Q&A: Louisa Terrell, former White House legislative director, talks politics, Harris campaign, favorite stories from Capitol Hill
Estelle Anderson Executive News Editor
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The Tufts Daily (TD): First of all, welcome back to campus! What does it mean for you to be back at Tufts?
Louisa Terrell (LT): It is lovely to be here. For me personally, this is the place I became myself. It was where I got that kernel of starting to really think about politics and policy in a different way.
TD: What drew you to a career in politics? Are there any classes or other experiences at Tufts that helped lead you toward this path?
LT : With American Studies, you could weave in a lot of interesting topics … and intellectually see the interconnectivity between a lot of strands of different academic thought. There’s a way in which politics is that same concept of weaving together a lot of pieces, and I felt like I learned some of that and came to appreciate that as well suited for me.
TD: As Director of Legislative Affairs for the Biden administration, you helped pass landmark bills including the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. What was your approach to getting legislation passed and working across party lines in such a divided Congress?
LT: You really have to invest in relationships across the aisle from the very beginning. When I got the job, one of the first things I did was make sure I literally went door to door to every Republican up on the Hill. There were going to be lots of Republicans that we were never going to have any consensus points with, but it was also just a sign of respect to say that the president was here to advance an agenda for all Americans, and that our door was open to figure out where there are ways that we could work together. I think to have really good bipartisan discussions with an end result, you have to live by your word. It was important in those environments that, as a team, we were always really clear on what
we could deliver and what we couldn’t deliver.
TD: You are currently a senior advisor for the Harris campaign. In your opinion, what are the most important elements of a successful presidential campaign?
LT : A successful campaign has a theory of “the case.” [It] has touchstones of who the candidate is, how she describes herself and yet, at the same time, it can also be nimble. I think Vice President Harris has a very clear-eyed message about who she is and the kind of vision she wants for our country, and she stays clear about that, but the campaign itself is really nimble about how they’re delivering that message. So you’re nimble in what platforms [you use] and how you’re reaching voters, but you’re also not switching messages all the time. You’re really clear and organized and driving some anchor messages.
TD: What have you found most rewarding about your role advising the Harris campaign?
Somerville Central Library to maintain reduced schedule amid fears of teen violence
Somerville Public Library staff announced on Aug. 27 that, starting the next day, the library’s Central branch would close in the hours surrounding the dismissal time of nearby Somerville High School. The move comes as a result of unsuccessful talks between library leadership and Mayor Katjana Ballantyne’s office after years of violent behavior from teenagers.
The Central branch, which is located next door to the high school in Gilman Square, is now closed from 2–4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and from 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. on Wednesdays, when the school has early dismissal. The schedules of the library’s East and West branches will remain unchanged.
In interviews with the Daily, Central Library staff described
some of the incidents that led up to the decision to reduce the hours. Librarians were granted anonymity due to fears of retaliation. According to the librarians, teenagers have thrown rocks at people leaving the library, gotten into physical altercations
inside of the library and thrown firecrackers into the building through the book drop, among other incidents.
In July, librarians had to intervene to stop teenagers from attacking an adult patron as he was leaving the library.
The man “got jumped by
a group of about eight to 10 kids outside,” said one librarian. “He came back in and he was bleeding from his face. The teenagers followed him back in, they grabbed books and began throwing them at this man and at staff members.”
Police logs confirm that the man sustained “minor injuries.”
This incident forced the library to close for the remainder of the day and “changed the course of how we were expecting reopening to go,” according to the librarian.
The day after the library implemented its modified schedule, Mayor Ballantyne visited the Central branch to hear from staff about their experiences and to ask for solutions that would allow the library to reopen. Some librarians felt that Ballantyne placed too much responsibility on library staff and leadership, rather than proposing solutions that would address the root causes of the teenagers’ behavior.
“We were hoping that the city would be open to kind of seeing that this was a community responsibility and not one for the library,” one librarian said. “And I don’t think she really came at it from that perspective, which was frustrating for a lot of staff.”
In a statement to the Daily, a city spokesperson wrote that “City and Library staff are working closely to implement effective and long-lasting solutions including installing cameras and hiring a social worker to work from the Central Library to help de-escalate issues and connect patrons of all ages with supportive services as needed.”
The Somerville City Council addressed the closures at its meeting on Thursday. Multiple councilors said that they learned about the closure at the same time as the public and expressed frustration at the administration’s lack of transparency.
LOCAL
MARLEE STOUT / THE TUFTS DAILY
The Somerville Central Library is pictured on Sept. 12.
COURTESY TISCH COLLEGE Former White House Legislative Director Louisa Terrell is pictured.
see TERRELL, page 3
Marlee Stout Senior Staff Writer
In first pro-Palestine rally of the school year, protesters continue calls for divestment
Over 70 protesters marched to the house of University President Sunil Kumar during a pro-Palestine rally on Sept. 12, the first to take place on Tufts’ campus this semester. Nearly one year after Oct. 7, protesters continued their demands for Tufts to divest from Israeli companies and denounce Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed an estimated 40,000 Palestinians and caused a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
“As 2000-pound israeli bombs make craters the size of houses in refugee camps, the need for escalation and agitation has never been clearer,” Tufts Students for Justice of Palestine, who organized the rally, wrote in a statement to the Daily. “tufts will not divest from genocide unless forced to do so.”
The protest took place just weeks after Tufts announced stricter rules for on-campus protests, part of a nationwide trend among universities to tighten protest guidelines in response to disruptions caused by pro-Palestine demonstrations last spring. In a statement to the Daily, Patrick Collins, Tufts’ director of media relations, wrote that the university will “hold accountable any university community member who is found to have engaged in conduct that violates university policy.”
Protesters first began arriving at the lower patio of the Mayer Campus Center at approximately 5 p.m. As demonstrators gathered around the steps, organizers
handed out booklets containing protest safety guidelines and led chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “Hey Sunil, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide.”
At around 5:10 p.m., an organizer from SJP opened the rally by instructing protesters not to speak with police officers, administrators or the press and reminding protesters of their shared goal of university divestment.
“As long as there is occupation, there will be resistance,” the organizer said. “We have an absolute imperative to show the
university that we will not stop fighting for full divestment.”
Protesters then heard from two students representing the Tufts Asian Student Coalition.
“Asian American is a political identity rooted in anti-imperialism and anti-colonialism,” one speaker said. “As people who benefit from this colonial institution every day, we have a responsibility to speak out, to organize and educate. We must build community with each other and build the student power needed to … hold Tufts University accountable.”
A student from the Tufts Pan Afrikan Alliance gave a speech drawing parallels between the movement for Palestinian liberation and the fight against racism and police brutality in the United States.
“As a Black student at Tufts, I refuse to stay silent as settler colonialism and ethnic cleansing of our brothers and sisters in Palestine is acted on,” the student said.
Protesters began marching toward the Science and Engineering Complex at approximately 5:30 p.m. The group entered the building, chanting and walking together up the stairs as students watched from tables around Kindlevan Café.
Protesters then exited the SEC and continued down Professors Row, marching by Tisch Library and up to Kumar’s house. As students raised a banner in front of the house that read “Stop the Genocide,” protesters led chants including, “Disclose, divest, we will not stop we will not rest” and “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes.”
A representative from the Palestinian Youth Movement, a transnational activist group of Palestinian youth, gave a speech about the PYM’s “Mask Off Maersk” campaign, which calls for the shipping giant Maersk to cut off its supply of weapons to Israel.
“Maersk is the common denominator that ships the weapons and weapons components to every merchant of death around the globe,” the PYM representative said. “Our power to defeat Zionism in our community relies on the strength of you as students. … We must continue to act now.”
At around 6:05 p.m., protesters headed toward the Cabot Intercultural Center for SJP’s general interest meeting.
Estelle Anderson Executive News Editor
MATTHEW SAGE / THE TUFTS DAILY Protesters march in solidarity with Palestine at Tufts University on Sept. 12.
MATTHEW SAGE / THE TUFTS DAILY
Demonstrators hold a banner reading “Stop the Genocide” in front of Gifford House, the home of University President Sunil Kumar, on Sept. 12.
Somerville holds ceremony to remember 23rd anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks
Toby Winick Staff Writer
Somerville residents of all ages joined members of the city’s police and fire departments at the 9/11 Memorial in Davis Square as the city commemorated the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Mayor Katjana Ballantyne joined Director of Veterans’ Services Jerome Thomas, Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven and City Councilor-at-Large Kristen Strezo to honor both victims and first responders.
A constituent crowd was accompanied by dozens of uniformed police officers and firefighters, who arrived to the music of bagpipe tunes.
“[On] this day each year, not only do we remember the destruction [of 9/11], but we come together as a nation to remember and honor the brave men and women, my brothers and sisters at arms, our first responders, and everyday citizens, next-door neighbors — all who selflessly sacrificed everything while serving our great nation and helping at Ground Zero,” Thomas said in his opening remarks.
Father Paul Coughlin of St. Raphael Church in Medford then gave an invocation and benediction, encouraging listeners to remember the families of victims and first responders and praying for the safe return of currently deployed military to their families.
“We ask you lord to pray and to watch over and to work for a world free from every form of hatred and violence and ignorance,” Coughlin said. “May terrorism in all of its forms disappear from the face of the earth. May the light of your peace touch the hearts of people everywhere that they may do your work on earth and provide care and healing for all who are in need.”
Following these prayers, a band played the national anthem as firefighters and police saluted their fallen comrades and the American flag over the Middlesex Savings Bank was lowered to half-mast.
Elisha Gechter, a Somerville resident, highlighted the immense loss of life on Sept. 11, not just as a result of the attacks, but also for people like her father, a volunteer citizen, who passed away from health issues caused by the toxic chemicals released on that day.
“It is equally important to remember that on this day, since 9/11, 4,323 people have died as a result of the toxic air that they breathed at Ground Zero when they showed up there,” Gechter said. “They showed up there as volunteers. They showed up there as first responders. They showed up there to return to the homes that they lived in. They showed up there to learn in the schools that they attended. None of them knew that doing so would cost them their lives.”
Still, Gechter remained hopeful.
“In response came an outpouring of love to take care of those who were experiencing loss and to take care of those who were responding to the loss,” she said.
Thomas then returned with a speech uniting residents around the shared values of courage, hope, service and community.
“We have community, of us all just stepping up and just reaching out to our neighbors, reaching out to those who we know have lost somebody, reaching out to those who we know was just hurting, reaching
Terrell gives advice to prospective politicians
continued from page 1
LT: The people are remarkable. You get this cross-section of people that have never worked on a campaign before and are doing seemingly entry-level jobs, but are so excited and committed. … [They are] super genius people that I could never in a million years think and strategize and analyze the way they do. I feel motivated by this moment in time where all these people come together and think about their commit[ment] to making a difference. There’s something about a campaign that is sort of 24/7. People put aside everything else and are singularly focused on this. It’s just a privilege of a lifetime to be part of that in some way.
TD : President Biden and many others often praise you for
your leadership. What makes a good leader?
LT: Being really comfortable in what you don’t know and having people around you that are smarter than you — and that’s a hard thing to do sometimes. I was taught, “Do all you can to try and be smart,” … but there’s also a comfort in saying, “I don’t have to be the best at any of these things or prove anything.” What I really need is to create an environment where people want to work together that are smarter and better than me and know things that I don’t, and that we can come together and find space and ways that they feel valued and seen … and come up with great solutions together. Being a good leader is just being really comfortable with that, and
humility and admitting when you screw up.
TD : What’s your favorite story from your time in the White House?
LT: When you do the State of the Union, it’s a very short motorcade, because you’re just motorcading from the White House up Pennsylvania Avenue. … You do this drive, and then you pull up, and it’s really beautiful in front of the Capitol, and then you are in the chambers. … It’s both alternatively rowdy and almost irreverent, and then all kind of pristine. You get this sense of history. With Biden in particular, we would always come back, and there would be this cheering and “rah rah” after it was done, and this moment of joy afterwards. You understood you were just a speck in these big institutions.
out to those who know somebody who was there, … just reaching out and just stepping up and showing what community really looks like here in our area,” he said.
Finally, Ballantyne delivered her remarks.
“Our journey of recovery is not over,” she stated. Ballantyne paid tribute to first responders, saying that their spirit is alive today in Somerville’s volunteerism, duty and empathy.
“We can honor them by living each day with purpose, by serving others with compas -
TD : What advice would you give to students thinking about pursuing a career in government or public policy?
LT : Do it because it’s really fun — that would be my first thing. I think it is good to have a broad perspective about where you can do politics and policy. One of the things I’ve observed in this latter half of my career is being really energized, motivated and inspired by some of the things that are happening at the state level. When you’re thinking about wanting to do politics and policies, take a moment to take a gander about stuff that’s having at a state house, in a state legislator, in a governor’s office, in a lieutenant [governor’s] office who maybe is an up and comer.
sion and by standing together against fear and hatred in all its forms,” she said.
Ballantyne and Thomas laid a wreath on the memorial. Constituents young and old and numerous families came up to pay their respects, laying roses in a circle on top of the compass-shaped memorial. After a moment of silence and a bugle playing “Taps,” Coughlin closed the ceremony with a final prayer: “May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.”
In this world, you’re just kind of moving around a lot, so you need continuity. Make sure you have your mentors. … Use them as your continuity as you move through trying to taste a lot of different things and understanding politics and policy in different formats.
TD : And finally — if you could paint a message on the Tufts cannon tonight, what would you write?
LT: Don’t quit. Don’t be too cool for school. Don’t opt out. … Don’t quit on this process. Don’t quit on people. There are some politicians that are not going to inspire you, and there are some that [will]. The systems are gonna feel bureaucratic, inauthentic. … Just don’t quit on us.
Somerville City Council weighs in on midday library closures
continued from page 1
Neha Singh, director of intergovernmental affairs for the mayor’s office, provided updates to the Council on steps the administration has taken to reopen the library and mitigate the impact of the closure.
Singh declined to provide a specific timeline for the reopening of the library when asked by
City Council President Ben EwenCampen, but affirmed that the city’s “goal is to reopen the library to regular hours as soon as possible.”
According to Singh, cameras have now been installed in the library, and the city is “in the interviewing process” of hiring for the social worker position mentioned by the city spokesperson.
The mayor’s office is also working to open a new teen center in a
city-owned building, but are facing obstacles including identifying an appropriate building and hiring the necessary staff.
Despite his frustration with a “lack of communication” from the mayor’s office in advance of the library closure, City Councilor-at-Large Willie Burnley, Jr. expressed appreciation for the administration’s handling of the issue.
“The administration has gone out of their way to be thoughtful about this crisis, to be considerate about how we engage with public safety in the library,” he said.
The librarians stressed that they are not calling for a police presence in the library.
“A lot of people didn’t want that, both for the safety of people who work here and people who come here,” one librarian said.
“We’ve been hoping that we can kind of look at more positive and kind changes,” another said. “I think it’s going to be something that requires many solutions that work as one to patch up as many areas of this as possible. … We’re calling on the community to be involved with the solutions here, and to help us figure out what the next steps are.”
TOBY WINICK / THE TUFTS DAILY
The Somerville community gathered on Sept. 11, 2024 to remember the 23rd anniversary of the attacks.
Originally published Sept. 17.
This Saturday marks the 19th annual “What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Innovation” festival. This year’s theme is “Somerville over the Rainbow… There’s no place like Fluff.” On the festival day, Somerville residents lean into their quirky side to celebrate the invention of Marshmallow Fluff which dates back to 1917 when Somerville resident Archibald Query was cooking the original recipe and selling it door-to-door.
After World War I sugar shortages forced his business efforts to halt, Query was no longer interested in continuing his endeavors. Query then sold the sugary formula to H. Allen Durkee and Fred L. Mower for $500. From there, the product took off.
The long history of Fluff at the Durkee-Mower company includes the sponsoring of the Yankee radio network’s “Flufferettes” radio show, the creation of the “Yummy Book” which included a range of Fluff recipes and a collaboration with the Kellogg’s Company for their Rice Krispie “Marshmallow Treat” recipe.
Marshmallow Fluff continued to spread throughout New England, becoming popularized by Durkee-Mower’s advertising of the fluffernutter sandwich, a peanut butter and Marshmallow Fluff sandwich, in the 1960s. Marshmallow Fluff is now available globally in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Holland, Israel, South Africa, Belgium and the United Arab Emirates.
Regardless of the recipe’s multi-pronged origin story, the residents of Somerville are proud to claim Fluff as their own and use the Fluff festival as a way to celebrate the city’s culture.
Jessica Eshleman is the executive director of Union Square Main Streets who, in collaboration with the
FEATURES
Somerville Arts Council, hosts the annual Fluff festival.
“We have leveraged the Somerville history as a means to tell the story of our neighborhood and celebrate the spirit of innovation that is alive and so strong in Union Square [and] really throughout the Somerville community as a whole,” Eshleman said.
The first festival dates back to 2005 and resembled more of a neighborhood celebration.
“[The Fluff festival] is a very intentional project stream … that brings joy, which is really critical to our mission of economic empowerment and neighborhood vibrancy and place-making and keeping,” Eshleman said. “But it’s also very strategic. … The benefit is to lift the neighborhood up as a whole, and to celebrate it for its uniqueness as we undergo such transformation.”
The current festival spans 0.3 miles of Somerville Avenue
and draws crowds from the local community as well as all over the country. In recent years, the event has reached about 20,000 attendees over the four-hour period. However, this year will be the first year that the Union Square Green Line MBTA stop will be fully running during the festival. Crowds are expected to be even larger.
The festival includes a range of Fluff-inspired entertainment including Marshmallow Fluff musical chairs, Fluff jousting, Fluff limbo and Somerville’s very own Archibald Query impersonated by board member Mike Katz. The event is also widely attended by local vendors, with about 62 participating.
Eshleman is part of the 10-member planning team that includes Union Square business leaders, Somerville residents and Union Square board members.
“We’ve been working with businesses since April to develop these ideas. We host a monthly business meeting and to see everybody decide what they’re going to do and then share it out with the community — it’s just so unique and rewarding on so many different levels,” Eshleman said.
The event also relies on the help of over 100 volunteers as well as the City of Somerville. Eshleman highlighted the necessity of collaboration to make the festival what it is.
“We couldn’t do it without our city partners, so certainly the entire team at the Somerville Arts Council,” Eshleman said. “But I always take a moment to express real appreciation whenever possible, to Mayor Ballantyne and also all the city employees who make this possible.
[Department of Public Works], Somerville Police Department, Somerville Fire — we couldn’t do it without them.”
Jen Gubicza is the local artist behind the festival’s logo this year.
“I run my own business where I make stuffed animal heads, like fake taxidermy. So that’s my made-up job as an artist,” Gubicza said.
Before her current business, Gubicza worked as a graphic designer and creative director for a design studio. While there, she worked with clients including Disney and Nickelodeon creating toy packaging, websites and logos.
Every year, Union Square Main Streets opens up artist submissions for the festival graphic.
“My husband and I just sat down for an hour and brainstormed ideas and came up with a couple things, and then we each submitted one,” Gubicza said. “They ended up choosing mine, but we both kind of had a part in each other’s work.”
After being selected, Gubicza worked with the committee over the summer to refine her graphic. “The boots that I drew … became combat boots to be a little bit more unique and distinctive,” Gubicza said. “It was just a delight to be able to create a little piece of something that’s gonna live as a record of this festival and be a part of the weird festival for a year.”
Gubicza received a booth at the festival, part of the perk of having her design be featured as the festival’s logo, and will be selling her work there.
Sarah Dudek is the creator and visionary behind the new Marshmallow Fluff Micro-Museum pop-up in Bow Market. It will be open Sept. 19–30.
Dudek was approached earlier in the year to see if she would be interested in transforming a 163-square-foot space into a pop-up at the Fluff Festival. From there, she came up with the idea of a Fluff Museum.
“I love being a tourist. I love going places and going to whatever museum. And I love learning in that little short, truncated way. And then I love that there’s a gift shop and I can get a little momentum”
Ella Sanders Deputy Features Editor
COURTESY CARLOS LY
Patrons play with marshmallows at the What the Fluff? festival in 2023.
COURTESY CARLOS LY
Guests dressed as Ghostbusters interact with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in 2023.
Max Turnacioglu
Handshakes
Originally published Sept. 17.
Hey, wait just one second, and observe with me. Beneath all the big things that keep us moving, this world is defined by so many little things: quirks, oddities, patterns and skeins of social fabric. In this column, we’ll observe the absurdities of life while appreciating the beauty and meaning of that absurdity. Humor me as I employ some abstract thought, niche history and due diligence, and let’s unravel what we can this semester.
As this year begins, I find myself faced with a perpetual struggle, a regular Sisyphean task: handshakes. Whether greeting new people or reuniting with old friends, the tortuous interaction is the same, waiting with bated, sweaty hands as I gauge my acquaintance’s approach — are they going for a hug? Am I relegated to a fist bump? Inevitably, my hand extends itself naturally, bridging the space between us. This is a nuanced art.
A glib politician employs a hand hug, grasping his opponent’s hand in a bid for dominance, while especially affectionate bros opt for a handshake hug, also known as a dap, parlaying formality into an awkward embrace. Does my handshake need to be firm? The strength of my ten digits must surely be tied to my masculinity.
In 2016, Juan Diaz de Leon and Matt Holmes shook hands for a record-shattering 43 hours and 35 minutes. So, maybe you can spare just a minute, hold my metaphorical hand and then we can take a look at what really binds us together.
Evolutionary anthropologists claim that the handshake has been entrenched in human behavior for thousands of years. In a carved relief dating back to the 9th century B.C., Assyrian King Shalmaneser III and Babylonian King Marduk-zakir-shumi I are “caught” shaking hands. As such a key tenet of the human psyche, there must be an underlying, deeper significance.
As the stories go, when Romans shook hands, they did so to let the other know they came in peace. They invite their acquaintances to regard their pacifism with kindness, empathy and equivalent love. Handshakes bridge life and death
and are employed in Greek funerary art to give family members a closing clasp. They hold near and tight, but promise nothing, for the empty hand moments later is all but guaranteed. Look closely at Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” and you may see the fleeting remnants of a handshake between God and his progeny, the intimate connection between man and the divine intertwined with the faith formed by the space between their fingertips. A handshake is sacred wrought from the mundane.
Science tells us that our hands meet in an exchange of chemosignals — that we subconsciously sniff our hands after shaking to suss out our biological opposition. To pathologists, our hands are the extension of “a bioweapon,” an emblem of our frailty. Fear of exposure to transmissible disease led the Soviet Union to ban handshakes under the slogan “Free of Handshakes” for decades. Or perhaps, this was truly a political statement, as the handshake was popularized in the United States under the Quaker tradition. Each meeting of palms represents an emphatic rejection of hierarchy, in both religion and social stature, a tie to the fundamental American egalitarianism that has animated centuries of history.
There’s nothing beautiful about walking around with two bioweapons ready to deploy. I will not beat around the bush any further — handshakes are intimate. They are an unexpected flash of passionate intimacy, strengthening our otherwise sterile, reserved platonic relationships. To show strength and confidence is to grasp your superior’s hand in a tender, firm embrace — to literally display physical love and affection.
Henceforth, I pledge to focus my attention, not on the awkward back-and-forth and posturing prior to the handshake, but on the power, the divinity and the love formed as our hands clasp together, giving up a little piece of ourselves to the other. For a moment, we are beholden. Consider the beautiful bond sealed between us; we are woven into one another’s lives — a codified relation remembered, regarded, even as our hands do drift apart. What a wonderful palmise.
Max Turnacioglu is a sophomore majoring in applied mathematics and international relations. He can be reached at maxwell. turnacioglu@tufts.edu.
Somerville celebrates Marshmallow Fluff in 19th annual festival
continued from page 4
Dudek said. “I love experiences like that. And the idea that we could create something like that to support an invention that is regional and innovative and exciting and makes everybody laugh, that seemed perfect to me.”
Dudek reached out to many contacts in the food and museum industry to start her undertaking in her project.
“One by one, getting all of this feedback from all of these different places, everything sort of started to coalesce a little bit more,” Dudek said. “And I understood the way that I wanted to present, the storytelling and all of the little fun activities that we could present as well.”
Dudek started a Kickstarter page for her micro museum with the initial goal of raising $5,000. She easily surpassed her goal, raising over $10,000 for her project.
“I’m surrounded by a community of folks who love food and love talking about food and love feeding their friends and love celebrating. And I knew that a lot of those folks wanted to see something free for the commu -
Ben Rachel A Jumbo’s Journey
We are SO back
Originally published Sept. 17.
In short, we are SO back. Actually, we have never been more back than we are right now. As a newly christened sophomore, I can officially say that I am back. Whether you are like me and have one year under your belt and are still forced into a meal plan or you just had your last FDOC, we are BACK!! Freshies, you all have a lot to learn.
Coming back to campus in late August was surreal. Driving through the Cummings intersection and around Professors Row was a wash of nostalgia. A four-month break from Dewick and overpriced coffee changed me as a person. At least for me, the summer was a refreshing, relaxing and grounding experience — a detox. It was so much so that toward the end of July, Tufts started to feel like a fever dream. All those parties, brutally boring lectures and quirky people seemed like a figment of my imagination. It seemed all too fanciful to be real.
But then, BAM! Dewick right here, DTD brothers playing die right over there, flocks of first-years everywhere. Being thrown back onto campus is like a Mike Tyson left hook. Clearly, I’m still settling back in.
Sorry, I think I am getting ahead of myself. As this is my first column publication of the new academic year, I should introduce myself. My name is Ben Rachel and I am a sophomore here at Tufts. Currently, I plan on majoring in economics and computer science. This is my second year writing this column. (You should check out my publications from last year.) In layman’s terms, this column is used to procrastinate instead of doing my academic work.
For you readers, this column can be seen as a documented journey of a Tufts student. I started this column at the beginning of my freshman year, and in each publication, I write about important experiences and messages I have learned during my time at Tufts. One of my co-workers this year asked me, “Do you think you’ll run out of ideas?” I answered, “Probably.” But fear not my pupils, for I am a master yapper and I guarantee, every other week you will find my newest publication with some ridiculous title about a new absurd topic.
Now, a common question for me is: Why should you read my column? While I can copy and paste my elevator pitch, my real answer is: I don’t know. I’m going to keep writing as long as I can. Maybe if the Daily tells me that my work is outdated, not funny and irrelevant I will stop. But as long as I’m in good standing with the editors, and random students continue to compliment me on my column (I may be a narcissist; I feel no empathy); I will continue writing. I’ve heard that this column shows a good progression of a normal student and teaches other students important lessons, but I don’t like to brag. (Just kidding, I do.) Anyway, if you like my writing style, if you like my messages and if you like my stories, continue to read because it’s only going to get better!
That’s it for my first publication of the academic year. We have a long way to go. I feel my stomach rumbling from all that Dewick, so I bid you adieu and I will write to you all later!
Excitedly, Ben Rachel
Rachel is a sophomore majoring in economics and minoring in finance. He can be reached at benjamin.rachel@ tufts.edu.
nity come to life that had something to do with food history,” Dudek said.
“So I was completely blown away by the amount of money we were able to raise, but I knew that there would be some community support just because this community is so good and so rich [in culture].”
As for the future of the Marshmallow Fluff Micro-Museum popup beyond the Fluff Festival, Dudek is open to traveling.
“I do have a friend in the North Shore that I’ve been in talks with to bring the museum there later in the autumn. And then I’ve heard a whisper from another area as well, and I can’t get into it yet because I don’t have enough particulars,” Dudek said.
The festival is truly a joint effort among the local Somerville community. It leans into the uniqueness of the individuals who reside here. In essence, the festival reflects the culture of Somerville, one built upon a community of creative individuals who are proud to be a little bit quirky.
The festival will take place in Union Square on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 2–6 p.m.
COURTESY CARLOS LY
Visitors pose at the What the Fluff? festival in 2023.
FLUFF
Ben
ARTS & POP CULTURE
Professional artist and Tufts senior Makai Murray’s newest show, “Reflection Before Progression,” will open at the Hunter Gallery of St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I. on Sept. 28 from 6–10 p.m.
Murray, who has been pursuing art professionally since the age of 18, spoke with the Daily ahead of his upcoming show.
His art hopes to bridge disparate communities while reflecting on his own experience.
“I feel like I am a vehicle between two worlds. I live in two worlds and I live in both worlds very well. That’s something that can’t be well explained to people who live in one world, and most of the people in this country live in one world and they have no exposure to the other,” Murray said. “I feel like my art serves as a vehicle for people to get some level of mobility between the worlds.”
Murray’s two worlds are his childhood community in Brockton, Mass., and the elite academic institutions he’s attended: St. George’s for high school and Tufts University for college. The median household income of Tufts University is $150,784 higher than Brockton. About 40% of Brockton residents are African American, compared to 7% of undergraduates in the School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts. The award-winning documentary ”The Highest Standard,” which focused on the life of Murray and two other students, explored the difficulties of navigating these separate worlds that are core to Murray’s identity.
“My intention behind projects is in large part grounded in the fact that I’m aware of the fact that there are two worlds,” Murray said in an audio message to the Daily. “There’s always something in my work that hints at the fact that there are two worlds. Even if the project is not constructed in a way that makes it so people from both worlds can indulge in the series, the project is still about both of the worlds in one way shape or form.”
At the end of college and facing another transition in life, “Reflection Before Progression” centers on interrogating Murray’s identity as an artist.
“The reflection on myself as an artist is a lot less about my artistic practice itself, and more about why I do art,” Murray said in his audio message. “Over the last three years, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to build up this portfolio that aligns with how galleries do stuff, and this idea of what a professional artist is supposed to be. I’ve been trying to be that so bad that I forgot why I started doing art and my intention behind my first project.”
A way Murray will return to his original intention is by combining new works with old ones. One of the 17 pieces in the upcoming show will be his first project, “This is Not Okay.”
"‘This is Not Okay’ is a nine-piece project that encapsulates everything that made me feel like I could and couldn’t be an artist at the time,” Murray said. “That’s my most
prized piece of work ever. I don’t even know how to speak well about that piece, but I’m very excited to show that.”
Grappling with the relationship between art and commerce contributes to Murray’s identity as an artist. His distribution model serves as a practical connector of his two worlds.
“I create a lot of bodies of work that aim to manipulate the way that pricing works in the art world. I’ll sell a $10 piece in the same series as a [more expensive] piece in hopes that the $10 piece gains intrinsic value because it’s associated with a more expensive piece,” Murray said.
Murray finds the legitimacy afforded by high-priced sales uncomfortable.
“The truth of the matter is I’ve been a professional artist since I was 18, and not because I’ve mastered artistry or because I’m an excellent artist, but because I sell art like a professional,” Murray said. “The fact that I’ve been a professional artist since I was 18 is a good conversation to be had, and what that means and what that stands for. And the distinction between an artist and a professional artist, and the fact that we really think that there is one because of monetary value or financial merit. It’s a flawed system.” These lines between student and professional, past and future, and conflicting worlds all intersect in “Reflection Before Progression,” hosted by the gallery of Murray’s alma mater. Yet the last time Murray had work featured in the Hunter Gallery, it was as a student.
“I’ve had work in the Hunter Gallery before just when I was a student there. I know that they have student exhibitions,” Murray said. “There are exhibitions throughout the school year of different [professional] artists that are curated by Mike Hansel right now. He’s the director of the gallery, so he picks artists that he knows and feels can be of some level of impact or interest to the community.”
The medium of Murray’s work is mixed media that often repurposes common objects for his purpose. A trash bag might be incorporated into a highly priced piece, as an example.
“I do play a lot with things that could be seen as collage, but I would just say mixed media works,” Murray said. “A big portion of this show is welding in sculptural forms, but still paper is very important in this show.”
“I’ve been working on a lot of frames, so a lot of metal sculptural forms,” Murray said. “Actually, this is the first time I’m displaying as many sculptures as I am.
These sculptures will accompany paintings and mixed media pieces among others for the gallery.
Above all, Murray exudes confidence in his work and excitement to showcase his art to the community.
“I’m really doing this because this is my passion. … I can’t help but do art,” Murray said. “I’m constantly doing this, and not because I have assignments, and not because anybody’s holding me to some standard, but because I just hold myself to a standard where I want to create bodies of work and distribute them to the world.”
The show will be open to the public until Oct. 19.
Matthew Winkler Arts Editor
The secret life of bookworkers
Mafatlal Staff Writer
Since August, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts has been home to “Ulises: Assembly” — an exciting residency and exhibition that puts the spotlight on the often-overlooked labor of bookworkers. The Philadelphiabased Ulises collective, formed in 2016 by Nerissa Cooney, Lauren Downing, Kayla Romberger, Gee Wesley and Ricky Yanas, takes center stage at the Grossman & Anderson Galleries with its first institutional residency and solo exhibition. Running through Nov. 10, this exhibition is more than just a display of art — it’s an invitation for Tufts students and the Boston community to engage in an immersive exploration of art publishing and collective practice.
Each project Ulises undertakes seeks to ask: “What do you do?”
This deceptively simple question opens the door to complex conversations about labor, creativity and the unspoken bonds between people who make printed works. In Assembly, the collective honors the behind-the-scenes efforts, friendships and collaborative energy that fuel the art publishing world, shedding light on the processes often invisible to the public.
But why was Ulises chosen for this residency at SMFA? The
Attendees at the
answer lies in the diversity of their projects, which consistently challenge the boundaries of traditional art practice. Their collaborative approach makes them ideal part-
ners for a university setting that thrives on cross-disciplinary dialogue. This exhibition presents an opportunity to bring art, design, publishing and social engagement
Read, Write and Be Merry: ‘The Women’
Merry Jiao Senior Staff Writer
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for “The Women” by Kristin Hannah.
Welcome! I’m glad you’re here spending a bit of your day with me!
This is the first edition of what will prove to be the absolute best, most Earth-shattering book column ever. Because, obviously, it’s being written by the coolest, funniest, most nonchalant managing editor turned study abroad liaison the world has ever seen.
This week, I’ll be reviewing “The Women” by Kristin Hannah, one of my favorite books of the year. Gut-wrenching yet inspiring, this historical fiction story of a young nurse serving in the Vietnam War and her subsequent return to the U.S. offers an in-depth look at what it means to grieve your past self and face the memories that created your current self.
I often find that although the narrative of a story draws me in, it’s the life lessons and broader messages that stick with me, long after I’ve forgotten character names
and plot details. Hence, I won’t bore you with a page-by-page commentary of the book — the horrors she witnessed in Vietnam, her toxic father, blah blah — and instead, we’ll dive headfirst into the messages I took away from the book.
One, listen to your heart. Frankie faces unbelievable choices, betrayals and images burned into her mind that none of us can even fathom. She quickly learns that she can only live with her choices if she makes them from the heart. Because at the end of the day, the only person we answer to is the person in the mirror.
Two, never judge people with an addiction. Everyone lives with their own demons, and coping looks different for every individual. You never know what someone is going through.
Lastly, your decisions do not define who you are. Frankie makes numerous mistakes and questionable decisions, from reconciling with a pathological liar to driving under the influence. But instead of simply accepting these decisions, she fights for forgiveness,
into one cohesive experience, a perfect fit for Tufts’ innovative, student-centered community.
The exhibition also includes contributions from a roster of
standout artists, each bringing their own unique perspectives on art publishing. Highlighting the work and practices of Black people, Nontsikelelo Mutiti, a Zimbabwean-born visual artist, integrates print culture, language and diasporic narratives in her work.
The Ulises exhibition also includes a public billboard designed by Ken Lum. Lum’s background in art aligns with Ulises’ mission to engage publics in unconventional ways, making his work a perfect extension of the exhibition’s themes.
For Tufts students, Ulises isn’t just a gallery experience with its own bookshop but rather an active, engaging space where the making of art, ideas and publications comes to life in real time.
Whether you’re an art major, someone interested in design or just looking to experience something new, Ulises is a must-see. It’s not just about viewing art, but understanding the collaborative processes that make these publications powerful, cultural objects. You’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for the people behind the books and a greater sense of how collective efforts can transform art, publishing and society itself.
“Ulises: Assembly” is open now through Nov. 10 at the Grossman & Anderson Galleries, 230 Fenway, Boston.
from herself and from others, and creates space for herself to heal. Frankie embodies the idea that one bad call doesn’t make you a bad person; rather, we are good people who will, from time to time, make mistakes.
If you couldn’t tell, I loved this book. I’m a sucker for anything
historical fiction and untold stories of women in history, so this book falling into my lap was inevitable. Plus, a romance subplot filled with sweet moments, chuck-thebook-across-the-room-becausethe-dude-was-obviously-a-walking-red-flag-all-along outbursts, and everything in between always helps. Kristin Hannah always rises to the occasion, and in my opinion, this is her best book yet. 5/5 stars.
Merry Jiao is a senior majoring in international relations. She can be reached at merry.jiao@ tufts.edu.
URVIJA MAFATLA / THE TUFTS DAILY
“Ulises: Assembly” exhibition are pictured.
GRAPHIC BY LIAM CHALFONTE
Urvija
FUN & GAMES
‘Let’s Dance!’ by Claire Wood
Late Night At The Daily
Shannon: “I saw God and it was a bird with a
beak.”
CROSSWORD
SUDOKU
Trees are saviors we haven’t thought nearly enough about.
When you think about trees, you might think back to an elementary school lesson about how they turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, come in different types or can be identified by their leaves. That elementary school education really only scratches the surface of the hidden value trees bring to our society — especially our urban society. Trees could even be the solution to issues presented by climate change and health care that plague urban communities.
Trees must be a core part of our solution to climate change. As they grow, trees store more and more carbon. Over 800 million tons of carbon dioxide are held by trees per year in the United States, totaling nearly 12% of the country’s annual emissions.
These benefits are especially pronounced in an urban setting. Urban “heat islands” are created when pavement, buildings and surfaces that retain heat are closely concentrated in an area lacking greenery. In urban areas, temperatures are 1–7 degrees Fahrenheit higher during the
Keshav Srikant Staff Writer
Originally published Sept 17.
At the end of eighth grade, my school decided to take us on a oneweek overnight trip to Yosemite National Park. We learned about Yosemite’s ecosystems and history while hiking through forests and among thundering waterfalls. Almost a decade later, I remember this trip vividly, just as I remember every national park I’ve been to.
National parks are some of the most popular tourist destinations in America. In 2023, over 325 million people visited national parks. This figure — a significant increase compared to the 273 million visits in 2013 — should be celebrated. Being outdoors has important physical and mental health benefits, and research has shown that time spent in nature is associated with higher environmental awareness.
National parks also play an important role in protecting our environment, ecosystems and wildlife for future generations. Preserving biodiversity and eco-
OPINION
VIEWPOINT
It’s time to get serious about
trees
day and 2–5 degrees Fahrenheit lower at night compared with rural areas. These “heat islands” lead to higher energy costs from increased air conditioning use, air pollution levels and heat-related illness. Planting trees can help mitigate this issue. A 2024 study found that air temperature was reduced by 0.18 degree Fahrenheit for every 10% increase in tree cover in a neighborhood in Tacoma, Wash. As we face increases in our planet’s temperature from climate change,
we should be making every effort to reduce the temperature of our communities.
These benefits barely scratch the surface of what trees can offer our urban society. The World Health Organization cites even more health benefits including better water management, contribution to culture and improving safety, comfort and human psychology. And if none of this is important to you, or if you want to consider even more value — trees bring a beautiful
VIEWPOINT
solution. Compared to a cumbersome, technical solution, trees are an organic method to make our neighborhoods more visually appealing and livable. By adding beauty and making our streets cooler, trees will help improve how walkable, bikeable and appealing neighborhoods are.
What’s more, trees are also very cost effective. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation estimated the cost of planting a tree to be $11.01 at most and
Fund our national parks
systems is one of the main goals of the National Park Service, which protects a wide range of habitats from prairies to mountains to forests and many endangered species, such as the Cape Sable seaside sparrow. Additionally, the NPS protects the environment by keeping park waters clean and protecting important forests from deforestation.
The environmental and recreational value provided by national parks and the NPS can also be quantified economically. In 2020, national park visitor spending contributed $28.6 billion to the economy and supported 234,000 jobs in fields such as hospitality, recreation and transportation during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, as the economy recovered from the pandemic, visitor spending exceeded $50 billion nationwide, supporting nearly 380,000 jobs. A study conducted by the Harvard Kennedy School, which used survey data to comprehensively estimate the total economic value of the NPS, valued national park lands at $62 billion and NPS programs at $30 billion.
However, despite the value that national parks provide to the American public, the NPS is struggling. While more people are visiting national parks, this increase in tourism tends to be concentrated in the most popular parks such as Yosemite and Yellowstone, leading to overcrowding. Overcrowding isn’t just a hassle; it can make national parks more dangerous by increasing congestion on roads and challenging trails. Furthermore, it hinders the NPS’s ability to protect ecosystems and wildlife. Finally, large crowds can simply make the overall experience of being in nature less enjoyable.
All these issues have led to more work for NPS employees, many of whom report feeling overworked and underpaid. Despite increased burdens on national parks and their staff, however, Congress has yet to provide the NPS with needed funding. In fact, funding was cut by $150 million in 2024, lowering the budget to a mere $3.325 billion, which is far below the economic value that national parks provide. Since the NPS is primarily
less than $5 at its lowest including the costs of preparation, unloading and planting. The cost of a program to plant more trees is minimal compared to the effects that climate change could have on urban society. As such, there’s value in a massive sweeping investment to plant trees all at once. Trees take a number of years to grow to a mature size. So, if a set number of trees are planted every year, it’ll take significantly longer to see the fruit of our labor.
As a town meeting member in Lexington, Mass., I ran with a promise to protect and grow our street-side trees. Lexington has done a commendable job in protecting its conservation land, but its streets lack the all-too-important shade that comes from trees lining its streets. New proposals have included requirements for new street trees but don’t do enough for private construction projects. Trees could be a cornerstone of how we’re creating neighborhoods and a central component of our climate, equity and community goals. Planting more trees is the obvious solution to so many of the issues and concerns we currently face.
funded by Congress, with supplemental funding through admission fees and private philanthropy, Congress’s refusal to adequately fund our park system creates a significant problem: It prevents the NPS from addressing staffing shortages or making progress on their growing maintenance backlogs such as repairs on campgrounds and roads. It also means the NPS has no money to invest in infrastructure that could help manage overcrowding.
The solution to overcrowding isn’t to stop going to national parks. Whether it’s the breathtaking tidewater glaciers in Kenai Fjords or the stunning rock formations in Arches, everyone should have the chance to experience the wonder and natural beauty of the American outdoors. However, in order to ensure that this experience is safe and enjoyable, Congress should increase the NPS’s funding so that it can continue its important work of protecting nature.
The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free of charge 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 Editorial Board. Individual editorialists are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Editorial Board. Editorials are submitted for review to The Tufts Daily Executive Board before publication.
VIEWPOINTS AND COLUMNS: Viewpoints and columns represent the opinions of individual Opinion editors, staff writers, contributing writers and columnists for the Daily’s Opinion section. Positions published in Viewpoints and columns are the opinions of the writers who penned them alone, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. All material is subject to editorial discretion.
OP-EDS: Op-Eds provide an open forum for campus editorial commentary and are 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
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.
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VIA FLICKR
Yosemite National Park is pictured.
Kunal Botla Deputy Opinion Editor
VIA FLICKR
Trees line a street in Boston’s South End.
A Harris win won’t
shatter the glass ceiling
Women in politics aren’t as free as they seem.
Originally published Sept. 9.
At the Democratic National Convention in August, Hillary Clinton alluded once again to that famed glass ceiling. You know, the one she hoped to triumphantly shatter through — pantsuit and all — during her unsuccessful bids for president in 2008 and 2016. Clinton recycled much of her old feminist rhetoric for her speech at the DNC nominating Harris, suggesting that Harris — like herself — was in a long line of successful women in politics and that the day to break the ceiling was finally here.
It’s no secret Clinton would have loved to be the one to become the first female president of the United States. Eight years ago, she nearly accomplished her long-standing dream, winning the popular
vote but narrowly losing due to losses in key swing states. Yet, some voters and political commentators were quick to point out that, despite her wide utilization of feminism for campaign support, a woman who sticks by her husband when he has a huge public sex scandal with an intern, is a selective feminist.
The details about and gossip that followed the case only made her lack of dignity more apparent. If a woman has to swallow her most basic pride in front of an entire nation, perhaps she isn’t the best representation of a strong, powerful woman. And though Clinton became the first woman to be nominated for president from a major party, she didn’t win. Hence, no glass was shattered. Certainly, Harris is different. She has a publicly supportive, faithful partner offering positive media. She has experience as the sitting vice pres -
ident. She is younger. If she wins this November’s election, she will simultaneously be the first woman, Black woman and Indian to be president of the United States. Yet, if she wins, she won’t be shattering the glass ceiling, just breaking it.
Harris was nominated through an unprecedented last-minute effort following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from his campaign. Additionally, for many, a vote for Harris, like those for Clinton, will be a vote against former President Donald Trump; even top Republican officials, such as former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, are turning against their own party after lifetime alliances. This is accomplished less by Harris’ campaign and more by Trump’s dangerous politics.
Certain voters and commentators still question her strength and fortitude — especially in the
way of foreign defense policy. Trump talks about her appearance, boiling her down into little more than a shallow woman. Republican officials, including Ben Proto, Connecticut’s Republican Party chairman, claim Harris is not qualified, though she has years of experience as the district attorney of San Francisco, attorney general of California, a U.S. senator and the vice president. Additionally, the memes and public support surrounding Harris being “brat” and talking about coconuts are positive if one believes, as Bloomberg Opinion Columnist Nia-Malika Henderson does, that she can win on “vibes.” Yet, this idea implies that Harris should rely on surface-level internet support and not her deep knowledge of politics and debate to win.
The glass ceiling will be shattered in the future. But to me, that implies a day when the top
leading women officials don’t have to all have the same bob hairstyle and a pantsuit, when a woman can only seek success if she is running against an impulsive authoritarian.
Harris’ campaign is still a big deal; we are making progress. Harris does not need to address the fact that she is a woman as much as Clinton did; she can instead focus more on her strong prosecutorial background. With Harris, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nikki Haley and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, we seem to be nearing a day where the archetype for women in politics is, at least slightly, more flexible. Harris inspires the younger generation — we all saw the image of her great-niece looking brightly at Harris speaking on stage at the DNC. Maybe someday she will run for president with her pigtails and joy in her eyes.
Gretta Goorno Deputy Opinion Editor
VIA FLICKR
Harris and Clinton attend a reception hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in the White House on May 23.
Merseyside welcomes Federico Chiesa
Bharat Singh Sports Editor
The last noteworthy Italian to grace Anfield was Mario Balotelli. Enigmatic to say the least, widely remembered for his title-winning assist to Sergio Agüero for Manchester City Football Club and a scintillating 2012 UEFA European Football Championship campaign, Balotelli was a breath of fresh air for a stale Liverpool Football Club. This was pre-Jurgen Klopp, pre-success, and one could argue a case of right player, wrong timing. On the contrary, Federico Chiesa enters what is largely the remnants of a modern dynasty, remnants that are still capable of domination.
Unlike Balotelli, Chiesa is joining a star-studded squad with a stage set for him to shine.
Liverpool paid just 12 million euros for the Italian star, a bargain considering his age, former club/international record and profile. Chiesa isn’t the first former ACF Fiorentina player to wear Liverpool red either. Club legend Mohamed Salah played for Fiorentina before being brought in from Associazione Sportiva Roma in 2017. The pair will compete for the right wing, although it seems Chiesa’s role will be modified around Salah’s position. Despite Salah’s prolific form, it is logical that Liverpool is looking beyond the Egyptian and building for the future, represented by the signings of Cody Gakpo, Darwin Núñez and Luis Díaz in recent seasons. These
Zachary Gerson In the Crease
The NHL season is almost upon us
With the start of training camp this week and preseason games the following week, the NHL news cycle is starting to finally pick up once again. As teams and players prepare for what should be a very exciting 2024–25 season, let’s take a look at some of the latest news across the NHL.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed future Hall of Fame forward Sidney Crosby to a two-year contract, with an average annual value of $8.7 million. As the face of the Penguins organization, Crosby logically wants to finish his career as a Penguin and cement his legacy as one of Pittsburgh’s greatest athletes of all time.
Many players have signed professional tryout contracts. A PTO is essentially an invitation to training camp where, at the conclusion of camp, the team decides based on the player’s per-
stars, however, are primarily central or left-sided goalscorers with their creativity limited to the final third of the pitch.
Chiesa is slightly more dynamic and has been effective in midfield despite being a traditional winger. He is also unselfish and can feed goalscorers, as was visible when he played with Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus Football Club.
“It’s a dream come true for me to play for Liverpool and to play in the Premier League,”
Chiesa stated in his first official interview with the club. He was also asked about the attacking competition he will face for selection, but seemed confident
formance in training camp and preseason games whether to sign the player to a standard contract or release them. The PTO market has been very active this fall, with a lot of well-known veteran players being given the opportunity to impress teams. Notable PTO signings include defensemen Calen Addison (Ottawa Senators) and Tyson Barrie (Calgary Flames) and forwards Sammy Blais (Vancouver Canucks), Tyler Johnson (Boston Bruins), Nikolay Kulemin (Ottawa Senators), Kevin Labanc (New Jersey Devils), Matt Martin (New York Islanders), Max Pacioretty (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Jakub Vrana (Washington Capitals).
In other news, the Columbus Blue Jackets have signed 15-year veteran forward James van Riemsdyk to a one-year, $900,000 contract. The Blue Jackets are in need of forward depth, and this signing brings them closer to icing a complete lineup.
Defenseman Luke Hughes, a rising young star for the New Jersey Devils, is sidelined for six to eight weeks due to a shoulder injury. The injury occurred during one of his offseason training sessions. Hughes will likely miss at least the first eight regular season games.
that his qualities would earn him playing time.
Of his qualities, many of which could still develop with time considering he’s only 26, Chiesa’s dribbling in particular sets him apart. For Juventus last season, he was in the 98th percentile or above for progressive carriers, carries into the penalty area and shot-creating actions. According to The Athletic, he recorded 4.8 shot-creating actions per game, by far the most direct statistic that contributes to goals.
Since Klopp’s departure, Liverpool’s heavy-metal attacking style has been slightly muffled by new coach Arne Slot,
who has instead opted to prioritize defensive positioning, technical finesse and possession control. The attack is less dependent on pure counterattacking and now capable of more consistent build-up play. This system is physically demanding and Chiesa fits this mold. The question is, how regularly will he play, and can he settle for a supporting role unlike the spotlight he enjoyed for years in Italy?
On Tuesday, Chiesa was brought on late against Associazione Calcio Milan for Liverpool’s opening Champions League fixture. Although barely involved, Chiesa’s intense, ball-winning mentality was evi-
dent and his positioning indicated he could occupy a right/ central role with the freedom to overlap when needed. Slot seems keen to develop a dynamic, multi-position squad where players can adapt to different positions. Right-back TrentAlexander Arnold is a prime example, often moving into midfield to unlock his passing creativity.
Considering Liverpool’s overbooked season ahead, Chiesa’s true value will likely emerge deeper into the season, where fixture congestion and injuries are season-defining. Slot’s men still have to take on Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid Club de Fútbol and Girona Football Club in the Champions League, fixtures that pose unique challenges and will demand player rotations. His market value could also rise if he remains injury-free, a concern evidenced by his ACL troubles at Juventus. This weekend’s home fixture against Bournemouth could be Chiesa’s Premier League debut and is a must-win for Liverpool after their shocking loss to Nottingham Forest Football Club.
Liverpool’s future is firmly in the works and Chiesa is another early piece of the Slot era. He enters a dressing room filled with a refreshing blend of experience, youth and desire that is itching to reclaim titles and break records. With a father who won a UEFA Cup with Parma Calcio 1913 in 1999, Chiesa will hope to replicate such European success and win over supporters with every touch he takes. Welcome to Anfield.
The Boston Bruins and goaltender Jeremy Swayman remain in contract negotiations. Swayman wants to sign a long-term contract with Boston but feels that the Bruins have been undervaluing him in contract talks. It has been reported
that Swayman is looking for a contract with an annual salary of around $10 million, a price tag the Bruins are not willing to entertain. It will be interesting to see if the two parties can come to an agreement before the start of the season to
avoid the distraction of ongoing negotiations amid a very busy NHL schedule.
VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Federico Chiesa is pictured shooting in a 2021 game against FC Zenit Saint Petersburg.
Zachary Gerson is a sophomore who has yet to declare a major. He can be reached at zachary. gerson@tufts.edu.
GRAPHIC BY RICHIE HAN KYAW
Tufts football opens the season with a thrilling victory over Bowdoin
As Jumbo pride inundated Medford and Somerville for Homecoming, the Tufts football team, led by Coach Jay Civetti, hoped to finish the day victoriously against Bowdoin College. Tufts defeated Bowdoin 24–10 on the road last season, and on Saturday the team had the boost of roaring support from the Tufts community around them. The team, which lost last year’s opening match to Trinity College, entered Ellis Oval with determination and grit.
Tufts began the game assertively, forcing Bowdoin to punt after advancing just one yard. The Jumbos then quickly went up with an eight-play, 46-yard drive that culminated in an eight-yard touchdown from sophomore running back Christian Shapiro. The rest of the first quarter remained stagnant, with Bowdoin advancing a net total of only 26 yards the entire quarter.
Senior running back Aundre Smith and senior wide receiver Cade Moore collectively started the second quarter by advancing Tufts for a combined 39 yards, and this drive ended in junior kicker Vaughn Seelicke kicking a 35-yard field goal to give Tufts a 10–0 lead.
Tufts’ senior quarterback Michael Berluti threw for 51 yards in the team’s next drive until his pass at Bowdoin’s 24-yard line was intercepted by defensive back Ferris Collins. Collins’ interception helped boost Bowdoin’s energy and potentially bring down Tufts’ fervor, with Bowdoin’s
defensive lineman Dax Garza recovering a muffed punt to regain possession. Bowdoin then utilized this possession, scoring their first points of the game on a 16-yard rush touchdown from quarterback Robbie Long.
Bowdoin’s defense had warmed up by the second quarter, with defensive line -
Tufts’ offense at Bowdoin’s 24-yard line. The Jumbos crept all the way up to the 2-yard line with rushing gains from Shapiro and passing gains from Berluti to Moore. Shapiro then punched it in, and the Jumbos closed the third with the lead, 20–14.
The fourth quarter opened with the Polar Bears picking
to put the Jumbos in the lead, 23–21.
With under five minutes left, Tufts sophomore punter Andrew Leigh landed a powerful 56-yard punt, forcing Bowdoin deep into its own territory. Despite this, Bowdoin’s subsequent rush got them far down the field after Long threw a 28-yard pass to wide
“THE SUPPORT OF THE TUFTS COMMUNITY HELPED US OVERCOME THE STRESS OF IT BEING SO CLOSE. ... WE COULD ALL HEAR OUR PARENTS AND FRIENDS CHEERING OUR NAMES FROM THE STANDS AND IT WAS SO MUCH LOUDER THAN USUAL BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE. EVERYONE WAS UNBELIEVABLY ENTHUSIASTIC AND THAT DEFINITELY PUSHED US OVER THE EDGE DURING THOSE CRAZY LAST FEW MINUTES.”
man Aidan Reidy successfully moving Tufts back after sacking Berluti and then defensive back AJ Muse intercepting Berluti’s pass that same drive. The second quarter ended 10–7.
In Bowdoin’s first drive of the second half, Long scored an incredible 38-yard touchdown on a fourth down play to put them in the lead for the first time, 14–10. The Jumbos then fought back, as Berluti and Shapiro brought the team to the Polar Bears’ seven-yard line, before Berluti was sacked by Reidy again, pushing the Jumbos back to the 15-yard line. Seelicke’s successful 31-yard field goal decreased Bowdoin’s lead to 14–13.
Bowdoin’s next drive was cut short by sophomore defensive back Ty Richardson, who intercepted an overthrown pass from Long and set up
up a lucky opportunity when Reidy recovered a fumble at the 11-yard line. Long then threw his first passing touchdown of the game to wide receiver Ty Connolly, giving Bowdoin a 21–20 lead.
The Jumbos’ momentum wasn’t damaged by the fumble, however, as the Jumbos offense came out flying for their next possession. Berluti threw a 17-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Matt Rios, and then threw a staggering 51-yard pass to senior tight end Jack Elliott, moving Tufts to Bowdoin’s 5-yard line. However, Tufts struggled to move the ball into the endzone, with Bowdoin’s senior linebacker Dan Fiore breaking up Berluti’s third down pass. The Jumbos were forced to settle for a field goal, which Seelicke successfully made
receiver Jed Hoggard. However, Richardson intercepted another pass from Long with a minute left at Tufts’ 10-yard line and returned it to Bowdoin’s 46.
After Richardson denied Bowdoin their last real opportunity, they were forced to resort to using their timeouts in the last minute of play. Bowdoin began their final drive with 22 seconds left at their 7-yard line, but were unable to move far enough. The clock buzzed as the Polar Bears reached the Jumbos’ 37-yard line, sealing the deal for the Jumbos’ twopoint victory.
Despite the tight scoreline, Tufts dominated the game statistically. The Jumbos put up 407 offensive yards to the Polar Bears’ 273. Excluding quarterbacks, Shapiro had the most rushing yards in the game, at 61, followed by Tufts’
Aundre Smith, who had 28. The top receiver in the game was Moore, with 82 receiving yards, followed by Rios with 78, Elliott with 71 and senior wideout Henry Fleckner with 66. These Jumbos all tallied more than the Polar Bears’ top receiver, running back Luke Watson, who put up 41.
After the win, which was also Tufts’ first opening game win since 2019, the Daily spoke with first-year tight end Reed Ramirez about the team’s spirit regarding the game.
“The team’s energy was up from the beginning. We knew the stakes of the game were high,” he said. “Everyone was excited and nervous, but in the best way.”
Ramirez remembers that during halftime, “We knew that we could be beating them by more. We also knew that Bowdoin was not going to give up their energy. To win, we’d have to do what we were taught during pre-season and remember what our coaches taught us collectively as a team.”
“The support of the Tufts community helped us overcome the stress of it being so close,” he said. “We could all hear our parents and friends cheering our names from the stands and it was so much louder than usual because so many people were there. Everyone was unbelievably enthusiastic and that definitely pushed us over the edge during those crazy last few minutes.”
With a satisfying victory to start the season behind them, Tufts football travels to Wesleyan University for their next game on Saturday.
COURTESY TUFTS ATHLETICS
Tufts receiver Cade Moore is pictured after a reception against Bowdoin.
Ezra Liebowitz Staff Writer