The Berkeley Beacon November 2, 20
The seasons of self-discovery Pg. 6
Oh my gourd: The guide on how to survive Thanksgiving
Frankie’s Declassified Thanksgiving Survival Guide Pg. 9
November 22, 2020
H ar me out Dionna Santucci
“Goodbye Hot Girl Summer, Hello Sad Girl Autumn” Page 4
Sad Girl Autumn is the follow-up to (yet another) failed Hot Girl Summer, as the leaves transition so does our headspace.
Features Sophia Pargas
Frankie Rowley
“The seasons of self- discovery ” Page 6
“Frankie’s Declassified Thanksgiving Survival Guide ” Page 9
Campbell Parish Magazine Editor Jacob Ireland Head of Design Charlie McKenna Editor-in-Chief
In both the literal and metaphorical sense, my life has always been the perfect season: constant, unchanging, safe until I made the move to Boston.
But with big celebrations come awkward situations, here’s our best advice on how to survive this holiday season.
Campbell Parish Operations Managing Editor Hongyu Liu Multimedia Managing Editor Lucia Thorne Content Managing Editor Kaitlyn Fehr Chief Copy Editor Contributors Dionna Santucci Sophia Pargas Mariyam Quaisar Frankie Rowley Lucia Thorne Any and all comments on articles can be directed to Magazine@BerkeleyBeacon.com
Photo: Gourds for sale at a farmers market in Rutland, Vermont. Campbell Parish / Beacon Staff.
Lucia Thorne
“A Thanksgiving on-campus: A Guide to an Improvised Feast on Campus” Page 12
Are you staying on campus during Thanksgiving this year? Here’s our guide to how to get through the season.
Mariyam Quaisar
“Thanksgiving is more than just dinner ” Page 14
Instead of offering support during a time that reminds Native people of their community’s oppression, Thanksgiving romanticizes their struggles.
Pitches can be emailed directly to the magazine editor at campbell@berkeleybeacon.com The only student newspaper of Emerson College. Editorially independent, Founded in 1947. 172 Tremont Street, Room 309 Boston, MA 02117 (617) 824-8687 Contact@BerkeleyBeacon.com
Cover Photo by Jacob Ireland
Don’t let the holidays gobble up your sanity November brings crisp fall air, bringing out your winter clothes and trying to find that other glove you lost last winter season. Fall is a mixed bag of waiting for a break from all of your schoolwork to possibly craving some homemade food if you have the privilege of going home this year. The second edition of The Beacon Magazine surrounds all things fall, and as the leaves change, this edition looks closely at the symbolism of fall, some Thanksgiving traditions, and how to spend your break if you are on campus. This edition’s cover story, written by Sophia Pargas, focuses on her journey of self-discovery after making the move from sunny Miami to often not-so-sunny Boston, and the transitions that parallel the leaves as they change in New England. It’s a beautifully written and honest piece everyone should read. Frankie Rowley is here to give you her survival guide of how to survive Thanksgiving in any environment, whether it’s home, with a significant other or friends, or a house of a relative you don’t share a political opinion with. Lucia Thorne’s story lists ways to celebrate your Thanksgiving holiday if you are staying on campus––a must-read for those staying in Boston. As much as Thanksgiving is a celebrated holiday, it’s essential to examine why you celebrate it. Mariyam Quaisar writes about how Thanksgiving is more than just a time to feast. Dionna Santucci takes a closer look at the emotionally exhausting transition from summer to gloomy fall with her piece about what happens after hot girl summer. This edition couldn’t have been done without the many hands we have to help us, including Lucia Thorne, Jacob Ireland, Mariyam Quaisar, Sophia Pargas, Frankie Rowley, Dionna Santucci, and Charlie Brian-Ambler––to highlight a few of the contributors who made this issue possible. I sincerely hope you are thankful for this edition, Gobble Gobble!
Campbell Parish Magazine Editor Illustration by Lucia Thorne
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H ar me out Emerson’s premier destination for sharing opinions
Goodbye Hot Girl Summer, Hello Sad Girl Autumn By Dionna Santucci
Illustration by Lucia Thorne
A
re you facing an unshakeable urge to don chunky knit sweaters? What about a sudden affinity for listening to Bon Iver on repeat? Maybe it’s just a newfound taste for hot chocolate at all times of the day. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you may already be infected with early-onset Sad Girl Autumn. Sad Girl Autumn is the follow-up to (yet another) failed Hot Girl Summer. With no discernible origin, the seasonal moniker first emerged in the fall of 2019 with a purpose to take in the gloominess of fall as a community rather than going through the seasonal change alone. During the fall and winter months, some individuals may experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—a type of depression that occurs from lack of sunlight. Fall drives us further into our homes and away from social interaction, and The American Psychiatric Association says that this time of year can make those with SAD feel isolated. When the cold weather and rainy days keep us tidied away in our beds, fall forces us to think and reflect on the past year and the year to come. This time of year is, at its core, one big therapy session with yourself. The catharsis of Sad Girl Autumn heavily influences what aspects of pop culture people associate with the season—and particularly, what music people listen to. As the gloomy weather moves in, the arrival of Sad Girl Autumn brings 5:00 p.m. sunsets, and the chilled wind blows in new music from tried-and-true sad girl classics. While upbeat summer bops climbed up the charts in previous months, musicians like Adele and Mitski kicked off the fall season by dropping essential new singles alongside the falling leaves. Indie rock artist Mitski released her new song “Working for the Knife,” on Oct. 5, sending shockwaves through the indie-music scene. With sweeping instrumentals and haunting vocals, the tune not only marked the end of Mitski’s twoyear hiatus but also sent fans full-steam ahead into Sad Girl Autumn. Just a week later, Adele released “Easy On
Me,” taking a piano-based route on the same continuum as “Working for the Knife.” Both singles come from a place of internal reflection—a theme found at the heart of every Sad Girl Autumn. Taylor Swift’s re-recording of her fourth studio album, Red, is another highly anticipated fall release. Available for streaming on Nov. 12, Red (Taylor’s Version) will include the ten-minute long re-recording of Swift’s “All Too Well”—a staple for every fall, sad or not. The song’s moody, overlapping guitars along with Swift’s autumn-esque songwriting immediately transports the listener to a winding country road, belting along to the lyrics as leaves fall around them. Despite differing in aesthetics, Sad Girl Autumn is not the inverse or antithesis of Hot Girl Summer. The fun, carefree elements of summer can live in synchronicity with the fall season. Music releases from autumnal favorites along with opportunities to binge-watch favorite fall films just might make this year’s Sad Girl Autumn the happiest one yet.
Illustration by Lucia Thorne
Dionna Santucci is a contributor for The Berkeley Beacon and a first-year studying journalism.
magazine@berkeleybeacon.com
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Features
The Seasons of Self Discovery By Sophia Pargas
W
hen I made the 1,500 mile move from Miami to Boston for college, I knew many invigorating changes were awaiting my arrival. I knew I was journeying to a beautiful city, one I spent countless years imagining could someday be my home. I knew I was going to an impassioned school, one filled with people of all walks of life from whom I craved knowledge and wis-
Illustration by Lucia Thorne
dom different from my own. I knew I was more excited than I had ever been before, and I could not wait to soak up every experience afforded to me in my time away. What I did not know, however, was I would soon find myself feeling as insignificant as one of the fallen leaves which riddled the unfamiliar city I now yearned for a place in. Growing up in Miami, the heart of the sunshine state, all I have ever known is summer. For my entire
life, my childhood was a blur of constant warmth and endless light. Back home, I have an abundance of loving, warm-hearted family and friends who never allowed me to feel the loneliness of the cold, and a lifetime of blissful, bright memories which never allowed me to experience the uneasiness of the dark. Some may say I had the perfect upbringing. I would have to agree. In both the literal and metaphorical sense, my life has always been the perfect season: constant,
unchanging and safe. When it came time to choose a college and decide where my plunge into adulthood would take me, I insisted upon going somewhere that would force me out of my comfort zone . As much as I loved the constant support and protection I enjoyed throughout my eighteen years, I knew I would need to experience new things, people, and places to truly come to know myself. While this was an exhilarating thought, I did not realize how much I would miss the warmth of my youth once I came to know a place without it. Even more so, I could not anticipate how it would challenge everything I once thought I knew about myself. To become the girl I wanted to be, I would have to relinquish a part of the one I left behind at home. Soon after I made the long-awaited move to Boston, the adrenaline of the change slowly and painfully began to fade away. Just as the summer season was coming to an end and being rapidly replaced by fall, I felt home slipping further out of my grasp. Where I once had the warm summer air and the unrelenting sun to remind me of what I left behind, the new autumn chill and changing leaves were daunting indications that I was very far from anything I’ve ever known. Though I remember learning about the changing seasons at an early age, I had never experienced the supposed magic of crisp autumn air or the beauty of leaves turning from green to every marvelous shade of orange, red, and yellow. Much to my dismay, in the beginning, fall did not seem very magical to me at all.
Where I should have seen beauty and brilliance, I saw death and sadness. I watched as once full and luscious trees died before my eyes, and felt the warmth drain from the air and be replaced by a frigidness that sent chills down my spine. Every fallen leaf reminded me of the full, vibrant palm trees I took for granted when I was home, the ones people would waste their vacation time to catch a glimpse of. Every chilly breeze reminded me of the cozy warmth I had never gone without, the one I enjoyed surrounded by the people I love and who love me back. I now found myself in a place where I had no support system and no security. I felt alone in ways I never did before, and I was struggling to acclimate to a city that was, in every way imaginable, the opposite of everything familiar and comfortable to me. I struggled to understand how I could be both girls, the one who stayed true to my old life and the one who found a place in the new life I was creating. It seemed the change of season was simply mocking the displacement I felt inside. It took a note from my uncle to open my eyes to all of the ways I should have been appreciating the beautiful possibilities around me. In a memory box of handwritten notes and pictures my mom had gathered from all of my friends and family for me to open when I missed home, he left me with a quote, “Every next level of your life will demand a different version of you.” As the world bloomed into a more beautiful version of itself around me, it now seemed unreasonable to think that I could not do the same. The leaves I despised, the trees I disdained, the sky I
deplored—they were all trying to teach me the same lesson my uncle was: I needed to be changed by the differences around me, and to do it for the better. While I wish I could say this realization came easily and manifested itself quickly; it did not. The gloomy sky didn’t suddenly become blue, the autumn leaves didn’t instantly turn green, and the pain of missing summer, or the comfort it represented, didn’t swiftly go away for good.
“The entire world becomes unrecognizable to remind us that we are meant to evolve, and that no season of ourselves should last forever.”
What it did do, however, was slowly begin to open my eyes to the happiness and growth I was missing out on as I compared everything and everyone to what I had left behind at home—including myself. Just as the seasons transform one colored leaf and one dropped degree at a time, I discovered myself in tiny, incomprehensible ways. Slowly but ever so carefully, I began navigating my new life and coming to find a balance between the girl perfectly content with summer and the one insatiably eager to experience fall, and then winter, and then spring, and then do it all over again. I came to discover that, just as the seasons blossom over time, I 7
could too. I could take a lesson from the world around me and evolve into something new, and do so both beautifully and gracefully. Where I once saw fall as a season of death and drear, I now came to understand it as one of new beginnings. Fall has taught me that growth is not an easy thing; nature is proof of this. The entire world becomes unrecognizable to remind us that we are meant to evolve, and that no season of ourselves should last forever. I came to know my own journey in the same regard, and I started by pinning the note from my uncle on my dorm room wall. Over time, I added more notes and pictures from home until I had made a collage that I looked at every day, a constant reminder of who I was and still wished to become. I began exploring the beautiful city I had dreamt of calling home, meeting the people I couldn’t wait to call friends, and soaking up the experiences I promised I would make my own. I came to know the transcendent beauty of Boston with fresh, glimmering, eager eyes, the same ones who had once scoured Google searches and blogs to soak up a life that could be. For the first time in a long time I felt excited again, and I learned to see fall with the same love and adoration I had loved
summer all my life. One cool autumn morning as I trekked on my daily walk through Boston Common, cozy sweater on and fresh, hot apple cider in hand, I stopped to pick up a perfectly shaped red leaf from the ground. I was reminded of how insignificant it once made me feel, but empowered by the possibilities it inspired me to explore. I carefully took it to my dorm room where it made a home in the center of my collage and stayed for the remainder of my first year. While it may have seemed out of place beside the mementos of a childhood that now feels lifetimes away, it represented the way I wished to embody fall in every which way, to relentlessly become a different version of myself in any season of my life. It encapsulated the way I would miss what was gone but cherish what is new, and appreciate my own journey at any stage. Now, though my first-year dorm room is long-since packed up and the collage wall replaced by somone else’s, I still like to think that, thanks to fall, I know much more about myself
than I did at this time last year. I now know I love drinking apple cider, and basking in perfect sunny autumn days when the breeze is cool and crisp, and stepping over brightly colored leaves on the Common ground just to hear the crunching noise they make as I do. I now know I can find the summer of my youth in any season by seeking out warmth in the times it gets cold, and finding small glimmers of light when there seem to be none. I now know that I can evolve by shedding old skins and dropping them to the ground like fallen leaves, reminders of a person who once was and the better one I can become. What I do know for sure, above all else, is that I will always work on embracing who I was, who I am, and who I am going to be, just as nature does with the rotation of the seasons—beautifully, enchantedly, and magically.
Sophia Pargas is a Staff Writer for The Berkeley Beacon and a sophomore studying journalism and marketing.
magazine@berkeleybeacon.com
Illustration by Lucia Thorne
Features
T
hanksgiving break is one of the two back-at-home holidays during the fall semester, and a big celebration throughout the country. It’s a time for loved ones, good food, and spending too much money on things you don’t need because you think there’s a discount. But with big celebrations come awkward situations. You might be stuck with your republican family members, or meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time, or you might even be spending Thanksgiving alone in Boston on or off campus. Whatever the situation, we all could use a less awkward Thanksgiving. Here is some extra, totally free advice on how to win this holiday season.
By Frankie Rowley How To: Celebrate Thanksgiving with people of the opposite political party
off-limits conversation. If someone breaks the rule, here’s how to make the conversation more bearable:
Ah, politics. A topic you want nothing more than to avoid but somehow always works its way into dinner table conversations, a place it never belongs. Someone always drags the young adult into a conversation to question your political beliefs and try to prove that your college is turning you into a liberal—all so they can prove that yes, their ego is in fact that big. These conversations are often unpleasant and degrading due to the attacking position, always taken by the older, allegedly wiser, party involved, who seems to feel joy from invalidating your opinions. Try setting some ground rules beforehand and make politics an
Take the high road: Taking the high road can be a hard thing to do, especially when it comes to politics. It doesn’t mean giving up your defense completely, but rather realizing there is a time and place for arguments over whether or not Joe Biden won the 2020 election legitimately. . If a family member takes the attacking position, you can simply diffuse the situation by saying, “I can tell by your tone that you want this to be something more than it should be and I don’t feel comfortable talking to you about such extreme topics right now. When you’ve cooled down and want to have a productive and non-hostile conversation, we can 9
talk. But for now, let’s just keep the conversation light-hearted.” Say something along those lines to let the other person know you recognise they want to talk, but make it clear you want to do so in a civil manner. It is the easiest way to get yourself out of a conversation you don’t want to be in. Be a listener: Should you want to engage in tough conversations, try to listen and take in the other side’s opinion instead of immediately shutting them down. By letting them know you’re listening to what they’re saying, you’re proving your maturity and de-escalating potentially tricky situations. By taking in what the other person is saying, you are being the bigger person. Plus, this allows you to prepare for a comeback to whatever rude comment they might make.
Find common ground: Finding common ground can be simple. Steer conversations away from heavy topics (like, ahem, politics) and focus on lighter material. Ask family members how their year has been, bring up any important life events you know that happened and just generally check in. By limiting the conversation to small talk, you can set the boundaries and control which topics are brought forth. Don’t be afraid to walk away: Stepping away from a conversation doesn’t make you weak.
Often, political conversations lead to broader attacks against groups of people, which can be traumatic to have to defend, especially if you are a member of any of those communities. Racism, transphobia, antisemitism, xenophobia, and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments should be called out and discussed because it’s 2021, but it’s OK to walk away. Tap out if you’re damaging yourself. Everyone deserves to feel safe on Thanksgiving, and sometimes, you have to be the one to initiate the safe space.
to talk about, compliments can go a long way, especially with parents. Comment on the food, their excellent interior design skills , or let them know that you want to talk, but hint at the fact that you need a little help getting the conversation going. Compliments also create a more positive atmosphere and might help lessen any tension. Just don’t go overboard—use kindness as a conversation starter and build from there.
How To: Thanksgiving with a significant other’s or friend’s family Celebrating Thanksgiving in a home that isn’t yours or bringing someone into your own home is a milestone in any relationship, whether that’s with a friend or more than a friend. While meeting the family never quite goes to plan, it doesn’t have to be painstakingly uncomfortable the entire time. I feel all of you on this one, as I’m being taken home for the length of Thanksgiving break—and it’s daunting. As much as you’re excited to go, the unrelenting pressure can be a lot, but I want to help you try and combat that stress. Here’s a few things to remember when you’re in the arena (er, the dining room table): Kindness is always a good thing: Never go into a home empty handed. This doesn’t have to mean material gifts, but flowers, cards, or desserts are great ways to win people over (ask about allergies first though, you don’t wanna be that person). If you find yourself struggling to find things
Jump in on other conversations: If you hear a conversation, try to join. Talking is a great way to get to know people. If you’re the one bringing a guest, invite them into the conversation to make them feel welcomed. There’s nothing worse than following someone around like a lost puppy. Find common interests: Starting a conversation with a known common interest or widely known topic––such as celebrity drama, new music, or new movies and shows––is a great way to bond with other members of the Thanksgiving dinner table. Try asking your fellow Thanksgiving attendees what music they listen to, what they read, or where they’d like to travel. Small talk topics can go a long way in a big group. Illustrations by Lucia Thorne
How To: Thanksgiving with no plans to go home Being away from home doesn’t have to mean being alone on Thanksgiving. There are many activities and ways to fill the holiday break without wallowing in the potential sadness that comes as a result of being away from family and friends. Ask around, see who else is staying: Finding other people who are staying in the city will not only give you people to hang out with, but you can plan to have a potluck or go out to dinner together on Thanksgiving. Friendsgiving can be just as fun as being at home–– plus it’s a great way to meet new people and/or bond with those you already know. Volunteer: Many organizations take volunteers to help with Thanksgiving meals and other planning. Some places to volunteer are listed below (call or visit their websites to inquire about signing up and volunteering criteria.) Greater Boston Food Bank Boston Rescue Mission St. Francis House United Way Thanksgiving Project Prison Book Program Have a Self-Care Day: Go for a scenic walk, visit your favorite places in Boston, take yourself out for a nice dinner, or do anything else that makes you feel relaxed and rejuvenated. Take advantage of being alone by filling it with face masks (the fun kind, not the protects you from COVID kind), fancy food, and fall festivities.
Things to do for a self-care day:
Organisations to donate to:
1. Buy some face masks (how many things has COVID ruined that I had to specify which kind of face mask I was talking about?) and have a self-pamper day 2. Watch fall movies like “Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown,” “Knives Out,” “Good Will Hunting,” or “Little Women” 3. Binge-watch Thanksgiving episodes of your favorite shows like “Friends,” “Gilmore Girls,” “The Simpsons,” “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia,” or “The Office” 4. Book yourself a table at your favourite restaurant and have a Thanksgiving meal for one 5. Bake some fall treats in one of the campus kitchens 6. Call your family and friends back home 7. Take a walk through the city 8. Watch a football game
1. Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness 2. The American Indian College Fund 3. Native American Heritage Association 4. Native American Rights Fund 5. United American Indians of New England. The UAINE holds a day of mourning every Thanksgiving in Plymouth. This year’s event will be held at noon at Cole’s Hill.
Educational Resources: 1. National Educational Association: Native educators say Thanksgiving lessons can be accurate, respectful, and still fun 2. The New York Times: Thanksgiving for Native Americans: Four Voices on a Complicated Holiday 3. 526 Blog: A Thanksgiving Message from Seven Amazing Native Americans 4. Bustle: Thanksgiving Promotes Whitewashed History, So I Organized Truthsgiving Instead 5. Thanksgiving: The National of Day of Mourning
Educate yourself on the history of Thanksgiving With all of that, I wish you the and support Native best of luck. Happy Thanksgiving! American Communities: While Thanksgiving is a day of giving thanks, we cannot overlook the history of racism and deepFrankie Rowley is the Deputy Express rooted colonization that the holiday News Editor for The Berkeley Beacon comes from. Consider taking the and a sophomore studying journalism. day to educate yourself on the history of Thanksgiving. Learn magazine@berkeleybeacon.com about what issues are affecting Native Americans and what you can do to help. 11
Features
Thanksgiving on-campus: A guide to an improvised feast on campus by Lu c i a t h o r n e
Illustration by Lucia Thorne
Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce piled high on plates across a long table have come to symbolize thanksgiving—a holiday famous for its food. But, for some Emerson students staying on campus through the holiday, that image is a difficult, but not impossible, reality to achieve. To avoid flying 12 hours round trip to my hometown for a single dinner, I will be staying on campus this Thanksgiving, eating takeout and watching my favorite fall movie “Knives Out” and binging “Friends.” This will be the first time celebrating the holiday—or any holiday—on my own. Just because you don’t have loved ones gathered around the table or a celebration with friends and peers through the college, doesn’t mean this Thanksgiving has to be dreary. Look at the bright side: you’re skipping out on the holiday travel hassle and the uncomfortable family dinner politics. Now that is something to be grateful for. All jokes aside, here are a couple ways you can celebrate Thanksgiving on campus:
RSVP for Emerson’s “Thanksgiving Eve Dinner” For those of us staying on campus thought the break, Emerson is offering a free dinner for students at 4 p.m. on Nov. 24, hence the “Eve” moniker. The college is requiring interested students to RSVP for the event, which they can do here.
Enjoy a nice take-out dinner Many businesses will be closed for the holiday, but thankfully, a pre-prepared Thanksgiving dinner to-go can be found at several restaurants in the greater Boston area. Each menu is slightly different as are their price ranges—after all, these are some pretty nice places. Here are some places offering take-out in the area:
D av i o ’ s
1. “One-Pan, One-Pot Thanksgiving Dinner”- Melissa Clark’s recipe from The New York Times Cooking section is Davio’s Boston prepares a Thanksgiving meal for definitely one to try. With three hours cooking time plus time pre-order, charging $75 per person. The kit features turfor marination, this feast offers 3-4 servings, meaning more key, a wide array of vegetables, challah bread herb stuffing, leftovers for you! gravy, and cranberry apple chutney. It also includes a large Clark’s rendition of Thanksgiving dinner includes the holrange of desserts like apple pie with ice cream, pumpkin pie, iday’s classics, so if you’re craving a traditional meal without and pecan tarts. the hassle, Clark’s feast is perfect. The menu features turkey, Order by phone or email by Tuesday, Nov. 23 for pickgravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, brussel sprouts, and sweet up any time during business hours on Wednesday, Nov. 24 potatoes with marshmallows. or before 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 25. Email zeke@ The recipe calls for lots of ingredients, so you are going davios.com for inquiries and orders for the holiday. to want to set aside some time for a trip to Roche Bros or The Smoke Shop Trader Joe’s. You can find the full recipe and instructions Like Davio’s, The Smoke Shop has the Thanksgiving online. classics on-hand, but they provide the option of a pre-pre2. “Roasted Vegan Thanksgiving Bowl” - For my vegan pared meal with a pre-selected menu—“All Boxed Up” at and vegetarian friends, this is a recipe for you! Brittany Muel$55 for two people—and the opportunity for guests to mix ler’s recipe for “I Love Vegan” consists of vegan substitutes and match their order with their a la carte menu. The kit to fan favorites, satisfying the fall-flavor cravings without the comes with turkey, Texas toast stuffing, mashed sweet pota- use of animal products. toes, ham, and pumpkin spice butter cake. The bowl includes roasted squash and carrots, roasted Order by phone or online “All Boxed Up” packages brussel sprouts, garlic roasted broccoli, mashed creamer by Thursday, Nov. 18 for pick-up on Tuesday, Nov. 23 or potatoes, vegan gravy, pecans, and cranberry sauce. ServWednesday, Nov. 24. For a la Carte selections, order before ing around 2-3 people, this meal only takes 55 minutes to Friday, Nov. 19 for pick-up on Wednesday, Nov. 24. prepare and gives you leftovers. While Mueller’s recipe requires less ingredients than Bambara Kitchen & Grill Clark’s, you’ll probably still need to stop by a grocery store. Bambara is the cheapest option on this list, with its 3. Thanksgiving, a la carte (a.k.a pick and choose your Thanksgiving dinner kit coming in at $35. The dinner-forfavorites) - Personally, I’m not the best at cooking, but I can one contains a turkey breast and leg, mashed potatoes, bake without setting the food ablaze—except the cinnamon cranberry sauce, roasted brussel sprouts, gravy, mushroom rolls that one time. We don’t need to talk about that. stuffing, and a slice of apple or pumpkin pie. Their menu If you’re like me and would rather spend time being also features a la carte options. thankful for the cooking or baking skills you already possess A portion of the proceeds from Bambara’s thanksgiving instead of taking risks in the kitchen, I recommend selecting kits will go to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign run by recipes for foods you already know how to make. non-profit organization Share Our Strength aiming to end I know I’ll be thankful if those of us staying on campus child hunger in the United States. make it through break without getting evacuated due to a Order by phone or online by Friday, Nov. 19 for pick-up holiday cooking mishap. on Wednesday, Nov. 24 between 12:00 and 8:00 p.m. To avoid becoming the one setting off the building’s fire alarm, I’ll be ordering a Thanksgiving kit from Bambara— sometimes you have to treat yourself. However or wherever you are spending this holiday, thank you for reading this edition of The Beacon Magazine. The Beacon wishes you and all your loved ones a very happy Thanksgiving! If you’d rather save a couple bucks and do the work yourself, you can always make use of campus kitchens in Colonial, Little Building, Piano Row, and 2 Boylston Place to Lucia Thorne is the Content Managing Editor for The Berkeley make yourself a Thanksgiving feast. Beacon and a sophomore studying journalism. There are many simple recipes online to make a Thanksmagazine@berkeleybeacon.com giving meal for one. Here are a few:
Make Your Own Thanksgiving Meal in Your Building’s Kitchen
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Features
Illustration by Lucia Thorne
It’s time to pay attention to the harsh reality of Thanksgiving BY MARIYAM QUAISAR Thanksgiving is seen as a day to be grateful, to remember and honor the blessings of the past year, but many continue to willingly ignore the reality of the holiday. Supposedly created to commemorate peace between the pilgrims and Native people—Thanksgiving is celebrated on the graves and stolen land of hundreds of thousands of Native Americans. Not only do Americans not pay attention to the truth of the holiday—they aren’t educated about it. November is the only time of the year when non-Native Americans acknowledge the Indigenous population, and even then, it is done in an offensive manner. In schools and homes, children learn the history of Thanksgiving—along with most of American history—from the perspective of white colonialists. We’re told that the first Thanksgiving feast was held in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts by the pilgrims—colonists who fled from England to Holland to North
America in order to escape religious persecution, according to Smithsonian Magazine. We’re told it celebrated the pilgrims’ survival of their first winter, and members of the Wampanoag tribe were allegedly invited to declare a peace treaty. In reality, the leader of the Wampanoag tribe approached the feast, not because he was invited, but because Pilgrims were firing their guns, which led the tribe to believe they were in danger. This feast, which actually happened in March according to Inquirer, is not the “first Thanksgiving,” and pleasantries between the Europeans and Native Americans most certainly did not become a tradition. Pilgrims continued their annual feasts, often celebrating a successful massacre of Native people. According to Valerie Russ of Inquirer, the first official mention of a “Thanksgiving,” by Massachusetts Colony Governor
John Winthrop, occured in 1637 after 700 Pequot people—an entire village in what is now Mystic, Connecticut—were murdered by Puritans. Teachers also fail to mention how English settlers robbed Wampanoag graves and stole food from the tribe. As European settlers continued to arrive in the “New World” into the late 19th century, the attacks, wars, and raids on Native tribes continued as well, causing the drastic decrease in the Indigenous population: about 10 million in 1492 to less than 238,000 after the Indian wars, which lasted from the mid 1600s to the late 19th century. During the Gnadenhutten Massacre in 1782, several Pennsylvanian militiamen killed 96 Christianized Delaware Indians, according to Donald L. Fixico, the author of Termination and Relocation. They were beaten to death with wooden mallets and hatchets. In 1811, during the
Battle of Tippecanoe, former military officer and the 9th president of the U.S. William Henry Harrison attacked and burned down Prophetstown, the Indian capital on the Tippecanoe river. The War of 1812 bled into the Creek War of 1813-1814 where 186 Creeks were slaughtered at Tallushatchee at the orders of General Andrew Jackson—does the name ring a bell? Violence against Natives grew so common that Mvskoke Creek women started killing their children to avoid seeing soldiers butcher them, according to Fixico. European settlers’ greed for land and resources controlled by Native people, as well as blatant ethnocentrism, caused the racial genocide. As a result, we have grown up associating Thanksgiving with turkey hands and Native American headdresses made out of construction paper. From the age of four, kids unknowingly mock Native American culture because of their educators’ distorted interpretations of Native peoples’ appearances and traditions. The way Thanksgiving is taught in American schools tarnishes beautiful Native American cultures, especially since the majority of what is taught is both untrue and misleading. Curricula portray Native Americans as people who helped pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving. The story of the holiday illustrates Christian settlers as superheroes who braved the perils of the New World, including the Natives as sidekicks. Even worse, schools allow young children to appropriate Indigenous culture by simplifying and stereotyping the community with arts and crafts. From a young age, students are shown a basic image of Native Americans, disrespecting indigenous culture and its significance by ignoring its diversity, as a way to “teach history.” November is Native American Heritage Month, and Nov. 23 is Native American Heritage Day, but both receive little acknowledgement in the media or in schools. Native Americans understandably have different perspectives on Thanksgiving, and many even refer to the day as the National Day of Mourning as it is a reminder of genocide, theft, and assault. For the past 51 years, the United American Indians of New England have organized a rally and day of mourning every Thanksgiving to protest the racism and oppression that Native people experience. Others like Sean Sherman, the founder Illustration by Lucia Thorne
“November is the only time of the year when non-Native Americans acknowledge the Indigenous population, and even then, it is done in an offensive manner.”
and chief executive officer of The Sioux Chef detest the illusion of unity between pilgrims and Natives. Instead, he says, “We can focus simply on values that apply to everybody: togetherness, generosity, and gratitude,” in a Time Magazine article. Native Americans celebrated the autumn harvest and Mother Earth long before European settlers arrived, and Thanksgiving itself originates from the Native philosophy of giving without expecting anything in return, according to a nonprofit titled Native Hope. Today’s Thanksgiving dishes originate from Native American culture, dishes that white invaders detested because it was beyond their comprehension. During the first celebration of this holiday, the Wampanoag tribe not only provided foods like corn, beans, wild rice and turkey, but also taught settlers about agriculture and hunting. Instead of offering support during a time that reminds Native people of their community’s oppression, Thanksgiving romanticizes their struggles. Indigenous people were and continue to be seen as inferior because of their darker complexions, foreign languages, and differing spiritual beliefs. According to Fixico, Native people were labeled as “pagan savages,” and killed in the name of civilization and Christianity, which is especially hypocritical considering the pilgrims fled Europe because they were under similar danger. It is important to understand and uplift the Native people on days other than just Thanksgiving and Indigenous People’s Day. Schools need to give Native Americans and indigenous organizations the opportunity to teach students the truth of their culture. More so, parents need to take the initiative to learn about the stolen land they live on and teach their children. The U.S. population must educate itself about the harsh reality Native Americans continue to face.
Mariyam Quaisar is the Living Arts Editor for The Berkeley Beacon and a sophomore studying journalism.
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Emerson College, Boston, resides on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Massachusett people, whose name was appropriated by this Commonwealth. We pay respect to the Massachusett elders past and present. We acknowledge the truth of violence perpetrated in the name of this country and make a commitment to uncovering that truth. Land acknowledgement courtesy of Emerson College.
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