Editor’s Note: This piece belongs to the September print issue, which was dedicated to late Chronicle Opinion Writer Maggie Bringhurst who tragically passed away in a fatal car accident on Aug. 6, 2022.

Author’s note: 

In its original form, the words, research and interviews that follow were supposed to be listened to, not read. Maggie Bringhurst was to be the host of this three-piece podcast series that dove deep into climate change activism within our community, why it’s important and how it can improve. While you won’t have the privilege of hearing Maggie’s voice and laugh, I do hope you can hear her in this piece — because without her dedication to journalism, knowledge of her community and ambition to make the world a more just place, it wouldn’t exist.

Opinion writers Elle Cowley and Angela Lezaic also contributed to this piece.

Wynn Alan Bruce set himself on fire on the steps of the U.S. supreme court on Earth Day of this year. It made viewers of the tragic event wonder: what will it take for something to be done about climate change? And even though the mainstream climate change movement has been successful in starting a conversation over the past few decades, today, it seems consumed by impending doom, apathy and divisiveness rather than hope, unity and clear pathways to actual change — the things we actually need if we want to protect our planet. 

That said, the fight against climate change that we see in our inboxes, social media platforms and news feeds isn’t the only one that exists. There are other, less traditional but equally promising actions against climate change that are being taken every day. Unfortunately, these hopeful narratives are generally left out of the conversation because they are coming from marginalized groups — namely, ​​Indigenous communities who have had a balanced, mutually beneficial relationship with the planet long before the colonization that has continued to this day. 

Where did American climate change activism begin?

There is a misconception that the climate change movement began only after Dr. James Hansen’s testimony in 1988 during which he, a NASA scientist, very plainly told the world that “global warming has begun.” It warned the entire planet of the detrimental effects that would ensue if humanity continued on with its exploitative trajectory. In reality though, the fight against climate change was necessitated long before Hansen’s testimony. The origins of the climate change movement can be traced back to the 1920s, when coal miners rebelled against employers who tried to evict them from company owned homes, spurring a revolt nationwide. Although they might not have known their rebellion would have positive effects on the environment, it did. As the century went on, more and more threats to the environment became apparent, and at times, even deadly. Atomic testing and dumping became more commonplace, causing countless nuclear accidents. The Dust Bowl damaged farmlands and agriculture practices, and America continued to exploit its own and other countries’ natural resources as the industrial grip on society grew tighter and tighter.

In the 1960s, the conversation surrounding human interactions with the planet began to change as an influx of pro-environment narratives filled the media. As the decade continued to draw attention to the problems the planet was facing, policymakers across the nation passed legislation to protect the environment — legislation such as the Clean Air Act of 1970, the Clean Water Act of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 that are still in effect today. While these pieces of legislation attempted to put action behind words, the climate change movement quickly became ugly in more ways than one.

The first way, leading to apathy across the country, was climate doomism. Many people began to lose hope in the fight against climate change as corporations continued to value profit over people and the environment. Furthermore, these decisions were and continue to be made by predominantly white groups who failed to consider the sacred practices of Indigenous people. Simultaneously, they disregarded the disproportional effect of the climate crisis on marginalized communities. 

Listening to Indigenous Voices

Michael Kotutwa Johnson holds a doctorate in natural resources from the University of Arizona, a master’s degree in public policy from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from Cornell University. Johnson is also a co-author on the Tribal Chapter in the National Climate Assessment Five. But above all of this, Johnson is a member of the Hopi Tribe and a dryland farmer. 

“My most precious trait is that I was learned to dry farm from my grandfather back when I was a young boy,” Johnson said.

While Johnson didn’t grow up on the Hopi Reservation, the time he spent there as a young boy changed the trajectory of his life. 

“I remember one time I told my grandfather I was bored and he took me out to the field and we just started doing all kinds of stuff and I was never bored again,” Johnson said. “It was a different life out here, but I adapted to it real quickly.” 

As Johnson got older he was hopeful that he could take his knowledge of dryland farming with him into his career, but it quickly became apparent that mainstream agriculture had no interest in creating space for collaboration with the Hopi people, no matter how much more environmentally friendly their practices were. 

“It’s almost like a business to them. I learned all the inputs that conventional agriculture brought with it — high production agriculture basically,” Johnson said. “I was like, ‘Man, this doesn’t really look sustainable.’ It was way different from our system. I could see why they were doing it and I could see why a lot of conventional farmers are hooked up to this kind of system, but I felt kind of sorry for them.

“They’re so caught up on the economics of things that they’re kind of missing out on the value of what I learned as a child,” he said. “They’re struggling — emotionally and physically — to make ends meet on their farms. It didn’t make sense.” 

After his experience at Cornell with mainstream agriculture, Johnson saw more than a cultural disconnect between mainstream agriculture and Indigenous practices — he saw an economic discrepancy between the two as well. 

“Other big agricultural operators are getting paid to do certain techniques that we’ve been doing for thousands of years. We just don’t call it things like contour farming or brush management, but we don’t get subsidized like that,” Johnson said. 

When Johnson inquired about why the Hopi Tribe wasn’t compensated for their dryland techniques, he was told that the practices aren’t scientifically validated. “They told me that, and I said, ‘Well, we’ve got 3,000 years of replication, so they should be, because that’s what it is about. It’s about trial and observation and repetition,’” he said. Despite Johnson’s repeated trials to get credit for the Hopi people’s farming practices, they still receive no recognition. 

What is Hopi Dryland Farming?

Hopi dryland farming is all about conserving water. “Out here, we have all these techniques that are basically what I would call soil moisture enhancers,” Johnson said. 

By using generations-old practices, the Hopi Tribe is able to adapt to the land and continue producing crops with much less water than what mainstream farms are using. “We have to have a lot of faith in everything we do to raise crops in an area that only receives six to 10 inches of annual precipitation, when I was told at Cornell that I needed 33 inches or more to raise crops such as corn,” Johnson said. He pointed out that Hopi people have had to face droughts many times before, and have learned to adapt. 

“It’s just that type of understanding that you really have to have with your place,” Johnson said.

As the drought across the Southwest rages on and other environmental crises proliferate across the country and globe, Johnson finds it more necessary than ever that mainstream farmers learn to work with the environment rather than against it, much like the Hopi Tribe has done for centuries. 

“I think if we’re able to reinforce our traditions, and our culture, rather than try to reinvent the wheel, then I think we’ll be here for a long, long time, and we’ll be able to use our knowledge to help each other,” he said.

That said, Johnson is not quick to dismiss the pain and suffering that Indigenous groups across this nation have endured since this land was first colonized.

“Hopi has always been willing to help other people, but not that many people have been willing to help Hopi. It has to be a reciprocal relationship. It’s not just one of taking, we have to understand each other,” Johnson said.

“We have to be at the same tables, especially now with the water issues that are pressing on us. We have to be able to talk about those things and come up with good management perspectives and just listen to each other. I think that’s one of the main things that we forget to do, is to sit and listen to each other.”

Local Approach

Salt Lake City is not yet at the point where they are sitting at the same tables with Indigenous peoples, but there are people in the community who are taking steps towards a more collaborative future. Take for example Brooke Larsen, a Utah-born social justice activist who has been in the heart of Salt Lake’s fight against climate change since 2016. 

Late last year, Larsen, along with her friend and colleague Alistair Lee Bitsol, compiled and edited an anthology of essays titled “New World Coming” about the current state of America’s Southwest region. Larsen made it clear that highlighting Indigenous voices was a priority during the process of the book.

“We really wanted to use the opportunity to publish and uplift voices that don’t necessarily have access to big, coastal publishers,” Larsen said. “We really wanted it to be rooted here and showcase the writers and organizers in our region.”

Larsen’s anthology is one example of Salt Lake’s activists working to form mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous groups in an effort to protect the land — which is a win. That said, Larsen noted that organizing against climate change in a predominantly conservative state does not come without its struggles. 

“It’s emotionally hard to organize in a state that is so antagonistic to progressive movements to social justice, to environmental justice,” Larsen said. “It’s hard when the dominant narrative is so far off from where you’re trying to get. It’s hard when you’re, like, demonized. It’s hard when people are arrested and charged with like, really scary charges. Yeah, I think on all those levels, it is difficult to be an activist here.”

However, Larsen made it clear that despite the difficulties that come with organizing against climate change, it is also one of the places that needs it the most — making it even more rewarding. 

“It’s a commitment and a belief that our actions do matter,” Larsen said.

J’Wan Roberts and Jarace Walker go against each other during a offseason workout . | Courtesy of UH athletics

Regardless of how talented a player is, the transition from high school to college presents many challenges. This is especially true for anyone who comes out of high school to play for head coach Kelvin Sampson, who has high expectations for each individual within the UH program.

While Jarace Walker, the five-star freshman out of IMG Academy, has drawn lots of attention from the outside looking in at the 2022-23 UH men’s basketball team, the learning curve to get both physically and mentally prepared to play college basketball has still been steep.

This is where J’Wan Roberts has stepped in, taking the highly-touted freshman under his wings to make Walker’s transition from IMG Academy to UH as smooth as possible.

“I feel like as a mentor, as a vet (it’s important) to show (Walker) the ropes of college,” Roberts said. “A lot of freshmen come in and think it’s still high school.”

With lots of pressure on Walker, who many NBA draft experts expect to be a lottery pick in the 2023 draft, Roberts is the perfect person to serve as the 6-foot-8-inch forward’s mentor the because of his selfless personality, according to Sampson.

“J’Wan is very much a giver,” Sampson said. “He’s the perfect teammate because he cares so much for other people. He values your success.”

From helping Walker navigate around the UH campus to getting him settled into his room, Roberts has put an emphasis on the little things outside of basketball to make Walker feel comfortable as he adjusts to the college lifestyle.

“It’s bigger than basketball too,” Roberts said. “On and off the court, classes, even when we’re outside of basketball (I’m) just always (trying to) show him that he has somebody he can lean on.”

The two are also roommates, which strengthens their bond even further.

“It’s dope rooming with the person I work out with, go one-on-one with every day,” Walker said.

On the court, Roberts is always setting an example of what the UH men’s basketball program’s culture looks like on the court, taking it upon himself to teach Walker how things are done at UH.

“He took Jarace under his wing,” said UH senior forward Reggie Chaney. “Just teaching him how to play appropriately to the culture and stuff.”

Though the two have only spent time together since June, Walker already considers Roberts his big brother.

“There’s definitely a vibe between us,” Walker said. “We’re close. We’re cool. We fit together well. It’s definitely helped me on and off the court.”

Sampson has taken note of how much Roberts has grown as a leader since he arrived at UH as a freshman in 2019, recognizing the importance of the 6-foot-7-inch redshirt junior forward’s leadership not just to Walker but to the Cougars as a whole.

Roberts is part of the glue that holds the team together.

“His leadership is critical to this team,” Sampson said.

Chaney, the other veteran of the UH big man group, sees the same thing as Sampson each day in practice.

“Every day, that’s how he leads,” Chaney said. “With his rebounding and talking to younger guys and teaching them what it’s going to be like in the game.”

While Walker will get all the glory from the outside if he pans out as one of college basketball’s top freshmen as many people expect him to, Roberts’ mentorship and overall leadership should not be overlooked.

“He’s a coach’s dream as far as the kind of person he is, the teammate he is,” Sampson said. “Jarace is lucky to have J’Wan here because J’Wan will value and make a big deal out of Jarace’s good days, good plays and improvement.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

—
“‘The perfect teammate’: J’Wan Roberts’ mentorship of Jarace Walker” was originally posted on The Cougar

The University of Utah volleyball team faced off at home against their rivals from the state of Washington — No. 15 University of Washington and Washington State this past Friday and Sunday, respectively. The Utes, looking to improve their record in conference play, were coming off a weekend where they had swept Cal but were swept themselves by Stanford. Here’s how they fared against their Washington rivals.

Friday

To start off the match against the nationally-ranked Huskies, the Utes built a 10-7 lead early, with fifth-year senior Madelyn Robinson leading the way. The Utes kept working on this lead until it was built up to 20-14, but Washington then went on a 5-0 run to tighten the score to 20-19. However, the Utes clamped up and were able to go on a 5-1 run to defeat the Huskies in the first set with a final score of 25-21. Robinson and sophomore Lauren Jardine helped lead the way in the final stretch of the set for the Utes.

The Huskies were able to clamp up in the second set, but junior Allie Olsen helped lead the Utes to a 16-13 lead in the middle of the set. The Utes and Huskies went back and forth until the score was 20-17, with a 3-0 run by Washington tying up the set at 20 a piece. However, back and forth play from both teams ensued, and a kill from fifth-year senior Megan Yett gave the Utes the set point at 24-22. However, a 3-0 run by Washington then gave them a set point at 25-24. Robinson earned a kill that led to more back and forth between the two teams in this thrilling set. With the score tied at 28 a piece, a kill from Robinson and a Jardine ace ended the extended set at a final score of 30-28, giving the Utes a 2-0 set lead in the match.

The Utes were able to carry over their success from the second set into the third. A dominant set that included a 7-0 run from the Utes ended in a 25-16 score, giving Utah a 3-0 sweep over a nationally ranked rival.

Sunday

The Utes started off strong in their first set against the Cougars, earning an 11-7 lead early on. Washington then went on a 7-3 run to tie up the set at 14 apiece. Olsen worked hard to earn a kill, but a 4-0 run from Washington State gave them an 18-15 lead. The fighting went back and forth until, despite a kill from standout freshman K.J. Burgess along with an ace score by junior Vanessa Ramirez, the Cougars went on a 4-1 run to win the set with a final score of 25-21.

The Utes were able to go on a 6-0 run to take a 7-4 lead in the second set. Utah built it to an 11-7 lead, but an absolutely dominant 9-1 run gave the Cougars a 16-12 lead midway through the set. However, the Utes kept fighting hard, with a 4-1 run to tighten up Washington State’s lead to just 17-16. A 3-3 run from both teams, led by Robinson for the Utes, tied up the set at 20 a piece. The Cougars then went on a 3-1 run to take a 23-21 lead. Olsen earned a kill, but the Cougars earned a set point at 24-22. Burgess then collected a kill, but the Utes were unable to overcome the Cougars, as they scored a final kill to take the set at 25-23 and take a 2-0 set lead in the match.

The final set went back and forth from start to finish with there being 16 tied scores and six lead changes. Utah led by 3 points after Burgess and Amelia Van Der Werff teamed up for a block, but the lead quickly vanished as Washington State scored 3 in a row immediately after. Later on, another block from Burgess and Van Der Werff was followed by another Robinson kill to get the Utes to 20 points first with a 1-point lead. Freshman Viktoria Wahlgren helped the Utes earn 2 points in a row to tie up the set at 23 a piece. The Cougars then earned a block for match point, but Olsen and Jardine earned a block together before Wahlgren stepped up with another kill to give the Utes their own set point at a score of 25-24. However, the Cougars then called a timeout and went on a 3-0 run to finish off the third set 27-25, winning the set 3-0.

The weekend was a mixed bag for the Utes. They were able to sweep the 15th best team in the nation, but they also got swept by one of their other rivals. They will look to improve their Pac-12 play next week with a trip to Oregon. They will compete against the Oregon Ducks on Friday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. MT, followed by a match against the Oregon Beavers on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 1 p.m. MT.

m.lepore@dailyutahchronicle.com

@lepore_max

Over the past couple of weeks, information has been leaking out that the University of Maine administration has plans to cancel Maine Day with minimal regards to student input. 

In a Faculty Senate Meeting on Sept. 14, there were discussions surrounding the future of Maine Day and the possibility of canceling it entirely. However, while there were discussions, it seems as though the administration’s actions are more performative than anything since it’s clear their minds have already been made up. The Student Senate was informed this was happening by an advisor, but were told there was little they could do about it. By the time they were informed, the administration was already far along in their discussions.  

This decision also includes plans to make classes mandatory to discourage students from partying. UMaine received complaints from the Ave last year about the number of intoxicated students that were partying there on Maine Day. 

President Kate Kemper of the Honors Student Advisory Board explains the administration’s safety concerns that are supposedly the reason behind the canceling of Maine Day. 

“There were around 40 hospital transports last Maine Day, mostly related to alcohol consumption. Additionally, enrollment in volunteering was at an all-time low this past Maine Day, which is what the day was originally supposed to be for,” Kemper said.

Multiple sources have said that these safety concerns partly stem from videos the Ave showed the Faculty Senate of students partying during last year’s Maine Day. It is unclear whether these videos were shown to the Student Senate when they were informed of this decision. 

The safety concerns may be warranted, however, canceling Maine Day is not going to stop people from partying. Most students aren’t going to forfeit a traditionally free day off at the very end of the semester just because UMaine makes classes mandatory. If anything, they are more likely to skip class just to spite the decision. 

If UMaine does make classes mandatory on Maine Day, does that mean that professors could get in trouble if they decided not to hold class? 

Maine Day takes place on the last Wednesday of the spring semester, acting as a final push before the end of the year. While many students may not help in the service, students still enjoy the day off at the end of a long year. Many students can spend their time studying for finals or hanging out with friends before going home for the summer. 

Supposedly, the amount of volunteering on Maine Day has been decreasing. However, it coincides with the Maine Day Meal Packout and Maine Day of Giving as part of the service aspect of the day. 

Last year WABI reported on Maine Day since it was the first Maine Day back since COVID-19 and included some statistics on the volunteer efforts. 

“Over in the Memorial Gym, volunteers prepared about $15,000 worth of food for local pantries as part of the annual Maine Day Meal Packout,” WABI said. “The university raised more than $2.5 million in the days leading up to it [as part of the Maine Day of Giving].” 

Even if the number of people volunteering has decreased, raising that much money helps such a large amount of people. If UMaine cancels Maine Day, it seems like it has the potential to hurt a lot more people that are relying on these services than the people canceling it would help. UMaine wants to understandably stop students from getting injured due to intoxication and related injuries, but stopping Maine Day won’t stop the partying. However, it will impact the people that the Maine Day services have traditionally assisted. 

In fact, Maine Day has a long history at UMaine.

“The first Maine Day on May 1, 1935 was intended to lessen the rivalry between first-year and sophomore students; they planted trees and painted fences. Reginald Naugler was elected the first campus mayor,” the UMaine website says. “Classes with three or more weekly meetings are canceled to allow students to participate in volunteerism. Other Maine Day traditions include a campuswide barbecue, parade and games, including Oozeball — mud volleyball.” 

The website has a compilation of pictures from various Maine Days across the years of people participating in service, hanging out and having fun. Some of the pictures include people doing activities like cleaning the cannons and sweeping the sidewalks. Most current students don’t participate in these types of activities, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in service. Perhaps it just means UMaine is stuck in the past by trying to get students to follow outdated traditions when there’s an easier way to get students to do service than canceling Maine Day and making classes mandatory. 

When asked about the decision, the Student Senate President Alyssa Ciasullo described why she thinks UMaine is considering canceling Maine Day.

“It is really a safety issue with Maine Day, not just that the school hates Maine Day. Because so many people at the school love Maine Day, and regardless of if classes are canceled or not there will still be service activities. The service is not going away, I’ll say that,” Ciasullo said.

However, it is even more unlikely that students will attend service events if classes are mandatory. Most students won’t want to spend extra time that they could be spending hanging out outside with friends doing volunteer work. And if there are classes, students who want to party aren’t even going to consider volunteering because they wouldn’t have time for classes, volunteering and partying. That’s if they go to class to begin with. 

Students may not all like Maine Day for the original reasons the day was started for, but they still love it regardless. UMaine seems to be in very serious discussions to cancel it, or at the very least, make classes that day mandatory. The worst part about this whole situation; they decided not to include students in these discussions. 

According to multiple sources, the meeting where canceling Maine Day was discussed happened over the summer when there was no student representative at the meeting. Importantly, there is always supposed to be a student representative at these meetings to ensure the faculty is taking student voices into consideration with their decisions. 

In addition to this, when they informed the Student Senate officers that this was in their discussions, they gave them very few details about their future plans. It seems like some of the general Senators don’t know about this news and next to no students in the general student body know as well. 

“We did have a discussion in [our] senate, and we addressed the concerns that the school has. We voiced our opinions, and we really did everything that we could. It is really in the students hands now,” Ciasullo said. “We are really trying to put students’ voices in the conversation, as [the] student government.”

There are members of the Faculty Senate who aren’t comfortable sharing any information until the President’s Office releases a statement. However, at the moment, it doesn’t appear likely they will release a statement any time soon. 

Very few people know about this plan, let alone have information about it. An officer in the Honors Student Advisory Board privately reached out to share information they knew.

“The administration is in discussions to get rid of Maine Day and is very much leaning towards scrapping it, without student input or letting the students know. There was one comment made at a student gov meeting by the advisor ‘announcing it’ … They’ve been in discussions all summer, with no student voice,” our anonymous student representative said. 

Why is this a topic UMaine is keeping so under wraps that even student representatives know next to nothing about it? Are they so scared that there will be pushback from students that they don’t even want to release the information to us?

Along with this, the Faculty Senate is supposed to post meeting minutes so the whole UMaine community is able to see what is discussed and decided upon when they meet. However, there are still no meeting minutes posted from either meetings from this year, Sept. 14 and Oct. 12, where this issue was allegedly discussed. 

If there are legitimate safety concerns, wouldn’t it make more sense to address those to the student body instead of secretly canceling one of the only days every year that is dedicated to service and fun with the UMaine community?

Ciasullo talked about what students can do about this issue.

“Talk to the student government. Tell us about your concerns and we will voice them. Vice President Bray and I meet with Dean Dana regularly and we see Lauri Sedelko every week. We can talk about it with [the] administration and we can always relay student’s voices,” Ciasullo said.

For whatever reason, the administration doesn’t seem to want the student body to know what’s going on. This makes it all the more imperative that students voice their opinions and concerns on something as big and important as Maine Day.  

The Old Dominion Volleyball team was back in action this weekend with a Sun Belt matchup against Coastal Carolina. The Monarchs came into the series with a record of 7-10 (2-2 Sun Belt) while the Chanticleers held a formidable 14-5 (6-0 Sun Belt) record. The series marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs. 

The first match took place Friday evening at the Volleyball Center and it was clear from the start that Old Dominion was zoned in. In the first set, ODU jumped out with nine-straight points to lead 9-0. The early advantage marked the best start to a match in program history. The Lady Monarchs would continue to put on the early pressure with two service aces from sophomore Teresa Atilano and three kills by junior Tessa Mati that helped the Monarchs cruise to a 25-12 first-set victory.

In the second set, it was a bit of the opposite as the set would begin with back-and-forth points which would eventually turn into an offensive outburst from the Chanticleers. Coastal was able to weather the storm early on, but they found their rhythm and tied the match up at a set a piece. Old Dominion jumped out to the early 3-0 lead in set three before the Chanticleers answered back with two points to make it 3-2. Unlike the first two sets, the third set was much more competitive and was a back-and-forth affair that stood at 22-19 with the Monarchs up. After another Coastal point off the service error, the ODU squad locked in and scored the next three points to win the set 25-19.  

The fourth set was just as entertaining as the third. It was a battle that featured 13 ties and three lead changes. The Lady Monarchs held a 16-12 advantage before Coastal came back with a 5-point scoring run to gain the lead. The match went both ways and with the score deadlocked at 22, Atilano assisted sophomore Ashley Peroe on a kill before Mati dropped in a cross-court shot that made it 24-22. On the ensuing play, Atilano and junior Hailey Duncan combined on the block attempt to secure the match point and give Coastal Carolina their first conference loss of the season. 

After the victory on Friday, the two teams took the court once again on Saturday afternoon. To begin the second match of the weekend, the first set started out competitive. The Lady Monarchs jumped out to an 8-6 advantage before their offense started to dwindle. Coastal took advantage of the opportunity and would outscore ODU 19-8 to win the first set 25-16. In the ensuing set, Coastal and ODU would have a similar start to the first set and the match was close with the Chanticleers ahead 11-9 before they began to pull away once again. They scored five straight points to increase their lead to 16-9. Later in the set, the Lady Monarchs inched closer with a scoring run that cut it to 19-17 in favor of Coastal. Although ODU had the late push, the Chanticleers prevailed and took the second set 25-20.

After dropping the first two sets, the Lady Monarchs got some revenge with a stellar performance in the third set they led from start to finish. A Peroe kill opened up a 6-1 scoring swing as ODU increased its lead to 19-9. The Chanticleers would try to fight their way back as they brought it to 22-16, but Old Dominion would score the next three points and won the set 25-16. In the fourth set, it was a close match until halfway through before the Chanticleers put together points to pull away 19-15. ODU would retaliate with two kills from Duncan and Atilano and an ace by Burkhardt that cut the Coastal lead down to 21-19. Eventually, the Chanticleers prevailed and would hold on 25-21 to win the set and match overall. Old Dominion came out of the weekend with a 8-11 (3-3 Sun Belt) record.

After the game, head coach Frank Chao shared his thoughts on the series split and how his team battled. “Going 1-1 against Coastal is another step forward for our program. Today’s result was disappointing, but we held up as a team,” Chao stated. “The players did a great job maintaining their composure and fought hard.”

Looking ahead for the Lady Monarchs, they continue their conference schedule and will be on the road this week when they travel to Lafayette, LA to play against the Lousiana Ragin’ Cajuns. The teams will meet on Thursday, Oct. 20th, and Friday, Oct 21st, with both matches slated for 7 p.m. ODU will return to Norfolk on Oct. 28th when they welcome Appalachian State into town for Sun Belt action. 

Beware of gay sex! “Bros” explores rich white gay men at their absolute best, but is that enough representation to satisfy queer audiences? Nearly two decades ago, “Brokeback Mountain” (2005) made history as the first film focused chiefly on two men’s romance to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Two decades later, Billy Eichner’s directorial debut claims to make history too — as the first major studio rom-com that also focuses on the romantic relationship between two men. The problem here is not that “Bros” isn’t a great film — it is. The problem is that it could’ve been more groundbreaking. Regardless, the film is a hilarious and colorful take on the modern rom-com genre that deserves attention and has potential to become a queer modern classic. 

Released in theaters on Sept. 30, “Bros” follows Bobby (Billy Eichner), a romantically calloused and emotionally-unavailable millennial podcaster. He dabbles in other queer professional affairs, like the grand opening of the first LGBTQ history museum in New York City. Bobby’s character embodies exactly what happens to a twink when they reach their 30s (straight people, type “perez hilton” into google images), but he’s doing it with class and humor, which makes him a likable lead. He meets Aaron (Luke Macfarlane), an equally emotionally-unavailable but ever-so-muscular golden boy at a club and the two immediately hit it off. The rest of the film follows their unconventional “love is not love” love story as the pair parade around the most bougie parts of New York City like the gay Terminator and, well … Billy Eichner.

“Bros” nails the humor of modern queer city life. Packing the film with pop culture references to the brim, Eichner knows how to stir a crowd, and even more deftly how to rile up a queer crowd. When Bobby refers to himself, frustrated with his current life circumstances, as “whatever happens to Evan Hansen after the musical,” my theater erupted into laughter. Even the more steamy scenes were packed with relatable gay humor, emphasizing the hopelessness of Grindr culture and the too-often strange dynamics of gay situationships.

Not only are the sex scenes humorous, they are also powerful. Eichner refuses to cater to heteronormative expectations by insisting he be allowed to get as sexy as straight people can in their movies. With a number of sexual scenes you need two hands to count, the film is given a heavy R rating. This choice is bold and unusual, particularly since the film industry has a historical habit of catering to its straight audiences. However Eichner doesn’t want to compromise the relatable portrayal by removing the sexual experience from the narrative, something I appreciated and found surprisingly refreshing. 

Another area where the film pushes boundaries is in its cast. The film’s cast is almost entirely queer, which is another daring move from Eichner. One of the only straight people we meet are Macfarlane’s hockey teammate from high school, Josh (Ryan Faucett) and his girlfriend. The aforementioned “straight” Josh breaks up with his girlfriend, comes out publicly and gets sexually involved with Aaron all in the film’s 115 minute runtime. The only other relevant straight people in the film are Bobby’s friend, Tina (Monica Raymund), her husband and two children, who collectively do a “bottom dance” in the family’s living room. Not to mention the fact that the film makes a point of actually casting gay actors and actresses to play gay characters. So yeah, no complaints there. 

Courtesy of Universal Pictures.

However, “Bros” has its fair share of weaknesses. While I personally enjoyed every minute of the almost two hour runtime, the film clearly needed more time in the editing room. At times, the plot was interrupted by unnecessary scenes that felt clunky and slightly disorienting to the development of the narrative. In between more provocative scenes, for example, Eichner chose to include comedic bits like a group dinner scene with laughable dialogue but no necessary plot development.

Another place where “Bros” leaves its audience wanting is in the likability of its two main characters. At one point in the film, when Bobby meets Aaron’s family, Aaron asks him to “tone it down,” and any gay man knows exactly what that means: to act a little less gay. He realizes his mistake, but never quite makes up for the magnitude of his error. In addition, after a big fight between the pair, Aaron violates Bobby’s trust by making out with none other than his old hockey teammate behind a gay bar. Again, Aaron’s charm and grand gestures are redeeming, but not fully able to excuse his mistreatment of Bobby. 

But it’s not just Aaron who’s flawed. Throughout most of the film, Bobby is just kind of annoying. It’s not that he’s too gay, or too loud or even too much; it’s that he’s too cynically self-absorbed to empathize with the people around him sometimes, and it can rub a viewer the wrong way. Maybe these flaws make the characters more three-dimensional and real, but it just left me feeling less connected to their love story by the end of the film. Worth mentioning, though, is Eichner’s performance. While most of the supporting cast are just gay people playing, well, gay people, Eichner takes on a lot of weight as the film’s star and delivers. His performance in emotional scenes is authentically painful and real, but his delivery of dry, intelligent humor is hysterical and has a special kind of bite. 

Lastly, “Bros” struggles to live up to its claims of grandeur. The film was marketed as a groundbreaking piece that pioneers the mainstream queer film movement, but it just doesn’t quite rise to the challenge. While the cast is by all means diverse, the love story isn’t. It’s time for a mainstream love story depicting queer people of color; queer people with varying body types; queer people with different incomes; and maybe even queer people that live in less populated areas. Where “Bros” thinks it’s a 9.0 on the Richter scale, it is merely an aftershock of the trailblazing queer films of the last few decades that have paved the way for the creation of a film like it. 

While the film was in some ways disappointing, even more disappointing is its performance in the box office. The film spent $22 million on production and around $30 million on promotion, but fell flat in the box office, producing only around $5 million in revenue on opening weekend. Seemingly not quite queer enough for queer people and too queer for straight and cisgendered people, the film hasn’t done as well as it could’ve. The blame shouldn’t rest on the film, but rather America’s still-persisting homophobia that rests outside of major cities. Nevertheless, it is an unfortunate situation for queer representation in mainstream film, as a capitalist dominated industry might not take another chance on a queer love story for a while — but perhaps we’ve never been mainstream anyway, and perhaps that’s perfectly fine.

“Bros” is nevertheless a genuine, heartfelt film with enough laughter-inducing gems to make it worth watching. If you care about queer people and queer media, go watch it in theaters before it disappears! Especially if you’re straight. I guarantee you’ll have a good time.

The post ‘Bros’ is colorfully hilarious, disappointing for queer audiences appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

Colorado’s second congressional district is currently represented by democrat Joe Neguse; however, constituents will decide between Neguse and his opponents based on their respective campaigns Nov. 8. 

Joe Neguse

Joe Neguse is the first Black Congressman in Colorado history, elected to his first term in 2018. Neguse prioritizes the issues of climate action, conservation, immigration and gun violence prevention. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee, the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.

Neguse has achieved “the recovery of millions of dollars for consumers, investigations culminating in significant financial-fraud cases, the championing of legislation to combat financial fraud against seniors and the launch of the state’s first online filing system for civil rights discrimination complaints,” according to his website. He has worked to protect public lands and address the climate crisis as well as protect constituents. 

Marshall Dawson

Marshall Dawson, running as a Republican, was raised on a farm in Kentucky, where he experienced “how Americans can flourish when free to determine their destiny,” according to his website.

Dawson is running on the issues of peace, power and prosperity, meaning he intends to take a vested interest in funding programs that prevent school violence adequately, invest in funding a policy to curb the fentanyl crisis and seizure of illegal drugs at the U.S.-Mexico border as well as work to repeal the Patriot Act and reevaluate how Congress spends and makes decisions for the public. 

Gary Nation

Gary Nation is running with the American Constitution Party. Encouraging voters to look outside the two-party system in order to achieve a representative government, he has observed wealth deeply tying to political success and would like to minimize corruption, repeal the 16th Amendment, implement a replacement amendment “establishing a national financial transactions tax, essentially a broad national sales tax,” according to his Coloradoan article, as well as implement many other financial actions, secure the drug issue at the border and allow student debt to be discharged in bankruptcy like any other debt. 

Steve Yurash

Steve Yurash is running with the Colorado Center Party because he believes in providing Americans with a third-party option and avoiding the two-party system.

Yurash is looking to readdress crime. He supports adding mental health professionals to the police force and not letting police off the hook when they have mistreated people, as well as making sure criminals aren’t treated as victims and eliminating cash bail. He is also looking to rebalance health care. 

Tim Wolf

Tim Wolf is running with the Unity Party to provide a balanced option between the left and right parties. He believes in utilizing the community to rebuild the system so people don’t feel like they are wasting their votes.

Reach Ivy Secrest at life@collegian.com or on Twitter @IvySecrest.

It’s that time of year. The leaves are falling, pumpkin spice lattes are emptying our pockets and the spookiest night of the year is nigh. But not everyone sees the appeal of horror movies and haunted houses. Here’s a guide to local activities, movies and events to ensure you can have Halloween fun without the fear. 

Activities

Salt Lake is chalk full of local escape rooms. Each one is unique, ranging from mysterious to funny to terrifying. This season, be sure to check out A Great Escape at Gardner Village which offers a Halloween-themed room. The price is reasonable, accommodates three to 12 people and its 30-minute run-time leaves plenty of time to explore the plenty of adorable shops after.

While having a night out is fun, don’t forget some of the old Halloween classics including pumpkin carving (be sure to save the seeds for roasting) and movie nights. Start a new tradition by searching for a Halloween party playlist on your favorite music app and having a family dance party. Maybe even mix in some autumn smells by baking pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, spice cakes and apple pies. Even store-bought sugar cookie dough is sure to be a hit at any Halloween party and a good way to avoid the mess. 

Events

If you’re looking for more ways to get out of the house, consider these fun events.

An ideal fall date destination, Rowley’s Red Barn Apple Harvest Festival allows patrons to pick apples and take pictures throughout the gorgeous orchard. They offer fall treats like cider donuts and fresh apple slushies.

Snowbird’s Oktoberfest offers fun for all ages. Bungee cord trampolines, local artisanal booths, delicious food and beautiful hikes pair perfectly with a German pretzel and, for those over 21, a traditional Oktoberfest lager. The leaves are still beautiful in the mountains, so get outside and enjoy the fall weather.

Cornbelly’s pumpkin patch is famed for having a horrifying haunt after the sun has set, but there are plenty of attractions for all ages, before and after dark. Carnival rides, a corn maze, cornhole, hay rides and paintball are scattered across Thanksgiving Point to make for fall fun through Nov. 5.

After 28 years of horrifying dances and spooky songs, the Odyssey Dance Theater will be taking the stage for the final year of  “Thriller.” This is your last opportunity to see this well-loved performance. Dancers are wrapped in bandages, hidden behind hockey masks, and covered head to toe in SFX makeup. It is an absolute must.

Movies

Horror movies are a popular choice of entertainment around Halloween, but definitely not for everyone. Check out this list of not-so-scary movies to get into the spirit. 

“Coco” — an animated film about Miguel, a young boy bent on being a musician despite his family’s restrictions and his journey through the land of the dead. It’s visually stunning, heartfelt and set during Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Watch on Disney+, YouTube and Vudu.

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” — the classic Peanuts Halloween special has Charlie Brown, Linus and the rest of the gang in their annual debate between trick-or-treating and waiting for the Great Pumpkin. Can be viewed on Apple TV+.

“Hocus Pocus” 1 and 2 — fun and nostalgic, “Hocus Pocus” is about three witch sisters who come back to life in the 20th century. The long-awaited sequel was released this month and makes for a great back-to-back watch. Can be viewed on Disney+, YouTube, Vudu and Amazon Prime Video.

“Goosebumps” — geared towards a younger crowd, the campy special effects and comedic flair is the perfect combination for a night full of laughs. Can be viewed on Vudu, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

“The Addams Family” — there have been many adaptations of “The Addams Family” since the original 1964 sitcom. The spooky feel and playful writing adds to the season with plenty of laughs. The most popular of the films is the 1991 “The Addams Family.” Most of the films and shows can be viewed on Pluto TV, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” — Tim Burton’s ever-popular “The Nightmare Before Christmas” plays with what would happen if Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, were to take over Christmas while searching for a new direction in life. Can be viewed on Disney+, YouTube, Vudu and Amazon Prime Video.

“Ghostbusters” — perfect for those who love ghosts without the terror. The catchy theme song, hilariously outdated CGI, an all-star cast and an enormous Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, you’ll bust a gut (pun intended) watching this 1984 classic. Can be viewed on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Vudu.

audrey.hall@dailyutahchronicle.com

@audrey_h_chrony

Nov. 8 marks Election Day for the 2022 general election, with early voting in Georgia beginning on Oct. 17. The general election is held every two years for U.S. citizens to vote for their congressional representatives, as well as local and state officials. Any general election run-offs will be held on Dec. 6. 

Below is a guide outlining the different positions and candidates running in the 2022 Georgia general election.

Photos courtesy of Flickr and Creative Commons. (Madi Olivier/News Editor)

U.S. Senate

Senators have the power to author, sponsor, amend, debate and vote on bills that may become national law, as well as hold confirmation hearings for appointees to the Supreme Court and the Presidential Cabinet. A senator serves for six years. 

Former Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) resigned from office in December 2019 due to health concerns. To fill the seat, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp appointed former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) until a special election was held to decide who would complete the remainder of Isakson’s term. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Loeffler ran for the position and advanced to a runoff in January 2021, which Warnock won, making him the first Democrat to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate since 2005, alongside Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.). Osoff and Warnock’s wins established a slim Democratic majority in the Senate, with 50 Democratic senators and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who acts as a tie-breaking vote. Warnock is now up for reelection. His competition includes U.S. Senate candidates Herschel Walker and Chase Oliver.

Raphael Warnock (D) (incumbent)

Warnock, the incumbent Georgia senator, grew up in Savannah, Georgia. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Morehouse College (Ga.) and a master’s degree in divinity, a master’s degree in philosophy and a Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary (N.Y.). Warnock has also served as the senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta since 2005. 

While in office, Warnock cosponsored the Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act, which was designed to support and encourage the United States’ transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy by providing tax credits for solar energy production. Warnock also chaired the New Georgia Project, which is centered around increasing civic engagement — specifically among marginalized voters — in Georgia. The project also supports access to information regarding voter registration and advocacy of different issues within the Georgia community.

Warnock’s campaign advocates for Medicaid expansion, protection of the Affordable Care Act, the Equality Act and women’s reproductive rights. He also strives to address the lack of access to clean water and air in many Black and brown communities. 

Herschel Walker (R)

Walker was raised in Wrightsville, Georgia. and later played football at the University of Georgia, where he led the team to a national championship in 1980. Most known for his time in the NFL, Walker played for teams such as the New Jersey Generals, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Walker as chairman of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. As a candidate, Walker supports lowering taxes, securing the United States and Mexico border, increasing military spending and upholding pro-life policies. He believes that “crime is out of control,” so the police should not be defunded.

Chase Oliver (L)

Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Oliver works in the import shipping business for a multinational liner service. He aims to “serve the people of Georgia” and not falter to the “political machine based in Washington.” As a candidate, Oliver seeks to implement justice reform and immigration reform, as well as legalize cannabis and defend citizens’ rights to privacy and civil liberties. If elected, Oliver said he would fight to end programs such as warrantless wiretaps, abuse of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance courts and an overarching PATRIOT Act, which he claims “affect the constitutional right to protected privacy and civil liberties.” Olivier previously ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020 but was not elected.

U.S. House District 5

Advocating for the interests and concerns of different districts in their respective states, representatives are elected for two-year terms. Representatives write, sponsor, amend, debate and vote on bills, as well as serve on Congressional committees. They focus on certain areas of policy such as transportation, education or labor. To hold this office, candidates must be a legal resident of their corresponding state for at least seven years prior to their election.

Nikema Williams (D) (incumbent)

Rep. Nikema Williams was born in Columbus, Georgia., but raised in Smiths Station, Alabama. She attended Talladega College (Ala.), a historically Black college, where she was initiated into the Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology.

Williams was elected to replace the late former Rep. John Lewis in 2020. Coming out of her first term, she serves on the Financial Services Committee, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. 

Prior to this position, Williams served as a Georgia State Senator from 2017 and 2021. She also worked as vice president of public policy of Planned Parenthood Southeast, the state director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the deputy executive director of Care in Action. 

While in office, Williams secured the passage of her bipartisan John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Act in the House of Representatives, which offers support for scholars studying nonviolent civil rights movements abroad, furthering Lewis’ legacy. Seeking reelection, Williams wants to fight to ensure that every American has access to care at all stages of life through universal family care. She also supports Medicare for All, voting rights and access to education. 

Christian Zimm (15Ox, 17C, 20B, 20L) (R) 

Christian Zimm (15Ox, 17C, 20B, 20L) is an attorney at a Coldwell Banker Realty in Atlanta, where he is licensed to practice law and real estate in Georgia and Florida. He previously served as the president of the Buckhead Young Republicans and did philanthropic work in Jamaica on a medical mission to provide eye care. 

As a candidate, Zimm wants to reduce crime by properly funding police departments and making sure that metro Atlanta has more police officers. He would also like to increase wages to “keep up” with inflation, as well as increase school choices. Zimm additionally supports marijuana legalization, the Second Amendment and the LGBTQ community’s right to adopt.

Governor

Governors are elected officials who serve as the state’s chief executive officer and oversee the functions of the government’s executive branch. Some of their duties include signing bills into law and serving as commander-in-chief of the state’s national guard and militia forces. Governors also have the power to veto measures made by the state’s legislative bodies. All U.S. governors serve four-year terms.

Stacey Abrams (D)

Gubernatorial Candidate Stacey Abrams was raised in Gulfport, Mississippi, and completed her education in interdisciplinary studies at Spelman College (Ga.). She also obtained a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from Yale Law School (Conn.). Abrams previously served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017 and was the House minority leader from 2011 to 2017. She ran for governor in 2018 but lost to Kemp by about 1.5 percentage points.

Abrams is a tax attorney, entrepreneur, writer and small business owner. She co-founded NOW account, which is a financial services firm that helps Georgia small businesses access capital, grow their operations and create jobs. She is also the founder of the voting rights organization Fair Fight and worked to combat voter suppression after losing the 2018 gubernatorial election. 

As a candidate, her campaign includes supporting Georgians from cradle to career by expanding Medicaid, investing in education and providing free technical college through need-based financial aid. She also aims to strengthen aging and disability resource centers and create a “Health Equity Action Team,” which would provide Georgians with the ability to navigate state agencies, private providers and insurance regulations. Abrams advocates for protecting LGBTQ children, supporting reproductive freedom and strengthening gun safety laws to protect both the Second Amendment and Georgians.

Brian Kemp (R) (incumbent)

Kemp is from Athens, Georgia. and graduated with a degree in agriculture from the University of Georgia. He is the founder and owner of Kemp Development and Construction Company, which aims to “revitalize the community by creating new constructions” as well as providing resources to improve the skill set of workers. The company has also worked with small contractors to help support their businesses. 

Prior to serving as governor, Kemp served in the Georgia State Senate from 2003 to 2007 as the chairman of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. He was then appointed to serve as secretary of state in 2010 by then-Gov. Sonny Perdue and elected as governor of Georgia in 2018. While in the governor’s mansion, Kemp signed the historic heartbeat bill which placed a six-week ban on abortions in Georgia, expanded Medicaid coverage for new mothers to one year postpartum and implemented the largest teacher pay raise of $5,000 in state history. He also passed the Unmask Georgia Act in March, which prohibited schools from requiring masks in schools.

Kemp’s campaign is centered on creating a “safer, stronger Georgia” through inflation relief with a $1 billion tax rebate, addressing “learning loss” caused by virtual learning during the pandemic with a $25 million for a Learning Loss Opportunity Scholarship Grant, enhancing school safety and enlarging the educator and school counselor workforce.

Shane Hazel (L)

Gubernatorial Candidate Shane Hazel is from Alma, Michigan, and is running for the Libertarian Party. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2006 and served in the United States Marine Corps from 2001 to 2009. Hazel previously worked in business development and is well known for his podcast, Radical, in which he states that the executive role in government should focus on protecting the natural rights of individuals. He ran as a Republican for U.S. representative in 2018 but lost.

Some of Hazel’s values lie in the decentralization of government power and the nullification of unconstitutional legislation. He supports nullifying all state and federal health mandates as well as taxes, punishments for non-violent crimes and education mandates, which he considers to be “government indoctrination camps.” Hazel, who also wants to adopt bitcoin as legal tender, said he believes that “peaceful people should be left alone” and he “will see it through if it means going through hell to do so.”

Secretary of State 

The secretary of state, who serves a four-year term, manages public records, registers professionals and businesses, supervises and monitors elections and tracks annual corporate filings. They manage the voter registration process and prepare ballots.

Bee Nguyen (D)

Georgia State Rep. Bee Nguyen grew up in Augusta, Georgia. and received her master’s degree of public administration in finance and management from Georgia State University. Prior to entering politics, she was the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Athena Warehouse, which aims to educate and empower girls in under-resourced communities. She is also a national policy advisor for New American Leaders, a nonprofit that encourages people of immigrant heritage to run for elected office. 

As a current member of the Georgia House of Representatives, Nguyen has served as a representative for District 89 since 2017. She serves on the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Education, Governmental Affairs and Human Relations and Aging committees. She was the first Asian American Democrat to be voted into the Georgia General Assembly.

Nguyen wants to “protect our democracy” and ensure Georgia’s elections will always be fair and secure. Some of her goals include investing in training and resources for 159 local election boards, prioritizing voter education and outreach by making better use of technology, promoting language access and translation of all election materials housed within the Elections division and mitigating election disinformation, cybersecurity threats and foreign interference in Georgia elections.

Brad Raffensperger (R) (incumbent)

Hailing from Johns Creek, Georgia., Brad Raffensperger is the current Georgia Secretary of State and a structural engineer. He graduated from Western University in London, Ontario with his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and continued his education at Georgia State University, where he received his master’s in business administration.

Raffensperger boasts an extensive political career, holding office in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019, where he served on a number of committees, including Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications; Insurance; Intragovernmental Coordination and Juvenile Justice. He was then elected as the Georgia Secretary of State in 2018. He became widely known for publicly refuting Trump’s claims of election fraud in 2020 and confirming U.S. President Joe Biden’s win.

While in office, Raffensberger introduced a new voter registration system improving security measures for citizens-only voting, including photo ID requirements and an online portal for absentee ballots, citizenship checks of Georgia’s voter rolls and a statewide audit of the voting system, which removed 309,000 people from Georgia’s list of registered voters. He also implemented the three-year business license renewal process and defended SB202, which implements voting security measures through  limiting mobile voting units and the number of absentee ballot drop boxes. 

Ted Metz (L)

Attending the University of Georgia, Secretary of State Candidate Ted Metz studied organic chemistry and worked as a scientist. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in risk management and insurance and business administration from Georgia State University, using his knowledge to open his own insurance agency. He went on to work as an insurance and financial professional until retiring.

Metz’s campaign is founded on “fighting to restore the Rule of Law” and stopping corporate takeover of the government. He also hopes to eliminate the electronic voting system and instead implement a paper ballot system, which he says produces “physical evidence of voter intent.” Metz supports voter ID requirements, absentee signature matching, public ballot inspection and imprisonment for unlawful election shenanigans. 

State School Superintendent 

The state school superintendent serves as the administrative head of the Georgia Department of Education. The official oversees Georgia’s K-12 public school system, implements policies decided by the State Board of Education and manages school system operations. They can provide guidance and recommendations to the Board and local school districts when navigating new education laws throughout their four-year term.

Alisha Searcy (D)

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Alisha Searcy earned her bachelor’s degree from Spelman University (Ga.) in 2000 and her graduate degree from Kennesaw State University (Ga.) in 2017. Searcy founded and runs an education consulting business. She also has experience as a school board member, coach and mentor, as well as superintendent. 

Serving as a state legislator, Searcy made history by being the first African American to serve in Georgia’s House of Representatives, where she stayed from 2009 to 2014 and served on the Education, Appropriations and Health and Human Services committees, as well as helped create the State Charter Schools Commission. Searcy also authored the state intra-district transfer law, allowing parents to choose any public school within their district, and co-authored Georgia’s Teacher and Leadership Evaluation system. 

In regards to the campaign, one of Searcy’s main focuses is school safety, specifically regarding school shootings. She has stated that school massacres keep happening and both she and her daughter feel like nobody is doing anything, so she will take the initiative. Her plans include ensuring there is a plan between law enforcement and local schools, providing preventative services to students and educators with increased mental health care, hiring school resource officers and educating parents on safety protocols. Searcy also wants to address teacher burnout and reimagine public education. 

Richard Woods (R) (incumbent)

Richard Woods is the current Georgia state superintendent of schools, serving since he was elected in 2014. Growing up in Georgia, he received his bachelor’s degree from Kennesaw State University (Ga.) and his master’s degree from Valdosta State University (Ga.). He has more than 29 years of experience in the public education system, serving as a high school teacher for 14 years as well as a department chair and teacher mentor. Additionally, Woods held several administrative roles, including principal, curriculum director, testing coordinator and alternative school director. Woods also has a background in business as a lead purchasing agent for a multi-national laser company and a former small business owner. 

While in office, Woods issued a one-time bonus of $1,000 for teachers and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and reduced high-stakes standardized testing in Georgia. If reelected, Woods’ goals as a superintendent include enhancing school safety through means such as hiring school resource officers and expanding mental health resources, expanding teacher pay raises, establishing a new testing minimum to once in elementary, middle and high school and getting rid of excessive local testing, modernizing K-12 funding and developing multiple diploma pathways for students. 

Lieutenant Governor

The lieutenant governor is the second highest elected official in Georgia and the president of the State Senate. They preside over debates in the Senate chamber as well as assist in legislation introduction. The current lieutenant governor is Geoff Duncan, who is not running for reelection. Lieutenant governors serve four-year terms but can run an unlimited number of times.

Charlie Bailey (D) 

Lieutenant Governor Candidate Charlie Bailey is a Georgia native and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and his juris doctorate from the University of Georgia’s School of Law. His professional experience has mostly consisted of working as an attorney with Cook & Connelly, LLC and serving as the former senior assistant district attorney for Fulton County. He previously ran for attorney general in 2018, but lost to his Republican opponent, current Attorney General Chris Carr.

Bailey’s campaign focuses on expanding access to affordable health care with lower prescription drug prices and Medicaid expansion. He also hopes to increase teacher pay, invest in technical colleges and fight for public safety.

Burt Jones (R) 

Current Georgia State Sen. Burt Jones, who has held the position since 2013, grew up in Jackson, Georgia., receiving his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Georgia. He also has experience in the business realm, working with his family’s business, Jones Petroleum, as well as founding JP Capital & Insurance, Inc. 

If elected, Jones aims to create more high-quality jobs by reducing regulations, eliminating the state income tax, empowering small businesses and increasing public safety by boosting funding and resources for first responders. He also wants to restore election integrity and investigate all cases of voter fraud, in addition to improving the education system in Georgia by investing in teachers and students, lowering the price of post-secondary degrees and prioritizing school choice, as well as vocational and technical education. Jones also hopes to implement a legal immigration system that puts Georgians first by securing the southern border.

Ryan Graham (L) 

Lieutenant Governor Candidate Ryan Graham was born in Athens, Georgia., and earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Georgia State University. His professional experience includes working as an IT project manager. 

His campaign focuses are education freedom — specifically through “innovative solutions” — and election reform. He also aims to ensure criminal justice through means such as legalizing marijuana, reforming the police and ending sovereign immunity.

Attorney General

The Georgia attorney general is the chief legal advisor to the governor of Georgia and other state departments, filing lawsuits against companies and individuals for law violations. They also serve as the chief lawyer representing their state in legal cases, including all civil cases and felony cases that reach the Georgia Supreme Court or U.S. Supreme Court. Attorney generals serve four-year terms. 

Jennifer “Jen” Jordan (D)

Georgia State Sen. Jen Jordan grew up in Eastman, Georgia., and received her bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Georgia Southern University and her juris doctorate from the University of Georgia School of Law. Her professional experience includes serving as a partner at Shamp Jordan Woodward and as a principal at the Jordan Firm LLC. She also works for the State Bar of Georgia and is a member of the Board of Governors. 

Since assuming her role on the Georgia State Senate in 2019, Jordan has worked on several committees including Senate Appropriations, Banking and Financial Institutions; Government Oversight; Reapportionment and Redistricting; Senate Interstate Cooperation and Senate Science and Technology. In 2005, Jordan filed a lawsuit to delay the enforcement of a new voter ID law, and in 2015, she brought a suit against then-Secretary of State Kemp for the “Peach Breach,” which she claimed “unlawfully” distributed personal voter information.

If elected, Jordan wants to defend the voting rights of all Georgians, fight for clean air, clean water and environmental justice and reform the criminal justice system. She also hopes to strengthen access to health care and hold insurance companies accountable, as well as protect consumers and fight for consumer economic justice.

Chris Carr (R) (incumbent)

Carr has served as Georgia’s attorney general since 2016, when he was appointed to the position by then-Gov. Nathan Deal to fill the vacancy left by former Attorney General Sam Olens. Born in Michigan, he earned both his bachelor’s and a law degree from the University of Georgia. Carr’s previous professional experience includes serving as the president and general counsel for the Georgia Public Policy Foundation and campaign manager for former Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) in 2003. He then served as his chief of staff until 2013 before becoming the commissioner of the Department of Economic Development. 

If reelected, Carr hopes to pursue a number of priorities dedicated to keeping the government transparent, including defending Georgia’s election reform against Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ), claiming they filed a “blatantly political lawsuit against Georgia’s election reform” that would strengthen voter security, expand voting access and improve transparency, not preventing some Georgians from voting as the Biden DOJ claims. Carr is also dedicated to halting vaccine and mask mandates, fighting federal overreach and putting human traffickers behind bars and rescuing underage victims. He also hopes to prosecute corrupt public officials, as well as address Georgia’s gang crisis, elder abuse and opioid abuse.

Martin Cowen (L) 

Born in Charlottesville, Virginia., former Clayton County Probate Judge Martin Cowen earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and his juris doctorate from the University of Georgia School of Law. He has been practicing law since 1975, working with the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia and the Board of Directors for Fellowship of Reason.

With his campaign slogan stating “Don’t hurt people. Don’t take their stuff,” Cowen’s four main goals for his time in office are to follow the law, be ethical, be professional and be nice. He wants to protect doctors from “persecution by pharmaceutical companies and their government agents” and opposes vaccine mandates and passports. Cowen also hopes to end qualified immunity, no-knock warrants and civil asset forfeiture.

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