Congo (DRC

Upcoming Career Service Events

Event:

Date:

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Description:

WestPACS Job, Internship and

Graduate School Virtual Fair

Wednesday, October 21

11:00 am - 4:00 pm

Virtual Event - You can now register at

https://westpacs.org/

This job, internship and graduate school

fair, usually hosting 160-200 employers

across many fields, will be virtual this fall

on Wednesday, October 21 from 11am-4pm.

You can now register at https://westpacs.org/ After registering you will be able to schedule virtual sessions with employers that fit into your schedule throughout the day on Oct. 21. We are hopeful that this virtual event will be of interest to even more students and employers than we typically see in person in Monroeville, Pa. With no need to travel and the ability to work sessions around class schedules, this will provide access to more students.

Check out the Handshake Events Calendar to see a full list of Employers that have already registered to attend. Event:

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Vector Marketing Virtual Information

Sessions

Tuesday, November 3

12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm

Virtual Event

Scottie Brown, Division Manager for Vector Marketing/Cutco Cutlery, will be

hosting 3 Information Sessions via Zoom

to provide students with employment

opportunities.

Email careerservices@washjeff.edu for the Zoom link and we will email it to you, along with an online form to register

Meet the Editorial Board

Diversity Section Editor: Amanda Fitzpatrick

Amanda is a biology and psychology double major and a history minor. She is the treasurer of SAACS, the secretary of SPS, social media chair of German club. She also plays bassoon and canvasses for the Washington County Democrats. Amanda hopes to create “a section representative of the diverse group of students at W&J by introducing a global perspective while addressing the issues that are most important to us, specifically by introducing weekly content on the Black Lives Matter movement.”

Red & Black Established 1909

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Campus News Editor Current Events Editor Diversity Editor Opinions Editor Sports Editor Social Media Manager Website Design Manager Distribution Manager Interim Faculty Advisor

Marcy Saldivar Erin Herock Reilly Oliverio Molly Kilbourne Amanda Fitzpatrick Paul Collier Nick Krugh Grace Depaul Raheem Clemons Alex Wagner Kellin Cavanaugh

9 October 2020 Red & Black Current Events 7 Current Events

WHO to Probe Sexual Explotation by Aid Workers

Lekhya Kollu Red & Black Contributor

On Sept. 29., the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement pledging to investigate sexual abuse allegations against its health and aid officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The statement came after the release of a report by the news website The New Humanitarian and the Thomson Reuters Foundation in

which 51 women accused aid workers from various organizations, including the WHO, of propositioning women and offering them jobs in exchange for sexual favors.

The WHO’s presence in the DRC was due to an Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the country. From August 2018 to June 2020, the organization-controlled efforts to curb the outbreak, which infected 3,481 people and killed 2,299. Over the course of the year-long investigation by The New Humanitarian, allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse were made against men serving as aid workers for various organizations taking part in the Ebola response. Thirty of these allegations were against men affiliated with the WHO. Other organizations named in the allegations include the UN Children’s Fund, Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam, World Vision, International Organization for Migration, medical charity ALIMA and the DRC’s health ministry. Most of these organizations have responded that more information is needed before they can begin their own investigations.

None of the 51 women involved in the allegations knew of any official method of reporting their concerns. Police in the region had heard rumors of exploitation but received no official complaints.

Of the agencies surveyed by the investigation, 18 received no allegations at all in their time in the DRC, and another six received a combined total of 22 complaints. Experts explain this low rate of reporting among women as

Courtesy MinBane

the combined effect of a lack of trust in the justice system, social stigmas and a fear of losing their jobs.

There was also a widespread lack of education in the DRC about the definition of sexual abuse and how to report it. It was only 14 months after agencies had already begun working in the DRC that a network to prevent sex abuse was set up, and its functioning was slowed drastically by low funding from the UN. In future operations, experts suggest possible ways to reduce the instances of sexual exploitation and abuse would include increasing the number of women in senior roles within the operation, boosting funds for local women’s groups that could help women report allegations and increasing transparency around all allegations received.

8 Current Events 9 October 2020 Red & Black Germany Tackles COVID-19 with Three Strategies

Chancellor Angela Merkel meets with scientists to discuss COVID-19 response tactics.

Brendan Troesch Red & Black Staff

Europe is preparing for its second wave of COVID-19 infections while the United States still struggles through its first. Many countries have turned their eyes to Germany whose strategy, while not perfect, has seemingly had one of the highest success rates in the western hemisphere. A slow reopening during the summer months accompanied by widespread caution fatigue seems to be the new cause of a rising trend in coronavirus cases around the globe. German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel is cognizant of the effects of a national shutdown and hoping to avoid another brought on by a second wave of infections. “We want to act regionally, specifically and purposefully, rather than shutting down the whole country again — this must be prevented at all costs,” said Dr. Merkel to the German news source Deutsche Welle.

CNBC International correspondent Holly Ellyatt reports three key aspects mentioned by economist Greg Fuzesi that Germany plans to carry out as the threat of a second wave of the novel coronavirus grows: “A refocusing on existing hygiene and distancing rules, the test-and-trace system and an enhancement of ‘the hotspot strategy.’” She expands on the latter point, stating that a strict 50-person limit will be placed on private events if infections exceed 35 per 100,000 people over a week, decreasing to a 25-person limit should the number of infected people exceed 50 per 100,000, and a 50 EUR fine will be charged to those who give false contact information for contact tracing. Regional and local regulation is also a key factor in the effort to avoid another major national shutdown.

Kim Oberbach, Berlin-native who served as W&J’s Fulbright German Teaching Assistant from 2018-2019 commented on Germany’s handling of the pandemic in her home city: “In Berlin, they’re talking about potentially closing off some boroughs, although I’m not sure how that’s supposed to work.

Otherwise there are regulations requiring those recently returning from intentional travel to a risk area to spend two weeks in quarantine without pay or anything of the like, and the corona test is then no longer free. All in all, they tried upgrading schools’ technology and put a lot of money into it, but that is nowhere near sufficient since we have been lagging behind other countries for years in terms of digitalization.”

The Berlin-based newspaper Tagesspiegel addresses the inconsistency of regional regulatory measures. Journalist Anke Myrrhe writes “For example, those from the [Berlin] boroughs of Mitte, Neukölln, and Fredrichshain-Kreuzberg who booked a vacation in Travemünde

Courtesy iKnow Politics

(Schleswig-Holstein) must, as of today, spend it completely in quarantine… But those who booked a vacation a few more kilometers west in Boltenhagen (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) can enjoy their Aperol Spritz on the beach for two weeks no matter which borough they come from.”

Myrrhe also notes that the reason for the chaos isn’t only the federal freedom to travel (which, until reunification, was not guaranteed for citizens of the eastern German Democratic Republic), but also the fact that the Robert Koch Institute is designating Berlin boroughs individually as risk areas.

Germany has indeed had much more success in its COVID-19 combat efforts as the country bands together to eliminate the disease for the common good. As of Oct. 4, 2020, Germany has seen 2,176 new daily COVID-19 cases, nearly on-par with southern neighbor Italy’s 2,208, but dramatically below the United Kingdom’s 9,279, Spain’s 10,493 and France’s 11,005.

9 October 2020

Red & Black Diversity

Black Lives Matter: The War on Drugs

Amanda Fitzpatrick Red & Black Staff

The War on Drugs can, in short, be described as a war on minorities and the poor. Though it began nearly fifty years ago, it continues to have a severe impact on the lives of Black Americans to this day.

The War on Drugs was led by President Richard Nixon in the 1970s. His administration intentionally classified cannabis as a schedule 1 drug, the same classification held by heroin. The drug enforcement agency was also formed by President Nixon in 1973.

John Ehrlichman, former Nixon domestic policy chief, was quoted saying the following: “The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and Black people. You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities.” With this statement, the War on Drugs was evidently not waged to save people from the fate of addiction; rather, the war on drugs was created with the intent of criminalizing opponents and in this case the main opponent was Black American communities. Continued by President Ronald Reagan, the War on Drugs continued to intentionally target and destroy Black American communities. In 1986, President Reagan passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act through Congress. This legislation appropriated an additional $1.7 billion to fund the War on Drugs.

Imagine what $1.7 billion could have done if used in the right way – combat the school to prison pipeline by improving schools and addressing educational disparities, research addiction and treatment methods, fund after school programs and initiatives to increase student involvement, increase programs to provide housing for homeless people, provide addiction treatment for those who lack healthcare and so much more all would have greater served the supposed goal of the War on Drugs.

However, preventing and treating addiction was evidently not the goal. This $1.7 billion, rather than treat addiction as the illness that it is, established 29 new mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses. Racist ideas continued to distort the nation’s drug policies during Reagan’s America and criminalize people of color. As such, prison populations skyrocketed due to law enforcement targeting Black Americans. While some may suggest otherwise, Black Americans use drugs at similar rates as white Americans – it is the criminalization and racial profiling by law enforcement that results in higher prison sentences of Black Americans.

To enforce his campaign slogan and “make America great again” (President Trump clearly was inspired greatly by Reagan’s presidency here), Reagan recruited Nancy Reagan, his wife, for help. Nancy Reagan created the “Just Say No” program, which many students today may be familiar with from our own elementary school educations. Despite Nancy’s best efforts, the D.A.R.E. and “Just Say No” campaigns ultimately failed in their intended goal in ending drug use in America.

However, all of Reagan’s campaigns were not so innocent. During Reagan’s era, crack was funneled into black neighborhood by CIA with the intent to target Black Americans and decimate an entire generation.

Today, the Drug Policy Alliance, which advocates for an end to the War on Drugs, estimates that that the U.S. spends $51 billion annually on these initiatives. Not only is the U.S. wasting money that could be put to better use elsewhere, but it continues to destroy lives, particularly those of Black Americans.

The War on Drugs is racist and was created with that intention. Communities of color are still being destroyed by these outdated drug policies that continue to target them, contribute to the mass incarceration system and create free prison labor. With the law enforcement and justice system as it exists today, minorities are arrested at a vastly greater rate and receive longer sentences on average. These sentences for the crimes of minority Americans are 20-40 percent longer on average than the sentences of white Americans.

Furthermore, Black Americans are nearly four times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white Americans. Again, this is despite the fact that marijuana is built at roughly the same rates across all races in the U.S. Today, the marijuana industry is dominated by white men and worth billions of dollars with eleven states having legalized recreational marijuana, and 47 of the 50 states allow for some form of medicinal use. Despite these facts, people continue to sit behind bars for nonviolent marijuana possession charges that have historically overwhelmingly targeted Black Americans.

Regardless of the supposed intentions of battling addiction or the hidden intentions of targeting Black Americans, the War on Drugs has failed. In fact, the supply, usage and sale of drugs within the U.S. have all increased over 300 percent since its beginning. Invented to suppress Black Americans, the War on Drugs must end.

10 Diversity Red & Black 9 October 2020 Proud Boys Celebrate Presidential Debate

Bavi Makkar Red & Black Contributor

On Sept. 29, Donald Trump and Joseph Biden participated in their first debate of the 2020 presidential campaign.

This debate has been blasted in the media as the worst debate in U.S. history for quickly becoming nothing but a chaotic crosstalk. However, the debate became even more controversial after the President made his call to violence.

From the beginning of his presidency, Trump has always come under fire for repeatedly downplaying the threat of white nationalist violence and for making comments in support of those people. During an exchange during the debate, moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he would condemn white supremacists. Now, after saying that he “would” denounce white supremacy, he fell short of doing so yet again. Instead, by telling the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by,” he shifted his attention to what he thinks is the radical left.

The Proud Boys are a far-right, neo-fascist, anti-immigrant and male only organization, often in coordination with white supremacists, who promote and partake in political aggression. Becoming a critical moment in the debate, there are severe consequences to his words.

Dr. Karin Maresh stated that “whether he intended for his rhetoric in the debate to come across as supporting white supremacy, the white supremacist groups are interpreting it as so and that is dangerous.” Members of the far-right group have regarded his comment as an endorsement and are taking even more pride in their messages. In fact, by dodging the disavow of white supremacists, his words resulted in numerous online celebrations by these far-right groups who saw it as approval and encouragement. On social media, members of the Proud Boys and similar groups were posting comments such as “Standing by, sir.” They have even fashioned his comments into a logo. His words continue to fuel these hate groups and allow them to further spread their messages.

Jillian Curtis ’23 says that “his divisive rhetoric continues to put American minorities in danger as he fuels groups like the Proud Boys.” Though the federal government has deemed white supremacist terrorism as a serious threat in this nation, America continues to criminalize minorities and manages to put them at the bottom of the system. Trump actively speaks against immigrants and has been trying to suppress the votes of minority groups. Minorites are being killed all around this nation and it can only be the start of something worse as these far-right groups “stand back and stand by” without Trump condemning white supremacy.

Courtesy New York Daily News

Diversity 11 Understanding Heterosexism & Its Manifestation

Sammy Massimino Red & Black Staff

Heterosexism is the discrimination or prejudice against non-heterosexual individuals on the assumption that heterosexuality is “natural” and “normal” expression. There are many ways in which heterosexism pervades our society and individual actions daily. One of those most simple forms of heterosexism is assuming every person is straight. This can be through a simple interaction of asking a woman whether she has a boyfriend, rather than asking if she has a partner.

Another way that heterosexism unfolds in everyday life is assuming that every same-gender couple are just friends and alternatively assuming that differently gendered coupling is romantic rather than platonic. These instances may seem minor to some, particularly those who benefit from the privilege of being heterosexual, but they are what build to more institutionally dangerous forms of heterosexism.

Institutional forms of heterosexism occur often in lawmaking and religious organizations. For example, the GOP’s official platform for 2020 describes marriage as between “one man and one woman” and that they “do not accept the Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage and we urge its reversal.”

Such beliefs, invalidating non-heterosexual marriages as well as assuming that a right such as marriage is even a debate, is exemplary of the extreme danger heterosexism poses to the LGBTQ+ community. The Catholic Church is an example of heterosexism within a religion. Although they have recently determined that the “homosexual orientation” itself is not a sin, they insist that engaging in homosexual acts are sinful. This platform, admitting that such an orientation is natural but insisting that individuals cannot act on it, is especially detrimental to the LGBTQ+ community, making non-heterosexual people believe they are morally wrong for who they are and furthermore endangering them by cultivating animosity for non-heterosexual individuals who are unapologetic about who they are.

Courtesy Human Rights Watch

12 Diversity Red & Black 9 October 2020 Women in STEM Spotlight: Lisa Chadda

Akansha Das Red & Black Staff

Courtesy Inside Higher Ed

Whether it’s the predominance of males, the lack of female mentors in highly technical fields or the little encouragement that they receive, women in STEM have not had it easy.

Despite all this, Washington & Jefferson College student Lisha Chadda ‘24 is excited to pursue a career within the health professions and is planning on declaring a biology major. Though she is only a first-year student, she has always had a deep interest in science and desire to understand how the world around her works.

Chadda has worked to solidify her interest by becoming more involved in STEM activities during her middle and high school years, one of which was Science Olympiad. Along with competing on the team all four years of her high school career, she devoted a summer to the Health Science Scholars Institute with Michigan State University’s Medical School. This experience opened her eyes to the field of medicine and allowed her to examine entire case studies, learn how to interact with patients and even present her own mini research project at a local health fair.

But beyond an academic interest, she has a personal interest in the field too. “I am still learning about all the different specialties that are out there. However, I loved volunteering at a Refugee Education Center in my hometown, and I would love to find a specialty that I can use to help people who have access to limited resources.”

At W&J she is interested in joining the biology club and doing research as her main goal is to gain as much exposure to the health sciences as she can. As hard as she has worked to get where she is today, she recognizes that like many others, she is standing on the shoulders of giants like Elizabeth Blackwell and other female physicians who have paved the path forward.

In her own life, she thanks her parents for being her biggest supporters and encouraging her to pursue what she loves and to work hard to be successful. Additionally, she is incredibly grateful for all her teachers who have taught her to “think critically and keep an open mind” which has given her a “positive and curious mindset” that has helped her immensely at W&J.

Chadda is not blind to the fact that medicine is one of the longest and toughest career paths there is – both academically and emotionally. She says that when she becomes stressed due to all her responsibilities, she leans on her support system to who remind her of what she is working towards. “It really helps to surround myself with supportive people to create a collaborative space where we can help each other out.”

Courtesy Akansha Das

Diversity 13 First-Generation College Students: Meagan Whittaker

Courtesy Bingham Counseling Center

Sammy Massimino Red & Black Staff

Meagan Whittaker ’21 is a first-generation college student, majoring in English and minoring in gender and women’s studies.

First-generation college students can be defined in different ways, but generally the term refers to students from families in which neither of their parents or any member of the immediate family earned a four-year degree.

According to an NCES report from 2018, about a third of college students are first-generation. Being a first-generation college student comes with a unique set of challenges and struggles that can often result in a different experience filled with more challenges than the average college student. Common challenges of first-generation college students include a lack of resources and support professionally,finanically, psychologically and academically as well as the societal stigma of being a first-generation college student that can prevent many from asking help when it is needed.

Whittaker always knew that she wanted to go to college, “I remember being in third grade and knowing I’d go one day. I was influenced by my parents obviously, but that was my dream.” Being a first-generation college student, she had a lot to learn herself. “My high school had a class based on applying to college, which was helpful. But I had a crisis because I had no idea what I wanted to do. I know they say that it’s okay to not know, but I felt like I couldn’t dilly dally deciding what to do because I didn’t want to waste time and money,” said Whittaker. Financial reasons such as this are what brought Meagan to Washington & Jefferson College, who offered the best financial aid package.

Being the first in the family to attend college can be challenging in the lack of shared experience with other family members, often with parents. “My parents don’t understand how much work I have, they think college is easy and chalk all my struggles to poor time management or lying about how busy I am. I feel like some of my peers don’t understand these struggles. I’ve also had to work for most of my college career because I have to pay my own bills by myself.”

Already looking towards the future, Whittaker is worried about college loans and post-graduation plans. “I have no idea what to do. I only really have career services to help me but I have no idea what to ask. It’s impossible to find answers when you don’t know the questions,” said Whittaker.

Courtesy Sammy Massimino