This hasn’t been a quiet summer for the LGBTQIA Resource Center, with Pride Month this June. The Resource Center organized the Pride Ice Cream Social, held on June 20, one of several events put on by the organization.

The event took place in the space dedicated to the LGBTQIA Resource Center. The organizers laid out various flavors and types of ice cream and toppings for attendees to indulge in. A table in the main area of the center had a selection of custom pins to celebrate and acknowledge identities within the LGBTQ spectrum and a collection of safe sex supplies for attendees who wanted them.

The Technique spoke to William Britto, Assistant Director of the LGBTQIA Resource Center, to learn more about the event and its place within the Resource Center’s plans.

“We all love ice cream, and it’s hot outside. It’s an opportunity to come to the center and cool down. Ice cream brings people together — it gives students an opportunity to stop by the center and allows us to connect with them. Pride Month helps build connections for students who would otherwise lose the community they built on campus when they go home. We want their energy to continue into the fall semester,” Britto said when asked about the choice of event.

At peak attendance, about fifteen people gathered around the table in the main area. Many attendees were familiar with the center and were frequent participants of its biweekly chat programs. A few students were visiting for the first time, but soon connected with the group that was present.

“I think this is a wonderful turnout, especially for the summertime. We organized this last summer too, and I’m quite sure this time’s turnout is even better, with more people coming in as we speak. The biggest challenge during the summer is getting the word out about our programs. One of our biggest platforms to share information is our newsletter sent out via email, which students may not check so much during the break,” Britto said.

While the main purpose of the event was for students to mingle, the organizers also used it as a platform to inform attendees about upcoming events and positions available on their organizing team. Britto placed the event in the context of the complete Pride Month plan for the Resource Center.

“We do movie nights where we show LGBTQIA-centered movies. We also do outdoor trips — we just took graduate students to Six Flags last Friday. This month we took students for Atlanta Dream’s Pride Night and organized the Pride Kickoff Breakfast. We also have our Pride Month book club. We try to have programs that are less rigid and allow students to mix and mingle,” Britto said.

The Resource Center was decorated with photos, posters and captions to create a warm and safe environment for LGBTQ students and allies. However, the total space available to host programs was quite small — enough for the attendance of the Pride Ice Cream Social, but potentially insufficient for larger events.

“I love this space, I think it creates great memories. I will still always advocate for a larger space because that allows us to reach a larger population on Tech’s campus. We get resources from the Parents’ Fund, Dean of Students and Buzz Funds — which were instrumental in our Center Day [10th anniversary of the LGBTQIA Resource Center] celebrations. However, we would love to be able to provide more resources to students on campus, such as financial support. Programmatically, more funding would allow us to build larger connections in the Greater Atlanta area,” Britto said.

Matthew So, graduate CS, shared his experience attending the Ice Cream Social.

“This is my first time here at the Resource Center. I’ve wanted to come here before but haven’t found the right opportunity. The ice cream probably brought me here. I already feel welcome here at the Center, it feels like a comfortable space for me,” So said.

The LGBTQIA Resource Center owes its ability to conduct its vast array of Pride Month events to a strong and reliable organizational structure. Membership has grown significantly in recent years.

“I joined GT about two and a quarter years ago. I’ve seen the attendance grow tremendously. I attribute that to us being active on social media and being intentional about recording attendance at our events. We have been reaching out to students who attend and inviting them to future events. There has been a growth and evolution in our programming, and I attribute that both to our professional staff and the students who attend our events,” Britto said.

While the Pride Ice Cream Social was a success for the organizers, Britto was conscious of the need for the Resource Center to expand its mandate and reach out to more intersectional groups.

“We have to look at students of color. The data is out there. I have met with student organizations that represent queer students of color, and they have different experiences that might not be the same as other student groups. I would also say queer students who are disabled. International students too require more support from us. It starts with understanding what their problems are and then us as professionals reaching out to help them,” Britto said.

The post Pride Ice Cream Social Celebrates LGBTQ Identity appeared first on Technique.

The Office of Intercultural Student Programs organized an open discussion on the state of LGBTQ+ representation in the Black community at Tech on Wednesday, March 27 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Titled “Inclusive Intersections: Black Queer Lives Matter,” the event was held in the Bill Moore Success Center’s Press Room. The African American Student Union (AASU) and Organization for Social Activism (OSA) were also involved in the organization of the event.

Efiotu Jagun, fourth-year PUBP and Diversity Ambassador at the Office of Intercultural Student Programs, moderated the event. Jagun started by reading out an open letter she wrote to the Black community of Tech in February, which was also published in Volume 109, Issue 21 of the Technique. The letter questioned Black Student Organizations (BSOs) on their attempts at engaging with the Black LGBTQ+ community on campus, highlighting specific issues that the intersectional group faced on campus.

“I am graduating from Tech this semester. As I reflected on my time here, I thought of what I wished I could have had to support me. I wanted to leave Tech with a bang,” Jagun said, explaining why she wrote the open letter.

A total of 20 participants occupied three round tables. Almost all of those present belonged to the Black LGBTQ+ community. Jagun led the discussion by reading out some questions she had prepared. She allowed the groups to discuss for five to 10 minutes before asking one member from each table to
summarize the discussion.

The first question pertained to peoples’ experiences with the Black queer community. Participants spoke of a general lack of understanding and support that they experienced on campus. Some participants felt that the absence of a support circle meant they knew few people who were Black and members of the LBGTQ+ community prior to the event.

Maintaining the focus from her open letter, Jagun’s next question was about what Black campus organizations were doing for the queer community. Many participants in the discussion were part of BSOs on campus and expressed their desire to do something on behalf of their organization for the intersectional group. Other participants felt that there was little support and recognition for the group within organizations they had interacted with.

Jagun’s third question transcended the walls of the Institute and asked participants to discuss unique challenges faced by the Black queer community within and outside campus. Students highlighted how growing up in areas of the United States where socially conservative Protestant Christianity plays a strong role in society has made activism and acceptance particularly difficult. They also felt the creation of a group chat for queer and transgender people of color (QTPOC) would help build connections within the community.

The idea of a group chat for members of the community resonated with a lot of participants. Jagun spontaneously created a GroupMe chat for those present in the room to join. The organizers also shared QR codes for the creation of an interest list and subscription to a newsletter about Black queer student affairs. William Britto, Assistant Director of the LGBTQIA Resource Center, highlighted the QTPOC chats that take place alternate Mondays at 6 p.m. in Suite 140 on the lower level of the Smithgall Student Services Building.

Jagun’s fourth question, about what BSOs could do to be more inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community, drew the most suggestions from participants. Measures ranged from simpler efforts such as the use of pronouns at Greek life events and organization of events for Pride Month, to structural changes such as more LGBTQ+ representation on executive boards of BSOs.

The organizers pitched in on this topic, suggesting that the training programs offered by the LGBTQIA Resource Center be made mandatory for BSOs. They also felt events held by these organizations could avoid playing into gendered tropes and ask for pronouns during registration. A participant also suggested that non-BSOs like the Writing Club at Tech could host sessions about writing intersectional characters.

“There is a tightrope we walk, where we can’t hold events excluding students of a particular racial group or sexual orientation — which also stops us from hosting events specific to Black queer students. The work-around is for student organizations to host more events where a diverse set of people are highlighted, including Black queer personalities,” Jagun said.

Britto then took the mic to share his thoughts. He explained that the small Black student population on campus — about 7% of all students — was representative of a historical issue and explained the lack of solidarity within the Black LGBTQ+ community. He also put pressure on participants to envision what enriching the Black LGBTQ+ community on campus could look like.

“I am closer to the white queer students at Tech, because I see so few of you at the LGBTQIA Resource Center. I want to reach a level where I can forget some of your faces because there are too many of you. It is up to you how you build a rapport with each other and the Resource Center,” Britto said.

The Technique spoke to Jordyn Sanai Spruell, third-year PHYS and one of the participants at the discussion about their experience at this event and past events.

“I’ve gone to [the] QTPOC [event] and some of the coffee houses the Resource Center hosts, so this wasn’t my first time. The turnout was more than I expected. Sometimes people don’t have much time. I was surprised to learn today that you could talk to the Assistant Director at any time,” Spruell said.

The Office of Intercultural Student Programs and the LGBTQIA Resource Center organize events for cultural awareness and appreciation throughout the year. More information about their programmig can be found at interculturalprograms.gatech.edu and lgbtqia.gatech.edu.

The post Black LGBTQ+ discussion builds solidarity appeared first on Technique.

Two-time Grammy-winning pop singer Ariana Grande launched her seventh studio album, titled “eternal sunshine”, on March 8, 2024. The album achieved instant success with a second consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album charts, matching the critical appreciation of her previous two studio albums.

The latest album, which loosely takes inspiration from the 2004 film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” is an attempt by the 30-year-old singer-songwriter to contextualize her own romantic life of the past three years. Grande lays bare her struggles with understanding love, her residual feelings about her divorce from real estate agent Dalton Gomez and her tempered enthusiasm towards a new relationship with Ethan Slater, her co-star in the upcoming film adaptation of the hit musical “Wicked.”

Grande’s relationship with Slater in particular has been a topic of public discussion, with the latter going through divorce proceedings of his own. While the album’s lead single “yes, and?” is a direct and emphatic attack on paparazzi and online trolls questioning her romantic choices, the bulk of the 35-minute-long album is a somewhat mellow rumination on her love life.

The first track, “intro (end of the world),” poses a question Grande grapples with throughout the album and provides context for the songs to come. Lines such as “How can I tell if I’m in the right relationship?” refer to the general pressure on people to intuitively know which relationship to invest time and effort in. The second part of the track brings forth the singer’s excitement about the new relationship, with lines such as “Then I had this interaction I’ve been thinkin’ ’bout for like five weeks / Wonder if he’s thinkin’ ’bout it too and smiling.”

“Bye,” the next track, is a song about ending a troubled relationship. Lines such as “I can’t believe I’m finally movin’ through my fears / At least, I know how hard we tried, both you and me” portray relief about the end of the relationship, with some references to picking up the pieces of her self-confidence. The third track, “don’t wanna break up again,” echoes the sentiment, with the singer justifying the divorce through lines like “It’s breaking my heart / To keep breaking yours again.”

Grande references the return of Saturn — which completes a trip around the sun once in about 29 years — in “Saturn Returns Interlude.” The track uses audio from astrologer Diana Garland as a call to “Wake up” and to “get real about life and sort out who you really are.” The singer follows this up with the title track, in which she suggests that her former partner was cheating on her. Lines such as “So now we play our separate scenes / Now, now she’s in my bed, mm-mm, layin’ on your chest,” change the reason for the divorce from incompatibility to infidelity. The singer also references her new relationship here with the line “I found a good boy and he’s on my side.”

“Supernatural” breaks from the duality and comparison that is a theme of the songs thus far, focusing solely on the relationship that Grande is excited about. “This love’s possessing me, but I don’t mind at all,” sings the 30-year-old in this simple and upbeat song.

There is a dramatic change in tone in “true story,” which Grande referenced in an interview prior to the album’s release as “an untrue story based on all untrue events.” The song departs from commentary of her own life and instead talks about women assuming power in relationships, through lines like, “For fun, you like to pray for my demise, mm / But I’ll play whatever part you need me to.” This sets up the next song, “the boy is mine,” in which the singer releases a strong hold on her feelings through lines like “And God knows I’m trying, but there’s just no use in denying / The boy is mine.”

Given this context of exploration and reasoning about love, the positioning of “yes, and?” as a second interlude appears deliberate, as if to signify a silencing of outside noise during a period of self-discovery. 

Returning to the theme, Grande shares her decisiveness about the separation through the next two songs, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” and “i wish i hated you.” In the former, lines such as “Just wanna let this story die / And I’ll be alright” express how she feels better off without the awkwardness of a relationship where she did not feel appreciated. In the latter, she takes peace in the separation, through lines such as “Your shoes still in boxes, I send them your way / Hoping life brings you no new pain.”

The penultimate song on the album, “imperfect for you,” has become popular for its punchy lyrics and elements of creativity. The song’s lyrics bring out a willingness to grapple with her insecurities for the right partner in lines like, “Messy, completely distressed / But I’m not like that since I met you / Imperfect for you.” Potential wordplay in the title and the deliberately off-key line “Imperfect for you” are subtle and intelligent additions. Grande wraps out the sequence with “ordinary things,” using wisdom from her Nonna along the lines of “never go to bed without kissin’ goodnight … And if you can’t … You’re in the wrong place, get out.”

Overall, “eternal sunshine” is a restrained, candid and personal account that stands out for its straightforwardness in communication. The lyrics throughout the album are simple, often sacrificing meter and exact rhyme to appear more conversational. “eternal sunshine” prioritizes the singer’s personal life over any exhibition of her well-renowned range. More information about the album can be found at arianagrande.com.

The post Ariana Grande releases mellow new album appeared first on Technique.

An event at the Historical Academy of Medicine intended to be a business conversation turned into a defense of campus freedom of expression. On Tuesday, Feb. 20, Anuj Mehrotra hosted President Ángel Cabrera at an event organized by the Scheller College of Business.

The event was part of a series called “Tech Talks Business,” inaugurated by Mehrotra, the new Dean of Scheller, in an attempt to establish better visibility and connections for the department.

“Everyone knows Georgia Tech as an engineering school and not so much for business. Anuj’s vision is to bring together the entire Tech community and shine some light on the College of Business,” said Theresa Metzger, Academic Program Manager at Scheller.

Per Metzger, nearly 500 people had registered for the event. The packed crowd was a mix of alumni, Atlanta business professionals and Scheller students and faculty. Precisely at 5:30 p.m., Mehrotra started proceedings, drawing Cabrera into a monologue about his colorful academic and personal journey starting from Madrid.

Mehrotra followed this up with a question about how Tech’s campus has changed between when Cabrera studied at the Institute in the 1990s and now. The president described the transformation of Midtown Atlanta, the role of Tech alumni and the Georgia Tech Foundation in projects such as Tech Square and Science Square. He also spoke about the greenery on campus, which he said made it look strikingly more appealing than it did 30 years ago.

Shortly after Cabrera wrapped up his answer to the development question, an unidentified protester directed a series of hot-button questions at him. The young protester demanded that Cabrera answer for what they described as Tech’s continued association with corporations that were funding the Israeli Defense Forces’ offensive in Gaza and the “Cop City” project in Atlanta despite the death of environmental activist Manuel Esteban Paez Terán at the project site.

This unscheduled confrontation, although purely of a verbal nature, created an uncomfortable silence in the room, with Cabrera saying nothing in return. Mehrotra interjected on several occasions as the host, requesting the protester to stop or expect to be escorted out. 

Some members of the audience jeered at the protester, saying, “Stop showing your ignorance!” and “Some of us support ‘Cop City.’” After close to three minutes, organizers gently led the protester and their companion out of the auditorium, with the duo chanting “Stop Cop City” on their way out.

While Mehrotra hastily looked to get the conversation back on track, Cabrera used it as an opportunity to expound his idea of freedom of expression on campus. The president asserted that freedom of expression was one of his administration’s key values, but interrupting someone during their expression was one of the exceptions to that freedom.

“Our goal is to make sure that we all learn to use our freedom of expression for good. Just because you have a legal right to say something offensive, it doesn’t mean you need to say it. We want to let people be themselves and express themselves even when they ask things you might disagree with. I try to learn from every conversation, especially with someone who disagrees with me,” Cabrera said to the Technique later on when asked about his position on freedom of expression at Tech.

Mehrotra eventually changed topics by asking about artificial intelligence (AI), referencing Cabrera’s recent interaction with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Cabrera spoke of how Tech could use AI to get “knowledgeable suggestions” based on Institute data and potential applications in personalized instruction. However, he warned that unless the education industry found a way to add value beyond the suggestions AI offered, it could be in trouble.

The Dean then asked Cabrera what a university’s mission should be. He answered by delving into the importance of diversity and freedom of expression together. Cabrera explained how one without the other was meaningless, causing a compromise either in growth or in cognitive dissonance. In response to a student’s question about how his background influenced his leadership, he spoke about Tech’s environment of embracing people for their differences, and how his personal journey had allowed him to appreciate and strive to strengthen that environment.

When a student inquired about the legacy Cabrera would like to have, Cabrera said he was merely looking to pass on the baton that was handed over to him. Tech’s president concluded by describing his day-to-day attempts at making his job, conversations and commute more interesting, in order to keep his inspiration and sense of purpose intact. 

The crowd then dispersed towards an adjacent hall with food arrangements, where they took the opportunity to speak with Mehrotra, Cabrera and several other noted attendees. Some attendees parodied the “Stop Cop City” call on their way out, ridiculing the protesters. Although students made up a small fraction of the participants, they seized upon the opporunity to network and build connections with those present at the event.

“I’m a computer science major, so not a lot of us are known to go to these events. I never knew how important the alumni network was, but that was something the dean and president stressed. There wasn’t computer science talk here, but seeing how the speakers and audience members handled the protest — there were social skills and small details that I felt I could learn from,” said Steven Hao, second-year CS.

Even though the president did not respond to any of the protester’s pointed questions, he gave an account of his attitude, vision and commitment toward the Institute’s development. Mehrotra and the School of Business hope to draw a similar amount of interest for the next event of the “Tech Talks Business” series,
to be held on March 4.

The post Cabrera talk highlights freedom of expression appeared first on Technique.

On a gloomy, overcast Wednesday, the John Lewis Student Center witnessed signs of cheer. The Student Center Programs Council (SCPC) organized a movie night at the Atlantic Theater on Jan. 24, 6–8 p.m. The organizers screened the first “Shrek” (2001) movie, providing attendees with complimentary popcorn and a movie bingo sheet.

The movie, which grossed over $450 million, became a worldwide cult phenomenon, leading DreamWorks Animation to produce three more main films and two spin-off movies. Additionally, a source connected to the studio recently teased plans for a Shrek 5 release in 2025, although details around the project are yet to be revealed.

The Technique spoke to Jeffrey Pan, MS AE and SCPC President, to understand how the film was chosen.

“We use a movie licenser, which typically gives us easy access to screen slightly older movies. We did a quick survey among our members, and Shrek seemed to be the most popular. Something I’ve been pushing for is a way for the student body to also give their input on what they’d like to see — possibly through in-person surveys at our events,” Pan said.

The 90-minute-long animated film tells the story of Shrek (Mike Myers), an ogre whose swamp has been overrun by fairytale creatures exiled by Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). In exchange for having his swamp back, Shrek agrees to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) from a castle guarded by a fire-breathing dragon for Farquaad. After a chance encounter, Donkey (Eddie Murphy), a talking donkey, tags along with Shrek and becomes a part of his quest.

Despite the movie’s evergreen popularity and the central location of the Student Center, the turnout was relatively low. 

Merely 20–30 students attended, sparsely occupying the 250-seater Atlantic Theater. On SCPC’s Instagram handle (@gtscpc), the event was publicized just two days before the date, possibly explaining the lack of awareness about the event.

Joelle Dlugozima, third-year PUBP and VP of Public Relations at SCPC, offered her thoughts on the turnout at the Shrek: Movie Night and the SCPC’s choice of date and time.

“Tonight it’s pretty foggy, and it’s hard to get people on campus around 6 p.m., but we usually get a solid turnout. While planning, it depends on what’s available at the Atlantic Theater, but we also understand people have late labs and are studying late nights at the Student Center. We wouldn’t want something during the day or lunch hour, but rather something like this where people can take a break between class and homework. It can be quite hard to book the Atlantic Theater in general,” Dlugozima said.

According to Pan, the increase in the number of student organizations on campus — now over 700 as per GT Engage — forced the SCPC to book amenities, like the Atlantic Theater, a semester in advance. This is just one of over 50 events that SCPC organizes throughout the school year, and one of a handful for which the organization does not receive funding from the Institute.

Although attendance was low, those who turned up enjoyed the film. Iconic dialogues, such as “Ogres are like onions/They stink?” and “That’s hideous!/That’s not very nice. It’s just a donkey” drew laughs from the audience. A few audience members remembered exact lines and murmured them in tune with the film. The bingo sheet contained micro-events in the film, such as “Pinocchio lies” and “Bird explodes” to be crossed off as they took place.

“I didn’t plan to watch the film, but I was feeling tired today so I decided to show up. I don’t remember anything from when I watched Shrek as a small kid, so everything was new to me. I think it was a pretty good movie, I definitely feel fresher now,” said Siddharth Vijayasankar, second-year CS, one of the audience members.

SCPC will organize a few more screenings in 2024 as part of their large roster of events. Though the event’s reach was limited, those in attendance left with a touch of nostalgia, comedy and comfort.

The post SCPC screens “Shrek” in John Lewis Student Center appeared first on Technique.

Despite the political hostility that divides South Asia, shared cultural roots connect its people across borders. On the evening of Oct. 12, Variety Playhouse witnessed an exhibition of the same as noted Pakistani musical artist Ali Sethi (of “Pasoori” fame) took the stage.

Greeted by loud cheers as he and an entourage of talented musicians graced the stage, Sethi launched into “Ghazab Kiya,” one of his top hits from 2023. Soon after, he spent some time interacting with the crowd, getting a feel for the energy at the venue. The audience was a mix of age groups; Sethi’s music has appealed largely to older listeners and Punjabi/Sufi classical enthusiasts, but some of his newer hits have changed that dynamic and brought in a younger audience. A sizable portion of the crowd was thus content to sit back and enjoy the music, with a smaller proportion right up in front, eager to get close-ups of the performance.

Sethi continued to build up the mellow mood with two of his slower numbers, “Gulon Main Rang” and “Ve Main Chori Chori,” before building up the tempo with some crowd-pleasers. Performing evergreen Bollywood numbers like “Laila Main Laila” and “Mehbooba,” Sethi ensured that music enthusiasts could have a good time even if they had not been keen followers of his work. Having captured everyone’s  attention, the 39-year-old paused to joke about his citizenship and hyphenated identity as well as the often-conservative nature of love in the subcontinent. He used this as a segue into “Ranjish Hi Sahi,” a song about longing and heartbreak that had the audience singing along.

There was then a stream of slow-burn hit songs that followed, from “Chan Kithan” and “Chandni Raat” to Bollywood classic “Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein” and Urdu ghazal “Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo.” Sethi made sure different sections were involved in the performance, requesting the light operators to highlight one portion of the audience at a time. “Muddat,” a new song made in collaboration with Nicolás Jaar, was also featured in this segment, even as the majority of the crowd seemed unfamiliar with the lyrics.

Throughout the nearly two-hour-long performance, Sethi was aware of the effect one single song — “Pasoori”, featured on Coke Studio — had in catapulting his fame worldwide and drawing in fans like the one at the Variety Playhouse. Despite his masterful exhibition of range, stray voices in the crowd demanded for the hit single to be performed. The musician had planned well for this, keeping “Pasoori” for the very end, tantalizing the crowd with hints that it would be on its way soon.

After indulging the audience in a brief conversation about his global hit song, Sethi performed “Left Right,” a peppy and popular song recently made in collaboration with Shae Gill, Abdullah Siddiqui and Maanu. This track resonated well with the audience, particularly with the crowd up in front, and fed off their energy for what was to follow. Sethi prolonged the wait with anecdotes about how the lyrics for “Pasoori” were finalized — including the word “Pasoori,” meaning conflict — after the initial melody or “raga” was decided upon. After a substantial buildup, Sethi gave the crowd what they wanted — a rendition of “Pasoori” that matched the studio version quite closely. Once this was done, Sethi and his crew promptly left the stage.

However, a combination of audience  demands for an encore and pre-planning on Sethi’s part saw the whole band return to perform the hit again. This time, Sethi was full of improvisation and looked to get the crowd involved, masking his fatigue with adrenaline. Fans gave it their all, singing at the top of their lungs and reveling in the experience of being part of this iconic cultural moment. 

Sethi wholeheartedly appreciated the crowd’s response before leaving the stage, hoping to have a similar impact at other venues throughout his multi-city tour in 2023-24. More information can be found at alisethi.info

The post Ali Sethi wows Playhouse with his versatility appeared first on Technique.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the buzzword of the year in the technology space, and the world of cinema keeps up with these emerging themes. Enter “The Creator,” an ambitious science fiction film directed by Gareth Edwards that visualizes a world with an AI race and its turbulent relationship with humanity.

Set in the year 2065, the movie starts with a montage reminiscent of television ads from the 1970s about the development of AI. In Edwards’ world, AI — manifesting as a race of factory-made humanoid robots — has achieved sentience and replaced a variety of human occupations. 15 years prior to the present setting of the movie, a nuclear explosion devastated Los Angeles. In response to the explosion, which was dubiously attributed to AI, the United States announced a total ban on AI and began a war to eliminate all remaining AI
presence from the world.

The story shifts focus to Joshua (John David Washington, “Tenet”), an American soldier who is sent undercover to a territory called New Asia to befriend The Creator’s daughter, Maya (Gemma Chan, “Crazy Rich Asians”). Five years earlier, Joshua and Maya had been in a loving relationship and were expecting a child at the time of a U.S. invasion of New Asia. Maya was separated from Joshua, and an explosion convinced the latter that he had seen the last of her. In the movie’s present setting, a lethal weapon named Alpha O has been developed by AI to take down the U.S.S. Nomad, a space station primarily used as a missile launching and research center. With the help of a realistic holographic projection of New Asia, the U.S. forces are able to bring Joshua on board the mission to destroy Alpha O, since it gives him hope of finding Maya alive.

After an intense and costly confrontation between the US forces and AI, Joshua stumbles upon Alpha O, an AI in the likeness of a human child. Joshua later learns that Alpha O (Madeleine Yuna Voyles) — nicknamed “Alphie” as part of her human disguise — was modeled by Maya on the embryo of the child she was expecting with Joshua. The unlikely duo of Joshua and Alphie get over their initial communication difficulties to forge a strong bond that becomes the crux of the film. Eventually, Alphie lives up to her formidable reputation and destroys the U.S.S. Nomad, significantly damaging U.S. chances of wiping out AI from New Asia.

Washington stands out in his portrayal of Joshua, particularly in the heart-wrenching scenes of separation from Maya and Alphie at various moments in the film. Within minutes of on-screen action, Washington and Chan convince the audience of the intensity of their romantic relationship and elicit empathy towards the lead characters when they are pulled apart. Voyles puts together a spectacular performance as Alphie, conveying complex and varied emotions with flair. A significant amount of time is spent developing Joshua and Alphie’s characters, and the few elements of humor in the film also come out during the conversations between the duo.

Aside from highlighting the main characters’ development, “The Creator” lends stunning detail to its conception of the futuristic, conflict-ridden world. The aerial shots used to define New Asia create a picture of surreal beauty, while the desolate ruins of Los Angeles are also constructed remarkably realistically. Perhaps most impressive are the CGI renders for the humanoids, which look highly futuristic without compromising the aesthetics of the human form. A generous amount of screen time is spent on portraying social interactions in the AI world, with various aspects of AI sentience intelligently dabbled with — such as death, emotion and motivation in an AI context.

All good, then? Not quite. In essence, the central premise of “The Creator” is a repackaging of several tired tropes. The U.S. is once again saving the world from a savage, mysterious and technologically-advanced populace. Washington’s character fills the boots of the stereotypical marine who goes undercover to interact with this populace, only to develop an attachment to them and resist U.S. efforts to vanquish them. 

If this sounds oddly similar to “Avatar” to you, then you are not alone. For all the effort spent on CGI, the multitudinous fight scenes are well below par; not one person successfully defuses a bomb in the entire movie, and lead characters conveniently walk right through gunfire largely unharmed.

The conception of “New Asia” in itself leaves a bad taste. In an attempt to create a generic Asian setting, Edwards makes a mismatched hodgepodge of several different Asian identities; there are dialogues in Hindi/Urdu as well as Japanese spoken by locals in New Asia, Buddhist elements in the architecture and seascapes most commonly seen in South East Asian islands such as Bali and Krabi. The lazy naming of the lethal weapon Alpha O and the absence of any sort of military strategy indicates a lack of focus on certain aspects of world-building. 

Still, there are some soft touches that redeem “The Creator.” Through the AI characters, Edwards induces commentary on the futility of war and rouses criticism of the U.S. attack. There is an emotional conversation between Colonel Howell (Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”) and Joshua about dealing with loss, which is rarely portrayed in this military sci-fi genre. All scenes that portray characters on the verge of death are powerful and have well-selected dialogues that make the audience hang on to every word.

All in all, “The Creator” is a cinematic masterpiece sure to develop its own fan base and lore, given the sheer creativity of the vision behind it. The sound and visual effects are on point and best enjoyed on an IMAX screen; some dialogues and moments truly startle the audience with their unpredictability. As long as you are willing to look past some hazy writing and plot development, the 133 minutes of runtime are 133 minutes well spent.

The weekend, spanning Sept. 15 to 17, was a packed one for the Jackets, with home games on each of the three days as a part of the Georgia Tech Classic. 

Playing to a packed crowd, the Jackets took the floor against cross-state rival, the Georgia Bulldogs, at McCamish Pavilion on Friday, Sept. 15. The stadium, which has only hosted the Jackets volleyball team once before in 2022, saw a record 5,303 people in attendance. Although the No. 10 Jackets bagged a lead by taking the first set 25-21, they lost the next three 28-26, 25-21 and 25-21 in their first loss of the volleyball season.

The match swung back and forth, with the first set tightly contested till 17 points apiece when Tech broke away to take it 25-21. The Yellow Jackets took the initial lead in the second set after which Georgia came back strongly to establish a 19-13 scoreline. From there, Tech fought back to nearly claim the set at 24-21, but a spirited riposte from Georgia saw them level the scores and ultimately separate themselves at 28-26 to take the set. The next two sets were also neck-and-neck near the 20-point mark before the visiting Bulldogs snatched the advantage. For the Jackets, senior outside hitter Tamara Otene, graduate middle blocker Afedo Manyang and senior setter Bella D’Amico did the bulk of the offensive damage, while sophomore middle blocker Liv Mogridge effected the most shot blocks throughout the game.

The White and Gold came back strongly from Friday’s setback on Saturday, Sept. 16 to put aside Howard in a straight-set victory, the home team’s fifth this season. The dominant display saw Tech go up 25-17 in the first set before widening the gap to 25-13 in the next two sets. 

Unlike the previous game, the Jackets took an early lead in set one and never offered their opponents a way back in the match. With the help of a five-point burst, the Jackets reached set point at 24-15 and took little time to wrap up the first set in their favor. In the second set, Tech vaulted to a 21-7 lead, finally finishing it after some resistance for the final points in the set. The third set saw two aces from outside hitter Bianca Bertolino — out of a total nine by the team — open up a 5-2 lead which was then widened to 17-8. Ultimately, Tech claimed the set with yet another double-digit margin. Mogridge was the most prolific for the Jackets on the offense while also shoring up the defense with multiple digs.

Continuing their fine form, Tech notched up their sixth clean sweep this season against the 2022 Final Four San Diego Toreros. The victory boosted their win-loss record to 9-1, bolstering the team’s confidence going as they enter ACC play. While the first set saw Tech snag a hard-fought 28-26 result, the other two sets were more decisive at 25-21 and 25-15.

While the Jackets were in an advantageous position at 18-11 in the first set, San Diego staged a dogged comeback to make the scoreline 19-18 and forced the set into extra points. After three ties, the home team clinched the fourth set-point opportunity to take the lead in the match 1-0. In the second set, the visitors were controlling the game at 16-11, but Tech flipped a switch to claim the set with a four-point win margin. The final set ebbed and flowed and was evenly poised at 16-15 to the Jackets. From there, Tech scored nine consecutive points to take the contest. Junior outside hitter Leia Harper contributed strongly to the offense in her first career start, while fifth year libero Paola Pimentel posted the most digs on the defensive stat line.

All in all, the weekend was a continuation of the Jackets’ strong record this season, with two clean wins and one hard-fought loss. The team next as they play Clemson on Sept. 20, after which they  will matchup with NC State on Sept. 24.

In the busy lives of Tech students, meditation might seem like an unlikely resort. However, it is one that the Campus Recreation Center (CRC) wants to popularize to help students take care of their mental health. 

Understanding the importance of mental health in the United States, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) recognizes the week after Labor Day as National Suicide Prevention Week.

As part of the Suicide Prevention Week (SPW) organized on the Tech campus from Sept. 11–15, the CRC conducted a free meditation event on Thursday open to the entire student body.

The Technique had the opportunity to speak with Abby Harvey, CRC Competitive Sports Coordinator, about the event. This was Harvey’s — and the CRC’s — first time working on the SPW event. Although they had previously tabled their services, they had not taken as active an organizational role as they have this year.

Harvey explained why meditation was specifically chosen as an event for SPW.

“Mental and physical health are tied together. Meditation seemed like a feasible activity to introduce to Tech students — it can be done everywhere, even in a student’s room and is quite approachable,” Harvey said.

The CRC currently organizes meditation sessions through their group fitness programs at a semesterly cost to students. Thursday’s meditation was led by a CRC meditation instructor. Although working on the SPW was outside the CRC staff’s line of work, it was a commitment they were keen to follow through on for the good of the community at Tech.

“When Andrew [Andrew Stochel, Staff Psychologist/QPR Coordinator at Tech] approached us with the idea of working on the SPW, we were excited about the prospect. Aside from this event, something I would like to do in the future is pro bono meditation programs. Connecting the CRC with the Wellness Center is a goal I am working towards,” Harvey said.

Luckily for the CRC and Harvey, their efforts to popularize meditation and mental health awareness have not been in vain.

“The student response has been very positive – whenever these issues are addressed, they appreciate it. It is important to advocate for mental health within the context of the CRC as well. Students approach me in the CRC looking for solutions to take better care of their mental health. In the past, we provided students with Mental Health First Aid training, so that they could help themselves or any of their peers. We also assisted with crisis response training in a similar way,” Harvey said.

Particularly in her role as Competitive Sports Coordinator, Harvey feels the need for mental health prioritization. She told the Technique, “we currently work with both trainers and students within the CRC to integrate mental and physical wellbeing. Whenever athletes have injuries or challenging nights, we must be there to help them emotionally while their physical recovery is underway.”

While the event was limited to a small audience, the efforts put forth by Harvey and the CRC will hopefully spark more interest.T he CRC also organized the Acts of Kindness event on Monday, Pet Therapy on Tuesday, Swarm of Support on Wednesday and QPR training on Friday during SPW — all of which were well received by the Tech student community. Together, these initiatives played a major role in continuing the conversation regarding suicide prevention and mental health on campus.