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News
By Mackenzie Zent Staff writer
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On March 31, the Multicultural Student Services, part of the Campus Involvement Center, hosted a screening of a documentary on Marsha P. Johnson. She helped lead the LGBTQ rights movement for over 20 years.
The documentary screening was followed by a discussion led by the Sexuality and Gender Acceptance Club (SAGA).
Johnson was a black transgender woman who was born on Aug. 24, 1945 and died on July 6, 1992.
Her life is extremely important; if it were not for her, the LGBTQ community might not have the rights they do today.
In New York City in June 1969, police were raiding gay and lesbian bars, the most famous one being The Stonewall Inn.
They were violently assaulting and arresting people who cross dressed, and others who were involved in anything non-gender conforming or non-straight behavior. People finally had enough of this and decided to fight back.
Led by Marsha P. Johnson and other activists, riots broke out for five days which became known as the Stonewall Riots.
A year later on June 28, 1970, the first Christopher Street Liberation Day happened. These events are what led to the gay liberation movement and why pride is celebrated every June.
As an activist, Johnson did a lot to help communities of people that were struggling. She advocated for homeless people, sex workers, transgender people and those who had been diagnosed with HIV and AIDS.
In 1970, at just 25 years old, she co-founded STAR, which stands for Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries. This was a homeless shelter for gay and transgender youth in New York City.
With her co-founder Sylvia Rivera, Johnson was able to fund this shelter through sex work. During the day they wanted to teach youth how to read and write and other life skills at the shelter.
STAR was the first LGBTQ homeless shelter for youth in North America and the first organization led by transgender women of color in the United States.
These two women did much for others when they were both part of marginalized communities themselves. Marsha P. Johnson was such a prominent figure in United States and queer history, yet she is either not taught in schools at all or glossed over.
It is important to keep in mind that if you celebrate pride month, remember that a black transgender woman, along with many other people of color, fought for the rights of the LGBTQ community.
Keeping pride intersectional and celebrating and including everyone is something we can do to honor those who fought for our rights before us.
Johnson was a trailblazer in activism in a time when it was not easy to stand up for certain communities.
Keeping her memory alive by educating others on her impact is a great way to celebrate her and bring awareness to issues that still exist today. Without her and the hard work of many others, life would look very different for a lot of people.
Contributed photo Marsha P. Johnson was a very important figure in the Gay Liberation movement.
Ally Burrington photo The Marsha P. Johnson documentary screening took place on March 31. Pictured (from left): Jessica Hubert, Multicultural & Inclusion coordinator and students: Mars and Gray
Family Weekend a success
By Bella Lee Staff writer
Over the weekend, you might have noticed that there was a lot more activity than usual on campus.
More notably, you might have seen a lot of students with their families. That’s because Family Weekend took place from April 1-3.
“Mercyhurst’s Family Weekend celebrates our Laker families near and far!” said Cela Veitch-Beck, the Activities and Spirit Coordinator and one of the brains behind this year’s Family Weekend. “We were so excited to welcome everyone back to campus this year for a weekend of fun-filled events!”
The weekend was loaded with events for students and their families alike to attend. April 1 kicked off with dinner and bingo before a night of ice skating followed.
April 2 was a family game day, with Deal or No Deal being played in the Student Union Great Room and lawn games for everyone to enjoy at Trinity Green.
This was followed by a bonfire, where everyone was able to enjoy being with one another while enjoying cookies, hot chocolate and coffee.
April 3 was the chance for students and their families to enjoy Sunday Mass before heading off to brunch. All these events were open to all students, regardless of if their families were with them or not. Hurst is Home, after all.
“We look forward to showing the families of our students why Hurst really is home,” said Veitch-Beck.
Family Weekend is reserved for current students and their families only, since alumni and their families have the chance to enjoy their festivities during Homecoming weekend. If you were unable to attend Family Weekend this year, do not worry. “Students and families can register for Family Weekend on the Mercyhurst website,” said Veitch-Beck. “The Family Weekend page is updated each year with information regarding the weekend’s events.”
It is not often that students are able to bring their families together to enjoy lots of fun on campus, especially if they live so far away. Do not miss out on the next opportunity for Family Weekend in 2023!
President Biden visits Poland
By Joseph Talarico Contributing writer
President Joe Biden visited various European countries last week to reassure America’s allies as Russia’s war in Ukraine enters its second month.
Biden’s tour began with a visit to Brussels on March 24. The Belgian capital hosts the NATO alliance’s headquarters and the European Council, the main body of the European Union. Besides visiting these two organizations, Biden also held a meeting with the G-7 countries.
Biden stressed the importance of Western unity, saying that “the single most important thing is for us to stay unified.”
According to the Associated Press, Biden met with other Western leaders to help coordinate the West’s response to Russia’s invasion.
Biden announced that the U.S. would send an additional $1 billion of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and that the U.S. would accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a teleconference speech to NATO, where he implored the Western leaders for more military aid. Biden said more aid was on the way, but he provided no specifics.
The leaders also discussed the possibility of Russia using chemical weapons against Ukraine. Biden said such an attack would “trigger a response in kind,” but no specifics were provided. The Associated Press reported that according to an anonymous White House official, this did not mean military action.
On March 25, President Biden proceeded to Poland. He first stopped at Rzeszów, a city along the Polish-Ukrainian border. He met with American troops stationed in the area.
The soldiers are part of NATO’s military deployments in eastern Europe. Their mission is not only to deter Russian aggression against Poland, but also to provide humanitarian aid to the thousands of refugees arriving from neighboring Ukraine.
Biden then traveled to Warsaw, the Polish capital. On Saturday, he met with Poland’s President, Andrzej Duda. Biden also visited Ukrainian refugees in the city, according to CBS.
Before leaving on Saturday evening, Biden delivered a major address at Warsaw’s Royal Castle.
In it, he highlighted Eastern Europe’s long struggle for freedom, and the renewed struggle that the world now faces. The new conflict, Biden said, is “a battle between democracy and autocracy, between liberty and repression, between a rulesbased order and one governed by brute force.”
Biden then went on to say how Ukraine was the newest frontline in the fight between freedom and repression.
Biden also detailed how the United States has aided Ukraine by giving the country $1.35 billion in military aid since the invasion began and the widespread sanctions that have been imposed against Russia.
Towards the end of the speech, Biden made a seemingly unscripted remark about Russian President Vladimir Putin. “For God’s sake, this man cannot stay in power,” said Biden.
According to CNN, the White House later walked back this remark, saying that regime change in Russia was not the policy of the United States. On March 28, Biden said that he was expressing his outrage, and that it was not a change in government policy.
By Eva Mihelich Staff writer
In 2014, Mercyhurst University began the Chittister Lecture Series at the same time the Helen Boyle Memorial Archive was dedicated in the Hammermill Library.
Both the archive space and the lecture series were endowed by the Boyle family. Helen Boyle was a good friend of Sister Joan Chittister, who will be hosting another guest speaker at the next lecture series.
Chittister will host Dr. Mary McAleese, Ireland’s former president from 1997-2011. McAleese made history by being only the second female president of Ireland and the first president from Northern Ireland.
Now, McAleese spends her time as a professor at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and the Chancellor of Trinity College Dublin. This is obviously someone who has had plentiful experience, so she has a lot to speak about. This is not a dialogue to be missed.
The “In Conversation” presentation will be held on April 22 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.
Students and faculty are buzzing about this presentation due to the intellectual richness of both speakers – Chittister has been an acclaimed speaker and author for 50 years, winning her many awards, and McAleese holds a master’s, doctorate and licentiate in Canon Law.
Both women are passionate and vocal about social justice issues, particularly about women in the Catholic Church.
These two women have actually taken the stage together before in 2019 in a program titled “The Women the Vatican Could Not Silence,” where they “discussed their views on the many issues besetting the Catholic Church today and the possible solutions for change, particularly how to make the Church an equal place for women” according to the Mercyhurst website.
This was a largely popular program, leaving fans of both speakers anxious to find out what the women will discuss at this year’s lecture. With how fast the world is evolving today, there is likely much to be discussed about the state of women and the Church since the last time they hosted a dialogue about the issue.
Both women are faithful Catholics, but are also fierce feminists. They speak on the importance of both things, which is a very relevant issue today with the piercing divide between both groups that many people are trying to relinquish.
In their program, “The Women the Vatican Could Not Silence,” the two bright women shared their standpoints on women’s role in the Church, or lack thereof.
When asked about her view of women and the Catholic Church, Chittister said, “I love my church. I love the Jesus story. I am embedded in my community. I may be a radical, but I’m not a revolutionary... But at the same time, you have to wake up. You have to ask what you’re looking at and you have to say what you see and what I see is that the Catholic Church for women is a totally owned subsidiary of pious males.”
After discussing this for some time, the mediator asked McAleese what her ideal church looks like, to which she responded, “Us. All of Us.”
The “In Conversation” Lecture will likely give us more insight into their standpoints on the issue of women’s lack of inclusion in the Church, and what their solutions look like.
With what was seen the last time they took the stage together, McAleese and Chittister have an uplifting, hopeful, and inclusive outlook that should not be missed.
The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets will be available at the PAC box office beginning April 12.
Recycle your used PPE masks
By Ashley Barletta News editor
Mercyhurst’s Sustainability Club recently partnered with LifeCycle Revive, a Canadian company that recycles PPE waste.
Studies show that 4.4 to 15.1 million tons of mismanaged plastic waste have been generated since the onset of the COVID pandemic.
The company not only recycles masks, but other types of medical and personal protection equipment.
The mask recycling box is in the lobby of Old Main behind the receptionist desk.
To recycle used PPE masks, simply drop the mask inside the box.
Accepted masks include surgical masks, N95s, KN95, and face shields. Cloth masks cannot be recycled.
Masks that have been heavily dirtied cannot be accepted into the collection to be sent to LifeCycle Revive. The company website states that they can only accept non-contaminated medical waste.
The Sustainability Club plans to keep the mask recycling box in its current location until it is full.
Once the box is full, it will be shipped to LifeCycle Revive, where the masks will be broken down and turned into plastic pellets.
The LifeCycle Revive website states that the pellets can be used to create “nonwoven textile for masks and disposable isolation gowns as well as injection-molded items used in healthcare.”
The Sustainability Club works to make Mercyhurst a more earth-friendly school, so be sure to keep an eye out for any old masks that can be recycled into the collection box.
Merciad
IN A MINUTE “Saturday Night”
The Mercyhurst Theater Department is preparing to put on the show “Saturday Night” from April 7-10.
Stephen Sondhiem wrote the music and lyrics for the songs in the musical, and the book was written by Julius J. Epstein.
Tickets are already available, so be sure to stop by the box office in the PAC to get yours.
Springfest tickets
Springfest is upon us! It will take place on April 23 in Warde Hall Parking Lot.
The concert will feature Bryce Vine as the headliner and an opener, DJ CA$H ERA.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. and you will need your ticket to enter.
Tickets are being distributed in the Student Union throughout the coming weeks.
Unity Week
Unity Week began on April 4, but there are activities to celebrate Unity Week happening each day.
Today, April 6, there will be a viewing and discussion on TED talks about identity, Critical Race Theory, inclusion, and more. It will be held in the MSG Chambers at 3 p.m.
Check out Laker Launchpad to find out what is happening the rest of the week.
Easter Egg Hunt
The Hospitality Management Association and Professional Convention Management Association (HMA & PCMA) are hosting an Easter egg hunt on April 13.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., beginning in the Center for Academic Engagement (CAE) lobby and CAE field.
Treats will be included in the Easter egg hunt.
By Ashley Barletta News editor
Some student leaders involved with Campus Ministry recently traveled to St. Mark’s Catholic Center for a Dinner and Discussion with the bishop of the Diocese of Erie, Lawrence T. Persico.
This is the first Dinner and Discussion that has been held since the beginning of COVID as larger gatherings were not possible until now. This made it especially exciting for those who had not attended a Dinner and Discussion prior to the pandemic, but also to those who had.
The purpose of this particular discussion was for young people in the Catholic Church to have their voices heard by those who have a big influence.
Eventually, the discussion that took place will be shared with Pope Francis. His plan is to listen to as many people who are involved in the church as he can.
The schools that attended were those in the Erie Diocese; Mercyhurst University, Gannon University, Clarion University, Allegheny College, Thiel College and Penn State Behrend.
Students who signed up to go received a ticket and made their way up to St. Mark’s Catholic Center, located on Grandview Boulevard. The Dinner and Discussion was held from 5-8 p.m. on April 1.
The evening began with a small prayer service where those attending could reflect on both themselves as people and themselves as members of the larger Catholic community.
Attendees were then led to the cafeteria where they could mingle with people from different schools. Part of the point of having the discussion was to get to know people from other Catholic communities so that everyone could share their own experiences.
The other part of the evening was spent in small groups, answering some discussion questions.
The discussion questions revolved around the Synod on Synodality, a two year process of listening and dialogue with each individual diocese and church, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
After the discussion, attendees were able to ask questions to Bishop Persico. These questions could pertain to the discussion on the synod or any other arising questions that they may have had.
One student asked, “What can the Catholic Church do better?”
To which Bishop Persico’s answered, “I thought this thing ended at eight.”
He then gave a synopsis of what the church can do better, beginning with listening.
Listening was the biggest topic covered during the discussion because often people are in such a hurry that nobody will stop and truly listen to one another.
Contributed photo Campus Ministry’s Sister Natalie Rossi, Fr. Jim Piszker and Michelle Scully gave students the opportunity to participate in “Dinner and Discussion” with Bishop Persico.
Students play in disc golf tournament
By Sydney Dietz Sports editor
Disc golf is a fun activity that many people enjoy. Especially in 2020 with the start of the COVID pandemic, disc golf became extremely popular and had a reported 84 percent growth in new members.
Although disc golf may seem like a hobby, it is actually a legitimate sport found at many universities, including Mercyhurst.
While many know the ins and outs of other sports, such as football and basketball, since disc golf is not typically reported on, people may not know the history of the sport.
The earliest record of disc golf in history was in 1926 in Baldworth, Saskatchewan, Canada. A group of elementary school students played a game involving throwing tin lids into four foot wide circles that were drawn into sandy patches on the school grounds.
However, as time moved on, a standardized disc golf target, much like the ones that are used today, was developed in 1976.
Ed Headrick became one of the most significant figures in modern disc golf history. Headrick introduced the disc golf target with chains and a basket and he formed the Disc Golf Association and then later the Professional Disc Golf Association.
Because many people may not have much knowledge regarding disc golf, here are some rules explaining the game.
The main objective of disc golf is to play each hole in the fewest strokes possible. Disc golf is played like regular golf, but golf discs are used instead of clubs and balls.
A stroke, also known as a throw, is counted each time the disc is thrown. The player with the lowest total strokes for the entire course wins. The hole is completed when the disc comes to rest in a disc golf basket.
Associate Physics Professor Joseph Johnson, Ph.D. has been a long-time disc golfer. He loved the sport so much that he organized a Mercyhurst disc golf team for students to join.
Although disc golf is not an official club yet, Johnson is hoping to start one. In order for the disc golf team to be considered a clubs port through athletics, they were required to participate in an unsanctioned event.
On March 12, in Olean, New York, the disc golf team competed in the Twin Tiers Disc Golf Regional Tournament.
“I like to say that disc golf is like going for a hike while playing a sport at the same time to keep you entertained throughout the hike,” said senior geology major Quinlan Hawkins.
“Playing disc golf has taken me to many different parks in Erie and other parks across the U.S. Plus, disc golf is much cheaper than regular golf. Discs are usually around $10 to $20 and there is no fee to play at most places. As spring is now here, go out and play, you won’t regret it!”
The disc golf team is growing and will be participating in more tournaments in the future. Johnson hopes to further expand the team and grow its status on campus.
Hopefully more students will join the team to allow for this growth.
April Steps Challenge begins for Mercyhurst faculty and Staff
By Nadine Fox Staff writer
The Faculty Development Committee and Staff Senate’s Social and Recognition Committee are teaming up for a Steps Challenge in April.
A step challenge is simply a challenge that tracks the number of steps a person takes from walking or running.
They can help create friendly competition in the workplace while also encouraging and implementing healthy lifestyle strategies inside and outside of the workplace.
It is also a really great way of increasing motivation and goal setting. You do not have to be a marathon runner in order to participate, just a small brisk walk can do wonders for taking some steps to improve your overall health and well-being, both mentally and physically.
Walking in general is super beneficial with reducing stress levels and with the year ending and everything starting to wrap, up things can tend to get more stressful.
Regular physical activity boosts your overall heart health and strengthens your lungs. It also helps strengthen your bones. This reduces risk of developing osteoporosis, which is common as people get older.
This is a really great way to encourage elder staff to keep moving. Walking can also help build muscles, which can help us to have more endurance throughout the day and improve levels of concentration.
Walking encourages our brain to release endorphins, a neurotransmitter that boosts our mental health. It is also is effective at improving our cognitive function and your memory as you grow older.
Mercyhurst faculty and staff who participate are encouraged to take as many steps as they can throughout the month of April.
Participants must have a fitness or step tracker, access to a smartphone and a partner from faculty or staff.
This is a really great opportunity for our employees to bond and take the steps to reach their new fitness goals!
On top of that, it is really neat as students to get some insight to what some of our faculty are up to outside of educating us in the classroom.
Last year, Adam Saeler, Ph.D., in the Criminal Justice department hosted a steps challenge in the month of April on behalf of the Faculty Development Committee. That opportunity was a lot of fun for faculty to team up with people across campus and encourage one another throughout the challenge.
Because of COVID-19, it has been a bit more challenging to host social events for staff, and so the goal was to create a fun event to tag team with the Faculty Development Committee to encourage people in different departments to walk or team up with other staff or faculty across campus for this year’s challenge. “There’s a good mix of faculty and staff. We tried to mix up the teams as much as we could,” said Colleen Hordych, co-chair of the Social and Recognition Committee for Staff Senate.
“While I never actually walked through campus with my team, we had a group chat on our phone app called ‘Stridekick,’ where we cheered and encouraged each other to get our steps in throughout the month,” Hordych said. “I am hopeful that as the weather gets a bit nicer, that you may see groups or teams of faculty and staff taking more walks around campus for the challenge.”
Holocaust survivors flee to Germany
By Hannah Brooks Features editor
Holocaust survivors in Kyiv, Ukraine have found themselves taking desperate measures during Vladimir Putin’s invasion of their hometown last month.
Survivors have recently found sanctuary in Germany, one of the only options that is safe for them at this time.
There had been approximately 10,000 Holocaust survivors living in Ukraine, and a portion of those survivors are now finding refuge in Germany, the country that, at one time, organized the murders of six million Jewish people across Europe.
Tatyana Zhuravliova, an 83-year-old Holocaust survivor was one who sought out shelter in Germany.
Zhuravliova shared her story with the Associated Press, noting that she felt “the same panic she suffered as a little girl when the Nazis were flying air attacks on her hometown of Odesa.”
“My whole body was shaking, and those fears crept up again through my entire body—fears which I didn’t even know were still hidden inside me,” Zhuravliova said in an interview with the Associated Press. “Now I’m too old to run to the bunker. So I just stayed inside my apartment and prayed that the bombs would not kill me.”
As the attacks began to increase in severity, including the demolition of multiple blocks of apartments, Zhuravliova realized that she had no choice but to evacuate and accepted help from a Jewish organization, New York based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (also known as The Claims Conference), which helped her to get out of Ukraine safely.
Per the organization’s website, they began in 1951 and have successfully helped survivors receive 90 billion dollars in compensation and restitution.
To this day, the organization continues to “negotiate for and disburse funds to individuals and organizations and seeks the return of Jewish property stolen during the Holocaust.”
The organization has organized the evacuation of multiple groups of Holocaust survivors, and Zhuravliova was part of the first group to escape.
The Claims Conference is currently working with another committee, The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) to safely evacuate as many Holocaust survivors from Ukraine as possible.
Around 500 Holocaust survivors in Ukraine are especially in need of assistance due to their health, and it was noted that their evacuation is currently a top priority.
The evacuations have been a dangerous process due to artillery fire and shelling.
The entire process also includes finding medical staff and ambulances in multiple war zones, crossing international borders and also attempting to convince survivors, many of whom are unable to leave their homes without extra support due to their health, to flee the country and leave their homes during this dangerous and uncertain time.
“No one can imagine the nightmare the survivors have lived through during the Holocaust,” said Ruediger Mahlo, an employee for the Claims Conference in Germany, in an interview with the Associated Press. “Now they need to evacuate again—their security, all things familiar are again being stripped from them and they are forced to live with uncertainty and fear.”
Currently, the evacuated groups are living in Jewish or interfaith nursing homes all across Germany.
The 3,500 Ukrainian Jews have been offered an expedited path to permanent immigration, which is part of Germany’s continuing efforts to compensate Jews since the Holocaust.
Though the survivors had to endure long and frightening travels to get to safety in Germany, several of the survivors had remarked that they are grateful to be in Germany at this time.
“To me, it looks like the country has learned from the past and is trying to do something good for us now,” Zhuravliova said to the Associated Press. STUDENT GOVERNMENT
This weekend’s campus events
