October 10, 2019

The Huntington News October 10, 2019

The independent student newspaper of the Northeastern community

@HuntNewsNU

Photos by Elisa Figueras “This community is not for sale,” said Marilyn Mahoney, a 70-year-old Nahant resident and a party to the Nahant Preservation Trust’s lawsuit.

NAHANT RESIDENTS DENOUNCE NU CONSTRUCTION ON ‘WILDLIFE PRESERVE’

By Isaac Stephens Deputy Campus Editor In its 1965 proposal for the Marine Science Center at East Point, Nahant, Northeastern pledged to make the tract of land next to the facility a “wildlife preserve.” Now, the university is clearing the foliage to make room for a 55,000-square-foot Coastal Sustainability Institute.

Residents of Nahant fear the addition will disrupt the area’s wildlife and fundamentally alter the residential character of the town, which is one of the smallest in Massachusetts.

Nahant Bay is designated as an “important bird area” by Mass Audubon and is a valuable habitat for lobster, flounder and other species of aquatic life, according to a report by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office.

Linda Pivacek, a 78-year-old wildlife enthusiast and a retired medical professional, said she first discovered Northeastern had begun clearing land for testing in June. She planned to search for confirmation that two state-protected birds sighted at East Point were breeding in the area. Instead of nests and baby birds, Pivacek

found a cleared access road and piles of freshly cut wood.

“It had been bulldozed illegally by Northeastern,” she said. “The whole area where the birds were was gone.”

Pivacek and other residents said Northeastern notified the town about testing-related work that would occur June 28, but that university officials had not been clear about the magnitude of damage it would cause.

After hearing about the damage, Kristen Kent, the chairman of Nahant’s conservation commission, issued an enforcement order to NU’s project manager, calling for

the university to cease work on the tract of land designated as a “wetland resource area.” Kent said the rest of the damage occurred on land outside of the commission’s jurisdiction.

In late July, members of the nonprofit Nahant Preservation Trust, or NPT, notified the university of their intent to sue.

NPT argues that the land is zoned as a public park, citing a long history of pledges by university officials to maintain the site as a preserve. The nonprofit is seeking an exception to the Dover Amendment, a Massachusetts law allowing educational

institutions and other nonprofits to ignore zoning ordinances.

State Rep. Peter Capano (D-Lynn) said he supports the suit and has pushed for changes to the Dover Amendment that would allow for waivers in cases of potential environmental damage.

While the statute in its current form has done good things for nonprofits in the state, he said, it leaves room for abuse of the environment.

“It’s not right that a billion dollar institution … [is coming] into a place and just [destroying] it, you know, PRESERVE, on Page 2

Jury duty surprises students, conflicts with classes

By Emma Plante News Correspondent When the judge called Julia Mannix to the bench during a jury selection, she was asked which university she attended. When she said she went to Northeastern, the judge told her, “For $70,000 a year, you shouldn’t have to miss a day of class.” Mannix, a second-year human services and communications studies major, was dismissed.

Students who hope to avoid being selected to serve on a jury evidently feel the same. Such students include Padraic Burns, a third-year computer and electrical engineering combined major, who was summoned for jury duty last fall. Burns, whose

mother is an attorney, said he was educated enough about the process that he found a way to be dismissed.

The jury for the trial Burns was selected for on the day of his summons involved a crime that took place near Ruggles MBTA Station, close to where he was living at the time. His proximity to the crime made him ineligible to serve as a juror, and he was dismissed.

Burns said being impaneled and having to attend the trial would have been an inconvenience for him.

“It was an inconvenience without being picked,” he said.

The state of Massachusetts compiles a master list of potential jurors every year based on the state’s mandatory annual municipal census. Ev-

ery city and town in the state takes a census each year, and the results are sent to the jury commissioner. This process creates a larger jury pool than other states, which typically use lists of citizens registered to vote and those with driver’s licenses. In Massachusetts, this list is then split into 14 separate lists, and jurors are randomly selected using the software program Jury+.

Massachusetts also allows students to serve, which is another unique decision that increases the potential jury pool for the state. According to a WGBH article from last year exploring jury selection in the Commonwealth, about 10 percent of the population receives summons every year. Included in that

Photo by Deanna Schwartz Jury duty has proven to be an inconvenience for students with busy schedules. population is the large number of students who attend Massachusetts’ 114 colleges and universities.

Mannix said when she was summoned for jury duty, she was originally interested in the process. That

was until she found out the trial she could be chosen for was a medical malpractice case with a scheduled duration of nine days, which would significantly impact her ability to JUSTICE, on Page 3

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October 10, 2019

Nahant residents sue over NU construction PRESERVE, from front because they can,” Capano said.

“Whether it’s Nahant, Lynn or anywhere else, the idea that that could happen to a natural resource area or a wetland is wrong.”

Renata Nyul, a university spokesperson, addressed the lawsuit in an Aug. 26 email to The News.

“On July 23rd, the Nahant Preservation Trust, and 29 residents of Nahant, informed Northeastern of their intent to sue the university to

block the proposed expansion of its marine science center, which sits on land Northeastern has owned for more than 50 years,” Nyul said in the email to The News.

Before Nahant residents could legally begin their lawsuit to contest the project, Northeastern filed their own suit in land court Aug. 9.

“To protect its interests, and to minimize protracted and costly litigation, Northeastern is seeking a declaratory judgment in Massachusetts Land Court. While this process takes place, the university will continue to work with town officials to develop a mutually agreeable plan that allows the university to enhance its important coastal sustainability re-

Photo by Elisa Figueras Bill Mahoney and Christian Bauta discuss seawater outflow pipes installed beneath the Marine Science Center.

search, while preserving the unique vitality and character of Nahant,” Nyul wrote.

Marilyn Mahoney, 70, a longtime resident of Nahant and a party to NPT’s lawsuit against Northeastern, said she is frustrated by the university’s lack of communication.

“Northeastern had all this stuff in the planning and had never approached the citizens that it was indeed going to impact, which I find appalling,” she said. “I mean, if you’re going to do something to the community that’s going to impact the citizens of the community, they should be part of the process right from day one.”

Residents found out about the project, Mahoney said, after the Marine Science Center filed an application for new seawater pipes in early 2018. When her husband, Bill, investigated and told other residents he’d found orange markers on trees on East Point, she said, over 30 people showed up to the meeting where town officials planned to review the application.

Northeastern officials held public meetings and took comments from residents later that year.

In December, Northeastern presented three revised proposals they hoped would better fit the town’s needs. Only 17 percent of residents who responded to a town-com-

missioned survey supported any of Northeastern’s new plans. The university selected the second of their three plans, which reduces the footprint of the proposed facility from 60,000 to 55,000 square feet.

One alternative Northeastern refused to consider, Capano said, is building the facility on the Lynn waterfront instead of Nahant. He said he would welcome the construction of an academic facility in Lynn and sees it as a potential “jumping-off point” for further development.

“I had spoken to the economic development director in Lynn, and he said he would roll out the red carpet for Northeastern,” Capano said. “I spoke at the town hall meeting, and I told [Northeastern] that, but they weren’t interested.”

Capano said university officials told him they preferred to focus on their relationship with Nahant. But beyond the fact that Northeastern already has a facility near East Point, Capano said he thinks the university chose the site for aesthetic reasons.

“It’s like a trophy,” he said. “I mean, why wouldn’t you want to build there? It’s a beautiful spot.”

For Nahant residents — human and otherwise — East Point means more than aesthetics.

Pivacek worries about endangered bird populations in the area. The lights from the facility, which are kept on overnight for security reasons, could cause navigation issues for migrating birds, potentially lead-

ing them to their deaths, as the birds get confused when they see a bright light while flying in the dark.

Bill Mahoney, Marilyn Mahoney’s husband and a fourth-generation Nahant lobsterman, said the larger seawater pipes on the new facility could hurt lobster populations.

Northeastern has pledged not to use the pipes at their full capacity, but Mahoney worries the university will slowly increase output as outcry about the facility dwindles.

Residents have similar concerns about the facility’s effect on the character of the town. Joshua Antrim, a 58-year-old Nahant selectman, said he fears the traffic generated by Northeastern will increase. He said he is worried about the impact this might have on the town’s culture.

“There isn’t really any significant business in town,” Antrim said.

“There’s, you know, a pizza shop and a couple of restaurants. People aren’t normally commuting to Nahant ...

So, people that [would be] in town on a daily basis [wouldn’t] necessarily have the same connection to the town and the same, maybe, respect for the neighbors.”

Marilyn Mahoney said she sees the conflict with Northeastern as a problem of respect.

“This community is not for sale,” she said. “Why are the scientists that claim to be environmentalists working to preserve the environment going to rape our Nahant so they can build up a global reputation?”

[from the Swipe2Care program],” Cerrone said. “I think if they actually were to solve the problem and end food insecurity on campus entirely, they would have to incur some costs, and that’s not happening now.”

In addition, not every active Northeastern student is eligible to request meal swipes.

Jordan Clark, an urban and regional policy graduate student at Northeastern, said he was told about Northeastern’s Swipe2Care program from a few undergraduate students he was mentoring who knew he was struggling with food insecurity.

However, when he tried to access the program through his myNortheastern portal, he couldn’t find it. When he reached out to the administration, they told him the program is only available for undergraduate students.

“They’re open to the idea of

expanding it, which is really disappointing,” he said. “It answered the question, but didn’t deal with the issue, which is that I was hungry now.”

He said he finds it frustrating that an institution like Northeastern University doesn’t do more to ensure that its students are fed.

“Being hungry, unfortunately, is not an uncommon thing — it’s something that I’m not afraid of,” he said.

“But I know I’m at this resource-rich environment, and I’m a student and an alumnus in this ecosystem where there’s so much free food.”

Cerrone and Clark said they both use other methods of finding food on campus, including visiting centers that supply snacks and using an app called FeedShare that allows people to post about free food on campus.

“I have a lot of resources and offices on campus where I can get what

I need,” Cerrone said, adding that she worries about younger students who might not know where to go for help. “I’m already thinking about it so much that if you have even more barriers, I can’t imagine how much of your brain capacity it’s taking up.”

A spokesperson for the Swipe2Care program declined to comment, but said the program’s administrators have not reviewed any data from the first year of the program yet, and it is unclear whether Swipe2Care will be continued in the future.

However, it may take both structural and cultural changes to ensure that students’ needs are met.

“We have this normalized culture here of just being very wasteful regarding food,” Sojourner said. “I think that issue needs to be addressed in a better way than Swipe2Care.”

Swipe2Care fails to address student hunger

By Maya Homan News Correspondent Every fall, students flock to the 29 colleges and universities in Boston alone. For most of the year, undergraduate and graduate students make up 20 percent of the city’s population, totaling over 138,000. Every fall, nearly half of students nationwide struggle with food insecurity, meaning they will not have reliable access to nutritious, affordable food.

Hunger on college campuses has become an increasingly prevalent issue over the last few years. A Hope Foundation survey of almost 86,000 students from April found that 41 percent of students at four-year institutions experienced food insecurity in the last month.

In response to the growing rate of food insecurity, Northeastern piloted a program called Swipe2Care last fall, which allows students to donate unused meal swipes to students in need. Students who want to donate meals can do so through their myNortheastern portal before their swipes expire at the end of the week.

The donated swipes then go into a pool that students can draw from when requesting meals.

However, those who have received extra meal swipes through Swipe2Care said the program still has a long way to go to reduce food insecurity on Northeastern’s campus.

It takes up to five business days for a request to be processed and another five business days for meals to be added onto a student’s Husky Card, according to several students who have used the program over the past year. This means it can take well over a week for a student who requested extra meals to receive them — if

their request is approved.

“They do it in terms of business days and not regular days,” said Makaila Cerrone, a fifth-year political science and psychology combined major who said it took 11 days for Swipe2Care to supply her with the meals she requested. “But [I’m] a real adult who has to eat. You don’t just eat on business days.”

Jill Sojourner, a fourth-year human services major, said Swipe2Care didn’t reply to her request for ten days, by which time she had already sent a follow-up email to the program. Her request was ultimately denied for no specific reason.

“Fortunately, I’m not in a position where ... getting declined made it so that I’m not able to eat, period,” Sojourner said. “That being said, I wouldn’t have requested the meals if I didn’t feel I needed them.”

Students also expressed frustration over the seemingly arbitrary rules of the program, such as the fact that students can only request three meals at a time, that guest swipes are not eligible for donation and that any leftover donated swipes in the pool expire at the end of each semester.

There are also several types of meal plans, such as Profiler plans and Resident Assistant meal plans, that are ineligible for meal swipe donation.

“With regard to [Swipe2Care] specifically, I think it’s a great idea,” Sojourner said. “But they’re placing the burden of feeding hungry students on other students, which I think is kind of ridiculous.”

Though many Northeastern students agree that Swipe2Care is a good first step for the university, they feel it doesn’t do enough to meet the needs of students.

“Northeastern incurs no cost

Photo by Brian Bae While well-intentioned, the university’s Swipe2Care program, which attempts to address food insecurity on campus, has some students feeling like not enough is being done.

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For students, jury duty NUPD is an inconvenience CRIME LOG JUSTICE, from front attend classes. Other students in Mannix’s group were panicking about their academic responsibilities as well.

“We had a half-hour break at one point, and another girl was telling me about a test she had that day, and how that break might be what made her late,” said Mannix. Another student from Middlebury College planned to leave for a semester at sea while the trial was scheduled to take place. She was unsure if that was an acceptable excuse and panicked about being impaneled.

Not only can serving jury duty lead to absences from classes, jobs and other responsibilities, but students are also often unaware that it is even a possibility for them to get summoned to serve on a jury as a student or as someone from outside the state.

“Most people were surprised that I had been chosen,” Burns said. He found that other students, especially those who, like him, were from out of state, were confused that they could be summoned in Massachusetts or that students could be summoned at all.

Compiled by Nico Malabuyo, News Staff

Kiley Sullivan, a second-year criminal justice and political science combined major, said she knew she could potentially be summoned, but noted the confusion of others, including her siblings and friends in other states, such as her home state of New Hampshire.

“The college should do a better job of letting students know they’re eligible because plenty of students don’t check their mailboxes and don’t get notified,” she said. Sullivan said she remembers when she received her summons last fall and saw notices on a few mailboxes for students who had also received summons, but did not check their mailboxes.

Burns also believes either the city or the state should notify students, particularly those from out of state, that they have the potential to be summoned once they become residents.

Sullivan was dismissed, as were Mannix and Burns. Burns said he has not met a student who actually ended up being impaneled on a jury, suggesting most students find a way to avoid it or are dismissed by the judge or attorneys involved in the

impending case.

Northeastern professor of criminal justice and defense attorney Krista Larsen says a lot of jury selection, beyond the random selection from the population, comes down to the case and the type of juror attorneys want.

“For instance, if there’s a roommate fight or a bar fight, college students are more inclined to get it.

If the case is something more legally sophisticated or medical, I as an attorney may overlook a student,” said Larsen, a practicing attorney in Massachusetts for 20 years.

She said she doesn’t feel anything more can be done to educate students about their civic duty, but hopes it will spread by word of mouth and from people getting the experience of being a juror. Students and friends often ask her about the process, and she encourages them to do it.

“Some of their first questions are ‘How do I get out of it?’ and I try to be passionate about telling people ‘Go! It’s your civic duty,’” Larsen said. “If you were accused of a crime, wouldn’t you want someone on a jury who’s like you?”

MONDAY, SEPT. 30 5:04pm

An NU student reported his bike was stolen from the Snell Library bike racks. A report was filed.

6:28pm

An NU student reported his bike tire was stolen from outside Snell Library. A report was filed.

TUESDAY, OCT. 1 8:11pm

An NU student reported a package was stolen from his residence at 136 Hemenway St. A report was filed.

10:38pm

A staff member at Snell Library reported observing a disorderly NU student entering the library, screaming and kicking furniture in the area then leaving before officers could arrive. A report was filed.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 2 1:09pm

A parking guard reported observing a man unaffiliated with NU entering a restroom in Davenport B. The guard reported the man entered the building without authorization and keyed into the side door of Davenport A upon leaving Davenport B. Officers reported checking the area with negative results, but found footage of the man leaving the area heading toward Tremont Street. A report was filed.

THURSDAY, OCT. 3 3:06pm

An NU student reported a package was stolen from his residence at 335 Huntington Ave. A report was filed.

4:16pm

An NU student reported his bike was stolen from the bike racks along Columbus Avenue. A report was filed.

FRIDAY, OCT. 4

Photo by Deanna Schwartz Jury duty has proven to be a massive inconvience for students with busy school, work and social schedules.

12:30am

An NU student reported being followed by a man who was yelling incoherently and attempting to touch people on Ruggles Street.

The student reported the man threatened and leaned on him and he believed the man may have been under the influence of drugs.

A report was filed.

2:52am

An NU student reported observing a man unaffiliated with NU possibly displaying a firearm outside of Davenport A. Officers reported being unable to locate a firearm but that the man had a criminal record and had previously been banned from NU property. The man was issued another trespass warning for all NU property and was removed from the premises. A report was filed.

8:29am

An individual unaffiliated with NU reported a saw was stolen from the EXP construction site at 809 Columbus Ave. A report was filed.

12:26pm

A staff member at Matthews Arena reported observing two individuals underneath the stairs on St. Botolph Street. Officers reported speaking with the two individuals and that one had a criminal record and an active warrant. The officer placed the individual under arrest for the warrant. A report was filed.

12:49pm

An NU student reported her unattended laptop was stolen from Ryder Hall. A report was filed.

SATURDAY, OCT. 5 A prospective juror must be: a citizen of the United States a resident of the county in which summoned at least 18 years old able to read, write and speak the English language not be deemed incompetent due to medical or physical infirmity not convicted of a felony within the last 7 years

1:48am

A resident assistant, or RA, in Smith Hall reported finding an NU student who smelled of alcohol sleeping inside the building.

The RA reported the student attempted to stop the RA while she contacted NUPD. Officers reported speaking to the student and called an ambulance. A report was filed.

2:10am

An NU student reported observing an intoxicated student in the lobby of East Village. Officers requested an ambulance to transport the student to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for further assistance. A report was filed.

Source: juryduty101.com

BIKES STOLEN

27 THIS SEMESTER Graphic by Avery Bleichfeld

Graphic by Alaine Bennett

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Hall Council ready to serve community

By Nolan Piccola News Correspondent The fall semester is well underway, and Northeastern students are settling into the rhythm of campus life. With clubs and other activities filling with new students, a new semester also brings a newly elected hall council for residence halls.

Hall council is a student-run organization that takes place in every residence hall on campus. Students vote for members of their hall council with an online ballot, electing their hall members to fill the roles of president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and advocacy representative.

Once elected, leaders of hall council are responsible for hosting events in their residence halls as a way of engaging the community and bringing residents of each living space closer together.

Lindsey Parcell, a second-year nursing major, is president of West Village C and West Village F’s hall council. She said it will be her second year serving on hall council.

As a freshman, Parcell was hall council president of the East Village, Hastings and Midtown Hotel community. Since it was her first leadership position in college, Parcell said it was a challenge to serve all three residence halls, ensuring each was effectively heard.

“It was kind of crucial last year

for hall council to make sure that everyone feels included on campus and that Hastings and Midtown Hotel still got the announcements and event notices that East Village did as well,” said Parcell.

In addition to serving the student body, Parcell said she also tried to organize initiatives off-campus, hosting events to raise money for local homeless shelters and food banks.

“We tried to ensure that some social organization was being donated to or helped in some way,” she said.

Ryan Hart, a second-year mechanical engineering major, ran alongside Parcell this year as vice president.

“I was really just looking for a way to get involved and do something that could help out the community,” he said. “This seemed like a really hands-on opportunity.”

Second-year Ishani Kapoor, secretary of West Village C and F, said she ran for a leadership position that would allow her to get more involved on campus.

“My first year, I wanted to figure out what fit me best,” said Kapoor, a computer science and game development combined major. “This year I decided that that thing was going to be hall council.”

While hall council is just beginning their weekly meetings, Parcell said she hopes to host more events with Northeastern’s Resident Student Association, or RSA, this year. “That gives us bigger budgets and more

people to come to events, typically,” she said.

RSA plays a similar role as hall council, though on a larger scale.

The association serves students in residence halls on campus, acting as a liaison between the Department of Housing and Residential Life, according to their website.

RSA is also responsible for overseeing every hall council. Liam

how they are elected into their roles.

Once they are elected and trained by RSA, the SRA’s of each residence hall act as their advisors for the year.

“We’re the ones who set it up, but more throughout the year it’s kind of just overseeing them,” Gordon said.

Gordon said that overall, it’s up to hall council to decide how active they are within their resident community.

While the RSA sets guidelines for

ing to make them feel more integrated into the RSA community,” said Lancos, a second-year biochemistry major. “We also want them to feel like they have our say as a resource if they need it.”

A common trend RSA has noticed in hall council is that there are fewer upperclassmen that choose to run each year. “Some people are less inclined to get involved in new things

Photo by Muhammed Elarbi Campaign flyers are posted in the lobby of IV. Winning candidates will plan events for the council this semester.

Gordon, a third-year chemical engineering major, is RSA’s vice president for advocacy and one of the co-chairs for hall council. “What RSA’s biggest role is in hall council is assembling them,” he said.

RSA plays a major part in the elections of hall council members, working with senior resident assistants, or SRA’s, in residence halls to decide

hall councils, like the requirement of one event per month, any proposed changes within their hall depends on how motivated they are to enact it.

In terms of how RSA communicates with hall councils on campus, Annie Lancos, vice president of operations in RSA, says there is always room for improvement.

“One of our goals this year is try-

because they are already very much involved,” Gordon said.

Although elections have just recently been completed for hall council, Gordon said the elected members seem excited for the year ahead.

“A lot of them seem really passionate about making change, not just in their own residence halls, but on campus at large.”

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LIFESTYLE

October 10, 2019

Page 5

Calendar compiled by Morgan Lloyd | Graphics by Alaine Bennett

Thursday, Oct. 10

Photo courtesy Lauren Scornavacca, Tastemakers Music Magazine Jason Ebbs, pictured second from the left with his band members, took home first place at Tastemakers’ Battle of the Bands.

Tastemakers Battle of the Bands rocks AfterHours

Thursday, Oct. 10

Are you finding yourself plagued by fake news in your Facebook and Twitter feeds? Are you looking to learn more about the state of news media today and how you can prevent the spread of false facts?

Head to the library for this free event aimed at promoting news literacy.

6 p.m.; Central Library; free

Thursday, Oct. 10

By Mohit Puvvala News Correspondent Northeastern’s Tastemakers Magazine hosted their first annual Battle of the Bands Oct. 5 in AfterHours.

“The event showcases an eclectic mix of artists highlighting Northeastern’s unique student talent,” said Tastemakers president Kristie Wong.

First up on the roster of artists performing was new artist 2LATE, who premiered his bass-heavy trap vocals. Although this was his performance debut, he had the stage presence of a pro, running across the stage and high-fiving audience members.

Second-year business administration and communications major Aidan Fox, or 2LATE, started making beats in high school for other artists, but eventually decided to write a couple songs for himself so he could get more comfortable with his own music. In February, he made his first song called “21 vs ICE,” and 2LATE was born. He became more comfortable with singing on the mic and eventually released his first EP a few months later. Though Saturday was his first performance, he clearly loved being on stage, and the crowd seemed to vibe with his emotional R&B lyrics.

Next up was Murray WOW, who arrived on stage with sunglasses and fake blood dripping under his eyes, a look accentuated by his use of an inflatable guitar and giant phone.

Murray Sandmeyer, a fifth-year computer science and music technology major, has produced for local artists for a few years now. In 2017, he was in a band called NEW WOW, which focused on “campy, humorous music,” and joined Northeastern’s songwriting club around that time.

The club encouraged him to grow out of his comfort zone and write expressive songs that told stories about his life. Sandmeyer soon became Murray WOW, with a universal pop style reminiscent of current pop radio.

Sandmeyer has an album coming out later this year. At the show, he premiered one of his new singles, titled “Enemy.”

“These new songs are about me and my experiences. I think I’m

Come to AfterHours for a hilarious night of improvised wit and humor hosted by NU and Improv’d and learn more about Operation Smile, a nonprofit that helps children with cleft palate syndrome around the world.

7:30 p.m.; AfterHours; free with NU ID

For those struggling with mental health problems or looking to support their friends, AEPhi and AEPi are hosting Colleen Coffey from mental health awareness nonprofit Active Minds for a conversation about the issue on college campuses.

7 p.m.; Blackman Auditorium, free

Saturday, Oct. 12

Photo courtesy Lauren Scornavacca, Tastemakers Music Magazine Aidan Fox, or 2LATE, made his performance debut at Tastemakers’ Battle of the Bands. finally ready to be vulnerable and put myself and my voice out there,” Sandmeyer said. “My album is shaping up to be very emblematic of myself as a person. I have some songs that are really sad and some songs that are energetic and positive.”

Next up was Ethan Porter, a thirdyear business administration and music recording major who gave a hypnotic performance using loop pedals with his guitar to complement his soothing vocals. Two minutes into his performance, Porter asked the audience to snap along, and they continued to do so through the end of his set — almost as if in a trance.

Porter played everything from the piano to the tuba in high school, getting more interested in writing his own music as he entered college.

He focuses on creating introspective music that backs his personal vocals with emotional tunes.

After an intermission, Jason Ebbs took the stage. He and his band absolutely “Spinal Tapped” the audience by turning up the energy to an 11.

Ebbs brought a liveliness that made the crowd go wild.

Ebbs started playing guitar when he was 10 years old but never wrote anything original until high school.

In his freshman year of college, he met Johnny Dalton, who soon became his friend, producer and bassist in the band. The two got to a recording studio despite Ebbs’ initial shyness, and his first single, “Stone in the Road,” was born.

“I felt a sudden energy, like I was

able to say whatever I wanted after being the ‘quiet kid’ for 20 years,” Ebbs said.

To Ebbs, music is liberation. He loves the beach and makes sure to incorporate the aesthetic he gets there into his music.

“It felt natural for me to take this mood of happiness I have associated with summer and the beach and combine it with themes like the struggles of growing up, the dark side of relationships, love, social anxiety and moving away from home,” Ebbs said. “That’s why my music typically has a warm beachy sound with slightly darker lyrics under it.”

Next up was The Flam Flams.

Originally from Albany, New York, this indie-pop band started playing during high school in 2012. In the seven years they’ve been together, they’ve released two albums and have been featured on several alternative radio stations. Though they went apart for college, they came together during breaks in Albany to record another EP. Finally, the night closed out with Midnight Chanel. The band describes themselves as “fun,” blending loud riffs and energetic drums with punk rock vocals.

“Since everyone loves dancing at shows, we try to write songs that let people have a good time doing just that,” said band member Liam Numrich.

In the end, Ebbs took home first place with a whopping 45 percent of the votes.

Members of NU Stage, one of Northeastern’s premier theatre groups, have 24 hours to write, stage and produce a series of plays, roping in actors to memorize their lines in a few hours, all with the goal of premiering 6 p.m. at AfterHours -ready or not.

6 p.m.; AfterHours, free

Sunday, Oct. 13

NU’s Asian Student Union and Vietnamese Student Association have teamed up to present A Night in Asia — bringing together different cultural organizations to showcase their cultures with a night of food, performances and fun.

6 p.m.; Curry Ballroom; free tickets on MyTickets

Monday, Oct. 14 To celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Museum of Fine Arts is offering free admission and special events all day, including music, dance, and art exhibitions. This event is part of “Opening Our Doors Day,” where museums around Fenway offer free admission to all.

10 a.m.-5 p.m.; MFA; free

Wednesday, Oct. 16

The Northeastern Feminist Student Organization is hosting an open discussion on how feminism intersects with religion and how religion supports or undermines feminism, with input from a variety of religious perspectives.

8 p.m.; NU Social Justice Resource Center; free

Wednesday, Oct. 16

The Xhibition Kitchen hosts noted baker Daniel Leader, who “revolutionized American artisan bread baking,” as he demonstrates his skills in artisan bread baking and talks about his new cookbook, “Living Bread,” and how he changed the bread industry.

12 p.m., Xhibition Kitchen, free

LIFESTYLE

Page 6

October 10, 2019

Photos by Cheyenne Tang Performing at Reignbow, Dalin Celamy (left), Brown Suga (middle) and Ella WM (right) showed off their talents through dancing, singing and drag performance.

Reignbow highlights talent of LGBTQ+ community

By Petrina Danardatu News Correspondent Local dance group and LGBTQ+ activists Queens with a Mission, or QWAM, hosted its second annual Reignbow talent showcase for both LGBTQ+ and ally performers Oct. 5 at the Royale Nightclub.

The showcase featured various dynamic dance groups, vocalists, drag queen performances and even a couple of fashion shows, with a total of 115 performers. There was an hour before the showcase, as well as two intermissions in between, when the spectating space was transformed into a dancefloor for both the audience and performers to mingle,

dance and party together.

“The Reignbow event is not only a celebration of artistry, but a celebration of identity,” said Gabriel Colon-Sciabarrasi, co-founder and co-director of QWAM. Dance performances included Zello Dance Crew’s head-to-toe neon and party-inspired piece, Derek Moore’s entrancing narrative movement featuring dancers in black bird masks, Lilly Rose Valour’s Beyoncé-inspired choreography, We The Females’, or WTF, energetic performance and QWAM’s own stunning, dynamic performances.

Figie Cruz, a 25-year-old dancer and choreographer from Salem, Massachusetts, doesn’t identify as

LGBTQ+, but said this didn’t inhibit his experience.

“That’s the beautiful thing about dance. It brings us all together.”

Vocalist performances included R&B singer Emmanuella and spunky pop singers Kiana Perreault and Ella WM. The drag performances featured Pristine Christine, Brown Suga, Adriana Trenta and Neon Calypso, with each queen as unique and charming as the next.

The fashion shows featured two designers — Bhen Alan and Lady Ice. Alan, a contemporary figure artist in Massachusetts, showcased pieces centered around gender-bending fashion, including denim jackets with painted icons from the enter-

tainment industry (such as Lady Gaga, David Bowie and Billy Porter) to promote recycling and upcycling.

Lady Ice showcased her Blvck Ice custom line, with models dancing down the catwalk in a refreshing and creative presentation of the models’ talent and the artistry of the pieces.

“QWAM was borne out of a mission to help people fall in love with their self-confidence and promote being who you want to be,” Colon-Sciabarrasi said.

Fernando Zevallos, another QWAM co-founder and co-director, described QWAM as “one big family.”

The group champions this message of unity across the Boston dance community, as well as the greater

Northeast LGBTQ+ community.

“We all come together as one and strive for the same thing: the love for each other and the love for dance,” Zevallos said.

Quinn Somerside, a 29-year-old social worker from Miami expressed their gratitude for the space QWAM created.

“Boston doesn’t have enough LGBTQ+ spaces, really,” Somerside said. “I’m happy to see a space for expression and creativity. [QWAM] did a good job.”

Zevallos and Colon-Sciabarrasi hope the annual Reignbow showcase continues to grow each year, as the word is spread throughout the “QWAM fam” networks and beyond.

NU community responds to vaping dis

By Sarah Olender News Correspondent

Graphic by Ashley Mandel and Jayden Khatib NU students share their opinion on e-cigarettes and their prohibition in Massachusetts.

With more reports of vaping-related lung illnesses popping up around the country and vaping remaining prevalent on college campuses, it is time to examine the facts and misunderstandings about vaping.

One misunderstanding is that all vaping-related illnesses are a result of black market THC products.

The truth is most, but not all, of the reports of illnesses come from people who report having used THC products in the past. The only thing these patients all have in common is that they have used electronic cigarettes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, “the specific chemical exposure(s) causing lung injuries associated with e-cigarette use, or vaping, remains unknown at this time,” meaning there is no evidence determining a single product can be held accountable for the outbreak of these lung illnesses.

At the beginning of October, there were more than 1,000 vaping-related illnesses reported throughout the United States. Of these illnesses, 37 percent of the reports are from people 20 years old or younger, and

80 percent of the reports are from people 35 years old or younger.

Susan Mello, an assistant professor of communication studies at Northeastern, is part of a team that conducted research on the effects of secondhand exposure to vaping. In regards to Charlie Baker’s temporary four-month ban on all vaping products, Mello said, “I think it’s a very dramatic action he’s taken.”

In an anonymous survey of 177 NU students conducted by The News, 37 percent of students said they used an e-cigarette in the last 30 days, and 23 percent of students said they vape regularly.

E-cigarette use is difficult to regulate because unlike a cigarette, the vapor is harder to smell or see. Since e-cigarette use is so widespread, colleges across the country are struggling to find solutions.

“Kids are using it to get hooked,” said second-year business administration and communications combined major Mitra Sharif.

Based on results from the anonymous survey, 25 percent of Northeastern students think e-cigarette use should not be allowed on campus, 40 percent think it should be allowed everywhere on campus, and 35 percent of students believe e-ciga-

LIFESTYLE

October 10, 2019

Page 7

Rock photographers reflect on storied career

By Kelly Chan News Correspondent Behind the album covers of almost every rock ’n’ roll music legend lies two men — one from London and one from California — each of whom stumbled upon photography in their 20s and ultimately became legends themselves. Mick Rock and Henry Diltz led parallel lives down the path of music photography, defining the most influential icons in music since the 1970s.

Rock, now known as “The Man Who Shot the ’70s,” captured the true spirit of rock ’n’ roll through his dramatic and theatrical images of artists ranging from Freddie Mercury to Lenny Kravitz, Snoop Dogg and Pharrell in the present day. Meanwhile, Diltz mainly acted as a fly on the wall, capturing the faces and essence that represented the folk and rock music scenes throughout the ’60s and ’70s.

“Photographing all my heroes and hanging out with the people I photographed,” Diltz said. “That was the best part.”

As a psychology major at the University of Hawaii and a former musician himself, Diltz was very interested in people, especially other musicians, and their behavior, which he translated through the candids he took of those around him. He had close connections with other artists, such as Stephen Stills and Mama Cass, which ultimately led to photo shoots with his idols, including Jackson Browne, Paul McCartney and the Eagles. Diltz believes his understanding of musicians and their lifestyle enabled him to capture their true natures.

“Musicians know how to hang out,” he said.

While he initially did not think

of himself as a photographer, Diltz eventually fell into the art, beginning his career with a simple picture of a mural with five men posing in front of it. Unexpectedly, TeenSet magazine called him, asking for the picture of the men — who happened to be the famous band Buffalo Springfield. That became his first published rock ’n’ roll photograph.

Since that moment, Diltz has followed musicians on tour worldwide to learn more about documentary photography, whether in the Virgin Islands with the Beatles or in New Zealand with David Cassidy.

Throughout his near-55 years as a photographer, Diltz has captured images for hundreds of album covers and photographed a multitude of festivals. He even became the official photographer of Woodstock in 1969.

Rock’s early rise in photography consisted of shooting Pink Floyd’s frontman Syd Barrett and Irish blues guitarist Rory Gallagher. But his career hit a turning point when he created David Bowie’s album cover for Hunky Dory, which became the start of a lifelong friendship. Soon enough, Rock’s name would soar after the “infamous guitar fellatio shot” in the summer of 1972, which captured a racy image of Bowie, known by his alter ego Ziggy Stardust at the time, licking Mick Ronson’s electric guitar strings at a concert in Oxford Town Hall.

“That was something for people to remember,” he said.

Next came a continuous string of album covers for music icons, including Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and Queen. Along with his famed images of nearly every rock ‘n’ roll genius, Rock has also photographed fashion models, kabuki actors and even his two beloved cats. Despite his interest in other types of photography, he

credits the musicians, as well as fate, for the career path he has chosen.

“If it hadn’t been for musicians, I almost certainly wouldn’t have been a photographer,” Rock said. “I related to the musicians, and I kind of looked like one of them, so that helped as well. And I had this silly name, so somehow, it was all written a long time ago. I do believe that everybody has a destiny, but not everybody embraces it.”

Before their fame, Rock and Diltz each began as photography hobbyists, taking pictures of friends for fun, as being a photographer was “a fairly daft idea at the time,” Rock said. The two found their passions for photography accidentally, with Rock randomly picking up a friend’s camera and Diltz impulsively buying one in an antique store.

“At some point — when I was very high — I picked up his camera and started to play with it,” Rock said.

“There was a young lady with me, and I kept pointing the camera at her and clicking away. It enhanced everything. Whatever I saw, there was more.”

Diltz walked into an antique shop while on tour in 1966 with his group, the Modern Folk Quartet. One of his friends grabbed a second-hand slide film camera off a table, and Diltz instinctively followed. After taking candids of their experiences traveling around Los Angeles, the group projected a compilation of all the pictures they took and found themselves wonderstruck.

“Now, that was magic,” Diltz said, recalling his utter awe at the eightfoot wide slideshow.

Currently, Rock and Diltz are on

Photo by Kelly Chan Henry Diltz, left, and Mick Rock, right, pose together at an exhibition celebrating their groundbreaking work in music photography. their first East Coast tour together, which began Monday at City Winery in Boston. The tour is presented by the Morrison Hotel Gallery, which is co-owned by Diltz and represents 125 photographers, including Rock.

The “Behind the Lens” photography series shows features their greatest pictures as the two tell the unbelievable stories behind each image.

“Being a photographer is like having a passport to people’s lives,” Diltz said during the show.

Rock and Diltz have ultimately become key figures in strengthening the presence of rock ’n’ roll throughout the country, long before the photography industry was understood and appreciated.

“Since I have a degree from Cambridge, [my mother] thought I should be doing something more sensible,” Rock said, laughing. “I

remember her saying to me, ‘I know you’re only doing this, Michael, to avoid getting a real job.’ And I clearly remember thinking, ‘Yes, mother.

That’s exactly what I was doing.’”

Having been the only photographer at The Doors’ live concert at the Hollywood Bowl in July 1968 — an event that would have hosted numerous photographers nowadays — Diltz saw interest in photography grow firsthand throughout the decades. With growing technology and respect for the art, both photographers have come to realize the sudden ease it takes for anyone to become a photographer.

“Back in the early ’70s, everybody I knew wanted to be a guitar player,” Rock said. “Now, everyone wants to be a photographer, which you can be.

Everybody can be, and I love it.”

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seases, ban rette use should only be allowed in designated areas around campus.

Other students are indifferent.

“I don’t understand why people are bothered with other people vaping around campus,” said fourth-year mechanical engineering major Jack Carvalho. “With cigarettes, you smell them. With vaping, it’s not as noticeable.”

Mello initially expressed her approval of Baker’s ban, but admitted some skepticism.

“It’s going to send a message that these [e-cigarettes] are not safe,” she said. “If regulation comes out, people are more likely to believe that something is harmful.” She added that she is “nervous about the vape ban because it could cause an increase in cigarette smoking.”

In the survey, students also had mixed feelings about the ban.

“It should be a permanent thing, and smoking should be banned next. They are gross, unhealthy, and it doesn’t just affect the person consuming it. The smoke or vapor gets into the air and others breathe it in,” one student wrote.

Others were more critical of the ban. One student wrote that “the addicted are going to turn to cigarettes.”

Another student pointed out the ban

will affect local smoke shops that have popped up recently in response to the increased vaping culture.

Of the 177 students surveyed, 24 were addicted to vaping, representing 14 percent of respondents.

While there is not a single type of nicotine replacement therapy, or NRT, that is effective for all smokers or nicotine addicts, there are many different types that students can use to help overcome addiction.

“The nicotine patch is an effective form of NRT,” Mello said.

This patch sticks to skin and delivers a low dose of nicotine. Slowly, the person replaces the patch with others that deliver lower doses until nicotine cravings are eliminated.

“They have the same thing in the form of gum. Chantix is a prescription drug that nicotine addicts can use,” Mello said. “This addiction can be treated.”

One reason vaping has become so popular is that nicotine has a calming effect on the body. Mello said students have told her they use vaping devices for this purpose, and she urged them to find other avenues of stress relief.

“Join a meditation club, do yoga, get therapy. There are healthier proven ways to reduce your anxiety.”

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Page 8

October 10, 2019

Frankel was credited with a shutout in their opening game vs Union.

File photo by Brian Bae

Women’s hockey primer: Third-ranked Huskies set sights on Frozen Four

File photo by Dylan Shen

By George Barker Deputy Sports Editor NU expects strong competition Since Dave Flint took over as head coach of the women’s hockey team, the Huskies have taken some great strides, with three NCAA Tournament berths in the last four years and back-to-back Hockey East Championships. This year, Flint is looking for something more.

“I told the team our opening meeting, the last three years or so we have had some really good years,” Flint said.

“Our next goal is the Frozen Four and a national championship. With this group, we are right in that mix. We are looking to make that jump this year. To me, NCAAs is great, but we want to get to that next level.”

Last year, the Huskies went 27-6-5, finishing first in the regular season standings and the Hockey East postseason tournament and earning a bid for the national tournament. Outside of the 2017-18 season, where NU finished fourth in the regular season but still managed to win the division in the postseason, Flint’s squad hasn’t finished lower than third since 2011.

Hockey East isn’t the friendliest place

File photo by Dylan Shen Newly minted captain Paige Capistran earned a +3 rating Friday.

to play. The Huskies are ranked third in the nation by USA Today’s current poll and are joined in the top ten by crosstown rivals Boston College (seven) and Boston University (nine). Fellow Hockey East member Providence College received votes as well.

“BC is always one of the top teams, BU is always right there,” Flint said.

“Our league is pretty tough through and through. I think the Hockey East has more parity up and down than any other league in the country.”

Even with their top-five ranking, Flint knows the Huskies won’t have any easy games, despite a relatively soft start to their season. NU travelled to New York to start their season, where they secured a decisive 5-0 win over Union. They face a Syracuse squad Friday which only won 13 games last year, but did make the NCAA Tournament after an improbable conference tournament run. The Huskies then travel back to New England to face Maine and University of New Hampshire, neither of whom finished above .500 this past season, to open their conference slate.

“Those can also be setup games where you go in a little too confident.

They can sneak up on you,” Flint said of the early opponents, labeling Union as “scrappy,” the Orange as “well coached” and Maine as a very talented team that suffered from a down year. “Those teams can beat us. [This year] is definitely not as difficult as our starts the last couple years, but they’re still pretty good teams.”

Flint expected that Union was going to “throw everything at us,” a trend he doesn’t anticipate will stop at their opener. Despite that expectation, NU obliterated the Dutchmen, outshooting them 44-16 in their five goal victory.

Regardless, Flint knows his team needs to “show up” every single game to repeat last year’s success, particularly given the high expectations for his team.

Alina Mueller carries the puck during a shootout vs BU last year.

“Every game there’s a bullseye on us,” he said. “There aren’t going to be any easy games for us.”

Consistency key for Huskies Last year, the strong Husky performance was a combination of a talented returning core and standout performances by freshmen. This year, NU looks primed to repeat that same mold, setting them up as a strong national contender once again.

Flint is excited about the new and large group of freshmen joining the team, noting how well the eight of them are adjusting and picking up the uptempo system Flint employs throughout the offseason.

Flint tabbed freshman forwards Jess Schryver, Peyton Anderson and Katy Knoll as a few who have particularly impressed so far in practice, each earning a chance to skate in the opener.

Schryver and fellow freshman forward Kate Holmes picked up assists in the opening game.

Megan Carter, NU’s only freshman blueliner, also skated for the Huskies against Union, cracking the top six group to start the season. Flint pointed to Carter as a player to watch this season. She picked up two shots on net during the opener.

One of the freshmen who has made a strong impression so far did not suit up against Union, but that is no knock on her talent, rather a testament to the great Aerin Frankel who remains locked in between the pipes. Newcomer Gwyneth Philips is hopefully queued up to be the next great Husky goaltender in a long line of prolific netminders.

“She’s been really good in practice and [Aerin] Frankel is gonna be my starter, but I think Gwyn [Philips] will push her for some time and we have a great backup with her in case,” Flint said.

Frankel, the reigning Hockey East Goaltender of the Year, finished with a

remarkable 1.81 GAA and 21 wins in 29 starts as the brick wall to finish off the Huskies’ strong defensive core. Luckily for the Huskies, they’ve strengthened their goaltending core with Philips, who comes in with her own strong resume containing plenty of experience playing on the national stage. NU fans should expect to see her showcase her skills this season. “[Philips] will get some starts in there, we just gotta figure out when,” Flint said. “I wanna get Aerin some games early and get her in a groove. Once we see how Aerin is doing and the team is doing, we will pick some games and get her some starts to get her feet wet and get her some college experience.”

The list of impressive Husky hockey players does not stop with the freshmen, as an extremely strong returning core headlines this championship-contending roster. Returning sophomore forwards Alina Mueller and Chloe Aurard combined for 82 points last year, while juniors Brooke Hobson, Skylar Fontaine and Frankel put together a strong backend for the defending Hockey East Champions.

“Those are our players we need to carry us a bit, but we need contributions from everybody,” said Flint. “The big thing for us this year is gonna be consistently, showing up to play.”

Even with such an impressive season, Flint noted a loss against Holy Cross that stuck with him. The Crusaders only won a single Hockey East game last year, somehow managing it against the champs.

With the team aiming for the Frozen Four, a priority going forward is to avoid losses like that, making sure the team shows up to play each and every night.

“Our toughest challenge is that consistency, especially with a young roster,” Flint said. “For us, if we can do those things, and our top players rise to the occasion and some of our younger kids and role players contribute, it could be a really good year.”

SPORTS

October 10, 2019

Men’s hockey N head coach Jim Madigan gives his pre-season thoughts

ortheastern men’s hockey opens its season at Union College Friday and follows that with its home opener against UMass Tuesday.

In college hockey, the start of a new season brings much uncertainty as a new roster settles in, line combinations shake out, schedules unfold and stories emerge. The News spoke with head coach Jim Madigan to get some insight on the team ahead of the 2019-20 season.

Q: Is this one of the biggest roster turnover years you’ve presided over, and does that make it a challenge to get the team to play to the pre-existing identity?

By Charlie Wolfson News Staff

A: It would be [one of the biggest].

There’s more players [who] you have to make sure understand and absorb your style of play and your system. It takes a while to get acclimated and adjusted. Saying that, we’ve got a good veteran core returning that are leading the way and helping those first-year players understand the system. You try to match your line combinations and defense pairings. You try to make sure you have a freshman defenseman playing with a veteran so that veteran can help out that firstyear player. Same thing with how

Page 9

you compile your lines. That’s helped with the first-year players getting adjusted. End of the day it’s hockey, the game is still the same.

Q: What will [freshman defenseman] Jayden Struble bring to the table right away this season?

A: Jayden is a smart puck-moving defenseman. He brings a physical presence. He’s a physical, tough, in-your-face defenseman, along with skill and hockey sense. He’s got a good blend of skill and grit.

We expect him to contribute in both areas, just like we do with all our freshman.

Q: Who is the starting goaltender to start the season?

A: I would say we have four goaltenders, they’re all competing for the No. 1 job. Pantano has the most experience. He’s played 56 Division I games. We expect him to be the guy to start the season. It’s a competitive situation. He’s had a good preseason. Curtis Frye has had one, and Connor Murphy has gotten better, Nick Scarpa is challenging.

All four are in the mix. Certainly, Pantano is ahead because he’s played

more games and more experience and he’s done a good job.

Q: Pantano had some sub-par statistics last season with Merrimack. What did you see that goes beyond the numbers that makes you expect production this year?

A: He’s almost beat every team in Hockey East. He’s won a playoff series in Hockey East going to Lowell as a junior. He lost in the next round to Boston College, 4-3 and 2-1 in overtime. He’s almost won two series.

Last year was a transition year, they had seven wins and he had six of those wins. He had four shutouts out of those six wins, including shutting out us. The numbers don’t tell the complete story. He’s a quality Division I goaltender.

We’re not asking him to be Cayden Primeau. There are very few Cayden Primeaus. Last year I’ll tell you he was the best goaltender in college hockey. There’s only one, and he’s in Montreal. We just need Craig to be Craig Pantano and I’m confident he’ll do that. A change of scenery I think is good for him, and we’re hoping to provide some defensive structure to make the game a lot easier for him too.

File Photo by Brian Bae Madigan prepares to enter his ninth season with the Huskies following a historic 2018-19 campaign which included a second consecutive Beanpot victory and a Hockey East championship.

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OPINION

Page 10

October 10, 2019

Op-Ed: The complexities of the global youth Climate Strike

Photo by Julian Perez A youth-led community protest against climate change brought nearly 7,000 people to Boston City Hall Plaza Friday, Sept. 20, joining over 7.6 million protesters around the world. Students of all ages, including some from Northeastern, gathered with other climate advocates at the Boston Climate Strike to demand immediate action from local and global governments. The event coincided with the United Nations Climate Action Summit, which began Sept. 23.

The summit aimed to persuade world leaders to enact policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent in the next 10 years and to absolute zero by 2050. Although the global climate

strike drew millions of participants, its effectiveness in spurring actual policy change is difficult to predict.

The strike was a part of a larger worldwide movement, Fridays for Future, founded by 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg. Thunberg left school to strike for stronger government action against climate change at age 15, alone, outside of the Riksdag in Stockholm, Sweden.

Within half a year, over one million students joined her — and the numbers continue to grow. Fridays for Future invites students around the world to strike each week for policy change however they can.

One complexity of the climate strike lies in its famous founder and her counterparts. Greta Thunberg has become a household name, but many other young climate activists have not received the same spotlight. Despite fighting the same fight as Thunberg, girls of color are not as heavily featured in the media.

15-year-old Autumn Peltier, an indigenous Canadian clean water activist, has advocated for her community on an international scale for years. Her speeches to local governments and global organizations bring attention to the sacredness and importance of access to clean water and demand a more sustainable world. It is important to recognize her contributions alongside Thunberg’s, as well

as those of other young climate activists including Mari Copeny, Artemisa Xakriabá and Ridhima Pandey.

Another complexity of the climate strike is its conflicting undertones.

Amidst the Boston strike, there was a stark contrast between laughing youths taking pictures and holding signs and the dark messages written to their government officials: “What’s the point of education if you don’t listen to the educated?”, “You’ll die of old age, I’ll die of climate change,” or a simple clock labeled “10 years.”

With these insinuations of fast-approaching disaster, are we in a place to be so seemingly hopeful about the outcome of protests like this one?

Are officials listening and ready to change their policies? How effective was the climate strike?

There’s no doubt that Thunberg’s worldwide protest brought people together in groundbreaking solidarity and spread a powerful call to action. However, what will stop the CEO of an oil corporation from simply closing their blinds to the shouts of the youth to save money?

Admittedly, there’s no manual for solving the changing climate. No one has ever been in our shoes before, and everyone is guessing at how to proceed. There are many approaches that strive for a sustainable future and reduce the negative effects of climate change. Above all, though, as

argued by the global climate strike, there must be a sense of urgency.

The strike didn’t result in immediate policy change or solutions, but the mass movement of students into the streets is an unignorable protest that simply claims the right to a livable future. The smiles of the young advocates can be seen as an argument for hope in the face of crisis: a belief that if enough people mobilize, the world will have to change in response.

Peltier and Thunberg certainly testify to the power of young people over the individual profiteer or policy maker. Referencing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in her Sept. 28 speech to the U.N., Autumn Peltier stated that “as a youth, I will hold him or any future leader to the promise [of water protection] for my people.” Greta Thunberg preceded her at the U.N. on Sept. 23, declaring that “the world is waking up, and change is coming whether you like it or not.” These girls are not relying on the inclinations of power-wielding individuals towards change, but on the strength of the people, the youth, as a whole. This hopeful stance argues for the effectiveness of the Global Climate Strike in the fight to save the earth.

Marie Senescall is a first-year biology and English combined major.

Op-Ed: Trump impeachment: morally correct, politically risky

Photo by Julian Perez An unnamed CIA official submitted a whistleblower complaint to the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community Aug. 12, alleging that President Donald J. Trump abused his powers as the 45th president of the United States for his own personal and political gain. On Sept. 9, U.S. lawmakers were made aware of the complaint, and Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the United States House of Representatives, initiated an official impeachment inquiry against Trump Sept. 24.

The nine-page complaint reveals corruption in the highest echelons of the American federal government, releasing a Pandora’s box of questions regarding the ethical obligations of Congress to impose checks and balances on the Trump administration

and the political ramifications this issue will have on the 2020 election.

The complaint singles out a phone call between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, which took place July 25. During the conversation, which was declassified Sept. 24, Trump asked Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, alleging he abused his federal powers in 2015 by pressuring the Ukrainian government to fire their then-prosecutor general Viktor Shokin. Trump argues Biden wanted Shokin fired in order to protect his son, Hunter. At the time, Shokin was pursuing corruption charges against Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian energy company for which Biden’s son was a board member.

Trump’s attempt to pressure a foreign government into taking part in an investigation that would help him in domestic politics constitutes a flagrant abuse of presidential power.

Additionally, days before the now-infamous July 25 phone call, Trump ordered his chief of staff to withhold $400 million in military aid from Ukraine. House Democrats allege that Trump did so in order to have a quid pro quo –– if Zelensky investigates Biden, then the United States would release the withheld military aid to Ukraine and, in addition, grant Zelensky a visit to the White House.

As a result, it’s easy to see the argument that Trump abused his

presidential powers for political gain.

He withheld over $400 million in military aid from Ukraine –– money that would have gone towards bolstering Ukraine’s defense against Russia, a U.S. adversary –– in order to convince a foreign leader to investigate Biden, a political figure who has a real chance of defeating him in the upcoming election. Not only did he violate political norms, which really shouldn’t come as a surprise, but his actions were probably illegal.

However, although this inquiry is legitimately based, we must consider its political ramifications. To be blunt: even if the House impeaches Trump, he is unlikely to be removed from office by the Republican-controlled Senate, since impeachment proceedings require 66 senators to vote against him. With a hyper-partisan Senate containing only 47 Democrats, removal from office remains unlikely. Since the inquiry likely won’t result in Trump’s removal, its political ramifications will be felt most widely during the coming election. The impeachment process could either harm or help Trump’s reelection bid depending on how it is carried out.

If the inquiry is carried out in a flimsy and disorganized manner, it will lose legitimacy, making it less likely to deter Americans from voting for Trump in 2020. The entire investigation could backfire if Trump rewrites the narrative and

successfully portrays the inquiry as a “witch-hunt” to a sufficient amount of voters –– voters who are already prone to believing almost everything Trump says.

Conversely, if the investigation is well-organized and continues to reveal clear, compelling evidence, Democratic and independent voters may greatly outnumber Republicans at the ballot box. This seems to be the case so far, according to various polls. Before the scandal unfolded, only about 40 percent of Americans supported a Trump impeachment, while about 50 percent didn’t support it. After the revelations, these numbers almost inverted: the percentage of people supporting impeachment jumped to 47 percent, while those that do not dropped to 45 percent.

As the scandal continually unfolds, we’re seeing Trump crack under the weight of the accusations made against him. He keeps changing his defenses. He keeps posting almost incomprehensible tweets. And he, in the face of an impeachment inquiry investigating him for seeking the help of foreign powers, publicly called on China to investigate Biden.

You can’t make this up.

“This is not about politics. This is about corruption,” Trump said, defending himself last Friday — and he’s right.

Poon Singhatiraj is a first-year international affairs major.

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OPINION

October 10, 2019

Page 11

Op-Ed: To cultivate diversity in journalism, pay interns a living wage

Photo by James Chen

Every fall, news organizations large and small open applications for summer internships. The programs are, for the most part, relatively similar. They want students who are inquisitive, creative, gritty and good under pressure. However, despite the fact that applications are open to all students, the target demographic for these prestigious programs is strikingly similar.

Newsroom diversity, or a lack thereof, has been a persistent problem in the media industry. Theodore Kim, the director of newsroom fellowships and internships for the New York Times, came under fire in March for a Twitter thread listing the schools he said produced the best intern and fellowship candidates. The list included colleges like Columbia University, the University of California, Berkeley and Northwestern University, which, as commenters pointed out, are highly selective institutions, predominantly comprised of affluent white students.

In the professional realm, a 2018 Pew Research Center study found that more than three quarters of U.S. newsroom employees are white, and men account for more than 60 percent of newsroom workers.

For journalism in particular, diversity — whether it’s based on gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status or political leaning — is vital. Newsrooms are agenda setters. They influence what the public sees and deems important. They have the power to make people pay attention and too

often, issues affecting marginalized groups do not receive a sufficient level of awareness and concern.

A culture of offering low-pay or unpaid internships, often as a necessary stepping stone for aspiring journalists, only perpetuates the problem.

It’s no secret that the newspaper industry is undergoing a transformation. More and more papers are struggling to adapt to the shifting media landscape and are forced to lay off staff to stay afloat. For numerous papers large and small, interns are a cost-effective way to fill coverage gaps and produce content.

And as many smaller papers do not have the budget to pay interns, they instead market unpaid internships as a chance for students to gain “experience” or “exposure” for their work.

While there are numerous journalism internship programs that do pay, most offer only minimum wage.

The vast majority are offered by prominent mainstream publications like the Washington Post, the Boston Globe and NPR, and stipulate that applicants must already have experience in their field, usually in the form of a previous unpaid internship.

More accessible opportunities, such as working for a student publication, are not always accepted as work experience.

Even low-pay internships are not always practical for students struggling to afford tuition, rent and food.

Students who intern and co-op at the Boston Globe work just as many hours as regular employees and are

held to the same standard of quality, but have a starting wage of $12 per hour, which is Boston’s minimum wage. It’s disheartening that despite all the effort and skill that goes into researching, reporting and writing a story, interns are paid less than an entry-level worker at Trader Joe’s.

This culture of low-pay and unpaid positions effectively excludes students that the news industry needs to hear from the most. The internship system is designed for students with enough financial support to work without pay. For those without that safety net, the lack of pay is a barrier with detrimental effects on their careers that last far beyond college. Students who intern at publications like the Boston Globe are often the first candidates considered for full-time positions, meaning affluent students typically have a distinct advantage from the moment they graduate. Unpaid internships, intentionally or not, perpetuate the already-problematic culture of elitism in journalism.

It’s time to dispel the myth that experience or exposure are adequate compensation for 20 to 40 hours of skilled labor each week. Experience does not pay the bills. Only when journalism is accessible to everyone will it fulfill its purpose. And to become accessible, publications everywhere need to start paying interns a living wage.

Maya Homan is a second-year journalism major.

Column: NYC ban on “Illegal Alien” sets a double standard

By Brittany Mendez Opinion Editor As of last month, it is a crime in New York City to use the term “illegal alien” in a discriminatory manner or threaten to call immigration officials on someone based on their actual or perceived immigration status.

However, no legal consequences have ever existed to deter people from using more severe derogatory language, most notably — the N-word.

According to NYC Commission on Human Rights, “It is illegal for a person’s employer, coworkers, or housing provider such as landlords to use derogatory or offensive terms to intimidate, humiliate, or degrade people, including by using the term ‘illegal alien,’ where its use is intended to demean, humiliate, or offend another person.” A violation of this policy can result in a fine up to $250,000.

While the intent behind this law is to deter discrimination against immigrants, especially given the current political climate, this policy is quite problematic.

Everyone knows the first amendment protects the right to free speech, but the lines are blurred when these words are threatening.

Hate speech, or speech that attacks a person or group on the basis of their identity, is not protected by the Constitution, even on college campuses.

However, putting aside the constitutionality of the policy, it creates a double standard for other terms that are arguably more derogatory. It is even more troublesome that derogatory terms against other marginalized groups are completely ignored.

The law bans this language in places of “employment, housing, and public spaces such [as] stores, hospitals, and movie theaters.” So what’s the likelihood of such a policy existing on a college campus? These policies actually already exist on many campuses, including Northeastern, through the code of conduct.

FIRE is a speech code rating system which gives Northeastern a red light, indicating the institution has “at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech.” Like the New York ban, the NU code of conduct does in fact prohibit discriminatory speech against an individual’s identity. However, unlike the code of conduct, the New York ban does not broadly protect all marginalized groups.

The lack of protection for all po-

tential targets of discrimination emphasizes how such laws are so heavily politically motivated. If legislators genuinely want to protect those most vulnerable to discrimination, they would have modeled the law after a college code of conduct.

In the event of such discrimination, NU is obliged to protect its students and take action to resolve it.

Just this summer, fascist pamphlets were found in Snell Library and the university took action in response to their discovery in accordance with the code of conduct.

While New York’s anti-discrimination policy aims to protect vulnerable individuals, it sends a clear message that other marginalized groups are not as valued. African Americans are continuously the most oppressed group in America and no similar action has ever been taken to protect them from discrimination. New York has the highest population of African Americans in the nation, yet its liberal policymakers continue to turn a blind eye to their struggles.

According to Forbes, New York is the eighth most liberal city in the country and has consistently voted Democratic since 1988. Time and time again liberals claim to care

Photo by Muhammad Elarbi about the struggles faced by African Americans, but their policies say otherwise. Politicians from both sides of the aisle have failed and continue to fail African Americans. From the three-fifths compromise in 1787, to Jim Crow in the ’70s, to modern day

incarceration laws and police brutality — America fails to protect African Americans. This case, though more subtle, is no different.

All marginalized groups deserve protection, yet the most vulnerable remain forgotten.

CITY

Page 12

October 10, 2019

Local shops take hit from Baker’s ban

By Ingrid Angulo News Correspondent Massachusetts’ temporary ban on the sale of all vaping products is the strictest in the nation. Its severity is causing new problems for local businesses and raising concerns about its effectiveness in addressing public health.

Gov. Charlie Baker declared a public health emergency Sept. 24 in response to the outbreak of vaping-related lung disease in Massachusetts, in which he called for a four-month statewide ban on the sale of all vaping products. The temporary ban is meant to give medical experts the opportunity to identify the cause of the diseases and figure out how to regulate the products.

Other states, such as New York, have banned certain flavors of e-cigarettes, but no state has taken as strict of a stance as Massachusetts.

The urgency and severity of the ban caught many off guard.

“I didn’t believe it, mostly because this is unprecedented,” said Jasmine Williams, a third-year business administration and psychology combined major at Northeastern.

“My friends were telling me that this ban was happening and I was like, ‘OK, sure.’ I was just denying it, then I went into my local vape store and saw all the shelves empty.”

Smoke and vape shop owners were hit with the same wave of shock when Baker’s announcement hit headlines. Linda Vick, co-owner of Vick’s Vape Shop in Medford, first heard the news of the ban on TV. She was frustrated by the lack of communication and confused about what to do with her stock of vaping products.

“We knew there were bans going on throughout the United States, but everyone has been given time to sell their products and figure out what

they’re going to do as a business owner. We in Massachusetts had absolutely no time to do any of that,” Vick said.

The state offered no assistance or guidance to shop owners who were forced to close after their entire stock was deemed illegal.

“I know smoke shops that only have vape products. They don’t carry anything else. So basically, you told them to go home. Who’s going to pay for their kid’s college? Who’s going to pay for the mortgage?” said Mohammed Belkes, an employee of Symphony Smoke Shop in Back Bay. Belkes said Symphony Smoke Shop was in a better position because of its varied inventory that includes hookah and glassware, but vaping products made up between 40 to 49 percent of the shop’s revenue.

The sudden and dramatic impact on vapor shops led a group of shop owners, including Vick, to sue the Baker administration in an effort to lift the ban. Vick said she would not have known what to do if not for the lawsuit. She hoped the suit would create a platform for conversation between business owners and local government to discuss better ways to address the vaping illness epidemic.

The vaping ban addresses legal products, largely nicotine-containing e-cigarettes such as JUUL — but it doesn’t address black market THC cartridges linked to many of the illnesses.

A recent report from NBC News found that 10 out of 10 illegal THC vape cartridges contained a pesticide linked to hydrogen cyanide.

Dr. Michael Siegel, an expert on public health and tobacco control, said the main reason for the outbreak seems to be these illicit marijuana products and that ignoring this core issue will have a negative impact on public health.

“By banning all the store products,

Photo by Ingrid Angulo Symphony Smoke Shop displays the new ban stating that Governor Baker declared a public health emergency. which are actually the ones that are safest, this is going to cause people to start buying black market products,” Siegel said. “Especially for youths, there are now going to be more kids that are vaping marijuana. There’s going to be THC products that are spreading among the youth, and then there will be more cases.”

Stella Westlake, a second-year journalism major at Northeastern University, agreed that there is not enough discussion about THC products in the broader discussion about the dangers of vaping.

“All I’ve seen in the media is people talking about e-cigarette products

and not THC products. I honestly have not seen anything being spoken about dab pens,” she said. “I’ve heard stories of people I know who have found how the cartridges they’ve been using in weed pens had weird stuff in them that they didn’t know about.”

Marijuana is still federally illegal, forcing people to buy non-regulated THC vapes. These cartridges can be unscrewed easily, making it harder to know what is actually in the product.

“Whether you’re getting it from a dispensary or a guy in a car or off the internet, anyone at any point could have removed the mouthpiece

Photo by Ingrid Angulo Mohammed Belkes, an employee of Symphony Smoke Shop in Back Bay, talks about how 40-49 percent of revenue comes from vape products alone.

and added whatever they want to it,” Williams said. She added that it is much harder to tamper with a sealed legal e-cigarette pod.

Siegel said he blames government officials for the misinformation about where the real dangers in the outbreak lie. “[Officials] have not clearly warned the public about the risks of vaping marijuana,” Siegel said.

“Youth e-cigarette use is a problem.

We need to do something about that, but that has nothing to do with the outbreak.”

Another major fear is that nicotine-addicted e-cigarette users will revert back to smoking cigarettes. Belkes said he has already seen customers buy cigarettes when they realize vaping products are no longer available. As an ex-smoker who switched to vaping, he worried about how to deal with his nicotine addiction.

“Now I’m struggling, what am I going to do? I don’t want to go back and smoke cigarettes, because if I smoke I can’t go near my 2-year-old daughter,” he said.

Siegel said quitting smoking is one of the hardest things to do. E-cigarettes were designed for smokers who could not quit using other cessation methods like nicotine patches or gum.

The ban promotes Massachusetts’ smoking cessation programs, but does not provide any other alternatives for nicotine-addicted vapers.

There is also nothing in place to prevent people from returning to cigarettes.

Baker’s press office did not respond to requests for comment.

The effects of the ban have not been fully realized since it is so recent, but Siegel believes it was a bad policy decision.

“The tragedy of this whole thing is that this is completely unnecessary.

We’re going to be increasing smoking rates and increasing disease rates for no reason. There’s nothing positive about that,” Siegel said.