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USG Election Results Annouced
October 2, 2019 VOLUME XXXVI, ISSUE 10
By SIOBHAN COSGRAVE Contributing Wrtier
Each fall semester, a second set of United Student Government (USG) elections are held at Fordham Lincoln Center. This election cycle, the Class of 2023 elected their freshman senators, and the entire student body voted to fill the positions left vacant from the spring 2019 elections. The open positions were USG Chair of Operations, USG Chair of Facilities and Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) class senators. Most of the competition this election was found within the race for the freshman senators, as those running for Chair of Operations and Chair of Facilities, Ben Guo, Gabelli School of Business ’21; and Yunuen Cho, FCLC ’21; respectively, ran unopposed. This semester, eight students ran for freshman senators, an unprecedented number for USG elections. The candidates included Aisha Sanwal, Ali Huzma, Emily Peper, Michelle Moughan, Reilly Higgins, Ryan Horowitz, William Breslin and Shelby Westbrook, all FCLC ’23. Ultimately, only three of the candidates were elected to serve the freshman class. On Sept. 26, USG announced at their weekly meeting that Higgins, Westbrook and Breslin were elected as the Class of ’23 senators. There seemed to be a common theme among the candidates regarding their goals and intended initiatives; specifically, changing the same-sex overnight guest pol-
Pages 12-13
LC Environmental Club Goes Camping COURTESY OF LC ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB
Fresh Off the Runway: New York Fashion Week Five students describe the highs, lows and unique shows of NYFW By CHLOE FELOPULOS Contributing Writer
This season of New York Fashion Week (NYFW) was a totally new experience for me, as I saw it from the eyes of a stylist. I was no longer attending only to write and create content for an online fashion magazine; I was now dressing clients for the shows as well as playing the role of a plus-one — and I managed to get backstage. I discovered a new world of what goes into the prep for attending shows: obtaining invites and seats, maintaining good relationships with designers, picking samples for clients and taming the monster that is a styling assistant’s email inbox during NYFW.
see ELECTIONS page 5
Irish President Speaks at Fordham By JOE KOTTKE Staff Writer
On Sept. 30, 2019, Fordham Lincoln Center welcomed President of the Republic of Ireland Michael D. Higgins to speak on campus as part of the “Fordham Humanitarian Lecture Series” hosted by the school’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA). Fordham University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., who often refers to his own Irish Catholic heritage, introduced Higgins as an “eloquent, compassionate and thoughtful leader.” Higgins’ remarks focused on the more than 71 million people forcibly displaced around the world due to violent conflict and resource scarcity. Higgins is one of several speakers invited by the IIHA to speak on the world refugee crisis in recent years, and encouraged students to work towards solutions for the world’s refugee population, which is currently at an all-time high. “We turn to universities in desperation in the midst of an ecological, social, economic and ethical crisis,” said Higgins. see PRESIDENT page 2
COURTESY OF CHLOE FELOPULOS
Along with this new mindset were new shows to attend, and one stuck out to me in particular: the I Love Pretty runway show held at Spring Studios. I was absolutely in love with every look that passed by me on the runway. From the sheer and dreamy textiles and harsh leather to the exquisite accessorizing and upbeat rhythmic music, I enjoyed every second of it. I Love Pretty cared for every guest by gifting them with the most fabulous pink and black goodie bag filled with its products. The looks were an amazing contrast: edgy and feminine against sexy and laid-back. I loved seeing the I Love Pretty Spring/Summer ’20 story being told right in front of my eyes.
Dressed to impress: Chloe Felopulos took steps in her fashion career by styling NYFW models.
see NYFW page 15
News
Features
Sports & Health
250,000 rally against climate change Page 3
Not so fast, Amazon Page 14
Men’s soccer steals win with last-second shot Page 22
Protests for a Green Future
Target Run and Done
The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center
Soccer Victory
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News
October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
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Freshman Dean Departs Fordham University
Desciak assumes role as Associate Dean at Boston College after nearly a decade at Fordham By KATRINA LAMBERT Contributing Writer
After a nearly decade of working at Fordham University, former Assistant Dean for First-Year Students Joseph Desciak departed from Fordham to pursue a career as the Associate Dean for Boston College. Desciak said the decision to leave was far from easy, but ultimately he felt that it was the right step in his career.
Rose Hill and Lincoln Center have quite literally been my home. Joseph Desciak, former assistant dean for first-year-students
The former Assistant Dean expressed that it was hardest to leave behind the people in the Fordham community that he loves so dearly. “Fordham is far more than an outstanding academic institution,” he said. “It is a place of welcome for all who grace our hallowed halls.” As the new Associate Dean for Boston College, a fellow Jesuit university, he hopes to further his professional and academic aspirations. He explained that by focusing on his academic research — the impact of faithbased higher education on socialization — he hopes to see how an institution can shape future leaders to be concerned with the injustices of the world. Desciak’s former responsibilities are currently being fulfilled by interim Assistant Dean Arleen Pancza-Graham while the administration continues the hiring
COURTESY OF JOSEPH DESCIAK
Joseph Desciak lecturing during his time as a professor at Fordham. Although sad to leave his community here, he is excited for his future at Boston College.
process. Pancza-Graham worked as the Sophomore Dean for Lincoln Center students until she retired in 2017. Upon Desciak’s departure, she agreed to temporarily return to Fordham as the interim Assistant Dean for First-
Year students until a permanent replacement is found. “My understanding is that the search for a new Assistant Dean is progressing and the new administrator will be in place for the Spring semester,” Panc-
za-Graham said. Desciak started his tenure at Fordham in 2009 as a doctoral student in philosophy. He eventually took on the role as Assistant Dean for Juniors and Transfers in 2011 and finally became
the Assistant Dean for First-Year Students in 2013. Over the course of 10 years, Desciak said, Fordham has served as the backdrop to his coming-of-age journey: it’s where he met his best friend and now wife, began his career and came to embrace the Society of Jesus. J,” he said. Desciak has friends within all departments of Fordham, from dining services to Jesuit priests. “These folks have all become part of my extended family,” he said. His colleague and “neighbor” in McKeon, the Rev. Vincent DeCola, S.J., spoke about the times when he would get together with Desciak and his wife, sharing meals on the balcony of the Law School while enjoying the free concerts in Damrosch Park. DeCola praised the former dean for his “student-centric approach” and how he worked to make the students at the Gabelli School of Business and Fordham College at Lincoln Center feel more connected to one another. “While it is a great loss for us at Fordham, this seems to be the right move for Joe Desciak at this point in his career,” DeCola said. “I can only hope that perhaps fate will cause our paths to cross again at some future time.” The former dean emphasized that he is deeply committed to the futures of Fordham’s students, and hopes they know how much he cares about their well-being. He said he is still keeping them in mind in his daily prayers. As he welcomes the challenge of his new role, he invites the Fordham students to take on a challenge of their own: to “say hello and greet one another on campus.” With this challenge, he promises, “You will find joy and peace in knowing that kindness is the main ingredient for happiness.”
President Advocates for Support of Refugees
PRESIDENT from page 1
“There is no place like a university for reflection and enrichment. It’s a gathering place for the young and curious who believe that the world can indeed be changed.” Higgins, who was a poet, professor and author before becoming a president, presented his perspective on the international crisis and how he believes countries around the world should respond. His speech came amid the United Nations General Assembly earlier in September, where the refugee crisis was discussed among a slate of other global issues. Since 1998 that Higgins said, he has worked on resettling portions of the world’s refugee populations in Ireland. It was under his presidency that the Irish Refugee Protection Programme was formed, which has been characterized as a direct humanitarian aid response to the massive influx of Syrian refugees to Europe in the mid-decade. “He is a champion of the arts and not only a humanitarian, but a humanist,” said McShane. Higgins has used both his national and global platform to promote protection of refugees who are fleeing places where he feels that “all hope has been lost.” “It is my responsibility as president of Ireland to encourage Irish citizens at home and abroad to be exemplary in reaching out to those who are seeking shelter,” said Higgins. Higgins was the first recipient
JOE KOTTKE/THE OBSERVER
Michael Higgins speaks to a sold-out crowd at FCLC. On a highly publicized visit to New York City, he also appeared at the U.N. and on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
of the Seán MacBride Peace Prize in Helsinki, Finland, in recognition of his work for building peace and justice. Much of Higgins’ argument focused on the intersectional relationship between the global climate and the factors that drive both war and migration. “Dangerous shifts in climate are placing stress on communities where ecosystems can no longer support populations, leading to a lack of resources and contributing to violence,” said Higgins. “Unless we collectively take action to prevent catastrophic climate change,
these population flows driven by climate shifts will only increase. They are increasing.” Higgins also spoke to the intergovernmental relations that often hinder, rather than help, the growing refugee crisis. According to Higgins, roughly 80% of refugees only make it as far as neighboring countries, which often lack the resources to accommodate such large population increases. Higgins noted that this often comes without much acknowledgment or respect by more developed countries, like Ireland and the United States. He argued
that it was the responsibility of both the U.S. and Ireland to stand in international solidarity with refugees, particularly as Western democracies become more hostile to refugee and migrant populations. “Neo-nationalism does not speak of freedom,” said Higgins. “It speaks of fear and exclusion.” “I believe we can not and must not remain silent in the face of such attacks on refugees and migrants. We are all on a shared planet,” said Higgins. According to McShane, threefourths of the previous presidents of Fordham University have had
Irish ancestry — including himself. Standing in solidarity with Higgins’ messages, he said, “We are a university founded by and for immigrants. If we fail to embrace them, we fail the ability to maintain the soul of the university and its sacred mission. We are great because of immigrants not in spite of them. How we treat our brothers and sisters is of the highest importance.” After the presentation, McShane said, “It was spectacular, moving, philosophical, poetic and a call to action; in short, it was Irish.”
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CUSP Committee Envisions Fordham’s Future
THE OBSERVER October 2, 2019
News
New York Takes a Stand on Climate Crisis
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A quarter of a million people descended on lower Manhattan demanding reform
By GUS DUPREE Asst. News Editor
Since its founding by University President Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., in the fall of 2015, the Continuous University Strategic Planning Committee (CUSP) has been responsible for planning and executing initiatives to improve the school’s academics, community and legacy, with many of these initiatives planning as far ahead as 2030. CUSP Co-Chair Dennis Jacobs, university provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, described how Fordham has both the opportunity and duty to successfully raise later generations in an ever-changing world. “When we think of the graduates we’re going to produce 10 years from now, what is the world they’re going to enter into and how will Fordham prepare them to be real change agents in that world?” he said. In fellow Co-Chair Peter Stace’s words, the ultimate goal of the CUSP Committee is to “foster a sense of strategic thinking across the institution, and formulate a set of priorities that would lead the institution forward.” According to Stace and Jacobs, CUSP’s plan for educating future students revolves around six initiatives, each with its own team comprised of professors with relevant knowledge in their respective fields.
How will Fordham prepare them to be real change agents in the world? Dennis Jacobs, university provost and senior vice president
One such priority that is soon to come to Fordham will be the Learning Integration Technology Education (LITE), which according to Jacobs will be a new working space for faculty to “engage with technologies” such as virtual reality and 3D-printing. It will be installed in the basement of the Walsh Library at Rose Hill and is expected to open within the next six months, with a “satellite operation in Lincoln Center” to follow. Various initiatives formed by CUSP have already gone into effect in several of Fordham’s schools, including a restructured Law School track aimed to improve law students’ connection to the rest of the university. A similar track is also being developed for Fordham’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Both Stace and Jacobs agree that communication will be paramount to CUSP’s success. Jacobs believes that all the “ingredients” are in place and that with the combined “strengths across the schools,” Fordham is as prepared as ever to educate future generations of Fordham students. “No one component of the university is going to achieve something grand,” said Jacobs. Both Stace and Jacobs acknowledged that CUSP’s vision of Fordham in the coming decades is bound to change as time goes on. To Jacobs, Fordham’s future success depends on our willingness to set and accomplish goals as a University community. “What can Fordham tackle,” Jacobs said, “if we put all our oars in the water and row in a direction? What is it that we can take on?”
ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER
Fordham students were among the estimated 250,000 protestors who attended the rally. The event was held in advance of the United Nations Climate Summit. By TRACY LEE Contributing Writer
On the afternoon of Sept. 20, 2019, millions of people worldwide gathered to take part in youth-led climate protests. New York was no exception — an estimated 250,000 people marched through lower Manhattan to demand action on climate change. The majority of these protestors were students. With parental consent, public school students were free to skip school without consequence. Crowds gathered in the streets, wielding signs and shouting for immediate action on global warming. Among the most popular signs were phrases declaring “There is no Planet B,” and “Raise your voice, not the sea level.”
The time to act is NOW, before it’s too late. They’re ready to march like their lives depend on it because they do. Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York
The rally featured many youth speakers, one of whom was the Swedish climate activist responsible for sparking global youth climate strikes, Greta Thunberg. “We have not taken to the streets, sacrificing our education for the adults and politicians to take selfies with us and tell us that they really, really admire what we do,” Thunberg said at the end of the protest. “We are doing this to wake the leaders up.” Frustrated by the lack of urgency by politicians, today’s youth are stepping forward to take action against global warming by going on strike and putting forth several demands for the United Nations and world leaders. “There’s not enough being done [about climate change],” said Angie Wright, FCLC ’23, who attended the strike. “It’s not enough.”
ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER
Grooving for a Green Future: Activists dance as they demand climate justice in Battery Park. Protests occurred on all seven continents, making it the largest climate protest ever recorded.
The timing of the rally was crucial. On Sept. 23 — the Monday following the strike — the U.N. Climate Action Summit took place in New York. “World leaders are going to be gathered here in New York City for the United Nations Climate Action Summit,” Thunberg said at the rally. “The eyes of the world will be on them. They have a chance to prove that they, too, are united behind the science. They have a chance to
take leadership, to prove they actually hear us. Do you think they hear us? We will make them hear us.” Thunberg’s efforts have not been in vain, as evidenced by the support shown for New York City’s climate strike. “It’s only the first year after Greta started with her strike, but the whole city was full of people marching and protesting, so I think [the climate strikes are] making an impact,” continued Angie Wright,
FCLC ’23. Fordham’s Campus Ministry also took part in the strike by closing their office, making a sign and sitting on the lawn during the New York strike. “Our children are fighting for the future,” NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said of the strike on Twitter. “The time to act is NOW, before it’s too late. They’re ready to march like their lives depend on it because they do.”
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News
October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
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Residents Report Claims of Tampered Mail
Students say that their mail has been previously opened and that enclosed money has gone missing By BENNETT REINHARDT Contributing Writer
Receiving mail at Fordham Lincoln Center has proven a difficult task for certain residents in recent years, with some reporting that their mail was opened, misdirected or never arrived in their mailboxes or the package room. According to one anonymous student their mail was tampered with just last semester. This student, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’21, alleged that a letter sent by their mother had been opened when they received it in their mailbox. They stated by email, “When I got my letter, it had been re-sealed but the gift card had been stolen.” The “Trader Joe’s gift card with 200 dollars on it,” the student wrote, “was supposed to cover my groceries for the semester.” While one cannot say whether the mail was tampered with at Fordham or somewhere else. However, several students have complained that their mail has not arrived as expected over the last few years. Gabriela Wilson, FCLC ’21, had a similar experience in spring 2018: “I checked my mailbox, and a card from my grandmother for my birthday had been ripped open across the top all the way,” she wrote in an email. After checking with her family, Wilson learned that $50 in cash had been taken from the envelope. She filed a report with the Department of Public Safety at the time but never recovered the money. Isabella Malfi, FCLC ’21, expected mail that she never received during each of her first two years living on-campus, beginning when she was a freshman living in McKeon Hall. “My grandmother sent me a birthday card with $100 of cash money inside. I received neither the card nor the money, though I checked every day for weeks,” she
JAKE CHADWELL/THE OBSERVER
Students have expressed concerns about Public Safety’s response to reports of missing cash. wrote in an email. Malfi said she notified the package room staff about not receiving the gift but never learned more information about whether her card was delivered to campus. She explained, “Since this incident, I’ve directed all my mail to my house on Long Island, and I pick it up there on weekends.” Malfi also described an incident last year, when she used Amazon to order textbooks for her Italian class. “Amazon said that they
were delivered, though the package room said they were not,” she wrote. This discrepancy is common when students order from Amazon, whose online interface indicates when a package has arrived at its destination address in real time but fails to account for a Fordham processing period before the package can be picked up. That, along with the package room’s limited hours, can make for negative experiences like Malfi’s.
Robert Dineen, director of public safety, pointed out in an email that university regulations suggest parents or others who are sending money to students have their letters legally certified. He added that Fordham has no legal responsibility when a package that is not certified is missing, as per policy in the Residential Life Handbook. “When a student discovers their mail was never received at Fordham or their letter or package has been received but it has been
opened and valuables are missing, we want them to immediately contact Public Safety so we can interview the student, gather the facts, file an incident report, and begin an investigation,” Dineen wrote. A student might have trouble filing a report with Public Safety, however, especially if they have had no previous experience with the department. “My parents told me to file an official report with campus safety; however, being a freshman, I did not know how to do this,” Malfi wrote. Mail is an important aspect of dormitory living, as residents regularly receive personal communications and confidential information. Students often worry about the security of the letters and packages they might need to receive. In the past, the mailbox combinations corresponding to the rooms in McKeon Hall and the bedrooms in McMahon Hall apartments were fixed and not updated when residents moved in and out. Dineen wrote that Public Safety officers “have instituted a project where our colleagues in Facilities Operations will change the combination locks on student mail boxes at the end of every academic year, so mail cannot be accessed by past residents.” He reassured students, “We have CCTV cameras technology in place in our mail room and on the student mailboxes to further enhance our ability to keep our students and their property safe and secure.” Additionally, “daily inspections are made to ensure that mailbox doors are shut and locked.” Fordham Public Safety has stated their commitment to protecting the property and rights of all Fordham community members. The 24hour phone number for a student to begin a possible theft complaint is (212) 636-6076.
Gabelli Hosts Award-Winning Author By JOE KOTTKE Staff Writer
On Sept. 25, 2019, financial journalist James Grant spoke to the Gabelli School of Business about the publication of his ninth book, “Bagehot: The Life and Times of the Greatest Victorian.” According to Annelice Morales, associate director at the Gabelli School of Business, 150 people were in attendance, including students, staff and followers of Grant. Grant studied international affairs at Columbia University and began his career in journalism at the Baltimore Sun in the 1970s. By 1983, he had founded his own journal: Grant’s Interest Rate Observer, covering investment markets. As Grant began his presentation in the McNally Amphitheatre, he encountered a moment of audio difficulties. Grant’s dry humor played well to the audience as he leaned into the microphone and said, “Let me start over … Hey Fordham, it’s nice to be here,” which was followed by an immediate wave of laughter. Walter Bagehot — the subject of Grant’s biography — was a banker, essayist, and editor of The Economist. Grant extensively covered the history of Bagehot, commenting 20 minutes in, “If I had three or four hours left, I could continue to tell you why I chose this topic and describe the delights of the project.”
When people are in the presence of big money, it’s like falling in love; they are no more left-brained about money than they are about a person’s romantic interest. James Grant, author of “Bagehot: The Life and Times of the Greatest Victorian”
JOE KOTTKE/THE OBSERVER
James Grant spoke to Gabelli students about historical economist Walter Bagehot and the power of money in society.
Grant described finance as a patronized form of art and a cyclical process. “What people want out of finance is to know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but what many don’t realize is that studying the past can save you from the most devastating mis-
takes,” he said. Grant broke off on occasional tangents, adding personal anecdotes. “Money is not humanity’s best subject,” said Grant. “I used to be much more knowledgeable and dogmatic about the future. Writing this book helped me un-
derstand the money gene.” Noticing the audience’s confusion, Grant further explained that “when people are in the presence of big money, it’s like falling in love; they are no more left-brained about money than they are about a person of romantic interest.”
After his closing words, Grant was joined on stage by David Cowen, president of the Museum of Finance — the co-sponsor of the event. “James has been involved with us for many years, guest-curating exhibits and writing for our magazine,” said Cowen. “He is a legend in the capital market. We are fortunate to have a long-standing relationship with him, as we are a nonprofit and do not pay him to speak.” According to Cowen, the museum’s partnership with Fordham over the past 18 months has led to a number of highly engaging events. “Fordham provides the beautiful facilities and brings the students. The museum brings our members and has access to amazing speakers.”
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THE OBSERVER October 2, 2019
USG Full Force After Fall Elections
News
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ZOEY LIU/THE OBSERVER
Faces of leadership: Newly elected Ben Guo (left) and Yunuen Cho (second from right) join President Tina Thermadam (second from left) and Vice President Robert Stryczek (right) on USG. ELECTIONS from page 1
icy, a rule many candidates see as outdated. “My main point of action,” said Higgins, “would be the outdated overnight guest policy. It blows my mind that opposite-sex guests are not allowed. We are adults who can handle ourselves.” Meanwhile, Horowitz’s goals included “improving the gym by repainting it and adding more free weights, pushing to change the opposite-sex overnight guest policy and maybe getting some printers in McKeon,” he said. For Moughan, her campaign focused on “increasing student involvement in the election process and at Fordham, but my primary goal is to listen to the needs and requests of the freshmen.” Rachana Komatireddy was also elected as the sophomore senator. The responsibilities for the positions are focused primarily on meeting the needs of the student body and allowing the student government to run smoothly and efficiently. Cho, who will serve as the Chair of Operations, will be responsible for assisting the President of USG in performing executive duties, most reporting the status of new clubs and performing a semester review of those that already exist. “Making Fordham comfortable for the community is what I’m looking to do,” said Cho about her new position. “I think clubs like SJP, RHA, and Be Well Club are doing their part to bring us together, and the best I can do in the position I’m in is to give people a space to unconsciously feel good hanging out in,” she said. The chair of operations is also responsible for notifying the Senate of executive actions and reserving rooms for committee meetings. As the Chair of Facilities, Guo has the primary responsibility of serving as chair of the Facilities Committee as well as the Food Services Committee. Over the course of the year, Guo also hopes “to maximize efficiency with some of the club processes and make it more transparent and accessible to the student population at Fordham.” The freshman senators, the most sought after positions this semester, must meet with members of their class and keep USG informed of any concerns or problems the students may have. They also have the power to overturn actions taken on behalf of USG by the Executive Board not previously sanctioned or deviating from sanctioned USG votes.
ResLife Increases Inclusivity in Housing Application By MICHELLE AGARON Contributing Writer
This year, Fordham has taken a step to make housing applications more inclusive for transgender or gender-nonconforming individuals (TGNCI). The Class of 2023 was the first class to have the option of expressing gender non-conformity in the housing application. The Positive, the Rainbow Alliance and United Student Government have worked alongside Fordham’s administration for several months following a series of publicized demonstrations last year. These workshops have resulted in a new policy allowing students who identify as TGNCI to denote their preferred gender identity by checking off a box on their housing applications. As of this year, the Office of Residential Life (ResLife) has assumed the responsibility to reach out to these students regarding their housing arrangements, instead of the previous system which required the student to reach out through informal channels. Currently, TGNCI students are assigned housing based on their sex assigned at birth. Marian Winget, FCLC ’21 and secretary of the Rainbow Alliance, said that her transgender girlfriend was forced to live with men during her first two years at Fordham. She explained that even though her girlfriend’s roommates were allies, the situation was uncomfortable and did little to reaffirm her gender identity. To avoid further complications, the student decided it was best to move off-campus. This was not the first time a transgender student felt so uncomfortable with their housing situation that moving out seemed like their only other option. In spring 2019, Dean Eldredge and other members of the Fordham administration met with affected students and their allies. It was agreed that TGNCI students should not have to bear the whole weight of reaching out to ResLife with their requests for a more fitting housing situation, as per the previous policy. With regard to why the change wasn’t implemented sooner, Dean
Eldredge said Fordham’s administration is “certainly trying to accommodate each individual student while also staying in line with the university’s mission; figuring out a way to balance those needs is complex.” Margaret Cohen, FCLC ’20 and a member of The Positive, believes that “organizers reach such resistance from Fordham administration because they know that once they agree that one thing isn’t safe for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals, they have to acknowledge how deeply rooted bias and safety goes.” “I think as individuals,” said Cohen, “many administrators know the importance of what we’re talking about and try to be respectful, it’s just a lack of motivation to challenge dominant systems that Fordham is complacent in.” While ResLife claims that they “work with any students on a caseby-case basis to find an appropriate assignment,” many feel that TGNCI rights on campus are still not secure. Some, like Winget’s girlfriend, have claimed that Fordham’s housing arrangments have led them to feel like they live two seperate lives: one in which they were able to identify as they wish and another in the dorms where they are constantly reminded that only their assigned sex mattered to the administration. Both Winget and Cohen feel that the administration still has a long way to go in terms of making the campus completely welcome and accessible to gender-queer students. Winget would like to see an increase in gender-neutral bathrooms, more advertising for resources available to those transitioning or seeking help with specific issues, an easier name change process and sensitivity training for all staff at Fordham. Cohen also emphasized the need for psychologists and health professionals at Fordham who are more experienced with issues affecting TGNCI, particularly TGNCI of color. When informed about these suggestions, Dean Eldredge showed support and plans to continue working with student groups to enact these changes around campus.
LARA FOLEY/THE OBSERVER
ResLife opens the door to futher include TGNCI students in campus housing.
Opinions Editors Grace Getman - ggetman@fordham.edu Evan Vollbrecht - evollbrecht@fordham.edu
Opinions
October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
OBSERVER THE
STAFF EDITORIAL
O
MORE THAN AWARENESS
n Sept. 20, we walked out of our schools, offices and sites all over the world to advocate in the largest protest for climate change action in history. Four million people participated worldwide, with 250,000 strikers in our city alone. It was inescapable on social media and covered by CNN, the BBC and countless other smaller outlets on every continent. And yet it has been received with a sense of futility. All this visibility, all this awareness, and the Earth is no better off than it was before the climate strike. Sea levels continue to rise. Factories still spew pollutants into the air. Oil companies still extract fossil fuels from the ground as we speak. Real progress will require drastic changes in government policy as well as our daily lives, not just posting on Twitter and painting a sign. In fact, this popular messaging — sometimes derided as “slacktivism” — can be seen as no more than lip service. It’s decried as participation without personal sacrifice, nothing more than a way for the concerned to make themselves feel better. But it can be so much more than that. Changing your profile picture may be the bare minimum you can do to combat global warming, but with enough voices, even lip service can become a shout. The best way to combat climate change paralysis is by openly and produly introducing sustainability into your own life. The best arguments, rather
than telling you what to do, lead the way and allow everyone to follow. You could call it the snowball effect, if we’ll have any of those left by the end of the century. Awareness is obviously not enough, but it is where change begins.
Changing your profile picture may be the bare minimum you can do to combat climate change, but with enough voices, even lip service can become a shout. Sustainability that begins at the personal level helps to fracture public inertia against fighting climate change. The real impact of the climate strike on Sept. 20 is what it inspired people to do on Sept. 21. Being aware of our planet is a responsibility — to fight against climate change, to live in a way that you won’t be ashamed of fifty years from now. If we are people placed on this earth to serve others, we do a disservice to even the most minor acts of service if we do not acknowledge their impact. Use the compost bin on the second floor of McMahon and recycle your plastic bags in the bin outside of the Fordham Bookstore. Grab reusable bags provided by Environmental Club outside of the McMahon gym. Demonstrate the model of what a sustainability-oriented
life should be. Your university stands behind you. Fordham has championed green initiatives on campus, designing all-new construction since 2012 to achieve Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifications, converting Ram Vans to biodiesel and pledging to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030. Most recently, they inked a deal with Bloom Energy this month to bring clean electricity to Walsh Library, which will save 39 million gallons of water and offset more than 300 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. We are called by our university to live selflessly, and this challenge applies to all our daily decisions and actions. We don’t serve others because it makes us feel good — we do it because it’s our responsibility. Because we know that showing support for what we believe in is encouraging — and contagious. The moment we change the perception of “slacktivism” from selfish to selfless is the moment we begin to move forward without leaving anyone behind. Millions mobilized during the climate strike, and we owe it to them to continue to make strides. The larger Fordham community, on both a student and university level, can continue to take steps in the right direction and lead by example. So keep retweeting and striking, but don’t forget to live the mission, too. It’s your responsibility. And don’t worry — we’re right beside you.
Editor-in-Chief Owen Roche
Managing Editor Courtney Brogle Online Editor Izzi Duprey Layout Editors Esmé Bleecker-Adams Steph Lawlor Asst. Layout Editors Defne Akiman Lara Foley Business Managers Alexios Avgerinos Teymur Guliyev Kristian Koprivica News Editors Sophie Partridge-Hicks Gabe Samandi Asst. News Editor Gus Dupree Opinions Editors Grace Getman Evan Vollbrecht Asst. Opinions Editor Nicole Perkins Arts & Culture Editor Gillian Russo Asst. Arts & Culture Editor Ethan Coughlin Features Editor Marielle Sarmiento Asst. Features Editor Roxanne Cubero Sports & Health Editors Luke Osborn Lena Weidenbruch Asst. Sports & Health Editors Aiza Bhuiyan Patrick Moquin Photo Editor Andrew Beecher Asst. Photo Editor Lena Rose Fun & Games Editor Esmé Bleecker-Adams Copy Editors Libby Lanza Jill Rice Melanie Riehl Social Media Managers Maca Leon Shamya Zindani Newsletter Editors Gillian Russo Shamya Zindani Multimedia Editor Zoey Liu Asst. Multimedia Editors Defne Akiman Caitlin Bury Retrospect Host Kevin Christopher Robles Retrospect Producer Alyssa Morales IT Manager EJ Ciriaco Visual Advisor Molly Bedford Editorial Advisor Anthony Hazell PUBLIC NOTICE
Climate Strike 2019 Millions worldwide got heated about global warming on Sept. 20. In New York City, at least 250,000 joined the demonstrations.
ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER
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THE OBSERVER October 2, 2019
Opinions
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Commuters Manage Their Time Better Than You Do SHAQUILLE KAMPTA Contributing Writer
Imagine waking up at 8 a.m. so that you can get ready for your 8:30 a.m. class. What a dream, right? For some blessed individuals, it’s easy to imagine — they do it all the time. We call these people Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) residents. They have it easy. Now, imagine waking up at 5:30 a.m. to take a shower and have breakfast so that you can catch the 6:28 a.m. train to Penn Station. This is the life of a Fordham commuter student. It’s brutal. When I talk about commuters, I mean those who live at home with their parents or independently in one of the five boroughs. Commuters here at FLC have a range of commuting times depending on where they live, anywhere from an hour and 15 minutes from Dix Hills, Long Island, like me, to a 40-minute subway ride from Brooklyn. Even a walk down 9th Avenue from off-campus housing is more of a hassle than the FLC dorm-toclassroom tunnel shuffle. But there is a hidden advantage to this consuming transit time: commuters become more efficient time managers. Prior to college, I was an enormous procrastinator. Why? Because I lived 10 minutes from my school, and my high school finished at 2 p.m. When I got home, I took a nap, grabbed a bite to eat and maybe went to the gym. It was simply not in my best interest to begin my homework as soon as I got home. Here at FLC, residents are able to go to their classes with a sufficient amount of sleep and a
ANNA KRYZANEKAS/THE OBSERVER
Commuters race around New York City while residents sleep soundly, and they make the most of every minute.
good breakfast, lunch or dinner — but that’s not possible for me. Commuters are constantly racing against time, trying to make a minute seem like an hour. With minimal time available to commuters, it is only reasonable to assume that we have to be better at managing what little time we have. Personally, I have found myself constantly reading chapters for my history class on the train ride home. Most days, I spend time reading my next theology text, or I’ll decide to tackle my tedious microeconomics homework instead of taking a nap or going out to lunch with a
few friends. Commuters like to participate in club activities as much as residents, but most clubs meet in the evening. If a commuter has a class that finishes at 11:15 a.m. and a club that meets at 5:30 p.m., they are forced to stay in school and wait around for hours. It makes no sense to take a train ride home just to come back to school at a later time. Might as well do what commuters do best: make those hours upon hours of down time count. On Thursdays, I have Jiu Jitsu practice at 8 p.m., but my last class ends at 11:15 a.m. Usually,
I stay in the library at school and finish whatever homework I have for the next day. Jiu Jitsu practice usually lasts until 9:30 p.m., so after Jiu Jitsu, I have to bolt to catch the LIRR. Sometimes, even the best time management skills can be thwarted by forces frustratingly beyond our control. Among all this traveling, sleep disappears. So far, I have missed an earlier train three times because the A or C train did not arrive at the Columbus Circle subway station in time for me to get to Penn Station. On those three nights, I arrived
at home at 12 a.m. On Friday, I usually wake up at 6:45 a.m. so that I can take the train to school for a 10 a.m. class. That means that if I’m ready for bed at 1:30 a.m., I only get five hours and fifteen minutes of sleep every Thursday night. Now, I also have a class at 8:30 a.m. twice a week which requires that I arise from my slumber at 5:30 a.m. Usually, I go to bed at 1:30 a.m., so that means that twice a week, I only get four hours of sleep. Three times a week, I become a zombie. But guess what? I still get to class on time. This is just my schedule and how I do work. It’s not hard to imagine that some other commuters have schedules that are easier to deal with (I salute those who have it harder). Yet, despite my complete lack of sleep, I still manage to stay on top of my work. In a sense, the minimal amount of hours available for sleep forces me to stretch minutes into hours when completing coursework. The faster and more efficiently that I do my work, the more sleep I get. Now, when I get home at noon, I usually do some work, take a shower, grab something to eat and then go back to bed. The fast-paced motion of daily life becomes the only thing keeping commuters from falling behind in their courses. As opposed to residents, we commuters have a strict concept of time. We know we are working with a disadvantage, so we make the most of our situation. Residents can afford to take a nap or take a stroll around Central Park, while commuters are forced to sprint to the local subway stations. Yet, despite this disadvantage, we commuters rise to the challenge and turn the handicap in our favor.
Fordham Should Buy Commuters MetroCards BRANDON SAPIENZA Staff Writer
Students who commute to Fordham daily live a much different life than those who reside on campus. Each day, half the students who make up Fordham Lincoln Center race through the infamous New York rush hour inside packed trains and buses, waking up earlier than those who live on campus in the pursuit of higher education. Navigating the concrete jungle is the reality for commuters. But the problem does not lie in the conditions that they commute in, but rather the price they pay to do so. Commuters, just like everyone else in the city, pay $2.75 one-way. That’s every trip to and from school, regardless of the time of day. If we do some simple math, that’s $5.50 per day, $27.50 a week, $110 a month and nearly $1,000 per school year. High school students throughout New York City don’t have this burden to worry about, but college students do. If commuter students are fortunate enough to receive substantial financial aid from Fordham, this cost is not as much of an issue. However, for those not getting much help in grants and/or scholarships, this pricey bill to commute to school is just another burden on the back of an already financially struggling student. Commuters are just offered a grant totalling $7,500, which barely puts
a dent in the daunting $50,000 of yearly tuition — and it’s a disservice to the extra effort commuters put in that students with other scholarships cannot receive that grant. Every Fordham student makes a financial commitment to attend this school to better ourselves, and for commuters, the least we can expect is some financial commitment from the school to help supplement our daily travel. Regardless of financial situation, the cost to simply get to school, let alone attend it, is too onerous for the average family. On top of the cost of travel to school, don’t forget the cost of books and having a life outside of the classroom. In a city with rampant high costs for basically everything, commuters have to live with a guaranteed additional $1,000 financial hardship every school year compared to residents. More often than not, commuters can find themselves at work instead of at club events and making memories all because they need to save money for their MetroCards. Many of these commuters also work around the city, far enough from their homes to constitute a train ride back from work after a long day at school. If that’s the case, the prices outlined double, and the result is a student living in wholly unnecessary financial hell. What I am calling on the administration to do is not so far fetched. When employers like Financial Buzz hire interns,
ANDREW DRESSNER/THE OBSERVER
Fordham has earned a reputation of being expensive, but generous with financial aid. Why not extend this mentality to commuters?
they agree to pay for their MetroCard travels for the duration of their internship. With an endowment of $850 million, it is not asking too much for Fordham to supply 800 hardworking commuters with a MetroCard. Even some colleges, like the University of Missouri at Kansas City, recognize the pain of paying for daily transportation. This is why they decided to spend wisely and use money earned by selling parking permits to subsidize transportation costs for their students. Even if Fordham does not want to use their endowment for assisting with transportation, they could echo the programs used by NYU and CUNY which allow for paycheck tax deductions to be put towards a MetroCard. Students and their families alike have poured out such financial commitments and have endured such burdens in order to attend a prestigious university. An extra $1000 on top of already quickly rising tuition costs is going to put more students out of options and the result will be a dwindling enrollment size for commuters. Fordham’s rising cost of attendance has made it hard on everyone who attends, but the added expenses for commuters makes the daunting thought of loans and a postgraduate life that much more terrifying. I truly hope Fordham will listen to the concerns of commuters like myself and Sami Islam, who said, “It’s a hassle to get here, the least they can do is give us some help.”
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October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
WWW.fordhamobserver.com
We Should Not Write Ourselves Into Tragedies SOFIA ANJUM Contributing Writer
It is March 2019, and I am passing through Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The bridge is narrow and the Greyhound tall, so the bridge’s diminutive safety walls and road have disappeared from my line of sight. I have tricked myself into believing I will die. The bus is floating on water, sure to fill and fall in time. But the thought of floating fulfills me, butterflies migrating from stomach to heart and making me light, light. The bridge widens. The safety walls return to my sight. The bus is on a hard road. The butterflies become venom upon return to my stomach, and my hands keep fighting each other, knuckles numbing as they knock together. I am thinking about everything I do not know. I do not know if I took the 61 or the 71 to the Pittsburgh Port Authority. My sister lives 2 miles from the site of the Tree of Life shooting. Why is this detail so important to me? Why do I need to corroborate my proximity to tragedy? Does it earn me a stronger claim to brokenness? I am thinking about how the Christchurch shooting destroyed me. I could not stop thinking about every time my family has been in a mosque. The worshippers may have been feeling a peace so strong it was bulletproof and then — This is the thought that will not leave me. But preceding and superseding this conscious thought about how I fit into the tragedy is only a deep ache that I believe most everyone shares in. An ache becoming instinct. The ache of losing. Again.
STEPH LAWLOR/ THE OBSERVER
We announce our proximity to tragedy as a bid to show how much we care, but we must take that care and turn it into action.
There are so many tents in the lowlands outside of Harrisburg past the sign that makes my child heart lift: North to Airport, Hershey. There are mental chocolates in my mouth when I see the tents, nestled into the curve of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. They are
blue, and gray, and other colors already slipping from memory. The road curves such that I think there are only two tents, but as the Greyhound moves I see two more, and three, and two, and one. The ground looks dirtier than
normal ground, streamers of plastic caught in branches so starved that I can almost hear them snap under the struggling wind, under the gentle weight of my gaze. Water collects in the lowest lows, brown that catches sun and becomes a clean and sweet marigold that for a second makes my child heart think this is a chosen camp, a Boxcar Children adventure, an exercise in endurance and brave flight from the man. But this is a ditch full of last-ditch efforts. A national homelessness epidemic manifest in the forgotten hills of the most central transportation corridor in the state of Pennsylvania. One tent at the end of this curve is smaller than the rest. It faces tracks that cut under the turnpike. It is bluer than the rest and dirtier than the rest. I am thinking about how I am done with building stories for the people who may live within. I do not want to entertain exculpatory speculation, pass it off as empathy. I could write for years about how the smallest, bluest tent meant something. Something bigger than itself. I could signal all my concern in a very beautiful way. I could write myself into the narrative, girl on a bus, going to New York, sitting in an air-conditioned bus. I could write all my misthoughts and mistakes, unsubstantiated claims, walk around and around the walls of real social issues, rapping with my numb knuckles these walls that keep safe and separate my lived daily experience from most tragedies, until I find a break into which I could insert myself. I could write myself into Tree of Life. I could write myself into the mosques of Christchurch. Every similarity could become humanity.
Every difference could become poetry. But I would accomplish very little in terms of materially resolving tragedy and its systemic causes. Resolution of these causes by individual actors does not begin by folding our identities into the narrative of tragedy. In our bids to claim proximity to tragedy, we romanticize tragedy itself. Our genuine concern for victims of tragedy is compromised by our insistence upon self-victimization. We come to internalize tragedy as integral to our identity as opposed to conditional of our experience. This mentality only facilitates stagnation and makes distress seem virtuous. In linking our identities to tragedy, we become obstacles to resolving tragedy. Further, incorporating tragedy into our identities falsely leads us to believe that we inherently understand tragedy’s source. We mistake our personal ache or signaling of care for having logically defensible positions. Reckless opinions are thus slung about. To ache in the face of tragedy is not wrong — it is healthy. Relation of the self to society is not wrong — it is natural and a prerequisite for healthy society. But it is half a step. It must be supported by physical action. Moreover, emphasis on identity hinders the recognition that lived daily experience of tragedy is not a prerequisite for being upset by and wishing to resolve its source. Resolution of these causes can only begin in a meaningful way when individuals of means move from mere good intention to action. All interest in resolution is but a starting point. Lasting resolution can only be realized through rigorous self-education, self-examination and informed action.
‘Summer Slumps’ Plague Buttigieg and Harris cially impressive, that obviously does not explain why interest in her candidacy among the Democratic electorate seems to be waning. It seems likely that she is having trouble appealing to voters because of her increasing tendency to equivocate on the details of her actual policies. Such equivocation is likely intended to placate the party’s progressive wing without scaring off the moderates, yet it fails to fully satisfy either.
PATRICK RIZZI Staff Writer
The 2020 Democratic presidential primary has been proceeding largely as one would expect. Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren are still the top three candidates according to polling, and the primary has been more about deciding the future direction of the Democratic Party than the pervasive policy and ethical dumpster fires of the Trump presidency. However, if one looks a little bit beneath the surface, they will notice some shifting political fault lines that have considerably affected two key candidates in the race: Californian senator Kamala Harris and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Both Harris and Buttigieg started remarkably strong out of the gate during the winter and spring of 2019. Yet as the temperatures outside started to heat up, their campaign momentum started to cool down. For two seemingly strong candidates, this “summer slump” is rather jarring. Is this an aberration, or will Harris and/ or Buttigieg be able to propel themselves forward in the polls? Does this also mean that the race is essentially a three-way race among Biden, Sanders and Warren? Harris received plenty of favorable media coverage when she started her campaign. She
many voters in the process. Buttigieg’s campaign received extraordinary buzz in the spring of 2019. As a millennial, mayor, Rhodes Scholar and veteran, he has an astoundingly unique and impressive life story despite being under 40 years old. He is also the first openly LGBTQ presidential candidate in U.S. history. Buttigieg was praised by many political pundits as
As the temperatures outside start to heat up, their campaign momentum has started to cool down.
COURTESY OF U.S. SENATE
Kamala Harris, a Californian senator, has faced criticism for equivocating on progressive policies.
was seen originally as a potential compromise candidate between the moderate and progressive wings of the party and has had a respected record in the U.S. Senate. In a muchtalked-about moment during the first Democratic primary debate over the summer, she criticized Biden for his record on busing in the 1970s. However, she started to descend in the polls soon afterward. While her performance in the most recent debate in Houston, Texas, was not espe-
For example, she no longer supports Bernie Sanders’ plan to abolish private health insurance with “Medicare for All,” despite having signed on as a co-sponsor to his bill in the Senate. Harris has also been criticized by both moderates and progressives for saying she “would consider” or is “thinking about” more progressive policies. This misguided strategy assumes that there is a group in the Democratic Party that would be more receptive to equivocation than an unabashedly centrist candidate like Biden or an unabashedly progressive one like Sanders or Warren. However, the lack of clarity in her campaign on some of her stances disappoints many Democrats because it is hard to understand many of her exact positions, and she comes off as less genuine to
COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE
Mayor Pete Buttigieg has suffered in the polls because of his inability to connect with minority voters.
remarkably detail-oriented and articulate when he spoke on the campaign trail. While his positions are more liberal than those of Biden,
especially on structural reform issues, he aligns more closely with moderates than true-blue progressives. However, Buttigieg’s campaign has had severe difficulty reaching out to African American and Hispanic voters. Currently, he is polling extremely low with those demographics, which is immeasurably problematic for winning the primary, considering the diversity of the Democratic electorate today. A tragically all-too-common police shooting in his hometown of South Bend over the summer certainly didn’t help matters, but Buttigieg’s problem with voters of color has lasted longer and runs deeper than that incident alone. While Buttigieg will likely continue to get favorable coverage by many mainstream media outlets, it is unlikely that he will get as intensely positive and focused coverage as the “media honeymoon” period he had in the late spring and early summer. Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg’s “summer slumps” are very different. However, the current three front-runners for the Democratic nomination have all experienced some similar difficulties. At this time, I don’t believe that either Harris or Buttigieg has a very clear chance of winning the nomination, but through their struggles, the blueprint for a 2020 Democratic primary win is becoming more clear. Hopefuls must be clear and genuine when discussing their policies and views, and they must also focus on building a highly diverse and pluralist coalition.
Rubberneck The
SATIRE SECTION
THE OBSERVER October 2, 2019
Opinions
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My Ceiling Gives Me a Second Shower An ode to the moldy, fanless and humid bathrooms of McMahon JILL RICE Copy Editor
If you thought that the best thing about living on the lower floors of McMahon Hall was the rats, think again: They have strong competition in McMahon’s unexpected second showers. People rave about the modern amenities, the spacious kitchens and the possibility of sharing an apartment with eight strangers, but for me, showering in my bathroom is my favorite part of the day. You see, I get not one, but two showers per day. After I wash with my usual soap and water, I get out, dry off and receive my second shower — this time, from the ceiling — and I know that I’ll never even look at dirt again. Double the shower, double the power. You might wonder, “How are there ceiling leaks on the fourth floor? Has Fordham spent our tuition dollars and endowments on a new McMahon waterpark without telling anyone?” No one, not even the Facilities workers who frequent my room, knows. Could there be drawbacks to this bathroom situation? Any negative is canceled out because I have now befriended every employee from Facilities. Can you say the same? My roommates and I have adopted them into our apartment as residents. We have matching friendship bracelets, and it’s
prearranged that my first child will be named after them. During the second week of school, my roommate put in our inaugural work order for the mold already accumulating on our bathroom ceiling. In the immortal words of the first Facilities worker to visit our room, “Just shower with the door open.” Since I didn’t know my roommates all that well, this option provided a perfect opportunity for us to grow closer in a way that I never could have expected. For any shower singers, this is a free concert with a guaranteed audience. These moments, especially with the open-door policy we adopted, make my long days at Rose Hill really worth it: Before I climb into the Ram Van, I am cleansed with the drips of a shower that only a Lincoln Center resident can get. It’s a reminder of my heritage, my homeland. You might think that McMahon was built in 1793, when more thought was given to chamber pots and servants’ quarters than useless concepts like bathroom ventilation or basic sanitation. In fact, this luxury building was constructed in 1993, less than a decade before Jeff Bezos started monitoring every bathroom in America to notify citizens when they run out of toilet paper. The mold and second shower didn’t matter back in 1993: No one then had hot showers, nor did they care about the torrential downpour on their hearth and home. The typhoon in our bathroom
must be a gift from the Jesuits — Catholics love holy water, right? What’s more likely: That McMahon is an old building in need of repairs, or that the Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., is working with Campus Ministry in an outreach attempt at conversion right here on campus? This is Fordham holy water directed at your naked body, just when you least expect it and when you most need it, according to certain higher-ups at the school. McShane and Campus Ministry only have the spiritual wellbeing of students in mind. This washing by shower-water then ceiling-water also resembles baptism, and just as John the Baptist first baptized with water and Jesus baptized with the Holy Spirit, I first wash with water and McShane washes me with the holy water from the ceiling — that voice from the heavens might as well be Jesus direct-messaging me on Instagram. The mold that grows on our ceiling and walls has also grown in my heart, and as a bonus, I am much more familiar with my roommates, I receive free shower concerts and I can experience the best cleaning provided by the University president himself. After everyone reads this, I’m sure that my apartment will be the most sought-after suite in all of McMahon next year. Here’s to scheduling weekly mold removals and sleepovers — just make sure to bring nail polish to share with the maintenance workers.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ESMÉ BLEECKER-ADAMS/THE OBSERVER
Set the world on fire by getting yourself wet with a free second shower.
Vine Is the Pinnacle of American Art HALEY SMULLEN Contributing Writer
I sit on the precipice of my shoddy twin bed, itchy Walmart comforter clinging to my legs and disrupting my obligation to escape from my cocoon of comfort this early on a Monday morning. I sigh, fall back into my “hypoallergenic” joke of a bed and allow my lizard-brain to go both stupid and crazy. Whipping out my iPhone 6 Plus, I expertly unlock the tiny computer with the panache of a Mountain Dew-powered hacker nerd from an underappreciated ’90s film that probably relies on some trope concerning the infiltration of the FBI database. My thumb commands the dancing pixels, conjuring the appearance of a tiny white and red icon under my finger. ’Ello, YouTube! Although I have moved my arm, I haven’t yet blinked, the drowsiness of my occipital lobe preventing my eyes from resuming their usual reactivity. My trance-like, passive visage and tousled hair could pass for a cut scene of a psychopathic killer from an indie short film. I reveal no registry of emotion. I could give Margot Robbie a run for her money. Tripping on my compromised autonomic nervous system’s attempt to coordinate movement, my disorganized fingers struggle to scribe the request: “Vines that mash my potatoes.” “Dyspraxia?” I wonder, “in my body?” It’s more likely than you think. My brain is still groggy from
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY LARA FOLEY/THE OBSERVER
Move over, Lady Liberty. Vine is the new representative of American culture and art.
my slumber. I type “Vines thatdhn mash nmy potatoes.” But Google operates using complex multisystem algorithms and yields results for me anyway. She’s a friend who’s always in your corner.
I stare at my phone. A scrawny, pre-pubescent boy with matted blond hair and a nylon sweatshirt moves across the screen. A loud, drawling wail oscillating to the beat of snapping fingers comes
from my screen. Snooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooop. The boy whips, then dabs, in a sinful rendition of a hiphop song I’m sure I would never listen to of my own volition. The camera transitions, and now the boy is popping out from behind a shower curtain, his emergence on beat with the song’s chorus. His face could only be described as jeering, a forced overbite distorting his mouth while his pale ears stick purposefully out from his tightened hood. The atmosphere of the work has been established: youthful, nonsensical shenanigans in confluence with absurd, remixed clucking in a bizarre 6-second video. Compounding the absurdity of the boy’s appearance with the hypnotic rhythm of the pop beat, I am already torn between my own comprehension of the scene. I want to attribute the peculiar comportment of the boy to mischief, spontaneity and chaos but that analysis is inhibited by the organized nature of the regularly occurring pop beat. Already my brain struggles to conclusively interpret the piece. The intermittent dabbing and whipping of the video’s subject clarifies nothing. My cerebrum hangs in suspension. What does this video even mean? The dichotomy between the two main themes of the video is unabashedly evident, yet unable to be qualified. I am experiencing primitive childlike humor, catchy tunes and obscure rage-inducing pop culture references all in one medium. The Vine ends, but my sharp breath and faint smirk con-
tinue. I am still giggling from the pure absurdity, no, felicity, of the video I just watched. I wonder, briefly, about the history of art and entertainment. When polo-wearing 40-year-olds drag their popsicle-stained children to the Smithsonian, what do they even take from the experience? Do their bodies shiver with frissons of delight as they observe bizarre, instantly-shareable clips of people mimicking dance moves or spouting popular catch phrases in tones so comical that one can only dissolve into laughter? What is interactive about oil paintings? Do they define pop culture and inform the vernacular of middle-schoolers? How does Michelangelo’s David define or dominate social media for weeks on end? Is a seven-second clip of La Tour Eiffel capable of sending neurochemical acetylcholine coursing through my bloodstream to keep me alert and awake? After watching a few more Vines, I feel awake enough to move. No longer stumbling horizontally, I tear my covers from my bed and stretch, my phone still in my hand as I extend my right arm toward the ceiling in a pose that almost appears victorious. Vine made itself accessible, confounded me enough to make me laugh and shocked my brain into awake-mode. Forget Margot Robbie, I think to myself. I could give the Statue of Liberty a run for her money, the brightness of the Vines still playing on the phone in my outstretched hand, glowing like an indestructible torch against the dismal early morning darkness.
Features Editor Marielle Sarmiento - msarmiento3@Fordham.edu
Features
October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
How-To: Fall-Filling Weekends for Under $30 4
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KAYLEE HELLEN/THE OBSERVER
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Bryant Park
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Union Square
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Central Park
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Metropolitan Museum of Art
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MEREDITH SCHUTT/THE OBSERVER
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY MILEY CAO/THE OBSERVER
By KRISTEN SKINNER Staff Writer
You have a free weekend in New York City this fall. You want to go out with friends, but everything seems too expensive. The typical fall festivities, like apple picking and corn mazes are off in the far-off land of New Jersey and upstate New York. Millions of people live in the city; surely there must be some way to take part in the awesomeness of autumn without losing time or money. In fact, you can plan an autumn-themed weekend in the city for $30 or less. It’s guaranteed to be fall-filling. Friday afternoons are full of potential. What better way is there to start your weekend than on campus? Make sure you’re sporting maroon or have some dance moves prepared, and head over to the Indoor Plaza for free pizza. For some, Friday evenings are for staying in and relaxing. For others, they’re for going out and letting go of all the stress piled up from the week. If you’re the former, stay in and watch a seasonal Hallmark movie. “Over the Moon in Love” and “Love, Fall & Order” premiere soon. If you’re
in the mood to go out, head to Bryant Park, which hosts over 1,000 free activities annually. You could easily catch a juggling act or live music, or take an outdoor dance lesson on a Friday
Center to stand outside for the Today Show. Maybe while you wait for the show to start, you and your friends can grab some pumpkin spice lattes to kickstart your day. There are many coffee
Millions of people live in the city; surely there must be some way to take part in the awesomeness of autumn without losing time or money. night. If you’re a bookworm, the Reading Room, a big tent full of tables and chairs inside the park, is open daily until 7 p.m. There are numerous books, newspapers and magazines to choose from if you want to grab a seat and read with a scenic view. Writing workshops are offered from time to time here and sometimes poets and authors even come to talk about their famous works. After a peaceful evening on Friday, what’s better than an event-filled Saturday? If you are feeling ambitious, wake up early and head to Rockefeller
shops within walking distance of Rockefeller Center. About an hour or so into taping, cast members will come out and greet you. This is a fun, free and unique New York activity to check out before the weather gets too cold. After being spotted on live television, it’s time for breakfast. Head to the nearest subway station and take the train to Union Square, which will cost you $2.75. As you come out of the subway, you’ll find the Union Square Greenmarket, which is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is the ideal place to find all of those fantastic fall flavors. Pick
up some fresh-picked apples, cider, baked goods, bread, produce and perhaps a pumpkin for decor. You can even pick up a weekly recipe for some cooking inspiration. If you’re thrifty, you could probably limit your spending to about $20 or less. After you put away your farmers’ market goodies, you have the rest of the day to soak up the autumn breeze and go on some new adventures. Perhaps you would like to go cheer on your fellow Rams at a football game. Even if football isn’t for you, you can take the Ram Van to Rose Hill anyway to enjoy an afternoon of walking around the campus and admiring the fall foliage. A round trip on the Ram Van will only cost you $7. For many students, Sundays are usually reserved for homework, but we have to take advantage of the sunny, cool weather while we still can. It would not truly feel like fall at Fordham without a walk through Central Park. There, you can catch a glimpse of the leaves changing color on the trees and feel a breeze without getting hypothermia. Perhaps you will be reminded of the scenes filmed here for “When Harry Met Sal-
ly” when the couple takes a stroll through the park together — or when you pass Boathouse Restaurant, where Sally and her friends met for lunch. Or maybe you will think of the scene from “Bride Wars,” when Emma and Liv are running through the park together. There are numerous movies that have been filmed here during the fall, so be sure to visit this iconic park to which that we live so close. In the mood to see some masterpieces? Walk to the east side of the park to get to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While you are here, be sure to take a look at some of the autumn paintings and other pieces that are permanently on display, such as “Autumn Oaks” by George Inness or “Autumn Landscape” by Tiffany Studios. If you show your student ID, you can make as much of a donation as you would like — 25 cents is totally acceptable. With the afternoon wellspent, it’s time to head back home. Get some work done and take a moment to reflect on the cheap (a total of $30 or less), fabulous fall weekend you have just experienced.
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THE OBSERVER October 2, 2019
Features
Not-So-Quick Questions With Fr. Quickley
By ROXANNE CUBERO Asst. Features Editor
We sat down for a (not so) quick conversation with Rev. George Quickley, S.J., to see if he lived up to his name. You’ve lived in many interesting places; what is it like living in McMahon Hall? Over the last year, I’d become comfortable with a quiet life, with going to bed early. One of my concerns was that it was going to be noisy, I’m surprised that it’s not. I get to bed early, except when I’m up late for the Masses that we have in the residence halls. I thought that the students’ reaction to a Jesuit priest was going to be negative. I was surprised by how generous and how kind they are, and by the number of people that responded in a very positive way. I really love living there. Now, if they get noisy, it might be something a little different. Why did you become a priest? What attracted you to the Jesuits? When I was 10 years old, my Presbyterian family lived in an allblack neighborhood in Baltimore named Cherry Hill. Both of my parents were middle-class working people, but my dad was always interested in his two sons having a good education, which was not always possible. So they worked to move to a neighborhood where the education would be much more promising. In 1956, we moved to a northern part of Baltimore. There were two Presbyterian churches, but they did not allow us to come and worship. My parents and my brother continued to go to church in Cherry Hill, which required them to take a long bus ride. I was a little on the radical side, and I started going to the Catholic Church, Blessed Sacrament, which was one of the only churches that allowed African Americans to attend service. And so I started going there; I was about 11 years old. I continued to go on my own until I was about 14. I was received on April 16, 1962. While I was learning about the Catholic Church, I read a book called “Obedient Men” about the Jesuits. It’s about a young man who goes through
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15 years in formation as a Jesuit. I knew I wanted to be one of them, but I never actualized that until after I graduated from high school in 1974. Why Fordham? I studied philosophy at Fordham after I entered the Jesuit formation in 1974. I lived in Murray-Weigel, which was the house where the Jesuit seminarians lived, so I knew Fordham then. I came back on sabbatical from Africa in November 2011, where I am a member of the African Province of Jesuits. After finding issues with my heart, (the doctors) said that I should not go back to Africa. Because I sat on the Board of Trustees and because of the sabbatical, (Fr.) Joe McShane asked if I could be a presence at Fordham Lincoln Center. I think he was concerned about the Jesuit presence here. Since I knew I wasn’t going back to Africa, I said no problem. So Fordham has really been in and out of my life for some years now. What does it mean to be the Resident Minister and Chaplain? You see Jesuits in many different positions — from the president to professors — doing all kinds of things, wearing all kinds of clothes. I think part of why I’m here is because I was asked to be a support to Campus Ministry in terms of spiritual needs, counseling, celebration of the Sacrament, but it also means that I am to enhance the witness of Jesuits in this university. So you see Fr. DeCola, who is the vice president. That’s a Jesuit. You see Fr. Burke, who teaches philosophy; that’s a Jesuit. I represent another aspect of what it means to call this the Jesuit University of New York City. How do you perceive the Fordham community so far? The students are very friendly, but everyone always has their headphones in and so when you say hello, they can’t hear you. But in general, I find the community to be friendly and generous. The first program I was involved in was Urban Plunge, and I found an attentiveness among students. That’s what Jesuits are about: Go out and set the world on fire. Je-
ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER
Besides his ministry, Fr. Quickley is also a former opera performer and an amateur photographer. He even posted his opera resume on his McMahon apartment door.
suits primarily minister in cities, which have a way of articulating the needs of the people. If you live in a campus way out in the country, you’re not as likely to be attentive to social issues. To me, the students have the requirement that you want from a Jesuit student: They’re looking at the world around them. You cannot be unaware of the needs and the injustice when you’re living in the middle of New York City. Students here seem to be more attentive to what’s out there than what commonly true of students in a university. How did you get into performing? In high school, I remember seeing “You Are Sixteen, Going on Seventeen” from “The Sound of Music” and I fell in love with the movie and the song. In some ways, it was why I wanted to become a Jesuit. I knew that they were in the arts, so I thought I could be an artist and a Jesuit priest. All throughout the Society, I studied voice, I took dance lessons with Arthur Mitchell, I sang with the Washington Opera Company —
just chorus — and the Baltimore Opera Company. When I entered the Society, my novice director allowed me to continue to study voice. Mattiwilda Dobb was my voice teacher for 15 years. I studied with her from when I arrived in Washington until I left. She was the third black woman to sing at the Met. We developed a wonderful relationship; she died a couple years ago. She was the one who said you need to do something with your singing. I wasn’t doing anything except singing at Mass.
How did you manage to balance your career as a priest as a performer? When you love things, you find a way. I love singing because it’s Ignatian. Ignatian spirituality is about visualization; creating what Ignatius calls “another world in which you find God.” You find God in not in another world, but with the images you’re creating in the art itself. I just love that, so in some ways it was similar to own spirituality and to my love of the arts that I was involved in.
Question Speed Round: Hometown: Baltimore Favorite color: Blue Favorite movie: “Rear Window” (1954) Favorite book: “Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin Favorite Bible verse: “The Lord is my shepherd, nothing I shall want.” (Psalm 23) Favorite opera: “The Magic Flute” Favorite saint: St. Ignatius Funny Mass story: I started saying the introduction to my homily instead of my introduction to the Mass Favorite ice cream flavor: Neapolitan Is a hot dog a sandwich? Yes For more of this interview, visit www.fordhamobserver.com
So We’re Talking About Race The Bronx is Reading with Ijeoma Oluo and Ashley C. Ford
By MILEY CAO Contributing Writer
On Wednesday, Sept. 25, readers from the Fordham community and from different parts of NYC gathered for “Ijeoma Oluo in Conversation with Ashley C. Ford.” The event was hosted by The Bronx Is Reading, the sponsors of the Bronx Book Festival, at Keating Hall at Fordham Rose Hill. Despite location changes and the late arrival of the speakers, everyone in the auditorium was still excited — some read Oluo’s “So You Want to Talk about Race,” while others shared their expectations for the conversation. Ijeoma Oluo is a writer of feminist and social justice features for newspapers including The Guardian, The Stranger and The Washington Post. Ashley C. Ford writes, teaches and speaks actively about topics including race, sexuality and body image as the host of the podcast “112BK.” The event started with Ford asking for Oluo’s thoughts on the people picking up her book. Oluo mentioned people talking about race — some in a perplexed man-
ner, others in a condescending one. The author saw the differences between talking to people of color and talking to white people “something black happens,” she noticed. The first thing Ford wanted to know Oluo’s thoughts on the mixed criticisms of her book. Oluo was elated to have achieved her initial goal of making the book “of use” instead of producing “a hot take.” This accomplishment manifested itself in various events: a 66-year-old black woman saw her experience reflected in a book for the first time in her life, an interracial couple saved their marriage by discussing her work during their travel and communities read the book together. Then, with their witty humor, the two speakers discussed their thoughts on social media. Though insisting that she “wouldn’t exist without social media,” Oluo mentioned the drawbacks of these networks when approaching serious issues. People treat conversations on Twitter and Instagram like vacations from real responsibilities, which is not the way to deal with serious conversations on politics,
MILEY CAO/THE OBSERVER
Ijeoma Oluo and Ashley C. Ford discussed the lack of education on the importance of black people in American history.
race and gender. Perhaps the most heartfelt part of the conversation was about education. Oluo asserted that there was “a lack of real education on
the history of America.” Reflecting on her experiences, Oluo went from not understanding how she could ever be “the greatest” in a society of white privilege, to her
being the only black student who was frequently questioned about her existence in class. To her disappointment, the things taught at school have been, mostly, the “white history,” “white arts” and “white sciences,” reflecting the “white power” even more. The event ended with Oluo’s eloquent response to an audience question and answer segment. There was an enthusiastic reader asking about a book chapter on privilege, then a teacher in a public high school in the Bronx wanting to know how to further help her students — all of whom are immigrants. The final question was from a Fordham doctoral student. As the only black person in her department, she suffered from constant silent treatments, and hoped to hear from Oluo what Fordham should do to diminish the ongoing racism. After the conversation, the speakers and the audience stayed in the Keating Hall for a while longer — Oluo signed all the paperback books, took pictures with readers, and finally revealed that she is working on a new book, which she expects to be published in May 2020.
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Features
October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
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Notes on the catskills: • Kayak naps hit different • The sights and smells of the Bronx are really overwhelming post-nature • Don’t eat playing cards • Daddy longlegs are everywhere • You can see the Milky Way at night when you are far enough from the city • S’mores taste better burnt • Upstate pizza isn’t that bad • Camping is a great way to make new friends • It is really freeing not to have cell service • I am capable of more than I thought
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THE OBSERVER October 2, 2019
Features
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By HOPE VANDERWATER
Contributing Writer
There were no entrances to swipe into, no buildings in sight. We helped new friends remove pine needles from oatmeal and spiders from ponytails. We threw enormous logs off cliffs and tiny pebbles into lakes. We laid in the road watching the Milky Way at night and drank our coffee amid birdsongs in the morning. Experiences like these are impossible at the Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) campus, but they are now memories treasured by the two dozen students who attended the Environmental Club’s camping trip in the Catskills from Friday, Sept. 20 to Sunday, Sept. 22. Former E-Board and club members discussed the potential for a camping trip for years, but the task of coordinating the trip with administrators, students and campsites proved overwhelming. However, this September, a dream team of Environmental Club E-Board members; Student Involvement staff; student workers; and the Senior Director of the Office for Student Involvement, Dr. Dorothy Wenzel, finally did it. They successfully pulled off the trip after months of planning, with a few mishaps and no casualties. It was worth it, too. Environmental Club Secretary, Aidan Donaghy, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’22, admitted that although the trip organization was a lot of work, “it was a great bonding experience.” He also enjoyed working closely with Wenzel; Brittney Yue, FCLC ’20; and Kylie Ford, FCLC ’20. In July, an email circulated to all incoming freshmen and all others on the club email list offering students the opportunity to sign up for the trip. The club was flooded with responses. The number of attendees expanded; a waiting list soon followed. Wenzel was shocked at the amount of interest. She and other members of the planning committee felt it was important to give new students the opportunity to come on the trip, and many students joined the trip without knowing anyone at Fordham, including transfer student Julia Taylor, FCLC ’21. Taylor admitted that she had been apprehensive about living in the city and the “camping trip seemed like kind of a godsend.” Matthias Lee Poy-Paxman, FCLC ’23, explained that for him, the trip was “a perfect way to meet people and to take a break and enjoy nature.” Friday afternoon, Wenzel and 23 students took three Ram Vans 2 1/2 hours upstate to the wooded NorthSouth Lake Campground in the Catskill Mountains. Upon arrival, the campers raced to set up tents, hang hammocks and build fires before sunset. For many, this trip was their first time sleeping in a tent overnight. Immediately after unloading, there was a strong spirit of camaraderie and learning because, as Club President Yue remarked, “What better way to bond with fellow classmates than sharing late-night s’mores by a campfire, and cooking all your meals together after a great day in nature?” Although breakfast-making got off to a slow start, Saturday was a full day for FLC campers. Most students chose to start the day with a tricky hike up to Kaaterskill Falls, New York’s highest waterfall, cascading down 231 ft. over two levels of rock formations. The students returned at the end of the day exhausted from a long day of hiking, climbing and kayaking. Kathryn Hornyak, FCLC ’20, was part of the group that opted to hike throughout the second part of the day Saturday. “I’m capable of a lot more than I think. I was sick for a decent portion of last year and felt very weak, and doing that hike just reminded me that my body is capable of so much more than I give it credit for,” she said. Many of the students felt similarly, surprising themselves with how capable they were and how therapeutic the fresh air felt as they ended Saturday infinitely closer, dirtier and more tired than they had been just 24 hours earlier. Some students walked back down the mountain to kayak in North Lake, while others kept hiking through the rocky trails, pausing at the frequent outcroppings to admire the views, identify plant species and take dramatic photos. On the way, Lee Poy-Paxman and Arul Mollin, FCLC ’23, observed that the area was the “perfect place to start bear hunting training” and that although their bear finding “mission failed,” they have faith that next year they will be successful. With an early Sunday morning Ram Van pickup looming, a small group of students woke up at 5:45 a.m. to hike in the dark to the site of the historic Catskill Mountain House and watch the sunrise. Although the hotel building itself has not stood on the site since its demolition in the 1960s, the students found the history and views of the site compelling. As they watched the sunrise over the five states (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts) that stretched out below them, the students marveled over how timelessly surreal it felt compared to the frenetic energy in Manhattan. Camping novice Finley Peay, FCLC ’20, remarked that watching the day begin over the valley below “was a beautiful and peaceful way to end a lovely trip.” The campers left the weekend feeling grateful for warm jackets, their new friends and the many people who put so much love and work into the trip, including Wenzel’s family, the facilities and OSI staff, and the team of four who organized and went on the trip. Wenzel’s favorite part of the trip? “Seeing new friendships get formed and existing friendships deepened.” Upon returning to the city, the group swiped onto campus closer than before.
CAMPING OUT LC ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB GOES WILD
Without technology, you have to pay attention and rely on what you know to get by, whether that’s how to get back to camp or how to take care of yourself when the temperature drops at night. Kathryn Hornyak, FCLC ’20
Photos courtesy of LC Environmental Club
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Features
October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
Making Money Moo-ves
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Two Gabelli freshmen talk entrepreneurship in K-pop and dairy distribution By LEV YAKOVLEV Contributing Writer
One of the things that surprises New York City newcomers are the amount of young people running their own small businesses. At Fordham Lincoln Center, there are students who dedicate their time outside of school to private enterprise, two of them are Michael Tyutyunik, Gabelli School of Business (GSB) ’22 and Krystal Zheng, GSB ’23, have agreed discuss their businesses. Tyutyunik is studying global business with a concentration in finance. However, outside of class, he is the managing director of a dairy company called Homegrown Varieties. He runs it with his friend, or, as he said, “The closest thing I have to a brother.” Now in college, they work together to deliver milk, yogurt and other dairy products of the best possible taste to their clients. Tyutyunik is passionate about the taste of his company’s products. It took them seven months and a trip around the country to find a milk supplier that would satisfy all of their needs. Tyutyunik remembers turning down early offers because they wanted to find the best quality milk to distribute. In order to find the taste and quality that they wanted, they had to search the entire country before finding great milk in California. When asked about expenses of such an operation, Tyutyunik replied, “Our competitors will laugh that we spend $1,000 on shipping, but we really don’t care about profit, and that’s what separates us from them.”
COURTESY OF KRYSTAL ZHENG
ANDREW BEECHER/THE OBSERVER
Krystal Zheng attributes her success to her devoted customers, one who even mailed Euros as payment. Michael Tyutyunik’s support of his dairy distribution company comes from his girlfriend.
Tyutyunik really believes that he is making a difference, and some stores have already started showing interest. “Now that we have secured our suppliers, we are ready to put our products in the factory. When our milk will hit the shelves, your perception of its taste will really change. In five years, you will hear a lot about us.” Alternatively, Zheng runs a K-pop oriented online store through her Instagram page, @goryumis.goodies. “It all started with my love for
art, DIY crafts and journaling. Eventually, I thought that I should put my skills to use by making products and sharing it with others,” Zheng said. Right now, she utilizes the same skills to design stickers, pins, key chains and more. About a year ago, Zheng found an opportunity to make some money interning at a law firm. “The lawyer who I worked for specialised in copyrights, so it was related to what I wanted to do,” she said. “So, I used the experience and the funds to get started.”
As she described, the hardest part was not in buying the sticker machine or setting up a site — it was finding the customers. “I could only advertise it using Instagram.” But when the process of college applications took over all of her free time, Zheng was forced to abandon her dream for a while. However, since Zheng did not shut down her site, she had a surprise waiting for her when she came back: There were people who visited it and bought her products.
That’s why Zheng decided to return to her online store. “I made a real breakthrough when I decided to do a non-profit fan project for Stray Kids,” she said. “I made banners from donations I received, gave it to people entering the concert, and actually, one of the singers held one of them in front of the camera. It was super cool!” Stray Kids was her childhood idol, and now, ironically, it also helped her to start a business. Currently, Zheng is organizing a café event and party to celebrate the anniversary debut of one of her favorite artists. The first café date is on Oct. 23, and the second will be on Oct. 26. Both are located at Caffe Bene in Koreatown. When asked about how they manage their time, Tyutyunik replied that “no matter how busy you are, you would always find time for something you love.” Zheng, on the other hand gave more practical advice: “Write down all your plans; remembering by head is good, but when you actually record the thought, it’s different.” Both Tyutunik and Zheng have people supporting them. For Zheng, it’s her fans. “When I started global shipping, there was a girl from the Netherlands who couldn’t pay for my merchandise online, so she shipped euros to New York by mail. I was really surprised that someone could do that for me.” For Tyutyunik, it’s his girlfriend, who “tells him to be the best he can be every single day.” In both cases, the business is held by love, which got them from the hard times and allowed a safe passage in a world of endless opportunity.
Blessed With the Bullseye: 61st Street Target Coming Soon By MARIELLE SARMIENTO Features Editor
Last week, the blue scaffolding on the sidewalk of 61st Street and Broadway disappeared, revealing a red bullseye, along with the promise of a new Target scheduled to open sometime before the end of 2019. The new latest store, a mere block away from Fordham Lincoln Center, is part of the 10 Targets that opened within the last year near or on a college campus and the eighth location in Manhattan. This new location will be a small-format store — a specialized Target built for urban communities and college campuses. The prospect of Target, a favorite retailer for many college students with its wide array of merchandise available, caused much excitement from the
STEPH LAWLOR/THE OBSERVER
The Columbus Circle location will be a small-format Target, an approximately 34,000-square-foot facility.
Fordham community when the bright red logo appeared on the corner near campus. “I can get everything I want from Target, not necessarily stuff that I need,” Tyler Bell, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’23 said, “It’s a one stop shop.” Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Morton Williams, Duane Reade and Bed Bath & Beyond are staples when it comes to a Lincoln Center resident’s shopping experience. How will the opening of a mini-big box store affect the shopping habits in the community? “The Upper West Side doesn’t have
a universal home goods store,” Sam Elbedeiwy, FCLC ’22, said. For her and many others, a typical errand run involves multiple stops — grocery stores, home goods and pharmacies. “I use ‘Shipt’ to deliver my groceries because I get snacks from Morton [Williams], produce from Trader Joe’s, but I might not need to anymore, because Target has everything,” Bell said. Target also offers discounts to rival Bed Bath & Beyond’s College Savings Pass, like 5% off everything when using a Target credit card. “Once this Target is open, I’m going to use my RedCard for groceries, school supplies, everything. I’m going to save so much money,” Stella Pandis, FCLC ’21, said. While Trader Joe’s offers an affordable food run, the options for name brand groceries are only
available at the pricey Morton Williams, Duane Reade, CVS or online retailers. “I want to go grocery shopping at Target now because of the name brands,” Maya Addie, FCLC ’21 said. “It’ll be nice not having to go down to 34th Street anymore.” Target has a cult-like following, especially from those who grew up frequenting the store. “I’m from the suburbs, so Target is my safe haven,” Elbedeiwy said. “Target runs are such a fun activity to do with friends. It’s a whole outing,” Addie added. The new Target may be enough to overthrow the Fordham community’s loyalty to Amazon, which grew stronger after the Amazon Lockers were installed near the Quinn Library in 2018. “I’m excited for Target to come to Columbus Circle. I certainly will be going
there more than I’ll be using Amazon now,” Emily O’Brien, FCLC ’22 said. O’Brien is a former representative for Target Tag, the company’s digital magazine, and she regards the company highly after working with them. “I think Target is one of the few corporations that not only cares about its customers, but also cares about its employees. Companies like Amazon may make my life easier, but Target makes shopping more enjoyable,” O’Brien said. A brand new major retailer in the area also means new job opportunities. Haley van den Berg, a former FCLC student, also works for Target. “I started working for Target in high school and still come back to work during breaks and summers,” van den Berg said. “Between the company’s willingness to work with college students’ schedules and employee discounts on healthy food and other dorm essentials.” When will we be blessed with the bullseye? Target’s Columbus Circle press release stated the store would open in 2019 but did not specify a date. The interior of the store is still under construction, but the completed exterior advertises, “Target coming soon” and “we’re hiring” with a link to the job application. The job postings include beauty consultant, tech consultant and Starbucks barista — meaning this small-format location will include a Starbucks, hopefully to replace the recently closed Columbus Circle Starbucks. Whenever it opens, it is sure to have an immediate loyal following — and the potential for more than a few FCLC converts. “The new Target in Columbus Circle is a potential win-win for Fordham students.”
Arts & Culture Editor Gillian Russo - grusso12@fordham.edu
Arts & Culture The
October 2, 2019
THE OBSERVER
Designer Diaries Tales from New York Fashion Week GILLIAN RUSSO/THE OBSERVER
A Holly Golightly and Lizzie McGuire Fashion Week By CATHLEEN FREEDMAN Contributing Writer
During my first foray into New York Fashion Week (NYFW), I feel like I saw it at its best and its most mediocre. NYFW’s best was going to the Jennifer Diederich Suite show at the Norwood Club; it was one of those moments where you clutch your chest and say to yourself, “This is so New York.” The Norwood Club is an artistsonly clubhouse fit for a Wes Anderson set. Diederich’s brand, Suite, featured clothes inspired by New York’s society swan leader Truman Capote and his legendary Black and White Ball. The models wore the new line and interacted with guests as they sipped cocktails and swayed to “Moon River.” I even got to try on one of the model’s coats. On a Tuesday night that week, I went to a joint-designer fashion show (trust me, there is no greater thrill than nonchalantly telling your study group, “Sorry, I have to leave. I’ve got an NYFW show!”). For this fashion show, though, the bragging rights ended there. PR personnel, photographers and influencers desperately wanted to
get to the check-in line and were not afraid of shoving to get there. When the show began, I immediately thought of the fashion show sequence from “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.” The room was stark white, the clothes were odd and the models looked miserable. There were delays between the designers. An announcer kept saying, “Please uncross your legs if you are in the front row.” Apparently, people are either hard of hearing or very disobedient because the announcer said this at least six times. I ended up sneaking out early with an Instagram influencer. As someone outside the fashion industry, I always looked at NYFW with wide-eyed curiosity. Now, I’m curious as to why designers do not take advantage of their space, their clothes and this city. The Suite showcase epitomized what NYFW should be: glamorous, innovative, immersive. The other show I went to was the complete opposite. During the week, several people in the industry told me, “I love fashion. I hate the fashion world.” Perhaps if the fashion world focused more on its presentation style, people in the industry would not feel this way.
Trendy Twists and Stylistic Risks By ALEXANDRA CHAMBERS Contributing Writer
NYFW is a phenomenon unlike any other. I was fortunate enough to attend a show this year, and it was an unforgettable experience that made one feel as if they belonged to the fashion world for a fleeting moment. As soon as I stepped into the Angel Orensanz Center, there was a whirlwind of action as photographers snapped pictures of models, frantic employees rearranged chairs and swarms of people shuffled around in search of a space to claim. It’s a strange yet exhilarating energy that’s best described as a blend of chaos and purpose. The atmosphere while waiting is just as thrilling as the show itself; the crowd was packed full of people, exaggerated networking and otherworldly outfits. As I took my seat and the show began, music pulsed throughout the cathedral-like venue, echoing off the walls and establishing an aura of creativity and excitement. Moments later, the models began their strut down the catwalk. Vacant
expressions rested on their faces, but the fabrics that adorned them screamed with life and color as the textiles twisted and turned into fantastic avant-garde designs. The collection was dominated by reds, whites and blacks, with strange spurts of camouflage interspersed throughout. Each article of clothing seemed to include some type of cape, skirt or dress, creating a flow throughout each design, as well as the ones that followed. I sat in awe of the innovative use of style and was reminded of how fluid the definition of fashion is. The uniqueness of each piece and unconventional use of material elevated the collection beyond the runway, flooding my imagination with inspiration. The show itself was quick, yet its impact was lasting. When I glance at the press pass hanging on my wall and glimpse the words “New York Fashion Week” typed across it, I can’t help but smile at the surrealness of it all and hope to experience a show again, especially one with the ability to make me think as deeply as this one did.
CHLOE FELOPULOS/THE OBSERVER
Life Behind the Runway By STEPHANIE SABIDO Contributing Writer
This year marks the first season I finally got the opportunity to attend NYFW, and it was genuinely everything I could have hoped for and more. Working as a public relations (PR) intern at an up-andcoming firm, I got to attend shows while also organizing and facilitating the show of one of my favorite designers, Jennifer Diederich. Although press relations is an unlikely internship option for a pre-med student, I enjoyed working with Jennifer to create such a unique and special presentation of her designs. Her Kate Spade-esque style is similar to my own; I walked away with not only inspiration for everyday dress, but also the opportunity to try on styles straight from the models from the Suite Spring/ Summer collection. This season I truly learned that a room full of enthusiastic
Rituals Don’t Need Runways By GILLIAN RUSSO Arts & Culture Editor
GILLIAN RUSSO/THE OBSERVER
Models performed ritualistic dances at an unconventional fashion showcase in Central Park.
creatives and supporters is unlike any other. One of the first shows I attended this season that showcased that unique energy was the Patricia Field show at Playboy Club on 42nd Street and 10th Avenue. The energy and excitement was enough to make me fall in love before the show even started. I was surprised at how willing people were to engage with complete strangers around them. After many conversations, it was almost like these strangers turned into good friends, tied loosely together with an invisible string that is the appreciation for fashion. Life from a PR perspective is not always this glamorous, especially during the busiest week of the year. Nonetheless, my constantly full inbox, never-ending list of tabs and late nights at the computer always proved worth it when it was time for those heels to hit the runway. I am already looking forward to next season.
After two years, one of my greatest freshman-year dreams came true: I was going to Fashion Week. I had starry-eyed visions of celebrity sightings and red carpets alongside catwalks and hordes of street-style photographers clamoring to photograph my impeccable outfits. Spoiler alert: I saw seven shows in five days, and none of that happened. But nothing could have been further from my expectations than my very first show. Long story short, I walked away feeling like I had witnessed some sort of secret magic ritual. The show was set to take place on a grassy hill in the middle of Central Park not easily accessible by public transit. Picture: a young NYFW rook traipsing through the park in light rain in a formal coat and heels, clearly missing the practicality memo in the interest of “fashun.” When I finally arrived, I was stunned to see ... absolutely nothing.
If not paparazzi and celebrities, I at least expected a buzzing crowd, perhaps a sign, some indicator that an event was going on. Nope. Just a trail of flowers leading to the top of the hill. I took 15 minutes to notice them, but once I did, I dutifully followed. No runway at the top either, by the way — just a circular setup of jewel-toned picnic blankets and fruit, purely for show. The models formed their own circle around a small stuffed lamb placed in the center. Each model performed a small solo dance in their outfit — that was a refreshing change of pace from the normal “walk-in-a-straight-line” setup of most shows. For most of the 30 minutes, though, I tried to keep my heels from sinking into the mud while watching models do yoga poses in knitwear that looked like something you’d only wear in your dorm room, all while sipping warm chamomile water and listening to a woman sing Ave Maria and a hymn about sanctuary. How many people can say that of their first fashion show?
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THE OBSERVER October 2, 2019
Arts & Culture
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Fordham Theatre Addresses Gender Stereotypes in ‘The Wolves’ By BRIELLE CAYER Staff Writer
If you walked into Franny’s Space recently, you might wonder whether you were in the right place. In the brightly lit room, girls clad in patterned knee socks, cleats and oversized jerseys dart across a turf rug, dribbling multiple soccer balls. The group tackles a variety of soccer drills as they engage in complex conversations. Though understandable to mistake this scene for a high school soccer practice, this team is practicing more than their footwork. The all-female cast is kicking off Fordham Theatre’s mainstage season with Sarah DeLappe’s “The Wolves.” According to Fordham News, the contemplative 2016 play depicts “the experiences of high school girls through their weekly Saturday morning pre-game soccer warm-ups. From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, the team navigates big questions and wages tiny battles with all the vim and vigor of a pack of adolescent warriors.” “The Wolves” not only follows Fordham Theatre’s recent trend of highlighting female playwrights — it also calls for an entirely female ensemble. Cast member Olivia Spenard, Fordham College Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’21, suggested “The Wolves” last year with the female-centric plot in mind. “It excited me to see exclusively women on stage, but more importantly, seeing those women portrayed with such strength and guts and wit,” said Spenard. “I had never come across a play like
BRIELLE CAYER/THE OBSERVER
Practice makes perfect: As the cast of “The Wolves” practices soccer skills in rehearsal, they learn lessons in the process that apply to their own lives.WWWW
it before and thought it would be great for Fordham to be a part of the brewing revolution of bringing more and more female characters to the stage.” Director Alicia House and assistant director Leigh Melillo, FCLC ’22, approached the play as a candid look at society’s perception of teenage girls, intending to capture each character as a real young woman. Both House and Melillo cited American author Lorrie More’s quote as a source of
inspiration during the process: “I sometimes think of female adolescence as the most powerful life force human nature has to offer.” “This play is really just teenage girls as they are, as opposed to what we want them to be. Teenage girls have so much passion,” Melillo said. “They have so much drive to do things. They freaking crash websites to buy band merch ... Imagine if we weren’t shied away from politics or the sciences so early on; where would we be?”
One unique aspect of the piece is how the team players are referred to by their jersey numbers rather than their actual names. This allows anyone to play the roles and increases the relatability of the team players for audience and cast members alike. As team captain #25, Amanda Morrow, FCLC ’22, conveys persistent leadership which, she admits, is not a particularly familiar position for her. She credits #25 in helping her to find her voice
and tap into newfound power. “#25 is definitely a character and a person that I’m going to keep with me for the rest of my life,” Morrow said. “She has taught me how to be strong, how to be a leader and how to make friends.” Victoria Fanning, FCLC ’22, also found herself learning lessons from her character, #46, the new girl who desperately wants to be liked by the team. Of the experience, she said, “It’s been really interesting to try to find a balance between #46’s confidence in herself and her knowledge of the world with her want to be accepted. That want of acceptance is something that every single one of us has been through and will continue to go through as women and as people. What I’ve learned is how to be comfortable with silence and how not to feel the need to fill the space.” Ella Stoller, FCLC ’20, especially related to the perfectionism of her character, #00. “In high school, I definitely experienced wanting to be perfect,” she said. “I think that’s something all young women are handed, like, ‘Here’s your cookie-cutter; hope you fit in it.’” Stoller noted that the play works to defy audience expectations of the team players. Grateful for this fresh perspective, she said, “It’s really cool that we get to be in a space where we see the reality of what it means to be a young woman coming of age in this country.” Performances of “The Wolves” will take place in Pope Auditorium at 8 p.m. from Oct. 3-5 and 9-11.
Stove’s Cabin Crew Fills Friday with First Laughs of the Year By SAJANI PATEL Contributing Writer
On Sept. 20, Stove’s Cabin Crew held its first stand-up event of the semester in the Student Lounge. The laid-back yet energy-filled vibe was exactly what students needed to get out of the back-to-school blues. The room was packed — with zero empty seats in the house, people resorted to bringing in chairs from the Ram Cafe so they could squeeze into the event. There were 15 performers lined up for the night. Stefan Valenti, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’22, opened the event by taking dad jokes — actual jokes about his dad — to another level and, along with comments about his barber, shared the humor of some uncomfortable moments with the audience. Noé Gauchard, FCLC ’21, and Grace Thomas, FCLC ’23, followed up with some all-too-relatable self-deprecation, and Adam Himada, FCLC ’23, reminded us how much power our parents truly had when naming us. All three comedians had the audience roaring with laughter, and even a member of Fordham Public Safety decided to join the fun. The event was also a learning experience. Thanks to Percy Wu, FCLC ’21, students left with some new words in their vocabulary, specifically Chinese swear words and guidelines for how they should and should not be used in a sentence. Emily Krichmar, FCLC ’21, went with a classic Mrs. Maisel-esque vibe about their polar-opposite parents and boy problems. From Krichmar, students learned to always ask the person they’re dating if they know what body wash is. Casey Brennan, FCLC ’21, dedicated her performance to bringing awareness to the struggles of Android users and the power of the green bubble. The audi-
ence then got to reminisce on the spontaneity of childhood with Robert Sundstrom, FCLC ’22. If you live in his building, beware of simultaneous floods and fires; he once started both in his house on the same day as a kid. but who doesn’t miss being a “kidiot?” Nick Catapano, FCLC ’20, brought us back to reality by sharing his coming-of-age story about having to see many different “ologists,” and his “where is the doctor putting his finger next” anecdote had everyone nearly crying with laughter. The president of Stove’s, Maddy Casale, FCLC ’20, followed up with stories about bullying her little brother that showed us how much we should appreciate the strange nature of sibling love. As the night was winding down, Anna Moneymaker, FCLC ’22; Chuck Chandrasekaran, FCLC ’23; Natalie Grammer, FCLC ’21; and Sabrina Crivellone, FCLC ’20, kept up the buzz and made sure there was never a lull in the crowd. Andy Vega, FCLC ’20, finished off the show with an egg-cellent bit about how small his mouth is. He can’t fit an egg in it, but he made up for it with spot-on impressions. At the end of the show everyone reluctantly shuffled out, but that was after an enormous chorus of laughter and cheers for all the performers. Their standup acts allowed each of them to bring their own story to the table and individualize their bits so there was always a fresh plate of jokes from each person. When asked if they had anyone that inspired them to pursue stand-up, Himada answered “Dave Chappelle,” Brennan named “John Mulaney” and Casale said “Tina Fey, queen, of course.” Somewhere down the line, we might be treated with a Stove’s Cabin Crew Netflix special, but until then, they’ve got an improv show on Oct. 11 at 9 p.m.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHANNON CONSTANTINE
The comedians of Stove’s entertained students with anecdotes about family, love, childhood and more.
Meet the Crew 3
1 1. Adam Himada 2. Noé Gauchard 3. Stefan Valenti 4. Nick Catapano 5. Sabrina Crivellone 6. Grace Thomas 7. Maddy Casale 8. Andy Vega 9. Robert Sundstrom 10. Percy Wu 11. Emily Krichmar 12. Casey Brennan 13. Natalie Grammer 14. Marielle Sarmiento
2
9
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Not Pictured: Chuck Chandrasekaran, Anna Moneymaker
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Arts & Culture
October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
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Easy Ways to Observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month By KENDALL BOTTJER Contributing Writer
About
1
Making Strides Sherwood Island State Park
416,541
8
in
Westport, Connecticut Sunday, Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m.
l Park
Making
tra
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is dedicated to promoting Nearby Walks education, increasing early detecdes of Cen i r t tion resources and raising money S for crucial breast cancer research. Breast cancer is one of the leading health crises for women in the United States: 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, and there is no known cure. While breast cancer research Orchard Beach fundraising total as of occurs year-round, October is a The Bronx, New York Oct. 1 Sunday, Oct. 20, 8:00 a.m. great time to get involved and educated. If you’re a college student looking to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month, consider givCentral Park Manhattan, New York ing, calling, walking or shopping Sunday, Oct. 20, 7:30 a.m. in support of those affected by Lincoln Park Jersey City, New Jersey this cancer at various organizaSunday, Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m. tions in the area. While giving away the few things in your dorm can seem like Mulberry Flushing Meadows a daunting task, many organiza- Commons Corona Park tions make it easy to incorporate Newark, New Jersey Queens, New York charity for breast cancer patients Sunday, Oct. 13, 8:00 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, 8:00 a.m. into your life. If you have hats, scarves or blankets that you don’t Midland Beach need anymore, seek out a cheStaten Island, New York motherapy center nearby to doSunday, Oct. 20, 8:00 a.m. nate these items; they will keep patients warm and comfortable Coney Island when undergoing treatment. The Boardwalk Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Brooklyn, New York Sunday, Oct. 20, 8:00 a.m. Center on 16 E. 60th St. is closest to campus. If you’re interested in a monetary donation to a breast cancer organization that you’re passion- made and breast cancer patients chemo, free places to stay near ate about, there are many chari- can get increased funding for re- treatment and a live 24/7 cancer ties to choose from, including the search. helpline. Breast Cancer Research FoundaBreast cancer awareness walks If walking isn’t your thing, tion, the National Breast Cancer are always a popular way to get the event is still looking for volCoalition Fund or Breast Cancer involved during this month, and unteers to check in participants, Prevention Partners. Make sure to the Making Strides of Central hand out water at hydration stacheck the ratings of the charities Park walk is sure to be popular tions, answer questions, cheer on you are choosing to give to to en- on Sunday, Oct. 20. It is easy to walkers and more. sure the power of your donation. pre-register for the walk on the If you shop this month, you Another option is to call your Making Strides website. Check-in can buy from companies that suplocal congressional representa- is at 7:30 a.m. on East 72nd Street port breast cancer research with tive; sharing a personal anecdote and 5th Avenue, and the walk will your purchase. From water botor information with your Con- last until 11:15 a.m. The Making tles to socks to Crocs, you can be gress member can let them know Strides organization is the largest completely decked out in a bright what breast cancer research fund- network of breast cancer events shade of pink while also supporting means to you. When citizens in the nation, raising money to ing a great organization with your let their representatives know help the American Cancer Soci- purchase. But the simplest thing what matters to them through a ety fund research and providing you can do to show your support simple phone call, change can be patient services like free rides to is to wear a pink ribbon for the
women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime
In 2019, an estimated
268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the United States
In 2019, an estimated
Jones Beach State Park
Wantagh, New York Sunday, Oct. 20, 7:00 a.m.
2,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in the United States
30 About
from The American Cancer Society
month of October. They are often handed out at stores for free, and it is a great way to open up a dialogue about breast cancer with people who are either also wearing it or want to learn more. Wearing a simple ribbon is powerful way to show that you care: many women have or have had breast cancer, and by choosing to wear one you can show that you know their fight and appreciate them. The most important thing during this month is to stay educated and help open discussions with others. When breast cancer enters the common forum, it means that more people will be equipped to create change.
%
of newly diagnosed cancers in women in the U.S. in 2019 will be breast cancers
As of January 2019, there are more than
3.1
million
women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S.
Percent prevalence of mammography in women 40 and older
from breastcancer.org
2014 data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via the American Cancer Society
53 50
54
47 52
60
56
56
61 59
61
47
62
53 49
54
51
56 51
49
54
55 49 58
60
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56
55 52
61
56 60
60
54
58
45 65
60% of women 40 and older received a mammogram.
per 100,000 women
103.8-120.2
Female breast cancer: 129.1
120.3-126.1
Lung and bronchus: 52.2
126.2-132.1
Colon and rectum: 33.1
New cases of female breast cancer per 100,000 women 2014 data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute
Myth: Mammograms can cause breast cancer to spread. Truth: Mammograms use very small amounts of radiation that are not likely to cause harm, and the benefits of getting screened almost always outweigh any risk.
The rate of new female breast cancer cases in 2014 was 132.8 per 100,000 women (16,200 new cases in total).
Rates of new cancer cases in New York
132.2-190.7
Common Myths about Breast Cancer
New York
62 68 65 59 64 63 63
63
56 53 57
63
from the National Breast Cancer Foundation
Myth: If you have a family history of breast cancer, you will also develop breast cancer. Truth: While there are genetic risk components associated with it, only around 10% of people diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history.
Corpus and uterus: 32.5 Thyroid: 27.9
2016 data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute
Myth: Only women can develop breast cancer. Truth: Although fewer men develop breast cancer, the mortality rate from breast cancer is higher for men, likely because a lack of awareness leads to delays in getting tested and treated.
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Arts & Culture
18
BX to DC: US Capital Rises as Next Rap Capital An exciting rap scene is emerging in the DMV, and not the Department of Motor Vehicles By ETHAN COUGHLIN Asst. Arts and Culture Editor
On Sept. 4, IDK dropped his debut album “Is He Real?” to praise from both critics and rap fans alike. Coupled with Goldlink’s “Diaspora” and Rico Nasty’s “Anger Management” released earlier this year, it appears that 2019 will be the year that the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region (DMV) emerges as one of the next great hip-hop hubs. Like Fordham University, rap was born in the Bronx. Hip-hop has been a quintessential part of urban culture since 1973 when Kool Herc first started spinning the breakdowns of records in the basement of his housing building in the borough. Kool Herc was quickly followed by Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash, thus birthing hiphop and establishing New York City as the first rap mecca. MCs (short for mic controllers) and groups like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Kurtis Blow, the Beastie Boys and others insured that New York’s status at the top of the hip-hop game was secure well into the ’80s. In the mid-80s however, another city emerged within the rap game, ending New York’s monopoly on the genre. In 1986 in Los Angeles, Ice-T dropped “6 in the Mornin’,” and gangster rap was born. While it was clearly rap, this new sound on the West Coast was completely different then what was being made here in New York. When N.W.A. dropped “Straight Outta Compton” two years later, New York fell off from its spot at the top of the hip-hop game. While other hubs like Houston, Miami and the Bay Area all had strong talent emerge in the ’90s, no one will deny that LA and New York stayed on top.
JAKE CHADWELL/THE OBSERVER
New York has always been a leading hip-hop hub, but D.C. is the newest U.S. region to join its ranks.
Flash forward to today, and we’re seeing more and more cities emerge as hip-hop cities, each with their own unique style and talented roster. Thanks to the internet and services like YouTube and SoundCloud, it’s become easier than ever to release your own music to large audiences. Today, you can find a popular rapper from pretty much every major city in the U.S. That said, a few cities still shine brightest. First, we have Atlanta, the city that I’d argue currently sits atop the hip-hop city throne. With acts like Migos, Childish Gambino, Young Thug, 21 Savage, Playboi Carti, Gunna, Lil Yachty, Lil Nas X and more, Atlanta’s commercial success is undeniable and so is the city’s influence on the game. Migos’
3-count flow popularized by “Versace” has become ubiquitous among rap songs on the Billboard Hot 100 today. Staying in the South, we can travel down the coast to Miami where Rick Ross, Denzel Curry, Ski Mask the Slump God and Kodak Black carry on the clout established by Uncle Luke in the ’80s. Miami is a party destination, so it’s no surprise that the songs coming out of the city make you want to dance. To quote Curry’s song “CAROLMART,” “How can you not catch a stunt in the most perfectest weather the Earth’s got?” Go across a few states and you’ll end up in Houston, where Travis Scott undeniably carries the scene. Following Scott’s monumental rise to the top,
other Houston rappers like Maxo Cream, Don Toliver and Megan Thee Stallion are able to prove that Houston has more roster depth than just la flame himself. Up in the Midwest, Chicago consistently provides strong talent since Kanye West first broke into the industry. Drill rappers like Chief Keef and Lil Durk get you on your feet with heavy hitting beats while rappers like Common, Chance the Rapper and Noname make you think with their poetic lyrics. Returning to modern day LA, Kendrick Lamar and the entire Top Dawg Entertainment roster of ScHoolBoy Q, Jay Rock, SZA, SiR, AB-Soul, Isaiah Rashad and Zacari are proving that the City of Angels hasn’t slipped when it comes to great hip-hop. At only
32, Kendrick Lamar is already being touted as the “GOAT” by many, or at least one of the greatest in the game right now. While it may not be on top at the moment, New York is still one of the most elite hip-hop cities in the U.S. New York’s incredible population, diversity and collective pride will always produce great talent. Today the A$AP Mob, Joey Bada$$, Flatbush Zombies and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie lead the charge, but it’s just a matter of time before someone else emerges from the boroughs. However, while hip-hop is without a doubt an American creation, cities around the globe are stepping up to enter the game themselves. Just across the border in Toronto, Drake is smashing music records left and right with other notable acts like Nav and Murda Beatz helping put the city on the map. Across the pond, London has produced its own subgenre of rap by combining hip-hop and garage music to form grime. Acts like Skepta, Stormzy, Dave and Slowthai are finally starting to pop up in the U.S. Even in Africa, talent like Burna Boy and Wiz Kid have emerged from the streets of Lagos, Nigeria. Unlike a lot of these other cities, it may look like the DMV is still finding its sound. Goldlink is jazzy, Rico Nasty is industrial and IDK is all over the map, but maybe that is the DMV’s sound. Washington, D.C., is a truly international city. As the capital of the U.S., there is abundant influence to pull from all over the country and the world as a whole. While it may not be New York, LA or Atlanta yet, it’s time to start appreciating the talent there. The game already is, so now the fans from all cities just need to catch up.
‘Somos Más’: An Exploration of Immigration and Assimilation By JESS FIGUEROA Contributing Writer
Sitting in my second-row seat in the South Lounge, I was surrounded by a frenzy of women in gray walking erratically and puzzled viewers trying to navigate around them, get a seat and figure out what the women were doing. The actors would stop in front of random audience members and exclaim phrases like, “How are you?” “Does that make sense?” and “Thank you very much!” as if they were preparing for a job interview. After I had been sitting down for a few minutes, one woman sat down next to me and said with bright eyes, “I’m sorry, but can you hold this ring for me?” As she placed it in my hand, she explained with a fair amount of nostalgia that she bought it 10 years ago in Colombia. It was one of the few material things that she had from her home country, and she needed me to hold on to it and do everything in my power not to lose it. After I reassured her multiple times that I would protect it, she smiled, thanked me and walked away with urgency, continuing her routine of walk, stop, exclaim. So began “Somos Más,” an interactive performance by the People’s Theatre Project, an organization based in Upper Manhattan that creates plays by and for immigrants. Its purpose is to tell their stories and encouraging pride among their
communities. After about 15 minutes of highenergy, brisk walking, a male voice came over the loudspeaker, propelling the six girls to get into a formation and brace for their first test in becoming a citizen. The women were all different ages from all different Latina, Asian and African backgrounds, some who have been living in this slightly more dystopian version of the United States since they were little and some who have just arrived. Here, a point system is used to “upgrade” immigrants to citizens, and points are rewarded based on how “American” you become or how well you have assimilated and suppressed your home culture and memories. To speak their first language, commemorate their old life or feel nostalgia of any sort was a crime (police sirens would ring whenever an actress slipped). And it seemed that no matter how hard they worked, or how much of their past they had forgotten, there was no break from the testing or trying to fit in. Over the course of the show, each actress told their story and the impact of this brutal version of assimilation on their lives. They band together at the end, protesting that they can be a part of this society without throwing everything from their old lives away. In the talkback after the show, the director Zafi Dimitropoulou (who stepped in for the male char-
LEV YAKOVLEV/THE OBSERVER
The People’s Theatre Project show’s all-immigrant cast discussed being American without sacrificing their heritage.
acter’s role at this performance) explained the creative process behind the show. She held group auditions, only accepting actors who were immigrants. The cast ended up including five women and one man of all different backgrounds, with three female understudies. Each character is based on the actor’s actual heritage, and the show changes to fit that authentic mold whenever an understudy comes on. At this performance, the Mexican Greek Dimitropoulou stepped in for the role usually played by the Iranian actor, so the character became Greek. The research process was also done together as a group. It consisted of visiting New York museums, people-watching on street
benches and spending time getting to know each others’ stories. She opened the floor for questions and comments from the audience. The feedback was mostly positive, and the talkback started a conversation about what moments of the show really touched each person. Many saw their story or their parents’ story of coming to the United States and learning to assimilate as a means of survival. In order to be successful in this country, you had to lessen your accent, ignore your heritage and line your life up perfectly with the current
version of the American dream. The main takeaway for the audience of this show was to understand the struggle of immigrants then and now, but it is a show meant to be seen by immigrants. It becomes a means of emotional catharsis, to see that their everyday struggle is heard and appreciated on stage by others who have gone through the same experience as well.
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Arts & Culture
OCTOBER 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
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Earth Is in Danger: Arcadia Earth Wants to Help By LAUREN FICHTEN Contributing Writer
Hidden among the chaos of downtown Manhattan, tucked between a McDonald’s and a Foot Locker on East 4th Street, sits one of New York City’s newest pop-up experiences: Arcadia Earth. This 15-room exhibit combines art installations, projections and virtual reality to help promote climate change awareness and environmental sustainability. The result is nothing short of stunning. Entering Arcadia Earth is stepping into a colorful, eye-opening and informative world. The exhibit’s brilliant visuals combined with the abundance of environmental facts in each room make for an experience that is fun as well as educational. The climate crisis has moved to the forefront of international attention, as scientists continue to uncover alarming statistics regarding the health of our planet. On Sept. 20, 16-year-old climate change activist Greta Thunberg of Sweden led thousands of New York City high schoolers in a climate strike in downtown Manhattan. A prediction released by scientists states that we have 12 years before the negative impacts on the Earth become irreversible. Another prediction says we have as little as 18 months, leading some countries to declare a “climate emergency.” Arcadia Earth wants to help. Each room presents a different theme and accompanying message, informing participants of the effects of their actions on the planet and how people can be more mindful. Visitors journey through several augmented reality rooms and encounter multiple virtual reality “friends” along the way, including an orca whale that appears to swim around you when viewed on your phone screen. Some rooms are equipped with virtual reality headsets that
simulate experiences such as scuba diving among schools of fish or, in the case of a room called the “Grotto,” allow you to get up close with lions and koalas. Arcadia Earth creates a sense of wonder as you push through each door not knowing what ethereal experience lies on the other side. Some of the most memorable installations include the Oxygen Oasis, a dark room with dazzling floor-to-ceiling wall projections; the breathtaking Rainbow Cave, made entirely from 44,000 plastic bags; and the slightly unsettling “Eat Less Meat” room, which displays an animal carcass that is made of cloth scraps, has a pungent smell and plays animal noises in the background. Each room has a portion of a wall dedicated to explaining the specific installation within the room, facts relating to its theme and tips on how viewers can live
PHOTOS BY LAUREN FICHTEN/THE OBSERVER
Arcadia Earth immerses viewers in exhibits that portray the Earth’s natural beauty while informing them why and how to protect it.
more sustainably. In the Plastic Tsunami room, it says to “replace plastic coffee cups with reusable ones” and “say no to plastic water bottles.” In some areas of the exhibit, a voice repeats facts over a speaker as you observe the art around you. Most of the time at Arcadia Earth, you’re absorbing information without even having to try. In the Rainbow Cave, a voice says, “Did you know in New York state over 23 billion plastic bags are used every year?” The phrase that follows is the familiar “you can help,” seen and heard throughout the exhibit. While Arcadia Earth is full of aesthetically pleasing art and Instagram-friendly photo opportunities, it does not lose sight of its central message: our planet is in danger, and we need to do something about it. Arcadia Earth is open through Thursday, Oct. 31.
The Lumineers Premiere ‘III’ at Pier 17 By PATRICIA ANGELES Staff Writer
Denver folk band The Lumineers, two-time Grammy nominees, came back to their old stomping grounds in New York to debut the accompanying film for their newest project, “III.” After the successful release of two platinum albums (the self-titled “Lumineers” and “Gloria”), the duo produced a touching and heartbreaking 10-track album. Lead vocalist Wesley Schultes and drummer-singer Jeremiah Fraites drew inspiration and produced the music and storyline based off their own family experiences with battling addiction. The U.S. premiere of “III”’s visuals were held on the Rooftop at Pier 17 downtown by
South Street Seaport. Compared to the previous day, which was sunny and 80 degrees, it was terribly cold and rainy the day of the premiere. The crowd by the stage braved the weather for two hours in their ponchos waiting for the film to begin. People were cold and soaking wet from the rain. Although the conditions were not great, there was a resilient spirit in the air and this resilience was eventually rewarded by the captivating ending of “III.” When the film began, everyone in the space went silent and the only things that could be heard were the movie’s sound and the rain pouring down. The moody weather coinciding with the intense film made for the perfect storm. People held their breath at the start of each scene and cheered at each scene’s end. The visuals showcased during the premiere reveal the
final chapter out of three. Shot in Portland, Oregon, the story is told through three generations of the working-class Sparks family, who have a history of battling with addiction. Since the storyline and the 10-track album were inspired and written by Schultz and Fraites’ own family experiences with addiction, the band consciously chose to not use relatives’ real names in the storyline. The Sparks family consists of the matriarch (Anna Cordell), the son (Nick Stahl) and the grandson (Charlie Tahan). The film gives an inside look into the lives of these three family members and how their dependence on drugs and alcohol leads them down a pattern of psychological and physical abuse. The portrayal reveals the harsh realities faced when battling addiction. In the film, the three family members use alcohol and drugs to numb the
pain of individual loss. During a post-screening Q&A, Schultz explained that for the videos, they did not want to zero in on the band. When creating the music and film, according to Schultz, “the band wanted to focus on summoning a feeling that you have about something.” Even though the film doesn’t focus on the band, Schultz said that they do take part within the film, supporting the characters and serving as Easter eggs for the audience. As well as talking about the film, they reminisced about their time in New York before their crazy musical adventure. Schultz and Fraites talked about their past experiences traveling back and forth between New York and New Jersey, commuting over the George Washington Bridge. From the Q&A, fans saw that the musicians’ early struggles inspired a lot of the music they create. Their expe-
riences not only allow them to create, but keep them grounded in their work. After the Q&A, the two band members went into their acoustic performance and the audience sang along to their hit songs, “Ophelia,” “Ho Hey,” “Cleopatra,” “Sleep on the Floor” and their newest songs of “III,” such as “Life in the City” and “Gloria.” Since the crowd waited for a long time in the pouring rain, they did the most fitting encore song: “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The rendition closed off the night and put an end to the deeply intimate experience that was initially created through the premiere of the film.
PHOTOS BY PATRICIA ANGELES/THE OBSERVER
Audiences braved the rain to see the Lumineers perform their hits and screen the accompanying film to their new album, “III,” which draws on the band members’ family experiences with addiction.
Fall
F un & G ames
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BY ESMÉ BLEECKER-ADAMS
Across 1.Cinderella’s footwear material 6. spot for refreshments 10. heroes of the immune system: Abbr. 14. premiere episode 15. glided 16. Brontë protagonist Jane 17. 2014 film starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, Jr. 18. Prozac, e.g. 19. at a distance 20. sea eagle
22. repetitive musical phrase 24. starstruck by 28. 2,000 pounds 29. essential amino acid found in muscle fiber: Abbr. 30. promise 31. mistakes 33. intelligence-gathering units of the U.S. army 34. spouse 35. part of a tree that changes color 36. “A Nightmare on Street” 38. wake-up tune
By PRISKA MOHUNSINGH Staff Writer
Libra, fall is bringing a variety of feelings and situations your way, but don’t worry. You’ll be passing by each hurdle quite quickly. You may not be at your peak when it comes to productivity, but you will learn valuable lessons from friends and family. Be prepared to adjust to your changing lifestyle this fall.
Scorpio Oct. 23 — Nov. 21 Scorpio, the season of fall will mainly bring you introspection and a direct focus on the better aspects of your life. You will find yourself remaining honest and straightforward even at times when you wish to argue or scream. A new beginning or a restart of something left unfinished will allow you to be more productive this season.
Sagittarius
Nov. 22 — Dec. 21
Sagittarius, your mind is racing this month in urgency and desperation. Some of your plans are quite unrealistic, and some of them may define your future decisions. The first half of the month will be dedicated mostly to your work and growth as an intellectual. In the second half of the month, you will find yourself working harder and striving to succeed in your major goal this season.
Capricorn
Dec. 22 — Jan. 19
Captivating Capricorn, get some sleep! This month is quite busy for you, and your body will require you to meditate or get some relaxation after a chaotic new routine. Progress in your career keeps you driven, but you may be doing some work behind the scenes that often goes unnoticed. The moon on the first day of October can be the start of something you’re working hard on.
Aquarius
Jan. 20 — Feb. 18
Aquarius, confidence and courage will keep you moving this season. As you embrace the chilly atmosphere, you’ll find yourself unleashing your creative side — which you often keep to yourself — onto your work. Before you pursue any goals, make sure to make some modifications and come up with at least two long-term goals that you have for yourself.
Pisces
Feb. 19 — March 20
Obstacles are not going to last for you this month. Out of personal choice, you’ll be eliminating every obstacle you come across. Your stress levels may be high this month if your attention is divided by trivial matters. You will often find yourself overwhelmed, as you are not allowing yourself to recharge or spend some time to rest.
Aries
March 21 — April 19
Aries, your energy levels are finally increasing this month. You will step out of your comfort zone and go on new adventures to explore the activities you’ve been dying to try out for years. The moon on the first of October will bring new energy and opportunities. Take a chance and open one of the doors of opportunity that will arrive this month.
Taurus
Down 1. device used for finding oneself: Abbr. 2. falsehood 3. “ of Me” 4. “ over the Rainbow” 5. peer intently
Gemini
Horoscope Libra Sept. 23 — Oct. 22
40. liquid outside of cells: Abbr. 41. get ready to putt, say 44. abstract expressionist Krasner 45. apprehension 47. alternative forms: Abbr. 48 . one thousand, en Español 50. draw pictures absentmindedly 52. white-flowered tree genus mostly found in the Amazon 53. “Monsters, .” 54. month of showers, proverbially: Abbr. 55. pancreatic enzymes that digest fatty acids 57. steal 60. jazz musician King Cole 61. chopped mixture 62. hair-removing substance 64. pointy 68. type of saxophone 69. possible nickname for Eleanor 70. come to a point at the end 71. annoyance 72. vehicle for a snowy day 73. agitated or jumpy
April 20 — May 20
Taurus, though you feel pressured or stressed this month, find solace and calm in your passions. As you are trying your best to set a stable work lifestyle this month, you’ll find yourself pushing slow people aside. The lunar eclipse falls in your 12th House of Hidden Things. Keep your eye out for things that are going unnoticed by others.
May 21 — June 20
Gemini, you’ve been extremely busy lately, and all your friends and family have been demanding some time with you. You will actively confront the conflicts in your life that have been lingering around and holding you back emotionally or physically. Fall will bring new knowledge and information on who to trust around you.
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
Aug. 23 — Sept. 22
Virgo, dig into all of the unfinished projects you’ve been postponing. The fall season will bring fresh ideas and new opportunities. Though you are busy almost all the time, allow yourself to spend some time with your passions, or else you’ll feel suffocated. The moon on the first may evoke extreme emotions, as you’ll be super sensitive or forced to confront some of your biggest fears. The key is to communicate and openly speak from your heart; stop holding things in. With clear communication, your hurdles will turn into staircase steps.
LOVE FALL
HARD TIMES
THE FALL CRACKS
F
THE WAGON L L
A SPELL FALL
Riddle: Why was the tree running late? Answer:
It couldn’t...
Instructions: Unscramble the following anagrams. Each anagram answers one of the clues below, but they are not in order. Write the number of the clue in the box above the answer. Each row and column will add up to 65. Write the first letter of each answer in the blank spaces at the bottom to spell out a message. BY DEIRDRE REED
REPOT
TAPAS
LENTO
LEANS
VENOM =65
RICED
DEANS
ROGUE
EARTH
PANEL =65
IRIDS
CRUEL
NITER
NIXED
DEATH =65
SHANK
PAISE
PEPLA
MEADS
DRAPE =65
LEARN
July 23 — Aug. 22
Leo, this season brings in many emotions and inner conflicts. You will often find yourself struggling with going overboard, overthinking and being overwhelmed this month, but don’t worry. Planning step-by-step or discussing with someone close to you will put your mind at ease. Remember to compliment yourself when you achieve something, but humble yourself when you announce your achievements.
Instructions: Decode the following phrases and write them in the boxes. Unscramble the circled letters to answer the riddle.
6. computer language that presents HTML documents 7. in addition 8. autumn’s beginning 9.Photoshop, for photographs 10. off; gradually reduce dependency on 11. in an autumnal way 12. cavity found in abundance on the moon 13. resembling various clear body fluids 21. Christmas in Paris 23. Hawaii or Alaska on a map of the United States, usually 24. Des Moines locale 25. recipient of a manicure 26. for autumn prices 27. complimentary in autumn 32. moved quickly 37. metaphor for the commonwealth, according to Hobbes 39. Olympic prize 42. attempt to persuade 43. messages in the popular interest: Abbr. 46. equestrian’s steering tool 48. accident 49. swallow oxygen 51. gives one’s perspective 56. lasagna layer 58. ticker symbol for GrowLife Inc. 59. element of a mosaic 63. of; freed from 65. housing unit: Abbr. 66. things, in Latin 67. seek information, often nosily
June 21 — July 22
Hard work and effort will help you overcome any obstacle you’ll be facing this fall, Cancer. Watch out for warning signs that look like green lights in your career and relationships. The Moon on the first of October draws attention to your family life and conflicts. This is the perfect time to begin again with a loved one you’ve been distant from lately. Though you may feel restless at times, remind yourself to take things day by day.
October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
L FAL
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Fun & Games Editor Esmé Bleecker-Adams - ebleeckeradams@fordham.edu
OPENS
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HOMER
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1. literary cliché 2. “Barracuda” band 3. arm joint 4. father, in Spanish 5. stomach ailment 6. Western Ireland’s iconic cliffs 7. farfalle, ditalini and others 8. Chaka and Genghis 9. stagnant 10. Kathmandu is the capital 11. Insta filter 12. USWNT star Megan’s nickname 13. directory 1
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14. see #17 15. “Rocketman” subject John 16. detested 17. fall beverage, with #14 18. Nissan Altima, for one 19. American photographer Adams 20. of the kidneys 21. blush 22. “Luther” star Elba 23. money transfer app 24. printer company 25. Judi Dench and others 6
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Sports & Health
Sports & Health Editors Lena Weidenbruch - lweidenbruch@fordham.edu Luke Osborn - losborn1@fordham.edu October 2, 2019
THE OBSERVER
The Allure of Diet Advice from Lifestyle Influencers By LENA WEIDENBRUCH Sports & Health Editor
The diets and fitness routines of the famous and followed have always been fascinating to the general public. With the rise of social media over the last decade, it has become increasingly simple for those willing to share these details with their followers. Recently, it has become trendy on Instagram for influencers to release meal plans, “resets” and general guides to the way they eat. Some come at a cost, while others are free downloads. Taking recipe and workout inspiration from these increasingly popular influencers can sometimes be beneficial. For example, these tips are useful when in need of a short recipe idea or when feeling directionless at the gym. However, trying to replicate these lifestyles and particularly the bodies of these influencers can be dangerous. Every body is different. A diet that works for one person may not work for another. One Instagram influencer who has received both praise and criticism is Kenzie Burke. The 23-year-old studied nutrition online at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and preaches a style of eating called “food combining.” The practice focuses on pairing the right foods together, like eating carbs with vegetables but not with proteins, and eating fruit first thing in the morning on an empty stomach to optimize digestion. Burke and her nearly 100,000-strong attribute the practice as the key to maintaining their lean figures and minimizing bloat. Burke and her brand have come under fire from followers and dieticians alike. The influ-
Influencers may endorse get-fit-quick food plans, but not all diets sparkle.
encer sells a 21-day “reset” called “21 Days to Your Best Body” that includes her recipes and workouts online for $45. Many consumers have documented their progress online, some overjoyed with their results, others feeling defrauded. Some actually ended up feeling physically and mentally worse. Maura Carney, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’20, tried incorporating food combining into her diet after Burke became popular on Instagram. “When I tried to follow
food combining it was too strict of a plan that it didn’t fit into my busy schedule,” Carney said. “It felt like sometimes I wasn’t eating enough or the foods that I was eating weren’t providing me with enough substance.” Comparing oneself to influencers too closely can lead to poor self-esteem and unhealthy thoughts, particularly when it comes to the actual means of nourishing the body. The ideas and practices that these Instagram socialites promote have
GRACE SPIEGEL/THE OBSERVER
a never-ending reach when it comes to who they have the ability to influence. Supervising Psychologist and Training Director for Counseling and Psychological Services at Rose Hill, Elizabeth Clark, described how social media has changed the dieting industry. “One thing that social media makes different is how possible it makes it for these messages or programs or whatever to be spread so widely,” she said. “It just really expands the reach and
the possibility of the influence.” Carney felt the same way about trendy diets on Instagram. “It’s easy to follow these diets because you see the Instagrammers do it and it seems so glamorous, but really we’re not taking into account what our own bodies need.” Sponsored content brings another level of disillusion to the table, as it is almost impossible to tell when an influencer being paid to advertise a product. Just because they claim that a “fit tea” took inches off their waist does not mean that there aren’t other factors playing a part in their fitness journey. Transparency is key, and the lack thereof is the reason it can be so harmful for followers to try to replicate the exact means and results that their favorite influencers flaunt. “Instagram is aware of some of these dangers,” Jeffrey Ng, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services for Fordham University said. Ng recently spoke to Instagram about a development in the platform that will be released at the end of 2019. This update will aim to help college-aged students better process what they are exposed to on the app. “It’s specifically focused on really trying to help young people be more literate about what they’re consuming on social media,” Ng said. “It is focused on fostering and cultivating mental health.” The project will hopefully help to implement positive change when it comes to the images and messages young adults are consuming as they peruse the app. “The kind of messaging that these platforms allow for can be really dangerous and I think the social media giants are picking up on that,” Ng said.
Caloric Confusion Causes Consumption Conundrums
By MARGARET MCNAMARA Contributing Writer
Although they are touted as the primary way of determining the nutritional value of foods, calories can be confusing. For a measurement so ubiquitous, the origin of the calorie is surprisingly murky. According to an article by James L. Hargrove, associate professor of foods and nutrition at the University of Georgia, most nutritionists don’t actually know who invented the term. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a calorie as the approximate amount of heat required to raise a gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. The connection between the scientific definition of a calorie and the nutritional calorie is unclear. Within the Fordham community, it can be a bit difficult to make informed decisions about one’s food. Walking into the Community Dining Hall, one is bombarded with calorie counts above each food available. While this display is required by the city of New York, ingredient lists are nowhere to be found. An in-depth perusal of the campus dining website proves just as uninformative: short descriptions of the dishes served are offered, but a full list of ingredients is missing, making it impossible to know what’s really going into one’s body. Lincoln Center Campus Dining General Manager Gregory Bienkowski confirmed that
LUKE OSBORN/THE OBSERVER
Ingredient lists are not always posted in the Community Dining Hall, making it harder for students to make healthy decisions. The Ram Cafe, however, usually includes labels (pictured above) that have more nutritional information.
there is currently nowhere for interested students to find full ingredient lists. The lack of this information leaves a serious gap in Fordham’s efforts to provide healthy on-campus food options. Even some experts find calories puzzling. In her book “Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.,” sports dietician and nutritionist Elyse Kopecky outlines her own difficulty understanding how calories matter in nutrition and expresses her shock upon discovering that “in 1824, a sci-
entist calculated the number of calories in a gram of fat, protein, and carbohydrate. These rough calculations from nearly 200 years ago are still used to determine the calories listed on every single packaged food.” Most importantly, Kopecky emphasizes that not all calories are created equal and different people draw different amounts of energy from a calorie. As one might expect, our bodies digest 100 calories of broccoli differently than 100 calories
of Oreos. These foods have very different consequences for the body, and the use of calories attempt to make them seem like equally healthy options. Broccoli is an all natural food loaded with necessary nutrients and vitamins. Oreos, on the other hand, are a heavily processed packaged food with many unpronounceable ingredients. Defining them in the same way wrongly indicates that if you eat a certain amount of one, it’s essentially the same as eating a
calorically equal amount of the other. The human body does not react the same way to these two foods, so we should not view them as equally healthy options. Additionally, using one number to define how much energy is in a food suggests that everyone’s body will burn this energy in the same way with the same efficiency. In reality, every body will digest food differently. Calories can take a psychological toll on individuals; they can lead to feelings of frustration, inadequacy and self-doubt. According to Kopecky, these feelings can spiral out of control and feed obsessive comparison to others and even eating disorders. If calories are an unreliable health indicator, then what can individuals rely on? The answer is simple: real foods. Looking for minimally processed foods with whole ingredients is a much more constructive way of deciding what goes in your body. Kopecky emphasizes that natural foods contain all the nutrients we need. Wholesome sources of carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables and whole grains such as rice, quinoa and oats. Natural protein sources can be found in meat products such as chicken, beef and turkey. Yogurt, eggs, nuts and seeds also provide healthy sources of protein and fat. Other sources of fats include olive oil, avocados and coconut oil. A short ingredient list is almost always a good sign.
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Sports & Health
October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
www.fordhamobserver.com
Men’s Soccer Saved by Last-Minute Double Overtime By DEIRDRE REED Contributing Writer
Fordham was just four seconds away from a scoreless draw on the night of Saturday, Sept. 28, when Luca Fava, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’21, rose above the rest and headed a perfectly placed corner kick from Bart Dziedzic, FCRH ’20, into the back of the St. Bonaventure net. Despite the Bonnies going down to 10 men in the 47th minute and the Rams outshooting their opponents 27-8, it took until the final moments of double-overtime for the breakthrough goal. Fordham’s victory secured them a second consecutive victory in the Atlantic 10 (A10) conference. The Rams came into the game fresh off of a 2-1 A10 victory over La Salle, as well as a 2-1 loss to Manhattan — both of which went into at least one overtime, a recurring trend for the team this season. Fordham looked to maintain their momentum in their third consecutive home match before a series of four tough matches on the road. Their away record of 0-3-1 added pressure on the importance of Saturday night’s result in their pursuit of league supremacy. Both sides had several scoring opportunities in the first half, with the Bonnies finding success down their left-hand side and the Rams coming close to scoring when a shot from Paul Makaj, FCRH ’22, hit the post. Joergen Oland, FCRH ’20, also saw his attempted bicycle kick saved.
Johannes Pieles, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’20, gets past a defender and attempts a header.
Despite a few close calls, the half was characterized by poor decision-making in front of goal, and neither side could break the deadlock. Fordham was given a major boost early in the second half when a last-ditch tackle from the St. Bonaventure goalie earned him a straight red card, leaving the Bonnies one man down for the conclusion of the match. Kyle Cunningham, St. Bonaventure University (SBU)
’21, came on in goal for his first minutes of the season and managed seven impressive saves. The Rams held most of the possession and created more chances in the second half, including a diving header from Dziedzic that was only inches away from goal. St. Bonaventure kept their composure on defense and had opportunities of their own, with Fredrik Hansen, SBU ’21, forcing Konstantin Weis, Gabelli Graduate School of Business ’21, to
make two excellent diving saves toward the end of regulation time. Fordham continued to struggle with the final ball during overtime, and their play became increasingly desperate. Besides a crucial save from Weis at the beginning of the second overtime, all the action took place in front of St. Bonaventure’s goal, with Fordham players relentlessly pushing forward. With only a few seconds remaining, the Rams earned a corner kick and had to rush to have
COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
enough time to take it. Dziedzic’s corner kick was headed by Fava and hit the back of the net as the match came to a close. The referee blew the final whistle as the victorious Fordham players piled on top of the goal scorer, Fava, and the St. Bonaventure players stood on the field stunned. These results put Fordham in excellent form as they look to continue their perfect start in the A10 against Rhode Island on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m.
www.fordhamobserver.com
THE OBSERVER October 2, 2019
Sports & Health
Men’s Water Polo Splits Family Weekend Doubleheader
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By GRACE SPIEGEL Contributing Writer
Water Polo Sept, 28, 2019
FORDHAM
George Washington
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The nationally ranked men’s water polo team split their doubleheader on Saturday, Sept. 28. Dominating for the majority of the match, Fordham lost 9-8 to George Washington (GW) in the final quarter after a series of brutal goals made by Andras Levai, GW ’21. With a defeat early in the day, the team rallied to beat Johns Hopkins 16-11 in a pride inducing game. By halftime of the first match, Jake Miller-Tolt, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’20, had claimed three of the four goals, the last belonging to Oscar Nomura, FCRH ’20. With their heads held high, they continued into the second half with a 4-2 lead.
Fordham is now 10-3 for the season, proving once again that they are worthy to be a a top 20 team. Fans were able to relax in the third quarter as Fordham extended their lead to 8-5. Miller-Tolt; Tristen Knoflick, FCRH ’20; Dimitris Koukias, FCRH ’22; and Jason Hiremath, FCRH ’23, all made goals to extend Fordham’s lead. In the last quarter, all hope of a victory vanished as Levai dominated and made four goals to give George Washington a victory of 9-8. The Rams’ defense could not
Oscar Nomura, FCRH ’20, attempts to score against Johns Hopkins in their second game of the day.
make their way out of the rut that Levai had dug for them, which ultimately led to their loss. As a last attempt at victory, Nomura tried for one final goal with six seconds left, but it deflected away, with their hopes of victory. Despite the loss, Fordham gained valuable experience, with Miller-Tolt and Nomura making
five of the eight goals and three assists. Bailey O’Mara, FCRH ’22, finished the match with an astounding 15 saves, with seven coming in the first quarter. After a couple of hours to recuperate and concentrate, the second match against Johns Hopkins gave the team another chance for success. The first two quarters were
closely contested, with a score tied at 7-7 early in the second half. With the weight of their previous loss on their shoulders, Fordham forged ahead, making four consecutive goals, two coming from Koukias. Friends and family sat on the edge of their seats as the team entered the final quarter. Cheers echoed in the aquatic center, urg-
GRACE SPIEGEL/THE OBSERVER
ing Fordham to stay ahead. Fordham refused to relinquish their lead and won the game by a score of 16-11. Fordham is now 10-3 for the season, proving once again that they are worthy to be a top-20 team. They now head to California to compete in six matches, including the Gary Troyer Invitational.
Women’s Rugby Fights for Fun in Bard Friendly Match By PATRICK MOQUIN Asst. Sports & Health Editor
On Saturday, Sept. 28, the women’s rugby club won their game against Bard College by forfeit after their opponent was unable to field enough players for a game. As the sounds of Fordham’s football game against Richmond reverberated throughout Rose Hill and onto Murphy Field, women’s rugby played their hardest in a game they had already won. In a sport as rough as rugby, many people would have happily accepted Bard College’s forfeit. On Family Weekend, the average individual would probably elect to spend their Saturday with parents and siblings and forego the hard-hitting sport altogether. After all, a forfeit is as good as a win in the scorebook. However, the women representing Fordham’s rugby club had other ideas. They wanted to earn their win. Having heard ahead of time that Bard College would not have enough players, Fordham still invited them to play in a friendly match. Family Weekend presented the Rams with an opportunity to play in front of family and
alumni, and a friendly match allowed them to put their team on display. To make up for Bard’s lack of players, several Fordham players switched teams, exchanging their dark red Fordham jerseys for black Bard ones.
glorified practice. Raucous crowd reactions and intercom announcements from the neighboring football field clearly established a focal point for the student body’s attention. However, to view the forfeited women’s rugby game
The game was not competitive and the stakes were low, but Fordham women’s rugby celebrated its past and present through the game itself. The game was as exciting as an informal competition can be. Bard’s lack of players took an obvious toll, as Fordham’s two-wave attack always provided fresh players against a constantly tired opponent. Bard’s players were almost never substituted, and Fordham took a significant lead and never allowed their opponent to contend. The team let up significantly late in the game but still won handily, 41-32. Coaches occasionally paused play to instruct players, and the game sometimes felt more like a
against Bard solely as a sporting event and compare it to Fordham’s football game would miss the point of the event altogether. Playing on a field lacking stands or bleachers, fans were forced to sit on the floor at different areas around the field. On a day celebrating Fordham families and alumni, many people filled the back of the field and cheered on their team. Some middle-aged women wore their old Fordham women’s rugby shirts and spectated a team of which they were once proud
members. Many parents watched on and cheered for their daughters. The informal nature of the game allowed players to interact more freely with their families during the game, a personal aspect that would be unimaginable at a Division I football game. The game was not competitive and the stakes were low, but Fordham women’s rugby celebrated its past and present through the game itself. They played hard, running and tackling for hours non-stop. Isabella Powers, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’22, stressed the importance of playing against Bard. Noting her teammates’ passion for the game, she made clear that “club sports are completely comprised of students who really want to play the sport … we really value the time we have to play the game, especially with other teams who share the passion.” Powers and her teammates feel that any opportunity to play should be taken seriously, regardless of surrounding circumstances. Varsity athletic programs play to win, and a forfeit achieves that goal. In the eyes of Fordham
women’s rugby, club sports play out of a desire to compete. She also focused on tradition, saying that their decision to play Bard “builds community because we are all working to bring recognition to ourselves along with trying to continue the success of the team.” With families and alumni in attendance, women’s rugby players agreed to a friendly match against Bard so that they could display the progress of the team to those who helped establish it. Families and alumni could watch a new generation of women’s rugby players continue a rich tradition of club sports at Fordham University. The highlight of the game occurred early on in the contest. As the Coffey Field intercom boomed, announcing the football game’s score to everyone at Murphy Field, Kiara Pile, FCRH ’23, recovered a ball in a skirmish and flew. Before anyone from either team could react, she was 20 yards away from any other player and did not look back, lengthening Fordham’s lead. For just a moment, the intercom was drowned out by the crowd’s cheers as women’s rugby made their mark on Family Weekend.
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Sports & Health
October 2, 2019 THE OBSERVER
www.fordhamobserver.com
Football Faces Fears, Takes Down Spiders in 23-16 Victory
By RAHUL SUKESH Contributing Writer
FOOTBALL Sept, 28, 2019
FORDHAM RICHMOND
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With only one win under their belt this season, Fordham was in need of another. Going into the game on Saturday, Sept. 28, it was unclear if a 1-3 team could outplay the University of Richmond Spiders. With family weekend in full swing, the Rams had to put on a good show. The game was a defensive battle that came down to the final 30 seconds on the field. After a rough start, the Rams punted on fourth down, and Richmond started on their own 17-yard line. Despite an impressive Spiders drive, the Rams defense held them at the 20-yard line. The Spiders were forced to kick a field goal for an early lead. With the Spiders up by three points at the end of the first quarter, the Rams had to provide an answer in their first drive of the next. But after two first downs, quarterback Tim DeMorat, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’22, went down hard and fumbled the ball leading to a turnover. Starting on the Rams’ 36yard line, the Spiders quickly advanced their lead, scoring a touchdown in under a minute. After allowing 10 unanswered points to start the game, the Rams were desperate to score. In their next drive, a defensive pass interference brought
Upcoming Sports Events Oct. 3
Women’s Soccer vs. George Mason, Bronx, N.Y, 7 p.m.
Oct. 5
Men’s Tennis vs. Four-inthe-Fall (Fairleigh Dickinson, Marist, St. Francis, Brooklyn), Bronx, N.Y. Softball vs. Fairfield, Bronx, N.Y., 12:30 p.m. Softball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson, Bronx, N.Y., 3 p.m.
Oct. 6
Men’s Tennis vs. Fordham Four-in-the-Fall (Fairleigh Dickinson, Marist, St. Francis, Brooklyn), Bronx, N.Y.
Oct. 11
Men’s Cross Country vs. Metropolitan Championship, Bronx, N.Y., 2 p.m. Women’s Cross Country vs. Metropolitan Championship, Bronx, N.Y., 2 p.m.
Oct. 12
Softball vs. Adelphi, Bronx, N.Y., 10 a.m. Softball vs. Holy Cross, Bronx, N.Y., 12:30 p.m.
Oct. 13
Women’s Soccer vs. Rhode Island, Bronx, N.Y., 1 p.m.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS
Offensive lineman Ryan Joyce, Fordham College At Rose Hill (FCRH) ’23, blocks for quarterback Tim DeMorat, FCRH ’22, against Richmond defenders.
the Rams back into the game, advancing them 15 yards. Relying too much on a running game that could only muster 1.8 yards per play, the Rams were forced to settle for a field goal making it 10-3, Richmond. The next Rams drive would even the score. Finding a rhythm in their passing game, DeMorat threw a total of 12 times, for five first downs and a touchdown. Andrew Mevis, FCRH ’21, scored the extra point to tie the game at 10 points, leaving no time on the clock for Richmond to answer as the first half came to a close. Starting the third quarter 1010, the first two drives amounted to nothing. With the Spiders starting at their own 42-yard line, a 31-yard pass brought them within field goal range. On the following four plays the Spiders would rush for 9 yards and kick a field goal, once again taking the lead by three points. To avoid trailing behind the Spiders yet again, the Rams responded with an impressive drive. Notably, a 46-yard rush by Zach Davis, FCRH ’21, saved the Rams from another another stressful third down situation. Two short passes later, DeMorat and the Rams scored a touchdown. In spite of missing the extra point, making the score 1613, the Rams had taken their first lead of the game. This brought much needed hype to the Fordham families which would help energize the Rams later. Maintaining their energy on defense, Glenn Cunningham, FCRH ’21, and Anthony Diodato, FCRH ’21, made great plays to shut the Spiders down, forcing a punt on their own 32-yard line. With the collective voice of the crowd propelling the team forward, the Rams maintained their hot streak with an impressive 76-yard rush by Davis. Two short runs later, the Rams scored a touchdown to gain a 13-point lead to close out the third quarter. Determined to regain their lead, the Spiders also had a rushing gain of 33 yards which led to another three points on the board with a field goal. The Rams’ following drive included several big plays with De-
Wide reciever Fotis Kokosioulis, FCRH ’22, runs with the ball after catching a pass from Tim DeMorat, FCRH ’22.
Morat completing two passes for 26 yards. Unfortunately, the Spiders held the Rams down, forcing them to kick a field goal, but the Rams missed, keeping the score at 23-16. The match was still a one-possession game with nine minutes left on the clock — plenty of time for anyone to score. With the Spiders under the gun, quarterback Beau English, University of Richmond ’22, threw two interceptions to end two consecutive drives. With two minutes left on the clock, the Spi-
ders had one last chance to gain more points. English led the Spiders all the way down the field up to the Rams’ 13-yard line. Well within scoring range on second down, it would take only one throw to tie up the game. But an extraordinary defensive play by Jeremy Imperati, FCRH ’21, and Ellis Taylor, FCRH ’21, brought English down for a 7-yard loss. In the final few plays of the game, the ball was in the Spider’s control. Two incomplete passes
would force a turnover on downs with 33 seconds left on the clock. As the clock went down to zero, fans jumped to their feet to cheer on the Rams. After the game, students and families raced outside to congratulate their winning Rams. Breaking several season records, including nine tackles for loss, four sacks and the lowest net rushing yards for a Fordham opponent; this game was a boost in the Ramily’s morale, kicking family weekend off to a great start.