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For the students, by the students since 1926
NU adjuncts win contract for next three years By Jason Ritchey news corresPondent
The Northeastern University (NU) administration reached a tentative contract settlement with its 900 adjunct faculty members on Jan. 14, concluding more than days before a planned walkout and strike. A press release from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 509, which represents the adjunct faculty, said the major gains in the agreement inincreases in per-course pay, including double-digit raises for the lowest-paid instructors; compensation for courses canceled on short notice; inclusion in the Northeastern community; and access to funding to support research, scholarship, civic engagement and professional and artistic practice.” Haley Malm, an adjunct professor of English as a Second Language (ESL), was glad to see progress. wages for all adjuncts, job security – we are hired from term to term, with no assurances of future employment or course guarantees – and full inclusion in campus life and community,” she said. However, the negotiation process was not always easy. “It often felt as though the administration was uninterested in improving working conditions or inclusion of the adjuncts who are part of the bargaining unit,” she said. “The administration was more BargaInIng, Page 3
Photo by Brian Bae
Protesters advocating for Northeastern University adjuncts and part-time workers parade down Forsyth Street to stop the T at the Northeastern Green Line on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Since then, adjuncts have settled a three-year contract with the administration, winning provisions.
Protesters gather to oppose police By Anna Sorokina InsIde edItor
With signs that read “Black Liberation Frees Us All” and “Destina-
Photo by Robert Smith
tion Justice,” hundreds of activists marched nearly four miles on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in temperatures dipping below 20 degrees. March, Page 6
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Artist John Jennings displays his gallery, Visible Noize, at Gallery 360 in Northeastern University’s Curry Student Center on Tuesday, Jan. 19. The gallery opened on Saturday, Jan. 9 and will close on Sunday, March 13.
Comic book gallery debuts By Sahan Weerakoon dePuty InsIde edItor
With heroes like Superman and Batman, comic books have not been the most racially diverse works of art. But with his new exhibition, artist John Jennings hopes to bring a black perspective to a white-dominated universe. Visible Noize, an art exhibition featuring ethnic comic book illustrations, and curated by Northeast-
ern Curator Bruce Ployer, opened in the Curry Student Center’s Gallery 360 on Jan. 9. It features collaborative work by Jennings, a Mississippi native, and Stacey Robinson, an artist and illustrator from Albany, N.Y. Many book covers and posters presented at the exhibition are reminiscent of a Marvel comic book – except all the characters are black. This style is part of a genre called Afrofuturism, which
reimagines realities, spaces and time from a black perspective. It also explores the cultural tension surrounding future America. Jennings sees Afrofuturism as allowing blacks to escape the box of identity – something that has been policed throughout history. “It’s more in line with creating a new world instead of making sense of this one,” Jennings said. Another recurring theme in afrofuturIsM, Page 8
Photo by Robert Smith
Activists at the “March for Justice” advocated for social movements through Dorchester in protest of police brutality on Monday, Jan. 18.
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HackBeanpot event returns to Cambridge By Lautaro Grinspan news corresPondent
Student programmers in Boston will get a chance to show off their skill and stamina at HackBeanpot 2016, a 40-hour immersive workshop where students learn about new technologies and work intensively on hardware and design projects of their choice. The event, scheduled for Friday, Jan. 22 at the Cambridge Innovation Center, is chaired by an eight-member team, seven of which are Northeastern University (NU) students. Allison Alder, third-year computer science major, is the event’s president. “Hackathons aren’t about what you know going in, but what you know coming out of the experience,” said Alder. “We go out of our way to make the event welcoming to new hackers as well as a safe place for underrepresented members of the technology community.” She added that NU’s chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) used to throw ‘API hack nights’ in 2012 in the hallways of West Village H. This culminated
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attendees or recent NU graduates – who will walk around and provide assistance when needed, Alder said.
that come out of HackBeanpot into one neat category. Some of the projects that were produced in last year’s edition of the event include an app to tem that requires no local disk and a mon according to the event website. The HackBeanpot team’s focus leading up to the 2016 event have been on inclusiveness and attracting as many non-NU students as possible, Alder said. “This year we are focused on generating interest at schools other than Northeastern,” she said. “We reached out to 24 universities in the Boston area, as we really wanted to take advantage of the fact that we’re
intercollegiate overnight hackathon in January 2013. Since then, the event has extended from 24 to 40 hours of hacking and has become a
lot of universities don’t have their own hackathons, and we wanted to give their budding hackers a place to go.” Although the event is free, space is limited. When 200 tickets became available online in mid-November, they were sold out in an hour and a half. There are currently over 400 students on the event’s waitlist. Ahead of the HackBeanpot’s -
The event is designed to attract tech-savvy students looking to create tangible products, according to HackBeanpot outreach director Nick Rioux. “When you see the word “hacker” in the media it usually means someone who is acting maliciously. But in the software world, the word has a very different meaning,” said Rioux in an email to The News. “To us, a hacker is someone who is intelligent, creative, clever and has something to show for it.” Helping the hackers will be a group of mentors – typically former
with a code of conduct on the event’s blog as well as with a tips-and-tricks post called “Simple Advice for First Time Hackers.” Third-year computer science and business administration major Brett Krutiansky was a HackBeanpot attendee in 2015. “I loved attending HackBeanpot last year,” he said. “Very rarely in our busy lives do we take a moment to truly do what we want to do. Hackathons are those rare moments where I can just set time aside to code with no distractions, no stopping till the job is done.”
Photo courtesy of Nick Ducoff
Boston at the program’s headquarters.
NU launches analytics boot camp By Alejandro Serrano dePuty news editor
The second term of Northeastern University’s (NU) Level Analytics Bootcamp program will commence this month in Boston’s Financial District. The post-graduate education program is an extensive two-month, full-time course that culminates in a Additional programs have been expanded to Charlotte, N.C., Seattle, and Silicon Valley for this term. “At the moment [I found Level], I was looking for a job, but I had a sort of skill gap. I have a bachelor’s degree in economics, but did not have many skills with data programs,” Antonio Serbiá, University of Puerto Rico 2012 graduate and was a good learning experience. The skills taught are important because they are things employers are looking for in a data entry level.” Level is an eight-week data analytics boot camp, said Neel Desai, Level Education’s head of employer relations. launched last October and ended in December. “We are excited to see where we go now and listen to the feedback we get,” Desai said. “Those who take the course – students – provide a lot
of feedback in terms of instruction and projects, as well as our employer partners in what exactly they are looking for in data analysts…lastly how can we, our students, help them add value to both of those sides.” The idea for the program was developed by New Ventures, a team at NU’s Global Network that focuses on developing business ideas, education boundaries and diversifying revenue streams, according to Nick Ducoff, New Ventures’ vice president and Level founding director. New Ventures started developing Level in the second half of last year. “What we (New Ventures) do is continue to push Northeastern to the frontier of higher education,” Ducoff said. “We had seen similar things [to space, and said ‘boy Northeastern can do this better; we have all the ingredients to do this better.’” Other companies that have similar boot camp programs include Metis, based in New York and San Franpuses across the nation, and General Assembly with a campus in Boston. The main focus of these programs is data science. What makes Level different is the experiential learning and relevance to industry, Desai said. The program may as well be a fulltime job. In the second half of the
program, students are paired with an employer to tackle an actual problem the employer is facing, using the solution. The course begins with introduction to data analysis, progresses to data programs and culminates in el’s Boston curriculum. “In my old job I was doing a lot of sales and market analysis, and I had to report on that,” said Nichole class of 2003 Northeastern alumna. of mine, so I thought Level would be a great option. It is very intense, the some afternoons there were guest lectures…[by] having industry professionals come in you learn about all different parts of data analysis.” The demand for two-year master’s degree education is going down due to expense and time constraint according to second-year economics major Mikal Khoso, who started a co-op at Level this January. “People want to re-skill, people want to operate their skills and people want to transition in their careers, but people want to do that dynamically and quickly, and two months is a lot better than two years,” he said. “It’s cheaper and experiential… these things all make a difference.”
Support our newspaper! Donate to the Huntington News gofundme.com/HuntNewsNU Photo courtesy of Nick Rioux
HackBeanpot 2015 participants at last year’s convention worked to create technology-based products within a two-day time constraint.
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crime log Compiled by Stephanie Eisemann, news staff
ENTRY OF THE WEEK
NU PD NU PD NU PD NU PD NU PD NU PD NU PD NU PD NU PD NU PD NU PD NU PD NU PD
Northeastern University Public Safety Division Monday, Jan. 18 @ 12:47 a.m. An individual reported to Northeastern University Police Department (NUPD) headquarters that his iPhone was stolen. The student explained that after playing in the snow he could not find his iPhone 5S or the Husky Card inside. A report was filed.
Monday, Jan. 11 @ 2:44 p.m. Northeastern University Public Safety Division A Northeastern University (NU) staff member reported having her university keys stolen from her desk in Holmes Hall. A report was filed.
Tuesday, Jan. 12 @ 2:30 p.m. Northeastern University Public Safety Division An NU student contacted NUPD to report a suspicious call from his brother’s phone number. The unidentified caller requested money from the student, who believed his brother may have been in trouble. NUPD confirmed both of the student’s brothers were safe. A report was filed.
Northeastern University Public Safety Division Wednesday, Jan. 13 @ 4:21 p.m. An NU student reported that while at an ATM on Massachusetts Avenue, a male approached him and asked him to cash a check. The check turned out to be canceled. A report was filed.
Wednesday, Jan. 13 @ 6:45 p.m. Northeastern University Public Safety Division An NU student reported losing his wallet walking between a class in Hurtig Hall and his residence at approximately 5 p.m. He retraced his steps but was unable to locate his property. The student contacted NUPD reporting that the wallet was stolen. A report was filed.
Northeastern University Public Safety Division Thursday, Jan. 14 @ 11:28 a.m. An NU staff member reported receiving a text from the iPhone 4 he lost in September. The text from the current owner stated that he had purchased it from another individual but would be willing to sell it back. A report was filed.
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NU part-time staff wins negotiations Bargaining, From Page 1 interested in preserving the status ibility and total control of adjunct compensation than showing that they value instruction.” In an open letter to Northeastern faculty and staff on Jan. 14, Provost James Bean described the agreement as “fair and equitable,” adding that “[Northeastern’s] accomplished and diverse faculty is the backbone and lifeblood of the university. We deeply value the contributions to our community made by all faculty – part-time, full-time, tenured and non-tenure track.” Fourth-year health science and political science major Casey Liston does not believe the university handled the adjuncts demands well. “Generally, I stay optimistic and believe the best of administrations or institutions and the people leading them,” she said. “But the steps the university has taken against implementing fair contracts for such a large percentage of the faculty is absolutely shocking to me.” Still, adjuncts say that further discussion is warranted. “As with all negotiations, we did not get everything we wanted. One major concession was health insurance,” Malm said. “Northeastern is offering us more or less the minimum they are required to in order to be in compliance with the Affordable Care Act.” The negotiation also extends to students, some of whom stood in solidarity with the part-times by blocking the Green Line in November to raise attention to the adjunct’s cause. As a result, visibility for the part-time staff grew. “More than 1,000 emails were sent to the president and provost
from within and beyond the Northeastern community,” Malm said. “All of this was essential to pointing out that adjuncts are essential to the Northeastern community and that our allies would support us.” Rick Faletto, a sophomore cultural anthropology major and adjunct activist, showed fervent support for the cause. “Hearing directly from our own professors of their demeaning treatment at the hands of our administration brought tears to my eyes,” he said. “How could our educators, my role models and the foundation of our university, be treated with such Such activism would have culminated in a university-wide walkout and picketing on Jan. 19, which the university has insisted did not impact and would not have impacted The strike was called off once the “This contract shows a marked departure from the status quo,” Halm said. “When we start to negotiate a second contract, it is my hope that a stronger, more trusting relationship between union and administration will have developed which will lead to a less acrimonious process.” But the contract is, for many, an undeniable success. Joanna Gattuso, a masters of public health graduate student, expressed praise for the agreement. “This shift is a true testament to what we can accomplish when our university community comes together for an important cause,” Gattuso wrote in a letter to supporters of TrueNortheastern.org, a domain supported the adjuncts. “We let the administration know that we were prepared to support a strike if they refused to take action. And we won.”
Thursday, Jan. 14 @ 3:22 p.m. Northeastern University Public Safety Division An NU student reported receiving a call from a male claiming to be with the FBI and requesting her personal information. A report was filed.
Northeastern University Public Safety Division Friday, Jan. 15 @ 7:15 a.m. NU staff reported damage, including gouges and scrapes, to the loading dock doors of International Village (IV). The damages occurred on Tuesday, Jan. 12. A report was filed.
Friday, Jan. 15 @ 11:41 p.m. Northeastern University Public Safety Division An anonymous caller reported loud noises coming from 69 Gainsborough St. NUPD responded and reported a large crowd leaving the area. NUPD stood by while the crowd dispersed. Northeastern University Public Safety Division Saturday, Jan. 16 @ 2:58 a.m. An Uber driver, unaffiliated with NU, reported a student passed out in the back of his vehicle driving near Ruggles and Ward Streets. NUPD responded and stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Parkerand Ruggles streets. The student was conscious but not alert. EMS evaluated the West Village resident and released her to her roommate, by which time she was able to walk on her own. She reported falling asleep inside the car after drinking an unknown amount of alcohol at an unknown off-campus location. Northeastern University Public Safety Division Sunday, Jan. 17 @ 1:14 a.m. Boston Police Department (BPD) requested assistance at a Northeastern student party on Greenwich Street. NUPD responded, at which time all parties left the area. BPD did not take any names but reported approximately 200 to 250 students at the location. A report was filed.
Northeastern University Public Safety Division Sunday, Jan. 17 @ 2:12 a.m. A friend reported an NU student unconscious in IV. NUPD responded and deemed the student unconscious and not alert. EMS arrived to transport the student to Tufts Medical Center. The Residence Director of the building was notified.
Sunday, Jan. 17 @ 3:15 a.m. Northeastern University Public Safety Division A friend reported an NU student intoxicated in the women’s bathroom in the basement of IV. NUPD responded and requested EMS for the student. EMS declined to transport her, and the student signed a medical waiver.
Photo by Brian Bae
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Staff Directory Staff WriterS: Jose Castillo, Audrey Cooney, Stephanie Eisemann, Mack Hogan, Matthew MacCormack, Ethan Schroeder, Gordon Weigers, P.J. Wright Staff Copy editorS: ColumniStS: Jose Castillo, Sean Connolly, Alex Frandsen, Angelica Recierdo, Gwen Schanker, Kyle Taylor Web deSigner: Sabrina Kantor Opinions expressed in The Huntington News by letters, cartoonists and columnists are not necessarily those of The News staff or of the Northeastern administration. Northeastern University undergraduate students conduct all operations involved in the production of this publication. THE NEWS WELCOMES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR & COMMENTARIES
Opinion pieces must include the writer’s full name, year, major and position at the university. Letters should be sent in the body of an email, not as attachments. Letters may not run and may be edited due to space constraints. Poems and anonymous letters are not printed. Please keep entries under 500 words. Email letters to Comments@HuntNewsNU.com. Vol. IX No. 1
Column: Defending citizen journalism I was 14 years old and just beginning to explore my career interests. I was excited to develop my writing skills and to “document my steps into as I put it then. After starting, I continued to post for the next year or so. I remember Gwen Schanker how amazing it felt to know that I could publish information online that anyone could see. Even though I was only in middle school, I had an opportunity to share my thoughts with millions of people – not that I had more than 20 regular readers. Still, it was incredibly exciting. I wasn’t yet familiar with the term “citizen fan. In my high school current events class, I wrote a paper about the current state of journalism, also of government. I learned that blogging and other work by untrained journalists was referred to as “the of journalism that introduced a new set of complications, especially when it came to objectivity. I read might eventually edge out professional journalism, eliminating the fourth estate. This was counterintuitive to the importance of having an unbiased voice in the mainstream media, and I argued that there was plenty of room for both types of writing in the news landscape. I new development in our way of not a death sentence for traditional journalism. Now, as a third-year journalism student at Northeastern, I’ve be-
come more familiar with various forms of reporting and have obthe larger picture of news. Though I am now a published writer, I still enjoy blogging and have plenty to learn about reporting, writing and working as a journalist. I’m right on the line between citizen journalist and professional journalist – and it’s a very interesting place to be. If anything, citizen journalism has become more prominent since six years ago. While unbiased reporting is still an extremely valuare on the rise, and the value of personal connection between writer and subject has become an important part of the conversation about citizen journalism has expanded to include everything from 140-character tweets and videos shot on an iPhone and posted to Facebook to long-form stories published on Medium. The evolution of online news – and subsequently citizen journalism – has had a permanent impact about the death of traditional news. It’s arguably made the news landscape even more dynamic. spectives on a subject with a single Google search, allowing readers to gain a more holistic understanding of a topic. We’ve reached a point where citizen and professional journalism balance each other out. Questionable reporting doesn’t gain traction online without serious attention from professional journalists, nor is a prominent news story media and blog posts cropping up on that same subject. The intersection between citizen and traditional journalism allows everyone from adolescent bloggers to professional journalists-in-training to take part in spreading news. As a college student who still remembers how great can’t think of anything better.
News illustration by David London
Charter schools hurt Boston
In last year’s State of the City address, Mayor Martin J. Walsh stood up in front of 2,500 Bostonians and vowed to champion improvements to the city’s schools.
“The Boston Public Schools (BPS) can do much better for our kids. We have to do better. We will do betTwelve months later, Walsh and the city have ostensibly taken steps ter an in-depth search, the mayor tapped Tommy Chang to take over as superintendent. Since then, the school system has hired 24 new principals; the school day for K–8 students has been extended by 40 minutes a day, a change hailed by the Boston Teachers Union; and access to pre-kindergarten programs grew citywide. However, beyond these accomplishments – which Walsh was eager to highlight in the 2016 version of his speech, delivered Tuesday night – the mayor’s actions on education should trouble parents, teachers, students and community members in Boston. Earlier this week, Chang announced Boston schools face a $50 million shortfall. Before the mayor’s speech, protesters gathered outside Symphony Hall and called for Walsh to respond to pains underfunded schools are feeling. One veteran teacher expressed dismay that his students with special needs were being marginalized. Carlos Rojas Alvarez, a 2012 BPS graduate, said he was concerned that his ninth-grade brother hadn’t seen his school’s librarian in three weeks. Dozens of protesters told The News they feel abandoned by the kid from
Dorchester nearly all of them had once voted for. Walsh responded with unabashed dismissal, suggesting the shortfall is an apparently unimportant $10 million. In his address, he committed $13.5 million more to BPS next year – even as he admitted costs have gone up by at least $20 million. This does not sound to us like much of a solution. Indeed, Walsh all but admitted as much: his supposed commitment to public schools is wavering in favor of publicly funded, privately operated charter schools with cozy corporate ties. We at The News do not believe charter schools are an acceptable path forward for Boston schools. Their supporters often point to a 2013 Stanford study that says students at the city’s six highest-performing charters perform better on math and science tests than peers at public schools. But those results are misleading. Charter schools drain muchneeded money from public schools, creating a separate but unequal system. The more money they siphon, the bigger the gap gets. As hamstrung schools inevitably decline, students and families leave. In turn, those sites are shuttered – and, too often, handed over to charter operators. Such schools often set themselves up to succeed by taking on students more prone to academic achievement and protecting those numbers at great lengths. That same Stanford study noted 30 percent of BPS students as a whole are Englishlanguage learners (ELL), a need which creates special challenges for teachers, especially in regard to
raising test scores. The percentage of ELL students in Boston’s charter schools? Just eight. Surely, a system that largely excludes them cannot be in their best interests. Charters also struggle to serve students with disabilities. Perhaps an even bigger problem is the hyper-disciplinary culture of charters, which can verge on militancy. In the 2012-13 school year, Boston’s traditional public schools suspended about six of every 100 students. Boston Preparatory Academy and Boston Excel Academy II both used exclusionary discipline on more than 20 of every 100 students; City on a Hill Charter’s rate topped 40; and at Roxbury Preparatory Charter, an unbelievable 60 of every 100 students were suspended at some point. Paying outside entities to narrowly focus on test scores and affording them free rein to repeatedly suspend, kick out and ignore students isn’t innovation. It’s failure. Instead of expanding funding for charter schools, the mayor must show Bostonians his commitment to their children is more than just lip service. Last week, the city gifted $25 million to General Electric – whose annual revenues reside in the billions – in exchange for the company’s move to Boston. Hidden in the contract was nearly $100 million more to reopen the Old Northern Avenue Bridge, closed two years ago in response to safety concerns. $50 million more to invest in the futures of the 56,000 kids in need of strong public education.
Letter: Israel reporting biased “Hurt me with the truth, but nevposter held by a 20-something-yearold college student. The March for Truth on Sunday, Nov. 15 began at Harvard Science Commons and dropped a mass of passionate ralliers at the British Consulate in Cambridge. Students from Brandeis University, Clark University, Boston University, Northeastern University, Suffolk University, Harvard University, Boston College and Wellesley College came together to take a stand against the ever-present bias in reporting on Israel’s politics. The students came together and supported each other as these difsha Vilenchuk, a Brandeis student, hand as he spoke about the slanted coverage coming from the BBC and the inexcusable slander that perpetuates their reporting. “We have watched all too many times as articles slander our homeAs he led the marchers on the path to the consulate, he chanted proudly, “Israel, we stand with
Third-year Northeastern student and Huskies for Israel board member Allie Glushanok spoke about her experiences with anti-Israel reporting and her disappointment with the bias not only in the media but also on college campuses. As students marched for two miles to the British Consulate, cheers of “Am Yisrael Chai (the
masses. The passion was palpable – at times, cars were cheering the marchers on with honks and waves. As the march passed storefronts, cause. Activists from the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, Stand With Us, Hasbara and many other organizations were in attendance, showing their solidarity. Northeastern has a community full of passionate students who can learn from the leaders who so successfully organized this event, working with numerous organiza-
front. We have the capacity to bepartnerships and coalitions with different student groups. Exclusivity and close-mindedness are not how we can make a difference on our campus. Instead, we can move forward by engaging in positive discussion with those whom we may not always agree with. I am passionate about Israel and the media’s portrayal of her, not only because I am Jewish but because I believe in what the state stands for. As an advocate, I recognize the importance of speaking out. Every day, we are inundated with large amounts of information and we must take a stand against biased reporters who deliberately mislead us. We are the next generation of journalists, newscasters and talk-show hosts. We have the capacity to make a difference and to ensure we spread accurate and clear information. For information on bias in reporting in the Middle East, visit camera. org. -Kaila Fleisig is a freshman business administration student and a member of Huskies for Israel.
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Michelle Wu elected city council president By Cassidy DeStefano news editor Newly inducted City Council President Michelle Wu is no stranger to politics. A former assistant to bigSenator Elizabeth Warren and former Mayor Thomas M. Menino, among American woman to serve on the city council in 2014. The News spoke to Wu about her future plans for Boston. long have you ing with the City Michelle Wu ed in 2013 and in in 2014, so
: How been workof Boston? then sworn two years.
: Since being with the council, what are some of the initiatives you have engaged in? MW: One of the things I’m proudest of accomplishing last term is working with my colleagues and the mayor to pass paid parental leave in Boston. I also worked with everyone to pass an ordinance guaranteeing equal healthcare access for transgender city workers. : It sounds like you’ve worked a lot on social issues. MW: Those are the two biggest pieces of legislation that I sponsored and introduced to pass. But there are a whole bunch of other things in the works about simplifying processes and making things more transparent for people, whether you’re trying to open a small business in Boston or just trying to the city council meetings are held. : As president, how do you plan to advance the agenda of the council? MW: The biggest focus is on trans-
parency. In the last term, I started issuing the city council meeting notes after every meeting just so people could place. I really want to push that further with redesigning the council website and making all of our documents and processes accessible to people. : Why is transparency important? MW: Today, government works best when they partner with residents, organizations and businesses outside of the government. Government really needs to focus on inviting people in to help us innovate and implement. We have a lot of great energy in Boston, but fundamental to getting people involved is getting them informed. : Our publication represents a college community. Do you have any plans to further integrate universities into city affairs? MW: Our colleges and universities are one of our greatest resources in Boston. At the most basic level, we need to be connecting with more students and giving them opportunities to experience government up close. One goal I have for this year is to establish a thriving internship program for the council as a whole. We also need to keep engaging on the social issues that student voices can really help drive. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done in terms of housing and making sure that Boston is affordable, so that students who want to stay in the city after graduation can afford a place to live. There’s work to be done around transportation, jobs and making sure that the city is a fun and vibrant place with a thriving arts and culture scene, restaurants, late-night entertainment, etc. : A lot of the issues that you mentioned directly concern income. A recent Brookings Institution study lists Boston has the No.
Photo courtesy AAJC, Twitter
1 city in America for income inequality. How will you combat that? MW: We have a lot of work to do. attractive city where people want to come live. And there are opportunities and new jobs being created. But this growth really has to include everyone. So for that reason, we have a lot of work to do in making sure that we’re a city where people from all backgrounds and in-
come levels can comfortably live. : We understand that Mayor Martin J. Walsh is delivering a state of the city address [Tuesday night], with a particular focus on Boston Public Schools. What kind of reforms do you hope to implement in school systems, especially charter schools? MW: That falls to the work of our education committee. I think our role as a council is to really make sure that we
are advocating for parents and provid: In two years when you’re looking back on your term as president, what changes do you hope have been implemented? MW: I hope to see a website that lets out about the council’s work, as well as a council that is effective, substantive and productive for all residents.
Sports teams endorse bill for transgender rights By Kate Schneider news corresPondent Boston sports teams declared their support of a gender-equality bill last week, adding to the push to get the legislation passed. The bill, SB 735/HB 1577, bans the discrimination of transgender people in all public places in Boston and adds “gender identity” to the Massachusetts’s civil rights law. Right now, the law only prohibits discrimination based on age, race, religion and sex. On Monday, Jan. 11, the Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, New England Patriots and New England Revolution all announced their support of the bill. The Boston Red Sox signed onto the bill in November. The measure is backed by many corporations including Google and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. “[The Boston Celtics are] proud to support efforts that guarantee the right to equal access for everyone.” Taylor Kielpinski-Roger, communication coordinator of the Celtics, said in an email to The News. Advocates for the bill hope support from the sports world will strengthen the campaign. “The united stance of the sports teams will help give legislators the support they need to expand equality and non-discrimination,” said Roger Abrams, a Northeastern University professor of law who specializes in the relationship between sports and politics. This bill will be an addition to the Act Relative to Gender Identity that was passed in 2011. The previous legislation provided legal protections to transgender people in employment, housing and public education but did not incorporate protections in public spaces like stores, restaurants or malls. “Ending discrimination against transgender people is pivotal for a happy, healthy and safe community,” said Mason Dunn, executive director
Photo courtesy Rene Schwietzke, Creative Commons
of Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and co-chair for Freedom Massachusetts Coalition. “We know people face discrimination in places like hospitals, parks and restaurants, and providing protection for those transgender people in Massachusetts will create a much safer community.” In the past, sports teams have not been conventional supporters of LGBT causes. The recent endorsement of the bill shows the popularity and appeal of the campaign. “Our local sports teams play a vital secular leadership role in our commonwealth,” Abrams said. “Professional sports have begun the process of recognizing gender identity and equality. Our sports teams recognize that discrimination against anyone is contrary to the prevailing ethos in sports of success based
Opponents of the bill have raised privacy and safety objections, especially regarding the integration of public locker rooms and bathrooms. “Laws are used to protect vulnerable people, especially women and children,” said Jonathan Alexandre, legal counsel and public policy director for the conservative Massachusetts Family Institute. “We can not allow a situation to occur where a young girl is changing in a locker room and a male-born transgender person is allowed to come in. It is just too hard to control and the right can easily be taken advantage of.” In terms of the sports teams, Alexcorporations and small businesses. “I do not know what the big businesses want, but most of the negative
aspects of this bill will be imposed on small businesses like mom-and-pop shops and shelters,” Alexandre said. Some are skeptical of the Boston sports’ genuine concern for transgender rights. Alex Langdon, Northeastern freshman club lacrosse player and mechanical engineering major, believes the teams could have chimed in on the bill for some positive attention in the media. “Supporting the bill is more of a PR issue for the sports teams because it looks good on their parts chises otherwise,” Langdon said. Regardless of the reason for the endorsement, the bill has received enormous support. Freedom Massachusetts, an alliance of organizations, get the legislation passed, continues
to grow and add members to its coalition of more than 170 organizations. Massachusetts Senate President Stan Rosenberg has committed to pass the bill, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo has announced his support and seeks to gain the twothirds majority in his chamber before bringing the bill to a vote. According to Abrams, Northeastern students play an important role in this bill and the process of the legislation in general, saying that students are “participants in this process of change in which all may participate.” “In this proposed legislation, we continue our march toward freedom and equality for all persons in society,” Abrams said. “Massachusetts has always been a leader in this process, and this legislation continues to move us forward.”
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citypulse
Activists organize in support of social justice
More than 100 brave cold to call for higher minimum wage, less police violence marcH, From Page 1 Protesters gathered at Joe Moakley Park in Dorchester and made their way to Grove Hall in Roxbury for the modern-day “March for Justice.” “I’m glad you’re here celebrating MLK Day the right way,” Toussaint Liberator, a Boston-based musician, said to the crowd as they marched through the street. The march was organized by Mass Action Against Police Brutality and the Fight for $15 Massachusetts, a wage advocacy campaign. Organizers made several demands, includcommit acts of violence, a $15 minimum wage and union representation for workers, as well as an end to Islamophobia and institutional racism. “I challenge all authorities to come out here and work on our wages,” Ramsey was killed by a police ofcops are killers, but the ones who are should be held accountable.” Facebook page, “It is undeniable that Dr. King... would have stood with the for a $15 minimum wage and a union, like he stood with the sanitation workers of Memphis when he was assassinated. He would also have stood against the bigotry and intolerance expressed against followers of Islam.” Other protesters held signs with photos of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy who was shot and killed by a colleague believed Rice had been carrying a handgun in his waistband, though it was later found to be an Airsoft replica that lacked the orange safety feature marking it as Last month, an Ohio grand jury cer who shot Rice, a decision widely protested by members of the Black Lives Matter movement and others. In December, the Washington Post released the results of a yearlong study on police shootings of civilians. The newspaper reported that as of Dec. 24, 965 people Additionally, although black men make up only 6 percent of the US population, they account for 40 percent of the unarmed men shot to death by police this year, according to the Post’s database. The crowd chanted as Boston po“I thought it was a great march the collective body of issues, folks were present and excited despite the cold weather,” Dave Madan, one of the march participants, said. To keep march participants warm, Food Not Bombs, an activist anti-war organization, gave
Photos by Robert Smith
out free soup and hot chocolate along different points of the route. “[The march] brought like-minded
people together. And peaceful collaboration between Black Lives Matter and the city police seems
like it’s important,” Chris Lamere, volunteer for Food Not Bombs, said. “Police brutality is the most
important subject addressed at the March [because] people are dying at the hands of our civil servants.”
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Boston Children’s Chorus brings up “Raw Truth” By Connie E news corresPondent
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “The day we see the truth and cease to speak is the day we begin to die.” In remembrance of Dr. King’s legacy, the Boston Children’s Chorus (BCC) presented an acoustic performance “Raw Truth” on MLK Day, Jan. 18, at the New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall. The BCC is an arts education organization that unites children of different ages, races, religions and economic status. Through music, its singers celebrate shared humanity. “Our artistic director has come up with this theme of Raw Truth, and the idea is both a musical concept but also a kind of philosophical, social justice concept,” Ben Hires, director of programs, explained. BCC was founded by Hubie
decades, has worked to address the social problems facing Boston’s underserved children and communities. BCC’s artist director, Anthony Trecek-King, chose this year’s selections, which span a wide range of topics from racial to environmental justice. For example, “A Church is Burning” describes an arson committed by three Ku Klux Klan members. The lyric goes: “You can burn down my churches, but I shall be free.” The program featured other conscience-searing songs, including “Kalief Browder” by Brad Wells, a song based on the story of the 16-year-old African-American boy who spent three years in jail without a conviction and ultimately committed suicide. Dr. King’s of the Civil Rights movement, a major component of BCC’s repertoire. “The music of this period is a
both catharsis and as a cry for justice against the harsh discrimination experienced by black Americans,” Niko Caravajal, a BCC singer, said. The concert also featured the Grammy award-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, which performs contemporary compositions. “The fun part of collaborating with different guest artists is that they all have their own styles, and they play into the types of feel of the concert that we put on,” Elliott Ronna, a BCC singer, said. “This year’s group of guest artists added a more contemporary feel to the whole program.” In an effort to tackle social issues, the young singers ages 7-18 address truth on a deeper level. “Classical music is especially a good way to celebrate MLK Day because talking about social issues is always challenging, but since BCC creates such an empathetic environment, it makes
Members of the Boston Children’s Chorus sing passionately in Jordan Hall for a performance of “Raw Truth.”
you much more comfortable to do that”, Grace Kromm, a BCC singer, said. “Portraying his legacy through singing is very representative of our theme at the BCC, which is to inspire social change through music.” The members not only develop leadership skills and learn how to sing, but also how to be empathetic human beings. “All the pieces carry messages related to ‘Raw Truth,’” Zoe Papastoitsis, a BCC singer, said. “To go into the concert thinking about ‘what are my raw truths’ and ‘how
do those messages apply to me’ – I think that’s something that really adds to the concert. And of course, when singers ourselves are thinking about those questions, it adds a whole layer of meanings to our performance since we’re singing with emotions rather than just notes.” In the future, the BCC is looking to continue to have a positive impact on its local community. “In 10 years’ time, hopefully our mission and our view of a just and equitable society will be a little bit closer,” Hires said.
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s portrait looks over the showing of “Raw Truth.”
“Disgraced” tackles Islamophobia and racism
Amir (Rajesh Bose) and Emily (Nicole Lowrance) invite their friend Isaac and his wife Jory over for dinner.
By Trea Lavery news corresPondent Not many people would ever admit to being proud of the terrorist attacks on September 11. But when those words of pride are uttered, they result in a shocked silence in the audience. In a country plagued by growing Islamophobia and uncertainty regarding the threat of terrorism, Ayad Akhtar’s “Disgraced,” directed by Gordon Edelstein, was timely. Its production began two weeks before the shootings in San Bernardino, Calif. The 2013 Pulitzer Prize winning drama shown at the Huntington Theatre Company is about Amir Kapoor, played by Rajesh Bose, a Muslim man from Pakistan and his wife Emily, played by Nicole Lowrance, who is a white artist inspired by Islam’s art techniques. The plot centers around one night in which Amir and Emily invite their friend Isaac, a Jewish art curator played by Benim Foster, and his wife Jory, played by Shirine Babb, over for dinner. After Kapoor and Isaac have both had too much to drink, they begin arguing about their respective faiths and the stereotypes surrounding them. The conversation that follows is enough to leave the audience laughing at some moments and silent by the end. Kapoor struggles with rejecting
his Muslim faith and facing stereotypes as a Pakistani-American. He changes his last name and lies about his family origins to avoid discrimination. Amir’s assimilated nephew has concerns regarding the propriety of the arrest of a local imam who is imprisoned on terrorism-related charges. When Emily encourages Amir to appear in court in support of the imam, the image Kapoor has created for himself falls apart. “Disgraced” uses its diverse set of characters to bring up topics that are often avoided in everyday conversation for fear of being offensive, such as Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, cultural appropriation, racism and job discrimination. “It’s an important part of the national conversation because it features marginalized communities, people whose lives changed after 9/11,” Phaedra Scott, a literary apprentice at Huntington Theatre, said. Mohit Gautam, who plays Abe, Amir and Emily’s nephew, agreed that the play was important in today’s society. “It’s topical because it has to do with Islam and being a Muslim in America,” Gautam said. “It has to do with our political landscape and prejudices and desire to categorize people in different boxes.” Scott led an audience talkback tHeater, Page 9
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Visible Noize brings new perspective to comics
afrofuturism, from Page 1 Visible Noize is hip-hop, as seen in the excerpts from Jennings’ graphic novel “Kid Code.” He enjoys the idea of sampling within hip-hop, which he achieves through the use of techniques such as collage, bricolage and montage. Jennings calls himself a “see-jay” – he creates new meaning with art. “[It’s] taking tiny bits from previ-
on their ear,” Jennings said. “It’s a powerful method to hack into your environment.” Afrofuturism was also a topic of interest in “Why Comix? Drawing the World You Want to See,” an art symposium which took place in the Curry Student Center Ballroom on Jan. 14. The showcase featured Jennings along with several other artists and cartoonists in a panel format. While each artist embraced the genre of Afrofuturism, their styles and goals were different. Nettrice Gaskins, an expert in African cosmology and STEAM Lab Director at Boston Arts Academy, explores innovation in Afrofuturism through mapping sound and data visualization. “My work deals with location and minority groups placing themselves in the center, a place they have traditionally not been,” Gaskins said. Terry Marshall, artist and founder of Boston-based organization Intelligent Mischief, presented his work focused on youth and social justice struggles. Marshall uses his art to materialize these struggles with projects such as physical “race cards” that can be cosigned by a
Top left: Matty’s Rocket is a tale about the adventures of space pilot Matty Watty. Top right: Jennings embraces Afrofuturism in his art a blending of modernist and traditional black styles. Bottom: Book covers and posters presented at the exhibition are reminiscent of a Marvel comic book. white person verifying that the forward.” black person in question is safe to While Afrofuturism has allowed be around. African-Americans to shed light In his talk, Marshall also empha- on their perspective of the world sized the importance of the past for and tackle social justice issues, the black movements, especially Af- consensus among the panel was that rofuturism. there is still much to be done. “The black experience in Amer“Art is a very powerful force on ica is a haunted space where we the human psyche, for good or ill,” deal with revenants of our past,” Jennings said. “I have dedicated Marshall said. “[For Afrofuturism] the majority of my life to creating we must go back in our past to go change through the work that I do.”
ArtLifting helps fund disadvantaged artists By Jasmine Wu news corresPondent
Buying art no longer has to be an investment of the wealthy. Instead, it can mean giving back to the community, and perhaps even ArtLifting is a social enterprise dedicated to helping sell art crafted by individuals who are homeless or disabled, giving them 55 percent online, the business has recently reopened their pop-up shop for the month of January. Now housed in the Galleria Mall in Cambridge, ArtLifting showcases work ranging from original paintings and prints to iPhone cases and tote bags. Anthony Baldassari, 64, is one of nearly 70 artists involved with
ArtLifting. He was paralyzed on his left side after a failed medical procedure and sells art in an efhis daughter’s college loans. Baldassari says that his depression, agoraphobia, herniated discs and chronic back and leg pain makes it in the morning. Through a fellow artist, he discovered ArtLifting and sent in a DVD asking which paintings they liked. “They said all of them,” Baldassari said. “I was stunned and got very emotional inside.” Baldassari says he now looks back at his paralysis as a gift, allowing him to support himself. “[I can now] do the one thing I always dreamed of: to paint,” Baldassari said. Five of ArtLifting’s artists ex-
periencing
homelessness
found
operation, Liz Powers, ArtLifting cofounder, said. “[The goal is to create a comcially, improve the artists’ lives and educate the public about art therapy,” Powers said. “[It is important to] reinvent how we view social enterprises … where we’re not giving handouts but instead giving opportunities to create jobs.” nual art sale but had grown into an online marketplace after customers kept asking for more frequent events, Powers said. They had started with four local Boston artists and are now approaching 70 artists throughout eight cities. Instead of relying on charity or donations, ArtLifting has received
$1.3 million in seed funding, including a $1.1 million investment from Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes. They made more than $150,000 in sales in 2013, This income-generating activity is key to what makes ArtLifting a successful social enterprise, Nina Angeles, assistant director of Northeastern University’s Social Enterprise Institute, said. With this money, the artist is empowered to have more than just a shelter to go to as a short-term option. Scott Benner, 58, had been homeless for about a year and was staying at a shelter in Quincy when he signed a contract with ArtLifting. The steel supply company he had been working for closed in 2009, and in 2012 he was diagnosed with Horner’s syndrome,
which causes headaches, confusion and exhaustion. His wife was later. Selling art changed his life, he said. Besides providing him with income, it motivates him to persevere in life. “It gave me a sense that I was part of something and could lead the way back,” Benner said. “When you’ve lost everything and have your possessions in a backpack, it can be very easy to just quit.” Instead of quitting, Benner has created more than 50 pieces of his
doing something that I have a passion for, using my own hands,” he said. “I feel like I have control over my destiny now.”
Housed in the Galleria Mall in Cambridge, ArtLifting showcases art ranging from paintings and prints to iPhone cases and tote bags produced by individuals who are disadvantaged.
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calendar Entry of the Week
CRASHfest transforms The House of Blues Sunday, Jan. 24 CRASHfest will blow you away with an eclectic mix of sounds from the hottest indie bands. The House of Blues will be transformed into a world-class dance hall with three stages, luxurious lounge areas and studio-quality speakers so that you get the most premium listening experience possible. Bands include Angélique Kidjo, Kishi Bashi, The Dhol Foundation, Monsieur Periné, Debo Band, The Steel Wheels, Leyla McCalla Trio, Tongues in Trees, Session Americana and Zili Misik. Global street food, beer and custom cocktails will be served. 15 Lansdowne St.; 4:30 – 11:30 p.m.; $40.
Photo courtesy Luke Addison, Creative Commons
Calendar by Sahan Weerakoon, Deputy Inside Editor
Thursday, Jan. 21
Friday, Jan. 22
Saturday, Jan. 23
Beer fans will be happy to know the Samuel Adams brewery will be hosting a sampling night of the latest Sam Adams Spring variety pack. Samuel Adams, winner of numerous craft beer awards, has been a classic Boston brand since the 1980s and is a must-try for all who visit. Much like their drinks, a Sam Adams tour is anything but bland. Offered flavors will include older favorites such as Scotch Ale and Noble Pils along with newer flavors such as Session Ale. Enjoy some live jazz by the Rusty Scott Quartet and try beer-infused snacks provided by Apotheker’s Kitchen. 30 Germania St.; 5:30 – 8 p.m.; $10; 21+
“The Winter’s Tale” will be preson at the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company. The Shakespeare play is a tragedy about obsession and redemption. The play centers around the King Leontes, who seems to have everything going for him including money, power, friends and family. However, jealousy leads to a chain of tragic events. The play is directed by Tony-Award winning director Rob Ashford and Emmy-Award winning director Kenneth Branagh. It stars Branagh and Tony awardwinning actress Judi Dench in the leading roles of King Leontes and his wife. 559 Washington St.; 7 p.m.; $16.
Support your local New England economy and agriculture by going to the Cambridge winter farmers market. This Saturday marks the
Monday, Jan. 25
Tuesday, Jan. 26
Wednesday, Jan. 27
Relive the 1990s in style with the Thomas Crane Public Library’s night of retro video games. Classic consoles such as the Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis and Nintendo 64 will be available along with iconic titles including Contra, Golden Axe, Golden Eye, Rampage, Joust and Double Dragon II. Newer consoles, such as the Wii, will also be available with favorites such as Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart, New Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter. All games are multiplayer so this event will be perfect for those on co-op in Quincy and in need of a non-alcoholic night out. 40 Washington St., Quincy.; 7 – 8:30 p.m.; free.
The Brattle Theatre will be holding a screening of documentary “Waking in Oak Creek,” sponsored by the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. The movie centers around a Sikh Community in Oak Hill, Wis. that is struck by a hate attack during Sunday
“Violet,” an acclaimed offBroadway show of the 1990s, is making a run in Boston at the Wimberly Theatre. In 1964, when a young woman is scarred on the face, she learns of a televangelist who can cure her ailment. She then embarks on a trip from her small town in North Carolina to Tulsa, Okla. to see him. Along the way, she meets two young soldiers who teach her about love, courage and the true meaning of beauty. “Vio-
The annual celebration will have festivities for everyone to enjoy, such as live music from bluegrass band JackKnife Valentines and James McCarthy, an art project hosted by the Riverside Gallery, a photo booth and face painting. Valicenti Pastau, Winter Moon Roots and Copicut Farms will be acting as vendors. The market will be held inside the Cambridge Community Center, so take the Red Line in to join in on local grown goodness. 5 Callender St., Cambridge; 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; free.
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Embracing failed resolutions is key
New year, new ways to disappoint yourself. It’s nearly three weeks into 2016; have you kept up with your resolutions so far? Do you even remember what they were? If you’re like me, you’ve not only failed to keep your New Year’s resolutions, but even worked against them. I know at least one of you can say you’ve swiped at Rebecca’s more often than at Marino. Whatever your resolutions may have been, a lot of us can safely say that a majority of resolutions made this year won’t be around by the end of the year, let alone the end of this month. the New Year (unless of course, you had a pretty regrettable night on New Year’s Eve). Resolutions are taken on in the hopes that this year, we can be better than who we were last year, but they are usually dropped fairly quickly and therefore given a negative connotation. However, this is where resolutions can be the most powerful: they can help us embrace failure. Like resolutions, failure has a negative connotation, in part due to the value that hard work and merit have among us. From a young age, we are told that anything can be accomplished if we apply ourselves. “Choo choo,” said the little engine that could, and so should you. Hard work and merit are both very important ideas, but what happens is failure is seen as an indicator of a lack of hard work, which plays into the dangerous idea that everything we have in life is simply a consequence of the effort we’ve put forth. Using that logic those who have achieved success have worked hard for it, which completely disregards privilege, the support of others or just pure luck. When dealing with personal failure, I Jose Castillo turn to comedy. Humor tends to not only embrace failure and sadness, but often Campus Cowboy celebrates it. Actress Carol Burnett once said that comedy is simply “tragedy plus time.” Shows like “It’s deal with characters that constantly miss the mark and can never seem seasons one through six, when Michael was still boss. After that, the show became a prime-time drama that was constantly jumping the shark). Classic characters like George Costanza from the 90’s sitcom Seinfeld, self-proclaimed “Lord of the Idiots,” truly embody the pain of everyday living. Failure allows us to examine ourselves when we are in a position where we are most uncomfortable. It’s easy to be happy when everything is okay, but why should we be less okay with ourselves when we do not accomplish what we’ve worked toward? Louis C.K., a comedian famous for his self-deprecating humor, explained the consequence of never truly embracing failure during an interview we push it away with a little phone [texting], or jacking off or food, and you never feel completely sad or completely happy, you just feel Embracing failure helps us become empathetic toward those who have also had their own shortcomings and realize those people are more than a list of accomplishments, as well as helping us accept that sadness and failure are simply a part of life, just as much as happiness. As Butters from the show South Park said so well, “I’m sad, but at the same time, I’m really happy that something could make me feel that sad. It’s like, it makes me alive, you know? It makes me feel human.”
Follow us on Instagram! @HuntNewsNU “Disgraced” provokes discussion about religion
tHeatre, from Page 7 of the themes in the play after the curtains closed, in which people could express their thoughts about these messages. In the talkback, actors and spectators discussed elements of the story, the set and even parts of their own lives that connected to the plot. In Gautam’s eyes, one of the play’s most important messages is not necessarily about Islam. “These circumstances can happen to any group of people,” Gautam said. “People who are Jewish, African-American, Hispanic, Indian, Italian, Irish. It’s not just about Islam, not just about being a Muslim in America. It’s about being human and part of the American fabric.” “Disgraced” is playing at Boston University Theatre from Jan. 8 to Feb. 7.
importance of forgiveness as members of the Sikh youth seek to end violence and in their town. el including executive producer Patrice O’Neill, teacher Pardeep Kaleka, whose father was killed inthe attack, and autthor Arno Michaelis, who used to be a violent white supremacist, and others. 40 Brattle St., Cambridge; 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.; free.
the journey is often more interesting than the destination. The play is directed by Paul Daigneault, founder of the SpeakEasy Stage Company, and stars Alison McCartan as Violet. 527 Tremont St.; 8 p.m.; $55.
Amir (Rajesh Bose), Emily (Nicole Lowrance), Jory (Shirine Babb) and Isaac (Benim Foster) toast to one another in the drama “Disgraced.”
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P a g e 10
sports
Huskies keep rolling with two wins over Maine On a power play of their
By James Duffy dePuty sPorts editor
jimagari from the high slot to put her team back in front. The lead wouldn’t last long, as Maine senior forward Audra Richards brought the game even with a minute to play in the second. Just as things seemed to be tipping in Maine’s favor, Coyne tipped the scales right back. Just 20 seconds after Maine’s equalizer, Coyne redirected a shot from sophomore blue liner Ainsley MacMillan, leading the puck into the back of the net. Carrying that 3-2 lead into the
Hosting the Maine Black Bears, the Northeastern University (NU) women’s hockey team skated to two victories last weekend, routing Maine 8-1 before a closer 5-2 win on Sunday. With the two wins, the team extended its winning streak to nine games, breaking its previous season high of eight straight victories in November. Saturday’s contest was a fun one to watch as the Huskies put on a clinic. Six players combined for eight goals, with sophomore forward Denisa Krizova as the star of the show. Krizova tallied a natural hat trick, netting three straight goals to lead the Husky offense. It was Krizova’s second-career hatty, and for good measure, she added two assists for a career high
would not let this game slip away. They played an aggressive, relentless style, similar to the one that helped them light the lamp eight times the day before, pushing them to a 5-2 victory. Foss, who made 21 saves en route to her seventh-straight win, had high praise for the team. “We’re really starting to get
Not to be outdone, senior forward Kendall Coyne nonchaher own, all on assists. Combined with Krizova’s efforts and junior forward Hayley Scamurra’s two-point day, the Huskies’ top line put up 12 points, terrorizing two different Maine goalies.
Photo by Leila Habib
“The defense was really great to-
In the second period, both teams fought to take control of
Flint, too, liked what he saw during the weekend, furthering the sentiment that this team is getting hot at the right time. “Everything is coming together
of
goalie Meghann Treacy was yanked in favor of junior tender Mariah Fujimagari. From that point on, the Huskies were in cruise control. In the second game of the set,
get revenge and pull off the upset. Coyne had other plans. Just over a minute into the game, she scored a goal from a nearly impossible angle, banking the puck off the leg of an unsuspecting Treacy who was back in net for Maine. Treacy got pulled again for Fujimagari soon after. However, the Bears showed
goalie Sarah Foss stopped a wrister from the slot but left a rebound for Maine freshman forward Victoria Hummel to bang it home. “I think they sat back afcoach Dave Flint remarked. It was that casual attitude that allowed Maine to stay in the game.
wasn’t clear who would take over. The Black Bears had three power plays with the game still tied up, but instead of letting the Black Bears break through, Coyne and Krizova took the opportunity to showcase their incredible stickhandling while killing off every penalty.
get that you get pretty excited and
goal as a Husky since his freshman
Saturday’s win was a big night for junior forward Sam Kurker as he posted a season-high four points on two goals and two assists. Kurker opened the scoring by jamming a rebound in behind Wildcats goalie Danny Tirone. Later in the second period, freshmen forwards Adam Gaudette and Lincoln Grif-
With Northeastern on top 5-2 in the third period on Saturday, the
said after the win on Sunday. The team will look to continue their win streak when they take on the Huskies of The University of Connecticut in a home-
NU picks up two Hockey East wins vs UNH By Gordon Weigers news corrosPondent
The Northeastern men’s ice hockey team produced 10 goals over two games this weekend against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats en East victories of the season. With Friday’s 4-2 win at Matthews Arena and Saturday’s 6-2 victory at the Whittemore Center in Durham, N.H., the Huskies now own seven conference points and have moved from 12th place to 11th place in Hockey East. The 10 goals for Northeastern were the most they have scored in a weekend series this season. Sophomore forward Dylan Si-
kura scored two goals in his return to the lineup on Friday night, and added another tally at UNH on Saturday. Sikura is one part of a productive offensive line that also features senior Mike McMurtry and freshman Adam Gaudette. The unit combined for 10 points in two games this weekend. McMurtry has stepped into his role as a leader this season and has put up an impressive 14 points the last nine games. He credits his success to the camaraderie he has built with his linemates of late, helping make the dangerous units in Hockey East. “Since we’ve been together it’s been kind of that natural chemis-
game open for the Huskies. Just under 14 minutes after his on the breakaway, sneaking a backhand shot under the crossbar to make it a 4-1 NU lead. Huskies fans have waited for
Colton Saucerman inside the post ern’s bench erupted with cheers. Freshman goalie Ryan Ruck earned the start in both games against UNH and allowed only two goals in each. Ruck now rides a four-game win streak and is unbeaten in his last six starts. “I think Ryan has done a real good job the last six or Jim
Madigan
said.
“He’s
Northeastern’s defense came up huge this weekend by shutting
down two of the top scorers in the nation. Sophomore Andrew Poturalski (38 points) and junior Typlace and third place in the national scoring race. Poturalski and Kelleher were held to a combined three points over two games. “They’re really clever and they Madigan said of Poturalski and Kelleher. “I’m happy with the way we kind of kept them to the outside, and that’s what you want The Huskies look forward to a home-and-home set with the Merrimack Warriors this weekend before gearing up for a Feb. 2 Beancrosstown foe Boston University.
Photo courtesy Jim Pierce, Northeastern Athletics
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sports Men’s basketball battles for top spot in CAA By Matt MacCormack news staff
Parity is king this season in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), and Northeastern men’s basketball heated race after a 1-1 week. The Huskies’ comeback effort fell short in a home tilt against James Madison University (JMU) on Thursday night, 75-63. On Saturday, the Huskies once again fell behind early, but rallied for a road win over the University of Delaware (UD), 69-60. After six conference games, six teams, including Northeastern, are tied atop the CAA rankings with a 4-2 conference record. The action began on Thursday when James Madison rolled into Matthews. JMU’s hot shooting kept the Huskies behind for most of the game; the Dukes connected on 10 of 19 three-point attempts (57%), including a JMU’s Jackson Kent sparked minutes to bury the Huskies. Freshman center Jeremy Miller but the Husky lead was short-lived. James Madison junior center Yohanny Dalembert took advantage of the Huskies’ slim interior defense, scoring an inside basket and hitting two free throws to key a 9-0 run in the early going. After the teams traded baskets, the Dukes mounted a 13-3 stretch just after the frame’s halfway point. Curry nailed a sensational off-balance triple to cap the run and give JMU a 26-15 advantage. the Huskies in the game, but the home side went into the half trailing 42the Huskies have faced this season. Coen’s squad seemed re-energized in the second half, as NU started attacking the rim. Northeastern opened the half with six straight free throws. “I think we played with a little David Walker said post-game. “Coach challenged us in the locker room to just come out and play as NU trailed by double digits for Walker (13 points) turned the tide with a thunderous baseline jam with 10:37 to play. After JMU’s Kent answered with a three, Miller
and Williams combined to score eight straight over the next two minutes to cut the lead to 61-55. Kent had other plans. The junior guard buried another corner triple, sparking the Dukes’ game-closing run. said JMU head coach Mark Brady. “They had gotten it under single digits and I think that Jackson’s shot was Northeastern struggled from ing rate for the game. NU hit just Coen said. “We were running our offense and guys were getting shots, Although the comeback failed to materialize in Matthews, the Huskies pulled off a come-from-behind victory in Delaware two days later. The Blue Hens led, 41-36, after redshirt senior forward Marvin KingDavis (23 points, 15 rebounds) hit two free-throws at the 12:26 mark in the second half. From there, Walker channeled his stellar earlyseason form, scoring 11 points in three minutes as part of a 16-2 run that put the Huskies on top for good. Northeastern jumped out to a 9-7 lead six minutes in after Walker (24 points) knocked down a jumper and converted a three 60 seconds later. But the senior guard’s triple would be the only basket of its kind for NU just one for 15 from three. Walker struggled for the rest of the half, hitKing-Davis took advantage of the Husky’s shooting woes. The reddouble-double, posting nine points and seven boards in the opening frame alone. The 6-foot-7-inch, 230-pound forward scored eight “He’s in
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Blue Hen junior guard Cazmon Hayes provided a spark off the bench, scoring 10 of his 15 points forward Zach Stahl cut the lead to two with a layup, Hayes came up with a steal and coast-to-coast layup to push the lead to four with His pair of free-throws gave UD a seven-point lead with ten seconds
Photo courtesy Jim Pierce, Northeastern Athletics
to play, but Williams ended the half with a bang, driving to the lane and hitting a last-second layup to push the halftime score to 28-23. A layup and a three on consecutive possessions from redshirt junior Quincy Ford (18 points, eight rebounds) cut the lead to 34-33 with 15:51 to play, but UD scored seven of the next ten. Walker ignited his run with a three at the 11:13 mark, and Northeastern never looked back. Delaware missed three layups during the 16-2 stretch for NU. said. “Once somebody makes a shot, it kind of opens the door…[Walker] The Huskies knocked down eight of 15 from three in the frame, reversUp next for Northeastern is a huge battle with Hofstra University (12-6), one of the six teams tied with NU atop the CAA. The game tip-offs at 8 p.m. in Matthews on Thursday and will be broadcast on Comcast Sportsnet.
Photo courtesy Jim Pierce, Northeastern Athletics
Huskies notch a pair of wins, improve to 6-3 By Gordon Weigers news staff
The Northeastern swimming and diving team embarked on its annual training trip, travelling to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. The Huskies used the Dec. 27 trip as a chance to hone their skills for the rest of the season while enjoying an escape from the Boston winter. After the trip, the Huskies improved their overall record to 6-3 in a 155-145 win at the University of Vermont on Monday, achieving
was a great checkpoint where we tle details of our races before head-
In a tri-meet in Delaware on Jan. 9, Northeastern came away with a 196-104 win over Drexel University, but suffered a 167-133 loss to the University of Delaware.
Ellis had a strong performance, earning wins in both breaststroke events. Diver Jacquelyn Gover placed third in the 1-meter and 3-meter dives for the Huskies. Up
next for the Huskies is a trip to the Dartmouth Invitational on Jan. 22-23, followed by a home meet against Long Island University Brooklyn on Jan. 30.
pool records and the Forbush Natatorium. head coach Roy Coates said. “We had contributions from virtually everyone. I love how the team Sophomore Sara Touchette-McGowan teamed up with freshman Carly Schnabel and juniors Delanie Lanker and Taylor Ellis to set a new pool record in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:45.46. Touchette-McGowan and Ellis snagged pool records in individual events as well. Ellis won the 100yard breaststroke with a time of 1:04.35, and Touchette McGowan posted 55.47 in the 100-yard butsolo events for the Huskies, outpacing the Catamounts in the 100yard and 200-yard freestyle. “There was a lot of synergy on
Photo courtesy Jim Pierce, Northeastern Athletics
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H u n t n e w s n u. c o m
sports To save NFL, fans Former MLS star to take should tune out over as men’s soccer coach Two weeks ago, we saw the NFL at its nastiest. of the playoffs, and what should have been nothing more than a passionate rivalry game turned into an apocalyptic version of the NFL. Coaches yanked players by their hair, the game was peppered with tackles ranging from brutal to downright malicious and the Steelers’ game-winning drive was aided by back-to-back penalties, one of which came when Bengal instead of simply tackling him. It was barbaric, ugly and hard to watch. Writers and TV analysts hammered both teams, and the idea that games like this could eventually lessen the NFL’s popularity, if not end it altogether, was shared widely. But this week, the football gods blessed us with the Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers matchup. In what was one of the most riveting games in the sport’s history, the Cardinals fended off a miraculous Packer comeback led by league golden child Aaron Rodgers, thanks to a superhuman effort from wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. If the Steelers-Bengals game was the NFL at its worst, this was the NFL at its best, with two squeaky-clean stars trading blows in a classic. Because of that game, the events of the prior week are already near forgotten. The conversation has shifted away from concern about violence in football to sheer excitement for the conference championship games, and most fans have settled back into blissAlexander Frandsen ful ignorance, a condition under which the NFL thrives. That startling phenomenon, the smooth switch between uproar and adoration – is exactly what makes the future of the sport so complex. The NFL is the athletic manifestation of Harvey Two-Face, and fans are coming to a critical point where they will have to make a decision: accept concussions and ugliness as part of the game or reject it in the hopes of something better. It’s a harder decision than appears on the surface because the NFL is just so loved. Baseball may be our national pastime, but football has woven itself tightly into our culture. It’s probably a safe bet to say that many people care more about their local franchise than their local government. Fans today weren’t raised to think about a player’s long-term brain health when they see a huge hit; they were raised to stomp and cheer. gible aftermath of it is hidden away from the fans. The worst of it usually comes after a player has retired, long gone from the eye of the public. However, that veil has begun to be lifted. Numerous suicides of former ies have explicitly shown the damage football does to the brain. Our parents had an excuse for their ignorance about the game: they simply didn’t know how bad it was. We do. The widespread availability of information has forced us to confront the realities of the sport. If we hear about something like the recent suicide of former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips and then watch the games on Sunday without batting an eyelash, we have done nothing but transition from ignorance into hypocrisy. Not letting your future kid play football in its current iteration is nice, the most powerful move we have is to simply turn off the TV. Without the viewers and fans, the league is nothing. If we want to send a clear message that the NFL has to change something, it starts with us not giving them our attention and money. Next time you see a player target someone’s helmet? Turn it off. Next time you hear about a former player come down with early-onset Alzheimer’s? Go for a hike on Sunday afternoon instead of buying tickets to the Pats game. Not watching your team play every week is almost unthinkable. The thought of missing out on a game like the Cardinals-Packers one makes me nearly shudder. But the alternative is complacency. The alternative is more and more cases of CTE, of hazy memories, of cognitive loss. The alternative is letting the league slowly kill itself instead of us spurring change.
By James Duffy dePuty sPorts editor
After head coach Brian Ainscough stepped down in November following a disappointing 3-12-2 season, the Northeastern University (NU) men’s soccer team began its search for a new face to guide the squad. After months of deliberation, the team decided on its man: Chris Gbandi. Having served as an associate coach at Dartmouth University for the past two seasons, Gbandi decided that it was time to take full reigns of a program, and Northeastern stood out to him. “It wa Gbandi said about coming to Northeastern. “You’re talking about one of the premier universi-
they’re hungry and they have a lot With that in mind, he does see room for improvement. “We need to get back to enjoyof the day, it’s all about having fun Systematically, Gbandi will bring a strong defensive mind to the team, which he hopes will in turn allow for more creativity and freedom on offense. As far as expectations for the season, Gbandi preferred to keep
his hopes in-house. “I’d like to get back to a winning season, but I won’t say anything with a smile. “We have a chance for sort of the upcoming season. “We get the chance to play a lot of the teams For Gbandi and the Huskies, the road to revenge starts now, as the winning season since 2012 under his guidance.
Gbandi has a long and illustrious resume in soccer that speaks for itself, dating back to his playing days on the pitch in college. A star at the University of Connecticut (UConn), Gbandi won the coveted Hermann Award in 2000 – given to the top player in college soccer – and led UConn to a national championship the same season. In 2002, Gbandi was selected Major League Soccer (MLS) draft, and he played in 167 games over nine MLS seasons. He then took to coaching, working at College of the Holy Cross as an assistant for two years before returning to his alma mater and spending one season as the assistant director of soccer operations for UConn. He then moved on to Dartmouth for two seasons, his last job before NU. Gbandi has had success at every school where he has coached, most recently helping to lead Dartmouth to back-to-back appearances in the NCAA tournament. Walking away from a soccer powerhouse like Dartmouth to come to NU, Gbandi faces a number of new challenges, namely improving on the team’s lackluster 3-12-2 season. Gbandi feels that he is up to the task, and plans to use his past experiences as a player and coach to his advantage to guide the team. While he shies away from the ability of his players, something he saw when Dartmouth and NU squared off in the last game of the regular season. “We have a lot of guys who’ve
Photo courtesy UConnmsoc
Gbandi said. “They’re young,
Women’s basketball split weekend decisions By James Duffy dePuty sPorts editor
themselves down 11 at halftime, but an incredible team effort in
The inconsistency that has plagued the Northeastern University (NU) women’s basketball team all season was on full display last weekend. The Huskies came away with a split of two conference games, beating the College of William & Mary in overtime before falling to James Madison University (JMU) to bring their record in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) to 2-3. With seven total wins, and two in CAA play, they’ve already eclipsed their totals from last season of four and one respectively. Coming off a road trip that brought mixed results, the team returned home to host the William & Mary Tribe at the Cabot Center on Jan. 15 and secured a dramatic 69-68 win in overtime. It looked as if the game was over early, as the Huskies found
and forced an extra period. Freshmen paved the way for this comeback win, as guard Jess Genco and forward Gabriella Giacone were the top two scorers for the Huskies. Genco put up 15, and Giacone tallied a career-high 16 points. The Tribe led by as much as 16 before NU started to chip away at their lead. In overtime, the teams matched each other bucket for bucket, but William & Mary had the ball down by just a point with eight ticks left on the clock. On that possession with a chance to win the game, freshman guard Zoe Zwerling came up with a huge steal with a second left to seal the victory for the Huskies. said senior forward Samantha DeFreese. “We stayed together
through it all, the ups and the DeFreese, the team’s leading scorer on the season, had just seven points in the game, but made massive contributions otherwise, crashing the boards to rack up 11 rebounds. DeFreese had high praise for the younger players who have contributed so much to this team. after the win, saying of her “I wouldn’t even know she was a freshman point guard with the Head coach Kelly Cole also applauded her team for battling for the win. “For us to be able to continue Two nights later in Harrisonburg, Va., the result was less than desired as the Huskies fell to JMU 85-62. DeFreese led all scorers with 14, and sophomore guard Clau-
dia Ortiz chipped in 11, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the place in the CAA. Cole said following the loss. “It was a quick turnaround for us, but I was really pleased with the Next weekend, the team has dates with Hofstra University, one of the best teams in the conference, and Drexel University, a team the Huskies already defeated earlier this season. Looking ahead, Cole was more concerned about her own rather team than her upcoming rivals. “It’s so much more about what we’re doing than what our oppoDeFreese agreed, saying that the Huskies will need a team effort to come away with wins next weekend, and they’ll need to focus on playing their game. “We need to keep doing the
Photo courtesy Jim Pierce, Northeastern Athletics.
Fr. forward Gabrielle Giacone.