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University of Tennessee students and staff discuss racial tension

Taylor OwensLeave a comment

[Originally written for Journalism 230 Media Reporting Class, October 2015]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — “You can be an ambassador for change,” said Alice Wirth, lecturer at the University of Tennessee and director for the Diversity Student Leaders Society. “You have to have a dialogue.”

A panel of staff and students from different cultural, political and economic backgrounds attempted to educate students about the different upbringings and lifestyles of people around campus in the Diversity and Inclusion Week panel “Diversity and Inclusion: Lessons Learned from Home.” Race was an important topic for the panel because of recent tension presented in the media.

“I had a complete culture shock when I got here from Germany,” said sophomore Jakob Johnson. “People don’t look at race as much there as they do here.”

Johnson plays football for the University of Tennessee and moved to the United States for his senior year of high school. He said football was not a popular sport in Europe and he knew he would have to leave Germany if he was going to have the opportunity to play professionally.

Johnson said that it was rare to be mixed race in his home country, but people were relatively inclusive of everyone.

“I’m coming from a country where race doesn’t play much of a role to a place where I actually kind of get followed around in stores,” Johnson said.

Like Johnson, diversity student leader, Carrie Sengchanthavong, understands the struggles of growing up in a mixed race household. Sengchanthavong is Laotian, but was adopted by a Korean woman and a German man. She said race was still a difficult subject in her home.

Sengchanthavong said she witnessed the discrimination when she brought a male of another race to her home.

“I come from a very diverse community,” Sengchanthavong said. “I guess my mom didn’t really understand that I was surrounded by all of that.”

Though Johnson and Sengchanthavong come from diverse racial backgrounds, only 23 percent of the students enrolled at the University during the 2014-2015 academic year described themselves as non-white. Of the 27,410 students enrolled full-time, 21,046 were white, according to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.

Racism is seen differently in today’s generation than it was during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. During this time period, 52 percent of all Americans saw racism as the most important issue in the country, compared to 13 percent today, according to a Gallup poll. A Music Television poll found that 72 percent of the younger generation feel they are less racist than their elders.

Courtney Boykin is also a diversity student leader. She said that something changes within a person that causes them to become an adult who discriminates against others.

“My high school was majority white and we had racist things,” Boykin said. “Sometimes people are just scared and that’s why they feel like they need to be abrasive.”

“My German grandmother is one of the most loving people I know, but she had to accept my mothering marrying a black man and having a baby with him,” Johnson added. “I feel like it’s just something you have to experience.”

Montana Knell, an administrative assistant, said that though she is not personally affected by racism, she has witnessed it in her family.

“I think it mainly comes from a place of ignorance,” Knell said. “I think in certain cases it’s at a point where it’s just too far gone.”

Nearly six in ten Americans think that race relations are generally bad, according to a New York Times and CBS News Poll.

The panelists said that people must care about others and listen to their opinions to fight this discrimination.

“A lot of us only want to hear ourselves,” Sengchanthavong said. “We don’t want to hear other points of view.”

Athletics creates new opportunities for Venezuelan coaches

Taylor OwensLeave a comment

[Originally written for Journalism 230 Media Reporting Class, August 2015]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— In America, sports are a business. Brands sponsor athletes, major corporations advertise at sporting events and players are often worshipped as celebrities. In Venezuela, athletics are a gateway to new opportunities.

“Because of God and baseball, I was able to come to school in America,” said Ernis Arias, a baseball coach from Caracas.

Arias, along with five other Venezuelan coaches, came to the University of Tennessee as a part of the International Sports Programming Initiative: Sport for Social Change. The coaches toured athletic facilities around the university and learned about the role of sports in American culture and how it differs from their own customs.

“The support sports in America get from private companies, foundations and even the government is the biggest difference,” Arias said. “We don’t get that kind of support.”

The financial backing is not the only difference the coaches recognized in their travels. They all joined sports to better their lives and help the children they coach do the same.

“Alberto became a Mixed Martial Arts fighter because he was bullied his whole life,” Arias translated for Alberto Ramón Yaguare Morales. “He decided to become a coach because he doesn’t want those children to go through what he went through.”

Morales also said that he can teach others about self control, healthy living and self-esteem through his sport.

Arias decided to become a baseball player because it was a family sport, but found that it created opportunities for an education and career in America.

“All the men in my family practiced baseball,” Arias said. “For me, it has been the tool that has opened all the doors possible.”

According to a statistic from Major League Baseball, 59 Venezuelans played on an American major league team in 2014. They ranked second behind the Dominican Republic.

The task of coaching children and teenagers is predictably challenging.

“We understand the changes that teenagers go through, so, because we know it, we try to give them the tools to guide them,” said Arias. “For us, it’s a privilege.”

The coaches agreed the hardest part of the exchange is being so far away from their loved ones, but they look forward to sharing their knowledge and experiences.

Serrin Foster brings controversial speech to the University of Tennessee

Taylor OwensLeave a comment

[Written for Journalism 230 Media Reporting Class, September 2015]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— “Abortion is a reflection that we have not met the needs of women,” according to Serrin Foster, president of Feminists for Life.

Foster presented her speech “The Feminist Case Against Abortion” at the University of Tennessee on Tuesday evening.

“I want to tell woman here who have had abortions that I am not here to condemn you, to judge you or to criticize you,” Foster said. “I am here to free women from abortions by providing them with resources.”

Feminists for Life was established in 1972 in order to provide women with support and resources in order to decrease the number of abortions. The group cites the early feminists as inspirations for their mission.

Today, Feminists for Life focuses on problems that affect pregnant women like discrimination in the job market and educational institutions.

Foster said that three out of four women believe that having a baby would interfere with their work or education. The National Women’s Law Center found that pregnant women have been fired from their jobs for needing special accommodations such as extra bathroom breaks or stools to use behind cash registers.

“Women are not stupid because they are pregnant,” Foster said. “Women can still read, write and think.”

Foster argued that many women choose abortion because they do not want to burden other people with their problems. They are expected to go through with an abortion because they lack support systems and other resources that could change their opinions.

This differs from the beliefs shared by many feminists who believe that women should choose what they do with their bodies, according to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

University of Tennessee sophomore Alyssa Crow worked with Planned Parenthood to provide alternative information to Foster’s speech.

“Feminism should be all encompassing,” Crow said. “I think feminists should believe that women have the right to their own body and they should be able to choose whatever they want to choose.”

Foster said that 44 percent of abortions are performed on college-aged students. She also argued for programs at universities for pregnant students and mothers, citing the University of Tennessee as one of the best colleges in terms of resources provided to these women.

“It is important for campuses to start incorporating these resources,” said Mika Carr, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee. “Hearing that the University of Tennessee is a model for other universities in the country is the main thing I’ll take away from this lecture. Students aren’t made aware of those things.”

Foster said she believes rape and incest to be the most divisive issues in the abortion debate.

“We need to support those who were conceived in violence and even incest,” Foster said. “We can’t decide the worth of a person based on the circumstances of their conception.”

Health Research Funding found that less than one percent of abortions take place because there has been a rape or incest involved in the pregnancy.

Foster said that abortions are down 30 percent since Feminists for Life created their first program at a collegiate level at Georgetown University.

University of Tennessee professors use statistics to study death penalty

Taylor OwensLeave a comment

[Written for Journalism 230 Media Reporting Class, September 2015]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— Dr. John Scheb and Dr. Hemant Sharma, political science professors at the University of Tennessee, presented their statistical findings on the use of the death penalty in Tennessee on Thursday, Sept. 17 in the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy.

The professors began the lecture with background information from court cases involving the death penalty, including the 1972 case “Furman v. Georgia.” Tennessee reinstated this policy after “Furman v. Georgia,” becoming one of the 31 states to allow capital punishment.

“As time goes by the death penalty is used less and less,” Scheb said. “There have been only six executions since it was reinstated in this state.”

Before creating their own model, Scheb and Sharma looked at statistics from the state in recent years to compare it to their own results. They found that of the 27 percent of cases where the death penalty was sought, 12 percent were actually sentenced to death.

Scheb and Sharma also looked at the race of the victims and defendants and the probability of a guilty verdict.

“While there are some exceptions, juries are more likely to rule death sentences in cases where the victims are white,” Scheb said.

The professors used Rule 12 forms to collect data about murders committed in Tennessee. They looked at forms from 1977 through 2014 and focused on both prosecutors’ decisions to seek the death penalty and decisions of jury members to rule in favor of capital punishment.

While the data set had over 250 variables, Scheb and Sharma focused primarily on the traits of the victim, the traits of the defendant, the nature of the crime and the evidence factors.

In Tennessee, the race of the defendant was not as significant as other factors such as the nature of the crime, familiar witness identifications and presence of a confession.

“There is no evidence of discrimination of black defendants when they’ve committed the same crime as a white defendant,” Sharma said.

The data collected found that prosecutors are most likely to seek the death penalty when there are three or more victims. Abnormal killings and the murder of a law officer were the second most powerful variables for a death sentence.

“Abnormal killings include stabbing, beating and strangling,” Sharma said. “They reserve the death penalty for the most egregious crimes.”

There were some similarities when comparing jury decisions for the death penalty and the decisions of prosecutors to seek capital punishment. Jurors also did not find race to be the most important factor when convicting a defendant. Scheb said this might be because juries are becoming more diverse, which would result in less discrimination

Jurors were 4.2 times more likely to rule in favor of the death penalty when scientific evidence was present.

“That’s a positive finding for the idea of capital punishment in Tennessee,” Sharma said. “Jurors are taking evidence into account.”

“When they know a person is going to get the death penalty they want a higher level of certainty with the guilt of the accused,” added Scheb.

Tennessee uses lethal injection as a means of execution, which is the most common method in the United States. The state also brought back the use of the electric chair in 2014 in cases where drugs for lethal injection are not available, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Former Peace Corps volunteer shares experiences at first Pride Week

Taylor OwensLeave a comment

[Originally published on the Tennessee Journalist on Oct. 5, 2015]

Following last week’s Diversity and Inclusion Week, the University of Tennessee’s Pride Center continued the diversity discussion with their first annual Pride Week.

The Pride Center, formerly known as the OUTreach Center, hosted its inaugural Pecha Kucha, or quick presentation of multiple speakers, on Monday, Oct. 5.

Four graduate students spoke about their areas of research in the LGBTQIA field, including Jeremy Haber, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay and current Peace Corps recruiter.

Haber said he always knew he wanted to join the organization and explore other cultures.

“I decided to apply one night, I got the interview and I instantly connected with the recruiter,” Haber said. “I never regretted it.”

Haber describes himself as an openly gay individual and said that the Peace Corps did a lot to protect volunteers from discrimination. Those who are openly gay are welcome to serve in whatever country they choose, but the Peace Corps will talk with those who have concerns and review specific cultural information, according to their official website.

“My placement officer mentioned that I chose Africa as my region to region go to, and he mentioned that there are a lot of really great countries they recommend for this community,” Haber said. “Then I knew from then on that if the Peace Corps spends that much time researching the different countries to make you feel safe, I wouldn’t have a problem.”

Haber did not speak Spanish when he left for Paraguay, but learned some through his three months of training and more during his two-year stay in the country. Despite these differences, he said the country was supportive of him and his sexuality.

“When they know you’re gay in a different country they confide in you,” Haber said. “If you’re someone from the outside they can share and connect with you right away.”

Haber said that this was especially true of the gay youth he met while working in the country who felt they could open up to him and his colleagues.

The Human Rights Campaign reports that 92 percent of LGBTQIA youth hear negative messages about their sexuality from sources like the internet, school and friends.

Junior Shannon Michel said the message of acceptance the speakers shared was important to discuss with others in order to stop negative opinions from spreading.

“I learned to be more open-minded and just come in to the community as someone willing to learn about it,” Michel said. “This can broaden peoples’ horizons and make them more aware of people outside of their comfort zone.”

Haber said he hoped people continue this dialogue after the Pecha Kucha event.

“I feel like there should just be more sharing,” Haber said. “You learn so much from these people and their passions, and I feel like we should be telling our stories more.”

More information about the Pride Center can be found on their official website.

Featured image by Taylor Owens

Edited by Jessica Carr

UT Cinema Club explores cult classics this semester

Taylor OwensLeave a comment
UT Cinema Club to explore cult classics this semester

[Originally published on the Tennessee Journalist on Aug., 21 2015]

The UT Cinema Club is known for showing unique indie films throughout the semester. In the past, their screenings have focused on animated films, American cinema and films of the 21st century. This semester, the Cinema Club is going to showcase films of a different variety: cult classics.

“We plan to spotlight classic midnight movies, exploitation and modern grindhouse cinema, B movies and modern cult films,” Cinema Club President Nathan Smith said.

“We have some interesting films lined up to fit with that theme,” added Jessy Alva, Cinema Club vice president.

The choice to feature such films was decided on by the executive board.

“Each semester we try to work with a theme to help frame what types of films we’ll be exploring throughout the year,” Alva said. “This definitely helps on the executive board’s end to compile a list of movies that the viewers can vote on and also seems to attract people interested in certain types of films.”

While cult classics might not always be well reviewed, the Cinema Club sees their importance in modern culture.

“We felt it was important to showcase films throughout cinematic history that have gained dedicated, and sometimes obsessive, followings and then reflect on what those films and their followings say about our culture,” Smith said.

The Cinema Club will show “Mad Max: The Road Warrior” as their first film of the semester on Monday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Art and Architecture building room 111.

The screening is free and all students are welcome to attend.

“At its basis, Cinema Club is about watching movies and having fun,”Alva said. “We just want to be a way for movie lovers to find each other and talk about movies.”

All UT Cinema Club screenings throughout the semester will be held Mondays at 7 p.m. in Art and Architecture 111.

You can follow them on their Twitter and Facebook pages for more details.

Nashville band brings rock to Volapalooza 2015

Taylor OwensLeave a comment

[Originally published on the Tennessee Journalist on Apr. 28, 2015]

Arman Asadsangabi, lead vocals for The Screens, talks to the audience between sets at Volapalooza, April 24, 2015, World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN. //Photo by Ryan McGill

Students came to celebrate the last day of classes on April 24 atVolapalooza 2015. They came to hear performances from Bad Suns, Cold War Kids and Lupe Fiasco, but they got a special treat when a relatively unknown Nashville band took the stage.

Zephyr Garden, formerly known as the Screens, is  comprised of lead singer Arman Asadsangabi and producer and guitarist Benton Black. The two high school students won the opportunity to play at Volapalooza back in March when they won the Battle of the Bands competition.

Though they only had a week’s notice, the duo still managed to wow the judges and audience members alike.

“We just got invited to play, and it was actually through a family member,” Asadsangabi said. “We went ahead and came here, played and got the spot.”

The two met at a party towards the end of 2014 and have been making music together ever since. Though their musical journey as a band has been a recent one, both Asadsangabi and Black believe that music has been an influential part of their lives.

“I’ve been playing music my whole life,” Black said. “I’ve been playing guitar for over ten years now and making tracks and things like that, so music is pretty much my whole life.”

Describing their sound as “party rock,” Asadsangabi and Black cite indie rock artists such as Tame Impala, the Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys as some of their musical influences. They say that Nashville is a great place for musicians to live, regardless of genre.

“The funny thing about Nashville is that people associate it with country music, but anyone under the age of 30 doesn’t,” Black said. “I’d say it’s one of the biggest indie rock scenes ever.”

The young duo is not wasting any time when it comes to their music. They released an EP, “Plastic Dreams,” on Soundcloud earlier this year and recorded, mixed and produced the whole thing by themselves.

Asadsangabi and Black put in a lot of work to prepare for their Volapalooza performance as well. This included finding a way to make the digital sort of sound on their EP work in a live performance.

“That’s been a lot of hard work, figuring out how to make all of our songs play as close to the album as possible in a live setting and still have it sound really good,” Black said.

Overall, Asadsangabi and Black hope to deliver energetic performances that will please the crowds.

A group stands and listens to The Screens at Volapalooza, April 24, 2014, World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN. //Photo by Ryan McGill

“I hope they [the crowd] just has a good time,” Asasangabi said.

“A lot of people who don’t know what to expect when they see us go on-stage, they really enjoy it,” added Black.

Zephyr Garden is just getting started. With a Volapalooza performance down, they will next be performing at Do Dah Day in Birmingham, Alabama on May 16.

They’re optimistic about what the future holds.

“Hopefully an album is next,” Asadsangabi said. “And a lot more music festivals this summer.”

You can find more information about Zephyr Garden on their official website.

Opinion: Whole Foods is a magical place

Taylor OwensLeave a comment

[Originally published on the Tennessee Journalist on Mar. 31, 2014]

Retail giant Whole Foods opened up its first Knoxville location on March 24. Though I’ve heard much about it, I’ve never set foot in the actual store before. Not until this past weekend, when I decided to brave the crowds and see what Whole Foods really has to offer.

First things first: it’s an incredibly busy place. It’s new and exciting, so you can expect large crowds for some time to come. Possibly forever.  However, if you can power through and make it inside, you’ll be delighted by the shiny glory that is Whole Foods.

The store itself has an inviting atmosphere. It’s nice and bright with a sort of pleasant scent about it. Plus, the employees are very willing to help you locate something if you find yourself aimlessly strolling down the baked goods aisle.

I found myself the happiest among the beautifully decorated cakes and fresh breads.

Another big selling point for Whole Foods is that it also acts as a sort of restaurant. You can enjoy some fresh sushi, a sandwich or even a few slices of pizza. Overall, it’s relatively reasonably priced.  Plus, there’s even a seating area called “The Rocky” where you can sit down and eat your food, and it’s a pretty happening place. Also, Whole Foods makes a big point of promoting local businesses and growers. I thought that was

very special, and also makes each store a little unique. Also a little bit more expensive, but if you’re willing to shell out a little more cash, it’s worth it to support your community.

I was convinced that everything was going to be overpriced at Whole Foods, and sure, some things were, but a lot of their prices were pretty comparable to Kroger or Publix. However, I couldn’t see myself doing all of my grocery shopping there. I think it’s best if you go in there for something specific or if you need something sort of unique.

Additionally, it’s good if you want a variety of something. For example, there were more types of olives to choose from at Whole Foods than I’ve ever seen in my life. Seriously, I didn’t even know that many kinds of olives existed.

Whole Foods is also a good place to go if you want food that caters to specific dietary needs. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you can enjoy some tufu ice cream or a vegan cupcake. If you have a gluten allergy, you’re not left out either. The public might not understand what it means to be gluten free, but Whole Foods does. They understand, and they want to help you.

All in all, I was really impressed by Whole Foods. I thought it was an interesting place that clearly cares about where they get their food and the quality of their products. It’s unique, and exactly what Knoxville needs to get people excited about their food.

You can visit Whole Foods at 6730 Papermill Drive in Knoxville and learn more at their website.

Local artists compete for set at Volapalooza 2015

Taylor OwensLeave a comment

The Screens perform at Battle of the Bands

[Originally published on the Tennessee Journalist on Mar. 5, 2015]

The Campus Entertainment Board hosted a battle of the bands in the University Center Auditorium on Thursday night. Four local artists competed in the competition in hopes of winning the grand prize: a set at this year’s Volapalooza on April 24 in World’s Fair Park.

The event had three judges, two dj’s from WUTK and David Brown, the director of Volapalooza. The audience also got to cast their vote by text after each act had performed. These votes counted for one fourth of the total, and the other three came from the judges.

Each act was given fifteen minutes to perform original music.

Maps Need Reading was the first band to perform. The group hails from Knoxville, and describes their style as a combination of indie rock and post-rock. Along with the guitar, drum and bass, the group featured a trombone and tenor saxophone.

Two attendees, Abbie Fields and Kathryn York, were excited to see the band perform because they knew some of the bandmates.

Sale$ was the next performer to compete. The University of Tennessee senior is also a rapper who currently has four mix tapes. He says he has been making music since he was in elementary school.

Nashville band Heathen Sons play a blend of rock and alternative country.

The rock band The Screens performed next. They are from Nashville, and brought a crowd of supporters with them for the competition.

Another Nashville band, Heathen Sons, closed the show with their blend of rock and alternative country.

After the votes were tallied, Heathen Sons was crowned the runner-up, and The Screens took home the top prize of the night.

The attendees liked having the opportunity to vote for their favorite act.

“I think it’s a good idea and it worked pretty good,” said Fields. “It was pretty straightforward.”

You can listen to music from all the performers online. Maps Need Reading has music available on theirBandcamp page, Sale$ has an official SoundCloud page, as do The Screens and Heathen Sons.

To see all the acts at Volapalooza, including The Cold War Kids and Lupe Fiasco make sure to buy your ticket from their official website. Tickets are free to students who opted in.

2015 Oscars recap and reactions

Taylor OwensLeave a comment

[Originally posted on the Tennessee Journalist on Feb. 23, 2015]

The 87th annual Academy Awards aired Sunday, Feb. 22 on ABC and brought out all of Hollywood’s A-list stars.

Host Neil Patrick Harris opened the show with a musical tribute to movies featuring guest performances byAnna Kendrick, Jack Black and some Stormtroopers from “Star Wars.”

Many students from the University of Tennessee expressed their thoughts and opinions through Twitter.

Oscar Screen Cap

Last year’s Best Supporting Actress Lupita Nyong’o presented the first award of the night for Best Supporting Actor to J.K. Simmons for his performance in “Whiplash.” Simmons thanked his wife and children and reminded everyone about the importance of parents.

“If you’re lucky enough to have a parent on this earth, call them,” he said.

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Patricia Arquette won Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Boyhood.” Her acceptance speech excited the internet (and Meryl Streep) with her mentions of the importance of equal pay for men and women.

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The awards also featured performances from all of the nominees for Best Original Song. John Legend andCommon’s performance of “Glory” from the movie “Selma” proved to be an emotional one, producing tears and a standing ovation from audience members. The song went on to win the category and was presented by Idina Menzel and John Travolta.

Tegan and Sara and the Lonely Island’s performance of “Everything is Awesome” from “The Lego Movie”appeared to be a hit with viewers at home.

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Best Actor went to first-time nominee Eddie Redmayne for his role as Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everthing.” His speech was a highlight of the night, filled with excitement and enthusiasm.

“I will be its custodian,” said Redmayne referring to his new Oscar statue.

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Best Actress went to Julianne Moore for her role in “Still Alice.” Moore said she was glad to have “been able to shine a light on Alzheimer’s disease.” This was her fifth nomination and first win.

Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” won awards in many categories including Best Original Score and Best Costume Design.

“Birdman” was the night’s big winner. The film took home awards for  Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director Alejandro Gonzàles Iñárritu and Best Picture.

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To see a full list of winners, go to the official Oscars website.