Issue 8

The Fordham Ram Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 Volume 103, Issue 8

TheFordhamRam.com

April 14, 2021

In-Person Campus Visits Resume

Fordham CSM Hosts “Week of Action”

By BROOKE DANIELS

By SARAH HUFFMAN

Since the COVID-19 pandemic reached New York City last spring, Fordham has restricted access to campus for prospective students, hosting online events to replace traditional campus visits. However, the university recently announced in an email to the Fordham community that it will provide new accommodations for visiting prospective students.

John Carroll, associate vice president of Fordham Public Safety, wrote that as of April 7, incoming students are able to attend in-person guided tours on campus once again. Visits will be offered Mondays through Saturdays.

“The University will invite only admitted students who have not previously visited campus, and will initially prioritize visitors from the local metropolitan area: students who attend our

The Committee on Sexual Misconduct (CSM) hosted its semesterly Week of Action from March 29 through April 2. This semester’s programming consisted of five events held throughout the week that brought attention to sexual assault and created a space for survivors.

The first event of the week was The Clothesline Project, an event where survivors and those supporting survivors can write messages related to sexual assault on t-shirts. The t-shirts were hung on the fence around Edward’s Parade for the entire week for passersby to look at. This semester, people were able to get involved virtually by submitting messages of support to CSM’s Instagram.

Lindsey Sullivan, FCRH ’21, chairperson of CSM and United Student Government (USG) vice president of Health and Security, said CSM holds The Clothesline Project every semester because it’s a visible and accessible event.

“We think it’s a great way for Fordham to show its support for survivors of sexual assault and also for survivors to have a chance to reclaim their voice and their power,” she said.

Another event CSM does every year is a Speakout Against Sexual Assault with Women’s Empowerment. While this event is normally held as an open mic event in Rodrigue’s Coffee House, this year it took place on Walsh Library lawn. Alex Shaw, FCRH ’21, vice chair of CSM, said attendees sat in a circle and shared their experiences, creating an intimate healing circle.

Women’s Empowerment said this year’s format was more like a discussion but still fostered a safe, confidential environment for survivors to share their stories.

NEWS EDITOR EMERITA

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SEE TOURS, PAGE 3

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Fordham students and parents face another move-in process under the university's continued COVID-19 guidelines.

Off-Campus Social Scene Thrives Despite COVID-19 Pandemic

By SEBASTIAN DIAZ

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

After a severe coronavirus outbreak on campus that affected over 239 people, an email sent by COVID-19 Coordinator Marco Valera on March 3 stated that “indoor, inperson social gatherings — espe-

cially those in which attendees are eating and drinking, and are not socially distanced — are the most likely way to [contract COVID-19].”

Despite this warning and a current positive test rate of 1.36% at Rose Hill, off-campus restaurants, bars and parties seem to be thriving.

Last semester, the popular sites for

Fordham students to gather and eat or drink, barring private residences, seemed to be Barnyard BBQ and Howl at the Moon. This semester, students seem to prefer the company of Clinton Hall and Last Call.

However, Barnyard remains on SEE BARS, PAGE 3

International Students Talk Bridging the Cultural Gap Between Asia and the U.S.

ARTHUR LIU/THE RAM

Arthur Liu, FCRH ’23, says Americans need to understand Chinese history before they try to engage in Chinese politics.

By ABBEY DELK NEWS EDITOR

In the last year, the United States has seen an increase in anti-Asian violence and racism as people search for somewhere to place the blame following the devastation of the COVID-19

pandemic. Politicians and pundits, most notably former President Donald Trump, have spread harmful and unproven rhetoric suggesting that China purposefully unleashed the deadly virus on the rest of the world. The result has been a rising tide of prejudice and mistrust that has had severe

consequences for Asian Americans across the country.

Of course, anti-Asian racism existed long before the arrival of the COVID-19 virus in the United States.

A lack of understanding of Chinese and other East Asian nations’ cultures has often colored how Americans view immigrants and travelers

from those countries.

Tina Zou, FCRH ’23, and Arthur Liu, FCRH ’23, are both international students from East Asia who have observed this lack of understanding of Chinese history and culture firsthand.

“It has always been difficult and intimidating on a dayto-day basis,” said Zou. “The [common conception] of how Asians are like does not change because of the coronavirus. If anything, it only adds on to what people already think of Asians.”

Neither Zou nor Liu had lived in a place where they were part of a racial minority before they relocated to the United States for school, though both were familiar with Western culture before they moved to America.

Liu’s father grew up in Malaysia and his mother is from Hong Kong, and Liu is a dual citizen of both Malaysia and Hong Kong. His family is Han Chinese, and he grew up in Hong Kong, where the overwhelming majority of the population is also Han Chinese. He attended private school there until his college SEE ASIA, PAGE 4

SEE CSM, PAGE 4

in this issue

Opinion

Page 9

Panel on Gender-Based Violence

Sports

Page 10

Men's Soccer Earns Spot in Atlantic 10 Championship

Culture

Page 7

Diversity in Politics

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS Monday, April 5 Handshake App A student reported a fraudulent internship posting on HandShake.

After applying for the internship, the employers sent the student a text message inviting them to interview. After a few days, the student received a digital check for $2,450 to purchase internship materials. The company had a vendor reach out to the student and ask them to submit three payments via PayPal, one for $720 and two more for $800. The student sent the first payment and has since been unable to contact the employer. Public Safety is investigating, and the job posting has been removed from HandShake.

Tuesday, April 6 3:30 p.m.

Public Safety observed a car parked on Southern Boulevard behind Lombardi Center with a broken rear passenger window. The vehicle had been ransacked, and property was removed. Public Safety contacted the registered owner. The NYPD is investigating.

Thursday, April 8 11:59 p.m.

A fire alarm was activated at Jogues Hall. Public Safety arrived, the building was evacuated and the fire department responded. The source of the alarm activation was found to be a faulty smokehead, resulting in a false alarm. The students were allowed to reenter the building.

Friday, April 9 4:11 p.m.

While on a routine patrol, Public Safety observed a student entering a rear first-floor window of Alumni Court South. The student was attempting to avoid the guard at the front desk. The student was identified, and the matter was referred to Student Affairs.

Follow us on Twitter! @TheFordhamRam

April 14, 2021

Fordham Students Take the Plunge into the World of Podcasting

By ABBEY DELK NEWS EDITOR

The early months of the COVID-19 pandemic afforded many Americans an unexpected period of extended isolation and lots of free time. Many chose to pick up new hobbies to curb quarantine boredom, including home renovations, crocheting and the subtle art of home-baked bread. For Alex DiFiore, FCRH ’22, the summer of 2020 proved the perfect time to launch a weekly podcast.

DiFiore said the idea came while playing video games with friends.

He and his close friend Aaron Cohen, who attends Haverford College, enjoyed spending long hours during online quarantine gaming together, making jokes and talking about every topic under the sun. One night, one of their mutual friends suggested they take their funny conversations and turn them into a podcast.

After some back and forth, DiFiore and Cohen decided to take a leap of faith and create their show, “Who Asked.” As the podcast description states, “The most inconsequential show on the internet. Two Psych Majors (who think they know everything about the universe) provide answers to questions that absolutely nobody asked.”

DiFiore said he was a little apprehensive to put himself out there by posting the first episodes of the podcast. “I definitely was nervous about putting weird conversation topics and even just vulgar stuff on the internet, especially because Aaron and I were applying for jobs at the time,” said DiFiore. “But honestly, with time, we just got more comfortable.”

Eventually, it became no big deal to include even the weirdest conversations in their episodes. DiFiore said the podcast closely reflects the kinds of conversations he and Cohen share all the time. In order to keep a feeling of authenticity in each episode, the two try to talk about things they would discuss in real life and keep their audio editing in postproduction to a minimum.

“As far as editing actual content out, we hardly do,” said DiFiore.

“The more you edit what you put up, the less ‘you’ it is. If we edited out all of our six out of 10 jokes just to keep the good ones in there, it would definitely be entertaining, but it wouldn’t be ‘us.’ We would rather it be transparently ‘us’ than an edited version.”

So far, DiFiore said his favorite episodes to record have been “Epi-

sode 10: Panera Cult” and “Episode 30: Tennis Isn’t Real.” These two installments provide a great introduction to their show, explained DiFiore.

DiFiore is not the only Fordham student who has taken the plunge into the world of podcasting. Patrick Breen, FCRH ’22, began his show, “Pop Culture Nerd,” during the winter break of 2019 to 2020, a few months before the pandemic hit.

Breen had experience in audio recording through his work at WFUV, where he hosts the weekly four-hour radio show “Ceol na nGael” on Irish music and culture.

Breen said he saw his solo podcast as an opportunity to enjoy more creative freedom with the art he discusses in each episode. Episodes vary by topic, from movies to current events in popular culture. Some installments feature Breen’s friend Vincent Simpson, who studies at Ithaca College. “It was something to do just to showcase my interests,” explained Breen.

Breen said one of his favorite episodes to record so far was “The Tragic Story of Her’s,” which follows the story of a British band whose members died in a car accident in 2019. Breen was able to interview the band’s agent Rob Gibbs for the episode.

“People like to have their stories told, especially if they’re more behind the scenes,” said Breen. “I don’t think he’d ever done a long-form interview about the band, and I think it was — not to put too much stock in my podcast — that he needed that kind of emotional catharsis because he hadn’t really talked it out in an interview before.”

Gigi Speer, FCRH ’22, and Kelly Bright, FCRH ’22, also leveraged their experience working at WFUV to start their show “Killing the Game,” which focuses on the experience of being a student-athlete in college.

Speer said she and Bright wanted to carve out a new niche in the endless stream of podcasts available on streaming platforms. “We were just kind of thinking about what people hadn’t done already,” said Speer. “I feel like there really isn’t anything out there that centers around the studentathlete experience.”

Speer said, “Killing the Game” was something she would have loved to listen to as a high school student looking to continue her athletic career into college. Now, she and Bright, who both play for Fordham’s softball team, have created a new resource for anyone interested to get an inside look at the experiences of studentathletes. Episodes focus on different facets of student-athlete life, from balancing sports with schoolwork to

Patrick Breen, FCRH ‘22, records his show “Pop Culture Nerd” from his bedroom.

(ALEX DIFIORE/THE RAM)

leaving athletics behind post-graduation. Speer said her favorite episode so far was “The Pastime,” which explores how student-athletes find time to engage in hobbies outside of their sport. Speer said the show is on a temporary hiatus while she and Bright compete in their softball season but that interested listeners should look for new episodes starting at the end of the spring semester.

Vanessa DeJesus, FCRH ’22, said she is in the beginning stages of her own podcast. She was inspired to launch a show with her friend Marshall Nilsen who goes to another university, because of their love for discussing their favorite shows at great length. The podcast, which DeJesus plans to release this summer, is called “Off The Deep End,” and will feature DeJesus and Nilsen analyzing episodes of “Westworld.”

“I’m an English major, so I overanalyze literally every day for a grade,” joked DeJesus. “Doing it for fun kind of hones my skills and lets me revisit something that I love.”

DeJesus said she wants to eventually release podcast episodes in tandem with episodes of the fourth season of the “Westworld,” which will air in 2022.

All of the Fordham podcasters emphasized the challenge of balancing a full course load with recording and editing episodes of their shows on the side. DiFiore said he and Cohen worked to create a backlog of episodes over winter break to give themselves a cushion when their school work becomes extra stressful. DeJesus said she and Nilsen plan to take a similar approach with their show.

DiFiore also stressed the importance of learning from early mistakes in order to produce more enjoyable and higher quality podcast episodes.

He said going back and listening to their first episodes has helped him and Cohen hone their skills and learn as they go. He emphasized the

importance of taking the time to grow and not quitting before you have the chance to really hit your stride as a podcaster.

“If you’re enjoying it, if you like doing it, you will get better at it,” said DiFiore.

Breen said the challenges that come with creating his podcast are worth it for the positive feedback he has received from friends and strangers who have listened to his podcast over the last year. “The fact that anyone wants to hear what I have to say amazes me every time I post the podcast,” he said. “I so appreciate that.”

In terms of producing quality content, DeJesus said she has learned that using quality sound equipment is key. “There’s nothing worse than having phone call audio,” she said. “It’s a big pet peeve of mine when you hear static and feedback when you listen to a podcast.” DeJesus recommends investing in a highquality microphone to ensure that recordings are of good quality and enjoyable for listeners.

Speer said she would encourage any Fordham student considering creating their own podcast to go for it. Just be sure to delegate responsibilities earlier on if you’re planning on working with a friend, she advised. “You wouldn’t want your relationship with that person to be ruined because you felt they dropped the ball or because you feel you can’t work with them,” said Speer.

Speer also suggested students interested in podcasting look for ways to find a unique voice and angle for their projects.

“You can’t really escape that there are so many podcasts out there already, so there might be overlap with an existing one,” said Speer. “But if you can find a way to make it special and make it your own, I think it just makes the whole process easier and helps you start to grow your audience.”

This Week at Fordham Wednesday April 14

Thursday April 15

Friday April 16

Friday April 16

Friday April 16

Sláinte Irish Night Performance

Conversation on Environmental Racism

Insieme La Festa Italiana

Hellenic Society Food Truck

Painting on Eddies

Fordham’s Irish dance company Sláinte will perform its annual Irish Night dances over YouTube Live.

The group will perform six choreographed dances. The event also features a capella performances.

Join Fordham’s Campus Ministry in a conversation with alumnus and attorney Sasha George, FCLC ’16.

She will discuss her work with the EPA as well as social justice initiatives and environmental racism.

Fordham’s Insieme Italian Cultural Society hosts a night full of authentic Italian food and dancing.

The event also features traditional Italian dancing as well as Italian American speakers.

Join Fordham’s Hellenic Society in enjoying gyros. The food will be catered by Uncle Gussy’s. If you wish to attend, please fill out the Google form on the Fordham Hellenic Society’s Instagram page!

Join the Commuting Student Services in a painting pop-up on Eddie’s. Some snacks will be provided!

If you are interested, please fill out the Google form found on the Commuting Student Services Instagram!

Virtual (YouTube Live) 8:30 p.m.

Virtual (Zoom) 5 p.m.

Collins Auditorium 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Edward’s Parade 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Edward’s Parade 3:20 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

NEWS

April 14, 2021

Page 3

New Students Can Visit Campus in Limited Groups FROM TOURS, PAGE 1

community schools and Cristo Rey schools, largely from the five boroughs,” wrote Carroll.

Carroll said the resumption of in-person tours of Fordham’s campuses is in part a response to interest from prospective students and their families. “There has been sustained interest by Rose Hill students, prospective students and families to see Fordham at this critical time when they decide where they plan to spend their next four years to study and possibly reside,” said Carroll. “Many families have been vaccinated; however, we are mandating that they either bring documented proof of vaccination or undergo a COVID test within five days of their scheduled visit.”

The families who visit the Rose Hill campus of Fordham University are currently asked to follow several health and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of the campus community. The number of prospective students in a tour and the total number of tours will be limited at this time.

Prospective students will be limited to bringing two additional guests for in-person campus visits. The tours will only be 30 to 45 minutes long and restricted to the outdoor green spaces on campus.

“Additionally, Public Safety will screen every visit, temperature check each person and have them sign COVID related questions based on guidance from

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Fordham resumes in-person visits of the Rose Hill campus for prospective students and their families this month.

CDC and New York State,” said Carroll.

While there are in-person tours, prospective students and their families can also still choose to partake in virtual tours of the campus instead. This option is an opportunity for parties not looking to travel or interact with others during the pandemic. Virtual

tours still provide an extensive tour of any of Fordham’s campuses.

Patricia Peek, dean of Undergraduate Admissions, said the virtual tours and information sessions have been successful this year. “Our student ambassadors have been hosting much more immersive live virtual

walking tours which give students and families access to more areas of our campus, including some views inside buildings and highlight some favorite places in our neighborhoods,” said Peek.

“During our Guided Virtual Tour, you’ll watch our campus come to life, as you hear our students share the undergraduate experi-

ence. While you’ll be welcomed by an admissions counselor, these events are hosted by our current students.”

The virtual tours include a live picture of what campus looks like, rain or shine. It features a look inside certain noteworthy buildings, favorite spots on and around campus and descriptions of different parts of campus.

There are some aspects of campus and university life that virtual tours aren’t able to efficiently or effectively capture. The interaction with students, professors and other members of the campus community will be limited due to the virtual format, explained Peek.

“However, to make up for that, we have supplemented the virtual tour experiences with an array of interactive academic, social and topic based sessions that include combinations of current students, faculty, deans and staff in an effort to connect incoming families with members of our community,” said Peek.

The virtual tours provide a special opportunity for families who don’t have the financial means to attend a traditional tour or are choosing to not travel during the pandemic. The virtual tours are very comprehensive and will provide students with a unique experience. Peek added, “The enhanced virtual options that were created as a result of the pandemic are here to stay.”

Public Safety Reminds Students Partying Is Unsafe FROM MOVE-IN, PAGE 1

the list of popular sites, according to a freshman student at Rose Hill, who asked to remain anonymous.

Sharing their experience at Barnyard last semester, the student told the Ram via text message that “it was very normal.”

“They were enforcing the New York state guidelines about staying at the table, ordering food etc.,” said the student. “But when they opened up indoor dining, it drastically changed. People inside would head outside to see their friends and walk around without masks, and waiters tried to yell at people, but, obviously, no one was listening.”

The student shared a video with The Ram that was taken this semester. In the shaky video, a large group of Barnyard customers gathered in close proximity as party lights quickly shifted colors overhead.

In a face-to-face interview, Simon Kajtazi, owner of Barnyard BBQ, spoke about the facility’s COVID-19 protocols. “During the pandemic, we have the lines up over here, the things on the floor that say to keep your distance, hand sanitizers, tables are pretty much six feet apart,” Kajtazi said.

Kajtazi also talked about the process that customers are required to go through to enter the building.

All customers have their temperature checked. However, while nonFordham student customers need a recent negative COVID-19 test result to enter, Fordham students need only show that day’s VitalCheck to ensure that they are not carrying the disease.

Fordham students familiar with

the university’s VitalCheck system know how simple it is to gain clearance. Based on an honor system, students are asked to read through a list of qualifications, including symptoms, international travel, positive COVID-19 tests or known exposure. Students can either click “No to all above” and receive work clearance or “Yes to some above” to alert the university.

In response to the university’s claim about in-door social gatherings as sites for COVID-19 infections, Kajtazi said, “You can’t put both [house parties and bars] together.” Kajtazi described the responsibilities that restaurants and bars have to meet to avoid losing their liquor license or receiving fines from the state.

House parties, Kajtazi says, have no rules. “It’s hard to tame young kids,” Kajtazi added.

Kajtazi was not wearing a face mask for the duration of the interview.

When asked to comment about bars’ contribution to COVID-19 spread, John Carroll, associate vice president of Fordham’s Public Safety department, said they were a risk factor for the Fordham community.

“Congregating in local bars definitely contributes to increased spread of COVID-19, as they do not enforce Fordham policies of face masks and social distancing,” said Carroll. “Because the University has no authority nor jurisdiction over these businesses, it has made repeated notifications to New York City authorities and New York State Liquor Authority seeking

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Barnyard BBQ owner Simon Katjazi insists his establishment follows COVID-19 guidelines and is safe for students.

enforcement actions at these locations. Whether or not students are first years, most of whom are underaged, or not, anyone gathering in these locations and disregarding COVID-19 precautions is endangering themselves and every member of the on and off-campus communities.”

Frequent partying and bardrinking off campus can have detrimental effects on the Fordham community.

“A group of people who willingly filmed themselves and posted publicly to their socials was at a bar partying with a bunch of people unmasked,” recalls Francesca Rizzo, FCRH ’24. “It was these same

individuals that contracted coronavirus days later and brought it back to our dorm.”

Rizzo and her roommates ended up testing positive for coronavirus after coming into contact with these students. “My schoolwork weeks later is still suffering because of how much moving to quarantine and getting coronavirus shook me up.”

“I just feel like when there is a clear instance of poor behavior and failure to follow simple rules of the dorm, like wearing a mask, there should be ways to enforce it and penalize those who don’t adhere,” said Rizzo.

Beyond the student commu-

nity, students who frequent these locations also impact the local Bronx community. After witnessing a group of drinking Fordham students recklessly interacting with traffic off-campus, Nicole St. Jacques, FCRH ’24, immediately understood the dangers that irresponsibly drinking students have on the off-campus community.

“I thought it was super disrespectful to the Bronx residents who were likely coming home from long days at work or going to night shifts,” St. Jacques said. “It makes me upset that the predominantly white students of Fordham who go to bars are so inconsiderate to the surrounding Bronx area.”

NEWS

Page 4

April 14, 2021

CSM Focuses Programming on Theme of Healing FROM CSM, PAGE 1

“We greatly appreciate the work CSM does to support survivors and to combat sexual misconduct on campus, and we were so happy to be able to hold it during Week of Action,” said Reilly Dunne, general coordinator for Women’s Empowerment. “Every speakout has been a very cathartic experience for me and it is so incredible to witness the strength and vulnerability of survivors.”

This semester’s keynote Speaker for Week of Action was Marlee Liss, an embodiment coach and restorative justice advocate. Sullivan said CSM has never brought it a guest speaker like Liss before since they usually collaborate with other clubs and organizations.

Sullivan said Liss is the first person in North America who decided to go through a restorative justice program through the court system after she was sexually assaulted. Restorative justice focuses on making sure the offender understands the impact of their crime.

“It’s a way of giving justice back to the people who were victims through the people who perpetuated the crime, understanding their crime, learning from it and understanding the harm that they’ve caused,” said Shaw.

She said restorative justice is a community focused process and Liss explained that it was a very healing process for her to hear her rapist take accountability for what he did so she could focus on herself and move on.

Sullivan said they wanted to

bring her onto campus to provide a different perspective and bring restorative justice into the conversation.

“She has a really powerful story that centers on listening to survivors, focusing on survivor healing,” said Sullivan.

Shaw said they got a really good turnout for the event and that people were very receptive to Liss’ story and her message.

Thursday’s event was a conversation with the Bronx district attorney’s office that bounced off of Liss’ talk about restorative justice and community-based healing. Shaw said they talked about holding each other accountable and how to give space for people to learn from their mistakes. She said it was about centering survivors and healing as well.

“Her focus was on minor harms that we do every single day in our interactions with each other and how to recognize if we hurt someone else and how to take accountability for it and how to use it as a way to grow and learn,” said Sullivan.

The last event was a collaboration with ASILI called the Intersection Between Black Women and Sexual Violence. Shaw and Priyanka Koshy, FCRH ’23, chair of CSM’s subcommittee for diversity, had a conversation on Instagram live about the intersection of sexual assault and race.

Koshy said the goal of the event was to have an open dialogue that did not shy away from difficult topics, such as race, sexuality and sexual violence. Koshy said she asked Shaw questions

COURESTY OF INTSAGRAM

Fordham CSM hosts the Clothesline Project each semester to express solidarity with victims of sexual assault.

about Black women survivors and the unique challenges they face, adding in her own perspective.

“I believe in the importance of incorporating diversity in the conversation surrounding sexual violence,” said Koshy. “I am so glad to work alongside a group of people who care about diversity initiatives and developing events such as this which spread awareness on it. I believe the only way for us to bring about change as a student body is to encourage students to partake in respectful but

meaningful conversations, which was reflected well in CSM's collaboration with ASILI.” Shaw said she hoped that people took away a revived sense of wanting to be an active bystander and that it helped people think about healing. She said the week’s events felt very cohesive and thematic in that sense.

“It was mostly about healing. I felt like it was a very survivor-focused week in that we talked about how to heal as a survivor and the different ways that that can look,”

said Shaw. “I don’t think that we really always talk about healing.

We never really talk about the aftermath and how survivors can heal from it, so I hope that they took that away from this week.”

Sullivan said even if they only reach one person through Week of Action, then they are doing their job right.

Anyone facing difficulties regarding sexual assault or sexual misconduct can text Fordham’s CARE Connect number at 718817-2273 or reach out to CSM.

Students Call for More Education on Chinese History FROM ASIA, PAGE 1

years when he moved to New York City to attend Fordham.

When he first moved and became more familiar with the Bronx, Liu was struck by the racial and ethnic diversity of the city. “Hong Kong is very homogenous,” said Liu. “I’m in the racial majority [there]. I was never quite used to being the minority, and I was also not used to all of the different cultures here.”

While Zou’s family is Chinese, she was born in Tokyo, Japan, and lived there for the first few years of her life. Her father took her back to Beijing when she was seven years old to receive her education. He wanted to allow her to become more integrated into her “mother culture,” explained Zou. After she finished her middle school years in a public school in China, Zou wanted to use her time in high school to explore a new culture. She traveled to the United States to attend three years of high school in Virginia Beach, where she stayed with an American host family. After graduation, she chose to stay in America to complete her college education at Fordham.

Unlike many Asian Americans who grow up here and learn to recognize and react to anti-Asian racism, Zou said she had difficulty recognizing problematic behavior in friends and classmates at first. There are certain racist phrases and hand gestures that she had never encountered before

coming to America, and she had to be taught by Asian Americans who were more versed in how anti-Asian racism manifests, explained Zou. “Before I came to the United States, I didn’t know [what anti-Asian racism looks like],” said Zou. “If I stayed in China my entire life, I wouldn’t know what phrases were linked to racism.”

Liu said he remembered an incident at a party before the pandemic that shifted his understanding of racism in America. A few non-Asian students assumed he was not from America, even though Liu speaks fluent English and, by his own admission, sounds like an American when he speaks. While Liu didn’t think much of the encounter, some of his Asian American friends perceived the interaction quite differently.

“For them, that meant something different,” explained Liu. “I’m genuinely not from here … But they were born here and have every right to be here and are as American as anyone else.

That was a very eye-opening experience for me.”

But Zou said her response to racist language from peers has always been to report their behavior or brush it off, especially when she was in high school.

“There aren’t that many things we can do about it because, apparently, kids are ‘young,’ and ‘they don’t know stuff’ and they ‘just joke about things,’” said

Zou. “Regardless of what their intention is, we can’t change how they think and behave.”

When asked about any misconceptions he has noticed about his home country while studying in the United States, Liu expressed frustration with Americans’ tendency to express strong opinions on Chinese political issues without actually educating themselves on Chinese history and culture beforehand.

As someone who grew up in Hong Kong, which exists at the center of cultural and political struggle between China and Western nations like Britain and the United States, Liu said he wants Americans to engage with the nuance and complexity of the relationship between Hong Kong, China and the West. “You need to learn about history in order to talk about politics,” said Liu. “The way [Americans] arrive at their political opinions is through Western media, which is very biased.”

Liu also suggested that part of Americans’ lack of knowledge about China and other East Asian countries is the “one-way cultural exchange” between the United States and those nations. “You see a lot of people from East Asia coming to the West,” observed Liu. “You don’t see a lot of that the other way.”

The same is true when it comes to consuming Western media, said Liu. “A lot of people in China can read English,” said Liu.

TINA ZOU/THE RAM

Tina Zou, FCRH ’23, relocated to the U.S. in high school from her home in China.

“They can access the BBC, albeit through VPNs or unofficial channels. They can fully comprehend everything. A lot of people in the West don’t understand Chinese, so they don’t understand what’s happening, for better or for worse, in Asian society.”

Zou said there should be more of an effort by Americans to unlearn harmful stereotypes about China. She is especially frustrated with her observation that some Americans’ distrust of the Chinese government translates into distrust and prejudice towards Chinese people.

“People should separate what the government is doing with what Chinese people and Chinese culture are really like,” said Zou. In the years since she moved to the United States for school,

Zou said she has not taken any prejudice she has faced to heart. “I never took any racist ideas personally,” said Zou. “The gap between Western and Asian culture is huge, and there are so many things that people don’t know about each other.”

Liu said the first step to understanding the culture and politics of countries in East Asia is to travel (post-pandemic, of course) and actively educate oneself on their histories. “Engage with the histories of these countries,” said Liu. This is one way non-Asian Fordham students can be allies to their Asian and Asian American peers. “You don’t necessarily have to be super public about it,” said Liu. “But you should educate yourselves, and when the time calls for it, stand up.”

OPINION

April 14, 2021

R

Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918 The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published and distributed free of charge every Wednesday during the academic year to the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center and Westchester campuses with a readership of over 12,000 and a web readership of over 300,000.

Website TheFordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu Editor-in-Chief Rachel Gow Managing Editor Dylan Balsamo Editorial Director Erica Weidner Multimedia Director Hunter Benegas Business Director Aidan Youngs Production Editor Vanessa DeJesus Copy Chief Megan Dowden Assistant Copy Chief Virginia Belt News Editor Abbigail Delk Features Editor Hasna Ceran Assistant News Editors Sebastian Diaz Isabel Danzis Opinion Editors Emma Lipkind Taylor Herzlich Culture Editors Ava Erickson Sara Tsugranis Assistant Culture Editor Hanif Amanullah Sports Editor Alexander Wolz Assistant Sports Editors Michael Hernandez Kaley Bell Digital Producer Collette Campbell Digital Director Katie Morris Visual Director Pia Fischetti Photo Editor Mackenzie Cranna Graphics/Illustrations Cory Bork Faculty Advisor Beth Knobel Editorial Page Policy

The Fordham Ram’s editorial is

selected on a weekly basis and reflects the editorial board’s view on a campus issue.

Opinions Policy The Fordham Ramaccepts submissions to fordhamramopinions@gmail. com. Commentaries are printed on a space available basis. The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram .

The Fordham Ram reserves the right to edit any submissions. The opinions in The Fordham Ram’s editorials are those of the editorial board; those expressed in articles, letters, commentaries, cartoons or graphics are those of the individual author. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without writte consent.

Page 5

From the Desk | Ava Erickson

The Electric Transformation of Transportation General Motors announced that they would stop making gas-powered vehicles by 2035. This is a promising step to tackle carbon emissions.

Electric vehicles are significantly better for the environment than gaspowered ones. But, moving towards an all-electric fleet will take time — time that we just don’t have. To meet President Biden’s goal to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, we are going to need to completely reinvent our transportation system.

As of now, less than 1 percent of the vehicles on the road in the U.S. are electric. To have an all-electric fleet by 2050, all manufacturing of gas-powered vehicles must end by 2035. While G.M.’s promise is vital to reach this goal, they are not the only manufacturer involved. There are plenty of other obstacles that could prolong the fleet turnover.

The first major obstacle is the change in infrastructure. Right now, our entire country is designed around gas-powered vehicles. Gas pumps would need to be replaced with charging stations,.Tools and services offered in repair shops would have to shift. To push people to transition to electric vehicles, it needs to be more convenient to own an electric car than a gas-powered one.

When thinking about environmental sustainability, the rule of thumb is that keeping something longer is better.In the case of electric cars, the rule is blurred. There is no clear consensus on the best choice for consumers. Generally, when you buy a new car, you sell your old one on the used car market or it is used for its parts. However, with an all-electric fleet, the older gas-powered vehicles will end up in a landfill.

Additionally, manufacturing and transporting a new car account for

as much as 28 percent of the carbon emissions generated during the average lifecycle of a gas-powered car.

Meaning, even if you are purchasing an electric car, a large amount of carbon emissions are still being produced before it even reaches you.

On the other hand, studies show that electric vehicles’ production emissions offset in between six and 18 months. This means that if you keep your old gas-powered car it will continue to produce carbon emissions, while if you buy a new electric car its emissions will quickly offset.

Although it feels logical to try and sustain your current car as long as possible, keeping older “gas-guzzler” cars on the road is worse for the environment than buying a new electric car.

This leads to questions about the cost of buying a new car, a difficult task for many people. Right now, the average car on the road is about 12 years old, but economists predict that as electric cars start to take over, people will keep their vehicles for even longer. Consumers who are unable to afford newer, pricier electric cars will continue to drive their older gas-powered cars or buy gas-powered cars on the used car market. This likely trend will slow down the transition to an allelectric fleet even more.

These economic and infrastructural challenges will likely slow the transition to an all-electric fleet, meaning even G.M.’s promise to stop making gas-powered vehicles by 2035 will not be enough to meet the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. But this does not mean there is no hope. A couple of key changes to the transportation system in the U.S. — such as electrifying high mileage vehicles and improving infrastructure — need to be our primary focus right now.

Rather than pushing Americans to purchase new, expensive electric cars, we should be focusing on public transportation and ride-share services. In a study by Abdullah Alarfaj, a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University, he suggests that electrifying Uber and Lyft cars is a good first step. Typically, cars used for Uber and Lyft are retired earlier than those used for personal use, so replacing them with electric cars could happen in a shorter timeframe than the typical vehicle.

Electrifying public transportation systems is important, too. Buses contribute to almost a quarter of the carbon emissions produced by vehicles, so electrifying all buses would make a big impact on our national carbon emissions. “E-buses,” which are common in China, have a low operating cost and net-zero emissions.

The final category of vehicles that should be electrified first is semitrucks. A single semi drives 45,000

miles a year on average, meaning they contribute to a large percentage of vehicle emissions. Big car manufacturers like Volvo and Tesla have started to produce electric semis which would be key in lowering emissions and helping to change the infrastructure.

Semi-trucks drive all over the country, which means there need to be gas stations and repair services all over the country. However, if the majority of semis are electrified, that infrastructure will start to shift to accommodate electric vehicles. That shift is ultimately what we will need to move towards an all-electric, net-zero fleet of vehicles on the road.

By 2050, it needs to be easier to own and drive an electric vehicle than a gas-powered one. We must start this infrastructural change by electrifying rideshare cars, public transportation and semis, rather than pushing individual consumers to invest in electric vehicles.

Editorial | 2021

Widespread Vaccination Is Needed to Return to Normal

On April 6, anyone over the age of 16 who lives, works or attends school in New York became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Previous eligibility rules, tied to medical conditions and employment risks, did not encompass the entire Fordham student body. Under the new rules, all Fordham students are eligible to get vaccinated.

We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: All students should get the COVID-19 vaccine. With the expanded eligibility rules, there is no reason not to get vaccinated.

The vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are safe and effective. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, both approved for use, are roughly 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 infection. Their quick development and nationwide availability offer a glimpse of hope for eliminating COVID-19 and returning to normal.

If you’re concerned about vaccine safety, you’re not alone. But right now, we need to trust the

experts in the FDA. They authorized the vaccines for emergency use after examining data from scientific trials; the “emergency” label does not mean the process was haphazard or rushed. Safety concerns continue even after initial approval. On April 13, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) paused the Johnson & Johnson vaccine out of an abundance of caution. Out of the 7 million people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, six experienced a blood-clotting disorder. Despite being a small fraction of the total vaccine recipients, they chose to avoid risking lives.

The speed of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout isn’t concerning — it’s impressive. The vaccines are a testament to modern science and worldwide collaboration. COVID-19 has dominated our lives for the past year, and the search for a vaccine has likewise dominated science research. The first vaccine was approved for use in the U.S. barely one year after the first CO-

VID-19 case. Less than a year and a half after the first case, the FDA currently approves two vaccines for nationwide emergency use.

More importantly, those vaccines are now available to all adults in most U.S. states, including New York.

While the vaccines are a light at the end of the tunnel, we have to recognize that we are still in the tunnel. The end of the pandemic is closer than ever, but it’s not over.

Cases continue to climb, patients check into hospitals and people die. COVID-19 still poses a major risk, and we must continue to take precautions even as vaccines become widely available. The existence of vaccines is not a justification for behaving irresponsibly.

Fordham’s insistence that we continue to wear masks and practice social distancing is echoed by medical experts. The vaccines do not reach their full effectiveness until two weeks after the second dose.

Since the majority of us became eligible for our first doses one week

ago, the Fordham community is far from herd immunity. We need to continue protecting ourselves while students make their appointments and receive their shots. It’s also important to remember that no vaccine is 100% effective — a 95% efficacy rate is incredible, but it leaves 5% of recipients vulnerable. We share a duty to prevent infection and stop the spread of COVID-19; right now, that means we need to take other precautions in addition to getting vaccinated.

Since all Fordham students are now eligible, nothing should stop you from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Get an appointment as soon as you can. The university has a limited number of vaccine doses available at both campuses, and you can schedule an appointment online. Doctor Urgent Medical Care on Fordham Road now accepts walk-in appointments. We’ve struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic for the past year, and vaccination is our best shot at reaching its end.

OPINION

Page 6

April 14, 2021

Legalization of Marijuana Prevents Injustice

COURTESY OF TWITTER

New York State recently legalized recreational marijuana, a notable switch in stance after years of slow change and pushback.

By TAYLOR HERZLICH OPINION EDITOR

New York State recently legalized recreational marijuana, a notable switch in stance after years of slow change and pushback. While medical-use cannabis has been legal since 2014, new legislation, signed

by Gov. Cuomo on March 31, will allow recreational cannabis use for all adults.

Many have speculated that the sudden support from Cuomo and the rush of movement on legislation so highly desired by citizens is a result of Cuomo’s weakened reputation after multiple scandals and an attempt at winning back the support of the general public. Cuomo’s administration has attempted to frame his support for the bill around economic concern, claiming that the legalization of recreational marijuana will both create new jobs in a now-legal industry and produce significant tax collections.

Regardless of whether or not the sudden approval of the bill is an attempt to win back the good graces of New Yorkers, it is a significant change in governmental legislation.

This bill can also act as a look into the future; state decisions tend to filter throughout the country, albeit sometimes at a tortoise-like pace.

The question logically becomes whether or not the legalization of marijuana is the right choice for not just New Yorkers but all Americans.

The answer is a clear yes. After a deeper look at the argument, the legalization of marijuana can help prevent some of the most blatant forms of discrimination tied deep within our country’s legal justice system.

There are substantial arguments against the legalization of recreational marijuana. The most common argument used against the legalization of marijuana is an obvious one: that marijuana is a drug. As

with all other drugs, it comes with its risks. Health education classes in public schools love to portray marijuana as a “gateway drug,” or a drug that will lead to the usage and abuse of harder substances. While this is partially true, some of the drugs that marijuana is found to commonly be linked to are substances like alcohol and nicotine, both of which are legal and, for the most part, socially acceptable. It doesn’t make much sense for marijuana to be outlawed for the “safety of the people” when marijuana is a relatively safe drug, along the same safety lines as alcohol and nicotine. Of course, when this substance is abused or used by children and teenagers who are still developing, the negative effects increase, but the same is true of other legal substances. It just doesn’t make sense for marijuana to be illegal for protective measures.

Another common argument used against the legalization of mar-

ijuana is the idea that once marijuana is legalized, users will simply be high all the time. There is this idea that society will become lazier.

Work productivity will decrease as a result. There is also the fear of individuals driving while high and putting others in danger. While these are legitimate fears, the arguments ignore that these fears exist for legal substances as well, and will be handled similarly. Driving while high is certainly an issue — just as drunk driving is now. But the answer is not to outlaw alcohol. Increased enforcement of drunk driving laws, as well as awareness of the issue (such as in driver’s education classes), can help minimize the issue in a more realistic manner. The issue of driving while high will be treated, I assume, in much the same way.

Similarly, the worries about having members of society high all the time are illogical. These worries assume that everyone who partakes in marijuana usage must be an addict, an assumption that is not made when it comes to worrying about workers coming into their job drunk every day. There will always be people who struggle with drug abuse. This is a real and prevalent issue, but it should not be confused with the tendencies of the average user.

Whether or not you approve of the usage of marijuana, there is one key reason to support the legalization of cannabis: the undeniable racial disparity in marijuana arrests.

The criminalization of marijuana has proved to be just another way of perpetuating racial discrimination

within the justice system. Although Black people and white people use recreational marijuana at very similar rates, Black people are arrested for illegal possession of marijuana at nearly four times the rate of white people. In some states, the gap between arrest rates is even higher.

These numbers are outrageous.

Marijuana is no longer a taboo in society — it has not been since the 1960s. When you drive through your neighborhood or walk around your campus, the sight of someone smoking marijuana is not uncommon.

The illegalization of marijuana is merely an excuse to arrest and criminalize Black people yet again for something that is widely used and embraced by much of society.

While I would love it if there was a quick, surefire way to fix the blatantly racist practices of the justice system, it is time to take a more realistic viewpoint. The legalization of marijuana will not only prevent the immoral arrest and criminalization of discriminated individuals, but it will expunge the criminal records of those previously arrested for marijuana-related crimes.

The arguments debating the morality of marijuana should become irrelevant once we recognize the immorality of the arrests surrounding this drug.

Taylor Herzlich, FCRH ’23, is a journalism major from Mt. Sinai, N.Y.

Abuse of Olympic Swimmers Is Uncovered

By MADELINE BYRNE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In recent years, synchronized swimming, now known as artistic swimming, has gained popularity in the Olympic Games. However, the reality concealed behind this beautiful sport is being uncovered as dozens of athletes have reported emotional and sexual abuse inflicted by coaches.

Unfortunately, these women are not the first Olympic athletes to confess their deeply problematic experiences with abuse during training. Although allegations like these have become more common in the sphere of the games, Olympic officials have failed to take action to protect athletes.

The Olympic committee and artistic swimming organizations must be held accountable, penalizing abusive coaches and putting more regulations in place to ensure that offenses like these do not continue.

Artistic swimming was first recognized as an Olympic sport in 1984 and has been present in the summer games ever since. This sport is unique in its emphasis on combining rigorous athletic ability with art, a dichotomy that has posed difficulties for athletes. The Olympic swimmers, who are most commonly women, experience intense critique regarding their physical appearance as much of the sport’s appeal comes from their routines’ aesthetic and beauty. This has created an unhealthy environment that has pushed swimmers to develop severe self-image issues.

Many athletes have spoken out about the community’s emphasis on weight and appearance. In conver-

sation with The New York Times, Myriam Glez, a former chief executive of USA Artistic Swimming and a two-time Olympian, stated, “if you’re not tall and super skinny — basically if you don’t look like a model — with light skin, you have no chance to get to the top level.”

Swimmers have reported that derogatory comments from coaches have further perpetuated their struggles with weight and appearance. Gabor Szauder, the national coach for Canada Artistic Swimming, has been accused of verbal abuse by five swimmers. Victims reported that he had made sexist and racist remarks during training and often made offensive comments about their physique.

This mistreatment has prompted these athletes to file a lawsuit against Canada Artistic Swimming, the organization that they believe neglected to protect them from Szauder and coaches like him. While swimmers have often been silenced regarding

their experiences, this scandal has inspired many other Canadian athletes to come forward with similar allegations against Szuader.

Sion Ormand, one of the key Canadian swimmers involved in this lawsuit, reported that Szauder threatened them physically, saying, “if we kept swimming like that, he would hit us so hard, we wouldn’t know what happened.” Additionally, he had made sexual comments, telling Ormand to “zip up your hoodie before I get too excited.” Canadian Artistic Swimming officials failed to take Ormand’s complaints seriously, providing excuses and suggesting that the two parties’ cultural differences were to blame.

However, the Canadian Artistic Swimming organization’s failure to side with athletes has not stopped more women from speaking about Szuader and former Canadian coaches’ abuse. Swimmers have even begun to use an Instagram account, @mental_abuse_nac, to share their stories

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Olympic officials have failed athletes by hiring coaches who abuse their power.

anonymously. Both the women who voice their concerns to this page, as well as many others who have begun to share their accounts publicly, are paving the way for change within the Olympic community.

Unfortunately, the abuse experienced by these athletes is not limited to this sport. The lawsuits made by these Canadian athletes are reminiscent of those made against the women’s Olympics gymnastics coach John Geddert as well as Lawrence G. Nassar, the national team doctor.

Hundreds of women on the gymnastics team have come forward in recent years, reporting physical and emotional abuse from Geddert paired with sexual abuse from Nassar. For years the complacent Olympic committee protected these men as they molested and abused young women together without any retribution.

An egregious theme is becoming apparent within the world of Olympic sports. Olympic officials and various sports organizations have failed athletes time and time again, hiring coaches and authorities who abuse their positions of power. Efforts must be made to change the coaching that these athletes receive, starting with proper background checks and training for hired staff. Currently, background checks are not required in all participating countries, and coaches often move countries when they are accused of mistreatment to escape penalty. This creates a vicious cycle of criminal abuse within the sports world.

While many people within the committee have silently allowed this

behavior to continue, some officials have come forward voicing their support for change. The president of the Slovak Olympic Committee, Anton Siekel, for example, has stated that he is “glad we’re not afraid to talk about problems like this in sports anymore.

Harassment, intolerance and violence have no place in sport.”

In Canada, the disciplinary hearing for Szuader has begun, and the Canadian Artistic Swimming team has temporarily taken a personal leave. The organization claims that it is attempting to create a “safe and healthy” environment for its swimmers, but athletes continue to voice their concerns as the committee sides with Szuader.

Jackie Buckingham, the chief executive for Canada’s federation, has issued formal apologies on the organization’s behalf. She wrote that “Changing culture is much bigger than changing leaders,” and she “believes the people who are living this experience now — athletes, staff, coaches and volunteers — are the best ones to lead us out of it.”

Hopefully, this changing culture that Buckingham alludes to will manifest itself. The lack of support and safety for Olympic athletes is contemptible and must change. While the Olympics are adored by individuals alike across the world, the integrity of sport means nothing without ensuring that athletes feel heard and are protected from further abuse.

Madeline Byrne, FCRH ’23, is a psychology major and art history minor from Freehold, N.J.

OPINION

April 14, 2021

Page 7

Representation Matters: Why the Appointments of Kim Janey and Deb Haaland Are Important

By MICHELA FAHY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Historically, the word diversity has not often been associated with politics. However, in the past few election cycles, diverse candidacy has become increasingly important to voters. One can see the significance of this issue in the recent election of Kim Janey, Boston’s first Black and first female mayor, as well as the recent appointment of Deb Haaland, the first Native American secretary of the interior.

These two women symbolize more than just their role as public servants.

Their tenacity and integrity have allowed them to redefine the possibilities of politics for women of color.

For too long, politics has been a profession for straight, white men, which is about as far away from a diverse candidate as one can get. The complacency that has led to this norm has undoubtedly created more harm than good. Our governments should represent the people that they serve. President Biden had been vocal about his intentions to diversify the field before his election, and he has kept his promise. Although we currently have the most ethnically diverse cabinet in history, the Biden administration’s precedent must be consciously preserved and continued. Diversity in politics at every level is still a widespread issue, and keeping this in mind should be a priority for all voters.

As Boston’s mayor, Kim Janey has chosen educational equity as one of the main issues her platform aims to remedy. She grew up in Roxbury, a predominantly Black community within Boston. However, she attended school in Charleston, where IrishAmerican households were the primary community members. Despite growing up in the 1970s, Janey was

subject to constant physical and verbal harassment from classmates during Boston’s attempt to permanently desegregate schools. This experience was a marker in her formation and drew her to campaign for educational equity.

Her immediate goals as mayor are “fair vaccine distribution, especially getting more shots to underserved Black communities, returning children to school safely and centering disadvantaged workers in the city’s economic recovery.” Janey’s election occurs at an important time in Boston’s history, where people of color are still systematically undervalued and underrepresented. Despite being “the home of abolitionism,” citizens of color are still fighting for equal quality of life. Boston’s police force is disproportionately white, wage gaps for people of color are apparent and predominantly Black neighborhoods are underfunded in every sense of the word. Janey’s election symbolizes a new era of healing and attentiveness to the needs of people of color who have barely been represented in the Bostonian government.

Deb Haaland, the first Native American Secretary of the Interior, is creating similar waves for people of color on the federal level. While there have been four Native American senators and just over a dozen Native American Representatives in our country’s history, Haaland is the first Native American to hold a presidential cabinet position. This appointment is incredibly significant in our nation’s history due to the dark relationship between the Interior Department and indigenous people in America.

NPR explains the racism and dark past between the two parties: “The Interior Department was used as a tool of oppression against America’s

COURTESY OF TWITTER

The recent election of Kim Janey and appointment of Deb Haaland display the significance of diversity in politics.

Indigenous peoples. In addition to managing the country’s public lands, endangered species and natural resources, the department is also responsible for the government-to-government relations between the U.S. and Native American tribes.”

Considering this position deals so closely with Native Americans, it is shameful that no other president in history has taken the initiative to appoint someone who best understands the complicated relationship between indigenous peoples and the United States government. Haaland has made environmental conservation in all 50 states and combating climate change her main goal, citing her cultural roots as what drives her to protect “Mother Earth.”

It is incredibly compelling and inspiring to see two intelligent women of color disturbing our political system’s status quo. It is also very long overdue. While they are both newly

elected, the mere fact that they have gotten their foot in the door emphasizes the increasing possibilities for people of color to partake in their rightful leadership in social justice and public service.

Despite President Biden’s election being a paradigm of just how far our country has to go in terms of diversifying the political sphere, he has set a precedent for using the privilege of holding the highest office in the country to elect members who best epitomize the country they are representing. President Biden, and the other 43 white male presidents for that matter, all automatically assume the innate privilege that their gender and the color of their skin gives them.

Upon choosing public service as one’s profession, a certain level of selflessness and awareness should be assumed. The combination of privilege and choosing this line of work necessitates a responsibility to help cre-

ate equity for groups of people who have been historically marginalized.

President Biden has committed to using the privileges that practically encouraged him to pursue an ambitious career in public policy by appointing the most diverse cabinet in history.

His conscious and calculated decision to create a cabinet that represents America is incredibly empowering for all the people of color who have never seen themselves represented in government.

Representation matters and only positive change is born out of having a diverse consortium of people in our government. Our country is not made up of only straight, white men over the age of 65. Why should our policymakers be limited to this construction?

Michela Fahy, FCRH ’23, is a humanitarian studies and English major from Cedar Grove, N.J.

CULTURE

Page 8

April 14, 2021

Observing Easter During the Global Pandemic

By Taylor Mascetta STAFF WRITER

My family considers Easter to be one of the most important days of the year as it not only gives us the chance to celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection, but it also allows us to spend time with relatives and friends that we don’t see often. Naturally, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic upending all large gatherings, our Easter plans looked very different this year. My family and I found ourselves cooped up in our home instead of attending Mass and visiting our relatives’ houses. Despite this change in pace, we looked on the bright side and celebrated the

holiday in a safe, socially distanced way.

This year marked my second Easter celebration during a global pandemic. However, it also happened to be my first Easter celebration as a college student returning home for the weekend because I had already been home for a few weeks before the holiday due to the campus shut down last year. My parents and younger sister, Caitlyn, drove up to the Bronx on Holy Saturday and enjoyed a nice day on Arthur Avenue before picking me up after track practice. Personally, coming home for the weekend for Easter served as a much-needed vacation. Returning

home for just a few days gave me a breather from my busy schedule, which I greatly cherished with the absence of spring break this year.

However, staying home and not seeing my extended family was definitely a bit of a bummer. Under normal circumstances, I would see the majority of my relatives during this holiday and spend the entire day with them, but due to COVID-19, my family and I stayed home to avoid putting others at risk. I haven’t seen many of my aunts, uncles or cousins since the start of the pandemic, and we might not reunite until later this summer. Luckily, my maternal grandparents had the op-

COURTESY OF TAYLOR MASCETTA/THE FORDHAM RAM

Staff Writer Taylor Mascetta was able to connect with her family on Easter despite the ongoing pandemic.

portunity to come to my house and celebrate with us, since they live relatively close and have already received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Even though I couldn’t see many people that I miss dearly, I did enjoy staying in for this year’s holiday. Normally, our Easters consist of rushing back and forth from Church to home to my cousins’ or grandparents’ house. This year, we were able to sit back and relax a little bit at home. We all slept in, spent a long time going through our Easter baskets and watched our annual Easter Mass over a virtual live stream. When my grandparents arrived, all of us gathered around the TV after dinner and watched the NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship. For the first time in a while, I felt completely relaxed.

Staying in also gave my family more time to make some really, really good food. My parents are both great chefs, so they whipped up amazing dishes with ingredients they purchased on Arthur Avenue.

These included pastries, bacon, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, olive bread, broccoli rabe, sausage, pork and a loaf of Easter bread. After eating nothing but the cafeteria’s dinners and Cosí sandwiches for the past few weeks, I highly anticipated these meals, and they did not disappoint.

Even though things looked a little different this year, my family and I still upheld some of our yearly traditions. Ever since I was little, the “Easter Bunny” has hidden chocolate eggs around our backyard, and

my sister and I race every single year to see who can collect the most.

Even though I’m turning 20 in September, I still look forward to running around like a little kid during the egg hunt every year. Having the chance to do this brought some sense of normalcy to the day.

At the end of the day, I realized that this year’s holiday encapsulated what Easter is really all about — embracing God’s love for us by loving one another. Jesus died on the Cross to demonstrate God’s undying love for his creation, and we can exemplify this love by spending time with one another. I hadn’t seen my family since returning to Fordham in January, so just spending the entire day with them meant the world to me. My family and I experienced so many special moments with each other over the course of the day — from pulling out our rusty Wii U to play Super Mario 3D World with my sister, to teasing my dad about his excitement over the Arthur Avenue bacon, to struggling to take a timer-camera family portrait on our tripod.

I miss celebrating Easter in our typical fashion and I wish I saw my relatives as I usually do, but just having the day to sit back and enjoy the time with my family made this year’s Easter much more worthwhile. We didn’t have to worry about rushing back and forth and instead just got to live in the moment. Hopefully the pandemic will be a distant memory by this time next year, but I’ll never forget some of the realizations I had over the course of this holiday.

Who’s That Kid? | It’s Ashley Blasi, FCRH ’22!

Providing Essential Care in a Time of Grief

By Rachel Gow

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

For Albuquerque native Ashley Blasi, FCRH ’22, the pandemic brought the expected and universal sadness of a missed semester.

Yet despite this grief, she got up each day, put on a surgical mask — sometimes the same one for seven days in a row — and went to work as a nurse.

“It was just hard,” Blasi said of last March and April.

The nursing home in New Mexico where she worked was understaffed and she was left to pick up extra shifts to compensate.

Blasi was also living at home with her parents at the time, who were at higher risk for contracting COVID-19.

“There were so many unknowns and not enough PPE but also not much of a choice,” she said.

Working as a nurse also added to Blasi’s frustrations at others, especially college students, not following CDC guidelines. This was exacerbated by the many sacrifices Blasi made to continue working, including moving out of her family home on short notice.

“I was putting myself and my family at risk to help people and

it was hard to see my peers going to parties or bars and operating as if nothing was happening,” she said.

However, in the face of these tribulations, Blasi managed to find some silver linings.

“Working as a nurse, especially during COVID, I saw death and debilitating illness which is something many people our age haven’t,” she said. “It’s made me so much more compassionate and given me a fuller sense of reality.”

Blasi completed her degree to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) while still in high school, attending a nursing program from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. each day before going to take her regular classes.

She also found time to run cross country and compete as a cheerleader and graduated as valedictorian of her nursing school.

Blasi credits this busy high school schedule in informing her current work ethic.

“It was definitely a really unique experience,” Blasi said.

“But I liked the idea of getting up each day and working towards a tangible goal, which is an ideal I’ve tried to maintain in my life.”

This drive has served Blasi ex-

ceptionally well in college where her schedule is arguably more jam-packed.

She is a double major in both Biology and Latin American studies, a research intern with NYC Health and Hospitals and an educator for Peer Health Exchange, all while continuing to work as a nurse on school breaks.

With so much experience, Blasi is certain she wants to pursue a career in the medical field, however, she has yet to pinpoint exactly what she wants to do post-college. While Blasi initially thought she wanted to get her MD, her experience with doctors has not always been pleasant.

“I don’t know if I want to be a doctor or a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner yet,” Blasi said. “I’ve had some bad experiences with doctors where their treatment of nurses just lacks respect and compassion but whatever job I choose hopefully I can be the exception to that.”

Her affinity for the Spanish language also plays a part in her plans.

“I’ve definitely considered work abroad with doctors or nurses beyond borders as well.”

Wherever life takes her it is clear Blasi will excel.

COURTESY OF ASHELY BLASI FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Albuquerque native Ashley Blasi, FCRH ‘22, worked as a nurse during the COVID-19.

CULTURE

April 14, 2021

Page 9

She’s The First Hosts a Panel on Gender-Based Violence

By Katherine Timofeyev COLUMNIST

This past Tuesday, April 13, 2021, She’s the First Fordham hosted a discussion with Professor Elisabeth Wickeri and women’s rights activist Neema Namadamu. The panel was titled “Female Experiences of IdentityBased Violence: A Conversation About the Intersection of Oppressions in Violence Against Women” and centered on how we can be allies and prevent further harm. As it is genocide awareness month, the speakers also engaged in a focused discussion about the effects of the genocide in Rwanda.

The panel began with a brief introduction from Wickeri. She is the executive director of the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice at Fordham Law School and works to increase access to justice for vulnerable populations. Thinking from the international legal framework, Wickeri said it’s important to note the failures of the inter-

national community and make gender a focus. “To come out of that failure, the important focus will be partnering more with local groups,” she said. Wickeri then transitioned to Namadamu, who she described as undertaking extremely important work in tremendously challenging circumstances.

Namadamu began by telling her story. At the age of two, she contracted polio and was discarded as a lost cause by her community because she was no longer a candidate for marriage, which she explained was the role of women.

“To be a woman is to hurt, to be a woman with a disability is even more [painful],” she described as she told attendees that in her country, someone in her position did not get to be called a name; she was simply called disabled.

But Namadamu did not allow this to deter her. Instead, she credits her disability with allowing her to get an education, and she became the first woman with a disability in her tribe to gradu-

COURTESY OF KATHERINE TIMOFEYEV FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

She’s the First holds a discussion on identity-based violence.

ate university. Her passion for activism shone through from her early days: she had her own radio show and promoted awareness for individuals with disabilities while she was in high school, was chosen to represent her province in Parliament shortly after graduating college and soon became the technical advisor for the Democratic Republic of the Congo Minister of Gender and Family. To top off an already impressive career of activism, Namadamu founded the Maman Shujaa Media Center, which empowers women to tell their stories.

Through her work, Namadamu aims to amplify women’s voices.

She refuses to allow her disability to define her and uses her voice as her power. Now, she brings that brilliance to all women and teaches them to speak for themselves.

When discussing horrific events, Namadamu said sometimes she gets so angry and upset at the grievances that female survivors have suffered that she doesn’t even want to speak: “Women don’t get to speak, they don’t have a voice, who gets to hear us?” she asked a gripped audience.

From there, the conversation shifted to the topic of violence, guided by a series of questions from Kate Leonard, FCRH ’22, and Camille de Carbonnel, FCRH ’22, both board members of STF. The first area of focus was the Rwandan Genocide, a horrific abuse that Namadamu eloquently articulated as “when human beings become animals to other human beings.” In reflecting on the atrocities, Namadamu said,

“we all failed, the world failed.

Everyone can feel guilty.” She explained that we must all take responsibility for the system that has allowed such massacres to occur. Namadamu emphasized that genocide impacts everyone. It is a global issue; thus, we must look for a global solution.

Weighing in on the issue, Wickeri referred to Namadamu’s words as an important reminder for those of us working from outside of these areas: “Anyone engaged in social justice or human rights cannot work in a silo.”

She stressed the value of an intersectional approach. Wickeri also explained some of the grounding for international law, including the Genocide Convention. There has been an effort to further enact tribunals, which Wickeri says “if nothing else, signaled that the international community was serious about pursuing genocide as a crime … Clearly [there is] a gender dimension to those crimes.” She explained that gender analysis is only now starting to be introduced, largely due to the activism of women such as Namadamu.

The next question was also essential: How are men and other community members involved in conversations about female violence? In response, Namadamu expressed that when there is war, everyone becomes vulnerable.

Women have always included men and tried to work with them because “it’s them who made the system.” Rape as a crime and a weapon of war is a very real threat, not just a distant possibil-

ity. Moreover, she said the system is not hearing the voices of women. It sees women as just tools for sex, and if there ever is an apology, it is far too little, too late.

The final part of the conversation addressed how we can be allies for one another and how awareness can be successfully turned into action from around the world. Wickeri highlighted the necessity of acknowledging our privilege as being in the West and recognizing that we do not have all the answers because we are not there. “Allyship has to mean not just partnership, but taking leadership from people on the ground,” she said.

Namadamu expressed the importance of working together to fight the system. In order to live in peace and be free, we must knock down the barriers that the system has put up to become human beings and “global citizens, global villages, together.” She stressed the importance of partnerships and relationships with one another, to become one, to “become sisters and work together.” She also said that we must remember each other in dignity and respect: “Those who passed away didn’t just go away; they are within us.”

There are plenty of ways to take action, even from seemingly so far away in the Bronx. Even just spreading the word can really help this cause. Visit herowomenrising.org to learn more and support Namadamu’s work. Also, check out togetherweremember.org and leitnercenter.org for more information.

Editor’s Pick | Television

Fleabag: More Than Just a Sexy Priest

By Abbey Delk NEWS EDITOR

If you’ve heard anything about “Fleabag,” the critically acclaimed dark comedy written and created by the brilliant Phoebe WallerBridge, you’ve probably heard about the priest.

Based on Waller-Bridge’s onewoman show of the same name, “Fleabag” follows a nameless British woman, who the audience simply refers to as Fleabag, and her struggle to cope with grief, loss and the complicated world of dating and sex. While she has several fleeting attachments in season one, the real whirlwind love story occurs in the second and final season of the show. Fleabag falls hard for the priest officiating her father’s second wedding, and the result is a thrilling and bittersweet romance. The storyline received great praise from fans, who fell hard for Andrew Scott’s endearing performance and the simple thrill of watching a show really “go there” with the pair’s sexual relationship. (And by go there, I mean there is a sinful moment in a confessional booth).

But for all of the hilarity and genuine heart-aching compassion that flows from that on-screen romance, the real emotional core of the series lies in the bond be-

tween Fleabag and her uptight and closed-off older sister Claire.

The dynamic Waller-Bridge creates between the two feels authentic in a way one rarely finds in fictional sibling relationships.

Their ups and downs throughout the series reflect the trials and triumphs of real-life sisterhood.

From the first moment the viewer meets Claire, it’s clear that Waller-Bridge has created something special. Fleabag meets her sister at a feminist lecture. One of the first things we see the pair argue about it is a stolen shirt that Fleabag wears to the event — it belongs to Claire. Anyone with younger sisters knows that argument by heart. Both sisters have razor-sharp wit and trade insults that, to an outsider, seem blisteringly cruel but really just reflect how well the two understand each other.

Waller-Bridge is also able to capture a long and fraught familial history in the first scene between the sisters. When the keynote speaker at the lecture asks the all-female audience whether they would trade five years of their lives for the “perfect body,” Fleabag and Claire are the only women in the audience to raise their hands in affirmation.

“We are bad feminists,” Fleabag

whispers.

“I want my top back,” Claire hisses back.

It is such a refreshing and honest glimpse at the complexities and absurdities of womanhood, and funny yet insightful exchanges like this pop-up repeatedly as the series progresses.

At the end of the scene, the two share an awkward exchange as they say goodbye. Claire tries to hug Fleabag, but as neither of

them is used to showing affection, it goes all wrong, with Fleabag slapping Claire out of shock and confusion. It’s such a wonderful little moment, as it captures the dynamic of the sisters perfectly. They love each other but don’t know how to express it. As someone with two sisters, I resonate with Waller-Bridge’s depiction of sisterhood because it feels so honest. Not every loving relationship looks that way from

the outside. Love can take many forms, and sometimes it manifests itself through arguments, teasing and awkwardness.

If you’ve been considering watching “Fleabag,” this is your sign to do so. You might come to “Fleabag” for its sinful and sensual portrayal of lust and the priesthood, but you will stay for the nuanced and delightful portrayal of sisterhood.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

The true beauty of “Fleabag,” the critically aclaimed dark comedy, is found in the portrayal of sisterly love, not the “sexy priest.”

Page 10

SPORTS

Men’s Soccer Earns Spot in Atlantic 10 Championship

By Andrew Posadas

MANAGING EDITOR EMERITUS

Fordham won’t be entering unfamiliar territory when they play in the 2020-21 Atlantic 10 Men’s Soccer Championship at the University of Dayton’s Baujan Field. The Rams finished conference play with 11 points (3-0-2) to win the north division title following their regularseason finale victory over Saint Joseph’s University. More importantly, beating SJU ensured the program’s seventh consecutive A-10 Championship appearance.

An unprecedented spring season makes way for this year’s championship, a shortened fourteam bracket where the Rams enter seeded third. Fordham now plays in their sixth championship semifinal over the last seven years when they match up against second-seeded Saint Louis University on Thursday.

Head coach Carlo Acquista knows his team understands how strenuous it is to get this far into a season, given their previous experience back in 2019.

“It’s all business,” said Acquista.

By Kaley Bell

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

I find that listening to sports commentators can be kind of bothersome. I like to assess someone’s play by myself, and then I’ll listen to other people’s comments on the player or game. The one and only reason why Stephen A. Smith has received my attention is because of his memes.

Recently, Smith commented about Washington Wizards player Russell Westbrook after he had the first-ever recorded 35-point and a 20-assist tripledouble in NBA history. Westbrook has been able to average a triple-double in his last 20 games, and he doesn’t look like he’s slowing down any time soon.

While I might be a little partial, Westbrook has always pushed to do hard work regardless of how his team is performing. The Wizards are 20-33 as of today, and it doesn’t look like the Playoffs will be in their future. Because

“I just told the guys [after the SJU match] to act like you’ve been there before because we have been.”

In Acquista’s debut season, Fordham played host to the championship and battled top-seeded University of Rhode Island to an instant classic. Fordham’s gumption was on full display behind their valiant effort despite losing three starters to injuries during the match. Their semifinal collision ultimately concluded with the longest penalty kick shootout in A-10 championship history. Unfortunately, Fordham ended up on the wrong side of a 7-6 result.

Nearly two years later, Acquista admits he and the team still reflect on the heart-breaking loss to this day, saying, “Absolutely. It was a nightmare. We have a sour taste in our mouths, and it’s definitely an important motivational factor heading into the championship.”

One could also argue Saint Louis comes to Dayton with a bad aftertaste from that same tournament when you consider the Rams effectively ended their championship aspirations. SLU was denied a regular-season title and the

tournament’s top seed after Fordham defeated them at Hermann Stadium to end conference play.

The Billikens instead played host to Fordham again one week later in the A-10 championship quarterfinals. Both teams engaged in a closely contested defensive struggle until forward Filippo Ricupati scored the match’s lone goal on an ill-timed Billiken turnover.

SLU’s A-10 record this season (42) netted them 12 points, finishing just behind Dayton to earn them a wildcard spot in the championship.

Forward Simon Becher’s five goals are second-most in the A-10 for an offense that has won their last two games by a combined score of 10-1.

Fortunately, the Rams defense this season has consistently shown the propensity to frustrate and neutralize opposing offensive attacks by utilizing their strengths.

Fordham has conceded only four goals on the year — lowest among teams in the A-10 — while graduate transfer goalkeeper Josh Levine leads the conference, having saved 88% of the shots he’s faced this season. Combined with ample depth and experienced leadership

April 14,2021

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham finished the regular season with a win against St. joseph’s University.

from the likes of senior forward Sameer Fathazada, Fordham’s recipe so far leaves them as the only unbeaten team left standing.

So what must the Rams do in order to walk in and out of Dayton with their fourth tournament championship in program history? Acquista left it at one

word: “Execute.”

Fordham Men’s Soccer begins its quest for another league title this Thursday when they face Saint Louis in the second semifinal match of the A-10 Championship.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. and can be seen exclusively on ESPN+.

By Robert Hagan

quickly 3-0 in the second. They managed to win 12 games in a row 6-0, 6-0. At sixth doubles, La Salle unfortunately, after two games, became injured and was unable to continue playing. This meant it was 5-1, with freshman Nicholas Kanazirev the last one to finish an absolute grind in the third set tiebreak.

On Sunday, Fordham traveled to Temple, where it would be fair to say it wasn’t their day. Despite Fordham winning third doubles 6-4, a couple of missed volleys and unforced shots meant that Temple won first and second doubles. Temple won five of the six singles matches, with the exception of Makatsaria winning at three singles 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. This made the final score 6-1 and a disappointing day for the Rams.

Both results considered, Fordham now sits at 4-2 on the season and is back in action next weekend playing St. John’s University and Concordia College, as it looks to continue to improve before the Atlantic 10.

Men’s Tennis Goes 1-1

they haven't been able to finish a game for the win, the Wizards have found themselves in this difficult situation even with Westbrook and Bradley Beal, a player that averages almost 31 points a game to lead the NBA. Smith notes Westbrook’s failure in his commentary show, “First Take.” He said, “Westbrook’s numbers last night mean absolutely nothing to me because even though that’s great numbers, that’s what Westbrook can do.” Here, Smith says what everyone is feeling because Westbrook has remained dedicated in all areas of his game. It is why he was named MVP in 2017.

Smith goes on, “You’ve played with some great players over the years, talent, and not a single title to show for it.”

So what is the issue? While Smith may be right, Westbrook still has put up numbers that no one else has been able to do for such a long time since Oscar Rob-

ertson in 1962. Yet, when it comes to discussions about basketball’s biggest names, Westbrook cannot be included in these discussions.

Westbrook responded to Smith, noting how commentators have influence that is “way bigger than basketball.” He said he won’t “allow people to create narratives. [...] A championship don’t change my life.”

One thing that so many commentators and spectators like Smith fail to realize is the personal impact that they have on a player when they make comments that can potentially bring a player down. Westbrook knows he doesn’t have a ring, and while that should be his goal, he also knows that it is not everything.

He plays his heart out every time he is on the court, and fans, coaches, and players alike notice this. It is hard to ignore the type of work that players like Westbrook put in. Championships are not the only thing that matters.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Wizards point guard Russell Westbrook has recently been the target of pundit Stephen A. Smith, perhaps too much so.

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Fordham men’s tennis team competed Saturday in their first conference match against La Salle University before playing Temple University on Sunday.

On Saturday, Fordham looked sharp and bright as they dominated La Salle, who never looked to challenge the Rams, in their first conference match. Fordham started off by winning the second and third double match, with seniors Max Green and Alex Makatsaria winning 6-4 and juniors Tom Russwurm and Jofre Segarra winning 6-1 at third doubles. This was enough to get the doubles point before the first doubles were able to win.

In the singles, Fordham was able to win every match except the first. Senior Fabian Mauritzson lost 6-2, 6-3 in a hard tough match. At two singles Green looked very comfortable, winning 6-1, 6-3, and fourth singles Makatsaria won 6-1, 7-5. Senior Lutwin deMacar, after dropping the first set rather easily managed to go up

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The Men’s Tennis team continued their season, splitting their weekend games.

SPORTS

April 14, 2021

Softball Criuses to 20 Consecutive Wins

By Alexander Wolz SPORTS EDITOR

In what is becoming a routine thing to say, Fordham Softball had another weekend sweep. This time they won two games against Saint Bonaventure University which extended their win streak to 20 games.

Prior to that, though, came perhaps the Rams’ toughest game in recent memory, against a talented Stony Brook University team on Thursday. Aside from their 10-6 loss to Fordham back on March 30 that needed senior infielder Brianna Pinto’s heroics with a walk-off grand slam to win it, the Seawolves had won 10 of their last 12 heading into this matchup to sit at 17-8 on the season.

Similar to last time, this showdown was another close one requiring a late rally from the Rams to ultimately dispatch Stony Brook 5-2 to extend the win streak to 18.

After a quiet first inning, Stony Brook struck first with a big tworun home run in the bottom of the second inning. It was crucial not only to put runs on the board but the pressure on graduate pitcher Madie Aughinbaugh in her 100th career start, coming into this game with a perfect record on the season at 10-0.

As they often do, Fordham responded with some terrific strategy on the basepaths and a bit of good fortune. Pinto reached first on an error, proceeded to steal second, advanced to third on another error and ultimately scored on a double steal attempt following a walk to junior infielder Sarah Taffet.

Now in striking distance, Aughinbaugh came into form allowing just one hit until her exit in the bottom of the fifth for a final statline of 4.2 innings, two hits, two runs and only a single strikeout, her lowest output on the season so far.

In the top of that same inning, Fordham finally found the lead as well. Following a Stony Brook pitching change, Pinto got things started with a single to put an immediate threat on the bases. Aughinbaugh then took first with a four-pitch walk and a double steal brought both runners into scoring position.

Then, the RBIs machine senior Rachel Hubertus delivered one more, ripping a single into center field in what was only a preview of what was to come. Freshman Bella Ayala then sent a line drive sacrifice fly into left field for a 3-2 lead on the afternoon.

Sophomore pitcher Devon Miller took the mound following

the momentum of a pair of perfect games. She did not give up a hit in this one either over her two and a third innings of relief but provided three free bases with walks. Regardless, it was more than enough to hold the Fordham lead which grew to three in the top of the sixth behind a home run from Hubertus.

Junior infielder Julia Martine singled to right-center and Hubertus drove the ball a few feet further in that same direction to bring her home, bringing her total to 29 RBIs on the season and a 5-2 victory against the Seawolves.

That crucial win against a quality opponent led into a weekend doubleheader against one of much less caliber. While remaining competitive in most of its games, Saint Bonaventure sits winless at 0-16 on the season. Regardless, Fordham still had a job to do against an Atlantic 10 opponent. And they did just that.

The closest of two games on the Saturday doubleheader, Fordham downed the Bonnies 4-2 in the opener. Instead of crawling back from behind, this time they jumped right out in front with three runs in the bottom half of the first inning.

Taffet sent a double into rightcenter field and Martine flexed her strength with a deep drive into leftcenter to score the first two runs of the game. The second baseman and shortstop have been a lethal combination so far this season, as Taffet owns the team lead with a .700 slugging percentage and Martine sits near the top with a .467 on-base percentage, crucial for a second spot hitter in the lineup.

In a game characterized by power, Hubertus showed more of the same skying a ball into center field for her fifth home run of the season.

In front at 3-0, that was a lead Fordham held until the seventh.

Miller took the mound for her first start since that weekend dream against La Salle and performed largely the same through six innings. In fact, she had another perfect game going through three innings, striking out six of her first nine batters and another three after allowing her first hit in the top of the fourth. A pair of walks in the fifth was the first real scoring threat for the Bonnies, but Miller silenced it with two key strikeouts to end the inning.

Runs came from the opposition in the seventh, however, behind a two-run home run from catcher Madison Stewart after a walk to Grace Walker. But there was no need to panic, and one last strikeout

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham’s softball team celebrates their 20th consecuitive win of the season.

for her 15th on the day cemented the win for Fordham.

With another incredible pitching performance, Miller has produced double-digit strikeouts in each of her last six starts, with these 16 tying her season-high. Speaking on both sides of the ball, head coach Melissa Inouye said to Fordham Athletics, “We did a good job setting the tone right away for power in the first inning of game one. Devon and Amanda did a good job mixing pitches against a free-swinging team.”

And that trend continued into game two with Aughinbaugh’s work on the mound. After what could be considered a disappointing start by her standards against Stony Brook, Aughinbaugh responded with another complete-game victory, her eleventh total and fifth in that fashion, allowing just four hits and climbing back up to eight strikeouts.

The scorecard also could not be any simpler, as the 8-0 final came entirely from an explosive second inning for the Rams. Following a one-two-three first inning, Bonnies’ pitcher Emily Phelan lost her magic in the second and Fordham capitalized on it.

Hubertus kicked off the inning with a double and Ayala proceeded to reach first on an error by the third baseman. With two base runners aboard, senior catcher Aubree Barney added a third with a walk in just her sixth start of the season in place of Amanda Carey.

Having the bases loaded, senior pitcher Anne Marie Prentiss brought all three home with a triple into right field. A single from sophomore outfielder Michaela Carter at the next at-bat sent Prentiss home, as the team leader in batting average at .426 cemented her place.

Those four runs were still only half of Fordham’s total production on the inning. A wild at-bat from Pinto saw her reach first on a fielder’s choice attempt to Carter at second, but a series of infield blunders kept both runners safe and advanced them into scoring position.

And it came back to cost the Bonnies as Aughinbaugh did her part at the plate as well, sending a double into right-center field to score both.

To finish it off, Taffett showed her strength once again belting out her team-high seventh home run of the season and providing the insurance runs for Fordham to put this one away early in just five innings.

That was all on this short weekend slate, a familiar outcome for a Rams team that seems untouchable at the moment. Simply put, Saint Bonaventure was a team Fordham was expected to beat, but the midweek win against Stony Brook was an impressive one. And as is often repeated, teams can only focus on what is in front of them, and Fordham has been locked in over the last 20 games, including these last three.

An intriguing Wednesday matchup with the University of Connecticut has been postponed, as was a four-game home weekend series with the University of Rhode Island, who is on a COVID-19 pause of their own. The program is actively looking for replacements.

This is only a hiccup in Fordham’s incredible stretch that does not look to be stopping anytime soon, no matter who they will be playing against.

Page 11

Women’s Soccer Closes Its Season

By Kaley Bell

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

This past week, the Rams had a strong close to a season like no other. With only eight games played this season, they have been able to push through and obtain a winning record.

This past week, the Rams played five games in total. Four of the games were wins, with only one loss to end the season.

The two of the games being rematches, the Rams bounced back in a strong and fearless way.

As the season came to a close, the fans have been cheering at home, celebrating the success from the digital sidelines.

After coming back from a win against the University of Rhode Island in double overtime, Fordham was able to defeat them again, this time in regulation play. While in Rhode Island, senior midfielder Milan Bornstein scored a goal within the first half of the game with an assist by junior defender Kendall Dandridge. Bornstein was able to score her first goal of the season, and it led to the win for the Rams.

Throughout the game, freshman goalkeeper Maria O’Sullivan saved two shots, completing her second career shutout. As Fordham kept up the aggression, the Rams played hard to close their season strong.

In their fourth straight win, the Rams faced the Saint Joseph’s Hawks again and were able to shut them out after the first half.

After 39 minutes of play, freshman midfielder Alexandra Taylor scored her first collegiate goal.

In the last game of their regular season, the Rams took a loss against the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen with a spot in the Atlantic 10 Championship on the line. O’Sullivan had four saves in the first half, fighting to keep the Minutewomen scoreless. Playing hard both offensively and defensively, the Rams were unable to come up with a goal despite the tough plays. UMass’ Jenny Hipp scored a goal in the last 13 minutes of regulation play.

As the season comes to an end, the Rams battled through unprecedented conditions, closures, and stoppages. With a 4-3-1 record, women’s soccer closed the year.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

After a season like no other, the women’s soccer team ended on a positive note.

Women’s Tennis Improves to 5-2

By Michael Hernandez ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Over the past two weeks, the Fordham women’s tennis team played four matches, with two of them at home and two away.

They played against Quinnipiac University at home, followed

by Drexel University and Saint Joseph’s University away and finally concluded against the University of Rhode Island at home.

The Rams started off with a narrow 4-3 win against Quinnipiac.

Fordham opened up by winning two out of the three double matches, therefore, securing the double point. Then in singles, senior Arina Taluyenko, freshman Elini Fasoula and junior Nicole Li won their matches to push them over the edge and win the close battle.

After this narrow win, the Rams then visited Drexel where they prevailed with another narrow 4-3 win.

Once again, Fordham took the pivotal doubles point by winning two out of the three double matches.

As for the single matches, Fasoula, Li and returning Senior Maia Balce were victorious in their games, giving the Rams their fourth victory in a row to extend their streak.

The Rams then visited the struggling Hawks and kept their impressive run of form with a rout of Saint Joseph’s in a commanding 6-1 win.

The Rams started off winning the double point by winning two of the three double matches. The lone defeat in doubles was due to a shortage of players from the Rams, therefore giving the Hawks an automatic win.

The Hawks’ singular point was due to one of the singles matches being uncontested. Taluyenko, Balce, Fasoula, Li and junior Genevive Quenville all posted dominating performances to easily cruise to victory.

After their fifth win in a row, the streak came to an end at home against the University of Rhode Island in a 5-2 defeat. Heading into this match, the Rams were already at a disadvantage since only five players were available due to injuries. The Rams lost the doubles point despite splitting the two double matches that were played.

As for the singles side, only Taluyenko and Li won their matches on the day as the Rams’ five-game winning streak was snapped.

After these matches, Fordham’s record is 5-2. Their next match is against Temple University on April 16 at home on the Hawthorn/ Rooney Courts. Immediately following that, they then visit Stony Brook University on April 17 with the hopes of resuming their impressive run of form before the upcoming Atlantic 10 Championship at the end of this season.

SPORTS

Page 12

April 14, 2021

Football Wins Final Spring Game, Misses Out on Patriot League Championship

By DYLAN BALSAMO MANAGING EDITOR

Fordham Football waited a considerable amount of time to play a 2020 season, long enough where putting it in a number of days would almost be irrelevant. The long wait means that anything less than the greatest possible success can result in a frustrating disappointment. But sometimes if something isn’t the best potential outcome, it can still in many ways be a success.

The Rams ended their 202021 season with a victory, and a rather triumphant one at that, defeating Bucknell University with a score of 31-17 on the road at Christy Mathewson Memorial Stadium. With their eighth consecutive victory over the Bucknell Bison, Fordham hit a point of 2-1 at what looks to be their spring season’s end with their two wins emphasizing that. The 2-1 record was not enough to bring the Rams to first place during the extremely short season in the Patriot League’s one-off North division. The Holy Cross Crusaders’ 2-0 record and win over Fordham a few weeks ago got them that spot and a game against those same Bison in the Patriot League Championship Game on April 17. However, this does not keep this Rams’ football season, which could have easily not happened, from being one to look back on with a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.

The game got off to a rather slow start, with the Bison being the only side in the first quarter. They found themselves up

3-0 after the opening 15 minutes thanks to a field goal off the foot of their kicker Ethan Torres, good for 39 yards and putting Bucknell up front against the Rams which, if the last decade is any indication, rarely happens.

The eventful 15-minute period that followed made up for the teams’ slow starts.

In their first possession of the second quarter, the Rams very quickly leveled the score, ending a 93-second possession with a field goal kick of their own coming from junior kicker Nick Leinenweber, making it 3-3. About 10 minutes later, the Rams nabbed the lead for the first time as junior quarterback Tim DeMorat fired his first of three touchdown passes, this one to sophomore wide receiver M.J. Wright for three yards, topping off an 87-yard drive and putting the Rams ahead by seven points.

However, before the half closed, the Bison were able to even things up by getting a touchdown out of Coleman Bennett’s 23-yard run on the first play of the possession which evened the score as the game headed towards halftime.

When the third quarter got started, Bucknell took back the lead, successfully ending a four and half minute drive by getting the ball to running back Tylor Beverett for a four-yard run and jumping ahead 17-10.

Those would be the last points that the Bison would take on that Saturday afternoon. It was completely a Fordham affair from then on.

To tie the game, the Rams

had an explosive play with just under six minutes to go in the third quarter, as junior wide receiver Fotis Kokosoulis caught a 50-yard pass from DeMorat, tying the game at 17. 73 yards in two plays over just 58 seconds of gameplay is quite the statement.

The energy had clearly shifted in Fordham’s direction. Before the third quarter had finished, Rams freshman defensive back Mike Courtney caught a Bucknell pass and returned it for a 49yard touchdown, an interception that gave Fordham the lead and solidified their momentum with not much time left in the game.

Halfway through the fourth, sophomore wide receiver Dequece Carter capped off what was a successful day for him, catching DeMorat’s pass for 46 yards and giving Fordham a 31-17 lead.

That was the final score when the whistle blew a few minutes later.

The game was once again an outstanding performance on both sides of the ball for the Rams. Defensively, Fordham held Bucknell to just 199 offensive yards, with standouts like senior linebacker Glenn Cunningham recording eight total tackles, two of them for loss, one sack and two interceptions. Courntey finished his day with six tackles, three and a half of them for loss, on top of the pick six.

On the offensive side of the ball, Carter’s touchdown pass was just one of seven he caught on the day, while Kokosoulis had nine catches and accounted for 149 of the Rams offensive yards of the

Student-Athlete Column: Never Satisfied

By Kaley Bell

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Whenever I am unsure of an outcome, I have always been reassured with this statement: “As long as you put in the work, you will be fine.” I believe this is true with anything, and when it comes to sports, this is always the case. Though sometimes, hard work can be lost in an instant.

I’m sure there have been times when you have heaved a sigh of relief. You have found that you have been able to let go and enjoy a moment of success or something that you have earned. We work hard to achieve these moments — times when we can relax and know that we have put our best foot forward.

This moment is something that I have been looking forward to all season long. But now, as the year comes to a close, moments like those seem farther and farther away. Being able to let go and know that you have gone out and competed as hard as you could is something that athletes always want to be able to feel, but sometimes they never come.

After about two years, I was finally able to compete this past weekend. Coming off of a year of injury and then another year of different COVID-19 struggles, I was excited to finally show that I have been working hard for

something. I would be able to achieve something that I looked forward to every weekend.

All day before my race I was trembling, unable to keep still.

My nerves and expectations were high. I knew that there were not many chances to compete and that I had to show what I could do in order to prove something. I don’t know if it was to myself or to my teammates or even to my coach, but I just knew that I had to perform well.

Was it realistic to expect a personal record coming out of so many personal injuries?

Probably not, but still there was that little hope in me that believed that I would finally do it.

I would finally be able to be the strong runner that I knew I was.

My breath quick, my lungs tight and my body tingling, I went on the line to run the 200m and flubbed it. My mind was blank, and I did not think at all during the race. I crossed the line, saw my time and got as far away from the track as I could.

I thought to myself, “All this hard work, and that’s all you could do?”

The mental battle was a hard one, but the mental defeat was even worse. I had built up so much expectation for myself, and then I had let myself down.

And whether this is toxic or just me, I just know that I have to keep being better. As athletes, we can never be satisfied. We are trained to push ourselves to be better every day. This is a reminder to you to keep pushing and you will get there one day as long as you put in the work.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

The Rams finished off their season with a victory against Bucknell University.

afternoon. DeMorat, meanwhile, had his typical outstanding day completing 32 of his 42 passes and accounting for 355 yards along with his three scoring passes.

Before the game, Fordham head coach Joe Conlin made note of how much he respected Bucknell for its defense which has nine seniors on its roster.

“They play, they’re very well coached and they have a good scheme,” Conlin said. “Offensively, they have two of the best wide receivers in this league, and they do a good job of getting them the ball in a lot of different situations.”

The Bison defense was not able to stop a Fordham offense that was clearly dead set on

achieving what they had to do.

Offensively, Bucknell was completely shut down by a Rams defense that was just as determined.

With that, the incredibly short spring season has concluded for Fordham Football, putting them at 2-1 and just shy of getting to play another game. Not playing in the Patriot League title game may be a bit of a disappointment, but that certainly does not make this season a failure especially when that 2-1 record follows a 2019 season that saw the team 4-8 at year’s end. The 2020 season could easily have just gone by with nothing to make up for it.

For the Rams, this mini season is another step in the right direction for a program that continues

News & Notes

• Mikulski named National Player of the Week

On Monday April 12th, Collegiate Baseball named Fordham Senior Matt Mikulski as its national player of the week due to his pitching excellence against St. Bonaventure. This was his second straight complete game shutout, striking out 16 batters while only giving up one hit. This immaculate performance also earned him the honor of being the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the week for the third time this season. His seasonal ERA is now down to just 0.96, the 11th lowest in the country. This dominant performance gave Mikulski his fifth win of the season as he remains undefeated in as many starts.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

• Josh Levine excels in front of goal

The Rams goalkeeper for the men’s soccer season has been light out from the start as the Rams qualified for the seventh consecutive Atlantic 10 championship appearacnce as they beat Saint Joseph’s University in the final game of the regular season. Levine, a graduate student, has excelled this year, only allowing four goals throughout the entire season, helping the Rams remain undefeated. His seasonal save percentage of 88% leads the conference. The Rams are now focused on their quest for another league as they face Saint Louis in the semifinals of the A-10 Championship on Thursday.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS