In order to spread some happiness around campus, I went looking for some university students with pet pals of their own. Pets have a special meaning to us pet owners, and many animal choices can speak to our personalities. There are the reptilian lovers, the farm animal experts and the domesticated fur parents. With so many animals to buy and so many to save, it is always a joy to bring someone new into the family. The quarantine has given many people the opportunity to discover a new part of themselves, and a new side to their pets.

Throughout the pandemic, we have all tried new things in an attempt to rid ourselves of boredom. A few of us might have tried puzzles, board games, technology, or some of us got the trifecta. Learning how to handle our kids, work and school. One thing is for sure though, our pets at times, don’t make it easy.

We have to remember that this has been an adjustment for our pets, too. I spoke to Micah Rodriguez about her three cats. The black one is named Jasper, the gray one is named Little Bit, and the tabby one cat is named Tuck. While cats are known for their attitude and sass, it seems like there is never a dull moment in this house of three.

“Jasper tends to think Zoom calls are his time to shine,” Rodriguez said. “He normally likes to yowl or flash his fanny like it’s his Only Fans page.”

The gentle side note gives us a great idea as to what we should expect from this cat. He spends most of his time with Micah while she works, but they all take care of their human.

“They have a way of sensing when I am stressed and tend to cuddle up to me,” Rodriguez said. “They also provide company and entertainment.”

In our world, any form of entertainment will do. Having a pet can be a job in itself. There is a lot to handle with them when they destroy everything, but they seem to always think of us in the end. Even if that means barking during our online meetings and flashing their tail ends now and again during a Zoom call.

Luckily, online calls and virtual meetings have allowed for more schedule freedom. While in the past there was always a time for the commute, for class, for food and for work; we find ourselves having more free time.

For Danielle O’Brien, her pets have encouraged her to go outside more during her time at home.

“With the lockdown, it was hard to find moments to leave the house and staying inside all day, every day was damaging our physical and mental health,” O’Brien said. “Beanie and Kota love going on walks and playing in the backyard, so they kept us out in the sun and moving.”

Walking your pet is a task that can be burdensome at the end of a long day. Quarantine has allowed us to not only gain more chances to play and exercise our pets but ourselves as well. Going out and trying new things is a great way to make it through quarantine with your pet. Take an extra walk or two and get a little extra sunshine.

At the end of the day, whether we are working from home or not, our pets are the loyal ground for us to stand on. Never wavering and always caring.

“Zoe is my best friend and I know she’ll always be there for me through my ups and downs. She’ll always hold a special place in my heart,” Brittany Christian said.

Her dog seems like a handful but is quite the opposite.

“She’s very quiet and aloof so I don’t have too many problems with her,” Christian said. “She has my back and I have hers, even when she misbehaves.”

While many of our pets have their moments of destruction or bad habit, we always get through it with them. We have a new opportunity to train our animals, but other times we take it in stride. In other words, we pet owners learn to put up with it.

This is what Jason Davis has learned to do with his dog, Nike. His worst habit is one that was rather hard to break—digging. Throughout the pandemic, we have had snow and rain, but it never stopped this dog. Quarantine has given Jason the perfect chance to fix up the yard and manage the grass, but he has come to leave one particular spot in his yard alone. This has been known as the “No-Go Zone” in his household.

The places every dog must bury their favorite toy or bone they will finish later.

“There is no point in trying to fix a broken clock,” Davis said. “Eventually, I’ll get around to making him move holes, but it isn’t too much of a concern. It is a pain, but he is a happy dog and I love him, even if he tracks dirt everywhere.”

We all come in a little dirty, and some pets more than most.

One thing is for certain, the pandemic has been colorful with our pets around. Whether they are showing off in Zoom calls, getting us in the sun, helping us get out and about or being our number one companions, everyone’s pets are unique, and each has its own stories to tell. They are our emotional support, our backbone, the thorn in our side and our best friends. At least they always manage to keep us entertained.

Consider how COVID-19 has affected your pets and how. Just remember to give them all the attention you can for now, who knows how long quarantine will last. Your pet will miss you, so give them plenty of treats and spoil them while you’re still stuck socially distancing from people. Animals are way cooler anyway.

If you do not have a pet and are thinking of getting one, please consider visiting the many animal shelters in Little Rock when looking for one. Little Rock Animal Village, North Little Rock Animal Shelter and Humane Society of Pulaski County are all wonderful options to choose from in the Little Rock area.

Every animal needs a forever home and you never know what animal you could end up saving.

The post The Pet Pandemic appeared first on The Forum.

She gave an overview of her thesis during the lecture.

“Black feelings traces the surging optimism of the Kennedy administration through the black power era’s powerful circulation of black pessimism,” Corrigan said. “To understand how black feelings were a terrain of political struggle for lack meaning, representation, and political agency.”

Essentially, it describes the disappointment Black communities felt about not truly being equal and how the response was Black power.

Chapter one, “Postwar Feelings” looks at John F. Kennedy and his lack of hope for the black community but immense optimism for the white communities.

Chapter two, “Contouring Black Hope and Despair” covers Martin Luther King Jr’s critique of the Kennedy administration in the Birmingham campaign. The white hope promised and waiting for progress is what was stalling real social progress.

Chapter three, “American Negritude” is about Malcolm X and his importance to Black power as he used his rage (not aggression) to argue against racism.

Chapter four, “Feeling Riots” as infers is about the riots in the late 1960s. In response to a question about how similar the 1960’s riots are to the recent Black Lives Matter protests, Dr. Corrigan describes them as the same. There remains a misreading of rebellion as the destruction of property instead of outrage over social issues and injustice.

Chapter five, “Mourning King” covers the assassination of MLK and the national trauma that followed. Essentially, the shift from black optimism to black pessimism.

Chapter six, “Revolutionary Suicide” is an autobiography by Huey Newton who was a co-founder of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. The chapter covers the autobiography and Newton’s importance to the movement.

Chapter seven, “The Obama Coalition” brings us to 2008 where Barack Obama ran on hope. Dr. Corrigan’s book covers the effect different political figures have had on the African-American community and how they have been disappointed over and over with the prospect of hope that never leads to real progress.

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Within the album’s running time of 50 minutes, every nanosecond was utilized, overflowing with fierce wordplay and thumping beats that you can’t get out of your head. Thee Stallion embodied the phrase “go hard or go home” by having over 14 producers and 10 features on this debut. The features included DaBaby, City Girls, Lil Durk, SZA, Popcaan, Mustard, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Beyonce and Young Thug.

Needless to say, with so much talent being hands-on for “Good News,” each song was certainly expected to be impressive. Out of the 17 songs, the most noteworthy were “Shots Fired”, “Crybaby” featuring DaBaby, “Girls In The Hood” and “Savage Remix” featuring Beyonce.

“Good News” made an unforgettable entrance as soon as the first song, “Shots Fired,” began. Rapping over the sample of the iconic Notorious B.I.G’s “Who Shot Ya,” Megan addressed her situation of being shot in July of 2020. A standout jab from this was, “…and if it weren’t for me, same week you would have been indicted.” Thee Stallion later addressed this particular line, stating that she did not want to immediately tell the police who shot her due to her fear of police brutality. Megan also referenced the shooting in another song on the debut, Circles, saying “Bullet wounds, backstabs, mama died, still sad.”

“Girls In The Hood” was a standout song due to similar reasons as “Who Shot Ya”, sampling icon Eazyz-E’s “Boyz-n-the-Hood.” Thee Stallion paid homage to this classic in her own way by flipping the narrative to reclaiming her authority, causing fragile egos to tremble.

DaBaby is no stranger to working with Megan, and the duo returned once again for the hit “Crybaby.” The power pair went bar for bar, interchanging the lines  “Her friends and her mom hate me” and “His friends and his dad hate me.” The playful track was a perfect suit for the two’s reunion.

The “Savage Remix” not only left its mark on the album but left its mark at the Grammys as well, winning the 2021 Best Rap Performance along with the Best Rap Song. The song escalated from becoming a viral TikTok dance trend all the way to blossoming as Thee Stallion’s first Grammy wins, and her first number one on the U.S Billboard hot 100. The Houston natives brought the “Beyhive” and the “Hotties” together in a powerful union.

Since its release, “Good News” has marked the charts for heavy-hitters such as Billboard, Complex, Los Angeles Times, and Rolling Stone, ranking within the 50 best albums of 2020 for each.

“Good News” undeniably symbolizes a victory lap for Megan Thee Stallion after a past year of enduring many unfortunate circumstances. Megan used the rocks that were thrown at her to build her stepping stones, all while effortlessly dropping rhymes that made listeners’ jaws drop. The success of this debut album is certainly the “good news” to read all about.

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Marvel Studios’ first foray into a cinematic style television series is introduced through “WandaVision”, a nine-part limited series on Disney+ that focuses on the story of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and her fellow Avenger turned husband Vision (Paul Bettany). The series follows two of the more freshman heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe directly following the life altering events during “Avengers Endgame”, which brought the ending to half of the original team’s stories.

A catchy jingle and an opening sequence yanked right from a 1950’s era sitcom introduces the audience to the two protagonists. We are then further submerged into the black and white sitcom inspired reality of Westview, a fictional New Jersey town Wanda constructed from her past, pain and her grief. A fictional town created by Wanda that has trapped thousands of innocent bystanders.

This same premise follows the show throughout the first three episodes as Wanda and Vision live out their ideal lives with one another. Each episode brings with it the influences of a specific decade of 21^st century American sitcom television. Time passes at a higher speed in Wanda’s reality of Westview, moving through each decade as the sitcom style episodes air weekly.

Referencing quintessential sitcom television series like, “The Dick Van Dyke Show”, “Bewitched”, “The Brady Bunch”, “Malcom in the Middle” and “Modern Family” helps the director and producers to create scenes that are authentic to specific periods of time and style.

Director Matt Shakman (“Game of Thrones”, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) and Executive Producer Jac Schaeffer (“The Hustle”, “Timer”) filmed the “WandaVision” series as era accurate as possible. Visual effects are traded in for special effects, further highlighting the show’s level of craftsmanship and attention to detail at every level.

While the foolish antics of this fabricated reality keep Wanda and Vision preoccupied, traces of the real world’s main reality begin to seep into their consciousness.

These two realities are differentiated on screen by switching between two aspect ratios. The traditional 4:3 aspect ratio depicts Wanda and Vision’s reality inside of the Westview anomaly, while the more recently adopted 16:9 aspect ratio signifies a return to the main reality.

The first three episodes set the tone and flow of “WandaVision” while introducing us to more of the cast. Agnes, aka Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), is a witch dating back to the Salem Witch Trials that is utilizing the ‘nosy neighbor’ trope in order to gather information on Wanda.

Accompanying the fourth episode is the introduction to the main reality, the world outside of Westview and all of its accompanying characters to the audience. Background details and character development for Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), Director Tyler Hayward (Josh Stamberg), Dr. Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) and Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) are introduced to the audience in a distinct MCU style.

Beyond the technical feats and innovative methods involved in filming and the production of WandaVision lay the characters, their stories and their motivations. Wanda, Vision and each character successfully drove the plot of the story rather than letting the plot dictate how the characters interact.

Focusing on the emotional undercurrent of this sitcom turned Marvel movie reveals exactly what caused this split in reality, which turns out to be Wanda’s grief.

Wanda grew up knowing only heartbreak as she was orphaned when a bombing killed both of her parents. Once she and her twin brother Pietro joined the MCU in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” it was not long before she lost him to enemy gunfire. After falling in love with the world’s only vibranium synthezoid (Vision), Wanda is then forced to sacrifice Vision by killing him in order to save half of the universe.

Multiple years of untreated trauma, loss and heartbreak are channeled through Wanda the moment that her grief explodes into red chaos magic that reconfigures part of the real world into her Westview reality.

Other than the special and visual effects, unique production and amazing acting, the emotional journey of Wanda Maximoff is what holds the audience’s attention. Grief and its many stages are the main thematic centerpiece that is constant throughout this limited series.

The viewers meet Wanda during the first episode which coincides with the first stage of grief, denial. As the season progresses so do the stages of Wanda’s grief. Anger comes right after denial in episode two, and it is what helps guard the fictional reality of Westview Wanda created.

Bargaining for her happiness, Wanda blows past this stage of grief when she threatens military agents who tried to kill her to leave her alone. Bargaining bleeds into depression which is marked by her complete breakdown of control in episode seven. Grief’s final stage of acceptance arrives in the season finale.

Wanda realizes her responsibility to the town people she has terrorized while living in Westview as her final battle with Agnes unfolds. The importance of accepting reality and defeating Agnes is what finally brings Wanda to terms with accepting her grief.

The finale episode of “WandaVision” included MCU grade scenes filled with action, fight sequences and magical battles, after which Wanda flees the scene after receiving her infamous moniker: The Scarlet Witch. Post-credit scenes hint at a continuation of Wanda’s story as she grows more aware of her powers.

“WandaVision” is the first of its kind and a juggernaut of a show. It plays around with different methods of producing, set and light design, editing, filming and even acting to create the first television series of its kind. The superhero television show helped create a dialogue around how to deal with and discuss sorrow, grief and loss. As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across the world and take lives, this lesson on handling grief seems quite poignant.

Community is one main reason why this series is as popular as it has become. During the age of streaming services, people tend to binge watch television shows out of convenience. Marvel Studios helped recreate a sense of community amongst viewers of “WandaVision” by dropping episodes every Friday. This weekly ritual drove viewership up while inspiring debate and connection with each other while the world has to social distance.

The first attempt at a television formatted MCU series hits a homerun in terms of quality, entertainment, conflict and resolution while staying true to Marvel’s core—a good story and great characters. Whether you are searching for a new show to binge, a diehard comic book fan or even a parent watching with your child, “WandaVision” has a lesson everyone can learn from or be entertained by. Watch all nine episodes of the limited series “WandaVision” available on Disney+ today.

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Hurrahs for Zaza’s

Zaza’s is an Arkansas pizza gem, tucked off Kavanaugh Blvd. Though it has its own parking lot and guests do not have to worry about parallel parking, much of the lot is reserved for pickup orders, so parking in front of the restaurant, if guests plan to dine in, is close to impossible. This is a good option for guests who are more cautious with the pandemic, though. 

Upon entering the restaurant, the line to order food is sectioned off from the gelato section into two different lines. Social distancing stickers on the floor help guide guests through the line, but when I visited during a Monday lunch rush, there were quite a few people in the restaurant and social distancing was difficult. Despite being in a rush, the staff was friendly and patient with hearing me through a mask and the glass partition. It is good to visit a place that encourages employees to be cheerful.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is welcoming and unique, with wood logs stacked floor to ceiling, going up to a second floor loft where guests can eat and look out across the first floor of the restaurant. The patio area was set up well, and is dog friendly, so that was where I chose to eat. I enjoyed a half order of the Santa Fe South salad, with no tomatoes and medium dressing. The salad was fresh; the ingredients were colorful and the perfect crunch I needed to go with my Margherita pizza. I liked how I could see my salad being made and receive it directly after paying, that way I could eat my salad as an appetizer while waiting for my pizza to cook. It was cooked well in a brick oven, and the fresh mozzarella was definitely my favorite part of the pizza. They even brought the pizza outside to my table after it was ready.

Zaza’s has more artisanal pizza than a typical pizza place, so if guests are looking for the greasiest, cheesiest pizza in town, this is not the place to go. My only complaint about the food would be that the parmesan shavings on top of my pizza kept falling off the slices after I picked them up, but that is not too bad of an issue. All pizzas are one size, so some might find that to their disadvantage if they want more or less pizza, but overall, the food is amazing. It is worth the price, but somewhere I would not dine at frequently; it is good for special occasions. This also a favorite among other staff writers.

Zaza’s is located at 5600 Kavanaugh Blvd., and their menu can be found at zazapizzaandsalad.com. They do not require reservations to dine in. Guests can visit anytime 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Boba Tea Craze

Across the street from Zaza’s sits Kawaii Boba Tea. The corner store is directly off Kavanaugh, so parallel parking is more tricky for guests. The pink walls in the shop give it a playful atmosphere upon entering. There is art from local artists on display and for sale, and the shop also sells Japanese snacks and different trinkets. They have a bookshelf with graphic novels and anime that guests can look through, as well as a TV playing anime near the front door.

The menu is somewhat complicated, and the one online is different from the paper copy guests receive in the store, but once they figure out what kind of drink they want, they will keep coming back. I personally get a regular size raspberry fruit tea on ice with strawberry and kiwi popping boba. There is variety in the kinds of teas- there is milk tea and fruit tea, and then the beverage can be blended (like the consistency of a smoothie) or on ice. Guests can choose from popping boba, jelly boba or the traditional tapioca boba, with many different flavor variations of each. If they would rather not choose the makeup of their drink, they can pick from specialty drinks off the menu. It is a lot of fun to go in and try new drinks, and the shop also offers Japanese pastries to go with the tea. 

There has never been a time that I have visited and it was not busy, so that testifies to how popular boba tea is right now. After a guest’s first purchase, they receive a loyalty punch card that gives them a free drink after purchasing 10. I am halfway to my free drink already and I just discovered this place a little over a month ago! Guests can also pick up a free sticker after they order. I have one on my laptop and another on my minifridge.

I think that if someone is already willing to spend a little extra money at Starbucks, trying Kawaii Boba House at least once is worth it. Both places cost more than a typical drink at Sonic would, but boba tea is a different kind of drink that offers culture and fun flavors. Nearby boutiques and shops are fine with guests bringing in drinks; I have abused that privilege before. 10/10 recommend walking around Hillcrest with boba tea. There’s several murals and walls painted that would be perfect to take photos in front of, too. Make a day of your visit.

Kawaii Boba House is located at 5625 Kavanaugh Blvd, and their website is kawaiibobahouse.sqaure.site. Their business hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day except Sunday, when they are open noon to 5 p.m.

Step back in time at Burge’s

Before I visited this restaurant, I thought by the name Burge’s Hickory Smoked Meats and Hams that this was more of a pick-up-meat-by-the-bulk type place, but that was definitely not the case here. After I saw a video of this restaurant on my For You Page on TikTok, I knew I had to check it out. I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped through the front door and saw the old fashioned, diner-style restaurant. There were some neat artifacts and vintage decorations on the wall, and I enjoyed walking around and looking at what they had up.

The menu features catfish, coleslaw, salads and sandwiches with smoked meats that guests order upon arriving at the counter, and their food is brought to their table on a tray when it is ready. Food is served in paper containers and bags that remind me of my high school cafeteria, but I think that method of food delivery is classic and fits the restaurant perfectly here. It is so different from other places that people can dine at in Little Rock, it is like stepping into a time machine with authentic decor and food from decades past. I was disappointed that they did not have milkshakes, though. I feel like that would have completed the whole visit.

My smoked turkey sandwich tasted great, and usually I am picky about sandwiches because I don’t like when sandwich bread sits and gets soft. This bread was crispy and good. I also had an order of onion rings, and liked them with the dipping sauce that resembled horseradish so much that I ate all of them and went back to order another serving! It is difficult to find good, homemade onion rings and this restaurant nails them. I feel like I could have explored the menu better here, but I enjoyed the food I ordered. I also saw a refrigerator where you could grab different types of smoked meats and sides to take home and they had fried pies on their menu, so I need to go back soon.

Burge’s Hickory Smoked Meats and Hams is conveniently located with its own parking lot– no parallel parking here– at 5620 R St. True to its old fashioned traditions, Burge’s is closed on Sundays, but open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Interested guests can visit the restaurant’s website at smokedturkeys.com to view the menu, read about awards Burge’s has received and the history behind the establishment.

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On the day of its’ release, “What’s Next” debuted at #1 on US iTunes, #1 on US Spotify, #1 on Apple Music US and had over 360K first week US sales. “Wants and Needs” featuring Lil Baby is the second single from the three-track EP and it debuted at  #9 on US iTunes, #2 on US Spotify, #7 on Apple Music US and had over 305K first week US sales.  The third single from the EP is “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” featuring Rick Ross and it debuted #12 on US iTunes, #11 on US Spotify, #3 on Apple Music US and had over 230K first week US sales. 

On March 15, Drake made history by becoming the first music artist to occupy the top 5 spots on the Hot 100 Billboard charts. This is a major accomplishment; Drake is one of the three artists on the planet to ever have songs in the top three spots on the Hot 100 charts. “What’s Next” debuted at No.1, “Wants and Needs” featuring Lil Baby debuted at No.2 and “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” featuring Rick Ross debuted at No.3. “What’s Next” is Drake’s eighth number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and his twenty-fourth number one on the US iTunes charts. 

By looking at Drake’s stats, it’s obvious why his industry peers are delaying their projects and scared of what’s next to come. In just 10 days, Drake made history,  achieved over 895K pure sales and accumulated over 170 million streams. If Drake can make history in less than 20 days with a three-track EP, what do you think he can do with a full body of work? Scary sight isn’t it? While speaking on OVO Sound Radio, Drake mentioned that “Certified Lover Boy” is on the way stating that, “ I don’t have an exact date, but it’s in the pot and it’s coming soon.”

Enjoy ‘Scary Hours 2’ and stay tuned to see what Drake does next!

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Heath’s extensive knowledge of astronomy has heightened by volunteering with the Jet Propulsion program at NASA, which explores the galaxy and it’s unexplained mysteries. 

Heath is a producer and host of the “The Night Sky,” which is a monthly program that Heath uses to connect the general public to the cosmos. Each episode of “The Night Sky” thoroughly explains the scientific and mythological meaning of the multiverse. Astrology plays a hidden role in our lives. Knowing about retrogrades and astrological placements can help you in ways you could never imagine. For instance, mercury retrograde involves the planet that governs communication and technology. Knowing about mercury retrograde would help all ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock students be proactive and complete assignments, exams and projects early to avoid WiFi and computer glitches during mercury retrograde.

 As a communications major, I use mercury retrograde as a personal guide to know when not to verbally participate in discussions to avoid miscommunication and when to complete assignments early in case technical difficulties may occur.  Birth charts are important to know because they thoroughly explain each astrological placement, which helps you gain a better understanding of yourself. For example, my sun is in Taurus but my moon is in Aries. Because of my sun sign I am logical and analytical but another part of me is spontaneous and unpredictable because of my moon sign. You can learn a lot about yourself through these signs.

Astronomy is great for all ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock students to learn because it allows the curious mind to ask questions about the world around them. You can join Heath and other avid astronomy buffs to discuss astrological events at the next Central Arkansas Astronomical Society meeting.

 Heath currently serves as the president and outreach chair at the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society. The CAAS offers affordable student memberships for ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock Students, with rates starting at $7.50 per month. If you are interested in the “The Night Sky,” CAAS student memberships, mercury retrograde or astrological birth charts – check out the links below for further details.

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St. Patrick’s Day is a popular legend about St. Patrick, a patron saint of Ireland who died on March 17th in the year 493. Legend says, St. Patrick rid Ireland of snakes and was a popular missionary that traveled north and west of Ireland. St. Patrick has been seen as a savior who brought good fortune to Ireland for centuries, which is why the St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock symbolism is associated with good luck. 

Franciscan Scholar, Luke Wadding, made certain that St. Patrick’s date of death would become a feast in the Catholic Church. Although it began in Ireland as a feast for St. Patrick’s death, St. Patrick’s Day is now a global festival that is also celebrated in Arkansas. The pot of gold at the end of Ireland’s rainbow is the Irish Culture Society of Arkansas (ICSA). The ICSA is a non-profit organization that provides Irish food, art, folklore festivals, and concerts of Irish music and dance. 

The Irish Culture Society of Arkansas is hosting its fun and free 21st Annual St.Patrick’s day parade at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, March 13, 2022. The event will feature musical and dance performances, which will be like a breath of fresh air after being contained indoors due to COVID-19. If you need volunteer work experience to enhance your resume, good luck has bestowed upon you. The ICSA is looking for volunteers to assist with its annual parade such as float decorating, sound equipment set up, and much more. 

Don’t forget to order your green outfit for the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day parade in Little Rock! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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While attending these virtual events, I realized that the topic of diversity has a lot more depth than I thought. After doing further research I discovered that there are many segments of diversity such as gender, religion and ethnicity. For instance, with transgender people feeling more comfortable as themselves, it has shifted the norm of gender identification around the world. A non-binary or transgender identification option will most likely become a permanent gender selection option on applications and legal documentation in the near future. 

Furthermore, there are many religions around the world that have different physical expressions of God. Some of these religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Yoruba, Santeria etc. Another person’s different version of God could be seen as the devil to another, which is why the diversity of religion is being revolutionized. The world is constantly evolving, making ethnic diversity a popular demand. Despite our different shades of skin tones, we are all human and breathe the same oxygen. In other words, all ethnics groups are diverse and have a unique history, nobody is better than the other. 

While the ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock racial diversity is high, due to the absence of a non-binary or transgender selection option on ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝LR admission applications, the gender diversity is low. According to College Simply, ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝LR racial demographics are 52% White, 27% Black, 7% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% international and 9% two or more races. Whereas, the gender demographics at ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝LR are simply 62% women and 38% men. As I stated before, the world is rapidly evolving each decade. Therefore, there will most likely be an increase in ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝LR’s racial and gender demographics throughout the next few decades. 

ĚÇĐÄVlog´ŤĂ˝ Little Rock’s Diversity Council was established to make a change and create a diverse community on campus. It is interesting to know what the Diversity Council will do to expand diversity on campus for the next ten to twenty years. In addition, the Diversity Council has a “Live & Learn” series that addresses diversity topics. To share topics about diversity like religion or ethnicity, you must fill out a form online and the Diversity Council will contact you. Also, if you would like to become a member of the Diversity Council or want to nominate someone, the deadline to send a letter to the chancellor is April 1st.

Diversity Council Live and Learn Form

Office of chancellor contact information

Diversity Council

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This Southeast Asian princess has joined many of the newer representations of race that we are frequently finding in our new animated shows. Disney broke out with Moana, transferred to Elena and now we have Raya. The movie was released on Disney+ with premiere access for an additional 30 dollars on Mar. 5, 2021.

This Disney movie has all kinds of imagery of traditional Asian culture. This story stems from mythology from several parts of Asia. This was thanks to the original screenplay writers Oui Nguyen and Adele Lim. This allowed many set and character artists to create a vivid world with both magic and truth.

The Disney team even created a Southeast Asia Story Trust, which created a coalition with visual anthropologists, linguists, botany, choreography, architecture and variously skilled members of the team.

Disney is picking up its game in recent years. While there is still an expanding system and animation system, they are getting more realistic in each movie. Being able to maintain the animation while blending in character beliefs is a feat in itself.

Other than Mulan, we haven’t seen too many Disney movies with such engaging action scenes. The fight scenes are a bit more explicit than many other creations they have made in the past. While Raya wields a sword, much like Mulan had, we actually get to see her use it!

Raya travels to find the last dragon in order to save Kumandra from a plague that is starting to take over all while her journey is challenged by choices and her nemesis Namaari.

The highlights I caught in “Raya and the Last Dragon” vary from person to person.

Her most important ones that I noticed were the development of trust, choice and teamwork amongst her small group of companions. While friendship is often important in many movies made by Disney, this one is encouraging and engaging.

The cast was phenomenal with Kelly Marie Tran voicing Raya and Awkwafina voicing Sisu. Gemma Chan voiced Namaari, and multiple other cast members are credited with bringing these characters to life.

The score was beautiful, and it allowed for many variations. The soft soundtracks for tender moments, and the intense scores for any battle or moment to remember. This is James Newton Howard’s fourth time producing music for an animated film from Disney, and he hasn’t failed us yet!

The graphics and art create an incredibly interactive environment. The story is engaging for children and adults alike. I found the movie endearing and rather risqué compared to Disney Animation Studio’s recent films.

The sight of blood was surprising to see, and not many of their animations convey such imagery. Yet, with such a strong story, I think it worked out well. You get to see things how they are, not the shielded cushy story many think Disney produces.

You really get to see Raya challenge herself and challenge members of her group to be better. “Raya and the Last Dragon” may have been one of the most popular Disney animations to rise up in years. I genuinely wonder what Disney will pull out of their sleeve next.

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