Observer Issue 10 Fall 2018

Observer the

September 27, 2018 VOLUME XXXV, ISSUE 10

www.fordhamobserver.com

Provost Search Picks Up Momentum, Seeks Community Support

By CARMEN BORCA-CARRILLO News Editor

In early September, Fordham University embarked on one of its most pressing tasks for the upcoming year: the search for a permanent provost. In order to find the right fit for Fordham, the university has enlisted the help of outside recruitment agencies, faculty representatives, and students.

In early July, the passing of the university provost, Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., shocked the Fordham community. Freedman had held the position since 2010 and oversaw the university’s academics, institutional research, fellowships and international education.

The provost search committee is made up of two components: a faculty team, chaired by Dean of the Graduate School of Education Virginia Roach, Ed.D., working in conjunction with a four-person team from executive search firm Witt-Kieffer, which has already conducted previous hiring searches for the university.

“It’s quite large,” Witt-Kieffer representative Sheila Murphy said of the firm’s team. The group will aid the university’s committee by providing “extensive recruitment and outreach” in the world of higher education while gathering candidates for the position. Fordham’s committee, on the other hand, is responsible for ensuring the university community’s voice is heeded throughout the process. Together, the team aims to have a permanent provost in office by the end of December.

The four-month selection process began in early September as Witt-Kieffer and Fordham held open forums with faculty members, administrators and students on both the Lincoln Center and Rose Hill campuses. In these discussions, the search committee see PROVOST pg. 2

OPINIONS

Mac Miller’s Death Whose fault is it? Not Ariana Grande’s

PAGE 7 CENTERFOLD

COURTESY OF EMILY O’BRIEN

The looks on the runway at Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2019 wowed spectators with their innovation.

Fordham LC Takes on NYFW

By PATRICIA ANGELES Contributing Writer

Ever wonder whether you could study full time at Fordham, have a career in fashion and get the opportunity to go to NYFW? Meet the Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) students living double lives, hitting the books while pursuing their love of fashion. On top of their academic schedules they are working as models, bloggers and fashion

NY Fashion Week

Rethinking the New York Elections

Students’ journeys from the classroom to the runway

PAGE 10 FEATURES

Whole Foods v. TJ’s

A Fordham student takes on your biggest weekly debate

PAGE 18 FUN & GAMES

Crossword Inside

Not quite The New York Times, but still a brain-teaser!

PAGE 15

enthusiasts. These hard-working individuals each demonstrate what it takes to break into the fashion industry in one of the most competitive markets in the world – as a college student, no less. This is an inside look at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) Spring/Summer 2019 from your Lincoln Center peers. see NYFW pg. 10

EVAN VOLLBRECHT Contributing Writer

How is it that the voice of the people so often comes to be silenced?

When we think of widespread voter disenfranchisement, we normally think of it as a problem relegated to the American South, where the legacy of Jim Crow weighs heavily on regulations, producing stringent voter

ID laws. However, here in New York, the effort to deny the people one of our most fundamental rights as citizens is not just extant — it has metastasized.

Despite its reputation as one of the most progressive states in America, New York’s election laws are as regressive as they come. New York is the only state that has its federal and state primary elections at different times. The latter of those primaries took place on Sept. 13 of this year, on a Thursday — a day

not associated with voting that went dangerously unpublicized.

As with other weekday voting times, the hours during which polls are open seriously conflict with most daily schedules, forcing citizens to take large portions of the day off from school or work, if they can even afford to do so.

Unfortunately, the institutional barriers to voting don’t stop there. The inconvenient polling times are bad enough, but the lack of any viable alternative

THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM COLLEGE AT LINCOLN CENTER

only exacerbates the problem. If you know you can’t make it to the polls on Election Day, you’re out of luck on voting entirely, because New York is one of only 13 states in the union without any system of early voting — joining such bastions of voting rights as Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina. If you’re unable to reach a polling place because you’re out of state at the time, you’re likely doomed as well. see ELECTIONS pg. 5

2

News

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Muslim Students at Fordham Find New Prayer Space

By ELIZA PUTNAM Staff Writer

Jummah, a communal prayer for Muslims on Friday afternoons, was held at Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) for the first time on Friday, Sept. 21. Even though FLC’s Muslim Students Association (MSA) barely advertised the inaugural Jummah prayer, the prayer room was full at 1 p.m. just before the prayers began. MSA Faculty Advisor and Professor of Middle East Studies Mohamed Rahman said, “I’m telling you, two more students, and we were going to have to make them pray outside.”

Maryam Shoubir, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’19 and president of MSA, recalled seeing a row of almost 20 pairs of worshipers’ shoes extending along an entire wall of the room, and almost tripping over them as she, too, took off her shoes and joined the prayer.

MSA is able to host Jummah prayer because on Sept. 6, Campus Ministry redesignated room SL18A as a prayer space. SL18A is on the ground floor of Lowenstein, just past the campus bookstore and IT services office. It hosted the Lincoln Center office of the Dorothy Day Center for Social Justice before the center’s programs were dismantled and partially absorbed by the new Center for Community-Engaged Learning last year. Shoubir said, “I love it,” because in previous years “we couldn’t do that at all, there was no way, just not enough space” to hold Jummah prayer.

When Nevien Shehadeh, FCLC ’20 and vice president of MSA, was a freshman in fall 2016, the only prayer room available to Muslims was Lowenstein (LL) 302A, a small room on the third floor where, she estimated, only three people could pray at a time comfortably. She remembered being discouraged by how small the space was. “Most of the time, people had to wait for each other to pray” in the hallway, Shehadeh said.

LL 302A has been a prayer room since the 2013 – 14 academic year. Before that year, there was no designated space for Muslims to pray on campus, and students would pray in empty classrooms or sometimes behind a curtain in the Rupert Mayer, S.J., Chapel in Lowenstein. In September 2017, two rooms on the second floor that had previously been used by Global Outreach became available as prayer spaces. According to Shehadeh, rooms LL 219 and 217C were “an improvement, definitely,” because there was more space, but noted that sound sometimes was an issue because Global Outreach was next door.

In early February, female students who generally had taken to praying in 217C were told that the

CELIA PATTERSON/THE OBSERVER

SL18A has been designated as the new prayer space, open to MSA as well as other students.

space was no longer available to them.

Shoubir explained: “It was overnight, we just found out that we couldn’t use that room anymore.” Campus Ministry had originally offered LL 217C as a temporary prayer space in an arrangement with MSA’s former President Muhammed Burney, FCLC ’19, and had reclaimed it as an office for Rafael Zapata, Fordham’s new chief diversity officer.

Zapata’s primary office is at Rose Hill, though many upper level administrators have offices on both campuses. When Zapata discovered that his new office would take away prayer space from the Muslim community, he decided not to move in.

Zapata declined to comment for this article.

Muslim students continued using the space to pray unofficially through the end of the academic year, although there was office furniture in the room. In June, Vice President for Mission Integration and Planning Michael McCarthy, S.J., sent a letter to MSA, inviting them to use the room until mid-August. McCarthy said this office designation incident was a miscommunication between Campus Ministry, MSA’s e-board and the Muslim community. He explained that ultimately, “space is always an issue,” and “that’s a whole sphere I’m not responsible for.” According to McCarthy, decisions on designation of space at Lincoln Center are made by

“ We want a prayer

room for ten years...

We want Muslims who come here in the future to have a prayer space for the entirety of their college life.”

MARYAM SHOUBIR , FCLC ‘19

President of MSA

Vice President for Lincoln Center Frank Simio.

The Office of Admissions was unable to provide The Observer with the number of Muslim students at Lincoln Center, or percentage of the student body who is now Muslim. But Shoubir, Shehadeh, Rahman and McCarthy all agree that FLC’s Muslim community has grown in the past two years. Nearly 90 people attended MSA’s Eid celebration on Sept. 13, according to Shoubir, compared to 50 the prior year. She added that many attendees chose to join an optional prayer held in SL18A at 7:30 p.m. during the celebration.

“When we pray together, we feel more spiritual, we feel more connected to God,” Shoubir said.

While LL 302A is still available as a prayer space, few students use it because they are unable to

pray together. Rahman explained it this way: “Now, if I want to pray, and I pray by myself, that’s a prayer. But if you come and join me, that’s 27 times. By another person coming and joining in prayer with you, that’s 27 times, which is five and a half days of prayer, in one prayer. That’s why it’s very important for us to have a space to pray.”

There are still crucial decisions ahead for SL18A. McCarthy told The Observer in an interview, “We’re going to call it a Multifaith Prayer Space,” but Shoubir and Shehadeh were both undecided on an appropriate name for the room. Shoubir felt that calling the room Interfaith Prayer Space “kind of avoids the fact that Muslim students want a place to pray,” but immediately added, “we don’t want anyone to not feel welcome, because that’s the whole point of Islam … in Islam, everyone is equal, especially in prayer. No one is higher than anyone.”

Shoubir and Shehadeh both expressed a desire for all members of the Fordham community to feel comfortable using the new space for worship. Shehadeh proposed the name Prayer Room, which she felt would better acknowledge that mostly Muslim students pray there.

Rahman said that some non-Muslim students have used previous prayer spaces for prayer, meditation or quiet reflection. He shared that while many Muslims at Fordham use the prayer room

two to three times a day, it meant a lot to him to see that people of other faiths also felt welcome in the room. “At the end of the day, you have the right to be able to pray,” he said. He wanted the prayer room to be for those who don’t have their own space, a category that used to include Muslims at Fordham.

Wall space is also under discussion; MSA has several framed Quranic texts that have hung in past prayer spaces. LL 302A has calligraphy on one wall above the quote, “In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.” Presently, the frames are on the floor of the new prayer room, leaning against a wall. McCarthy explained that “currently the answer to that is no” to students putting quranic texts on the wall, but added that it’s an ongoing discussion. One concern is that if Muslim students hang texts and the space is officially designated multi-faith, community members of other faiths could put up their own religious symbols. Most Muslims cannot pray in a room that has any pictures, particularly of animate beings, because it is considered idolatry. McCarthy hoped to continue this conversation, explaining that “because we are a Catholic and Jesuit university, we advocate for diverse religious practices and traditions.” He felt that “a good start is having [a multi-faith] prayer space that is more helpful and acceptable to Muslim students.”

Shehadeh said she was “very proud of what we accomplished” in advocating for a new prayer space, and is looking forward to MSA’s planned programming in the year ahead, in and outside of the prayer room. Shoubir had a longer-term vision for the future, emphasizing that “we want a prayer room for ten years …

We want Muslims who come here in the future to be able to have a prayer space for the entirety of their college life, and to be able to use it regularly or whenever they please.” Shoubir, reflecting on how she has made her closest friends in prayer at Fordham, said: “I feel like we’ve been on this journey of switching prayer rooms together.” She hoped that no one in the future would face the challenges she and her friends worked to address.

A student led the Khutbah for Fordham’s first Jummah prayers, but students hope to bring an Imam to campus in the future. If they do, they will need a separate space for the Jummah prayer, as their prayer room will once again be too small for everyone who wishes to pray together.

The Rupert Mayer, S.J., Chapel may be available, as the room, several times the size of SL18A, is mostly unused and empty during weekdays.

Provost Search Begins, Fordham Turns to Students for Comment PROVOST FROM PAGE 1

sought to understand what the university community expected in a provost. Before embarking on recruitment, Roach said, the committee wanted the forums to “inform the way we talk about the position.”

Fordham students were invited to participate in the provost search via a Sept. 6 email invitation to two student forums, one on Wednesday, Sept. 12 at Lincoln Center, and another on Monday, Sept. 17 at Rose Hill. The entirety of Fordham’s search committee, as well as Murphy and Jean Dowdall, another Witt-Kieffer representative, directed each meeting.

While Roach reported encour-

aging turnout for faculty forums, only four students attended the Rose Hill student forum – and just two attended the the Lincoln Center discussion. Nevertheless, Roach and Murphy both sat down with the attendees and asked their opinion on the new provost: what their role should be, what they should focus on and what qualities they should possess.

Emma Quinn, Fordham College Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’20, did not attend the forum, like many other students. “Fordham isn’t clear about what a Provost does,” she explained, “and so I wasn’t sure why the meeting was relevant to me as a student.”

After collecting community input, Witt-Kieffer representatives

will begin to recruit potential candidates via advertisements, emails and telephone calls. Murphy said the team will make an “institutional statement” by placing an advertisement in the Chronicle of Higher Education, a highly-regarded newspaper for university coverage.

Members of a search committee appointed by the president will review all applications before deciding on a group of eight to twelve candidates. This preliminary group will then undergo an interview stage, after which a final pool of three to five members remain. The university president, Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., will then review the final three candidates and make the

ultimate decision himself.

Roach and Murphy have told The Observer that the inner workings of the provost search committee, including potential candidates and specific criteria, are strictly confidential.

Following Freedman’s death, McShane appointed Associate Professor of Political Science Jonathan Crystal, Ph. D., to the role of interim provost under the titles of interim vice president and chief academic officer. During his time in office, Crystal aims to further many of the goals of former Provost Freedman, including supporting research that preserves Fordham’s commitment to Cura Personalis and “furthering the globalization of the University.”

Crystal specifically mentioned his plans to support faculty research, integrating technology into the classroom and interdisciplinary programs between Fordham’s graduate schools.

“I don’t think any Provost can accomplish much alone,” Crystal said. “He or she must work collaboratively with the deans, the faculty and other administrators in order to make Fordham a stronger academic institution.”

Witt-Kieffer and the faculty committee continue to encourage students, faculty and staff alike to make their voice heard in the search for the provost. Inquiries and comments can still be forwarded to FordhamProvost@WittKieffer.com.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER September 27, 2018

News

3

Club Fair Spells New Beginnings for Fordham Students

By KYLE KOVACS Contributing Writer

On Thursday, Sept. 20, Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) held its annual club fair, during which the student population had ample opportunity to not only browse clubs, but also speak with their various representatives. With 39 of 82 clubs in attendance, undergraduates were offered with extensive and diverse options for communities to immerse themselves in. Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) provides a tight-knit community even with its relatively low student student population. As a member of Fordham’s largest Lincoln Center class in history, Cameron Dasher, FCLC ’22, commented “the school population has an ebb and flow tendency and I think there may be an increase in the joining of clubs this year.”

For decades, clubs and activities on every campus have dominated the community bonding scene. The specifics are different for every college due to the large diversity in student body and their core values. While every college differs on their specific clubs, according to U.S. News & World Report, two essential factors influence an individual’s decision to choose a club: their interest level for the goal or opportunity that the club presents, and the readily available community that the club provides.

Factor number one seems rather obvious; most people do things they like because it makes them feel elated or satisfied. Yet, The Telegraph reports that many college students tend to join clubs based off what their friends or do-

LENA ROSE /THE OBSERVER

Students shop for chances to build new skills at the 2018 annual Club Fair.

ing or who else is in a club. While this occasionally leads to a newly developed passion, in most cases, it leads to students dropping out of clubs as a whole or feeling as though they do not belong to their club community. Therefore, students turn to the second factor: the readily established community.

The key difference between FLC and other campuses is that individuals describe clubs as providing more of a connecting force between otherwise disconnected individuals to bond over a common cause, goal or hobby. The clubs here aren’t based on popularity, but rather highlight, elaborate on and develop student in-

terests. As Samantha Rizzo, FCLC ’22 put it, “I do think that student involvement is great for creating a sense of community and if everyone who signed up is actually participating, I think it’s really positive for Fordham as a whole.”

In the case of some of the university’s most popular clubs this year, including Muslim Students Association, Tae Kwon Do Club and Commuting Students Association, students are extremely enthusiastic to join clubs that they have interest in or have participated in prior. In some cases, students formed ten minute long lines just to get a signature on an already name-saturated piece of paper.

2018 saw a drastic rise in par-

Passionate about politics?

Learn how to run political campaigns in Fordham’s

Master of Arts Program in Elections and Campaign Management • Gain a deep understanding of voting behavior, strategy, social media, campaign finance and ethics, and communications • Develop technical skills in research and data analysis • Prepare for senior-level political consultant positions • Build professional networks and gain practical experience in New York City

Visit fordham.edu/elections to learn more.

One-year program with evening courses offered at Lincoln Center and Rose Hill.

Early admission available for Fordham juniors with a GPA of 3.2 or higher.

ticipation in clubs that were previously struggling to recruit. Riding on the success of this year’s Urban Plunge, a Fordham-run three-day immersion program for freshmen to participate in community service programs in New York, students began seeking out more societies that focused on social justice. Thus, the Feminist Alliance, Humanitarian Student Union, Model United Nations and Rainbow Alliance all have become topics of conversations between many “plungers” and “non-plungers” alike.

Student involvement inside of the multicultural clubs also hit highs. Groups such as the Black Student Alliance, the Student Or-

ganization of Latinos and the Jewish Students Organization were all revitalized this year by the emergence of new members. This is primarily an effect of an increased class size in accompaniment to more people identifying with their heritage and/or culture more than just internally. They are ecstatic to join fellow undergraduates that express as much love for these causes as they do.

Various upperclassmen shared their opinions on getting involved on campus. Their advice was universal: just sign up.

“I think students should join as many clubs as possible. Just sign up to anything that interests you and if possible, attend the first meeting,” Stella Pandis, FCLC ’21, said. You never know what you might fall in love with.”

This seemed to be a shared sentiment amongst upperclassmen. A common regret of theirs was not immersing themselves into what Fordham had to offer earlier.

For any student still desiring to join a new club, it’s not too late.

With the Club Fair just passing and people still finding their interests, Fordham’s organization website, OrgSync, is available to assist students still on the hunt. Specific to either the Rose Hill or Lincoln Center campuses, the website provides not only a list of all the clubs along with the general profiles and missions, but also gives up to date feeds. In these feeds, club meeting dates and times are posted all throughout a detailed calendar. These general meetings are typically for every interested student, whether you were on the email list or not. If you are unsure, just contact the club via their information listed on OrgSync.

Opinions

Opinions Editors Jordan Meltzer - jmeltzer3@fordham.edu Owen Roche - oroche2@fordham.edu

THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC: EVERYONE’S PROBLEM

A

vacuum. Individuals who succumb to addiction do not do so because they are reckless or deviant. Overdosing is most often the culmination

The opioid crisis is such that there is obvious room for all of us to improve. of years of psychological torment. Consequently, it’s our responsibility as members of a community to understand why addiction occurs and how to help.

Fordham University is not immune to this epidemic. National averages don’t tell the whole story, but we cannot assume our campus is somehow separate from the 30 percent of all college students who sought help for addiction, as reported by the 2017 National College Health Assessment.

In solidarity with our university, students must play a more active role in the lives of their classmates. Checking on them isn’t enough. If you know they’re struggling, ac-

Observer the

STAFF EDITORIAL

merica’s opioid epidemic is reaching a deadly crescendo.

Let’s not mince words: people across the country are dying at an alarming rate.

Every day, 115 people die from overdoses in America.

Between the time you start and finish reading this editorial, it’s likely another family lost a loved one; another spouse lost a life partner; another parent lost a child.

There exists a well-known but seldom-mentioned stigma surrounding mental health issues, especially substance addiction and dependence. Indeed, it can be difficult to imagine what this stigma looks like in practice because we so rarely discuss addiction until it takes its toll on someone we love. And when we do talk about it, we tend to shy away from the conversation or, understandably, avoid using certain words because they sting.

But this is not progress. This is denial. These sentiments are all too common. Maybe they’re not in the tweets with the most likes or at the top of the YouTube comments section, but they are far more prevalent than is acceptable.

Substance abuse and dependence do not occur in a

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

tively stay involved in their recovery process. Offer to talk about it at length. Offer to look for recovery specialists and therapists together.

Offer to look at rehab options together and offer to go with them. Offer to be physically there when they tell their parents. Neither Fordham, nor any one student, needs necessarily to become a savior to those struggling with addiction in the community; however, the opioid crisis is such that there is obvious room for all of us to improve.

Unless we take swift decisive action, opioid use, prescription or otherwise, will continue to rise hand-inhand with apathy and reluctance to address the stigma of drug abuse. On a community level, this action includes fostering an active conversation to tear down the stigma.

When another star falls victim to drug abuse, we tend to briefly rekindle a largely and empty conversation. Real change will only come when we take the opioid crisis seriously and ignite a continuous, meaningful dialogue.

Even and especially among those of us who believe we are already doing our part, we must always strive to do better.

Photo Feature

Editor-in-Chief Colin Sheeley Managing Editor Izzi Duprey Business Manager Luis Navarro Online Editor Madison Leto Layout Editor Sabrina Jen Asst. Layout Editors Esmé Bleecker-Adams Steph Lawlor News Editors Carmen Borca-Carrillo Ruby Gara Opinions Editors Jordan Meltzer Owen Roche Arts & Culture Editors Courtney Brogle Marielle Sarmiento Asst. Arts & Culture Editor Kevin Christopher Robles Features Editors Lindsay Jorgensen Jeffrey Umbrell Asst. Features Editor Gianna Smeraglia Sports & Health Editors Luke Osborn Social Media Editor Madison Leto Photo Editors Andrew Beecher Lena Rose Copy Editors Lulu Schmieta Sami Umani Visual Advisor Molly Bedford Editorial Advisor Anthony Hazell Comma Coordinators Tatiana Gallardo Cat Reynolds Alexandra Richardson Abby Wheat

“Pop in the Park”

PUBLIC NOTICE No part of The Observer may be reprinted or reproduced without the expressed written consent of The Observer board. The Observer is published on alternate Thursdays during the academic year.

Printed by Five Star Printing Flushing, N.Y

To reach an editor by e-mail, visit www.fordhamobserver.com

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

CELIA PATTERSON/THE OBSERVER

• Letters to the Editor should be typed and sent to The Observer, Fordham University, 140 West 62nd Street, Room G32, New York, NY 10023, or e-mailed to fordhamobserver@gmail.com. Length should not exceed 200 words. All letters must be signed and include contact information, official titles, and year of graduation (if applicable) for verification.

• If submitters fail to include this information, the editorial board will do so at its own discretion.

• The Observer has the right to withhold any submissions from publication and will not consider more than two letters from the same individual on one topic. The Observer reserves the right to edit all letters and submissions for content, clarity and length.

• Opinions articles and commentaries represent the view of their authors. These articles are in no way the views held by the editorial board of The Observer or Fordham University.

• The Editorial is the opinion held by a majority of The Observer’s editorial board. The Editorial does not reflect the views held by Fordham University.

www.fordhamobserver.com

ELECTIONS FROM PAGE 1

Even if you can submit your application on time, New York’s absurdly restrictive absentee ballot service is unlikely to allow you a chance to participate in democracy. There is no automatic or same-day registration either; you must manually register to vote at least a month ahead of the election. But the worst offender is perhaps New York’s closed primary system: you must be registered with the party running the primary in order to vote, but the deadline to change parties for the September primary was 11 months ago, before most candidacies were announced.

This dilemma is only compounded by the legendary incompetence and corruption of New York’s Boards of Elections.

During the 2016 election season, the national, nonpartisan Election Protection hotline received more calls from New York than states like Georgia and Texas, recounting thousands of ballot-box snafus. Polling places were moved without warning, hours were reduced in certain counties and voting machines frequently broke down. Most prevalent were errors where registration information was outdated, corrupted, lost or changed without reason or notice. Two hundred thousand voters were wrong-

THE OBSERVER September 27, 2018

New York’s Stolen Elections fully purged from the rolls that season. Remember the lack of same-day voter or party registration? Hundreds of thousands of voters were told on Election Day that, due to errors on behalf of the state, they would have to re-register in order to vote — and that the deadline to do so was months past.

For a while, it seemed that there was hope. After the 2016 election, the ugly character of this broken system became infamous nationwide. The Justice Department threatened lawsuits; former State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman produced a comprehensive report on the situation and drafted a legislative fix; Gov. Andrew Cuomo toured the state with promises of reform.

It was a lie. The politicians in Albany are not ignorant, they are complicit. The confusing tangle of regulations, restrictions and mistakes is entirely by design. It directly benefits the incumbents and their most reliable voting blocs at the expense of everyone else. The status quo got them elected, often by incredible margins, so our representatives have every incentive to block any sort of reform — and block it they did.

As soon as the debacle faded from the public consciousness, the promises of the power-

REGIS

NO NO

to defund otherwise. The incumbent Cuomo handily defeated his opponent, actor and activist Cynthia Nixon, and pulled a slate of allies into office on his coattails. Call me cynical, but I wouldn’t expect the victors to make any changes to the system that delivered them victory.

So what is our recourse if we cannot make our voices heard through the ballot box? How can

The poiticians in Albany are not ignorant, they are complicit. The confusing tangle of regulations, restrictions and mistakes is entirely by design. ical engagement surges in the wake of the 2016 election, three out of four New Yorkers failed to cast a vote. Voter rolls were incomplete and incorrect. Polling places closed early. Misinformation was rampant. Unconscionably, tenants of some New York City Housing Authority developments were even instructed by the Authority itself to stay in their homes for the duration of polling times, so that mandatory inspections could be carried out.

The result? An easy win for the establishment, buoyed by the endorsement of major unions and nonprofits they had threatened

we, as citizens, break the cycle of disenfranchisement when the people in office consolidate power by depriving us of our ability to hold them accountable? We cannot allow these moments of outrage to pass like we did in 2016. Without momentum, without continuing public engagement, we forgot about our grievances and let the politicians in Albany get away with quietly breaking their promise to the people. By hook and by crook, they have stolen our elections, our rightful votes and, most importantly, our voice in government.

5

It doesn’t have to be this way forever. The solutions to our current crisis are tried and true.

Early voting would allow all voters to cast their ballot — not just those who are free on Election Day. Automatic voter registration would not only ensure any citizen of age would be registered to vote, but also update the voter rolls regularly, obviating the need for the oft-abused voter purges. A ranked-choice election system would eliminate the party primary altogether, in favor of a cheaper single election that is less susceptible to vote splitting.

So call your representatives, show up to committee hearings, write letters to the editor and get involved with voting reform organizations like Common Cause New York or Let NY Vote that provide the resources to do so most effectively. If we lend our voices to these causes, if we make ourselves heard and refuse to yield, we can prevent our future elections from again being stolen by the powerful. Perhaps it is too late to keep the November midterms from becoming yet another spectacle of democracy’s downfall, but if we can seize the moment — and seize it we must — we can hold our representatives to their word, ensure lasting change is wrought, and show that the voice of the people cannot be kept silent for long.

D E T D A E STA O N I N T D P T U TE H F O R U OLI . . . . . . .O COR S T R A T I O N DA EM EGI

AU

T R AT I

TO

2,0

MA

0 G 0

VOT IN

ful collapsed like the fictions they always were. The Justice Department’s lawsuits have not progressed. Schneiderman’s bill is rotting in committee with no hearings. Cuomo struck early voting initiatives from the budget. So when it came time for the state primary on Sept. 13, almost nothing had changed.

Yet again, we saw abysmal turnout numbers. Even as polit-

Opinions

TIC

REG

IST

Y

GED N CHA

A Y R RY SYSTED D E S A M IMA RG

ON O MA V R PU P CHI O N Y D N L E N L OSNGFU VICE L POL O A ES BRE TE C R LING A LO PLACEBS MSENK DOWNS WRO T SERTINGMES W P OVED T O INGTI O V L E L UB AST MIN E BAL ARLYT POLL LIC UTE O E ENIEN ITY NCONV IN

If that ballot box looks crooked, confusing and infuriating ... it’s supposed to be.

R AT

I

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY STEPHANIE LAWLOR AND ESME BLEECKER-ADAMS/THE OBSERVER

6

Opinions

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Will a Decentralized Midterm Strategy Work for Democrats?

PATRICK RIZZI Staff Writer

To my fellow Democrats: you may be wondering whether or not the party’s strategy in the 2018 midterm elections will lead to success. While we will not be able to fully gauge its effectiveness until the evening of Nov. 6, 2018, it is clear that recent Democratic victories in special elections and increased turnout in congressional and gubernatorial primaries are positive signs ahead for the party.

Democrats’ approach to the midterms has been highly localized. With candidates that run the gamut from centrists like Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania to card-carrying Democratic Socialists of America members like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the ideological gap between any two Democratic candidates can sometimes be massive. The party’s voter base resembles this ideological divide, and if “never-Trump Republican” voters considering or planning to vote Democratic this November as a message against the president are added into the mix, the ideological spectrum of Democratic voters grows even wider. Such a gap furthers the often intense divisions in the Democratic Party between moderates and progressives.

It is not common for political parties to offer bold and ambitious platforms during midterm elections. That said, the Democrats’ “For the People” platform is being used fairly sparingly in the party’s marketing and campaigning, and contains only three major points: health care, wages and corruption. The New York Times called it “skeletal.” The last midterm election in which Democrats gained seats in Con-

gress was in 2006, when President George W. Bush was deeply unpopular and the American public was becoming frustrated with the Iraq War. Democrats ran a national platform with two points, both of which were invoked frequently during Democratic campaigns: opposition to the Iraq War and opposition to the Bush-Cheney plan to partially privatize Social Security.

Yet despite the fact that anti-Bush and anti-war sentiment were both at a fever pitch in 2006, the country is certainly more polarized now than during the Bush era. The platforms of the two major parties in 2006 were considerably more centrist than today’s Republican and Democratic counterparts. The decentralized and localized strategy of Democrats is advantageous in a time of heated political polarization because it allows candidates to tailor their rhetoric and messages to their voters.

Progressive candidates in solidly blue districts can run on the priorities of Democratic Socialists, whereas conservative Democrats attempting to flip historically Republican-leaning districts will focus more on discussing bipartisanship and may choose to downplay more controversial culture-war issues such as abortion rights and sanctuary cities.

The decentralized strategy may help the Democrats win votes in November, but it does have one key Achilles’ heel: it may harm the Democrats’ ability to govern well.

If the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives, they will be under intense pressure from many liberals and progressives in their base to impeach the president. Given that they will not have a two-thirds majority in the Senate, it is virtually

GAGE SKIDMORE VIA FLICKR

The Democratic National Committe, chaired by Tom Perez, has much to lose — and even more to gain.

impossible that Trump could be removed from office at this time.

Seventy-one percent of Democrats support impeachment, but in a nonpartisan vote, everyone else overwhelmingly opposes it.

While some incumbent Democratic members of Congress and congressional candidates are openly discussing impeachment, a majority are not. The general belief among incumbent

congressional Democrats is that impeachment should not be a path to chart without the special counsel Robert Mueller concluding his investigation and finding evidence that indicts Trump for illegal activity. With that said, the debate over whether or not to consider impeachment at this point in time will still roil the party. The same will likely be so about the party’s legislative

agenda after the midterms, as key policy goals of progressives and moderates often have stark and clear-cut differences.

Before those deliberations truly begin, though, Democrats have to do one thing and one thing only: make gains on Nov. 6.

Messages and platforms tailored to the localities that their candidates represent can certainly help them achieve just that.

What Has Happened to the Republican Party?

BRANDON SAPIENZA

Contributing Writer

At a rally on Sept. 8, former President Barack Obama asked the same question that I, a registered Republican, ask: “What happened to the Republican Party?” In June, former Speaker of the House John Boehner said, “There is no Republican Party. There’s a Trump Party. The Republican Party is taking a nap somewhere.”

In just three years, Republicans have abandoned their core values and allowed for a demagogue like Donald Trump to assume the highest office in the country simply because of the R next to his name. Since then, he has sabotaged and discredited his party, leaving Republicans in a troubling situation.

In recent months, Trump has practically applauded atrocious countries like North Korea, whose people are currently starving and whose government

GAGE SKIDMORE VIA FLICKR

President Trump threatens the Republican status quo. Time will tell if his disruptive perogative will redefine the party or simply fizzle out.

poses a nuclear threat to the U.S. He swooned over Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia, despite their confirmed interference in our election in 2016. He created an unnecessary trade war with China and he is actively working to limit the freedom of the press as granted by our Constitution. He’ll deflect these legitimate accusations with an assertion that our economy is doing well, but the short-term gain he’s made his name on will run out in November.

Trump resistance groups have formed in the White House, allegations of extramarital affairs have surfaced and resurfaced, and the investigation into Russian collusion continues to rage, with multiple indictments of former Trump campaign staffers and more flips than an IHOP on free pancake day. Donald Trump isn’t Republican in the slightest, yet nothing has been done to stop the chaos from continuing.

Republicans, still clinging to the coattails of Trump’s unprecedented electoral success, cannot — or will not — separate the beloved demagogue from the unstable president.

Trump has given Republicans a bad look. The GOP went from the party of freedom and morality to the party of divisiveness and hatred. He has stirred up his radical base to the extent that conventional Republicans are now afraid of what Trump can do in a single tweet if they speak out against him.

All of this combined will affect Republicans in November and perhaps even beyond. Trump

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

John Boehner, a Republican of yesterday, is an outspoken Trump critic.

has, unfortunately, tarnished the legacy and beliefs of the party.

When Trump is not invited to the funeral of a Republican hero like former Sen. John McCain because of all the detestable actions he has taken since he took office last January, it is clear that there is a problem that Republican leadership needs to attack head on.

For the sake of maintaining the work of legends like John McCain and former President

Ronald Reagan, more Republicans need to speak out against Trump and what he says, tweets and signs. No person affiliated in the same party as the President should fear having his or her career destroyed by one tweet.

Republicans should be scared for Election Day. Despite the successes they have had in terms of new laws put into action, Donald Trump will be their demise, and they need to turn on him before Americans turn on them.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER September 27, 2018

Opinions

Mac Miller’s Death is Not Ariana Grande’s Fault LENA ROSE

Photo Editor

On Sept. 7, 2018, famed American rapper Mac Miller was found dead in his San Fernando Valley home from an apparent drug overdose. Shortly after the world found out, the public immediately pointed its collective finger at Miller’s ex-girlfriend, Ariana Grande.

Miller’s death awakened an outburst of anger in many fans. If she tried harder to wean him off his addiction, he would still be here. If she waited for him to get clean, he would have. Ultimately, those judgments, even in their grammatical construction, lay the responsibility of Miller’s emotional difficulties on Grande.

This celebrity drug overdose death is certainly not as shocking as it would seem, and it is not going to be the last. And it is certainly not Ariana Grande’s fault.

The American rapper has a rather extensive history of substance abuse, dating back to before his relationship with Grande. In recent years, Miller had spoken openly about his past drug-related issues; he even referred to his own death on “What You Do” from his 2014 mixtape: “A drug habit like Philip Hoffman will probably put me in a coffin,” Miller rapped.

After Grande and Miller split in May 2018, fans started to connect the fallout with his dangerous habits. In the week following, Miller was arrested for DUI and hit-and-run after crashing into a power pole with his SUV. One fan on Twitter blamed Miller’s car incident on Grande, claiming that “she had dumped him for another dude after he poured his heart out on a ten-song album to her.”

Grande responded on Instagram that her relationship with Miller was toxic and that “shaming a woman for a man’s inability to keep his s— together is a very major problem.” This would not be the last time that women would

have to defend their decision to leave an unhealthy relationship.

Following Miller’s death, Grande’s social media platforms again were inundated with crude insults blaming her for the rapper’s death, prompting Grande to disable her comments on her Instagram platform. One user told her that Miller “did this because of you.” Another wrote, “thankx [sic] for killing a legend.” #ArianaKilledMac even started circulating on Instagram.

his decisions and his life. Instead of being referred to just as “Ariana’s ex,” whom she had to look after, he should be recognized for his achievements but also held accountable for his actions. And although he had some low points — as we all do — he was an accomplished rapper at a young age and an extremely talented musician. He continually evolved as he was also battling mental illness and addiction. That his fans were so quick to blame Grande after his

criticism for her outfit choice at Aretha Franklin’s memorial service. She was criticized for dressing provocatively, once again the focus on her, and not Pastor Charles Ellis’ hand on her waist that eventually slid further up to the point where he was visibly groping her breast. Once again, the public was asking the wrong questions.

Just a month ago, Demi Lovato also experienced a drug overdose.

Though she recovered and had

“ i adored you from the day i met you when i was nine-

teen and i always will. i can’t believe you aren’t here anymore. i really can’t wrap my head around it. we talked about this. so many times. i’m so mad, i’m so sad i don’t know what to do. you were my dearest friend. for so long. above anything else. i’m so sorry i couldn’t fix or take your pain away. i really wanted to. the kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved. i hope you’re okay now. rest.”

Caption of Ariana Grande’s tribute to Mac Miller on Instagram.

A close friend of Miller’s, Shane Powers, spoke out in response to the backlash. On his podcast, he explicitly stated: “She was a f— G to him. There could not have been anybody more supportive of him being sober than Ariana.” In light of Powers’ message, it is absolutely ridiculous to place blame on Grande, who was clearly a positive figure in his life.

Still, people wrongly blame Grande, not just for failing to heal him, but also for breaking up with him at a time when he needed professional rehabilitative help.

Grande is neither a therapist nor an addiction counselor, and she should not have to be.

Mac Miller was a grown adult who was responsible for himself,

untimely death is indicative of a larger problem.

There is a misogynistic pattern when men, especially high-profile stars, find themselves in trouble.

They and those around them all too often search for a woman to blame, even when the woman is not at fault. Questions such as “What was she wearing?” override “Is she okay?” In the case of Grande, much of the public questioned her responsibility to Miller instead of the nature of the relationship and her right to leave. This conclusion is drawn again and again. Its circumstances will vary, but the conclusion is always that it is somehow a woman’s fault.

A month prior to Miller’s death, Grande was receiving

been committed to rehabilitation immediately after, many social media users were quick to harass Lovato and her fans for being so distraught, claiming that Lovato “did it to herself.” One Twitter user stated, “she’s a druggie and it was her decision.” Another user tweeted: “Demi Lovato can shove a massive tree trunk up her a---, her own fault and we don’t give a s---.” In yet another high-profile drug overdose, the woman is found to be responsible, not anyone else.

The expectations that our patriarchal society places on women to serve their male partners, instantly heal past trauma from abuse and continuously forgive them for that abusive behavior result in a vicious cycle that

7

lingers as we perpetuate the idea that women are to be blamed for men’s mistakes. What people need to understand is that another person’s behavior is out of anyone else’s control. In regard to Miller’s overdose — as well as Lovato’s — it is important to recognize the real issue of drug addiction and the stigma surrounding mental health. The issue of addiction is a tragic and frightening epidemic that is proliferating at an alarming rate. The fact of the matter is that unless we, as a community, take action in solving the opioid crisis, the tragedies will not end.

We need to stop blaming women, and we need to start asking the right questions.

If you are looking for someone to be angry at for Miller’s death — in addition to other fallen addicts — do not let it be the person who tried helping him. In the case of Grande and Miller — and innumerable toxic relationships the world over — abuse is combined with issues of mental health and addiction, at which point it gets even messier. We must respect a woman’s right to be independent and able to leave a toxic relationship in which they feel unsafe.

We cannot just sweep another opioid-related death under the rug until the next one, constantly searching for something or someone to blame other than who is truly at fault.

Plenty of things deserve criticism: a government that is complicit in the opioid epidemic, doctors who over-prescribe patients and pharmaceutical companies who push their products at the cost of human health. When tragedy strikes, too often we point fingers at things simply based our own preconceived notions. We must accept responsibility when necessary and work to prevent further victim-blaming. The energy it takes to craft misdirected hateful comments would be much better spent coming together to find solutions to the real issue at hand.

Expats and International Students: Know the Difference ANDREA JENG

Contributing Writer

“How long did it take for you to walk from China to here?” This is a question my 13 year old brother heard. In real life. He came home from summer camp one year dumbstruck by this question from another camper.

“Why is your American accent so good?” Didn’t I just say that I used to live in America?

“Yeah, but still! It’s so good!”

Right, of course. I forgot to mention that when you live in a foreign country you automatically forget every single thing from your old life. Silly me.

“Have you ever used Instagram before?” I lived in the U.S. for 12 years.

Or even, “Do you know what Amazon is?” Can you understand why this would be so frustrating?

People can’t seem to grasp the concept that I was raised in a American centric culture.

For the last six years, my family and I lived in the faraway kingdom of “Asia.” When I was 12, my family moved from our American home in Long Island to the scary foreign country of China. I learned very quickly in my periodic trips back to the U.S. that there exists a strong stereotype that comes with being an international kid.

But let me be clear: there are two different kinds of international students. One is the kid that

was born and raised in a foreign language-speaking country and is, subsequently, very different from the general American population.

The other is the expatriate, the student with the American passport and customs that has been living overseas for an extended period of time.

Consider the character, Cady Heron, from “Mean Girls.” Cady lived in Africa for 12 years of her life. When she moved to Evanston, Ill., she suffered from the same cultural misconceptions that my brother did. Consider the iconic line from the movie: “Wait, if you’re from Africa, why are you white?” Take that quote and transpose it to my situation: For me, the question becomes “Wait, if you’re China, why is your English so good?” Cady’s parents are American. She speaks fluent English, yet she had lived overseas for most of her life. Cady Heron is an expatriate.

My brother and I are expatriates.

What people fail to understand is that these two different kinds of international students are drastically different. And no, my brother did not walk 7,364 miles from New York to China. That’s impossible because the Bering Strait is underwater and he’d have to swim.

Even people whom I’ve explicitly told that I was not only born in the U.S., but also have been studying at an international school with an American curriculum, still ask silly

ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER

An international student, an expat and a Chinese-American, in no particular order.

questions just like that.

To be fair, the walking to China question was an extreme example.

But when I speak to my childhood friends from kindergarten, I still inevitably get the question: “How is your English still so good?”

Despite the fact that I go to an American school. Despite the fact that English is my dominant language. Despite the fact that I grew up with them and went to the same school with them for 12 years. Still, they can’t separate their opinions of me with the bornand-bred international student from China.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being the typical international student. The confusion — and my frustration — comes from people’s inability to separate my

life with that of a student who has been living in China and attending local Chinese schools his or her entire life. On the Common App, for instance, there is no distinction between an expatriate and an international student. If you attend school in a foreign country, you are considered an international student. And should you be considered an international student, you are required to take the Fordham English Language Test. International students are also required to attend Global Transition, an international student orientation that takes place a week before American students move in and is geared towards acclimating international students to the U.S. culture and environment.

It was not mandatory for me

to attend Global Transition since I hold a U.S. passport, however I still received frequent emails asking me to sign up for the program, where the days were filled with visa documents I didn’t need, cultural presentation explanations I already understood and mandatory activities designed to help us understand the U.S. better. Trust me. I know how to read a subway map.

I’m not complaining about Global Transition; in fact, I met some of my closest friends there.

But if my own school, my fellow students and the damn Common App can’t grasp the cultural, lingual and educational differences between expatriates and true international students, we have a problem. While both the expatriate and the international student have lived outside of the country, they differ drastically in beliefs, knowledge and upbringing.

The next time you meet an “international student,” keep in mind the difference between an expatriate and a born-and-bred international student. The expatriate is not as foreign as you may believe. Expatriates speak fluent English, understand American pop culture and think in similar ways to you. To this day, I can still recite the Pledge of Allegiance from heart. We believe in the American dream, love in marriage and the pursuit of happiness.

Expatriates, at the very core of their being, are just Americans.

8

Opinions

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Fighting Extremism with Extremism SATIRE

OWEN ROCHE Opinions Editor

The neo-Nazis’ tiki torches glow near.

In this dark hour for America, reason, honor and dignity have failed us. Centrism and compromise are the new worst c-words.

The alt-right tips the spectrum radically right, and radical leftists swing in the opposite direction.

The last time the president of the United States reached across the aisle was to grab a diet coke from Air Force One’s mini fridge.

We live in an era of extremism.

Radicals on both sides have led their followers off the same cliff, and America is sick and tired of terrible solutions where everyone wins a little and loses a little.

We’ve tried all the conventional remedies to the internal conflicts that plague us — It’s high time we try the rest of them. The playbook is out the window; in a country plagued by extremism and acute lack of compassion, we can’t beat ’em. We might as well join ’em.

It’s clear to see our dysfunctional government is beyond saving. The time for understanding has passed. To hell with Smokey the Bear, let’s fight fire with fire.

Extremism is the much-needed antidote to America’s problem with extremism. The current situation calls for a reactionary movement like no other; one that doubles down so hard on any existing extreme values that it comes full circle in opposition.

We’ve fostered a population ravenous for outrage and itching for change. Let’s give them what they want.

The economy must be the first to experience the tender ham-fists of extremism. Some scream, “The economy is good! The market is bull!” Others say something dumb along the lines of “The economy is not represented by the

ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER

This extremist protester has the right idea.

stock market, as only 50 percent of Americans own stock!” From one side of the aisle, people yell “Extreme regulation is harming business!” All the way from the other dirtier, grosser, stupider side, Neanderthals counter that “Extreme deregulation is irreversibly poisoning the earth and disproportionately affecting the already disenfranchised!” It’s hopeless. We really can’t seem to reach a conclusion with such wildly conflicting, blindly radical positions on our current capitalist

structure.

The solution? Throw it out. Restructure the American economy into a feudal agrarian superpower free from acronyms, Dows, Walls, streets and those red and green arrows that make people so mad.

Underemployment? Impossible to track if everyone’s a farmer.

Much of the world’s currency manifests in something other than physical cash. This extreme, dogmatic worship of invisible, intangible, arbitrarily-valued squiggly symbols is tearing our

country apart. We must counter it with a complete reversal to the barter system. Wampum is also acceptable.

The scope of extremism doesn’t end there. We are altogether too worried in this day and age about healthcare — whether we need it, whether we deserve it and whether any government has an obligation to provide “affordable care,” if you will, regardless of one’s economic situation.

Taking into consideration one’s right to continue to live? A little far-fetched indeed. We are called upon in this moment to abolish modern medicine, letting natural selection do its work to thin the herds. By some estimates, this revolutionary strategy will cut the amount of people with poor vision in half by 2090, letting our four-eyed friends with outdated prescriptions fall victim to tiger attacks like nature intended. This is the only way Americans can put a stop to the elites’ pushing of radical views down our (possibly strep-infected) throats.

Bringing fresh, new extremist values to fruition in America does not stop with simply the economy and healthcare — no, there is much more work to be done if extremism is to be repealed and replaced.

America is a country known worldwide for its extreme eating.

However, our red-blooded hotdog eating contests risk extinction in the face of reactionary health militants. We’ve seen the screaming, blood-throwing, vitamin B12-deficient vegans take over our streets and flood our supermarkets with their meaty falsehoods. No more; it is our duty to counter with radical meat and dairy consumption.

Only venison milkshakes and egg yolk sundaes can save us, and not a moment too soon — Radical health culture was most assuredly on the verge of making us live long enough to deal with the

consequences of our actions. Our heart attack numbers have been middling lately; we can make heart disease great again.

Moreover, desperate times surely call for desperate measures. Centimeters, for example.

Celsius. Perhaps describing our weight in stone is what this country needs. Stick it to the status quo and measure your french fries in Paris Inches (Freedom Inches?).

In lieu of leaders we can trust, we must turn to liters we can count on. Do extreme conditions in our country call us to go to equally ridiculous lengths to oppose them?

The point ’Smoot.

These are but some of the wide-ranging extremes we can go to in order to snatch Uncle Sam from the jaws of extremism.

Some may shy away from these modestly-proposed solutions. That means they’re what our country most desperately needs. Finding solutions and being irrationally angry were once mutually-exclusive, but our country demands that we come up with ill-conceived, reactionary ways to counter our knee-jerk, blindly-extremist sorry state of affairs.

Jump on the radical train before it’s too late. After all, extremist views win elections and get the most screen time. Most importantly, they get a reaction out of lazy, politically-apathetic radical moderates weary of the ping-pong of extremism and too millennial or something to check their morals at the door and join in the fun like the rest of us. I really hate those guys.

Our politics are extreme, our weather is extreme, and lately, we’ve been flirting with unity enough to warrant some legitimate concern. We have no choice but to perpetuate the cycle recklessly for our own amusement.

The future is in our irresponsible hands, America.

So are you in or what?

36 Short Years: Why the Kavanaugh Accusations Still Matter KYLE J. KILKENNY Staff Writer

The allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh which have unfolded over the last week are both repulsive and intriguing. The account published by Christine Blasey Ford is jarring to say the least, but it becomes even more complicated in the context of the moment in which it happened.

According to Ford, the encounter took place in 1982, during the middle of Republican darling Ronald Reagan’s first term as president, long before the politician Donald Trump, the Clery Act and Justice Clarence Thomas were in the mainstream American lexicon. The 15-year-old Ford’s silence can best be understood through this lens — a young girl assaulted in a town defined by intimidation, power and privilege, where certainly no conversations about sexual assault and how men abuse their authority were being had. Moreover, Ford does not owe anyone an explanation or a retelling of her trauma, nor do Deborah Ramirez or any of Kavanaugh’s other accusers. They ought to have their power back.

The most curious defense that Kavanaugh’s surrogates have put forth is that he was 17 years old and intoxicated and that this incident is not indicative of his character nor his professionalism.

This argument relies on a few key premises: Ford is telling the truth, her assailant was Judge

U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE D.C. CIRCUIT VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Kavanaugh must explain his past to preserve his future.

Kavanaugh and his character in 1982 ought not to be under a microscope now. There is something to be said that the most compelling defense by the respondent’s closest allies is that the account of the complainant is, indeed, credible. These statements lead one to question whether or not it even matters that the incident occurred.

Let me put on my MAGA hat and indulge in the problematic viewpoint that Ford’s claims ought not to be considered. Kavanaugh is an accomplished man, a Yale University and Yale Law graduate, a loyal public servant and an intelligent, highly-regarded judge by the Washington elite. He also allegedly tried to sexually assault a teenager two years his junior

with another student while drunk at a party. Operating from the viewpoint that Ford’s claims do not matter, one ought to trivialize all of his accomplishments around this time. Kavanaugh’s clear academic excellence at Georgetown Prep acted as a pipeline for him to continue his elitist and problematic practices at Yale. To recognize his rise to success is also to acknowledge that his actions had consequences. The assault did not occur in a vacuum.

In order to understand Kavanaugh’s personal philosophies and achievements, one cannot disqualify that night in the summer of 1982 because he was, at the same time, among the brightest of his peers. The political spin of Washington, D.C., does not allow the GOP establishment to cherry-pick Kavanaugh’s exceptional talents and ignore his grave misdeeds. That night tells the American people everything they need to know about Brett Kavanaugh — a young, privileged man who made a choice which traumatized a young girl (she has the therapist notes to prove it) and did not pay the consequences.

Kavanaugh supporters may still assert that his vetting to become a Supreme Court Justice should not take his past, or selective parts of his past, into account.

Clearly, it wouldn’t matter to the United States Senators in the majority who so desperately want a conservative-leaning court that they will sacrifice morals and justice — the very thing we expect to be a top priority for those men

and women in the highest court in the land. What else ought we to expect from a Congress who fails to check a president who calls women “fat pigs,” has several sexual misconduct allegations of his own against him, and has yet to denounce the sexual predators he maintains in his inner circle, none more glaring than Kavanaugh’s successor, Rob Porter?

If there is one thing the Republican establishment uses to deflect their wrongdoings, it is time. The revisionist history that the Obama Administration destabilized the Middle East and North Africa ignores the fact that Kavanaugh, his cronies in the Senate and the imperialist-turned-painter-in-chief George W. Bush waged nonsensical wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with more cons than pros. The “Access Hollywood” tape did nothing but confirm what Americans already knew about Mr. Trump, but he was quickly forgiven by his Republican colleagues and the Republican National Committee due to steady poll numbers and the 24-hour news cycle, which is not conducive to protecting survivors of sexual assault.

However, it appears time may not be on Kavanaugh’s side, either. As Ford finalized negotiations to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, Deborah Ramirez, a classmate of Kavanaugh’s, accused him of sexual assault during the 1983–1984 school year. President Trump led the defense this week at the United Nations, stating that the victim should not be believed because

she was “intoxicated” and “all messed up.” Perhaps Mr. Trump should look up the definition of “consent” and realize that he, in fact, just furthered Ramirez’s claim that she was sexually assaulted by his Supreme Court nominee.

We have seen this movie and we know how it ends (quite literally; see: “Confirmation,” starring Kerry Washington, about the Anita Hill hearings). The Republican establishment will hear Kavanaugh’s side of the story and listen to his accusers if it serves their interests. Like Hill, the public, the press and the gatekeepers of power will mandate Ford to relive her trauma in front of her assailant’s closest allies and bitter rivals, not to mention in the very city in which it took place those 36 short years ago. As for Ramirez, it looks unlikely the Senate Republicans will allow her voice to be amplified with the same spectacle and attention afforded (much to their chagrin) to Ford.

As her Senate appearance approaches, voters are now believing Ford’s account of the assault, which will undoubtedly mobilize Republican efforts both to hear her out and to paint her account as a false recollection. While time has served to exile Ford from the place she once called home and to attempt to elevate Kavanaugh to the highest legal prestige in the country will now illuminate the decades of pain, shame and consequence these prep school boys-turned-kingmakers have managed to avoid.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER September 27, 2018

US Open Exposes Greater Faults GRACE GETMAN Contributing Writer

“Son of a b—.”

“You’re an abortion.”

“Don’t f— talk to me.”

Even a ball kicked at the umpire.

These are just a few examples of the things male tennis stars have said and done when they lost their cool during matches. None of them received any sort of penalty. Yet when Serena Williams used rough language during a match, her opponent was awarded a game, shifting the standing from 4-3 Naomi Osaka to 5-3 Osaka. Afterwards, Williams was fined $17,000.

No one knows if Williams would have won the Women’s Grand Slam final without the penalty; commentators agree that Osaka was playing the best match of her life. What we do know is that both Williams and Osaka had their day ruined because of umpire Carlos Ramos’ behavior, who grossly penalized Williams for “verbal abuse.”

Williams is no stranger to verbal abuse, and this is not the first time that the sport she revolutionized has rebuked her.

She has faced everything from racist taunts at the 2001 Indian Wells Masters, to the bodysuit she wore to prevent blood clots being banned at the 2019 French Open because the French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli believed it was too close-fitting.

What should have been a day of joy for Osaka has now been forever marred because a man decided that the emotional expression of a woman was so unseemly

Opinions

9

that she deserved to be punished for her infraction.

Sports players in general make mistakes and lose their temper. It happens. What shouldn’t happen is a childish, unprofessional and frankly ludicrous call during one

What should have been a day of joy for Osaka has now been forever marred because a man decided that the emotional expression of a woman was so unseemly that she deserved to be punished for her infraction.

CARLA DE MIRANDA/THE OBSERVER

of the most important games of the year. Yet the tragedy of this year’s Women’s Grand Slam final feeds into a larger conversation: How women are punished for daring to express anger while men are allowed to express themselves as fiercely as they want, and are often admired for it.

As former World No. 1 professional tennis player Billie Jean King put it, “When a woman is emotional, she’s ‘hysterical’ and she’s penalized for it. When a man does the same, he’s ‘outspoken’ and there are no repercussions.”

Society constantly policies our facial expressions and tells us to smile. Tells us to calm down and

let it go. To be peaceful and harmonious, rather than confident or “bossy.” No matter how you look at it, society tells a woman if she isn’t showing the world that she’s happy, then she needs to pull herself together and smile like she is.

Imagine telling Serena Williams, the most decorated tennis athlete on the planet, that she needs to smile more. That she needs to calm down. That she’s coming off a little too aggressive.

Meanwhile, male anger and aggression is validated, glorified and even considered normal.

Men can frown, wave their hands and say what they mean without anyone batting an eye. Smashed

rackets are simply a funny afterthought.

This leads to a double standard: men are conditioned to be unable to properly channel their strongest emotions through anything but outward displays of rage while women are punished for exhibiting anything other than happiness or sadness. This schism hurts both and uplifts neither.

Calling tennis umpire Ramos a “thief” and speaking to him as rudely as she did was uncalled for, even if it was in the heat of the moment. But even less acceptable was Ramos’ insertion of himself into the game because his ego was hurt by a woman speaking to

him like he was just an umpire.

Tennis may only be a game, but what we can and should take from this distasteful and frankly ridiculous incident is twofold.

Firstly, we should all think carefully about our gender biases before making serious calls, both on and off the court. Secondly, we must create room for women to feel more comfortable expressing anger and other “taboo” emotions.

Osaka and Williams will likely carry the scars of this incident for the rest of their careers, but as a society we have an obligation to learn from it and begin the process of healing.

We Love Our Contributors!

Want to write, edit or design for the Observer? Join us for general meetings Mondays at 5:30 in LL523

10

Arts

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

NYFW FROM PAGE 1

By PATRICIA ANGELES

WWW.fordhamobserver.com

FORDHAM LC TA

EMILY O’BRIEN GABELLI SCHOOL OF BUSINESS (GSB) ’21 Majoring in global business with a concentration in global marketing JOBS: Editor and founder of theemilylook.com.

Editor and influencer for TargetTag Marketing intern for College Fashionista Since the age of 14, O’Brien has known she was passionate about the fashion world. Her ambition led her to create a blog called theemilylook.com. For the past five years, she has juggled fashion blogging with her studies.

Emily is currently an editor for Target’s first digital magazine called TargetTag, which manages brands such as #WildFable & #OriginalUse. HOW DID YOU GET INTO NYFW? Through my College Fashionista internship, I met the venue manager of the Fashion Gallery. I reached out and asked about getting involved with NYFW. I was fortunate enough to get hired to take photos of the models, collections, and behind-the-scenes production. I helped create content for the social media accounts of numerous brands.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE SHOW? Out of all the shows, the one that stood out to me was Christian Colorado, a designer who comes from Puerto Rico. The Spring/Summer 2019 collection had bold colors such as red, white and black. Since I was in charge of content creation for the brands’ social media accounts, I had the opportunity to sit front row and photograph the show and many others.

IZZI ZALEWSKI GSB ’22 Majoring in global business with a concentration in global marketing and a minor in French.

JOB: Model for Q Agency Zalewski is a name you’re going to want to remember. This freshman goes to class during the day, then straight to castings couches at night. She has been modeling for three years and has just finished her third season walking in NYFW. HOW DID YOU GET INTO NYFW? I have been signed with Q Agency since I was in high school.

I would commute to and from New Jersey and New York for my castings, fittings, shoots and shows. This year I told my agent that I would only do shows that didn’t interfere with my school schedule. The process for a NYFW model involves initial casting and a fitting, and the night before a show, I would be alerted whether I was walking or not.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE SHOW? My favorite show to walk for was Vivienne Hu, whom I walked for last season. Also, Tessa Hilton, Paris Hilton’s sister, walked in the show, and the team gave me a last minute surprise. I was only given one look, but during the show another model couldn’t fit into a gown so the Vivienne Hu team came to me, asked me if I was interested in wearing it. I said yes and they put me in this big, heavy beaded gown. I closed the show wearing it and I will never forget that experience.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE MODELING INDUSTRY AND BALANCING SCHOOL? Since it’s my first year in college, school comes first. It’s possible to go to school and work in modeling full-time. But you can do anything you set your mind to.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE? I want to combine my business education with fashion marketing and one day maybe work at Vogue. If I continue modeling, I’d love to walk the Victoria’s Secret Show.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY? Networking. I’m not a fashion major and the industry is about who you know. It’s important to work hard, put yourself out there but also have a positive attitude. Nothing goes unnoticed in this industry. Because I had a good work ethic I was asked to come back and work the next Fashion Week.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR FIRST FASHION WEEK EXPERIENCE? It’s a cut-throat industry, but if you have the dedication and love for fashion, it’s worth it. There is a certain level of truth to “The Devil’s Wear Prada,” which is why it’s important to not take things to heart if something doesn’t work out.

VIENNA SKYE FORDHAM COLLEGE AT LINCOLN CENTER (FCLC) ‘20 Majoring in new media and digital design with a minor in fashion studies JOBS: Community leader at Depop and Yikes Vintage Intern for the Accidental Icon Skye does it all: she interns for Fordham’s very own “Accidental Icon” Professor Lyn Slater, she’s one of Depop’s top New York sellers, co-owns online thrift shop @yikesvintage with Andrew Budisak (FCLC ‘20) and she’s modeled for Teen Vogue. She’s also a Youtuber, dancer, photographer and aspiring stylist and makeup artist.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO NYFW? Over the years, I have gone to fashion events all around the city and have connected with a lot of people in the fashion industry. At the same time, I continue to produce content on YouTube and Instagram about my fashion experiences. When my following grew on social media, designers and PR companies took notice and started reaching out to me and inviting to the shows.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE SHOW? My favorite show I attended was Jonathan Simkhai. What made the show special was the live musical performance. It was unique and enhanced the presentation of the collection.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY? It’s about who you know. Whenever I go to an event I always try to meet 15 new faces. Don’t be shy and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself. Fashion is all about being who you are. Get an internship; it’s a great way to get experience working in the industry. Fashion is a big part of my life, but education is also really important to me.

It’s my foundation, it goes before anything else.

WHAT’S THE COOLEST THING ABOUT NYFW? I have made so many friends in the industry, so it’s cool to reunite with them at events and catch up on life. During Fashion Week, I also shot a social media campaign with [Slater] for Club Monaco. The concept was writing a postcard to someone who inspires you and she dedicated it to me and Emma Childs, FCLC ’20. Her postcard said: “My interns inspire me every time we collaborate and create — they make my mind EXPLODE.”

WWW.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER September 27, 2018

TAKES ON NYFW

LAREINA SUN FCLC ’21 Majoring in global business with a concentration in global marketing and minor in fashion studies JOB: PR intern for Fashion Week Online.

Sun is an international student from Qingdao, China who isn’t afraid to try new things. She has many different interests: business, philanthropy and fashion. Sun is a PR intern for the website Fashion Week Online, a resource for finding the latest fashion trends, influencers, and live streams.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO NYFW? I was on the job-finding site Indeed and saw that Fashion Week Online was looking for interns to write and photograph fashion as well as reach out to brand for shoots. I sent my resume in, they responded back and they sent me to 25 NYFW shows. It was a mind-blowing experience going to these shows and

CHLOE FELOPULOS FCLC ’21 Majoring in communications and culture with a minor in fashion studies JOBS: Writer and Stylist for setmysoulonline.com Featured style guru on Upscale Downscale blog College Fashionista contributor On a day-to-day basis, Felopulos pushes the limits of fashion and isn’t afraid to express her style. Chloe is currently a stylist and writer for a fashion blog called SOUL (founded by Isiah Magsino, Fordham College at Rose Hill, ’19). She is also a contributor with College Fashionista.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO NYFW? This is my third season attending NYFW. This year I had the opportunity to attend because of Isiah Magsino, the creative director of setmysoulonline, who hired me as his assistant. I was able to attend five shows that week.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE SHOW? My favorite show was LRS by Rail Solis because the fashion was unconventional and bold.

Some other memorable highlights include seeing

aia Gerber walk for Priscavera and going backstage at R1 where I was able to see the clothes, makeup and hair up close.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY? Look online and research events that are open to the public. There are so many shows in the city. You should also look into assistant opportunities at fashion publications. There’s no need to be intimidated, reach out and just be yourself.

WHAT’S THE COOLEST THING ABOUT NYFW? Street style photographers took pictures of my outfits. It goes to show that it doesn’t matter who you are, fashion week is a time where everyone gets inspiration from each other. Also, you never know who you will meet at these events. I ended up meeting fashion influencer Tezza and I also ran into Troye Sivan.

ELLIE GRACE KIM FCLC ’21 Majoring in communications and minoring in fashion studies and French JOB: Studio management and social media intern and assistant for Christian Cowan Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Aspiring haute couture director Kim found her love of fashion by watching the film “Dior and I.” Ellie fell in love with the artistic process of designing, seeing it as a unique method of self-expression. She currently works as a writer for setmysoulonline.com.

She also works for CFDA designer Christian Cowan as a studio management and social media intern.

Arts

11

it happened all so fast.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE SHOW? This is my first season experiencing NYFW. My favorite show was Nanushka. What made it different from other shows was the influence of Egyptian mythology.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE IN FASHION OR WANT TO GO TO NYFW? When you go to the shows take a lot of pictures. I went with my co-workers and I learned a lot talking to them about fashion.

Writing for Fashion Week can be daunting, but once you go to more shows, there is a familiar pattern and writing gets easier. It’s a fastpaced environment so you have to be passionate.

You have to be ready to take more work. Be open-minded and pay attention to details.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE SHOW? My favorite was Christian Cowan because I was lucky to watch the whole process unfold, from designing, to casting, backstage prep, to when the clothes hit the runway. It was fascinating seeing the pieces come to life. I have a newfound appreciation for the hard work that went into each piece.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY? If you want to be in fashion it’s all about connections. Go online and email different fashion companies, showrooms and RSVPing to events where you can meet people in the industry.

INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN CONDENSED AND EDITED PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMILY O’BRIEN, AISHA MALIK, YI CAI, VIENNA SKYE, VIVIENNE HU, CHLOE FELOPULOS, ELLIE GRACE KIM, ISIAH MAGSINOLAREINA SUN, MALLEY ALEXANDER PUC | VISUALIZATION BY SABRINA JEN

Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editors Courtney Brogle - cbrogle@fordham.edu Marielle Sarmiento -msarmiento3@fordham.edu September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

A Conversation with Clint Ramos

The award-winning designer discusses his career, love for Fordham and when he blacked out at the Tonys

By MORGAN STEWARD Editor-in-Chief Emerita

There was a lot happening around me as I sat in the second floor cafe of the Signature Theatre waiting for Clint Ramos. To my left, preteens in bright red T-shirts were animatedly chatting about “Be More Chill” while perusing the show merchandise as their parents ordered a special “Rich Set a FireBall” cocktail from the bar. To my right, a group, presumably of theater creatives, was having an intense meeting, scripts in one hand, highlighters or pens in the other. I situated myself right in the middle of these two groups so I could be on the lookout for Ramos, one eye on the stairs, the other on the Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre, where his latest show, “The True,” was preparing for its first preview.

Those unfamiliar with Ramos will undoubtedly be hearing his name much more frequently on campus. The Tony-winning costume designer has just joined the Fordham Theatre Program faculty as the new head of design and production. As I sit, nervously going over the questions in my head, I see Ramos round the corner, beaming and waving at me as I stand to acknowledge that I was the student he was looking for.

From the moment he and I began to talk, no one would have been able to guess that we had just met. Ramos was warm and welcoming, deeply invested in our conversation, as I could tell he was absorbing each word I said. It is this obvious outward investment in young people that makes Ramos such a valued mentor.

“I’ve always loved teaching.

Throughout my life, I’ve felt that the people that I’ve been really, completely honest with, who have been instrumental in me forming an assessment about who I [am] have been those that mentored me, have been my teachers,” he told me. “I’ve made a decision in my life that if I could teach I would.”

Ramos comes to Fordham after spending the past several years teaching at other universities — New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Georgetown and SUNY Purchase. Though this is his first teaching position at Fordham, it

ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER

Tony-winning costume designer Clint Ramos recently joined the Fordham Theatre Program as the new head of design and production.

is not his first experience with the university.

“Early on in my career, I actually designed one show at Fordham [in 2007], Brecht’s ‘Man Equals Man,’” he shared before continuing, “but I’ve also had a lot of colleagues in the theater who have gone to Fordham, who were products of the Fordham Theatre Program. I have high respect for them and I have always admired them.”

Though Ramos didn’t name any of his colleagues who were Fordham alumni, I couldn’t help but speculate which fellow Rams he could have been speaking of.

Tony-winning actor John Benjamin Hickey, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’85, whom Ramos worked with in 2017’s Tony-nominated play “Six Degrees of

Separation”? Frank DiLella, FCLC ’06, the Emmy-winning host of NY1’s “On Stage”?

The Signature’s cafe grew louder as more and more excited kids piled into the area, buzzing with excitement over “Be More Chill.”

I take this moment to take a step back from Fordham to ask Ramos about another pivotal experience in his life: winning his first Tony Award (on his first nomination, no less) for 2016’s “Eclipsed.”

“I literally blacked out,” he told me, as I started to laugh. Ramos leaned in and started to frantically explain what caused this episode as I listened in awe. For those unfamiliar with the Tony Awards, the one thing you need to know to understand Ramos’ story is this: the ceremony is long and there is no

food to be found.

Like any good son, Ramos brought his mother from the Philippines as his date for the evening.

Just as they began to call out the names of the nominees in his category, which was the first award of the evening, Ramos’ mother, a diabetic, started to have a hypoglycemic attack.

“She was like, ‘Where are those snacks that you brought?’ and so I’m digging, digging,” Ramos recalled as he mimicked frantically searching through a bag for food.

“They’re calling the category and here I am, digging, digging, digging, digging, for this thing. I hand it to her. I thought they called my name and when I looked up at my mother [she] was, like, up on her feet clapping. And I realize, ‘Oh,

my God, they called my name.’

“So I went down. I go on that stage. I look out. The first face I see is Oprah. And then I think, ‘No, no, no, you can’t look at Oprah; that’s going to be trouble.’ So I moved my sight,” he said as he moved his head from side to side. “There was, like, a celebrity everywhere.

I move my sight and Jessica Lange ... I literally just blacked out and forgot everything I was supposed to say [even though] I had this like long planned speech.

Ramos and I laughed together before he paused and took up a more serious tone. “I’m the first person of color to ever win [that award],” he shared.

To read the full story, visit www.fordhamobserver.com

New York Public Library Introduces New Culture Pass It not only lets you read about history and culture, but lets you see it for yourself.

By GILLIAN RUSSO Staff Writer

Do you love museums but have a tight budget? The New York Public Library (NYPL) recently introduced its new Culture Pass service, which allows NYPL cardholders to reserve free passes to various local museums and cultural sites.

Contrary to what the name might suggest, the Culture Pass is not a pass or card in the same sense as a library card is. You do not apply for it once and then present it at any participating location. Its use takes planning; the service requires you to reserve passes for each individual visit.

You may be able to reserve sameday admission to a smaller museum, but larger, well-known museums might require a reservation a few months in advance. You can have up to two pending reservations at once.

To make a reservation, visit the Culture Pass website and enter your library card number and PIN. A list of all participating lo-

CELIA PATTERSON/THE OBSERVER

You can get your own Culture Pass at the New York Public Library.

cations will appear. If you want to visit a specific place, you can find it on the list and see what its soonest available dates are. If you have a specific day free and are flexible regarding where to go, you can click the calendar icon, choose your day and the list will be narrowed down to which museums have available passes.

The availability of passes varies by museum. If the museum you want to visit is out of passes altogether, you’ll have to wait until the next month for new ones to be released. One pass will admit two to four people and can be printed out or presented on your phone.

Each cardholder can make one

reservation per specific museum per year, though there are a few exceptions; the Fraunces Tavern Museum allows one reservation per month, and the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian allows unlimited reservations since admission is already free.

The Museum of Arts and Design here at Columbus Circle is among the participating locations, as is the American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West and West 79th Street, just a 20-block walk or seven-minute subway ride from campus. You could take a scenic stroll across the park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frick Collection or the Guggenheim. Those interested in cultural sites can use the pass to visit the Museum of Jew-

ish Heritage or the Museum of Chinese in America and explore SoHo or the Battery, respectively, while at it. These are only a small portion of the 40 available attractions, which together give the curious soul plenty of opportunities to discover a wide breadth of history, art and culture based in the city.

The service is also available to cardholders at the Queens Library and Brooklyn Public Library.

Those without a library card can easily obtain one (also for free) via the library’s websites.

There’s no better time than now to get a card as it not only lets you read about history and culture, but lets you see it for yourself. Although it takes a little work, the Culture Pass can be an opportunity to discover a new place or history you would not have otherwise thought to explore. Discovering even some of what these sites have to offer could normally be expensive. Now you won’t have to worry if the hit to your wallet is worth the experience.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER September 27, 2018

Arts

13

Fall in Love with Fall TV and Film followers and enslaving the Muggle world. The film’s producers proved with the first one that it doesn’t matter if it is any good, they will keep making more, so you definitely do not have to rush to the theaters to see it.

By ETHAN COUGHLIN Contributing Writer

This fall has shows and movies for film buffs, superhero fanatics, nostalgia chasers and reality TV fans alike. There are some to watch with your friends, your family and your grandmother; and some you definitely do not want to watch with your grandmother. Even so, the variety of options makes this fall particularly exciting for film enthusiasts.

“MANIAC” PREMIERE DATE: SEPT. 21 Annie Lansberg and Owen Milgrim (played by Emma Stone and Jonah Hill, respectively) sign up for a pharmaceutical trial for a drug that promises to end all their problems with zero side effects. However, not everything goes according to plan. Stone and Hill have proved they have incredible comedic chemistry, and the last time they teamed up we got “Superbad,” so fingers crossed that period-blood girl makes an appearance.

“NIGHT SCHOOL” RELEASE DATE: SEPT. 27 A group of misfits (including comedians Kevin Hart, Rob Riggle and Mary Lynn Rajskub) return to high school to earn their GEDs with an unorthodox teacher, played by Tiffany Haddish. The cast also features Ben Schwartz, of “Parks and Recreation” fame, and “Saturday Night Live” alumnus, Taran Killam. Remember “Ride Along,” or “Get Hard”? Me neither. A hundred dollars says that this will just be another Kevin Hart comedy that is neither funny nor quotable enough to be remembered. A hundred more dollars says that 9 jokes out of 10 will be about Hart’s height.

“BEAUTIFUL BOY” RELEASE DATE: OCT. 12 Timothee Chalamet stars as Nic, the son of David (Steve Carell), who is struggling with addiction and his challenging relationship with his father.

Based off the memoirs of the real life David and Nic Sheff, the film has been praised for Carell and Chalamet’s authentic portrayal of a modern family dynamic. Following the success of “Lady Bird” and “Call Me by Your Name,” college students across the country are ready to take a bullet for Chalamet, so you will not want to miss his next Tumblr-viral performance.

“FIRST MAN” RELEASE DATE: OCT. 12 Academy Award-winning di-

ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER

Gather your friends and watch the newest films and television series this fall.

rector Damien Chazelle (“La La Land,” “Whiplash”) teams up again with Ryan Gosling for this Neil Armstrong biopic. Claire Foy, from the Netflix original series “The Crown,” plays the heart of the film, Neil’s wife Janet Armstrong. Justin Hurwitz returns to compose following his Oscar wins for Best Original Song and Score from “La La Land.” Make sure to use the bathroom before the final 10 minutes because, if we have learned anything from Chazelle’s last two films, you do not want to miss the ending.

“MID90S” RELEASE DATE: OCT.19 Jonah Hill makes his directing debut with “Mid90s,” which follows 13-year-old Stevie, (played by relative newcomer Sunny Suljic) who spends his summer skateboarding with his delinquent friends and dealing with his troubled home life. “Mid90s” is sure to be nostalgic for anyone who grew up in – you guessed

it – the 90s. Local film production company A24 (“Moonlight,” “Lady Bird,” “Hereditary”) can do no wrong, so I would expect a lot.

“VENOM” RELEASE DATE: OCT. 25 The infamous Spider-Man villain Venom finally gets a solo film. Tom Hardy plays Eddie Brock aka Venom alongside Academy Award-nominated actress, Michelle Williams. Brock, an investigative journalist, gets a little too involved with a story and ends up symbiotically bound to the alien Venom, granting him superpowers. It is important to remember that this film is not in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so you will not find out where everyone who disintegrated went.

Sorry.

“THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS” RELEASE DATE: NOV. 2 A cinematic adaptation of the

original “Nutcracker” ballet, “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” features a star-studded cast including Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and Keira Knightley.

More than likely, this impressive cast will not be able to prevent the film from being another corporate CGI fest that lacks any sort of real depth or plot. However, it will probably get nominated for Best Costume Design at the Academy Awards because Disney runs Hollywood.

“DANCING WITH THE STARS: JUNIORS” PREMIERE DATE: OCT. 7 This spin-off of the celebrity dancing competition “Dancing With the Stars,” features the children of celebrities essentially competing to win back relevance for their washed out parent’s long forgotten careers. “Dancing With the Stars” has always been about reclaiming lost legacy, but the method employed here is both sketchy and somewhat unethical.

Fans of the original should make sure to check it out because not a single other soul alive will waste their time with it.

“THE ROMANOFFS” PREMIERE DATE: OCT. 12

“FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD” RELEASE DATE: NOV. 16 Return to the magical world of Harry Potter in the second installment of the Fantastic Beasts series, loosely based off the original story by J.K. Rowling. A young Albus Dumbledore and Newt Scamander (played by Jude Law and Eddie Redmayne, respectively) must stop Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) from amassing

“The Romanoffs” is an anthology series about eight separate people who believe they are descendants of the Russian royal family. The talented cast includes John Slattery (“Spotlight”), Diane Lane (“Unfaithful”) and Isabelle Huppert (“Elle”). Showrunner Mark Weiner also created “Mad Men” and wrote for “The Sopranos,” so this show should be just as bingeable as his past work.

Feminist Fall Theater

By GRACE TYSON Contributing Writer

Autocratic authority, activism, abuse, apartheid — these are just a few of the many issues addressed in the Theatre Program’s upcoming mainstage and studio shows. From a feminist retelling of an iconic Greek tragedy to a Fordham student playwright’s breakdown of generational changes in public activism, this season has a little bit to say about everything.

Reflective and astute as ever, each play in this year’s program seeks to answer various forms of the question, “what happens when …?” and ultimately leave audiences asking the question: “What happens when we elect a racist, sexist authoritarian steeped in corruption?”

The first of these productions is Amiri Baraka’s “Dutchman,” directed by theater student Emma Hasselbach, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’19, which runs Sept. 27–29 at the White Box Studio Theatre. “Dutchman” answers the question of what happens when a well-educated, well-mannered black man is approached and harassed by a manipulative and ostentatious white woman. A shrewd political allegory, Baraka’s play is not to be missed by those interested in

dialogues about American race relations and gender politics.

This year’s first mainstage production, “Antigonick,” takes on a very different tale. Poet Anne Carson “translates” Sophocles’s classic “Antigone” into something all the more strange and powerful. After Antigone’s brother Polyneikes is killed fighting on the losing side of Thebes’ civil war, she plots to have him buried and honored despite King Kreon’s decree that he be forgotten and shamed.

Examining what happens when women defy men in power, with allusions to contemporary commentary and productions as well as historical female icons such as Virginia Woolf and Judy Garland, “Antigonick” is a mustsee. These performances, led by director Rebecca Martinez, will run Oct. 4–6 and 10–12 at the Pope Auditorium.

Closing out next month’s shows are two student-written plays: “March On!” and “Conversations with Stars.” Both follow this year’s mainstage trend of highlighting female playwrights; “March On!”, written by Alexis Chapin, FCLC ’21, and directed

by Mia Rovegno, explores the journey of three teenage girls as they battle both typical high school struggles and growing up in Trump’s America. The girls

[These shows] ultimately leave audiences asking the question:“What happens when we elect a racist, sexist authoritarian steeped in corruption?” navigate activism and the difficulties that can come with standing up for a cause as they plan to attend the Women’s March and learn about one of their mothers’ similar experiences with the peace movements of the 1960s.

“Conversations with Stars,” with script and lyrics by Jennifer Ogasian, FCLC ’21 and music by Jordan Goldberg, FCLC ’20, tells the story of a headstrong woman named Veronica and how she grows and adapts despite a life of abuse and hardship, and what she can learn from and teach her granddaughter, Sammi.

Both “March On!” and “Conversations with Stars” play Oct. 1–3 at the Veronica Lally Kehoe Theatre.

COURTESY OF THE FORDHAM THEATRE DEPARTMENT

“Antigonick,” the first of the fall shows, runs from Oct. 4 –6 and 10–12.

14

Arts

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Six Ways to Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

By AMANDA URENA Contributing Writer

Sept. 15 marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration of the diverse Latin American cultures across the United States. Between then and Oct. 15, seven different Latin American countries celebrate their independence days. Across the nation, Latino and non-Latino people alike celebrate all the beautiful aspects of Hispanic culture and the ways in which they have enriched the United States. In a city as diverse as New York, it is no surprise that there are various ways you can join in on the celebration. Here are a few to look out for.

5. LA SIRENA MEXICAN FOLK ART

1. EL BARRIO El Barrio, also known as Spanish Harlem, is the section of Harlem spanning from East 96th Street to East 142nd Street east of 5th Avenue. Following World War I, an influx of Latin American — specifically Puerto Rican — immigrants filled this section of Manhattan with a vibrant, lively culture. While the area is more diverse today, you can still walk down any street and see how prominent Latin American culture is the neighborhood. You’ll find the streets flooded with the sounds of Hispanic rhythms, the scent of alcapurrias — Puerto Rican fritters — and the sights of various shops, restaurants and cultural landmarks. Stop by the Julia de Burgos Performance and Arts Center for one of their special events, like a film screening, exhibit or musical performance.

Don’t forget to drop into La Marqueta (The Market) between 111th Street and 116th Street, where you’ll find delicious food as well as live music and fun little shops.

Want to decorate your dorm room with some Latin American art to celebrate? There’s no better place to stop than La Sirena Mexican Folk Art in the East Village. It is a beautiful little shop teeming with authentic Mexican art and knick-knacks. Find something memorable to keep with you as a piece of Hispanic heritage and support a small local business at the same time.

2 6

3

1

6. CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME (OR YOUR CAMPUS)

4

2. EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO While you’re uptown, you won’t want to miss out on the amazing Museo del Barrio, on 5th Avenue between 104th and 105th Street. It is home to thousands of pieces of Latin American art, including paintings, photos and film. The place is rich in history and culture, immersing you into the world of Hispanic existence.

In addition to its permanent collection, the museum often offers bilingual screenings of contemporary Latin American films, educational lectures and artistic performances. Admission is $5 for students, but that ticket also gets you into the Museum of the City of New York across the street.

5 3. 54TH ANNUAL HISPANIC DAY PARADE If you’re in the mood for a more lively experience, something specifically dedicated to National Hispanic Heritage Month, make sure to go to the 54th Annual Hispanic Day Parade on Oct. 7. Delight in the sight of dancers, mariachis and other performers celebrating their heritage. Catch the parade marching up 5th Avenue from 44th to 66th Street. Go to DSNY Hispanic Society website for information on how to participate in the parade.

Join the Huddle.

4. JACKSON HEIGHTS Jackson Heights is home to a diverse range of cultures. It is unofficially known as Little Colombia by many locals because of the extensive amount of Colombian restaurants, shops and the pastries they sell — all of which make the trek to Brooklyn well worth it. While you’re there, stop by Taqueria Coatzingo for affordable and authentic Mexican food (I should also inform you of its dubious health score, but ignorance is bliss and Mexican food is delicious).

How, you might ask? One way is with a film that captures the Latin American experience.

Check out the HBO Original Film “Real Women Have Curves” (which you can access for free with your Fordham account) or a fantastical Spanish-language film like “Pan’s Labyrinth” or “Volver.”

If movies aren’t your thing, you might enjoy some Hispanic literature, whether it be a full-length novel — which, by the way, you should purchase at Cafe con Libros, an awesome feminist, Afro-Latina owned bookstore in Crown Heights, Brooklyn — or poetry by greats like Pablo Neruda or Julia de Burgos. Additionally, don’t hesitate to drop in on a Student Organization of Latinos meeting right here at Fordham and learn about Latino culture from your peers while also forming new friendships and enjoying the company. Check out their Instagram for information about meetings and events.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SABRINA JEN/THE OBSERVER

The Observer is looking for Sports & Health Writers.

email: losborn1@fordham.edu & iduprey@fordham.edu

ZOEY LIU/THE OBSERVER

Fun & Games

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

Crossword 44. Couple 46. “When in Rome, the Romans do” 47. To whittle away 50. Missing 52. Flammable material 55. Internet acronym imploring a reader to make contact 56. Nuptial words 57. British and French lawmak- ing bodies 64. Volcanic discharge 66. Midday 67. Ram noise 68. Every now and ____ 69. Gucci 70. Alpaca cousin 71. Legendary speaker of 6 Across 72. Border 73. Smell-maker, in organic chemistry

ACROSS 1. Cook-from-frozen burger namesake 6. “Never tell me the !”

10. Ford or Toyota 14. Lengths times widths 15. Rap accompaniment 16. Broken faucet noise 17. Brings (in) 18. Award for excellence in tele- vision 19. Border 20. Beneficiaries of govern-

ment aid mitigating the im- pact of Trump’s trade feuds, exhaustively

EDITED BY DAN NASTA

23. Granny 24. Maiden name preceder 25. Stands for art 27. Survivor of Humbert Hum bert’s affections 31. WWE diva Banks 33. Greek god of desire 34. Moist 36. Rental 40. Adriatic and Dead are two 41. Prefix with gender 42. Ready and 43. Soy-constituted meat substi - tute

DOWN 1. Hurl 2. Yellow fertilizer 3. Lager 4. Chapstick, for one 5. Agree 6. Overweight 7. Trial 8. 2017 Kendrick Lamar album 9. Genres 10. Commercials 11. Bladder fluid containing 2 Down 12. Jay-Z streaming service

13. Unlatches 21. Text message status when ghosted 22. Track on 8 Down that calls out Gerardo Rivera by name 26. Dishes served at a bar 27. “____ we forget.”

28. Sandwich cookie 29. Laze around 30. Gave, as with a ticket 31. Strike down, as God 32. Lofted church ceiling 35. LSD 37. Double reeded instrument 38. Namesake owner of LC’s favorite deli 39. Hornet home 45. Popular first word 48. Gov. official, in the House 49. A fruit and a color 51. Move clumsily around 52. Shifts, like the scales 53. Potato state 54. New and inventive 55. Door to frame fixture 58. Path 59. Sad, as a face 60. Those which are taken by the victim of a roast 61. Tidy 62. Docile 63. The Sun, for example 65. Year, in Guatemala

Word Scramble Question: In what publication did each of these schools surpass Fordham University’s rank this academic year?

EGOERG SHOWINGANT YITUVNIRES

RIVITUSYEN FO CCCTTNNOIEU / NONUC

/ XSAET M&A STIVYUNIER

EVIYNUITSR OF LAARYMND -- EGOLECL KPRA

-HAIMRBG OGUNY VISTYEUNRI -- VOOPR

SOMECLN VINERSYUIT

&

-RESTIVIUNY FO HOGNISHWTA

ANSWER

LKCAR VEINYSITUR

EDITED BY JORDAN MELTZER

Features

Features Editor Jeffrey Umbrell - jumbrell@fordham.edu Lindsay Jorgensen - ljorgensen@fordham.edu

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

Dancers Call NYC to Reflect on 9/11 The art of expression is certainly not lacking in New York, but one thing that makes the project so unique is that it captures so many different forms of art in one performance. Featuring dancers from numerous dance studios, conch players, flute players and vocalists, the project exhibits the arts at its finest. It is important for individuals to express themselves in times of fear and pain, and many people believe dance is one way to do so. “When we give ourselves over completely to the spirit of the dance, it becomes a prayer,” Gabrielle Roth, the late American dancer and musician, said. Artists oftentimes use their compositions to express their thoughts and feelings that cannot be put into words. This is what makes the craft so compelling.

King’s favorite part of the performance was the simple gestures that the dancers make repeatedly throughout the duration. Dancers shook their hands close to their head, held their arms up, dropped their heads down, contorted their bodies and hit their hands together. Though the movements of each

dancer varied, they represented the unity of all people in that everyone moved to the same rhythm and everyone, in this point of the dance, moves in the same direction. Some of the movements also symbolized the twisted bodies found during 9/11 and the panicked hearts of numerous individuals from the trauma. A Tibetan singing bowl helps to cultivate the soothing energy needed to combat all of the pain released in the performance.

Jacqulyn Buglisi, director and choreographer of the Table of Silence Project, is also on faculty at the Ailey School. She encouraged Ailey Professional Division students to get involved with the project throughout her years with Fordham. Though people from the public have to audition for the performance, Ailey Professional Division students are accepted to participate without auditioning.

Around 20 Ailey students out of the total 167 dancers participated this year, though King hopes more will take advantage of the opportunity in the future.

“Once you participate in an event

like this, you put something within yourself that you can never put back,” she said. “I want to communicate this feeling with audiences worldwide because the impact of art is crucial to shaping the world around us. It takes one spark to ignite the wild flames of a fire.”

Buglisi’s dancers look up to her not only for her dedication to dance, but also for her dedication in promoting well-being and love for all people. “Buglisi is not just a teacher but a person,” King said.

This performance is a way to honor her and all that she does.

There are so many compelling ways within art to tell stories.

Through dance, dancers in the Table of Silence Project model the traumatic impact of Sept. 11 on various individuals.

From their story, the dancers convey the fact that no one in these circumstances ought to suffer alone. We all struggle in these times of despair, but with the power of movement, meditation and prayer, we will come together, and we will rise.

This performance is a way to honor her and all that she does.

es

e s a p r ay er. ”

lv

w e g i ve o n e h ur W se “

ov e

pirit

of t h e d a

ti b

m o c e

r completel y t o

Ca s rol on M. m m Hig hsmit a Co h Via Wikimedi

es

nc e

,

Pedestrians from all over New York City gathered around the Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center on Sept. 11, quietly awaiting the annual Table of Silence performance. Then suddenly, the musicians played a mournful tune through conch shells. 167 dancers, draped beautifully in white cloth, hurried to the center of the plaza and hit a grief-stricken pose.

Once all of the dancers were visible to the audience, they continued moving about with the music.

Each one moved freely about the plaza to their own rhythms, each telling their own story. The audience felt the pain that the dancers expressed. They felt the sadness and fear surrounding the attacks that took place 17 years ago.

There was a pause in the chaos as the dancers created a unified circle, evoking a sense of peace that reverberated through the audience.

The Table of Silence Project is a meditative form of prayer presented by dedicated musicians

and dancers. The project began in September 2011 with the ultimate goal of promoting universal peace for all those affected by the tragic day in history. The movement serves as a reminder to all that even in these most painful moments, we have the ability to come together as a community and to help lift each other up, whether that means sitting together in silence, or expressing ourselves through art and movement.

Everyone was affected differently by 9/11 and has different ways of combating their emotions about the event. Meagan King, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’20 and Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. student, decided to participate in this year’s performance as a way to remember her uncle, who was the captain of an NYC police force and first responder during 9/11 and the days thereafter. King lost her uncle 10 years later due to lung cancer, which was a direct result of the toxins he was exposed to from the fallout of the towers.

The performance, she said, was a peaceful outlet for her to pay respects to her beloved uncle.

th

By KRISTEN SKINNER Contributing Writer

ELIZABETH KANG/THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER September 27, 2018

Features

17

Lipani Gallery Chronicles the Paths of Fordham Alumni

ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER

The “100 Photography Alumni” exhibit allows prior Fordham students to showcase their work post-graduation.

By EMMA SEIWELL Contributing Writer

Currently showcased in the Lipani Gallery at Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) is photography Artist-in-Residence Stephan Apicella-Hitchcock’s exhibition “100 Photography Alumni.” Apicella-Hitchcocthek has taught photography at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) for 21 years and has seen a lot of talented students come through the darkroom. This exhibit facilitated an opportunity for these students to showcase their work post-graduation. Some of the contributors graduated last year, others 20 years ago. Alumni submitted a diverse collection of images ranging from urban candids to pic-

turesque landscapes, making for interesting juxtapositions once placed next to one another.

The abstract arrangement of photos was accomplished quite simply. The postcard-sized images were randomly shuffled and placed on the walls. The outcome was a combined vision of life as seen through the eyes of these 100 talented individuals.

Spanning two decades, multiple countries, various formats and numerous subjects, the hundreds of photos tacked onto the white walls of Lipani Gallery maintain a curious sense of unity.

The famous French street photographer, Henri Cartier-Bresson, once said: “A photograph is neither taken or seized by force.

It offers itself up. It is the photo that takes you. One must not take photos.” By looking at each photo in this exhibition, one can

“A photograph is neither taken or seized by force. It offers itself up. It is the photo that takes you. One must not take photos.”

grasp which things in life “take” these photographers. They do not attempt to control the things around them for their benefit. In-

stead, they surrender to the mayhem of the world and, even further, embrace it.

There is something bound to catch every viewer’s eye. Carrie Mahoney’s nostalgic black-andwhite portrait of a young girl with tiger face paint pouting on a swing might incline one to reminisce about childhood. Charlotte Canner’s, FCLC ’09, snapshot of a fallen wooden structure with the words “Buried Alive” painted above its deteriorating doorway leaves one to ponder what these words are referring to or how they got there.

Some images simply please the eyes, such as Aubrey Stallard’s, FCLC ’09, photo of figures dancing. The contrasting colors and

patterns in her photograph make for a very engaging composition.

Each image in this exhibition is an open-ended, wordless story that leaves any sensitive viewer in a state of wonderment.

Viewers get the chance to take in fleeting moments and disregarded places that would be lost among the mundaneness of everyday life had it not been for their documentation. The exhibition will be on display until the end of October with a public reception on Oct. 17 from 6–8 p.m. “100 Photography Alumni” encourages its viewers to contemplate ordinary phenomena in a more confrontational context. One might realize these occurrences are not so ordinary after all.

A morning that came before last night’s caffeine had worn off

BY EVAN VOLLBRECHT

I closed my eyes, and it seemed as if an eternity passed, stories and worlds passing like a fever dream in my semisubconscious, but when I again opened them all those years later only a few minutes had transpired. My body felt wonderfully fit yet terribly wrong; I trembled at the touch of the still, silent morning. I fled from it, that shaky realness that would accompany my rising. Instead I again shut my eyes and turned my thoughts to that which lay ahead of me, the challenges of this new day’s particularly busy schedule, but found myself unable to comprehend its portent and immediacy, as the buzz my body had felt relocated to the inside of my head. I lived in this time as a mayfly, eras of my life unfolding as minutes on a Wednesday morning.

The crashing noise and sound of the classrooms, lurking behind a twist of time no more than an hour hence, might very well have been my deathbed for all that I would experience in but a few minutes here, lying in my bed, feeling the silent dawn burn a slow line up the side of my face.

It hardly seemed possible, for all that would transpire that day to have fit within its confines without overflowing into the others, so perhaps this was why the hourglasses trickled far past the span their name suggested. Or perhaps it was a week going under a false name, a week whose favored protagonist changed as their day expired and another began. The lifetimes that passed couldn’t all be mine; they must have belonged to anyone desiring to take my shivering self for a spin, and see what was possible, as they wove together such different lives into a tiny tapestry, with clever twists of fabric I could not understand disguising the sudden gulf of change in what I considered my daily experience.

Lights flicked on. My alarm shook and rang and my body resonated in response, as my veins ran like live wires and jerked my body into sudden and jarring motion. Blood thundered in my temples and squeezed my vision until I could see only the immediate, and the vastness of time shrank away to nothing. The ripcord my movement tugged in turn pulled my mind puttering into action, alerting me of my impending duties assiduously, if not as loudly as my stomach soon did. To my mayfly life it would be, then; even eternities have beginnings and ends.

BY JACKIE CHIN

This creative interruption is brought to you by ...

18

Features

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Trader Joe’s vs. Whole Foods: The Great Debate

By LENA WEIDENBRUCH Contributing Writer

Chances are, if you are a residential student at Fordham Lincoln Center, you buy your groceries from one of two places: Trader Joe’s on Broadway between 71st and 72nd Street, or Whole Foods at Columbus Circle.

Of course we all make the (let’s face it, more than) occasional Alan’s Marketplace run, but for students who buy groceries on a weekly basis, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods tend to be the best options.

These two stores have the greatest variety of products out of all of the nearby grocery stores, making them more affordable than small money pits like Morton Williams. Some students prefer one store over the other, whether it be what Claire Mondry, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’20, calls the “convenience factor” of Whole Foods or the affordability of Trader Joe’s. But what I have found recently is there might be a happy medium.

I used to solely shop at Whole Foods. First of all, it’s closer than Trader Joe’s and it is familiar to me. Whole Foods is definitely one of my happy places, but it’s just not economical to only shop there. I have been going to Trader Joe’s for the past few weeks, and it has definitely helped slim down my weekly grocery bill.

Here is what I have learned from shopping at both.

Let Trader Joe’s be your goto for basics. One of the great

things about Trader Joe’s is almost everything there is Trader Joe’s brand. There is still variety in the products, but it is much easier to just spot what you want, grab it and go. This makes it a lot easier than Whole Foods, where with every product sold, there are multiple brands to pick from. Trader Joe’s strengths definitely lie in the dry and frozen foods sections.

The reason I like Trader Joe’s for dry foods or pantry items is mostly because they are cheaper than their Whole Foods counterparts. Some of the essentials I typically pick up include pasta, pasta sauce, oatmeal, nut butter, nut milk, spices, K-Cups and nuts. Then I head over to the freezer section.

Whenever I go to Trader Joe’s, I always stock up on frozen fruits and vegetables. Besides that, you can pretty much find any type of cuisine imaginable in the frozen section. One of my personal favorites as of late has been the frozen cauliflower gnocchi. It tastes amazing with their organic tomato basil marinara sauce or with the vegan kale, cashew and basil pesto.

Whole Foods should be your spot for produce and specialty items. Trader Joe’s can have a good variety of in-season produce, but it is always a hit-ormiss. I know I can always count on Whole Foods to have fresh produce all year long. I’ve started to do the bulk of my shopping at Trader Joe’s and then head to Whole Foods for anything I

missed. Usually this would include bananas, a few various fruits to snack on throughout the week, greens and then anything specific I need like vegetables for a recipe, coconut water or the occasional Annie’s macaroni and cheese. The last thing I can’t help but grab when I go to Whole Foods is a smoothie from the juice bar or some sushi or a sandwich for dinner.

The hot bar at Whole Foods is definitely one of FCLC students’ favorite features. Kevin Mikuls, FCLC ’20, proclaimed the store is, “half a restaurant!” Emalyn Smith, FCLC ’20, said “Trader Joe’s just doesn’t have a hot bar.” Matthew Jordan, FCLC ’20, added, “I think the world would come to an end if Trader Joe’s had a hot bar.” The hot bar can be one of the reasons why Whole Foods gets so pricey. It is hard to pass up the smell of fresh pizza or walk by the cookie cart and tell yourself you don’t need a black and white cookie.

From talking to my peers and

based off of my own experience, it is pretty clear Trader Joe’s is the favorite when it comes to affordable groceries, but it is hard to get past the location and accessibility of Whole Foods.

Don’t count either store out, just choose your options wisely. If you’re willing to pay the price and need a quick fix or are looking for something specific, Whole Foods is the spot for you, but for your average weekly shopping, Trader Joe’s is where it’s at.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY ESMÉ BLEECKER-ADAMS/THE OBSERVER

Sports & Health

Sports & Health Editor Luke Osborn - losborn1@fordham.edu

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

The Opioid Epidemic: Facts and Remedies

By AIZA BHUIYAN Staff Writer

Opiate addictions date back to antiquity when the ancient Egyptians, Persians and Chinese used poppy plant extract as mood relaxers. In the mid-19th century, Great Britain orchestrated an opium addiction epidemic in China. The lucrative trade strategy involved the British introducing Indian opium to China. Shortly after, a large percentage of the Chinese population became addicted. This allowed the British to trade Indian opium for tea, porcelain and silks, while keeping their silver reserves intact.

Opiates were exploited and weaponized to work against nations because of their addictive qualities. Today, these attributes of opium are detrimentally impacting our loved ones and peers.

Opioids are opiate derivatives that are synthetically manufactured to act as pain relievers.

Unfortunately, because of their inherently addictive nature and lethal consequences, millions of American lives have been lost to the substance. According to reports from U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 115 individuals die every day because of opioid overdoses.

Annually, 11.5 million people misuse prescription opioids and just under 1 million people use heroin.

40 percent of the 42,000 deaths from opioid overdose were due to commonly prescribed sedatives.

The opioid crisis also put a $504 billion dent in the U.S. economy owing to costs associated with treatment.

Opioids gained popularity towards the end of the 19th century in the U.S. when pharmaceutical companies endorsed the drug with falsified reports suggesting that these pain relievers were not addictive. Following these claims,

doctors increasingly prescribed opioids to mitigate discomfort.

Not long after the mass distribution of the drugs was it realized how addictive opioids actually are. Individuals were seen misusing and abusing prescription variants of the drug including heroin, vicodin, oxycodone, methadone, fentanyl and morphine. The addictive qualities of opioids make ordinary people susceptible to abuse and overdose. Some even turn to heroin if they do not have access to prescription drugs.

To understand why opioids are so addictive, it is important to know how they work. We all have endogenous opioids in our body that attach to receptors in our brain when we encounter pain.

These naturally occurring opioids cannot be produced in high numbers so doctors prescribe synthetic opioids to alleviate chronic pain. After attaching to receptors in the brain, synthetic opioids signal the brain to flood the circuit with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that produces euphoric effects.

This reaction allows the brain to assuage any distressing feelings by enforcing a calming effect.

The physiology of our brain ensures we repeat behaviors that reward us. When one is using opioids, they are being rewarded with the overstimulation of their system due to increased levels of dopamine. Without their knowledge or understanding, individuals will repeat these drug-seeking behaviors which they think will reproduce rewarding results, leading to the unintentional misuse and abuse of drugs.

According to Patrice Malone M.D., of Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, college students have increased their use of opiates in the past 20 years which subsequently led to many accidental overdoses.

Opioid consumption by college students increased by 343 percent from 1993 to 2005. Research also indicates that students who consume prescription opioids without medical supervision tend to exhibit other “risky behaviors,” which increases their likelihood of overdose. In 2007, 14.6 percent of U.S. college students have used prescription drugs nonmedically. When used in conjunction with other drugs, the likelihood of overdose is far more prevalent.

Although the prescription rate for opioids has fallen since its peak in 2010, college students annually fall victim to opioid abuse.

In 2017, President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic a national crisis prompting the HHS to assess the severity of the epidemic and to create a plan to combat the public health emergency.

Many national public health leaders came forward with ideas and strategies about how to deal with the opioid crisis. Anne Constantino, CEO of Horizon Health Services, proposed implementing a massive educational campaign to make the information about the risks of addiction more accessible to vulnerable communities. Richard Blondell, M.D., of the National Center for Physician Training in Addiction Medicine, suggested making it a part of the education system and bring awareness to addiction at younger ages. Blondell also recommended that Congress enact legislation that mandates doctors to learn about addiction before they are given a Drug Enforcement Administration license to prescribe addictive drugs.

Osmond Quiah, M.D., chief of the Medically Managed Detoxification Unit at Woodhull Medical Center and affiliate of NYU Langone Medical Center, emphasized that doctors are aware of the vari-

JOSH BOYD VIA FLICKR

In 2007, 14.6 percent of U.S. college students have used prescription drugs nonmedically.

ous medications that are addictive and they understand how doses have to be controlled and monitored. Nonetheless, he urged the importance of continued training from the moment physicians complete their residency to the time they choose to retire. Kevin Kunz M.D., executive vice president of the Addiction Medicine Foundation, said that although the majority of medical schools do offer education about opioids, only eight percent teach about the topic of addiction. There are also very few mandatory workshops pertaining to addiction for medical doctors.

Nevertheless, physicians are making efforts to curtail the prevalence of opioids by using other narcotics such as Suboxone and

Methadone to curb addiction as well as supplementing non-narcotic intervention plans to create additional treatment options.

The efficacy of opioids as pain relievers is undeniable. Though they have addictive qualities, opioids fulfill the purpose they were created for. It is injudicious to impose a ban on them, but it is important to limit them. “When there is genuine pain, no one should suffer. Especially patients who are terminally ill, have suffered from a severe accident, have war trauma or are under post-operative care,” Quiah said, adding that “treatment is essential for our patients, but addiction prevention is a key component to effectively resolve this crisis.”

Conn-quered: Rams Lose Fourth Straight Against CCSU

By JEFFREY UMBRELL Features Editor

“Timmy played tough,” Rams football coach Joe Conlin said of freshman quarterback Tim DeMorat following Saturday’s frustrating 13-24 homecoming loss to Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). “When he’s on his reads, Timmy throws a great ball.”

Unfortunately, the Connecticut defense kept DeMorat out of rhythm for most of the afternoon, and the Rams dropped to 0-4 on the season.

Conlin made the decision to start DeMorat under center this week after senior Luke Medlock threw just one touchdown to six interceptions over the last three games. DeMorat showed promise in his first career start, including an impressive ability to extend plays with his legs, but he ultimately fell short in leading the Rams to their first win of the season.

“Luke [Medlock] was put in some really tough positions,” Conlin said and stressed that the team’s slow start was not the fault of any one player. Still, he decided that against Connecticut, DeMorat gave Fordham the best chance to win.

DeMorat finished the afternoon 17-27 (63 percent) for a modest 184 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The interception, though, a

Homecoming Final Score Fordham: 13 CCSU: 24

ZOEY LIU/THE OBSERVER

Rams Jalen Ollie (center left) and Austin Longi (center right) gave their all against CCSU.

costly pick-six midway through the third quarter, quickly ended any momentum the Rams had built coming out of halftime. On the previous drive, DeMorat was effective both on the ground and through the air, and a 25-yard touchdown run by sophomore Zach Davis put Fordham down by just four points, 13-17.

It seems that, as a passer, DeMorat is already starting to develop a chemistry with receiver Austin Longi and tight end Isaiah Searight. The two targets combined for 119 yards, eight receptions and one touchdown.

Building rapport with his teammates will be crucial for DeMorat

if he is to continue to develop as a quarterback.

Late in the third quarter and throughout the fourth, the Rams had countless opportunities to take the lead, but drive after drive, they failed to move the ball with any kind of confidence or efficiency.

“There’s going to be a lot of plays as a team, as a coaching staff, you wish you could have back,” Conlin said. “The kids fought until the very end.”

Particularly, the Fordham defense rebounded against a Connecticut offense that looked crisp early on. The Rams didn’t allow any defensive points, forcing six

straight punts, in the second half.

They only recorded one sack, but held Connecticut to an impressive 3-of-14 on third down. The defense’s aggression, especially against the run, revealed a unit that has made massive strides since giving up 52 points to Richmond two weeks ago.

“Those guys played their hearts out,” Conlin said of his defense. “CCSU does a great job. They’re a very well-coached team.”

DeMorat and the offense simply couldn’t capitalize on any opportunities they had to drive the field and score. Following the interception, the Rams’ final

five offensive drives ended with three punts and two turnovers on downs, and none lasted longer than three minutes and 15 seconds.

The Rams’ bye week could not come soon enough. Their next game will be at home against Georgetown on Oct. 6 before travelling to Lehigh the following week. Conlin sees the break as a chance for the team to regroup and work on fundamentals.

“Typically, you learn more from losing than you do from winning,” he said. “The question we put to the team was, ‘What kind of team do you want to be?’”

Conlin stressed that discipline will be key moving forward, but he saw positive trends on both sides of the ball Saturday.

“I think,” he said of his players, “they want to be the right kind of team.”

Devin Taylor contributed reporting.

20

Sports & Health

September 27, 2018 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Vegan Dining Options for Overbooked Students

By LUKE OSBORN Sports & Health Editor

Fordham is not known for its vegan dining options, but there are a few gems hidden throughout our various eateries. I decided to focus my attention on the vegan prepared food Dining Services has to offer. The foods I explored are especially helpful to those with very little time in the day for meal preparation. These are three meals you can find through Fordham Lincoln Center dining. Even if you’re reading this as a non-vegan, you may find some foods that sound appetizing and healthy enough for you to add to your daily food routine.

8:15 a.m.: I arrived on campus and was in need of caffeine and calories, so I stopped at Argo Tea. There I purchased a small iced black tea and one of their vegan muffins. I was in the mood for a mellow, less-sweet carbohydrate, so I chose the green tea kind. It was very light and fluffy compared to most vegan baked goods, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Specifically, this muffin was 470 calories, so having just that was enough to get me through my morning. For my tea and muffin, I spent $6.42.

11:15 a.m.: It was almost noon, my next break was in three hours and I was famished. I had 15 minutes until my break was over, so I rushed to the Ram Cafe. One of the beauties of the cafe is the quasi-grocery section to the right of the buffet area. There one can find the vegan refrigerator with several prepared vegan dishes. The Ram Cafe has some new vegan options from Cedar’s. I’m a taboule fiend, so I tried their taboule salad, replete with fresh tomatoes, parsley and onions and dressed in a zesty olive oil and sunflower oil blend. This salad was a small portion, so also I bought a pack of lightly salted almonds.

The taboule was 340 calories and the entire pack of almonds was 410 calories. I gradually ate the pack of almonds over the course of my afternoon (there were a lot of them), so my total calorie intake from both items was about 750 calories for the meal and 1,220 for the day so far. The almonds were $2.09 and the taboule was $4.99, bringing my total for lunch to $7.08.

2:15 p.m.: I decided to enjoy a smoothie during my break. The Ram Cafe now offers fruit smoothies with various mixes of fruits and/or kale. I chose the refreshing and energizing strawberry-kiwi, and I was pleasantly surprised at how large their small smoothies were. These smoothies boast on the sides of their cups that they contain all natural ingredients and no preservatives. My only critique is that the kiwi was from concentrate, but they did indeed use real strawberries. It was 240 calories and cost $4.67.

7:30 p.m.: After a soul-crushing study session in the Quinn Library, I headed over to the last vegan gem of the

These are three meals you can find through Fordham Lincoln Center dining. Even if you’re reading this as a non-vegan, you may find some foods that sound appetizing and healthy enough for you to add to your daily food routine. day: BonMi. I did, however, peek into the Community Dining Hall to see if their vegan option was any good. Sadly, the vegan option was pasta with marinara that evening, which is not worth the meal swipe, in my opinion.

Located on 62nd Street under the Law Building, BonMi is a Vietnamese eatery that accepts Fordham declining balance. Though BonMi offers several meat options for their quinoa-rice bowls and sandwiches, they also serve an amazing chili garlic tofu. Moreover, their toppings are various and phenomenal. Granted, they did charge $1 extra for edamame. I was able to get pickled onion, cucumbers, purple lettuce and carrots in a quinoa and jasmine rice base. Fordham students get a discount at BonMi, so my total came to $10.34. With the quinoa, rice and tofu making up the majority of the calories, my dinner came to around 660 calories.

In sum, I spent $28.51 on Fordham Dining vegan options and consumed around 2,120 calories. While I came up with a working breakfast, lunch and dinner meal plan, vegan options at Fordham do not go far beyond the foods mentioned above. The salad bars in the Community Dining Hall and Ram Cafe are definitely a refuge for vegans at Fordham, but they lack variety and rarely rotate their toppings. Moreover, Aramark fails to offer meal plans that cover options other than that of the Community Dining Hall, so students who are interested in eating in the Ram Cafe have to pay out of pocket for their meals, whereas our Rose Hill counterparts enjoy meal swipes that work at multiple dining locations. All in all, Fordham dining needs to step up their veganism.

8:15 a.m.

11:15 a.m.

2:15 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

LUKE OSBORN/THE OBSERVER GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY STEPH LAWLOR