Tuition protest, students support Ukraine

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

@berkeleybeacon // @beaconupdate

Thursday, April 7, 2022 • Volume 75, Issue 26

‘This is not an isolated concern’: 2B Alley sees tuition increase protest Abigail Lee Beacon Staff

Dozens of Emerson students gathered in the 2 Boylston Place alleyway on Friday afternoon to protest the upcoming 2 percent tuition increase.

In response to a rise in tuition and room and board charges for the upcoming academic year, announced by the college on March 17, Emersonians organized the tuition protest through a social media campaign. The account @stopraisingtuition urged attendees to wear black and bring posters and sign an online petition to the administration.

The protesters’ petition lists five demands, including fiscal transparency through an annual financial town hall, improved financial aid resources, and increased student involvement in financial decisions.

Beginning at 4 p.m., a crowd of over 50 people flocked to the alley for the hour-long event. To kick off the event, organizers passed around a black megaphone and shared their thoughts on the tuition increase.

“When is it going to be enough?” shouted one organizer, sophomore theater and performance major Joe Nalieth. “For the administration, it’s never going to be enough.”

Organizer Neiko Pittman said the college’s move to increase tuition must be balanced with increased financial aid and access to resources.

“So much of our money is allocated to recruiting new students and talking about the programs we have rather than making the programs we have more accessible and available,” the sophomore visual and media arts major said.

Nalieth also asked protesters if their education had increased in value in accordance with the tuition hike—which drew a chorus of “no”s.

He then shared what he believes are Emerson’s unnecessary expenses.

“Let me talk to you for a second about [the Emerson College Police Department],” Nalieth said. “Why do they get millions of dollars every year? Just to park their car out front and Tuition Protest, Pg. 3

Students protesting the tuition hike in 2B Alley. / Sydney Ciardi Beacon Staff

Andriivs’kyi Descent, Kyiv. / Courtesy Karina Jha.

Sophomores campaign for Ukraine aid Vivi Smilgius Beacon Staff

The war in Ukraine wreaked havoc on families around the globe—including those of two Emerson students, who have taken the chance to do something about it.

Journalism major Natalie Vasileff, and writing, literature and publishing major Karina Jha have friends and family members in and around Ukraine—some safely evacuated and some still on the move. The two sophomores turned to activism to support their heritage, teaming up to organize a fundraiser and vigil in support of Ukraine.

The two started the Instagram account @emersonhelpukraine in hopes of helping Ukrainian citizens and refugees from afar. Since the creation of the account weeks ago, the two have organized a fundraiser and vigil to raise awareness and money.

Under the banner of the Instagram account @emersonhelpukraine, Vasileff and Jha will host a fundraiser in the Lion’s Den from 6 to 8 p.m. on April 21 and 22. All proceeds will be donated to Striving for All, a nonprofit organization currently aiding in the evacuation of Ukrainian orphanages.

The vigil will include a candle-lighting, moment of silence, speech, and poetry reading, and will precede the fundraiser. While the vigil will provide a “memorial moment” for sadness or anxiety, the fundraiser aims to offset the somberness by celebrating Ukraine and supporting local Slavic businesses, performers, and artists.

Though the Emerson student body is small, Vasileff said, collective Ukraine support, Pg. 2

Men’s volleyball honors seniors

INSIDE THIS EDITION RA decision reaction Pg. 2 Equipment Distribution Center Pg. 2 Tuition protest photos Pg. 3 Bridgerton season two review Pg. 4

Vivi Smilgius Beacon Staff

Arm in arm with family and coaching staff, Emerson seniors Josh Elliot, Jackson Gordon, and Rory Dobbins walked onto the volleyball court for photos.

Behind the seniors, the walls of the Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gym were donned in purple and white streamers and brightly-colored posters congratulating them on successful careers. The soundtrack to the morning: a standing ovation from everyone in the gym.

When the photo-ops concluded, the 6-19 Lions took to their home court against the 1-21 Dean College team as the first part of Saturday’s doubleheader. Emerson entered the game with two key players—junior middle blocker Neiko Pittman and sophomore pin hitter Luke Roehm—out due to injury, cutting the Lions’ usual 10-person roster to eight.

“They’re two really good players, but they’re also two of my best friends here,” Elliot said of Pittman and Roehm after Saturday’s games. “[Playing without them] was tough… but I think it also gave everyone a little extra fire.”

Only the top six teams in the Great Northeast

Men’s volleyball, Pg. 8

(From left to right) Jackie Cahill, Haley Morales, Rachel Lamarre, and AV Justino-Isaac. / Courtesy Carys Hirawady

Emerson Urban Dance Theatre returns to the Semel for spring show April 8 Karissa Schaefer Beacon Staff

Emerson Urban Dance Theatre presents their spring show “Vices and Virtues,” featuring an eclectic mix of heavenly and sinful student choreographed dances.

Held Friday, April 8 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the Semel Theatre, the troupe will perform 14 dances relating to their selected theme. EUDT prides itself in showcasing an intertwined narrative throughout various contemporary, hip hop, and tap pieces.

AV Justino-Isaac, first-year visual media arts student and EUDT’s treasurer, came up with the initial idea of seven deadly sins while walking through the city one day. The theme then evolved through a collaborative team effort.

“There was this thing I watched a few years ago called ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ and I was like, ‘Oh that would be dope,’” Justino-Isaac said. “In the meeting, Ally was like ‘Oh, there’s virtues that go with

it,’ so that’s how it became ‘Vices and Virtues.’”

Junior visual media arts major Ally Hill serves as the Artistic Director and Production Manager, two prominent roles that oversee all things relating to the organization. Hill preps for the show by hosting a crew call, hiring, then preparing dancers in all three companies to perform their best.

“We have four rehearsals for each dance pretty much, we have reviews, and then we have an extensive tech week,” Hill said. “We have everyday leading up to our show preparing the dancers, getting run-throughs, dress rehearsals, things like that.”

For senior public relations major Rachel Lamarre, the Tap Director of EUDT will be her last show with the organization this spring. Her Spring show, Pg. 7

Opinion: Hollywood should donate to Ukraine Pg. 5 Wicked Queer Film Fest returns Pg. 6 Pub Club winners Pg. 7 Baseball season begins Pg. 8

670

positive COVID-19 tests

1.27% positivity rate

52,000+ tests completed

*Accumulated from Spring 2022 Semester

News

The Berkeley Beacon

April 7, 2022

2

‘So many people are fighting for their lives getting this job’

Emerson students weigh in on RA decisions

Mike McHugh Beacon Staff

After the college announced its hirings for resident assistants last month, a select group of students was afforded the opportunity to serve in the role next year—while many others were left in uncertain financial circumstances.

The Office of Housing and Residential Education released its decisions on March 15, marking the end of the long-anticipated hiring process.

Many students apply to the positions every year to avoid paying room and board—an expense that typically runs Emerson students $22,554, but which the college pays for accepted RAs. With the costs of undergraduate tuition and room and board increasing by 2 percent next year, students who are not accepted may need to take out loans or reevaluate their living situation entirely.

“Emerson is expensive,” said Kendel Dawson, a junior visual and media arts student who was also accept-

Little Building and Walker Building in snow. / Beacon Archives

ed. “For someone like me taking out loans, knocking off room and board would help me a large amount in paying for my education.”

In the case of some students, the college’s hiring decision decides whether they can afford to continue

enrollment at all.

“I come from a low-income family and my mom’s a single mom, so that’s also a huge stress taken off of our shoulders,” said Juliana Perez, a thirdyear visual media arts transfer student who was accepted as an RA.

‘More than just a paycheck’: The people behind Emerson’s Equipment Distribution Center Adri Pray

Beacon Staff Though the Equipment Distribution Center is often a source of frustration for film students at Emerson, for its student workers it is something more—a place for social gathering, and for tuition relief.

The center only works with four fulltime members of staff, with the other nearly 50 employees consisting solely of student employees.

Junior visual and media arts major Tess Meerson works as a fulfillment and inventory supervisor at the EDC. She said that the center has proven to be a great resource for her during the past four semesters.

“I did not know a lot about equipment coming [to Emerson]…and I needed a job because I have to pay tuition,” Meerson said. “I saw the EDC and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s great.’ Not only can I have money to pay rent and tuition, but I can get better at what I’m trying to do and I can learn more about our equipment—which will definitely help me more in the long run.’”

Along with gaining field experience, Meerson said she’s found community within her field—coworkers, students, professors and management alike from her involvement with the center.

“I’m always learning something new and I really love the people I work with,” she said.

No stranger to networking within the EDC’s curated clientele, many of the sets Meerson’s worked on have belonged to “friends at work.” Her current roommates and many of her friends all come from the EDC, too.

“We do our work, but we also have a lot of fun talking to each other,” she said.

“I’ve signed up for classes because some of my coworkers are in them.”

Katie Dohsi, a junior writing, literature and publishing major, joined the EDC team during her first year at Emerson as a VMA major. Though she has since changed her major, she said her job at the EDC allows her to continue to pursue her passion for filmmaking and broaden her social circle.

“The biggest thing EDC has done for me is allow me to expand the people I meet,” Dhosi said. “I’ve been able to read people’s scripts for them, help with anything editing…the social aspect has been really good to get out of the cliquiness of your major and be able to communicate

In regards to the process, many said they wished for more consideration of students’ individual struggles with affording housing.

“The frustration lies in the fact that tuition and room and board costs are so outrageous that so many people are fighting for their lives getting this job,” one anonymous student said.

Other applicants, like junior visual media arts student Rayquan Blake, said the position was, first and foremost, an opportunity to support the Emerson community.

“My main reason for applying was deeply rooted in my passion for helping others,” Blake said. “Last week I got the good news that I was offered the position of a full-year resident assistant. I was thrilled and honestly grateful.”

Some transfer students applied in part to alleviate the stress that new students face—a stress they themselves know all too well.

“Knowing how hard it can be to kind of transition into college as a transfer student, I wanted to make that transition easier for other transfer stu-

with other people.”

Senior VMA major Marc Finch said he couldn’t imagine his Emerson experience without the lessons of the EDC. “I have a roommate who works at Tatte and makes a ton of money in tips, and they’re like, ‘Why don’t you work at Tatte and make tip money?’” he said.

“The truth of the matter is the experience of work at EDC is super beneficial, and more than just the paycheck. I’ve learned so much.”

The guidance of the EDC management team and his coworkers propelled Finch easily through navigating new equipment, educating him outside of the classroom.

“I did not know anything when I first got to the EDC,” he said. “I remember when I was a new person, there was some crazy smart employees who taught me a lot.”

Despite the strong incentives for working at the EDC, sophomore VMA major Tony Chen acknowledged that the equipment renting process can be difficult for students who don’t get the classes they expect—and thus are limited in the equipment that they can check out.

Other students cite the paperwork that goes with obtaining equipment as a process plagued by disorganization and confusion.

Citing ever-changing COVID-19 guidelines, complicated instructions, and constant anxiety that his paperwork would be rejected, first-year VMA major Hayden Bandes said that going through the EDC made filmmaking “a lot harder than ever.”

Fellow first-year VMA student Nikki Emma reported similar difficulties with paperwork.

“They don’t want people to use the

equipment you’re not supposed to use,” she said. “But I feel there should be a simpler process for films that are really short for classes that aren’t anything dangerous.”

However, Bandes clarified that it was the process itself that was the issue, not the EDC itself.

“The EDC’s sole purpose is to maintain the gear and make sure that we can get it—anything that you might have heard about it being really difficult, that’s not their fault,” he said.

EDC Manager Jake Nadeau said students and faculty influence which equipment is replaced each summer, based on the budgetary needs of each department.

The EDC works with the heads of the VMA Department, as well as the School of Communication, in order to decide what fits best within the confines of the curriculum.

“We respond to both faculty and student requests for new equipment,” Nadeau said. “We synthesize that into what is within that department’s budget and what would best serve both the curricular needs of the faculty and the curriculum to the students.”

As a center that “functions in the background,” the EDC is expanding into the School of Communication and performing arts programs as well, Blankenship said, and a lot of that wouldn’t be possible without the support from student employees.

“It seemed this place could be a sanctuary for them and they seem to like coming here and working with each other and feeling safe,” he said. adrianna_pray@emerson.edu

michael_mchugh@emerson.edu

Fundraising campaign hopes to spark community activism Cont. from Pg. 1

Emerson’s Equipment Distribution Center. / Adri Pray Beacon Staff

dents who feel really isolated—coming in halfway through your college career and not knowing anyone,” said Perez.

Applicants’ opinions differed in the case of whether or not all aspects of the application process were fair, but most agreed that being turned down was a devastating blow.

“It’s just something that I really want,” said one student, who requested anonymity. “I just hope spots open up for people to hopefully get asked [to be an RA] at some point in the coming months.”

With so many students competing for only 30 positions, students were well aware that they were up against stiff competition. Some have accepted their rejections more willingly than others.

“So many people are in the same boat,” one student said. “I can’t be upset about someone who got in instead of me, because I don’t know their financial circumstances.”

contributions “could amass a large amount of money.” The Sunflower Nights, as the fundraiser is titled, aims to educate students and give them a chance to help directly, despite being on the other side of the globe.

“It would be a very wonderful feeling for the community to help a larger cause that is, to a lot of people, far away, but to some students here, a very close problem as well,” she said. “We’re taking this fundraiser and vigil as a resource for Emerson kids…to spread awareness in an actual, healthy way provided by Ukrainian and Slavic people that have direct experience with [the conflict].”

This emphasis on non-performative activism stems from Emerson’s handling of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, Jha said.

She said she was unsettled by seeing graphic depictions of violence in Ukraine on televisions in the Lion’s Den after Russia’s invasion. For her, it felt like the college “forgot there are some Ukrainians [at Emerson] as well.”

When the invasion began, Jha said, she was mostly shocked, then in denial, before taking on an activist role. The situation still feels heavy and all-consuming for her, especially since she draws heavily from her Ukrainian heritage in her creative endeavors at Emerson. For Jha, there is “not really an easy way to escape” the constant stress.

“I fell behind in my classes because I was drawing evacuation routes,” Jha said. “It’s been scary to see, especially my mom and my grandparents kind of falling apart; to have the ground under me shaken in terms of what I build my creative life on.”

Vasileff echoed Jha’s experience with insensitivity and ignorance at Emerson. For her, spring break illuminated the difference between her experience and fellow students, as she watched classmates take tropical vacations while she spent the week worry-

ing about the safety of her family overseas.

“To come home and be constantly on the phone, waiting for updates, not being able to sleep, not being able to eat, constantly making sure everyone would be okay, was so heartbreaking,” Vasileff said. “You’re supposed to be relaxed, but it’s just the worst

“This emphasis on non-performative activism stems from Emerson’s handling of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.”

- Karina Jha week of your life.”

This sentiment led her and Jha to tap into Emerson’s population of student activists; the two also plan to connect with cultural clubs and support systems at nearby universities to create an “information hub” for students in the Boston area and beyond.

“Both of us have been affected and we wanted to do something to bring awareness, especially since Emerson kids have wanted to be so active,” Vasileff said. “We wanted to be able to provide actual resources and fundraisers…to bring Emerson community members together as a collective and help in a large scale way.”

vivi_smilgius@emerson.edu

The Berkeley Beacon

April 7, 2022

3

Student protests demand more aid, transparency

Cont. from Pg. 1 intimidate students?”

He also pointed out that students with on-campus jobs make Massachusetts minimum wage—$14.25 per hour—rather than the $15 that has been pushed nationwide.

“Come on Emerson, pay your students!” Nalieth said.

The acting major said that the time was ripe to reimagine students’ roles in college financial decisions. He touched on the nearly $1 million salary paid to Emerson’s last president, Lee Pelton, and the absence of a current permanent president, to emphasize the opportunity to restructure the relationship between students and administrators.

“We are in a moment as a university that is the perfect opportunity to give students increased agency in the decision-making process—we don’t have a president,” Nalieth said. “What do we have in the meantime? An interim president they dragged out of retirement? What is he going to do for us?”

Nalieth mentioned examples from the Emerson community that provide insight into how to challenge the college.

“Emerson College doesn’t like that the faculty has a union, they

don’t like that the staff organize and fight for their wages and fight for their treatment,” Nalieth said.

“Maybe we should do something like that! Maybe we should start thinking about long-term solutions to this problem!”

Beyond the single issue of tuition hikes, the crowd also aired other grievances with the college.

Sophomore visual and media arts major Nyasia Mayes, another protest organizer, called attention to the college’s misrepresentation of its own diversity.

“How many Instagram posts… we see someone of color happen to be there?” Mayes asked the crowd. “It’s important that [Emerson] also realize the racial inequities that they inhabit.”

Emerson is a predominantly-white institution, according to the college’s 2021-22 factbook.

First-year political communications major Annie Douma took the stand to argue that the college should treat students and faculty equitably. She noted that one of her professors had to step away from teaching this semester because of safety concerns for her immunocompromised mother. Instead of accommodating the professor by moving the class to a virtual option, a different profes-

sor was brought in to teach.

“That shift was not something I signed up for, and it was directly a result of the college not being accommodating to the fact that COVID is still happening,” Douma said to The Beacon.

One student told the crowd that they wouldn’t have been able to attend Emerson if they hadn’t been selected as a resident assistant, and therefore exempted from paying room and board, and if they didn’t have access to scholarships and jobs.

“I am incredibly lucky to be in this position,” they said. ”Where is this [assistance] for everyone else too?”

Nalieth claimed that international students are rarely given financial aid offers, drawing a cry from an international student in the crowd: “If you want to keep us around, give us our money!”

A first-generation student also took up the bullhorn and stated that when they emailed the college about financial aid, they didn’t get a response for two weeks before ultimately being denied an offer.

“If they continue to raise tuition, I will not be able to continue to go here,” they said. “First-generation students will not be represented. That is what Emerson is representing.”

Friday’s demonstration was not the first organized by this student-led coalition, which was originally created to make a stand against the administration’s previous tuition raise for the 2021-22 academic year. Those demands were not addressed by the college.

Last year, the group met with

Students write demands on the Wall of Power. Sydney Ciardi Beacon staff

administration members and trustees but said they encountered resistance.

“They were largely not receptive,” Nalieth said. “It felt patronizing or condescending. They seemed to think that we were the only people who cared. So when we saw the email [announcing the raise] this year, we knew that we had to mobilize immediately and get people outside and prove to the administration that this is not an isolated concern.”

The group hopes to get more students involved in their campaign so the administration will respond to the demands.

“We’re planning more events in the future,” Mayes said. “It’s about tuition, but it’s also about coming together because when we come together. That’s how a change is made.”

The administration’s lack of response to the concerns was not because of its justification of tuition increases, according to Nalieth.

“It actually was a lot more pathetic than that,” he said. “It felt like they were throwing their hands up According to Nalieth, college administrators had told them that the board of trustees was responsible for tuition matters and financial aid allocation, while the trustees the students met with explained that they couldn’t tap into the endowment at their own discretion because funds are reserved for specific purposes.

The organizers describe themselves as a decentralized organization autonomous from the school, meaning they want to create a stu-

dent power structure on their own.

Unlike previous movements, the group is not advocating for a tuition strike, citing the potential for disproportionate harm—especially to marginalized students.

“I personally acknowledge that if administration doesn’t listen to these demands, we’ll be left with no other avenue,” Nalieth said.

“We have to hit them where it hurts in the funding.”

College spokesperson Michelle Gaseau said Emerson is willing to listen to the issues students raised at the protest.

“The College is open to dialogue and conversation with students about their concerns and is committed to working with our students, amidst the competing demands on the College, including infrastructure needs and a rise in inflation, to ensure they are able to continue on the path to graduation,” Gaseau wrote in an email statement to the Beacon.

The protest organizers encourage students to apply to the tuition offset fund, but the ultimate goal is to achieve more substantial gains for all.

“Emerson College needs to address this problem beyond trying to slap band-aids on top of the systemic problems that they’re creating,” Nalieth said.

abigail_lee@emerson.edu

Emerson student Nyasia Mayes. Sydney Ciardi Beacon staff

Students protesting in the 2B alleyway. Sydney Ciardi Beacon staff

Corrections & Amplifications A March 31 article incorrectly referred to Anna Feder as director of programming of the Visual and Media Arts Department, rather than head of film exhibitions and festival programs.

The same article quoted

Feder as saying she learned of another staff member’s salary through the staff union; according to union president Dennis Levine, the union did not provide Feder with this information.

A March 31 obituary incor-

rectly referred to baseball player Mickey Mantle as Greek-American. The story has been updated to cite Milt Pappas as the player in question.

Students signing the Wall of Power. Sydney Ciardi Beacon staff

Opinion

The Berkeley Beacon

April 7, 2022

4

The rise of the video essay: a study in loneliness Kaitlyn Fehr Beacon Staff

I think we’ve ALL seen the eighthour-long Victorious video essay on our YouTube recommended page. If you haven’t at least heard of this twopart series, you must be living under a rock.

Admittedly, YouTube recommended this video to me because I would die for a good, obscenely long video essay.

The longer and more obscure the topic, the better in my eyes.

Clearly, I’m not the only one, seeing as “The End of Victorious” currently has over three million views. This infamous video essay united Tumblr, and Victorious trended on the—somehow not yet dead—site for days.

If you asked me this time last year, I would have told you that consuming 30-second videos on TikTok had destroyed everyone’s ability to sit through anything longer than a minute, let alone an eight-hour-long video.

On average, YouTube videos tend to be around 10 minutes in length—the ideal length to keep viewers’ attention, while simultaneously hitting the minimum time to monetize a video. The years 2021 and 2022 truly marked the rise of video essays, despite the odds set against them from dwindling attention spans to the expected length of videos on the platform.

My love affair with video essays began with YouTuber Jenny Nicholson, and her video titled, “I did it. I found the worst book.” As a book lover, and someone who loves to consume shitty

Star of Victorious Victoria Justice. / Courtesy Creative Commons media, I was drawn in by the clickbait-y title. The 23-minute run time is certainly not the longest of her video essays, but it was the perfect length to hook me.

For a long time, I had grown bored with YouTube content. Every video seemed the same. Once-humble stars turned vloggers hanging out with their rich, famous friends and constantly causing scandals became the norm.

Nicholson’s content was wildly refreshing to me, even as a YouTube veteran. The entire video broke down and trashed what might genuinely be the worst book ever—Troll, a novel following the story of a woman and her online stalker—instead of vapidly praising an author who paid for pro-

motion or doing Patrón shots with millionaires. To put it simply, her video felt like something new on a platform that had grown old and stale.

I didn’t watch Nicholson’s video when it originally came out. Instead, I found myself falling into the rabbit hole of her content as the pandemic rapidly changed the world around me. I was locked in my room at home in Pennsylvania, separated from my friends, and feeling melancholy over my abrupt departure from Kasteel Well. Nicholson’s video let me escape this isolation and dive into a video where I wouldn’t be comparing my life to that of an influencer.

I quickly pillaged my way through her content, listening to it like a familiar

friend talking in the back of my head, as I played Animal Crossing New Horizons on my Nintendo Switch or colored at my childhood desk. Her video essays were there for the quiet moments where I would otherwise be alone.

Eventually, I had to find new content to keep me company when the world was too quiet to bear. I turned to people like Sarah Z, with even more niche videos about internet lore like “The ‘Author’ of My Immortal Emailed Me, And Then It Got Worse.”

I had always been a weird kid obsessed with internet lore and drama, and suddenly there was an untapped trove of hours of content created by people who had the same love for internet weirdness and were talking about it passionately.

Obviously, I was not the only one finding solace and comfort in these long videos, as the rise of the video essay began during the pandemic. Many of these long-form video essays have views in the millions.

I think there is something so uniquely human and inspiring about watching another human be consumed by something they love.

I can’t deny the fact that a lot of people, and myself one of them, likely clicked on Quinton Reviews’ eighthour-long Victorious video out of pure curiosity about how there is even eight hours worth of content to discuss surrounding this early 2010s Nickelodeon show. I watched Victorious as a kid, but never thought I would sit through a 13hour total, two-part video series about the show.

I clicked on the video expecting to

mildly chuckle and turn it off, and instead found myself consumed by the content, turning it on every time I needed background noise or something to watch while I ate. Yes, I started watching video essays because I was lonely and bored during quarantine, but along the way, I fell in love with the genre.

Watching Quinton Reviews talk atlength about every single episode of Victorious in existence is hypnotizing, mostly because of how passionate he is about this (subpar) Nickelodeon show.

Because of the passion shown by these creators, certain video essays transcend the need to watch the original content entirely. I’ve sat through an entire six-hour three-part video series on Pretty Little Liars, despite the fact that I have never so much as seen a single episode of the show.

Pre-pandemic, YouTube, and the internet as a whole, was in a weird place.

It felt like all the creativity had been sucked away, leaving an empty shell of what once was. The loneliness and the free time of the pandemic gave it that spark back.

Seeing content creators make content that they genuinely love, and are passionate about, is something that will never get old. It’s something YouTube lost for a while.

At first glance, hours-long videos about niche content seem kind of dumb. But, when you sit and break it down, it gives you a glance into how passionate humans can be, and how we can shield each other from loneliness even when we are physically alone. kaitlyn_fehr@emerson.edu

Season two of ‘Bridgerton’ exceeds all expectations in both scandals and representation Mariyam Quaisar Beacon Staff

My skin is still tingling from season two of Netflix’s Bridgerton, and I finished the new episodes almost a week ago.

While the casting of season one was immaculate, this season topped it off with the addition of Simone Ashley and Charithra Chandran as two Indian sisters, Kathani and Edwina Sharma, joined the powerful English families of the ton. Witnessing such an empowering portrayal of Indian women in a white-led television series ignited a sense of pride within me.

Many South Asians, myself included, are used to––and expect to see––stereotypical depictions of fellow South Asians in television and film. But this? This incredible representation could pave the way for a new era of casting actors from South Asian heritage, and thank God for it.

Not only are Kathani and Edwina Sharma illustrated as strong, independent women, but their genuine character development is inspiring to all those watching. There are truly no words to describe the thrill I felt knowing I was watching someone who looks like me rock the socks off millions of watchers.

And can we talk about the chemistry between Kathani and Anthony Bridgerton (played by Jonathan Bailey)? Their lust, passion, and desire were almost tangible and, let me tell you, it had me pacing around my room every few scenes. There were moments I had to do jumping jacks to calm myself down.

Bailey and Ashley did a remarkable job. They truly allowed the audience to feel—or at least long to feel— what coursed through their veins with

Illustration Lucia Thorne every passing look and each graze of their fingertips.

Anthony and Kathani’s many sensual scenes made viewers forget that they were actors playing a role.

Instead, it undoubtedly amped up audience members’ libido and made their palms sweat. When Anthony told Kathani, “You are the bane of my existence, and the object of all my desires.

Night and day, I dream of you. Do you even know the ways a lady can be seduced? The things I could teach you ...” Gawd, I wish someone would say those words to me.

Moving forward, the sibling dynamic between the Bridgertons not only diffused the heavy hotness of the show (which was definitely necessary at times), but also brought a chuckle to my lips. The understanding between

Eloise and Benedict was adorable and hilarious, and a great addition to the relationships between the characters.

Speaking of relationships, the bonds throughout the show—some unexpected—keep the audience hooked.

Lady Danbury and Violet’s cunning and well-meant antics, Edwina and the Queen’s connection over love, Lady and Lord Featherington’s surprising

attraction, and Eloise’s crush on Theo Sharpe were just a few side plot lines that kept the show worthwhile.

Of course, the neverending eyesex between Kathani and Anthony kept my eyes glued to the screen, but getting a break here and there to explore the other characters’ purpose in the show was refreshing. Like a cold shower, if you will. The show’s cre-

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ators knew we’d need to touch some grass…

To top it off, the hustle around Eloise trying to uncover Lady Whistledown while Penelope Featherington tried to maintain her identity as the gossip girl was thrilling. The back and forth was exhausting, but both womens’ persistence was badass.

Season 2 of Bridgerton was undeniably better than season 1. Not only because of the palpable and constant sexual tension, but also because of the South Asian representation that I have been longing for for the past 15 years.

However, I do have one qualm.

Her name is Kathani Sharma, not “Kate” Sharma. I did not understand the need to essentially whitewash her name. If you are going to so incredibly portray an Indian woman, go all the way with it. When Anthony said her full name while declaring his love to her, I quite literally fell out of my chair. It was the single hottest thing I have ever experienced… and there was a full-on sex scene in the episode prior.

Season two of Bridgerton exceeded expectations and became the first show that not only depicted South Asian women beautifully, but also solidified my pride in being a South Asian woman myself. Thank you to the creators and thank you to Simone Ashley.

mariyam_quaisar@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

April 7, 2022

5

When talking about Ukraine, the Academy should put its money where its mouth is

Shannon Garrido Beacon Staff

There is something sinister about sitting on a dirty dorm couch while watching the recent award shows and seeing the words ‘donate’ after a five-minute montage of atrocities.

On March 27th, during the 94th Annual Academy Awards, I along with my friends watched as Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, Questlove won best documentary feature, and Ariana DeBose became the first openly queer, Afro Latina to win an Oscar. It was a memorable night, with a lot of controversial and celebratory moments, however, during the course of the evening, there was one moment that left a bad taste in my mouth.

The 2022 Oscars acknowledged the war in Ukraine with a moment of silence, ribbons dedicated to refugees, and calls for donations. Ukrainian-born actress Mila Kunis—who along with her husband Ashton Kutcher donated over $30 million dollars to refugees—told an ABC telecast on Sunday, “It’s impossible not to be moved by their resilience.”

As heartwarming and necessary as it is to encourage viewers all over the world to pay attention to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I could not help feeling uneasy when I realized that those donation links were directed at viewers, while some of the wealthiest people in the world sat a few feet from that Oscars’ screen.

Of course, it’s commendable to see someone like Mila Kunis give back to those being displaced or seeking refuge during trying times—however, I cannot applaud her while watching the richest people in Hollywood win awards for movies that make millions and wear designer gowns that could cover my rent, at the same time.

If the Academy Awards is going to ask regular people to donate to Ukraine, make sure that the millionaires in attendance donate three times as much.

It is more productive to encourage, or even require, wealthy people to contribute to these causes because they clearly have much more to give. There is every motivation to do so. When a college student donates $50 to the Red Cross, no one cares. Yet when celebrities donate half a

Courtesy Creative Commons million dollars (a mere fraction of their income), we see headline after headline commemorating their ‘selfless’ act. The Oscars could have made these resources visible to their guests first, but instead, they showed a 30-second clip by Crypto. com to urge donations for essential services.

The Crypto.com ad said the company would be matching donations to “alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.”

What looked like a blatant PR stunt by Crypto.com and cryptocurrencies at the expense of Ukraine, could have also been an unnecessarily convoluted process. Because cryptocurrencies are highly volatile and most importantly fluctuate greatly in price, in order to match those donations to the Red Cross, Crypto.com will convert donations to Euros. Meaning the Academy could have just as easily promoted or shared a Red Cross link to encourage people to donate, and the results would have been the same.

So while elite members of the film industry take pictures on the red carpet and receive a standing ovation, working-class citizens, students, single parents, and more are encouraged to open up their

wallets—and maybe sign up for Crypto. com in the process. Because it was never truly about helping but about using this war as a means to draw customers or users. If the Academy was looking for actual tangible change, they would have charged Timothée Chalamet tickets to walk in and receive every award. We know rich people are willing to pay big bucks to walk around and get their picture taken, look at the MET Gala.

This is not to discourage compassion or effort by those who aren’t rich and famous. Some organizations that are doing great work and should receive more attention, besides The Red Cross, include the Polish Humanitarian Action, HIAS, and their Ukrainian partner R2P. What’s concerning is the use of humanitarian atrocities in these award shows, run by rich people for rich people, that use donation outlets as a means to grow the increasingly disturbing industry that is cryptocurrency. The people that should be sharing their earnings with Ukrainians are Oscar guests and nominees, as well as all those with the good intentions but not necessarily the financial privilege.

As the Grammys rolled around the

crypto debacle fell into the background, also overshadowed by the fact that Will Smith told us all to “Keep my wife’s name out your f** mouth!”

The Recording Academy partnered with Global Citizen and showed a special segment at Sunday’s Grammy Awards with the social media campaign “Stand Up For Ukraine.” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared on screen appealing to the international community on behalf of his citizens, passionately stating that while the musicians in the audience wore tuxedos, “our musicians wear body armor.”

This was followed by John Legend performing his own song “Free,” with Ukrainian musicians Siuzanna Iglidan and Mika Newton and poet Lyuba Yakimchuk, as images from the war panned on screens behind them.

Once again, we found ourselves watching these horrors play out on a screen, swaying along to Legend’s piano solo, as the Academy hoped to “raise awareness” about Global Citizen’s efforts. Would it have not been more productive to take some of John Legend or Tony Bennett’s millions at the door?

Could we not have urged the people walking down a red carpet in priceless jewels and Versace gowns to contribute their own pennies first, instead of ‘raising awareness.’ Because how much awareness are you raising when the war in Ukraine has been heavily reported on?

There is something troubling about the way the media takes these very real, very serious issues and finds the hardest, most out of touch solution, which is to make a video segment “to raise awareness.” How is watching children cry for help raising awareness?

Raising awareness means more than just throwing sad images on a screen, it means telling those who have the most to give that they can contribute the most— and therefore they should. Not to mention how disturbing it is that the Oscars and the Grammys have claimed what is very clearly a heavily reported story about the war in Ukraine as a quaint performance, while so many other humanitarian crises invoke their silence.

The crisis in Yemen, which is still the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, has seen little to no acknowledgment from these entities. In fact, last year the Oscars nominated “Hunger Ward,” a documentary by ​​Skye Fitzgerald that takes viewers inside two clinics in war-torn Yemen that treat malnourished children. However, we didn’t see this same level of ‘effort’ to raise awareness and never mind donations.

Moments like this make me believe that as a collective, or at least through advertising, we expect to fix or contribute to issues by shoving horrible clips of children crying on our screens and a donation link. Staff Writer for Vox, Kelsey Piper, wrote that although human beings are generally empathetic and willing to donate to causes, too often those efforts see little results.

These award shows, as fun as they are to watch, are an emblem of the rich and beautiful. Above all, it’s a show, a spectacle, all of which should make us skeptical of motive. Before we clap for those who act like they care for the camera, ask yourself what could get done if they turned that camera off and contributed directly to the cause. shannon_garrido@emerson.edu

As promised, Cheez-Its continues to ‘defy our Cheezpectations’—a little too much Vivi Smilgius Beacon Staff

From the second they started, it became clear that no aspect of this year’s Academy Awards would be relaxing.

Those who sought respite in the commercial breaks, however, did not find it. One particularly alarming commercial introduced a variation of Cheez-It: Cheez-Its Puff’d. This “fresh” take on the classic snack is yet another attempt

by Kellogg to fix a well-working machine.

So, how many types of Cheez-Its are there, really? The answer remains unclear. Food and Wine says 16, Thrilllist says 21, Snack History says 40, and Taquitos lists a whopping 52—including Cheez-It-flavored products.

The official Cheez-It site lists six variations on the original Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers: Cheez-It Grooves and Cheez-It Duoz—spelled with Zs for a reason only God knows— as well as Cheez-Its Snap’d and Puff’d, and of course Cheez-It Snack Mix and Cheezit Snack Packs. This compilation of research makes it clear that Cheez-Its have myriad defining factors, including flavor, shape, and physical appearance.

But life wasn’t always this complicated.

The extreme commodification of Cheez-Its is another unfortunate—albeit, comparatively benign—consequence of late-stage capitalism. It’s the same reason why streaming platforms are springing up like “Old Town Road”

remixes.

Introduced in 1921 and marketed as a “baked rarebit”—a snack-sized version of the British cheese-and-bread dish—Cheez-Its took the world by storm in subsequent decades. According to Smithsonian Magazine, Cheez-Its started in the same Ohio factory as Hard Bread, the wartime food often soaked in water before eating. And, like Hard Bread, Cheez-Its’ long shelf-life contrib-

“Life wasn’t always this complicated.

The extreme commodification of Cheez-Its is another unfortunate—albeit, comparatively benign— consequence of late-stage capitalism.”

uted to its success.

“It’s a nutritious dish that doesn’t

Illustration Lucia Thorne, Courtesy Creative Commons cost a lot of money,” said Brady Kress, president and CEO of Dayton’s Carillon Historical Park, in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine. “When it’s baked down into a Cheez-It, it becomes a tasty treat. And just like hardtack, if you store it correctly, it will stay for a very long time.”

Since their pre-Great-Depressionera conception, Cheez-Its have joined America’s salty snack hall of fame

among the likes of Tostitos and Ritz.

What started as a wartime necessity has evolved into a 52-product, billion-dollar product.

But if Cheez-Its skyrocketed to success almost immediately after its conception, what is the need for such high numbers of spin-offs and evolution? The classic, one-inch square clearly does the trick—there can’t possibly be a need for dozens of derivatives.

Like most movies, Cheez-Its’ original is better than any of its sequels. While Kellog’s extra toasted spinoff—a genius play undoubtedly made by someone who burnt a batch and created a solution upon threat from corporate overlords— satisfies one’s cheesy craving, it is, along with the rest of Cheez-Its’ kin, completely unnecessary. vivi_smilgius@emerson.edu

The Berkeley Beacon

April 7, 2022

6

Living Arts

Suffolk students create a clothing brand to promote sustainability and positivity

Wicked Queer Film Festival promo poster. / Courtesy Sheen Hui

Wicked Queer Film Festival returns in person Hannah Nguyen Beacon Staff

From left to right: Matt Doherty, Aidan Manion, and Carter Nevulis. / Courtesy Matt Berry

Hannah Nguyen Beacon Staff

In an effort to spread positivity and advocate for the Earth, three Massachusetts college sophomores started a clothing brand.

The Local Brand is a clothing brand founded by long-time friends Matt Doherty, Carter Nevulis, and Aidan Manion.

Doherty is a visual media arts major at Emerson, Nevulis is a finance major at Suffolk University, and Manion is an economics/ finance major at Bentley University.

The three went to high school together in Plymouth, MA prior to going their separate ways for college. With a shared interest in sustainability and fashion design, they came up with the idea during summer 2021 to launch their own clothing brand to promote living in the moment and caring for the planet.

“It started with those casual conversations over the summer while we were all in Plymouth together, and we were like ‘Oh, it’d be super cool if we could do something like this,” Doherty said.

With Emerson and Suffolk being in close proximity to each other, Doherty and Nevulis met in person one weekend during the fall, while Manion was on the phone. They decided to move forward with the project at the start of the first semester of their sophomore year.

They found that going to three different schools helped The Local Brand gain more attention instead of hindering the business.

“Instead of just all being at the same school with the same people, we now have three different branches of people,” Doherty said.

“There are more people that we can talk to about our brand. From a marketing standpoint, I think it’s been really helpful for us.”

The name was inspired by the idea of being increasingly connected with the community and with yourself.

“We were trying to figure out what can make us more involved in the community and have a positive impact on others,” Nevulis said. “We sat around and thought of this idea of The Local Brand, the name [meaning] you could have an impact on a local community, and also local as in yourself and what it means to like to be present in the moment.”

Doherty creates all of the original designs using Adobe Illustrator. He then sends a sample design to the rest of the team. They try to make it as much of a collaborative process as possible, by asking their friends for their opinions.

“We try something and then we edit it, and then we go back and re-edit it, and eventually we land on something that works,” Doherty said.

Each clothing drop has a theme, which typically offers guidance on the designs. The most recent drop on March 18th focused on sustainability, with a design that said “Love Your World,” and positive mental health, with a design saying “Live in the Moment.”

They plan to drop monthly.

A major part of The Local Brand’s mission is to “promote a happy and healthy planet.” With

each order, they will plant one tree. They also donate a portion of their profits to four organizations: One Tree Planted, The Ocean Foundation, Climate Reality Project, and Amazon Conservation Team. They used Charity Navigator to determine the kinds of organizations they wanted to support.

The Local Brand had a pop-up at an Afterlife Presents LLC concert at Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub on Nov. 20th, 2021, which helped with promotion.

“People would come up to us and say that they loved our message and they’ve been following our brand for a little bit now, and it was just kind of cool to see because it was outside of our normal domains,” Manion said. “A lot of people [at Bentley] know about [the brand] and always give me feedback and positive comments, but going out to an unknown area and getting some feedback there was pretty cool.”

The founders are hoping their brand reaches as many people as possible. They plan to network with local charities and other communities in the Greater Boston area.

“As of right now, we’re really focused on that strong community in Boston,” Nevulis said. “It’s just taking the next step and [reaching] people that we don’t know in the city. That’s really the direction that we’re going.”

For more information, visit The Local Brand’s website and Instagram.

hannah_nguyen@emerson.edu

The Wicked Queer Film Festival will return in person from April 7–17 after being virtual for two years.

“There’s nothing that beats an in-person screening,” Executive Director Shawn Cotter said. “There’s something wonderful about sitting in the dark with a group of people. It’s like sitting around the campfire telling stories.”

The Wicked Queer Film Festival is an all-volunteer organization established in 1984 by film programmer George Mansour. He saw a gradual increase of queer representation in movies and decided to put together a film festival with the Museum of Fine Arts to celebrate queer filmmaking.

Due to the pandemic, the festival moved its entire program––both shorts and features––onto xerb.tv. There were virtual parties and Q&As over Zoom with directors from all over the world.

“We had great attendance online and it really was a way to bring the community together during hard times,” Director of Programming Katie Shannon.

Now on its 38th edition, screenings for the upcoming festival will be held at the Bright Family Screening Room at Paramount Theatre, the ICA, and the Brattle Theatre.

Cotter said the best part about being part of the film festival is that it provides a platform to share stories that are famil-

iar to him and also not his own. Small film festivals are more likely to properly represent marginalized communities.

The festival had to split their shorts programs to some in-person and some virtual attendance due to spacing and venue availability. They also had to cut down programming from 50 films to 33.

Wicked Queer collaborates with other film festivals and cultural organizations, including Boston Latino International Virtual Film Festival and Boston Asian American Film Festival, among others, to reach out to and connect with communities that can play a part in the festival and help diversify it.

“I want Wicked Queer to be for us and by us and by us it means everybody,” Cotter said.

Beyond the festival itself, Wicked Queer embraces its all-volunteer system that provides opportunities for filmmakers to get involved.

“If we went away, what would we be left with as far as representation and screening films?” Cotter said. “A lot of the times, Wicked Queer is the first stop on a filmmaker’s journey because we do show a lot of first-time filmmakers— students, older people who are making films for the first time. We have a lot of program spaces for filmmakers.”

Tickets are available for purchase on Wicked Queer’s website. hannah_nguyen@emerson.edu

Marvel’s ‘Moon Knight’ does not pull his punches Marcus Cocova Beacon Staff

Right from the start, Marvel’s Moon Knight is a fast-paced nightmare adventure that cleanses the palate of the formulaic Marvel mold.

The first episode does not explicate upon past events or take a limp shot at tying this series into a larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is said, however, with disappointment inspired by the assuredness that the series will quickly file its way into a grander scheme as Marvel has continued doing since the original Avengers assembling.

Oscar Isaac, who plays the series protagonist Steven Grant, is a delight to watch slip and slide through an unforgiving Britain. This remains true if you can squint past his cartoonish accent.

Isaac, in some ways, overshadows Ethan Hawke’s portrayal of the series cultist villain, Arthur Harrow. Hawke fills the role, but does not have any particular shine with this series start.

The first episode wastes no time, sprinting with stylized jump cuts and a frequent change of scenery. The handholding of the camera adds a sense that things are not quite right with the story being witnessed.

Shots capture the alarm of being haunted by an eight-foot-tall skeleton

bird-man that only Grant can see. Those that capture the everyday are nothing more than stock Marvel cinematography.

Style choices are most powerful with Grant’s transition to his alternate personality Marc Spector. The audience is left feeling intentionally confused, though there are some fundamental gaps in what is familiar and what is new to Grant.

Moon Knight surprises its audience by not withholding actions and implications of violence. This gives a full view of the character well known to Moon Knight’s comic book audience, a feat often softened in other Marvel productions with cutaways or discolored alien blood.

The reveal of the newest champion wailing on an anthropomorphic Egyptian werewolf leaves the viewer with the quandary, “What will he beat the s*** out of next?”

With all said and done, the mere premise of Marvel unwrapping a deep cut character offers the studio freedom to try new and interesting things, as has been the case with other former little-knowns like the now-beloved misfits, The Guardians of the Galaxy.

While this is surely cinematic junk food, it is a slightly more exquisite junk food. It may not be very filling, but it is certainly fun. marcus_cocova@emerson.edu

The Berkeley Beacon

April 7, 2022

7

Introducing Pub Club’s two winning manuscript authors for this semester Maeve Lawler Beacon Staff

Junior Haley Souders and senior DS Oswald are this semester’s manuscript winners for Wilde Press, an imprint of Pub Club that publishes two 50-80 page manuscripts per semester.

Gabrielle Jonikas, one of the head publishers and a co-president of Pub Club explained the history of Wilde Press in an interview with The Beacon. “...Our press has [published] four books per year for nearly 20 years at Emerson. So we have a very extensive backlog of books and it’s been very exciting to help publish them,” Jonikas said.

Jonikas said that any Emerson student can submit a manuscript of any genre to Pub Club. All of the submissions are read and reviewed by the editorial board and narrowed down to a final four. Then all members of Pub Club vote for a final two to be published each semester.

Jonikas also explained what stands out to her when reading submissions.

“Basically, what I’m looking for in these submissions is something different than what we’ve done in the past,” she said.

Both Souders and Oswald’s manuscripts stood out to Jonikas from the beginning of the submission process.

In regard to Oswald’s Shrine Maiden, Jonikas said, “I love when we publish fantasy and kind of historical type of novels and it was cool to have a really interesting story compared to something else you might see.”

When discussing Souders’ Fame and Other Candies, Jonikas said, “A reason why I thought Haley’s stood out so much was because I had never read a story that explores fame the way Fame and Other Candies does.”

Below is a Q&A summarizing each author’s manuscript and writing experiences thus far.

Manuscript title: Fame and Other Candies by Haley

Souders About the author: Sounders is a junior creative writing major at Emerson and this is their first story published by Wilde Press. Souders hasn’t submitted a piece to Pub Club before, but previously published a short story in Wilderness Literary Review magazine. She joined Pub Club as a general member last semester and worked on the editing team for Letters to Space by Valentine Carr.

Summary of Fame and Other Candies: Souder’s manuscript features a series of short stories about various celebrities.

“It starts more in the 90s when actors were more famous and then it eventually goes on to vloggers and social media types [celebrities],” she said. “So, it’s about the way that fame changes people.”

Souders explained that the majority of the short stories are about individual characters. However, three of them focus on one character, following them through childhood and then college.

Souders added that “some of [the short stories] are loosely connected,” referencing characters in different stories because they are well-known celebrity figures.

Souder’s writing process: The first short story Souders wrote for her novel was for a class last semester. In the months after, Souders “kept thinking of random celebrity ideas” and decided to unite them into one collection of short stories.

Over this past winter break, Souders decided to submit her manuscript to Pub Club. She said, “Once I was sure I wanted to do that, then I really was focusing more on finishing in about January.”

She found the writing and editing process to be “a lot of fun.”

“When I first wrote, I spent about three weeks very intensely writing it before I submitted it,” she said. Souders went on to work with Pub Club’s editing teams to make changes for the final product.

Inspirations for Fame and Other Candies:

“Fame and Other Candies” cover. / Courtesy Haley Souders

After last year’s Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett scandal, Souders was prompted to think about fame and its implications.

“I kept thinking about fame and how much it, to me, would suck to be famous just because with [the scandal] it was like her music was released and then everyone was hating on Joshua Bassett and then it’s turned now, where people have hated on her a little bit,” Souders said.

In reference to the hate both Rodrigo and Bassett were facing, Souders said, “it’s just really weird to me because we don’t even know these people.”

Such celebrity scandals inspired Souders to write her collection of short stories that make a commentary on what it means to be famous.

Why Souders writes: “Just because I enjoy it,” Souders said.

She added, “I’m always thinking about different characters and scenarios and it always eventually turns into a short story or novel in my head, so then it’s kind of like ‘well, I have to write this down.’”

When Souders was younger, she was always writing. However, in high school, she found that making the decision to pursue writing as a career was scary. As college decisions approached, Souders found herself thinking, “I might as well do the thing that I love,” she said.

Going to college for writing has changed the way Souders approaches the process. This is because she simply thinks about it more.

“Before it was just any random thing I could think of but I think now I put more effort into it and I’m more purposeful about the stories that I want to tell,” said Souders.

New writing in process and aspirations beyond Emerson: Souders said she is taking a break from producing new stories at the moment.

“I think my brain is recharging from writing something that big and right now, I’m not actually in any fiction workshop classes, so I’m not really focused on any of that,” she said.

She is hoping that over the summer, she will begin thinking of new stories to write.

Souders biggest goal at Emerson was to be published by Pub Club and now that she has accomplished that she is rethinking what she wants to do next.

In her future beyond Emerson, Souders wants to become a published author.

Manuscript title: Shrine Maiden by DS Oswald About the author: DS Oswald is a senior creative writing major at Emerson. This is Oswald’s first story published by Wilde Press. Pieces of Oswald’s writing have previously been published in Pub Club’s Generic Magazine. Outside of Pub Club, Oswald’s work has been published in Stork Magazine, Concrete Literary Magazine, and fanzines. They have also published their illustration skills in various zines run online.

Summary of Shrine Maiden:

“The Shrine Maiden” cover. / Courtesy DS Oswald “I would call it a fantasy pseudo romance because the characters don’t technically get together,” said Oswald.

They go on to explain that two of the characters express their feelings toward each other, yet are interrupted by the climax of the novel. When discussing the plot of Shrine Maiden, Oswald highlights the building tension in their novel.

“Our main character, Nkiru, is a wandering swordsman and she stumbled across this temple in the middle of a blizzard, and the temple is not supposed to be receiving any visitors,” Oswald said.

“She has to stay there because if they kick her out, then she’ll die in the blizzard.”

The “weird tensions” between Nkiru and her four housemates stem from their unique backgrounds as characters. The temple’s four housemates have never been anywhere outside the temple, making Nkiru, who is a constant traveler, the first stranger they’ve ever encountered, said Oswald.

In regard to the setting, “It is a 100 percent fantasy world,” said Oswald. “There are some real-world inspirations here and there, but mostly it’s all made up.”

Oswald’s writing process: Oswald started their novel fall of sophomore year and intended for the alternate universe story to be for a comic they had been writing at the time.

“I liked the alternate universe so much that the characters became their own thing,” said Oswald. “It just grew from there.”

Oswald worked on Shrine Maiden for about a year, often picking up their manuscript and then putting it down for six months at a time.

“I would say if you squished all the breaks together, I wrote it in two or three weeks,” they said.

Oswald fine-tuned their manuscript for submission last winter, with the intention of submitting it to Pub Club.

They described the writing process as “very fun.” “It was all just me putting in some headphones and being like, ‘alright, I’m ready for this specific mood and so I’m writing this specific mood.’”

Oswald added “a lot of [the writing process] was motivated by ‘I want to write some sort of homoerotic scene.’— I’d be like ‘I want to write some gay tension. So these characters are going to have gay tension.’”

Inspirations for Shrine Maiden: When asked who inspired their novel, Oswald said, “Big shout out to Valen-

tine.”

Valentine Carr, the author of Letter to Space, was previously published by Wilde Press last semester. Oswald said after reading Valentine’s novel, they thought it was something their “writing skills would be up to par with,” which encouraged Oswald to submit their work for consideration.

Oswald’s family and friends inspired the plot of the story.

“There’s a lot of the book that’s indirectly dealing with the same things that I was dealing with when I moved up here to Boston from my hometown in Florida,” said Oswald.

As Nkiru is a traveler in a new land, Shrine Maiden deals with “Nkiru’s relationship to her parents and how she misses them but she can’t go back because of the issues in her back story.” Leading her to “develop these bonds with completely new people,” explained Oswald.

Why Oswald writes: “It’s just something that is natural to me, and it’s probably because I decided to be a writer when I was really really young,” said Oswald. “When I was in the third grade I was like ‘I know what I’m doing with my life and it’s this.’ I weirdly just never strayed from that plan very far.”

New writing in process and aspirations beyond Emerson: Oswald has three other novels they are working on and planning to publish. For their last semester at Emerson, Oswald is hoping to have fun and graduate.

“The thing I most want to do is make more art,” Oswald said. “I want to publish books and I want to animate stuff and publish podcasts, audio dramas, everything I can get my grubby little hands on.”

Both Souders and Oswald’s books will be sold at Pub Club’s Spring 2022 Book Launch on Sunday, April 17, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Bill Bordy Theatre. Each book will be sold in paperback version for $8, as well as be available in digital format and be assigned an ISBN number. All of Souders’ proceeds will be going to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center and Oswald’s proceeds to the St. Francis House.

maeve_lawler@emerson.edu

Dance show returns after pandemic hiatus Cont. from Pg. 1 choreographed tap dance centers around the virtue of fortitude, exploring a concept of courage and bravery through rhythmic movement.

“The song I chose talks a little bit about performative activism and relates to the past year that we’ve had,” Lamarre said. “It really talks about standing up for what you believe in, using your voice, and not being afraid to stand alone for an idea even if you think other people are going to judge you or you don’t think other people are going to support you.”

Junior marketing student Kasey Douglas, the Contemporary Director, has put together a contemporary piece following the vice of lust. Set to the song “All Again,” the dance showcases an in-

dividual repeatedly going back to a person who’s no good for them.

“In the piece, there is one girl that continuously pops up doing little solo parts,” Douglas said. “She’s the girl who wants to keep going back to that person, but her friends are trying to support her and try to convince her she doesn’t need that, she doesn’t want to do it all over again.

At the end, she finally convinces herself and sticks to what her friends are saying.”

Along with partner Amanda Hunt, Justino-Isaac is doing a hip-hop-styled piece exploring the vice of pride. Though not as deep-rooted in meaning as some of their peers, the pair have had a thrilling time creating a dance with faceted talent.

“We chose a song called ‘Forbes’ by G-Eazy and ‘Press’ by Cardi B,” Justino-Isaac said. “Ours is just a piece about being cocky and being like ‘I’m the shit.’

That’s our vibe.”

In the past two weeks leading up to the show weekend, Instagram accounts of EUDT members have flooded feeds with gorgeous photos from the show’s promotional shoot. Shot by photographer Carys Hirawady, the portrait-esque photos feature a more stylized notion, balancing bright colors of the individuals with the darkness of the background.

Marketing Directors Daphne Bryant and Hunt helped create the visual aspect of the photoshoot.

Hill and fellow choreographer Therese Lourdes Labordo produced this semester’s video shoot, building anticipation for the show. Closely tying in with the show’s theme, the promo was set in a church, an unusual spot yet making for an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

“We were able to take parts and pieces from different company pieces and have everyone together in a space showing off a little bit of what’s going to be in the show,” Hill said. “It’s one of the first semesters we did all three things again leading up to the show, so it was pretty cool to have that.”

Members of the A-board, dancers, and choreographers alike are reeling with excitement for the spring 2022 performance. Though a busy week of preparation, Hill said the build-up has been fun and leads to more anticipation, including the potential audience.

“It’s going to be one of the best EUDT shows that has ever happened,” Hill said.

“Also, for a lot of our members, it’s the first time that they will have done a show with us, so it’s exciting to bring everyone into our little family bubble and go

through tech week together.”

After dancing with EUDT for eight semesters, Lamarre echoed the sentiment of “Vices and Virtues” being one of their strongest shows. It’s come full circle seeing people enter the organization just as she exits.

“I loved seeing everybody that’s come into our company and seeing how it’s grown,” Lamarre said. “We have people doing their first show with us and people who are choreographing for the first time.

It’s going to be a really great show.”

Tickets for the 6 p.m. can still be purchased online through the link on EUDT’s Instagram page, @emersonurbandance. Prices are $5 for Emerson community members and $7 for outside guests. karissa_schaefer@emerson.edu

Sports

The Berkeley Beacon

April 7, 2022

8

Baseball opens conference play with Senior Day Tyler Foy Beacon Staff

Emerson’s baseball team opened its NEWMAC season by splitting a Senior Day doubleheader against Clark University, with the stands of Fraser Field stacked with friends and family.

Before the first pitch was thrown, 10 seniors took turns walking out to home plate with relatives—including the lone team captain of the 44-man roster, infielder Calvin Jacey.

This season is Jacey’s second as captain. He finds the experience to be strange but said he’s been able to carry on the responsibilities since his debut as a Lion.

“I don’t have anybody else to lean on in terms of leadership,” Jacey said. “At the end of the day, [my role is] to make everybody buy into what my program has been trying to do these past four years.”

Head Coach Nicholas Vennochi said Jacey has been an outstanding communicator, motivator, and source of inspiration for other players.

“Everyone looks to Cal,” Vennochi said. “He’s just so consistent and he’s a good guy. I think that dudes look at him and say, ‘Man, if I work as hard as Calvin, good things are gonna happen.’”

Vennochi also said Jacey and his class have been instrumental in establishing a more coherent vision for the program.

“This class just changed the culture,” he said. “The whole program raised the bar and bought in from day one.”

The class of 2022 was stripped of portions of its seasons due to COVID cancellations and statewide shutdowns. Jacey said the Senior Day ceremonies hope to commemorate these limitations.

“This is a celebration of everything my class has been through,” Jacey said.

“Having virtually two seasons taken away and just grinding through all the adversity that we have to go through.”

When it came to game time, the ballgame was not only Senior Day, but also a chance to start conference play strong.

Senior right-handed pitcher Johnny Maffei stood on the mound to start game one, which proved to be a pitcher’s duel.

Through the first three innings, each team only mustered up one hit apiece.

Maffei found himself in trouble in the fourth inning after walking and hitting a batter. A groundball to Emerson first-year second baseman Briggs Loveland put one runner away, but brought another into scoring position.

A fly ball from the Cougars’ Trevor Ham allowed Zachary Gitschier to score from third for the first run of the ballgame.

Maffei’s control started to get loose after hitting a batter and throwing a wild pitch, but he bailed himself out of more damage with a strikeout to end the inning.

The Lions had no response for the next couple of innings, and Ham struck again, extending Clark’s lead in the sixth.

Maffei escaped another jam later in the inning but the Lions didn’t fire back until the eighth. Senior outfielder Quinton Copeland opened the inning with a single and moved to second on a ground ball.

Junior first baseman Chris Ferara laced a single into the outfield, scoring Copeland and closing the deficit to 2-1.

Despite outhitting Clark, the Lions couldn’t capitalize and left eight runners on base in the 2-1 loss. Maffei pitched his second complete game of the year, this time in front of his friends and family.

“I can’t thank coach Vennochi and coach [Rob] Carillo enough for just coming to trust me and giving me the opportunity [to what],” he said. “When I thought of goals for the year I never thought a complete game was in the rep-

ertoire, let alone two.”

Vennochi said the choice to let Maffei play through the game was simple.

“Johnny earned it,” Vennochi said.

“He’s a big dog. It didn’t look like he was faltering at all and they weren’t really hitting them. So it’s kind of an easy decision.”

The scorecard prior to game two indicated a handful of lineup changes, including the entrance of junior right-handed pitcher AJ Ortega for the Lions. The Cougars set the tone in the opening of the game, scoring one and tacking on another in the top of the third.

Heading into the bottom of the third, down by two, Jacey got to first after being hit by a pitch and moved to scoring position by stealing second. Copeland found outfield grass with a single to score Jacey from second and cut the lead in half.

Three scoreless frames followed and the Lions continued their offense in the fifth inning. Two outs into the inning, senior outfielder Rory Tettemer placed a ball deep enough to show off his speed with an RBI triple. Copeland drove in Tettemer on his second single of the game to secure the Lions’ first lead of the day.

Copeland went on to steal second and third, bringing his career total to 38 and breaking Emerson’s record set by CJ Rogers in 2016.

The Cougars were able to tie the ballgame in the top of the sixth, but the energy would shift in the bottom of the seventh. Jacey sparked the offense again by reaching first on a single. A double struck by junior catcher Matt Nachamie reclaimed the lead, scoring Jacey from first, and a walk put another runner on base. Copeland, who by this point had already driven in two, sent a double into the gap to extend the Lions’ lead by one.

Junior infielder Thai Morgan cranked a single into center field to clear the bases

Senior Johnny Maffei pitching in Saturday’s game / Courtesy Bryan Simmons-Hayes putting Emerson up 7-3.

The Lions weren’t done yet. With two runners on, junior infielder Jake Hatch broke the game wide open by a blast to center in the ninth, clearing the fence and extending Emerson’s lead to 10-3.

This would be the nail in the coffin for the Cougars, resulting in the Lions’ first NEWMAC win of the year. Jacey said that, even with the festivities of Senior Day, the difference maker between games was the change in the dugout atmosphere.

“The ceremony went pretty well and then the first game happened and it was nearly dead… Our energy was super low,” Jacey said. “We responded tremendously in the second game which was the best game we played all season. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen the entire senior classes’ parents together, so it was pretty good to get a win.”

Vennochi said the decision to hold Senior Day on the first NEWMAC game of the season was to allow all families to gather together without having difficulties with graduation.

With 18 games left in the season, Jacey said he hopes to finish stress-free and make the most of his final moments as a

player.

“As a college athlete, you hear about mental health,” Jacey said. “[Being a student athlete is] stressful, but…I can enjoy myself. There’s no reason not to.”

Maffei looks to stay sharp with his performances and continue the success he’s found so far this season.

“You have to be ready for the big moments and you have to come through,” he said. “These last few weeks I’m just going to take it all in and that’s what I’ve been doing.”

The Lions hope to play in the NEWMAC playoffs this season.

“John Beilein, the old Michigan basketball coach, said, ‘freshmen want to play, sophomores want to start, juniors want to score and seniors want to win,’” Maffei said. “And the fun part about this team is more than just the seniors want to win.”

The Lions went on to lose their following matchup against Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Tuesday in a close 11-10 game, and look to bounce back in their weekend doubleheader against Babson College.

tyler_foy@emerson.edu

‘It feels like it just started’: Men’s volleyball splits final two games Cont. from Pg. 1 Athletic Conference make the playoffs. Consequently, the seventh-place Lions knew Saturday’s games would be their last of the season—and for the seniors, of their careers—regardless of the outcome. Head Coach Ben Read said the team planned to treat Senior Day as an opportunity to leave it all on the court for the seniors one last time.

“We knew we didn’t have a shot at the playoffs, but it was a good chance to go ahead and compete and come out with at least one W,” Read said. “[Injuries] changed the landscape of our team quite a bit, but it was nice to see different people step up in different roles.”

Saturday’s first set opened with a kill from middle blocker Ramsis De Los Santos on a set from Elliot. Elliot tallied another assist immediately after, setting the Lions ahead 2-0. The Lions extended the lead to 11-4 with help from a couple of blocks by first-year setter and pin hitter Bayden Slavik.

A scrappy play returned the serve to the Bulldogs, but a kill from first-year pin hitter Jack Meissner brought it back to the Lions’ side of the court. A service run under Slavik put the Lions in winning position up 23-10, and another kill from De Los Santos put Emerson at match point.

The Lions took set one 25-12.

The Lions jumped ahead early in the second set, securing a three-point lead, but Dean tied the score at seven after a series of hard-fought plays. The teams exchanged points and wound up tied again

at 17. A kill from Dobbins put Emerson ahead 18-17, but Dean fought back with a kill and a block to go up 19-18.

Gordon responded with a block of his own, tying the score at 19. De Los Santos tallied another block and Meissner drove a kill down the line, putting Emerson ahead 21-20. The Lions won the set 2522 on a kill from Dobbins.

Meissner opened set three with a kill on a set from Elliot, and the Lions capitalized on Bulldog errors to string together a 10-4 lead. After a series of back-and-forth points, the Lions made another run and went up 15-8.

A Bulldog kill, an ace, and back-toback attacking errors from Emerson put Dean within two, but Emerson pulled ahead 21-17. A kill from Gordon and a series of diving saves advanced the Lions to match point. The Lions won 25-20, sweeping their third GNAC win of the season.

After a three-hour break, Emerson returned to the court for the second game of their Senior Day doubleheader, facing the 14-14 Elms College.

The Lions opened the second game trailing, but a dump from Slavik and an ace from Meissner evened the score early. A Dobbins stuff put the Lions ahead 7-6, but a tip kill from the Blazers knotted the score again at seven.

Slavik tallied a handful of blocks, but a strong Blazers offense sent Elms ahead 16-12. After an Emerson timeout, the Blazers tallied two more points before a kill from first-year pin hitter Bryson Beck stopped the bleeding. Elms regained

momentum following several Emerson errors, and the Blazers took the first set 25-17.

The trend of Emerson errors continued into the second set, but a powerful double block from Meissner and De Los Santos brought a bit of energy back to the gym. The Blazers strung together a series of kills to send the Lions down 5-3. The Blazers extended their lead to six, pulling ahead 12-6.

Emerson couldn’t seem to outrun its errors, trailing 19-10 during Elms’ largest lead of the game. A series of Elms net violations put the Lions back in the game—though still trailing 21-15—but the Blazers strung together the last few points to win 25-15.

Despite going down 0-2, the Lions entered the third set fighting. A stuff from Dobbins put the Lions ahead for the first time since the beginning of the second set, but Elms quickly tied the score at three.

A Blazers error and another block by Dobbins brought Emerson ahead 5-3, but Elms answered with a quick kill from the middle. The teams exchanged points and Emerson extended its lead, capitalizing on a lack of blocks from the Blazers. A long rally ended in Elms’ favor, bringing the score to 11-10 Emerson.

Emerson met each attack with scrappy defense, but Elms went ahead 13-12 and maintained the lead for the rest of the game. While the Lions tallied a few points down the stretch, the Blazers secured the final plays to complete the sweep over Emerson, 25-18.

Emerson men’s volleyball team setting up an attack. / Kayla Buck By the end of the day, Emerson’s seniors had rounded out their stats. In 77 sets of play over the course of his college career, Elliot racked up 432 assists, 233 digs, 107 kills, and 51 aces; Dobbins tallied 89 kills and 48 digs over 84 sets; Gordon contributed 18 aces and 13 digs in his 58 sets.

Though the split record wasn’t the ideal Senior Day finish, the Lions’ soonto-be graduates said it was enough to play with their team one last time.

“We all knew we’re not making the playoffs,” Dobbins said after the game.

“This is our last game and we’re going off with a bang. I have to give props to all the underclassmen—they played for the seniors, they really did.”

Read said he was happy about the team’s performance, crediting the Lions’ sustained hustle to the team’s love for its seniors.

“I’m just happy that we showed up and fought well today,” he said. “I think

that’s because [our seniors] are meaningful to the team.”

The class of 2023 missed roughly a year and a half of playing time due to COVID. Elliot reflected on his shortened career after the game, adding that he hopes to continue playing in graduate school overseas.

“It feels weird, like it just started,” Elliot said. “It’s a little strange for it to wrap up now… but I’m surprisingly content.”

In the offseason, Read plans to give the team a short break before working to grow the roster and get back in the gym.

“Depending on what happens with [recruiting] and tying people together in the summer, we’ll start goal-setting,” he said. “For right now, let’s enjoy what we had this season, relax for a week or two, and start working hard in the weight room and getting touches this summer.”

vivi_smilgius@emerson.edu