Volume 12 Issue 22
“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.” www.brandeishoot.com
December 4, 2015
Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper • Waltham, Mass.
FORD HALL 2015
Sit-in concludes after 12 days By Hannah Schuster & Emily Sorkin Smith Editor
photo by matt kowalyk/the hoot
After 12 days of occupying the Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center, student negotiators from the Ford Hall 2015 movement and administrators signed a Draft Implementation Plan for Diversity and Inclusion at Brandeis on Tuesday, Dec. 1. The agreement formed after students issued a list of 13 demands to the administration on Thursday, Nov. 19. It addresses the issues of diversity and inclusion on campus. It establishes plans to increase the number of black students, faculty and staff, creates support systems for those people and outlines
a plan to create a more diverse and inclusive curriculum. “The students of #FordHall2015 who have occupied the Bernstein-Marcus Administration building for the past 12 days, since November 20th, 2015, are now a part of history. We are a part of Brandeis’ history, Black History and American History. We are overjoyed to pave the way for future Brandeis students and hope that our actions are inspirations to other university students demanding a positive change,” a post on the group’s Facebook page reads. Organizers of the movement declined to comment to The See SIT-IN, page 2
Joint statement addresses student demands Brandeis Asian American Task By Elianna Spitzer Staff
Interim President Lisa Lynch issued a joint statement featuring a summary of a Draft Implementation Plan for Diversity and Inclusion at Brandeis University on Tuesday, Dec. 1. This statement was issued after multiple days of negotiations between administrators and students. The statement, signed by Lynch, Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel and student negotiators, is divided into four sections. The sections outline specific changes that will be addressed during the next few semesters. They account for many of the demands that had been issued by the Ford Hall 2015 movement on
Thursday, Nov. 19. Demands that were specifically addressed include appointing a vice president of diversity and inclusion and establishing an office of ombuds. The process for hiring a vice president of diversity and inclusion will begin in in early 2016. Until then, several changes will be made in preparation. A University Diversity Steering Committee will be hired as soon as possible. According to the joint statement, this committee will, “report to the President and be responsible for developing metrics to be used for accountability.” A “reporting line,” which was also referred to as an interim student ombudsperson, will be established to “serve as an independent, neutral and confidential
poster in usdan calls for change
Inside this issue:
News: Faculty show support for students Opinion: A call for divestment Arts: Musician-in-residence tony arnold Features: BTV in the spotlight Editorial: Ford Hall 2015
resource for students to discuss their academic issues and concerns.” Demands regarding diversity on campus included the request to increase enrollment of black undergraduate and graduate students to 15 percent. They also requested an increase of the percentage of “full-time black faculty and staff to 10 percent across ALL departments,” with 10 departments given special note. These included the Heller School, a number of the social sciences and the hard sciences. The final agreement did not include percentages, and many movement participants did not See AGREEMENT, page 3
photo by matt kowalyk/the hoot
Strong first act makes ‘Little Shop’
Page 2 Page 12 Page 6 exceptional Page 11 Tympanium Euphorium’s fall musical shines Page 10 Arts: Page 8
Force issues demand for Asian American Studies department By Andrew Elmers Editor
On the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 2, a letter demanding the creation of an Asian American Studies department at Brandeis was sent to Interim President Lisa Lynch, Chair of the Board of Trustees Perry Traquina ’78 and other administrators. Signed by the Brandeis Asian American Task Force (BAATF), the letter was made public through the group’s Medium page, with an announcement on their Facebook page. The letter demands that an Asian American Studies department (AAS) be created, offering both minors and majors to undergraduates, and that a cluster-hire of at least three tenure-track professors be made by the end of the spring 2016 semester. Additionally, BAATF seeks the offering of an introductory AAS course starting in the fall 2016 semester, the creation of a Florence Levy Kay Postdoctoral Fellowship, which brings young postdoctoral scholars to campus for two-year appointments in interdisciplinary programs, for the AAS department and a collaborative and transparent process between the administration and BAATF in creating the AAS department.
The letter concludes by asking all five addressees to sign the pledge and meet with BAATF students by Tuesday, Dec. 8. In an email to The Brandeis Hoot on Dec. 2, before the release of the demand letter, BAATF founder and president Hin Hon (Jamie) Wong ’17 stated that the founding group of 11 students had “a desire to create a space for Brandeis students to use our collective skills and power to advocate for the Asian American and Pacific Islander student body.” Hin Hon Wong also authored an opinion article about the need for Asian American Studies at Brandeis in the Nov. 13 issue of The Hoot. Founded in late October, BAATF conducted a survey to evaluate interest in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) studies, as well as an Asian & AAPI center among the Brandeis student body. Open to the public from Nov. 4-11 and distributed through Facebook and various club listservs, the poll found that 64 percent of respondents, out of a total pool of 121 respondents, showed interest in minoring in Asian American Studies, according to the data released on BAATF’s Medium page. This conclusion combined the amount of See BAATF, page 3
KRS-One visits campus, addressing issues of race
Rapper, record producer, activist and teacher
News: Page 4
NEWS
2 The Brandeis Hoot
December 4, 2015
Miscommunication between negotiators delays agreement on demands SIT-IN, from page 1
Brandeis Hoot. The student and administrator negotiating team met for six to 14 hours every day between Wednesday, Nov. 23 and Monday Nov. 30, except for Thanksgiving when the meeting was shorter, according to an occupier. The student negotiators were four women of color, and administrators included Lynch,Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel, multiple deans and provosts, though others were also consulted, according to Lynch. On Tuesday, organizers created a Facebook event called “Unity Day,” inviting all students to join them at the Rabb Steps at 12 p.m. dressed in black. Over 100 students marched from Rabb to Fellows Garden, where organizers announced Lynch would be making a statement at 12:30 p.m. However, the administration did not show up at this time.
“This announcement was going to be that the #FordHall2015 demands were officially met,” read a press release from the group released at 2:05 p.m. while students were still outside. “Brandeis administration is 21 minutes late and counting. Therefore we are going to meet them where they are,” organizers posted on their Facebook page. The crowd then moved to the Shapiro Admissions Center where administrators were meeting inside. Some students linked arms in front of the doors, while other stood down the steps in front of the building. They stood outside for two and a half hours. Temperatures Tuesday ranged from a high of 37 degrees to a low of 20 degrees, and rain fell off and on, according to AccuWeather.com for Waltham. The administration had a different understanding of the situation on Tuesday. Though Lynch believes the team was “unified in our sense of accomplishment” after negotia-
tions that ended around midnight Tuesday, she said, “Our team believed that there would be one more meeting early on Tuesday morning to finalize edits on the agreement and to work out details regarding a signing and that there was a mutual understanding that no signing would take place until the sit-in concluded and the building had been vacated,” in an email to The Brandeis Hoot. However, students believed the time of the ceremony was confirmed and that their belongings did not need to be moved out until 2 p.m., confirmed by multiple occupiers who wish to remain anonymous because they did not want to speak for the movement as a whole. An issue with the Brandeis email server causing message delivery to be delayed further complicated communication. Of the confusion over the timeline for a signing ceremony and leaving Bernstein-Marcus, Lynch said, “This should have been an easy misunderstanding to rectify
if we had been able to communicate.” Both sides were sending, but not receiving, each other’s emails, according to Lynch. Both questioned where the other side stood on the agreement in its final form. In an email sent to students later Tuesday evening, John Unsworth, vice provost of technology services, informed the student body of technology issues. At 1:10 p.m., during the period when email was unreliable, Brandeis University posted, “We look forward to signing an agreement once all of the students involved in the sit-in have left … [Bernstein-Marcus]” on Facebook. This was the first public mention of the agreement. It was after this post that a group of students went to the administrative building, formed a line and passed belongings from there to the SCC theater. There, supporters could collect their belongings, according to a post on the Ford Hall 2015 Facebook page. Around 3 p.m., the agreement
was signed. Lynch read the agreement to the crowd of students, which had decreased in size since the rally began. “It was, frankly, so frustrating for everyone that a moment that should have been a celebration of unity became a moment of confusion,” said Lynch. Reflecting on the agreement now in place, Lynch wrote, “The agreement was the result of an enormous amount of honest discussion about our mutual goals and how to make Brandeis an even more diverse and inclusive university. We all acknowledged that while much work has been done, actions will need to be sustained over time by all to accomplish real change. No one person or program can change the university.” “We are moving our people toward a liberation that has long been denied,” the Ford Hall 2015 group wrote on their Facebook page. “This is a liberation that those of all races can understand.”
photo by andrew elmers/the hoot
Faculty come together to support student activism By Abigail Gardener & Charlotte Aaron Staff
Twenty-six graduate and undergraduate programs issued statements proclaiming their support for students involved with Ford Hall 2015, including the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, the Faculty Senate, the Division of Science and various academic departments. With a majority of undergraduate departments having issued statements, the faculty have been consistent in support of a more diverse and inclusive Brandeis. On Tuesday, Nov. 24, Interim President Lisa Lynch sent an email calling an emergency faculty meeting. Lynch said in the email that she hoped “to update the faculty on the events of the weekend, the board meeting on Sunday and the work that we have been doing this week.” She urged the faculty to share what they had already done in response to the sit-in and hoped to provide an opportunity for faculty to voice their support. At the start of the meeting, a
few faculty members invited their peers to leave the meeting and hold signs reading “hugs,” “we love you” and “we’re listening” outside of Bernstein-Marcus. A few other faculty members left their seats to support the students sitting in. Following the close of the meeting, over 30 faculty members stood outside to show their support. Students responded with a sign that read “we [heart] our supporters.” Director of Legal Studies Richard Gaskins said that at the meeting, Lynch expressed her sympathy toward the students. The meeting was called for the purpose of lending support and served as a moment to underscore the importance of the students’ goals. Gaskins noted that Lynch believed expressing sympathy was the appropriate thing to do. Everyone was trying to express goodwill without knowing the specific details of the situation, he said. The following Tuesday, Dec. 1, faculty received an email from the Office of Communications about the students’ move-out of Bern-
stein-Marcus and the end of the sit-in. The email was sent a little after midnight, and the agreement was signed around 3 p.m. the next day. Most faculty statements were published before Thanksgiving break, and all are posted in Appendix B of the Draft Implementation Plan for Diversity and Inclusion on the Office of the President’s website. The statements of support range in content. Thirteen statements included the phrase “stand in solidarity” with the students involved in Ford Hall, while others simply state that they agree with the students’ vision. Almost all departments called for “greater diversity” in their statements and discussed the need to respond to the students with short- and long-term goals. Some departments pledged activism; both the departments of economics and politics included plans to increase staff and curriculum diversity within their departments specifically. “What we have to do is keep doing what we’re doing but more of it and see if we can make it more
effective, try in more places to recruit, work with the minority students that are here and in the sciences,” Division of Science Head John Wardle said. He believes the department can do a much better job of tracking and mentoring the minority students already present in the department. Many departments worked hard to get their statements out in a timely manner in order to ensure students felt their support. “It took a couple of hours to write the initial draft, and then about 60 emails among the faculty to get it just right. We posted Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving. We thought posting before Thanksgiving was especially important so that students remaining over the break would feel supported,” said Chair of the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies (NEJS) Department Jonathan Decter in an email to The Brandeis Hoot. Program of Religious Studies Chair Bernadette Brooten said that their statement took several days to write as well; the faculty wanted to make sure that their views were adequately expressed. Some statements included signa-
tories, mainly to make sure all faculty members associated with the statement agreed with the views reflected in it. “Our department prefers not to take collective stances on political or social issues whether they are on- or off-campus. In general, we voice our opinions publicly as individuals; some elect to share their views with individuals only while others prefer to keep them private altogether. We made an exception for #ford2015 because of the importance and timeliness of the issues and because there were curricular implications. Still, we don’t believe that the majority, even the great majority, should speak for the whole. Some may not have signed because they disagreed with the statement either in whole or in part. Other faculty members, including some on sabbatical, did not participate in the discussion and we didn’t want to speak for them,” said Decter. “As Brandeis faculty, it is imperative that we listen to and address claims of injustice expressed by members of our university community,” Politics Department faculty wrote in their statement.
December 4, 2015
The Brandeis Hoot
Editor
Sororities and fraternities have pulled their support from the Safe Campus Act, which would require student victims of sexual assault to report their experiences to the police before they can begin a formal campus reporting process. Both Delta Phi Epsilon and Sigma Delta Tau, two sororities with chapters at Brandeis, publicly withdrew their support, citing a desire to give survivors choice in how they report. “We’re strong proponents of giving survivors of sexual assault the power to control what happens after their assault, and the Safe Campus Act could discourage survivors from seeking resources that could benefit them if they don’t want their assault to be reported,” said Delta Phi Epsilon President Lee Remi ’16. Remi emphasized precautions Delta Phi Epsilon takes to limit alcohol-related sexual assault. She explained that when alcohol is served at a sorority event, there is always one sober member for every five members that will be drinking. They require a sober member to be bartending anytime they hold an event with a fraternity. Two other bills have been introduced to Congress, the Fair Campus Act and the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, incorporating some elements of the
Safe Campus Act but eliminating the mandatory reporting aspect. Delta Phi Epsilon has taken other steps to address campus sexual assault. All members of the sorority have received bystander intervention training, and several work for centers on campus like the Rape Crisis Center and the Office of Prevention Services that support survivors. Under the Safe Campus Act, victims of sexual assault would still be able to access the confidential services provided by the Office of Prevention Services and other campus centers. Sheila McMahon, the sexual assault services and prevention specialist, told The Brandeis Hoot that she does not support the legislation. Requiring victims to report first to the police before beginning a formal university process “raises all kinds of questions about how colleges and universities would still be able to carry out their obligations under Title IX.” McMahon argued for creating “brave spaces” for survivors of sexual assault, allowing them to “enter into a fair and equitable adjudication process on campus that is consistent with the standard of evidence, protections and institutional accountability set out under Title IX.” Sexual assault on college campuses is, according to McMahon, receiving more of the attention she feels it deserves from lawmakers and school administrators,
though “awareness and attitudes toward survivors are not always supportive.” Sam Daniels ’16, program liaison at the Office of Prevention Services and member of Delta Phi Epsilon, feels the mandatory law enforcement involvement in formal university processes could discriminate against students of color, who, she believes, may not be as comfortable reporting to the police. “Survivors deserve a variety of options in reporting and receiving services,” Daniels argued.
Support expressed for BAATF BAATF, from page 1
“yes” responses (33 percent) with the amount of “maybe” responses (31 percent). With this data, BAATF members met with Senior Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences for Undergraduate Education Elaine Wong on Thursday, Nov. 12 to discuss the possibility of “creating a new Asian American Studies interdepartmental program,” according to Elaine Wong in an email to The Hoot, also on Dec. 2. They discussed how the interdepartmental program would be created, with Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and faculty approval, and funded. BAATF and Elaine Wong further discussed what possible courses would be offered for the minor, with the Asian American Experience in the American Studies program, which has not been offered since fall 2011, serving as a requirement for the minor. The Asian American Experience was also offered in fall 2007 and fall 2009. All three courses were taught by Prof. Shilpa Davé (AMST), who has since left Brandeis for a position at the University of Virginia. Currently, The Asian American Experience is listed as an elective in the Cultures, Identities, and Encounters section of the International & Global Studies major. Elaine Wong told The Hoot that she had shared her discussion with BAATF with Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren, one of the addressees of BAATF’s demand letter. After speaking with Elaine Wong on Nov. 12 and the publish-
ing of the article in The Hoot on Nov. 13, BAATF launched their Facebook page and published their manifesto on Nov. 20, the same day the occupation of Bernstein-Marcus began. At this point, BAATF decided to suspend their operations to show support and stand in solidarity with #ConcernedStudents2015. “BAATF decided on our own to delay the letter to the administration. We wished to show support and stand in solidarity, maintaining focus and momentum on #FordHall2015,” Hin Hon Wong said. Along with the release of their demand letter Wednesday evening, BAATF posted a petition online through Google Forms calling for the creation of an Asian American Studies department. When asked about the change from a AAS program to a AAS department, Hin Hon Wong stated that BAATF adjusted their demands after meeting with Elaine Wong. Elaine Wong clarified in her email that an AAS department was not discussed at the Nov. 12 meeting, but BAATF’s long-term goal of creating a AAS major was talked about. Further discussions at the meeting focused on the placement of a tenure-track position, “which is almost always in a department,” according to Elaine Wong. There has been no communication between administration and BAATF since the Nov. 12 meeting. Regarding their vision of an AAS program, in the email to The Hoot on Dec. 2, Hin Hon Wong stated that BAATF envisions a program with courses from various academic disciplines, includ-
3
Timeline of #FordHall2015
Greek life organizations pull support from the Safe Campus Act By Emily Sorkin Smith
NEWS
ing history, politics, sociology, women and gender studies and literature. “Our vision is open to change because it will be molded by the professors or academic fellows that join us and the students themselves,” Hin Hon Wong said. Currently, BAATF has received support from #FordHall2015, in a statement of solidarity released on their Facebook page, and from a number of Brandeis students. Additionally, Prof. Chaeran Freeze (NEJS) shared a statement of support for BAATF with The Hoot. “The laudable goal of the Brandeis Asian American Task Force (BAATF) to establish Asian American Studies at Brandeis University is powerful evidence that the university has succeeded in its core mission: to foster intellectual curiosity, encourage diversity and promote student activism and social justice to repair the world,” Freeze said in an email on Friday, Dec. 4. BAATF maintains an open membership policy. “The only requirement is that [interested students] must contribute in some way to BAATF and show interest in staying committed to BAATF,” Hin Hon Wong shared with The Hoot. While future Task Force meetings will be open only to BAATF members, the Task Force aims to have three public meetings each semester. Hin Hon Wong stated, “These will be town hall-style discussions to communicate with students and look for ways BAATF can improve.” Executive Director of Integrated Media Bill Schaller could not respond by press time when asked for a statement on behalf of Lynch and the other addressees of the demand letter.
Faculty hires to be more diverse
AGREEMENT, from page 1
expect it to. Quota systems for minorities have been held unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court. However, the agreement includes provisions to double underrepresented faculty of color by 2021 and to “accelerate the trajectory of [student] applications from underrepresented students of color with the goal of 5-10 percent annual increases in applications starting Fall 2017.” According to the most recent information available on the Brandeis website, one percent of Brandeis’ 348 faculty were black in 2013. To increase diversity of the faculty, the university will institute a Target of Opportunity Hiring Program. This means that when conducting a search for new faculty, if the university identifies a highly skilled minority applicant, they will place this candidate in a streamlined hiring channel. Faculty search chairs and diversity representatives involved in searches will complete training on implicit bias. The diversity representatives will meet to discuss criteria, job ads and increasing diversity within their search. Brandeis will also allocate funding for up to two tenure faculty hires a year, as well as regular searches for faculty “who will diversify our faculty or curriculum in significant ways.” A demand was also made regarding the mandate of yearly diversity and inclusion workshops for all faculty and staff. To address this demand, online Title IX training for all faculty and staff will be augmented in the upcoming year. The statement also highlighted existing programs such as the Center for Teaching and Learning’s workshop “Discussing Race and Inequality in Our Classrooms.” The CTL began conducting this workshop in February of last year. It is a group discussion among faculty and is facilitated by professors Dan Perlman (BIOL) and Rajesh Sampath (HS). Perlman said the purpose of the facul-
ty discussion group is to “share ideas and talk about issues that have arisen in their classrooms.” According to Perlman, the group aims to provide a way for faculty members to “get guidance from colleagues that may have a good way to handle these issues.” Perlman believes that the workshop is the first of many new approaches the CTL may take. “We’re looking for a whole range of different formats, not just discussions amongst faculty but a wider array,” said Perlman. Moving forward, faculty development programs in the area of diversity will be a joint effort between the CTL and the Committee for the Support of Teaching and Learning. Certain demands were absent from the final statement. A request to “increase funding of Black student organizations and programs” was not addressed. Lynch commented on this in an email to The Brandeis Hoot. “The students and the administrators both understood that club funding is an issue that should be addressed by the Student Union, which is responsible for overseeing the allocation process,” she wrote. In an attempt to address the issue of increasing diversity on a large scale, the joint statement indicates that a task force will be formed to audit undergraduate degree requirements. This audit is expected to take place over 18 months. The process will include, “a mandate to consider how to incorporate issues of race, equity and inclusion in university requirements,” Lynch said in an email to The Hoot. Both sides agree that all demands were met within the joint statement. However this progress is only the beginning; students and faculty will continue to work together to improve diversity on the Brandeis campus. “It will not be easy, as we noted in our joint statement, it is a complex process that will generate resistance and conflict. I am very optimistic, however, that we have the capacity to achieve our goals,” Lynch wrote.
4 NEWS
The Brandeis Hoot
First-years reduce carbon footprint with sustainability contest By Charlotte Aaron Editor
North Quad residents edged out those in Massell Quad in a month-long recycling and energy conservation competition dubbed the Sustainability Challenge, with Gordon Hall ultimately conserving the most energy of all firstyear resident halls. Over the course of the competition, North Quad was able to raise its amount of recycled waste from 14 percent at the beginning of the competition to 28.75 percent at the end. Massell Quad performed similarly with an increase in recycled waste from 12 percent to 26.5 percent. Energy usage in Massell decreased to an average of 1494 kilowatts per day during the month, down seven percent from the baseline of 1612 kilowatts per day. North Quad was not as successful in energy conservation, only decreasing from an average of 1324 to 1311, a two percent decrease. Mary Fischer, manager of sustainability programs, launched the competition this year to increase awareness about recycling and energy usage on campus. “Absolutely fantastic results overall, proving that if our firstyear quads can improve their energy and recycling rates, so can the rest of campus,” Fischer said. She plans to bring more competitions to campus next semester. The education that comes with a sustainability competition is really beneficial to students, said Estela Lozano ’16, a resident of the Charles River Apartments. Although she is not sure how upperclassmen would respond to competition, she believes even just bringing attention to the importance of recycling and energy consumption helps increase sus-
tainability. Sophia He ’19, a first-year resident of Deroy, said that the email reminders she received about the competition helped her remember to turn off the lights when she left her room and to recycle. Kaylee Wallace ’19, a resident of Scheffres felt similarly to He. “Because of the competition, I became more aware of turning off lights and unplugging electronics when I wasn’t using them.” “I felt I began to recognize that being sustainable was not as difficult as I once thought it was,” said Zach Cihlar ’19, a resident of Renfield. “It doesn’t require drastic routine changes in order to adopt new, more sustainable practices.” With the conclusion of the competition, first-year students received an email with graphics that clearly showed the increase in recycled waste and decrease in electricity usage. “The infographics sent for the competition updates helped me understand how much of an impact a dorm could make in its efforts,” said Robbie Eaton ’19, a resident of Shapiro. As promised, first-years are being rewarded for their efforts in decreasing waste and electricity usage. Habiba Braimah, area coordinator for North Quad, is hosting a celebration next Wednesday in Polaris lounge with cider donuts, cider and giveaways. At the celebration, Gordon Hall residents will be presented with a trophy handmade by an alum, wrote Braimah in her email to the students. First-years who bring their sustainability pledge with them to the event can be entered in a raffle to win a mug or water bottle.
College Notebook:
College Seminal rapper speaks on ‘Art, Race, Activism’ By Jess Linde Editor
Renowned rapper, record producer, activist and teacher KRSOne addressed Brandeis students this Wednesday in Rappaporte Treasure Hall as part of the “Arts, Race, Activism” integrated arts project. The lectures are funded by the Brandeis Arts Council and organized by the African and Afro-American Studies Department (AAAS), the Fine Arts Department (FA) and the Rose Art Museum. Two previous lectures in the series this semester featured a talk with video artist Yoshua Okón and New York University Professor Tavia Nyong’o’s lecture “The Fugitive Present: Sweet Sweetback and The Mythic Being.” Addressing a packed room, KRS-One delivered an artist talk to students based on questions from the audience that addressed the concepts of art, race and activism. Introducing the event, Professor Chad Williams (AAAS) spoke directly to students involved in the Ford Hall 2015 movement, who just the day before had ended their 12-day occupation of the Bernstein-Marcus Administrative buildings once their demands were addressed by Brandeis Interim President Lisa Lynch. “This night is for you,” Williams said. “You held it down for 12 days; for 12 days you all were straight hiphop.” Taking the stand, KRS-One congratulated student activists on their “total victory,” before taking questions from the audience, which ranged from the KRS-One’s favorite albums of all time to his opinion on the role of women in hip-hop. He identified artists who “shaped the genre” as his favorites, including famous albums by Run DMC, Public Enemy and Eric B & Rakim. In regards to women, KRS-One named “the usual suspects” such as MC Lyte and Queen Latifah as artists he respects.
Nationwide, students target racial inequality By Mia Edelstein Editor
A new civil rights movement is finding its place on college campuses across the country as students of color, specifically black students, demand recognition and representation from their schools. Students are forcing their campuses to confront histories of racial injustice and structural oppression through lists of demands to college administrators, protests and building occupations. The University of Missouri, informally known as Mizzou, set the stage for the subsequent campus activism after a group called Concerned Student 1950 released a list of demands to the university, held campuswide protests and ultimately forced the resignation of President Tim Wolfe in November. The hunger strike by a black graduate student at the University of Missouri spurred the football team to threaten to boycott their next game—a move that would have cost the university $1 million—if the president did not step down. According to TheDemands. org, more than 60 colleges have announced demands that address systemic racial bias on campuses, although they have not been
confined to the past few weeks, as some demands were compiled earlier this year. While each list of demands is unique to the climate that protests have identified at their school, many share themes. Two of the most prevalent demands involved increasing the percentage of black students and faculty on campuses. Another demand that appeared on many schools’ lists was adding therapists of color to counseling centers in order to provide culturally relevant support to students. A number of schools among those on The Demands do not have a black, African or Caribbean studies department, and were therefore demanded at many universities. Demands also addressed concerns of physical safety on campus for black students, specifically issues of campus policing. At the Amherst College sit-in, like at other schools, students spoke up to tell their stories of racism and oppression, according to Amherst Uprising, the campus’ movement organizers. During the four-day occupation from Nov. 12-15, protesters’ testimonies expressed the daily pain and burden of being black on and off campus, according to Amherst President Biddy Martin. The New York Times reported that the sit-in ended after Martin responded to
December 4, 2015
Amherst Uprising’s demands and pledged to “hire a chief diversity officer, increase the number of faculty members from minority groups, tailor mental health services to students of color and train staff in ‘cultural competency.’” Students at Occidental College in Los Angeles occupied an administrative building from Nov. 16-20 following protests the week before, according to The Los Angeles Times. Calling themselves Oxy United for Black Liberation, protestors handed 14 demands to school officials, including the creation of a Black Studies department, and the administration responded with an action plan on Thursday, Nov. 19, “including additional funding for the chief diversity officer, providing more resources and support for students of color, and creating a Black Studies program,” according to Occidental’s website. Movements in solidarity with students at the University of Missouri have swept the nation and even beyond, with the Universities of Toronto and Ottawa also releasing demands for racial justice. Calls for equality and recognition of injustices are propelling campus dialogue forward and addressing issues that administrations have ignored for generations.
Much of the lecture, however, stemmed from his response to the question: “How does white supremacy play a role in hip-hop culture?” “The term ‘white supremacy’ is something I take issue with,’” KRS-One said. “The surface answer is to say look at MTV and BET, look at the media … That literally says ‘this is what you believe black people are like’ in a negative way.” He continued to argue that white supremacy “as we know it, the idea that the white race is somehow above all other races, is not supreme. We should not teach white children that the supreme form of their culture is murder,” he said, adding that “racism is a low thought for everyone.” KRSOne went on to suggest that a “true white supremacist can love me more than I can love myself, because love is supreme.” This led to KRS-One’s statement that art is the greatest measure of civilization. By this definition, he argued, true “white supremacists are not racists; racism is a low thought for anything, it is not supreme.” KRS-One argued that artists like Eminem and the Beastie Boys, because they are white people who participated in hip-hop, a “supreme form of art,” serve as “supreme white people.” He went on to argue that hip-hop is the only “global culture” in which the dream outlined by Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1963 “I Have A Dream” speech exists, because it is a culture that judges people based on their ability in dancing, rapping and other skills. Institutionalized racism is to blame for many issues, KRS-One argued, because it “cannot see the intelligence of young blacks.” This issue and its subsequent problems are the result of the colonial origins of the United States. “You cannot educate the public accurately if your foundation is kidnapping, rape, theft and murder,” he said. He also encouraged the
African-American community to move beyond slavery and focus on the history of African civilizations and natural migration to the Americas. “If you’re claiming black anything, you have a responsibility not to black, but to humanity … everyone else comes from the African, the African comes from natural forces,” he argued. The lecture continued along this line, with KRS-One further describing his philosophical and political beliefs, including an autonomous “black sovereignty” in which black Americans create their own rule of law for their community. He also criticized modern rap music as not “authentic” hip-hop. “Real hip-hop would never be in the White House,” he said and encouraged young people with a hip-hop mentality to always be skeptical and to use their intelligence to see “both sides of the world being presented.” KRSOne also defined the “greatness of hip-hop” as “defeating the United States government of the 1980s … hip-hop united the black community when the world was against us.” He cited the fact that he has experienced hip-hop fanfare all over the world as an example of hip-hop’s success as an “indigenous culture to the United States.” KRS-One also argued for individual sympathy for police officers, because “America is a lawless place, and they [police officers] are afraid.” He called on black “CO’s, judges, and prosecutors putting our kids in jail” to break from the system and for black Americans to “wake up and realize that we are a nation unto ourselves” and to create their own voting processes and choose their leaders from the wisest among them. The talk ended with KRS-One telling the audience to “sprinkle your learning with a little hiphop” and taking pictures with students, before he and several members of Ford Hall 2015 left for a dinner and discussion.
A-Board increases representation with new members By Ryan Spencer Staff
Alex Feldman ’19 and Arlenys Reyes ’19 were elected to the Allocations Board after a special election held after the passage of an amendment to the Student Union Constitution that expanded the size of A-Board. Feldman was elected to a threemonth seat that started in the fall of 2015 and is currently working with the rest of A-Board in the ongoing early marathon. Reyes was elected to a single-semester position that begins in the spring of 2016. The amendment to the Student Union Constitution, which was passed on Saturday, Nov. 7 aimed to create a more stable A-Board by staggering elections so that there would never be a complete turnover, and a more efficient A-Board by increasing the number of members. In the special election, which occurred on Monday, Nov. 16, Feldman ran for the new three-semester position against James Porkola ’19 and Jeremy Koob ’17. Reyes ran for the new one-semester position against Jennifer Wu ’18. In an interview with The Brandeis Hoot, Feldman said that he believes his position on
A-Board is “a very direct way for my vision of [Brandeis] to come about.” Because his election to the A-Board occurred relatively close to marathon sessions, Feldman admits, “It’s a little bit messy so far, but I’m picking it up.” Feldman is currently working on the early marathon for the spring semester and says “everyone [on A-Board] is busy right now [and] working as a team, which is nice.” Reyes, who doesn’t take up her position on the A-Board until spring of 2016, said in an email with The Hoot that her involvement with A-Board so far has “exposed [her] to lots of new things” and that “the other members have been helpful in trying to get me accustomed to the responsibilities that an A-Board member holds.” Reyes says that her interest in A-Board comes from her interests in business, economics and “in participating in a group that adapts fairness and logic into their decision making.” Both Feldman and Reyes said that they were in favor of the increase in A-Board members due to the recent amendment. Reyes added that “with more members, the chances of having more representation in A-Board meetings is greater, which is what the Brandeis community needs.”
December 4, 2015
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‘Collision’ incites social change through self-expression By Adam Lamper Staff
“A collaborative, artistic effort to enact social change through personal narrative,” “Collision” explored themes of denial, hopelessness, shame and, eventually, self-liberation through the acceptance of the imperfections that make us different, that make us human. Having no standard medium throughout the entirety of the performance, the play, which went up in Spingold’s Merrick Theater last month, showcased many genres of the performing and non-performing arts including acting, dance, vocals and even poetry in order to capture the wide range of personal narratives and anecdotes of the cast. What the set design lacked in ornateness, it most definitely made up for in creativity and versatility, a function-over-
form concept that connects well with the overarching motif of discovering what works well for oneself, over contemplating and adopting the points of view of others. The dimly lit atmosphere of the stage aided in perpetuating the serious and, at times, somber nature of the performance, while the all-black clothing of the cast suggested feelings of anguish, fear and self-loathing that permeated throughout the changing narratives, or perhaps signifying the universality and indiscriminate nature of said emotions. Featuring an array of performers as variable in their walks of life as the genres of the performance, “Collision” resonated to some degree with everyone who had the opportunity to see it. Starring Dennis Hermida ’16, Chinyere Brown ’16, Brontë Velez ’16, Solomon McBride ’18, Victoria FilsAime ’19 and Molly Gimbel ’16
and directed by Kesi Kmt ’16, the performance had a healthy mix of familiar faces and those who are fresh on the performing scene this year. “I am a first-year at Brandeis University, and being involved in this performance let me voice my own opinion, and also that of others who struggle to speak up about their own struggles,” FilsAime said. “In the beginning of the play, I didn’t quite understand what we were doing actually, but after the performance, I had people who approached me and said thank you. It wasn’t until that moment that I really realized that the role I played in the performance has impacted others’ lives, and I couldn’t be more grateful I was a part of a performance that could do so.” Sponsored by the Queer People of Color Coalition (QPOCC) and Triskelion (TRISK) from Brandeis
photos by bethlehem s. belaineh
‘16 /black brandeis/the hoot
Pluralism Alliance grants, the performance revolves heavily around contemporary issues concerning race, gender and sexual orientation among a myriad of topics that fall under the encompassing obstacle of discrimination and focuses just as intensely on the acceptance of other as it does toward self-acceptance. “I loved how free and open the space was,” Hermida said. “It was by far the most rewarding show I’ve done at Brandeis. Also, the fact that we were telling our authentic truth, that’s what made this show so special. Personal stories were the entire performance. Without it, there wouldn’t be a show. I was so fortunate to have been able to share my truth.” Having astonished, or at the very least significantly impressed, the audience with his remarkable voice and dynamic range, Hermida reflected on how he was able to manage performing with such a newfound yet completely familiar stage persona. “I had to be my authentic self on stage; it was so challenging to
be myself, because there was no place to hide,” he said. “Singing is the only time where I feel most like myself, which I know sounds crazy. I just was so fortunate to tell my truth in my medium. Also it made me less nervous.” As with all issues, contemporary or future, past or present, social or personal, performances like “Collision” inspire us to both further our education of these issues as well as to create dialogue in order to educate those who are either unaware or misinformed on the atrocities faced by people on a daily basis not only campus-wide, but also on a national and even global scale as well. “Collision” can only ignite the spark of social change within our minds and our hearts, placing on us the sole responsibility to kindle that fire, so we can burn down the walls of discrimination in order to accept ourselves and others for whom they truly are, their imperfections.
Brandeis community comes together to interpret 1963 painting By Zach Gordon Staff
As part of the Rose Art Museum’s “Close Looking Series,” Brandeis Fine Arts lecturer Scott Patrick Wiener hosted a discussion on James Rosenquist’s 1963 painting, “Two 1959 People” on Wednesday, Dec. 2. The painting was a combination of several pieces of recognizable images, all juxtaposed in a manner that was meant to empty them of their original meaning and create a new one. The piece was painted on a five feet by five feet canvas. The main subject of the painting is a license plate with five red zeros on it in place of the typical form of plate identification. On the left side of the piece is a man, painted from behind from the lapel up in 1959 attire in, as Wiener put it, a “lavender washed grayscale.” On the opposite side is an upside-down cross section of a smiling woman from a 1950s advertisement. The rest of the composition is filled by a simplified black and red boat and a chaotic green and black pattern (an arabesque, as Wiener described it) enclosed in a crust of what the
photo from brandeis.edu
group decided was clearly Wonder bread. But the defining features of the piece are a fishing rod hanging above the composition and a pair of arms reaching towards a strip of unpainted canvas towards the bottom of the piece. Wiener, reading from a paper he had prepared for the event, began by discussing the meaning of the painting on a macro level before commenting on each facet of the painting, and how each individual image contributed to the overall meaning. Wiener discussed a quote from Rosenquist, which reads, “Painting below zero, that meant reintroducing imagery in a non objective manner.” He examined how
this painting is an embodiment of that concept, suggesting that in it Rosenquist “zeroes [the images] out in favor of an empty signifier.” The room proceeded to discuss how each facet contributes to that zeroing and what Rosenquist’s intention could have been. One point of contention in particular was whether he really meant to present these once meaningful images free of association or whether he meant more with the painting. The audience went on to ask questions and present ideas about what the symbols on the canvas represented. Some of the themes discussed were the meanings of nothingness in a capitalist soci-
ety, the value of advertising and whether the audience is even supposed to like the piece. An important moment of Wiener’s lecture was when he gave a nod to the Ford Hall 2015 movement. He notes that 1959 was toward the start of the Civil Rights Movement and listed several events of discrimination and civil rights successes during that year. However, he only referenced the Ford Hall protest and didn’t expand his thoughts on the movement. One of the highlights was the discussion of the fishing rod. Wiener described it as “an easy metaphor” for trying to fish something out of nothing. He described it as a very simple addition to the
piece, but an essential one. A point many audience members chimed in on was the reaching arms in the bottom of the piece. Many thought that the contorted nature of one of the arms meant that they had to be from more than one person. Discussion also focused on the fact that they were reaching for the blank strip of canvas. My own interpretation is that the arms symbolize a romance towards nothingness. They rise out of a chaotic pattern, reaching from the lavender sepia man on the left towards the blank strip, as if Rosenquist is saying that even nothingness is better than the chaos of the past. The presence of the misplaced advertisements, in my opinion, signify Rosenquist’s assertion that the constant flood of media and advertisements ultimately signify nothing. This interpretation was echoed by several audience members. Ultimately all interpretations of the piece are subjective, and to Wiener this is a good thing. The end of the discussion centered around whether art is supposed to be attractive or make the viewer think. And that question itself is something each audience member must think about.
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December 4, 2015
Tony Arnold first to receive creative arts award in twenty years By Sabrina Pond Editor
With a voice that could make birds swoon and an incredible capacity to bend the unvoiced confines of music by presenting groundbreaking, contemporary work, soprano Tony Arnold is a musician in the truest sense of the word. Arnold is the soprano for the International Contemporary Ensemble, has been a part of numerous projects such as David Lang’s Whisper Opera and collaborates with Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s MusicNow, to name only a few of her accomplishments. She has been lauded for her “broader gift for conveying the poetry and nuance behind outwardly daunting contemporary scores,” according to The Boston Globe. Given her talent, originality and
more than two dozen recorded discs so far, it only makes sense that Arnold would be the first to receive the Brandeis Creative Arts Award in two decades. Originally the award was intended to recognize writers as well as performers who have achieved significant feats, and the list of past recipients includes Tennessee Williams, George Balanchine, Leonard Bernstein, Georgia O’Keeffe and Arthur Miller. After its inception in 1956 it was transformed in 1995 and was renamed the Poses Institute of the Arts at Brandeis University, though the award itself functioned in much the same way. It was still intended to recognize distinguished artists but in more diverse disciplines in the arts. Slightly different from past years, the award qualifies Arnold to work alongside students and faculty in some of Brandeis’ classes as part of a yearlong residency.
photos from brandeisnow
This role is meant to showcase Brandeis’ continued dedication to the arts. On top of that, she also received a cash award of $20,000 as well as a medal. Arnold was particularly pleased to have been the recipient of the award. “It’s an overwhelming honor, there’s an opportunity here to engage in the process in a direct way. I don’t get to do that often.” She is also excited at the prospect of directly interacting with Brandeis’ own: “The opportunity to engage and help students become the architect of their own process is rare, and I am grateful and looking forward to it.” The Wednesday, Nov. 18 event incorporated both an award ceremony and a performance by none other than Arnold herself. After receiving the award from Interim President Lisa Lynch, Arnold performed a series of songs that she reportedly chose as re-
actions to exhibitions on display at the Rose. She felt particularly strongly about Lisa Yuskavage’s “The Brood”—painting of women’s bodies in various forms—and “LA/MA: ’60s Pop From Both Coasts.” According to Yu-Hui Chang, a chair of the music department at Brandeis, Arnold’s abilities are unparalleled and deserve recognition. “As one of the most sought-after performers in the world, soprano Tony Arnold is a pioneer who expands musical boundaries like no other.” Chang continued, “Her unsurpassable vocal artistry and powerful stage presence sets a gold standard in today’s contemporary music performance. Her fearless approach and her full commitment to the integrity of each musical composition unleash the imagination of numerous composers. Tony Arnold is a highly inspirational
figure and a dynamic force that propels the creation and performance of 21st century music.” The performance was riddled with surprises. For one, she made the decision not to start her first song on center stage. Rather, her rich, lush vocals bellowed from a staircase that leads to the first floor of the Rose. To add to the unique nature of the performance, some of the songs included animal sounds as well as references from comic books. For the most part, however, the Creative Arts Award recipient wanted to underscore the importance of various “identities” and how that interacts with the “vessel,” namely, the performer. The climax of her performance occurred when she even went so far as to use the catwalk so the audience could view her from above.
photo from screecher.com
Brandeis Improv Collective showcases outstanding skill By Conor Amrien Special to the Hoot
According to Brandeis Improv Collective (BIC) director Tom Hall, “everybody has a groove,” regardless of whether they play guitar, piano, bass, drums or even a dress and heels. On Sunday, Nov. 15, the BIC held their semester showcase in Slosberg Music Center, featuring improvised musical performances from 15 members. The night started off with solos, moving to group performances with an increasing number of people on stage at once, ending with the entire collective together on stage. “The only underlying structure to musical improv is the number of people on stage at once,” Hall said. Otherwise, there are no set structures or boundaries, and any combination of instruments can be on stage at a time. Hall picked members to perform randomly, each specializing in one or multiple instruments, emphasizing the importance of the relationship between improvisers. The energy and suspense in the theater built as the number of musicians on stage increased steadily. The performances started off with two quick solos and duets, showcasing the skill of each individual
member and their ability to build off of a partner. The collective then moved into a trio performance with Dave Stiefel ’16 on piano, Mitch Mankin ’16 on the saxophone and Ben Kazenoff ’15 on drums. The three started out with mysterious, dissonant sounds as buildup for a more haunting tone in the climax. The instruments seemed off at first when they were put together, but this dissonance added to the power of the climax when they began to harmonize. There was a return to the slow buildup in the middle of the piece when the music began to feel a bit cluttered. The improvisors seemed undecided on an ending, resulting in a drawn out finale, but ultimately resolved this by bringing the performance to a conclusion. The show hit a high point when a quartet comprised completely of drummers, including members Henry Goodridge ’18, David Matthews ’16, Zachary Anziska ’16 and Kazenoff, were given time on stage. Each member focused on a different style of drumming, adding to an overall upbeat piece. They made each drum sound unique, differentiating themselves from one another, but contributing to a smooth sound when putting everything together. Hall said that it is important in musical improv to know “when to say something and when not to.” The group
began one-by-one and found “the groove” quickly, listening for just the right time to add to the piece, careful not to create discord by playing too much. The piece itself was slow, the drum set keeping a steady beat while the hand drummers were let loose to add in varying rhythms, building the intensity of the performance until the crowd began to clap along with Matthews. The hand drummers sped up as the piece progressed hitting a climax before returning to a slower pace. They successfully built up the energy in the room and released it slowly, resulting in a satisfying end to the quartet. The BIC ultimately built up to eight members on the stage at once. Hall called up six members of the current collective as well as two alumni of the group. This performance truly pushed the boundaries of improv. Not only were eight musicians communicating at once, two of them had not performed with the group in a relatively long time. The alumni made use of whatever they could to support the instrumentation of the whole group. One used her body as an instrument, incorporating the sounds of her flapping dress, as well as her steps across the stage. The group worked well together with this support and succeeded in maintaining a harmonious
piece that was as enjoyable to listen to as it was to watch. The group was not finished, however, concluding with what the crowd was waiting for: the entire 15 person collective on stage at once. The piece itself was ambitious, but meshed well, with each member contributing a small but necessary component to a larger whole. The music was upbeat and filled with powerful rhythms, and it was clear the members were having fun on stage. This finale empha-
sized the connectedness of the group and the trust each member put in one another. The night ended on a high note, meeting all expectations put forth by the suspense of watching an increasing number of people improvising together. The BIC is open to all students who play an instrument or sing. They meet on Tuesday nights for 10 classes a semester. Sign-up sheets can be found in the Slosberg Music Center at the beginning of each semester.
photo from fredlanga.blogspot.com
December 4, 2015
HTG’s ‘The Contest’ digs deeper than its script By Alana Hodson Staff
Before the much-needed holiday break, a few spectacular plays were put on, providing students with the strength to endure the last couple of weeks. Among them was Hillel Theater Group’s “The Contest,” directed by Emily Galloway ’18, performed Nov. 12-15. Centered around the life of an average, working class Jewish-American family, “The Contest” reveals how familial bonds can break and a home can be shattered in the relentless pursuit of materialistic dreams. Bev, the young daughter played by Emma Cyr ’19, hopes to one day go to music school and become a musician, yet her optimistic and sweet nature is taken advantage of as she is forced to play the middle ground as her parents constantly quarrel due to her mother’s reckless spending. Lily (Abby Kirshbaum ’16) lures her daughter into participating in a contest for Mounds candy—buying hundreds of candy bars in the process—under the delusion that she will likely win the grand prize. However, when the results come in, Lily lies about her and Bev’s success, deceiving the entire family, and ultimately causing a heart attack that spells the end of her husband, Joe, played by Alex Peters ’18. After this climactic reveal, in the second act, the story enters a downward spiral of de-
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spair when Bev leaves for school, and Lily is consumed by her obsession with contests. Highly reminiscent of one the most famous modern plays to date, Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” this play provokes the audience to consider the true nature of the American dream, as they watch Lily throw away her husband’s hard-earned money on various contests, which she believes will one day bring her family great wealth and pride. Kirshbaum delivered an outstanding performance, portraying Lily as a dynamic character yet one who remains committed to betting on slim chances with a high pay-off, the “easy-fix,” as her means to reaching the American dream. Boisterous, proud and boastful, Kirshbaum tackled her role and brought life to the character. However, it was the dynamic among all three of the main characters that truly made “The Contest” stand out among the vast collection of Brandeis theater. Joe, quiet and reasonable, though with a fierce temper, was a complete foil to Lily, whose impulsive and sociable nature dominated the stage. Bev, who was torn between her two parents, had to endure the brunt of the pain and ultimately assumed responsibility after her father died. Even the set of the play forced the attention to the characters; a couch to the left of the stage, a dining table to the right and a piano, which Bev often
played, in the center, uniting the two halves of the stage. “The Contest” encompasses more issues than just the idea of the American dream, but also brings up madness, pride, anti-Semitism, domestic abuse and gender roles, which is exactly what director Galloway intended to coax out of the script and convey to the audience. In one scene, after Joe’s death, Bev and Lily get into a heated argument about the fate of their financial situation since their only source of income, Joe, was gone, and Lily refused to accept money from their wealthy relatives. Bev begs her mother to get a job, but Lily refuses, stating “It’s a shame for women to work.” This idea of a woman’s role, although common in that era, is vehemently railed against today, and leads us to think of how much our society has progressed. Although “The Contest” was initially considered just a coming-of-age story about Bev, the play has become far more. It inspires one to contemplate all of the themes it harbors and to view the American culture of the ’40s in a new light. Even until the end, as Lily settles into her next contest, alone and disheveled, the audience is kept wondering about the cause and extent of her insanity. With a talented cast and crew, the Hillel Theater Group and the Undergraduate Theater Collective undoubtedly created an incredible production.
Aro-ace vs. Aro-ace By Tova Weinberger
Want to write for arts? Contact Sabrina Pond sabmarie@brandeis.edu
MFA’s ‘Class Distinctions’ explores social order through 17th-century paintings By Emma Kahn Staff
In the basement of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston rests the exhibit “Class Distinctions: Dutch Painting in the Age of Rembrandt and Vermeer,” which puts a modern spin on 17th-century portraits and still-lifes to entice visitors of all ages. Seen through the lens of class—from high nobility to the dirt poor—each painting speaks to the dynamics of social life, using works that would normally feel distant and inaccessible
to most. A truly innovative and one-of-a-kind exhibit, visitors can expect to see vivacity and life brought to centuries old renditions of distant places. The first wall in the gallery explains all that the viewer is about to see. The curator touches on general themes of class distinctions in 17th-century Dutch paintings, such as the role of God’s hand in establishing social order, the class anxieties of the time as certain social groups became blurred, and the need to define rigid hierarchies of peoples. Each painting displayed in “Class Distinctions”
photo from mfa.org
can be interpreted as an effort to capture social dynamics, each artist “reflecting the aspirations of those commissioning” the paintings. In a tongue-in-cheek assertion, the curator reminds us that the gentry represented in the works of such painters as Rembrandt and Vermeer are the “one percent” of the age, tenaciously alluding to modern day class distinctions. The first room displays portraits of nobility. People are painted in richly colored clothing, often on horseback, placed in front of looming estates in the background, or situated above small figures of the poor class, bending down to tend to their work. Often, multiple generations are shown to document genealogies. The rich would commission portraits to line decadent hallways, depicting lengthy family trees. The gallery walls here are a deep charcoal blue, and the backward-facing walls are embellished with stenciled patterns adding to the depth and sumptuousness of the first room. The second room depicts those involved in trades who commissioned portraits to establish their rank as above those of the poor class. Subjects in this gallery are often seated around a table, directing the labor of those around them or are even placed against a solid backdrop, necks circled by the billowing white collars that modern viewers may normally associate with being only a stereotype of the era. The room of this social class is painted a rich violet. This section of the gallery appears to attract the least number of viewers and is awarded merely passing glances as visitors journey from the realm of the nobility into the realm of the poor.
The third room is simply titled “Labor.” The walls are an unstimulating gray. The paintings, however, are far from boring. Depicted in this room are a range of scenes, from crowds of people in open spaces, to wide expanses of ocean and ships fumbling in tumultuous seas. While the room of the wealthy and elite have placards boasting names such as “Frederick V of Bohemia” or “The Astronomer,” the art showing laboring peoples reflect no names or titles. Finally, visitors end in the final room where the classes meet. Painted a neutral blue, the space reflects a mingling of people of all classes. Having journeyed from room to room, class to class, viewers can clearly see the variations in class in a heightened complexity. This final room is a test of what’s been learned in the journey through the gallery. The artists here depict wide arrays of colors and scenes, toying with the boundaries of public and private space, the sites where classes meet in dynamic and, at the time, anxiety-provoking ways. To the far left of the paintings lay three tables encased in glass, putting art to convention. Each table is covered plainly with a white linen tablecloth. Standing far across the room, they appear nearly identical. However, upon closer inspection the tables each reflect a different social class. The far right table shows the table settings and accoutrements of the laboring class—simple cutlery and unadorned glassware. The middle table reflects the middle class and sports similar items but crafted with more care. Some serving platters and glasses are present, and more decorated. Finally, the table to the far left
shows the place settings of the upper class. Glassware appears to be of high quality, likely made by skilled artisans. The table is adorned with much more color and apparent depth, and would clearly be preferred should guests arrive for a meal. However, 21st-century onlookers appear to strain their eyes looking for differences, as the table settings are largely the same in comparison to what you may see today. The table settings of the high class today may involve gold-plated silverware or delicate and finely painted china, and the tableware of the low class may involve chipped and cracked plates and plasticware. Taken at face-value, these paintings may not attract such a wide audience. Yet the Museum of Fine Arts sees thousands of visitors to this gallery on “Class Distinctions.” The lens of social class and hierarchy lends itself to a modern view, creating such popularity in viewers today. “[We] wanted to present masterpieces of Dutch painting; that was the initial impetus. But in order to get people to lend you masterpieces, you need to be able to convince them that the loan is worth it. And so that’s where class distinctions comes in. Because this is an aspect of Dutch art that hasn’t been looked at before,” curator Ronni Baer remarked. For the owners of these masterpieces and for those able to view them, seeing depictions of class has surely been enticing. Brandeis students, with valid ID, will be able to visit the Museum of Fine Arts and see “Class Distinctions” free of charge. The exhibit remain on display through Monday, Jan. 18, 2016.
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December 4, 2015
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ bites just right By Santiago Montoya Staff
“Little Shop of Horrors” first was a film created by Roger Corman, distributed as a B-movie in 1960. It slowly gained recognition and fame throughout the years, acquiring a cult following. The low-budget film came to earn popularity mostly because it was turned into a musical by Alan Menken (music) and Howard Ashman (book and lyrics) that premiered off-off Broadway. Most recently, Brandeis University’s Tympanium Euphorium revived the show Nov. 19-22 in the SCC Theater. Tymp’s production of “Little Shop” was gleeful and entertaining. The story centers on a meek shop assistant named Seymour, who brings an unusual plant to the shop, which he names Audrey II (after his love interest, Audrey). Though previously a struggling
business, all of a sudden, business grows with the plant. After Seymour feeds Audrey’s boyfriend, Orin, to the carnivorous plant, he encounters a problem that only gets bigger and bigger—he has to come up with more bodies for the bloodthirsty plant. The cast made the production a delight from beginning to end. The characterizations by Scarlett Huck ’18 (Audrey), Nathan Schneider ’18 (Seymour), Gabriel Walker ’19 (Mr. Mushnik) and Zain Walker ’18 (Orin) were patently sublime and a standout. Huck possesses an immaculate voice. The compassion that she brings to her character is incomparable. Every scene she is in is breathtaking. Schneider portrayed Seymour with such humbleness and was also very capable of humanizing the character even during his darkest moments. There was something special in the physicality of Seymour. It could be either
consciously or subconsciously, that Seymour tended to have a conspicuous tic with his hands that displayed the character’s timidity, insecurity and guilt. Walker seems to be a character actor who is able to deliver all his lines in a comical way. Additionally, his likeable accent made it memorable. He also went over the top without exaggerating. The greatest thing about theater is that actors are given more freedom to exaggerate and be flamboyant, which isn’t something that actors can often do on TV or in film. Walker had this theatrical rule in his mind, and it suits him because in the end it undoubtedly makes him a scene stealer. In terms of production, the excellent lighting represented very well each theme of the play. There is romance, horror, suspense,
comedy, gaiety and music—after all, the play itself is a bundle of things: a comedy horror rock musical. There were a few mishaps during the performance. There was a moment in which the audience thought that the sound had utterly failed. However, the technical team behind it was efficient enough to be able to fix it in a matter of seconds. The orchestral pit was occasionally too loud, overpowering the lines of the actors and creating a cacophony that did not seem rehearsed to the public eye. Despite the compelling performances, the second act was highly disappointing and unnecessarily long. The pace was tedious. In fact, there were a few parts that just felt as if they were filling holes. The play could perfectly have lasted 90 minutes rather than two straight hours. There were moments that became too melodramatic. The ver-
sion that Tymp performed did stick to the original Off-Broadway musical, so their production is not to blame. It is understandable that they are not allowed to make drastic changes in this work. Nevertheless, it must be addressed that the part in which Audrey asks Seymour to feed her to the plant, soon after she dies, is in fact too sappy, too melodramatic. The only version of this play in which Audrey does not die is in the film version of 1986, and it seems to work, since the motion picture has a 90-percent rating on RottenTomatoes, earned two Oscar nominations and was considered for the AFI’s lists of “100 Years of Musicals” and “100 Years of Songs.” Overall, though, what Tympanium Euphorium was able to put together proved to be entertaining and served as a showcase for the actors to demonstrate their range, personality and, of course, theatrical prowess.
photos by adam lamper/the hoot
Prof. Nyong’o’s presentation contemplates racial diversity in film By Clayre Benzadon Staff
The “Art, Race, Activism” series came to Brandeis at the perfect time. As the sit-in took place in the Bernstein-Marcus administration building, Tavia Nyong’o’s presentation on “The Fugitive Present: Sweet Sweetback and The Mythic Being” provided students with his perspective on the intersection between blackness, feminist theory and queer theory through the lens of two very different artists. Nyong’o is an associate professor in the Department of Performance at New York University. He also writes on art, music, politics and culture. In his presentation on Nov. 19, Nyong’o focused on radical black experimentalists Adrian Piper and Melvin Van Peeble and their reconfiguration of the relationship between blackness and temporality in 1960s cinema. Dr. Nyong’o also commented upon the performance of the sexist representation in Sweetback, especially in regards to its title. “Sweetback” refers to the rape of one of the characters of the movie, who was a small child when the women who abused him referred to him having a “sweet back.” The
“sweetback” is also a term used to describe an ambiguously gendered and sexualized queer black body, a body that transcends the materiality of the “I” and becomes something else entirely. The full movie title, “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song,” refers to the American independent drama film written and produced by Melvin Van Peebles. It recounts the story of a poor African American orphan working in one of the Los Angeles brothels. The movie mostly focuses on the violence and assault that Sweetback goes through. In the end, the stereotypical projection of a black man’s fate is revealed: He falls into the hands of the police. The point of Dr. Nyong’o’s critical theory is to provide context and reveal the influence that other art has on the definition of blackness. Tavia repeatedly emphasized that the point of movies like “Sweetback” is to get rid of the boundaries inherently defined in the term “blackness,” as the best way to transcend such categorical labels is through art. This also relates to gender and queerness in the way that sexuality and gender is not easily defined. In an interview in The Weekender, Professor Nyong’o’s says,
“I am interested in how blackness can be more than one thing while still being interconnected. What cinema attempts to do is engage us in the moment by refocusing and reshaping the way we view history as well as in categories of difference, which include race, gender, nationality and sexuality. Especially with the growing campus conversation around diversity of Black Lives Matter, the biggest question is to ask how queer people and feminists, especially those taking part in the Black Lives Matter movement build upon these principles.” Nyong’o also referenced poet and activist Audre Lord: “As we become more in touch with our own ancient, black, non-european view of living as a situation to be experienced and interacted with, we learn more and more to cherish our feelings and to respect those hidden sources of our power from where true knowledge and therefore lasting action comes.” This comes from Lorde’s essay “Poetry is not a Luxury,” which advocates for women writing poetry, claiming that poetry is not a luxury but is actually necessary for women. The essay also tackles the connection between womanhood and blackness, especially in
photo from tvguides.com
regard to the arts. The best way to remove barriers, create community and create productive, intellectual dialogue that promotes new perspective is through art, whether it be cinematography, poetry, painting, music and the other countless forms of media that speak up and speak out against injustice and discrimination.
Even though “Sweetback” got mixed reviews, Professor Nyong’o posits that it is one of the most representative films of the black experience that not only records violence but actually portrays the characters as three-dimensional, with emotional powerfulness, poignancy and realistic character flaws.
SPORTS
December 4, 2015
The Brandeis Hoot 9
Women’s basketball looks toward promising season By Lily Wageman Staff
Just last month the Brandeis women’s basketball team started their new season strong, going 4-2 so far. Earlier this week the Judges dominated against Simmons College with a 72-38 score. All 11 Judges played at least 10 minutes of the game, with Sydney Sodine ’17, Frankie Pinto ’17 and Noel Hodges ’18 scoring in the double digits. Hodges also tied Kyla Gabriel ’17 for a team high of four assists. The team is led by head Coach Carol Simon and assistant coaches Scott Foulis and alumna Morgan Kendrew ’12. Captains this season are Heather Cain ’16, Paris Hodges ’17 and Maria Jackson ’17. The Brandeis Hoot was able to conduct email interviews with all three, gaining insight to their lives on and off the court. Paris Hodges is a double major in Sociology and Business and enjoys spending time with her friends and family when she’s not playing basketball. So far in the season she believes that the team has great potential and that they need to learn how to play 100 percent for 40 minutes. She adds, “I am confident in my team and believe we will meet success.” A personal goal for her this season is to play to the best of her ability and lead her team by example. Maria Jackson is a Linguistics major with a minor in French. She spends her time off the court as an Undergraduate Department
photo by andrew elmers/the hoot
Representative for Linguistics, working two campus jobs and reading. A highlight for Jackson last season was “without a doubt” winning the ECAC championship. Some goals for this season include focusing on her composure and basketball IQ. She would also like to develop her ability to make good decisions under pressure while still maintaining points and rebounds. Jackson describes her leadership style as lead-by-example and says, “I am working on being more of a vocal leader this season, [and] I do my best
to work hard and be passionate about the game to inspire the rest of my teammates to do the same.” Heather Cain, the only senior captain, is a double major in Health: Science, Society, & Social Policy and Business. After graduation she hopes to travel and join a program where she can study and analyze health disparities or go into health policy. Outside of basketball Cain really enjoys going to the beach, paddle boarding, going on boats and watching movies. So far in playing for Brandeis, her favorite
athletic moments have been winning the ECAC tournament last season and beating Emory, who at the time were nationally ranked number seven, at the buzzer. She describes highlights of last season, such as beating Rochester— many expected them to lose, but instead the Judges played well as a team to win the game. Cain describes her personal goal this year as unmeasurable. She elaborates by saying, “I’m a captain this year so I really want to be better in that aspect. I really want to be a great leader for
my team.” She describes herself as competitive and believes that her role on the team is “pushing everyone to be competitive and to win.” Like her fellow captains, she shares the team goal of making the NCAA tournament this year, and believes this year’s team has a really good chance at it. The Judges will hit the court this Saturday, Dec. 5 at Johnson & Wales, but if you would like to come support the team, the next women’s basketball game at home is Wednesday, Dec. 9 against Babson.
Men’s soccer falls to Trinity in Sweet 16 By Zach Cihlar Staff
The men’s soccer team began their NCAA Division III tournament journey at home over the weekend. The Judges entered the tournament ranked third in Division III soccer according to the NCAA website. The team has been preparing for the NCAA tournament for quite some time though. Senior captain Conor Lanahan ’16 reports that the “coaches have been harping on the idea of one game at a time.” But the team was confident in their abilities to move victoriously through the first weekend of the tournament, looking to enter the Sweet 16. “I feel that the team knew we had earned the right to move onto the Sweet 16,” Lanahan continued. The first two games were drama filled, ending with close 2-1 wins. The game-winning goals occurred in the final minutes of
each game. The first round saw the men facing off against Thomas College from Waterville, ME, on Saturday, Nov. 14. Thomas competed in the North Atlantic Conference in the regular season, boasting a record of 13-5-1 heading into the NCAA tournament. The kick-off whistle blew at 5 p.m. on the Judges’ home field. The team got off to a slow start, quickly going down 0-1 in the 14th minute off a goal from Thomas’ Willie Clemons. The assist was given to DJ Nicholas. Lanahan’s confidence in the team was unwavering though. “I had no doubt that our offense would work very hard for an equalizer, and my confidence in them is what pulled me personally back into the game,” he said. The Judges achieved the equalizer shortly after Thomas’ goal. Joshua Handler ’19 put up a successful cross from the outside, which was then headed into the
back of the net by Patrick Flahive ’18 in the 24th minute. It was Flahive’s third goal of the season. The game continued without a goal until the 90th minute, when Brandeis was able to net a goal in dramatic last-minute fashion. From 35 yards away, off a pass from Lanahan, Brandeis’ Josh Ocel ’17 booted the ball, landing it in the top right corner of the goal. Ocel’s goal was the game-winner, advancing the Judges into the second round of the tournament to match up against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, who defeated Stevens Institute of Technology later that Saturday night also in a 2-1 victory. RPI and Brandeis met in Waltham on Sunday, Nov. 15, once again at 5 p.m. under the lights. The visiting team entered the tournament with a 12-5-3 record during the regular season, participating in the Liberty League.
The second round match-up was a game filled with tension as it resulted in similarly grandiose fashion to the Judges’ first-round game played the day before. After an early goal in the eighth minute from Flahive, the Judges retained the lead until the final minute when RPI’s Paul Lentine sent the ball into the back of the net to force the game into overtime. The Judges were not discouraged, however. As Lanahan put it, “I credit RPI to holding us to only one goal, but their goal in the last minute put a fire under us, and I could sense we were not going to go down easy.” After a scoreless first overtime, the Judges came out aggressively quickly in the second overtime. In the 102nd minute of the game, Evan Jastremski ’17 took a shot that was initially blocked off an RPI defender, but slammed home on the second shot opportunity, securing Brandeis’ place in the NCAA Sweet 16.
Amherst College hosted the next two rounds of games for the teams sharing the Judges’ side of the bracket. Saturday, Nov. 21 against Trinity University from Texas marked the Sweet 16 game and the third round of the tournament for the Judges. During the regular season the Judges lost to Trinity 0-2 in their third game of the year. According to Lanahan, “there is a sense of redemption in all of us,” as they headed into the third round of the NCAA tournament. However, the Judges couldn’t keep up with the Trinity offense, who scored a quick goal in the first 10 minutes of the first half and then ensured their win over the Judges with another goal late in the first half for a final score of 2-0. The loss for the Judges marked the end of their season, falling short of their goals of advancement in the NCAA tournament. The Judges finished their season 18-3-1.
Men’s basketball starts season strong By Sarah Jousset Editor
The men’s basketball team played Becker College at home on Tuesday. The Judges beat their opponent 79-58, exhibiting strong perimeter shooting and solid defense to secure the win. The victory moved the Judges’ record to 4-1 this season. Brandeis held a solid lead the entire game, shooting 50.1 percent from the field, going 26 for 51. The Judges added a season high of
nine three-pointers. Guard Robinson Vilmont ’17 led the Judges with 19 points, including four of the team’s nine three-pointers. Vilmont has been a staple player for the Judges this season, leading the team in scoring at four of the five games played this season. He is 14 for 23 with a 60.9 shooting percentage in three-point shots this season. Nate Meehan ‘16 contributed 13 points, all in the first half, in his first start of the season. Meehan went three for four from the three-point line to add to the
Judges’ dominance. Colby Smith ’18 also contributed eight points in the game, and Jack Fay ’17 contributed to the game’s fast pace with a career-high four steals. The Judges started strong and maintained the momentum throughout the game. The team started their run from the opening tip-off, when Vilmont found Meehan for a three on the right wing in the first possession of the game. After a basket and quick defensive stop on the other end of the court, Reale found Meehan again for
Meehan’s second three-pointer of the game, giving the Judges an 8-2 lead in the first few minutes of the game. The Judges didn’t stop there, going a 16-5 run in the final seven minutes of the first half. The Judges went into the second half with a 39-24 lead over Becker College. The Judges continued the energy, leading by a substantial margin the entire second half. The Judges’ defense shut down Becker College’s offense. Center John Powell ’17 was a force for the Judges, with a career high of four
blocks during the game and nine rebounds. Powell contributed offensively as well with 14 points. Captain Tim Reale ’17 added a career and game high of six assists during the game. The Judges held the Becker Hawks to a 32.4 shooting percentage, going 22 for 68. The Judges face Babson this Saturday, Dec. 6 in the Big Four Challenge at Salem State. The team will participate in their next home game this Tuesday, Dec. 8 against Amherst College at 7 p.m. in the Gosman Athletic Center.
EDITORIALS
10 The Brandeis Hoot
“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.” Editors-in-Chief Andrew Elmers Theresa Gaffney Senior Managing Editor Jess Linde Senior Copy Editors Mia Edelstein Julie Landy News Editors Charlotte Aaron Hannah Schuster Arts Editor Sabrina Pond Opinions Editor Zach Phil Schwartz Features Editor Jacob Edelman Sports Editor Sarah Jousset
A
December 4, 2015
Celebrate and continue racial justice at Brandeis
historical moment has taken place at Brandeis over the past two weeks. However, we must remember to diligently watch the enactment of the Draft Implementation Plan for Diversity and Inclusion. If the student body does not continue to hold the administration accountable, the progress seen because of Ford Hall 2015 will be lost. Ford Hall 2015 cannot and will not be an isolated moment of activism within the Brandeis community. There is increasing momentum behind the Brandeis Asian American Task Force (BAATF) petition, showing that students could now have a renewed awareness of issues such as race and equality for underrepresented groups. The Brandeis Hoot endorses BAATF’s
efforts and hopes that the community moves to address this and other similar issues that remain buried under layers of systemic oppression in a constructive way. In adopting this as a policy, Ford Hall 2015 will remain a living legacy. At The Hoot, we recognize that our organization operates within a majority white space. This is a result of our implicit privilege not to think about race, and we must actively work to counteract this homogeneity. The progress made through the Draft Implementation doesn’t just happen; student activists of color worked for it. That work must not end now that the Ford Hall 2015 protesters have vacated Bernstein-Marcus. As a community, we must recognize injustice where it
occurs and call out racism. We must learn and never forget how we can all act as allies, accomplices and decent human beings. Perhaps part of the problem is that for too long, Brandeis ignored obvious flaws in itself, because as an institution, we like to see ourselves in the best possible light. “How could we have racism when we have the African and Afro-American Studies Department, if Brandeis was founded on social justice?” In the future, people may even ask the question, “How can we still have racism after Ford Hall 2015?” It is up to students, faculty and the administration to honor the pact made for improvement. Ford Hall 2015 isn’t where issues of racism end, but rather it is a new beginning in the fight for equality.
Hoot Scoops Editor Emily Sorkin Smith Copy Editor Allison Plotnik Sarah Terrazano Senior Layout Editor Sasha Ruiz Layout Editors Lisa Petrie Ludi Yang Photo Editor Karen Caldwell Deputy Video Editor Matt Kowalyk
Volume 12 • Issue 22 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma
Founded By Leslie Pazan, Igor Pedan and Daniel Silverman
STAFF
Clayre Benzadon, Rachel Bossuk, Sharon Cai, Zach Cihlar, Talia Franks, Zachary Gordon, Emma Gutman, Curtis Zunyu He, Sophia He, Daniel Kang, Emma Kahn, Naomi Klickstein, Nabi Menai, Monique J Menezes, Santiago Montoya, Joon Park, Nicole Porter, Albert Reiss, Emily Scharf, Marian Siljeholm, Eliana Sinoff, Ryan Spencer, Elianna Spitzer, Hannah Stewart, Sarah Terrazano, Michael Wang, Katarina Weessies MISSION As the weekly community student newspaper of Brandeis University, The Brandeis Hoot aims to provide our readers with a reliable, accurate and unbiased source of news and information. Produced entirely by students, The Hoot serves a readership of 6,000 with in-depth news, relevant commentary, sports and coverage of cultural events. Recognizing that better journalism leads to better policy, The Brandeis Hoot is dedicated to the principles of investigative reporting and news analysis. Our mission is to give every community member a voice.
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Thanksgiving Fowl Play By Naomi Klickstein staff
Across 1. Imitator 5. Word with your or my 9. Express gratitude 13. Synagogue platform 14. Mixture 15. Author Fleming 16. ____ go bragh 17. Simba’s sweetheart 18. Glutamine for short 19. Romantic shortcut run afowl? 21. As of now 22. Wifi necessity 27. 2013 Polish drama 30. Ottoman topper 31. Aussie “bear” 34. Navy academy freshman 35. Protection run afowl? 38. Lunch box 39. Prefix meaning “death” 40. Website feed (abr.) 41. Reaction to a mouse 43. Back of the necks 46. ___ d’orange 50. Guide to gain run afowl? 57. Suffer 58. Assay to observe reaction kinetics 59. Thing in boy scout’s repertoire 60. Opposite of 10-down 61. “My shepherd” in Hebrew 62. R&B singer 63. Odd way to look 64. Shore bird
65. Nervous Down 1. Helps 2. Country of Lima
3. Muslim official 4. Ordered 5. Electronics company 6. Cheer 7. Stitch’s friend 8. Like a cappuccino 9. Taut 10. Healthy 11. Actress Kendrick 12. Sweaters 20. Affirmative 22. Fight 23. Atmospheric layer 24. Singer Mikky 25. Large extinct bird 26. Type of tree 27. Kind 28. Tractor type 29. Endless pit 32. Clothing store Ann Taylor 33. Directions for aviators (abbr.) 34. Sailing vessel 36. Cambridge church (abbr.) 37. Coffee dispenser 42. Purchase 44. Briny place to be 45. Things 46. “She Don’t Use _____” Flaming Lips song 47. Begin 48. Purple flower 49. 2014 film, with “if ” 51. Precipitate 52. Pottery oven 53. Wind instrument 54. Brandeis castle 55. Barenaked Ladies song 56. Wren’s lament
December 4, 2015
FEATURES
The Brandeis Hoot 11
Tympanium Euphorium makes its mark through musical theater By Jacob Edelman Editor
Every semester, a poster goes up advertising for a production by the theater group Tympanium Euphorium, commonly known as Tymp. Tympanium Euphorium means ‘happy ear,’ because the group specializes in musicals, which certainly make for happy listening. Officially recognized by the Student Union on Feb. 7, 2001, Tympanium is led by President Sarai Warsoff ’16. Although recognized nearly 15 years ago, Tympanium’s history goes farther back than that. Warsoff noted that one notable alum of the group is Mary Faber, who was in the original Broadway cast of “American Idiot.” When describing what the group likes to focus on, Warsoff first discussed the group’s association with ensemble musicals. She explained, “We don’t do open cast musicals, but we do ensemble musicals that can range from small musicals like what we’re doing next semester, to larger shows like ‘Bat Boy’ and ‘Urinetown,’ which was done maybe six years ago.” Next semester, Tympanium plans to put on “The Last Five Years,” which is a 2001 musical adapted to film this year starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. Somewhat uniquely, “The Last Five Years” is a two-person cast musical which is also a song cycle. Song cycles require a number of songs meant to be performed in a certain sequence. A recent musical performed at Brandeis that has elements of a song cycle was “Songs for a New World.” Both shows were composed by Jason Robert Brown. Because of the movie version of “The Last Five Years,” the show’s popularity has risen. “It’s really beneficial for us to do these popular musicals that people want to see and be involved in,” said Warsoff. This semester, Tympanium put on “Little Shop of Horrors,” which involved more than 35 actors and production staff. It also involved four carnivorous plant puppets,
photos by adam lamper/the hoot
scenes from the most recent tympanium euphorium performance ‘little shop of horrors’
ranging from one the size of a potted fern, to one that’s bigger than a person. Tres Fimmano ’18, executive producer for Tympanium and director of “Little Shop” said, “We got a lot of positive feedback. We had a good time, and a lot of people involved had a good time. It’s hard not to enjoy puppets.” When asked about the best show that Tympanium has put on, Fimmano responded that the shows he’s been a part of—“Spring Awakening,” “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “Little Shop of Horrors”—can’t really be compared. “They’re all different, they were all directed by talented people, they all had talented casts. All three were very popular on campus. Our role is just to keep that good momentum going.” Warsoff added that Tympanium is “really on the uphill.” Upon consideration of Tympanium’s greatest strengths, Warsoff and Fimmano agreed that it’s the shows they choose to put on. “Not
everyone loves musicals, but we try to pick really fun ones […] we’ve given a lot of opportunity for people to realize how much they love musicals and working for theater,” said Warsoff. Unsurprisingly, the most difficult aspect of being a theater group is putting on the show itself. According to Warsoff, this past year was tight with the amount of funding that the Allocations Board was allowed to give out. “Little Shop of Horrors” had a zero-dollar budget for costuming, forcing the production staff and performers to “get very creative,” while also necessitating the process be even more collaborative. Fimmano went on to say, however, that “our goal is to make it worth it.” Warsoff wants individuals to know how easy it is to get involved in theater, and that the most minimal amount of involvement involves signing up for the Tympanium listserv, which she described
photo courtesy tympanium euphorium/the hoot
as being responsible for reading really funny emails. Fimmano said, “We really want to get new people involved with every show we do.”
“People don’t realize how much work goes into musicals, how many new faces we see and just how easy it is to become one of those faces,” Warsoff said.
Brandeis Television spreads visual media over the airwaves By Albert Reiss Staff
Much of Brandeis media centers around written periodicals like the newspapers, leaving Brandeis Television (BTV) out of the mix. BTV provides students with a television outlet that focuses on student life as well as featured stories. Because BTV uses visual media to project its message, its members can achieve great cohesion between the club and the classroom. Treasurer for BTV Rachel Zhu ’18 is working with Prof. Sabine von Mering (WMGS/ GRALL) on “a video that features faculty commentary on climate change as well as helping someone with their senior thesis film.” Herein, BTV provides a unique way for individuals to use skills taught in the classroom with vid-
eographer skills in tandem. However, not all projects need to have a serious academic bent to be considered for BTV. Mica Unger ’17, secretary for BTV, is currently working on “making two promo videos for Dance Marathon.” As a secretary, Unger acts as a “liaison” to members and makes sure to send weekly emails to the club members. BTV has also begun to partner with other clubs. “This year, we have been working extensively on our new program BTV music. We partnered up with SCRAM to produce semi-weekly concerts which we shoot and make into music videos,” BTV President James Conlon ’16 said. BTV could be the perfect club for anyone interested in combining their musical interests with audiovisual pursuits. In the future, the club hopes to “build BTV up to have more
members and more of an alumni network,” Rachel Goldstein ’16 said. Currently, BTV’s membership base is underwhelming. With more members, the club hopes to embark on larger projects. Additionally, many members have gone on to achieve great success in the film industry, so using these resources would be very efficient for the club as a whole as well as its alumni outreach. Many members, like Zhu, hope to go on to a career in the film or television industry. Zhu “dreams to become a screenwriter.” Similarly, Unger joined BTV in order to pursue her interests in “film business and production.” Because of its excellent resources and membership, BTV allows members like Zhu and Unger to make quality television projects. Like any other club, however, BTV does face various challenges. “One of our biggest challenges
is that a lot of people don’t know who we are or what we do. We want more people to know our name and what we do. This year we are trying to recruit more members and also get our name out there more than it has been before. So far our attempts have been a lot more successful than the past,” Goldstein said. Membership growth and retention is crucial not only to maintain the survival of the club, but more pertinently, to ensure that BTV is well known in the larger Brandeis community. “Sometimes it’s difficult finding people committed to long-term projects. Therefore, we’ve made a lot of small films. But I’d really like to see more ambitious projects in the future,” Conlon said. Fortunately, BTV members know how to have a great time and any day can bring the most hilarious moments to the club.
For example, Unger recalls how while filming a sketch about existentialism and t-shirts, “We used a voiceover for the existential thoughts so we pretty much had a giant crew take over part of Sherman to film two characters looking at each other with absolutely no dialogue. We laughed a lot after each take.” Mostly, when people join a club like BTV, they might expect to have their activities contained to the institution. But thanks to the generosity of the board members, people like Zhu have gotten “credit for a small portion of a film that went to Sundance, met and interviewed bands that played at Springfest last year and gained so much experience from just taking a camera and shooting.” To find out more information about BTV, viewers can visit their “Deis TV” Youtube page.
OPINIONS
12 The Brandeis Hoot
December 4, 2015
The time has come for Brandeis to divest from fossil fuels By Brandeis Climate Justice Special to the Hoot
We at Brandeis Climate Justice are excited about the increased steps to reduce Brandeis’ carbon footprint, such as the hiring of Mary Fischer, the formation of the sustainability task force and the Turn It Off Days. All the same, we feel this university can and must do much more in the global struggle against climate change. Undeniably we will have to make changes to reduce our day-to-day level of consumption. That said, 2015 is set to be the hottest year on record. We’ve seen extreme weather events like Hurricane Patricia, sustained droughts, fires and an increase in climate refugees, 19.3 million of whom were driven out of their homes by natural disasters last year. We’ve seen growing seasons shrink and oceans rise. We’ve seen indigenous communities, low income communities and communities of color continue to bear the weight of the destructive processes of extracting, transporting and refining fossil fuels. By all means we should continue to challenge our own community to do better
when it comes to energy use, but it is time we also start addressing the root cause of climate change: the fossil fuel industry. It is time we see ourselves beyond the Brandeis bubble and instead as agents for change within society. It’s time we divest from fossil fuels. To divest from something means to remove all your stocks from a particular company, group of companies or specific industry. However, divestment has never been about financial devastation. Instead, the tactic is about undermining social legitimacy—taking away the power these companies have in society. Additionally, if we claim to be an institution that cares about social justice, then how can we profit from the very companies that caused a small town in West Virginia to develop staggeringly high numbers of brain tumors after the introduction of mountaintop removal? These are the same companies whose oil refineries are poisoning the Texan communities of color where these refineries are primarily built and the same companies that killed 47 people in Lac-Megantic last year when a train carrying oil derailed and exploded.
They are the same companies that have committed countless other crimes against humanity. We are currently profiting from that destruction. Our tuition money is currently invested in those deaths. For an institution that claims to stand for social justice, that’s not just complacency, and it’s not just irresponsible—it’s a morally bankrupt act of extreme violence. Some will say it is hypocritical to use fossil fuels at all while advocating for divestment. This brings us back to the conversation on energy use, turning off the lights, taking shorter showers, turning down the heat and every other “greening” activity. The fossil fuel industry’s most successful lie is that we are all equally responsible for causing climate change. Sure, the American lifestyle is unsustainable, and yes, when it is the most vulnerable communities who are hit first and hardest, we have a responsibility to look at our own lives and start asking questions. But we cannot forget the larger sociopolitical context that we live in. The fossil fuel industry has blocked policy, it has shut down renewable infrastructure and it has funded climate denial
at every point of this fight. But we exist in a country that runs on fossil fuels. We don’t have a choice about that and no choice we make as individuals will change that. The fossil fuel industry and the system of constant unsustainable growth it represents is what causes climate change. We can spend all of our energy working on our own personal purity, moving off the grid and fighting for our own escape route out of a corrupt system, but when we get out, we will be alone. We will have left the rest of society behind. If instead we can put that energy towards destabilizing the structures that forced us here in first place, we might stand a chance of maintaining some semblance of a just and stable future. We can put that energy towards recognizing that we as a university, as a place of knowledge and as a community with principals, are uniquely situated to amplify the voices of those who have been fighting on the frontlines for decades. Those who have already lost their homes, their health and their livelihoods and can never get those things back. When our only focus is turning off the lights, we are accepting
the narrative that our only power exists as individuals and as consumers. This robs us of our ability to organize and our ability to stand as a community and affect real change. The truth is, we don’t have time to wait. We can’t afford for one more pipeline or gas plant or fracking site or refinery to be built. We need the vast majority of the fossil fuels we know about to stay in the ground. We need to redesign how we get and distribute energy and we need to do so in a way that is just for the communities involved. We’re not saying we shouldn’t think about these personal lifestyle changes; what we’re saying is that these changes do not represent the revolution that we need. The divestment campaign has existed for three years now. We’ve passed a referendum, we’ve had petitions and we’ve had the committee on fossil fuels that released a report recommending divestment. We’ve had rallies and marches, and despite promises to respond, the administration has ignored us. There is no such thing as neutral anymore. We either stand up for justice, or we are part of the violence. Brandeis: which side are you on?
U.S. should foster equal opportunity, not inhibit it By Alex Shapiro
Special to The Hoot
I spent the first 13 years of my life in Tucson, AZ, just an hour and a half north of the Mexican border. The Mexican influence was visibly woven into the landscape from our Spanish street names to our architecture. Just as visible was the racial hierarchy that existed between white and Mexican Americans—while their Mexican culture was interwoven, the people were left behind. My experience is reflected in Trump’s vision of America. While some critics have labeled his absurdities comical, his assertions outlandish and noted that he is an embarrassment to himself and his party, there are troubling implications in his candidacy and it is a mistake to miss or minimize them. Early in his campaign, it was easy to write off his prejudiced, racist and ignorant comments, as
By Zach Gordon
it seemed unlikely his candidacy would advance. But now, since his popularity has maintained, we must grapple with Trump’s significant following, which has implications for our national identity. In short, Trump’s primary appeal is xenophobia, a condition that has plagued this country from its founding. Some of Trump’s most televised quotes focus on Mexican immigrants. He has stated, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people, but I speak to border guards and they’re telling us what we’re getting.” He further
referred to Mexicans as “desperate migrants and crafty smugglers.” Trump plays fast and loose with facts to pander to Americans’ basest fears of outsiders. Only a reality television star would treat the opinions of a few acquaintances employed by border patrol as a demographic fact worthy of influencing presidential policy. But
like many in the public eye who came decades before, such as Father Coughlin or Henry Ford, facts are less relevant than thin evidence that fuels pre-existing stereotypes while also appealing to voters’ fears of people different from themselves (claiming that they are rapists and “crafty smugglers”). Trump’s rhetoric connects to a latent American fear of the other that has real-world implications. According to Pew, 70 percent of American adults believe that undocumented immigrants threaten traditional American beliefs and customs (See: white beliefs and customs). If Trump would like to return to a strictly white America, he would be hard-pressed to find a moment in history when it existed. In fact, even groups that are now classified as white such as Jews, photo from wikipedia.com
Irish and Italians weren’t always so. All three of these ethnicities were once racialized others. And according to census data, Mexicans were once classified as white as well. This proves that the fundamental differences between “us” (white Americans) and “them” (Mexicans) that Trump attempts to hammer home are actually more fluid, as Mexicans have been grouped with “us” previously in history. The reality is that Mexicans make up the largest immigrant group in our country right now. And unless we plan to give Texas back, this Mexican influence is part of our current America. We adapt pieces of their culture to add spice and flare to our own without allowing its people the dream this country was founded upon: one of equal opportunity. When we as a nation cast a people as inherently other, we inhibit their access to that dream.
Another first-year existential crisis
Columnist
Many students come to Brandeis with a vague idea of what they want out of their time as an undergraduate, or even what they want out of their career after graduation, but many more come undecided. For a first-year student, not knowing what to do with your life is a common phenomenon. Some would even argue it’s the preferred attitude to enter college with. I believe that coming to college without a rigid plan for a career is a better path than having an overly defined path for yourself. But I’ve never been very good at practicing what I preach. I came to college not with an array of ideas about what I would
end up studying but a dogmatic and unbending idea of what I would end up doing with my life. If it’s too meta to talk about journalism and its merits in the opinion section of a newspaper, sue me. Surprisingly enough, I, a semi-regular writer for The Brandeis Hoot, wanted to be a journalist. I more than wanted it, I was set on it. I had a 20-year plan of what my life after college would look like and was even thinking about what newspapers I wanted to write for down the line. If you think that sounds like it doesn’t give a lot of room for exploration or growth in college, then you’re right. At the same time though, for many of our readers I’m willing to bet this sounds pretty familiar. Enter the largest existential crisis of my life. There were a lot of
things that led up to the realization that what I thought I wanted to do is not what I wanted anymore. What all of those things are, I don’t know for sure yet. I’m still processing why, but the what has become clear as glass. I realized not only that journalism isn’t something I want anymore, but that for most of my life the thing I wanted most was the one thing I systematically denied for myself as a real option. For me that thing was music. It has been the most consistent thing in my life, and in a semester during which I’ve endured a lot of personal hardship, it was what I clung to. The other part of the crisis came from the realization that I may not be able to pursue what I want, how I want to pursue it in my current situation. Before that realization happened, however,
I lost all sense of what I wanted out of my life. I had lost the thing that was so fundamental to what I thought I was and would be. That led me to questioning everything about my life. Was Brandeis the right place for me? What did I value here? Was college the right decision at all? A lot of emotions fly when you lose your focus. No matter what point at which it becomes necessary, starting over is a scary concept. When you decide your situation is wrong, finding a new one can feel hopeless. It can feel so daunting that barreling down the path you are on to its logical conclusion can seem easier even if it is anything but what you want. The thoughts of “I can’t,” and “what if I fail?” and “who will I let down?” can become so loud in your head that even thinking about where
you are becomes impossible, let alone where you want to be. The biggest impediment in an existential crisis is yourself. You become your own worst enemy, and no one is harder on you than you are. We assume that because we have pointed ourselves in a direction we have to follow it to its conclusion, else we be labeled as a failure. But those around us aren’t the ones doing the labeling. The decision to view something as failure comes purely from us. The definition of an existential crisis is “a moment at which an individual questions the very foundations of their life: whether their life has any meaning, purpose or value.” When you hit that point, that spiral where on a foundational levSee CRISIS, page 14
December 4, 2015
OPINIONS 13
The Brandeis Hoot
Divesting from Saudi Arabia just as effective as fossil fuel divestment By Andrew Elmers Editor
Brandeis Climate Justice (BCJ) has a noble goal. In their overarching desire to reverse the harm that has been done to the climate since the start of the Industrial Revolution, activists have called on the university to divest from fossil fuel companies. While other universities, most notably Stanford and the University of California system, have withdrawn their investments from fossil fuels, Interim President Lisa Lynch said that this decision is “important to leave to the next president,” according to a Nov. 6 article in The Brandeis Hoot. BCJ has called on the university to divest from fossil fuels for the past three years, but has not gained much traction. Perhaps a shift in focus is needed to get the attention of the Board of Trustees. Instead of looking through the lens of halting the extraction of fossil fuels, it can be more successful to find a way to cut off support for regions profiting from fossil fuel sales. One of the better arguments BCJ uses is that the university did divest from South Africa in the 1980s as a response to Apartheid, and the international movement helped bring an end to the racist policies. The focus of the divest-
By Zach Phil Schwartz Editor
Finals season is back, along with its associated sense of panic and worry. To say it is a stressful time would very much be an understatement. It is a period where the sale of caffeinated beverages probably skyrockets as total hours slept dwindles. Although exam and paper preparation can be exhausting, we paradoxically
ment movement, then, should shift away from corporations exploiting natural resources and causing harm to the environment. There are nations that directly profit from selling their fossil fuels, and one particular nation fosters hate and oppression. Diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States have been generally positive over the previous two presidential terms of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, with the
trade of oil being the greatest facilitator. Despite the diplomatic relations, Saudi Arabia still has its flaws. As of 2006, only 5 percent of the workforce in the country is female. While calls for reform have increased in the past few years, the Saudi government has resisted. In light of the terrorist attacks in Paris last month and the overwhelming destruction caused in Syria and Iraq over the past few years, Daesh (commonly known
as ISIS in the U.S.) needs to be stopped. While straight military action from the West will most likely cause more harm than good, whatever groups or institutions are funding and supporting Daesh can be taken down through other channels. While Daesh sustains itself financially through its terror program, according to a policy analysis by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy published in June 2014, the ideology is state-sponsored.
photo from wikipedia.com
photo by matt kowalyk/the hoot
mal 2 a.m. weekday closing time. Many students will pull all-nighters as part of a study routine designed to maximize exam performance or paper content, while totally ignoring the bodily need to get rest. Current norms dictate that sleep comes second, but this is conversely not conducive to the perceived academic priority. Without proper sleep, according to the National Institutes of Health, we can have trouble focusing and paying attention. We can have problems with comprehension. These consequences are not at all conducive towards doing well on an exam or writing a satisfactory paper. Ironically, we trade off acceptable levels of sleep for more preparation time, but we end up suffering the ramifications of doing so in the end. The main problem here is the atmosphere of panic and stress that students anxious about this make-or-break period generate. Too much importance is placed on this rather short period, a time that consequently has the potential to dent a student’s academics. True, final exams and papers are important, but we cannot afford
See DIVESTMENT, page 14
photo from brandeisnow
Don’t overstress for finals
intensify these efforts to a point in which we practically become zombies. We think this intense study routine necessary for success, but the consequences of doing so actually work against success. As we’ve all read online during prolonged study breaks, sleep is vital for our basic functioning as human beings. We see during finals season students taking advantage of the 24/7 operation of the library as opposed to its nor-
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is partially based on an agreement between the House of Saud— the historic ruling family—and a group of Wahhabist Muslims, granting the Saud family power in exchange for support of the very conservative sect of Islam. This agreement took place in 1744 and is still honored by the rulers of Saudi Arabia. “Textbooks in Saudi Arabia’s schools and
to place so much emphasis on such a short period such that we are unable to care for ourselves. Not many are spared from the taxes of this studying and writing period. Even with the most lenient of academic schedules, students still tend to get caught up in the pursued perfection of their studies. There is nothing wrong with this pursuit, certainly, but the aforementioned emphasis placed on the importance of finals season drives us to work beyond our capacities. We study at one of the most prestigious universities in the Northeast, and in the country to boot. Of course we can expect to see a rigorous exam and paper schedule, but we should stop overstressing about them. To be clear, we should study all that we can, but only what within our own personal boundaries. When we’re up in the library at 2 a.m. and are struggling to keep our eyes open, we shouldn’t ignore that sign and push forward. Sometimes, it is important to remove academics from the top of our list of priorities. As students, it is our responsi-
bility to structure our schedules and study times so that we benefit both physiologically and academically. Nobody is going to force us to stop studying, even if we have crossed the sleep threshold where we suffer the consequences of sacrificing rest for work. This finals season, we need to take a step back, take a deep breath and contemplate what kind of study regimen will be most beneficial towards exams and papers and our physical well-being. Sometimes, the best thing for our studies can be a good night’s rest and a good breakfast, even if work is sacrificed to do so. Remember, exams and papers are temporary, and academics are not as important as our physical well-beings. When sleepiness sets in, it is a sign that it is time to get rest, not to simply push on. We cannot continue to build upon this culture that tacitly accepts the gradual degradation of our physical selves, as the consequences of doing this may prove detrimental for us far beyond our college lives into the future.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ fails to reflect traditional black roles By Amanda Ehrmann Columnist
The UTC Tympanium Euphorium production of “Little Shop of Horrors” premiered the same weekend as the Ford Hall 2015 sit-in began. It seemed almost ironic that a whitewashed production shared the weekend spotlight with a protest advocating for racial inclusion. Although “Little Shop” was met with rave reviews, something seemed a little off to me. The cast was extremely talented, but white actors played the roles traditionally reserved for black actors. These roles included the three main narrators, Chiffon, Ronette
and Crystal, along with the voice of the plant, Audrey II. It occurred to me that black actors may have not auditioned for these roles, but I think the production staff should have held an additional round of auditions and reached out to actors of color in order to avoid this. This semester, the UTC worked to produce plays that fostered inclusion, such as “The Love of The Nightingale” and “Ruined.” Many black actors auditioned for those shows, and the production team on “Little Shop of Horrors” could have easily reached out to these actors. It is common for actors to perform in two UTC shows in one semester. I understand that some people want to be colorblind in casting
and make roles available to all actors. While the use of white actors in these roles did not change the nature of the story or characters, for those of us who know the show well, it felt out of place. And from an activist standpoint, it actively removed the opportunity for people of color to participate in theater, which is, like most professions, white dominated. Colorblind casting should be used for original work in order to nurture diversity, like in Shonda Rhimes’ “Grey’s Anatomy,” or when the role being cast is not rooted in culture and history. Although the use of white actors did not confuse the storyline, this did take away from the history of the production.
Here are some facts about the production history and design of the show as originally written. The three narrators, Chiffon, Ronette and Crystal, are meant to act as a sort of Greek chorus and perform in the style of ’50s and ’60s pop. These decades were when black women’s pop groups surfaced. Women’s groups like The Supremes and The Marvelettes gained recognition for their R&B style, and the trio is meant to be a tribute to that style. Additionally, the show’s setting is New York, which is known to be multiracial and multicultural; the use of a diverse cast could have enhanced this detail. The musical premiered in 1982 when Broadway was even more white-dominated than it
is now; the three narrators were originated to provide roles to people of color, especially women of color. In Hollywood productions, actors of color are woefully underrepresented, and when race is unspecified, roles usually go to white actors. It just seems as if, however unintentionally, the casting of this show reinforced the marginalization that black actors face. I am not implying anything about the skill of the actors in these roles and the direction of the production, I just think that this detail needs to be recognized and considered.
14 OPINIONS
The Brandeis Hoot
December 4, 2015
Univ. should investigate destination of investments DIVESTMENT, from page 13
universities teach this [Salafism] brand of Islam. The University of Medina recruits students from around the world, trains them in the bigotry of Salafism and sends them to Muslim communities,” according to a 2014 op-ed in The New York Times by Ed Husain. Important to note is that Salafism is seen as the general sect of conservative Islam, whereas Wahhabism is regional to Saudi Arabia. While the specific differences between the two sects are nuanced and still debated by scholars, both
are extremely oppressive. Just as divestment from South Africa in the 1980s helped to bring about the end of Apartheid, divesting from Saudi Arabia today will help bring human rights reform and stop the spread of Wahhabism and Salafism within Islam. The university should complete a thorough inspection of their investment portfolio and determine if any of their assets are contributing to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. While divesting from corporations doing business with Saudi Arabia because of their support of oppression and extremism is noble and practi-
cal enough, an immediate effect would be the divestment from fossil fuel companies, something BCJ would certainly endorse. A majority of Saudi Arabia’s economy is based on the oil trade, and divesting would put a damper on the burning of fossil fuels. Perhaps it’s merely semantics— the difference between divesting from fossil fuel corporations and divesting from Saudi Arabia—but given that the Board of Trustees balks at the idea of divesting, a change in argument is necessary. And maybe there would still be the need to divest from all fossil fuel companies in addition to
those dealing solely in Saudi Arabia. But given the university’s ideals of promoting justice, distancing itself from any involvement in Saudi Arabia would reach this goal. The precedent has already been set with the divestment from South Africa campaign. Brandeis can be at the front of a new movement and be the instigators for worldwide change and peace by looking at its investment portfolio, and taking all funds out of Saudi Arabia and stop supporting the House of Saud’s oppressive rule. At the same time, the fossil fuel industry would take a huge hit. While the support of
Daesh, discrimination against women and selling of fossil fuels will not halt overnight if Brandeis takes out investments in Saudi Arabia—over 150 institutions divested from South Africa by 1988 before Apartheid was lifted—that can’t be a discouragement. In order to support social justice across all sections of economics, environmentalism and human rights, Saudi Arabia cannot be supported by this university, nor by any other reputable organization in the United States.
A shallow misconception By Anthony Arcese Special to The Hoot
Just across the George Washington Bridge in New York City is a little old place known as Long Island. Much more than just an entity of New York, Long Island is home to the suburbs, the beaches, the soccer moms and most importantly, some of the best school districts in the country. From September to June, the screeching brakes of big yellow busses filled with eager children can be heard from almost every corner you turn. However, these happy kids screaming and waving through bus windows often cast a shadow over other children like Carlos Garcia Lobo, a nine-year-old immigrant from Honduras who is unable to attend school. Like the 2,500 other unaccompanied children of immigrants on Long Island, Carlos’ parents do not have appropriate documents to prove guardianship and legality, banning him, and others in a similar situation, from the classroom. The shadow that casts over children like Carlos is a result of misconceptions. Many Americans are
caught up with the idea that all undocumented immigrants are “border jumpers” or “invaders,” and fail to recognize that immigrants simply want what every other natural born citizen easily obtains: an education, a home, a job and a family. Andrew Portes denounces this misconception in his book “Immigrant America: A Portrait,” where he explains how most undocumented immigrants aren’t just strolling into United States; most are simply “visa abusers” who were once legal, but their presence became illegal by remaining in the U.S past their visas’ expirations. This point should be dearly noted, because the misclassification of immigrants not only adds to the negative stigmas that label immigrant groups as “other,” but also creates a lack of support for people who once had a meaningful belonging in a promising place they once comfortably called home. In November 2014, President Obama set forth a series of new initiatives that aimed to mitigate the illegal immigrant situation in America. He proposed changes to the Deferred Action for Child-
hood Arrivals (DACA) program with the goal of expanding the program to include immigrant parents of lawful citizens and extend various waivers to unlawful immigrants who have children or spouses that are U.S citizens. The importance of the expansion to DACA is that it could potentially provide a once classified legal immigrant more time to figure out their options for legality. If they bear a child here (who would be a natural citizen) and then years later their visa expires, they would be classified as “illegal,” but their child would still hold lawful status. In the case of Carlos, and the other 2,500 unaccompanied immigrant children on Long Island, the expansion of DACA would allow for parents to maintain appropriate documentation so that their children can learn, grow and become something more than an “unaccompanied other,” deprived of the schooling and support that they deserve. The above initiatives would provide a structured improvement that is both fair and considerate of immigrants in various situations, but here’s the catch: written
in gray, bold print at the bottom of the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website is an apathetic notice that reads, “These initiatives have not been implemented, and USCIS will not be accepting any requests or applications at this time.” The main issue here isn’t that the government won’t implement the new DACA. The issue is that the refusal of implementation indirectly supports this American misconception that undocumented immigrants are border jumpers who are just here to ruin our economy. Currently, Texas and 25 other states have sued the United States because they feel that the Obama administration’s actions in regards to immigration initiatives are unconstitutional, because having lawful immigrants would require states to provide “state-subsidized driver’s licenses” and unemployment insurance to immigrants. These views are problematic; if a government can’t gain support on immigration, how are uninformed citizens supposed to support it? The above situation shows the governmental issue behind the
lack of support for immigration. Additionally, a study in May 2015 by the Pew Research Center shows a lack of support from the American people. The poll found that 31 percent of U.S citizens felt that the amount of legal immigrants in the U.S should be decreased and 39 percent said that the amount of legal immigrants should remain the same. In other words, more than half of U.S citizens do not support any form of new immigration to the U.S. Americans are failing to see how relevant immigration is to their lives. At one point in time, the ancestors of today’s “Americans” were considered “other” and “un-American.” They came to the U.S with hope for acceptance and mobility, like modern immigrants of today. Through struggle, our ancestors found their way and became “American.” Today, we need to consider children like Carlos, who need an education, a family and a chance. He could one day become a doctor, a lawyer or a physicist, and be something more than a misconceived immigrant child. He could easily become American—if only we let him.
Changes: sudden and not so new CRISIS, from page 12
-el you don’t know what you are anymore, logic goes to the wind. What I realized, and what I think is absolutely necessary for any-
one in this position to realize, is that life doesn’t have to be logical. Fulfilling yourself and finding something meaningful is more important than doing something that “makes sense.” Now that I’ve come to this re-
alization, I have a lot of options to consider, which, despite the trepidation and despite the pressure, is a much better place to be than stuck on a path I don’t really want to pursue. As crazy as it sounds, I am truly thankful how
early this crisis happened. College is the most dynamic time of your life. As a student, you undergo more personal change than you ever have before and for some people more than they will again in their lives. Crises happen. We
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get through them and we change when we need to. In the words of Oscar Wilde: “The only thing that one really knows about human nature is that it changes. Change is the one quality we can predicate of it.” SUBMISSION POLICIES The Brandeis Hoot welcomes letters to the editor on subjects that are of interest to the community. Preference is given to current or former community members and The Hoot reserves the right to edit or reject submissions. The deadline for submitting letters is Wednesday at noon. Please submit letters to letters@thebrandeishoot.com along with your contact information. Letters should not exceed 500 words. The opinions, columns, cartoons and advertisements printed in The Hoot do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editorial board.
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The Brandeis Dragon is back...
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December 4, 2015
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Rabbi Elyse Winick speaks.
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