Volume 13 Issue 21
“To acquire wisdom, one must observe” www.brandeishoot.com
Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper · Waltham, Mass.
Students compete in ecofriendly challenge By Ryan Spencer
October 28, 2016
Kimberlé Crenshaw wins Gittler Prize By Samantha Lauring
staff
staff
DeiSic, a 24-hour think-tank and contest which began Sunday afternoon, challenged students to team up, develop, flesh out and present potential campus sustainability projects. This year was the first year of deiSic, but Jeremy Koob ’17, one of the primary leaders of the event, hopes that it will become an annual event at Brandeis and help to promote a culture of sustainability on campus. The event, which took place in the Shapiro Campus Center (SCC), was directly linked with the Brandeis Sustainability Fund (BSF), a $50,000 fund which “provides financial support for deisic Participants work together on their project in the hope of receiving funding from the Brandeis
See DEISIC, page 3
photo by eduardo beltrame/the hoot
Kimberlé Crenshaw, a civil rights advocate and pioneer of the critical race theory, has recently been named the 2016-17 winner of the Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize by Brandeis University. Crenshaw is known for her extensive work with civil rights in relation to race and gender. Brandeis University awards the Gittler Prize annually to an individual “to recognize outstanding and lasting scholarly contributions to racial, ethnic and/or religious relations,” according to the Brandeis University website. The award includes a prize of $25,000 and a medal. The winner gives a See GITTLER page 2
Sustainability Fund.
Panel discusses unity of women in business By Max Gould staff
Five successful Brandeis alumnae and faculty discussed their notable careers in business and their accomplishments in male-dominated industries in a panel on Thursday, Oct. 27. On the panel was Anne Carter, professor emerita of economics
at Brandeis and a specialist in technical change and technology transfer. Carter received both her Ph.D. and master’s degree from Harvard University. She was the first woman to be appointed to the economics faculty at Harvard and the first female tenured professor in Brandeis’ economics department. Next to her was Amy Kessler ’89, senior vice president and
leader of Longevity Risk Transfer and Prudential Financial. Kessler was recognized in 2014 by Risk Magazine as closing the Deal of the Year in the largest scale longevity risk transfer transaction at the company. Kessler has closed over $40 billion in international reinsurance transactions throughout her career. Panelist Lisa Lynch, a professor of social and economic policy, as
well as provost and chief academic officer of Brandeis, brings experience from the U.S. Department of Labor where she was a chief economist. She also held positions at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Last on the panel was Lan Xue ’90, a previous department head of the China research teams at Citigroup and Merrill Lynch. She was ranked one of the top
three China analysts by Global Institutional Investors for over 15 years. Xue is a founding partner at Trivest Advisors and assists in managing a $1 billion China-focused hedge fund. There was a common theme of unity and “pulling together,” as Lynch put it, throughout the panSee PANEL, page 3
Congresswoman shares insights in webinar
By Abigail Gardener editor
Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, known for her groundbreaking work and advocacy for women during her 24-year career in the House of Representatives, voiced her concerns about the election and the state of gender equality in America at a webinar series on Thursday afternoon. Schroeder served in Congress from 1973 to 1997. During her first term she was only one of 14 women in the House of Represen-
Inside This Issue:
tatives. She was a passionate and vocal advocate for the pro-choice movement and supported the Equal Rights Amendment. She founded the Congressional Women’s Caucus and helped pass the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act. She was also able to pass the Family and Medical Leave Act, which she worked on for 10 years. Schroeder battled blatant sexism as soon as she stepped foot in Congress. When she fought See WEBINAR, page 3
News: Library provides absentee ballot help Opinions: Racism exists here Arts: Big crowds shows up for ‘Big Love’ Features: Students recommend courses Editorial: DeiSic inspiring model
shattering glass ceilings
Incendio
Page 2 puts on first annual Page 10 BLSO culture show. Page 16 Page 4 ARTS: PAGE 13 Page 7
Five women panelists speak about their successful careers.
Ultimate Frisbee
Tron competes in seasonopening tournament. SPORTS: PAGE 6
photo by yarisa diaz/the hoot
NEWS
2 The Brandeis Hoot
October 28, 2016
Librarians organize Vote Absentee Jamboree By Elianna Spitzer editor
The library hosted the Vote Absentee Jamboree on Friday, Oct. 21 to help students vote using absentee ballots. The library will continue to provide stamps, envelopes and notary services for students at the information and borrowing desk until election day, Nov. 8. The goal of the event was to limit obstacles students face when trying to vote absentee, said Aimee Slater, academic outreach librarian. Absentee ballots are election ballots that can be completed and sent by mail to an election office. They are used by voters who are unable to get to polls on election day. One of the main obstacles is clarity, according to Slater. Mail-
in absentee ballots are not uniform. Due dates, envelope sizes, postage and the need for a notary are elements that depend on the state. Students may choose to vote using an absentee ballot because they want to have a say in local politics in their home state. Students registered in swing states may also choose to vote by mail. The choice to use an absentee ballot is often a matter of “personal preference,” according to Slater. Before the event, Slater asked students what the library could do to help them fill out their absentee ballots and a majority of them were concerned about postage. “It’s difficult to get a stamp on campus these days,” Slater said. Some states require specific envelope sizes. Other states, such as North Carolina, require an absentee ballot to be notarized or
signed by two witnesses. “These types of things are very small but can actually prevent people from voting,” Slater said. There are two ways for students to vote in the upcoming election: registering to vote in Massachusetts or voting by mail with an absentee ballot. Voter registration in most states, including Massachusetts, is now closed. Each state has different requirements for obtaining an absentee ballot. In 32 states, any registered voter may obtain an absentee ballot and vote by mail, according to Vote.org. The remaining 19 states have a set of requirements for registered voters to get an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots are “the easiest way [to vote] if you don’t want to register in the state that you’re in,” Slater said. About 65 students attended the
event. Slater attributed this number to the fact that many students had not received their ballots in the mail by Friday. The Voter Absentee Jamboree was the second of two library events encouraging students to vote. The first event focused on registration. Around 150 students representing 22 states attended. Slater compiled a list of requirements for voter registration and absentee voting on a library research page, accessible to students. The requirements are “not intuitive”, according to Slater. Slater highlighted Texas and Arizona as states with absentee ballot requirements that were “difficult to maneuver”. For example, in Texas one is only allowed to vote by absentee ballot if they are 65 or older, are
disabled, will be out of the county on Election Day and during the state’s early voting period, or are confined in jail, according to Vote.org. Slater helped with more absentee ballot applications than she expected. “I really think that shows that students have an investment in what’s going on in their hometowns and their home states,” Slater said. Students responded to registration and absentee voting through social media. Posts urged friends and family to make voting deadlines. “I’ve always thought that voting was a duty, not as much a privilege or a right,” said Daniela Michanie ’19. Librarians at other colleges created similar events for registration and absentee voting. “The system only really works when people get out there and do it,” said Slater.
Flip the Switch wins 24-hour sustainability think-tank SUSTAINABILITY, from page 1
Brandeis undergraduate students willing to undertake projects and/ or activities to improve Brandeis’ environmental sustainability,” according to the Brandeis website. One of the main goals of deiSic was to get more people to apply for funding from the BSF. “Most people don’t even know [the BSF] exists,” Koob told The Brandeis Hoot in an interview. The BSF has granted money to students for initiatives like last year’s waste reduction initiative. In an effort to reduce the amount
of cups that are thrown away each day, BSF allowed the group to give away 1,000 reusable mugs, which are still being distributed to students on campus, according to Sophie Freije ’17, president of Students for Environmental Action (SEA) and a judge at deiSic. Flip the Switch, a project idea presented by Rabeya Hussaini ’20, Miranda Lassar ’20 and Lindsay Weiner ’18, was selected as the winner of deiSic by a panel of judges consisting mostly of Brandeis staff and faculty. “This app creates a lot of potential for Brandeis to reduce its carbon
photos by eduardo beltrame/the hoot
footprint with relatively low financial investment,” said Freije. The deliberation was brief and judges “talked about each idea holistically, primarily considering each project’s financial and logistical feasibility, environmental impact and community impact,” Freije said. Flip the Switch envisioned a smartphone application in which students could sign up for shifts in the evening to patrol academic buildings on campus, record lights that have been left on and turn them off if possible. DeiSic was “a great way to meet people with different skill sets,” Weiner told The Hoot in an interview. The group plans to apply for funding from the BSF as well as funding from SPARK, another Brandeis program which “provides pilot funding for innovative projects that involve the environment, education, computer science, healthcare, economic solutions or social needs,” according to the Brandeis website. SPARK funding would go towards developing and patenting the smartphone application, according to the group. Flip the Switch was just one of the five projects presented by groups participating in deiSic. Other projects included providing more access to composting on campus and in residence halls,
creating a green study space inhabited by plants, creating a place on campus where students could drop off used and unwanted items which could be procured by other students or donated, and a revolving fund which would put money saved from sustainable projects towards new sustainability projects. “It was really difficult to decide on the winning idea, because a lot of the projects were innovative and tackled different aspects of sustainability on campus,” said Freije. During the deiSic think-tank
process, mentors were available to consult with participants, provide advice and help them think about their ideas in new ways. Mentors included Manager of Sustainability Programs Mary Fischer, Professor Sabine von Mering (WMGS/ GRAL) and Freije. Approximately 50 people were originally signed up for deiSic but only about 40 people turned out to the event, according to Koob. He said that the event was an overall success and he hopes and expects to see even more people show up next year.
Special election to fill vacant Senate seats By Andrew Elmers staff
There will be a special election on Thursday, Nov. 3, to fill three vacant seats in the Student Union Senate. The position of Charles River/567 senator has been vacant all semester and the positions of Off-Campus and Ridgewood Quad senators have been vacant for approximately one week or one month respectively. Members of these communities only are eligible to run and vote in their respective elections. These now-vacant seats were all filled in the general fall-term election on Sept. 8, according to an email from Union Secretary Gabriela Gonzalez Anavisca ’19,
who has also served as chief of elections this semester. However, the Union quickly amended the appointment of Gaby Schwartz ’18 as Charles River/567 senator since the “abstain” option received a majority of votes cast. If “abstain” wins the majority, no candidate is elected, according to Union bylaws. The other two senate seats for Ridgewood Quad and the off-campus community were won by José Castellanos ’18 and Nick Love ’17, respectively. Castellanos resigned on Sept. 26. Love was removed from his position on Oct. 21 for missing “four Senate meetings and a number of committee meetings,” which is a violation of Union bylaws, said Vice President Paul Sindberg ’18 in an email to
The Brandeis Hoot. There was an information session on Sept. 19 for Charles River/567 residents interested in running for the vacant seat, which was announced in an email to Charles River/567 residents. However, there was no election was held to fill the seat since no students were interested, Gonzalez Anavisca explained in an interview with The Brandeis Hoot. Now, with three vacant seats needing to be filled, there will be a special election on Nov. 3. There was another information session for potential candidates in the Student Union office this past Wednesday, broadcast through emails sent to students in each of the three communities. Like the session on Sept.19, no
one appeared. However, there are three people officially on the ballot for the Off-Campus senator position. One of them, Maya Dornbrand-Lo ’18, formally announced her candidacy and will be appearing on the ballot sent to off-campus residents next week. No potential candidates have yet come forward for the vacant Ridgewood Quad or Charles River/567 seats. Any interested candidates will have until Monday, Oct. 31, to talk with Gonzalez Anavisca and get their name on the ballot. If no one enters to run for the Ridgewood or Charles River/567 senator positions, the ballots on Nov. 3 will include two options: “abstain” and a write-in field. Gonzalez Anavisca, while de-
jected with the lack of turnout for both this latest information session and the one on Sept. 19, spoke about her experiences as chief of elections meeting with students interested in running for Union positions. “They want to be a voice of the people. They want to represent and help make this community better,” Gonzalez Anavisca recalled from her conversations at the beginning of the semester for the fall elections. “Some just want to make their quads better, or if they’re a senior, they want to make the whole experience better.” Dornbrand-Lo had not responded by press time when asked to comment on her platform.
October 28, 2016
The Brandeis Hoot
IN THE SENATE: Oct. 23, 2016 Recognition of E-Sports club • Recognition vote: Passes by acclimation Name change of the Breakdancing Club to Stop Motion • Change vote: Passes by acclimation Communications • Vice President Paul Sindberg: Turkey Shuttle tickets going on sale on Tuesday 10/25 Senate Committee Chair Reports • Class of 2019 Senator Kate Kesselman (Dining): Hot cocoa event with Sodexo on Dec 7. Cooking demonstration event coming up soon • Senator-at-Large Shaquan McDowell ’18 (COW-G): Trying to schedule a meeting with Jim Gray. Discussing the feminine healthcare product dialogue • Mods Senator Ari Matz ’17 (Health and Safety): Lots of ideas at meetings. Looking to coordinate with Public Safety and Waltham Police about how to insure that students are safe while maintaining student interests with GAC coordination • Class of 2017 Senator Ryan Tracy (Club Support): Working on club report. Will have something at next meeting. • Ziv Senator Michelle Jimenez ’18 (Social Justice): Committee still putting itself together. • Senator-at-Large Nathan Greess ’19 (Bylaws): Senate seats needed to be filled 15 academic days after last resignation resignation. Should’ve been filled by Friday, Oct. 21. Concern is that nobody is aware that there needs to be an election Director of Academic Involvement Jacob Edelman ’18 wants an ad-hoc committee on bylaws to deal with how minutes are released in Senate and in E-Board Executive Senator Hannah Brown ’19: Asked why does it need to be ad-hoc when there’s al ready a committee on bylaws? Greess articulated that he wants Senate to have control over this, but this seems like an E-Board initiative. Senate hands aren’t tied, and will decide at the end of the day • Brown (Services and Outreach): Was busy finalizing Turkey Shuttles. SMR before the Senate on that; they front the money on tickets, they upped the price so they’re expecting a loss. New Business • Turkey Shuttle SMR Motion to suspend the rules and vote on SMR proposed by Kate was seconded Passed by acclimation • SMR to fund bystander intervention initiative to use rooms Motion to suspend the rules and vote on SMR proposed by Brown seconded Passed by acclamation • Kesselman: In Sherman, they’re doing halloween decorations and want SU members to decorate at Halloween • Sindberg: Looking for another Senate Representative to SEEF to accompany Class of 2020 Senator Tal Richtman Kesselman ran: Commitment to A-Board makes her a good choice. She knows what SEEF looks like and how it works. She wants to make sure that SEEF does work to do good things for students. Aaron Finkel was also running, but conceded to Kate following her speech Yes/No on Kate by acclimation proposed by Abhishek Passed by acclimation -Zach Phil Schwartz
NEWS 3
Panelists say collaboration is key in business
PANEL, from page 1
el. “You can do more than when you’re just a party of one,” Lynch said. Kessler agreed with this sentiment. “Women are very, very good at collaborating,” she said. “Women are very, very good at bringing people together around the audacious path of building or of doing something new.” The panelists also discussed what it took for women to become successful in their companies and organizations. Moderator Cathy Minehan, former president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, stressed the importance of distinguishing oneself and being seen as more than just an efficient worker. “I think the step from sort of being the person who is a real contributor to the person who is a
leader is a major gulf for anyone, male or female,” Minehan said. Kessler agreed. “You need to be the person that if they put the football in your hands, you don’t drop it,” Kessler said. Lynch reflected on her time as interim president of the university in the last academic year. When an organization or school needs someone to fill an interim position, a process of change occurs, according to Lynch. “How you manage through that change, how you are viewed as both being the leader of that organization but having legitimacy to actually make decisions that actually go beyond the current day activities, is really kind of a challenge,” she said. Xue gave a cultural comparison of how women in the workplace are viewed in China. Her company created a survey in China to gauge what husbands thought of
wives who worked, versus wives who stayed home. “A lot of the male spouses actually want their wives to work,” she noted. When Xue and her company explored why this opinion was so popular among some men, she said that many responded, “Having, actually, a working wife [gives] us more ways to take on risk in our own jobs, because you actually have some more financial stability at home, so we can actually achieve more in our career advancement.” Carter ended the event with an anecdote about Abram Sachar, Brandeis’ first president, who once refused to hire a successful woman to the economics department. When Carter questioned his decision, Carter said that Sachar responded by making a comment on the economist’s appearance. Carter concluded, “I guess what I’m saying is, we’ve come a long way, baby.”
Brandeis awards Gittler Prize GITTLER, from page 1
lecture at Brandeis upon accepting the award and spends two or three days on campus. Crenshaw will be on campus in October 2017. Crenshaw is one of the founders and leaders of critical race theory, which examines how society and culture intersect with race and law. In 1989, Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality,” a concept that integrates social identity with the intersection of categories including race, gender, sexual orientation, ability and class. Crenshaw is a professor at the UCLA School of Law, where she teaches civil rights in relation to race and the law, according to her biography on the UCLA School of Law website. She is also a professor at Columbia Law School, where she is the director of the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies, which she founded in 2011, as stated on the Columbia Law School website. Crenshaw co-founded the African-American Policy Forum (AAPF) in 1966, which is an “innovative think tank that connects academics, activists and policy-makers to promote efforts to
dismantle structural inequality,” according to the AAPF website. She writes for Ms. Magazine and has been a commentator on NPR’s “The Tavis Smiley Show.” Some of Crenshaw’s publications include “Critical Race Theory” and “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics and Violence against Women of Color.” Her work has also been published in several law journals, including The Harvard Law Review, The Stanford Law Review and The National Black Law Journal. Crenshaw has also been the recipient of several awards including the Fulbright Chair for Latin America in Brazil in 2007 and the ACLU Ira Glasser Racial Justice Fellowship from 2005 to 2007. She was also nominated an Alphonse Fletcher Fellow in 2008. Crenshaw was awarded with an in-residence fellowship with a selective group of scholars at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Science at Stanford University in 2008-2009. Crenshaw was elected Professor of the Year at the UCLA Law School in 1991 and 1994. Dean of Harvard Law School, Martha Minow, was the recipient of the award last year. Her lecture
called for students to be “upstanders” rather than bystanders when facing social injustices. Students from the Ford Hall 2015 movement and from Harvard Law School protested the ceremony. The group, Reclaim Harvard Law, felt that Minow had not been receptive to their demands for a more diverse faculty and removal of the slaveholding Royall family’s crest from the law school seal. Protesters asked what Minow was doing to “upstand” against injustice at Harvard. The Harvard Law students had been occupying Fireside Lounge in the Caspersen Student Center since Feb. 15. They renamed the center Belinda Hall after a former slave who won reparations in a suit against the Royall family. Students believed Minow had done little to communicate and engage with the movement. Reclaim Harvard Law parallelled Brandeis’ Ford Hall movement that occupied the Bernstein Marcus building for 12 days in November of 2015. The Ford Hall movement resulted in a Diversity and Inclusion Action plan. Elements of that plan, including the appointment of a Chief Diversity Officer, are still being carried out.
WMGS Dept. sponsors webinar series on extraordinary women WEBINAR, from page 1
to earn a chair on the all-male Armed Forces Committee during her first term, the chairman of the committee made her and African-American representative Ron Dellums share a chair because according to the chairman, women and black people were only half of one regular member, and didn’t deserve a full seat. However, Schroeder fought back and was able to oust the chairman in 1975. She remained on the committee for the rest of her Congressional career. Having experienced incredible amounts of sexism herself, Schroeder weighed in on the discrimination Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is facing today. “The discrimination against Hillary is a
lot more subtle, but it’s very real,” Schroeder said. “She is very qualified, but [people] will turn around and say ‘I don’t like her.’ It seems almost impossible for a woman to be qualified and ambitious enough to go out there, and take … everything else thrown at them and still be likable,” she said. Schroeder also spoke of the possibility of Clinton getting actual work done in the White House should she be elected. “When she was Senator, everybody was shocked at how well she worked with the Republicans, and how well she got along with them. Even now, you talk to Republican senators and they will tell you she was very fair … she worked on bipartisan bills. I think that’s exactly what she would do this time,” she said.
Her message to those who are concerned about Clinton’s emails was, “If you’re not going to vote for her because of her emails, I want to see all of your emails.” Despite her efforts to close the gender gap while in Congress, Schroeder is “disappointed but not shocked” at the state of gender equality in the country today. She quoted the World Economic Forum, saying it reports that women and men will have equal pay in America in 170 years if the country continues at this rate. “In 2020, we will have had the right to vote as women for 100 years,” she said. “I think our foremothers … are probably looking down at us saying, ‘For crying out loud, people, why can’t you get it together?’” Despite this, Schroeder still believes that “when you get a critical
mass of women, they can really change institutions.” The webinar was the first in a series called “Conversations with Extraordinary Women,” sponsored by the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WMGS) department. Wendy Cadge, Sociology professor and chair of WGS, organized the series. “The idea developed in conversation with the Board of the WGS Program,” she said in an email to The Brandeis Hoot. “We hope to connect with a broad range of alums and friends as well as the on-campus community in an intellectually exciting and vibrant way.” To organize the series, Cadge invited speakers and contacted faculty on campus who would be able to facilitate conversation with the speaker.
“We invited prominent women who we consider to have made extraordinary contributions to American public life. The speakers were enthused to participate,” she said. Over a hundred people signed up to attend Schroeder’s webinar. After registering in advance, participants were able to join the webinar by clicking a link provided in a confirmation email, or they could dial in via phone with phone numbers provided. Florence Graves, director of the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism, moderated the webinar. She encouraged attendees to ask questions for the duration of the webinar by submitting them via a form at the top of the screen. Graves then relayed audience questions to Schroeder.
FEATURES
4 The Brandeis Hoot
October 28, 2016
Course registration: student recommendations What the registrar can do for you By Polina Potochevska staff
With course registration soon approaching, the Office of the Registrar is gearing up for a week of enrollment and student questions. Located in Kutz Hall, the registrar’s office is much more than just the middleman for class registration. Here, students can pick up the Pass/Fail form, transfer credits from AP, IB, A-Level and French Baccalaureate examina-
tions and request transcripts. The office provides all of the paperwork that students need in relation to their academics and can assist students with completing them. Additionally, the office of the registrar assists new undergraduates with the daunting task of online registration. Their website provides students with a clear guide of how to use Sage, Brandeis’ online registration system, and gives recommendations on how to first start building and
balancing a class schedule. Online, the registrar provides students with the University Bulletin. This is an online listing of all the courses that are being offered at Brandeis during each semester, and gives information like the requirements that must be fulfilled for a major or minor, policies of the university regarding courses and course lists for each general university requirement. For those who want to cross register for a class taking place at a different school in the Boston area, the
registrar also assists students with completing their requests. If a student isn’t sure of their final exam schedule, or needs to refresh their memory about Brandeis Days, the Office of the Registrar provides a final exam schedule and an academic calendar on its website that is clear and concise. The website also provides a page with links to each necessary form, such as the Pass/Fail form and the Add/Drop form, so that students do not need to make the trek up to Kutz each time they
need a form. Course registration can seem intimidating, but the Office of the Registrar has most of the answers students are looking for. In person and on the website, the registrar has all of the nitty gritty information about registration, credits and courses. Along with the help of Academic Services, faculty advisors, Roosevelt Fellows and more, the Office of the Registrar is a key tool for taking control of your academics at Brandeis.
Get course credit to discover the meaning of music By Albert Reiss editor
A department teeming with opportunities, the music department at Brandeis has a particularly special course offering next semester: Risk and Experimentation in Music, MUS 33B. Taught by Victoria Cheah, a Ph.D. candidate in the music department studying music theory and composition, the course will “look at works that question genre, comment on things besides music, like politics, extramusical issues and kinds of music that help us think about what we mean by music,” Cheah explained. The class will look at many works on the meaning of music
and is perfect for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of what they are listening to on a daily basis. Perhaps the most appealing part of the course is that it assumes no prior knowledge of musical training. People from all musical backgrounds are encouraged to enroll. “You don’t need to be a trained musician to take this class. You just need an open mind to what you listen to and be willing to question what you hear and think more deeply about what you hear,” Cheah said. The course will look at music composed from the 1960s until today. Unlike other music classes, there is a shorter list of chosen works on the syllabus, which
will allow students to spend more time focusing on each work. The class begins with a study of a seminal 1966 work by noted composer Steve Reich, called “Come Out.” “It is a very important piece from a technological point of view and also a social point of view. It was one of the pieces that launched his career and other pieces to follow,” Cheah said. Other famous composers to be studied in the class include Morton Feldman and pieces such as “Black Angels.” The class is organized into three different units. “The first unit talks about music that is very clearly in the classical tradition but extends it in some way.” Some
pieces would include electronic music, work by composer George Crumb and also pieces that discuss the concert form. The second unit deals with “different kinds of sound works that provide commentary on situations besides music. Some of this work involves appropriating older pieces and what kind of commentary that uses.” Jennifer Walsh and Janet Cardiff are among the composers studied in this unit. Cheah also commented on the fact that there are quite a few female composers listed, which brings gender diversity to the class. “I think that it is important to try to look for good music written by people who may not be the most obvious people. Diversi-
ty for diversity’s sake I don’t think is an artistic reason to program something, although I can see why somebody would do that,” Cheah said. She mentioned that it is the “responsibility of concert programmers to look beyond and try to find voices that haven’t been heard that deserve to be heard.” Some of the assignments in the class will include keeping up a journal and making sure to do deep listenings of the assigned works. For any students deciding whether or not to enroll in the class, Cheah’s words of wisdom are to be open to “being challenged and listening to challenging music.”
Dynamic PAX course practices peacemaking By Zach Cihlar editor
Inner Peace and Outer Peace, a class taught within the department of Peace, Conflict, and Coexistence Studies (PAX), focuses as much on studies of the world at large as it does on the inner reflection required for a beneficial approach to those outer-world studies. Peter Gould, a co-professor for the PAX course, followed the class’s development from its inception. After receiving his Ph.D. in interdisciplinary literary studies from Brandeis, he taught courses to graduate and undergraduate students in the university’s theater department. While teaching these theater courses, a Brandeis sociology professor approached Gould with the idea for Inner Peace and Outer Peace, requesting that Gould submit a proposal for the class. Ultimately, the department filled the position with two other professors, but three years later, Gould was teaching the course. After a one-year hiatus from teaching the course, Gould returned in Spring 2011, bringing with him John Ungerleider to coteach the course with him. “We love each other, we love the commute, we love planning the class together, and both of us come at it from the exact same perspective,” Gould said of working with Ungerleider. Ungerleider directs an organization teaching teens across the world about community leadership and peacebuilding in places
of conflict. The PAX professor leads and engages in a variety of youth activism and conflict resolution organizations. “He’s beloved all over Vermont in teaching youth leadership and cross-cultural understanding and awareness,” Gould said. The two commute from Vermont to hold one hour of office hours and teach the three-hour PAX course every Wednesday. The first time the class meets every spring semester, Gould gives what he calls his “There’s the Door” speech. “I say, ‘You’re going to meditate in this class, and you’re going to find out some pretty awful stuff about yourself, and if you can’t face it right now, there’s the door,’” Gould said. The course pairs a meditative, reflective component and another piece focused on active listening, awareness and conflict resolution. “The class makes the connection between inner peace and international conflicts,” said Emilia Feldman ’19, a recent student of the course and future teaching assistant for the spring 2017 course offering said. “This class teaches the idea that in order to be a strong agent of change, you must truly understand the importance of inner peace and self-awareness.” The class prepares students for conflict mediation at various levels, according to Gould, from interpersonal disputes between siblings or family members to conflict among international bodies on a global scale. Student responses have proven that the personal skills taught to
photo from brandeis.edu
Peter Gould (left) and John Ungerleider (right) pose with sociology professor Gordon Fellman (center) pax faculty
students in the class have been beneficial in their years after leaving Brandeis, Gould said. In this way, Inner Peace and Outer Peace differs from other Brandeis courses that focus heavily on academic knowledge over interpersonal skills. “I heard it was a great experiential learning class, not a lecture like all the other classes I was taking,” Feldman said on why she wanted to take the class last year. Gould hopes that his class will provide students the level of self-examination and awareness that allows them to truly understand themselves. He mentioned that the class may actually cause students to question their accepted identity. In this way, Gould guides students toward an identity which they better align with. “If you’re not prepared to question, ‘Is that really my identity? Are there identities that are deeper?’ If you don’t think you can handle that,” Gould includes in his famous introduction speech,
“there’s the door.” Approximately two-thirds of the class’ 35 students are typically seniors, noted Gould. In many cases, these students use the class as a time of reflection and preparation for leaving Brandeis’ safe space. They register for the class in the final semester “to get stronger in spiritual or psychological ways to face the challenges they are about to face when they leave the safe space.” In recent years, the class has received strong positive responses. In the spring 2015 course evaluation statistics, students answered that the overall quality of the course fell around 92% to 93% respectively for both professors. Students also answered that the lecturers stimulated interest in the subject at a rate greater than 96% for both teachers. “It’s my job as a teacher to make every single student in this class feel like they would not want to be anywhere else but right here, right now, because this is so rarefied, and so special,” Gould said.
The PAX course professors describe their teaching style as planned, but with “the energy of improvisation and spontaneity.” According to Gould, the two are dedicated to listening to student responses and providing deep and constructive responses to student input. “We are not trying to impress anybody with depth and breadth of intellectual knowledge. We are just trying to model a spirit of compassion,” he said. Every year the course changes a little, and this year will be no different, Gould assured. The two professors plan to incorporate newer readings, including many that Gould recently published on the subject matter and works they studied themselves during their undergraduate and graduate studies. In prior years, the professors filled the Castle Commons for three hours every Wednesday to teach the class, but this is the first year the class location has been moved. The first time teaching it in the International Lounge, they expect they must adapt the course accordingly to match the new space. In this space, Gould and Ungerleider look to ignite thought and emotion through the study of outer peace in the context of inner peace. Each year the PAX professors look to delve deeper. “I think we can get more of that feeling of real, deep, powerful, life-changing emotion back into the class,” Gould said. “We don’t want to get too comfortable.”
October 28, 2016
The Brandeis Hoot
FEATURES 5
Why we do what we do By Ally Gelber staff
If sociology and the science behind human interaction intrigue you, look no further than a class taught by Prof. Gordie Fellman (SOC), a scholar of “the structural level of analysis, such as social class, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality and the social psychological level.” His class The Sociology of Empowerment is one you must take before graduating. Why should you take a sociology class if you aren’t planning on majoring in anything related to it? The study of the functioning of human society affects every person with every type of interest. It simply explains why we do what we do when we are around other people. Fellman defines sociol-
ogy as the discipline that allows humans to locate sources and dynamics of unnecessary human suffering and ways to reduce it. In The Sociology of Empowerment, students are able to study sociology in a lens that appeals to the current turbulence of social and political activism. According to the course description, the class “combines reading, exercises, journal keeping and retreats (including a weekend one) to address activism and how sociological constructs affect feelings of helplessness, futility, hope, vision, efficacy, hurt, fear and anger.” If a weekend by the beach with classmates doesn’t sound like a good enough incentive, how about being able to understand why the current political state of our country is so drastically di-
viding a previously united people? The class, usually offered every year, was a personal favorite of Rachel Silton ’17. She took the class her sophomore year, and since taking it, her entire perception of the way people interact has shifted. “I really understand now why people become guarded or more hostile in certain situations based on the circumstances of our society that pressures everyone to be an activist of something or someone,” said Silton. “It’s true—everywhere we look, there are encouragements and subtle hints to join this movement or advocate for that organization or social justice cause.” Take a break from calculus or Roman history, and get to know the basis of human interaction.
photo courtesy rachel silton
The Sociology of Empowerment class visits Prof. Gordie Fellman’s house on Cape Cod each year. retreat
Is third-party voting in this election a wasted vote? Leading up to the 2016 presidential election, conservative and liberal Brandeis students will be prompted with a weekly question. Below are their responses. By Alex Friedman special to the hoot
This election has two of the least-liked major-party candidates of any election in modern history. One is known to be a racist, bigoted, misogynistic, two-faced, ignorant, unintelligent, dangerous, dictatorial demagogue. The other is seen as a lying, shady, robotic, Wall Street shill who has been in politics for far too long. It is no wonder that there has been major talk about third-party candidates. It is also no wonder that folks our age have been especially glassyeyed about them. For many, this is their first election, and they don’t want to have their first vote go to who they see as the lesser of two evils. They want to vote for someone good, not just less bad. Let’s talk about that. In our country, we use a system sometimes called “first past the post” or “winner takes all.” What this means is that whoever gets more votes than anyone else, even if they don’t win a majority of voters, wins all the power. This can be obfuscated by districts and electoral colleges (which are important!), but the general rule is as follows. This is a system that is only stable when there are two major parties, and it always trends toward two major parties. Even if it starts out with five parties and the first representative is elected by 29 percent of the voters, those voters who voted for the fourth and fifth place candidates will eventually move toward a more popular candidate. This occurs partially so they can be on a win-
ning team, partially because those losing candidates eventually run out of money and willpower and mostly to vote against candidates they hate by voting for candidates they can tolerate. Recognize that last one? Negative voting—that is, voting to keep someone out of office rather than putting someone in—comes standard with our voting system. No wonder there are large groups of unhappy voters. They are the ones who would have voted for the other three, smaller candidates in our model earlier. They are left without someone with whom they fully agree and thus become negative voters. That being said, it is still useless, wasteful and irresponsible to vote for a third party. The system I described may be flawed, but it is still the system that we have. Third parties aren’t fighting big-monied, entrenched, highfalutin’ bureaucrats who just want to maintain the status quo; they’re fighting math. And math always wins. So long as we have this voting system (and it is likely that we always will) we will always default to two parties. A far better approach for folks who feel disaffected is to use their vote and their speech to try to change those parties. Parties want to stay in power, and one way for them to do that is to cater to the needs of large constituencies. You want a government that caters to your needs? Make your vote indispensable. If young people were to vote in large numbers, rather than the pitiful turnout rate they have now (especially during midterms and local elections), they would become a force to be reckoned with in the
party. If folks don’t vote, or vote for a different party, they aren’t counted within that party’s coalition and their voices won’t be heard. Why do you think long-time Independent Bernie Sanders ran as a Democrat? He couldn’t have possibly thought, especially at first, that he had a chance of winning the nomination. His goal was to be a major player in the crafting of the party platform, which is now more liberal than it has ever been. He successfully appealed to an underserved populace from within a major party. This is how work gets done. All of this is without speaking about the spoiler effect, the privilege inherent in voting for a third party in this election, the lesser of two evils still being less evil, the actual third-party candidates being incompetent and unserious and any number of other arguments that folks thinking about voting for a third party have heard before and are tired of hearing. The point is, no matter which argument you find persuasive, the result is the same: Voting for a third party is a useless endeavor and a waste of a vote.
By Ari Givner staff
No one votes for a third party presidential candidate because they think they can win. The decision is made on the basis of principle. Either the third party voter believes in the worldview, values and/or character of the third party candidate, or, as is the case for myriad Americans this election cycle, the voter is opposed to the worldviews, values and/or characters of mainstream candidates. I have heard countless people say they cannot support Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton on these grounds. Some of these people are going to vote third party, and some are not going to vote at all. I wouldn’t say that either group is necessarily “wasting” their vote, because they are standing up for what they believe in, but I would say that they should carefully evaluate which of their principles they are prioritizing. Anyone who has spoken to me at any point in the last year knows that I do not like Hillary Clinton, and I do not like Donald Trump. Both have worked hard to repeatedly remind the public of their
photo from thelibertarianrepublic.com
inadequacies. It seems there is always something shady or corrupt going on in Clinton World, and Donald has shown time and again that he is simply a horrible human being with little understanding of the position he is running for. Their policy positions do not give me much reason to support them either. However, they are the only two people who have a realistic chance of becoming the next president. Although I have strong ideological and ethical convictions that I use to guide my political decisions, my North Star is the overall welfare of the United States. I would rather do what helps the country out most than take a symbolic stand with no practical consequence. Either Trump or Hillary is going to be president. That is the fact of the matter, and I would rather support the lesser of the two evils between them than support a third party candidate who will only ever see the oval office if he/she gets a special, White House tour. National security welfare, and economic policy aren’t going to be affected by symbolic stands. They’re going to be affected by the decisions of whoever wins the White House, and I want a say in that.
photo from usatoday.com
BADASS’ doors are open By Blake Linzer staff
We come to college to enlighten ourselves, to expand our horizons into previously unknown areas, to engage with new and dynamic ideas, to collaborate with and learn from relationships with others and to improve several important liberal arts skills such as writing and constructing arguments. If you come to college
at least in part for these reasons, there is an organization known as Brandeis Academic Debate And Speech Society (BADASS) that you may want to consider joining. The team competes in weekend tournaments in two debate styles: American Parliamentary style and British Parliamentary style, often sending as many teams as possible to each tournament. Many tournaments are local, but as part of its region the team travels along the East Coast, sometimes going
as far as the Washington, D.C. area. At times, the team will even travel abroad for bigger British Parliamentary tournaments. American Parliamentary-style debate tournaments, the vast majority of the weekend tournaments, consist of two subtypes of competition: case-based and motions-based. Each consists of two teams of two people, the government and the opposition. In case-based rounds, the government, led by the prime min-
ister, presents a pre-prepared “case” on a topic of their choosing ranging from philosophy to science to history to feminism to anything in between (and will often choose what topic to present based on perceptions of its opponents strengths and weaknesses). Responses and questioning from opposition follow, with two more argument-based speeches from each side and concluding rebuttals to end the debate. Motions tournaments are basi-
cally the same, except instead of the government presenting a case of its choosing, the topics are given on the spot, and teams must, as best they can, prepare arguments in just 15 minutes. Tournaments begin with preliminary rounds and then end with elimination rounds, typically running from Friday afternoon into Sunday. See DEBATE, page 12
12 The Brandeis Hoot
SPORTS
October 28, 2016
Tron looks to qualify for nationals By Zach Cihlar editor
Tron, the men’s Ultimate Frisbee team, is fresh off the road from a tournament the team competed in over the weekend, the club’s first weekend of travel for competition. Their team intended for their participation in this year’s Maine tournament to be purely focused on player development. According to team member Benji Kemper ’19, the team played members who would benefit from experiencing game play. Since the club sport is all-inclusive, the team rosters two separate flights, an A roster and a B roster. “We used [the tournament] to give everyone more experience, especially those in between the A and B rosters,” Kemper said. Presumably, these would be the players who would be influential to the future of the program. With rain falling and winds reaching 30 miles per hour, the players faced adverse conditions in the squad’s opening tournament of the fall season. “It was really fun,” Kemper noted. “We worked through rain. We worked through wind.” Unfortunately, the club team could not secure any game wins, according to Kemper. The de-
veloping players featured on the tournament’s roster for Tron, however, saw heavy competition from other teams, who all chose to play their starting line-ups. Maine is just one stop of many for the team, though. In the past year, the A roster travelled to South Carolina to compete in Easterns, Kemper elaborated. The team would also travel for sections, regionals and, if they make it there, nationals. On the schedule, the USA Ultimate Division III College Championships national tournament falls a few weeks after the spring semester. Every year for the past four years, Tron has qualified for the national tournament, filling one of only 16 spots in the tournament, according to Kemper. Brandeis’ team has made strong showings at the national tournament in recent years, placing second for the past two years. In 2015, Tron fell to Franciscan University, a recently established team. The 2016 national tournament brought the Brandeis men’s Ultimate Frisbee team to North Carolina. After making an undefeated run to the finals of the tournament, the team dropped the title to Georgia College. The team has made it one of their goals to return to nationals this year to have another chance at competing for the title. “I think another goal is to be-
come as close to each other as we already are,” Kemper added, “so just being close, and making strides to being a nice team, a very welcoming team.” Though the team splits the players into two rosters, they pride themselves on being unified and working together. Tron practices four times a week, including a scrimmage every Friday against the women’s Ultimate team, Banshee. The team’s main season occurs in the spring, and since they do not play scheduled dual matches, the team values spring tournaments. The results from these tournaments determine the eligibility for nationals. Tron’s coaching staff includes Andrew Pillsbury and Henry Frost, nationally competitive Frisbee players who once played for Wildcard, one of the top mixed ultimate teams in the country, according to Kemper. Their biggest rivals for this year’s season are Bryant University, Middlebury College and, of course, Franciscan University and Georgia College, all competitive Ultimate Frisbee teams. Last year’s national tournament had Bryant seeded in the number-one spot. Bryant took the first spot in the New England region for Division III in the most recent rankings. Brandeis holds the second spot.
photos courtesy sean carpenter
Brian “Frosty” Gzemski ’17 (right) jumps for a disc in this past weekend’s tournament in Maine. tron
NBA starts season with big trades By Kevin Costa staff
Men’s soccer shutouts Lasell By Jordan Brodie special to the hoot
The men’s soccer team finished their out-of-conference games with a 2-0 victory against Lasell College on Tuesday, Oct. 25. The Judges improved to 8-4-3 with their third straight win, while the Lasers fell to 1-17 as their season comes to a close. Although the Judges did not score in the first half, they still managed to take control of the game. Brandeis took 15 shots and managed to prevent Lasell from taking any. Heading into the second half, the Judges were poised to continue their commanding performance. In the second half, it did not take long for the Judges to get on the board. In the 48th minute,
Zach Vieira ’17 headed the ball to Andrew Allen ’19, who scored the Judges’ first goal of the night. This was Allen’s third goal this season. The Judges continued to dictate for the rest of the game, totally halting the Lasers’ offense. Not only did the Judges take 38 shots (20 on goal), but they also managed to prevent the Lasers from shooting at all. Viera added the Judges’ second and final goal in the 85th minute off a corner from Josh Ocel ’17 to end the game at 2-0. Ocel’s assist marked his 26th of his career, tying Allen’s father, Greg Allen ’86, for the fourth most assists in men’s soccer history. Despite ending their disappointing season on a sour note, Lassell has lots to look forward to with the future of their pro-
gram. First-year goalie Jackson Burhans showed much promise, saving 18 shots throughout the night. Brandeis’ controlling victory allowed many players to get involved on offense. Their 38 shots came from 15 different players. Fittingly, Allen and Viera had the most shots of the night with six a piece. The Judges look to continue their winning streak on Friday, Oct. 27 at home at 7:30 p.m. against Emory University in a key University Athletic Association matchup. This will be their first of two games during Fall Fest, as their regular season will come to a close on Sunday Oct., 30 at 1:30 p.m. on Senior Day against New York University, another UAA opponent.
The NBA season kicked off this week after a busy offseason which saw the league undergo a huge transformation. Since the Cavaliers rallied against the Warriors to win the franchise’s first championship last season, many teams have acquired new players to bolster their rosters. The most notable move saw Kevin Durant transfer from Oklahoma City to Golden State. The former MVP will join an already star-studded group that won a record breaking 73 games last season. According to thestar.com, Durant, who averages 27 points per game and is in the prime of his career, will pose an additional offensive threat alongside Klay Thompson and the reigning MVP, Stephen Curry. In the east, the Celtics picked up Al Horford from the Hawks. The 6’10”, 245-pound center will strengthen the team built around Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley. According to thestar.com, the big man averages 15 points and seven rebounds, making a strong case
for a successful run in the playoffs for the Celtics. The Bulls drastically changed their line-up this offseason. While trading Derrick Rose, the team signed Rajon Rondo to a two-year, 28 million dollar deal after leading the league with 11.8 assists last season. While letting go of Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah, the Bulls acquired Robin Lopez. Lastly, the team’s front office signed Dwyane Wade to a two-year, 47 million dollar deal according to Foxsports.com. The Knicks have also made huge adjustments to their team. In addition to Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, the Knicks will have Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah to improve their line-up. Yet both Rose and Noah have had their struggles with injuries; Rose has missed multiple seasons after winning the MVP in 2011. Noah played just 29 games last year, according to thestar.com. If they stay healthy, the Knicks will likely find success. If the regular season plays out anywhere near the way this offseason did, fans are in store for an exciting year.
EDITORIALS
October 28, 2016
“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.” Editors-in-Chief Mia Edelstein Julie Landy
Managing Editor Allison Plotnik Senior Copy Editor Sarah Terrazano News Editor Hannah Schuster Deputy News Editors Abigail Gardener Elianna Spitzer Arts Editor Sabrina Pond Deputy Arts Editors Katie Decker-Jacoby Emma Kahn Opinions Editor Zach Phil Schwartz Deputy Opinions Editor Katarina Weesies Features Editor Charlotte Aaron Deputy Features Editor Albert Reiss
T
DeiSic think tank useful model for univ. change
his past week, 40 students participated in deiSic, a 24-hour, student-run think tank and contest in collaboration with the Brandeis Sustainability Fund (BSF). The goal of deiSic is to spur conversation and promote new student projects related to sustainability at Brandeis. Its first year on campus, deiSic is in the unique position to effect change from a largely student-run perspective. The use of student leadership is beneficial because students have the most potential to create change on a daily basis. Even something as simple as passing out 1,000 reusable mugs, a project being funded by BSF, can make an impact on campus sustainability by reducing the amount of cups thrown away. With the think-tank structure of deiSic, participants can consider their
Deputy Sports Editor Zach Cihlar
Layout Editor Lisa Petrie
In last week’s issue of The Brandeis Hoot, dated Oct. 21, 2016, in the article titled “Student Grounds: from idea to reality,”
Editors-at-Large Matt Kowalyk Emily Sorkin Smith
Founded By Leslie Pazan, Igor Pedan and Daniel Silverman
STAFF
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.
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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of being granted funding. The proposed projects do not just end in discussion; deiSic provides the perfect opportunity for students to have a direct say in the thousands of dollars offered by the BSF. If the university addressed more issues in a similar way, students would not only be more motivated to engage with these issues, but more likely to take action. The think-tank format combines brainstorming and innovation with the feasibility of funding, and even projects that are not given grants can be pursued by students later on. The ideas do not end at deiSic—the event is a springboard for students to pitch projects, get valuable feedback and be inspired to pursue their ideas. Other campus initiatives could benefit from using a similar approach.
a photo was printed which was originally taken by Brianna Majsiak and originally published in The Justice.
The photo was erroneously credited as being courtesy of Student Grounds.
Piece of Cake
Volume 13 • Issue 21 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma
Emily Altkorn, Sharon Cai, José Castellanos, Elizabeth Cayouette-Gluckman, Anindita Chanda, Shea Decker-Jacoby, Gabriel del Carmen, Jacob Edelman, Andrew Elmers, Daniel Freedman, Abby Gelber, Ari Givner, Max Gould, Emma Gutman, Sophia He, Alana Hodson, Daniel Kang, Emma Kahn, Naomi Klickstein, Adam Lamper, Samantha Lauring, Monique J Menezes, Santiago Montoya, Candace Ng, Polina Potochevska, Faiyaz Rahman, Caroline Rourke, Ryan Spencer, Lily Wageman, Michael Wang
ideas in a stimulating group of like-minded people eager to offer advice and suggest new perspectives, aided by qualified mentors like professors and student leaders for environmental action. The winning project of deiSic, Flip the Switch, is an initiative encouraging students to check the lights in academic buildings, record which ones are on and turn off unnecessary lights if possible. Funding would help develop and patent an app where students could sign up for shifts to check the buildings. This kind of student-motivated action is crucial to creating lasting change on campus and encouraging the administration to respond to student concerns and improve its role in campus sustainability. DeiSic also provides the motivation to consider sustainability with the possibility
Correction
Sports Editor Sarah Jousset
Photo Editor Karen Caldwell
The Brandeis Hoot 7
By Emily Altkorn and Caroline Rourke staff
ACROSS 1. Gambles 5. _______ America 9. Squirrel’s treasure 14. Fill to the _______ 15. This newspaper, with “The” 16. Mammoth descriptor *17. Butter alternative 19. Introduction by 13-down 20. Grain type 21. Egyptian snake *22. Cookie addition 31. Star Wars villain 32. Things 33. Diamond nine 34. Wait a _______! 35. Wagers 36. Dentist’s concerns 37. U.K. Univ. 38. Lawyers’ association 39. Salami type 42. Place you don’t want to be left 45. CDL + LII = ___ 48. Norwegian capital 49. _______ easy 50. It takes a beating on the ice *51. Versatile powder 54. Srsly? 55. “Chandelier” singer 56. Telling cards *59. Geometric sweetener 65. Slander 66. Blue in Mérida 67. Crafty superstore 68. Civic maker 69. Nueve en Boston 70. Trigonometric function DOWN: 1. Dr. Who network 2. Historical period 3. Sn to chemists 4. Kiss 5. Alternative to Online Dating 6. Tic tac toe winner 7. Delicacy in Honolulu 8. Home of the Braves (abbr.)
9. Make _______ (2 words) 10. Macintosh e.g. 11. Ball suffix 12. 54-across copycat 13. Science guy Bill 18. Philosopher Tzu 21. Relay for Life sponsor (abbr.) 22. HTML’s pair 23. Skedaddle 24. Prescription alt. 25. Phone and internet provider (abbr.) 26. Golf stand 27. Paramedic alt. 28. Maiden name 29. Kit ____ 30. Disappointed in text speak 35. Happy _______ clam 36. Road coating 37. It surrounds us at every moment 38. Common fundraiser…or what the starred clues contribute to 39. Indian coastal state
40. New immigrant class, often (abbr.) 41. Pro lax association 42. Snapchat, e.g. 43. _____ + Kate forever <3 44. Professor’s helpers (abbr.) 45. Pair 46. Hospital ward (abbr.) 47. You’re telling me, in text speak 49. Text apology 50. “Oh, the _______ You’ll Go!” 52. Violet prefix 53. Winter tree 56. Molecule of the endocrine system (abbr.) 57. Te _______: A Spanish valentine 58. Freshmen dorm (abbr.) 59. _____ Diego 60. Type of 61-down 61. Firearm 62. Reason to drink cranberry juice 63. Degree for a nurse 64. A test that’s okay to fail
8 The Brandeis Hoot
big love
Read the review on page 16.
WEEK IN PHOTOS
photo courtesy mike lovett
tournament
Tron travels to Maine to play in tournament. Turn to page 6 for more.
photo by sarah ernst/the hoot
Brandeis students support Haiti by donating clothes, shoes, hygiene supplies, first aid supplies and canned goods. All donations will be going to Ete Camp. hurricane matthew donations
no talent talent show
photo by karen calwdwell/the hoot
spingoldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest production
incendio Read about BLSOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first-ever event on page 13.
October 28, 2016
photo from ultiphotos.com
photo by irving perez/the hoot
photo courtesy mike lovett
October 28, 2016
game day
The Brandeis Hoot
Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis team strategizes at Middlebury College.
student performances at campus center team show
rugby game
photo by karen calwdwell/the hoot
Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s club team smiles big after a hard loss to Babson College.
photo courtesy olivia leavitt
shattering glass ceilings
See page 1.
photo courtesy cameron fear
WEEK IN PHOTOS
banshee
Nothing can stop this team from playing Frisbee.
9
photo courtesy rochelle fayngor
photo by yarisa diaz/the hoot
photo courtesy alexa diehl
10 The Brandeis Hoot
OPINIONS
October 28, 2016
The politicization of taco trucks reveals racist stereotypes By Katarina Weessies editor
Last month, Marco Gutierrez, the founder of Latinos for Trump, famously remarked that Latinx immigration will lead to the presence of “taco trucks on every corner.” Gutierrez argued that Latinx immigration was forming a cultural hegemony in the U.S., stating that “my culture is a very dominant culture, and it’s imposing and it’s causing problems.” With these remarks, he implied that he is part of the assimilationist school that believes immigrants to the U.S. should integrate completely into white American culture. In practice, assimilationist beliefs like these discourage the use of the Spanish language, adherence to Latin American cultural customs and expression of Latin American pride. Gutierrez’s view of Latin American immigration is deeply racist. It assumes that white American (or what most racists refer to simply as “American”) culture is the only acceptable culture within which an American citizen or resident should exist. It does not respect the legitimacy or beauty of non-white cultures in the U.S. It is extremely telling that Gutierrez used “taco trucks” as his example of impending Latino cultural hegemony, because it reveals his refusal to recognize the subtleties of Latin American culture. To encourage fear of “taco trucks on every corner,” you do not need to understand the history of Lati-
no immigration. You don’t need to understand anything about Latin American culture. In fact, even a vague understanding of Latin American culture and history would immediately undermine the racist misconceptions of people like Gutierrez. His version of the taco truck is pure stereotype. It dehumanizes Latinx people by reducing them to a food item. It takes the pressure off of racist voters to actually understand or learn about Latinx people, since the entire multi-continental range of Latin American cultures can apparently be reduced to a taco truck. Gutierrez’s taco trucks also exclude Latinx people from the narrative of American-ness. He places the increasing presence of taco trucks in direct opposition to American culture. This is ironic because taco trucks in the U.S. serve an incredibly Americanized version of Latin American food. Taco trucks tend to serve both white and Latinx populations. Clearly, the perceived divide between white American culture and the taco truck does not exist. Furthermore, it is ridiculous to assume that Mexican or Latin American culture is oppositional to the culture of the U.S., since massive portions of the U.S. were historically part of Mexico. Gutierrez’s anti-immigration sentiment becomes much more confusing and complex when one considers the fact that Gutierrez is Latino. His political group, Latinos for Trump, confuses and offends many Latinx voters, who
tend to be firmly anti-Trump. Latinos for Trump is a relatively small group that receives sizable press coverage because of its inflammatory nature. It is made up mostly of American-born Latinx people who wish to be invited, at least partially, into whiteness. They include themselves in racist white culture by throwing other Latinx people under the bus (or the taco truck), including themselves in whiteness by excluding themselves from Latinx pride. By warning Trump supporters of the dangers of “taco trucks on every corner,” Gutierrez separates himself from the taco truck, disconnecting himself and other Latinos for Trump from the stereotypes associated with Latinx culture. Despite the bizarre and disheartening views of Latinos for Trump, taco fans can rejoice in the fact that taco trucks can also be used for good. At a recent protest, the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas was surrounded by a wall of local taco trucks. Many of these taco trucks were presumably owned and staffed by anti-Trump Latinx people. These taco truck protestors did not necessarily deny that the taco truck is Americanized. They take pride in the fact that their establishments are simultaneously Latinx and American. Within the Americanized cuisine of the taco truck, Latin American and United States culture are not contradictory or oppositional, but intertwined. The message of the taco truck protest is two-fold. Firstly, the diversity and number of the taco
trucks and their staffers implies that Latinx people cannot be reduced to one simplistic aspect of their culture. Secondly, the massive and highly visible display of the taco trucks expresses Latinx pride in Latin American cultures. The taco truck protests posit that there is no shame in taco trucks, and therefore no shame in identifying proudly with a culture that is both Latinx and American. When white America identifies Latinx people with the taco truck,
the trump hotel
it is harmful and reductive. It promotes a simplistic and racist view of Latinx culture and immigration. That being said, Latinx activists can easily reclaim the racist taco-based theories and insults. With the taco truck protests in Las Vegas, activists showed their ability to weaponize a stereotype that is usually used against them. This reclamation showed the beauty of Latinx activism, pride and adaptability when faced with racist adversaries.
photo from wikimedia.com
Racism exists at Brandeis By Angela Mendez columnist
I was hesitant in sharing this story, but I decided to do so because it is important for all people to know that these experiences do happen. The other day I was walking calmly to Sherman. I was planning on eating brunch. On my way there, I talked to my dad on the phone. An adult man suddenly interrupted me. He called me over and no, he was not Caucasian. His race does not matter. What does matter is the fact that he was not a student. I at first did not want to go to him. My initial thought was, “um… stranger dan-
ger. I should not go to him.” I tried to ignore him, but he kept calling me and gesturing me to come over. I looked at him. I thought to myself he’s being persistent. It might be important. I should go over there and see what he wants. He might be looking for directions. I walked over to him. A huge mistake that was. He asked me if I was a custodian. He wanted me to clean something up. I blinked and stared. I could not speak. I tried so hard to process what he had told me. It was hard for me to do so. Let me explain why for those who may not understand. I am a young Latina woman. I
have brown skin and I am proud of it. I know the color of my skin is beautiful. Sometimes however, I encounter people who have prejudice and believe in stereotypes. These people do not see who I am. They see the stereotypes. The man who called me over was one of these people. He saw my skin and saw that I was Latina. He automatically assumed I was a custodian. This bothered me a lot. It bothered me because I was not even wearing the uniform. I was wearing jeans and a gray sweater. It was normal everyday clothing. This man also did not even take into account my age. He did not consider the fact that I had the possibility of being a student. It
was messed up because it goes on to show that even after the countless sacrifices my family and I have made so that I can attend college, there are still some people who with small acts belittle the hard work my parents and I put into my education. After not being able to speak, this man thought I did not understand and dismissed me. I walked away. I mean, what else was I supposed to do? Scream at his face and say no? I honestly was still in shock. What makes me the saddest about this experience is the fact that my dad heard all of this through the phone. He witnessed his daughter, his pride and joy, experience racism first hand.
No parent should ever have to because it shouldn’t even happen in the first place. There are people who sincerely believe that the issue of racism has gotten better, but for those who believe so let me ask you this. If I experience this on campus, a safe haven for all its students, how will I be treated in the outside world? Racism is NOT over yet. We need to be aware of this. We also need to be mindful of the comments we say and actions we do. This experience took me off guard, but know for sure that I am not ashamed of who I am or how I look like. I love my brown skin and I will forever love it. Morena y orgullosa siempre seré yo.
October 28, 2016
The Brandeis Hoot 11
The Brandeis Hoot
Build an access point to Squire Bridge at street level By Zach Phil Schwartz editor
In the March 11, 2016 edition of The Brandeis Hoot, I discussed the importance of campus walkways for the use of pedestrians and emergency traffic and made mention to the issue of crossing South Street on the west side of Squire Bridge. The bridge is the conduit that is supposed to allow students to safely cross South Street to get to the Gosman Complex, but is an unnecessary uphill trek to any person coming from anywhere south of the Science Complex. For convenience and more importantly pedestrian safety, I believe the university
should consider installing an access point to Squire Bridge from the South Street level. First and foremost, putting up any sort of staircase on the west side of the bridge will do nothing to further interrupt vehicular traffic that poses a threat to inattentive pedestrians. In an email sent to the Brandeis community on Oct. 13, 2015, Chief of Public Safety Ed Callahan noted, “When crossing South Street, please use the designated crosswalks by the Epstein Building or the Linsey Pool or the Squire Bridge.” This was recommended due to the dangers of crossing this road. The problem here is that these three designated crosswalks are
very far away from each other; one is down the road next to the train tracks, the second is the bridge and the third is the crosswalk that leads to the other end of the sports complex and the Mods. The easiest and most open way to leave campus for those south of the Science Complex is the main entrance on the west side of the bridge. The easiest way to get to Gosman after that is to jaywalk across South Street. Jaywalking across South Street is dangerous not just because the act of jaywalking itself is dangerous, but also because pedestrians are blind to cars approaching from the east, especially at fast speeds. At night, vehicles approaching from either direction
have trouble seeing pedestrians. The school does not encourage this behavior, but pedestrians do it anyway because it’s a pain for many to walk uphill to just walk down the stairs leading to and leading off the bridge. In lieu of proposing a crosswalk be installed in front of the main entrance to campus, which would complicate traffic patterns with heavy use, I look to put together some sort of conversation regarding a staircase to Squire Bridge from the ground level. Such an installation would minimize the time spent climbing campus to get to the top of the bridge, especially from those coming from low-lying areas. Yes, it’s not ideal to have the
hassle of climbing a staircase to get to the conduit area, but for those trying to get to Gosman and the fields from low-lying areas, it’s a much more appealing option than the crosswalk by the Mods or climbing up campus. Such an endeavor would also put a dent in the amount of people jaywalking across South Street, which will serve the interest of preserving the safety of the public. Building a staircase will not stop all jaywalkers, but it’s a step in the right direction. It’s not worth it to wait for something to happen to a pedestrian trying to cross South Street to start a discussion on how to rectify the phenomenon of jaywalking.
photo from mapio.net
squire bridge
Moon landing deniers devolve into lunacy By Jack Fox
special to the hoot
Brandeis is one of the world’s best colleges. We’re commonly ranked in the Top 40 in terms of general academic excellence. Most independent organizations who take a look laud us for our top-tier professors, quality science programs and superbly educated students. I know all these facts as well as any other student. There’s not a single person who goes to Brandeis who isn’t skilled in some subject, a fact that makes me exceedingly proud when we consider that Brandeis has about 6,000 students. So why—and I have trouble even typing this out without feeling ill—did I have to have a series of arguments the other day with a student who didn’t believe in the moon landing? This is one of human history’s most defining moments. It’s the culmination of decades of research and work and incremental, hard-won scientific advancement. The evidence that it happened is overwhelming: Moon rocks can be dated as older than any Earthly rock, mirrors from Apollo 11 can be seen or detected with the correct equipment, and of course there’s the undeniable fact that the Soviet Union could have
used their own telescopes and imaging equipment to watch the landings live. If the hostile power with the most to lose didn’t try to deny the reality of the situation, it becomes difficult to lend credence to the Brandeis students who say
it didn’t happen. A major part of the issue is the success of counter-culturism. It’s more popular than ever to go against the established narrative, and in a lot of ways that’s a good thing. We should absolutely question a cultural narrative that
photographic evidence of the moon landing (possibly)
allows for things like racial oppression and gross class disparity. American culture is toxic in many ways—ways that Brandeis students, I am proud to say, have always striven to overcome. The problem arises when it becomes popular to fight that narra-
photo from wikimedia
tive for the sake of the fight itself, especially when the scientific establishment is a part of that narrative. That’s the kind of thinking that leads to anti-vaxxer arguments, or people who firmly believe that pharmaceutical companies have already developed a Miracle Wonder Cure For All Cancer that they refuse to release because of some imagined damage to their bottom line. Sometimes, not everyone is out to get you. I don’t want to sound too harsh here. As academics, it is our duty to question, to prod, to be skeptical. To say that all conspiracies are false by their nature of being conspiracies is just as anti-intellectual as denying any lunar landing, especially when Western governments have planned so many actual plots—Operation Northwoods and Project MKUltra both spring to mind, having been recently declassified. But when your skepticism is greater than that of the hostile superpower that had every conceivable reason to try to disprove the 1969 American moon landing, maybe it’s time to take a step back and think a little about what it is that you’re trying to accomplish. When you’re more paranoid than the U.S.S.R.—and I mean this in the gentlest possible sense—it’s time to take stock of your beliefs.
12 OPINIONS
The Brandeis Hoot
October 28, 2016
Address the stigma surrounding mental illness
By José Castellanos columnist
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 5.7 million Americans, or 2.6 percent of the adult population, has bipolar disorder. 5.7 million people live with this disorder, often trying to go about their daily lives in spite of how much this can affect them. One often overlooked way that bipolar disorder can affect the lives of those who have it is the many popular misconceptions and stigmas surrounding bipolar disorder. For instance, many people confuse mood swings with bipolar disorder. The truth is, bipolar disorder is characterized by depressive lows and manic highs, which often last for weeks or months, depending on the individual in question. Additionally, the term “bipolar” is constantly used in a negative connotation to describe someone who is seen as unnecessarily
emotional, or someone who can rapidly change moods. It’s a toxic misconception that is overall detrimental to people with bipolar disorder who may often feel like their very real condition is trivialized by these perceptions. Like 5.7 million Americans, I am bipolar. Like 5.7 million Americans, I experience depressive lows and manic highs. Like 5.7 million Americans, I want my disorder to be taken seriously. The issue of misrepresentation, misunderstanding and stigma is not exclusive to bipolar disorder. Mental illness is often seen as taboo for polite conversation, and people with mental illnesses are often ostracized for conditions that are beyond their control. People who have mental illnesses are often treated as if their problems are insignificant or nonexistent because of the lack of a visible physical injury. Simply put, mental illness is
not taken seriously by entirely too many people, and though we may often act as if we always take this matter seriously, the problem can be found everywhere, even on the Brandeis campus. Even on the Brandeis campus, there is often stigma and misunderstanding surrounding mental illness. Even on the Brandeis campus, I’ve heard people call themselves bipolar because they became suddenly angry at a mild inconvenience. Even on the Brandeis campus, we need to take steps to better support people with mental illness. One of the primary issues concerning the stigma that surrounds mental illness is the constant scapegoating of people who have mental illnesses. People with mental illnesses are perceived to be more violent than neurotypical people, and mental illness seems to only be brought up in the wake of a tragedy to try and explain
why the incident occurred. As a matter of fact, statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services state that only 3-5 percent of all violent acts can be attributed to individuals with a mental illness, and people who have a mental illness are over 10 times more likely to be the victims of abuse or crime than neurotypical people. The fact that we have an almost subhuman perception of mentally ill people, much of which comes from the myth that they are prone to extreme acts of violence, speaks volumes about the larger issue at hand. Our society has serious misconceptions about mental illness that need to be destroyed, primarily because it’s disgraceful for us to use mentally ill people as a scapegoat, especially when they are so often ostracized, stigmatized, belittled or invalidated. There’s a good chance that you know someone who has a mental
illness. Whether or not they have confided that in you is solely their business, but it falls onto all of us to understand that mental illness, while often not viewed with the gravity that one would see a broken leg, is a serious problem that affects many of the people around us. Mental illness needs to be addressed due to the very real impact that it has on many people. However, before we can confidently be supportive allies we need to break down the stigma surrounding mental illness and the misconceptions that we have about the people who have them. People who have mental illnesses do not deserve the stigma, nor the patronizing or dismissiveness that they often receive. They need to be assured that they are facing very real issues that have a profound impact on their lives, and that their mental illness in no way invalidates them or reduces their worth as human beings.
FEATURES
Debate trains and competes DEBATE, from page 5
In order to prepare for tournaments, the team holds two meetings a week. Practices consist of lectures on possible debate topics or good debate strategies such as vibrant question, answer and discussion process. Teams break into practice rounds (novices included) to practice case writing and captains corners, where captains and team members might, for example, watch and break down debate videos. Everyone may devote as much or as little time as they wish to, may miss meetings as needed and may go to as few or as many tournaments as desired. Any Brandeis student may join BADASS. Regardless of class year, political involvement or presidential campaign favorite, regardless of prior education on history, philosophy, science and many other topics. Ranked third by American Debate Association, BADASS, unlike many other college debate teams, does not require tryouts and allows novices, meaning that firstyears, sophomores or even juniors
can become debaters. The team actively recruits novices, and anyone is welcome to join at any time. At the beginning of each semester the team holds a demonstration round to show possible newcomers what a competition looks like. The team also commits itself to lecturing and teaching newcomers fundamentals of debates and having novices practice in front of varsity members to hone their skills. These opportunities exist, however, not only at semester’s start. I, for example, strolled into a debate meeting a few weeks ago out of personal interest and, admittedly, listened to a lecture in which I understood nearly nothing of the technical strategy they were discussing. Afterward, however, I asked for a primer on debate and was led, along with three other novices to receive a comprehensive lecture about debate and how to complete a practice motions round complete with detailed constructive criticism. I was then asked to come to the tournament the following day. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it, but the astonishing desire to
photo from brandeisdebate.org
implement novices into the process is truly a remarkable feature of BADASS as opposed to other schools’ tryout-based debate teams. In this one meeting and practice round, I sampled firsthand the potential parallels of debate and some fundamental reasons we come to college. I discovered the potential debate has for ex-
panding intellectual horizons (I had to think about and heard arguments about a topic, charter schools, I never would’ve thought about), building community (I was able to work with other novices and the varsity member who gave the lecture and criticism) and the possibility to improve writing and argument skills debate (I was given detailed critique about the
structure of my argument). So to improve the college experience, to learn new things, to build a better community (here and elsewhere, as teams typically get to know students from other schools by seeing and competing with them at some tournaments), as well as to plainly have some fun, BADASS is a great club to join. SUBMISSION POLICIES
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October 28, 2016
ARTS, ETC.
The Brandeis Hoot 13
First-ever BLSO event, ‘Incendio,’ lights up the night By Sabrina Pond editor
If ever a little hard work and determination made a real difference, it would have been at Brandeis Latinx Student Organization’s (BLSO) first ever cultural event, “Incendio.” The blood, sweat and tears of the E-board were apparent upon first entering through Levin Ballroom’s doors at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22—from the glimmering out-ofthis-world decorations to the cute table decorations, it was immediately obvious that the title “Incendio” was more than fitting for this event. After all, everything about the gathering was positively lit, and those attending couldn’t help but feed off the radiating flames. A two hour event, “Incendio” showcased the talents of 12 vibrant performers who celebrated their own individual cultural experiences. Ranging from heartfelt poetry to singing to the sultry swaying of salsa dancing, the night was full of diverse talents from people whose experiences are not typically heard. As a person not from that background, it was a pleasure to get a bird’s eye view into another person’s culture, to learn about traditions, dishes and a language I do not usually experience and to fully open my heart in a setting that encouraged that transaction. To open “Incendio,” the first performer Sanin Dosa ’20 managed to figuratively litter the stage with gasoline before lighting the match, erupting the platform in flames with his short introduction followed by break dance moves. As he detailed his relationship with dance over the years, recounting his deep dislike of the art of dance, Dosa said that a conversation with his mother
photo by sabrina pond/the hoot
photos by alana alves/the hoot
changed his point of view. According to his mother, he would never find a girl if he didn’t know how to dance. Since that conversation, he has learned not one, but
seven different types of dance. To Dosa’s bewilderment, however, he still remains single. His break dance moves were incredibly hypnotic and appeared to require
a good deal of balance, coordination and strength. Dosa’s ability to feel the music while spinning in circles was so otherworldly, it looked almost inhuman. Shaquan McDowell ’18, an attendee of the event, found the occasion monumental in its importance and enjoyed the acts overall. “They’re really talented and it gave them an opportunity to express their culture in a way that’s never been able to be done at Brandeis.” He went on to say that, “One reason I came is because I wanted to be supportive of them but I also wanted to just see the Latino/Latina culture on campus as it hasn’t been able to be displayed beforehand.” Another notable performer was the Platinum Step Team, which as usual managed to impress with synchrony and inventive choreography. Each group member, including those recently inducted, has an amazing presence on stage, as though brimming over the edge with power and authority. Platinum Step Team also comes off very egalitarian, in that no one person in the group takes center stage—each person is given the spotlight at different points. Additionally, their finesse in making sounds with different body parts is almost sublime, always leaving the audience in suspense and wanting more. Carmen Landaverde ’19, who is a member of BLSO’s E-board and was an emcee for the show, was very enthusiastic when she said, “It was amazing, and it still hasn’t hit me that we did this. It’s the start and it’s going to happen not just this year, but it’s going to be an every year type of thing.” When reflecting on how the event went, Carmen mentioned, “The turnout was amazing, the food was good, the music played, the
lights could have been a little better but you know, you have to have a flaw somewhere.” Though the event was on fire throughout, if anything could be improved for the future, the lighting could be more organized. There were points when lighting was required, but it took a while for the lights to turn on and vice versa. Even so, it didn’t seriously detract from the show in the least. Some of the performers and emcees seemed anxious and on edge, as though they were very concerned they might mess up. Honestly, they had nothing to worry about—for the first ever BLSO cultural event, this was practically on fire! Brandeis’ very own Salseros placed three “couples” front and center, and their mastery of the steps, ability to feel the beat and enjoyment of the routine was legendary. Body rolls galore, the more romantic and sensual aspects of salsa were featured in this specific routine. Consuelo Pereira-Lazo ’19 read a poem she had written about the immense pride she feels for her culture, which was all the more impactful because of her vulnerability at the mic. Toxic also wowed with a complicated routine featuring glamorous movements that showcased the strength of the dancers. “This event was like a seed that we thought of last year.” Landaverde continued, saying, “Last year, when it was still AHORA, we needed more stuff happening on this campus that has to do with the Latin voice because we didn’t hear it, I didn’t see it my [first] year.” When one person has a dream, especially one that involves a more inclusive world, that ambition is absolutely within reach.
Funky and fun, NxWorries creates one groovy album By Emma Kahn staff
What one word would you use to describe Anderson Paak? Groovy. The duo NxWorries, consisting of Anderson Paak and Knxwledge, recently released “Yes Lawd!”, a fun, funky and exciting 19-track album that highlights the best of two innovative and truly brilliant musicians. If you want to know what new music styles are prevalent this year, look no further than contributions by Anderson Paak and Knxwledge. The two are often overlooked in mainstream music outlets, as The Fader writes, “The producer is one of the most crucial yet anonymous figures in all of music.” Do not mistake the
anonymity and mystery behind NxWorries as representative of their worth— these two are making huge waves in the music you hear today and the music you’ll be hearing tomorrow. Back in February, The Hoot featured an article on the release of Paak’s “Malibu” and described him as an up-and-coming artist. Rolling Stone featured him with beautiful precision as “a dreamer and romantic who blends hiphop, R&B, rock and soul into a funky world all his own.” After an interview with NPR, host Scott Simon acutely labeled his music as a “kaleidoscopic mix of 60’s funk, 70’s soul, hip-hop, R&B, electronic music and rock ‘n roll.” If you didn’t know Anderson Paak then, you should now. Paak has been
photo from consequenceofsound.com
featured in some of the year’s best albums, such as Kaytranada’s “99.9 percent,” Mac Miller’s “The Divine Feminine” and Chance the Rapper’s “Coloring Book.” His smoky, seductive voice and lighthearted style is what makes songs like “Glowed Up,” “Dang!” and “Suede” impossible to play just once. NxWorries seamlessly fuses an older, more emotive style with the best features of modern production style. Both artists speak to similar influences in their lives that have impacted their musical taste and style. “It’s really close to church for me: the feeling you get when you drop these chord progressions and make them your own,” Knxwledge said in an interview with The Fader. “There’s a lot of R&B and soul music that came from gospel. I’ve listened to hiphop and a lot of R&B songs, like, all those Monica joints—the melody is always driven, so a lot of that shit is comparable to church songs to me. It gives you the same feeling. Everybody gets that chill down their spine for something.” Paak similarly expresses attachment to the black gospel choir sound in several interviews alluding to the first time he attended Baptist Church, urged by his sister to check out the choir and the church band. He incorporates many soul and R&B instruments and styles into his music, preferring a rougher, uneven beat to a
photo from landgroundunder.com
precise style of rhythm. As a producer and musician, Anderson Paak promotes the boom-bap sound and expresses in interviews the dismaying lack of artists and producers interested in boombap production, a style self-reflexively titled for its onomatopoeic chopped percussion sound. The complexity with which he entered into a music career, combined with the challenges of his youth, fails to dampen his cheerful and optimistic sound. He is bringing positivity to even the most tragic verses. NxWorries have an impeccable ear for production style. It is no wonder, as they worked to produce many high profile yet innovative albums, including Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly.” Featuring 19 short tracks re-
corded throughout 2015 and early 2016, this new album brings some older tracks into the mix that some listeners are already familiar with. “Suede,” “Link Up” and “Lyk Dis” were all released before the album release date of Oct. 21. Other notable tracks new to listeners include “Livvin,” “Sidepiece” and “Fkku.” “Yes Lawd!” is a fun and easy listen, bright in sound and bursting with creativity. Anderson Paak’s voice is uncanny and alluring, scratchy and effortless, and the beats of each song pull a listener into this fresh, funky and fun world that NxWorries creates. “Yes Lawd!” paves the way for the new and alluring trends in modern hip hop and rap today—softer, more sensual and introspective musicality over smooth and clean beats.
14 ARTS
The Brandeis Hoot
October 28, 2016
Brandeis students test safe space boundaries By Brianna Cummings staff
It would not be an understatement to say that Brandeis is a politically correct institution. The social justice oriented university does a lot to make sure its students feel comfortable and that everyone respects the beliefs of others. This has been done by creating “safe spaces” and having students specify their pronouns when introducing themselves. This political correctness was briefly invaded on Wednesday, Oct. 26, when the Brandeis Department of Theater Arts presented “Freedom of Speech: Lessons from Lenny Bruce.” The play was directed by Sam Weisman and written by Amanda Faye Martin. “Freedom of Speech” took place at a liberal arts college and followed the lives of seven students. The characters had the same names as the students who played them: Savannah (played by Sa-
vannah Edmonds ’20), Kate (Kate Farrell ’16), Jacob (Jacob Kleinberg ’18), Yair (Yair Koas ’19), Laura (Laura Marasa ’20) and Gabi (Gabi Nail ’18). Nail also played Laney. Comedian Corey Rodrigues also had a role as a stand-up comedian in a comedy club. The play begins with Savannah inviting her boyfriend, Yair, to a study date with her friends. These friends include Kate with a K, whom Yair finds attractive. Later on in the play, after a lot of discussion and philosophy from a drunk Laura, the students start discussing a Lenny Bruce book. The students talk about Bruce’s political incorrectness and his many arrests. They discuss whether it is okay for people to say the n-word if they are quoting another person. The attention then turns to Savannah, the only black character, who states that when someone says the n-word, it is important to examine the context first. Jacob, whose Lenny Bruce im-
pression is on par, then reads a transcript from one of Bruce’s comedy shows. The transcript contains an abundance of racial slurs used to describe African Americans, Italians, Hispanics, Asians, Polish people and many other races and ethnicities. This causes Gabi to leave the conversation. The conversation over the rest of the play involves the difference between being funny and being inconsiderate. The play quickly got real about political correctness, especially on college campuses. One character claimed that, “Liberals can understand everything except for people who don’t understand them,” and another said, “Liberal arts colleges don’t listen to people with other opinions.” Political correctness in humor was also examined. “Freedom of speech should not be limited to other people’s perceptions,” an actor claimed. Can someone be both funny and offensive? This is the question that was asked towards the end af-
photo from pbs.twimg.com
photo from hercampus.com
ter Yair makes a series of offensive remarks. Comedian Corey Rodrigues asked the audience after the play was over if the excessive use of the n-word troubled anyone. Many audience members decided to share their opinion of the play. One audience member, Helen Wong ’19, felt angry about the disparaging remarks made about Asians. She told Yair that even though she knew he was in character, when he made his remarks she “wanted to go take the mic from him and tell him to fuck off.” Many audience members said that they would excuse offensiveness if it was done in a comedic way. “When it is art, it is permissible,” said Jose Kleinberg, the father of actor Jacob Kleinberg. “When it is not art, you need to be politically correct.” It was revealed that an anecdote from the play in which a person known as “Asian Kevin” used the n-word was based on an experience that one of the actors had at Brandeis. In fact, it turns out that
most of the play was based on the actors’ experiences at Brandeis. “We have been working on this since early September, but most of the first meetings were about having conversations about freedom of speech on campus, language in general and learning about Lenny Bruce,” said Edmonds. “Most of which Sam Weisman had us write down paragraphs on certain subjects like anger and our feelings about conversations on campus. We wrote down all of our ideas and good phrases on Google docs, recorded our conversations and these were transcribed and turned into a script by Amanda Faye.” The conversation ended with the message that people will be offended and that they must choose their battles. It is okay to let a few things slide, but if one is offended by another’s remarks, they should make their voice heard. “You just got to speak up,” said Edmonds.
photo courtesy yair koas
‘Girl on the Train’ offers viewers a juicy plot twist By Alana Hodson staff
Recently released on Friday, Oct. 7, “The Girl on the Train” starring Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett and Rebecca Ferguson offers a satisfying experience for the fans of dark, psychological thrillers. While I must confess that I am certainly no film connoisseur and have limited knowledge, if any, of the official standards that define a good film from a poor one, I am an average person who is able to report that my money was certainly well spent on viewing this film. A friend and I had decided to see this movie on a whim, rather than because of any particularly appealing reviews, so I approached “The Girl on the Train” with essentially zero expectations, other than the vague notion that it was of a more serious nature. I sat through the film completely and continuously intrigued. Right from the opening scene, a seemingly mundane commute to inner New York City (a place many of us can easily imagine ourselves, for those who have ever taken the commuter rail), something felt odd—something not quite right about the scene. I began to wonder about its cause; is it the peculiar rosy tint to the main character’s (Emily Blunt) cheeks? Her bloodshot eyes? Is it the suspicious glances of the other passengers as she meets their fleeting gaze over the top of the seats? Or perhaps, and this is what I happened to cue in on most intently, it was the unusual clarity with which Blunt’s character, Rachel, perceives the outside world
photo from movieinsider.com
photo from universalpictures.com
from her seat on the train. We are shown over the course of multiple trips how Rachel appears to have a fascination with the residents of two houses that fall in sight of the passing train. In one house, Rachel has found a couple (played by Haley Bennet and Luke Evans) that she imagines to be the embodiment of everything she wished her life could be, and in
photo from bustle.com
photo from gobankingrates.com
the other resides the loose ends of her shattered past, including her unfaithful ex-husband. As the movie progresses and the story unfolds, I began to understand the twisted connections between Rachel and the residents of these two houses. My attention and concentration in an iron grasp, I tried to puzzle out the inconsistencies in the character’s
lives alongside Rachel attempting on-screen to understand why her memories, present and past, have been shrouded in mystery. Intriguingly written and expertly directed, the plot leaves the viewer contemplating the sinister events as they happen, and the actors and actresses guide the viewer into a deeper insight of the nature of the characters—how their
histories, relationships, instincts and ideas have influenced their actions. I personally appreciated that not only did “The Girl on the Train” offer a thought-provoking and thrilling story, but it also dedicated much insight into the mind of the main character. Plus, to make the experience all the more exciting, a dark twist to the story is included towards the end. Even the background to the movie, for those who care for further research into the story, is interesting. It is based on a novel of the same name by Paula Hawkins, set in England, which is why Emily Blunt speaks with her native London accent despite the setting being changed to New York. The novel held a #1 spot on the best seller list in the U.S. in 2015 and 2016, and it currently holds the record for the longest consecutive run as #1 best seller in the U.K. The film was written faithfully to the book except for a slight difference in the execution of the plot twist, but I am certain it does not dampen the effect (although I have not read the book). I highly recommend “The Girl on the Train” to everyone—well, except those who don’t want to be mentally invested in their films and prefer pure action instead— but especially for those who love psychological thrillers without a lot of gore (like me). At the very least, Emily Blunt delivered a fantastic performance (and she was even five months pregnant by the end of filming!). Of course, I wouldn’t be so cruel as to spoil such an interesting movie, so I highly encourage you to go see “The Girl on the Train” while it’s still in theaters.
October 28, 2016
ARTS 15
The Brandeis Hoot
‘Die ganze Welt’ nicely integrates into American theater By Adam Lamper staff
Often the true essence of a play becomes “lost in translation” as it is adapted to new cultures and exposed to new audiences. However, Theresia Walser and KarlHeinz Ott’s performance of “The Whole World” (originally “Die ganze Welt”)—as translated into English from the original German by Ingrid MacGillis—was almost unanimously received by the audience and playwrights as a near perfect rendition. Many playwrights even felt that in some respects it surpasses the quality and emotional valence of the original. Brought to campus by Brandeis’ own Center for German and European Studies, and sponsored in full by the the German Embassy in Washington DC’s 2016 program, Germany Meets the U.S., this performance featured several actors familiar to the Boston acting scene. Deb Martin is playing the part of Tina, a care-free mother of two with a troubled past involving infidelity. Martin’s larger-thanlife stage persona added its own unique comedic flare to the play. Having performed in a previous version of the play, Martin mentions in a post-performance discussion, “it gives me a lot of freedom to wildly switch tones and feels without necessarily needing to connect some of the dots because it felt like it could be real, it could be a dream, it could be
photo from cinemarx.ro
the way it existed in someone’s memory, it could be somebody’s perceptions; it sort of gave it a freedom to explore each and every way, and that was a lot of fun.” This diverse range in paradigm was clearly demonstrated in Martin’s frequent emotional shifts and was tactfully carried out given her superb acting ability. Though perhaps not the main character of the show, Martin surely left an impression of greatness in audience members. Thomas Kee, a Boston-based actor who played the part of Tina’s emotionally unstable husband, was certainly no stranger to the spotlight in this performance, as he portrayed an archetypally insecure, middle-aged man. Having performed this play before, Kee remarks on how this time, being older, the story and strife of the
photo from chestertheatrecompany.com
photo from sunyoswego.com
characters appears to be significantly more applicable to his own life. “The thing that my character felt, the sort of desperation of having something like this happen at this point in their life, and how they were so groping for it,” Kee says, “I was like, ‘Wow! This is my life’...It’s like you peel away a little layer of yourself every time.” This remark perfectly sums up what is perhaps the most essential theme of this play, the struggle and strife of a middle-aged person to make sense of their life and to find true purpose. Kee shows us through his character that middle age can be just as confusing and emotionally crippling a point in one’s life as adolescence, contrary to what many are led to believe. Arguably the main character in the play, Richard, played by Craig Mathers, was without a doubt the
most serious and grim character in the performance. Mathers was always the one who centered the digressions back to the central theme. It is evident that Mathers’ character represents the physical manifestation of the existential doubt that accompanies the aging person who is confronted with their own inevitable mortality. Throughout the play, Richard mentions working full-time on his “scripture,” (arguably a vague reference to any goal attempting to be obtained), and how it will only be completed once he is no longer living. At the same time he is also signifying that he believes to some degree that his life work will be completed in vain, and utterly fruitless. Differing from Richard is his antagonistic wife, Regina, played
by Maureen Keiller, and actress who has a striking resemblance both in acting potential and physical appearance to Julianne Moore. Keiller’s character plays a pivotal role through constantly switching the interactions with her husband from argumentative to amiable and back again numerous time throughout the performance. As a medical doctor, Regina is the primary “breadwinner” of the household while representing a stereotypical nagging wife archetype. Because of her character’s vast range in expression (even more so than Martin’s character) Keiller’s character was perhaps the most memorable one of the night. As a whole, this performance was able to strike a chord with both the older members of the audiences as well as the Brandeis students themselves. Older audience members saw pieces of themselves hidden within the characters, while Brandeis students were able to make striking connections between the behaviors of the characters and that or their own parents of guardians. Though not one of Brandeis’ own productions, this was certainly one of the best performed in Slosberg’s Merrick Theater this semester. This is due in large part to the competence of the actors, but without a doubt most importantly due to the applicable verity of the content.
Lydian String Quartet bedazzles during rehearsals By Katie Decker-Jacoby editor
Brandeis’ Lydian String Quartet performed powerful compositions during its open rehearsal on Oct. 20 in the Slosberg Music Center. Mark Berger, Judith Eissenberg, Joshua Gordon and Andrea Segar sat center stage in the Slosberg Recital Hall on Oct. 20, playing instruments, critiquing arrangements and listening to original compositions. The quartet covered an assortment of pieces: While one of the compositions was so intense that it produced goosebumps, another exuded a lighter and more joyful spirit. The group typically performs classical, romantic, modern and contemporary works, meeting four days a week for three to four hours a day. The quartet’s 29 recordings showcase its renditions of pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Bob Nieske, John Harbison and several others. All four members are professors or associate professors of their practice at Brandeis. Berg-
er is a violinist and an associate professor of the practice, joining the group in 2014. Eissenberg is a violinist, professor of the practice and founding member of the Lydian String Quartet. Gordon is a cellist and professor of the practice, entering the group in 2002. Segar is a violinist and associate professor of the practice who started her career at Brandeis and in the quartet this school year. Since the group’s formation in 1980, there have only been four changes in membership. “Each time there’s a change, it brings a difference, a new infusion of ideas, life and musicality. I think this is one of my favorite changes. This is definitely the honeymoon period, so it’s a good time to hear us,” expressed Eissenberg. On top of covering arrangements with such a seamless group dynamic and by such acclaimed composers, the Lydian String Quartet has performed in Washington, D.C., New York, California, France, England, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Russia and Armenia. The quartet will add Taiwan to its long list this upcoming December. The Lydian String
photo from lydianstringquartet.com
Quartet will spend two weeks there in a residency, interacting with students and performing for them. Of all these venues, the Lydian String Quartet delighted in its trip to California the most. “What was great about it is that we got to play our own repertoire. All three pieces were written for us,” Eissenberg said. The group enjoyed working directly with young composers at other universities, as it made the Lydian String Quartet feel more engaged and included in the different communities. The largest audience the quartet performed in front of contained around 800 people, according to Eissenberg. When asked what it is like to perform, especially in front of such vast audiences, Eissenberg explained that she feels a balance of fear and excitement. “When we’re playing, whatever the music holds inside of itself and our feelings as people playing together, it is a huge range of everything you’ve ever wanted to feel,” Eissenberg remarked. “We amplify what our audience wants to feel and our audience amplifies what we’re doing on stage. Audience is so important to performing,” she added. The group has graced Brandeis with its outstanding recitals, but also gives back to the community through its Lydian String Quartet Commission Prize. “The goal of this commission prize is to encourage creativity and enhance the string quartet literature at the highest level of composition,” according to the quartet’s website. More than 400 musicians applied in 2012, which was the first year the group put forward the commission prize. Having formed in 1980, the Lydian String Quartet has been around for over 30 years. The
photo by katie decker-jacoby/the hoot
group launched “Around the World in a String Quartet,” a “multi-year concert series that explores string quartet music from local world musical traditions in and beyond the western European art music setting,” according to the group’s website. The quartet has also joined forces with tabla player Sandeep Das, pipa player Chen Yihan, Syrian clarinetist and composer Kinan Azmeh and Brandeis alums. The group has not collaborated with any students, but it is an idea the quartet might visit in the near future. However, the Lydian String Quartet has played compositions by Brandeis undergraduate and graduate students. “There’s a theory class that has all the students writing minuets and that’s an annual thing. We play their minuets and they record them. That’s a lot of fun too,” explained Eissenberg. While recording pieces is “a lot of fun,” the process can be rather exacting. “Torture. Plain and simple torture,” Eissenberg described the process. “You have to do spots over and over again and then piece it together. It feels like what
you’re doing is trying to get something right as opposed to making music, which is what a concert feels like,” Eissenberg elaborated. She noted that a 30-minute arrangement can take two eighthour days to finalize. Although the quartet loves journeying to other parts of the world for competitions and concerts, the group’s home is at Brandeis. “I have to say, if I had to list my all-time favorite, it’s playing here at Brandeis. I’ve been here since 1980 and I feel like this is my family. My family’s on stage, my family’s in the audience. It’s our students,” Eissenberg proudly asserted. Speaking of home at Brandeis, the Lydian String Quartet eagerly anticipates its concert on Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. in the Slosberg Music Center. Tickets are available for purchase online, by phone and at the ticket booth in the Shapiro Campus Center. As Eissenberg stated, “it’s a good time to hear us,” so go buy tickets and partake in an experience that will be sure to send chills down your back and leave you wanting more.
16 ARTS
The Brandeis Hoot
October 28, 2016
‘Big Love’ cements itself as a lasting memory By Katharine Mound special to the hoot
Despite the deluge of afternoon rain that kept most Brandeis students and others inside on Saturday, Oct. 22, a crowd of about 100 braved the weather to see the Brandeis Department of Theater Arts’ thoroughly entertaining production of Charles L. Mee’s play “Big Love,” directed by Rebecca Bradshaw. The production was held in the Laurie Theater of Spingold from Oct. 20-23 and drew sizable audiences for each of its showings. The show’s beginning was just as jarring as its end, starting off with a chilling, classical piece that ushered in Lydia (Talia Bornstein ’19), one of 50 runaway brides from Greece. She enters the scene donned in a tattered wedding dress, fatigued yet relieved, and falls into the sand that makes up the floor of the set. Lydia, along with her 49 other sisters including
Olympia (Lynnea Harding ’19) and Thyona (Kate Kesselman ’19), have just sailed to Italy in search of asylum from their contractual marriages to their 50 cousins that had been arranged by their father. But Mee’s play isn’t simply a tale of 50 brides abandoning their respective grooms at the altar; it engages love, consent, gender, refugees, loyalty and violence, among other themes. The story is a modernized rendition of Aeschylus’ “The Suppliant Women,” creating a unique fusion of heavy, philosophical monologues characteristic of ancient Greek playwrights with a sprinkling of references to modern happenings and culture. Although a bit difficult to overcome at first, the time-warp-esque quality of the production raises an intriguing prospect: Although the play is derived from ancient Greek mythology, the concerns and issues raised in it are still very much relevant to the present. Not long after the ship carrying the 50 brides docks at the Italian
estate of Giuliano (Josh Rubenstein ’19), his uncle, Piero (Joseph Tinianow ’17), Piero’s mother, Bella (Sarah Steiker ’17) and three of the 50 grooms enter the scene via helicopter with unparalleled style: Nikos (Matt Hoisch ’19), Constantine (Rodrigo Alfaro Garcia Granados ’18) and Oed (Ben LoCascio ’20). It becomes immediately clear that the brides and grooms are paired with their respective foils: Thyona, a strongwilled, vitriolic critic of men, is arranged to marry Constantine, a raging misogynist; Olympia, a talkative, happy-go-lucky woman, finds herself at the altar with Oed, a character who remains silent for most of the play. However, this pattern is disrupted with the pairing of Lydia and Nikos, who, perhaps unfortunately, discover the innate chemistry between them amid the forces pulling them closer to and pushing them away from one another. Vengeful Thyona tries to rally her sisters to kill the men
they are being forced to marry, while Constantine asserts, “I’ll have my bride. If I have to have her arms tied behind her back and dragged to me, I’ll have her back.” Though they are offered guidance from comic relief duo Eleanor (YiQuian (Alex) Wu ’19) and Leo (Riely Allen ’18), Nikos and Lydia try to resist the different pressures of the people around them and listen to their own hearts instead. As the conflict piles up around the two, the audience is engaged with a variety of unsettling questions. Although Lydia and Nikos are forced to marry, does their love for one another trump the premise of their relationship? Should Lydia stand with her sisters in defiance of the forced marriages, or should she follow her desire to be with Nikos? At the end of the story, these questions remain unresolved. Even as Nikos and Lydia stand side-by-side as a wedded couple with fireworks blowing up behind
them in celebration, they stare ahead with unmistakeable terror, concluding the play with a poignant scene of anxiety and uncertainty. The audience is appointed the task of untangling the complicated dynamics and situations between the characters, a burden that persists long after the bows and applause have faded away. “Big Love” was as entertaining as it was captivating, from its juxtaposition of Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major against The Temptations’ “My Girl,” to the trios of sisters and their respective fiancés offering scenes of cathartic shouting and sand-throwing. The performances of the actors in the show were outstanding as well, especially those of Bornstein, Harding, Wu and Hoisch. With the superb production staff supporting the backbones of this complex narrative, the brilliant casting of the show and Bradshaw’s unique vision, “Big Love” cements itself as a lasting memory of the best of Brandeis theater.
photos courtesy mike lovett