University of Mississippi eGrove Daily Mississippian 11-4-2019 November 4, 2019 The Daily Mississippian Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/thedmonline Recommended Citation The Daily Mississippian, "November 4, 2019" (2019). Daily Mississippian. 28. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/thedmonline/28 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by eGrove. It has been accepted for inclusion in Daily Mississippian by an authorized administrator of eGrove. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE Daily MISSISSIPPIAN Monday, November 4, 2019 theDMonline.com Volume 108, No. 30 FOOTBALL Nowhere to go Offense Facing homelessness as an LGBTQ student disappoints (again) NIGEL DENT [email protected] JOSHUA CLAYTON Regan Willis, 24, graduated as president of the UM Pride [email protected] Network in 2018 after five years of battling intermittent homelessness. Abandoned by his parents in the summer of The Ole Miss football team 2014 for being transgender and in a relationship, he was left came up short in another to fend for himself, taking a year off to search for a home winnable game as the Rebels fell and a way to pay for school. to then- No. 11 Auburn 20-14 on He survived by staying with friends, but homelessness Saturday. severely impacted his mental health. He couldn’t focus on Once again, it was the school because he was looking for work, food and a place to consistently unproductive live. He graduated with a 2.1 GPA, and he took pride in it. offense that was unable “Most people, you look at me on paper and you think I’m to capitalize on a strong a failure,” Willis said. “But, I’ve worked harder than I ever performance from the defense. thought I would have to, to get that degree. And I’m more Offensive coordinator Rich proud than some people who graduated with a 4.0.” Rodriguez appeared to share After finishing school and speaking at the Lavender the same frustration as Rebel Graduation, a ceremony that honors LGBTQ students’ fans throughout the game as he achievements and honors, Willis said he felt like he pounded his desk in the coach’s finally overcame his struggles. But his homeless- box. ness didn’t end with college. The results beg for an answer “It kind of sticks around and continues to a standing question that’s to haunt you, in a sense,” he said. about five weeks old: What’s In the summer of 2018, he found going on with the Ole Miss himself homeless again after the offense? end of a relationship. He could only “It’s awful,” Rodriguez said obtain lower-paying jobs and intern- when asked after the loss about ships because of poor grades and lack issues with the passing game. of experience. “We’ve got to be able to pitch Jaime Harker of the Sarah Isom Center and catch. I’ve got to see what we said that homelessness is an “invisible challenge” can do and what we can execute. that the LGBTQ community faces. You’re not going to, at this point, “You also hear a lot of stories about students at the university when do all of your schemes all over they come out, their parents ‘ghost’ them,” Harker said. “That is, they stop paying KATHERINE BUTLER / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN again, but these are passes we their tuition, take the car. All of a sudden, they can’t manage their bills, and it can missed today that our guys have be really sudden.” completed pretty well and easily Not only should the issue be brought to light, Harker said, but the community in practice. We just didn’t do it also needs to help students whose parents physically and financially abandon SEE LGBTQ PAGE 8 SEE OFFENSE PAGE 5 No one ‘Ronzo’ honored at the Powerhouse Friday night Addington said she wanted CAROLINE NIHILL to bring the event back after injured in [email protected] years of its absence. Ronzo Family and friends of Ron was not involved directly in “Ronzo” Shapiro gathered at the process, but he continued shooting the Powerhouse on Friday to be a supporter and adviser evening to celebrate his life for the show. with music, food, drinks and “We’re just kind of cele- “general Ronzoness.” brating his life throughout the MADDY QUON year because he’s such a big [email protected] Oxford Film Festival also honored Shapiro with its part of bringing independent fourth annual screening of movies to Oxford,” Addington There was a shoot- “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” said. ing reported at Buffalo Oxford Film Festival exec- In the last four years that Wild Wings around 2 p.m. utive director Melanie Adding- the festival has hosted the on Sunday. No one was ton said that her organization event, tickets have sold out. injured. wanted to honor Shapiro “On Halloween, there’s not According to a tweet again. Along with these events, a lot to do if you’re not a kid,” from the Oxford Police March’s film festival will also Addington said. “Because, you Department, officers give an award in his name. The know, there’s like a bar contest worked quickly to identify award will be for documenta- for ‘best costume,’ and that’s a suspect and take him into ries, per Shapiro’s request. really it, so this gives people custody. The “Rocky Horror Picture something to do if they’re not This is a developing Show” screening started in a child trick or treating.” story and more information Oxford when Shapiro estab- The cult classic is an inter- PHOTO COURTESY: TOM RANKIN will be provided after the lished the Hoka, an indepen- active film with props, sing- ing, dancing and lines for the suspect is formally charged. dent theatre. Once the venue Oxford Film Festival honored Shapiro with its fourth annual screening audience to say. A mistress Look on thedmonline. shut down, the screening of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” at the Powerhouse on Friday. com for more coverage. didn’t happen until years later. SEE RONZO PAGE 8 PAGE 2 | THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN | 4 NOVEMBER 2019 Theta’s encore: Dance This week competition returns at Ole Miss alum and the 2018 Theta fund- ERIN KILLION raising director, said she’s excited [email protected] MADDY QUON about the future of Encore under [email protected] Theta Encore’s philanthropic its new direction. show will go on as College Panhel- “I am so happy that College School of Education lenic (CPH) is set to host CASA Panhellenic has decided to take on Choose to Include Peace Encore this month. this wonderful event,” Sirdashney Walk: The SOE diversity said. “Although it was important In the past, sorority Kappa office is holding a walk to to our chapter, I think that Panhel- Alpha Theta has hosted a blood honor Emmett Till’s legacy, lenic’s involvement now with the FILE PHOTO: CHRISTIAN JOHNSON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN drive, fundraiser and dance while also educating people execution of the event with only competition called “Theta Encore” on contemporary hate crimes strengthen it and bring more Members of the Delta Gamma sorority perform a “Where are they to benefit a variety of charitable now?” themed dance routine during Theta Encore last year. The event that have occurred. There organizations, including Lafayette awareness and hopefully more volunteers to the Oxford commu- benefits Court Appointed Special Advocates which seeks to ensure that will be guest speakers, and County’s branch of CASA, which the UM Gospel Choir and Ole is a nonprofit organization that nity.” abused and neglected children get the help they need in school and CPH Vice President of Philan- Miss African Drum and Dance advocates for children in the court with their personal and social lives. Ensemble will perform. system who have been abused or thropy Pirie Maher said Theta Time/Location: Monday, neglected. Encore has been an important The dance competition, hosted coach the participants. Alpha 12:30 p.m. starting at the Almost a year ago, Theta Greek event for years and that at the Gertrude C. Ford Center, Phi’s Panhellenic delegate, Emily Meredith Historical Marker announced that the Epsilon Zeta Panhellenic wanted to continue its allows each sorority chapter to LeClair, said this event is not only and ending in front of Guyton chapter at the University of Missis- tradition. enter a team made up of members important for fundraising, but also Hall sippi would close at the end of the “CPH decided to host this of their newest pledge class, with pivotal for individual Panhellenic fall 2018 semester, citing “low event because it is our duty as the First Tuesdays in many themed dances. The compe- members. membership and discouraging governing council of the sorority Bryant Hall: Join Michael tition is judged by notable UM “This is a very interesting time recruitment efforts.” community to ensure that import- Gardiner as he explores the community members. as the new pledge class is trying to Following the Theta chap- ant events like Encore continue,” genre of ambient music. Theta Encore has been a favor- find their spot in the chapter, and ter’s closing in 2018, CPH decided Maher said. “Throughout the Gardiner will be applying ite philanthropy event among having practices allows the girls to to host the event this year, still years, Encore has been an event his interest in music theory, Panhellenic women since 2002, really get to know each other and benefiting Theta’s philanthropy. looked forward to every year by the structure and design into when the first Theta Encore took form new and stronger friend- Women of the Panhellenic incoming pledge classes and has making ambient music of his place at Ole Miss.