MBTA FREE-FARES, 2
WINTRY BALLET, 3
CHICKEN WING NEWS, 4
LOOKING BACK AT FALL, 6
Routes 23 and 29 become free through federal funds.
Boston Ballet School marvels once again with “The Nutcracker.”
What “Hot Ones” has done for broadcast journalism.
A freshman Terrier relives her first semester on campus.
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THURSDAY, DEC. 2, 2021
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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY
YEAR LI. VOLUME C. ISSUE XIV
Students complain of long wait times, frequent outside referrals at Student Health Services
Cici Yu Daily Free Press Staff
Boston University students have brought up a number of issues at Student Health Services, including long wait times to schedule appointments and frequent referrals to other healthcare providers outside of BU. SHS is composed of five clinical departments — Primary Care, Wellness and Prevention, Behavioral Medicine, Athletic Training and the Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Center — as listed on their website. Full-time students can schedule appointments through the online portal Patient Connect. Shana Weitzen, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she sought to schedule an appointment with SHS because of an urgent health concern, but was asked to wait for almost a week. “They got back to me one or two days later [saying] that I didn’t have an appointment for six days,” she said. “By then, I needed to have the problem resolved, this was something that I felt was really urgent.” Weitzen added she originally called SHS after booking the available appointment online to see if it was possible to get an earlier appointment, but she said she was instead referred to Urgent Care — an outside healthcare facility which treats a general range of illnesses and ailments on a mostly walk-in basis. “I literally couldn’t go to an Urgent Care for this because the services I needed aren’t offered,” she said. “I almost took the train home and skipped class to go to my doctor at home.” Weitzen said she ultimately canceled the SHS appointment after calling and getting help from her provider at home. SHS director Judy Platt said students should always call SHS in the
event of a medical emergency. “When you go online to book, there is an acknowledgment that what you are dealing with is not an emergency,” she said. “If you have an emergency we want to hear from you because there are healthcare providers within primary care and behavioral medicine every day that will see emergency situations.” Platt noted that healthcare providers can now be directly messaged on Patient Connect to avoid the possibility of students missing callbacks from SHS. SHS has implemented changes recently to increase urgent emergency services in behavioral medicine and
primary care, Platt added. Claire Yu, a sophomore in CAS, said a Nov. 9 appointment she made with Behavioral Medicine was canceled by the time she arrived six or seven minutes late, with Dec. 2 being the next available appointment. “SHS did not provide me any guideline to inform me that I cannot be late. Instead, they asked me to come no earlier than five minutes before the appointment time,” Yu wrote in the email. “I didn’t see any guideline that says my appointment would be canceled if I’m late.” Christina Yin, a senior in the College of Communication, said when she made a mental health appoint-
ment with SHS in September, the earliest available time slot was in mid-October. “I just don’t think it’s the best idea to just have this huge time gap in between,” Yin said. “I feel like I cured myself before the appointment happened because it’s just way too long.” Platt said wait times for Behavioral Medicine have been longer this semester compared to previous ones, but added SHS is “actively working” to increase access to mental healthcare and add more behavioral medicine providers. She said many students have booked appointments online and failed to show up more often this se-
CLARE ONG | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The Boston University Student Health Services entrance. BU students expressed frustration with SHS operations, ranging from long wait times while scheduling appointments to frequent referrals to outside health care services.
mester, noting that as a result, they “take that appointment from another student.” “That has happened more this year than any other year,” Platt said. “We could give many more appointments every week if people canceled their appointment if they weren’t going to show up.” Platt added that students can cancel their appointments online. Yin said SHS should offer more detailed guidelines beyond the existing information on healthcare and insurance in the United States for international students and others who are unfamiliar with the system, even if students end up being referred to an outside provider. Platt said SHS recently hired a new marketing and communications professional in order to help spread information about healthcare services and wellness tips on social media platforms such as Instagram, but added she urges students to send SHS feedback and reach out with concerns. “We’re always in a state of continual improvement,” Platt said. “Unless we get the feedback, you don’t know, and if you don’t know about something, you can’t change it.” Platt added that SHS’s mission is to be the first resource for students and quickly care for them, and asked for patience as they continue through the challenges of the pandemic. “This has been an incredibly hard almost two years for so many people, it’s been incredibly hard in health care as well,” she said. “We really want to be the first stop for students, and if there’s anything that we can take care of quickly so that students can feel better and get better, that’s our main goal.” A longer version of this story is available on our website www.dailyfreepress.com
StuGov hears BUnited platform updates, progress made on Fall semester goals Anna Vidergar Daily Free Press Staff Boston University Student Government heard BUnited platform updates centered on addressing on-campus sexual misconduct and concerns with Student Health Services’ gender-affirming healthcare, and a renewed commitment to allocating funds toward local businesses in a meeting Monday night. The meeting began with platform updates from BUnited, StuGov’s executive board for the 2021 to 2022 academic year. BUnited ran on three pillars — Uniting Health, Uniting Justice and Uniting Community — and used the Senate meeting to share updates on their progress as the semester draws to a close. The executive board announced their goals to focus on improving sexual misconduct prevention resources and advocacy for students this past September, and discussed progress made in Monday’s meeting.
Committees within StuGov such as 16,000 Strong have addressed sexual assault on campus through an event centered around consent called F.R.I.E.S, which stands for freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic and specific. Aimee Mein, a senior in the College of Communication and vice president of Internal Affairs, said representatives from several campus organizations plan to speak with the University administration on how SHS can better support sexual misconduct survivors. “We have representatives from [BU’s] Queer Activist Collective as well as Campus Survivors, talking about how SHS can be a more welcoming place to survivors,” Mein said. “So we’re going to communicate that information with both SHS and other admin such as Dean [Battaglino].” Hessann Farooqi, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and executive vice president, said BUnited is working with Queer Activist Collective, or Q, and SHS to address concerns with improving gender-affirming healthcare at BU.
The meeting went on to discuss the “Uniting Justice” pillar, which seeks to amplify underrepresented voices with the aim of a more equitable student community. Farooqi said StuGov could begin by allocating some funding toward small local businesses, particularly those owned by women and people of color as those tend to be “the hardest hit” economically by the pandemic. “Every year, Student Government spends tens of thousands of dollars on all these different things, including merch and food,” Farooqi said. “Instead of spending those dollars on giant multinational corporations, we should spend our money on local businesses here in Boston.” Nyah Jordan, a senior in COM and student body president, said an important goal under the Uniting Community pillar was fostering community amid the transition back to an in-person campus, adding that events such as this year’s Wellness Challenge were structured around this goal. “[The Wellness Challenge] focused more on creating more initiatives and workspaces that did bring
BRIAN SONG | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The Boston University Student Government Office. BU Student Government heard BUnited updates on addressing campus sexual assault resources, continuing community events and more in a meeting Monday night.
back the community that we had last year, or provide resources that may not be currently available to students,” she said. BUnited said they wish to continue fostering community by spon-
soring cultural meal events, peer advising and continuing to work with LGBTQ+ organizations on campus. The meeting ended with an unmoderated caucus. All other presentations and bills were postponed.
2 NEWS
City council to vote on using federal money to fund MBTA free-fares program Bella Ramirez Daily Free Press Staff Federal money given to Boston for recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic could partially fund newly-elected Mayor Michelle Wu’s campaign promise to eliminate fares for some MBTA services. The use of eight million dollars granted by the American Rescue Plan was discussed at a city council hearing Monday and is expected to be voted on Wednesday. In a letter to councilors before the meeting, Wu urged them to accept the funding in order to “address systemic public
health and economic challenges that have contributed to the unequal impact of the pandemic.” Vineet Gupta, director of planning for Boston’s Transportation Department, said at the hearing he hopes to launch free-fare pilot programs for Routes 23 and 29, while continuing the pilot program for Route 28. “These routes form the backbone for bus riders in the Dorchester, Mattapan and Roxbury neighborhoods and are essential to their livelihood,” Gupta said. “Free fares will allow more affordable and better connections for opportunities whether you’re connecting to jobs, to community facilities or to education.”
BRIAN SONG | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
An MBTA bus. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu intends to allocate federal COVID-19 recovery funding to expand the Fare Free Transit Program to include MBTA bus routes 23 and 29 for two years.
The program was introduced originally by former Acting Mayor Kim Janey to make Boston more “equitable” because Route 28 connects through primarily low-income communities. The transit program began a freefare test run on Route 28 in August. Janey budgeted $500,000 toward making Route 28 free until Nov. 29. Since the trial period ran under budget, the program extended its freefare for Route 28 until the end of December 2021 to spend the entire $500,000 originally budgeted. “I’m excited about this and definitely in favor of passing the appropriation,” Kenzie Bok, District 8 City Councilor, said. Using the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, Wu and the Council propose expanding the free-fare program to include Route 23 and 29 for two years. “The reason why we want to do a two-year pilot is, one, for it to have lasting economic benefits, but also to give us a time frame to do a very detailed evaluation of the program,” Gupta said. “Free fares will lessen riders’ financial burden at a time of high economic vulnerability as we recover from the pandemic.” MBTA rider Marje Sammey, who rides the bus “all the time,” welcomes the expansion. “I think it’s an excellent program because a lot of people can’t afford to go to work if they don’t have any transportation,” Sammey said. “Any more service would be great because I take certain buses and we need more services and in the neighborhoods,
especially in the Black community, we need more busing.” Other MBTA riders also cited a need for more busing. “I think that they definitely should [provide free-busing],” MBTA rider and healthcare worker Delimar Negron said. “There’s just too many people [on the bus] and I feel like that would be a good benefit if they also get more buses on the route.” Negron also voiced concerns about COVID-19 protocols on the bus. “The buses are not operating how they should be when it comes to social distancing and stuff,” Negron said. “I go to Ashmont and every day, there’s no way I can get a seat or even [be] in [the bus] that I’m not like against the door.” Despite the program’s benefits to riders, city councilors criticized the financing behind it at the meeting Monday. “Everybody’s calling this free. It’s not free. This is a bill that’s going to chase us forever,” District 3 City Councilor Frank Baker said at the hearing. Baker cited concerns over the sustainability of the fare-free program and questioned where the City of Boston will pull resources once the eight million dollar grant runs out in two years. “In two years, when the [American Rescue Plan Act] money’s gone and we’re talking about expanding this program, there will be a line item in the city of Boston budget?” Baker asked. “Anybody else other than me have a problem with this?” “There are budget constraints that
we need to take into consideration in the future and that’s something we’re well aware of,” Casey Brock-Wilson, director of strategic partnerships for the Mayor’s Office, said at the hearing. “It’s going to take additional partners beyond the city to find a sustainable funding source.” Other city councilors voiced concern over moving forward without more community engagement. “I consider myself a very reasonable person and I was really surprised that the council was going to consider suspending and passing this without at least one hearing,” District 4 City Councilor Andrea Campbell said at the meeting. “These are COVID dollars, once-in-a-lifetime resources that the city will get. … Everyone should have an opportunity to weigh in on that.” Campbell also felt the program did not use the funds in a way that will impact Boston sustainably. “In the immediate, there are a lot of residents who are gonna benefit from this,” Campbell said, “but it’s not like, for example, building permanent housing where a resident would be housed in that for 20, 30, 40 years using COVID dollars.” The Mayor’s Office and city councilors could not be reached for comment. Looking forward to expanding the program past current plans, Gupta said at the hearing he sees a lot of leeway. “There are some economies to scale,” Gupta said. “As more and more routes are included in the program, the cost should come down.”
Mayor Wu signs ordinance to divest fossils fuels Emilia Wisniewski Daily Free Press Staff In Mayor Michelle Wu’s first bill signing, she divested City of Boston funds away from fossil fuel, tobacco and private prison industries via a Nov. 22 ordinance, according to a press release from the City of Boston.
The ordinance — which Wu sponsored when she was a councilor alongside Councilors Lydia Edwards and Matt O’Malley — will derive $65 million by 2025. “This [climate crisis] is deeply personal for many of us and urgent,” Wu said at the signing. “We’re moving quickly to make sure that Boston will set the tone for what’s possible for that brightest, greenest future for
our kids.” The ordinance prohibits City investment in stocks, securities or other obligations of companies who derive over 15% of their funds from fossil fuels, tobacco or prison systems. “We have talked about being greener, we’ve talked about being cleaner, but where our money was being invested didn’t line up with that,” Edwards said at the ordinance
signing. “Today, the two are walking together.” O’Malley and Wu initially filed a resolution for divestment in 2014 and presided over a council hearing on what fossil fuel divestment would look like for Boston’s economy. Wu’s signing of the ordinance on her sixth day in office was an indicator she will be “a transformative leader” for Boston, O’Malley said at
MOHAN GE | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. An ordinance from Wu’s first bill signing divest funds away from fossil fuels, tobacco and private prison industries, and will derive $65 million by 2025.
the signing. “To now have a mayor who not only understands that and values that, but is going to lead with that, always looking through the lens of equity, of justice and environmentalism, this is a really big day for this city, and mark my words, other cities will follow suit,” O’Malley said. Climate organizations in Boston, such as the Environmental League of Massachusetts and Massachusetts Sierra Club, said they were thrilled to have Mayor Wu’s first ordinance be about combating the climate crisis. Maliha Khan, campaigns and fellowship manager for ELM, said the organization had been involved in Wu’s campaign and election because of her strong stance on climate change. “This was a significant and historic step, already fulfilling key promises she made on the campaign trail,” Khan said. “This action honestly shows that our leaders are finally taking climate seriously and using their financial power to fight the climate crisis.” The Massachusetts Sierra Club Boston lead organizer Michele Brooks shared the same sentiment regarding Wu’s first ordinance as a “strong message” for what her platform aims to accomplish. “It’s an important first step,” Brooks said. “[The ordinance] sets the tone of what we’re expecting to be a very welcoming and collaborative relationship that advocates, like Sierra Club, can have with the Wu administration.” Other initiatives, such as Wu’s request to eliminate the fares for bus lines 23, 28 and 29 for two years, would not only make Boston transportation more accessible, but could eliminate emissions from cars on the road, Khan said. “This is really pushing the City of Boston forward,” Khan said. “I think we’re finally getting to a point now where Boston is leading, Boston is making a difference here.”
FEATURES 3
ARTS REVIEW: Boston Ballet amazes again Molly Farrar Features Editor The Citizens Bank Opera House was sparkling with Christmastime magic Friday night, with tall Christmas trees, red walls and an intricately designed golden ceiling. The opening night of artistic director Mikko Nissinen’s “The Nutcracker” was packed with audience members ready to begin the holiday season the day after Thanksgiving. Many Boston Ballet attendees fit right in with the opera house’s aesthetic in their elegant evening wear. The bustling front room quickly emptied as people took their seats for the 7:30 p.m. show. Traditionally an annual event, last year’s performances were streamed via various television
stations. Back live this year, the dancers were all smiles as they acknowledged the orchestral pit, conducted by Mischa Santora. The main roles were Clara, performed by soloist Chisako Oga, joined by principal dancers Paul Craig as Drosselmeier, Viktorina Kapitonova as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Paulo Arrais as the Nutcracker Prince. The holiday magic continued as the lights dimmed and the ballet began. The Party Scene in Act I was playful — students of the Boston Ballet School frolicked on stage, and the children in the ballet opened Christmas gifts and played with toys. The real fun came when soloist Lawrence Rines and second soloist Soo-bin Lee took the stage in the evening show as the Harlequin and Ballerina Dolls,
respectively. The dancers came out of gift boxes and played their roles as dolls perfectly. Nissinen’s choreography was elegant but stiff. The next gift box contained a surprise for the on-stage children and audience themselves — a bottom-heavy teddy bear pranced across the stage. The iconic Boston bear was surreal and dreamlike. The magic of it set the informal tone for the audience, who laughed in surprise. Peter Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” is a timeless classic, and Boston Ballet’s adaptation and choreography added to the quaint, child-like splendor of the music. The Battle Scene and Snow Scene before the intermission were huge productions, starting with a tense fight between the
Mouse King, danced by Graham Johns, and the Nutcracker Prince and his soldiers. Snow Queen and King then took the stage for a beautiful duet between principals Lia Cirio and Patrick Yocum. Snow fell as they danced, and the scene was beautifully lit. After intermission, the Kingdom of the Sweets opened the second act, and five dances representing different nationalities wowed the audience, eliciting cheers before the dancers even began bowing. Dancers portraying Spanish chocolate, Arabian coffee, French marzipan, Chinese tea and Russian troika all represented their country’s sweets through the music and costumes. Clara and the Nutcracker Prince watched as they each performed for them and
the audience. The Spanish dresses were red and bold, and the Arabian dancers intensely performed to slow music with a woody oboe solo. The French Marzipan stuck to a very classical style of dancing, fittingly sweet like marzipan. The Chinese Tea duet incorporated a red streamer. But the jumping Russian Troika was the fan favorite — the trio smiled during a buoyant number. The Grand Pas de Deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker Prince was a captivating final scene, and the audience was on their feet for the final bows. The elegance of ballet and the pure cheer of Christmas intertwined in this year’s “The Nutcracker,” making it impossible not to come away with a smile.
COURTESY OF LIZA VOLL VIA BOSTON BALLET
Mikko Nissinen’s “The Nutcracker” featuring Paulo Arrais, Tigran Mkrtchyan and Mia Steedle. After last year’s virtual performances, the Boston Ballet returned to a packed Citizens Bank Opera House Friday for their opening night of “The Nutcracker.”
COMMUNITY
BU SHA alum launches journaling app Emily Pauls Daily Free Press Staff When Boston University alum Thomas Andrews was reading through his friend’s extensive volume of diaries from past years, he said he was “so captivated.” This inspired his idea for a new app that archives entries and answers to questions, much like a personal diary. “I really wanted to find a way that I could have something like that for myself,” Andrews said. “Something that would archive [my thoughts] and something that I can hold on to for years to come to get to know myself better.” In October, Andrews launched OneQuesh — a social media app where users journal and write their thoughts. He had the idea in 2013 when he was a student at the School of Hospitality Administration, and now it’s available to download in the App Store and Google Play Store. Andrews said users answer a daily question, and the app keeps track of their responses. Answers from other users are hidden until users respond to the question themselves to avoid having others affect how people answer. “Finally, I said ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we centralize a question and create that question so it can be used online and offline?’”
Andrews said. “We could really merge and build a bridge between our online and offline worlds.” Although users can’t like or comment on others’ answers on the app, they can connect through other social media platforms linked on other OneQuesh profiles. “We really created a safe space so your answer to the question will not be able to be subject to any comments, so there’s no liking or no comments,” Andrews said. “There’s just being.” Andrews said he aims for the app to also help companies and charities tell better stories based on users’ answers. “We’re really about transparency, and we want to make sure that we’re bringing together a diverse community in an audience so everyone feels represented and their voice can be heard,” Andrews said. “Not just to build products, but to really change the world.” OneQuesh, he said, hopes to work with companies, like Nike, and charities that want to gain a better awareness of particular issues. When Andrews worked at BU Orientation as a student advisor, he would ask students one question a day. The idea traveled with him to BU’s London campus, where he worked after graduation — Andrews said he practiced the
same exercise with his resident assistants. However, the app was not in development until May 2020 when the Black Lives Matter movement inspired an “epiphany” in Andrews, he said, that this was
Andrews came to her with the idea for the app at the height of the pandemic. Ginnard said she enjoys the lack of social pressure on OneQuesh that often comes with other social media apps, that no
ILLUSTRATION BY BAILEY SHEN | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
The OneQuesh home page. Boston University School of Hospitality alum Thomas Andrews launched the diary-style social networking app in October, which asks its users a daily question whose answer is archived and made viewable only to others who have answered the same question.
the time to launch OneQuesh. “I looked at myself and said, ‘You know what can I do right now that would or could have the ability to change the world?’” he said. Alana Ginnard, head of client relations at OneQuesh and Andrews’s childhood friend, said
one is “trying to flaunt this or flaunt that.” “It’s very pure,” Ginnard added. “When I write a response to a question that we’re asked daily, I don’t do it for anybody else. I do it for myself, and I think that’s something that makes OneQuesh stand out from its
competition.” Andrews said OneQuesh is working with master’s students in the Questrom School of Business on data analytics to discover a way to “deliver the best questions.” “Questions are a secret sauce,” Andrews said. “We’re always working with our content strategy team to build the best questions.” Ryan Nickulas, an awardwinning hairstylist, public figure and a brand ambassador for OneQuesh, said the app can be used as a form of stress relief for those who are more introverted as a way to process thoughts and write down feelings. “We want to do it in a way where it’s not a selfie, it’s not a boomerang,” Nickulas said. “We want to actually put our feelings or process our thoughts into words and release them out into the universe because they could help someone at the same time as helping ourselves.” At OneQuesh, Andrews said he believes that “one question can start a conversation, and one conversation could change the world.” “We want our users to know that they’re answering in a way that’s going to change the world by being authentically them,” Andrews said. “When you use your authentic voice, and you speak your truth, you have power.”
4 COLUMNS
OPINION Seen on TV: Chicken wing journalism Brain Foisy Daily Free Press Staff One of my favorite pieces of broadcast journalism these days comes from an unlikely source. For a few years now, the YouTube series “Hot Ones” has taught a masterclass on the art of celebrity interviews. The show is somewhat held back from being celebrated by traditional journalism institutions like the Columbia Journalism Review because of its strange concept — succinctly laid out by host Sean Evans at the beginning of each episode with the phrase“You’re watching ‘Hot Ones.’it’s the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.” For those who are unfamiliar with its glory, “Hot Ones” is an interview show where guests eat increasingly spicy chicken wings in between each question. I honestly believe that if you aired this same show on a broadcast or cable news network, it would be highly regarded as one of the greatest interview-focused shows of all time. And the celebrity interview genre is a tricky one to evaluate and equally tricky to celebrate. At a certain point in life, you come to the realization that every guest you’ve ever seen on a late-night talk show is just there to try to make you stream their album, go to their movie or buy their cookbook. It’s not the pals-hangingout situation that the host and guest want you to believe — it’s purely transactional.
The guest comes on the show to advertise their product and the host, in turn, reaps the benefit of said celebrity attracting viewers to their show — that’s the cold and capitalistic reality. The host’s team also engages in a ‘pre-interview’ with the guest to find out what they want to be asked about during their appearance and what stories they might be able to offer. The host behind the desk — whether that be Jimmy Fallon, Ellen DeGeneres or David Letterman — then carries out the interview as planned. What seems, from the audience’s vantage point, like a fun conversation between two pals is actually a cold, highly-manufactured marketing endeavor. On the other hand, “Hot Ones” strays away from many of the conventions of this genre and openly mocks many of them too. For one, the show’s out-there concept is at once a fun gimmick, but it’s also a commentary on the tired celebrity interview genre. In an interview on “The Today Show” in 2019, Evans described the show’s origin as “trying to solve a problem.” “Celebrity interview shows are boring, how do we make them not boring?” Evans said. “Our solve for that, hot sauce.” Many talk shows probably could have had this hot wings gimmick and been modestly successful with it. But without the journalistic bonafides of Evans’ and his team, the show wouldn’t be an incredibly interesting interview show. There are many compilations on YouTube
of “Hot Ones” guests complimenting Evans on his interview skills, with many commenting, “That’s a great question.” With his interesting and uncommon questions, you can tell that Evans and his team have done their research. A “Hot Ones” interview is methodical, intentional and curated to each guest. In an interview on the “H3 Podcast,” Evans described each new chicken wing as a “new act,” which allows him to structure the interview more than others can. Instead of a constant stream of questions being thrown at the guest, each question comes at a consistent cadence. As Evans says in the interview, it breaks up a long
ILLUSTRATION BY SMARAN RAMIDI
interview into manageable chunks. The reason I think the show is so successful and has grown into one of my favorite sources for celebrity interviews is the care that the team behind the show has obviously put into it. Evans, who studied broadcast journalism at the University of Illinois, takes his job seriously and views “Hot Ones” not just as a funny opportunity to show celebrities freaking out about spicy wings, but also as an opportunity to dissect and reinvent the celebrity interview. If mainstream journalism institutions and audiences would take “Hot Ones” as seriously as Evans’ and his team does, they’d realize that it’s a lot more than a show about chicken wings.
Divine Politik: Thanksgiving was a story of loss, not abundance Caroline McCord Daily Free Press Staff Content Warning: This article discusses violence and harm against Indigenous communities and genocide. This past week, millions of Americans celebrated the national holiday Thanksgiving, which is heralded as an autumnal, cozy celebration of abundance for families to gather together and relish in each other’s company. But the tradition of Thanksgiving is also one that is rooted in falsehoods and racism — a fabrication of interracial harmony. I don’t advocate for the abolition of Thanks-
giving, but it is imperative Americans understand the truth behind the holiday. The real story of Thanksgiving is grim and haunting — it was conceived in a time that sparked the legacy of anti-Indigenous racism and genocide that still seriously impacts and harms Indigenous communities today. The true story of Thanksgiving comes from Wampanoag leader Ousameguin’s intentional call for an alliance with English colonizers to help his weakened, disease-ridden tribes fight off neighboring Indigenous tribes. In fact, Thanksgiving didn’t become mainstream until decades later, namely when former President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a holiday during the Civil War to pro-
mote national unity. What’s also missing from the popular, accepted story of Thanksgiving is its ending. The Wampanoag and pilgrims did not live happily ever after, in bounty and harmony, sharing fruits of the earth and respecting each other’s cultures and traditions. The reality is, Thanksgiving represents one of the igniting events that lead to the end of Indigenous peace and sovereignty in North America. In between the roughly 400 years from the first contact with North America and the 20th century, millions of Indigenous people had died. Europeans spurred vicious wars against tribes that led to massive population declines and spread diseases, such as smallpox, which
ILLUSTRATION BY SMARAN RAMIDI
ravaged Indigenous communities. This rapid decline in the Indigenous population did not dissuade the English from their conquest of North America or their stubborn faith in colonialism. As early as 1637, Massachusetts Colony Gov. John Winthrop declared another “Thanksgiving” festival to celebrate the genocide of 700 Pequot people. It is unfathomable that many Americans still partake in this bloodsoaked tradition — essentially celebrating genocide — without thinking critically and mournfully about the ways colonization has damaged Indigenous communities to this very day. The oppression of the Indigenous community still lives on in powerful and prevalent ways, from cultural decay to economic disparities to bodily and spiritual discrimination. The cultural practices of many Indigenous peoples have been completely erased, with only 20 Indigenous languages predicted to be spoken in 2050 when there were once much more than 300 in the past, according to the Indigenous Language Institute. Indigenous people possess nearly double the national unemployment rate and also have a low average life expectancy. According to the 2018 U.S. Census, Indigenous people also have the highest levels of poverty of any minority group. Indigenous people are also incarcerated at much higher rates than white Americans. Their reservations are often used as dumping grounds for nuclear waste, and they have had their religious practices either denied or infringed upon by the U.S. government for centuries. To ignore this persecution — this suffering — to dress children up as pilgrims and caricatures of Indigenous people and to celebrate Thanksgiving without recognizing the mournful legacy it represents is almost unconscionable. Indigenous people did not want to cede this country to the English — colonizers stole it. Indigenous people are now prisoners of their own land, chained by centuries of genocide and neglect, living lives that are very often stained with addiction, incarceration and poverty due to systemic oppression. It should be the duty of Americans on every fourth Thursday of November to teach the true history of Thanksgiving, to grieve all that was lost to European conquest and to give back to local Indigenous communities. Christians also have an imperative mission of their own — to offer contrition and reparations for the harm our members and leaders of our faith caused.
EDITORIAL 5
EDITORIAL
ILLUSTRATION BY YVONNE TANG
The housing crisis needs more than a Band-Aid On Nov. 29, 2021, Massachusetts Housing Court Judge Irene Bagdoian overturned a citywide eviction moratorium. Enacted in August as part of then-mayor Kim Janey’s Housing Stability Agenda and enforced by the Boston Public Health Commission, or the BPHC, this moratorium prevented homeowners and landlords from evicting tenants unless in cases of serious breaches of tenancy contracts. This measure was a direct response to the Supreme Court overturning the federal ban on evictions as well as the mounting threat of the COVID-19 Delta variant. However, despite its good intentions, Judge Bagdoian found that the citywide moratorium was unlawfully enacted, stating in her decision, “This court perceives great mischief in allowing a municipality or one of its agencies to exceed its power, even for compelling reasons.” Essentially, by overriding state landlord-tenant law, the BPHC and Mayor Janey — who spearheaded the moratorium — overstepped their authority. In response to the judge’s decision, on the day of the verdict, current Mayor Michelle Wu stated she was “deeply concerned about the impacts of today’s decision on struggling families.” Additionally, she announced her intention to keep the citywide ban on evictions in place. The prospect of a revival of Boston’s eviction moratorium remains dim, however. Landlords, particularly small ones, have suffered economically from the now year-and-a-half prevention of evictions. For these landlords, the moratori-
um essentially meant tenants could take advantage of tenancy agreements. As a result, many small landlords faced economic insecurity and the prospect of houselessness from a lack of rent payments. Additionally, the City’s breach of state law holds serious implications that prevent the possibility of it recurring. For example, Judge Bagdoian went so far as to state that this extension of power “should be unthinkable in a democratic system of governance.” The main reasoning for such a definitive criticism of the moratorium is the precedent it introduced: the City could have the power to manipulate any law to its benefit. In the face of this direct opposition, it is unclear whether Wu can revive the moratorium in its entirety, especially if she relies solely on local authority. Yet Judge Bagdoian’s ruling doesn’t mean the need for housing protection during the pandemic has disappeared. In reality, COVID-19 is still a threat to housing security. According to medical experts, the newest COVID-19 variant, Omicron, is already in the United States. Complicating the situation further, experts are still unsure just how dangerous the variant is and whether vaccines will provide adequate protection against the new variant. Additionally, some experts fear Omicron may be the new Delta variant which, earlier this year, had disastrous effects on the United States
and the world at large. Boston has also been facing an ongoing housing crisis which means the threat of eviction continues to be pertinent. Massachusetts has some of the highests rent prices in the country and the lack of affordable housing has continued to be an issue since before the pandemic, state officials and experts said. Boston’s housing crisis, combined with the looming threat of Omicron, means that many people will still need city protection from eviction. Ideally, the eviction moratorium would be reinstated, at least until the effects of the new variant become clearer. However, landlords cannot be expected to survive without rent payments forever and legal objections to the BPHC’s actions prove too strong to be re-surmounted. So how can the City of Boston balance protecting its citizens’ housing security while also keeping the economy running? Ultimately, officials’ approach must shift from putting a Band-Aid on issues such as the housing crisis that COVID-19 has revealed to directly addressing the root causes of these issues. Experts agree the pandemic will likely be a part of daily life for the foreseeable future, meaning officials should adapt their policies around the realities of COVID-19 rather than simply treating its symptoms time and time again. Wu’s commitment to addressing the housing
crisis provides some hope for more systemic change. In a June interview, she stated, “Our most urgent priority is to stem displacement and create more housing.” Accordingly, she has announced ambitious plans to institute rent control to prevent Boston residents from having to leave due to high rent prices. If Wu can deliver on these promises, the ban on the eviction moratorium may not be the end of the City’s action on the housing crisis. Of course, the new mayor’s power is limited in its scope as Mayor Janey’s knuckle rap from Judge Bagdoian demonstrates. Mayor Wu will also be working against the clock as she must try to patch up the hole left by the dismantled eviction moratorium before Omicron potentially causes a new wave of lockdowns and economic instability. Once again, COVID-19 has created a difficult choice for officials deciding between financial support for individuals and overall economic recovery. And though the demise of Boston’s eviction moratorium comes at an inopportune time — with Boston’s housing crisis and Omicron forming a twin-headed chimera threatening housing security — perhaps it will usher in a new era of reform. The end of policy Band-Aids for pandemic-related gunshot wounds can hopefully inspire direct solutions to the root causes of issues like the housing crisis that have plagued Boston all along.
EDITORIAL BOARD Lily Kepner, Editor-in-Chief Madhri Yehiya, Campus Editor
Emma Sánchez, Managing Editor Isabella Abraham, City Editor
Sonja Chen, Sports Editor
Yvonne Tang, Layout & Graphics Editor
Conor Kelley, Photo Editor
Katrina Liu, Lifestyle Editor
Bini Ollivier-Yamin, Opinion Editor Veronica Thompson, Podcast Editor Molly Farrar, Features Editor GRAPHIC BY ALEXIA NIZHNY KK Feuerman, Multimedia Editor
6 LIFESTYLE
LIFESTYLE Embarrassing yourself is the key to success Kendall O’Brien Daily Free Press Staff Embarrassing moments are no fun, especially in that very moment, and especially when you’re lying in bed replaying that moment all night. But the legitimate act of embarrassing yourself is deceptively rewarding. The aftereffects of humiliation and shame can evolve into something useful with the right frame of mind and positive attitude. As humans who are prone to overanalyzing, an embarrassing moment can seemingly define how other people see you. If it’s a first impression, that might be the case. However, those who know you might also choose to associate that moment with you. This is probably the biggest fear revolving around embarrassing situations, and rightfully so. But this is when the fruitful aftereffects can seep in if you allow them to. In the instance a stranger is witnessing your embarrassing moment, you need to know that in the end, they don’t care. They don’t know you, and you’re probably the most entertaining part of their day. That’s why they’re looking. ‘But what if they do care?’ — it’s on you to stop this inquiring voice in your head. That’s the first and strongest step to not letting embarrassment define you. And if that’s too big of a barricade to break, try thinking this way — you know yourself better than anyone else, yet you crumble at the stares,
movements or words of someone who hasn’t even walked in your shoes. You have to accept that the world is filled with people who think they know you, but it’s your choice whether you listen to your own voice or theirs. You will continue to ache if you emotionally react to everything. One of the most powerful things that can come out of humiliation is restraint and logical reasoning. Don’t let any situation change you. It’s not worth losing your self-worth. In the event a person you know doesn’t let you forget that embarrassing moment, you have to make peace with their narrative. Sometimes you’ll be seen differently in other people’s eyes. Everyone views everything in a different light. You don’t get to tell people how to narrate their life. Controlling thoughts that eat at your inner peace is paramount. Embarrassing situations dwindle your self-esteem. You begin to question yourself, your capabilities and who you are as a person. Almost everyone I know already doubts themselves. Each individual person is more critical of themselves than anyone else. Criticizing yourself would have helped you grow if it was meant to do that in the first place. These mortifying moments halt your potential and stunt your growth in all aspects of life. Understanding that some setbacks are small can be the springboard you need to take a leap of faith in the right direction. Embarrassing moments can keep you afraid of what can go wrong and diminish the excitement of what can go right. Don’t let your potential go to waste because you
COURTESY OF JEREMY BEZANGER VIA UNSPLASH
A statue of a man facepalming. Lifestyle writer Kendall shares how to make the most of an embarrassing encounter and writes that you decide how much weight to give the situation
don’t feel ready or confident enough. If that mentality rules your mind, then people with half your talent or worth will make serious strides while you’re still waiting to feel ready. Embarrassing yourself is a painful
experience that can be your kickstart to success. Incessantly picking apart that experience is not the way to go, but recognizing what such an experience can do for you can help you in the future.
Not to end on a cheesy note, but the key to success is to realize that nothing holds the power to greatly affect your life. You have the power to give things attention, so you also have the power to take it away.
An ode to the Fall semester Payton Renegar Daily Free Press Staff In late August, a small-town girl terrified to even order pizza packed her bags and moved to Boston, Massachusetts for school. Coming
from a town with a little over 10,000 people, I had no idea what to expect. As soon as I stepped foot on the campus of Boston University, my nerves about making the right decision subsided. I knew that I was destined to call this place home for the next few years.
Moving toward my dream at BU, the accents of the people surrounding me faded from Southern Appalachian to Northern, as I was immersed in a completely different world. This new world was exhilarating. For the first time in my life, a cutthroat learning environment and
RYAN GREGORY | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Boston University students wait for the BU Bus on Commonwealth Avenue. Coming from a small town, Payton reflects on her thrilling transition to campus life in Boston as the end of the semester nears.
accomplished professors surrounded me. Although being surrounded by incredibly talented people can be overwhelming at times, I would not trade the thrilling society I found up North for anything. Throughout this semester, the community I found myself in taught me the importance of time management and the significance of showing kindness to strangers. My new group of friends changed my outlook on life. The cliché of time management is part of an ongoing battle of selfdiscovery for most college freshmen. This semester, I learned how to take care of my mental health first, complete work on time and lastly, best enjoy my friends’ company. I started learning how to mold my schedule to meet my needs while juggling all that comes with being a college student. It took an embarrassingly long amount of time to figure out when to work and when to spend quality time with friends. However, I’ve found that the key to success is allowing myself to rest when needed and working after I am rested. Just as most college freshmen struggle with time management, they also may become anxious as the weeks pass and deadlines rapidly approach. With the hustle of BU, it was easy to become trapped in my world, only focused on myself. Many times, I have to make a conscious decision to show others kindness. The dark days of stressful academia bond us together, as we all experience a rigorous course load. The simple act of asking someone how they are or checking in with a friend’s mental health goes a long way. It’s also a reminder of the
importance in embracing the powerful community that exists in college. That in itself can be tremendously helpful in supporting someone through a difficult time. Treating others with gentleness and empathy can deepen relationships and lead to long-lasting friendships. I am very fortunate to have found a group of friends who are incredibly beautiful people. However, it took me a while to find them. Through two months of trial and error, I found a group of people that look after one another, encourage and celebrate success and challenge each other to become the best versions of themselves. I am incredibly thankful for the community I have found in them. In the strange world of academia, my first semester has been a series of ups and downs, of triumph and failure. However, I would not change my experience at all. I found my voice and learned my self-worth in three short months. I learned about the pricelessness of time, the significance of compassion and how a long-awaited friend group allows for a community of support while in college. As finals season approaches at an alarming pace, I remind myself where I started and how far I have come thanks to BU. The opportunities are seemingly limitless, and my inner child is thrilled to continue her academic journey for the next threeand-a-half years in the beautiful city of Boston, surrounded by a rigorous atmosphere of developing professionals. Through this finals stress, with the support of my community through it, I look forward to all of the wonderful possibilities that coincide with living in Boston as an aspiring journalist.
SPORTS 7
SPORTS
Men’s hockey falls to Cornell at Red Hot Hockey Belle Fraser Daily Free Press Staff The Boston University men’s hockey team (4-9-2, 3-5-2 Hockey East) lost 6-4 after taking the stage at Madison Square Garden to face off against No. 9 Cornell University (81) for the eighth edition of Red Hot Hockey. Under the brightest lights, the Terriers and the Big Red put on a high-scoring performance, but the scarlet and white ultimately could not keep up. “I think we reverted back a little bit tonight. We had some moments where we didn’t manage the puck properly, which cost us,” BU head coach Albie O’Connell said in a postgame press conference. “Cornell’s a good hockey team, and they challenge you in a lot of different ways.” The Big Red dominated the early minutes of the opening frame and notched the first tally of the night at 7:00. Launched by junior defenseman Sebastian Dirven at the point, the puck was then deflected in front by freshman forward Kyler Kovich to give his squad the 1-0 advantage. BU kept up by countering Cornell’s rush, eventually getting more shots on freshman netminder Joe Howe. Terrier sophomore forward Dylan Peterson took the alternative approach, driving to the net at 10:30 to tie the competition at 1-1. Carrying the puck on the backhand past three Cornell players, Peterson garnered his sixth goal of the season by roofing it top shelf over Howe’s left shoulder. Cornell junior forward Zach Tupker was sent to the box at 10:55 for a hooking penalty, giving the Terriers a chance to take hold of the lead. Unsuccessful on the man-advantage, BU
then capitalized moments later with both teams at even strength. Soaring into Cornell territory, freshman forward Brian Carrabes released a snapshot that beat Howe left-side, lifting BU to their first lead of the evening at 2-1. Junior forward Wilmer Skoog collected his seventh apple — in the Big Apple — of the year on the play. The Big Red quickly tied the game back up with a goal almost identical to their first — this time the initial shot from the point came from senior defenseman Cody Haiskanen. Freshman forward Ondrej Psenicka then redirected the puck past sophomore goaltender Drew Commesso. With less than two minutes remaining and sophomore forward
Luke Tuch out on a cross-checking penalty, Cornell’s senior forward Max Andreev was able to secure the Big Red a 3-2 lead going into the second period. With the Terriers coming out slow to start the period, Cornell senior forward Brenden Locke took advantage, mustering the puck in the Terriers’ defensive zone, swooping around and snapping it through the five-hole. The goal propped Cornell up 4-2 halfway through the period. After junior forwards Jack Malone of Cornell and Robert Mastrosimone of BU were sent to the sin bin within 30 seconds of each other, the 4-on-4 play period saw BU come out on top. Junior defensemen Domenick Fensore and Case McCarthy collaborat-
ed for BU’s third goal with 1:48 on the clock. Swinging the puck from the left to the right side with a cross-ice pass, Fensore connected with McCarthy — who leads the defensive group in scoring with five goals — who then dumped it into the open net that a sprawling Howe could not cover. The middle frame would end 4-3, with the late tally giving BU some momentum heading into the final 20 minutes of play. In the third period, Cornell was the more aggressive team and was able to capitalize on BU’s performance, which O’Connell said was lackluster. “If you watched the way Cornell blocked shots compared to the way our guys blocked shots tonight, it was night and day,” O’Connell said.
MOHAN GE | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Sophomore goaltender Drew Commesso in a match against Sacred Heart University Oct. 16. The Boston University men’s hockey team fell to Cornell University 6-4 at Madison Square Garden in New York City Saturday for the eighth edition of Red Hot Hockey.
“That’s an area that we really need to improve.” Cornell junior defenseman Sam Malinski deflated the BU bench at 3:40 as he weaved his way through three Terriers, right down the middle from center ice, and lifted the puck gloveside past Commesso. The highlight-reel-worthy goal reclaimed the two-goal advantage for the Big Red. Junior forward Ben Berard put the nail in BU’s coffin, scoring with less than five minutes remaining in the game.
Although BU freshman forward Tyler Boucher scored at 19:04 to reach a score of 6-4, the team had little time to recover the match. Commesso faced 23 shots in the loss, letting in an uncharacteristic six goals, but O’Connell said he wasn’t worried about the goaltender. “Statistically, obviously, it’s not a great night when [Commesso] looks at it, but there’s times when goalies don’t have a chance,” O’Connell said. “I think he has played terrific of late, and he’s a confident kid. He’ll bounce back.” Despite the loss, the game proved eventful and served as a momentous, annual glimpse of the Terriers on professional, iconic ice. And by facing a strong opponent like Cornell, BU had a lot to learn from the match. BU will now prepare for the upcoming series against the University of New Hampshire (7-7-1, 3-5-1 HEA) this Friday and Saturday. Friday’s matchup is at Agganis Arena and will start at 7:30 p.m.. For complete BU hockey coverage, check out the Boston Hockey Blog and follow along with @BOShockeyblog on Twitter and @boston.hockey.blog on Instagram for updates.
The Red Corner: UFC 269 preview Charles Moore Daily Free Press Staff The UFC returns this Saturday from a Thanksgiving hiatus with a top-10 showcase at bantamweight where former featherweight champion José Aldo (30-7) will welcome Rob Font (19-4) to the UFC Apex Octagon. Font and Aldo outline an overall anticipatable Saturday card best characterized by young fighters all just one win away from cracking the rankings of their individual divisions. In the co-main, lightweight prospects Rafael Fiziev (10-1) and Brad Riddell (10-1) will do battle. Also on this card are the likes of Jimmy Crute (12-2), Jamahal Hill (8-1), Brendan Allen (17-4), William Knight (10-2) and Manel Kape (16-6). Although this Saturday holds some good scraps in Las Vegas, it is the pay-per-view card the week after that I will focus on. UFC 269 on Dec. 11 is the promotion’s final PPV card of the calendar year, and it is certainly going to end 2021 with a bang. Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier (28-6) will face current LW champion Charles Oliveira (31-8) for the belt to headline the card. In the co-main, another title fight will transpire, as women’s bantamweight queen Amanda Nunes (21-4) welcomes Julianna Peña (114). Also featured is Cody Garbrandt’s (12-4) debut at flyweight and Raulian Paiva’s (21-3) bantamweight bout against fan-favorite Sean O’Malley (14-1). Oliveira enters his first title defense as lightweight royalty against a stiff challenge in Poirier. “Do Bronx” holds the UFC record for submission victories in the Octagon with 14, has the most UFC “Performance of the Night” bonuses at 11 and has an ac-
tive win streak of nine. Last time he fought, Oliveira defeated Michael Chandler (22-7) for the vacant title at UFC 262 in May. During that match, Oliveira did not notch another promotion-leading tap-out — instead, Oliveira dropped Chandler early into round two, and finished him with punches. It is worth noting that Justin Gae-
et. Poirier is believed to be the best lightweight in the division by many. He could have pursued the title fight much sooner, but instead, he pursued a trilogy with Conor McGregor (22-6), and likely made much more money as a result. He also dominated McGregor to two knockout victories inside of the second and first rounds, respectively.
Gaethje, Eddie Alverez (30-8), Max Holloway (23-6) and the aforementioned McGregor, twice. How Oliveira can win Oliveira’s striking is criminally underrated. He knocked out Chandler, but it is easy to forget that “do Bronx” got dropped in the first round and was almost finished himself. I think that he absolutely must stick
ILLUSTRATION BY PETER MOORE
thje (23-3), who just fought Chandler at UFC 268 in November, couldn’t even manage to put Chandler away before it went to the judges’ scorecards. Oliveira is scary on his feet and on the ground. However, there is one huge challenge still on his dock-
Poirier is about as well-rounded as they come. He has slick striking, and wrestling to boot. With the exception of a loss to currently retired and formally undefeated LW champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0), Poirier hasn’t lost since 2016 and has wins over Anthony Pettis (24-12),
to pursuing a submission if the fight is close, or he’s down on the cards. Poirier is a tough out everywhere, including on the mat, but this is where the champion has a succinct advantage. Khabib submitted “The Diamond,” Oliveira can too. How Poirier can win
I think Dustin is the more complete fighter. He is at a rare experience disadvantage, but he still has had 34 professional fights before age 33 and can absolutely beat Oliveira on the feet and along the cage. I like Dustin to keep his striking technical and create scrambles when Oliveira inevitably gets behind and begins shooting for takedowns. Dustin could take this to the judges, but I don’t love him chasing a finish unless Oliveira becomes ripe for the taking. Charlie’s Prediction: And New: Poirier via Decision Peter’s Prediction: And Still: Oliveira via R3 Submission Although I am siding with Dustin, I caution everyone not to underestimate Oliveira. He seems to have built his career, and this recent championship run, on proving folks wrong. I could see him taking Poirier’s back — or an arm — and keeping the UFC gold around his waist. The Nunes fight is, as per usual, not worth breaking down. Peña simply has no chance and should be happy to have shared the Octagon with the greatest women’s mixed martial artist we’ve ever seen. The “Sugar” show is back once more, and once again, O’Malley is fighting an underwhelming opponent. Paiva is a pretty good flyweight — he’s coming off his debut at 135 and it seems obvious that the UFC doesn’t have the strongest faith in O’Malley. Sean continues to fight sub-average opponents, just look at his Tapology page: Moutinho, Almeida, Wineland, Quiñonez. Where are the quality wins? His one legitimate opponent, Marlon Vera (20-7-1), beat him. If this guy is such a star, let’s see him fight a ranked bantamweight — no more scrubs. As always, follow @TheRedCornerDFP for the latest!