What you should know: Voter registration
ALEX ANDAHAZY ’25
News Reporter
SOPHIA GALANTE ’26
News Reporter
When is Election Day?
Election Day is Nov. 5 this year. Polls in Pennsylvania will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and mail-in ballots can be sent in earlier.
Who is on the ballot?
This year is a presidential election year. The Republican Party’s nominee is former President Donald Trump, and the Democratic Party’s nominee is sitting Vice President Kamala Harris. Jill Stein and Chase Oliver are running for the Green Party and Libertarian Party, respectively.
Additionally, Pennsylvania’s 19 congressional seats will be on the ballot, along with the Pennsylvania attorney general, auditor general and treasurer positions.
Nationally, all 203 seats in the House of Representatives and half of the Senate’s 50 seats will also be determined.
What are the major issues at stake?
Some of the big issues on the ballot involve abortion rights, immigration, health care and taxes.
Susan Liebell, Ph.D., professor of political science, said this election is important for young voters because many of these issues will have lasting impacts.
“These are issues of the future,” Liebell
said. “Environmental degradation, climate change, Social Security, all of these are things that affect the future of college students more than they affect me.”
How can you register to vote in Pennsylvania?
You must be at least 18 years old on or before election day, a U.S. citizen for at least one month and a resident of both Pennsylvania and of the election district in which you want to vote for at least one month in order to vote in an election.
Pennsylvania residents can register to vote or update a previous registration through the official website of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The deadline for registration is Oct. 21, 15 days before the election.
What if I’m registered to vote in my home state, but not Pennsylvania?
Students can choose to register either in their home district or, as long as they have lived there for at least 30 days, in their college district.
If you were previously registered in another state but plan to vote in Pennsylvania, you should cancel the previous registration from your home state. Methods of doing this vary by state, but all are laid out on the Election Assistance Commision website. If previously registered in a different district in Pennsylvania, your existing registration will be transferred when you choose to register in your college district.
How can you vote on Election Day?
Voters can either go to their assigned polling location on Election Day or apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot. In-person voters can find their polling location through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania website.
Voters can also send in their votes by mail. The mail-in or absentee ballot application is due to voters’ county election office by Oct. 29 at 5 p.m., and their county election office must receive the completed ballot by Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. Ballots postmarked by Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. but received later will not be counted. Mail-in ballots can be requested by anyone for any reason, while absentee ballots are for those who cannot make it to their polling location on Election Day and require a reason for the request.
Joe Powers, adjunct professor of political science, stressed the importance of checking the deadlines of individual states, especially if you are mailing an absentee ballot to a different state.
Why is PA an important state to vote in?
There are a handful of swing states in the U.S., and Pennsylvania is one of them. A swing state is a state whose electoral votes have consistently switched between supporting Republican and Democratic presidential candidates in prior elections. Voting in Pennsylvania is important because Pennsylvania has historically been one of the more unpredictable swing states.
HVAC issues leave Lannon residents with no AC
VINCENT KORNACKI ’25
Managing Editor
LIV BIELAWSKI ’27
News Reporter
A mechanical issue caused air conditioning and hot water failures in Lannon Hall during the first two weeks of the fall semester, leaving many residents without functioning air conditioning and inconsistent cold water supply.
The Office of Facilities Management and the Office of Residence Life sent an email to Lannon residents Aug. 28 explaining that “a major component for Lannon’s HVAC system, the cooling tower, is not operating correctly. As a result, the air conditioning units in some apartments are failing.”
Lannon resident James Kemp ’27 said temperatures in his apartment rose from 68 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit after the air conditioning failed Sept. 1, prompting him and his roommates to purchase fans to mitigate the heat at night.
“It was really bad,” Kemp said. “We would think twice about cooking in the room, because if we turned the oven on, if we did anything with the stove, it would just
get hotter in there.”
Kemp and Lannon resident Bryan Balmores-Jumarang ’27 said they also noticed issues with Lannon’s water temperatures.
“A couple of mornings, one of us got into the shower and just no hot water would turn on,” Kemp said. “So [we had] a couple cold showers, and then other times, later at night, there’d be no cold or cool water at all. The dial was turned all the way to the cold side and still [the water would] be very hot.”
Balmores-Jumarang first noticed the lack of cold water Aug. 29, the same day Facilities Management and Residence Life sent an announcement saying they had identified and fixed the problems.
Kemp and his roommates said they submitted a work order through Asset Essentials, the university’s system for requesting assistance from Facilities Management, and received a portable air conditioning unit four days later.
In addition to air conditioning failures and the cold water supply problems, some apartments also experienced plumbing issues.
How can I find reliable information about the election?
Powers said because it’s harder than ever to find reliable sources, it is critical to know where your information is coming from.
“There’s so much disinformation and misinformation,” Powers said. “But try to find sources that are real, that are honest, that are objective and act upon that information.”
Gianna Longo ’26, president of the SJU College Republicans, said, along with online resources, there are great resources and people at St. Joe’s to help stay informed and have productive conversations.
“[In] the [political science] department, there’s so many people in there who would clearly love to discuss politics with you,” Longo said. “A lot of my friends are Democrats, and it’s simply great because we both respect each other’s views … so we’re able to have great conversations.”
Why is it important to vote?
Powers said while every election since George Washington’s has been labeled the “most important election,” this one still surpasses the rest.
“It is so important to vote in this election,” Powers said. “This is the most important election we’ve ever had, so please don’t pass up this opportunity [to contribute to] the way this country will be run for probably the next generation.”
of Saint Joseph’s University
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
DESIGN: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
AC system to be replaced ‘ideally over winter break’
Balmores-Jumarang and his roommates said they noticed the water in their apartment was cloudy a few days after the air conditioning went out.
“Around August 31, we started to notice discolored water in not only the sink, but the toilets as well,” BalmoresJumarang said. “And, in actuality, there is sediment within the pipes.”
In an Aug. 31 message to Lannon residents, Facilities Management and Residence Life said the sediment was present in Lannon’s pipes “because of the introduction of new water sources into the system” and students should “let their water run for a short time to flush this out.”
Facilities Management and Residence Life sent regular emails to Lannon residents every day between Aug. 27 and Sept. 1 with various updates on the status of repairs.
Facilities Management and Residence Life sent their latest email Sept. 6, outlining their plan for the next week, which includes distributing more portable air conditioning units.
“Priority will be given to students in the warmest areas, and those who have been without service the longest,” the email said. “We are estimating that by September 11, every residence in Lannon will have multiple units; one in each bedroom and one in the living area.”
Devon Kelley ’27 said the portable units are “loud” and said that many students feel
frustrated because they are paying more to live in Lannon than the students living in most other sophomore housing. Still, she said she recognizes the university is “trying” to rectify the situation.
The Sept. 6 email also informed Lannon residents that they will have a $200 housing credit posted to their account by Sept. 13 and the university “has already expedited the process of identifying a contractor to replace the main cooling tower in Lannon Hall, ideally over winter break.”
The heating systems in Lannon are not and will not be affected by the cooling tower issues, wrote Ken Ogawa, interim assistant vice president of facilities and administrative services in response to written questions from The Hawk.
Post Crossing underpass construction nears completion
Department of Public Safety reports (Aug. 26-Sept. 5)
Public Safety notified of a theft in the Hawks’ Landing Parking Garage. Philadelphia Police Detail notified and a report was taken. Incident under investigation.
Aug. 27
Public Safety notified of a burglary at the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech. Philadelphia Police Detail notified and a report was taken. Incident under investigation.
Aug. 28 No incidents to report.
Aug. 29
Public Safety notified of a simple assault at the Ashwood Apartments. Incident was investigated. Community Standards was notified.
Aug. 30 No incidents to report.
Aug. 31
Public Safety notified of a burglary at the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech. Philadelphia Police notified and a report was taken. Incident under investigation.
Public Safety notified of a drug abuse violation in Villiger Residence Center. Incident was investigated. Community Standards was notified.
Sept. 1 No incidents to report.
Sept. 2
Public Safety notified of a vandalism incident in Merion Gardens Apartments. Incident was investigated. Community Standards was notified.
Sept. 3
Public Safety notified of a liquor law violation near Post Hall. Incident under investigation.
Sept. 4
Public Safety notified of loitering at Merion Gardens Apartments. Philadelphia Police Detail notified and a report was taken. Incident under investigation.
Public Safety notified of a liquor law violation outside of LaFarge Residence Center. Incident was investigated. Community Standards was notified.
Sept. 5 No incidents to report.
Construction workers on the Merion side of campus work to complete the paving of Post Crossing, Sept. 9. PHOTO: SAHR KARIMU ’26/THE HAWK
Aug. 26
The air conditioning has not been operational in Lannon Hall since late August.
PHOTO: SAHR KARIMU ’26/THE HAWK
Editorial: Class of 2028 will shape St. Joe’s and the nation
The Class of 2028 is beginning their college experience at a university and in a nation both at an inflection point. With 1,395 students, according to data provided by the university, the Class of 2028 is one of the largest classes in St. Joe’s 173-year history. The Class of 2028 is, in many ways, symbolic of the university’s grand ambitions for the future. Like its incoming cohort of students, St. Joe’s is poised to become bigger, more diverse and more impactful on a national scale than ever before. Look no further than the plethora of construction projects across campus, the burgeoning selection of academic programs available to students or the recent Wall Street Journal ranking naming St. Joe’s as the 42nd best college in America.
Underlying all of this is a vitriolic and historic election season. The slate
of candidates for seats at all levels of government will have a voice in the near future of public affairs, but this year’s most pivotal race — a presidential election already viewed by some as among the most significant in the nation’s history — will ultimately dictate how 2024 is remembered. The Class of 2028 enters college in the unique position of being able to chart the nation’s future with their votes and civic engagement. Many new students above the age of 18 will be eligible to vote in Pennsylvania, one of the most vital swing states on the electoral map, which could very well tip the election. Additionally, this race is so close that it could be decided by a margin similar to the Class of 2028’s 1,395 students.
However, the Class of 2028 shouldn’t let the national significance of their position
hinder the very real opportunities they have to make a difference on campus. New students can still declare their candidacy for the University Student Senate by today, Sept. 11, with voting beginning next week. There are also countless other ways to make a difference outside the political realm, whether you’d like to combat food insecurity with HawkHUB or Sharing Excess, volunteer in the local community with Weekly Service or reflect on a shared identity with various Campus Ministry and affinity groups. The opportunities for the Class of 2028 to get involved and make a difference on and off campus are limitless, and they should take full advantage of these opportunities before the end of their college experience.
St. Joe’s mission statement needs revision
Searching for greater truth about ourselves and our world
RICHARD HASLAM Guest Columnist
How well does St. Joe’s current mission statement align with our university? If we decide to revise it, I suggest that we include a pledge to search for greater truth about ourselves and our world.
We need such a pledge because we confront an eruption of lies, propaganda, rumors and conspiracy theories about crucial scientific, cultural, political and economic questions. We also need this pledge because the ratings-hungry, truth-obstructing priorities of competing news sources and social media platforms have made a cleaner, healthier, fairer and less hate-filled planet so much harder to attain.
Our present mission statement promises to “prepare students for personal excellence, professional success and
engaged citizenship” in “an inclusive and diverse community that educates and cares for the whole person.” It also “encourage[s] and model[s] lifelong commitment to thinking critically, making ethical decisions, pursuing social justice and finding God in all things.” To fulfill these promises in today’s environment, we must ground them in the most accurate and objective understanding we can reach about our past conditions, present circumstances and future possibilities. Doing so will encourage the university’s departments to explore how best, within their own disciplines, to “model” a “lifelong commitment to” discovering the greatest degree of truth possible.
As philosopher Maurizio Ferraris notes in his book “Manifesto of New Realism,” if we cease searching for the most truthful accounts of our problematic globe, only the narratives of the most powerful will prevail, as in Aesop’s fable of the wolf, the lamb and the stream. Rather than give up on truth, we
Shock, horror and loss
The
should pursue what intellectual historian Ian Hunter, in his article “The Mythos, Ethos, and Pathos of the Humanities,” calls “fallibilistic objectivity,” which does not presume to have the final say but is open to continual testing and improving. By explicitly committing in the mission statement to the pursuit of greater truth, St. Joe’s can better achieve the “rigorous, student-centered education rooted in the liberal arts” we promise to deliver.
Richard Haslam, Ph.D., is an associate professor of English.
effects of 9/11 are still with us today
JAKE RICHFIELD ’27 Opinions Copy Editor
Twenty-three years ago today, four planes were hijacked by al-Qaida, an Islamic terrorist organization. Two planes hit the World Trade Center’s twin towers in New York City, one plane hit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virgina and a fourth plane, headed toward Washington, D.C., did not reach its destination due to its passengers’ heroic intervention. These attacks killed approximately 2,977 people, although the death toll continues to increase from diseases caused by the debris, especially among first responders.
This loss extends even further to the unimaginable number of people who lost parents, siblings, colleagues and friends, and it is important not to forget this day to memorialize these losses.
It is also important to remember 9/11 due to the profound effects it continues
to have on the American people. The loss experienced in the wake of this tragedy injected fear into American society. With the scope of terrorism reaching American soil, people grew skeptical of one another, fearful of the outside world and distrustful of their government.
According to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Americans who believe the government does the right thing all or most of the time increased from an average of 42% in the immediate aftermath of the attacks to an average of 54% in October 2001. However, in the decade since, that number has fallen, dipping to an average of 17% in October 2011, and has not climbed above 25% since January 2007.
The fear embedded in many parts of our society has turned to hatred, largely appearing in the form of Islamophobia. Between 2000 and 2001, the Pew Research Center found anti-Muslim assaults went from 12 incidents to 93, and 296 Muslims were victims of anti-Muslim intimidation
in 2001. This hatred has yet to subside and has even surpassed the levels seen in 2001 on many occasions. It may be easy to believe the events of 9/11 are in our past, especially for those born after the attacks. However, the impacts are still present with us all today, and we must remember how they continue to shape our lives and country even now.
Keep religion out of politics
Abortion beliefs are religious, but policy should stay secular
CAROLINE TRIMBLE ’26
The controversy around whether or not one should be able to end their pregnancy often stems from religious beliefs, not political ideologies. When looking at the general U.S. population, approximately 64% of Americans believe abortion should be “legal in all or most cases.” However, this statistic dramatically fluctuates when breaking down opinions based on religious affiliation. For instance, a 2022 survey from the Public Religion Research Institute shows that 71% of white evangelical Protestants, 56% of Jehovah’s Witnesses and 67% of Latter-day Saints hold the belief that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, a significant contrast to the 30% of white mainline Protestants, 20% of the Jewish population, 21% of Buddhists and 14% of religiously unaffiliated Americans who believe the same.
It doesn’t take much to notice a
correlation between opinions on abortion and religious beliefs. In many cases, those opposed to abortion belong to a Christian denomination due to the Christian belief that life begins at conception. State-imposed abortion bans are often rooted in this belief, as Christian legislators believe they are acting in the defense of life by criminalizing abortion. These restrictions vary state to state, with the majority of strict regulations being found in the South, a region dominated by actively practicing Protestants. However, other religions, such as Judaism and Islam, do not share the Christian belief that life begins at conception. Similarly, there is no shared belief about when life begins among those without a religious affiliation. Yet, these faith-based bans affect them too.
The question then becomes: How can lawmakers use faith to justify banning abortions for the protection of lives when their constituents cannot even agree when those lives begin? If a belief in Christianity causes one to hold that life begins at conception, they can choose not to have an abortion. But
the United States is not governed by the Bible or any other religious text; it is governed by the Constitution, a document that strictly prohibits favoring one religion over another. It is deplorable for lawmakers to force those
with different personal convictions to give birth, and it disregards the fact that the United States is not, and never has been, a nation of one religion.
Welcome to St. Joe’s: A guide to campus living
CARTER KARPINSKI ’25
Columnist
Welcome back to St. Joe’s! Or, if you’re new here, hi, nice to meet you! See how friendly we are? I’m going on my fifth year here, so I kind of get this whole college thing…Well, I mean I’ve been here for a while. As St. Joe’s gets ready to unveil its most ambitious campus renovation project since 1851 (a hole in the ground under City Avenue), here are some tips and tricks for campus living. Finding the right bathroom on campus is as important as finding the right major. The Perch offers a great selection of commodes that any St. Joe’s veteran has inevitably used. But, if you’re one of the lucky ones with access to Claver House, the Honors Program building, you know it offers the best, most pristine restroom on campus. A dishonorable mention to the Campion bathrooms which house the world’s second-largest collection of human waste
behind the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Campus living is expensive, so it’s paramount you maximize your return on investment. There is nothing stopping you from filling up a gallon jug with Pepsi from the dining hall besides a little bit of shame. The great thing about living on campus is you don’t have to pay for utilities. That means you can take a shower as long as you want, with the only consequence being damage to the environment. My personal record was three hours during my first year.
There’s a whole list of rules regarding what you can and can’t do in your dorm, but I’ve recently discovered a bit of a loophole. The student handbook’s policy on having pets in dorms says, “The only pets that are permitted for residential students are fish kept in tanks less than 10 gallons.” However, at no point does it list a limit on the number of fish or 10-gallon tanks you are permitted to have. So, to all my first-year friends: this campus needs an aquarium.
Now, go forth and set your future on fire, or whatever it says in Campion.
Hawk Columnist
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
South Africa Stories
In June, six undergraduate and three graduate students worked as foreign correspondents for The Hawk Newspaper in South Africa as part of St. Joe’s summer study abroad program Media and Culture in South Africa. The course, facilitated by shenid bhayroo, Ph.D., assistant professor of journalism, and Jenny Spinner, Ph.D., professor of English, involved student journalists covering stories on decolonization, education, politics and social and environmental justice. Many of these stories amplify underrepresented voices that don’t often receive media coverage.
Among the many things we learned during the program was that understanding the nation’s complex history of settler colonialism and institutionalized racism is essential for informed reporting. We learned how the system of apartheid, “apartness” in the Afrikaans language, segregated, discriminated against, and controlled Black South Africans. The apartheid government used hundreds of laws to maintain a racial
Terms
Apartheid - The system of apartheid, or “separateness” in the Afrikaans language, was a white nationalist ideology of segregation formally enacted into law in 1948 by the National Party government.
Group Areas Act - Shortly after coming into power in 1948, the apartheid government passed the Group Areas Act of 1950, restricting Black South Africans to townships far from white suburbs and big cities. Thousands of people were dispossessed of land and forcibly removed to areas assigned to their apartheid-designated racial group.
Township - A residential area created by the apartheid government to separate Black South Africans from white South Africans. The Group Areas Act of 1950 restricted Black South Africans to townships and set aside suburbs and cities for whites.
and economic hierarchy. A race classification law, classifying people into racial categories of “African,” “colored,” (mixed-race) “Asian” and white. The Mixed Marriages Act, prohibited marriage of people of different races. The Group Areas Act forcibly uprooted Black South Africans from their homes and moved to racially segregated communities called townships, far from cities. After decades of mobilization, protest and resistance, the system of apartheid was dismantled in 1994 in a democratic South Africa.
Throughout the month we spent in South Africa, we lived in Johannesburg, Rosendal and Durban, three cities and towns located in the provinces of Gauteng, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, respectively. Each location taught us more about South Africa’s history, culture and colonial legacies. We visited the Apartheid Museum, where we learned about the importance of studying history in order to prevent its repetition. We met Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, and we learned about the pivotal role youth played in the resistance struggle. We explored the bustling markets of Durban, and learned about multiculturalism. In the moments in
between — whether they were alongside a Johannesburg highway or watching the sun rise over the Indian Ocean — we learned about the power of community and the intensity of love.
From hiking in the gorgeous mountains of the Free State, to feeding a giraffe during a safari, to laughing in the backseat of our van, South Africa has touched us immeasurably. We hope the stories we share in the coming issues of The Hawk will move you, enlighten you and bring a part of South Africa to you, even though you are 8,000 miles away.
shenid bhayroo, Ph.D.
Jenny Spinner, Ph.D.
Faculty Ryan Dailey ’25
Participants
Shekinah Davis, M.A. ’24
Lilli Dellheim, M.A. ’25
Maximus Fisher ’25
Anna Kalafatis ’22, M.A. ’24
Maximilian Murphy ’26
Kiley O’Brien ’25
Hannah Pajtis ’26
Zach Podolnick ’26
HANNAH PAJTIS ’26
Features Editor
PHOTO: THE HAWK
GRAPHICS: HANNAH PAJTIS ’26/THE HAWK AND STEPHANIE SAVELA ’25/THE HAWK
Durban museum highlights history of indentured labor
under indentured servitude.
Durban, South Africa — When Selvan Naidoo takes visitors on a tour of the 1860 Heritage Centre in Durban, which he directs, he recounts a story about searching archives for information about his ancestors.
In the KwaZulu-Natal archives, located in the nearby city of Pietermaritzburg, Naidoo discovered evidence that his family had been among the first indentured laborers from India, transported by the British colonial government to South Africa in the 1860s. He found an invoice sent by the British Coolie Agency, dated June 30, 1864, which recorded a single mother named Camachee Camachee as Camachee No. 3279, along with her three children. One of them, a six-year-old boy, was his great-great-grandfather.
Naidoo said he became very emotional after reading the document in which William Palmer, a farmer, requested the payment of £2 and 8 pence (about $425 today) from the colonial government of Natal for his allotment of “Coolies.” “Coolie” is a derogatory term used by the British to refer to indentured laborers. For Naidoo, the invoice “commodified Camachee’s existence.”
The 1860 Heritage Centre, created in 1993 as a cultural and documentation center and a museum in 2012, highlights the history of the approximately 152,000 indentured laborers who lived and worked in South Africa between 1860 and 1911.
The center’s main exhibit showcases archival documents, photographs and artifacts that tell the history of indenture in the British colony of Natal. The British annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia in 1843, expanding the indentured labor system it implemented a decade earlier on the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Reunion, and in the Caribbean, as a way to replace enslaved African labor with ‘free’ labor from India.
Now-digitized ship manifests, containing names of these laborers, as well as other historical documents and artifacts that are housed in museums like the 1860 Heritage Centre, tell a complicated, and sometimes painful story, of life for the laborers living
“Indenture was started with people from India who were sometimes forced, sometimes willing,” Naidoo said. “Remember the two words, ‘forced’ and ‘willing.’ In the earlier years, it was forced. It was people that were lied to, hijacked, trafficked, and so on.”
During schools’ winter breaks in June each year, the 1860 Heritage Centre creates programming for elementary and high school students.
“We try to get children to be more involved and visit the museum at the same time, and that is why we had this museum open day for the kids,” said Yatin Singh, 1860 Heritage Centre administrator, referring to the open day held June 26.
Among the students attending the event was Azaria Govender, a 10th grader at Durban Girls Secondary School. Azaria said she had recently traced her ancestry and came to the museum to learn more about her ancestors.
“I think it’s important for us all to learn about it because we are supposed to be so grateful for the opportunities that we have today,” Govender said. “I think I take that for granted a lot and I think back about the sacrifices they had to go through.”
Neruna Chetty, a classmate Govender invited along for the visit, said she learned a lot of new things about South African history while there.
“I don’t know a lot about it because at school we don’t really talk about this that much in history,” Chetty said. “So I think learning about it here is very important because everyone can learn, not just specifically school kids.”
Retired health department worker, Yusuf Desai, said he brought his grandchildren to the center so that they could learn about South African history.
“It’s not only the history of Indians,” Desai said. “It is basically to see how people toiled so that we can live better, and how they emerged from a system and flourished. I think it will make them better people.”
Suria Govender, Ph.D., retired professor of higher education and an intercultural dance practitioner, said she attended the open day in part because she is interested in the different ways of understanding identity,
especially in the context of the history of indenture in South Africa.
“I think it’s important for civic duty, and for you to be able to contribute to the development of the country you’ve been born in,” Suria Govender said. “We need
changes in the curriculum so that we understand who we are as South Africans, what kinds of things we have to contribute, and to understand where we’re going to go in the future.”
Visitors learn about South African history, prominent leaders and the resistance struggles during the colonial and apartheid eras.
MAXIMILIAN MURPHY ’26
Special to the Hawk
Selvan Naidoo, director and curator of the 1860 Heritage Centre in Durban, conducts a tour June 26 of the center for elementary and high school students.
Selvan Naidoo discovered evidence that his family had been among the first indentured laborers from India who were transported by the British colonial government to South Africa in the 1860s. PHOTOS: KILEY
Booksellers strive to decolonize literary landscape
‘You don’t need to be from the same group of people to enjoy the stories’
HANNAH PAJTIS ’26
Features Editor
Johannesburg, South Africa — When browsing the young adult section of Book Circle Capital, readers won’t come across J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” or Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games.” Instead, they’ll find books like Loyiso Mkize’s “Kwezi,” a graphic novel about a South African teen superhero who saves a city resembling Johannesburg, and Refiloe Moahloli’s “You are Loved,” a picture book about an African family celebrating intergenerational love.
Sewela Langeni, owner of Book Circle Capital, located in Melville, a suburb in Johannesburg, is part of a push among independent bookstore owners to get South African literary works in South African bookstores.
Langeni said little attention is given to South African authors in major chain stores across the country, which sell largely Eurocentric and other international books. This lack of representation, Langeni said, is a result of the country’s history of racial marginalization, which attempted to repress South African voices.
“Our history with apartheid and colonialism, unfortunately, also determined the type of books that were being sold,” Langeni said. “It’s a pity that some chains are not following because there’s been a whole movement to decolonize content that people consume, even beyond South Africa.”
Apartheid is a system of racial segregation and marginalization that was implemented by South Africa’s National Party in 1948 and legally dismantled in 1994. Books, specifically those by South African authors and those with liberation messages, were banned and burned by the government during the apartheid era.
Book Circle Capital is one of 71 bookstores that Griffin Shea, a former international journalist from the U.S. now living and working in Johannesburg, is mapping in order to highlight Johannesburg’s thriving literary district.
Shea, owner of Bridge Books, which also features predominantly African and South African books, including children’s books written in South Africa’s indigenous languages, said he grew curious about the country’s publishing industry when looking to publish his young adult novel, “The Golden Rhino.” When he entered mainstream bookstores, Shea noticed only a few books by South African authors.
“Even in the general sections, the adult books and such, [there was] very little local representation, which is just such the opposite of what you would expect to get in an American bookstore,” Shea said.
“You expect to see plenty of American authors, and plenty of other authors, too.”
Nkanyezi Tshabalala, an independent publisher focused on elevating South African works, said she has always been drawn to publishing stories “focused on South Africa, its history, its people or individuals who’ve done really remarkable things.”
Tshabalala said it’s important to read works by South African authors because they’re nuanced, culturally significant and come from a place of knowledge and understanding.
“Those parts of history, those parts of communities, those parts of cultures, survive the test of time and they’re carried on,” Tshabalala said. “It’s relatability. It’s preservation.”
Johannesburg. By 1960, eight libraries had been built in Black townships. After pressure for integration grew, Johannesburg libraries were opened in 1974 to people of all racial classifications.
Shea is a walking encyclopedia of this history. In fact, he offers walking tours of central Johannesburg that highlight its literary history. The tour introduces participants to local booksellers, whose shops take various forms. Some have a row of books for sale in glass cases — books are in such demand that they are a high theft item — under shelves of bread or next to coats and handbags. Others have traditional storefronts, like Limbada and Company, founded in 1920 and now run by Imtiaz Limbada, grandson of the store’s founder.
Limbada said his books attempt to keep various cultures alive and present.
“Knowledge is power,” Limbada quipped as he leaned against the counter of his shop, lined with liberation literature and other books in a variety of languages.
Johannesburg has an extensive literary history that began shortly after the city’s founding in 1886. By 1890, Johannesburg had 11 documented bookstores. The first library opened the same year but functioned as a subscription library, meaning it was exclusive to white men who paid to join it.
This did not prevent Black readers from starting libraries of their own. The Bantu Men’s Social Centre founded a library for Black readers in 1924, which was the first known library for people of color in
Other booksellers work from smaller outdoor stands, nestled between fruit vendors and technology booths in the center of Johannesburg. One owner, Henry Mugo, who sells books in a wide range of genres, said he loves being a bookseller because he gets to hear stories from customers and answer their questions about books.
Natasha France, Bridge Books’ store curator and publishing lead, said customers have told her that while they’ve been avid readers their whole lives, they’ve only picked up a South African book within the past few years. Now, South African books make up the majority of these readers’ collections.
Bridge Books also runs the African Book Trust, a nonprofit focused on distributing African books to local schools and libraries. The African Book Trust is led by project program manager Thando Mavuso, who said South Africa’s education system isn’t doing enough to broaden the worldviews of children.
“That’s why it is important for us to distribute books; children’s books in local languages,” Mavuso said, “because they still get to experience the book. They still get to experience the story, but it’s in a language that they understand. And it helps them with the development of that language.”
Both Mavuso and Shea pointed out that books by South African authors are often more expensive than international books, even in the secondhand market. And access to books in general is a privilege, especially in schools where literary materials are limited.
“One of the biggest fights is ensuring that this goes into schools,” Langeni said. “Because of our economy and accessibility, [books are] not accessible to everyone. It’s a minority that has disposable income to spend.”
Langeni said it’s important to promote local stories because they offer representation, fight colonization and allow people to learn about the hard work of their predecessors.
“It’s that affirmation that our stories do matter, that good can come out of this continent,” Langeni said. “This ‘dark continent’ thing follows us around. Through literature, we can challenge that.”
“I think people think there isn’t much of a global audience for South African books,” France said. “[But] ‘Percy Jackson’ wasn’t read by the Greeks and ‘Harry Potter’ wasn’t read by witches and wizards. You don’t need to be from the same group of people to enjoy the stories.”
Bookseller Henry Mugo says he loves selling books because it allows him to talk about literary works with customers at his book stand in central Johannesburg. PHOTO: ZACH PODOLNICK ’26/THE HAWK
Natasha France, curator and publishing lead at Bridge Books, emphasizes the importance of booksellers carrying African children’s books written in indigenous languages. Bridge Books has three locations in Johannesburg, this one in Brixton, a western suburb of Johannesburg. PHOTO: THE HAWK
Griffin Shea, founder of Bridge Books, tells participants about Johannesburg’s literary history on a June 15 walking tour of booksellers, shops and libraries in central Johannesburg.
PHOTO: ZACH PODOLNICK ’26/THE HAWK
Imtiaz Limbad leans against the counter of Limbada and Company, a Johannesburg bookstore founded by his grandfather in 1920 and stocked with liberation literature and other books in a variety of languages. PHOTO: ZACH PODOLNICK ’26/THE HAWK
‘Without them, it would be a disaster’
‘Without them, it would be a disaster’ Vets provide low-cost care to township pets
ANNA KALAFATIS ’22, M.A. ’24
Staff Writer
ZACH PODOLNICK ’26
Fouriesburg and Mashaeng, South Africa — When his dog, Foster, was hit by a car, Josia Maseko thought he might lose his beloved pet.
Maseko, who lives in the Black township of Mashaeng, took his injured pet to Cluny Animal Trust, a veterinary welfare organization in the nearby town of Fouriesburg, located in the eastern part of the Free State province. The veterinary team operated on Foster, who eventually recovered from his injuries.
“We didn’t have money at that time,” Maseko said. “So they helped us. Without them, I would have lost big boy.”
Like others in the township, Maseko, who has two other dogs, Pepsi and Lola, relies on Cluny to provide his dogs with vaccinations, checkups and dipping treatments for tick and flea protection.
The need is enormous. South Africa has the highest unemployment rate in the world, and over half of its citizens live at or below poverty levels. Pet owners, with love to give amid these hardships, rely on organizations like Cluny for help.
With a full-time staff of seven, Cluny provides veterinary care for companion animals in the communities around Fouriesburg, doing 700 to 800 sterilization surgeries per year. Their goal this year is 1,000.
Cat and dog overpopulation are a significant problem in South Africa. Since opening in 2011, Cluny has sterilized 80% of the 400-plus dogs in Mashaeng, according to Nico Mahlohla, an animal welfare assistant, who has been working at Cluny for eight years. In order to promote pet sterilization and pet owner responsibility, Cluny holds monthly raffles, with hampers filled with pet goods and food as prizes.
“If you really taking care of your
animal, and you bring it every month, or every Tuesday the time I’m in the location, then you get a chance to win a hamper,” Mahlohla said.
Pet owners who choose to sterilize their dogs will likely have them operated on by one of Cluny’s two certified veterinarians.
Dr. Elsa van Biljon began working for Cluny after leaving behind the fast-paced city life of Durban, and a much higher salary, where she worked at an animal clinic for 24 years. Van Biljon mentors Dr. Karla Olivier, a veterinarian placed at Cluny for her compulsory community service year, which is required by the state for all health professionals.
Between the two, they can complete 20 to 25 sterilizations per day, on top of their other veterinary duties.
“It’s tiring,” van Biljon said, “but it’s fulfilling.”
Olivier agreed the work can be taxing.
“There’s always some fights you don’t win and some difficult owners,” Olivier said. “But at the end of the day … this is what we want to do.”
Some pet owners prefer not to sterilize their animals because of cultural beliefs or incorrect information. Jan Sander, an animal welfare assistant at Cluny and owner of four dogs, said Cluny’s approach is to focus on the animals and to try to understand where pet owners are.
“The first thing is not to judge,” Sander said. “Nobody wants to be told you’re wrong or you’re this, you’re that. It’s to be kind about it, to try and understand where it comes from. Otherwise you can’t [help].”
Mahlohla, who has a protective three-legged pit bull named Rocky, said the key is patience.
“Even if I’m not happy, I have to be patient all the time,” Mahlohla said. “Even if I see what they doing is not right. I have to talk to them, sit down and then follow up after that to make some changes.”
Cluny relies on private funding from various foundations, but additional support comes from a token fee of R2 (US 11 cents) per flea and tick treatment
for township residents. Other pet owners in the larger community with higher incomes pay more for services.
“The community has to keep it running,” Mahlohla said. “They have to pay and then be responsible and show more love. That way, the clinic will continue.”
For those who are unable to travel to the main clinic with their animal companions, Cluny uses a mobile veterinary truck, nicknamed Daisy, which is large enough to accommodate up to 11 small animals and has two operating tables.
Mahlohla said before the team does vaccinations, they provide education to pet owners. These lessons are drawn from guidelines from the international Society
for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). They include an acknowledgement that animals have feelings, are entitled to freedom from pain, have the right to food and shelter, and are able to express natural behavior.
“We base most of our education on firstly feelings,” said Sander.
The battles the team can’t win are hard, but the success stories like Maseko’s are what keeps the staff going.
“They have to continue with the good job that they did for us,” said Maseko as his orange pit bull, Lola, nuzzled against his leg. “Without them, it would be a disaster.”
Photographer
Josia Maseko holds his dog Foster, who was treated by Cluny Animal Trust, a veterinary welfare organization, after being hit by a car. PHOTO: RYAN DAILEY ’25/THE HAWK
Dr. Elsa van Biljon, a veterinarian for Cluny Animal Trust, operates on a patient in Cluny’s mobile truck. PHOTO: ZACH PODOLNICK ’26/THE HAWK
Multicultural organization provides sense of community
‘It just reminds you of who you are at the end of the day’
Features Editor
When she was a first-year, Lina Basheir ’26 went to the University City campus’ activities fair and added her name to the International Society’s signup sheet on a whim. Two years later, she’s the organization’s vice president, believing International Society is a place where students can “make a difference.”
Founded in 2002 at University of the Sciences, International Society, a multicultural organization based on the UCity campus, is centered around celebrating the diversity of different cultures. Aiming to provide a safe space for students to embrace their identities, International Society’s motto is “Celebrate our differences, share our similarities.”
Mohamed Bah ’26, PharmD ’28, event coordinator for International Society, said the idea of sharing cultural differences is especially important as the UCity campus decreases in size.
“Now more than ever, it feels more important to be able to have people to rely on with different backgrounds and different stories,” Bah said.
Serena Liao ’25, president of International Society, said multicultural organizations are especially important at primarily white institutions where students of color can feel like their voices are not being highlighted.
“You’re not given the space or the voice to say what you want and be the person that you are,” Liao said. “When you are able to grab everyone together and put them all in a room and just be people and be yourself, it’s so important. It grounds you and it grounds your community. It reminds you of who you are at the end of the day.”
Events hosted by International Society range from potlucks with cultural food to movie nights. The organization’s biggest event is its annual talent show, which
provides the opportunity for students to display their abilities. Often, it features performances from groups like Inertia, a UCity-based dance group that performs K-pop-inspired dances.
Liao said, in hopes of creating an even bigger community, one of her goals as president is to “build a better bridge” with the Hawk Hill campus and have more Hawk Hill students attend their events.
Bah said organizations like International Society can help students who are adjusting
to the new experience of attending college and need a safe space to be themselves.
“When coming to a new place like college, you could be far from home,” Bah said. “You could be struggling to make friends. Being able to have that hub where everyone can come together and share these differences about themselves, it’s very important. It also helps people accept who they are and where they come from more by seeing people who embrace that side of themselves.”
New organization gives Puerto Rican students a voice
KILEY O’BRIEN ’25
Assistant Features Editor
Sofia Fuentes ’26 found a large community of Puerto Rican students on campus like herself, but realized there was no campus association dedicated to their heritage. As a result, she took initiative herself to create the Puerto Rican Student Association (PRSA), an affinity group for students of Puerto Rican heritage.
Puerto Rico is one of the top U.S. states and territories with students who are admitted into St. Joe’s, according to an October 2023 Admitted Students Profile. Fuentes, president of PRSA, said the organization gives students like herself an opportunity to connect with one another.
“We can create our own safe space and our own home away from home, which is essentially our goal through this,” Fuentes said.
Fuentes reached out to other students about the idea over summer 2024, trying to find others interested in helping.
Marileana Pardo Miranda ’25, secretary of PRSA, said she was shocked an organization like this did not already exist.
“I can’t believe how much time it took for it to create a Puerto Rican Student Association,” Miranda said. “It’s absurd.”
To be approved by the assistant director of Student Leadership & Activities and become an official organization, PRSA needed to display student interest. So, they hosted a table at the activities fair Aug. 28, and gained over 68 signatures, according to Fuentes.
PRSA hosted their first meeting Monday, Sept. 9, at 5:30 p.m. in Mandeville Hall room 123.
Claudia Pérez ’26, vice president of PRSA, said the organization has many plans to bring together students of the same heritage.
“We have the idea to gather donations and send them back to Puerto very frequently,” Pérez said.
“I’m very optimistic that it would be a huge success.”
Fuentes added how they hope to have fundraisers, start networking workshops and hold events to bring more Puerto Rican culture to the Hawk Hill campus on which they operate.
Adriana Calderin Ortega ’25, social media chair of PSRA, said Puerto Rican students have attended St. Joe’s for a long time, with her uncle graduating from the
university years prior in 1993.
“This has been a thing that has been happening for such a long time,” Ortega said. “We want that space where people can feel heard and represented and share that for the whole campus.”
Edwin Torres ’25, treasurer of PRSA, has grown close to his Puerto Rican community on campus. He said the culture shock of traveling to the U.S. can be difficult to adjust to, and the friendships he formed have enhanced his college experience.
Torres said he hopes PRSA will
foster these friendships and offer companionship to those struggling to adjust.
“I’m really looking forward for the Puerto Rican Student Association to, at least, at the bare minimum, make sure that all the Puerto Ricans are acquainted with each other,” Torres said. “So they feel they have someone to rely on or someone to talk to and make sure they have some sort of refuge here on campus.”
The Puerto Rican Student Association creative board poses on Hawk Hill campus, Sept. 9. PHOTO: MADELINE WILLIAMS ’26/THE HAWK
HANNAH PAJTIS ’26
Students attend International Society’s Bachata Night, Nov. 9, 2023. PHOTO BY SPENCER FABE COURTESY OF SERENA LIAO ’25
On The Beat: ‘Wild God’ by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
PARKER HAYDEN ’25
Special to the Hawk
Five long years have passed since Nick Cave and his group, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, have put together new music. For those unaware, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have been a staple group in the music scene since the 1980s. While their sound has shifted from decade to decade, Cave’s talk-singing and the band’s tight instrumentation have remained the same. That brings us to their newest release, “Wild God,” a sprawling album that feels like a culmination of past and present. Cave does a great job of bringing together themes of loss and hope in times of personal and external crisis.
Additionally, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds bring in new explorations of instrumentation, breaking any molds they may have once been tied to. Without giving too much away, below are a few highlights from the album.
“Wild God” begins with the track “Song of the Lake,” which is like a fairy tale brought to life. The backing choir consists of chi ldren singing along to Cave’s lyrics, which brings this idea of a fantasy to the listener’s ear.
Another stand-out track has to be
“Frogs,” which was one of the leading singles before the album’s release.
“Frogs” is probably the closest this album gets to replicating Nick Cave & The Bad Seed’s alternative sound from yesteryears, and it does a great job of it.
Endings are always hard, and “As the Waters Cover the Sea” is the perfect way to end this album. In this track, the lyrics aren’t the dominant factor. Rather, the musical arrangement is the prime focus.
Clocking in at two minutes, the song feels like a way for us to part with the world Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds created and reenter our own worlds once more.
“Wild God” is the perfect example of a late-stage album from a band that has seen many highs and lows. In its 40-minute run time, emotions flow as the listener is granted a chance to feel true introspection. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ “Wild God” is a mustlisten-to album for this edition of The Hawk.
CROSSWORD: Bird species homonyms
GAVIN KUEBLER ’25
Assistant Features Editor
Across 1.Absolutely bonkers
3.A fuzzy green fruit and the nickname for a person from New Zealand
4.To quickly dodge something by getting lower
6. Construction equipment for heavy lifting (there’s one on the Hawk Hill campus right now)
7.A loud one would be a gulp
Welcome the new, say goodbye to a few
OLIVIA GASPARRO ’27 Features Columnist
The music industry has been a whirlwind recently. New hits are coming from every direction, but some of our favorite, longtime artists are taking a step back. To navigate this rollercoaster of change, here are six songs to help you welcome the new and say goodbye to a few.
“Why Why Why” - Shawn Mendes
As Shawn Mendes returns to the spotlight, he is set to win over the hearts of millions of fans with an upcoming album release. After taking a two-year break to focus on his mental health, Mendes is back with a fresh perspective on his musical talents. As he prepares to share his new album, “Shawn,” with the world Oct. 18, he has already given fans a glimpse of what’s to come with the release of two new singles. “Why Why Why” is a highlight, giving a taste of the upcoming album’s emotion and musical spark.
“Guess featuring Billie Eilish” - Charli XCX and Billie Eilish Charli XCX is back in full force with her sixth album, “BRAT.” With a standout single, “Guess,” featuring well-renowned artist Billie Eilish, this song captures confidence and the exploration of love. Beyond the album itself, “BRAT” has become a cultural moment, as people strove for a “brat summer,” which has been associated with being confident, wearing lime green and going out with friends. The album, and particularly “Guess,” showcases a fresh, bold level of confidence from Charli that resonates with her audience.
“Chasing Pavements” - Adele
Instead of saying “Hello,” we are saying “goodbye” to Adele as she announces a long hiatus. The 16-time Grammy Award winner wants to focus on her private life after she completes her Las Vegas residency in November of this year. One of her biggest songs, “Chasing Pavements,” from her debut studio album “19” explores the themes of heartbreak and longing. As one of her most iconic songs, Adele’s soulful delivery captures the essence of emotional vulnerability, resonating deeply with her listeners. Although she is stepping away from her career for a while, fans will always be able to admire her impressive work, eagerly anticipating her return.
“Saturn” - SZA
“Good Days” are not ahead for SZA’s fans as she takes a break from performing for a while. Her latest drop, “Saturn,” is a relatable song for many, as she addresses feelings of helplessness and confusion in young adulthood. Additionally, SZA presents her raw thoughts about being hurt and hoping for a better tomorrow. Although she may be taking a break for a while, her creative spirit will continue to flow and prove her music talents are unforgettable.
GRAPHIC: GABRIELLA GUZZARDO ’23/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
Why ‘The Hawk Will Never Die’
A thank you to Jim Brennan ’58
MIA MESSINA ’25 Sports Editor
At the beginning of last year, I was working on an article that led me to connect with the original Hawk mascot, Jim Brennan ’58. I emailed Brennan, not knowing what to expect because he was in his early 90s. What 90-yearold uses email?
Jim did.
Within 10 minutes of reaching out, he responded with a very enthusiastic “Okay Mia, Sports Editor, I await your connection to hear my comments!”
The 24 hours between our first exchange and our interview were filled with a number of emails where Brennan shared his biography and told me about his book “HawkTales.” I now have a copy of my own sitting on my shelf.
We spoke on the phone for over 30 minutes during our interview and he told me about his life, his achievements and how The Hawk came to be. He sent follow-up emails at all times of the night with facts about The Hawk he forgot to mention and thought would be worth including in my article. Even once the article was published, we kept in touch via email. I would look forward to a new email in my inbox, always signed “Alpha Hawk” or “Alf” and followed by the even more endearing “Sent from my iPad.”
It was in that email signature, the constant association of his own identity with the identity of the first Hawk, that I saw how much Brennan prided himself on being The Hawk. Seventy years removed from the suit, Brennan was still one with The Hawk. The two were synonymous; you couldn’t have one without the other. It was a legacy he carried with him.
During our initial phone call, he even told me this, saying that when his daughters asked about what he is most proud of in his life, his long list of achievements comes second to The Hawk.
“Without hesitation, I said I’m most proud about The Hawk because The Hawk lives. The Hawk is still living. And it’s the spirit of The Hawk, spirit of St. Joe’s, that I see in The Hawk. That’s what it means to me,” Brennan said.
He embodied the very phrase “The Hawk Will Never Die” because he carried the spirit of The Hawk with him throughout his life, and passed it on to countless others, from those who wear the suit, to alums, students and members of the community.
While Brennan died in June, The Hawk he brought to life continues to flap on, and with each flap, Brennan’s legacy lives on as well.
Jim Brennan’s legacy Will Never Die.
Mia Messina ’25 has the “Hawk Tales” book from Jim Brennan ’58 on the shelf in her house. PHOTOS: MIA MESSINA ’25/THE HAWK
GRAPHIC: MINDY CHOI ’25 AND CARA HALLIGAN ’25/THE HAWK
Jim Brennan’s ’58 signature in Mia Messina’s ’25 copy of “Hawk Tales ”
Hoops
4 Hope strives to cater to ‘what it is to be human’
In 2015, Tori Urban was working as a substance use coordinator for Resources for Human Development (RHD) when she was tasked with creating an action learning project that would benefit those she worked with, which included people experiencing homelessness. Urban’s experiences working with homeless shelters for RHD, a human services nonprofit that empowers people to achieve their highest level of independence, showed her the numerous resources Philadelphia had for basic needs.
This knowledge led Urban to take a different approach to her project. Reflecting on her own childhood participating in sports, Urban said she thought of how it impacted her own “ability to cope with the stress of everyday life,” while allowing her to feel better physically and emotionally.
“I wanted to do some sort of athletic league or program because individuals experiencing homelessness should have the opportunity to do sports and athletics, just as people that have income, and are not in this situation, do,” Urban said.
With the initial seed planted, Urban got to work, surveying several shelters to see
what sport would garner the most interest. Basketball received an overwhelming majority of the votes. From there, Hoops 4 Hope was born.
The organization, which officially became a nonprofit in 2021, is a basketball league that “utilizes basketball to engage and empower individuals experiencing homelessness,” according to their website. Their mission is to provide “an opportunity for participants to invest in their physical and mental well-being while having carefree fun.”
Leo Porth ’13 met Urban in 2017 after her initial project idea in 2015. Discussing their mutual love for the program, they relaunched the program in 2019 for the first official season since Urban’s 2015 project, this time with more players, rules, food and structure.
With Urban as the president of the nonprofit, Porth now serves as the vice president. Other board members include Stephen Porth, a professor of management at St. Joe’s and NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative, and St. Joe’s basketball Hall of Famer, Jameer Nelson ’04.
“We felt like there wasn’t a ton of programs that catered to what it is to be human,” Leo Porth said. “All these programs are, like, if you’re sick, you go to the clinic.
If you’re missing something, if you’re unhoused, then you try to sign up for a housing program. But none of that’s really catering to what it is to be human and to experience joy and to feel like you can leave your issues behind for a couple hours.”
Four thousand seven hundred twenty-five people in Philadelphia are experiencing homelessness, according to Philadelphia’s 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, a count that surveyed the number of sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night in January.
Of those 4,725 people, 706 were unsheltered. Two hundred ten were in safe haven housing, which is supportive housing specifically for individuals with “severe mental illness or other debilitating behavioral health conditions” who may have refused or been unable to receive housing in the past, according to RHD’s website. Four hundred sevnty four individuals were in transitional housing, a temporary housing solution set up with the goal of transitioning residents into more permanent homes.
Three thousand three hundred thirty-five individuals were in emergency shelters, which is short-term housing set up for those in need.
Hoops 4 Hope works with shelters to create teams to participate in the league, while also providing pizza after games. Leo Porth said they also hope to find more ways to build a community within the program, including possible group outings.
What Leo Porth described as a “competitive league” still appeals to men of all ages and skill sets who might just want to get out and exercise for a few minutes.
“Even guys who can’t physically play will come and coach or draw plays during a timeout,” LeoPorth said. “It’s the ultimate equalizer.”
One of the biggest ways Hoops 4 Hope has benefited the group it serves is through the camaraderie it forms, especially given the difficulties Leo Porth said living in a shelter can cause in forming relationships.
“In talking to folks that are in our league, a lot of them don’t necessarily have relationships, friendships with other folks in the shelter. Then they come out and they meet people and are able to build a team and a network within what we do,” Urban said. “You forget about all the crap and all the awful things that you may have experienced, and for a couple hours, just be a human being out there playing sports with your teammates.”
Nestor Gaston said he spent 16 months within the organization and was able to find work with a shelter through the league. Now, he volunteers to give back to the league when he can, calling it “a real good blessing” to see how willing people are to support the nonprofit.
“Ever since I went through my little trials and tribulations, I looked forward to this every week or just any opportunity I had to try to help them or just participate,” Gaston said.
Gaston’s decision to give back and do something he said is “for the greater good” sums up Urban’s mission from the start.
“It gives everybody the opportunity to bond and meet each other and become hopeful for better, which is either through employment with one of the shelters or volunteering and caring, trying to contribute and help out by any means,” Gaston said.
MIA MESSINA ’25 Sports Editor
Left to right: Board members Leo Porth ’13, Dia Swan and Tori Urban at a Hoops 4 Hope game. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LEO PORTH ’13
Center of Hope and Journey of Hope tip off at a Hoops 4 Hope basketball game.