The Hoya: April 29, 2022

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Georgetown University • Washington, D.C. Vol. 103, No. 17, © 2022

Former U.S. Secretary Of Defense Speaks On War in Ukraine

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Twenty-second U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates (GRD ‘74) dicsussed the implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the United States in Gaston Hall.

Shajaka Shelton Hoya Staff Writer

Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine is due to the Russian president’s dangerously obsessive motivations, former United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (GRD ’74) said at an April 25 event.

The event, which featured a discussion between Gates and Georgetown University president John J. DeGioia (CAS ’79, GRD ’95), took place in Gaston Hall as part of this year’s Tanous Family Endowed Lecture. Gates spoke on the prospects for the future of Russia’s invasion on Ukraine, Putin’s motivations in the crisis and the effects on the lives of Americans.

Gates is the only Secretary of Defense to have remained

in office under two presidents, serving under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Gates previously served as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1991 to 1993.

Prior to his work in government, Gates received his Ph.D. in Russian and Soviet history from Georgetown.

Gates said Putin’s motivations are rooted in an obsession with rebuilding the Russian Empire.

“Putin has become obsessed,” Gates said at the event. “This has nothing to do with trying to recreate the Soviet Union. This is about recreating the Russian Empire, and specifically the Slavic core: Russia, Belarus, and See GATES, A6

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Georgetown’s student-run philanthropic South Asian dance showcase, Rangila, returned to the stage for the first time in two years, featuring 350 student dancers and raising over $20,000 for charity.

Rangila Emerges from Pandemic Liam Scott

Hoya Staff Writerr

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angila, Georgetown University’s annual, student-run philanthropic showcase of South Asian dance, returned in person to Gaston Hall following a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following months of preparation, nearly 350 students

gathered to perform an array of South Asian dances to a sold-out Gaston Hall on April 22 and 23, raising at least $20,000 for charity. “Rangila” is Hindi for “color,” a reference to the colorful costumes that dancers wear as they perform dances from countries including India and Sri Lanka.

This year’s show was themed “Revive,” a reference to Rangila’s in-person return following pan-

demic-related delays.

The name alluded to how this year, Rangila focused on rebuilding internal knowledge of the tradition among students and organizers, according to Rangila co-Coordinator Sanjana Malla (COL ’22).

“For this Rangila, the main purpose of it was to bring Rangila out of its two-year hiatus and reset that institutional memory, which I don’t think

HFC Celebrates Three Decades Of Advocacy Work, Sex Positivity Giulia Testa

Hoya Staff Writer

H*yas for Choice (HFC) celebrated 30 years of advocacy work fighting for reproductive justice and sex positivity on campus with a week of events and fundraising efforts.

The organization, a proabortion rights student group, hosted a series of events beginning April 25 to celebrate the group’s work throughout the past three decades. Celebrations included an event recounting the history of the

club, a birth control panel featuring an obstetriciangynecologist and a tabling event where HFC members distributed condoms with slogans riffing on classic Georgetown phrases, such as “H*YA SEX~A” and “MEN AND WOMEN FOR OTHERS’ PLEASURE.” James Moran (COL ’25) tabled for HFC this week and said he has appreciated getting to learn about the group’s past.

“I enjoy the history — we’re able to read and understand

the importance of what we do and we feel appreciated, and I think that’s really nice,” Moran told The Hoya.

Since it’s founding in 1991, HFC has pushed to expand access to quality reproductive and sexual health services on campus, according to HFC President Chloe Kekedjian (COL ’22).

“In the past 30 years, we have provided condoms to the student body through tabling and delivery,” Kekedjian wrote to The Hoya. “We have also pushed the Univer-

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H*yas for Choice celebrated 30 years of pro-abortion rights and reproductive justice advocacy with a mix of fundraising, educational events and giveaways.

sity to continue to cover birth control on University health insurance, and not take the religious exemption under Obamacare. We have delivered free emergency contraceptives to students on campus for 5 years now.”

As a Jesuit university, Georgetown does not provide many sexual health resources to students, including condoms and other contraceptives. As a result, HFC is one of the only sources for students to access condoms, lube and Plan B. HFC Co-Director of Organization and Advocacy Lauryn Ping (COL ’23) said the week of celebrations are meant to both advocate for sex positivity and continue the fight for reproductive justice.

HFC hosted a vibrator raf le for students, which raised funds for abortions in states that have passed restrictive anti-abortion bans, according to Ping. The organizations that the funds will go towards include the Midwest Access Coalition, Fund Texas Choice and the Florida Access Network.

Ping said throughout the week, students can stop by the HFC tables for fun sexual health activities and Georgetown Daythemed condoms. According to Emmie Meisel (COL ’25), who helps table for HFC, promoting sexual positivity in this way enables the organization to reach a wider audience.

“Specialty condoms get people

previous Rangilas had to do,” Malla told The Hoya. “We did revive Rangila back to the same height that it was.”

Because the class of 2022 was the only remaining class that had helped organize Rangila in the past, there was a risk that if Rangila did not happen this year, no one would know how to organize it in the future, See RANGILA, A6

Photo of the Week

JESSICA LIN/THE HOYA

Photo of the Week: Petting zoo on Healy Lawn helps celebrate end-of-semester festivities on April 28.

See HFC, A6

NEWS

OPINION

SPORTS

BLOG

Summer Housing Demands

Ensure Summer Housing

Men’s Lacrosse Triumphs

“Farmer’s Market Farewell”

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GUSA circulated a petition demanding the university offer summer housing to students experiencing housing instability.

The Editorial Board urges students to sign the summer housing petition and calls on the university to offer summer housing.

No. 2 men’s lacrosse prevailed over St. John’s 23-6 on April 23, breaking a conference record for most goals.

UndocuWeek Advocacy

Eliminate Queer Stereotypes

Boston Strong

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Hoyas for Immigrant Rights hosted UndocuWeek from April 18 to 22, seeking to advocate for undocumented students.

Associations between queerness and theatricality should be deconstructed to foster a wider range of individuality.

A loving goodbye to the Wednesday foodie fesitivities here at Georgetown. blog.thehoya.com

Boston bombing survivor Adrianne Haslet crossed the finish line of the marathon where her life was altered forever nine years prior.

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OPINION EDITORIAL

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE

Reform Summer Housing Plan When Axel Abrica (COL ’25) saw a need for more inclusive housing on Georgetown University’s campus last month, he sat down with fellow student leaders to form the Summer Housing Committee.

“We want to have the university have something set in stone in terms of summer housing, each recurring year,” Abrica told The Hoya.

Their work, housed under the Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA), fits into a larger context of Georgetown students solidifying their plans for summer break.

While many students return home for the summer, a substantial number choose to stay in Washington D.C., some in order to pursue a job or internship in the city, and others because they face housing insecurity.

To promote housing equity for those students staying in D.C., Abrica and his team distributed a petition encouraging the university to improve access to on-campus, affordable summer housing. The petition focuses on university-sponsored housing provisions for students who cannot afford D.C. rent, a more accessible and empathetic approach to applications for housing, and a permanent housing plan.

In light of these concerns, the Editorial Board encourages students to sign this petition and specifically calls on the university to improve summer housing accessibility by guaranteeing housing for housing-insecure students and offering more affordable housing for students pursuing internship opportunities in D.C. Permanently implementing these measures will help to alleviate the effects of socioeconomic inequality on campus.

The university offers housing to those participating in summer classes, who are eligible for financial assistance, or local internships.

They also take into consideration the needs of students outside these situations, according to a university spokesperson.

“Leaders in the offices of Residential Living, Student Affairs and Student Financial Services work with students who won’t be enrolled in classes this summer and who face housing insecurity and other challenges, to determine how to assist them,” the spokesperson wrote to The Hoya. “This can be a complex, individualized process presenting a variety of on-campus programs and broader resources available to each student.”

Under the current system, Georgetown students with internships in Washington, D.C., and those taking classes on campus may live in Georgetown apartments and townhouses over the summer for a minimum of $431 per week. They also offer financial support for summer housing through a number of channels like certain on-campus jobs, which directly provide housing, and programs like the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP).

According to Abrica, this isn’t enough.

“One thing that we wanted to avoid was having students be required to do something, for example, take summer classes, or take up a job, just to have access to summer housing,” he said in an interview with The Hoya.

For instance, Esha Sharma (SFS ’25) said she looked to the university for housing as she pur-

sued internship opportunities in the district, but quickly hit significant financial barriers.

“The cost of summer housing is extremely high, often higher than any compensation I could get from an internship,” she wrote to The Hoya. “I ended up switching to applying to mostly remote internships so I didn’t have to worry about funding for D.C.” Georgetown students like Sharma are often compelled by the career opportunities that Washington D.C. offers, and want to apply and accept jobs and internships in the District for Summer 2022. However, even with the university’s current housing options, it is still prohibitively expensive for some, especially those accepting unpaid internships.

Furthermore, D.C. rent rates outside university housing are exorbitantly high, posing yet another financial barrier for students.

There are several internship grants offered through Georgetown, including the Idol Family Summer Fellowship offered through the CALL and the Penner Family Experiences Award. These grants do offer housing or funding intended to alleviate the living costs of accepting low-paying or unpaid internships.

However, these opportunities are limited, and require students to have secured an internship prior to applying.

On the other hand, students who don’t need to take into account factors such as the cost of housing or their chances of getting accepted into a financial assistance program — those who belong to a wealthier socioeconomic stratum — have a higher probability of pursuing these opportunities. Thus, the current systems in place perpetuate these barriers to opportunities that all students at Georgetown should have access to.

Admittedly, offering free and low-cost housing to an indeterminate number of students could be costly for the university, especially given its recent financial woes as a result of decreases in revenue during the pandemic. However, the petition cites the nearly $800 million increase in Georgetown’s endowment, from $1.8 billion to $2.59 billion from 2020 to 2021, suggesting that this may entail an increased ability to financially support students over the summer.

Supporting students the entire year, and not just during the academic year, is essential to creating socioeconomic equity on campus. Offering affordable on-campus housing to all students ensures everyone enjoys equal opportunity to learn and pursue their passions.

Ultimately, education is a year-round pursuit, and prioritizing students’ safety and ability to learn promotes the idea that learning does not stop at the classroom door. Improving summer housing offerings is an essential step toward building a stronger, more supportive community at Georgetown that uplifts all of its students equally.

“

The stigma around women is so potent that they feel that the only way to rid themselves of it is to reconstruct their gender identity entirely — to strip themselves of their femininity and strive to be something other than woman.”

Christina Suh (COL ’25)

“Diagnosing ‘Not Like Other Girls’ Syndrome” thehoya.com

DEEP DIVE

Combatting Our Personal Biases This week, we are diving into Gabriella Reyes and Dr. Victor Fernández-Mallat’s Viewpoint on implicit bias and the role it plays in perpetuating stereotypes at Georgetown University.

Implicit bias consists of innate, unconscious attitudes toward people. These attitudes are often associated with negative or prejudiced stereotypes, repeatedly on the basis of race, gender or sexuality. However, there are certainly strategies we can use to decrease the effect of these implicit biases.

Experts recommend a number of ways to reduce implicit bias, all of which are aimed at eliminating discriminatory or prejudicial behavior toward others. For example, we can reflect on our thoughts and biases toward marginalized groups and replace these negative stereotypes with more positive associations. Another strategy is to adjust

our perspectives about marginalized individuals that we may associate with harmful stereotypes. This may involve changing the point of view from which we analyze a situation and thinking about how we would respond if others viewed them in similarly insulting or harmful ways. Finally, experts recommend that we increase our exposure to people of different and more diverse backgrounds as we seek to dismantle external stereotypes and instead judge a person based on internal character traits.

In an increasingly interconnected world, the Georgetown community has so much to learn from the diversity around us. Incorporating these strategies into our everyday lives will ensure that we create a safer and more inclusive environment that accepts and appreciates all people’s differences and diverse identities.

EDITORIAL CARTOON by Alan Chen

The Hoya’s editorial board is composed of six students and is chaired by the opinion editors.

Editorials reflect only the beliefs of a majority of the board and are not representative of The Hoya or any individual member of the board.

HOYA HISTORY

Block Party Loses GU Endorsement April 26, 1996 The block party originally scheduled for next Wednesday has failed to receive university support, placing its future in the hands of what organizers hope will be sympathetic bureaucrats downtown.

James A. Donahue, dean of students, cited student conduct problems over the last few months as the basis for his April 23 letter to Paul Waters, director of the Washington, D.C. Business and Regulation Administration’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Division.

“I am hereby submitting to you official notification of Georgetown University’s unwillingness to support the proposed student sponsored block party scheduled for May 1, 1996 at 37th and O Streets, NW,” the letter said.

“It is my understanding that, prior to the issuance of the requisite permit, the Alcohol Control Board expects the student organizers to secure the endorsement of the university. [Such an] endorsement will not be forthcom-

ing,” Donahue said in his letter.

Garth Arevalo (GSB ’96), the event’s primary organizer, said the letter did not necessarily cancel the party. “It’s kind of up to the city,” he said. He said it was his understanding that while Donahue did not support it, he would not outwardly oppose the event. Arevalo said he would be attempting today to get the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division to approve the party even without the university’s endorsement.

“I have some grave concerns about the relationship between neighbors and our students as it relates to off-campus events in the last few months,” Donahue said in an interview with The Hoya.

Organizers of the party received approval from the ANC in February, and cited the commission’s unanimous vote as a rare example of students and neighbors working together successfully.

“It is one of the only times that the neighbors have expressed concerns and the students have

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been able to respond to every one of their concerns,” said former GUSA President Ned Segal (FLL ’96), who lobbied for the party at the Feb. 6 ABC meeting. Segal said students and neighbors had come to a consensus on a variety of concerns, including underage drinking, duration of the party and the benefits to the community.

Segal said Donahue’s letter came as a surprise to organizers.

“The university’s support has been implicit since Dean Donahue spoke on our behalf at the Feb. 6 ABC meeting.”

Arevalo said orders for Tshirts were called off just hours before printing and that he was in line for an alcohol permit when Donahue called. “His warning time is a joke,” Arevalo said. “I’ve been calling him for well over a month … and he finally dignifies me with a response eight days before the event.”

Chris Kramme Hoya Staff Writer

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OPINION VIEWPOINT • POULOS

Reimagine Georgetown Extracurricular Life

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here’s a lot that I have learned in my first year of college. For example, attempting to do laundry on a Sunday afternoon is futile and waking up for an 8 a.m. class is not just as easy as it was in high school.

The primary observation I have made since arriving at Georgetown, however, is that its focus on pre-professionalism has created a false sense of seriousness in the activities that are supposed to give us a taste of the real world and help us to figure out what impassions us. My resultant fear of failure disrupts creativity in every facet of campus life — not to mention my potential to mature and adapt. In order to achieve my full potential, I have discovered that treating extracurriculars as extracurriculars rather than careers depletes stress and perfectionism, and I gain significantly more value from the experience.

Over my spring break John Mulaney (COL ’04) marathon, I was struck by his line about his excitement at watching former President Bill Clinton, a Georgetown alum, be elected, because his parents “got to see someone they went to college with become president.” At Georgetown we often see our peers enter careers in public service, finance, consulting and other professional arenas. This manifests itself in an on-campus “mini-economy” that, in trying to emulate the experiences of the U.S. Senate, Goldman Sachs and Deloitte, precludes students from the opportunity to learn and grow.

There is a reason that the President must be 35 years old. None of us have reached the maturity, experience, and development levels required of the person with the nuclear codes. This is not to say that my classmates or even myself won’t ever be fit for the Oval Office, but rather that as long as we have about 15 more years of mandated waiting time, we should appreciate the time and space we have to grow rather than chastising ourselves for not being ready yet.

I’ve come to realize that the standards I set for myself as a perfect Georgetown student — to join the most exclusive clubs, to earn every leadership position, to develop the sharpest resume — are equivalent to those to which I’d hold a CEO or member of the Executive Office. Not only is that incredibly unreasonable, but in expecting so much of myself I

have forgotten the importance of making and learning from mistakes.

In Mulaney’s most direct reference to Georgetown he says: “What is college ... I went and I have noidea.”Ihaveobservedthatcollege ispredominantlypeopleexcessively managing their actions on the weekdays while being troublingly carefree on the weekends. In short, self-discipline seems to matter selectively. In this way, college is a not-so-free trial of life.

Every day at Georgetown I witness students make adjustments on a split second’s notice that would take most adults I know weeks or months to come to terms with. My friends at the Corp rearrange their studies when schedules get shuffled. In the same way, my fellow staffers at The Hoya jump at the opportunity to halt every copy emergency in its tracks. Part of the readiness with which we take on new challenges is the desire to learn from new experiences. However, another equally important aspect is that we understand that we are in a safe space where it is okay for our attempts to not go as planned. On campus clubs are designed to give us a space for trial and error before we enter professional sectors, and when we wholeheartedly embrace the opportunity to fail, we take bigger risks with inherently bigger rewards.

I’ve come to discover that this lesson applies beyond preprofessionalism and into daily life. Unconventional experiences — no matter how small — are almost always rewarding. In my case, learning to bee keep with the environmental club led me to discover a passion for environmentalism. For one of my best friends, joining club basketball became an outlet for stress and socialization.

While hard work pays off, there is no perfect formula for how that work manifests. As I look forward to the next three years, I’d like to think I’ll be able to find the perfect balance between pushing myself to take on responsibilities and realizing that my primary collegiate responsibility is making enough mistakes to learn to avoid them in the future. It’s not an exact science, however, I guess that’s why we’re given four years to figure it out.

ILLUSTRATION BY: REINA LAU/THE HOYA

IDENTITY IN DEPTH

Diagnosing ‘Not Like Other Girls’ Syndrome Christina Suh Columnist

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was 10 years old when I watched “10 Things I Hate About You” for the first time, 12 when I fixated on the enigma of Kat Stratford’s character and 18 when I started despising her for the trope she represents. Kat Stratford was the bold, witty and nonconforming female protagonist who upended the traditional conception of how girls should be, and my impressionable preteen self romanticized her deviance from the historically oppressive mold of femininity that I had internalized.

Kat listened to rock music and wore cool jeans. She casually referenced Sylvia Plath in conversation and voluntarily rejected the practice of dating.

Essentially, she was the quintessential embodiment of the “not-like-other-girls” girl.

This personality was only magnified by the way she was framed as the refreshing antithesis of her softer, more modest, more “feminine” sister Bianca. Bianca catered to the conventional views of how women ought to be and act, norms ingrained by a past rife with political suppression and Anne Poulos is a first-year in societally imposed restrictions the School of Foreign Service. on expression. Such factors

VIEWPOINT • TEEHAN

culminated to concretize a monolithic model for an entire gender, one defined by docility and shallow interests. This model became the assumed standard for all women, and so any sharp aberration from it gave one the privilege of being “not like other girls.”

Among women, there’s a movement that promotes diverging from the reductive archetype assigned to them as a means of reclaiming the identity that has been stolen from them.

The stigma around women is so potent that they feel that the only way to rid themselves of it is to reconstruct their gender identity entirely — to strip themselves of their femininity and strive to be something other than woman.

So they subconsciously repudiate conventional yet entirely valid aspects of stereotypical femininity in order to escape the superficial role that has been universally assigned to them. Often, this is most conveniently achieved by mimicking traditionally masculinebehavior.It’simportant to recognize that most times, this effort doesn’t include overtly making the effort to shake off their femininity but rather, it is a largely unconscious phenomenon that affects the way women perceive themselves. It’s less about trying to get rid of one trope and make it into another, and more about how society continually imposes new overromanticized ideals for girls to try and reach, creating another unattainable standard after

another to replace the old ones.

Therefore, the “not like other girls” trend is not as progressive as it initially seems — it’s simply another iteration of the pattern of conformity to which women are continually subjected.

The “non-girly” girl is just a new paradigm, but one that maintains the suppression of individual differences .

This ideal may change, but society will continue to perpetuate this problem because it hasn’t been dismantled, only restructured. Regardless of its form, coerced conformity continues to persist. Therefore, tropes like the “not-like-othergirls” girl are harmful charicatures that sustain this toxic cycle of anti-feminism, and we must end their societal relevance in order to end the chokeholds that they have on women.

This trend is one driven by misogyny, but masked by the illusion of a glorified wave of feminism. This specific “not-like-other-girls” crusade inherently posits that femininity is something to be ashamed of, and that breaking free from its shackles is a form of liberation.

It prescribes a deviance from typically feminine activities and interests, and everything she does — from the media she consumes, to the hobbies she practices, to the people she surrounds herself with — reveals how much she adheres to it. And when a girl acts in any

way that appears to transcend this reductive baseline of activities, she is lauded for shaking the superficial nature that society has assigned as the standard for the entire gender.

Placing all women into one categorical stereotype and validating them when they prove that they don’t actually belong in that category reinforces a negative connotation with femininity.

This phenomenon creates an aversion to “typically feminine” activities because women internalize the view that these activities are frivolous and engaging in them will diminish their respectability.

These ever-changing paradigms that ultimately create a woman’s reality are not the feminist tools that we think they are.Theyreinforceexpectationsfor how a woman should act, and just because these expectations are no longer passivity and shallowness doesn’t automatically mean they serve as mechanisms of empowerment. Kat Stratford is indeed a dominant woman whom people can admire for her outward strength and candor, but we should also understand that there is room for women to express themselves and their gender in whichever ways are best and most authentic for them.

Christina Suh is a first-year in the School of Foreign Service. Identity In Depth is published every other week.

VIEWPOINT • REYES, FERNÁNDEZ-MALLAT

Deconstruct Queer Caricatures Reckon With Your Implicit Bias

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uring practice for an upcoming competition, one of my captains on the Georgetown Mock Trial (GUMT) team approached me, in front of our team, to discuss a witness role I was going to play. He asked me, “Brendan, you know how you told me that every witness you play is just gay and sassy?” Although I was surprised that he brought this comment up in front of my teammates, it forced me to confront the previously unquestioned observation that each of my witness portrayals had played into gay stereotypes.

I am one of very few openly queer members of GUMT, and by next year, I will be the only openly queer man on the entire 30-person team. These demographics are a byproduct of a culture in mock trial that rewards both heteronormativity and masculinity. This culture is not necessarily the fault of GUMT as an organization, or any of its members, but rather it exists because mock trial is structured to uphold different standards for its queer competitors.

The American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) — the organization that runs college mock trial competitions across the country — relies on volunteers, often practicing attorneys, to judge all competition rounds. As a member this year, I participated in six tournaments, each of which had four rounds and an average of two to three scoring judges per round. The overwhelming majority of these judges were white, male and over fifty, and these shared demographics mean our judges often have similar perspectives on what makes a trial “good.”

Since the judges are predominantly responsible for

determining GUMT’s successes and losses, the team’s practices often consist of discussions weighing how this older, white, male audience will respond to a certain witness line or case theory. Consequently, attorneys on the team regularly curate their performances to fit hypermasculine standards.

Time and again, judges praise our male attorneys for their aggressive tones and commanding presences, whereas our female attorneys are docked points for presenting the same qualities.

Character witnesses, however, usually score highly for their theatricality and ability to entertain. To cater my role to these criteria, I thought playing a gay witness was a no-brainer.

I was assigned to be a witness in my first competition this semester, and along with the attorney I worked with, I tapped into some common gay stereotypes for the character I played. I exaggerated my theatrical mannerisms and wrote that my job was as “a floor manager at Aéropostale,” which became a team favorite.

Although I knew I was playing a caricature, I was proud of my writing and my performance, and I anticipated that the judges would find me funny.

It worked. At the competition, I was regularly ranked one of the top witnesses in each round I performed in, and I ended that tournament with an allregional witness award.

Although I enjoyed the success I received from this witness role, I recognized that this success came from an unfortunate source: I was mocking my own sexuality, because I believed that older, male judges would laugh at the stereotype I was performing.

My success as a gay witness

I

n every arena, from educational institutions like Georgetown University to workplaces, implicit biases can cause people to engage in discriminatory behavior without conscious intent. These biases are often aimed at people of color in the United States and have a harmful impact socially, financially and professionally.

Many institutions, including universities and corporations, are aware of these biases and have made efforts to center their discussions on diversity and inclusion initiatives on implicit bias and its repercussions. However, employment equity statistics still reflect the prevalence of implicit racial biases.

Demographic information from the United States Bureau of Statistics demonstrates clear job equity discrepancies. Black and Latinx people primarily work in blue-collar jobs, which typically are lower-skilled, lower-paid and more dangerous. Furthermore, Black and Latinx people have median yearly earnings of about $45,870 and $55,321, respectively. By contrast, white people dominate white-collar jobs in the U.S., and the educational skill set these occupations require allows white people to have a median income that, at $74,912, is approximately $20,000 more than that of Latinx people and $30,000 more than that of Black people.

It is crucial to acknowledge that these findings reflect symptoms of sticky floors and glass ceilings, which originate in collective biases against minorities and contribute to racial inequity. These job equity discrepancies correlate with implicit biases that remain prevalent in the U.S. They hinder equal opportunity Brendan Teehan is a first- in many areas, including employment leading many year in the College. has also had unforeseen consequences for my sense of self-worth on GUMT. From regularly being cast as flamboyant, “character”-style witnesses, to being asked by one member where to buy “a cute women’s blouse,” (unfortunately, I had no idea), my first year in this club has been marked by feelings of tokenization. I cannot help but see connections between how I portrayed my witness roles and the questions I received about fashion. Although the majority of GUMT tryouts test my abilities as an attorney, I often worry that my next three years in this organization will only involve playing the token gay witness.

Instead, I hope to spend the next three years deconstructing the unspoken association between queerness and theatricality. Although part of the solution involves AMTA diversifying its judging population to include currently underrepresented perspectives, mock trial teams must also recognize their queer witnesses as multi-faceted performers. Throughout the six tournaments I attended this year, I have encountered flamboyant men at each competition performing similarly queer-coded witness roles. Although gay mock trial members are often incredibly talented in caricature-based queer witness roles, and should have the right to leverage their queerness to find success in mock trial, we are also intelligent, hardworking and well-rounded, as both non-character witnesses and as attorneys. And given the chance, we are ready to prove that our worth is far greater than playing a stereotype.

institutions like Georgetown University to establish diversity and inclusion initiatives.

For example, Georgetown has offered continued training opportunities on implicit bias in the community for staff and faculty, required training on implicit bias for all Georgetown University Police Department officers and provided online courses on preventing discrimination through the Office of Institutional, Diversity, Equity and Affirmative Action (IDEAA).

After looking at all of this data, we wanted to test whether Georgetown’s initiatives have been effective in dismantling inherent biases among students, staff and faculty.

To begin exploring this issue, we conducted an implicit association experiment among 96 Georgetown students of varying ethnoracial and gender identities. Participants listened to voices that represent groups of a given racial demographic because they contain phonetic features that are characteristic of these demographics and were asked to make judgments about these voices. We asked these students to attribute each of the eight voices — both male and female Black, Latinx, white northerner and white southerner — to an occupation, which we categorized into lower-paid jobs, like a security guard and a delivery person, and higherpaid jobs, such as a lawyer and a marketing manager. Finally, we conducted statistical analyses to examine latent associations between the different voices and occupations.

The results of our statistical modeling show that the probability that the surveyed students associated Latinx, Black and white southernersounding individuals with lower-paying jobs averaged

75%, yet only 30% for white northerner-sounding speakers.

Despite the steps the university has taken to attenuate the effects of implicit biases, our results suggest that these initiatives have failed to entirely diffuse biases toward minoritized groups on the implicit level in the Georgetown community.

Georgetown must develop more vigorous measures, including the implementation of mandatory implicit bias training for students, staff and faculty, increasing scholarship funding for students of color so that their representation on campus can reach the national average and elevating more people of color to visible positions, such as president of GU, leadership positions in student organizations and faculty department heads.

Requiring completion of the training programs that Georgetown offers through the IDEAA would compel members of our community to consider their biases and promote open discussion.

There must be a more natural and spontaneous conversation around implicit bias both in and outside the classroom, and establishing initiatives that require student and faculty participation encourages reflection, and hopefully, modification and elimination of their implicit biases.

While the university’s policies still have room for improvement, these modifications can be a catalyst for change that creates a fairer and more equitable campus community.

Gabriella Reyes is a Ph.D. student studying Spanish Linguistics.

Dr. Victor Fernández-Mallat is a professor in the department of Spanish and Portuguese.

A4 | THE HOYA

THEHOYA.COM | FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2022

FEATURES

CENTER ON FAITH AND JUSTICE

Profile: Rev. Jim Wallis Advocates For Social Justice Through Faith

Rev. Wallis has worked to bring his ethos of faith-driven justice to the Georgetown community as founder and director of the Center on Faith and Justice.

At Georgetown University, Reverend Jim Wallis explores the intersection of social justice and the teachings of faith, taking action to effect change in the real world.

Alex Brown

Special to The Hoya

W

hen Rev. Jim Wallis, director and founder of Georgetown’s Center on Faith and Justice (CFJ), co-authored a letter urging the Russian Orthodox Patriarch to oppose the invasion of Ukraine, he put faith into action for social justice.

“Now, how religion responds to power is really important,” Wallis told The Hoya. “And Dr. King said it best. He said, I want to remind the church that we are not the master of the state, or the servant of the state. We are the conscience of the state, not the master, not the servant, but the conscience.”

Wallis co-authored the letter alongside fellow church leaders in response to sermons from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow supporting Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. This marks another step in his lifelong mission of promoting the union of justice and faith.

“I like faith better than religion — what faith means, and how faith and justice are integral to each other, how they belong together, and how if you have faith without justice, it can become very private, and very personal and even very tribal,” said Wallis.

At Georgetown, Wallis engages students with issues at the intersection of religion, race and society. Raised in Detroit, Michigan, by an Evangelical family, Wallis began advocating for social justice after encountering segregation in his city.

He continued participating in anti-war and civil rights protests during his time at Michigan State University (MSU). He then attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS), served in Obama’s cabinet and taught at Harvard.

Wallis, a lifelong anti-war and anti-racism advocate, has strengthened the relationship between justice and faith through his journalism, political activism and teaching. After working at “Sojourners” for 50 years, a monthly magazine on religion and politics, Wallis joined the CFJ in 2021 as its founder to foster dialogue and advance action for change. Wallis said he hopes to continue inspiring a generation of activists during his time at Georgetown.

Justice and Jesuit Values Wallis founded the CFJ In 2021. The Center focuses on the relationship between faith and civic life in relation to racism, poverty, peace and justice.

Wallis established the CFJ to integrate faith into discussions about the fundamental problems with society. To Wallis, Christianity is linked with engaging social justice.

“Repenting in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity doesn’t mean feeling sorry or guilty. It literally means turning around because you’re going in the wrong direction,” Wallis said.

“Everything, whether it be

criminal justice, and education, the economy, housing, healthcare, we’ve got to turn things around.”

Isabelle Picciotti, assistant to the director at the CFJ, said that the center’s autonomy from other Georgetown institutions allows it to engage more broadly with students and off-campus organizations to advance social justice.

“We’re standalone, and so that provides us with the opportunity to work directly with students, with community groups, with outside members,” Picciotti said in an interview with The Hoya.

“We’re actively working with members of Congress to push forward the hopes and dreams that people have brought to us at the center. So in a nutshell, it was organized to address questions and needs that people on campus had.”

Wallis believes that justice is the manifestation of faith in action as it works to enact virtuous change in the real world.

“Without justice, faith becomes privatized. And yet, justice without faith or some kind of sense of moral conscience can become, just finally, so angry. And so it’s easy to get angry.

I’ve been angry for 50 years. And it can turn into resentment and anger and retribution, even revenge,” Wallis said. “Justice and faith can complete each other.”

Principles such as being “men and women for others” — in other words, serving the common good — are emphasized throughout the center, Picciotti said, which can motivate students to take a stand for issues they care about.

“We are trying to both share our work but then inspire them through our work for this idea of magis, for this idea of being men and women for others,” Piciotti said. “How do we take our own skills and our own resources and best apply those to others?”

Wallis hopes that the center can foster advocacy within students.

“Georgetown is the kind of university that could help provide leadership for such a student movement around the country,” Wallis said.

Each month, Wallis hosts a forum for nationwide faith leaders to discuss current sociopolitical issues. Topics range from international problems, like the war in Ukraine, to domestic issues, like voting rights challenges. Usually a space for dialogue, the American faith leaders believed they could affect tangible change by condemning Kirill’s actions in a letter.

Wallis said his letter to the Russian patriarch had three goals: stopping the war in Ukraine, supporting democracy in the face of autocracy and exploring the role of religion in shaping a peaceful future.

Social justice involves putting values to action to affect larger

social change, which Wallis said this letter exemplifies.

“Churches can always be pastoral, which is good, taking care of the victims, comforting, consoling, loving people, what I call pulling bodies out of the river,” Wallis said. “We’re good at that. But sometimes you got to go upstream and see what or who is throwing them in.”

A Crisis of Faith

Wallis, who grew up in Detroit in the 1950s and 1960s, was raised by Christian parents. As a teenager, Wallis found an interest in politics and the news, and started to question the differences between the experiences of white and Black people living in Detroit.

“I was listening to my city — you know, just reading the papers — and you’re in the news and having conversations and something really big, seemed really wrong,” Wallis said. “And nobody in my white world would talk about it.”

In search of answers to the questions that had been plaguing him, Wallis approached his own church leaders. Wallis said he was not given clarity on the disparities between his white upbringing and the experiences of his Black neighbors.

“I asked these questions of my church — why it seems like we live in white Detroit very differently than people do in Black Detroit,” Wallis said. “They said, ‘You’re too young to ask those questions. When you get older, you’ll understand’ or they said, ‘I don’t know, it’s always been that way. I don’t know.’ So I decided to go to the city to get some answers.”

During the ’50s and ’60s, discriminatory housing laws separated Black neighborhoods from white suburbs, fostering discrimination and inequality in the city of Detroit.

Wallis said he took jobs in Detroit to raise money for college, which allowed him to work alongside people from diverse backgrounds, opening his eyes to the lived experiences of his Black co-workers and neighbors.

Wallis said an elder in his childhood church took him aside after learning that he had been spending time in the city alongside Black coworkers.

“He said, ‘Son, you have to understand. Christianity has nothing to do with racism.

That’s political. And our faith is personal,’” Wallis said. “That was the night that I lost my faith in my head and in my heart. Because this thing that was ripping me apart, tearing me up — if my faith has nothing to do with that, then I want nothing to do with my faith.”

After losing touch with his faith, Wallis attended MSU from 1966 to 1970, earning his undergraduate degree in Social Science.

“I left my home church — my faith — and I went to Michigan State. And I began to organize.

And so I became involved in the movements of my generation,” Wallis said.

While at MSU, Wallis protested against the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. Alongside other student activists, Wallis debated State Department representatives about the truth of the war, marched on the Michigan capitol and participated in a nationwide student strike in 1970.

“I became involved in the movements of my generation, but I wasn’t a Christian,” Wallis said. “In college, I was organizing. And after years of organizing and those were days when you know, the police were all over you. And I had death threats in my dorm at night from the right wing and tear gas at lots of demonstrations.”

Despite the danger associated with protesting, Wallis felt drawn to the cause of activism.

“In the middle of that, I began to think about what I want the rest of my life to be,” Wallis said.

“And I just decided to be an activist to change the world.

But I needed some foundation, some basis for that.”

Activism in Action

not going to support a school that lets people like that in.’”

The group of students also created and distributed “The Post-American”, a quarterly that expressed their views on politics from an Evangelical Christian lens, each student donating $100 of their tuition money for the following semester to finance its publication. The quarterly’s cover displayed a sculpture of Jesus with an American flag draped over it.

“The cover line that I chose was, ‘And they crucified you,’” Wallis said. “That controversial cover got some attention, and it went around the country.”

Wallis and the other students involved in the project moved to Washington, D.C., in the fall of 1975, later adopting the name “Sojourners,” which refers to the biblical metaphor of God’s people as pilgrims committed to his message.

“Sojourners” became a monthly magazine focused on faith, politics and culture.

The magazine also served as a faith-based community that organized national events on behalf of peace and justice programs to support the District community.

Wallis, who spent 50 years leading the organization from 1971 to 2021, said it became his life’s work.

“I was a follower of Jesus and I went to seminary just to get my faith grounded, and then I was gonna go into probably law and politics, but I was at seminary when all the things of what became Sojourners just started,” Wallis said. “And for a few, and then a movement started. And that was the rest of my life.”

Wallis continued to be involved in activism at the intersection of faith and justice. In 2009, Wallis was appointed faith advisor to Obama, whom he had befriended during Obama’s time as a state sena-

tor. Additionally, he served on Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-based Organizations and Neighborhood Partnerships, a group of faith leaders committed to serving vulnerable populations.

Wallis said Obama had to send a representative to personally escort him to the Oval Office after his name appeared on the Secret Service’s security list because of his past arrests during protests on the White House, including the 1989 organized prayer for six Jesuits murdered in El Salvador.

“A small group of us faith leaders were in security,” Wallis said. “All the others got in, and I couldn’t get through security.”

While serving on the council, Wallis helped to make recommendations to the White House Task Force on Economic Recovery and Domestic Poverty, encouraging the Obama Administration to expand educational opportunities, welfare benefits and job training through faithbased organizations.

Despite his advisory role in the Obama administration, Wallis said it is key for religious advisors to remain ideologically independent from political leaders.

“We should be an interrogator. We should be prophetic,” Wallis said. “We should be an independent voice, no matter who’s in power.”

At Georgetown, Wallis said he hopes to use this independent voice to impact policy.

“How do we take Jesuit values into public policy?”, Wallis said. “I want the Center to be a hub for that conversation.”

Wallis said he urges students to get involved in this conversation and create change.

“I say to students, you’re smart enough, not just to manage that system, but to change it,” Wallis said. “See how you can change it.”

Wallis began to search for a philosophical basis for his activism. He read the works of philosophers Ho Chi Minh, Che Guevara and Karl Marx, but was left unsatisfied.

Wallis found himself returning to the New Testament.

While he had read the New Testament as a child, he said reading it through the eyes of an older and more experienced adult put more weight on the passages and their meanings.

Wallis said one passage in the New Testament converted him back to his faith: Matthew 25:40. In the passage, Jesus equates his followers’ love for himself to their care for the poor, sick and marginalized.

“Jesus says, ‘As you’ve done to the least of these, the marginal, poorest, as you’ve done to them, you have done to me,’” Wallis said. “‘I’ll know how much you love me by how you treat them.’

That, to me, was the most radical thing I’d ever read.”

Wallis’s desire to ground his new faith and enact change led him to Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS), which he notes was a predominately white and conservative seminary where he studied from 1970 to 1972.

While at TEDS, Wallis continued speaking out against the war in Vietnam, leading a group of 10 students to mobilize and strike. The group drew the attention of the Chicago Sun Times, which began to cover their activities.

“It apparently cost the seminary a million dollars in lost contributions,” Wallis said.

CENTER ON FAITH AND JUSTICE “We were called the radicals — Rev. Wallis has supported anti-war and anti-racism the radicals at Trinity, speaking movements throughout his career.

At Georgetown, he up and out organizing other students and they said, ‘We’re hopes to inspire his students to do the same.

THE HOYA | A5

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2022 | THEHOYA.COM

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Inside Look at Earth Day Spring Clean-Ups

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Your news — from every corner of The Hoya

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That’s how science works, you have to take little tiny steps.” @MAYORBOWSER/TWITTER

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) encouraged residents to attend spring cleanups held in all eight wards throughout the District on April 23 in honor of Earth Day.

Professor of Oncology and Medicine Priscilla Furth on breast cancer research.

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Georgetown students joined environmental activists in a strike demanding swift climate action. Story on A9.

Number of Unhoused Individuals GUSA Petition Demands Permanent In the District Reaches 17-Year Low Summer Stability Housing Solution Minoli Ediriweera City Desk Editor

The number of individuals experiencing homelessness in Washington, D.C. has hit a 17year low, with a 13.7% decrease from last year.

District Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced the results of the 2022 Point in Time count (PIT) April 21, an annual census conducted by the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness that measures the amount of individuals experiencing homelessness in the District. This year, the PIT results show that 4,410 persons are currently experiencing homelessness, and that chronic homelessness has declined 26% among families and 22% for single adults.

Mayor Bowser said the decline in individuals experiencing homelessness can be attributed to the implementation of Homeward D.C., a program designed to end long-term homelessness in the District, according to an April 21 press release.

The program aims to transform the service system for families experiencing homelessness, which has now declined 78% since the District government implemented the program. After closing the D.C. General homeless shelter in 2018, the program helped to open several short-term family housing shelters with a wider array of services across D.C. The decrease in reported individuals experiencing homelessness is also due in great part to the work of local homeless outreach programs, such as Pathways to Housing D.C., according to Bowser. Pathways to Housing helps serve over 3,500 unhoused individuals overcoming mental illness, substance abuse or other serious health issues every year.

The 2022 PIT count demonstrates that investments in the right programs and advocacy groups can help make homelessness a solvable problem, according to Monica Harrington, the

director of institutional advancement at Pathways to Housing D.C. “The most significant success was the 22 percent decrease in chronic homelessness, especially after years of seeing this number increase,” Harrington wrote to The Hoya. “It is the most telling sign that the work and resources are making a difference.”

One of Bowser’s main focuses throughout her last term has been fighting to end homelessness. While the closure of D.C. General and opening of family shelters was met by praise following continued calls from homeless advocates for its cessation, other programs created during her administration have drawn criticism. Residents in the rapid rehousing program, which provides subsidized housing for 12 to 18 months to individuals experiencing homelessness, have said that the program has left many facing eviction after their subsidy runs out.

Other local advocates questioned the accuracy of the PIT count, saying that the official measurement only includes those living on the streets or in the sheltered system for one set day, failing to include people who live in their car, couch surf, or are in a “doubled-up” crowded household.

Mayor Bowser’s proposed FY23 budget will focus on investing in solutions that will combat the current issues in programs for unhoused individuals, according to D.C. Department of Human Services Director Laura Green Zeilinger.

This will include $31 million to end chronic homelessness and $114.6 million to modernize and renovate existing homeless shelters.

Zeilinger said one of the most important parts of combating homelessness in the District is to treat unhoused residents with dignity and respect.

“While I am proud of the work we do to connect Dis-

trict residents to affordable housing, I am especially proud of the system by which we welcome people home – it’s a system consistent with our District values in that it is centered in human dignity,” Zeilinger said in a press release. “Our residents are deserving of a safe and stable place to call home and we are dedicated to making that vision a reality.”

Despite the decline in reported individuals experiencing homelessness, Harrington said there is still work to eliminate homelessness in D.C. “We need to acknowledge where there are still cracks in the system, especially for veterans where we saw a rare spike in homelessness (up 11%), aging populations, returning citizens, and for those who are experiencing mental health and substance use challenges,” Harrington wrote.

Other local advocacy groups include the D.C. Coalition for the Homeless, which seeks to provide temporary housing, food, employment placement and substance abuse counseling to at-risk individuals, and Thrive D.C., which offers services such as meals, computer access, employment assistance and transitional housing.

Local leaders are relying on the 2022 PIT count to highlight which demographic groups are disproportionately impacted by homelessness, according to Harrington.

“We need to continue to embed race equity across all D.C. efforts to ensure that housing is affordable and accessible, especially to generations of native Washingtonians,” Harrington explained. “We need to repair the harm and trauma of homelessness that disproportionately impacts people of color. We need to make sure that homelessness is rare.”

Adora Zheng

Senior News Editor

The Georgetown University Student Association (GUSA) released a petition demanding the university provide summer housing for students with housing insecurity.

The petition, which was released by the GUSA Summer Housing Committee on April 25, demands the university immediately establish summer housing for students in need, provide adequate food and utilities for students who are given housing and create a permanent summer stability housing system. As of April 28, 308 students, five faculty members and 17 student organizations have signed on to the petition.

Georgetown has a duty to ensure all of its students have access to housing for the summer, according to the petition.

“As students at Georgetown, an institution which hosts one of the wealthiest student bodies in the world, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that no Hoya need worry about access to safe and stable housing during the summer,” the petition reads.

The Georgetown Scholars Program currently provides a sponsorship for summer housing, but GUSA Socioeconomic Advocacy Chair Axel Abrica (COL ’25) said the program does not have enough spots to accommodate all the students who require housing. Other organizations on campus like Residential Living and the Center for Social Justice offer housing for student workers, but Abrica said the committee wanted housing insecure students to not be forced to apply for a job.

Ace Frazier (MSB ’24), a member of the committee, said they have been provided free summer housing in the past through their job as a Residential Living manager.

“They gave me my own living space with an apartment, so I didn’t have to really pay for anything — I was lucky in that aspect,” Frazier said.

Frazier said creating a system of consistent summer housing

support would benefit all students.

“You never know what’s going to happen because anyone can become homeless or not have parents the next day — that’s my personal situation, and anyone can end up in a situation of abuse,” Frazier told The Hoya. “Having summer housing is more than just for the people who need it right now. It could also be for you, so I think that this is an issue that reaches every student.”

GUSA Senator and Housing Committee member Joshua Anderson (COL ’25) said GUSA released a petition to pressure the university into acting on summer stability housing issues.

“Drafting a petition was not our first option, but our committee collectively agreed that it was the best option given the lack of progress in securing summer housing,” Anderson wrote to The Hoya.

“We also hope it helps to bring us to the table with University leaders in the coming days.”

GUSA has pushed the university to provide summer stability housing in years past, especially after the university raised summer housing costs from $1,500 to $4,485 in 2021.

Abrica said a permanent summer stability housing plan will help ease many students’ anxiety about where they will live for the summer each year.

“Every single year, we have to keep doing the same thing and advocate for free summer housing,” Abrica said in an interview with The Hoya. “What is different about our initiative is that we want to make this permanent, so that future generations of GUSA students and advocacy groups on campus don’t have to go through this again.”

A university spokesperson said the university is working with GUSA and housing insecure students to find a solution.

“We are in the process of discussing this issue with students who have expressed an interest, including GUSA representatives,” the spokesperson wrote. “Leaders in the offices of Residential Liv-

ing, Student Affairs and Student Financial Services work with students who won’t be enrolled in classes this summer and who face housing insecurity and other challenges, to determine how to assist them.”

Abrica said the group hopes to create a streamlined application process that students can use to request summer housing.

“We don’t want students who fill out the application to have to basically pour out their trauma on the page,” Abrica said. “We want students who fill out the application to maintain their own sense of dignity as they’re doing it and not feel indebted to the school.”

Earlier this semester, the GUSA senate passed a resolution written

by Abrica and GUSA Director of Student Inclusion and Diversity Jaden Cobb (COL ’25) demanding many of the same things as the petition, including a permanent summer housing system. Abrica said GUSA decided to move forward with the resolution and petition after over 100 students expressed their need for summer housing in a survey released by the GUSA Inclusion and Equity team in early March.

While GUSA resolutions like these express important student perspectives, the university is not required to act on them, according to the spokesperson.

“The continued safety and security of our students is a top priority for the University,” the spokesperson wrote.

“We appreciate GUSA’s advocacy in that area.”

Anderson said all students should sign the petition as every signature matters.

“For every person that signs the petition, our movement toward establishing housing becomes more credible, more robust,” Anderson wrote. “When you sign the petition, you’re not just offering your support for marginalized communities, but telling the University that you see the problem, and you expect it to be fixed.”

Georgetown Professor Helps Raise Over $22 Million for Ukraine Shajaka Shelton Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown University biology professor Maryna Baydyuk (MED ’10) is working to provide humanitarian relief to Ukrainians through her rapidly expanding nonprofit organization, United Help Ukraine.

Baydyuk founded United Help Ukraine following Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea.

After Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, donations to United Help Ukraine have skyrocketed, according to Baydyuk, who said the organization has raised over $22 million and spent nearly $15 million supplying humanitarian aid and medical supplies to Ukraine.

Baydyuk also said the organization has gained more volunteers both in the United States and Ukraine.

“We grew pretty large — in the past two months, we’ve also increased the number of our volunteers here in the U.S., but also in Poland and Ukraine,” Baydyuk told The Hoya.

Baydyuk was born in Ukraine and lived there with her family until she moved to the United

States to finish her undergraduate studies in 1998. Though her mother and sister evacuated their family home after Russia began its invasion, her father remains in Kyiv.

Baydyuk said she continues to hear about the deaths of her friends and loved ones in Ukraine.

“My family home is outside of Kyiv, and part of it was destroyed,” Baydyuk said. “A very good friend of ours who we let stay in our house — a young man who just proposed to his fiancee not long ago — a rocket or grenade hit the house, and he died.”

Russian missile and air strikes have led to a total of 5,264 Ukrainian civilian casualties, according to an April 21 report by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.

Since the invasion began, the Georgetown community has rallied in support of Ukraine by providing medical aid and training to Ukrainians abroad, organizing protests and demonstrations in support of Ukraine and inviting speakers to raise awareness for the ongoing crisis.

Ukrainian students have been grateful to receive support from the Georgetown

community, according to Andrii Sendziuk (MSB ’24), a Ukrainian student and organizer for student activism group Stand With Ukraine GU. “When we are organizing, we are expecting a specific response, and in all cases, we’ve seen the response is better than we expected,” Sendziuk told The Hoya. “Beginning from tabling and rallies, people would come up, people would ask questions. What I also really liked is that people would spark conversation.”

However, Ukrainian Hoyas have found that conversation on the crisis has died down over the past two months, according to Sendziuk.

“With previous wars, and other things that have happened in the past, the trend is, when it’s happening, people pay attention,” Sendziuk said.

“People talk about it, but then it usually really dies down within like a month or so. And that’s what we’ve seen with Ukraine.”

To keep the momentum going, Sendziuk said Ukrainian Hoyas are continuing to spread the word about ways non-Ukrainian members of the Georgetown community can get involved.

“Stand With Ukraine GU posts regular updates in terms of rallies, in terms of tabling — stuff like that — and you can always get involved,” Sendziuk said. “Second thing you can very tangibly do is reach out to your representatives.

And, most importantly, I would just say stay on top of what’s going on because it’s very easy to get drawn behind.”

Baydyuk spoke at the rally Stand With Ukraine GU put on March 2 and said she appreciates the support she has gotten from students.

“The rally was well organized by some of the Ukrainian students, but also others who wanted to support Ukraine,” Baydyuk said. “Students have been really supportive all this time in understanding the situation.”

Fellow Ukrainian student Inna Cherniak (SFS-Q ’23) said the most important thing nonUkrainians can do is listen to Ukrainian voices in the conversation about the ongoing crisis.

“I really appreciate centering Ukrainian voices and just letting them be heard, because people who’ve been affected by war can speak from their own perspective.

It’s been beneficial for us, but it’s also beneficial for those who listen because they can get a wider outlook,” Cherniak told The Hoya. “It is our responsibility — the responsibility that we didn’t ask for, the responsibility that we just assume as Ukrainians — to keep the word going.”

Beyond the solidarity demonstrated by Americans in the

wake of the invasion, Baydyuk said the community can do more.

“Yes, the American government has supported Ukraine tremendously, and I know Ukrainian people are very grateful for that,” Baydyuk said.

“But, can we do more as a community? Can we do more as a country? As a Ukrainian ally?

Absolutely, yes.”

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

Georgetown Professor Maryana Baydyuk has aided fundraising efforts for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

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Gates Warns of Prolonged Ukraine Student-Run Philanthropic South Conflict in Discussion with DeGioia Asian Dance Showcase Returns RANGILA, from A1

@GEORGETOWNUNIVERSITY/INSTAGRAM

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nationalist mentality means he is unlikely to reach a compromise with Ukraine, Robert Gates said at an April 25 event.

GATES, from A1 Ukraine. He believes that these are all one people and they all belong to one entity.”

Much of Putin’s motivation in the Ukrainian invasion comes as a result of Putin’s Russian imperialist belief that Russia and Ukraine are one country, bound by a shared origin. Putin believes that the only way for Russia to become itself is through the annihilation of Ukraine, denying Ukraine’s independent history and national identity.

Gates said that Putin views Ukraine as a way to regain Russian supremacy in Eastern Europe, a frightening reminder of the strength of authoritarianism at this time.

“In a way, he has reached back to the mid-19th century from Russia,” Gates said. “We thought in the early ’90s, democracy would prevail, that democracy has become stronger than authoritarian governments, but clearly we had just convinced ourselves of that.”

In opposition of Putin’s nationalist determination, Gates said American politicians have united to sanction Russia, which may provide a glimpse into further

cooperation between opposing political parties.

“Putin has accomplished what no living being has accomplished, bringing the Democrats and Republicans together,” Gates said. “Truth is from left to right, you have really strong bipartisan support for the United States in doing what’s best, and maybe I’m just a bit optimistic — but this may lead to broader bipartisan cooperation on other issues of national security.”

Lawmakers from across the aisle have shown support for Ukraine both Republican and Democrats pushing to provide more military assistance to the country.

According to Gates, the U.S. government’s ability to unite global leaders in retaliation against Russia and support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has shown the strength of international institutions.

“I think they’ve done a really good job, with the way they get the NATO coalition to unite and deliver these severe sanctions is an extraordinary thing,” Gates said.

Gates also said the invasion of Ukraine will have negative effects on the U.S economy, including on the price of food.

according to Syona Hariharan (SFS ’22), one of Rangila’s three coordinators.

“The stakes were high,” Hariharan told The Hoya.

“It was a challenge for us because there was no institutional knowledge.”

The relative lack of institutional knowledge among the organizers was also reflected among Georgetown’s broader community. Typically, around 700 students sign up for about 350 existing spots, Hariharan said. This year, only around 400 students signed up, which was likely because fewer Georgetown students knew about Rangila this year than in previous years, according to Hariharan.

For many months, it looked like Rangila would not happen this year at all, according to Hariharan. Because of the pandemic, Hariharan said holding Rangila in the fall, when the show is typically held, was not possible, and it wasn’t until mid-January that Georgetown’s South Asian Society, which oversees Rangila, found out that the showcase could take place in April.

That condensed a typical preparation period of about seven months into only three months, but Hariharan said it was all worth it.

“That might have been the coolest thing I’ve ever done. I’m really proud of the work we did to bring it back,” Hariharan said. “I wish I could do it again. I would do it every year if I could.”

Cate Walter (COL ’25), who has a background in ballet, attended the show and said the performance was very clean, something she said is hard to achieve with such a large group

and with dancers who don’t have much dance experience.

“I feel like I have a more critical eye as a dancer, and I was still really impressed by all of the pieces,” Walter said. “All of the movement was super different from everything that I’m used to, but I actually definitely want to do it next year.”

Walter said the performance differed from the more formal, noninteractive ballet shows she is used to watching.

“Right from the beginning, there was a lot of cheering and yelling in support of all the dancers and it made it a very lively and fun atmosphere that engaged the audience very well, which I really enjoyed,” Walter told The Hoya. “That was probably my favorite part of it.”

Rangila is not just about dance — Philanthropy Chair Shevani Tewari (SFS ’24) said philanthropy is central to the organization’s mission. Last year’s virtual Rangila raised money for Bethesda-based charity Edu-GIRLS, which helps girls living in poverty in South Asia access education.

Since the performance was held virtually and raised only a few thousand dollars, Rangila decided to partner with Edu-GIRLS again this year, according to Tewari.

“We really like Edu-GIRLS’ mission,” Tewari told The Hoya.

“Instead of just throwing a lot of money at a general cause, they really invest a lot of money specifically in a handful of girls and make sure that their lives fundamentally change for the better.”

The money that Rangila raised this year will support Edu-GIRLS’ Reach For The Stars Scholarship Program,

which will cover all expenses for girls to study engineering at top colleges in India. It costs $1,000 to cover the yearly expenses for one girl. Rangila coordinators are still tallying the total amount of funds raised, but Tewari said they raised at least $20,000 of their $30,000 goal.

The scholarship program specifically targets girls who come from poor backgrounds, according to Edu-GIRLS Founder and Chair Anand Seth.

“Rangila will provide us with much needed resources to extend the RfS program to exciting careers in medicine, law and public administration in 2022,” Seth wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We are grateful to the Georgetown University South Asia Club for choosing to help EduGIRLS take the REACH FOR THE STARS program to new heights.”

Malla said this performance was different from others she has done, as it combined her passion for dance with a focus on philanthropy.

“It was especially important to me because dance is something that I’ve been passionate about since I was little,” Malla said. “Using dance as the outlet to raise so much money for an organization that does so much for girls around the world is really special.”

Malla said emotions among the organizers and performers were running high, especially at the end of the second show.

“I broke out in tears because I was so proud of how the show came together,” Malla said. “It’s something that meant a lot to all of us, and just doing it with your best friends by your side made it all the better.”

“Guess what? Ukraine and Russia produce 30% of the grains, corn, barley and wheat in the world, so if the price goes way up in the rest of the world — it’s going to go up in the United States,” Gates said. “It’s important that our leaders are helping Americans understand what we’re doing on the global stage and why it matters for our economy.”

The ongoing war in Ukraine has led to a strain on global wheat supplies causing a spike in the global prices of goods such as cereal and bread that rely on Easteran European grain exports. This has also caused the prices of food in the U.S. to rise.

According to Gates, Putin has further ambitions of capturing more autonomous land in Eastern Europe and it is imperative that leaders fight against Putin’s attempted annexations.

“I think he wants not only to gain land in Eastern Europe, but in the Southeast as well,” Gates said. “Using the area around the Black Sea as a land bridge to Crimea, I think he wants to leave Ukraine a landlocked country. He’s not done with Eastern Europe, he wants GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY/FACEBOOK to change Eastern Europe, and Zelenskyy cannot give up.”

Rangila fundraised for Edu-GIRLS, which helps provide education to girls in South Asia.

HFC Celebrates History of Advocacy for Reproductive Justice, Sex Positivity HFC, from A1 excited about safe sex and draw people to the h*yas for choice tables, which further exposes them to all of the other things we have to offer,” Meisel wrote to The Hoya. “It can be a bit awkward to go up to the table and take condoms normally, so the special ones make it more approachable.”

HFC communications director Serena Barish (COL ’25) said she attended the birth control panel to learn more about how the drug can affect her body.

“I think that it is often very difficult to learn sufficient information about birth control because it is rarely discussed openly in our society,” Barish wrote in an email to The Hoya.

“As someone who has tried multiple forms of birth control, I was hoping to both learn more and potentially help others to learn from my experience.”

Kekedjian said HFC has also worked to improve menstrual equity and advance women’s rights on campus throughout the past 30 years, with this year’s festivities serving as a moment to recognize such efforts.

“We have worked with the university and the maintenance department to expand access to sanitary products on campus to ensure menstrual equity, and have committed the university to converting the Women and Gender Studies program into a department,” Kekedjian wrote.

Students have raised concerns in the past about the

lack of access to menstruation products on campus, with a 2019 report from the Office of Planning of Facilities Management to HFC revealing that only 15 of Georgetown’s 43 academic buildings provide menstrual products in bathrooms. The Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2021, passed by the D.C. Council on Jan. 4, now requires that all schools provide free period products in women’s and gender-neutral bathrooms.

HFC, which was founded by Kelli McTaggart (COL ’92) and Julie McKenna (COL ’92), was originally named GU Choice as the university prohibited the word “for” in their name.

While the group was given $135 of funding per semester in Feb. 1991 on the basis of the university’s free speech policies, the university took away its funding in April 1992, citing the organization’s pro-choice advocacy as being against the university’s Catholic values and arguing the group was not a place for discussion, but rather a pro-choice advocacy group.

In 2016, HFC co-sponsored an event hosted by the Georgetown University Lecture Fund in which Cecile Richards, who was the president of Planned Parenthood at the time, spoke about abortion rights and access to contraceptives.

While HFC has accomplished many things in its time as an organization, Kekedjian said there is still important work to be done to fight for reproductive rights and sex positivity on campus.

“We want to expand access to services on campus and continue to push Georgetown to be a better place,” Kekedjian wrote. “We want to work with the student health center to reinstitute STI testing and work on making Georgetown

more accomodating for gender non-conforming students on campus. We are also working on expanding our harm reduction services with our Narcan trainings and potentially getting drug testing kits for clubs to check out for parties.”

Barish said that the week of events both honored the history of HFC’s work on campus while acknowledging the murky future of reproductive justice and bodily autonomy in the United States.

“Celebrating the work of

this student group means focusing on all of those complicated elements of reproductive justice, with an eye toward a future in which my body remains something I control, regardless of the identities I hold,” Barish wrote.

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

In honor of the organization’s 30th anniversary, H*yas for Choice hosted a wide variety of events, ranging from fundraisers to educational events to Georgetown Day-themed condom giveaways.

THE HOYA | A7

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2022 | THEHOYA.COM

NEWS

Art Major Exhibition Showcases Pieces by Graduating Seniors Lucas Lin

Special to The Hoya

Graduating seniors’ artwork is on display in the Maria and Alberto de la Cruz Gallery to celebrate their skills and accomplishments.

The 2022 Senior Art Majors Exhibition, organized by the Georgetown University department of art and art history, opened April 21 and is on display through their graduation in late May. The display features artwork from the program’s three graduating seniors: Alexandra Bowman (COL ’22), Tyler McConville (COL ’22) and Daimon Squier (COL ’22).

The Senior Art Majors Exhibition began in 1960 as a collection of solo shows for graduating seniors in the program. While the showcase was initially hosted in the basement of Healy Hall, it has since moved to the Maria and Alberto de la Cruz Gallery, located in the Edmund A. Walsh Memorial Building, which has hosted the exhibition since 2019.

The showcase provides a special opportunity to see some of

the artwork created by art majors on campus, according to Al Miner, founding director and chief curator of the Georgetown University Art Galleries and associate professor of the practice in museum studies.

“During most of the academic year, the GU Art Galleries bring work by highly acclaimed professional artists to campus,” Miner wrote to The Hoya. “The annual Senior Art Majors Exhibition is when we shift focus to highlight creative achievements by students.”

Alexandra Bowman (COL ’22), one of the featured artists, said she hopes her audience will use her political cartoons to examine political symbols and unpack complex, highstakes contemporary issues.

“While focusing on American politics and environmental subjects, I criticize those in power and illustrate the human impact of their misdeeds,” Bowman wrote to The Hoya. “To illustrate my points, I use humor and express compassionate empathy for those abused by demagogues who

exploit their power. I work to leave room for nuance, keeping cartoons civil by avoiding ad hominems and instead attacking substance and calling out concrete wrongdoing.”

Full Disclosure: Bowman is a former staff member of The Hoya.

One of Bowman’s works, titled “The Serpent Eating Democracy,” resembles the famous “Join, or Die” cartoon by Benjamin Franklin to present recent voting policy changes as a threat to democracy in the United States.

Tyler McConville (COL ’22) specializes in photography and emphasizes composition, contrast and color to bring attention to the subject of the piece.

“Evidence,” “Possessions” and “Trash” are a series of photographs commenting on the abundance and consequences of overconsumption. According to McConville, their pieces aim to evoke discomfort and reflection from the audience and prompt thinking about major societal issues.

“Generally, my artwork communicates a critical per-

@DELACRUZARTGU/TWITTER

The Senior Art Showcase features political cartoons, photographs and paintings by three graduating art studio majors at the Maria and Alberto de la Cruz Art Gallery. spective of the society and structures in which I live,” McConville wrote to The Hoya.

McConville said having their artwork displayed in a gallery is a special moment to commemorate the culmination of art students’ work.

“This is my first time having my work exhibited in a gallery,” McConville wrot. “It has been such an exciting and validating experience. My dad, stepmom, brothers, and grandparents all came down for the opening reception which was really special.”

Daimon Squier (COL ’22)

uses oil on canvas as his primary medium for his works, saying he prefers painting and drawing so as to display the strokes, marks and lines that compose an image.

“For the content of my work, I focus more on the suggestions of meaning and aesthetic qualities rather than a premeditated message,” Squier wrote to The Hoya. “For this series, I was drawn to the parallels between human, animal, and plant biology, but also wanted to instill an ‘divine’ or ‘otherworldly’ atmosphere.”

Miner said while each artist has their own techniques and styles, they all showcased their individuality through their artwork at the showcase.

“Each has collaborated closely with their faculty advisor to select the pieces that best represent their signature style, the themes that are meaningful to them, and the techniques they’ve mastered over four productive years,” Miner wrote.

“Seeing their work displayed side by side, both their uniqueness and what they’ve shared as a cohort is visible.”

UndocuWeek Advocates New Professor Book For Undocumented Explores Effects Community Members Of Radicalism Akashdiya Chakraborty with these experiences and Annie Kane Student Life Desk Editor

When Jenny Park (COL ’24), reflected on her experience at Georgetown, she realized the key to fostering solidarity for the undocumented community was student action.

“Oftentimes, I have found that at Georgetown, it is up to the students to create safe spaces for each other to feel heard and seen,” Park wrote to The Hoya.

Following this sentiment, Park — programming director of the student-run organization Hoyas for Immigrant Rights (HFIR) — worked alongside her fellow HFIR leaders to organize UndocuWeek, a week of programming April 18 to 22 dedicated to raising awareness for the challenges undocumented students face at Georgetown and beyond.

HFIR logistics director Katherine Hawes (SFS ’25) said a primary focus of UndocuWeek was to recognize the challenges undocuments students face and connect undocuments students to resources through

“Immigrants and children of immigrants experience certain stigmas, expectations and adversities that have not been recognized.”

ASHLEY NGUYEN NHS ’24

programming including community building events, dedicated conversation spaces and workshops.

“We wanted to bring attention to obstacles that still exist for undocumented students in our community, as well as to highlight resources available to undocumented students,” Hawes wrote in an email to The Hoya. “We also examined the barriers faced by undocumented students at Georgetown.”

Community events included a film screening, an arts and crafts session at the La Casa Latina Center for Multicultural Equity Access in which participants made butterflies as a sign of support for the undocumented community, and a Tea Talk with the GU Vietnamese Student Association (GUVSA).

Ashley Nguyen (NHS ’24), a member of GUVSA, said this event allowed students to collectively share their experiences with immigrant identity.

“Immigrants and children of immigrants experience certain stigmas, expectations, and adversities that have not been recognized and empathized within a PWI like Georgetown,” Nguyen wrote to The Hoya.

“Finding people who resonate

being in a casual environment where vulnerability is appreciated and allowed brings about social awareness, camaraderie and the normalization of the discussion of such topics.”

Mikhail Floresca (NHS ’24), co-President of HFIR, was encouraged by the engagement he saw from across the Georgetown community.

“A highlight for us was definitely the support and compassion other students showed for our cause,” Floresca wrote in an email to The Hoya.

“We had really genuine contributions to each event, some of which made us proud to be a part of Georgetown’s community of acceptance and care.”

Besides creating spaces for internal dialogue, some programming aimed to raise awareness about campus resources for undocumented students.

Jennifer Crewalk, associate director for undocumented student services within the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access (CMEA), organized a Know Your Rights training session and compiled a list of campus resources, while Juan Belman Guerrero from the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor gave advice on applying to graduate school as an undocumented student.

Floresca said resources like the HOYA Clinic, Cawley Career Education Center, and the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service are available for undocumented students, but many students refrain from taking advantage of them for fear of revealing that their documentation status.

“Exposing yourself as an undocumented students is as worrisome as it is dangerous,” Floresca wrote. “We want students to be open to reach out and engage with the plethora of resources available on campus.”

Georgetown hopes to break down the barriers undocumented students face when accessing institutions of higher education, according to a university spokesperson.

“As a Catholic and Jesuit institution, Georgetown University values the dignity of all members of the university community, regardless of immigration status,” the spokesperson wrote to The Hoya. “We are a university in the heart of the nation’s capital and believe in educating the whole person through exposure to different faiths, cultures and beliefs.”

Nguyen said the discussion events helped her reflect on her own identity as an immigrant.

“It’s especially important to have a space where people feel comfortable talking about their experiences as an immigrant,” Nguyen said. “I think some of the best highlights of that event were moments where I realized how having an immigrant-tied identity intersected with so many other aspects of our lives, especially our relationships with others.”

Academics Desk Editor

A Georgetown University professor wrote a book titled “Invisible Weapons: Infiltrating Resistance and Defeating Movements,” which focuses on how oppressive systems encourage anti-radicalism in order to stifle marginalized individuals’ participation in radical politics and advocacy.

The book, written by Marcus Board, assistant professor in the department of African American studies, will be published June 29. In the book, Board discusses his research of police shootings of different demographic groups in various cities, provides in-depth interviews with food stamp recipients in Chicago and analyzes national survey data.

Board utilizes this research to determine the root of the relationship in the United States between radicalism and the governmental status quo.

Board said his research reveals that anti-radical politics aid oppressive systems and hinder social justice movements, such as what he identified as the “Movement for Black Lives.”

“Oppressed groups are being coerced and co-opted and pushed to believing that antiradical politics — capitalism, anti-intellectualism, individualism, and more — are the only way to be safe and survive,” Board wrote to The Hoya.

“And I believe getting to the root of this lie is important not only for understanding how this oppressive government and many other institutions work, but also for helping recover those people who have bent and been broken under the weight of oppressive power.”

According to Board, his work is rooted in a commitment to justice and finding ways of practicing tangible forms of resistance.

“To be honest, my inspiration is justice,” Board wrote. “I never wanted my education to be about my own successes; rather, I went to school and learned how to conduct research because radicalism dictates that we get to the root of problems and I needed better tools than what I had. And so, this project is in many ways a culmination of those pursuits and my commitment to revolution as a daily practice.”

Readers in the Georgetown community will benefit from Board’s work in engaging with social movements, according to Andrew Sobanet, professor and vice dean of faculty in Georgetown College.

“We are eagerly awaiting the release of Professor Board’s book Invisible Weapons,” Sobanet wrote to The Hoya. “Professor Board is doing vital research in his field by expanding knowledge about the Movement for Black Lives. His deep engagement

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

In a new book, Prof. Marcus Board discusses how oppressive systems stifle radical activism. with important sociopolitical matters is of great benefit to our students, the university, and the broader community.”

Katie Cunningham (COL ’25), who took Board’s Ignatius seminar titled “Blackness and the Foundations of Power” in the fall 2021 semester, said that Board will continue to inspire readers to refocus American narratives around radicalism and social justice.

“Professor Board changed the way I think about American politics and social justice,” Cunningham wrote to The Hoya. “I’m so grateful for all that I learned from him about Black political theory and how to appreciate social movements from an academic lens. I’m sure that he will continue to inspire people in his new book.”

Board said he hopes that viewers realize the importance of creating change and working to expose and deconstruct the roots of social injus-

tice and oppression.

“Getting to the bottom of things is hard work, challenging, thankless, and oftentimes painful,” Board wrote. “And as the old proverb says, if you want to go fast then go alone, but if you want to go far then go together. So In this quest to unpack, deconstruct, and ideally dismantle oppressive systems, I know that this work can be a bridge too far for many people — and I think that’s ok.”

Board says he hopes to emphasize the feasibility of creating social change and seeking to discover the root of societal injustice through his book.

“What I hope more than anything folks take away from this book is that everyday resistance, everyday community, everyday life is enough of a contribution,” Board wrote.

“All we need is for people to believe and know that they have a choice. And from there, we’ll find our people and make it out together.”

Smithsonian Exhibit Celebrates Pop Culture Sarah Conner Hoya Staff Writer

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History announced plans to open an exhibition dedicated to American pop culture, becoming the first-ever permanent exhibit to focus on the history of entertainment in the museum.

The bilingual exhibition, titled “Entertainment Nation”/“Nación del espectáculo,” celebrates the power of entertainment over the past 150 years in the United States and how entertainment has enabled important national conversations. The exhibition is set to open December 2022. Curators incorporated the museum’s extensive collection of nearly 1.8 million objects and artifacts from theater, movies, sports and television, including ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz,” Prince’s yellow “Cloud” guitar and Muhammad Ali’s boxing robe.

The exhibit will allow museum visitors to browse a diverse collection of artifacts from significant pop culture moments throughout American history in one location, according to Museum Curator Krystal Klingenberg.

“The museum has had a really fascinating and multifaceted collection of entertainment materials,” Klingenberg said in an interview with The Hoya. “It’s a fantastic time to pull all these things together so the public can see the treasures the museum has had — all in one place.”

Visitors will be able to move through pop culture moments through a series of interactive exhibits, utilizing immersive sound systems to amplify visitors’ experience as they are transported through the world of film.

Carefully designing the exhibition’s objects and themes was a difficult task for museum staff who tried to emphasize the importance of entertainment throughout history on visitors, according to Eric Jentsch, an entertainment and sports curator at the museum.

“We wanted to show that entertainment not only can reflect, but also participate in, our national history, and is a way in which people around the world engage in broader social and historical issues,” Jentsch wrote in an email to The Hoya.

While entertainment is often overlooked as an av-

enue to view American history, the exhibition seeks to highlight the influence of pop culture on public opinion and conversations surrounding American history, according to Klingenberg.

“Sometimes, entertainment is looked at with less weight. Music, movies, TV, sports, theater — all of these domains can push the conversation forward,” Klingenberg said. “Not only for expressions of who we are, but also for who we want to be.”

More than 200 objects will be displayed in the multimedia exhibition, according to the Smithsonian’s latest press release. The exhibit seeks to highlight the contributions of all genres of entertainment in conversations surrounding history and national identity moving forward.

“There are some real treasures that are going to be out that people will want to see for themselves,” Klingenberg said. “We have worked really hard to hone these ideas, these scripts, these objects to bring together something that we feel really does tell what we want to the public.”

John Troutman, who serves as the project director and lead curator of the “Entertainment

Nation”/“Nación del espectáculo” exhibition, said he hopes the values that connect Americans will be expressed through the exhibit’s objects.

“I hope that we can help illuminate that our national entertainments — beyond spaces for escape from the daily grind (which we all need!)

— have also, always been fundamental spaces for working out, for better and sometimes for worse, the degree to which the country at any given time can meet its ideals of democracy and justice, who can be included (and then, who has been excluded), and how those foundational tenets are experienced by everyone,” Troutman wrote in an email to t.

Jentsch said the exhibition creators anticipate that viewers will gain a greater understanding of the complex interaction between entertainment and American history.

“Our visitors will leave the exhibition thinking more of the influence Entertainment has had in their engagement with social and historical issues, as well as reflect on how they have used their own entertainment interests to navigate their own identities,” Jentsch wrote.

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NEWS

Medical School Event Addresses Researchers Discover New Ways To Predict Breast Cancer Recurrence Med Students’ Mental Health Nina Raj

Graduate Desk Editor

Georgetown University School of Medicine students shared stories about their identity and wellbeing at this year’s “I, Too, Am Georgetown Medicine” event, which highlighted how identity and background impacted medical students’ experiences throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The annual event was first hosted in 2017 to discuss the ways in which students’ identities, backgrounds and experiences affect their time at medical school. This year’s event, held April 7, had the theme “Out of Our Element: Vulnerability, Fatigue and Misinformation — Caring for Yourself and Your Community in Isolating Times” and focused on students’ shared experiences, highlighting the importance of wellbeing throughout the pandemic, according to Lead Organizer Naveen Gupta (MED ’23).

“This event is important to connect people of all different stages in their medical career to the same spot and discuss topics that are shared experiences between all groups,” Gupta wrote to The Hoya. “In a sense, this event takes away feelings of isolation on any level and instead empowers through feeling part of a diverse community that can empathize and remind us that we are not alone here.”

The virtual event offered participants various breakout rooms that focused on wellness and identity topics ranging from mindfulness to antiracism advocacy. Gupta was a facilitator for the racial justice breakout room, which centered

on racial biases in medicine, and said she was moved by the intimacy of the discussion.

“The most memorable part for me was near the end of my breakout room, when I took a step back and realized that everyone in the room had shared an experience that was troubling to them,” Gupta wrote.

“They felt supported enough by the community to share and sympathize with others’ situations as well.”

The event also featured a conversation on America’s multicultural identity with keynote speaker Wajahat Ali, author of the memoir “Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American,” and Dean for Medical Education Lee Jones.

Ali’s discussion reaffirmed the experiences that many students of color face at Georgetown, according to Jones.

“His book is powerful, poignant, and funny, highlighting the experiences of many in our community,” Jones wrote to The Hoya. “Waj answered our questions with complete honesty, insight, and support of our journeys; it was an incredible conversation.”

The American Medical Association found that approximately 51% of physicians experienced stress related to COVID-19, with multiracial and Black physicians reporting the highest levels of burnout. The event sought to educate students on symptoms of burnout and strategies for stress prevention.

Jake Whitney (MED ’24) said he was inspired to lead the breakout room “Identity and meaning: finding our new normal during pandemic and

burnout” after noticing a common struggle among peers to maintain both professional and social obligations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Don’t get me wrong, I feel called to practice medicine and am happy I am where I am,” Whitney wrote to The Hoya.

“However, the idea of ‘work life balance’ or how people choose to spend their limited time is something I hear other students struggling with all the time.”

Whitney said the pandemic has forced many students to explore new avenues to find meaning in their lives and foster connections with those around them, with many people reprioritizing their own well-being after realizing its importance.

“The pandemic has made life very difficult, yes, but when we really think about it, most people can see particular identities that have become more salient than others over the last few years for the better,” Whitney wrote. “For me, I have chosen to prioritize spending time with family and loved ones even more so than in the past in order to avoid isolation and burnout.”

According to Gupta, the event was successful in bringing students together and providing them with an opportunity to unpack the difficulties experienced throughout the pandemic and find solace in shared experiences.

“I would also say that this event is about finding your space in our community, and appreciating our similarities and differences as people,” Gupta said. “We should always make time to celebrate our community and each other.”

Incoming School o f Nursing Dean Receives Governance Award

GEORGETOWN NHS

Roberta Waite received Healthcare Magazine’s Excellence in Governance Award April 16, just months before she is set to assume the position of Dean of the School of Nursing.

Annie Kane

Academics Desk Editor

Roberta Waite, the incoming dean at Georgetown University’s newly established School of Nursing, received Modern Healthcare magazine’s Excellence in Governance Award.

The award, presented by the medical industry’s leading source of health care news, recognizes influential individuals who serve on a board of directors for a health care organization and aid in advancements in culture, mission and performance in the health care industry. Waite was recognized April 16 for her longtime service on the board of Trinity Health, one of the largest non-profit Catholic health care systems in the United States, which operates 92 hospitals in 22 states.

Waite was named the incoming dean of the Georgetown School of Nursing on Dec. 15, following an announcement in 2020 that the Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies would be split into two new undergraduate schools. Following this change, the Georgetown School of Health will accompany the nursing program.

Waite’s acceptance of this award comes just a few months before she assumes the position at the School of Nursing when the school officially opens July 1.

According to Waite, the award serves as recognition of the important work she was able to accomplish at Trinity Health to make healthcare more equitable and oriented toward social justice. At Trinity Health, Waite worked to expand community health and well-being programs, as well as assisting with the non-profit’s diversity, equity and inclusion hiring initiatives.

“It really highlights the work, really our focus that we’ve been striving to address, particularly with our focus on health equity and social justice, and living the values of our Catholic organization, which is serving those who are poor, serving those that are in need of help, and to promote health equity,” Waite said in an interview with The Hoya.

Advocating for just health policies and humanizing health care practices will be important lessons to be imparted on students in the School of Nursing, according to Waite.

“My work around diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism and anti-oppressive practices, those are things that are really important for students to understand how they show up in practice, how they show up in our interactions, and how that we can work more effectively with others, so that they can thrive in their lives and be as healthy as they can be,” Waite said. “So it’s not just a matter of providing health care, but we also have to understand the cultural context of our society.” The award highlights Georgetown University medical leaders’ confidence in Waite’s ability to utilize her experience at Trinity Health working for gains in health equity to reflect Georgetown’s values, according to Edward Healton, executive vice president of health sciences and executive dean of the School of Medicine.

“Dr. Waite’s accomplishments provide tangible examples of real-world, impactful leadership that exemplify the Jesuit values of Georgetown,” Healton wrote to The Hoya. “We have much to learn from Dr. Waite and are so pleased she’ll be joining us for the launch of a critically important new school responsible for train-

ing members of our health care workforce who will carry forward the spirit of Georgetown.”

Waite said she hopes to connect with the Georgetown community and see how she can translate her work for health care equity into the classroom as she transitions into her new position.

“I’m very excited about the transition, getting to know people more both the faculty, the staff, the students, connecting with alumni, as well as engaging with the community,” Waite said. “So those are really important things. And really just getting acclimated to Georgetown.

I’m thrilled. I want folks to get to know me, as well as me getting to know Georgetown, and really engaging in meeting people.”

Julia Ferrante (NHS ’24) said she looks forward to continuing her nursing education under Waite’s leadership, given Waite’s accomplishments in the healthcare field.

“I am so excited for the School of Nursing to launch and to study under Dean Waite, whose leadership in health care is incredibly inspiring for those of us pursuing careers in medicine,” Ferrante wrote to The Hoya.

Nursing education goes beyond the scientific basics, but rather requires a complex understanding of the sociocultural aspect of health care and the root of health disparities in society.

“So much of the work we’re talking about with nursing is about improving the health of individuals, families and communities,” Waite said. “Understanding a lot about community, population health policy, those are really key and important components of nursing education experience, as well as improving sort of the contextual understanding of people’s lives.”

GEORGETOWN LOMBARDI/FACEBOOK

Researchers at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified new factors that can warn doctors of breast tumor redevelopment.

Ahmad Jandal

Special to The Hoya

A team of researchers at the Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center published a study on factors that may indicate whether a woman is at risk for redeveloping breast cancer.

The report, titled “Characterization of transcriptome diversity and in vitro behavior of primary human highrisk breast cells,” was published April 22 and details a new way to analyze RNA from epithelial cells, a layer of cells that constitute the glands responsible for lactation, and detect sequences that might signal the recurrence of breast cancer.

Priscilla Furth, an author of the study and professor of oncology and medicine at the cancer center said her passion for studying breast cancer detection guided the report.

“The goal of the study was to see whether or not we could actually look at the genes active [in the RNA] and judge whether a woman is at high or low risk for breast cancer,” Furth told The Hoya.

“I’ve always been interested in developing better means of giving women better information about their risk of breast cancer.”

The study was also co-authored by Sahar Alothman (MED ’18), Keunsoo Kang, Xuefeng Liu, Ewa Krawczyk, Redha Azhar, Rong Hu, David Goerlitz and Bhaskar Kallakury.

Alothman said the study was motivated by the fact that many cancer patients live in

fear that they will redevelop cancer while in remission.

“If you’ve ever sat down with a cancer patient you know that remission isn’t always the end of their journey, and the fear of cancer coming back remains,” Alothman wrote to The Hoya. “So what if instead of just thinking about the cure, we could prevent it altogether.”

The breakthrough in the team’s research was achieved through the use of conditionally reprogrammed cells (CRC), an innovative technique that involves the study of isolated epithelial cells and was invented and patented at Georgetown, Furth said.

“Some years ago, one of our laboratories here developed a system in which they could take cells selectively to grow in a medium and expand them,” Furth said. “This was, to me, very exciting and just what we needed.”

Furth said she is hopeful that her work will lay the foundation for predicting first-time tumors in the future.

“We do believe the results might be generalizable even to women prior to their first cancer,” Furth said. “That’s how science works, you have to take little tiny steps.”

Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Director Louis Weiner said scientists like Furth and her team are driving progress in cancer research.

“The research described by Dr. Furth and her colleagues is important as we seek to discover ways of keeping cancer at bay after the initial successful treatment,” Weiner wrote

to The Hoya. “For Georgetown, this finding is also important because the scientists were able to leverage a powerful technology developed here in our labs, which has become a critical tool for researchers around the world.”

Alothman said the team’s research is just the tip of the iceberg, and that advancements like the one they made could come faster in the future.

“We are in an exciting time in science where we’re only scratching the surface with what we can do with RNA,” Alothman wrote. “In the next 10 to 20 years with more advancements in technology, I believe we’ll be able to learn more in a shorter amount of time and with less resources.”

Undertaking a project as ambitious as the gene sequencing of cancerous breast tissue is only possible through the collaboration of multiple researchers, according to Alothman.

“When you’re thinking of a big research idea it’s not always clear how far you can go with it,” Alothman wrote.

“But we had a great team that worked together like a fine tuned orchestra that made this big idea come to life.”

Alothman said the accomplishments of the study have made her optimistic about the future of cancer research.

“Something I’ve learned along the way is to always think outside the box,” Alothman said. “If you can dream of it, you can achieve it. I hope we can dream of a world where we’ll be cancer free.”

GU Student Podcast Explores Feminism, College Adventures Brooke DeLucia Hoya Staff Writer

From plastic surgery to feminist philosophy, Olivia D’Angelo (COL ’24) and Anya Caraiani (SFS ’24) discuss it all in their candid weekly podcast, “Outrageous Acts.”

Every Friday night, D’Angelo and Caraiani share their experiences as young female college students with their dozens of weekly listeners in a spoof of “Call Her Daddy,” a popular advice and comedy podcast that rose to fame because of the raunchy, candid nature of the hosts’ conversations on sex and relationships. Since they launched “Outrageous Acts” last fall, the pair has covered topics like spring break trips to Florida, modern hookup culture and getting cheated on.

D’Angelo said the podcast gives her a space to share her college experiences, reflecting on them in an unconventional way.

“A lot of what we talk about is inspired by our own experiences, so we’ll often take a situation that has happened during the week and debate it more broadly,” D’Angelo wrote to The Hoya. “For example, a couple weeks ago Anya was getting some suggestive texts from a boy she was talking to, so on the show we talked about sexting, how we feel about it, and the risks.”

Caraiani said the pair decided to create the podcast to show women in college that they are not alone in their experiences.

“We were inspired by our little sisters and our experiences living in D.C. during Covid spring because we wanted to provide a resource for our

friends/college girls to know they are not alone, and we are all going through it together,” Caraiani wrote to The Hoya.

In their first episode, titled “The [Real] Sex Lives of College Girls,” the pair reviews the TV show that is the episode’s namesake and discusses dissociation feminism, Slavoj Žižek’s philosophy on the difference between men and women, and tips on how to sneak into nightclubs.

While the pair originally focused on sharing stories they thought people would find entertaining, “Outrageous Acts” has shifted to discuss topics related to college life, D’Angelo said.

“When we first started the podcast, it was really focused on our own lives,” D’Angelo wrote. “As we’ve gotten deeper into it we’ve made a point to talk about topics that will be relatable to more people and not just entertaining.”

The first few episodes of the podcast feature personal stories, including one where D’Angelo talks about the time her high school boyfriend cheated on her, while more recent episodes cover advice on topics like the talking stage of dating.

Caraiani and D’Angelo record the podcast live during their 6 p.m. show every Friday on WGTB, Georgetown’s student-run radio station, uploading it to Spotify after their producer, Rachel Kerr (COL ’24), edits it.

Kerr said working on the podcast has opened her eyes to a potential career path in the media and production industry.

“I’m the number one fan of the show, so I love working on it — and it’s also been

really cool to get hands-on experience of something I might do as a career,” Kerr wrote to The Hoya.

Kerr said she appreciates how Caraiani and D’Angelo explore serious topics like social media footprints and the intersection of feminism and capitalism in a lighthearted manner.

“Anya and Olivia have a way of noticing something that’s going on in the world and making it funny,” Kerr wrote. “What really makes the show special is how entertaining it is even when we do take on serious issues.”

Caraiani said the podcast has forced her and D’Angelo to learn how to balance discussing intimate subjects with sharing personal details of their lives online.

“Something that we’ve struggled with is finding a balance between sharing meaningful experiences in our lives and maintaining privacy,” D’Angelo wrote. “It can be a challenge to remember that this isn’t actually therapy when we’re talking about emotional topics — being cheated on, consent, and mental health, to name a few.”

D’Angelo said “Outrageous Acts” has been an opportunity for her to fulfill her dream to share her life and experiences with others.

“I’m a big reality TV fan and always have had this dream of being able to share my life in a public way,” D’Angelo wrote. “If I’m telling a story about a night out, or a boy I’m talking to, or something like that, it forces me to reflect on the situation — it’s sort of therapeutic.”

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NEWS

Georgetown Students, Activists Demand Climate Action in Strike Elyza Bruce

Hoya Staff Writer

Activists advocated for the Biden Administration to take more action to combat climate change at a strike in Lafayette Park across the street from the White House.

At the April 22 event, which was organized by Fridays for Future, a global climate change advocacy movement launched by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg in 2018, hundreds of students and community members gathered to demand President Joe Biden officially declare a climate emergency.

If he does, the declaration will give Biden the executive ability to ban oil exports, suspend offshore drilling and boost funding for renewables, according to a Feb. 23 press release from the Center for Biological Diversity.

Protesters marched in the streets near the White House chanting and holding signs reading “Climate Action Now” and “THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS HERE.” Students from the Georgetown Renewable Energy and Environmental Network (GREEN), a campus organization promoting environmental activism, and other

students traveled to the protest as a part of GREEN’s programming for GU Earth Week, a student-led collaboration between student organizations and professors to promote sustainability on campus.

GREEN’s Environmental Justice Team co-lead Grace Jensen (COL ’24), said it is crucial to participate in the fight against climate change.

“Taking action into our hands is really important — even very small actions like recycling,” Jensen said in an interview with The Hoya. “I think that advocating for a better, cleaner, greener environment in our society is super important and we need to hold politicians accountable.”

Adriane Longhurst (COL ’25), who attended the protest, said the dangers of climate change will affect everyone.

“Climate change is an existential threat that has already displaced millions of people and will continue to displace and harm millions more people,” Longhurst told The Hoya. “Climate change affects and threatens almost every aspect of life. No amount of money will allow you to run away from that — it is inevitable.”

By the end of 2018, more refu-

gees were displaced globally by climate disasters than war, according to the International Organisation for Migration’s 2020 World Migration Report.

Mayra Rios, a junior at James Madison High School in Vienna, Va. spoke at the event and said her family’s history with environmental injustice inspired her activism.

“As a first generation Latina, I not only have the privilege but responsibility to speak out against the environmental injustices I have watched my family experience right in the heart of our nation’s capital,” Rios said at the strike.

Rios, who is the executive director of the Virginia Youth Climate Coalition, a youth-led movement pushing for climate justice, said temperatures in Columbia Heights are 20 degrees higher than other neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. because of the large amounts of concrete and asphalt from large buildings, roads and sidewalks, which absorb heat.

“While my people are breaking their backs under the scorching sun, the corporate elite are sitting in their comfortable, air-conditioned offices, signing more and more fossil fuel initiatives,” Rios

@FRIDAYSFORFUTURE/TWITTER

Environmental actvisits held a strike at Lafayette Park in front of the White House, urging the Biden administration to officially declare a climate emergency. said. “They profit off of the destruction of our ecosystems, the ravishing of our countries and the exploitation of the people who lack power.”

In the past few years, D.C. has experienced record-breaking heat waves and snowstorms, higher tides due to rising sea levels, heavy rains and flooding, warmer average temperatures and two to three times as many dangerously hot days, according to the website for Sustainable DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser’s initiative for addressing climate change.

Lynetta Cho, a sophomore at the National Cathedral School, a high school in the District,

said discussions on climate change and its impact must be held in schools.

Cho gave a speech at the protest and said she first learned of the implications of a climate disaster after her second grade teacher had her class watch a documentary on climate change.

“I remember entire cities being flooded, homes being burnt to a crisp, species ceasing to exist and just being so confused.

For a seven year old, it was a lot all at once,” Cho said at the protest. “I was comforted by others when they said ‘this isn’t happening now and we’re okay.’ It was good to hear at the time,

but if we’re being honest, it was never okay eight years ago, and it definitely isn’t okay right now.”

Jensen said it was thrilling to be around so many dedicated and proactive protesters.

“It is always really powerful to see so many young people come together to protest and fight for what they are passionate about,” Jensen said. “I thought it was a really good turn out, especially on earth day — always good to celebrate our earth and our communities as we continue to fight for them and for environmental justice and justice for all people.”

Metro Mask-Optional Policy Sparks Concerns Event: Climate Change Accelerates Migration Challenges for Leaders Minoli Ediriweera City Desk Editor

When masks became optional for riders and employees on Washington, D.C. public transport, Marianne Savane (COL ’25) said she immediately became concerned, rushing to secure sanitizing materials before riding.

“I’m not super happy, and frankly kind of surprised that they went withthisdecision,”Savanewroteto The Hoya. “I bring a hand sanitizer spray bottle on trains and buses to clean public surfaces and always make sure I’m wearing a mask.”

On April 18, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit (WMATA) announced a maskoptional policy for riders and employees on Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess services. The decision has prompted backlash from riders like Savane, as well as from local advocates like Marie Cohen, who serves on the Citizen Review Panel for the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency, and Phil Posner, Metro’s Accessibility Advisory Committee Chair.

Updated federal guidelines led to WMATA’s decision to suspend its masking requirement, according to Paul Wiedefeld, WMATA general manager and chief executive officer, in a recent press release.

“Our mask mandate has been based on federal guidance,” Wiedefeld said. “We will continue to monitor this situation as it unfolds, but masks will be optional on Metro property until further notice.”

Wiedefeld was referring to a federal judge who struck down the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) mask mandate for transportation services including planes and trains

Paige Kupas

Hoya Staff Writer

@WMATA/TWITTER

WMATA announced a mask-optional policy on Metro trains and buses following a federal ruling. The new decision has faced criticism from local disability and child safety advocates.

April 18. The ruling claims that the CDC did not follow necessary protocols when instating mask mandates for travelers.

Despite the federal judge’s ruling, the CDC still recommends that public transit users continue to wear masks. In addition, the Biden administration plans to appeal the ruling if public health officials deem it necessary.

The announcement comes despite a recent uptick in reported COVID-19 cases in D.C. due to the new omicron BA.2 subvariant.

The 14-day average of COVID-19 cases in the District has increased by 244% in the past month.

WMATA will continue to utilize cleaning and safety measures to lower the spread of COVID-19 throughout the Metro system, according to WMATA Media Relations Manager Ian Janetta.

“Metro’s cleaning and air circulation protocols meet or exceed industry standards. Metro upgraded

air filtration in stations, on trains, and on buses in response to the pandemic,” Jannetta wrote to The Hoya. “We continue to provide free masks in stations and on buses, and have observed a relatively high rate of mask usage even since the mandate was lifted.”

Despite these efforts, Savane said that she feels that the choice is inconsiderate of the safety of many riders, especially those with high-risk health conditions.

“I don’t think that they made the right choice at all,” Savane wrote.“Lots of elderly individuals and children take the Metro.

Pregnant women who can’t drive take the Metro. A big portion of Metro riders are minorities too, so this move puts both immunocompromised and marginalized communities at risk.”

In response to the sudden decision to suspend the mask mandate, disability activists in the region, such as Cohen and

Posner, have also been frustrated

by WMATA’s decision.

Posner recently urged Metro and its users to show sympathy for riders with disabilities, who may be at increased risk of infection or hospitalization from COVID-19. Posner said that while the federal ruling prevents WMATA from requiring masks, WMATA can and should recommend that riders wear masks on its trains and buses.

Savane said she worries about WMATA’s decision having harsh consequences on public health in Georgetown and throughout the District.

“I’m honestly concerned that more people are going to get sick and that more people are going to die,” Savane wrote. “Georgetown students are at risk too since many of them ride the Metro, so this move might even worsen an already worsening situation on campus.”

Opioid Crisis Proposal Wins Public Policy Challenge Nina Raj

Graduate Desk Editor

Four Georgetown University School of Medicine students’ proposal to address the opioid crisis in Washington, D.C. won the 2022 Georgetown Public Policy Challenge.

The annual competition, which is hosted by the McCourt School of Public Policy, invites graduate students to submit policy proposals that offer a solution to a local issue of their choice. The winning team, whose proposal was named “Within Reach: Ending Opioid-Related Deaths in the District,” proposed increasing access to naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug, by installing opioid rescue kits at bus stops in Wards 5, 7 and 8.

The “Within Reach” team, comprised of Kira Chandran (GRD ’23), Pei-Ying Kobres (GRD ’23), Chloe Wang (GRD ’23) and Ruth Watson (GRD ’23), received a $3,000 grand prize for placing first in the competition while the other four finalists were awarded $1,500 scholarships. Over 50 teams submitted proposals for the competition.

The four students have all been involved in the Hoya Drug Overdose Prevention & Education (DOPE) Project, an initiative that provides training for recognizing and treating opioid

overdoses, since their first year of medical school.

The team’s work with DOPE helped develop their shared passion for solving the District’s opioid crisis, according to Chandran.

“As one of the leaders of the Hoya DOPE (Drug Overdose Prevention & Education) Project, I have worked with many community organizations within DC to educate people about opioid overdoses and distribute naloxone,” Chandran wrote to The Hoya.

“Through this work, I have realized some of the barriers to obtaining naloxone. This was part of the inspiration for our project.”

The team says it is important to help ongoing efforts to raise awareness for the prevention of opioid-related deaths.

“We believe that community access to naloxone and overdose education are important parts of reducing opioid-related morbidity and mortality in DC,” the team wrote in a statement to The Hoya. “There are many people who have put a lot of work into reducing opioid-related deaths in DC, and we hope that our small contribution helps make DC a healthier community.”

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 75,673 people died from opioid overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021, a 34.98% increase

from the 56,064 opioid-related deaths recorded during the same period the year before.

As health practitioners in training, members of the team say their clinical work with patients has made them intimately aware of the suffering opioids cause among patients and the urgency in finding a solution.

“We are extremely proud to have taken an issue (opioid overdoses) that we witness every single day in the hospital, and engineer a harm-reduction policy that aims to decrease opioid-related deaths in our community,” the team wrote.

The practicality and efficacy of the team’s proposal ultimately convinced the judges to vote for them among stiff competition, according to Jaclyn Clevenger, Director of the Public Policy Challenge.

“The level of competition at this year’s Georgetown Policy Challenge Finals was incredibly high, with teams presenting ideas focused on vertical farming opportunities, youth employment programs, and housing affordability and sustainability,” Clevenger wrote in an email to The Hoya. “However, the ‘Within Reach: Ending Opioid-Related Deaths in the District’ team stood out for their proposal’s potential to make a significant and immediate im-

pact across Washington, DC.” The “Within Reach” team will now work with the Public Policy Challenge’s leadership to implement their proposal with their prize money. Georgetown Associate Vice President for Local Government and Community Engagement Heidi Tseu is helping connect Challenge teams with policymakers in D.C. to finalize their proposal and develop an advocacy strategy.

According to Tseu, the District’s government provides opportunities for students to create change in their communities through the legislative process.

“D.C.’s local government community has an open and dynamic process, which allows for great opportunities to have student voices heard,” Tseu wrote in a statement to The Hoya. “In the past we’ve had the opportunity to support student advocates who’ve succeeded in achieving local policy changes, such as funding to support immigrant legal services and DC’s DACA students.”

The team said their participation in the challenge has informed their other responsibilities.

“Working with this initiative has been an important part of our medical school experience,” the team wrote. “As we have entered our clinical rotations, we’ve seen first hand just how important opioid issues

Climate change is accelerating the refugee crisis and posing global, demographic and political disruptions, a panelist said at an April 25 event.

The event, titled “State of Disaster: How Climate Migration Will Reshape U.S. Immigration Policy” featured María Cristina García (COL ’82), author and Cornell University professor of immigration and refugee history. At the event García highlighted various case studies to examine how U.S. policy handles climatedriven refugees. The American Studies Program hosted the event as part of the Richardson American Studies Lecture Series, which invites leading scholars to discuss history, politics and culture.

Examining historical instances in which climate change has disrupted communities and led to climate-driven migration is important when considering how the global community must react to future refugee waves, García said.

“The study of history offers us many examples of how environmental disasters have disrupted lives and livelihoods and how they have had political and demographic consequences. It’s part of the human story,” García said at the event.

“We are now living in an era of accelerated climate change. At no other time in human history have we had eight billion people living on the planet all contributing in some way to the behaviors that are accelerating changes that in the deep past occurred over thousands of years rather than decades.”

García spoke on various climate-driven natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, which displaced over one million people in the Gulf Coast in 2005, and Hurricane Mitch, which caused the deaths of 15,000 people in Central America and left one million Hondurans without homes after it struck the coast in 1998.

Currently, the impacts of climate change, such as rising temperatures and rising sea levels, have caused 20 million people to leave their homes every year. By 2050, the World Bank estimates there will be 143 million more climate migrants from Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia alone.

These changes could exacerbate existing non-climate related conflicts like food security, according to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres’ December 2021 remarks to the UN Security Council.

García said climate-driven natural disasters disproportionately impact those living in poverty.

“Hurricane Mitch was both a natural disaster and a policy-driven disaster,” García said. “The poor endured the most significant consequences. As one Honduran scholar noted, ‘The rains fell

on all of Honduras, but not everyone got wet.’”

U.S. immigration policy separates individuals coming to the country into three groups: those looking for economic opportunity, those wishing to reunite with family members already in the U.S. and those seeking political asylum, according to García.

By grouping migrants into specific boxes, the U.S. ignores the complex nature of migration, García said.

“These distinct tracks for admission fail to recognize that more often than not, migration is multicausal, produced by a wide and complex range of intersecting drivers that often make it impossible to pinpoint a sole cause for migration,” García said.

It is critical to listen to the voices of immigrants, which can include climate-driven refugees, to better understand their experiences, García said.

“The environmental drivers of migration are often obscured in the importance of the immigration bureaucracy. It’s only when scholars interview immigrants that they have identified the role that environmental drivers play. It’s in the stories that immigrants tell that these environmental drivers become visible,” García said.

The U.S. currently offers Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to individuals who are in the U.S. when their home country receives TPS designation due to an ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster or extraordinary and temporary conditions.

According to García, while TPS designations are helpful to some extent, the U.S. must focus on the root cause of immigration rather than put a band-aid solution over the larger problem.

“Nations must address the reasons why people migrate in the first place, and that requires difficult conversations about the economic policies that have accelerated climate change, indebted nations, driven more and more people into poverty and made it impossible for people to exercise the right to stay home,” García said. “It’s only when we address these issues that we can begin to help populations adapt to the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

The only way to prevent the climate-driven refugee crisis from worsening and displacing more people from their homes is to take significant steps toward combating climate change immediately, García said.

“So much depends on how we respond to climate change moving forward. Climate change is a fast-moving train,” García said. “No matter how dramatic the steps you take at this moment are, it’s going to take a while to stop that train and perhaps reverse some of the effects that we are seeing today.”

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SPORTS

WOMEN’S ROWING

BASEBALL

GU Struggles at Lake Wheeler Hoyas Blow Late Lead, Drop Invitational, Finishes No. 12 Series 1-2 to Musketeers John Nelson

Aiden Penry

Hoya Staff Writer

Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown women’s rowing team was one of 16 teams that plunged its boat into the crystal waters of Lake Wheeler for the Lake Wheeler Invitational in Raleigh, N.C. on April 22 and 23. Facing some of the top athletic programs in the country, the Hoyas battled to a 12th-place finish over the weekend.

The openweight team competed in the varsity fours, the second varsity fours, the varsity eights and the second varsity eights races. After a victorious performance against George Washington and George Mason for the George’s Cup, the openweight team took the trek down to North Carolina for the meet jointly hosted by Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

All four shells fought hard in each of the three rounds, but it was the varsity fours, the second varsity fours and the varsity eights team that secured fourth-place finishes.

In a three-way tie for 12th with Bucknell and North Carolina, the Hoyas ended the twoday affair with 5 points. With oars cutting through water all weekend, Syracuse was able to secure first place for the invitational with 83 points, just edging out the likes of the Blue Devils as well as the University of Pennsylvania.

Senior openweight captains Erica Arnold and Claudia Pagnozzi-Schwam said the competition provided their squad with various obstacles.

“We were able to compete against some of the top crews in the country and test and challenge our squad’s speed and depth. In each race, our crews were able to learn and adapt as we found ourselves in various different positions,” Arnold and Pagnozzi-Schwam wrote in a joint statement to

With a win to both teams’ names, Georgetown handed Xavier the series victory by blowing a 6-1 lead in the rubber match. Despite the series loss, the Hoyas have already eclipsed their 2021 regular season win total by 18 victories with 13 more games to go before the Big East tournament begins May 26.

This matchup was a tale of two scoring powerhouses.

The Xavier Musketeers (21-21, 5-4 Big East) rank second in the Big East with 56 homers and a team batting average of .281. Similarly, the Hoyas (24-17, 5-7 Big East) have been successful largely thanks to their 68 home runs, which leads the Big East.

The Musketeers needed to limit the long ball for the Hoyas throughout the series, and they did just that, allowing just one homer in three games. Without these jolts, the Hoyas’ offense stagnated, and they were only able to average 5 runs per game, down from their average of 7.5.

Georgetown’s pitchers did their job for the most part, limiting Xavier to just four runs in two of the three games. If it weren’t for a seventh-inning pitching collapse in game three, the Hoyas would likely have

GUHOYAS

The Hoyas finished No. 12 out of 15 teams at the Lake Wheeler Invitational in Raleigh, N.C. The Hoya.

Pushing limits in a highpressure environment, the team was able to identify areas for future improvement despite not obtaining as many points as they had expected.

Though they finished in the bottom half in earlier races, the athletes kept their heads high and pushed through, according to Arnold and Pagnozzi-Schwam.

“The back half of the season is always a high energy, competitive experience as teams begin reaching peak speed, making for tight margins across the board,” the captains wrote.

The Hoyas are continuing to make adjustments, optimizing their chances for postseason success. Their energy reverberated off the waves of Lake Wheeler as they carried their unflappable confidence in each other to their final races.

With cheers up and down the teeming ripples in the water, the Hoyas were able to channel this energy and make a final splash in the last few heats.

The varsity eights team just missed out on a bronze-medal finish, with the University of Miami finishing at 06:48.100 and the Hoyas crossing the line two-thousandths of a second after at 06:48.102. While the second varsity fours finished

around 10 seconds behind the bronze-medalist Hurricanes, the varsity fours finished just inches and three-tenths of a second away from the bronze medal as Bucknell was able to eke out the last spot of the podium with a time of 07:51.970 to the Hoyas’ 07:52.227.

Though they failed to medal, the captains remain optimistic about the future of the season.

“Heading into Eastern Sprints, our squad hopes to put down strong, aggressive racing in Worcester,” they wrote. “We continue to look to gain speed in every [race] and are excited to close out our regular season with another weekend of elite level racing.”

Looking to the future, Georgetown hopes to build on its momentum from its previous races as it travels to Worcester, Mass., to take on more top-tier programs in the Eastern Sprints. The openweight division will compete, as well as the lightweight team, which has not competed since the Knecht Cup Regatta from April 9 to 10. With tougher competition under their belt, the Hoyas hope to find a groove and carry over some “row”-mentum into the NCAA Championships, which begin May 27.

come out of the series with the overall victory.

Georgetown graduate pitcher Nolan McCarthy started the first game of the series, while Xavier decided to pitch by committee, starting Luke Bell for just under three innings. McCarthy made it deep into the ball game, allowing just one run in nearly seven innings. McCarthy finished the game with eight strikeouts and one walk after 102 pitches.

However, the tides turned when senior pitcher Angelo Tonas replaced McCarthy in the seventh. Tonas was credited with two runs and received the loss.

Although the Hoyas needed to respond offensively, they were unable to find their rhythm. Georgetown ended the game with a meager five hits and struck out 12 times.

After the miserable showing in the first game, the Hoyas began the second game determined to put runs on the board. Georgetown took an early 2-1 lead in the first inning and never looked back. A push by the Musketeers in the seventh inning fell short and the Hoyas got their revenge, winning the second game six runs to four.

Georgetown senior pitcher Carter Bosch received the win for the Hoyas after holding Xavier to four runs in just

under seven innings. Bosch finished the game with a stellar 11 strikeouts.

Entering the third game, Georgetown had high hopes of continuing its momentum and stealing the series from the Big East’s thirdranked team. Quickly, the Hoyas built a 4-1 lead, eventually expanding it to 7-1 after six innings.

However, Georgetown was unable to maintain its dominance. Hoyas first-year pitcher Matthew Sapienza pitched spectacularly the first six innings, allowing one run and striking out seven, but he ran into trouble in the top of the seventh. Sapienza allowed a lead-off single and then watched as third baseman Jared Cushing drove a 0-1 pitch over the left-field wall.

Georgetown could not improve in the rest of the seventh inning, cementing its disappointing series loss. The Musketeers rattled off seven runs to seize an 8-7 lead that they did not relinquish.

Following its series loss, the Hoyas bounced back with a 3-1 defeat of George Washington (19-21, 7-5 Atlantic 10) April 26. Georgetown will look to build on this momentum heading into a three-game home series against the Seton Hall Pirates (13-28, 3-6 Big East) from April 29 to May 1.

AROUND THE ASSOCIATION

In Today’s NBA, Coaching Matters More Than Ever Tim Brennan Columnist

The New York Knicks and Boston Celtics each sat at a dismal 18-20 season record heading into their Jan. 6 matchup. Although it was only one game, the matchup has come to define both of their seasons.

Leading by double digits at halftime, the Celtics were poised to run away with the game. But the Knicks fought back, tying the game with just 1:19 left. On the final play of the game, New York inbounded the ball to young star RJ Barrett, who banked in a 3-pointer at the final buzzer to propel the Knicks to a thrilling victory.

In my perfect world, the game turned around a choppy Knicks season and spurred a push to the playoffs while the Celtics faltered and missed the play-in tournament entirely.

Alas, we do not live in my perfect world.

In reality, the game had the opposite effect. The Celtics became a dominant force with the second-best record in the league after their loss to the Knicks, winning 33 of their 43 games down the stretch. Thus far, they are the only team to sweep their 2022 NBA Playoffs opponent.

The Knicks, meanwhile, fell below mediocrity, going 18-25 to close the season. The difference in their success after this game is pronounced, and there is one main reason for it: the coaching disparity between the two teams.

Last season, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau deservingly won Coach of the Year.

This season, though, he had a horrible year. After losing

his mainstay Derrick Rose to an ankle injury, Thibodeau proceeded to start Alec Burks at point guard for the remainder of the season. At his best, Burks is a microwave scorer who can turn the tide of a game if he comes off the bench. However, most of the time, Burks barely fulfills his role as a point guard. He averaged just three assists per game this season, making it clear early on that he was not the guy for the job.

Worst of all, Thibodeau did have a guy for the job on his roster: promising young guard Immanuel Quickley. In his

“At times, NBA fans will belittle the value of coaching in the league. I disagree.”

TIM BRENNAN Columnist

first significant playing time since March, Quickly averaged 16 points, five assists and five rebounds off the bench.

Yet, Thibodeau opted to start Burks up to the last game of the season. That decision was a microcosm of his unwillingness to make adjustments.

On the other hand, Celtics Head Coach Ime Udoka made countless adjustments that shifted the course of the Celtics season, like his use of ascending big man Robert Williams. The Celtics have a multitude of capable defensive players, including point guard Marcus Smart, who recently became the first guard since Gary Payton to win the Defensive Player of the Year

award. Yet, Robert Williams is Boston’s most important defensive player. Udoka recognized this, and it paid off for the Celtics. Williams is a menace on the interior, making opponents shoot 11.4% worse when attacking him at the rim. That defensive stat lands him within the top five in the league.

Soon after the Knicks’ loss, Udoka realized Williams was not near the rim often enough. He often guarded opposing centers, as teams forced Williams to switch on screens. As such, Udoka started instructing Williams to guard the worst offensive player on opponents’ teams.

This allowed him to roam like a free safety off the ball.

Without having to worry about his man, Williams became a complete eraser at the rim.

As a result, Boston’s perimeter defenders played with newfound aggression, helping Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Smart reach new defensive levels. The team has been incredible on the defensive end ever since, and this success has carried over into the playoffs. For example, Boston swept the much-hyped Brooklyn Nets without Williams for the first two games. They are now the second favorites to win the title behind the Warriors.

At times, NBA fans will belittle the value of coaching in the league. I disagree. The Celtics are winning in no small part thanks to Ime Udoka.

Unless you have a transcendent superstar at the peak of his powers, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo last year or LeBron James in 2016, coaching matters. The story of the Celtics and the Knicks this season — teams suffering opposite fates because of the men leading them — could not be a clearer example.

GUHOYAS

Georgetown baseball faced another Big East offensive powerhouse in the Xavier Musketeers, who rattled off a 7-0 win to take the series.

PROFILE

Renee DeMaio: A Student Who Keeps Georgetown Athletics Running Ellie Vogel

Special to The Hoya

With more than 700 athletes and 80 coaches on 30 teams to keep track of, the Georgetown University Athletic Department has a lot on its plate.

Thanks to each member of the office, student-athletes, coaches and staff members are dressed and prepared to play, travel and work.

Renee DeMaio (COL ’24), a mathematics and Chinese double major from Hong Kong, is involved in various communities and spaces on campus. She salsas for Ritmo y Sabor, the Latin dance team; cheers on athletes as a member of Hoya Blue; walks the runway for the student-run fashion show Diamanté; welcomes students for the first-year reflection program ESCAPE; and guides students as a peer advisor.

In addition to her many extracurriculars, DeMaio works tirelessly as a student manager of the Athletic Equipment Office, primarily for the men’s and women’s soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, field hockey, baseball and softball teams.

The office is in charge of cleaning, ordering and distributing team gear and equipment, according to DeMaio, who works for the office 10 to 20 hours a week.

In addition to this job, DeMaio also works for Georgetown Sports Medicine, the ticket office, and many other internal offices for the university.

DeMaio said her work supports student-athletes during practices and games.

“My typical shift always in-

volves doing laundry which includes the athletes’ loops and the towel service we provide,” she said in an interview with The Hoya. “I’ll usually get teams ready for games by preparing their uniforms and any other gear they may need.”

DeMaio said although the work can be hard it is rewarding to see how it impacts the Athletics Department.

“It’s hard work. And sometimes a lot of tedious work,” DeMaio said.

While the work of DeMaio and her co-workers can be easily overlooked, it is crucial for the day-to-day operations of each of these teams.

The Athletics Equipment Office’s dedication to the Athletic Department itself is evident in its commitment to ensure everyone has all they need — no matter the time of day or personal inconvenience.

DeMaio has three bosses: Nick Venturino, Sarah Kanuch and Andy Priddy. When studentathletes have any issues, they all work together to find uniforms, order gear or adjust sizing.

Even when they are not in the Thompson Athletic Center or McDonough Arena folding towels, tracking orders delayed

by COVID-19 or doing laundry, DeMaio said her bosses are always thinking of the studentathletes and athletics’ staff.

“My bosses almost always have to be on call. If a team wants something for 11 a.m. on a Saturday and it’s 6 p.m. on a Friday, we have to deal with that and do our best to get it for them,” DeMaio said.

DeMaio said she is grateful her bosses create such an inclusive environment.

“They have also created an accepting environment where we can learn about how equipment in the sports world works and enjoy college athletics. True kudos to them for being able to do everything,” she said.

In addition to DeMaio and her three bosses, five other students work for the Athletics Equipment Office. Having such a small team places significant responsibility on each employee, DeMaio said. Despite this heightened responsibility, the office maintains an enjoyable environment.

“The culture of the office is very fun, chaotic and very much going with the flow,” DeMaio said.

Since starting the job during the spring of her first year at Georgetown, DeMaio said she has learned various skills, such as decalling the stickers from men’s lacrosse helmets or heat pressing patches onto uniforms.

Given the many demands of the office, DeMaio said she strives to do her best everyday.

“I do my best to step up and handle things that I know how to do, which I’m grateful is a list that grows everyday, but again, there’s only so much I can do.”

Though work is hard and fastpaced, DeMaio said she enjoys it.

“The best part of any shift is when someone we know and adore stops by to say hi and joke around,” she said “We spend a lot of time in the equipment room and not as much time doing stuff directly with the teams, so those moments are a nice reminder of why we are doing all what we are.”

THE HOYA | A11

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2022 | THEHOYA.COM

SPORTS TENNIS

THE EQUALIZER

What It Means To Be Boston Strong MCDONALD, from A12

@HOYATENNIS/TWITTER

Despite suffering an early exit in the Big East tournament, the Hoyas have reason for optimism as they return starters and bring in recruits for next season.

Georgetown Has Optimistic Outlook After Falling in Big East Tourney more Avantika Willy pulled off a big 7-5, 6-4 win at first singles, but the match ended after the Musketeers captured a straight-sets win at fifth singles. Georgetown junior Agata Mikos was tied with Xavier’s Anna Roggenburk when the round concluded.

Coach Mesmer was optimistic about the performance.

“For our women’s team to go and dominate our first round against Providence and then compete the way they did against Xavier was incredible,” Mesmer told The Hoya. “If you had told me two months ago, when we were 0-9 to start the year, that we would have match points for the doubles point against Xavier, win at first singles and be competitive in the other matches, I wouldn’t have believed you.”

Coach Mesmer is looking forward to next year for both teams.

For the men’s team, he is excited to bring in two big-time recruits, Zamaan Moledina and Arthur O’Sullivan. Moledina is a fivestar recruit from Delray Beach while O’Sullivan, hailing from Ireland, is ranked No. 238 on the International Tennis Federation junior circuit.

While speaking about the women’s team’s prospects, Mesmer also highlighted the incoming commits.

“I am really looking forward to our three recruits for next year who will come in and be able to impact things immediately,” Mesmer told The Hoya. “We don’t lose any starters, so our depth will keep improving and will be great for our program moving forward.”

BIG EAST, from A12

third-set victories.

Georgeotown tennis Head Coach Freddy Mesmer was not surprised by the persistence his players showed on the court.

“This was the story of our season. Backs constantly against the wall and able to compete and fight back over and over,” Mesmer said in an interview with The Hoya.

Ultimately, the match came down to third singles. Georgetown first-year Jake Fellows won the opening set and lost the second. Although he found himself trailing 4-1 in the third, Fellows managed to win two consecutive games and narrow the gap to 4-3.

However, he lost the set 6-3, sending Butler to the semifinals.

The No. 6 Hoyas women’s tennis team started their tournament bid in the round of 16 against the Providence Friars, as there were 11 teams in the conference. Georgetown dominated Providence, advancing to the next round in just 108 minutes. After capturing the doubles point, the Hoyas clinched the match with three quick singles wins at first, fifth and sixth positions, losing seven games combined in the three matches.

Georgetown had a tougher time in the quarterfinals against the No. 3 Xavier Musketeers.

Xavier captured the doubles point and carried the momentum into singles, losing just one game in the second and third singles positions. Hoyas sopho-

knew her story to do the same.

By participating in the marathon, Haslet showed survivors everywhere that they are stronger than those who try to silence them and try to fill the world with fear. She showed amputees that they can be marathon runners, too. She showed all of us watching that we are capable of so much more than the limits our own doubts prescribe us.

Haslet’s sheer determination and resilient spirit are truly remarkable. The marathon demands physical and emotional endurance, and people like Haslet who face extreme adversity must overcome more miles than most in their lifetime to cross the finish line.

Running is often viewed as an individual challenge, yet American marathon legend Shalane Flanagan’s constant encouragement of Haslet offered a lesson in the power of solidarity. The crowd’s uproarious cheers proved that the people of Boston are stronger than the darkness the terrorists tried to create nine years ago. More importantly, while proving that Boston Strong is more than a mere phrase, she also showed that the marathon, just like every challenge in life, is a feat people should never have to undertake alone.

@ADRIANNEHASLET/TWITTER

Adrianne Haslet, who lost her left leg in the Boston Marathon bombing and came back to run the Boston Marathon in 2022, is a source of inspiration for sports fans everywhere.

Everyone chooses to run the marathon for a different reason but is nevertheless uplifted by all those around them. From the loud cheers of encouragement from the crowd to the gasping whisper of “you’ve got this, keep going!” from a fellow runner between breaths, the marathon

brings the city together. In no other city does this unity carry greater weight than in Boston, the city where running has been challenged more than anywhere else.

Haslet is Boston Strong, and she inspires everyone watching her to spread the joy and the magic of the marathon, too.

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GUHOYAS

The Hoyas were held scoreless once, scored 11 runs in a combined three games and ceded 40 total runs as they were pushed out of Chicago in a series against the DePaul Blue Demons.

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Carrie McDonald is a sophomore in the College. The Equalizer appears online and in print every other week.

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open the game and allowed five runs, while failing to post an out.

Sophomore pitcher Julia Parker, who has pitched a team-high 104.2 innings, did not fare much better against a red-hot DePaul team, allowing an additional seven runs in the opening frame.

It is difficult to fully attribute these bitter defeats to poor performances by Dunn and Park-

er, given their extremely high workloads all season long. The next highest for a Hoya pitcher is a third of Dunn’s workload at 33.0 innings. Continuing to rely on Dunn and Parker so heavily is perhaps what is causing the Hoyas’ struggles from the mound.

The Hoyas’ offense improved in the final game of the series.

Georgetown opened the game with a single run in the first

and followed up with five in the fifth and three in the top of the seventh.

Despite the late rally, the Hoyas fell well short of the comeback. Though they lost by 4 runs, they showed grit and tenacity in the attempt.

Junior first base/catcher Nora Campo led the way with two home runs, while graduate outfielder Cameron Kondo, graduate first base/catcher

Abby Smith, and graduate catcher/outfielder Alyssa Chavez each added one home run. Campo led all Hoyas with three runs batted in (RBIs). Six different Hoyas posted RBIs in the box score, and nine Hoyas reached base via hits.

Georgetown is back on the diamond April 29 to May 1 as it hosts the St. John’s Red Storm (10-31, 4-14 Big East) for a threegame series.

MEN’S LACROSSE

Hoyas Make History With 23-6 Win ST. JOHN’S, from A12

unassisted goal. Georgetown went into the second quarter up 7-1.

St. John’s looked strong after the break as they scored their second goal, but the Hoyas controlled the rest of the quarter. Over the course of their blistering 8-0 run, Haley, Watson and Morin scored twice while Bundy and senior attacker Mason Bonnie each scored once more. Bonnie’s goal was his first of the season. At halftime, Georgetown led 15-2.

Two minutes into the third quarter, first-year attacker Cade Caggiano netted his first goal of the season on an assist from graduate midfielder/attacker Tommy

Sopko. It was a quiet quarter of play for the Hoyas, as they scored another goal with 10:18 remaining, bringing their lead to 17-2. St. John’s was given an opportunity to cut that lead when Hoyas first-year defender Joseph Vranizan was sent to the penalty box for slashing.

However, the shorthanded Georgetown instead turned the tables on the Red Storm with a shorthanded goal from senior attacker Brandon Meaux with 4:57 remaining. Meaux kept things going with an assist to Caggiano a few moments later, increasing the Hoyas’ lead. St. John’s put together their only run of the game at the end of the quarter,

scoring two quick goals and bringing the score to 19-5.

With the game comfortably out of reach, Georgetown added some insurance goals from younger players. Firstyear attacker Holt Matheis scored his first goal of the season and assisted another for junior midfielder Zach Pacheco, who also netted his first goal of the season.

Junior attacker Connor Humiston logged his first goal of the year and sophomore attack Aidan Carroll put away his third with 5:33 left in the game for the Hoyas’ 23rd goal on the day. The Red Storm salvaged one last goal as the game ended with Georgetown on top 23-6.

It was a day of firsts for the Hoyas: Not only did Bonnie, Caggiano, Matheis, Pacheco and Humiston all score their first goals of the season, but Georgetown also scored 23 goals in a conference game for the first time in program history. Watson was dominant again with four goals, Haley provided three and an assist and Morin posted a hat trick for the Hoyas.

Georgetown will conclude cwonference play at Villanova University (8-4, 3-1 Big East) on April 29 at 7:00 p.m. With a win, the Hoyas will end their regular season at the top of the Big East, undefeated in conference. The game will be aired on FloLive.

Sports

SOFTBALL

Georgetown (13-25) vs St. John’s Friday, 3 p.m.

Washington, D.C.

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2022

TALKING POINTS

WOMEN’S ROWING Georgetown women’s rowing nearly secured medal finishes in several shells of the Lake Wheeler Invitational.

See A10

NUMBERS GAME

Our depth will keep improving and will be great for our program moving forward.”

Tennis Head Coach Freddy Mesmer

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Georgetown men’s lacrosse set a program high for points in a Big East game as they massacred St. John’s, 23-6.

TENNIS

Season Ends With Big East Quarterfinal Losses Robbie Werdiger Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown University men’s and women’s tennis concluded their seasons with quarterfinal losses in the 2022 Big East Championship in Cayce, South Carolina April 21-22. The men’s team capped off the spring with a 7-12 record, while the women’s squad ended with a 9-13 record, which included a win in the first round of the conference tournament.

The No. 5 Georgetown men’s tennis team lost a thrilling match marked by nail-biting sets to No. 4 Butler. After capturing a win in the third doubles positions and dropping the first doubles, the men’s doubles point came down to the second doubles match. First-year Akira Morgenstern and senior Andrew Rozanov came up short, ultimately losing in a tiebreak 7-6 (6). The doubles point proved crucial, as those two points in the tiebreak could have changed the outcome of the match.

Georgetown tied the match at 1-1 after first-year Adhvyte Sharma steamrolled past his opponent, winning 6-3, 6-0.

However, the Hoyas lost decisively in first and second singles and quickly found themselves trailing Butler 3-1. The team dug deep, though, and clawed their way back. Morgenstern and Georgetown graduate transfer Scott Bickel outplayed their opponents in a pair of two-hour battles to even the match at 3-3. Both players fought back from a set down to claim crucial third-set victories.

@HOYASMLACROSSE/ TWITTER

Georgetown men’s lacrosse had one of its most comfortable games of the season, securing a dominant win over the St. John’s Red Storm after several players scored their first goals and the team collected a whopping 23 goals.

MEN’S LACROSSE

GU Has Day of Firsts in Dominant Win Caden Koontz Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown men’s lacrosse cruised to an early 6-0 lead and never looked back, winning 23-6 over the Big East rival St. John’s Red Storm on April 23. Senior attacker Dylan Watson turned in another dominant performance with four goals and an assist, helping the Hoyas break a See BIG EAST, A11 program record for scoring

in conference play with their 23 goals.

No. 2 Georgetown (121, 4-0 Big East) rolled into the matchup on a sevengame winning streak during which they allowed only one opponent to score more than ten goals. St. John’s (2-11, 0-4 Big East), on the other hand, limped onto Cooper Field on a four-game losing streak.

The Hoyas wasted no time taking an early lead in the first quarter, as Georgetown

graduate attacker Connor Morin scored only 27 seconds into the game, setting the stage for a blowout. With around 13:30 left to play, Hoyas senior midfielder Declan McDermott gathered a ground ball and scored to earn the 100th point of his career and give his team a 2-0 lead.

Georgetown continued to pile goals onto the hapless Red Storm. Sophomore attacker T.J. Haley netted

SOFTBALL

his fifth goal of the season and Watson tacked on his Big East-leading 47th score seconds later to put the Hoyas ahead 4-0. St. John’s had no answer for the highoctane Georgetown attack, allowing Watson to add another goal with 10:44 to play in the first quarter.

Over the next three minutes, the St. John’s goalkeeper managed to fend off three shots from the Hoyas. With 4:57 remaining

in the half, however, Georgetown broke through again as junior midfielder/ attacker Cade MacLeod slotted his second goal of the season.

After coughing up three early turnovers, the Red Storm finally scored their first goal at the 3:42 mark.

In response, Hoyas junior midfielder Graham Bundy Jr. finished the one-sided See ST. JOHN’S, A11

THE EQUALIZER

Hoyas Drop All Three Against DePaul Adrianne Haslet Is Boston Strong Jeremy Fang Hoya Staff Writer

The Georgetown softball team failed to slow down DePaul’s hot bats as the Blue Demons won all three games in the series in Chicago, Ill., on April 23-24, bringing their win streak to seven.

The matchup pitted a Georgetown (13-25, 3-13 Big East) squad which has failed to find a consistent offensive rhythm this season with one of the best offensive teams in the Big East, DePaul (24-19, 12-6 Big East).

The Hoyas lost both games of a double-header on April 23, 10-2 and 17-0, respectively, and came closest to a win in the final game of the series on April 24, but ultimately came up short, 13-9.

Georgetown came out with a hot start in the first game of the series, scoring two runs in the second inning via senior pitcher Cassie Henning’s tworun home run. Despite the solid start, the Blue Demons immediately responded with a homer of their own in the bottom of the inning, cutting the Hoyas’ lead in half.

From then on, DePaul was firmly in control for the rest of the game, scoring runs in every remaining inning. The home run hurt the Hoyas throughout the game, with the Blue Demons launching

Carrie McDonald Columnist

GUHOYAS

Coming off a narrow series against Seton Hall, the Hoyas could not maintain that intensity against DePaul, as they failed to win a single contest in the series.

a grand slam in the fourth as part of a five-run inning.

The Hoyas managed only four hits throughout the game. In spite of poor hitting, Georgetown had opportunities to score, drawing five bases on balls.

Georgetown’s struggles continued throughout the second game of the series. In what was only a five-inning game, the Blue Demons posted 17 runs in four plate apSee DEPAUL, A11 pearances while simultane-

ously shutting out the Hoyas.

The Hoyas’ offense continued to sputter, posting only three hits in the game.

DePaul did most of its damage in the third inning, posting 10 runs in the frame. DePaul notched another grand slam for the third home run of the inning.

This has become a consistent theme for Georgetown’s pitching unit, as the Hoyas had already given up a league-high 37 home runs

before the series against DePaul. Similarly, the Hoyas have given up 182 earned runs in the Big East, the most in the conference.

Though they came up short on April 23, the Hoyas looked to bounce back in the third game of the series the next day.

The Hoyas started slow, allowing 12 Blue Demon runs in the first inning. First-year pitcher Kayla Dunn, who is second on the team in innings pitched at 99.0, struggled to

Visit us online at thehoya.com/sports

The 2022 Boston Marathon on April 18 was so much more than a 26.2-mile race. It showcased a thrilling battle for the women’s title between pro runners Peres Jepchirchir and Ababel Yeshaneh. It inspired thousands who watched an honorary women’s team composed of women’s sports trailblazers compete. But, most importantly, it was a salient reminder to be Boston Strong — a slogan the city adopted after the tragedy — just like paraathlete and Boston bombing survivor Adrianne Haslet.

This year’s Boston Marathon marked its 126th anniversary in the small town of Hopkinton, Mass., but was only the 50th time women were allowed to compete. Over 12,000 women participated in the 26.2-mile challenge, embodying the strength of the first women to run the same route years before them. Each of them came to the start line carrying a unique journey with them. One of these women was Adrianne Haslet.

Haslet’s story began in 2013, as she felt the energy of Marathon Monday radiate through

Boston and went to watch the magic in-person. As she stood directly next to the bomber, Haslet was just feet away from the epicenter of one of two bombs that the terrorists detonated near the finish line. She survived, but ultimately lost her left leg.

Recovery is not linear, and it is not absolute. The terrorists tried to instill fear and harm in the runners and in the people of Boston. They failed. Haslet found a way to reclaim her power by choosing to embrace the very activity associated with her trauma. Running is freeing and empowering, as it provides a way for individuals like Haslet to rebuild power and autonomy.

Haslet started running marathons in 2016 and finished her first race dead last. That did not discourage her, however, as she tried to return to Boston in 2018 but was unable to finish the race because of a storm. She was then struck by a car, delayed by the pandemic, and rolled her ankle from 2019 through 2021.

2022 was Haslet’s year, as she finally crossed the Boston finish line, the same place where her whole life had been forcibly uprooted nine years earlier. She rewrote her own story and inspired those who See MCDONALD, A11