandaVision” available on Disney+ today.

feat in itself.

Other than Mulan, we haven’t seen many Disney movies with such engaging action scenes. The fight scenes are a bit more explicit than many other creations in the past. While Raya wields a sword, much like Mulan had, we actually get to see her use it!

Raya travels to find the last dragon in order to save Kumandra from a plague that is starting to take over all while her journey is challenged by choices and her nemesis Namaari.

The highlights I caught in "Raya and the Last Dragon" vary from person to person.

Her most important ones that I noticed were the development of trust, choice and teamwork amongst her small group of com-

panions. While friendship is often important in many movies made by Disney, this one is encouraging and engaging.

The cast was phenomenal with Kelly Marie Tran voicing Raya and Awkwafina voicing Sisu. Gemma Chan voiced Namaari, and multiple other cast members are credited with bringing these characters to life.

The score was beautiful, and it allowed for many variations. The soft soundtracks for tender moments, and the intense scores for any battle or moment to remember. This is James Newton Howard’s fourth time producing music for an animated film from Disney, and he hasn’t failed us yet!

The graphics and art create an incredibly interactive environ -

ment. The story is engaging for children and adults alike. I found the movie endearing and rather risqué compared to Disney Animation Studio’s recent films.

The sight of blood was surprising to see, and not many of their animations convey such imagery. Yet, with such a strong story, I think it worked out well. You get to see things how they are, not the shielded cushy story many think Disney produces.

You really get to see Raya challenge herself and challenge members of her group to be better. "Raya and the Last Dragon" may have been one of the most popular Disney animations to rise up in years. I genuinely wonder what Disney will pull out of their sleeve next.

GOOD GRIEF ‘WANDAVISION’

STUDENT ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT CAMERON JACKSON

BY AZALEA ANDRADE

Cameron Jackson, a sprinter for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been recognized with the Freshman of the Year award for the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track Awards. He is the first freshman in the history of UA Little Rock to receive this award.

“It means a lot considering I am the first freshman to get the award but hopefully not the last. My coach had kind of warned me. He texted me one night ‘Hey, be checking Sun Belt media tomorrow, exciting news is coming,’” said Jackson. “I think the anticipation of him figuring out who Freshman of the Year was greater than mine. It’s pretty great, definitely couldn’t have done it without God, my family and my team.”

Jackson runs as the anchor in the 4x1 relay, 100m and 200m outdoor races and 60m and 200m indoor races. The award came after the race at the indoor conference championship meet where Jackson ran a 6.75 sec 60m race.

Many athletes discover their talent at a young age and develop it as they grow. However, that was not the case with Jackson. He tried many sports and ultimately decided to focus on track his last year of middle school and because of his talent, practicing in college was a goal of his.

“It’s the [knowledge that you are good at it,” said Jackson. “You are capable of competing at the collegiate level as well as the lifestyle that I have always wanted for myself.”

Coming from Kilgore, a small town in east Texas, Jackson knew that challenges laid ahead when moving to college, especially due to the closeness of his family. His father had a significant impact on him developing his skills as a runner. However, when he came to visit UA Little Rock, he felt com-

fortable and at home.

“Coach [Behnke] found a way to let me know that he was always there,” said Jackson. “‘If you have any questions about the recruiting process let me know, I am not going to rush you into the process.’ Most of my other schools were like ‘we are going to offer, and we need an answer within a week.’ Coach Behnke was like ‘well take your time, we do hope you choose us’ and he was really adamant about getting me here and him constantly checking in, calling, even the small things, just let me know that he really wanted me to be at this university.”

Jackson had several great college options but in visiting UA Little Rock, Coach Behnke was the deciding factor in him committing. Behnke has also had a positive impact on Jackson and developing his skills into a more well-rounded athlete and sprinter. His selflessness as a coach has also influenced Jackson into becoming more selfaware.

“When you come from watching your coach put everybody, 80, 90 people ahead of himself all the time, it really changes your point of view of how you view a lot of things and how you react to a lot of situations,” said Jackson. “Behnke has always kept his cool, kept his calm, everything he handles in a professional manner. So after watching him do that constantly, it just drives me even more to be a better person.”

Jackson knows that he has made history with this accomplishment, but he is just getting started. He has various goals that he hopes to accomplish in the next three years of his academic and athletic career at UA Little Rock.

“[Some] goals that I’m hoping to have accomplished by the end of my career at UALR include successfully getting my degree, mak-

ing new family members instead of just teammates, and winning a conference title,” said Jackson.

Aside from Jackson’s award, the Trojans received six all-conference honors, the most the program has received since 2011.

Jackson has so much future ahead of him and he is excited and optimistic for what is to come.

“When you come from waching your coach put everybody ahead of himself all the time, it really changes your point of view.”

BY AZALEA ANDRADE

The Little Rock Trojans fell 3-0 against the No. 12 Oklahoma State Cowgirls as they kicked off their spring schedule.

This was their first game after the upsetting PK loss in the Sunbelt Conference tournament against South Alabama in November. The Oklahoma Cowgirls came in hot scoring their first goal at minute eight from a corner kick that gave them the momentum to continue on to their second goal of the match at minute 26.

The pressure was on, but Saskia Wagner, the Trojans’ goalkeeper, had five outstanding saves that really showed her determination throughout the game. Regardless of the heat OSU brought, Wagner was there to cool it down.

With a missed penalty at minute 29 and another goal from the Cowgirls minute 41,

Oklahoma was leading 2-0 at the end of the first half. However, the Trojans were still hopeful for what the next 45 minutes could bring.

Moving on to the second half, Wagner had a huge safe that kept the score at 2-0 but just seven minutes later, at minute 57, the Cowgirls netted their third goal of the game. At minute 84, the Trojans had a wonderful scoring opportunity but with the extensive dive, the Cowgirls’ goalkeeper had, their attempt fell short.

The Trojans were on the defense for much of the game but still attempted seven shots and of those, four were shots on goal.

Follow the Trojans on the road to Jonesboro for their second game of the spring season on Saturday, March 6 at 2 p.m. against the Arkansas State Wolves.

THE TROJANS FALL TO OKLAHOMA AT SPRING DEBUT TROJANS SHOW IMPROVEMENT AGAINST RED WOLVES

BY AZALEA ANDRADE

JONESBORO, Ark.— Despite the best defensive efforts from the Little Rock Trojans who held off the Arkansas State Wolves, they ultimately fell 1-0.

The Trojans showed improvement throughout the game with multiple attempts on goal and freshman goalkeeper, Saskia Wagner, once again, shining through with her ability to keep the game afloat. She blocked a total of seven shots on goal with five being in the first half.

Thirty minutes into the first half and six shots on goal later, the Red Wolves attempted a long shot that snuck into the top left corner, making it almost impossible for Wagner to block. The Red Wolves were now leading 1-0 but the Trojans continued fighting.

The last 15 minutes saw some action with a few shots

on goal by the Trojan and a few fouls committed by the Red Wolves.

With the second half in full swing, the Trojans were playing tough, and the defense really showed character and was not letting anything through. They only saw about five shots on goal and two that were skillfully stopped by Wagner.

The Trojans showed tenacity and hard work throughout the game. They are excited to continue improving their skills and teamwork while playing against competitive teams.

Little Rock is traveling just an hour south to Pine Bluff on Tuesday, March 16 to take on the UAPB Golden Lions at 3 p.m.

STAND YOUR GROUND AGAINST DEADLY FORCE

BY BENNETT WOOD

Well, now it is legal to use deadly force in defense of yourself or someone else here in Little Rock, Ar.

On Wednesday, Mar. 3, the Arkansas State Senate passed SB24 or more commonly known as the controversial ‘Stand Your Ground’ Bill. Later that afternoon the Senate Bill was signed into law by Governor Asa Hutchinson, transforming the bill into Act 250.

Previous Arkansas law prohibited a person from using deadly force in a dangerous situation if they could safely retreat. This duty to retreat before using lethal force is reinforced by the widely accepted notion that law enforcement should be keeping the peace.

SB24 being enacted into law ends Arkansan’s duty to retreat before using deadly force if the person is not a felon, has a reasonable belief they are being threatened, is not engaged in criminal activity, is lawfully present and if the person is not the initial aggressor.

Essentially Arkansas’ version of the ‘Stand Your Ground’ Bill shifts the reactionary compass from defense to offense.

Eliminating the ‘retreat’ type language in Arkansas’ current selfdefense laws opens up a gray area where the use of deadly physical force could be exploited. Changing the wording in the existing law to allow the justified use of deadly physical force is a catalyst for deadly accidents and laws to be abused, in my opinion.

When trying to understand laws, it is important to research everything having to do with that piece of legislation at the point in time. This means you take into consideration how healthy the national and local economies are,

BY LAURA JANSEN

The pandemic made big changes happen: everyone had to wear masks, some countries had a curfew, restaurants closed, schools closed, social distancing, etc. But it also brought a lot of emotional changes.

Several international students have been stuck in the United States for a year now and most of them will be staying here a lot longer. Borders are closed to the US or the US won’t allow people from other countries to enter.

solutions to be able to get back in the country to finish their education, but the process isn’t easy especially when things don’t go as planned. Victoria Silva’s process was scarier because she almost got stuck in Chile without a passport.

would’ve stayed in the US if she knew COVID-19 was going to stay this long.

Silva and Kimura try to find different things that will help them get their minds off of that idea.

varying socio-political climates, international relations, social and political movements and pretty much anything else going on when the Bill is conceived.

Hutchinson’s stance was that there was no need for this type of legislation in Arkansas, after a similar measure stalled in the Legislature over two years ago. After those two years and some excellent wordsmanship, Hutchinson was obviously persuaded enough by the changes in the Senate Bill to sign it into law.

It is disheartening to see the governor of Arkansas supporting such legislation as SB24. This decision is questionable because later that same afternoon Hutchinson urged lawmakers to pass legislation addressing hate crimes in the natural state. If the governor feels the need to push for corresponding legislation to combat crimes fueled by social and/or racial prejudices, maybe this iteration of the ‘Stand Your Ground’ Bill needs some amending.

A measure like this is dangerous for the community in 2021, during a rise in domestic terrorism and heightened political extremism popping up across the country. The subjective wording in the bill gives the person in question the role of judge, jury and executioner when using deadly force in the name of self-defense.

This ‘Stand Your Ground’ Bill puts the decision-making power in the hands of citizens, which seems incredibly risky given the ‘deadly physical force’ section in Arkansas Code 5-2-607. Leave the deadly physical force to those who are trained to deal with that caliber of savagery. Only time will tell if this senate bill turned law will save lives or if it will take them.

Brazil is one of the most impacted countries. The US won’t allow Brazilian students in the country unless they quarantine in a different country for two weeks.

Two volleyball players at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock got stuck in Brazil and couldn’t participate in the volleyball season.

“It was a very difficult time because I was very anxious to go to a new university and with COVID-19, everything became complicated," Livia Kimura expressed.

Eager students try to find

“To be able to enter the USA and get my student visa, I had to do 15 quarantine days in Chile," Silva said. "It was a very difficult process and a huge expense of money, I had a problem with the return of the passport after my visa was approved and ended up staying in Chile for 26 days.”

Leaving home to go live in a whole different country is difficult for the student but also for the family. The pandemic makes it more difficult for parents, knowing that their child is in a different country with a deadly virus going around but also not knowing when they are going to see them again.

Making life decisions like this as 20 plus year-olds is a big deal. After making decisions, people rethink the situation and wish they would’ve done something different. As Livia said, she

“I video call my family a lot and it helps being around people from my country that have been through the same.” Technology nowadays definitely helps.

Kimura has a tip for all international students in these bad situations.

“Be patient, some things we are not able to control," Kimura said. "It is a stressful and complicated process, but in the end, it will all work out. Stay positive, I think this is the best tip to face this moment. Things will get better little by little, so don't stress yourself trying to control what doesn't depend on you.”

Internationals just need to keep in mind that everything will pass and everything will turn back to normal. Everyone will be able to achieve their goals but just have a lot of patience and faith.

EMOTIONAL CHANGES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

CANCEL CULTURE CRISIS

BY TESSAH CONATSER

Today, more than ever, there is an overwhelming social media presence. It is rare to find someone uninvolved in at least one type of social media in 2021. If you do not have Instagram or Snapchat, you must be crazy. If you are not on Facebook, everyone assumes you are a recluse.

Social media has been able to give us a platform in which case everyone can reach everyone. We can contact friends, research sales and even share pictures. A large trend that has risen this year is “cancel culture." This is known to punish anything that is found morally offensive.

Cancel culture has become a societal pivot point. People are beginning to refrain from speaking their opinions, worried about this cancelation from society. Others seem to grow more opinionated, speaking out about what they think should be canceled.

There are several items that we, as a society, have rightfully canceled. There are movements to cancel racism and sexism, among other things that hurt our society.

It just proves the point that distractions are brought forth from anywhere. Cancel culture has created such a large impact on people, brands, labels and our society that we need to take a step back.

In a piece by Alexandra D’Amour called, “Cancel Culture: The Good, The Bad, & Its Impact on Social Change,” she deciphers the highs and lows of cancel culture as well as the prior “woke culture” that came before it.

“I believe in its positive impact, but cancel culture can also get ugly and isn’t as black and white as I have just possibly portrayed it to be,” D’Amour said. She goes on to discuss how incorrect accusations, the mob mentality and moral outrages greatly effective the damage of cancel culture.

Recently, there has been a “cancellation” of the well-known Mr. Potato Head product which case came after the announcement that Hasbro, the manufacture of the popular children’s toy, decided to drop the “Mr.” despite the existence of “Mrs.” Potato Head as well. Later the next week, controversy spiked when the estate of Dr. Suess

made the call to quit the publication of six books.

Fox News Host, Brain Kilmeade stated, “The cancel culture is canceling Dr. Seuss; It’s out of control.”

In the end, cancel culture did not truly bring the demise of either one of these products.

Hasbro voluntarily announced the name change, and the estate of Dr. Seuss made deliberate steps to stop the publications. The memes that spread like wildfire, of course, say otherwise.

While untrue, the cancel culture craze has become a huge distraction for many. According to U.S. House Representative from Ohio, Tim Ryan (D), it has even distracted the men and women working in Congress. After getting a little passionate during his statement, it has since gone viral.

“Heaven forbid we pass something that's going to help the damn workers in the United States of America. Heaven forbid we tilt the balance that has been going in the wrong direction for 50 years. We talk about pensions, you complain. We talk about the minimum wage increase, you complain. We

talk about giving them the right to organize, you complain. But if we were passing a tax cut here, you'd all be getting in line to vote yes for it. Now stop talking about Dr. Seuss and start working with us on behalf of the American workers."

Cancel culture has certainly evolved over the years and seems to expand every day. While we never know what might be canceled next, at least we know there are people like Rep. Ryan that try to keep others on the right track.

You need to be careful anytime there is possible backlash involved with cancel culture. We have a society in which case Dr. Suess and Mr. Potato Head are deemed “offensive," yet there has been no commentary on Nicki Minaj singing about “W.A.P.” on stage at the Grammys. There was not anyone claiming to cancel her after she danced on what is perceived as a stripper pole and acting as if she is committing a sexual act with another woman on stage.

The ability to distract the public and completely ignore multiple societal issues is something that cancel culture excels at. There are

great moments that have stemmed from cancel culture, especially following much of the Black Lives Matter movement, but it is also a crashing stimulus for many people in the younger generations.

The generational separation caused by access to the internet and social media platforms is phenomenal. Not everyone knows all the facts and rarely do people choose to research all the information. They do not care to know the whole story. They just grasp onto something and run with it.

Cancel culture has come to embrace many different oppositions. It is known to punish anything that is morally offensive, but the vague statement has detrimental impacts.

Think about the true meaning of cancel culture. If you decide to share that post all over social media, highlighting hashtag cancel culture, think about what the impact might be. Consider what distraction it might cause. Then decide, it is truly worth canceling?

WHY CANCEL CULTURE?

BY MADDIE BECKER

What is cancel culture?

Cancel culture is the phenomenon of promoting the “canceling” of people, brands and even shows and movies due to what some consider to be offensive or problematic remarks or ideas. Cancel culture became more socially acceptable in 2017 when the idea of canceling celebrities for problematic actions or statements became popular.

Dr. Jill McCorkel, a professor of sociology and criminology at Villanova University, told the New York Post in an interview that the roots of cancel culture have been present throughout human history. Societies have punished people for behaving outside of perceived social norms for centuries, and this is just another variation.

“Cancel culture is an extension of or a contemporary evolution of a much bolder set of social processes that we can see in the form of banishment,” McCorkel said. “They are designed to reinforce the set of norms.”

Over the last few years, the social-media trend has gained momentum under the trendy new

name placing celebrities, companies and media under a microscope of political correctness.

To be cancelled means being shunned from the same society that saw you to be insensitive. Cancel culture ruins careers. It ruins peoples images. For those who have already been cancelled, it’s something they are finding very hard to get out of.

The pros to cancel culture:

On one hand, cancel culture allows people to seek accountability where the justice system fails. When the #MeToo movement first started, survivors demanded justice by exposing their perpetrators by sharing their names publicly. Now it’s used to justify more than just sexual assault. The list includes addressing those who’ve been racist, homophobic or just generally insensitive to the greater society. Cancel culture gives a voice to less powerful people. Osita Nwanevu, MPP, Staff Writer at The New Republic, states, “The critics of cancel culture are plainly threatened not by a new and uniquely powerful kind of public criticism but by a new set of crit-

ics: young progressives, including many minorities and women who, largely through social media, have obtained a seat at the table where matters of justice and etiquette are debated and are banging it loudly to make up for lost time.”

Not everyone has access to legislators or other powerful people, but everyone can sign up for a social media account. Canceling is a way to acknowledge that you don’t have to have the power to change structural inequality. You don’t even have to have the power to change all of public sentiment. But as an individual, you can still have power through social media.

At least 800 big brands like Coca-Cola, Unilever, and Ford are using cancel culture to boycott Facebook advertising due to the platform’s refusal to censor the speech of organizations deemed “hate groups.”

The cons to cancel culture:

On the other hand, cancel culture is a road that leads to intolerance in society as people systematically exclude anyone who disagrees with their views. Instead of canceling people, we should be

encouraging more people to tell their stories, to add inclusivity and complexity.

Cancel culture turns into online bullying, and can incite violence and threats that are worse than the original offense being called out. Sam Biddle, the journalist who retweeted Justine Sacco’s joke about AIDS that resulted in her firing while on a plane to South Africa, later regretted his actions and their results, stating, “it’s easy and thrilling to hate a stranger online.”

People who engage in the cancel culture often want to criticize without listening or understanding why someone said something, and then trying to change the minds of those they disagree with.

A consequence may be that some members of the canceling group join in for fear of being canceled themselves. People should be able to speak out or remain silent on the issues without the fear of being canceled.

My opinion:

Even though I don’t participate in cancel culture, I see both sides of it. I don’t believe that by cancelling

someone or something we are getting rid of the problem that society sees as unacceptable.

No matter who or what we cancel those issues will still be there. Instead of cancelling someone why don’t we take the time to provide that person with resources and educate them on the issue? People make mistakes and they should be able to take accountability for their actions and grow from them.

The only way there will be change is if we take the time to educate each other. That doesn’t mean I agree with everyone’s actions, but I don’t think it’s beneficial to completely cancel someone when the pain and the issue are still there even after the cancellation.

MORE THAN A YEAR INTO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: HOW ARE STUDENTS DOING?

News editor Payton Dhooge checks in with UA Little Rock students a year past the campus closure last spring

The Arkansas mask mandate was issued on Jul. 18, 2020, requiring all residents to wear a covering over the mouth and nose in all indoor environments that are not private residences. Almost 9 months of a mask mandate and several more dealing with social distancing and isolation to prevent COVID-19 spread has affected all college students.

Unequivocally, classes went online or hybrid for the spring of 2020 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Entire lessons had to be transferred online and students who did not sign up for this style of learning were forced out of the necessity of safety for all.

Sophomore Community Management and Development student Kayla Maxwell describes the effect of switching to virtual learning on her.

“[At] the beginning of this, all online classes didn’t bother me at all,” Maxwell said. “I enjoyed them but now I am starting to feel otherwise.”

She believes that once we are able to go back to being in a classroom with our peers' coursework will be easier to do. She is thankful for her moms' support right now and her sister is also at home doing work virtually. She is keeping focus currently with “several calendars, whiteboards, and a list going at a time.”

Senior Professional and Technical Writing student Micah Rodriguez is not impressed with online learning either.

“I prefer physical [classes],” said Rodriguez.“The class interaction is more fun and collaborating on projects is easier.”

Having a set time to be in class helps her balance work and school

commitments. At home, Rodriguez has a space in her basement that she utilizes as an office and credits her wife’s support for helping her stay on track.

“My wife has been my biggest cheerleader as I try to finish up my degree,” said Rodriguez. “Making sure I have time to work, have access to snacks or fixing my laptop when it acts possessed…she has kept me sane.” Her routine and schedule are her best assets to stay focused.

Sophomore Mass Communications student Shyanne Kidd does not prefer either method of learning but confesses.

“I used to love in-person classes because you could be hands-on and ask questions and get demonstrations in-person,” Kidd said.

It was tough for her at first to be able to balance her online schoolwork with life but has adapted well. She has found what works best for her.

“Because I have become quite the procrastinator during COVID19, with the help of writing and scheduling things I have been able to keep on target,” Kidd said. “I also found to not overwhelm myself with school 24/7 and taking time to myself has really helped me in remaining focused.”

Some students continued to work in the public space since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rodriguez was initially furloughed from her job. However, she is thankful for that time because it allowed her to work on school projects. Since then, she has found another job.

"Up until about 5 months ago I was delivering and installing appliances for clients,” said Rodriguez. “We had COVID-19 protocols to

keep us safe, I didn’t feel safe. Listening to people complain about masks made me laugh as I was working in the heat and carrying fridges up flights of stairs while wearing a mask, gloves and practically bathing in hand sanitizer.”

She has now been promoted to a stay-at-home job.

Maxwell was working in the childcare center of a gym before they were shut down after spring break in 2020. The gym was unable to keep regular shifts because of their limited capacity, so she had to find other work to keep her hours. She acknowledges that her employers now are trying their best to keep her and fellow essential workers safe but is frustrated by those who don’t feel the need to wear a mask to protect others.

Kidd responds to a potential lift on the mask mandate with a rhetorical question, “We still have people dying from COVID-19 complications, and the state might lift the mask mandate?” She does not agree with relaxing this preventative measure.

Rodriguez lives with an at-risk individual and agrees with the sentiment.

“I think it is irresponsible," said Rodriguez. “Even when the mandate is lifted, I am still wearing a mask to not only keep myself safer but my family.”

However, it looks like Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will let the mandate expire by the end of this month.

The world has changed, and Rodriguez describes this well.

“I remember when my wife and I were visiting our cousins in March of 2020," Rodriguez said. "The mask mandate was not a thing yet and nothing had actually

closed. We made a joke about how this will all blow over and we will be back to normal before we know it. We visited them 5 months later. Social distancing was mandatory, masks were mandatory, some businesses were a thing of the past and were shared a laugh on how that statement didn’t age well.”

Many wonderful people and things have been lost. Maxwell has seen some positives of the slowingdown of the world COVID-19 has forced.

“It has made me explore interests that I typically wouldn’t have stopped to give a chance," Maxwell said. "I have put a lot more time into thoughts and activities surrounding my future. It has also afforded me great opportunities. While I don’t neglect the bad that has happened during this time, I am so grateful for all the good that is coming.”

Kidd gives this advice, “Wear your mask, and one day we will be able to have our freedoms again. Whatever you do, always remain safe and protecting yourself, family and friends, and strangers.”

“Many wonderful people and things have been lost.”

I am a BLACK man. This title comes with pain, responsibility, and power. The pain comes from 100 years of physical slavery and systematic racism; a system today where we have made some advancement in equality but, yet I feel we are still far apart. What leader of the current leader of the “free world” or what future leader will usher in a way for my people to be treated the same way as white Americans whether that be educationally, economically, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Responsibility comes in me doing my part to set an example to the youth underneath me and to my peers that there is a better way out. Having that responsibility to uplift my people when I make it and the pioneers before me proud by staying true to myself. Power in using the spoken word or the power of a pen to gain awareness to the masses because only together will we spark change in America. In order to accomplish that goal, we need to be a united force

because the stronger the force; the more momentum is created, the momentum can move mountains. The pain of being a black man in America at a time like this is “scary” at times. Even with the pain, there is pride in the being a black man when you understand the obstacles that are set in stone to give us a disadvantage in being successful. Sometimes there feels like there in a ceiling for black American unless to are one of the luck one to make it through athletics, but in other field there feels you have to go the extra mile in order to have equal footing with other races. I have not had a negative situation with white people, but I have felt the stares in public or have been followed in stores and that shit is not cool. I also have not had a negative word or situation with the police. I do not think after all the racial tension and the deaths of black people that have been caught on camera that the police should be defunded. I think police officers should be

trained more on these situations and there should be a deeper background check on people who train to become an officer. If a situation occurs that is excessive force, I think they should be prosecuted to the furthest extend of the law or suspended without pay, if not fired. The pain that

even long after the segregation era, black and white relations are still segregated through racial profiling, stereo typing, and prejudice. The worst part about current climate in America is we have a president in Donald Trump who incites venom by trying to, “Make America Great Again.” We cannot be great by going backwards to ideologies that made up separate. Pain is supposed to be temporary suffering but given how you are built mentally, it can be just that, temporary. So, I ask will we give in to the pain or will we fight back and force change. We all hold responsibility for the things we say, hear, or do. With that responsibility comes

THE CAPITOL

Guest writer George Shavers talks about the riots Jan. 6, 2021

On January 6, 2021 one of the most recent tragedies in American history happened at the U.S. capitol.

This situation seemingly orchestrated by the leader of the free world, the 45 President of the United States Donald J. Trump.

To think all of this started because Trump is a sore loser, and he distributed his frustration and anger to his supporters.

Trump claimed that the 2020 Presidential Election against democratic elect Joe Biden was fixed and he demanded a recount of votes.

I am old enough to remember 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and other tragedies along the way but, I never thought in my wildest dreams that the people of our nation would storm the U.S. capitol.

If I could imagine it, I would think it would be under different circumstances or from people of color or another country.

The storming of the U.S. capitol left me in shock and awe not only because of what happened but, the fact that one person influenced thousands of people to make stupid decisions.

This was an act of treason dressed up as showing patriotism and love for the United States of America.

In the eyes of a black person or a minority of this country, they might look at this event as familiar while also making you feel that you would not be given those same liberties.

There are ways to have a peaceful protest and have people in place to keep the peace, but if the energy comes from a place of

accountability. We cannot expect other people to see us as more when we do not value each other with the gun violence and how we try to tear each other down. We should be taking care of each other; we should look at your brother as your brother and not your enemy. We need to support black businesses so we can keep money in the black neighborhoods, so we can leave generational wealth for our future children and their children. I take pride being the only person

in my mother’s side of my family to make it to college because that gives me some purpose and a responsibility to make my family proud. I want to be one of the people that puts Little Rock, Arkansas on the map because I feel once people make it, they shy away from the Natural State. Responsibility heaps purpose, and my purpose is to create my own way and try to bring my people with me.

Power, like anything else that has to do with the mind is all about

your mindset and the people that are attached to what you do and do not do. When I have children one day, I want to teach them the “Mamba Mentality”; which is having laser focus and an unwavering will to get the job done by any means necessary by hard work and determination. I hope that is a mentality we can adopt as black people and unify that mindset as a single unit. All power comes from the mind whether that’s ideas, actions, reactions, or questions. If we believe in each other and the put action in place instead of talking about it, we will be unstoppable. The acceptance to be treated equal or the disadvantages we face would not matter as much if stick together. I hope to inspire others when I make it because I am one to the voices of the future, along with others who share that same vision and together we can use our power to push our race in the race of prosperity. On another note, rest in peace Kobe and Wakanda Forever!!!

Hear from guest writer George Shavers about being a black man in America

BLACK

anger, there can be no peace.

Trump supports were fueled by the possibility of Biden changing there way of life; whereas they bathe in the glory of Trump.

This was one of the biggest displays of hypocrisy in American history.

These are the same people who claim patriotism through support of the troops; the same people who denounce anything antiAmerican; and the same people who claim all lives matter, when clearly over decades have shown that black ones do not.

These are also the same people who which were given a battery in their back by Trump to storm the U.S. capitol.

If treason ever had a look, the events that took place that day was a prime example.

According to CNN.com, “People at the U.S. capitol riot are being identified and losing their jobs.”

I am not a advocate of people not being able to feed their families, but the consequences could be worst.

According to Google.com, the definition says the quality of being patriotic: devotion to and vigorious support for one’s country.

These people lost there way because instead of giving their support to America and what would be prosperous for us going forward but, instead they pledged allegiance to Donald Trump.

That pledge led them down a path of exclamation and for some death.

With the majority of Trump sup-

porters being Caucasian males or females, as a black person I felt we were spectators in this fight. Along the history between law enforcement and the government against black people, I do not think we would have been able to do what they did and return home without consequence or even be lucky enough to live to talk about.

From social injustice, systematic racism, racial inequality, and the lack of economic wealth, in the playing field of the land of the free, we are always at a disadvantage because of the color of our skin.

Hopefully, the new administration can lead us to seeing America as one instead of a place that’s night and day depending on your race, beliefs, or economic class.

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