Local Medford and Somerville leaders, as well as Massachusetts state leaders, have strengthened their response to the detainment of Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk. Elected officials released a joint statement, and the Medford City Council passed an official resolution for her release.
On April 3, Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn, State Sen. Patricia Jehlen, three state representatives and all members of the Somerville City Council released a statement calling for Öztürk’s release and the upholding of constitutional freedoms.
“Based on what we know and there being no criminal violations, we call for the immediate release of Rümeysa Öztürk and the restoration of her student visa, not only so that she may return to her studies and contribute to our communities but so that we as a great country can honor our democratic systems, protect our
liberty, and uphold the law,” the statement read.
The statement originated in Ballantyne’s office, according to Somerville City Councilor at-Large Jake Wilson, who says councilors were given the opportunity to sign it on the day it was eventually released.
Lungo-Koehn was the sole Medford official to sign on to the statement, as city councilors were not notified or asked to sign, according to Isaac “Zac” Bears, Medford city council president.
However, Lungo-Koehn has been criticized by members of the Medford City Council for an inadequate level of vocal support for Öztürk. Bears says he would like to see a statement directly from Lungo-Koehn to be released.
“I would like to see the mayor issue a statement on behalf of the Office of the Mayor and on behalf of the city, not just join a statement,” he said to the Daily.
The Medford City Council unanimously passed a resolution in its
see LOCAL OFFICIALS, page 2
Ballantyne announces reelection bid for 3rd term
Anika Parr News Editor
On March 24, Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne officially announced her reelection bid. She is seeking a third term since her initial election in 2021, facing declared challengers including Somerville City Councilors at-Large Jake Wilson and Willie Burnley Jr., as well as Somerville resident Jason Mackey.
Ballantyne marked her tenure by her achievements in housing and fiscal reform, including the creation of the Early Acquisition Fund, which facilitated the development of 16 income-restricted housing units, and her distribution of rental subsidies, which helped 29 families secure permanent housing. Her fiscal reforms also earned Somerville its first-ever AAA bond rating, lowering the city’s borrowing costs, which the city has maintained for three years.
“I’ll focus on continuing the momentum and the progress that I built in my first three years,” Ballantyne said. “My leadership is making Somerville more affordable and equitable.”
Ballantyne believes that the continuity she would bring to the position if reelected makes her a strong candidate, particularly given current political uncertainty.
“I feel strongly that we can’t afford to elect an inexperienced person,” Ballantyne stated. “There’s too much at stake … especially as the Constitution and our shared values are being attacked.”
If reelected, Ballantyne said she would be committed to ensuring that all residents can actively participate in policy-making processes.
“When we’re developing policy for major decisions, I always work to organize task forces and working groups and community forums with neighborhood discussion as the platform for dialogue and collaboration. I truly believe that progress can only be achieved … when those who are most effective have a seat at the table to help develop the policies that will affect them,” Ballantyne said.
Ballantyne promises to keep hosting City Hall Community
The Office of the President sent a declaration signed by University President Sunil Kumar in support of Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk, in an email to the Tufts community on April 2. Executed on April 1, Kumar’s declaration was filed as an affidavit in a motion for her release on April 1.
The declaration affirms Öztürk’s good standing within the university and confirms she did not violate any university policy for co-authoring an op-ed in the Daily, which is the only reason currently cited by the government for her arrest.
The declaration further confirmed the circumstances leading up to her arrest as well as the notice the university received of her visa being terminated after.
This affidavit and declaration, signed by Kumar, presents an effort by Tufts leadership to push back against the actions of President Donald Trump’s administration currently affecting international students and higher education at large.
Most recently, on Monday, Harvard University announced that it would not comply with the demands from the Trump administration ordering the university to dismantle diversity programs, limit student protests and submit to federal audits.
The Trump administration has responded with a funding freeze of $2.2 billion in federal grants and of a $60 million contract. The administration has further threatened to withdraw the university’s tax-exempt status.
Despite the Columbia University’s initial strategy of
appeasement, less than 12 hours after Harvard became the first university to refuse to comply with the administration, on Tuesday, Columbia’s acting president, Claire Shipman, sent a message to students and faculty expressing the institution’s intentions to reject any federal demand that would compromise the “independence and autonomy” of the university.
As of now, Tufts has not received a list of demands from the Trump administration. Members of the Tufts community, however, are waiting to see how Tufts leadership might respond, including professors within the university.
“There’s a lot of movement among professors at other universities to encourage their leaders to act together, which is a better way to coordinate,” Deborah Schildkraut, professor of political science, said. “It was my hope also that the President Kumar statement would also serve as a catalyst for those types of discussions for collective action.”
Schildkraut expressed her support for the publishing of Kumar’s declaration to the Tufts community and her support for Öztürk’s case.
“I actually wrote a letter to President Kumar — I think it was the day after that [declaration] came out — thanking him for doing so and saying that I hoped he would serve as a model for other university leaders to stand up for their students, to stand up for academic freedom and to stand up for due process.”
Natasha Warikoo, professor of sociology and education, shared a similar sentiment in regards to the relationship between higher education and the Trump administration.
Warikoo described the situation as “uncharted territory” when anticipating the response of universities to the Trump administration’s actions. She also noted the potential implications of the administration on higher education for prospective international students.
“Frankly, I would be surprised if the same number of students from abroad choose to make a deposit to a United States university in the next few weeks, as they have in the past, because I’m sure this is a terrifying situation,” Warikoo said.
“International students are actually a big source of revenue … because they are much less likely to be on financial aid than domestic students. Even some colleges that are need-blind or not need-blind for international students — that will be economically, for universities around the country, problematic,” Warikoo said.
Warikoo points out that inaction brings its own set of risks. “It’s a risk to our integrity as a university,” she said. “It’s a risk to the feelings of safety and belonging of our international students [who may think] that if something horrendous like this happens, the university is just gonna not do anything.”
Schildkraut also acknowledged that given the unpredictability of the administration, there’s an inherent risk attached to Kumar’s decision to make the declaration.
As universities continue to respond to the Trump administration’s demands, what started as a strategy of appeasement has turned into greater pushback.
“It seems like there’s a risk no matter what you do, so you may as well do the thing that tries to defend and protect your students,” Schildkraut said.
NATALIE BROWNSELL / THE TUFTS DAILY
The home of Tufts’ Political Science Department, Packard Hall, is pictured.
City councilors call on Tufts to protect students, faculty
April 8 meeting condemning the “abduction” and calling for Öztürk’s immediate release, while also calling for increased public comment from elected officials.
“It is the obligation of our local, state, and federal government to uphold and protect the rights of our residents, permanent and temporary, all of whom are protected by the United States Constitution,” the resolution reads.
The resolution also calls for an update from Tufts on what steps are being implemented to “protect their students, faculty, and staff from similar abductions by ICE in the future and to protect their community’s right to exercise freedom of speech, assembly, and to petition the government.”
Rocco DiRico, the executive director for the Government & Community Relations team at Tufts, provided a statement to the Medford City Council acknowledging the frightening nature of the events and reassuring students, faculty and staff that the university was gathering resources to ensure their safety.
“We are in touch with local, state and federal elected officials and hope that Rümeysa is provided the opportunity to avail herself of her due process rights,”
the statement, read aloud in the April 8 meeting, said.
Local officials also responded to reporting from The Washington Post, published on Sunday, on an internal U.S. State Department memo, written before Öztürk’s detainment, claiming there is insufficient evidence that Öztürk supported terrorist groups or that there was a legal justification to revoke her visa.
“I’m not surprised at all to see that they knew that this was a nothing burger, that this is just a case of, basically, targeted harassment aimed at someone with different political opinions than the regime in charge in Washington,” Wilson said.
“It was a really disturbing and shocking article that pretty much
laid bare that there’s no justification for the detention in the first place,” Bears said.
Outside of public displays of support for Öztürk, local governments are working to ensure residents stay informed about immigration-related issues and rights.
Wilson says it can be challenging, given that federal agents have jurisdiction that Somerville officials cannot interfere with, though he says it is most important for people to know their rights.
“We want to build a sense of community where neighbors know each other and that there’s that safety net,” he said. “We also need to not be out there providing assurances of safety that we can’t uphold. The reality is
Ballantyne’s challengers promise to eliminate inefficiencies, improve road safety
Meetings and has made them more accessible in every ward by offering them in different languages.
Jason Mackey, a Somerville resident and newcomer to local politics, argues that Somerville’s leadership is in need of change.
“We need someone from the outside who can come in and provide a fresh perspective on all the problems we’re dealing with,” Mackey said. “Right now, all the problems are because of these folks in charge [at] the moment … they failed to act.”
He cited the Winter Hill School — declared structurally unsound in 2023 and still unoccupied — as an example of the current administration’s failure to solve problems.
“It’s stuck in committee or stuck in feasibility studies, and we’re not expecting to have anything done until 2031 or 2032,” Mackey said. “That’s too long. We can go faster.”
Mackey believes he can eliminate what he identifies as inefficiencies within Somerville’s current administration and drive change at a faster pace.
“I’m not a legislator,” Mackey stated. “I know how to get things done … I can make tough decisions, and that’s ultimately what we need — a mayor that is capable and willing to execute as chief executive and get things done.”
Councilor at-Large Jake Wilson also identifies executive management as one of his strengths — a quality he believes rivals that of the current mayor.
“This is an executive position, so voters are going to be looking
federal agents — they have jurisdiction. They’re able to come in and do these things, even as legally dubious as they might be here in the case of Rümeysa. We cannot interfere.”
Wilson points to organizations like the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that provides immigrant and refugee rights information, and LUCE Immigration Justice Network of MA, which maintains a hotline to report the presence of ICE, as helpful resources.
“I’m open to creative, out-ofthe-box solutions, whether that’s something that the city does or maybe something we can do regionally with other city governments in the area,” Bears said.
for someone with good leadership and management skills and experience,” Wilson said. “For that reason, our campaign’s current view is that I’m the only viable challenger in this race.”
Aware of constituent concerns, Wilson promises not only to be focused on the housing crisis and challenges posed by the federal administration but also to prioritize transparency if elected.
“As a mayor, I would be accessible and available to my bosses — the public out in the community. I’ll continue to be out there. I hold regular office hours. I would keep doing that as mayor,” Wilson said. “The mayor’s office door will always be open, in contrast to the current situation where people encounter a locked mayor’s office door and are told they need an appointment.”
All three candidates emphasized their commitment to improving road safety — a key concern for constituents. Wilson acknowledged that residents remain concerned about traffic enforcement, as well as the enforcement of regulations to address issues impacting residents’ quality of life.
“I hear pleas from the community for enforcement of our traffic laws, of our parking regulations, of ordinances around snow and ice removal on the sidewalks of the contributing factors to rodent issues,” he explained.
Councilor at-Large Willie Burnley Jr. did not respond to a request for an interview but previously shared with the Daily his priorities, which include improving street safety, expanding tenant rights and advocating for social justice.
GRACE ROTERMUND / THE TUFTS DAILY
Medford City Hall is pictured on March 12, 2021.
VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Mayor Ballantyne is pictured speaking at a press conference about the MBTA.
BALLANTYNE continued from the front
LOCAL OFFICIALS continued from the front
Deepfakes, the fight for truth in science
danger of containing misleading and false content that can ultimately do harm.
implications for the effectiveness of information literacy and critical media analysis.
Imagine if anyone — or anything — could perfectly copy your voice or face and spread it online. A flawless imitation, indistinguishable from the real you, saying things you never said, showing up in places you’ve never been. How would that change the way you see yourself? How would it feel to lose control over your own image, your own sound?
Would you start questioning everything you hear or see online — wondering not just if something is true, but if it’s even real? How would this shift your sense of reality, your trust in the media, your relationships with others? If your identity could be copied and repurposed with ease, what does authenticity even mean anymore?
The term “deepfakes” is used to describe the use of digital technology, specifically artificial intelligence, to fabricate media such as images, videos and audio in an effort to make them appear real. “Deepfake” is an umbrella term that can include anything from superimposing a person’s face onto another person’s body to creating a voice memo of your favorite celebrity saying “Happy Birthday” to you — even though they never actually said it.
As AI technology continues to improve, deepfakes pose a greater
One of the biggest dangers deepfakes pose is the threat to the integrity of scientific research. Scientific communication relies on the integrity and authenticity of data. AI-generated media has the potential to fabricate or alter visual and audio information that could mislead researchers, policymakers or the public if disseminated as genuine. Inaccurate information, if perceived as credible, could affect decision-making processes in fields such as public health, environmental science or policy making.
Public health communication, in particular, could be gravely affected. In times of crisis, such as in pandemics or environmental disasters, clear and accurate messaging from trusted experts is crucial. Imagine a deepfake video of a well-known epidemiologist spreading false information about a vaccine. If such a video went viral, the damage to public health efforts could be immense.
This concern is reinforced by a recent national survey, which found that about 33% to 50% of people in a sample population could not distinguish between real videos and deepfakes. This suggests that a significant portion of the public may struggle to detect synthetic media, which has
Audio deepfakes are another growing threat. Audio clips where the voices of real people are cloned by machines can make it sound like they are saying things they never said. They are particularly accessible in comparison to videos due to lower production costs and technical requirements.
These audio files can also circulate rapidly online, which can be dangerous. In one example, an audio clip attributed to Vice President JD Vance, which included critical remarks about Elon Musk, gained widespread attention before being confirmed as artificially generated.
So, how should we go about combating deepfakes? There are a couple of possible solutions. First, we could create development guidelines that clearly lay out the ethical uses of such technology. These guidelines would provide boundaries for developers and help prevent misuse. Second, we need to invest in and create new technology tools that can detect deepfakes — tools capable of analyzing all the subtle cues and inconsistencies that give away fake media.
Researchers have already made it clear: We are not yet prepared to properly combat the AI audio deepfakes that are
becoming increasingly sophisticated. In many cases, even close friends or family members of the person whose voice has been faked cannot tell the difference. Because of this, it’s critical that we develop better detection tools and systems.
Ongoing research is being conducted into technological responses to synthetic media. These include detection systems that can analyze audio or visual files for inconsistencies or signs of AI generation. Such tools aim to support verification efforts by identifying markers not typically perceivable by the human eye or ear.
Scientific journals, media platforms and educational institutions are also examining methods to address the dissemination of AI-generated misinformation. For example, content verification protocols and user reporting mechanisms are being implemented or evaluated for efficacy in digital environments.
Additionally, AI-generated media detection tools have potential beneficial roles in secondary applications of scientific research quality control. These tools could be adapted to detect anomalies or manipulations in research data, supporting broader efforts to ensure research integrity.
Educational programs focused on digital literacy and critical
thinking are also being explored as a strategy to increase awareness of synthetic media. Curricula that emphasize media evaluation and analytical reasoning can provide students and citizens with the skills needed to assess the credibility of digital content. These approaches are aligned with broader science education goals aimed at fostering informed public engagement with scientific and technological issues.
The effects of deepfake technologies on science and education continue to be a subject of active investigation. Ongoing research and interdisciplinary collaboration are contributing to the development of tools, frameworks and educational models that aim to address both the challenges and potential applications of synthetic media.
The future impact of deepfakes will depend heavily on how the scientific and educational communities address these challenges and leverage the opportunities they present. By creating effective misinformation detection tools, upholding strong ethical standards and implementing research-based educational strategies, we can ensure that deep learning in science is not only protected from the threat of deepfakes but actually strengthened by our efforts to counter them.
Pia Sodhi Contributing Writer
VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
A man’s face is altered by deepfake technology.
ARTS & POP CULTURE
Where music meets fantasy: ‘The Locked Groove’
Dominic Matos Staff Writer
Earlier this semester, I was presented with the opportunity to work on Abby Sommers’ senior thesis film project, “The Locked Groove.” After seeing her outstanding film, “The King of Clarke County Middle School,” at the 2024 Film and Media Studies Program film screening, I knew I did not want to miss out on this. Now, nearly three months since the shoot, I decided to sit down and talk to them about the process.
“The Locked Groove” tells the somber tale of Putter (Courtney St. Gelais) and Joanne (Gwynnethe Stacia Glickman), who fight desperately to keep both their record store and their relationship from sinking. Music plays a prominent role in this queer love story and allows it to meld fantasy and reality.
Big picture first: What idea came first in the vision for this film?
“When I submitted my proposal last year, it wasn’t about a bookstore, and it wasn’t a romance. I knew I wanted to write something gay, and I wanted to write something that was kind of like an homage to queer activism in the ’70s,” Sommers
said.” So I was looking into spaces that existed, and there was this bookstore in New York City in the ’70s. It was sort of this lesbian bookstore that was a hub of activism. … So the idea of the books opening up and there being this world inside of them was there from the beginning.”
But after consulting with their advisor, Sommers remembered that she doesn’t actually read that much. So they opted for music instead.
My biggest curiosity, however, stemmed from her film’s title.
A locked groove is a feature on some vinyls that is placed at the end to stop the needle from going into the label area and instead loops infinitely.
“The first real breakthrough I had in the plot was this sound — the locked groove sound — and that was because … I have a record player in my room, and usually, when it gets to the locked groove, it just automatically lifts up and turns off. But my girlfriend got me this custom record that was a little weird … and the record player couldn’t read it … so it stayed. One night I woke up at three in the morning to this clicking sound … and then I realized it was coming from my record player. I remembered that [sound] when I was trying to write
this script, and … that’s a pretty cool concept that’s specific to this medium of a vinyl record. … I feel there’s some symbolism there … so that. … ended up being this sort of like fantasy versus reality thing,” Sommers said.
It was inspiring to learn that this concept of the locked groove came naturally and was mostly an accident. What’s cooler is learning how it shaped the plot of the film. In the story, Putter has fantasies about how she and Joanne can live happily ever after without worrying about the reality of their financial situation. Music transports Putter to this alternate world, and when records reach their last rotation, it’s always a rude awakening.
“[For some locked grooves], artists will put music in it, or they will do something cool, so the end of the record will just continue forever. It’s something that artists have used artistically and creatively. Then I kind of got this idea for, like, ‘What exists in the locked groove after the music is over? After the fantasy is over, what could stay?’”
The motif of the locked groove and its analogy to Putter’s dreams are conveyed in the film through creative framing and music choices.
“I’m hoping that it’s a little more obvious in the screening because the idea is that every time this clicking comes in, they … get snapped out of the
fantasy and out of their relationship with each other. At the very end, they stay in an embrace while the clicking goes and then eventually this ghostly music fades in underneath the clicking. So … if you wait long enough and you sit in it … there is something there.”
Putter’s attachment to music comes directly from Sommers’ love of the art form. Not only is it a driving force in their filmmaking, but they also see it as a medium for bringing people together, often using songs written by their family and friends in their films.
“The Locked Groove” can be seen at the FMS Student Film Festival: Senior Honors Thesis on May 1 in Room LL08 in Barnum Hall.
Senior Spotlight: Jack Cline’s path to theatre, aspirations beyond Tufts
Tufts senior Jack Cline studies environmental studies and race, colonialism and diaspora with a minor in music. Initially, he didn’t believe a career in the arts was sustainable. However, their experiences over the past four years have dramatically reshaped their perspective, leading them to pursue a career as a pianist.
“I was like, I’m gonna get my little environmental science job, and then I’m gonna maybe play a little on the side,” Cline said.
A pianist for most of his life, Cline has explored a wide range of musical genres, from classical to jazz to musical theatre. Upon arriving at Tufts, they joined Torn Ticket II, the university’s only student-run musical theatre group, where they took on the roles of pianist and music director. Recently, Cline participated in the “Cabaret” performance at Balch Arena Theater as the production’s associate music director.
Cline’s first major production was “The Rocky Horror Show” at Central Square Theatre in the fall of 2023, during their junior year. As the music director, he had a blast playing around with the show’s campiness, horror, and rock and roll energy. Despite
balancing a full-time academic schedule, they performed around six shows weekly.
“I gained so much from being able to build and connect with a life outside of Tufts and meet these real working artists,” Cline shared.
His engagement with theatre beyond the university setting has allowed him to find his place in the broader theatre community, establish a reputation as an artist and confirm that a career in theatre is a realistic and sustainable ambition.
Maurice Parent, professor of the practice in the Department
of Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies at Tufts and an established actor and director himself, was influential in helping Cline find opportunities in the Boston theatre scene.
Currently, Cline is working on “The Spitfire Grill” at The Umbrella Arts Center in Concord. This heartwarming musical, written and directed by Lee David Zlotoff, is inspired by the 1996 film of the same name. It features a captivating blend of American folk rhythms and soaring melodies.
After graduation, Cline plans to split their time between
Boston and New York. He aspires to perform on Broadway, join a national tour and contribute to new plays and musicals. They also hope to broaden their musical expertise by exploring diverse musical styles, potentially visiting Brazil to delve into bossa nova and samba.
Integrating his studies in environmentalism, RCD and music, Cline aims to critically examine the origins, perspectives and impacts of the stories he tells. Ultimately, Cline aims to convey that today’s issues are woven into the American zeitgeist, marked by tensions
surrounding race, capitalism and colonialism. Through the stories they share in their music and productions, they endeavor to contribute meaningfully to broader societal conversations. While Cline recognizes that the theatre industry is a business and that certain things must be done to make oneself marketable, he strives to balance authenticity with professional appeal. Their focus remains on creating art that resonates on a deeper level, fostering understanding and connection among audiences. He draws inspiration from Grace Lee Boggs, Chinese American civil rights and labor activist, who famously said, “Transform yourself to transform the world.”
Cline’s journey exemplifies the powerful intersection of academia and art, illustrating how diverse fields can inform and enrich one another. Their efforts to blend environmental studies and RCD with their artistic pursuits not only enhance their creative endeavors but also foster a deeper understanding of the world around us. As he embarks on his career outside Tufts, Cline aspires to expand into the national theatre scene, helping to tell new stories and encourage audiences to reflect on the narratives that shape our society.
COURTESY ELISEO VIGIL
Courtney St. Gelais and Gwynnethe Stacia Glickman are pictured in “The Locked Groove.”
Fiona Hinrichsen Assistant Arts Editor
COURTESY MIA ROSE
Jack Cline is pictured in the WMFO studio.
‘Sinners’ is an
exploration of our blues
Ryan Coogler has struck gold with his new Southern gothic horror period piece “Sinners.”
Set in 1932, the movie follows a set of twins, Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan), as they return to their hometown in Mississippi after a seven-year venture into the casino scene of Chicago. The two businessmen plan to open a juke joint for their home community to enjoy food, drinks and — most importantly — the blues. Smoke and Stack travel around their small town, recruiting old friends to help put together a new space for the largely nonwhite community — a necessity, especially in the era of Jim Crow.
Just in time for their grand opening, the juke welcomes the community for a night to remember. However, things quickly take a turn when three white vampires appear, looking for entry into the nonwhite space. When denied at the door, they turn to play their folk music just outside, soon drawing in more and more people to their cult while sucking the life — and music — out of their victims. Full of allegory, music and a touch of horror, “Sinners” unfolds a fascinating story in its 137-minute runtime.
The cast is packed, with Jordan pulling double duty as the close, yet very distinct, twins Smoke and Stack. Smoke, the older of the two and decked out in blue accent colors, is protective of his younger brother and greater family. Stack, cunning in his red accents, is always ready to jump into an opportunity or risk. Jordan molds two sharp personalities for each twin and allows for their relationship to speak for itself. While simple camera tricks and splitting Smoke and Stack up for a large portion of the film allow Jordan to fall deep into each role, some of the best moments come when the two brothers are working together.
Merry Jiao
Read, Write and Be Merry
‘The
Bee Sting’ by Paul Murray
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for “The Bee Sting” by Paul Murray.
Folks, this is it. The last iteration of this epic, earth-shattering column that was initially cooked up in a dusty old basement under Curtis Hall in the wee hours of the morning. It’s been such a delightful journey for me, from
Jordan’s work with the twins is also evident in their respective love interests. Mary (Hailee Steinfeld) is Stack’s former girlfriend — a multiracial woman who was able to marry into privilege after their relationship ended. Stack’s return to the South and the juke venture bring the two back together. Unfortunately for everyone, Stack’s undying love for Mary and the arrival of a trio of white folk allow for evil to seep into the venue. Smoke is also able to reconnect with a lost love in Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), a Hoodoo conjurer. The two, while sharing limited screen time, have a connection that transcends the physical realm. In the end, it is the love they share for each other that allows their souls to find peace together.
Li Jun Li’s performance as Grace Chow, a grocery store owner and unofficial sign designer, is also captivating. Although Li may not have as much screen time as her co-stars, she brings raw energy into her most powerful scenes. Grace’s decisions reflect the struggles and complexities of motherhood when sacrifices are made to protect those we love. Grace is perhaps the most sympathetic and intriguing character to connect to throughout the film. Likewise, Pearline (Jayme Lawson) is a force of beauty and talent. Pearline’s live performance of “Pale, Pale Moon” at the juke is a reason in itself to see this film.
A delightful addition to this cast is someone you may not have known was the focal center of “Sinners” — Miles Caton as Preacher Boy Sammie. Caton makes his film debut as Sammie, the younger cousin of Smoke and Stack. The son of a preacher, Sammie spends his days working on the plantation to help provide for his four younger siblings. Although he works out of duty to his family, Sammie’s heart is in music and the blues, with his guitar constantly in his head for most of the film. Despite the marketing, “Sinners” is about
browsing the shelves at Waterstones in Chelsea to digging through stacks at Porter Square Books in Cambridge, as I try to find the next best read.
And so, for our final hurrah, I went all in: this 600-page masterpiece, cooked up by an absolute genius, that I had already been eyeing months ago but never committed to buying until a couple of days ago. Paul Murray’s “The Bee Sting” has a lengthy list of accolades — and rightly so — because it is one of those books that fundamentally alters your understanding of what stories are possible and how books can be written.
Everything that you need to know about the plot is given to you in the synopsis. The book features a family where every character — Dickie, Imelda, Cass and PJ — is facing a distinct tipping point in their
Sammie and follows a single day that, although one of the best of his life, changes things forever for the boy. Caton delivers the most outstanding performances throughout the film, infusing every scene with an addictive energy that the cast can’t help but feed off of.
In addition to the cast, the biggest draw of Coogler’s script is its intimate relationship with time. The heart of the film lies in its ability to blend together time, allowing the ancestors to live in its space as a guide and a reminder. In one powerful scene, Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) explains to Sammie and Stack how he knows the prisoners singing on the side of the road as they performed manual labor in the hot sun. Slim recalls the stages he once shared with the men, the joy they all created through their music and their ambitions to escape their small town. These ambitions were quietly squashed when one of the men was unlawfully lynched by a group of racist men in a train station. As Slim tells the story, we can hear the past events in the background, although they are not shown on the screen. Slim then breaks out into song, the music simply fighting its way through his lips. This moment racks your body, reminding the audience that, although
life. Cass has a toxic relationship with her best friend and is drinking her way through her finals. Dickie is getting blackmailed and gradually turning to conspiracy-level crazed apocalyptic missions in the woods. Imelda is in distress about the lack of money and is busy fighting her own mental demons. PJ is fearful of a potential divorce and wants to run away. So, you have a band of weird main characters. And what’s so special about that? Well, the fundamental question that the author asks is: What started it all? How did we get to this point, with a family so messed up nobody ever communicates, and they live in a house filled with pervasive self-hatred and disgust?
Was it when Dickie was assaulted by a man he met in college? Was it when Imelda chose to get
we may not always be able to see them, the ghosts of our ancestors linger around us. While history may be erased, the consequences can still be felt.
Another major highlight of the film can be found in its music and scoring. Scored by the legendary composer Ludwig Göransson, “Sinners” delves deep into the music. From blues to gospel to traditional Irish folk, Göransson elevates the film by using music as a connection to the world around these characters. The score fills almost every moment of the film, rooting it into the beloved tunes of Southern households. The moments in which the film is silent thus become full of tension, allowing us to sit in a world where music is slowly being drained away. Göransson and Coogler also find a way to make a traditional Irish performance, “The Rocky Road to Dublin,” sinister as it’s performed by the ever-growing vampire cult in the dark.
Göransson’s composition shines through most when Sammie begins to perform his original song “I Lied to You.” As he sings, the world seemingly falls apart to allow for the veil of time to fall away. The living, the dead and the not yet existing perform together with distinct styles and peoples moving through the space. In a moment in which an entire community becomes one
married to her dead fiance’s brother, got stung by a bee on her eyelid the day of the wedding and saw a ghost? Was it when Cass accidentally let slip that her dad works at the car garage? Was it when PJ decided to befriend Ethan?
Will we ever know which event, which choice, which decision is the one that sets us down a path of no return?
While you mull over that, this book also does an amazing job of crafting a story through each character’s stream of consciousness as memories resurface in the middle of a conversation and flashbacks occur at the most inopportune times. It’s honestly hard to explain how the author managed to achieve this effect, but it really works. Each character has a very distinct voice, from Dickie, who catastrophizes everything
with their past and future, there is nothing to do but sit in awe. With Caton having learned the guitar just months before filming, the scene holds a rawness to it.
“Sinners” also moves away from the so-called ‘Blaxploitation’ genre, not only shying away from the real struggles Black Americans face and cruelties performed by the Ku Klux Klan but also detailing the joys created by Black Americans. The final confrontation sequence offers a new ending to a well-known story, one in which it is possible to overcome the oppressors. The film delves into the music and faith created by Black Americans, with the blues being part of its DNA.
Through its in-universe and created community, “Sinners” explores a different and often overlooked narrative of being a person of color in America — a place that will suck the life out of you, regardless of what it claims.
There are many other highlights to “Sinners,” including its stellar production design, spoton Southern accents, religious complexities, costuming and spin on the tired vampire trope, but the most significant part must be its exploration of time and human connection. So, do yourself a favor and go see it in theaters anywhere.
“Sinners” opens in theaters nationwide on Friday.
and mentally tortures himself into justifying his actions, to Imelda, whose thoughts never pause. It’s such a unique stylistic choice that really brings out the oddities of each character, as you feel yourself following their logic and understanding how they perceive themselves in situations.
One last bit. The ending is arguably the biggest cliffhanger I’ve ever come across. There’s plenty of online discourse over what happened, so I’ll just say that I think it was genius. In my opinion, the details of what happens next don’t really matter. Something will happen. And that something has the potential to completely change your life.
Jiao is
Odessa Gaines Executive Arts Editor
COURTESY OLIVIA CSEH
The cast of “Sinners” is pictured.
FEATURES
Think outside the square
Sarah Firth Deputy Features Editor
Somerville and Cambridge are shaped by their squares, but some of the best spots live in the in-between — the places that don’t quite belong to any one neighborhood. This guide gives all the places in no man’s land the spotlight they deserve.
Dalí Restaurant and Tapas Bar
This is without question my favorite restaurant in Somerville, and honestly, it might be my favorite overall. It’s so good I was almost tempted to keep it to myself. I wanted to have my college graduation dinner there this year, but then — true story — my younger sister had already claimed it for her high school graduation dinner. Dalí is a Spanish restaurant on Washington Street in Somerville that is famous for its tapas. The restaurant has an intimate atmosphere, and the best way I can describe it is “golden.”
The walls are a soft yellow, complemented by vibrant blue azulejos tiles. It was actually the inspiration for this whole guide. I’d recommend it to friends, and when they asked where it is, I realized how hard it was to explain. It’s kind of an island, not tied to any one square.
Be sure to go with many friends, so you can order one of every tapa on the menu. My top tapas are the gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), pato braseado (roast duck with berry sauce), conejo estofado (braised rabbit with red wine, juniper and garlic) and, best of all, their Gorditas (baconwrapped prunes filled with goat cheese and Marcona almonds). If
you like seafood, the best option is the pulpo a’feira (grilled octopus with pimentón on potato medallions). For drinks, I always go for the white sangria.
Dalí Restaurant and Tapas Bar is located at 415 Washington St. in Somerville.
Dumpling House
Another favorite of my family, Dumpling House sits on Massachusetts Avenue about halfway between Harvard Square and Central Square. This was the first restaurant I went to after coming back from working in Greece for the summer (I didn’t know how much I craved Chinese food until I went without it for months). They do lose a few points because, sometimes, they’re so busy that they’ll kick you out as soon as you finish, but I keep returning anyway. Like Dalí, it’s best to go with friends so you can order a bunch of different options and eat family-style.
Obviously, be sure to get dumplings at Dumpling House (the mini soup dumplings with pork are the winners for me), but most of their entrees are delicious. The Sweet and Sour Jumbo Shrimp (go Jumbos) and the Dumpling House Crispy Duck are my personal favorites.
The Dumpling House sits at 950 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge.
Community Pedal Power E-bike Lending Library
Opened several years ago, the Community Pedal Power E-bike Lending Library is an organization that works to expand access to electric bicycles in the area surrounding Tufts.
The library has a collection of electric bikes that you can borrow
for up to a week at a time. The library sits between Davis, Porter and Powderhouse squares and is about a 20-minute walk from the Tufts campus. Go borrow an electric bike and take advantage of all the great bike paths directly around Tufts — no need to worry about hills! Many of their bikes can carry an adult passenger, so you can bring a friend along for your ride.
The Community Pedal Power E-Bike Lending Library is located near Porter, Davis and Powderhouse, and you receive the address for bike pickup when you borrow one.
THE mushroom shop
On the corner of Central Street and Medford Street on Winter Hill, there is an unusual store that specializes exclusively in mushrooms. THE mushroom shop opened in May 2022 and carries a variety of fresh wild and cultivated mushrooms year-round. They also have a wide selection of dried mushrooms and related specialty products. If you were hoping for a trip (the psychedelic kind), their website will quickly burst that bubble — while they “honestly believe that all mushrooms are magic,” it’s a no-go for psilocybin mushrooms. This shop is for your culinary delight, and their offerings change throughout the year; be sure to check out their website for the latest updated options. If you are interested, they also hold foraging classes that will teach you how to find mushrooms for yourself in the wild. They also sell mushroom teas, which can make a great gift.
The storefront of THE mushroom shop is at 433 Medford St. in Somerville.
Colette Bakery
Just came back from studying abroad in Paris? This small, unassuming French bakery is one of the best places to get French bread and pastries near Tufts. In fact, I’d say it’s the best French bakery in
the Boston area — the only real competition being Nouvé Bakery in Lexington. The boulangerie and pâtisserie is relatively new to the scene but has quickly become a favorite in Medford and the surrounding area, especially for their cakes. It’s owned and operated by Nathalie and Franck, a French couple from the South of France. I like the Paris-Brest and cannelé the best, and be sure to go on a weekend so you can try the chocolate and hazelnut entremet. They also have kouign-amann, which can be hard to find around Tufts!
Colette Bakery is located at 509 Main St. in Medford.
Lizard Lounge
The Lizard Lounge is a great basement club for live music that sits underground the Cambridge Common Restaurant & Bar on Massachusetts Avenue, halfway between Porter Square and Harvard Square. It’s dimly lit with red lighting and open Wednesday through Sunday. I won’t say too much about it — the best way to experience it is to go. The club is 21+, so be sure to bring your ID. Pro tip: They serve their full dinner menu until 11 p.m., making it one of the few spots around where you can grab a proper late-night meal.
The Lizard Lounge is underground at 1667 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge.
Oleana
Oleana is one of the top restaurants near Tufts, known for its incredible small plates inspired by Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine. Opened in 2001, it’s home to some high-ranking chefs, and getting a reservation can be tricky — they open bookings 30 days in advance, as noted on their website. That said, they do save some space for walk-ins each night. There’s also lovely outdoor seating. It’s a perfect spot for a date or a special occasion. Definitely on the pricier side, but absolutely worth it.
Ana Sortun is the executive chef behind Oleana, and she’s also the force behind Sofra in Belmont and Sarma in Somerville’s Gilman Square. In my opinion, Sofra isn’t quite worth the trip from Tufts, but Sarma is an excellent alternative if you can’t snag a reservation at Oleana.
Oleana is located at 134 Hampshire St. in Cambridge.
Dilboy Pool
Right on the edge of the Tufts campus along Alewife Brook Parkway, there’s a great public outdoor swimming pool. It’s less than a 10-minute walk from downhill on campus, making it a great spot to cool off if you are here for the warmer months. It’s clean, pleasant and never too busy. The pool is mostly used by families and young adults. Also next to the pool are tennis courts, basketball courts, a track and a large turf field.
Find the Dilboy Pool at 110 Alewife Brook Parkway in Somerville.
Oliveira’s Steak House
Every single time I go on the Green Line, I pass by Oliveira’s, and I say to myself, “I have to go back there.” This Brazilian steakhouse in East Somerville has allyou-can-eat rodízio-style meats and buffet options. Servers will stop by your table with mouthwatering pieces of beef and cut them tableside until you tell them to stop. It’s expensive — $39.99 for all-you-can-eat lunch and $49.99 for all-you-can-eat dinner — but go on an empty stomach and stuff yourself with some of the most delicious Brazilian meat you will ever taste. There’s enough great Brazilian food near Tufts for its own guide, but this spot is a pretty unbeatable place to start.
Find Oliveira’s directly next to the East Somerville MBTA Green Line stop at 120 Washington St. in Somerville.
SARAH FIRTH / THE TUFTS DAILY
Houses on Broadway in Somerville are pictured.
Open, vulnerable, listening and connection. These are the words that come to mind when senior Sophia Christodoulou, co-president of The Petey Greene Program at Tufts, thinks of a restorative practice circle.
The Petey Greene Program is a national organization that partners with carceral facilities and reentry programs to provide education to people who are either currently or formerly incarcerated in the United States. Christodoulou, as co-president of the PGP branch at Tufts, felt inspired to organize a restorative practice circle event for the student tutors who go into local facilities. After meeting Ashley Rose Salomon, Tufts’ restorative practices program director, at an event centered on restorative justice, Christodoulou knew she wanted to bring in Salomon to lead a circle with PGP.
“[A restorative practice circle] is one of the most powerful ways to build community and feel connection quite quickly,” Christodoulou said.
At the PGP event, Salomon helped facilitate discussion between tutors.
“We invited tutors to come, and we basically all sat in a circle, and Ashley started. She led us … starting with simple introduction questions and then getting deeper about what your values are and how it connects to being a Petey Greene tutor and your ideas on education,” Christodoulou said.
Salomon, who works on the student life team, arrived at Tufts about a year ago and has spearheaded the university’s efforts to invest in this work. She emphasized that restorative practices focus on building community, not just bringing people back into the community after conflict occurs.
An ode to the classics
Hi everyone! It’s me again, coming to you live from the comfort of my bed. I’ve missed it desperately (in particular, my mattress topper) during my recent adventures abroad — the main subject of today’s edition.
As an English major, a lot of what I study is rooted in ancient Western literary traditions. Just think of all the mythological references in Shakespeare or the use of epic form in “Paradise Lost” — almost every work in the English canon can be traced back to the OGs of Ancient Greece and Rome, if you will.
So, it’s no shocker that visiting the ruins of these ancient civilizations has been a dream of mine for
ON RESTORATIVE PRACTICES: Ashley Rose Salomon
“As the director of restorative practices, my job is to really uplift a sense of belonging before anything happens,” Salomon said. “I know you might be familiar with the term restorative justice, which is often healing after harm. Restorative practices — that’s basically the activities that keep you in community.”
Salomon explained that restorative practices have largely drawn inspiration from Indigenous communities. Rather than incarcerating or punishing people, the focus is on bringing people back into the community, often in circle conversations with elders and peers.
“One of the ways in which they’ve done this — and again, this is all over the world, not just in native cultures — but everything about restorative justice really anchors in there the idea of circle practice, which would be people being able to sit together in community, giving everyone an opportunity to talk,” she said.
Before coming to Tufts, Salomon worked for nine years at Suffolk University’s Center for Restorative Justice, training
a while. And with a six-week Easter vacation on my hands, I figured: What better time than now to go?
First on the itinerary was Italy — more specifically, Rome. My mom’s side of the family is Italian, so we decided to do a mother-daughter trip together back to our roots. Getting there alone was a bit stressful (especially when people spoke to me in Italian), but I made it in one piece.
And thankfully, I did, because Rome was simply amazing. The food, the streets, the architecture — I had never seen anything like it. Undoubtedly, the highlight of the trip for me was the Colosseum. At Oxford, I frequently find myself standing in the old stomping grounds of scholars from centuries past, but to stand in a structure built thousands of years ago — in particular, a structure built for violent purposes — filled me with an incomparable mix of awe and terror.
“institutions, schools, organizations and individuals [on] how to implement restorative justice within their schools.”
Salomon began working with Tufts as a consultant after the university decided to invest in restorative justice and was assigned as her client. Soon, she “switched teams” to work within Tufts. She noted that Tufts is interested in these practices in a genuine way.
“Tufts actually invested in restorative practices. You have universities do it all over, but I think one of the differences that I’ve experienced here at Tufts has been that the students, this faculty, they are about social justice in a way in which they can see this benefiting so many different areas,” Salomon said.
For Salomon, it’s important that restorative practice circles and trainings are not just held for faculty but also for students.
“When I came in initially, they wanted to just get a group of faculty folk to do [the training],” she said. “But I don’t believe in working with [just] faculty to help students. If it’s for the people, it has to be by the people.”
In opening her trainings and circle practices up to everyone,
Unfortunately, I did have to leave my dream state in Rome and return to rainy England. All was not lost, however, as upon my return, I immediately started packing for my next adventure: Athens and Santorini.
Going into Greece, I was a little worried about the language barrier. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly a pro at Italian. I can say basic phrases like “Buonasera!” and “Posso avere un cappuccino?” but that’s about it. However, in Greece, I knew I’d be well and truly lost.
I took “How Greek and Latin Work” with Senior Lecturer Anne Mahoney during my first-year fall, but the only word I remember is the Ancient Greek salute “xaipe” (pronounced kai-ray), a piece of information that, while fun, was ultimately unhelpful. Thankfully, communicating was not as difficult as I originally feared it would be! Almost everyone spoke English, and whenever someone spoke to me in Greek,
interesting to watch them have a healthy conversation. No one bit each other’s head off.”
Provided that restorative practice circles emphasize civil, honest, open and productive dialogue, Salomon said that if the current political arena had an establishment of restorative practices, “people wouldn’t be canceled without fully being heard.”
To Salomon, political polarization has meant that it’s difficult for people who might not lean one way or the other to be a part of the conversation, as they have not been allowed space to speak up. She also noted that with education and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives under attack, it’s important to ground herself in the core purpose of these sorts of initiatives.
Salomon said she’s had every kind of group show up — including graduate students and participants from across the political spectrum.
The topics of conversation vary widely. Salomon gave the example of a student majoring in science wondering how to have a conversation about environmental justice. Other conversations have involved graduate students who feel less supported by the Tufts community because more attention is paid to the undergraduate population.
She also mentioned that the pre-orientation group, Students Heightening Actionable Political Engagement, led an exercise with first-years in which people spoke about political differences in an open manner.
“You speak, then I speak, [and we ask each other] ‘What’s one thing that you think the Democrats are right about?’ Now, you don’t know who has a different feeling and opinion,” Salomon said. “And then it will go the opposite: ‘Is there anything you could agree with that the Republicans say?’ It was just
I could simply smile and nod along (sorry if anyone was asking me something important).
Athens was arguably even more fascinating in regard to classical history due to the sheer number of ruins in the city. Of course, one of the most famous examples of ruins in Athens is the Parthenon, seated majestically atop the Acropolis.
The structure I actually preferred was right next to the Parthenon: the Erechtheion, featuring the famous Caryatids — or at least, replicas of them. Five of the real female sculptures live in the Acropolis Museum, safe from the elements, while one of the sisters lives in solitude in the British Museum.
This, of course, introduces a complicated debate regarding academia and imperialism, a debate that is not as clear-cut as right and wrong. Yes, I agree that the sisters should not be separated; however, the Acropolis Museum itself is extremely expen-
“How are we bringing people in despite their differences?” Salomon said. “The core of DEI is bringing everyone to the table, leveling out the playing field.”
“Education is under attack — and that’s how we create the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots,’” she added. “So I think by tackling DEI the way they have, they’re trying to restructure the community in a way where those who are coming up don’t get to come up anymore.”
But it’s not just education under attack, according to Salomon.
“What does poetry look like right now? And when free speech is under attack, how are you expressing yourself?” she asked.
To process emotions and stay grounded, Salomon has always turned to poetry. For her, poetry is a universal form of healing across all cultures. Poetry and education intertwine with the restorative work that The Petey Greene Program at Tufts does.
“There is a restorative nature in education in the sense that [their incarceration] doesn’t define them,” Christodoulou explained. “There’s another opportunity through education. So it’s all a part of this idea of restorative justice.”
sive for what it is (€€20, on top of the recently increased price of €30 to walk around the Acropolis, and €€35 if you want the accompanying audio tour). The museum itself is quite small, with it only taking an hour and a half to make a thorough walk through. In comparison, the completely free British Museum is certainly more accessible, but the artifacts are not the British’s to own. Consequently, I’m not really sure how to feel about the whole thing. All I know is that I feel extremely fortunate to be able to afford this experience, mainly due to Tufts Global Education’s stipend.
That’s about all I have for you! Unfortunately, I have to start catching up on reading before Trinity term starts. Wish me luck! x Grace
Grace Nelson
The Oxford Comma Grace Nelson is a junior majoring in English. Grace can be reached
Ellora Onion-De Associate Editor
Ashley Rose Salomon (right) interviews Dr. Fania Davis at an event about restorative justice on Nov. 15, 2024.
COURTESY ASHLEY ROSE SALOMON
Late Night At The Daily
Josh: “GRACE! I didn’t know you were a Gorditas expert.”
HOROSCOPE
AQUARIUS
PISCES
‘Don’t Worry About the Government’ by Maxwell Shoustal
Aaron Bolonick Assistant Opinion Editor
To this day, my grandfather mentions an English class he took his first year of college, where a professor taught him how to form his own arguments. Similarly, my father often mentions, with fairly vivid detail, lectures he attended and papers he wrote that sparked his intellectual curiosity during his undergraduate years. I know that, when I am older, I will talk about the two classes I took with Professor Sam Sommers with the same kind of wistful enthusiasm.
Sommers was one of those professors who, throughout his time at Tufts, gained celebrity status among students. Nonpsychology majors would take a class with Sommers just to experience his famed teaching style. He had an amazing ability to make almost any topic seem interesting and important. I’m incredibly saddened that no future students will be able to experience what was a major highlight of my college experience.
Despite his celebrity status, I heard less talk of what exactly made Sommers’ teaching so special. So, I felt that it would be a fitting tribute to examine why his teaching was so special and what lessons we can take away from it.
Sommers made an extraordinary commitment to ensure the size of a class did not hinder his ability to interact with his students. When he would pose a
Indigenous education
On March 27, the Rapid City Area Schools district in South Dakota received a letter from the Trump administration’s Office of Civil Rights. Having concluded a 14-year investigation into school-based racial discrimination about a year ago, the district had finally agreed to provide equitable access to education for Indigenous students, who had disproportionately high disciplinary rates compared to their white peers. A civil rights agreement was settled, and an action plan was implemented to combat Indigenous discrim-
OPINION
VIEWPOINT
A tribute to Professor Sam Sommers
question to the 250-person class, he would always walk around the auditorium, calling on students even in the farthest back rows.
Sommers also made the lecture halls feel smaller in a more curious and, dare I say, magical way. When he lectured, it felt as if he was talking directly to each student. When I went to his
ination. Now, President Donald Trump has nullified this agreement due to “DEI,” and the district is no longer obliged to treat students equitably.
The discrimination against Indigenous students in Rapid City Area Schools is not unique. Within the district, they were nearly five times more likely to be suspended than their white counterparts. Nationally, while only 12% of white middle and high schoolers reported being suspended, Indigenous students had a rate of 21%, which is 75% greater. The high school in Rapid City where Indigenous students made up approximately 20% of the enrollment only offered four AP-level courses, while the school where less than 4% of students were Indigenous offered 10. On the national level, 48% of Indigenous students went to schools that offered less than five AP classes — a percentage significantly
office hours for the first time, I was taken aback when he asked for my name. For a split second, I completely forgot that he only knew me at that point as a small face in a crowded lecture hall who occasionally raised his hand. In my mind, we were already fairly well-acquainted. That’s how much Sommers was
higher than that of any other minority racial group.
What about in higher education? Well, on the Tufts campus, Indigenous students are highly underrepresented. The Tufts Office of Institutional Research reports that in the fall 2024 semester, only three of the 7,046 enrolled undergraduate students identified as American Indian or Alaskan Native. That’s 0.04% of the Tufts student body, compared to the national makeup, where 1.3% of people identify as Indigenous. Of course, this number does not include students who are Indigenous alongside another race, which is a different data category. Even so, this representative disparity is daunting.
This inequality we see in Indigenous education comes directly from the history of residential schools. Through a system that repressed Indigenous culture, Indigenous students were inherently disadvantaged.
able to connect with his students. Although I’m not exactly sure how he produced this wonderful illusion, it probably was the result of his ability to thoroughly break the boundary that traditionally exists between teacher and student. One of the ways he did so was by bringing anecdotes from his personal life into
Combined with horrific physical abuse and negligence, these residential schools became a form of “cultural genocide.” In Rapid City, the education of Indigenous students is steeped in the memory of the Rapid City Indian Boarding School, which was active until 1935.
The U.S. government was anything but blind to residential school abuses. Various federally commissioned reports in the 1900s illuminated the problem of Indigenous education. In the 1970s, multiple laws were signed to regulate Indigenous education, which fell far short of their promised interventions. After 20 years of so-called “reform,” the Indian Nations at Risk report found that public schools — which educate over 90% of all Indigenous children today — had failed to provide adequate education to Indigenous students and had undermined
lectures in an endearing and often hilarious way. For example, in one lecture about social perception, Sommers showed a video of a series of social psychological ‘experiments’ he had conducted with his children when they were very young. He also frequently used his relationship with his roommate during his first year of college to illustrate certain social psychological principles (and to subtly roast, in a friendly way, his former roommate).
And I could not end this article without mentioning how Professor Sommers also always went the extra mile to seem as far from a stuffy academic as possible. He never sacrificed his articulateness and extreme intelligence along the way. Sommers would ingrain his lectures with humor, from incorporating Lizzo into lectures to using “Seinfeld” clips that illustrated the course’s topics.
While I can completely understand professors not wanting to bring their personal lives or potentially distracting pop culture into class, Sommers’ liberal use of examples from his personal life, combined with his relatable humor, made him seem all the more human to his students. Because of this, he was much more than simply a person standing at the front of the classroom imparting wisdom onto his students. He was a truly magical presence on the Tufts campus, and he will undoubtedly be missed.
tribal rights to self-determination.
The state of Indigenous education today is a complicated mess of treaty obligations, wealth disparity and geographic isolation. But at its core, the U.S. education system seems to be designed for Indigenous failure. What the Education Department tried to implement in Rapid City before Trump’s intervention was a system to help make education equitable. Even though the federal mandates for Rapid City to do better have disappeared, acting Superintendent Cory Strasser of Rapid City Area Schools has stated his commitment to improving outcomes for all students. How much do I believe in him? Seeing as his predecessor was fired for racist comments about Indigenous students, not much.
Sorsha Khitikian is a sophomore majoring in history, civic studies and clinical psychology. Sorsha can be reached at sorsha.khitikian@tufts.edu.
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COURTESY SAM SOMMERS, 2020
Professor Sam Sommers is pictured.
Sorsha Khitikian Through Indigenous Eyes
Last fall, while filling out the tiny ovals on my mail-in ballot for the state of Florida, I found myself questioning everything. As I scanned Question 4, I read, “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion” followed by the description, “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health,” followed by a whole lot of technical and political jargon I could not understand and ending with a simple “Yes” or “No” choice.
Yes or No? I had absolutely no idea what voting “Yes” or “No” actually meant. Yes, no law should force patients into having a baby when it could kill them? Yes, the government should limit its interference with abortion? Or no, the government should not increase its interference with abortion?
I couldn’t help but feel sheer frustration. I, as a native English speaker, could not understand what I was exercising my right to vote on. And to think that, as of 2023, 30.8% of Florida residents do not speak English as a first language.
This phrasing on my ballot wasn’t just frustrating; it was a sign of a design failure with real
Why we need human factors to save democracy
consequences for democracy. Poor design in voting and government systems creates barriers that prevent citizens from fully participating in the democratic process. When accessibility is ignored, entire communities can be left out of decisions that may have a genuine and direct impact on their lives.
Human factors engineering is all about designing systems that are easy, safe and accessible for everyone. It ensures that people of all backgrounds, abilities and experiences can use technology and services effectively. Here at Tufts, Human Factors Engineering is a growing program that brings together engineering and psychology to improve how we make products and provide services while keeping the user in mind.
As David Miller, assistant teaching professor of mechanical engineering, wrote to me, “Human factors is the field that touches everyone but most people don’t know about. Are you sitting down? How did the designers know what the geometry of the chair should be? How readable is the typeface selected for this article you are reading right now? These are human factors questions!”
Despite the importance of accessible design and the presence
of HFE principles in most modern technology, many critical systems remain unnecessarily difficult to use. If a ballot is confusing or a voting machine is malfunctioning, people cannot vote on their own terms — a right that was given to them as part of being a citizen of this country. A myriad of consequences may result from a poorly designed ballot, including wrongly voting for specific candidates, which can lead to overvotes or undervotes, as well as ballot roll-off.
Poor ballot design can even bring about major election controversies. Take the “butterfly ballot” used in Florida during the 2000 U.S. presidential election. Its layout was so confusing that many voters accidentally selected the wrong candidate, resulting in a recount and a highly disputed election outcome.
Beyond ballots, civic technology systems, like government websites, also have a duty to be accessible. These digital infrastructures are often a major point of contact between the public and their government, and their design choices can determine whether someone feels empowered or excluded.
Yet, far too often, these platforms are confusing, outdated and built without the user in mind. Accessibility in this context does not
VIEWPOINT
just mean compliance with online disability standards — it means designing for urgency, clarity and emotional distress.
A powerful example of this failure lies in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website. In today’s political climate, fear surrounding ICE actions is not abstract; it is immediate and personal for many communities.
Families and friends often scramble to find loved ones who have been detained, only to be met with a convoluted website that buries the Online Detainee Locator System under layers of unrelated navigation. To even reach this system, users must first know to click into “Attorney Information Resources” and then locate it within a dropdown menu. A system like this should be visible directly on the ICE homepage, easily accessible with clear language and translation options and designed for rapid use under emotional stress. This is not just a human factors problem; it’s a democratic one. When people cannot access the information they need from their government, they are effectively denied the right to engage with it.
Inclusive design is a core pillar of HFE, as an accessible experience can only be well-created
when designers account for the users who will partake in that experience. HFE ensures accountability through the various user research methods that are vital to it, such as usability testing — a process that involves a diverse set of users testing out every feature of a product or service and a facilitator taking live notes on areas of confusion.
Noting which parts of an experience are difficult for users leads human factors engineers to know exactly which pain points need to be resolved in future iterations of design for that product or service. This guarantees that important systems, including ballots or public government websites, work for everyone — not just those who are highly literate or familiar with voting jargon.
Tufts students studying HFE have the opportunity to make a real impact in this space. By applying their skills, they can help shape the future of accessibility in modern technology, especially in spaces that have such an influence on our democracy.
Yahav Manor is a senior majoring in human factors engineering. Yahav can be reached at yahav.manor@tufts.edu.
‘Clique culture’ has come to dominate clubs at Tufts
Michaela Loughran Staff Writer
Have you ever walked into a club meeting and immediately felt unwelcome? Maybe it was because your fellow club members were already so engaged in conversation with one another that they didn’t pause for a brief moment to greet you. Maybe you tried to say a friendly hello, only to continue being ignored. If something like that has ever happened to you, you are certainly not alone, nor are you at fault. Experiences like this are most likely due to something much bigger — the toxic “clique culture” that has come to dominate countless organizations at Tufts.
Part of what I suspect enables this “clique culture” to run rampant at Tufts is that it is generally very inconspicuous. Cliques on our campus don’t tend to fit the “Mean Girls” trope of being actively aggressive to outsiders (“You can’t sit with us!”) or flaunting their exclusivity to the point that they’re given a name like the “Plastics.”
On the contrary, clique culture in real life is usually a lot more subtle. It can be something as simple as a small friend group bringing up their inside jokes or making plans to hang out outside of the club in front of everyone else. It can also be the friend group taking pictures together at a social function for the club, leaving those not “in” with them standing by watching uncomfortably. While these behaviors are undoubtedly inconsiderate, they are a lot less perceptible than more blatant forms of bullying like name-calling or threat-making.
Thus, clique culture is easily able to evade public perception, and when it is perceived, it is often thought to be unproblematic. This is made worse by the fact that people in these cliques are often unable or unwilling to grapple with the consequences of their actions. All of these factors contribute to a culture in clubs where cliques are normalized, as is the toxic behavior with which they are associated.
Discussing clique culture in a publication with the audience of the Tufts student body might seem taboo, but I see it as far too pressing an issue to avoid. In fact, it is because there is a sort of unspoken agreement among club members to remain silent about clique culture rather than question it that it has been able to thrive in so many different organizations.
To get a better sense of others’ experiences with clique culture, I conducted an online survey of undergraduates’ personal experiences with cliques in their clubs. Out of 35 respondents, more than 80% reported that they had heard from others about at least one club on campus being cliquey. Furthermore, when asked to reflect on their own personal experiences, around 50% of respondents reported that they perceived at least one of their current clubs as being cliquey. Evidently, even though my sample is by no means representative of the entire undergraduate population at Tufts, it does reveal an overall high level of awareness of clique culture in clubs among a sample of Tufts students, both in general and based on their own personal experiences.
In the survey, respondents were also asked to report the names of some of the clubs they were in if they desired. The list of cliquey organizations in which they belong is diverse, ranging from dance organizations to debate and discussion groups. Viewing the results of the survey, it has become clear to me that there are likely cliques in many more clubs than just the ones with which I am personally involved. However, regardless of how daunting this clique culture may seem, there are tangible steps that can be taken to combat it. For starters, talking about this issue both inside and outside club meetings can help to reduce the stigma around
cliquiness and, as a result, reduce cliquiness itself. It is particularly important for people in leadership positions to create a culture where club members can feel comfortable coming to them with any concerns they have about exclusivity.
A particular leadership position that can lend itself to this sort of discussion, especially in larger organizations on campus, is that of a personnel chair or human resources director. Some organizations on campus lack this sort of position, making it much harder for club members experiencing interpersonal issues to have their problems addressed. It is true that other executive board members could fill in the gaps in cases where
members require assistance, but that is only possible if they make it a point to vocalize that they are willing to hear feedback. Still, in any case, none of these board members will have received the proper training that a personnel chair or HR director would.
As club culture at Tufts stands right now, there is an epidemic of “cliquiness” that is not poised to be addressed. However, I do believe that if club leadership boards undergo the reforms I have suggested, significant progress could be made. To all people in club leadership, I hope you take what I have said to heart. The well-being of your membership depends on it.
Yahav Manor
GRAPHIC BY JAYLIN CHO
Zachary Gerson
In the Crease
Eyes on the cup
It was yet another exciting season around the National Hockey League — a season full of milestones, surprises and, yes, disappointments. From Alex Ovechkin scoring his 895th career goal to pass Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goals record to Connor McDavid reaching 1,000 career points to the fascinating 4 Nations Face-Off tournament that captured the attention of the entire sports world, the 2024–25 NHL season was certainly one to remember.
Now that mid-April has come around, it is time for the NHL and its fans to turn their attention to the best playoffs in
Brian Becker
Lay of the Leagues
MLB edition
sports: the Stanley Cup playoffs. Fifteen teams will be looking to claim their spot as the new world champions, while the Florida Panthers will be looking to defend their 2024 Stanley Cup title. Come mid-to-late June, a new set of names will be engraved on the Stanley Cup.
All eight first-round matchups are locked in. In the Western Conference, the confirmed matchups are: St. Louis Blues vs. Winnipeg Jets, Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings. In the Eastern Conference, the confirmed matchups are: Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens.
All eight matchups are going to be extremely entertaining. The Battle of Florida, the Battle
Iam genuinely torn on Major League Baseball’s future.
On one hand, baseball is a revived product with high-scoring games, intense extra-inning battles and engaging pitching personalities that finish off the most intense matchups. I made the trip to Fenway Park on April 10, where I witnessed a feisty Boston Red Sox team close out a win in their four-game series versus the Toronto Blue Jays. While I only witnessed the final six innings due to the brutal Thursday 4 p.m. start time, I certainly caught the majority of the relevant action, as the teams brought a 2–2 game to extra innings, featuring heavy hitters such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and pitching talent like Aroldis Chapman. While it was great to witness the star talent on a Thursday afternoon, the hesitancy of coaches to bring them out for all games makes me second-guess which game I buy tickets to. Similar to the Sox game I just attended, weekday matinées feel like the byproduct of owners wanting to list an extra game on the stat sheet at the end of the season. Players and coaches alike treat the game like another day at the office, quite literally swinging their way through the motions.
Just like the NBA, if I pass through the turnstiles of a ballpark such as Yankee Stadium, I want to see the likes of Judge, Stanton and Volpe on the grass, regardless of the game I attend.
SPORTS
of Ontario and the fourth straight year of the Oilers and Kings meeting in the first round especially stand out.
Now, let’s take a look at each series.
Senators vs. Maple Leafs: The Senators, making their first playoff appearance since 2017, are looking to upset the Maple Leafs. Although the Senators are a scrappy, physical and hard-working team, and the Maple Leafs are notorious playoff strugglers, the Maple Leafs’ talent will ultimately be too much for the Senators to overcome. Prediction: Maple Leafs in 7.
Panthers vs. Lightning: Two elite teams will be going at it once again. This is a more even matchup than most believe, but at the end of the day, the Panthers are the Panthers. And come playoff time, they’re really good. Prediction: Panthers in 7.
While other franchises may be less fortunate with acquiring star talent, they equally want their best players on the field at all times beyond the playoffs. To turn the pitch clock success into a more sustained popularity, the MLB needs to move on from “October Magic,” and, instead, mainstream media discussions on baseball need to last throughout the regular season.
Like the NBA, professional baseball could benefit from fewer regular-season games. With a league that earns much of its money from in-person attendance, a more flexible schedule could be introduced to ensure the star players are out on weekends when the sun is at its best and the weather is at its brightest.
If ownership is too scared of reducing the regular season schedule, at least make TV viewership more accessible to local audiences. If a New York Yankees fan watched every regular season game in their home market in 2025, they would not only have to pay for local TV through YES Network, but they would also have to splurge on Prime Video as well as the horrid product that is MLB on Apple TV.
Fortunately, MLB has acknowledged this problem, and the commissioner has alluded to a plan to bring back single TV platform coverage for all games after 2028. With the oldest fanbase of the four major sports, this move could pose a serious threat to younger fans’ interest. However, with the league hosting series in both Seoul and London, the league seems to be successfully tapping into new fans across the globe.
I have had a shaky relationship with baseball throughout my life, but if MLB can bring personalities like Shohei Ohtani, intense plays at the plate and 450 dead-center homers, then the league has a chance at captivating a young audience towards the sport. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has a critical task ahead of him within the next five years, which is certainly crucial to baseball’s viewership.
Devils vs. Hurricanes: The Devils have had a strong season, but missing Jack Hughes due to injury will be too tall a task against a team like the Hurricanes, with vast playoff experience and superb defensive play. Prediction: Hurricanes in 6.
Capitals vs. Canadiens: The Canadiens seem to finally be on their way out of their rebuild, but the Capitals, the top team in the Eastern Conference, should take care of business. Prediction: Capitals in 5.
In the Western Conference: Blue vs. Jets: Jets in 6.
Avalanche vs. Stars: Avalanche in 7.
Wild vs. Golden Knights: Golden Knights in 5.
Oilers vs. Kings: Kings in 6. This year’s playoffs are filled with such incredible talent that it makes giving a Stanley Cup matchup and champion
Max Sharf
QB Q&A Journeyman quarterbacks
Every free-agent cycle, there seem to always be the same free-agent quarterbacks on the market — quarterbacks who just can’t seem to hold on to their jobs at their subpar organizations and end up like a seed in a hurricane, passed from one city to another. These so-called journeyman quarterbacks are about as ubiquitous as the attention-dominating superstar quarterbacks, yet they don’t share the same spotlight.
The journeyman enjoys a long NFL career filled with clipboard-holding and the occasional start when a better quarterback cannot be found on the roster. As ubiquitous as these players may be, who can hold the crown of the most defining journeyman quarterback?
First, let’s set some ground rules: A journeyman must be on a lot of teams (journey is quite literally in their name); they cannot be too good of a quarterback but still good enough so there is a reason they keep getting signed (one Pro Bowl appearance or less) and their jobs cannot be seen as secure (no more than four consecutive years on any one team). The player who fills these criteria the best is the truest journeyman.
The race narrows down to three candidates from here: Josh McCown, Josh Johnson and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Each of our candidates has a unique claim to fame for the title of the truest journeyman.
Josh Johnson
Johnson is the truest ‘journey’ man of all time. His eight different NFL teams are
prediction extremely difficult to make. However, I’ll do it anyway: Avalanche vs. Panthers, and the Avalanche take the series in seven games.
The Stanley Cup playoffs are going to be an exciting time. There is nothing like the thrills, momentum shifts and overtime winners at home. It all starts Saturday: 16 teams, one goal.
Zachary Gerson is a sophomore who is majoring in mathematics and quantitative economics. Zachary can be reached at zachary.gerson@tufts.edu.
the second most on our list, but his stops in the United Football League, Alliance of American Football and XFL mean that he has been on over 10 different football teams. This still doesn’t include all of his practice-squad appearances over the years. As impressive as his journeys may be, Johnson is more of a backup than an actual potential starter. Having only started nine regular-season games, Johnson has never been seen as anywhere near a player worthy of a starting gig.
Josh McCown
McCown fits squarely in the middle of our other two finalists. Like Johnson, McCown spent most of his career as a backup. But he ultimately had several seasons with double-digit starts. Unlike Fitzpatrick, McCown never started and ended a season as the starter, as he was always seen as a high-tier backup or an occasional spot starter. In the latter portion of McCown’s career, he was seen more as a mentor than as a quality starter. He helped teach Sam Darnold and Johnny Manziel, the former of whom may soon join him on this list (Darnold is currently on his fifth team).
Ryan Fitzpatrick
The king of the journeymen, “Fitzmagic,” stands atop his competition. Fitzpatrick has joined the most teams on the list, and he’s made the most of his time in the league. With the most starts of any other qualifying journeyman, Fizpatrick’s shockingly impressive record with mostly awful teams was the reason that teams kept knocking on his door. Fitzpatrick’s ability to be a day-one starter but never be able to lead a team to the playoffs is a journeyman superpower.
Max Sharf is a first-year who has yet to declare a major. He can be reached at max.sharf@tufts.edu.
