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November 17, 2021 VOLUME XLI, ISSUE 11
New York City Special Issue
ANDREW DRESSNER/THE OBSERVER
A Reflection on the 2021 NYC Mayoral Election
By ALYSSA DAUGHDRILL Photo Editor
20% of Eligible Population Voted
66.5%
20%
Eric Adams Wins 66.5% of Votes for Mayoral Election
75.5%
75.5% of New Yorkers Voted in Person on Election Day see ELECTION page 2
INFOGRAPHICS BY MADDIE SANDHOLM/THE OBSERVER
FROM OPINIONS:
NYC Parks: Refreshing Green Spaces or Classist Battlefields? JAKE ERACA Staff Writer
NYC Parks hosts an iconic roster of locations, including the sprawling Central Park, the ever-popular Washington Square Park and the scenic Battery Park. These places have become home to an abundance of events and subcultures in the rich tapestry of NYC’s history. The green spaces of the city have become havens for all experiences, rich or poor, privileged or oppressed. Playgrounds are beacons for young children and parents on the weekends, and the many multipurpose fields have become home to a myriad of recreation-
al activities such as local soccer leagues, children’s T-ball games and even a simple game of Frisbee. But the parks are not all sunshine and rainbows — these common spaces are also highly policed and monitored due to their popularity and frequent usage. Since the early 20th century, the parks department has developed a practical legion of Parks Enforcement Officers, with constant budget increases, a developed paramilitary rank system, and only 11 weeks of required training before they are equipped with the power to make arrests, use batons, pepper spray and even handcuffs. Often seen as a safe spot to rest by the city’s plethora of people experiencing homelessness, the parks
The Man Behind ‘I NY’
have become an increasingly hostile environment for some downtrodden souls looking for a night’s rest despite the Parks Department’s official stance maintaining that “homelessness is not a crime.” Hostile architecture has run rampant in the parks in an effort to combat the large populations who attempt to utilize the public space as a resting spot, home or bathroom at varying times. The most common examples of this are the segmented benches that line the many walking paths, designed to allow people to sit but not lay on the benches preventing them from staying there to sleep.
The Student Voice
Milton Glaser’s “I NY” (“I Love New York”) logo is a wellknown and well-loved symbol that has been met with massive success. It is recognizable on a global scale. The simple visual design has become the face of New York tourism — which is exactly what it was designed for. T-shirts, bags, pillows, mugs, snow globes, pens, and the list of souvenirs with Glaser’s design emblazoned on them goes on, and somehow nothing on the list feels surprising. The symbol is integral to tourist culture in New York City and has been adapted to a multitude of other cities as well. The Empire State Development in New York holds the trademark for the design. It was
see MILTON GLASER page 10
Editors’ Note Dear Reader, Whether a commuter or a resident, coming to Fordham Lincoln Center makes NYC home. When the pandemic hit in March 2020, COVID-19 took NYC away from students and it took NYC from itself. What is New York without Broadway, without subway rat encounters or a slice of dollar pizza entirely too late at night? As we step onto campus for the fall 2021 semester — a year and half later — many students are new to the city. Our NYC special issue is The Observer’s way of helping to reconnect Fordham students with NYC after our time apart. This special issue should act as a guide to walk you through NYC as you embark on this next chapter of pandemic life. We hope that as you read, you can journey through the city’s abundant culture, learn about its history and stay up to date on its ongoing changes. May these articles inspire you to reclaim your New York City experience. Happy reading, Katrina Lambert | Editor-in-Chief Grace Getman | Managing Editor
see NYC PARKS page 9
of
produced without charge for a 1977 campaign to revitalize New York City. New York was facing potential bankruptcy in the 1970s and the Department of Economic Development hired the Wells Rich Greene Inc. advertising firm — which later reached out to Glaser — to help increase the dwindling number of tourists. In the years since its conception, the tourism industry has popularized the design and made it a prominent part of the city and state’s public image. While it was originally designed for a New York state and city campaign, the design is used ubiquitously. The Department of Economic Development has tried to curb unauthorized reproductions, but the I NY logo is a prolific and lasting legacy for Glaser.
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