How social media fuels today's gun violence - ‘All We Want Is Revenge’

Photo by Max Kleinen on Unsplash
by By Liz Szabo
Kaiser Health News

Juan Campos has been working to save at-risk teens from gun violence for 16 years.

As a street outreach worker in Oakland, California, he has seen the pull and power of gangs. And he offers teens support when they’ve emerged from the juvenile justice system, advocates for them in school, and, if needed, helps them find housing, mental health services, and treatment for substance abuse.

But, he said, he’s never confronted a force as formidable as social media, where small boasts and disputes online can escalate into deadly violence in schoolyards and on street corners.

Teens post photos or videos of themselves with guns and stacks of cash, sometimes calling out rivals, on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok. When messages go viral, fueled by “likes” and comments, the danger is hard to contain, Campos said.

“It’s hundreds of people on social media, versus just one or two people trying to guide youth in a positive way,” he said. Sometimes his warnings are stark, telling kids, “I want to keep you alive.” But, he said, “it doesn’t work all the time.”

Shamari Martin Jr. was an outgoing 14-year-old and respectful to his teachers in Oakland. Mixed in with videos of smiling friends on his Instagram feed were images of Shamari casually waving a gun or with cash fanned across his face. In March 2022, he was shot when the car he was in took a hail of bullets. His body was left on the street, and emergency medical workers pronounced him dead at the scene.


More than a year later, Shamari’s death remains unsolved.

In Shamari’s neighborhood, kids join gangs when they’re as young as 9 or 10, sometimes carrying guns to elementary school, said Tonyia “Nina” Carter, a violence interrupter who knew Shamari and works with Youth Alive, which tries to prevent violence. Shamari “was somewhat affiliated with that culture” of gangs and guns, Carter said.

Shamari’s friends poured out their grief on Instagram with broken-heart emojis and comments such as “love you brother I’m heart hurt.”

One post was more ominous: “it’s blood inna water all we want is revenge.” Rivals posted videos of themselves kicking over flowers and candles at Shamari’s memorial.

Such online outpourings of grief often presage additional violence, said Desmond Patton, a University of Pennsylvania professor who studies social media and firearm violence.

More than a year later, Shamari’s death remains unsolved. But it’s still a volatile subject in Oakland, said Bernice Grisby, a counselor at the East Bay Asian Youth Center, who works with gang-involved youth.

“There’s still a lot of gang violence going on around his name,” she said. “It could be as simple as someone saying, ‘Forget him or F him’ — that can be a death sentence. Just being affiliated with his name in any sort can get you killed.”

The U.S. surgeon general last month issued a call to action about social media’s corrosive effects on child and adolescent mental health, warning of the “profound risk of harm” to young people, who can spend hours a day on their phones. The 25-page report highlighted the risks of cyberbullying and sexual exploitation. It failed to mention social media’s role in escalating gun violence.

Acutely aware of that role are researchers, community leaders, and police across the country — including in Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. They describe social media as a relentless driver of gun violence.


Social media is an extremely powerful tool for metastasizing disrespect

Michel Moore, the Los Angeles police chief, called its impact “dramatic.”

“What used to be communicated on the street or in graffiti or tagging or rumors from one person to another, it’s now being distributed and amplified on social media,” he said. “It’s meant to embarrass and humiliate others.”

Many disputes stem from perceived disrespect among insecure young adults who may lack impulse control and conflict-management skills, said LJ Punch, a trauma surgeon and director of the Bullet-Related Injury Clinic in St. Louis.

“Social media is an extremely powerful tool for metastasizing disrespect,” Punch said. And of all the causes of gun violence, social media-fueled grudges are “the most impenetrable.”

Calls for Regulation

Social media companies are protected by a 1996 law that shields them from liability for content posted on their platforms. Yet the deaths of young people have led to calls to change that.


Photo by dole777 on Unsplash

“When you allow a video that leads to a shooting, you bear responsibility for what you put out there,” said Fred Fogg, national director of violence prevention for Youth Advocate Programs, a group that provides alternatives to youth incarceration. “Social media is addictive, and intentionally so.”

People note that social media can have a particularly pernicious effect in communities with high rates of gun violence.

“Social media companies need to be better regulated in order to make sure they aren’t encouraging violence in Black communities,” said Jabari Evans, an assistant professor of race and media at the University of South Carolina. But he said social media companies also should help “dismantle the structural racism” that places many Black youth “in circumstances that resign them to want to join gangs, carry guns to school, or take on violent personas for attention.”

L.A.’s Moore described social media companies as serving “in a reactionary role. They are profit-driven. They don’t want to have any type of control or restrictions that would suppress advertising.”

Social media companies say they remove content that violates their policies against threatening others or encouraging violence as quickly as possible. In a statement, YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon said the company “prohibits content reveling in or mocking the death or serious injury of an identifiable individual.”


As a company, we have every commercial and moral incentive to try to give the maximum number of people as much of a positive experience as possible on Facebook.

Social media companies said they act to protect the safety of their users, especially children.

Rachel Hamrick, a spokesperson for Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the company has spent about $16 billion in the past seven years to protect the safety of people who post on its apps, employing 40,000 people at Facebook who work on safety and security.

“We remove content, disable accounts and work with law enforcement when we believe there is a genuine risk of physical harm or direct threats to public safety,” Hamrick said. “As a company, we have every commercial and moral incentive to try to give the maximum number of people as much of a positive experience as possible on Facebook. That’s why we take steps to keep people safe even if it impacts our bottom line.”

Meta platforms generated revenue of over $116 billion in 2022, most of which came from advertising.

A spokesperson for Snapchat, Pete Boogaard, said the company deletes violent content within minutes of being notified of it. But, Fogg noted, by the time a video is removed, hundreds of people may have seen it.

Even critics acknowledge that the sheer volume of content on social media is difficult to control. Facebook has nearly 3 billion monthly users worldwide; YouTube has nearly 2.7 billion users; Instagram has 2 billion. If a company shuts down one account, a person can simply open a new one, said Tara Dabney, a director at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago.

“Things could be going great in a community,” Fogg said, “and then the next thing you know, something happens on social media and folks are shooting at each other.”

Playing With Fire

At a time when virtually every teen has a cellphone, many have access to guns, and many are coping with mental and emotional health crises, some say it’s not surprising that violence features so heavily in children’s social media feeds.

High school “fight pages” are now common on social media, and teens are quick to record and share fights as soon as they break out.

“Social media puts everything on steroids,” said the Rev. Cornell Jones, the group violence intervention coordinator for Pittsburgh.

Like adults, many young people feel validated when their posts are liked and shared, Jones said.

“We are dealing with young people who don’t have great self-esteem, and this ‘love’ they are getting on social media can fill some of that void,” Jones said. “But it can end with them getting shot or going to the penitentiary.”

While many of today’s teens are technologically sophisticated — skilled at filming and editing professional-looking videos — they remain naive about the consequences of posting violent content, said Evans, of the University of South Carolina.

Police in Los Angeles now monitor social media for early signs of trouble, Moore said. Police also search social media after the fact to gather evidence against those involved in violence.

“People want to gain notoriety,” Moore said, “but they’re clearly implicating themselves and giving us an easy path to bring them to justice.”


They can come and scream and I won’t fuss at them.

In February, New Jersey police used a video of a 14-year-old girl’s vicious school beating to file criminal charges against four teens. The victim of the assault, Adriana Kuch, died by suicide two days after the video went viral.

Preventing the Next Tragedy

Glen Upshaw, who manages outreach workers at Youth Alive in Oakland, said he encourages teens to express their anger with him rather than on social media. He absorbs it, he said, to help prevent kids from doing something foolish.

“I’ve always offered youth the chance to call me and curse me out,” Upshaw said. “They can come and scream and I won’t fuss at them.”

Workers at Youth Advocate Programs monitor influential social media accounts in their communities to de-escalate conflicts. “The idea is to get on it as soon as possible,” Fogg said. “We don’t want people to die over a social media post.”

It’s sometimes impossible, Campos said. “You can’t tell them to delete their social media accounts,” he said. “Even a judge won’t tell them that. But I can tell them, ‘If I were you, since you’re on probation, I wouldn’t be posting those kinds of things.’”

When he first worked with teens at high risk of violence, “I said if I can save 10 lives out of 100, I’d be happy,” Campos said. “Now, if I can save one life out of 100, I’m happy.”


KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

Urbana to host free Shakespearean play at the Boneyard

URBANA - Looking for a classy date-night idea this weekend? The Starling Shakespeare Company will give a free performance of Julius Caesar on Friday, July 21, at the Boneyard Creek Park located next to 25 O'Clock Brewery.

Through a partnership with the Urbana Arts & Culture, the traveling group composed of a cast of just five actors present a 90-minute interpretation of the legendary playwright from Stratford-upon-Avon in the United Kingdom.

The performance looks at the political turmoil of ancient Rome and chronicles the betrayal of Caesar, led by his most-trusted allies.

Tickets must be reserved in advance online here on Event Bright.

Before the show, join the actors for a workshop from 5-6 pm on classical stage combat. The workshop is also free to the public. Participants will learn performance fighting techniques and how to make them realistic for audiences. The class will also stress the safety protocols necessary for choreographing fight scenes.



Moving on: When it's time to break up with a friend?

Photo: Tyler Nix/Unsplash
"Sometimes letting go is the first step toward creating a stronger friendship circle."


Holding on to a friendship that you aren't genuinely interested in maintaining can lead to resentment.
Brandpoint - Friendships are an essential part of living a fulfilling life.

Charles and Viktor (both names changed to protect their identities) had been friends for over a decade. Drinking buddies and lacrosse teammates in college, they found jobs in the same city. With similar interests, they became close friends.

A few years before the 2020 election, Charles started to change. His political views became increasingly intolerable. Viktor's wife could no longer stand to be around Charles, as his misogynistic and racist comments were a source of constant disgust and discussion.

Just like any other relationship, some friends are only meant to be part of your life for a reason or a season, rather than a lifetime. The problem is, no one really talks about how to evaluate your friendships and let go of the ones that are no longer adding value to your life.

While an overwhelming majority (77%) of respondents in a recent Bumble For Friends survey* believe that friends are one of the main factors to a happy and healthy life, 42% have never intentionally evaluated the existing friendships in their lives, and 1 in 4 (25%) agree that they are stuck in outdated friendships that no longer serve them.

Danielle Bayard Jackson, Bumble For Friends’ friendship expert, shares her advice on how to intentionally assess your friendships so that you can find peace in letting go of the ones you’ve outgrown. She suggests starting by asking yourself these questions:

Does the friendship feel like an obligation?

Many people have circumstantial friendships, meaning relationships that are mostly based on convenience, such as taking the same classes or having the same hobbies. Bumble For Friends’ survey* found that 1 in 3 (35%) people have these kinds of friendships — they're common, and they add value to life by offering a certain kind of companionship. However, when these friendships become obligatory, meaning that you maintain them out of a sense of duty, it’s time to reassess.

Why are you maintaining the friendship?

It took almost a year for Charles and Viktor to go on their own separate ways. They would talk on holidays and occasionally do lunch a couple of times a year to catch up. Vicky was happy, and Viktor felt relieved he no longer had to endure his friend's ultra-right banter.

One of the most common reasons why people hold on to friendships that no longer serve them is that they feel they owe it to history. They may also feel scared that if they let a friendship go, they’ll have a hard time finding new friendships. If the reasons you’ve elected to keep a friendship don't include a value-add to your life, then it might be time to mend or end the relationship.

What is maintaining the friendship costing you?

Holding on to a friendship that you aren’t genuinely interested in maintaining can lead to resentment, as you’re investing time, energy and emotional bandwidth that you most likely can’t afford. It can also impact your other friendships, as you’re dedicating space that you could be using on friends that fill your cup. There are only so many hours in the day, so it’s important to focus on friendships that positively impact your life.

If you decide that it’s time to part ways with the friendship, Jackson recommends a three-step formula for approaching the conversation:

  • Show that you’re intentional about the decision. Say, “Listen, I’ve been thinking a lot lately….”
  • Address your needs without blaming the other person. Use ‘I’ statements as much as you can; rather than “you are never there for me when I need you...,” try saying, “I need friendships in my life that can prioritize and support me in times of need.”
  • Tell them how much you appreciate them and what your intention is for moving forward. This could be, “I have appreciated our friendship so much, and you have been such an integral part of my life. However, I won’t be able to show up in this friendship in the same way that I have before.”

“Sometimes letting go is the first step toward creating a stronger friendship circle,” says Jackson. “Ending a friendship that no longer fits doesn't make you mean or disloyal. Instead, it creates space for the both of you to be better positioned to invite new connections into your lives.”

If things have changed in your life and you feel like you've maybe outgrown a friendship, Jackson suggests intentionally doing things to form new friendships — whether that be joining group activities, asking friends of friends to tag along to their next event, or downloading Bumble For Friends, the friendship-finding mode on the Bumble app. By putting yourself out there, you’ll be on the right track to creating a stronger social circle around you.

For more expert advice on building (and maintaining) strong friendships, visit bumble.com/bff.


*Research was commissioned by Bumble and carried out online by Censuswide in February 2023 amongst a sample of more than 1,000 US adults who have either attended college or are currently in college.


Resistance isn't futile - "BORG" drinking is not healthy for the brain


But while the consumers think water and electrolytes might protect them from hangovers, it didn’t protect some students from ending up in the hospital.
by Matt Sheehan
OSF Healthcare
Gallon jugs are oftentimes used for daily necessities like milk and water. But a new trend on social media could be a mixture for disaster.

Blackout rage gallon, or "BORG" drinking, is the newest TikTok take on binge drinking.

College students can be seen on social media mixing alcohol, water, sweet flavorings and hangover remedies like Pedialyte. But while the consumers think water and electrolytes might protect them from hangovers, it didn’t protect some students from ending up in the hospital.

In Amherst, Massachusetts – home of UMass Amherst – the local fire department handled nearly 30 ambulance transport requests due to significant alcohol intoxication.

Deepak Nair, MD, a neurologist with OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute, says blacking out from drinking is very harmful.

"High quantities of alcohol can cause direct damage to the brain," says Dr. Nair. "In single settings of drinking where you’re having enough alcohol to blackout, the reason you’re blacking out is because there’s a toxic effect of that alcohol on the brain."

Dr. Nair says binge drinking is something "fairly unique" to American culture. But he also calls it the most risky form of drinking.

"We know it’s dangerous to both the nervous system and the brain, but also in terms of other long-term health effects," Dr. Nair says. "Even those who have stopped engaging in binge drinking, there are long-term lingering effects. Everything from mild cognitive impairment that’s permanent, to more severe forms of what are called ‘alcoholic Wernicke encephalopathy’ where specific parts of the brain are being damaged permanently. This can cause permanent disability."

Dr. Deepak Nair

So what about this new form of binge drinking? Does diluting the alcohol with water and electrolytes provide any benefits at all? Dr. Nair says a basic chemistry class will give you the answer.

"All you’re doing is slightly diluting the amount of alcohol. But you’re still talking about a very high percentage of alcohol by volume, and a very high overall volume of alcoholic liquid. That’s not a good way to think about it," Dr. Nair says.

In the short term, blacking out from alcohol may just cause you to not be able to remember the night before. But Dr. Nair says continued binge drinking and blacking out can cause your memory, in general, to worsen.

“High quantities of alcohol have a tendency to impact the memory centers of our brain. When those parts of the brain are damaged, it can permanently impair our ability to store memories. At the end stage when we meet patients like this, not only can they not store new memories and recall memories effectively, their brain starts to make up details about their own life,” Dr. Nair adds.

Dr. Nair says this is called Korsakoff psychosis, which is a later stage complication of persistent Wernicke encephalopathy. He says this brain disorder is incredibly disabling, and alcohol abuse contributes to this problem.



Spanish dancers introduce Sevillanas to Urbana

Flamenca dances at Lincoln Square Mall
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
URBANA - Flor Quiroz and members of the La Fuerza Flamenca perform at Lincoln Square Mall on Saturday during this year's Boneyard Arts Festival. Earlier, she and dancers from the University of Illiniois student dance troupe taught Sevillanas to workshop participants at the mall. Quiroz, a sophomore at the UofI, has studied the cultural dance form for just under a year. Influenced by Flamenco, Sevillanas is a style of dance from the Sevilla region in Spain.



Sentinel Summary | What you missed this week

PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
URBANA - Tajal Patel puts her soul into her rendition of a Flamenco ballad while performing with Brian Stark's Flamenco-Jazz Collective at Lincoln Square Mall on Saturday. The band gave a one-hour show during the Boneyard Festival and accompanied the University of Illinois La Fuerza Flamenca dance group, which performed two numbers and provided a free workshop.
Get off to a healthy start and keep your golf season injury-free

With warmer temperatures starting appear more frequently in central Illinois, it means with the arrival of Spring another golf season is upon us. And that has many golf enthusiasts racing off to area courses.

The bugs are on their way back, three ways to prepare for unwelcomed insects in your home

It is easy to believe that bugs simply disappear during the winter and colder months in the Midwest. The truth is that many bug species have evolved to survive all year long, sometimes hiding in the warm nooks and crannies in and around homes. Others go into a hibernation-like state.

Recipe | Bacon-wrapped chicken with goat cheese

This is a very easy dish to make and can be prepared in advance, wrapped in cling film and stored in the fridge ready to cook later. Delicious, serve this dish with crispy garlic and lemon roasted potatoes.

Seeds online; just because they're easy to buy doesn't mean they’re safe

Online shopping and e-commerce have opened new doors for gardening enthusiasts, offering unprecedented access to rare and exotic plants and seed products from around the world at the click of a button.

Learning the right moves, Flamenco workshop at Boneyard Festival draws local dancers

Alyssa Teijeiro-Ficht leads a Flamenco dance workshop at Lincoln Square Mall on Saturday during the Boneyard Arts Festival.



It's no secret, our readers chime in on where to go for a romantic Valentine's Day rendezvous

Urbana's Silvercreek Restaurant is one of many ideal spots for a romantic Valentine's Day meal. Photo: The Sentinel

URBANA - Last week, The Sentinel asked around, looking for advice on where are the best restaurants in the area for a romantic Valentine's Day date. Here are 16 responses to the question, "Where's the most romantic place to eat in Champaign-Urbana or Champaign County?"

The Wheelhouse in St. Joseph and Biaggi's in south Champaign garnered a couple of votes each. However, the most romantic spot for an intimate meal seems to be at home.


In the Champaign-Urbana area, Biaggi's or the Urbana Country Club. Umi Grill in Terre Haute has the best sushi in the area.
~ Brady S.

LaBamba's
~ Erin J.

Wheelhouse
~ Kelly C.

Texas Roadhouse
~ Kevin T.

Possum Trot, Sun Singer, and Hamilton Walker
~ Roger K.

I'll go with what he said
~ Brian B.
(pointing at Roger K. above)

Destihl in Bloomington
~ Kendra P.

Biaggi's
~ Nikki H.

Kathy's Kitchen! But if you want something more intimate, Silvercreek
~ Kathy M.

Wheelhouse. We go there at least once a week
~ Ashley B.

Home
~ Phil M.

I know I would be cooking a nice meal for my lady or go wherever she wants to go
~ Eric M.

Don't ask me. I'm divorced.
~ Julie A.

Our living room
~ Jason W.

Longhorn Steak House
~ Stephanie H.

Seven Saints or B'Dubs. I'm the least romantic person you'll ever meet
~ Megan W.

In case you are wondering, yes, we Googled our question. The top five locations in Champaign-Urbana on Trip Advisor at the time of this article were 1. Silvercreek, 2. Timpone's, 3. Nando Milano, 4. Hamilton Walker's, and 5. Biaggi's.

Where did you get lovey-dovey this Valentine's Day? Tell us in the comment section below.


Guest Commentary | School bullying must stop, everyone must work together

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator


Four New Jersey teenagers have been charged in connection with the attack of a 14-year-old girl who later took her own life after video of the incident was posted on social media.

One juvenile is charged with aggravated assault, two juveniles are charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and one juvenile is charged with harassment, Ocean County prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer told CBS News in an email.

Adriana Kuch, 14, was found dead in her Bayville home on February 3, two days after the disturbing video of the attack at Central Regional High School was posted online. The video showed girls throwing a drink at the teen, then kicking and dragging her down school hallways. They pushed Adriana into red lockers lining the school hallways and one of the girls in a pink shirt punched Kuch repeatedly.

When I was an elementary child riding the school bus, we had a few fights on the bus. One young man who didn’t live that far from me was constantly getting into fights on the school bus. One day he had a kid down repeatedly punching him in the face. The bus driver stopped the bus and escorted both boys off the bus while still a couple of miles from their homes. We then drove off and left them on the road.

I don’t recall seeing the fight continue as they now had to walk or hitchhike a ride to get home. Since the one boy was being beaten so bad, I don’t think the driver made the best decision since the other kid could have finished him off on the rural road we were traveling. However, it did appear the fight had stopped as we drove off. Most likely not having a bus audience, bleeding and having to walk home changed the scenario.

In the sixties and seventies there were bad things that happened in schools that often got swept under the rug. With no social media kids usually ended up working it out or staying away from people we didn’t like. Often many of us never took our school problems home because our parents had enough problems without having to worry about our school fusses. Or, we were afraid we might get in trouble at home.

School children face challenges. There are ongoing pressures from bullies who must be corralled and disciplined, dismissed from school or in some cases put in a place where they can get rehabilitation and help for their psychotic issues.

Locking a 14-year-old up in jail for years solves nothing. However, kids that bring about injury or death to another student need mental help and rehabilitation before being freed to invoke pain on someone again. Most likely if your family has lost a family member to a bully you want the offender locked up for life.

Even though my school era was not a perfect world schoolteachers and principals had authority to paddle our butts. They had authority to discipline us, suspend us from school and could put bite with their bark. We knew the teachers ruled and we respected them. I can remember see paddling’s that I never wanted to get and received a couple myself.

No school has the ability to patrol every corner of a school facility. Bullying, fights and bad things typically occur in unsupervised spaces. Schools can’t hire enough security guards or have enough monitors to patrol ever corner.

Every day in every state in America a private school is starting or the ground work is being formulated.

Ten years from now almost every city and even small community in America will have a private or faith-based school. Some of these will only be elementary schools but many have or will develop junior and senior highs. Such schools are not free of their own issues but parents across America are desperate for safe places for their kids.

Parents want a place where there is zero tolerance of bullies and an administration who means business about protecting the children. They want an environment where their children can be mentored, taught and prepared better for life, college or to move into adult jobs.

Parents don’t want a school who they feel is working against them or hiding things from them.

Life is like this. The world is like a jungle most days. There are bullies in the workplaces, neighborhoods and mean people can be found all over. This is why we have the right to call 911. We can file charges against people with the police. We should have the right to carry a firearm and defend ourselves. We have to work to help each other and protect each other.

Teachers, administrators, parents and students must work together for safety and security. Children and teachers must feel safe with an environment free from bullying, hazing or intimidation. Kids should not have to wake up every day fearful of going to school. Neither should the school staff and parents.

The issue of bullying and school safety requires school boards, all staff, parents and students to work together. It’s not a task for a few to accomplish but a job for us all.


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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.


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Youth orchestra concert at Smith Music Hall

URBANA - The East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra will perform their annual Winter Concert at Smith Memorial Hall in Urbana tomorrow. The Sunday evening concert features classical pieces from both American and Russian composers.

Urbana Entertainment News "These talented students have worked long and hard to prepare this wonderful music, and we would all be gratified to see you in the audience," said Kevin Kelly, Music Director for youth orchestra.

The program includes two popular Russian pieces from Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky, as well as works from American composers Aaron Coplan, Irving Fine, Virgil Thomson, and John Philip Sousa.

Admission to the event is free to the public and begins promptly at 7 p.m. Smith Memorial Hall is located on the University of Illinois campus at 805 S. Mathews Avenue.


ViewPoint | The Merry Go Round’ of PCOS Diagnoses and Disappointments. When does it stop?

by Brianna Dean


I got my first period when I was ten; by age 12 I spent several days a month hunched over, bleeding, and crying in pain. The gynecologist I went to told me I may have endometriosis, brushed off the pain as “normal” and recommended that I take birth control pills to regulate my period. I thought being on birth control at 12 was normal. It wasn’t until a few conversations with my friends, and the extreme concern expressed by my mother, that I became aware that it was in fact not normal. 

Looking back at that experience, I find myself not only angry at the lack of care I received from my provider but how I didn't know how to advocate for myself. Ten years later when I am talking to my new OB-GYN about my cycle and various physical symptoms I’ve been experiencing, she responded with a question “Do you think you have PCOS?” I didn’t know what that was. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome occurs when ovaries form numerous cysts and overproduce androgens. I didn’t end up having PCOS, but I have met several Black Women who were battling this disease with little to no medical intervention from their OB-GYNs. It was eye-opening when actress/singer Keke Palmer posted on Instagram that she had done her own research and advocated for herself to receive a diagnosis of PCOS, which explained her adult acne and excessive facial hair. 

In order to receive the care, Black Women and other women of color have to learn how to advocate for ourselves.  

According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 5 million women have PCOS. Black Women are disproportionately affected by this disease, but half of PCOS cases in Black Women go undiagnosed for years. Blogger Ore Ogunbiyi wrote that it took her five appointments and nine months before she was diagnosed with PCOS. Of her doctors, Ore says, “They trivialized my pain”. 

A feeling Black Women alike know far too well. Research posits that Black Americans have been historically undertreated due to the false beliefs that Black People perceive pain differently than white people. This notion is harmful and contributes to the lack of accurate medical diagnoses in the Black community. 

My previous classmate, current doctoral student, and PCOS advocate Chanel Brown spoke to me about her journey to her PCOS diagnosis. Chanel recounts that her doctor never took her seriously, which is why it took her seven years to receive her diagnosis. Why does it take so long for Black Women to receive a PCOS diagnosis? 

Many women with PCOS are overweight, and weight bias may add to racial bias in medical settings. Overweight women are often told to lose weight, no matter whether weight actually affects the condition they have. 

Fatphobia is the reason Beatriz Kaye, a Latino PCOS advocate, went seven years without a PCOS diagnosis – her doctors told her that her period would regulate itself if she would just “lose weight”, and delayed doing any lab or imaging tests to check for PCOS.

This “invisible” disease may not appear to be physically impactful or disruptful, but the long-term health implications are. Women with PCOS may experience infertility. They also may have a higher rate of diabetes, heart disease, and sleep apnea, although it is difficult to separate the risks of obesity from the risks of PCOS.

Racism and fatphobia both compromise the care of Black women. For women of color, this healthcare system is a system of misdiagnoses, disappointments, and dismissals. Women of color deserve the right to be heard and respected by their medical doctors.


Brianna Dean is a Masters of Science candidate in Health and the Public Interest at Georgetown University. 

Illinois theater convention September 24

CHICAGO -- The Illinois Theatre Association will hold its 2022 ITA Annual Membership Meeting & Award Celebration at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel & Conference Center in Downers Grove on September 24. In addition to presenting annual excellence awards to Illinois thespians, the all-day event will include the induction of the 2022-2024 Board of Directors, workshops sponsored by the ITA, a special presentation on intimacy direction, and its Red Carpet Gala Award Luncheon.

The keynote address will presented by Michael Novak, Artistic Director of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Novak has danced in 57 roles in 50 Taylor dances, and created gigs for five of the Taylor Company Commission choreographers.

This year's award winners include Teatro Vista, a Chicago-based theater group created in 1990, Dr. David Allan Kuester director of the IVCC Theatre, Judy Ruzevich Klingner, and Marjorie Hillocks.

Hillocks won the award for Creative Drama/Theatre for Young Audiences and Klingner is the recipient of the Anne Thurman Mentorship Award.

Festival 56, a Princeton Theatre Group, that won this year's Award of Honor, along with Streator High School and the Vermillion Players, a community theater group, will also be honored with awards the gala.

Workshop sessions include "OUCH! Hits, Kicks, and Other Combat Tricks" by Kyle Cassady from the Society of American Fight Directors, "Creating the Best Audition Package for You" with Paul Stancato & Felicia Finley from the Timber Lake Playhouse, and "Collaborative 10 Minute Play Writing: Hearing Every Voice" presented by Friar Dominic Garramone from Saint Bede Academy.

For more information and registration to this year's event go to https://illinoistheatre.org/event-4897079.


How to deal with your child and bullying

Lee Batsakis
OSF Healthcare

PEORIA -- According to the National Bullying Prevention Center, one in five students reports being bullied – but the actual number is believed to be even higher, perhaps even one in three kids, as some cases are not reported. Bullying can be verbal, emotional, or physical and can be based on a variety of aspects – from looks and size to academics and athleticism, and more.

During the peak of the pandemic, a decline in bullying was seen as so many kids were learning from home. Now, with schools back in full swing and in person, kids are spending more time with classmates than they have since early 2020. Talking to your kids at home each day is important to not only learn more about what is going on in their lives, but it also helps to identify potential bullying.


"Whether it’s politically or racially or spiritually, sometimes we end up in this spot where we don’t focus on the commonality that we have."

Joseph Siegel
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

"A good 10 to 15 minute conversation every day about what happened during the day, what was good, what was bad, and what did they struggle with. Use open-ended questions and don’t necessarily try to solve problems they are experiencing, but just listen and understand what they’re saying and how they’re feeling in these situations. That is an important first step," says Joseph Siegel, an OSF HealthCare licensed clinical social worker.

This conversation can turn into part of your daily routine by starting the discussion before bed, or any point after your kid is home from school. If your child indicates that he or she may be experiencing bullying, Siegel advises to first try to understand their feelings. Some children may be hesitant to have these conversations and keep their responses short when asked about their day. In these cases, Siegel recommends an app for your phone, such as Gather – Conversation Starters, to help get the conversation flowing.

If in conversation you find out that your kid might be a victim of bullying at school or elsewhere, a whole range of emotions may be stirred up and you might not know where to begin. Many adults tend to want to immediately get all the details from their child, but parents need to understand their kids’ feelings should be a priority. Most importantly, Siegel strongly advises against telling your child to respond to a bully with violence. For example, a parent may tell their kid that if another kid shoves them to shove them back. This advice may worsen the situation.

"Sometimes the bully is acting out of the desire to provoke and they want an angry response, so if the person is calm and says to stop and then walks away from the situation, that could be somewhat helpful because not it is not elevating or becoming worse," Siegel advises.

If you want to ensure your child is able to stand up for his or herself, there are ways to do so appropriately and safely. Siegel adds that being assertive is different than being violent, and that there is nothing wrong with being assertive.

"Assertive, nonviolent behavior and communication should be the goal. They need to be able to express themselves – which they can with a bully – without letting it get into a situation that can be violent and become out of control, turning into a situation where they can no longer handle," explains Siegel.

Siegel recommends having a plan in case your child is approached by a bully. This could include advising your child to either ignore them altogether and hold their head high, or helping to create some type of brief yet appropriate verbal response such as “please stop” or “no thanks, not today” or simply “I prefer you don’t do that” – and then walking away.

In addition to implementing these responses for your child, Siegel advises parents to take the same approach. While you may feel the desire to reach out directly to the parents or guardians of the bully, this is something that should be avoided.

"It is recommended that we try to resist calling the other parent. That often can make the situation much more complex or even taken to a different level completely. That is what schools do – they mediate these kinds of conflicts all the time and are very good at it. If you feel like you need to talk to the other parent, then it’s probably better to talk to the school instead so they know what is happening and can document it," Siegel says.

Many times, bullying stems from a bully not accepting someone for their differences. Siegel says it is important to watch how you speak and act in the presence of your child, adding that setting a good example is important.

"We live in a very diverse state and our language often is about differences. Whether it’s politically or racially or spiritually, sometimes we end up in this spot where we don’t focus on the commonality that we have. And focusing on the commonality just in our everyday conversation with our kids is going to help a lot with their level of acceptance at school," advises Siegel.

If your child is not disclosing bullying, some signs to look for include the child “losing” or misplacing things, coming home with unexplained injuries, developing a change in eating patterns or sleep disruption, and experiencing head or stomach aches that could be caused by increased stress and anxiety. Other changes in a child’s behavior that might indicate bullying include not wanting to go to school or a change in their social relationships.

If your child has disclosed they are being bullied, start by documenting what you have learned and contacting their school. If the bullying continues and is taking a toll on your child’s mental health, Siegel advises setting up an appointment with a mental health professional for your child.

Most importantly, sticking to those daily conversations with your child is key for getting them to open up to you. Additionally, creating a home environment that is based around acceptance plays a significant role in not only reducing the chance of bullying, but also helping your child identify when bullying is happening.

For more information and resources, go to https://www.stopbullying.gov/.


ECIYO to host spring concert on Sunday

Urbana -- The East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra will present this year's spring concert at Monticello High School's auditorium this Sunday.

The May 15 concert will be free and starts at 7:00 pm.

"The kids have worked long and hard during a challenging time, and the results will be very much worth hearing," said Kevin Kelly, Music Director for the East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra. "If you have the evening free, I hope you’ll consider attending."

The young musicians who will perform on Sunday are the top high school classical instrumentalists in the area. The student-musician group, who audition individually for their chair, consist of 49 students from Champaign, Urbana, Mahomet, Monticello, and Danville.

In addition to classical pieces from Bach, Tchaikovsky, and Mozart, concert-goers will hear new work by Aaron Rosenstein, a member of the orchestra.

"The kids have worked long and hard during a challenging time, and the results will be very much worth hearing," Kelly added.


Guest Commentary: Masked or not, at least say 'Howdy'

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator


"Howdy," was a common everyday word where I grew up. Raised on old Stidham, now known as Milo road in rural Appalachia, I spent a lot of time at my Grandpa and Grandma Hinkle’s store. People came and went buying gasoline, sandwich meat, snacks or groceries for the week. There were cane bottom chairs in the store. Often people would sit and chat for a while.

Regardless of how many times during the week I walked down the road to that store, the opening salutation was typically, "howdy."

People were in and out of the Hinkle store doing business. A family member was often coming or going because my grandparents had raised ten children and there were many grandchildren who frequented the Hinkle business. Often, family members were buying a soda pop or just stopping in to say “howdy.”

We grew up on Milo speaking to most everyone who came and went. When a car drove by, we usually waved even though we didn’t always know them. At family or church gatherings we typically talked to everyone for a minute or two and shook hands or hugged a few people.

The only time I can remember our family being speechless was when fifteen or twenty of us were sitting on the porch and a man from New York City pulled up in an older car.

My grandpa had received an advertisement in the mail about a great used car he could buy for $500. He ordered the car to surprise my grandma and we were all really surprised when this man pulled in front of the store in an old beat up looking car. He had driven the car from New York City, which was a long drive on those roads back then.

After being drop jaw stunned silent for a few minutes, everyone loosened up and eventually started talking to the man who was just doing a job but now had to get back to New York. By this time, some of us were chuckling just a little. A couple of the family members took the guy over to Kermit, West Virginia to catch a Greyhound bus to begin his long journey back home.

A part of American culture has been hand shaking and embracing those we know. A part of most American religious gatherings has been shaking hands. One church I attended insisted on everybody hugging each other.

Covid-19 has impacted our world with death, sickness and business failures. The distancing for many of us continues to be tough. We wear our masks and seldom know who else is in the grocery store.

We’re fearful of going to the funeral home to honor and respect the deceased. Shaking hands or embracing anyone anywhere is typically totally unwelcome. Many holiday parties of large gatherings were fewer over the past holidays. People don’t want to be sick and so the distancing continues.

We do have the telephone, social media and email which helps us at least stay connected.

However, please keep in mind, when you do recognize someone at the grocery or any public place you may not feel comfortable embracing or shaking hands, but you can still convey a greeting and kindness by at least saying, "howdy."


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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.


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Classical musicians give winter concert

East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra
Members of the East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra performed at Smith Recital Hall in Urbana on Sunday. The orchestra, made up of 49 students from the local area, including Champaign, Urbana, Mahomet, Monticello, and Danville, delighted parents and guests pieces from Verdi, Malcolm Arnold, and Dvorak at the music building on the University of Illinois campus. Here, the cello section plays during the Hungarian Dance No.5 in G Minor by Johannes Brahms conducted by Kevin Kelly at the Winter Concert 2022.
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Youth orchestra to perform on campus this Sunday

The East Central Illinois Youth Orchestra will perform a concert at Smith Recital Hall in Urbana this Sunday, January 16, at 7pm.

The orchestra is made up of 49 students from the local area including Champaign, Urbana, Mahomet, Monticello, and Danville. Each student must audition for a spot in the program run by The Conservatory of Central Illinois. The young musicians are among the top high school classical instrumentalists in the area.

"We’ve been preparing since mid-September, with weekly rehearsals on Sunday afternoons at the Krannert Center," said Kevin Kelly, Conductor and Program Director. "The orchestra plays professional-level music from the standard orchestral repertoire, which presents expressive and technical challenges and tremendous learning opportunities for talented, highly motivated student musicians."

The program includes Giuseppe Verdi Overture to The Force of Destiny, Camille Saint-Saëns Danse Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah, and Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G Minor and No. 6 in D Major.

"This particular program has two selections drawn from operas—by Verdi and Saint-Saëns—two influenced by national styles of particular countries—the Irish dances of Arnold and the Hungarian dances of Brahms—and a movement from a celebrated symphony by Dvořák, who was a protege of Brahms," Kelly said. "Some of the tunes will be quite familiar to classical music fans, but all of it can easily be enjoyed by even the novice listener."

The concert is free to the general public and proof of vaccination or negative COVID test is required for admission.

The musicians for Sunday's program include:

Violin: Noel Chi, co-concertmaster, Jenna Shin, co-concertmaster, Elijah Song, co-concertmaster, Sierra Freund, assistant concertmaster, Emily Duong, Sarah Guo, Andrew Kim, Maggie Li, Wesley Lu, Swarup Majumder, Elan Pan, Shreyas Singh, Bruce Tang, Maya Viswanathan, Max Wang, Renee Wang, Emily Wilson, James Yan, and Dan Yang.

Viola: Sarah Kim, principal and Advait Rajmane.

Cello: Yelim Kim, principal, Ellie Kim, Sarah Su, Jeana To, Firmiana Wang, and Jason Yan.

Bass: Kalah Weber, principal and April Vanichtheeranont.

Flute: Grace To, principal, Hewitt Friedman, Elizabeth Su, and Jonas VisGirda.

Piccolo: Jonas VisGirda.

Oboe: William Ding, principal, and Ioelle Lee.

Clarinet: Benjamin Chang, co-principal, Stefania Dzhaman, co-principal, and Teo Percoco.

Bassoon: Christian Deck.

Horn: Owen Robinson, principal, and Mason Miao.

Trumpet: Gabe Difanis, co-principal, and Aaron Rosenstein, co-principal.

Trombone: Roman Di Girolamo, principal and Jack Minor, and Nick Wurl (guest).

Tuba: Owen Ericson.

Piano: D. J. Wang.

Timpani: Elianna Lee.

Percussion: Jason Kim



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