Author: Hycall Brooks

Mugdha Mokashi, one of two candidates for USGA president. Photo by Ian Keel/Photo EditorMugdha Mokashi, one of two candidates for USGA president. Photo by Ian Keel/Photo Editor Sufia AlamCampus Reporter Mokashi, a junior in neuroscience and public health and has been involved with multiple student life organizations on campus since the beginning of her freshman year. She also served as director of student issues under the division of the executive vice president prior to the election. Through these experiences, Mokashi has acquired many skills in leadership and management. Additionally, Mokashi recognizes the importance of her position and plans on using…

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Oscar viewers sit and eat during a 89th Academy Awards viewing party at Rojo. Photo by Ian Keel/Photo Editor Jason GroverLife & Style Editor Confusion reigned on stage as the apparent Best Picture winners, “La La Land,” delivered their thank you speeches. The announcers for the “Best Picture” category, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunnaway, were evidently sent to the stage with the wrong envelope. When Beatty showed confusion at the contents of the envelope, which read “Emma Stone: La La Land,” Dunnaway grabbed the envelope and announced “La La Land” as the winner. The cast and crew of “La La…

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Several administrators sat on the panel discussing President Trump’s recent executive order on immigration. Photo by Ian Keel/Photo Editor Tamara ImamBranding and Outreach ManagerOver 100 students, faculty and community members gathered at UAB’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center Jemison Concert Hall at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1 for a discussion on President Trump’s executive order on immigration and travel. The event, hosted by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, was the third in an ongoing series of forums dedicated to “civil discourse.”Panelists included UAB President Ray Watts, International Student and Scholar Services Director Catherine Crowe, Vice President for Diversity,…

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Payton Head speaks to a crowd Monday, Jan. 23 to tell his first-hand account of race-driven hatred. Photo by Ian Keel/Photo Editor Anthony RoneyCampus Reporter On Monday, Jan. 23., Payton Head, the former student body president at the University of Missouri, came to the Hill Student Center to give a lecture on the importance of inclusion on college campuses. Head is an African-American, LGBTQ rights activist and a self-proclaimed “change-agent.” After one of his Facebook posts went viral, he caught the attention of the media and like-minded people on a national level. Now, he tours cities and holds lectures about…

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Illustration by Sarah Faulkner Sufia Alam – Staff [email protected] The UAB Social Justice Advocacy Council held a session to discuss the aftermath of the presidential election among UAB students who identify as Muslim, or are of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent. The goal of the session, which was part of the Conversations and Community series, was to create a safe space to allow students to freely discuss their thoughts on the election and the issues that they felt targeted them specifically. This session was one of four “affinity spaces” held by the SJAC. The other three sessions are aimed at…

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Blaze the Dragon greets students at Coming Out on The Green which kicked off the Out Week celebration. Photo courtesy of SJAC Out Week brings student body together to reflect on progress and to continue advancements in LGBT acceptanceFrom Staff Reports October is LGBT History Month. The month recognizes the achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people across the United States, a community that has historically faced marginalization and discrimination. LGBT History Month is relatively new, founded in 1994 by a Missouri high school teacher, Rodney Wilson, who believed that gay and lesbian history should be taught in public…

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Illustration by Corey Brigh Tessa Case – News [email protected] academic year holds a record number of enrolled students for UAB, including the largest freshman class in history.According to a press release from UAB Media Relations, record recruitment and retention rates has bolstered the number of students up by 1,202, reaching a record number of 19,535 enrolled students for the fall 2016 semester. This is a 6.56 percent increase from fall 2015, with a 24.7 percent increase to the freshman class alone. Retention rate increased 3.1 percent, which Barnes said hasn’t occurred in 12 years. “Coming into this position last July, we…

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Women have unique leadership opportunities on UAB’s campus. (Photo by Lexy Davis) Myah Clinton – Staff [email protected] 2014, the Pew Research Center completed a study titled “Women and Leadership.” When asked what qualities are important in a leader, the participants chose honesty, intelligence, decisiveness and organization as the top four leadership traits. Although most participants agreed that both women and men are capable of possessing these qualities, men still outnumber women in top leadership positions. There are certain obstacles that women encounter that do not affect men. In the same study, the participants had to pick the reasons women were held…

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Tessa Case – Staff [email protected] scene: you are at a party where the music is blaring and alcohol flows freely. People are moving, talking, dancing and having a good time. Something catches your eye: two people in the corner, one is aggressive and one is obviously uncomfortable. What do you do? What should you do?Understanding the difference between consent and coercion and feeling empowered as a bystander are imperative to prevent campus sexual assault, according to two “Sex Signals” performers. Courtney Abbott and George Zeronte brought comedy, improvisation and awareness about these issues during a performance at UAB on Tuesday, Feb. 9.The…

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No More Martyrs’ logo. (Photo courtesy of Nadia Richardson). Janvi Jani – Staff [email protected] More Martyrs, a local mental health awareness campaign and organization, recently received a $25,000 grant from UAB at the Community Health Innovation Awards to fund its Mosaic Mental Health Awareness Project. Kaleidoscope spoke to Nadia Richardson, Ph.D., the founder of No More Martyrs. Richardson, who has a background in diversity education, became involved in mental health awareness as a graduate student when she was doing research for her dissertation on the experiences of black female students with mental health concerns. “The things I learned from the research,…

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