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Articles by Arianna Taylor
Freeing her inner alien
Growing up in Lackawanna County, Brigid Lawrence often found herself at the local bookstore in downtown Scranton. This passion quickly grew into a love of reading and writing, which eventually led her to go to school for communications and pursue a career in journalism. After the devastation of the closing of this downtown bookstore, Lawrence found a spark and wanted to bring a bookstore back into her community.
Brawns, beauty, brotherhood: fraternity members compete in pageant
Dougie-ing, swimsuits and philanthropy. On April 2, fraternities across campus competed for the sake of good causes and fame at Wilson Hall. Alpha Sigma Tau’s (AST) annual Mr. Fraternity beauty pageant took place in Wilson Hall. The pageant consisted of four rounds: formalwear, swimwear, talent and Q&A.
Junior recieves treatment for condition at local acupuncture center
JMU student Allie Taylor began receiving treatment from the Harrisonburg Acupuncture Medical Center in spring 2023 to treat what she would learn is a chronic genetic condition: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). For her, it began as painful migraines in high school, evolving to affect more parts of the body. The junior exercise science major was diagnosed with EDS in August 2022 after beginning surgeries to treat her illness in March 2022.
Junior receives treatment for condition at local acupuncture center
JMU student Allie Taylor began receiving treatment from the Harrisonburg Acupuncture Medical Center in spring 2023 to treat what she would learn is a chronic genetic condition: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). For her, it began as painful migraines in high school, evolving to affect more parts of the body. The junior exercise science major was diagnosed with EDS in August 2022 after beginning surgeries to treat her illness in March 2022.
Scenic creative space deep in the valley hosts JMU artists, alums
Singer-songwriter Ebony Nicole (’23) remembers the chirping birds during the day and twinkling stars by night. She wanted the view at the studio in her fall 2022 visit to be “magical.” But at first, the overcast caused her about her wish. She thought the view wasn’t going to be scenic. Then, the sun came out at lunchtime. “It was the coolest thing ever,” Nicole said.
JMU alumna Rachel McRady returns to the ’Burg on tour for debut novel
“We’ll chase the sun so that it will always be daytime and the worm will always be asleep.” These are the words of Emmy award-winning entertainment journalist and JMU alum Rachel McRady who sat down with Breeze TV reporter Alexa Bonilla during her tour for her debut novel, “Sun Seekers,” on Feb 1. Parentheses Books in downtown Harrisonburg hosted the conversation.
She's crafting a new business
What started out as a house filling hobby is now a small business. After losing her mother in December of 2020, Dorothy Grill started crafting, making wreathes and more. When she began running out of room for her creations in her house, her brother suggested that she make crafting a side business, and so her journey began. Hearing about the The University of Scranton Women’s Entrepreneurship Center (WEC) StartUP program through a friend, she decided to join.
Mercy House offers aid to unhoused locals during holiday season
With the holiday season underway, JMU groups, church groups and businesses such as Cisco are asked to create Angel Trees, which gather Christmas presents for adults and children in the Mercy House emergency shelter.
Mercy House offers aid to unhoused locals during the holiday season
With the holiday season underway, JMU groups, church groups and businesses such as Cisco are asked to create Angel Trees, which gather Christmas presents for adults and children in the Mercy House emergency shelter.
Dancing Dukes' fall recital shines spotlight on organization
Dancing Dukes took Wilson Hall’s stage Nov. 12 for its fall recital themed “night at the movies.” Broken into two acts with a 10-minute intermission, the recital consisted of 26 dances, with each reflecting a movie through costume and song choice. The recital was open to the public with free admission and broadcast live on YouTube. With 170 members, Dancing Dukes is the largest dancing organization at JMU.
Food pantry discusses struggles, looks to meet needs
With the holidays approaching, many may be considering donating their time to helping those in need. Located off Port Republic Road in Harrisonburg, Hope Distributed is a nonprofit with four branches: a food pantry, a furniture store, a free clothing store and free baby supplies, according to its website. Hope Distributed opened Oct. 12, 2004, in a closet of the Church of Nazarene, said Ellen Braun, administrator of the nonprofit.
Health teaching program sees 100% job success rate for alums
Physical and Health Education and Teacher Education (PHETE) coordinator Susan Nye said the program has generated thousands of graduates since the program was created while JMU was known as Madison College. PHETE is a program for students to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and then move on to a fifth-year graduate program with a master’s in teaching. After completion, students will graduate with a certification to teach physical and health education in Virginia.
Monthly flea market returns for the fall
With a plethora of goods from vintage apparel to homemade items, JMU Student Life most recently brought back the flea market at the Union patio on Saturday. Unlike the farmers market, none of the vendors have food, and the event is held monthly rather than weekly. Organizers Anthony Cordova-Ramirez and Angie Wiederock said that last year’s April 29 flea market had such a great reaction from vendors and consumers that they decided to bring it back this year and have it more frequently.
JMU employee’s ‘free mom hugs’ provides comfort for homesick students
Standing with a friendly face and open arms, JMU Department of Health Professions Manager Marissa Zane comes to campus once a semester to give out “free mom hugs.” She typically spends about three hours at Warner Commons to spread love through the physical form — most recently on Sept. 19. No matter their age or distance from home, some students feel homesick throughout the semester. Some may also have a difficult time adjusting to college life, while others fully embrace it.
‘Chatting All Things Romance’ Shows Live Chats Are Still Important to BookTube
Though the online discussion of books has shifted to many different digital spaces, BookTube was the platform that started it all. But with other social media platforms taking over conversations regarding fast, book-related content, what place do long-form videos hold in the book community? And what do romance BookTube live chats offer to an already flourishing — and what some would call oversaturated — community? Maybe there’s more to these chats than we think.
'All Rhodes Lead Here' Guides Us in More Ways than One
The queen of slow-burn romances is back at it again and better than ever. This time set in small-town Colorado with a silver-haired fox (direct quote), a 15-year-old music lover, a famous songwriter divorcee and hiking. What could possibly go wrong? Or better yet, let’s talk about all the things that went right.
‘Not in Chronological Order’ by Julia Michaels Is an Ode to Relationships and Ourselves
From jealousy to heartbreak to hope to love, Julia Michaels truly comes into her own as an artist with her new album “Not in Chronological Order.” With summer on the horizon, love is in the air, but Julia Michaels calls us to explore what it means to be in a relationship and how that impacts who we are. Her album is only 30 minutes long, but the 10 songs on the release don’t hold any less of an impact. In fact, they tell an entire story of romantic emotions through music.
Embrace Your Inner Foodie at These 5 Restaurants in New York City
Post Views: 185 Everyone knows New York City is known for its food. From pizza to bagels, to hot dogs, you don’t have to be involved in New York City’s nightlife to partake in its exciting cuisine. But with restaurants on the verge of shutting down or being forced to close down due to the pandemic, it’s important that we try to find ways to support the restaurants that we know and love. So with new spots finally coming to light, we want to ensure the safest way to do so, so that they stick around.
Breeze Into Summer With These New Book Releases
Post Views: 30 When the weather is nice and the movie theaters are too dark to enjoy the sunny weather, what’s a better way to revel in the sun than with a nice book? Maybe you don’t know where to start, what to look for and maybe you simply need a change in scenery. Or maybe you don’t want to just read about summer, you want to feel it. So instead of reading at home maybe change your atmosphere.
Netflix's Family Comedy 'Yes Day' Predicts the Future of Parenting
Post Views: 67 Parenting during the pandemic is never easy, and being a tween during this time is no cakewalk either. But Netflix’s new movie “Yes Day” shows the world what it’s like when the roles between parents and their kids are switched, highlighting what it means to function as a nuclear family. Could this further predict what parenting will look like in the future? Jennifer Garner plays Allison. She’s a full-time mom with three kids, and she’s looking to get back into work.
5 Women of Color That Are Pushing Boundaries in Romance Literature
Post Views: 44 Despite it being one of the largest and fastest-growing genres, romance novels are stigmatized within the book community. People think they’re “chick novels” or all about sex. Neither notion is true. Romance books are for everyone interested in uplifting and empowering the voices and stories of women — a group that has typically been overlooked in society. And with the rise of indie publishing, we also see LGBTQ+ people and women of color finally beginning to take center stage.
Netflix’s Original Movie 'Bad Trip' Is Just a Bad Time
Post Views: 34 When the world is looking for a little light and laughter it turns to comedy to help us relieve pent-up stress. But Netflix’s new original movie “Bad Trip” is just a bad time. Starring Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery and Tiffany Haddish, “Bad Trip” follows two friends who take a road trip to New York City in an effort to escape their hometown and chase a high school crush.
Guide to Thrifting Responsibly in New York City This Summer
Post Views: 57 It’s like a job interview: Why do you thrift? Where do you thrift? How do you thrift? In response to the toxicity that is fast fashion and its harmful environmental and workplace practices, it’s easy to see why thrifting is on the rise. However, as trendy as it is now (and cheap) to run to thrift stores and rack up on all the latest fashions, it’s important to note that many thrift stores located in low-income neighborhoods aren’t there just for what’s in vogue.
7 Ideal Locations for Socially Distanced Spring Activities in New York City
Post Views: 33 Spring forward into spring knowing that the weather is nice, the flowers are blooming and summer is just around the corner. Except … we’re in a pandemic. It can be hard to figure out what we can and should be doing during this time that doesn’t create a safety risk. It’s important to note, however, that despite the safety precautions we will have to take this spring to keep each other and our cities safe, we can still have fun things to do to pass the time and enjoy the new season.
'I Care a Lot' Doesn't Give Its Audience Much To Care About
Post Views: 449 News flash: The feminist movement wants their membership card back! The Netflix Original “I Care a Lot” won Rosemund Pike a Golden Globe for best actress, and frankly, as a fan of hers from “Gone Girl,” I don’t see it. Pike plays Marla Grayson, a swindling legal guardian who pries old people out of their homes under the guise that they’re now wards of the state. She then swoops in, steals their homes, their money, their livelihood, and makes her and her partner rich.
In 'Jigsaw,' Daniel Sloss Teaches Us How To Maintain Our Relationships
Post Views: 1,227 With Valentine’s Day fizzling to an end, will our relationships last? With a jigsaw analogy for the perfect relationship and a few jokes on dark humor (using dark humor), comedian Daniel Sloss introduces a new way of looking at comedy and why we should learn how to lighten up when faced with some epic tragedies or hard truths. This review contains some spoilers.
'Moxie' Is a Charming Coming-of-Age Movie With Something to Say
Post Views: 1,004 Just in time for Women’s History Month, Netflix’s new original “Moxie” sets the stage for high school teens stepping into their identities as they tackle sexism in their school.
'Next In Fashion' Is a Lesson in Collaboration and Passion For One's Craft
Lights, camera, drama, fashion! These are all the things that make “Next In Fashion” full of so much color, passion and love that you don’t typically see on competition shows. But with Tan France from “Queer Eye” and fashion designer Alexa Chung leading the fray, it’s no surprise that “Next in Fashion” turned out to be more heartfelt than expected. However, that doesn’t mean the show loses any of the tension and angst that comes with competition.
‘Death to 2020’ Gives New Meaning to a New Year
Post Views: 15 Every birthday I sit by the clock waiting for the countdown until I turn one year older. There’s the anticipation of a new year, a new age, something different — and then the clock strikes 12 and I feel exactly the same. That’s what this new year felt like as we finally put a close on 2020.
‘In Wonder’ Is Another Documentary Digging Deep Into the Lives of Musicians
Post Views: 59 The lights go off, the stage rises and the crowd is echoing throughout the stadium. The entire room is bursting with energy as the music begins and your favorite artist comes on stage. It might be your first concert or your 21st, but all the feelings are the same: excitement, anticipation, love and the wish that you could be closer to the performer just once.
Pixar’s ‘Soul’ Serenades Its Way Right Into Our Homes
Post Views: 38 Sounds of shrieking horns and off-beat drums play during Disney’s familiar castle intro. And even though the screen is filled with images that remind me of my middle school band room, I can’t help but smile when I see that the scene turns into just that. Joe Gardner, played by Jamie Foxx, is a middle school band teacher whose dream is to be a professional jazz musician. However, after he falls into an open pothole and dies, he has to find a way to reconnect his soul to his body.
Micarah Tewers Revolutionizes DIY Fashion Tutorials
Post Views: 32 This just in: Kylie Jenner was seen wearing her 2019 MET gala dress … in Ohio? Actually, that would be Micarah Teweres who completely remade Kylie Jenner’s dress from scratch. With a purple wig to match, puns and more than a few farm animals (birds, chickens and a bat), Tewers uses comedic voice-overs to narrate exactly how she makes iconic pieces of clothing. But the question is, how many of her viewers are actually there for the DIY tutorial.
The Goodreads Choice Awards Needs To Stop Being a Popularity Contest
Post Views: 40 It’s that time of the year again! The new year is about to roll around and the Goodreads 2020 Choice Award winners have been announced. And people are not happy. As someone who actively uses Goodreads not only as a way to discover new books but to follow my favorite BookTubers, comment on my friends’ reviews and track my reading progress throughout the year, I like to look out for the Choice Awards to see if they’ll have anything new to offer me.
Black BookTubers Need More Visibility on YouTube
Post Views: 58 COVID-19 took away so much for so many around the world, and when the world went on lockdown, people needed to find a way to connect. So, when you can’t do, create! This led to the large influx of people on TikTok, Patreon and YouTube. With the new, urgent need to escape from reality, it was almost natural that people turned to new YouTube videos as a source of entertainment; even better than that, though, they turned to books.
On ‘Ouverture Of Something That Never Ended,’ Gucci Wrestles With Inclusivity
Post Views: 43 The first video in Gucci’s mini-series “Ouverture Of Something That Never Ended” begins with a shot of a balcony bathed in bright sunlight before the camera slowly pulls into the hallway that leads to it. It’s giving the illusion that the audience is always watching and that Gucci is a performance, made to be appreciated but never quite within reach. With eerie bass-filled music permeating the background, you get the sense this is supposed to be an out-of-body experience.
Christmas in the Future is Black, Queer and Monochromatic For Lil Nas X
Post Views: 66 This Christmas, holiday cheer is at an all-time low. The Rockefeller tree in New York City was described as “scraggly,” according to The Washington Post, and with many places threatening to go on lockdown — LA being one of the first — it’s hard to feel happy and hopeful for a new year when 2020 has already been so bleak. However, this doesn’t mean new Christmas music can’t give people some joy.
No Coronavirus Related Post-Apocalyptic Movies, Please
Post Views: 53 I remember the first time I saw “Resident Evil.” Based off of the Japanese video game franchise by Capcom, the movie is about how the human race fights off an outbreak of zombies and other monsters created by a pharmaceutical company named the Umbrella Corporation. Starring Milla Jovovich, it starts with the release of a virus in a lab that soon spreads throughout the entire city.
BookTuber Leena Norms Wants Us To Engage With Existential Questions
Post Views: 41 At a time when everything seems uncertain and questions are being shouted into the void, I feel like the time for existentialism is now.
Netflix's 'Grand Army' Has Come To Enlist and Enlighten You
Post Views: 886 “Grand Army” has been on Netflix’s Top 10 for about two weeks now and the hype still hasn’t died down. Set in the center of New York City, it highlights the stories of marginalized teens living in a generation that goes beyond being misunderstood, emphasizing how they live and interact with the world in a raw and realistic way. Set in Grand Army, a prestigious Brooklyn public high school, the show focuses on five of its students: Leila, Dominique, Jayson, Sid and Joey.
Must B Nice’s Podcast ‘Day by Day’ Tells Relatable Fictional Stories of Quarantine
Post Views: 30 As the entire world goes through a collective crisis, people young and old are battling the emotions that come with living through a pandemic. What we thought was “normal” suddenly had to be readjusted and although many are still suffering from the actual health impacts of COVID-19, many are at home, healthy, but fearfully watching and waiting for what is to happen next. Quarantine is an uncertain time for everyone, but we aren’t alone.
Amid Chaotic Times, the Essence: Girls United Summit Empowers Young Black Women
Post Views: 27 Just like so many things since the pandemic, the first-ever Essence: Girls United summit was held virtually this year. However, that didn’t detract from any of its impact and power. Essence now has a platform that’s specifically for young Black women to gain financial literacy, business tips and mental health support that I’m so excited for.
Is 'Emily in Paris' the Escapist Show That We Need, or Is It Too 'Ringard'?
Post Views: 38 It’s October, so fall is in full swing and it’s the perfect time to pull out the fuzzy sweaters and a cat to cuddle with as you snuggle into the couch to watch a new show. The new Netflix show “Emily in Paris” requires just enough brainpower to click “next episode,” but it has faced backlash for painting an airbrushed version of France.
'WAP' Is the Feminist Anthem We Need Right Now
Post Views: 55 It’s been two months since “WAP,” one of the most popular songs of 2020, was released and while Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion have reached tremendous milestones in their careers on their own, this has definitely been one of the best collabs since Alicia Keys and Nicki Minaj came out with “Girl on Fire.” However, some people do not like the song and are in quite an uproar over the whole thing. The Controversy Over “WAP” James P.
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