Washington Square News March 4, 2019

4 CULTURE

9 OPINION

Tisch First-Years Make Waves Outside of the Classroom

Stonewall Celebration: Moving Forward by Recognizing Our Past

7 ARTS

11 SPORTS

Dramatic Writing Professor Brings Blockchain to Theater

Hockey Closes out Season With Exciting Overtime Win

VOLUME LII | ISSUE 6

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

Why Haven’t Students Heard of the University Senate?

University Senate Resolutions Passed, by Topic

SOPHIA DI IORIO | WSN

Over the past eight years, the University Senate has passed 31 resolutions.

By VICTOR PORCELLI and MANSEE KHURANA

News Editors

You know how graduation is held at Yankee Stadium every year? Well, that’s decided by the University Senate — a 137-person body made up of students, faculty and administrators with the ability to change university-wide policies — that is, if its proposals are approved by the Board of Trustees. Despite the scope of its jurisdiction, the most common resolution passed in the University Senate is choosing the site of graduation.

Multiple students, when asked, were not even aware of the University Senate’s function, or even its existence.

“I don’t know any resolutions that have been passed,” Tisch first-year John Mills said. “I didn’t know there was a University Senate. Maybe I’m ignorant, or maybe this is a general sample.”

“The University Center?” CAS se-

nior Matthew Henry Huo said. “I feel like a lot of NYU students don’t know this. What is the University Senate?”

“We’re so not knowledgeable,” CAS senior Moses Freih said. “But this sounds spicy.”

When asked if she had heard of the University Senate, Tisch sophomore Cameron Franklin simply shook her head.

“I didn’t know we had a University Senate,” Steinhardt first-year Grace Park said.

“Yeah, what’s that?” Park’s friend, CAS first-year Mari Lee, asked.

Deciding where graduation will be held and approving scheduling for the academic year and the body’s own meetings make up 14 of the 31 resolutions passed in the last eight years.

“Senate often considers resolutions dealing with policies and regulations,” Chair of the University Senate’s Tenure Track Senators Council Wen Ling wrote

in an email to WSN. Despite this, Ling does not feel that there are restrictions on what a resolution can or cannot propose.

“Based on my experience serving more than 10 years at the University Senate, I do not see ‘limitations’ set for resolutions [coming] before the Senate,” Ling wrote.

Seven resolutions relate to the University Senate itself, from adding representation for non-tenure track faculty to changing the bylaws in hopes of facilitating communication with the Board of Trustees.

Out of the 31 resolutions, seven more include changes pertaining to the university as a whole. The most recent resolution passed changed grade point averages to be defined by three decimal point values, increasing the numerical value of minus grades and decreasing the same for plus grades.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

NY-YouTube NYU can only control so much of its image — the rest is up to student YouTubers who fill in the gaps and spill the tea.

By JOEL LEE Under the Arch Deputy Editor It’s Dec. 15 of your senior year in high school and you’ve just been accepted early decision to NYU, your dream school.

You’re exploding with joy, imagining how in a few months you’ll soon strut down the city streets singing “Empire State of Mind.”

Until Welcome Week, you settle for living vicariously through YouTubers at NYU. Take your pick from millions of videos — including admission tips, dorm tours and day-in-the-life vlogs. Aside from being a notable mention in Nicki Minaj’s “Feeling Myself,” NYU has capitalized on its image as the big-city dream school for aspiring creatives. According to Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Joey Schmit, a recent survey conducted by his department reported that 30 percent of NYU’s applicant pool always knew they wanted to attend NYU. “The reputation for our [NYU’s] programs continues to grow, as evidenced by our application volume and the fact that we remain a dream school for so many,” Schmit wrote in an email to WSN. But some NYU students think that this image is too good to be true.

Michelle Zhang mulled over and over whether or not to post her video, “6 REASONS WHY I DROPPED OUT OF NYU.” Initially worried that her video would be controversial, she decided to post

it, explaining that her intention was to stir conversation, not drama.

Many NYU-related videos found on YouTube portray the school in a positive — if not superficial — light. So when Michelle Zhang posted her honest criticisms about the school, current students lauded her candidness and for providing a realistic perspective on a platform so saturated by half-truths.

In the video, her grievances addressed the value of the education against its high price tag. Additionally, Michelle Zhang criticized the school for preaching diversity when Aramark, NYU’s food provider, profits from prison labor. She also felt frustrated by the fact that conservative-leaning opinions are harshly judged, creating unproductive discussions in and out of the classroom.

“The video just vocalized what a lot of people already thought but were keeping to themselves,” Michelle Zhang said. “I think I validated those people’s opinions, and that’s what’s important.”

Michelle Zhang isn’t the only YouTuber that dropped out this year. Jennifer Zhang (no relation), a former Steinhardt student known online as JENerationDIY, posted her own dropout video this past December, announcing that she would pursue YouTube full-time. The bulk of Jennifer Zhang’s videos are DIY tutorials and NYU vlogs — but unlike Michelle Zhang, she rarely spoke about her grievances.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

KATIE PEURRUNG | WSN

Steinhardt sophomore Ainura Kudaibergen holds her vlog camera and a YouTube-branded notebook, which she fills with video ideas. She has been posting to YouTube since 2012.

Washington Square News

2

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

NEWS

NEWS@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by VICTOR PORCELLI and MEGHNA MAHARISHI

Why Haven’t Students Heard of the University Senate?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Over the past eight years, three resolutions resulted in the creation of two task forces on sexual misconduct and work-life services.

In 2014, an ad-hoc committee to review policies and procedures related to Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence and Stalking was created. One year later, a resolution to create another committee that explored NYU’s Work-Life Services, which included services related to childcare, benefits and adaptation, was passed.

This past July, a three-part resolution that would have added student and faculty representation to the Board of Trustees was struck down by the Board itself after passing in the University Senate.

Ling feels the University Senate serves the necessary function of advising the Board on relevant policies and provides a place for frank discussion of issues facing the university.

“I think the Senate works. It’s clear in structure and it represents faculty through two groups,” Ling said. “It [also] represents students. This kind of structure allows us to have open dialogue and it’s all public record so you can see what we say.”

Senator at-Large for Sustainability Edin Thornton is a GSAS student and a member of the University Senate. Thornton said the body should deliberate on important issues within NYU. “The University Senate is responsible

for addressing substantive concerns of the University community as they come up through the various representative councils,” Thornton wrote in an email to WSN. Thornton said although the system of the University Senate can be confusing, the body is efficient and provides insight into the politics and functions of the university.

“I have been very impressed with my experience on the Sustainability Advisory Group,” Thornton wrote. “The groups’ most recent reports reflect the high-quality, ambitious outcomes which are possible as a result of collaborative thought which brings together individuals on many levels of the university.”

While some students seem unaware

of the existence of the University Senate, NYU spokesperson John Beckman maintained that student concerns influence university policies, even if it’s not explicitly through resolutions passed by University Senate. Beckman said student concerns have propelled university efforts to increase the minimum wage for students, make changes to university affordability and a campus-wide ban on Coca-Cola in 2005 because of its involvement with labor practices in Latin America.

“I think it is evident that student concerns have a considerable impact on University policies,” Beckman said in a statement to WSN. Methodology: WSN’s News Team

looked through all University Senate minutes that were publicly available on its website to identify resolutions that were proposed and passed by University Senate since Oct. 6, 2011, which are the oldest records available online. If there was not an explicit communication from the Board of Trustees rejecting a resolution, it was assumed that the resolution was approved by the board.

The data also does not include resolutions that temporarily suspended the rules of the University Senate in order to allow a vote to take place. Over the last eight years, this has happened two times.

Email Victor Porcelli and Mansee Khurana at news@nyunews.com.

Parent-Child Talks Combat Youth HIV, Professor Says

COURTESY OF DR. VINCENT GUILAMO RAMOS

Guilamo-Ramos and his team at the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health discuss the Families Talking Together Program.

By MANSEE KHURANA Deputy News Editor Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos first saw Manhattan through the windows of a yellow school bus.

“The classic school trip was to go to the Museum of Natural History,” Guilamo-Ramos said. “As the bus came into Manhattan and we drove around Central Park and Sixth Avenue, even the place where NYU is located, I remember thinking how different it all looked compared to where I grew up.”

Originally from the Bronx, Guilamo-Ramos’ research and work at NYU is heavily influenced by where he grew up. Guilamo-Ramos is currently NYU’s Associate Vice Provost of Mentoring and Outreach Programs and the founder of The Center for

Latino Adolescent and Family Health at the Silver School of Social Work.

“The Bronx has always been, both personally and professionally, very important to me,” Guilamo-Ramos said. “I think it represents a lot of the contemporary social problems that are facing disadvantaged communities in the United States today.”

Guilamo-Ramos published an article in The Lancet: HIV on Feb. 27 titled “Youth at risk of HIV: the overlooked US HIV prevention crisis,” which analyzes the ways in which new practices and policy changes can address the growing number of HIV cases in racial and ethnic minority adolescents, despite an overall national decline in reported cases.

Guilamo-Ramos calls this rise in minority youth cases an “invisible epidemic” in the U.S. today. The Trump administration

recently announced a plan to eradicate HIV by targeting counties with high numbers of new diagnoses and rural areas with high rates of the disease. However, Guilamo-Ramos feels like these initiatives fail to take into consideration the increase in HIV cases in Latino and African-American adolescent males.

Throughout the interview, Guilamo-Ramos used “Latino” as a gender-neutral term.

Racial and ethnic minorities accounted for 63 percent of new HIV diagnoses and new diagnoses among Hispanic/Latino men increased by 17 percent between 2012 and 2016. Only half of HIV positive youth are aware of their status and many are not able to access lifesaving treatments.

“When you look at the data with a particular angle just on youths, and you separate out 13-24- year-olds, what you see is that young people are not doing as well and that they’re really struggling in terms of testing and linkage to care,” Guilamo-Ramos said.

Guilamo-Ramos has developed programs like Families Talking Together, which encourages Latino and African-American parents or guardians to talk to their teenagers about sex. This initiative takes a different approach to sex education, focusing on the role of the family in shaping teenagers’ decisions about sex. Currently, the center also evaluates the impact of Fathers Raising Responsible Men, another family-based intervention created by Guilamo-Ramos and his team.

“We’re really trying to involve Latino and black fathers of adolescent males [in these conversations] because a lot of these sexual reproductive health issues tend to be framed as being about young women, and truthfully it’s about mothers and fathers and boys and girls,” Guilamo-Ramos said.

President of the Latino Commission on AIDS and founder of the Hispanic Health Network Guillermo Chacón spoke about how Guilamo-Ramos’ work in HIV preven-

tion has been guiding prevention programming at Oasis, a Latino LGBTQ wellness center located in Manhattan, which predominantly supports non-heterosexual Latino men, trans Latina women and young adults.

“Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos is a brilliant leader and community-focused researcher who we are privileged to say is part of the Latino Commission’s Board of Directors,” Chacón said in a statement to WSN. “His work around the issues impacting minority communities, youth and younger adults and LGBTQ communities have guided the community prevention programing at the Latino Commission on AIDS.” Guilamo-Ramos first began to focus on HIV prevention after receiving his Master of Social Work from Silver. He decided to focus on adolescent sexual reproductive health, specifically HIV research because of how it’s spreading in poor, Latino and African-American communities.

“It’s [spreading] in the most vulnerable people in our society, who have been told over and over again that they are at the margins of society,” Guilamo-Ramos said. “All of these things spoke to me. It spoke to the young person in the Bronx who felt left out.”

For Guilamo-Ramos, being able to pursue a career in social work was a way for him to change his circumstances.

“I still go back to some of the places that I have lived in the Bronx and can sort of imagine what my life would’ve been like if I hadn’t been able to pursue my studies,” Guilamo-Ramos said.

Guilamo-Ramos decided to commit his time to supporting adolescents in their family context in resource-limited and disadvantaged settings. He founded the Center for Latino Adolescent Family Health in 2010, which seeks to investigate the role of Latino parents in shaping the overall wellbeing of adolescents.

“Even if [their] circumstances were presumably very negative, it [has] still been amazing to me to see how much young people benefit from having that strong relationship and that open communication with their adult primary caregiver,” Guilamo-Ramos said.

He hopes that one day, his work at CLAFH will help create a national initiative that gets families talking about these issues.

“We spend so much time debating whether or not we should have an abstinence-only approach or a sex-compherensive approach,” Guilamo-Ramos said. “I think for me, the way forward is to bring all these sides to the table and really have a national initiative that supports parents and families to be partners in addressing these issues.”

When considering what can be done on a national level to help combat the rise in cases among adolescents, Guilamo-Ramos believes it’s important to use a direct approach.

In his mind, a national campaign which provides parents with concrete resources and tools about how to navigate their adolescents’ sexual reproductive help would be ideal.

“If those resources could in some way be part of what we’ve developed with the folks that work in this area, I’d feel ready to retire,” Guilamo-Ramos said.

While he waits for that day to come, Guilamo-Ramos is glad to be working in the city he saw from that school bus as a kid.

“If you think about New York City, it has an incredibly diverse Latino community, with one-third of the population being Latino,” Guilamo-Ramos said. “That’s why New York is so important, and being here at NYU and in the city with this amazing Latino community is what makes my work so meaningful.”

Email Mansee Khurana at mkhurana@nyunews.com.

Accounts of Discrimination Shared Anonymously via Instagram

By BETHANY ALLARD Staff Writer Anonymous experiences of discrimination have been shared on an Instagram account created in February as an experiment in social justice.

The account, called UnheardNYU, has about 110 followers and was created by a group of seven students as an assignment for the Social and Cultural Analysis class Justice Lab, which focuses on teaching students how to create justice-led initiatives.

Students are encouraged to either direct message the account with their experiences or fill out a Google form if they wish to maintain anonymity. So far, the page has six posts

up, some detailing instances of discrimination between students and others between students and faculty.

CAS junior Renuka Joshi, one of the account’s admins, said the group aims to highlight experiences of discrimination that some at NYU remain blind to.

“We believe that although NYU prides itself on its inclusivity and diversity, there are microaggressions happening on the individual level that need to be addressed,” Joshi said via Facebook.

The idea to use an Instagram account came about after a class discussion about the role of social media in modern culture. The group decided that Instagram was probably the most accessible and widely used platform.

In winter 2017, NYU engaged in a similar effort to gather students’ experiences on campus with the Being@NYU survey.

This primary effort of the survey was to gauge campus climate among faculty, students and staff.

Another admin, Tisch senior Jasmine Johnson, said that although UnheardNYU is not a response to the survey, she still believes the survey was an important first step in addressing issues of discrimination on campus.

However, she thinks the danger of a survey is that it is easy for students to forget once they’ve filled it out, especially if the student is not typically affected by discrimination.

“I think the appeal of a social media account that talks about these issues is that it’s

accessible for a generation that’s constantly scrolling/liking/reposting,” Johnson said via Instagram. “And it forces the conversation to stay relevant when there’s a constant influx of submissions and postings.”

The group has garnered followers on the account by sharing the link to it through Facebook posts and Instagram stories.

Gallatin sophomore Kaylee Lamarche came across the page after seeing it on an Instagram story.

“I was very intrigued by the idea of having a platform and being able to hear about the experiences of others in a streamlined way,” Lamarche said via Instagram.

Lamarche thinks that it is important to hear these experiences to remind stu-

dents, faculty and staff that while NYU is often regarded as a progressive campus, more could be done to make the university more inclusive.

Although the group of students behind the page is unsure how it will develop over time, they hope that it will create tangible change on campus, with the possibility that they could even present their findings to administration.

“We’re definitely hoping that we can create awareness [among] students,” said Joshi.

“But depending on the response we get, we’re hoping that we can take it to the higher-ups.”

Email Bethany Allard at news@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | News

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

Robotics Competition Canceled After Government Shutdown

By EMILY MASON Staff Writer Tandon School of Engineerings’ robotics team was brought back down to Earth after their NASA-hosted competition was canceled.

NASA sent an email to the team informing them that the cancelation was due to the month of lost preparation time caused by the 35-day government shutdown and a launch scheduled at the Kennedy Space Center that they didn’t want students on-site for.

Each May, NASA hosts the Robotic Mining competition. The event includes sending in papers, outreach reports and system engineering reports for evaluation, but the competition’s centerpiece is an on-site mining competition. Teams across the country bring their robots to see who can collect the most gravel in 10 minutes.

Tandon sophomore Allie Karakosta is the communications director of NYU’s team and began to prepare for the competition with her teammates after attending last year’s event.

“Most of us are just angry at the situation in general,” Karakosta said. “We’re angry we spent so many months building and designing a robot that at the end of the day wouldn’t be necessary to compete in this year’s competition.”

Members of the team had already presented their designs to NYU consultants, built a wooden prototype of their robot and ordered materials to begin building the model for the competition. Then, they received the two-line email from NASA informing them there would only be a virtual competition this year.

The team’s students were determined to place higher in the competition than

previous years, and their adviser, Haldun Hadimioglu, was sure they would meet their expectations.

“Every year they have been doing better and better,” Hadimioglu said. “They were doing well and I was sure they were going to do better this year, so it’s a huge disappointment.”

This year, students were especially determined to do well because it was the 10-year anniversary of the competition and the 50-year anniversary of the Apollo space mission, so the top 10 competing teams were going to be flown to California to meet Buzz Aldrin and other officials who worked on the Apollo mission.

“We were going to be specially rewarded,” Karakosta said. “So it was one of those things where we [really] wanted to place well and it was an extra layer of drive to get this robot completed.”

The team hopes that the on-site portion of the competition will be relocated

to the University of Alabama because they have facilities which could accommodate the event. Several teams and Caterpillar Inc., a co-sponsor of the competition, have been in contact with the university. They are currently looking for additional funding and another week to reschedule the event.

Regardless of if the event is successfully rescheduled, the team still aims to have its robot completed by spring break.

Karakosta is confident that this year’s cancelation will not affect the team’s participation in future years.

“It’s a really nice challenge, especially at an engineering school,” Karakosta said.

“It’s one thing to sit at your desk and do equations and problems and homeworks, but it’s another to get your hands dirty with building and manufacturing.”

Email Emily Mason at news@nyunews.com.

VIA NYU

The NYU Tandon Robotics Design Team at the Kennedy Space Center.

Trapped for Eight Hours

By EMILY MASON Staff Writer GLS sophomore Hunter Major hosted some friends in her Broome Street Residential College dorm on Thursday night.

The group ordered pizza, danced and was together until about 12:30 a.m. Once her guests left, Major gathered up the pizza boxes piled up on her table and took them to the recycling and laundry room located steps away from her suite. As she flattened boxes, the door suddenly closed and locked.

Major — expecting to be away from her suite for only a few minutes — had not taken her phone.

This marked the beginning of an eighthour stretch that Major would spend locked in the room. Throughout the night, she would repeatedly yell, “I’m Hunter Major. I live in room 810. I’m locked in.”

When she attempted to turn the handle from the inside, the latch would not

respond. According to University Spokesperson John Beckman, the lockset on these doors was designed so that people can still open them from the inside even when locked with a key; in this case, the lockset failed.

As her desperation grew, Major thought of other ways to escape, such as flooding the room or creating smoke to set off the alarm, but neither option was feasible. Major also considered crawling through the vent to another floor but didn’t want to fall.

“I’m usually the most prepared person,” Major said. “If I had my handbag or anything we would get out of here [and] this would be solved, but I did not have any of that on me.”

Major spent the next hours alternating between sleeping, shoving torn pizza boxes under the door to attempt to send a signal, pressing the buttons on the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, banging and shouting by the door and listening for any

JULIA MOSES | WSN

NYU’s Broome Residential College, where a student was locked in their laundry room overnight.

sounds of building residents waking up to begin their Fridays.

Eventually, she heard the sound of a cart rattling, and a cleaning lady discovered her trapped inside the room. According to Major, the woman did not leave her until a maintenance worker came and used a tool to open the door. The first question Major asked after getting out was “What time is it?” The answer was 9:13 a.m.

Major said she lost track of time while brainstorming ways to get out.

“So much of time is equated with success and getting things done,” Major said.

“Because there was no success, it was just me trying a bunch of things and it being a lot of trial and error. My sense of time was completely messed up.”

The morning after the incident, Major sent an email describing the ordeal to several university administrators and the personal network she has gained through her work as a student activist. She and her family have not ruled out pursuing legal action.

Beckman said that the university has checked all similar locksets in the hall and plans to speak with Broome’s landlord to see if there are alternative locksets to prevent such an incident in the future.

“This incident, which occurred in one of our leased residence halls, is both regrettable and rare,” Beckman said. “No one should have to experience what this student experienced.”

Major has been in contact with several university administrators, and a wellness counselor reached out to her the morning after the incident to offer support.

Email Emily Mason at news@nyunews.com.

3

CRIME LOG

Severely Damaged Bulletin Board in Senior House

By CRIME BOT Robot Reporter From Feb. 20 to 28, the NYU Department of Public Safety received four reports of controlled substance violation, three reports of criminal mischief, one report of disorderly conduct, one report of drug law violation/liquor law violation, one report of fondling, four reports of harassment, one report of larceny/criminal mischief, seven reports of larceny and one report of liquor law violation/harassment.

Controlled Substance Violation On Feb. 22 at 11:35 p.m., a resident assistant reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in Othmer Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 22 at 12:58 a.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in Lipton Residence Hall.

Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 24 at 1:20 a.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in Weinstein Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 28 at 8:58 p.m., Public Safety responded to a report of an alleged drug law violation and a small amount of marijuana was recovered in Rubin Residence Hall.

Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Criminal Mischief On Feb. 22 at 11:35 p.m., an RA reported witnessing a severely damaged bulletin board in Senior House Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 22 at 12:55 a.m., a Public Safety investigation revealed an unknown person breaking a window in the Barney Building. The case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 24 at 11:50 a.m., Public Safety reported witnessing graffiti on the side of 31 Washington Place at the Silver Center. The case is open and under investigation.

Disorderly Conduct On Feb. 27 at 8:31 a.m., a security officer reported an individual acting disorderly in Midtown Center. A police report was filed and the case was closed.

Drug Law Violation / Liquor Law Violation On Feb. 23 at 1:45 a.m., Public Safety and an RA witnessed underage alcohol possession and reported an alleged drug law violation where a small amount of marijuana was recovered in Lipton Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Fondling On Feb. 22 at 10 a.m., a student reported that she was the victim of fon-

dling in Brittany Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Harassment On Feb. 20 at 6:41 p.m., a student reported being harassed in a practice room in Third Avenue North Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 22, a student reported being a victim of verbal harassment in Brittany Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to Title IX. On Feb. 24 at 7 p.m., a student reported he was physically harassed in his dormitory in Palladium Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 26 at 4:40 p.m., a professor reported being a victim of electronic harassment in 5 Washington Place. A police report was filed and the case has been referred to the NYPD.

Larceny / Criminal Mischief On Feb. 21 at 6:44 a.m., an NYU contractor reported witnessing the breaking of a vending machine and theft of items and money from the machine in Brittany Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Larceny On Feb. 21 at 4:26 p.m., an NYU staff member reported a missing laptop in 721 Broadway. Police notification was declined at the time and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 25 at 6:04 a.m., an NYU staff member reported a missing computer mouse in Dibner Library. A police report was filed and the case has been referred to the NYPD. On Feb. 26 at 10 a.m., a student reported a necklace missing from a purse in Rubin Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 26 at 1:50 p.m., a student reported missing jewelry in Rubin Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 26 at 8:15 p.m., a student reported a missing phone and wallet in Bobst Library. A police report was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 26 at 11:38 a.m., a student reported a missing wallet in Tisch Hall.

A police report was filed and the case has been referred to the NYPD. On Feb. 27 at 9:25 a.m., an NYU staff member reported missing credit cards in Vanderbilt Hall. A police report was filed and the case has been referred to the NYPD.

Liquor Law Violation / Harassment On Feb. 20 at 10:15 p.m., a student reported a liquor law violation and harassment in his dormitory in Lipton Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

Email Crime Bot at news@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

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MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

CULTURE

CULTURE@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by FAITH MARNECHECK

Tisch First-Years Make Waves Outside of the Classroom

YESENIA LEON | WSN

Tisch first-years Toby Romero and Emilio Torres, the co-founders of the media collective Ultrawave.

By ANNA DE LA ROSA Deputy Culture Editor It was like love at first sight.

At 6 feet 2 inches tall, Toby Romero

stood out to Emilio Miguel Torres even among the restless crowd whose jumping threatened to fracture the floorboards during “Mo Bamba.” After that blurry night at the Sheck Wes concert, Romero

would continue to catch Torres’ eye in his Tisch School of the Arts classes. So when Romero shot him a text with an idea for collaboration, it seemed like fate.

Both West Coast natives, the Tisch first-years arrived at NYU eager to pursue their passion for film. After the craziness of transitioning into college subsided and routine took hold around mid-October, they both began to crave a cinematic outlet but needed an idea — or a person — to act as a catalyst. “[In] freshman year of film school, it’s very great, but the assignments you’re doing in class are very limited,” Ultrawave co-founder and Creative Director Torres said. “NYU is so focused on the fundamentals of film. For someone who constantly feels this need to create, I was feeling this void of wanting something where I can push myself to make something good.”

From this artistic appetite, Ultrawave was born.

“We were thinking, ‘this needs to be a collective that focuses on trends and brands,’” co-founder and CEO Romero said. “There are circuits of new things — what’s in, what’s not — so it’s about following the wave, and that’s how Ultrawave came about.”

Romero and Torres define Utrawave as a media collective covering music, fashion and street culture that utilizes YouTube as its main platform. However, Ultrawave isn’t your typical clickbait and like-comment-subscribe channel.

“We’re not clout chasers,” Torres said.

“It’s not about the money or the fame.

I’m from Seattle, and I grew up in Alaska. My knowledge about hip-hop, basketball, everything [mainly] came from YouTube videos. That’s why we want to make fun videos, videos that capture this youth culture, this essence, so people can feel inspired by that.”

The difficulty in labeling and defining Ultrawave also stems from the different creative minds that make up the team behind the collective. Romero and Torres aren’t the only ones riding the wave — they have recruited six Tisch first-years who serve as content creators and specialize in different media.

“All of us are creatively driven,” Romero said. “We’re all in some sort of

art form, but not all of us are in film. Not everyone is creating the same thing because we all come from different cultures and backgrounds. That’s what we try and use Ultrawave for — to present these creators in a new light [while] bringing them all together.”

Tisch first-year Sebastian Duran was Ultrawave’s first recruit. He said he enjoys working under the creative direction of the duo.

“They never try to force anything [like videos] out,” Duran said. “It’s actually really nurturing for creativity.”

Duran has a segment on Ultrawave called “Street Rat” that documents New York City anomalies he finds intriguing.

Last week, he covered Sucklord, a pop artist who manufactures action figures and toys through his company, Suckadelic.

Like Sucklord, the main subjects of Ultrawave’s videos tend to be smaller local artists, such as designer Dela Wess, who created a clothing line called Guitar Boy Archive, and Chief Drip, who starred in an Ultrawave-produced music video for his new song “Time.” This convergence of fashion, music and niche street art is made possible by the creative freedom Romero and Torres give their content creators, allowing them to pursue subjects that interest them personally. As up-and-comers themselves, Romero and Torres want to give exposure to these growing artists while cultivating their own craft.

What they want out of Ultrawave, however, is much more than documentary-heavy narratives.

Romero and Torres are looking forward to creating video essays and experimental films, and they also hope to eventually expand Ultrawave’s merchandise and produce events like parties and concerts.

Meanwhile, their next project starts close to home at NYU. “We’ve been working on this series called ‘Dorm Invasion,’” Torres said. “If you look online, especially for NYU dorm tours, no shade but they suck. We wanted to make a dorm tour that was doper, more our style and very authentic.”

Ultrawave has been influenced by the many inspirations of the two co-found-

ers. From the music of Kanye West and Oliver Tree to the films of Spike Lee and Jonah Hill, Romero and Torres intend for Ultrawave to synthesize many trends in youth culture.

While Romero and Torres idolize big shots, they themselves inspire other students within the NYU community.

Tisch first-year Taylor Williams knew Romero and Torres separately before they joined forces and has been a fan of Ultrawave since the beginning.

“The first thing that stood out to me with the 30-second promo was the cinematography because it’s all one shot and really well-composed,” Williams said.

“They’re both really skilled individuals, so when they work together as a team, they do some really cool stuff.”

Romero and Torres’ skill got them into Tisch’s selective Film and Television program, but it is their ceaseless drive and love for film that aid them most in creating for Ultrawave. Torres points out that for every artist, there is an audience waiting to appreciate his work.

“I always think if there is something that someone is passionate about, no matter what it is, there’s a reason you’re passionate about it,” Torres said. “I guarantee you that there’s at least one other person on Earth who is also passionate about it. So just make videos or create art that makes you happy, and there will be someone who finds value in what you created.”

But Romero is also aware of how competitive the film industry is, even though it doesn’t scare him.

“There might be a million other people doing the same thing you’re doing, especially in the film industry,” Romero said. “That’s such a hard business — no one ever makes it. But you can’t let that discourage you. If you’re passionate about something, go out, go chase it, go keep working on it. Eventually, if you try hard and work hard enough, something will happen.”

While some may see their outlook as young naivete, it is undeniable that among the sea of artists in the city, Romero and Torres are making their own waves.

Email Anna de la Rosa at adelarosa@nyunews.com.

You Like My Hair? Gee Thanks, Just Bought It

By JOYCE SHIN Contributing Writer New hair, new me — but hopefully not with uneven bangs or a bald spot.

Leaving home and moving to the city means finding a new favorite hairdresser that knows your style, but one who won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Luckily for NYU students, there are plenty of barbershops and hair salons near campus with great deals. Here are a few.

Astor Place Hairstylists $ 2 Astor Place Astor Place Hairstylists takes you underground to over 40 different hair stylists that cut for less than $20.

Located right next to the bookstore, Astor Place has been a favorite for celebrities and local residents alike since the 80s. The underground interior is remarkably spacious. Each barber has their own station, decorated with photos of their specialty cuts and personal items.

Tandon first-year Austin Barron often ventures into the large underground complex for walk-ins, where he is always seated and given a sharp skin fade in under 15 minutes.

“It was very comfortable making conversation and getting to know your hairdresser while getting a great cut,” Barron said.

If you’re in need of a clean, quick and affordable cut, Astor Place Hairstylists is both accomplished and accommodating.

foilyage but do not want to cough up hundreds of dollars, Yun hinted that in a few months she will be able to bring clients those styles for $50 plus tip.

Make sure to stop by the ATM beforehand, though, because Unfade Hair Studio only takes cash.

“Most of my clients are students or fresh out of college, and I think that I could save money for students wanting to get their hair done,” Yun said.

Unfade Hair Studio $ 47 Clinton St.

Mian Tian Sing Hair Salon $ 170 Canal St. second floor

Dyeing hair might seem out of an average college student’s price range, but at Unfade Hair Studio in Lower Manhattan, hair colorist apprentice Haeny Yun has a sweet deal. Haeny only charges for the cost of materials for toner or single shade processes without bleach, ranging from $16 to $30. Men’s haircuts are free before tip.

If you are looking into balayage and

Another favorite amongst students is Mian Tian Sing Hair Salon on Elizabeth and Canal Street. In this fastpaced shop in Chinatown, one can get everything from a trim, eyebrow shaping to neck massages, all for under $30. Tandon first-year Ly Cao is a regular customer.

“I was really brief about what I wanted, but she gave the exact cut that was

Yun is currently looking for hair models.

TOMER KEYSAR | WSN

The facade of Astor Hair.

even better than what I expected,” Cao said. “The place was very busy with a lot of people when I walked in, but I was in a rush, so they gave me priority.”

Spring is coming soon, and it’s the perfect time for a new hairdo or to fix

those bangs you tried cutting on your own at 2 a.m. Check out these amazing yet affordable salons near campus for your own hairstyle upgrade.

Email Joyce Shin at bstyle@nyunews.com.

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

Washington Square News | Culture

Ray’s: Serving the Works Since 1974

By CALAIS WATKINS Staff Writer Finding the perfect snack in the early morning hours after a night spent either out or holed up in Bobst can be diff icult. Luckily, there is a place that offers both savory and sweet treats around the clock.

Ray’s Candy Store, located on the corner of Avenue A and East Seventh Street in the East Village since 1974, is a holy site for all things junk food related. Complete with an eclectic, charming interior that makes you feel as if you just traveled back to the ’70s, Ray’s is a hidden gem worth discovering for yourself.

Walking up the steps and into the hole-in-the-wall junk food jointis an overwhelming sensory experience.

The sound of countless whirring machines powered-up to prepare treats f ills the room. The walls are splashed with color, leaving one unsure where to look. Without a single consolidated menu to look at, the names of all the snacks are written on pieces of paper or printed-out pictures and collaged on the walls. Red, blue and green colored LED lights dance on the ceiling like a disco ball. Even without previous knowledge, one can get a sense of the history of the candy store after laying eyes on the old fashioned cash register and reading the various newspaper articles featuring Ray’s over the years.

But this sensory overload isn’t where the experience ends. After taking everything in, I had to get it together and focus on the task at hand — ordering food.

I recruited my two roommates, and together we tackled $50 worth of junk food delicacies. Chicken tenders, french fries, fried bananas, fried Oreos, beignets, mozzarella sticks, grilled cheese and an Oreo milkshake. All of this, and it’s safe to say we didn’t even make a dent into the menu.

Everything was delicious. The ratio of cheese to powdered sugar to grease to chocolate was perfect.

However, the thing that sets Ray’s food apart from the other dives around New York City has to be the packaging.

The grilled cheese was wrapped in tin foil and placed in a paper bag, making it feel as though I was back in grade school and my mom had just packed my lunch for the day.

The different sauces that came with our food (honey mustard, ketchup and marinara) were squirted into to-go coffee cups and placed in a drink carrier. The chicken tenders and fries were too large for their plastic container — a problem solved by tying a rubber band around the whole thing. A lack of obsession with perfect presentation means the taste of the food is really what Ray’s is all about.

If you’re worried about the variety of things to choose from, get the beignets and wash them

down with a milkshake. It’s a sugar overload you won’t ever regret, no matter how vehemently your stomach protests.

The one flaw in Ray’s is its lack of seating. Being able to chow down on our food right as it came out of the fryer would have been nice. Instead, we were forced to take it home. When the weather warms up, an easy solution will be to take your treats across the street and have a picnic in Tompkins Square Park.

Towards the end of our visit, Ray sauntered out of the kitchen and joined us at the counter to say hello to the folks who had ordered so much food at once. Still going strong at 86 years old, Ray’s sweet smile and warm demeanor made it clear why his candy store holds a special place in so many people’s hearts.

Email Calais Watkins at dining@nyunews.com.

At 404 Fitness, NYU’s gym junkies compete for free weights and squat racks, packing on the pounds to flaunt their recent protein shake gains.

Stern junior Hector Grullon claims his training form is dependent upon the protein shake he consumes either pre- or post-workout.

“As a student, it’s hard to eat a lot of food — especially protein — to maintain or gain muscle,” Grullon said.

His ideal shake includes two scoops of whey protein powder, one tablespoon of peanut butter, a handful of frozen strawberries and blueberries and half a cup of almond milk.

Increased protein intake is essential to strength training, as it optimizes the body’s ability to store energy, supporting muscle growth and recovery. During exercise, your muscle fibers are broken down and damaged. To repair and rebuild, they undergo muscle protein synthesis, a process that utilizes proteins made up of amino acids.

NYU Trend Report: Winter to Spring Edition

JULIA MCNEILL | WSN

Colorful teddy coats line the walls of Urban Outfitters on Second Avenue.

By CAROL LEE Beauty & Style Editor NYU students are notorious for their refusal to ascribe to the stereotypical college uniform of sweats and a Jansport. Here are some of the trends students are loving or leaving behind in the new season.

IN Carhartt The new Champion.

Streetwear is as trendy as ever and has a reputation for raising brands from the depths of obscurity. Fila, New Balance and Champion are some of the lucky few, and judging by the newfound ubiquity of that yellow logo around Washington Square Park, workwear brand Carhartt is soon to join their ranks. Canada Goose may still dominate the NYU outerwear market, but Carhartt beanies are what grace students’ heads.

ELAINE CHEN | WSN

Fried Oreo, a signature snack at Ray’s Candy Store, a tiny, hidden shop near Tompkins Square Park.

Student Takes on Protein Shakes

By AMINA FRASSL Contributing Writer

5

“If I’m lifting three times a week and not supplementing with protein, my strength gains aren’t as drastic,” said CAS junior John Arege, who drinks protein shakes as meal replacements or post-workout snacks.

He opts for Garden of Life’s vegan Raw Organic Chocolate Cacao Protein Powder because he is lactose intolerant. His go-to shake consists of one scoop of protein, one banana, one tablespoon of creatine, PB2 peanut butter powder, a handful of spinach, some frozen fruit and a mixture of water and plant-based milk to combine the ingredients.

Different types of protein powders — high in nutritional value and low in calories — are great sources of protein that easily combine with other foods in shakes that can be consumed at any time of day. Available in various forms, such as whey, casein, egg, soy, brown rice, hemp, pea and mixed plant protein, there really is one for each diet.

CAS junior Rebecca Wanderman uses the extra protein to help build lean muscle. Wanderman claims she

Utility Pants For the handy fashionista.

We should’ve seen this comeback coming. They’re the natural follow-up to the popularity of cropped wide-leg pants.

These practical trousers come in a variety of neutral tones, from Kim Possible green to New York winter gray, and sin-

gle-handedly solve the little-to-no-pocket problem that women’s pants have posed for so long. Enjoy it while you can, ladies.

Nike Air Max 97s Geology, but make it chic.

Clunky but sleek, the 97s are a refreshing departure from the ugly white sneaker. The groovy waves come in a motley of colors, resembling resplendent sedimentary rock layers. These miniature geological formations are taking over Greenwich Village, and they’re ready to replace your Nike Air Force 1s.

OUT Teddy Coats Leave it behind like your childhood teddy bear.

Early 2018 saw the alarming upsurge in these fluffy, textured and beige coats.

A year later, they’re beginning to qualify as an endangered trend. Impractical, non-waterproof and constant lint-collectors, teddy coats are nothing more than kitschy shearling. In a few years, we’ll be looking back on these fondly as a permanent member of the Cringe Hall of Fame among low-waisted jeans, neon leg warmers and clout goggles. Shag rugs belong on your dorm room floor, not your body.

Email Carol Lee at clee@nyunews.com.

drinks protein shakes around four to five times a week to fit her demanding workout schedule.

“It’s time-convenient and an easy way to get in protein,” Wanderman said. “I’ll definitely drink a quick shake if I feel like I’m not having enough.”

Her favorite recipe includes one scoop of Women’s Best plant-based protein powder, one frozen banana, two tablespoons of peanut butter and enough almond milk to give a liquid consistency.

Others prefer it simpler. Stern firstyear Nickolaus Stringfellow mixes one scoop of protein powder with either ice or cold water.

“If I do heavy lifting, I’ll have a quick shake,” Stringfellow said. “I struggle gaining weight, so I need the extra protein.”

If you’re planning to step up your gym game, take the advice of these NYU students and upgrade your routine with some protein.

Email Amina Frassl at dining@nyunews.com.

JULIA MCNEILL | WSN

Utility pants displayed on a mannequin at Urban Outfitters on Second Avenue.

Washington Square News

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ARTS

ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM

‘Gloria Bell’ Gets the Remake Game Right

By KAYLEE DEFREITAS Staff Writer From its opening shot, “Gloria Bell” fulf ills its intentions effectively and fearlessly. In a room full of people, the titular character (Julianne Moore) seemingly blends in as one of the crowd. The camera then begins to focus on her, demanding that not just the audience, but the world, take notice of her.

Thankfully, the f ilm is worthy of this attention. Although “Gloria Bella” is a shot-for-shot remake of his 2013 Chilean f ilm “Gloria,” Sebastián Lelio still manages to breathe new life into his English adaptation featuring Oscar-winner Moore.

Gloria is a divorced woman who struggles to balance her mundane insurance off ice job by day and her wild escapades on the dance floor by night. One night out, she meets Arnold (John Turturro) and the two begin a tumultuous relationship that turns her personal and professional lives upside down, forcing Gloria to face the excitement and chaos that come with new love.

While much of the f ilm focuses on Gloria’s strange romance with Arnold, the narrative thoughtfully incorporates both of their families into the plot. Gloria’s two children, Peter (Michael Cera), who has recently become a father, and Anne (Caren Pistorius), who is dating an extreme surfer, are quirky additions to the cast. Meanwhile, Arnold’s family adds more conflict to the story: his ex-wife and daughters still hold him on a leash, complicating his relationship with Gloria. His family calls at the most inopportune times, such as when he and Gloria are ready to get intimate. He immediately chooses them over her.

While both characters have trouble navigating these turbulent waters, the f ilm focuses heavily on Gloria’s own triumph of experimentation and overcoming her dependence on Arnold. Moore deliv-

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

ers another top-notch performance and demonstrates why she will always remain one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actresses. She allows the character to brew internally, giving the audience mere glimpses into what lies below the surface, but this makes the character all the more intriguing. Gloria maintains a facade, never wanting to take any major risks — even as an insurance agent, she tells people that it’s better to be safe than sorry in their lives. But it is through letting go and crashing into an intense relationship that she begins to open up and take chances, f inding her own agency in life. Moore keeps Gloria’s presence at bay, but through the release of tension bit by bit, we see a new woman emerge.

Turturro also gives a f ine-tuned performance in what could have easily been a throwaway role. The character of Arnold on paper seems extremely diff icult to make likable or even sympathetic, especially with the added complication of his exwife to whom he is ever-loyal. Turturro does a fantastic job playing the role with such honest emotion that it allows the audience to relate to Arnold when they least expect it.

Matthew Herbert’s score for this f ilm is also something to be applauded. It draws your attention without shifting your focus from what is happening on-screen.

Unique and pleasantly surprising, it is integral to the f ilm’s success.

A director remaking one of his past f ilms can go wrong in many ways, yet Lelio has done an outstanding job at reinvigorating his work. The casting is spectacular — each actor seems so in-touch with their character that the audience can truly relate to them. The way all the aspects of Gloria’s life come together and interact on-screen is captivating and makes the f ilm a truly entrancing watch.

Email Kaylee DeFreitas at film@nyunews.com.

COURTESY OF A24

Julianne Moore starring in the 2018 film “Gloria Bell.”

Edited by GURU RAMANATHAN

Jimi Hendrix Way Might Come to West Eighth Street

By JUDE ZHU Contributing Writer Four Eighth Street residents initiated a petition to co-name the section of the street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues “Jimi Hendrix Way” in honor of the musician’s contribution to the Village’s cultural scene.

While New York City legislation allows co-naming blocks after memorable persons to celebrate their extraordinary attachment to the neighborhood, Manhattan Community Board 2, which administers SoHo, Little Italy and other neighborhoods in the immediate area, openly opposes such “use of public space for private use,” according to the guidelines revised by the Board in 2010.

Considering that there’s a surfeit of Village residents worth memorializing, CB2 decides that “very few” who meet the requirements can enjoy the honor

of street co-naming. In 2005, for example, the Board approved the proposal of co-naming the corner of Christopher and Hudson Streets “Sylvia Rivera Way” in recognition of the transgender activist’s leading role in the Stonewall Riots.

The initiators of the petition, business owners Storm Ritter of Storm Ritter Studio and Richard Geist of Uncle Sam’s Army Navy Outfitters, along with Eighth Street inhabitants Rob Key and Shaolin, aim to collect 22,000 signatures as proof of community support and the artist’s significance. At the time of publication, they had received 20,253 signatures since last summer, with 4,439 of the supporters living in New York. Although approaching the goal, the number is stagnating, with a daily growth of about only four new signatures.

Citing artists including Patti Smith, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie and The Rolling Stones as Hendrix’s legacies on

their website, the initiators highlight the Woodstock headliner’s great influence on rock ‘n’ roll and his Electric Lady Studios located on West Eighth Street as sources of influence to newer artists like Lady Gaga and Florence Welch.

Even if the petition reaches its target number of signatures, it is unlikely that the street co-naming proposal passes, as the Community Board reserves the right to recommend denial of the application.

While this would be a disappointment to the signers of the petition, it would speak to the great discretion that is exercised in picking a co-name. There are a limited number of New York City blocks and a surplus of eligible individuals. Still, one would imagine that Hendrix, high among rock ‘n’ roll royalty, should be at the top of the list.

Email Jude Zhu at music@nyunews.com.

Steinhardt’s ‘Radium Girls’ Spotlights Unfair Practices, Then and Now

By JULIE GOLDBERG Staff Writer Labor rights. Corporate corruption.

Female rage. These are only a few of the hot-button topics addressed in Steinhardt Educational Theatre’s new production of “Radium Girls,” currently running at the Provincetown Playhouse. Unfolding in the town of Orange, New Jersey between the years 1918 and 1928, the 2000 play by D.W. Gregory is based on the true story of young female workers poisoned by the radioactive paint they worked with.

The play opens on three young girls — Grace (Barrett Impala), Kathryn (Nora Gentile) and Irene (Lucy Medeiros) — drawing on their faces with the paint used on watch dials at the United States Radium Corporation factory to give one of their coworkers a scare. The stage transforms into a 1910s industrial factory, with towering brick walls and a large clock rimmed in glowing green looming over the stage. The set is otherwise minimalistic, relying on the rearrangement of a few tables, boxes and chairs to signify place and time.

The girls switch off the lights and the green paint on their faces immediately begins to glow in the dark, leaving the audience witness to a haunting vignette of childlike playfulness, marred by the girls’ ignorance to the fatal dangers of the paint they work with every day. Director David Montgomery is deliberate in cultivating this sense of unease — of something insidious looming just beneath the surface — through images like this.

The production moves through stark, naturalistic scenes between characters like Grace and Kathryn, or Grace and her mother (Savanah Knechel) or fiance Tom (Zack Palomo), to highly stylized moments, particularly between different members of the press.

In doing so, the production wisely plays up the media’s sensationalization of the girls’ struggles, with the two competing reporters for The New York Graphic (Kate McCreary) and The Newark Ledger (Palomo) elbowing each other out of the way as

COURTESY OF STEINHARDT

The poster for Steinhardt Educational Theatre’s production of “Radium Girls.” The play, based on the true story of young factory workers poisoned by the radioactive paint they worked with, still resonates today.

they compete for rights and offering distinctly different angles on the same story.

Grace’s struggle is a deeply personal one, affecting not only her health but all of her relationships — especially with Tom. The relationship between the two is particularly endearing, and the tenderness we get to see from Impala and Palomo makes their eventual break-up all the more heartbreaking. The media has no qualms, however, about capitalizing on Grace’s personal struggle for financial gain. A number of businesses even begin stepping forward to offer lifetime supplies of holistic remedies and the like, all in exchange for exclusive rights to the girls’ photos in their marketing materials.

Katherine Wiley (Knechel) from The Consumer’s League advises Grace to hold onto her anger but to make sure nobody else sees it. “The public doesn’t like an angry woman,” she tells her, a line which takes on a distressing resonance in the age of #MeToo. Grace must curate her image for the press, stifling her rage in favor of a demure plea for help, spitting out lines

like “It hurts to smile but I have to smile.

If I don’t, I’ll go crazy” in order to gain the public’s sympathy.

As she is forced to decide between accepting a settlement to pay off her mounting debts and continuing to fight uncompromisingly for justice, we see Grace, portrayed with stunning depth by first-year Impala, carving out her own sense of agency even in the face of devastating tragedy.

“Radium Girls” is a story of personal resilience and of the tragic repercussions of willed ignorance and inhumane labor practices. A moving portrayal of a shameful moment in American history, this heart-rending production shows that the issues it tackles are still relevant today. In many ways, it’s a cautionary tale. ‘‘Radium Girls” runs at the Provincetown Playhouse, 133 Macdougal St., through March 10.

Email Julie Goldberg at arts@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Arts

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

7

‘Transit’ Is a Bumpy Ride That Still Bores

By GURU RAMANATHAN Arts Editor Like its title suggests, “Transit” is mobile, unable to find solace in any one mood, setting or genre, oscillating back and forth between being an interesting character drama, a bland romantic melodrama and snoozing historical commentary. Directed by Christian Petzold, the film is anchored by some good performances and weighty themes, but ultimately does not live up to its strong premise.

Based on Anna Seghers’ novel of the same name, the film is set in Nazi-occupied France and revolves around a German refugee, Georg (Franz Rogowski), who tries to escape to Marseilles with the transit papers of a dead author, only to fall in love with the dead man’s wife, Marie (Paula Beer).

Though set during World War II, the film is filled with small anachronisms that betray its period setting. Minute details — from the aesthetic of clothes and cars to the full design of cafes, shipping yards and hotels — are all off-putting, seemingly placing the film in the modern day. Some historical films comment on the present by illuminating errors of the past and showing how those mistakes have persisted. Petzold has decided to strip away the conventional barrier between past and present, instead filling modern spaces with 1940s vernacular and social issues. While his approach is certainly ambitious, it is still difficult to adapt to these inconsistencies as they can initially confuse and pull the viewer out of the film.

Even the film’s opening scene is full

of contradictions. Amid wailing sirens, we zone in on a somber Georg, who has become accustomed to the violence around him — he is focused only on his papers. Another early scene shows Georg delivering mail to a hotel, where he finds the recipient dead in a pool of blood in a bathtub. This could have led to an elaborate, potentially more pulpy mystery — instead, Georg is indifferent, more disappointed that he will probably not get paid for the job, making for a more enigmatic character choice. Rogowski portrays the hollow man well, and even physically looks gaunt, being as empty as the life he is forced to lead. Georg’s search for everlasting relationships and an abode is futile. His only mission is to survive, and the only way to do that is to keep moving somewhere.

The historical imbalance is further heightened by the film’s focus on refugees, one choice that aids Petzold’s approach. The displaced people are constantly having to move from one place to another, and their real homes and relationships to one another cannot be easily defined in the film.

In one scene, refugee and architect (Barbara Auer) asks Georg to join her for a meal since they live in the same shelter.

But once they begin eating, the architect prohibits Georg from speaking with her. She only wants his presence to add some normalcy to her day, to enliven the facade of a stable life she so desperately wishes for. The interaction is strange but saddening, as neither is capable of having a mundane experience.

But not all his directorial risks land.

While Petzold takes many creative liberties from the source material, he unfor-

COURTESY OF MUSIC BOX FILMS

Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski star in the German drama “Transit.”

tunately adheres to Seghers’ words in the most irritating way: narration. The narration is bland and is mainly added to relay what is already being shown on screen, thus rendering itself unnecessary. The droning monologues only serve to bog down a film that is already suffering from pacing issues. For all his big ideas, Petzold has trouble executing them smoothly.

Moreover, not all the characters are

as well-written as Georg or the architect.

Marie, played by Beer, earlier seen in the Oscar-nominated “Never Look Away” and who is undoubtedly the strongest performer in the cast, was especially wasted. She spends most of the film chasing the ghost of her dead husband but is given very poor dialogue. Her chemistry with Rogowski is also mediocre — every scene of their melodramatic romance lagged compared to the more

intense sociopolitical story that Petzold opened the film with.

Ultimately, “Transit” is more interesting to dissect than it is to watch. Petzold’s ideas are fascinating and some of the performances are great, but the cast and director fail to rescue the underwhelming script.

Email Guru Ramanathan at gramanathan@nyunews.com.

Dramatic Writing Professor Brings Blockchain to Theater

By ALEX CULLINA Theater & Books Editor It was late 2017, the height of the bitcoin boom, and Sofia Alvarez, playwright, screenwriter and professor in Tisch’s Department of Dramatic Writing, was looking for a way to fund her next play.

The 34-year-old Baltimore-born, Brooklyn-based writer’s work “NYLON” had already been through a dozen readings, and Alvarez was ready to see it on the stage. Wondering how feasible it would be to finance the production by investing in cryptocurrency, Alvarez quickly saw an opportunity

to expand her focus.

“It could not just be my play, but all of these amazing plays that I’ve wanted to champion,” Alvarez said.

This germ of an idea, to bring blockchain into the theater world, eventually developed into the Blockchain Theater Project, a theater company Alvarez co-founded with her friend Nicola Korzenko. Alvarez and Korzenko, the Founding Artistic Director and the Executive Director respectively, started BTP to help dismantle institutional barriers and to diversify theater audiences.

Unlike a traditional theater company, which has to budget for the costs

MIN JI KIM | WSN

Sofia Alvarez, a playwright, screenwriter and professor in Tisch’s Department of Dramatic Writing. She co-founded the Blockchain Theater Project, a theater company that seeks to dismantle institutional barriers in theater.

of a literary and development staff, BTP uses a peer-to-peer model inspired by blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.

BTP produces one work a year; that year’s playwright then nominates three works, each from a different playwright. Alvarez and Korzenko select the next year’s production from these nominees.

“It’s a way to have organic diversity of productions,” Alvarez said.

Although the role of blockchain for the project is smaller and more conceptual than Alvarez originally envisioned, BTP also accepts donations in both USD and selected cryptocurrencies.

So what exactly is blockchain? Basically, cryptocurrencies operate on a decentralized peer-to-peer model, unlike traditional currencies, which are issued by a central authority — like the Federal Reserve, in the case of USD. A blockchain is itself an unbroken chain of transactions, to which each successive transaction is tied, like BTP’s chain of playwrights.

BTP also doesn’t have an artistic director like traditional theater companies. People in this role are usually the final word on any creative decisions, which means it can be difficult for playwrights to get their works produced on their own terms; some see artistic directors as gatekeepers.

“One of the goals of our theater is to disrupt the way that theater is produced in terms of who gets to decide what theater is produced,” Alvarez said.

“NYLON,” Alvarez’s play, will be the first link of the chain — Korzenko will pick next year’s piece from Alvarez’s nominations. “NYLON”

is a portrait of an estranged couple starring Sheila Vand and Cesar J. Rosado and directed by Knud Adams; the show is co-presented by Theaterlab, and runs March 6-24 at Theaterlab’s Midtown space.

The blockchain angle is also designed to attract an audience — and donors — from outside the relatively insular theater world.

“How do you get people from different communities [like tech] to come to see plays?” Alvarez said. “One of the goals [of BTP] is to sort of merge those two communities and say, ‘We’re not as different as we might think.’”

Another aspect of BTP’s model that allows for more creative freedom is their lack of a space, allowing them to tailor the theatrical space of each production to the needs of that piece.

“Theaterlab is the perfect home for [“NYLON”],” Alvarez said. “But that’s what this play wants, that’s not what every play is going to want.”

Besides her work for the stage, Alvarez is also a successful writer for television and film. After stints writing for the USA series “Sirens” and FX’s “Man Seeking Woman,” Alvarez was chosen to write the screenplay for the Netflix teen rom-com “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

The film, based on the best-selling young adult novel of the same name

by Jenny Han, was a smash hit for Netflix when it was released August of last year; Alvarez is currently finishing up adapting Han’s sequel, “P.S. I Still Love You,” a movie version which Netflix greenlit after the success of “To All the Boys…”

After graduating from Bennington College in 2007, Alvarez worked in the

theater department at Creative Artists Agency in New York City for two years before entering the Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program at Juilliard; she received an Artist Diploma from Juilliard in 2011.

“It was very important for me to have a quote-on-quote ‘real job’” when she moved to New York, she said about working at CAA. But her time there was significant for her future in theater, and for starting BTP. “Part of my job was to go to plays, read plays, go to readings, and so it was like a crash course in the business of theater,” Alvarez said.

The connections she made while at CAA, and while writing and directing on the side, were invaluable to her future endeavors. Alvarez and Korzenko also met when they were both working at CAA after college.

“She has always been the arty-est of the business people and the most business-y of the art people,” Alvarez said about Korzenko, who is now a Senior Project Manager at Amazon Prime Video.

Alvarez has a busy year ahead of her.

In addition to producing “NYLON,” selecting and producing BTP’s next piece and finishing writing “P.S. I Still Love You,” she’s at work on another rom-com screenplay for Netflix. She and her husband also welcomed their first child late last year.

“We’re both so tired, but so happy,” Alvarez said. “It’s been an insane time.” ‘‘NYLON” runs at Theaterlab, 357 W. 36th St., third floor, from March 6 to 24.

Email Alex Cullina at acullina@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

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OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

OPINION

Edited by HANNA KHOSRAVI and MELANIE PINEDA

HEALTH

Psychedelic Drugs Heal, Too

By MATIGAN KING Contributing Writer When pondering the use of hallucinogenic or psychedelic drugs, bizarre trips, partying and high psychological risks may often come to mind. But while the drugs can pose a threat to those who use them recklessly, there are also a significant number of therapeutic benefits that most college students are unaware of. This is not to say that everyone should begin consuming psychedelics, but society should maintain

an open mind and further study the promising aspects of these powerful substances. Curiosity is needed to help eradicate the unfair stigma surrounding psychedelics that constitutes a major obstacle for those who could greatly benefit from their healing properties.

Several institutions are pioneering psychedelic research with promising results. NYU recently conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving cancer patients experiencing anxiety and depression as a result of their diagnoses. Those patients who received the 0.3 mg/kg dose of psilocybin, in addition to psychotherapy, experienced a significant and immediate amelioration of their anxiety and depression. This positive outcome was sustainable as well, as 60 to 80 percent of the psilocybin-administered patients reported “clinically significant reductions” in their symptoms several

months following the treatment.

Additionally, of 15 chronic smokers who participated in a small Johns Hopkins study where they were administered two to three doses of psilocybin, 80 percent were able to successfully quit. Like in the NYU study, the results were immediate and sustainable.

Another study at the Imperial College London involving psilocybin showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms of patients struggling with treatment-resistant depression.

Psilocybin, however, is not the only psychedelic substance showing great therapeutic promise. MDMA, or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, has been shown to benefit those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and is currently involved in clinical trials. This will hopefully result in approval by the Food and Drug Administration for MDMA-assisted treatment

of PTSD. Social anxiety experienced by autistic adults also seems to be alleviated by MDMA-assisted therapy.

LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide, has also been shown to improve people’s mood, alleviate anxiety and depression (especially end-of-life anxiety or depression accompanying terminal illnesses) and increase positivity and openness.

Such promising results certainly do not indicate that psychedelics are useful to everyone, but they can be extremely beneficial to many. Drugs, like many other tools, can be misused, but the problem does not lie in the drugs themselves. Rather, it lies in the misplaced intentions or recklessness of some who use them.

Demonizing psychedelic substances is futile. The most effective way to create a safe and sensical environment surrounding these drugs is to continue learning more about them. Prohibiting

them will not stop people from using them. Prohibition drives drugs underground, resulting in less pure substances and a potentially greater element of danger and criminality. Banning all psychedelics may also prevent many people from receiving the most effective treatment for their ailments.

With the promising results of several trials and with further study, psychedelics will hopefully shift from being regarded as dangerous party drugs to therapeutic tools. When used correctly, these tools can significantly improve the health and wellbeing of frustrated victims who, until now, have been unable to discover a remedy for their illnesses.

Recent research continues to prove that drugs are not always the enemy and it is up to us to recognize this truth.

Email Matigan King at opinion@nyuews.com.

CITY

The MTA — and New Yorkers — Must Step Up

By BELA KIRPALANI Deputy Managing Editor It’s been roughly a month since 22-year-old Malaysia Goodson tragically passed away after falling down a flight of stairs at the Seventh Avenue subway station.

Her death breaks my heart, not only because she was just a year older than I am or because she was a mother simply trying to take her baby daughter out for a fun day in the city — but also because of how easily it could have been avoided.

New York City’s subway is one of the

worst in the public transit systems nation in terms of accessibility. Over 75 percent of the city’s 472 subway stations do not have elevators or other facilities that make them accessible for people who are unable to use stairs. An NYU Wagner study found that in stations that do have elevators, each elevator breaks down 53 times a year on average. In 2017, a federal lawsuit was filed against the Metropolitan Transit Authority stating that the corporation’s failure to maintain functional elevators violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in public facilities. Clearly, a lack of accessibility in buildings under the MTA’s purview is a longstanding issue, with many disabled and elderly subway riders left feeling neglected.

It is a disappointing truth that these communities are often left by the wayside by large agencies like the MTA. But this also highlights an underlying problem in New York City culture. Oftentimes, the daily rat race means that New Yorkers

are rushing past each other, preoccupied with our own journeys, and as a result, we leave the less fortunate behind. Parents struggling to navigate the busy subways with their strollers and children in tow, senior citizens who are too weak to use the stairs, visually impaired people who may take a moment longer to get past the turnstiles — all of these people deserve our recognition and compassion.

As New Yorkers, we’ve all had to deal with subway delays, construction and other hassles that have made our experiences with the MTA stressful or disappointing, to say the least. But consider how daunting and downright dangerous the subway can be for those with disabilities. The subway is difficult enough to navigate even for those of us who are able-bodied — but what about for those who are unable to walk and require the use of a wheelchair? Or those who cannot see because they are visually impaired?

New York has long been celebrated as the city that never sleeps, the city that stops for no one. Instead of being so fo-

cused on your own commute or daily stresses, the next time you see someone struggling in the subway, lend a hand and help them get safely where they need to go. It’s as simple as that. Yes, it’s time for the MTA to correct its transgressions

against the disabled and elderly communities — but New York, it’s time we do our part too.

Email Bela Kirpalani at bkirpalani@nyunews.com.

SOPHIA DI IORIO | WSN

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

NYU Keeps Selling Water Bottles Despite the ‘Bottle Ban’

By NYU TAKE BACK THE TAP Last week, President Hamilton announced that starting Jan. 1, 2020, the university would no longer purchase bottled water as part of the administration’s plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2040.

However, as is the case with most university press releases, the devil is in the details.

We are NYU Take Back the Tap, part of the nationwide movement against bottled water. We view ending the use of bottled water as an important part of reducing plastic waste, decreasing our carbon

footprint and stopping corporate privatization of water.

NYU’s initiative to halt spending on plastic water bottles by 2020 is an important sustainability measure that will significantly reduce the amount of plastic bottle waste on our campus. We are excited to see this initiative carried out, and are happy to be part of a university that is taking sustainability on campus so seriously.

However, university officials’ characterization of this policy as a bottle ban is simply misleading. As it stands, NYU only plans to stop purchasing bottled water; it doesn’t plan to stop selling it.

Confused? So are we.

In ending only the purchase of water bottles, students will still be able to walk into a campus store or go to a vending machine and find water bottles to purchase.

The university will still be maintaining contracts with companies like Coca-Cola to sell bottled water. In order for there to

be a full bottle ban, the university needs to end all water contracts with Coca-Cola and stop the sale of all plastic water bottles on campus.

Coca-Cola, who sells and manufactures Dasani water bottles, produces more than 110 billion single-use plastic bottles every year. Dasani is literally just filtered tap water put in a bottle and sold for more money. Dasani water has also been found to have microplastics in their water and has had to recall billions of bottles in the past due to mold. The bottles produced

by Dasani as well as other private water bottle corporations are made with PET plastic which has toxins such as acetaldehyde — a possible human carcinogen that can cause genetic mutations — and formaldehyde, which is known to cause DNA and chromosome damage.

The production of water bottles is also incredibly detrimental to the environment. In the U.S., annual production

of single-use water bottles equates to the use of about 64 million oil barrels. Not only do plastic bottles contribute to the rise in greenhouse gas levels in the Earth’s atmosphere, but they are also harmful to the oceans, poisoning marine life. While the reduction of 250,000 plastic bottles is impressive, NYU needs to cut its contracts with industries that contribute to significant amounts of pollution. They also need to take aggressive steps to fully eliminate single-use plastic water bottles from campus by ending the sale of them on campus.

The need to take more sustainable actions on campus extends far beyond water bottle reduction. Our partners at NYU Divest for Decarbonization asked us to share some of their thoughts as well: “While we’re excited that NYU has taken this step toward supporting students’ sustainable everyday practices, there remains a need to end NYU Washington

Square’s dependence on fracked gas, implement climate action at all NYU global sites and increase NYU’s accountability to the communities its fossil fuel infrastructure negatively impacts.

The implementation of these and other vital steps toward making NYU 100% renewable is imminent; NYU Divest passed the Student Senators Council in October, and awaits endorsement from the Sustainability Advisory group to be presented and voted upon at the University Senate.”

As students deeply concerned about climate change and the future of life on this planet, we congratulate the NYU administration on taking steps to reduce their environmental impact. But baby steps are not enough to avert climate change. We need decisive action, not half-measures. Fully ending the sale of bottled water and decarbonizing are essential to a sustainable NYU.

9

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

POLITICS

2020 Dems Need to Talk Foreign Policy STAFF EDITORIAL

By NATHAN MAUE Columnist The United States is currently navigating a complex set of foreign policy issues that the next president will undoubtedly have to address. In the wake of another summit concluding with no solution regarding a nuclearized Korean Peninsula and escalating speculation on intervention in Venezuela, the American people need to understand how a future president will handle unpredictable international situations.

While Democratic candidates like Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand have been crafting a vision of what their domestic policy would be if they win the election, overall there has been little more than the occasional comment on current foreign policy challenges. The debates around domestic initiatives like Medicare for all, the Green New Deal and income inequality are all extremely important, but candidates should also be able to illustrate their foreign policy principles in the same careful and nuanced way that they discuss domestic policies, like former President Barack Obama did.

As of right now, there has not been enough debate around foreign policy for me to even get an idea of where the candidates stand, so it’s hard to critique or support any one of them. I know it’s very early in the 2020 campaign, but even Elizabeth Warren’s foreign policy essay and speech, which aimed to lay out her foreign policy platform for 2020, mostly staked her claim that foreign policy is actually domestic policy, allowing Warren to continue to campaign in her comfort zone. She did little to elaborate on what U.S. foreign policy would be under President Warren.

As a politically engaged person, I want to know what a candidate believes about current challenges, seeing as they will likely have to take over the response, but most importantly, I want to understand why. I want a candidate to articulate the motivations behind their foreign policy. I am not going to be able to dream up every possible future scenario, nor am I an expert that knows the ins and outs of every region and its potential concerns. But I want a candidate to have fleshed out their priorities enough so that whatever arises, I understand the motivations behind their decision making and response. I want to be conf ident that the candidate I select will have the guiding principles required to make foreign policy decisions, even when faced with surprising challenges.

Candidate Tulsi Gabbard has pledged that “the issue of war and peace” will be central to her campaign.

While I have many problems with Gabbard’s previous policy decisions — including support of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad — a campaign focused on foreign policy would def initely stand out amongst the current domestically focused candidates. On a broader scale, I hope that it will help bring essential foreign policy questions into the debate, so voters can get a better understanding of each candidate’s foreign policy stance.

Email Nathan Maue at opinion@nyunews.com.

Submitting to

Stonewall Celebration: Moving Forward

by Recognizing Our Past This year, NYU has chosen to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots by hosting academic programs, exhibits and performances all over the university. As part of this commemoration, NYU Skirball held a discussion addressing liberation in an academic setting last week.

During the event, NYU’s history of prohibiting queer events on campus came to light, contrasting the progress achieved by NYU as its namesake city transformed into a hub for LGBTQ recognition.

The Stonewall riots were a monumental stepping stone in the LGBTQ rights movement. They inspired the creation of groups who still advocate for LGBTQ rights to this day, such as GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign. At the time of the riots, many LGBTQ individuals faced blatant forms of discrimination from both law off icials and their peers.

Public displays of affection were illegal, and police were allowed to arrest people who were wearing fewer than “three gender-appropriate articles of clothing.”

That is not to say the LGBTQ community does not still face heinous forms of bigotry today. The average life expectancy for trans women of color is 35. The death of Marsha P. Johnson — one of the most prominent gay liberation activists at Stonewall and a black transgender woman — remains unsolved to this day. But in celebrating the influence of history and endorsing a cognizance of our past, we allow ourselves to further take advantage of our location in a hub of cultural signif icance. For NYU to move forward in this celebration after kicking it off last week with the Skirball discussion is to promote recognition of a social movement that is still politically relevant.

NYU is, of course, famous for de-

scribing itself as “in and of the city.”

And we are so privileged to be in a city so rife with culture and history.

Activism permeates the cultural dynamics of New York, and as students at NYU, we are consistently surrounded by opportunities to engage in protest, activism and reform. For our school to take a step back and recognize a historical movement and event that is not only internationally resonant but also critical to our individual city is a recognition students should appreciate.

As a part of the celebration, NYU has created a page titled “Then: Key NYU Moments,” cataloging the history of the LGBTQ community at NYU since the Stonewall Uprising in 1969. Not only is the university helping highlight history, but it is also acknowledging its role within it. It recounts the f ive-day sit-in of gay liberationists held at Weinstein Residence Hall after the university canceled gay dances in the building in 1970, NYU Langone’s pioneering steps in caring for AIDS patients in 1981 and the production of “Angels in America: Perestroika” by Tisch alum Tony Kushner in 1984, to name just a few of the signif icant events mentioned.

It is true that nothing can be done to fully erase the effects of the past.

Effectively commemorating progress requires more than just joy; commemoration also demands an honest reflection on the trials of our time and times before. Achievements in activism have always come at high costs for marginalized peoples. Gains in equality are made through pain and struggle — and always involve high risk and sacrif ice. Remembering progress can be a painful reminder of that and also the lengths we still have to go. This Black History month we saw a Virginia governor admit to

blackface and a racist email sent at our own school. We have just begun Women’s History month, only to immediately be made aware of how #MeToo is failing to reach vulnerable populations through reports of the frequent sexual abuse of women at the border — often at the hands of Border Patrol agents.

The utility of looking back to the past is the hope that it lights the way going forward. Much has changed since Stonewall occurred; the world has undergone a social revolution, especially when it comes to LGBTQ rights and recognition. However, half a century later, we’ve taken as many steps backward as we have forward.

From climate change to government shutdowns, much work is still needed to secure and promote progressive policies. The most important lesson of Stonewall is the long-term trajectory of progressive moments. At the time, Stonewall received intense opposition, even from NYU, but now the anniversary of the event is, quite literally, a source of pride. During a time when things may seem bleak, the 50th anniversary of Stonewall is an important reminder for progressive movements today and this perspective should be kept in mind.

The attitude NYU is taking — in owning its evolution towards the development of LGBTQ rights and taking pride in the progress made — is an effective one. In the future, NYU should continue to focus on events that celebrate historical movements and the tides that have been turned in terms of both social and political advancement. And Stonewall is, of course, a crucial reminder to members of the New York community that we, as students, are capable of true activism and reform. Remembering our history is an essential aspect of recognizing our present power.

Email the Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.

HANNA KHOSRAVI Chair MELANIE PINEDA Chair COLE STALLONE Co-chair SARAH JOHN Co-chair

SEND MAIL TO: 75 THIRD AVE. #SB07, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10003 OR EMAIL: OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title. WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.

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UTA@NYUNEWS.COM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“In my NYU videos, I kind of hinted being unhappy, but it wasn’t to the extent to which I actually felt,” Jennifer Zhang said. “People don’t come to YouTube to be sad, and people kept telling me that they couldn’t believe I was at NYU. I don’t want to tell people that their dream school actually sucks.”

So, she lied. For four whole months last fall, she led her audience to believe that she was still enrolled at NYU — even filming two fake vlogs during a visit to New York in September. Though the vlogs were filmed in the same week, they were posted four months apart. She announced that she dropped out of NYU in the second vlog, which was followed by a more detailed explanation video.

“I wanted to record that experience for like one last hurrah,” Jennifer Zhang said. “I felt like it was a big event in my life as I have a lot of NYU content. I was very nervous to tell people, and I felt so bad. It was partly for me to reminisce.”

While Jennifer Zhang struggled to tell her truth, Michelle Zhang didn’t hesitate to spell it out. She made it a point to be as careful and honest as possible in her video.

“I noticed how it was almost always like people that were low-key famous that dropped out because it was more productive to pursue their YouTube career,” Michelle Zhang said. “None of it was explicitly about NYU and what’s wrong with the school.”

Michelle Zhang shared her video on NYU-specific Facebook pages. The response on Facebook and in the YouTube comments was overwhelmingly positive.

GLS first-year Alex Gomez found Michelle Zhang’s video through Facebook and resonated with her opinion on politics at NYU. “I thought the most relevant point in the video was this idea of NYU and other U.S. universities being very much close-minded liberally,” Gomez said. “Many students refuse to have debates about topics instead believing that their opinion is the only one that’s true.”

Michelle Zhang knew that this wasn’t just an NYU problem, but an institutional

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

UNDER THE ARCH

one. She didn’t want to trap herself in the bubble any longer.

Michelle Zhang believes that people should consider education options beyond four-year undergraduate institutions. “I think a lot of people are coming to school just because it’s the next step in the conveyor belt, right?”

Next fall, she will attend Minerva College, a radically structured online undergraduate program. Feeling passionate about her circumstance, Michelle Zhang turned to YouTube to document her transition out of NYU. “If you told me that I would start making YouTube videos, I would think you were crazy,” Michelle Zhang said. “There’s nothing unconventional about feeling like I don’t have a purpose. I think that’s something that everyone can relate to, especially our generation.”

Jennifer Zhang also believes that college isn’t for everyone, but she felt like her YouTube career was at stake when deciding when to post her dropout video. Despite her delayed dropout confession, her 1.8 million subscribers rallied behind her, expressing both their indifference to her lies and excitement for her new chapter as a full-time YouTuber.

Since 2013, Jennifer Zhang has produced hundreds of tutorials, vlogs and music covers. She makes most of her money through DIY and craft tutorials, raking in an estimated $7,000 per month from video monetization. With additional dollars coming from brand deals and sponsorships, she’s financially independent.

Although the YouTuber life appears glamorous, when she was at NYU, Jennifer Zhang spent most of her free time outside of class editing and creating content to pay for her tuition. She does not come from wealth, so any penny she contributed to her tuition payments was a penny well spent.

On one occasion, she wouldn’t have been able to make a payment had it not been for a brand deal check that arrived the morning of the tuition deadline.

With all the stress of maintaining her channel and keeping her YouTube world

secret from her close peers, Jennifer Zhang didn’t feel like NYU was for her — although her videos didn’t necessarily reflect her feelings.

Despite her successful YouTube career, Jennifer Zhang thinks she has had little impact on NYU’s brand. She underplays her influence on prospective students, but her NYU videos alone have garnered over three million views, showing how influential her platform is.

Those interested or admitted to NYU rely on student creators like Jennifer Zhang for a candid, inside look into the school, and by association, the university scores free advertising and promotion.

For instance, photography YouTuber Josh Katz worked with Scott Palmer, coordinator of Instructional Technology and Digital Initiatives, to film a tour of the NYU Florence campus. Palmer, who reached out to Katz with knowledge of his online following, provided equipment to produce the video for Katz’s channel rather than NYU Florence’s. It remains one of the most highly viewed and comprehensive videos about an NYU abroad site from a student channel.

Katz initially started his channel to document skateboarding tricks. After graduating from Stern last year, he became a freelance photographer and content creator. His first NYU-related video hit Youtube in 2014 when NYU vlogs and candid content were not as popular.

“There wasn’t really an outlet to get a candid answer,” Katz said. “It was a huge shot in the dark. Like what does it mean to live in New York? I got a lot of admitted students and 13-year-olds who say that NYU is their dream school.”

Schmit explained that to keep up with the rising demand for authentic NYU perspectives, the university’s marketing team has diversified the school’s online promotion.

“In this age of Amazon and Yelp, students are looking for reviews, word-of-mouth and other people’s experiences to help them decide where to focus their attention,” Schmit wrote in an email to WSN. “Content that is too general, heady [sic] or full

JUSTIN PARK | WSN

NYU Stern alumnus Josh Katz adjusts the shot before recording a video for his YouTube channel. While he attended NYU, Katz shuffled in videos about NYU among his other skating- and photo-related content.

Edited by PAMELA JEW

KATIE PEURRUNG | WSN

Kudaibergen vlogs outside of Steinhardt’s Barney building, decked out in NYU apparel.

In recent months, her channel has primarily consisted of NYU-related content.

of NYU jargon can be a bit isolating and doesn’t speak to our audience as much, so we have to balance that with content that is simple, honest and maybe even a little mundane.”

For every video criticizing NYU, there are a hundred videos that praise it. Students who have their own channel, like Ainura Kudaibergen, actively create content in support of the school and want to show their love for NYU. The daughter of a Kazakhstani diplomat, Kudaibergen has documented her life since she was in middle school, amassing an international audience for her vlogs both on her main channel and her Russian-dubbed second channel. Her motto, “Work Hard.

Dream Big,” propels her to motivate her viewership to follow their passions.

Although she is a Steinhardt sophomore, Kudaibergen receives countless emails about other NYU programs from eager international students seeking any tips. It can be overwhelming and a huge responsibility for Kudaibergen, but she is humbled by her viewers’ engagement with her content.

“I want to encourage my viewers to take

risks and see where it takes you,” Kudaibergen said. “What I want potential students to know is that NYU is a place that can support their interests.”

Kudaibergen has taken the opportunity to produce even more content for NYU’s Residential Life & Housing Services’ YouTube channel, and the job has given her a chance to get more involved with the school. Despite it being a constant job of managing her brand and content, her goal for her channel isn’t to make money.

“I just want to have a positive impact and to invest all that I have learnt from NYU to my homeland and global community as a whole,” Kudaibergen said.

It is impossible to fully calculate the impact YouTubers at NYU have had on the school’s global brand. However, student YouTubers serve as unofficial faces of the university. NYU’s brand screams dreamscome-true in the concrete jungle, and as romantic as that sounds, NYU student YouTubers provide the criticism, nuance and authenticity that viewers seek.

Email Joel Lee at joellee@nyunews.com.

JUSTIN PARK| WSN

Former NYU student Jennifer Zhang begins her intro for a video. She dropped out last semester but led her viewers to believe that she still attended until December.

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MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2019

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Hockey Closes out Season With Exciting Overtime Win

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BELA KIRPALANI | WSN

The Violets faced off against the University of Delaware in two back-to-back home games this past weekend.

By BELA KIRPALANI Deputy Managing Editor The NYU Hockey team ended its regular season with back-to-back home games against the University of Delaware on Friday and Saturday nights. On Friday, the team hosted special guest President Andrew Hamilton, who gingerly stepped onto the red carpet laid out on the ice and walked over to drop the ceremonial puck before the game.

On Friday night at the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers, the Violets lost to the Delaware Hens 7-2. NYU struggled to gain a footing in the second period, giving up f ive goals in one period of play. SPS junior forward Frank Horowitz nabbed a goal in the third period, before Delaware responded with a goal of its own to make it 6-1. SPS sophomore forward Parker Richards scored NYU’s second goal before the Hens scored again with one minute remaining in the game.

Despite the loss, President Hamilton enjoyed the opportunity to watch the Violets in action.

“I thought it was a really fun game,” he said. “They played their hearts out. It was a tough loss [...] but it was really enjoyable to watch, incredibly fast and incredibly skillful on both sides.”

In a post-game interview, alternate captain SPS junior Brandon Ritchey spoke about the loss.

“We were hoping to score more than they did, and we just wanted to f ind our identity and get pucks up there and try to f ind the winning culture in our locker room that we’ve been searching for all year,” he said.

“It’s been a rough season.”

This is NYU’s second season in American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I competition, and the team has struggled this season, ranking worst in goals per game and goals allowed in the conference. The Violets also sit in last place in the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League.

Saturday night marked the f inal game of NYU’s regular season, and the team took the opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of its graduating seniors.

SPS senior and team captain Mason Gallegos was a part of the team that won NYU’s f irst-ever Division II ACHA Championship in 2015.

He reflected on his time with the team and said that the friendships he formed on the team will last beyond graduation.

“I’ll miss my teammates,” Gallegos said. “The bonds you create your entire four years here with each and every player are incredible.”

Motivated to nab a f inal win for their seniors, the Violets came out f iring on all cylinders in Saturday’s game against Delaware, looking bright and aggressive from the puck drop.

Horowitz and CAS senior forward Jack Orne scored a combined three goals to put NYU up 3-2, and it looked like the win was headed the Violets’ way, but Delaware equalized with a late third goal with 1.8 seconds remaining on the clock. NYU pulled out a win, though, after SPS f irst-year defenseman Blake Howard slapped the puck home, prompting his teammates to rush off the bench and swarm the rink in celebration.

Head Coach Chris Cosentino was proud of his team for pulling out

a deserved win.

“We needed it,” he said. “We’ve been working so hard and it’s good to see the guys get a reward, especially being senior night and the last home game of the year.”

The stands were packed with family and friends proudly cheering on the team the entire night. The fans’ presence means a lot to the players and coaches alike, who always want to put on a show for their loved ones.

“It means a lot,” Gallegos said.

“It means the world to me to have them here and supporting me. My family’s from Colorado and for them to come here and see me, it’s a good way to go out.”

Coach Cosentino echoed that sentiment, and is grateful for the support.

“It’s not just the guys that are in the locker room that make up the team,” he said. “It’s the families, it’s everyone who makes this a great place to play in. You know everybody’s involved in this game.”

There is still time for one last championship run, as NYU will participate in the ESCHL tournament from March 15 to 17 in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Coach Cosentino noted the immense impact the seniors have had on the team, and said that he hopes they can end their collegiate careers on a winning note.

“It’s going to be a group I [will] certainly miss, but going into playoffs here – the story’s not over yet,” he said. “They can keep pushing here and hopefully end this thing with a championship.”

Senior Staff NEWS Victor Porcelli, Meghna Maharishi CULTURE Faith Marnecheck ARTS Guru Ramanathan SPORTS Zach Han, Brendan Duggan Deputy Staff NEWS Jared Peraglia, Mansee Khurana FILM Claire Fishman THEATER & BOOKS Alex Cullina MUSIC Nicole Rosenthal ARTS Dante Sacco CULTURE Anna de la Rosa DINING Arin Garland BEAUTY & STYLE Carol Lee Opinion Page EDITOR Hanna Khosravi, Melanie Pineda DEPUTY Sarah John, Cole Stallone

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Director of Operations

Nanci Healy

Editorial Adviser

Rachel Holliday Smith Editors-at-Large

Rachel Buigas-Lopez, Amanda Burkett, Sayer Devlin, Sarah Jackson, Tianne Johnson, Janice Lee, Jemima McEvoy, Laura Shkouratoff ABOUT WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published in print on Mondays and throughout the week online during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods.

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Email Bela Kirpalani at bkirpalani@nyunews.com.