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President Watts addresses campus issues during UAB Town Hall meeting
UAB President Ray Watts presented to a crowd of attendees during his first Town Hall meeting. Photo by Casey MarleyCasey Marley - Managing Editor
managing@insideuab.com
Tamara Imam - Copy Editor
copyed@insideuab.com
President Ray Watts and several administrators spoke to UAB students, staff and faculty about their concerns in his first ever community town hall meeting on Wednesday, March 30 in the Hill Student Center Alumni Theater. -
'Such an art'
'Such an art'
UAB’s first ever Drag Night fills up the HSC ballrooms, becomes platform for UAB’s first ever Drag Night fills up the HSC ballrooms, becomes platform for self-expressionPhoto By Drew Crenwshaw/Staff Photographer
Gary Fuqua, aka Afrikkka, performed in UAB's first ever Drag Night at the Hill Student Center's ballrooms, Saturday, February 2.
Juwayriah Wright
CityLifestyle Reporter
juwright@uab.edu
Colorful outfits, expressive dance moves and an energetic crowd filled the Hill Student Center ballrooms during UAB’s first ever Drag Night.“For me this is more than just putting on a wig, lashes and make-up,” said Gary Fuqua, freshman in musical theatre and who performed as Afrikkka. “It’s being there for people when they need it and portraying representation for people that need to see it.”
Fuqua describes themselves as being someone who's on the spectrum of gender. They said they appreciate being able to put on a good show and making people feel like being different and off-kilter is okay.
“I was always enlightened by seeing non-binary, drag queens and androgynous people growing up,” Fuqua said. “I feel there is such an art to it and a beauty to who these people are and how they want to express themselves.”
The event, held by the Blazer Theater Organization in partnership with Magic City Acceptance Center, was hosted by Victoria and Omni.
“I think that it’s really important that if somebody’s into something like this, that they get to express themselves,” said Josette Hyche, a member of the panel of judges and Secretary for Central Alabama Pride and founder of the Drag Krewe I-69. “I think it’s a lot harder being in the bible belt. I’ve seen a lot of progression in the last year-and-a-half, so I think people are getting a more open mind about it.”
The winner of the night, Joe Condon, known as Genesius, was granted a hot-spot opportunity in all benefits, fundraisers and events moving up to Pride Week by I-69 Entertainment. He was also granted a ride with I-69 Entertainment during the Pride Parade on June 8, along with a feature on flyers, the Facebook page and website as an honorary member for the remainder of the year.
“I’m very happy that I’m able to express my art through drag, and just walk around campus in drag because that’s who I am and what I want to do,” said Alex Hernandez,sophomore in marine biology and known as Leviathan.
The panel of judges included Aurora Savage, Addison Vontrell, Flex Vontrell, Kelly Allison, Roy Lightner and Josette Hyche. The crowd voted for their favorite performer through donations that would go to the BTO and MCAC.
Bailey Dumlao,known on-stage as Petty Ka$h and a freshman in theatre, won the Fan Favorite title, starting off his Broadway-esque performance with ‘Money, Money, Money’ by ABBA.
“This is my first time performing drag,” Dumlao said. “It’s so entertaining to just go out there and build a fantasy, a dream. We really have a community of performers, and technicians, even, that all understand that everything is a performance art. And finding those people to have that kind of honesty with is really nice.”
Other displays of the night were well-received by the engaged audience, who sat around the stage to get a better view. The event was opened by Ty Jamal, whose stage-name is Thottiana,a sophomore in theatre former football player.
“The South, I feel, still has a-ways to go,” Jamal said.“But within the US, I feel like now that drag queens are on television, it’s more accepted and normalized. I feel like America should be more accepting of the gay community before we get to drag queens, so we still have steps to take.”
The performers also offered tips on how to support the drag scene in Birmingham.
“Just go out to shows and support your local queens. Go to a gay club or even some regular clubs that have drag shows,” Leviathansaid. “Hear their story and watch them perform, because then you’d be able to support their art to make it bigger, better and more educational for everyone else.”
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Hill Student Center opens to the public
UAB President Dr. Ray Watts introducing the faculty, students, and community partners involved in making the new Hill Student Center a reality. (Photo by Angela Hollowell).Tessa Case - Contributing Writer
tessmc@uab.edu
On Wednesday, Jan. 20, the UAB community celebrated the official grand opening of the Hill Student Center.
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Inside and the inside scoop on the HSC
Mike Sasser, director of the Hill Student Center, shows the view of ongoing construction from inside the HSC. (Photo by Stephanie Lockhart).Casey Marley - Managing Editor
managing@insideuab.com
The Hill Student Center is open—unofficially.
On Jan. 20, the newly completed contribution to UAB’s Student Life
will have its official opening ceremony, uniting all areas of Student Affairs after
three fall semesters with no student center, according to Mike Sasser, Director of the HSC.
Plans for the new Hill Center have been in the works since April 2011, said Carolyn
Farley, director of Academic and Student Services Operations, but physical
implementation of the plan did not begin until 2013, when the old student center, the
Hill University Center, was demolished.
This fall, however, showed new progress to the center as the physical building
neared completion.
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What's Happening Jan. 19- 24
Robert Brown celebrates on the court last season. (Photo from UAB National Alumni Society's website).Tuesday, Jan. 19
Torche
Saturn
7 p.m.
Sludge metal band Torche will perform at Saturn in Avondale. Tickets begin at $12. The doors will open at 7 p.m. and the show will begin at 8 p.m.
Selma Movie Screening
Hill Student Center Theatre
6:30- 9 p.m.
“Selma,” the historical drama about the march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965, will show in the theatre of the HSC to commemorate the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.