Washington Square News October 23, 2017

DESIGNED BY RACHEL BUIGAS-LOPEZ AND LAURA SHKOURATOFF

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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2017 | NYUNEWS.COM

800 Colleges Sign DACA Letter

By SAKSHI VENKATRAMAN Deputy News Editor

On Oct. 19, NYU President Andrew Hamilton, along with the presidents and chancellors of nearly 800 colleges and universities across the country, signed a letter directed at leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, urging them to take legislative action to protect immigrants after

President Donald Trump announced a repeal of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on Sept. 5.

The letter, addressed to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, was coordinated by the American Council on Education on behalf of the Protect Dreamers Higher

PHOTO BY SAYER DEVLIN

On Oct. 19, 800 colleges and universities around the U.S., including NYU, signed a letter to the House of Representatives urging them to protect immigrants while DACA is in the process of a repeal.

By AMY RHEE Contributing Writer The Brennan Center for Justice, alongside the Center on American-Islamic Relations, won a law suit against Trump’s third iteration of the travel ban in Zakzok v. Trump. The Maryland federal court released its decision on Oct. 18, halting the ban just before it would have gone into effect.

Senior Counsel for the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Program Michael Price said in an interview with WSN that Maryland District Judge Theodore D. Chuang ruled that the

Education Coalition.

“On behalf of the undersigned colleges and universities, we urge you to take the action that President Trump requested when he rescinded the DACA policy, and pass a long-term legislative fix as soon as possible to protect Dreamers, outstanding young people brought to our country as children,” the letter read.

The ACE letter was designed to echo a similar plea made by nearly 800 U.S. business and industry leaders on Sept. 20.

“Colleges and universities have seen these remarkable people up close, in our classrooms and as our colleagues and friends,” the letter said.

“Despite the challenges they face, they have made incredible contributions to our country and its economy and security. They should continue to be able to do so.

If we are unable to protect these Dreamers, we will be shutting the door to an entire generation of individuals who seek to contribute their best to America.”

Along with NYU, the letter was signed by all the Ivy League universities (with the exception of Dartmouth College), including President Trump’s alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.

“Andy Hamilton believes that the undocumented individuals at NYU are valued members of our community who should be able to pursue their studies and their research and their work without fear of being deported from the only home they have ever known,” NYU Spokesperson John Beckman said in an email. “As the letter says, we hope that Congress will act swiftly and decisively to safeguard the Dreamers.”

Email Sakshi Venkatraman at svenkatraman@nyunews.com.

G O L E CRIM TO OCT.19 OCT. 19

OCT. 13

OCT.13

By SAKSHI VENKATRAMAN AND ALEX DOMB Deputy News Editors The NYU Department of Public Safety received 12 reports of larceny, two reports of harassment and one report of criminal mischief from Oct. 13 to Oct. 19.

Larceny

On Oct. 13 at 5:35 p.m., an NYU student reported that his bike was missing from the Schwartz Plaza. A police report was filed, and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 13 at 5:44 p.m., a member of Public Safety reported that a bike belonging to an NYU student was missing from the 721 Broadway bike rack. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 14 at 7:25 p.m., an NYU affiliate reported receiving harassing phone calls in Elmer Holmes Bobst Library. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 16 at some point between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., an NYU student found that two purses and a coat were missing from her Coral Towers apartment. A police report was filed, and the report is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 16 at 4:05 p.m., an NYU student reported that his bike was missing from the Fourth Street and Mercer Street bike racks. A police report was filed, and the report is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 16 at 5:40 p.m., an NYU staff member reported that her wallet was missing from her office at 725 Broadway. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 17 at 10 a.m., an NYU staff member reported that 10 HIV testing kits were missing from an office in the Basic Science building. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and

Brennan Center Wins Trump Lawsuit travel ban violated the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Establishment Clause. The judge was only able to strike down aspects of the ban that would prevent immigrants with bona fide connections in the United States.

The main plaintiff in the Brennan Center’s case was professor Eblal Zakzok of Ohio State University. In an interview, Zakzok said that he and his family fled Syria, but was not able to bring his daughter because she was over 21 at the time. In 2015, Zakzok’s daughter was admitted to Ohio State University to study English literature. However, due to extreme vetting and her age,

she was not able to pursue her academic studies.

Zakzok said that he thinks that his daughter’s case could have also been experienced by any student trying to study in the United States from the countries affected

by Trump’s ban. Zakzok said that if the ban goes into effect, his family will continue to be separated. “[The ban is] unnecessary because [the government is] already applying extreme vetting,” Zakzok said.

A few hours prior to the Maryland court’s ruling, a federal judge in Hawaii struck down a majority of the ban on a similar case. Price said that both Mary-

land and Hawaii judges acknowledged that “the ban was motivated by hate.”

The Maryland and Hawaii rulings were nationwide injunctions, blocking the implementation of the ban across America.

Price said that the case will most likely head to the Supreme Court after going through appeal.

Price said in light of the decisions, the visa process will proceed as it did before the proclamation. He added that the Zakzok v. Trump ruling was a “win for [the United States]” but is confident that the justice system will appeal the Maryland federal court’s decision.

under investigation.

On Oct. 17 at 6 p.m., an NYU student reported that money was missing from his backpack at 721 Broadway. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 19 at 10:40 a.m., an NYU staff member reported that a key was missing from 194 Mercer Street. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 19 at 12:10 p.m., an NYU student reported that her trench coat was missing from a classroom at 721 Broadway. Police notification was declined and the report is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 19 at 5:31 p.m., an NYU staff member reported that her purse was missing from her office. A police report was filed, and the report is open and under investigation On Oct. 19 at 6:15 p.m., an NYU student reported that his wallet was missing from his desk at 19 W. 4th St. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

Harassment

On Oct. 16 at 4:07 p.m., an NYU student reported that she was a victim of harassment at Third Avenue North Residence Hall. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 19 at 12:25 p.m., an NYU student reported that another student was a victim of harassment at the Barney Building. Police notification was declined, and the report was closed and referred to student affairs.

Criminal Mischief

On Oct. 17 at 12:45 a.m., a member of Public Safety observed graffiti in the lower level of Bobst Library. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

Email the News Team at news@nyunews.com.

Price also responded to the NYU College Republicans’ disapproval of the Brennan Center filing suit and NYUCR’s director of media Shawn Kim’s claim that the Brennan Center’s involvement is inappropriate. He said that rather than participating in partisan politics, the Brennan Center helps all people who need assistance in fighting against unjust measures.

“No matter who the president is, if you pass a ban like this, you’re going to get sued,” Price said.

Email Amy Rhee at news@nyunews.com.

NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2017 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

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White Supremacist Event in Kimmel Confirmed

By CAROLINE HASKINS Deputy News Editor

The Propertarian Institute, an “Anglo Conservative” think tank, paid to reserve Kimmel Center for University Life room 912 for six hours on Sept. 26 under a false customer name, according to an investigation by WSN. The room was reserved for a PI roundtable discussion with outed white supremacists. According to a PI Facebook post, attendees paid between $45 and $65 per ticket and had the option of paying an extra $50 to attend a group dinner at an unspecified location.

Flyers for Identity Evropa, a white nationalist hate group, were put up in Kimmel by individuals who attended this event, according to an investigation by the NYU Department of Public Safety. The investigation also found that these individuals are unassociated with NYU. According to Curt Doolittle, founder of the PI, none of the approximately 40 event attendees were NYU faculty or students.

Kimmel Operations changed NYU building room reservation policies in response to the PI’s event, according to CAS senior and Student Body President Juan Calero. Prior to Oct. 3, any third party group could reserve rooms in NYU buildings. As of Oct. 3, parties must be affiliated with an organization or department at NYU in order to reserve a room.

What was The Propertarian Institute’s event?

The PI event, titled “Western Civilization: Circumventing the Frankfurt and Postmodern Schools,” was a roundtable with Ricardo Duchesne, Tom Sunic, Kevin MacDonald and Doolittle.

Duchesne, Sunic and MacDonald all write for white supremacist publications. Duchesne writes for The Council of European Canadians, whose goal is to preserve Canada’s white “ethnic composition and cultural character.” Sunic writes for The Occidental Observer, which MacDonald edits. The online publication’s goal is to promote “white identity, interests and culture.”

Doolittle said in an email that the goal of the roundtable was for the panelists to promote the PI, whose philosophy claims to use Anglo

Conservatism to “separate the west from the rest.”

“We had hoped to draw attention to the Institute by engaging in a controversial roundtable on a controversial topic,” Doolittle said.

According to the PI’s YouTube video of the event, the controversial topic was the “Frankfurt School” — the basis of left-wing political philosophy. The panelists discuss how they believed the Frankfurt School is ushering the downfall of civilization.

During the panel, Sunic said that a person’s gene pool should be considered when defining democracy and human rights.

“Some of my opponents, some of my rejectors call me a Nazi, a neoNazi, anti-Semite, fascist, whatever,” he said in the video. “So eventually, I might take a certain badge of honor of it, you know? Being called by those names, those smearing names.”

Sunic’s book, “Titans Are In Town,” is a series of essays about how “endless interracial chaos” make Europe a “dystopian landscape.” Amazon sells the book for $19.50. Sunic declined to answer how many copies he sold at the event.

“I also spent some time talking about words such as ‘democracy,’ ‘tolerance,’ ‘human rights,’ ‘multi-ethnic consensus’ and their different and often opposing meanings in different political regimes,” Sunic said in an email. “I had my book on display and did sell a few copies.”

Advertisements for the PI event stated that AltRight.com co-founder and NYU alumnus Jason Jorjani would be a panelist, but they did not advertise MacDonald or Doolittle as panelists. On Sept. 19, an undercover video published by The New York Times depicted Jorjani envisioning a future with Hitler on the currency and an ethnic holocaust in the United States.

Jorjani said via email that he did not attend the PI event, but it is unclear when exactly he stepped down as a panelist.

“When I first agreed to attend the event, it was billed as a forum for a discussion about the future of Western civilization,” Jorjani said.

“Shortly after my resignation from the Alt-Right Corporation and Arktos Media in mid-August, I conveyed to [the event organizer] that I would not be able to attend the event.”

PHOTO BY ANONYMOUS

Photograph of the Identity Evropa flyers in the lockers outside of the Marketplace at Kimmel.

However, advertisements depicted Jorjani as a panelist as soon as one day before the event. Jorjani also remains a financial stakeholder in AltRight.com and Arktos media, two primary media outlets of the “alt-right.”

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Arktos media has a partnership with Identity Evropa, whose flyers were found in Kimmel on Sept. 27.

“I was told at the last minute [Jorjani] wasn’t coming, and that it was because he lost his job,” Doolittle said in an email. “But I don’t know if that’s true.”

Jojani was suspended from his teaching position at New Jersey Institute of Technology on Sept. 25, the day before the PI event.

Shanaynay Tomson or Megan Usui, whom Doolittle identified as the event organizers, would then provide this access code via Facebook messenger.

Doolittle said that the entrance fees were used to offset the expenses of the event, such as reserving Kimmel room 912. He declined to specify the rates of individual expenses. “[The PI] netted a loss on the event in the realm of $4000,” Doolittle said. “So there is no money remaining to use for any purpose.”

The event location was not given on the PI Facebook page, but both Doolittle and NYU spokesman John Beckman confirmed via email that the PI event took place in Kimmel 912. The room has blackout shades and a maximum capacity of 50 people.

Kimmel OneStop, the reservation service for rooms in Kimmel and other NYU buildings, shows that the PI reservation was made under the moniker “Seattle Commercial Fitness.” WSN was unable to prove that Seattle Commercial Fitness exists.

Kimmel Operations did not respond to requests for comment.

What’s the connection to the Identity Evropa flyers?

On Sept. 28, two days after the PI event, white nationalist hate group Identity Evropa tweeted images depicting its flyers outside the Market Place at Kimmel and inside a Kimmel conference room.

Identity Evropa describes itself as “a fraternal organization for people of European heritage.”

The hashtag in the tweet, #ProjectSiege, refers to Identity Evropa’s college student recruitment campaign of the same name. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, flyers related to Project Siege have been distributed on over 40 college campuses.

Calero said that a freshman student found two Identity Evropa flyers on the afternoon of Sept. 27, the day after the PI event. The flyers were lodged in the rental lockers adjacent to the Market Place at Kimmel. After photographing the flyers, the student contacted Calero, who removed the flyers and gave them to Leah Lattimore, director of the Center for Multicultural Education and Programs.

The freshman student declined to comment for this article and requested to remain anonymous.

VIA CAROLINE HASKINS

On Oct. 3, the PI’s Kimmel OneStop booking was from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. As of Oct. 19, the Kimmel OneStop booking is shown as 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Calero said that he rushed to email as many NYU administrators as possible about the flyers.

“It was a lot in the moment,” Calero said. “I was just [emailing] this person, and this person, and this person.”

According to Calero, Public Safety investigated security camera footage on Sept. 27 to determine who put up the flyers. On Oct. 3, investigation concluded that three individuals, who were in Kimmel to attend the PI event, distributed the Identity Evropa flyers. According to NYU spokesperson John Beckman, the individuals who distributed the flyers are unassociated with NYU. Public Safety did not respond to requests for comment.

These Identity Evropa flyers inspired 15 student groups, including NYU Against Fascists and NYU Sanctuary, to organize an anti-Nazi demonstration on Sept. 28 in Washington Square Park.

Over 100 students attended the rally, where a person in blackface heckled two speakers, both women of color. One of these speakers, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said that while people targeted by the Identity Evropa flyers needed to be heard, these people were extremely vulnerable to violence and harassment.

“When these rally responses happen, it is not in a leftist vacuum,” the speaker said. “[External] violence is reproduced in these spaces. Our safety is not guaranteed. We are really putting ourselves on the front line.”

Although the individuals who distributed the Identity Evropa Flyers also attended the PI event, Doolittle said that the PI has no institutional or financial affiliation with Identity Evropa.

However, some individuals associated with the PI are also associated with Identity Evropa. Sunic has retweeted Identity Evropa multiple times and follows Identity Evropa on Twitter.

Project Siege is a collaboration

between Identity Evropa and Arktos media, according to an Identity Evropa announcement on Twitter.

Jorjani remains a shareholder of Arktos media, but he denied any personal or professional association with the PI or Identity Evropa.

“I think that it was reprehensibly irresponsible for Identity Evropa to have put flyers on the NYU campus,” Jorjani said.

How did NYU respond?

In a statement to WSN, Beckman condemned Identity Evropa and acknowledged that room reservation policies changed in response to the PI event in Kimmel.

“The university’s position on white supremacist, Nazi and similar philosophies and activities is that they are vile, worthy of our condemnation and at odds with our campus’ values,” Beckman said.

On Oct. 5, the NYU Student Government released a statement condemning the PI, white supremacy, anti-Semitism and European Imperialism.

According to Calero, this statement was an alternative to a statement from President Andrew Hamilton.

The Senate Executive Committee, headed by President Hamilton, drafted a version of the Student Government’s statement. However, the Student Government voted to release a version of the SEC statement on its own behalf.

One of the speakers heckled at the anti-Nazi rally believes that the response to Identity Evropa flyers highlights inadequacies in how campus activists respond to white supremacy.

“My big concern is that the [rally] was co-opted by white leftists to promote their organizations rather than speak out against the ‘altright’ and white supremacists,” the speaker said. “We need to elevate the voices of people directly under attack. We all have a voice, but some of us are silenced.”

Email Caroline Haskins at chaskins@nyunews.com.

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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2017 | NYUNEWS.COM

ARTS

EDITED BY JORDAN REYNOLDS ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Alum Matthew Puccini Talks SXSW Short Film

By SOPHIE BENNETT Staff Writer

Although Matthew Puccini only graduated from NYU in 2015, his short film “The Mess He Made” has already made its way through the festival circuit and premiered at the South by Southwest film festival, or SXSW, in 2017. The short is an intense 10-minute portrait of a man anxiously waiting for the results of a rapid HIV test — a story that has often been depicted on screen, but rarely with the subtlety and poise of Puccini’s film.

Despite its short runtime, much is revealed through the film’s intricacy, finesse and captivating writing. Tisch alum Max Jenkins’ breathtaking performance creates extremely evocative footage. WSN sat down with Puccini to discuss “The Mess He Made” and his blossoming career in the industry.

Washington Square News: What was your reaction to the success of “The Mess He Made”?

Matthew Puccini: The success totally surpassed our wildest expectations of what it would be. “The Mess He Made” featured current NYU students and alumni. It was made for very little money, and those festivals are about the luck of the draw that your film is seen by someone who responds to it and it fits into what they’re looking for that year. It was just the perfect storm in terms of making something that not only turned out well but also appealed to the zeitgeist at the moment that it was circulating.

WSN: I want to ask about Jenkins and casting because he did such an incredible job; how did he end up getting attached to the project?

MP: I was working on a TV show and became friends with the casting associate on the show. [The casting associate] sent me a list of queer actors who are based in the city. [Jenkins’] name was starred because the two were friends, and she said if you want you could send him the script directly. I heard from him the next day, so we were very lucky to have that direct connection and then working with him was a total joy. He is a very special actor because there is no ego, even though he’s had a lot of success at a young age.

We were able to offer him a role that was very different from what he was doing at the time. He was used to playing very comedic and in some ways flamboyant gay roles, so to offer him something that was dramatic and subtle really appealed to him.

It also appealed to a lot of people who got to see him at SXSW because they got to see his incredible range. If I had any advice to a filmmaker who was trying to cast someone better known, it would be to offer him or her a role they don’t normally get to do.

WSN: One aspect of the movie that’s really incredible is the middle part when Jenkins’ character goes to the gas station and the grocery store. How did you develop that part of the story?

MP: The whole core of the film was inspired by personal experience. I had an HIV scare last summer and was immediately interested in figuring out how to translate that into a film. In terms of those sequences, it came from a place of what is realistic for someone to do in those 15 to 20 minutes and how can we give you insight into this character’s life outside of this moment in a way that doesn’t feel too contrived. It was always important to me that [Jenkins’]

Ai Weiwei Challenges Trump’s Wall, DACA Repeal

By RYAN MIKEL Entertainment Editor

COURTESY OF MATTHEW PUCCINI

WSN sat down with NYU alum Matthew Puccini. His new short film, “The Mess He Made,” premiered at the SXSW film festival. character had a family — to have the stakes raised in a certain way by knowing that he had this life he was trying to protect.

WSN: How did you decide on that location of the strip mall?

MP: I’ve seen a lot of medical centers that are attached to strip malls. I loved the idea that in leaving the clinic, there would be other places for him to go. Those places also have that beaten down, bleak, middle America feeling. We made the film for very little money and didn’t have the budget for location scouting. My producer and I were dragging ourselves around the tri-state area on Google maps and looking for HIV clinics that also had the other stores. We ended up with one in Scranton, Pennsylvania and got really lucky because when we called the clinic, we found out it was run by a lesbian couple who started the clinic to provide services to the LGBT community, so they were supportive and open to filmmaking.

WSN: You had such an incredible last frame in the short with that purple wall background — were the colors in the film on purpose or was that just a happy accident?

MP: We had some ideas of what we wanted the palette to be. We wanted it to be very blue when he was outside and sterile inside and have that pop of color at the end with that wall. We didn’t know that wall was going to be there. It was a happy accident that we ended up with something that dynamic as a final frame. That purple wall has become very much a part of the film.

It’s our poster and our main still.

WSN: Do you have any immediate projects in the works after “The Mess He Made”?

MP: There’s a myth that if you’re in a big festival like SXSW, your life changes overnight. It definitely gave me validation that I should be doing this. I’ll do another short film, probably with Jenkins again this fall and I’m also in the very early stages of a feature. Otherwise, I want to keep making work that portrays the queer community in ways that are subtle and complicated and don’t rely on melodrama to engage the audience. I’m hoping that’ll be my small contribution to the world.

Email Sophie Bennett at film@nyunews.com.

NYU saw a new addition to its campus this month with the arrival of a massive cage-like structure in Washington Square Park. The installation, called “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors,” was created by Beijing-based artist Ai Weiwei. Accompanying the projects, hundreds of similar cage-like configurations by the artist have been spotted in construction across all five boroughs.

Ai is a renowned contemporary artist and activist whose installations have been displayed in museums worldwide.

His newest work in progress, “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors,” appeared over night under the Washington Square Arch. Sponsored by the Public Art Fund, the design is a larger-than-life birdcage that fits snugly into the Arch.

While the cage’s presence may baffle park-goers, its intent is apparent in the installation’s title. According to Ai, who spoke with students, park goers and media outlets at the exhibit’s launch on Oct. 12, “Good Fences” — a reference to Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” — is a comment on the increasing hostility toward immigrants and the rise of nationalism throughout the world.

With last month’s announcement to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and this month’s commencement of construction on prototypes for President Donald Trump’s proposed wall, Ai’s “Good Fences” comes at a more important time than ever.

“We are witnessing a rise in nationalism, an increase in the closure of borders and an exclusionary attitude toward migrants and refugees, the victims of war and the casualties of globalization,” Ai said in a recent interview with the New York Times.

While the arrival of “Good Fences” was subject to criticism from locals and the Washington Square Association,

students within the NYU community have praised Ai’s artistic endeavour to defend immigrants.

Adriana Guidry, a Mexican-American Tisch sophomore, found the installation complimentary of the university’s progressive and inclusive values.

“Ai Weiwei’s choice to display [“Good Fences”] in Washington Square Park further solidifies NYU’s reputation as a safe space for marginalized students,” Guidry said. “It lets students of every background know that they are safe and wanted here.”

Criticism for the exhibit stems from the unexpected arrival of “Good Fences” under the 125-year-old monument — without the Washington Square Association’s permission or involvement — in addition to its interference with the park’s 93rd annual Christmas tree lighting.

“The monumental Arch is a work of art in itself,” the Washington Square Association said in a letter to the Public Arts Fund. “It does not need to be politicized with the proposed installation.

This installation sets a dangerous precedent that one of New York City’s most recognized monuments, and pieces of art can be decorated and co-opted for four months at a time.”

Unapologetically, “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” still stands at Washington Square Parks and across NYC as a tourist hotspot. In addition to its Instagram-ready nature, the installation has served as the backdrop for many local and student protests. This past Friday night, hundreds of students under the structure protested the recent arrest of LGBTQ members and allies in Egypt.

“Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” is on display at Washington Square Park, and a slew of other locations, until Feb. 11. More information and a full list of locations can be found here.

Email Ryan Mikel at rmikel@nyunews.com.

STAFF PHOTO BY ECHO CHEN

Ai Weiwei’s new installation artwork “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” under the Washington Square Arch comments on the rise of nationalism and increasing hostility toward immigrants.

NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2017 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

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ARTS

EDITED BY JORDAN REYNOLDS ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Women’s Suffrage Brought to Life

By JILLIAN HARRINGTON Staff Writer

COURTESY OF RAFE OFFER

Sofar Sounds organizes live music events where audience members sign up with no idea where the show will be held or who will be performing. Rafe Offer founded it with the intention of bringing back love and appreciation for live music.

Sofar Sounds Founder Reflects on Success

By AICHA FALL Contributing Writer

Sofar Sounds is bringing back our love and appreciation for live music. Rafe Offer and Rocky Start, who founded the company in London in 2009, were concerned about the lack of focus at music gigs. It is almost impossible to watch a concert without seeing hundreds of tiny screens before you, recording the entire show rather than enjoying the live performance. Sofar hosts intimate shows across 382 cities worldwide, where audience members sign up having no idea where the show will be held or who will be performing. Locations range from homes to roofs to random forests, and independent and emerging artists are able to showcase their work to an engaged audience.

WSN caught up with co-founder Rafe Offer to discuss the rise of this global community.

Washington Square News: What inspired Sofar Sounds?

Rafe Offer: I have been a fan of music since I was old enough to listen and always had a concern on the lack of focus at gigs, especially with mobile phones and everything. I was at a gig with two friends, and during the performance people were loud [and] drinking, there was an open bar so there was a lot of talking going on, and it was and has always been soul crushing to see this happening at a show.

WSN: What was your initial hope for Sofar Sounds?

RO: Initially, it was just to have fun, and then it became a hobby.

Only much later did we ask ourselves, ‘Can we gently educate a few more people or see if there’s anyone else who feels the same way we do?’ In the sense that shows are so much better when the audience is attentive.

WSN: Did you expect it to become this successful? What do you think has made it so popular?

RO: We didn’t expect it to be anything, but this is a problem that’s worldwide. Everyone who attends is a true music fan, and the rules are simple. All we ask is to be focused. It’s [Bring Your Own

Bottle], so people bring and share stuff. It carries a vibe of community. So, people who went to a Sofar in New York will look us up in Chicago if they go there because they met people, enjoyed it and want to attend more of them.

WSN: What are some of your favoriteSofarSoundsperformances?

RO: Reeps One, who is an in-

“

Can we gently educate a few more people or see if there’s anyone else who feels the same way we do?

RAFE OFFER

”

credible beatboxer, Kate Tempest, who does spoken word [and] Hozier. Jorja Smith’s Sofar show was in my house actually, last month. She is incredible. There are so many more.

WSN: What do you look for in a Sofar Sounds performing artist?

RO: It is very individualized, and each city has a local review group, so we ask those people to put on something that touches them in some way. It is genre neutral, based on a vote, and those on the committee are very different. For example, in New York there is a 15-yearold girl and a 50-year-old man both in the review group, so it’s like if they can come to an agreement, a diverse audience can surely enjoy the artists chosen. We look for fresh, very talented people who we can help get discovered.

Keep up with Sofar Sounds and apply to attend, host or even perform all on their website sofarsounds.com.

Email Aicha Fall at music@nyunews.com.

It can easily be assumed that the women’s suffrage movement ended in the early years of the 20th century when American women fought for the 19th Amendment.

For other countries, the campaign continued for several more decades.

The film “The Divine Order” chronicles the story of a small country town in Switzerland in 1970, where an unlikely woman spearheaded the movement for voting equality.

The film opens to a montage of

COURTESY OF ADRIAN CURRY

The new film by director Petra Volpe, “The Divine Order,” follows the life of Nora in 1970s Switzerland and her struggles to take the movement of voting equality forward. The film opens in theatres on Oct. 27 in New York.

the social upheaval of the 1960s backed by a female-driven rock song. Then, it cuts harshly to a town devoid of all revolutionary elements, the very antithesis of the spirit that characterized that same era in America. This tiny world set atop a snow capped hill is seemingly stuck in a past where women are the property of their husbands and their voices are silenced.

The hero, Nora (Marie Leuenberger), exhibits no heroic qualities at all as she moves from one vanilla house chore to the next. Nora is bored — washing the dishes, caring for her husband’s father and hanging socks to dry from sunrise to sunset. When she brings up the idea of adopting part-time work to her husband, Hans (Max Simonischek), he refuses and informs her that she needs his permission before getting a job.

Nora is chosen as the unlikely face of the women’s suffrage movement in the village after she receives pamphlets for the cause. She educates herself on Swiss marriage law and begins a journey of feminist enlightenment — politically, socially, economically and sexually.

Though she and her family become targets of harassment and humiliation, Nora transforms from an uninformed home-bound mother

into a spirited, liberated leader. Initially, Nora’s chapter of suffragettes is small, but as more women within that gray world realize that they too can add their voices to the movement, the noise becomes deafening.

Director Petra Volpe makes strong use of the beautiful vista, dominated by mountains and steep, winding roads. It is an isolating picture of the town, but this serves only to emphasize the surprising strength and passion of the women inside. The movie is deeply moving and inspiring, reminding present-day audiences of the bravery these movements required and contextualizing it in the feminist battles that still burn bright today.

With powerful performances from the cast, the audience is pulled into the strikes and picket lines, achieving a sense of pride alongside those women. “The Divine Order” — drawing its title from passages in the Bible that dictated women’s role in society — is a touching account of what happened everywhere in the 20th century, and it reminds audiences today to keep fighting toward an egalitarian tomorrow.

“The Divine Order” opens in New York theaters on Friday, Oct. 27.

Email Jillian Harrington at film@nyunews.com.

Cults Dazzles in Williamsburg

By NICOLE ROSENTHAL Staff Writer

Brooklyn-based indie-pop duo Cults has returned as vibrant and stunning as ever after four years in the dark. The chart-breaking multi-instrumentalists Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion played an intimate hometown show Tuesday night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg which featured beautifully minimalist, projected visuals and lavish synthesizer arrangements.

The set kicked off with the keyboard-powered lead single off of Cults’ latest full-length record of the same name, “Offering.” Follin, donning a simple monochromatic dress, delicately tinged with gold trimming, two-stepped across the stage while astral projections bounced off the geometric backdrop of the stage. Following was “Abducted,” one of two singles from the band’s debut album. The track drew audience members to their feet and closer to the stage to dance in unison as Follin and Oblivion alternated vocals over layers of sparkly instrumentation.

Next up was the lead single, “Always Forever,” from the band’s 2013 post-breakup album “Static.” Folin’s dreamy, reverb-heavy vocals were especially accentuated on this song, making for the perfect melody to couple with the psychedelic

PHOTO BY NICOLE ROSENTHAL

Brooklyn-based indie-pop duo Cults performed an intimate show at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Oct. 17. The overall breathtaking performance featured gorgeous visuals and dreamy vocals. projections on the screens behind the backing band. Visions of celestial bodies could be seen projected, as well as various hues of light dancing across the walls. The indie-pop outfit continued with a multitude of tracks from its recent and third long play, including the tunes “Clear from Far Away,” “Right Words” and “Recovery.” However, the pair’s most dynamic and soulful oldies received the most love from the audience, namely “Never Heal Myself ” and the fan-favorite “You Know What I Mean,” which eventually drew the band to bow offstage.

But of course, Cults decided to save the best for last. The opening chimes of “Go Outside” could be heard echoing

throughout the venue to the audience’s excitement. The buoyant indie-rock anthem drew the crowd further to the stage, each member of the audience singing the cheery refrain and waving his or her arms back and forth in the air.

As the band bowed offstage a second and final time, the magnificent visuals faded black and the airy soundscape grew silent. Cults truly deliver an otherworldly performance, as delicate and dreamy as Follin’s voice. For any fan of indie music, attending a Cults show as breathtaking and intimate as this one is an absolute must.

Email Nicole Rosenthal at music@nyunews.com.

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How to Celebrate Halloween in NYC

By AVANI JURAKHAN AND MICHAEL MUTH Contributing Writers

As Halloween nears, ghouls and ghosts aren’t the only ones roaming the streets. From the East Village to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there are plenty of events that will get you in the Halloween spirit.

Whether you are easily scared or have a spine of steel, find some freaky fun this October at these four events.

East Village Channels its Inner Halloweentown

Greenwich Village is home to thousands of New York City’s spookiest and spirited souls.

For the 44th time on Oct. 31, lower Manhattan will be filled with wildly creative costumes, dancers and music for the annual Village Halloween Parade.

If you make your own costume, you are free to participate: just meet on Sixth Avenue and Canal Street between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The 2017 theme is Cabinet of Curiosities: An Imaginary Menagerie.

Harry Potter Casts a Spell on the Met

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, a New York City staple, is bringing magic to the museum.

The events company E.T.C. is leading a guided tour titled “Griffins, Goblets, and Gold” that will

transport you to the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Tours will be held on Oct. 27, 29, 30 and 31 and tickets can be purchased on their website.

A Haunted Housewarming Party

Think the spookiest thing this October is that midterm you didn’t study for? Think again.

Terrifyingly close to NYU, the Merchant’s House Museum is rumored to be inhabited by the ghosts of the building’s past owners, and what better time to greet the ghostly neighbors than this Halloween? From Oct. 26 to 30, stop by the spirit-infested manor located on 29 E. 4th St. to take a candlelight trip through the es-

tate. Tickets are $10 for studentS, and a 50-minute tour each half hour from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm.

The family is dying to meet you.

A Monster Mash in an NYC Scene

Go wild and let your inner demons loose. The Annual Halloween Monster Ball at Stage 48 calls all who want nothing more than to celebrate the craziness of the season to 605 W. 48th Street at 10 p.m. For those who are ready for a haunting night, this 21 and up party has a huge venue and scary music to remind you just how eerie Halloween is.

Email Michael Muth and Avani Jurakhan at features@nyunews.com.

VIA FACEBOOK.COM

Find places to celebrate Halloween around New York this October, each with a different theme. Parties range from Harry Potter taking over the Met to the Annual Halloween Monster Ball in Midtown.

When Fashion Gets a Sense of Humor

By LIV CHAI Staff Writer

STAFF PHOTO BY KEVIN JIANG

Although denim has found its way to be a part of everyone’s closet, popular brand Levi’s recently found itself the subject of an SNL skit.

Fashion has seen many drastic changes with each grand decade and within mere seasons. The forward-thinking, daring looks that debut either become instant hot commodities, or they become memes and the source of many parodies.

Levi’s fell under the latter category when they recently introduced a line of unisex clothing proudly celebrating inclusivity and found themselves becoming the basis of an Saturday Night Live sketch.

The faux commercial presented “Wokes,” a pair of quite unsightly “not brown but not not brown” parachute pants

made “sizeless, style-neutral, gender non-conforming denim for a generation that defies labels.” Levi’s was quick to jump in on the joke and placed the link to the “Wokes” on the front of the line’s page, embracing the sketch and the publicity that came with it.

Gucci had a full #TFW meme campaign to present its new Le Marché des Merveilles collection of watches with notable memes. From starter packs to “When she asks you ____,” the wide array of memes that are usually sent to friends as a mood reflection or something to cackle over became the basis of a fashion campaign.

As Anna Wintour so bluntly yet so surely put it, “You either know fashion or you

don’t.” And at this point, it’s clear that fashion has become less exclusive and more open to be made fun of. Instead of turning a blind eye and refusing to acknowledge harsh criticism or spoofs of a design that perhaps took designers months of meticulous perfecting, there seems to be a light-hearted and more careless approach, making things quite interesting. Whether it be during NYFW or just a spread in Vogue, the looks that are proudly displayed can be quite forward-thinking or just outrageous.

After fashion shows, these loud outfits are noted by publications, but this isn’t quite the same as fashion brands being a part of the joke. Ex-

travagant and artistic runway pieces have always been mocked for being too awkward to incorporate into regular, everyday outfits. The beauty of artistic expression has never been completely invalidated. On the contrary, it now appears that fashion has come to a comfortable place of making fun of itself — enough so to make and embrace memes. By doing this, the consequences of potential jokes that may have arisen become truly meaningless.

It’s a refreshing unveiling of uncensored possibilities for something greater to be seen on and off the runway.

Email Liv Chai at bstyle@nyunews.com.

A Trip Down Under (the Manhattan Bridge Overpass)

By LIV CHAI Staff Writer

Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, that’s right, it’s DUMBO. The name grew out of the residents’ hopes of putting off pesky developers from their turf in the 1970s. The acronym worked. According to Brooklyn Ink, developers didn’t touch the area, and rent could be as cheap as $6 per square foot. Today the rent would be closer to $1,000 per square foot.

Other than a grand view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River, DUMBO has quite an extensive list of places to explore.

The A.I.R. Gallery is just one of the must-see galleries in the neighborhood. Not only is it the first all-female cooperative gallery, today it is a non-profit arts organization run by artists to support risk-taking by women artists and the open exchange of ideas. The stunning pieces, events and lectures that are held make it a space for inspi-

ration, and a unique immersive interaction with artists.

The POWERHOUSE Arena should be a go-to if you’re running low on time and want to make the most of your visit.

Their website describes the space as a laboratory for creative thought, as the POWERHOUSE Arena frequently hosts exhibitions, performances and a boutique bookstore. Go for an event and stay for the carefully curated selection of literature.

Front Street has a wide array of interesting places to stop by. The most notable is the Front General Store — a popular vintage shop with a wide array of vintage clothing and miscellaneous goods sure to capture your eye. The Brooklyn Flea takes place every Sunday starting in April until October, so visit while you can. Aside from the unique vintage pieces, food vendors will satisfy your hunger as well.

For a more chill day, check out a show at St. Ann’s Warehouse.

St. Ann’s Warehouse is a creative space famously known for producing critically-acclaimed pieces from Lou Reed, the Coen Brothers and Carter Burwell, to name a few artists.

After a long day of galleries and sight-seeing, check out

Superfine for sustenance and a funky, cool atmosphere. The restaurant focuses on sustainable agriculture and changes its menu according to the freshest seasonal vegetables. The organic produce comes from local farmers, making it true farm-

STAFF PHOTO BY ALANA BEYER

The Manhattan Bridge archway is among the many things one should see when visiting the Dumbo neighborhood in Brooklyn.

to-table dining.

Jacques Torres Chocolate Shop will definitely be the sweetest end to your day trip.

Whether or not you or your friends are chocoholics, the shop offers a wide array of desserts from cookies, ice cream and, of course, chocolate. If interested in a more interactive experience, customers are offered a chocolate making class.

The class is held by a professional chocolatier and covers the basics of chocolate making, allowing customers to make their very own chocolate. A perfect activity to do with friends, each class is $40 per person and 40 minutes long.

For a notable Instagram post, the Manhattan Bridge archway is the perfect spot. Other than the archway becoming a popular movie shoot location, it has also become a venue for different events and many cute stores.

Email Liv Chai at features@nyunews.com.

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How to Thrift Throwback Costumes

By ALICE LAMMERS Contributing Writer

If you’re sick of the typical Halloween costumes — clowns, ghosts and vampires — you could mix things up with a blast from the past. Thrifting vintage clothes is a good option for those who want to create a unique look without breaking the bank.

Check out these ideas for memorable vintage-inspired costumes.

Wes Anderson Movie Character

Wes Anderson’s movies embody vintage vibes that can easily be emulated in Halloween costumes. For Suzy Bishop from “Moonrise Kingdom,” thrift a 60s mini dress and a pair of white knee-high socks. Pair the outfit with bright turquoise eye shadow and winged eyeliner to complete the look. If you’d rather be Margot Tenenbaum from “The Royal Tenenbaums,” try a striped polo

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dress, strong black eyeliner and a thrifted vintage fur coat — Search and Destroy on St. Mark’s has a full rack of faux and real vintage fur coats for $20 or less.

Carrie

This look is probably the easiest and cheapest to replicate. Lots of thrift stores have racks and racks of vintage homecoming and prom dresses. In the movie, Carrie wears a pretty simple slip inspired dress, but to amp up the 70s vibes it might be more fun to grab a particularly obnoxious one. Complement the dress with 70s middle-parted hair and copious amounts of fake blood for the full effect.

Charlie’s Angels

Live your Farrah Fawcett dream with this costume idea. As fashion and styling was so important in the show, there are numerous iconic outfits to model your costume after. Any outfit that flaunts the very best of the ‘70s should work — full flared jeans, barely

buttoned brightly patterned shirts or classic glittery disco outfits all work for this costume.

Pair these memorable items with hoop earrings, bronzed makeup and fluffy feathered hair.

Miami Vice

For a costume inspired by “Miami Vice,” find a particularly colorful vintage Hawaiian shirt — only buttoned halfway, of course — with crisp, white 80s trousers. For a more complete look that could be a little more challenging to track down, thrift a brightly colored suit. Pink, white or blue would work beautifully. Make sure to wear your hair greased back with a classic pair of Ray-Bans.

James Dean

This costume works for both James Dean in “Rebel Without a Cause” and pretty much every character in “The Outsiders.”

The costume consists simply of a tight fitting T-shirt tucked into a pair of vintage Levi’s. In case it’s chilly, a motorcycle jacket would work great for this costume too, although it will be a little pricier.

To complete the look, wear your hair coiffed and make sure to maintain a brooding expression.

Andy Warhol

To dress up as the iconic artist, thrift a breton striped shirt — or really any black and white striped shirt will work — and pair it with some black pants and a pair of Ray-Bans. To top it off, find a cheap white wig at any nearby Halloween store and muss it up a little bit to capture the artistic spirit.

STAFF PHOTO BY SARAH PATT

A cheap way to express yourself creatively on Halloween is to purchase your Halloween costume from a thrift store.

Students Still Avoid Whole Foods

Thrifting is a great way to find a unique costume without spending a ton of money. This Halloween, try some of these looks to stand out at any costume party.

Email Alice Lammers at bstyle@nyunews.com.

STAFF PHOTO BY SAM CHENG

Since Amazon bought Whole Foods on Aug. 28, prices have significantly lowered. If you’re a student with an Amazon Prime membership you may be in luck for future changes to come.

By NATALIE CHINN Staff Writer Amazon has officially owned Whole Foods for almost a month, and shoppers have started to notice the results of the $13.7 billion purchase. Following the transfer of ownership on Aug. 28, Amazon immediately enacted a change in Whole Foods’ prices.

Produce, such as bananas, organic avocados, organic baby food and organic Gala and Fuji apples was marked down significantly.

The cost of Fuji apples decreased by a notable 43 percent, and they are now $1.99 per pound instead of $3.49 per pound. Salmon, tilapia, ground beef, eggs and butter are also now offered at a lower price.

Amazon Prime replaced Whole Foods’ loyalty program, granting all Prime members lower grocery prices. Members can also now enjoy Whole Foods products on Amazon.com and Prime Now, which is a same-day delivery service.

Furthermore, the grocery store now features Amazon Lockers, where customers can retrieve or return items bought on Amazon. com. Although the lockers can only be found in select stores, this

addition is especially convenient for Prime members.

With a clear goal of reducing the cost of quality foods, Amazon has already brought significant change to Whole Foods.

LS sophomore Sam Bernstein, a frequenter of Trader Joe’s, has taken note of the decrease in prices, especially for apples and bananas in Whole Foods.

“To be honest I’m really surprised,” Bernstein said. “The prices at Whole Foods are impressive and seem similar to Trader Joe’s prices.”

Steinhardt sophomore Andrea Yee is partial to Trader Joe’s, despite the markdowns. Yee noticed that even with the new prices, butter at Whole Foods is still two dollars more than at Trader Joe’s.

“For Whole Foods, I only go if I see a sale and it’s actually good,” Yee said. “I think everything’s still expensive. I can’t afford it.”

At the end of the day, NYU students don’t seem to be fazed by Whole Foods’ transformation and have not altered their grocery shopping routines. For them, it’s all about convenience. LS sophomore Bridget Scott shops at Whole Foods, but only because it’s on her way home.

Although Scott was impressed by the new cost of avocados, she would have shopped at Whole Foods regardless, she said, simply due to the convenience.

Similarly, Bernstein’s loyalty lies with Trader Joe’s. However, he’s willing to give Whole Foods a shot, especially with the nightmarish lines at the Union Square Trader Joe’s.

“Typically, once I choose a grocery store, I stick to it,” Bernstein said. “I like knowing my way around the store and what times to go.”

Email Natalie Chinn at dining@nyunews.com.

Wagamama Opens Doors Next to Third North

By AMELIA MCBAIN Staff Writer

The United Kingdom-based restaurant chain Wagamama opened its second New York location on Oct. 4, just across the street from Third Avenue North Residence Hall.

Wagamama first opened its doors in London in 1992 and has since expanded to 22 different countries. It specializes in fresh, made-to-order East Asian food. The menu mostly focuses on Japanese favorites like ramen and donburi, but it also includes dishes from other countries in that region, like Korean steak bulgogi and the Thai staple pad thai.

The restaurant itself has a very modern look. It is all sharp-edged light wood and dark metal, yet the atmosphere still feels warm and inviting. This could be attributed to the open kitchen,

the upbeat rock music playing over the speakers and the fleet of amiable British servers making jokes as they recommend their favorite dishes.

The head chef of the new location, Vihang Patel, thinks this is a restaurant for everyone to come and enjoy a bite.

“It’s a family place, anybody can come,” Patel said. “It’s very vibrant.”

Patel started working at Wagamama in 2006 as a part-time porter and has worked his way up in the company for the past 11 years. He gave off the impression that he and the other employees genuinely love working there.

This vibrancy Patel referred to shows in the food. Because each section of Wagamama’s menu has its own section of the kitchen, every dish comes out fresh whenever it’s ready. When I ate there, the first

thing that hit my table was the beef brisket teriyaki donburi. It was savory, melt-in-your-mouth goodness mixed with fresh greens, carrots and sticky rice. The donburi was simply phenomenal. The next dish, a side of steamed veggie gyoza, was just as good. The gyozas were grilled on a stove top for extra flavor and crunch.

In accordance with its made-to-order style, part of Wagamama’s ethos is memorability.

“I think the most satisfying thing to me about my job is when I see empty plates,” Patel said. “I think everybody has to leave happy, satisfied and I think they should feel like coming here is worth it. I want this to be memorable.”

Patel definitely hit his goal for the East Village location; it was a very memorable meal. That being said, my dinner ended up being a little pricey for me, totaling about

STAFF PHOTO BY ANNA LETSON

British restaurant chain Wagamama has opened a new location in the East Village across the street from Third Avenue North Residence Hall. The new location offers great food in a modern setting. $25. I will say that it wasn’t overpriced for what it was — both the food and portion sizes were great. However, for a college student on a budget, Wagam-

ama can only be an occasional splurge — but one well worth it.

Email Amelia McBain at dining@nyunews.com.

By ABIGAIL WEINBERG Editor-in-Chief Sometimes, students need guidance in their religious pursuits. Luckily, the 70 chaplain affiliates at the Office of Global Spiritual Life are available to help students practice their religion and to provide information for those who are curious about other faiths.

The university setting is a unique environment for religious expression because students have the liberty to explore different faiths without being tied down to one particular community.

Student involvement varies by faith, but turnout is sizeable even for less commonly practiced religions. Affiliate Buddhist Chaplain Malik Walker said that eight to 14 students typically attend his weekly meditation sessions, and affiliate Hindu Chaplain Sangeetha Kowsik reported that 20 to 25 students were in attendance at a Saturday yoga workshop this weekend.

Chaplains encourage students to approach them with questions, doubts and areas of interest. To give you a sense of the chaplains’ approachability, Walker, an ordained Buddhist monk and black man from New Orleans, laughed and said that he doesn’t wear his robes on campus so that he doesn’t scare people. Kowsik offered me a plate of Indian food and stopped herself from using the expression “til the cows come home,” saying, “I think that’s racist to Indian people.”

Both Walker and Kowsik appreciate the unique opportunities afforded by practicing on a campus, because students experience and practice religion differently from adults.

“I’ve lived in the university environment, so it’s kind of a home for me,” Walker said. “It’s important for me to be in this place, being available knowing that I’ve navigated every level of university life as a student and teacher.”

Kowsik said that students tend to need guidance and structure in their

busy schedules. Although Hinduism is a very individualistic religion, the Hindu Student Center, founded last year as a student initiative, holds different secular and religious events each week to make it easier for students to get involved.

“The Hindu Center is trying to keep it fun and engaging to promote diversity and tolerance,” Kosuik said.

Events include yoga sessions, presentations and an upcoming interfaith Diwali celebration.

Walker also said that faith can be cathartic and accessible for all students, who are undergoing a particularly hectic time in their lives. “[Buddhism] was something that really brought focus to the way I understood myself and what I was going through,” he said. “It helped to quiet down the noise of college life.”

Kowsik also highlighted the environment of exploration that NYU cultivates.

“Being in a university is great because you get to see students who are really open-minded and want to learn,” she said.

Walker encourages students not to be shy about approaching Buddhism.

“You don’t have to be a Buddhist to talk to us,” he said. “Buddhism is a part of the American religious reality that shouldn’t be taken for granted.”

The Buddhist, Catholic, Hindu, Humanist, Interfaith, Muslim, Protestant and Sikh chaplains all practice in the Office of Global Spiritual Life at 238 Thompson St., accessible through the Kimmel Center for University Life, though the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life is located at 7 E. 10th St. Kowsik appreciates the close proximity in which the different faiths practice.

“I like the fact that we’re all stuck together and on top of each,” she said. “Once you interact with other faiths, that’s how you build tolerance, love and respect.”

Email Abigail Weinberg at aweinberg@nyunews.com.

By JORDAN REYNOLDS Arts Editor When religion is discussed in public discourse, one group of people is often left out — atheists. Atheists make up roughly a quarter of America’s population by some estimations, but are often overlooked in religious and political discussions due to the fact that atheism isn’t a religion, but a lack of one altogether. In fact, there is only one politician who openly lists her religion as unaffiliated — Arizona Democratic Representative Krysten Sinema.

However, many NYU students are open and steadfast in their atheism. Steinhardt junior Lucas Solon started doubting his belief in God when he began attending a Catholic school in seventh grade.

“I didn’t feel whatever divine comfort that faith in God seemed to give to other people, and I couldn’t bring myself to fully believe in something with no proof,” Solon said. “This was difficult for me as I didn’t want there to be no God. Losing faith in God felt like I was losing a piece of my innocence and my childhood in the same way one may feel about finding out Santa isn’t real.”

CAS junior Cole Swartz also made the allusion between Santa Claus and God. “Over most of my childhood life until age 15, I was required to attend church

By PAMELA JEW Copy Chief The lines between culture and religion are often blurred as the two become synonymous with one another. Through the yearly holidays and daily practices, religion becomes an integral part of many NYU students’ upbringings. A number of students feel close cultural ties to their religion, citing religious centers at NYU such as the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life, the Catholic Center and the Islamic Center at NYU. Even after studying abroad in London her first year, GLS sophomore Andie Kanaras still managed to find her way into NYU student groups centered around the Greek Orthodox religion, a denomination

regularly with my family,” Swartz said.

“I was raised Christian, and to be more specific, Presbyterian. I never felt the connection which many of the adults, young adults and my peers felt with God during my time attending the church. I wanted to experience that connection because as a child I just wanted to fit in, but every time people talked about their relationship with God, he sounded like Santa Claus to me.”

Many atheists say that they started off as agnostic, but became atheist over time. Steinhardt sophomore Brianna Dishman said she started off as agnostic because for her, coming to terms with the idea that there is no higher power at a young age was scary, especially since she was raised as a strict Catholic.

“I decided that I was surely an atheist in freshman year of high school after doing some deep introspective thinking and realizing that there doesn’t need to be a God or anything to give people purpose, and how that notion of living your life for some imaginary being is completely wild to me,” Dishman said.

For many students, one of the biggest pieces of evidence against the existence of a deity is the ongoing existence of injustice and cruelty in the world.

“If there’s a God, why is [Donald] Trump president?” Ella Azoulay, CAS senior and a self-defined agnostic Jew, said. “Also,

the morality of most theists rests upon God’s command, which determines what is good, even if it increases suffering. If God is omnipotent, then a God whose commands increase suffering is not a good God.” Another common instance that atheists point to is the lack of evidence for the existence of a divine deity.

“I decided to become an atheist simply because of the fact that there is zero evidence supporting the existence of a God,” Michael Lugg, a junior in CAS, said.

“It’s like if you tell someone they have a broken leg, they are not going to believe you unless they see proof of it.”

Others, like Swartz, said that they could not believe in something that has been twisted into an excuse for hatred and bigotry.

“Just because you have not experienced something, doesn’t mean that it isn’t real,” Swartz said. “However, things that are real and tangible are people — people who use and warp the Bible and other religious texts into furthering their own message. I do not believe in any religion because of what people do in the name of it. As a gay person, there are multiple countries who see who I am as punishable by death. All of these countries are extremely religious and I don’t feel that is a coincidence … Seeing so

of Catholicism.

“Being Greek is basically synonymous with being Orthodox, so many traditions intertwine with religion — specifically Easter,” Kanaras said. “I was abroad my first year so I haven’t been that exposed to Orthodox life, but the Greek club is pretty big. They do a lot of fun events.”

Although many students choose to immerse themselves in NYU’s religious student centers and clubs, others keep close cultural ties with their religion outside of student groups.

When CAS sophomore Abhishek Patel lived in India, which has six different philosophies of Hinduism, he lived in Ahmedabad, a city dominated by a sect of Hinduism called Swaminarayan. The city prides itself on conservative values, which

influences Patel to this day. “[In Ahmedabad], they basically regard lord Swaminarayan, who lived around 1800 and was the super swami,” Patel said.

“I was raised in a rather conservative culture that stresses Ahimsa and nonviolence.

I learned to respect animals, which is why I don’t eat meat.”

Some students remember the strong cultural ties from childhood and continue to celebrate aspects of their respective religions although they are no longer religious.

“Nowadays, I identify as agnostic, but I was raised Hindu and still continue to celebrate religious holidays with my family,” CAS junior Vidhi Chadha said. “As a kid, my daily routine was prayer after showering and attending temple. We kept a small shrine in our house that faces [the direc-

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much hatred and vitriol come from a demographic which is supposed to preach love and acceptance is one of the biggest reasons for my atheism.”

At NYU, most who identify as atheists feel relatively comfortable, without pressure to try being religious.

“Religion isn’t really pervasive in [New York City’s] culture,” Azoulay said. “No pressure to decide or believe in one thing or attend services or be part of a religious community.”

Email Jordan Reynolds at jreynolds@nyunews.com.

tion] where the sun rises, which is where your god would face.”

Upon coming to NYU, CAS sophomore, Vice President of Kehillah — the conservative Judaism student group — and third-generation Jewish-American Arin Edelstein found community at the Bronfman Center after leaving her Jewish-centric home in Philadelphia.

“Through the Bronfman Center, I have a whole community of other Jewish students,” Edelstein said. “We’re going to take a trip to the Jewish Museum in a couple weeks as a hangout. Beyond that, [Judaism] is a cultural background that constantly informs how I conduct myself in the world.”

Email Pamela Jew at pjew@nyunews.com.

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EDITED BY ANDREW HEYING OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

EDUCATION

Are Freedom of Speech and NYU’s Global Campus Incompatible?

By THEO WAYT Staff Writer

NYU’s widely-marketed global campus is an important part of its appeal. Though most schools co-opt international points of view, style or language during their sales pitches, our system of international campuses is truly one of the most expansive in the world. As we continue to gather disparate global campuses under a single purple banner, the NYU community inevitably encounters difficult ethical questions.

In particular, as the NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute expands, the department faces a particularly troublesome challenge: restrictions on free speech. Journalists in the United States have a large amount of legal leeway in pursuing stories and, when necessary, can

criticize public figures, corporations, governments and other powers that be, mostly without fear of legal repercussions. President Donald Trump’s neo-fascist anti-media rhetoric has had some terrifying results, though. According to a report in the Hill, 67 percent of Republicans have convinced themselves that the media simply fabricates negative stories about Trump. This report also shows that 46 percent agree with the president’s assertion that the federal government should have the power to revoke the broadcast licenses of news organizations the government claims are fabricating stories. But the fact that I can voice my view of the president as a neo-fascist is important — thanks to constitutional checks and balances, American journalists are, so far, still allowed to speak their minds.

Schools like NYU are responsible for training journalists to stand up to all types of authoritarianism, and to put the right to information and democratic free speech above nationalistic allegiances. However, two of NYU Journalism’s flagship campuses are located in areas that are hostile to free speech: Abu Dhabi, UAE; and Shanghai, China. In light of recent events, and because China’s anti-press sins are more widely known, I will focus on Abu Dhabi.

In the words of press watchdog

Freedom House, “Nearly all media outlets serving Emirati audiences are either owned or heavily influenced by the authorities, and individuals who use internet-based platforms to publicize dissenting views or sensitive information increasingly face arbitrary detention or criminal prosecution.”

When NYU opened its Abu Dhabi campus, perhaps administrators thought that our foreign capital could buy academic freedom.

Just last month, however, an NYU journalism professor was denied entry to the country, which he believes was because of his religious affiliation. In the past, NYU professors were turned away due to academic work critical of the UAE government, and students have experienced internet restrictions. In many ways, the UAE sim-

ply does not adhere to American standards of journalistic and academic freedom.

But how can NYU train journalists within nations that repress free speech? Is it ethical to sacrifice academic freedom for access to these students? On one hand, change in countries like the UAE must come democratically from within, and NYU Abu Dhabi can encourage citizens to think critically about government to a certain extent. On the other, are we doing a disservice to students by passing off a censored version of an American education as the full package? There is no easy answer, but more extensive student body awareness and dialogue are necessary.

Email Theo Wayt at opinion@nyunews.com.

CULTURE

Identifying With a Group Undermines Your Beliefs

By HENRY COHEN Staff Writer Calls to political and social action are common nowadays, as national tragedies seem to appear in the news on a weekly basis. Peaceful protests ending in bloodshed, senseless acts of terrorism and President Donald Trump’s abuse of power have all prompted calls for mobilization.

The general sentiment is that now is the time to define ourselves by what we believe, to come out and identify ourselves with “Antifa,” or the Democrats, or the Feminists, or the “alt-Right,” or the NRA, or any other ideologically-driven institutions for the sake of social progress. While taking political action is necessary

to achieve social change, there is a special danger to joining or identifying with a group that defines itself by its beliefs — doing so can actually undermine the integrity of those beliefs and put everyone in danger.

When people associates an opinion — for example, whether or not the Antifa protesters are justified — with personal identities, it takes on a special significance in brains.

Instead of accepting new or contradictory information on this topic objectively, as they would with anything else, people instead tend to view attacks on their core beliefs as attacks on them specifically. In fact, being attacked on a core belief activates the same parts of the brain that identify real, bodily pain.

Joining and identifying with a group like a political party that defines itself by its opinions elevates these opinions such that they become tied up in status consciousness, internal narratives and, worst of all, passions. When friendships, careers and even relationships are built on shared opinions, those opinions become more than convictions — they become as fundamentally necessary

to our psychology as arms and legs are to our bodies.

This means that joining a group neuters our ability to consider arguments objectively. People who disagree with us become embodiments of everything we hate, not human beings with all the biases and short-sightedness that we ourselves possess, but monsters who seek to tear our identities apart. While being right on an issue is important, it is equally important that this rightness be arrived at by evidence and critical thinking, not passionate loyalty to a cause.

Having strong opinions is not the problem. The problem is believing that only these opinions define us.

Instead of feeling personally at-

tacked by opposing belief systems, we need to judge all opinions in the abstract and reject institutions that ask us to do otherwise. Groups that put forth a “you’re either with us or against us” false dichotomy are extremely dangerous, and they end up creating the kinds of people who feel it is acceptable to assault and murder people they disagree with. These violent people are able to justify their actions because in their minds, they are not acting as individuals, but as representatives of a group. Everyone is susceptible to this kind of crowd psychology, and it must be actively and constantly resisted by all.

Email Henry Cohen at opinion@nyunews.com.

CULTURE

By ALLISON DE LA BASTIDA Staff Writer It is hard to tell whether any of the women who have allegedly suffered sexual assault at the hands of producer Harvey Weinstein will get the justice they deserve. Just take Bill Cosby as an example. Andrea Constand has a court case against Cosby regarding a sexual assault incident that happened in 2005.

Despite several women standing behind Constand and sharing their sexual assault stories — further incriminating Cosby — the verdict was declared a mistrial. Accusations against both Cosby and Weinstein have been archived for a long time,

No Justice in Weinstein Case

sealed with the defendants’ denials. Public outcry broke out against Cosby when comedian Hannibal Buress created the “You rape women, Bill Cosby” punchline in 2014. It is tragic that among several detailed accusations from various sexual assault victims and witnesses, it took a man to pin these allegations down.

The fate of Weinstein’s allegations will most likely be the same as Cosby’s. As California residents, both would serve between 24 to 48 months for crimes that they have committed over 624 and 396 months, respectively. However, their dirty hands will probably never be cuffed. Even if they did

serve time, it would be nothing compared to the trauma several women have to live with for the rest of their lives. This apparent pattern in the justice system when dealing with these sexual assault allegations needs to change.

What makes it even worse is that publications and sources knew of both cases. But publications had several helping

hands trying to cover them up and ensuring no one spoke about it. Sure, Weinstein’s wife left him. He was expelled by the Academy and his company, but the true test is to see whether he can avoid legal punishment. If history is proof, the 36 women who came forward and many other anonymous testimonies against Weinstein will not be enough evidence to bring justice to the victims. Chris Brown violated Rihanna’s restraining order against him, but escaped jail time by playing the favorite cover-up card: rehab. This just shows that no matter how hard women try to get justice, men always seem to be able

to outrun them.

It’s as if fame provides a shield. These men almost never have to face the consequences of their allegations and crimes.

Each time, they continue to live on. They may get a tarnished reputation, but the women are still struggling, still fighting to survive. However, by no means should this discourage women from trying to receive justice. The system, like always, is against them, but this can change. Here is to hoping that this time, these brave women’s stories can prove this cycle of history wrong.

Email Allison De La Bastida at opinion@nyunews.com.

NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2017 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

OPINION

EDITED BY ANDREW HEYING OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

RACE

STAFF EDITORIAL

Universities Must Protect Minorities

By PAOLA NAGOVITCH Staff Writer

Higher education institutions are widely deemed as liberal, progressive spaces where racist outbursts are considered rare or nonexistent. These universities promote the notion that they seek to build an aware community that actively combats racism and prejudice. However, while facilitating a hypothetical campus-wide consciousness of the racial issues that plague our society is a necessary first step, actual policies must be implemented by the universities to protect minority students by preventing and punishing perpetrators of racist violence and discrimination.

A derogatory message was discovered in a bathroom in Elmer Holmes Bobst Library that said, “Hasta Luego Dreamers,” following the Trump administration’s decision to rescind Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This intolerant display follows numerous racist demonstrations across university campuses in the United States. In May 2017, bananas were found hanging from nooses at American University with “AKA Free” written on them. AKA refers to AU’s Alpha Kappa Alpha, a predominately African-American sorority. To name a

more extensively reported incident, white nationalists invaded the University of Virginia campus chanting the Nazi slogan “blood and soil.” This event preceded the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia where a car drove into a crowd of people protesting the white nationalists, resulting in one death and several injuries.

Moreover, the Psi Upsilon fraternity of Cornell University announced that it will close its Chi chapter indefinitely after a black student fell victim to racial slurs and physical assault from a group of white male members. Note that the decision to end the Chi chapter came from the fraternity’s Board of Governors, whereas Psi Upsilon continuously denied the charges.

These racist events rely on an underlying culture of impunity at universities that contributes to the perpetuation of state-sanctioned violence.

Student activists and organizations will continue to protest these displays

of racially motivated hatred, but the lack of repercussions following these events fails to discourage racists from attacking their fellow students. While I acknowledge that universities are not responsible for enlightening racist students to their erroneous and malicious beliefs, universities do have a duty to protect their students from discrimination. By resorting to the usual strategy of just promoting inclusion and tolerance, universities like NYU, UVA, AU and Cornell are ignoring the issue and enabling white supremacy to infest college campuses. This highlights the hypocrisy of universities’ self-promoted commitments to equally support all their students.

Racist demonstrations at universities should not go unpunished. A university’s lack of direct actions against racism inevitably shows that it prioritize the futures of certain students at the expense of the security of other students. Self-proclaimed liberal institutions must realize that they are giving racist students the freedom to predicate their educational success on bigotry. Let’s abandon this so-called all talk strategy and abolish the culture of impunity on college campuses.

Email Paola Nagovitch at opinion@nyunews.com.

POLITICS

Roy Moore and Party Polarization

By ALISON ZIMMERMAN Contributing Writer

“Our rights come from God,” or so is the case according to Roy Moore, the 70-year-old Republican candidate up for election in Alabama on Dec.12 in what is projected to be a tight race.

The special election between Moore and Democratic candidate Doug Jones will determine the successor for Jeff Sessions’ seat on the U.S. Senate. On the election trail, Moore has advocated views that would seem extreme even to GOP hardliners.

He has claimed 9/11 to be an act of God punishing America for its sins, has advocated for the impeachment of Supreme Court justices who rule on same-sex marriage and has even called for the reinstatement of racial segregation in Alabama’s schools.

But what might be most unsettling about the prospect of Moore on the U.S. Senate lies behind the scenes.

Moore has the support of deep-pocketed investors on the hunt for more candidates like him to back in the upcoming 2018 midterm congressional elections. With money

SUBMITTING TO

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and extremists driving party politics, America is edging on a political climate that is not only unsustainable, but potentially destructive.

Party polarization has been a formidable source of instability in recent American political history and the problem is only worsening. In these past few weeks, the growing grassroots populist branch of the Republican party has joined Moore in attacking Mitch McConnell and other members of the so-called Republican establishment, with the support of some of most influential players in the “alt-right.” Moore is backed not only by former White House strategist Steve Bannon but also by billionaire hedge fund investors Robert and Rebekah Mercer, all of whom are on the frontline in

an attempt to push the Republican party further and further into isolationist economics and hardcore social conservatism. Moore is essentially their guinea pig — an attempt to test the scope of influence of the so called alt-right and its benefactors. A Moore victory on Dec. 12 could signal a full-on GOP civil war in the 2018 midterm elections, pitting the establishment against those actively seeking to dismantle the political institutions that be.

With a congress already plagued by gridlock and political tensions nearing the boiling point, we simply cannot afford even deeper divides between the two major parties. For a successful democracy, politicians and voters alike must be willing to compromise and reach a middle ground on divisive issues facing the country. If both major parties adopt unflinching stances at far ends of the political spectrum, our democracy will inevitably collapse.

SLAM’s Recent Protest is Spot On

Of all the clubs and organizations on campus, perhaps the most vocal is NYU’s Student Labor Action Movement. In the past, the club has been successful in using peaceful protesting to obtain a $15 minimum wage for on campus jobs. In addition, SLAM has been actively involved in getting Adidas — who makes many articles of NYU apparel — to pay severances for sweatshop-related incidents. Currently, SLAM is working tirelessly — and has been for over a year — to elect students to the Board of Trustees. Unfortunately, they have not been as successful. President Andrew Hamilton continues to state that placing students on the board would create a conflict of interest. However, as SLAM’s protest yesterday in the middle of Alumni Day and Parents’ Weekend pointed out, this argument is absurd.

Among the listed individuals that SLAM focused on, many have clear conflicts of interest in being on the board. One of those members is William Berkeley, the board’s current chair. SLAM called out Berkeley as someone “who got rich off of predatory student loans and fossil fuels.” Other members with questionable commitments are Anthony Welters, “whose fracking company corrupted and poisoned native communities” and John Paulson “who got rich off of the 2008 housing crisis and the Puerto Rican debt crisis.” The university has not made an effort to dispute these claims. Instead, the administration continues to push the message that students on the board would be problematic, seemingly ignoring the troubled backgrounds of many current members. After all, one of the trustees, John Paulson, has been affiliated with Donald Trump — which may have influenced the university’s reaction towards Trump’s statements about DACA. SLAM’s demands are not unreasonable. Other universities across the country have students on their Boards of Trustees.

Universities such as Ohio University, Purdue University, Southern Methodist University, Indiana University and the State University of New York allow students to be trustees. These universities encourage students to directly participate in shaping their universities’ futures. Students are not disregarded as conflicts of interest because every member of all Boards of Trustees, regardless of position, is explicitly trained to prioritize the best interests of the institutions. These students facilitate communications between the student community and the board. Additionally, student trustees have the opportunity to gain experience in leadership and network with leaders in various fields.

Despite Hamilton’s opinion, students can be unbiased in the decision-making process in the Board of Trustees. This argument sounds like an excuse to avoid full disclosure of how NYU is spending its money. But students have the right to know what is happening — after all, it is our money and our university. This publication has come forward in support of SLAM many times, and it is a shame that Hamilton still does not recognize the necessity of having a student on the board. President Hamilton, there is no reason this should not happen. The Board of Trustees needs student representatives.

Email the WSN Editorial Board at opinion@nyunews.com.

EDITORIAL BOARD: Andrew Heying (Chair), Adryan Barlia (Co-chair), Carine Zambrano (Co-chair)

Email Alison Zimmerman at opinion@nyunews.com.

STAFF PHOTO BY POLINA BUCHAK

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SPORTS

EDITED BY MADDIE HOWARD SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Interview With Incoming Men’s Volleyball Freshmen

By JAN ALEX Contributing Writer

In NYU Athletics, freshmen team members play a pivotal role in the development of each program. Since the men’s volleyball season is fast approaching, WSN interviewed three freshmen on their experiences at NYU thus far and their hopes for the upcoming season.

Washington Square News: What are your names, positions, majors and where are you from?

Jordan Solomon: My name is Jordan Solomon, I’m a setter, and I’m a finance major in Stern from Rochester, New York.

Ryan Radulovacki: My name is Ryan Radulovacki, I’m a middle

blocker, and I’m a politics major in CAS from Atlanta, Georgia.

Lars Engan: My name is Lars Engan, I’m a libero, and I’m from Norway. I’m in CAS and am planning on majoring in International Relations.

WSN: What made you decide to continue your academic and athletic career at NYU? JS: It’s always been my dream to play a sport in college, so that’s part of it. What brought me to NYU specifically is the Stern School of Business. The ability to balance such a great education and sports made it an easy decision. There is no school I’d rather play for than NYU. RR: The opportunity to play at the college level is something I’ve always looked forward to.

NYU also offered a college experience unlike anything else, so it was a no-brainer.

LE: I decided on NYU because I knew that the university has a good balance between academics and athletics. Playing at NYU allows me to play in the [National Collegiate Athletic Association], which I’ve always wanted to do, and being here on the east coast also keeps me closer to my parents overseas.

WSN: What are your hopes and expectations for the season?

JS: I’m hoping that our team can win our conference again this year. Last year we won the United Volleyball Conference, and I’m hoping that we can do that again with the three of us on the roster.

RE: I’m hoping to help build

on our team’s success from last year, namely winning another conference championship. I think we have a lot of potential, and I’m personally excited to see how far we can go.

LE: I really hope we can win our conference championship and continue on the success of last year by competing in the NCAA tournament. I think it’s a realistic expectation given how strong the team is overall.

WSN: What are your personal goals for this year?

JS: My personal goal is to just work hard, earn some playing time and get onto the court.

RR: My personal goals are to contribute to the team as much as possible and to earn my spot on the court.

LE: I want to just get as much playing time as possible and to build on my skills at my position.

Earning a consistent spot on the court is my biggest goal.

What is your favorite part of New York City thus far?

JS: My favorite place in New York city is definitely Joe’s Pizza.

RE: Honestly, I would say the entire neighborhood of the East Village. I think it feels very relaxed and homey, yet it still has all the excitement of the city.

LE: My favorite place so far is probably Sarah D. Roosevelt Park. My roommates and I play soccer there on the weekends, and I really love it.

Email Jan Alex at sports@nyunews.com.

Athletes Juggle Travel and School WEEKLY SPORTS UPDATE

By NALANI OGAWA Contributing Writer

Time management is crucial for the success of any student athlete. Balancing classes, homework, practices, games and lifts all while trying to get a healthy amount of sleep is no easy task. Athletes sacrifice their weekends when they have to travel to their opponents’ home fields for matches, which can be as far away as a three hour plane ride. Especially when the midterms are in full swing, traveling for games and missing classes forces the athletes to plan accordingly and cram in their study hours on airplanes and buses.

The weekend of Oct. 13, the NYU women’s and men’s soccer teams traveled to both Atlanta and Rochester over the course of three days, facing back-to-back games.

“Being a student-athlete poses a real challenge to us as we spend four days on the road during a hectic academic period,” CAS junior Daly Tucknott said. “However, I ensure that I plan ahead and stick to the schedule that I give myself.”

In order to help athletes handle their busy schedules, the Academic Affairs Office provides a multitude of resources, including a planner that is designed specifically for NYU student athletes. The planner includes the dates and times of all sporting events and reminds athletes of ways to contact the AAO if they are struggling with their school work. However, even with a strict and detailed study schedule, handling the stress of classes requires the support of teammates.

CAS junior and goalkeeper Grant Engel is a firm believer in the importance of player support. He shared

Oct.15 to Oct. 21

By TYLER CREWS Deputy Sports Editor

Women’s Soccer

VIA YOUTUBE.COM

Varsity sports players tell what it’s like to juggle school life during midterms season and their athletic life during the semester. some tips on how he and his teammates work toward academic success.

“We manage to squeeze in a few hours of studying as a team where we help each other out, especially the younger guys who are experiencing this for the first time,” Engel said. “We all have midterms this week and are looking to improve our team GPA, a goal we set at the beginning of the season.”

The women’s basketball team faces academic as well as scheduling difficulty when it is in season during the finals period. The team cannot go home for Thanksgiving or

winter break, as its schedule requires players to be present for games and practices.

SPS junior and women’s basketball team member Liv Linebarger has managed to appear in all 27 games for the Violets last season while balancing her academics.

“Basketball helps me structure my days and working out always gets me focused in on my academics,” Linebarger said. “We always go to the library as a team, so it also helps to get things done with others.”

Email Nalani Ogawa at sports@nyunews.com.

The women’s soccer team had a phenomenal week. The team won both of its games on the road, moving its record to 9-3-2.

On Sunday, Oct. 15, the team defeated University of Rochester in a University Athletic Association match in Rochester, New York.

While the game was scoreless in the first half, the Violets came back with two goals in the second half. The first goal was scored by GLS sophomore Isabelle Turner and the second by CAS freshman Tori Bianco.

The team played again on Thursday, Oct. 19 against Stockton University in Galloway, New Jersey.

The Violets earned their second victory of the week, ending the match with a score of 2-0. GLS sophomore Ashlyn Krygowski scored the first goal by deflecting a shot off of a defender and into the net. CAS senior Marquel Love scored the second and final goal with four minutes left in the game.

See the women play at home on Monday, Oct. 23, when they host Centenary University at Gaelic Park.

Men’s Soccer NYU men’s soccer remains winless in UAA play, losing against the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York on Sunday, Oct. 15. This was the team’s fourth UAA game, but it was still unable to deliver.

Rochester scored early, within the ninth minute of the match, and then added another goal in the second half. NYU remained scoreless throughout both halves and lost 0-2.

On Saturday, Oct. 21 the Violets had a much better result, winning

against Lehman College away on the opposing team’s turf. However, this game is not a part of the UAA. The only goal of the game was scored by Stern junior Ricardo Mitrano in the 20th minute, off of a rebound from the goalie.

Men’s soccer plays again on Friday, Oct. 27, at the home turf, Gaelic Park, against the University of Chicago. Hopefully, the team will be able to secure a win in this UAA match.

Women’s Volleyball On Thursday, Oct. 19, the volleyball team had quite a night, closing its home season with a win and quite a show for their senior night crowd. The game was against Montclair State University and ended with a score of 3-2.

The Violets started off strong, winning in the first two sets, but then let the match get close when they fell in the next two sets. However, the team was able to pull out a 15-8 victory in the final set, bringing the Violets to a satisfying win.

The team then traveled to Glassboro, New Jersey on Saturday, Oct. 21 to play in the Rowan University Tri-Meet against host Rowan University and Stockton University.

While NYU managed to defeat Rowan in four sets, it fell to Stockton 20-25, 18-25, 20-25.

NYU competed under the leadership of the acting head coach, Karl France, due to the abrupt firing of former coach Jolie Ward on Monday, Oct. 16.

The women’s volleyball team will travel to Rochester, New York next week for the New York Region Challenge, hosted by the University of Rochester on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28.

Email Tyler Crews at sports@nyunews.com.

NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2017 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

EDITED BY MADDIE HOWARD SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

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a letter i cannot send, no.3

By ANNA LETSON Multimedia Editor intoxicated by my mind and the glass at my lips i spilled the truth and everything locked up inside me. afraid of vulnerability, i gathered my thoughts hid the key in the back of my mind. you know suppression makes things imaginary. you aren’t supposed to remember when the door is opened, when the truth splashes across the carpet and breaks the glass. don’t hold these things against me, because when i sober up, they disappear again. you know suppression makes things imaginary. don’t mistake a window for a mirror, because we are not the same. i gave you everything and took nothing away. you know suppression makes things imaginary

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Exposure: Take Me To Church

By ANNA LETSON Multimedia Editor

Whenever you look up the top tourist attractions or things to do in any major European city, some sort of religious building is bound to be on the top 10 list. Many of the major landmarks across the continent are churches, cathedrals and monasteries. These buildings create a connect the dots map that shows you the spread of various religions, beliefs and empires across Europe and their lasting impacts. Santorini, Greece is known for the sky blue domes on top of the white churches, and Florence, Italy is known for its Duomo. Landmarks like the Notre Dame in Paris, France took multiple centuries to reach completion. Some landmarks aren’t finished today, like La Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, Spain. Finished or a work in progress, places of worship are an attraction for all to appreciate, regardless of religious affiliation.