Category Archives: Instructors

Meredith Searight

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Meredith Searight is a sophomore at the University of Utah and is majoring in Strategic Communications. She currently works at the University of Utah Campus Store as a retail specialist. She has served as a sales associate for Monkees Boutique of Houston, was a social media and design assistant for Memorial Designs, and was a design assistant for The Owen Group Design Firm. Her primary interests include dance, swimming, snow skiing, photography, art, volunteering, interior design and graphic design.

Ms. Searight is a member of Delta Gamma, a fraternity at the University of Utah since September 2017. She is involved with their chapter’s philanthropy Friends for Sight and is certified to do vision screenings and to test for glaucoma with a tonometer. She dedicates her time generously to her local community and has even flown to Houston, TX to volunteer at the Hurricane Harvey relief shelters. When she’s not volunteering, she’s a student at the U and has a 3.6 GPA and is on the dean’s list.

Meredith Searight’s is certified in Adobe InDesign and has a strong understanding in the use of Photoshop and Illustrator; Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. She has a passion for sports and hopes to work in sports marketing and communications. She is particularly interested in working for snowboarding and ski companies. Ms. Searight has a strong work ethic, works well individually or in a team, is extremely well organized, and very creative. Meredith Searight plans on graduating in the year 2021 and will be off to accomplish great things in her career.

Enterprise Story
Reflection Questions

Zane Law- Enterprise Story

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Fraternities are a valuable resource for many college men
Story by ZANE LAW

SALT LAKE CITY— College campuses across North America are hosts to hundreds of men’s fraternities. These fraternities are seen by many as misogynistic and cruel, while others view them as places to build character, a resume, and a social network. With over 6,000 chapter houses and millions of Greek members across North America, the benefits outweigh the negative image for the many joining the Greek system.

For generations, fraternities have been linked to the cultivation and development of successful men. Forty three of the United States’ 50 largest companies are run by fraternity men, with 85 percent of all Fortune 500 companies having a fraternity member CEO. According to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Greek men also account for all but two United States presidents born since the formation of the first fraternity in 1825, 76 percent of all U.S. Congressmen and U.S. Senators, and all of the Apollo 11 astronauts.

University of Utah’s Interfraternity Council President, James Morrell, explained why he thinks this is far from coincidence. Morrell says Greek life has helped him in three core areas: networking, leadership, and academics. The people he has met through his fraternity, “have served as an invaluable resource in my life, helping me further my career options and improve my academics,” he says. A current member of Beta Theta Pi at the U, Morell says several alumni remain actively involved. Through alumni he has received several job opportunities and plenty of guidance.

Dillon Clark, recruitment chair of Phi Delta Theta and president of the Young Americans for Freedom organization at the U, also praised his relationships with alumni. While Clark has received internship opportunities from active alumni, he credited one event in particular to the help of his older “Phis”. “I would not have been able to bring Ben Shapiro to the U without the help of alumni,” he says. The Ben Shapiro event that Clark hosted in Salt Lake City received significant media attention and hundreds of attendees. With donations from alumni that believed in his efforts, Clark was able to pool together the tens of thousands of dollars needed for the event.

Both Clark’s and Morrell’s achievements are significant in terms of resume-building, but are only a few of the things that they believe their organizations can help people achieve. Both are happy that they have support from their fellow Greeks and feel as though these people and opportunities give them an edge.

Fraternities help to hone interpersonal skills, time management, and team-building techniques, but are expensive and are not financially accessible to many. According to USA Today, the average cost per semester in a fraternity is $605, not including additional costs such as fines for absences, tardies, and other penalties. A national survey taken in 2014 by the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics indicated that fraternity members are more likely to graduate on time, however, potentially saving thousands of dollars on tuition. Staff members at the U’s Fraternity and Sorority Life office even reported that that in 2016, 80 percent of all Greek life students had gone on to graduate, whereas 57 percent of non-Greek students had been able to do the same. Graduating at a faster rate translates to less tuition money spent, therefore negating much, if not all, of the per semester costs.

The North-American Interfraternity Conference also reports slightly higher Greek GPA’s than their non-Greek counterparts. Many fraternities and sororities require a minimum GPA to join and remain an active member, with chapters on the U’s campus requiring anywhere from 2.5 to 3.0. Fraternities even gather alumni donations to fund tutoring and “Chegg” accounts. Chegg is an online resource to help students with homework, rent textbooks, offers tutoring, and helps to identify scholarship and internship opportunities.

While such resources and encouragement are important, others benefit purely from having an organization that keeps them in check. “Our scholarship chairman is really on us about getting our big assignments in on time, constantly reminding us in meeting,” says Elliot Ansari, a third-year member of the Greek system. He and his fraternity brothers feel obligated to perform academically because one of their fraternity’s founding principles is “Sound Learning.”

Although personal development and social network expansion compose a large part of the good arising from Greek organizations, Greek members also participate in community service and philanthropic events. In the academic year of 2013-2014 alone, the North-American Interfraternity Conference reported four million hours of community service contributed by fraternity men. Making blankets for the homeless, writing letters to military personnel, and sorting goods at the local food bank are some of the events that the U’s fraternities and sororities do together, knocking out good deeds and creating fun memories with each other.

In terms of philanthropy, most fraternities “have two events per year and the money raised goes to a charity organization of our choice,” says Elliot Ansari. The University of Utah’s Sigma Chi chapter frequently makes the news, with the Huntsman Cancer Institute’s website praising them for raising $66,806.65 during the 2015/2016 school year.

 

To see the author’s thought process whilst writing this piece click here

For more about the author click here

 

Reflection Blog- Meredith Searight

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While writing my enterprise story I developed my ideas by thinking of things that I’m passionate about that I knew were in Salt Lake City. When I was thinking of ideas I came across an article published in the Daily Utah Chronicle that sparked my interest. The article was about the lack of diversity in the Greek community at the University of Utah, so I started brainstorming based off of the topic of diversity in the U’s Greek system.

I located my sources by contacting the president of Delta Gamma who I knew would be a great starting point for gathering information. The Delta Gamma president was very helpful and sent me the contact list of the presidents on Greek row at the U. I was able to contact all of them and the majority of the presidents were very helpful in giving me information. I also contacted the Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life who was very helpful due to the fact she runs the whole Greek system at the U.

While writing my story, I did encounter one obstacle when trying to get all the sororities and fraternity’s presidents to email me back. In an effort to solve this problem, I simply just emailed a reminder to the presidents to try to gather more surveys. In order to make sense of all the information that I gathered, I set up my surveys in a certain format that fit the way I wanted to write my story. As for my writing process, at first it was a mess, but after getting guidance from my professor I was steered on the right path. I also learned that I do better when I narrow in my ideas for my article before I start writing.

By organizing my article in such a constructive way, I was able to get all the details I needed into the article. I was surprised to find out how respectful and welcoming the Greek system really is. I thought for sure I would hear one or two incidents of discrimination in the chapters but I never did. Overall I find myself more drawn to editorial writing after completing this assignment. I just had to struggle the whole time while writing not to stray to creating an editorial piece.

 

 Enterprise Story

Enterprise story reflection blog

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By Allison Oligschlaeger

When I set out to write my enterprise story, I set out to learn something. I didn’t want to write a story that I knew the ending to — I wanted to discover new truths through my reporting. As such, my list of potential topics looked more like a list of questions. I considered covering the snafu between the Salt Lake City Police Department and University Hospital nurse Alex Wubbels, but worried that local and national media had already canvassed the issue; I put out feelers for a story on the Antifa movement in Utah but struggled to find sources willing to go on record. Ultimately, the biggest unanswered question left on my list was, why have I seen so many new vegan restaurants popping up in Salt Lake City lately?

Just to be clear, I’m not a vegan — I’m not even a vegetarian. But I am curious to a fault. I thought this story posed a great opportunity to get nosey with local business owners (and eat some delicious food while I was at it). I chose four vegan establishments to interview, including two that have opened in the last month and two that have been slinging veggies since 2012.

The biggest ethical challenge I faced was balancing the business’s perspectives with outside insight. As my news writing professor pointed out, business owners are unlikely to tell media professionals if or when business is slow, and I wanted to make sure they weren’t overstating the success of the vegan trend. In hopes of mitigating this I reached out to the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, who directed me to the Downtown Alliance. I’m not sure that their media spokesperson did much to mitigate the business owners’ enthusiasm — they gave a glowing comment on the growth of the vegan dining industry and how great it is for SLC — but I feel better knowing that an outside source could corroborate their claims.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed this foray into business reporting and appreciated the opportunity to ask questions about a personal curiosity. I think entering the reporting process without many preconceived positions on the topic allowed me to be open to many possible explanations and truths, and I hope it reduced the bias in my reporting. Best of all, I’ve found my new favorite dessert at the dairy-free bakery Cinnaholic!

Allison Oligschlaeger

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Allison Oligschlaeger is a freelance journalist and Communications student at the University of Utah. They began their newswriting career in high school with a weekly column for the “Teen’s Ink” section of The Davis County Clipper. Allison’s work has since appeared in The Deseret News, Salt Lake City Weekly and The Daily Utah Chronicle. They received a regional Mark of Excellence award from the Society of Professional Journalists for their coverage of the University of Utah fight song debate in 2014. Allison enjoys skiing, personal nonfiction and all things peanut butter.

You can read Allison’s enterprise story on the growth of Salt Lake City’s vegan dining scene here, their reflections on the writing process here, and their linkedin bio here.

You can be the “somebody” who can help make a difference in animal rescue transportation

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Story and slideshow by LORI KUNZ

Trachelle “Chelle” Hilton-King founded Rescue Animals Needing Transportation (RANT) in September 2017 with support from her husband Berk King. RANT is the first animal rescue organization in Utah specifically for the transportation of animals from shelters to rescue centers and foster homes.

The idea came to her when she was taking a dog to a rescue center. Chelle realized there were no such organized services and saw a critical need for transportation in rural areas such as Roosevelt and Vernal and along the Wasatch Front. She proposed the idea to Berk and immediately started the approval process with the State of Utah. It is a 501(c)(3) foundation group.

RANT, based in Syracuse, Utah, is a natural outgrowth of Chelle’s passion for helping animals. She and Berk foster hospice care dogs, which is end-of-life care. They currently have a 14- or 15-year-old foster they named Dixie Denver who is a lab-mix with dementia. Families don’t want old dogs – they want puppies, she said. There is no better person than Chelle to take in an elderly dog to love until its last day because she understands that the simplest act of kindness can change a life. Because her love of animals is immense she started volunteering with groups that distribute pet supplies to individuals with pets who are experiencing homelessness and to low-income pet owners.

Chelle is the owner and operator of “Chelle’s Floral and Gift” located in Clearfield, Utah. While she runs her business she will also run RANT. Most animal rescue volunteers and founders have jobs outside their organization. “RANT isn’t a project, it’s a calling,” she said. Her motto for RANT is “Saved In Time” (SIT).

Saving an animal can be a complicated process involving rescue centers, animal control officers, animal shelters, animal-foster homes and volunteers.

Rescue centers are organizations that help find homes for misplaced, abandoned and unwanted animals by posting images of them on their website and on social media. Centers rescue animals from shelters and put them into foster homes and up for adoption.

Reputable centers will make a lifetime commitment to the animals they rescue. The process they follow is to pay for the animals’ care, including immunization shots and spaying or neutering. If an animal is returned to a shelter or not wanted the center will take it back.

Some centers have relationships with animal control officers and shelter workers who monitor animals’ “due-out” dates, the date they need to exit the shelter or face possible euthanasia. This gives centers the heads-up to rescue the animal before their due-out date. Rescue centers never euthanize.

Centers have their dedicated foster homes they rely on to step in and help with the placement of animals. Centers need more people to open their homes as a foster home for animals.

Chelle said every time a foster steps up, they save two animals’ lives, the animal that was taken and the replacement animal at the shelter.

Anyone interested in adopting can visit animals in an animal foster home, rescue center and at adoption events in places like PetSmart and Petco, which donate space each week to centers to hold adoption events.

Shelters are establishments run by cities and counties that take in strays and owner-surrendered animals. They adopt out as many animals as possible, but when they are full they have to euthanize for space.

A lot of the shelter workers are pro-life and pro-rescue. They network their own animals when they start to reach capacity and will reach out to centers for assistance. Some shelter workers aren’t pro-life or pro-rescue, for those shelters there are volunteers.

“Volunteers are the lifeline of all rescues,” Chelle said. There is a network of volunteers that monitors a shelter’s capacity, post animals’ needs such as “due-out” dates, injuries and special needs.

Social media play a role in animal rescue. Shelter workers, rescue centers and foster homes all post online on their respective website and Facebook page.

One of the biggest parts of rescue is someone seeing an animal on Facebook from pages such as Utah Shelter and Rescue Network, Animal Rescue Networking Group of Utah, Utah Animals ONLY or petfinder and wanting to foster or adopt, except they live hundreds of miles from the shelter where the animal is being held.

The next step is transport for the animal(s) to the area where the rescue center and foster home are located. This is when RANT will get involved, giving them 48-72 hours, depending on the shelter, to get the animal(s) out and transported.

Most transports are arranged on Facebook via posts and Messenger, it is the quickest and easiest way for multiple people to respond and offer to help said Chelle.

RANT will help free up more space in shelters by arranging a driver and a vehicle equipped with items that will be needed for transportation i.e., leash, animal carrier, food.

Some transports can be short, between a shelter and a rescue in the valley. Others can be long and can be broken up in relays or legs. In November 2017 a dog was posted on The Bridge needing a ride from West Jordan Animal Shelter to Meridian Canine Rescue in Idaho by Nov. 18. Volunteers stepped up and had the dog delivered on time.

There are two main websites for posting animals who need transporting: The Bridge and Utah Transport. There are also national organization groups: Pilots-N-Paws, Operation Roger and Kindred Hearts Transportation Connection.

Ogden resident Michelle Holbrook started The Bridge, an animal transportation page, on Facebook in 2015. It has over 700 members. Holbrook met Chelle in November 2015 while helping to transport dogs to a rescue center in Idaho. She now serves on RANT’s five-person board of directors.

“RANT is a fabulous idea because it will give us the opportunity to pull large numbers of [animals] from overcrowded or rural shelters and get them somewhere where they have a better chance at adoption,” she said in an email interview. “RANT will be a great addition [to The Bridge] because a lot of the time we have drivers to move the [animals] but they may not have large enough vehicles or the gas money.”

Holbrook said that a lot of the time when a transport occurs the costs add up by renting a van, paying mileage and finding a driver.

The Kings started fundraising for RANT in November 2017 and anticipate raising enough money to buy a couple of vans. They have transported several animals for RANT using their personal vehicles.

Their goal is to transport between Clearfield and Southern Utah, a distance of over 300 miles, once a week to move as many animals as possible. When they have vehicles available all transportation from rural areas will also be weekly, with distances averaging 100 miles.

They will train volunteers on how to transport an animal while keeping the animal safe. They are looking for volunteers who are available to transport and who love animals.

Chelle said there are all kinds of groups who work together to rescue animals, but there is not a transport group for Utah where one is needed. “I’m somebody,” she says.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Mormon mission experience

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Story and slideshow by ZACH DAVIS

The tradition of serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormon church) is rooted in the very beginning of the religion in 1830.

The first Mormon missionary to be called was the Prophet Joseph Smith’s younger brother Samuel Smith.

Following Samuel Smith’s call other leaders of the Mormon church were called, including Oliver Cowdery, Parley P. Pratt, Peter Whitmer Jr. and Ziba Peterson, who were tasked with teaching the American Indians.

Mormon missionaries were the leaders of the church who preached about their religion across North America.

Later the ones serving missions would shift to the younger members who would be called by the leaders of the Mormon church.

The first mission overseas in the British Isles was fulfilled by Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde in 1837. This led to many converts to the religion immigrating to the United States during the 1840s.

During the 1850s Mormon missionaries expanded beyond the British Isles to countries such as Chile, France, Germany, India, Italy, South Africa and Switzerland.

During this time men had served as Mormon missionaries.

Then in 1898, the first female missionaries, Inez Knight and Lucy Jane Brimhall, were called to serve.

Now the missionary force is comprised of single men and women between the ages of 18 and 25 serving in 422 missions around the world. Mormon missions are two years for men and one and a half years for women.

Preparing for a Mission

The process of being called as a missionary begins with the individual’s desire to serve a mission. If they so desire, they will meet with their bishop (leader of the congregation) to further assess if they are ready to serve.

Individuals must be physically capable of serving, mentally stable, spiritually prepared (believe in what they are preaching), and be morally clean.

Preparing to Serve in 1965

“As I was growing up, I attended all of the church meetings, and in high school they had a program called release time (seminary) in which a person could leave campus and for one hour study the teachings of their now particular religious beliefs, and get credit towards it being one of the student’s elective studies. I took advantage of this for gaining more knowledge of the LDS Church,” Ron Davis said.

When Ron graduated high school, he was unable to leave directly for his mission. Instead he worked for three years to save up enough money to finance his two-year mission.

After working with his bishop, Ron submitted his application to serve as a missionary. This led to him being assigned to the North Scottish Mission in Scotland.

He left for the Missionary Training Center (MTC) located in Provo, Utah, in February 1965, just a month before his 21st birthday.

Serving in 1997

Throughout her life Ron Davis’s daughter-in-law, Jemela Davis, knew that she wanted to serve a mission for the Mormon church. To prepare to serve she participated in the four-year seminary program and took missionary preparation courses offered by the Mormon church through the institutes of religion program.

Jemela was able to finance her mission by working and saving as much as she could. Her parents and close friends financed the rest.

After successfully completing her application for missionary service in 1997 she was assigned to the Chile Antofagasta Mission.

Serving in 2014

To prepare for her mission, Sam Brady said she attended a mission preparation class each Sunday. She also went to temple preparation classes to prepare her to receive her endowments.

When it came to financing her mission, Sam worked full-time to raise the funds with her parents supplementing where needed. While on her mission Sam also received donations from people from time to time.

Once Sam completed all the necessary paperwork to serve her mission she received her call to the Hungary Budapest Mission, in Hungary.

She left for the MTC in September 2014.

Missionary Training Center (MTC)

Scotland Bound

While at the MTC Ron found that it was a very structured place. His daily schedule began at 6 a.m. He said his personal prayers, dressed, ate breakfast, attended instructional periods, then practiced with other missionaries to lessen the feelings of uncertainty about telling people how he felt about the Mormon church.

One of the things he said he found most interesting while at the MTC was that it “seemed a little like role playing, because at times the teachers would all of sudden take a negative approach and then you had to change their outlook with your knowledge of the truths that you were going to present to the people once in the mission that you would be called to.”

When Ron left the MTC after two weeks he was “excited to be going on [his] first plane ride, and to be going to another country.” The plane stopped in London and then went to Edinburgh, where the mission home was headquartered.

Chile

Jemela’s daily schedule at the MTC was filled from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. From 6:30 to 9 a.m. she would do personal preparation, individual scripture study and eat breakfast. Then from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. she would participate in morning classes. After lunch, she would do further classes from 1 to 5 p.m. Dinner at 6 p.m. was followed by more evening classes from 7-9 p.m. At 9 p.m. she would return to her dorm for further personal duty until bedtime at 10 p.m.

The classes that Jemela attended focused on learning Spanish, the missionary discussions and cultural lessons regarding Chile.

She spent nine weeks in the MTC. Because she was assigned to a foreign language mission, she needed adequate time to learn the language in order to better teach the people of Chile.

“Hungary” for knowledge

Life at the MTC for Sam wasn’t all fun and games. In fact, it was very strict and rough, but she also found it very spiritually uplifting.

A regular day for her at the MTC consisted of waking at 6:30 a.m. to get ready and eat breakfast in the cafeteria. At 8 a.m. she did personal study in the classroom. This was followed by discussing what she had learned with her companions. At 10 a.m. she engaged in language study with the rest of the day being broken up by Hungarian lessons, devotionals and practice lessons.

Brady also spent nine weeks in the MTC in order to learn Hungarian.

When it came time to leave for Budapest, Brady said she “was extremely nervous and excited all at once.”

Mission Field

Life in Scotland

It was a very cold February when Ron arrived in Edinburgh. For the first time in 50 years the main rivers had frozen.

Ron said it rained often – sometimes daily for weeks at a time. He needed two overcoats: one to wear while the other dripped over the tub so it would be dry to wear the next day.

His normal attire was limited to dark-colored (dark blue, dark brown, or black) suits and pants to match. He wore white shirts, very conservative ties, hats and shoes.

Ron woke early each morning and said a prayer. Then he read and studied the Scriptures before eating breakfast. Then he and his companion left to go tracting (look for people interested in talking about the church). After doing that for a few hours the Mormon companions ate lunch.

When proselytizing Ron and his companion (fellow missionary) were often rejected with doors being slammed in their faces. This was done in the hope of finding someone who was willing to hear what they had to say about the Mormon church.

Occasionally during their tracting they’d set up appointments to talk with people in their home.

At supper time, the missionaries would return to where they were lodging to eat. After eating they would go out once more to meet their appointments and teach them about the Mormon church. When the day finally had finished the missionaries would return to their lodging, study and read the Scriptures some more, get ready for bed, say their prayers and retire for the night to be ready to repeat the cycle the next day.

The reason missionaries travel in pairs is because Scripture discusses going “two by Two” (Mark 6:7). It was safer to have more than one missionary together as it allowed them to keep each other out of trouble.

The biggest thing Ron didn’t like during his mission was knocking on doors to meet people as the process of street meetings and discussions weren’t used when he was serving. And during this time the Mormons weren’t very popular.

On Wednesdays Ron took his shirts to the laundry and washed the rest of his clothes at the cleaners or coin laundry.

When it came time to leave the country, Ron said he was “kind of sad” because he had devoted “two years of [his] life in an effort to bring the joy and happiness of the restored gospel here upon the earth and now it was coming to an end.”

Trials in Chile

Jemela arrived in Chile unaware of the trials and poverty she would be facing.

During her mission, she said she lost over 60 pounds and became frail. She and her companions had to boil their drinking water to avoid getting sick.

Soon after these hardships, Jemela said she was able to “set aside the life [she] knew to develop [her] spiritual self.” Instead of focusing on the hardships she focused on faith, prayer and fasting. When meeting people she and her companions would do anything to help make Chileans’ lives better.

The normal attire for sister missionaries in Chile was skirts and blouses. They “could not wear nylons because the fleas get caught in between the nylon netting and [their] legs, resulting in the fleas biting you repeatedly,” Jemela said.

When Jemela found out that she would be serving in such a poverty-stricken country instead of buying brand new clothes she bought clothes from a second-hand store to use on her mission. The reason for this she said was “[she] did not want to appear wealthy or to send a message that she was better than [the Chilean people].”

At one point, she only had two pairs of socks causing her to have to wash them at noon each day and hang them to dry so they would be ready for the following day.

“With the exception of the clothes on my back, I gave away all of my clothes to the Chilean people,” Jemela said.

The daily routine during Jemela’s mission was to get up at 7 a.m. to get ready, eat breakfast, do personal study and companion study. At 10 a.m. they would leave their apartment to either teach people, search for people to teach, or help reactivate members who were no longer attending. At 1 p.m. the companions would return home for “La Siesta” which is a Chilean practice where everything shuts down for three hours. Everyone goes home to eat a big meal and take a nap. At 4 p.m. everything would reopen and the missionaries would return to teaching until 10 or 11 p.m.

When it came time to return home Jemela said that “she was not disappointed, but saddened to leave the people [she] had grown to love.” While at the airport waiting for her flight home she was surprised by four of the youth she had taught who had hitchhiked a thousand miles to see her off at the airport.

To Budapest

Full of nervous excitement and a fear of the unexpected Brady arrived in Budapest.

Brady’s days consisted of rising at 6:30 a.m. to pray, exercise for 30 minutes and prepare for the day. Then she would eat breakfast from 7:30 to 8 a.m. After breakfast, she would study the Book of Mormon, other scriptures, the missionary library and Preach My Gospel until 9 a.m.

Brady and her companion then studied together and shared what they had learned during personal study.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. they proselytized with an hour taken for lunch and additional study and an hour taken for dinner, which was to be finished no later than 6 p.m. They continued proselytizing until 9 p.m., when they would return home, plan the next day’s activities, write in their journals, prepare for bed, pray, and retire at 10:30 p.m.

The standard attire that Brady wore on her mission wabutton-upn up blouse or a nice shirt tucked into long flowy skirts as well as flat shoes. She would sometimes accessorize with a belt or scarf.

One thing Brady disliked about her mission was tracting but she said that she would “absolutely, without a doubt” serve another mission if she could.

A couple mishaps that occurred on her mission was one of her companions got sick and Brady developed foot problems due to all the walking that was required on her mission.

When it came time to return home after 18 months of being away from home, Brady said she was “sad to go, but excited to return home and become human again.”

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Zach Davis

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MY STORY: 

MY BLOG:Zach Davis

When it comes to developing ideas for a story I begin with thinking about what would interest me. Once I’ve narrowed it down to a few things that interest me I will go over those ideas and look into if there are sources that I could actually speak to or not.

Locating sources can be a challenge so I usually try to find something that is more publicly available so I can speak to sources directly instead of being funneled through their public relations department.

The best sources for my story were ultimately my family in regards to the subject I wrote about “The Mormon mission experience.” They were able to provide me information far beyond the scope of what I even thought I would be able to get.

That led to an issue when I was in the process of writing I realized that I had an overabundance of material, which caused me to have an extensive article written. I decided to focus more on the life in the mission aspect when writing my story as that was most interesting to me. So, I just figured if it was interesting to me it’d be interesting to readers who have no idea what a mission even is.

Luckily when writing my story, I was able to avoid any ethical or moral dilemmas as my story was more like a slice of life narrative and not some nitty gritty hard-hitting scandal.

There’s nothing from this story that I would include in my blog as I feel that I’ve told it adequately and to the best of my knowledge.

I was surprised by how much I don’t enjoy news writing. I am more of an advertising or public relations person so news writing just doesn’t interest me like at all.

ABOUT ME:

As a child my mother would always read to me, which sparked my love for the written word as well as the spoken word. Throughout middle school and high school, I always knew that I wanted to do something in regards to business and the public’s perception of a company.

When I graduated from Cottonwood High School in the spring of 2012 I decided to take a break from school and live in the real world. In the fall of 2013 I started taking classes at Salt Lake Community College in pursuit of an associate of science degree.

After receiving my AS in General Studies at the end of the Spring 2016 semester I transferred to the University of Utah.

I considered the many majors open to me: business administration, strategic communication, journalism, accounting and marketing. After a semester of uncertainty, I decided that I wanted to major in strategic communication.

Strategic communication interested me the most as it deals with advertising and public relations and how to compile data to best reach people and alter their views of things whether it be a product, company or person.

Once I finish at the U, I will use my superior creativity to go into advertising to create new and exciting things for the masses to love.

Caputo’s on the University of Utah campus

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Story and slideshow by PARKER SCHLAF

When walking into the Carolyn Tanner Irish Humanities Building located near the center of the University of Utah campus, you are met with quiet tones and students hard at work. Rounding the corner of the lobby you start to get a whiff of Italian seasonings and warm rich coffee. Tucked right around that corner is the modern Italian deli counter of Caputo’s. A man at the counter looks up and shoots a smile to the next student in line.

Approaching the counter, the student next in line was met by an employee. After pondering the chalk-written menu, the customer approached the counter again and told him he would take a half of a Roasted Reds sandwich and a half portion of pasta salad. Simply nodding his head, the Caputo’s employee completed the order and hollered, “Half  a red and half pasta!” The student then stepped back and met with the other students waiting for their food to be prepared.

“Half of a red and half pasta salad!” gets shouted out over the counter by the man who took the order. Students were quickly being shuffled through the line, grabbing their food, selecting their drinks and heading off to find a table.

The Roasted Red sandwich, stuffed with roasted peppers, came in a deli basket lined with a classic red-and-white checkered paper. It was dressed with olive oil, Italian seasonings and other vegetable toppings. The pasta salad was accompanied by carrots, green peas, cauliflower, zucchini and then tossed in an olive oil and Italian seasoning. All of the ingredients used in this and other dishes at Caputo’s are either local or imported.

Sean Rorke, 27,  talked about working for the Caputo’s company and said it has been a great gig and that he loves it. He said, “Before working here, I worked for three years at the downtown location (located at 300 South and 300 West). Totally different ball game [here] than the downtown store.” He then talked about how he enjoyed working on a university campus versus another Caputo’s location. He said he preferred the faster workplace environment that the university location demanded and also the slight differences in the breakfast/lunch menu. Rorke did note that a nice additional benefit the university location offers is the break he gets for the weekends, as most of the campus is shut down from Friday evening until Monday morning.

“Better ingredients. I don’t even have to say anything else. We do a lot of local foods and whatever we don’t get locally, we import. We don’t skimp on any of our ingredients,” Rorke said, as he continued to talk about some of the benefits of eating at the Caputo’s on campus and why he thinks it would be beneficial for students to eat here compared to some of the other options. Rorke said Caputo’s is a perfect place to dine on campus, if you don’t already have a meal plan through the U and can afford to spend the extra dollar or two.

Tony Caputo has been running a successful locally-owned business for over 20 years. Having opened his first fresh market and deli in downtown Salt Lake City in 1997, his business has now grown into three other markets and delis spread over the Salt Lake Valley. The largest market he still owns and cares for is near his original deli and market located on 300 South and 300 West. Caputo added his most recent location to the U’s campus in 2008. Caputo recently cut back to working part time, he wrote on his blog, but he is still deeply involved in his company and local community.

Being a firm believer in providing only high quality ingredients to the local community, Tony Caputo has changed the fresh Italian market and deli scene of Salt Lake for the better. Joelle Bleiman, a 20-year-old student at the U, agreea. “It’s one of my favorite places to eat on campus when I want some real food!” Being the avid Caputo’s customer that she is, Bleiman also said the pasta with red sauce is the best thing to order.

Samantha Fox, a third-year student at the U, said, “I’m only 20. I love easy access to local foods with a decent price.” She then added how efficient the employees are. Compared to other quick stop options on campus, Caputo’s provides local and nutritious options for students. Having a Caputo’s location on the U’s campus is fortunate. Both Bleiman and Fox have been to other Caputo’s locations, but would agree the accessibility and all around “vibe” of the university location makes it the best one.

Parker Schlaf interviews Sean Rorke.
Caputo’s is located inside this campus building.
People enjoying outside seating.
The Caputo’s menu.
Students enjoying Caputo’s while studying.
Customers dining between classes.
Sean Rorke explains why he loves his job.
Sam Fox uses the quiet space to study.
Sean Rorke showing Parker Schlaf the case.
The patio is a popular spot during warm months.

Parker Schlaf

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MY STORY:

MY BLOG:

After finishing my first day in my first communication class, I was nervous. I had never taken a class that required me to pitch a story to my peers, interview sources for my story and then post my story on a website where anybody could potentially read it. I was intimidated to say the least.

After taking a leisurely stroll around the University of Utah’s campus I found myself drawn to something familiar.

Tony Caputo opened his U campus location in 2008 and ever since it’s been a major success. I have only known about Caputo’s for a few years now, but even then I know how authentic and fresh everything is. I then wondered how many people knew that there was a Caputo’s location on the U’s campus. I wrote my enterprise story on  the Caputo’s location on the U’s campus. I highlighted the restaurant and also gave brief background detail on Caputo and his ever growing business.

I knew that the employees at the campus location were very friendly and approachable making them possible sources. I also wanted to have a few customer sources as well to be able to get a few perspectives on the company and the food.

Knowing I could interview my roommate, Sam Fox, who is an avid Caputo’s customer, and Joelle Bleiman, who has come with me to Caputo’s before, I only had to get in contact with one of the employees. Making the connection with somebody I have never met made me nervous. I was going to have to ask a complete stranger how he liked his job as well as other semi-personal questions.

I decided to go in one day near closing to see if I could talk with one of the employees. Sean Rorke, one of the leading employees there, was very happy to chat with me. The other employee who was working was not interested in answering any questions.

Even though I was nervous going into this class and developing my enterprise story, I successfully accomplished everything I was worried about and more.  

ABOUT ME:

After spending most of my childhood in Las Vegas, Nevada, I moved to the Ogden Valley in 2011 with my family. And after graduating high school in 2015 I then moved to the Salt Lake Valley to attend college.

I am a third-year student at the University of Utah studying strategic communication and hoping to be graduating in the next two years. I love the U and can’t wait to continue on with my degree.

I am an avid skier and snowboarder and I love nothing more than spending my days exploring around the Wasatch Mountains finding new places to hike and ski.

I am not positive on where my life will take me, but I know that I am doing the things I love and progressing in the right directions.

Salt Lake businesses giving back

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Story and slideshow by ABIGAIL SABIR

As consumers, we have the power to influence our community through our consumption. We can contribute to philanthropic efforts that local businesses are making, giving a purpose to our spending. This can make a difference in how we choose to consume, as well as change our perspective on spending hard earned money.  In the Salt Lake Valley there are many companies that are making noteworthy efforts to give back to both local and global charities.

Even Stevens, Cotopaxi and Stonehaven Dental are three companies that give to charity in various ways. Each company strives to make a contribution whether local, statewide or international.

Even Stevens currently has 20 locations throughout six states and for each shop opened it pairs with four different nonprofits. Sara Day, co-founder and cause director for Even Stevens, said in an email interview, “We knew we wanted to open a cool, localized sandwich shop that gave back in some way.” It first started selling sandwiches in Salt Lake City in 2014 and the downtown location at 414 E. 200 South donates to YWCA Utah, Volunteers of America, The Good Samaritan Program and Rescue Mission. Day said that as of December 2017, Even Stevens will have 80 nonprofit partners.

Each month 54 cents of each sandwich sold is put into an account for the chosen nonprofits that each location is partnered with. Those nonprofits then use the funds to buy sandwich ingredients or operational supplies, according to the cause page on the Even Stevens website. The website also provides monthly articles about its current work, and as of November 2017, 2 million sandwiches have been donated, equal to over $1 million allocated to its nonprofit partners.

With a passion for addressing the food insecurity that 1 in 8 Americans face, Day said in an email that the founders “wanted to be more than just another sandwich shop.” She also said, “I see Even Stevens growing and expanding across the entire U.S., right now we are focusing on the West Coast but want to take our product and program everywhere!”

Cotopaxi’s mission is to improve the human condition worldwide. It is an outdoor gear retail company with a location at 74 S. Main St. in Salt Lake City. Cotopaxi, according to its website, is a certified B corporation, which means it is a business that uses its force for making a positive impact on the global social, economic and environmental condition. Its products are also produced sustainably with close attention to detail and with Cotopaxi-exclusive llama fiber insulation in various products.

Loretta Beaty, who runs the impact sector and is the customer experience executive for Cotopaxi, believes it has a “good model for doing good.” Each year, Cotopaxi donates 2 percent of its annual revenue to various nonprofit organizations around the world that make an outstanding impact on humanity.

In 2016, the nonprofits that Cotopaxi donated to were located in Myanmar, Sub-Saharan Africa, India, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe. It has yet to choose all of the grantees for 2017 but the program-tailored donations will make an impact in people’s lives throughout the world based on its past achievements, highlighted on the website.

Cotopaxi’s 2016 impact report gives information on the work done. Among the reports from international grantees, it told of The Global Good Project and the Questival Adventure Race. The Global Good Project works in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to satisfy the diverse needs of refugees around Salt Lake. The Questival Adventure Race incorporates all local citizens for an adventure race based on service, teamwork, fitness and adventure.

Stonehaven Dental has also crossed national boundaries and done extensive local charity work. Dr. Eric Tobler, president of and dentist at Stonehaven Dental, and Mary Hegerman, marketing/human Resources director, discussed Stonehaven’s community involvement in an email interview. That involvement includes being a part of a national organization called Dental Care for Children as well as hosting and being a part of local humanitarian efforts.

The dentists, dental assistants, support personnel and even a University of Utah dental student have gone to Mexico for humanitarian trips with the Dental Care for Children organization. Stonehaven has been taking trips for six years but the organization holds monthly trips to Mexico, Haiti and Southern California.

With locations in Salt Lake and Utah County, Stonehaven Dental’s local humanitarian work includes the Stonehaven Smiles event. It gives free dental care to the community each May. Tobler and Hegerman said that it been going for 10 years, serving nearly 1,500 patients. They also noted the effort that each dental office makes to be involved with local school programs, and there have been scholarships given to local high school students in the past.

According to Tobler and Hegerman, the staff at Stonehaven Dental has taken over 20 international trips and have either held or participated in nearly 60 local humanitarian days. As the president of Stonehaven Dental, Tobler stressed how important giving back is to the whole Stonehaven team.  

Each of the local businesses previously mentioned has its own model for doing good, so just by buying a sandwich, a backpack, or even going to the dentist, we can each give back to the local and global community.

The downtown location of Even Stevens.
The entrance to the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), one of the nonprofit partners of the Even Stevens downtown location.
Even Stevens’ menu available to customers upon entering.
The inside of Even Stevens.
A backpack display on the right front wall of the Cotopaxi store.
The main room of the Cotopaxi store.
The outside of the Cotopaxi store location at City Creek, downtown.
A slightly hidden entrance for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a partner with Cotopaxi’s Global Good Project.
The front entrance of the Midvale location of Stonehaven Dental.
An inviting lobby at Stonehaven Dental.

Stop the silence, end the violence: a spotlight on the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition

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Story and gallery by RACHEL BEUS

Domestic violence is an extensive problem in the U.S., but most people may not know that the problem is even more prevalent here in Utah. In the U.S., 1 in 4 women will become a victim of domestic violence in their lifetime, while 1 in 3 women in Utah will become a victim of domestic violence. This statistic helps expose how serious of a problem this is in Utah.

The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition is an organization that raises money and allocates those funds to various shelters and organizations all across Utah to provide goods and resources to victims of domestic violence. The UDVC has a motto that summarizes what it does: advocate, collaborate and educate.

Christopher Davies, the current associate director of UDVC, has been involved with the organization for approximately two and a half years. Davies decided to join UDVC because he has a 15 -year-old daughter and he worried about the culture that surrounds women and how dangerous domestic violence is. “I wanted to help women, however I could,” Davies said.

With his background in business, most of his duties and responsibilities as the associate director pertain to logistics that keep UDVC running properly. Davies said, “I do things like grant management, administration support, work with the board of directors, make sure we are stable and have permits.” He likes to refer to the UDVC team as the “watchdogs” when it comes to domestic violence.

Samantha Candland is the volunteer coordinator at the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition. She has been involved with UDVC for almost two years. Her primary responsibility is to manage the LINKLine, which is a 24/7 anonymous and confidential crisis hotline where volunteers answer calls to help anyone experiencing domestic violence. All volunteers participate in an extensive 32-hour training before they take any calls because they are dealing with dangerous and highly sensitive situations. Volunteers help callers with everything from information, safety planning, advocacy and referrals to services.

Candland said UDVC is an “umbrella organization” that works to provide information to the community and provide referrals to services that any victims may need. Candland said there are three levels that organizations and services fall into the micro level, mezzo, level and macro level. The UDVC falls under the macro category because it works at the state level.

The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition doesn’t make all of these important strides all by itself. One of its biggest tactics toward fighting domestic violence is collaboration. The UDVC works with a variety of different organizations to help support and aid survivors of domestic violence and abuse. UDVC collaborates with a variety of other organizations including Soroptimist Women’s Organization, Allstate Insurance and Alpha Chi Omega women’s fraternity. Davies said Alpha Chi Omega Beta Nu chapter is one of the UDVC’s biggest private supporters and collaborators.

Mackenzie Turner is the current vice president of philanthropy for Alpha Chi Omega. She works very closely with the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition and acts as a liaison between AXO and UDVC. With her position, Turner is in charge of organizing and running Alpha Chi Omega’s philanthropy events that raise money to help fund UDVC. “We put on events like our walk-a-mile in their shoes and doughnut let love hurt campaign events,” Turner said. She mentioned the Purple Ribbon Benefit AXO put on in the spring of 2017 that raised over $13,000 for the UDVC.

Turner said she and Alpha Chi Omega love working with UDVC and Candland, Davies and the whole UDVC team because they are hardworking and kind. She said that all of the women of Alpha Chi Omega are very passionate about the awareness and prevention of domestic violence and are glad that UDVC is just as enthusiastic as they are about what they believe to be a very important and crucial cause.

Davies said the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition’s mission is “to make domestic violence in Utah intolerable.” If we do not make it clear that domestic violence is not only illegal but also unacceptable and educate our community and really the whole world, then it becomes an obstacle that we cannot conquer. The UDVC knows that this problem with domestic violence will not go away overnight and that as far as it has come, there is still farther to go. But, by continuing education on this topic and spreading awareness, it will continue its goal of preventing future cases of domestic violence and abuse.

If you would like to volunteer to help UDVC, you may complete an online volunteer application.

Decorated high heel shoes for Alpha Chi Omega’s walk-a-mile in their shoes event. Photo courtesy of Carly Cantarini.
Samantha Candland, volunteer coordinator for the UDVC.
Mackenzie Turner, vice president of philanthropy for the Beta Nu chapter of Alpha Chi Omega.
UDVC team members Chris Davies and Samantha Candland.
Walk-a-mile in their shoes event participants. Photo courtesy of Carly Cantarini.
Shoes decorated by Alpha Chi “kind of guy” contestants for walk-a-mile in their shoes event. Photo courtesy of Carly Cantarini.
Chris Davies, associate director for the UDVC.
Participants wearing high heels for Alpha Chi Omega’s walk-a-mile in their shoes event.
Large group of guys race in their high heels at Alpha Chi Omega’s walk-a-mile in their shoes event. Photo courtesy of Carly Cantarini.
Domestic violence awareness and prevention slogan sign.

 

 

Rachel Beus

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MY STORY: 

MY BLOG:

As a member of the organization Alpha Chi Omega, our philanthropy is domestic violence awareness and prevention. I am no stranger to the epidemic that is domestic violence and how the problem is particularly startling in the state of Utah. The members of Alpha Chi Omega work closely with the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition raising money for it to support our cause.

In order to locate sources to interview I asked our vice president of philanthropy for contacts at the UDVC and I also interviewed her for my enterprise story. My sources were the best for my story because they had the knowledge and expertise to answer my questions. Chris Davies was able to answer my logistical and financial questions, being the associate director, and Samantha Candland, being volunteer coordinator, was able to answer any questions I had about how to get involved with the UDVC and volunteer opportunities. Mackenzie Turner helped me bridge the gap between Alpha Chi Omega and I was able to ask her questions about what we do to support the UDVC. I got a lot of information from my three sources so it was a little bit difficult to narrow down my focus. I ended up just explaining what the UDVC is, what it does and how Alpha Chi Omega is connected to them.

The writing process was very interesting and challenging at the same time. It really pushed me outside of my comfort zone not just as a writer but as a person as well. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed going out and interviewing people and then writing a story on what they told me. When I was interviewing Candland, she told me about her experience and what led her to the UDVC that included required volunteer work for her sociology class she was taking.

ABOUT ME: 

You could say that I’m a little bit of a free spirit. I don’t like being tied down and find myself easily bored. I seem to always be looking for the next thing to catch my eye and obsess over. I think my indecisive nature may be the reason why I can’t seem to stick with any one thing.

When I started at the University of Utah I was determined to become a surgeon but my first biology class definitely showed me that science is not my calling. I then moved to becoming a history major headed for law school. Again something still just didn’t feel right. So I began to really search and find what I was passionate about.

During the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college I rediscovered an old passion of mine. Writing had always been a big part of my life. I grew up loving to read and watch stories and I wanted to be able to create my own stories.

In college, I joined the  University of Utah’s Her Campus chapter. Writing for a collegiate magazine showed me how much I really enjoy writing. I started thinking that this could be the passion that I wanted to be my career. I had always considered becoming a journalist but never really pursued it. So with shaking hands and hope for the future, I changed my major one more time.

I am now a junior at the University of Utah currently studying communication in the journalism sequence with a minor in history. I hope to become a foreign correspondent and novelist in the not so distant future.

Women in music: a local look at a larger problem

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Story and slideshow by TAYLOR LINES

Marny Proudfit pulls away from the microphone. She’s still singing but the melody is farther away and sounds eerie. Proudfit is doing it on purpose. It’s a technique she learned through years of performing. Stepping back from the mic gives her sound more depth.

The man in the sound booth turns the microphone’s volume much louder to combat the loss of vocal intensity. The microphone screeches with feedback.

Proudfit has told him not to do this two times before. “Come on, don’t touch the mic volume, dude,” Proudfit says sternly. “When I pull away I’m meaning to.”

This is a normal occurrence for Proudfit, a local musician in Salt Lake City. In an industry dominated by males, she often stands alone as a woman and has found people treat her like a damsel in distress.

It is no wonder Proudfit often is the only women in the room. According to Berklee College of Music, men make up 61 percent of professionals in the music industry. When it comes to promotion, live music and management, that number rises to 70 percent.

One week after the sound incident at WhySound in Logan, Utah, Proudfit sits at a friend’s house with her long brown hair covered by a baseball cap. She sips a hot toddy in the living room. The chatter of people in the kitchen buzzes down the hall.

Proudfit has a singing voice that commands attention but when she speaks she is calm and quiet.

“That was one of those moments I thought OK, this is because I’m a girl,” Proudfit says. “You didn’t do this to any of the other men who are playing. If they told you not to touch the sound anymore, you wouldn’t. But you are because it’s me.”

Proudfit is well traveled and has lived in Boston, Los Angeles and New York playing music and cultivating her sound.

She says her experience as a woman in the music industry didn’t change based on where she was living. Playing shows at venues that are popular tend to treat Proudfit like she doesn’t know what she’s doing.

Ben Thornton, also a musician, has played for many years with bands all over Salt Lake City. Currently he is the drummer for the female-fronted band, First Daze. Before playing with females, Thornton wasn’t aware of the issues women faced in the local music scene.

“Women go through experiences that men will never understand,” Thornton said while twirling his drum sticks. “Their experience creates stories that make really great music.”

By creating and performing music with women he believes he has gained a better understanding of certain attitudes within the industry. “People will say, ‘Wow she’s so cool, she can play the guitar.’ Well of course she can play guitar. Why couldn’t she?” Thornton said of his female bandmate, Gui Pelaez.

Pelaez has been playing music her entire life. She says music is an emotional connection, one she has spent the last five years developing.

Sitting at her volunteer job at Impact Hub in downtown Salt Lake City, Pelaez looks like she transported from the 1970s, sporting flared pants and a chunky belt. She is outspoken and passionate about the music she makes.

As the founder of an all-female fronted band, she says she regularly feels like a token. Venue workers will think the equipment she lugs to shows is for other people. Fellow musicians often don’t know how to acknowledge her because they aren’t sure if she’s performing.

“Sometimes I feel like it’s weird to meet other girl musicians. I sometimes don’t know how to act around them because they aren’t there that much,” Pelaez said.

The lack of women performing and tokenism within the industry is a problem on a large scope. Popular female musicians such as Grimes, Lily Allen, Lady Gaga and Beyonce have all come forward to talk about their struggle being taken seriously in the music industry.

Although women hold top spots in popular music, they are often overly sexualized or asked who the man behind their music is. A woman writing and producing her own music is unfortunately something that isn’t always widely accepted as fact.

Lari White, an R&B musician, highlighted the disconnect the music industry faces with women making music in a story by Nashville Scene. White was involved in every aspect, from writing to producing. When showing her album to a studio, executives turned to her husband and congratulated him on a job well done.

Music festival lineups are almost all predominantly male. A study by Huffington Post concluded half of the attendees at festivals are women, yet men make up 66 to 93 percent of lineups.

Pelaez said the hardest part about being a female musician was gaining the confidence to let go of insecurity and adversity and be comfortable calling herself an artist.

“I think that’s something empowered woman do,” Pelaez said of becoming comfortable in the music scene. “I think that they know who they are and I think they know what they’ve gone through and what hurdles are there. If you’re aware of the issues then it’s easy to talk about them and they aren’t mountains anymore.”

On every level of music, whether international or local, women are facing challenges to be heard and represented. Pelaez feels that not being afraid to shake things up within the industry can lead to change.

If women like Proudfit and Pelaez and men like Thornton continue to get up on stage or write music knowing what they are up against, change might not be that far away.

“Consider me for who I am and what I offer through my art,” Pelaez said. “Not what I am.”

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Taylor Lines

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MY STORY:

MY BLOG:

Music has always been my passion. As a kid, I would pore through my parents’ record collection and find music that spoke to me. I grew up playing guitar and writing songs any chance I could get. This love of music transitioned into adulthood as I found myself a musician deeply rooted in the Salt Lake City music scene.

For my enterprise story, I decided to take my love of music and my experience as a woman inside the industry and broaden the scope. I found local artists who are female or who played side by side with women and wrote about their experiences in music.

The hardest part of writing this piece was taking myself out of the equation. Because it is something I am so passionate about and rooted in, I have an emotional tie to the subject matter. News writing demands you are objective which proved to be difficult at times.

Interviewing people about their gendered experience in music helped me remove my own bias by immersing myself in their stories. The focus for my story came through the interview process. I knew I wanted to talk about females in local music but the focus of the piece relied on what my interviewees told me. Marny, Gui and Ben, the three musicians I had the opportunity to interview, gave me incredible insight. They were open, honest and had a lot to say about their experiences in music.

After interviewing and researching the inequalities in the music industry on a national level, the story became easier to write. The biggest challenge I faced during the writing process was formatting the story in a way that flowed well and prompted a greater impact for the reader.

The enterprise story was a challenge but ultimately made me a better writer, giving me experience producing a personal story in a news format. I enjoyed focusing on something that matters to me while also growing as a communicator.

ABOUT ME:

I am currently a strategic communication major at the University of Utah, graduating in the fall of 2018. I plan on pursuing a career in music after graduation, whether that be performing or using my communication degree to work in the music industry. I attended Portland State University my freshman year and recently returned from an internship in San Francisco. These experiences helped me grow as a person and student, finding my passion for learning as well as traveling. Although I think the West Coast is a dreamy place and hope to relocate to the East Coast after graduation, I have a deep love for Salt Lake, the place I call home.

Howdy Homemade in Salt Lake City employs individuals with special needs

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Howdy Homemade opens in Salt Lake City, churning up the workplace and employing individuals with special needs.

Story and gallery by JASMYNE REYNOLDS

Zach Morris, an employee at Howdy Homemade, said that to him, Howdy represents family. Morris said he was on vacation when he received a call from Will Nielson, a longtime friend, asking if he wanted to work at an ice cream shop.

“I fell in love with the place,” he said.

Will, co-manager of the Salt Lake City shop located at 2670 S. 2000 East, said his younger brother Jack Nielson was struggling to be placed in a job after he graduated out of the public-school system. Will said that for someone like Jack to get a job, it can take up to two years.

This is because Jack, like Morris and each one of Howdy’s hard workers, has some kind of special need.

Heidi Nielson, Jack’s mother, said her son had few options.

“We didn’t know where he was going to go,” she said. That’s when she and her husband, Chris Nielson, learned about an ice cream store that employs individuals with special needs, called Howdy Homemade. The Nielson family flew to visit the original store in Dallas, and just like employee Morris, they fell in love.

“When we first went into the store, I was amazed,” Heidi said. “You went in with the knowledge that there were special-needs employees, but when you walked out you had completely forgotten.”

After talking with founder Tom Landis, the family decided to bring the model home with them to Salt Lake, where the opened a Howdy Homemade of their own.

On opening night, Sept. 2, 2017, the line of customers trailed out the door.

“One thing we did not expect was the community coming together like they have,” Heidi said. “Families come and sit for hours.” Heidi feels as though the customers have taken Howdy on as “their ice cream store,” and said it has become a relationship-building place.

With 24 unique flavors and a warm “Howdy!” welcome every time you walk in, it’s easy to see why employee Morris says the best part of his job isn’t even his favorite Dr Pepper Chocolate Chip flavor. Instead, it’s “being around a happy place, and being away from the outside world.”

That world often places individuals with special needs behind the scenes of workplaces, such as in the back of the store where no one sees them. “We just want the public to know how awesome they are,” said co-manager Courtney Kirk. “They don’t have any setbacks. If anything, they’re amazing at certain things and that’s what makes them such good employees.”

Will says he’s seen firsthand that workers with special needs are capable much more than perceived. “A lot of times people think, OK what are the limitations or liabilities associated with that disability, and we need to change our way of thinking,” he said. “When I hear autism now, I think they have great retention skills, they’re hard workers, and they love showing up for things.” Will says Howdy’s employees with Down syndrome are the most fun loving, caring people he’s ever been around.

“People with special needs, they don’t have disabilities, they have capabilities,” Kirk said.

Patrick Cronin, another employee at Howdy, said the favorite part of his job is that “everyone is nice.”

Kirk said she has seen the employees grow from when they were first hired, due to the response from the customers. “The community has been awesome in just coming in and really talking to them when they are being served,” she said. “Their social skills are improving from people interacting with them, and it’s only been a few months.”

Will has also noticed a change in his employees since Howdy Homemade opened. “They feel a lot more fulfilled,” he said.

Most have told him that if they weren’t there scooping ice cream, they would probably be sitting at home doing nothing. “This place has given them a purpose, something to look forward to,” Will said. “They wake up and they know that they’re going to be interacting with people.”

As founder Landis said, “You’ll come for the ice cream, but you’ll stay for the people.” 

Carssen Damon, a University of Utah student who is a customer, said, “I don’t even like ice cream, I just love the employees.”

With big smiles on their faces, Morris, Cronin and the rest of Howdy’s heros offer generous-sized samples and a little piece of change in our community and in the hearts of every person who walks through the door.

“Whether it’s someone with special needs or just someone out on the street, you never know what that person is struggling with, and we just have to be patient with each other,” Will said. “There’s power, and there’s a lot of magic that comes from inclusiveness.”

Some of the great topping choices.
Courtesy of Howdy Homemade.
Go pick up some cool Howdy gear.
A few local favorites.
Try them al!
Courtesy of Howdy Homemade.
The perfect chill spot.
A colorful combination.
You can never have too many!
Courtesy of Howdy Homemade.

 

 

Jasmyne Reynolds

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MY STORY: 

MY BLOG:

When we were given the assignment of writing a story about something surrounding our community, the first thing that came to my mind was Howdy Homemade, an ice cream shop that recently opened here in Salt Lake City. Howdy is unique because of its business model of hiring mostly individuals with special needs. The energy and the power held inside of that little shop is magnetic, and it is something I wanted to share with others.

Screen Shot 2017-11-30 at 2.04.17 PMMy goal for the story was to really highlight what Howdy is, and how the business model works. I had the pleasure of speaking with several employees, two managers, and members of the family who opened the store locally. Each of them shared with me what Howdy means to them, and why individuals with special needs are “heros” in the workplace. Spending time at the shop, speaking with customers, employees, and trying one too many samples of their delicious ice cream, I slowly began to take in the meaning of the business model.

Sifting through all of the information I gathered, I decided I wanted to tell the story through a personal, progressive form. I structured the story in order of the beginning, middle, and end of the shop-opening process, telling it from each source’s point of view. In doing this I learned that oftentimes what we need to write about to tell the story properly, doesn’t always reveal itself in the very beginning. Through this process I learned to be patient with my writing, my narrative, and what is happening in front of me.

ABOUT ME:

Currently, I am a strategic communication major and a junior at the University of Utah. I am working on accumulating work experience in the fields of advertising, design, public relations and marketing.

Sugarhouse slam poets: breaking stereotypes and dropping mics

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Story and gallery by SAMANTHA SHAW

Watchtower Cafe sits tucked between a tattoo shop and an art supply store on State Street in Salt Lake City. On the second Thursday of every month, slam poets from all over the city gather to share their art at Sugar Slam.

Slam poetry in its official form has been around since the 1980s and individuals craft poems for the purpose of being performed. Dorothy McGinnis, 19, defined slam poetry as “poetry, but for the masses.” She also described the art as removing poetry from the academic space.

McGinnis was first introduced to the idea of slam poetry by a junior high school English teacher in Salt Lake City who showed her YouTube videos of performances. At age 13, she began going to open mic nights.

In high school, her theater teacher was a nationally acclaimed poet and encouraged her to go to slams and expand her horizons. It was then that she performed her first slam poem and she’s been slamming ever since. McGinnis now serves her community as president of the Wasatch Wordsmiths, the nonprofit organization that holds the monthly Sugar Slam.

In October, McGinnis returned from representing the Sugarhouse neighborhood at the 2017 Individual World Poetry Slam (IWPS) in Washington, where she performed her favorite poem, “Pompeii (In Which I am Mt. Vesuvius).”

In comparing the national slam poetry scene to the one in Salt Lake City, McGinnis said, “We’re very very white.” Although the diversity of the community is something poets love about slam poetry, the demographics of Utah are not in their favor. However, McGinnis went to the IWPS Nationals on an all-woman team, which is rare on a national scale and a first-time occurrence in Utah.

While much of the Utah slam poetry scene is white, one will still see plenty of diversity at the monthly slams. Every gender, sexual orientation, age and socioeconomic class can be found ordering a classic latte or a Watchtower Café special like the Butterbeer. Competing poets and onlookers alike all squeeze around heavy wooden tables, surrounded by blackboards with doodles of video game and anime characters such as Princess Peach, the Avatar and Kirby.

Another prominent local poet is Bryce Wilson, 21, a student at Salt Lake Community College. He came in second place in the Sugar Slam that was held Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. He started slamming after a breakup when a friend advised him to write down all the things he hated about the relationship. Wilson performed that list at his first poetry slam in Salt Lake City and took first place.

A typical slam starts with an open mic, where anyone can get up and perform anything. “There’s always one open mic that’s really good and you wonder why they aren’t competing,” Wilson said. Every slam has a host, who introduces the poets and keeps the audience engaged.

After the open mic, the host selects five people from the audience to judge the slam. The host attempts to choose judges have never attended a slam before, and they cannot know any of the competing poets.

Before the official slam begins, the audience calls for the “sacrificial poet.” Wilson’s favorite part of a slam, the sacrifice performs a poem for the newly appointed judges so that the competitors can, in Wilson’s words, “gauge the five random weirdos who are going to be giving these ambiguous points.”

After the sacrifice, the first round of the slam begins. Wilson said most poets will kick off the competition with a funny poem in round one and move on to a darker, more introspective piece in round two. In round three, anything goes! Some poets are eliminated after each round, based on the subjective scores. After the scores are announced, the host reminds everyone to “applaud the performer, not the score.” The final round’s scores determine first, second and third place. The only prizes are “bragging rights and experience,” Wilson said.

Both McGinnis and Wilson credit slam poetry with giving them more confidence, a better sense of self and connections within the community that will last a lifetime. They encourage anyone who is interested to get involved, whether that be as an audience member or as a poet.

Two regular events are held in the Salt Lake City area. The Sugar Slam takes place on the second Thursday of every month at Watchtower Café at 1588 State St. while the Salt City Slam is held at Even Stevens on 400 East and 200 South every last Monday. The Wasatch Wordsmiths keep the community updated on events and featured poets via their Facebook page.

Interior of Watchtower Cafe.
Watchtower Cafe on State Street, just before the Nov. 9, 2017, Sugar Slam.
Notice board inside Even Stevens restaurant.
Interior of Even Stevens.
Display of comics inside Watchtower Cafe.
Dorothy McGinnis, 19, in the University of Utah Student Union.
Even Stevens promises fresh ingredients.
Street art outside Even Stevens.
Even Stevens on 400 East in Salt Lake City.
Watchtower Cafe back entrance.

The New Colossus: a glimpse on the values of Lady Liberty

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Story and slideshow by REEM IKRAM

Photos courtesy of Somali Community Self-Management Agency

Integral, passionate and admirable: these can be the three words used to describe Abdirizak Ibrahim. Ibrahim is the founder of the Somali Community Self-Management Agency. The agency is a refugee help center located on 1361 S. State St. Established in 2005, the small organization continues making constant efforts in helping with refugees and those who are in need of assistance and support.

The focus of the service organization is to provide a smooth transition to refugees who are creating a life within the Salt Lake Valley. It offers monthly food drives, labor opportunities and classes on how to be self-sufficient.

“It was very important to me, to have an environment where you could feel safe in,” Ibrahim said. He pointed to his wall of certificates displaying his involvement within his community. “I was a refugee too, when I came into the United States, and after I was able to get on my own two feet, I wanted to help others who used to be in my position as well,” he said, while giving a tour of his department.

SCSMA helps over 100 refugees each month. And as it starts to grow, Ibrahim has begun to reach out to other nonprofits, churches, and organizations to discuss whether they are willing to share their resources with the Somali refugees.

According to PBS, there are 60,000 refugees living in Utah, all of whom are learning how to manage a lifestyle here within the state. But following Trump’s executive order 13769, most have begun to fear their prospects.

Refugees are under major stress due to the current political climate. With no routes to follow, most are wary of what will happen after resettling within the U.S.

“With this new political climate, everything is extremely polarized but that’s been happening for a long time. And specifically, in my expertise, in respect to immigration, there is a lot more fear and a lot more uncertainty within the refugee communities,” said Daniel Black, who has immigration law experience doing consular processing, asylum, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, U Visas, cancellation of removal, adjustment of status and other immigration cases. Black said he is very passionate about helping people and ensuring they receive the best representation possible, which is why he works at a firm that offers multiple resources for those in need, such as legal assistance and English classes.

“It’s very important to give people who are a part of your community a helping hand, that’s how you can ensure you have a functioning society,” Black said.

The United States is one of the few countries that is allowing refugees to come in for safety. But with more rules and rather strict regulations, it has become a hassle for refugees to feel secure and feel comfortable enough to live properly within the States. But with the increase of centers and agencies that help refugees, this hassle is slowly diminishing.

“It’s important to help and be involved because all refugees contribute to our society, whether it be by culture or perspective,” Christina Andino said. Andino is an intern for the Somali Community Self-Management Agency through the University of Utah Neighborhood Partners. “Refugees are just like us, they live life day by day. They’re a part of our communities. That’s why I enjoy spending my time with them,” she said.

Ibrahim, Black and Andino aren’t the only ones out there helping refugees cope with living within the state. There are approximately 21 other programming partners that also try to help out. Each partner offers various resources for the refugees. They successfully have managed to help an average number of 1,901 participants per month, all according to the Utah Refugee Services Office.

“Refugees are people who, rather than give up or give in, have chosen to take the higher and harder road and are grateful for the generosity of strangers who reached out with a willing and helping hand,” said Pamela Atkinson in a report to Gov. Gary J. Herbert..

Atkinson has been an advisor to the last three governors in Utah and has been a tireless advocate for the homeless and the refugees. She actively volunteers and personally engages within the community and is always trying to make a positive difference for those surrounding her.

Making a positive difference in the world is how we can rest assure that good things are still happening in this life.

To quote Emma Lazarus and the promise of the United States (as engraved on the Statue of Liberty);

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

For more than twenty decades, this has been the largely prolonged promise to those who come from near and far into the United States. And to have communities, agencies and organizations gather together to help those in need is a great tribute to that promise.

To be a part of keeping the United States’ promise alive while also helping with refugees, try to reach out to your local workforce department and resettlement agencies. They are always seeking out opportunities for aid either through volunteer work or generous donations.

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Immigrants with pockets full of dreams

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Story and slideshow by MARIA HERNANDEZ

A reckless 20-year-old. Lying inside a car carried away by a loud train. He couldn’t make a sound. Breathing was already dangerous. Standing up at the wrong moment meant the end of his adventure. Hours passed, and Manuel had nothing but himself in the darkness of that summer night. With nothing in mind but the American Dream, Manuel lay patiently in the car, waiting for the right moment.

This is the story of Manuel Valdez. A motivated entrepreneur who came to the United States with nothing but the clothes he had on, and his pockets full of dreams.

His Life in Mexico

Valdez lived his whole life in Zacatecas, Mexico. Raised in a big family of seven children, mother and father. They all lived together on a small ranch, living from selling what they grew on their farm. Valdez has a passion for horses, cars and farming, like most people in his family. However, Valdez was also passionate about adventure. He had finished high school and continued to pursue a technological degree in Mexico. But after graduating as a technologist in electricity, Valdez struggled to find a job. He knocked on many doors, only to find disappointment. Employers kept rejecting him because of “lack of experience.”

“Ironic. How did they expect me to gain experience when they wouldn’t let me work?” Valdez said.

It was a hot evening, and after so many rejections Valdez couldn’t stop thinking about his future. Ramiro, his best friend, made a surprise visit from the U.S. “Manuel, let’s go north,” he said. “Your life and the life of your loved ones will change.” This wasn’t the first time Valdez heard the so-called pláticas, or talks about America. But this time, the idea kept echoing in the back of his mind. Adventure’s flame had been turned on in Valdez, and nothing now could make it stop.

Crossing the Border

Full of courage and passion, Valdez decided to leave everything behind and come to the United States. Through contacts, Valdez found himself sneaking into a new car that was transported by a train into the United States.

First try.  Caught.

“I went with Ramiro, and they caught us in Chihuahua trying to board the train to El Paso. They drove us on a truck to the opposite side of the city just to be mean,” Valdez said, laughing. “They really thought that was going to stop us from trying again. Silly immigration.”

Second try. Caught again.

Third time was the charm. The friends made it. After two days and one night in the train, they finally had arrived to Los Angeles.

New Adventure in Los Angeles

Valdez started working on a lime farm in Los Angeles. He worked long hours and earned 30 cents per box of limes. He would collect around 18 boxes per day. “Those hours were hell, man. I knew how to work the land, that was all I had been doing back home. But the pay was terrible there, and after all the fees they charged, I ended up with just enough to pay rent,” Valdez said.

Salt Lake City

Tired of strenuous hours of work, Valdez was ready to quit. Why was he struggling here when he could be comfortable at home? Wasn’t this the land of freedom and opportunity? In search of new adventures, Valdez moved to Salt Lake City, where some of his relatives lived. He started working in several restaurants, at least three jobs at a time. After work, he would also ride his bike every night to the Rose Park neighborhood on the west side of the city to take an English as a second-language class. And then he’d cycle home to the block of 400 West and Main Street to get ready for a new day.

Citizenship and New Challenges

Through his hard work, Valdez gained his citizenship through the amnesty decree. He could now not only pay taxes, but also enjoy their benefits. He could go back home and take presents to his nieces and nephews. He could finally live a life free of fear and uncertainty. This only inspired him to keep going, to work even harder and for longer hours. To save enough money to start building a stable life.

After several years of hardship and long work hours, Valdez learned English and made enough money to go visit his mother in Zacatecas several times. Some of his brothers followed him to the U.S., and life was almost stable.

A New Business Proposal

While in between jobs, Valdez met Susan Harris, a businesswoman who wanted to start a new business together. Harris saw Valdez’s potential and knew he was the guy she needed. Harris contacted Valdez and following this phone call, Valdez’s life changed.

After many discussions, Harris and Valdez started a Mexican restaurant. A very small shop in Cottonwood Heights, a neighborhood in southeast Salt Lake City. Valdez, with some of his brothers who were in Salt Lake too, created the recipes, decorated the place and did all the finances to start this new business. Little did they know that 23 years later, Lone Star Taqueria would be one of the most popular Mexican restaurants in Salt Lake Valley, with hundreds of customers desiring the family’s famous fresh fish tacos. Lone Star Taqueria was even featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Drives by Food Network, and has appeared in several magazines.

“I had heard wonders about this place, but I always thought it was overrated. What could you expect from a hole-in-the-wall place?” Lora said, one of Lone Star’s regular customers or amigos, how they are called by the employees. “However, when I did come, my world changed. Lone Star has the best Mexican food I’ve ever had, and I’m from California! It is authentic and always fresh. I come here at least three times a week, and they treat me like family!”

Testimony from a New Adventure

In 1994, the same year that Lone Star was opened, another adventure came into Valdez’s life: His son Antonio Valdez. “I grew up at Lone Star. My dad would pick me up from daycare, bring me to the restaurant and put me in a tomato box so I wouldn’t crawl away. I remember seeing my dad working so hard and still being there for me, and since then I have admired that man to death,” said Antonio, 23, who recently graduated from Utah State University and works as an internal auditor for Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Today

“It has all been worth it. I see my children being successful, and it feels good, you know. Laying down on that train, every lime I picked up in LA, every plate I washed in restaurants; every sacrifice was worth it,” said Valdez, when reminiscing about his life. “I’m glad I jumped on that train and waited in that car. Life is stable now, and I hope it continues to be.”

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Zaina Abujebarah

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MY STORY:

MY BLOG:
I really wanted to write a piece that required putting myself into the community. By interviewing the owners of places I already visit at least once a week, I opened up the opportunity for those who may not know much about the vegan lifestyle to learn more about the things happening specifically in their own backyard. I found that the owners of Vertical Diner, Boltcutter, Monkeywrench and Mark of The Beastro were my best options, because they’re all located in downtown Salt Lake, which makes them more accessible and convenient to locate for those who are curious and because they’re easy to recognize.

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I took all of the information I gathered and spun them to fit a more educational approach. Veganism is a somewhat “taboo” subject, especially to those who already have formed opinions on it. I wanted my angle for this piece to be serious and informative while also addressing the fact that vegans aren’t missing out on delicious food, and eating plant-based foods doesn’t have to be scary or “gross.”

I was surprised by how open the business owners were to answering the questions I had, and how willing they were to share their opinions on animal liberation and the state of the vegan community. I had a lot of fun talking to them, learning more about them and sharing stories. I hope this excitement resonates with you, as well.

ABOUT ME:
My name is Zaina Abujebarah and I’m currently working on my bachelor’s degree at the University of Utah. I’m a declared communication major with my sights set on journalism. On top of my school work, I’m currently fulfilling an internship at SLUG Magazine, while also working as a barista at The Coffee Shop. When I’m not working or going to school, I love being a part of the local music scene and attending shows. I have a passion for poetry, veganism, photography and film.

Veganism finds permanence and thrives in Salt Lake City

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Story and slideshow by ZAINA ABUJEBARAH

Salt Lake City is seen as an up-and-coming concrete jungle that houses multiple subcultures in its alternative underground scene. One of the most prominent since the late 1990s has been the vegan community.

By definition, veganism is “a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.”

Ian Brandt, owner of two of the city’s vegan staples — Vertical Diner and Sage’s Cafe — was a pioneer for plant-based eating. It all started in 1998 with a food cart. Brandt would set up shop at local farmers markets, concerts and other special events around downtown.

“I always liked the idea of engaging with some sort of business that was connected with people where there was a human element involved,” Brandt said during a phone interview. “There was a need for more plant-based restaurants at the time. A few dishes were available here or there, but there weren’t many options, even in the country, for plant based eating.”

Brandt said the idea caught on quickly here, after bigger states like California and New York established the plant-based trend.

Between 1998, when Vertical Diner opened, and 2010, there was growth in the vegan community. Even so, patrons yearned for more than just kale salads and wheatgrass shots.

Roxy and Alex decided to take their love for animals and apply it to opening their own compassionate sandwich shop, Buds. (Roxy and Alex asked that their last names not be used; they felt that a focus on their identity shifted attention from the vegan movement and their message of compassion.)

It wasn’t until they opened Buds (509 E. 300 South) that they discovered just how big the community was. There was a big demand for food that not only tasted good but also left a positive impact on the environment.

“We really wanted to show people that veganism can be accessible, affordable and approachable. We wanted to make food for people and have them be blown away by their food,” Roxy said during a phone interview. “We are people fighting for the same things they (other vegans) are fighting for. That’s the amazing thing about Buds — it opened up the doors to an entire community.”

The success and popularity of Buds inspired Roxy and Alex to take on another project. In the summer of 2017, the business partners launched two new projects, Boltcutter and Monkeywrench, in the Gallivan Center.

Boltcutter serves classic, comforting, south-of-the-border favorites like carne asada tacos, nachos and “elotes,” while Monkeywrench offers delicious coffees and gourmet ice cream.

“Mexican cuisine has always been my absolute favorite. It lends itself to veganizing those items so easily,” Roxy said.

Alex added, “Ice cream is something that translates easily to non-vegans. It’s a dairy staple but it’s easy to sell for cheap and it makes a bold statement to people that think that they need dairy to have ice cream.”    

Roxy and Alex stress that eating mindfully isn’t just for the vegan community. They both are impressed by the variety of people they see at their establishments.

“I would never guess that certain people were vegan,” Roxy said. “A vegan doesn’t just fit that classic stereotype. Conscious people have realized that their actions directly affect everything around them.”

It’s these compassionate ideals that motivated Alex and Roxy, as well as another Salt Lake City local, to embark on a culinary quest. Andrew Early, owner of the soon-to-be-diner, Mark of the Beastro, has his sights set on catering to the “greasy spoon,” comfort-food niche.  

Early grew up in a household that encouraged hunting and eating meat, but he turned vegetarian in high school. However, it wouldn’t be until he made a few major life adjustments and went through rehab that Early would change his eating habits.

“I decided that if I was going to change my life, why not change it completely?” Early said. That was the beginning of his activism for animal rights.

The Mark of the Beastro, located on 666 S. State St., which started as an idea among three friends, has been in the works for 10 years. “Back then, the vegan restaurants sucked,” Early said. “There was a big lack.”

Though it’s just Early running the Beastro on his own, he still pushes the same ideals he had 10 years ago. He wants to serve good quality comfort food that can fool any non-vegan in the Salt Lake Valley while creating a communal space for the community.

“A lot of what I serve are the things I would want,” Early said. “People want vegan food for two reasons, the commitment to the cause and healthy eating.”

Early tries to accommodate those who want healthier options, but his main focus is to serve those who choose veganism because it is the “right thing to do,” but don’t want to miss out on their favorite foods.

This focus is showcased through his grease-heavy, classic diner-inspired menu that features numerous breakfast items like French toast, breakfast sandwiches and garbage hash, as well as hearty dinner options, soups, salads, desserts and anything a diner-dweller could dream of veganizing.

The vegan community is flourishing in Salt Lake City, and the local business owners want to encourage the well-being of the animals and promote a healthy lifestyle for plant-based eaters and carnivores alike. By working hard every day, these and other restaurateurs provide various options and solutions to support a conscious lifestyle and a diverse community.

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Natalie Mumm

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IMG_2470

Born and raised in Southern California, I moved to Utah in 2015 to pursue a Communication degree, focusing on the Strategic Communication sequence, with a minor in Arts and Technology at the University of Utah. I am a part of the Delta Gamma Sorority, which allows me to involve myself with the community, and the campus, in various volunteer opportunities. After graduation, my goal is to work as a social media manager for a company.

Through the course of the Arts and Technology minor, I have taken Intro to Digital Photography. This class is what initially introduced me to The Salt Lake Gallery Stroll. An assignment allowed students to attend the event, and visit a minimum of two galleries. Talking with an artist or representative of the gallery, as well as documenting your attendance with various photos was required.

I found The Salt Lake Gallery Stroll to be very amusing. I carried a goal to introduce the event to college students and young adults through my story. Hoping to enlighten individuals, and increase attendance at future gallery strolls.

Enterprise Story

Reflection Blog 

University of Utah students have many mental health options available to them

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Story and photos by KAYLEE ANDERSON

There’s a rising epidemic on college campus and it’s not what you would expect.

Mental health is becoming a problem and it reaches new heights with young adults between the ages of 19-25, the typical demographic of college students. With so many new stresses coming into play, 49.5 percent of adolescents are affected by some kind of mental health disorder, according to youth.gov.

The University of Utah understands these problems and has many resources for students who need help. For example, the Counseling Center is located on the fourth floor of the Student Services Building. Most students aren’t aware of the services that are provided to them.

Steve Lucero is the center’s associate director. He encourages students to come check out the center and everything it has to offer. Lucero says that depression in college is a normal thing that can happen because of major life transitions, and for most students, college is the first big event that occurs in their lives.

“The magnitude of changes and lifestyles can be a difficult adjustment that triggers depression and anxiety,” Lucero says.

Lucero and the rest of the counselors at the center say that process is quite easy to follow. Students can call or come into the center Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Once they are there, they take a survey with a series of questions to determine the measure of distress the students are in.

If the students are in crisis, a crisis center is available at all time for them. Being in crisis is when you are in a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. If they aren’t in crisis mode but still want to get help, they will be assigned a counselor and an appointment time. Group counseling, yoga, workshops, or individual counseling is available. The intake appointment, crisis center and workshops are all free for students. The group counseling is only $5 and the individual sessions are $12. These are very reasonable prices Lucero says.

The counseling center has two advanced practice registered nurses who can prescribe medication, which can be the next step after talk therapy.

Lucero wants more students to be aware of the services provided on campus.

Ashley Nagel is a sophomore at the University of Utah. She says her depression was very much heightened when she first went to college. Nagel says that moving away from her parents in Draper, was very hard and she didn’t realize how big of an impact it was going to have on her mental health and body. Going from a family house setting to a dorm room can be hard for young adults without them even realizing it. Nagel also says that she thought she had to have everything figured out when she first got to college, which heightened her anxiety.

Nagel hasn’t used the services on campus, but she wishes they were a bit more advertised because she feels like many students don’t know they exist. That is what Lucero is trying to accomplish by using social media and presenting to classes and other university groups about the center and all it has to offer.

Nagel says, “My depression is mostly socially related, so when I found a solid group of people that I felt genuinely comfortable with, my depression became a lot less of an issue.”

According to Self Magazine, 30 percent of people who suffer from mental illness never seek treatment.

Devin Johnson, a sophomore at Salt Lake Community College, says drugs and alcohol may have something to do with it. “Everyone just wants to party so they become distant from their real friends and befriend people who just like to use drugs and alcohol because they are so caught up in the having the college experience,” Johnson says.

Salt Lake Community College has a counseling center as well as the University of Utah, but Johnson says he has never been aware of that and doesn’t know where it is located. It is called the Center for Health and Counseling. It provides massage therapy as an option for students, which is very unique, as well and group and individual counseling.

If university counseling centers don’t work out for students there are so many other  psychiatrists around the Salt Lake Valley who are accepting new patients.

Jessica Arbogast is a family nurse practitioner who practices at the Martindale Clinic, which is located in downtown Salt Lake City on 340 E. 200 South, only five minutes from the University of Utah campus. She is willing to take new patients at this time and is very good with adolescents.

The Martindale Clinic is also a part of the Odyssey House, which helps people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. This can be another problem for college students and can increase depression and anxiety.

People who start taking an antidepressant to help with mental illness should avoid drugs and alcohol because it may mess with the medication, Arbogast says. 

She sees a large rise in the number of patients between the ages of 19-25, especially 19-21. “There are so many new stresses that come in play that people in high school did not deal with,” Arbogast says. Some of these newfound stresses include living without a parent, high stress classes, work, lack of sleep and meeting new people.

The Martindale Clinic and the Odyssey House are very affordable options for college students who can’t afford treatment or advising. They also are good options for students who attend other schools, colleges, or just live around the area and want to get help.

Mental illness is a huge problem for students, but there is no more need to hide behind it. So many people are dealing with the disorder and help can be found easily. No battle is too big to overcome.

The time to act is now.

Developing mindful awareness as a proactive approach to ending the stigma on mental illness

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Story and gallery by SAVANNAH BERNARDO

As humans, each one of us is unique.

Just as our bones grow, our thoughts grow. Just as our bones develop muscles, our thoughts develop emotions. And just as our bones and muscles have developed the structure that our body is today, our thoughts and emotions have developed the structure that our mind is today.

We all have a different design that makes up how we see ourselves and how other people see us. But this is only half of what makes us unique.

The distinct way that each mind reacts and responds to different circumstances is what makes each human an individual. Each thought and emotion created is a response to a variety of different circumstances that we experience. However, the difference is how each mind will react.

Our perceptions and reactions to other people’s emotions is the reason for the stigma surrounding mental illness. Because we are unique, we all have a different story comprised of thoughts and emotions. But how often are we mindful of the details in this story? Once they come into awareness, we as a society become mindful. And only when we are mindful will we be able to stop reacting — and start being proactive.

ZOOMED OUT  

Stigma occurs when we are unsure of how to react. Instead of trying to empathize, our lack of understanding causes a shameful judgement. This is stigma. And its mark of disgrace is left on those diagnosed with a mental illness. For many generations, stereotypes and misconceptions have caused stigmatization against people who have been diagnosed. But if we are all humans with these unique minds, why is our first reaction to judge what we don’t understand?

Mayumi Shill, 22, programs coordinator at National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), describes this as a “zoomed out view.” While zoomed out, many people diagnosed with a mental illness are blamed for their disorder. There is a common curiosity as to why someone cannot just choose to be happy. This concern implies that they must be doing something wrong, and that there is a simple fix to the problem.

Just be happy.

If only life were that simple. However, simplicity does not always amount to happiness. Along with finding happiness comes facing adversity.

Andrew Smith, 35, a psychologist at the University of Utah Hospital, said, “Many people will experience some kind of mental difficulty in their life span.” But this is normal. This is what makes us human. “We’re all in this human experience together,” he said, and it’s important that we “help normalize that experience, together.”

EVERYONE HAS A STORY

That human experience is our story. Shill, with NAMI, said, “Everyone has a story, everyone has a different journey, and just because you don’t struggle with a mental illness, doesn’t mean that the person next to you isn’t.”

So let’s zoom in. If we take a moment to listen to the details, we will be able to hear the real story. And most importantly — accept it.

Samantha Shaw, 20, a junior at the U, said sharing her story was the best decision she ever made. Shaw was diagnosed with depression during her sophomore year of high school, but still had the thought, “This can’t be real. I can just choose to be happy.”

Even her boyfriend at the time advised her to smile more and be grateful she didn’t have something more serious like cancer.

Shaw said she felt like she had become trapped inside of her mental illness. “I felt very defined by it,” she said.

But little did she know, this was just part of her human experience.

After high school, she found her outlet in creativity and consistently wrote down her thoughts and emotions through poetry and short stories.

Her mindful awareness allowed her to accept her emotional state, rather than react to it. She was being proactive. This acceptance led her to talk about her mental illness more openly and no longer be defined by it.

PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE

The Counseling Center at the U, supports this proactive approach. Staff are actively educating students through presentations on campus about their services. Lauren Weitzman, director of the University Counseling Center, said their underlying goal is to normalize everybody’s mental health.

It also provides an important service called the Mindfulness Center. Free workshops are held on the third floor of the student services building. Students may drop in for meditation to learn mindfulness strategies to help manage stress and anxiety and check in with their overall mental health. “Everybody can benefit from it, and it can help everyone’s well-being,” Weitzman said.

And while being on campus is convenient for students, the Counseling Center also refers people to a variety of additional resources around the Wasatch Front, including NAMI.

NAMI is a national nonprofit advocacy organization that provides help and hope in relation to mental illness. It has a range of peer taught support, education and school programs that are available to the public.

Along with these programs, it offers everybody the chance to stand together and pledge to be stigma free.

By taking this pledge we are joining together as a society.

We are recognizing that we are all humans with a unique story. But as Andrew Smith, the psychologist at the University Hospital, said, we are in that human experience together. And as we bring awareness and acceptance into our mentality, we are practicing mindfulness. Only when we are mindful, Smith said, will we be able to “do a better job at supporting each other.”

Welcome to the Mindfulness Center.
Pamphlets offering different services of the Counseling Center.
Counseling Center Director Lauren Weitzman (right) and staff in the center’s waiting room.
A peaceful room to practice mindful awareness.
Counseling Center Director Lauren Weitzman practicing mindful meditation.
Weitzman becoming mindfully aware.
This circle of chairs welcomes everyone to practice accepting each other’s story.
The Relaxonchair wraps around your body like a warm hug.
Everyone is able to come together to practice being mindfully aware.
Mindful Mondays welcomes everyone to a Drop-In Meditation.