3-25-2022

BANNER DROPS, 2

FEATURES, 3

EDITORIAL, 5

Students for Justice in Palestine drop a banner from CAS.

BU Arts Initiative brings CEO Monika Ille to campus.

Female athletes still don’t feel the support, even during a war.

CE LE B RATIN G

FRIDAY, MAR. 25, 2022

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YE ARS

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I N DE PE N DE N T

STU D E NT

SPORTS, 6 Basketball stars reflect on seven years of friendship.

J O U R NA LI S M

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY

YEAR LII. VOLUME A. ISSUE VIII

At-Large parties debate performative activism days ahead of elections Anna Vidergar Senior Writer Emilia Wisniewski Staff Writer Prospective At-Large parties debated issues of marginalized group representation and performative activism less than a week before Boston University Student Government voting opens.

The BU Catholics party was not present for the debate. Its platform is no longer listed on the Student Election Commision list of At-Large party candidates.

At-Large parties are proportionally elected to eight seats of the StuGov Senate, meaning the number of seats each party receives represents what percentage of the vote they get.

Four At-Large parties participated in the debate — the Unity and Social Quality Initiative, IMPACT BU, the Community Action Party and the Center for Gender, Sexuality and Activism.

The moderator asked all At-Large parties what separates them from other candidates.

Community Action Party leader Jack McGinn, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said his party wishes to give a $500 budget to all community engagement and service organizations to help recover from the effects of the COVD-19 pandemic.

“One of the weaknesses of the current structure of StuGov and its capacity to make change is that it is a very top-down approach,” McGinn said. “Our approach gives the financial means directly to key players in the student body.”

IMPACT BU representative Michael Arellano, a CAS junior, said

his At-Large party does not focus on one particular aspect of a person’s identity but rather takes a “holistic approach” in how the party can combat intersectionality and address student issues.

“We think by separating these issues into just one part of a person isn’t really getting to the true core of how these issues are related to each

institution. We have clubs. We have a legacy. We have a history.”

CGSA was founded in 2008 and has six clubs they host in its space on the basement floor of the George Sherman Union, Comenole said.

USQ leader Dakota Jackson, a sophomore in CAS, said his party runs on a platform of “identity, representation and cohesion” and that

the strengths and weaknesses of their platforms.

Jackson asked Arellano what goals IMPACT BU has already reached to uplift marginalized communities at BU. “Members of my party, over the past semester, have been individually engaging with each member of academic departments, ensuring

AMANDA CUCCINIELLO | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Boston University Student Government At-Large debate. As the time to vote approaches, prospective At-Large parties discussed marginalized group representation, intersectionality and performativity during the election debate March 22.

other, how these issues are connected to each other and how these issues really work together,” Arellano said.

CGSA party leader Kaylan Comenole, a CAS junior, said the party’s longevity will help it achieve its goals, one of which aims to increase the number of gender-neutral bathrooms in the CAS building.

“We already have the funding,” Comenole said. “We have an

they plan to capitalize on “holding the administration accountable” for its “lack of mental health resources.”

“BU has the facilities to maintain and provide a better social experience for students, and we want to improve that,” Jackson said.

Most of the debate was spent in the crossfire section, in which candidates may respond to statements made by any of the other parties and discuss

that they’re taking the steps forward to making sure their classrooms are accessible,” Arellano said.

IMPACT BU has also worked on the IMPACT round table, Arellano said, which plans to bring together various student groups representing marginalized communities in a monthly meeting.

“Organizations from all sorts of marginalized communities can

come together, not just to talk about issues, but also to engage in cultural celebrations or individual identity celebrations,” Arellano said.

Arnellano said allies of marginalized communities should “take a back seat” to allow those communities the ability to create solutions they are proud of. Jackson responded by saying his party believed in reaching out to marginalized communities and said Arnellano’s ideas seemed “performative.”

“I think your wall of solidarity is simply for show,” Jackson said. “I just think that the idea of taking a back seat is not very fleshed out because if you take a back seat then who’s going to actually step in and have their back when there’s something wrong going on?”

Jackson spoke about USQ’s event bringing together various Black organizations on campus as evidence of concrete action.

“Just being a constant symbol of unity will bring on the people who need help the most,” Jackson said. “It is difficult to really find those types of people because they might feel out of place, but I want to lend up a hand.”

Audience members asked what intersectionality meant to the parties and how they will sustain cultural groups on campus. Following this, the representatives finished with their closing statements — all of which highlighted each parties’ mutual respect for each other and their respective causes.

“I know we’re all united in our fight to make BU a better place,” said USQ representative Kwazi Antwi, a CAS freshman. “We are focused on the social quality aspect of students here at BU and we recognize the real problem that administration doesn’t want to recognize.”

House passes bill to ban race-based hair discrimination Bella Ramirez Senior Writer The Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill on March 17 prohibiting discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles.

The legislation, which still needs Senate approval, states public schools are prohibited from adopting rules that bar “natural or protective hairstyles,” and defines such hairstyles as Bantu knots, locks, braids, twists and other formations.

Massachusetts Representative Brandy Fluker Oakley wrote previous discriminatory laws had a direct impact on Black women specifically — 80% of Black women felt the need to “change their natural hair to fit in with workplace standards,” according to an email statement.

“I have felt the existing bias against Black hair, and I have straightened my hair to avoid discrimination,” she said. “Unfortunately, this experience is common for Black women.”

Joi Chaney, executive director of the Washington Bureau for the National Urban League, said getting

rid of discrimination on the basis of “thicker, textured” hair has benefits beyond accommodating a certain hairstyle.

“It removes a barrier to employment, it removes a barrier to nursing, public housing, it removes the barrier to any equality so to speak,” Chaney said. “It removes that emotional barrier that some might carry because they’re worried about being discriminated against.”

The bill was motivated in part by two twin girls, Mya and Deanna Cook, 20, who were told that their braided extensions violated the school’s dress policy when they were 15 years old.

“Those two girls felt that they were discriminated against, from being able to participate in school events, because they decided to wear their hair and braids or dreads,” said Corey Jordan, a legislative aide to Rep. Chynah Tyler who is a cosponsor of the bill.

After California became the first state to end race-based hair discriminaton in the workplace and school in 2019, more states across the country adopted their own version of the CROWN Act — Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Act with a 235-189 vote on March 18.

Adjoa Asamoah, one of the co-founders and CEO of the CROWN Coalition, said since its creation, the

BAYLE VINES | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

CAS Sophomore Ashanti Smith. A bill that prevents “discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles” in public schools – another version of the CROWN Act first passed in California – was passed by the Massachusettes House of Representatives and now awaits Senate approval.

Act has turned into a union of organizations, brands and people.

“It was by design, this did not just happen magically,” Asamoah said.

“It has evolved into a movement intentionally, not absent of our strategy and our plan.”

The National Urban League — one of the organizations behind the movement — called the Act “long overdue.”

Asamoah said she received multiple messages from the general public saying the CROWN Act inspired them to reach out to their representatives and participate in hearings for the first time.

“Oftentimes, you will see white public opinion that informs public policy. In this case, you see Black public opinion that is informing the public policy,” Asamoah said. “It is absolutely rewarding and humbling and a source of pride for me every time we pass a CROWN Act.” Asamoah said the CROWN Act is not just about legislation, but also about changing the way the world perceives natural hair.

“This is about shifting both policy and culture,” Asamoah said.

2 NEWS

‘Free Palestine’ banner dropped from College of Arts and Sciences roof Jesús Marrero Suárez Campus Editor During the early hours of Friday morning, at least three Boston University students ascended to the roof of the College of Arts and Sciences building and dropped a hand-painted, red-and-black banner off the edge.

The approximately 15-foot long banner featured a faceless officer clad in blue uniform aiming a firearm at a person in a hijab waving the Palestinian flag. Flames engulfed parts of the banner.

“END THE DEADLY EXCHANGE,” the banner read.

“FREE PALESTINE.” The BU chapter of the studentactivist group Students for Justice in Palestine claimed ownership of the banner and uploaded a post on its Instagram account Friday with the hashtags “​​ #freepalestine” and “#NeutralityisComplicity.”

The banner stayed up until around noon, at which time BU Police Department officers arrived, responding to a report of students on the roof, BU spokesperson Colin Riley wrote in an email.

A BU SJP member took down the banner in compliance with a request from the BUPD, a current e-board member confirmed. BU SJP declined to comment further, citing safety concerns.

Any “unauthorized presence” on University premises, facilities or property constitutes a violation of

the code of student responsibilities.

The Dean of Students office and the department of judicial affairs “may” look into the matter if a possible violation of the code of student responsibilities is discovered, Riley

potentially dangerous,” Riley added.

Chance Charley, former SJP president and 2021 CAS graduate, said the intent behind the banner was to raise awareness of the United States and University’s ties

events SJP has been promoting since Monday for Israeli Apartheid Week.

“There’s only so much the administration can really do with this,” Charley said. “If people can see that and go to our Instagram page and

KAITO AU | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

A hand-painted banner with the words “Free Palestine” hangs from the Boston University College of Arts and Sciences. At least three BU students dropped the 15-foot long banner from the roof of CAS March 18 in the early morning.

wrote.

“No one should be on a rooftop without permission. It is risky and

with Israel and its oppression of Palestinians. Charley also said the stunt was coordinated to help promote

come to one of those and learn more, I think that’s the silver lining even if we do get retaliated against from the

administration or from Zionists.”

The “Deadly Exchange” referenced in the banner refers to the role U.S. law enforcement — such as police, border patrol, I.C.E. and even campus police — plays in validating Israel’s military dominance over the occupied Palestinian territories, as described by activist organization Jewish Voice for Peace.

One way this occurs is when law enforcement officers are sent to Israel to train with Israeli military and security forces, Jewish Voice for Peace’s website details.

In 2017, BUPD Chief Kelly Nee, along with other University and City officers, attended a counterterrorism seminar in Israel led by the Israeli government security forces, sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League.

Charley noted this as an example of BU’s involvement in the “Deadly Exchange.”

“It’s not right for campus security to be learning military tactics and learning from military officials who are rolling over an occupied people,” Charley said. “That has no place anywhere.”

The architect Salem AlQudwa will speak about humanitarian architecture on the Gaza strip tomorrow from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in an event held by BU SJP in room B19 of the School of Theology.

On Friday, BU SJP will be presenting their “own version of the Apartheid wall” from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in Marsh Plaza.

Residents voice concerns over Harvard’s development plan in Allston-Brighton Yiling Qiu Contributing Writer Harvard University’s construction plans in Allston have received pushback from the community.

Harvard is the largest landholder in Allston-Brighton — owning a third of all of the land — and plans to renovate about 170 acres to create what it calls its new “Enterprise Research Campus” and to remodel the Beacon Park Yard, a now-defunct railyard.

The Coalition for a Just AllstonBrighton — a group aimed at uniting local residents — requested that Harvard make “significant commitments” to residents in terms of sustainability, affordability and inclusivity, as detailed in a 19-page letter sent to Mayor Michelle Wu on March 15.

“Harvard’s long-term goal for the ERC and Beacon Park Yard is to transform these obsolete and largely impermeable industrial sites into new, vibrant, equitable and welcoming districts that will complement and enrich the AllstonBrighton neighborhood,” Harvard wrote in a letter Feb. 23 to Wu and other City officials.

The Boston Redevelopment Authority approved Harvard’s expansion plan in 2013. The college will begin construction on the ERC in 2022 with the first development consisting of six acres of land that will be turned into a hotel, residential buildings, conference center, public green space and retail space.

Kevin Carragee, a member of CJAB and a journalism and media professor at Suffolk University, said the new development could harm the Allston economy.

“Harvard, the wealthiest

university in the world, and Tishman Speyer, an international developer, for-profit, with assets of $121 billion, they are going to make a fortune on the Enterprise Research Campus,” Carragee said. “What is the community going to receive from the Enterprise Research Campus?

Frankly, very little.”

CJAB wrote Harvard University’s expansion plans will “cause significant harm to their community” in a March 15 press release. “[The renovation will replicate] the problems and inequities of Boston’s Seaport District: unaffordable, exclusionary housing; inadequate public transportation; traffic congestion; lack of resilience in the face of the climate crisis; and limited opportunity for local businesses,” CJAB wrote.

Harvard said it will dedicate 20% of housing in future Allston projects as income-restricted — meaning they will be reserved for households earning below a certain income — and 25% of retail space for local companies or those owned by women or people of color.

Anthony D’Isidoro, president of the Allston Civic Association and member of the Harvard Allston Task Force, said many people who grew up in Allston may not be able to afford staying there anymore because the area has become too expensive.

“We want to take this once-in-alifetime opportunity where we’ve got 36 acres of the Enterprise Research Campus to start with, and build a world-class, inclusive, diverse and equitable community where people can live and work and enjoy all the benefits,” D’Isidoro said.

Cindy Marchando, chair of Harvard Allston Task Force and a third-generation resident of Allston, said she is concerned that her

granddaughter would be displaced from the community in her 20s, when the projects would be completed.

“What will the world look like for her at that time?” Marchando said. “Is it going to be segregated? Is it going

land over the course of eight years to expand the Harvard Business School’s existing campus in Allston.

D’Isidoro added he hopes Allston residents would have a chance to negotiate about what would best

own it, it’s good to be developed. The question is, will it be developed in a way that enhances Allston-Brighton or harms it?” he said.

Marchando said the community wants to have a “shared vision” with

LIBBY MCCLELLAND | DAILY FREE PRESS

Harvard-owned land and construction site off Western Avenue in Allston, Mass. The Coalition for a Just Allston-Brighton requested commitments to sustainability, affordability and inclusivity from Harvard University in its construction plans, which have received pushback from local residents.

to be a place for only a certain type of people [or] whether [you have] a certain type of job? Is it going to be inclusive or exclusive? And no one can speak to that because no one has a vision of what that looks like.”

D’Isidoro said in 1997, Boston’s mayor at the time, Tom Menino, as well as Allston residents, were “very upset” after they found out that Harvard anonymously purchased

serve the community.

“We’re just simply looking for a place at the table that we feel we’re on equal footing with Harvard when it comes to planning out our community for the next few generations,” he said.

Carragee also emphasized the Task Force’s willingness to work with the college.

“We’re not opposed to the development of Harvard’s land. They

Harvard in order to allow AllstonBrighton to prosper.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Harvard to be a model for the equitable, resilient, inclusive urban redevelopment,” Marchando said. “[They] do have a lot of resources that they can actually utilize to make this a community that everyone will be proud of.”

FEATURES 3

SCIENCE

BU medical student creates online space to discuss mental health Emma Hagert Staff Writer Kendall Jenkins, a second year Boston University School of Medicine student, created an online space for students to share their experiences with mental health by writing letters.

The new chapter is part of “If You’re Reading This” — a national organization that strengthens students’ support networks “by having friends and peers come forward first and share the responsibility of being vulnerable.”

Jenkins said she created the chapter because her classmates and faculty members felt there was an “incredible sense of isolation” throughout the 2020-2021 school year when classes were held over Zoom.

“Anyone who is newly between therapists or not really settled into a friend group yet can go onto the website, scroll through the stories and find somebody who had a story that really resonated with them, and therefore feel a little bit less alone,” Jenkins said.

IYRT is a free and accessible resource that connects people going through change or starting out in a new environment with one another, Jenkins said.

The organization started in 2016 by an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia, but now has chapters across the nation from Washington State University to Boston College.

Jenkins said students can submit

letters on IYRT’s website — either anonymously or with their name — sharing a bit of their experience and what they’ve overcome.

“I often tell people when they’re starting to write letters, think of what advice you would give your friend,” Jenkins said. “We’re not trying to provide official mental health advice or anything like that, but … often the letters share a bit of wisdom or just normalize what the person is going through, so that other people can relate to it.”

Emma Kraus, the undergraduate

coordinator and photographer for the club, said the club is a “more passive” and “comfortable” way for students to get involved in supporting themselves and others’ mental health.

“There’s just something about student-run clubs that make it a lot more approachable for people and make it easier for people to understand what you’re going through without having someone speak down to you, but speak to you,” Kraus, a junior in the College of Arts and Science, said.

“It’s a great platform to share other ideas.”

Kraus said since BU Student Health Services is forced to “cast a wide net” to help thousands of students, they can’t provide routine checkins for everyone and students often “slip through the cracks.” The club also reaches people who may not be comfortable attending group sessions or other resources BU SHS provides.

“The mental health training we have to do, [people] just kind of skip through it. It’s been there, you’ve heard that and it’s basic facts,” Kraus said. “With these letters, there’s so many details, interesting ideas,

MEGHAN SCOTT | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The “If You’re Reading This” website. The Boston University chapter of IYRT was created as a space for students to read and submit letters sharing their experiences with mental health.

coping mechanisms and just thought processes that the authors get to share, that I think in letters and in words, come across very creatively, super interesting and much more engaging for an audience.”

Ana Ibarra, a sophomore at Boston College studying applied psychology and human development in the Lynch School of Education, wrote a letter for BC’s chapter of IYRT last year in December.

“I thought it would be a good way for even me to think about things that maybe I hadn’t gotten a chance to write about,” Ibarra said. “Writing is such a great way to explore thoughts that sometimes are really difficult to put into words.”

Ibarra said publishing her letter on IYRT made her feel part of a special community of people at BC who also read and write these letters.

Jenkins said she hopes this resource will be accessible to both undergraduate and graduate students, and will provide a diversity of topics that people can find relatable and helpful.

“Ideally, once we collect enough letters, I hope that someone can scroll through and find a friend or a colleague or someone that they interact with on a daily basis, and just see that it’s okay to be struggling with these things,” Jenkins said. “It’s not this one in one million thing.”

To learn more about IYRT follow @ifyourereadingthisbu on Instagram or reach out at iyrt@bu.edu.

BUISNESS

CEO of Indigenous Canadian broadcast channel inspires at BU event Melina Nguyen Senior Writer Constantly wearing a huge smile on her face, Monika Ille exudes positivity and joy in photos, on stages and even through Zoom.

This wildly enthusiastic, blondehaired woman regularly advocates for a serious cause — storytelling by Indigenous people about themselves, specifically Canadian Indigenous peoples, based on her own Abenaki heritage.

Ille spoke at Boston University’s Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground Wednesday as part of BU Arts Initiative Indigenous Voices in the Americas series. She explained her role in the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network and how she works to empower the Canadian Indigenous community to engage in this narrative sovereignty.

“I always wanted to share stories,” Ille, a broadcast industry professional with almost 30 years of experience, said. “I saw the impact, and when I saw this opportunity to work for APTN and be able to lead and control our [Indigenous] own stories …

I couldn’t say no to something like that.”

Being raised mainly by her mother and grandmother, Ille said she felt more connected to her mother’s Abenaki side than her father’s Hungarian roots. She has become an advocate for the Abenaki First Nations in Alberta, Canada.

Abenaki are indigenous peoples from the Northeastern Woodlands of

Canada and the United States.

For the past 18 years, Ille has pursued television with an emphasis on Indigenous programming at APTN, the first national Indigenous broadcaster in the world. She began as the Quebec liaison officer in 2003 and moved into the programming department, eventually being appointed CEO in 2019.

With APTN, Ille said she was able to give opportunities to Indigenous creators and take back the Indigenous narrative historically told by those in power.

“Understanding the importance of narrative sovereignty is key to understanding the worldview of Indigenous communities as storytellers,” Ille said at the event. “After years of cultural genocide, cultural repression, cultural appropriation and misrepresentation, Indigenous people strive for narrative sovereignty … Indigenous peoples, we are taking the lead, but we still have a long way to go.”

Ille spoke about how residential schools forced thousands of Indigenous children to leave their families and be indoctrinated into mainstream white Canadian society.

In the 20th century, thousands of students were physically and sexually abused, and thousands more of unmarked graves were found at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, the largest of its kind, Ille said.

APTN News covered these injustices, giving more context to these Indigenous issues from the Indigenous perspective than mainstream media like CTV Television Network can.

At APTN, Ille was a core voice in greenlighting “Mohawk Girls,”

a comedy-drama about four Indigenous women trying to find love. She was able to support filmmaker Tracey Deer’s vision and the show ran for five seasons.

Ille said APTN plays a major role

also broadcasts in 16 Indigenous languages across 10 million Canadian homes.

“Indigenous media shatters stereotypes,” Ille said. “APTN’s primary audience is Indigenous peoples.

SYDNEY ROTH | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Monika Ille, CEO of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, at the Howard Thurman Center on March 23. As part of BU Arts Initiative Indigenous Voices in the Americas series, Ille spoke about her experience in broadcasting, empowering Indigenous voices and engaging in narrative sovereignty.

in supporting the Indigenous media community with approximately 60% of its employees being Indigenous. It

However, our content is for all to appreciate the diverse storytelling that these Indigenous creators have

to say.”

Nearly 50 people attended the event, ranging from BU students to community members to friends. Ille fielded questions and stayed behind to speak with audience members, encouraging them to look into Indigenous resources and issues.

Ille was invited to speak at the BU Arts Initiative Indigenous Voices in the Americas series by longtime friend and College of General Studies Master Lecturer, Regina Hansen.

“She’s [been] a friend for a number of years actually since we were teenagers,” said Hansen. “I was just so proud of her because when you’re in Canada, APTN is visible and it is on the cable. If you turn on the cable and flip through the cable, you’re gonna see it.”

Inspiring, accomplished and kind, Ille’s character and dedication to her community can be observed by friends and strangers alike.

Isabelle Weaver, a sophomore in Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, attended the talk for a class assignment but said she related to Ille’s mixed-race background.

“It really touched me because I’m Asian but I don’t look Asian and a lot of people brush me off,” Weaver said. “It was just really interesting to hear how she took her narrative back instead of giving it to other people. I thought that was just really inspiring, and it made me want to share my story the same way she shared hers.”

4 OPINION

COLUMNS

Gaming the System: The games industry also feels the cruelty of economic sanctions Nick Speranza Columnist Economic restrictions have been a tool in nations’ diplomatic arsenals for a long time. In the case of the United States, for instance, its sanctions on Cuba began as far back as 1960, and it also used them on Iraq prior to invading.

The sanctions it applied to Iran and North Korea even persist to this day.

Sanctions are a common foreign policy tool, perceived as more civilized and less harmful than true combat, and were therefore one of the first levers the West pulled after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Assets belonging to the Central Bank of Russia were frozen, other Russian banks and companies were stopped from making transactions with American or European clients, Western exports of technology to the country were shut down and so on.

Retaliation from online services has also been swift and devastating. Major social media platforms have almost unanimously ducked out, with TikTok suspending its service to Russians, Twitter adding partial restrictions and Facebook being blocked in the country.

Most relevant to my column are video game sales, which have also changed accordingly.

Individual publishers like Ubisoft and Electronic Arts have blocked digital sales of their games in Russia, and similar restrictions have come to online marketplaces belonging to Valve,

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, among others.

It is no secret that old-fashioned sanctions — those directly on the economy rather than on Internet services — have disastrous effects on a country. The CIA openly admitted that their blockade caused malnutrition in Cuba in the 1990s, and the sanctions currently squeezing Afghanistan are depriving hospitals of basic supplies such as dressings for wounds.

All of this punishment inflicted on civilians is of course not felt by the rich and powerful in foreign countries — the ones who actually bear responsibility for missile tests and invasions.

Studies regularly show that sanctions only increase income inequality in victim countries.

They aren’t all that effective at changing policy or deposing governments either.

Video games are obviously not necessities for those who play them, but even in their production and sale we see the innocent being punished for the misdeeds of their governments.

This doesn’t just refer to people barred from buying them. Game developers, who make their living by selling games, are unable to get paid right now if they collect paychecks through Russian or Ukrainian state-owned banks.

Those who work on other online services are also being hit hard. People who make their living posting on YouTube are in trouble as Google blocks all monetization for Russian accounts.

We can imagine how this would affect content creators for every conceivable topic.

For example, Aleksei Pivovarov, profiled in the

New York Times, made news videos on topics ignored by Russian government media, but his livelihood is now in limbo.

My discussion of the cruelty of sanctions is not an apology for the military actions of Russia or Ukraine. War is hell, and an unmitigated tragedy. The fact that it is already so terrible, though, is precisely why sanctions are even worse.

They only twist the knife jabbed into civilians who didn’t instigate the war. Further, they don’t even achieve the diplomatic goals

that justify their use in the first place.

The gaming sphere and the internet are some of the many places where the negative impacts of sanctions on working people are felt. So why do we continue to do them? Perhaps because a foreign policy that actually targets the oligarchs in Russia would also be a threat to the oligarchs at home.

Perhaps because creating a facade of having done something — even if it only punishes the innocent — is easier than targeting the actual perpetrators of injustice.

ILLUSTRATION BY KACPER BAZAN

EDITORIAL

Free Brittney Griner, liberate women’s sports Their career achievements rival that of anyone else currently in their sport — a championship winner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, seven time All-Star and two time scoring champion. ESPN ranks them as one of the 25 greatest players of all time in their sport.

They’re the only player in NCAA history to score both 2,000 points and block 500 shots in their career.

By all standards, this player should be a national icon. You should see them on Wheaties boxes, in Nike commercials, their shoes should be worn on the feet of every aspiring basketball player.

ILLUSTRATION BY SMARAN RAMIDI

The sad truth, though, is that the average American would not be able to pick them out if they saw them on the street, let alone on a basketball court.

Brittney Griner has earned the right to be a topic of conversation with every sports junkie or basketball fan. But, because she’s a woman, her achievements and abilities are regarded as trivial.

And now — as she sits in a Russian jail awaiting a trial on alleged possession of drug charges, potentially facing up to five years in prison — she still doesn’t get the attention she deserves. Her life now hangs in the balance of geopolitical negotiations between nuclear superpowers, her celebrity used as a bargaining chip for eased sanctions by an authoritarian dictator.

Under any other circumstances the foreign arrest of an athlete during wartime, an athlete of this caliber and with this resume, would be treated as a national tragedy.

Imagine if Kawhi Leonard — a current NBA player with a similar resume but who is paid nearly $40 million a year compared to Griner’s $200,000 — was arrested and held overseas.

It would dominate headlines for weeks, there would likely be vigils or ceremonies before every NBA game — you can imagine the

president giving a National Address to ease the country’s worries.

But, because our country values the accomplishments of female athletes less than male ones, her struggles are a below-the-fold story, a footnote among other stories.

It’s hard to imagine any other American professional athlete put in this place to begin with. Given the low-wages and small viewership of the WNBA, players like Griner have to travel overseas to play basketball for teams funded by Russian oligarchs.

Griner’s struggles should serve as a wakeup call to American sports fans about the trials and tribulations of professional female athletes.

The truth is several wake up calls have been delivered at this point, but they’ve all been met by the equivalent of a snooze button from the national consciousness.

If it didn’t happen after women’s college basketball players were given a weight room for the NCAA tournament that was smaller than most you’d find in an average hotel and didn’t happen after the US Soccer Women’s National Team won championship after championship while still being paid less than their male counterparts — this story must alert the average sports fan to the plight of female athletes.

Female athletes are continually trivialized

and scrutinized by the national media. The common refrain from the average white male talking head seems to be that women should just be thankful that men let them play sports and should turn the other cheek to any kind of mistreatment.

While some managed to keep their mouths shut, this summer when Simone Biles had to leave Olympic competition due to a mental health crisis during the games, many labeled her a “quitter” or called her “soft.”

Yet nearly every week some NBA star is sitting out a random regular season game just because they’re tired. James Harden and Joel Embiid, two stars for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, sat out a recent game against the topseeded Miami Heat just because they didn’t feel like it, but they didn’t face outrage and condemnation for the move. Most didn’t even look twice.

The double standard is as plain as day. For the sports media, male athletes are athletes first, whereas female athletes are women first and athletes second.

While we await further news of Griner’s future, we must rethink our attitudes towards female athletes. Because our indifference and ignorance to them is, at least partially, to blame for this tragedy.

EDITORIAL BOARD Jean Paul Azzopardi, Editor-in-Chief Jesús Marrero Suárez, Campus Editor Nellie Maloney, Co-Podcast Editor

Emily Stevenson, Managing Editor

Cici Yu, City Editor

Taylor Hawthorne, Co-Podcast Editor

Smaran Ramidi, Layout & Graphics Editor

Emily Pauls, Features Editor

Taylor Coester, Photo Editor

Michelle Tian, Lifestyle Editor

Mary Geena Prestia, Multimedia Editor

Mitch Fink, Sports Editor

Brian Foisy, Co-Opinion Editor

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LIFESTYLE Pop comeback: Charli XCX’s ‘CRASH’ review Sam Thomas Senior Writer English singer-songwriter Charli XCX is bloodied and on top of a car on the album cover of her latest studio album “CRASH.” It’s a jarring visual departure from her previous album cover — her 2020 quarantine album “how i’m feeling now” — where Charli is laying in a bed with a camera.

Visuals aren’t the only thing that set “CRASH” apart from its predecessors. 2020’s “how i’m feeling now” saw Charli delve into a hyperpop sound, one with which Charli is well-acquainted.

Hyperpop as a genre is hard to define. It’s a genre that, when you hear it, you just know it’s hyperpop.

Catchy hooks punctuated by chaotic and electronic production is probably the closest, yet vaguest, explanation possible. The Atlantic makes the comparison between rock and roll and hyperpop, claiming that both are a “countercultural sound” that define generations.

But, that was Charli’s past.

“CRASH” sees the singer-songwriter return to a genre she is more than comfortable with — pop. Every song on “CRASH” is, in my humble opinion, pop excellence.

“Crash,” the title track and the album’s opener, functions as a perfect transition from “how i’m feeling now” to this new era. There are hints

of hyperpop, such as the instrumental midway through the song, and the guitar solo is split by electronic glitches, making for an interesting and exciting listen.

In the album notes on Apple Music, Charli talks about the inspiration for the track and album title.

“One day, I was driving in my car and CRASH just came to me,” Charli said. She appreciated how it was “punchy and in-your-face” and how the title made sense in her discography, which is full of car references.

“Yuck” is an anti-love song, and sees Charli gag at receiving affection from someone else.

“Too cute, no, this ain’t me now,” Charli sings. “Yuck, now you got me blushin’.”

Pop songs often talk about love or relationships, but Charli turns this on its head, grimacing at the stereotypical “chivalry” she receives from someone else. Even better, “Yuck” is an instant earworm — I was ready to sing along within a minute. That’s how you know it’s a good pop song.

In a ballad reminiscent of Cyndi Lauper’s masterpiece “Time After Time,” Charli tells the story of meeting a romantic partner in “Every Rule.” The song is slower and dripping in synths, which made it an instant favorite.

“And we know that it’s wrong, but it feels real fun,” Charli sings. “I’m breakin’ every rule for you.”

Honesty is Charli’s greatest strength on “Every Rule.” She does

MOHAN GE | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Charli XCX’s album “CRASH.” Sam Thomas reviews English singer-songwriter Charli XCX’s latest studio album, calling every song “pop excellence.”

not hold back in describing that she and the romantic interest of the song were both in relationships at the time they met, opting to sneak around to see each other. Yet, she recognizes

that what she’s doing is not healthy, since she knows that she’s “hurting someone else instead.”

“CRASH” is a gleaming pop album packed with track after track of glossy

songs. The album is remarkably short — only about 34 minutes — and it flies by in a whirlwind of danceable hits. “CRASH” is definitely worth the listen.

#GirlDads are the best dads…here’s why Audrey Tumbarello Staff Writer From my experience, if you grew up with a #GirlDad, you were definitely one of the lucky ones.

Growing up with two sisters, my dad was a father to all three of us.

Each two years apart, we got the experience of having the best dad to look up to, to discover the world and to love every moment of our childhoods.

For example, I played softball growing up, and my dad used to coach me for the recreation league.

One year, our team made it to the championship. My dad embraced the fact that he was surrounded with all girls, and wore a bright green wig and neon green stripes under his eyes to inspire us to, “Go out there and just have fun,” as he always said.

He stood at third base giving me a signal to step into the batter’s box.

As I looked over at him, I let out a little chuckle. I remember saying to myself, “I have the best dad in the whole world.”

My dad is my hero, and I know other girls, who have a girl dad like me, can say the same. Here are a few reasons why #GirlDads are like no others.

They are our role models. #GirlDads just know how to adapt

into an all-girls environment. The way these dads know how to love and support their daughters is what makes them amazing dads. They give us a sense of belonging and safety.

At least from experience, my dad has given my sisters and me fantastic life advice. He has taught me a plethora of skills that I know I can use in any situation — learning to be selfless, being respectful and having a great work ethic are just some of the lessons he taught me.

A dad is almost always the first man in a girl’s life they know, so being lucky enough to have a girl dad sets the bar for what a girl’s future boyfriend should aspire to be like. They are the best advisors and mentors throughout life.

They are our biggest supporters. #GirlDads — whether they are standing on the sidelines, playing tea cups, wearing wigs or coaching — are always there for us. They never fail to show their love for their daughters, and they manage to always have their backs, even in their lowest moments.

They empower us. #GirlDads are life’s best teachers. Teaching us how to ride a bike, be happy, achieve success in all environments and form great relationships are just a few things that girl dads inspire us to do when it

comes to following their lead. These dads set great examples for everyone around them.

There are a million reasons why #GirlDads are the best dads, but to wrap it up, here is a quote from

my dad that I think embodies him perfectly.

“The best part of being a girl dad is that you get to see the world in a completely different perspective. You realize, as a boy growing up, that

ILLUSTRATION BY SMARAN RAMIDI

we have no clue as to what makes women successful and you learn quite quickly that strong women dominate life because they work harder and listen better, and that’s awesome,” said Steve Tumbarello.

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SPORTS Men’s basketball: Whyte and Harper forge long-lasting friendship on and off the court Brendan Nordstrom Staff Writer Walter Whyte snagged a turnover and pushed the ball up the court.

After rifling a pass up the court, his teammate Jonas Harper finished off the fast break with a lay-up to give the Boston University men’s basketball team a late 15 point advantage over Northern Illinois University on November 21.

The sequence was far from the first time the pair appeared side-by-side on a scoresheet. In fact, Whyte and Harper have been playing together for nearly a decade.

Whyte transferred to St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, Connecticut during his sophomore year of high school in 2014. There, he met freshman Jonas Harper at the lunch table.

Harper recalls his first conversation with his future teammate.

“He’s a pretty funny kid,” Harper said. “I remember I had some new shoes on that my dad got me and the first thing I remember him saying is he was clowning my shoes. Ever since then, we’ve been best of friends.”

Drew Gladstone, who coached St. Luke’s during Whyte and Harper’s tenure, recalled his front row seat to the blossoming friendship.

“I think what started as a big brother, little brother relationship matured into what it is today where both of those guys have each other’s backs, know what it takes to win, and hold each other accountable to that,” Glad-

stone sent in a text.

Gladstone is now an assistant coach at Northern Illinois University, and was sitting on the Huskies’ bench as he watched Harper and Whyte combine to take down his team in November.

“It’s rare that guys value that bond and chose to stick together at the next level, so for me it’s a great source of pride and, outside of those guys beating [NIU] back in November, it’s been great to watch them and see their success,” Gladstone said.

Both Whyte and Harper reminisced on cracking jokes, working out, going to team dinners, playing video games and, of course, playing basketball together.

“To get a bond stronger than just the court . . . that’s why I call him my brother,” Harper said.

Whyte, the second-ranked recruit out of Connecticut, fielded a number of offers from Patriot League and Ivy League schools after his graduation in 2017. He chose BU because of his relationship with head coach Joe Jones, who he referred to as a “father figure.”

“I wanted to go somewhere where the coaching staff was about bettering me as a person and they welcomed me with open arms,” Whyte said. “I felt like I could trust him.”

Whyte experienced an exemplary freshman season, scoring the fifthmost points on the team and receiving All-Conference Rookie Team honors.

Meanwhile, Harper was finishing up his senior season at St. Luke’s before starting at BU the following fall.

Harper recalls joking with Whyte on the phone about reuniting in college and when it finally came to fruition, it was “a blessing.”

Unfortunately, the pair’s on-court reunion at BU was delayed due to Whyte’s season-ending injury, which earned him a redshirt. This gave him the opportunity to watch Harper’s freshman season from the sidelines and offer encouragement.

“It was really good to watch because a lot of our people believed in his abilities and just watched him flourish into a great player his freshman year,” Whyte said. “I was proud.”

In 2019 Harper and Whyte finally shared the hardwood for the first time in two years. Their mutual success contributed to the Terriers’ first NCAA Tournament bid since 2011 following the Patriot League Championship, although March Madness was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic two days after BU earned the banner.

That championship marked the third championship that Harper and Whyte won together, following two in high school.

“We got a good track record,” Whyte said. “I’m very happy that he was able to come here and we were able to win. That just solidified how good the tandem is.”

Both Harper and Whyte majored in sociology and say they are around each other all the time. This has allowed them to become more comfortable supporting each other and relying on each other if necessary.

“He definitely gets sick of me be-

cause I’m a little annoying brother,” Harper said with a laugh. “If I need something or if I need advice, he’s right there down the hall.”

Next year, Harper and Whyte will be playing their last season, which could also be the last time they share the court together.

“It’s crazy to think about that,” Harper said. “It feels like I’ve played with him all my basketball career so I couldn’t imagine playing with any other teammate but him.”

Whyte wondered if the duo could play together even after they graduate from BU. “We had the same kind of conversation in high school and it ended up being the same thing in college,” Whyte said. “We’ll go play pro over-

seas and what if we end up on the same team? That’d be pretty funny.”

After college, both players have aspirations of playing professional basketball. Harper also wants to work in the sports business world, whether it be in marketing or social media.

Whyte wants to use his public health degree to “help underserved communities.”

Whether or not next season is the end of their seven years as teammates, Whyte and Harper are a powerful display of the neverending bonds that are formed on the basketball court.

“Regardless of wherever we’re playing, if we’re at different chapters of our life, that friendship will last a lifetime,” Whyte said.

MOHAN GE | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Seniors Jonas Harper (left) and Walter Whyte (right). Boston University men’s basketball players Harper and Whyte have played basketball together since high school and have developed a lasting friendship both on and off the court.

RECAP: Women’s basketball falls short in Patriot League after mid-season hot streak Mark Fraenkel Staff Writer After starting Patriot League play 6-0, the Boston University women’s basketball team ended its season with a loss to American University in the Patriot League semifinals.

Despite a season-opening win against the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a thrilling victory over a strong Boston College team, head coach Melissa Graves’ team struggled in the non-conference portion of the schedule with losses to Princeton University, the University of Maine, Yale University, Harvard University, Northeastern University, the University of Rhode Island and Georgia Tech. The team finished with an overall record of 17-14, and a conference record of 12-6.

“If you look back at our non-conference, we would turn the ball over like 22 times a game,” Graves said.

“And we really cut that down a lot.

We focused on it in practice and by the time we got to the Patriot League season, we had learned our lesson from some losses.”

After the strong start to conference play, the Terriers were on top of the Patriot League standings. BU continued to play well until the team traveled to Washington D.C. to play American University on February 12, where the Terriers fell to the Eagles

70-57. From that game on, BU never recovered, posting a 2-3 record down the stretch of the regular season.

While the team held the first place spot in the Patriot League for a considerable stretch of the season, BU moved down to third place in the conference due to its poor late-season play. The third-place regular season finish forced the team to play on the road, against American, in the semifinals.

“Every single win matters because if we could have got the one or the two seed, we’re not in that position anymore to play at a place like American where it is hard to win for any-

body in the Patriot League,” Graves said.

After beating the United States Military Academy in a physical quarterfinal matchup at Case Gym, the Terriers were thoroughly defeated by American in the semifinals.

Free-throw shooting was a challenge for the Terriers all season long.

The team’s 66.4% free-throw percentage was the conference’s lowest rate.

Graves knew free throws would be a problem heading into the season and emphasized free-throw shooting in the team’s practice routine.

“I knew coming in, taking the job over, they were very poor from the

ELIZA NUESTRO | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Boston University Women’s basketball team in a game against Army March 7. Despite a strong start to the season, leading the Patriot League standings, the Terriers’ record fell off after playing American University Feb. 12.

free throw line, I think they were last in the Patriot League last year as well.

So we did free throws every single day in practice,” Graves said. “I made time for them to shoot free throws.

We’ve done pressure free throws.”

Junior guard Sydney Johnson led the team on the court throughout the season. The Powder Springs, Georgia native led the team in points-pergame average with 15.7.

“It was really nice to see Sydney Johnson. I thought she grew a lot, not just as far as scoring the basketball.

She took over at the point which she had never before,” Graves said. “She assisted her teammates a lot. I’m really excited about her.”

Coach Graves was also impressed with freshman guard Alex Giannaros.

The Brockton native was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie team.

“Alex really came along throughout the non-conference. It was a process in the beginning for her. She’s a freshman. She had never played the point either. So, getting into that groove of playing the point, running the team, those sorts of things,” Graves said. “I think she’s built a really good foundation that we can continue to grow upon and what we’re going to work on in the postseason with her as far as how to use ball screens, transition, what are the looks, get her to get that turnover percentage down.”

Sophomore forward Caitlin Weimer, a transfer from Marist Uni-

versity, made an impact for the Terriers in the low post as she averaged 10.3 points per game, second best on the team. Junior forward Maren Durant was also a powerful player for BU this season, specifically when senior forward Riley Childs was out.

“Obviously Maren [Durant] and Caitlin [Weimer] were just great this year. Getting to get them in a groove throughout the non conference where Riley was out. I was able to play the bigs together more,” Graves said.

Seniors Riley Childs, Chiara Tibbitt and Emily Esposito will all move on from the program. Graves is working with Childs to find her a place to play for her fifth year outside of Massachusetts.

“She’s from Massachusetts. We had a conversation in the beginning of the year of what she wanted, and I wanted to support her in anything.

So I’ve been helping her try to find schools now that she’s interested in but just trying to have an experience outside of Massachusetts, since she’s never left here,” Graves said.

As of now, no other players are planning to transfer out of the program, according to Graves.

The Terriers will add three new players next season — Maine Gatorade Player of the Year Jaycie Christopher, Colorado All-State Player Samantha Crispe, and Anastasiya Semenova, a forward from Russia.