3-25-2021

ENTERING PHASE FOUR, 2

MUSICAL THEATRE, 3

WELLNESS DAY, 5

ME TOO, 6

Massachusetts enters modified reopening.

Bringing new meaning to home entertainment.

Wellness Day failed to rejuvenate students.

TV plays important role in social commentary.

C ELEBRATIN G

THURSDAY, MAR. 25, 2021

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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY

J O U R NA LI S M

YEAR LI. VOLUME C. ISSUE IX

Memorial for MLK, Coretta Scott King planned for Boston Common Olga Benacerraf Daily Free Press Staff

The Boston Art Commission approved the final design for a memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King to be placed in the Boston Common.

“The Embrace” — an abstracted bronze figure drawing inspiration from a photo of the couple hugging after he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 — will stand next to the Parkman Bandstand, according to a March 17 press release by the Department of Arts and Culture.

Installation is expected to take place in October of 2022.

This initiative was led by King Boston, a privately funded non-profit, working together with the City of Boston and the Boston Foundation, according to the press release.

The final design was unanimously approved by the Boston Art Commission with support from the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.

“It will be a constant source of inspiration for all residents and visitors to Boston, and will play an important role in marking the progress we’ve made in addressing inequity in our city, and reminding us of the work that still needs to be

done,” former Mayor Marty Walsh stated in the press release.

MASS Design Group artist Hank Willis Thomas’ design was selected from a pool of 126 applicants. The City first put out a call to artists in late 2017.

“This is a really exciting moment and opportunity for us in this project, which honors the legacy and love of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King,” Thomas said in the release.

The concept for the memorial was developed by entrepreneur and King Boston founder Paul English in 2017.

English said the project was inspired by an MLK memorial he saw in San Francisco.

“There’s been a lot of people in Boston, particularly Black communities in Boston, who have thought about this for decades,” English said. “So I think people were pretty excited that I got serious about it.”

America’s oldest public park, the Boston Common, was chosen to house the memorial, as it was where King’s historic march through Boston ended, English said.

“It’s kind of a center of power in Boston,” English said. “There was a number of people that thought, ‘If MLK was one of the important Black leaders of Boston during his time here, why don’t we have more Black leaders memorialized on the Boston

Common if that’s the centerplace for to highlight her role in establishing intended to serve as a compass as memorials?’” the King legacy and her own fight for the city moves forward — adding Peter Drummey, chief historian civil rights, according to the release. that the project was further fueled by and tbe Stephen T. Riley Librarian at “That was really important to us,” protests this summer following the the Massachusetts Historical Society, English said. “They met in Boston, Minneapolis death of George Floyd explained how the city of Boston and that’s really where the love affair “I think the George Floyd murder, played an important role in the began.” which is really a horrific, horrific trajectory of the relationship of the In addition to the sculpture, the event, galvanized a lot of people historic couple.

King Center is creating a new Center to say ‘We need to take action,’” When King arrived in Boston in for Economic Justice to investigate English said. “The premise of the his early 20s, he and Coretta Scott racial wealth disparities in Boston, memorial is looking to the past but — who was studying music at the English said. also looking to the future of what we New England Conservatory — English said the memorial is want our Boston to become.” lived in the same neighborhood, Drummey said.

“I think [the memorial is] symbolically wonderful because they met here, their life together began here,” Drummey said. “I think it’s a very apt sculpture for this personal connection with Boston … this personal, intimate connection that they had because it’s the place they met.”

The decision to include Coretta Scott King in the COURTESY OF GPA PHOTO | ARCHIVE VIA FLICKR Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. In a March 17 meeting, the Boston Art Commission memorial was finalized design plans for a memorial of the couple that will be located in the Boston Common. guided by a desire

BU community has mixed experiences with COVID-19 rule enforcement Jesús Marrero Suárez Daily Free Press Staff Boston University has implemented many rules, changes and restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the effects of which have led to a total positivity rate of 0.21% on campus, according to data provided by the BU COVID-19 Testing Data Dashboard — comparatively lower than the surrounding city of Boston, which is currently at 1.1%.

But some members of the BU community have noted inconsistencies in the pandemicrelated policies that have allowed for them to be circumvented, even if most are properly enforced.

Hannah Emily Landsberg, director of case management and contact tracing at BU Healthway, wrote in an email restrictions and measures helped keep the community accountable, but it was also BU’s initiatives that contributed to its low positivity rate.

“We are fortunate to have a number of resources on campus to mitigate spread,” she wrote. “A genuine respect for the health and safety of others in our community and surrounding communities has been a

wonderful thing to see.”

Those resources include frequent testing with fast results, efficient contact tracing, separate quarantine and isolation housing, paid staff sick leave, as well as increased effort from campus facilities workers, according to her email.

In regard to BU’s restrictions, some say they believe most safety enforcements are created with sensible intentions, although are sometimes limited in effectiveness.

Sinan Bruce, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said the University has responded relatively well to the pandemic, which can be attributed to its financial expenditure.

“We have a lot more resources than a lot of other colleges,” he said.

“I guess we have a lot of money to spend to have access to these resources for handling COVID.” Bruce said the restrictions placed around campus are “common sense,” and work in combination with a responsible student culture. The only place on campus where COVID-19 rule enforcement tends to be lax, he said, is within dining halls.

“There have been some students who would eat together as groups,” he said. “But in order to do that, they would shift tables around, shift chairs around in order to be closer together.”

BU removed household tables from dining halls in February,

motivated by concerns related to socialization and the spread of the virus.

Bruce said the issue seems to have been exacerbated by their removal.

Those who choose to eat in the dining hall resort to moving chairs to be with their friends, he added, and he doesn’t usually see the dining hall staff enforcing social distancing restrictions.

Students must complete symptom surveys to enter on-campus buildings — such as dining halls, dormitories and the George Sherman Union, among others — and access Blackboard, and must present their green badges to attend in-person class.

Sadie Drinkward-Herrmann, a freshman in the College of General Sciences, said she’s noticed rule enforcement was lacking in classrooms.

“When it comes to in-person classes,” she said, “I’ve never had my badge checked,” In the CGS building, DrinkwardHerrmann added, badges are checked only when students enter the study room. She said she didn’t know professors were supposed to check students’ compliance until now.

John Ngo, assistant professor in the College of Engineering, said around 30 students of 120 attend his in-person classes — well under

the limit in relation to the size of the lecture hall. He added COVID-19 rules are properly enforced in his classroom.

“Before going into the class,” Ngo said, “there is someone who sits at the entry of the classroom and checks to make sure that the badge has shown that the symptom survey has been completed for that particular day.”

That daily symptom check, Drinkward-Herrmann said, is the least “beneficial” tool BU has implemented to control virus spread

“I don’t think a lot of students are inclined to say that they have symptoms,” she said, “and I just think that people just go ‘no, no, no, no, no,’ and then they get on with their day, even if they do feel sick.”

CGS freshman Thorbjorn Kaerskov said there is little COVID-19 rule enforcement on the BU Shuttle in regard to social distancing, but in his experience, it hasn’t been a problem.

“I feel like it’s a compromise between the safest protocols that they could enact and the reality,” Kaerskov said, “which is that there are a lot of riders, and that they need to be able to accommodate for people that might not be able to stand and such.”

Riders are expected to wear masks, stand in specified locations and not use seats marked “do not sit here,”

according to the BU Shuttle website.

Additionally, shuttles have a capacity ranging from 20-31 passengers, depending on the size of the bus.

BU spokesperson Colin Riley said he has much admiration for everyone’s effort through this “extraordinarily challenging year.”

“I think it’s worked very well,” Riley said. “I think it was a challenge.

I think our students rose to it, despite a handful of occasional issues, but not widespread. By and large, everyone did a terrific job.”

Without the efforts of the Medical Advisory Group, residence and professional staff, students and the F--- It Won’t Cut It student-run campaign, none of this could have been achieved, he added.

“I’d say it’s across the board,” Riley said. “I think none of them alone would have worked. They all work together.”

Kaerskov said, more than any restriction, BU’s frequent COVID-19 testing has been a significant contributor to mitigating the spread of the virus.

“I’ve seen varying degrees of effort on the behalf of students,” he said, “but generally getting tested every day and the way that they enforce that with the badge, I think that’s the cornerstone of their response.”

2 NEWS

Boston moves into modified Phase Four of reopening plan Isabella Abraham Daily Free Press Staff The City of Boston entered a modified version of Phase Four, Step One of the State’s COVID-19 reopening plan Monday, allowing certain heavier-contact activities to open at a reduced capacity.

The move comes with increased citywide vaccinations and a decrease in new COVID-19 cases, according to a release by the Mayor’s Office.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, our response to COVID-19 has prioritized public health, while recognizing the need to protect the economic wellbeing of our businesses and residents,” former Mayor Marty Walsh stated in the release. “It’s incumbent on each of us to stay vigi-

lant, even as we reopen more parts of our economy.”

Under the modified version of reopening, public gatherings will be capped at 60 people indoors and 100 people outdoors — lower than the state’s capacities of 100 people indoors and 150 people outdoors.

Private gatherings, however, will remain capped at 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors.

A full Phase Four reopening will not occur until the Boston Public Health Commission calculates a citywide testing positivity rate under 2.75% for two weeks consecutively, according to the press release.

Caitlin McLaughlin, director of media relations at the BPHC, wrote in an email that this number “will show us a trend that things are moving in the right direction.”

Outdoor and indoor stadiums, in-

SOPHIA FLISSLER | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

House of Blues. Boston entered Phase Four, Step One of reopening Monday, allowing performance venues and other spaces to reopen with limited capacity and increasing the number of people allowed at public gatherings.

door performance venues, overnight summer camps and certain live entertainment in restaurants can resume operations with sector-specific gathering limits.

Additionally, potentially contact-heavy indoor activities such as laser tag, escape rooms, roller skating, trampolines and obstacle courses may resume operation at 50% capacity.

“We’re eager to reopen, but obviously we don’t want to add to the problem,” said founder and CEO of escape room Trapology Boston Jason Loeb. “We will open in a manner that we feel is safe and consistent with state and CDC recommendations for safe reopening.”

Despite the circumstances surrounding the pandemic, Loeb said he plans to keep patrons safe by not allowing strangers to play together and continuing to implement rapid sanitation techniques such as the use of electrostatic sprayers.

“If and when we reopen in the near future, we will keep things as we’ve always done them during the pandemic, to ensure that we’re taking responsibility,” Loeb said. “I think it will be some time before we can actually shed those new standard operating procedures.”

Loeb added that Trapology received government aid to help them stay afloat during the pandemic, but they and other small entertainment businesses felt overlooked at times.

“There’s been a lot of focus on helping industries that are more visible and much larger scale,” Loeb

said. “Small immersive entertainment companies such as ourselves and other smaller businesses and less visible industry segments got a little forgotten.”

But not all businesses and venues that can immediately reopen plan to.

Tanglewood, a venue owned and operated by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, will not reopen until the summer, according to a Friday press release by the BSO. “The pandemic still represents a dynamic, unpredictable situation and there are many layers of planning and investment necessary for a reopening model that best ensures the health and safety of everyone involved, including the orchestra’s loyal audiences,” Bernadette Horgan, director of public relations at the BSO, wrote in an email statement.

McLaughlin added that a safe economic reopening requires continued caution.

“We have said from the beginning that we cannot have an economic recovery without a public health recovery,” McLoughlin wrote. “We will reopen slowly and cautiously so we can continue our economic recovery.”

Loeb said he believed the phased reopening will have a positive effect on Bostonians’ morale, but the City could have more difficulty enforcing health regulations.

“People will start to get a feeling of some semblance of normalcy again, with the slow stage reopening,” Loeb said. “I think it will be very difficult to lock things down again after they reopen like this. Once people get a

taste for what life used to be, I’m not sure if they’re going to give it up very easily.”

McLoughlin urged residents to keep up personal safety practices as the city reopens, since most won’t be eligible for the vaccine until next month.

“It is critical that everyone (including fully vaccinated individuals) continue to take steps to stop the spread of this virus,” McLoughlin wrote, “wear a mask in public, wash your hands often, watch your distance, avoid crowds and parties and continue to get tested regularly.”

Paul Beninger, associate professor of public health and community medicine at Tufts University, said the City was “taking a small step.”

“They’re waiting a sufficient period of time to see if it has an effect on the overall standpoint of positivity,” Beninger said. “That’s all they can do: Take a step, see what kind of response there is.”

As of March 16, 26.3% of Boston residents 16 or older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 11.1% are fully vaccinated, according to a Friday report by the Boston Public Health Commission.

If vaccinations continue to increase, Beninger said the numbers might get “sufficiently close” to herd immunity.

“I’m very optimistic, more optimistic than I’ve ever been,” Beninger said. “I think we’re still in very, very good condition, and we’re continuing to move in the right direction.”

CFA brass, woodwind performers can return to in-person rehearsals Vanessa Bartlett Daily Free Press Staff Since January, woodwind and brass student performers were excluded from in-person rehearsals and instead practiced remotely, but Boston University has now reversed that decision — all instrumentalists are now allowed to play in person.

After student petitions and efforts from College of Fine Arts Dean Harvey Young, the BU Medical Advisory Group and Community Health Oversight Group reevaluated the situation.

Wind and brass students are now “allowed to resume with adherence to enhanced measures to further reduce risk of transmission,” according to an email sent to students by CFA School of Music Director Gregory MelchorBarz.

The email outlined safety recommendations for students that include mask wearing, bell covers that have filtration material or tripleply masks and social distancing in accordance with state guidelines — 10 feet between musicians and 25 feet away from the audience.

Melchor-Barz wrote that the school suggests maintaining 12 feet between players if possible.

Rehearsals should abide by a 30-minute limit, and rooms used for rehearsals must be cleared and disinfected. Prior to the next rehearsal, the room must receive a minimum of one HVAC air change, according to Melchor-Barz’s email.

“Outdoor activity remains the best place for air flow,” Melchor-Barz wrote, “and rehearsals should take place in an outdoor setting whenever possible.”

Davidson Hamer, professor of

global health and member of BU’s Medical Advisory Group, said the situation was “complicated.”

When musicians blow through their instruments, he said, that air may carry virus particles should the player be infected.

“I think we still feel the same way about the need for caution with wind instruments and I would say brass also, just because basically people are blowing hard through them,” Hamer said. “Some of what they blow through gets filtered out, but a lot of it doesn’t.”

Hamer said decreasing COVID-19 cases on campus — despite a recent rise in state cases — as well as an option for outdoor practices made the return to in-person practice feasible.

“The thinking was really encouraging outdoor practice as much as possible,” Hamer said. “So there’d be sort of natural air currents to help with that.”

Though he was not privy to the meetings that took place, Director of University Ensembles Michael Barsano said he believed science drove the decision-making process.

“We’re all very, very aware of the risks,” Barsano said. “Our faculty and staff are going to be extremely vigilant to make sure everyone’s following the guidelines that were set forth by the University, to keep everyone as safe as possible.”

Barsano said faculty would also check green badges of students attending in-person rehearsals.

“I’m very happy that it’s happening,” he said. “It’s been a hard year for our students.”

BU Pep Band manager and CFA senior Victoria Paspalas said student petitions, including one she helped author, advocated for the program after a successful semester of adhering to COVID-19 guidelines and played a role in the decision.

“We had had some pretty strict guidelines in place, both that came down from the Medical Advisory Group and then from the College of Fine Arts,” Paspalas said, “but also kind of self-imposed within the program that we felt that we did a fantastic job with adhering to.”

Paspalas said she believed the recent warmer weather — that now allows for outdoor practices — was also a determining factor.

“I think that knowing that we’d be able to be playing outside might have been a big thing for them as well,” she said. “Either way, I’m not looking a gift horse in the mouth, I’ll definitely take whatever I can get. So I’m very, very pleased.”

Billy Sheahan, a trombone player

and junior in CFA, said he gained a lot of valuable experience from learning how to perform remotely.

Sheahan cited some hesitancy about the decision to allow woodwind and brass players to rehearse in person.

“I was concerned that there would be people within the ensemble,” he said, “who would not be taking restrictions as seriously as I have been.”

Sheahan said he is aware that his opinion is not the majority, but he believes reinstating in-person performances may not be safe.

“I frankly don’t want to be playing in a room with other people right now,” Sheahan said. “I’ve played outside with plenty of space between us, and I felt safe doing that. But

ultimately, I had no intention of congregating in a room and playing a wind instrument.”

Jackie Bartling-John, a graduating master’s student in CFA studying flute, said she was very happy to hear that woodwind and brass players would be able to attend in-person rehearsals again.

“I know that I was very overjoyed,” she said. “I was not alone in that, because, you know, it’s just something we’ve all really missed.”

Bartling-John said she had missed the sense of community that comes with in-person rehearsals.

“I’m personally very grateful to the admin for listening to the students,” she said.

ALI AUDET | DFP FILE

November 2019 Concert at the College of Fine Arts. CFA will allow brass and woodwind players to practice in-person again after previously requiring them to play remotely.

FEATURES 3

LIFESTYLE How, why to certify your pet as an ESA Julia Furmanek Daily Free Press Staff It’s been a lonely year for many of us, myself included. But despite my longing for human connection — and the lack thereof — I have come out of this global catastrophe with a silver lining: a newfound appreciation for my animals. Now, pets have always been an important part of my life. My

parents and I have done it all, housing anything from hamsters to hermit crabs. But when the pandemic hit and caused my OCD symptoms to spike and spiral out of control, I found myself relying on my dog Millie to keep my anxiety in check more and more.

I had heard of people having emotional support animals — pets that provided comfort to owners suffering from mental illnesses and therefore had a right to enter places they

normally wouldn’t, such as airplanes and work spaces. Registering a pet as an ESA always seemed like such a daunting task, though, and the details of the certification process were not easy to uncover from a simple Google search. So I never looked too far into it — that is, until I started really depending on my pet’s support.

As it turns out, it is fairly easy to register your pet as an ESA if you have an existing mental health diag-

nosis that animal companionship alleviates. All you need is a statement from a mental health professional on official letterhead explaining your diagnosis and your need to keep your pet near you. By law, ESAs must be accommodated by landlords and are protected under the Fair Housing Act. At the end of the day, having my pet with me at all times keeps me grounded. Millie keeps us on a schedule: We rise at 6 a.m. and start our

day off well with a brisk walk. She is always on hand when I need extra comfort, extra support and she gives me a reason to get outside and run around when I really need it.

If the past few months — or years, or decades — have got you down, and you’re looking for something to bring light back to your life, I highly recommend an ESA. Millie has made things much easier for me, and a pet might do the same for you.

On high school musical theater compilation videos Emma Simonoff Daily Free Press Staff Musical theater is a devastatingly vulnerable form of performance. To be a theater kid in high school, you need to be simultaneously extraordinarily confident and helplessly insecure. You need to be both unsure of yourself enough to crave the highest form of validation and egotistical enough to think that anyone would want to watch you do anything. Theater kids, especially the musical ones, are some of the most obnoxious people on this planet. I say that with love, because I was one of them.

To watch a high school musical theater production is to endure two hours of torture with a 10-minute break in the middle that does nothing but make the second half even more

painful because you had a taste of what it feels like to not be watching a musical. No matter how talented the performers are — and it’s usually only one or two of them, if any — the show will never be good. In the audience, you feel second-hand embarrassment and you’re bored. You can’t find the joy in the vulnerability because you’re too close. Thank God for the internet.

A few years ago, some musical theater nerds with way too much time on their hands distilled the brash, flailing insecurity of a high school musical theater performance into a single moment and repeated it over and over again in a three-to-five minute masterpiece: the musical theater compilation video.

These masters of their craft pick the moment of highest humiliation from a show and comb through high school musical productions from across the country that parents —

blinded by love for their children — posted online. They then form them into a supercut of theatrical disaster.

In a bygone era, we might have called them musical theater “fail” compilations. To me, they aren’t failures.

They’re triumphs of the human spirit.

My favorite compilations include the attempts of provocation in “Don’t you want your girl hot” from “Rent,” the — often white — girls chiming “I know you do!” in “West Side Story” and, of course, the screech of “A gift from me to Elle” from “Legally Blonde: The Musical.”

There are many more and although they’re not easy to find, I hunted down a 2017 Facebook page with enough to fill your lonely evenings. In all of them, the singers are giving their best performances possible and, in many, they’re terrible.

The ensembles are either exhausted and unenthused or the most dedicated step-touchers you’ve ever seen.

As a former musical theater kid, it’s cathartic. I’ve been there, and now I

get to laugh at it and be thankful I’m not in any of them.

HANNAH YOSHINAGA | PHOTO EDITOR

Musical Theatre Compilations Facebook group. Though watching full-length high school theater productions can be painful, shorter compilation videos of performances can be more enjoyable.

BUSINESS BU Center for Antiracist Research partners with The Boston Globe in new anti-racist publication Yiran Yu Daily Free Press Staff Traditionally, academia and journalism could be considered separate sectors. “The Emancipator,” a new joint venture between Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research and The Boston Globe’s Opinion team, challenges that convention as they work to reshape the dialogue around racial justice nationwide.

The project, founded by BUCAR founder and director Ibram X. Kendi and Boston Globe editorial page editor Bina Venkataraman, will be a revival of the spirit of 19th-century anti-slavery publications, including William Lloyd Garrison’s The Liberator in Boston, the first abolitionist paper in the country.

The name comes from an 1820 anti-slavery periodical, the first of its kind, Kendi said in the announcement video released last week.

Kimberly Atkins, a BU School of Law and College of Communication alumna and senior opinion writer at the Globe, is the inaugural columnist for The Emancipator and the author of the project’s newsletter “Unbound.”

Atkins said in an interview The Emancipator aims to reenvison 19th century anti-slavery publications for current-day audiences to inspire change and examine “the structural inequities in a host of systems in America.”

The modern conversation around racial justice needs to progress,

she said, just as past media outlets journalism.” whether it’s the observation of the pushed national dialogue to change She said The Emancipator will scholars,” Atkins said, “and bring during and after the Civil War. include the bi-weekly newsletter as that into perspective and deliver it “In those newspapers, it was a well “cutting edge” knowledge and right to people’s inboxes.” place for thought leaders, for journal- evidence-based data on anti-racism As the inaugural columnist, Atkins ists, for members of those communi- to inform readers. said she would be writing columns ties to really push the envelope and “What we really want to do is en- for The Emancipator that will also have a broader way of thinking about gage the public and help shape na- be published on The Boston Globe’s what freedom meant,” Atkins said. tional dialogue around new solutions, website. In the coming weeks, she “It wasn’t just the end of slavery, but expert insights on current events and said she will be writing a series about what would happen to Black people ways moving forward to build a more systemic racism and potential soluin America.” just and equitable society,” she said. tions.

Monica Wang, the associate diAtkins, who writes the newsletter, “There’s a lot about this project rector of narrative at BUCAR and an said she sees it as a “valuable tool” to that I will be involved in that I’m associate professor at BU’s School of not only share the project’s work, but very excited about,” Atkins said.

Public Health, serves as a founding contextualize current news.

The Emancipator is currently reeditorial member of The Emancipa“The newsletter is a way to sort of cruiting for two co-editor-in-chiefs, tor. She said the collaboration con- create … whether it’s the annotated one for BU and one for The Boston nects university scholars and commu- abolitionists essays from the 19th Globe. The two juxtaposed positions nication leaders to create meaningful century, whether it’s the columns and should “reflect a true, equal partnerimpact in Boston and beyond. reporting that the writers are doing, ship between media and between ac“This is ademia,” Wang a multimesaid. dia platform “To me, this that will be is really excithoused at a ing because it is microsite at going outside of the Globe, academia to creand the ate partnerships platform is and collaborareally meant tions with other to reframe sects,” she said. the national “When we do conversathat, I think we tion on race get to see more and equiinnovation, see ty,” Wang more creativity said, “so and also encourthat it emage and catalyze bodies and more interdisciessentially plinary thinking COURTESY OF QUADELL VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS i n t e g r a t e s William Lloyd Garrison’s “The Liberator.” Inspired by anti-slavery publications, the Boston and perspecscholarship University Center for Antiracist Research is collaborating with the Boston Globe to tive.” as well as As a public launch “The Emancipator,” a digital platform dedicated to anti-racism.

health expert, Wang said she works on addressing health disparities based on racial and socioeconomic status — focuses that have connected her to The Emancipator and its mission.

“In the work that I do with communities of color, stories and storytelling are a really powerful way to empower communities and advocate and catalyze change,” Wang said.

“The work of The Emancipator very much embodies the spirit of doing that kind of communication and engaging in public scholarship.”

The Emancipator is run by experts and scholars from diverse fields of study and areas of research, which Wang said will allow the publication to develop innovative ideas.

“When people bring different training backgrounds and different lenses, it encourages us to think outside the box,” she said, “and to really harness our collective expertise and come up with new project ideas.”

The multimedia microsite is set to launch this summer.

Atkins said BU students can become more involved “by reading and engaging” with the material.

Wang said once The Emancipator officially launches, the team hopes to partner with the College of Communication to recruit student journalists to be involved, as well as develop a Fall course on racial reporting, which she said is another priority of the project.

“We not only want to amplify voices and amplify research,” she said, “but we also want to train the next generation of scholars to engage in this work as well.”

4 FEATURES

SCIENCE

BU public health experts emphasize importance of vaccinations, COVID-19 precautions for Fall semester Sophie Nye Daily Free Press Staff Boston University’s plan to reopen for in-person classes this Fall has students and faculty feeling cautiously optimistic. While some may be eager for normalcy, BU public health experts emphasize the importance of vaccinations and continued compliance to safety measures to make the return possible.

David Hamer, a BU professor of global health and medicine and a member of the Medical Advisory Group, said he thinks the state is moving in the right direction, given declining transmission of COVID-19 and increasing vaccination rates.

“We were able to get through the semesters … without any major outbreaks or major super-spreader events,” Hamer said. “If the vaccination campaign continues to scale up, and there’s a good level of acceptance, I think rates of transmission are going to drop to much, much lower levels.”

He said he’s “an optimist” in regard to the University’s plans, and fully reopening is reasonable, though vaccinations, COVID-19 safety measures and a degree of testing are important factors in ensuring that stays true.

Because of the current vaccine rates and the number of people with antibodies, he said he thinks reaching herd immunity by September is “definitely achievable.” The “real question” then, he said, is if people’s reluctance to get the vaccine will interfere.

“There’s definitely, I think, a substantial proportion of people that are hesitant to get the vaccines,” he said.

“I think we’re going to get to 50 to 60% [vaccinated] pretty easily, and the next 20% or so is going to be more of an uphill battle.”

Hamer said current vaccines do provide some protection against other strains of the virus. However, he said it is possible there will be future

greatly threaten vaccinations in the coming months.

“It seems unlikely that a mutation would be able to develop within the next four months that would create conditions that would wipe out the effects of the vaccine,” Siegel said.

“It just seems incredibly unlikely.”

herd immunity.”

Hamer said anti-vaxxers are a “vocal minority,” but some people are hesitant about the vaccine because of systemic wrongdoings.

The history of medical malpractice and oppression, especially against Black individuals, has created lasting

CAROLYN MOONEY | DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

Students on the College of Communication lawn. Boston University public health experts are optimistic about the University’s plan to open for fully in-person education in the Fall, but recommend students continue to socially distance and get vaccinated if they can.

mutations of COVID-19 that the vaccines won’t be effective against.

“We also need to keep monitoring for new strains, but so far these variants of concern and the mutations on the spike protein do not seem to have evolved far enough away that the vaccine will not cover them,” he said. “That’s likely to happen in the future though.”

Michael Siegel, professor of community health sciences at BU, said he does not think the variants would

On the question of how soon the country will be able to reach herd immunity from mass vaccinations, Siegel said he’s confident the goal can be reached if vaccines continue to roll out at the current rate.

“Typically when you get up to about 75, 80% of the population vaccinated, you can get to a stage of herd immunity,” Siegel said. “If we are able to convince enough people to get the vaccine, then it’s certainly possible that we’ll get to that level of

mistrust that carries through to the COVID-19 vaccine, Siegel added.

Along with widespread misinformation, this poses challenges to achieving herd immunity, but it can be addressed.

“There are obstacles in the way, but we can get there,” Siegel said.

“There’s no question that it’s something that we can do, it’s just going to take a lot of public health campaigning and education to try to overcome those barriers.”

Laura White, an associate professor of biostatistics at BU, said she is encouraged by current statistics, especially regarding vaccines and their ability to protect against variants.

However, she said safety precautions should not be lifted.

“It’s just a basic rule, that the more the virus is allowed to transmit, the more opportunity it has to mutate,” she said. “That’s where I think we need to still mask, we need to still be careful and vigilant. We just don’t want to give this virus more and more chances to get more effective.”

However, White said she is “comfortable” with the University’s Fall plans, especially given that some degree of safety precautions will likely be upheld.

“I feel pretty good about where we’re at as a University for coming back in the Fall,” White said.

She added mental health — which she said the pandemic has been “detrimental” to for some students — is also an important aspect of reopening.

“It’s hard to know how to weigh those two against each other,” White said, “but my sense is the risk from COVID, it’s no worse than the risk of people struggling with isolation, with mental illness and some of the academic struggles that come along with that.”

Each expert agreed the months ahead will be a critical final push to the end of the pandemic, but people must continue to do their part to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

Overall, White said she is satisfied with BU’s Fall plans, while still keeping in mind some precautionary measures.

“We’re not going to be completely out of the woods in the Fall,” she said, “but I think the campus should be a safe place to be.”

COMMUNITY BU pet instagrams, dogs on campus spark student joy Alexandra Lack Daily Free Press Staff

Boston University terriers live by cardinal rules during the COVID-19 pandemic: Fill out the Daily Symptom Screening on time, never assume there will be a short line for the Chick-fil-A truck on Wednesdays and enthusiastically greet every dog you see on the street.

With travel restrictions and no Spring Recess, BU students are also feeling the cost of living without their four-legged friends at home for extended periods of time.

Ashley Shaw, a sophomore in the Questrom School of Business, said she recently adopted her French Bulldog puppy, Quinn, during winter recess. Shaw sought out Quinn, now five months old because of the massive toll online learning took on her mental health last semester.

“The primary reason I got her, it was because I wasn’t doing well with having online classes,” she said. “I’m someone who’s very social … and being stuck in my small apartment doing classes not getting to see people very often was really, really hard

for me.” things,” Ham said. “You miss walk- very cute and it’s nice to see them As Quinn’s primary caretak- ing him, just petting him, it’s physical interact with their owners or just er, Shaw has been able to balance contact with your pet.” strangers passing by.” tending to Quinn’s needs and those Anyone who has a pet knows that Although plenty of pets can be of her schoolwork. The best part is, they become a big part of your life; spotted on a walk around campus, Quinn makes learning during the they are like family. When he talks leaving your room is not necessary to COVID-19 pandemic more manage- to his parents on Facetime, Ham said see BU-affiliated animals. able for Shaw’s mental health.

Afrah Mohammad, a third Shaw said she takes Quinn year student at Boston Univeron walks to the dog park and sity’s medical school, created to the Barn, where she is on an Instagram account called BU’s club equestrian team. @pets.of.busm last summer As Quinn naps she’ll get work dedicated to fellow BU studone, and at night they “snugdent’s animals. Despite not gle on the couch and watch having any pets of her own, Netflix together.”

Mohammad mentioned the When asked how she has joy it brought her to see those adapted to living with her new of her fellow classmates. puppy, Shaw said “she makes “It’s just fun to see everyHANNAH YOSHINAGA | PHOTO EDITOR a world of difference.” one’s pets,” she said. “Honest@pets.of.busm Instagram account. Students can “I’m never alone anymore,” send in photos of their pets to the account and view ly, I really like it.” she said.

Although the majority of other students’ submissions.

BU housing policies propet pictures that are submithibit students from boarding pets on he often asks if Happy can be on the ted to the Instagram account consist campus, unless the University ap- call too. of dogs or cats, Mohammed said she proves them as service dogs or emo“One of the things about having a had received some unique ones too. tional support pets. As such, students pet is that you unconditionally love Rabbits and a rooster have been feasometimes go entire semesters with- them,” he said. tured on her Instagram, so publicity out seeing their pets.

Ham lives on campus, and said de- for any kind of pet is fair game.

Jason Ham, a junior in the College spite not being able to see his own, The account was started to share of Arts and Sciences, said he missed see many other pets around campus a love for animals. Mohammad spending time with his dog, a terrier never fails to brighten his mood. found that discussing pets was an mix appropriately named “Happy.”

“The presence of pets on campus easy talking point, and her Instagram “It is only temporary, but you does improve my mood by a good could be used as a means for other know, you kind of miss the little margin,” Ham said. “They’re always animal lovers to share their appreci-

ation.

In terms of talking about pets, Mohammad said, “I like getting updates on them, and I realized other people do as well.” With the help of her account, Mohammad said, “I feel like people will feel a little more connected to each other.”

As midterm season approaches its close, students are feeling the strain of not having a spring recess and constantly working week after week.

Missing pets is just another difficulty that college students have to face, although they can be comforted by the fact that these furry friends can be found on social media or all over campus, especially at the BU Beach on a nice day.

BU Terriers should also keep their eyes peeled for a glimpse of the University’s unofficial mascot, Artoo, who can often be seen promenading around campus with his owner.

Though it may seem frivolous, pets are a crucial part of the family.

Being away from them for long periods is tough on all involved, and is just another thing to look forward to once the semester comes to a close.

Despite the 2020-2021 school year at BU seeming so difficult on its students, Terriers can be relieved to know that the BU animal support network is thriving.

OPINION 5

EDITORIAL

Wellness Day did not go well

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIA NIZHNY

On March 18, Boston University students rejoiced over the first “Wellness Day” of the semester: a chance to finally let loose, relax and taste some freedom.

Unfortunately, it was short-lived, and the day passed by in an unsatisfactory flash.

For many, the singular day off felt like a tease.

It was a prescribed break that felt as though it did more harm than good, allowing students the chance to disrupt their momentum without enough time to actually recover from burnout.

Students had to abruptly jump back into the thick of things on Friday.

Some students were given assignments to be due the next day — they either had to work on their day off, spend the day with lingering to-dos at the back of their minds or dedicate the following few days to an exhausting game of catch-up. The University even listed “do homework” as one of their suggested activities for the Wellness Day. Has the concept of a day off flown over BU’s head? Or is the administration so disconnected from their student body that they don’t understand we work 24/7, and this “breathing room” should be time completely separate from our academic responsibilities?

It’s already incredibly difficult for students to stop working — it takes a conscious effort, powering off your computer and overriding your instincts. It certainly isn’t helped by an official recommendation to work.

Having experienced one unfulfilling Wellness Day, the knowledge that they granted us only one more is incredibly disheartening.

One could argue that at least we secured two

days off. At the very least, BU listened and made an attempt to alleviate our stress.

However, the Wellness Days — which only came after students voiced their concerns — are insufficient and borderline performative. If Spring Recess was canceled to limit traveling and partying, it wasn’t very effective.

Students who wanted to travel for pleasure were still able to do so under Learn from Anywhere and have been doing so since the Fall.

The University’s attempts at preventing students from leaving campus have proven feeble under

that would give students something we are all in dire need of: rest.

Though it’s a bit late in the game, the administration could instate additional Wellness Days — perhaps two or three in a row prior to the weekend.

The University also has the infrastructure and funding to go above and beyond, as evidenced by its testing centers and response to COVID-19. Not taking advantage of that capacity to provide adequate mental health support, especially during the anniversary

BU could’ve created a creative and meaningful alternative to Spring the weak guidelines that are set in place.

Canceling Spring Recess is a drastic move to curb travel. Yet, that same thought and energy has not gone to protecting and supporting the mental health of students.

It has been established time and time again the pandemic is unprecedented, tiring and draining. If we can acknowledge the need for further support during a time of crisis, why are we only receiving the bare minimum?

BU has seen that taking away our break didn’t control student travel at all. Giving us breaks that are longer than a day won’t increase the risk of travel if people are doing so regardless. But,

month of the pandemic, demonstrates yet again a prioritization of public image and physical health over mental well-being.

Even if BU cannot immediately create better mental health resources or additional Wellness Days, it would do well to enforce a “no work due after Wellness Day” policy — or even no work due the week of the break — across colleges so we can fully enjoy our day off.

Beyond the issue of Wellness Days, interpersonal connection and communication has been exceedingly difficult to establish over Zoom. Students and professors alike are missing out on what used to be normal, casual

interactions.

Thus, it would help if professors could start classes with a check-in or icebreaker — or for the University to implement more points of connection from adult leadership. We desperately need the mentorship and trusted relationships we typically find in advisors and teachers during in-person school years.

Furthermore, professors could give students days off outside of the official Wellness Days.

This could benefit both parties — professors have no doubt been suffering from the effects of teaching to a screen just as much as students have from learning off one.

In general, there needs to be more empathy and flexibility from the people who represent our school and who we look up to for guidance.

Longer, more difficult midterms — which have been commonly implemented due to opennote, online exams — and inflexible deadlines don’t reflect the understanding they claim to have.

Unfortunately, this is an issue that doesn’t just affect BU’s community. Harvard University students, for example, are facing the same crop of challenges with a handful of Wellness Days that do little to help.

It shouldn’t be on students to constantly pressure their college, call out institutions and enact change for the bare minimum. If all of the actions the University takes to help students only come after they have petitioned and pleaded, then those new implementations become insincere — especially when it happens so often at BU. ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIA NIZHNY

EDITORIAL BOARD Colbi Edmonds, Editor-in-Chief Nick Kolev, Campus Editor Charles Moore, Sports Editor Hannah Yoshinaga, Photo Editor

Cameron Morsberger, Managing Editor Daniel Kool, City Editor

Jackson Machesky, Podcast Editor

Alexia Nizhny, Layout & Graphics Editor Emma Sanchez, Blog Editor

Abbigale Shi, Opinion Editor

Lily Kepner, Features Editor

GRAPHIC BY ALEXIA NIZHNY Andrew Harwood, Multimedia Editor

OPINION 11

COLUMNS Spotlight on Society:

Mirroring the Me Too movement Emma Shapiro Columnist Amidst the growing anti-women sentiment, specifically in U.S. society, TV dramas have introduced storylines to replicate the #MeToo Movement.

The original movement was started by Tarana Burke in 2006, and it was revitalized in 2017 after actress Alyssa Milano accused producer Harvey Weinstein of rape on Twitter. Burke acknowledged the arrest of Weinstein after several people accused him of rape and sexual assault, but said the purpose of the movement wasn’t to convict celebrities.

Rather, the Me Too Movement is meant to encourage marginalized survivors of abuse to dismantle the system of assault and thrive.

Burke’s mission carries through in the media.

Shows such as “Law and Order: SVU,” which dealt with sexual assault and abuse before the Me Too Movement became prevalent, discuss the aftermath of reporting any type of sexual trauma to the police, for example.

SVU has an episode that mirrors the Weinstein rape cases. In “I’m Going to Make You a Star,” a Weinstein-esque villain targets aspiring actresses. The show specifically focuses on the representation of survivors as opposed to assailants, according to showrunner Warren Leight.

Though depicting accurate abuse in the media is crucial, the stories of the survivors need to be captured more in-depth — SVU does just that. Addressing sexual assault requires us to teach people how to help survivors in addition to punishing abusers.

Showing these fictional SVU characters’ decision to come forward and pursue a case against their assailant is essential for the audience to learn how to better be an ally and gain a

better understanding of the system.

Certain segments of SVU also discuss the concept of “he said, she said.” For example, in the 2004 episode titled “Doubt,” a college student claims a sexual act was rape while a professor says the act was consensual.

“Law and Order: SVU” is one of few shows that thoroughly depicts the experience of sexual assault victims. They are able to portray many sides of the conversation — with a range of survivors and perpetrators — in an unbiased and universal manner.

Throughout the show, the SVU investigators also provide the necessary compassion and empathy that is needed for police officers investigating sexual assault cases. Although there are moments when a detective may get enraged by the flimsiness in a victim’s testimony, they do not dismiss the claim itself.

We need members of the police or authority figures who believe and investigate accusations, especially when it is often difficult for the survivor to receive closure or even feel comfortable reporting their assault. Ignoring an accusation because the survivor isn’t “the ideal victim,” is an absolutely absurd notion that is impossible to achieve.

Unfortunately in real life, the backlogs of rape kits have grown mold, making them no longer viable, authorities fail to conduct complete interviews and police say victims were falsely claiming sexual assault. This can be discouraging to survivors who need support and justice.

While TV shows can only highlight the stigma surrounding rape and sexual assault cases, by showing fictional survivors who are believed and supported, they may encourage survivors to share their stories for themselves and others rather than for the police — similar to Burke’s movement that prioritized the power of survivors.

“Grey’s Anatomy” is another show that has succeeded in depicting the reality of sexual assault cases. The show introduced the idea of power dynamics in sexual harassment by depicting the head of a medical foundation as a man of authority targeting vulnerable and desperate women.

In season 14 of “Grey’s Anatomy,” Harper Avery — the man behind a large medical foundation — was exposed as an abuser. He preyed on his female employees, using his position of power to get away with certain sexual acts.

Presumably realistic men such as Avery have an extensive team of lawyers to force the survivors to sign non-disclosure agreements and gag orders to prevent them from speaking against their current or former employers. They essentially corner the victim into silence — if they stay silent, they’ll be able to keep their job or avoid the piles of legal fees.

The pattern of big business — and yes, the medical industry is a business — cowering behind their lawyers to avoid taking any form of responsibility is unfortunately normalized.

As a society, we must discuss power dynamics to further understand what bosses can and cannot do. Besides the obvious illegalities behind rape and other non-consensual behavior, employers can’t be allowed to abuse their power to make employees feel obligated or forced to comply. “Grey’s Anatomy” sparks this conversation and is especially relevant in highlighting the sexual assault history in the medical industry.

By using the extremely devoted following of “Grey’s Anatomy,” the show was able to create a plot that dealt with real world issues. The cult following that “Grey’s Anatomy” has amassed over the years will be introduced to the importance of the Me Too Movement.

Although the storyline should be explored more deeply, it was also provided a platform beyond just the one episode. The following episodes involving the aftermath of the allegations were essential to providing more voices to those who are typically silenced.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where some people use their power to get what they

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIA NIZHNY

The Red Corner:

Big Mouth shuts up — UFC 260 Preview Charles Moore Sports Editor Peter Moore Sports Writer

No. 4 Derek Brunson (22-7) and No. 10 Kevin Holland (21-6) did battle Saturday in the UFC Apex. The matchup boasted a top-10 gatekeeper veteran in Brunson and an up-and-comer in the verbose Holland. Brunson dominated Holland en route to a unanimous decision –– snuffing the shine to a rising middleweight star.

Holland entered the bout on a five-fight win streak, all victories coming in the span of eight months last year. Most recently, Holland scored a stunning TKO of veteran Jacare Souza (26-9) from Holland’s back.

Brunson, who has done battle with the middleweight division’s most formidable, entered with a recent victory of prospect No. 12 Edmen Shahbazyan (11-1). As the betting favorite, the attention of the fight was on the younger and more excitable Holland, but the fight turned out to be all Brunson.

Holland had little answer for Brunson’s six takedowns and was controlled for nearly 17 minutes on the ground. Despite arguably losing all five rounds, Holland continued to talk smack in the cage, living up to his moniker: “Big Mouth.”

This result is an extreme detriment to the momentum Holland built in his last five bouts. Holland was named the third-best fighter of 2020 by the UFC for his record-tying five wins in a year.

Holland’s continued talk through his five-round beatdown further destroyed any momentum he may have gained.

Brunson should be looking at one last run at the top with this victory, and he likely deserves a top-six opponent in the division as opposed to yet again serving as a litmus test for middleweight prospects.

UFC 260 Preview: The Biggest. Baddest. Rematch. Heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic (20-3) returns to the Octagon to defend his belt for the fifth time against Cameroonian power-puncher, No. 1 Francis Ngannou (15-3).

This matchup is the second time these two men have met in the Octagon when Miocic snuffed the rising Ngannou in a dominant, unanimous decision in 2018. Ngannou has worked his way back up through the HW division and believes his resharpened tools are enough for Miocic.

Miocic enters after a rubber match with Daniel Cormier (22-3). In a fight for the title of “Heavyweight GOAT,” Miocic bullied DC to a unanimous decision — defending his belt and closing the chapter on the Miocic-Cormier rivalry and retiring DC. Ngannou is coming off four straight firstround knockouts. Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior Dos Santos and Jairzinho Rozenstruik have all received a violent nap at the hands of “The Predator.” Ngannou, who has made his name on brutal knockouts, is looking to showcase a renewed skillset, with improved conditioning and wrestling following his abysmal showing against Miocic last time out.

How Miocic can win: Stipe is the greatest heavyweight to grace the Octagon, and his well-rounded striking and wrestling have proved formidable for nearly every opponent who has tried to take his belt. Miocic neutralized the scary power of Ngannou the first time out, and exploited a huge hole in The Predator’s game: cardio. After outlasting the first round power shots, Miocic methodically took him

down and controlled him on the ground, tiring out the heavy and lethargic-looking Ngannou.

Stipe’s path is simple: Survive the first round and take the fight to the ground.

Tire Ngannou out and cruise to another unanimous decision.

Stipe’s conditioning is much better than that of his younger adversary, and he can once again neutralize the daunting figure that is Ngannou.

How Ngannou can win: The obvious answer here is land that big shot. Ngannou’s power is unmatched, and should Francis land, he could likely put a silverback to sleep. His right hook is equivalent to 96 horsepower, and a clean shot hits as hard as a Ford Escort driving at its top speed. If Francis lands, it’ll be over and fast.

After the embarrassing beating Ngannou took in 2018, his team should not rely on this plan outside of the first two minutes of the first round. Last time they fought, Ngannou tired out very quickly and was an easy mountain to climb for Stipe. However, this fight is a huge opportunity for him. If Ngannou could beat Stipe outside of round one, it would be a major win for his career and legacy. Unfortunately, we have not seen a post-UFC 220 Ngannou victory occur past the first round, so any improvement to his questionable cardio remains to be seen.

ILLUSTRATION BY PETER MOORE

Charles’ Prediction: Ngannou via R2 KO/TKO Peter’s Prediction: Ngannou via R1 KO/TKO Other fights to watch: The other title fight this card was going to boast — champion Alexander Volkanovski (22-1) versus No. 2 Brian Ortega (15-1) — was scratched when Volk went down due to COVID-19 protocols. That limits the sheer awesome factor of this card to just the heavyweights. That being said, there are some great fights to watch elsewhere.

William Knight (9-1) versus Alonzo Menifield (9-2) should be a brawl with them both at 205 pounds. Knight is a Dana White’s Contender Series alum who has series power in his hands. A knockout of Cody Brundage (6-1) and a unanimous decision over Aleksa Camur (6-1) have aided in him in his pursuit of the top.

Menifield has four fights in the UFC with a win over Paul Craig (14-4-1). Menifield will look to take advantage of the newcomer, as he has dropped two straight fights against Devin Clark (12-5) and Ovince Saint Preux (25-15).

This fight will be a banger.

As always, tune into @TheRedCornerDFP for live fight results and UFC 260 full card predictions.