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The Independent Student Newspaper Volume LXXIV, Number 16
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B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9
Tuesday, February 8, 2021
NON-PROFIT
Organization achieves non-profit status ■ BaselineMed, founded and led by Brandeis students, works to provide support for BIPOC medical students. By DALYA KOLLER
JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
BaselineMed, an organization founded and run by Brandeis students, recently achieved non-profit status in the state of New York. BaselineMed is an organization whose mission is to provide a support system for BIPOC students pursuing a career in medicine. The organization was founded by Emma Ghalili ’22. Ghalil first came
Waltham, Mass.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION
up with the idea for BaselineMed in June 2020. As Ghalili began reading sources for prospective medical students, she found there a lack of diversity in the authors, most of them being white men. In a Jan. 28 BrandeisNow article, Ghalili explained that she felt left out of the narrative as a white woman and that she could not even imagine what students of color likely felt. Ghalili thought that many more students would feel persuaded to pursue the field of medicine if they felt more supported by and connected to the already-existing medical community. BaselineMed currently provides an online collection of resources and articles written by BIPOC col-
See NON-PROFIT, 7 ☛
BRIEF Following drop in positive COVID-19 cases, University eases up on restrictions On Feb. 7, the University sent an email to the Brandeis community outlining changes made to on-campus COVID-19 restrictions. These changes were prompted by the “significant drop in positive cases on campus,” according to the email. The first difference is in mask policy: individuals on campus may now be allowed to take their masks off in a limited number of private spaces, such as private offices and enclosed lounges with up to four people, private labs, private rooms, and more, according to the COVID-19 response website. The email emphasized that even with this small change, the mask policies on campus are quite similar to those of the fall semester. The second easing of restrictions is for events on campus. Prior to this email, food and beverages were prohibited at indoor gatherings. Now, indoor events in large spaces with up to 50 percent capacity may offer food or beverages. This rule extends from 50 percent capacity to full capacity after Feb. 18 as long as positive cases on campus do not increase, stated the email.
Lastly, the email outlined changes to travel restrictions. In time for the upcoming February break, the University suggested students review the Brandeis travel policies and take a rapid at-home test prior to returning to campus although they will not need to submit a negative test before coming back. The email also emphasized that individuals returning from travel will need to complete the travel quarantine and testing protocols once on campus. “While we are making these steps towards more normalized operations, it’s important to remember that COVID is still here,” stated the email. The University will continue to watch the data on positive COVID-19 test results and adjust restrictions and requirements accordingly. For more information on the COVID-19 restrictions on campus, refer to the COVID-19 Response website.
Photo Courtesy of BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
University appoints new vice president of DEI
DIVERSITY: Bitsóí has over 20 years of experience working in diversity. equity, and inclusion roles.
■ Bitsóí, who is coming from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, is set to begin his tenure at Brandeis on March 14. By LEAH BREAKSTONE
JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
On Monday, Jan. 3, University President Ron Liebowitz announced in an email to the University that LeManuel Lee Bitsóí had been selected and accepted the position as the new vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In October 2021, Liebowitz announced that a search committee had been established for this position, led by Carol Fierke, provost and execu-
— Jacklyn Goloborodsky
Contaminated Water
By ARIELLA WEISS
FEATURES 8
See DEI, 7 ☛
Despite worthy performances, the Academy has yet to award a Black women an Oscar for 'Best Actress.'
Bite app malfunctions for students
By JASON FRANK
Bengals and Rams at Superbowl on Feb. 13
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serving as the associate vice president for diversity affairs as well as the special advisor to the president for indigenous affairs at Fort Lewis College in Colorado, according to Liebowitz’s email. Previously, as stated by his LinkedIn profile, Bitsóí worked as the chief diversity officer at Stony Brook University in New York. As an Indigenous person, Bitsóí resonates with the values Brandeis was founded on, at a time when Jewish people were being discriminated against in higher education. Brandeis’ history “[pushes] us to include all those who may have faced barriers to participation because of their ethnicity, religion, race, or gender,” he said in the BrandeisNow article.
Architect discusses future of design
Oscar Nominations
The Justice investigated lead contamination of drinking water and fountain closures on campus.
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tive vice president of academic affairs, and Harleen Singh, associate professor of literature and women's, gender and sexuality studies. Liebowitz also acknowledged that, in the meantime, David M. Fryson would serve as the interim chief diversity officer and vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “Bitsóí is a first-generation Native American (Navajo) graduate of New Mexico State University and the University of New Mexico with a master’s degree from Harvard University and an Ed.D. in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania,” stated a BrandeisNow article. He has over 20 years of experience working in diversity, equity, and inclusion roles at various higher education institutions, and is currently
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ARTS 19
By LEAH BREAKSTONE
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
By AIDEN GUTHRO
COPYRIGHT 2022 FREE AT BRANDEIS. 2
NEWS 3 FORUM 10 SPORTS 16
2
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022
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NEWS
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THE JUSTICE
NEWS POLICE LOG MEDICAL EMERGENCY Jan. 30—There was a medical emergency in Ziv Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Feb. 2—There was a medical emergency in the Shiffman Humanities Center. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Feb. 2—There was a medical emergency. The party was treated by nursing staff in the Golding Health Center and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Feb. 3—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Feb. 4—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Feb. 5—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.
CLUB RECRUITMENT TRAFFIC INCIDENT Jan. 31—A community member reported that their car was struck in the Athletics Rear Lot. A report of the incident was composed. Feb. 1—A dump truck struck a telephone pole on the roadway behind the Epstein Building. The Waltham Police Department handled the report. Feb. 3—There was a minor motor vehicle accident by the Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex. A follow up of the incident revealed that the offending vehicle was not registered nor insured and the operator was driving on a suspended license. The vehicle was towed from the scene and the community member will be working with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles to rectify problems. Feb. 3—There was a minor motor vehicle accident by the Usdan Student Center. Paperwork was exchanged and a report of the incident was composed. MISCELLANEOUS Jan. 31—A community member in Ridgewood Quad
reported a noise complaint. University Police spoke with the involved party and the music was lowered without incident. Jan. 31—A community member reported being bitten by a dog in the EdisonLecks Science Building. A report of the incident was composed. Feb. 1—A community member in the Foster Mods reported hearing noises from an unoccupied bedroom. University police arrived onscene and all was quiet and in order. The resident was satisfied. Feb. 2—A community member in the Foster Mods reported a noise complaint. The involved party was spoken to and the music was lowered without incident. Feb. 3—A community member in the Charles River Apartments reported a noise complaint. The Department of Community Living handled the situation.
—Compiled by Noah Zeitlin
JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice
The winter involvement fair was held on Sunday, Feb. 6 in both the Shapiro Campus Center and the Hassenfeld Conference Center. Students showcased their clubs at the fair, including a wide variety of organizations from arts to activism to sports, and everything in between. Here, three students are pictured in the SCC atrium, holding up signs to recruit new members for WBRS 100.1, the student-led FM radio station on campus.
INVOLVEMENT FAIR
JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice
Students and club leaders gather among tables in the atrium of the SCC on Sunday, Feb. 6 for the winter involvement fair.
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS ■ The caption under the image of the Time Magazine cover did not specify the people in the photograph. Their names are, clockwise from the top right photo, Katalin Karikó, Barney Graham, Kizzmekia Corbett, and Drew Weissman. (Feb. 1, page 3). ■ Leeza Barstein ’23 is a Justice editor and a volunteer for Service Without Borders. She did not contribute to the writing of the Waltham Group recruitment night article. (Feb. 1, page 5). ■ The word “departments” was spelled incorrectly. (Feb. 1, page 7). The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Send an email to editor@ thejustice.org.
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THE JUSTICE
MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES
Crown Center hosts New York University professors
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By ELLA RUSSELL
JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
The Crown Center for Middle Eastern Studies hosted ‘Making the Gulf: Regulating Movements and Politics’ over Zoom last Wednesday. New York University professors Natasha Iskander and Arang Keshavarzian discussed the politics behind the treatment of foreign workers in the Gulf. Iskander presented her research gathered through hundreds of hours spent shadowing the Qatari workforce. She began by describing the dramatic development of the Qatari cityscape, comparing images from the 1960s to today. Qatar is pursuing a topdown strategy for development by defining “an idealized future” through plans like the National Development Vision 2030 and importing foreign workers to fit this future, Iskander said. She showed slides of Pearl Qatar, an artificial island created to resemble a string of pearls. She noted that there has been a recent burst of construction due to the World Cup later this year. For this event, the entirely foreign workforce created eight stadiums, all “outstanding design achievements,” according to Iskander. Despite the achievement of these workers, Iskander said there is an entrenched system of exploitation maintained by the kafala system sponsorship which binds workers to employers. Because Qatari prides itself on cutting edge architectural innovation, construction workers are often required to operate extremely advanced construction technologies and apply very advanced construction skills. Since most construction workers enter the job with no prior construction skill, construction sites heavily invest in on-site training. However, the advanced technique of master scaffolders, welders, and other construction workers contrasts with widespread Qatari perceptions of their workforce as unskilled. Iskander discussed the significance and implications of this label. She explained that the exploitation of workers labeled as unskilled has a history stretching back to the pearling industry starting around the turn of the 20th century, and the influence of the British indentured labor system, which set out explicit definitions for skilled and unskilled labor that had more to do with
racial and ethnic categorizations rather than actual skill. Iskander noted that these methods of classifying workers on the basis of supposed merit are mirrored in other regions around the world, including immigration to the United States. “The politics of skill shape all aspects of social and economic life,” Iskander said, noting that those labeled as unskilled are dehumanized and described as not having the full capacity for freedom. According to Iskander, “skill is the line that Qatar draws to distinguish between its past and its future… in the hopes that the workers who built Qatar would simply disappear.” The particular benefit of skill, Iskander argued, is that it works as a “seemingly apolitical justification for social stratification and technocracy.” Iskander noted that prejudice against workers is also reflected in the segregation of residential areas by skill category. Blue collar bachelors were primarily housed in labor camps, with conditions that are well documented by the international press as unsafe. In 2015, Qatar opened a labor city, which provided housing for 100,000 workers. This housing is described as being in better condition, but the area is heavily monitored by CCTV cameras and security guards, phone and internet monitoring, checkpoints and no unsupervised entry. International journalists have not been able to obtain access to these areas. Iskander added that a 250,000 worker housing complex was coming online in 2022. COVID-19 brought additional challenges for Qatari workers. On Mar. 11, 2020, with 238 cases in Qatar, there was a full lockdown of the industrial area, known as a “cordon sanitaire.” “Here we see the most dramatic expression of the exclusionary condition of Qatar,” Iskander said. She explained that conditions for contagion were high within the industrial city, while outside the cordon sanitaire, Qatar was a model for healthcare in the world. Discussing resistance to this prejudicial regime against workers, Iskander noted that every site she visited had experienced wildcat strikes––strikes without the authorization of union membership––although the strikes were buried by the press. Combinations of international and domestic condemnation have also worked to improve conditions. However, Iskander noted that Qatari reforms have been relatively minimal. Migrant workers received a minimum wage increase from $200 to $275 for a month of full-time work, and workers are now allowed to change jobs. However, they cannot move around very easily due to the heavy surveillance in
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place. “Compared to other countries, these reforms are not remarkable,” concluded Iskander, contrasting Qatari reforms with that of the United Arab Emirates, which she argues has made a more meaningful attempt at reform due to their lack of emphasis on controlling space for their migrant workers. Offering a geographical angle to the discussion, Keshavarzian presented his ongoing research of the Persian Gulf, namely, how and why it was conceived of as a region. Regions are often considered to be static spaces that cluster countries within relatively clear borders and set them apart from other regions, Keshavarzian said. He argued that this assumption is what leads to political battles over nomenclature of the Gulf as Persian or Arab and discussion of the Gulf as a region vital to the global economy. Such assumptions obscure the dynamic nature of the land, according to Keshavarzian. He discussed how his early experiences in the Gulf region in 2001 gave him a conception of the region as an active space. In Iran, when waiting for a motorboat to take them to the nearby island of Kish, he saw a group of people waiting in the shade, with clothing that suggested a humble background. By context, he suspected that they were organized by smugglers to transport goods from Kish, a free trade zone, to the mainland. He visited Bastak, Iran and found out that the city was the product of circular migration between Bastak and the Eastern Arabian coast, specifically Dubai. In Dubai, in 2001, he saw another group of men that appeared to be from South Asia waiting in the airport to have their work permits inspected. He explained that this group was part of the beginning of the construction boom in Dubai and Qatar. These workers would clean offices, serve as nurses, and take care of the children of jetsetters. Keshavarzian concluded that instead of being a “two-dimensional homogeneous unitary entity… [the Gulf region] involves multiple actors, a splintering of spaces and the proliferation of bordering and bordering practices.” Gulf regionalisms are intertwined with multiple geographic scales and regions are often co-produced along with nations, cities, empires, and individual identities. Keshavarzian concluded that the Gulf’s role as the “umbilical cord of the free world” never completely overwrites 19th century littoral society that brings people in the Gulf together. He argued that these traces “are threads through which we can imagine a remaking of the gulf in the future.”
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TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 8, 2022
5
Architect explores “post-concreteness” ■ Galen Pardee ’11 presented
his research for the Richard Saivetz ’69 Annual Memorial Architectural Lecture Series. By HANNAH TAYLOR JUSTICE EDITOR
■ Professors discussed the political details and debates behind how foreign workers are treated in the Gulf.
NEWS
Architecture and the materials we build with are changing with global warming. At a lecture sponsored by the Fine Arts department, Architect Galen Pardee ’11 discussed his theory of “post-concreteness,” an idea that raises questions of the future use of limited resources and materials, like concrete, in architecture, as well as the role architects play today. Pardee presented his research to the Brandeis community on Feb. 7 as part of the Richard Saivetz ’69 Annual Memorial Architectural Lecture Series. He is currently a professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, as well as the director of Drawing Agency, a design and research studio. Pardee first spoke about his research involving the concrete industry in Singapore, the largest per capita importer of sand in the world. Through a project titled “Territories of Territory Extraction,” Pardee traced the path that sand travels through Singapore and how the country utilizes it in its industry and development, using maps, photographs, and satellite imagery. Singapore relies heavily on concrete, which is produced from sand, for its building structures and for artificially expanding its coastline, Pardee explained. Singapore uses so much sand that it must import the material from other nearby countries, many of whom have since banned its export there. One such country is Indonesia. Pardee said that in the early 2000s, sand miners caused an entire island to virtually disappear. “Sand is possibly the second most extracted material on the plant after only water. And again, it’s nonrenewable, [so] we are running out of it,” he said. “If you took our best guess at all of the gravel and sand that was brought out of the earth in this year and put it all in a pile, it would be 27 meters wide, 27 meters tall, and [would] circle the earth.” Concrete is an easy material to access, use, and train labor forces to construct with, which is why it remains in use and is a “pervasive and cultural material,” Pardee said. However, as evident by the pressures on Singapore’s sand supply, concrete is not a sustainable source. Here is where Pardee’s “postconcreteness” comes into play––he wonders how the changing climate and limitations on resources will affect architectural design in the future, and how this will impact countries that rely heavily on such materials despite the environmental consequences. Pardee said that the impact of Singapore’s concrete industry and desire to expand its coastline are harmful to both the environment and geopolitics. For instance, he explained, sand dredging and shoreline reconstruction destroy natural habitats and will lead to flooding with sea levels rising, and physically expanding the country’s land mass and interfering with the territory of neighboring states has caused international legal issues. The future of architecture must involve an environmentally conscious approach to rethinking how finite resources are used. The next research project that
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Pardee spoke about was the “Great Lakes Architectural Expedition,” which also studied geopolitical boundaries in relation to architecture. The Great Lakes, which contain 80% of the water in North America and 20% of the entire world’s fresh water supply, have strict rules regarding how the water can be used, in order to ensure its protection. Pardee said that this has become a source of disagreement in the past, with only certain towns and businesses near the Great Lakes being granted access to water. Through this project, Pardee worked in Toledo, Ohio to design a model of a unique architecture office that would be built near the watershed. Pardee said that the challenge of this design project was “how do you rethink what the office looks like once you’ve taken away a lot of the standard trappings of what architects do.” Pardee also designed a topographic map of phosphorus deposits in Toledo and Lake Erie, because runoff due to agriculture is a prevalent problem among farmers in the Great Lakes region, and he designed a model for a 30 mile long public park that would bring in more green space instead of an industrial office complex. Lastly, Pardee presented his most recent projects––renovations of a New York City apartment and a historical house in Leadville, Colorado. Continuing with the idea of “post-concreteness,” Pardee explained that what he sees as modern and sustainable architecture challenges his usual perceptions. “[I] accept maybe a less concrete idea of a design or intervention and try to sort of work with existing conditions as much as possible,” he said. “You probably heard it before, but ‘the most sustainable building is a building that already exists.’” For the apartment in New York, Pardee redesigned and renovated the kitchen, with the goal of keeping and utilizing as much of the existing material as possible for a less wasteful project. For instance, he said that he added new doors and cabinets for better storage, but did so by designing them to be built over the existing wall space. He added that he also opened the floor plan up as much as possible, but made sure not to disturb the building’s electrical and pipe systems, which would have made for a more complicated, expensive, and unnecessary undertaking. “The other benefit of this is that it allowed us to really focus our time, attention, and money on the things that really need fixing, rather than spreading ourselves very thin,” Pardee said. Similarly, for the house in Colorado, Pardee used the existing structure of the house itself in his architectural plan, and only completely renovated what was necessary, such as leaking roofs and a lack of a solid foundation. Built around two sets of stairs, the house had a unique design, which Pardee said he worked with to allocate storage space and areas for building utilities. Furthermore, Pardee had to follow the regulations set by the town’s historical commission, making working with existing architecture even more important. “I want to go back to this question of what I’m calling post-concreteness,” Pardee said. “I think this has been, for me, still sort of like a working definition, but I hope as you guys move forward with your own architectural interest or education…it’s worth interrogating the received knowledge that we get about what we do as architects and where we make our difference,” he concluded. Image Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
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THE JUSTICE
NON-PROFIT: BaselineMed
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NEWS
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022
7
DEI: Univ. welcomes
supports pre-med BIPOC students new leadership CONTINUED FROM 1 CONTINUED FROM 1
lege students, medical students, physicians, and medical professionals. The articles focus on the varying authors’ experiences in their respective fields. The organization gives a platform to those voices that are so frequently left out of the medical community, giving them a voice while also providing mentors, role models, and connections to BIPOC students interested in medicine. BaselineMed additionally holds free educational workshops for students, which are constantly changing as they are tailored to the community’s needs. Previous workshops have included panels from doctors, how to manage stress, and learning to create a schedule in college. According to BaselineMed’s website, the purpose of their workshops is to “elaborate on any knowledge participants may have, introduce new ideas and concepts to support the academic journeys of participants, and clarify any misconceptions workshop participants might have.” When Ghalili had the idea to start BaselineMed, she reached out to a number of fellow students and
peers who she thought would be interested. They all worked together to build the organization from the ground up. Leah Naraine ’22, associate director of BaselineMed, spoke to the Justice on Feb. 3 for an interview. When asked what drew her to joining BaselineMed, she said, “I was particularly attracted to [the organization] because of the way that it highlighted the importance of diverse students and the importance of providing support for a diverse student body pursuing medicine.” When asked about what the future of BaselineMed might look like, Naraine stated, “Serving a diverse community doesn’t have a singular solution. It requires a lot of different aspects of support. So for us, that looks like being able to continue to provide workshops for high school students, possibly college students in the future andto provide that layer of support. We want to maintain the articles and stories that we post because we think that having insight from those perspectives are incredibly important to hear, what it's like as a college student, as a medical student, as a physician, or all different stages in the journey.” Naraine truly wanted to emphasize what is at the root of the
organization: “[BaselineMed] was started by a diverse group of students and is still run by a diverse group of students, so we take that perspective and try our best to provide support based on the gaps that we saw.” BaselineMed achieved non-profit status from the state of New York in November, an impressive accomplishment and something the leadership team had been discussing and working towards for a long time. BaselineMed currently has nine members on their team, but Naraine said the organization is still building itself, and they would be happy to have Brandeis students “of any background who feel that they have something really important that they want to contribute and be part of a team of leaders in doing so.” Students interested in learning more about BaselineMed or getting involved can find them at baselinemed.com or @baseline_ med on Instagram.
—Editor’s note: Emma Ghalili ’22 is a senior staff writer for the Justice. She did not contribute to or edit this article.
BIPOC REPRESENTATION
Bitsóí has experience recruiting and supporting underrepresented minority groups, specifically in the sciences, which is ideal for Brandeis because, as Fierke said in the BrandeisNow article, “Enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion in our science labs, our art studios, our performance spaces, and our classrooms is an ongoing effort at Brandeis.” Out of all of the candidates the committee viewed over the sixmonth national search, “Lee stood out for his thoughtful interactions with our students, and the respect
he showed for their concerns during his campus conversations. We are very pleased to welcome him to Brandeis,” said Singh in the BrandeisNow article. Bitsóí will transition into the role in mid-March. The Brandeis community can look forward to his arrival; according to President Liebowtiz in his email, “Lee is a skilled diversity, equity, and inclusion leader and administrator, and he will bring to Brandeis his extensive experience in collaborating with students, faculty, and staff to implement diversity-driven initiatives, policies, and programming.”
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MEDICINE: BaselineMed's founders pose left to right Fatim Kragbe '23, Emma Ghalil '22, Jonathan Joasil '22, and Leah Naraine '22.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 ● FEATURES ● THE JUSTICE
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VERBATIM | LADY GAGA Never be afraid to be kicked in the teeth. Let the blood and the bruises define your legacy.
ON THIS DAY…
FUN FACT
On Feb. 8, 1973, the U.S. Senate approved the creation of a special committee to investigate the Watergate incident.
The longest wedding dress train is over five miles long.
Contamination without communication? University leaves students and staff out of the loop about high lead levels and water fountain closures The Justice spent multiple months investigating reports of lead contamination in drinking water on campus and speaking to concerned students and faculty, as well as Manager of Environmental Health and Safety, Andrew Finn. By ARIELLA WEISS JUSTICE EDITOR
On Sept. 22, 2021, chemistry and biochemistry students and professors received an email with the subject line “IMPORTANT! Do NOT consume water from the faucets in EdisonLecks” from Meghan Hennelly, a Chemistry department administrator and manager of space and buildings for the division of Science at the University. Sent via a listserv titled “chemall-group,” those on the email blast were some of the first students to receive official word about lead levels in various buildings around campus. Attached to Hennelly’s correspondence was a notice from Brandeis’ Facilities Services Director Lori Kabel. Kabel said that Facilities Services had been working with Environmental Health and Safety to perform random sampling on water from water fountains in various buildings across campus. She explained that water testing is performed periodically throughout the year, but was performed at an increased rate over the summer and early fall due to COVID-19 and the return of employees to campus. She stated, “Unfortunately, the results in Brown [Social Science Center] and Edison-Lecks [Science Building] read higher than the Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for lead. For this reason, we will be turning off all of the water fountains in both Brown and EdisonLecks until we can come up with the cause and solution to rectify this issue.” On Dec. 16, in response to the Justice’s interview request and list of questions originally directed towards Facilities, Andrew Finn, manager of EHS, provided a statement on Kabel’s behalf. “As we transitioned back to on-campus activities, the [University] administration, operations, and Environmental Health and Safety had concerns about drinking water having been sitting with little or no flow for an extended period of time,” Finn said, and explained, “Buildings [were] identified as possibly being at risk due to the age of the plumbing materials … and [we] proceeded with three rounds of testing.” He did not provide information requested by the Justice about the dates that this testing occurred, a list of buildings that had been tested, or the results of this testing. Finn explained the federal standards used to identify lead-contaminated water: “The testing did identify lead levels in water samples from water bubblers which exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency ‘action level’ of 15 micrograms/liter (parts per billion).” The “action level” is the threshold for acceptable lead levels in drinking water, “which indicates to the water supplier that there is a need for corrective and preventive actions to identify the source(s) of lead and reduce exposures,” Finn said.
Testing begins
It appears that testing began as early as June, when students were largely off campus for the summer recess. A student who worked in the psychology labs of Brown over the summer explained to the Justice that they had received a notice in June instructing people working in the building not to drink the water. They added that there were signs put up in Brown’s bathrooms saying the same and that a water dispenser was implemented. However, Prof. Sarah Lamb (ANTH) explained to the Justice on Feb. 7 that during the first weeks of the fall semester, there were neither signs at the fountains nor a dispenser in the building. Lamb continued, “Early in the fall semester, there were signs put up saying ‘water is unsafe’ at the fountains and in the bathrooms … but no other water source was given to us for some time. We had to bring water from home or go thirsty.” Since then, Lamb added, a dispenser was installed, but that “The first period in the fall when we had no drinking water in the building was tough, and added to the general sense of pandemic strangeness and disarray.”
Follow-up testing
On Oct. 22, Hennelly forwarded an email she had received from Finn that same day to the “chemall-group” listserv. Finn’s email was sent to building operations administrators for the Psychology, Anthropology, Physics, Mathematics, Judaic Studies, and Library departments, along with Hennelly. In this email, Finn detailed an additional round of water testing EHS had done on various water sources in buildings across campus on Oct. 1 and Oct. 5 — including water sources in Edison-Lecks and Brown other than the fountains that had been confirmed to have tested positive for increased lead levels in the months prior. These buildings also included the Lown Center for Judaic Studies, the Goldfarb-Farber Library, Abelson-BassYalem (which houses the department of physics), and Goldsmith (which houses the department of mathematics). Finn’s Oct. 22 email to building administrators said, “Results for all locations indicate that the lead levels are below the EPA recommended action level and all locations are safe for consumption.” Finn wrote, “I hope that this additional information provides a level of comfort … the water sources tested in this phase are all safe.” Lois Stanley, the vice president for campus operations, was cc’ed on this email. Information about September’s lead testing that found unsafe levels of lead in water sources in multiple buildings was not communicated to the general student body at any point, nor was the information that EHS sent out
to school and department administrators in October about the results of the followup in other water sources that found lead levels to be safe in these locations. Some students have criticized the school’s lack of communication with students about the ongoing testing and fountain closures. “It’s ridiculous,” said Maddie Silverberg ’24. “Everyone knows this is a problem but we haven’t gotten a formal document from the University saying what they’re doing or where to avoid.” In his brief to the Justice in December Finn stated, “Our third round of testing confirmed that sources away from the bubblers were/are safe,” to which the Justice asked what assurances students have that the affected fountains will be safe to drink from once they are replaced. On Jan. 26 he wrote back: “Once Facilities Operations gets things replaced, yes I will do another round of testing at those locations [to assure the water’s safety].” Besides the Brown building and Edison-Lecks, no other buildings have been “identified as areas of concern,” Finn answered in response to the Justice’s question of whether students should be made aware of any other buildings testing positive for lead. “My understanding is that … water fountains that were identified [as testing positive for lead] have been shut off and continue to stay off or have been physically removed,” he stated. In Brown and Edison-Lecks, units remain off or have warning signs attached.
Farber fountain closures
The Justice asked Kabel explicitly about the library’s drinking water, in addition to asking about the Brown building. “In response to your request directly … the Brown building was identified as being at risk,” Finn said on Kabel’s behalf. The request for information about whether the library was part of the testing program was disregarded entirely. In his Oct. 22 email to school and department administrators, Finn said that testing performed on the sink in the bathroom on the first floor of Farber determined that water from this source was safe to drink. The water fountain directly outside of this bathroom remained on, with students using it, for another week. Thom Valcemetti, one of the library’s public service coordinators, spoke with the Justice on Nov. 10, explaining that, “A week ago [week of Nov. 1] Facilities came and turned off the water fountain in Farber 1.” A sign was put up on Nov. 10 instructing students not to drink the water. It was gone by the following afternoon. Rafi Levi ’24, a student library worker, spoke with the Justice on Jan. 28. He added that the water fountain on the third level of Farber, adjacent to the Sound and Image Media Studios, had been out
of commission since the beginning of the fall semester, and added, “There was a time towards the end of the fall semester that all three fountains were turned off at once. We had to walk to Usdan if we wanted water.” The SIMS fountain remains off with a warning sign, similar to those in Brown and Edison-Lecks. Kabel explained in the Sept. 22 email that “Although you might see some random water fountains turned off throughout campus, there could be many reasons for this. Sometimes the issue is a broken part, sometimes it is an isolated problem that can be fixed by replacing a fixture or fountain, and sometimes it is just waiting for test results to return.” This information suggests that contaminated water is not necessarily the reason for fountains being closed and would likely be reassuring to students. However, the majority of the student body — including student workers in the library, where multiple fountain closures have occurred over the past months — have not been made aware of this or received any explanation about testing practices and a variety of reasons for fountains being shut off. When asked how he felt about the University’s lack of communication regarding the fountain closures, Levi said, “Like the University doesn’t care about the students or any of the people affected.” Student Union Senator Sofia Lee ’24 echoed this sentiment in a Jan. 28 correspondence with the Justice: “I’m definitely very concerned with what’s happening with the water filters as a lot of people don’t feel safe using them.” Valcemetti said he was unaware that buildings around campus were being tested for lead: “When Facilities came to turn off the water [in Farber 1] they didn’t tell us anything except that the fountain had ‘failed inspections.’ At this point you students know as much as we do.”
Timeline unclear
EHS is taking procedural steps to addressing the buildings affected by lead, which they explained in their brief to the Justice. In an Oct. 14 article in The Brandeis Hoot, Kabel was quoted as saying: “Facilities and Environmental Health and Safety tested the water to ensure our levels were within standards after being idle so long in order to protect our staff and students. When levels were high, we took action accordingly. The safety of our students and staff is our #1 priority and this is one step we take to ensure it remains our priority.” Finn ended his brief to the Justice by explaining EHS and Facilities’ plans going forward: “Extensive flushing of the lines was also done which is an acceptable and generally one of the first corrective actions in this case … one of our biggest hurdles at the moment is the lead time on getting new equipment, but it is in process.”
There is no clear timeline as to when this will happen, though, and supply chain backups are out of both EHS and Facilities’ control. A student worker at Facilities said the same, explaining it currently takes up to two months for a manufacturer to send a replacement part. “Sometimes we even have to use eBay,” they added. Supply chain issues notwithstanding, the student facilities worker added the office’s own delays in addressing fountain repairs: “Our office [Facilities] is insanely disorganized,” they said. “When something happens with a water fountain and I assign a plumber to it, it could be a week until someone actually looks at the [work] order.” “They are planning to do major renovations on our building [Brown] beginning April, and so we all will be temporarily removed from our offices by around April or May through at least December 2022,” Prof. Lamb explained. The student worker at the Brown building psychology lab said that psychology lab operations have been temporarily moved out of the Brown building, with no definite timeline of when the fountains will be replaced.
Communication concerns
With students having received no statement on lead testing results and fountain closures from the University, rumors about contaminated water — based on the limited information provided to some students and speculation prompted by the warnings taped haphazardly to various fountains — have been floating around the student body over the course of the school year. “We’re already trying to stay safe in a global pandemic. To be at a school with a $75,000 tuition and feel unsafe in basic health measures is very worrying,” a neuroscience major from the class of 2024 told the Justice on Jan. 31. While not as worrying to her as the lead itself, the student said she finds the lack of communication from the school about lead levels and closed fountains concerning. “It makes it seem mismanaged. At the end of the day, all we’re asking for is transparency. No one would blame Brandeis; lead isn’t in their control. Communicating [to students] is.” Noah Risley ’24, director of communications for the Student Union, said, “The Student Union has continually brought up the communication issues with the University and looks forward to seeing progress this semester.” Whether the University will communicate with the student body once the fountains are replaced by Facilities and re-tested by EHS — and bring to an end to the continued radio silence that concerned students have received from their University administration up until this point — remains to be seen.
ARIELLA WEISS/the Justice
FOUNTAINS: Signs posted on closed water fountains. (From left) Farber third level, Brown second floor, Brown first floor. Design: Yuan Jiang/the Justice
THE JUSTICE ● FEATURES ● TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022
9
Brandeis professors explain the situation in Ukraine: “The people of Ukraine have a right to self determination that doesn’t get to simply be run over with Russian tanks” The Justice talked to Prof. Gary Samore (POL) and Prof. Steven Wilson (POL) about the situation currently unfolding in Ukraine and the state of foreign relations between Russia, Ukraine, and the US. By MESHULAM UNGAR JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
According to the New York Times, senior Biden administration officials last week told Congress that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has assembled everything he would need to undertake … the largest military operation on land in Europe since 1945.” The Justice spoke with two Brandeis faculty members, Gary Samore (POL) via email and Steven Wilson (POL) in person, to provide some insight to this complex situation. Samore served as the White House coordinator for arms control and weapons of mass destruction from 2009-13 and was a key advisor to President Obama on these issues. In that capacity, he was part of major negotiations with Russia to reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles. He is currently the professor of the practice of politics and the director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis. Wilson, an assistant professor of politics, specializes in Russia and the post-Soviet states in addition to the effects of the internet on politics. Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Prof. Samore: The Justice: When you served in the National Security Council under President Obama, I imagine you saw then-vice president Biden in the Situation Room. Could you describe what he is like under pressure during foreign policy crises? Samore: In my experience, Vice President Biden was a great asset to President Obama. He always offered independent and straightforward (and sometimes profane) advice on foreign policy issues, even if others disagreed. Biden has an excellent sense of the personalities of foreign leaders he deals with and a strong commitment to working with U.S. allies. So far, these qualities have served him well in dealing with Putin and the Ukraine crisis. TJ: You helped negotiate nuclear weapons treaties with Russia a little more than a decade ago. Right now, a State Department team led by the deputy secretary, Wendy Sherman, is negotiating with the Russians. Could you describe what it is like to negotiate with the Russian government? I know the situations are not exactly analogous, but I think it is helpful to give color to the sort of people who represent Russia to the US. S: Russian arms control officials (like Wendy Sherman’s counterpart Deputy Minister Sergei Ryabkov) are expert professional negotiators. They understand the technical issues and are prepared to explore compromises, within the limits of their instructions. The current situation with Ukraine is very different because ... Putin is personally calling the shots and only he knows whether Russia is prepared to use military force to achieve his goals. In other words, the policy professionals in the Russian Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry don’t have much latitude to negotiate, unless Putin decides to strike a deal.
TJ: If there is a diplomatic solution — either short term or long term — can the Russians be trusted to hold to agreements based on your experience with them? Are there good accountability mechanisms? S: If some kind of deal is reached, it won’t satisfy Putin’s basic demands that Ukraine be banned from joining NATO nor will it prevent Kiev from continuing to improve relations with the U.S. and Europe, including military cooperation. Therefore, I don’t expect a permanent settlement of the Ukraine issue. As long as Putin (or his successor) continues to see the West as fundamentally hostile, seeking to weaken Russian security and undermine its government, any agreements on Ukraine and broader issues of European security are likely to be temporary. TJ: For someone who has lived through the Soviet Union, its collapse, Russia’s indirection in the 90s, and now Putin’s rise, what has stood out to you from watching the history play out? S: The most important historical trend is Russia’s failure to evolve into a democratic state with genuine political freedoms and rights. Under Putin, Russia has emerged as an atavistic, authoritarian state, with a deep sense of insecurity and hostility towards the West. Unfortunately, I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Prof. Wilson: TJ: Why does this frozen tundra of eastern Ukraine matter to Americans? Wilson: I think the most important part is that Ukraine is a democracy. They may be a flawed democracy in a lot of ways, but they’re an independent country that has democratic institutions in a world where democracy is often in retreat, and that’s something that should be protected and defended. And that’s not me necessarily saying we should have American [troop] divisions on the ground in eastern Ukraine, but it’s the idea [that] we have an obligation on some ethical level to defend democracies that want to run their own affairs and be their own place. And fundamentally this comes down to Russia not wanting that for Ukraine. Putin is very hostile to the sovereignty of Ukraine and the rights of the Ukrainian people to elect their own government and have democracy in the first place. So without turning it into some Cold War rehash, there really is an element of democracy versus authoritarianism. The people of Ukraine have a right to self determination that doesn’t get to simply be run over with Russian tanks.
TJ: We often think of current events in the context of a period of time, and then we base our analysis on what happened in that time. In history, it’s called “periodization”. The Ukraine situation is often framed within the past few months, or in the past eight years (when in 2014, Russia forcibly took Crimea and supported anti-Ukrainian militants in the country’s east). In thinking about the current situation, at which point(s) in history does it make the most sense to begin analyzing what is happening now? W: I think [that in] terms of the Ukraine crisis you have to go way back. Not quite to the beginning of time, but you have to appreciate the very long history of Ukraine and its relationship with Russia. There is a very strong sense among a lot of Russians, in particular Russian power holders like Putin and the various military and intelligence folks, who simply don’t see Ukraine as a legitimate, sovereign country. They see Ukraine as simply being part of Russia, and they have their historical mythic perspective of the founding city of Russia as Kiev [Ukraine’s current capital]. It’d be like telling the English that London is part of a separate country that is not English. TJ: No country is a monolith. Can you speak a little bit to the internal politics in Ukraine, and the different views in that country towards this situation? W: The west side of Ukraine is far more oriented towards Western Europe and central Europe, not just physically, but historically and culturally and politically. And running right down the middle you’ve got the major river [Dnieper] where Kiev sits. You can look at essentially any map of Ukraine where you regionally map something — whether it’s the GDP, presidential vote share, who voted for what party, education rates, ethnic breakdown of where it’s majority Ukrainian versus majority ethnic Russians, etc. — all the maps look the same. It’s a split of two countries in a certain sense. The eastern part of it has historically been part of the Russian Empire, going back far, far longer in time. TJ: For Brandeis students interested in learning more about the situation in Ukraine, what resources should they look to? W: The Council on Foreign Relations and Wilson Center has some good coverage of events in Ukraine. In addition, for some news out of Russia proper, the independent news site Meduza has some great coverage.
Photo Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
WORLD LEADERS: (From left) President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Emmanuel Macron of France, former chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine pictured on Dec. 10, 2019.
Design: Yuan Jiang/the Justice
10 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 ● FORUM ● THE JUSTICE
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Sofia Gonzalez Rodriguez, Editor in Chief Cameron Cushing, Managing Editor Gilda Geist, Senior Editor River Hayes, Deputy Editor Leeza Barstein, Jen Crystal, Jane Flautt, Gabriel Frank, Megan Geller, Hannah O’Koon, Noah Zeitlin, Associate Editors Jacklyn Golobordsky, Hannah Taylor, News Editors Natalie Khan, Features Editor Lauryn Williams, Forum Editor Taku Hagiwara, Sports Editor Jack Yuanwei Cheng, Photography Editor Thea Rose, Acting Photography Editor Ariella Weiss, Lynn Han, Copy Editors Samantha Goldman, Online Editor
Not only are students having trouble getting started with the Bite app, but also once the app is set up, it is often inconsistent. This is nothing new, however. It’s almost like the Bite app isn’t properly connected to the campus dining systems — there is often a disconnect between options displayed on the app and what is actually in stock as well as issues with pickup times. The app will often say that an order is ready long before it is actually available, and conversely, if you order multiple hours ahead of time, food is of-
ten ready far before the stated pickup time. Especially with the concerns of Omicron, this is problematic because clogged lines of people waiting for food is an opportune time for outbreaks and infection. We recognize that the University and its staff are certainly committed to creating a safe and enjoyable environment for students to live, work, and learn. However, issues with the Bite app have been ongoing since we started using it in fall 2020, and this board hopes to see a solution soon.
EDITORIALS
Staying safe and warm on campus amidst the Bomb Cyclone JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice
Last Saturday, a powerful winter storm hit the east coast, leaving Boston with its seventh highest snowfall in recorded history. Blizzard warnings, power outages, and dangerous travel conditions were widespread throughout the area, and the Brandeis campus was closed, with all classes and public activities cancelled for the day. This board would like to commend the University for its handling of the storm and thank all of the staff who worked hard to keep us safe. The conditions of campus roads and walkways after winter storms of this magnitude can be extremely dangerous — and in some cases, even life threatening. After a snowstorm in 2019, a 19-year-old University of Washington student sustained a head injury and died after slipping and falling on a campus path. This board would like to recognize that the facilities workers tasked with shoveling and clearing our campus are putting themselves at risk for our safety. We would also like to thank the staff that put themselves at risk to come to
work at Upper Usdan and Sherman Dining Hall during the storm, ensuring that students were provided with multiple dining options on Saturday. We are extremely grateful for all of their hard work to keep our campus safe. In light of the harsh winter we are observing, this board would like to encourage Brandeis community members to take proper precautions for the weather. It is important to wear shoes that are warm with good grip on the bottom — leave smooth-bottomed shoes for the warmer weather! It is also a good idea to wear several layers of clothing in order to stay warm outside and still be comfortable when spending time in heated buildings. When outdoors, one should try to have a hat or thick headband to cover the ears, gloves or mittens to cover the hands, and a scarf or garter to cover the neck and mouth. Lastly, those who drive vehicles should keep an ice scraper and snow brush in their car at all times, and also acquire snow tires if possible.
on Views News the
The United States is diplomatically boycotting the Beijing 2022 Olympics due to concerns of human rights violations in Xinjiang China. Other countries such as India, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom have followed suit as well. How does this impact international and foreign relations? Will this lead to more division in our global community? What can we do as a Brandeis community to bridge that gap going forward?
Grabriel Frank ’22 In the end, the diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, dubbed by some as the “Genocide Games,” on part of some of the world’s leading democracies, will do little to impact the relations of countries who already disagree on so much. A largely symbolic event that is no stranger to being hosted by authoritarian, genocidal regimes, the Olympics, time after time, amount to nothing more than a whitewashing and legitimizing of tyranny in favor of sports and prestige. The International Olympic Committee, which selects the sites of the Games, is a notoriously corrupt organization run by aristocratic grifters that care for nothing other than appealing to the highest bidder. The fact that Almaty, Kazakhstan, recently the site of a brutal suppression of protests against an autocratic government, was the runner-up in the voting process, losing to Beijing by only four votes, tells us all we need to know. Turn off the TV.
Gabriel Frank ’22 is an Associate editor for the Justice majoring in Philosophy . Photo: JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice
Photo Courtesy of BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
University must resolve Bite App malfunctions Since the start of the semester, this board has received multiple complaints about the Bite app. Some students have struggled to connect meal plans and credit cards to the app. Students who studied abroad in fall 2021 should be wary of difficulties with reactivating their accounts. If you are struggling with this, the Campus Card office can assist you. For other inquiries, however, the University has remained largely unhelpful. According to one student, the University urged the student to instead reach out to Sodexo with concerns in accessing their meal plan. “Dining, University Services,
and the Campus Card Office have not received reported concerns from students,” director of University Services Jeff Hershberger wrote in a Jan. 24 email to the Justice. The burden should not fall on students to fix these issues — especially as classes and work resume for students and free time to make these inquiries is scarce. The University should have had the foresight to look into these issues before welcoming students back to campus. Since meal plans are the primary food source for many students, the University must act quickly to solve these problems.
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THE JUSTICE ● FORUM ● TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 11
Mass incarceration: how did we get here? By LAURYN WILLIAMS EDITOR
When I was originally crafting this piece, I set out to create a piece that covered the re-entry journey of formerly incarcerated people, but that all changed when I met Ethan Clark. Clark is a Black man from Detroit in his twenties, who up until last week had been in a maximum-security prison for the past five years. I waited in anticipation as the phone rang, I had a slew of questions for him: What was he looking forward to now that he was free? What does he intend to do with the rest of his life? How does it feel to finally be able to see his loved ones? My notepad filled with questions shrunk in my hand when he answered the phone. The first words to leave his mouth were not an excited exclamation about his newfound freedom, it was a recounting of his experience with police brutality. “I’m going to tell you right now. The officers in prison don’t treat you like a human being.” Clark’s story of being treated as a sub-human is not an isolated event, as countless people have attempted to sue prisons for mistreatment. Prison is often advertised as a place for rehabilitation but oftentimes doesn’t meet this goal. Instead, people are left with the task of trying to re-enter society without a safety net. They are often turned down from jobs, as employers deem them to be dishonest and a liability, this in turn decreases their ability to secure safe and proper housing. In conjunction from experiencing trauma in prison and a lack of a safe place, their rate of recidivating increases. So, how did it get so bad in the
first place? How did the United States become the country with the largest incarceration rates in the world? Rosalind Kabrhel, the chair of the Brandeis Legal Studies Program, walked me through the history of mass incarceration in the US. It dates way back to the nineteenth century, when slavery was abolished, Black codes criminalized Black people from selling crops without permission from white people, or even walking “without purpose,” and assembling after dark. Prior to the Civil War, Black people were considered three-fifths of human under the U.S. Constitution. But even after the end of slavery following the Constitutional amendments passed in the wake of the Civil War, Black people were often treated inhumanely by the legal and criminal justice system. She explained to me that mass incarceration truly took over America starting in the 1970s when President Richard Nixon declared the War on Drugs. The laws developed during this time targeted Black and brown communities, and people between the ages of 18 and 25 started moving into prisons in droves. This “war” is still the longest war in American history, as it has carried over into every presidential administration that has followed. “The sentence never ends, especially for those who have drug law violations.” She somberly explained to me that due to the laws in place it is virtually impossible for people to find jobs, housing, or a stable environment making it more than likely they will go back to prison or become homeless. When I asked her about the misconduct of those in charge of prisons, she revealed that lobbyists vehemently fight against
prison reform, which derails progress and change needed to make prison a more equitable and just place. This formed another question in my mind: Who exactly is allowed to vote for these laws and officials and who is not? John Shattuck, the former United States Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, met with me over a Zoom call to delve into voting rights across the country. He illustrated the current political landscape of America, and how the Republican Party is pushing voter suppression laws in the name of avoiding “voter fraud”despite not having sufficient evidence of this problem. Shattuck also explained that felons are not allowed to vote in numerous of former
slave states, and even in more progressive areas felon voter disenfranchisement still runs rampant. But he believes that this endangers democracy “everyone should have the most basic right to vote in this country”he said. In November of 2022, the senate elections will be held as Americans cast their votes for those who will represent their states. It is not only crucial to consider the people who will not be heard and represented, but it is imperative to uplift their voices so that people can push for restorative justice and prison reform.
Photo Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
Mental health struggles and misogynoir: shining a light on Black women’s mental health By ABIGAIL CUMBERBATCH SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Content Warning: Suicide
I first heard about the death of 2019 Miss USA Cheslie Kryst through a friend who came across the news on TikTok. I was not familiar with her name, but when I Googled a photograph of her I was shocked not only to find out that she committed suicide, but that I had crossed paths with her at a scholarship conference in 2019. As I watched more news segments about her life and death, I could not resist scrolling down to the comments section, where there was an outpouring of devastation and love as many remembered her as a beautiful, intelligent, and successful woman who was a radiant light in her family and community. From the brief encounter I had with her years ago, I agree that she was a radiant light. She truly sparkled and shined as she proudly wore her Miss USA crown and eloquently responded to questions and requests for photographs. But as I read more comments about Kryst, I thought to myself: beauty, intelligence, and success do not save anyone from struggling with depression. News of Kryst’s death came nine days after the death of actress and director Regina King’s son, Ian Alexander Jr., who also committed suicide two days after his 26th birthday. Kryst and Alexander Jr.’s deaths are grim reminders that despite overt success, we never truly know how deeply and for how long someone is
struggling with their mental health. For Black individuals, news of these deaths stand in the backdrop of an already emotionally fraught time in America. We have not only disproportionately struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, but have also battled against the physical, emotional, and financial consequences that have manifested themselves almost two years after the first US lockdowns. Coupled with the police brutality witnessed on television and phone screens across America as George Floyd and Breoanna Taylor lost their lives, it has not been easy being Black. While specific information on Kryst and Alexander Jr.’s mental health has not been disclosed to the public, as health correspondent Jamie Ducharme and senior correspondent Janell Ross note in their article, “What We Misunderstand About Suicide Among Black Americans,” there is rarely a single cause or trigger when someone commits suicide. However, culture and environmental influences can lead to an increase in suicide risk. Racism and sexism are triggers that amplify already stressful personal experiences. Kryst spoke extensively about the microaggressions and sexism she faced throughout her career as a lawyer. As assistant professors of social work and sociology at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Michelle Vance and Jeannette Wade write in their paper, “When you take the idea of being a Black woman and having to live in a sexist society, a racist society, and then add things like having to head a household
…that is creating a unique risk.” The stresses of Black women’s personal lives are compounded as they move through environments that explicitly and implicitly discriminate against them based on their race and gender. Additionally, when Black women are portrayed and expected to be strong and unwavering forces in their family, friend circles, and communities, there is an increased pressure to mask their true emotions. The phenomenon of masking, where someone appears poised and happy while also emotionally suffering, is extremely common. As Gayle King a mentee and friend, remarks on a phone interview with Ross on Kryst’s death, she says, “That just throws me for a loop because you know, I think we all know people who are depressed. You can tell they are having a tough day. But that girl was so … She was a sparkle.” As if someone with a sparkle could not also simultaneously be struggling with immense pain. Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar expressed this sentiment powerfully in the last stanza of his 1896 poem, “We Wear the Mask,” “We smile, but O great Christ, our cries To thee from tortured souls arise. We sing, but oh the clay is vile Beneath our feet, and long the mile; But let the world dream otherwise, We Wear the mask!” Behind a seemingly innocent smile or laugh, we never truly know what is hidden
underneath. We do not live in a society that fosters compassion and accepts outward displays of vulnerabilities, especially from Black women. We become habituated to the continuous pain felt and traumas inflicted, all while donning a smile or generating a laugh, or in Kryst’s case emitting her well-known sparkle. The fear of being perceived as “weak” or “crazy” only encourages Black individuals, specifically Black girls and women, to mask their emotions, when in reality, the opposite is needed. Rheeda Walker, a licensed clinical psychologist, explains, “People who feel marginalized, who don’t feel like their lives are of value, who don’t feel like they are connected in the ways others are connected, are going to be more at risk of suicide. It seems to me, inherently, that when you’re a member of a racial minority group you will, almost, by default, end up in those groups.” Tackling issues of depression and suicide, especially in the Black community, does not have an easy solution. Each person’s struggle with mental health is the result of a combination of factors that are unique to them alone. Both Kryst and Alexander Jr.’s death brought these issues back to mainstream attention, but for those who have lost loved ones to suicide and do not receive media coverage, it makes awareness of this issue all the more urgent. Black people deserve to have their mental health taken seriously not only after they have passed, but while they are still here with us.
The opinions expressed on this page are those of each article’s respective author and do not reflect the viewpoint of the Justice.
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Volume LXXI,
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The Indepen den
Number 12
BOARD OF TRUST EES
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e.org
T
STudenT ne wSpaper
Trustees make long-awaited divestment choice
of
Tuesday, Decem
BrandeIS u nIverSITy SInce 1949
ber 4, 2018
‘BABY STEPS’ TOW
ARD DIVESTMENT
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Waltham, Mass.
■ The University will its investment strate change gies to decrease future investment in fossil fuel busine sses.
principal busine ss is the mining coal for use of in energy genera Investments tion.” ist in “fossil that presently exfuel private partnerships limited (i.e., private partnership funds that make limited ments, the investfocus ing profit from of which is derivthe explora After months production of fossil fuels tion and Board of Trusteeof deliberation, the such and as oil natural gas) policies regard s adopted a set of cordance with … will run off in acing fossil vestments at the funds’ typical fuel incycles,” Chief their Novem life ber meeting, updatin Nicholas WarrenInvestment Officer g the 1973 guidelines that previou wrote in an to the Justice sly inform email ed their investment . These funds an average decisions. have life cycle of students have Brandeis 10 years. “The overall administratio been pressing the portfolio is ture, with n to divest mamany funds from fossil fuels for several years the later stages reaching and continued to of their life Therefore do so in respon have cycle. we expect the recent se to it to wind down policy announ slowly over cement. In a Nov. 28 Warren wrote. the next 5-7 years,” email to the community, Brandeis private limited This is specific to University President Ron Liebow partnership itz outlined that invest funds the new polwith a focus icies that will on profit from guide future exploiting and gaining ment. From investnow on, the ing oil, natura producUniversity’s endowment l gas and other sil fuel. As funds will fosof Oct. 30, not be invested directly 2018, fuel private in “public or limited partner “fossil companies private or partnerships [market value] ships[’] [was] $63.3 whose million,
By JEN GELLER JUSTICE EDITOR
See DIVESTMENT,
STUDENT UNION
7☛
Special election ca to fill open positionlled s
The Brandeis Mountain Club Monday to prote hung a bann er in the Shap st the Board ANDREW BAXTER/the of Trustees’ iro Campus Justice decision on fossil fuel dives Center Atrium on tment.
ADMINISTRATION
Report details cam shortcomings on pus diversity
■ The repor t presented a comprehensive pictur e of how community members view the Unive rsity's diversity, repor ting policies.
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problems such as Meehan’s and what steps behavior, athletes may are fear being forced vent such problem being taken to preteam or not off the s from arising being future. in the cording to Liebowallowed to play, acitz. However, Brandeis’ climate the course of over and culture their The Univer vestigators found interviews, the insity was founded principles of on ation and determ no evidence of retali“anti-discrimin ined there clusiveness, ation, inply a percept academic freedom ion that it was was simpendence, and , indeoccurring. To combat this University Preside the highest percept of standar nt academic quality Ron Liebow ion, Liebow ■ ds itz explained released the itz ” in an era of chief of staff,” Campus Climate in an intervi gation, discrim segrethe Justice and last Thursday, ew with ination and don’t bear any he said, adding, “I which detailed Report The quotas, investig Brande the is Hoot on ators wrote. Monday that ceedingly high ill will toward the “exthe administration They’re both standards” and However, some to build the er shortcomings very passion them. broadneeds community community’s very smart. ate and bers brough mem… I’m really trust system, which well as the steps of the University, as t up controv excited to see where things will take time. in the ersies surrounding the ous policies taking to addressthe administration is go.” Previwere unclear “I understand identity, which University’s Jewish , and made it and final report, them. This second many agreed difficult to reporthe said, given a painted [Chang] has been By CHAIEL SCHAFF authored by tant to Brande is Liebowitz said pendent investi issues. indeis. One faculty imporEL and I don’t think target on his back, he JUSTICE STAFF gators believe explained that member the University s the Univer WRITER sity must ensure hired last spring, any student identity-based feel that way, should that the commu follows up on face additio schools is aware of tial findings especially as the ininal pressur The Studen nity resources that man,” he said. regarding the a freshe to mainta t their reputat complaints able to them in are availlodged against that Vice PresideUnion announced ions, which — such as the Reynolds said former men’s discourages individuals nt Benedikt at Brandeis Reporting ball coach Brian he would help olds ’19 and basketfrom raising web successor Treasurer Jerry ReynMeehan. issues with his the institution. develop alternate channe page — and create For the second ’18 will resign Miller Others mentio the administration contacts with ls for reporti at the end fusion about ned conwith educati tion, the Board half of the investigaof the semester. Their , as well as whether or ng them on why ng, along them up on of Trustees not Brandeis seats will be markets itself projects relevan catch is important. tasked investigators reporting filled in a special election as vice preside — Walter Prince, the t to the to be held on and noted that a Jewish institution, ncy. He will colm Graham In addition, Dec. 10. Malconvers Vice President also his ations and Daniel investigators show successor how rael have become about IsBenedi that instead Tarlow — with examin learned to help student Reynolds announ kt Reynolds ’19 of reporting groups. ing the system turn put “fundra “charged,” which in issues, many in the Brande and culture s, climate ced his intent isers on the to resign during of University’s is community Looking back with Jewish defensive the Nov. 20 speak about procedure for handling choose to on his time donors,” accordi Senate meetin Union them among compla Union, Reynol in the report. ng to the g. themselves — an exampl ds said he though or discrimination ints related to bias interview with He said in a Dec. 3 work with environ e of what t his Many student they call a “small town corrective action and to recommend mental groups s spoke well personal heath the Justice that his the University mentality.” accordingly. University’s at was the reason Administrators admitte Throughout academic rigor of the resignation. for his d to investig He also express stood out the most. the report, the lationships An incident and reators that they are “too gators stressed ed concern about investithey formed in November in which the Senate quiet” about their role as with faculty how and faculty two weighs its their progress in improv and investig , “lawye praised rs criticized Reynol senators publicly constit the ators,” not experts opinions. ing the campus “niceness culuents’ ture” that which further educational culture, exists within in the ment in a resolut ds for his involvefield, writing adds to the “Senators, the Others raised ion that would , and any elected climate of poor commu not substitu concerns about school. purchased nicatio te our judgem “We will tions, are have posimembers’ cultura pianos for faculty expected to ent for [the administration the first-year Diversity, equity n. residence quads be liaisons and commu ’s].” They Diversity, Equity l sensitivity. One and inclusion nicators for affected his pointed to the steps the Brandeis has to step down decision the student body,” he said. administration pert said profess and Inclusion exhistorically but was not taking, and “Right now, sues of race faced isthe driving ors and staff factor, Reynol declined to give is already as if we’re and segrega equipped to are “illds said decision makersit seems specific recomm their tion, the respect cultura tigators noted, Reynolds accepte in the interview. student body. for the endations, saying own l differences,” according citing both the invesThese [campu doing so would d the apologi 1969 Ford Hall to the report. original Class of 2022 papers probab es of s] newsbe “presumptuous.that of culturally This issue protest, its 2015 Senator Alex ly talk to our To part unders insensi ” counter Chang and International and Meehan tand the campus encies [more] constitutive “bullyi was promin ’s firing. From Student Senato ng” than investigators climate, ent in interviews Yang ’20 and r Linfei their interviewed Reynolds stressewe do.” with the commu toward his players Meehan’s behavior said he was a number of faculty, staff, investigators d that being nity, the “thankful” that they . member of found that apologized. a The investi the Union is dents and alumni administrators, stuwhile there was “deep and “They gators also been open a strenuous undertaking to examine concern “widespread described wide accepta to communicatio have for full-tim about the way importance nce of the anxiety about me as well as s n e and suggest the University of diversity, complaints” with the preside with ed that the Unionstudents complaints. handles equity, and among the Brandelodging inclusion” among nt and They then should munity due is comstudents, admini placed their findings in a to concerns trators and larger sSee UNION, 6 about retalideans, there ation, confusi ☛ Brandeis culture context of how the was “notabl less consensus” on surroun y ding procehas contrib dures and a among the faculty uted to lack of belief Administrator . that things will change s tended to . For exampl the “busine focus on ss case” for e, student increasing di-
By NATALIA WIATER JUSTICE EDITOR
The Union's vice and treasurer will president and be replaced step down at the end of this semester.
Student Fashion
MELA
A Brandeis student transforms his love of fashion into a business.
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Scholar reflects on
The South Asian Students Association celebr ates Shared Connection.” “Our
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THE JUSTICE ● SPORTS ● TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 13
TOM BRADY: legendary Quarterback retires CONTINUED FROM 16 MVP title against Kansas City. In his second season in Tampa, the Buccaneers won the NFC South and tied for the league's best record in round of playoffs. In Brady’s two
made him special. I will always feel a close bond to him and will always consider him an extension of my immediate family." Patriots Nation was upset retirement on his Instagram because in his statement there was New England. Patriots fans were
season in the NFL he led in NFL touchdowns (43). In a statement on Tuesday, the Glazer family who are the ownership group of the Buccaneers wrote, “His impact on our team and community was immediate and profound. Tom’s remarkable NFL journey has come to an end. Still, we will continue to celebrate his legendary career as the greatest quarterback of all time and are appreciative and grateful for the time he spent as a Buccaneer.” Patriots' Chairman and CEO Robert Craft issued the following statement: "I have the greatest respect for Tom personally and always will. His humility, coupled with his drive and ambition, truly
of hours later he posted: “Thank you Patriots Nation. I am beyond grateful. Love you all." On Feb. 3, Brady posted a second thank you where he shared a video montage of his career achievements, which included several images from his time with the Patriots. It is not clear what Brady’s next steps are and who he is going to thank next but Wes Golberg, a NBA' sports reporter, tweeted that he heard that Tom Brady is planning New England Patriots and retire with the franchise that he played
THOMAS TIANCHENG ZHENG/Justice File Photo
FREE POINTS: Forward Caitlin Gresko stands at the charity stripe for free throws.
mentioned that Brady spoke to Robert Kraft the morning of Feb. 1 ceremony.
NOAH ZEITLIN/Justice File Photo Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
LEGEND: Tom Brady throws the ball to a teammate.
UNDER PRESSURE: Junior Emma Reavis is surrounded by opponents under the basket.
SUPER BOWL: Joe Burrow and the Bengals to face the Rams in Superbowl CONTINUED FROM 16
by ranking fourth in the league in receiving yards and third in touchdowns. Accompanying Chase in a standout rookie class for the Bengals is their star kicker Evan Mc'pherson. McPherson has
the Raiders and the Chiefs, and he currently holds the record for postseason without a miss. If he continues this high production he may even cement himself as a Bengals' legend, and there is no better opportunity to show his abilities than in the biggest game of the season. The Rams have their work cut out for them, but luckily they also have head coach, Sean McVay, who has seen this stage before. Bowl to the New England Patriots
Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
JOE "BRRR" BURROW : Joe Burrow throws the ball during his LSU days.
game was a battle of the defenses, but halfway through the fourth quarter Tom Brady connected with Rob Gronkowski for a 29 yard completion to set up an easy touchdown to Sony Michel. Michel, who scored the deciding
touchdown for the Patriots in Super Bowl LIII, will now be wearing the blue and gold for the Rams this time around. Another new face for the Rams in this championship contest is their quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was traded for Jared Goff this past offseason. Stafford spent 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, who never came close to the playoffs, and he is now preparing for the game of his life. As mentioned above, Burrow and Chase have been one of the most receiver duos in the league, but no one can deny the production seen from Stafford and his number one receiver, Cooper Kupp. Kupp has put together one of the best receiving years in recent history and became the the "triple crown" of receiving stats; meaning he ranks number one in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns this season. As for the defense in Los Angeles, their weapons on the defensive line and secondary may be scarier than their leading receiver or star quarterback. Headlining the Rams defense is
Donald and Ramsey have dominated for so much of their careers, and are joining talents the hopes of capturing a title that has eluded both of them. Donald Super Bowl loss, and Ramsey lost the AFC championship game still playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fortunately they don’t have to play Brady or the Patriots this time around, but the Bengals are no walk in the park. With so much talent on both sides of the ball, this Super Bowl is set to be one of the most exciting sporting events of the year. The Rams came into the season knowing that the Super Bowl was obtainable for them as they put together a winning roster. The Bengals, in comparison, came into this season hoping to string some solid results together; even Burrow admitted that he was surprised to be in this position considering his initial view of had a clear road to the Super Bowl, but the Bengals may be the Cinderella story to snatch it away. Analysts, coaches, players, and fans can only speculate about who is going to prevail, but no must watch television.
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THE JUSTICE ● SPORTS ● TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8 , 2022 15
CLUB SPORTS
JUDGES BY THE NUMBERS MEN’S BASKETBALL UAA STANDINGS
Emory Case WashU Rochester Carnegie JUDGES Chicago NYU
UAA Conf. W L D 8 1 0 6 2 0 5 2 0 5 4 0 3 4 0 2 4 0 1 5 0 0 6 0
TEAM STATS
Points Per Game
Overall W L D 15 4 0 16 3 0 15 3 0 13 6 0 10 6 0 9 6 0 6 11 0 9 7 0
UPCOMING GAMES: Feb. 08 vs Connecticut Feb 11 at. Carnegie Mellon
Tommy Eastman ’22 leads the team with 15.9 points per game. Player PPG Tommy Eastman 16.5 Collin Sawyer 15.4 Nolan Hagerty 10.4 Chandler Jones 8.4
Pct. 0.889 0.750 0.714 0.556 0.429 0.333 Rebounds Per Game 0.250 Tommy Eastman ’22 leads the 0.000 team with 7.4 rebounds per game. Player REB/G Tommy Eastman 7.4 Nolan Hagerty 6.9 Chandler Jones 6.7 Aedan Using 2.9
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL UAA STANDINGS UAA Conf. W L D NYU 8 1 0 Emory 6 3 0 Washington 5 3 0 Rochester 5 4 0 Chicago 5 4 0 Carnegie 3 5 0 Case 2 7 0 JUDGES 1 8 0
TEAM STATS
Points Per Game
Overall W L D 17 1 0 12 6 0 12 6 0 13 7 0 12 7 0 9 8 0 7 13 0 6 12 0
UPCOMING GAMES: Feb. 11 at Carnegie Mellon Feb. 13 at Case Western
Pct. 0.889 0.667 0.625 0.556 0.556 0.375 0.222 0.111
Camila Casanueva ’22 leads the team with 13.7 points per game. Player Camila Casaneuva Emma Reavis Caitlin Gresko Kerry Tanke
PPG 13.7 10.2 8.6 8.6
Rebounds Per Camila Casanueva ’22 leads with 5.8 rebounds per game. Player REB/G Camila Casanueva 5.8 Emma Reavis 5.6 Kerry Tanke 5.6 Casey Perry 5.1
SWIMMING AND DIVING Results from meet against Gordon College on Jan. 28
TOP FINISHERS (Men’s) 200-yard Freestyle
SWIMMER James Barno Tal Spector
TIME 1:52.33 1:52.64
TOP FINISHERS (Women’s) TIME 2:10.06 2:17.37
Feb. 10 at Emory
TRACK AND FIELD Results from the Tufts Cupid Invite on Feb.5
TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)
TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)
200-Meter Dash
Women High Jump TIME 22.69 23.75 23.80
RUNNER Kristen Man Sophie Shaw Natalie Hattan
HEIGHT 1.46 1.46 1.41
UPCOMING GAMES Feb. 12 at Boston University
aims to compete and continue to grow.
200-yard Freestyle
SWIMMER Aubrey Cheng Becky Goodfellow
Data Courtesy of THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION and the BRANDEIS ATHLETICS WEBSITE; Images Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS.
SMILEY HUYNH/THE JUSTICE
Brandeis Archery Club looks forward to upcoming national competition ■ The Brandeis Archery Club
UPCOMING GAMES:
RUNNER Reese Farquhar Dean Campbell Jordan Colon
READY AIM FIRE: Members of the Brandeis Archery Club team practice at Gosman.
By MEGAN GELLER JUSTICE EDITOR
The Brandeis Archery Club is one of 21 club sports teams on campus. This week, the Justice had the chance to learn about the team and their upcoming indoor national competition. Historically, the earliest record of archery was from around 10,000 BCE when ancient Egyptians and other cultures used bows and arrows to hunt, as well as in warfare, according to a 2006 World Archery article. Later, with the rise of gunpowder, archery quickly transitioned to becoming mainly a competitive sport. The first reported archery competition was in 1583 with approximately 3000 participants, according to Sport History by World Archery. The Brandeis Archery Club divides itself into two groups: the competition team and the noncompetition team. The competition team is currently composed of nine members who practice three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and will be competing in the 2022 USA Archery JOAD Indoor Nationals on Feb. 25-26 in Fiskdale, Massachusetts. Noncompetition members are invited
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every Sunday to practice. These Sunday practices are “open” and allow anyone to come and learn. After some time and experience in the open, an individual may be asked to move up to the competition team. It was clear that no prior experience is necessary when joining the archery team. In an interview with the Justice, club president Wes Baker M.A. ’22 stated that, “99% of people who join the archery club have never done archery, and so we take members from never having touched a bow to competing in competitions around the country.” In comparison to other schools, Baker stated that, “We are very warm and welcoming to both students who have participated in archery before and those who haven’t, and [we] even encourage anyone who is interested to come try the sport. In many other college archery clubs, if you don’t have any prior experience before college, then the barrier of entry is too high, so it’s primarily only open to students that have prior experience.” Archery competitions are organized into rounds called ends, which are made up of three arrows where an individual can earn up to ten points per arrow. Each person participates in 20 ends, with three arrows each, totaling up to 600 available points. This format of the competition is called a 600 round.
For indoor archery competitions, the winner is usually awarded in order of individuals with the most points. For the upcoming indoor nationals, the team remain in Massachusetts. This is because “it’s indoor nationals, and hypothetically conditions are going to be the same, regardless of the location. Therefore, almost every state has its own location where you can shoot and the scores are put together by the national organization, [who] ultimately announce the winners. This is very convenient and less costly to participants, since we don’t have to travel too far to compete,” said Baker. Other schools in the area that have archery teams include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Wellesley College, and Harvard University. Like many other club sports, the archery club took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because some team members did not return after the initial wave of COVID-19 sent students home. Restrictions surrounding open practices also hampered the team, “Everyone is sharing the same equipment. When you are done shooting with your bow, you hand it off to the next person.” Baker said. Since then, restrictions have lessened; however, there still is a way to go before the club runs the way it did in pre-pandemic years.
Image Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
just Sports Page 16
BRANDEIS CLUB ARCHERY TEAM AIMS FOR COMPETITION An introduction to the Brandeis Club Archery Team, p.15 Waltham, Mass.
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
PRO SPORTS
JUDGES DROP TWO
Tom Brady announces his retirement after 22 seasons ■ After 22 years in the game, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time retires
Bay Buccaneers, which is where sport. The
quarterback
spent
his
the bench, behind veteran Drew season Bledsoe was knocked out of the game with a lung injury. This
By EMMA GHALILI JUSTICE SENIOR STAFF WRITER
“I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require Tampa Bay quarterback Tom
Buccaneers Brady has
retiring from the NFL after 22 years in the game. According to ESPN, Brady is widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in NFL History. Over his 22 year career, he has won seven Lombardi Trophies, the most championships won by Bowl MVPs. In addition to these accomplishments, he has beaten countless NFL records, having set the record for most touchdown passes (624) and the most passing Tom Brady was the 199th overall
a chance to get into the game. He took hold of the opportunity and helped lead New England to the
season changed the trajectory of Brady’s career. According to the New York Times, Brady and Bill Belichick coach partnership in NFL history. The only games Brady missed with the Patriots were because after he tore a knee ligament in the season opener. Brady division titles with the Patriots in partnership with Belichick. Tom Brady joined the Buccaneers England
Patriots
in
the
most
of all time according to the Buccaneers website. Brady’s move to Tampa instantly transformed the franchise, and they won their
Michigan. He was picked by the New England Patriots and spent was the quarterback for the Tampa
See TOM BRADY, 13 ☛
Super Bowl LVI preview ■ The Cincinnati Bengals are set to play the Los Angeles Rams for Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13. By AIDEN GUTHRO JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Feb. 13, the Cincinnati Bengals will be traveling to SoFi Stadium to play the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI. SoFi Stadium is located in Inglewood, California and is home to the Rams. This will be the second consecutive year that a team will be competing for the championship on their home turf. Last year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Field and produced a monumental win, capturing the recently retired NFL legend Tom Brady’s seventh ring. Prior to the played for the championship at Sports bettors have taken the Rams as the favorite in this
is nothing new for the Bengals. The wild card victory against the Las Vegas Raiders snapped a 33 year playoff win drought for the Bengals and rebranded themselves as true championship contenders. Led by sophomore quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals high powered offense has been a force to be reckoned with all season.
game higher than the Rams at 21.9. They battled back to win the American Football Conference championship game against the Chiefs, and they show no signs of slowing down. Burrow is no stranger to big time games, having won the national championship with Louisiana State University before departing to the NFL. To deepen the competition for the Rams, he brought his number one target from college, Ja’Marr Chase, with him into the professional scene. Despite being a rookie, Chase has impressed many
See SUPER BOWL, 13 ☛
NOAH ZEITLIN/Justice File Photo
DECISIONS: Judges player handles the ball.
Women’s basketball put on fights against Emory and Rochester, but could not win at home ■ The Brandeis women's basketball team hosted the Eagles and the Yellowjackets and gifted them with wins. By JACKSON WU JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
After a Friday night men’s basketball overtime thriller, the Brandeis women’s basketball team hosted the Emory University Eagles at the Auerbach Arena. In this University Athletic Association (UAA) rematch, the teams battled hard until the very last minute, but it was the Eagles who left the court with the win after eight ties and 14 lead changes. The Judges’ offense struggled for a while in the early minutes,which led to some turnovers and a scoring drought until center Casey Perry ’24 drew a foul and sank both free throws. Brandeis did their job on the defensive end, and Francesca Marchese' 23 gave the Judges their After that, both teams traded buckets in their unique ways. The Judges stayed physical and made the penalty shots awarded, while the Eagles cut and found open shots. Both teams stacked up fouls quickly
entered another scoring drought offensively. The Eagles seized the opportunity and went on a critical
Nevertheless, the Judges continued to struggle against the Eagles’ defense. The Eagles found their way down the stretch against Brandeis, and a late turnover shut the door throw battle, giving the Eagles their sixth win of this UAA season. The Casanueva, as usual, led the
entered halftime trailing by just Coming out of halftime, Casanueva found Marchese off a beautiful backdoor cut to open up the quarter for the Judges. The Judges collected offensive rebounds and put them back. After that, the game became physical, and the Yellowjackets took advantage of that by exploiting their size advantage to get some buckets in the lane. Reavis topped off a tough something going for the Judges, but the Yellowjackets outscored the
The Judges improved their game
quarter and pulled away. Macy Arsenault ’24 started the fourth quarter for the Judges with a corner three with a hand in her face. Gresko and Casanueva tried to make things happen with another
the Emory Eagles after a blowout during the last matchup. Moving onto hosting the University of Rochester Yellowjackets on Sunday, the Brandeis Judges held their ground
the foul, but the Yellowjackets continued to attack the paint and got rewarded easily. The Judges could not hold the Yellowjackets off as both teams traded buckets down the stretch. The University
job done.
out their defensive rotation this game and sank their shots from the perimeter, and they left the
collected six rebounds. Meanwhile, sheet with 11 points, six rebounds,
started off the Judges offense and on her own. The Yellowjackets
took advantage by cashing off some
Reavis stayed hot as she scored
Brandeis hustled and remained
Meanwhile, the Judges stuck with
at halftime. After the break, the Judges altered their plan and attacked the baseline with determination. Kerry Tanke ’22 made a tough layup. A classic trifecta from captain Camila Casanueva ’22
Casanueva and Perry, which continued to work in the early periods as they did on the road. Rochester ran their offense around
back on top. Defensively, Brandeis matched the shooters better but
double watch with 12 points and
to the game. The Judges concluded
established their lead. The Judges closed the gap with rugged defense and four straight free throws made by Tathiana Pierre ’23. Brandeis
another road trip visiting Carnegie Mellon and Case Western Reserve University.
February September7, 12,2022 2017
Vol. LXXIV Vol. LXX #2 #16
just
arts & culture
just
Waltham, Mass.
Images: Duomi Amy Chen/the Justice, Creative Commons. Design: Jack Yuanwei Cheng/the Justice.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 I ARTS & CULTURE JUSTICE THE JUSTICE | ARTS | TUESDAY, JANUARYI THE 31, 2017
PHOTO STORY
Editors’ favorite photos: By MEGAN LIAO
EDITOR IN CHIEF’S PICK
JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
PHOTO EDITOR’S PICK
JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice
CHA-CHA-REAL-SMOOTH: “24-Hour Musicals are a Brandeis cult classic. It is fast-paced and chaotic in the best way.”
SOFIA GONZALEZ/the Justice
OLAF WANNABE: “After a long day of snow, it’s always interesting to see what students come up with.”
ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR’S PICK
MEGAN LIAO/the Justice
TURKEYS: “I always wonder who I should call: Public Safety, or Sherman.”
SENIOR EDITOR’S PICK
GILDA GEIST/the Justice
BUNNY: “This bunny is one of many animals that visited campus to help students unwind during finals season at the end of the spring 2019 semester.”
SPORTS EDITOR’S PICK
FEATURES EDITOR’S PICK
NATALIE KAHN/the Justice
SLOW SHUTTER: “Bored on the BranVan + long exposure camera = free light show on Main Street.”
Design: Megan Liao/the Justice
TAKU HAGIWARA/the Justice
DAWGS: “I wonder what they’re up to at this moment.”
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 I ARTS & CULTURE I THE JUSTICE
THE JUSTICE | ARTS | TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017
AWARDS
Black woman for Best Actress: a necessary step for the Academy Awards
Photo Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
RACISM: The Oscars has been associated with and criticized for its lack of racial inclusivity.
By JASON FRANK JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
The Oscar nominations come out today, Tuesday, Feb. 8, which means that as I’m writing this a few days before publication, I don’t know the full list of nominations. While I’m not in the business of predictions, one thing I feel comfortable saying is that there will be a maximum of one Black woman nominated for Best Actress, and if she is nominated, she won’t win. That woman, if she is nominated, will be Jennifer Hudson for her role as Aretha Franklin in “Respect.” “Respect” is typical biopic fare, portraying Franklin’s life story from the time she was 10 through the recording of her 1972 gospel album, “Amazing Grace.” Hudson is very good in it: tender when she needs to be and strong when she needs to be. Her voice, as always, soars. However, even if she is nominated, it will be another example in a long line of iconic Black actresses who never win leading awards. Over the past 15 years, six Black women have won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique for “Precious” in 2009, Octavia Spencer for “The Help” in 2011, Lupita Nyong’o for “12 Years a Slave” in 2013, Viola Davis for “Fences” in 2016,
Regina King for “If Beale Street Could Talk” in 2018, and Hudson herself, 15 years ago in 2006, for her role in “Dreamgirls.” Over that time, not a single Black woman has won the Best Actress award. In fact, only one Black woman has ever won for Best Actress: Halle Berry for her 2001 performance in “Monster’s Ball.” As she gave her speech, Berry was famously verklempt. Through sobs, she listed the names of iconic Black actresses before her, then transitioned into listing the names of her current Black actress peers. It was clear that Berry saw herself as the potential first moment in a movement where Black women could be recognized for their talents as leads, not just as supporting characters. As Berry herself noted in 2016, that has not happened. The Academy is only comfortable with Black actresses being recognized for their work as supporting characters in film. It’s been this way for as long as the awards have run. In fact, the first Oscar ever won by a Black person was won in the Supporting Actress category — Hattie McDaniel for her role as Mammy in the 1939 film, “Gone with the Wind.” That role placed McDaniel as a stereotypical
“comforting” slave to its romantic lead, Scarlett O’Hara. Though the win was historic, the role did not challenge any existant comfort among white filmgoers in regards to slavery or Black womanhood. The difference between when the Academy was ready to award Black women in its two categories for actresses (1939 for McDaniel 2002 for Berry) shows how easy it was for the Academy to see Black women as worthwhile supporters of whiteness, but how hard it was for them to see Black women on their own terms. Though it’s easy to chalk the disparity up to the lack of roles for Black women in major motion pictures during this time, that critique doesn’t tell the whole story. While getting Black women leading roles is and was a challenge unto itself, there have absolutely been times when leading Black actresses could have and should have won the trophy. Whoopi Goldberg’s role as Celie in 1985’s “The Color Purple” is of particular note here. Goldberg’s turn as Celie was universally acclaimed. Roger Ebert went as far, in his review of the movie, to say, “Here is this year’s winner of the Academy Award for best actress.” She wasn’t. Goldberg lost to Geraldine Page, a white woman, for a film few remember
called “A Trip to Bountiful,” largely due to her lack of previous wins. Goldberg’s potentially historic win for Best Actress was pushed aside in favor of awarding Page because Page’s story of losing seven previous Oscars was seen as more significant than Goldberg’s story or performance. The Academy did award Goldberg later, for 1990’s “Ghost,” a movie where she plays a medium helping a white woman talk to her dead, white husband. It was, of course, a supporting role. It’s relatively common for actors to win Oscars not for their best performances, but for a performance that comes at the right time. Julianne Moore was largely perceived as “overdue” for an Oscar win by the time she won Best Leading Actress for her role in “Still Alice” in 2014. Kate Winslet had lost the Oscar five times before the time she won for 2008’s “The Reader.” Both “Still Alice” and “The Reader” are good enough movies, but neither actress gives her all-time best performance in either. It was simply time for them to win. Yet, it never seems to be “time” for great Black actresses to win Leading Actress. Instead, they are either overlooked completely, as Cicely Tyson was before she passed away last year without ever winning a competitive award, or shoved into the Supporting Actress category, whether the role warrants it or
not. Viola Davis won Best Supporting Actress in 2016 for her role as Rose Lee Maxon in “Fences.” This was surprising, not because she didn’t deserve to win, but because the role is clearly a lead. In fact, Davis had already won a Tony award for her performance as Rose on Broadway, where she was in the leading category. Unfortunately for Davis, it was perceived as impossible for her to win against Emma Stone’s performance in “La La Land” that year, despite Davis’ performance being better on virtually every metric. So, instead, Davis was campaigned in the supporting category, because the white ingenue was simply impossible to beat. The same situation happened to Hudson herself when she won the supporting award for “Dreamgirls,” where she played Effie White, a role that had won Jennifer Holliday, who originated the role on Broadway, a Tony in the leading category. If the Oscars have nominated Jennifer Hudson in the leading category by the time you’re reading this (and it’s no guarantee they’ll even have Hudson), I can confidently say she will not win. It’s clear that the Academy cannot comprehend Black women as among the best leading performances of the year, and that is not due to their performances, but the Academy’s racism.
Photo Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
“RESPECT”: Jennifer Hudson plays Aretha Franklin, a music icon in search of her voice.
HOROSCOPE
Weekly horoscope By MIRANDA SULLIVAN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
Capricorn
Take the time to be in nature this week. Even if for only a minute, allow yourself to connect with the natural world around you. Today: take some pictures.
Aquarius
Take the time to read that novel you’ve been meaning to start. You won’t regret it. Today: treat yourself.
Pisces
This week animals will be there for you. Get them a nice treat, or go for an extra long walk. Today: dessert before dinner.
Aries Photo Coutesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
Aquarius are known to be quirky, but don’t let that stop you from getting to know your sweet personalities!
Design: Megan Liao/the Justice
You need to FOCUS this week. Don’t let the long slog of the semester get you down. You’re almost ready for Febru-
ary break. Today: put your feet up.
your support to those who are worthy. Today: dance it out.
Take the time to make a nice meal this week. You are what you eat! How about a nice stew? Today: call a friend.
Make comfort your priority this week but don’t indulge too much. Stay alert and you’ll be just fine. Today: cozy at home.
Taurus
Gemini
You have been a workaholic lately, and not because you’re not busy. You should set aside time this week to meditate or relax with a good book. Today: watch out for falling objects.
Cancer
The stars are telling me you may run into one of them — no not space material …a famous person! If you do run into a celebrity, from A list to Z list, be sure to snag a picture with them. Today: study.
Leo
This week, be sure to listen closely to any new music of your favorite artists. Show
Virgo
Libra
This week be sure to stay active… get those endorphins rolling! It’s cold out, so be sure to bundle up. Today: spa time.
Scorpio
Be sure to take as many opportunities as possibly this week to practice gratitude. What you give is what you get. You know what is best. Today: a trip to the zoo.
Sagittarius
Be spontaneous this week and do something slightly outside of your comfort zone, but within the confines of general safety for you and those around you. Today: take the L.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022 I ARTS & CULTURE I THE JUSTICE
STAFF’S Top Ten
JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice
Top Ten Locomotives By Max Feigelson
JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Indisputably, trains are amazing. They are the fundamental type of transportation for moving people and goods in a way that is the most sustainable, efficient, and, in my opinion, stylish. One of my favorite simple pleasures is watching a train pull into a crowded station. 1. EMD E8A –- Erie 2. EMD SD60 –- NYSW 3. GE Dash C40-8 –- CSX 4. EMD SD45 –- Erie Lackawanna 5. EMD GP38-2 –- Middletown & New Jersey 6. GE ES44AC –- Canadian Pacific 7. Siemens ACS-64 –- Amtrak 8. GE Genesis P32AC-DM –- MTA 9. Bombardier ALP-45DP –- NJT 10. GMD GP40MC –- MBTA
Samantha Goldman/the Justice
CROSSWORD 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
10
11
12
14 17
8
13
15
16
18
19 20
21
22 23
24
25
28
26
27
29
30
31
32 33 34 35 37
36
38 39 40
41
42
25. farm friend
2. best ___
26. hard, or dog sound
4. home base, in a sense
28. what you do after a
7. so fun to do this!
successful ask for scraps
9. rodent friend
29. so delicious!
11. no one likes this kind
31. canine friend
of dog
32. big boy dog
13. common dog name
35. fluffy friend
15. over and over again
37. ow! why’d you do that?
16. hydrant use
(that)
17. not jog, not sprint
40. what tethers you to
18. dog name
your furry friend
19. bad disease to get
42. feline friend
20. for a good boy
43. not a friend but a ___
23. happens when pets are 44. not stand
43 44
46
Across
45
47
wet
46. what a dog enemy
24. mysterious cat walk
carries
away
47. water serving size
MIRANDA SULLIVAN/the Justice
Down
1. something to trim 2. ask for scraps 3. kind of like bitcoin 5. cute print 6. cat sound 7. dream pet 8. cat sensors 10. throw it to catch 12. walk for horses 13. scratchy ones 14. milky friend 21. not walk, not jog 22. says who your pet is in case of an emergency
MIRANDA SULLIVAN/the Justice
23. not go 24. chewing thing from trees 27. feeding thing 30. begging sound 33. swimmy pet 34. dog doc 36. things that perk up 37. necessary for playtime and groups 38. dino lingo 39. come back 41. angry cat 42. what goes around pets’ necks 45. blood suckers
