The Justice, September 13, 2022

WALTHAM MOVIE THEATER

Students create first political party after over ten years

■ The Justice spoke to cur rent Union members about the upcoming elections.

By MAX FEIGELSON JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Sept. 8, Student Union Secretary Ashna Kelkar ’24 announced the candidates for the upcoming fall election. Students will vote on Sept. 14 for senators, associate justices, and an allocations board representative.

For the first time in over a decade, multiple candidates for Student Union positions organized themselves into a political party known as “New Frontiers.” Seven candidates are running under this banner, two of which are running unopposed.

According to the party’s website, it supports “cooperative government and new leadership, hand-inhand with, but not subservient to old.”

The last time a comparable block existed in the Student Union was

Historic Waltham cinema shuts down

■ After nearly 100 years, the only movie theater in Waltham has shut down permanently with just three days notice.

By JACK YUANWEI CHENG AND ARIELLA WEISS JUSTICE EDITORS

Embassy Cinema opened in 1928. On Monday, Aug. 5, the almost century-old Waltham staple, once advertised as “Waltham’s Wonder Theatre,” closed its doors for good.

“We had seen it coming for a while, but we thought we had more time,” assistant manager Andrew “Andy” Johnson ’17 told the Justice on Aug. 3, two days before the theater shut down.

Johnson is a middle school teacher. He managed the theater as a side gig after he graduated from Brandeis.

Johnson said Embassy, like many movie theaters, had been struggling to make ends meet before the pandemic. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic delivered a final, fatal blow.

“Movie theaters have been struggling for years, but [COVID-19] really sped it along,” Johnson said.

Even once things started to open back up later into the pandemic, the Embassy stayed closed. Johnson said Embassy’s parent company, Landmark Theatres, opened their theater in Cambridge, one of their two Massachusetts locations, and used it as a test run. “They thought if Kendall Square wasn’t doing well, they weren’t ready to open us,” Johnson explained.

Farmers’ Market

 The Justice spends a day at the market and finds that it is an integral part of the local community.

By ARIELLA WEISS

8

The news of the theater’s closing did not come as a surprise for Mazzi Ingram ’25, who worked at the theater up until it closed. She’s been working there since Dec. 2021 and said it has never been busy. “COVID has really impacted this place,” Ingram said. Coworkers told her Brandeis students used to come “all the time” before the pandemic.

Ingram said the theater could have done a better job of “public outreach and being modern,” and explained how it never had a strong presence on social media. However, she said the biggest factors impacting ticket sales — COVID-19 and streaming services — were out of Embassy or Landmark’s control.

Lauren, a Waltham resident, found out Embassy Cinema was closing two days before its last day.

Love on Tour

in 2008-09. In that year, a popular student-run blog called “Innermost Parts” endorsed several candidates who began to refer to themselves as the “Progressive Party.” The Progressive Party ended the fall 2008 elections with a slight majority in the Senate, though short of the twothirds majority required for passing resolutions at the time.

Even though the candidates had strong support from Innermost Parts, the creation of the Progressive Party movement polarized opinions between those who supported the Progressives’ goals and students that preferred to stay unaligned.

Despite this precedent for political parties, Union President Peyton Gillespie ’25 expressed concern with the creation of New Frontiers in a voice message to the Justice on Sept. 9. Even though he said he was happy to see students participating in student government, Gillespie said that he "doesn't think the formation of political parties is necessary since we’re such a small camSee ELECTIONS, 7 ☛

Justice elects new editor in chief, managing editor

■ The new editors discuss their time at the Justice, goals for the year, and highlights of their experience in the newsroom.

By LEAH BREAKSTONE JUSTICE EDITOR

Jen Crystal ’23 and Jane Flautt ’23 will lead the Justice during the 2022-23 academic year as editor in chief and managing editor, respectively. They were unanimously elected last spring following Q&A sessions addressing their times at the Justice and goals for the year.

Crystal joined the Justice during the spring of her first year at Brandeis in 2020. She wrote for the news section and was training to be editorial assistant when COVID-19 disrupted the school year. She spent the following year leading the news section remotely. Once the University returned to mostly in-person classes in the fall of 2021, Crystal became an associate editor, before being trained to become editor in chief under the incumbent at the time, Sofia Gonzalez ’23.

Flautt began her time at the Justice during the fall of her first year,

 The experience of Harry Styles’ "Love on Tour" may be more costly than people believe.

By RIVER SIMARD

working as a staffer for the copy section before being asked to take the position of editorial assistant during her sophomore year. She then served as copy editor until the fall of 2021 when she became an associate editor for a brief time before beginning training under former managing editor Cameron Cushing ’23.

Crystal and Flautt emphasized their desire to build on the office culture, “in some ways just continuing where Cam [Cushing] and Sofia [Gonzalez] left off, but also, Jane and I want to create more of a community here especially for writers and photographers who aren’t editors,” Crystal said.

Fostering more of a community and collaborative aspect to the Justice has been a goal of editors since students returned on campus after the beginning of the pandemic. Flautt reflected on Cushing and Gonzalez’s efforts to make the newsroom more of a social environment: “I think that [staff socializing and making connections] strengthens our journalism — when people care about our fellow editors and we like to hang out with each other, it makes it a lot easier to create the content we want.”

See EDITORS, 7 ☛

PAD advocates for free menstrual products

By ANIKA JAIN

Univ. must recognize student activism

By EDITORIAL BOARD

Serena

By PRATEEK KANMADIKAR

JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice

CINEMA CLOSING : A theater employee updates the marquee to announce the theater's closing date, Sept. 5.

JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice

Three new board members elected to Univ. Board of Trustees

Brandeis University welcomed three new members to its Board of Trustees, President Ron Lebowitz announced in an email to students, faculty, and staff on Aug. 26. Dr. Marjorie H. Hass, Leonard X. Rosenberg ’89, and Jay S. Ruderman ’88 H’18 began their appointment to the Board in early August. Board members oversee all management and policies of the University.

Hass is the current president of the Council of Independent Colleges. She is the council’s first female president since its inception in 1956, according to CIC’s press release in March of 2021. Before this, Hass served as the president of Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, where she was again the first woman and first Jewish person to hold the position. Hass spent 16 years at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where she held numerous roles, including director of the Center for Ethics, vice president of student affairs, and finally, provost. Following her time at Muhlenberg, Hass served as the president of Austin College in Sherman, Texas. She has bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in philosophy from the University of Illinois.

Rosenberg is currently a partner in Mayer Brown LLP in California, where he leads the cross-border real estate practice. Rosenberg plays an active role in alumni leadership circles, serving as the president of the Brandeis University Alumni Association of Northern California, Alumni Association co-vice president, Development Committee chair, and a member of the Campaign Working Group. He graduated cum laude from Brandeis and received a law degree from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Rosenberg is listed in “America’s Best Lawyers.”

Ruderman is the current president of the Ruderman Family Foundation, which works towards greater inclusion of people with disabilities and to bridge a connection between Israel and the American Jewish diaspora. Prior to his presidency at the Foundation, Ruderman served as Assistant District Attorney and then enlisted in the Israeli Defense Forces as a liaison between the IDF and the Jewish diaspora. He then became the leadership director of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee. Ruderman serves on the board of multiple Jewish-American organizations. He and his wife, Shira, were named one of the Jerusalem Post’s “50 Most Influential Jews” in 2016 and labeled the “Boston-based power couple.” Ruderman graduated from Brandeis University and received his JD from Boston University School of Law.

“I am eager to begin my work with these individuals as we make progress on our institutional priorities and long-term aspirations,” Liebowitz concluded.

— Brenna Pearlstein

Dept. of Public Safety releases annual security report to Univ. community

On Wednesday, Sept. 7, the University released its Annual Fire Safety and Security Report for 2022. A formal notice of the report’s publication was emailed to all Brandeis students by University Chief of Public Safety Matthew Rushton. This notice included a link to Brandeis’ Public Safety website, where the full report is currently available.

Brandeis is required by law to publish its security report by Oct. 1 each year, the email said. The report is composed by the Brandeis Department of Public Safety, which includes Brandeis University Police, the student-run EMS service, BEMCo security officers, Transportation Services, Parking and Traffic management, and Emergency Preparedness.

Public Safety partners with several individuals and departments across campus to ensure that the information it

POLICE LOG

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Aug. 28—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care.

Aug. 30—There was a medical emergency in Foster Mods. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care.

Aug. 30—There was a medical emergency in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care.

Sept. 1—There was a medical emergency in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center.

The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Sept. 2—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo

reports is as comprehensive as possible. Although the report is required, in the cover letter, Public Safety expressed its enthusiasm for this chance to publish it. In fact, Rushton states in the report that Public Safety is constantly “working on new and more effective ways to create opportunities for positive dialogue and share critical safety and crime prevention information with you.”

In accordance with the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, the Jeanne Clery Act of 1998, and several other legal requirements, this report includes statistics for crimes that occurred from 2019 to 2021. The crimes included in the report were located on campus, in student housing, in off-campus university buildings, and on public property within Brandeis’ immediate vicinity. There were no reports of criminal homicide, robbery,

staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Sept. 2—There was a medical emergency in East Quad. The party was treated by EMS staff and transported to a local hospital.

Sept. 4—There was a medical emergency in Skyline Residence Hall. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. MISCELLANEOUS

Aug. 28—A disturbance/noise complaint was made in North Quad. The Area Coordinator on call was notified and responded.

Sept. 3—A community member reported a suspicious incident at the Charles River Apartments.

— Compiled by Leah Breakstone

or arson. However, 12 sexual offenses, seven cases of aggravated assault, four burglaries, one motor vehicle theft, nine cases of dating violence, five cases of domestic violence, and six cases of stalking were reported. While there were no arrests, a total of 294 students were referred for disciplinary action because of liquor law violations, 31 due to drug abuse violations, and one because of illegal weapons possession.

The report also contains fire safety data for each of the residential buildings on campus.

Each building has fire alarm monitoring done on-site, a full sprinkler system, smoke detection, a Class-A fire extinguisher device, and one fire evacuation drill per academic year. Additionally, North Quad, Charles River Quad, Ziv Quad, Village Quad, Ridgewood Quad, Skyline, and the Pomerantz/Rubenstein Building all feature

carbon monoxide detectors. A total of seven fires occurred over the three year period that the report covers: one in 2019, two in 2020, and four in 2021. In addition to crime and fire safety statistics, the report explains how to report crimes and emergencies and how Brandeis Public Safety notifies campus in the event of a crime. It also provides information about the Department of Public Safety and the Brandeis Police; updated emergency response procedures; security and building access policies; the University’s response to instances of sexual and gender violence; procedures to ensure safety, security, and crime prevention on campus; Brandeis’ alcohol and drug use policies; and crime prevention tips.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

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

www.thejustice.org

The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods.

— Sydney Duncan

YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice

PERIOD ACTIVISTS AT ’DEIS

PAD advocates for free menstrual products across campus, but not without roadblocks

■ The Justice spoke with the current PAD advocacy chair to discuss their initiative and varying roadblocks.

By ANIKA JAIN JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Period Activists at ’Deis is embarking on a new campaign: advocating for Brandeis to provide free menstrual products for undergraduate students. However, “bureaucratic pushback” has stalled the executive board’s latest efforts, according to Grace Lassila ’25, PAD advocacy chair, in an interview with The Justice on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

PAD is a menstrual equity club that focuses on advocacy, education, and service. In the past, they have organized menstrual product drives to donate essential hygiene products to shelters in the greater Waltham and Boston areas. Service Chair Sophie Glassman ’25 reported that last year the club collected and donated 250-300 liners, 500 pads, and 300 tampons.

At the end of last semester, previous Advocacy Chair Savannah Jackson ’22 surveyed Brandeis undergraduate students about their demographics, menstrual cycles, and the lack of accessibility of period products. She compiled the data into an extensive report, which found that 50% of respondents usually miss at least one day of class each month due to “lack of access to products, period pain, or health conditions.”

Jackson’s survey also collected anonymous testimonials from students. One read, “Honestly, not having enough money to pay for menstrual products is challenging. It’s a decision between buying sanitary products or getting groceries, which is something no one should ever have to decide between because both are equally important to one’s well-being.”

The phenomenon this student is referring to is largely known as period poverty, and it is an intensifying issue in the United States. Data from The Journal of Global Health Reports found that 14.2% of college menstruating people nationwide experienced period poverty in the past year.

Another student’s testimonial stated, “I would love for products to be available in discrete locations. As a trans person, being seen purchasing or picking up period products can be super uncomfortable, and it would be nice to have things in accessible locations that are still relatively private.”

Encouraged to act on these findings, PAD President Kyla Speizer ’23 and the rest of the executive board partnered with the Student Union as well as graduate students from the Heller School for Social Policy and Manage-

CROWN CENTER KICKOFF

Univ. receives large donations from alumni

ment to advocate for free menstrual products to be available to all undergraduate students. Lisa Thorn, a second-year Heller graduate student, reached out to PAD to help when she discovered that free menstrual products are provided for graduate students at Heller and the International Business School but not for undergraduate students.

Unfortunately, the process to apply for funding has been challenging. Last year, Jackson collaborated with Student Union President Peyton Gillespie ’25 to begin the Community Enhancement and Emergency Fund application for free menstrual products in all first-year dorm bathrooms as a pilot project. However, “Facilities has not been the most forthcoming about information,” Lassila said. In order to fill out the CEEF application, PAD needs to know who currently pays for period product dispensers on campus and how regularly they are restocked, so that they can submit an estimate of how much of the budget would need to be directed to their cause. Not only has the head of facilities not shared this information, but they also insisted over email that PAD find where all dispensers are located on campus, according to Lassila.

In response, PAD organized a scavenger hunt on Friday, Sept. 9 to go into different buildings on campus and document which bathrooms have dispensers, whether they have products or not, and which company produces the dispensers.

Once PAD collects that information, they can submit their application for the CEEF fund. If that application is approved, the next step is going to the Board of Trustees to prove that there is a need on campus for these products and that part of the budget should be directed to the expenses.

Lassila shared that PAD has been trying to gain momentum for their movement by putting QR codes around campus to collect student testimonials. “People need to say, ‘Yes, we need this,’ so that we can go to the Board of Trustees and prove, ‘Hey, these are the students, this is what they want. This is what we want. This is not new. We’ve been around. Please help us,’” she stated.

PAD has also been sharing information on their social media about important legislation such as the “I AM” bill, which, if passed, would make free period products accessible in prisons, homeless shelters, and public schools in Massachusetts.

In mid-October, PAD will be hosting their annual Open Mic Night at Cholmondley’s to talk about menstruation with students and professors in a safe, inclusive space and reduce the stigma associated with menstruation. Lassila emphasized that PAD is open to men-

By LOLA HAMILTON JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING

A recent, unprecedented donation of $16.5 million has the potential to reshape the culture at Brandeis and enrich the academic pursuits of the students and faculty alike. The Brandeis Alumni and Friends Drive collected five separate gifts, four of which have been allocated for support of the African and African American Studies, Mathematics, Israeli Politics and Society, and Business faculty chairs. The fifth and final gift allows for an endowed position to lead an integrated Center for Jewish Studies. According to a Brandeis NOW article, University President Ron Liebowitz said that there is a “growing culture of philanthropy” at Brandeis that will allow the community “to contribute even more meaningfully to [academic] dialogues.”

The philanthropists behind these donations have remarkable backgrounds and significant reasons for their donations. According to a Brandeis NOW article, the donations of MIT professors Bonnie Berger ’83 and Tom Leighton allow for the mathematics department to continue to “shape the future of mathematical study and research.” Another donor, successful entrepreneur, investor, and economist Barbara E. Clarke, IBS MA ’91, is reported by a Brandeis IBS News

article to have created a unique faculty chair with the specific purpose to “support a scholar from a historically underrepresented population.” Similarly, Marta F. Kauffman’s ’78 H’20, known for co-creating the hit television show “Friends,” endowed a professorship to the department of African and African American Studies. Her pledge of $4 million is reflective of how her Brandeis education changed her. Kauffman said in a Brandeis Now article how “Brandeis is where [she] learned to be a human being…and car[e] about things beyond [her] sphere.” In the same article, Kauffman explained her choice to donate specifically to the AAAS department, expressing her regrets about the lack of diversity on “Friends” and her reckoning with systemic systems of injustice. This guided her to pursue anti-racism more fervently and devote her philanthropic efforts towards Brandeis.

Alumnus Curtis Tearte ’73, who studied in the AAAS department, remarked how Brandeis is uniquely equipped to utilize such donations due to its history of “a shared legacy between Black Americans and Jewish Americans,” according to a Brandeis NOW article about Kauffman’s donation. More specifically, the AAAS department will allow for the recruitment of remarkable scholars and faculty who can contribute to the continuation of the mission of the department.

By creating new endowed professorships across five departments, this record-breaking donation will add to the University’s academic prowess and notoriety. And, the generous donations from renowned alumni like Kauffman strengthen the University’s goals of inclusion and diversity.

Follow theJustice!

Crown Center hosts panel on overlooked trends in the Middle East

■ The opening event featured a discussion between prominent professors and researchers on generally overlooked topics in the region.

By AMANDA CHEN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Wednesday, Sept. 7, the Crown Center for Middle East Studies hosted their annual kickoff event, titled “Beyond the Headlines: Overlooked Trends in the Middle East.” While mainstream media tends to focus on conflict in the region, the academic panel and Q&A session aimed at showcasing research from Middle Eastern scholars on underappreciated topics.

After Crown Family Director Gary Samore gave the opening remarks, moderator David Siddhartha Patel, a senior fellow at the Crown Center, began facilitating discussion between the four panelists: Prof. Nader Habibi, Henry J. Leir Professor of the Economics of the Middle East (ECON); Goldman Faculty Leave Fellow Raihan Ismail, and junior research fellows Mona Kareem and Mohammad Ataie.

The issues addressed during the panel can be separated into three main categories: social media, literature, and international cooperation and alliances. Ismail delved into how-

Western-based social media influencers affect perceptions of the region through their online content of their travels to the Middle East. The flattering view influencers display contrasts with news outlets’ general focus on tension in the area. While social media influencers provide a change in perspective on the region, their actions also present an ethical dilemma.

Some influencers are solicited by regimes known to commit serious human rights violations to improve the country’s image. For example, in 2019, Saudi Arabia brought social media influencers to the country on all-expenses paid trips to repair their image after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Ismail used the term “reputation laundering” to refer to the use of social media influencers to build a more positive reputation for countries with poor human rights records. While more research is required to assess the impact of social media influencers, some research already suggests that social media influencers have more influence than traditional celebrities because people see them as more authentic and are able to relate to them more.

Next, Kareem covered the topic of literature, discussing her research on how people can “put Arabic literature and all kinds of artistic expressions from the region in conversation with ones made by migrants, stateless people, African descendant people, [and] displaced peo-

ple who have come to the region for centuries.” She argued that literature can be utilized to reimagine the Gulf against the official narrative.

There is a lack of representation of immigrants in the national culture, and portrayal of immigrants tends to be flat. Kareem explained how one barrier to entering the national narrative is language because immigrants are discouraged from assimilating.

Habibi and Ataie then examined international relationships. Habibi described how the discovery of natural gas in the Mediterranean region of the Middle East had the potential to increase cooperation so everyone could economically benefit. The discovery of gas is one of the reasons relations between Turkey and Israel are improving. Profiting from gas is an incentive for both Israel and Turkey to ameliorate relationships, since Israel could send its gas to Europe through Turkey. Furthermore, because of the war in Ukraine, European countries are seeking alternative sources of gas, and thus are looking toward the Mediterranean region as an option. Foreign officials are trying to resolve disputes so natural gas can be developed and exported.

Ataie mentioned how the media tends to explain developments in the Middle East in sectarian terms. He used post-revolution Iran and Syria as an example of an alliance seen as sectarian; mainstream media stated that the Shia

identity of Iran and the Alawite identity of the ruling regime in Syria was the cause of the alliance, but Ataie argued that this view ignores the historical conflicts behind the alliance.

Ataie also went into detail on the origins of Iran’s Axis of Resistance and its effectiveness as a coalition. While it is commonly accepted that Iran developed this network primarily after the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and after the 201011 Arab uprisings, Ataie dates the roots to a much earlier period. The network’s beginning can be traced back to the rule of the Shah in the 1950s. Moreover, there were two events key in forming the partnership between Syria and Iran: the 1980 invasion of Iran by Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and the 1982 invasion of Lebanon by Israel. Iran and Syria wanted to counter the expansionist policies of Israel and Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Over time, the axis included other actors like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine. The ouster of Saddam Hussein allowed Iran to project its influence into Iraq and become a major player in Iraq. While Iran succeeded in fighting off enemies, Ataie argued that it was less successful in statebuilding and governance.

The Crown Center’s kickoff panel allowed students and faculty to engage in a diverse array of subjects that moved away from mainstream topics, reflecting the intellectual spirit of the center.

WRITER

■ Generous philanthropy from alumni strengthens Brandeis departments and reflects the significance of Brandeis culture post-graduation.

OWEN CHAN/the Justice

JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice

NEW FRIENDS : Students had the opportunity to meet and spend time with like-minded peers.

COMMUNITY: With a variety of value- and identity-based clubs, students can find their community.

ARTS AND CRAFTS : Students had the opportunity to participate in a variety of hands-on projects.

SOCIAL JUSTICE : There was a plethora of social-justice based groups and clubs at the fair.

VOLUNTEERS: First year and returning students had the opportunity to meet students with similar values, participate in community service projects, and find social-justice based groups to work with.

OWEN CHAN/the Justice

EDITORS: looking toward the future of the Justice

CONTINUED FROM 1

Additionally, as managing editor, Flautt hopes to devote her energy to helping editors as much as possible, specifically with any logistical issues that may arise. “I know being a section editor can be very overwhelming and I really just want to be as supportive as possible and also help facilitate communication across sections,” she said. Over the past three years, the two have been busy working on various projects for the Justice, but they each had one that stuck out to them. For Crystal, a highlight was working on an investigative series about accessibility on campus. Flautt recalled covering the 2020 election: “It just reminded me of how incredible it is to be covering events like this as student journalists — it was a very stressful time but … it kind of hit me that, wow, what I’m doing here feels very significant in a way and powerful.”

Both editors were quick to reflect on the aspects of the Justice that stand out the most to them. Crystal mentioned the ability to be a part of the community that is being written about: “I really love the concept of student journalism — being actively involved in what you’re reporting on — I feel like that gives really good insight and perspective and really improves the quality of journalism.” Flautt highlighted how well the entire staff is able to handle the workload of contributing to the Justice with being full-time students, and added, “I love how everyone is able to balance doing their jobs really amazingly and creating such incredible articles and photos and content while also enjoying it at the same time.”

Crystal and Flautt expressed their excitement for leading alongside each other in the final stretch of their Brandeis careers and communicated their optimism for the future of the Justice.

CRYSTAL AND FLAUTT

ELECTION: Political party formed after more than a decade; candidate bios released to students

CONTINUED FROM 1

pus.” He added, “it’s best that the Union works together as a whole, united and not split up into political parties.”

Union Director of Communications Noah Risley ’24 said that though political parties are within the bounds of the Student Union constitution, they still have similar concerns, which they relayed to the Justice on Sept. 9. “I have not seen a single policy, it just seems like a group of people who want to get elected together.” Risley said that the point of the Union is for representatives to create new ideas to benefit their constituents. “I would still be opposed to the idea,” Risley said, “but I would find it much less problematic if they were unified around some policy goals rather than just running as some social club.”

Risley said they were more upset to see candidates for allocations board and the judiciary running in the party ticket, as those are supposed to be non-political roles.

The following are the candidates for the fall 2022 election cycle. New Frontiers Party candidates are labeled NFP.

SENATORS

Class of 2024

Sahil Muthuswami is running unopposed for the position of class of 2024 senator. In his candidate bio, Muthuswami said he prioritizes community engagement, such as the Midnight Buffet. Muthuswami was a senator during the 2021-22 academic year.

Class of 2025

James Brosgol is running for class of 2025 senator. Brosgol, who was a senator in the previous academic year, said in his candidate bio he would “serve with unwavering commitment to the truth and to integrity.”

Erica Hwang is running for class of 2025 senator. Hwang said in her candidate bio that if elected, she would work with Period Activists at ’Deis to make menstrual products more widely available on campus.

Andrew Zeiler is running for class of 2025 senator. In his candidate bio, Zeiler said his goals are to improve food quality, access to hygiene products, and “work on Brandeis’ commitment to climate.”

Class of 2026

Stephen Gaughan (NFP) is running for class of 2026 senator. In

his candidate bio, Gaughan said he is not running to add the Union to his resumé, but because he “can get the job done.”

Koby Gottlieb is running for class of 2026 senator. If elected, Gottlieb plans to create a network to connect a student who feels unsafe traveling around campus or Waltham with someone who will walk them to their destination.

Tyler Hupart (NFP) is running for class of 2026 senator. In his bio, Hupart emphasized his belief that the diversity of the student body is the University’s greatest asset.

Bryan Jiang is running for class of 2026 senator. Jiang said in his bio that he plans to use his leadership experience to “[uplift] the voices of those in our brilliant class.”

Fiona Wang is running for class of 2026 senator. Wang said she plans on creating community-building events both within Brandeis and with surrounding universities.

North Quad

Eve Begelman ’26 is running for North Quad senator. In her bio, Begelman said she wants to make North a “friendly and comfortable environment for all.”

Prateek Kanmadikar ’26 is running for North Quad senator. Kanmadikar said in his bio that he plans on using his leadership experience to “tackle the challenges” Brandeis faces.

Liam Spilker ’26 (NFP) is running for North Quad senator. In his candidate bio, Spilker did not list any experience or goals. Instead, he quoted from the Rick Astley song “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

Skyline/Rosie

Chana Thomas ’25 is running unopposed for the combined Skyline/Rosie senate seat. Thomas said she wants to be a resource for students who have questions about the campus.

Massell Quad

Summer Coronesi ’26 is running for Massell Quad senator. Coronesi said in her bio that she looks forward to hearing ideas from students.

Chloe Doonan ’26 is running for Massell Quad senator. Doonan said in her bio that she would like to keep Massell’s bathrooms clean and the quad free of trash.

Joseph Heaney ’26 is running for Massell Quad senator. In his bio, Heaney said he plans on bringing better toilet paper to Massell.

Zachary Moskovits ’26 (NFP) is running for Massell Quad senator.

Moskovits said in his bio that he believes many first-year representatives are unable to speak their minds due to older union members. “Unfortunately for the establishment, I don’t know how to shut my mouth,” Moskovits said.

Ziv/Ridgewood

Eamonn Golden ’26 is running unopposed for the combined Ziv/ Ridgewood senate seat. Golden, who was chief justice of the Union Judiciary last year, said his goals for the quads are “threefold,” the first of which is to make menstrual products available in dorms without common bathrooms.

Village/567

Kai Kibilko ’25 is running unopposed for the combined Village/567 South Street senate seat. Kibilko said in their bio that they want to increase transparency and “democratize the process by which decisions regarding the students are made.”

Charles River Apartments

Nicholas Kanan ’23 is running unopposed for senator for the Charles River Apartments. Kanan was the senator for 567 and Village last semester and said in his bio that he wants to improve the communication of transportation outages to residents of Charles River.

Off-Campus

Kelly Lei ’24 is running unopposed for Off-Campus senator. Lei said she hopes to improve parking for off-campus students, clarify BranVan and shuttle routes, and create social media groups for students living near each other offcampus.

Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program

Jahkhi Waters ’26 (NFP) is running unopposed for MKTYP senator. Waters said in his bio that he is an “outspoken person,” and that he wants to give back to the University by becoming a representative of the Union.

Racial Minority

Rachel Gao ’25 is running for Racial Minority Senator. Gao said in her bio she wants to “create a more inclusive student body and community.” Additionally, Gao said that she wants to have safe spaces accessible to various groups on campus.

Divam Gupta ’26 is running for Racial Minority Senator. Gupta said in his bio that he wants to serve as a “connection between minority students and the Brandeis administration.”

ALLOCATIONS BOARD REPRESENTATIVE

Cameron Sherman ’26 (NFP) is running unopposed for the position of allocations board representative. “I’m a big saver,” Sherman wrote in his candidate bio. “However, that doesn’t mean I don’t know when the right time is to spend.”

ASSOCIATE JUSTICES

Farishta Ali ’24 is running for Associate Justice. Ali said in her bio that she hopes to uphold the student union constitution and “build a friendly environment amongst the Brandeis community.”

Alyssa Golden ’26 is running for Associate Justice. Golden said in her bio that she has “committed [herself] to improvement and advo-

cacy.” Golden hopes to provide “accountability and transparency” to the Student Union.

Jenna Lewis ’26 is running for Associate Justice. Lewis said she would “hold individuals accountable for their past but [does] aim not simply to punish or deem what is ‘right.’”

Zachary Miller ’25 is running for Associate Justice. In his bio, Miller said that he believes his experiences in Mock Trial and as an intern in a civil court will help him effectively do the job of associate justice.

Maxwell Weiner ’26 (NFP) is running for Associate Justice. Weiner said in his bio that if elected, he would “consult with [his] fellow students to make important decisions.”

JACK YUANWEI-CHENG/the Justice

NEW TERM : Jen Crystal '23 (left) is the new editor in chief, and Jane Flautt '23 (right) is the new managing editor.

justfeatures

VERBATIM | TINA TURNER

“You must love and care for yourself, because that’s when the best comes out.”

ON THIS DAY…

In 1969, the first episode of “Scooby-Doo Where Are You!” aired on CBS.

The original series of the long-running franchise aired for just two seasons.

Waltham Farmers’ Market: Global flavors, local community

FUN FACT

China spans five time zones, but the entire country is on Beijing time. That means that the sun rises around 10 a.m. in some parts of the country.

By ARIELLA WEISS JUSTICE EDITOR

On a sunny Saturday morning in downtown Waltham, excited customers are lined up at the edge of a parking lot filled with stands displaying colorful produce, crumbly pastries, and exotic plants. At 9:30 a.m. sharp, a bell is rung. The Waltham Farmers’ Market is officially open for the day.

“They ring a bell at 9:30, and people will full-on sprint at you,” Madigan Murphy told the Justice at the market on Sept. 3. She works for Spring Brook Farm in Littleton.

The market, currently operating out of the former Embassy Theater’s parking lot, is in its 32nd consecutive year. It runs from June to October. The market requires that vendors grow, craft, or make the products they sell, “so everything is local,” said Missy Goldberg, a market organizer who is one of six volunteer coordinators who make the market happen. Many customers buy all their produce for the week at the market, Goldberg said. This means there’s lots of return customers and “some serious shopping going on,” she explained.

Patricia Barrios runs the market stand for Flores de Cafe with her husband, Roberto Perdomo. Barrios also teaches Spanish at a private college preparatory school in Weston. She and Perdomo got up at 5:30 a.m. to prepare for the day’s market. The couple is from Colombia and now live in Massachusetts. They run part of their coffee roasting business out of their home in Wayland. The rest of Flores de Cafe is located thousands of miles away, at Perdomo’s family’s coffee farm in Pitalito, in the Huila region of southwest Colombia. The region is one of the world’s premium coffee producers.

Flores de Cafe is one of several “micro-farms” in Pitalito, where, Barrios said, “coffee is a culture. Everyone shares what they know.” Barrios and Perdomo work closely with their family in Colombia — the coffee sold at the Saturday market arrived in the United States the previous day. “It’s expensive, but it’s good because it’s fresh,” Barrios said.

Barrios’s passion and pride for coffee culture is contagious, and is essential to Flores de Cafe’s success at the Waltham market. “We tried to sell it in stores and it doesn’t work, because people need to know the story of the coffee.”

She and Perdomo have been selling successfully at markets in the Boston area for two years. They collaborate with other family-owned coffee roasting businesses to share tips and tricks. “I feel so comfortable here [at the market]. I feel like I’m the ambassador of my product,” Barrios said.

The Concord-based Saltbox Farm has been at the Waltham Farmers’ Market since 2016. “I really like the market vibe,” said Jasmine Hunter, who works at the Saltbox Farms stand. “You’ve got your loyal customers that come to see you every week, and it’s really cute,” she said. “It’s really nice to build that relationship with your vendor and see what else is different [each week].” She also said that as a farmer, “it’s cool learning about [other vendors’] growing practices.” Hunter added, “Everyone gives each other deals and comes to talk

to you.”

Despina Agapidou owns Fournos Authentic Greek Pastries, which she runs out of her home. Agapidou grew up in Greece and emigrated in 2004. “Baking was something I always liked doing,” she said. Once her kids grew up, she “decided to turn [her] hobby into a business.” Agapidou also sells at the Newton and Watertown markets. “I do the thing that I love and also support myself,” she said.

Agapidou likes the Waltham Farmers’ Market because of the location and the people. “I like the fact that people want to buy fresh products … Everybody comes back and tells you how much they loved it.” Eric Campell, of Newton, bought two containers of Agapidou’s pastries. He does the bulk of his food shopping at grocery stores but said he likes the unique options that the Waltham Farmers’ Market offers. “The pastries are expensive, but they’re a nice treat,” he said.

Agapidou has been selling her products at farmers’ markets for the past five years. Like many small-business owners, the pandemic hit her hard. “I had no business during COVID and the market was closed,” she said. The Waltham Farmers’ Market is an important source of income for vendors like Agapidou.

The Waltham Farmers’ Market is also a core food source for some customers. Martha Creedon, a volunteer organizer, said that the market raises $17,000 a year in donations. This allows them to offer a weekly matching benefit of up to $10 for customers enrolled in the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Customers who are signed up for SNAP can use their EBT card to purchase tokens they can use to buy food from vendors. For each token they buy, SNAP recipients also get a free token of equal value from the market. The market will match up to $10 worth of SNAP tokens.

Administering the SNAP Match program and doing the fundraising that makes it possible takes a lot of work, Creedon said, “but it’s worth it. A lot of people depend on us.” In addition to the SNAP Match program, Creedon said SNAP recipients are automatically eligible to get an additional $40 to $80 to spend on fruits and vegetables every month through the state’s Healthy Incentive Program. Two of the market’s farm stands participate in the program, with two more recently approved by the state to come on board in the future.

One of the current participating vendors is Spring Brook Farm. Ken Rutledge works at Spring Brook Farm’s stand at the market. He said he appreciates how accessible the Waltham Farmers’ Market is for SNAP recipients. “We feel we’d miss that demographic otherwise,” Rutledge said, explaining that his stand gets hundreds of dollars a day in the form of SNAP money and the SNAP Match tokens at the Waltham market.

Rutledge contrasted the Waltham Farmers’ Market to the

market in Boston’s SoWa neighborhood, where “the bougieness is brutal.” His coworker Madigan Murphy agreed. She said markets in Boston tend to have less locally-sourced food and more expensive items like jewelry and vintage goods, and these vendors “upcharge you a million dollars.” Murphy said the Waltham market is the most “farmers markety” market that Spring Brook sells at. The Waltham Farmers’ Market, Rutledge added, “gives farms the opportunity to be accessible.”

Market customer Andrew Krassin, of Newton, looked over the produce at the Spring Brook Farm stand. The bins had all been stacked high with fruits and vegetables in the morning. By the afternoon, when Krassin arrived at the stand, many of the containers were nearly empty.

Krassin said he does most of his shopping at farmers’ markets in the area. He said the food is fresher and more natural than at the grocery stores. But for Krassin, it all comes down to supporting local farms and small-businesses — “That’s huge to me.”

— Justice editors Natalie Kahn and Jack Yuanwei

contributed to the reporting of this

Design: Natalie Kahn/the Justice

Cheng

story.

Design: Natalie Kahn/the Justice

On Saturdays from June through October, an empty lot on Moody Street transforms into a bustling market. The Justice wanted to find out what makes the Waltham Farmers’ Market special.

Photos by JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice VEGGIES FOR ALL: Customers can purchase produce of all varieties and colors at the Spring Brook Farm stand using SNAP benefits or SNAP Match tokens.

SWEET TREATS: Despina Agapidou owns Fournos, a greek bakery. She does all of her baking at home and sells her desserts at three different markets in the Boston area.

ORGANIZERS: Martha Creedon (left) and Missy Goldberg (right) are members of the Waltham Farmers’ Market Committee, who volunteer their time to organize and run the farmers’ market.

MOVIES: Embassy Cinema closes its doors

After leaving the farmers’ market in the empty lot behind the theater, she noticed the goodbye message that Johnson had put up on the marquee outside the theater just an hour earlier.

“I didn’t even realize that the Embassy theater had reopened [after the lockdown],” she said. She pointed out the beaten down movie posters, improperly stretched out in the lightboxes on the walls outside of the theater. Although the posters were all for the newest features, Lauren said it was easy to assume that the theater was still closed.

“The movies that we get are already on streaming services,” she said, “so there isn’t much incentive to go, especially if you’re paying more,” Ingram said. Even successful box office blockbusters haven’t been able to make up for plummeting ticket sales: “‘Top Gun’ has been killing it all summer, but it’s not enough,” Ingram said.

Landmark Theatres gave Embassy employees extremely limited notice about the closure, Ingram said. Their jobs were terminated on a Friday and the theater was closed the following Monday. Landmark offered employees time-and-a-half

for the hours they worked after being terminated, Ingram said, but no severance pay. She now has to find a new job with little time to plan. Johnson, meanwhile, said he won’t be looking for another theater job.

“It’s a special place. People should know about it”

The original Embassy Cinema first opened off of Moody Street in 1928. It went out of business in 1972 and the building was torn down that same year. Today, the only thing that remains of the original location is a metal arch on Moody Street.

In 1998, the California-based company Landmark Theatres, which operates over 30 movie theaters across the country, reopened Embassy Cinema in a new location, next to the old one.

The building was previously the home of the Waltham News Tribune. There are still traces of the newspaper in the building, including a pneumatic tube system for transporting documents between floors. “We still use it now,” Johnson said.

Current Brandeis students were sad to see Embassy go. “It is really sad that the movie theater

has closed. When I was a first year student, my friends and I would go there many times every month,”

Ethan Gerstman ’23 said. He did not return to the theater after it reopened following the initial COVID-19 lockdown.

“The showtimes after the reopening were bad, and it never worked out with my schedule,” he said.

Not long before the Embassy Theater shut its doors, the City of Waltham approved an amendment to the building permit that would allow it to operate as a live performance space in addition to showing movies. According to Joseph Vizard, the Waltham’s city clerk, if a new operator takes over the building, they will be able to use the building for both purposes. Currently, the building is listed online for lease by the CBRE Group.

The Embassy Theater was the only remaining movie theater in Waltham. The nearby West Newton Cinema may shut its doors soon as well, according to a recent Globe report. Soon, Waltham residents may have to travel to see a movie in theaters.

“It’s a special place. People should know about it,” Andy said.

Design: Natalie Kahn/the Justice

Photos by JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice

HISTORIC: Embassy Cinema opened in 1928 at its orginal location on Moody Street.

SHORT NOTICE: Landmark Theatres, the national company that owned Embassy, told employees about the shutdown just three days before the Embassy closed.

BEHIND THE SCREENS: Embassy assistant manager Andy Johnson gave Justice reporters a tour of the theater on its second-to last day, including the projectors behind the theater rooms.

Jen Crystal, Editor in Chief

Jane Flautt, Managing Editor

Cameron Cushing and Sofia Gonzalez, Senior Editors

Leeza Barstein, Juliana Giacone, and Hannah Taylor, Associate Editors

Dalya Koller, Leah Breakstone, News Editors

Natalie Kahn, Features Editor

Lauryn Williams, Forum Editor

Megan liao, Arts & Culture Editor

Jack Yuanwei Cheng, Photography Editor

Ariella Weiss, Isabel roseth, Copy Editors

Samantha Goldman, Devon Sandler, Online Editors

EDITORIAL

The importance of recognizing student activism

As a University that “Considers social justice central to its mission,” according to its Diversity Statement, Brandeis has an obligation to do everything it can to make campus safe and equitable for all members of the Brandeis community.

Acknowledging through words how structural racism and other forms of systemic oppression impact students and other community members in marginalized groups, both on and off campus, can be an important first step to addressing these issues at the institutional level. However, to protect and support students in marginalized communities, the University must commit to long-term action and concrete policy changes.

The administration has shown a lack of follow-through and transparency in its efforts to address institutional racism at Brandeis. A page on the Brandeis website lists the status of commitments made and actions taken by the University in response to specific demands of the Black Action Plan — a list of demands created entirely by students in the summer of 2020 that laid out clear action steps to address student concerns and begin dismantling structural racism at Brandeis. According to the list on the Brandeis website, only six of the Black Action Plan’s demands have been met or partially addressed in the two years since the demands were made.

If Brandeis is truly committed to confronting and addressing institutionalized racism on its campus, as President Liebowitz stated when Brandeis’ own Anti-Racism Plans were released, why has so little progress been made to address the concerns and demands that its students so clearly laid out in the Black Action Plan?

The BAP was created entirely on the efforts and hard work of Black students at Brandeis ⁠— namely Sonali Anderson ’22 and DeBorah Ault ’22 — who worked tirelessly to make sure the University’s anti-racism plans would result in actual change. In May 2022, Anderson told the Justice that initially Brandeis created anti-racism plans containing goals and promises without specific plans for how it would achieve them.

This is a clear example of how the University often prioritizes words over— and often without—action in its approach to social injustices on campus.

Liebowitz stated in the release of the University’s anti-racism plans that “Brandeis will continue to work on the development of strategies for ongoing accountability and the tracking of progress.” The most recent publicly available update on the University’s AntiRacism Plans was in December 2021, with the release of the finalized plans. Since then, students have not been informed about the status of the initiatives laid out in these plans.

The administration has offered almost no information about changes that have been made in line with these plans, and individual departments are not required to update their students on what progress has been made within the department.

A pivotal component of the University’s Anti-Racism Plans was to incorporate anti-racism guidelines within the different departments. Administrative and academic

departments and programs were asked to reflect on “how the policies, practices, and attitudes relating to their work have a disproportionate and adverse impact on members of the Brandeis community,” the Dec. 2021 letter to the community read. Part of this self reflection process involved forming committees to identify how individual entities had “fallen short in combating institutionalized racism.” These committees would then go on to draft anti-racism plans for their respective departments.

This editorial board contends that there was not enough University accountability in the drafting and maintenance of these plans. Different academic departments committed to anti-racism action to varying degrees – a successful institutional response to systemic racism within academia requires the strong commitment of all entities within the system, and Brandeis did not do an adequate job of holding all of the academic departments accountable.

For example, a student told the Justice that she tried to get involved with the Psychology Department’s anti-racism committee in April 2022 only to be informed that the committee had not met since fall 2020 and was unofficially disbanded. This is unacceptable.

Addressing institutional racism is an ongoing process that should involve the input of multiple generations of student leaders. Contrastingly to the absent response from the Psychology Department, the Sociology Department created a diversity & equity liaison position. Prof. Sarah Mayorga (SOC) held this position for a year and visited the sociology classes to promote a survey where students could provide feedback on the department’s response. Mayorga’s position as equity liaison ended at the end of last semester.

Since the University released the final version of the Anti-Racism Plans in December 2021, students have received only two emails mentioning anti-racism plans in the context of the initatives being implemented. Both were Board of Trustees meeting reports sent by Liebowitz, one in Feb. 2022 and the other in April 2022. Each email briefly referred to a presentation that an administrator gave to a committee about efforts to implement parts of the plans.

We understand that dismantling institutional racism is a complex process that will require continuous efforts on the part of administration, faculty, staff, and students. Creating anti-racism plans was a crucial starting point for this long process. But this is not enough.

Without consistent updates from the University and its departments on what actions are being taken to carry out these initiatives, students cannot hold their University accountable and the plans are rendered meaningless.

Additionally, committees made up entirely – or almost entirely – of nonstudents should not be the only people being updated on the implementation of the Anti- Racism plans. At their core, the Anti-Racism Plans exist to make long overdue changes to make Brandeis a safe and supportive place for Black students and other students of color. If students are not being informed about how the plans are

being transformed into actions, and are left out of this process, then the Anti-Racism Plans will fail before they have a chance to make a difference.

What’s more, students were instrumental in developing the Anti-Racism Plans. The University has an even greater obligation to keep its student body informed about how these plans are being turned into actions because without Black students and other students of color voicing their concerns, sharing their experiences, and making demands to the school, the current Anti-Racism Plans would not exist. The final version of these plans is the result of the work of Black student activists who led the creation of the Black Action Plan.

This failure to adequately respond to the BAP and inability to continuously address racism on campus is part of a larger pattern at Brandeis, and on university campuses in general, where students take up the brunt of activism work and receive little institutional support. We see this within the Brandeis community. For example, in Nov. 2021, the Brandeis Leftist Union released a petition in support of dining workers. These demands were eventually met following a March 2022 rally and sit-in but were only addressed after numerous demonstrations, months of organizing, and many hours spent in negotiation with the University.

Community Advisors also organized to demand better contract terms that would include meal plan compensation. In April 2021, a letter containing these demands signed by CAs was sent to Liebowitz and other members of the administration. CAs met with the administration in the following months, but no meaningful changes to the CA contract were made. A year later, CAs created a second petition that was released and met with support from the student

body. This petition pointed out that CA staff at Brandeis is largely made up of students who are BIPOC, low-income, or the first in their families to attend college and said the administration’s “continued lack of recognition fails to meet the commitments made by the University to support its marginalized students.”

The University should be more involved, care more about, and be more responsive to the concerns of their students and staff. We as a student body and as a community have continuously shown that we are capable of voicing our concerns, but we are often met with deaf ears by key players in the administration.

This editorial was not written with the intention to discount or discredit student activism — in fact, quite the opposite: This editorial board believes that student activism is crucial, and our community and its improvements would not exist without the tireless work of student activists.

We applaud student activists for their work but recognize their limitations to effect systemic change during a 4 year— or less—period with an unsupportive administration. People like Ault and Anderson were so crucial to creating the BAP and organizing racial reform on campus, but these students are only students for so long. When these social justice powerhouses graduate, the University needs to be able to provide support to these students and student-led organizations, especially during times of transition.

The Brandeis administration has fallen short of fully supporting student efforts to make Brandeis a safe and supportive place for all students.

The University needs to recognize student activism as in line with their mission of social justice.

Asking for a friend

“Asking for A Friend” is Forums’ advice column where each week we ask Brandeis students their thoughts and opinions which range from an array of topics. As the semester begins to pick up and students dedicate themselves to clubs and other extracurricular activities, many already feel overwhelmed, so we asked students for their advice on how to deal with burnout this semester.

or handle burnout?

— Alexander Ruse ’ 25

What tips and tricks do you have for others to remain afloat during the school year? A:

Q: “Don’t try to do everything. Focus on 1 or 2 things at a time, socially and academically.”

— Tibria Brown ’ 25

By LAURYN WILLIAMS JUSTICE EDITOR

When I was a kid, I begged my family to watch “The Devil Wears Prada” over three times a month. The scenes where the main character, Andrea, transformed into a highly fashionable woman who wore beautifully tailored and curated outfits are seared into my brain. That movie first sparked my interest in fashion.

From then on, I would flip through magazines to see the new collections designers debuted for the season. I even asked my grandmother to teach me how to make dresses with our 1980s thrifted sewing machine.

I was in awe of how glamorous the industry looked and how much thought seemingly went into every piece of clothing. I longed to be a part of that world even just for a second. However, that dream felt largely unattainable. I never saw a Black woman who I felt looked like me on the red carpets or sitting in the front row of fashion shows. I just assumed that there was no space for me, and that I would always just have to look on from the outside, or in this case, from my childhood bedroom drenched in pink and covered in magazine clippings.

The feeling of being excluded is an experience shared by many Black people working in fashion. According to an honors thesis from DePauw University by Re’Nae Dillard, Black women are incredibly underrepresented in the fashion industry. Due to systematic oppression and centu-

ries of racism, white and light-skinned female bodies are often associated with beauty, desirability, and attractiveness while dark, black-skinned female bodies are not. In the industry, a lot of Black models are tokenized and used as props.

Even in magazines, white women grace the cover, while Black women can scarcely be seen throughout the pages. Racism and discrimination are also extended to Black creatives. In a Forbes article, Sharon Edelson explains that Black designers and fashion editors fight for the same resources and opportunities daily. However, without the proper connections, which are often gatekept from them, they lack the funding and resources to debut and launch their work.

Despite the lack of accessibility, I wanted to meet Black women who were making strides in the fashion industry. So, my goal was to go to New York Fashion Week in September.

Months prior, I sent out emails to designers and companies so that I could cover press for their shows. Luckily, by way of my perfectly, meticulously worded emails, I was able to secure press passes for select shows. As the weeks went by my anticipation only grew; I started to plan my outfits on Pinterest and create a moodboard for my trip.

On Sept. 9, I took an Uber across town to the train station with my overly-packed carry-on.

As the hours waned, I found myself watching as we passed lakeside towns and green thick marshes full of cranes and ot-

her wildlife. As we pulled into New York City the sky was mixed with hues of blood orange and lavender purple. I had been to the city countless times, but when I arrived and walked into the Moynihan Train Hall, it felt different. People in neon pink feathers and heeled metal boots rushed past me on their way to shows. I made my way to Ninth avenue and into my hotel. I nervously waited for the morning when I too could join the spectacle of New York Fashion Week.

In the morning, I set my intentions, I told myself that I was going to be present and seize the day. I set out to the “Black in Fashion Council’’ event in SoHo, which was a showroom organized by Lindsay Peoples Wagner and Sandrine Charles to represent and secure the advancement of Black individuals in the fashion and beauty industry. Each room had a different designer highlighting their newest collection. I walked around and got to talk with them one on one. I asked them what advice they had for Black women who want to be in fashion, and the overwhelming response was: “Just do it. Get out there and be yourself even if that isn’t always comfortable.”

The designs were magnificent, dresses full of crimson pleats, yellow linen pants, reworked denim jeans, and draped silk fabric. Many of the designers said that they were inspired by Black women that had shown them it was okay to be themselves, their moms and grandmothers.

As I made my way out of the showroom I found myself taking one big, final look.

In those rooms were women who endured years of hard work and sacrifice had to carve their way into an industry that doesn’t cater to them. They were inspiring and allowed me to see fashion in a new light; it wasn’t just about the glitter and the red carpets, it was about all the little moments and dreams of a more inclusive and brighter future.

Later that night, I made an outfit change and headed to Manhattan for a “Small Boutique Fashion Show.” I was already a bit late due to the traffic, and I had to haul myself up four flights of stairs. As I made it to the third floor, I got a glimpse of the backstage production.

The room was full of models and stylists making their final touches; hair was being sprayed, bracelets and earrings were being thrown on. I took my seat in the front row, and as I looked around I saw Black women in chic clothing.

They mixed and matched patterns and fabrics and they had locs, braids, or voluminous afros. The song “I’m That Girl” from Beyonce’s “Renaissance” album started to play, and the models took their first strides on the runway. As each outfit glided in front of me, I saw Black women of all different shapes and sizes.

They walked with confidence, like they belonged there without question. I saw myself that night, on the runway for the first time.

All of those doubts I had as a kid suddenly washed away; it was magical seeing their dark skin gleam against the bright colored clothing.

WNBA: Bird ends professional career

CONTINUED FROM 16

for an end to police brutality. In the same way that she approached the basketball court, Bird was fearless and ready to take on any opponent in her way. Warnock was polling at just 9% when Bird and other WNBA players started wearing “VOTE WARNOCK” t-shirts in support of his political campaign, according to the Seattle Times. And, in the end, Warnock won the election against Loeffler, becoming the first Black senator of Georgia. On or off

the basketball court, Bird comes in clutch.

Now that Bird has retired, she can put more time and effort into her business TOGETHXR to raise awareness for women in sports. With former experience analyzing college basketball, managing the Denver Nuggets, and joining the ownership of NJ/NY Gotham FC, Bird has more to bring to the world after stepping off the stage of professional basketball.

TENNIS: Williams retires after historic career

CONTINUED FROM 16

held by Margaret Court. Williams bid farewell to the fans at the US Open, which, in 1999, she shocked the world by defeating world No. 1 Martina Hingis for her first Grand Slam Title.

Off the court, Williams has an extensive involvement in a wide variety of sponsorships, business ventures, and philanthropic causes. The Serena Williams Fund and the Williams Sisters Fund were both established for philanthropic reasons, with Venus Williams co-founding the latter. The sisters also purchased a minority stake in the Miami Dolphins of the NFL in 2009. Serena Williams’ main sponsors are Nike for athletic wear and Wilson for tennis gear. All her

sponsorships and prize money resulted in her being one of the highest paid athletes of all time.

Williams’ retirement comes at no shock to the sports world, however, it is still a difficult pill to swallow. Many people have paid tribute to Williams’ career, honoring her for her dominance on the court, including Naomi Osaka, who stated that “she would not be playing tennis if it weren’t for her.” Williams has talked about the difficulty of trying to manage tennis and motherhood, as she said in an interview with CNN, “Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and family. I don’t think it’s fair.”

Serena WIlliams has been an inspiration to people of all ages both on and off the court. Her pure talent and tenacity prove that she is truly one of the greatest of all time.

NFL: Bills dominate Rams on opening night

CONTINUED FROM 16

on 26 of his 31 passing attempts. Allen’s heroics accounted for four total touchdowns. Additionally, the receiving tandem of Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis shined, putting up monstrous numbers of 122 yards and 88 yards, respectively, along with a touchdown for each.

The Rams, on the other hand, fell flat. Quarterback Matthew Stafford struggled throughout the night,

throwing for 240 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.

A lone bright spot was wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who demonstrated why he is the reigning Super Bowl MVP, catching 13 receptions while receiving 128 yards and a touchdown. This loss puts the Rams under .500 for the first time under Head Coach Sean Mcvay’s six seasons with the team.

Ultimately, the Bills dominated the

Rams 31-10, cementing their first win in their quest for a championship that has eluded their franchise since their inception. The Bills will try to build on this win in Buffalo next Monday as they host the Tennessee Titans. Meanwhile, the Rams will look to put their first win on the board as they host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

LORIE SHAULL/Flickr

BYE BYE, BIRD(IE): Four-time WNBA Champion and 13-time WNBA All-Star Sue Bird ends her career after an historic 21 years. Photo courtesy

GAME WINNER: Quarterback Josh Allen rallied the Buffalo Bills to a massive week one victory against the LA Rams.

SOCCER: Judges defeat Wildcats 3-1

■ The Judges faced up against the Johnson and Wales University Wildcats on Saturday, Sept. 10, on Gordon Field.

By JANE FLAUTT AND AIDEN GUTHRO JUSTICE EDITOR AND JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

FORGING AHEAD: Ali Karafotias ’25 battles against a Wildcat defender to bring the ball upfield.

THOU SHALL NOT PASS: Judges defender Briar Grady ’26 lunges for the ball, breaking up the Wildcats’ attack.

CALM, COOL, COLLECTED: Forward Sydney Lenhart ’24 drives the ball across the field.

BAILEY’S BATTLE: Bailey Cullen M’23 competes for possession of the ball against an invading Wildcat.

Photos by JACK YUANWEI CHENG AND OWEN CHAN/the Justice

IN THE NET: The Wildcats’ defense watch in awe as the Judges’ shot rockets into the back of the net.

O CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN: Juliette Carreiro ’23 had a goal and an assist in the battle against JWU.

Sports just JUDGES WOMEN'S SOCCER

Judges Women's Soccer beat the Johnson and Wales University Wildcats 3-1 on Saturday, p. 15.

Serena Williams announces retirement

■ Tennis star Serena Williams played her last professional tournament at the 2022 US Open, announcing her retirement after an incredible 27-year career.

By PRATEEK KANMADIKAR JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING

The U.S. Open, one of the four major tennis championships, was recently held in New York City. It was also the place where Serena Williams, one of the finest tennis players of all time, decided to put up the tennis racket and retire. Over an outstanding 27-year career, Williams has amassed 23 Grand Slam titles and four Olympic Gold Medals, and she held the No. 1 ranking for a total of 319 weeks. Williams and her sister, Venus, are credited with paving the way for a new generation of female tennis players. She is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Williams embodies the definition of the perfect athlete, somebody who is so unbelievably good at their sport, that they serve as a role model to all those around them.

NFL

The Williams sisters were raised in Compton, CA, and were originally trained by their parents, Richard Williams and Oracene Price. They then continued their training at the Rick Macci Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida, which ultimately led the sisters to turn professional. The life of the Williams family was brought to the screen in the Academy Award winning biographical drama film, “King Richard,” released in 2021. Throughout her career, Williams has faced many challenges, specifically knee injuries, which have kept her off the court for some time. Back in 2020, Williams pulled out of the French Open due to an achilles injury. Later, in December 2021, Williams injured her hamstring and had to withdraw from the 2022 Australian Open. In September 2017, Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, welcomed a daughter. Williams faced medical complications from the delivery, which delayed her return to professional tennis. Williams’ last major championship was at the 2017 Australian Open, which she won while pregnant. Ajla Tomljanovic defeated Williams in 3 sets at the 2022 US Open, thus ending her quest for a 24th Grand Slam title, which is still

The NFL is back! Rams vs. Bills recap

■ The 103rd season of the NFL began on Thursday, with the Buffalo Bills taking on the Los Angeles Rams.

By ZACH GOLDSTEIN JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

To undergo an offseason as an NFL fan is an anxiety-inducing, 29-week drought until the start of the regular season. Each day is filled with instability: the madness of the freeagency period, a sudden breaking news tweet from the all-knowing Adam Schefter, a star player being traded, a long-time veteran retiring, or players being released from their teams. Luckily for us, September is here, and the stability of our beloved football is back.

The NFL kicked off their 103rd season last Thursday, Sept. 8, with the

WNBA legend Sue Bird retires after 21-year career

defending Super Bowl LVI champion the Los Angeles Rams hosting on their home turf against a starstudded Buffalo Bills lineup. With both of these teams featuring some of the league’s best young talent — and coming into the season as Super Bowl favorites in their respective conferences — expectations were high heading into the first game of the season. However, the Bills came into SoFi Stadium and put the Rams’ championship celebration to rest. Bills quarterback Josh Allen continued his streak of dominance from last season. After an underwhelming first half performance, throwing two interceptions, Allen found his stride in the latter half of the match-up. He ended the game throwing for 297 yards through the air and rushing for 56 yards on the ground, connecting

■

Four-time WNBA champion and five-time Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird retired as Seattle Storm got eliminated in WNBA playoffs.

By JACKSON WU JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

With 28 seconds left in game four of the Women’s National Basketball Association semifinals, WNBA legend Sue Bird went coast-to-coast and laid the basketball into the rim off a simple hand-off play, closing the Seattle Storm’s deficit against the Las Vegas Aces to four. This, however, did not stop the Aces from taking the win away from Seattle. The layup became Bird’s last points made in her 21-year WNBA career.

The Aces players, led by the 2022 WNBA MVP and defensive player of the year A’ja Wilson, lined up and congratulated Bird on her retirement. Bird addressed the fans as they chanted “Thank you, Sue!” and headed back to the locker room. Coming off an undefeated

season and a 114-4 college record at University of Connecticut, Bird was drafted as the first pick overall of the 2002 WNBA draft. In her first season, she became an all-star starter and was selected to the 2002-03 All-WNBA First Team. Throughout her WNBA career with the Seattle Storm, Bird has won four WNBA championships: 2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020. After claiming the 2020 championship title, Bird became the only WNBA player to have won it across three different decades. Bird leads the WNBA in games played as well as career assists, and her impact on women’s basketball players cannot be put into words.

Most WNBA players have to play abroad to make ends meet, and Bird was no exception. She is a five-time EuroLeague champion as well as a five-time Russian National League champion. In her USA Women’s Basketball Team career, Bird won four International Basketball Federation World Championships and five Olympic gold medals. She and Diana Taurasi, another WNBA legend who is considering retirement, are the only two fivetime gold medalists in Olympics basketball history, men or women.

Outside of basketball, Bird has

been a leading voice for a multitude of different social issues. She came out in 2017, publicly declaring her relationship with soccer legend Megan Rapinoe, and has since advocated for LGBTQIA+ rights. Bird is equally vocal on gender equality and has a profound perspective when it comes to the topic of pay equity between the NBA and the WNBA. "I say this totally real — I don't think we should get the same money as NBA players," Bird clarified in an interview with comedian Adam Ray. She believes that the WNBA deserves more coverage and corporate sponsors. "So we can build the business, and then when it's really good — like the NBA is — then we can get that money." In 2021, Bird and many other female athletes came together to establish TOGETHXR, a media company focused on bringing greater attention to women’s sports and their subsequent media coverage.

When it comes to racial equality, Bird is known for publicly supporting Raphael Warnock in his campaign for Georgia senator against Kelly Loeffler, the former owner of WNBA team Atlanta Dreams. Loeffler stood against the WNBA when they called

Photos: Carol Kornworcel/the Justice. Design: Jack Yuanwei Cheng/the Justice.

Waltham, Mass.

Harry Styles can be PERFECT

But the high prices are causing headaches

Madison Square Garden, shed from the 70s-style feather boas of thousands of fans who have come to see Harry Styles.

By RIVER SIMARD JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

For most of the year, New York’s Eighth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan looks the same. Travelers bustle in and out of Penn Station, food vendors line the street selling everything

from shawarma to ice cream to hot dogs. But for the last month, a new feature illuminated Eightth Avenue — a layer of brightly colored feathers has lined the streets. Over the last month, these feathers have acted almost as an unintentional Hansel and Gretel breadcrumb trail towards

The British pop artist first got his start on “The X Factor” when the famed singing competition judge Simon Cowell assembled the boy group One Direction, using five competitors, including Styles. While One Direction didn’t win that year’s season of The X Factor, they almost immediately became a fan favorite and a world-renowned sensation. After six years, five studio albums, and four world tours, the group went on a stillcontinuing hiatus. Following the hiatus, each of the boys began solo careers, with Styles seeing the most success. Styles’ success is reflected through having 22 songs on the Billboard Top 100, being a headliner at the Coachella festival in 2022, and currently ranking the fourth most-listenedto artist on Spotify. In May of this year, Styles announced the continuation of his “Love on Tour” which began in September 2021; however, it would look different going forward. Rather than touring dozens of cities across the U.S., he would only be playing in five. He initially decided to only play a few residency shows at each venue — with the most being 10 in New York and Los Angeles — but due to popular demand, he increased the number to 15. While the residency shows act as a home base for Styles and require less mobility from his production team, it means seeing Styles results in some difficulties for audiences. Tickets can be as

low as $80 , but for most of the dates in New York, the price has been closer to $200. Air or train fare from a city such as Boston to New York will often cost another $150, and hotel room accommodations can cost another $300 for just one night. This excludes food and potential merchandise purchases. One night seeing Styles can add up to a minimum of $500 a person.

Despite the high costs, thousands have been traveling across state lines for this onenight-only experience. During Styles’ Sept. 3 show he asked the crowd, “Who in this room is from New York City?” Applause erupted from the New York residents. Styles then asked, “Who in this room is not from New York City?” An explosion of cheers erupted from the crowd, louder than those that preceded them. Styles then thanked “the people of New York and surrounding areas.”

New York City native Hannah Lustig ’25 was able to purchase limited presale tickets to stand in the general admission pit for Styles’ upcoming Sept. 14 show, around $700 cheaper than the inflated prices by scalpers currently listing sales on Ticketmaster. Because she lives in New York City, she is able to stay at home and avoid the additional cost of getting a hotel or Airbnb. She affirmed that she likely wouldn’t go if the experience cost any more than what she’s currently paying.

“I’m not like a superfan or anything,” Lustig said. “I feel like most people in Gen Z like him.” While not a self-proclaimed

‘Barbarian’

By ETHAN GERSTMAN JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Zach Cregger’s “Barbarian” is an unexpectedly strong addition to the relatively dead landscape of cinema we have been experiencing for the last few months. Other than “Nope,” which was moderately successful, there haven’t been any major releases since early May. This summer’s box office total ends at a paltry $3.4 billion — and summer totals have been below $4 billion only once from 2007-2019. Theaters are closing all over the country, driven partly by a dearth in movie releases coupled with decreased turnout. September has been no exception. This past Labor Day weekend, traditionally a decent weekend for films, had two of its largest domestic box office totals coming from “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” both old releases. “Spiderman” released last December and “Top Gun” last May. Evidently, the release of a film like “Barbarian” came at the perfect time. “Barbarian” tells the story of Tess Marshall, portrayed by Georgina Campbell,

who is a documentary researcher traveling to Detroit for a few days for a job interview. The film begins with her being excited in a car in front of her Airbnb, located in a run-down area of the city. From the start, her plan goes awry. She learns that the rental property was double-booked, and the other tenant, Keith, played by Bill Skarsgård, is already in the house. After persuasion from Keith, who appears concerned for her, she makes the worst decision anyone can make in a horror film: trusting strangers. What happens after this point is not suitable to include in a review, lest I risk spoiling the film.

With that aside, this film is a thrilling experience. For horror fans, “Barbarian” is nothing new. Many of the situations Tess finds herself in are things we have seen before. However, the twists and turns the director shows us make the film enjoyable and engaging. The imagery presented to the viewer is unsettling and distasteful, but it is precisely that uncomfortableness that makes the experience enjoyable. Good horror films are like roller coasters in that they are simulated experiences intended to create a sense of temporary risk and fear.

When you leave the cinema, or the ride, you feel exhilarated. “Barbarian” accomplishes that effect. For those that usually avoid horror films, I would advise them to watch this film as well. It is a good introduction into the world of horror: simple fun meant to provide a thrill. This is not a Jordan Peele film. There aren’t any deep moral arguments in this project, nor are there difficult themes to grasp. The heroes and villains of the story are clear. Cregger delivers a film that lacks the tiring complexity commonplace in today’s Marveldriven cinema of multiverses and time travel. Frankly, its simplicity is refreshing. “Barbarian,” however, is not perfect. The decisions Tess makes are annoyingly predictable and illogical. Sometimes the pacing is confused and strange, with certain scenes unsuitably long, but these issues do not affect the overall quality of the film. “Barbarian” is low budget fun that does not try to be a cinematic masterpiece. It will shock and scare you, and in that fear, you can forget your life for a short while and experience the off-the-wall insanity Zach Cregger presents.

“superfan,” Lustig is still skipping her Wednesday classes in order to attend the midweek concert.

Many fans will not let cost be an inhibiting factor if it means that they can scream hits from Styles’ latest album “Harry’s House” along with 20,000 other fans in the Garden. For others, it’s just not feasible. Caleigh Abbe ’26 had purchased tickets to see Styles in October for one of his shows in Chicago. Like Lustig, Abbe has a place to stay: in her case, with friends. While she initially bought concert tickets, she admitted to waiting too long for plane tickets, which she has yet to purchase, that have since quintupled in price. “We’re only going to go if [airfare goes] back down, which at this point is just becoming more unlikely.”

The tickets, originally priced at $49 dollars when Abbe first began looking, have now increased to close to $250 dollars.

“Even if we can afford it, there’s also the moral of it. Why am I going to spend $500 plus for a concert,” Abbe said. “That was ridiculous.”

Seeing Harry Styles live made many fans ask themselves an important question – How much am I willing to pay? How much am I willing to pay to hear Styles’ notorious stage banter? How much am I willing to pay to chant for his fan-favorite unreleased song “Medicine”? How much am I willing to pay to see Styles rolled out in a box and underneath the stage located in the center of the arena? How much am I willing to pay to experience “Love on Tour”?

Photo Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS STYLES: Tickets for Harry Styles’ NYC concert are expensive due to their explicit and implicit costs.

Photo Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS CREGGER: Zach Cregger wrote, directed and starred in the movie “Barbarian.”

24-HR Musical

By MEGAN LIAO JUSTICE EDITOR

The 24-hour Musical is a cult-classic at Brandeis University. Every fall, in the beginning of the semester, the Undergraduate Theater Collective puts on a musical showcase rehearsed within only 24 hours. The play was announced at 8pm on Saturday, and by the same time on Sunday, the production was put on stage. This was the first performance held by the UTC this year and even starred participants from the Class of 2026. The production this year: “Beauty and the Beast.”

UTCBRANDEIS

Design: Megan Liao/the Justice

CAROL KORNWORCEL/the Justice

24-HOUR: The production is rehearsed and performed within 24 hours.

STAFF’S Top Ten

HOROSCOPES

By EMILY MCKERROW JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

By AIDEN GUTHRO JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Top 10 Underrated Things

Shout out to the softball girls who argued this whole list with me.

1. Blue Chips Ahoy. Red Chips Ahoy ain’t it.

2. Over-the-ear headphones. Feels like you are in your own room. AirPods look too futuristic.

3. Chili. A nice bowl of chili? Anytime. Anywhere.

4. Hugh Jackman. Seems like a really nice guy. He is Australian. Maybe the coolest superhero of all time.

5. Treehouses. Never had one, always wanted one. Everyone envied the one kid who had a treehouse.

6. Outdoor Showers. You become one with the elements.

7. “New Girl.” New age “Friends”.

8. Sandwiches at the beach/field trip/anywhere but home. They are always better when you’re on an adventure.

9. Appetizers. So much variety. Often the best part of the dining experience.

10. Push Scooters. Fast transportation and you look cool.

SUDOKU

Happy. Not so happy. Happy. Not so happy. It’s Mercury retrograde, everyone! Brace yourself for constant mood swings. Communication can get messy. Be extra mindful of what you say, remember to STOP AND THINK. You may be feeling more impulsive in your speech, as a Mercury retrograde in Libra acts as its opposite polarity. On top of this retrograde, we’re riding out the energy from the full moon in Pisces this week. Pack some extra tissues and go for a long walk.

Aries (March 20 - April 19): Why don’t you just chill? It’s time to slow down and listen to your friends. They have things they want to share, too. It’s time to strengthen and nurture your relationships as Venus makes its way through Virgo.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20): It’s

time to put the credit card down and pick your journal up! Your emotions were at an all-time high last weekend from the Pisces full moon. Practice mindfulness and don’t be a stranger!

Gemini (May 21 - June 21): Damn, you double-booked yourself again? Your passions are admirable, but this Mercury retrograde is all about finding a balance between the things you love. Become a Google calendar girlie this month.

Cancer (June 22 - July 22): Don’t overthink it! You’ve been a little withdrawn lately, which may aid your inner world, but make sure to spend some quality time with your friends this week.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22): Say yes to small talk this retrograde — it’s bigger than you think. Practice pausing before you speak and listening to your

friends. They are what will make you feel whole this season.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 23): Ugly things scare you this retrograde. You’re valid. Anyway, indulge yourself in keeping your space pretty and being gorgeous. Just make sure you keep an eye on your bank account.

Libra (Sept. 24 - Oct. 24): Happy retrograde season, babe! During this retrograde, it’s crucial to communicate your feelings to others. No one is a mind reader. It’s also okay to say no to people this retrograde.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 - Nov. 21): You’ve been feeling conflicted about everything right now. Give all of your thoughts equal space and time this season. Remember to treat yourself the way you treat your friends.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): Did you remember to hit the

send button on that text? You’re popular this month! Don’t let that distract you from taking care of yourself and creating balance in your schedule.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): Being patient with others never hurt anybody. You don’t need to be in control of everything this season. Focus on yourself and let other people help you for once!

Aquarius (Jan. 19 - Feb. 18): Indulge in what makes you happy! This season you should try new things and learn more about yourself. Do that thing you’ve always wanted to do.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 19): Don’t bully yourself! You’re your worst critic, and with Mercury in retrograde at this moment, it is important to stop your hurtful inner dialogue and reframe your thoughts. Remember, you’re absolutely sexy and smart and gorgeous.

MINA ROWLAND/the Justice

SMILEY HUYNH/the Justice