Issue 11, Fall 2020 - The Quadrangle

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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MANHATTAN COLLEGE | SINCE 1924

Volume CII, Issue 11

NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 10, 2020

FREE

A Quadrangle Special Issue:

Opinions & Editorials

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the Quadrangle Volume CII, Issue 11 NOVEMBER 10, 2020

The Editorial Board Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief

Maria Thomas News Editor

Nicole Fitzsimmons Anna Woods Asst. News Editors

Alexa Schmidt Arts & Entertainment Editor Managing Editor

Jilleen Barrett Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor

Christine Nappi Features Editor Pete Janny Sports Editor Managing Editor C. Garrett Keidel Social Media Editor Brian Asare Photography Editor

Whit Anderson Asst. Sports Editor Samantha Walla Production Manager Emily Hollar Asst. Photography Editor Asst. Production Editor

Kelly Kennedy Nicole Rodriguez Asst. Production Editor Madalyn Johnson Katherine Heneghan Web Editors

About The Quadrangle A tradition since 1924, The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan College. We strive to cover news around campus and the greater community, publishing weekly in print and daily online. Our goal is always accuracy, relevancy and professionalism.

The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.

Join The Quadrangle The Quadrangle’s staff holds weekly open meetings on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. via Google Meet.

All are welcome to come and join the club.

Connect with The Quadrangle

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THE QUADRANGLE

LET T ER from The Editor Dear Readers, Welcome to The Quadrangle’s special issue for the semester: The Social Justice Issue.

Our spring semester special issue was the social issue, covering the social life, unique dynamics and relationships that Jaspers have. Inspired by a summer of widespread activism and the personal interests of our writers, we decided on the social justice issue, covering another side of the unique dynamics and experiences college communities have in relationship to others and the world at large. This issue navigates Jaspers’ commitment to community engagement, feminism, social justice in the arts, racial justice and true equity at a particularly unique time in our country’s history.

It is important to me that I note that this issue has been in the works since our August brainstorming session and our writers have been passionate about working together on this since we conceived the idea. Their work is ever-brilliant and I am evergrateful for our talented production team.

In September, I finally watched NBC’s “The Good Place,” a show that centers on questions of human ethics and morality. At one point, one of the main characters, Chidi Anagonye, a moral philosophy professor, argues, “We choose to be good because of our bonds with other people and our innate desire to treat them with dignity. Simply put, we are not in this alone.”

This quote has been bouncing around in my mind since I heard it, and I think, in some way, that is what drives me as a journalist, and drives my peers who worked on this issue. We are not in this alone. In a time where people may feel isolated or divided, it is important to remember that we are always acting in community.

In classes I have taken, I have listened to people arguing about whether or not humans are inherently good or bad. I choose to believe that people are inherently good, inherently inclined to help others, inherently inclined to make each other better. I believe that to be true, and seeing all of the great work Jaspers are doing that have been covered in this issue, I have more hope in that belief.

Go forth and do good, readers, and remember: we are not in this alone.

Sincerely,

Gabriella DePinho

Editor-in-Chief

SUBMIT YOUR OWN LET T ER OR OP-ED Letters to the Editor or an op-ed may be submitted to thequad@manhattan.edu by Saturday at noon to be considered for publication. Profanity, vulgarity and hate will not be published. The Quadrangle reserves the right not to publish a letter.

News

NOVEMBER 10, 2020

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The Role of Feminism on MC’s Campus Nicole Fitzsimmons & Zoe DeFazio Asst. News/Features Editor &Staff Writer

Manhattan College accepted its first women undergraduate students in 1973, after 120 years of being an established institution. Nearly 47 years later, the question still remains: has the college yielded a place where women and men can thrive at the same levels, inside and outside of the classroom?

Classes, faculty and programs at Manhattan College help establish an atmosphere of equality by teaching students about the importance of feminism, especially on a college campus. Being a largely male-dominated institution for decades, this is a valuable way to start the conversation of gender in the classroom.

Deidre O’Leary, associate professor of English, is currently teaching a First Year Seminar class titled “Other Women’s Voices: Intersectional Feminism and Reckoning with Authority.” In this class, students have been tackling issues of discrimination and about how many women’s voices have been left out of larger political debates over suffrage, representation, pay equality, gender discrimination and other issues.

“I think that college, ideally, especially small seminar classes in college, are about challenging some ideas you might have had before or some preconceived notions,” O’Leary said. “I hope that in my classes, students are really forced to reckon with and really interrogate some of the beliefs that they may have had, or ideas they may have had about such topics as gender, sexuality, hegemony, patriarchy.”

Such discussions promote healthy conversations about topics that are sometimes not discussed in depth outside of the classroom. Educating students about intersectionality and larger issues of gender equality is important in almost every environment. Besides classes that are centered around issues of gender equality, other classroom discussions sometimes also allow for discourse where students can begin to challenge their own ideas and learn more about the world and social structures around them.

“In different classes where someone will make a blanket statement about a personality

Just one of the many signs that hang around the LWGRC. ZOE DEFAZIO / THE QUADRANGLE or will say something in the class that comes from a position of privilege, that student needs to be reminded that he or she is the beneficiary of certain privileges related to race, gender, sexuality, economic class, etc,” O’Leary said. “And sometimes, they’re very receptive to that, sometimes not. But those moments can be sometimes tense, but necessary.”

Christina Trichilo, junior psychology major and intern at the Lasallian Women Gender Resource Center has observed that inside the classroom, feminism has been growing during the few years she has been at the college through classes in many different departments teaching about the intersectionality of feminism. Many of these classes are offered through the women and gender studies minor (WAGS) under the coordination of assistant professor of history, Nefertiti Takla.

“Professors like Stephanie Day-Powell, Natalia Imperatori-Lee and Jordan Pascoe are a few examples of professor who have taught me to expand my feminist thought throughout different subjects” said Trichilo. “Their classes have taught me to view feminism through an intersectional frame, this means including one’s race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and other social or political identities to observe how they operate together and heighten each other.”

Outside of the classroom, issues surrounding gender seem to be less talked about on a daily basis. However, students and faculty at Manhattan College have been working to change this and place the topic of feminism on a greater scale in the lives of students.

Ashley Cross, an English professor, has played an influential role in making sure feminism is present on campus, and is the faculty co-Director of the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center on campus. Cross works with students to discuss issues of gender equality on campus, and provide resources to help establish an inclusive atmosphere for all identities.

Cross plans to use her role as a faculty member to impact the way the college community views and discusses gender.

Many of the classes she teaches emphasize the importance of education about these issues.

Her classroom, along with other faculty members who teach about these issues, encourage open discussion and education about gender and issues like toxic masculinity, even in circumstances where different ideas are being challenged.

“I tend to think of toxic masculinity, when it expresses itself, is primarily when someone feels threatened,” Cross said. “That is not the only time, but it manifests itself in really dangerous ways when one feels threatened. And, I think the way I would address it in the classroom would be to try to talk about different alternative masculinities and to not let a male student dominate other women, or to assert the kind of angry, aggressive self that that toxic masculinity requires.”

However, Cross also recognizes that although there are numerous areas of campus where these issues are largely ignored and rarely tackled, change is not immediate.

Through programs like the Women and Gender Studies minor, the presence of femi-

nism on campus is placed in the minds of students, and in the community itself.

“One of the things that is really great about the women and gender studies minor is that there is a real cohort, it’s very visible now that there is a group of faculty, women and men, who are working on gender and sexuality issues and that we do it not only in our classrooms, but our research is about that.” Cross said. “Right, that our professional work is about those issues, gender and sexuality issues as well. I think it helps to create an environment in which feminism is seen as a viable and valuable way of being and acting, and a political project that is on-going.”

Groups like the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center provide a place for students to learn and be active in these issues. This inclusive environment showcases the true Lasallian values that Manhattan College holds highest: faith in the presence of God, respect for all people, quality education, inclusive community and concern for the poor and social justice.

Christina Trichilo emphasizes the value that the center has had on helping to grow the presence of feminism at Manhattan in the lives of students.

“For the presence of feminism outside of the classroom,

I also think it’s strengthening,” Trichilo said. “With the creation of the Lasallian Women and Gender Center two years ago, students and professors have been working together to create various events committed to educating students on intersectional feminism.”

The role of feminism on the Manhattan College campus is still growing. Students and faculty have been working together to enhance an atmosphere of equality and inclusivity, whether that be during class or outside the classroom. Despite originating as a patriarchal structure — only providing education to men, like so many other collegiate institutions — the work of the students and faculty at Manhattan has already begun to shift sexist ideas in the minds of people on campus. The work, however, is definitely not done.

“Maybe I’m old school in this way but I do believe that you have to start first with people’s thinking about things,” said Cross. “Right? Get people to see things differently, then look at them differently, and then they can begin to change.”

The room for the LWGRC includes many paintings of powerful women.

ZOE DEFAZIO / THE QUADRANGLE

News

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THE QUADRANGLE

Surge of On-Campus Summer Activism Continues On Gabriella DePinho Editor-in-Chief

The summer months saw a number of grassroots activist movements from Black Lives Matter to voter registration movements like no other, even amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, and that activism even touched Manhattan College’s community. That wave of enthusiasm around a number of social justice initiatives was particularly passionate this summer, but that passion has not left the Jasper community.

Instead, Jaspers have put their heads down and together, gotten to work.

One body that has been actively working and meeting has been The Diversity Council, which was first announced to the college community in June.

According to Sheetale Kale, the college’s chief Title IX coordinator and director of equity and diversity, who is also member of the council’s steering committee, the Diversity Council had already been in the works for quite some time, from as early as late 2019 or early 2020.

“We had all these grand plans to attend all these equity in education conferences, which of course got sidetracked by the pandemic, and then George Floyd was killed and it became, I don’t want to say an institutional priority because it was and always should have been an institutional priority, but it became fast tracked as an institutional priority,” Kale said.

The council, which planned for a fall announcement, instead got to work much earlier.

The Diversity Council is focused on equity, diversity and inclusion across a number of identities but its primary focus at the moment is racial equity and justice.

Now, the council has five working groups to address multiple facets of equity work, which all have staff faculty representatives on all of them.

The subcommittees are looking at ways to make curriculum more inclusive, increased recruitment and retention of minority students and faculty or staff, addressing campus climate, increasing community engagement with Bronx partners and diversifying donors so the college does not rely on a few wealthy alumni. All subcommittees, with the exception of the committee looking at staffing policies, have student representatives on them.

“I know there have been rumblings of whether or not the work we’re doing is performative or whether or not we’re representative enough of the

student voice and both of those things are things that I take very seriously and I am doing my best to make sure that we are doing neither of those things,” Kale said.

As of right now, the working groups and subcommittees are creating lists of recommendations for the college in the relevant areas of their work and are making plans for future semesters. Kale describes the process as taking a “scalpel” to each process and policy in the college and slowly moving the needle in a more inclusive, diverse and equitable direction.

DeVaughn Harris, a junior and student government’s vice president of residential affairs, is one of the students on the council. He is the chair of the Student Life subcommittee and used his role as an opportunity to bring more students into the conversation.

“One of the first things for me was getting representation, so I brought up the idea of compiling a board of students to serve on the student life subcommittee so I thought we need more people on here because my experience alone doesn’t do much for the conversations the Diversity Council is planning on having,” Harris said. “I can only bring a limited amount of experience to the conversation and I didn’t feel right with it just being me so I put together a pretty diverse subcommittee. My goal going in was to get a representative from each known, diverse community on campus so different experiences can be brought to the conversation.”

In both a council and student government role, he even served as a moderator for the Aramark panel that happened earlier this fall. Harris is grateful to have had that conversation, and others, about Aramark and other student concerns, but recognizes that it can be frustrating.

“The frustrating part comes in where you have all these conversations but nothing really follows from them so it’s like well what are we having these conversations for?” he said. “So I’m trying my best to work to make sure people are not only heard but listened to and it’s been kind of frustrating from the beginning but the working groups that we’re in, we’re definitely making headway.”

Some of what the Diversity Council is trying to do is to listen to, collaborate with and incorporate the goals of other activists on campus.

Kale has said the college has been in conversation with local artists about more representative art on campus, including a possibility of a Black ex-

cellence mural, which stemmed from a list of demands the BSU released over the summer.

The list of demands not only included a Black excellence mural, but also a space on campus, a $10,000 quarterly budget, mentoring programs for first-year Black students, more Black students hired for on-campus work positions, prioritizing conversations of diversity and equity at orientation, academic networking for students of color, an increase in African American faculty at the college, regular meetings between students of color and administrators, and an action plan to address on campus hate and discrimination.

The Quadrangle initially reported on the list of demands being released and sources confirmed that “some of the demands have been met” but none were specified at the time of reporting.

In a recent email correspondence with Ashley Baptiste, the BSU’s vice president, wrote “We are currently in the works of obtaining a physical space on campus, where students will be able to visit and eventually where meetings will be conducted. Having a space is essential for the club and its future on campus.” If Baptiste means the space will solely be BSU’s space, then the club’s first demand of having their own, marked campus space will be met.

She did not provide The Quadrangle with specific updates on the status of the demands that have been or are in the process of being met, just that “as a club we are on the right track to achieving some of our goals” but “there still is work to be done, especially with the assistance and accountability from the administration.”

Baptiste did hint that updates would be shared soon, writing, “stay tuned for BSU programming that addresses these questions in a more appropriate arena.”

In general, beyond the demands, the BSU has been active creating community for Black students and raising awareness about relevant issues.

“This semester we have held virtual meetings and events ranging in different topics,” Baptiste wrote. “We have had a few laid back events such as movie and game nights, but we have also had discussion-based events such as our Black Love talk and our upcoming event with the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center.”

Another campus activist initiative was the “Statement Against Institutional Racism at Manhattan College” which was

initially penned and co-signed

by David Witzling, the program director for the critical race and ethnic studies (CRES) and an associate professor of English, and 13 other faculty. This statement was spread by faculty and alumni over the summer months as well and Witzling, who now serves on a Diversity Council subcommittee has found that the council has taken some of the stated goals of the statement into consideration.

“I would say the area where we’re starting to make progress is in affecting the curriculum,” Witzling said. “There is widespread awareness among the faculty of the whole college that students can go through their four year program without enough exposure to ideas and knowledge that would help them understand racial injustice and combat racial injustice, so there is a desire to see where more coursework on the lives and histories of BIPOC communities can be fit in. The conversations are at least happening.”

Though not every goal from the statement may be realized, Witzling felt writing and spreading the statement was important.

“We thought it was important to stand in solidarity with students on campus who are protesting the racial injustice that’s damaging people’s lives right now and with the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests that were doing the same so that was the initial impetus to put out the statement,” Witzling said. “Creating a sense of inclusivity for all students is certainly important and valuable but we wanted to make a strong statement that a commitment to racial justice is different from that and it’s something the campus needs to do right now.”

In addition to the CRES statement, some students and alumni penned resolutions that were seeking support from alumni, faculty, staff and current students alike.

A resolution “On The Renaming of the Raymond W. Kelly ‘63 Student Commons Building” co-authored by Ireland Twiggs ‘21, Rabea Ali ’20 ’22, Daniel Aguirre ‘19 ‘20 and Liam Moran ‘20 has received signatures from 696 individuals — including students, alumni and faculty — and 42 campus groups. The resolution insists that the building should be renamed because as the 41st Commissioner of the New York Police Department, Kelly escalated stop and frisk, which was proven to be a racially biased, unconstitutional policy and that as a Lasallian institution,

the college should change the name because of a needful “commitment to nurturing the need for a recognition of human dignity in our community and to create a safe space for all.”

An instagram page @mc_ renamecommons popped up, with its first post on Sept. 3, to inform followers about the reasoning behind the desire to rename the building, as well as host easy access to the resolution link.

The name of the building was also originally protested by students at the time the building was being constructed and opened to the public by students who were opposed to his actions against Muslims in New York City.

Co-author Ali, who is also a graduate assistant for the Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center, told The Quadrangle that the group is “enlisting a larger group to better represent these cohorts [various supporting groups] in the work forward” and is grateful for the initial support.

“We are currently pivoting towards a more two-fold model to represent alumni and students in taking the matter forward with the administration, while recognizing that there are more fights to be had and work to be done,” Ali wrote.

“The resolution was a first step of many and we intend to see it through its proper channels while also recognizing that other channels may serve us better.”

Additionally, Kerry Cavanagh ‘20 and Brandon Martinez ‘20 co-authored a resolution to end Manhattan College’s new, 20-year contract with Aramark Corporation, citing concerns of ethics, quality of service, fairness to staff, and other such issues. This resolution garnered 617 signatures from students, alumni, staff and non-Manhattan College community members.

The Quadrangle did not receive a response to multiple requests for comment from Cavanagh and Martinez and was therefore unable to verify the current status of the resolution.

While different members of the college community are working on their initiatives, whether individually or coming together to combine, the most important thing is that those passionate for change don’t stop working for it.

“I think students have been really proactive and I appreciate — being a student and a student leader — seeing my peers have that zeal for mobilizing,” Harris said. “It’s really cool to see.”

Features

NOVEMBER 10, 2020

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E3MC Provides “Life-Changing” Education on Social Injustices in the Prison System Jilleen Barrett & Kelly Cwik Asst. A&E Editor & Contributor

The Engaging, Empowering, Educating Means Change program — also known as E3MC — is bringing the Manhattan College education into prisons.

The program, run by Andrew Skotnicki, Ph.D, gives professors and students across all five schools the unique opportunity to experience MC courses inside the Rikers Island and Westchester County correctional centers, alongside inmates who are also taking these courses. Skotnicki teaches one course, Ethics in Criminal Justice, and tries to recruit other professors to teach others.

E3MC coordinator and MC alum Elizabeth Stenson explained the course looked different this semester due to COVID-19, but was still held virtually.

All of the incarcerated students were able to get access to computers to learn remotely this semester, which meant that students did not get the same experience as Stenson but still got some semblance of what the class meant.

Stenson took the class during her undergraduate years at Manhattan and changed her major to accommodate the program into her schedule.She saw another side to the justice system when she realized how

it disproportionately marginalized groups.

affects

“You can read about these issues (such as social justice) and fully believe that everything that’s happening right now is wrong, but until these people become your people you don’t feel how heavy these problems actually are,” she wrote in a follow-up email. “These personal connections make me want to fight harder and stronger for these communities ... To put it simply, I would say this course took me from being just a white ally to being an accomplice.”

This was pertinent particularly because Skotnicki is not working on campus this semester, but still wanted to provide the opportunity of taking the class to any MC students and inmates who wanted it. Skotnicki sees a certain importance in educating inmates as he knows many of them never had the chance to go to college. He also knows that many students have no perception of what being incarcerated looks like.

“I know lifelong New Yorkers who have never set their foot in Brownsville or East New York or the South Bronx,” he said. “So I think it’s essential to our students that only see what goes on inside our jails, also see that the people that we lock away and brand as being less worthy of love and care and support and opportunity, that they are not only just as smart and as good as we are, but sometimes even better than because as they’ve suffered,

The program, run by Andrew Skotnicki, Ph.D, gives professors and students the unique opportunity to experience MC courses inside the Rikers Island and Westchester correctional centers, alongside inmates who are also taking these courses.

ANDREW SKOTNICKI / COURTESY they’ve matured.”

Stenson agreed, citing that the class has a certain aspect of it that strongly correlates with social justice. She and Skotnicki believe that everyone, regardless of a criminal record, deserves an equal chance at an education.

“We’ve constructed courses that not only play upon the strings of the individual professor, but tailor it to an audience of captive human beings,” Skotnicki said. “And so my task is no matter what we’re teaching — whether it’s physics, astronomy, or Shakespeare — to try to bend the curriculum a little bit to help shed some light upon the nature of what we do to our poorest citizens who are

Devon Greene, alumni and participant of the program, took advantage of the full scholarship to the college that the program entitled him to and earned his bachelor’s degree.

DEVON GREENE / COURTESY

inevitably the people who end up in our jails.”

Stenson personally knew Devon Greene, who participated in the program while in prison. After he was released, he took advantage of the full scholarship to the college that the program entitled him to and earned his bachelor’s degree. He spoke to AM New York about this experience.

“I am still in disbelief,” Green said. “People coming from incarceration aren’t supposed to obtain a bachelor’s degree. You helping us, formerly incarcerated individuals, is much needed and appreciated and we’ll continue to progress in life as a result. People think that education in order to get a job is what’s so important about helping the incarcerated. But it’s the mental connections we make that have and continue to reshape how we think.”

Ben Bagbek, a junior double majoring in environmental economics and political science, took the class and feels the program is not only life changing, but beneficial for students in that it demonstrates what it is like to be incarcerated.

“I was able to talk to people my age that were inside the prison systems, seeing their perspective and learning about their backgrounds humbled me … it was amazing,” he said. “They’re the funniest people, they can find humor in anything. Talking about the material with them and hearing their passion is amazing. It’s unfortunate that they do not have the same opportunities as I do. It’s all about perspective and where you’re from, I noticed how much was out of their hands and how we as a

society uphold discriminatory judicial processes.”

Skotnicki further explained the social injustice that carries less fortunate people into the prison system.

“It’s a form of social death, it is, we never stopped punishing people ... we sweep people away, and particularly we sweep away the minority poor,” he said. “And it’s not a question of these people are more criminal than the average Manhattan College students, they’re locked up because they’re poor, because they have no economic clout, no political clout.”

Bagbek also noted how the class changed the futures of the inmates as the program grants anyone within the prison who passes the course a full ride to the college once they’re released. Stenson explained, however, that many of them do not end up fulfilling the requirements for a degree.

“Students who plan to take this course should know the good that they’re doing,” she said. “It is unfortunate that a big majority of these scholarships remain unfulfilled by these students … you’re giving these students the opportunity they never had to change their life, to obtain a high quality education they previously could not have obtained.”

Skotnicki agreed, saying he believes it influences the lives of everyone involved.

“I can’t determine just exactly what impact it has on [the MC students] view of our society and their particular role and responsibility,” he said. “But what I can tell you is that we’ve had dozens of students who have had career changes as a result of taking the class.”

Features

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THE QUADRANGLE

Going Green with Campus Climate Activists Jocelyn Visnov & Adrianne Hutto Staff Writers

Repping some Jasper pride isn’t the only way to “go green” this year. Manhattan College has a host of students and faculty members who are passionate about promoting environmental sustainability both on and off campus. Even the difficulties of hybrid learning could not stop our staff and students in their fight for climate justice and environmental awareness.

Student involvement has largely been the support system for climate justice on campus. Mary Stahl is one of the students involved in promoting environmental activism. This year, under the environmental studies program, she created the Environmental Newsletter which helps to inform and connect interested students to on campus clubs and events, issues happening here in New York City, the environmental work being done by students, and any other interesting information under the umbrella of environmental activism.

The newsletter aims to unite clubs on campus by promoting environmental events and aims to get students more involved by allowing them to share their experiences and knowledge. The newsletter’s reach has been positive, allowing for more events on campus.

“The feedback from the Environmental Newsletter has been very positive, students have responded well to being able to see everything going on at MC, but also it allows alumni to see what jobs may be an option for them, and see NYC events that could enrich their classes and interests,” Stahl said.

Upcoming events that can be found in the Environmental Newsletter include Sustainable Food Week, which is from Nov. 9 to 13. This will consist of a week-long food drive and fundraiser for the local Community Fridge (@thefriendlyfridgebox), food scrap drop-off and break down days, panels with

Student activists often get involved with initiatives in Van Cortlandt Park, in the backyard of Manhattan College.

MARY STAHL / COURTESY Manhattan College faculty, a panel on Feeding the Bronx Community and another on Urban and Rural Farming, as well as other events still in the planning process.

During Sustainable Food Week students can bring food scraps to help contribute to compost. Compostable waste includes, but is not limited to, fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags and eggshells.

“Composting is one I am working for right now, trying the get Locke’s to compost their food scraps as well as allow students to drop off food scraps at a designated site where they can be composted with the landscaping scraps from the campus, and used on our rooftop garden and for our other plantings on campus,” Stahl said. “This has been done before here on campus, but it has received some resistance.”

Dylan Kadish, an environmental studies major, is another member of the student body who is devoted to promoting climate justice and environmental policy.

“The Manhattan College student body should be excited about the future of sustainability,” Kadish said. “Whether you’re a business, science, engineering, or sociology major, there is a vital connection that

Rooftop Garden where produce is grown and harvested.

MARY STAHL / COURTESY

you can make to sustainability.”

Since late in the summer, Kadish has become involved with the Jessica4NYC campaign for the city council. After giving a presentation to the Bronx Council for Environmental Equality, Jessica Haller, a political candidate and climate activist, reached out to Kadish and he shortly became part of their team. Since then, he has helped research and construct more than 10 policies for the campaign.

“I have had a great experience working with the campaign,” Kadish said. “It has given me leadership experience, as I led about 15 other interns throughout the summer regarding policy research. It has given me research experience, policy writing experience, and public relations [and] communications experience.”

Although Kadish is remote this semester, his favorite thing to do on campus is go to the rooftop garden. For those attending classes in-person this semester, Kadish shares some simple advice on how students can be more environmentally aware.

“Before you buy something, ask if you really need the item,” he said. “If you do, ask yourself if it’s reusable or sustainable. If either of the answers are no, find a different

thing– sustainable options are everywhere.”

Julian Silverman, an assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, is very involved in environmental activism both on and off campus. He works with students on projects that allow them to utilize their knowledge of biology and chemistry to create projects that promote sustainability. He also works with the Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability, which aims to bring scientific research, social science analysis, and engineering expertise together within the sphere of environmental activism. CURES has a Manhattan College branch which lists events, projects, jobs, and internships on Manhattan College’s website.

Silverman will also teach a 200-level course next semester, Environmental Science, which invites students from engineering and the humanities to look at the safety and sustainability of chemicals. This class allows students to look at and decide if products are actually green and sustainable, while also keeping in mind the price of products.

Robin Lovell, Ph.D, has worked hands-on with several environmental awareness organizations on campus. As a professor of the geography and sociology departments, Lovell

provides students with additional knowledge and advice from an expert in the field.

“I try to show up to as many club meetings and organizational meetings so that I can be of help and guidance there,” Lovell said. “I also have students working directly for me on research, trying to help them build job skills and professional skills to make a difference when they graduate and even before they graduate.”

While Lovell enjoys helping out and getting students involved, its MC students that take the lead in improving sustainability practices and increasing awareness.

“I think that Manhattan College students are the leaders on this,” Lovell said. “Some of the faculty might know someone and bring a speaker to campus or something like that, but I really think it’s the students leading the charge on sustainability issues, especially like the fair trade movement, and bringing compost and recycling to campus.”

Dart Westphal, the department chair of urban studies, explained the importance of understanding the environmental crisis currently facing the world. He says that it cannot easily be solved with technological solutions but instead there needs to be a complete shift in our approach to things such as fashion and food. Westphal is working to get students engaged in local environmental issues, specifically in Van Cortlandt Park and along the Bronx and Harlem River.

“We’re trying to tie it into the academic program,” Westphal said. “When it comes to the move for climate justice on campus, I think that it’s students that have to make that case and be in the front for that.”

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NOVEMBER 10, 2020

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Community-Engaged Learning Courses Give Students Exposure to Social Justice Kyla Guilfoil Staff Writer

Community-engaged learning courses, or CEL courses, are designed to expose students to experiences outside the classroom to enhance their learning. Connection to unfamiliar environments and social issues encourages students to examine social justice in their neighborhoods.

This practice is not new to Manhattan College, as professors like Andrew Skotnicki, Ph.D, have been teaching CEL courses for years. Skotnicki leads one of MC’s best-known CEL courses, Criminal Justice Ethics, which allows students access to Rikers Island.

The goal of this course, and CEL as a system, is to have students engage in a mutually beneficial relationship with a community-based group or organization to fulfill community-defined needs. This relationship is key to CEL courses, as students truly learn from the community and gain knowledge on what needs to be addressed within it.

In 2014, Kathleen Von Euw began working at MC as the assistant director of Campus Ministry and Social Action, making lasting changes to MC’s CEL program. Von Euw has spent the last six years organizing data on the different CEL courses, connecting with faculty and further developing the program.

“There wasn’t anybody in my role when I came to the college, so I was trying to build a community of practitioners and help faculty that teach in different schools and across different disciplines, and bring them together so they can learn from one another, because they all have different expertise and experience,” Von Euw said.

Von Euw launched the first faculty development seminar for CEL in 2017. Her seminars assist professors in developing CEL courses within their discipline and allow professors to learn from each other. Veteran CEL participants, such as Skotnicki, have also attended these seminars.

“We have people who have been teaching [these courses] for a long time, but the course evolves and maybe they work with a different community-based organization, the relationships evolve, and the course changes,” Von Euw said. “It’s a lot of extra work

to teach a course this way, and they do it because they really believe both in how it contributes to student’s learning and the experience that students have that helps them better understand the course content and also because they’re believing in community engagement, public service and social justice education.”

Since Von Euw began working with the CEL courses at MC, involvement has grown considerably. There has been a 79 percent increase in CEL course selections, a 54.08 percent increase in the number of students enrolled, and a 95.07 percent increase in the number of faculty teaching CEL courses.

“It’s really important that we think ethically, to develop meaningful experiences for our students, where they’re learning,” Von Euw said. “We think about these courses and these experiences in the community as an additional text.”

Professor of political science Margaret Groarke has taught CEL courses for years and now assists Von Euw in the development of other CEL courses at MC. Groarke emphasized the importance of real-world exposure for students.

She cited that community-engaged learning is nationally identified as a “high impact practice” by college educators.

“You can read about homelessness, but if you sit down and talk to somebody who’s homeless and can’t find someplace they can afford to live, you’re going to have a different understanding of that,” Groarke said. “[Through community engagement] you’re going to have a better sense of what the social inequalities in society are, as you see what people are dealing with in their everyday life, that may be different than your everyday life.”

Groarke also mentioned how CEL classes give students an opportunity to practice within their chosen field in a real-world setting. She cited the advanced public relations class in the communication department has given students an opportunity to design a PR plan for an actual community organization, the University Neighborhood Housing Program, which is a local non-profit for affordable housing.

“The students are going to learn about how you put together PR plans, and how you try and convince your clients that this is the right plan for them,” Groarke said. “And they

have to deal with the realities of it because they’re dealing with a real client, and the organization is going to get the product of all their brainstorming and thinking and all their learning about PR to get some hopefully useful plans that they can put into practice.”

Jenn Guilbeault is a sophomore at MC who participated in CEL through the Arches program last year. Groarke shared that the Arches program is intended to be students’ first CEL experience. Guilbeault participated in an Arches art course during the fall 2019 semester and a religious studies course during the spring 2020 semester.

In the fall, Guilbeault and her art class took a bus to a library in the Bronx and helped create art with kids from the community.

“Since we’re in the city, it definitely brings us to different cultures and diversity,” Guilbeault said. “I’m from a very [rural] area in Massachusetts, so for me to go all the way to the Bronx, I’m introduced to so many different cultures and demographics. I definitely feel like if the courses are presented correctly, then it is very educational and good [for students].”

Unfortunately, Guilbeault was not able to participate in community engagement during her religious studies course, as the chaotic outbreak of COVID-19 last spring sent MC students home early. The drastic changes made to instruction this semester comes after difficult months of planning by professors, especially those hoping to continue community-engaged learning this semester.

Melinda Wilson, an assistant professor of English at the college, had to redesign her fall 2020 Arches courses.

She worked with Renaissance Youth Center in the Bronx, who were diligent in finding a way to help the Bronx youth, despite the pandemic. The RYC provides many afterschool programs to underprivileged youth and teaches students from ages two to 19 about social justice through art, sports, and academics.

Professor Wilson’s English 110 Arches students have begun tutoring some of these children via Zoom.

“You could tell that my student could tell that she was needed, that it was a rewarding experience for her, because she actually made a differ-

ence,” Wilson said. “That she wasn’t just doing volunteerism to check off a box, but that she was doing something that actually made a significant difference in this little girl’s day.

It made her more confident, it made her feel more prepared.”

Groarke feels that MC professors have risen to the challenge of restructuring their courses. She remarked how another Arches course has connected with Riverdale Neighborhood House and students are meeting via Zoom to help community seniors with their college application essays.

“We’ve been talking to our community partners and saying, ‘how has this changed things for you, and how open are you to volunteers and are there different things that we can do for you’, and so some stuff has shifted online, some stuff we’re doing in person, but we’re much more careful about having PPE and maintaining social distancing that we know is safe,” Groarke said.

The push to continue community-engaged learning comes from a dedication to help the community and give students real-life experiences, as well as social justice education.

By engaging with the community, students are introduced to a new realm of self-reflection.

Von Euw holds orientations for students participating in CEL and advises them to go into these experiences with a listening and a learning attitude, being mindful of their own expectations and limitations, their own identities that they carry as an individual, and how that impacts how they move through the world.

Von Euw believes that students should be practicing this critical self-reflection before, during and after community engagement. She also expects students to demonstrate respect for diversity, including gender identity, race, religion, ability, sexual orientation, socio-economic levels or different cultural norms or ideologies that they might be encountering.

By doing this, students can challenge their own biases, and assumptions they may make about whatever communities they’re working with or whatever issues they’re addressing.

“Cultural humility really asks people to practice critical self-reflection, and to think about reflecting on their own identities and biases, recognizing and challenging power imbalances that exist, and looking

at institutions and systems,” Von Euw said. “Cultural humility is a really powerful way of thinking how we are in a relationship with communities.”

Professor Wilson believes that putting lessons into a real-life context allows students to feel a greater sense of purpose and responsibility through their work. When students become involved in an issue or environment that they can see affecting others’ lives, they become much more invested in their work, as well as opening their eyes to new environments. “[CEL] enables us to have these conversations about the differences between feeling comfortable in location and feeling safe in a location,” Wilson said. “You may not feel comfortable in a location because it’s not familiar to you, or it’s an area where you see some issues for poverty that you don’t see in neighborhoods that you typically spend time in. Feeling uncomfortable can actually open your eyes to the way that other people live, and their experiences and to what their lives are really like.”

Guilbeault has taken away similar sentiments after her time in arches courses.

“I think that we should definitely be open-minded because we really don’t know what everyone goes through,” Guilbeault said. “A professor could describe something to us, but we could show up with a whole other idea than what’s really going to be in front of us.”

Von Euw, Groarke and Wilson all emphasize that social justice should be an important aspect of education in community-engaged learning. Through working with a multitude of community organizations in the Bronx area, including topics of affordable housing, voter registration, immigration and correctional facilities, students are faced with real-life situations.

“The themes that I often work with have some connection to social justice because it should be a really important element of everyone’s life because it’s so central to humanity, and human dignity,” Wilson said. “[Arches is] one of students’ very first introductions to Manhattan College itself, the types of coursework we do, and also to our Lasallian mission, and social justice plays a huge role in that mission.”

Features

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THE QUADRANGLE

Helping Others Get The Scoop: Addressing Food Insecurity on Campus Christine Nappi Features Editor

For many, access to food isn’t a problem and can often be taken for granted. However, it’s not like that for all — some, especially college students, struggle to put food on their plate and wonder what their next meal will be. Food insecurity is present across all college campuses, and Manhattan College isn’t excluded from this problem, which is why the Food Insecurity Committee is working to help those Jaspers in need.

The Food Insecurity Committee is a team of faculty members dedicated to addressing this problem on campus through various initiatives to help those who may feel food insecure. Although there is no exact number of Jaspers who struggle with this, national data indicates the problem is prevalent at MC. In a statistic provided by Sean Ames, the general manager of Aramark at MC, 45 percent of college students were insecure in 2019, according to the Hope Center for College Community and Justice, a research center focused on higher education and social policies. Additionally, as of April 2020, 22 to 38 percent of households are food insecure, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Hayden Greene, director of multicultural affairs and member of the Food Insecurity Committee, described how this problem is important to address on MC’s campus, specifically in regard to the college’s Lasallian values.

“Food insecurity is a problem for any campus [and] I think that it’s even more impactful for a Lasallian institution, because we have these five tenants that talk about social justice and concern for the poor as two of those five,” Greene said. “I think that as a Lasallian institution that’s even more impactful that we are concerned with food insecurities among our students.”

To address the problem of food insecurity, the committee has implemented various programs to support Jaspers in need, such as creating an open food pantry, starting the Swipe out Hunger MC campaign and implementing the Food Rescue program. The Swipe Out Hunger campaign is a program where fellow Jaspers can donate their dining dollars and

meal swipes to students in need in an effort to “swipe out” hunger on campus. The Food Rescue program, the most successful program, advertises campus events that will serve food in an effort to cut down on food waste, increase event attendance and to ultimately provide free meals to those struggling with food insecurity.

However, with restrictions and concerns brought on from COVID-19, the food pantry and Food Rescue program haven’t been able to continue this semester. The Swipe Out Hunger campaign will be able to continue amid restrictions and the committee plans to relaunch it this semester, as COVID-19 has strengthened the severity of this problem.

Marilyn Carter, director of community services and outreach and committee member, described how COVID-19 has made this problem worse for many.

“It is a growing issue and given the economy that we are in right now [and with] COVID seem[ing] to be increasing instead of decreasing, we’re going to see a lot of families of students who are out of work, and are going to need as much assistance as they possibly get,” Carter said.

In addition to COVID-19, the college’s switch to the food provider Aramark has slowed the committee’s efforts in solving food insecurity on campus.

Despite time restraints, Carter ensures that the committee will stop at nothing to develop a comprehensive plan with Aramark to address this problem.

Aramark is looking to provide solutions to this problem for the community, and is in the process of collaborating with

the committee in order to do so.

“In support of our commitment to create a positive impact on people and the planet, we are addressing food insecurity from several angles including effective operational and food management practices, minimizing surplus food waste, building strategic partnerships, leading food recovery efforts and fostering collaborative dialogue,” Ames wrote in an email.

“Along the way, we also engage and educate our consumers, provide community support and seek strategic collaborations with community nonprofits and leaders in the food insecurity solutions space.”

In recent years, the awareness of food insecurity on college campuses has increased.

Carter describes that on the surface it may not seem like college students struggle with this problem, yet they do. The lack of awareness emphasizes the need to increase knowledge on the issue.

“It’s a growing problem across college campuses and now that we’re hit with COVID it’s a problem, of course,” Carter said. “ [Many people] figure, well if you can afford the tuition to go to school, and the books, then why are you hungry for a meal. And so the truth of the matter is, a lot of people are out there, just trying to make it to pay that tuition, to keep food on the table.”

According to Greene, addressing the problem of food insecurity on campus is not only important to solve hunger issues, but it’s also important to students’ education. As he describes, the added stressor of food insecurity limits students’ abilities to learn new concepts

and get the education they’re looking for.

“Your educational experience is enriched by having a full class of engaged students, and if some of your students are not able to engage because they’re worried about where their next meal is coming from, or they’re not able to concentrate because hunger pains are distracting them, then you’re getting a less engaged community and that doesn’t help for your educational endeavors,” Greene said.

Lois Harr, an assistant vice president of student life, the director of campus ministry and social action and Food Insecurity Committee member, finds raising awareness to be a crucial first step in making the community responsive to this need. She finds the campus to be responsive to the need thus far, but hopes to increase engagement on the issue.

“I think the campus is very responsive and caring,” Harr said. “It’s really that people need to know if they don’t know [because] then it’s hard to be responsive, so that’s most important.”

Ames also emphasizes the importance of increasing awareness among the student body and campus community at large. He notes that this problem requires collaboration amongst many and involves more action than simply providing food.

“Food insecurity is a complex issue requiring a deep engagement with many stakeholders,” Ames wrote. “Effective paths forward need to not only provide food to those that need it most, but must also address the factors tied to the availability of appropriate re-

sources. We are committed to collaborating with all relevant stakeholders to develop and support a customized plan to address the needs of individuals, families and students.”

Harr describes that in order to motivate the various stakeholders, fellow Jaspers and the community at large to address this need, they need to sympathize and embrace the Lasallian values MC prides itself on.

“Motivation [to help] comes from having your heart and your head affected by something,” Harr said. “Getting students to feel for it, feel that as a caring campus community we should help each other.

We have the five points on the same star and one is human dignity and inclusive community and care for one another.”

Greene finds that MC’s identity as a Lasallian institution should inspire the community to take part in addressing the issue. He describes that helping others is a quintessential quality of being a Jasper, and working to solve food insecurity on campus is one way students can reflect that quality.

“We are a Lasallian organization and if we are talking about care for our community and social justice, [food insecurity] is part and parcel of that,” Greene said. “Making sure that there’s an understanding that this is who we are, this is the kind of campus that you go to school in. That’s what Lasallian education is about. It’s caring for your community and caring for the entire community whether they are well off or whether they’re barely making it, and that’s that’s the point of being a Jasper.”

Hours for Locke’s Loft on their website.

MANHATTAN.CAMPUSDISH.COM / COURTESY

NOVEMBER 10, 2020

Arts & Entertainment

9

Players’ Virtual Cabaret Backs Charity Madalyn Johnson & Katherine Heneghan Web Editors

While in-person audiences and performances for the Manhattan College Players have been sidelined because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the club decided the show must go on.

On Oct. 23 and 24, via Zoom video, Players put on their annual cabaret.

The theme for this year’s cabaret was quarantine. On top of being virtual, this particular production was unique in the sense that all proceeds were fundraised in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Sami Rini, a junior and the producer (president) of Players, shared how vital it was for the cabaret to be turned into a fundraiser, in light of the social issues that sparked attention this past summer.

“Over the summer, primarily May and June, it was urgent for players to be involved in social action, and we sent out a letter regarding our dedication to Black Lives Matter and the movement as a whole, but words are nothing,” Rini said.

“We knew that action needed to go hand in hand with that so we came up with the idea of using cabaret as a fundraiser for an organization that would

in some way benefit the Black Lives Matter movement. So the fundraiser that we chose is Black Table Arts.”

Black Table Arts is a non-profit organization that promotes black artists and educates people about how socially relevant and inspirational the arts can be.

Like Black Table Arts, Players wanted to utilize the power of entertainment to make their voices heard and to spread awareness about a cause they deeply care about. “[Black Table Arts is] based in Minneapolis and it’s an art program basically for Black lives where they just want to amplify their voices especially, and it’s just very dedicated to that, which I think is really important to amplify in our theater program,” Julia Morris, a junior and co-director of the cabaret, said.

Despite COVID-19 restrictions stopping in-person rehearsals and face to face interaction between actors, Players have been adapting to virtual rehearsals to get the most out of their pandemic performances, where they strive to keep the camaraderie they had when in-person.

Junior Maren Kain, the secretary for Players, described how Players has remarkably been able to maintain the wholesome and accepting at-

mosphere they’ve had in their theater group, regardless of being online.

“A major reason that all of us are involved in players in the first place is because of the community,” Kain said. “It has always been so welcoming and a very safe place for all of us to explore what we love to do together.”

Going into his production, Kain was concerned the social aspect of Players would be lost.

However, the Players group has designated a warm-up time before rehearsal starts to create the social interactions that would normally occur in person.

“Something that we’ve implemented into our tech week rehearsals is a 15-minute warm-up, which is always before rehearsal officially starts, and it’s like a designated social time where we get to know each other,” Kain said. “We ask questions, we do icebreakers and we do vocal warm-ups, and that’s been a really great way that we can kind of mimic the environment that a live show provides.”

Along with working hard to ensure rehearsals ran smoothly and productively, Players also had to pay close attention to how performers were going to adapt to not having a live audience in front of them. Junior and cast member Anna Jerrems

explains before the cabaret that she was hopeful the strong connection she built with her castmates would make up for the unusual dynamic between the actors and the audience.

“Well, we’re not going to have the feedback and like the energy to go off of, so that’s gonna be a lot different,” Jerrems said. “But I think the connection that we feel between each other is definitely going to be more than enough.”

Morris added, saying Zoom in some ways has been prominent in boosting actors’ confidence when performing virtually, such as when viewers and other actors can motivate performers by writing in the chat box.

“One thing we’ve been highlighting a lot is because we don’t have the audience, we’re just blowing up the Zoom chat like, ‘yeah oh my god you’re killing it,’ and that’s been very beautiful,” Morris said.

With technology being essential for academics, activities and events to resume as they normally would, Players was very dependent on the tech team to make sure the production was as entertaining as it would be if in-person. Rini commended the tech team and director for the time and effort they spent in making sure everything was in check for the show to take place virtually.

“We give a big round of applause to our amazing tech team and our incredible director, who has been working tirelessly to make sure that we have everything in place,” Rini said. “They’ve been working to find different applications that could be better suited for a virtual production, and that can add another element to the show. For example, for our main stage production, we all download Snap Camera, which allows us to use filters, which is super helpful for this specific production because we’re changing characters a lot, so you always know who is playing who. So our tech team was really the people that brought it together.”

To mend the chaos and stress this semester has brought upon the Manhattan College community, the Players believe the cabaret was a great way to laugh at the unprecedented time of the virus, all while supporting a significant cause.

“I think it’s a really beautiful thing to see the arts persisting right now,” Rini said. “It’s a wonderful de-stressor, just the time to laugh and process a lot of the common experiences that we all had with quarantine and to just listen to a bunch of beautiful people serenade you.

What’s better than that.”

How to Be Less Stupid About Race: On Racism, White Supremacy and the Racial Divide BOOK NOOK Maria Thomas News Editor

In the present fight to overcome white supremacy in America, Black activists across the nation have begged white individuals to educate themselves. Listening to, centering and uplifting Black voices at this time is crucial to challenging the systems which have silenced them for so long.

While there are countless resources and modes of education, I recently had the pleasure of reading How to Be Less Stupid About Race: On Racism, White Supremacy and the Racial Divide by sociologist Crystal Fleming.

It is crucial to mention that I read this book in a virtual book club setting with other individuals hoping to create change within themselves. Discussing this text chapter by chapter with peers was incredibly helpful for translating the text into our daily lives. It also provided a safe space to ask questions and

reflect on the ways in which we had participated in systems of white supremacy.

Fleming brings to the forefront of this book the fact that white supremacy is not a scary monster, or a radical force driven by the KKK. It is both of those things, of course, but more importantly, white supremacy is ingrained within the fabric of our society. Practically every American (and global) system perpetuates and strengthens the forces of white supremacy, further contributing to the oppression of people of color.

These systems began with America’s creation, a country founded on slavery and colonialism, and have been ignored by white Americans for centuries.

More importantly, this notion eliminates the age-old portrayal of racism as an individual act, or an individual person being a racist. Fleming says, “Once you realize that a racist society inevitably socializes its citizens to absorb racist ideas

and behave in a discriminatory way, then you’re less likely to be preoccupied with adjudicating whether an individual is or is not ‘a racist.’ We’re dealing with collective problems and institutionalized inequalities.”

This book is masterfully composed of research, critical race theory, personal anecdotes and humor, all with the intention of bringing systemic racism to the forefront of conversations regarding race, as well as challenging the ways we view race.

Racial stupidity, as Fleming calls it, is the misconceptions and misrepresentations white Americans have about Black and brown individuals. These misrepresentations can be seen in nearly every element of American society, from government to the media to the classroom. Racial stupidity usually leads to racist behavior, while simultaneously solidifying the power of white people.

Throughout the text, a recurring topic is how both the Republican and Democratic

parties have contributed to and strengthened the institutionalized systems which oppress marginalized groups. With the election of Barack Obama, many Americans convinced themselves they were living in a post-racial America, where white supremacy did not exist.

“Depending on which racial idiot you ask, the United States hasn’t been racist since Obama’s election, the civil rights movement, the dawn of the twentieth century, or ever,” Fleming says.

Fleming asserts that White individuals must constantly combat systems of racial oppression to truly engage in anti-racist work and begin the journey of allyship.

In a section regarding affirmative action, Fleming maps out the evidence which suggests that those who had benefited most from affirmative action policies have actually been White individuals. Fleming says, “Other scholars who take a critical or “systemic” approach to the study of racism

have shown that the nation’s first affirmative action programs and government handouts were conceived by white Americans for white Americans.” By providing these inarguable truths, Fleming exposes the overtly racist misconceptions White America has about racial minorities getting an unfair advantage with affirmative action programs.

Overall, Fleming herself notes that she is “passionate about empowering people with the tools to understand and remedy their own racial ignorance.”

For fear of saying or doing the wrong thing, so many white Americans refuse to participate in the Black Lives Matter movement in a meaningful or constructive way. With Fleming’s book, readers can educate themselves without having to put the weight of teaching oftentimes traumatic truths on their friends of color.

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Arts & Entertainment

Protest Art Throughout New York City

THE QUADRANGLE

Photos taken by Brian Asare throughout The Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn.

Initials for Black Lives Matter spraypainted on a sidewalk A Black Lives Matter mural in the street.

This signboard shows how divided America is becoming in this current era.

The graffiti reads “we are the nightmare of those who try to take away our dreams.”

A message from Killer Mike.

“Act like you know” tag on the wall.

Arts & Entertainment

NOVEMBER 10, 2020

11

MC Community Uses Home Decor to Express Passion for Social Justice Jilleen Barrett & Anna Woods Asst. A&E Editor & Asst.

News/Features Editor

During an election year like no other, the Manhattan College community has found itself confronted with many issues related to social justice.

While some watch society change, others try to be the change, and use home decor to prove it.

Caroline King, a sophomore international studies major, has found an artistic outlet in decorating her room with social justice themed posters. She lives in a single dorm in Horan this year and finds herself continuously ordering new decor from Etsy and HomeGoods to fill it with.

As a women and gender studies minor, her main focus is on feminism. King walked around her room using FaceTime to show off the many feminist-related posters, printed-out tweets from feminist-based accounts, girl power mugs, books and more.

King said her mother and high school English teacher educated her on what it means to be a feminist.

“Definitely from a young age, [my mother] always taught me to be self sufficient and she pointed out injustices towards women like ever since I was little,” she said. “So I feel like

I’ve always noticed how women were treated differently, and I’ve always been passionate about it since I was young.”

She cited that there are several world leaders who inspire her to continue pursuing women’s rights, including Michelle Obama, Alexandra Ocascio-Cortez and Roxane Gay. Isabel Frazza, a sophomore religious studies and peace and justice studies major, feels the same way about her decor.

Geared towards LGBTQ+ pride and the Black Lives Matter movement, Frazza feels strongly about equality and activism.

“I’m passionate about social justice and making society a safer, more peaceful and loving place for all,” she wrote in an email. “My living space reflects my passions. It’s incredibly important to me that my friends (less so now because of COVID-19, not many people see our room) but mainly my roommates feel safe and welcomed in our space. The decor is encouraging and inspirational.”

Darby Shea, a senior English and peace studies major at the college, wrote that she owns many pieces of social justice decor and likes to change what she has displayed every year. She noted that she has postcards and posters that have phrases such as “Make Art, Not War” and “Love Your Neighbor, Love the Earth.”

“I have a lot of posters about peace and nonviolence because I am, in most cases, an advocate for pacifism,” she said. “As

we have seen in our current cultural moment, however, it is clear that true peace and nonviolence is not possible until there is justice, which brings me to caring very deeply about the BLM movement and supporting those causes.”

She supports actions to improve the state of the environment as well.

“I also care deeply about environmental issues and environmental justice, which is why I always hang up my love your neighbor love the earth poster,” Shea said. “There is no social justice without making a conscious effort to save the environment, and vice versa.”

Social justice decor is not limited to the dorms, though.

Political science professor Pamela Chasek, Ph.D. decorated her office in Miguel Hall with her own social interests in mind.

Chasek is interested in social justice for the environment, and she shows that with the decor she has in her office.

On the walls surrounding her workspace are posters, including one listing the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

She also has many photographs she took herself.

“So most of my office right now has a lot of my own photography,” she said. “There’s a lot of climate stuff from the climate strikes. That’s all over my office. Last fall, we did the climate strike so we were going to continue them in the spring and then COVID hit, and then we did the shoe strike for cli-

Pamela Chasek, PhD. decorates her office with art that connects to sustainable development and combatting climate change.

PAMELA CHASEK / COURTESY mate justice earlier this semester.”

Chasek shared that her overarching theme of sustainability is one way to make her office comfortable and inviting.

“I would say most of it is trying to create a space in my office, that not only is sort of comfortable and welcoming, but also expresses my inter-

Tues day M eetin Join m p g s 4 t he @ Qu

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est,” Chasek said. “So all of my photography that’s up there, which is nature photography, fits into that bigger, sustainable development context as well.

So I think that’s where I see social justice within that bigger framework, that it all comes together. So care for the planet, and care for the people who live on the planet.”

viaGoog le Meet

Sports

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THE QUADRANGLE

Federal Changes to Title IX Blurry its Enforcement on College Campuses Katie Heneghan & Maria Thomas

Web Editor & News Editor On Aug. 14th, changes to the standard set of Title IX guidelines went into effect on numerous college campuses across America. However, despite these changes made by the U.S. Department of Education, Manhattan College will continue with their pre-existing Title IX policy where they are able to.

The NCAA has always had their own set of rules and regulations regarding Title IX. This system of enforcement ensures that all students are treated equally and fairly on the basis of gender. It has an overlap with the logistical aspects of the student-athlete experience, such as scholarship and eligibility matters — while also functioning as a deterrent against egregious offenses like sexual assaults.

Perhaps the most notable revision made to the Title IX constitution is that collegiate coaches and athletic trainers are no longer mandated to report sexual assault allegations brought to their attention.

However, this tweak to the reporting standards is not an absolute mandate, and so the college has opted against allowing the exemption.

Kathryn Mirance, the associate athletic director for Business Operations and Senior Woman Administrator, works directly with the college’s Title IX officer, Sheetal Kale, in investigating sexual assault and harassment allegations related to the athletics department amd the varsity sports teams.

“While the law has evolved and said that [mandated reporters] are not necessarily required, we are still utilizing our reporting structure and requirements — that our coaches and staff, athletic trainers ‘see something, say something’,” Mirance said. “If they’re made aware of something or they see something they’re concerned about, they are still required

In regards to this new writing requirement, Kale believes having students file formal, written reports provides them with more control over their situation, as opposed to a student speaking to a mandated reporter about something they might not want reported in the first place.

“I believe it is a positive step that the new rules require

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“I believe it is a positive step that the new rules require complainants to file a written complaint, as it gives them complete authority over whether they would like to pursue a Title IX investigation and hearing process,” Kale said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------on our campus to make those reports.”

The reporting procedures are not exactly the same, though. For instance, the process by which a student chooses to report a case of sexual assault or harrasment now requires a writing component to describe the specifics of each complaint. The school has updated its Title IX code to reflect this new condition.

complainants to file a written complaint, as it gives them complete authority over whether they would like to pursue a Title IX investigation and hearing process,” Kale said.

An additional change to the policy that the school has adopted is the mandatory provision of advisers to both the complainant and the respondent — if that is what the stakeholders desire. This piece

of legislation also includes the option of cross-examination for either party through the advisers.

Although the school was required to implement these changes by federal guidelines, Kale feels a cross-examination is misguided because of its legal connotations.

“The one change that I don’t agree with is the cross-examination requirement, as I believe that it unnecessarily turns what is supposed to be a school process into an overly legal one, that borrows features from the criminal justice system,” Kale said.

At least this new regulatory infrastructure may not be as unwieldy as it could be, because Kale believes it could have resulted in a counterproductive system of investigation and reporting.

“I am happy to see that the process is toned down from what we originally thought it would be, and that now the cross-examination requirement is a process that must go through advisers rather than through the complainants and respondents directly,” Kale said.

Furthermore, Mirance appreciates the fact that the Department of Education is taking into consideration that each college campus should use the approach that best suits them.

“What’s really interesting about the changes to the law is that it still gives the colleges and universities some leeway in terms of what they institute on their own campuses,” Mirance said.

Additionally, student-athletes receive NCAA mandated training that is tailored just for

them. In this case, athletes are able to know and understand their rights as students, while also being aware of the likely actions their coaches and athletic trainers will take in the event of a conflict.

“The NCAA actually requires that we do student-athlete specific training,” Mirance said. “Aside from the fact that it’s required, it’s also really important to know your rights, so it’s our job to give that information to our student-athletes. So, it is part of the welcome back meetings that we have and we also do an online educational training that’s sent to all student-athletes that’s specific to student-athletes.”

She continued.

“We send that information out to our student-athletes so they are aware of what their reporting options are, who they can speak to, who on campus and within their pod of people is confidential versus non-confidential. Because a lot of student-athletes think ‘Oh, well I mentioned it to my coach thinking it was in confidence,’ or ‘I said it to my athletic trainer thinking it was in confidence’ because sometimes those conversations are,” Mirance said.

While these federal changes to Title IX affect the rights of students across the country, student-athletes at Manhattan College will not be affected by the majority of these alterations. Nevertheless, student-athletes are encouraged to remain informed on the college’s current policies and resources.

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News

NOVEMBER 10, 2020

13

Manhattan Caucus: The Results Are In, Finally Sophia Sakellariou Senior Writer

Joe Biden was declared the 46th President of the United States on Saturday, Nov. 7, after taking the lead in the battleground state Pennsylvania.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris made history as not only the first woman to be elected to the office, but the first woman of color to be elected vice president, and Steve Kornacki can finally go to sleep.

The Biden presidency offers the promise of unity for a nation that is divided and in desperate need of healing as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take lives and the economy has yet to bounce back. According to The New York Times, Donald Trump is the first president in more than a quarter-century to lose re-election.

“Let this dim era of demonization in America begin to end here and now,” Biden said in a speech in Delaware Saturday night. “I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify.”

This Election Day was unlike any other. Americans did not know who won the presidential election on Tuesday night as in Election Day’s past, even though Trump claimed a false victory at 2:30 a.m. the following morning. Instead, results did not come in until days later as the high volume of mail-in and absentee ballots

were counted by poll workers. Voting turnout was at an all time high and Biden set a record with the highest number of votes ever received by a presidential candidate, a whopping 74 million.

When news of Biden’s victory swept the nation on Saturday, cheers and celebrations were heard all over the world.

Blasting car horns, banging pots and pans, and shouting from rooftops made an otherwise ordinary day feel like a holiday. In New York City,

Times Square and Washington Square Park were met with crowds of people chanting in celebration, the likes of which they hadn’t seen in months.

Similar scenes of triumph were seen in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and across the Atlantic.

According to The New York Times, Biden’s distant cousins celebrated in Ballina, Ireland.

President Michael D. Higgins of Ireland congratulated Biden in a statement, “wishing him and the American people every

good fortune for his term in office, and congratulating Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on her historic achievement.”

According to The New York Times, there are no signs of a traditional concession speech

by Trump. Despite his loss, Trump has not changed his plans to go ahead with legal challenges to the election.

Trump’s false claims of voter fraud throughout the week sparked outrage among his supporters and critics alike.

Standing outside polling cen-

ters with guns and Trump flags flying high, this election day week was certainly like no other.

This example of people in power trying to rig the rules in ways that will help them stay in power was a demonstration of a very un-American attack on democracy. It’s unclear how Trump will respond to his loss in the next few days, but top aides and his detractors alike hope he takes the high road and ends his term graciously.

As of 11:15 PM on Nov. 8, 2020, the Associated Press called the election with this map.

ASSOCIATED PRESS / COURTESY

Election Stress Relievers on Campus Adrianne Hutto Staff Writer

As a result of the 2020 election, several organizations on campus including the LWGRC, the Counseling Center, the Office of Student Engagement, and Campus Ministry are offering virtual office hours to help students deal with election-related stress.

On Wednesday Nov. 4 at 12 p.m. Manhattan College hosted a ‘A Post-Election Interfaith Service,’ on the quad to help students decompress and spend time with their faith after election day.

The Lasallian Women and Gender Resource Center (LWGRC) hosted an online forum Nov. 5 with Jordan Pascoe, Ph.D. Ashley Cross, Ph.D. and Jonathan Keller, Ph.D. which centered on clarifying details of the election.

The next day, the LWGRC hosted a “student vent session” led by the center’s student

staff.

“We have suspended programming in order to support and hold space for students in our community in the wake of the election,” said Rabea Ali, a graduate assistant in the LWGRC. “This is a time for support, solidarity, and collective experience, and we are here for you.”

The center is encouraging both in-person and remote students to reach out and take refuge in the center whenever they are feeling overwhelmed or stressed.

“We invite you to share your worries and experiences, to bring your questions and uncertainties to the faculty & student experts who will be available on our remote sessions, and we offer resources to support you in taking care of your communities,” Ali said.

In an email sent out by Richard T. Satterlee, Vice President for Student Life, the counseling center was noted as a place where students could

seek relief from election-related stress.

The Counseling center offers a number of fully remote resources to students seeking out support. Their student services include individual and group therapy, mental health consultations, and referrals to help students locate mental health services in their community. The center also helps to manage mental health crises on campus and participate in panel discussions and workshops. Currently they are offering meditation and adjustment to college groups.

“When we meet with students individually we address any issues or difficulties they are having,” Nicol Zambrano, assistant director of the Counseling Center, said in regards to the election-related stress.

“Also, we are always open to forming a group to address a specific need or issue.”

The Counseling Center’s staff consists of New York State licensed psychologists, social

workers and mental health counselors.

The Office of Student Engagement is another resource available to students seeking out counseling services, particularly for election-related stress. Wednesday Nov. 4 they held the prayer on the quadrangle event to help create a moment of unity for students experiencing anxiety related to the election.

“We’re here to listen and not judge,” John Bennett, the director of Student Engagement, said when asked about the services offered.

“It’s our job to support students, their values, beliefs, and ideas, and not impose ours,” Bennett said. “We’ve already had our college experience; now we’re here to support you having the experience you want.”

The Office of Student Engagement plans to have more events the week after the election, once the results are known. Including planned pan-

els and discussions and opportunities for students to meet, talk and discuss. The office also encourages students to reach out with panelists they are interested in having come to speak.

Campus Ministry is also offering office hours both virtually and in person. Hours range from Wednesday through Friday from around 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. They are offering students one-on-one conversations, support, the ability to access and think through information regarding certain topics.

The LWGRC, the Campus Ministry, The Office of Student Engagement, and the Counseling Center are all widely available for students experiencing election-related stress and struggles with mental health in general.

Features

14

THE QUADRANGLE

HGI and CMSA hold Faith and Racial Justice Panel Samantha Walla Production Manager

On Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 5 p.m., Manhattan College’s Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Center hosted a panel with the Office for Campus Ministry and Social Action titled “The Experience of Faith and Racial Justice” to discuss interfaith and racial justice in America amidst a pandemic and tumultuous election season.

The panel, held through Google Meet, drew a sizable crowd of over thirty students and faculty, many of whom shared their own experiences of intersecting race and faith.

In addition to the attendees, representatives for the Jewish Student Union, Muslim Student Association, Fuerza Latina and Black Student Union sat on the virtual panel.

“This panel is really multifaceted,” said Mehnaz Afridi, director of the HGI Center and co-moderator of the panel alongside Courtney Bryant.

“These are questions I’ve been asking myself, as someone in religious studies, as a woman who is a Muslim, as a woman in a country that is going through a lot of racial strife. But this panel also makes me ask the question, and I’ve always been interested in this question, of different faiths, and races with-

in the faiths.”

Afridi contextualized the intent of the panel by explaining her own experience as an Asian Muslim in a faith where her race was not dominant.

The panel began by introducing the winners of the HGI Center’s essay contest, which was held over the summer. The essay prompt asked students how they would create awareness about racism within their communities.

Alixandria James, a sophomore public health major, and Robert Zurita, a junior religious studies major, both winners of the competition, will meet with Afridi for dinner at a later date.

James read from her essay titled “My Best Kept Secret,” which detailed her experience as a Black woman in a predominantly white high school. Her understanding of racism crystallized when she realized compliments from white friends often ended by asserting that she was not like other Black kids.

“I began to understand that separating myself from the black community didn’t make me a part of the white one,” James read. “This was a difficult realization, because it showed that I never took the time to acknowledge and be proud of who I was. It’s not enough to acknowledge racism, it’s what happens after.”

Zurita’s essay also focused on the importance of decision making.

“We as individuals hold so much power and influence on a day to day basis,” Zurita said.

“How we choose to demonstrate this can either contribute to ending racism or allowing racism to flourish.”

After the readings, senior Ireland Twiggs and graduate student Naouras Almatar moderated the discussion and prompted questions for the panelists. After each panelist described their experience with faith and religion, Almatar posed the question, “How does your ethnicity change your experience from other ethnicities that practice in your religion, and have you ever experienced racism from [these religions]?”

Mamady Ballo, president of the Black Student Union, spoke on the way she is percieved as an African American Muslim through an anecdote in which she was not believed to be Muslim because of the way she looked. Ballo now feels that she serves as a proud role model for Muslim women.

“This is a religion that I was born into, but it is a religion [in which] I am always learning something new,” Ballo said.

Viridiana Roman, co-president of Fuerza Latina, discussed how being Mexican has

contextualized her faith from the celebration of All Saints Day, or Dia de los Muertos, to worshipping entirely in Spanish.

Raziel BenReuben referenced a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in which he claimed that one will not remember the words of one’s enemies, but the silence of one’s friends. BenReuben posed the question to the panelists, “What do you feel not only about what has happened, but the lack of words or the lack of actions from people who… were righteous in your eyes?”

James answered by describing the reaction of her friends to her essay, many of whom inquired if they had ever been racist toward her. James acknowledges this as well meaning, but it has sparked larger discussions within her relationships.

“It’s a confusing time because everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, and I don’t want to be that person who doesn’t want to be friends with someone because they’re voting for x instead of y, but it’s a bitter issue,” James said. “It comes down to privilege and what you deal with on a daily basis. In my opinion, some things such as how we’re treated as humans and individuals are more important than the

economy or how much money we pay in taxes.”

Courtney Bryant, a professor of religious studies, wrapped up the panel.

“The ways in which religion disrupts our sense of expectations especially when it comes to phenotype, that is how we look, becomes very important, but what also becomes very important is the way that religious identities are established based on particular kinds of looks, particular nationalities and the like,” Bryant said.

While many people shared how their heritages have deepened their faiths, Bryant emphasized that there are commonalities between religions that can help to close gaps.

“I take into consideration the doctrine of the human person in Christianity that suggests that all people are created in the image of God and in so doing the spirit of God resides in each of us,” Bryant said.

“What’s beautiful about that I think is that is a doctrine that is shared by Judaism as well as some sects of Islam. So that gives us a kind of language to grab onto and understand together as we begin to grapple with what it means to be a human being, what it means to be a citizen in these United States … and what it means to be respected and regarded.”

Manhattan College Forms Coalition with Lasallian Schools for Justice Jilleen Barrett Asst. A&E Editor

The Lasallian Colleges and Universities in Association for Justice (LCUAJ) is bringing Lasallians at the collegiate level together to advocate for social justice. Manhattan College is one of the participating colleges, thanks to the work of Conor Reidy, the campus minister in the Campus Ministry and Social Action suite.

Reidy would normally be bringing students to Washington, D.C. around this time of year for The Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ), where members of the Jesuit Institution and church at large gather in the context of social justice. Due to COVID-19, this trip was impossible, but he found a way to keep justice-motivated students active through the LCUAJ as well as an online version of the IFTJ. He explained that for the last five years, this trip has been educational for students in ways that learning in a classroom is not.

“They [the IFTJ] began an in-person conference in Washington, D.C. where they gathered students from across the world to meet for two days to listen and learn and connect about really important Catholic social-teaching issues like climate change, like migration, like racism, and then spend a day, all together advocating on

Capitol Hill, with their representatives– so it was like a combination of learning, education and advocacy in Washington D.C.,” he said.

Reidy spoke about how in the past, he often met several other Lasallian college representatives at the IFTJ. Once they formed a connection, they made a point to stay in the same hotels and have conferences focusing on the idea of forming a coalition of Lasallian colleges for advocacy with the Lasallian Volunteers. They did the same thing this year, only online.

“We started meeting in May of this year, on Zoom, and it included people from Manhattan College with Lasallian University, Saint Mary’s in California, Louis University, Christian Brothers University … and the District of Eastern North America and Lasallian Volunteers,” Reidy said. “We had like 15 people in this group and we decided we wanted to create a name and a mission statement.

So our name became the Lasallian Colleges and Universities Associated for Justice.”

The purpose of the group is represented by their mission statement: “Lasallian Colleges and Universities in Association for justice, or LCUAJ, is an international coming together of the Lasallian family to encounter the pains and dreams of our time to discern our individual and collective responses, and to commit to shared action for

justice.”

The group held two meetings in October and focused on reflection, advocacy panels from students and forming connections despite many of the other groups coming from all over the world.

“I just had a wonderful time communicating with Lasallian students from around the country, all who are really passionate about the same social justice issues and want to find a way that we can work together as Lasallians to affect change,” Reidy said.

Senior Meggie Osorio is one of the students involved in the yearly trips to the IFTJ and is now involved in the LCUAJ. She shared how forming a bond with the other Lasallian colleges has changed her college career and brought them to become an individual group working to advocate.

“I have gone to the IFTJ with Manhattan College since my freshman year,” Osorio said. “It was such the first real introduction I had into social justice during my time at college. Last year was the first time that we had this Lasallian delegation present at the IFTJ which was such a great homebase for us as we spent the weekend learning about justice and advocacy … it really made the IFTJ so much more impactful for me, and I was excited to be a part of it again this year.

We were able to transfer to an

online format and dig deeper into the Lasallian connection to social justice.”

She noted that although she was concerned about the effectiveness of the program with an online format, the group is still making progress.

“I was a little worried that with the online format this year it would be difficult to have thought-provoking discussions and real connections, but with the help of breakout rooms, we really got the chance to get a little deeper with each other at certain points which was really great,” Osorio said.

Reidy is driven to bring more students of the Lasallian faith to the IFTJ. “We are unifying in order to bring students to this event in the IFTJ which was virtual this year, but also to have more intentional conversations as the Lasallian family about what we can do with our numbers,” he said. “The fact that we have six universities, we have Lasallian volunteers, we have all of these brothers, how we can affect change for social justice around Catholic social teaching.”

One student who was recently selected to participate in these activities was freshman Rebecca Kranich.

“I got involved because I looked at the MC announcement on my email and so I’m really into social justice and it looks like something I would be into,” Kranich said. “I got

involved by submitting an application and eventually Conor Reidy contacted me for our first meeting and the group welcomed me in. I’m the only freshman there and I’m one of the only few newer members.”

Kranich believes that other first-year students should consider joining the group as it is a unique outlet for those interested in social justice.

“It’s the most welcoming group on campus and it really connects you with people from all over the country through social justice issues and solutions,” she said.

Osorio stated that she wants to show new members the effects of her experiences within the program.

“I do hope that I can show any underclassmen that this type of programming is some of the best that it offered through Manhattan College,” Osorio said. “There are things I would have never learned had I not taken a part in them. I have also grown so much myself.

When I was a freshman going to D.C., I wanted no part in being the voice in some of these advocacy meetings because I was shy and less informed, but now I know how to be an advocate and it would be difficult for me not to speak up. There is so much growth that can happen and I hope any underclassmen who want to be involved in advocacy can be excited by that idea.”

NOVEMBER 10, 2020

Arts & Entertainment

14

Jazz Band Remains in Tune in Spite of the Pandemic Kelly Cwik Contributor

COVID-19 has not stopped the Manhattan College Jazz Band from practicing and sharing their music to the community.

Director of the Jazz Band since 2012, Geoffrey Mattoone had to figure out a way to allow for his students to rehearse.

With a band of twenty seven students, Mattoone knew they needed space.

“Andrew Bauer (Director of Performing Arts) and I came up with a plan to move the Rehearsals out of room 517 [of Thomas Hall (Thompson hall)] into Smith Auditorium, where we could set up,” said Mattoone.

Edward Grimes, a senior mechanical engineering major and president of the Jazz Band, described to me how the band is set up in the auditorium.

“We have the rhythm section up on the stage and they

have to abide by that six feet rule so it’s not too complicated to space everyone out. We are actually doing pretty well,” he said. “And then the horns… we have to be 12 feet apart, so that’s a little more difficult. So since we have Smith and it is so big we just space everybody out.”

Nevertheless, Grimes enjoys attending rehearsals.

“I know a lot of people who are engineering students who are in jazz band, who are in performing arts and it’s like the second half of their lives,” he said. “It’s just like an outlet and something we all love to do and everything. And it’s really fun to play in with everybody.”

Ashley Danz, a sophomore civil engineering major wrote in an email what she loves most about jazz band.

“I enjoy being able to play my instrument in a stress free environment,” she wrote. “I love that our jazz band accepts everyone because the point is to enjoy yourself not compete

against others. While you have the choice to solo and stand out, you can also choose to just play with the band and blend with the rest of the music.”

Currently, the Jazz Band is working on a project to show their hard work and music.

While in-person concerts are not allowed to happen, they came up with their own idea.

“I decided that we could record each section separately and piece it together into a virtual concert. I got busy right once again in my home studio creating Tracks for the band to play/ record along to,” Mattoone said.

In order to record the tracks while maintaining social distancing guidelines, the band works in smaller groups.

“I will bring each section up to [MC Players Box] and record them in there, still socially distanced and then I’ll put the recording all together,” he said.

“Kieran, who’s the bass player, he’s a senior, and he did all of the video stuff that we did so

far, he’ll do the video and will put this thing together and by hopefully early December we will have a three-to-five song performance.”

Danz goes into more detail about the production process for their upcoming work.

“It takes time to record our songs as we need to do it section by section. Starting with the rhythm section, we were broken apart so that we can make our recordings piece by piece,” she wrote. “While this takes longer, it makes it so that every section is heard in the recording and allows us to record in the box rather than in a big echoey auditorium.”

The Jazz Band will post their project on YouTube once completed. Grimes shared how enthusiastic he is for the final product.

“We’re really proud of this project that we’re putting together and we hope it gets out,” he said. “We always like to create more of an outreach and get the music to everybody.”

While COVID-19 has brought many activities to a halt, attending rehearsals is something Mattoone’s students look forward to.

“They’re in their room all day on Google Meet with their classes, they can’t wait to go out and go to jazz band and actually do something in person is really special for them,” he said.

Danz wrote how she feels about jazz band during COVID-19.

“Jazz is just as enjoyable now as it was before COVID-19,” she wrote. “The differences are minimal and just make it so we can do what we love, but safely.”

Despite all of the changes the jazz band has made this semester, Geoffrey Mattoone’s favorite part about being the director of the Jazz Band are the students.

“I would say the number one thing is watching them grow and improve,” he wrote.

Jasper Jams: Diversifying Your Playlist Gabriella DePinho & Lauren Raziano

Editor-in-Chief & Staff Writer Without realizing it, it’s pretty easy to fill up a playlist with predominantly white male musicians. Some genres such as R&B, rap, and hiphop have a significantly more diverse representation than others because of the roots of the genres. But if we’re being honest, all music was inspired and influenced by the work of musicians of color, often musicians that never got the credit they deserve for their groundbreaking work.

It’s easy to listen to white, heterosexual, cisgender musicians in any genre as the market is full of them. Their music might be wonderful and worthy of acclaim, sure, but there’s no denying that musicians of color and LGBTQ+ musicians who are often equally as talented, if not more so, are not often given the same promotion, money and attention from the industry.

With that in mind, this week’s Jasper Jams is an effort to encourage you to diversify your playlists. Below are tracks from musicians with a wide range of diverse identities, whether it’s their ethnicity, race, culture, gender, sexuality, or a combination of those things.

Lauren’s Picks: Lions — Skip Marley With a mix of modern Jamican beats and guitars, this song calls for unity and love during times of protesting for racial rights. “Lions” by Bob Marley’s grandson, Skip, writes about the hardships of protesting for

your human rights,“if ya took all my rights away/Yeah, if ya tellin’ me how to pray/ Yeah, if ya won’t let us demonstrate,” and then he is also able to celebrate the political power that this younger generation has, “We are the movement, this generation/ You better know who we are.”

the song, Wonder said that the creation of this song was a response to “systemic racism … every young person is saying this stuff here is unacceptable.

We can’t be a united people of the world and have this craziness ... Change is right now – we can’t put it in the hands of fate.”

Girls like Girls — Hayley Kiyoko Hayley Kiyoko, also known as “Lesbian Jesus” by her fans, debeuted this song addressing LGBTQ+ themes in Feburary 2015, a few months before gay marriage was legalized in the USA. This song was so impactful that Billboard.com labeled it as a part of the list, “Songs that Defined the Decade.” This song was the first of its kind to mention the stereotypes and judgments at the time, “Girls like girls like boys do, nothing new?” While LGBTQ+ rights are becoming a more talked about political topic, this song praises accepting who you are and being able to explore your sexuality. Additionally, being half-Japanese Kiyoko is a woman of color.

The Garden of Love — Martha Redbone Martha Redbone mixes genres of folk, blues, and gospel to tell her experience of being a Native & African-American musician.With her father being African American, and her mother being Appalachia, she writes, “We are red ... we are black ... we are white ... we’re all mixed up, but not confused, in our peaceful little world of Appalachia.” to show that we are all united , despite our race.

Redbone had the chance to be featured in NPR’s podcast “All Things Considered” to talk about how she mixes her background of American Roots with social issues to inspire others and this has helped her fanbase to expand, and hopefully you will join her fanbase too.

Can’t Put It In The Hands of Fate by Stevie Wonder — feat. Rapsody, Cordae, Chika & Busta Rhymes Stevie Wonder is still making songs in 2020, but this one has an inspirational political meaning. With the lyrics,” Bodies hittin’ the ground, and so we gotta take a kneel/ Mothers missin’, kid’s attorneys say they oughta take a deal,” Wonder specifically addresses the unproportional violence, death, and racial discrimination in the legal sphere that affects the African-American community. In a press conference for

This is Who I Am — Tona Brown If you are looking for a mix of classical instruments or gospel vocals Tona Brown is someone you should listen to. Not only is Tona Brown a classically trained violinist and a professional vocalist, she became the first known transgender person of color to perform Carnegie Hall in 2014. Brown also sang the national anthem at the LGBT Leadership Conference and Gala Fundraiser for the former president, Barack Obama.

Gabs’ Picks :

Exothermic — Faouzia Finding this Moroccan-Canadian singer my freshman year of college, I’ve been following her releases along for almost four years. She’s the only musician born in Morocco that I’ve got in my playlists and I think she’s worth the listen. Just 20 years old, she’s just released a track with John Legend and in embracing her roots (and flexing her fluency in 3 languages) she has a track with Kelly Clarkson where she sings in Arabic. Though she’s taken my favorite song of hers off her Spotify and YouTube channels, this is my second favorite of hers.

Crush feat. Usher — Yuna Yuna is a Malaysian singer-songwriter that first went viral after she uploaded a track to MySpace. With nearly a twelve year career in music under her belt, it seems she’s just getting bigger and bigger with each release. Yuna is also a Muslim woman who wears the hijab. In 2017 she said though people expected her to “toss away” her hijab as she was now a “pop star,” she knew she could have both her dedication to her religion and her music saying, “I’m a Muslim. I don’t try to hide it.

I’m also a girl who loves music.

And I don’t try to hide that as well.”

Kelly — The Aces The Aces is one of my favorite girl bands around. The four-piece band has two queer members — sisters Cristal and Alisa Ramierez, who are from a conservative town in Utah.

Though they avoided gendered pronouns on their first album “When My Heart Felt Volca-

nic,” for their 2020 release “Under My Influence” the sisters and bandmates felt brave enough to not only use those gendered pronouns but also to sing “Kelly/ what you doing? / Please stop playing with my heart.” The best part about it all? Bandmates McKenna Petty and Katie Henderson are in full support of the sisters writing lyrics that represent their true stories.

Cliché — mxmtoon Singer-songwriter mxmtoon, otherwise known as Maia, now only 20 self-released her first EP “Plum Blossom,” which this track comes from, in 2018. She describes herself as a “bisexual woman of color from a family of immigrants” and has Chinese, German and Scottish roots. She’s quite vulnerable in her lyrics, addressing love, friendship, experiences in therapy, and mental health.

Bossa No Sé feat. Jean Carter — Cuco Cuco, known off-stage as Omar Banos, is a 22-year-old Mexican-American musician born and raised in California.

He began self-producing and releasing music from his bedroom in 2015, putting his tracks on Bandcamp and Soundcloud.

His musical style arguably blends bossa nova — a style of samba — and indie pop and his influences range from old ballads his parents used to listen to in the house to Chicano rappers. This track comes from his first studio album, his 2019 release of “Para Mi” but Cuco hasn’t slowed down: his most recent release was September of this year.

Sports

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THE QUADRANGLE

Manhattan Basketball Gets Good Results at MAAC Preseason Show Pete Janny

Sports & Managing Editor On Thursday, Nov. 5 the MAAC held its preseason awards show for men’s and women’s basketball. Aired on ESPN3, the program’s big announcements included the Preseason All-MAAC Teams, Preseason Players of the Years, and Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

The Manhattan teams drew a lot of attention on the night, ahead of a season in which both the men’s and women’s basketball teams are hoping to do damage in the MAAC. The Lady Jaspers, though, were the big winners. For the first time in program history, the Manhattan women’s basketball team was tabbed as the favorites to win the conference, their best preseason projection since being picked second for the 2002-2003 season. That year’s team lived up to the hype and beat Siena for the MAAC Championship. Now, this year’s iteration has their eyes set on the same end prize as they will look to improve on their 12-8 record in MAAC play from a season ago. The team surely wants nothing more than to officially put the memory of last season’s MAAC Tournament cancellation behind them once the new season tips off.

The Lady Jaspers return eight letterwinners from the 2019-2020 campaign and will have the services of D’Yona Davis and transfer Jenna Jordan available to make them even more dangerous. The group will be led by proven talents Courtney Warley, Emily LaPointe, and Gabby Cajou — all of whom were recognized on Thursday for their individual successes.

Warley and LaPointe were selected to the preseason AllMAAC First Team, coming off a season that saw the pair of teammates combine to average 24.1 points-per-game.

With the amount of depth on this year’s roster, the duo may not even have to score as much as they did last year for the Jaspers. Nevertheless, you can still bet the lethal one-two punch of Warley and LaPointe will be ready for whatever the team asks of them on any given night.

“Not many people have a 6-3 kid that moves the way she moves and is also so completely committed to the team,”

ABOVE: Senior Courtney Warley (left) and sophomore Emily LaPointe (right) were named to the Preseason All-MAAC First Team.

GOJASPERS / COURTESY BELOW: Heading into his third season with the Jaspers, Warren Williams was chosen to the Preseason All-MAAC Second Team.

RIVERDALE PRESS/COURTESY Heather Vulin, the women’s head coach, said about Warley, according to Go Jaspers.

And when speaking on LaPointe, Vulin offered similar praise saying, “She looks incredible, and she used this summer to become a separator.”

Rounding out the shoutouts for the Lady Jaspers was senior Gabby Cajou, who was

named to the preseason AllMAAC Third Team. This year marked the third in a row in which Cajou was named to one of the three All-MAAC teams.

On the men’s side, Warren Williams was given some much-deserved love from the conference in being named to the All-MAAC Second Team.

After a breakout freshman campaign during the 2018-2019

season, Williams had an up and down season last year playing in a similar role as former Jasper Pauly Paulicap. With Paulicap moving on to DePaul University, Williams will have a prime chance to leave his imprint on this season and to be even better than the player who scored in double-figures 16 times as a freshman.

Steve Masiello’s squad

is slated to finish fifth in the MAAC, a few notches up from last season when the Jaspers finished tied for eighth with Fairfield with an 8-12 record against MAAC opponents.