Sunday, Apr 12, 2026
Sapphira Mohammed, Copy Editor Fourth-year biology student William Thomas has been conducting research at VCU on curing sickle cell disease, the very same disease he has lived with his entire life. Thomas has had his eyes set on becoming a doctor since he was a kid. Fascinated by his own doctors, Thomas wanted to learn more about how his body worked when going to appointments for his sickle cell. Now, Thomas is in the business of figuring out how all bodies handle sickle cells in order to cure himself and other minorities who are disproportionately affected by the chronic illness. Sickle cell disease is a condition that causes red blood cells to become rigid and deform into a crescent, or sickle shape, according to the CDC. Sickled cells die early and often become lodged in small blood vessels, restricting blood flow, which can lead to serious health problems such as pneumonia, heart disease and strokes. Thomas was diagnosed with the illness at birth, but only reckoned with what that meant when his high school science teacher taught his class about the disease. At that point Thomas began falling in love with the subject. However, his interest in research came during
Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor Richmond had not one, but two anti-Trump protests on Saturday, as ideological and strategic disagreements between organizers led them to hold separate demonstrations. In downtown Kanawha Plaza, 50501 Virginia held a diverse rally alongside a coalition of progressive community organizers that turned into a march through some of the city’s busiest streets. A mile away in Monroe Park, RVA Indivisible held a “No Kings Freedom Fest” with music, canvassing by local Democratic parties and high-profile speakers such as Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi. The different approaches by the two Richmond organizations, which previously worked together, revealed a rift that has been festering for months — reflecting national disagreements on how to best dissent against the unprecedented second Trump administration. Third ‘No Kings’ smaller than last Richmond protest A number of demonstrators said they were confused about which protest they were supposed to attend. The crowds at both Kanawha Plaza and Monroe Park — even if combined — were smaller than the first two major “No Kings” protests in Richmond. A June 2025 march attracted an estimated 10,000 people, and an October 2025 march reached 20,000. On Saturday, only 3,000 people showed up to Kanawha Plaza, and 5,500
Sapphira Mohammed, Copy Editor Ink magazine is a student-run alternative publication that prints issues every semester with out-of-the-ordinary themes such as “cyber,” “sex” or “freaks.” The magazine is unlike other student publications at VCU, but its first issue was unique for a different reason — it was a newspaper created by and for African American students. Reflections in Ink was created in 1978 by the VCU student branch of the League of Black Journalists and the Black Student Alliance, according to VCU Libraries. African American students had just integrated into the college and wanted to create a newspaper based on their collective experiences, according to Marilyn Campbell, one of Reflections in Ink’s founders. “As a media team, we sought freedom through expression — voicing our truths, reflecting our experiences and embracing the realities of our time,” Campbell stated. “As students, our purpose was to pursue academic dreams while working side jobs, volunteering to gain experience and grounding our ambitions in the lives we were living.” With technical assistance from The CT and information from the Third World Coalition, Reflections in Ink’s first issue was released in March 1978. They noted that it would be the only issue funded by student
Sapphira Mohammed, Copy Editor Fourth-year biology student William Thomas has been conducting research at VCU on curing sickle cell disease, the very same disease he has lived with his entire life. Thomas has had his eyes set on becoming a doctor since he was a kid. Fascinated by his own doctors, Thomas wanted to learn more about how his body worked when going to appointments for his sickle cell. Now, Thomas is in the business of figuring out how all bodies handle sickle cells in order to cure himself and other minorities who are disproportionately affected by the chronic illness. Sickle cell disease is a condition that causes red blood cells to become rigid and deform into a crescent, or sickle shape, according to the CDC. Sickled cells die early and often become lodged in small blood vessels, restricting blood flow, which can lead to serious health problems such as pneumonia, heart disease and strokes. Thomas was diagnosed with the illness at birth, but only reckoned with what that meant when his high school science teacher taught his class about the disease. At that point Thomas began falling in love with the subject. However, his interest in research came during
Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor Richmond had not one, but two anti-Trump protests on Saturday, as ideological and strategic disagreements between organizers led them to hold separate demonstrations. In downtown Kanawha Plaza, 50501 Virginia held a diverse rally alongside a coalition of progressive community organizers that turned into a march through some of the city’s busiest streets. A mile away in Monroe Park, RVA Indivisible held a “No Kings Freedom Fest” with music, canvassing by local Democratic parties and high-profile speakers such as Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi. The different approaches by the two Richmond organizations, which previously worked together, revealed a rift that has been festering for months — reflecting national disagreements on how to best dissent against the unprecedented second Trump administration. Third ‘No Kings’ smaller than last Richmond protest A number of demonstrators said they were confused about which protest they were supposed to attend. The crowds at both Kanawha Plaza and Monroe Park — even if combined — were smaller than the first two major “No Kings” protests in Richmond. A June 2025 march attracted an estimated 10,000 people, and an October 2025 march reached 20,000. On Saturday, only 3,000 people showed up to Kanawha Plaza, and 5,500
Sapphira Mohammed, Copy Editor Ink magazine is a student-run alternative publication that prints issues every semester with out-of-the-ordinary themes such as “cyber,” “sex” or “freaks.” The magazine is unlike other student publications at VCU, but its first issue was unique for a different reason — it was a newspaper created by and for African American students. Reflections in Ink was created in 1978 by the VCU student branch of the League of Black Journalists and the Black Student Alliance, according to VCU Libraries. African American students had just integrated into the college and wanted to create a newspaper based on their collective experiences, according to Marilyn Campbell, one of Reflections in Ink’s founders. “As a media team, we sought freedom through expression — voicing our truths, reflecting our experiences and embracing the realities of our time,” Campbell stated. “As students, our purpose was to pursue academic dreams while working side jobs, volunteering to gain experience and grounding our ambitions in the lives we were living.” With technical assistance from The CT and information from the Third World Coalition, Reflections in Ink’s first issue was released in March 1978. They noted that it would be the only issue funded by student
Bryer Haywood, Staff Writer Jackie “Miss Peaches” Cherry, a warm, familiar figure to many students at VCU, passed away on March 8 at the age of 61. Miss Peaches worked at Shafer Dining Court for 15 years and is fondly remembered for always greeting students with a smile whenever they walked up the stairs. During an interview with VCU News last year, Miss Peaches said she was motivated in her position by her connection to her family and her “other family” in the Dining Services staff, and strived to be kind to students she came across. “I treat people decent every day,” Miss Peaches said. “It’s just my humble way. I’m only doing God’s work. If my grandkids were going to college, I would want somebody to treat them with respect and show them support.” Aramark, the company partnered with VCU to run VCUDine and which employed many of her colleagues, offered a statement on Miss Peaches’s passing. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of our long‑time and cherished colleague, Jacquelyn Cherry, known as Miss Peaches, whose dedication and kindness touched our entire organization. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her loved ones,” Aramark stated. While born in Fauquier
Molly Manning, Managing Editor Over a century ago, in an era of sexism and segregation, VCU’s first female graduates crossed the stage. Women studying STEM at VCU today say they appreciate the progress they championed, but divides still exist within certain fields. There is more work to be done. Innis Steinmetz became the first woman to graduate from the Medical College of Virginia in 1920 — and in the same year, the St. Philip Hospital School of Nursing opened its doors to a class of 10 Black, female nursing students. MCV opened the hospital as a separate, segregated school at a time when it was mandated, according to VCU News. Bessie Conway, Adelaide Royster Thomas and Helena Bell Wooldridge were the first St. Philip’s graduates in 1923. A commencement ceremony was held the following year at the First African Baptist Church, celebrating them as well as the 1924 graduates — Lily Leila DeWeaver, Dorothy Tanner Hooper, Rebecca Thompson Johnson, Thelma Kathleen Jordan, Catherine Ellerson McDowell and Willie Mae Moody. Though St. Philip shared a director with MCV’s School of Nursing and was aimed at modeling the school, St. Philip students had lesser facilities and resources, limited space and faced discrimination
Maeve Bauer, Spectrum Editor Virginia is on the cusp of codifying an amendment enshrining access to reproductive care in the state constitution. The commonwealth is the last state in the southeastern United States with access to abortion past the first trimester. Though there is access to abortion in Virginia, many women, transgender people and gender-non-confirming people still struggle to secure reproductive health care due to income inequalities, lack of education and general stigmas. Advocate groups have been working to support each other and maintain equity in access for those seeking reproductive care in the state. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia have been collaborating with democratic legislators for four years to amend the state’s constitution. Their proposed change would enshrine protection for multiple reproductive needs — fertility treatments, contraceptives and abortions in the state legislature. Voting for the amendment will open in late September and close on Nov. 3. “This has been a long road to get to this and we know that Virginians overwhelmingly support the right to make their own health care decisions free from government interference or criminal punishment,” said Jamie Lockhart, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia works to
Alexis Washington, Assistant Sports Editor VCU entered this season under new head coach Phil Martelli Jr. with a lot of questions. One of the biggest was “How will the offense look, and where will the scoring primarily come from?” Terrence Hill Jr. was the answer. The spark comes off the bench for VCU, and it arrives with Hill, a multi-skill second-year guard from the West Coast. Before making his mark in Richmond, Hill split his high school days between football and basketball — following in the footsteps of his father, who played both sports. Basketball runs deep in his family. Hill’s aunt, who recently passed away, played as well, but it was not until one particular game he realized his full potential. “We played against Cleveland High School,” Hill said. “Dame Lillard actually came to a game, and I hit a game winner while he was there. So that kind of was like a moment. I was like, ‘wow, this is kind of crazy.’” As a high school senior in 2024, Hill was named Portland Interscholastic League Player of the Year, to First Team All-State and to the Oregon School Activities Association’s 6A First Team All-Tournament. Hill brought that same
Maeve Bauer, Spectrum Editor Catherine Colombo, Contributing Writer Since its inception in 1968, VCU has seen the work of student activists, journalists and free thinkers shape campus culture. The VCU Libraries Special Collections and Archives department created an exhibition, “Voices of Change: Student Advocacy and Action from the Archives,” that delves into the very student movements that have made the “uncommon,” urban campus what it is today. Special Collections held a panel last Thursday with four VCU alums who discussed their time at VCU and the different protests they were involved in. Panelists included Dale Brumfield, IBé Bulinda Hereford Crawley, Krissi Vandenberg and C. A. P. Ward. It was moderated by interdisciplinary studies director Vineeta Singh. The four panelists studied at VCU at different times. Together, their words strung together an overall picture of student movements from the 1970s to the modern day. Many of them cited VCU as a second home — and they all held similar beliefs of building and relying on community. “That’s where voice starts,” Crawley said. “People actively talking is where we make change.” The exhibition was created in 2025 as a way to highlight movements throughout the years that have created an overall net
Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor Molly Manning, Managing Editor “The medical examiner said if anybody would have called and got Adam help, he would be
Malachi Keys, Contributing Writer About 5,500 miles away from his home, third-year track star Jude Okafor is setting VCU program records and making his family
Heciel Nieves Bonilla, News Editor “East Suffolk Cagers to meet Courtland Wednesday Afternoon” read the first headline in the Library of Virginia’s record attributed to
Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor While many VCU students enjoy being African-American studies majors in 2026, it took decades of protest and advocacy by some of
Sapphira Mohammed, Copy Editor “I’m in a weird place right now with my Judaism when it comes to my beliefs about Israel,” an anonymous VCU
Rachel Nicholas, Staff Writer One man’s trash becomes another man’s treasure at Richmond’s Barter Markets — a reoccurring gathering rooted in camaraderie and sustainability hosted