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June 17, 2020 VOLUME XL, ISSUE 11 Online-Only Edition
Fordham Students Protest in the Name of Black Lives Matter By MIA AGOSTINELLI, SAMANTHA MATTHEWS and NICOLE PERKINS Contributing Writer and Features Editors
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This mural in upper Manhattan is one of the many ways in which people have shown their support for the Black Live Matter movement. Fordham students across the country have gone to the streets to take part in protests demanding justice for George Floyd.
Students Push Back Against Administration’s Thoughts and Prayers By SAMANTHA MATTHEWS and NICOLE PERKINS Features Editors
On May 29, a petition was started asking Fordham to release a statement on the recent incidents of police brutality. It had been four days since George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was killed by a white police officer kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes, despite it being an unapproved use of force by the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). This was just the latest in a series of killings of unarmed Black citizens, including Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery and — on New York’s own Staten Island — Eric Garner. Protests had erupted across the country. What started one night in Minneapolis spread across the United States. The petition garnered thousands of responses — as of June 3, it has been signed over 2,000 times — and a statement was released by the university in a community-wide email on May 30. Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., university president, wrote, “we will pray for the repose of the souls of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. We will also pray for their families as they wrestle with the losses they have suffered in and through the deaths of those whom they loved so dearly ... But, let’s be honest. That is not enough. We must do more.” He continued, “we must recommit ourselves to the work of educating for justice and to doing all we can to figure out how our beloved nation ... has allowed itself to stray from the ideals (and the promises those ideals hold out to all) upon which it was founded.”
However, McShane did not include any substantial actions here that the university would be taking toward combating the racial inequality at the root of the issue. Many students took notice of this lack of call to action and began expressing their thoughts. Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC)’s Black Student Alliance (BSA) said that they are “deeply disappointed in both the delay in Father McShane addressing the Black lives matter movement and George Floyd’s death and the way it was addressed.” They asserted that McShane’s message showed no plan to make Fordham safer and more inclusive for Black students and no pledge to donate to Black causes. Fordham has long touted the idea of being “men and women for others.” In the past week, its students have created petitions, sold art to raise donations for places like Black Visions Collective and hit the streets to protest. They have engaged with their community and the world around them. The Fordham administration has not signaled the same. Daejah Woolery, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’22, was one of the commenters on Fordham’s Instagram post showcasing the statement — and she wasn’t pleased. “My biggest issue was that this institution had only words. Words do not protect the lives of their Black students. When I heard that the University of Minnesota severed their connection to the MPD I had some hope that Fordham would do the same with the NYPD. But no,” she wrote in an Observer interview. see PUSHBACK page 5
June is a historic month — it was in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn that queer activists, with trans women of color leading the charge, took up and fought against an early morning police raid on the gay bar. They fought against a history of systemic police oppression and constant attacks on their civil liberties — not by remaining quiet, nor by standing on the sidelines, nor by demonstrating in a way that was “convenient” to others. George Floyd was unjustly murdered on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His death served as one of the many catalysts to fight back against a history of systemic oppression against Black people that is as long as the existence of the United States itself. This June, Fordham University students have embraced the Jesuit philosophy see PROTESTING page 6
FLOW Shows Support for #BlackLivesMatter By KEVIN STOLL Staff Writer
In a year where human relations have already been put to the test by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, recent incidents of police brutality further prove how 2020 might go down as one of the worst years in the history of mankind. However, to say that there has been public resistance towards the perpetrators responsible for the murders of victims such as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor would be an understatement. People from all walks of life have managed to gather together to take a stand against racial inequality, even during a time of social distancing. Many of Fordham’s clubs have also chosen to take action and inform others as to how they can make a difference, and Fordham’s Filipinos of LC Offering Welcome (FLOW) serve as no exception. Despite being a Filipino cultural club, FLOW is more than
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The FLOW E-Board is committed to addressing the racial injustices against Black people within their own community, as pictured in this Zoom call.
willing to send their message to more than one demographic, as the club’s Public Relations Officer Isabel de Leon, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’22, firmly believes in confronting this issue from a collective standpoint. “One of the contributions we've been continually working on is finding different
ways to fundraise for bail funds and other similar causes,” de Leon said. “We've created (Instagram) story bingo boards to encourage our members and followers to donate, as well as doing live interviews with past and present e-board members to collect donations.” see FLOW page 15
ASILI Holds Town Hall on Racial Issues at Fordham By GILLIAN RUSSO Online Editor
On June 3, ASILI, the Black Student Alliance (BSA) at Fordham’s Rose Hill campus, hosted a town hall via Instagram Live. Over 100 viewers tuned into the more than two-hour discussion moderated by ASILI President Diontay Santiago, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’21. ASILI E-Board members and guests took the floor one by one to answer viewers’ questions
regarding the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Members also voiced concerns with the university’s response as well as racial tensions they experienced on campus even before the protests began, strongly urging Fordham to implement institution-wide change. Here is what they want the Fordham community to know. On the Current BLM Movement and Protests
nationwide Black Lives Matter demonstrations, including protests and a large social media movement, calling for an end to police brutality following the recent deaths of multiple Black people at the hands of the police. While expressing their support for Black Lives Matter, students also expressed concerns that the movement is not sufficiently intersectional, and that some respondents focus on the wrong displays of destruction.
The event was held amid
see ASILI page 4
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Students speak out against racial injustices on social media
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Tuition Raised by 3.33% Online Activism
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The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center
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June 17, 2020 THE OBSERVER
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Students Demand University Clean Up After Looting on Fordham Road By ALLIE STOFER Asst. News Editor
On the night of June 1, protests broke out in the Bronx on Fordham Road roughly a mile away from Fordham’s Rose Hill campus. After the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, violent and peaceful protests began across the U.S. in opposition to police brutality. The Bronx looting, which drew an unknown number of people, left parts of Fordham Road littered with glass, ashes and debris. “As a Bronxite seeing what’s happening on Fordham Rd is disheartening,” stated Social Media Coordinator of ASILI, Rose Hill’s Black Student Alliance, Gerald De La Cruz, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’22. “I know there is a lot of anger and frustration at this time. I just pray this doesn’t end as bad as it started.” On June 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City set an 11 p.m. curfew in the city to deter violence and looting during the protests. However, in Manhattan and the Bronx, many ignored the curfew and looted stores. De Blasio then moved the curfew up to 8 p.m. for the remainder of the week.
“ Remember, ‘New York
is my Campus’. If that’s true, there’s a lot the school can be doing right now for the community. ”
John Ross, FCRH ’21
The looting left Fordham Road on fire, according to videos on Twitter and Instagram. “Yes we are angry, sad and demand justice,” stated the caption of the post by the Bronx Native, a company dedicated to highlighting the positive attributes of the Bronx. “There’s different ways
other than destroying our home.” The condition of Fordham Road led to New York City Council Member Fernando Cabrera calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to activate the National Guard. "Fordham Road is the lifeblood of the West Bronx, providing jobs as well as essential goods and services,” Cabrera said, according to NBC New York. “We are already suffering physically, socially and emotionally from the COVID-19 pandemic. We can’t afford to lose our economic engine.” De Blasio explained that he has “confidence in the people of New York City.” He said he views the looting in the Bronx as a problem, but still does not want the National Guard deployed. Cuomo has chosen to have the National Guard on standby, but believes that the New York Police Department (NYPD) will be able to handle the protests. In order to help clean up the Fordham community, a GoFundMe was created by Amin Razzaque. As of June 4, it has raised $45,117. Additionally, a second GoFundMe began in order to help small businesses that were hurt in the looting. By June 4, they had raised $16,483. “We stand with our brothers and sisters as they expressed their pain but now our neighborhood will not be cleaned as quickly or diligently as those who were effected earlier this week,” the cleanup fundraiser stated. On June 2, Fordham University posted on Instagram in support of “Blackout Tuesday.” The post received backlash from students asking Fordham to help clean up the looting. “Please have people help cleanup fordham road or donate funds/ supplies to the effort. Remember, ‘New York is my Campus’. If that’s true, there’s a lot the school can be doing right now for the community,” John Ross, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’21, commented. Desireé Loyola, GSBRH ’21, echoed the sentiment, commenting, “If New York is really our campus, I hope you are doing
COURTESY OF THE BRONX NATIVE VIA INSTAGRAM
Members of the Bronx community protesting on Saturday, May 30. After the peaceful protests, an unknown number of people broke windows and looted stores on Fordham Road. Fordham students are petitioning university administrators to contribute to the cleanup effort.
something to help clean up the community today. It would be shameful to turn a blind eye.” De La Cruz agreed that Fordham needs to help rebuild the community in any way possible. “Fordham has a responsibility to at least donate to organizations or fundraisers to aid the Bronx in their time of need,” De La Cruz said. “According to our Jesuit mission, we are to be men and women for others and now is the time to do that, especially for the Bronx because the Bronx community is Fordham’s community.” A Change.org petition was also created, emphasizing that Fordham needs to donate. The petition calls on Fordham to match every student donation. As of June 4, it has 285 signatures.
Following the comments on their post, on June 3 Fordham posted a statement on Instagram regarding the looting. The post explained that many Fordham staff members helped clean up the looting, as well as the fact that Fordham is in contact with the community board to help determine the needs of the community. Although the looting occurred on Fordham Road, a peaceful protest took place on the previous Saturday in the Bronx, beginning at 149th Street and Third Avenue. “Being a part of the protest was angering and uplifting. Angering because after centuries of oppression, we had to still protest, fight, and yell for our right to live. Uplifting because the isolation of being a black person in a white centered
world was temporarily relieved due to the immense support,” stated Treasurer of ASILI Sydni Britton, FCRH ’22. “I am blessed to be able to participate, but I am sad and hurt to still be making sacrifices to gain access to the rights that my ancestors died for.” The crowd was made up of roughly 200 people coming together from different faith and community groups. Speakers at the protest informed participants that they were there for a peaceful protest and would be marching to the Bronx County Courthouse. “We’re not here for violence,” Speaker Scott Larock, Jr., said, according to Norwood News. “We’re not here to steal. We’re not here to take from each other. We’re here for our voice to be heard.”
Fordham Law Alum Charged in NYPD Attack During Black Lives Matter Protest By ANDREW BEECHER Online Editor
A Fordham alumna, Urooj Rahman, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’11 and Fordham
Law ’15, was arrested in New York City on May 30 for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail, a type of homemade firebomb, at an unoccupied New York City Police Department (NYPD)
COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
Urooj Rahman after her arrest on Saturday. The Fordham alumna is out on bail pending a federal criminal trial.
cruiser during the Black Lives Matter protests. Rahman is a human rights lawyer at Bronx Legal Services, working to defend low-income tenants facing eviction. She was arrested with another lawyer, Colinford King Mattis with the firm of Pryor Cashman LLP. Rahman first graduated from Fordham in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. She began at Fordham Law in 2012 and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2015. An NYPD surveillance camera recorded the incident and both Rahman and Mattis were later found in a van with supplies for making the Molotov cocktails, including toilet paper, a Bud Light beer bottle and what is suspected to be gasoline, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release. Rahman and Mattis were arrested on federal charges for being in possession of explosive device components and for causing damage to a police vehicle by fire and explosives. Since Rahman is a resident of Brooklyn, where the attack occurred, she did not travel across state lines to incite violence, which is a federal crime. Rahman was born in Pakistan but grew up in Bay Ridge and has been working for Bronx Legal Services for almost a year. Her friend Salmah Rizvi told Gothamist, “She’s never promoted violence and she’d never harm another human being.”
The Observer reached out to Rahman for comment but did not receive a response. On Monday, June 1, both Rahman and Mattis were released on bond after each meeting the $250,000 bail set by a magistrate judge. They are also subject to home detention and electronic monitoring. On Tuesday, June 2, federal prosecutors asked a federal appeals court to halt this decision and return them to custody. According to the court document, “No electronic monitoring or apartment door can adequately safeguard the community against individuals with that mindset.” Both of the attorneys were participating in the protests that have erupted in all 50 states over the death of George Floyd during an arrest by four members of the Minneapolis Police Department. Many of these protests have been violent, including the use of force by police to disperse crowds. Whether police or protestors have been responsible for initiating the violence has been disputed. Both sides of the political spectrum, including Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Republican President Donald Trump, have blamed the violence on outside agitators from out of state. However, while Walz suggested that it was the work of white nationalists, Trump has denied the involvement of white nationalists and instead blamed
antifa, a term that stands for “antifacist” and is often used to describe a collection of far-left organizations that often use violence to counter-protest. According to a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) report obtained by The Nation, the FBI does not have any evidence that antifa groups carried out any violence at the protests over the weekend. The Bureau report did warn, however, that individuals in a far-right social media group were calling for violent acts against protestors and law enforcement. In cities around the country, the vast majority of protesters have been peaceful, with occasional looting and other property damage occurring mostly at night. Many cities, including New York, have instituted curfews in an attempt to prevent further destruction. UPDATE: After a viral tweet on June 3 from Andy Ngo, a journalist with the conservative Canadian publication The Post Millennial, Rahman has been subjected to significant online harassment. Commenters have called for her deportation (despite a lack of clarity regarding her immigration status) and have launched attacks on her race and perceived religion, as well as criticized Fordham for her education. Some commenters have even made public death threats.
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Tuition Increases by 3.33% Amid High Financial Tensions By DANIEL HUR and KATRINA LAMBERT Staff Writer and News Editor
The cost of tuition and fees for undergraduates at Fordham University has increased by 43% over the past 10 years. Back in 2010, undergraduate students paid a maximum of $37,782 for tuition and fees for the academic year. As students enter a new year at Fordham University, the cost of tuition continues to go up. On Saturday, June 6, the Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J, president of Fordham University, announced that full-time undergraduate tuition will be raised by 3.33% — $1,811 — for the 2020-21 school year, increasing tuition costs to $55,746, compared to $54,393 the previous year. The announcement came amid the high financial tensions of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and Fordham students’ requests for partial tuition reim-
bursements via petitions after the university’s closure. According to McShane’s email about the tuition raise, “Fordham puts significant resources into academic programs, teaching, and all of the other areas that support a quality education.” Given the circumstances of COVID-19, McShane stated that Fordham plans to restructure its courses and curriculum into “hybrid classes” for the upcoming year and, consequently, will need to expend more of its resources to do this. With this form of hybrid learning, Fordham will be able to fulfill the resilient and challenging education it seeks to provide, while maintaining a sense of community whether students are on campus or not, according to McShane. Tuition and fees make up 79.3% of Fordham’s budget; this revenue is an important component in providing all of these resources, McShane said. Since 2010, Fordham’s tuition has been increasing by an aver-
age of 3.9% each year. Bob Howe, assistant vice president for communications and special adviser to the president, explained that although the need for this year’s increase is related to extra costs due to the coronavirus pandemic, that is only a small reason for the increase. “Fordham, and the majority of colleges and universities in the U.S., must raise tuition every year by some small percentage to keep pace with the general cost of living and higher instructional costs,” Howe said. Last year’s increase was around the same percentage, 3.3%. The university had attributed the increase last year to inflation and rising expenses that comes with the New York City location. Fordham students reported that they are unhappy with this tuition raise because they feel that it ignores the financial hardships that students are experiencing at this time. In a petition created on June 4 by Israt Ali, Gabelli School
MATEO SOLIS PRADA/THE OBSERVER
of Business at Lincoln Center ’22, Fordham students are requesting that the university not increase tuition this year, given the economic impact of COVID-19. As of June 16, 559 students have signed the petition. One of the petition signers, Rachel Newton, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’23, who is an Ailey BFA major, addressed the unique needs of dance students in her comment posted on the petition website. “Training in the studio for multiple hours is what we came here to do. Limiting our experience this vastly is devastating to our careers,” Newton said. Prior to the pandemic, she said that she was taking three to four dance classes a day. However, during the remote transition in the spring 2020 semester, dancers were taking only one dance course via Zoom. She said that while Ailey’s plans for the fall are still uncertain at the moment, department heads suggested that dancers will be able to take one in-person class at the Ailey studio and supplement it with two online Zoom dance classes. “Considering the price of the program, missing so many valuable hours of studio time has many dancers questioning their return,” Newton said. The most recent 3.33% increase is generally smaller than tuition has been raised in the past, but is coming at a time of heightened by a 13.3% unemployment rate in the U.S. and uncertainty about face-to-face classes in the fall. “Fordham tries to inform students and families about tuition increases as far in advance of the next semester as possible,” Howe said. “Unfortunately, this year’s notification came at a time of uncertainty about whether we will offer face-to-face classes in the fall, and amid a painful, prolonged
(and in our view much needed) debate about race in America.” Newton mentioned the uncertainty and lack of communication about fall plans for classes as being the most troubling part of accepting a higher financial commitment. “Yes, Fordham may be struggling financially right now but so are its students. Increasing an already high tuition increases our chances of deferring, especially when we are getting a subpar ‘hybrid’ education,” she said. To accommodate students that may be surprised by the increase in tuition, Fordham sets aside $150 million in financial aid to undergraduate students each year. Additionally, McShane wrote that Fordham plans to increase the amount of money set aside for financial aid so that students will be able to continue their education at Fordham. “The University and its Board of Trustees are concerned about the cost of a college education and do what we can to rein in the cost without affecting the academic experience at Fordham,” Howe said, which was the same language used in the notification for the tuition increase last year as well. Approximately 81% of the undergraduate student body at Fordham receives financial aid in the form of grants and scholarships, and the average amount of money in grants that these students receive is $26,175. However, of the students who applied for and received financial aid, only 27.7% of them had their financial needs fully met. Some steps the university has taken thus far to assist students in managing the financial commitment include continuous fundraising to off-set the increase in tuition costs and providing students with a tuition payment plan through Tuition Management Systems, which can be found on the website.
Students Frustrated With Silent ResLife as Fall Draws Closer By MICHELLE AGARON Asst. News Editor
While Fordham maintains its optimism for an in-person fall semester, the subject of student housing is stirring up anxiety in returning students. Although New York City entered Phase One of reopening on June 8, which includes curbside retail, construction and manufacturing, the safety and health of enrolled students remains at the forefront of family concerns. A number of resident students report not hearing back from the Office of Residential Life (ResLife) since the post-room selection period began. Fordham’s cancellation of all fall study abroad programs, which was announced on June 10, may also push these issues to the backburner as the university navigates an influx of students who now require housing. Emily Krichmar, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’21, studied abroad in London for spring 2020 but plans to dorm on campus for the fall 2020 semester. She stated that even though her housing deposit was submitted on time (before the deadline on February 18), she has not received word from ResLife regarding her housing status. “I have heard absolutely nothing about housing for this coming fall, so my family is sort of stuck in limbo of not knowing if I need an apartment or if I’m going to be on campus,” she said. “I’m also nervous that if I get a room assignment it’s going to be with people I don’t know at all which feels a bit odd for my senior year.”
Krichmar reported not being able to choose her roommates after submitting her deposit. She was planning to room with two other students who also studied abroad, but they did not receive information about their housing situation either. Woody Wisz, FCLC ’23, is also highly uncertain about his housing status this coming fall. The last time ResLife communicated with him, he was notified that he wasn’t selected for a housing assignment in the initial “lottery” and was subsequently placed in the “overflow pool.” Currently, the overflow pool stands at around 220 students, which is typical for ResLife. “I’m worried that they’ll tell us they will reopen campus and we still won’t know where we’re going to live. The turnaround time to find housing in the city would be really tight,” Wisz said. Fordham states on their website that “student housing is guaranteed for four years at both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center,” but ResLife’s silence on the question of housing during the unprecedented COVID-19 circumstances has resulted in students such as Wisz and Krichmar having no choice but to consider other options. ResLife also sent an email on May 29 with deposit withdrawal deadlines, accompanied by reduced refunds or fees depending on when the withdrawal is performed. Withdrawal before July 1 warrants a 50% deposit refund, between July 1 and August 1 warrants a 0% refund, and after August 1, ResLife starts to charge late fees for withdrawal.
Wisz finds these deadlines frustrating, given that ResLife has been largely silent about housing for students in the “overflow pool” and there is still uncertainty surrounding a return to campus in the fall. Fordham is planning to begin reopening with a “phased approach,” which may present its own confusions for students and families amid a potential second wave of the virus. Despite concerns over timing, Senior Director of ResLife Jenifer Campbell affirmed that the current cancellation calendar remains in effect. If the university does not hold in-person classes this fall, all deposits will be refunded. ResLife maintains its expectations of “standard occupancy” in the fall semester, which amounts to nearly 1,300 students. As of June 11, 91 students have withdrawn. Trina Stewart, FCLC ’23, experienced issues with availability due to her time slot for selecting a room. Prior to room selection, freshmen were told to prepare for six-person rooms instead of the four-person rooms some students were planning around. Despite scrambling to make adjustments around this new information, by the time Stewart was able to select a room, there were no more six-person rooms available. “They let me choose one person who they’re going to try to keep me with, which is comforting but I wish I knew the time frame in which everything is supposed to happen,” she said. “I understand everything is delayed because of COVID-19, but it’s anxiety-inducing to not know who you will live with in two months!”
ESMÉ BLEECKER-ADAMS/THE OBSERVER
After getting past the hurdle of retrieving belongings left on campus, many students now feel left in the dark about the fall housing situation.
The last time Stewart received an email from ResLife regarding her housing situation was March 23. Wisz and Krichmar cited similar lapses in communication and each student reported knowledge of other Fordham students who are experiencing issues with ResLife’s efficacy for fall 2020 housing. According to Campbell, ResLife anticipates completing the bulk of assignments from post-room selection by July 1. She stated that this timeline and the number of students in post-room selection is typical and has not changed because of the coronavirus.
However, the worries of students and families in relation to the coronavirus and returning to campus housing in the fall remain an issue in light of ResLife’s inflexibility and the university’s vagueness around the fall semester. On the “Planning for Fall 2020” section of Fordham’s website, the ResLife working group does not specify how social distancing in dorms, hallways or elevators will proceed, nor does it delve into move-in procedures. Without clear guidelines and communication from ResLife about housing, the decision to move back into Fordham housing only grows more complex.
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June 17, 2020 THE OBSERVER
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Students Discuss Black Lives Matter and the Black Experience at Fordham ASILI from page 1
Alex Shaw, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’21 and ASILI secretary: “It is frustrating to be a Black woman in the middle of this and seeing how little space is given to Black women and to queer Black people in this movement and how ... we are just ignored and put aside for cis Black men, and so I think that we need to make more space for people who aren’t cisgender.”
“ If this is a revolution,
there’s going to be casualties, and I’d rather have casualties in property than casualties in life, in human life. ”
Azali Ward, GSBRH ’21 and CASA secretary
Gerald De La Cruz, GSBRH ’22 and ASILI social media coordinator: (On his reaction to looting that occurred near De La Cruz’s neighborhood in the West Bronx) “There’s a lot of hurt and a lot of frustration at this very moment, but at the same time, I’m trying to focus on what’s really important, and that’s justice for George Floyd. And that’s a reformation of the systems that allowed for his murder. Seeing your community like that, it’s sad, but we need to think about the reason why that happened and also try and find solutions to that reason.” Azali Ward, GSBRH ’21 and Caribbean and African Students Association (CASA) secretary: “If this is a revolution, there’s going to be casualties, and I’d rather have casualties in property than casualties in life, in human life. So if you’re going to be mad about the property damage, you should be even more upset about the lives being taken by police officers ... If you’re worried about property more than you’re worried about life, that’s coming from a place of privilege, and you should check that privilege. And you should just understand that people are allowed to be upset and they’re allowed to place their anger in places that only capitalism cares about.” “I understand where people are coming from with the peaceful protests, but I think that we should realize that when protests are not peaceful, it’s usually because police are inciting violence. And we should stop blaming the oppressed for being oppressed, and we should stop blaming people for dying. Police are murdering people and people are mad about it, and they have every right to be mad about it, and they have every right to protest the way they need to protest. We need to stop telling people how to do that.” On Racism and Police Brutality Hours before the forum, the charge for the officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck was changed from third- to second-degree murder, and the other three officers present were charged with aiding and abetting crime. The students addressed the charges and highlighted the larger, long-standing racial injustices that protestors are still fighting against. Shaw: “Just because they have punished all the officers involved with George Floyd doesn’t mean that we should let up. All three of the officers involved with the Breonna Taylor murder have yet to be arrested; they’re literally just wandering the streets right now ... Tony McDade, a Black trans man, was killed by the police last week, and his body cam video and the name of the officer have yet to
be released. So there’s still a lot of work to be done.” “Sexual assault is the second most used form of police violence that there is, right behind excessive force. So the two issues are not different, and Black women are sexually assaulted by the police all the time and no one talks about it.” Ward: “White people try to flip it and say ‘reverse racism.’ But that’s not what it’s about. It’s about anti-white supremacy, anti-racism, anti-systematic or systemic oppression.” Rashain Adams Jr., FCRH ’22 and ASILI programmer: “Colorism is not that far away from racism.” On Spaces for Black Students Ahmari Alford, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’21 and Lincoln Center BSA president, discussed at length the environment of her club, and an ASILI alumna spoke to the benefits of spaces for Black students, and Black people in general, beyond campus. Alford: “With BSA, something that we think is really important to do, aside from hosting weekly meetings where we have planned topics that we go over, (is to) give the students the floor (to present topics they want to address or discuss). Another thing that we like to do is partner with other organizations or student orgs on campus to make sure that we’re giving our membership and anyone else who attends those meetings a wider perspective ... So, even if we’re talking about diversity in the arts, and how Black people are underrepresented, we’re not just addressing the fact that Black people are underrepresented. We’re addressing the fact that Black queer people are underrepresented.” “I don’t necessarily think that Black spaces and clubs need to market themselves as a space for white allies, I think. To make ourselves more comfortable or marketable to the white audience, that’s never been a purpose of a Black space ... It’s more if you want to be there and learn, come and learn, but I’m not marketing (BSA) as a space for you guys.” Tochi Mgbenwelu, FCRH ’15 and former ASILI president: “Black people deserve to have safe spaces that they can go to, period. I mean, there’s a space in Brooklyn called the metaDEN, and it was run for people of color, run by people of color, and it was an incredible space ... If you’re white you just can’t be there. It’s not even necessarily to create segregation because people love to use that excuse, but it’s so that we can have a safe space because in our house you could get killed. Walking, taking a jog, we can get killed.” On Fordham’s Response to Black Lives Matter Numerous students have expressed dissatisfaction with the university’s statement addressing the movement. The Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., issued it on May 30, a day after students launched a petition calling for the university to respond. Santiago referred to McShane’s words as “vague platitudes” and was met with agreement by other participants and viewers of the town hall. Ward: “It’s sad that we go to a school that we have to beg for a statement or some money to be given to situations like this. This is a human rights situation, and I feel like Fordham is making it about politics and where they stand.” On Past Incidents on Campus The students said race has been a point of contention in the Fordham community long before the protests began. Alford: “(I have) suffered microand macro-aggressions in the classroom, in my own dorm, and Ford-
ham did nothing to address that. It was kind of like a slap on the wrist and then send them the other way ... I had a professor my sophomore year who told me that me asking her to stop using the N-word was me policing language.” (In an amended statement to The Observer) “I didn’t even know if it’s really the amount of Black people or people of color who are applying to Fordham and getting in. I think it’s the retention (of those students) that Fordham has problems with. There is such large amount of Black students that have decided to leave Fordham because Fordham is often a hostile, unsafe and unproductive environment for Black students and students of color in general.” On How to Deal With Aggression or Ignorance ASILI also offered advice to students who witness, or are on the receiving end of, racially insensitive incidents. Issy Asianah, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’20 and former ASILI vice president: “First of all, just protect your peace. Protect your peace and protect your mental state, because you’re still a student at the end of the day, and your primary focus was to get a degree, but then as Black students kind of move through college, they find their focus being diverted away, their energy being diverted away from their education, which is something that happened to me and a lot of other Black students, but white kids can just come to school and just study and that’s it, but we don’t get that privilege ... If you do want to make a report, keep a very, very detailed account of what’s happening, what’s being said.” De La Cruz: “I think if it’s very serious, you’ve got to report them because that’s out of line, and also ... I feel like bringing cultural awareness too. But they have to pay attention; they have to do the work to pay attention. It’s not all on us.”
“ Good activism is all encompassing and intersectional ... Make sure the activism centers these people that are usually not heard. ”
Issy Asianah, FCRH ’20 and former ASILI vice president
On How Fordham Can Support Black Students The students offered actions for the university to take to improve what Alford described as an “unsafe and unproductive” campus environment for Black students, a sentiment that many participants echoed. Multiple emphasized Fordham’s relationship with the NYPD and used the word “terrorizing” when discussing the police force’s actions — a term defined as “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.” Ward: “They need to ... dissolve some type of relationship with the NYPD because they are terrorizing Black kids, Black people in general. And it’s not okay that our school associates with that and doesn’t stick up for the Black kids on campus, because it’s important that they stick up for us.” Shaw: “We need space for Black students on campus in terms of a multicultural center, and also, we need to provide Black therapists in the psychological center.” “Especially if you’re a Fordham white student, just amplify the Black voices on campus.” Mgbenwelu: “I think one way to show us support is to hold them-
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ASILI members and alumni shared their concerns and experiences of being students of color on campus.
selves accountable when they don’t know something ... Another way we can support Black students is by educating themselves and not having us do that work for them.” “I think Fordham also needs to stop being afraid of making white students uncomfortable. There’s a workshop called Undoing Racism, and we tried to bring Undoing Racism to the campus. And it was such a struggle to try to get them to fund it because they knew that would be uncomfortable and we didn’t have the funds to host it ourselves, so we just didn’t do it. But Undoing Racism should be — that should just be an imperative workshop that you do, especially as a white campus in the Bronx.” Asianah: “Come to our events. Support our voices. Back us up. If we’re starting something, use your voice. Talk to your people. Make sure you’re also unlearning the anti-Blackness that is so inherent in your communities because we’ve seen this time and time again.” On Activism A large part of the town hall focused on activism, including both the current displays of support for Black Lives Matter on social media and how Black students hope to see their allies show support going forward. Santiago also looked to the past, wondering how past generations of Black people would react to the work people are doing today. Asianah: “I think why people are scared to be performative, I think it’s because they know that we know their true intentions. We know how they are in these spaces when we’re not there, and they let s--- slide, and they don’t want anyone to call them out. So, it’s like you saying Black lives matter, but you were saying the N-word at Howl, and I know you said the N-word at Howl, and now you don’t want to post something because you know that I know you don’t care about Black lives.” “Good activism is all encompassing and intersectional ... Make sure the activism centers these people that are usually not heard, you know what I’m saying? So right now we see that George Floyd is getting a lot of support, and Breonna Taylor is not getting as much support, and that’s a reason. Black women suffer a specific type of misogyny that makes our lives and our stories not as tangible and not as amplified as our male peers. And so if activism is centering these voices, that’s good activism.” Miranda Rydel, FCRH ’21 and ASILI vice president: “We’ve been getting so many followers on Instagram ... It’s just eye-opening, I guess. And so now that I know that all these people are following us, I think it’s even more important that they put themselves out there, es-
pecially during protests and stuff — I know people are talking about that. But there’s a lot of stuff that you can do with your privilege to help amplify the voices of Black people and people of color during this time, especially when it comes to getting stuff done on campus and talking to administration and things like that. I’m not saying speak on behalf of us, but I’m saying, do what you can to get us in the rooms with people that are powerful on campus and can do the things that we want them to do to make campus a safer place for Black students and students of color. So it’s one of those things where it’s bittersweet: You’re happy that you’re getting this attention and you’re able to then educate more people, but also it shouldn’t have taken these events for people to care about the Black students that they go to school with. “Once all the hype dies down, I think it’s important to keep educating. Keep figuring out what’s out there to donate to, and talk to the people around you about it. I think one of the important things is really taking control of the circles that you’re a part of — not control of them but, if you are around a lot of people who aren’t educated or know nothing about race, or the systems in our country that enact oppression, you should talk to them about it. I think especially if you’re white or even white-passing, the education doesn’t really stop for you. And there are unlimited ways to educate yourself. That’s something that you could always do, ongoing.” Adams: “I don’t like the idea of reparations. You want to know why, though? How much money would they have to give us to reclaim what they took? It’s impossible. They took too much ... If you are African American, they took your identity. How are they going to give that back? That’s not possible.” Shaw: “If you guys are trying to pressure the school, pressure the school so that Fordham students who do get arrested during protests are not sanctioned by the school. That’s super important, because we should not be getting punished for speaking our minds.” Santiago: “This morning, I was about to cry. I was in my car about to cry. So I’m sitting there; I’m like, yo, would my ancestors have been proud of me and all my friends trying to fight back against these institutional racism and trying to make a change? Now I was about to cry because ... they would never even know. They would never even fathom that there was somebody to fight back.” ASILI plans to host another town hall in the near future, and is currently sharing Black Lives Matter-related advocacy resources on its Instagram page.
www.fordhamobserver.com
THE OBSERVER June 17, 2020
News
5
University’s Relationship With Its Black Students, the NYPD and Aramark PUSHBACK from page 1
Fordham’s Long-Term Connection With NYPD Fordham’s close ties to the New York Police Department (NYPD) was a point of concern that several students echoed. FLC BSA wrote, Fordham “shows no plan to divest itself from the NYPD which is responsible for the regular murder of black new yorkers and is one of the most racially violent police forces in the U.S.” Almost 50% of those killed by the NYPD from January 2013 to December 2019 were Black. For reference, approximately 25% of the population of New York City identifies as Black or African American. Fordham’s relationship with the NYPD runs deep. All of those in the Public Safety administration are former ranking members of law enforcement, and the current Chief of Public Safety, John Carroll, said he is “personal friends” with NYPD Police Commissioner William Bratton’s top advisers in a 2014 Fordham Ram interview. He also stated that Fordham would “maintain its ‘strong relationships’ within the NYPD, which extend from local detectives to narcotics special victims and precinct commanders to top borough commanders in the Bronx and Manhattan.” Carroll noted that it was unfortunate that former commissioner Raymond Kelly “got painted with this stop-and-frisk brush, instead of being thanked for driving homicides down to the 1950s levels.” Stop-and-frisk was a controversial program that peaked under Kelly’s administration, allowing officers to stop someone and search them if they had “reasonable suspicion.” Due to this vague phrasing, officers could stop people indiscriminately. In 2011, at the height of stop-andfrisk, 53% of those stopped were Black and 88% of the 685,724 recorded stops were innocent. Fordham did not mention its relationship with the NYPD in the statement. Woolery suggested that Fordham disconnect from the police force, writing, “stop hiring almost exclusively from former NYPD officers and stop mentioning that as a marketing and selling point. It dismissed the trauma some students face because of the police.” Other schools have echoed this suggestion. In the wake of Floyd’s death, the board of Minneapolis Public Schools voted unanimously on June 2 to terminate the district’s contract with the MPD. Although students’ parents might associate the presence of former NYPD officers on campus as a mark of safety, Woolery argued that “The
NYPD is still around because this is still NYC but if they feel safer because of NYPD links on campus they should consider the privilege they have to feel safe around ANY former or current police officer, let alone the New York Police Department. Because George Floyd said, ‘I can’t breathe’ but so did Eric Garner.” Fordham’s Ties With Aramark Some students have also started a petition that began circulating via social media for Fordham to remove food service provider Aramark from its payroll. Aramark is the corporation that receives the highest financial compensation from Fordham. A large portion of Aramark’s income comes from the private prisons to which it supplies meals. This feeds into the prison-industrial complex, which turns the prison system into a business. NYU let go of Aramark last fall with this being one of the primary reasons students pushed them to do so. The Atlantic reported, “Although the prevalence of illegal drug use among white men is approximately the same as that among black men, black men are five times as likely to be arrested for a drug offense. “As a result, about half the inmates in the United States are African American. One out of every fourteen black men is now in prison or jail. One out of every four black men is likely to be imprisoned at some point during his lifetime.” Aramark profits from this industry, and Fordham in turn profits as a school by using their services. The quality of food that Aramark provides in prisons is also extremely poor, and the meals offered often, according to the San Francisco Bay View, “fell far below the daily minimum 2,500 calorie diet the courts have constitutionally required prisoners receive.” Here at Fordham, similar complaints have been made about the quality of the meat and produce Aramark serves. Additionally, in October 2019, a dead mouse was found in one of the salad containers in the FLC Community Dining Hall. It is true that backing out of a dining contract is no small matter, but Fordham has done so before in 2016 after concerns over food quality from provider Sodexo. In an email on April 22 amid concerns over the employment of contract workers, McShane wrote that “It simply is not possible for Fordham to accept financial responsibility for its vendors’ employees.” It can be assumed from this that switching contracts would result in a loss of employment for the current dining workers. Fordham did not acknowledge its ties with Aramark in the statement.
CHANGE.ORG
Black Student Enrollment at Fordham Fordham’s enrollment rate of Black students has also failed to rise since the end of the 20th century, staying at 4.4% of the undergraduate population. For the Class of 2023, there was only a 2% increase in overall acceptances for Black students. As of spring 2020, they comprise 4% of their class. Fordham has a Scholarship for Semifinalists that allows high-achieving, low-income Hispanic students to overcome fiscal obstacles with a full-ride tuition — but nothing similar has been done for low-income Black students. Fordham has been repeatedly called to take more initiative to increase the Black student population of both campuses to better reflect the communities Fordham lives in. Fordham did not mention any enrollment initiatives it would take in the statement. Community Reactions to the Statement The president of ASILI, Rose Hill’s Black Student Alliance, Diontay Santiago, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill ’21, wrote, “I am grateful for the statement being issued eventually. HOWEVER, as the many enraged comments on the statement’s Instagram post says, there are a lot of vague platitudes and it seems as though the university is tip toe-ing around making a clear stance.” An alumna, Katrina Feldkamp, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’14, echoed Santiago’s sentiment, commenting on Fordham’s Instagram post, saying in part, “What are you doing to uplift and respond to the demands of black students and non-black POC (person of color) students that are calling out problems on your campus — because I recall us being repeatedly silenced during my time as a Fordham stu-
dent. What are you doing to project and center your students who are subject to racist attacks from their white classmates—a problem when I was a student there and one that continues for current students.” The protests in NYC reached both of Fordham’s front doors at Lincoln Center and Rose Hill. On June 1, Fordham Road was looted, leaving the businesses that many students utilize throughout the year in disarray. The following day, the Bronx community came together on a cleanup mission. Fordham released a statement on June 3 via Instagram that read, “many departments and units across the University began identifying and implementing ways Fordham could work in solidarity with community residents, organizations and businesses ... for example led by students and joined by staff, Fordham community members participated in early clean up efforts along Fordham Road.” This statement was released after FLC BSA started a petition on the same day for Fordham University to fund local organizations. The petition reads, “As an act of solidarity with its Black students and neighbors, we urge the university to use its position of authority and influence to provide financial support to organizations that have been working tirelessly to combat racism in the United States.” During this time of need, there are many ways to be anti-racist and stand up against injustices. There are countless opportunities to sign petitions, donate funds, raise awareness and educate yourself — these are only the beginning stages of working towards change. Woolery outlined what she would like to see Fordham do: “disconnect with the NYPD ... commit to a donation ... mobilize staff that lives in and near campus to help the community ... and I would announce a curriculum re-evaluation by all departments to ensure
that anti-racism is a core value in the process of cura personalis. I’d hold forums of some sort inviting students of color to get on Zooms or something and directly air their grievances about administrative policies to key administrators. “So when Fordham students leave as ‘men and women for others’ the school has done everything in their power to make sure all people are included in ‘others,’” she wrote. Fordham has changed things in the past when it was deemed necessary. Administrators formed a Task Force on Diversity to observe the campus climate in 2015 as a response to ongoing “bias incidents.” There is a webpage devoted to “Diversity Inclusion Initiatives.” Fordham even received an award in 2019 for their “sustained excellence in fundraising programs.” As of June 3, nine days after Floyd’s death and four days after an official university response, Fordham has still not taken any concrete action. The Observer reached out to Bob Howe, assistant vice president for communications, for comment, but did not receive a response. In order to provide spaces of support, Fordham’s Counseling and Psychological Services released two virtual support groups for the Fordham community to join on June 3. One is for African American and Black-identified students to heal and be empowered. Another is for students of any racial/ethnic identity to be an ally and support Black communities. McShane concluded his message with the line, “You are in my thoughts and prayers today and every day,” a phrase that has come to be synonymous with inaction. A Jesuit saying attributed to St. Ignatius of Loyola and endorsed by Fordham is, “go forth and set the world on fire.” The question many students are asking right now is: Will Fordham follow through on the Jesuit mission it preaches?
Fordham Goes Test-Optional Due to Coronavirus Pandemic By ALLIE STOFER Asst. News Editor
With the coronavirus outbreak leading to the cancellation of many ACT and SAT exams, Fordham
made the decision on May 6 to go test-optional for at least the next two years. “On April 29, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) urged institu-
ANDREW DRESSNER/THE OBSERVER
SAT and ACT preparation has been a stressful time for college applicants. Due to the ongoing pandemic, Fordham has chosen to forego standardized test application requirements.
tions to reassess their standardized testing policies, especially in light of the effects the COVID-19 pandemic is having on academic schedules,” Vice President for Admissions and Student Financial Services John W. Buckley said. According to the announcement email, Fordham had been considering going test-optional before the pandemic. Buckley wrote in the email that “There has been ongoing dialogue in the admission community about the racial and socioeconomic disparities that standardized testing reinforces and exacerbates.” Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Patricia Peek agreed that “Standardized tests can be a barrier to many students for varied reasons.” Peek echoed the barriers that students of different races and socioeconomic classes face but also included test anxiety. The test-optional policy will allow students to share with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions the aspects of
themselves that they find best represent them, according to Peek. There are many socioeconomic disparities that low-income students face with standardized testing. Taking the exams can be expensive, meaning that higher-income students have the opportunity to retake the exam more times. Higher-income students also often attend better-funded schools, which offer more AP and IB classes and increased access to standardized testing tutors, which leads to increased familiarity and comfort with the standardized testing process. These advantages led to students from families that earned over $200,000 per year having an average score of 1717 on the SAT, whereas those from families earning less than $20,000 annually had an average of 1314, according to the 2016 College Board Report. Peek stated that the Office of Undergraduate Admissions has researched the use of testing and feels confident that they can con-
duct admissions decisions without the tests. “To provide equity and access for all students, a test optional pilot for the next two years will allow us to rely even more heavily on other elements of a student’s application,” Peek said. “Rigor of coursework, academic grade trends, leadership, work, service and quality of the essay will play an even greater role in our evaluation.” For Fordham, the next two years will serve as a pilot period. Peek explained that she does not expect to reverse the decision but the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will be looking at class data and retention rates when making the decision. Peek said that the office is excited about this change after receiving positive feedback from students and the university. “We look forward to refining our admission process under this new policy which we strongly believe will help advance Fordham’s mission,” Peek stated.
Fordham Students Protesting in
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PROTESTING from page 1
of “go forth and set the world on the fire” by joining in the nationwide protests urging for police abolition and the elimination of systemic racism.
“ While exercising my
first amendment right to peaceful assembly, I have had mace sprayed at me twice (both times with absolutely no warning).”
Corina Fuentes, FCLC ’21
Leading the charge is the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, which was founded in 2013 by Patrisse KhanCullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi after the acquittal of the man who killed Trayvon Martin. Minneapolis is the epicenter of protests, and Corina Fuentes, Ford-
ham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’21, has been attending protests in the city. Fuentes has been protesting against Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) brutality and their instances of racial profiling since 2016. Her experience while peacefully protesting has been made miserable by the MPD. “I was on the I-35W bridge when the semitruck drove into the peaceful crowd. Although I have always protested peacefully without breaking curfew, my encounters with the MPD have been less-than peaceful to say the least. While exercising my first amendment right to peaceful assembly, I have had mace sprayed at me twice (both times with absolutely no warning), I have had flash bangs and tear gas thrown into my vicinity, and I have had a member of the National Guard aim his shotgun at me,” Fuentes explained. Fuentes highlighted that police
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“ I grew up in a
predominantly white town ... I was surrounded by people who did not look like me. Who didn’t have hair like mine. Who didn’t have families like mine. Having a protest here was so meaningful to me. ”
Jaisa Pinnock, FCLC ’22
brutality is just the tip of the iceberg in the fight toward racial equality, and protesting is a necessity to get there. “Systematic racism is alive and thriving in this community ... I would hesitate to say that pro-
testing is simply ‘significant’ to me, it is much more than that; I would argue that protesting is a necessity born out of years of injustice and oppression thinly veiled as coincidences.” Systemic racism is practiced and carried out through generations. Abolishing the system demands the demolition of its symbols. Raekwon Fuller, FCLC ’23, protested in Anderson, South Carolina. “South Carolina is a historically racist state. First to leave the union, and last to come back. We have a confederate statue in front of the courthouse that says ‘In truth's clear far-off
light. That the soldiers who wore the gray. And died with lee were in the right.’ so basically saying slavery was right. I’m black. And that’s why it’s also important. I can’t sit silent,” he said. Statues across the country with ties to the Confederacy and Christopher Columbus — both grounded in violent histories of white supremacy — are also being called into question, but this certainly isn’t the first time. It is important to note that there is a statue of Columbus that prominently sits in Columbus Circle — a block away from Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus. Most of these statues were built during the early 20th century, and then an additional spike of building occurred in the 1950s and ’60s. According to James Grossman, the executive director of the American Historical Association, “These statues were meant to create legitimate garb for white supremacy. Why would you put a statue of Robert E. Lee or Stonewall Jackson in 1948 (over 80 years after the end of the Civil War) in Baltimore?” Over the past few weeks, many protesters have demanded, sometimes by force, the removal of said statues as they stand as symbols of the systemically racist
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the Name of Black Lives Matter
MADDIE SANDHOLM/THE OBSERVER
society of the past with lasting effects into today. Dane Westerlund, FCLC ’21, marched in Columbus, Georgia, and was surprised to see the amount of people on the streets considering his city's relationship with racism. He said that the protest “was significant to me as Columbus is a medium sized southern city in which I expected there to be a low turnout due to a long history of racism from a good population of the city’s people, however, the amount of people ... was actually astonishing to me and I was proud of my city for showing up and speaking out over a good cause.” In Colchester, Connecticut, Jaisa Pinnock, FCLC ’22, protested and was also surprised to see the people of her hometown marching together. She spoke of how Colchester was not racially diverse while she was growing up and how seeing her community rally together for Black lives meant a great deal to her. “I grew up in a predominantly white town ... I was surrounded by people who did not look like me. Who didn’t have hair like mine. Who didn’t have families like mine. Having a protest here was so meaningful to me. I can
“ But this fight has been pushed aside for far too long. Keep signing petitions, going to protests, donating if you have the means to or even just have a conversation. It is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Jaisa Pinnock, FCLC ’22
not speak for the whole black community in my town, but from who I have spoken to, it meant something to them as well. A protest is more than making signs and wearing black. It’s showing up for people of color, and physically standing beside them. It is physically taking time out of your day to listen to what they have to say,” Pinnock said. Fordham students are taught from their first step on campus to appreciate the diversity of New York and the student community by being “men and women for others.” However, it's also important to acknowledge the position Fordham has taken in its community in the past. The Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) campus was built on the homes of marginalized and low-income people who were ousted in the name of gentrification glorified by Robert Moses. FLC even commemorated Moses with a plinth
on campus, which was removed in 2018. Ethan Coughlin, FCLC ’22 and arts and culture editor, was in attendance at a protest in Baltimore, Maryland. He felt that protesting is his duty in order to take a stance for change. He feels that Fordham should be doing more to practice what they preach. “Fordham needs to step up and take actual action instead of just ‘thoughts and prayers.’ If that worked, we wouldn’t be here now,” Coughlin said. There was a similar sentiment behind Raquel Arabalo’s, FCLC ’22, reason to protest in Los Angeles. She said, “The most important thing I could do right now is listen to those voices that have been silenced for so long and then echo that ... My dad is from Mexico, and I’ve been in the car with my dad when he’s been pulled over in the morning when we’re coming back from church and the officer asked if my dad
had been drinking. He actually used to be a cop ... and he said that the cops were basically taught to be racist. My parents always say the biggest gang members in the city are the cops.” She continued, “I recognize that I’m half white and half Hispanic, and I can not understand the oppression that some of my friends face. That’s why I was protesting, because no one should feel they have a higher chance of going to jail and not getting into college because of their skin color.” Other students were unsure of their role in the protests. Jesse McBrearty, FCLC ’21, attended a protest with her mother in Bloomfield, New Jersey. She explained that her mother was originally hesitant to attend. She described herself as a “financially comfortable white woman,” and because of this, she was fearful her attendance would come across as an overstep. She eventually decided
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to attend so that she could better educate herself and use her voice to speak out against racism. McBrearty and her mother came to the realization that “if you’re worried about overstepping the boundaries at protests, attend anyway. Walk, listen, educate yourself. No one is going to blame you for wanting to learn about being on the right side of history!” More than anything, students have focused on keeping the energy going and the conversations continuing. Fuller said, “Remember y’all had this same energy of reopening cases about Carole Baskins Husband. Why are we different. We want y’all to stand with and help us!!” Protesting day in and day out can be exhaustive, but so is enduring racism. Pinnock concluded, “It takes a lot to keep momentum day by day when it feels like nothing is getting done. To keep having conversations with people who may never change their minds can break our spirits and make us so angry. But this fight has been pushed aside for far too long. Keep signing petitions, going to protests, donating if you have the means to or even just have a conversation. It is a marathon, not a sprint.”
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June 17, 2020 THE OBSERVER
www.fordhamobserver.com
An All-Online Student Community Wrestles With Racial Injustice on Campus
By GABE SAMANDI News Editor Emeritus
“I am angry, I am frustrated, I am exhausted having to beg for my people to live,” Diane Greg-Uanseru, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’21, wrote in an Instagram post on May 28. “Why do we have to beg for people to value us as human beings?” It happened almost overnight. Students of Fordham University, first learning through viral posts, direct messages and FaceTime, heard the news about George Floyd, an unarmed Black man killed by a white police officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Within hours, Black and brown students who were all too familiar with the feelings of fear and anguish that such headlines bring took to social media to post their feelings. The news of Floyd’s death came for many as another heartbreaking casualty in a spring season tense with public instances of white Americans expressing unwarranted fear and deadly violence toward Black people. Fear and violence that, always present, seemed to feel bolder and more public in a country on lockdown. “When I first saw the video, I was not surprised,” Justice! Somerville-Adair, FCLC ’21, said. (Somerville-Adair spells her first name with an exclamation point.) “I’ve been feeling numb since Ahmaud Arbery.” Many students were horrified by Arbery’s recorded murder, which gained national attention in early May. The death of Floyd, just 20 days later, bookended a month marked by deadly violence towards Black Americans.
“ To silence the voices
of Black students on an issue of racism against Black people is just absurd. ”
Ahmari Alford, FCLC ’21 and president of BSA
The first wave of social media posts, led primarily by Black people, were mostly about trying to heal. But a few days later, the rest of the voices came. As protests against police brutality and demonstrations in support for organizations like Black Lives Matter (BLM) swept over the country, nearly all of Fordham’s online student circles engaged in the conversation. Social media platforms were buzzing with livestreams, stories, posts and comments about Floyd and police violence. For once, it seemed like other people in America were listening to the Black voices that had been speaking up against racism for years. Within days, hundreds of students were posting their indignation toward racial injustice and police brutality in America. To the students who had felt the first shocks of Floyd’s death, the support was — and still is — encouraging. “It’s gotten people to acknowledge things that they haven’t acknowledged before,” Somerville-Adair said. “It’s good to see support like that.” But between the death of Floyd on May 25 and the first week of June, the social media clamor quickly took on a shape that was unrecognizable to the
very people it was supposedly about. “I started posting again because I felt like the messages being spread weren’t helpful,” Somerville-Adair said. “I mean, in blunt terms, white people are missing the point.” A Petition for Black Students ... Written Without Black Students To hear Ahmari Alford, FCLC ’21 and president of the Black Student Alliance (BSA), tell it, several aspects of the second wave of social media posts have actually been more offensive than helpful. One post in particular drew the negative attention of dozens of Fordham students. “On Monday I received a few DMs and messages about this petition that was going around,” Alford said. The prominent Instagram meme page @lc_sinners posted a public petition on Monday, June 1, urging students to pressure Fordham University to cut ties with its food provider, Aramark. The company, which has been the target of scrutiny from Fordham students for years for a variety of both race- and health-related issues, is one of the nation’s largest food providers for prisons. Citing issues of police violence and over-incarceration, the students behind @lc_sinners posted the petition with language that originally came across as insensitive to many students. “A lot of petitions, all over the country, are coming out of nowhere on behalf of Black students on campuses,” Alford said. “We’re not being consulted.” The original language of the petition took a stance of advocating for “minorities” and explicitly stated that it “expected” support, recognition and assistance from Fordham’s various cultural and ethnic student organizations. Alford, as well as dozens of students who saw the petition, felt as though the language in the post was ignorant and disregarded the years of work that had been done beforehand on the issue. More importantly, students were upset that it seemed to imply students of color needed to be spurred into action when it comes to addressing racism. “The implication that pressure needed to be put on Black students to work against racism is problematic,” Alford said. “BSA has been heading the push for divestment (from Aramark) for years.” Alford and several other students left comments critical of the language in the petition, hoping to contribute their voices for a more inclusive and constructive petition. Instead, their comments were deleted. “To silence the voices of Black students on an issue of racism against Black people is just absurd,” Alford said. “It shows that you don’t really care about the issue and that you’re just trying to show your support for optics.” Just days after students first expressed their anger, sadness and frustration about racial injustice in America at large, Fordham Lincoln Center’s online community was ablaze discussing the actions of @lc_sinners. The students behind @lc_sinners did not respond to The Observer’s request for comment. “Speaking frankly, Black students are probably the most ignored perspective on campus,” Alford said. “We’ve been having the hard conversations
LARA FOLEY/THE OBSERVER
A black square on Instagram, posted on #BlackoutTuesday on Fordham's official Instagram. Many Black students have expressed their frustration and anger with the treatment of Black voices on campus, and have pointed out that social media posts are only performative and mean nothing without action.
all year long.” Several posts on Alford’s personal Instagram condemned the actions taken by @lc_sinners, as did several other students on their personal accounts. Additionally, a number of public accounts registered to official student organizations on campus expressed outrage toward @lc_sinners, particularly the fact that Alford’s comments had been deleted from the post. According to Alford, she was eventually able to get into contact with the students who wrote the original petition, along with Batool Abdelhafez, FCLC ’21 and president of Students for Justice in Palestine. “We don’t have a problem with the petition’s goals, but we had a problem with the way it was rolled out. It seemed like they didn’t understand that we’d already been doing this work,” Alford said. Eventually, the petition was revised with Alford’s and Abdelhafez’s input. The updated version is still online and has been gathering signatures. “I hope people do sign it,” Alford said. “And I hope that the administration listens.” Alford was glad that she was able to contact the students behind the petition. “It’s a big step to get on the phone with someone you’ve offended and listen to them,” she said. “It’s good that we were able to have a conversation.” However, her interaction with the students behind the petition, who are white, highlighted an important issue Alford had noticed in the online response to Floyd’s death, both nationally and at Fordham University. A Balance Between Speaking and Listening Alford explained that, while the national torrent of (mostly white) voices in support of Black Americans has been welcomed, it has also come laced with its own forms of racism. “Much of this online conversation feels like a loud and public effort to prove that ‘I’m more woke than the next person,’” Alford said. “It’s hurtful because
it feels like people just want a badge that says ‘I’m not racist.’ It’s all very surface level.” The reality for Alford, as well as Somerville-Adair, Greg-Uanseru and countless other students of color on Fordham’s campuses is that racism is a constant, unavoidable fact of life in any public space — including, very often, life at Fordham. “For a lot of us, our biggest fear is that this is a trend,” Somerville-Adair said. “We worry this will end in a month. Racism is an issue we deal with every day of our lives.”
“ It’s like some people
only notice things are racist when someone is dead and there’s a video. ”
Justice! Somerville-Adair, FCLC ’21
Somerville-Adair expressed doubt in many people’s commitment to actively listening to those who have experienced racism in America. “I don’t think this would be happening if we weren’t all in quarantine,” she said. “Of course people are listening right now. They can’t look away.” Somerville-Adair was frustrated overall by the national response. On the one hand, she was happy that so much visible support was being expressed; on the other, she was upset that it seemed to be too narrowly focused. “So many people’s hearts are in the right place, but I just think that people need to focus on what the problem actually is. This isn’t just about George Floyd, specifically,” Somerville-Adair said. “It’s about the whole system. It’s like some people only notice things are racist when someone is dead and there’s a video.” While Alford has appreciated the public social media support from Fordham students,
she was also doubtful that every post was a commitment to combating racism. “The main thing to keep in mind is that these social media trends are an extension of the conversation,” she said. “If you’re really engaged and paying attention to the problem, a post shouldn’t just be the first and last stop of your activism.” “For instance, ‘Blackout Tuesday,’” Alford said, “myself and virtually every Black person I knew thought it was ridiculous.” While opinions from Black Americans differ about the virtual posting “event” known as Blackout Tuesday, every student interviewed expressed distaste for the hashtag. “It’s like the people who post it are making this about them, which almost feels like it can detract from our pain,” Somerville-Adair said. Greg-Uanseru took directly to social media to criticize the hashtag. “We’re censoring ourselves,” she wrote on Tuesday, June 2, citing how the same post repeated on a feed drowns links for donations, educational resources and safety information for protestors and missing individuals. To each student, the primary problem with many posts is that racism is a daily, existential struggle. To many students, it has felt as though people think racism can just be signed away in a petition or outvoted through a show of hands. “It’s not just an issue of police brutality or the color of your skin. It’s also what you wear, it’s how you speak, how you do your hair. It’s a constant, dehumanizing force that grinds you down if you’re not living up to what’s ‘white’ in society,” Somerville-Adair said. Somerville-Adair was relieved that people were grieving alongside the Black community for Floyd’s death, but exasperated that such a graphic video was needed to prompt a nationwide conversation. “It has to be so explicit for people,” she said. “They can’t just trust us when we say ‘racism exists.’”
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THE OBSERVER June 17, 2020
News
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Following NY State Guidelines, Fordham Is Hesitant About an In-Person Fall By KATRINA LAMBERT News Editor
Even as the number of new coronavirus cases is dwindling throughout the United States — a result of social distancing tactics to flatten the curve — New York City is the last of the 10 regions in the state of New York to reopen. Fordham University, with its Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses positioned in the New York City region, has yet to declare with certainty whether students will be allowed back on campus for the fall 2020 semester. Plans for reopening will work in a “phased approach,” University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., said in an email to the Fordham community on May 27. Moving from the current phase where only essential employees are allowed on the campus, Fordham will gradually return to normalcy as the health situation improves. However, without authorization from the state to reopen, McShane said, “it is not possible at this time to predict the dates on which Fordham will be able to proceed from one phase to the next.” The reopening of New York City is outlined in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s New York Forward plan, which lists a series of seven health metrics, including a 14-day decline in hospitalizations and deaths, availability of at least 30% of hospital beds, a specified number of residents tested per month, and an established system of contact tracing. The New York City region officially entered Phase One on June 8, after achieving all seven of the metrics. However, Phase One through Three does not give official permission for schools and universities to allow non-essential personnel (students, professors and administration) back on campus. In the meantime, Fordham is preparing for the fall by establishing a series of safeguards and contingency plans that will “optimize the health and well-being of Fordham students and employees,” McShane wrote. On May 5, McShane announced the creation of a “task force” to coordinate plans for reopening the university. The seven members of the committee are responsible for overseeing 13 different aspects for reopening the university: COVID-19 screening and containment, infrastructure and sanitation of the facilities, human resources considerations, dining, residential life,
student experience and experiential learning, intercollegiate athletics, technology-enhanced teaching and learning spaces, study abroad, research continuity, coordination with external agencies and external events, and welcoming guests. In addition to the seven task force members overseeing the coordinating, there are 160 faculty administrators and staff members who are involved in the planning efforts for the 13 aspects of reopening safely. “Work continues in anticipation of welcoming students back to campus,” Frank Simio, task force member and vice president of Lincoln Center, said regarding the committee’s preparations thus far. The safeguards and operations that the committee is establishing are guided by the directives set forth in New York Forward, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and in a report from the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York, McShane said. To comply with the orders set by New York state, to be in operation, Fordham is required to develop a set of testing protocols and pre-screening for new, returning and arriving students, as well as set up an adaptable plan for quarantining students that become infected.
“ It doesn’t make sense
for me to stay on campus and risk getting sick for a few classes a week. ”
Eliza Pagel, FCLC ’23
Fordham also must alter the structure of a typical classroom setting to conform to the state guidelines issued in Executive Orders 202.32 and 202.33, which allow gatherings of only 10 or fewer people to gather. With an average class size of 23, Fordham is working toward repurposing non-academic spaces for instruction to reduce the number of students in a classroom at a time. Professors at Fordham are being encouraged to alter their courses to be adaptable for online or in-person, regardless of what the status of the fall semester is, according to Professor J. Andrew Foster, who teaches courses in the classics department. Foster said that Dean of Faculty Eva Badowska held a town hall
meeting during the last week of the spring semester to encourage professors to create hybrid courses for the fall and summer sessions. For Foster, he is personally working to develop online material for all of his summer and fall 2020, and spring 2021 courses. “I don’t want people to be hostages — to feel coerced into coming back to school if they don’t feel safe,” Foster said. “So I want them all to be able to have access in some form.” Eliza Pagel, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’23, disclosed in a video produced by The Observer on March 3 that she has an immune-deficiency disorder, which would make contracting the virus extremely dangerous for her. “If I get it, I will die,” Pagel said in the video. Coming back to campus in the fall may not be worth the risk, Pagel said. Depending on the precautions Fordham implements, Pagel said she is considering living at her home in Pennsylvania and commuting to campus for classes or events that may only be operating in-person. Her commute from Pennsylvania is two hours long, but it would be worth it to protect her health. “It doesn’t make sense for me to stay on campus and risk getting sick for a few classes a week,” she said. Under the “Screening and Containment” working group, Fordham lists an objective to “Address the needs of high-risk individuals.” For Pagel, the safest she would feel with coming back to campus fully would be if the university “could track who went off-campus”; this way, there would be proper isolation and quarantine procedures for every student who may be a risk to Pagel. The option of completing her classes on-campus or online is helpful for Pagel, she said, so that she can feel more comfortable with whichever decision she makes for the fall. Starting July 1, Foster said he plans to begin reaching out to his students in his fall courses and putting materials up online early. His hope is that students may be able to get a jump start on their classes for an easier transition into the fall, whatever it may bring. Despite the suggestion for professors to be flexible, not all departments and faculty members may be as open to the adjustment. “You really can’t tell a tenured faculty member to do anything,” Foster said. He explained that for professors who have taught in a traditional setting with a set structure
IZZI DUPREY/THE OBSERVER
Fordham has yet to inform students whether in-person instruction will occur in the fall.
for as long as they have been teaching, adjusting to the new needs of educating during a pandemic will be challenging. “I think as faculty members, we just have to say, given the conditions, this is how much I can provide. I think we all just need to go easy on everybody,” he said. Even though Fordham is yet to establish a concrete decision about the fall semester, on June 2, the university decided that Summer II classes will be delivered online, as announced in an email from the dean of Summer Session, Tara Czechowski. Fordham previously had decided that Summer II classes would be slated for in-person meetings, but the “New York governor’s office just announced that New York City universities will not be able to resume face-to-face instruction in time for Fordham’s launch of Summer II.” Summer II courses run from June 30 to Aug. 4. As people speculate about when New York City will enter Phase Two, Mayor Bill de Blasio said New Yorkers shouldn’t expect to enter into Phase Two anytime before July. Phase Two allows office-based jobs, real estate services, in-store retail and outdoor dining permission to open, but still requires gatherings to be no larger than 10 people and proper social distancing precautions must be taken. Other colleges and universities outside of the New York area have already made definite plans for the fall. The University of Notre Dame, a private Catholic university located in Indiana, announced on May 29 its decision to allow students back to campus two weeks earlier than
expected, on Aug. 10. Instead of its usual breaks in October and November, students will complete their fall semester without breaks and then leave early for the end of the semester before Thanksgiving. Notre Dame set this plan for the fall semester under the expectation that there will be a second wave of the coronavirus in the fall, which has been warned by medical health care physicians. However, there isn’t any concrete projection of when this second wave will start, Dr. Eric Cioe-Pena, an emergency physician at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, New York, told Healthline. The CDC has tracked flu season in the United States since 1982. Projections show the number of infections of the common flu virus in the United States, influenza, beginning in October and peaking in February. The CDC’s projections for influenza are not completely translatable to the coronavirus because the many different strains of the virus react differently depending on environmental temperatures, according to Healthline. Healthline reported that it is uncertain at this time to predict which strain of the virus will be present for the second wave. Although no educational institutions in New York City have declared definite plans for the fall semester since they are awaiting guidance from the state’s Education Department, Fordham’s announcement for the fall will likely be in accordance with the decisions made by New York University and Columbia University, Foster said. “It would be hard for us to open (in the fall) if they don’t. Really, really tough,” Foster said.
Fordham Clubs Creatively Fundraise for #BLM Movement By MICHELLE AGARON Asst. News Editor
Following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement from around the world have taken to the streets and social media to protest racist police brutality and encourage activism. Along with creating a petition for Fordham University to release a statement addressing Floyd’s death, multiple student organizations across both campuses have been raising money for various organizations.
ASILI, the Black Student Alliance at Rose Hill, has been boosting fundraisers by sharing them on social media, raising more than $1,500 for various funds. Last week, members of the club created a donation-matching challenge on their Instagram stories to raise money for the Minnesota Freedom Fund (MFF), a nonprofit that “combats the harms of incarceration by paying bail for low-income individuals who cannot.” ASILI raised between $500 and $600 for the MFF by posting on social media, as well as boosting several GoFundMes and funds including
COURTESY OF BLACK STUDENT ALLIANCE
Fordham clubs supported a fund for cleanup in the Bronx following looting around Fordham Road.
Fordham Clean Up, a GoFundMe for small businesses in the Bronx that were victims of looting, The Liberty Fund, The Bail Project and Brooklyn Community Bail Fund. A former secretary for ASILI also raised $1,000 through her Instagram story for the Louisville Community Bail Fund to support protest efforts focused on the unlawful killing of Breonna Taylor and Tony McDade. Taylor, a 26-year-old African American woman, was fatally shot in her sleep by the Louisville Metroville Police Department. McDade, a 38-year-old African American transgender man, was fatally shot by a Tallahassee Police Department officer. Their deaths occurred on March 13 and May 27, respectively. The Muslim Student Association (MSA) at Rose Hill took a more unorthodox approach to fundraising, opting for a virtual bingo board that general members could repost and have their followers, friends and family members donate to. MSA Marketing Director Nazeath Emama, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’22, raised $455, while a general member named Shamiha Islam, FCRH ’23, raised $100 within
a day. All funds were donated to the official Black Lives Matter website. “As a minority group on campus, we understand that it is imperative for us to use our platform to increase awareness and inform the Fordham community and others about the many injustices the Black community is facing. We hope our platform also becomes a safe resource for minorities on campus as a whole,” Emama said. MSA plans to continue hosting fundraisers, posting about organizations, linking to relevant websites and spreading information about the Black Lives Matter movement. Given the diversity of their club members, they recognize the importance of using their platform and sharing information within their network to progress the movement. FLOW, Filipinos of LC Offering Welcome, also raised money by posting a bingo board to their Instagram story. As of June 2, the club raised over $500 to donate to the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund, which was matched by The American Online Giving Foundation. The combination of the two organizations funds brought the total donation amount to $1,000.
Moving forward, FLOW will be working with other Filipino college organizations to create a comprehensive document including information and resources aimed at helping Filipinx/Filipino Americans understand their privilege and their role in creating a space for inclusive conversations that is mindful towards the experiences of the black community. Looking to fall 2020, Regine Anastacio, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’21 and president of FLOW, says that the club will be adjusting its events for Filipino American History Month in October to pay homage to the Black Lives Matter movement. “Our histories and struggles are intertwined and we want to emphasize that the liberation of Filipino and Black people was bound together before during the Civil Rights Movement and during the Philippine(-American) Independent War,” she said. “It is important to share the same values of the past, today.” For more information on where to donate, see the Students for Justice in Palestine club’s resource guide for Fordham students.
Sports & Health Editors Aiza Bhuiyan - ebhuiyan@fordham.edu Patrick Moquin - pmoquin@fordham.edu
Sports & Health By GUS DUPREE and PATRICK MOQUIN Asst. Sports & Health Editor and Sports & Health Editor
In recent weeks, social unrest and the COVID-19 health crisis have been competing for the public’s collective attention. The rival world events have many people caught between a desire to promote change and a responsibility to prevent the pandemic’s spread. Americans across the nation, outraged about the police brutality that has claimed the lives of Black Americans, have reconvened in public to protest and demand change. This social outcry comes after months of economic devastation and more than 100,000 deaths nationwide at the hands of the pandemic, which has forced many people to stay at home in order to slow the disease’s spread. Despite having already peaked in certain areas, COVID-19 is still very much active across the country, as many states are still reporting upward curves in infection rates and new hot spots are emerging. Though protesting is an important right afforded to citizens, in a world still afflicted by disease, it is paramount that people make their voices heard within the constraints of current health protocols. “An individual can demonstrate safely if done in accordance with local government and health departments,” Maureen Keown, director of University Health Services, said. Keown recommends that everyone should wear a face mask and keep a distance of 6 feet
Protesting in Light of COVID-19
between themselves and others. Although she provided proper guidelines to protest, she also noted that the danger lay in the public displays that don’t enforce those protocols. “People who choose to protest need to be careful and must follow public health guidance in order to safely attend a demonstration,” Keown said. She continued to say that protesters who shirk social distancing guidelines risk increasing infection rates within their own community. While all the protests and marches have taken place outside, research shows that it is less likely — but not impossible — to contract the virus outdoors. An outbreak linked to a choir practice in Washington state has left many concerned that shouting and chanting will have the same effect. Keown echoed these concerns and warned, “If an individual moves their mask to shout out, they can potentially infect other people. They could then go home and potentially infect family members.” Even with the concerns that protesting could lead to a spike in infections, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed its support for the movement. WHO Director-General Tedors Adhanom Ghebreysus stated that the “WHO fully supports equality and the global movement against racism. We reject discrimination of all kinds. We encourage all those protesting around the world to do so safely.” In an effort to ensure safe protesting, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has announced
free testing for demonstrators, and officials in Atlanta and New York, where testing is free, are encouraging that all protesters get tested for the coronavirus. While acknowledging the risks of gathering in large groups, meeting up with like-minded individuals in protest can still be done safely. Keown recommends that protesters read the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines to inform themselves on how to organize safely. For those at high risk of developing complications from the coronavirus and who are unable to physically attend marches, there are still ways to contribute to the movement. Keown recommends finding ways to indirectly contribute to the movement, like “using social media platforms and verbalizing concerns to government officials through phone, email and letter.” Health care organizations, as important as they are in the fight against COVID-19, are also not devoid of racism. The pandemic has affected Black communities across the country more severely than other communities. Although Black people account for 12.4% of the population in the U.S., they have suffered 24% of known COVID-19 deaths. Studies have also shown that services for COVID-19, such as testing and various treatments, are not as readily available for many minority and Black communities. The disproportionate effects on Black communities have been cited as an example of the prevalence of medical racism in the U.S. On June 3, the Cleveland City Council passed a resolution de-
claring racism a public health crisis and stating that it has a negative impact on outcomes of the pandemic. Similar motions have been passed across the country as recently as June 16, when Dallas County officials voted to approve a resolution calling for increased equity in the maintenance of public health and other services. Public health, an institution central to
June 17, 2020
THE OBSERVER
society, has an equally interwoven history with racism. Protesting, especially when conflated with the current public health crisis, can be dangerous. However, when the right safety precautions are taken, protesting can continue being a powerful tool to enact change within our communities, health care providers and public safety institutions.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ESMÉ BLEECKER-ADAMS/THE OBSERVER
CPS Launches New Services to Support Black Students By MAGGIE MCNAMARA Asst. Sports & Health Editor
As racial tensions rise as the United States reckons with the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless other innocent Black lives at the hands of police and civilians, Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) have launched several new support groups and workshops for students. CPS will offer a combination of weekly support groups and stand-alone workshops online via Zoom. Weekly groups are held on a drop-in basis and include a Black Healing and Empowerment Circle, a Non-Black Students of Color (NB-SOC) Support Group, and an Ally Solidarity and Support Group. A Navigating Police Brutality and Racial Trauma Workshop was held on Monday, June 15, and was co-sponsored by the Offices for
Ng described the drop-in sessions as a space to validate, affirm and process students’ experiences surrounding recent events, but also mentioned that the groups could be adapted to fit the needs of attendees.
MONDAYS
Multicultural Affairs, the Chief Diversity Officer and the Center for Community Engagement. In a June 8 email to several Fordham University student leaders and publications, CPS staff noted that these events have been developed in collaboration with campus colleagues and student leaders. CPS director Dr. Jeffrey Ng stated that CPS offered similar groups prior to recent racial unrest in slightly different iterations. “For the past few years, we’ve offered various support groups for different racial and ethnic minorities,” he explained, referencing a support group for Black women and a more general one for students of color. These new services are directly in response to current events and were in early developmental stages a few days after Floyd’s death on May 25. Ng described the drop-in sessions as a space to validate, affirm and process students’ experiences surrounding recent events, but also mentioned that the groups could be adapted to fit the needs of attendees. He stated that CPS will
TUESDAYS
be offering these weekly services as long as demand is present. Holding sessions online presents a unique challenge. Ng noted that some aspects of interpersonal communication and group cohesiveness may be lost in a virtual format and that many potential and current attendees would likely prefer to meet in person. Despite these difficulties, however, he said that students have been appreciative and understanding, and he expressed a desire to continue providing these programs in person once it is safe to do so with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. The attendance of the events has been mixed, according to Ng. The recurring Black Healing and Empowerment Circle, in particular, has been less-attended than
WEDNESDAYS
expected by CPS staff, and they are currently reflecting on potential reasons behind this. Ng stated that CPS will continue to provide it in the hopes of increased attendance and interest later on, and he mentioned that potential attendees could currently be dealing with numerous acute stressors related to racial injustice and unrest. Despite this, Ng said that general response to all new programming, including this one, has been overarchingly positive. He hopes to improve marketing and take more student feedback into consideration down the line. Ng does not want these sessions to be purely reactive, but also aims
THURSDAYS
for them to “contribute to creating and sustaining meaningful change in the systems and structures around us that perpetuate the various injustices that students might be struggling with.” Outside of CPS’s programming, he advises students to practice self-compassion, especially in light of the fact that, for students who have committed themselves to activism and fighting systemic injustice, “this is a marathon, not a sprint.”
www.fordhamobserver.com
THE OBSERVER June 17, 2020
Sports & Health
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Fordham Baseball Welcomes 11 New Players for 2021 Season By PATRICK MOQUIN
Sports & Health Editor For the Fordham baseball team, not even an aborted season can stop the endless cycle of college athletics. This summer, 11 incoming freshman players were announced as the newest members of the highly successful program. They’ve yet to step foot on the Rams’ home turf, but their prior success elsewhere indicates promising seasons in the Bronx for years to come. Following the signing of current Fordham shortstop Jake MacKenzie, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’21, to the Boston Red Sox on Monday morning, it seems recruiters were wise in preparing for his departure. They did their job exceptionally well, receiving commitments from two high school shortstops for the 2020-21 academic year. Nicolas Boza and Christopher Genaro, both Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’24, may have wildly different backgrounds, but they find common ground in their stellar high school play. Boza hails from Miami Lakes, Florida, and started at shortstop for three years on the varsity team at Cypress Bay High School. He was also a member of South Florida Select, one of the top travel baseball teams in the state. In his scouting report, Miami Mudcats Baseball Academy head coach Noel Figueroa said that Boza’s “offensive and defensive skills are commendable but the characteristic that sets Nico apart are his leadership and mental approach ... He is a winner and a leader that would be an asset to any program.” Meanwhile, Genaro will be staying in the northeast to continue his playing career, moving to the Bronx from Connecticut. A two-sport athlete at Greenwich High School, he served as the captain of both the baseball and basketball teams in his time there. He played travel baseball for the Greenwich Cannons. In an interview with his hometown newspaper, Greenwich Time, the three-year shortstop said, “It was the best fit for me academically and athletically. Fordham’s baseball team has been awfully successful, so I have to make sure my body is ready to go in the fall.” In addition to two new shortstops, two outfielders will also be joining the Rams’ roster with high school statistics that can only be described as eye-catching. Seattle, Washington, native Ethan Cramer, FCRH ’24, would have completed four years of varsity baseball at Ingraham High School if not for the cancellation of his senior season. Batting .396 with 13 extra base hits in his junior year, he was selected to the 2019 Seattle All-Metro baseball team and helped Ingraham reach its first State Championship since 1979. Such an impressive prospect would normally be considered exceptional, but Fordham has been blessed with two such outfielders in this class. For Ryan Thiesse, FCRH ’24, his time in high school was split between two passions. Beginning each school year on the football field at St. Charles North High School in Illinois, the outfielder/wide receiver was the star player on two seasonal teams. His divided attention had no impact on his performance on the diamond, however, as he hit .359 in his
junior year. He also proved a demon on the base paths, stealing 30 bases over the course of the season. Based on Coach Todd Genke’s overwhelmingly positive opinion, a Fordham fan could not help but grow excited about Thiesse’s prospects entering Rose Hill. In an article for the Chicago Tribune, the St. Charles North coach said, “Pound for pound, just one of the purest athletes we’ve had come through St. Charles North ... I felt like he was ready to explode this year and be an allstate player, maybe even an All-American-type player. He was ready.”
Such an impressive prospect would normally be considered exceptional, but Fordham has been blessed with two such outfielders in this class.
At shortstop and in the outfield, Fordham has recruited four high school hopeful players in an effort to fill potential holes in their lineup. The next two players may prove more versatile, however, as they have experience as first basemen and on the mound. Michael Taylor, GSBRH ’24, is the first of these, a New Jersey native who played four years of varsity baseball at Gill St. Bernard’s School in Chester Township. Although he was recruited as a first baseman and was recognized as a notable player in his home state, he also has pitching experience that could prove valuable. The second such utility play-
er is Trey Maeker, a Texas native and Pearland High School graduate. Like many of the other recruits, the 6’2, 230-pound first baseman and pitcher was a dual athlete, playing as an offensive lineman on Pearland’s football team. On the baseball field, he played on the varsity team for four years and was named the seventh-best first baseman in Texas in 2020, according to Fordham Athletics. As a left-handed pitcher, he brings an additional element to an already exceptional skillset bolstered by his power hitting. Anyone with ability on the mound is valued by Fordham baseball, especially after Fordham pitcher John Stankiewicz, GSBRH ’21, joined shortstop MacKenzie in signing a professional contract this week. Despite going undrafted, he signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Twins Monday morning. As Fordham looks for someone to replace their pro-caliber ace, they are welcoming five freshman pitchers to their roster for the 2021 season. Left-handed pitchers are always in demand for college programs, and Fordham has two such committed newcomers. At the Chaminade College Preparatory School in California, Jake Clark, GSBRH ’24, was stellar on the mound. The Calabasas pitcher played travel baseball for GBG Marucci Navy, and received Pre-Season All-American standing from Under Armour and Perfect Game. Nolan Hughes, FCRH ’24, won’t have to cross the country in order to showcase his talent in the Bronx, but the lefty from Halifax, Massachusetts, is no less valuable to the Rams’ pitching staff. With a maximum fastball speed of 89 miles per hour as of February, the former captain at Silver Lake Regional High School is yet another play-
COURTESY OF TODD GENKE
Ryan Thiesse, FCRH ’24, is a notoriously quick base runner, and can be seen here running to third for triple.
er with upside as Fordham prepares for the new season. Three right-handed pitchers will also be joining the team this year, as Declan Lavelle, Cameron Knox, and Brooks Ey, all FCRH ’24, will all be entering a historically stout Fordham pitching staff. Lavelle, a graduate from Rye High School in New York, was team captain and regularly selected for local honors within his league. Knox, a former three-year varsity pitcher at Mt. Lebanon High School in Pennsylvania, also found great success at the local level, with Coach Patt McCloskey saying, “When you have players like Cam Knox, coaching is easy.” Ey’s high school performance, meanwhile, is particularly interesting from a statistical standpoint. In 11
appearances in his junior year at Central High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Ey recorded a 6-0 record with a 0.89 ERA, striking out 70 batters in 39.1 innings. He also batted .541 in 61 at-bats that same season, though he is currently designated solely as a pitcher by Fordham Athletics. In a testament to the Rams’ recruiting program, 11 new players will be arriving on the Bronx campus this year from 10 different states. In prior years, players like MacKenzie and Stankiewicz went through the same process as these young men. Since then, they’ve won an A10 Championship and found their way into Major League Baseball. At this point, the college baseball experience lies directly ahead for these incoming freshmen, a world of opportunity within their grasp.
Opinions Editors Emily Ellis - eellis14@fordham.edu Haley Smullen -hsmullen@fordham.edu
Opinions
AMPLIFYING BLACK VOICES AT THE OBSERVER
G
We are also committed to supporting the voices in our community who are fighting to make Fordham a fairer and more equal place for all students. As a school that has campuses in the Bronx — a borough that has a 43.6% Black population — and at Lincoln Center — which was quite literally founded on racist slum clearance policies — Fordham should prioritize supporting its Black students. In the 2019-20 school year, only 4.4% of the student body was composed of Black students and for the Class of 2023, the percentage of Black students accepted to Fordham rose by only 2% from the previous year.
It is our duty to ensure that The Observer is a place where Black students have a platform to speak their minds and share their stories with the Fordham community. Abysmal admissions rates are not the only barriers to Black students at Fordham. The university needs to hire more Black faculty, address
Observer the
STAFF EDITORIAL
eorge Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was killed on May 25, 2020, after a police officer knelt on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, refusing to stop even when Floyd said, “I can’t breathe.” George Floyd was murdered. So was Ahmaud Arbery. So was Breonna Taylor. So were countless other Black Americans, many whose names never came to light. The anti-Black racism that led to these deaths is a fundamental part of American life, from policing to politics to culture. As journalists, to avoid engaging with this terrible fact would be to betray our obligation to accurately report the truth — a truth that Black Americans face every day and one that white institutions have come to acknowledge only recently. Fordham is one of these institutions, and it is vital that The Observer center anti-racism work in its mission. As a predominantly white editorial board at a predominantly white institution, we must actively work to diversify our editorial board and student contributors. In addition, The Observer recognizes the outsize platform it has in the Fordham community. As such, we would like to amplify Black voices through our paper, now and always.
June 17, 2020 THE OBSERVER
microaggressions in classes and clubs and support cultural organizations within Fordham and New York City as a whole. Most importantly, Fordham should listen and prioritize the voices of Black students in order to support them in their collegiate endeavors. This is also the responsibility of The Observer. It is our duty to ensure that The Observer is a place where Black students have a platform to speak their minds and share their stories with the Fordham community. As a predominantly white newspaper, we are a part of the problem, but we can also be part of the solution. We stand in solidarity with our Black student body. The Observer is actively working toward making our club more accessible, and we are committed to hosting workshops in the next semester that address racism and bias in the media. This is neither the end nor the beginning of our work. If you would like to submit a Letter to the Editor or write an article, please reach out to fordhamobserver@ gmail.com. This is not a substitute for anti-racism work, but rather an opportunity to use our platform to lift up crucial voices in the Fordham community. We promise that we will listen.
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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
ESMÉ BLEECKER-ADAMS/THE OBSERVER
Boarded-up storefronts provided a blank canvas for residents in Inwood as murals have sprung up around the country.
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Protest Guide: Dress for Success (and Survival) EVAN VOLLBRECHT IT Manager
With mass protests occurring in all 50 states and internationally, the social unrest caused by the murder of George Floyd is only growing. If you’re looking to exercise your First Amendment rights by taking to the streets in protest, staying informed is your best weapon and your best defense. The advice compiled below is based on the experience of activists around the globe. The Role You Play There is no single right way to protest. Whether you’re chanting on the frontlines or helping distribute water and supplies in the back, whether you’re sitting quietly with your hands up or putting the police on the defensive, you are contributing to the movement. If you’re not part of the persecuted group, try to follow the lead of protesters who are — let them lead chants and help amplify their voices. If you’re white or white-passing, you can use your privilege for good by being a shield for protesters more likely to face retaliation or violence. Don’t try to be a martyr. There are too many other people who will have that choice made for them. The advice outlined in this article can help you and others avoid danger, but it will not completely eliminate risk — nor should it. A protest is all about taking a risk, engaging in an act of shared vulnerability to make your voices heard. If it was perfectly safe, it would be a parade. What to Wear Dress in loose, comfortable clothing with no logos. Same for your shoes — you want to be able to run, and you don’t want to be identified later by your outfit. Chemical weapons will irritate any exposed skin, so cover up what you can. A mask or respirator that covers the lower half of your face is a must. Not only does it help protect you from chemical weapons and being identified, but it also keeps you and everyone around you safe from the coronavirus. Sunglasses or other eye coverings can further help you stay anonymous. Upgrade to tight-fitting ski or safety goggles to protect your eyes from projectiles and chemical weapons. Cover up any visible tattoos or other markings that could be used to identify you later. If you expect to be out for a while, bring a hat to shield you from the sun — it can also help hide distinctive hair. A biking or construction helmet might also save you from serious injury.
If you are white, ignoring the advice above and dressing as respectable as possible can be an effective deterrent to police escalation. Keep in mind, though, that you will be more vulnerable if they decide to attack regardless. What to Bring Bring at least one buddy. Watch each others’ backs and stay in contact; help each other out if you’re attacked with chemical weaponry; don’t let them disappear. Plan your exit strategy and decide on a rendezvous point if things go south — keep in mind that public transport may be shut down. A backup mask and a second set of clothes are indispensable if you’re attacked with tear gas or pepper spray. Always bring a water bottle with a squirt top, to drink and to wash out your eyes and others’ in case of tear gas or pepper spray. Bring snacks to keep your energy up. Bring change for transportation fare or a payphone — your credit/debit card could be used to track you. Given that police forces often escalate and attack protesters, whether peaceful or not, you should pack some limited first aid supplies for this eventuality. Gauze/dressings and a wrap are sufficient for the average person, but if you want to become a medic there are resources for that as well. In case you are detained or otherwise unable to return home immediately, pack what essential medication you can, like insulin or an inhaler. Menstrual pads, for those who need them, are better options than tampons because they are easier to change — bring a few extra in case you are detained, or use a diva cup. Wet wipes and tissues can help clear your face and skin of dirt and chemicals. If you are a witness to police brutality, you will want some way to record events. Video on your phone is one option, but a watch, pen and paper will also suffice. It’s helpful to pack a small umbrella in case of rain, but if necessary, it can also block pepper spray. Heat-resistant gloves are necessary if you have to pick up tear gas canisters and hurl them away from yourself and others. What Not to Wear or Bring Not only can jewelry and loose hair identify you, but you can also be grabbed and pulled by them. Contact lenses are less likely than glasses to be lost or damaged, but they can trap chemicals against your eye — as can eye makeup. Lotions or oils can do the same for your skin, so they are best avoided to minimize the impact of chemical weapons.
A nice camera is a target for both protesters and police who do not wish to be documented, and is best left at home. If you bring your phone, turn off Face and Touch ID — they can be used to unlock your phone without a warrant. The Smartphone Question Consider if you need to bring your smartphone. On one hand, it’s indispensable to record evidence, keep in contact with others and generally avoid danger — on the other hand, it can and will be used to track and monitor you and others. This is not a hypothetical, and you may be identified and face retaliation from the government as a result. Consider turning on airplane mode and wrapping your phone in aluminum foil to block its signal when not in use, or better yet, purchasing a burner phone to discard before you return home. What to Post, What Not to Post Never RSVP for a protest, and be careful with language that places you or others at the action. Activists in the United States and elsewhere have faced retaliation for their participation in protests, and your social media posts can be used as evidence against you and others. Images or video that show protesters’ faces are the most dangerous, but you can also be identified by your clothes and shoes — show as little detail as possible, and scrub the metadata from your photos using online tools. An exception to this is when a protester is being arrested — ask them to yell out their name and date of birth. This information can be passed on to bail services and other volunteer legal organizations to help them get out of jail. If you record an instance of police brutality, sharing it on social media can help hold them accountable — ideally with the permission of the victim(s) and a content warning. What to Do When Police Are Violent Police can and will detain, beat, imprison or kill you, and they may attack without reason or warning. As such, direct conflict is to be avoided. Running may make you a target or cause a stampede; back away slowly until you can flee safely. Help others get away. If no media outlets are on site, documentation by you and other protesters is the only way to hold police accountable. Film what you can — identify yourself, the time, date and location; try to get their faces and badge numbers. Eyewitness testimony (with permission) is also valuable. Have a buddy watch your back to avoid tunnel vision. How to Respond to Tear Gas and Pepper Spray If you’re wearing eye protection and a mask, you should have a short period of time to get away from tear gas. Move upwind and
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ESMÉ BLEECKER-ADAMS/THE OBSERVER
uphill. Stay calm and take slow, shallow breaths. Help others who are having trouble seeing to move away. Don’t scream or run. If tear gas or pepper spray gets in someone’s eyes, have them remove any contact lenses, hold their eyelids open and use your water bottle to wash each eye from the inside corner out. Be ready to do this for your buddy, and consider practicing with them. Immediately discard and replace a contaminated mask. You should try to do this for your clothing as well, if possible. Blow your nose, rinse and spit, cough, sneeze, try not to swallow. Don’t rub it into affected areas, wash them instead. Evidence for other remedies — milk, liquid antacid, vinegar, citrus, onions, etc. — is anecdotal at best, and none of these should be in contact with your eye. The only proven treatments are water and saline. Seek out a volunteer medic for further treatment if you need one, or become one yourself. At home, take the coldest shower you can and wash until the burning stops — hot water opens your pores and makes things worse. Wash contaminated clothing separately with cold water and harsh detergent. For protesters who prefer a proactive approach, activists in Hong Kong and elsewhere have pioneered new techniques to neutralize tear gas using jugs of water, traffic cones and even leaf blowers. Of course, you can always just throw, kick or even swat gas canisters right back at police. What to Do if You’re Arrested Ask “Am I free to go?” and “Am I being detained?” to confirm if you are being arrested. Know your rights, even though there is no guarantee police will respect them. If they are violated, record the event and you may be able to hold them accountable. Tell them: “I invoke my right to remain silent and my right to legal counsel.” That general sentiment is all you have to say, and it’s all you should say until a lawyer is with you. Many legal offices offer pro bono services for protesters, though some reject
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY ESMÉ BLEECKER-ADAMS/THE OBSERVER
clients that they determine were insufficiently “peaceful.” Find a firm that will represent you before you go to the protest, and memorize their number or write it on your body. Stay calm — don’t let them terrorize or gaslight you into signing or consenting to anything, including unlocking your phone for them, even if they threaten to seize it. What is the Role of Violence in a Protest? Destructive protest has been an American tradition since the Boston Tea Party, but keep in mind that it is most effective when directed at symbolic targets, like government offices, police precincts, certain corporations and other entities that have contributed to the systemic inequality and injustice that we denounce. Chaos and wanton violence can be more damaging that helpful, and some of those who may encourage it are suspect. There are dozens of reports from all across the country of police officers going undercover to smash windows and set fires, or incite protesters to do the same. Be wary of these tactics, and learn to identify and avoid intentional provocation. This is an ideological clash as much as it is a physical one; police will attempt to control the narrative to both justify and obscure their own violence as well as to demonize protesters. Resist these efforts at every turn. If you are attacked, you have every right to defend yourself and try to drive off your attacker — but anyone who does so will likely face significant retaliation and lasting consequences. Violent action may be controversial, but it is worth remembering what actually constitutes violence — an attempt to injure or kill others. There is a world of difference between merely defacing or damaging structures and shooting a journalist in the eye. As has been said elsewhere, windows and merchandise can be replaced, but no one can undo the harm police brutality has done to Black Americans. Alternatives to Protest and Other Ways to Help Not everyone is able to go to mass protest, and that’s OK. For example, if you are immunocompromised or have respiratory problems, chemical weapons and the coronavirus pose a serious threat — and for sole caregivers or undocumented immigrants, being arrested is far more dangerous than it is for others. Note that marching in the streets is far from your only avenue to express your outrage. Donating to bail or mutual aid funds, signing petitions and other community activism are all excellent ways to contribute to the cause — even just amplifying the voices of other activists can help to bring change.
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June 17, 2020 THE OBSERVER
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Fordham’s Response to George Floyd Is Inadequate AMARA MCNEIL Contributing Writer
Since the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, our country has been more politically and socially active than ever before. The Black Lives Matter movement has transformed from a controversial topic into a global phenomenon through our new mode of online activism. As a student body, we have seen a majority of our generation stand up to protect the lives of their Black peers and discover the power one has in using their agency to help others. However, even with the rise of social activism, immorality has continued. From our peers in the classroom to the very institutions sworn to protect us, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) have been subject to various levels of racism and microaggressions that affect us mentally, emotionally and physically every day. As a Jesuit university and an institution that holds economic and educational power, the Fordham student body expects Fordham to do everything in its power to educate its students on the reality of racism in America and hold their white students accountable while simultaneously supporting all POC students on campus. In the letter from Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., on May 30, Fordham did not include any concrete actions to back up its claims of support and solidarity. While the newest letter stating Fordham’s commitment to cleaning up within the Bronx community is a significant improvement, there are many more actions that both Fordham campuses can take to ensure that they follow through with their promises of support. As stated by the Director of PR for Black Student Alliance (BSA), Sophia Henderson, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’23, “As a student, it is nice to see, but if I’m being completely honest words are not as strong as actions.” While acknowledgment is helpful and appreciated, the student body would like to know exactly what steps Fordham plans on taking to ensure that they are on the correct side of history. Outlined below is a
foundation on which Fordham can build their support. Furthermore, Henderson said, “I would rather have a statement with action that shows that Fordham is not only on the side of George Floyd, but others affected by police brutality, including their own students.” In standing up to our country’s deep history of racial injustice, Fordham can tell their students that they will not simply stand with us but fight with us as well. What Fordham Could Be Doing: Donate Between the various donors and Fordham alumni whom the University has connections with, Fordham University could be helping to put money toward Black-led organizations. As a private institution that operates in many ways like a business, it is important that students and faculty know where Fordham is putting its money. In a conversation with Clint Ramos, head of design and production in the Fordham theatre department, Ramos emphasized the need for Fordham to speak with their dollars. “I need to see the receipts. As a University body we need to look at who we’re investing in and who invests in us.” Some organizations that have been doing amazing work and should definitely be invested in are The Bail Project, Know Your Rights Camp and The Brennan Center for Justice. Donating to these organizations will not only help to uplift the Black community in and out of the city, but could foster new connections that Fordham could provide to their students. Hire More Black People While there are a few Black employees at Fordham, the majority of them are employed as a part of the janitorial or dining services. Aside from the few Black professors and administrators, we do not believe that the majority of Fordham’s employees reflect the world at large. Having more BIPOC professors and administrators would not only shine a light on qualified BIPOC who are rarely hired within higher education but provide Black students with people they can look up to and professors who are able
to sympathize and help them on a personal level. Admit Black Students While the fact that Fordham University is a $70,000-per-year private institution already hinders many low-income Black and brown students from attending, Fordham’s lack of recruitment for students of color is evident through the lack of representation within the student body. The Class of 2023 is one of the most diverse classes in Fordham’s history and that’s with over half of the student body being white, and only 4.4% being Black. Create Space for Black Students Being a minority in predominantly white institutions is often mentally and emotionally exhausting for students of color. Although
the university is supposed to oversee the well-being of all their students, the work of creating space for BIPOC students to process with each other is usually left up to cultural clubs. At Fordham, great importance is given to the idea of “cura personalis,” or “care for the whole person.” As Daniel Alexander Jones, head of the Fordham theatre playwriting track, said, it is important that Fordham understands that “Care looks different for different people.” If Fordham is truly invested in caring for the whole person, they should care for the whole of their Black students as well. Through facilitating spaces on a university level, Fordham could be uplifting their students of color as well as the cultural clubs that aid in providing support to the student body.
To use the very same quote used by McShane, it is important for people to “Encounter the people who historically have been disenfranchised (and) continue to experience sadness and pain and more authentically accompany them, listen to their stories, and learn from them, finding substantive ways to enact systemic change. Such encounters will start to bring about the needed transformation of our understanding of true life, charity, and justice in the United States.” We hope that Fordham follows through with its Jesuit values and attempts to make actual change within the Black community and within our country. Fordham cannot claim itself to be an institution that fights for justice so long as it does nothing but issue empty words.
EMMETT TILL - MEDGAR EVERS - DR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR - JOHN CRAWFORD III - MICHAEL BROWN - EZELL FORD - DANTE PARKER - MICHELLE CUSSEAUX - LAQUAN MCDONALD - TANISHA ANDERSON - AKAI GURLEY - TAMIR RICE - RUMAIN BRISBON - JERAME REID - MATTHEW AJIBADE - JAMES N. POWELL JR. - FRANK SMART NATASHA MCKENNA - TONY ROBINSON ANTHONY HILL - MYA HALL - PHILLIP WHITE - ERIC HARRIS - WALTER SCOTT - WILLIAM CHAPMAN II - ALEXIA CHRISTIAN - BRENDON GLENN VICTOR MANUEL LAROSA - JONATHAN SANDERS - FREDDIE CARLOS GRAY JR. JOSEPH MANN - SALVADO ELLSWOOD SANDRA BLAND - ALBERT JOSEPH DAVIS DARRIUS STEWART - BILLY RAY DAVIS SAMUEL DUBOSE - MICHAEL SABBIE BRIAN KEITH DAY - CHRISTIAN TAYLOR - TROY ROBINSON ASSHAMS PHAROAH MANLEY FELIX KUMI - KEITH HARRISON MCLEOD - JUNIOR PROSPER LAMONTEZ JONES - PATERSON BROWN - DOMINIC HUTCHINSON - ANTHONY ASHFORD - ALONZO SMITH TYREE CRAWFORD INDIA KAGER - LA’VANTE BIGGS - MICHAEL LEE MARSHALL - JAMAR CLARK - RICHARD PERKINS - PHILLIP PANNELL - NATHANIEL HARRIS PICKETT - BENNI LEE TIGNOR - MIGUEL ESPINAL - MICHAEL NOEL KEVIN MATTHEWS - BETTIE JONES - QUINTONIO LEGRIER KEITH CHILDRESS JR. JANET WILSON - RANDY NELSON - ANTRONIE SCOTT - WENDELL CELESTINE - DAVID JOSEPH CALIN ROQUEMORE DYZHAWN PERKINS - CHRISTOPHER DAVIS - MARCO LOUD PETER GAINES - TORREY ROBINSON DARIUS ROBINSON - KEVIN HICKS - MARY TRUXILLO - DEMARCUS SEMER - AMADOU DIALLO WILLIE TILLMAN - TERRILL THOMAS - SYLVILLE SMITH - ALTON STERLING PHILANDO CASTILE - TERENCE CRUTCHER PAUL O’NEAL - ALTERIA WOODS BOBBY RUSS - JORDAN EDWARDS - AARON BAILEY - RONELL FOSTER STEPHON CLARK - ANTWON ROSE II MALICE GREEN - ELIJAH MCCLAIN AIYANA STANLEY JONES - BOTHAM JEAN PAMELA TURNER - DOMINIQUE CLAYTON - SEAN BELL - ATATIANA JEFFERSON - JEMEL ROBERSON - RYAN MATTHEW SMITH - DERRICK AMBROSE JR. CHRISTOPHER WHITFIELD - VICTOR WHITE III - CHRISTOPHER MCCORVEY TIMOTHY THOMAS - REGINALD DOUCET JR. - DANROY "DJ" HENRY JR. KARVAS GAMBLE JR. - ERIC REASON KORRYN GAINES - REKIA BOYD - KIONTE SPENCER - DARIUS TARVER - MANUEL ELLIS - VICTOR DUFFY JR. - KOBE DIMOCK-HEISLER - CLINTON R. ALLEN - COREY JONES - TYRE KING - ERIC GARNER MICHAEL LORENZO DEAN - TRAYVON MARTIN - RENISHA MCBRIDE - OSCAR GRANT III - BREONNA TAYLOR - KALIEF BROWDER - DARRIEN HUNT - WILLIAM GREEN - AHMAUD ARBERY - TONY MCDADE - JAMEL FLOYD - GEORGE FLOYD GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA STERN/THE OBSERVER
Should I Stay or Should I Go? How New York’s real estate in the age of the coronavirus could open opportunities for students LEO BERNABEI Staff Writer
FIVE GUYS New York City Politics KEVIN ZHOU Contributing Writer
Historically, the real estate market of New York City has been one of the hottest in the United States and in the world. That is until recently when the spread of the coronavirus fueled a massive outflow of NYC residents into the nearby suburbs and many of them have no plans to return. As a result, the housing market will experience a temporary surplus for both renting and selling inventories, which presents long-awaited and potentially affordable possibilities for students looking to move or to stay off-campus. From a macroeconomic perspective, the real estate market can be at best described as abysmal. Unlike the 2008 financial crisis, housing is the casualty instead of the cause of the current economic
tsunami. According to the CEO of GS Data, a quantitative-focused real estate analysis firm, the second quarter of the real estate contracts signed in Manhattan is down 82% compared to Q2 in 2019, accompanied by a 13% drop in the median contract price. According to data from CityRealty, the number of listings available has progressively grown from 7,793 rental listings in early January to 10,641 as of May 15. The increasing rental listings signal a renter-favored market. The buyers and renters would soon be able to enjoy a temporarily cheaper market compared to the previous year as the real estate market gets colder, for the time being. From a financial perspective, the real estate market is favorable to renters with a twist that offers some insight into a potential housing strategy for students. As observed through the industry report of Douglas Elliman, a reputable property group, there was a 71% plunge in new Manhattan leases for April. However, it is important to note that the drop in new leases is due to a large number of renewals with unspecified price data. Judging from the current economic environment, it is not hard to predict a lower trending price
point, as speculated by a good number of real estate economists from big firms. For students looking to move off-campus, now is a good time to start looking for housing through 3D tours, as economic recovery often surges after a natural disaster. Historically, according to the Federal Reserve, a natural disaster could lead to a spike in the rental price with lower inventories. For students looking to extend housing leases in the next couple of months, it would be wise to kick off the conversation with your landlord by negotiating a longer-term lease with lowered rent prices or a median-term while keeping the current monthly rate. While it would be trivial to pretend that anyone could predict how the coronavirus crisis will end and when its long-term effects will be fully realized, the rise of remote working could certainly incentivize renters to move out of their city apartments and into the suburbs. According to a survey from Zillow, a whopping 66% of Americans would consider moving if their jobs allowed them to continue telecommuting. A similar Redfin survey showed that around 50% of people in New York, Seattle, San Francisco and Boston would move
if working from home became a permanent change. For renters, it may end up being a good time to buy a home outside of the city. Zillow economists also predict that home prices will likely fall between 2-3% due to a decline in our nation’s GDP. Already, there has been a large demand for shortterm vacation rentals in summer havens like the Hamptons. If you’ve ever wanted to purchase a
home outside of NYC, now is the time. Will this trend continue and phase into permanent housing? We’ll see. But for graduates and students hoping to snag an apartment off-campus, now may end up being the time. There are certainly silver linings in any crisis. Let’s hope that increased real estate affordability in New York City is a byproduct of the coronavirus.
VIA PHOTOS-PUBLIC-DOMAIN.COM
For Sale signs may become a common sight in the coming years as people leave their NYC apartments behind to escape coronavirus concerns.
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The Virus Was a Risk; We Turned It Into a Disaster MARTA GRANADOS HERNÁNDEZ
Contributing Writer
In the heat of the greatest pandemic in a century — and soon to be the greatest economic crisis since the 1930s recession — it is important to reflect on the events of the last three months from a social perspective. COVID-19 should not be labeled as a “natural catastrophe” and it is by no means “China’s fault.” These narratives, popular as they might be, are misleading because they obscure the long-term human dynamics that have contributed to the pandemic. First of all, there is nothing natural about the coronavirus. A virus by itself does not cause a pandemic. A coronavirus in the desert is nothing more than a natural phenomenon; however, the same virus in a large city like New York becomes a risk, which may turn into a pandemic if society does not have mechanisms to respond to the outbreak. Therefore, COVID-19 turning into a pandemic had nothing to do with the virus itself and everything to do with human societies and their choices. Viruses grow into pandemics when societies are vulnerable and not prepared for containing a disease. When the coronavirus infected the first person in Wuhan, it was introduced to a global society whose interconnected dynamics were the breeding ground for a pandemic. In China, the virus found a partnership with the government’s opacity and lack of communication with the World Health Organization. In Europe, the virus arrived after more than a decade of cutbacks in health care and a lack of consensus between northern and southern territories. In the United States, the virus found a polarized society led by a populist whose narcissism comes before science and facts. In this environment, human societies did nothing but contribute to the spread of the
virus worldwide. The coronavirus has become a pandemic because of the choices we have made regarding globalization. Whether we want to or not, it is impossible to have today’s hyper-globalized and super accessible world crowded by large cities without exposing people to infectious diseases. The current pandemic is one of the many risks individuals implicitly assume when they take advantage of globalization’s interconnectedness through traveling, accessing foreign markets and buying cheap products. Although it is already impossible to decouple from this hyper-globalized world, as a society, we should reevaluate our decisions toward risks in order to adapt to these environmental dynamics. Despite having increased the movement of people across borders in an unprecedented way, globalization has also prompted Western governments to indi-
vidualize risk response. Instead of working to decrease them as much as possible, Western countries have accepted risks as inevitable in a globalized world. By recognizing this, governments have transferred the responsibility to each individual, who is now solely responsible for reducing the risks to which they are exposed, as well as the impact of the disaster on their personal lives. No example comes to mind as clearly as the U.S. and its lack of a welfare system, which has resulted in the greatest number of unemployed people since the 1930s who do not have access to health insurance. This makes each American responsible for paying the full cost of the medical expenses of COVID-19 treatment. Thus, each individual is required to manage their dangerous existence in a hostile world full of risks. The problem with this individualized approach to risk man-
agement is that most of the risks we face throughout our lives are not individual, but collective. In a globalized society, risk prevention represents a collective action problem. Like COVID-19 showed, a disease outbreak in a city in China can easily turn into a pandemic if societies everywhere are not prepared to contain it. The logic behind international organizations like the World Health Organization is to overcome this collective action problem by promoting international cooperation at the state level. However, for this cooperation to succeed, state members, especially the great powers, must be willing to sacrifice their interests for the common good. Today’s international environment is characterized by the decline of the U.S. as the global leader and the surge of new great powers like China and Russia who question the norms of the international liberal order. This tension and lack
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA STERN/THE OBSERVER
of cohesiveness have jeopardized any chances for global cooperation. As a result, when COVID-19 hit, each country participated in a competition to buy the necessary materials to deliver an individualized response, which resulted in a lack of essential masks and other sanitary material in the countries that need them most, which has protracted the crisis. The current crisis is a unique opportunity to redefine what we want for our societies in the political, social, economic and environmental fields. The most effective solutions will be those built on a long-term vision with an emphasis on reconsidering the values and principles on which our society relies. Some governments have already started to create new spaces in this regard. The French government has announced that it will provide financial assistance to Air France to deal with the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis on the condition that the airline eliminates national flights to reduce pollution. We have to realize that the grief and suffering we have experienced in the past months are not nature’s fault but human failure. The threats that we will face in the 21st century, such as COVID-19, are problems that we contribute exacerbating. This does not mean that we will have to experience more pandemics like this in the future. Environmental phenomena — including COVID-19 — can constrain human societies, but societies can make decisions to mitigate their catastrophic impact. We created the conditions that aggravated COVID-19, so we, too, can create the social, political and environmental conditions that will allow us to prevent and lessen the catastrophic consequences of future viruses. Contrary to what Trump says, the virus is not an “invisible enemy”: Humanity has no enemies; humanity has problems. And we can solve them by making the right decisions.
The Post-COVID-19 Future of Europe PATRICK RIZZI Staff Writer
There will be many long-lingering effects of the COVID-19 crisis on the world, but one of the most impactful is the way that it will influence international politics. These changes will be especially evident in Europe. Four countries located at least partially in Europe (Russia, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom) have more than 200,000 documented cases of the coronavirus causing COVID-19, which will likely increase friction between European Union (EU) member countries and exacerbate existing political fault lines. This crisis may, unfortunately, embolden far-right populist parties in Europe, who will point to “open borders” between EU member countries as the reason why the virus was able to spread rapidly through much of the continent. They might also voice frustration at the severe economic downturns that many countries in Europe are facing. This is somewhat ironic, however, because these far-right populist parties’ campaigns are primarily based around generating and intensifying anti-immigrant and nationalistic sentiment. Political polarization between governments in Europe
and opposition parties will also increase due to intense disagreements over how this crisis could have been handled better. This is evident in Spain, which imposed a strict lockdown in mid-March to try to quell the virus. The lockdown banned all outdoor exercise besides dog-walking and restricted children from going out of the house under any circumstances. Now, there are tensions between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his left-wing coalition and the conservative opposition parties on the speed of reopening the economy, which is facing a sharp recession. Spain has traditionally had one of the highest unemployment rates in western Europe, but this ongoing calamity, alongside the impending collapse of much of the country’s tourism industry, will only worsen its economy. Other European countries are seeing heightened political polarization due to the pandemic as well. In France, Emmanuel Macron recently lost his parliamentary majority when some members of his party left to form a new group focused on taking bolder and more aggressive action “against social inequalities.” Before the pandemic, Macron had suffered from low approval ratings. It is unclear how France’s strict lockdown against the virus, which required printed
and signed documentation to leave home, will further affect the French political landscape. The United Kingdom’s response to the virus has also been criticized by many as slow, as the country waited longer than most other countries in Europe to close down non-essential businesses and to expand testing capabilities. However, many other countries in Europe have also suffered due to this pandemic. Additionally, many countries
in Europe will look to the EU or European central banks for financial assistance to try to temporarily prop up their economies. If these countries do not feel satisfied with how the EU responds to them, their citizens might start feeling more distrust and unease toward the EU. Public perceptions of the EU in much of Europe have already been on thin ice for several years due to both Brexit and the increasingly anti-EU tone of many European populist movements.
The public health tragedy that the coronavirus crisis has caused in Europe is unlike anything most Europeans have experienced in their lifetimes. Yet, even as many countries in Europe begin to reopen, the collateral damage to many societies in Europe cannot yet be fully understood. As economic concerns mount, ripple effects will be seen along the political and ideological lines in much of the continent that individuals will feel for years to come.
MINISTRY OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Spanish Minister of Home Affairs Fernando Grande-Marlaska speaks at a press conference in March 2020. The lockdown has intensified political polarization in Spain, and the same can be expected elsewhere in Europe.
Arts & Culture
Arts & Culture Editor Ethan Coughlin - ecoughlin7@fordham.edu
June 17, 2020
THE OBSERVER
COURTESY OF FLOW
FLOW’s document includes information about the history of anti-Blackness in their community as well as resources to educate yourself and combat it.
FLOWing With Compassion: Fighting Back Against ‘Anti-Blackness’
Fordham’s FLOW team is going above and beyond to show their support for the #BlackLivesMatter movement FLOW from page 1
“ We felt it was
necessary to use our platform and our education to help others who want to educate their communities.”
Isabel de Leon, FCLC ’22
De Leon mentioned that FLOW has been actively reposting other Instagram posts that demonstrate how users can contribute to the #BlackLivesMatter movement,
whether through posts that display contact information for various organizations or even posts that redirect users to online petitions for them to sign. Through these methods alone, FLOW has managed to raise over $1,000 across different causes. Yet, without ignoring what FLOW has accomplished on their own, arguably their biggest contribution to the movement is the development of a resource document that revolves around Filipinx American communities (or gender-inclusive Filipino American communities) and what it means to be “anti-Black.” “After seeing a lot of Google Docs with extensive lists of allyship resources and ways to help the BLM movement, I pitched the idea of
a Filipinx-specific document to our president, Regine Anastacio, (FCLC ’21,) a couple of weeks ago and we began drafting it right away,” de Leon said. The document, titled “Beyond Earth, Wind, and Fire: the Elements of Filipinx Allyship,” informs users of the history of Filipinx-Black solidarity, while also including advice on how to avoid instances of anti-Blackness within their own day-to-day lives. The document also provides users with lists of BLM-focused media that they can engage with, including articles to read, films or television shows to watch, and podcasts to listen to. “I felt it was extremely important to educate our members and our respective Filipinx Ameri-
can communities because there is a huge issue of deeply-rooted anti-Blackness among Filipinx Americans and Asian Americans in general,” de Leon said. “Therefore, we felt it was necessary to use our platform and our education to help others who want to educate their communities.” De Leon highly encourages Fordham students to read the document for themselves, which is continually being updated with additional resources. Especially when acknowledging just how many protests have already occurred throughout the world and will continue to occur as weeks go by, there isn’t a more appropriate time than now to learn more about Filipinx allyship. “I grew up in a predominantly
Filipinx town in Northern California and went to a majority Filipinx high school, and this issue of anti-Blackness ran rampant within my classmates and even my own family,” de Leon said. “I felt it was my responsibility to address the issue and educate those around me about it, and I’m sure my fellow e-board/FLOW members had a very similar experience.” Of course, this is not to say that FLOW’s contributions will single-handedly level the “racial playing field.” But like any widespread issue within our contemporary culture, progress will always take time to fully develop. de Leon and her team are certainly making the effort; now it’s just time for others to follow in their direction.
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Fordham’s Response to Resuming Religious Gatherings By DANIEL HUR Staff Writer
As New York City continues to deal with high coronavirus infection rates, leaders are left with the difficult task of determining what’s truly essential and when it is safe to begin reopening businesses, schools, community centers and more. On Thursday, May 21, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that religious gatherings and ceremonies of up to 10 people can resume in New York state as long as attendees wear masks and maintain social distance. Following this announcement, students of faith were left wondering when Fordham would begin conducting Mass in person again. Prior to closing due to the coronavirus, Fordham conducted Mass in person every Sunday. In an effort to continue services using digital media, Fordham has been livestreaming Mass and central worship from the University Church over the university’s website and through WFUV, Fordham’s radio station, on Sunday mornings and will continue to do so throughout the summer. Mass is also held three days a week through Zoom for members of the Fordham community. According to Erin Hoffman, associate director of campus ministry for spiritual and pastoral ministries at Lincoln Center and director of Ignatian initiatives, Fordham’s campus ministry plans for the fall will depend upon the university’s plan to open and the directives of the state. “If we are back and in person we will offer liturgies in person (following any parameters for social distancing, etc.) and will seek to continue to support the spiritual flourishing of all members of
the community through a variety of opportunities be they virtual or in person,” Hoffman said.
“ All religious services
during the COVID-19 pandemic must be carried out with great care to protect the health and safety of all by following the guidelines set forth in Faith Forward.”
Rev. Mark Zittle, O Carm., Director of Campus Ministry
Fordham is following New York state guidelines for socially distanced religious gatherings, and its decision to reopen the church will be determined by the Archdiocese of New York, which encompasses and operates Roman Catholic organizations in Staten Island, Manhattan, the Bronx and southern New York. Reopening churches will differ depending on region and parish, according to the Rev. Jose-Luis Salazar, S.J., executive director of campus ministry. The Archdiocese of New York has prepared documents that detail the roadmap for reopening churches, including the Church of St. Paul Apostle. The plan includes current and forthcoming safety measures, liturgical accommodations, and guidelines for public transportation. The initiative to return to public worship, known as “Faith Forward,” outlines sacramental guidelines for churches that plan to resume
JOHN PERRY VIA FLICKR
The Archdiocese of New York has laid out a five phase plan towards reopening churches in the city, including those at Fordham.
religious ceremonies and gatherings. The Rev. Mark Zittle, O. Carm., director of campus ministry for university church ministries, commented on the expected difference in church operations. “All religious services during the COVID-19 pandemic must be carried out with great care to protect the health and safety of all by following the guidelines set forth in Faith Forward — plus whatever additional protocols the University deems necessary,” he said. According to the archdiocese’s
documents, the reopening will be a gradual process marked in five phases, starting with churches being open for private prayer and confessions and ending with Sunday Masses with supervised attendance. The general guidelines recommend that those who are at a higher risk for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) do not come to church for Mass, and instead that they participate in the livestreamed Masses. It is also recommended that attendees sanitize their hands at the entrances and
sit 6 feet away from others. Seating is based on a first-come, firstserved policy, and Mass will not be celebrated more than twice on a weekday and three times on Sundays. Jenna Goldblatt, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’23, is uncertain about the success of this program. “Although I think the idea is good in theory it seems like a difficult program to implement. Because people have not been able to attend mass for so long I would expect a lot of people to want to attend and it seems hard to have the church only allow ten people in,” Goldblatt said. “It seems like a safer option to continue with online mass and programming until services can be attended in a more safe fashion.” Isabella Sottile, FCLC ’23, believes that opening the churches is a step in the right direction as long as social distancing and sanitation guidelines are maintained. “Many people of faith actually consider these services to be essential, and I believe it is important to keep public health in mind while still respecting the faith of those who have been unable to participate in their religious rituals for the past months,” Sottile said. Hoffman expressed that keeping the Fordham community safe is the main goal of the university, but that incorporating spiritual wellbeing is also extremely important. “It is of utmost importance to us to care for the holistic wellbeing of our Fordham community, so care for spiritual life and care for physical health are important factors in any decisions we make about what opportunities we offer,” Hoffman said.
Three Things to Watch Right Now If You’re White and Trying to Be a Good Ally By POLINA UZORNIKOVA Asst. Opinions Editor
The recent protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the negative narrative generated in response to them have shown that education on why Black Lives Matter is long overdue, especially to America’s white middle class populace. We, the white people, are often guilty of shutting out the problems not pertinent to us and pretending they don’t exist, a behavior that is often encouraged by our white-washed educational system. Now is the time to open our eyes. This article is obviously not just for white people, but for anyone who wants to know more about the reasons to protest, however, I am addressing it to white people in particular, since we are most known to shelter ourselves from the problems that we think don’t directly affect us. I present to you three pieces of media: a film, a TV show and a documentary, one from the ’90s, two of them recent, which will help you understand why all lives can’t matter until Black Lives Matter (BLM). As of June 15, 2020, all three are available on U.S. Netflix.
FILM Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” (1989) might have been released a while back, yet the ra-
cial tensions it portrays are, sadly, still relevant to this day. The film centers around life on a Bed-Stuy block on a particularly hot summer day, as tensions start running high. However, the summer heat is not the reason, but only a catalyst for the tension, since the Black residents of the block feel oppressed and discriminated against even in their own neighborhood. The two businesses that operate on the block are Sal’s pizzeria, a joint owned by blatantly racist Italian Americans, and a Korean-owned supermarket. Even though this example is from the late ’80s, when setting up a Black-owned business was even harder than now, it perfectly demonstrates why we should support Black-owned businesses, restaurants and stores. The conflict between Sal and the neighborhood escalates when Buggin’ Out (Giancarlo Esposito, who also starred as Gus Fring in “Breaking Bad”) and Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) call Sal out for not having any Black people on his “Wall of Fame.” The conflict may seem disproportionally blown up; however, it points at a deeper issue. Sal is technically within his right to put whomever he wants onto his wall of fame (Italian American actors); in not respecting the wishes and tastes of his overwhelmingly Black clientele, he perpetuates racism and systemic oppression. I
do not want to spoil the ending or plot for anyone who might want to watch this film; however, I do want to hint at the fact that, like in many real-life cases, the conflict between Sal and the Black neighborhood does not come to a peaceful resolution and ends with the help of our “beloved” police. “Do the Right Thing” is a film about what happens and will keep happening unless we as a society fight systemic oppression and racism.
TV SHOW A more recent, and, arguably, more heartbreaking example of systemic oppression is Ava DuVernay’s limited series “When They See Us” (2019). “When They See Us” tells the real-life story of five Black and brown children falling victim to police targeting and discrimination when they were charged guilty of the crimes that they did not commit. One summer evening in 1989 (the same year “Do The Right Thing” was released!) Kevin Richardson, Korey Wise, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Antron McCray go out wilding on the streets of Harlem. At the same time, Trisha Meili is murdered in North Central Park while jogging. Having been unlucky to end up hanging out near the scene of crime when the corpse got discovered, the five boys are accused of her murder,
along with many of their friends. Inhumane psychological interrogation methods are used on the boys: They’re not allowed to see their mothers, aren’t given proper council, and are then set up against each other. Despite conflicting timelines and accounts, as well as a lack of evidence, the five still get convicted due to the efforts of Linda Fairstein, who hired white supremacists in place of those who opposed her in order to push her forced narrative. “When They See Us” calls for the eradication of the current criminal justice system, demonstrating there is a bias not only in the system itself, but also in people who support it or do nothing about it. Although the five were awarded a settlement in 2014, some 25 years later, simply paying off the victims is not going to get rid of the establishment that systematically convicts Black and Latino people for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
DOCUMENTARY An in-depth analysis of systemic oppression in regards to the U.S. justice/prison system can be found in Ava DuVernay’s earlier documentary, “13th” (2016). Its main topic is the 13th Amendment, which was supposed to abolish slavery, but instead redefined it to a condition that can only exist within prison walls.
Thus, Black people in the U.S. are only technically free — until they fall victim to the process of mass incarceration that has been happening since 1970. Ava DuVernay states it loud and clear for anyone who might want to deny it: There is no other reason for mass incarceration, since the crime rate has been steadily going down, and not because of all the “bad” people being put in prison. The documentary further shows that mass incarceration deliberately targets BIPOC, and gives “The War on Drugs” as one of its numerous effective examples. “13th” brilliantly demonstrates why simple reform is and was never enough: Reform just results in the oppressors renaming the methods of oppression instead of abolishing them. This article is far from being an extensive list of films to watch if you want to educate yourself on BLM and other relevant problems of our society. I recommend checking out other films by Spike Lee and Ava DuVernay, such as “BlacKkKlansman” and “Selma.” The website Film School Rejects recently published a list of more than 25 movies you can watch for free in support of the movement. And remember, while many Black movies include the themes of racism, it is important to celebrate and respect Blackness and to not reduce it down to pain and suffering.
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Dancing Queen: Courtney Celeste Spears’ Journey From Artist to Businesswoman
By MIA AGOSTINELLI and ALYSSA MACALUSO Staff Writer and Copy Editor
Dancer, actress, model, writer, entrepreneur, teacher and now businesswoman: Courtney Celeste Spears, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’16, is a master at turning her dreams into reality and is determined to use her platform to change the world. A full-time dancer at The Ailey School in New York City and a dance teacher, Spears recently graduated from the Harvard Business School’s Crossover Into Business program in April. The exclusive program — which offers mentorship to full-time professional athletes desiring to sharpen their business skills — allows their students to make connections, learn critical information about business and broaden their skill sets. Spears is one of the three dancers to attend the program this year and the first dancer from Ailey to graduate from it. The time she spent teaching at Ailey II, the junior dance company, inspired her to share her passion with young dancers in the Carribean. In 2017, she founded her own business named ArtSea Dance in the Bahamas with the mission of doing just that, and decided to attend the Harvard program to improve her business skills. She described business as “a weaker point of my knowledge, and so I thought ‘Well, why not make it stronger? Why not be able to be in (the role of business owner) and know what I’m talking about in a deeper sense?’” This ambition to do everything to the fullest extent possible is a common thread that twirls and weaves throughout Spears’ life: “I’ve always been someone who did my best to go the extra mile, to go a little bit beyond what was required.” Like many dancers, Spears started dancing at the age of three. As she grew older, dance remained a central part of her life. “I don’t remember a day in my life when I was not dancing,” Spears said. Spears was first introduced to The Ailey School by a teacher at her high school, the Baltimore School for the Arts. She fell in love with both Manhattan and Ailey, and said that continuing her training and education through the Fordham-Ailey Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program was a no brainer.
The Jesuit values of Fordham have coincided with her belief in God and her strong Christian values. Spears was accepted into the Fordham-Ailey BFA program in 2012 and graduated four years later with a BFA in fine arts and a minor in communication and media studies. In addition to her official degree, Spears mastered life skills in her undergraduate years that gave her the tools to make her dreams reality. One skill in particular was time management. Spears reflected on her packed schedule as an Fordham-Ailey student, constantly commuting between the two campuses, and how it helped her manage her busy life now. “It was tough … When I start to feel overwhelmed because I have my hands in too many things, I remember that ‘You used to be at Fordham and Ailey from 8 in the morning until 10:30 in the evening: You have the tools to manage this.’” In addition to classes, Spears also actively involved herself in Ailey’s administrative side. She was the official student worker for the BFA program for two years, giving tours to prospective BFA students and refining the clerical skills that would later guide her business endeavors. “My life has always been this weird balance of dance and business,” Spears reflected, “or dance and my other interests … but I’ve always been someone with my hands in a lot of things at one time.” Spears described herself as having a “hustle mentality.” She explained, “I never saw myself — (and) I still don’t see myself — as the best dancer in the room. I don’t see myself as the smartest kid in class. I don’t see myself as the best in any scenario, so my defense or safety net has been, “You just need to be as good as you can at all of it, and that’s going to be your package.’” For Spears, her ambitious mindset contributed to her success. In her junior year at Fordham, she auditioned and was selected to join Ailey II. She spent her final two years at Fordham traveling with the dance team while also completing the necessary work to graduate with a degree from Fordham. Her life in the post-college world has been nothing less than remarkable. Using the skills she learned at Fordham, she has been able to work in a variety of different fields.
COURTESY OF DENZELL GOLATT
A dancer from a young age, Spears has taken her passions in many different directions, making her a modern day Renaissance woman.
COURTESY OF MATTHEW MURPHEY
“ I think versatility is the most valuable asset
that you can have, you have to be able to do it all at this point in this day and age.
”
Courtney Celeste Spears, FCLC ’16
COURTESY OF DARIO CALMESE
As a full time dancer at the Ailey School, and emerging model, Spears pictured posing for Vanity Fair.
“I think versatility is the most valuable asset that you can have,” Spears said. “You have to be able to do it all at this point in this day and age.” And she is doing exactly that. Whether founding her own business or increasing her knowledge of other subject areas outside of dance, Spears strives to be versatile. “You can be the journalist and the business person and the business owner and the artist and the writer all in the same body,” she said. “It just takes that sense of bravery to try and conquer all of it.” Apart from teaching and running her own business, Spears has extended her career as a model and actress. For Spears, modeling is different than dance, but in a good way. “I love clothing; I love fashion; I love that world,” she said, and being a model has fulfilled some of her childhood dreams. Her work in “A Mother’s Rite,” a ballet which was created to honor the mothers whose children are victims of systemic racism, has earned her an Emmy nomination. Produced by the Black Iris Project, a dance collaborative that seeks to uplift Black voices and educate audiences through ballet, and choreographed by founder of the Black Iris Project Jeremy McQueen, the company seeks to uplift the stories whose origins stem from Black culture. “It was one of the hardest roles I ever have done in my life,” Spears said. “I felt a huge sense of weight and responsibility.” It was imperative that her voice in the play be heard in order to honor all of the women who have experienced racial injustices. The ballet was a way for Spears to speak to her audience through dance and to convey a story addressing systemic inequality and injustice that the world is currently protesting against. “My art form calls for me to be vulnerable, and I am the furthest thing from vulnerable,” Spears said. Speaking of where her career will go next, Spears is uncertain. “I am trying this new thing where I am just going for it — I am going for whatever I want to do,” Spears said. “I am going to make myself uncomfortable and just try things that are new and different and weird, and just see how they go. That’s how ArtSea got started; that’s how Harvard got started; that’s how modeling got started: just me attacking this feeling of being uncomfortable and scared.” “I am trying to push myself to be (the person) I needed at a young age,” Spears concluded. “The more I climb, the more I can rally for change and rally for my students, and rally for the dance world. It really all feels like I need to continue building so I can change the world.”
COURTESY OF SEAN JAMAR
Spears is photographed during one of her performances in “A Mother’s Rite,” a ballet that tells the story and honors women who have been victims of racial injustices.
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The Roots of Resistance: The Queer Liberation March for Black Lives Against Police Brutality By MARIELLE SARMIENTO Managing Editor
This time last year, New York City held LGBTQ events all month around the city, including the inaugural Queer Liberation March (QLM) organized by the Reclaim Pride Coalition (RPC). A year later, Pride Month is very different — events have been forced to adapt accordingly or be called off entirely. Though Heritage of Pride (HOP)’s NYC Pride March canceled their events for Pride Sunday, RPC saw hosting a march in New York City too important to abandon and will take to the streets on June 28 for the Queer Liberation March for Black Lives Against Police Brutality.
“ No cops,
no corporations, no barricades, no BS.”
Jay W. Walker, Co-Founder of Reclaim Pride Coalition
This year’s march will have virtual content for those who cannot attend, encourage people to wear masks, allow for marchers to social distance on the outer perimeter of the route and organizers will hand out hand sanitizer. It will be livestreamed on RPC’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. In addition to the physical march, RPC will post pre-produced digital content on their page from different “thought-leaders” in the community from both queer-lead and straight-led Black activism organizations. RPC formed in 2018 by members from different progressive activist groups — like ACT UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power), Rise and Resist and Gays Against Guns — with decades deep roots in New York City activism. The QLM was born in protest to the corporate pinkwashing and excessive police presence at HOP’s parade, the main pride event in Manhattan. In 2018, HOP did not allow the “resistance contingent,” made of New York City activist groups, to march together — these groups later became the RPC. Jay W. Walker, one of the
founders of the RPC and an organizer for the QLM, has been an activist in New York City for decades. He spoke on what exactly is being “reclaimed” with the Reclaim Pride Coalition. “Heritage of Pride’s parade has definitely turned into exactly that — a parade rather than a march. In the past 20 to 25 years it has slowly moved away from the activism displayed at the original Christopher Street Liberation Day.” Walker explained how RPC was formed because of the “overwhelming police presence” at NYC Pride. In 1996, the Gay Officers’ Action League (GOAL) sued the NYPD in federal court for discrimination. This resulted in GOAL being able to march in HOP’s parade in uniform. In 2018’s parade, RPC demanded that the NYPD Police Band do not walk and GOALS march out of uniform. The history of police brutality to the LGBTQ community, especially to the trans and colored communities at the original Christopher Street March were a large factor of RPC’s demand. “The excessive police presence made groups of color feel unsafe,” Walked said. In recent years, the NYPD has taken a far more active role in the NYC Pride March, like deciding the final parade route and barricading the streets. “The beauty of the original route was that people watching from the sidelines could hop off the sidewalk and join the march. If you saw the parade and saw yourself and were overcome with the urge, you could join and march.” Walker attributes the overpoliced Pride parade to the outer boroughs organizing their own marches through the years. In the West Village, where the parade route originally began, Walker described how the “over-barricaded route is now unsafe and inaccessible for elders and members of the community with disabilities.” On top of the NYPD’s presence at Pride, “as acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community grew in our country, corporations became more involved and Heritage of Pride began valuing them more than actual members of the community,” Walker said. “There was long term drift from the origins of Pride. Heritage contributed to the drift from the real expressive needs from the LGBT community, colored communities, trans
COURTESY OF LEANDRO JUSTIN
The inaugural Queer Liberation March in 2019 was held on the same day as NYC Pride, but had no corporate sponsors or barricades.
community, disabled community. There had to be an alternative.” The QLM was how gay “we went back to the garden.” In an effort to go back to Pride’s roots and through RPC’s motto of “no cops, no corporations, no barricades, no BS,” the Queer Liberation March was born. “Everyone marched as a community, representing all the beautiful aspects of our community.” The first QLM in 2019 began had over 45,000 participants and was completed in four hours.
“ Pride is not cancelled, in fact it is reborn this year. LGBTQIA+ people only have the rights that we have because of the BIPOC who fought for them.”
Ky Hayward, FCLC ’21
Some of Walker’s colleagues who are in their 50s and 60s who had not attended Pride for over a decade described the QLM, saying, “This is the Pride I remember.” When George Floyd’s death
sparked outrage, RPC’s decision to resurrect a physical march for this year was, “simple, no debate, no tension — it was only the question of ‘How are we going to get this done in three weeks?’” Recentering the focus of QLM to supporting Black lives and defunding the police was a simple decision because RPC’s mission already aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement. “The death of Mr. Floyd resulted in a national outpouring of support from all races, all genders, all sexualities — and we’re all marching.” The QLM showcases the intersection between LGBTQ pride and Black lives activism. “Queer people owe everything to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color), especially trans women of color. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve heard people say Pride was ‘cancelled’ or ‘forgotten.’ RPC is keeping Pride rooted in its history and looking forward to all of the work we have left to do. In the face of all the corporate, capitalized performative allyship, marches like these remain necessary forces for change,” Alexandra Prado, FCLC ’21 and former secretary of Lincoln Center’s Rainbow Alliance, said. “Pride is not cancelled, in fact it is reborn this year. LGBTQIA+ people only have the rights that we have because of the BIPOC who fought for them, and yet,
sadly, those rights are not distributed equally to all within our community,” Ky Hayward, FCLC ’21, president of Rainbow Alliance, said. “Rainbow is notoriously white and we want to change that.” Rainbow Alliance is working on increasing diversity on its E-Board and recruiting more members in general. The mission of the QLM for Black Lives Against Police Brutality extends beyond June 28. To young activists and student leaders of LGBTQ organizations, Walker urges them to “focus on subjects of intersectional fights of justice. Reach out personally to highly marginalized members of the community, bring them into leadership.” Prado said, “For pride month, we’ve called on our white club members to complete Layla F. Saad’s workbook Me & White Supremacy, and we’re having weekly zoom meetings to reflect on and discuss our antiracism work. I’m hopeful these sorts of discussions will continue through the rest of the year, as we continue to hold each other accountable and work to make our space more genuinely inclusive and intersectional.” “This is a post-Trump resistance moment,” Walker said. “This is what the resistance is all about. This is the movement we have all been waiting for. This is the moment where there’s actual hope.”
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Jay W. Walker (second from left), founding member of the Reclaim Pride Coalition, said that the Queer Liberation March logo is modeled after ACT UP’s Silence=Death original protest poster.
un & By ESMÉ BLEECKER-ADAMS Fun & Games, Asst. Photo Editor
For many people, solving crossword puzzles is a fun and lighthearted activity, perhaps accompanied by breakfast or Sunday brunch. For such a seemingly harmless and amusing pursuit, the modern mainstream crossword puzzle has an extensive record of excluding the voices of people of color, women and the LGBTQ community, as well as employing dated or offensive terminology. The pattern of exclusion has, however, prompted pushback which provides hope for the growth of a new generation of diverse and mindful crossword enthusiasts.
ames
June 17, 2020 THE OBSERVER
Boxed Out
Exclusion and bigotry in the world of crossword puzzle construction, and what is being done to diversify nitions,” Graham wrote. They create an equivalency between clue and answer that allows for the oversimplification of words that may have complex histories. What’s more, the crossword’s identity as a fun puzzle has likely shielded it in part from the level of scrutiny applied to other sections of newspapers and magazines. It seems clear that the instances of offensive language have been inadvertent and not intended to cause harm, and apologies have sometimes been issued. However, the fact that these errors have been allowed to happen at all reveals the need for younger and more diverse voices at major publications throughout the editorial process — a process which remains ignorantly and embarrassingly stuck in the past.
Exclusion of Diverse Constructors and Clues According to an April 2020 Vice article by Samantha Cole, “New York Times Crossword Constructors Are Fighting Against its Systemic Bias,” the New York Times crosswords, considered by many to be the gold standard of cruciverbalism (the construction of crossword puzzles), “often seem targeted at imagined solvers who are older white males.” “That crossword mainstays such as The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal are largely written, edited, fact-checked, and test-solved by older white men dictates what makes it into the 15x15 grid and what’s kept out,” Natan Last wrote in a March 2020 article for the Atlantic entitled “The Hidden Bigotry of Crosswords.” Last is a crossword constructor for the New York Times and The New Yorker. His article brings to light the fact that the lack of diversity among mainstream crossword creators, editors and test solvers leads to a lack of diversity in the grids and clues of the puzzles themselves with regards to race and ethnicity, age, and gender and sexuality. For example, since the current New York Times crossword editor, Will Shortz, assumed the position in 1993, the percentage of crossword bylines by women has fluctuated between 13% and 27%, according to xwordinfo. com. While there has been no particular trend of growth, it has reached a high of 28% so far in 2020. Even when puzzles are constructed by diverse voices, they may be censored during the editorial process: “Constructors constantly argue with editors that their culture is puzzle-worthy, only to hear feedback greased by bias, and occasionally outright sexism or racism,” Last wrote. Flavor Flav, Marie Kondo and Gay Erotica are among crossword entries that have been rejected by editors for being “not familiar enough,” “risky” or “ephemeral.” There are “way too many famous O’HARAs and TARAs for there to be all these gone with the winds references in crossword puzzles,” Erik Agard, the crossword editor at USA Today, wrote in a tweet. The pattern of omission can be a deterrent to a younger and more diverse audience of solvers, who are often familiar with the figures and aspects of culture that tend to be excluded from these puzzles in favor of archaic references. Crossword constructor Finn Vigeland said in a New York Times interview that he was sur-
Fun & Games Editor Esmé Bleecker-Adams - ebleeckeradams@fordham.edu
Pushback From Crossword Constructors
GRAPHIC ILLUS
TRATION BY ES
MÉ BLEECKER-A
prised to be told that the author and activist bell hooks (whose name is stylized in lowercase) was not “familiar enough for The Times’s crossword audience.” “I’d love to see the New York Times Crossword get a little blacker, gayer, more female. Obviously, that goes for the demographics of constructors, too, but also the makeup of the grids,” Vigeland continued.
Offensive Language and Missteps Signs of racism, sexism and bigotry are not only to be found in who and what are excluded from the crossword world, but also more explicitly in a history of controversial, offensive, tone-deaf and/or uncomfortable words and clues that have been included in popular crosswords throughout the years. Adrianne Jeffries listed several examples of the New York Times’ crosswords’ “stodginess” in a 2017 article for The Outline entitled “The NYT Crossword is Old and Kind of Racist.” These include the use of words that have been discouraged or outright banned from the rest of the newspaper in its style guide, such as “Oriental” as a racial description (after being banned in the Times’ 1999 style guide), “transvestite” (labeled offensive in the style guide) and “Eskimo,” a nonspecific term invented by colonizers (“The crossword, by its nature, makes the word more offensive by oversimplifying its meaning and depriving it of context,” Jeffries wrote). In 2012, the word “illegal” was clued as a noun: “One caught by the border patrol.” When asked about this clue, Will Shortz responded that “At the time I wrote this clue (and yes, it was my clue), I had no idea that use of the word ‘illegal’ in this sense (as a noun) was contro-
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versial,” but that he did not intend to offend and that the word would not be clued that way again. A few months before this, however, the use of the word in an opinion article had received backlash already. “Place with homies” was used as a clue for the word “hood” in a 2015 puzzle. Michael Sharp, a crossword constructor and critic who runs a blog called “Rex Parker Does the NY Times Crossword Puzzle,” wrote that “Since the NYT crossword has generally demonstrated little to no awareness of black lives, it’s weird to have ‘homies’ keep coming up—it means that black people are visible in the puzzle, for the most part, only via some street slang that white people picked up 20+ years ago.” Just 17 days later, another puzzle published “Gangsta rap characters” as the clue for the word “thugs.” Sharp wrote that the choice, “however defensible from a strictly literal standpoint,” is “terrible in the age of #BlackLivesMatter,” given that many “racist white people are wielding ‘thug’ like a racial epithet.” The Times crossword puzzle “not only barely acknowledges black people exist,” he wrote, “but when it does, only does so via clues gleaned from a cursory (and often dated) understanding of rap and hip-hop.” In 2016, “harem” was the answer to “Decidedly non-feminist women’s group,” which a responder on Twitter called “unnecessary and awful while also managing to be demeaning to both sex workers and women in sex slavery.” It was tone-deaf at best, according to a Slate article by Ruth Graham titled “Why is the New York Times Crossword So Clueless About Race and Gender?” The problem is compounded by “the fact that crossword puzzles deal in authoritative defi-
There is an engaged online community of solvers, constructors and crossword bloggers who provide much-needed critiques and call out publications for the racism and sexism sometimes displayed in their puzzles. New avenues for growth in the industry have also been bubbling up beneath these mainstream crossword-producing publications. The examples listed and the culture that produces them serve to alienate many solvers and have also discouraged and disheartened constructors who submit puzzles to the crossword sections of major publications. Earlier this year, a group of nearly 600 supporters, mainly crossword constructors and solvers, signed a letter to The New York Times’ executive director of puzzles, Eric von Coelln. “Our intention is not just to register concern or to chastise an institution that we love, which has thrived under the visionary leadership of Will Shortz. Instead, we are asking for three concrete measures that we think can correct for the blindspots of his system,” they wrote. The letter proposed that constructors be given proofs of their puzzles before publication to look over changes made by the editors; that at least half of the Times’ test solving team be women and/or non-binary solvers; and that the paper publicly commit to diversifying the editorial staff: “we still believe strongly that diversifying the puzzle means diversifying those who most closely shape it.” In a response to the letter, von Coelln promised to make the process more digital and more transparent and increase communication with constructors, including sharing edited proofs. Muscat did not feel that the response was sufficient yet, but was grateful to The Times for having the conversation. Earlier this year, constructor Rebecca Falcon coordinated a “Women’s March” for the crossword world, signing on publications to publish crosswords made by women during the month of March, Women’s History Month. Universal Crossword’s march even extended into April. The New York Times participated for a week. As well as advocating for a more inclusive process at large
publications, constructors have also created forums designed to host a new brand of modern puzzles. Women of Letters has published puzzles made by women, and The Inkubator encourages puzzles to explore feminist, queer, activist and edgy themes. Another organization, Queer Crosswords, features puzzles created by LGBTQ constructors, which are accessible in exchange for donations to organizations that support the LGBTQ community.
Moving Forward These developments are encouraging, but there is still a lot of work to be done to make these inclusivity efforts comprehensive. There has not been a lot of conversation or data about the absence of voices of people of color in the world of crosswords, or explicit initiatives to increase racial diversity among constructors, test solvers and editors. When asked by if the crossword community is becoming more inclusive, Agard told The Observer, “i think it’s moving in that direction, but way too slow.” At USA Today, Agard is actively working to make the crossword more inclusive. In his article, Last reported that “Almost every USA Today byline has been a woman or a person of color, thanks to Agard’s active recruitment.” While “a lot of the conversation and outreach on inclusivity has focused on women, which has led to some good strides, both in terms of representation in existing puzzle venues and the creation of new women-led spaces like the inkubator and women of letters,” Agard said, “i need all of that same energy for other underrepresented groups. i’m trying to live to the day when i get to regularly solve a crossword that’s by and for black folks. that feels far off right now.” He added that it is the responsibility of white, male, cis-gendered and straight constructors as much as anyone else’s to work towards inclusivity within their clues and answers. “there are constructors who will sink hours into making sure they get a Q, an X, a J, and a Z in their puzzle, but can’t seem to be bothered to work one black name in. it’s embarrassing. if we can’t collectively get those priorities straight, i don’t wanna think about where we’ll be at in a few decades.” Agard co-founded a Facebook group called the Crossword Puzzle Collaboration Directory, along with fellow puzzle constructor Will Nediger to provide a network and resources for more diverse puzzle making. It is “often said that talent is equally distributed, but opportunities are not. this group’s foundational intent is to rectify that inequity for women, people of color, and folks from other groups underrepresented in the puzzle world,” Agard wrote in a post to the group on Jan. 9, 2018. His advice to new constructors and people looking to get involved is that “there’s a lot of good resources (both people and things) out there - take advantage. get construction software and a wordlist. check out the crossword puzzle collaboration directory on (unfortunately) facebook for tutorials and mentors. be patient. be undauntable and undiscourageable.” Agard wrote, “to paraphrase toni morrison, make the puzzles you wish you could solve.”