By Azi Dau

No one thinks of Spanish beyond learning it in school. Little do they know the language runs deeper than ¿Cómo estás? and ¿Dónde está el baño?

“The language affects the culture,” said Colombian-born Abe Dau. “It’s like the chicken and the egg.”

Colombia is known as the country with the most understandable Spanish in the world. But there are over 70 dialects and indigenous languages. Dialects are regional variations of a language that change common pronunciation, vocabulary, and tone of voice. Two of the most prominent dialects are coastal (costeño) and inland. 

Dialects develop because of geographic location and time. A language can also be influenced by other languages, creating a dialect. Howstuffworks uses a made-up scenario to explain the concept. It says to picture two groups of people who originally spoke the same language, causing a “geographical and social divide, [causing] distinct dialects, or accents, over time.”

Dau was born in Cartagena, a city on the coast. “Life is easier and happier near the beach,” as he recounts his childhood, “making costeño speaking more relaxed and joyful, including jokes and lively vocabulary.” 

“I grew up only knowing combined words that I actually thought were the real thing,” said Jim Dau, son of Abe Dau. “I was an adult before I learned that ‘qué vina’ wasn’t one word.” 

Costeño Spanish is known to speak fast and cut their words together. He was born in Cartagena as well, but only lived there until he was around 3-years-old. He returned to visit family some summers though, re-immersing himself into Colombian culture. 

The other popular dialect is away from the shore. “People inland are known for the most accent-free, cleanest, and most accessible Spanish in the world,” said Jim Dau. 

Because of this, lots of Latinx news anchors, actors and public figures are from Colombia. 

There are around 65 known indigenous languages. One of the families of indigenous languages is Creole, which mixes other indigenous languages with languages from enslaved Africans. Another is named Cariban, which is where the name Caribbean is from. It’s from the areas near the Caribbean Sea.

Many families of these languages aren’t just unique to Colombia, though. Languages from the Tupi-Guaraní family can go all the way to more southern countries like Argentina, while Quechan languages can stretch all of the western coast of South America. 

Modern life depends on communication. 

“Without languages, the world wouldn’t work,” Abraham Dau said.

(My grandfather and father 40+ years ago in Colombia. My father is the younger boy.)

I grew up comfortable, but not everyone did. 

I know I likely will be able to go to college, but not everyone will.

But everybody should.    

Whether or not community college should be free is a controversial topic. However, it really shouldn’t be. Although some argue that free community college would hurt the economy, it’s actually the opposite. It would help it.

In 1947, the GI bill stated that anyone who served in the military would get to go to college for free. These people, unaffected by the stress of student debt, did good in the world. They donated to charities and volunteered when they could. Now, these people have done great things for society, such as being scientists, doctors, dentists or other jobs essential to society. Ultimately, giving people free college formed the backbone of the economy.

Statistics show that those who didn’t attend college have lower employment rates than those who did. These people are rigged against financial stability from the start. They are unable to afford college, so their chances to live even a comfortable life is less than average.

A common argument is that if a person wants to go to college then they should get a scholarship, but that argument forgets two important pieces of information: scholarships are limited and the wealthy, just as intelligent as the poor, don’t deserve school any more. If a person born into money with supportive parents is as smart, or even less so, they get a free ride from their parents, So, why are the poor told they should just get a scholarship, when that is such an unachievable objective for many average students who would flourish as a rich kid?

In the United States, student debt is nearly $1.75 trillion, while 45 million people begin their working lives in debt. Saddled by what could be a lifetime of stress, people are less likely to contribute to the community in a charitable way, and have less money to spend in the economy. 

Imagine if community college were free. Just the students who attended community college would not be in debt and they would be financially free to contribute to the economy in many ways, whether that’s through donating to charities, starting a business or simply spending more. 

The expenses of higher education is a flaw in the United States, and offering free community college would be one way to help offset this problem. 

My father couldn’t afford to go to college, but he got lucky and was able to land a job that led to him giving my family a comfortable life. 

But not everyone got so lucky.

And it shouldn’t come down to luck.

“SELL THE TEAM”, “SELL THE TEAM”, “SELL THE TEAM”

A famous movie called Moneyball has an often quoted line by baseball fans across the globe. Brad Pitt’s character, ironically playing Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane, says “How can you not be romantic about baseball.” 

Based on the true story of the early 2000s Oakland A’s, Beane saw his team struggle and lose almost everything, yet he remained faithful and worked to save his team from absolute poverty, employing strategies throughout the movie to save his team, and in the end is successful. 

Sadly, it looks like the Athletics won’t get the fairytale hero to save them from relocation this time.  After years of rumors of a move to Las Vegas, it now looks like relocation is definitely on the A’s horizon. How did we get here? How does a professional baseball team get to the point where they aren’t making enough money?

Dr. Joe Dennis, professor and adviser for the sports communication major at Piedmont University, said the A’s situation is unique.  “They’ve adopted a barebone spending model — they are not making a lot of revenue, but they’re not spending a lot, either.”

Dennis is an associate professor at Piedmont University, the only college in Georgia which offers sports communication degree. He is also a lifelong baseball fan, specifically of the Chicago White Sox. Dennis grew up 15 minutes away from the White Sox Stadium and is no stranger to the history of baseball, as he said he has been a fan for nearly all 46 years he has been alive. As a baseball fan, Dennis said he is upset about the way the Athletics front office is handling the relocation option. 

“Baseball is really unique in that it has no salary cap and no salary minimum, and so it’s absurd that teams can get away with spending nothing and just putting a product out there that allows other teams to basically have exhibition games against them.”

He has seen Theo Epstein, former general manager of the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs, employ tanking tactics, but feels what the A’s are doing is completely different.

“Many teams have done this. They will intentionally lose and trade their star player away, but they do that to get really great prospects and build through the draft,” Dennis said, adding that Oakland received very little in return for the trades of top players like Matt Olson and Chris Bassitt. “That message isn’t there, they got nothing for those trades – he’s (John Fischer) basically just tanking to get the team out of Oakland”

Dennis said this cheap attempt of ownership only hurts the fans. 

It isn’t all on the ownership though. Juan Pagan, assistant athletic director at Eagles Landing Christian Academy in McDonough, Georgia, said there’s another group who has to pick up the slack — the front office. “They are pretty much the face of the team from a business aspect.”

In addition to being involved in athletics, Pagan also has a  master’s degree in business administration. Over the course of his lifetime, Pagan said  he has seen various players across various sports blatantly deny a team because of a front office issue. Major athletes like Ken Griffey Jr., John Elway and Eli Manning were all examples of athletes who saw a team with major front office problems and said “no” to being drafted by them. 

“Without a good front office you won’t get any big time free agents, big time players in draft picks, to make your franchise players,” he said. “I believe that’s what is going on with the Oakland Athletics right now.”

At least for one game on a Tuesday evening, deafening chants rained down from the Oakland Coliseum. Chants that overpowered the broadcasting crew’s voices. Chants that caused the pitcher to believe his headset was broken. This rare sight at the Coliseum, where the team typically averages 8,555 fans, was due to a reverse boycott by fans on June 13 against their owner, John Fisher. The often empty stands of the Coliseum were far from it, with game attendance at 27,759 people, as A’s fans wanted to show they can still support a team in Oakland.

Unfortunately, it may be too little, too late. 

As I sat in a cafe, waiting to order, I couldn’t help but eye the decadent pastries displayed in front of me. The tantalizing smell of sweet caramelized sugar reached my nose and suddenly it was my turn to order. Before I even knew it I had ordered a chocolate croissant without hesitation. 

“It’s fine it’s just this once,” I told myself. I knew how sugar made me feel, especially in the morning. Whenever I ate too much sugar I would start to feel lethargic, anxious, irritable, bloated and hungry. It was a constant battle of willpower and addiction that seemed to tighten its grip with every indulgence. 

However, I noticed it wasn’t just me. It seemed like everyone around me was indulging in sugary treats. I observed the man that sat at the table across from me, who looked like he was on his way to work. As he took his first bite of a coffee cake, a subtle moment of satisfaction and delight glimmered across his face. However, it seemed like it was overshadowed by a lingering sense of guilt and helplessness. This serves as a poignant reminder of the widespread effect of sugar addiction and the urgent need to find it.

According to Addiction Center, approximately 75% of Americans consume excess amounts of sugar and many of them could be classified as having a sugar addiction. This is an alarming amount of people whose health could be at risk. Many of which, probably aren’t even aware that they could have an addiction.

Society’s addiction to sugar has become a prevalent and important issue in the modern world. For many, it’s difficult to resist the temptation of sugary treats and drinks present in stores everywhere. In addition, it seems like added sugar is hidden in almost everything we eat. Most people believe that an addiction to sugar is simply the result of a lack of willpower. 

However, there are key psychological and biological factors that drive sugar addiction. The addiction is real and can have an effect on the brain similar to drugs. People claim that they feel compelled to eat sweet foods, similar in the way an alcoholic might feel compelled to drink. Despite what many companies want you to believe, sugar addiction is a big problem that can have detrimental impacts on your health.

When we consume sugar, the brain’s mesolimbic dopamine system (its reward system) is activated. When the sugar reaches our system it triggers the release of a huge surge of dopamine. Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter that makes us feel pleasure. This feeling of pleasure reinforces the desire for more sugar. This creates a seemingly never ending cycle of consuming sugar in order to experience the pleasure again. 

The emotional and psychological associations with sugar and sugar addiction can vary from person to person. However, our brains are all wired similarly when it comes to dopamine release. The pleasurable sensation that sugar gives can lead people to develop emotional associations with sugar, such as using it to comfort unpleasant emotions. The consumption of sweet foods leads to temporary relief of stress and negative emotions, which can lead to a psychological dependence on sugar to regulate emotions. 

Similar to drug addiction, extended exposure to high amounts of sugar can build a tolerance. When we consume sugar it is broken down into glucose and is then absorbed into the bloodstream. The pancreas responds by releasing insulin which is a hormone that helps transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells that can be used for energy. Overtime, the brain becomes desensitized to the high levels of sugar and insulin which leads to insulin resistance. Therefore, more insulin is needed to have the same function of transporting glucose which leads to elevated blood sugar levels and potential long term health issues, such as type 2 diabetes. 

In addition to type 2 diabetes, sugar can cause a host of other health problems. Obesity is one of the most common and apparent health problems sugar can cause. While weight isn’t a direct reflection of one’s health, consuming excess sugar can lead to weight gain and obesity due to the sugary foods high calorie content. Excess weight from sugar can lead to other life threatening health issues such as heart disease and certain types of cancer. 

Science shows that high sugar intake has been linked to an increased risk in heart disease. Diets high in sugar can raise blood pressure, promote inflammation, and contribute to unhealthy cholesterol levels. The inflammation caused can create stress on the heart and blood vessels which can lead to increased blood pressure. These are factors for heart disease and dramatically increases the risk of it becoming fatal. 

This problem can be solved by increasing awareness and encouraging people to reduce their sugar intake. Making people aware of the negative impact that sugar has on their health can help them begin to battle their addiction. Education on not only the impact but the presence of sugar is important as well. There are many hidden sources of sugar in foods and drinks. Hidden sugars are in many popular snacks and even foods that may be marketed as healthier. Learning how to read food labels can be helpful in avoiding concealed sugars. 

After education, gradually reducing one’s sugar intake and eating a balanced diet rich in fiber and protein can help. Emotional support and stress management are also important strategies to help prevent emotional overeating. If more people don’t make the effort to fight their dependency on sugar, then global health will continue on a steady and dangerous decrease. Starting with awareness, all of these strategies can be used to make a difference in one’s health.

So, the next time you find yourself gazing at a case full of tempting treats, reflect carefully on the unsettling effect that sugar has on your body. While I’m not asking you to never eat sugar again. Simply take a moment to remember that a few mindful choices at a time can bring you closer to breaking free from the firm grasp of sugar. 

One word that could be used to describe Joe Dennis is passionate … especially about his musical tastes.

“If you don’t like Kesha you can leave,” Dennis said to a group of high school students attending the Summer Media Academy at the University of Georgia. 

In an interview with the students, it became clear that Joe is passionate about a multitude of things. From Kesha to fedoras to the White Sox, Joe has many passions. But one of his core passions is journalism. 

On the surface, Joe Dennis is a talented journalist and professor who is currently the chair of the mass communications department at Piedmont University. However, diving deeper, a particular point of interest for Joe is his collection of fedoras. While it may seem silly, his fedora collection actually reflects a piece of cultural identity as a half Filipino. “‘I needed something that defined me,” he said, recalling how became a fedora wearer. “I was walking around the streets of New York City when I saw a woman selling fedoras. Bruno Mars was popular around then, and he rocks the fedora. And he’s Filipino. I thought, That’s it! I’m going to wear a fedora.’”

Although he is comfortable in his career and identity now, he felt challenged when starting out his career. As a budding journalist, he found it difficult to recognize that there was a business end in the field. His first journalism job was at The Walton Tribune in Monroe, Georgia which is a small publication that relies on the community it covers. The people that he would cover — the community leaders and politicians — also often advertised for the paper. Therefore, Joe found it difficult to understand how to balance creating compelling stories while respecting the advertisers. 

Despite this, he says that he wouldn’t do anything different. He believes that he is exactly where he is supposed to be. When asked if he would change anything about his life he simply replied, 

“Nothing. I really think that everything that’s happened has happened for a reason.”

Success and stardom, are the two really as alike as we may think? Though many people enter the industry with dreams of becoming the next Steven Speilberg or Audrey Hepburn, very few truly reach that level of fame. So, the question arises, is it truly fame and fortune which defines someone’s success or is it something else entirely?

  “If you’re just in it for the money… I don’t think success is linked to money,” said award-winning screenwriter Neil Landau. “I think success is linked to freedom. And, you know, your idea of success changes to be healthy, happy, loved, appreciated, inspired.”

Neil Landau is an active screenwriter who is set to become the new Director of Screenwriting at the new MFA Film & Television Program at the University of Georgia. Thanks to the success of his movie Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, Landau broke into the industry at a young age and has gone on to work with many well known film companies even becoming the executive writing consultant at Sony as well as Columbia Pictures. Being a part of the industry for such a long time has helped shape his perspective on success, evolving from a need to be recognized to a satisfaction in knowing he can share his story as well as help others do the same.

“Right now, like my main emphasis is to mentor younger writers and new writers because I feel like I’ve had my opportunities,” said Landau. “And it’s not like, I don’t still write and have a lot of projects, but I’m very content, paying it forward, and mentoring and helping other people.”

For Landau, the idea of success is linked to the mentality you have when looking towards your future and he hopes to help his students embrace this idea as well. “What are you willing to do to make it,” is the biggest question any person within the industry must answer and it’s important to recognize that not everyone is willing to go the lengths others will.

“I did not have enough of a drive to give up everything and just pursue,” said Suzanne Dunn when asked about her success within the industry.

Dunn had always dreamed of going on Broadway and getting awarded an Oscar, but after a while her dream changed and she just hoped to live a life which would allow her to do what she loved. Being an actor, she knew that it would be difficult to find stardom with it being such a competitive industry however, success was a different story.

“I think as we get older, the idea of stardom, because you know, the realities of the business is it doesn’t look kindly upon older people,” said Dunn. “Since then, success has become more about, am I still working? Can I make a living at this? Am I being seen? Is it fulfilling?”

These are all questions Dunn answered after rejoining the industry in her mid 50s. Persevering through every situation is what allowed Dunn to enter and make a living when  so many others could not. While she used to focus on her acting career, she has spent most of her time in recent years directing productions with her most recent work being an onstage production of Grease the Musical. While some may not view this as success, she strongly believes that she has managed to retain a balance which allowed her the happiness of a family while also the joy of the theater and that’s all she really needed.

So, stardom and success, are they really the same? I’d like to think not.

The speakers of the stadium blare the disheartening sound of a “tomahawk chop” as football players burst through the breakaway banners with a picture of a “chief” on it. 

My friends and I stare awkwardly at each other, not knowing whether to partake in the cheering or not. We look around us, and no one in the crowd has bat an eye to the situation unfolding around us. People are moving their arms as if they are chopping, they are cheering for our “Warriors.” At this point, my friends and I are extremely uncomfortable. Maybe this is just harmless fun, maybe my friends and I are all just too sensitive? 

According to a study conducted by Michigan University, 65 percent of Native Americans find sports fans chanting the tomahawk chop offensive. Another poll conducted by Washington State showed that up to 75 percent of Native Americans oppose symbols of Indigenous people in sports, with the number shooting higher among younger age groups.

“These mascots are teaching stereotypical, misleading and too often, insulting images of American Indian,” said former APA (American Psychological Association) President, Ronald Levant. 

There are many instances where high schools, sports teams and even professional sports teams use these offensive images of Native Americans as their mascots. Although some people might not find this insensitive, some people find it to be straight up uncomfortable. Just like my friends and I. 

Not only are these portrayals offensive to Native Americans, they continue to produce harmful stereotypical images about Native Americans. These stereotypes undermine the ability to portray the actual images of their culture and traditions. Stereotypes undermine culture for all minority and ethnic groups, this instance is just an example.

Moreover, there are no beneficial effects from having these harmful mascots. In fact, it’s the opposite.

“We are left with harm. Depression, suicide ideation and lowered self-esteem,” said Stephanie Fryberg, PHD, of University of Arizona. 

Young Native Americans are especially impacted because they are constantly reminded of the limited ways in which society views them. As a result, it causes young Native Americans to only view themselves in a certain way. 

Prejudice mascots are only a small example of the many stereotypes that Native Americans face. However, it adds fuel to the fire of racism targeted towards the Native American community that has already been trampled on.

After learning from award-winning journalist, Joe Dennis, it is safe to say that Joe is the man. And he’s not modest enough to admit it.

“Pretty much, I am the journalism program there,” said Joe, chair and associate professor of mass communications at Piedmont University. “I love being a part of (a student’s) journey, and someone they can go to when they need help.” 

When Joe isn’t teaching at Piedmont university, he spends his time teaching high school students at University of Georgia summer camps. After getting his master’s and his Ph.d from the University of Georgia, Joe has just entered his fourth consecutive year teaching journalism to aspiring young journalists. He loves his career, and has no regrets.. 

“I really think that everything that’s happened has happened for a reason,” he said. “I’m really happy with how things turned out.” 

Joe’s co-teacher of the journalism class, said her former professor has a unique style of teaching. “I feel like he’s hands on,”said Keshondra Shipp, a former student of Joe’s. “I like that about Grady, that it’s like real hands on.” 

Keshondra “Kee” Shipp believes that Joe is passionate about his teaching. From being a student in his graduate newsroom class back in Fall of 2021. Kee states that he’s taught her a lot. He’s a very technical person. He taught her a lot about the technical side of journalism, which is something that she will take with her to her job in Corpus Cristi, Texas. 

“He really knows what he’s doing, but he’s not like braggy about it,” says Elsa Block, a student in his summer multimedia journalism academy at the University of Georgia. “He’s very humble, and he’s just a really nice person. And he’s very easy going, and he’s easy to talk to if you need help.”