Editor’s picks: The top culture stories of 2021
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2021 was another year drastically impacted by COVID-19. With seemingly constant breaking news regarding the virus, it was more important than ever to tell the uplifting local stories that are the core of any community. With that being said, the pandemic has pushed The Daily Orange’s Culture section to adapt and grow with the times, leading to more niche stories that dig deeper into the Syracuse community.
Callisto made its way onto SU’s campus. Rachel Ayala won Pride Union’s Annual Drag Show and proposed to her partner on the same day. SU students were encouraged to explore the hidden gems of Syracuse.
The Daily Orange highlighted some of the most important Culture stories of 2021. These are the stories of the Syracuse community in 2021.
SU students share stories of strength, survival for Holocaust Remembrance Day
Seventy-six years ago, hundreds of thousands of Jews were freed from brutal Nazi concentration camps across Europe. Those freed then attempted to return to normal life, and many started families, in turn preserving Jewish culture through generations of family lineage.
Today, Syracuse University students are the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of these individuals. Samara Weissmann, Emily Bright, Jeremy Grafstein, Morgan Saloman, Noah Atlas, Emily Karp and Sydney Schroeder share their families’ stories.
“We always say ‘never forget,’ but it’s not just not forgetting. It’s making sure that it doesn’t happen again,” Saloman said.
Javier el Jugador ended last Pride Union Drag show with a crown, and a ring
Rachel Ayala is no stranger to the Pride Union’s Annual Drag Show. This year, she won the show. Performing for RuPaul’s Drag Race superstars Roxxxy Andrews and Alaska, Ayala took the stage as drag king Javier el Jugador, dazzling the audience with black joggers, a cheetah print jacket and a zebra print mask.
To make a special night even better, Ayala proposed to her partner, Cheyenne Gentle. The two met in their freshman year while on the drag show stage, the same year Ayala got into drag when she saw a flyer for the Pride Union’s Annual Drag Show.
“I remember looking at it and knowing that it wasn’t just about drag queens, and that if I showed up as a drag king, even if I didn’t make it pass preliminaries, I would still have fun and people would still be supportive,” Ayala said.
How Malique Lewis’ high school experiences prepared him for SA
Whether it was speaking in front of thousands at the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, performing his music at a concert hosted by University Union or speaking at the opening event for 119 Euclid Ave., Malique Lewis attributes his success to letting life happen on its own.
“A lot of these things, they just occur. It’s why I don’t like to stress. When you put in the work, and remain focused, things just fall in your lap, and life just opens up opportunities for you.”
Lewis has also made an impact by serving as vice president for diversity and inclusion in Syracuse University’s Student Association in the fall. Lewis had wanted to bring change to the university.
“My goal is to highlight the uniqueness that everyone has and fix the problems that people may have and bring it to administration so we can work together to create positive change,” Lewis said.
Asian American students talk about their unique paths to SU
Asian American students at Syracuse University each have their own unique stories and aspirations, but several share common experiences that echo those of many Asian Americans.
The Daily Orange asked Brandon Lau, Yanan Wang, Sadia Ahmed, Alex Zhu, Bianca Louise Andrada, Kate Abogado and Amaar Asif about their transitions to college, professional goals and views of their identities. Each talked about their families, their childhoods and their journeys to adulthood parallel to their time at the university.
‘They were ready’: How Claud Mintz went from SU student to acclaimed artist
Claud Mintz went from making music at Syracuse University to performing shows across the country. The rising musician has kept SU close as they have visited campus numerous times, participated in a David M. Rezak Music Business Lecture Series and has even referenced SU in some songs.
Bill Werde, the director of Syracuse University’s Bandier Program spoke to the success of the former Bandier student. “It’s increasingly obvious to me that this is what Claud was put on this Earth to do,” Werde said.
How 2 SU families are linked to one of Puerto Rico’s top baseball teams
As Andrea Moreno walked through the La Casita Cultural Center in Syracuse during her freshman year, she was drawn to the “Balcon Criollo: Béisbol” exhibit, in honor of the Santurce Crabbers, a Puerto Rican baseball team that her dad owns.
While at the La Casita Cultural Center for a discussion about Hurricane Maria’s devastating aftermath, Moreno met Tere Paniagua, director of La Casita. They quickly found that they had a major commonality — both of their dad’s had owned the same baseball team.
Eating disorders controlled their lives. Now, 3 SU students tell their stories.
Tens of millions of Americans are affected by eating disorders, the second deadliest mental illness. For college students, eating disorders appear frequently as about 32% of women and 25% of men have an eating disorder.
Syracuse University students Alexis Peng, Emily Bright and Gwen Mercer spoke to the impact that eating disorders have had on their lives and detailed their experiences with eating disorders.
‘Never again’: Grad student uses music to educate others about Holocaust
When Amanda Greenbacker-Mitchell learned that New York state students typically only receive 70 minutes of education on the Holocaust while in school, she was horrified.
Today, Greenbacker-Mitchell is pursuing her master’s degree at SU’s Setnor School of Music. Her research focuses on “how to teach about the Holocaust, or in more broad terms, human atrocity and genocide, through music and music performance,” allowing her to learn the appropriate tools to be able to educate people about the Holocaust through music.
“I fell into teaching about the Holocaust through music, because I know, as a musician, how deeply moving even a piece of music that’s not written about anything, just the sheer sound of it can move people to tears,” Greenbacker-Mitchell said.
Callisto offers external resources for sexual assault survivors at SU
Callisto — currently on 17 campuses across the U.S. including Syracuse University – works to offer support and a resource program for survivors of sexual assault. The nonprofit organization operates as a “student-led coalition” on campuses across the country.
Callisto arrived on campus after former Student Association president Justine Hastings worked to bring the organization to campus. Hastings then enlisted Abigail Tick, a student at SU, to get the SU chapter up and running. She is now SU’s Callisto Campus Champion, meaning she represents Callisto on campus and serves as a liaison to inform students about the program.
“It’s our dream that there’s a friend in every friend group who knows about Callisto,” Tick said. “I hope it is so ingrained in the campus culture that everyone knows about it.”
Don’t go to the same old places. Explore these iconic sites
Syracuse — founded by white settlers on Onondaga Nation land, developed along the Erie Canal, situated along the Underground Railroad, spurred by an industrial boom, split by redlining and uneven growth, and now growing again — is filled with with parks, trails, shops and buildings that give a glimpse into its complicated history and evolving present.
David Haas, owner of the Instagram account @SyracuseHistory, has dedicated lots of his time to documenting Syracuse. After traveling to all corners of the city, Haas has seen many places that Syracuse has to offer.
“You can almost pick an activity in every neighborhood,” Haas said.
He gave 10 recommendations for places that students should visit in the city, such as Downtown Eastwood, Hiawatha Lake in Onondaga Park and the Oakwood Cemetery Tree Trail.
