October 13, 2023

Volume 92 • Issue 5

October 13, 2023

FSUgatepost.com

Pins of pride (Left) Alex LeBlanc, Amy Bickford, Christina Chinetti, Emma Lyons, and Zach Morrison particpate in the LGBTQ+ Mingle.

Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST

Art murals to honor Native American history

By Sophia Harris Associate Editor

By Kaitlin Carnman Staff Writer Framingham State will honor Native American people with a series of permanent mural installations.

The University will also host events through the Center for Inclusive Excellence for students to learn about Native American history and culture during Native American Heritage Month in November.

According to Vice President & Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Jeffery Coleman, the murals will be

created between December 2023 and June 2024.

The Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DICE) “will work with a faculty member and students from the Department of Art and Music to create artistic murals around campus which will serve as visual recognition that the land we live, work, learn, and commune on is the original homeland of Native Americans,” according to Coleman.

The murals will be “strategically placed around the campus,” said Coleman.

He said the murals will be a “permanent recognition of the land the FSU campus is located on and an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory we reside

on, and a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial.”

He added, “It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought us to reside here, and to seek to understand our place within that history.”

Coleman said these works of art will “serve to acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from the land upon which our campus sits, and honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land on which we gather.”

He added before creating the murals, FSU art students will have the

By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Staff Editor The Center for Digital Humanities hosted Claire Levarreda, who gave a speech titled “Learning as You Go: Building an Archive of Indigenous Voices” in the Heineman Ecumenical Center Oct. 5.

When introducing herself, Levarreda identified as Guatemalan-Irish, which she said she thought was important because she was “interested in connecting

SPRINKLERS pg. 4

Opinions STUDENTS UNIONS pg. 6 BENCH pg. 7

Sports

Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST

Claire Levarreda talks about her archive for Indigenous voices with my own heritage.”

She added she’s straight, which she said is important because she has LGBT+ participants in her archive, and she can’t necessarily relate to them directly.

Her project, a website called “How We Remember,” showcases the stories of Indigenous peoples across the world.

On the site there are interviews, videos, and pictures of these Indigenous people’s life stories.

“I feel that for Indigenous communities, digital humanities really serves as means of cultural survival and preservation,” she said.

HEALTH CENTER pg. 3

See ART MURALS page 5

Completing the picture

By Raena Doty Arts & Features Editor

News

FIELD HOCKEY pg. 10

She added she uses the term “Indigenous” because it’s the best term that she has found, despite the fact some people don’t use this terminology.

Levarreda gave the example of a Japanese woman she interviewed who said she uses “Indigenous” to describe her experiences in English, but would not use the same term in Japanese.

“Despite this not being the best term out there, I find it the most inclusive,” Levarreda said, “and I’ve also noticed that it’s become ... a way to recognize a colonial past.”

See DIGITAL HUMANITIES page 12

Arts & Features

Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST PAINT AND SIP pg. 11 MORTAL KOMBAT pg. 14

INSIDE: OP/ED 6 • SPORTS 9 • ARTS & FEATURES 11

2 | OCTOBER 13, 2023

NEWS

Gatepost Interview

Editorial Board

Susan Massad

Editor-in-Chief Emily Rosenberg Associate Editors Ryan O’Connell Sophia Harris News Editor Naidelly Coelho Opinions Editor Izayah Morgan Sports Editor Adam Levine Asst. Sports Editor Riley Crowell Arts & Features Editors Raena Doty Jack McLaughlin Asst. Arts & Features Editors Bella Omar Owen Glancy Design & Photo Editors Maddison Behringer Adrien Gobin Staff Writers Jesse Burchill Ben Hurney Carly Paul Dylan Pichnarcik Alexis Schlesinger Liv Dunleavy Jackson Clyde Emily Monaco Kaitlin Carman David Abe

Francisco Omar Fernando Rodriguez

Dante Curry Adam Harrison Richard Gill Andrea O’Brien Paul Harrington

Advisor Desmond McCarthy Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

Director of Didactic Program in Dietetics

By Naidelly Coelho News Editor What is your educational and professional background?

I have a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Framingham State, believe it or not. I have a master’s degree in health education from Worcester State. I have a doctoral degree in health and safety education from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. I was a hospital dietitian for a couple of years. And I also worked for the Massachusetts WIC program, which is a nutrition program for women, infants, and children. I also taught junior high for a few years in the late 80s - early 90s. I taught eighth-grade health.

What is your job at FSU? I’m the director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics, which basically just helps students get ready for applying for their postgraduate - 1,000 hours of supervised practice. That makes up what we call a dietetic internship.

And then they go on to take the RD [registered dietitian] exam. I’m also a professor and I teach Fundamentals of Nutrition Science, and I also teach nutrition for sports and exercise. And I teach another course called Drugs, Alcohol and Addictive Behavior.

Can you tell me about the Didactic Program in Dietetics?

This internship program is for students who major in nutrition. In addition to completing the course requirements for a bachelor’s degree, they have to do 1,000 hours of supervised practice before they qualify to take the registered dietitian exam and they also have to have a master’s degree before they can take the RD exam. So at Framingham State, they can apply for the coordinator program in dietetics, which is not the program that I supervise, but in a coordinated program.

They do the 1,000 hours of supervised practice during their senior year and during their one year of post-grad when they’re doing the master’s degree. With the didactic program, they finish their four-year degree - then complete their supervised practice somewhere else, and also get a master’s degree. So, my role as the DPD director is to prepare them to apply for that post-grad internship. We basically walk them through all the steps that

Courtesy of Susan Massad are involved.

Is it hard to get accepted into this internship?

Internships are a little bit competitive. So basically, what we help them do is prepare their applications and write a really strong essay that explains why they’d be a good candidate.

We give them advice on what kind of work experience to have while they’re still students. We usually recommend that they get part-time jobs, especially in the summertime, in anything to do with food and nutrition, because that really strengthens their internship application.

Do you have any hobbies?

I like to do artwork and paint. I play the piano, and sometimes just jam with friends - I’m not great at it, but I do it for fun. I also go to the gym after work a lot. I swim and do some other exercises just to stay in shape.

Is there anything else you want to achieve in your career?

Basically leave my students with a good education and hope that they learn a lot in my classes. I also like to help a lot of students get accepted into dietetic internships. I’m very happy

when they get accepted because that means that the work that we’ve done here has been useful.

Do you have advice for students?

Pace yourself. We always tell our students to pace themselves. I mean, of course, in addition to getting your education, you want to go to events on campus and socialize and make a lot of friends. These are the best years of your life in that respect. But, we always tell students to pace themselves, not to cram and wait until the last minute. If you need help, come and speak to your professors early in the semester. Another thing we tell our students to do is get into study groups with other students in the class. You really will do better on your exams and your projects if you talk to other students in the class and quiz each other verbally and help each other out.

Any final thoughts?

Make the most of your college years - besides the classes, get involved in clubs and activities on campus and attend some of the campus-wide events.

CONNECT WITH NAIDELLY COELHO ncoelho3@student.framingham.edu

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Monday, Oct.9 03:42 RMV Violation O’Connor Hall Assingment Complete

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Wednesday, Oct. 11 11:26 Suspicious Activity Union Ave Parking Lot Advised

Thursday, Oct. 12 04:37 Residence Life Tower Hall Turned over to ResLife

Thursday, Oct. 12 06:36 Alarm (Fire/Smoke) Athletic Center False Alarm

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OCTOBER 13, 2023 | 3

Health Center hosts fentanyl workshop, to offer Narcan training

By Emily Rosenberg Editor-in-Chief

By Adam Harrison Staff Writer As the opioid epidemic worsens across the state, the Health Center is hoping to raise awareness on how to reduce overdose risk through workshops.

This past Wednesday, the Health Center hosted an event, “Fentanyl Facts,” explaining the dangers of fentanyl to students. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Noah Herzon from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) attended to teach students about fentanyl, the rising rates of overdoses, and the growing number of counterfeit pills.

He expressed how saturated the illegal drug market is with fentanyl, and said that if Woodstock happened today, most people would die. The amount of fentanyl needed to be a fatal dose is two milligrams, “One pill can kill,” Herzon said.

Additionally, on Oct. 18, the Health Center will be presenting students with an opportunity to learn about Naloxone, more commonly known as Narcan, and how to use it properly.

They will also be supplying those students in attendance with free Narcan.

Pamela Lehmberg, coordinator of the Office of Wellness Education, said drug abuse has been worsening and drug-related deaths have been rising in the country and this is why the Health Center found it important to run these workshops.

According to Information released from the Department of Public Health (DPH), Massachusetts opioid related overdose deaths have risen 2.5% in 2022. This is approximately 2,357 overdoses in 2022.

“Fentanyl was present at a rate of 93% of fatal opioid overdoses in 2022 where a toxicology report was available,” the DPH also stated.

Describing what was taught at the Fentanyl Facts event, Lehmberg said pills laced with fentanyl look exactly like pills that are available at a pharmacy, and it’s impossible to tell the difference.

She added, “They have these pills out on the street that look just like Adderall, or just like Xanax, or just like Oxycontin, but they have fentanyl.”

The amount of fentanyl in circulation is ever-increasing, and the situation is getting worse. “The DEA is seeing fentanyl in all the pills. Seven out of ten of the pills they’re seizing have fatal amounts of fentanyl in them,” she said.

Narcan is a nasal spray that is used to “reverse the effects from an overdose of fentanyl or any opioid,” she said. This is accomplished by binding to opioid receptors and blocking the effect of the opioid, and provides an opportunity to receive medical attention for the individual.

Narcan is now available over the counter at local drug stores such as CVS and Walgreens.

Lehmberg said while she is unsure if there is a specific, increasing need for this information to be available at Framingham State, she would prefer it

constitutes “meeting a student where they’re at.”

Lehmberg said a harm-reduction approach is about having a conversation about what they’re using, why they’re using, and how they’re using.

“What are their feelings about how they’re using it? Is there any motivation or willingness to change that use or decrease or to stop maybe, and then it’s providing them the information so that they can be the healthiest - safest they can be,” she added.

She said this also helps to reduce the stigma of using these necessary resources in case that they are needed, adding that there is research that no one is going to start using opioids because Narcan has been made available to them.

The S.E.A.L.S. peer health educators also play a role in promoting harm- re-

“One pill can kill.”

- Noah Herzon

Assistant Special Agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration

be available to students for preventative purposes.

Teaching students to be more aware of the situation will prevent any unnecessary overdoses, she said.

Students who are able to use Narcan properly could potentially save a life in many circumstances, not just on campus. “This is a skill they can learn that they could use at any point … as citizens of the world,” she said.

She said providing this resource is taking a harm-reduction approach.

“No drug use is safe drug use,” she said, but a harm-reduction approach

Weather

duction resources by hosting tables in the McCarthy Center Lobby, running an Instagram site, and participating in workshops such as “Fentanyl Facts.”

One of the peer health educators, junior Avry Guilbert, said that it’s important to be open about the harms drugs can cause on a college campus because not many people are willing to talk about it, especially if approached as “You need to change your entire lifestyle.”

Guilbert added that having student leaders involved in the conversation

is critical because “people are more open to talking to students just because students have similar experiences. We are close in age.”

She added students are more likely to begin the conversation with their peers about harm-reduction strategies than to a supervisor who could “get them in trouble.

“I wouldn’t really want to talk about certain things, too.”

Angela Mentor-Vilgrain, a senior peer health educator, said promoting harm-reduction resources is important on a college campus because it “keeps our community safe.”

She added students have useful information and resources that can be used within not only the college campus, but also beyond that so safety is extended.

Benjamin LaRose, a senior, said that drug awareness education is important to have on campus, and thinks that “before people decide what they should put in their bodies, they should know what it is.”

Casidy Charlton, a freshman, believes drug use on college campuses is a problem, and students need to become more aware and “to know the effects of drugs” before they take them.”

Lehmberg said students who are concerned about their drug use or are seeking help can make an appointment with the Health and Wellness Center and from there, they may be referred to the Counseling Center or to an outside addiction treatment service provider.

She said there is also an alcohol and cannabis harm-reduction workshop available at the health center every two weeks.

She also referred students to a Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline as well as a National Helpline run by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMSHA) where people can find “confidential free help” and find services near them.

SAMSHA Helpline 1-880-662-HELP Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline 800-327-5050

CONNECT WITH ADAM HARRISON aharrison5@student.framingham.edu CONNECT WITH EMILY ROSENBERG erosenberg@student.framingham.edu

Forecast provided by the National Weather Service www.weather.gov

Sunday night Oct.12 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. NW wind around 5 mph.

Monday night Oct. 13 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. NW around 10 mph.

Monday Oct. 13 Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. NW around 10m mph.

Tuesday Oct. 14 Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. NE wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday night Oct. 14 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. North wind around 10 mph

Wednesday Oct. 15 Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. North wind around 10 mph.

Wednesday night Oct. 15 Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. West wind around 10 mph.

Thursday Oct. 16 Sunny, with a high near 60. West wind 10 mph.

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

4 | OCTOBER 13, 2023

NEWS

Sprinklers cut short orientation event on Larned Beach

By Andrea O’Brien Staff Writer A live concert on Larned Beach during freshman orientation ended when the sprinkler systemwent off unexpectedly.

First-year students, orientation leaders, and event coordinators attended the event.

Gina Pacitto, the program coordinator for the Center for Student Experience (EXP), directly oversaw the planning of this event, and was present when the sprinkler system “malfunctioned.”

She said the event had already been going on for about an hour and a half before the sprinklers began to go off.

To plan the event, the coordinators worked with Facilities to let them know of any electrical needs and opened a ticket to turn off the sprinklers for the duration of the concert, said Pacitto.

“We put in a request to turn off the sprinklers for the entire week of orientation just because we had a lot of events, and we didn’t want the sprinklers going off,” said Pacitto.

“The first thing I remember was the sprinklers in the back field started going off,” she said, “and then they started creeping up closer and closer until we realized that they were definitely coming toward the stage.”

Event coordinators contacted Facilities and the sprinklers were eventually turned off, but according to Pacitto, “It was a little too late.”

Pacitto said the concert had to be shut down for the time being as there was “a lot of equipment that definitely couldn’t get wet.

“So myself and a bunch of other students were hopping in front of the sprinklers. We were soaked, just trying to make sure that the equipment and none of the band stuff got ruined,” she said.

The day after the concert, EXP event coordinators spoke with Facilities and they had the confirmation that everything was set to be turned off, said Pacitto.

“It was just a terrible timing of a malfunction,” she said.

wasn’t. It slipped through,” he said.

Some students who attended the event made the best of the situation.

Orientation leader and Vice President of SGA, Raffi Elkhoury, a senior, took photos at the event and used the situation as an opportunity to capture some of the orientation leaders running through the sprinklers.

“In that moment, I saw smiles and joy. It was spontaneous fun,” said Elkhoury. “A few other times during orientation week, the

“It was just a terrible timing of a malfunction.”

- Gina Pacitto Program Coordinator for the Center of Student Experience Brad Mellen, head of grounds, was on vacation at the time of this event and had to come in to get the sprinklers under control.

Mellen explained he has the capability to go on his phone and control the settings of the sprinklers and was unsure if he had saved the changes made to the setting for that day.

“On the settings, when you change it, you have to save it. So, I don’t know if I hit the ‘save’ button or not when I changed them,” said Mellen.

Since it was the week of Black and Gold Beginnings on campus, there were multiple events going on around campus, so there were a bunch of sprinklers that had to be turned off, Mellen said.

“Still no excuse, though. It should’ve been taken care of, but it

sprinklers went off out of the blue, but it was hot out, anyway.”

For Liv West, a sophomore orientation leader, while she did take the opportunity to run through the sprinklers when they went off, this mishap worried her a few weeks later at the candlelight vigil on Larned Beach for Djeila Barbosa.

“I was scared they were going to go off, so I hope they plan it better if there is an event, especially if it’s really serious, that they don’t go off,” said West.

With this incident happening right before the school year was set to begin, it made some students extra aware of the other sprinklers around campus.

Junior Jenna Butch had a particular experience where she found it difficult to get around the

water coming from a sprinkler while coming out of Horace Man Hall.

“They had sprinklers on the ends of both the pathways out, and as I was trying to leave, the sprinklers were on by both paths and I just couldn’t get out and it was just getting everywhere,” said Butch.

Other students notice the sprinklers are on at unnecessary times, such as while it is raining.

Ali Walter, a senior, said, “Sometimes, I’ll still see them going off either when it had just rained a ton or if it’s about to rain or when it’s actually raining, and it seems like a waste of water.”

Since some students feel that the sprinklers staying on in the rain is a waste of water, Brad Mellen explained why this can happen.

The systems have rain sensors but just because they have these sensors does not mean that when it rains, they will automatically shut off, said Mellen.

Inside the sensors, there is a cork system that must get wet and then swell when it is raining out. Once it swells, it pushes a switch down to turn off the sprinklers, said Mellen.

“Depending on how the rain’s driving, will depend on whether the rain sensor actually gets wet or not, to push the sensor off,” he said.

He explained that on a dry day, if the skies open and it starts to rain, and students see the sprinklers on, it’s because the sensor has not gotten wet enough to turn off the system.

Mellen said, “When people see the system on when it’s raining and say, ‘Why is this still on when it’s raining?’ well, understandable, right? But that’s how they work.”

CONNECT WITH ANDREA O’BRIEN aobrien3@student.framingham.edu

SGA discusses self-care stations around campus

By Naidelly Coelho News Editor SGA discussed self-care vending machines and access to the Athletic Center on weekends at its Oct. 10 meeting.

During the open forum, Senator Chris Brown expressed concern about the hours of the Athletic Center on weekends.

The Athletic Center is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“I feel like it should be a 24-hour fitness center,” he said.

Brown suggested providing keycard access to the gym so students can work out at any time of the day.

Vice President Raffi Elkhoury said the gym will be a focus of SGA for the year.

Senator Raena Doty asked if SGA could support a program that provides free menstrual products in restrooms across campus.

There have been places, such as the Henry Whittemore Library, which have started this initiative.

“That was a really great program

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and I think it would really benefit students,” she said.

Senator Cesar Matos said healthcare product stations, the self-care vending machines, can be found in the McCarthy Center and at the Whittemore Library.

This initiative was founded in 2020 by the Health Center and Support. Education. Action. Leadership. Strength.

(S.E.A.L.S.) peer health educators, according to the FSU website.

During new business, President Evelyn Campbell swore in a new senator, Isabelle (Izzy) Berube.

Berube said she thinks “it’s really important as part of Student Government to represent everybody as best as we can.”

Berube said she as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, “I just feel like it’s important to have people to represent different parts of the community.”

She said student spirit is lacking and she hopes she can raise that.

“I feel like if you chose to go to this school - we should all be excited to be here,” she said.

During officers’ reports, Student Trustee Ryan Mikelis said an Open

Forum for the Board of Trustees will be available for students coming up in the next couple of weeks.

There are four available days that need to be narrowed down to only one for the open forum. The dates are either Oct. 18 or 19 or Nov. 1 or 2, Milkelis said.

He said the meeting is not required but it would be good for SGA members to be there.

During the Vice President’s Report, Elkhoury said Sodexo Dining Services has launched a satisfaction survey for students.

He said students should take advantage of the survey. The satisfaction survey will be open for two weeks.

He added there is a General Education Review Committee Open Forum on Oct. 17 at 4 p.m. He said it’s a good opportunity for students to voice their opinions about the general education requirements.

During the Advisor’s Report, Meghan Larkin said a number of new clubs and organizations have been approved, including Dungeons and Dragons Club, Chess Club, Martial Arts Club, Knitting Club, Salvation Youth Club, and African Student Or-

ganization.

Campbell said if senators or other students have any questions, there is a dropbox outside of the SGA office where they can write down their questions or concerns. The SGA office is located at McCarthy Center room 404.

She said either she or Elkhoury will be reaching out to those leaving messages in the dropbox.

Elkhoury said, “Every single new senator here, they rock for being here.”

“We’re just absolutely killing it.

You’re bringing your own personality to your role, and that makes it really special.”

Elkhoury presented the “U-Rock” to Risotti for her great organizational skills and for making his role as vice president easier.

[Editor’s Note: Raena Doty is an Arts & Features Editor for The Gatepost.]

CONNECT WITH NAIDELLY COELHO ncoelho3@student.framingham.edu

NEWS

OCTOBER 13, 2023 | 5

Art murals Continued from page 1 “valuable opportunity to engage with representatives from regional tribal communities” in order to ensure the murals are respectfully representative of Native American heritage and culture.

Coleman said during these meetings, students will “receive guidance and insights to ensure the pieces respectfully reflect Native American culture.”

Once the murals are completed, they will have a “profound impact, reaching a wide audience that includes current students, faculty, staff members, and visitors, including prospective students and families exploring the campus,” he said.

Love Richardson-Williams, the tribal counselor and liaison of the Nipmuc Nation Hassanamisco Band of the Tribal Government of the Nipmuc Nation, said her recommendation “would be to include tribal people of Massachusetts in the creation of your artwork and installation.”

Richardson-Williams is also the tribal relations strategist for the nine federally recognized tribes of Oregon and worked in academia for the past 15 years.

She indicated that Robert Peters, who is a Mashpee Wampanoag artist, poet, and author, creates artwork that represents the people, the tribes, and the nations of the commonwealth of Massachusetts.

She said Peters’ artwork “looks like the original people who inhabited that territory,” rather than what is commonly known as a “Plain-style Indian - geometrical” representation.

Richardson-Willams said, “Being able to have imagery of who we are as a people - that’s accurate,” is incredibly important to the depiction of Native American peoples.

She said, “All too often, Natives aren’t even included in the conversation - which is - I’m sure the intent is heartfelt when it’s initiated - but not including those voices is a huge problem.”

She also said a university’s land acknowledgment is also crucial in order to honor the “peoples whose bones are in the Earth that you are walking on.”

Framingham State’s land acknowledgment is, “We would like to acknowledge that the land we live, work, learn, and commune on is the original homeland of the Nipmuc tribal nations. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory, and we honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land on which we gather,” according to the University’s website.

Richardson-Williams said it is important for universities to “weave into the fabric of an institution, symbolisms, truths, and Indigenous perspectives in your curriculum, not just from a scholarly perspective. … Have actual Indigenous People come in and speak about themselves. Invite them to the table.”

Tribal Community Relations Liaison for FSU Rebecca Hawk, who works in the division of DICE, has represented Native American tribes regionally, nationally, and internationally and

identifies as Native American herself, said it is important for the University to engage with local tribes by learning how they would like to be represented.

Hawk said, “This mural project and the projects Jerome [Burke, director of the CIE] has started are going to do that and they’re great to honor Native Americans.”

She added she also wants to ensure that “Native peoples are engaged with us on an artistry level” as well as on an “official government-to-government engagement level.”

Hawk said she is working on building those relationships from that perspective.

She said she has recently been in conversation with the agency of the Commission on Indian Affairs, located in Massachusetts, and a non-profit organization called the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness.

“Framingham State leadership is seeking ways to encourage community engagement between the tribal governments and Native People in order to promote more positive and reciprocal relationships that honor the historical and present-day place of tribes in the region,” said Hawk.

will make a decision regarding whether the seal will be changed officially.

However, the University wanted to proactively stop using a seal that is considered offensive, racist, and does not appropriately represent Framingham State.

The state established the Special Commission Relative to the Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth to investigate the features of the official seal and motto of the commonwealth and propose suggestions to the General Court in 2021. It voted to pursue a complete redesign in 2022.

The deadline for the commission to finalize its suggestions is November 15, 2023.

[Editor’s Note: See “University logo updated; use of seal suspended” published Sept. 15.]

Hawk said, “Working with Native American tribes and peoples requires a lot of effort.

“We want to honor who they are and there’s a lot of diversity among Native Americans. It takes a great deal of effort and it takes time to build these relationships,” she said.

Framingham State has multiple events scheduled for Native American Heritage Month, most of which will be held in the Center for Inclusive

“We want to honor who they are and there’s a lot of diversity among Native Americans.”

- Rebecca Hawk Tribal Community Relations Liason for FSU

One of the ways Framingham State is striving to improve the relationships between local Native American tribes and itself is the new FSU logo that was introduced in May 2023 as part of its rebranding mission and after years of discussions regarding an offensive representation of a Native American on the previous logo.

Additionally, the use of the University seal will be permanently suspended until a decision is made by the state regarding its seal. In place of the seal, the University will now use the logo, according to President Nancy Niemi, quoted in a Sept. 15 Gatepost article.

According to Hawk, Maria Turner, who is chair of the Nipmuc Tribal Council, expressed in a letter to the University her opinion that the Framingham State seal that “depicts an image of an Indigenous individual holding the bow and arrow … allows racist views to continue against Indigenous people in Framingham and Natick areas, and throughout the commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

Hawk said Turner “made it very clear” that the community did not want to be represented in this way.

The University suspended the use of the seal in May 2023, although the 2023 graduating class did have the seal included on their diplomas.

According to the Sept.15 Gatepost article, it is not known when the state

Excellence.

The Henry Whittemore Library will also have a bulletin board display in the front lobby and a book display featuring information about Native American Heritage that will be live on Nov. 1, according to library Student Engagement Coordinator Kathleen Barnard.

CIE Director Burke said the center will hold three events in November to honor Native American Heritage Month.

One event that will take place in the CIE on Nov. 8 is Indigenous Storytelling and Recipes.

Burke said the department is “seeking to partner with members of the Indigenous community.” However, the CIE is still in dialogue in order to have a representative from that community come to FSU. During this event, there will also be recipes shared from the Native American community.

He said through this event, he is hoping the FSU community “can learn about the Native American history, their tradition, and the significance of their community.”

There will also be an art showcase called the Native American Traveling Exhibit in which the CIE will be working with the Framingham Research Center to hold an art exhibit that “will showcase the Native American community and provide an opportu-

nity for [students] to learn about the Indigenous community through arts,” said Burke.

The CIE will also partner with the FSU art department to host a “Native American bracelet-making” session, Burke said.

He said students will have the opportunity to create their own bracelets, rings, and chains.

He added the bracelet-making will be “influenced - using the style and art form that the Native American community often does.”

Emma Laurie, program coordinator for the CIE, said it is important for people “to learn about cultures that are different than their own as well as seeing their cultures reflected.”

She added, “It is really important - especially because Framingham State resides on Indigenous land - to not only understand the land that we occupy, but also, become aware of the cultures and celebrate them all year, not just for the Native American Heritage Month.”

Laurie said for more information about these upcoming events, the community can follow the CIE’s Instagram @framstatecie.

Junior Kaylie Valente said the few emails she received from professors referring to the federal holiday as Indigenous People’s Day made it clear to her that the school was recognizing it.

However, she was unaware the University is located on land that originally belonged to the Nipmuc Nation.

“There could be a plaque or flag. ...

That way, people know more about it,” said Valente.

She said she took an American history to Reconstruction course that “briefly covered Indigenous people, but having a class entirely focused on that could be a really good way to recognize it.”

Sophomore Alyssa MacDougal said, “Maybe we could have an Indigenous Student Union.”

Sophomore Christy Howland said there are a “lot more things” the University can do to honor and recognize Native American people.

“Promote literature, plan events, show films, and have a statue. There are lots of small meaningful ways they could represent individuals more on campus,” she said.

Howland added she had “no idea” FSU is on Indigenous land. “I think that’s a great thing to know about your University’s history and if anything proves why we need more representation of them here on campus.”

Sophomore Sahmir Russer said he thinks FSU does “just as good of a job as the general public” in the representation of the Native American community.

He added, “In some cases, FSU does highlight it and in some cases, they don’t.”

Russer said last year, he attended an event held in the library that was led by Maria Turner. He said he was “very happy that FSU provided that learning experience” for him.

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu CONNECT WITH KAITLIN CARMAN kcarman@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

6 | OCTOBER 13, 2023

OP/ED

Students are nothing without their teachers

THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

By Richard Gill Staff Writer

A step forward for Native American acknowledgment This past Monday, the University was closed to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day. The holiday, which is federally known as Columbus Day, is a time to reflect on the horrific genocide inflicted upon Native people who lived here before colonists brutally seized their land and declared it their own.

It is a time to bring awareness to Indigenous People’s culture and celebrate their many contributions to our nation.

In years past, the University has been lacking in its focus to uphold its responsibility to provide Native American representation and acknowledgement that the University exists on Nipmuc tribal land.

An article published by the Gatepost Sept.

15 stated the University had been unresponsive to a letter sent in 2020 in which representatives of the Nipmuc Tribal Council expressed their concerns that the previous University Seal, which depicted a Nipmuc Native American holding a downward bow and arrow offensive.

Although the decision to reconsider the seal design was announced in 2020, there had been hardly any movement or discussion around it due to the vacant Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DICE) position.

In May 2023, the University officially suspended the use of the racist seal, finally responding to the letter sent by the Nipmuc Tribal Council.

In addition, the University is now planning to make physical, permanent land acknowledgements in the form of murals, and will be making an effort throughout Native American Heritage Month to bring Native American culture to our campus.

Some members of the staff and administration have also begun to give land acknowledgements at the beginning of events and lectures.

Additionally, there is now a formal land acknowledgement on the DICE webpage which can be accessed through Google. In years prior, this land acknowledgement was not as easy to find.

This is progress.

The Gatepost commends the current administration for its suspension of the use of

the seal and for announcing its initiative to make physical and permanent land acknowledgements.

Furthermore, taking the initiative to work with tribal community liaisons to include local Native American tribes in conversations about how to continue representation is crucial and needs to be ongoing.

We recognize this as an improvement from previous years when discussions regarding Native American representation felt unproductive or non-existent due to the lack of a Vice President in the Diversity inclusion and Community Engagement division.

With the hiring of Vice President of DICE Jeffrey Coleman, the first person to fill the position permanently since 2021, and new CIE Director Jerome Burke, the University has strengthened its commitment to representation of marginalized communities by hiring strong leaders in these roles.

However, while this work should be the focus of not just those who work in DICE, but rather the entire administration, it is important that these roles do not have ongoing turnover as they have in the past.

Changes to our University’s seal are a strong step in the right direction.

And although no land acknowledgement will ever be enough, initiatives to solidify our recognition through permanent art is a positive way to represent our Native American communities that were disrupted during the formation of the United States, and later, our University.

The physical land acknowledgements that will take up space on our campus will serve as a reminder to our community that the land that we work, learn, and teach on has roots in rich Nipmuc Native American history.

An outdated, racist depiction of a Native American is not representative of Framingham State’s inclusive community.

After all, the University made an official commitment to anti-racism in 2020.

This must include a strong commitment to learning from and acknowledging Native American and Indigenous peoples.

Have an opinion?

Feel free to email it to: gatepost@framingham.edu Opinions should be about 500 words.

Anyone can submit.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Gatepost Editorial reflects the opinions of the newspaper’s Editorial Board. Signed Op/Eds reflect the opinions of individual writers. @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Our K-12 education system is the backbone of our society.

And yet we are experiencing a crisis in education that positions the education system we have on the border of failing.

Currently most states are experiencing a teacher shortage, because of the plethora of issues that educators encounter doing their job.

In the first place, teachers don’t get paid enough. They are talented and high skilled workers yet they receive low pay for the workload that they have. Sometimes entry level workers get paid more than teachers, which is incredibly unfair to the teacher who has had to work hard toward getting a degree in order to teach.

This induces teachers to work multiple jobs to get the bills paid and to pay off their student loans. I personally remember there were some teachers in my high school that had to work multiple jobs to earn a steady income.

If we paid teachers more I’m positive that it would attract more talented and competent people to work in the field.

Right now teachers in Massachusetts are getting paid between $40,000 to $120,000 on average depending on the district, according to the Massachusetts Department of Education.

Higher pay for teachers would also induce more men to get into the profession, and it is important for the education system to have more men because it increases people’s gender knowledge, and teacher diversity is shown to improve the performance of schools, according to Brookings.

Furthermore, students are struggling to regulate their behavior, and it has especially worsened over the pandemic, according to Brookings. This is one of the top reasons teachers are quitting their jobs, according to a report by The Chicago Tribute. The students don’t know how to regulate their emotions and in turn take it out on teachers. Students were put through a trauma during the lockdown and the results of it are showing up.

I remember when I was doing volunteer work at an elementary school in my town. Where I was a tutor for a second grade class there were students who would have meltdowns during the class.

And the teachers are put in a helpless position where they can’t do anything except wait for the student to calm down.

This is very problematic for the classroom because the learning that is supposed to be going on is getting interrupted.

Also, dealing with parents can be problematic in a variety of ways.

Some parents are neglectful of their children and expect the teacher to be doing all the work, but in reality teachers and parents have to work together to rear the children onto the right path.

It takes a village to raise children, and teachers definitely shouldn’t be expected to raise 20-30 children all on their own.

And some parents are entitled and overbearing. They carry around an attitude that their child is the only child in the class.

This is something I experienced when I was volunteering to teach elementary school children about theater. A parent came up to me and started asking me detailed questions about their child when there were about 20 children in the class, and I didn’t have the time to closely observe their child alone. It was a frustrating experience but through this I only saw a fraction of what teachers have to deal with in terms of overbearing parents.

Moreover, teachers are currently at the center of a culture war about what things regarding race and gender should be taught to children. And educators are being called “groomers” because of attempts to create a solid education regarding gender, like teaching children that gender is a social construct and teaching children about the existence of transgender identities.

Right-wingers also claim that the education system is out to indoctrinate the children into being “little social justice warriors,” and as a result they want to get rid of the U.S. Department of Education. The politics that the right has created around being a teacher negatively affects teachers where respectability is taken away from them.

They are being compared to people that want to rape children, which is a wild accusation to make for just trying to teach children about the basics of gender.

Students are nothing without their teachers, so for the sake of the kids we should be supporting teachers more.

OP/ED

8 | OCTOBER 13, 2023

Campus Conversations What is your favorite way to express creativity?

By Ryan O’Connell, Asscoicate Editor, Izayah Morgan, Opnions Editor, and Raena Doty, Editorial Staff

“Most of the time, I write in my notebook, and then I kind of plan out the day, and I try to have different, little small things - try to get better, 1% better every day.”

- Anderson Larosiliere, senior

“I like to write creatively.”

- Shanna Henderson, freshman

“I say my favorite way to express creativity is through music. You can get a lot out of that. A lot of people show different kinds of ways to express how they feel through music - I like that a lot.”

“I like to draw, honestly, or I like to journal. They’re both really therapeutic for me. I also like to paint.”

- Anastasia Francy, junior

- Dylan Rezendes, sophomore

“I like cooking - that’s what I do. And I bake a lot.”

- Isabella Ferretti, graduate student

“ I did a painting class, but I don’t really do any art or anything like that. I like listening to music. I don’t know if that counts as creative.”

- Becky Chambers, graduate student

“Just collaborating with friends - being in the same room and just speaking ideas to each other.”

- Jared Tyson, junior

“I guess through my outfits, my drawings, and how I speak.”

- Azucena Thibault-Munoz, junior

“I’m taking two art classes here, and they’re three-hour studio art classes, and they really let me express my creativity.”

- Eliana Buono, freshman

“Art’s definitely probably my favorite way of expressing creativity. I’ll usually just sketch with a mechanical pencil. If I have access to it, I like painting.”

- Grant Alleyne, freshman

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

“I like to play games like ‘Minecraft’ and I express a lot of creativity there by building.”

- Jared Tucker, sophomore

“I draw a lot and I write poems.”

- Desire Fausta, freshman

SPORTS

OCTOBER 13, 2023 | 9

Athletic department hires two new head coaches

By Adam Levine Sports Editor

Casey Bradley, Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach Courtesy of Casey Bradley The Framingham State Athletic Department announced the hiring of Sean Trindall as the head baseball coach and Casey Bradley ’20 as the head women’s lacrosse coach and the assistant building manager Oct. 6.

Athletic Director Tom Kelley said the athletics department is excited about the new hires and he hopes the players are, too.

“We’re getting a little late start, but we’re happy with where we are right now,” Kelley said.

He said the hiring process consists of a search committee and a student representative to assess the applicants and find the “best candidate.”

He said Bradley’s alumna status did not give her an advantage as a candidate. “We were trying to find the best candidate in the pool, and she was the best candidate.”

Kelley said Bradley’s connection to

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Hannah Guerin during 2023 season.

FSU can help her recruit more players and continue the growth of the women’s lacrosse program.

Coach Bradley said she heard about the job opening through her connections to the program and knew “immediately” she wanted to apply.

Bradley said, “I put a lot of time and effort into the women’s lacrosse program and I wanted nothing more than to go back and continue working with the program - with the girls.

“I love the game of lacrosse, and obviously, being an alumni of Framingham State Women’s Lacrosse, I know very well the team and the culture of the program. I care about it so much,” she added.

After graduating, Bradley was hired at Canton High School, where she also graduated from, as the assistant varsity women’s lacrosse coach. She held the position for a year and then became the head coach for two years.

She earned 2022 Hockomock Sports Women’s Lacrosse Coach of the Year during her short time as the head coach at Canton.

Bradley said the goal was to coach at the college level someday and the opening at FSU was “perfect.”

She said she has not officially started yet, but Assistant Coach Dave Planchet has been a resource to learn about the team and help plan preseason training with.

Bradley said she never won a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) title as a player, but her goal as a coach is to win the MASCAC Tournament and make it to the NCAA tournament.

Senior Brooke Phelps served as the student representative on the search committee for the new head women’s lacrosse coach.

She said, “I’m really glad that she got hired. She was definitely my top pick.”

Phelps said intense practices are the “number one thing” she is excited for.

“I’m really excited for a lot of wins as well,” she added.

Senior Rachel Erickson said as Bradley lost her senior year to COVID-19, she knows how “precious” time is being a student athlete and the importance for the players to “soak it all up” and try to achieve their goals.

Junior Hailey Baker said she thinks Bradley understands and will emphasize the “winning culture” of FSU women’s lacrosse to put together a successful program.

Senior Hannah Guerin said she talked to alumna Britney Herskowitz ’20, who said Bradley was “‘The best captain that she’s ever had in any sport in her whole life.’”

Guerin said this praise shows how Bradley will be as a coach.

Senior captain Regan Fein said the team is “used to” the change of head coaches, but they are excited because Bradley is an alumna and has “roots” at FSU. She said, “We all know her. We played against her in the alumni game.

“It’s kind of cool. We got to know her as an alumna before a coach,” Fein

added.

“I think we just need to hit the turf running,” Fein said. “Most of us know the standard and what we hope to achieve this year. It’s not really a question of if, but when.”

Athletics Director Kelley said the search for the new head baseball coach went longer than expected.

Kelley said Trindall’s experience and success with other programs stood out to the committee.

He said the committee found Trindall was a “driving force in the recruitment” at his former programs.

Kelley said recruiting is important to the athletics program and is “becoming more and more important in running a good program.”

Coach Trindall said he was “surprised” when he saw the job posting in the middle of August.

Trindall said the success of the program piqued his interest while he had been “looking to take that next step to become a head coach.”

This is Trindall’s first position as a head baseball coach at the collegiate level, but he worked at other programs, including at Clark University, Amherst College, and Brandeis University, as a top assistant.

Trindall said he thinks his skills as a recruiter can help “take the program to the next level.”

He said since he started, he’s been a “recruiting machine.”

Trindall said the most important thing is getting acclimated to the school.

He said he wants to “hit the ground running” in the new position and win the MASCAC Tournament this season.

Trindall said, “I’m looking to get after it.

“I plan on making every day a competition. People are going to compete and everyone’s going to get the opportunity,” he added.

Sophomore Shane Costello said the transition between head coaches is “not ideal” and it is “going to be an adjustment.”

Costello said the goal for the season is to win the MASCAC and to “just build on what we already have.”

During the 2023 season, baseball won the MASCAC Regular Season Title for the first time in program history.

Junior Steven Burbank said he is excited for Trindall to be the new head coach, but will miss former Head Coach Sean Callahan.

“I love Coach Callahan. He personally was the only reason I played college baseball, so I’m very thankful for him,” he said.

“But, I’m excited,” Burbank said.

“It’s going to give a new look, new opportunities. Hopefully the same culture, but with a little bit different attitude and mindset - maybe it can push us over the top in what we were missing a little bit of last year.”

Senior Cam Gilroy said the team wants to build off of the success from last season and it doesn’t matter who the coach is.

He said Trindall wants to come in and “be competitive and bring in more

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Ryan Boyle during 2023 season. success.”

Gilroy said Trindall plans to run as many practices as possible in the offseason.

He said, “Every single day, we need to start getting better.”

Senior Ryan Boyle said Trindall “seems like he’s just ready to get to business, which is exactly what we want.”

Boyle said, “We can’t look past the regular season,” but the team is hoping for a successful playoff run and a MASCAC championship.

Athletics Director Kelley said for both of these coaches, “It’s harder to take over a winning program than one that’s not and try to take it to another level.

“It’s really hard, but we think we have the right folks for those positions,” he added.

Sean Trindall, Head Baseball Coach Courtesy of Sean Trindall Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH ADAM LEVINE alevine5@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

10 | OCTOBER 13, 2023

SPORTS

Lesley Lynx best women’s soccer

By Adam Levine Sports Editor

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Tarynn Smith throwing in the ball during 5-0 loss to Lesley Oct. 11.

The Framingham State Rams lost 5-0 to the Lesley University Lynx at the Maple Street Field Oct. 11.

The Rams now hold an overall record of 1-10 and a MASCAC record of 1-3.

Lesley took 15 shots on goal during the game, while Framingham only took two.

After a scoreless first half, Lesley’s offense took over.

Starting in the 61st minute, the Lynx scored five goals to secure their victory.

Framingham’s Tori Potter, who played both as a defender and forward during the game, said, “It was a loss, but we fought.”

She said, “I think our mindset was to play the game that we know how to play.”

Potter said, “We come here every day, practice, work our butts off, and we’re just really working as a team to

show that on the field.

“It’s happened a little bit, but not to the potential that we have,” she added.

Framingham’s Regan Fein, who is listed as a midfielder on the roster, filled in for Jetta Oskirko as the goalie.

Oskirko sat out with an injury.

Fein only played goalie one other time this season in the second half of the 4-0 loss to Keene State Oct. 4, during which Fein allowed three goals and recorded nine saves.

Against the Lynx, Fein allowed five goals and recorded 10 saves.

Framingham travels to Worcester State for a MASCAC matchup Oct. 14.

The Rams’ Megan McAuliffe said, “I think we’re excited.

“I think that we’ve had all odds against us, and that just fuels us,” she added.

Potter said, “I think it’ll be a good game. They’re always a good team good competition.”

LESLEY 5 FRAMINGHAM STATE 0

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Alicia Tocman dribbling the ball during 5-0 loss to Lesley Oct. 11.

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH ADAM LEVINE alevine5@student.framingham.edu

Field hockey wins another OT thriller

By Adam Levine Sports Editor The Framingham State Rams defeated the Westfield State Owls 2-1 in an overtime MASCAC matchup at the Maple Street Field Oct. 7.

Westfield scored with fewer than two minutes remaining in the first quarter and took a 1-0 lead.

The Owls’ defense held strong and fended off Framingham’s early second-quarter attacks.

Framingham’s Ashley Malmquist took a shot, but Westfield’s goalie made the save.

Just seconds after Malmquist’s attempt, Ram Kaylee Beck scored to tie the game.

Beck scored with fewer than three minutes left of the half.

She said, “It hyped me up. It definitely hyped me up.”

This marked her third consecutive game scoring a goal. She said, “I’m feeling really proud of myself, to be honest.

“I feel like this year, I’m really starting to get the hang of it. I feel like that’s really starting to reflect on the scoreboard,” she added.

Neither team scored during the second half of the game.

Only six shots were taken during the third quarter - four by Westfield and two by Framingham.

The fourth quarter contained less action. Malmquist took the only shot during the quarter from either team, which Westfield’s goalie ultimately saved.

The Rams entered the seven-onseven-style sudden victory overtime for the third time this season. Both of the previous times, they left with a win.

Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST [left] Julie Hadley and [middle] Bella Kondi playing defense.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Overtime began slowly, but Westfield’s offense began to gain ground.

Then, Framingham’s Angie Serra made a defensive stop and shifted the momentum toward the Rams’ offense.

Beck took the first shot against Westfield’s goalie, which was saved.

Less than thirty seconds later, Malmquist lined up for a penalty corner to end the game.

The corner led to Serra, assisted by Malmquist, scoring the game-winning goal.

Serra said, “I feel great about it.”

She added it is about the intensity and momentum starting from the backfield and going all the way up the field.

Serra said, “It’s just such a great team win.”

Malmquist, who assisted on the game-winning goal, earned MASCAC Rookie of the Week on Oct. 9.

She said, “I think because of the team, I’m able to get more confident on the field and grow stronger as a player individually.”

The Rams’ game was dedicated as their Mental Health Awareness game.

Beck said the importance of the game is “just playing for a bigger cause.”

She said the goal of the game is to work to “end the stigma” surrounding mental health.

Beck said, “I think everyone really represented that passion - that we want to be kind to everyone today.”

As of press time, Oct. 12, the Rams lost to Fitchburg State 3-2 in another MASCAC matchup.

Malmquist scored in the opening seven minutes and the Rams took a quick 1-0 lead.

Over the next three quarters, Fitchburg responded with three goals of their own and held a 3-1 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Beck, assisted by Serra and Brandi Core, scored with eight minutes left of

Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST Ashley Malmquist, MASCAC Rookie of the Week Oct. 9. play.

Beck scored a goal in all of Framingham’s last four games and scored in five out of the past six.

The Rams now hold a record of 6-6 and a MASCAC record of 3-3.

Framingham hosts Salem State for another MASCAC matchup Oct. 14.

OCTOBER 7 FRAMINGHAM STATE WESTFIELD STATE

2 1

OCTOBER 11 FITCHBURG STATE FRAMINGHAM STATE

3 2

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH ADAM LEVINE alevine5@student.framingham.edu

OCTOBER 13, 2023 | 11

ARTS & FEATURES

René Cordero shares research on 1960s Dominican Republic

By Jack McLaughlin Arts & Features Editor The “Historians of Color” speaker series welcomed René Cordero to discuss Dominican youth politics at the Heineman Ecumenical Center Oct. 4.

“Historians of Color” is a series sponsored by the History Department and the Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE).

History Professor Stefan Papaioannou introduced Cordero through a brief overview of his many accomplishments. Cordero is an assistant professor at John Jay College, CUNY, and recently earned his Ph.D. from Brown University.

Once introduced, Cordero began his discussion by offering an overview of the type of research he does, which is focused on the global 1960s and Afro Latin American studies, which he described as “an emerging field within Afro Latin American history.”

He continued by explaining his hopes are for attendees to be convinced of the Dominican’s importance in the “studies of political contestations” during the late 20th century.

Cordero described the Dominican’s political context of the Cold War era as being trapped in a “purgatory condition.”

He defined this as being “chained to analytical dictates of external events and forces that have left it outside of meaningful historic radical conversations.”

Cordero cited the U.S. involvement in the 1965 Dominican Civil War that followed this as one of the defining features of this mindset.

He also mentioned that racially the country has been affected by the anti-Asian and anti-Black discourse, while socially it has been affected by “the male-dominated histories of the left.”

Cordero described to the audience the idea of “trans scalar historic” approach, which he describes as the ability “to understand all of these moving parts - one must attend to how the global, national, and the local interweave with one another to forge a unique political culture.”

At the center of this research, Cordero introduced attendees to the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD).

He described how the school is the primary public university of the country, and that it experienced a shift in the 20th century that steered away from its origins of a school built on Spanish colonialism.

“It transformed itself into a space

of political and social culturalization for the student masses,” Cordero said.

Cordero then spoke on how the political and economic relationship between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic allowed for the rise of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo.

Trujillo was responsible for the genocide of Haitian and Haitian-Dominican border residents in 1937, which is recognized as the beginning of targeted racism toward Afro Dominicans, Cordero said.

He then discussed how the U.S. intervention in the country’s civil war in 1965 led to a dramatic transition for the UASD. He said statistics showed that from 1965 to 1974, the university grew to almost 25,000 students and female enrollment increased by 747%.

The rise in desire for education led to the university’s entrance exam to be challenged by young people who did not have access to a proper education.

“The result was a struggle that further radicalized students and forced them to think about organizing the [revolution] around access to education,” Cordero said.

The rapid emergence of the UASD caused the U.S. State Department to become highly interested in the

school. Cordero revealed that there were over 100 entries of memos and confidential communication among officials about the school’s growth in the 1960s.

“It was pulling the Dominican Republic into a left-leaning popular direction,” he said.

Cordero told the audience about a former student activist of UASD that told him in the early 1960s it was possible to graduate from the university without learning of the history of slavery in the country.

He added this was blamed primarily on the inherently racist historiography of the country, which resulted in the distorted views on their history.

Cordero wrapped up the presentation with a reflection on the UASD’s importance in transforming the Dominican Republic in the 1960s as a result of the civil war.

“Examining the history of the [UASD’s] rise during the 20th century, the Dominican Republic pries open a set of questions and observations of the relationship between race, empire, and authoritarianism,” he said.

CONNECT WITH JACK MCLAUGHLIN

jmclaughlin7@student.framingham.edu

Paint and Sip event raises awareness for LGBTQ+ History Month

By Jack McLaughlin Arts & Features Editor Students gathered in the Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE) for a relaxing paint and sip to commemorate LGBT History Month Oct. 10.

The event was put together through the collaborative efforts of the CIE and the Art Club, and allowed for students to have a safe and relaxing space to create artwork at any experience level.

Students enjoyed being able to take a break from classwork and have the time to express themselves through their artwork.

Computer science major Des Giron’s art piece was inspired by their passion for studying the ocean.

“I always loved marine biology, I always like to study deep-sea fish, sea creatures especially,” they said.

Computer science major Ronnie Chiu-Lin’s painting incorporated the use of pastel purple with white flowers.

American Sign Language major Hunter Younie’s art took more inspiration from the event itself, focusing on the different pride flags for different LGBT+ groups in the shape of hearts.

Director of the Center for Inclusive Excellence Jerome Burke spoke on the importance of hosting an event like

this during LGBT History Month. He recognized that a portion of the University’s population identifies as being part of the community, and saw the importance of creating a welcoming environment for them.

“When we think about the work of the CIE, it’s always to create a sense of belonging, always making sure that students feel like there is a space on campus regardless of how they identify,” he said.

CIE Program Coordinator Emma Laurie also cited the importance of helping students get the opportunity to build connections with others who identify in similar communities to them.

“I think these kinds of events introduce students to people on campus. Not only just other students, but faculty and staff who are safe people for them,” she said.

Burke emphasized the importance of making sure the LGBT+ community is being recognized for their importance in our society.

Both Burke and Laurie spoke on the importance of distinguishing between pride month and LGBT History Month.

Laurie brought up the importance of not only celebrating LBGT+ history, but also acknowledging it.

She said, “It’s a balancing act. I think we need both queer joy as well

Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST Student artwork being painted at the Paint and Sip event in the CIE Oct. 10. as remembrance and resistance to move forward.”

Burke emphasized how important it is to have conversations about LGBT+ history since “if we don’t have conversations about where we’re coming from, we may end up there again without even realizing that.”

He added, “Dedicating an entire month to the community is really saying that we understand your contribution to society, we understand that your contribution has been magnificent - it has been big and it has been impactful.”

He also talked about collaborating with the Art Club, and how important art is to the LGBT+ community.

“When you think about the LGBTQ community, it’s always going back to a place of vibrancy and color, and being creative,” he said.

Laurie talked about the importance of collaborating with other student organizations on campus as well, explaining how the CIE is willing to help in any way they can.

“Jerome and I, we’re really big on collaboration, and if student organizations want to collaborate we are almost always wanting to help out with that in any way we can,” she said.

CONNECT WITH JACK MCLAUGHLIN

jmclaughlin7@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

ARTS & FEATURES

12 | OCTOBER 13, 2023

Digital humanities Continued from page 1 She said “Indigenous” is inclusive of cultures from around the world, including places outside of the Americas such as Africa, Asia, and Australia.

She decided to play a song about Indigenous people called “Lo Nuestro Nunca Muere,” or “What Is Ours Never Dies” by Kozmic Force. It is originally in Spanish but a translated copy of the lyrics was handed out to attendees. The song is about how Indigenous people have their own culture that will never die or fade away.

Levarreda explained she wanted to play this song because “this is a really kind of fun way and engaging way to realize that ‘Indigenous’ has become a form of protest and a unifying term.”

She said she uses a methodology outlined by Shawn Wilson in the book “Research is Ceremony,” then described that methodology for the audience.

She said she uses Wilson’s “Indigenous research paradigm,” which involves doing the research with Indigenous people, rather than attempting to study them. She added they make sure to care about their interviewees and their life stories.

To explain this, she gave the example of asking personal questions about participants in the research project and taking into consideration the welfare of the community when making decisions about how to run research.

Levarreda said her methodology is “anti-colonial” and “amateur friendly.”

She said that many professors disliked the term “amateur friendly,” but she doesn’t want people to think they have to be an expert to understand the research.

To build her website, Levarreda said she uses a platform called Omeka S. She added it was important for her to use this as opposed to options like Wix or Wordpress because it was “more collaborative.”

She uses Clideo to edit videos and Audacity to edit audio, she said. She added she uses Otter.ai to transcribe audio and commented on the poor quality of the transcriptions.

Levarreda said she uses Zoom to conduct her interviews for a few reasons - first, because some people are too far away to interview in person, and second, because many people feel more comfortable over Zoom.

She added another benefit of using Zoom is the interviewees “can outline their comfort zone ahead of time.”

She explained they can decide how long the interviews are, whether or not they have their cameras on, and how much they want to share on camera.

She said she posts videos of interviews on YouTube.

“I have a YouTube channel, and I actually have three subscribers,” she said, “but maybe not because one of them is my mom.”

She said she has six participants in the archive already, and more people interested but unsure if they want

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Claire Levarreda speaking about her archive “How We Remember” Oct. 5. to participate, and added the participants come from all over the world, including Guam, Nigeria, and Mongolia.

Levarreda said the funding for this project comes from Northeastern University, but participants in the archive are not always comfortable with the university having control over how they appear in the project.

“How We Remember” went through multiple makeovers, she said, and added it used to be less accessible to people with visual impairments or who use screen readers, so now it is all black and white.

challenges, including that she only knows two languages - English and Spanish - and she has struggled to communicate with people outside the Americas.

Levarreda said one time she had to use Google Translate in order to interview someone who spoke French.

She added in those situations she would sometimes have the interviewee record themselves and send them to her. This also helps people who live in areas with a poor internet connection.

Levarreda said she tends to start with broad questions like “Where

“I feel that for Indigenous communities, digital humanities really serves as means of cultural survival and preservation.”

- Claire Levarreda Graduate Student, Northeastern University

She explained her site allows people to apply to be included in the archive and self-submit so people can “submit their stories or photos of their Indigenous heritage or their research or their work and it will appear on the site.”

Levarreda said she does not have International Review Board (IRB) approval because her research is focused on specific individuals, and added if she gets their approval she would need to report certain information to them.

She said IRB approval “makes you required to report certain things that you might not be comfortable doing or might violate the community’s trust.”

She added there have been some

were you born?” when conducting an interview, and the question many people focus on is “What was your childhood like?”

She said her interviewees often talked about difficult childhood memories. One example, Levarreda said, was Colette Denali Montoya, a Native American enrolled tribal member of Pueblo of Isleta, who said she had to play the Native American parts in her elementary school plays.

She added there were also positive stories, including Matthew Taitano, who said that his grandmother would hold and hug him closely.

Levarreda added participants also tend to talk a lot about their work in adulthood, and said she personalizes

Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST questions to that work if applicable.

She said, for example, Darina Sanzhieva wanted to talk a lot about her role in a Mongolian folk band, and many interviewees wanted to talk about their grants and scholarship.

The payment method for participants, she said, is through Amazon gift cards. She added that this is not ideal because Amazon gift cards can only be used to buy certain items, but the university prefers this form of payment.

Levarreda added she has a “pre-interview” with the participants in order to set up boundaries and guidelines for the actual interview. She said this helps her shape what the final project looks like so participants are comfortable with how they’re represented.

She added, for example, María José Pérez Sián wanted to set boundaries around what language they speak in throughout the interview and what topics they talk about, because she didn’t want to talk about her own life experiences, and instead wanted to talk about her advocacy work.

She said she wants the focus on the participants, so she typically tries to talk as little as possible. She added she feels like viewers focus on her face in the videos, so she is considering cutting her face out.

“I feel like [digital humanities] sometimes - when it comes to Indigenous communities - gets pigeonholed into just one or two projects. And I think personal experiences and oral history are equally important to kind of complete the picture,” Levarreda said.

CONNECT WITH RAENA DOTY

rdoty@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH FRANCISCO OMAR FERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ

ffernandezrodriguez@student. framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

OCTOBER 13, 2023 | 13

‘Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation’ returns in style

By Owen Glancy Asst. Arts & Features Editor “Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation” was a smash hit back when season one aired in 2021, single-handedly bringing the often chastised isekai genre of anime back into the mainstream. Season two had nearly impossible shoes to fill, and it wears those shoes extremely well.

The biggest difference from season one is in the show’s pacing. Season one, while still relatively slow paced compared to other shows in the genre, had fast-paced action and a massive journey at the center of its plot. However, with Rudeus’ journey back home now over, and his lover Eris having abandoned him, season two fully dives into Rudeus’ psyche.

While the first season was definitely emotional, season two goes much further in its touching moments. The first half of the season sees Rudeus traveling north to find any clues to the whereabouts of his mother while also tackling the many issues he is facing due to the rapid decline of his mental health.

This arc lets the animators flex their mastery of subtle body movements and facial expressions. The action scenes here are also masterful, giving every sword, spell, and arrow a

properly weighty yet fast feeling. Despite the fantasy setting, the animation makes everything feel realistic, like we really are looking into another world, similar yet different from our own.

The new characters introduced in this arc of the show are all great, with Soldat in particular being a standout, helping Rudeus through arguably the hardest part of his life so far. Not all of these new characters are as fun to watch or as memorable as Soldat, but they’re all great characters in their own right.

After episode four, Rudeus is invited to the Ranoa University of Magic, where the bulk of the season takes place.

Ranoa University of Magic is such an incredibly interesting setting. The implied history of the university and many of its students makes the world feel so alive and connected. We meet the relatives of characters from season one, background characters who now become extremely important, and most importantly Sylphiette.

Sylphiette is reintroduced back into the show after being gone since episode four of season one, and she is easily the best character this season after Rudeus. Seeing them slowly get closer to each other throughout the 13-episode run is extremely whole-

some and very rewarding by the end.

Despite the constants of great animation and characters, the story and pacing takes a dive in quality during the university portion of the season.

The fast-paced action scenes become less frequent and the side characters have increasingly less to do. While a slower paced story arc does make sense in the context of Rudeus’ mental health journey, it doesn’t stop this part of the season from feeling incredibly slow.

The animation also suffers during this season. While it’s still a beautiful looking show, there is a noticeable lack of movement compared to the earlier episodes in the season, and especially compared to season one.

The show also adapts a more typical episode structure. Season one and the first four episodes of season two were all 30 minutes long, with no opening song and only an ending credits. However, season two shortens the length of the episodes to add an opening sequence to every episode.

While this complaint is ultimately very minor, the wasted time caused by shortening the episodes and adding an opening adds up in the end.

“Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2” is not as polished or action packed as the first season. The cast of characters is also slightly less

memorable and the animation doesn’t hold up toward the end of the university arc. Despite all these issues, season two overshadows the first season in terms of emotional moments and the payoff at the end. It also retains the excellent protagonist, music, and art style of season one.

While not as consistent as the first season, “Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2” still stands as a pinnacle of the isekai genre, making its fantasy setting feel real with excellent characters, strong emotional moments, a beautiful art style and score, and an ending that wraps up the season on such a positive and heartwarming note that it’s impossible not to feel something after it’s over.

The biggest game adjustments in with green slime or just a lizard, but is a reptilian who has the strange ability “Mortal Kombat 1” are the addition of to shift his form from human to rep- Kameo Fighters and additions to the Aerial Kombat. The roster of Kameo tile.

Without going into major spoilers, Fighters are old-era fighters such as “Mortal Kombat 1” has Lui Kang as Shu Jinko and Darrius and heavy hitthe guardian of Earthrealm, switching ters such as Scorpion and Sub Zero.

The combinations of roles with Raiden. Throughout Kameo Fighters the first few chapters, and improved we have Lui Kang A e r i a l going throughcombos out the world allow to gather f o r allies to a n fight in int h i s n e w timeline’s version of the Morcrease t a l in the Kombat length of Tourcombos. nament C l a s - expandsic towers ing into a make a return much larger plot with the addithat incorporates tion of inva-s i o n fan-favorite characters mode. This is and many surprises.

Ben Hurney / THE GATEPOST where customization This new timeline was crafted to be a new era of peace rewards and the best way to farm XP for everyone. However, evil will al- are found. Invasion mode involves inways follow where good is. Lui Kang vading enemies from other timelines, said it best in the announcement allowing players to choose a Main trailer - “There is always something Fighter and a Kameo Fighter. This mode offers a great break from online worth fighting for.”

fights.

The roster is downright amazing and a love letter to fans. This roster includes most of the ninja characters, Johnny Cage, Lui Kang, and Sindel, as well as many returning 3D-era characters such as Nitara and Havok.

There are no new characters on this roster, but it offers many fan favorites returning as a part of the main roster or Kameo Fighters.

One of the few downgrades I can see in “Mortal Kombat 1” is the customization of characters. NetherRealm Studios’ previous games such as “Injustice 2” had amazing customization for the player to earn. With only one gear piece on a character to customize, it is a downgrade from previous entries in the series.

All in all, “Mortal Kombat 1” provides fresh takes on the old Kombat but manages to stay familiar to old fans.

A new take on Klassic Kombat.

Rating: AA worthy successor to season one

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oglancy@student.framingham.edu

A return to Klassic Kombat

By Izayah Morgan Editorial Staff “Mortal Kombat 1” had a challenging legacy to uphold, with more than 30 years of games going back to the arcade era. From demons to humanoid reptilian species to the classic ninjas, battling it out to the death, “Mortal Kombat” has seen it all - not to mention its cultural dominance in the fighting game world for 30-plus years. From days of controversy from “Is this too violent for general audiences?” to “It’s in our blood.”

After the controversial reception to “Mortal Kombat 11” from fans, it was clear that changes needed to be made with gameplay.

“Mortal Kombat 1” allows itself to be a radical change from what came before in previous entries but also feels like a return to fame to the long and bloody combos that fans love.

The story picks up following the “Aftermath” DLC of “Mortal Kombat 11.” Lui Kang defeated Shang Tsung in Kombat and is now in control of the hourglass and the “keeper of time,” meaning he can craft a timeline to his liking.

In this new universe crafted by Lui Kang, many changes are made.

Raiden no longer is a god of lighting, but a normal human. Shang Tsung is no longer a manipulative schemer and master of sorcery, but a con artist who pretends to have magic to fool common people into buying his hacks. Reptile is not just a ninja

Rating: AFans win - Fatality

CONNECT WITH IZAYAH MORGAN

imorgan@student.framingham.edu

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14 | OCTOBER 13, 2023

ARTS & FEATURES

‘Pokémon Teal Mask’ - gotta catch ‘em all! (again)

By Paul Harrington

Staff Writer

It brings me joy to say “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet” has received downloadable content! Part one of “The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero” titled “The Teal Mask” dropped on Sept. 13.

“Pokémon Scarlet and Violet” is a Japanese role-playing game published by Game Freak and released in November 2022. Fans knew that there was going to be downloadable content, so it was just a matter of time before it launched.

After receiving the news from a friend on Discord that the first part of “The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero” would be dropping in 2023, I knew I had to get with the program.

After about 30 hours of gameplay that included completing the self-titled Pokédex and story, it’s time for a review! What it pains me to say is that “Teal Mask” was underwhelming at parts.

“The Teal Mask” takes place after the events of the main story in the Paldea Region. “The Teal Mask” follows the protagonist as they go on a field trip to the Kitakami region. The field trip consisted of a three-day tour of the landmarks around Kitakami.

The locations did not stick with me as I noticed lag at various points.

The region of Kitakami is a land full of rich history and lore. The region is full of folktales that involve Pokémon

and even festivals to honor these Pokémon. You get a sense of understanding for the deep relations of the village and Pokémon.

The region of Kitakami looks graphically amazing but runs horrendously on the Nintendo Switch.

It does not help that the game is already riddled with performance issues. Sometimes I noticed that my g a m e would just

Mask” is that I enjoyed the returning Pokémon and newly designed ones that are tied to Japanese folklore. New Pokémon such as Dipplin are adorable to see, as Dipplin’s design is a candied apple. Who would not want a powerful candied apple on their team?

I also am thankful for the returning Pokémon, as it adds depth to the video game championships (VGC) scene o f competitive

crash with no explaPokémon. nation.

It allows For a $35 for comadd-on I would petitive playexpect there to David Abe / THE GATEPOST ers to use old-time fabe some more vorites on their in-game teams. I can polish.

The added content does not make attest to this and say that my stratthe game’s performance any better. egies for winning have grown. The This means that for users with older beauty about the Pokémon franchise consoles, they will easily experience is that there is a battling medium for lag. As someone who wants to play everyone.

Another thing “The Teal Mask” exthese games, it is annoying to deal with the same performance issues cels in is its sensational customizaover and over. It makes me wonder tion for both the outfits you wear in game and for the hairstyles you can what my money is going toward.

What I can say about “The Teal use. The base game lacked the pizzazz

GP MIX

Dylan’s DooWop

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needed to truly style your character.

They have also added a selfie stick for photography purposes.

“The Teal Mask” had the right ideas, but would have benefitted from a little bit more time in development.

Though “The Teal Mask” shines in some departments, i.e. the returning roster and new Pokémon, it felt like it was setting up for the second part of the added content. The overall performance of the game hinders the gameplay experience.

Overall, I enjoyed parts of the downloadable content and disliked other parts. It is always fun to experience new DLC and see how your opinions on them change as you play them.

My final thoughts come from the performance of the game while still enjoying the new features and making new memories with my Pokémon.

There is just no room to see past the performance and graphics of the game.

Rating: C+ “Teal Mask” was somewhat effective

CONNECT WITH PAUL HARRINGTON

pharrington@student.framingham.edu

Puzzles

ARTS & FEATURES

ACROSS 1. Tie, as sneakers 5. “Ancient ___” (UFO show) 11. “The Price Is Right” network 14. More than some 15. Tyrant 16. Do some tree trimming 17. Rocky facade (In this answer, note the first letter + last 4 letters) 19. Law org.

20. Italian deli meat 21. The phone call replaced it 23. Stops before ICUs 24. Sixth sense, for short 26. Hunky-dory 27. Mythical Halloween figure in a “Peanuts” special (... first 2 letters + last 2) 33. Covered in filth 36. Travels like a nomad 37. Squeak (by) 38. Los Angeles NFL team 39. Breaded chicken piece 40. Was sure of 41. Assist 42. Cereal conveyor 43. Pocket breads 44. Release pent-up emotions (...first 3 letters + last 3 letters) 47. Repayment promise 48. Camera variety: Abbr.

49. Letters before an alias 52. Wide photograph 57. Prepackaged meal?

59. YMCA’s URL ending 60. Fail to hide one’s amusement, and what 17-, 27, and 44-Across each do 62. Ring of flowers 63. Thrills 64. Posh hotel chain 65. Cheerios ___ Crunch 66. Game tile with pips 67. Heron’s home

OCTOBER 13, 2023 | 15

DOWN 1. Cowgirl’s rope 2. Ring exchange site 3. Puts in the fridge 4. Italian volcano 5. Offer a suggestion 6. Sara ___ (dessert brand) 7. ”That ___ saying much” Puzzle solutions are now exclusively online.

8. Sword wired for competition 9. Christmas, in Quebec 10. Plays, as Netflix content 11. Lois Lane’s lover 12. Tea requiring a wide straw 13. Canned meat served on Maui 18. Nail file material 22. Elephant’s org.

27. Baseball VIPs 28. Some lawn mowers 29. Covers with coats 30. One who shouts “Out!” 31. Swedish bookcase seller 32. Good or bad word?

33. Clutch 34. Train travel 35. “Look at me go!”

39. UV-blocking initials 40. Korea’s most common surname 42. Acquired from a particular place 43. Eiffel Tower’s city 45. Court with flowers, say 46. West Texas city 49. Japanese cartoon style 50. Where pots are fired 51. Nail an exam 52. Shirt or sport 53. Field of study 54. Pixar dinosaur 55. Palindromic respectful address 56. Start of a play 58. “Hurry up!”

59. One of Alex’s “Jeopardy!” replacements

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