On the evening of August 28, news broke that actor Chadwick Boseman had died at age 43 after a four years with colon cancer.

Even though this year has brought blow after blow, this one stung in a different way, the very last straw in a long series of last straws this year. In a time of so much racial injustice, it is hard to grasp the death of the greatest Black superhero in history — how do you make sense of a death in a time when the person lost is the person needed the most?

Superheroes are supposed to live forever.

Boseman was best known for his role as King T’Challa in “Black Panther,” but to Black audiences, his character was so much more than another superhero to watch on the big screen.

Boseman was the forerunner of Black excellence in modern-day superhero films. He proved that Black actors deserve to be more than a white superhero’s sidekick or antihero.

“Black Panther” exemplified the fact that Blackness is worthy of being celebrated without suffering. It was more than a movie — it fueled a movement. “Black Panther” let it be known that not only are Black films deserving of freedom from racial strife, but that Blackness is synonymous with royalty.

Boseman led many other lives on screen, telling the stories of other great Black heroes like Jackie Robinson and James Brown. During his four-year battle with cancer, Boseman reprised his role as King T’Challa in three other Marvel films in addition to starring in “Message from the King,” “Marshall,” “21 Bridges” and most recently Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods.”

During shoots for these films, Boseman was secretly undergoing countless surgeries and treatments for his illness. He proved time and time again that he was not only a superhero on screen; he was one in real life, too.

The actor battled the disease selflessly and with grace even when he appeared to have lost a large amount of weight. People hurled insults at him online due to his suddenly slight stature. He took it in silence and never shared his prognosis publicly.

Boseman could have been defined by his illness and never gone on to star in the film that would change the world two years after he was diagnosed.
Instead, he gave the performance of a lifetime while he was fighting for his life.

He proved that anything is possible. Although his untimely death may never make sense or feel just, he went out on his own terms and did what he loved the whole time.

Boseman once said “ Purpose is not related to career. Purpose is not related to a job. It’s related to what God put inside you that you’re supposed to give to the world.” It is clear that Chadwick Boseman lived his life by these words. It will not be forgotten that he in turn left the world better because of them. Wakanda forever.

Tech can be a grueling place during regular times; it’s unsurprising that a nationwide pandemic, which has all but zapped our social lives and mental health routines, has sent many students over the edge.

Exhaustion from constant stress, albeit a different kind of isolated and virtual stress, is to be expected this semester.

Usually, students would easily be able to talk to resident advisors, friends, staff and professors at their leisure if they needed a helping hand.

This semester, after two successful years of in-person sessions, GTCC is attempting to fill that void with a virtual version of the Let’s Talk program.

Let’s Talk is a program under Georgia Tech’s Counseling Center (GTCC) that offers free, confidential counseling to students.

This semester, they’re hosting virtual one-on-one appointments via BlueJeans, which students can sign up for by emailing one of three counselors listed on the Let’s Talk website.

As of now, the program is running on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. A list of counselors and their corresponding availabilities can be found on the website.

Let’s Talk is much less formal than traditional counseling — there’s no clinical paperwork and no pressure to continue a relationship — so it’s ideal for students apprehensive about a long-term commitment.

Appointments usually only last about 15 minutes as opposed to GTCC’s regular 50-minute appointments, which means most students can fit Let’s Talk into their schedule. They’ve been scheduled to occur until December of this year.

During regular COVID-less semesters, Let’s Talk offers the same free, informal and relatively quick counseling at sites around Tech’s campus.

Perhaps one silver lining of the pandemic, which has resulted in thousands of students living off campus, is the accessibility to programs such as Let’s Talk.

Once only at physical locations, Let’s Talk, club meetings, health appointments and other functions have been reworked to be available to all students regardless of address.

The Counseling Center advises anyone who is going through a specific problem and wants advice, who is concerned about a friend and needs help, or who simply wants the perspective of a counselor without the commitment to counseling to try out the program.

They clarify that while their appointed counselors are open to talk about whatever the student brings up, they aren’t substitutes for psychotherapy.

They may assist the student to find a more permanent or intensive counselor if it seems like one would better suit them.

Let’s Talk emphasized privacy and confidentiality. When signing up for an appointment, students receive individual BlueJeans links via email.

There are a few instances where privacy cannot legally be kept.

In the case of suicidal ideation or when there is another immediate, life-threatening situation, Let’s Talk counselors are required to share the information with the appropriate authorities.

In addition, counselors report cases of abuse in which the victim is a minor, an elderly person, or incapacitated and unable to handle the threat.

Let’s Talk appointments are never listed on a student’s official university record.

This semester is intensifying all sorts of obstacles that students typically deal with outside of school. Many students at Tech normally deal with academic and occupational anxiety — stress related to finding the right career, meeting class deadlines and studying for midterms — but this year that academic stress has engulfed other facets of wellbeing, too.

The academic setting has entered our personal lives, increasing emotional, physical, and even spiritual or existential stress.

Physical activity is an added challenge because of social distancing measures in place on and off campus.

We’ve now been keeping ourselves away from friends for about six months; the effects of isolation on mental health, especially for students already struggling with this, are abysmal.

Instead of being able to come home after class and wind down by talking or going to the gym with friends, we are stuck with ourselves.

Our worlds have shrunk to the size of our rooms, and we all know that this gets incredibly lonely.

Let’s Talk, while certainly not a replacement for social interaction, is a great option for students who just need a quick way to talk to someone, especially during these incredibly stressful times.

During this time a lot of us are spending most of our time indoors.

One organization in particular is doing their part to encourage people to get up and out into the great outdoors, Trailblazers.

The Trailblazers have been around for years, however, their cause has only grown more important as time has gone on.

In order to get the rundown on what the Trailblazers stand for as well as what their events and activities look like currently, the Technique sat down with Trailblazers president, graduate AE Samuel Rapoport.

Rapoport began by explaining how he got involved with the Trailblazers during his freshman year at Tech.

As someone who grew up involved in service work and outdoor activities through Boy Scouts and Eagle Scouts, Rapoport knew he wanted to continue with a similar program in college.

He found what he was looking for when he attended an alternate service break that fall.

“So my freshman year I went on a trip with Trailblazers over fall break to, I think it was the Smoky Mountains, and I was really into it.

I mean, we just kind of just like bummed around in the woods for a few days and were camping and hanging out and doing fun stuff.

And then like a day or two into it we did a trail walk out at the park.”

“After that, I went on like three or four trips. Then at the end of my junior year, like all my buddies in the club were graduating, and we were at Zion National Park, gorgeous Park, out in Utah.

I remember at the end of the trip, they were like, ‘Hey, would you want to lead the next trip?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, sure’. And then, yeah here I am a few years later.”

Rapoport went on to express his favorite aspects of the club, and what he enjoys most about his involvement with it.

“My favorite part about the club is just getting people out into nature who never would have otherwise.

Like during the fall and spring break trips, most of the people there were graduate and international students who have, you know, never been to places like Cloudland Canyon or any of these places in the States because like, they don’t have a car or they’re just going to the big name things everyone knows.”

“It’s so nice to get people exposed to the outdoors.

I think it fosters appreciation for just how beautiful it is and the importance of keeping those kinds of places as they are.”

The Trailblazers not only enjoy outdoor activities, the group also works to foster the importance of the environment and local ecology.

The group works to promote environmental awareness and sustainable practices.

“Most of what we do is service work in Atlanta and we also go to local parks to learn about you know, like the plants and the relationships among everything.

We also do stuff like helping to remove invasive species from ecosystems locally.

I love that we do a lot at local parks because it’s one thing to go to like the Grand Canyon and see the Grand Canyon and say, man that’s cool,” said Rapoport.

He continued explaining how “it’s another thing to you know, go to all the parks around in like a three mile radius and really understand all like the old growth forests and all the interconnected relationships between the plants and like the ecosystem there and how fragile it is.”

Rapoport also emphasized the importance of teaching people about local ecology in order for them to understand the larger “global narrative.”

“You know, there’s these tiny little pockets of like what the world used to be and like what Georgia used to be before it was developed and like you can still see that in those local ecosystems.

I think you have to teach the importance of protecting those little pockets and little areas.

Once people understand how much damage construction and like invasive species and all these things do to our local ecosystems, then you start thinking about the larger worldview.”

Rapoport then went on to explain how COVID has impacted the Trailblazers and how the operation of the club has shifted during the pandemic.

“Yeah, things look different than they did given COVID, especially like the large-scale events the club does, like local service stuff and then the big breaks during spring break and fall break. But locally, like, we still work really tightly with a nonprofit here in Atlanta called Ecoaddendum.”

“This semester, we’re trying to branch out a little bit more just given COVID and like, having a variety of activities people engaged in.

We will probably have events like, every week or every other week. We’ll probably be doing things with Ecoaddendum, like I said before, just things like going to local parks learning to understand the ecosystem and other things like really moving invasive species.”

To join the Trailblazers or to learn more about the organization, students can simply attend an event or a meeting. To find out more about upcoming events and future meetings visit the Trailblazers page on Engage.

Currently, navigating campus is a daunting task. Never before have we totally avoided friends and colleagues, except perhaps our beloved crew athletes in the midst of recruiting.

Everything from elevators to dining halls and classrooms have been limited to hold a smaller number of people than they normally would to maximize on campus safety during this time.

The Office of Capital Planning & Space Management (CPSM), which oversees the maximization of Tech’s infrastructure and property, assessed classrooms and other spaces at the Institute to set some guidelines for the safest distancing practices.

In addition to CPSM, Tech is following health directives from the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Below we have included the breakdown of COVID-19 safety measures for certain on-campus spaces that students usually frequent.

First, they outlined the guidelines for classrooms. In classes students are six feet apart and the instructor is positioned ten feet away from the closest seat.

Sites are posted on available seats by CPSM.

Everyone will be required to wear a face covering while inside campus facilities and buildings when it is impossible to keep six feet of distance between people.

Classrooms ideally will be cleaned once a day, and capacity has been reduced by as much as 65-70% in some cases.

There are also changes relating to dining halls. All salad bars, soup bars and buffets have been eliminated.

Capacity has been reduced in each on-campus dining location. Dining hall employees are required to wash hands every 20 minutes.

Elevators also have new guidelines. Six feet of distance must be maintained between riders. Buttons and rails will be cleaned four times a day.

In public spaces, people should not be gathering in groups of more than ten people when social distancing cannot be maintained. Lobbies, common spaces, and stairs will be cleaned two times a day.

In dorms, face masks are not required. However, in common spaces, like shared kitchens and lounges, students should stay six feet apart.

CPSM suggests limiting the use of shared appliances like coffee pots and microwaves. They also recommend cleaning these as often as possible.

Restrooms on campus will be cleaned four times a day.

Fixtures and flush valves are disinfected daily.

Every day throughout campus, according to the Office of Facilities Management, many surface touch points are disinfected.

These include all rails in stairwells and common areas, horizontal surfaces including tables, counter tops and desks, door handles, levers and push bars. It will also include access control push buttons as well as light switches.

With so many new rulings about distancing, it can be confusing to know what practices you should be following in different spaces.

Remember that masks are always a must when in close contact with other Jackets and to maintain distance whenever possible.

Not only that, but remember that one is responsible for upholding many of the published guidelines, so continue taking responsibility for your own health and the health of your community.

This fall, one of Tech’s many greenspaces has been transformed with a special purpose.

The Joint Sexual Violence Advisory Committee (JSVAC) has created a dedicated support space for survivors of sexual violence in the Mayer Memorial Garden, located next to the Skiles Classroom Building. This space features a Japanese bloodgood maple, a symbol for peace and tranquility, as well as a commemorative bench.

“We were kind of looking at it as a space … that says ‘the Georgia Tech community supports those who have experienced sexual violence,’” said third-year AE and JSVAC chair Jodi Camino.

The idea for a support space has been in the works since last year and has now been made possible with funding from the Mental Health Joint Allocation Committee (JAC).

Securing this funding was the first step to implementing the space.

“It cost us a pretty decent chunk of money to secure this because it’s not just the cost of the tree and the bench, but also the cost of the space and maintaining and upkeeping this space,” said Camino. “So we as individuals don’t have to go and maintain that space. That’s something that campus does.”

Next, JSVAC worked with Tech to select the location and finalize details, such as selecting a tree that fit both the climate and the purpose of the space.

“They really helped a lot with working with how exactly that was going to look, where it was going to go, and so we mostly had to kind of deal with the proposal and getting it approved, and then the logistics, Tech was really, really helpful with that,” said Camino.

In the future, the space could possibly be a spot for future events.

“The hope is that we can also … potentially once the pandemic has settled down a little bit, use that space as an active place to hold programming, to hold events, to be a supportive, peaceful environment where those who’ve experienced sexual violence and those who want to kind of collaborate with this goal of supporting survivors and stopping sexual violence can work to do that,” said Camino.

Some ideas for possible events include healing or therapeutic yoga and educational events with the VOICE Peer Educators.

“People can kind of use this space as a place to come and sit and talk to others who share a concern for this area, who might share experiences or might just share a passion,” said Camino.

Next spring, Camino wants to incorporate the tree into the annual Take Back the Night event, a candlelight vigil dedicated to survivors of sexual violence, and hopes the tree can be used to display messages of hope to survivors.

The space also features a bench with a dedication.

“It has a Maya Angelou quote,” said Camino. “So it says, ‘I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it,’ and then it says, ‘In support of survivors of sexual violence, we stand with you.’”

Besides the support space, JSVAC works on campus as the voice for students in matters related to sexual and domestic violence.

“We also aim to work directly with students to promote a campus culture that kind of does two things,” said Camino. “One, actively works to prevent sexual violence, a campus community that understands what sexual violence is and the impacts of it and actively works to to prevent that and then two, support survivors and survivors that are in our campus.”

There are numerous resources for members of the Tech community. The main on-campus resource is VOICE, a sexual violence prevention initiative.

“The VOICE advocates are confidential resources on campus,” said Camino. “So, they’re not mandatory reporters of anything and are always available to talk about people’s experiences. They will accompany you to the police station, walk you through options for reporting.”

VOICE also works with those who haven’t experienced sexual violence and wish to support those who have with programs such as bystander intervention training.

Besides VOICE, additional confidential resources include the Women’s Resource Center, Stamps Health Services, LGBTQIA Resource Center and Counseling Center. Camino emphasizes that our day to day interactions with others are essential.

“Personally, I think the biggest way to support survivors of sexual violence is on an interpersonal level and it’s just being super supportive to them as people, not as just a statistic … but as individuals who have dealt with something and deal with it in a different way than every other individual,” said Camino.

Additionally, Camino encourages everyone to use their voice.

“Every little bit that we support our friends and stand up for people that we may or may not know, I think if we can do that as a community, that makes us a lot stronger,” said Camino.

Despite abnormal circumstances, the 2020 MLB season is underway. The league is conducting an abbreviated 60-game season, something that has never been before in its history, complete with an expanded playoff format. For the Atlanta Braves, this is an opportunity to build on recent success as they pursue a third consecutive division title. Although this season will inevitably have an asterisk attached to it, there will (hopefully) still be a World Series champion, and the team’s ambition is no less than what it was at the conclusion of last season – a chance to compete for the sport’s ultimate prize.

For a long time, it was doubtful that the Braves (or anyone else) would get this chance. Major League Baseball shut down spring training camps for all 30 teams on March 12 due to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States. As the pandemic developed, it eventually became clear that any kind of season would have to be played without fans, which would cut into a large part of teams’ revenue. Many different ideas were floated as March bled into April and May, including the creation of two to three playing bubbles in places such as Arizona and Florida, but no clear path for a return to action could be established.

In addition to the significant logistical hurdles that needed to be overcome, there was also significant bickering between the league and the player’s association. In contrast to the NBA, which benefitted from a strong relationship between the commissioner’s office and the players, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and MLBPA head Tony Clark had an extremely difficult time bringing their two sides together.

Negotiations dragged on for months; the league had initially hoped that games could be played on the 4th of the July, but that became an impossibility when the two sides could not agree on financial and logistical terms for a season. Proposals for seasons of 114 games, 89 games, 76 games, 72 games and 70 games were all rejected by one of the two parties. May passed with no agreement. Eventually, Clark and the players’ association called for Manfred to make a decision and promised they would play when called upon. On June 23, the league announced a 60-game season that would begin on July 23. Players would report for “summer camp” on July 1.

Several rule changes were made for the shortened season, including a universal designated hitter in both leagues and a new extra-innings runner rule, where the last batter of the previous inning would start the inning on second base. MLB also expanded the playoffs from 10 to 16 teams in an effort to make up for lost TV revenue.

The Braves entered 2020 with high hopes. Following their crushing defeat in five games at the hands of the St. Louis Cardinals last year, the team added several pieces that they believed could get them over the playoff hump. Josh Donaldson, who had a huge bounce-back year after signing a one-year contract with the Braves, departed for a larger, multi-year deal from the Minnesota Twins. In response, the team acquired free agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna, who had terrorized them as a member of the Cardinals in the playoffs.

The team also added All-Star closer Will Smith to an already stout bullpen, and signed veteran pitcher Cole Hamels to complement young starters Mike Soroka and Max Fried. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud also joined the team to replace the newly retired Brian McCann. In addition to MVP candidates Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman and young stars such as Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson, the organization felt they had all the pieces to defend their division crown and advance deep into the playoffs.

Then, the coronavirus hit, the season was postponed, delayed and then restarted, and uncertainty swept over the league. Veteran outfielder Nick Markakis and newly acquired starter Felix Hernandez both opted out of the season due to concerns about the virus. Hamels was placed on the injured list with arm and shoulder issues.

And then, on Aug. 3, Soroka tore his ACL covering first base during a game against the Mets. The loss of the best young pitchers in the game, who had finished sixth in Cy Young voting last year, was a devastating blow to the team’s already depleted rotation. Manager Brian Snitker was forced to piece together a rotation of youngsters such as Touki Toussaint and Kyle Wright, or journeymen such as Robbie Erlin and Josh Tomlin.

In spite of all this, the Braves have continued to show the resilience that has made them one of the most enjoyable teams to watch over the past couple years. In spite of poor pitching, the team has pulled off several thrilling late-inning comebacks, most notably against the Nationals on Aug. 17 and the Phillies on Aug. 22. Acuña had heated up after a slow start before hitting the injured list along with his buddy Albies. In their absence, Swanson has stepped into the leadoff spot and performed admirably. Newcomers Ozuna and d’Arnaud have provided some much-needed thump in the middle of the lineup. Freeman has continued to be his reliable self at the plate and in the field. Fried, the last man standing from Atlanta’s projected starting rotation, has played like an ace. Remarkably, the team stands at 16-12 going into Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Yankees, in possession of first place in the National League East.

Due to the expanded playoffs, the path to a championship is wide open. So far, no one has been able to separate themselves in the NL East, and the Braves have an excellent of defending their title. Acuña is off the injured list, top pitching prospect Ian Anderson made his debut Wednesday, and there is hope that Hamels could return to the team soon. However, it is clear that if the Braves are to reach their goal, it will be on the strength of their offense and bullpen. Without Soroka, Atlanta simply does not have the firepower of other more talented starting rotations.

The team will eventually have to reckon with the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, who are clearly the class of the National League right now, but in a season of so much unpredictability, no team, no matter how talented, is invincible.

Some fans of the Braves may remember the last time there was a shortened baseball season, also due to prolonged negotiations between the league and players. That was in 1995, and the Braves brought the first (and only) World Series trophy to Atlanta that year.

On the 25th anniversary of that championship, the hope is that the team can duplicate this feat and bring another title to Atlanta.

Our Take: 4/5 Stars

In the era of COVID-19, many are puzzled as to why a good half of the country continues to dismiss the severity of the pandemic and refuse to wear masks. Political pundits have postulated that this is a result of the restricted access to hospitals and healthcare facilities that reporters and major media outlets have dealt with, which has led to no accurate assessment of the true healthcare landscape.

One possible solution: give cameras to the healthcare workers on the frontlines. Tell the stories of those who lived through the uncertainty and fear of the pandemic first, starting in New York City.

The brainchild of New York Times Presents — a production company named for the newspaper of the same title — “They Get Brave” is a standalone documentary that aims to explain the essential stories of today. By all accounts, it delivers.

The 36-minute documentary manages to pack a surprising amount of narrative into such a short runtime. It follows the stories of five healthcare professionals as they film the havoc of the coronavirus in real time, alongside their own reactions and the personal sacrifices made in the process.

Over and over viewers see how the coronavirus has subtly made its way into the very fabric of American healthcare workers’ lives — when a nurse shoos away her dog instead of greeting her while walking in the door, or when a doctor’s daughter calmly draws her own rendition of the now ubiquitous image of the coronavirus during their time together.

The first few minutes of the documentary are presented as a chronological day-by-day recount of the initial outbreak in New York City, superimposed with audio from Governor Andrew Cuomo and broadcast news updates.

When the date, March 1, is displayed on the screen in passing, the viewer is struck by how the last several months have felt like several lifetimes. One of the strengths of the documentary is how it deliberately crosses the usual professional boundaries of journalism into personal territory. Instead of a 2-minute sound bite from an interview with a pulmonary specialist, the documentary invites viewers to watch as the story unfolds through its subjects’ lives. Again and again the viewer must witness the haunting anxiety of healthcare workers as they are hidden under a calm and collected demeanor in a clinical setting.

There are also personal and ethical dilemmas that America’s healthcare workers must face head-on: how can one properly grieve the suicide of a mentor from the stress of treating patients with coronavirus? Should one organize a demonstration against working under unsafe working conditions, at the expense of their future career? How can nurses ensure dignity in death, when bodies are being stacked in one refrigerated truck after another? And how does one begin writing a will for their child, in their early thirties?

These are all questions that these professionals wrestle with, exposing a new layer to the pandemic crisis that many sheltered at home would otherwise never imagine.

The sheer magnitude of the health crisis is another thing “They Get Brave” shines a light on: the proportionally few successes against a sea of deaths; the experience of Facetiming a loved one from a deathbed; the reality that this is not some apocalyptic crisis in a far away land. This pandemic is not analogous to public health crises in Laos, Kenya, or post-hurricane cholera in Haiti, ER physician Dr. Saleena Subaiya remarks, “That feels nothing like this…because we could go home.”

A catastrophe in plain sight is occurring all over the country.. “They Get Brave” is not so much entertainment as it is a sobering reality check, a blaring warning for the America of September, November, and December. The only issue with this documentary is the question of its audience, and whether it is likely that it will reach those who truly need to hear it.

“They Get Brave” offers an incisive and harrowing view into the daily lives of healthcare workers who faced the first coronavirus outbreak. As the virus continues to spread to other parts of the United States, the documentary offers a grave warning to those who continue to take the virus lightly, and humanizes the people working every day on the frontlines to save lives.

As one ICU nurse points out a mere four months ago, “All of this is so scary because it’s not even bad yet.” As public schools and universities start up again this month with cases still on the rise, we would do well to remember the vast unknown that still plagues us.

“They Get Brave” is available to stream now on Hulu.

Our Take: 5/5 Stars

Only eleven months after the release of her eighth studio album, “Lover,” Taylor Swift dropped a full-length album titled “Folklore.” The new release was written and recorded over three months during the COVID-19 pandemic and its surprise appearance on the music scene on July 24, 2020 has had fans wonderstruck in every way. The album had over 44 million streams on Spotify on the day of its release, breaking the record for opening streams previously held by Ariana Grande.

Swift announced the new album a mere 24 hours before it was to come out, straying from her usual tactics of teasing followers with easter eggs and subtle hints months before an album release. Such an announcement was fitting for “folklore,” as it too strayed from anything Swift has ever done before.

In a seeming affinity for playing with genres, Swift leaves pop behind and makes her mark on the indie-folk scene. This genre shift into the gray area between pop and folk was crafted by a heavy collaboration with songwriter, instrumentalist and founding member of The National, Aaron Dessner.

Dessner appears on 11 of the tracks on the album as both a songwriter and producer. Alongside Dessner, Swift collaborated with longtime friend and producer Jack Antonoff. As a teaser, Antonoff tweeted, “august & my tears ricochet are my favorite things we’ve done together,” just as the album was about to drop.

Swift’s country-pop sound was not the only aspect of her music that changed but also the breadth and depth of her songwriting.

“I found myself not only writing my own stories, but also writing about or from the perspective of people I’ve never met, people I’ve known, or those I wish I hadn’t,” stated Swift in a post that appeared on all of her social media platforms the day the album became available to stream.

This album features a level of storytelling akin to a Pinterest mood board. Songs like “august” depict a Gatsby-esque summer romance, full of hope and longing and the anticipation of living in the moments before tragedy strikes.

The song “this is me trying” is clearly the product of three months of isolation. Amidst Swift’s carefully crafted storytelling lie lyrics which feel like glimpses into true vulnerability. Swift sings, “they told me all my cages were mental/so I got wasted like all my potential,” as a story of regret and inadequacy unfolds behind her illusory vocals.

The most ‘pop-y’ track off of the album, titled “the 1,” depicts a reflection upon a lost love, admitting that even now, the narrator wishes they had been soulmates. The track is minimal but bouncy and energetic.

Cardigan is the only single off of the album. The track is bare, featuring a piano and a soft-rock beat that carries Swift’s voice as she narrates a love story long gone all except for a cardigan which brings the main character back into the middle of a love story past.

During the YouTube Live event prior to the “cardigan” music video premiere, Swift commented, “There’s a collection of 3 songs I refer to as The Teenage Love Triangle. These 3 songs explore a love triangle from all 3 people’s perspectives at different times in their lives.”

This elaborate love triangle takes place in the tracks “cardigan,” “betty” and “august.” Each song in the love triangle depicts a different perspective within the teenage romance.

The story in “cardigan” is told from the older self of Betty as she looks back on her romance with a boy named James who cheated on her one summer.

“betty” tells the story from the perspective of James, a 17-year-old boy at the time, caught in the moments before he attempts to mend his relationship with Betty, who he cheated on the summer before. He tries to explain to her that it was, “just a summer thing,” in an attempt to win her back.

Wrapping up the torrid love triangle, “august” tells the story from the future. The ‘other woman’ reflects on her summer romance with James.

Swift sings, “so much for summer love and saying ‘us’/cause you weren’t mine to lose,” as if to express her subject’s hope in her summer relationship, yet simultaneously reveal that she knew it could not last.

Though exploring new territory within her musical identity, Swift manages to hold on to who she is: a storyteller. On the day of the album release, Swift posted on her social media platforms, “In isolation my imagination has run wild and this album is the result, a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness.”

Swift also released merchandise to go along with the album. The 16-track album, which has been out for only a little over a month, is available on all streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple music.

The Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion organization held its 12th Annual Diversity Symposium on Wednesday via BlueJeans. Topics of conversation included accessibility on campus, the stigma surrounding disability and resources available at Tech.

On the panel was Dr. Cassie Mitchell of BME, Danny Housley of Tools for Life, Anne Jannarone of Student Disability Services, Denise Johnson Marshall of the Office of Compliance Programs and third-year CS student Trey Quinn.

The active inclusion of disabled students, faculty and staff at Tech is often overlooked.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law now in its 30th year, is officially followed by Tech, but in practice our community sometimes neglects the spirit of the law.

Housley gave the example of building ramps: if a wheelchair ramp is located at the back of a building by the garbage, it’s not truly an equally accessible entrance.

Dr. Mitchell added that Tech still has problems with ADA-compliant buildings.

“I can’t enter my own building independently and I’ve worked here for years. Try to get on the trolley –— it speaks volumes. Try to get off a high floor during an emergency when you are told not to use the elevator,” said Mitchell.

Although we focus on physical disability, we need to spread awareness about the social stigma surrounding disability. Housley elaborated that part of the prejudice against the disabled community stems from fear.
The culture of shame around disability grows when able-bodied people are scared to talk to disabled people.

When asked about the best language to discuss disability, Mitchell answered that “ironically, most disabled people are not really into the “politically correct” terms like ‘differently-abled.’ Saying ‘disabled’ is fine.”

Panelists went on to say that the language itself is much less important than the delivery of the interaction. Housley encourages students not to view disability as tragedy but as an aspect of a person’s life to which they adapt. He reminded everyone that it’s a rather silly stigma because we can all acquire a disability at any point.

Although we have some obvious barriers to inclusion at Tech, we’re also making strides.

Jannarone said that the “Division of Student Life is very committed to resourcing our office well to make sure that the accommodation needs of our students are met. I think there’s a positive sense of momentum that I feel –— I’ve been at the Institute for about a year and a half and I’ve seen that evidenced in a variety of ways.”

The issue of equal access for disabled members of the Tech community has become crucial during COVID.

When remote learning began last spring, disabled students were given priority registration on classes that were fully remote. Extra time was also given to students who required assistants to scribe their words for assignments.

The discussion turned to specific ways we can stop the ignorance of disability at Tech.

Dr. Mitchell argued that the best way to become more inclusive is to engage in “actionable insight through inclusive design or by solving problems that assist in diversity. Actionable projects are better than just ‘preaching’ inclusivity. Students learn by participating in real projects.”

“We could learn some things from other USG institutions,” said Quinn.

“UGA has a robust disability task force that goes beyond the disability office.”

He added that students who need to take less than 12 credit hours should still be able to make the Dean’s list if they have the GPA — this seems especially important during a pandemic.

Students can become allies to disabled Jackets and help with advocacy on campus by joining ABLE Alliance.

The organization is currently working on three intentions: social inclusion, professional mentoring and a website that puts all resources in one place. When able-bodied students partner with ABLE, they can become note takers, serve as professional or social mentors and more.

Housley talked about the Center for Inclusive Design and
Innovation (CIDI), a program that promotes accessibility for individuals.

“We have units within CIDI that focus on live remote captioning and electronic text production, and we have Tools for Life, which is the Assistive Technology Act program for the state. We also do web accessibility, braille production and audio description for media. We’re there to work with anybody in the state, all ages, all disabilities and all parts of Georgia to explore the options out there in terms of assistive technology.”

He went on to discuss CIDI’s current research: “We’re looking at aging with a disability — making sure that you’re still connected to the community and to information access all across the board.”

He added that to make Tech a more inclusive place, it boils down
to “the staff knowing the basics — knowing how to use services and equipment on campus.

“I used the shuttle buses before the pandemic. I have had friends with physical disabilities where the driver didn’t know how to use the lift. [I had to] show them how to use it.”

Marshall concluded the panel by reminding us that “Accessibility is a mindset. It’s how you do things. Those who worked with this event understood a lot of the background of what they needed to do. It’s not that we did anything special. This is how you plan an event.”

“You plan an event with everybody in mind. Faculty, understand that there are many types of students on campus. There are many types of employees as well,” said Marshall.

Food4Lives (F4L), an organization founded in 2017 by a group of Tech and Emory University students, was motivated by a desire to feed and empower the Atlanta homeless population in a meaningful way. Communications Director Powell Harris, LMC ‘20, explains Food4Lives’ philosophy.

“The exchange between volunteers and the homeless is a two-way connection,” said Harris. “The food is a platform and what is being exchanged is attention, care and the human connection that gives people hope and dignity.”

Harris became involved at F4L during his junior year at Tech and volunteering became a weekly activity for him.

“A group of 20-50 mixed volunteers would cook a giant lunch for 200 people with six to eight fresh items plus 10-20 different kinds of snacks, chips, yogurt and sometimes clothes and sanitary items,” said Harris. “While we served around Downtown and the Georgia State area, another group of volunteers cooked lunch for us and then we would meet at the kitchen for a big lunch and we’d hang out and get to know each other.”

Recently, F4L expanded to Athens, where food is served twice a week with University of Georgia students.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, F4L’s programs have been altered, but are still providing food.

“We have to be so careful about social distancing, isolating groups of volunteers and using protective equipment,” said Harris. “But simultaneously, the need has grown and so the opportunity to serve has strengthened our service community and volunteer network. We are humbled to have been able to serve seven days a week for over 160 days continuously and counting.”

Logistically, this has meant changing how the food is made.

“We have to limit the volunteers in the kitchen, and for many months we have ceased cooking in the kitchen entirely,” said Harris. “But service cannot stop supporting these people, instead our new model brings in fresh food donations daily from 150 plus families around Atlanta … This food is packed into boxes and delivered by frontline food workers with masks and gloves.”

For Harris, working during the pandemic has been eye-opening.

“After the shutdown of the city and its social services, we went out with vans full of fresh food and found hundreds of adults, elderly and families living on the streets who had not eaten a real meal in days,” said Harris. “This was the first time I saw real hunger during our service and it helped me appreciate the importance of us smaller organizations.”

There are numerous opportunities for students to volunteer with F4L.

“The economic impact of COVID is ongoing, but the increased need can be a win/win for student groups looking to engage their members… ” said Harris. “What we need from Georgia Tech is volunteer groups who can volunteer to come once a week. Everyone is looking for ways to be social and contribute.”

To sign up for service days as a student organization or group, students can contact leo@food4lives.org.

Students interested in internship positions in areas such as social media, volunteer coordination and much more within F4L can contact Powell Harris at powell@food4lives.org for more information.