4 ARTS
6 CULTURE
The art of people watching: A dispatch from Paris
House of Aama explores the Black experience in a seaside haven
5 UNDER THE ARCH
8 OPINION
Voicemail #1: Burnout
Hurricane Ida highlights need for a more comprehensive climate strategy
VOLUME LVII | ISSUE 2
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
Another student groped on campus as string of sexual assaults continues The fourth incident in a string of sexual assaults raises questions about security at NYU — particularly for women, who make up 58% of the undergraduate student population. By ARNAV BINAYKIA, RACHEL COHEN, RACHEL FADEM, SUHAIL GHARAIBEH
An NYU student reported that they were sexually assaulted on campus at approximately 4:40 p.m. on Sept. 10. This is the fourth such incident in less than two weeks, all of which appear to be perpetrated by the same individual, according to the Department of Campus Safety and the New York City Police Department. According to an NYU alert sent the day after the incident, the student was standing on the street outside 721 Broadway — the building that houses the Tisch School of the Arts — when a man riding a twowheeled vehicle grabbed their breast. Security footage obtained by WSN shows the perpetrator, wearing a black face mask and riding a redand-black moped. The fourth victim’s description of the attacker matches that of the perpetrator of the three previous groping incidents on campus, which occurred between Aug. 30 and Aug. 31, as WSN previously reported. The reports all described the attacker wearing dark clothing and a motorcycle helmet that covered the majority of their face. University spokesperson John Beckman condemned the attacks and noted that an investigation is in progress. “NYU is very concerned about these ongoing drive-by groping crimes that have been directed at women in the neighborhood, including members of the NYU community,” Beckman said. “We hope that anyone with any knowledge that can help bring this to an end will step forward promptly and that the perpetrator will be caught soon. The Campus Safety department is also investigating, and its off icers know to keep an eye out for anything that might be related to this activity.” WSN learned about four other groping incidents that occurred outside of campus boundaries during the month of August and did not involve members of the NYU com-
IMAGE COURTESY OF NYPD
Security camera footage shows the perpetrator wearing a black face mask and riding a red-and-black moped. The reports all described the attacker wearing dark clothing and a motorcycle helmet covering the majority of their face.
munity, but which have been linked to the same perpetrator by police. The youngest victims were 11 and 15 years old. The map below shows the locations in downtown Manhattan where the eight assaults occurred. In campus-wide safety alert emails, NYU has said that the on-campus assaults that occurred on Aug. 31 and Sept. 10 are the subject of an ongoing investigation by police. NYPD spokespeople told WSN that they
did not have any information about these incidents. Students concerned about campus safety LS f irst-year Paige Septak said the frequency of the incidents is unsettling, especially since this is her f irst semester on campus. “As a female, I feel discomfort because we are a little bit more at risk,” Septak said. “We technically aren’t a campus school, so it’s very
GROPING INCIDENT (AUG.-SEPT. 2021)
hard to regulate, being right outside of [Washington Square Park]. It really is unsettling, especially walking home at night knowing this. There’s always that thought in the back of your mind.” Tisch f irst-years Camille Foisie and Sophie Rossman said the fondlings have made them pay more attention to their surroundings, including during daytime hours. “When we hear about that kind of stuff it does make us feel a little unsafe,” Rossman said. “It’s just one of those things [which] can happen anywhere. I think the most shocking thing about it is the times that it’s happening.” Many students agreed that since NYU does not have a closed campus, the university is limited in what it can do to stop these incidents. However, Foisie believes that Campus Safety officers should do more to ensure students feel safe. “I rarely see [Campus Safety] officers late at night — especially around Tisch,” she said. “NYU should send reminders of services for people who are sexually assaulted because it is a traumatic experience. This is happening to so many people on campus.” Within the past two weeks, Rossman witnessed an unrelated groping outside of the Tisch building. She immediately fled the scene.
“This man comes up from behind her and starts putting his hands on her,” Rossman said. “That’s just like something I’ve never seen before. When I’m on the side of the road, I stand back just in case because of everything that has been happening.” Sarah McCluskey, a Tisch senior and founder of the Instagram page @nyu. survivors, which serves as “a safe and anonymous place for survivors of sexual/ intimate violence at NYU to have their voices heard,” encouraged victims to seek out counseling through the NYU Wellness Exchange or in any way they feel comfortable. “Speaking openly about our traumas takes away its power over us and creates a stronger community among those affected,” McCluskey wrote in a statement to WSN. “[NYU’s] advice to remain vigilant and aware of your surroundings is an important reminder, not only for this incident but city living in general.” NYU Campus Safety asks those who observed these incidents or can provide information to help in an investigation to contact the department at 212.998.2222. Gabriel Hawthorne contributed reporting. Contact Arnav Binaykia, Rachel Cohen, Rachel Fadem and Suhail Gharaibeh at news@nyunews.com
Washington Square News
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
NEWS
NEWS@NYUNEWS.COM
Edited by ARNAV BINAYKIA
Kimmel Center holds Sept. 11 remembrance event
GABRIEL HAWTHORNE | WSN
On Friday, Sept. 10, almost 50 members of the NYU community gathered on the steps of Kimmel to reflect and share stories on the 9/11 attacks, 20 years later. The names of the 59 alumni who died on 9/11 were read out loud, followed by a 20-second moment of silence.
By GABRIEL HAWTHORNE Staff Writer Nearly 50 members of the NYU community — including alumni, students, employees and faculty — sat together in silence on the bottom steps of the Kimmel Center for University Life on Friday, Sept. 10 to reflect on how the NYU community responded to the tragedies of Sept. 11, 2001. During the event, the in-person attendees and 100 community members who joined via Zoom listened to stories from four university staff members who witnessed the attacks. CAS associate dean William Long, Law dean Trevor Morrison, SPS dean Angie Kamath, Steinhardt dean Jack Knott and Stern dean Raghu Sundaram read the names of 59 alumni
who died on Sept. 11 before holding a 20-second moment of silence. “Our hope is to bring people together to hear stories, to offer respect, to hear history to what happened, and to also focus on coming together in times of tragedy and love,” Melissa Carter, the interim senior director for Global Spiritual Life, said during the event. A planning committee, which organized the event in a week, was put together after some students asked for a memorial to be hosted by the university. “For me, history is always in the present … we need to keep that memory alive,” Allen M. McFarlane, the assistant vice president for Outreach and Engagement and an event organizer, said in regard to his vision for the event. While faculty members witnessed
the attacks f irsthand — in person or on TV — the majority of current students were either not alive or too young to comprehend the attacks. LS f irst-year Fernando Prieto Lin decided to attend the event to pay his respects. “I decided to go to the event yesterday in memorial of all the lives lost that day, including the 59 individuals from the NYU community,” Lin wrote to WSN. Reji Mathew, an adjunct assistant professor at the Silver School of Social Work, said that today’s teenagers and young adults have grown up in a world signif icantly shaped by the attacks, but he has hope in their ability to overcome the challenges of the present. “In the midst of a pandemic with the looming challenges of climate change, I see a new generation
speaking up, painstakingly forging a language of inclusion, a language of equity and a language of safety,” Mathew said. Imam Khalid Latif, an NYU alum and the executive director of the university’s Islamic Center, also spoke about the impact of the events of Sept. 11 on him and other Muslim students. During his sophomore year, Latif was taking a class in the Silver building when a public safety off icer told him to evacuate. When Latif returned to his residence hall, he was shocked at what he overheard from his floormates. “We need to gather all the Muslims in this country and send them away so things like this don’t happen anymore,” Latif recalled one of his floormates saying. In that moment, he knew that
people would begin to target Muslim students based on the assumption that they were involved with the attacks. At the time of the attacks, NYU did not have many dedicated resources available to Muslim members of the community and Latif, along with other Muslim students, established a buddy system to ensure their safety. “In the midst of that there were people who said, ‘We’re here if you need us,’” Latif said. “Our imperative, collectively, is to always choose unconditional love in the response of any tragedy no matter what, because it’s not real love if some of us have to now be marginalized in order for the rest to feel as if they have a space.” Contact Gabriel Hawthorne at news@nyunews.com
Washington Square News
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
3
The Soapbox: India, Congo, Afghanistan, vaccine inequity in Africa Across Africa, a dearth of life-saving vaccines
SUSAN BEHRENDS VALENZUELA | WSN
The Soapbox is a weekly news column rounding up stories worth reading for a global university.
By SUHAIL GHARAIBEH Deputy News Editor In India, a string of attacks on press freedom The Indian government’s tax collection agency raided the off ices of independent online news websites Newslaundry and NewsClick on Friday, Sept. 10, in what advocates, including the Editors Guild of India, have called a “blatant attack” on the freedom of press. During the raids on the two organizations’ New Delhi off ices, off icials from the Income Tax Department reportedly detained journalists without access to legal counsel and conf iscated their electronic devices. NewsClick was also raided by a separate agency of India’s federal government in February 2021 under anti-money laundering regulations. On Sept. 11, the Income Tax Department also opened an investigation into Washington Post columnist Rana Ayyub in the state of Uttar Pradesh. “I shall continue to do my journalism,” Ayyub wrote in response. On Sept. 8, according to the Associated Press, police in Indian-administered Kashmir raided the homes of four journalists, detaining them for hours, and seizing their documents and electronic devices. Authorities have reportedly used beatings and arbitrary detentions to intimidate reporters in the besieged region. India is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders’ 2021 World Press Freedom Index. In Congo, an Islamic State offshoot fuels violence against civilians Recent reports show an armed mi-
litia aff iliated with the Islamic State group is carrying out major human rights abuses in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Recent Al Jazeera reports have documented the killing of nearly 50 civilians in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces since Aug. 28 through arson, stabbing and shooting attacks attributed to the armed Islamist group known as the Allied Democratic Forces. Founded in 1995, the ADF has developed close ties with the Islamic State group’s Central Africa Province in recent years. It has increased its military footprint several times over since 2017, when IS group propaganda began calling for recruits to join the f ighting in Congo. The two eastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, where the ADF has recently escalated its insurgency, have been under a state of siege for the past four months. The United Nations said on Sept. 10 that, due to intensifying human rights abuses in eastern Congo, more than a million Congolese have been internally displaced, with thousands of rapes and civilian deaths recorded during the ADF insurgency this year.
of retaliatory U.S. drone strikes in Afghanistan. Ten civilians, among them seven children, were killed in the U.S. bombing in Kabul. And a new investigation published by The New York Times on Sept. 10 revealed that the bombing most likely did not kill an IS militant or prevent a terror attack at all. Alongside extensive interviews, security footage obtained by The Times shows that Zemari Ahmadi — the target of the strike — was not an IS militant, but rather an aid worker coming home after a day of running errands. The “unknown compound” referenced in U.S. military reports was likely the off ice of the soybean farming NGO where Ahmadi
worked. The plastic canisters that he loaded into his car were f illed with water for his family to drink, not explosive chemicals. Throughout the war on terror, U.S. drone strikes supposedly targeting Afghan terrorists have killed civilian passengers in cars, patients in hospitals and farmworkers at a bonf ire. The United States has said it will continue to launch overthe-horizon strikes from its bases across the Middle East to f ight what President Biden has called “the terrorist threat.” At the time of the deadly American airstrike, Ahmadi and his family were waiting to be approved for refugee resettlement in the U.S., according to the Times investigation.
Virus variants and a lack of vaccine access are prolonging the COVID-19 pandemic across the African continent, public health experts said Thursday, Sept. 9. “While COVID-19 cases have declined appreciably, the downward trend is frustratingly slow due to the lingering effects of the more infectious delta variant,” regional director for Africa at the World Health Organization Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said. “To ultimately tip the scales against this pandemic, our best efforts to reduce transmission through public health measures must be met by a signif icant step-up in vaccine supplies and vaccinations.” According to The New York Times’ global vaccination tracker, Africa is the least vaccinated continent, with fewer than nine shots administered per 100 people, compared to Europe’s 102. In the latest death of an African government off icial from COVID-19, the former prime minister of the Ivory Coast died in Paris on Sept. 10 after being hospitalized with COVID-19. The WHO has repeatedly called for a global moratorium on third booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine until low-income countries can vaccinate majorities of their populations. Dr. John Nkengasong, the director of Africa’s Center for Disease Control, told reporters on Sept. 9 that “we have not seen enough science” to support third doses. Africa will receive 25% fewer vaccine doses than expected by the end of the year, in part because wealthier countries decided to purchase the booster shots for their populations, the WHO warned on Sept. 9. “Manufacturers have promised to prioritize COVAX and low-income countries. We don’t want any more promises. We just want the vaccines,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Sept. 8. Contact Suhail Gharaibeh at sgharaibeh@nyunews.com
In Kabul, a trail of blood marks 20 years of the war on terror The U.S. government claimed that its Aug. 29 drone strike on a residential area of Kabul killed a member of the Islamic State group and prevented a car bombing at Kabul’s international airport. The strike follows the suicide attack last month that killed more than 170 Afghan civilians and 13 American soldiers. “These are ISIS terrorists who killed U.S. service members,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Aug. 30, referring to the targets
INFORMING YOU FIRST
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Washington Square News
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
ARTS
ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Edited by NICOLAS PEDRERO-SETZER
The art of people-watching: A dispatch from Paris
ANDI AGUILAR | WSN
Moments are witnessed through people-watching at the Parc-de-Montsouris in Paris.
By ANDI AGUILAR Staff Writer Some of the world’s most beautiful moments may be taking place right in front of you — you just have to find them. As you enter Cité Universitaire in the 14th division of Paris, you could witness a child playing as a human bowling ball — sitting on a skateboard, getting ready to knock down the bowling pins across from them on the street. Forget to look up throughout your walk in the park, and you may be met by a rubber ball thudding to the ground while a child continues to search for it in the clouds. The ball, meanwhile, awaits his realization a few feet behind him. As you glide through the Parc-de-Montsouris, make sure to look for the young soccer team scrimmaging, cheered on by a circle of adults. There is one child that stays back from the rest of the group because he finds more pleasure conversing with the adults. You turn to your right and there is an old man zooming through the streets on a scooter, while to your left, a 3-year-old attempts to hit light speed on her own scooter, but falls flat on her face. Every spectator rushes to the scene to help, and soon enough she is dashing off again, this time with slightly more caution. The outskirts of the park harbor a father and daughter on a secret mission to locate fall-
ANDI AGUILAR | WSN
ANDI AGUILAR | WSN
You’re likely to see somebody singing and swaying with their headphones on right outside of the Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame station.
At the Seine, an accordionist plays for a little boy who claps and dances along.
en acorns, perhaps to host a squirrel gala later on in the evening. Watch your back while traveling through the trees, as you run the risk of getting hit by a child swinging on a branch Tarzan-style seconds before the branch snaps and he lands on his back. Turn to your left on your walk home from school and you’ll witness a father and son dancing together through the streets. If you sit in front of NYU Paris, it is quite possible that you’ll run into a baby pointing to the school in wonder
you’re likely to see somebody singing and swaying with their headphones on. You wish you knew what song they were listening to. While you await the closing doors on the train, beware of a formally dressed group running as if their lives depended on it, each holding full glasses of champagne as they race to hop on before the doors close. Only a few steps out of the station, you could witness a girl lovingly adjusting her girlfriend’s hair, a mother and daughter praying before they indulge in a Nutella crepe, or two men abso-
while being carried by her dad. Her father immediately turns around and allows her to stop there and play for a while. A nearby security guard is suspicious at first, but then realizes how much the girl is enjoying herself and laughs along with them. Walk a few blocks down the street to the Seine and you’ll be met by an accordionist merrily playing for a little boy who claps and dances along. Make your way down the escalator of the Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame station and
lutely astonished by the way a pigeon swoops down in front of them. Look out of your window and on the balcony across the street. There is a young man eating a bowl of cereal overlooking the scenery before him, perhaps bearing witness to other perfect moments. Moments like these exist everywhere — you need only to decide to look. Contact Andi Aguilar at arts@nyunews.com
Washington Square News | under the arch
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
UNDERTHEARCH@NYUNEWS.COM
UNDER THE ARCH
5
Edited by MARIAM KHAN and STACIA DATSKOVSKA
Voicemail Message #1: Burnout
By BIANCA DE AYALA Contributing Writer
. . . . Not available. . At the tone, . Please Please Please. . Record your message. . . . . Hello? . . . . I’m still here. . . . . It’s been a while. . 55 days, 1320 hours, 79200 minutes, still ticking on. . Since you’ve gone. . . . . How have you been? . . . I’ve been doing well. . Thanks for asking. . . The weather has been nice. Yours too. . Oh, well, I still have your weather on my app. I check it every now and then. 88 degrees. Sunny. Is it ever cloudy over there? . . . . . I still think about you, when I’m alone, when I’m with friends, when I see others together. . . When I look at the stars, The moon, The sun. . . How you would point them out to me. Hold my hand Three pulses: I Love You .
. . When I look at the stars, I think about how cheesy you are How I hate romances But you’re a hopeless romantic and . You love clichés, meanings from the meaningless. . . . I wonder if you are thinking about me still. . . I got your package the other day. . I opened it. Full of voodoo love potions . just kidding . . A jar of oranges, a wrinkled box of chocolates, a bottle of iron pills . A note. . . . I read it. . It was sweet. . I pressed my fingers into the pen marks, felt for the dents knowing your hand dealt them. . distance makes the heart grow fonder. . distance . . . . . . . . . . . . Disconnected yet connected . I just wanted to . tell you . . . I . You have reached the time limit for this voicemail. Press 1 to continue recording. If you are finished recording, you may end the call or press 2.
Washington Square News
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
CULTURE
CULTURE@NYUNEWS.COM
Edited by DANA SUN
House of Aama explores the Black experience in a seaside haven
By CONNIE XIE Contributing Writer House of Aama’s designs are inspired by and steeped in Black culture, history and spirituality. Founded by Parsons School of Design graduate Akua Shabaka and her mother, Rebecca Henry, the fashion label began as an Etsy store where Shabaka could share her love of vintage clothing. The store later evolved into Urban Nomad, a capsule collection offering pieces celebrating African identity. Since then, House of Aama has grown to combine vintage designs with Black spirituality, basing each season’s collections on a theme from Black history. For example, the label’s Autum/Winter 2017 collection, “Bloodroot,” was named for the rare herb used by root doctors in the American South.
The label’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection, “Salt Water,” aims to use historical imagery to “tell the story of Black people on these shores and their relationship to water,” codesigner Henry said. She stated that the brand seeks to pay homage to water, water deities, spirituality, seafaring and resort culture as central elements of the Black experience. Guests at House of Aama’s runway show on Sept. 10 arrived at the fictional Camp Aama, where the runway featured deep teal walls, rattan chairs and diversified art, lending the space the air of a tropical hotel. A table set with candles and wildflowers sat in the middle of the room with beach balls placed at its legs. As the sounds of waves and seagulls filled the room just before the beginning of the show, visitors found themselves trans-
CELIA TEWEY | WSN
CELIA TEWEY | WSN
CELIA TEWEY | WSN
ported to the resort that served as the theme of the show. The first look — a sailor uniform worn by a model carrying a colorful silk flag — was accompanied by a somber song about experiences of racism in the United States, striking a jarring contrast with the flamboyant decor of the room. In a backstage interview, Henry explained that the flag was a nod to the association between flags and spirituality in African culture. Representing a saltwater deity known for protecting the journeys of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean, the model and look granted safe passage to the many fits to follow. The ensembles themselves were for a variety of occasions — streetwear outf its featuring Camp Aama
sweatshirts worn with board shorts and silk scarves were followed by an array of vintage swimwear, some featuring kente patterns, some gingham, some adorned with daisies. Iterations of the flag featured in the f irst look reappeared, tied around models’ waists as swimwear cover-ups or around their heads as headscarves, highlighting the show’s theme of embracing cultural identity. Toward the middle of the show, the Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman” offered a cathartic touch of levity to the soundtrack as models in vintage cocktail dresses strutted by, the pieces paired with the victory rolls of the 1940s and the beehive hairdos of the ’60s. The makeup, too,
was classic; most models wore natural looks, while those wearing gowns sported timeless red lips. The show was both a celebration and a commemoration of the Black experience, at once acknowledging both the richness and power of African spiritual expression and the atrocities perpetrated against Black Americans. The details of each colorful look and the symbolic meanings they conveyed seamlessly interwove history and fashion, leaving the audience eager to revisit the ensembles; each new glance seemed to reveal more of a hidden message. Contact Connie Xie at culture@nyunews.com
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
Washington Square News | Culture
7
NYU alum O’Neill illuminates Rainbow Room with Markarian debut
ALEXANDRA CHAN | WSN
By SIXX ORANGE Contributing Writer Markarian’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection screams spring. Designer
ALEXANDRA CHAN | WSN
ALEXANDRA CHAN | WSN
ALEXANDRA CHAN | WSN
and NYU alum Alexandra O’Neill brought the essence of femininity to a whole new level, serving elegance and glamour. The Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center was radiating color
as each model hit the runway beneath hanging crystals and beams of light that filtered across the audience — a magical ambience, to say the least. Markarian, a womenswear brand
founded in 2017, has quickly become a favorite of fashion editors. Since the beginning, the brand has been known for being whimsical and extravagant. This season, she expanded her collec-
tion beyond dresses to also showcase skirts, jackets and two-piece sets. The collection seamlessly blended simplicity and intricacy. The most elaborate and eye-catching pieces were dresses with custom floral embroidery and head-to-toe pink sequins. In particular, Look 37, featuring the white sequin Olympia jacket with matching Inès pants, is a look that strongly reflects O’Neill’s artistic vision. The collection also featured bows and ruffles that created an atmosphere of playfulness without sacrificing its chic persona. Simplicity is best portrayed in Look 22 with model Adot Gak in a Lola pale pink dress covered in pink ombre Swarovski crystals. The outfit’s intricate details strengthen the cohesiveness of the look. “Lines for just women, you get to do fun stuff like these nails, fun hair, lashes,” Gak said. Markarian exhibited its brand in every detail with bold makeup and tasteful accessories. The collection embodies the power and grace that women encompass. To end the show, O’Neill herself stepped out to the floor in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt draped in her cream-toned floor-length coat with flowers sewn in. It is clear to see that Markarian continues to break down barriers and outdo itself. This line itself is a breath of fresh air, making anyone who wears it feel like royalty. Contact Sixx Orange at culture@nyunews.com
Ambo’s Indian food balances authenticity and accessibility
SABRINA CHOUDHARY | WSN
Ambo, located on East Eighth Street, is a counter-serve Indian restaurant. Ambo opened in December 2019 and offers convenient, affordable and delicious Indian food.
By SABRINA CHOUDHARY Identity & Equity Editor As is the case for many college students living away from home, my comfort food is anything that resembles my family’s cooking. If I’m having a rough day, I’ll hit up the Kati Roll Company — or Masala Times or Taco Mahal — for a reminder of my dad’s chicken tikka masala or my grandmother’s mango
lassis. I thought I’d exhausted every affordable Indian restaurant in the vicinity of Washington Square Park, but I was delighted to learn last week that another one-dollar-sign, fast-casual Indian restaurant resides in our midst: Ambo. When it caught my eye on Google Maps, I made a beeline from Bobst to East Eighth Street to f ind it there, shiny and new. Well, new to me, anyway. Ambo opened in December 2019, mere
months before the pandemic chased me off campus. The restaurant markets itself as “everyday Indian food,” both in terms of price (bowls start at $11) and nutrition (storefront signs laud its health benef its and vegan friendliness). The food is dependable, but what excited me most was the restaurant’s streamlined style and counter-service model. Every detail of Ambo’s design makes it attractive to a non-Desi consumer without compromising its authenticity. The allure starts from the street. Now, East Eighth Street doesn’t have a ton of atmosphere, but Ambo has done a commendable job cultivating an aesthetic. Its bright orange outdoor seating area with lush plants shelters you from oncoming buses and jaywalking students. Its faux marble tabletops and neon sign are sleek. And the exterior is just a preview of the colorful food awaiting inside. Ambo’s structure is akin to Chipotle; you start with a rice bowl base, and as you move down the line, you choose between several types of dal (lentils), proteins, vegetables and sauces. This encourages you to try a variety of dishes, which is great whether or not you’re familiar with them. I ordered paneer tikka masala over white rice with yellow dal, potatoes, kachumber (tomato and cucumber salad) and three different sauces (you get unlimited sauces!).
The server drizzled the condiments in an elegant zigzag that accentuated the food’s beautiful colors. It was far from the best Indian food I’ve had, but it got the job done. The potatoes were hearty, the paneer was rich, the kachumber was tangy and the combination was satisfying. My favorite component was the tikka masala because it’s my go-to dish and it was done well; the sauce was creamy and the spices warmed me up from the inside out. As a bonus, Ambo is giving out a free cup of chai with every meal. Yes, you read that correctly! And it’s not the sugary Starbucks stuff either; you can taste the cardamom and the bitterness of the tea. My only complaint is that my rice got, well, a little lost in the sauce. A piece of naan or roti would have remedied that, but alas. All of that said, the food itself is not why I’m invested in Ambo’s future. No, what makes Ambo noteworthy to me is that it sells quality Indian food without intimidating those who weren’t raised eating Indian cuisine. Ambo accomplishes what the Chipotle next door does not: balancing convenience with integrity. You don’t have to know what these foods are to feel welcome here, but at the same time, nothing is whitewashed. For instance, the South Asian name of each dish is written on the glass with an English explanation underneath, which struck me as
both genuine and inviting. A pillar at the end of the counter is painted with the English word “welcome” and translations underneath in what I believe are Hindi, Urdu and many other South Asian languages. Moreover, from what I could tell, only Desi people were working and eating there when I popped in, which I always read as a sign of authenticity. Ambo demonstrates the distinction between authenticity and tradition. It’s innovative, yet its flavors are the same ones I grew up with. Like the invention of chicken tikka masala by 20th-century immigrants to the United Kingdom, Ambo represents another point in the evolution of a cuisine — and I’m hopeful that it’s a point of sharing and appreciation. It’s satisfying to see the food I love and crave framed as desirable, contemporary and Instagrammable without compromising its native languages or flavors. It makes me optimistic that food from my culture will continue to become more accessible to wider markets without getting watered down in the process. That’s why Ambo’s tagline, “everyday Indian food,” is genius; it’s viable for anyone, any time. And you know what? Even if it doesn’t change the world, $11 for a filling rice bowl just across from Cantor is still pretty exciting. Contact Sabrina Choudhary at schoudhary@nyunews.com
Washington Square News
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
OPINION
OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
Edited by KEVIN KURIAN and ASHA RAMACHANDRAN
CITY
Hurricane Ida highlights need for a more comprehensive climate strategy
By MICHELLE HAN Deputy Opinion Editor Hurricane Ida dumped record levels of rain across New York City on Sept. 1, shutting down packed streets and highways and flooding subway stations. Damage and tragedy overwhelmed the city as officials declared the first flash flood emergency in its history. At least 13 people were killed in New York City, primarily from drowning within cars and basement apartments. Human-induced climate change ensures that such extreme weather events will continue to increase in likelihood and intensity. New York City must increase its investment in com-
prehensive natural disaster resiliency infrastructure to adapt to future catastrophes like Ida. The next mayor of New York — likely Democratic nominee Eric Adams — will inherit the urgent task of tackling climate change, preparing the city to resist extreme weather effects. In a televised appearance, Adams admitted that the flooding was a “wake-up call.” He pointed to the need for better infrastructure, solutions and innovations — and yet, much of his public climate plan remains brief and uncertain. Adams’ climate agenda, released last Earth Day, is only seven pages long and lacking in specifics. His goals include increasing reliance on renewable energy and decreasing reliance on fossil fuels, increasing interest and investment in community-based solar power projects, decreasing dependence on “peaker plants” — which run when there is a demand spike for electricity — and implementing a “green economy curriculum” in high schools and community colleges. While all of these goals are
important, there are major flaws. His lack of detailed metrics and structured timelines for pursuing sustainability is troublesome. His stances on several local climate policies — such as banning gas in newly developed or renovated apartment buildings or enforcing energy efficiency — are still hazy. Investment in climate resiliency infrastructure must be a political priority for the future mayor. In light of the current mayor’s minimal support for boosting coastal resiliency across outer boroughs, it will be important to hold Adams accountable for his progress toward resiliency structures within said regions. The support he garnered in these outer boroughs was crucial to both his primary win and campaign messaging. Given his acknowledgement that “the impacts [of climate change] have been most severe in historically disenfranchised neighborhoods,” inaction on this matter will speak volumes. Another key point to watch will be Adams’ approach to corporate respon-
sibility. Currently, buildings emit over 70% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. Local Law 97, which will require large-scale buildings to cut emissions, is set to take effect in 2024. Corporate and landlord compliance must be enforced in order to realize the ambitious policies the climate crisis demands. In the past, Adams has actively consulted with the real estate and business elite. The direction he takes in enforcing emission standards will be a crucial signal of his priorities regarding climate policy and relationships with the private sector. As the likely successor to a city increasingly threatened by climate catastrophe, Adams must release a more detailed climate strategy. If Adams wins the mayoral election this fall, the spotlight on Adams must intensify, emphasizing the urgency of investing in necessary climate resiliency and accountability infrastructure. Contact Michelle Han at mhan@nyunews.com.
SHAINA AHMED | WSN
On Sept. 1 Hurricane Ida brought unprecedented amounts of rain to New York City and caused alarming floods. The damage has prompted more scrutiny on the city’s future environmental agenda.
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Washington Square News | OPINION
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
9
STAFF EDITORIAL
NYU’s board of trustees contradicts the university’s mission of inclusivity
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, MANASA GUDAVALLI | WSN
NYU’s board of trustees includes an election conspiracist and a CEO who profits from immigrant detention. These people, among others on the board, contradict NYU’s self-proclaimed diversity and progressivism.
The presence of an election conspiracist and the CEO of an investment firm with massive holdings in private prison and immigration concentration camp operators proves that the NYU board of trustees contradicts the university’s stated goals of diversity and inclusion. The board of trustees — a group of volunteers who are responsible for “setting the overarching strategic direction of the University” — should not include members who disregard the ideals of diversity and inclusion. Maria Bartiromo, Laurence D. Fink and Kelly Kennedy Mack must be removed from office if NYU cares about its mission beyond mere lip service. If you scroll through NYU’s website, you’ll find many references to the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. After Black Lives Matter brought greater awareness to the extent to which structural racism impacts minorities, many institutions realized that they have an important part to play in combating racism. NYU deserves commendation for organizing anti-racist programming as well as other initiatives, but these actions are woefully insufficient — especially when members of the university’s board of
trustees stand firmly against these values. WSN’s recent reporting highlights the controversial history of Maria Bartiromo, a Trump-aligned Fox commentator who has advanced the former president’s conspiracy theories regarding the November election and the Jan. 6 insurrection. Driven by blind partisan hatred, she claimed that there were “enough illegal votes in Georgia to tip the 2020 results.” In addition to being factually incorrect, it is also dismissive of the millions of Black voters who turned out in support of the Biden-Harris ticket and the Democratic candidates for Senate in November and January, respectively. Her baseless allegations of widespread fraud also erase the historic voter turnout of other minority groups and young people. If you are one of those young people who voted against Trump, Bartiromo does not believe that your vote should count. She may even believe that you participated in voter fraud. It is unconscionable that a far-right election conspiracist has a substantive voice in the direction of NYU. Bartiromo has also alleged that the United States is not a systemically racist country — willfully ignoring that decades
of redlining have caused Black New Yorkers to be 40% more likely to have asthma than white New Yorkers. Even though stop-and-frisk has been nominally discontinued, Black people constituted 56% of NYPD stops last year, with most stops concentrated in the city’s Black communities. Does Bartiromo consider these injustices to be merely coincidental? Structural racism is as much a part of New York as is the Empire State Building. Bartiromo is unfit to be a leader at this university which prides itself on inclusion — while being uneducated on the racism that Black and brown students face. Other members of the board contradict NYU’s mission. As WSN reported last spring, Vice Chair Laurence D. Fink’s investment firm, BlackRock, has invested in funds that support fossil fuel companies, nuclear weapons parts manufacturers, construction companies contracted to build the Mexico-United States border wall, U.S. Department of Defense contractors, and operators of private U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement concentration camps. Fink actively profits from inhumane detention centers, exclusionary immigration policies, the main drivers of climate change, and weapons and war. Certainly, a university that has previously spoken out against harmful ICE policies should not have a trustee who actively profits from some of those same policies. The contradictions do not end with Bartiromo and Fink. Kelly Kennedy Mack, who sits on five committees and chairs two, is the president of Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group, a real estate development company. In 2006 — the year that Mack was named president of Corcoran Sunshine — federal agents charged Corcoran Sunshine’s parent company with steering white buyers to traditionally white neighborhoods, discriminating against Black clients and offering incentives to white clients who rented in white neighborhoods. Her company’s discrimination against Black clients ought to be cause for removal from the board, which should embody anti-racism and inclusivity. All of the aforementioned board members should be removed from office. Section 17 of NYU’s bylaws dictate that
Email the Editorial Board at opinion@nyunews.com. CHAIR Kevin Kurian, Asha Ramachandran CO-CHAIR Srishti Bungle, Michelle Han CHAIR EX OFFICIO Ashley Wu, Alexandra Chan, Alex Tey, Trace Miller
trustees can be removed from office by a simple majority vote, provided that the 60% quorum is satisfied. Trustees who seek to represent the interest of students should move to remove Bartiromo, Fink and Mack from the board of trustees. University President Andrew Hamilton can also play a role in removing the three from the board. As someone who condemned conspiracy theories regarding the election and expressed solidarity with NYU’s Black community after George Floyd’s murder, he should publicly call for the removal of Bartiromo, Fink and Mack. Hamilton should also exercise his power as an Ex Officio Trustee and support the removal of the three trustees. By doing so, he will demonstrate that the university’s commitment to racial justice is more than just performative. NYU proudly states its commitment to its diverse student body on its website, writing, “You are an irreplaceable part of NYU’s uniquely diverse community, a community committed to fostering inclusion, excellence, learning, growth, and leadership of its students.” These are wonderful sentiments on NYU’s part, but they remain unfulfilled every day that Bartiromo, Fink and Mack continue to hold office on the board of trustees. The three have demonstrated a clear disregard for inclusion, through their rhetoric and their actions. Bartiromo in particular has minimized and erased the experiences of NYU’s Black and brown population. It’s wonderful that Bryan Stevenson’s “Just Mercy” was the central title for 2020’s NYU Reads initiative, but how much is that doing when a trustee doesn’t believe that the mass incarceration described within the book has anything to do with racism? Hamilton was right to condemn ICE for unfairly targeting international students, but how meaningful are those statements when a trustee is profiting from unjust and racist ICE policies? If NYU is as serious about inclusion as it claims to be, Bartiromo, Fink and Mack will be removed from the board of trustees. Inaction will validate the fears of so many students that NYU’s statements about racial justice are meaningless and merely an attempt to avoid backlash.
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