The
PROMETHEAN Vol. 31 Issue VI
The Student Voice of Siena College Since 1938
13th Annual Mr. Siena Competition Crowns a Winner
By Maria Gigliello Staff Writer On Saturday, February 3, seven men duked it out to be crowned the one and only Mr. Siena. Every year, this highly anticipated event is held as a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity, which helps to construct homes for those in need and volunteer at local organizations. All of the money generated from Mr. Siena goes to the organization. The competition, which could be equated to a male beauty contest, allows contestants to show off their talents, creativity and personalities, all while raising money and awareness for a good cause. This year, the talent and big personalities did not disappoint as the contestants had us laughing, crying and truly enjoying ourselves out in the audience. This year’s contestants included freshmen George Ghobriel and Cooper Humpf, sophomore Matt Bird, juniors Dan Heslin and Thom Schlinck and seniors Erik Reidel and Adam Villanueva. The boys opened up the show with an absolutely hilarious and entertaining dance number. Dancing along to a mashup of songs like “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé, “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion and “Pop, Lock & Drop It” by Huey, there was plenty of hip shaking, body rolling and dropping it low that had the audience roaring with laughter and applause. After this impressive opening came the “Habitat Wear” portion of the show, where the contestants performed skits about Habitat for Humanity and what it does for the community. The winner of the Habitat Wear portion was Matt Bird. His Billy Mays-esque skit was quite memorable as he pitched how homes that are destroyed due to natural disasters could be rebuilt through Habitat for Humanity. Next, came the talent portion of the show, where contestants displayed a myriad of talents including singing, boxing and comedy just to name a few. Many contestants dedicated their performances to family members and girlfriends, but Thom Schlinck’s dedication of his rendition of “My Way” by Frank Sinatra was particularly touching. Thom dedicated his performance to a young boy he befriended through Siena’s Mentoring Program, Jeremiah “JJ” Myers, who was tragically killed this past December just days before Christmas. Thom went on to win the talent portion at the end of the night. After the talent portion was formal wear, where the contestants and their escorts dazzled us in formal wear and answered questions dished out by hosts Kenny Alexandre, previous winner of Mr. Siena, and Fr. Dennis Tamburello. Then came time for the judges to deliberate who would be crowned the 2018 Mr. Siena. The judges this
year included Judy Dougherty, Director of the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy, Paolo Fiore, Mr. Siena 2016 and Ashley Dwyer, Assistant Director of Employer Relations. The boys put their all into their final dance number as they shimmied along to “It’s Raining Men,” before the winner was announced. Mr. Congeniality was first announced and Dan Heslin picked up this title - a welldeserved win. Next came first runner-up, which went to Erik Reidel, and the 2018 Mr. Siena title went to Adam Villanueva. Adam truly entertained with his Handy Manny versus Bob the Builder habitat skit, talent of boxing and defeating Fr. Sean that showed equally impressive talents of physical ability as well as acting, and an overall lively and charming personality throughout the show. All contestants did a fantastic job of raising awareness for Habitat for Humanity and representing Siena College and what it really stands for—service and community.
Class of 2018 Kicks Off Their Senior Gift Campaign By Mackenzie Fiorini ’18, Student Intern in the Office of Alumni Relations As a Franciscan institution, Siena College teaches students the importance of giving back to the community. The Class of 2018 is eager to give back to Siena and leave behind a legacy to the place that has, as senior Tori Andler said, “...given me everything I could have wanted out of a college experience.” This year’s class will raise $15,000 to support the Grotto Candle Endowment. Currently,
Photo courtesy of Siena Alumni Relations
donations are collected at the Grotto to pay for candles lit there, but the balance is covered by the Student Activities Fund. The Grotto Candle Endowment will provide budget relief that will allow Student Activities to allocate more funds to the events that are important to all Siena students, such as Siena Fest, Orientation,
February 9, 2018 newspaper@siena.edu
Siena Night Life (SNL), etc. In short, this gift will benefit the Grotto and Siena College community as a whole. Alumni Relations and the Senior Gift Committee have been hard at work to create unique fundraising ideas to support the gift, and have already experienced great success! During the last two weeks of the fall semester, students set up fair trade sales to sell organic soap, fair trade coffee and chocolate, as they have in previous years. All proceeds of this event were allocated to the Senior Class Gift. The annual Senior Gift Kickoff Party was another great fundraising event. The party was held on January 14 in Massry Commons, the night before official move-in day. The Kickoff Party allowed seniors to move in a day early, get dressed up, mingle with classmates and win some awesome raffle prizes! The party was a great way for seniors to start the last semester of their undergraduate career, while also contributing to the Senior Gift and the legacy of their class. With these events, the Class of 2018 has already raised over $10,600 toward its goal of $15,000. There are already some great events planned for the rest of the semester to contribute to the 2018 Senior Gift. One event is Brunch and Bubbly, which will be held the Sunday of Siena Fest Weekend (April 22). This event will be a fun way to end our final Siena Fest weekend with our fellow classmates. There will also be fundraisers such as raffles and bottle and can drives being held in March, so make sure to keep an eye out for those events in the Student Digest! As previously stated the Class of 2018’s goal is to raise $15,000 for the Grotto Candle Endowment, and we have already succeeded in raising a large portion of this goal. There are three levels of donors; Senior Level, Saint Level, and Gold Dome Level. The Senior Level Donors are students who make a one time donation of $20.18. If everyone reached this level, the Class would easily surpass its $15,000 goal! Senior Level Donors will have early access to the Saints Online Community, which is an amazing digital platform that allows students to network with alumni. Saint Level Donors are those who donate $50. These donors will be recognized at the Toast of the Class of 2018 Party during Senior Week, and also receive the privileges of Senior Level Donors. Finally, we have the Gold Dome Level Donors who donate a total of $100 to the gift by the end of the year. These donors will have their name on the 2018 Senior Gift plaque that will be placed at the Grotto, and also receive the privileges awarded to Senior and Saint Level Donors. There are currently over 40 Gold Dome Level Donors signed up that are making regularly scheduled donations to the 2018 Senior Gift. While these three “levels” are in existence, any amount donated by students is accepted and greatly appreciated! Continued on page 2
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Editorial Board Emily Radigan Editor-in-Chief Alexander Colby Assistant Editor Emily Rhoades Academic & Social News Editor Jaymie Hoelldobler Arts & Entertainment Editor Mahima Dhanekula World News Editor Julianna Sebastian Sports Editor Karin Lin-Greenberg Faculty Advisor
Editorial Policy The opinions and views expressed in editorial and opinion columns are solely those of their author and do not represent the views of The Promethean staff or of Siena College. Any response to an editorial without intent to publish should be submitted directly to the author of the article. If you wish to send your reaction to The Promethean or its Editor-in-Chief, it falls under the guidelines of Letters to the Editor. Letters must be no longer than 700 words. Submission to the paper does not guarantee publication. Opinion and editorial articles submitted are edited strictly for basic spelling and grammar only. The editorial board reserves the right to make any and all decisions and editorial changes on newspaper content, with the final decisions belonging to the Editor-inChief. Any changes besides spelling and grammar will be run by the author before publication.
Article Submission Guidelines The Promethean reserves the right to deny publication of any article that is deemed by the Editor-in-Chief to be • Slanderous or libelous • Advocating violence or harm to any person or group of people • Advocating discrimination of any sort • Advocating performance of illegal actions • Improperly researched and cited • Lacking sufficient journalistic integrity References must be formatted in AP style and will not be accepted in any other form. Statements made as fact in letters to the editor and editorials/opinions are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Promethean, its staff, or Siena College.
Next Issue: March 3, 2018 Article/Advertisement Deadline: February 19, 2018
The Promethean Academic & Social News | 2
Academic & Social News
“Class of 2018 Kicks Off Their Senior Gift Campaign” Continued from page 1 Siena College has given us “the education for a lifetime” and an amazing college experience that we will never forget. As we approach the transition from students to proud alumni, let’s do all that we can to give back to this place we now call “home.” The 2018 Senior Gift to the Grotto Candle Endowment is a great way to leave our mark on this campus, and show our appreciation for Siena and all that it has given us! Anyone is welcome to donate at any time at www.siena.edu/seniorgift, and you can also donate while registering for senior events!
Fast Facts
2018 Senior Class Gift: Grotto Candle Endowment Hashtag: #KeepTheGrottoLit 2018 Senior Class Goal: $15,000 Amount Raised as of 1/23: $10,666 Last year’s amount raised: $21,000 2017 Campaign: Senior Week Champagne Toast Endowment Past Campaigns: Scholarships, The Grotto, Snyder Hall, The Ring of Honor First Senior Gift: 1968 Amount Raised Since Then: $406,648 Giving Levels: Senior ($20.18), Saint ($50), Gold Dome ($100) Why Donate: To be a part of your class legacy. Think of all of the opportunities and experiences Siena has offered you, why wouldn’t you want to give back? Who Can Donate: Anyone! Students, family, or friends How to Donate: Go to www.siena.edu/seniorgift Who to Contact: seniorgift@siena.edu
Club Spotlight: Colleges Against Cancer By Emily Rhoades, Academic & Social News Editor With over eighty clubs and organizations on Siena’s campus, it’s easy to miss a table at the club fair. But with the annual Relay For Life quickly approaching, it’s important for students to know about Colleges Against Cancer and their upcoming fundraisers! Colleges Against Cancer is a nationwide organization of college students whose goal is to fundraise for research and eliminate cancer. Siena’s branch of Colleges Against Cancer hosts the annual Relay For Life, which is a fundraising walk-a-thon held in the MAC. Siena’s Relay for Life will be held on April 14, starting at 6:30 p.m. and continuing until 12:30 a.m. If students would like to join or make a team, they can go to www. relayforlife.org/sienany. This week I met with Olivia Fleming ’19, a member of Siena’s Colleges Against Cancer (CAC). A member since freshman year, Olivia is currently the Fundraising Co-Chair of the club’s e-board and her responsibilities include organizing and executing fundraisers for CAC. We discussed all the upcoming fundraising opportunities with CAC, as well as her own
personal experience with the club. Colleges Against Cancer has multiple fundraisers coming up in the next few weeks. There will be a late night cookie fundraiser on February 15th from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. where students can text a number and have cookies delivered right to their dorm room. There are flyers around campus with details about this event. Olivia mentioned that CAC will also be tabling in the SSU during free period in the days leading up to Feb. 15 so students can pre-order their cookie deliveries. Beyond the cookie fundraiser, there are also offcampus fundraisers. Saints can take a break from the dining hall to go to one of these fundraisers and have a portion of their bill donated to a good cause. There will be a Panera fundraiser on Feb. 28 from 4-8 p.m., one at Burger21 from March 5-8, a Chipotle fundraiser on March 9 from 5-9 p.m., and a fundraiser at Blaze on March 16 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. As these dates get closer, there will be posters around campus and posts in the Student Digest to remind students. I talked to Olivia about her own personal experience in Colleges Against Cancer. “It’s the first club I joined at Siena,” Olivia said. “It’s a welcoming environment of people working towards a common goal - a fight to end cancer and celebrate more birthdays.” Olivia explained how the club provided a break from homework and classes. “Whenever I get stressed and we have a meeting that I have to go to after hours of class, it’s a nice reminder that there’s things outside of academics going on in the world, and this is one club that has helped me become more into volunteering and helping others.”
Photo courtesy of the American Cancer Society
Olivia shared that her favorite part of Relay For Life was the Luminaria Ceremony. The Luminarias are bags or candles that people dedicate to someone who is “currently fighting, in remission, or lost their battle to cancer.” The Luminaria Ceremony is an emotional part of the Relay For Life. Olivia described the significance of the Luminaria Ceremony. “The bags are spread out and the gym goes dark. The candles are put in the bags as the only light, and we walk around the track with only those lights,” she explained. “It’s a special part of a fun night to remind you why you are there and who you relay for.” There are a number of ways for students to get involved with Colleges Against Cancer! Anyone is welcome to CAC’s club meetings, which are Mondays at 9:15 p.m. in Roger Bacon 208. Students can sign up for emails on SAINTSConnect or follow Siena’s Colleges Against Cancer on Instagram at @ sienacollegesagainstcancer, Twitter at @ SienaCAC, or Facebook at Siena Colleges Against Cancer.
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The Promethean
A Visit to Roots Cafe
By Alexis Oldfield, Staff Writer “Wait, did I eat today?” I truly never uttered this combination of words until I started college. Unfortunately, eating gets put on the back burner for many of us that are desperately trying to keep up with the never-ending responsibilities of classes, internships, jobs, clubs, sports, volunteering, somehow maintaining a social life and, every now and again, sleep. After the day is done and the madness of trying to function as a young adult slows down for a minute, we grab the closest packaged and processed edible item at our disposal. We’ve all been through a high school health course and are fully aware that that mini bag of Cheetos is not going to give us anything even close to the amount of daily nutrients our bodies need to operate efficiently. If you are trying to escape the dyes and preservatives of the snacks in your room or just want to try something new on campus, grab some friends during free period on Wednesdays because Roots Cafe is the spot.
win over the taste buds of all those who attended. With bread and salad on the side, for just a meal swipe, anyone on campus can enjoy a fair trade, organic, locally grown, and overall delectable, lunch. After four years of being involved with Roots Cafe, Padmaja Sundaram ’18 is in charge of the organic operation. I had the pleasure of speaking with her after lunch where she expressed to me how she did not realize and took for granted, like many others, where her food comes from before being introduced to Roots. When asked what she personally gets out of working diligently to organize all of this every Wednesday, she responded that she loves being behind the scenes of something this important and that she appreciates all of the personal skills that the volunteers put into all of the meals they serve. The dedicated volunteers, the quality food, and of course, the influential message Roots Cafe serves all represent what Siena stands for as a community. I highly recommend taking time out of your day to walk up to Massry to treat your body to a wholesome meal. Anyone that is interested in volunteering at Roots can learn more on their Facebook page, @rootscafesiena.
Delta Sigma Pi Celebrates 1,000 Members
By Travis Brodbeck Imagine walking into a room and seeing 1,000 professionals who all have something to teach you or someone to connect you with. That is a benefit that members of the Delta Sigma Pi chapter at Siena College enjoy. The brothers have a network of 1,000 initiates that graduated Siena College as a brother of Delta Sigma Pi since the Theta Upsilon chapter was established on Jan. 9, 1971. Every semester here at Siena College, the Theta Upsilon chapter of the international coed professional business fraternity recruits new members for their development into business leaders of tomorrow. The Theta Upsilon chapter at Siena College consists of over 70 exceptionally diverse and talented School of Business individuals who are recognized as elite leaders in A semester into attending Siena and I had professional development, as well as throughout never heard of Roots before. When I discovered our community. what exactly it was and what it provided for Each semester, our chapter strives students and faculty, I was thoroughly excited to try the cafe out for the first time this past Wednesday. Roots Cafe is a student-run sustainable lunch program, serving local, organic and fairtrade dishes, as well as vegan and vegetarian options. In other words, it is exactly the opposite of what most Siena students consume on a day-to-day basis. Their mission statement is to “promote ethical and sustainable food sourcing on Siena College’s campus and provide the Siena Community with the highest quality food.” Since 2013, Roots has been serving lunch in Massry Commons every Wednesday during the school year from 12-1:30 p.m. Just to give a Photo courtesy of Travis Brodbeck taste of what phenomenal meals Roots is serving up, this past Wednesday’s menu consisted of a to recruit well-rounded individuals who multitude of different homemade entrees such as demonstrate outstanding work ethic, leadership fire-roasted black-eyed pea soup, wonton soup, and professionalism. On Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, harvest Guinness bisque with sweet sausage we initiated 23 students and one faculty member, soup, orange chocolate creme anglaise with Professor Steven Sossei. Madison Scullion was cinnamon sugar croissant croutons, and – my the honored brother to be the 1,000th initiate. personal favorite – chipotle black bean and corn Following the initiation ceremony, a celebration soup. Each was created by one of Siena’s highly banquet was held in Snyder Hall where Professor talented chefs, competing with one another to
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Sossei was presented with the Delta Sigma Pi Niagara Region Chapter Advisor of the Year Award for the year academic year 2016-2017. Professor Sossei was recognized as the leading chapter advisor in the region that contains seven other chapters including schools such as Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo and SUNY Albany. Last semester, the Delta Sigma Pi Theta Pledge Class was initiated after an eight-week pledge process. During the eight weeks, the collegiate pledge members took quizzes, hosted a community service and professional development events fundraised, they met and interviewed every collegiate and faculty brother on campus, and they passed their 35 question final exam which requires a minimum score of 90%. This semester’s pledge class passed exceeded expectations and no one received a lower score than a 90%. Our faculty pledges go through a less rigorous process that is more of an application submitted through the governing body of Delta Sigma Pi, the Central Office. The collegiate members initiated into the Fraternity were: Hannah Braun, Michael Carman, Allyson Cooper, Jordan Dunn, Maureen Durand, Christopher Halka, Emily Jansz, Scarlett Leone, Andrew Lin, Nikolas Linnane, Jared Macfarland, Alexis Mananas, Katherine McMahon, Molly Mittler, Kristen O’Brien, Alivia O’Hagan, Milan Patel, Rafael Reyes, Abigail Richards, Lauren Rivera, Madison Scullio, Rose Verdi and Daniel Werzinger. Congratulations to these new initiated members of the Theta Upsilon chapter; the Siena community looks forward to the future work of these students of commerce. All initiated members of the Delta Sigma Pi are called “brothers” or “Deltasigs” regardless of their gender, there are over 250,000 initiated members of Delta Sigma Pi who are leaders in almost every major company in the market around the world. Alumni members who graduated in the last few years now work in high ranking positions in companies such as Walmart, KPMG and JP Morgan. The success of our alumni serves as evidence of the high-quality professional development program that the fraternity provides. This semester the Theta Upsilon chapter is working to attain the highest annual rating, the Chapter of Excellence award, from the Delta Sigma Pi Central Office. The chapter got a jump start by participating in MLK Service Day to send brothers to help the staff at the Boy and Girls Club in Albany. Brothers will also be participating in a focus group to help a local business gather market research in February. Lastly, there will be 21 students who will be traveling to Boston between Feb. 9 and 11 for the annual provincial conference. This is the largest number of the brothers that the chapter has ever sent to a Delta Sigma Pi national event. The brothers are also hoping to hear that the 2018 National Collegian of the Year will be awarded to the Theta Upsilon chapter nominee, a previous regional and provincial winner. While at the conference, brothers will attend professional development seminars, network with students and professionals, and lastly, participate in service activities to support the Ronald McDonald House and Beverly Hospital in Boston. The college campus is where Delta Sigma Pi begins and conferences are one of many ways to show brothers to the ample opportunities beyond the local chapter. The Theta Upsilon chapter recruits new students and faculty members each semester. Students, faculty and staff interested in joining should reach out to the Chapter President, Jake Kinney for more information. To learn more about Delta Sigma Pi, please visit dsp.org, and to learn more about the Theta Upsilon chapter, please visit siena.dsp.org.
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The Promethean Academic & Social News | 4
Jumpstart Your Study Abroad: What a Semester Goals at the Taught Me Career Center About Comfort
Photo courtesy of Siena College By Alyssa Guzman, Staff Writer Do you need a helping hand to help you sail through the sea of your future? Siena’s Career Center, also known as the Career Education and Professional Development Center, is located in Foy Hall 203 and they’re here to help! They offer multiple resources to help students and alumni connect with future employers and employees, internship opportunities, job listings from alumni, free business cards, resume critiques and mock interviews. That’s just a few of the many things the Career Center offers. For most students, you feel like you have years before you go out into the real world with a real job, but Debra Delbelso, from the Career Center, says it’s never too early to start! She remarks, “Waiting to do all your career preparation your senior year turns out to be very stressful and can limit your opportunities. The most successful students start early and use CEPD services often.” Not only can undecided/ exploring students receive help deciding on a path to take via a self-assessment inventory provided through the career center, but students of all years and majors can get help preparing for their career through counseling and internships. The career counselors sit down with students one-on-one to create an individualized action plan to help land internships that will build your resume, prepare and find a job postgraduation, and also you strengthen your graduate school applications and essays. You can use this service regularly and it will provide an edge for you when entering the job market and into the fierce competition of graduate school. But this is not the only thing they do! Once a Saint, always a Saint! The Career Center is designed to help Siena students and graduates prepare for that first job coming out of college, but it is also available even after graduation. Through a program called CareerSaint, Siena students and alumni have access to job postings and offering jobs straight to students from alumni just by signing up online! But the Career Center also offers options through other job and internship websites as well. Delbelso commented, “The most effective way to land a job and advance in your career is through networking.” CareerSaint is just one of the ways to start networking. This month preregistration for the Career Fair begins and the first 250 students to sign up will win a prize, so keep a lookout in the Digest and Saints Connect for more information regarding this opportunity. If you would like to make an appointment with one of the Siena’s career counselors to help kickstart your career, you can contact them through CareerSaint, call them at 518-783-2339, or go visit them in Foy Hall 203. They also have drop-in hours Monday through Friday for resume critiques! Lastly, their next big event will be the annual Spring Career, Internship and Graduate School Fair on March 20 in the MAC from 3-6 p.m.
while in the States. I remember looking down one day at my hiking boots. I had spent the whole morning planting rice with a local family. My shoes were covered in mud, my hands were dry, and my face a little sunburnt. But in this moment of feeling a little filthy, I couldn’t help but beam with happiness. It felt so good to go a semester without having to straighten my hair, do my By Emma Henderschedt makeup, and worry about being clean. I could I was staring at the screen on the back of plant rice one day, zipline across the forest the chair in front of me, watching the little cartoon another day, and then walk through a Buddhist airplane fly along the dotted track. “What have I temple barefoot the next. gotten myself into?” I said as it traveled farther and farther from small-town Connecticut. It was my first time ever leaving the country and I had decided to go to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for a semester. I have always been a Type-A person, who usually has a ten-year plan mapped out. I don’t like to get dirty and I thrive off of comfort. Yet, my study abroad program taught me very quickly that the best memories come from getting a little dirt on your feet, that you can’t grow in your comfort zone, and that spontaneous can be lifechanging. Photo courtesy of Emma Henderschedt Overall, Vietnam taught me that memories don’t come from within your comfort zone. I almost chose to not study abroad out of fear, but for some strange reason got the courage to press submit on the application. I thank God every day for the opportunity I had to learn Vietnamese, eat amazing food, backpack through Southeast Asia, teach English at an orphanage, and gain a sense of confidence that I never thought I could get. I’m rereading my journal from abroad and laughing at the first entry. “I’m feeling overwhelmed. I think you could use the word trapped.” By the end of month five, I was wishing that I was actually stuck there so I never had to leave. Vietnam, you were one of the best things that has happened to me. Thanks for being a great teacher, encourager and motivator. ’Til I return!
Photo courtesy of Emma Henderschedt I studied abroad through the School for International Training Program in Vietnam and was fortunate enough to attend Hoa Sen University. While abroad, I lived with a single mother and her two sons. The homestay component was a great source of anxiety leading up to my departure. It is unsettling knowing that you are thousands of miles from home, and now have to live with strangers that you have never met, and may not even speak the language you speak. I remember my host mom picked me up at the hotel and the first thing she said to me was, “ I love you already.” If I had to pick my favorite thing from this experience, it would be living with this family. Although they were early risers and I shared a room with some iguanas, my Vietnamese family became more than just a temporary home for me. I love these people as if they were my true family and it is nice to know that I always have a home in Ho Chi Minh City. While abroad, I had to face my anxieties about the unknown head-on. I was put to the test, physically and mentally. I hiked mountains, rode motorbikes to class, walked down the city streets in 100-degree weather, and survived a couple rounds of food poisoning. The experience also tested me mentally as I battled homesickness and trying to find ways to practice my religion abroad. Yet in these challenges, I was able to find a sense of independence that I had yet to find
Share your study abroad experience with us! Email newspaper@siena.edu
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The Promethean
Febr uar y 9, 2018
Arts & Entertainment
A “Puzzling” Display of Talent on Siena’s Campus
By Kiera Mitru, Staff Writer On Thursday, Feb. 1, despite an overcast sky, guests inside the Standish Library were given the opportunity to observe refreshing artwork that will be displayed through the end of the semester. Albany-based artist, Ryan Parr, is excited to have his art on display at Siena College and shared that having an exhibition lasting longer than 28 days or so, is something that he is extremely humbled by. Parr’s exhibition entitled “Puzzled” features his re-imagination of classic artwork, in their puzzle-form. Paintings in this exhibit are all portrayed in the same almost-tangible fashion and have followed the same creative process. First, Parr will consider a number of admirable works of art, that he “doesn’t choose lightly,” explaining that the works he wishes to recognize all speak to him in different ways. The next step Parr takes after choosing a painting to “remix,” involves finding an actual puzzle of the work, without the intention of putting it together in a conventional sense. He scatters the puzzle pieces into a certain formation, or lack thereof, and references the mass of what once was an image of classic artwork, now to be made into a refreshing execution of creativity.
In order from left to right: “Puzzle of Pills” (2010), “Flag on White Remix Reprise” (2017) “The Kiss Remix Reprise” (2017) and “El Guggen Remix” (2008) Image Courtesy of Kiera Mitru
The piece that initially inspired this series of paintings is named “El Guggen Remix” (2008), a piece that Parr created for his mother in appreciation for the praiseworthy architecture of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. After this piece, and as it is his favorite museum, he wanted to honor the prominence of Frank Gehry’s architecture but didn’t want to paint “just another landscape.” Instead, he re-imagined what it means to acclaim a piece of art in the best way he knew how. This blue-and-white toned piece can be seen in the picture above - it is the image closest to the right. With a process like this, it is no surprise that Parr does not have a specific inspiration for his unparalleled work. Parr explains “I use drawings and photographs to develop elaborate compositions, and methodically paint them. In my creative process, I aspire to have each painting materialize in a different way.” This is clearly communicated to the viewer, when visiting the exhibit, as one can look at the painting and almost feel the swirl
of puzzle pieces scattered on the floor, without the urge to clean up the flood of tiny pieces. Currently, Parr is working on a re-imagination of Michelangelo’s illustration in the Sistine Chapel. The exhibit features two studies of the intended William Kennedy (Pictured) Image Courtesy of NYS Writers Institute final project. At the moment, Parr is unsure of the in 1949! He pursued a career in journalism and specific features of this widely-beloved work he worked for the Glens Falls newspaper, Post Star, will focus on. for several years. He was drafted but remained a writer. Upon returning, Kennedy believed that “Literary conversation is the best conversation in the world.” He moved to Puerto Rico, but discovered that Albany held a stronger claim on his imagination for his work. He believed Albany was full of life, lure and literary culture. In 1983, Kennedy had a vision that Albany could be home to literary crossroads. And with that, he created the NYS Writers Institute. The institute is responsible for making Albany a literature hotspot for visiting writers in all genres and fields. Since its birth in ’83, it has brought together more than 1500 authors, poets and filmmakers. Governor Cuomo signed legislation giving the NYS Writers Institute goals and responsibilities. These include conducting a broad range of cultural and educational literary activities. Cuomo pushed for an increase in literary creativity and wanted writing skills to be developed at all levels of education. Now, “Autumn Rhythm Remix” (2012) Image Courtesy of Kiera Mitru the Institute offers eight programs to students A piece that stands out among seeking careers in journalism and hosts daily the rest of the paintings featured in the exhibit seminars, panel discussions, readings and much is “Autumn Rhythm Remix” (2012). Up close, the more. Not only did the Writers Institute piece seems as if it is total chaos, reminiscent of Jackson Pollock’s original “Autumn Rhythm” contribute to Albany’s culture and society, but with varying brush strokes and hues of autumnal William Kennedy shared his vast knowledge colors. Parr managed to place all of the white of the world, the only way he knew how - with space that exists in the original “Autumn Rhythm” words. His first series of articles were written on the border of his canvas. Parr disclosed that in 1963 on the slums, poverty, politics, black in the process of creating this piece, he would life and the history of the city’s neighborhoods not be able to copy verbatim the emotion and for the Times Union newspaper. Many liked the texture of Pollock’s masterpiece. Obviously, the series, believing it provided a necessary history splatters and lines in “Autumn Rhythm” were of the city. Tight for money, he published three not exactly calculated, yet Parr made sure that in books at the same time, which received positive his puzzling portrayal of this piece, he referenced reviews and won Kennedy a large sum of money. by eye, each individual puzzle piece. He emulated Gaining recognition, Kennedy became a fullas best he could the contents of each piece of the time professor lecturing in creative writing and Pollock-inspired puzzle to create a masterpiece journalism. Adding to the first three novels, he published five more with the latest publication of his own unique invention. So, as you start to settle into a routine date of 2011. William Kennedy calls the series the while the semester begins to pick up, consider “Albany Cycle.” The novels were described with visiting the third floor of the library to complete scrupulous accuracy, with rich use of language your assignments in the company of vibrant and frequently described as lyrical, which covered more than a century of city history. exciting artwork! In an interview, Kennedy remarked, “Language as style, language as elegance, language as life itself. That’s what I care about, more than anything else.” Never staying stationary, Kennedy followed several paths By Maxwell Arieda, Staff Writer in his life, making him a prized individual. He Wednesday, Jan. 31, marked a celebration was a historian, journalist, critic, essayist, poet, of two special birthdays in the Albany area philosopher, and a playwright. With all these - William J. Kennedy and the NYS Writers credentials, people praised Kennedy as being the Institute that Kennedy founded in 1983. Mayor greatest literature cinematographer of our time. Sheehan of Albany opened up City Hall for two Having written an elaborate history of the hours, offering light refreshments, to celebrate city, Kennedy simultaneously made history by William Kennedy’s 90th Birthday and the 35th creating the New York State Writers Institute. Anniversary of the NYS Writers Institute. Believe Now, that earns a celebration. it or not, William Kennedy attended Siena College
A Celebration Indeed
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Representation in Film and Literature from “The Black Panther” and “Children of Blood and Bone” By Desiree Nestor, Staff Writer Marvel’s ” The Black Panther” is, without a doubt, one of the most highly anticipated movies coming out this year. T he Black Panthermovie is Marvel’s first movie highlighting an African superhero. The cast is made up of predominantly black actors; something you don’t see often in big Hollywood blockbusters. The fact that the release date falls during Black History Month is surely not a coincidence. One look at the trailer, and whether you’re a fan of Marvel or not, you’ll be hooked. Danai Gurrira, Lupita N’yongo, Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Angela Basset, Forest Whitaker and Daniel Kaluuya are just some of the familiar faces revealed in the captivating trailer.
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to genres that lack diversity. One glance at Hollywood and anyone can tell that there is an issue with diversity. Actors of color have always struggled with not only getting roles but with getting quality roles that portray minorities in ways other than basic stereotypes. In literature, proper representation is just as important, especially for young readers of color who rarely ever see people that look like them in sci-fi or fantasy novels. Everyone can admit that they are drawn more to a book when they see a part of themselves in the main character. Literature where minorities are represented can teach children of color that the possibilities for them are endless and not limited to the negative stereotypes perpetuated by the news and media. Popular films and books featuring people of color seem to focus only on the struggles and abuse that people of color have faced. It is important that children see themselves in stories not only about slaves, prisoners or maids, but also about superheroes, magicians, wizards, kings, queens and even werewolves. Although “The Black Panther ” and “Children of Blood and Bone” do not fix their industries’ diversity issues, in a world where books and movies featuring protagonists of color are few and far between, we can’t help but be excited for their releases. It’s certainly a step in the right direction, and hopefully both the entertainment and publishing industry can keep this diverse momentum flowing throughout 2018 and beyond.
once held are addressed by Time’s Up. The lack of structure and organization present in #MeToo are solved by separate working groups, all led with different goals and timetables. It turns out that the meetings to create Time’s Up began in October, shortly after the New York Timesarticle exposing Harvey Weinstein was released. This wasn’t just a rush job; months of deliberation and collaboration took place. Starting with just a handful of women, the group quickly grew to over a hundred coming together weekly, hoping to gather as many diverse voices as possible to create a future that is best for everyone. I must also add that as perfect as Time’s Up may seem on paper, nothing in this world is without fault. In a recent interview with ABC News’“Nightline,” Rose McGowan brought up an important issue with Time’s Up. Though McGowan may be a controversial character, the facts she brought up were undeniably eyeopening for many supporters, including myself.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Photo courtesy of Marvel If the cast list wasn’t impressive enough for you, you’ll be sure to be impressed to find that Grammy winning rapper Kendrick Lamar is producing the soundtrack. The soundtrack features some impressive artists such as Anderson .Paak, Khalid, 2 Chainz and Schoolboy Q. A few songs from the soundtrack have already been released, including; “All the Stars” with SZA, “Pray For Me” with The Weeknd, and “King’s Dead” with Jay Rock, Future and James Blake. Another highly anticipated release this year is the sci-fi/fantasy book “Children of Blood and Bone” by first time author, Tomi Adeyemi, a Nigerian-American blogger and creative writing coach. The book is gaining the Harvard alumnus a lot of attention. In fact, the “Children of Blood and Bone”movie adaptation has been picked up by Fox 2000/Temple Hill Productions and will be produced by Karen Rosenfelt and Wyck Godfrey. The West-African themed, science fiction novel’s protagonist Zélie, is battling a powerful monarchy in order to bring magic back to her community. “Children of Blood and Bone” stands out in an industry where most YA sci-fi/fantasy and dystopian novels feature white protagonists. What makes 2018’s release of “The Black Panther”and “Children of Blood and Bone” special is not only the remarkable talent they bring to their respective industries but also the representation of characters of color they bring
By Miguel Porter, Staff Writer In the wake of the Harvey Weinsteins, Louis CKs and Matt Lauers of the world, it seems that the pendulum is finally starting to swing the other way. The Time’s Up initiative was set forth as a legal defense fund for individuals who have experienced sexual harassment or other inappropriate behaviors in the workplace. The goal is to give a voice and a fighting chance to victims against powerful men and the industries set on protecting them. I see it as a major step in the right direction. The #MeToo movement and the ostracization of the men who perpetrate these terrible abuses of power was a good place to start, but wouldn’t make a lasting change. There was a lack of organization and Time’s Up succeeds in pulling many different voices together under a collective front. Prior to the Golden Globes, I was beginning to worry that the movement had been losing steam. When the blackout was announced for the Golden Globes, harsh words from Rose McGowan just seemed like childish in-fighting. Then there were talks that something big was coming. On January 1, Time’s Up sent an open letter to the N ew York Timesdetailing their mission. A pledge was made to support workingclass women, signed by hundreds of women in entertainment. One could only imagine the difficulty a working-class woman would have if famous actresses have so much trouble. One of the critiques I had for the #MeToo movement was that although it worked to connect so many through shared experiences, only the famous women were truly being recognized. Time’s Up has the intent of putting less privileged women at the forefront. As a supporter of the #MeToo movement, I’m glad to see that the critiques I
One of the major donors of Time’s Up is CAA (Creative Artists Agency). They also hosted the weekly meetings that led to the launch of Time’s Up. McGowan criticized their heavy involvement because they were also known to facilitate many of the infamous meetings that actresses had with Harvey Weinstein. The question regarding the CAA’s involvement is not if they knew, but how much they knew. The donations alone would look like a move to gain some good PR, but holding the meetings for Time’s Up may show that the CAA’s goal may be to rewrite history; to erase their involvement altogether. Of course, this is only one highly untrusting and suspicious viewpoint. The goal for the CAA may just be to right their past wrongs, but either way you look at it, their heavy attachment certainly raises some eyebrows. Regardless of their intent, I hope that it does not interfere with the positive impact that Time’s Up can have. Though Time’s Up cannot fix a lot of the problems in our society that has to deal with individual ideologies, the work that it promises to do across industries is more than I could ask for, and it is certainly an organization I can get behind wholeheartedly.
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World News
Indian Government Announces New Healthcare Plan
By Mahima Dhanekula, World News Editor India currently spends just a little over 1% of its GDP on healthcare, and this percentage is among the lowest in the world. According to BBC, the high prices of healthcare is a reason for three to five percent of the population staying or being pushed under the poverty line. If put into place successfully, this will be the largest public healthcare system in the world. There are not many state-run hospitals in reach for the rural poor, and many often lack quality, and private hospitals are generally too expensive. The private healthcare system in India is opaque, and sometimes can be exploitative. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently announced an insurance scheme in the federal budget, which would be able to cover over 500 million families, giving each family close to eight thousand USD (five hundred thousand rupees) per year for medical services. This plan is aimed at those below the poverty line (which makes up over a quarter of India’s population), and the lower middle class. These groups consist of people who are either unemployed or have irregular jobs, have debts and few assets. Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley and Indian media have dubbed this scheme “Modicare,” as a reference to Obamacare. Previous attempts to provide healthcare coverage for the poor have proven largely unsuccessful. According to BBC, multiple studies on the Indian healthcare system have reported that there was no significant reduction is expenses for people who were covered by old healthcare schemes. A 2016 attempt by Modi for a new system, the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, had insufficient funding and was not very well managed. The former Indian finance minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram, a leader of the opposition party, has been critical of whether the scheme would be possible within the allocated budget of less than two billion per year. Some have voiced their criticism of the timing of the announcement of the plan, which comes relatively close to the next election. Since the scheme is still in its planning stages, it will take a couple of months still for the correct infrastructure to be developed, so the implementation of the plan might likely be left until after the next elections, which are set to take place in May 2019. The process of forming a healthcare scheme began in 2016, when Modi gave a presentation to a group of ministers about structural change that would help deliver healthcare to the hundreds of millions without proper access to it. In mid-2016, the ministers came up with a plan that would completely revamp India’s healthcare system. One goal of the scheme is transparency in the healthcare system, and is meant to be implemented with the help of both public and private hospitals. The officials who prepared the report identified that the shortage of doctors in India would be one of the main challenges for the program. The report also identified the unavailability of drugs as one of the major reasons for poor healthcare. Arun Jaitley provided assurances that there would be sufficient funding for this healthcare scheme. The many years that it has taken to formulate a plan to deliver healthcare to a section
of the population, and the political undertones behind the debate about the new scheme bear a lot of resemblance to the contention and discussion of Obamacare when it first launched. This similarity is a testament to the difficulty of providing healthcare coverage, restrained by factors such as political opposition and budget considerations.
Two Divided Countries Joining in Olympics
By Nadia Kasianczuk, Staff Writer North and South Korea will finally be putting their differences aside and joining together as one to compete in the Winter Olympics. After long days of conversations at the demilitarized zone (DMZ), the two separate countries agreed to unite during the opening ceremony, and compete under one flag at the Olympics. This is the first time since 2006 that the two will play sports under their unified white and blue flag. South Korea said that they have agreed to create a joint North-South Korean women’s hockey team. The 2018 Winter Olympics will be held by South Korea in Pyeongchang County from February 9th until the 25th.
Unification Minister Cho Myung-Gyun of South Korea shakes hands with North Korean chief delegate Ri Son-Gwon. Image courtesy of Korea Pool/AFP/Getty Images We can only hope that this may be a step closer to alleviating the pressure between the two opposing countries. The foreign minister of South Korea stated that this agreement is a “significant step” in improving relations between the divided peninsula, but South Korea will keep their guard up and take things slowly. North Korea has not made any reassuring statements that this will ease some of the tension. North Korea remains hostile towards South Korea, however, has not lifted any of its nuclear bombs or missiles yet. South Korea hopes to ease tensions and come a few steps closer to complete unification. The turmoil between the two countries has lingered since about 1945, when World War II ended. This was when their border and demilitarized zones were created at the 38th parallel. North Korea has been ruled by the same family for three generations, Kim Jong-Un being the current leader. South Korea’s president is Moon Jae-in. It is said that Kim Jong-Un will be
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attending a few days of the Olympic ceremonies in South Korea. The United States has not indicated any plans in speaking with North Koreans since the news was announced. Mike Pence, U.S. Vice President will be attending the Olympics with the father of Otto Warmbier, the American student who died after being imprisoned in North Korea for over a year. This serves as a reminder that while we all hope that relations between North and South Korea will improve, that North Korea has done some atrocious acts. Tensions not only between North and South Korea, but also between the United States and North Korea have remained a spotlight in the news in 2018. President Donald Trump tweeted in January, “North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!” in which Kim Jong-Un replied expressing that North Korea’s missiles and bombs were ready and “not a threat but a reality.” Another tension involving this year’s Winter Olympics was the disbarring of Russia. It is both clear and unfortunate that all the disagreement in the world has caused many risen tensions. Best of luck to all of the athletes participating, and hopes that all goes well at the 2018 Winter Olympics!
Coalition Advocates for Safe Injection Sites
By Carla Gavarito, Staff Writer On Jan. 29, the End Overdose NY coalition pitched legislation for supervised drug consumption facilities, also known as safe consumption sites or SCSs. The legislation proposed would create state-sponsored sites where people can inject themselves with intravenous drugs in a safer way. This idea comes amidst one of the worst drug epidemics the country has ever had. The number of overdoses is close to 75,000 which continues to grow at unprecedented rates. New York is no exception. According to the Times Union, for 2015 and 2016, deaths from opioids like heroin and fentanyl statewide outside of New York City rose from 1,520 to 1,879, and that was just the number of deaths. The number of incoming patients for opioid-related emergencies was 37,347. The End Overdose NY group strongly believes that providing safe environments for drug usage will decrease the number of deaths because it would minimize the number of heroin overdoses and risky behaviors associated with sharing of needles. The logic is, that if people are going to consume or inject drugs, regardless of the consequences, they might as well do it in a safe way. “No one has ever died in a safe consumption site,” said Democrat Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal. Rosenthal’s statement is based on the fact that European cities have already set up a few sites that have proven to be successful over the last couple of years. So much so that cities such as Denver, Ithaca, New York City and San Francisco are already considering building Continued on page 9
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The Promethean
Politics & Opinion
Supervisor Mahan Gives 2018 State of the Town Address
By David Le Blang, Staff Writer On Friday, Jan. 19, Paula Mahan, the town supervisor of Colonie, NY, delivered her annual State of the Town address to give insight into how well the town has fared under her now ten years standing as supervisor. In her speech, she detailed many good things which have come about since her induction a decade ago, such as a lower yearly budget, improvements in town infrastructure, lower overall crime rates and the continuation of rebuilding and redeveloping Colonie into the town she had envisioned it to be when she took office. Starting off her speech, she made remarks about the overall “feeling” of Colonie as a city, citing that it is now a place that many new, young families are choosing to settle down in and start their lives, which is a result of the revival of many vacant stores and buildings into newer, prospering commercial and residential entities. Along with this are many accolades awarding our public library and our town parks for outstanding development, both economically as well as for youth and senior programs. In tandem with this is also Colonie’s ranking as one of the safest towns in the entire nation, with many votes of recognition going to our officers in the police, medical and public works forces. Over the last year, Colonie had experienced a 35 percent drop in serious crime, as well as a 10 percent decrease in less serious crime, totaling up for an overall average crime rate decrease of 6.7 percent. On top of this, Mahan has been able to keep the town’s budget under the New York State Tax Levy Cap, which limits tax levy growth to just over $800,000. This is the seventh year in a row she has been able to accomplish this, despite having a massive workload in front of her with her plans to rejuvenate the city. However, having to live up to her large aspirations with a small budget has proved to be a challenge she can conquer, with a total 2018 town budget of $90.8m, which is one million less than the total expenses incurred during 2007 – the year before she took office. How this budget is planned on being utilized, however, is a more daunting task. Some of the parts of our infrastructure, such as water and sewer mains, have been in place for nearly a century. Mahan plans on replacing these with major capital projects, to provide new water mains along main roads, as well as multi-million dollar improvements in both our drinking water systems and our stormwater drainage systems. Along with this includes capital improvements to the town library, bike trails, training centers and parks across the town. Due to all of these strides made by our supervisor, Colonie is becoming one of the safest and most prosperous towns in the nation for new or prospective families to settle down in and make a living, with many more improvements already along the way.
concerns to Governor Cuomo, such as activists urging him to the elections before the budget deadline. Cuomo plans to call this special election on the last Tuesday of April, even though the budget deadline is March 31. Why is this so important? This election will be key to creating a deal which will help bond the Democrats in the New York State Senate. Both districts, Bronx and Westchester County, will form a coalition and pending victories. Westchester County will be the most looked upon for this election according to various sources since, it has been a district run by Republicans. In Westchester there has been an amazing public servant who has fought for their taxpayers. Her name is Shelley Mayer. She has great people representing her for this election. Assemblywoman Shelley Mayer is a Democrat running for the Westchester County seat. On the contrary, Dan Schorr and Sarmad Khojasteh, both Republicans are running for the GOP nomination. If Democrats win both seats, then the party would have a majority. They would still have to win over Brooklyn Democratic Senator Simcha Felder though, as he said “he would back whichever conferences offers the best arrangement for his constituents.” Another person running is Erik T. Bohen. He has gained union support and is raising money. His main goal remains to persuade Democrats at the Monday meeting to back his candidacy. Andrea Stewart Cousins, a Democratic conference leader is said to be frustrated. She is concerned since the legislative seats have been empty for a month. Now that there is a date settled, she has high hopes for the Democrats and she looks forward to them taking the seats. Anything could happen in this coming election, from building bonds with counties or continuously having unsettled victories.
New Yorkers Have Much to Gain From Recreational Cannabis
By Alexander Colby, Assistant Editor Just one short month ago, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a controversial three paragraph memorandum to U.S. Attorneys on cannabis legislation. In this memorandum, Sessions reminded attorneys that Congress had deemed that “marijuana is a dangerous drug” and deemed “previous nationwide guidance specific to marijuana enforcement is unnecessary and is rescinded.” In essence, Sessions used this memorandum to rescind Obama-era policy which discouraged federal authorities from making marijuanarelated prosecutions in legal states. In the month since, states across have the Union have been defiant of the memorandum. This has proven especially true for the Northeast. This memo was issued on Jan. 4, By Jan. 10, the Vermont Senate passed a bill allowing for the lawful consumption of marijuana, becoming the first state to legalize the drug through legislature. On the Jan. 16, incoming New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy promised in his inauguration speech that he would implement a process to legalize marijuana in the Garden State. The Northeast now includes Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont By Rosa Rodriguez, Staff Writer Eleven legislative and two senate seats as legal states and New Jersey potentially on the are vacant here in New York! This brings various way. The Northeast is quickly becoming a safe
NYS Special Election to Take Place
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haven for marijuana. Despite the overwhelming popular support of marijuana all across the Northeast, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo foolishly continues to drag his feet on the issue. According to recent Siena polls, the legalization of recreational cannabis is a move New Yorkers could benefit greatly from, whether or not they know it. While a July 2017 poll conducted by the Siena Research Institute shows that only a slim 2 percent majority of New Yorkers are in favor of recreational legalization of the drug (49 percent to 47 percent), a new poll from January indicates that taxes and health care have overtaken education and jobs as the issues New York State voters most want the governor to focus on. If legalization has been seen to have any benefit, it is that recreationally legal states with dispensaries have seen a major increase in tax revenue. In Colorado, marijuana sales have increased exponentially every year since dispensaries were established, bringing in a record high $247 billion in tax revenue from marijuana taxes, licenses and fees in 2017 alone. In a state like New York, the third most populous, this amount could be exponentially higher. Beyond population, it also must be remembered that Colorado is located in the midwest where the population is much less dense and tourism is negligible. On the other hand, New York City remains to be the largest tourist destination in the States. Much like how the famous marijuana-vending “coffeeshops” in the Netherlands have helped the city of Amsterdam to remain a major tourist destination, establishing dispensaries in the Big Apple could bring in even more international tourism to what is already the country’s most popular destination. Even within the U.S., Colorado is the closest state where the drug is recreationally legal to the west of New York; meaning that proponents of the drug from states like Pennsylvania and Ohio could bring tourist revenue into the state. Even Vermonters will have reason to cross the border, as Vermont has legalized the drug recreationally but do not yet have a plan in place for legal sale. All of this potential tax revenue could mean lower income taxes for New Yorkers, who have the highest tax burden of any citizens in the States according to research done by WalletHub in 2017. Just as Colorado put the new tax revenue towards improving schools, New York’s revenue could go towards improvements to the healthcare system New Yorkers long for. There are any number of ways that this revenue could benefit the state. But until Cuomo and state legislators open their minds to all of the benefits New York could see from legalization and taxation of the drug, this is not feasible. It’s high time New York steps back and considers legalizing the drug once and for all.
Abusing the Power of a Public Platform
By Nicole Commisso, Staff Writer Celebrities have a certain role model status in society which gives them a huge platform to reach millions of people. Some of these people look up to these celebrities a great deal and idealize them. With such a platform, that the regular everyday person does not have access to, comes power. As Voltaire once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Especially nowadays, this ability to have the ears
9 | P o l i t i c s & O p i n i o n and eyes of millions of people with one click or the press of a button is a major liability to celebrities with massive followings (or followers). This liability brings the dangers of idealized individuals spreading false information or biased opinions to push an agenda onto millions of impressionable people who value their hero’s words or actions. It is not a celebrity’s place to influence millions of Americans with their political agendas. I believe it is a celebrity’s place to do their job: entertain. Whether it’s acting, modeling, sports, music, etc., it is not their job to teach or preach their political views. Many everyday people watch TV, sports, listen to music, etc. to get away from everyday problems, personal and political. I know that I do. Particularly when their stance is hypocritical, or their position is not entirely accurate. For instance, Katy Perry’s tweet in response to the Manchester terror attack: “No barriers, no borders.” Meanwhile, her $19 million home is secluded by a massive 10-foot gate blocking her driveway and a long barrier in the bushes with security, of course. So much for practicing what you preach…Why do you have barriers and borders, Katy, if you want to rid the United States of that same protection? How about Meryl Streep’s 2017 Golden Globes speech where she not only bashed the President on false grounds, but she bashed football and mixed martial arts? That was real classy. The contrary was established on multiple accounts; President Trump was not mocking the disabled reporter but instead performing the same impression he does for whoever he imitates. In her speech, Meryl Streep, who I once used to like, talked of people in power doing something on the public platform having a trickle-down effect, “when [actions are] modeled by someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, filters down into everybody’s life…”. Perhaps she should look in the mirror because her speech did not align with her own advice. Meryl Streep, a person of celebrity power, used a public platform and spread a lie about President Trump which filtered into everyone’s life. While in the meantime, other celebrities at the same event were crying their crocodile tears in agreement with her political fallacies. Millions of people see all these celebrities in expensive dresses getting awards for their entertainment as role models and value what they say. Let’s all remember – their job is to entertain, not to spew their political opinions and tell the everyday American how he/ she should feel about politics. This does not just happen with celebrities in Hollywood. Abusing the power of a public platform in order to push a political agenda even happens right here at Siena College. One could say that Brother Edward Coughlin, the president of Siena College, has a “celebrity status” in the Siena College Community. He is also a man of God as a Brother and Friar which makes him influential in the eyes of religious members in the community as well. Since the 2016 election, Brother Ed has sent out multiple emails regarding his opinion on political matters to the entire Siena College Community. On December 11, 2017, Brother Ed sent out an email against the tax bill, “House and Senate Tax Bill —Impact on Education, Action needed” painting the new tax bill as harmful to the community: “significantly and negatively impact college affordability for students and their families.” That statement right there puts out a blanket statement from an influential figure that the tax bill as a whole is negative. This is completely unfair to those that disagree with Brother Ed’s opinion and mostly to those students who are uninformed about the bill. Looking back to when President Trump was elected in November 2016, Brother Ed sent out an email on the 15th, just a few weeks after Trump was elected titled, “Post Election Message.” In
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this email he proposed for students to respect others’ opinions, regardless of political affiliation, during these “challenging times.” Not sure why the aftermath of the presidential election was deemed as “challenging times,” but he did say we should all respect each other’s opinions, regardless of your political side. Then, his stance on inclusiveness of opinion went out the window once again when about a month and a half later on January 30, 2017, Brother Ed sent out an email titled, “Response to the President’s Executive Order on Immigration.” In this hypocritical email he poured his political agenda: “[the executive order] is an affront to America’s most cherished ideals…” that “the president’s executive order should be rescinded immediately” and “it does not reflect the history or ideals of our nation…”. Talk about using and abusing a public platform to spread a political opinion to a community of impressionable college students. Sounds like the celebrities in Hollywood spreading their political opinions to impressionable Americans, right?
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“Celebrities Should Stick to Their Acting/ Singing/Reality TV Show Hosting/etc.” By Elizabeth Vinal, Staff Writer It has become commonplace for famous people to be speaking out about politics, especially about the president and the #MeToo movement. As award show season comes into full swing, we are seeing this even more with passionate, political acceptance speeches, carefully chosen guests to events, and some making movies and companies centered around these issues. Just as everything seems to in the current political climate, this has caused much controversy about this recent trend. Some say that celebrities should be using their voice and platform to be making statements and bringing awareness to issues while others think they should only be pretty faces who do what they are
Febr uar y 9, 2018 “meant to do.” The idea of keeping politics out of art shows a clear lack of understanding about the history of art. Music has always been about politics. The history of rock and punk music is full of politics, rap music was born for social commentary, country music has songs for both sides of the aisle, and pop song are anthems for social movements, but these are not just recent trends. Along with music, movies and books have reflected the times in which they were created throughout history. “Huckleberry Finn” is not a fun story about a boy and his adventures and “The Post” is not a thriller about journalism, they were made to make it very clear that there were problems in the U.S. and they are still happening. This is not a “it’s always been this way so we cannot change it” type of argument, it is an understanding that politics affects everyone all the time. Every time you drive a car or listen to the radio or eat a snack, politics is affecting you in some way. Since we are all affected, if someone finds a cause that they are passionate about, they should use every way they can to make their voices heard, be that a school newspaper, a national sports league or an internationally viewed award show. Yes, most of these celebrities could stop working and jet off to a private island somewhere, but they and their loved ones would still be affected. People use what they can to make the change they want to see. Trump went from campaign donor, handshaker and celebrity to President of the United States within months because he wanted to see change. If you want a place where only people who study politics are in politics and regular people were not able to critique the government, you should probably move.
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"Coalition Advocates for Safe Injection Sites" Continued from page 7 sites modeled after those in Europe. The problem is, that these sites are extremely controversial in the U.S. So far, the legislation has had little support from both the Democrats and the Republicans. Some speculate that neither one of the parties want to be associated with a group that propagates drug use given America’s attitude towards drugs. In the past couple of decades, the United States has taken a strong stance against drug usage beginning with the “Just Say No” campaign of former first lady Nancy Reagan and continuing with the pushback against medical marijuana. The fact is, America does not support a reduction approach but rather aims for complete treatment for addicts. Part of the resistance lies in the fears that many have about the sites. People are afraid that establishing these SCSs will result in increased crime and that New York State will become a hotbed for drug addicts. Furthermore, that allowing people to inject themselves with drugs will send the wrong message to the public, the message being that if you are a drug addict, NYS will fund your addiction. The End Overdose New York coalition claims that such fears are already proven wrong based on research done on existing SCSs. They claim that the sites do not increase crime, relapses or initiation of use. Instead, they claim that they reduce the number of deaths and provide services to those seeking recovery. Whether the proposal passes New York State or not, it is safe to say that legislation is needed to end the drug problem not only in New York, but in the nation too.
Febr uar y 9, 2018
Talent on the Course and in the Classroom: A Day in the Life of a Siena Athlete
By Julianna Sebastian, Sports Editor If there is any Siena athlete that epitomizes the term “student-athlete” it is women’s golf team member Sara Riso. While holding either close to or a 4.0 GPA or searching for actuarial internships along the east coast, Sara never skips a beat when it comes to school or golf. In season, Sara’s day typically starts before the 7 a.m. hour. Whether it is class or lifts beforehand, she admits that waking up in the morning is the most difficult part of her day. Especially if the waking up early is paired with staying up late the night before doing work for classes. Being an actuarial science major, most of Sara’s classes are filled with numbers and math equations that most people probably have no idea what they are. However, to Sara, this is a field she is extremely passionate about.
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schedule to make them up with a time that works with not-always-flexible professors. Along with making up work after tournaments, the team still has daily practices every day, so sometimes all these things seem to be going on at once. Regardless of all the extra work that goes into being a student athlete at Siena College, Sara says that she would not trade her opportunities the sport has given her for anything. In the fall 2017 semester, Sara won the Dartmouth Invitational going against some strong opponents from Ivy League schools and cross-town rivals UAlbany. Sara clinched the victory while also shooting a Siena golf program record of 69. The team overall finished 5th while Riso remained on top to win the individual crown. She looks forward to playing in more tournaments and lowering the score more in the 2018 spring season. Sara herself states that “time management and willpower are essential skills if you are going to effectively handle everything that comes with being a Siena Saint.” Seeing Sara’s success in the classroom and on the course, it is obvious that she has time management figured out and the willpower to get everything done.
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Photo courtesy of Sara Riso
For the spring semester 2018, Sara is enrolled in applied matrix algebra, mathematics of finance, intro to software development, advertising investments, and the novel (obviously for a core requirement). While going to these difficult classes during the week, Sara cannot just simply go to the library after and get her work done. She usually has another practice every day during season at the local golf course Schuyler Meadows. Since Siena College is in Albany, NY and not Florida, if the weather turns for the worst the team still has practice in the golf facility on campus. During competition time, the team usually is gone off campus just about every weekend for a tournament. Leaving on Friday and returning to campus on either Sunday night or Monday morning, Sara usually misses a substantial amount of classes due to golf. In the fall, the team’s tournaments are usually within driving distance away since the weather is not too cold yet. Much differently though, in the spring the team’s tournaments are typically a flight away to a much warmer golf course for competition. Sara says that especially during the spring season, the whole team misses much more school, including the MAAC championship tournament in Florida that causes them to miss 2-3 full days of classes. Even though any student might think that missing classes and traveling to warmer places is great, Sara knows that missing class comes with a lot of work to make up afterward. Sometimes missing exams or tests causes her to add extra time into her already packed
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