The Justice, April 4, 2023

ACCESSIBILITY

New ramp to be added to counseling center

■

Hana Klempnauer Miller

’25 advocated for funding for the new ramp, but her goals to address disability concerns won’t stop there.

By SOPHIA STEWART JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Students with disabilities cannot currently access the Brandeis Counseling Center because there is no American Disability Act-compliant accessible ramp. Instead of accessing the BCC Mailman House, Brandeis students with disabilities have the option to visit the counseling center in a multi-purpose room in the library accessible by elevator or via telehealth.

On Wednesday, March 5 the Student Union passed a resolution condemning Brandeis’ accessibility policies with the leadership of Student Union Director of Accessibility Hana Klempnauer Miller ’25. Miller’s objective was to gain funding from the Community Emergency and Enhancement Fund for a new accessible ramp at the BCC.

“Historically, the BCC has faced a lot of challenges and has a significant

HOUSING

amount of work to do when it comes to rebuilding student trust, but I believe that this is a first step to moving forward. I have been working closely with the students who are leading the interview process for a new BCC director and improved policy reforms, and accessibility has been at the heart of all of these conversations,” Miller said in a March 31 interview with the Justice.

Director of Student Accessibility Support Cara Streit and Miller believe that students with disabilities should not face obstacles to mental health care, and they decided to apply for funding to make changes to the disability care policies at Brandeis, according to a March 31 interview with the Justice. Miller also said that students with disabilities were struggling after the bus crash in November and could not walk up the stairs to the BCC due to their impairment.

“Individuals with disabilities have reported a higher incidence of mental health struggles, and as someone with a disability who has struggled with their mental health, I can say from a first-person perspective that it is essential we make these resources accessible and welcoming to all members of our community,”

See RAMP, 5 ☛

DCL fails to fulfill housing accommodations

■ Students with disabilities wrote a petition to advocate for their previously promised housing accommodations.

By SOPHIA DE LISI JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

On March 30, shortly after assigning students with their selection numbers, the Department of Community Living released housing options for students who applied for housing accommodations for the upcoming academic year. However, numerous students have reported that their housing offers have not been suitable in terms of the DCL-approved accommodations. Additionally, many juniors and seniors were not offered housing accommodations because their randomly-assigned housing numbers were too high. In response, two students from the Disabled Students’ Network created a letter template for students to sign and send to DCL to advocate for impacted students. Due to the initiative’s strong support, the plan evolved into a petition that has been signed by 182 students, 19 alumni, and 26 relatives, as of press time.

The petition specifically cites

DCL’s lack of transparency with students in need of accommodations.

According to the petition, DCL has prevented “disabled students from making the proper arrangements to seek off-campus housing alternatives” and prevented them from “forming and/or joining housing groups in the general selection process” because they did not expect to have to make plans in the instance that DCL would refuse previously promised accommodations. Furthermore, the petition stresses that this refusal threatens students’ right to equal access to education, creates possible academic and medical issues, and has the potential to cause homelessness.

DCL’s accommodations page specifies the general process for getting accommodations approved. However, they direct students to the Student Accessibility Support housing accommodations page for further details regarding the request process.

Bryn Zilch ’24, who is helping run a student-led investigation of DCL through a Discord server to discern why some students’ accommodations were rejected, elaborated on the issue in an April 3 interview with the Justice.

“DSN and all of the other people

‘Global

Thrift’

 Interviewees discuss their finds at Moody St.’s “Global Thrift.”

By AUTUMN BELLAN

FEATURES 6

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

CLIMATE CONFERENCE

Beginning to End the Climate Crisis conference tackles climate change

■ The event, hosted by the Center for German and European Studies, featured a variety of speakers, panels, and a book launch.

By HEDY YANG JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Thursday, March 30, the Center for German and European Studies hosted its Beginning to End the Climate Crisis conference in honor of its 25th anniversary and in coordination with Brandeis’ Year of Climate Action in Sherman Function Hall. The full-day conference included keynote speeches, panel discussions, and an interview with the authors of “Beginning to End the Climate Crisis: A History of Our Future.”

The event kicked off with a vegan luncheon and remarks from Prof. Sabine von Mering (GER), Dean of Arts and Sciences Dorothy Hodgson, and Consul General of Germany to the New England States Dr. Sonja Kreibich, among others. Following the luncheon and opening remarks, Simon Richter, professor of German and Dutch culture at the University of Pennsylvania, gave the first keynote address. Richter considers himself a “climate emergency gadfly” at Penn, where he hopes to motivate

‘MILF

Manor’

people and institutions to take unprecedented action, such as incorporating the climate emergency as a starting point for all forms of education, to mitigate the climate crisis.

Richter’s keynote speech was followed by a panel on climate justice, which featured climate photographer Barbara Dombrowski, Prof. Prakash Kashwan (ENVS), and social and political organizer Tonny Nowshin.

Dombrowski shared a series of somber photos from her projects “Tropic Ice” and “Quo Vadis, Europe?” which illustrate the effects of climate change on communities around the world. “Tropic Ice” focused on indigenous communities living in climate “tipping points” on five continents, while “Quo Vadis, Europe?” analyzed the “human-nature relationship crisis” of the Anthropocene through images of devastation in Europe resulting from floods, open-pit mining, and more.

Dombrowski explained that through her photography, she hopes to highlight that “man-made climate change is a massive threat not only to nature and ecosystems and biodiversity, but above all to people themselves.” Dombrowski’s work is currently on display in Goldfarb Library.

In his remarks, Prof. Kashwan discussed the idea of ecological justice in the age of the climate crisis. He critiqued the rise of “junk

 TLC's series “MILF Manor” fails to break away from reality show tropes.

By JEN CRYSTAL

carbon offset markets” that were widely popularized after COP13, criticized the global climate change summit held by the United Nations in 2007 and he suggested that poor countries are susceptible to land grabs by rich Western nations seeking to carry out their goals of carbon neutrality. “This essentially asks us to … really think about these things in a more holistic way, and not just what we are doing here in terms of recycling, driving electric vehicles, and so forth,” he stated.

Nowshin attributed capitalism as a root cause of the climate crisis and advocated for the concept of degrowth as a solution. Degrowth seeks to prioritize “social and ecological welfare over production and consumption” and further suggests that capitalist economies’ focus on growth measurements like gross domestic product do not reflect people’s wellbeing and have consistently failed in the past.

Following the climate justice panel, attendees heard from authors Luisa Neubauer and Alex Repenning on their book “Beginning to End the Climate Crisis: A History of Our Future.” The discussion celebrated von Mering’s English translation of the book and its launch in the United States.

Neubauer reflected on the process of writing the book and the niche she sought to fill with it, suggesting that most literature about

Sustainability clothing swap

By SOPHIA DE LISI

Brandeis Title IX violations

By RANI BALAKRISHNA

Men’s tennis photostory

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

LECTURE : Bill McKibben gives the keynote speech at the Beginning to End the Climate Crisis conference on March 30. Photo courtesy of AUTUMN BELLAN

Student Union Senate hears two new Senate Bill proposals, charters new poker club

The Student Union Senate chartered a new club and heard two Senate bill proposals on April 2, its last meeting before the Passover and Spring Break. Secretary Carol Kornworcel ’26 also presented several minor edits she made to the Student Union Constitution.

Kornworcel said the changes, of which there are over 300, were “nothing substantial,” and mainly pertained to making the document’s formatting consistent. The Senate approved the edits by acclamation.

Executive Sen. Eamonn Golden ’24 also gave an update on the meal plans for next semester, which Harvest Table is changing from previous years. Though he could not comment on specifics, Golden hinted that the plan would be similar to those at George-

POLICE LOG

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Mar. 26—A caller stated they were bleeding and requested medical assistance in Skyline Residence Hall. The party was treated by BEMCo and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Mar. 27—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Mar. 27—There was a report of a party who fell on their knee in the Goldfarb Library. Armstrong Ambulance and the Waltham Fire Department responded to the scene, and the patient was transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Mar. 29—There was a medical call in Ziv Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Mar. 30—A nurse requested an ambulance for a patient in the Golding Health Center.

Mar. 31—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

■ A teaser caption mispelled Branvan driver Bob Castel’s name (March 28, pg. 1).

■ A Justice ad used a copyrighted image. The image will not be used again (March 28, pg. 11).

■ A news article printed a photo of orientation leaders. The people in the photo clarified they were not involved in unionizing efforts (March 28, pg. 1).

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Send an email to editor@thejustice.org.

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

town University. Georgetown has a meal plan which gives students unlimited swipes at their dining hall.

Sen. Tyler Johnson ’26 presented Senate Bill 8, which he said will require “each branch head [to] file publicly available meeting notes and minutes for their meetings.”

Golden presented Senate Bill 9, which would eliminate “voting to expedite” when the Union votes on Senate Money Resolutions. Currently, if the Senate wants to vote on an SMR the same week it is proposed, they must first vote to expedite the measure. If Senate Bill 9 passes, this will no longer be required. The Senate will vote on both bills after the break.

Layla Hay ’25, treasurer of Poker Power Brandeis, asked that the Senate charter the club. She said the club’s purpose is to cre-

ate a “feminist community of allies through the teaching and learning of poker.” The Senate chartered the club by acclamation.

— Editor’s note: Justice Production Assistant Noah Risley ’24 is the chief justice of the Student Union and did not contribute to the reporting or editing of this article.

Mar. 31—There was a medical emergency in the Usdan Student Center. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Apr. 1—Waltham Fire Department called to report a person with a broken ankle at the Club Field. The patient was transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Apr. 1—There was a knee injury on the Athletic Fields. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Apr. 1—A party complained of a lung issue in Skyline Residence Hall. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care.

FRAUD

Mar. 26—A reporting party reported that they gave money to a false email. An investigation is to follow.

Mar. 28—A reporting party answered a phishing email in the Village.

Mar. 29—A student in the Charles River Apartments reported that they gave personal information to a fraudulent third-party entity identifying themselves as Homeland In-

vestigations. An investigation is to follow.

MISCELLANEOUS

Mar. 26—A reporting party stated they heard yelling and screaming from the apartment above in the Charles River Apartments and requested the police to investigate. Upon arrival, the complaint was unfounded.

Mar. 26—There was a noise complaint for a group of students being loud, smoking and drinking, and gathering in Massell Quad. The reporting party requested police to restore the peace. Students were advised and departed from the area. No violations were observed.

Mar. 26—There was a drug violation in Massell Quad. Brandeis Public Safety was dispatched to meet with the area coordinator on call to confiscate the paraphernalia. The unit seized the controlled substance and secured it at the station.

Mar. 29—Waltham Police Department called to report a multiple-vehicle accident in the Athletic Field lot. No injuries were reported.

Compiled by Leah Breakstone

Max Feigelson

Lurie Institute celebrates inaugural Carrie Buck fellow

■ The lecture covered topics such as the intersection between reproductive and disability justice, the rise of eugenicist language in the U.S., and the legacy of disability activists.

By HEDY YANG JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Wednesday, March 29, the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy welcomed its inaugural Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellow, Laurie Bertram Roberts, for a conversation about reproductive and disability justice.

According to the Lurie Institute’s website, the Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellowship is awarded to “activists, scholars, and community organizers with disabilities whose work draws national attention to systemic ableism in reproductive health policy.” It is funded by the Ford Foundation, a social justice foundation that seeks to advance human rights and equitable outcomes.

Roberts is a self-described low-income, Black, queer, and disabled grassroots reproductive justice activist. She is the co-founder and executive director of the Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund, which is the state’s only reproductive justice organization that provides abortion funds, emergency contraception, pregnancy support, sex education, and other reproductive health initiatives.

Rebecca Cokley, the inaugural program officer of the Ford Foundation’s U.S. Disability Rights Program, was also a part of the conversation. Cokley is a disability rights activist and three-time presidential appointee, serving previously in the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services. She also oversaw diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts under the Obama administration.

The event opened with remarks from Lurie Institute Director Monika Mitra and Dean of the Heller School Maria Madison, who discussed Brandeis’ connection with the landmark Buck v. Bell court case and why the fellowship was created.

Carrie Buck, for whom the fellowship is named, was the plaintiff in the Buck v. Bell case, in which the majority opinion endorsed the involuntary sterilization of people with disabilities, writing that “three generations of imbeciles are enough.” During an event in March 2021 honoring Cokley as Brandeis’ 2020 Distinguished Richman Fellow, an audience member pointed out Brandeis’ connection to Buck v. Bell — Justice Louis D. Brandeis had signed the majority opinion in the case — and asked what the University planned to do to acknowledge this fact and to commit to advancing disability justice. Cokley suggested that the University host a lecture starting a conversation about Buck v. Bell and the “radicalness of the idea of disabled people being parents and having the right to parent.”

Much of Roberts and Cokley’s conversation last week focused on the intersection between disability and reproductive justice, highlighting the disabled community’s historical and ongoing struggle with bodily autonomy and the right to parent: “Society is really not comfortable with disabled people,

Fourth biannual clothing swap fights worldwide

fast fashion trends

with disabled women, with disabled women of color, with poor disabled women of color … being in full control of our bodies and choices,” Cokley said.

Roberts also drew attention to the distinctions between the reproductive justice and reproductive rights movements, cautioning movement leaders and politicians against using the term reproductive justice if they are not ready to do the work the movement asks for.

According to Roberts, reproductive justice is a global human rights framework that centers around issues of equity and is necessarily intersectional, while the reproductive rights movement focuses primarily on issues of access to reproductive healthcare.

“Sometimes it’s hard for us as Americans to wrap our minds around it, because it’s not a framework we work from a lot,” Roberts said. “When we think of human rights, we think of tragedies and human rights abuses from warzones, but there are global human rights frameworks as in human rights to things we should have, like food, water, and the right to parent our children.”

Cokley and Roberts also discussed the necessity of collaboration between the reproductive and disability justice movements. In particular, Cokley suggested that there is a lot the reproductive justice movement can learn from the disability justice movement, especially in terms of strategies for civil disobedience and the “willingness for that cross-movement solidarity and that thinking about … creative ways that we show up for each other.”

In discussing issues of reproductive and disability justice, Cokley and Roberts emphasized the importance of acknowledging the history of eugenics in the country and its continued effects on the disabled community.

Cokley also talked about current events that point to an alarming rise in eugenicist language and sentiment in the nation, such as the forced sterilization of 20,000 people in California’s state prison systems and a Tennessee judge’s controversial 2017 decision providing prisoners early release if they agreed to be sterilized.

According to Cokley, the rise in eugenicist language and sentiment is all the more reason to center ideas of justice and intersectionality. “The application of a justice lens really allows us to move from a place of eugenics to a place where we can actually talk about bodily autonomy,” she said.

When asked about what gives her hope and what moving forward looks like for the reproductive and disability justice movements, Roberts expressed her optimism for Gen Z and its capacity to organize, find community, and share information on social media platforms like TikTok. “They [the oppressors] wouldn’t work this hard to roll things back, to oppress this hard [if not for Gen Z’s actions],” Roberts reflected. “They know, they know they’re losing.”

Roberts also stressed the importance for continued education and conversation about the dangers of ableism and the legacy of eugenics. “We need to have a real conversation with ourselves as a community, as a nation, about what it really means to be people, to be whole people … to be able to be ill and be fallible, and for that to be okay and for you to be honored as a human.”

■ The Office of Sustainability hosted a clothing swap to spread awareness about the fast fashion clothing sector’s environmental impacts.

By SOPHIA DE LISI JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Fast fashion — the sector of business in the fashion industry that relies on the cheap and hastily-made creations of its clothing, according to Earth.org — is a system that promotes consumption, exploiting most people’s interest in affordable clothing.

In an effort to fight this trend, the Office of Sustainability hosted its fourth biannual clothing swap in the Shapiro Campus Center on March 31. Clothing swaps are events that allow students to leave clothing that they stopped wearing and want to get rid of, while offering them the opportunity to obtain new clothing for free. After all, fast fashion appeals to businesses as a reliable method of generating revenue by attracting customers who prefer to save money on lower-quality clothes that will soon go out of style, rather than pay more for long-lasting clothes that they will stop using as trends shift.

In a March 31 interview with the Justice, Sustainability Ambassador Dina Millerman ’25 explained that “A lot of people have a lot of clothing that they don’t wear or don’t use anymore, and they don’t know what to do with them. But [clothing swaps] create a space and a time where people know that they can come and get rid of some of the clothes that have been laying around in their closets for months.” Giving students an opportunity to empty their closets of unutilized clothes decreases unnecessary clothing waste, since clothes that lay abandoned in the back of a closet are often still in wearable condition.

Millerman also stressed that besides providing students opportunities to give their clothes away without contributing to waste, swaps also allow for free shopping. “If someone else can wear [the clothing] and get value from it, it prolongs the life cycle of the items,” she said. This opportunity is significant as some of the highest consumers of fast fashion are among the age group of undergraduate students. For instance, Statista discloses that the second-highest age group of visitors for the popular fast fashion retail company website Shein is 18-24, making up 27.2% of users. There is only a 2.22% difference between this age group and the highest being 25-30. These numbers are reasonable, considering that fast fashion companies create low quality products that they can mass produce and sell for affordable prices. Naturally, selling fashionable clothing for low prices appeals to students, particularly when the items are not made to last and instead stay intact for as long as the trend continues.

Temporary fashion trends often contribute to consumers abandoning clothing that is in need of an extended life cycle, Millerman mentioned. Conversely, offering gently used

clothing for free in the SCC attracted a steady stream of students, some donating bags full of their clothing and some browsing the items on the tables. Even several staff members from Einstein Bros. Bagels were able to take time to look through the free options on the table.

Although this opportunity to swap clothes gave many individuals new items in their closets, widespread change comes from broader environmentally-conscious changes, according to co-President of Students for Environmental Action Leo Zhang ’25.

In an April 2 email interview with the Justice Zhang said, “I see combating fast fashion as one of those [introductions] to how we can save the Earth with individual action. It is relatively easy for our demographic to tackle the issue, to stop buying so much clothes, and [to] try thrifting once in a while.” He added that while such individual change is partially effective, it is more reasonable to find ways to create collective change to tackle a global issue.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 85% of textiles are dumped into landfills or burned. There is hardly an alternative, since about 60% of clothing materials are ineligible for recycling because their plastic components come from crude oil. These forms of plastic include polyester, nylon, and acrylic, also known as polyethylene terephthalate, which are cheap and versatile synthetic fibers, making them broadly used in athleisure and winter apparel. Vox reports that these microplastics pollute the ocean because of the high amount of fibers that come off of clothing in washers; they are too small for any filter to catch and they pass through sewage treatment plants, and eventually go into rivers and seas with the rest of wastewater. In the same article, marine scientist Imogen Napper estimated that 700,000 fibers come off of clothing in one average wash. These microplastics are then ingested by marine wildlife and are often toxic to the organisms that consume them as they block their gastrointestinal pathways.

The strain on marine life is not the only researched consequence of this fashion sector. Referencing a report by Synthetics Anonymous, TIME writes that the fashion industry is responsible for more than 10% of carbon emissions, with oil consumption creating an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide emissions as 180 coal-fired power plants otherwise would.

Referencing environmentalists Bill McKibben and Greta Thunberg, Zhang emphasized that it is more consequential to install “fundamental institutional change” that goes beyond recycling and composting. “The act of organizing a ‘clothing swap’ and the Global Thrift Pop Up event is collective, but it is not enough… What we need is collective action saying Brandeis needs to divest from fossil fuels,” Zhang said.

The University’s Office of Sustainability has begun implementing broad changes such as the new organic land processes and investing in electric-powered appliances, expressing their responsibility to climate justice.

ADVOCACY: Sustainability Ambassadors pose with donated items at the March 31 clothing swap.

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

RAMP : BCC accessibility

CONTINUED FROM 1

Miller said.

“It seemed totally preposterous to me that Brandeis, a school who both identifies as a social justice institution and houses a research group on disability policy, would ignore the importance of accessible mental health support for its students,” Miller continued. She also referenced accounts from students who have been injured by attempting to use the stairs to the BCC because of mobility impairments. “Everyone deserves equal access, and I think that is particularly important with regard to mental health that we not make students with disabilities feel as though they don’t deserve to be in the same spaces as those without disabilities,” Miller added.

At first, the administration was going to cover the costs of the ramp, but they informed Miller that it would be too expensive. Then, Miller and Streit applied for CEEF funding to cover the ramp, citing their argument for the criticality of accessible mental health care on campus. According to Miller, the BCC ramp has been the most requested renovation for the past five years. The new ramp will be funded through CEEF funding as well as the ADA Projects budget.

“This is a big win, don’t get me wrong, and it’s one that I’m intensely proud of, but it doesn’t go as far as it could had there been more institutional support. Student money is paying for over a third

B2ECC : Authors discuss book

CONTINUED FROM 1

of this project. A THIRD. Nearly every major accessibility win in the past five years has been because of and/or funded by students,” Miller said.

The lack of accessibility inside and outside Brandeis buildings and facilities, according to Miller, is isolating and further exacerbates the lack of inclusion. Miller hopes to gain more funding through Brandeis Student Accessibility Services for other ramps to be added around campus, such as outside Golding Judaica in the Mandel Humanities Quad, as well as door openers for Sherman Dining Hall.

“The SAS budget is $60,000 a year, which is so small that their own employees don’t get paid out of it. SAS is trying to win a war that they haven’t been given the tools to fight. Senior Brandeis Administration [love] to think of accessibility as either a hypothetical that doesn’t need to be addressed or as some kind of mountain that we would have to move heaven and Earth to accommodate,” Miller said.

Miller’s funding request was successful, and the Student Union’s resolution urged administration to listen to student demands and honor their promise to be inclusive and accessible for all of the Brandeis community. Overall, the funding request and resolution are meant to build greater inclusivity and provide space for those with disabilities to thrive on campus.

the climate crisis “seem to put people into more despair than into empowerment.” She explained that this response is often due to the mismatch between the scope of the crisis described and the action people are advised to take. “On hundreds of pages, you’ll find information about environmental crises … and then the last ten pages tell you what you can do as an individual. They say knowledge is power, but with the climate crisis, it’s very easily turned into disempowerment,” Neubauer said.

The authors concluded on a cautiously optimistic note by reflecting upon the progress the climate movement has made while stressing the need for further action. Repenning suggested that the climate movement has become more broadly accessible and has advanced beyond simply proving the existence of climate change to stopping greenwashing — the act of deceiving consumers into believing a company’s products are more environmentally friendly than they actually are — and ensuring governments and companies follow through with their climate promises. Neubauer added, “Why do we speak about the climate? Why is it [climate action] on the agenda? Why is there this image of people, young people, asking for government accountability? It’s because in the last four years, we changed the perception of what people can achieve together. And it’s never been harder to deny the power of the people.”

The final event of the conference was a keynote address from Bill McKibben, a leading environmental journalist and one of the first individuals to write about the climate crisis in his book “The End of Nature,” published in 1989. In his address, McKibben discussed issues of

environmental justice, climate refugees, and the effects of warming in the Arctic. He also spoke extensively about the decreasing price of renewable energy and its role in facilitating the transition away from a fossil-fuel driven economy, which has profound political and ecological implications: “Fossil fuels, autocracy, and fascism are closely linked, because as long as we depend on resources that are only available in a few places, the people who control those few places end up with too much power. We have lots of reasons to want to end this practice of burning things, and now we have the means to do it.”

McKibben also directed part of his comments to the older members of the audience in speaking about Third Act, an organization he founded in 2021 to empower people over sixty to take climate action. On Tuesday, March 21, Third Act held a “Stop Dirty Banks Day of Action” in which senior citizens in rocking chairs blocked entrances to major banks like Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America to protest financial institutions’ ties with the fossil fuel industry.

Through Third Act, McKibben hopes to change the perception that people get more conservative as they age and to capitalize upon the fact that older generations witnessed profound social change like the Civil Rights Movement in their youth and can leverage their skills, structural power, and financial assets to support a better future.

McKibben concluded his speech by echoing earlier sentiments about the importance of collection action, an idea the conference as a whole sought to embrace.“The most important thing an individual can do is be less of an individual and join together with others in the movement,” he stated. “That’s our default … to think about things by ourselves as individuals [in terms of] ‘what can I do,’ but the real way to think about is ‘what can we do.’”

ACCOMMODATIONS : Students compose petition

CONTINUED FROM 1

involved in the petition mainly have the goals of getting DCL to give the accommodations to the students they promised them to,” Zilch said. As an example, they referenced a hypothetical student with an approved ground floor accommodation receiving elevator access instead. Zilch explained how this alteration is dangerous in emergency situations because the student is unable to use the stairs. “We’d like a future, explicit policy of guaranteeing accommodations to [all] students with a documented medical need, [regardless] of the scarcity or abundance of housing overall or the student’s class,” they added.

The largeness of the class of 2026 has sparked housing concerns among students, and some students have suggested that this high admittance rate has created less flexibility for necessary accommodations. “This is a direct result of Brandeis over-admitting students, they’ve openly stated that they have never had to deny housing like this, but there’s just too many [firstyears] and sophomores. I’m really discouraged to see Brandeis prioritizing financials over disabled students and ADA compliance,” a student from the class of 2025 said, requesting to remain anonymous to avoid housing-related retaliation from DCL. They did not clarify where this statement from the University can be found.

The student said that they applied for and were approved for accommodations through DCL, but on the day they were supposed to pres-

ent students with their options, DCL said they could not provide housing due to the student’s number. “Last year I was given the same accommodations as [those that were] approved for this year, and received two options that directly fit all my accommodations. I also had a very high number last year, and got my first choice of the options. I didn’t hear about anyone not receiving [housing that fulfills] their [approved] accommodations,” the student recalled about last year’s housing process. They mentioned reaching out to DCL and Student Accessibility Support regarding their current concerns, but they have not received any meaningful responses.

Meanwhile, Zilch said they have not reached out to DCL, beyond signing the letter template created by DSN-affiliated students. “I’ve been more focused on trying to figure out their exact criteria for denying people housing, because they claim it was based on [housing numbers], but it very clearly was not,” they explained, referencing the research of students in the DCL Evidence Discord Server.

The students created an anonymous Housing Accommodations survey that collects data about students who had their housing request either approved or denied. They are compiling these responses on a spreadsheet in order to determine if students’ housing numbers correlate with their approved accommodations being fulfilled. Zilch said that the data collected from the form suggest that SAS’s claim that accommodation approvals rely on housing inventory and selection numbers, and the DCL’s claims that denials of hous-

ing were based on lottery numbers, are untrue.

“It seems arbitrary,” Zilch said, referring to the relationship between housing numbers and outcomes collected by the form responses. Among other examples, they mentioned a rising junior with a number above 2100 receiving a single in a suite, while another rising junior with a number slightly lower than the previous student’s was denied a single, despite having no preference. For reference, rising juniors can receive housing numbers between 1201-2700, and the lower their number, the earlier they can make their housing selection. “They cannot claim it was numbers-based, given this evidence.

But I don’t see their denial criteria from this list. So they need to be much more transparent about how they picked, because they’re clearly lying and hiding something,” Zilch claimed. They explained that this data differs from DCL’s statement that housing numbers might affect a student’s options, rather than determine whether the student would receive housing at all.

In terms of the University’s accessibility for students with disabilities, the lack of fulfilled accommodations is not an isolated problem. Zilch highlighted that there have been numerous accessibility oversights that have made students feel marginalized within the community, specifically referencing recent Accessible Transport Van restrictions. In a short exchange on the Discord server, students noticed that while the AT van previously took students to their classes, housing, dining halls, the health center, Gosman Sports and Convocation Center, and CVS, this

semester the AT van will only provide transportation to their classes, housing, and dining halls.

Zilch also mentioned that there are various inaccessible buildings around campus, such as the Goldsmith Building and the Sherman Dining Hall, since their accessible entrances are obscure. “Some buildings you can’t even get into without taking stairs, and many buildings do not have elevators to allow people to access higher floors,” Zilch said, adding that they could not find a way to get to the top floor of the Goldsmith Building without using a staircase.

“A lot of recent [issues] have disabled students feeling like they’re no longer welcome on Brandeis’ campus. It feels like Brandeis is doing everything possible to push disabled people away, as if they don’t deserve a full college experience just because they happen to have a disability.” Zilch explained that this feeling of marginalization was intense enough to lead them to believe that a fake April Fool’s Day Instagram announcement by Brandeis’ satire magazine, Gravity, was real, as it claimed that Ron Liebowitz said that the University was no longer guaranteeing housing for sophomores. Zilch said the housing situation is so fraught that it took them a moment to realize the post was fabricated, since “some day in the future, it could become real,” they said.

—Editor’s note: Editor Cameron Cushing ’23 is employed by the Department of Community Living as a community advisor. He did not contribute to or edit the parts of this article pertaining to DCL.

OWEN CHAN/the Justice

Brandeis’ campus is home to a variety of hawks who can be found perched on the roof of a car, as seen on the left, or, more often, in the trees as seen on the right.

SMILEY HUYNH/the Justice

When the going gets tough, the tough reinvent.

ON THIS DAY…

In 1979, Heath Ledger was born.

FUN FACT

The fashion industry produces upwards of 10 percent of all carbon emissions.

The intergalactic finds of Global Thrift

For community members and Brandeis students alike, Global Thrift is a Moody Street staple in Waltham. The locally-owned business is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. They have a range of customers bustling in and out of the store, whether it’s parents seeking a deal on baby clothes, college students looking for the latest trends, or even antique decor lovers searching for a rustic vase.

By AUTUMN BELLAN JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A sustainable fashion find worth a squeal

When Evelyn DiFiore, a freshman at Lasell University, took a sustainability course two years ago, she fell in love with sustainable fashion. “I buy all of my clothes from local thrift stores or online resale stores like Depop,” she said.

At Global Thrift, Evelyn bought a huge bag full of clothes, but she was most excited about an American Eagle cropped plaid shirt she found for only $5. “I thought this would go great with my personal style, and it is still in great condition,” she said. A similar shirt can be found on Thred-Up, another online resale store for $18.99, with an original price of $43.

Evelyn described her personal style as “an eccentric cool girl,” although she admits she does not always act cool. “When I found that shirt, I screamed a little in the store,” she said. “I get so excited to shop.” She planned to style her new shirt with jeans and a handful of necklaces.

A kitchenware hunt that PAN-ned out perfectly

Leo Passman ’22 went to Global Thrift on the hunt to find the perfect pan to make shakshuka, a Magrebhi dish of eggs poached with tomatoes, peppers, olive oil, and spices. “I wanted to find a pan I could put in the oven without ruining or getting metal in my food, ” he said.

Triumphant, Leo left with a Calphalon stainless steel saute pan for $15. “It is about a foot in diameter, which isn’t remarkable by itself, but I love how the sides meet at a 90 degree angle instead of curving slowly like most frying pans,” he said. “It also came with a glass lid.” New on Calphalon’s website, a similar pan costs $109.99.

“I knew I had to buy it when I saw that the pan didn’t have any gross marks or stains from previous use,” he said. After he mastered shakshuka, Leo planned on making all his favorite liquid-based dishes in his new pan, like cheesy pasta, risotto, beef stew, and Thai curry.

The

new Mr. Worldwide goes global at the thrift

Berta Muza ’25 tossed her curly hair over her shoulder as she exited the store with a paper bag stuffed to the brim. “I came to Global Thrift today to buy a few pieces for my Halloween costume,” she said. “I am going to be Pitbull this year.”

She bought an After Hours suit jacket and a pair of men’s black slacks with no labels on them.

“I got both of these pieces for $18,” she said. New at Men’s Warehouse, an After Hours suit jacket costs $149. At Nordstrom, men’s black slacks range from $35 ASOS pants to $2,250 Valentinos.

“After Halloween, I will wear the slacks with platform boots and a funky t-shirt,” she said. “The suit jacket is slightly oversized, so I will wear tight clothes underneath and spunk it up with some big, unique jewelry.” Berta described her style as “quirky and European-inspired,” which she attributes to being raised in the main thrifting neighborhood in San Francisco, the Haight.

On Halloween night, Berta planned to complete her look by pretending to hold a microphone and yelling “timber” all night long.

A three dollar tree, two cut-off sleeves, and a priceless memory

While Noah Mcnerny ’22 often shops at Global Thrift, his all-time favorite find was a Port & Company graphic tshirt with a portrait of Che Guevara. “It’s an article of clothing that brings back good memories,” he said, “I bought the shirt for a promotional photoshoot with my a capella group for our final show together.”

He bought the T-shirt for $3. On Amazon, graphic t-shirts featuring Che Guevara cost $21.99, and Port & Company tees range from $7.23 to $28.91. “I styled the shirt by cutting the sleeves off and pairing it with a matching bandana and flannel,” Noah said.

“I mostly wear solid colors, clothes from L.L. Bean, and jeans,” he said. “Occasionally, I’ll throw in an artsy graphic t-shirt or a ripped denim jacket.” Noah describes his style as “a typical New England guy.”

Dalhia Raz’s Pop-Art Pops at Global Thrift

Waltham local Carmine Dimasi spent his childhood walking down Moody St. to see what new local events were happening. Last March, he visited Global Thrift for their pop-up shop featuring TikTok-famous artist, Dahlia Raz, who sells hand painted clothes, furniture, and art. “The store looked so vibrant and colorful that day,” he said.

Carmine bought a blue suede Field Gear jacket with a Picasso-esque face painted on the back for $65. “I like to style jackets with light colored undershirts and dark pants,” he said. “I’m early into discovering my style, but I love to see people who wear out-there clothes.”

A similar Field Gear jacket on Poshmark can be found on sale for $43 from $95, which is comparable to Global Thrift’s price. “I thought the jacket was expensive, but I loved how her abstract art gave the piece a high fashion feel.” To Carmine, who is inspired by avant-garde art and music, the value of a one-of-a-kind hand painting from a viral artist was worth the investment. Ultimately, Global Thrift was overwhelmingly described as being able to provide functional items for a cheap-enough price to be worth a one-time —or many-time — use. For many customers, the treasures they find become an everyday staple — just as Global Thrift is for community members.

Building community and getting naked

For over two decades, Brandeis’s Liquid Latex show has been an iconic, unique aspect of campus life.

By CAYENN LANDAU JUSTICE EDITOR

Editor’s note: Justice Production Assistant Noah Risley contributed to the reporting of this story.

Nudity en-masse. Full-body shaving sessions. Water breaks. These are just a few elements of 2023’s build-up of a student-run tour-de-force: Brandeis Liquid Latex, a 23-plus-year University tradition in which student participants strip down, spend hours painting themselves in upwards of five coats of liquid latex, and perform a coordinated dance routine for an audience of their peers.

This year’s Liquid Latex performance took place in Levin Ballroom on March 31, to wild success. “We killed it,” said participant Astrid Schneider ’24 in an April 1 text correspondence. Schneider was painted as a “Magic Mike”-inspired praying mantis; they had designed the latex costume themself.

According to BrandeisNow, the club was formed by Alaric Toy ’00 and Sharon Gobuty ’00 as a part of the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts and was originally created “purely for arts sake.” Later, in 2010, the organization was honorably mentioned on Playboy Magazine’s website for “Best College-Supported Art Project: Brandeis’ Liquid Latex Body Art Show’’ in a ranking of party opportunities at colleges and universities around the country. But for participants and executive board members passing the paint-smothered torches down from year to year, Liquid Latex is so much more than just an art project or party: It acts as a space for individuals to find connection, celebrate their bodies, and exist free from expectations and sexualization. The New York Times wrote about Liquid Latex’s 2016 performance, which it said “touches this generation” in its abstract interpretation of mental health and illness.

Yet at the same time, the event also provides a space for silliness. “I was humping the floor, humping the air, everything,” Schneider said of their 2023 performance.

“It’s the best thing I’ve done at Brandeis,” said Liquid Latex president Caroline Hall ’23 in an April 2 interview. Hall said she first heard about the club from a campus guide while touring Brandeis and was interested in participating “from that moment.” But after the pandemic hit, Liquid Latex was put on hold in 2020 and 2021 — Hall and others involved were forced to put the painting plans on hold.

In 2022, Liquid Latex came back to Brandeis with a bang. Spearheaded by Amber Bartlett ’22, Hall said the show centered around themes of transition and represented Bartlett’s experiences “moving on to a new chapter.”

“Going into it last year, I was very hesitant. I knew I was gonna do it, but it’s a vulnerable situation. And I had never been that vulnerable with random strangers before in my life. But the e-board just embodied the values I

needed to make me feel safe,” Hall said of the experience. Boosted by their support and the positivity of putting on the show, Hall decided to run for club president — and won. “I love organizing things,” Hall said of what compelled her to take on the role. “And I have a background in dance. I did dance, really intensely — ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, the whole nine yards. It was intense and I didn’t have a great relationship with it or my body. And so with Latex, I was looking to heal my relationship with my body and my dance, and it was so rewarding.”

Hall also described an intensive lead-up to the Liquid Latex show: in the form of individual rehearsals — this year there were four total dance routines — the “undress rehearsal,” and the body painting sessions. “The individual choreography learning process happens over a

month and a half before the show. It’s a chance for everyone to get really comfortable in their groups, and because it’s not super serious, it’s more about the positivity than the dance. It creates this low-pressure environment that lets people know it’s okay to make mistakes and to not be perfect,” Hall said. “And the ‘undress rehearsal’ is always an interesting time. We do the undress rehearsal in pasties and underwear the night before. It’s to get everyone feeling comfortable doing the show, and it’s the first moment where you really realize everyone’s bodies are just bodies. Getting over that hump, people become more comfortable taking their clothes off the next night.”

Schneider agreed. “It’s cool to just be able to see everyone else and think, wow, bodies are so beautiful … it desexualizes them, but it also makes you appreciate the aesthetic of a body,” they said of the ‘undress rehearsal’. Of the show the following night, they described a very engaged crowd. “It was a pretty full house.”

A critical part of what makes Liquid Latex safe and enjoyable for those involved are the boundaries: Photography is limited, consent for all touching is imperative, and the club has multiple members in charge of security throughout the day. “There’s a lot of rules — what you can and cannot record, touching people, but overall, while it seems like a lot of rules, they’re very easy to follow. Everyone is able to make others feel safe,” Hall said. The latex paint itself is also a much-discussed medium. Not fabric, but not regular paint either, the latex acts as a kind of secondskin to those wearing it – hence the necessary full-body shave beforehand, or else bearing what is a strip wax when it’s time to take the paint off. “It feels like the hardest tank top you’ve ever worn,” Zoe Popovic ’23 said in an April 3 text correspondence with the Justice. “You have to stick out your stomach because if you’re flexing, you’ll get stuck in that position.”

“It reaffirms the idea of a complete embrace of oneself without shame as you aren’t being fitted for a costume or expected to find one in a communal closet,” Allison Weiner ’25 said of the latex paint. “The paint will always fit you perfectly, no matter your size.”

Ultimately, Liquid Latex participants said that the organization wasn’t about the final performance; rather, all the parts and pieces that went into it, from self-acceptance to building trust with peers. “In one sense, it’s like, looking around and realizing that everyone is just a body. Everyone’s just an organ. Bodies are vessels for everyone’s unique personalities,” Hall said. “And that’s something I always kept as a value, but until that moment [participating in Liquid Latex in 2022], I didn’t understand what that meant. But … It’s made my relationship with my own body really healthy. My body’s doing all this work for me.”

But participants say that Liquid Latex is more than just a performance.

Photo courtesy of NICOLE KANZLER BONDING: The post-performance latex peel is a critical part of the process.

Photo courtesy of NICOLE KANZLER BIG PEEL: Zoe Popovich ‘23 sits as latex is peeled off their back.

We need to talk about campus parking

Jen Crystal, Editor in Chief

Jane Flautt, Managing Editor

Cameron Cushing and Sofia Gonzalez, Senior Editors

Smiley Huynh, Isabel Roseth, Lauryn Williams, Deputy Editors

Juliana Giacone, Samantha Goldman, Megan Liao, Natalie Kahn, Jack Yuanwei Cheng, and Ariella Weiss, Associate Editors

Leah Breakstone, Dalya Koller, News Editors

Cayenn Landau, Features Editor

Tibria Brown, Forum Editor

Aiden Guthro, Sports Editor

Mina Rowland, Arts Editor

Owen Chan, Ceci Xilei Chen, Photography Editors

Julia Hardy, Jenna Lewis, Madison Sirois, Copy Editors

Anna Martin, Layout Editor

Maddy Dulong, Ads Editor

Zachary Goldstein, Eden Osiason, Online Editors

EDITORIALS

Where’s the money going?

As students, we all see the amount of money that comes into the school, but the question that arises is: Where does all the money go? As per the data available, Brandeis brings in a substantial amount of money through donations and tuition.

In 2019, the money brought in from tuition alone was $285 million. While we know that at least $1.14 million goes directly to University President Ron Liebowitz, what is being done with the leftover $284 million? As students, we feel it is necessary to understand where this money goes and how much of it actually goes towards improving the lives of the students who are paying to attend this institution.

It is essential that the administration prioritizes allocating funds towards the betterment of students’ lives. One area that requires immediate attention is student housing. While first-year students are required to live on campus and all students are guaranteed housing for their first four consecutive semesters, it is reasonable to expect that their dorms should be the most well-kept, as they are guaranteed full occupancy. However, as we have all seen, this is not always the case. The housing situation at Brandeis is notoriously subpar, with students being forced to live in cramped, uncomfortable, and sometimes unsafe living arrangements in all residence halls, including first-year and sophomore housing. This is unacceptable and unfair to the students who are paying a significant amount of money to attend this institution and expecting decent, reasonable housing in return.

Furthermore, with Brandeis continuing to admit bigger classes each year, there is a concern about where all these students will live. The last thing any student wants is to be forced into a crowded, uncomfortable, or less than ideal living arrangement. As an institution that prides itself on creating an inclusive and supportive community, it is crucial that the University takes a proactive approach towards improving student housing and allocating funds towards building more dormitories.

Since the most recent admitted classes are the largest ever at Brandeis, the school should be making significantly more from tuition, so why is it that several major groups on campus seem to have budget issues as of recently? Clubs and organizations are getting approved for less money than in previous years; seemingly

no funding is going towards clearly needed resources on campus, such as more mental and physical health services; and student living spaces are physically falling apart. Meanwhile, the administration will be building a brand new engineering building on campus.

There is also a larger funding issue with the administration prioritizing specific academic and administrative buildings over dorms. Some of the least accessible buildings on campus are dorms, yet the administration seems more interested in constructing a new engineering building than improving the living conditions for its students.

Expanding Brandeis’ STEM offerings is no more important than the well-being and quality of life of the students who attend this institution. It is unacceptable for students to live in subpar conditions while the administration spends millions of dollars on new academic buildings. The focus on building new STEM buildings may be a way for Brandeis to improve its academic standing, but it should not come at the expense of the students who are paying to attend this institution.

It is imperative for the Brandeis administration to be transparent about where the tuition and donation money goes. We demand that Brandeis publicly releases a spending breakdown for the current and future school years. Students deserve to know that their money is being used to improve their college experience. It is essential to prioritize student housing as it is an integral part of student life on campus.

The administration must take immediate steps to address the current housing situation and ensure that students are not forced into uncomfortable and unfair living arrangements that have negative effects on both mental and physical health, of which we don’t even have sufficient resources to deal with the repercussions. As members of the Brandeis community, we must hold our administration accountable and demand that our tuition money be used effectively to better our lives on campus.

—Editor’s note: Editor Cameron Cushing ’23 is employed by the Department of Community Living as a community advisor. He did not contribute to or edit the parts of this article pertaining to DCL.

As we enter the spring, the number of public events held on campus — from Admitted Students Day to Commencement — are about to pick up, and as such this board wishes to address a problem that is ever-present but soon to be exacerbated: driving and parking on campus.

Admittedly, our campus can be a bit confusing for drivers visiting it for the first time: streets that suddenly become oneways, sparse signage, and an abundance of buildings named “Shapiro” certainly don’t help. Recently though, members of the board have witnessed driving behaviors worse than previous years: Speeding on campus feels to be at an all-time high, as does inattention. We call on drivers to slow down, look around for pedestrians crossing the street, and be more patient with fellow vehicles.

Parking, of course, has long been a part of the problem. With too few and far-flung lots designated for student use — and some parking passes costing an obscene $250 per academic year — students and visitors alike resort to leaving their vehicles wherever a space can be found.

All this, while massive lots reserved for staff and faculty never seem to reach capacity. And while University police seem to have no issue allowing drivers to drive recklessly, parking enforcement is overenthusiastic at best, with fines quickly adding up to excessive amounts.

Instead of spending time and resources enforcing parking rules, the board calls on the University to re-examine campus

security measures. In light of recent tragedies at Michigan State University and elsewhere, how easily a swarm of press accessed students on campus following November’s bus tragedy, and the number of random vehicles traversing interior campus as of late, the board questions whether our wide-open philosophy is appropriate.

While there are numerous walking entrances to campus, the vast majority of vehicles enter from South St. While we do not advocate for increasing police presence on campus, the board wonders if perhaps a gate or other checkpoint system would increase student safety after business hours. It is worth bearing in mind that our student body with its many identities — Jewish, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and more — are frequently targets of hate.

At the same time, we recognize that many marginalized groups are often subjected to increased scrutiny and over-enforcement regarding security measures of this nature, and we feel that any security measures implemented to increase students’ safety should be designed with this in mind and with limited police involvement.

We realize that finding appropriate security measures is always a balance, but this board finds current measures to be bandaids for larger infrastructure issues. We call on the administration to re-evaluate priorities regarding parking enforcement and general campus security, carefully considering student input throughout.

Asking for a friend

If you are interested in submitting advice for the upcoming column, follow our Instagram: @thejusticenewspaper.

Q: A:

As students enter the last phases of their midterms and prepare for spring break, what are some tips you’d suggest students use to cool down from the first half of the semester and prepare themselves for finals period?

“Studying for midterms can lead to academic fatigue even before thoughts of finals emerge. Whatever your plans for break, set aside some time to recharge by meaningfully connecting with the people in your life. Visit a museum with your roommate, share a meal with family, or go for a hike with a friend from home. As you head toward the demands of final exams, remember that you are part of a community that you can both call on for support and give back to as you are able.”

— Kate Colahan, Assistant Director | Academic Advising

“Put down the books and get outside! Take a break from studying and surround yourself in nature. Research shows that spending time outdoors can lower stress and boost cognition!”

— Megan Burns, Department Coordinator

|

Gender and Sexuality Center

ANNA MARTIN/the Justice

MAP: The graphic above depicts the roads that make up the main entrance to Brandeis. This is confusing as only three of the four roads have stop signs in order to prevent a backup of cars onto the main road. The different colored arrows represent the different possible traffic patterns for cars entering and exiting the University.

The Brandeis softball field is a Title IX violation

By RANI BALAKRISHNA JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“Not to be rude, but can I say something?” says my friend, who has never picked up a softball. I nod yes and they say, “Your field does look like all of the dinky little league fields that I drive by at home.”

This is a harsh but entirely fair critique of the Brandeis softball field. Significant disparities exist between our field and our male counterpart, the Brandeis baseball field. The disparities between the two are a violation of Title IX standards, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex.

I am writing on behalf of the Brandeis Varsity Softball team to advocate for the construction of a new field and to educate the Brandeis community about the discrimination and obstacles my team has faced. Additionally, I want to draw attention to the fact that the Brandeis administration is complicit in an ongoing illegal violation as they are well aware of the situation. Currently, staff in the Office of Equal Opportunity are bringing this issue up in meetings with administrators. Still, I would like to highlight the timeline of gender discrimination that the team has gone through.

Five years ago, the class of ’23 members of the team were promised a new field by the head softball coach at the time. In a 2021 meeting with former Vice President of Student Affairs Raymond Oh, he informed us the field would be approved in the April 2022 budget meeting and would be built by October 2022. However, this never came to fruition. The softball and baseball teams met with Director of Athletics Lauren Haynie in 2022. Haynie has been a massive proponent of the quote and planning of our field. She announced that the field was budgeted and planned to start construction in May of 2023 after our season ended.

Despite these plans, in February of 2023, Haynie Haynie received word that the construction of a new multipurpose turf softball and baseball field was not approved to be in the fiscal budget for the following year. Additionally, after meeting with Chief Financial Officer Sam Solomon, two sophomores on the softball team asked about the status of the field and whether we have any possible donors to invite to games and win over. The sophomores were given incredibly vague answers and

did not receive a response after following up. Solomon told them that constructing a new softball/baseball field is “a long-term priority” for the school. They were not given any information about donors. Following this discouraging and demoralizing conversation, three teammates and I filed complaints with the Office of Equal Opportunity as several disparities cause our field to violate Title IX.

First, our field is not up to NCAA regulation size. This is a significant barrier as it means that we cannot host playoffs or tournament games, which became a point of contention in 2019 and 2021 when we made it to the tournament for our region and could not compete on our field.

Moreover, if an umpire were to measure the distance of our fence — which falls short because of our location and proximity to the train tracks — they could declare our field unable to be played on and cancel the game. A new field would not only allow us a chance to compete at a higher level and allow us to continue to grow as a program but also look visually appealing. Prospective students and recruits specifically ask to see athletic facilities on tours, which would significantly increase our investment in our students and give us a better reputation.

Another stark contrast between the baseball and softball fields is that the baseball field has concrete dugouts with solid walls. In contrast, our dugouts consist of a chain-link fence with a tarp covering it. “Tarps over chain link are not equivalent to cinder block,” according to a Title IX Q&A document regarding field specifications.

This is especially relevant during the early part of our season when our players are subjected to cold weather with no protection from the chain link for long periods. The construction of our dugouts indicates clear discrimination, which puts the health of our players at risk while also violating Title IX.

The baseball field has a permanent press box and speaker system. In contrast, softball workers must bring a folding table, speaker, and other equipment by hand. This is unfair to the student and athletic department workers and also looks unprofessional.

The quality and drainage between our fields are drastic; the baseball field drains much better and can recover from inconsistent New England weather conditions and rain. It takes days for our

field to recover from rain. This issue with the drainage of our field came to a climax last year when Emory University came to play us and laughed at the condition of our field. Not only did this humiliate and embarrass our team’s and school’s reputation, but it also impacted our reputation with other schools. Our field does not drain properly or respond to inclement weather, which is common in the Northeast. We do not have an appropriate or equitable field as baseball as theirs recovers from rain much better.

The proposed and planned multipurpose turf field that Haynie has gotten a quote, plans, and a contractor for would solve all of these problems and disparities. It would establish the Brandeis Softball and Baseball teams on the same, equitable level with the same resources and footing.

The ongoing gender discrimination between our two programs is incredibly frustrating; as our softball program continues to grow and shows exceptional play and capabilities, getting conference, regional, and national recognition for academic and athletic excellence, we are held back by the capabilities of our facilities.

The next step in pushing for our new field is asking the administration about funding; the OEO has been speaking to administrators on our behalf, and when I asked the communications department for their comment on the matter they responded, “The administration appreciates the concerns the softball team has raised about its field and is looking into options to address them.”

Fiona Doiron ’25 comments, “The new field would be nothing short of amazing. It would mean that the hard work of this current team and past team’s constant dedication to fighting for access to an equitable field finally paid off. The new field would not only comply with Title IX, but the all-turf complex in the current baseball and softball field would be a new space for other students and organizations on campus to utilize, whether it be for club or intramural sports. For the team, the new field would show recruits that the University invests in athletics and cares about the success of its female athletes. It would improve recruiting and secure Brandeis softball’s future of continuing to be a constant threat at the conference and national level.”

The proposed field would not only be for

the softball and baseball teams but also for club and intramural sports. The profit generated from renting out a much more appealing field in the summer and offseason would help to offset the costs of the long-term investment to build the field and continue profiting in the future.

Lily Medici ’23 expressed her and older players’ frustration and said, “A new field would be confirmation to me that our voices as female athletes are being heard. A new field not only symbolizes equality in sports but represents over a decadelong fight to correct the mistakes made in the past. This field would allow the present and future student-athletes to show their full potential. It would no longer put us at a disadvantage against other schools in the UAA (University Athletic Association). For the team, a new field would show us that our advocacy and determination do not fall on deaf ears. We, as female studentathletes, would finally feel equal to our male counterparts. A new field is also a message to young student-athletes that fighting for equality and getting the results that you want is possible.”

If this article swayed you to support us, please scan the QR code and put your name down to support us in our journey to fight this discrimination on behalf of all female athletes. We’d love all of the support we can get! Our next home game is Tuesday, April 11, at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Our games are fastpaced, competitive, and truly fun to watch, and our full schedule can be found online. We are an incredibly upbeat, fun, and strong team this year, and we hope to see you there. Please come out and support us and see our field for yourself.

Photo courtesy of RANI BALAKRISHNA

MLB: New era dawns on America’s pastime

CONTINUED FROM 12

pop-up from Yoshida again was inexplicably dropped by left fielder Ryan McKenna to extend the game. This set up Adam Duvall, who raked his second home run and fourth hit of the game over the Green Monster, shocking the Birds 9-8. The third game of the series was high scoring as well, with the Red Sox coming out on top 9-5. They scored nine runs in each game, boasting an underrated offense with a very sluggish starting rotation. The Orioles scored a lot but were overshadowed by their five errors.

Meanwhile, former Red Sox star Xander Bogaerts has wasted no time getting comfortable in San Diego — fitting right in with two home runs and six hits. New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has picked up where he left off last season with the exact same stats as his former rival Bogaerts. Tampa Bay Rays prodigy Wander Franco is batting a ridiculous .636 with a homerun to his name. Los Angeles Angels star and

World Baseball Classic hero Shohei Ohtani is doing Ohtani things: is 4-12 with a homerun at the plate, had an impressive six scoreless innings, and ten strikeouts on the mound on Opening Day.

On the other side of town, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trayce Thompson, Colorado Rockies’ CJ Cron, and Duvall have been the league’s most outstanding players after the conclusion of the first week.

Thompson has three home runs and eight RBIs in two games; Cron has three home runs with a .467 batting average and seven RBIs; and Duvall has two home runs, eight RBIs, and a .571 batting average.

Overall, this has been a unique first series of the MLB season. The drama already existed, but new rule changes will alter the course of baseball as we know it. The league is projected to have one of its highest rated seasons with higher game attendance and television viewership.

TENNIS: Harrison and Walters give Judges the upperhand vs NYU

CONTINUED FROM 12

won their singles matches at the one seed 6-3, 6-4, and the two seed 6-1, 6-3, respectively. Harrison’s win secured the day, and Liang won at the five seed for the team’s sixth point. Coming close to a .500 record on the season, Brandeis needed this win to keep their tournament hopes alive — winning against a league rival just made the day better.

The team will welcome Trinity

NCAA: Kim Mulkey makes history as Tigers bring home the hardware

CONTINUED FROM 12

College to Waltham on Thursday, April 6 and then will travel to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology the next day to challenge the Engineers. While there are still five more matches in the season, the team will look to pull away from the pack and identify themselves as New England’s cream of the crop. Come out to the Cordish Tennis center to support the boys in blue and white!

LSU guard Jasmine Carson heard the call and stole the show — Carson was on fire from behind the arc. Clark, known for her ability to shoot the long ball, could only stare in awe as Carson put on a shooting clinic at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. In the opening 20 minutes, Carson scored 21 points, going 7-7 from the field and 5-5 from the three. The game did not really open up until the second quarter when the Tigers started to pull away for good. They entered halftime leading by 17 points, 42-59. Even though there had never been a comeback from being down this much, Clark had been breaking records all season. As the third quarter got underway, it looked like the Hawkeyes had found their rhythm, mounting a 12-0 run halfway through the third. Big-time shots from Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall gave the Hawkeyes a glimpse of hope. After cutting the lead significantly, Iowa needed a game-saving play to

change the tide but the play never came.

Reese's dominance was too much, and her presence in the paint caused serious problems for the Hawkeyes’ centers. From offensive to defensive rebounds, there was no stopping Reese on the boards. With her 15 point and 10 rebound performance, Reese broke the record for most doubledoubles in a single season with 34.

The fourth and final quarter seemed to be a tease for Hawkeye fans. As soon as there was a good shot or strong defensive performance by Iowa, LSU would put their foot down and stop the run.

Aside from Carson and Reese, Williams and Alexis Morris scored 20 and 21 points respectively. Clark notched 30 points with eight assists in the Hawkeyes’ losing effort.

As time wound down and reality set in, Mulkey began to understand the moment: winning her fourth National Championship and

becoming the first coach to do it with two different programs. Confetti rained down on the Tigers and “L-S-U” chants began to fill the arena.

Before celebrating with her team, Reese made it a point to give Clark the “you can’t see me” taunt. In an interview after the game Reese said, “Caitlin Clark is a hell of a player for sure, but I don’t take disrespect lightly, and she disrespected Alexis [Morris] and my girls. South Carolina, they’re still my SEC girls too, and you’re not gonna disrespect them either.”

While some may criticize this reaction and say that it was a low blow by Reese, this is how she has played the entire season; she puts her heart and body on the line, and she is an emotional player. However, no matter what people may argue, the trophy and the rings are headed to Baton Rouge.

DINGER: Major League Baseball is back, and the format of the 2023 campaign will look different than any year previously.

GEAUX TIGERS: Head Coach Kim Mulkey and LSU became national champions on April 2 in the American Airlines Arena.

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

GRAND SLAM FOR BRANDEIS

Judges men’s tennis fell to Babson 7-2, but bounced back by beating NYU 6-3.

Sports just

Brandeis tennis splits results to Babson and NYU

■ The Judges won their second UAA match this past weekend against NYU, but couldn’t overcome the higher-ranked Babson.

By AKI YAMAGUCHI JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Led by Hunter Levine ’23 and Dylan Walters ’25, the Judges have looked pretty solid this year. After coming back from their California trip in late February, the team has gone half and half — three wins and three losses. Earlier in the season, the team defeated two Division II schools to cement themselves as serious contenders in the New England area.

Just two years ago, Jeffrey Chen ’22 and Adam Tzeng ’22 reached the NCAA tournament and finished as runners up. This impressive performance put Brandeis Men’s Tennis on the map, and this team is looking to repeat that greatness. Sitting at a record of 7-5, this team will have to pick up some steam if they hope to make a run in the tournament.

This past week, the Judges squared off against Babson College on March 31 and then traveled to New York University to face the Violets. This

NCAA

cross-town rivalry of Babson and Brandeis was one that the entire country was watching. The #31 ranked Judges hosted the #26 ranked Beavers at the Cordish Tennis Center at Brandeis.

Judges 2, Beavers 7

The Judges were able to hold off the Beavers from sweeping during their doubles matches, but struggled to compete in their singles matches.

The Beavers led 2-1 after doubles — they won the number one and two seedings. However, the pair Chen Liang ’24 and Alex Merson ’26 were able to secure a win, 8-2, in the third seed to keep the Judges in competition. Brandeis was able to split the next two single matches after Levine won at the sixth seed. However, with the Judges losing the remaining five matches, Babson was able to clinch an easy victory. This result pushed the Judges to 6-5 and gifted the Beavers a 9-1 record.

Judges 6, Violets 3

Coming off a tough loss vs. Babson, the team was hungry to get back in the winning column. After some decisive wins, the Judges were able to secure their second UAA win over the Violets. Tommy Harrison ’26 and Walters won at the one seed with a strong 8-1 victory. The doubles sweep continued when Simon Kauppila ’23 and Levine won at the second seed and Liang and Merson at three. Walters and Harrison secured their second wins of the day when they

Reese and Carson help lift LSU to first national championship

■ Following a dominant 102-point performance, the Louisiana State University Women’s Basketball team were named National Champions on Sunday, April 2.

By AIDEN GUTHRO JUSTICE EDITOR

Some teams play with grit and determination. Some teams play with a little swagger. The Louisiana State University Women’s basketball team plays with it all. From their star player Angel Reese to their role players like Jasmine Carson, this team was bound for something special. Every single player under LSU Head Coach Kim Mulkey got their job done on Sunday, April 2 and became national champions in the process.

Squaring off against Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes is

BRANDEIS MEN’S TENNIS PHOTO RECAP

The Brandeis Men’s Tennis team lost a tough match to Waltham rival Babson, but bounced back by crushing New York University, pg. 10.

Major League speeds up game following massive rule changes

no easy feat — Clark has been one of the most electrifying players in college basketball this year and was coming off back-to-back 41-point performances entering the game. The script for NCAA Player of the Year Clark to win it all seemed perfect. However, the Tigers from Baton Rouge had not backed down to any player or team this season, and they were not about to start against Clark and the Hawkeyes.

When the highly anticipated game finally started, the main focus was not on the players as much as it was on the referees. Multiple players from both teams got into early foul trouble — Reese and LaDazhia Williams for the Tigers and Clarke and Monika Czinano for the Hawkeyes. This raised serious tension among the coaching staff and the officials — coach Mulkey, who was sporting a sequined tiger print pantsuit, made her displeasure very known from the Tigers’ bench.

So with some of the major names of the game already in foul trouble, the opportunity for an unsung hero to step up was ripe for the picking.

See NCAA, 10 ☛

■ The first weekend of the 2023 Major League Baseball season has been played, and it looks a bit different this year.

By JOSH GANS JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Did anyone notice that Major League Baseball games went by faster this past weekend? Well, that’s because it actually did. This season, the league is showcasing new rule changes in an attempt to speed up the play in response to a dip in viewership and interest. Baseball, a sport historically labeled “America’s pastime” is rebranding itself to appeal to younger viewers. Games have been getting much longer over the years; therefore, interest in the sport has faltered. In fact, since 2012, every season has averaged more than three hours per game. Though quite a small sample size, as of April 3, this season has seen a major drop

to two hours and 38 minutes per game — the shortest game time since 1981.

What are the changes that have sparked this rapid decrease? Perhaps the biggest is the introduction of the pitch timer. Previously, pitchers had as long as they wanted to set up their pitch, get in the zone, and ice the hitter. Now, there is a 30-second timer between the end of the previous at-bat and the first pitch to the next batter. In the middle of an at-bat, the pitcher has 15 seconds in between pitches with no runners on and 20 seconds with runners on base. If players do not follow this rule, they will be charged with an automatic ball to the hitter. On the other end, the batters must be ready to hit by the eight second mark or they will be charged with a strike. Some other time-reducing efforts have also been made — speeding up the process of reviewing replays, regulating position players pitching, reinforcing the automatic runners at second base in extra innings, and adding PitchCom. While useful for time-saving purposes, the additions of these rules could affect player performance; it could hurt their natural rhythm

or build a more consistent pace for them. Based on limited data, the pitch clock looks like it helped the pitching staffs, as it is the lowest average runs per game since 2014. No matter the result, fans are starting to enjoy baseball again — meshing the traditional values of the game with the pace of today’s society.

On the field, we have seen some high intensity and great storylines. There are three undefeated teams remaining — the Tampa Bay Rays, the Minnesota Twins, and the Texas Rangers. The Boston Red Sox have been one of the most exciting teams so far, playing three electrifying games with the Baltimore Orioles. In the first game, the O’s led 10-4 in the seventh inning, only for the Red Sox to climb back into it, making it 10-8 in the ninth. Masataka Yoshida grounded into a seemingly routine double-play to end the game, only for the throw to first to get away, bringing it to 10-9. The Orioles were able to close out the game for Opening Day but faced an eerily similar fate the next day. Leading 7-1 in the third inning, the tides changed, and Baltimore barely held onto a 8-7 lead with two outs in the ninth. A routine

ADVANTAGE: After falling to Waltham rivals Babson, the men’s tennis team was able to beat UAA competitors NYU.

Photo: Eliza Bier/the Justice. Design: Owen Chan/the Justice.

Waltham, Mass.

‘Milf Manor’ breaks ground rules and enforces sterotypes

By JEN CRYSTAL JUSTICE EDITOR

When looking at the landscape of reality television, one thing has been missing: MILFs. But no longer, thanks to TLC and their new show “MILF Manor.” MILFS, or “Moms I’d Like to Fuck” for the shocking few that are not in the know, rule this new show that has a shocking twist: Eight MILFs head to Mexico in search of love with — get this — their eight sons. That’s right, “MILF Manor” explores the untapped market of familial dating, and although the MILF do not date their own sons, the show is equally as salacious — thankfully, minus the incest.

After watching the entire first season of “MILF Manor,” I have a lot of thoughts. I am by no means an expert when it comes to reality television or dating shows — I haven’t even watched many shows from this genre — but I have obsessively watched “MILF Manor” and feel confident speaking about it. I had high hopes that “MILF Manor” wouldn’t fall into the tired reality television tropes rooted in sexism and misogyny that so often dominate the genre. Seeing the show’s embrace of older women in their marketing, I felt hopeful, but alas, “MILF Manor” disappoints on this front. That being said, the show is a very interesting social experiment, and I enjoyed watching it solo and with friends from a standpoint of curiosity and criticality.

Thoughts on the structure

“MILF Manor” diverged in many ways from the tried but true reality show structure, and it didn’t really work for me. There was seemingly no cash prize, no clear timeline in which the contestants had to “find love,” and no reliable elimination cycle — think, “I give you this rose.” These ingredients have become crucial to the dating show recipe, and without them, the show missed the mark in some ways. If not for such an original concept, I would have quickly lost interest due to the show’s lack of creative direction. Luckily for you,

MOVIE REVIEW

readers, I persevered — I know, heroes don’t always wear capes. The only information we got about the show in the pilot episode was that the moms and sons did not know they were going to be on the same dating show — on this, I am a little skeptical, because one mom and son duo said they both knew they were going on a dating show with older women and younger men in La Paz, Mexico, but didn’t know they’d be on the same show. Seems sketchy to me. Other than this, however, there was no information on the duration of the show or the question of monetary compensation. People love to debate whether contestants are on shows for love or money, and money is often the safest bet when trying to decipher contestants’ intentions. That’s not to say that pure intentions aren’t possible; however, the fame and money acquired as a result of the shows almost always outlives the relationships that the show cultivates to create. That doesn’t stop people from watching, though — Bachelor Nation and the like have always gone strong no matter if the relationships live or die. Personally, I have never been a fan of “The Bachelor” or its numerous spin offs, but that’s beside the point. We’re here to talk about “MILF Manor,” but there’s a reason that shows like “The Bachelor” are so effective: These shows capitalize on the formula that makes for a level of meaningless drama in each episode, creating the perfect sense of escapism for viewers. Reliably, at least one person will go home in each episode, which makes for fast-paced television.

“MILF Manor” lacked this pacing and structure. Contestants could go on dates seemingly whenever they wanted. Although there were some challenges where sons or moms could win a date with a person of their choosing — the dirty laundry challenge where son Ryan flossed what he thought was his mother’s dirty thong through his teeth is an image that will never leave my brain; for those that are wondering, he did not win the challenge — these challenges were sporadic at best.

The first few episodes were pretty bland thematically. Other than learning some intimate details about some contestants — such as an unfortunate run in with pink eye for Jimmy following a sexual encounter — there wasn’t much to report. The show didn’t really pick up for me until the mass elimination in episode seven. In earlier episodes, the show’s creators pulled out the old trick of bringing on a new mother and son pair after the original group had settled into the villa, but this didn’t rattle up much drama since there was no subsequent elimination or forced reshuffling. I think “MILF Manor” shone brightest when tackling the intricacies of family dynamics. Near the end of the season, friends and family members of the mothers were invited on the show, and their younger love interests had to battle it out for the stamp of approval. Notably, daughters of the mothers came on to the show to tempt the younger men, and one MILF’s ex husband showed up on the scene as well. Since the entire show is grounded in family — could you imagine meeting your significant other’s mother or son on your first date? — the family/ friend visit seemed to be more aimed at stirring up drama than actually meeting family members. This was very successful, and certainly lots of emotions came up for the contestants.

All in all, it seems like the show’s creators experimented with the typical recipe of a dating show in the hopes of creating stronger connections; however, their efforts missed the mark and just created more confusion and less thematic pacing.

“Let’s talk about sex, baby”

Why are there never queer relationships in reality dating shows? From a logistical standpoint, it would make for much more interesting television. If all the contestants are bisexual, this probably doubles the dating/ matching process. Unfortunately, “MILF Manor” was very heterosexual and cisgendered. There are moments where female sexuality seems to be embraced — the moms give a sex education class in epi-

sode five, and mom Charlene gives an impassioned speech about the importance of female pleasure — but others where sexual agency is completely ignored — Charlene, who is a big mixed bag, also instructs her son that he must take control in the bedroom because women want to be controlled, and anyone who claims otherwise is just a lesbian in need of a strap on. This is insane on so many different levels.

It’s maybe a lot to expect sex positivity and gender inclusivity from a reality competition show given how often the genre overlooks those tenants, but I think those goals are fully actionizable, if only the creators were to put more emphasis on them. Embrace of aging women, but only in the context of the male gaze

It has to be said: the premise of this show would never have worked had the roles been reversed. If older men were dating younger girls, audiences would have, by my estimation, seen the behavior as gross or predatory. And yet, attractive older women seem to exist in opposition to this, which I think speaks to the ways in which attractive older women are simultaneously sexualized and ignored. The adjective “attractive” is key here, as unattractive women are held to completely different standards.

A lot of what makes an older woman “fuckable,” according to mass culture, is her youthful and mature appearance. At least in Western cultures, the beauty industry does not allow women to age. Women are criticized if they don’t “age gracefully” and are criticized if they try to take on too youthful an appearance for their advanced years. Women who exist in the public eye especially encounter this, and those who do not meet the standards in aging — no wrinkles, no gray hair — and who pursue plastic surgery as a solution are also criticized. There is seemingly no way to win, and this is because so much of beauty standards for women operate within the male gaze, and “MILF Manor” was not exempt from this trend. For a show based on different

aged relationships, the majority of the conversations were about the ages of previous partners. So much emphasis was put throughout the show on if these younger men have dated an older woman before or if they know how to take care of an older woman — why?!? This time could have been much better spent on exploring how to navigate age differences in relationships — if I have to hear one more time about how their relationship will work because “he’s an old soul” I’m going to scream. ***

“MILF Manor,” like most shows in its genre, was flawed. There was a fair bit of not-so-subtle racism in the season’s 9 episode run. A lot of people mispronounced mom Soyoung’s name (pronounced soo-yung) to make the unoriginal joke that she liked men who were “so young.” Mom Kelle also criticized fellow moms Pola and Stefany for speaking in Spanish, saying it was “disrespectful” and “We didn’t come here so you could speak Spanish.” Spanish is Pola’s first language, and she should be allowed to speak it whenever she choses. But also the show literally takes place in Mexico, which just adds more insanity to Kelle’s argument. There was also some body shaming and bashing of people’s sexual choices or forwardness. All in all, not a great look on “MILF Manor”’s part. That all being said, the show was still entertaining, and I think the show did at least start to address some of the difficulties that arise in pursuing a relationship with someone who has had vastly different life experiences than you.

“MILF Manor” is a steaming dumpster fire of a show that is impossible to look away from. To a certain extent, everything in this genre is going to be flawed, and that just has to be part of the fun. I was completely captivated and fascinated by the characters in “MILF Manor” and the choices they made. I highly recommend that you watch “MILF Manor,” either lightheartedly or critically with the goals of analyzing the different relationships. I am anxiously awaiting season two so I can do just that.

‘About Time’ is not your average Rom-Com

By JULIA HARDY JUSTICE EDITOR

It’s been 10 years since the movie “About Time” graced the screen, and it’s still one of the best romantic comedies I have ever seen. While there are many wonderful rom-coms, “About Time” encompasses all of the best aspects of rom-coms with a heartwarming couple, funny awkwardness, and a beautiful conclusion. I love these elements in rom-coms, but “About Time” brings even more to the table that makes it one of the best romcoms, even after nearly a decade has passed.

As a British-American movie, “About Time” reached the screen for the first time in London on Aug. 8, 2013 before fully reaching the international stage on Nov. 8, 2013. Directed by Richard Curtis, “About Time” follows Tim Lake, who learns at the age of 21 that the men in his family can travel in time. We follow Tim’s romantic life as he struggles with love, ultimately meets his love interest, Mary, and embarks on a joyful, messy, and beautiful life with her.

The casting of “About Time” is nearly perfect and truly brings the story to life. Domhnall Gleeson plays Tim Lake. Gleeson is perfect as the character of Tim, who describes himself as “Too tall. Too skinny. Too orange” at the beginning of the movie. Gleeson creates a lovable, awkward protagonist that makes it impossible to stop watching. His quiet smiles, jubilant celebrations, and

infectious laughs scream charming, goofy, and fun. For me, having a likable lead is crucial in all rom-coms, and Gleeson’s work as Tim is masterful. I cannot imagine anyone else playing the character of Tim. Tim’s counterpart Mary is played by Rachel McAdams. I believe that the casting of McAdams falls just a little short as McAdams does not perfectly fit her character description — “I look a bit like a squirrel,” Mary says. With that being said, Gleeson and McAdams have great chemistry and effectively portray the love the two characters have for each other. With playful, authentic dialogue, it’s impossible to deny how smitten the two are with each other. While McAdams certainly doesn’t look like a “squirrel,” she delivers on all other aspects of her role.

There are many amazing cast members in “About Time,” but Bill Nighy as Tim’s father gives a standout performance. Tim and his father are clearly very close but in a dorky, fun way. They love playing table tennis and having chats about books. This is my favorite relationship dynamic in the movie, and I think both actors do a spectacular job bringing this father-son relationship to life.

With just one facial expression, Nighy can have the audience both bursting with laughter and crying over the beauty of family bonds. “About Time” does a remarkable job balancing the light-hearted fun of romance, while also injecting doses of reality that makes it relatable, despite the time-traveling elements. The movie attempts

to be realistic and doesn’t shy away from conflict and loss. In many rom-coms that I have seen, there are standard fights about cheating, miscommunication, and many other tropes, but this movie explores realistic dialogue and events. For instance, when Tim accidentally allows the kids to destroy some of Mary’s work documents, a big fight ensues. This is a realistic argument based on the mundane elements of life, such as work and family. Additionally, unlike many other rom-coms that end with the couple getting together, “About Time” goes beyond the happily ever after to life after marriage. The marriage is also not completely traditional, as Mary is pregnant at her wedding, and she wears red rather than white. Red wedding dresses are a bold statement, but signify love and passion — a perfect description of Mary’s character. I think red is the perfect color because Mary is an independent woman, yet passionate in her love for Tim. Many rom-coms fall into the standard formula of a perfect white wedding, but in reality, this is not always what happens. Relationships are never perfect, but they can still be considered happily ever after. Life is complicated, and “About Time” is a fun and charming representation of a love story in an imperfect world. This makes “About Time” stand out among the inundation of romantic comedies. While “About Time” is inherently connected to this idea that Tim can time travel, I

hope you can see that the movie is anything but a science fiction movie. Instead, “About Time” utilizes time travel as a comedic element that pushes the plot forward. Starting with Tim’s discovery of his ability and continuing with a seemingly endless stream of awkward social interactions, Tim’s use of time travel is often used to erase everyday human mistakes — very relatable, in my opinion. This is something that “About Time” does so artfully; it takes this sci-fi dominated plot line of time traveling and uses it to remind us of what it means to be human. Everyone wants to forget that awkward comment spoken at a party, but that’s not how life works. The use of time manipulation also introduces this motif of time within the greater context of love, family, and life. Throughout the movie, Tim learns how

to best use his time-traveling abilities, but he must stumble through and learn from his mistakes. Ultimately, “About Time” delivers a more profound message that transcends the basic “guy gets the girl” narrative that many rom-coms follow: This movie makes you appreciate the simple and beautiful things in life. This is a powerful message ,as the world seems to be moving at super speed. However, it’s important to value time and the moments you experience every day. As Tim says, “We’re all traveling through time together, every day of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride.”

A truly remarkable romantic comedy, “About Time” delivers a heartwarming romance and a life lesson that leaves every viewer with a new appreciation for life. If you haven’t watched this movie, I 1000% recommend it.

Design: Mina Rowland/the Justice

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS ROM-COM: “About Time” is a romantic comedy that explores time travel.

KNITE 2023

ESCAPE TO JEJU

By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE EDITOR

Brandeis Korean Student Association hosted their annual culture show on Saturday, April 1 in Levin Ballroom. The theme of their show was “Escaping to Jeju,” meaning a time filled with relaxation. Jeju Island is a South Korean province that is a common vacation spot for many Korean people due to its beautiful waters and idyllic terrain. At this event, KSA served bento boxes filled with delicious food such as Korean style potato salad, Japchae (Korean glass noodles), rice, and more. The first hundred audience members recieved NewJeans albums, and much of the music heard during the show had an air of nostalgia. The show was filled with talented performance groups including a famous Kpop idol. The KSA executive board was amazing, working together to put on a flawless show.

Design: Anna Martin/the Justice.

Photos: Eliza Bier/the Justice.

By MADISON SIROIS JUSTICE EDITOR

Top 10 teas

While I do enjoy a good latte, I have to admit that tea truly has my heart. My roommate can attest that I drink an almost excessive amount of tea — sometimes even up to five cups a day. I’m always trying new flavors, but here’s a list of my favorites as of now!

STUDENT ART SPOTLIGHT

Megan Liao is an illustrator and photographer. She likes birds, flowers, traveling, books, and coffee, which are all frequent motifs in her works. If you can’t find her in the Justice office battling her thesis, she’s probably taking photos in the gym. Her favorite color is cobalt blue.

HOROSCOPES

By MADDY DULONG JUSTICE EDITOR

This week, Mercury enters Taurus and your second house of income. You’ll have ten weeks with this energy to make any changes to your finances and stay committed to implementing new ideas. On Thursday, the romantic Libra full moon in your seventh house of relationships brings clarity and courage to possibly discuss future steps with a partner or take a chance and express your feelings to someone new! It’s peak time for manifesting love and romance, but this energy applies to business and creative collaborations as well. You should take the lead in these collaborations — something you are no stranger to!

Social networking and activism is big this week for you, Cancer! Mercury’s transit through your eleventh house of networking and activism until June 11 will bring opportunities to connect with innovators, attend lectures, and update your online profiles. The full moon in Libra on Thursday will activate your fourth house of home and family. Feel free to utilize this energy to transform your living space into a sanctuary. Make sure to be honest with yourself about how you feel in your living space and maybe use this upcoming spring break to make necessary changes to create a safe haven for yourself.

Starting April 3, Mercury will move into Taurus and your eighth house. With this, you may feel compelled to solve puzzles in your life, and you may feel more inclined to decipher the hidden meanings behind people’s words and actions. This is also a great time to focus on your intimate life, but you should be mindful of your emotions as they could get intense!

On April 8, the full moon in Libra will highlight any hard work you’ve been doing lately! This reminds you that you should stop fussing over details and just present your work to the world.

Starting April 3, Mercury’s return to Taurus in your fifth house brings a playful and creative energy to your life. You should feel encouraged to step away from work and let your creativity run free! This phase could also potentially reactivate your flirtatious side! The Libra full moon on April 7 in your tenth house of ambition and success could bring exciting career news, like a promotion or a new job. If you are not happy with your current job, this is the time to speak up. This full moon can help you shatter any remnants of a glass ceiling and spark the change you desire.

Starting this week, Mercury moves into Taurus, giving you an extra seven weeks of communicative energy until June 11. Focus on finding the right time and way to express yourself without being reactive or locking horns with others. Use this extra creative time and energy to develop your innovative ideas! The Libra full moon this Thursday urges you to prioritize your wellness and seek out inspiring workouts or indulge in healthy foods. Stay mindful of your mind-body connection during this time, Taurus; don’t over-exert yourself. Major career opportunities may also arise, so keep an eye out for promising leads and networking opportunities.

Get ready to focus on work as Mercury enters your careerdriven tenth house from April 3 until June 11! It’s important to take action early to see results and focus on common goals and shared values to network effectively. A Libra full moon coming up this Thursday in your third house of friendship and socialization will bring relationships with friends, neighbors, and siblings into review, giving you an opportunity to prioritize the important connections. This full moon may also bring back unfinished business from the last Libra new moon from September, and accelerate research or deals related to communication and transportation.

Starting April 3, Mercury will be in Taurus — and therefore your seventh house of partnerships — and you will have a unique opportunity to deepen communication and share emotions in their relationships. Single? Perhaps you should focus on attraction rather than hunting in terms of partners.

On April 8, you will experience a Libra full moon that can encourage releasing emotional baggage and ending unhealthy relationships. You may find it difficult to let go, but doing so can really relieve yourself of some emotional weight. Accepting and acknowledging past traumas can help you rewire instinctive behavior and choose to act differently in the future.

Mercury enters Taurus on April 3 and will be in your fourth house until June 11, prompting you to potentially spend more quality time with your loved ones at home. You may also consider making some additions to your living space! The Libra full moon on April 7 enhances your ninth house’s power, fueling a desire for travel and higher education. It’s a good time to plan for future trips, research destinations, and look into learning new skills. This full moon may also bring a turning point for entrepreneurial ventures or provide fresh ideas to help your career take off!

As Mercury moves into your twelfth house of spirituality this week, you may experience a surge of creative and visionary ideas over the next ten weeks. This is a good time for spiritual growth and self-healing, so try to balance your left-brain processing with nonverbal expressions like meditation and yoga. The Libra full moon on Thursday will energize your fifth house of passion and self-expression. This is a great time to potentially confess some romantic feelings! It’s important to surround yourself with people who celebrate your unique qualities and to shift to a mindset of self-love, especially with spring break upon us!

Mercury has moved into Taurus, and come to your ninth house of travel and will stay there until June 11, bringing with it plenty of opportunities for exploration and adventure. This also brings up the importance of seeking out new experiences, both personally and intellectually, and embracing multicultural mingling. Thursday’s Libra full moon landing in your second house of finances encourages you to aim for excellence rather than perfection. It may reveal new financial strategies, or highlight accounting errors and unpaid bills. This moon also can inspire you to explore your own strengths and consider branching out into a field that can make the best use of these gifts.

Sagittarius, starting April 3 and lasting until June 11, Mercury will be in your sixth house, giving you the chance to focus on the details and bring order to your life. This includes your health and self-care and potentially recruiting people to help streamline your operations. Don’t be afraid to ask for help during this time! The Libra full moon on Thursday will make you re-evaluate your relationships, and you may decide to cut ties with negative influences. This full moon could also bring success in work alliances and the possibility of meeting someone on a dating app.

Mercury’s entry into Taurus April 3 signals a great time for local adventures and communication until June 11. It could also be a good time to upgrade your transportation and social media presence. The Libra full moon on April 7 in your eighth house highlights the need to deepen intimacy and potentially merge assets with your partner, but be clear about your intentions and don’t let emotions take over. Be careful not to push too hard or alienate your partner during this vulnerable time. Set intentions and surrender to higher forces for the best outcome.

1. Chocolate mint

2. Chai

3. Peppermint

4. Lemon ginger

5. Matcha (the one from the dining hall is surprisingly good)

6. Vanilla black tea

7. Ginger

8. Oolong

9. Black tea with honey (a classic)

10. Earl grey

MEGAN LIAO/the Justice

SMILEY HUYNH/the Justice

CANCER LEO VIRGO