Student concert, new majors

Emerson College’s student newspaper since 1947 • berkeleybeacon.com

@berkeleybeacon // @beaconupdate

Thursday, March 31, 2022 • Volume 75, Issue 25

Singer-songwriter Gish to perform at Emerson

Professor alleges gender, pay discrimination on part of college

Dionna Santucci

Shannon Garrido

Beacon Correspondent

After near-radio silence on streaming and social media platforms for the better part of 2022, Boston-based singer-songwriter Sidney Gish is expected to perform on Emerson’s very own Robert J. Orchard Stage on Wednesday Apr. 6.

Gish is an indie rock musician best known for her internet-hit single “Presumably Dead Arm,” and her sophomore album No Dogs Allowed—which won her Album of the Year at the 2018 Boston Music Awards. Since then, she has toured with Mitski, released a project with Cavetown, and performed at various festivals across North America, most notably South By Southwest.

Soon enough, Gish will add Emerson’s Paramount Theater to her repertoire of venues, along with her

Concert, Pg. 5

Beacon Staff

Beacon Archives

New majors to bridge communications with health sciences, psychology Vivi Smilgius Beacon Staff

Courtesy Zoe O’Neil

Indicating an increased focus on the intersection of communications and health, Emerson will introduce two new majors starting in the fall of 2023: health and social change and media psychology.

Both programs aim to inspire new perspectives on global health and psychology-related social issues. Dean of the School of Communication Raul Reis said he is particularly excited about the new majors.

“Media psychology is a relatively new field,” Reis said. “The approach here is looking at psychology, psychological theories, and what we know about behavior and attitudes to help us understand our relationship with media as producers and consumers.”

Reis said studying health and social change will provide a unique opportunity for students to tackle global health crises in mindful and advocacy-driven ways.

“We’re looking at exploring the complex issues that surround healthcare policy, not from the perspective of policy makers or even public health, but from a broader, more social-oriented approach,” Reis said. “We’re going to look at very large and complex problems.”

New majors, Pg. 2

Longtime Emerson professor Anna Feder is suing the college after allegedly being denied a promotion because of gender-based discrimination on the part of a senior administrator.

Feder, director of programming of the Visual and Media Arts Department, filed a complaint in Suffolk County Superior Court against the college on Sep. 22 of last year. The gender discrimination and equal pay claims suit also named Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs Brooke Knight.

Knight acted as Feder’s supervisor as chair of the VMA department from 2014 until July 2020.

Feder accused him of allegedly informing upper administration that she should not be promoted, despite her experience serving on numerous committees at Emerson and her past representation of the college on multiple panels at film industry conferences.

Feder claims her salary is $15,000 less than that of a male coworker with a less demanding role. Her suit seeks an increase in pay as well as monetary damages for her rightful earnings.

Michelle Gaseau, a spokesperson for the college, declined to comment on the state of the lawsuit.

Feder, unable to disclose more details on the case, worked firsthand with contract negotiations as one of the organizers for the college’s staff union and helped ratify a new contract in 2019, which included higher salary benefits.

However, according to Feder, there is still much work to be done in regard to staff contracts, particularly in the job review process.

Feder described how, in 2012, her job changed entirely from an entry-level position to overseeing a full department.

“My job became running this film series, which was 44 films a year,” she said. “My job changed entirely, but without recognition in Lawsuit, Pg. 2

Emerson Contemporary hosts new art display

INSIDE THIS EDITION New ELA union contract Pg. 2 Obituary Pg. 3 Who is Judge KBJ? Pg. 3 Opinion: The Oscar’s slap and Black masculinity Pg. 4 First-year utility Sam Zannotti. / Sydney Ciardi Beacon Staff

Lions softball beats Lesley in sweep Tyler Foy Beacon Staff

“Onomatopoeia” exhibit currently on display. / Hannah Nguyen Beacon Staff

Hannah Nguyen Beacon Staff

Emerson Contemporary’s Media Art Gallery has been hosting Los Angeles-based artist and filmmaker Kerry Tribe’s Onomatopoeia exhibition from Jan. 26 to April 3.

Tribe grew up in Cambridge and received her MFA from UCLA and received a BA in Art and Semiotics from Brown University. Her work primarily involves film, video, and installations.

The exhibition features works created between 2010 and 2021. According to the website, the works “reflect the artist’s longstanding interest in consciousness, memory, and the limits of linguistic communication.”

Emerson Contemporary’s curator-in-residence Leonie Bradbury said that Tribe’s work intersects contemporary art and different areas of study at Emerson like communication, journalism, and visual media arts.

Art exhibit, Pg. 5

Emerson’s softball team triumphed in a doubleheader against Lesley College on Sunday, winning both games to bring the season record to 12-4.

The string of victories is only the latest in a strong season for the Lions, much improved from their 0-8 record in their limited 2021 season.

Junior catcher Sophia Cloonan said this season’s mentality has been the difference-maker.

“We have a tremendous energy that I’ve not seen on any softball team I’ve played on in my life,” she said. “No matter what the situation is, we’re as loud as possible—that’s a big plus for us right now.”

Emerson’s last match-up saw the end of a seven-game winning streak as Suffolk University beat the Lions twice on March 25. Head Coach Phil McElroy said the loss was necessary for improvement.

“Suffolk was a wake-up call,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of energy, and we’ve got a lot of good things going on here. But [we] don’t lose focus on what we’re trying to do on the field. Fun in the dugout needs to translate to focus when you get up to the plate.”

After four canceled games in the past two weeks, the Lesley Lynx hadn’t played an inning on the diamond yet. The Lions knew to win they

Softball, Pg. 8

Alum new book Pg. 5 Tame Impala concert review Pg. 6 Arlington Jazz Fest returns Pg. 7 Men’s lacrosse win Pg. 8

632

positive COVID-19 tests

1.29% positivity rate

48,000+ tests completed

*Accumulated from Spring 2022 Semester

Cont. from

News

Gender discrimination case mirrors union troubles

Cont. from Pg. 1 terms of title or in terms of compensation.”

Through the staff union, Feder learned how much the salary of fellow VMA department member Leonard Manzo was, in contrast to her. As a result, she decided to renegotiate her salary with the school.

“I tried— unsuccessfully—to navigate the job review process, which was set up in the union contract,” Feder said. “When we had the [first union] contract signed, years after I realized there was a pay discrepancy, [I realized that] the job review process… doesn’t really exist.”

Feder clarified that Emerson is contractually obligated to acknowledge the court complaint.

However, there is no obligation to follow through with the review process, and meetings held on the matter are not required to include the plaintiff. “​​There’s no obligation for [Emerson] to involve you as the worker at all,” she said. “And they didn’t.”

According to Gaseau, the college’s collective bargaining agreement “contains a clear process for employees to request review of whether jobs are properly classified in particular grades.”

According to staff union member Illona Yukhayev, the union’s efforts to improve the terms of its first contract have been unsuccessful. However, the union continues to demand a change in the job review process, exemplifying cases like Feder’s.

“There is no documented explanation and that prevents accountability,” Yukhayev said. “The [administration] can make a form

to fill out. The [plaintiff] writes their stuff and that’s it. From that point on they’re cut off from the conversation.”

“In our [new] proposal, we want them involved in the conversation,” she added.

Yukhayev said that Feder’s lawsuit is a much more personal resolution that does not apply to other staff members in a similar position.

“We talk about sexism with Anna, but there are all kinds of biases that come into play,” she said.

However, she also said that such gender-based discrimination is not uncommon at the college.

“Before we negotiated our first contract, I was doing the same job as my coworker with the same job description,” she said. “I was one grade below him, and that was true for the woman that was before me.”

Feder said a more direct form of action comes from unions, which she assumes the college is actively fighting against.

“There’s all sorts of reasons why employers fight unions,” she said. “While it is legal for an employer to tell you can’t discuss your pay, [that discussion] isn’t done nearly as much as it should be, which is usually to the detriment of women [and] people of color. It wasn’t until we started union organizing that I found out how much [Manzo] was making.”

Feder said she discovered systemic issues during the lengthy process of negotiating with the administration for equal wages through the union.

The first staff union contract gave members considerable benefits and increased wages. However, changing their legal repre-

The Berkeley Beacon

sentation prompted the college to be less considerate of the organizations.

“Emerson hired the preeminent union-busting law firm in the country, Jackson Lewis,” Feder said. “After we got a pretty decent contract the first time around, that was their response.”

Emerson hired Jackson Lewis for outside counsel in 2018, focusing specifically on labor and employment law. According to The New York Times, Jackson Lewis is known for propelling anti-union campaigns and training institutions to do so; its website includes a section titled ‘Remaining Union Free.’

According to Staff Union President Dennis Levine, the union has struggled to extract further concessions from the college due mostly to the pandemic. Jackson Lewis has only shifted the conversation.

“This year’s negotiations are different,” Levine says. “Some of the meetings get testy, [which is] to be expected. People sometimes dig their heels in and have very strong opinions about certain things.”

Feder also associated the college’s change in legal representation with a drastic change in the school’s conversations with unions.

She said she hopes her personal struggles to negotiate equal pay with administration spark a sense of understanding, compassion, and recognition in faculty. She fears this issue has gone on way too long, but she doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

“I love my job, I love my coworkers, both faculty and staff, and the students that come to the film series and take my course,” Feder said. “I’m glad that I’m staying.”

As of March 17, 2022, Feder and the college have reached an agreement but haven’t finalized a settlement.

shannon_garrido@emerson.edu

Health and social change, media psychology majors to launch in 2023 Cont. from Pg. 1 The two majors emerged from a committee founded in September 2020 to begin brainstorming new majors, in response to perceived gaps in Emerson’s academic offerings.

“We were meeting on a regular basis, working on different courses, doing some research and seeing the gaps in those programs and [finding] how we can be better,” Reis said. “This was very much a collective effort…it was a very collaborative process.”

Robin Danzak, one of the spearheads for the development of the health and social change major, said the major-development groups included faculty from a variety of departments—leading to the creation of two majors instead of one.

“We had some challenges initially zeroing in on our focus for the major,” Danzak said. “However, once we realized that social change should be the driving force, things came together.”

Nancy Allen, who currently teaches several public health-related courses at Emerson, said she will most likely teach some of the courses offered by the health and social change major. For her, health and social change opens doors for students to address global health issues

through social justice initiatives.

“Whether it’s climate change, the opioid crisis, or COVID-19, many of the crises that we’re facing are health-related,” Allen said. “This new major is looking to take students who are interested in those topics, who want to positively impact their community or the world through social change mechanisms, and train them to do that.”

The health and social change major is more than just a liberal arts take on STEM, Allen said—it’s a public health-adjacent that combines elements of public health and communication to help students “affect social change through the arts.”

Students in the major will open doors to a variety of careers beyond STEM, including areas like climate change, mental health, substance abuse, disability, cancer, and nonprofit organizations designed to help with those issues.

“I can absolutely envision Emerson graduates looking to shape the views that the general public holds around some of these health issues through media,” Allen said.

Assistant professor Naa Dodoo, who recently joined the committee, said the media psychology major will provide another lens for students to use when finding solutions to worldwide issues.

Like health and social change, the media psychology major will have its own “Emersonian twist.”

“We’re taking what we already know and making it even better in a new context when it comes to media,” Dodoo said. “This is an opportunity for us to expand what we have to offer, especially for students who may be interested in going in this direction.”

Media psychology allows the college to test out a new market and meet a wider range of students’ academic interests, allowing them to “explore something relevant in today’s world” and investigate the ever-changing impacts of technology and media, per Dodoo.

Though the majors will not be offered until 2023, the college will be in communication with high school advisors and students to promote the new programs, Reis said. While he won’t be at Emerson to see the launch of the majors (as he is slated to depart the college in June), he said he looks forward to Emerson’s continued growth.

“We’re really excited,” Reis said.

“Those programs embody the spirit of Emerson and what we try to do at the college.” vivi_smilgius@emerson.edu

March 31, 2022

2

Emerson Los Angeles faculty ratify new contract

Emerson’s Los Angeles campus. / Beacon Archives

Abigail Lee

Beacon Staff The Emerson Los Angeles part-time faculty union ratified its second contract in a unanimous vote last Tuesday.

The union had previously reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement on Feb. 4, after eight months of negotiations. A full draft of the contract was distributed mid-March, and a week of voting followed. The contract was ratified in a 26-0 vote March 22.

“Faculty were quite happy with what was in the CBA,” said Jennifer Vandever, president of ELAF-AAUP. Vandever described the negotiation process as a “tough and long battle,” which ultimately required federal mediation toward the end. The new contract brings higher pay, expanded healthcare coverage, and longer contracts for senior faculty. “[This contract] represents that the ELA faculty deserve what faculty in Boston received in terms of compensation and benefits,” Vandever said. “In addition to that, I think it’s just a matter of basic respect and equity.”

The union raised awareness about ELA faculty being the lowest-paid faculty members at the college, using social media as a tool for demanding treatment equal to that of the Boston campus’ affiliated faculty.

About 70 percent of ELA faculty has sought government assistance in recent years, according to Vandever.

The faculty received messages of support from the Emerson community as these facts were shared online.

“Back in December and January, we started hearing from a lot of part-time and full-time faculty at Boston who were appalled by what was happening to us,” Vandever said. “I certainly was hearing from students as well as alumni who were following the story.”

Senior faculty member Brad Lemack said the contract demonstrates the college’s recognition of the work done at ELA. “It is an acknowledgment that what we’re doing out here is really valuable and that we’re offering and committed to great academics,” Lemack said.

College spokesperson Michelle Gaseau expressed the college’s satisfaction with the ratified CBA. “We are grateful that we were able to complete negotiations, and we are pleased that the Union ratified the contract,” Gaseau wrote in an email statement to The Beacon. “We look forward to a continued productive relationship with the faculty in Los Angeles.”

In the future, union leaders will work on CBA enforcements to ensure that the terms of the contract are implemented.

Additionally, the union will advocate for compensation for labor performed outside of the classroom, such as long-term mentoring of students. ELA faculty had hoped to secure set minimums for these duties, but the college offered a case-by-case process for compensation instead.

“The college has made a very deliberate choice to rely on affiliated faculty to teach at [ELA], but that can lead to some very blurred lines,” Vandever said. “It can also lead to them asking us to do things that would normally fall into the range of full-time faculty.”

Although the faculty union pushed for the creation of full-time faculty positions at ELA, the college rejected the arguments, insisting that ELA should remain an affiliated model. Lemack emphasized that the quality of education students receive at ELA is not affected by the fact that faculty are part-time, but that full-time positions would be a positive addition.

“It would be terrific if there were full time positions,” Lemack said. “At Emerson LA, it would show an investment in the campus beyond what the current model is.”

Vandever added that the college did not follow its “professed values and actions” behind the scenes of negotiations. While the college renounced pay cuts in the fall, it actually proposed cutting cost-of-living adjustments for senior faculty, said Vandever.

“The college’s proposals to the union, including any cost-of-living adjustments, in all cases would only increase pay for each year of the contract,” Gaseau said in response.

However, Vandever said while the proposals would increase pay annually, the two-to-four percent cost-of-living adjustments would be lowered to two percent, which would result in reduced salaries for senior faculty than what were in the union’s prior contract.

“The college can spin it however they like, but a reduction in cost-of-living adjustments in this case would have resulted in less money in the pockets of senior faculty,” Vandever said.

The original adjustments were retained in this contract, and the faculty union looks forward to what the contract brings.

“It is really wonderful to be validated in this way and for affiliated faculty to get benefits that, you know, they’ve been earning for a very, very long time,” Lemack said.

abigail_lee@emerson.edu

m Pg. 1 The Berkeley Beacon

March 31, 2022

3

‘Born communicator’ from class of 1966 leaves behind journalism scholarship

Bill Alex’s yearbook photo in The Emersonian, 1966. / Beacon Archives

Camilo Fonseca Beacon Staff

Vassilios Alex didn’t learn English until kindergarten. That didn’t stop the Emerson alum from a decades-long radio career that saw him take on everything from newscasting to sports commentary—and established him as a local icon.

“He had this amazing ability to connect with people from all walks of life,” said his daughter Katie Stevens.

“It was truly tremendous.”

“Bill” Alex, as he was known, lost his battle with blood cancer on March 22 at the age of 79. A native of Brockton, Mass., he graduated from Emerson in 1966 with a degree in speech.

Alex played on the Lions baseball team, but it became clear his true love was journalism.

While at Emerson, he worked as a reporter for The Hellenic Chronicle, a Boston-based cultural newspaper. He also broadcasted for the WERS and WECB college radio stations—and oversaw the college’s first student television studio, the forerunner of to-

day’s WEBN. “Emerson had, at least in my dad’s memory, that energy and sense of, ‘Wow, we’re really on the forefront of something big,’” Stevens said. “He really valued the ability to nurture those passions and have the resources of Emerson behind him.”

Graduating into the climate of the Vietnam War, Alex served four years in the Air Force; he was posted to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, just a thousand miles from the Soviet border. After his return to the United States, he opted to stay in Massachusetts rather than relocate to Hollywood, like Emerson classmates Henry Winkler and Vin Di Bona.

His decision, his daughter said, was a result of his roots. Raised in Dorchester and educated in Milton, Alex felt closely connected to his local community—particularly to Boston’s large Greek-American community, of which he was a member.

“That was a huge, huge part of his identity,” his daughter said. “He loved the culture. He went to Greek festivals, listened to Greek TV shows and radio shows—he was super passionate about his background and heritage.”

Alex’s parents, Stevens said, emigrated to Boston from a tiny mountain village in Greece. He kept himself connected to the community by working at The Hellenic Chronicle—which, according to Alex, was “like the Boston Globe” back in the day—as well as a radio show called “Grecian Echoes” on WNTN 1550—a program she noted still exists.

His next gig on the air was as a sports commentator. And though he was, first and foremost, a baseball fan (thanks to the famous Greek-American Mickey

Mantle), Alex would be at the forefront of an emerging sport in the United States: soccer.

Alex, like most Americans at the time, had never played soccer. But when the Lipton corporation hired him as the play-by-play announcer for their new soccer team, the New England Tea Men, he found himself learning on the fly.

Nevertheless, Alex enjoyed his brief tenure as the team commentator before the team relocated. Stevens said he loved traveling to stadiums across the country and meeting new people, “hobnobbing with some luminaries of the soccer field.” Offhandedly, she added that Pelé, one of the greatest soccer players in history, played at the time for the rival New York Cosmos.

Alex’s journalism really shone on his longtime radio program, Newsline.

For two decades, Alex headlined the popular talk show on Brockton’s WBET 1460, becoming a mainstay of the South Shore airwaves.

Alex also shepherded many younger staffers at WBET—including one Matt McLaughlin ‘91, fresh out of Emerson with a degree in mass communications.

“It was all pretty new to me,” said McLaughlin. “But we got really comfortable with each other over time. It actually became a really good learning experience, and it was also a lot of fun to work with a really great guy.”

McLaughlin eventually became Newsline’s producer, working closely with Alex to schedule guests and programming.

“It all depended on what was going on [in the world],” he said. “It was a lot of scrambling, because Bill would say, ‘Let’s get in touch with so-and-so,’ and we’d have to reach out to them.”

Alex’s program did manage to bring on several notable guests, ranging from athletes to local officials to national politicians; McLaughlin recalled one conversation with Andrew Card, a onetime secretary of transportation most famous for informing President George Bush of the 9/11 attacks.

McLaughlin said that Alex was, with

all his guests, “very knowledgeable, very professional,” disarming them with his “great sense of humor.”

“Regardless of what his thoughts may have been, he was always open-minded,” he said. “He would give whoever was speaking the chance to voice their side. It was completely different than how it is today—and in my opinion, more like how it should be.”

That diplomatic nature, Stevens said, was a hallmark of Bill Alex’s character.

“He really was a born communicator,” she said. “He had that wonderful ability to build rapport with anybody—whether in the supermarket or at City Hall, or just walking the dog down the street.”

No one saw this side of him more, Stevens said, than Alex’s own family.

“Every waking moment he wasn’t working, he was with me and my sister [Jennie],” she said. “Taking us on little trips, here or there, to the beach, to the park, fishing—spending time in that warm fatherly way. Imparting life lessons.”

To honor this legacy, Alex’s family sought to establish a college scholarship fund for students entering the communications field. The scholarship will apply to first-generation and low income students graduating from Brockton or Milton high schools— much like Alex himself.

“This scholarship is inspired by his own lived experience as a first-gen, low income student himself,” Stevens said. “We thought about how he came up, his background, and his passion for communications and journalism.

And we thought, ‘How can we pay it forward?’”

As of Thursday, the fund had reached just over a quarter of its $10,000 goal.

Though Alex’s public commitment to journalism is at the forefront of the fundraiser, Stevens said she remembers him as a father more than anything.

“First and foremost, I think of just a caring individual,” she said. “... Just a lovely, lovely human being.” camilo_fonseca@emerson.edu

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson: what you should know Adri Pray

Beacon Staff President Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Feb. 25, hoping to fill the vacancy left by Justice Stephen Breyer on Jan. 27.

Following the Justice’s announcement of retirement from the lifetime appointment, Biden said he sought a candidate that had “exceptional credentials, unimpeachable character and unwavering dedication to the rule of law,” according to The White House website.

Jackson was born in Miami on Sept.

14, 1970 to Johnny and Ellery Brown, a public school teacher turned attorney and arts high school principal. She graduated from Harvard University magna cum laude, despite being discouraged by guidance counselors in high school from attending, and advanced to Harvard Law School, where she graduated cum laude.

After graduating, Jackson became Justice Breyer’s law clerk from 1999 to 2000, where she “learned the importance” of building consensus and understanding the Constitution. She moved on to become a public defender in Washington D.C., handling cases in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Following her time as a public defender—a position no Supreme Court nominee has held before—Jackson began receiving nominations and appointments to various roles within the U.S. District Court of Appeals and Court of Appeals by former President Barack Obama.

Jackson was nominated by then-President Obama to the Vice Chair of the Sentencing Commission in 2009 and was confirmed in 2010. In 2012, she was nominated for district court judge of the U.S. District Court for D.C. and con-

firmed in 2013.

Confirmed in 2021, Jackson was one of Biden’s first nominations to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Her latest presidential nomination, received on Feb. 25, marks her fourth.

Jackson’s Senate confirmation hearings commenced last week and consisted of four days of questioning regarding her prior sentencing, career, and character.

The first session began with opening statements from the Senate Judiciary Committee and Jackson herself—“the easiest day,” per Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Il. Senators like Cory Booker, D-N.J., noticed the historic nature of Jackson’s confirmation hearings. Booker said Jackson’s nomination “breaks an artificially confining mold of our past and opens up a more promising, potential-filled future for us all as Americans.”

Republican senators criticized Jackson’s previous sentencings regarding child pornography cases, citing “leniency,” while Democratic senators rebuked their claims, reminding the committee of previous scrutiny over Jackson’s sentencing when being confirmed for other positions.

A topic shared by both parties, rumors of “dark money”—funds raised by anonymous nonprofits to influence elections— circulated around Jackson’s nomination.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, expressed concern over liberal group Demand Justice because of its suggestions for potential nominees after Breyer’s retirement.

Tuesday, Republican scrutiny over Jackson’s sentencing continued, as Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. accused her of being sympathetic to child sex offenders and abusers—a claim tied to a string of conspiracies.

As a mother, Jackson said, she takes crimes against children seriously, calling on Congress to alter the laws on sex abuse materials.

Republicans asked Jackson about her view on the expansion of the Supreme Court, to which she gave an answer that echoed Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s ideology.

“In my view, judges should not be speaking to political issues and certainly not a nominee for a position on the Supreme Court,” Jackson said.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, asked Jackson why she called former President George W. Bush and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfield “war criminals,” but the claim was debunked by Durbin following a fact-check during a brief recess that made it apparent Jackson had made no such comparison.

During his time, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, attempted to link Jackson to critical race theory despite her repeated refutations against the accusation, as she said it “doesn’t come up in [her] line of work as a judge.” When questioning critical race theory’s connection to Georgetown Day School—where Jackson serves as a member of the board of trustees—Jackson said the board doesn’t control the school’s curriculum.

To end the second day, Jackson defended her record as a public defender for Guantanamo Bay detainees, noting that she did not pick her clients.

Jackson affirmed that she would apply the Constitution’s original ideas to modern-day contexts, during the opening of Wednesday’s session.

Durbin spent his time refuting claims made by Republican senators, some of whom claimed he was “editorializing,” inciting an argument between Durbin and Utah Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. John Kennedy, R-La. Graham continued questioning Jackson’s child pornography, illegal immigration, and other previous sentencings but was cut off for time.

Cruz pressed on about critical race the-

Supreme Court Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. / Creative Commons

ory and interrupted Jackson as she tried to answer, prompting Durbin to advise Jackson to not answer the question, as Cruz would continue to interrupt her.

Hawley and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., continued Cruz’s line of questioning. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., questioned Jackson on her line of work as a public defender.

Many Democratic senators affirmed Jackson’s qualifications and reassured her she would be confirmed in a timely manner.

Jackson said she would recuse herself from a case concerning Harvard University’s race-conscious admissions policy to gain more Hispanic and Black students if appointed to the Supreme Court.

The final day of questioning commenced outside the Senate Judiciary Committee with testimony from external witnesses and representatives from the American Bar Association. The ABA said Jackson was overqualified and wasn’t worried about her child pornography sentencings.

Blackburn requested the private records

of pre-sentencing child pornography cases, but was denied by Durbin, citing a moral obligation to protect those harmed by the case. Blackburn accused Durbin of withholding the records from Republican senators, but Durbin assured her no one had access to them.

Durbin determined the committee would make its executive decision on March 28 and would vote on April 4.

On Wednesday, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, confirmed her vote for Jackson after holding a separate meeting with Jackson that “alleviated” Collins’ previous concerns. Collins’ vote marks the first confirmed GOP vote towards Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation.

If the majority of the committee approves Jackson’s nomination, she will move on to the full Senate vote. The 11 Democratic and 11 Republican senators could deadlock, canceling each other out in a vote. Their decision will take place on April 4. adrianna_pray@emerson.edu

Opinion

The Berkeley Beacon

March 31, 2022

4

How you feel about the slap at the Oscars says something about your perception of Black men

Hadera McKay Beacon Staff

“Keep my wife’s name out of your f—cking mouth!” Those were the words that— muted in the producers’ attempts to de-escalate the gravity of the situation for viewers—were unmistakably uttered by Grammy, Golden Globe, Emmy, and now Oscar award-winning artist and actor Will Smith. This occurred following Smith’s reverberating slap to the face of Grammy and Emmy award-winning comedian Chris Rock on the stage of the 94th annual Academy Awards ceremony.

Immediately following the debacle, viewers flooded social media with commentary ranging from “what the hell just happened?” to “was that real?” to even, “Will Smith belongs in jail.” As viewers attempt to make sense of the show-stopping moment, there’s a layer of nuance that is vital to the conversation, a layer characterized by the truth of Black families, Black masculinity, and celebrity culture.

This is not the first time the Smith family has been embroiled in public conflict. Since Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s marriage in 1997, the two have constantly been under fire. From their choice to embrace freedom of agency and expression in raising their children, Jaden and Willow, to the reveal of their temporary separation, and finally, the couple’s Red Table Talk conversation where Pinkett Smith clarified her romantic relationship with rap artist, August Alsina. All instances were met with extreme public uproar, such as the jests at Jaden Smith wearing a dress to his senior prom, and the harsh critique and meme-ification of Pinkett Smith’s “entanglement.”

The charged moment at this year’s Oscars is no different. Following presenter Chris Rock’s G.I. Jane joke, directed at Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald-headed look as a symptom of the autoimmune disorder, alopecia, Will Smith gave a good-hearted laugh, while Pinkett Smith rolled her eyes in a sign of annoyance and pain. Next thing we knew, Will Smith had hopped onto the stage and delivered a slap to Rock’s face that immediately catapulted viewers into a flurry of emotions.

Twenty minutes later, Will Smith won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Richard Williams, famed father of two of the best tennis players of all time, Venus and Serena Williams in the film King Richard. Smith opened up his acceptance speech by focusing his prior action on the themes of family and protection seen in the film. He said, “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family.” Smith began to cry as he relayed his gratitude for the ability to “protect” Aunjanue Ellis (Brandi Williams), Saniyya Sidney (Venus Williams), Demi Singleton (Serena Williams), and the Williams’ family story.

When comedian Tiffany Haddish was asked about her perspective of the incident in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, she said, “It was a great night, tonight… I saw a man stand up for his wife, which we don’t see that much anymore. That made me have hope.” This was a sentiment parroted by many other women of color on the internet, including actress Jameela Jamile, and rapper Nicki Minaj.

In a world where Black women are constantly insulted, berated, and ig-

Illustration Lucia Thorne

“It was gratifying to see a Black man take immediate action to defend a Black woman—no matter how outlandish the action was.” nored by the forces of the white male patriarchy that underlie our societal institutions, it was gratifying to see a Black man take immediate action to defend a Black woman—no matter how outlandish the action was.

This perspective is at odds with many viewers who saw Smith’s action as a hot-headed show of toxic masculinity. When the brawny man steps forward to defend his damsel in distress without giving her the agency to deal with the offense on her own terms. What makes this any different than that played-out trope?

Historically, the idea of the gallant white knight protecting a damsel in

distress has always been reserved for just that, white people. So when a Black man steps up to defend a figure who has been traditionally deemed not worth protecting—namely the Black woman—of course people are going to critique the rationality of his actions. It makes you wonder, if it were Brad Pitt on that stage who slapped some white comedian to defend the honor of Angelina Jolie, would people have half as many reservations?

Living in a world defined by whiteness certainly means that whiteness defines our understanding of masculinity, toxicity, and feminism.

While palatable masculinity is reserved for white wife-guys on Instagram who record themselves washing their wife’s hair for them, the term toxic masculinity is reserved for Black men who seek to make a point that their wives’ hair is not a joke. If it’s a white hero traversing adversities to defend his white damsel, it’s considered bravery. Yet if it’s a Black man who seeks to make a point about the care and sensitivity that his wife’s experiences should be handled with, it’s worthy of jail time.

It troubles me that this divisive conversation has run so quickly into language of heinous violence and prosecution. This rhetoric mirrors and perpetuates the failures of the American justice system that promotes Black male mass incarceration and police brutality.

When are we going to stop villainizing Black men for having feelings? Or for seeking to protect their families, no matter how drastic the decisions seem to us? Some of the same people who were calling for reform of the federal prison system and to defund the police two summers ago are the same people

“It makes you wonder, if it were Brad Pitt on that stage who slapped some white comedian to defend the honor of Angelina Jolie, would people have half as many reservations?”

© 2022 The Berkeley Beacon. All rights reserved.

Editor-in-Chief Lucia Thorne

The Beacon is published weekly.

Anything submitted to the Beacon becomes the sole property of the newspaper. No part of the publication may be reproduced by any means without the express written permission of the editor.

calling for Smith’s head on a pike.

This conversation cannot be isolated from your understanding of your relationship with Black men, Black male incarceration, or the corrupt American justice system.

Managing Editors Shannon Garrido (Content) Camilo Fonseca (Content) Marcus Cocova (Multimedia) Campbell Parish (Operations) Section Editors Frankie Rowley (News) Hadera McKay (Opinion)

With all of this being said, the strength of Black men does not have to manifest in an act of physical strength or violence. Smith cried during his Oscar acceptance speech and stressed the importance of love. He also communicated a clear internal struggle between protecting his family and protecting his view in the public eye.

This struggle is reflected in Smith’s career and many other Black people in the entertainment industry. You can either be an American hero, palatable for a white audience, or an aggressive villain; America’s Fresh Prince, or a figure that incites fear.

Smith also sincerely apologized to the Academy during his acceptance speech, reflecting an inclination to work for the approval of white Hollywood for the sake of preserving his career. Smith has also since apologized to Chris Rock.

Perhaps the most disappointing part of this Oscars moment was not the slap itself, nor the sorry excuse of a joke from the usually more creative and funny Chris Rock, but that it immediately took away from revered musician and activist Questlove’s Oscar win of Best Documentary. His film, Summer of Soul, documents the importance of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival on the music and culture of Black Americans, and by extension the music industry as a whole.

With a moment in the Academy Awards that had so many Black men visible, in both positive and negative ways, I encourage viewers to assess their own reaction to the infamous smack. Chances are it’ll tell you something about your understanding of Black men that could be illuminating. lily_goldklang@emerson.edu Karissa Schaefer (Living Arts) Tyler Foy (Sports) Kaitlyn Fehr (Copy) Advisor David Dahl (617) 824–8687 berkeleybeacon.com contact@berkeleybeacon.com

The Berkeley Beacon

March 31, 2022

5

Living Arts

Alum’s new book shows the human side to a public crash and burn Rachel Hackam Beacon Staff

“Onomatopoeia” exhibit currently on display. / Hannah Nguyen Beacon Staff

Emerson Contemporary hosts Media Art Gallery exhibition ‘Onomatopoeia’ Cont. from Pg. 1 “Three years ago when I came to Emerson—there’s so many people working with film and video—[and with] the different areas of study at Emerson, I thought it might be a good time to reach out to her,” Bradbury said.

They started working together on the exhibit three years ago, but were forced to put it on hold due to the pandemic. About a year ago, they resumed working on the exhibit.

Onomatopoeia showcases two documentary videos: “The Last Soviet” (2010) and “Afasia” (2017). Narrated and subtitled in English and Russian, “The Last Soviet” is a 10-minute video that offers different perspectives on the emotions of a lost Russian cosmonaut on the Mir space station during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

“Afasia” highlights a photographer who had a left-hemisphere stroke, impacting his ability to communicate.

Subtitled in English and Spanish, the photographer’s reflection, combined with a description of Tribe’s efforts to

“You start seeing connections across all the different works that are presented together in the gallery, so it’s rewarding in that sense. The more time you spend [on it], the more you get out of it.”

- Leonie Bradbury

re-learn a foreign language brings an understanding of how the limitation of language impacts life.

The exhibition shows two photographic prints from 2017, Black Tourmaline (front) and Black Tourmaline (back), that will be shown in the U.S. for the first time. Silkscreens inspired by cognitive tests, as well as two new “scratch drawings,” are also featured.

Forest for the Trees (2015) features a monitor located among potted plants and apple boxes that shows one word at a time. Fantastic Voyage (2020) is a recording which visitors are invited to listen to on their personal devices.

“Her work is really strong in the sense that as you spend more time with it, there’s more that you can discover in the world, and you start seeing connections across all the different works that are presented together in the gallery, so it’s rewarding in that sense,” Bradbury said. “The more time you spend [on it], the more you get out of it.” hannah_nguyen@emerson.edu

Having written seven feisty feminist Young Adult (YA) love stories, Katie Cotugno ‘07 wanted to try something new. Her debut adult novel Birds of California will be released Apr. 26, showcasing Cotugno’s writing for a more mature audience.

Birds of California follows former child star Fiona St. James a decade after her public meltdown.

When Sam Fox, who played her older brother on TV as a child, approaches her asking to revive their show, Fiona begrudgingly agrees, hesitant to re-enter the public eye.

“When they start working together again, Sam and Fiona spark a deep connection neither of them expected,” Cotugno said. “They have an intense relationship unlike anything Fiona had experienced.”

Cotugno’s first book, How to Love (2013), was originally her senior thesis for Emerson’s writing, literature and publishing program. Cotugno’s time at Emerson helped shape the trajectory of her career.

“I loved that Emerson is a place where people really like things,” Cotugno said. “It was nice to know I was taking myself seriously and my professors were taking me seriously.”

Having written YA for about a decade, Cotugno was ready to explore other stages of life through her writing.

“As I’ve gotten older, I thought it would be fun to write about finding love later in life and all the other things that come with that,” Cotugno said. “I love writing YA. That time in your life is an emotional tsunami, but I felt ready to move on a little.”

For Cotugno, writing has been a constant presence in her life, helping her to make sense of the world.

“I wrote stories at six years old,” Cotugno said. “I never understand how I feel about something until I go and write.”

Cotugno describes her first drafts as very messy and chaotic, essentially an embellished outline.

This “zero draft” allows her to determine the plot of the book, establishing each of the characters.

Cotugno emphasized that there is no correct way to write and everyone has their own process.

Although not based on a real person in totality, Cotugno finds inspiration in everyday life.

For Birds of California, being a person in the world helped her find the story.

“The public loves a crash and burn,” Cotugno said. “I grew up watching Britney Spears breakdown and I’ve always been fascinated with pop-culture.”

When writing characters like Fiona, Cotugno works to find the core nugget of humanity within the fictitious individual. While Birds of California picks up a decade after Fiona’s breakdown, it still impacts her greatly.

“I try to remember that for every trainwreck in the public eye, there is an actual human being behind it,” Cotugno said. “A lot of it is kept behind closed doors and I wanted to explore that aspect of Fiona’s story.”

Compared to her other books which are geared toward a younger audience, Birds of California is a little saucier, something Cotugno had a lot of fun writing. Since this is her adult debut, no one was expecting this from her.

“For a long time, this was a private project and really fun to write,” Cotugno said. “It was my own little secret.”

rachel_hackam@emerson.edu

Sidney Gish concert source of anticipation for students Cont. from Pg. 1 openers for that night: JOBIE and Jo & the Average.

First-year visual media arts student Carolina Whitaker explained how surprised she was when the concert was announced.

“I’ve been a fan of [Gish] since 2019, and I never thought I would see her in concert,” Whitaker said.

“I didn’t even know she was still performing. I’m just excited to see her because she’s a big part of the kind of music I listen to.”

The Spring Concert, presented

by WECB Live, is a free, exclusive event open to Emerson students starting at 8 p.m. Tickets can be picked up at no cost from the Paramount Box Office, open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“I think this is a really great opportunity for students, and I’m really glad that Emerson is able to host this [concert],” first-year creative writing major Sophia Mullins said.

“I’ve heard a lot of other colleges in the area doing similar things, and I’m glad that Emerson was able to offer something like this to their students as well.”

Mullins thinks the event is a good way for college students to enjoy live music in a more accessible and affordable way.

“I’m excited to be there and to get to have that concert experience with some of my friends while also not having to go out of my way to another venue and, honestly, not having to pay is great,” Mullins said.

Whitaker agreed with Mullins’s sentiment.

“As someone who likes experiencing [live music], I feel like I haven’t been able to go out as much since I’ve had to budget a lot of my money towards food and things that I need as a student,” Whitaker said.

“Having that experience to see one of my favorite artists for free and with little-to-no travel is a great

thing.”

Both of the openers for the Spring Concert, JOBIE (Josie Arthur) and Jo & the Average (Jo Malicdem) are Emerson students themselves.

Arthur is a sophomore theater major who has performed at venues like the Tourist Trap in Allston, and recently released the music video for their single “All For One.” Malicdem, a junior journalism major, is no stranger to performing her dreamy acoustic ballads at Emerson and has built a cult following on campus.

For students who aren’t familiar with Arthur’s or Malicdem’s music, the Spring Concert is already proving to be a source of inspiration to engage with new music.

“I’m kind of happy about the fact that I haven’t heard [Arthur or Malicdem’s music] because I love getting to experience new music in a live setting,” Mullins said. “I think there’s always a greater connection to the artist when you hear

them for the first time in the medium that they are supposed to be playing in.”

Students are expecting to enjoy the openers, regardless of whether or not they have heard either musicians’ music before.

“I’m always looking for new music, and if you’re opening for Sidney Gish, then [the music] is probably similar in vibe which adds to the experience,” Whitaker said.

As for hearing Gish perform live from Paramount, students’ excitement for the upcoming event is revving up with every passing day.

Mullins felt a connection to Gish’s music from the moment she first heard it.

“I heard ‘Persephone’ over the summer, and I just immediately added it to my summer playlist,” Mullins said. “Through that, I was able to listen to her other stuff.

‘Presumably Dead Arm’ is one of my favorites by [Gish].”

Whitaker recalled in 2019 when

she and her friends walked around their hometown listening to the Gish’s music.

“We sat on a billboard and we got Shirley Temples,” Whitaker said. ”I just have a lot of positive memories associated with her music. So her performing at Emerson is kind of a personal 2019 revival.”

The Spring Concert has garnered a lot of attention on social media, with students, the performers themselves, and even alumni expressing their enthusiasm for the event. One alum commented on WECB’s Instagram post announcing the concert, citing the fact the concert was “three years too late,” referring to the concert being exclusive to current Emerson students.

While not being the first free event WECB or similar campus organizations have put on, the Spring Concert is garnering a level of popularity among students that makes dionna_santucci@emerson.edu

The Berkeley Beacon

March 31, 2022

6

Living Arts

Psychedelic Dreams with Tame Impala

Devin Turcotte

Beacon Correspondent “We are excited to welcome you to the Tame Impala ‘Slow Rush’ Tour. Be advised the rushiums effects range from a minor expansion to large time collapses staged within memory and the effective present.”

As a more recent fan of Tame Impala with videos of their shows being plastered all over my TikTok, I had high standards for this show, all of which were exceeded.

I have been to over 40 concerts at this point in my life, and I never thought I would be saying this, but Tame Impala’s “Slow Rush” show has now ended up in my top five, maybe even top three, of the best shows I’ve ever seen.

Before even getting into the arena, the vibes of the show were unlike anything I had experienced before. You could tell every person there portrayed different branches of the same hippie-esk

style. Everyone seemed very laid back, happy, and ready for the show. This was Tame Impala’s first Boston stop during round one of this tour, only emphasizing the excitement for everyone there.

Walking onto the floor of the arena was surreal; seeing so much color surrounding me on the floor was crazy. I felt like I was standing in the middle of a giant hippie-rainbow. Signs on people’s phones such as, “anyone have nicotine,” “does anyone have a lighter,” and “who’s excited for Kevin” graced my view, and I was starting to get more excited for the show to start just because of the environment.

Their opener JunglePussy came on right at 8 p.m., and at first, I was a little confused at that choice.

But once the psychedelic visuals surrounded her and the music started playing, I understood why.

A psychedelic, yet somewhat demonic, women empowerment set

by JunglePussy left me in awe after she left the stage. Oh, and one

of her most famous songs, “Trader Joe,” is a famous TikTok audio, so with Tame’s incredible social media presence, I definitely see why they chose her.

After she left the stage, people started getting antsy, as we knew the amazing Kevin Parker was about to grace us with his presence, and the audience started chanting “KEVIN, KEVIN, KEVIN.” The clock hit 9:20 p.m., and the lights shut off. The screams got louder, the screen went white, and a doctor wearing a Rushium— Tame’s medicine brand that touches on psychedelic drug use—white coat came on the screen. The visual then went from her and her normal voice to a slow, drawn out deep voice that helped transition her face from normal into a giant trippy rainbow. The lights went out, and Kevin’s shadow blessed the crowd as he walked onto the stage.

He started out with “One More Year” from his album The Slow Rush, which was released in 2020.

I immediately felt transported into another realm of happiness. The lighting, the visuals, everything from this show was insane. After “One More Year,” he added shorter length songs for transitions, which made me feel like I was in a movie.

The song “Elephant” from the same 2020 release came slowly after that and increased everyone’s hype by a good 20 percent (even though we were already at 100) from the beat of the drums and the electric guitar riffs. The first laser show happened during that song and I was truly taken back—but not as surprised as I was when the giant circle above the stage started moving with beaming rainbow lights.

This was right before the huge transition into my favorite song “Let It Happen,” and honestly, I couldn’t have pictured an intro to the song any other way. The confetti going off and lasers follow-

Tame Impala at TD Garden on their “Slow Rush” tour. / Courtesy Devin Turcotte

Tame Impala / Courtesy Devin Turcotte ing the big beat drop to the song was my favorite part of the night.

After that, the confetti and smiles didn’t stop.

Kevin truly made me feel like my soul left my body and was transported into an outer space dimension that I never knew about.

Tame Impala put up a show filled with happiness, smiles, and time stopping performances. I didn’t take any Rushium before the show, but I didn’t need to. The experience mirrored the feeling of psychedelics without actually be-

ing on psychedelics.

Kevin gave me one of the best nights I’ve had in a while and for that I am forever grateful. I will be sitting at home from now on staring at my Tame Impala Boston poster, holding onto my little pieces of confetti I collected, reliving that night in my head until the next time Kevin Parker blesses us with this presence in Boston again. Oh yeah, and f**k Trevor. devin_turcotte@emerson.edu

The Berkeley Beacon

March 31, 2022

7

Chelsea Cutler performing at Roadrunner last weekend. / Campbell Parish Beacon Staff

Chelsea Cutler made 15-year-old me very happy this past weekend Campbell Parish Beacon Staff

15-year-old-me was singing about heartbreak and falling in love before I even had my first kiss. I was blasting Chelsea Cutler’s music ever since her first single “Your Shirt” came out in 2017.

Needless to say, I have been a fan since the very beginning, and this weekend, I had the privilege of being a part of her biggest headlining show. I saw her in Boston both nights, and I know for a fact younger me would be shitting my pants if she knew.

Cutler played at Roadrunner, a new concert venue in Boston, where a crowd of 3,500 fans

screamed her music from the top of their lungs. It was a beautiful reminder that music brings people together, even during the chaotic world we live in. Thousands came together all for the same reason: to see Cutler perform.

One of the many reasons I enjoy her music so much is because she perfectly encapsulates what it is like to be in your 20s. She has a gift of putting complex feelings into a four-minute song, and although 15 year-old-me didn’t know what it was like to fall in love and to experience heartbreak, she did know that her music spoke to her in some capacity.

If you have never listened to her music, you need to change that.

The east coast native gradu-

ated from Amherst College, and throughout the show, she shared how Boston feels like a second home to her. Although she is based in New York City, she shares a deep love for the beautiful city of Boston, which was evident by the way she performed.

Cutler shared via Instagram story, “There was something special in the air tonight Boston. The energy in that room was beyond words. I’ve never felt more supported and more connected.”

When I found out she would be touring, I set reminders to make sure I could secure a spot. Needless to say, when tickets for this show went on sale in November and I was hunched over my computer trying to purchase tickets and praying to the good lord that

Campbell Parish (left) and Jacob Ireland (right) with Chelsea Cutler. / Courtesy Campbell Parish I could meet her—I got to.

Cutler is one of the sweetest artists that I have ever met. You can tell how passionate she is about what she does and how she wants to genuinely connect with her fans.

Going to this concert was a full-circle moment. I listened to her first single in the room I shared with my sister, in a small town in New Hampshire. There I would daydream of what I would be like when I was older, where I would go to school, or what I would be doing.

Here I am in Boston in my 20s, living the life I daydreamed about in 2017. Still listening to the same music that talks about living in a city, falling in love, and

being brutally honest about what life is like.

One thing never changed throughout all of those years: my love for Cutler and her music.

Here is my ode to Cutler: I can promise you that I will be at many more shows that you play in Boston in the future. You are one of few artists that I would buy back-to-back tickets for.

Thank you for your music, thank you for everything.

campbell_parish@emerson.edu

The Arlington Jazz Festival returns in person, enters 11th year Hannah Nguyen Beacon Staff

After two years of livestreaming due to the pandemic, The Arlington Jazz Festival will return in person from April 7-10.

“We just went for it and we think it’s going to be successful,” founder and director Dan Fox said. “There are people that really want to come out and see live music.”

The festival began as a small one-day event hosting local bands.

When Fox moved to Arlington in 2006, he noticed there wasn’t a jazz festival and couldn’t find a history of there ever being one.

“I thought it was a good idea to start one and the town seemed to support it, and it just grew slowly from there,” Fox said.

It later evolved into a community event for amateur musicians, students, and professionals. In 2017, it became a nonprofit organization. They started adding bigger concerts and stretched the festival to four days, with free and

Mark Walker at Martyrs’ Feb. 9, 2020. / Courtesy Mark Walker

Randy Brecker. / Credit Ada Rovatti Brecker. ticketed events.

Thursday night will showcase Jesse Williams Group at Menotomy Grill with no admission fee.

Friday and Saturday will be held at the Arlington Center for

the Arts. Proof of vaccinations is required. Friday will feature El Eco with Guillermo Nojechowicz.

The Morningside Music Studio will perform on Saturday, in addition to Tom Ferrante’s Saxafras

and The Samba Jazz Project.

Sunday will be the main event, held at the Regent Theatre from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Proof of vaccination will be necessary. The event will feature Mark Walker’s World Jazz Ensemble featuring​ Randy Brecker.

“There’s so much talent to choose from as far as local musicians,” Fox said. “I could put on a six-month festival with a differ-

ent band playing every day and it would be all high level. There are so many groups that deserve the chance to get exposure and be part of the festival.”

Tickets for each event can be found on www.arlingtonjazz.org.

hannah_nguyen@emerson.edu

Sports

The Berkeley Beacon

March 31, 2022

8

Men’s lacrosse adds to win streak with first conference win on Saturday Tyler Foy

Beacon Staff The men’s lacrosse team’s dominant second and third quarters at Wheaton College led to a 16-8 victory— the Lions’ first NEWMAC win of the 2022 season and second in team history.

The team opened its season with a 15-9 win over Nichols College on Feb. 19 and hasn’t looked back since, reaching a 9-1 record in non-conference play.

The Lions’ first and only road bump came in a 15-8 loss to Vassar College on March 5. Head Coach Matthew Colombini said the loss pointed out the flaws in the team’s system.

“A lot of the things that we struggled with are the things Vassar took advantage of,” Colombini said. “It was really kind of a humbling experience for everybody, and a good reminder of why all these little things are important.”

The Lions had just secured five straight wins and a commanding 21-2 finish against Regis College.

Colombini acknowledged the team’s out-of-conference success, but he said their focus was set on making the NEWMAC playoffs and winning the championship.

“At the end of the day, if we don’t win a couple more NEWMAC games and make the playoffs, we’re not going to be satisfied,” Colombini said.

The Wheaton Lyons entered Saturday’s game 7-1 on the season, coming off a loss against Springfield College on March 19.

With the stage set at Nordin Field, the Lyons and the Lions took their positions on the field to determine who would be king of the jungle.

Wheaton won the initial faceoff

but was met with Emerson’s defense downfield. Senior goalie Malcolm McGrath was put to the test early as Wheaton fired off five shots within a minute—two of which were on target. McGrath saved the first one but Lyons senior attacker Lou Mainella slotted the ball into the back of the net, putting Wheaton up 1-0.

It wouldn’t take long for the Lions to return the favor following a Wheaton turnover on the next possession.

Driving downfield, Emerson took two shots at goal with the second one from sophomore attacker Birk Swan finding an opening to equalize the match.

The Lions won the next faceoff and after another minute of play, took the lead with another goal from Swan. Over the course of the following three minutes, each team would have their attempts at goal, but Wheatoncapitalized to tie the game at two.

Wheaton fired two shots at McGrath on the next drive. Due to an illegal body check from McGrath, the Lions were forced to play with a man down as the goalie had to sit out for one minute.

Sophomore goalie Connor Nydegger substituted in against Wheaton’s free position shot which he saved to keep the match tied. Nothing would come of the penalty and by the time the players on the field were evened, junior attacker Nicholas Fulgione scored to put the Lions back on top, 3-2.

The Lions continued to apply pressure and scored three shots later, this time from senior midfielder Skylar Celotto. Wheaton persisted, gaining another goal-scoring opportunity that McGrath snuffed out. With the possession back with the Lions, Celotto scored his second of the game making the score 5-2.

Prior to the end of the quarter, the

Lyons regained possession of the ball with 30 seconds to play. Following a timeout, Wheaton shot four times with the last one finding the net in the final seconds of the first quarter.

The Lions were up 5-3 after the first 15 minutes of play, but the real difference-maker happened in the later stages of the game.

“Defensively in the first quarter, we were kind of feeling [Wheaton] out,” Colombini said. “Once you start scoring and the momentum goes your way in defense, you have a little more confidence because it’s really hard to play defense in a one or twogoal game.”

The second quarter’s tone shifted as Emerson’s Fulgione netted his second goal of the game a minute in. Celotto scored another two goals, and graduate attacker Austin Franklin netted another to push Emerson ahead 9-3. After the Lions’ four-goal run, Wheaton junior attacker Shane Ross made a goal of his own.

The goal by Wheaton was just a speed bump for Emerson as they pushed forward after a penalty-heavy three minutes to score again– this time off a shot from Swan.

Emerson regained possession prior to the end of the half and, following a timeout, Celotto notched another tally, the Lions ended the first half with an 11-4 lead.

Emerson’s dominance didn’t stop in the first half as Celotto entered the second half and scored his sixth goal of the game. The Lions found themselves up a man after Wheaton was called for slashing, and Swan capitalized on the opportunity by netting his fourth. Franklin and first-year midfielder Alex Menendez tacked on two more in the third quarter, and Emerson’s defense kept Wheaton scoreless for the quarter.

The Lyons scored four goals in the

Graduate attacker Austin Franklin has been captain of the men’s lacrosse team for the past three seasons. / Beacon Archives first eight minutes of play to close the gap to 15-8. Franklin stopped Wheaton’s momentum shortly after netting his third goal, and when the dust settled, Emerson was up 16-8.

Celotto led the team in its first NEWMAC victory, scoring six goals.

Swan and Franklin followed with four and three respectively.

The Lions’ next set of games will be a three-game homestand starting with Clark University on April 2 at 2

p.m. Colombini said that, despite its 1-6 record, Clark can be dangerous.

“They’ve played three top-20 teams and are traditionally a really strong program,” he said. “The games haven’t gone their way yet, but they certainly have a ton of talent…

They have some guys who certainly can play.”

tyler_foy@emerson.edu

Shutout and shutdown: softball doubles down on victory against Lesley Cont. from Pg. 1 would need to refocus on being productive on the field.

First-year right-handed pitcher Jessica Gomez took the mound to start game one, setting the tone by striking out four batters in the first two innings.

With one down in the bottom of the second, senior left fielder Mary Kuczkowski worked a walk; she spent little time at first, stealing second and securing a spot in scoring position. An error by Lesley led to runners on the corners with one out.

Cloonan slapped a single up the middle to score the first run of the day for the Lions. Emerson only scored once in the inning, but following another shutdown inning from Gomez in the top of the third, the Lions looked to rally.

The inning started with an error by the Lesley third baseman which allowed first-year infielder Sam Zannotti to reach first base.

A wild pitch sent the runner to second base and a strikeout followed. Sophomore middle infielder Claire Overton stepped up to the plate and delivered a double to bring Zannotti home.

Overton’s double kicked off a rally for the Lions, who loaded the bases with two outs. Cloonan delivered another key single—this time to the opposite field—and brought two runners home, ad-

Emerson’s Carly Rosenberger cheers on her team/ Photo by Sydney Ciardi vancing to second on a fielder’s choice.

With two runners still in prime scoring position, first-year outfielder Grace Beaulieu added another single and two runs to the inning. The inning ended with Beaulieu caught stealing.

Gomez didn’t allow the Lions to wait too long to return to the dugout, striking out another two batters before closing out the top of the fourth.

A Zannotti double got the offense rolling in the bottom half of the fourth inning, and Lesley’s starter Jordan Day hit a batter to

put another runner on for the Lions. Overton sent the ball back up the middle to deliver another key single, scoring Zannotti from second. Senior first baseman Lexi Semanchik pulled another single into right-center which allowed for both base runners to reach home and put the Lions ahead 9-0.

Another shutdown inning from Gomez, and the Lions claimed the first game via the mercy rule.

Cloonan, who led the Lions with three RBIs, said not over-complicating the at-bat was a massive contributor to her success.

“I really don’t think when I’m

hitting,” she said. “Every now and then I might be finishing my walkup song in my head … I know the situation but every time I go into the box, I treat it as just another at-bat.”

Senior right-handed pitcher Karagan Knowles started game two on the bump, putting up a quick 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts. It wasn’t until the third inning that either team mustered up some offense, with Emerson’s Semanchik lacing a single to center to bring in a run from second base.

The Lynx tied the game in the bottom of the third, after an error led to an RBI double. Knowles struck out the remaining batters and the teams switched sides.

The Lions strung together a single and double to put two runners in scoring position, both brought home by a Zannotti single. After four innings, Emerson led 3-1.

The Lynx put up another run in the fifth, but that would be the extent of their offense before Emerson loaded the bases with a single and two walks. Senior outfielder Calli Pratt drew a third consecutive walk, scoring one, and a Zanotti sacrifice fly scored another. With two outs and two runners on base, sophomore infielder Makenzie Killough opened the game with a double and cleared the bases, putting Emerson ahead 7-2.

Lesley scored another run in the

top of the seventh, but Knowles quickly struck out the last batter of the game, closing the doubleheader 7-3 with back-to-back wins.

Starting pitching paved the way for the Lions, with Gomez and Knowles tallying a combined 17 strikeouts through 12 innings.

McElroy said pitching a defense has been a major contributor to the team’s success with starters averaging 9.79 strikeouts per seven innings through 16 games.

The secret to the increase in Ks? Repetition.

“What I’ve seen from behind the plate is a lot more consistency from everybody—every single one of our pitchers,” catcher Cloonan said. “I’ve caught all of them, and they’ve all put in the work to basically have more consistent at-bats.”

The team’s next game will be Emerson’s first NEWMAC matchup of the season, another doubleheader against Springfield College on April 2. The team plans to carry their offense to the next game to secure the victory.

“Our main goal as a team when we play on Saturday is to support our pitchers as much as possible,” Cloonan said. “We want to be able to score first and we want to stay above and win every inning.”

tyler_foy@emerson.edu