Washington Square News | March 9, 2020

4 CULTURE

9 OPINION

Spring Break Staycation Guide

Expanding Accessibility to Paid Sick Leave

6 ARTS

Tisch Dance Program Students Call for Societal Change

10 SPORTS

Yes, NYU Has an Equestrian Team

VOLUME LIV | ISSUE 7

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

NYU Paris Students Tense as Coronavirus Spreads to France Students at NYU Paris are left feeling uneasy as the future of the campus remains inconclusive, even as France steps up containment efforts surrounding the coronavirus.

By GRACE SYMES Contributing Writer Students at NYU Paris are unsure of their next steps as France becomes one of the epicenters of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe.

France has 19 reported deaths and 1,126 confirmed coronavirus cases at the time of publication, placing it among the hardest-hit countries in Europe alongside Germany and Italy.

Much of the students’ unease stems from an email sent by NYU on Tuesday, giving study abroad students the option to either leave their respective sites and take classes virtually or to remain abroad. The decision comes in the wake of the sudden closures of NYU Shanghai and NYU Florence, and in response to new guidelines from the CDC, which urges American universities to consider sending students home from study abroad campuses.

Paris is a popular study away site for students. With the recent coronavirus crisis, NYU Paris is preparing for a potential shut down.

ANNA LETSON | WSN

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Hackers Compete at NYU Tandon

By EMILY GLASS Contributing Writer In Tandon School of Engineering’s gymnasium, no table was spared from the barrage of half-finished energy drinks and snacks strewn among computers. Small teams collaborated at these tables to create new uses for various kinds of technology.

This weekend, hundreds of innovators gathered at HackNYU 2020, NYU’s annual hackathon, to compete, strengthen their community

and improve everyday life. All three of NYU’s main campuses — Shanghai, Abu Dhabi and New York — competed in the annual event.

In Brooklyn, competitors congregated at NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s Polytechnic Institute. The event is open to non-NYU students, and individuals can compete alone or in teams of up to four students or recent graduates.

Hackathons involve using technology for extended periods of time to creatively solve problems. There are four main competitive tracks: sustainability, health and wellbeing, education

and financial empowerment. Event chair and Tandon senior Esteban Espana commented on the impact of these tracks. “[These tracks] go along the theme of using technology for the betterment of society, whether this be through traceability, through transparency, accountability, through bridging existing gaps and making people feel more comfortable,” Espana said. “All of these projects are meant to make people feel better in their daily lives.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

ALANA BEYER | WSN

NYU Tandon School hosted HackNYU 2020, NYU’s annual hackathon. Contestants compete in categories of sustainability, health and wellbeing, education and financial empowerment.

Washington Square News

2

NEWS

NEWS@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

Edited by LISA COCHRAN and EMILY MASON

NYU Paris Students Tense as Coronavirus Spreads to France CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

For students who remain at their study abroad locations, classes will continue in person. For those who return home, most classes will be held on the digital conferencing platform Zoom. Students are expected to make the decision to stay or leave by Thursday, March 12.

At an NYU Paris Town Hall on Tuesday, March 3, university officials addressed issues such as how the online Zoom function would work for students choosing to leave and whether or not students would be reimbursed for housing.

In addition to figuring out classes, any student who chooses to leave will be responsible for their own travel costs and will not have their housing costs refunded because their departure would be considered voluntary, as was stated during the Town Hall.

“I wasn’t planning on leaving,” Gallatin junior Emily Goniea, who is studying at NYU Paris, said. “But if I had any question about if I was going to, learning that I would not be reimbursed for housing would have solidified it. Like even if I had been planning to, that would have changed it.”

NYU Paris Director Alfred Galichon told students at the town hall

that the possibility of a campus closure later in the semester could not be ruled out and that NYU was carefully monitoring local regulations and updates to determine its next moves.

“Things might evolve in France as they might evolve anywhere in the world,” Galichon said during the town hall. “I think the main message is that basically, NYU is continuing to operate in Paris, and I think that’s very good news […] if NYU is keeping operating its center in Paris, it’s because NYU is considering it safe.”

The town hall did little to assuage concerns over what would happen if NYU Paris closes later in the semester, and many students still consider this a likely outcome as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise rapidly in France.

“I appreciate that they have options for students who are concerned,” Sophie de Morelos, a College of Marin junior studying at NYU Paris told WSN. “But I know there’s still the possibility that the school will close. It would be really disappointing if campus closed and we wouldn’t get the study abroad experience that we expected.”

Though some appreciate the agency that NYU is offering, others see the email as a means of avoiding re-

sponsibility rather than offering a legitimate solution.

“I feel like the email was definitely more so that NYU could avoid liability,” Steinhardt sophomore Gillian Weatherford said. “I think now either way, they can point back to this decision that we have to make and be like, ‘Well, your child decided to take on this liability.’”

France is currently at stage 2 — a pre-epidemic level — as laid out

by French Prime Minister Éduoard Philippe during an emergency meeting with other French officials in late February. As a response, the government has closed schools in the most affected areas and banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people.

Stage 3 is defined as a full-force epidemic, with cases of the virus spreading throughout the entire country. The country is expected to enter this stage soon, likely signaling more school closings, more extreme restrictions on large gatherings and suspensions of public transportation.

For some worried about the situation in France, NYU’s email came as a welcome surprise, allowing them to take their safety into their own hands.

For CAS sophomore Tianai Song, a student at NYU Paris, the email fur-

ther complicates her situation.

“I cannot leave because I’m from China,” Song said. “It’s more serious, the virus situation is more serious in China […] I definitely cannot go back to China. But I have to admit that the situation in France is getting worse.”

Even if she was able to go home, the thought of taking online classes holds no appeal for Song.

“Since we are students and we also pay for tuition, we all want to be in the classroom to learn, because I feel like that’s the best way to learn, because you really get to interact with your professor,” Song said. “Otherwise we would all be taking Zoom at home right now.”

Students pursuing certain majors were left under the impression that if they left campus now, they would be unable to graduate on schedule.

“For music, we just can’t do that,” Weatherford explained. “We can’t learn ear training or keyboarding over Zoom. I can’t make up those classes.

I have to take these classes in order to graduate on time.”

Many students who have chosen to stay are now left attempting to strike a balance between staying safe and making the most of their study abroad experience. In the email, NYU encour-

aged all students to avoid international or domestic travel to areas affected by the coronavirus.

Some students have accordingly canceled travel plans and assured family members that they will not be leaving the country, but for those who already purchased plane or train tickets and have made extensive travel plans, the idea of canceling all further travel is hard to stomach.

“It’s really frustrating, because this is my one chance to study abroad,” Weatherford said. “I have already bought a lot of tickets […] I’ve spent so much money on these tickets. As of now, I’m not changing my travel plans.”

As France steps up its response to the coronavirus, students are also concerned that if they leave the country they may not be able to get back in, or that soon they will no longer be able to return to the U.S. without facing a quarantine.

“I’m planning on returning to the U.S. for summer school, and I’m really worrying now about whether I can return to the U.S.,” Song said. “I am facing the problem that I might not be able to go anywhere.”

Email Grace Symes at news@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | News

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

Hackers Compete at NYU Tandon CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Teams are judged on technical diff iculty, originality, polish and usefulness by nine industry experts. $23,229 worth of sponsored prizes are on the line for the teams, with the top three projects in each category winning prizes of up to $200 dollars from Amazon.

Other sponsors provided prizes. Facebook awarded Oculus Go Headsets for the best user experience project. The best sports or f itness hacks got four copies of FIFA 20 and four tickets to a New York Red Bulls Game from Redbull. Meanwhile, the most viable startup gets a chance to pitch to the Contrary to Capital CEO in a one-on-one meeting.

HackNYU began on the afternoon of Friday March 6 and ran

through Sunday March 8. The building was open overnight Friday and Saturday for those who opted for all-nighters to polish their work.

“It’s amazing what such small teams of people can get done overnight or over the course of two nights,” 2011 CAS graduate and NYU employee Nick Jensen said.

The hackathon is entirely student-led. Espana supervised all of the planning, which began in July 2019.

Stern graduate student Manuel Lombardero was a contestant in the Hackathon and worked with a team to create a program that allows friends to make investment pools together. “[HackNYU] is one of the best organized [hackathons] that I’ve seen,” Lombardero said. “I really like the vibe here.”

Kamille Tipan, Francis Lewis High School senior, competed in the sustainability track. Her team’s goal was to create a website against fast fashion that curates outf its from ethical sources for shoppers.

With consideration of real-world issues like Tipan’s, Espana commented on the nature and perception of hacking.

“Hacking, because of Hollywood, gets a little bit of a weird sort of connotation,” Espana said.

“Hacking really is just using something for a different purpose than its original intention.”

3 CRIME LOG

Clout Stolen From Third North

Winners were not announced by the time of publication.

Email Emily Glass at news@nyunews.com.

Teens Demand Educational Justice RACHEL BUIGAS-LOPEZ & CHARLIE DODGE | WSN

By CRIME BOT Robot Reporter From Feb. 28 to March 8, the NYU Department of Public Safety received one report of Criminal Mischief, two reports of Criminal Trespass, three reports of Harassment, seven reports of Larceny and five reports of Liquor Law Violation / Drug Law Violation.

Criminal Mischief On Feb. 28 at 11:13 a.m., a staff member reported vandalism in a hallway in Third North Residence Hall. The case is open and under investigation.

Criminal Trespass

VANESSA HANDY | WSN

Students with Teens Take Charge gather for a meeting. Teens Take Charge is a student-led organization advocating for educational equity.

By VANESSA HANDY Social Media Editor Candid conversation created an unexpectedly intimate atmosphere in a small Rubin Residence Hall classroom on Thursday. For 90 minutes, the space was transformed into a forum where nearly 20 students gathered to discuss their feelings regarding a range of issues, most prominently education inequality.

The event was hosted by Steinhardt first-year Tori Husain, a co-creator of the social media platform Open the F-ck Up — a page dedicated to encouraging people to speak honestly about social issues without fear of judgment or labeling. Husain invited Lorraie Forbs, a senior at Clara Barton High School in Brooklyn and Kimberly Martinez, a junior at Central Park East High School in Manhattan to discuss their work as leaders for the student-led activist organization Teens Take Charge.

Husain explained the value of young activists like Forbs and Martinez.

“Even if you’re not specifically interested in educational justice, maybe we can learn from them,” Husain said. “We can get some advice about issues they’ve faced and how we can apply that to activism that we’re interested in.”

Husain prompted attendees to raise issues that they cared about. Issues like racism, gender equality and political rights were all discussed.

Educational justice became one of the main focuses of the night’s conversation. One of the most important tasks for Teens Take Charge is diversifying the New York City public school district, which includes some of the most segregated schools in the country.

Forbs and Martinez are among the Hispanic and Black students in the New York City public school district who want an equal chance at receiving the highest quality education.

In March 2019, only seven black students and 33 Hispanic students were offered spots at Stuyvesant High School, one of New York’s most selective institutions. Both Forbs and Martinez expressed frustrations with specialized schools whose admission is based on test scores and interviews.

Black and Hispanic student populations vary from 3.1% to 7.9% in these schools, which Teens Take Charge believes is the result of a lack of access to academic resources.

“It’s a consequence,” Forbs told WSN. “We’ve been talking to everyone about our plan to integrate all public schools in New York City and we’ve been ignored. Since the mayor does

not want to pass this integration act, we will boycott.”

The organization has partnered with IntegrateNYC — a youth-led organization promoting educational equity — to plan a boycott of New York City public schools, aiming to rally up 500,000 students on May 18.

Husain acknowledged her own privileges and reflected on how she tries to account for them in her work as an activist.

“I come from a predominantly white, affluent town in Pennsylvania,” Husain said. “I have so many resources that got me here to NYU. So I’m always fighting with where I can take space but when not to take too much.”

The conversation proved to be eye-opening for many attendees, bringing to light the educational inequity that often goes unnoticed. Global Liberal Studies first-year Nina Ahmadi, who attended the event, commented on this lack of awareness.

“It’s just so crazy,” Ahmadi said.

“These issues, they’re so easily hidden, forgotten and overlooked. This city wants to pride itself on its diversity and the fact that it’s this cultural capital of equality but in its own school district there is this complete backwardness.”

Email Vanessa Handy at vhandy@nyunews.com.

On Feb. 29 at 9:59 p.m., a student reported a criminal trespass in Founders Hall. The case is open and under investigation.

On March 1 at 2:43 p.m., an RA reported a criminal trespass in Third North Hall. The person left without further incident and the case is open and under investigation.

Harassment On March 1 at 8:45 p.m., a student reported being harassed in Lipton Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On March 3 at 2:03 p.m., a student reported harassment on the corner of Mercer and West Third St. A police report was filed and the case is open and under investigation.

On March 3 at 9:04 p.m., a student reported being harassed on 721 Broadway. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

Larceny On Feb. 28 at 12:32 a.m., a student reported her laptop as missing in Bobst Library. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On March 2 at 11 a.m., a staff member reported missing chairs in Palladium Hall. The case is open and under investigation.

On March 1 at 3:55 p.m., a student reported a missing coat in 238 Thompson Ave. Police notification

was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On March 1 at 6:15 p.m., a student reported missing AirPods in Third North Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On March 4 at 10 a.m., a staff member reported a missing mug in 715 Broadway. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On March 4 at 10:25 a.m., a student reported a missing laptop in 721 Broadway. The case is open and under investigation.

On March 4 at 3:15 p.m., a student reported a missing wallet in 238 Thompson St. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

Liquor Law Violation / Drug Law Violation On Feb. 29 at 12:16 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Third North Hall. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 29 at 1:45 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession and illegal drug possession in Weinstein Hall. Public Safety responded and recovered a small amount of marijuana and the case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 29 at 9:30 p.m., an RA reported illegal drug possession in Othmer Hall. Public Safety recovered a small amount of marijuana and the case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 28 at 11:30 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession and illegal drug possession in Third North Hall. Public Safety recovered a small amount of marijuana and the case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 29 at 11:50 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Othmer Hall. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Email Crime Bot at news@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

4

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

CULTURE

CULTURE@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by BELLA GIL

Spring Break Staycation Guide

By DANIELA ORTIZ Staff Writer Spring break. Despite what pop culture depicts, not everyone’s counting down the days for their remote island getaway, beach vacation or weeklong party.

Instead, if they aren’t going home (or can’t go for whatever reason), some students opt for a staycation. With the seemingly endless array of things to do in New York City, a staycation could be just as exciting as a Spring Break vacation, without the added stress of having to worry about all the packing and travel.

“So I’m from Michigan,” Gallatin first-year Ama Sarpoma said. “And I don’t really like going back there because it’s kind of boring but it would also cost a lot to go somewhere like Miami which is where a lot of people I know are going over break so basically staying is just the most efficient thing to do. I think I’m going to try to explore the city a little more.”

Like Sarpoma, if you’re wondering what to do over break, here’s a couple of areas that you may not have time to visit when class is in session.

Queens You’ll be surprised that there are things worth seeing outside of Brooklyn or Manhattan. Queens consists of many charming neighborhoods. The Long Island City waterfront has some

of the most stunning views of midtown Manhattan. Astoria is also home to the Museum of the Moving Image, a cinema and museum hybrid dedicated to the history of film. With bike paths along Hunters Point South Park and Gantry Plaza State Park, restaurants and a new perspective, you won’t regret venturing toward the opposite side of the East River.

Chelsea Piers Is Top Golf too much pressure for you? Fear not because at Chelsea Piers, the vibes at the driving range are much less competitive and much more “lets see how far we can get the ball to go!”

But besides the golf club, Chelsea Piers offers soccer fields, gymnastics facilities, basketball courts, batting cages, an indoor ice rink and bowling lanes. Located on the Hudson River embankment, Chelsea Piers also happens to conveniently be a 10-minute walk from Chelsea Market, a place perfect for a meal after running around.

Roosevelt Island If you already happen to be in Long Island City, then the historic Roosevelt Island is not far away. In fact, the Roosevelt Island tram takes you from Roosevelt Island to the Upper East Side for one MetroCard swipe, placing the East River below you and the Manhattan skyline at eye level. The two mile stretch of land on the East River, right between

CHELSEA LI | WSN

A sprawling view of the Manhattan skyline can be seen from the Long Island City waterfront. This scenic corner of Queens is a popular spot for students who want to escape the city for a while over spring break.

Manhattan and Queens, is accessible through the tram entrance on 2nd Avenue between 59th and 60th Street.

Dumbo You’ve probably seen the iconic photo with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background a thousand times on your Instagram feed, but that doesn’t make it any less worth attempting to recreate.

You’re just a subway ride away — or even a walk if you’re feeling particularly ambitious — from taking in the entirety of the Brooklyn Bridge. But Dumbo’s cobblestone streets have more to offer than just Insta-worthy landscapes.

Brooklyn Bridge Park has some of the most picturesque views of the city. You should also stop by Jane’s Carousel, where you can enjoy a ride on the carou-

sel and a scenic view for only $2.

Although you may not have plans to leave the city, you can still have a memorable spring break. In fact, you may discover more excitement in the city than you would if you left.

Email Daniela Ortiz at culture@nyunews.com.

5 Under 5: Eat for $5 or Less Around Campus

By RIA MITTAL Staff Writer

It’s hard to be a young college student in New York City for a lot of reasons. First on my list though, is the fact that food can be so damn expensive. None of us can afford to consistently drop around $10 per meal, and cooking every meal can be overwhelming while trying to focus on school.

Lucky for us, there are a few hidden gems around campus that won’t break our banks or force us to starve.

Taco Mahal 73 7th Ave. S Tacomahalnyc.com When you really think about it, a fusion between Indian and Mexican food is bound to be a success. They share many of the same flavors in the

vein of coriander and cilantro, and if you look at naan bread long enough, you can imagine it being used much like a tortilla. That’s just what Taco Mahal does. Located just a block and a half behind Lipton Hall, this counter-serve spot exemplifies that successful fusion at a reasonable price point. Its roti tacos range from $4.50 to $5.25 and even include fish, lamb and vegan options. My favorite dish

is their masala fries — served with queso fresco and chutney — for just $5.

Mamoun’s Falafel 119 MacDougal St. — 30 St. Marks Pl. Mamouns.com We’ve all walked past Mamoun’s at some point in our NYU lives, whether drunk on St. Marks Place or rushing for a quick lunch between classes on MacDougal Street. Next time you walk by, consider walking in. It’s definitely worth the pit stop.

With all their vegetarian sandwiches — falafel, hummus, baba ganouj and tabbouleh — priced at $4.50 in the store ($6.35 online) and their pastries all under $3, it’s actually quite the steal. They’re cash only, though, so maybe that crumpled up $5 bill that’s been in your back pocket since October can finally be put to good use.

Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery 137 E. Houston St. Knishery.com

A sign outside of Matto Coffee. The small shop is featured on our list of 5 or Less Eats .

ALEX TRAN | WSN

If you want a kosher bite of New York history at a price you can actually afford, Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery, aka Knishery, is the perfect spot. Whether sweet or savory, all of the Knishery’s knishes are priced at an average of about $4.75. Their sheer variety, from broccoli knishes to blueberry cheese knishes, is astounding. You could also opt for a bagel for $4.95 too, though I’d definitely recommend trying one of the actual knishes. Vegetarian friendly

and right by Houston and 2nd, I’d say the walk is worth it.

Matto Espresso 293 Mercer St. Matto.com You know that “$2 for everything” sign you pass by on the way to Cantor Film Center? This is it. You know that tiny little store with a line that always wraps around Mercer Street?

This is also it. Matto sells literally everything — ice chai lattes, egg sandwiches, alfajores, zucchini bread — for just $2. It’s such a good deal for good quality food and beverages that braving the constantly long line doesn’t seem so bad. I’ve heard their omelet multigrain croissant and hot chocolate, in particular, are life-changing. They don’t have any dairy alternatives though. What you see is what you get.

Little Atlas Cafe 6 W. 4th St. (212) 253-5535 Right down West Fourth Street, right past the eyebrow-threading store, lies Little Atlas Cafe — home to some delicious smashed avocado toast. If avocados aren’t your thing, they also have toast topped with banana and honey, salmon and capers or cucumber and hummus for around $5. They also have a selection of omelets, sandwiches and vegan baked goods that end up costing around $5 with their handy 10% student discount.

Email Ria Mittal at culture@nyunews.com.

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

Washington Square News | Culture

5

Tisch First-Year’s Black Swan Magazine Makes Debut

JAKE CAPRIOTTI | WSN

Tisch freshman Cole Swanson reads his Black Swan Magazine in Washington Square Park. The sophomore issue of the magazine was published on February 29.

By CHAD EVANS Staff Writer The photograph of Tisch first-year, Cole Swanson, cast in a monochrome of hazy purples on the cover of Black Swan Magazine felt vaguely nostalgic.

Instead, the magazine I was holding was created by Swanson, himself, less

than a month ago.

Black Swan Magazine, a nod to Swanson’s surname, is rooted in fashion and provides an expansive scope on youth art and culture. Its 160 page sophomore issue was released Feb. 29, featuring the creative collaboration of dozens of young artists at NYU and across the U.S. Conceptual fashion editorials and

other artistic photography anchor much of the pages, accompanied by profiles of young creatives and original artwork.

The second issue is the first to be a part of Async Blue, an art collective of artists and curators who work to support and promote the work of other members of the collective, co-founded by Swanson alongside Tisch first-year, Lukas Sheehan. As such, the magazine carries the collective’s label on the inside cover and claims the status as the first ever work by the newly formed group, which is currently working on an assortment of new material to soon be released.

“Working with Cole was really inspiring. He’s a big goofball, but he has serious ambition,” Sheehan said. “I think if you ask anyone who has worked closely with him, we all want to see Cole win, because he wants all of his friends to win.”

For Swanson, the magazine is only a recent piece of his long developing and ever expanding creative vision. The son of filmmakers, Swanson grew up in Los Angeles and immersed himself in the city’s culture for as much inspiration as he could possibly gather. Swanson looked back fondly on the days spent exploring L.A. by car with his friends and visiting top shopping spots just to marvel at the clothing and study current trends.

During his senior year of high school, Swanson was one of a select few chosen by his school to receive funding for a senior project of his choice. An actor, writer and director of films at heart,

Swanson wanted to seize the opportunity to reach beyond the confines of his comfort zone. He decided to create an original, print magazine, inspired by the musician Frank Ocean who did the very same.

“Frank Ocean is not in the magazine business,” Swanson said. “He’s an artist, of course, but the fact that he made a magazine just proved to me that I could do that too.”

He then began work on what would become the first issue, a 45-page booklet focused on fashion. Since his days of scouring store racks, clothing had always been something enigmatic for Swanson. For him, it was an ideal medium to achieve the publication’s overarching goal of having a tangible catalog of young people and their creative voices.

“With clothing, you don’t have to say a word and can make such a bold statement,” Swanson said.

The ambitious project was set to be completed by May 2019 without a second installment on Swanson’s radar.

However, something tempted him to mark the magazine as a first issue, not ignoring its potential to evolve into a series into something larger.

In the late summer of 2019, Swanson relocated to New York City to study film and television production at Tisch.

Once in New York, he found himself surrounded by an expansive community of young people eager to collaborate with one another and express themselves artistically. It was a situation that mirrored the desirability the city had for

Swanson as a base to create movies.

“New York just has this energy I’ve always gravitated towards,” Swanson said. “There’s this pulse in the city and everybody has a story to tell.”

The abundance of proximate talent proved too tempting, and development on the second issue officially commenced in September. The larger scale pushed Swanson to better his editing and graphic design skills in order to produce a professional product.

“Consistent thematic elements are important in any product I do… I wanted there to be a flow,” Swanson said.

“As you flip through it, the next page shouldn’t be jarring from the last.”

In addition to the print magazine, the Black Swan Magazine website sells related merchandise including tote bags and lighters.

For the moment, the magazine is a necessary outlet for Swanson to collect and showcase the most dynamic young creativity he can find. It’s clear from his calm, yet rich passion for the project that the mission is more than just to cash in on the resurgence of print media.

Black Swan is a platform to legitimize the youth as an artistic force that deserves recognition and professional consideration. Running a hand over the crisp matte cover and turning its sturdy pages makes this goal feel realized. It’s then that the reader can’t look away and rightfully so. Swanson is one to watch.

Email Chad Evans at culture@nyunews.com.

This First Year Multidisciplinary Artist Does It All

By ALEX CHRISTIANO Contributing Writer A quick glance at Gallatin first-year Liv Solomon’s Instagram tells you all you need to know about the depth of her artistic talent. Her pages, @livsolomon and @livmarked, are filled with fascinating portraits, expressive drawings and unique tattoos that she has personally designed. On top of that, she has also modeled for the likes of Calvin Klein, New York Magazine and Parade Underwear.

Solomon’s artistic journey started well before she was a full-time student balancing a part-time gig as a tattoo artist and model. Originally working with photography in her hometown of Los Angeles, Solomon moved to New York City for high school. She explained that “naturally photography came as a gateway to apply to school” in New York.

Surrounded by other artistic students, Solomon immediately found herself inspired while taking art classes.

Additionally, her high school offered an entire month where students are able to focus on extracurricular activities. Solomon took advantage of that to form a photo project on her friends’ personal expression through fashion.

Solomon’s main inspiration for all of her work stems from individual expression and identity, as she says that “photography and film were the only way I could express myself properly.” While we talked, she constantly referenced her fascination with her friends, self-expression and capturing someone’s personality in a photo, film or drawing.

Never satisfied with just one outlet of expression, Solomon wanted to pursue other disciplines aside from photography. Her next choice was film,

partially inspired by one of her favorite directors — David Lynch. Solomon found that film allowed her to expand her interest in expression and identity as she directed music videos for close friends’ songs.

Along with film, Solomon also started to expand her passion for drawing and painting thanks to her friends’ support.

“Drawing became more than a habit to keep me distracted,” Solomon said.

Her friends and family were always fascinated and intrigued by her work, which motivated her to draw even more.

As she continued to work with visual art, she took art classes and used a lot of her work in her portfolio when applying to college. Solomon knew she wanted to go to a school that offered art, but felt like Gallatin’s individualized program would be the best fit.

“I needed to go to Gallatin when I realized that I’m so fascinated with so much other stuff”, Solomon said.

Solomon plans on combining art classes with media, politics, identity and gender studies to interpose her work in our contemporary world. Her ultimate goal is to form a focus around identity expression and performativity.

Like many Gallatin students, she feels grateful for the freedom that Gallatin provides her in her studies.

“Orienting myself with the world around me, to be able to have the freedom and environment to really be aware and learn about the world around me, it is just really exciting,” Solomon said.

At NYU, Solomon might be best known for the numerous tattoos she’s done. Maybe you’ve seen her tattoo account on instagram, where she posts flash sheets and completed work. It’s also the best way to contact her about

getting a tattoo done.

Solomon’s interest in tattooing started when she got her zodiac sign tattooed on her ankle. That first tattoo unlocked a world of unique artists, styles and new forms of expression. As Solomon’s interest in visual art merged with her fascination with tattoo artists, numerous friends and family members encouraged her to start tattooing her own designs.

Once she found herself surrounded by an entirely new community at NYU, Solomon realized the potential for her newfound passion. After buying a tattoo gun and the necessary supplies, she set out to start practicing the craft.

“As I learned more about tattooing, I realized it’s something that I can totally do,” Solomon said. “I’m making money, I’m doing something that I love and my job right now is to literally give something to someone else. That’s so cool, holy sh-t!”

Her love for tattooing has inspired her to one day open her own shop, where she hopes to emphasize a personal relationship with each of her clients.

Solomon’s excitement for all of her art is obvious, and anyone who meets her will instantly feel her infectious personality and driven attitude. It’s that personal and friendly approach that has led her to grow her Instagram page to a sizable following, from which she’s been able to grow her tattoo page and work with brands.

Most of Solomon’s modeling jobs have come from work with close friends.

“I got to be a part of this really awesome project that a bunch of my friends were in,” Solomon said.

The project she’s referring to is a shoot done for Calvin Klein’s 50th anniversary, no simple achievement. Solo-

ALEXANDRA CHAN | WSN

Gallatin first-year Liv Solomon pursues several art forms in her free time. In addition to photography, she has also ventured into film, modeling, and drawing tattoos.

mon explained that the rest of the jobs she’s gotten are through Instagram, modeling for brands like Teeth Magazine, Parade and Adidas.

“I’m just lucky enough to be surrounded by creative people who want me to be a part of their work,” she said.

Despite her recent work, Solomon hasn’t fully accepted modeling as her new path.

“I know I can’t be in that world and be happy,” Solomon said.

She attributes most of her modeling work to the friendships she’s made, and

mostly focuses on expressing herself through all of the other artistic outlets she’s developed over the years.

Regardless of the route Solomon chooses to take after NYU, her passion and bubbling personality will carry her far. She’s already demonstrated her unique ability to forge friendships and apply them in creative spheres. For those looking to see more of her work, check out her Instagram.

Email Alex Christiano at culture@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

6

ARTS

ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

Edited by KAYLEE DEFREITAS and ETHAN ZACK

Tisch Dance Program Students Call for Societal Change

By SASHA COHEN Performing Arts Editor Excited supporters holding bouquets of roses anxiously awaited Tisch’s Second Avenue Dance Company’s March concert to begin. The concert, “Investigating the WE,” provided choreographers the opportunity to create a dance that combined their art form and a problem they are passionate about. Of the 10 students in the company, six of them showcased their pieces alongside a piece choreographed by faculty choreographer Elizabeth Coker each night from March 5-7.

Senior Austin Coats choreographed “Invisible People.” He was inspired by a homeless woman he saw in Bryant Park digging through trash cans. He recognized how so many people watch these human beings and do nothing to help every single day.

“You could go out on the street and experience this piece again, and you most likely will,” Coats said.

Coats wanted to create a piece that depicted avoidance and assistance through his choreography. As for the movement, the extensions and lifts were reminiscent of ballet, but the combination maintained a funky contemporary style throughout the piece. For his community engagement element, Coats felt inspired to place receptacles in the Tisch dance building to collect clothing and dry food for the Salvation Army.

When asked how many donations he received, Coats said, “So far, I think I might have to make 10 trips to 14th street.”

“For women. By women,” opened with a bright white screen. Senior Riana Pellicane-Hart wanted to discuss how domestic violence often lurks in the shadows of our everyday lives and how to start a dialogue regarding domestic abuse’s effect on communication, domestic abuse stereotypes and its definition.

“My piece was really important to me because I am sure like a lot of people who did similar works tonight, it comes from a very personal spot,” Pellicane-Hart said.

Her intention showed throughout the piece, exemplified by the lighting that shadowed the dancers. Each of the two dancers’ movements contrasted aggressive and relaxed steps with moments of fragility. Pellicane-Hart plans to work with Equality Now, a leading organization that promotes equality for women in the legal system.

“The Persistence of Flowerhood” was choreographed by senior Morgan Amirah Burns. “My piece was really inspired by the love I have for nature and Mother Earth, and sunflowers have always been my favorite flower.” Burns said.

Through this thought process, she decided to discuss humanity’s ignorance over the natural world’s degradation.

It began with a dancer sitting on a mint green toilet while a video showing his face played behind him. Eventually, seven dancers embodying seeds entered.

The movement had a cyclical, playful feel, often repeating a few motifs throughout its duration.

Burns partnered with a non-profit organization on the Lower East Side called Earth Celebrations and the organization’s founder Felicia Young. She plans to lead talkback sessions in Tisch School of the Arts’ Dance Department about creating sustainable art in the 21st century.

Inspired by Jaime Black’s installation, “Jaime Black and the REDress Project,’’ which informed individuals about the large number of murdered and missing indigenous women in North America, senior Maclean Frey wanted to dedicate his dance to all of these lost lives in addition to raising awareness about this serious issue.

“There has been over 4,000 women and children who have gone missing and this has gone totally unnoticed by the government and the people of Canada,” Maclean said.

His dance, “Red. excavation,” saw five dancers dressed in various vibrant shades of red. The color choice echoed the red dresses that hung from the ceiling in Black’s installation, associating red with the lifeblood that flows through every

ALEXANDRA CHAN | WSN

Student dancers performing “cellE.K.T SocieT.Y.” Second Avenue Dance Company’s March Concert “Investigating the We” enables choreographers to shine a spotlight on prevailing issues through dance and movement.

human and through the women who lost their lives. Frey’s choreography demonstrated heartache through movement that resembled struggling, moments of deafening silence and powerful imagery.

He urged audiences to continue to spread awareness about this atrocity.

As an adolescent, senior Sarai Daniels struggled with discovering who she wanted to be. After attending an event at NYU called “Black Girl Collective,” she felt inspired by other black women and looked up to them as role models. By being involved with a campus program called Women of Excellence, Strength and Tenacity, she focused on building a sisterhood with other young black women through discussions about gender-racial identity.

“I really think this piece gives you a small insight into how we have to kind of develop into ourselves, develop into who we are, be proud of who we are and so that was a really beautiful process,” Daniels said.

At the performance, Daniels danced in

her piece “You are Seen. You are Felt.” The music was a spoken word piece written by Dr. Jennifer Rae Myers, who performed at “Black Girl Collective.” While the music was complex, the stage and costume designs were very simple. Daniels’ dancing complimented the contrasting stimuli to create a coherent piece.

The final student piece, “I am here,” portrayed the strong women in choreographer Daniel Padierna’s life and how they broke archetypal female norms that the media typically features.

“All of my work is inspired by my childhood,” Padierna said.

Growing up without a male figure, Padierna looked up to the women who taught him to embrace his own unique masculinity. While he viewed these women as strong, he disliked that television shows always depicted men as heroes and women as inferior. Naturally, Pierna decided to create a dance that empowered women.

“I really wanted to emulate the physical and emotional realness of these women

who have really embodied this notion of being fearless and being brave and showing me the way, this kind of forward projection in my life even when I wanted to step back,” Padierna said.

The five female performers commanded the stage with their bold, sharp and concise dancing. Their costumes were a rich burgundy color and featured harnesses that resembled warriors.

“Investigating the WE” acted as a reminder that art can be activism. The dances were beautiful, compelling and the performers were talented, but it is undeniably meaningful that these young artists wanted to make a change in the community. So many people say they care about an issue, yet never actually do anything to make a difference. But the SADC used dance as a platform to eloquently raise awareness and inspire others to help make the world a better place through their work.

Email Sasha Cohen at scohen@nyunews.com.

NYU Alum Previews Poignant New Album

By NICOLAS PEDRERO-SETZER Music Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHANE MCCAULEY

Alex Brown Church, better known as Sea Wolf, is an NYU alum and Los Angeles based indie folk musician. After 6 years since his last album “Song Spells, No. 1: Cedarsmoke,” he has just released “Through A Dark Wood,” a record which is, in his word, “catharsis.”

Lost in a Dantesque forest forged from the fires of breakup, anxiety about the state of the nation and absolute confusion about his life’s trajectory, Alex Brown Church confesses that his latest album is the product of turmoil — a testament to the brutality of the creative process. “‘Through A Dark Wood’ is about a period of time” stated Church. “It’s a work of experimentation and self-reflection, and I feel like I achieved what I wanted to achieve.”

After grappling with the dissatisfaction brought about by his previous and never-to-bereleased artistic venture, an album that he’s described as poetically experimental but ultimately just disappointing, “Through A Dark Wood” sees Church embracing structure, simplicity and sincerity as a vessel for emotional release. In Church’s words: “The result is a catharsis record.”

Church’s decision to abandon intricacy in favor of clarity lends a wholly relatable angle to his work that appeared to be missing in the past. Choosing to “wear his heart on his sleeve,” Church stated that the fact that these are his most “straightforward lyrics out of any of his records” allows him to be vulnerable in a day and age that demands “sincerity.” The anxiousness produced by the 2016 elections made him reevaluate what

it meant to put art out there in such a troubling climate. After prolonged pensiveness, it seems he’s reached the conclusion that times like these call for honesty and understanding, emotions he aims to convey with his latest record.

Church expressed that working on “Through a Dark Wood” allowed him to truly “dig into heart-break through soul-searching,” a valuably torturous process that seems to have changed him. On tracks like “Back to the Wind” and “Fear of Failure,” Church whole-heartedly professes his anxiousness about taking on adult responsibilities and facing defeat time and time again. He’s never sounded as vulnerable and as a result his songs carry more weight than ever before.

“I would say this album was totally influenced by my experience [apropos of his recent years of distress]” said Church.

The echoes of Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan still ring in his voice, but his message is more personal than ever. Each song resonates with liberated worries, painting a beautifully haunting picture of a man coming to terms with his current condition of dejection.

“I was aware of where I was at and I was considering what each song would be about [during the writing process]” Church said.

As a result, the album takes on a cinematic narrative that explores a myriad of emotions that ultimately come together in an optimistically lov-

ing finale that reflects Church’s current ideology of honesty and understanding.

With regards to his album’s narrative arc, Church stated that “what [he] learned in film school has always played into [his] music.”

There’s a dramatic direction underlying the album’s succession that works like a meditative exhale, capturing intense disquiet and converting it into peacefulness through thought.

“I didn’t set out to make the album like that on purpose, but it just turned out that way” Church said.

As a map for Church’s emotional exploration over the latter half of the last decade, “Through A Dark Wood” guides the listener from suffocating woodland despair into cathartic serenity.

The last two tracks, “Frank O’Hara” and “Two of Us” radiate with the same intensity as the light at the end of a tunnel. For an album etched in the distraught, it’s finale projects an immense amount of hope. Church is somewhere much different than when he started working on the album: he’s managed to escape his qualms and now he’s got a beautiful, musical diary about his journey that the whole world can listen to and find comfort in seeing their same worries vocalized so delicately.

Email Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer at npedrerosetzer@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Arts

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

NYU Graduate’s ‘Under the Tree’ Is an Emotionally Intense Depiction of Mental Illness and Grief

By DANI HERRERA Staff Writer “I think there’s a lot of beauty in sadness,” Maxx Evans said. The young director’s captivating yet melancholic film was recently selected to compete for the Battle of the Film Schools’ first 2020 screening.

Battle of the Film Schools is a short film competition that showcases the work of student filmmakers in New York. Evans’ film, “Under the Tree,” was one of two works selected to represent NYU in the competition. The nomination attests to the success of the film, but its true beauty lies in the amount of effort and attention to detail that went into the production process.

Evans is a writer and director who graduated from Tisch School of the Arts in 2018, where he double majored in Cinema Studies and Film Production. During his time at Tisch, Evans was involved in production and set design, but he ultimately wanted to direct.

“Under the Tree” was his thesis project. Inspired by the psychology classes he took, Evans decided to center his project on grief, parents and film. After pitching the idea, Evans and his team received a small grant that helped fund the project.

Set in suburban Albany, “Under the Tree” is an emotionally effective portrayal of untreated mental illness.

It follows a woman as she grieves the unexpected loss of her young daughter and tries to come to terms with the reality of the situation. As the days pass, she falls in and out of memories, and the true story comes together piece by piece.

“Suddenly this movie was not about the woman’s condition, but

how her world is tainted by what she’s gone through, what she’s dealing with and the illness she faces,” Evans said. “It was this jigsaw puzzle to figure out how to create a story, what informs it, how do we create an accurate, artistic, respectful depiction of a very misunderstood mental illness?”

Beautifully heartbreaking, the film demonstrates Evans’ skill and attention to detail, particularly the emphasis on psychologically accurate portrayals of mental illness.

“I wasn’t content with saying crazy, that’s a word that’s misconstrued, and it makes people look sick, and there’s more to it than that,” Evans said. “So I actually met with a lot of psychiatrists when I was writing the film because I wanted to get to the bottom of what this character had, how to define it in a way that wasn’t generic and crazy. It’s too easy to say that.”

Evans also brought his experience in set design to the film, making sure it was an integral part of the story.

Because the film itself has very little dialogue, Evans and his team had to find innovative ways to tell the story and convey important messages.

This was achieved through tiny, easily missed details that actually make all of the difference: objects strewn throughout the home as well as muted tones throughout the film.

“Every single thing was well thought out, every placement of every piece of furniture, every moment, every costume, every light, every soft breath of the camera was so wellthought-out,” Evans said.

Evans’ professionalism also comes through in the script. The portrayal of dead children, mourning parents and the permanence of loss called for

a very dark and emotionally challenging script. Evans recalls how painful it was to create a world embedded with that level of sadness and the physical and psychological toll it took on him.

“There were days on set when it was very hard to watch,” Evans said.

“It was very emotional, especially because the actors were so good, but I felt terrible putting them through these situations. But I have to remind myself that what I love about pushing the boundary with work like this is that I hope that people do react, and feel, and are moved by it.”

Despite the difficulty of intentionally writing people into unimaginably painful situations, Evans’ goal was to elicit an emotional response from the audience and help them understand the differences between the real world and the world as it is perceived by the damaged character.

Though he understands the audience may view it through a subjective lens, he wanted people to sympathize with the character.

Evans efforts paid off. “Under the Tree” has been recognized in other film competitions including the Chandler International Film Festival, where it earned Evans the “Best Student Filmmaker” award.

Evans is currently working in film production, and he plans on applying the skills he has gained as well as the connections he has made to his future works.

“If there’s anything I learned it’s that there’s so many people that want to direct, but nobody’s handing you that opportunity,” Evans said. “So if you want to do that you have to go out and do it yourself.”

Email Dani Herrera at arts@nyunews.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAXX EVANS

Director Maxx Evans on set for his short film, “Under the Tree.” Evans’s film was selected as one of two NYU pieces to compete in the Battle of the Film Schools.

7

Faurschou Foundation Fosters Global Connection

ALEXANDRA BENTZIEN | WSN

Ai Weiwei’s piece, “Two Figures,” is a life-size work of a plaster-cast man and wife lying on a mattress, with a pile of red seeds surrounding the man’s head. This was used as a reference to the Tang Dynasty poem, Love Seeds, which inspired the title of the exhibit.

By ALEXANDRA BENTZIEN Staff Writer Nestled in a sidestreet of Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood is the sleek and modern Faurschou Foundation, an art gallery currently home to the group exhibition The Red Bean Grows in the South, presenting political and cultural works by renowned contemporary international artists including Ai Weiwei, Yoko Ono, Anselm Kiefer, Robert Rauschenberg and Cai Guo-Qiang, among others.

The exhibition is easy to take in, physically: sectioned off into six spaces, the gallery is the perfect size and very manageable to navigate, each room displaying only a few art works.

However, the concurrent themes of violence and globalization as well as the intimacy with which they are experienced is intense. At times it can be overwhelming to engage with due to the grand scale and subsequent immersive quality of many of the pieces.

The centerpiece of the f irst room is Cai Guo-Qiang’s “A Boat with Dreams,” a lifesize production of a wooden boat full of glowing red paper lanterns that hangs from the ceiling.

The boat is a metaphor for journey and connection, between past histories and current events and between cultures. The room adjacent is a video installation by Richard Mosse, a giant triptych which presents the experience refugees have travelling by ship and arriving on foreign shores.

The images themselves are fascinating, presented in slow-motion and almost three-dimensional in grayscale black-and-white thermal camera.

The movement of the water and the almost translucent bodies are mesmerizing: one frequently gets the feeling of becoming a part of the art itself interacting with the variety of works. Ai Weiwei’s piece, “Two Figures,” is a life-size plaster-cast man and wife lying on a mattress, with a pile of red seeds surrounding the man’s head, a reference to the Tang Dynasty poem, “Love Seeds,” which inspired the title of the exhibit.

The poem’s motif of longing and yearning is echoed in different ways throughout the gallery. Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas” is a cry for peace,

sung over a video presenting the horrif ic human cost and trauma of war, with visceral images specif ically highlighting the gruesome effects of conflict on children. On the other side of the wall stands Christian Lemmerz’s “The Last God,” another life-size statue of white marble; it resembles Jesus with outstretched, beckoning hands, though its effect is less than welcoming, at once intriguing and unsettling as it is buried under a highly realistic carved sheet.

It is this acute realism that urges one not to look away, despite a nagging feeling of disturbance and uncertainty which underscores much of the art. That the art is so close to life, in its physical look as well as in its political and cultural commentary, is precisely what makes it so compelling. The best demonstration of this is Edward and Nancy Redding Kienholz’s “The Ozymandias Parade,” a massive mixed media tableau which presents replicas of guns and grenades on top of stacks of dollar bills, a leader upside down on a horse, a torn American flag and a skeleton in uniform. The installation is f illed with symbolism demanding a reaction, proving that the exhibit is not one to walk through and quickly take pictures in. The gallery is not merely a trendy new spot, but an experience which encourages reflection and provides the space to do so.

The gallery opened to the public at the end of last year and is the latest exhibition space established by the Faurschou Foundation, headed

by Danish collector Jens Faurschou, whose goal, according to the foundation’s website, is to cultivate cultural exchange through carefully curated exhibits highlighting works by artists from across the globe. The current assembly of works, either acquired through auction or through direct communication with the artists, showcases an attention to acknowledging art both as a physical product to be consumed and a serious form of creation with the power to facilitate greater awareness for the effects of global crises.

Email Alexandra Bentzien at arts@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

8

OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

OPINION

Edited by JUN SUNG

GOVERNMENT

The WHO’s Emergency Notification System is Behind the Times

By BINCHENG MAO Contributing Writer On Thursday, Jan. 31, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern over the COVID-19 outbreak, reversing the decision it had made just one week beforehand.

The PHEIC status was established under the International Health Regulations in 2005, two years after the SARS outbreak. It has since been employed to indicate “public

health risk to other States […] and to potentially require a coordinated international response,” and to serve as a call for action for the world in combating serious diseases.

Though the WHO emergency committee explained the possibility that the coronavirus may reach countries with weak health care systems, this complete change of heart left many wondering: is an all-or-nothing approach the best way to control our global outbreak?

Unfortunately, this all-or-nothing methodology of declaring emergencies has rendered the world unable to prepare for such crises. In the almost three months since COVID-19 has emerged, the WHO has been paralyzed by the limitations of the PHEIC system. This left the international communi-

ty to our own evaluations, which were made on the basis of second-hand information unverified by an authoritative third party.

Dr. Peter Piot — one of the doctors who discovered the Ebola virus — voiced his concerns about the flawed process of PHEIC, writing that “the International Health Regulations’ all-or-nothing approach must reform.

In most emergencies, there is a spectrum of alerts–think of hurricanes with levels of severity from Category 1 to Category 5–and it should not be a binary decision for health.”

Moreover, by only releasing a single declaration indicating extreme severity, the WHO has left the world vulnerable in the face of possible cover-ups and delayed release of information by governments of infected regions.

During the SARS outbreak for instance,

Jiang Yanyong, a semi-retired military surgeon, was one of the first to show that China covered up the outbreak. After exposing the government’s cover-up, both the Minister of Health and the Mayor of Beijing were fired for mismanagement of the situation. Without an alert system publicized by the WHO, whistleblowers like Jiang were the only protection against misinformation that international communities were forced to accept, thus missing the precious time for disease control preparations.

Even if the WHO had the current PHEIC system at the beginning of the SARS outbreak in 2002, the international community might not have been able to combat the initial misinformation coming out from local governments. This approach creates

a vacuum of alerts until a sudden surge of global importance: the declaration of a PHEIC. Such a situation not only dramatically narrows the window for international disease control efforts but also disregards the impact of the hundreds of thousands of doctors who already put their lives on the line to fight the virus.

This current COVID-19 outbreak has shown mankind that diseases are a serious threat and that if we do not learn from our mistakes, history can repeat itself. It is time for the WHO to reform its PHEIC system and introduce a spectrum of alert levels for disease outbreaks.

Email Bincheng Mao at opinion@nyunews.com.

CULTURE

Believing Survivors Still Matters

By ANNA-DMITRY MURATOVA Deputy Managing Editor Content warning: this article contains mentions of rape and discusses sexual violence.

Last Tuesday, Harvey Weinstein was convicted after a prolonged trial, which was momentous for the #MeToo movement.

After deliberation, the jury found the Hollywood film mogul guilty of two felony sex crimes. Right after his conviction, Bill Cosby’s official Instagram, run and curated by his spokesperson Andrew Wyatt, posted a statement of support for Weinstein, attesting to his alleged innocence.

Cosby, formerly a famous comedian and presently a convicted sex offender, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in September 2018. There’s a trail of sexual violence behind this man, from drugging and raping then-aspiring singer Sunni Welles in the 60s to forcibly kissing a tennis player Linda Kirkpatrick in 1981. In fact, there are more

than 30 people Cosby allegedly harassed, assaulted or raped, all of whom came forward with public testimonies.

“There’s no way you would have anyone believe that Mr. Weinstein was going to receive a fair and impartial trial,” the post on @billcosby’s Instagram read. “Here’s the question that should haunt all Americans, especially wealthy and famous men...Where do we go in this country to find fairness and impartiality in the judicial system; and where do we go in this country to find Due Process? [sic]” This shows we live in a society of predators believing in each other’s innocence, be it genuinely or in an attempt to clear their own name. If perpetrators, even after conviction, can believe one another, then why can’t we believe survivors — mainly cis female survivors, for the sake of this argument — in their experience of being violated by those perpetrators?

Almost every sex crime trial bases itself around “he said, she said, they said” structure unless there’s concrete proof, like CCTV video-footage. Yet, in such cases as Dr. Ford v. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Justice Kavanaugh’s — a cis man’s — absence of physical evidence was chosen over Dr. Ford’s, a cis woman’s. Why? Historically, religiously, societally and

legally, there’s a narrative of rape being rare and, often, prompted or provoked by the victim instead of initiated by the perpetrator. Historically, using U.S. history as an example, rape used to be a weapon used by cis male settlers against indigenous natives in the areas they craved to conquer.

Religiously, taking Christian fundamentalism for example, many argue for the cis women’s submission to their husbands, including sexually, regardless of their want to engage in sex. One of the many modern preachers, Lori Alexander, or The Transformed Wife, argued for the impossibility of marital rape being a sex crime because in her opinion, wives owe sex to their husbands.

Societally and legally, victims are usually interrogated way before the perpetrator is asked for their testimony. Such questions as “what were you wearing?” or “how long did the physical contact last?” are often asked of those who file Title IX complaints after they report an instance of sexual violence.

Their answers will determine, in the eyes of those questioning, whether violence took place, regardless of the mental or physical pain it might’ve inflicted upon the victim.

With this considered, the statistics paint a saddening picture of sexual violence instances being reported to the police or

other authorities. According to a survey by Stop Street Harassment, 81% of women have experienced sexual harassment. Nine out of 10 victims of rape will be female or assigned-female-at-birth, and one out of six women in the U.S. will be assaulted in their life as reported by the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, rape is the most underreported crime in the U.S. with 63% of assaults not reported to the police. Even at NYU, with a student body of over 50,000 at the New York campus alone, only 173 have reported a form of sexual harassment to Title IX, which indicates a low reporting rate.

Here, we ought to ask ourselves: why?

Why don’t victims of sexual violence report it? What’s stopping them?

Of course, there isn’t a single answer to such a complicated question we’ve been asking for decades. However, disbelief in the victim’s credibility constitutes part of the problem. Many sexual assault victims, who report or have publicly called out the perpetrator long after the assault, end up being asked the same dreaded question: why didn’t you say something sooner? From Dr. Ford to Timothy Heller, who accused Melanie Martinez of raping her, the question almost always gets thrown into the mix.

I was asked this one too many times, and here’s my answer: the only person I confided in at the time didn’t believe me, defended the abuser and I felt embarrassed to tell anybody else. I thought, “Well, if she didn’t believe me, who would?”

I’m not alone. Many people feel like they couldn’t report due to others’ disbelief. Instagram account @whyididntreport collects stories of survivors, and too many read along the lines of “I was 16 and tried to tell my friends, but they didn’t believe me” and “My own family didn’t believe me.” Many survivors of sexual abuse don’t report what’s happened to them, as they don’t think they’ll be believed. If people know stories of other victims who weren’t believed, why should they assume it’ll be any different for them?

In a society of perpetrators believing in each other’s presumed innocence, why can’t we believe survivors, many of whom risk everything by coming forward with their story? Victims of sexual violence, of all genders and sexualities, deserve better than agonizing over whether they’ll be trusted with their own narrative if they choose to speak out about the abuse they’ve endured.

Email Anna-Dmitry Muratova at amuratova@nyunews.com.

INTERNATIONAL

Stand Against Hindu Fascism

By ASHA RAMACHANDRAN Deputy Opinion Editor My dad is the odd one out in his family. While the rest of the family are devout, fundamentalist Hindus who support Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party, my dad is a staunch atheist and absolutely loathes Hindu fascism. As the BJP has consolidated political power, I have watched my dad furiously rave about how much he despises the BJP and how fascism and religious fundamentalism are destroying India. Despite his admirably strong convictions, he is extremely reluctant to confront his BJP-supporting family members back home, likely because he wants to avoid stirring tensions.

The BJP, India’s ruling political party — whose founders praised Hitler and

Mussolini in the party’s early days — espouses the fascist ideology of Hindutva.

Hindutva equates Indian national identity with Hindu identity and enables the forcible suppression of non-Hindus and lowcaste Hindus. Recent policies put forth

by BJP supporters include the Citizenship Amendment Act, passed by parliament in December. It provides a path to citizenship for refugees of every South Asian faith but Islam. Under the disguise of patriotism, Hindu fascists politically persecute and subject minorities who do not fit their Hindutva profile to violence.

Hindutva has inspired terrorism and mob lynchings of marginalized people across India, especially targeted against Muslims and Dalits (low-caste people).

There are some Indian Americans who have been protesting BJP fascism and the Delhi pogrom, as rallies of hundreds of people have been held across the country in the last week, including a protest organized by NYU’s South Asia Society — but this is not nearly enough. A crowd of about 50,000 Indian Americans showed

up at President Trump’s “Howdy Modi” event held in Houston in September of last year, cheering and applauding raucously as the two far-right leaders who have both invoked anti-Muslim sentiment held hands and embraced.

Far too many Indian Americans, especially Hindus, have been complicit in the BJP’s fascism through their support of Modi and their utter silence on Hindutva terrorism.

But there is no room to be silent anymore. The last week of violence in New Delhi, India’s capital, was akin to a pogrom, a state-sanctioned week of riots and mob lynchings committed against a marginalized religious group and historically a precursor to genocide. Hindu mobs burnt down mosques and planted flags of Hindu deities on the ashes, set fire to Muslim-owned businesses and homes and beat and killed Muslims openly in the streets.

These mobs were comprised of BJP supporters and even police themselves.

Hindutva has deep roots in the Indian diaspora. Prime Minister Modi, the leader

of the BJP, and his Hindu fascist agenda have long been supported by many Indian Americans. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a terrorist organization according to the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium, who some call the paramilitary wing of BJP, has its largest overseas presence in the U.S. As Hindu fascist terror escalates, particularly in the wake of the Delhi pogrom, it is important to challenge Hindutva in every way possible — from confronting family back home to mobilizing in the streets. It is essential that diaspora Indians also challenge BJP-aligned organizations such as the Overseas Friends of BJP, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, and the Hindu Swayamsevak Sanghin, the international wing of RSS, in their efforts to help legitimize and spread Hindu fascism.

Ethnonationalism against immigrants and refugees along with Islamophobia and anti-Semitism as well as other factors seem to be fueling fascism’s rise globally.

Common themes such as racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and militarism underlie

the increasing popularity of the far-right and right-wing terrorism in countries such as India, Brazil, the U.S. and the Philippines. The BJP is part of the international rise of politicians weaponizing religion and nationality to foment hatred against marginalized communities to the point where hundreds have been attacked by its supporters.

If Modi supporters in the U.S. can turn up by the tens of thousands, even as the Indian government commits barbaric acts of violence in Muslim-majority Kashmir at the same time, how is it that demonstrations against BJP only draw hundreds in the U.S.? Resistance is so weak because Islamophobia and Hindu fascism are pervasive. With Hindu fascist violence threatening the lives of Muslims more and more each day, it is more urgent than ever to reject Hindutva, organize against BJPaligned groups in the U.S. and stand in solidarity with the Muslim community.

Email Asha Ramachandran at aramachandran@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Opinion

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

9

CULTURE

Stop Celebrating Disordered Eating Habits

By HELEN WAJDA Deputy Opinion Editor Content warning: this article discusses eating disorders.

Over the past year, Adele’s dramatic weight loss has sparked headlines. As more photos of the singer have emerged, media outlets have labeled her transformation “pretty d-mn amazing” and praised her “impossibly tiny” waist. The majority of the media — and my peers — have also made connections between Adele’s weight loss and her supposed dedication to health. A source revealed that her transformation wasn’t a result of focusing on thinness, but instead stemmed from a shift towards trying to be the “healthiest mom possible.”

The headlines haven’t all been positive — some have also spoken out about the danger of focusing on physical appearance. However, the widespread emphasis on Adele’s supposed improved health highlights that, while awareness of some eating disorders — particularly those that result in weight loss and/or starvation — has increased in recent years, severe weight loss continues to be praised when undertaken by individuals in larger bodies while it is seen as unhealthy for those who become visibly underweight.

Most of the discussions of Adele’s weight loss — whether concerned or celebratory — focus on the fact that she’s lost weight. But her weight loss has been attributed to multiple methods, all of which are varying degrees of restrictive: some say that she follows an absurdly low-calorie diet and a strict workout regimen, others claim that she tries to only eat “real foods” and others claim that she practices intermittent fasting — a disturbing dieting trend that has been linked to impaired sleep patterns, digestion and hormone balance as well as to the development of disordered eating habits and full-blown eating disorders. While it’s unsurprising that her weight loss has garnered attention, it’s still shocking that the rigid behaviors and eating patterns she’s been linked to have not sparked widespread concern, or even been identified as disordered.

There’s no way for me to know if Adele has an eating disorder, and I’m not trying to diagnose her. However, it’s important to realize that being underweight and having an eating disorder are not the only criteria necessary to have destructive relationships with food and exercise. The behaviors Adele has been linked to alone should be flagged as concerning.

But I probably shouldn’t be surprised that they have not been. In 2018, the International Food Information Council Foundation found that more than one in three Americans are following a specific diet, and diets that involve fasting, restricting calories, specific ingredients or entire food groups are becoming increasingly common.

With 45 million Americans going on diets each year and fasting diets steadily gaining popularity, dieting and skipping meals are seen as normal.

I’m also familiar with the praise that dieting often attracts. When I started obsessing over exercise and my eating habits, I was widely celebrated for being committed to my health. People told me that they admired my refusal to let anything prevent me from exercising, and friends remarked on my willpower when I refused to eat certain foods.

But my rigidity and restriction — restriction that

Submitting to

eerily mirrored the methods Adele has been linked to — raised concern when I became dangerously underweight. I was eventually diagnosed with anorexia and sent to a residential treatment center.

Why is it that my restrictive behaviors were eventually seen for what they were — extremely unhealthy — while Adele’s continue to be praised?

The ugly truth is that disordered eating patterns are often only deemed harmful for people who are thin or underweight. A glaring example of this is NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” a reality TV show where contestants undertake extreme diets and punishing gym routines in order to lose the most weight and win a cash prize. While the show was briefly taken off-air due to criticism and has since been rebranded as a health and wellness competition, the premise and content are largely the same: contestants have to lose more weight than their peers each week in order to stay in the running and are forced to exercise until they vomit, encouraged to restrict calories and subject to verbal abuse.

This encouragement of disordered habits in people who are not clearly underweight extends beyond the show. People who inhabit larger bodies are often praised for starving themselves by health professionals. A recent study found that it takes thin women with anorexia approximately three years to receive treatment, but larger women with anorexia wait an average of 13.5 years for their eating disorders to be recognized and addressed.

The warning signs for eating disorders include preoccupation with weight, as well as concern with and/or restriction of food groups, such as carbohydrates, sugars, fat and gluten. If these behaviors sound like most, if not all diets, it’s because that’s what they are.

Of course, eating disorders are incredibly complex and not everyone who diets will develop an eating disorder. It’s also important to note that there is a distinct difference between engaging in disordered eating patterns and having an eating disorder: eating disorders are distinguished by obsessive thoughts and a high degree of impaired functionality, while disordered eating is less extreme.

But that doesn’t mean that disordered eating isn’t harmful. In fact, attempting to control food in any way — whether said control is branded as an explicit diet, a lifestyle change or just a focus on improving health — has been consistently linked to a host of emotional and physical issues including food fixation and increased anxiety. Eating disorders and disordered eating exist on a spectrum — disordered eating occupies the gray area between the freedom of intuitive eating and the extremes of eating disorders. Most eating disorder professionals agree that disordered eating patterns include labeling food as good/bad and healthy/ unhealthy, dieting, setting strict meal times and linking exercise to food, among other things.

If we actually want to focus on health, then it’s crucial that we call disordered eating out for what it is and recognize that anyone who has a toxic relationship with food and exercise deserves help and healing, regardless of one’s weight or diagnosis. Doing otherwise will only promote behaviors that ultimately wreak havoc on health and happiness and contribute to the dangerous idea that eating disorders and disordered eating centered around weight loss are only harmful when they affect people who are underweight. We can — we should — do better.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Expanding Accessibility to Paid Sick Leave Over the past week, the number of coronavirus cases in New York State has risen, leading Governor Andrew Cuomo to declare a state of emergency. As more cases are diagnosed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that employers encourage sick employees to stay home. The CDC has also advised individuals who are showing signs of the disease to quarantine themselves for 14 days.

For New York’s workers, the situation is both financially and physically detrimental. New York City’s Paid Sick Leave Law says employers of both nonprofit and for-profit businesses with more than five employees must provide paid sick leave for a maximum of 40 hours. For many employees working low-wage jobs, taking more than the allowed time off from work is simply not financially feasible. This financial strain makes affected individuals more likely to work through illness for the additional nine days that the CDC advises them to stay in quarantine.

According to the World Health Organization, one in 10 people become ill regularly from foodborne illness, and in many cases, infected food workers are the reason why. With a highly contagious disease like the coronavirus, providing paid sick leave is essential for disease control.

In fact, a study done by Stefan Pichler, Katherine Wen and Nicolas Robert Ziebarth found that adopting paid sick leave laws reduced influenza cases by 11%. The onus is on employers to provide this safe environment so the virus is slowed.

Jeremy Pereyra, a Chipotle employee in New York City, can attest to what happens when there are restrictive paid sick leave laws. Last week, just before the first

case of coronavirus was reported in New York City, Pereyra called out of work with flu-like symptoms while providing a doctor’s note. Because he could not call at least two hours before his 7 a.m. shift (the store was empty until 6 a.m.), he was written up for not coming to work.

These kinds of restrictive policies force employees to choose between personal health and maintaining financial security. In the most basic sense, this choice is unethical and the complete opposite of a pro-worker environment. In a time of global health crisis, they also seriously jeopardize the safety of the general public.

Last week, Democrats introduced a bill into the House and the Senate that guaranteed paid sick leave beyond the required 40 hours. If passed, employers would have to give a baseline of seven sick days, but give 14 additional ones in the case of a global health crisis. This bill is an opportunity to provide a key service that provides important workers’ rights, as well as proven tools to counter the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

However, educating employees about the law should also be a priority. In response to the passage of New York City’s paid sick day law, a survey from the Community Service Society found that 60% of low-income workers heard “little or nothing about their right to paid sick time.” Educating the public should come in tandem with expanding the law in order to make sure it is used to the fullest.

With the current global health crisis, New York City’s paid sick leave law must be expanded to accommodate workers who are crucial to understanding the issue. Failing to do so is negligent public health policy and is detrimental to efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Email the Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.

CHAIR Jun Sung CO-CHAIR Emily Dai, Gabby Lozano, Asha Ramachandran, Helen Wajda CHAIR EX OFFICIO Cole Stallone, Abby Hofstetter,

Ronni Husmann, Paul Kim, Anna-Dmitry Muratova

Email Helen Wajda at hwajda@nyunews.com.

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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MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

SPORTS

SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by ARVIND SRIRAM

Yes, NYU Has an Equestrian Team

By KEVIN RYU Staff Writer Gallatin senior Lily Hitelman has been riding horses her whole life. Working with a horse and developing a sense of chemistry has always energized her, even when she had to wake up at 3:00 a.m. to prepare for shows. As Hitelman looked at potential colleges, it was important for her to find a school where she could continue riding.

“Everywhere that I was considering going had to have an equestrian team,” Hitelman said.

Four years later, Hitelman is the co-captain of the NYU Equestrian Team. The team competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, which is comprised of ten shows spread throughout the academic year.

The shows are all-day events, requiring the riders to convene at 5:30 in the morning and ending between 5:00 and 6:00 at night.

“Being early is part of the lifestyle,” Hitelman said.

The shows are as much about the riders’ style as their aptitude on a horse.

To score well, their posture and appearance are just as important as how proficiently they perform their jumps or how seamlessly they transition from a walk to a trot.

One of the most difficult aspects of competing in the IHSA will likely escape the attention of passive observers.

By assigning them random horses each show, the IHSA also implicitly judges the riders’ experience and intuition, testing how versatile and adaptable the riders are by their ability to feel out a horse they are not used to riding.

“It’s definitely a skill in itself,” Hitelman said. “What is the horse telling you right now? What sort of ride do they want? What do they need from me?

And how can I get that done quickly and efficiently without sacrificing my riding ability?”

The NYU Equestrian Team has performed well this season, second in their region to Long Island University. The team also has four riders who qualified for regionals: Hitelman, Tandon sophomore Frances Chu, CAS sophomore Fiddy Li and CAS senior Keisha Patel. Considering the lack of practice time, their record is all the more impressive. Unlike other teams in their region, NYU riders can only practice once a week. “[Horseback riding] is based on strength, conditioning and muscle memory,” CAS junior and co-captain Alexandra Daley said. “So if you’re not as strong as other people in the same division as you, you’re not going to

look the same.”

To compensate for the lack of practice time, Hitelman has suggested watching videos of skilled riders to her teammates. However, there is a limit to how productive off-saddle workouts and video analysis can be.

“There’s no absolute replacement for time on the saddle,” Hitelman said.

“It uses muscles that you don’t really use everywhere else.”

With regionals approaching on March 29, many of the riders have competed in their last shows for the team, which has affected the seniors the most.

For the riders, many of whom have ridden since childhood, the team has become a tight-knit community of stu-

dents with the same passion.

“It’s given me a little home,” Daley said. “I’ve always been a part of the horse world, so it’s nice to have that little group of people that know this aspect of you.”

Hitelman will miss bonding with the team during the downtimes at shows, despite the early mornings and long days.

“I have lots of fond memories of just sitting at a show with everyone while we’re on a break,” Hitelman said.

“We’re all just relaxing, looking at Vines or just goofing off, and enjoying spending time together.”

Email Kevin Ryu at sports@nyunews.com.

JAKE CAPRIOTTI | WSN

Gallatin senior Lily Hitelman and CAS junior Alexandra Daley are co-captains of the NYU equestrian team. The team had four riders qualify for their regionals.

Women’s Tennis Remains Undefeated

By ARVIND SRIRAM Sports Editor Women’s Tennis On Saturday, March 7, the NYU women’s tennis team defeated Southern Virginia University 8-1. The Violets improved to 4-0, handing the Knights their third loss of the season. The team started doubles play strong with three wins; Stern junior Anna Buraya and Liberal Studies first-year Anastasiia Balyk won the first match 8-0, CAS senior Coco Kulle and Stern senior Judy Kam won the second match 8-0 and Stern senior Rupa Ganesh and Gallatin junior Kate Shaffer won the third match 8-1. The Violets continued to dominate in singles, only losing one match.

The Violets return to action on March 13 against The College of New Jersey.

Men’s Tennis On Saturday, March 7, the NYU men’s tennis team picked up their first victory of the season, defeating Southern Virginia University 5-4. Stern senior Vishal Walia and CAS sophomore Lucas Biondi provided the Violets with their only doubles victory. In singles play, Walia won his match 6-3, 6-1, CAS junior Rahul Das won his match 6-4, 6-4, Biondi won his match 6-4, 6-2 and CAS senior Joshua Piatos won his match 6-1, 7-5.

The Violets return to action on March 13 against The College of New Jersey.

Women’s Basketball NYU opened play in the NCAA tournament on Friday, March 6 with a victory against Emmanuel University 81-62. The Violets were clinging to a four-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, but the Violets scored the first five points to start the fourth quar-

ter, never allowing the Saints to come back. The leaders for the Violets were Steinhardt junior Janean Cuffee with 24 points, Cuffee and Steinhardt firstyear Jenny Walker with seven rebounds and CAS senior Annie Barrett with eight assists.

On Saturday, March 7, NYU lost to Bowdoin College 86-67. The Violets are now eliminated from the postseason after reaching the second round. At the end of the first quarter, NYU led by one, but the team could not survive the Polar Bears’ second-quarter run, where they outscored the Violets 29-8. Violet leaders included Cuffee with 24 points, Walker with six rebounds and Barrett with seven assists.

The Violets finished the season with a 21-6 overall record.

Men’s Volleyball The men’s volleyball team lost their second straight game on Monday, March 2, losing to North Central College 3-2. After losing the first set 25-18, NYU won the next two sets 25-21 and 25-18. The Cardinals then blew out the Violets 25-17 and in the final set, after a 17-17 tie, the Cardinals scored two straight points, winning 19-17. The leaders for the Violets were Stern senior Alex Li with 14 kills, CAS senior Matin Bikdeli with 51 assists and CAS senior Connor Keowen with eight digs.

The Violets bounced back with a 3-0 victory against Elmira College, defeating the Soaring Eagles 25-10, 25-21 and 25-16. NYU hit .338 while holding Elmire College to a .037 attacking percentage. CAS senior Evan Lindley led the team with eight kills and 10 digs and Stern sophomore Ryan Whealen tallied 25 assists.

The Violets play New Paltz on March 11.

Baseball On Thursday, March 5, the NYU

baseball team lost to William Paterson University 7-2. The Pioneers did most of their damage early in the game, scoring three runs in the first inning, one run in the second inning and two runs in the fourth inning. Stern senior Ford Ladd received the loss, pitching five innings and allowing six runs. Stern senior Coltrane Tait and Stern first-year Michael Wang each had an RBI apiece.

On Sunday, March 8, the Violets bounced back with a 12-1 victory in the first game of a doubleheader against Stockton University. The Violets put the game out of reach early, scoring four runs in the first and second inning. SPS junior Gabe Golob had an impressive outing, pitching 7.2 innings, allowing one run and striking out four batters. On offense, Tait shined with five RBIs. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Violets defeated the Ospreys 12 -10. The game was tied at 5-5 going into the eighth inning, but the Violets scored four runs in the eighth inning and three runs in the ninth inning to take the lead. CAS junior Grant Otto led the Violets with three RBIs and Tandon sophomore John Gassler received the victory, pitching two scoreless innings.

The Violets face off against John Jay College on March 9.

Softball On Sunday, March 8, the NYU softball team lost the first game of a doubleheader to the University of Scranton 9-1. The Violets took an early lead in the first inning with an RBI single from Stern senior Caroline Saccacio. However, the Violets only tallied two more hits for the rest of the game. The University of Scranton took the lead in the third inning, scoring four runs. In the following inning, the University of Scranton put the game out of reach by scoring five more runs. Stern sophomore Mag-

gie Swan received the loss, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing nine runs.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Violets lost to the University of Scranton 9-5. The University of Scranton scored early, tallying five runs in the first inning and three runs in the second inning. The Violets scored four runs in the third inning, but they were never able to come back. Gallatin junior Eryn Onodera received the loss, pitching one inning and allowing eight runs.

The Violets return to action on March 10 against Rutgers-Newark.

Track and Field On Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7, the men and women’s track and field team competed at the All-Atlantic Region Indoor Championships.

For the men’s team, the main standout was CAS first-year Jon Diaz, who finished in fifth place in the 800-meter finals. Liberal Studies first-year Kamden Martin finished in seventh place in the 60-meter finals. Overall, the men’s team finished in 21st place.

For the women’s team, the main highlight was CAS first-year Isre’al Conerly, who finished in fifth place in both the 200-meter and 400-meter finals. Other top-10 finishers included CAS senior Evelyn Nkanga, who finished in sixth place in the 200-meter finals, CAS sophomore Athina Zodi, who finished in seventh place in the 3,000-meter finals and Tandon graduate student Rebecca MacLeod, who finished in 10th place in the 800-meter finals. Overall, the women’s team finished in 15th place.

Select members from the men’s and women’s team will compete in the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 13 and March 14 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Email Arvind Sriram at asriram@nyunews.com.

The National Women’s Soccer League Still Has Work to Do

By BELA KIRPALANI Editor-at-Large Following three years since ex-commissioner Jeff Plush stepped down in 2017, the National Women’s Soccer League announced the appointment of Lisa Baird as the new league commissioner last week. The hiring of Baird, former marketing chief for the U.S. Olympic Committee, demonstrates a commitment to strengthening the NWSL brand in America and negotiating lucrative sponsorship deals — both of which are crucial to the long term success of the league.

The league has been busy this off-season: bringing in Baird, planning the addition of an expansion team in Louisville and preparing to announce a multiyear TV contract with CBS Sports.

Attempting to keep up with the rise of women’s soccer globally and attract the best talent, the league has also introduced a new compensation model in which teams can buy and sell players in the transfer market, similarly to how European teams operate. It also announced that teams can now spend allocation money on players in excess of the team’s salary cap. This allows teams to use this extra money to sign talented players who aren’t on the United States Women’s National Team. The league’s new compensation guidelines were put in place to keep the best talent in the U.S. and to keep the NWSL at the top.

In addition, teams like Sky Blue FC, are creating pipelines for former NWSL players to join its coaching staff, an important move in a sport that often rejects qualified women from coaching roles. Sky Blue FC, which had been in the headlines in the past for substandard working and playing conditions also recently announced a move from a tiny Rutgers University Stadium to Major League Soccer’s Red Bull Arena, a promising sign under new General Manager Alyse LaHue. These are all big steps in a positive direction for the NWSL, which has experienced its own series of highs and lows over the years.

Last month, World Cup winner, Orlando Pride forward and mother of two Sydney Leroux was quoted in a Forbes article as saying that she spent more money on childcare than she earned in the NWSL in 2019. The NWSL Players Association estimates that there are seven mothers currently playing in the league. This year, the league increased its maximum player salary to $50,000, but the minimum only went up to $20,000. That’s simply not enough for players who are balancing their careers while raising children. The NWSL also does not currently offer paid maternity leave for its players, so many players are forced to wait until their playing careers are over to have kids.

Perhaps the league would be wise to follow in the footsteps of the WNBA (as Leroux pointed out) which just agreed to an eight-year CBA that guaranteed maternity leave with a full salary, an annual childcare stipend of $5,000, housing and more for its players. Unlike the WNBA and most other professional sports leagues, the NWSL currently does not have a collective bargaining agreement with its players — the NWSLPA was only recognized as a legal union in 2018, and the CBA that exists between members of the USWNT and U.S. Soccer is currently the subject of a high-profile lawsuit.

The NWSL has also struggled with communication on multiple levels — the league’s longtime communications director left in January 2019 and has yet to be replaced, making things difficult for teams, media, fans and more. For example, fans were clamoring for details of when the 2020 regular-season schedule would be announced so that they could plan their summers accordingly, but the league remained mum on the matter for months before dropping the schedule less than two months before the season begins.

While members of the USWNT blew up on social media following the 2015 and 2019 World Cups and earned their own sponsorship deals, the NWSL failed to capitalize on the success and popularity of its national team stars for years. It now hopes to rectify that with the hiring of Baird, who brings a lot of experience in negotiating business deals.

With a solid fanbase, world-class talent and new leadership, the NWSL is focusing its attention on building financial support and strategizing the future of the league — which is great, but it must also continue to look at how it can improve conditions for its players today.

The Sports Girl is a weekly column that features a girl’s take on sports. Yes, a girl. Yes, on sports.

Email Bela Kirpalani at bkirpalani@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

UNDERTHEARCH@NYUNEWS.COM

UNDER THE ARCH

Shanghai ^ Flaneur Words and Photos by

Under the Arch Deputy Editor A year ago, around this time, I was wandering the streets of Shanghai.

Growing up Peruvian and learning about the huge influence Chinese immigrants had on Peruvian culture dating back to the 1800s, especially Peruvian cuisine (chifa, for proof), always fascinated me. Just like this, my curiosity pushed me to find a way to fit a study-abroad semester in China into my tight academic plan. With no previous knowledge of Mandarin, I found myself struggling to communicate outside the walls of English-speaking NYU Shanghai. It was nerve-wracking not being able to read or write or speak, abilities I had taken for granted since I was a kid. Fortunately for me, Shanghai is a major city so many people knew English to some extent. But misunderstandings would occur all the time regardless, especially in the momand-pop restaurants, so I would often rely on my Mandarin-speaking friends to convey my thoughts.

My frustration of not being able to learn Mandarin fast enough despite taking language classes four times a week kept growing. I thought I had made the wrong decision going to China. But after long hours thinking that there was no way back, I realized that I didn’t need words to feel, learn and enjoy. My camera lens became my voice and allowed me to share memorable glances and smiles with the locals and the city. I became a flâneur photographer on a mission: “an armed version of the solitary walker reconnoitering, stalking, cruising the urban inferno,” as Susan Sontag described in her essay “On Photography.”

I never stopped being a foreigner but I felt more comfortable living in China by the end of the semester. I was a wanderer who was okay with missing a subway stop just to see a new station, a wanderer who was okay with mispronouncing food names in Mandarin and getting the wrong order just to try a new dish, a wanderer who was okay with walking for 40 minutes from my dorm to the Huangpu River just to discover new sights on the

way. As I adopted the flâneur mindset, a whole new city was unveiled in front of me, and I became more and more familiar with it every day. Without trying, I added new words to my lexicon and got a better sense of direction around the city. Four months fell short to explore Shanghai at its fullest.

Early this year, I decided I wanted to go back to China and had a million travel ideas, but everything vanished when the coronavirus entered the picture. As news of city-wide quarantines and deaths flooded the internet, I found myself looking at my photos of China more and more often, wondering what had happened to my subjects and the places I visited.

I wonder if they are okay. I don’t know.

The images of empty streets, dying patients and health workers in astronaut-like suits flooding the media don’t resemble the country I remember at all.

The camera, the tool I used to connect with China, is being used to sensationalize the epidemic, leading to dangerous stereotypes and racism against Asians worldwide. Although the Chinese official death toll decreased recently, no one knows how long it will take for businesses to reopen, for children to begin attending school and for people to get their health back. No one knows how long it will take for xenophobes to stop accusing every Asian of having the virus.

And yet, in the midst of this uncertainty, I have my photographs to remember Shanghai and its people. This selection of photos encapsulates my time as a deliberately aimless pedestrian around Yu Garden, Nanjing Road and Sanmen Road in the spring of 2019. From sophisticated art at the Fosun Foundation Art Center to clothes hanging in the streets, I saw different definitions of what Shanghai really is during my hour-long walks. It is in the contrasts and combinations of colors, of sounds, of people, that Shanghai acquires its unique personality as a city that is extremely global and at the same time, unmistakably Chinese. This is the essence that I hope Shanghai preserves as it tackles the current viral pandemic.

Edited by GURU RAMANATHAN

A few blocks away from the art foundation, a traditional Chinese portal welcomed everyone to Shanghai’s Old Street Fangbang Middle Road and Guangqi Road. There were small shops, restaurants and dozens of motorbikes dodging the pedestrians that were walking on the road because there wasn’t a proper sidewalk.

A year ago, around this time, I was wandering the streets of Shanghai.

ALEJANDRA AREVALO

11

Clothes were let to dry outside an apartment complex near Sanmen Road Station.

Outside of the Fosun Art Foundation, a mother and daughter were contemplating a sculpture by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusuma.

Several apartment renting listings were on display at a house in Guangqi Road.

Email Alejandra Arevalo at aarevalo@nyunews.com.

Two children were going around Guangqi Road.

An old woman was sitting outside a minimarket in the middle of Guangqi Road.

Neon signs were illuminating the totality of Nanjing Road, one of Shanghai’s most iconic fashion hubs.

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