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VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 45
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tuftsdaily.com
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
TCU election results, presidential candidates announced
by Jack Adgate Staff Writer
Elections for the Tufts Community Union Senate and Judiciary seats and Committee on Student Life seats took place over Qualtrics on April 13 and 14. The results were announced by the Tufts Elections Commission. On April 15, two TCU senators from the Class of 2022 announced their candidacy for president, with elections for the position scheduled for April 22 and 23. The voting will be conducted through Qualtrics. ECOM chair Mark Lannigan explained how running the election through Qualtrics greatly expedited the voting process compared to last spring’s election, which was marred by technical glitches. “Since transitioning to Qualtrics, [we] have had very,
very few problems [conducting elections],” Lannigan, a sophomore, said. “The whole learning process went without a hitch, which is good.” According to Lannigan, 1,685 total votes were cast, and the total voter turnout was 28.6%, up from 20.62% last year. In the Class of 2024, incumbents Claire Bolash, Ritesh Vidhun, Mariana Janer Angrelot and Arielle Galinsky held their Senate seats. Newcomers Wanci Nana, Liani Astacio and Helina Mesfin won the remaining three seats. Nana explained how the experience of campaigning for TCU was fulfilling. “Running for TCU Senate … was an experience that I greatly enjoyed,” Nana wrote in an email to the Daily. “Although I was running against them, seeing the passion and desire of
the other candidates to aid the Tufts community really motivated and reassured me that this is what I want to do, and these are the people that I want to be around.” Nana mapped out his plans for his time in the Senate. “I plan to bring a lot of energy, innovation, and dedication to TCU Senate and the Tufts community,” Nana said. “Prior to coming to Tufts, I set the intention to have a massive impact on the culture, and community, as I have now been elected as a TCU Senator, I am going to do exactly that.” Incumbents Ibrahim AlMuasher, Jalen Little, Max Morningstar, Sara Tata and Valerie Infante held their seats in the Senate for the Class of 2023. Jaden Pena and Helena Buschermohle won the remaining two seats as newcomers.
Six candidates ran uncontested in the Class of 2022, leaving one seat vacant. Iyra Chandra was the only incumbent to hold her seat, and Elizabeth Hom, Andrew Hong, Amma Agyei, Tim Leong and Daniel Weber will fill five other seats. Hadiya Giwa, a first-year, won the only contested Community Senator seat. Giwa, who held a Class of 2024 seat this year, will serve as Africana Community senator. Candidates for other Community Senate seats ran uncontested. First-year Kristin Ng was elected to serve as the Asian American community senator, while first-year Benjamin Tang was elected to the first generation college student seat. Junior Aadhya Shivakumar was elected to the international community senator seat and firstyear Blake Anderson was elected
to the LGBTQ+ seat. First-year Ryan Steuerman will represent the SMFA in the Senate and sophomore Isha Bhatnagar will hold the women’s seat. Shivakumar and Bhatnagar will be holding Community positions that were left vacant this year. Max Price and Zachary Ferretti were reelected to their seats on the Judiciary. Maya Namasivayam, Annabel Xu and Patrick Gavazzi won as newcomers, and two seats were left vacant. Four candidates ran uncontested for five positions on the Committee on Student Life, with Jojo Kuo and Sofia Friedman holding their seats as incumbents. Rachel Coll and Roshni Bhat will join the committee as newcomers. see SENATE, page 2
FEATURES Tufts authorizes resumption of singing, Sarabande dance group wind, brass instruments on campus fosters creativity and community, adapts to pandemic
by Coco Arcand
Assistant News Editor
Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Music Richard Jankowsky announced to music students that the university has authorized the limited resumption of singing and playing of brass and wind instruments on campus on April 1. Jankowsky explained what this means for the music department. “The Department of Music is very happy to have singing, brass, and winds performance resume on campus,”
Jankowsky wrote in an email to the Daily. “With the guidance of the university’s medical health team, we have developed a set of policies and protocols for the safe resumption of those activities.” The email outlined specific guidelines for how and where students can safely practice their instruments or sing on campus. Students who are pursuing a major, minor or graduate degree in the Department of Music are able to reserve rooms in the Granoff Music Center for individual practice. Between prac-
tices, the rooms will be aired out and professionally sanitized, according to Jankowsky. The email also explained additional opportunities for outdoor practice, both for individuals and small groups. Faculty-led, credit-bearing ensembles are able to practice outdoors in groups of 10 or fewer, and all Tufts students are allowed to practice individually outdoors from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. Outdoor private lessons can also be coordinated for
see MUSIC, page 2
ANN MARIE BURKE / THE TUFTS DAILY
With proper PPE and distancing, music majors, minors and graduate students are now able to sing and play wind and brass instruments in select locations on campus.
by Raga Chilakamarri Staff Writer
Sarabande Dance Ensemble is a student-run dance collective founded in 1982 that primarily focuses on contemporary, jazz and ballet. The group distinguishes itself from the nearly 20 other dance groups on campus with its diverse and modern stylistic range, and its commitment to original choreography. Its performances and rehearsals are directed and staged by student choreographers who have the freedom to incorporate their individual styles into their pieces. “We choreograph … and we have about ten hours of rehearsal every week,” Helen Chwe, a senior in Sarabande, said of a pre-pandemic semester. “But within those ten hours, there are ten dances, and you can choose how many dances you want to do … so you can choose your commitment.” Sarabande offers many students their first opportunity to choreograph, either through leading open classes or putting together a full piece. Dancers can realize their own artistic visions, which was not always possible for students who train in a dance studio, according to Chwe.
FEATURES / page 3
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SPORTS / back
Students express creativity through choreography in Sarabande
Somerville bookstore stacks shelves with female, queer and nonbinary authors
Super League formation sparks upset, intrigue among soccer fans
“Being able to do something that’s student-run and super independent, [where] people are doing exactly what they want to do, made me relax about it,” Chwe said of performing with Sarabande. “It was still a show, but it was way more fun, because … your friend is choreographing something.” Sophomore Hana Tzou said she has appreciated learning from fellow Sarabande members in a collaborative exchange of movement and technique. Before enrolling at Tufts, Tzou danced at the same studio since she was three years old and developed a strong foundation in ballet, tap, jazz and contemporary dance. She described her training as having been fairly conservative. Through Sarabande, Tzou said she’s been exposed to more experimental dance backgrounds. “It’s really fun to just try out a new style on the body and learn different shapes that you can make,” Tzou said. “And it’s really expanded my dance practice. I think I feel a lot more comfortable dancing in a new style, or even just dancing in my own body because I’m in Sarabande see SARABANDE , page 3 NEWS
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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Tuesday, April 20, 2021
THE TUFTS DAILY Megan Szostak
tuftsdaily.com
Amma Agyei and Tim Leong running for Senate president
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The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community. The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board. EDITORIALS Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily. OP-EDS The Op-Ed section of The Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length and submitted to opinion@tuftsdaily.com. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. Authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions. ADVERTISING All advertising copy is subject to the approval of the Editor in Chief, Executive Board and Business Director.
IMAGES VIA AMMA AGYEI AND TIM LEONG. GRAPHIC BY MEGAN SZOSTAK / THE TUFTS DAILY.
Campaign posters for TCU Senate presidential candidates Amma Agyei and Tim Leong are pictured.
SENATE
continued from page 1 The TCU Senate met after the elections to nominate candidates for the TCU presidential election, which will take place starting at noon on April 22, with voting stopped at midnight on April 23. Incoming Class of 2022 senator and current Africana Community senator Amma Agyei announced her candida-
cy on April 15. Agyei has put a focus on her work as Africana Community senator addressing racism and bias within the university, and has emphasized her desire to work for underrepresented groups on campus. “I am running for president to empower the student body and uplift underrepresented voices,” Agyei wrote in a statement posted on her campaign Instagram account. “The concerns of
underrepresented populations continue to be overshadowed. Resolutions have turned into pieces of paper. Referenda representing the voice of the people is ignored.” Agyei will be contested by fellow Class of 2022 senator Tim Leong, who also announced his candidacy on April 15. He built his platform on the pillars of accountability, solidarity and equity.
“I see Senate’s primary role as an advocacy organization for student interests in the administration, and I’m running for TCU President to utilize solidarity to advocate for equity and accountability,” Leong wrote in a statement on his campaign website. Presidential voting will take place on Qualtrics. An email will be sent to students with a link to cast their ballot.
Music students grateful for change in policy
MUSIC
continued from page 1 students through contact with instructors. Despite granting new practice opportunities for students, the email noted that these policies are contingent on COVID19 case numbers remaining low on campus, as stricter guidelines may be implemented if there is an increase in cases on campus. Additionally, the email emphasized the need for all participating students to abide by a 10-foot distancing rule and wear proper personal protective equipment, including singing masks for singers and slit masks, bell covers and instrument covers for brass and winds players. According to Jankowsky, the Department of Music will help students acquire these forms
of proper personal protective equipment. “The university is covering the cost of this PPE and our department is handling the orders for students involved in our department’s programs and activities,” Jankowsky said. University Infection Control Health Director Michael Jordan explained that the university feels comfortable implementing these new policies from a safety standpoint due to more data about how PPE can protect transmission of COVID-19 while playing instruments. “Our policy in fall 2020 was appropriately conservative due to a lack of safety data with respect to singing with masks, wind/brass instrument bell covers, etc,” Jordan wrote in an email to the Daily. “SARS-CoV2
COVID-19 AT TUFTS
is transmitted by aerosols and newer variants may be even more transmissible; however, sufficient data now exist that we know that singing outside with masks on and playing wind/ brass instruments outside with appropriate PPE for the instrument markedly decrease the risk of transmission and acquisition.” Jankowsky noted that this is a significant advancement for Tufts musicians since the pandemic began, a trend he hopes will continue. “For the first time in over a year, ensembles can rehearse together, albeit outdoors and in groups of ten or fewer with appropriate PPE,” Jankowsky said. “[The Department of Music is] hoping that conditions will continue to improve so that additional opportunities for
singing, winds, and brass performance will be possible in the upcoming academic year.” These new policies also come as a relief to music majors and minors on campus, whose experiences have been directly limited by the tight policies surrounding singing and brass and wind instrument playing. Ellie Weiler, a first-year who is studying visual art and music through the SMFA Combined Degree program, explained the difficulty of beginning college without an outlet through music. “The ban this year was very difficult for me as a [firstyear],” Weiler, a trumpet player, wrote in an email to the Daily. “It meant that not only was a huge part of my education here banned, but also a major part of my expected social activities. I was excited to be a part of the music community here, but because my instrument was not allowed, I couldn’t be a part of any groups.” Despite struggling with these restrictions, Weiler said she is excited to begin practicing her instrument as a result of these new policies. “Bringing musical performance back into my life would bring back a large part of my identity,” Weiler said. “I am eager to make anything work, even playing in small groups outdoors would be very meaningful to me. As a music major, allowing me to practice and take private lessons again in the music building would let me begin to work towards my degree focusing on performance.”
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Features
Sarabande members discuss adjustments made during pandemic SARABANDE
continued from page 1 … It’s just really broadened my horizons on what dance can actually look like.” The pandemic strikes In March 2020, just a day after the university announced its decision to close campus in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarabande held its last in-person stage performance. Chwe described it as memorable and bittersweet. “I think a lot of people loved how jumbled together it was because it took all the pressure off of performing well,” Chwe said. “It was very much like everybody stopped caring about dance and really just vibed and danced for friends … None of the dances were finished, but everybody kind of gave it their all.” According to Chwe, the club’s rising seniors used the summer to deliberate on what Sarabande would look like during the 2020–21 school year, given the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. The club made its leadership structure more horizontal; it shifted from having two presidents and smaller subcommittees to having the club’s six seniors share responsibility evenly. As a co-chair of the interpersonal committee, Chwe is responsible for planning social events and mediating conflicts between members. Building community Organizing social events requires caution concerning virus safety, and finding a community within the social scene at Tufts has been particularly difficult for many first-years. Chwe said Sarabande has been successful in planning small group hangouts across class years, where dancers get coffee or relax together. For first-year Emma Olshin, bonding with other first-years has been one of her favorite parts of being in Sarabande. Olshin described how the new members rented and decorated a room in Barnum Hall as a surprise birthday party for a fellow member. “We were sending pictures to the big [groupchat], and [the upperclassmen] were just so happy that all of us were becoming friends … Even though we joined in kind of strange circumstances, we’re all close, and they know that the future of Sarabande is safe in our hands,” Olshin said. Tzou echoed a similar appreciation for the genuine community and family-like atmosphere she found within Sarabande as soon as she joined.
“I [immediately had this] whole network of upperclassmen, and even alumni who just reached out to me and they were like, ‘Anything you ever need just come to us, we can help you,’” Tzou said. Before the pandemic, dancers would often spend time in an off-campus house that has been passed down through generations of Sarabande members and served as a safe space for members to go to whenever they’d like. “The people in Sarabande aren’t just my dance teammates, they’re also my best friends,” Tzou said. Sarabande has also been holding weekly conversations about the intersections of race and dance. Chwe said her group last semester discussed the oppression of Black voices in dance, specifically concerning the implications of ballet’s history of exclusion. Olshin added that she appreciates the value of such discussions. “[It’s important] to educate ourselves about the issues of discrimination in the dance world, because there’s a lot of that — especially in ballet, which we’ve all done at some point in our training,” Olshin said. “So, I think that’s really cool that people are motivated to learn more, and I’ve definitely learned a lot from that so far.” Adapting to performance in a pandemic Typically, Sarabande, which is composed of no more than 20 dancers, holds recruitment and auditions at the beginning of each semester. Last fall, after conducting a round of virtual auditions, which required three separate video submissions, Sarabande welcomed in five first-years and one sophomore to its group out of the more than 20 people who auditioned. Chwe remarked that the group had not anticipated that much interest and that compared to prior years, the addition of six new members was relatively large. Since Sarabande cannot stage a full in-person show this year, it has adapted by embracing video performances. Their latest performance, “Fluorescent,” was a 34-minute compilation of 10 dances choreographed by different Sarabande members. Each dance was performed with a different style and mood achieved through a variety of video editing techniques. Some dances were performed outside by masked, socially distant members, while others consisted of pieced-together segments of individu-
COURTESTY SARABANDE
Sarabande members warm up on the Carmichael Quad.
ally recorded videos. According to Tzou, the university imposed tighter regulations while the group was in the process of filming for the performance, resulting in variation between performing together and alone. For Tzou, transforming her shared dorm room into a suitable space for dancing has been a source of frustration. “The only thing a dancer needs to dance is space,” Tzou said. “To have that taken away from us, for me was really hard.” When possible, the group conducts rehearsals in Jackson Gym, reserved classrooms or outdoors — even when temperatures dropped. Even then, Tzou added that lacking access to mirrors, as is customary in typical dance studios, has presented another difficulty. “I feel a lot more comfortable in my body and I trust myself more when I can see myself in the mirror,” Tzou said. After two semesters, Tzou said she has grown more accustomed to dancing without a mirror, relying on her instinct and the choreographers’ comments to guide her. According to Tzou, performing in pre-recorded videos has granted choreographers more freedom to experiment by engaging with a new medium, incorporating camera movements and cuts to transition between formations or add an extra textural quality to the performance. Even so, for the dancers, there’s much to be missed about the stage performance experience. “Everyone in Sarabande was kind of bred for the stage,” Tzou said. “I know that the majority of people really miss the show aspect, because there’s just something so thrilling about being up on stage, your friends are in the audience, they’re cheering you on. That adrenaline rush is just so good.” All members of Sarabande have the chance to choreograph. Even new members, like Olshin, have had the opportunity to choreograph and teach open classes. Olshin said she particularly appreciates that open classes have given her a chance to share smaller combinations of choreography without the need to craft a whole three-minute-long routine. “I’ve been teaching more technique … doing things across the floor or a workout or stretch, or I could do a little combo — I can really do whatever I want,” Olshin said. “People are down for whatever. People can come, they can not come, it’s very relaxed this semester.” The laid-back spirit of Sarabande continues to sustain itself as a creative and collaborative dance collective that supports its dancers, many of whom come from competitive dance backgrounds. Both Tzou and Olshin entered college with the intent of continuing to dance; each researched all of the active dance groups at Tufts and felt drawn to Sarabande. Chwe, on the other hand, had initially considered taking a step back from dance, which had consumed much of her late childhood, but she ultimately felt compelled to join Sarabande after attending an open class her first year. “I think they do a really good job of leaning on everybody’s skills, never forcing people to do what they’re not comfortable with in the dance, but also really highlighting what people are really good at,” Tzou said. “It’s super collaborative. It’s just really wonderful.”
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Marco Sheng Transferable Skills
Cherish the moment or it will pass
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wo of my favorite recent movies are “Soul” (2020), Pixar’s first movie with a Black lead, and “Sound of Metal” (2019), the Oscar vehicle starring Riz Ahmed. They were both terrific films for a variety of reasons, but what I loved most about them was how they sat with moments of stillness. “Soul,” in many ways, is about what it means to find your thing — that passion or spark that gets you up in the morning. For main character Joe Gardner, that means jazz piano. Without spoiling anything, there is a beautiful moment near the end of the film where he looks up among the trees as the autumn leaves fall through a ray of sunlight that only Pixar could’ve rendered. It’s heavily implied through the animation what it is that Joe has realized. “Sound of Metal” also centers on a musician, Ahmed’s Ruben, going through an identity crisis of sorts. We see his journey as a recovering alcoholic and heavy-metal drummer who has to come to terms with severe hearing loss. While the film is notable for its intense — and at times jarring — soundscape, I loved the beautiful moments of silence and calm that were depicted, especially when Ruben goes to live at a shelter with others who were both deaf and recovering from addiction. This is all an exercise to a. shout out two of my favorite films and b. share with you that a joyful and well-lived life often comes in the little moments we cherish. I’ve been doing better since the last column, and while I attribute that to a whole host of factors, one of the reasons is because I’ve been able to be grateful and appreciate when things do go well. I know that the life I was born into and the support I get from my parents (given what I’ve put them through mental health-wise) is actually pretty rare and that I am, in many ways, incredibly fortunate. I’ve also done a better job of not constantly comparing myself to others as a way of putting myself down. A great thing that my therapist told me is not to compare yourself to others, but to compare yourself to your past self. That way, you can still strive to be better, hold yourself accountable and acknowledge your progress without suffering from a comparison spiral. Anyway, now that I am, in some ways, feeling fresher and more in control, I am able to realize that appreciating the little moments is so beneficial. It is the repartee between father, son and daughter on excursions off the beaten path in Cape Cod that invigorates love. It is the moments of relatability between two young people that took time off from college for mental health reasons that create connection. It is the words of validation and appreciation from your supervisor that spark joy. And what do all these have in common? People. Lesson 1: Cherish the little moments. One thing I like to do is write three to five things that happened in a day, whether they were fun, unusual or just nice things you’d like to put into written memory. Lesson 2: I’m still struggling with this, but great memories tend to come from being in proximity to great people. Find your great people. Marco Sheng is a senior studying psychology. Marco can be reached at marco.sheng@tufts.edu.
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Arts & POP ARTS Pop CULTURE Culture
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Tuesday, April 20, 2021
All She Wrote Books celebrates 2 years of amplifying marginalized voices by Devina Bhalla Arts Editor
With two years of operation under its belt, All She Wrote Books — an intersectional, feminist and queer bookstore in Somerville — continues to strive to be a space for all people and voices to feel welcomed and heard. Christina PascucciCiampa opened All She Wrote Books first as a pop-up store in 2019 to address a gap she saw in the world of independent bookstores, and she is celebrating the store’s two-year anniversary today. According to its website, All She Wrote Books “supports, celebrates, and amplifies underrepresented voices through … thoughtfully curated selection of books spanning across all genres.” The bookstore’s niche focus provides space for underrepresented and marginalized voices all year round, rather than only spotlighting them during identity weeks and months. “To me, it was really just making those books more accessible and having a space for them consistently,” Pascucci-Ciampa said. The inspiration for the store came from Pascucci-Ciampa’s own experience struggling to find books she could relate to and finding that they were often shortchanged by publishers. Another source of inspiration was from a feminist bookstore, New Words Bookstore, that was open in Cambridge from the 1970s until the early 2000s. “[New Words Bookstore’s] status in the world paved the way for All She Wrote Books to exist as well,” Pascucci-Ciampa said. “It makes sense to have this space and create this space because it allows folks who identify as queer folks, who identify as a person of color … [to] know they can come here and find books that either have themselves reflected in the pages or folks within their community reflected in those pages.” Pascucci-Ciampa discussed how impactful it has been for customers to come in and see themselves in the books through a story about two individuals’ experiences in her bookstore. They combed every shelf during their appointment, and when one of them got to the children’s
COURTESY ALL SHE WROTE BOOKS
All She Wrote Books, a bookstore in Somerville, is pictured. section, they started crying while looking at the book “Jack (Not Jackie)” (2018). “I remember this person picking up the book and starting to cry because of the fact that they saw themselves reflected in a children’s book,” PascucciCiampa said. “That, to me, was one of the most powerful moments … knowing that [in] the books that we stock, people are finding themselves within those pages.” Not only does All She Wrote Books provide space for and exposure to voices often left out of dominant narratives, but it also allows for conversations. Niche independent bookstores like Pascucci-Ciampa’s “allow
for teaching and understanding of things that may not necessarily happen at a general independent bookstore,” according to Pascucci-Ciampa. And while the store does have a specific focus, “We still have books on a plethora of topics that are relevant and important,” PascucciCiampa said. All She Wrote Books started as a pop-up with Pascucci-Ciampa running the business from her second bedroom. Through dedicated budgeting and slowly increasing inventory and its customer base, Pascucci-Ciampa was able to speed up the original five-year plan and move into a physical space in 2020. Right before the pandemic hit,
it moved to a brick-and-mortar store, officially opening its doors to customers in July 2020. Though opening a store during a pandemic was not an easy task, she said that the support she’s gotten from the community has been vital to the store’s survival. For Pascucci-Ciampa, the question always was how she could maintain a COVID-19 safe environment while allowing customers to do something they love. So although her vision for the store was to have seating areas where customers can sit and spend time, it currently functions without that aspect. It offers curbside pick up and in-store browsing appointments where customers can have the
whole store to themselves. Walkins are also welcome. However, once it is safe to do so, Pascucci-Ciampa talked about utilizing the space for customers to sit and read in the store as well as for community events. It has already hosted some more typical bookstore events, like virtual author readings, and hopes to continue to do so and eventually host them in person. Yet, she also wants All She Wrote Books to be a space for community conversations about current events and ideas of intersectional feminism. “The infusion of more community events, and more community as in ‘physical spaces,’ is kind of where I see the vision of the store going even more,” she said. The store also continues to foster strong community connections, partnering with the Somerville Public Library, the nonprofit East Somerville Main Streets and local Parent Teacher Associations. Instead of working with Scholastic, the PTA for the Arthur D. Healey School collected books from the community and worked with local bookstores to set up a free book fair for students. All She Wrote Books was one of the book fair’s sites, and parents could set up an appointment for their children to go to the back of the store and pick up books from the store’s designated book fair stock. “Being able to see their faces come into the store and pick up five books that they are so excited to read, and they don’t even have to worry about paying $1 for them … that’s where it’s so important,” Pascucci-Ciampa said. “And [it shows] how independent bookstores can help partner with their communities and really foster reading within those communities.” Once COVID-19 concerns lessen, Pascucci-Ciampa hopes to open the bookstore up more and increase in-person events. Between events and the store’s inventory itself, All She Wrote Books’ goal continues to be existing as a communal, people-centered space that represents voices often left out and marginalized on its shelves. “It’s just so important to have that representation wherever you can,” she said.
TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER
A&P
Tuesday, April 20, 2021 | Arts & Pop Culture | THE TUFTS DAILY
Fourth season of ‘Attack on Titan’ presents a different perspective
Drew Weisberg A Fantastic Voyage
by Siavash Raissi
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Contributing writer
Eight years ago, Hajime Isayama’s “Attack on Titan” (2009–21) finally received an anime adaptation and reached global stardom. For many, it was an introduction to anime as a narrative medium, as it welcomed viewers into its seemingly simple world and premise. Yet by the end of the first season, it became apparent that there was much more in store than merely creating another generic story of humans versus monsters. Now, after three full seasons, multiple delays and a four-year hiatus between the first and second seasons, “Attack on Titan” has finally reached the first half of its conclusion. Though its plot may be familiar to those who read the original manga, the show masterfully captures Isayama’s ability to write a compelling, multifaceted story within an even more captivating world. For the past eight years, “Attack on Titan” has told a relatively straightforward narrative: A seemingly righteous group of Eldians on Paradis Island fight against giant man-eating titans and their evil Marleyan conspirators who seek to extinguish humanity. Yet, in Season 4, the show shifts its focus in order to display the true scale of this world. In its premiere, “The Other Side of the Sea,” we are introduced to a new “enemy” group of child Marleyan warrior recruits instead of the usual protagonists, Eren (Yuki Kaji), Mikasa (Yui Ishikawa) and Armin (Marina Inoue). Though this shift may initially be sudden and unappealing, as the episodes progress, viewers find themselves connecting with these new characters and their unfortunate circumstances as the show consistently draws parallels between the Marleyan warriors and their Paradis counterparts. After four seasons, the adept storytelling and characterization finally come to a climax in Episode 5, “Declaration of War.” It is here that “Attack on Titan” reveals its true enemy: the effects of systematic bigotry and its infinite cycle of violence, pain and hatred. Within five episodes, the show introduces viewers to the morally ambiguous nature of war. Though the series focuses on the inhabitants of Paradis Island, any fan of the show can make a compelling argument justifying the Marleyans’ actions. “Attack on Titan” brutally yet realistically shows the effects of institutionalized hatred on a nation’s conscience and global perspective. While Marleyan characters like Gabi (Ayane Sakura) at first seem detestable, her parallels with Eren soon become obvious as both are blinded by their undying, violent hate for those who they see as their oppressors. Characters like Falco (Natsuki Hanae), who shows
VIA MAPPA
A promotional poster for the fourth season of “Attack on Titan” is pictured. mercy to a wounded Eldian soldier despite his own Marleyan heritage, are met with racially charged insults. Even our previous Eldian protagonists find themselves divided over the morality of their actions. Outside of the narrative elements, Season 4’s management shifted from WIT Studio to MAPPA, resulting in a change in the anime’s art style. Though it takes a couple of episodes to get used to the redesigned characters, MAPPA still manages to animate fluid, actionpacked scenes at the same level as WIT Studio. However, due to limited production time, most scenes with titans are now depicted using computer-generated imagery animation. While MAPPA’s computer graphics animation greatly outdoes most anime currently using similar techniques, it still cannot match the exciting motions found in earlier seasons’ 2D titans. This leads to some underwhelming moments that fail to achieve their full animated potential.
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In some episodes, like “A Sound Argument,” the pacing becomes inconsistent and borderline confusing for those who do not remember specific, briefly-mentioned details from prior seasons. These types of episodes are packed with expositional dialogue, rarely giving the viewer a chance to understand the implications of what was just said. Overall, these pacing issues are relatively infrequent yet still detract from the total comprehension of some important plot points. Season 4 of “Attack on Titan” is by far the most unique season yet. Though the show’s ending has yet to be adapted to anime, the first part of Season 4 still gives viewers a lot to discuss before the end. Through every episode, even those which lack action scenes, the viewer is kept on the edge of their seat. No matter how often season four of “Attack on Titan” shifts away from previous expectations of the story’s development, it still remains as exciting, terrifying and thought provoking as ever.
‘Three’
e have now arrived at the reason I began this column: “Three.” “Three” (2011) is, for my money, the best-executed arc in Jonathan Hickman’s “Fantastic Four” epic, as it makes each of its three plot threads into tremendous personal dramas with huge stakes. Story 1 sees Ben Grimm taking the serum concocted by the students of the Future Foundation and spending his week as a human living large and partying hard. The week sees Johnny and Ben as the best of friends. Ben’s return to his humanity, though temporary, serves as an opportunity to see Ben free from worry, with his walls down. It’s great to see the character get a much-needed break. The story ekes out some rather poignant moments for Johnny too, particularly when Ben asks the perpetual womanizer, “Do you want kids, Johnny?,” to which Johnny replies, “More than anything.” Their peace is short-lived, though, as scheming hordes from The Negative Zone seek to use the Baxter Building’s Negative Zone portal to unleash the hordes of Annihilus. Over in Story 2, Susan Storm is dispatched to the undersea kingdom of Atlantis to act as a negotiator between an ancient race of Atlanteans and the fearsome Prince Namor, a mutant Atlantean with eyes for Susan and contempt for her husband. When Namor attempts a coup, though, Sue uses her forcefield abilities to seal everyone inside and forces Namor to negotiate. This story highlights the powerful dichotomy of Sue, a fierce warrior with the mind of a diplomat. Finally, Reed is pulled back to Nu-World by Galactus, the world eater, and with the help of the previously established founder of Nu-World, Ted Castle, Reed has to save as many people as possible before the world is consumed by Galactus. Admittedly, this is the weakest of the storylines, but it does wrap up the Nu-World plotline in a satisfying way and contributes to the desperation of the three-way finale that will keep any reader on the edge of their seat. As Sue debates Namor and Reed rescues the hive mind behind Nu-World, Ben and Johnny team up with the children of the Future Foundation to defend the Baxter building until they’re faced with an impossible choice: one of them must stay behind to make certain the portal closes. Naturally, Ben volunteers, but Johnny refuses and knocks the still-human Ben through the portal. In a gut-wrenching scene, Ben watches as Johnny makes a last stand against the annihilation horde, but he can do little more than watch as the beasts rip Johnny apart. “Three” is the apex of Hickman’s storytelling process. It’s a powerful story that runs the full gambit of emotions, nails characterization and thrills the reader from beginning to end. Hickman could have ended the run after this arc and anyone would have understood, but there are still many plots left unresolved and secrets to be revealed, as is apparent by the switch from the title of “Fantastic Four” to “Future Foundation,” but that is a story for next week. Drew Weisberg is a junior studying film and media studies. Drew can be reached at mitchell.weisberg@tufts.edu.
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THE TUFTS DAILY | FUN & GAMES | Tuesday, April 20, 2021
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tuftsdaily.com LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Beaky: “Chirp. Chirp.”
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SUDOKU
LONG-TERM GOALS
Difficulty Level: Waiting in the TUSC lines
By Matthew Hixson
Friday’s Solutions
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CROSSWORD
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Elizabeth Buehl Building Blocks
Linguistics in education
R
ecent years have seen intensified outcry and advocacy against the conditions within detention centers at the U.S.Mexico border, horrifically exhibited in widely-circulated images of children lying under foil blankets in uninhabitable environments, separated from their parents. While this inhumane practice was one of the driving factors in the election of President Joe Biden, these camps remain in operation under the current administration. Yet the maltreatment of immigrant children and the
Opinion children of immigrants is not isolated to the walls of these detention camps. Although population studies show that 14% of the United States population is made up of foreign-born individuals, many of whom come from origin countries where English is not the native language, the public education system does very little to accommodate students who speak English as their second or third language. Recent statistics show that over 17% of kindergarteners in the public education system identify as English language learners, the largest proportion being Spanish speakers. In order to properly assist these students in achieving their highest potential, namely through increasing high school graduation and college matriculation rates, we must
provide these students a suitable educational environment that meets their specific linguistic needs. Locally, Boston Public Schools are prioritizing the education of English language learners through programs tailored to the needs of this student body. Curricular opportunities like language-specific sheltered English immersion offer students the environment to learn bilingualism under the guidance of properly trained educators. Unfor tunately, programs like this are not implemented nationally. Many schools simply provide these students with accommodations, which, while somewhat effective, are not enough to help them successfully advance through the education system. Strikingly, English language learners are
often incorrectly labeled as students with disabilities. In order to bolster full support and ensure the highest levels of success, contributions must be made to the students’ personal and academic lives. Informing and educating immigrant families will help foster a sense of confidence in students and could help cultivate feelings of belonging. In addition, rather than forcing cultural assimilation in schools through a lack of diverse thought and perspectives presented in the classroom, educators and curricula writers must work to ensure that there are an array of learning opportunities available for students of all backgrounds. The benefits of support for immigrant students in the public school classroom are far-reaching. Not only would better support systems assist
7 Tuesday, April 20, 2021 students on the individual level, they would also reinforce efforts to diversify classrooms, colleges and the overall workforce. High school graduation rates for English language learners are far below those of students who learned English as their first language. This overarching systemic issue cannot be addressed unless students are provided with the academic support that they deserve. The United States is a country founded upon immigration, and we, as a nation, cannot maintain the essence of what it means to be an American without aiding students in their respective educational paths toward success. Elizabeth Buehl is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Elizabeth can be reached at elizabeth.buehl@tufts.edu.
8 Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Sports
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Top teams announce formation of new European Super League by David Cooperman Assistant Sports Editor
Eleven of Europe’s top association soccer teams announced on April 18 their intention to form a new “Super League,” with all involved exiting their respective domestic competitions. AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur are the 12 teams officially joining the organizations, while Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Leicester City and Paris Saint-Germain serving as four of the most conspicuous absences from the league. The league is projected to field a 20-team field, with 15 of those being founding members that are safe from relegation each season. The remaining five would be selected based on their accomplishments in their respective domestic leagues in the previous season. The competition is hoping to get underway around Aug. 2021, a quick timeline for an organization for which there is still so much unknown. Many around the soccer world raged about the decision, thought to bring an end to the sport as it is known and loved by millions. On April 19, Aleksander Ceferin, president of the Union of European Football Associations, said that any players who were involved
in the Super League breakaway would be banned from playing in the World Cup and European championships. Additionally, UEFA executive Jesper Moller announced that he expected the three remaining Champions League teams involved (Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid) to be removed from the UEFA Champions League semifinals. This move would either hand the title to Paris Saint-Germain, or perhaps lead to the furthest advancing clubs who did not join the Super League to take their place. The Super League may also affect various domestic seasons. Pundit and former Manchester United player Gary Neville ripped the clubs involved, saying that they should have points deducted in their current league race. The Premier League is meeting Tuesday, without the so-called Big Six, to determine their next steps. There will also be staunch financial punishment levied upon the clubs who join the league, potentially limiting the initial profit that will step from the new top league in European football. Soccer fans across the world are bemoaning the league’s formation, with the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust calling it the “death of Arsenal as a sporting institution.” International tournaments like the World Cup could never be the same without the greatest players in the world participating.
VIA EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE COMPANY, S.L.
The logo for the European Super League is pictured. Now, that we have covered the sad part of this announcement, we can take a look at the lone fun aspect: projecting how the season would go. First, with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint Germain reportedly against the league’s formation and Leicester City’s lack of association with the Big Six, I will project that the league’s final eight spots will be filled by Ajax, Atalanta, FC Porto, Lille, Lyon, Napoli, RB Leipzig and Sevilla. This comprises a large portion of the world’s top clubs and will lead to great football, game in and game out. However, there will be a hierarchy in the league, and I would project the winner to be Manchester City.
Manchester City was my pick in the Champions League this year before their projected expulsion, and there are few teams who will be able to compete with their immense depth over the course of a full season with few rest games. Possible competitors include Manchester United, currently second in the Premier League, and La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. Another fun aspect of this league is the great matchups that we would see over the course of the season. There would no longer be seasons without Messi vs. Ronaldo. We would get to see Van Dijk vs. Ramos. The possibilities are endless, and Champions League knockouts will no longer
deprive us of those great opportunities. News of the Super League formation has permeated down into the world of college sports. The Tufts men’s soccer team even announced on Instagram that they would not be joining the Super League and were going to remain members of the NESCAC. Despite the possible entertainment value, this is still an upsetting day for world soccer. It shows a newfound lack of unity with domestic leagues, as top clubs were quick to exit to increase profit margins. Hopefully, a solution will be reached that maintains the sanctity of the sport alive, denying the globalization of a format that has existed for years.