December 15, 2022 | The Pace Press

Est. 1948

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“Honesty and Objectivity”

Adjunct advocacy with University Professor Eve Becker

DEC. 12, 2022

BY ZOE POULIS, Features Editor

www.thepacepress.org

University to fully modernize One Pace Plaza by 2026

DEC. 10, 2022

BY MANDI KARPO, Editor-in-Chief

University President Marvin Krislov announced that the lower levels in One Pace Plaza East and Maria’s Tower residence hall will begin renovations starting in 2023 and are slated to finish in early 2026, as announced in an email to the student body on Dec. 8.

The Board of Trustees approved the construction on Dec. 7, which includes the creation of modernized academic spaces for the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences and a “state-of-the-art” Performing Arts Center for the School of Performing Arts that will also act as a community gathering space for the University community.

Talks to replace the Schimmel Center Theater have been confirmed in the latest construction outline, which includes a new proscenium theater for the School of Performing Arts, more theaters and supporting spaces, alongside modern classrooms and creative arts spaces similar to the aesthetic of the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of One Pace Plaza West. Doing so will displace administrative offices found on the second and third floor of One Pace Plaza East, most notably professors’ offices and sciences laboratory in the West Wing of the third floor. To that effect, Krislov clarified that the University will “continue to work with those units…to find good solutions.”

“This provides the up-to-date instructional, creative and performances spaces we need, and it keeps our large gathering space–used by the entire University and the border community–at the center of our campus,” stated President Krislov in the email.

Maria’s Tower will be upgraded to include more residential spaces to compensate for the overflow of prospective freshman students in conjunction with current upperclassman residences, reflective of this year’s approximate 480 residences. The surplus dorm rooms, with the addition of 15 Beekman scheduled to be finished by Fall 2023, will enable the University to end its lease with 55 John St. residence hall and no longer provide it as a student housing option.

This

we get a look at the current situation through the eyes of Eve Becker, an adjunct English professor at the University. As a former Middle School teacher, Becker has always had a heart for teaching. She has been teaching at the University since 2021 while also main- taining a position at Columbia University as a Student Teacher Supervisor. Outside of this, she is a best-selling author of many young adult novels, a Pushcart Prize-winning personal essay writer and the founder and director of an organization that hosts writing retreats for educators.

Financially speaking, the University is confident they will be able to fund the construction through a number of avenues, like the University’s construction fund, issued debts, a $25 million commitment from New York State to be distributed over five years after including the Performing Arts Center as part of the renovation, a pending $5 million federal appropriation for the 2023 budget and a fundraising campaign targeted to raise a minimum $50 million.

Eve Becker

Adjunct Professor of English, Dyson School of Arts and Sciences

“I love my job, this is not to make you feel sorry for me. I’ve chosen my career path,” Becker assured my class on a day she dedicated to adjunct advocacy. This is a Creative Nonfiction course, so to raise awareness of the topic, we read personal essays by adjunct professors. “But I didn’t know the extent of adjunct working conditions when I came in and it was stunning,” she added.

The final details surrounding specifics related to the construction are still in the developmental stages, however, Krislov noted that the University is obligated to meet the code work via the new construction plan by 2027, “regardless of whether we complete this major renovation.” The University will be hosting open forums for students, faculty and staff to contribute their thoughts on the construction and what else to include that will benefit the University community.

This is a developing story that The Pace Press will follow closely as more information becomes readily available to the public.

University students tackle food insecurity on campus

DEC. 12, 2022

Food prices have risen in the University’s Cafe 101, leaving many students scrambling for a way to come up with extra funds as rising inflation has exacerbated food insecurity on campus.

BY JULIANNA LAMOURT, Contributor

In response to this increase, Kat Reed, a junior Political Science major, recently spearheaded two petitions to lower the food prices in the cafe. So far, the change.org petition has amassed over 1,000 signatures. Reed and four other University students, Jacquie Keesee, Marley Thomas, Sam Weisz and Becca Samuelson, hosted a meeting to discuss student concerns with the administration on Dec. 2.

During the meeting, multiple issues were addressed, especially regarding price transparency. According to Clifford Mondesir, the Executive Director of Auxiliary Services, before the cost of food is decided for the academic year, a meeting takes place in which the proposed cafe prices are verified and compared to rates around the area to take inflation into account. Despite this, many students have voiced their frustrations with these prices, with some still insisting it is cheaper to shop for food off campus.

This isn’t the first time Chartwells, the school’s food service provider, has come under scrutiny. A 2015 case with the Washington D.C. Public School District resulted in the company issuing a $19.4 million settlement. A whistleblower complaint revealed that the school district was being overcharged for the food due to mismanagement.

Chartwells isn’t the only food provider with controversy under its belt; a New York Times article published in 2012 mentioned a student boycott that occurred at the University due to the cafe’s failure to pass inspection requirements. Most recently, Cafe 101 passed its inspection in February 2022 by only five points–enough to still receive a letter A. While the food quality was mentioned during the meeting with the University administration, its primary focus was to discuss food insecurity among the student body.

When asked about the prevalence of food insecurity during her time as a student, Reed said, “I think food security is always an issue on college campuses, however, it has been exacerbated this

year due to inflation and the extremely high prices of food in the cafeteria. More people are suffering from food insecurity this year and other options, such as the food bank, are running low on food.”

Dr. Denise Belen Santiago, the coordinator of the Provisions Food Pantry at the University, confirmed Reed’s assertion regarding the increased use of the food pantry by stating, “We opened a few months prior to COVID-19 being declared a pandemic and then we closed for several months. Lately, however, there’s been a steady increase of guests.”

Dr. Santiago went on to discuss the potential consequences of food insecurity and stated that “education/awareness is key… folks need to know that some people have to decide between a MetroCard or buying meal[s], some don’t know where their next meal is coming from, others risk pilfering to get nourishment.”

Santiago highlighted an unfortunate reality for the estimated 40 percent of college students in the U.S. who are food insecure, Reed being one of them. When asked how food insecurity has directly impacted them, they stated, “Unfortunately, there have been days where all I can eat is snacks from meetings or clubs I go to.”

“The food bank has been a tremendous help, as well as the community fridge, but there are still days when I wonder how I’ll afford to eat even just one meal. I know so many others in the same situation, which is such a sad predicament,” Reed said.

These frustrations have been echoed by many on University gossip accounts on Instagram, with numerous posts expressing outrage about the price of food in relation to the cost of tuition. Student accounts on Instagram like @Iamfreefood, have been purchasing food for students at no cost in an effort to spend dining points that won’t transfer over to the next semester.

Food prices everywhere have risen about 11 percent in the past year. The war in Ukraine, sanctions on Russia and disrupted global supply chains due to the pandemic are still affecting the price of food. Despite this, data shows college students have been struggling with food insecurity for the past 10 years and issues with Cafe 101 aren’t new.

It is no secret that the teaching profession is undervalued and severely underpaid, but when adjunct professors are brought into the equation, that simple truth becomes much more complicated.

The Pace Press has investigated the plight of adjunct professors before in former Features Editor and current Secretary Gia Sparacino’s article “Adjuncts: the underappreciated, underpaid, unseen academics of American universities.”

time,

Credit: Graphic by Josh Ilano

“ Pace adjuncts are some of the lowest paid in the city.

Where abortion stands after

BY MIKAYLA MEACHEM, Staff Writer

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark case Roe v. Wade, voters took to the midterm election polls conscious that the legality of a uterus owners’ reproductive freedom is now in the hands of the states. Even with a smaller pool of voters this election compared to previous years, the U.S. remains in an era of high voter turnout with millions voting and an especially high youth turnout at campus polling sites.

Background on Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey

In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case between “Jane Roe” and Dallas county, Texas District attorney Henry Wade. In a 7-2 opinion the Court acknowledged the harms of state involvement in personal liberty by imposing on choice including health and economic status in risk of continuing a pregnancy. The ruling in Roe v. Wade struck down Texas’s criminal ban on abortion and recognized the right to privacy freeing individuals from governmental interference and a fundamental right, guaranteeing the liberty of the Fourteenth Amendment.

In the 1992 case of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the “husband notification” standard that had recognized their interest in the pregnancy and fetus, which once required the permission of the husband in the decision on terminating a pregnancy. The 5-4 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey also adopted the “undue burden” standard which upheld a mandatory 24-hour waiting period and counseling by physicians. The Center For Reproductive Rights explains that the Court’s adoption of the undue burden standard has long impacted the restrictions “that make abortion unavailable to some women.”

Post- Roe

In June 2022, the Supreme Court abandoned nearly 50 years of precedent that Roe v. Wade upheld. The leaked draft opinion, published and released in May 2022 by Politico, shocked the nation, sparking state-wide protests. The Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization upholding Mississippi’s ban on abortion at just 15 weeks of pregnancy, ending the constitutional right to abortion in the United States. The ruling in turn overruled both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

Abortion Status following the midterm election

Following the results of the 2022 midterm election abortion is legal in 25 states and restricted in 25 states, The New York Times reports the status of abortion to be banned in 13 states, Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri,

the U.S. post-midterm

DEC. 8, 2022

Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Abortion bans in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia have no exceptions for rape or incest. Georgia joins the list of what The Center for Reproductive Rights considered to be hostile to abortion as the Georgia Supreme Court reinstated the ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.

In September 2022, Arizona banned abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but was unable to enforce a ban with no exceptions for rape or incest due to an appeals court block.

In Florida, abortion is banned after 15 weeks of pregnancy and with a Republican supermajority, there is a possibility of further restrictions on abortion.

Utah has enforced an 18-week ban with a judge blocking the state’s restrictive trigger bans on most abortions.

In North Carolina, abortion is banned at 20 weeks of pregnancy but even with a governor in support of abortion rights, North Carolina lawmakers continue to prohibit abortion access says the Center for Reproductive Rights.

In Indiana, Iowa and North Dakota, there is a 22-week ban with each state attempting to be more restrictive. Bans are blocked in each state attempting to further restrict abortion access.

A near-total ban is blocked in Michigan and winning the ballot measure ensured the right to abortion.

A 20-week ban was blocked in Montana courts with voters during the midterms rejecting the ballot measure to save “bornalive” infants. Montana Supreme Court has ruled in favor of protecting abortion, making it legal.

Ohio has a six-week ban blocked in court with abortion remaining legal. The New York Times explains with a Republican governor re-elected and Republicans winning all three seats up for election on the Ohio Supreme Court there is a possibility of future abortion restrictions.

South Carolina Supreme Court blocked a ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Currently, there is a 22-week ban but lawmakers are working on a bill to ban or further restrict abortion.

Wyoming restricts abortion with a judge’s rule to indefinitely block the state’s trigger ban on most abortions.

Abortion is legal but limited in Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington DC. This means abortion is not protected under state law. Abortion is legal in Alaska, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

elections

Abortion Restrictions Impact on Marginalized Communities

The overturning of Roe v. Wade has led to restrictive abortion bans that directly impact pregnant people of color. The CDC acknowledges the racial disparities that exist in healthcare, noting Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The Washington Post writes that even with the protection of Roe v. Wade, accessing abortion and other reproductive care for women of color, low-income women and women in rural areas has always been difficult.

Reproductive justice activists argue that the mainstream abortion rights movement has a limited focus on abortion, individual rights and gender thus reinforcing the pro-choice rhetoric. Dr. Meghana Nayak, the Chair of Women & Gender Studies at the University expresses, “If you are only talking about abortion and not also about the policing of Black and brown families, medical racism against Black and brown pregnant people and affirming care for queer, trans and disabled people, then you are not yet talking about reproductive justice.” The pro-choice framework seen in mainstream abortion rights movements doesn’t adequately highlight the inequalities and policies that harm women of color’s reproductive freedom and other persons’ reproductive justice.

Reproductive justice is intersectional and Dr. Nayak further explains, “we are hearing more about ‘reproductive justice’ in the wake of the overturning of Roe v Wade, but no one should use that term without crediting U.S. Black feminists who coined this concept to encompass not only the ability to access abortions and the right not to parent, but also to access the right to parent, and the right to parent children in safe and healthy environments.” We must remember and acknowledge the impact public policies will have on the reproductive lives of Black women and women of color.

Join the Fight for Reproductive Justice

We must expand the advocacy framework from abortion rights to reproductive justice. Help fight for not only abortion rights and access but reproductive liberty and freedom. Share your story to reduce stigma, find out your lawmaker’s stance on abortion rights, show up to protest and remain educated on abortion status across the nation.

Donating directly to abortion networks such as the National Network of Abortion Funds, clinics and reproductive justice organizations can be a great way to support the movement. If you or someone you know needs help finding the right clinic you can go to any of these websites: National Abortion Federation, Planned Parenthood, Abortion Clinic Pages, Abortion Care Network and the National Network of Abortion Funds.

Native American children are in danger of being declared unconstitutional

NOV. 16, 2022

BY FREYA PATEL, Contributor

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Brackeen v. Haalandon on Nov. 9 over whether the provisions in the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) violate the 10th Amendment of the United States Constitution for imposing duties on Texas, based on federal law in an effort to repeal the Native American Child Protection Act of 2021. The case was brought forth in 2021 to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas by seven individuals, all of whom except one are non-Native, the States of Louisiana, Indiana and Texas. Many fear that Native American sovereignty as a whole will be at risk when the Supreme Court makes its decision.

The ICWA is a United States federal law brought into effect in 1978 that attempts to protect against the State’s involvement in Indigenous child welfare cases. There was a long history that is sure to be ongoing of Native American children being taken from their tribes and stripped of their tribal identity after being placed in “closed adoptions” with Euro-American homes, allowing no contact between the child and their birth parents. The Native American Child Protection Act works to prioritize the child’s extended family, members of their tribe or other Indigenous families when it comes to fostering and adopting a child with Native American ancestry.

In the late 19th century, when the U.S. government abducted hundreds of thousands of Native American children from their homes and enrolled them into Native American residential schools, also known as Indian boarding schools or industrial schools, they were emotionally and physically abusive towards the children. From the 1850s to the 1970s, social workers and Indian agents, also called “peace missionaries,” forcibly removed Native children from their homes in an attempt to control the Native population. Still, since interstate and interethnic foster care and adoption have been discouraged, they were settled in Christian, government-run boarding schools.

The Minnesota Historical Society published an article called “Native American Boarding Schools,” where they described the schools’ missions as “restructur[ing] Native people’s minds and personalities by severing children’s physical, cultural, and spiritual connections to their tribes.” It was widely thought that Indigenous peoples were uncivilized and that the children were being rescued from a life of poverty. However, the U.S. government failed to distribute resources to Native American reservations throughout history, which is still an issue today.

During that time, in 1891, Congress enacted a compulsory attendance law that required families to enroll their children and placed “sanctions” on families that refused to comply. Captain Richard H. Pratt, the founder of the first off-reservation school, believed it was the white Americans’ duty to “Americanize” the Natives.

The boarding schools began dissipating after approximately 70 years, only after questions were raised about the conditions of the schools in 1928. By the late 1960s, most schools were no

BY JACK PERDUE, Staff Writer

longer upheld, and by 1975, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 guaranteed tribes “the opportunity to determine their own futures and the education of their children through funds allocated to and administered by individual tribes.”

In the 1950s, when the Indian Adoption Project (IAP), the country’s first large-scale transracial adoption program, was cemented, many saw history repeating itself (although, for some, the issue had never stopped). Native children were once again being displaced, except this time by private adoption agencies and foster homes.

A study referenced in “Supreme Court Preview: Brackeen v. Haaland” by Harvard Law Today estimated that 25 to 35 percent of all Native children were displaced into non-Native homes. In the article, Harvard Law Professor Joseph Singer explains that the ICWA act is “not very different from other countries that have gotten upset that a lot of their kids were being adopted in the United States and have passed laws to limit the exportation of their children to American families.”

The government was able to carry out the extrapolation of Indigenous children because they claimed the children were experiencing abuse and could thus transfer them into foster care since foster homes were temporary residences for children who have experienced abuse, neglect or abandonment. Later the article states, “These kinds of cultural and material divergences from Euro-American expectations instantly made native families appear to be backward and neglectful of their children.” This made it possible and acceptable for the government to proceed with its actions.

The Ohio State University Inspire podcast, “Stolen from her tribe, now she’s fighting back,” claims that adoption became an efficient assimilation tool. Professor Singer notes, “Over time, that would conceivably have the effect of reducing the numbers of tribal members that otherwise would have existed and severing any connection those children had to tribal cultures and political systems.” It must be recognized that all of these actions by the U.S. government and their profitable corporations were to get rid of Indigenous people by erasing their history, their culture and their future within America.

The National Council of Urban Indian Health notes, “It is also important to recognize that this case, as well as other ongoing challenges to ICWA, are part of a broader effort to attack the foundations of Federal Indian Law. The recognition that being Native is a political classification is a critical underpinning of not just ICWA, but many laws that relate to housing, healthcare, education and employment.”

To read more on this case and the history of suppressed Indigenous sovereignty, refer to the Truthout website and their article, “Supreme Court Considers Dismantling Native Sovereignty in Haaland v. Brackeen” or the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) website and their article, “Brackeen v. Haaland.”

Donald Trump announces 2024 presidential run

NOV. 20, 2022

Former President Donald Trump announced his run for presidency in 2024 during a speech at Mar-a-Lago, his golf resort in Palm Beach, FL on Nov. 15. The announcement came only a week after the disappointing midterm result for Trump and Republicans alongside large concerns about the former President’s grip on the party foment.

In his speech, Trump sought to draw a contrast between the current state of the country under President Joe Biden and how it was two years ago when he left office. “I have no doubt that by 2024, it will sadly be much worse, and they will see clearly what has happened and is happening to our country–and the voting will be much different,” Trump stated, likely hinting at faulty claims of voting irregularities.

Trump, who has hinted at this announcement for months, is still the poll-tested favorite to win the Republican nomination. Currently, he is the only Republican to formally announce his candidacy, but there has been speculation that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may also decide to run for the Republican seat.

DeSantis, who is one of the few Republican candidates to outperform midterm election polling, is seen by some as the new forebearer of the Republican Party, as opposed to Trump. Trump still remains extremely popular among Republican voters, though it’s hard to say how strong that support will be when the election happens two years from now.

Following the midterms, President Biden also announced his plans to run for president in 2024, setting up a potential rematch between the 2020 election rivals. While Biden has yet to formally file to run as Trump has, his re-election announcement quelled talks from within the Democratic Party that he shouldn’t run in 2024 due to his age and low approval ratings. Despite his stark unpopularity, Biden led the Democrats to one of the most successful midterm cycles in recent political history for the party in power. “What [Biden] did translated more with voters than favorability ratings, and that’s important for Democrats to remember as we go forward,” said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.

The early announcement from the former president is apt, as he faces mounting political investigations at both the federal and state levels. On Nov. 22, just a week after his announcement, the Supreme Court cleared the way for the House of Representatives to obtain Trump’s tax returns, documents that he has sought to keep secret since his initial presidential campaign in 2016. The House had been pursuing these files for years in regard to an investigation into his financial dealings, but Trump had repeatedly blocked their release via numerous legal challenges. Additionally, Trump is also being investigated by the Department of Justice for allegedly mishandling classified documents, as well as by the Attorney General of New York for overinflating the value of his properties.`

If re-elected, Trump would be the second American president in history to serve two inconsecutive terms, next to Grover Cleveland who won his second term as president in 1892.

Soccer and politics: a recap of the 2023 FIFA World Cup thus far

BY LYDIA LUTCHMAN, Staff Writer

The FIFA 2022 World Cup is currently taking place in the Arabian Peninsula country of Qatar and is the 22nd men’s international football tournament to occur. It is also the second World Cup to take place in an Asian country, and the first one to take place in a country where the population is predominantly Muslim. The tournament started on Nov. 20 and ends on Dec. 18.

The World Cup is enjoyed by many and is seen as a way to kick back, relax and watch your favorite team and players go head-to-head for the iconic solid gold trophy. The prize is not the only expensive thing on the roster for the World Cup, as it was revealed that Qatar had spent over $220 billion fixing their airports and building venues, stadiums and roads over the past twelve years in preparation for the small Arab country to host the largest sporting event in the world. It is said to be the most expensive World Cup thus far.

University Sophomore Vyaad Ramnarine is keeping up with this year’s World Cup. “I really like the upsets and unpredictability of this World Cup,” Ramnarine said. “There’s just something about this World Cup and the underdog teams standing out.”

There have been iconic moments in these games so far, one of which being South Korea’s comeback on Dec. 2 by Hwang Hee-Chan and Son Heung-Min, when the two players managed to score a final goal and win in their game against Portugal, advancing them to the knockout stage. Heung-Min smoothly passed the ball to Hee-Chan who quickly kicked it into the goal, avoiding the opposing end completely.

Another major highlight is Lionel Messi, who led the Argentinian team to victory against Australia on Dec. 3, allowing the country to advance into the quarterfinals. The game was initially tied 1-1, but Messi scored a goal, to the delight of fans across the globe, especially since Argentina lost their first game to Saudi Arabia, resulting in them losing their winning streak. Argentina is one of the fan-favorite teams and many are hoping that they win this year’s World Cup.

Despite all these celebrations, there have been many controversies surrounding this year’s World Cup, especially about its hosting country. Qatar has been largely criticized for its human rights violations, as it is estimated that hundreds of workers from various countries have died due to the inhumane working conditions and treatment they endured during infrastructure develop-

ments.

Another social issue surrounds the country’s view of the LGBTQ+ community since homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and punishable by jail time. The English, Dutch, Belgian, Danish, Swiss and Welsh teams had intended to wear OneLove rainbow armbands to stand in solidarity for the community but quickly pulled back once FIFA threatened to impose sporting sanctions on those who went through with the plan. Not all teams stayed completely silent though as Germany still managed to protest by having each team member cover their mouth with their hand during a group picture, saying that denying them the ability to wear the armbands “is the same as denying us a voice.”

Not all protests have been directed at Qatar or FIFA. Iran’s team stayed quiet during their national anthem during their Nov. 21 match with England because the team captain, Ehsan Hajsafi, announced that he supported the anti-government protests that are currently occurring in their home country. Hajsafi’s response was due in large part because of the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman in police custody after being arrested for not wearing her hijab in a way that they deemed proper. The entire team went along with this and stood in solidarity with the people and women of Iran during this time of nationwide crisis.

Iranian players also wore black jackets over their uniforms to cover Iran’s national emblem on Sept. 27, which many protestors applauded them for. Many who have protested publicly have been arrested or were forced to succumb to police brutality, which has resulted in dozens of deaths. Protestors are now being put on trial in the country, while judges have sentenced approximately six people to the death penalty.

Before the tournament, FIFA made a comment saying that every team should “focus on the football,” rather than what’s going on in the world, but it’s hard for fans and football players to turn a blind eye to the political mishap occurring in the country where the football resides.

As the final approaches, Argentina, Croatia, France and Morocco are the four teams heading into the semifinals, all vying for the coveted title. Morocco is the first African team to advance to this stage in World Cup history, and no country has scored against them throughout the duration of the tournament.

COP27 kicks off in Egypt as leaders discuss the climate crisis

BY MILAK KASSEM, Staff Writer

The 27th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the Conference of the Parties (COP) took place in Egypt this year, which officially began on Nov. 6 and was scheduled to end on Nov. 18. Delegates gathered in one of Egypt’s most popular resort towns, Sharm El-Sheikh, alongside the coast of the Red Sea. Many important American figures and politicians were in attendance at the conference, including President Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and Former Vice President and environmentalist Al Gore.

One of the major topics world leaders tackled this year was settling agreements on who is financially responsible for the losses and damages of climate change in vulnerable nations. There is a large consensus that wealthy countries, such as the United States and parts of Europe, should be financially responsible for the world’s climate projects and costs of damage, such as extreme flooding that we’ve seen in places such as Pakistan, earlier this year. The conference ended with a signed agreement that would place responsibility on the weather nations to devise a plan over the next year to construct a committee responsible for deciding what countries will pay to whom and how payments will be made.

The United States is responsible for more than 20 percent of the world’s carbon emissions, even though it only inhabits five percent of the world’s population. Such statistics regarding extremely high carbon emissions coming from countries like the U.S., China, Russia, India and Japan, among others, have long-time prompted the Global South to urge the world’s wealthiest nations to take financial responsibility for environmental projects and damage across the globe.

The Global South has called upon financial contributions from the west for many decades; however, there hasn’t been much action until the last few years, when climate change has become increasingly hard to ignore. With deadly floods, harsh heat waves and extremely hard-hitting natural disasters, there has been less room for opposition.

Many countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, have promised to contribute amounts ranging from $2 million to $200 million in efforts to assist developing nations in coping with the effects and funding projects to provide more “green” alternatives to living.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his frustration at the lack of non-European monetary contribution, “‘Europeans are paying… We are the only ones paying.’” A few days following President Macron’s statement, President Biden committed $150 million to climate adaptation projects in Africa.

President Biden arrived in Egypt on Nov. 11, one week after most other leaders. In his speech, he discussed America’s climate policy, the Inflation Reduction Act and America’s commitment to reduce its carbon emission by 50 percent before 2030. The policy is mostly focused on discouraging car transportation when possible and transforming the U.S. into a predominantly electric-running country, turning to electric cars, buses and more energy-efficient buildings and homes.

“There has been a significant increase in vehicle use since the pandemic started. There are so many reasons why people are using cars as their transportation now, especially in NYC where subways are not as safe as they once were,” says University student Fatima Basit. “Biden needs to create a plan for people who drive and how they can decrease vehicle energy consumption,” she continued.

The White House announced its initiative to minimize methane and carbon dioxide emissions alongside the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Norway and neighboring Canada. And despite promises from the United States and others, carbon emissions are rising furiously, threatening to reach the 1.5-degree celsius threshold within less than a decade.

In spite of global carbon emissions decreasing almost five percent during the height of the pandemic, when the demand for transportation significantly declined and the majority of international flights were canceled due to lockdowns across the globe, the return to normalcy has quickly erased the drop in emissions. Perhaps spending a prolonged time in strict lockdown could have benefitted the climate in the longer term; however, the economy’s state discouraged lawmakers from extending it.

This year’s COP is not the first time the world has initiated policies, commitments and agreements to prevent global warming. Leaders have been warned long before evident signals of disaster began to appear through droughts, floods and deadly heat waves.

It’s critical that small communities work towards environmentalism. Basit graduates this Spring and emphasizes the need for the University to contribute to a greener initiative, “I would love to see Pace become greener… We need to create classrooms with zero waste. Pace should plant a rain garden in the courtyard with the ecologist professors at Pace. It is essential to help students on campus to understand why recycling is important.”

Climate change is becoming more of an emergency by the day. Annual UN conferences are certainly a start, but with countries worldwide falling short of climate goals, there is room for much more.

U.S. alarmed by discussions of nuclear deployment in Russia-Ukraine war

NOV. 5, 2022

The New York Times reported on Nov. 2 that in mid-October, the Pentagon alerted the Biden administration that they received military intelligence that Russia’s top senior military officials had discussions about using nuclear weapons.

BY MICHAEL HUERTAS, Staff Writer

Nuclear weapon discussions surfaced after Russia’s top military commander Gen. Valery Gerasimov repeated accusations to NATO nations that Ukraine’s military was building ‘dirty bombs’— United States intelligence did not find any evidence that President Zelenskyy’s military was preparing such devices.

A dirty bomb is a dynamite-like explosive wrapped in radiological waste, designed to circulate radioactive material throughout a designated location. These bombs are not capable of generating a nuclear-sized blast, despite the Kremlin’s assertion to manufacture these false allegations.

The Biden administration recognized that President Putin did not have a role in these meetings, but the U.S. interpreted these meetings as the Kremlin’s desperation and dissatisfaction with their military’s conquest. The United States did not report the specifications of Russia’s nuclear warfare procedures nor the specifications of Russia’s nuclear discussions and procedures. United States officials have made no indication that Russia is preparing to use such weapons. The lack of intelligence about Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons program and procedures remains compelling to Washington and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Tactical nuclear weapons are battlefield-designed nuclear military instruments deployed in limited-strike combat and are able to produce copious amounts of destruction. They are frequently operated as missiles, air-dropped bombs or even artillery shells. Tactical weapons cannot travel nearly as far as Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which are programmed for trans-oceanic combat.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III told reporters, “We are certainly concerned about escalation, and we have been so from the very beginning of this conflict…if this happened, we have been very clear from the very beginning that you would see a very significant response from the international community.”

The Common Reporting Standard (CRS) reported that Russia’s stockpile of non-strategic nuclear weapons amassed 1,000 to 2,000 warheads. Nuclear warfare has not been implemented into any military’s battle plans in over 70 years. In early Oct. 2022, President Joe Biden remained doubtful that Putin would use nuclear weapons because of their limited use in Ukraine’s vast and scattered battlefields.

During an annual foreign policy conference on Oct. 27, outside Moscow, President Putin delivered his remarks that Moscow was battling the “Western Elites,” not the west itself, and repeated his claim that Ukraine was preparing to use Russia as a scapegoat to detonate dirty bombs. In this address, Putin denied that Moscow was arranging a plan to detonate nuclear weapons in Ukraine. He said, “We see no need for that… There is no point in that, neither political nor military.” Putin has single authority to deploy tactical nuclear weapons at his command, despite whether Kremlin officials resent his decisions. United States authorities remained alerted following Russia’s suffering from recent significant advances by the Ukrainian military’s resistance.

President Biden stated that even small-scale nuclear warfare could spiral out of control. He stated, “I don’t think there’s any such thing as the ability to easily [use] a tactical nuclear weapon and not end up with Armageddon,” per Reuters.

In the northern region of Ukraine, Kyiv’s regional head of military shared that they have prepared more than 400 “special warehouses” to prepare for a potential nuclear attack from Russia. Approximately 425 fallout shelters were constructed for a “worstcase scenario.” The A-bomb shelters are equipped with essential supplies to survive a nuclear fallout crisis. Ukrainian cities, towns and villages are all updating their evacuation routes and all emergency workers are receiving the proper training and protective gear for a nuclear scenario.

Following Russia’s missile attacks across Ukraine, the mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko reported that 350,000 apartments lost electricity. Kyiv is preparing for even larger energy blackouts while simultaneously bracing for the harsh winter season. Power outages during Ukraine’s winter months can leave areas without heat for extended periods.

Oleksiy Kuleba, head of Kyiv’s regional military administration said, “For such a case, there are 750 stationary heating points in the Kyiv region” and, “These points are equipped with appropriate generators, there is food, certain water supplies. That is, these are shelters that will allow you to be warm and safe.”

During a press conference on Oct. 27, Defense Secretary Austin III shared, “That’s why we believe that it’s important to communicate with our allies and partners and also with our adversaries. As long as we have the channels of communication open, and we are able to communicate what’s important to us, then I think we have an opportunity to manage escalation.”

A nuclear strike would likely knock out communication services in Ukraine, so Kuleba’s next priority in preparation is communication. He has prepared fallout shelters with portable battery-powered radios.

'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' tributes the late Chadwick Boseman

DEC. 5, 2022

BY MANDI KARPO, Editor-in-Chief

This story of internal conflict, bureaucracy and personal agendas was tragic yet uplifting, while somehow incorporating comedic relief during times of strife. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” had huge shoes to fill after Marvel fans and Hollywood lost Chadwick Boseman, who played King T’Challa in the Marvel franchise, to a four-year battle with colon cancer in August 2020. Director and writer Ryan Coogler stared into a barrel of grieving family members and friends, co-stars and Marvel fans alike, with the almost impossible task of incorporating Boseman’s death in real life in his character’s death in the comics.

Prior to T’Challa’s death, the former King exposed Wakanda’s unlimited supply of Vibranium, the rarest, most powerful metal alloy with indestructible qualities, to the world, making the country vulnerable to outside forces who wanted to utilize the metal for their own political advancements. As the film portrays, the world would cease to exist if the United States and other international counterparts had access to Vibranium as part of its military arsenal.

The Queen of Wakanda, Ramonda (Angela Bassett), mother to T’Challa, made it crystal clear that Wakanda remained unwilling to share Vibranium with the rest of the United Nations, not because of what they are capable of, but because of what others would be if it fell into their hands.

Wakanda faces conflict with the UN and a war with their newest rivals from the sea, the Talokan, for primary possession of Vibranium.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debuted the “Marvel Comics” original villain, Namor, played by Tenoch Huerta, who appeared in the first “Marvel Comics” issue in 1939 as the King of Atlantis. However, the MCU deviates itself from the world of Atlantis (presumably to avoid copyright infringement) and instead created a culturally multi-faceted Mayan Empire, rooted and beautifully portrayed by a Mesoamerican cast.

Namor, “el niño sin amor” (“the boy without love”) leads the Talokan army into war with Wakanda. They are seemingly the first military force in the MCU capable of going against Wakanda’s extensive military technologies without a single weapon (besides water bombs and the loyalty of sea creatures, including whales, dolphins and other large aquatic mammals).

Due to the untimely death of the late Boseman, it was much more difficult to stay true to the comics, but that didn’t stop the MCU from bringing in the comic’s Ironheart, who first appeared in “Invincible Iron Man, Vol. 2 #7” in May 2016. In the film, Riri Williams, Ironheart’s everyday alter-ego, is a young Black engineering student and prodigy at MIT with the similar spunk and genius of Shuri, played by Letitia Wright.

Without giving away too many spoilers, the plot of “Wakanda Forever” would cease to exist if not for Williams’ class project that tracks traces of Vibranium. However, it was dumped into the Atlantic Ocean and investigated by a team of professional scuba divers overseen by the Central

Celebrities and brands boycott Twitter amidst Musk buyout

NOV. 20, 2022

other POC.”

BY CARLA PAZ, Staff Writer

Prominent celebrities and brands such as Gigi Hadid and Balenciaga have decided to call it quits on Twitter amidst the buyout by tech billionaire Elon Musk. The boycott comes with Musk’s plans to change Twitter rules to fit his “freedom of speech” vision.

In Oct. 2022, Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion, promptly fired top executives and laid off 3,700 employees. Before purchasing the app, Musk had expressed his goal of changing the platform’s content moderation policies and unbanning users. This change was widely criticized by activists who said this would bring hate speech and inappropriate content to the app. Once the acquisition went through, advertisers, brands and celebrities decided to boycott it.

When Musk announced his plans to buy Twitter in April, actor and activist Jameela Jamil tweeted that she would leave Twitter if the deal went through: “I fear this free speech bid is going to help this hell platform reach its final form of totally lawless hate, bigotry, and misogyny. Best of luck.” Jamil has not tweeted since Musk acquired the platform.

Other celebrities who have announced their boycott are Gigi Hadid, Shonda Rhimes and Toni Braxton. Hadid deactivated her Twitter account and later said on Instagram that she would not return because the platform had become “a cesspool of hate and bigotry.” Rhimes tweeted two days after Musk bought the platform, “Not hanging around for whatever Elon has planned. Bye,” and has not tweeted since. The day after Musk purchased the app, Braxton tweeted that she would leave the site because it was “no longer a safe space for myself, my sons and

A few celebrities, such as Josh Gad, have expressed their concerns about the future of Twitter but have decided to remain on the platform for the time being. The actor tweeted the day after Musk bought Twitter, “Leaning toward staying, but if today is a sign of things to come, not sure what the point is.

Freedom of speech is great. Hate speech intended to incite harm, (with no consequences) ain’t what I signed up for.”

Actor George Takei expressed a different opinion than other actors, tweeting in April that he would stay on the app “Should this place become more toxic, I pledge to strive even harder to lift up reason, science, compassion and the rule of law. The struggle against fascism, misinformation, and hate requires tough fighters.”

As advertising firms advise brands to cut back on Twitter advertisements, many brands have decided to pull back and in extreme cases, leave the platform altogether. On Nov. 14, luxury fashion brand Balenciaga deactivated its account and suspended advertisements.

The brand confirmed its leave from Twitter to fashion media Vogue and The Business of Fashion but has not given a reason as to why it left. Though they haven’t given an official reason for their deactivation, it’s seen as another brand boycotting Musk’s leadership. Other companies such as General Motors, Volkswagen, Pfizer and United Airlines have announced that they will halt advertisements for the time being.

Intelligence Agency (CIA).

While the “Invincible Iron Man, Vol. 2 #7” shows Iron Man approaching Williams after she reverse-engineered the Iron Man suit into her own creation, fans are eager to see her story unfold in the “Ironheart” television series to be released on Disney+ in late 2023.

The end of the “Wakanda Forever” trailer gave away what fans already speculated, the identity of the next Blank Panther. With a deep passion and understanding of science and engineering, viewers witnessed Shuri experience internal turmoil between her intellect and her country’s spiritual practices, including the ancestral plane previous Kings reached after ingesting the heart-shaped herb. While at first Shuri does not believe in such an ancestral plane, she eventually comes to appreciate her spiritual identity when the appropriate ancestor comes to her in her most vulnerable time of need.

The score, under the purview of composer Ludwig Göransson, was impressive and culturally appropriate, given the cast was predominantly composed of POC. With a combination of American, Spanish and French pop music, compliments of crescendoing bases and fortepiano techno beats were incorporated into scenes which provoked an emotional response from the audience, especially when the Mesoamerican Talokan were the focal point. Not to mention, after Rihanna announced her Super Bowl LVII performance, MCU and Rihanna fans were excited to hear her new single “Lift Me Up,” which was featured as the credits rolled.

Despite previous criticism for lackluster computer-generated imagery (CGI) in the latest released MCU films, including fight scenes in the original “Black Panther,” “Thor: Love and Thunder” and television series “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” the MCU outdid themselves in “Wakanda Forever.” Most notably the specific attention to detail in underwater scenes and the realism brought to the futuristic technology found in Shuri’s lab was immaculate.

In the midst of all the politics, drama and action scenes, the driving force for Wakanda’s triumph is fueled by T’Challa’s death, so it only makes sense that “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is undoubtedly a tribute to Boseman’s legacy and dedication to his role. Contrary to popular belief, it seems as though the MCU made “Wakanda Forever” as an excuse to continue the Black Panther franchise and make more money to fund their next extravagant blockbuster, but did so with immense respect and gratitude for Boseman by creating and releasing the film in his

Nonetheless, fans can tell the film is one amongst many in a

the next phase of Marvel and is definitely worth seeing. But if you haven’t already, prepare for more death to come, bring some tissues to the theater and, as always, stay until after the credits roll for MCU’s notorious post-credits scene.

Rating: 7.5/10

LCD Soundsystem returns to Brooklyn Steel for You Are Here residency

DATE

LCD Soundsystem, the Brooklyn-based dance-punk band, returned for another month-long residency at Brooklyn Steel, where they previously hosted the You Are Here shows last year in which the last three performances were abruptly canceled due to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. At their 14th performance of the 20-show residency, James Murphy and company performed a blend of hits and deep cuts that fused their discography together into an outstanding showcase of their musical dexterity.

BY JAEDEN PINDER, Executive Editor

hand-drumming and off-key singing. Doyle even allowed the audience to participate during the abrasive “Movement,” where he held his guitar neck out to the crowd as the feedback rang and jolted from grazing fingertips.

“Losing My Edge” was one of many highlights of the show, as their debut single and most definitive of Murphy’s ethos as he rattled off names of bands and musicians both obscure and familiar; only the shout of the proto-rap figure “Gil Scott Heron!” was cried in unison with the frontman, as the crowd could barely keep up with his intentional off-beats.

With no opening act, it took the band about 90 minutes to appear onstage for their two-hour set, a crew member meticulously wiping down the microphones before their start. “Willkommen” from “Cabaret” echoed throughout the venue as the musicians crept on stage and assumed their posts. Frontman James Murphy, who appeared in his standard garb, a white t-shirt reading a provoking statement (In this case, “The needle and damage done,” perhaps a reference to the Neil Young song) and roughed-up sneakers gave a quick hello, and immediately sprang into the action of the evening, with “new body rhumba.” The opening track, their first new material since 2017, is also set to appear in Noah Baumbach’s film adaptation of “White Noise.”

Live, their music is even more ear-shattering; “Tonite’s” bass is nauseatingly loud, “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House’s” tempo is brought up just enough to induce a vigorous caloric burn and you want to shriek Nancy Whang’s sardonic chants during “new body rhumba.” These more intense moments of the night were paired up with subdued and groovier tracks in their discography, like “I Can Change” and “Someone Great,” the latter in which the band sampled the New Order song “Your Silent Face.”

The band rarely made eye contact with the audience, instead intensely concentrating on their instruments in an almost meditative state. A band of magenta eye shadow across Whang’s cheeks is only visible during the few moments she gazed into the crowd. Percussionist Pat Mahoney didn’t even seem to notice the crowd was there the entire show, frantic but focused. While for some this may seem awkward and aloof, it is the music that connected the two and made for a communal experience simply through sonic admiration as released in head banging,

The 2022 residency was not altered heavily from the 2021 iteration, though the stage design was improved upon in minor yet effective ways. Most of the show consisted of minimalist and natural lighting, though during fan-favorite “Dance Yrself Clean,” the venue exploded into neon color and strobes in the only proper visualization of the track’s second half. The LED matrix panel–which previously extended across the top of the stage–had now been upgraded to a grander scale and now backlit the band with more detailed displays. During “New York I Love You, but You’re Bringing Me Down” a city skyline of yellow bulbs glowed during Murphy’s wailings for the city that he loves to hate and synchronized to Mahoney and the Bongo Boys’ (Murphy’s affectionate name for Nick Millhiser and Korey Richie) drumming.

During the encore, the band performed a cover of the Human League’s “Seconds” in a wash of red lighting and ended the night with “All My Friends.” A song detailing the neurosis of aging adorn with profoundly blunt lyricism left the venue vibrating with nervous energy for the beat drop that never arrived, though that didn’t stop every person from joining in for the chorus.

The question now, as the residency is set to end on Dec. 17, is whether the band will continue this winter tradition into the coming years, or if the 2022 You Are Here shows were to compensate for the lost shows of 2021. Of course, COVID is still a point of anxiety; Murphy even mentioned the sound decision to host a series of concerts during flu season with a sarcastic optimism in between songs. Concerns aside, LCD Soundsystem is sure to always have a home at Brooklyn Steel, and fans are unlikely to miss any opportunity to see the band in the future.

master plot for

Credit: Photo by Mandi Karpo

An indie holiday, wrapped: your December Press-Playlist

BY SARAH BERGIN, Arts Editor

“two queens in a king sized bed” - girl in red

This Norwegian artist is known for her single “we fell in love in october,” but she’s also wellversed in a December anthem. “two queens in a king sized bed” is reminiscent of her usual lo-fi sound as well as her enchanting lyricism. As an LGBTQIA+ figure in music, girl in red has created a platform and inspired her worldwide fanbase. The familiar yet beguiling track enhances her entrancing vocals throughout this song. The imagery girl in red uses throughout her songwriting creates a divine holiday song for our Press-Playlist listeners to enjoy.

“Time of the Season” - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan

From the collaborative 2010 album “Hawk” comes “Time of the Season,” a vocally dark and instrumentally bright song for this holiday season. Isobel Campbell of Belle & Sebastian and the late Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees are paired throughout the track, but Campbell’s writing is at the forefront. The contrast of their vocal ranges is soothing to the ear, which draws the keen listener’s attention to the lyrics. It’s a true collaboration, as they sing together almost the whole time, conjoined as one. This is a great addition to both holiday and everyday playlists, as it can pass as a casual listen all throughout the year.

“Blue Christmas” - Kevin Morby

“Blue Christmas” is a holiday classic, but Kevin Morby takes a different approach to his cover. The alternative singer-songwriter took to electronic production of the rooted original, combining the two influences to create a modern take on this melody. His vision was executed in an indie holiday essential, making its way onto this month’s Press-Playlist. Outside of the holiday track, Morby has multiple albums, his latest release this past May. Throughout his songwriting, he has honed his tone and has become true to himself, something that is evident in his music.

DEC. 7, 2022

The holidays are among us, accompanied by the brisk air, chestnuts roasting on an open fire and Gen-Zers telling you that their music taste is better than yours through their Spotify Wrapped and Apple Replay. It seems inescapable–everywhere you look, there’s someone with Taylor Swift as their top artist and Harry Styles following thereafter, chanting the viral meme, “I’m a child of divorce!” Despite this, there are a good amount of University students with a sense of entitlement, knowing that their top artists are lesser-known. I have to admit, I’m a mix of both listeners and I’m a sucker for an indie holiday.

If you enjoy iced coffee even in this cold weather (make that with light ice while you’re at it) and are layering your button-ups with sweater vests, this month’s Press-Playlist is for

“Mr. Frosty Man” - Sufjan Stevens

Sufjan Stevens might be recognized for his work on the “Call Me By Your Name” soundtrack, but he’s also known for his holiday-themed songs and covers–including his musical tribute to Frosty the Snowman.

“Mr. Frosty Man” is from his extensive holiday album “Silver & Gold” which consists of nearly three hours of twists on classics and original songs. The irresistible progression of this song mixed with the humorous songwriting from Stevens makes this a necessary listen for all sorts of music connoisseurs, securing its position on the December Press-Playlist.

“Christmas

Caller” - Beach Bunny

The four-person band is one of the more pop-influenced bands on this list, making this track the undeniably catchy tune of this playlist. Beach Bunny is known for its upbeat tempo accompanied by heartbroken lyrics, and this Christmas anthem is not an exception. Lili Trifilo, the lead singer of Beach Bunny, told Apple Music, “I wouldn’t really know how to write a song outside my own experience. It’s cool that people are able to relate because, most of the time, I’m just like, ‘This is personal therapy!’” It’s undeniable that their sound shines through alongside the personal writing in “Christmas Caller.”

“Season’s Greetings” - Stella Donnelly

Stella Donnelly’s “Season’s Greetings” is one of the few songs on this playlist that is part of an album and is not essentially holiday-related, but this track stands alone as a December anthem. The 2019 indie-rock album “Beware of the Dogs” showcases Donnelly’s experiences in an impressive debut piece. She expresses the bigger issues of sex and sexuality in regard to power in an artful way, making it known that even soft-sounding indie pop can include conversations of larger-than-life and devastating topics. In “Season’s Greetings,” Donnelly does just this, all while keeping a light-hearted sound throughout.

“River” - Ron Pope

Even though “River” is a popular song by Joni Mitchell, this cover from Ron Pope is stunning enough to make its way onto this month’s Press-Playlist. Pope was inspired by Jersey’s own Bruce Springsteen, which is evident from his grounded musicianship. Since his start in the music industry, Pope has created his own label named Brooklyn Basement Records. Pope has made great strides while being self-signed and under his own label, making many appearances on television and in famous venues, as well as being named under Rolling Stone’s “Top 10 Country Artists You Need to Know,” being compared to the sounds of Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac.

“Home Alone, Too” - The Staves

““Home Alone, Too,” a play on the movie with the same title, has impressive harmonies, which is usual for The Staves. The trio consists of three sisters who have been releasing music since 2010. This English group has performed with standout artists, including Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. The pop culture references in this song, along with the addictive chorus, make this a song that even your traditional family members would love to have on their holiday playlists. So sit back, relax and make yourself a cup of hot chocolate while listening to this melodic track.yourself a cup of hot chocolate while listening to this melodic track.

It’s not Pace without you: a Q&A with Jenny Han and Christopher Briney

DEC. 7, 2022

BY STEFANIE GIACOUMOPOULOS, Staff Writer

Jenny Han, acclaimed author and executive producer of the “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” trilogy and co-showrunner and author of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” trilogy, visited the University last week, along with 2020 University alumni Christopher Briney, who stars in the Prime Video adaptation of the latter book series.

Han has been writing her whole life and began publishing her work in 2006 with her children’s novel “Shug.” In 2009, she began publishing “The Summer I Turned Pretty” trilogy, which was soon followed by the “To All The Boys” trilogy in 2014. In 2018, the first of three “To All The Boys” movies was released on Netflix, then in June 2022, the “The Summer I Turned Pretty” television series was released on Amazon Prime.

Briney, who plays Conrad Fisher in “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Amazon series, graduated from the University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting for Film, TV, Voiceover and Commercial. “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is his television acting debut.

“The Summer I Turned Pretty” series is divided into three books and revolves around Isabel “Belly” Conklin and the summers she spends at a cousin’s beach house with her mom, her older brother, her mom’s best friend and her mom’s best friend’s two sons. The main storyline is centered around Belly’s relationship with both sons, as it wavers between platonic and romantic, as well as growing up with divorced parents and the complications within mother-daughter relationships.

The casting process took a few months, but Han said that selecting Briney to play Conrad was the easiest choice out of all the characters. She explains she clearly remembers watching his audition tape and immediately deciding to cast him. “It was not even a question to me, it felt really right.”

On the other hand, Briney recalled recording his audition tape with his roommate Trevor and being incredibly surprised to get a call from Han, “It was probably my 80th audition with nothing booked. So you just tape it and let it go and try your best. Then two weeks later I got a Zoom meeting with Jenny. Then we did a chemistry read, then another chemistry read and then I found out I booked it.”

Fans of Han jumped for joy when they discovered the trilogy would be turned into a series. Although certain parts of the story were changed for the show, Han doesn’t look at it like that. Instead, she thinks of it as enhancing what’s already there. “I do try to ask people to wait to actually see something before you judge something. Because people were like, ‘why is there a Deb ball? That wasn’t in the books.’ People were mad about that until they saw it and said, ‘I liked that.’ So you have to give things a chance.”

Because the story was being adapted to a new medium, it allowed her to expand and enhance the story more to focus on other characters such as Belly’s best friend, Taylor, her brother Steven, her mom Laurel and her best friend Susannah. Han explained that the book series mostly takes place from Belly’s point of view and occasionally switches to Conrad’s and Jeremiah’s in the later books.

One of the main reasons the television adaptation was so loved by fans is because of its soundtrack. Han listened to Taylor Swift’s album “Fearless” while writing the series, so Swift’s music became an essential part of her writing process. When choosing the soundtrack, Han already had in mind exactly what songs to use for which scenes of the show. “For the final moments at the ball, I knew I wanted ‘The Way I Loved You,’” Han stated.

“When I was pitching it, I was describing what was going to happen and when the music would start. I wanted them to picture it exactly my way so they would be willing to spend the money on it.” Because there’s such a huge overlap between fans of Swift and fans of Han, she thought the best gift she could give the fans was placing one of Swift’s songs into the show.

Han and Briney also provided guidance to students who were interested in writing and acting. “I think my advice for writing would be to really work on honing your voice,” Han said. “There’s no brand-new story. There have been so many stories told. But what’s new and specific and unique is the way you look at the world.”

Briney explained that he felt incredibly lucky to be doing what he does and that it still feels like a dream sometimes. He told the audience to keep working hard, and that acting is something you really have to stick with to be successful.

The Q&A session came to a close with a rapid-fire question round, in which Briney said his favorite book in the trilogy is “It’s Not Summer Without You” and his favorite place to eat at in the city is TJ’s. He also expressed how badly he wished to be Danny Phantom if he could choose to be in any television show or movie.

For Han, she considered the entire series to be more of a continuous flow of one book instead of separate individual books and couldn’t think of just one restaurant to choose from. Rather than picking a movie or show to be in, she instead teased that she is working on a new project right now. Time was dedicated toward commentary from fans in the audience, in which many of them expressed their gratitude and appreciation toward Han for writing such an impactful and moving book series throughout her career as an author, and thanked her for bringing so much representation to not only the book world but to the screen as well.

Han and Briney were sent off with a huge round of applause and many thanks from fans in the crowd. To keep up with Han and Briney’s work, you can find them both on Instagram @jennyhan and @chrisbriney_.

You can watch the first season of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” now on Amazon Prime and catch the next season, which is set to release in 2023. Follow the show’s Instagram page to keep up with the release date @thesummeriturnedpretty. All of Han’s books can be found online or at any book retail store.

Small vendors cash out at the University’s Test Print Pop-Up Shop

DEC. 5, 2022

The University’s art department held its semi-annual Test Print Pop-Up Shop in the lobby of 41 Park Row on Thursday, Dec. 1, where student artists in and outside of the major were invited to sell their art.

BY GIA SPARACINO, Secretary

There were roughly a dozen vendors present, selling their work in various mediums—photography prints, crochet, linoleum prints, acrylic paintings, stickers, graphic design prints and more. Pricing varied per piece and vendor but was easily affordable enough for any college students looking to add an original piece to their collection or find a gift for someone else.

Cat Caldarola, a junior studying Psychology and Art at the University, was a first-time attendee and vendor at the event selling various linoleum prints featuring vibrant oranges, rabbit skeletons and a piece about self-forgiveness. When asked their thoughts on the event, they expressed that “it’s very important for artists, especially young student artists, to have a place to expose their art and sell their work. Unlike most fairs, artists don’t have to pay to participate in the Test Print Pop-Up, which really gives students the opportunity to get their foot in the door.”

Students, both selling and attending, overall had positive thoughts on the event and were grateful to be set up in the lobby rather than the gallery this year to help foster more of an inclusive

community feeling and benefit from the foot traffic.

University Junior Zoe Griffith was also a first-time attendee and applauded the art department for sponsoring the event, sharing that it’s “really cool to be here supporting student artists selling affordable art. The University doesn’t have a lot of community events, so it’s great to be in an environment where we can all socialize and share art.”

Derek Stroup, a professor in the art department at the University who helped organize the event, shared that the event was created by University alumni Belle Krupcheck about five years ago with a group of just six other participating artists in the basement of 41 Park Row. The event slowly grew over time and now happens once a semester during the Fall and Spring terms. Stroup has been happy to see its progress over the past few years and hopes to get the word out to more students so it continues to grow.

Olivia Long, a junior art major at the University, has been a vendor at the event twice now, and was selling bumblebee linoleum prints and handmade crochet bags. Long also shared her love for the pop-up but “wish[es] that it was marketed more because most people don’t know what it is. I have so many people telling me after it’s already passed that they would have loved to go to an event like this.”

There have been struggles to make the event more widely

known, but facilitators are working on increasing advertising for the event and getting other clubs involved, such as Photo Club, who assisted in designing flyers.

If you missed the Test Print PopUp Shop this semester, keep an eye out for when it makes its return in the Spring and try to keep small artists in mind while shopping this holiday season, or maybe even become a vendor yourself.

Credit: Graphic by Riyadh Alsehli

THE PACE PRESS

EDITORIAL BOARD

Mandi Karpo Editor-in-Chief Jaeden Pinder Executive Editor

Gia Sparacino Events & Social Media Manager Lyndsey Brown Business Manager

Emily Shafer News Editor

Sarah Bergin Arts Editor

Zoe Poulis Features Editor

Priya Persaud Opinion & Editorial Editor

Chloe Fuller Photo Editor

Mikayla Meachem Assistant Social Media Manager Bella Micale Assistant Photo Editor

Adam Klein & Lanie Presswood Faculty Consultants

ADOBE INDESIGN PRODUCTION TEAM

Lexi Krakowski

Adobe InDesign Production Manager

Olivia Eleni Athan

Adobe Illustrator and Graphics Manager

Josh Ilano

Adobe Photoshop Designer

Michael Huertas

Adobe InDesign Intern

The Pace Press is the student newspaper of Pace University’s New York City Campus. It is managed and operated entirely by members of the student body as it appears above.

The Pace Press reserves the right to not publish any submitted material, both solicited and unsolicited.

All submissions must include the author’s full name and contact information.

The Pace Press 41 Park Row, Rm. 906 New York, NY 10038 www.thepacepress.org editorthepacepress@gmail.com Copyright 2022

Dear fellow readers,

Burnout is surely the worst experience to happen to a college student. In times when there is an assignment or an exam I don’t want to complete or study for, there is always the daunting realization that I may not do as well as I want. In moments like this, I always remind myself that this too shall pass. That no matter what undesired situation I am in, whatever obstacle I face, the moment will pass and will become part of my past, with my future ahead of me. I encourage you, dear reader, to remind yourself in moments of strife–personally, academically or professionally– that this moment will fade. Do not worry about what the future holds, but instead live in the moment and embrace the privilege you have to endure in the luxury of stressing about an exam because there are millions of people out there who do not have the same privilege.

I know it sounds a bit counterintuitive; I am saying do not worry about your future and to live in the moment, but quite honestly, thinking about the future relief of finishing my finals and sitting on my couch finally getting to finish “Foul Lady Fortune’’ by Chloe Gong, a book I started months ago and have yet to find the time to finish, is what pulls me through to the finish line. The thought of a future where my current struggles will no longer exist is what reminds me that this too shall pass. However, there are moments within your college career that are so much more than just a group project or research essay–it’s the relationships we make, the relationships that fade, the new jobs we get to pay for everyday life, the professors that we get to call friends.

Living and attending college in New York City is by far the most diverse college experience versus going to a university in a suburban town, with the only fun event going on being the nearest fraternity house hosting their next Christmas-themed party. There is something exhilaratingly comfortable about being able to meet all walks of life, party and eat dinner in one of the largest cities in the world, to then come home to your dorm room or apartment–a safe haven. To know that in the midst of all of this craziness, there is a place that you get to call yours. With another semester that has come and gone, I have had the privilege to lead The Pace Press, our Staff Writers and Contributors to venture out of their comfort zones and indulge in the events you get to read about in the newspaper before you.

Winter Break is a time to rejuvenate and refresh your mind, to start the Spring semester with new goals. While the “new year, new me” cliche has been interpreted as quite a joke, I encourage you to live in the moment. Fantasize about the things you have wanted to pursue, write them down and see them through. Start that small business you have always thought about doing but never had the confidence to go over for it, get that gym membership you have been talking about signing up for months, cold email that journalist from Vogue you have been too scared to connect with; reap the benefits of having one month to yourself and having the privilege to dream big. Take this time to become the person you have always wanted to become, but didn’t have the time to dedicate to the cause. Baby steps are the beginning of a larger picture, so be slow with yourself, and listen to what your mind and body need versus what society requires from you.

It’s a lot easier said than done, but you always have to start somewhere. I may be biased, but I suggest you start with The Pace Press. Hone your writing skills, add that extra oomph to your resume and become a part of a community that gives you the platform to share your voice with the public; a community that encourages you, to be you. I express my deepest gratitude to those who have taken the time and dedication to contribute to The Pace Press and for trusting our team to provide the platform for your work.

The Pace Press is a rolling admissions-based organization, so it is never too late to join. In the Spring semester, we are changing our meeting time; instead of meeting every Wednesday, we will instead meet every Monday at 12:30 p.m. in Room W509 in One Pace Plaza. Please join us in continuing to provide a voice for the student body to be heard, recognized and appreciated; leave your legacy at the University with us, embossed in black ink on newsprint forever–or digitally within cyberspace.

On behalf of The Pace Press Executive Board and Editorial Board, we wish you a safe, healthy and warm winter break and hope you come back to the spring semester one step closer to a new and improved you.

With love and gratitude, Mandi Karpo President, Editor-in-Chief

DISCLAIMER: These opinions are expressed by contributors (students, faculty, administration and staff) to The Pace Press. These opinions are solely those of the individual writers and do not reflect the opinions of The Pace Press, the members of The Pace Press staff or Pace University. The Pace Press is not responsible and expressly disclaims all liability for damages of any kind of arising out of use or relevance to any information contained in this section.

University students and ‘Changin' the Game’ podcast co-hosts talk work-relationship

NOV. 29, 2022

BY SELVYN ORELLANA, Contributor

BY ZOE POULIS, Features Editor

Literature Lineup DATE

I’ve never seen the “Die Hard” films, but I have heard of the lifelong debate of whether it is indeed a Christmas movie. But, if you’re looking to read something along those lines, where it’s not specifically about Christmas but Christmas adjacent, December’s Literature Lineup is the one for you! This list of holiday classics, nostalgic faves and cozy, heartfelt reads should keep you warm all winter long and maybe even give you an escape from any family drama back home. Happy Holidays to everyone celebrating and may your break be full of rest and good books!

Zoe Poulis, Features Editor - “Little Women” by Louisa M. Alcott

Ahead of their return to the airwaves, “Changin’ the Game” University students and co-hosts Elycia Bickham and Jade Gray discuss their origin story, competitiveness and what’s up next for their podcast.

Are Cody Ko and Noel Miller really friends? What about Desus and Mero? Bert and Ernie? I am happy to report that the infectious earnestness and charisma of “Changin’ the Game” is far from a smoke-and-mirror act. Multi-faceted creatives Bickham and Gray have displayed their unabashed honesty and curiosity throughout each episode of this independent podcast of theirs. Their topics range from student life to mental health to advice (influenced by their own experiences) on how to grow in the entertainment industry. But above all, what makes “Changin’ the Game” such an engaging listen is their honest and warmhearted friendship. And yes, before you ask, they really are very good friends.

With mighty ambitions and shared living space, Bickham and Gray met here at the University as acting students. Gray was the first to extend her hand in friendship.

“I have to explain that because whenever she tells that story, it always makes me sound like such a creep,” Gray said. The friendship began inside a group chat and accelerated when Gray proposed they hang out outside of school. “Everybody [in the group chat] was vibing, but I was like, ‘Oh my god… another black girl!’” The rest was history.

Gray has had her acting bug since her toddler days, while Bickham found her love for the screen through cheesy zombie movies she watched with her Dad. Bickham is from the congenial South, and Gray is no stranger to the East Coast. When asked about the natural culture shock of New York City, Bickham replied, “I say ‘Good morning!’ or ‘how are you doing?’ every time I enter a room. I’ve had people from New York tell me, ‘Just stop saying good morning’ because no one is responding.” To someone like her, reciprocation isn’t a reason to do something nice. “I’m going to keep saying ‘Good morning!’ and one day, you might say it back,” Bickham said. This optimistic outlook carries over into the podcast.

Act 1 Scene 1: “Follow Through” of their podcast begins with their slogan that encapsulates the whole philosophy of Bickham and Gray’s outlook: “We might as well change the game before the game changes us.”

In an industry that is only becoming increasingly competitive, the two women have only ever sought to work with others rather than work against them. “That competitive nature is slowly killing our industry,” Gray added. “Changin’ the Game” reinforces the idea that there is a space in the entertainment industry for everyone if you truly love what you do.

“In this industry–whether you’re a writer, director, actor, there is always a need for you. At the end of the day, I [act] because I love what I do. I don’t need anybody else to love what I’m doing,” Gray continued. The podcast not only operates as a space for two friends to grow themselves as creatives but showcases a variety of guests who share their own approach to student life, creativity and mental health.

“If you two were to break up, would you continue to do your own versions of this podcast solo?”

When posed with this question about the possibility of breaking up, all they could respond with was laughter. Gray would be comfortable continuing with the podcast, but Bickham would take the vlogging route. Both reinforce that they would continue to support each other even if there was beef.

“If you two were to break up, who would be the one extending the hand of forgiveness?”

In a quick beat, Bickham raised her hand, and Jade pointed to her partner. “I don’t like to let things fester. I’m a communicator. If we fight at 10:00 a.m., I’m there at 10:10 a.m. like ‘come sit down; we have to fix this.’” Jade responds, “You live down the hall; how mad could you be? I always come into her room and be like, ‘You still upset?’”

The fact that Bickham and Gray are able to laugh off and work through their disagreements is a sign that they could host this podcast together for the next 10 years.

Although it’s been over a year since their last episode, Bickham and Gray are ready to plug in their microphones once again in the upcoming new year. After Gray started up her production company, JG Filmworks and Bickham published her book “All The Things I Should Have Said,” the two felt it was time to revive the podcast. “We were doing so much that nothing was getting the right amount of time and attention.”

Departing from the usual studio space they rented, the two felt they needed a more organic approach to their conversations. “We started recording conversations we had with each other inside our apartment. If we were having a debate or a disagreement, someone would hit record and that would be our episode,” Bickham said. “Afterward, we’d look at the stack of recordings and see which parts go together.”

“Changin’ the Game” is set to return Jan. 1, 2023 and will be available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Gray and Bickham’s production company, @jgfilmworksproductions is open for business and set to release content very soon.

Thanks to the many film adaptations of “Little Women”–the most recent being Greta Gerwig’s in 2019–or maybe even the musical version that starred Sutton Foster, I’m sure we all know the story of our young heroine Jo March by now. Jo is a character most of us can relate to, especially as college students who are still in the process of figuring out who we are. Her creativity, craving for independence and overwhelmingly huge heart has made her one of the most admired characters ever written since the book was published in 1868. And if you can’t relate to Jo, there are three other sisters and several supporting characters to identify with! Christmas is a difficult holiday for the March family as they try to make do without their father who is away at war. But it also serves as a reminder to cherish the time spent with those you love and to give without expectations. Spend this holiday season with the March sisters to get reacquainted with this coming-of-age classic, and to realize that Amy is, in fact, far more insufferable than the lovely Florence Pugh made her out to be.

Mandi Karpo,

Editor-in-Chief - “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” by J.K. Rowling

While several of the Harry Potter books and movies take

has a warm place in my heart, kind of like chestnuts roasting

wizard Tournament commences once again;

each growing in difficulty, forcing the

worst when the Goblet of Fire is bewitched to place a

return comes the Yule Ball, a tradition they’ve

Wonderland, making the fourth novel in J.K.

yourself in the holiday spirit of Harry Potter’s

“Harry

I despise BookTok. Everytime I hope to find a new book to

exception to my hostility is “The Secret History,”

the motivations and impact of the crime.

through the app, I’m

the

I have read and have fervently criticized with my friends. As much as I have

sentence is crafted in such a romantic way that you might overlook the wickedness of these privileged college students in favor of her mastery of language. As for a holiday favorite, it barely fits the bill, but one of the subplots makes me afraid to ever go to Vermont in the winter (if you know, you know). The novel speaks for itself, so all I’ll say is read it, and if you want to explore more about the college and people that may have inspired the elusive and encyclopedic Tartt, listen to the podcast “Once Upon a Time… at Bennington College.”

Gia Sparacino, Secretary - “Let it Snow” by John Green

If you attend the University, chances are, you’ve read a book by John Green. In sight of the holidays, it’s time to whip out those fingerless gloves and dust off your copy of “Let it Snow” written by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle. The trio worked in collaboration sewing together three separate stories to create the ultimate quirky holiday rom-com featuring blizzards, baristas and Waffle House; oh my! Nothing says holiday nostalgia quite like regressing into a giggly middle schooler. Even if you don’t get the chance to take on a new book this month, Netflix came out with a movie based on the novel, so you’ll still get the chance to enjoy all the fun Holiday Cheer!

Lyndsey Brown, Treasurer - “A Court of Frost and Starlight” by Sarah J. Maas

Despite the characters in “A Court of Frost and Starlight” by Sarah J. Maas not celebrating Christmas, They hold their own celebration for the Winter Solstice fulfilling all my cozy winter wonderland fantasies. The book follows the story of Feyre and Rhys as the fourth book in the ACOTAR series and depicts their celebration of the longest night of the year with evergreen decor, drinking, and swapping gifts with loved ones by the fire. You can snuggle up this winter and follow along with Feyre’s all too familiar struggle to find the perfect gift and witness the family drama holidays in this fantasy romance novella.

Emily Shafer, News Editor - “A

Christmas

Carol” by Charles Dickens

I know “A Christmas Carol” is a pretty popular Christmas tale, but it’s an absolute classic that never gets old no matter how many times you experience it. Whether you have seen the Disney film, a play adaptation or have read the book itself, “A Christmas Carol” is the perfect thing to pull off your bookshelf this time of year. Follow the original Christmas grinch, Ebenezer Scrooge, as he travels with three Christmas spirits through his past, present and future, who show him how the actions of his past could lead to his unfortunate demise. Learn about the true meaning of the Christmas spirit as Scrooge finds it himself. This story is a quick read but perfect if you still aren’t feeling in the Christmas spirit this season.

Sarah Bergin, Arts Editor - “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky

If you’re anything like me, you read “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” way earlier in your life than you should have. Looking back at my experience when reading this, I think it’s a great read for college-aged adolescents peering into the void for a sense of high school-ridden nostalgia. If you are not familiar with the novel, you’ve most likely heard of the film, released in 2012 and starring both Logan Lerman and Emma Watson. Anyone who has a mentoring bond between themselves and their English teachers or professors would enjoy this book, as that is just one of the connections that the main character, Charlie, creates throughout the book. This novel also contains witty commentary on pop culture at the time. After all, who isn’t longing to put themselves in the holiday season of the early 1990s just for a moment? If you decide to follow Charlie and his friends on their journey, some content warnings to note when reading this book include, but are not limited to, sexual assault and violence, substance abuse and suicide.

Priya

Persaud, Opinoin & Editorial Editor -

“The

Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry

First published as a short story in 1905, “The Gift of the Magi” is a tale of selfless love. O. Henry tells the story of a young couple, Della and Jim, who are living in poverty. As Christmas approaches, the couple struggles with purchasing gifts for one another due to their lack of money. Both partners sacrifice their own assets to fund one another’s gift and though the plot twist is well known, it is still a great reaffirmation of the value of love above anything material. During the winter holidays, there can be a great amount of pressure put on gift-giving towards family and peers. However, this story is a great reminder that gifts are not the objective behind Christmas, and that affection is something to be given unconditionally, not won. This heartwarming story is perfect for the holiday season and short in length, making it an easy read.

Books that are holiday reads in the way that ‘Die Hard’ is a Christmas Movie: December’s

place during Christmas time,

Potter and the Goblet of Fire”

on an open fire (ha ha, get it?). After nearly a hundred years, the Tri-

three champions from three competing wizarding schools go head-to-head in three tasks,

young wizards to put their knowledge of magic to the test. However, things take a turn for the

fourth name in the cup–Harry Potter ’s. In honor of the Triwizard Tournament’s

held since the tournament’s inception. The Great Hall is transformed into a Winter

Rowling’s seven-part series the best option to curl up on the couch with and engulf

whimsically dangerous universe.

Jaeden Pinder, Executive Editor - “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt

read

disappointed to see

same five titles

been discouraged by BookTok endorsements, the only

which follows a group of Classics students who murder their friend, and details

Donna Tartt takes serious care in writing all her novels to the level of a neurosurgeon; each

Credit: Graphic provided by Jade Gray (left) and Elycia Bickham (right)

Adjunct advocacy with University Professor Eve Becker

DEC. 12, 2022

Angelina pop-up: a taste of Paris in NYC

NOV. 29, 2022

BY ZOE POULIS, Features Editor

continued from PAGE 1

Understandably so, Becker is passionate about the situation and has taken the time to educate her students on the truth behind the teaching profession. When she asked how many people in the class even knew what it meant to be an adjunct, only three of 15 could raise their hands confidently. This is especially interesting considering that two-thirds of the University’s teaching staff is adjunct–and the number is even higher in the English department, according to Becker. In order to support our professors, we must first understand the situation.

For adjuncts, any work done outside of the classroom is unpaid; unlike fulltime professors, they do not get paid a salary. This means that the time spent making lesson plans, grading papers, holding office hours, emailing with students, writing recommendations and so many other integral parts of the job goes unaccounted for.

“It’s not just Pace–it’s a problem at nearly every college and university in this country. But Pace adjuncts are some of the lowest paid in the city.”

“I would say that for every one hour spent in the classroom, I spend anywhere from two to seven hours outside of it doing unpaid labor,” Becker explained. “So, if I’m lucky, my pay is minimum wage–I could probably work at Trader Joe’s for the same.” Becker is not joking. Unfortunately, most adjunct professors need to have other jobs in order to survive. In fact, according to Becker, 89 percent of adjuncts in the U.S. teach at more than one school.

Becker goes on, sharing that because she’s not part of faculty events and meetings, she’s missing a sense of community at the University. “When I taught middle school, I had a salary, health insurance, retirement benefits and colleagues I could talk to. My department chair and program heads at Pace are lovely and responsive, but my communication with them is limited to nuts and bolts emails. It’s rough on them, too. They’re working exceptionally hard to run programs on shoestring labor.”

Becker firmly believes that nothing will change until every adjunct in the country stops working on the same day.

Recently, NYU faced the threat of a strike when its adjunct faculty contract was set to expire. According to Left Voice, a tentative six-year agreement was reached hours before its expiration, resulting in “a new minimum pay of $10,400 per standard course (a raise of nearly $4,000 per course) [and] a $2,000 pandemic pay bonus” among other things. Though this is a step in the right direction, it’s not anywhere near what they should be getting paid; still two-and-a-half times what adjuncts at our University are earning.

Several other schools in the City are pushing back. On Dec. 7, The New School entered its third week of strike, officially taking the title for the longest adjunct strike in U.S. history. Though they have now gone into mediation, which is a potential sign of progress, The New School president, Dwight A. McBride, “warned that the university may cease paying striking workers’ salaries” should the strike continue, according to The City

What can students do?

Make noise about this.

By now, I’m sure we are all aware that our professors don’t teach here (or anywhere) for the money–they teach here for us. As a student, you might feel as though you have a responsibility to give back to those who have poured so much time and energy into you. If that’s true, it means that there is a responsibility to fight this injustice alongside our professors.

Watch 2022's World Cup at one of these five electric sports bars

DEC. 7, 2022

BY JEREMY SANDERS, Contributor

The 2022 World Cup kicked off last month in Qatar, and it’s no secret that watching it with a lively crowd is one of the best ways to cheer on your favorite team. Odds are, living in New York City means your living room is a little too small to fit all of your soccer-loving friends, but luckily the city’s sports bar selection is among the largest in the world. Finding the right sports bar for you can be tricky, as some are much better for viewing large events, like the World Cup, than others. Here is a list of some local favorites that are sure to deliver a good time.

Kelly’s Sports Bar (East Village, Manhattan)

Despite being known locally as a hotspot for hockey fans, Kelly’s Sports Bar in the East Village is a great bar to watch the World Cup. The bar has a reputation for being frequented by passionate sports fans, making it a spot with a cheerful atmosphere, along with friendly and knowledgeable bartenders. Kelly’s is the perfect bar for all you high-energy soccer fans out there.

Smithfield Hall (Chelsea, Manhattan)

A favorite of NYC soccer fans, Smithfield Hall is a great place to view the World Cup. Featuring both indoor and outdoor TVs, this spirited bar ensures a quality viewing experience no matter the weather. Often noted for its extensive craft beer list, Smithfield Hall originally opened on 28th St. in 2012, but moved to its current location on 25th a few years later.

Mustang Harry’s (Midtown, Manhattan)

A five-minute walk from Madison Square Garden and located right next to the 28th Street 1 train, the rustic and energetic Mustang Harry’s is a truly classic Irish Pub. Mustang Harry’s opened its doors in 1995 and has remained a NYC sports fans haven plastered with TV screens. Weekends and big games often lead to a full house, so reservations are generally recommended.

Triona’s (Gramercy, Manhattan)

Since opening in 2009, Triona’s has remained one of Gramercy’s top local spots. Another Irish Pub known for its beer and wings, the environment at Triona’s is never dull and ensures a fun time, day or night. If you want to enjoy the bar’s lengthy happy hour on a weekday, it runs from noon to 8 p.m., making for great deals on drinks nearly all day. Triona’s also has a second location just a few minutes walk from Washington Square Park.

Peter Dillon’s Pub (Midtown, Manhattan)

While Midtown has no shortage of good hangouts, Peter Dillon’s Pub stands out in the realm of sports bars. Just minutes from Grand Central, Peter Dillon’s is easily accessible and full of both sitting and standing room. Not only that, but it is truly in the heart of NYC. Since 2001, it has been the perfect spot for those looking to catch a break in the form of a pint on any game day.

BY MALAK KASSEM, Staff Writer

Angelina Paris, a renowned Parisian tea room and bakery, has opened a pop-up cafe at Saks Fifth Avenue that will run through Dec. 18.

The original Angelina in Paris dates back to the early 1900s and was the hottest spot for writers, artists and politicians to work and gather in France. Since the city is full of people that fall under those categories, this limited dining experience might be the perfect way to transport yourself to a different time in a different city.

To give diners the classic Parisian experience, French restaurant L’Avenue at Saks is partnering with the Angelina pop-up, giving cafe goers the option to enjoy some French cuisine before they indulge in desserts. Though this might be a unique stop for the average American, if you’re European visiting or living in the city, it probably won’t be too much of a “wow” moment for you.

The cafe has a chic atmosphere, with waiters and waitresses dressed in formal wear, spacious European-style seating and chandeliers hung over walkways. With a small but well-rounded menu, the tearoom is great for people who crave a quick pastry and an excellent option for those searching for a space to get some work done or have lunch with a colleague. The menu includes

club sandwiches, macarons and of course, the irresistible buttery, flaky french delicacy that is the croissant (though it could have used more chocolate).

On a frigid Sunday afternoon, the tea room was filled with people of all ages. Within the crowd was first-time customer Nicole, 23, from New York and Puerto Rico, who described the famous hot chocolate as “creamy” and the atmosphere as “fake-french” but undeniably “cute.”

She also mentioned that the spot is very Instagram-able.

If you’re looking to try their hot chocolate, you may have to get there earlier in the day as it’s been known to sell out fast.

The tea room is a great option for cold winter temperatures. The large yet cozy space offers a great social scene for those who crave it. However, it doesn’t shun introverts who want some alone time.

The Angelina pop-up certainly offers an addition of diversity to New York’s restaurant scene. Though the prices are a bit steep and other small businesses replicate what this cafe does, going to the pop-up is worth the trip—if not just because of its history.

In case you miss out on this limited event, Angelina also has a permanent location on 39th and 6th, right by Bryant Park that is open for New Yorkers year-round.

Everything you need to know about NYC's newest Glossier opening

BY TAMARA FRIESON, Staff Writer

NOV. 10, 2022

The new Glossier store opened in Brooklyn on Nov. 5, finally giving New York residents access to a physical storefront in Williamsburg.

Glossier is a company that makes beauty products and are best known for their light-coverage, all-natural make-up looks that enhance specific features of the face rather than delivering a more full-coverage look. You’ll find skincare, makeup, body care and fragrance at the store, all displayed to attract consumers (and lovers of pink and pastel tones) to the aesthetic, bathroom shelf-worthy minimalistic design. Not to mention the modern, quick and easy Glossier shopping bag delivery system.

Glossier Brooklyn recently kicked off its grand opening with a Glossier Block Party. The store opened at 11 a.m. sharp, and by 10:30 a.m., the line was wrapped around Berry Street, with customers moving only about five steps every thirty to forty-five minutes. Those waiting in line were eager for a chance to get their hands on products like Boy Brow, Balm Dot Com, Glossier You perfume and to take the first sneak peek at the new, limited-edition Glossier Holiday Kits.

“It’s crazy how people keep coming up to me asking what this line is for. You would think there’s a celebrity at the end of this. When I tell them it’s a make-up store, they look shocked… or disappointed,” one young woman said while waiting in the lengthy line.

The Glossier team was able to wonderfully advertise their new store opening by highlighting the early product access and emphasizing the ‘special gifts’ the company gave to their first few customers.

They received hundreds more than expected but quickly adapted by hiring a vegan food truck to provide small meals to those waiting in line for hours. For breakfast, those in line received mini vegan donuts with the choice of powdered sugar or fruit loop topping. For lunch, they were provided with a small dish of rice topped with mushrooms and a salad with honey mustard (fancy, right?) A customer waiting in line said humorously, “This feels so boujee! It’s slightly amusing how intense this waiting-in-line process is just to go inside and get an eye-shadow palette.”

One thing’s for sure, all the customers in that line were determined to make it into the store. Most who waited in line were there for over two and a half hours. Several customers that arrived at the store around 11:00 a.m. didn’t step foot into the store until 4:30 p.m. Yes, 4:30 p.m.!

But the wait was worth it.

For true Glossier lovers, it was heaven. The storefront has a loft-style design with warm textures, lots of pink and a white facade. They even kept true to some of their iconic touches with their famous “You Look Good” mirror as a part of their display. Overall, those who attended the Glossier Block Party for their grand opening rated the experience an 8.5/10 with the four-hour wait docking a few points. Otherwise, Glossier Brooklyn

the

Credit: Image sourced from foxnews.com

surpassed the standard of

storefront grand opening and introduced the new, and permanent, New York location in style.

Must-try food vendors at Bryant Park's Winter Village

DEC. 14, 2022

In 1686, the area now known as Bryant Park was designated public property by New York Colonial Governor Thomas Dongan. The park was originally used as a potter’s field. Nowadays, Bryant Park is 9.6 acres of land that spreads across midtown Manhattan and offers a number of activities to the public year-round. If you’re feeling fun, festive and famished, go check out the culturally diverse food stops at Bryant Park’s Winter Village. The Winter Village continues to expand in vendors and patrons each year and offers ice skating, holiday shopping and delicious treats.

BY Sophia Weiss-Goldner Staff Writer

Bryant Park’s Winter Village is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and opens an hour earlier on the weekends. Admission to the park is always free, but the cost of food and gift shopping varies from vendor to vendor. Whether you’re looking for a Nutella hot chocolate delicacy or authentic Malaysian cuisine, there is food to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. With numerous options for snacking, it may be a little difficult to decide what food is worth getting or not. Below are some of The Pace Press’ must-try food recommendations!

Mrs. Claus Cheese Wheel Pasta

Mrs. Claus Cheese Wheel Pasta is what every cheese lover’s dreams are made of. To make things simple, there are only two items on this menu: pasta with alfredo sauce or hot chocolate. When preparing your dish, they spin the pasta directly in a cheese wheel, coating it to satisfy your cheesy cravings. The line for Mrs. Claus’ cheese wheel was a block long–that’s how you know it’s good!

Pickle Me Pete is a fan-favorite because of all the pickle varieties. For $8, you can try 6 different

flavored pickles. The flavors range from least spicy to half sour, then all the way to the burn-the-roofof-your-mouth super spicy wasabi pickle. Each pickle leaves you salivating for more. If you’re a pickle lover, this is the perfect stop for you.

Frida’s Favorites Mexican Cantina

It can be tricky to find good Mexican food in the city, but Frida’s Favorites Mexican Cantina has got you covered. Named after the acclaimed Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, this is the destination for fresh and authentic Mexican food. Be sure to try the tortilla soup and corn in the cup for a mouth-watering experience!

German Bratwurst German Bratwurst sells classic German street food and may be the closest thing NYC has to genuine German cuisine. Bratwurst is a type of German sausage that is seasoned, cooked and stuffed into a doughy bread. If you’re feeling even more adventurous, there are various toppings and spices you can add to your sausage.

Andie’s Eats Cake in a Jar

If you’ve ever wanted to eat an entire cake without any feelings of guilt, Andie’s Eats Cake in a Jar has the solution. They have several cake flavors to choose from–red velvet, salted caramel, cinnamon bun and triple chocolate being some of their most popular. All of the cakes come in a single-serving jar with a spoon ready to be enjoyed. Now you can walk through the holiday shops with cake in hand!

Ranking the ice ranks of NYC

DEC. 12, 2022

Now that the holiday season is in full swing and ice skating rinks have been brought back to the city, it’s possible to find yourself overwhelmed with the many great options. Luckily, The Pace Press is here to tell you which rinks are worth trying. Find the rink that is best for you, put on your skates and get to it! Challenge yourself by stepping away from the wall–falling is inevitable.

BY ZOE POULIS, Features Editor & ALEJANDRO TEODORO, Staff Writer

The Rink at Bryant Park’s Winter Village

If you want to be in the center of all the holiday magic (and potentially save a little money), this is the place for you. Every day, The Rink opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. on the weekdays, and at midnight on the weekends. Since it’s usually a busy rink, it is best to make a reservation for your 55-minute skating session. The prices vary depending on the date and time, typically starting at $20, but if you bring your own skates, the activity is free! There is a fee to check your bag, so leaving your items at home might be best. This is a great option if you want to people-watch but not be too crowded on the ice. When you’re done skating, be sure to stop by the shops and do some gift shopping.

Rink in Central Park

Wollman

For anyone who wants a classic NYC moment, skating in Central Park is the best option for you. Located in the city’s most popular park, the Wollman Rink might be the most well-known of all the ice rinks. The schedule varies throughout the week, so make sure you check what day would be best for you. Adult tickets are $15, plus $10 for skate rentals. This rink is also quite large if you are looking for more space to skate. A bonus is that there is no rush to skate here since they will remain open until March! Fun fact: the rink terminated business contracts with Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection in the U.S. Capitol.

The Rink at Rockefeller Center

Get a close-up view of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree when you skate at Rockefeller Center’s rink! They are open from 9 a.m. to midnight and admission and skate rentals come in a package–they do change their prices depending on their dates and times, though, so keep that in mind. This is the perfect experience for those who want to be a part of the hustle and bustle of the city since Rockefeller Center attracts a large crowd during the holidays. Though The Rink is on the smaller side, there are set times for everyone to skate, leaving room for everyone on the ice. The Rink was also inspired by a skate salesman who lived through the Great Depression–it was opened for the first time on Christmas Day in 1936!

The Rink at Brookfield Place

Finally, for all the students who want to stay close to campus, head to The Rink at Brookfield Place. During the week, they are open from 2 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., but on weekends they are open at 9 a.m. Weekday reservations cost $15 with a $5 skate rental fee, and weekends are only $4 more expensive. It’s not the city’s biggest rink, but it does have something the other ones don’t–a view of the Hudson River. They also have public skating events if you want to watch or even perform on the ice.

Five small businesses to support this holiday season

BY LYDIA LUTCHMAN, Staff Writer

Finding the best gift for someone can sometimes be difficult, especially if you are not aware of the stores and options you have available to you. As the semester comes to an end and winter break approaches, the time for holiday shopping draws nearer and nearer. To help you out with your perfect gift-giving plan, The Pace Press presents you with five of the best small business shops that are based in New York City!

Nose Best

This LGBTQ+, POC and woman-led candle shop pride itself on reducing its carbon footprint and waste output, as well as providing an enjoyable experience for their consumer. Cristian Abbrancati, a University alumni and co-founder of Nose Best Candles, explained that the business was born during the pandemic and opened two years later in Bushwick. “At Nose Best, we remix your senses with every candle by providing a curated Spotify playlist and cocktail recipe to get the party started,” Abbrancati continued. “We carry cheeky candles, an astrology line, teas, crystals and Palo Santo from Ecuador.” These candles and fragrances are handcrafted with love and appreciation for the little things in life but are sure to make a difference in someone’s nose and provide a much-needed laugh during the stressful finals season.

SallyeAnder

The holiday markets are coming back in full force, and one of the best ones to visit is Bryant Park’s Winter Village in Midtown, Manhattan. The area is beautifully decorated and filled with fun activities like ice skating, delicious eats and handmade crafts and jewelry. One of the featured shops there is SallyeAnder, a soap shop that focuses on creating natural skincare products for sensitive skin. The store stocks lip balm, body creams and bug repellent, along with other wellness products that are sure to delight any beauty lovers in your life!

Yu & Me Books

Opened in December 2021, this shop is the first Asian-American woman-owned bookstore in Chinatown. The owner and creator, Lucy Yu, raised by her Chinese immigrant mother, found herself interested in books, specifically those written by POC and immigrants, but had few available options in the places she would visit. She decided to change this herself, opening her own bookstore consisting of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and graphic novels written by the same people who she, and many others, related to. There are also various selections of local artwork for sale. This adorable and quaint bookshop is perfect for that bibliophile and art lover you know and appreciate.

Goods for the Study

This stationary store in Greenwich Village provides chic office and school supplies for your loved ones who like to be both organized and aesthetically pleasing. The shop also sells desk lamps and accessories that enhance one’s tabling area of work, especially if they are working or doing classes remotely and do not want to strain their eyes with a bland setup. Great for adding class and personality to your studies, the shop also contains beautiful pens, as well as gorgeous leather-style journals to plan out your month! Since it is the holiday season, they also have local and handcrafted Christmas ornaments to brighten up one’s space.

Fishs Eddy

Since 1986, this small business in the Flatiron District has been providing kitchenware to New Yorkers in the neighborhood. Their utensils and plates are handcrafted and based on popular themes and areas around the city. The funny catchphrases and designs are enticing to a collector, and the high quality and vintage pieces provide an appeal that makes the pieces both practical and convenient. For a friend who prefers a more stylish look, the shop also makes tote bags for everyday outside use, a popular one displaying the Brooklyn Bridge in the background and a chimney with a smoke cloud spouting out of it with “Brooklyn” written in fancy cursive.

Pickle Me Pete

Balenciaga campaigns sparked a firestorm, featuring child pornography and exploitation

BY MILANA POGRETSKAIA, Staff Writer

Balenciaga presented a new collection, “Objects,” on the company’s Instagram page on Nov. 16. As part of this campaign, children took part in a photoshoot while holding BDSM elements. Because of this, a scandal broke out, after which the brand had to apologize.

The release of two ad campaigns has flipped the fashion world upside down and instigated public outrage. One of the campaigns featured photos of children, who were handling handbags that look like teddy bears in bondage gear. Another campaign featured photos that presented paperwork about child pornography laws. These campaigns led people to consider Balenciaga as a company that condones child exploitation.

Balenciaga has since presented an apology for their campaign which stated, “We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused. Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign. We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms.”

The apology didn’t have much effect on the public and, after the scandal gained momentum, subscribers of Balenciaga decided to take a closer look at other campaigns. They were especially interested in the Spring-Summer 2023 collection with the participation of Isabelle Huppert. In the photo, the actress threw her legs on the table. If you look closely, you can see an album by the Belgian artist Michael Borremans. Among his works are paintings of naked children.

Later, a second apology appeared on the social networks of Balenciaga and Demna Gvasalia, the creative director of Balenciaga: “We apologize for the image of these documents in our campaign. We strongly condemn violence against children in any form. We are for the safety and well-being of children.”

Photographer Gabriel Galimberti, who took pictures of children for this collection, decided to break the silence. Gabriel stated that he, as a photographer, fulfilled his duties as commis-

NOV. 26, 2022

sioned and did not choose who and how to shoot. “I was only asked to illuminate this scene and take pictures by my corporate identity,” he said. “As always in the case of commercial filming, the direction of the campaign and the choice of objects displayed in it were outside the photographer’s area of responsibility.”

Later it became known that Balenciaga sued the production studio North Six Inc., as well as their agent and set designer Nicolas de Jardin, who were responsible for carrying out the photoshoots. The fashion house claimed that the appearance of those court documents in the frame was not coordinated with them. The fashion house demanded $25 million for damage to its reputation.

Creative Director for Louis Vuitton, Nicolas Ghesquière, who worked at Balenciaga from 1997 to 2012, also spoke on this topic. He wrote that when he left Kering (the conglomerate that owns Balenciaga), he felt “alienated and traumatized by values and the level of honesty.”After two meaningless apologies, the brand finally posted an Instagram story, taking all the responsibility for the situation with the campaign.

Balenciaga’s chief ambassador Kim Kardashian had remained silent for a long time. There was rage from users on her Instagram page because of this. “Hey, we’re waiting for you to say something about Balenciaga. It’s terrible, and you know it, don’t you want to fight for the right things?” and more comments like this began to appear on her page. As a result, on Nov. 28 Kardashian published a story, stating that she was shocked and outraged by the brand’s latest campaigns.

“After talking to the brand, I saw that they are aware of the seriousness of the situation and are ready to take all necessary measures so that this will never happen again,” Kardashian added. She also spoke about further possible cooperation with the brand, “Now I’m reviewing my relationship with the brand, based on their willingness to take responsibility for what happened and take the actions I expect from them to protect children.”

Look what you made Swifties do, Ticketmaster!

NOV. 18, 2022

BY PRIYA PERSAUD, Opinion & Editorial Editor

Following the release of her tenth studio album, “Midnights,” Taylor Swift finally revealed after much fan-speculation that she would be going on tour again, declaring “The Eras Tour.” Joining Swift are a multitude of artists, ranging from Paramore to Phoebe Bridgers, opening for her based on tour date. Swift announced 35 shows initially but later added 17 additional shows due to fan demand in the United States. The anticipation for the tour was extremely high among fans since Swift has not toured since her embarkation of the “Reputation Stadium Tour” and has subsequently released four new albums and two re-recordings within that time. This enthusiasm did not last long however, as the journey of trying to get tickets for Swift’s tour is now notoriously known to be the worst ticket buying experience of all time.

Unsurprisingly, there was a presale system put in place through Ticketmaster where fans could sign up to be designated as “verified fans” which would allow them to purchase tickets prior to the general on-sale. According to Ticketmaster, 3.5 million fans pre-registered for Swift’s verified fan program, the largest registration in Ticketmaster’s history. This system was the first in a series of many incidents in relation to the endeavor, as many fans who are long term fans of Taylor Swift and had previously received presale for each tour were now waitlisted. Many complained that they had not received presale despite attending Swift’s previous tours but their father or boyfriend had gotten it when they had created their Ticketmaster account only a week prior, questioning the validity of what Ticketmaster considers a verified fan.

Furthermore, there were “boosts” that fans could earn to increase their chances of moving up in the queue during presale, granted via purchasing merchandise or singles. It was quickly visible that this system was also flawed when fans began receiving the boost without even having presale. Perhaps the most unfortunate case of this circumstance is that holders of tickets for “Loverfest”, Swift’s tour for her seventh studio album “Lover” which was eventually canceled due to the pandemic, were not given a boost nor priority ticket access despite Ticketmaster guaranteeing this. Ticketmaster workers denied that they ever assured that Loverfest ticket holders would have priority, but were met with fans of Swift showing proof of this recitation.

Through these prior hiccups had occurred, presale day on Nov. 15 was still expected to be filled with excitement coursing through the fandom for each person purchasing their long-awaited tickets, but this was horrendously ruined by Ticketmaster itself who were evidently not prepared to take on a presale of this grandeur. Within a couple moments of the presale opening, the website completely crashed as 14 million people attempted to join the queue. Greg Maffei, chairman of Ticketmaster, later stated in an interview that “the site was supposed to be opened up for 1.5 million verified Taylor Swift fans. We had 14 million hit the site. We could have filled 900 stadiums.”

Ticketmaster consequently delayed both the west coast and the CapitalOne presale to combat the online traffic and assure it would run smoother, but then paused the queue for the current presale shows for over two hours without any prior indication of when they would be unpaused.

Many spent several hours in the queue, with anywhere from five to 20 thousand people in front of them.

Fans still held out hope despite the clear unpreparedness on the company’s end, but when finally getting to the page for purchasing tickets, many more glitches awaited customers. Error messages were prominent when clicking on seats, disallowing anyone from actually being able to purchase a ticket. Those who were lucky enough to even obtain the tickets in their carts, still had issues checking out and were met with more pop-ups. This back-and-forth glitch in correspondence to clicking tickets and attempting to check out would extend for 20 minutes before Ticketmaster kicked the user out of the page for going above the allotted time of attempted purchasing and sent them to the back of the queue, exacerbating already frustrated emotions.

Prior to the day of general on-sale, Ticketmaster released a tweet declaring that general on-sale was now canceled due to “extraordinarily high demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory to meet that demand” essentially implying that those who were not able to successfully attain tickets through regular or CapitalOne presale, would no longer have the opportunity to purchase tickets. Consequently, fans of Swift then created the hashtag “#TicketmasterIsOverParty” which began trending nationally, consisting of many asserting their own experiences and emotions towards the situation. Fans also expressed their grievances over the current resale prices which are being sold for irrational prices at the hands of Ticketmaster’s carelessness towards bots and scalpers, ranging anywhere from $700 for nosebleeds to over $100,000 for better seats in the venue.

Through the course of the ordeal, many politicians began to speak out about Ticketmaster monopolizing the entertainment industry. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the United States Rep. for New York’s 14th Congressional District, took to Twitter to share her feelings on the matter. Ocasio-Cortez stated, “Daily reminder that Ticketmaster is a monopoly, its merger with LiveNation should never have been approved, and they need to be reigned in. Break them up.” Since then, there has now been a call for legal action to be taken towards Ticketmaster as many petitions have formed for the Department of Justice to investigate the company. Additionally, the Tennessee Attorney General has launched their own investigation into the matter in order to conclusively determine whether or not Ticketmaster delivered on its promise to customers, and could potentially grant a court order to “make the company do better.”

This is not the first instance where Ticketmaster is having legal action taken against them, unbeknownst to most people. In 1994, they were sued by rock-band Pearl Jam who claimed that “Ticketmaster, after scooping up its competitors, abused its marketplace dominance by collecting sky-high service fees and signing exclusive deals with major concert venues, leaving consumers and artists with no other alternative.” Pearl Jam lost the lawsuit but still shed a light onto Ticketmaster’s monopolizing tactics.

Ticketmaster’s negligence ultimately made what was meant to be an exciting experience amongst fans transform into a stress-ridden nightmare, which may have permanently altered the course of ticket-buying forever depending on the results of the courses of action taken. At this time, neither Taylor Swift nor Ticketmaster has provided further information as to what will happen next for fans who have been unable to purchase tickets.

It seems that the angry public is in a hurry to “cancel” not only the brand but also everyone associated with it. Many influencers and bloggers on their Tik Tok accounts burnt brand items in protest. Balenciaga boutiques around the world are empty— people no longer want to buy the brand’s items.

The public has spoken: Balenciaga is the one to blame. As such a big and luxurious brand company, Balenciaga should control and check every detail before releasing their products to the public. As for now, things don’t look good for Balenciaga. However, the cancellation of the brand won’t be long-term. In a few months, and after several efforts of the Balenciaga brand to apologize, the scandal would be an additional advertisement for the brand, as Balenciaga tries to look like a victim.

Concerts and Broadway shows in the COVID-19 era

NOV. 20, 2022

BY LYDIA LUTCHMAN, Staff Writer

Concerts have always been seen as a way for one to let loose and focus on the music and artist inhabited venue for those couple of hours. Many have spent hundreds of dollars to see their favorite celebrities dance and sing the night away. However, once the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in March 2020, avid concert goers found themselves bombarded with emails from venues and ticket sites announcing the cancellation or postponement of these events. This was due to mandatory social distancing rules that prohibited indoor gatherings of large amounts of people. Understandably, many were disappointed that it had gotten this far, but understood it was the best option because of the highly contagious and widespread virus.

Ticket resources like Ticketmaster were very accommodating and flexible, allowing buyers to be fully reimbursed if they choose to not keep their tickets even after the event was announced to be just postponed for a later date. Events that were completely canceled allowed the buyer to get a full refund. Some artists felt the disappointment of their fans and did their best to make up for it in a safe yet entertaining manner, like having virtual live-streamed events with singing, dancing and special effects.

As vaccines were starting to become widespread and infection rates decreased, outdoor concerts in stadiums and parks began to occur in the middle of 2021 with social distancing policies instilled. With the masking requirements of indoor spaces largely expiring in and concerts consequently returning to indoor spaces, venues have started to take on a mask friendly role and being more lenient in their guidelines, but still urging customers to not attend if they feel sick or have symptoms of the virus.

Along with concerts, live theater was also affected by the pandemic, and Broadway theaters closed their doors March 12, 2020, to the disheartenment of fans everywhere. When Broadway reopened in Sep. 2021, masks were mandated for the audience. Many of the main actors and actresses still found themselves getting sick, especially with the Omicron surge during the winter period. This resulted in many shows temporarily closing if there were not enough understudies and swings to replace the cast members.

University sophomore and avid concert and Broadway goer, Taylor Kessler, shared her thoughts. “The first Broadway show I saw post-covid was American Buffalo in April of last year. Masks were required, and they did enforce it, so everyone did keep them on throughout the show. It was a smaller theater too, so I wasn’t that nervous.”

Kessler continued, “But I went to a concert last November at Terminal 5, which was at a larger capacity and masks were not as heavily enforced. I also was in the pit so I was definitely much more nervous about being in such close contact with so many people since most didn’t wear a mask at all. I didn’t feel sick after either show, but I did make sure to self test at home after both shows just to be sure!”

Many shows found themselves being shut down or announced to be due to a lack of ticket sales–the most recent victim being “The Phantom of the Opera.” On July 1, it was announced that Broadway lifted their mask mandate for the audiences, but ushers, musicians who did not have to use their mouth for an instrument and other staff still had to wear one.

University sophomore, Olivia Favro, who has gone to over 100 concerts, commented, “The first two concerts I went to after the pandemic calmed down were Role Model and GovBall. I didn’t feel unwell after either of them and they were only 2 days apart.

Role Model was indoors and GovBall was outdoors.” Favro said, “I was not nervous about being in a crowded area with others because both shows required proof of vaccination. At Role Model some people wore masks since it was indoors, but I didn’t see many masks at GovBall because it was outside and over 80 degrees.”

Many people are ready to return to their way of life and entertainment prior to the pandemic, so it is understandable why people would be less willing to wear a mask and just enjoy the concerts like they have done in previous years. However, it is important to still be conscious of potentially exposing yourself to the virus and being safe above all else.

Meanwhile, Bella Hadid, who starred in one of the brand’s latest campaigns, hastily deleted the photo from her Instagram. However, she left other collaborations up like her campaign for Balenciaga x Adidas. Under these posts, subscribers ardently urge the celebrity to delete these pictures as well.

Credit: Image sourced from www.nytimes.com

Bad writing sells, see Colleen Hoover

BY ZOE POULIS, Features Writer

DEC. 13, 2022

Colleen Hoover lives my ideal life–she writes mediocre books, gets paid a fortune for it, then receives praise on social media–but that does not make me a fan. Her name has haunted the halls of “BookTok” ever since her 2016 novel “It Ends with Us” gained a cult-like following on the app–strange timing considering how long the book has been out. Though “It Ends with Us” and much of her other work are praised by many content creators on social media, there has been much debate on whether or not that praise has been earned.

Many avid readers have expressed their disdain for not only the popular novel but its author as well; myself included.

“Do people like books because other people like books, or do people like books because they actually have an opinion?” asked Erin Cox, a professor at the University who also works in the publishing industry. “What I want to know is, are they reading Colleen Hoover’s books because they actually like her, or do they just want to be a part of the fan club?”

To answer this question, we must examine her most popular novel itself. “It Ends with Us” follows Lily Blossom Bloom who, of course, owns a flower shop–that in and of itself is all I need to know to come to the conclusion that the writing is objectively bad. It all seems too good to be true when she meets Ryle (yes, that’s really the name Hoover went with). He’s a surgeon, he has his own troubled history and, in true rom-com fashion, the sex is great. Lily’s life was touched by domestic abuse at a young age and she vows never to end up in a relationship like her mother’s, until one day she does.

I will give credit where credit is due and say that the one thing done well here is the author’s ability to put the reader in the mindset of the victim and empathize with how difficult the decision to leave a toxic relationship is. But the main issue is how underdeveloped the entire novel is. I’ve heard Hoover is known for her twists, but in this case, the twist is violence within their seemingly perfect relationship. Tackling a subject like domestic abuse is difficult enough, but the writing itself feels sloppy as if the author is throwing in every possible subplot to add drama to an already dramatic story. The characters have little substance to them, and their relationships mirror that. Unfortunately, the whole thing ends up feeling like some kind of twisted fanfic-

tion, which is a concern especially for the young audience it reaches. I fear that this kind of writing has carried over into her other novels as well since it’s widely proclaimed that all of her work is quite similar.

Since I suspect that Hoover fans aren’t picking up her books because of how undeniably good her writing skills are, it makes me wonder why they are picking them up in the first place; even further than that, how she has the following she does. Other students are asking this same question.

“From what I’ve heard, her writing is pretty amateur–enough so that I’m surprised she has such a big fanbase. It makes her writing accessible, but since her content is entirely adult, that’s also dangerous since so many children and preteens are drawn to her work,” Emma Sylvia, senior English major, pointed out. “The popularity of her works set a dangerous precedent for what preteens read.”

Many of Hoover’s books fall under the Young Adult (YA) category for readers 14+, but others are rated New Adult (18+) or Mature. Oftentimes, however, readers pay no mind to book ratings, resulting in teenagers reading books with very heavy content. If you look up Colleen Hoover on TikTok, comment sections are filled with things like, “me reading ‘It Ends with Us’ at 13…” and “I read her New Adult books before I could even count as a Young Adult.”

At the root of all this, the real issue might be the legitimacy of BookTok recommendations. It is safe to say that the younger generations often get their recommendations from social media–I would assume that this contributes to the spotlight Hoover finds herself in. Though this is not always the case, social media tends to put convenience and trendiness on a pedestal over quality. It would make sense then that her writing is consumed by readers who are not exactly looking for complex artistry but shock value and sex appeal: an entertaining read. It is often believed that reading is good for your mind regardless of the content, and while there is truth to that, I’m not sure how much we actually gain from reading books that are under-developed and poorly written. And BookTok continuing to promote books like this only pushes that issue further.

If reading one of Colleen Hoover’s books is what gets people to read, I’m all for it. But I question the implications that come with consuming this style of writing.

BY EMMA SYLVIA, Contributor

popular HBO drama from Sam Levinson, has been announced to begin filming season three. While the show has received praise for its performances and aesthetic, it has also been subject to controversy, especially in regard to its representation (or lack thereof), its overexposure to violence, sex, drugs and confusion amongst fans when it was revealed that actress Barbie Ferreira would not be returning to season three despite being a main cast member for two seasons.

Though it is unconfirmed the precise date that the third Season will be released, fans all over social media have already begun speculation in regard to the plot. A particularly hot topic is the fate of Katherine “Kat” Hernandez, portrayed by Ferreira. In the show, Kat struggles with body positivity as well as her sex work. Formerly a big player in season one, Ferreira’s role was reduced, with themes of body positivity reworked into Kat’s relationship issues with her new boyfriend.

What makes the devolution of this character particularly interesting, however, is the behind-the-scenes issues that likely led to this inevitable retirement of the character. Allegedly, Ferreira and creator Levinson had several spats, including arguments about Kat’s development, which could have involved the inclusion of Kat suffering through an eating disorder, which Ferreira adamantly protested against and allegedly even walked off of the set. News of arguments between creator and actor was well known in the fandom, with many tweeting their own speculations that Ferreira would soon abandon ship—and, eventually, those theories were proven to be true. Ferreira posted on her Instagram story

Influx of red voters in NYC

BY OLIVIA ATHAN, Contributor

DEC. 14, 2022

The 2022 Midterm elections were poised by many to be a “Red Wave,” meaning Republicans across the country were believed to take control of the local governments they represent and thus the federal government. Though the “Red Wave” seemed to be the opposite of a tsunami, the myth of the tidal movement may hold more truth and complexity than writing it off as a metaphor.

Take for example New York’s own midterm results. As historically and consistently blue New York has voted, the presence of the Republican Party, its candidates and its supporters, are slowly but surely becoming more of a force to be reckoned with in the state. The complexity of the Red Wave began here, so could it be possible for New York to go red? The recent redistricting failed to secure dominance for the Democratic Party, which ultimately may have something to do with what many feel was blatant defiance of the laws surrounding redistricting. After New York Democrats’ redistricting plan was legally ruled unconstitutional, their plan for security essentially backfired. They lost the ability to redraw the district maps, seceding that right to a court-appointed special master.

That court-appointed special master drew up a competitive map that pitted many Democrats against each other and creates a legitimate battlefield for Republicans. Many of the new districts have been deemed guaranteed wins for Republican candidates and there is a real possibility the Republican Party could sway voters and secure more support. The results of the midterms proved to stand against this thesis. Kathy Hochul’s and Lee Zeldin’s governor race were close and Hochul did not win by a landslide, even appearing to lose her lead a week out from voting. However, she did win, and Democrats won 15 of New York’s 26 House seats. In other words, Democrats have won over half of the House seats and while that is beneficial, it doesn’t mean there has not been a shift in the historically blue New York; nor does it mean that shift is stagnant.

The shift in New York’s political identity and activity can be attributed to a variety of different causes. Republican policy targets regarding law enforcement, public safety and economic issues helped secure wins and promise to do the same in New York as those issues are important to the state’s voters. William Resh, a Professor of Management and Performance at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, explained the issue in the following way: “The bad news is actually pretty constant: We still lack a new Voting Rights Act. Gerrymandering is still in place in many states. Poll workers are still being threatened, and we have one-party rule in many states across the union so those constants remain. The good news, though, is that many of the candidates who were quoted as denying Biden’s rightful election were trounced.”

Essentially, there are a variety of factors, issues and variables that affect the Republican Party to gain power within New York, but these so-called constants also exist outside of New York. And, while they are real and their power is felt, those realities are compounded by the presence of what Political Critic Benjamin DeMott has termed, “junk politics.” Junk politics refers to the way elections are conducted, speeches are given, the characters candidates create and the overall political culture within America. Junk politics minimize issues by personalizing them, avoids clarity and is heavily reliant upon pathos. Demott said junk politics prevents “interruption in the processes and practices that strengthen existing, interlocking systems of socioeconomic advantage.”

It’s important to understand the power of junk politics as it relates to the way Republican candidates and the party as a whole attempt to gain and secure power. Junk politics is much of the reason for the stress and chaos many voters feel when discussing politics. The general feeling of tension and resentment between voters and the growing societal issues are rooted in junk politics.

The constant drama is a result of the way both parties inflate and dramatize issues, the way political issues have become synonymous with personal values and become entwined with personal identity, even religion. The way politics always seem to take an optimistic tone when discussing America creates scapegoats that blame minorities and counterculture, when, in actuality, Americans are struggling, wage gaps are growing, violence is rising and the pandemic still rages on. The culprits are not over sea terrorists, illegal immigrants or drag queens, but political parties, big corporations, “benevolent billionaires,” corrupt legislature and, biggest of all, the media. As a result, it is the culture of America itself.

Journalist Chris Hedges takes the stance that as a voluntarily illiterate culture, one who chooses not to read, one who prefers simplicity and chooses not to analyze, but rather to internalize and imitate, has fallen victim to these villains, especially when considering media and politics. The Republican Party is especially good at dramatizing real issues and creating attention-grabbing headlines, stories, photo-ops and taglines. They weaponize the media and politics itself in a way the Democrats simply cannot. Republicans are brash and shocking and create hot topics that spawn controversy and personalization like no other. And thus they create drama, they create something intoxicating and confusing, something mind-warping.

Suddenly, when one doesn’t read, when one isn’t media literate, when one chooses to agree that the issues facing this country can be solved by building a wall and banishing valid and life-saving reproductive health procedures and policies, the media wins. There is only so much shelf space in a nightly newscast or a tweet. Issues need to be condensed and inflated, emotions must rule because ethos and logos are simply not as powerful, historical context erodes social consciousness and all that matters is what the media decides matters. In an era of increasing bias in media and the reality that is in fact a business whose CEOs and investors are the same that lobby in campaigns, it matters.

America falls victim to the charade of drama that is created in political media and it is then translated into real politics. It creates a vicious cycle that capitalizes off of fear-mongering and a lack of education among its victims. When a culture is uneducated and voluntarily illiterate it is cut off from the past and seeks only escapism and simplicity; one who believes in black and white because the gray area is too complicated. The reality is that life and politics are complex, the issues that plague us are complex and the causes of those issues are equally as complex. They create very big and real emotions and traumas of all kinds and those things can be easily prayed upon. New York may be blue now, and the country may have a Democratic President, but another Trump presidency is not a pipe dream. Junk politics and the power of spectacle can mobilize even the most distant of voters and can sway even the most loyal–especially when all one has is a biased media source.

It may seem theoretical and a little out there, but the reality remains the current system is toxic and that toxicity may be killing its voters but it’s strengthening the system. The only way to truly take back power is to allow for complexity and intellectualism to come back into our cultural consciousness, to embrace reality rather than the illusionist spectacle.

that “after four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, I’m having to say a very teary goodbye. I hope many of you could see yourself in her like I did and that she brought you joy to see her journey into the character she is today. I put all my care and love into her and I hope you guys could feel it. Love you Katherine Hernandez.” While the animosity was not addressed directly, fans are still left to speculate if this in-fighting was indeed the reason Ferreira bid Euphoria a tearful farewell.

The show has endured much criticism other than its treatment of Kat. Representation as a whole has continued to be a topic of discussion when considering “Euphoria.” The drama is solely written by creator Sam Levinson, a white man. This is important in considering one of the main criticisms of the show is its lack of racial diversity. The former black male lead, McKay, portrayed by Algee Smith, is written nearly entirely out of season 2 and has the stereotype of being a hyper-athletic football player. When his character is sexually assaulted, the show pays little mind to it, his trauma is never discussed again in the show after the incident occurs.

In season two, Elliot, portrayed by Dominic Fike, is introduced yet he mainly serves as a form of temptation for protagonist Rue, portrayed by Zendaya, by being primarily depicted as a drug addict. Many of the critiques of “Euphoria” could be combated by expanding the writing staff. Where the show shines tends to be in Rue’s storylines, the highlights of each season, as she struggles against her warped self-image, the trauma of losing a parent and drug abuse—drug abuse that Levinson suffered under himself. It is clear that in topics Levinson may relate to, his writing shines,

but in regard to issues of other underrepresented groups, he is fearfully out of his element.

Despite these controversies, “Euphoria” remains popular, being only behind “Game of Thrones” in terms of viewership on HBO. Season three is likely to follow a similar audience of millions and be subject to even more weekly discussions on social media. However, if season three does not address many of the valid criticisms fans have, it is not impossible to consider that viewership will decline as people become sick and tired of stereotypes on their television screens week after week.

Credit: @colleenhoover on Instagram

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I S C ES

Sagittarius Horoscopes

BY PRIYA PERSAUD, Opinion & Editorial Editor

SAGITTARIUS

Sagittarius, welcome to your sea- son! Though you may have been going through hardships recently, these situations will finally come to a close and allow you to protect your wellbeing. Your friends will also appreciate your innate desire to be spontaneous during this time period and therefore be better receptive towards whatever plans you con- ceive. Loved for your pursuit of adventure,freedom, and forth- right manner, this season invites you to enwrap your- self in what you enjoy.

Capricorn,whyareyouneverthe firstonetobreak?Itmaybedifficultto seeyourcompanionshipsassomethingbeyonditemstobewon,but yourhesitancetoexpressthese affectionsmaymakeyoulose thoseyoucaresodeeplyabout. There’slikelyacurrentpressuretouttercertainwords thatyou’vebeenneglecting,outoffearoflosing control,butSagittarius seasonispushingyou tobeconfrontational withyouremo-tions,regardless oftheriskofwhatprideand powercould belost.

Pisces, you may be beginning to feel homesick during Sagittarius season. With the sun transiting your fourth house of home and family, this is only natural. Make the time to check in on your loved ones, and spend time with those around you who feel like home. The holiday break is not too far ahead, so hold out optimism in the meantime. Furthermore, if you’ve been having the urge to spruce up yourenvironment,nowis the time to decorate to your heart’s content.

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LIBRA

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