Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview Oct. 26,2021 - Vol. 34, Issue 10 - Townnews

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Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview Oct. 26,2021 - Vol. 34, Issue 10 - Townnews
Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview

Vol. 34, Issue 10
Oct. 26, 2021
NINERTIMES.COM
Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview Oct. 26,2021 - Vol. 34, Issue 10 - Townnews
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
                                                      April Carte
                                                  editor@ninertimes.com
                                                                                           TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                       EDITORIAL
                                         Vasiliki Gkoulgkountina MANAGING
                                                        EDITOR
                                                                                          NEWS
                                        Tyler Trudeau COMMUNITY EDITOR
                                         Madison Dobrzenski NEWS EDITOR
                                                                                          PAGE 3 Homecoming at UNC Charlotte is quickly
                                             Hiral Patel OPINION EDITOR
                                                                                          approaching
                                              Emily Kottak A&C EDITOR
                                            Bradley Cole SPORTS EDITOR
                                                                                          PAGE 4 The Native American Student Association
                                              Max Young COPY EDITOR
                                          Niyathi Sulkunte PHOTO EDITOR
                                             María Solano VIDEO EDITOR
                                          Brandon Mitchell LAYOUT EDITOR                  OPINION
                                                 ASSISTANT EDITORS
                                                Jessica Ceballos NEWS
                                                                                          PAGE 5 Pressure of the pandemic
                                                 Isaac Naylor OPINION
                                                    Jake Pierce A&C
                                                Bryson Foster SPORTS
                                               Isabella Perryman COPY
                                               Elizabeth McGuire VIDEO
                                                                                          SPORTS
                                                Sunnya Hadavi LAYOUT
                                                Zoya Zalevskiy LAYOUT                     PAGE 6 A new chapter

                                                CONTRIBUTING STAFF                        PAGE 8 Brotherly love
    NINER TIMES                         Lorenza Medley, Matt Porto, Cameron
                                        Williams, Gabie Stanfield, Lesly Santos
    @niner_times
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                                                    Brandon Mitchell                      ARTS & CULTURE
                                                     COVER PHOTO
                                                       Chris Crews
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    @uptownaudio                                     Megan Reid
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                                             ASST. CREATIVE DIRECTOR                      PAGE 11 Explaining Día De Los Muertos
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                                         THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE

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2     OCT. 26, 2021        NINERTIMES              PRODUCTION
           Photo by Niyathi Sulkunte
Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview Oct. 26,2021 - Vol. 34, Issue 10 - Townnews
NT NEWS

         HOMECOMING AT
                                                                                                              The 2021 Homecoming will be from Oct. 31 to Nov. 6 across campus and will
                                                                                                            feature games, special guests and the chance to win merch.
                                                                                                              Homecoming will also be on the week of Family Weekend and Niner
                                                                                                            Nation Week. Dejah Wallace, the marketing coordinator for the Homecoming

         UNC CHARLOTTE                                                                                      Committee, spoke with the Niner Times about the events taking place. This
                                                                                                            Homecoming, the “Niner 9” is the most recent change made to the event.
                                                                                                              Recently, more schools have been making a switch to more inclusive

           IS QUICKLY
                                                                                                            Homecoming courts. As a result, the Niner 9 will replace the original
                                                                                                            “Homecoming Court,” and the “Golden Niner” will replace both the
                                                                                                            “Homecoming King and Queen.”
                                                                                                              “They wanted to get away from the king and queen because they wanted

          APPROACHING                                                                                       everyone to be included and exemplify the values of Niner Nation,” Wallace
                                                                                                            said.
                                                                                                              “Meet the Niner 9” will take place from Oct. 27-Nov. 4. Students can meet
   2021 Homecoming week will be from Oct. 31 to Nov. 6                                                      the Niner 9, learn more about them, and ask them questions. A summary of
                                                                                                            the Niner 9 can be found at homecoming.charlotte.edu.
by Lorenza Medley                                            Photos of “Niner 9” courtesy of Homecoming
Staff Writer                                                                             of UNC Charlotte     This year’s Niner 9 will comprise two men and seven women.

                         Ana Risch (2022) is majoring                                 Danyal Mahmud (2022) is majoring                                         Lily Burns (2022) is majoring
                       in Exercise Science and Dance.                               in Psychology. He is involved on campus                                 in Finance and Management.
                       She is President of the Women’s                              as the president of the Diversified Greek                               She is chapter president of the
                       Rugby Club and is a member                                   Council, a member of the Lambda                                         Alpha Chi Omega sorority,
                       of Leadership Fellows STARS                                  Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, a LEAD Team                                  a group fitness instructor
                       and Minority Association of                                  coordinator, a student coordinator for                                  at UREC and a Student
                       Pre-Medical Students.                                        New Student & Family Services, and a                                    Involvement ambassador.
                                                                                    peer advisor for University College.

                          Ben Shackelford (2022) is                                   Campbell Medders (2023) is majoring                                    Gabi Hitchcock (2022) is
                       majoring in Operations and                                   in Marketing. She is involved on campus                                majoring in Political Science
                       Supply Chain Management. He                                  as a resident advisor, marketing director                              and Sociology. She is the
                       is a Niner Guide, a member of                                of the Chi Omega sorority, Greek Village                               president of the Panhellenic
                       the University Honors Program                                Office Assistant, Emerging Leaders                                     Association, Student Body
                       and part of Leadership Fellows                               mentor, on the Campus Outreach                                         Vice President in the SGA and
                       STARS.                                                       Leadership Team and a Panhellenic                                      a member of the Alpha Chi
                                                                                    Recruitment Counselor.                                                 Omega sorority.
                         Mackenzie Jane Amberg                                        Ryen Boleware (2022) is majoring in                                     Chloe Nicola (2022) is
                       (2023) is majoring in Spanish                                Psychology and Criminal Justice. She is                                 majoring in Spanish, Political
                       and Biology. She is president of                             involved in the LEAD Team, co-captain                                   Science and International
                       the Junior Class Council.                                    of the Charlotte Cheerleading COED,                                     Studies. She is involved in
                                                                                    vice president of the Delta Sigma Theta                                 Model UN and a Millennium
                                                                                    Sorority and Chief Justice of the Judicial                              Fellowship, as well as a UCAE
                                                                                    Branch in SGA.                                                          Tutor.

   Students can vote for this year’s Golden Niner at vote.       The first event of Homecoming is a Kickoff Student              to 9 p.m. in the CHHS plaza. There will be music,
charlotte.edu. Voting starts Oct. 28 at 8 a.m. and closes     Pep Rally on Oct. 31 in the Star-Quad from 10:30 p.m.              performances, food trucks and vendors. The annual
Nov. 4 at 5 p.m.                                              to 11:30 p.m. The pep rally will feature special guest             Stroll Contest will also be held on Nov. 5 from 7 p.m. to
   The Golden Niner will be announced at the                  appearances, free food and music.                                  9 p.m. by the National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities
Homecoming game on Saturday, Nov. 6, and will receive            There will be a field day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the          and sororities on campus.
the Golden Niner Pickaxe and a $500 reward. They will         West Quad on Nov. 1. Students must pre-register to join              Nov. 6 will be the last and busiest day of Homecoming.
have the chance to be featured in promotional campaigns       the event.                                                         There will be a tailgate with a Spirit Tent at 1:30 p.m. for
for the university, design a Golden Niner jacket,                A flag football tournament will be held on Nov. 3 and a         students to get dressed head to toe in niner pride. The
participate in noteworthy departments across campus,          trivia night will be held in the Student Union at 6 p.m. on        football game will be held at 3:30 p.m. between Charlotte
such as athletics. They will pass on the Golden Niner         Nov. 4. On Nov. 4, CAB will be hosting Aux Cord Wars               and Rice University.
Pickaxe at the next Homecoming.                               at 7 p.m. All students are encouraged to wear green on               For more information about all of the Homecoming
   The rest of Homecoming will stay traditional in            Nov. 4.                                                            events, visit homecoming.charlotte.uncc.edu.
sticking to the layout of previous Homecomings.                  A Friday Fest will be held on Nov. 5 from 6 p.m.

                                                                                                                                 NINERTIMES.COM                       OCT. 26, 2021          3
Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview Oct. 26,2021 - Vol. 34, Issue 10 - Townnews
THE NATIVE AMERICAN
                                              STUDENT ASSOCIATION
                                              The Native American Student Association president talks Indigenous
                                                         People’s Day, organization’s past and present
                            by Vasiliki Gkoulgkountina
                            Managing Editor

                              The Native American Student                where more than 90% of the population         judged. Freeman states, “In the circle,
                            Association (NASA) is geared towards         is Native American, the home of the           everyone is equal, everyone belongs, and
                            spreading Indigenous culture at UNC          Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.               everyone’s points and opinions are valid.
                            Charlotte.                                   “Going from a place where I was one of        The intention of it is to come in with open
                              On Monday, Oct. 11, millions of            about 5,000 Native Americans to one of        hearts and understand and connect with
                            people came together to celebrate            30,000 students, it was a culture shock,”     one another.”
                            Indigenous People’s Day and shed light       Freeman said. Her transition to UNC               The consecutive talking circles will each
                            on the culture and history of Indigenous     Charlotte “ignited a fire in her” to share    focus on a different topic. The first night
                            people. UNC Charlotte third-year and         Indigenous culture with her peers and her     is going to be about being indigenous
                            President of NASA, Page Freeman, is          community.                                    at UNC Charlotte and the impact that
                            dedicated to spreading Indigenous culture       NASA aims to spread Indigenous             has on Native students being away from
                            and appreciation throughout the UNC          culture across UNC Charlotte. “From           home. “The second night is going to
                            Charlotte campus.                            powwows to beadwork to books to               be about the murdered and missing
                              The University held a small service for    podcasts, to traditional foods that we eat,   Indigenous women and girls epidemic
                            land acknowledgment for Indigenous           to gathering things, and just everything. I   that has taken over the nation and
                            People’s Day. Freeman states that “the       want to inform, because I feel like across    Canada,” Freeman said. The third night is
                            purpose of this holiday is to shift focus    the board, there’s a lack of information      about Native American mascots and their
                            away from Columbus and pull the focus        when it comes to Native Americans and         impact on Native youth and their mental
                            back on celebrating and appreciating         people often view us in a past tense,”        health.
                            Native American history and culture.”        Freeman said.                                     The fourth night is about mental health
                              NASA was founded in 2014, but the             According to Freeman, a powwow is          in Indigenous communities and creating
                            organizations’ activeness has been rocky     a large gathering of Native American          a safer space for Native people to express
                            since then. The organization was inactive    people where there is dancing, vendors,       their emotions.
                            in 2018, then active in 2019. Freeman        food, a master of ceremonies. It aims to          According to Freeman, most people
                            expressed her goal to make NASA a            celebrate the essence of being Native.        identify with the tribe that they have a
                            permanent feature at UNC Charlotte           During these gatherings, people will dress    registered card with, but Freeman herself
                            when choosing her executive board            in traditional Native regalia. One example    identifies with three Indigenous tribes:
                            members. “My executive board right now       is the jingle dress, a cloth dress with 365   Coharie, Waccamaw Siouan and Lumbee.
                            consists of our vice president, who is a     jingles on it to represent each day and is    “I see myself as a mixture of these three
                            fourth-year, and the rest of the executive   worn to celebrate new beginnings. The         tribes, and I feel like they represent
                            order are first-years,” said Freeman.        Lumbee tribe holds two powwows a year,        a different part of me individually,”
                              With the resurgence of NASA, Native        while the Gathering of Nations is one of      Freeman said.
                            American students have been able to          the biggest powwows in the United States.         NASA’s motto is “We are Strong. We
                            reconnect with each other and create a          For Native American Heritage Month         are Resilient. We are Still Here. We
                            safe space for their cause.                  in November, NASA plans to hold one           are Indigenous.” which lends itself to
                              The organization focuses on spreading      consistent event throughout the entire        representing Indigenous culture and
                            Indigenous culture and creating              month. “We’re going to have a weekly          history. “I feel like as Native Americans,
                            awareness about Indigenous people on         talking circle every Monday night in          it’s something that we’ve developed
                            campus. “We want to provide a safe space     November. A talking circle is essentially     over time because we’ve faced so many
                            for Native students to come together and     a less formal version of sharing circles      challenges for just being who we are. And
                            just be students because sometimes these     which elders often use during meetings        yet we pick up and carry on regardless of
                            they can be seen as the token native, so I   which are considered sacred by Native         what people throw at us to hurt or hinder
                            want this to be a space where Indigenous     American communities,” Freeman said.          us, we continue,” Freeman said.
                            students can be themselves,” Freeman         These talking circles aim to provide a safe       For more information about this
                            said.                                        space for students to share their thoughts    organization and its events, visit their
                              Freeman grew up in Pembroke,               and emotions without the fear of being        Instagram @unccnasa.

4   OCT. 26, 2021   NINERTIMES
Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview Oct. 26,2021 - Vol. 34, Issue 10 - Townnews
NT OPINION                                                                                                                                           NT OPINION

                                                                                                 PRESSURE OF THE
                                                                                                       PANDEMIC

                                     How the pandemic is impacting new grads in the modern job market
by Matt Porto                                                                                                                                               Graphic of “City Job Market”
Intern                                                                                                                                                                 by Zoya Zalevskiy

  For any U.S. graduate, they will be         development. The offset of telework            of the economy and the availability of       decades to pay off. This hindrance to
sure to tell you that the scariest time of    has made a positive impact on the              work opportunities for recent college        the fluidity of the labor market makes
the college experience is graduation. The     labor market. A lot of businesses were         grads. Recent Charlotte graduate Avani       for stalling in the economy and the
boding feeling of facing the reality that     able to continue their productivity            Nippani said, “I’m feeling grateful right    personal lives of recent grads around the
(barring those that go on to graduate         through hybrid methods of work. Visual         now to have had an opportunity to get        country feeling trapped by their debt and
school) the period of their life dedicated    Capitalist, a publication focusing on          a full-time position with the company        unable to move forward with their lives.
to institutional education is over, and the   the global economy, says that Covid-19         I’m with right now because I know            They can’t start building a foundation
time to enter the workforce has arrived.      has positively impacted collaborative          friends that are really struggling to        of individuality by moving out, starting
This will thrust you into “real life” with    efforts and communicative abilities,           find worthwhile employment, mostly           their own businesses, purchasing a
limited working experience, big dreams        with corporations, universities and            because of the fluidity of this Covid        vehicle, starting a family and so much
and a chip on your shoulder to be             government entities utilizing applications     situation and how things lockdown            more. There are an estimated 43.2 million
successful. What 2020 and 20201 college       like Zoom and WebEx.                           and open up and lockdown again.” A           student borrowers in the U.S., with
graduates face is that same pressure,            Social media also helped the labor          lot of people are losing their jobs. The     an average loan debt of $39, 351 each,
but doubly applied in light of the effects    market. The need for social media has          competition and demand for corporate         equaling a whopping $1.59 trillion worth
of the Covid-19 pandemic on the U.S.          never been clearer before. During the          work are immensely high for those in the     of total national student loan debt.
economy.                                      pandemic, when shops were closed, had          workforce their whole lives, so you could       There is no glass half full but near
  According to CNBC, graduates                limited occupancy or went online, social       imagine how hard it is to navigate those     empty. The fact that in such a transitional
from universities in the class of 2020        media helped with sale promotions.             graduating college and who don’t have        time in a person’s life, finding your
saw “a bigger decrease in labor force         Businesses heavily relied on sponsored         enough work experience.                      footing in a career is impeded by
participation than those who graduated        social media posts on different platforms         According to Statista, the national       something out of anyone’s control is
during the Great Recession.” Thus, the        to advertise new products, discounted          unemployment rate of recent graduates        frustrating. This leaves the U.S. with
pandemic has taken the U.S. economy           sales, membership programs and even            in the U.S. peaked at 13.6% in July 2021.    a job market as limited as ever and an
in a momentarily poor direction               employment opportunities. Job positions        This is quite a concerning number,           entire graduating class of students having
and harmed staple institutions like           regarding marketing, social media and          considering that this statistic was as       a harder time than ever finding a job.
universities and small and large              influencing expanded and is engrained in       low as 3.6% in January 2020. On top          Covid’s impact on the economy leads to
businesses.                                   an everyday business agenda.                   of a skyrocketed unemployment rate,          the rapid increase of our unemployment
  Some have actually taken a ‘glass              However, I find it difficult to look past   there is also the mountainous amount of      rate and uncertainty for the future.
half full mentality in the wake of the        the devastating effects that the Covid-19      student loan debt that has been nationally
depressive last few years of economic         pandemic has had on the progression            accumulated, with these typically taking

                                                                                                                            NINERTIMES.COM                    OCT. 26, 2021         5
Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview Oct. 26,2021 - Vol. 34, Issue 10 - Townnews
NT SPORTS
NT SPORTS

                  WHAT THE MOVE TO THE AAC MEANS FOR CHARLOTTE
by Bradley Cole and Cameron Williams                                                                                                 Photo of Florida Atlantic vs. Charlotte game by Chris Crews
Staff Writers                                                                                                                                         Logos courtesy of UNC Charlotte and AAC

   The moment Texas and Oklahoma              have a chance to elevate that and will add      wasn’t until 2013 when the 49ers added          geographical sense, clearly. By virtue of
announced their move to the SEC in            to this conferences’ legacy of success.”        a football program after not fielding           their location in major cities that add
July, the college sports landscape forever                                                    a team since 1948. In two short years,          to our intensive media footprint.”
changed. And just a couple of months later,               How did we get here?                Charlotte made the jump from the FCS               Aresco added how the conference
the Charlotte 49ers program benefited            The journey to the AAC has been a long       level to FBS, where they joined the rest        has seen past success in bigger cities
from that move. Once Cincinnati, Central      time coming for Charlotte, as they spent        of the 49er teams in Conference USA.            such as Memphis, Philadelphia,
Florida and Houston headed to the Big         considerable time in different conferences.                                                     Dallas and Houston.
12, the door to head to the American          The 49ers were charting members of                    Why does the move make sense?                UTSA, Rice, North Texas, FAU, UAB and
Conference was wide open for the 49ers.       the Sun Belt in 1976 and didn’t leave the          This makes sense from many angles. First,    the 49ers all fit under that profile and are
   Yahoo Sports reported that the 49ers       conference until 1991. Then, they moved to      you can look at the revenue perspective as      willing to invest in their athletic programs,
were one of six schools to join the           the Metro Conference in 1991, where the         each school will make two million dollars       especially the football department. For
American Athletic Conference (AAC). On        49ers were once again charting members.         a year from the conference. This revenue        Charlotte, since athletic director Mike
Oct. 21, it was confirmed that Charlotte      However, the membership-only lasted             will be gained from television deals.           Hill came onto the scene in 2018, the
would be joining the AAC and that the         four years with the Metro Conference.              The AAC targeted schools that are            football program has skyrocketed.
speculations are coming to fruition.             After leaving the Metro in 1995, Charlotte   in metropolitan areas, which the 49ers             With the addition of head coach Will
   “I am confident that both collectively     joined Conference USA for their first stint,    fall right under. However, in his press         Healy in 2019, the 49ers made their
and individually these teams will have        where the 49ers basketball program made         conference, Aresco stressed many times          first-ever bowl game and set a record
success in the American Conference,”          a name for themselves. They were able to        that the conference wanted schools in           for wins (seven) in a single season. In
commissioner of the American conference,      regularly play schools such as Memphis,         bigger areas with high potential.               addition, the program was rebranded
Mike Aresco said in a press conference        Louisville, Cincinnati and Marquette.              “These schools make great sense for          in the summer of last year, which
last Thursday. “They have had success            One thing was missing for a long             us in many different perspectives,” said        gave the 49ers a fresh new logo.
where they have been and I think they         time for the 49ers: a football program. It      AAC commissioner Mike Aresco. “[A]

  6    OCT. 26, 2021        NINERTIMES
Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview Oct. 26,2021 - Vol. 34, Issue 10 - Townnews
Football isn’t the only sport that has        old rivalries and the development of new
helped launch the school into the spotlight.    rivalries,” said Aresco. “We’ve done very
The baseball and men’s soccer teams both        well with the development of new rivalries.”
made the NCAA tournaments last season.             This means Charlotte will play East
In addition, the women’s basketball team        Carolina University every year in sporting
made the NIT in 2021 and is projected           events. This in-state rivalry promises to
to win C-USA for the 2021-22 season.            deliver, especially in sports like football
                                                and baseball. The 49ers and Pirates met
              Moving Forward                    in the NCAA tournament in baseball
   Now that the move is official, the           last season and will challenge each other
anticipation begins for fans and even           in the regular season in the future.
the media, as this will likely be a                “We are thrilled to be in a league with
beneficial change from multiple aspects.        East Carolina,” 49er Athletic Director
With the teams not likely starting              Mike Hill said. “To have an in-state rival
competition in the conference until             matters a lot. For us to be positioned in
2023-24 according to reports, there are         a conference with a great program like
still questions surrounding Charlotte           ECU matters a lot to our fanbase.”
regarding facility upgrades. Additionally,         There is a lot to look forward to for the
a lot of speculation around a football          program as a whole, and the support of
stadium seat number expansion has               the alumni, fans and student body along
been stirring lately. This change will          the way will be key for the success of the
be sure to start new rivalries as well.         program moving forward as Charlotte
   “We look forward to the renewal of           makes its way to the new conference.

                                                                                               Photo of crowd by Chris Crews

                             Photo of Coach Healy by Chris Crews

                                                                                               NINERTIMES.COM                  OCT. 26, 2021   7
Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview Oct. 26,2021 - Vol. 34, Issue 10 - Townnews
BROTHERLY
LOVE
REYNOLDS BROTHERS GET A UNIQUE CHANCE TO SHARE COLLEGE FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE
by Gabie Stanfeild
Staff Writer

   Brothers Chris and Jack Reynolds both       followed in his footsteps by joining the        of being on the same team has been          doing this thing with you since you were in
attended Davie County High School, but         team as a walk-on this past summer.             entirely sufficient for the two brothers.   diapers, that’s special and not many people
with the five-year age gap, they never got        Chris, a red-shirt senior at Charlotte,        “We’re family-based. Family is going      get that opportunity,” said Chris Reynolds.
the chance to be a part of the same team.      made his way to become the star                 to come first, no matter what. That’s         Jack Reynolds kept an eye out on his
   As a walk-on freshman, Chris Reynolds       starting quarterback. He led the Davie          how we were raised, and we were             older brother’s progression at Charlotte
started his football career at Charlotte       County War Eagles during his time to a          raised to work hard,” said Chris. “No       while putting in work back with his
back in 2017. His brother Jack Reynolds        record of 12-2 and a Central Piedmont           matter what we do, we support others,       high school team. Finally, at the end of
                                               Conference Championship. Jack                   help those who can’t help themselves
                                               Reynolds was a four-year varsity starter        and always fall back on family.”
                                               and two-time all-state performer.
                                                  For the two of them, playing together has       “Some days it is tough, you’re
                                               been something that the brothers awaited.       doing the same thing five
                                                  “I’ve been looking forward to it forever,”   days a week, but I never see
                                               said Chris Reynolds. “I’ve been thinking        Chris [Reynolds] walking in
                                               about it since I was a freshman. I knew
                                               one of my goals was that I wanted to            a slouch. He’s always got his
                                               play with my brother because we were            coffee in hand, walking in with
                                               never able to do that in high school.”          shoulders high and a smile
                                                  Jack’s opportunity to learn alongside        on his face asking people how
                                               his big brother and practice with him has       they’re doing. His attitude and
                                               helped him push himself that extra step. In
                                               addition, he has been able to watch Chris       how he comes in every day is
                                               and study his leadership role on the team,      something you don’t see a lot.”
                                               which is one of the reasons that playing        - Jack Reynolds
                                               with him in practice has been so special.
                                                  “When you can get those reps in with           With family being so important to
                                               each other, it’s definitely cool,” said Jack.   the two, the act of playing the game
                                               “I’m probably going to go 1% harder to          together isn’t always the most important
                                               try to get open and kiss that ball. But I       part when it comes to being on the
                                               think it’s more about off the field, just       same team. Something more important
                                               seeing him every day and seeing what            to them is that they are able to rely on
                                               he does as a leader. He’s always that           one another when times get tough.
                                               guy who goes that extra percent.”                 “When it comes to being on the same
                                                  Jack Reynold, with a stacked roster and      team, when you do have a rough day and
                                               the age gap between the two, the brothers       things aren’t going the way you expected,
                                               haven’t been seen on the field together         being able to go into the locker room and
                                                                                                                                                 Photo of Jack Reynolds courtesy of
      Photo of Chris Reynolds by Chris Crews                                                   see your family, someone who has been
                                               for games. Regardless, the experience                                                                   Davie County Athletics

  8     OCT. 26, 2021         NINERTIMES
Inside: 2021-22 Basketball Preview Oct. 26,2021 - Vol. 34, Issue 10 - Townnews
his freshman year, he started thinking        with shoulders high and a smile on his
about the possibility of playing in college   face asking people how they’re doing.
with his brother. Some might see it as        His attitude and how he comes in every
a coincidence that the two ended up           day is something you don’t see a lot.”
playing for the same team, but Jack              Growing up, the two didn’t always see
Reynolds knows that isn’t quite the case.     eye to eye, just like any other siblings.
   “Ultimately, if I got the chance to come   But as they grew, they became closer and
here, I was gonna come here,” said Jack.      stuck side by side. Through their bond,
“There was nowhere else I’d really rather     they were able to learn a lot from each
go. There’s not many people around the        other as they grew up. Jack spoke on the
country where you get to hear, ‘I get to      advice that his older brother has given him
play college football, or I more or less,     regarding being a walk-on freshman.
get to catch passes from my brother.”            “Coming here, I had to understand.
                                              It may not be my time right now,” said
  “But, the whole family picture              Jack. “That does kind of bring you down
10 years from now, I bet you’ll               some, but at the end of the day you have
find us on a Friday evening,                  to keep pushing through. Your time will
smoking a cigar on the back                   come…you just have to keep your path.”
                                                 Chris has learned just as much from
porch, with a couple of beers in              his little brother as he has taught him.
hand, listening to good music.                   “I tend to be an overthinker, and
We’ll be outside; me, Jack, Danny,            sometimes I’ll sit down with Jack
Abigail, Amanda, and our parents              [Reynolds], and he can tell that I’m
will be coming over, the kids                 overthinking, and he’ll tell me, ‘Dude, stop
                                              thinking so much. Don’t care about what
will be running around—we’re                  anybody thinks, you know who you are,
all gonna be sticking together.”              just play football,’” said Chris. “Having a
- Chris Reynolds                              family member there means something
                                              else because he knows me better than
   When it comes to being a leader of the     anybody in the building. I may have some
team, Chris is that guy. He encompasses       good friends, but he knows me better. He
the capability to understand his teammates    knows how I tick. The best advice [he’s
and help them through their difficulties,     given me] would be, ‘Just go do it, man.’”
being a veteran on the team and having           Chris and Jack Reynolds can’t predict the
that sort of credibility. But, with his       future, but they have a pretty good outlook
younger brother on the team, the strategy     on what their lives will be as a family 10
toward that leadership alters a bit.          years down the road - the ultimate dream.
   “Having your real actual brother              “One thing is you’re probably gonna
here means a little something extra,”         find us playing church league softball,”
said Chris. “There’s definitely more to       said Chris. “But, the whole family picture
it. There’s a difference between being a      10 years from now, I bet you’ll find us
leader in football, being a leader in the     on a Friday evening, smoking a cigar on
family and helping your younger brother.      the back porch, with a couple of beers
There are similarities, but because we        in hand, listening to good music. We’ll
know each other on a different level,         be outside; me, Jack, Danny, Abigail,
it can be really real with him. You           Amanda, and our parents will be coming
can’t do that with certain people.”           over, the kids will be running around—
   With Jack on the team watching his         we’re all gonna be sticking together.”
brother’s leadership qualities, it isn’t         “After our dinner at O’Callaghan’s,”
hard to imagine what he can become            Jack added, or as he’s informally
when he gets to be his age. He’s already      referred to, Jackiemoon.
looking ahead and watching how his               The two brothers have an irreplaceable
brother leads the team and observing          bond and know how to make the most of
what unique qualities about him he can        their limited time on the team together.
utilize to help him down the road.            They look forward to that first game
   “He’s always upbeat,” said Jack. “Some     where they will be playing together on
days it is tough, you’re doing the same       the field and for that special moment
thing five days a week, but I never see       where Jack Reynolds gets to catch a
Chris [Reynolds] walking in a slouch. He’s    pass from his older brother Chris.             Photo of Jack and Chris Reynolds
always got his coffee in hand, walking in                                                           by Gabie Stanfield

                                                                                              NINERTIMES.COM                    OCT. 26, 2021   9
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NT ARTS
   ARTS &
        & CULTURE
          CULTURE                                                                                                                           NT
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                                                                                                                                               ARTS &
                                                                                                                                                    & CULTURE
                                                                                                                                                      CULTURE

   TV REVIEW:                                                                                                                                                                  by Tyler Trudeau
                                                                                                                                                                              Community Editor

   “STAR WARS
                                                                                                                                                               Official art of “Star Wars: Visions”
                                                                                                                                                                            Photo courtesy of IGN

   VISIONS” SEASON 1
   Expanding into anime as nine short films explore the
   space opera franchise in a diverse new perspective
   The following contains minor spoilers for       “The Duel”: The first film in the line-      may be able to save Gee from the clutches          would like to see again. With that, “The
the nine short films of “Star Wars: Visions.”   up of “Visions” is perhaps the one that         of the vile gangster. While “Tatooine              Village Bride” presented a story that felt
   Originally conceived by George Lucas         would first come to mind when you think         Rhapsody” might have the lightest tone out         very much removed from the Star Wars
back in the 1970s, the Star Wars franchise      of a Star Wars anime. Acting as a primer        of all the “Visions” stories, its fast-paced       galaxy, aside from a handful of nods to the
has grown into a multimedia tycoon of           to the series for fans who might be wary        storytelling and lovable characters make           Jedi and the Clone Wars-era battle droids.
films, television shows, books, and comics.     of the sci-fi franchise leaping into the        it an enjoyable entry point for younger            When Separatist forces take a village chief ’s
It has brought something to nearly every        world of anime, Kamikaze Douga’s “The           Star Wars fans approaching the series.             granddaughter and her fiancé hostage,
corner of its vast fandom. Its latest project   Duel” envisions an alternate history of the        “The Twins”: With a story centered              a mysterious duo of masked warriors
in “Star Wars: Visions” has done nothing        galaxy far, far away as we have never seen      around a pair of twins guided by the Force         step in to rescue the couple, leading to
short of that, sparking new interest in         before. Set in Feudal Japan, the established    yearning to leave behind a legacy in the           an intense stand-off between a former
a side of storytelling myself and many          symbols for good and evil, the Jedi and         galaxy, it’s easy to see parallels to other Star   Jedi and a band of merciless bandits.
others probably aren’t very familiar            the Sith, exist as sects within a world of      Wars characters and their stories when             While the short gave me similar vibes
with. An anthology series of short films        lords and samurai. A wandering former           watching Studio Trigger’s “The Twins.”             to the likes of Studio Ghibli’s “Princess
produced by a collection of renowned            Sith known only as “Ronin” roams the            Once we are introduced to twins Karre and          Mononoke” in its beautiful animation
Japanese animation studios, the series of       galaxy seeking out red Kyber crystals           Am, however, we realize they are drastically       and overall aesthetic, “The Village Bride”
nine films envision the science fiction-        and protecting villages trapped in the          different from the likes of Luke and Leia          unfortunately fell to the bottom of my list
fantasy world through the diverse palette       clutches of evil. The film, breathtaking        or even Rey and Kylo Ren. Born of the              as far as producing memorable characters
of anime. With the freedom to explore           in its black-and-white animation and            Force’s dark side to enact the Empire’s will,      and thought-provoking storytelling.
any corner of the galaxy at any point in        efficient introductions to Ronin and the        the brother and sister are clad in black              “The Ninth Jedi”: Although the
the franchise’s century-spanning timeline,      vicious Sith warrior he confronts, is the       armor and hold immense power in the                primary intention of these short films
the stories presented in these nine films       perfect way to preface what the rest of the     Force. While their power is matched with           was to introduce fans of the franchise to a
blur the line between what we know of           eight films will portray. Stories that look     one another, their ideologies are not, as          new side of storytelling regardless of their
the Star Wars universe and the potential        and feel like something else but represent      Karre seeks to end his sister’s reign. As a        connection to the established lore of the
it can have to become something more            the thematic principles that Star Wars          kinetic and hyperactive space duel unfolds,        Star Wars universe, the most compelling
profound and visually captivating.              has always strived to push forward.             the lore of established Star Wars elements         stories came from the ones that showed
   While “Visions,” as a whole, tells unique       “Tatooine Rhapsody”: While “The              like Star Destroyers and Kyber crystals is         promise as to where the galaxy far, far away
stories set within the aesthetic of the Star    Duel” was a clear reference to the              quickly subverted. The tension between the         was going next. “The Ninth Jedi” from
Wars universe, with elements like the Force,    traditional Samurai films of Japan and          two warring siblings, as well as the film’s        Production I.G. did just that, offering up
lightsabers, Jedi and Sith populating much      their immediate Western counterparts, the       stunning visuals, easily made “The Twins”          a vision of where we might find the Jedi
of their runtime, no story is like another.     musical short from Studio Colorido situated     one of my favorite stories of the bunch.           generations after the fall of their order.
They each work to introduce characters          itself closer to the aesthetics of Japanese        “The Village Bride”: While nearly               Acting as the most expansive of the nine
we have never seen before in spectacular        animation today and closer to a more            all of the “Visions” stories were visually         stories, the tale finds a cryptic Jedi ruler
and dramatic new situations. Themes of          familiar galaxy. With the members of a rock     compelling in their own right, not all the         named Margrave Juro rallying together
good and evil, destiny and fate, kindness       band called Star Waver targeted by bounty       stories landed for me as far as leaving            some of the remaining Jedi of the galaxy
and ruthlessness exist at the heart of each     hunter Boba Fett under the assignment of        behind something genuinely memorable. I            to receive their lightsabers. All while, the
story, but each has its own set of lessons      crime lord Jabba the Hutt, the Jedi Padawan     don’t say that to take away from the efforts       daughter of a saber-smith escapes the
it brings to the forefront. While each film     Jay must work to rescue his captured friend     of Kinema Citrus and their story “The              clutches of the Sith as she works to deliver
is wholly unique, I wanted to discuss each      and bandmate Gee through the power of           Village Bride,” it’s just that this one and a      the Jedi weapons to the margrave at his
film briefly to give an overview of the         song. Even with a lightsaber at his disposal,   few later entries in the “Visions” line-up         aerial temple. Even as a 20-minute short
series for anyone eager to check it out.        Jay finds that his band’s music is where he     didn’t have as much to offer when it came          film, “The Ninth Jedi” had all the makings
                                                draws his power and that through song he        to introducing stories and characters I            of a new saga of cinematic storytelling,

  10 OCT. 26, 2021          NINERTIMES
from a promising young hero in the             to help them and joins their cause. At the
sabersmith’s daughter Kara to a new age        center lies Lop, who Yasaburo adopted as
of Jedi and Sith conflicts that could easily   his daughter, and now stands firmly against
set itself apart from the conflicts we have    the oppressive hand of the Empire. As
seen up to this point. “The Ninth Jedi” also   tensions mount between Yasaburo and his
managed to reinvent themes and concepts        daughter, Lop must take a stand against
that have persisted throughout the             her adopted sister to save the family she
franchise, from an individual’s connection     has created. While this story might sit
to the Force to the last ounces of hope        at a middle point in the “Visions” line-
that can spark a new age of heroism.           up for me, the kinetic animation mixed
   “T0-B1”: In a Star Wars-themed cross        with the heart at the center of its familial
between Astro Boy and Pinocchio, the tale      conflict made for an enjoyable entry.
from the studio Science SARU situates             “Akakiri”: Somewhat of a spiritual
the hallmark theme of following one’s          companion piece to the first “Visions”
destiny into a light-hearted narrative of      short film “The Duel,” Science SARU’s
a droid who desires to become a Jedi.          second short “Akakiri” follows the journey
A wholesome and fun addition to the            of a wandering Jedi named Tsubaki
“Visions” line-up, with a bit more depth       who reunites with his old love Misa, a
to it than the similarly-toned “Tatooine       princess who has been overthrown by
Rhapsody,” “T0-B1” felt very much in           her dark-side-wielding aunt Masago.
line with the narrative of the franchise’s     While at first, I didn’t see any connection
first outing in 1977’s “A New Hope.” It        between this story and “The Duel,” due
followed a young boy seeking adventure         to the two films varying in animation
who stumbles into a whole new world of         style and not featuring any of the same
lightsabers and shadowy villains clad in       characters, they both function similarly
black. A constant sense of hope made me        in introducing the audience to mysterious
want to keep rooting for the ambitious         warriors set on a quest to thwart an evil
droid hero and his quest to become             presence. Taking inspiration visually
something more than what he is told to be.     and thematically from classic Japanese
   “The Elder”: Another favorite short of      samurai films and American westerns,
mine was found in Studio Trigger’s “The        “Akakiri,” much like “The Duel,” presented
Elder,” telling of a Jedi Master and his       a taste of what matters to its lone central
young apprentice who must embark to a          warrior and what each is willing to do
mysterious village to confront an ancient      to complete their respective journeys.
threat closely tied to the dark side of the       Fairly ambitious and eclectic in its
Force. The relationship between master         diverse collection of nine short films, “Star
and apprentice is not uncommon to              Wars: Visions” ended up being an exciting
most Star Wars storytelling, which made        and easily accessible dive into Japanese
“The Elder” feel all the more familiar         animation, whether you are a fan of anime
and accessible to long-time fans like me.      or completely new to it. Even while some
Keeping the narrative centered mostly          stories might not have landed as well as
around the chemistry of teacher Tajin          others for me, the ones that did work
and his naive yet courageous student           managed to leave me wanting more like
Dan, as well as the lessons Dan learns as      them to exist in the Star Wars universe.
his compassion and innocence is tested,        Presenting characters and situations
the short balanced its evocative themes        both familiar and new to audiences in
and its brilliant action, all while wearing    one way or another, “Visions” works as
the tenets of Star Wars on its sleeve.         a fantastic primer for those looking to
   “Lop & Och?”: Much like “The Twins”         broaden their love for animation and
explored familial ties and the conflict that   their love for Star Wars. If you appreciate
comes with them, Geno Studio’s “Lop            either of those things, I would highly
& Ochō” took its focus on not only the         recommend checking out these films.
importance of heritage but also the creation
of a found family. Seen through the eyes         Overall Rating: 7/10
of a rabbit-like being named Lop, the
short unfolds the conflict between a clan        All nine short films of “Star Wars:
leader Yasaburo and his daughter Ochō          Visions” are now available to stream on
as the Empire occupies their planet. As        Disney+. In addition, all of the films feature
Yasaburo sits on the side of the rebellion,    full Japanese and English casts for you to
Ochō sees the potential for the Empire         enjoy dubbed or subbed respectively.

                                                                                                NINERTIMES.COM   OCT. 26, 2021   11
EXPLAINING
                      DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
                                     My experience with the tradition and the culture
by Lesly Santos                                                                                                                          Photos of Día De Los Muertos by dat7, Amber_Avalona,
Staff Writer                                                                                                                               allisonfaithsulock, & darvinsantos courtesy of Pixabay

   Día De Los Muertos, Day of the Dead,        Pan De Muerto, a sweet egg-based bread,        favorite foods and drinks, it is believed       religious figures. La Virgen de Guadalupe,
is rooted in Mexican culture. It has           is a traditional bread that is consumed        that the spirits can “consume the spiritual     the Virgin of Guadalupe, is a prominent
remained an honored tradition in my            during this time along with spicy dark hot     essence” of the foods offered. Even though      Catholic icon and is almost always included
family even though we are no longer in         chocolate or atole, a corn-based drink.        the physical food remains on the altar, it no   on the altars. Alongside the Virgen de
Oaxaca, Mexico. Traditionally in Mexico,       Although the celebrations vary from town       longer has nutritional value or substance.      Guadalupe, you will often see other
grand event plans such as parades are          to town, they all hold the same concept            Typically in my family, we will use the     patron saints such as San Judas Tadeo and
organized to honor the deceased more           of remembrance and honor for our               candy the children collect on Halloween         rosaries. Some candles have patron saints
cheerfully. It is meant to create days when    ancestors. Families will often take the time   to include it on the altar. Thread or wire      printed on them, and they are lit the entire
you remember funny anecdotes with those        to visit and decorate the tombs of their       is sometimes used to puncture a hole            time and accompanied with prayers.
you lost and lessen the pain. I learned        loved ones to prepare for their arrival.       through the candies to create a string of          It is a common misconception that the
long ago that the veil between the living         The altar can be made of different          them to place on the shrine. We will often      Day of the Dead is a celebration of death
and the dead is thin, and on November 1        materials to construct the arch, such          use animal cookies because our loved            or a “Mexican Halloween,” but that is not
and 2, it breaks long enough for our loved     as styrofoam, chicken wire or wood.            ones enjoyed them with their coffee, so         the case. We celebrate the dead, the loved
ones to visit us. The night of October 31 is   Cempasúchil, Aztec marigolds, are essential    it’s something we like to include. Fruits,      ones we lost, and still mourn. Death is
when our ancestors are traveling back to       for the altar because the flower’’ scent       candies or traditional Mexican foods will       inevitable, and we have no say when it
the physical world, so the altar is placed     and bright color are said to guide our         be placed as an ofrenda. We take the time       happens, but we do get a say in how we
by midnight so they can arrive home.           ancestors back to our home. The flowers        to bond with our ancestors by offering          honor and remember our loved ones. It’s
   The Day of the Dead dates back              create a path to the ofrendas, offerings       them food but also eating alongside them.       a way to keep their memory alive and
about 3,000 years to pre-Columbian             that are placed on the altar. The ofrendas         The photographs of loved ones serve         not let them fade with time. We feel the
Mesoamerica. A person, after passing away,     vary based on the age of the deceased and      as a reminder of who they were in life.         emptiness that our loved ones left when
is believed to progress to Chicunamictlán,     the individuals themselves. If children        After all, el Dia De Los Muertos honors         they departed from this world every day,
the Land of the Dead. The calacas              are being remembered, it is typical to put     the dead by remembering how they were           but El Dia De Los Muertos is the only time
(skeletons) and calaveras (skulls) are         a few toys for them to play with upon          in life. Photographs are placed on the          throughout the year that our ancestors are
prominent Dia De Los Muertos symbols.          their arrival. We also include the person’s    altar creating a shrine along with the          allowed to cross between realms to visit us.

   12 OCT. 26, 2021        NINERTIMES
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