10-21-2021

TERRIERS THRIVE, 4

GALLERY, 6

EDITORIAL, 7

Mental health services and students provide resources at event.

Photographer records ambience of lanterns in New Hampshire.

The Daily Free Press endorses Michelle Wu for Mayor of Boston.

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THURSDAY, OCT.21, 2021

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CROSSWORD, 10 As it nears the end of October, test your Halloween trivia.

J O U R NA LI S M

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Students upset by blocked view of Citgo sign Madhri Yehiya Campus News Editor The iconic Citgo sign on Boston University’s East Campus has slowly become obstructed by the construction of an adjacent commercial and retail building in Kenmore Square which began Fall 2019.

The University sold 660 Beacon Street — the building on which the oil company sign has sat since 1940 — to real estate developer Related Beal in 2016 along with eight nearby properties. It originally housed Barnes and Noble at BU, the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders and other University offices.

Several students have expressed their disappointment at the gradual covering up of the 60-foot-by-60 foot LED-lit sign, noting its connection to campus.

Sebastian Young, a sophomore in the Questrom School of Business, said the sign is most useful when navigating Boston.

“I feel like I can always find the Citgo sign,” he said. “It’s more of just a landmark, I feel like if I get lost I could find my way back.”

He added the University should have considered the opinion of students when selling the East Campus properties, knowing the presence of the notable sign could be affected.

“Talk to students about it … and [don’t] just do it,” he said. “We paid for the tuition, so might as well ask, right?”

A 2016 BU Today article published shortly after the agreement between BU and Related Beal reported that the University has tried to improve the appeal and safety of Kenmore for decades.

The piece quoted Gary Nicksa, BU’s former senior vice president of operations, as calling Related Beal “a very high-quality firm with extensive experience in Boston” whose involvement should ease local concerns about the area.

Derek Howe, the current senior vice president of operations, did not

respond to request for comment.

BU spokesperson Colin Riley wrote in an email the construction approval procedure was a long one and took several elements into consideration.

“Related Beal went through an extensive public approvals process with the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) where every factor of the development is presented and considered,” he wrote.

“I’ve only heard positive comments about the beautiful new building.”

Related Beal’s design plans have previously been criticized by the community for their departure from traditional Kenmore architecture.

The Square has been around since the early 1900s.

Bright white neon letters spelling out the word “WHOOP” recently appeared near the top of the glasspane covered building next door to 660 Beacon Street. The Citgo sign is no longer fully visible when walking from the direction of Central Campus.

Some students brought up the possibility of moving the Citgo sign upward to afford passers-by up and down Commonwealth Ave. an unobstructed view of the sign once more.

Olivia LaRosa, a Metropolitan

College master’s student and 2020 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, said she wondered whether or not the developers will consider shifting the sign sooner rather than later.

“At least they’re not destroying it [or] taking it down, so maybe it will just be moved,” she said. “I’m just hoping it’s not going to be obscured for very much longer.”

LaRosa noted that in light of the sign’s gradual obstruction, the local community’s attachment to it seems to have been ignored. “[Related Beal] probably didn’t ask any students or faculty or people that live in the area and want to look at it,” she added. “It’s the one Boston landmark that’s on campus.”

She added she was not previously aware the construction on East Campus would affect the Citgo sign’s visibility to any degree.

Former City of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced in March 2017 that Related Beal and Citgo had agreed the sign would remain in Kenmore Square for at least the next several decades.

Previous efforts to remove the sign in the early 1980s were met with intense backlash from members of the community, who demanded it be granted landmark status.

Local baseball fans, in particular, have a deep attachment to the Citgo sign, given its view from Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox baseball team.

The developer’s website noted the Kenmore Square construction is meant to “define visibility of the Citgo sign for everyone, including neighbors, students, businesses, visitors, marathon runners and baseball fans.”

Related Beal did not respond to multiple phone requests for comment, and the press inquiry email address on their website was returned to the sender as a nonexistent inbox.

Juhi Nath, a second year graduate student in the School of Social Work, agreed that the ability to see the sign from different angles across the Charles River helps prevent students from losing their way in the large city.

“It helps me remember where I am, I’m new to Boston,” she said. “I know a lot of undergrads use it as a way to get around.”

She added if the sign were to become completely obscured, it would feel like “something missing” from the city skyline.

LaRosa echoed a similar sentiment.

“It’s such a piece of all of us here,” she said. “I have to go down there now to see what’s going on.”

The Citgo sign in Kenmore Square, obstructed by a newly constructed building by real estate developer Related Beal.

Several Boston University students have expressed disappointment in the gradual covering up of the iconic campus landmark.

MOHAN GE | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Divest BU protests BU to act faster post divestment Phoebe Chen Contributing Writer Divest BU — an organization of Boston University students, faculty and staff united against fossil fuel divestment — held a protest at Marsh Plaza Oct. 15 in response to BU President Robert Brown’s Sept.

23 email announcing the University will “end the investment of our endowment in fossil fuels.”

At the protest, the club asked the University to increase transparency on the process and funding, expedite the timeline and create a social impact fund. Close to a dozen people attended.

In the email, President Brown wrote the University Investment Office will use its discretion to determine how soon BU can completely remove fossil fuel investment and should be allowed to invest in technology with minimal connection to fossil fuels during the transition period.

“We did not think that this was an adequate answer to our demands so basically we were protesting for three things,” said Cora Funke, vice president of Divest BU and a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Funke noted the club has been pushing for divestment for the past nine years and believes BU can expedite the divestment timeline to be complete in “no more than five years.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Halloween creeps back into Boston Jit Ping Lee Staff Writer

Head of the Charles Regatta to resume in-person competition Taylor Brokesh Senior Writer

YEAR LI. VOLUME C. ISSUE IX

The Head of the Charles Regatta will welcome nearly 11,000 rowers and 150,000 spectators back to the

MIKE DESOCIO | DFP FILE

The Boston University rowing team in the 2016 Head of the Charles Regatta. After being held as a global virtual event in 2020, the Regatta will welcome 11,000 rowers and nearly 150,000 spectators back to the Charles River this weekend.

Charles River this weekend.

The race — the largest rowing event of its kind in the world — was changed to a global virtual event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That move marked one of the only two times in history the in-person race was canceled.

Executive director of the HOCR Fred Schoch said the Regatta is a significant part of Bostonian culture, with as much importance as the Boston Marathon and the city’s most famous sports teams.

“The rowers call it ‘Christmas for rowers’,” Schoch said. “It’s sort of a mix between Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl.”

The Head of the Charles is a three-mile head racing tournament — boats leave the starting line in intervals, and the goal is to pass as many other boats as possible.

There will be more than 60

rowing events taking place featuring more than 800 universities, colleges, clubs and high schools competing, according to Schoch.

Boat configuration varies with the different events. There are singles, doubles, fours and eights, where each number corresponds to how many people are rowing in addition to the coxswain, who steers the boat and coordinates the rhythm among the rowers.

There will also be several additional hours of events on Friday beginning at 8 a.m., a departure from previous years’ events spanning only Saturday and Sunday.

Lizzy Houston, one of the assistant women’s rowing coaches at Boston College, spoke about the weight of the Regatta for Olympic hopefuls.

“If you have a strong showing at the Charles, it can be a promising spring,” she said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

As we approach Halloween on Oct. 31, the City of Boston is preparing to celebrate the holiday.

While Halloween originated from the Celts — present-day Ireland and Scotland — the tradition was brought into the United States

by Irish immigrants who arrived in the 1840s and 1850s. The first recorded celebration of Halloween in Massachusetts was in 1884, as chronicled by an article in the Boston Daily Globe that year.

The Irish brought with them the practice of making Jack-O’-Lanterns, although that evolved over time — pumpkins replaced the Irish’s turnips as the choice for carving. They also brought the tradition of trick-ortreating.

“In Ireland, if you went door to door wearing a costume, they would give you food,” Stephen Kenney, museum director of the Commonwealth Museum, said. “So when people came especially from Ireland to Massachusetts, that custom began to take hold.”

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2 NEWS

Divest BU hosts protest following BU’s divestment announcement Divest from 1 She said the club and greater BU community would appreciate it if the University was more willing to discuss the issue with students as well. “[BU has] been really unclear about what goes on with the Board of Trustees and the investment committee,” Funke noted. “We want them to tell us a lot more about what’s going on and also include more students in the decision-making of these committees.”

BU spokesperson Colin Riley declined the request to comment, stating he was not aware of the protest.

The final demand at the protest included the creation of a Universitywide Social Impact Fund to redirect the funds no longer invested in the fossil fuel industry toward green energy instead.

“A portion of that money would be put towards disadvantaged communities in the Boston area that have been harmed by their investment decisions, historically,” said Funke.

Brown wrote in the email that BU will no longer commit to direct investments in companies with connections to fossil fuels, and instead prioritize investing in fossilfuel-free products.

“The actions of the Board of Trustees on investment in fossil fuels are, I believe, a necessary step toward mitigating global warming and the devastating impacts of climate change,” he wrote.

Talya Havivi, a junior in CAS and member of Divest BU, participated in the Friday protest and said she agreed transparency is an important concern.

“I think the protest was really important to show support from students ... [for] pushing our administration to be transparent with where their money is going and where their money is investing in and so we can create the most sustainable campus as possible,” she said.

Havivi said the next step for Divest BU is to push for the formation of a University-wide Climate Action Committee.

“I imagine it’s a committee of people on the [Board of Trustees],

maybe include some student voices choice.”

“He ignored the fact that Divest BU or professors from the environmental Funke noted the club did not is the reason this decision was able to science department, to continue appreciate Brown’s failure to mention be reached,” she said. “[Brown] kind thinking towards the future and Divest BU’s efforts over the last of brushed over the work that’s been thinking forward about climate decade in his announcement. done by students for so long.” action at BU,” she said.

College of Communication freshman JoWei Lin said they passed by the protest and looked it up afterward, having not known what it was about initially.

“I’m very proud of BU for making this important decision, and I appreciate Divest BU for making this happen with all their efforts,“ Lin said. “I’m so glad to see that AMANDA CUCCINIELLO | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF BU has finally Divest BU members in Marsh Plaza Oct. 15 demanding further action from Boston University President made the right Robert Brown following the University’s termination of the investment of their endowment in fossil fuels last month.

PREVIEW: First in-person Family and Friends Weekend since Fall 2019 Lauren Rowlands Staff Writer Boston University is inviting students’ friends and family members to visit campus and participate in four days of mainly school-sponsored activities running from Oct. 21 to 24 this weekend.

The events will range from open houses hosted by several schools and colleges to indoor and outdoor sporting events, as well as concerts and art exhibits.

The BU Family and Friends Weekend website states that the vast majority of activities are free, with an exception being the Fringe Opera’s $15 admissions fee and ice hockey tickets for non-students. Tickets will be required for COVID-19 contact tracing purposes for most events, and all visitors are encouraged to be vaccinated.

BU spokesperson Colin Riley said all University COVID-19 protocols will be in effect at all events.

“If you’re inside a BU building, you need to have a face covering,” Riley noted. “Unfortunately, families are not going to be able to go into the

dining halls because you would need a green badge, and those are for BU students, faculty and staff.”

One outdoor event that will not require tickets is the Head of the Charles Regatta, a highly anticipated annual rowing competition along the Charles River. Onlookers will be able to gather on the Esplanade and BU Beach Saturday to cheer on the University’s men’s and women’s rowing teams.

“You can either go up and down to either side of the Charles River,” Riley said. “As you get past the BU Bridge in Cambridge, you’ll see the crowds get

TAYLOR COESTER | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Students walking past the Boston University School of Theology. Students’ family members and friends are invited to visit campus and participate in four days of BU-sponsored activities from Oct. 21-24.

a little bigger and bigger towards the finish line.”

The men’s ice hockey team will compete against Merrimack College in Agganis Arena Saturday at 7 p.m.. The Terrier Tailgate will start two hours before the game, giving students and their visitors the chance to enjoy an outdoor barbeque with Dean of Students staff.

“I think the Terrier Tailgate is going to be very popular,” Riley said.

“Probably the biggest event on Saturday.”

The weekend will also feature performances from BU’s marching bands, the acapella group Dear Abbey’s and a play put on by Stage Troupe.

Maddie Hurysz, a sophomore at the College of Arts and Sciences and the stage manager of Stage Troupe said the group will put on two performances.

“We’re putting on a production of ‘She Kills Monsters,’” Hurysz said.

“Which is a really niche, dorky show, but honestly I think it’s just so creative.”

The performances will take place Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m..

“Anyone who wants to come is more than welcome,” Hurysz added.

Along with on-campus activities, students have shared their plans to venture off-campus with their visitors to explore popular spots around the city.

Siena Giljum, a senior in the College of Communication and president of Stage Troupe, said her mother and aunt are visiting from California and that she is looking forward to showing them around Boston after her performance.

“I think my aunt wanted to go on some boat cruise or harbor cruise,” Giljum said. “[And] we have the Family and Friends weekend show.”

COM sophomore Sydney Parker said her parents will travel from New Jersey and she plans to take them to Newbury Street and out to eat.

“Probably to a restaurant, maybe in the North End … and then a hockey game,” Parker said.

She noted the activities are not what she is most looking forward to this weekend.

“Just to get a hug,” Parker said. “I think that would be really nice.”

Given that Family and Friends weekend was virtual last year, Riley said he was “pleased” by how many families have registered to come.

“We’re seeing maybe more parents who are coming in to be with their sophomore students because they never got to come when they were freshmen,” Riley said.

Students and families looking to attend any of the University-sponsored events should visit the BU Family and Friends Weekend website to register.

“It’s almost all sold out,” Riley said.

“It’ll be a very busy weekend.”

EVENT CALENDAR THURSDAY

BU Bands Jazz Concert 8:00 p.m.

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

BU StuGov’s Taste of Boston 5-8 p.m. @ SAO Gym

BU Crew competes at Head of the Charles Regatta Starting 11:26 a.m.

Fall Arts Concert 8 p.m. @ Tsai Performance Center

Men’s Hockey v.

Merrimack 7 p.m. @ Agganis

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Field Hockey v.

Duke University 12 p.m. @ New Balance

StuGov Meeting 8-10 p.m. @ CAS Basement

NEWS 3

Crew competitors describe excitement, joy before race Regatta from 1 Houston said she is looking forward to seeing her athletes race, but that there was an even more exciting element for her this year.

“We’ve got a women’s club four and I’m also in a club four,” she said, “So, I’m racing against some of the athletes that I coach.”

Ian Accomando, the assistant coach for the men’s lightweight rowing team at Harvard

University, described how training on the Charles River is an asset that rowers in Boston have.

“I think [the Charles River] is a pretty special place to train,” Accomando said. “It’s one of the most special places in the world to be a rower.”

He also commented on how competitive qualifying for the Head of the Charles Regatta is.

“You’ve got to be at the top of your game to get into a boat that’s going to race in the event,” he said. “[The race] kind of celebrates sport, it celebrates our sport, it exemplifies the best of the best in the sport of rowing.”

Karen Powers, a family counselor from New Jersey, will

be rowing with the University of Massachusetts Alumni rowing group in the women’s senior master eights 50+ event.

“I’ve always enjoyed team sports, everybody exercising and pushing themselves, and practicing and getting better, and so I guess rowing now is reminiscent of that time of my life,” Powers said. “It makes me feel youthful, and it brings back the memories of that positive experience.”

The alumni categories are also a great way for people who used to row for their schools to reunite after several years of separation, Schoch said.

“Maybe you graduated 15 or

20 years ago and you were on the rowing team, you want to come back, and that’s where the reunion part comes in,” he said.

“People train remotely, and then they borrow a boat from their old colleges and they race.”

Houston said the Regatta could also act as a reunion postpandemic and that it is about “bringing people together.”

“I’ve seen friends that I haven’t seen in gosh knows how long, and not just from a pandemic standpoint,” Houston said.

“Rowing is a big community sport and it’s all about the camaraderie, so I think that that plays into it hugely.”

Powers has yet to meet every

member of her team in person as she said it is composed of alumni from multiple years.

“We’re practicing the day before, but that will be the first time that we are rowing together,” she said. “It’s a little unnerving.”

Powers’ love for rowing overrides her apprehension though, she said, looking forward to participating in the Head of the Charles Regatta this year.

“I’m most looking forward to the camaraderie that rowing brings,” she said. “You’re all in the same circumstance completing this laborious task together. You start together, you move together, you finish together, you win or lose together.”

Halloween events return, more subdued than pre-COVID Halloween from 1 The event grew in popularity in the 20th century, with the baby boom after World War II credited with making the event more popular, commercialized and mainstream throughout the United States.

“It is an example of an immigrant group coming to America, maybe not being accepted at first, and bringing customs that get to be adopted widely and then we think of this as a typical part of American culture,” Kenney said. “That process continues today.”

Jared Daley, moderator and president of Secret Boston — a Facebook community of over 200,000 members that highlights events and artists in the area — noted that while there are more Halloween events this year as compared to 2020, it is still a far cry from pre-pandemic times.

“We are running at about maybe half of what you would see typically,” Daley said.

“Corona did a number on the

[entertainment] industry so a lot of these people are just not operational anymore.”

Daley said there is a shift in preferences for Halloween plans this year — more people are choosing to host smaller parties as opposed to attending larger events. Daley lamented the impact this has on the hospitality industry, although he is glad that there is still some holiday cheer going around.

“It is not the same level as it used to be, but I know the spirit is still there,” Daley said.

Daley says he is most interested in the Halloween show organized by bands Neighbor and Club d’Elf held at The Sinclair.

The gastropub and music venue is located in Cambridge, and the concert is a chance to wear a costume too, Daley said.

“People get a chance to get creative,” Daley said. “We’re in this great community where it’s a big college town, and these college kids can come up with some crazy stuff. I am always impressed when you go out on Halloween night around here.”

For more family-friendly fun, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department is holding a free movie screening of “Hotel Transylvania” on Oct. 23 — the Mayor’s Movie Night — at the Boston Common.

Acting mayor Kim Janey and the Parks and Recreation Department’s highlight event — the first annual Fall-o-Ween Children’s Festival — will be held the day before at the Boston Common Frog Pond from 5 - 8 p.m.. This free event is suitable for all ages and includes a “Haunted Fun House Maze” and other attractions, such as an art activity with the Mayor’s Mural Crew.

The Department is also hosting the 2021 Mayor’s Pumpkin Carving Contest.

Boston residents can carve pumpkins in the categories of “most creative,” “scariest” or “Boston-Parks themed” in a chance to win the top prize — a gift basket worth $75 courtesy of the farm families who own the Cabot Creamery Co-operative. Submissions are due Oct. 31. Contestants are also

encouraged to compost their pumpkin after the event.

“Every fall, over a thousand families join us in costume on Boston Common for spooky family fun,” said Boston Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ryan Woods in an email statement. “It was important to bring back this beloved event after a hiatus in

2020 due to COVID-19 protocols.

We are back safely in 2021 with even more giveaways, activities, and performances, plus a glowin-the-dark pop-up play space for kids to enjoy.”

Regardless of whether you are carving a turnip or pumpkin, visiting a bar or a park or trick-ortreating, happy Halloween!

LUWA YIN | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Jack-O’-Lanterns. As Boston prepares to celebrate Halloween this year, many residents are opting to get in the spooky spirit with smaller gatherings and parties.

Wu, Essaibi George clash in second mayoral debate Olga Benacerraf Rodriguez Staff Writer City Councilors Annissa Essaibi George and Michelle Wu conflicted on topics from education to rent control during the second televised Boston mayoral debate, at the NBCUniversal Boston Media Center Tuesday.

Each candidate asked the other one question to kick off the debate before a panel took over to ask questions.

The candidates did not have prior access to questions beforehand, and viewer questions were gathered in advance through social media channels.

Following introductions, Essaibi George opened the debate by asking Wu about her position on the entrance exam process in public schools and said it seems to change depending on the crowd Wu is addressing.

Wu said she supports entrance exams when combined with grades and economic criteria, ensuring that resources are being invested to lift up all Boston children.

“I want to make sure that we have a process that is fair, that is equitable and that reflects the diversity and community and talent of our city,” Wu said.

When pressed about her alleged tendency to change answers depending on her audience regarding public schools that require entrance exams, Wu responded that was false.

“That’s simply not true, Annissa

ILLUSTRATION BY CONOR KELLEY | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Boston mayoral candidates Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George during Tuesday night’s mayoral debate. In their second televised debate, the candidates started by posing one prepared question to each other before answering panelist questions.

[Essaibi George],” Wu said.“This is a big distinction between us, that I support having equity in every part of our [education] system, and I think it’s right that we are adding reforms to this process.”

Wu’s question for Essaibi George focused on transportation, asking what her plans are to improve traffic and ensure Bostonians are able to navigate their city.

Essaibi George agreed with the notion that traffic needs to be improved and said the system must be made safer for pedestrians, cyclists, cars and public transit. However, she countered Wu’s plan to make the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority fare-free by asserting that this reform is “impossible” without state-level involvement.

Essaibi George said if the state did not cooperate with this initiative, the $2.3 billion price tag would fall on the people of Boston — a possibility she deemed “unfair.”

Later in the debate, the panelists described a Suffolk University poll that revealed 59% of Bostonians support rent control and 29% oppose the practice before asking Essaibi George her stance.

Essaibi George responded by acknowledging that high rent prices are an acute problem plaguing the city of Boston, but that rent control is not the solution.

“It has been tried, it has failed,” Essaibi George said. “And if we’re talking about being bold, if we’re talking about having a big vision for this city, rent control is not the answer.”

Wu, who has publicly endorsed rent control, rebutted that renters in the city struggle with many challenges and every housing plan should consider renters.

“We’re not talking about going back to an old, tired way of doing things,” Wu said. “We’re talking about joining the cities across the country that have seen rent stabilization work in keeping people in their homes.”

A highly polarizing moment in the debate stemmed from talks of a Boston Globe article that indicated Essaibi George aided her husband in a dispute with a housing developer while acting as a City Councilor.

Essaibi George denied those allegations, explaining that she has no involvement in her partner’s business and “has filed a report with the Ethics Commission to clarify what transpired.”

“In this particular case, my staff, my team did what we always did. We worked with our neighbors, we’ve worked with our residents. We heard their concerns and supported the efforts of both the district councilor and the neighbors and opposed this project,” Essaibi George said.

Tensions also rose in the studio when Essaibi George pressed Wu about her relation to Terry Considine, the father of Wu’s college roommate and a former Colorado Republican politician who has donated to her campaign.

Essaibi George said Considine is a “hate monger” with a track record of discriminatory and racist remarks, whose family, Essaibi George

alleged, had a role in helping Wu purchase her home.

Wu denied these claims, clarifying that she bought the home initially with her college roommate alone and had “absolutely no assistance purchasing” it.

Wu continued to denounce personal attacks, saying that the City of Boston deserved better after the politics of fear-mongering and falsehoods that became the norm under the previous presidential administration.

“This is not what I wanted this mayoral race to turn into, and this is what I have tried to ensure that we stay focused on the issues,” Wu said.

“There’s absolutely no wrongdoing that happened here, and I am willing and able to stand behind every single bit of the success and stability that my family has had because it has taken hard work.”

The night ended with a “rapidfire” question session, which included more serious questions such as their household income, some light-hearted questions such as their favorite Red Sox players and closing statements from each competitor where they expressed their gratitude for being in the race for Boston’s next mayor.

The final mayoral debate will be held on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. on WCVB Channel 5. Early voting in Boston begins Oct. 23, and the final deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is Oct. 27.

For more detailed debate coverage, check out the city coverage on our website.

4 FEATURES

COMMUNITY

BU project spreads awareness about mental health Paul Birmingham Contributing Writer Isolation, fear and loneliness — from remote classes through the pandemic to a post-vaccination return to in-person schedules — mental health struggles have been difficult for many students.

To help students struggling with mental health, the Terriers Thrive Together project is hosting events to promote on-campus resources throughout October. The fair addressed many intersections of mental health, including for students of color, individuals with disabilities and sexual assault survivors.

The project was virtual last year, and coming out of the pandemic, the organizers prioritized getting support and resources to students in both in-person and online events.

The events this year range from support groups, writing workshops, community conversations to social outings, and involve events both open to the general BU community and specialized to specific marginalized groups.

Savannah Majarwitz, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and co-chair of the Student Government Mental Health Committee, said the project is a collaboration between different groups on campus such as the Student Government Mental

Health Committee, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Behavioral Medicine, Wellness and Prevention and Wellbeing Project.

“It’s really just to open up a broader awareness about mental health, and then also see where the gaps are,” Majarwitz said. “We want to hear feedback from students, we want to know how we can improve … we want to know how we can communicate that directly to administrators, and how they can expand resources.”

Terriers Thrive Together held a Mental Health Fair at Marsh Chapel Plaza on Oct. 13, showcasing a range of booths and information from Behavioral Medicine, student organizations such as Campus Survivors and, perhaps the crowd’s favorite, a mental health support dog.

Melissa Paz, assistant director of Mental Health Promotion with Student Health Services, said the goal of the fair was to show students what mental health resources are available on campus.

“The visibility of mental health as an important issue really is becoming more and more visible,” Paz said.“Students are becoming aware of the issues and aware of the importance of destigmatization, and events like this one [help] to do that.”

Paz said students struggling with their mental health should know they can reach out to many services on campus for help.

“Tapping into your emotions and acknowledging whatever it is that you’re feeling, regardless of how you would label it, is so important, and to know that [you’re] not alone,” Paz said. “If [students] don’t know where

ILLUSTRATION BY SHANNON DAMIANO | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Terriers Thrive Together logo. The collaborative project was created to spread awareness of on-campus mental health resources for Boston University students throughout the month of October.

to look, just asking someone and starting somewhere is often just a very good first step.”

Brooke Angell, a senior in CAS and president of Active Minds, said the BU club focuses on destigmatizing mental health issues.

“You’re always going to have people who are dealing with depression, anxiety, stuff like that,” Angell said, “[and] with the stress of the pandemic and coming back to school while the pandemic is still going on, that’s very stressful.”

The fair also showcased several booths from outside organizations based in the greater Boston area, including DeeDee’s Cry, an organization dedicated to suicide prevention for communities of color

and advocating for the importance of mental health education and resources.

Toy Burton, founder and executive director of DeeDee’s Cry, said the pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health issues for communities of color, including “disparities when it comes to just health care period.”

“The biggest part is about having these conversations, and having people share their stories to break down the stigma that surrounds mental health and communities of color,” Burton said.

Christopher Robinson, coordinator of outreach and training at BU’s Disability and Access Services, represented the department with a

booth at the fair.

“Mental health is broad, ambiguous. It is a gauntlet that we have to migrate through,” Robinson said. “Disability Access Services approaches mitigating the stress of mental health [for individuals with disabilities].”

Majarwitz said she has “mixed thoughts” on the University’s support for mental health services, but said BU Student Activities Office funding the fair is an appreciated and good step.

“I think that says that they’re willing to support events on mental health,” she said. “I would really like that effort and passion to also be translated into supporting more services for students.”

ARTS

Fringe Festival performs three modern operas Zoe Johnson Contributing Writer The 25th season of Boston University’s Fringe Festival has officially begun — the first opera of the festival, “The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace,” premiered on Oct. 15 and performances continued throughout the weekend.

This was the first BU opera performed in person with unmasked singers since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fringe Festival has been pre-recorded and held on Zoom

through the pandemic with one fully masked opera singer in a room at a time.

The Fringe Festival’s “mission is to produce new or rarely performed significant works in the opera and theatre repertoire,” their website said.

The festival prioritizes performing in minimal performance spaces, like the black box theatre in the Joan and Edgar Booth Theatre.

This is also the festival’s first year utilizing Booth Theatre since it opened in December 2017. “The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace,” with music by Kamala Sankaram and the libretto by Rob Handel, was the first of three operas performed with the festival.

Allison Voth, an associate professor of music and principal coach at BU’s Opera Institute, was the music director for “The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace.”

“What I think is very special about our Fringe is … we have a remarkable collaboration between the School of Theater and the School of Music,” Voth said. “We have very fine music schools in this town, but we are the only voice program that actually has this remarkable collaboration with a school of theater design program so our productions are just so rich and very creative.”

The opera provides an active collaboration between different schools, students and faculty, and a

CLARE ONG | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The Joan and Edgar Booth Theatre. The 25th season of Boston University’s Fringe Festival premiered Oct. 15, hosted by the Theatre for the first time since its December 2017 opening.

variety of interests — including in its subject matter. Ada Lovelace was a mathematician in the 1800s and is also considered one of the first computer programmers. She was also the only legitimate daughter of Lord Byron, a famous poet. In the play, she struggled with her duties as a wife and mother and her passion for mathematics.

Emily Ranii, the stage director for “The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace” and the artistic director of the Wheelock Family Theatre, said the opera tells a compelling reimagining of Lovelace’s life.

“This particular project I think is really important and exciting by a female-identifying composer about a female-identifying mathematician,” she said. “The story is really about investigating Ada Lovelace, whose dreams were bigger than society’s expectations of her because of her gender, and her journey to find the freedom to be able to follow her dream.”

Voth said they get a wide range of audiences because they have a variety of topics they can cover with opera. Voth said she hoped math and poetry students alike could find their way to “The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace.”

Ranii also spoke on the partnership that the Fringe Festival invokes.

“It’s an opportunity to delve into new [and] newer works, but it’s also the way that in collaborating with the design teams too that we tell the stories in a really immersive, collaborative way,” Ranii said. “So much of opera or traditional operas [are] in a proscenium and this is so incredibly far from that, and the design is very integral to the storytelling.”

Booth Theatre has no proscenium,

which is a large, arched elaborate stage synonymous with classical opera productions. “The Infinite Energy of Ada Lovelace,” and the other more modern operas that will be performed during the festival flourish in the small, immersive black box theatre. Voth said the minimally designed sets make it so “the audience can really get inside the performances because of the intimate space.”

“I feel like the intimacy of those production spaces, it creates and it demands a really honest, acting from the singers,” Voth said, “because they can’t hide behind the proscenium, they can’t hide behind lavish sets.”

The minimal sets are paired with carefully thought-out music. Two female composers are featured in this year’s festival — Sankaram and Missy Mazzoli, who composed “Proving Up.” “Proving Up” tells the story of a fictional family in the 1860s finding their way through the American dream. Performances are set for this weekend from Oct. 22 through 24. The final opera in this festival is “Colossal” which follows a football player through love, expression of masculinity, and injury. “Colossal” will have its opening night on the following weekend on Nov. 4.

Voth said she is looking forward to the Fringe Festival performances because they’re playing at the Booth Theatre with so many stage spaces within the space.

“There are so many opportunities for creating different types of performing platforms within that space,” Voth said. “It’s a large one, but it’s also an intimate space. It’s upfront and personal, and we’re just so excited to be performing [there for the] the Fringe Festival.”

FEATURES 5

BUSINESS New BUild Lab Innovator in Residence to support student entrepreneurship Emily Pauls Senior Writer

Jonathan Allen is a Boston University School of Law graduate, a co-founder of a non-profit, an entrepreneur — and now is the inaugural Innovator in Residence at BU’s BUild Lab. At the BUild Lab, he hosts office hours for students and is organizing a speaker series featuring community leaders. The first episode of his speaker series — which explores “the journey of a social entrepreneur,” he said — will be on Nov. 3 at the BUild Lab. “I’ll make myself available to be a resource and hopefully a source of inspiration for people who are thinking about how to leverage innovation to solve our most pressing problems,” Allen said.

He said students across different fields — like STEM or communications — tend to be inclined toward innovation work. But he wants the BUild Lab’s programs and resources to attract students of all majors on campus.

As Innovator in Residence, Allen will lend his skills for one academic year to share experiences and work on projects with the BUild Lab. “To me, innovation and being an innovator is being agile, being open to change, being responsive to issues but then getting proactive to the future of what’s possible and how we get there,” Allen said. “All in all, being an innovator is being a problem solver.”

Micaelah Morrill, the director of external relations at Innovate@BU, said she met Allen when he used the BUild Lab for his project Leadership Brainery. She said Allen decided to take on the role so he can share his story and experience with the students.

“I hope that he is an inspiration to students that they can do kind of whenever they want to do,” Morrill said. “I don’t think he sugarcoats anything, but I think he strikes a really good balance of reality and inspiration.”

Allen’s Leadership Brainery, nonprofit, works to elevate diverse student

leaders into various professional fields by providing them with a network of resources, according to their website.

Allen said he and his husband and cofounder Derrick Young Jr. got the idea for Leadership Brainery when they were undergraduates at Grambling State University in Louisiana.

In graduate school, they both noticed they were “the few Black men in our respective programs.”

“That is what caused us to start asking the question to admissions, ‘Why are there not more people from our backgrounds in these competitive postgraduate programs?’” Allen said.

The universities they asked said qualified, diverse individuals just weren’t applying, Allen said. Allen knew that there were qualified diverse applicants out there, he said. They

just needed to figure out how to reach them.

And with that, the idea for Leadership Brainery was born.

While Allen was finishing up law school at BU in 2019, he said he decided to run for City Council for Allston and Brighton, or District 9.

“Literally, during final exams, I was preparing for those and taking those exams at the same time that we were going out into the street to get signatures to get on the ballot,” Allen said. “It was a very intense time.”

His campaign was “informationdriven,” focusing on the idea of “people lack resources and opportunities when they lack information,” Allen said.

Although he did not win the election, Allen said it was a

“transformative experience” because he knew that the issues his campaign focused on would have to be addressed by whoever did win.

Marielis Rosa, a junior at BU in College of Arts and Sciences, met Allen through Leadership Brainery when she discovered his non-profit through UMOJA, Boston University’s Black Student Union chapter. She said Allen has a warm aura about him and has helped her with her legal aspirations.

“He is very hopeful and dedicated to the mission of Leadership Brainery, and that’s honestly what’s giving me hope about my own future as a first generation college student,” Rosa said.

Being a first-generation college student, a Black man and a part of the LGBTQ+ community, he said he

has to work harder to “knock down doors” and break down biases from all angles.

“My identity, and my journey has taught me to value different perspectives and to get to know them,” Allen said. “There have been people who would initially discount me because of what my identity is, without ever having taken the moment to get to know me.”

Allen hopes that people will understand that they are all “interconnected.”

“I hope that people will begin to love people across our differences, despite them,” Allen said.

“We will begin to open up our minds to become more educated and aware and informed about our different experiences.”

COURTESY OF GEENA GRANT

Boston University BUild Lab’s current Innovator in Residence Jonathan Allen. Allen said he wants students to see themselves as innovators in their desired fields and be able to use the Lab’s programs and resources regardless of their major.

REVIEW: Were these two new JP Licks flavors a hit?

Molly Farrar and Emma Sánchez Editors On a crisp fall Saturday, Oct. 16 to be specific, Molly and Emma ventured to the Coolidge Corner J.P. Licks — that was blasting One Direction — to try their new ice cream flavors released on Sept.

20 creatively called “Midnight Munchies” and “Strawberry Lime Red Bull Sorbet.” Here’s how they

tasted: Strawberry Lime Red Bull Sorbet: a strawberry sorbet made with Red Bull and lime juice.

Molly’s thoughts: I avoid Red Bull. If I need some caffeine, I will be at Dunkin’ (oat milk latte, iced).

This sorbet was deliciously sweet and tangy, but without a hint of Red Bull.

“But maybe that’s the point,” I said to Emma. Is this vegan, gluten-free sorbet supposed to give you a kick of caffeine without the taste of the sugary energy drink? Either way, the pureed strawberries give the sorbet a more solid texture than an Italian icestyle sorbet, and the lime lifted the sweetness with a little kick. 8/10 Emma’s thoughts: This one

surprised me. While I’ve never tried Red Bull before, I really only tasted the strawberry and the lime. The hint of lime was a nice touch, as it added a tanginess to the strawberry flavor that reminded me of those strawberry popsicles you would get with school lunch or a strawberry daiquiri. I didn’t really see it as a fall flavor because of the seasonal fruits. While the real strawberry chunks made the sorbet seem more natural, the Red Bull made it really sweet, and it was almost like eating candy. I’m not quite sure where the Red Bull went, because I was not bouncing off the walls after eating this. 8.5/10 Midnight Munchies: peanut butter ice cream topped with Kit Kats,

chocolate-covered pretzels, potato chips and ranch powder.

Molly’s thoughts: Full disclosure, I do not like ranch, and I do not like peanut butter. However, as a journalist, I must remain impartial.

I was truly looking forward to J.P. Lick’s self-proclaimed munchie food.

I gave it a tentative sniff — ranch! I smelled the ranch before the peanut butter or anything else that was supposed to be in the flavor. Maybe this is personal, but I don’t think a lot of people would like to be slapped in the nose with ranch before digging into their ice cream. I gave it a fair shot. I did not like it. It was a peanut butter ice cream with barely any bits and pieces in it. The laundry list of

toppings made me think it was going to be chunky and busy. The reality was every once in a while I got something stuck in my teeth. 2/10 Emma’s thoughts: Woah. This one was the iffy flavor. Because of the peanut butter base of the ice cream and a lack of large chunks, all I could taste was the peanut butter. So for peanut lovers out there, this might be a surprising hit. However, the chunks were unidentifiable and the ranch was too much of a risk. In my opinion, that risk didn’t pay off, but taking it out would have made for an otherwise bearable ice cream if there was more balance in flavor. The ice cream base was a bit chalky, and not something I would order again. 3/10

6 PHOTOS

GALLERY

Lantern Festival Mohan Ge Staff Photographer

New England residents attended The Lights Fest sky lantern festival Sunday in Winchester, New Hampshire for a chilly Fall evening kept warm by bonfires and illuminated by flocks of paper lanterns.

INTERROBANG What cheesy costumes are BU schools wearing for Halloween?

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Skyy Ramos and Walter Teixeira release their lantern.

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Festival participants release their lanterns into the air.

Ashna and Drew Malhotra, of Boston, embrace by a fire.

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Festival patrons release their lanterns into the air.

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Floating lanterns dot the dark sky above festival patrons.

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EDITORIAL 7

EDITORIAL

ENDORSEMENT: A vote for Michelle Wu

ILLUSTRATION BY YVONNE TANG

Disclaimer: The city editor, Isabella Abraham, did not have a role in the content, writing or editing of this editorial to maintain objectivity in Mayoral reporting.

Big ideas are not well-liked in American politics. Often, when you see a candidate campaign for a substantial political position with plans to significantly restructure existing systems or departments, the media and the public predictably dismiss these proposed changes simply because their outcome isn’t immediately visible, and thus, seems intangible.

These are the sorts of criticisms often leveled at Boston mayoral candidate — and front runner — Michelle Wu. But these big ideas are what make change truly feasible, and for this reason, The Daily Free Press editorial board is proud to endorse Michelle Wu as Boston Mayor.

Our endorsement hinges on three main points: her vision for a better Boston, her stance on police reform and her strong commitment to climate change reform.

It is reasonable to demand plans and action steps from our politicians. Big promises for change without clear methods to get there are meaningless. But to discredit Wu simply for her big ideas is irrational.

The position of Boston mayor has usually been held by one person for decades. Mayor Thomas Menino alone served for more than 20 years. If Wu were to win, she’d be able to have the time and space to enact her big ideas.

Moreover, Wu’s track record as city councilor speaks for itself. She successfully spearheaded the campaign to pass laws regulating shortterm rental companies like Airbnb, which some blame for increasing rents and gentrification.

She pioneered paid parental leave laws in her first term and pushed for laws limiting law enforcement’s access to facial recognition technology throughout the city.

Wu has known what she wanted for a very long time. She knew what she wanted before a lot of young people knew what they wanted from politics.

This is not to say that every single one of Wu’s endeavors was successful. Moreover, other City councilors have noted Essaibi George seems to have a greater presence at community meetings regarding the opioid epidemic at the Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard area.

But Wu’s big-picture plan for Boston may be exactly what we need right now. The Summer 2020 protests against police brutality and racial inequality, as well as the pandemic, have shown us with vivid and horrific clarity how broken many of the social welfare systems are in this country.

Now that we are on relatively more stable ground, there is a real opportunity to address the systemic and structural roots of rampant inequality. Stability should not mean silence on these issues, and we need an advocate in office we can count on to push them through even

when they don’t dominate the news.

These issues cannot be solved in small quick fixes that maintain the status quo. Their solutions require seeing the bigger picture.

For instance, take how some of Wu’s proposed plans of action converge to address the issue of homelessness. Wu believes in redirecting some police funds toward creating a crisis team of social workers and mental health clinicians to respond to nonviolent 911 calls involving homelessness, mental health, and substance abuse. She believes in implementing rent control to protect Boston residents from displacement due to rent hikes and amending Boston’s city zoning codes to prevent racial discrimination in the housing market.

Together, these plans all address the core of poverty and homelessness, without relying on criminalization or quick fixes.

Michelle Wu’s stance on police reform in contrast to Annissa Essaibi George is another point in her favor. Out of the initial six candidates for Boston mayor, Essaibi George stood out as one of the only candidates who did not support reducing police funding. One of Essaibi George’s plans involves hiring more police officers of color to diversify the force, despite research showing that a more diverse police force does not solve the issue of widespread and systematic police brutality against civilians.

Essaibi George expressed the need for greater police presence in the area to apprehend

drug dealers. This proposed solution pretends the issue of homelessness and addiction can be solved through arrests, which research has shown only makes the issue worse.

Our third point of support for Wu is her seriousness when it comes to addressing climate change. Essaibi George said climate change was not a top priority for her, framing it in an interview with Boston.com as an issue led by “wealthy white suburbanites,” despite evidence showing the brunt of climate change affects low-income communities of color.

Wu stressed the importance of this issue in her action plan.

Among utilizing zoning laws and taxation to protect the environment as part of her Green New Deal, Wu also addresses more immediate steps towards addressing climate change. Her plan to make the MBTA free is a solution to make greener forms of public transportation accessible to all, regardless of income.

None of the above reasons are to claim that Wu is perfect. Her police reform plan could be expanded to include movement towards abolition, and she should be more vocal and present about how she plans to address the opioid crisis on Mass and Cass.

But no candidate is perfect. We, as a paper, endorse Michelle Wu because we believe in her vision, and we trust in her to be able to achieve it.

If there was ever a time for big ideas, it’s now.

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

8 COLUMNS

Seen on TV:

OPINION

AT&T and OAN, a horrific love affair

Brian Foisy Columnist A report by Reuters last Wednesday, Oct. 6, uncovered that the majority of funding for One America News, better known as OAN, came from telecommunications conglomerate AT&T — which is strange for a variety of reasons.

If you haven’t yet had the misfortune of accidentally channel-surfing to the god-forsaken hellhole that is OAN while trying to find Fox Sports 1, I’ll try to describe it as best I can.

Imagine, hypothetically, that a squadron of aliens came down to Earth, watched the Fox News primetime lineup, and decided to replicate it. Then imagine that those aliens couldn’t run the network themselves because, well, they’re aliens. So they turned that responsibility over to a group of 8th graders and said, “this TV network is yours, kiddos, as long as you make sure everything you say is literally insane.”

That’s OAN. The network has been promoted by former President Trump, who began appearing on the network regularly near the end of his term.

Trump routinely used the network as an outlet

for spreading misinformation about the validity of the 2020 presidential election.

OAN has been called out for spreading other conspiracy theories surrounding things like the Black Lives Matter movement and the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, YouTube removed the ability for OAN to monetize its videos after it had repeatedly broken that platform’s policy on COVID-19 disinformation.

It’s hard to imagine why anyone except Mike Lindell would fund such a thing, but it’s even more unusual that that company ended up being AT&T. An important detail in why that’s so strange is that AT&T is the owner of WarnerMedia, which owns CNN. That fact blows the revelation into a whole different plane of weirdness.

Why would a company fund two things that are diametrically opposed? It’s hard for AT&T to argue that CNN and OAN can coexist together.

But the company isn’t keen on making an argument one way or another — they’re sticking with a strategy of denying that a financial relationship exists.

In a statement to Reuters after the publication of their story, the company said they “‘never had a financial interest in OAN’s success’” and that AT&T “‘does not ‘fund’ OAN.’” Evidence from a recent court filing shows that that statement is a lie.

According to testimony from a former OAN accountant, AT&T-owned television platforms provide roughly 90% of OAN’s total funding, including through lucrative deals with its subsidiary DirecTV. The same Reuters article stated that a lawyer for OAN said that without the deals AT&T and DirecTV have cut with OAN, “‘the company [OAN] would go out of business tomorrow.’”

It should be noted, though, that in recent months, AT&T has begun to spin its Warner-

Media and DirecTV properties into independent businesses. Meaning that soon, the company will have no involvement with either brand.

Another shocking piece of information from the Reuters article comes from court testimony

by Robert Herring, co-founder of OAN. According to the story, he indicated that without AT&T, he could have never created the network. “‘AT&T told us…they wanted a conservative network,’” the article quoted Herring saying in a 2019 unrelated deposition.

Herring also claims that he and the company offered to air positive coverage on AT&T when the two companies struck a deal that would allow his channel to appear on AT&T’s distribution platforms, AT&T U-verse and DirecTV. These claims may be somewhat unbelievable given the swamp he crawled out of to issue these statements. But, even without any alleged quid pro quo, the fact remains that AT&T is funding both a legitimate news network and a far-right conspiracy factory.

The question remains, why would a company willingly do such a thing?

This could illustrate how the corporate side of media may view news and political coverage as just another feather in their content cap.

WarnerMedia, the content-creating subsidiary of AT&T, invests in a ton of different things to cover all their bases when it comes to content.

“Impractical Jokers,” “The Sopranos,” “Harry Potter,” “Sesame Street,” “Inside The NBA” and “Adventure Time” all come out of WarnerMedia.

All those film and television properties present different and varied outlooks on the world. And that’s fine when it comes to fictional properties.

But that doesn’t work with the news. There cannot be different or varied outlooks on the news because news reflects the real world.

There’s only one of those, and it’s not the one you’re seeing on OAN. News is not ‘content’ and AT&T, or any company for that matter, shouldn’t be treating it as such.

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIA NIZHNY

Wear Me This:

Leather is an unlikely key to sustainable fashion

Sujena Soumyanath Columnist It’s been over five years since I watched the movie “Grease,” but Sandy’s iconic transformation into the perfect greaser girl will forever stick in my mind. I think the most powerful aspect of it was her perfectly put-together outfit, right from the impossibly tight-fitting pants to the star of the look — the black leather jacket.

For me, the jacket was the perfect representation of Sandy’s newfound confidence and backbone.

Leather jackets are much more than antiques from the set of Grease, however. A Friday night walk around Boston’s nightclubs will reveal that the iconic jackets are still a favorite among throngs of freezing girls waiting to get in. Faced with the prospect that their mass-ordered fake IDs could get tossed aside by a particularly bad-tempered bouncer, leather continues to be a reminder of toughness and maturity.

Between its early 20th century conception and its modern popularity, the leather jacket has been adapted many times, but there is something undeniably classic about its design.

Whether a relic from World War I or one of Kate Moss’ model-off-duty looks, leather jackets bring edge while remaining polished and understated. My favorite thing about the timeless piece is its versatility — it can be casual or dressy, and it has no seasonal limitations.

It’s for this exact reason that most people own their leather jackets for life. Forget Cher, these jackets practically own the phrase aging gracefully. In today’s world of Shein hauls and colossal garment waste, the idea of owning an irreplaceable piece for life is something we desperately need. This is exactly why leather jackets could be the next best thing for sustainability.

I can practically hear PETA fuming from here. Given the environmental and humanitarian ramifications of leather production, the idea that mass-produced, chemically dyed cow skin could enhance sustainability seems doubtful.

The process of turning animal skin to leather requires large amounts of chemicals like chromium wastes — which the Environmental Protection Agency considers harmful — and tannery effluents that contain a high number of pollutants. Additionally, the use of animal products and mistreatment of cattle has provoked an outcry from animal rights groups.

In terms of human impacts, tannery workers work with cancer-causing chemicals, and it is not uncommon for children in these factories abroad to start work in the industry at 13 years old. The consequences of leather production extend to people in proximity to factories as well.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that Kentucky residents living near a tannery were five times more likely to contract leukemia than the national average.

Although these realities of leather manufacturing dissuade its purchase, the rise of secondhand shopping provides a way to evade additional production of the material while capitalizing on its timelessness. A stop at one of Boston’s numerous vintage shops, and you could

walk away with not just one of the many leather jackets usually housed there, but also a response for your passive-aggressive vegan friend about the ethicality of your leather.

The best part about it is vintage leather is often the most long-lasting, meaning you won’t have to guiltily stalk Urban Outfitters for your next fall jacket.

Using the tool of secondhand shopping, leather jackets provide a great way to consume fashion more sustainably, mainly because they demonstrate the idea of slow fashion. Coined

by Kate Fletcher, professor of sustainability, design, fashion at the University of the Arts London, the term “slow fashion” emphasizes investing in quality pieces, putting meaningful consideration into buying clothing and prioritizing timeless over trendy. The practice aims to remediate fast fashion’s culture of mindless consumption which has led to massive waste and far-reaching humanitarian and environmental concerns.

Ultimately, a fundamental shift in the way we purchase clothes is the key to sustainable fashion. Thrifting has come to be seen as a cure-all to fast fashion, but in my opinion, there isn’t much distinction between hordes of teenage girls raiding goodwill’s discount sections and the excessive clothing hauls on YouTube. Of course, a previously owned garment creates much less environmental and

humanitarian impacts than something made in a sweatshop. But if we keep viewing clothes as inconsequential purchases, how will we ever foster awareness of the serious environmental impacts of what we buy?

It’s here that a middle-aged man’s realization that there’s no place for his 80’s leather jacket at a 9-to-5 becomes truly revolutionary. When the next owner of the jacket picks it up at Value Village, they gain a staple for life and evade numerous cycles of jacket purchases without contributing to harmful leather production.

In this way, leather — the classic villain of environmental welfare — has become an example of how to consume fashion sustainably and mindfully. What can I say, I love a good enemies to lovers trope.

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COMICS 9

CARTOONS Elyse Genrich Contributing Cartoonist

Irene Chung Contributing Cartoonist

Narek Sahakian Contributing Cartoonist

10 GAME

Song Spotlights: Fall Edition CROSSWORD BY ANNA FACCIOLA

ILLUSTRATION BY SMARAN RAMIDI

Expect crossword answers to be posted on Friday, Oct. 22 in the Opinion section of the website.

Katrina Liu Lifestyle Editor From the leaves changing colors to the temperature cooling, to the return of sweater and scarf usage, everything about this season brings me bliss. After what is usually a long and hot summer, it’s refreshing to feel a gust of brisk air blow through my hair.

Whether it be the memories the songs elicit or the imagery the instrumental and lyrics project, this is the soundtrack to my fall.

“Cherry Wine - Live” by Hozier I remember hearing this song the first time when a classmate sang it in my freshman year of high school. The melancholy guitar plucks paired with her tranquilizing voice made me feel warm, and I immediately searched for the original version when I got home.

The live recording of “Cherry Wine” has been a favorite of mine ever since. There’s something about the intricate guitar riff throughout that makes me want to snuggle into my favorite corner of the couch and drink a cup of hot apple cider.

“Come Back…Be Here” by Taylor Swift I mean, I had to put a Taylor song here.

She has so many autumnal motifs in her discography. I felt obligated to highlight a song from her “Red” album, as it’s arguably the record of hers that most encapsulates the season of fall.

This song is heartbreaking as Swift talks about yearning to be with the person you love.

“Come Back...Be Here” makes me feel like I’m letting go of something while simultaneously hanging on to something out of hope and slight desperation.

“One Second and a Million Miles” from “Bridges of Madison County” This is a stark departure from all other songs I’ve highlighted in my “Song Spotlight” series because this song is from a musical. I’m not an expert in musical theater by any means, but I know some exquisite songs are born out of the theater.

“One Second and a Million Miles” — sung

by Steven Pasquale and Kelli O’Hara in the original Broadway cast recording — is one of the most beautiful duets I’ve ever heard.

You don’t need to know anything about the musical’s plot to enjoy their heartfelt vocals and appreciate the amazing orchestration.

Have I listened to this song while walking in the woods, leaves crunching beneath my feet, pretending that I’ve felt a love as strong as what the lyrics portray? Absolutely.

“One - Live and in Session” by Ed Sheeran The combination of Sheeran’s impeccable guitar playing and his storytelling through his lyrics in this particular version of “One” radiates raw honesty and vulnerability. The lyrics thrust me into a story of lovers that I feel like I have no right to be a part of. I’ve always thought of fall as a season for love — whether it be romantic, platonic or familial.

“A letter to my younger self” by Ambar Lucid “A letter to my younger self” is an innocent and sweet reminder that “the universe is gonna give you muchas flores.”

In short, life is genuinely a beautiful thing, even if it may seem like it’s not at the time.

No matter how you’re feeling in your life right now, I hope during this fall season, you have time to not only reflect on how far you’ve come but how you have so much further to go.

LIFESTYLE 11

LIFESTYLE Disillusioned by holidays Veronica Thompson Podcast Editor The walls of my dorm room are bare except for a single wall hanging — a small plastic jack-o’lantern attached perpendicularly to a foam pole, from which fringed black tissue paper and orange mesh netting hang loosely.

Clearly, it is a Halloween decoration, but I don’t personally associate it with the holiday. For me, it isn’t a seasonal piece. It has been there since the day I moved in and will stay there until I move out next semester.

That being said, I know I cannot deny my Dollar Tree merchandise blatantly evokes Halloween, especially since every time I have friends over they casually comment on it. Because this $1 pumpkin entity is the only decoration on my wall, it’s hard to miss.

“Ready for spooky season?” they’ll say, a gleeful glint in their eyes. “Big Halloween fan?”

Unfazed, I always reply, “I don’t celebrate Halloween. I just like pumpkins.”

About two years ago, I decided to stop participating in holidays because they were stressing me out. And — at the risk of sounding dramatic — I must say renouncing holidays taught me a valuable lesson about life.

Particularly regarding Thanksgiving and Christmas,

the pressures of tradition and capitalism got to me, and I realized that not only do holidays no longer bring me enjoyment, but they filled me with a mild sense of dread.

It felt like I was doing something solely because it was expected of me and not because I genuinely wanted to engage in it.

Technically, there are a lot of existing holidays - national, international, religious and unofficial. But in consideration of my word count, I’ll merely share my logic for not celebrating some of the major U.S. holidays.

When it comes to Halloween, I don’t care for costume parties or haunted houses or adorning my living space with scary decor.

Growing up, my siblings and I didn’t go trick-or-treating, so I don’t have an attachment to Halloween candy.

As for Thanksgiving, I can practice mindful gratitude throughout the year. My life is fulfilled without U.S. football games, Macy’s’ annual parade and roasting a large bird for four hours.

In terms of Christmas, I do not have religious or secular ties. My parents never conjured up Santa for us, but we’ve always set up Christmas trees and exchanged presents. I decided that I wouldn’t give or receive gifts because I don’t like the pressure and financial anxiety that have afflicted me during past periods of holiday shopping.

New Year’s Day is not my thing because I don’t care for resolutions or for acknowledging the concept

of time.

The Fourth of July actually makes me feel sad nowadays because the founding principles and implications upon which this nation declared independence make me uncomfortable. In other words — in this country, I don’t think it is self-evident that all people were created equal.

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are cool, but if I ever become a mother, I doubt I will be interested in hyping up a particular day to celebrate my motherhood since it can be recognized throughout the year.

I don’t have anything to say about Valentine’s Day. People often misconstrue my relinquishment of holidays as a sense of hatred or protest, which is understandable. But I want to clarify my stance — I respect holidays. I simply choose to generally avoid partaking in their celebration.

There’s a difference between renouncement and denouncement. No part of me believes that anyone should adopt my attitude toward holidays.

Additionally, just because I don’t vibe with holidays right now doesn’t mean my opinion won’t change in the near future. Being self-contradictory is human nature.

I also recognize there are many different ways to view and celebrate holidays. For some, they are merely a break from work and school which can be spent in relaxation or with loved ones.

There are a lot of aspects of life which are treated as defaults

when in reality, they are simply additions.

If an activity you engage in is unnecessarily stressing you out or otherwise making you feel miserable, you have the right to identify against it, regardless of whether other people resonate with your reasons.

Though easier said than done, it is unfair to you to appease authority figures, peers or family members by sticking with that

instrument, sport, club or lifestyle that you know isn’t working for you.

I am definitely not a fullyindependent adult, but there are still a lot of decisions I have the prerogative to make when it comes to customizing my life, habits and values.

Ultimately, as long as I’m not harming anyone, I owe it to myself to reduce as much unnecessary stress in my life as possible.

Veronica’s jack-o’-lantern – the single wall decoration of her dorm room. Veronica chooses not to celebrate holidays because they give her a sense of undesirable pressure to engage in tradition rather than genuine joy and interest.

VERONICA THOMPSON | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Global Cinema Series: ‘Black Sunday’ Sonic Fleming Contributing Writer When viewing a list of some of the successful horror movies within the past decade — “Get Out” and “Midsommar” standing out due to their deserved cultural imprint — it’s easy to observe that the traditional definition of a horror movie has changed dramatically.

Blood, creepy music and spooky costumes are no longer the only staples for something to be considered scary.

The genre has shifted towards

the Hitchcockian style, with psychological thrillers reigning supreme. The desensitization — mostly through social media — of graphic content has greatly lessened the shock value of seeing something gruesome on a screen.

Modern audiences prefer their brain to be messed with, rather than their eyes.

Most days, I would fall into this audience type. But when a holiday comes around, whether it be Christmas or Halloween, I crave a niche genre film that is best watched during those surrounding weeks of fall or winter. Christmas movies are of great abundance, but Halloween movies are less so.

“Black Sunday” is a legendary and global seasonal Halloween favorite for those who know about it. The film is an example of a horror film that doesn’t fit the modern “watch at any time ondemand mold,” but instead creates a fully engulfing world that sucks the viewer in while adding to the seasonal cultural cravings.

“Black Sunday” is Italian director Mario Bava’s — also known as the “maestro of the macabre” — directorial debut.

Bava is known for his spectacular filmography of horror genre films, but none are more heralded than his first. With Halloween falling on a Sunday this year, it feels perfect to write about this ’60s

ILLUSTRATION BY SHANNON DAMIANO | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

A scene from “Black Sunday.” Released in 1960, the gothic horror film is a seasonal Halloween fright that feels all the more appropriate with the holiday falling on a Sunday this year.

masterpiece.

The opening scene of this film is also probably its most iconic. The scene — which can and should be watched on repeat before getting on with the rest of the film — is made possible by an impeccable acting job from Barbara Steele, who had her career launched as an Italian gothic horror star from this performance.

Steele’s character Asa Vajda and her lover Igor Javutich are sentenced to death by Asa’s brother on accusations of witchcraft. This first scene not only sets the tone for the rest of the movie but acts as the background knowledge for the curses and murders that lay ahead.

The symbols and imagery that are so apparent in this film start immediately, with the signature design of the mask with spikes inside making an early appearance. Despite the desensitization of graphic images, this opening scene is bound to give some modern viewers shivers with the placing and smashing of a mask with spikes onto Asa’s face, killing her — a very gruesome shot.

Exactly two centuries after this killing, we are introduced to the descendants of the Vajda family: Katia — also played by Steele and a spitting image of Asa — and her brother and father.

We also meet Dr. Kruvajan and Dr. Gorobec as they are traveling through Moldavia. On the way there, their carriage breaks and they stumble upon a discarded crypt. In Kruvajan’s attempts at killing a bat in the chamber, he accidentally breaks glass that not only reveals Asa’s corpse and the bronze mask, but also causes him

to bleed onto Asa. This blood revives Asa, and she is able to come in contact with Javutich, who similarly rises from the dead. From here, the second act begins, and the bloodthirsty quest for revenge begins.

With this rising of the dead, one would think that this would, by default, be a zombie movie.

But the antagonists are witches and vampires. This mix of spooky characters creates a whole new archetype of villain, one that captivates the audience through stellar acting, makeup and costume.

Similar to the antagonists, the world this film takes place in cannot be defined in one word.

While supernatural, this movie remains incredibly grounded in maintaining realism throughout.

The dark atmospheric visuals that Bava creates combined with the ominous score tell the viewer they are experiencing a story within the liminal space between fantasy and reality.

“Black Sunday” was released in the same year as Hitchcock’s horror classic “Psycho,” but these two films could not have been more different in the interpretation of the horror genre.

While Hitchcock’s psychological work has been used as inspiration for countless projects, Bava’s standout and unique perfection of the gothic horror subgenre is equally impressive, yet it cannot be replicated.

There is only one “Black Sunday,” and there’s perhaps no better seasonal classic to watch leading up to this Halloween Sunday. The film is available to watch for free on Kanopy using your BU Kerberos account.

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SPORTS

100 YEARS OF BU HOCKEY Q&A: Terrier greats Eruzione, Gilroy and Cohen Caroline Fernandez Boston Hockey Blog

In anticipation of the 100th season of Boston University men’s hockey, we sat down with

MADDIE MALHOTRA | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

The 2019 Boston University men’s hockey team lines up before a game against the United States National Development Under-18 Team.

Terrier legends Mike Eruzione (Wheelock ’77), Matt Gilroy (MET ’09), and Colby Cohen (CAS ’10) to hear about what it really means to play for one of the most renowned programs in college hockey.

Read the transcripts of our interviews below. Excerpts have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Can you describe your years as a player?

Matt Gilroy: My career view is pretty unique, starting as a walk-on and then finishing the way I finished, but I think I’ve always fallen in love with BU’s hockey tradition and the history of it, and the excellence of the

program. Then once you get there and you become a part of it, you just become obsessed with it, and all you want to do is win there.

If you could pick one moment to really define your BU experience, what would it be?

Colby Cohen: Winning the championship was incredible. I was the lucky one who scored.

I’ll never forget when [Nick] Bonino scored to tie the game.

I was on the bench for that goal because Matt Gilroy and [David] Warsofsky were on the ice. … I don’t remember when I scored as well, but I remember when Bonino scored and the bench just erupting. … It was something

that certainly will be hard to ever replicate a moment like that in my life ever again.

What do you want the rest of the community to know about this program?

Mike Eruzione: How important the program is to players, and how important Boston University is to our program. We’re an extension of the university. … I represent the university, and I feel very proud about it because it’s done so many things for me, and I think our players feel the same way, clearly about our hockey program but about the school itself.

For the full Q&A, check out the digital version at dailyfreepress.com.

BU hockey add new faces to coaching staff Belle Fraser Boston Hockey Blog There are some new faces on Commonwealth Avenue this season for both women’s and men’s hockey. With the addition of Kerstin Matthews and Mollie Fitzpatrick at Walter Brown Arena and the entry of Jay Pandolfo at Agganis Arena, the Boston University hockey program has gained some real talent behind the bench.

Matthews and Fitzpatrick fill the shoes of Tara Watchorn and Liz Keady Norton, who left their positions with the women’s team this summer for head coach roles at Stonehill College and Dartmouth College, respectively.

It’s somewhat of a homecoming for Matthews who, with current head coach Brian Durocher, transitioned the women’s team to a Division I level program during

her time at BU from 2003-08.

Thirteen years later, she’s back for more.

“One of the main reasons I wanted to come back to Comm Ave. is the support that BU puts into its hockey program,” Matthews said. “There’s nothing better than being at a school that supports hockey the way Boston University does.”

Matthews has another fullcircle moment coming up on her calendar. As a Providence College graduate and senior year captain of the hockey team, she’ll be returning to her alma mater as a Terrier instead of a Friar Oct. 31. Matthews expressed an appreciation for the history of the league she once played in and now coaches in.

“Having that tradition with you every day reminds you of how far the women’s game has come and how far we’ll continue to push it,” she said.

Fitzpatrick, the new women’s assistant coach, is seeing BU with

a fresh set of eyes as she comes to the program after six seasons with Norwich University, where she helped lead her squad to four straight NCAA tournaments. Following that success, Fitzpatrick said she was in a place in her life where she was ready to take the next step in her career.

“BU is a place that I know can be super successful. For me, it was like ‘Okay, how can I take what I’ve done at the college level, at the Division 3 level, and see if it can transfer over to the Division 1 level,’” she said, “and I was fortunate enough to be given this opportunity.”

In terms of her coaching style, Fitzpatrick said she is a “player’s coach.” She said she believes players have to be supported in all capacities of the game and life to succeed.

“I put my head on the pillow and go, great,” Fitzpatrick said, thinking of how she aims to feel at the end of every day. “I did

ILLUSTRATION BY YVONNE TANG

everything to the best of my ability for them, whether that’s advocating for them, whether that’s pushing them, whether that’s having those hard conversations.”

On the men’s side, they had a big hire in the absence of associate head coach Paul Pearl, who left this summer to take the leading position at Cushing Academy.

Joining head coach Albie O’Connell behind the bench this season is Pandolfo, the former captain of the 199596 Terrier team who has spent the past five years as an assistant coach for the Boston Bruins following a successful career playing in the NHL. Additionally, having played for and captained his team, Pandolfo knows a thing or two about Terrier pride and what it

means to put on the scarlet and white sweater night in and night out. The new associate head coach now gets to be on the other side of things.

O’Connell only had good

things to say about Pandolfo in an Oct. 2 postgame press conference.

“He’s professional in everything he does,” O’Connell said. “He has a good mind for the game, he’s a very good coach.

He’s pretty light, too. Guys really like him.”

For more BU hockey coverage, check out the Boston Hockey Blog and The Daily Free Press’s digital issue commemorating 100 seasons of Terrier hockey.

Men’s soccer captures gritty rivalry win over Northeastern Mitch Fink Staff Writer The Boston University men’s soccer team’s match against Northeastern University had all the makings of a heated crosstown rivalry game: chippy play, thrilling lead changes and bad blood.

The Terriers (3-8-2, 2-3-1 Patriot League) erased a deficit to defeat the Huskies (9-4-2) 3-1 Tuesday night at Nickerson Field, winning two straight for the first time this season.

“Whether it’s a local rival, it’s a non-conference game against a team who’s had a really good year,” head coach Kevin Nylen said postgame. “You go down a goal, to come back in the second half and respond, I thought it was a really good performance by the guys tonight.”

The contest was physical from kick-off to the final whistle — a total of 36 fouls were called and four yellow cards were dealt in the game.

Tensions flared midway through the first half when Nylen and Northeastern head coach Chris Gbandi engaged in a heated shouting match on the sidelines until the two were separated by the referee.

While not revealing what prompted the disagreement,

Nylen called it “just coaches being competitive and wanting the best.”

Junior midfielder Quinn Matulis caught the worst of the physicality in the 11th minute, suffering an injury that kept him

Francesco Montali to give Northeastern a 1-0 advantage.

BU bounced back quickly after the break, equalizing in the 50th minute on a penalty kick.

Sophomore midfielder Eitan Rosen drew the penalty for the

between the 56th and 59th minutes, the Terriers generated four corner kick opportunities while forcing significant pressure on Northeastern redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Colby Hegarty — the Huskies only won

MOHAN GE | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Junior midfielder Miles Dycaico chases the ball in a soccer match against Northeastern University at Nickerson Field Tuesday night. The Terriers defeated the Huskies 3-1.

out of the rest of the game.

Nylen said he was confident that Matulis’ injury wasn’t serious, saying there was “nothing to it” and the midfielder “had some spasms.”

The Huskies found the back of the net first in the 40th minute off a corner kick. Freshman forward Sebastian Restrepo headed a ball past BU junior goalkeeper

Terriers after he was dragged down inside the 18-yard box, and junior forward Ronaldo Marshall capitalized by calmly placing a strike into the bottom of the net.

The goal electrified the home crowd and energized the Terriers.

Soon after, BU began to dominate possession of the game and create a series of chances on net.

In one three-minute span

five corner kicks in the game.

Rosen nearly put BU ahead with a well-hit volley curling towards the top right corner, but a diving effort by Hegarty kept the score knotted at one in the 57th minute.

The Terriers’ relentless attack finally paid off in the 59th minute, after Marshall sent a close-range rebound into a vacated goal to

give the Terriers a 2-1 advantage, and Marshall his second goal of the game.

After taking the lead, BU never looked back. The Terriers won their second penalty of the game in the 83rd minute, and though junior midfielder Colin Innes’ strike from the penalty was saved by Hegarty, the rebound was ultimately put home by Innes to cushion the BU advantage and seal the 3-1 victory for the Terriers.

Although BU has struggled to put the ball in the net throughout this season, the Terriers are finally hitting their stride in the final third.

BU’s three goals on Tuesday marked its most in a game this season. The Terriers have now scored five goals in their last two games after tallying just seven in their previous 11 matches.

“Slowly as we continue to go here and we continue to play better and better, we’re now creating more chances,” Nylen said. “I thought we’ve played well and we’ve created chances, and you could say we probably created more than three goals’ worth tonight.”

The Terriers next travel to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where they will seek their third consecutive victory in an Oct. 23 conference matchup with Bucknell University at 12 p.m.