THE
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T HE T UFTS DAILY
VOLUME LXXXIII, ISSUE 21
MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.
Monday, February 28, 2022
Ayanna Pressley addresses challenges to democracy, Russian violence, SCOTUS at Speaker Series event by Daniel Vos Staff Writer
Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts’ Seventh Congressional District spoke to the Tufts community about the path to building a multiracial democracy on Feb. 24 as part of Tisch College’s Solomont Speaker Series. It was the second time in recent years that Pressley has been featured in a Tisch College event, with the first coming just months after she first assumed office in 2019. The Africana Center, Tufts CIVIC, the Tufts Democrats and the Department of Political Science co-sponsored the event, which took place over Zoom. University President Anthony Monaco opened the event by discussing Rep. Pressley’s journey through local and federal government. Pressley was the first Black woman elected to the Boston City Council and the first Black woman elected to Congress in Massachusetts. Monaco emphasized Rep. Pressley’s background, referencing her work in strengthening the sexual health curriculum in Boston
public schools, addressing gun violence and supporting the economic development of underserved communities. He also introduced the event’s moderator, Wilnelia Rivera (A’04, AG’14), founder of the political and nonprofit consulting firm Rivera Consulting. Monaco credited Rivera as being “instrumental” in electing Massachusetts’ first Black governor, Deval Patrick, as well as Pressley. “Our vision here and work at Tisch College is the idea and commitment that we have an opportunity and an obligation to support all young people as we build and sustain a multiracial democracy in our country,” Rivera said in her introductory remarks. Rivera began the conversation by asking Pressley to explain what a multiracial democracy looks like and what roadblocks stand in the way of achieving it. “In theory … a multiracial democracy is one in which every voter has equal access to the ballot box, opportunity to run for office and to make their voice heard for themselves and for their broader community,” Pressley said.
The congresswoman mentioned the aftershocks of the Jan. 6 insurrection and numerous “voter suppression laws” that have subsequently arisen in state legislatures as major blows to a multiracial democracy. “We have seen precise and coordinated efforts to undermine civic participation by putting up roadblocks to voter registration, decreasing opportunities to vote, passing laws to overturn the will of voters,” Pressley said. “Robust levels of participation across demographics and geography are necessary to ensure that the issues that are so often forgotten or swept under the rug are brought to the front burner and addressed in meaningful and substantive ways.” The discussion then moved to the anticipated Supreme Court vacancy and President Joe Biden’s commitment to nominating a Black woman to fill it. “I’m excited that we’ll shortly have the nomination of the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, after 115 Supreme Court justices,” Pressley said. “I’m also a believer that we should be expanding the courts, but that’s a conversation for another day.”
tuftsdaily.com
KIANA VALLO / THE TUFTS DAILY
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (top) speaks with Wilnelia Rivera (A’04, AG’14) as part of Tisch College’s Solomont Speaker Series on Feb. 24. One day after Pressley spoke to the community on Thursday, news broke that President Biden had tapped Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to fill Justice Stephen
Breyer’s seat on the high court. If Jackson is confirmed by the Senate, she will become the first Black see PRESSLEY, page 2
Booster shot requirement goes into effect amid COVID-19 surge by Madeline Mueller Assistant News Editor
Tufts’ COVID-19 booster shot requirement for students, faculty and staff went into effect on Feb. 15. As announced on Dec. 16, 2021, all community members who were eligible to get a booster shot before Jan. 15 are expected to have uploaded proof of their
additional vaccination, or documentation of a valid medical or religious accommodation, to the online health portal. Eligible individuals include anyone over the age of 12 who has received their two-dose vaccination series five or more months ago or a single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine two or more months ago.
Compliance with the booster requirement among eligible individuals has not been an issue so far, according to University Infection Control Health Director Michael Jordan. “The university community has been excellent in meeting its obligations to be vaccinated and boosted. Compliance is very high,” Jordan wrote in an email
ELIN SHIH / THE TUFTS DAILY
PCR test samples collected at the Testing Center are pictured on Feb. 11.
to the Daily. “We have needed to make very few accommodations for those seeking medical or religious exemptions.” The university offered a series of booster shot clinics to help eligible community members more easily receive their booster shot. Claire Ammirato got her booster shot through a clinic offered at Tufts before winter break. She initially had some difficulty in learning about when the clinics were offered. “I had tried myself to … look online to see if they were having booster shot clinics at the testing center and I could not find any information,” Ammirato, a sophomore said. “It wasn’t super clear that [clinics] were happening. But I got it nonetheless.” Community members who are eligible but have not received a booster shot or uploaded the appropriate documentation may face consequences now that the deadline has passed. “Per university policy, students without documentation of having received a booster shot or having a valid medical or religious accommodation will be considered noncompliant with the university’s COVID-19 vaccination policy, and we will be addressing them individually,” Jordan
FEATURES / page 3
ARTS / page 5
SPORTS / back
The stories and service of Tufts’ ROTC members
Critical Role goes Prime in “The Legend of Vox Machina”
Talking tennis, time management with Sophie Wax
wrote. “Staff who do not comply with this policy can be subject to unpaid leave, suspension, or other disciplinary action up to and including termination.” Ammirato found uploading documentation to the online portal to be straightforward, particularly after receiving a reminder email. “I happened to see the email that [said], ‘make sure to upload it,’ and then I did,” Ammirato said. “I don’t think it’s that much of a hassle. I think especially when you’re dealing with healthcare and medicine, everything has to be documented. [The portal upload is] just a better way to make sure everyone has documentation on getting a booster no matter where they got it.” Certain COVID-19 guidelines have evolved during the spring semester, such as the recent decrease in student testing cadence. Jordan noted that the university seeks to prioritize health and safety when policies change. The deadline for compliance came as the Tufts community experienced a wave of COVID-19 cases, including its largest single-week case numbers so far. Demand for isolation housing see BOOSTER, page 2 NEWS
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