360 Magazine Fall 2016: Food Insecurity by SU 360 Magazine

FOOD INSECURITY What is it and how do we fix it?

New restaurant showcases refugee

CREATIVE AND QUIRKY A visit to the local indie market

ISSUE 36- FALL 2016

WITH LOVE, PAKISTAN

FOOD AND DRINK

EDTOR-IN-CHIEF Madeleine Buckley

There Milkshakes Bring all the Vegans to the Yard

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Taylor Georgeson

27 With Love, Pakistan 11

Living, Learning, Liquor

MANAGING EDITOR Angelica Welch LONG FEATURES Keturah Raymond

I remember the day I met my voice teacher, Robin Henshaw. I was 14, an awkward high school freshman who was still carrying most of her baby fat and had trouble making small talk. As I stood in her basement studio and she took me through a set of scales to test my vocal range, I tried not to stare at her bald, post-chemotherapy head. Over the next four years, Ms. Robin taught me so much more than how to sing. She let me cry over yearbook proofs and college rejection letters when I needed to. She spent weeks trying to convince me it would be a brilliant idea to perform Katy Perry’s “Firework” at a voice recital. And she pushed me to better myself, both in my vocal performance and my self-confidence. When I left for Syracuse, I didn’t lose touch with my closest confidant and mentor. However, this summer, Ms. Robin lost her battle with cancer. It may sound cliche (she would certainly say so), but I have tried to carry on her wisdom and spirit in everything I do. She was a strong champion of always trying harder and striving for improvement, and that’s exactly what we have tried to do in this issue of 360. This semester, we have continued in our efforts to make 360 even better than before. We’ve narrowed our definition of the term “culture” by categorizing our content. We’ve also added “The 360,” an in-depth feature about a major issue impacting the greater Syracuse community. On page ??, we take a look at food insecurity and the people taking steps to end it.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in 360 Degrees are not necessarily those of the entire staff. 360 Degrees welcomes contributions from all members of the Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF community but retains the right to publish only material 360 Degrees deems acceptable to the publication’s editorial purpose. Mission Statement: Since its debut at Syracuse University in 1998, 360 Degrees has always strived to achieve a balance between tradition and change. Founded by Lanre Mayen Gaba as a new lens to view culture, 360 Degrees has a different focus, format, and feel than its predecessors. Through the years, the magazine has become a general interest publication with a cultural twist, dedicated to informing students about issues on campus, in the community, and in the whole world at large.

We also introduce you to some unique characters in our community. On page ??, read about Adam Sudmann, who is trying to change the narrative surrounding refugees and their cultures at his new restaurant, With Love, Pakistan. We also chat with the professor teaching the popular Beer and Wine Appreciation course, whose alcohol expertise goes far beyond the classroom, on page ??. We encourage you to explore beyond the bubble that is this campus. Whether that is through virtual reality (page ??) or a trip to the mall for an “Escape the Room” adventure (page ??), you will find the surrounding community has so much to offer.

SHORT FEATURES Senior Editor: Deniz Sahinturk FRONT OF BOOK Senior Editor: Stefani Clark Assistant Editor: Rachel George PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Caitlyn Cordova

STUDENT LIFE

Syracuse Swag

Actively Mindful

WEB EDITOR Molly Bolan

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

DESIGN DIRECTORS Sydney Hirsh Meaghann Lahiff

Eclectic Meets Economic

PHOTO DIRECTOR Jenna Cavanaugh

I Spy 5 Wits

DESIGNERS Jessica Dischiave Alyssa Hernandez Nina Mullin

Meaningful Movements

9 TECH

ILLUSTRATORS Nikki Mercer

Talk Foreign to Me

Virtually, a New Reality

While I have certainly not perfected my self-confidence, nor my vocal performance, I’d like to think my leadership of this publication reflects the values Ms. Robin instilled in me during our countless voice lessons, lunches and cookie dates.

THE 360 15

And equally important, I hope you enjoy this issue of 360.

Growing Pains

Lack of affordable and accessible nutritious food poses questions to residents of Central and Northern New York 2

360 Magazine

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THEIR MILKSHAKES BRING ALL THE VEGANS TO THE YARD The story behind Strong Hearts’ unique milkshake names Words: Rachel George When’s the last time you had a great milkshake and a history lesson at the same time? Can’t remember? Don’t worry, you don’t have to go far. Since 2008, Strong Hearts has brought a healthier taste to the Syracuse community, combining vegan food and smoothies. Its eclectic, historically named milkshakes, sold exclusively at the University location, are inspired by everyone’s heroes. The owners created the names to honor those who have stood up for their own beliefs or others’, values the owners say align with the business overall. Each dairy-free shake is intended to inspire customers and “bring attention to the great deeds of these people or groups,” says co-owner Nick Ryan.

TALK FOREIGN TO ME

A bilingual 360 writer tries out this language communication app

Words: Jason Chen Tandem is a community-based mobile application that enables users to practice their language skills one-on-one via text, audio or video. Available for free to both Android and iOS users, Tandem can help you learn over 120 languages, including popular languages like English, Spanish, Chinese, French and Japanese, according to Tandem’s official website. Jason Chen, a 360 writer who wanted to learn Japanese, tried out the app. Getting Started: After installing the app, you create your profile either with social media accounts such as Facebook or Google, or with your phone number if you don’t want it linked. In order to become a member of the Tandem community, Tandem asks you three required questions that help build your profile: “What kind of topics do you enjoy discussing?” “What kind of person would make your perfect Tandem buddy?” and “What learning goals do you want to achieve on Tandem?”

After creating your profile, your membership application will be reviewed and approved by Tandem, which takes several minutes to complete. After receiving the approval email, you pick a Tandem member and get started chatting. You don’t have to worry about scheduling a time to learn a new language, which I found convenient, because you can speak with whomever is online at the time. However, with easy accessibility came some problems: the quality of the teaching-learning process is not always what I expected. Tandem makes it so easy that almost anyone who is bilingual can be a teacher, so it is possible to receive inaccurate information if your language partner is not always a professional instructor. As Tandem points out on its website, “language learning is all about connecting with new people.” Although Tandem isn’t a perfect app for learning other languages, it was a great way to meet people from different countries and cultures.

Take, for example, the “Bobby Sands.” Its mint chocolate chip flavor and green color honor Ireland, Sands’ home country, where he died in the 1981 hunger strike. Their most popular shake is a chocolate peanut butter flavor called “Earth Crisis.” The name was developed from a ‘90s Syracuse band, whose song lyrics projected messages of human, animal and environmental liberation. The Haudenosaunee was named for its pumpkin flavor and its connection to the Iroquois, native Americans who lived in what is now Central New York. Check out the other delicious (and sometimes, gluten-free) flavors.

1. Bobby Sands Mint Chocolate Chip

7. West Memphis Three Chocolate Mint

2. Earth Crisis Chocolate Peanut Butter

8. Nat Turner Chocolate Banana

3. Farm Sanctuary Caramel Cookie Dough

9. Ken Saro-Wiwa Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana

4. Nelson Mandela Chocolate 5. Fred Hampton Chocolate Oreo 6. Malcolm X Chocolate Cherry 4

12. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mocha 13. Che Guevara Coffee

18. White Rose Banana 19. Harriet Tubman Maple Vanilla Oreo

14. John Lennon Vanilla

20. The Haudenosaunee Pumpkin

10. Roberto Clemente Peanut Butter Oreo

15. John Brown Cookies n Cream

21. Steve Biko Pumpkin Oreo

11. Ernie Davis Butterfinger

16. Geronimo Peanut Butter

22. Howard Zinn Chai

17. Jill Phipps Peanut Butter Banana

23. Barry Horne Cherry

360 Magazine

ACTIVELY MINDFUL

Students competing in PRSSA Bateman Competition address mental health on Syracuse campus Words: Dan Denning Mental health is a taboo subject not often talked about publicly, but it is something that affects everyone. That is why a team of four Syracuse University public relations students are taking part in the 2017 Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Bateman Case Study Competition. It’s a national competition where teams from all over the country develop and execute real-life public relations campaigns. The Bateman Competition has been helping public relations students use their skills since 2000. Past clients include Visa, Habitat for Humanity and last year’s Student Veterans of America. This year’s client is the Campaign to Change Direction, an organization that focuses on changing the mental health culture in America. According to the Bateman competition website, this year’s goal is to follow its client’s hopes to “change the way we think and talk about mental health.” The SU team consists of sophomore public relations majors Caitlyn Cordova and Jordan Lally and junior public relations majors Sovanndary Sok and Andre Yearwood. They are currently in Dr. Rochelle Ford’s Public Relations Research class, and will also take her Public Relations Campaigns course next semester. Newhouse students have only participated in this competition once before, but this is the first time a team is participating under Ford’s guidance. They will learn new public relations skills to develop the campaign, like researching target audiences, utilizing social media listening tools and developing insights. Next semester, once all of the foundational research is done, the team will bring the campaign to life. They have decided to focus on SU and partner with the campus health center, to focus on eliminating

the negative stigmas associated with mental health and help students understand resources available on campus. The team wants to create a positive conversation about mental health on campus by showing students how to recognize the signs of mental health problems and express those issues to their peers. “Students are around each other all the time. How do you know that your friend isn’t struggling with something?” Ford says. “We need to equip ourselves to be first responders to recognize what is normal and what is not.” “If you broke your leg you’d go to the doctor,” Sok says. “It should be the same for your mental health.” The team is currently in the research phase to learn more about mental health stigmas and how they present themselves on Syracuse campus. One thing they have noticed is that the counseling center’s location on campus is problematic.

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SYRACUSE SWAG

Q&A Out of the many SU apparel stores on/ near campus, which location do you prefer and why?

“I would go to Manny’s because it is less expensive and they have good deals.” -Sarah Schroder, Freshman, International Relations

“I usually go to Manny’s because it’s cheaper than the bookstore.” -Abby Neuviller, Sophomore, International Relation, Political Science, Communication and Rhetorical Studies

“Walnut Place is right in the middle of everything,” Sok says. “If I had an appointment I’d never go.” Insights like this will help them understand how to improve SU’s mental health culture. “There are many campaigns that exist currently to raise awareness about mental health issues,” Ford says. “However, to localize something to Syracuse’s campus is a powerful opportunity to create change… It’s not just about winning a prize, but making a difference. Because mental health can mean life and death to some people.”

What is your favorite piece of Syracuse apparel and where did you purchase it?

A guide to never stop buying and bleeding orange Words: Katherine Davis

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE Located inside the Schine Student Center on campus, the Syracuse University Bookstore provides students with both textbooks and Syracuse fan gear. From Columbia fleece jackets [$62.99] to orange and blue polka dotted flannel pajama bottoms [$27.99], customers can purchase apparel directly on campus. The bookstore is also unique because it sells some of today’s most popular brands like Vineyard Vines and Under Armour. While this may make its items pricier, it ensures top quality products.

-Samantha Leon, Freshman, Political Science

Pros- An interesting history and some of the lower prices available Cons- A smaller store means less quantity

SHIRT WORLD

3FIFTEEN

“Buy one, get one free” is the official motto for Shirt World down on Marshall Street. Customers can purchase select merchandise [marked with a yellow/orange tag] and receive a free t-shirt or sweatshirt. The store has a variety of hats, shirts and other memorabilia, like a two piece cheer outfit for toddlers [$39.99].

Inside Marshall Square Mall, thrift store known as 3Fifteen sells second-hand clothes, movies and a few select furniture pieces. If customers are in search of vintage Syracuse apparel, 3Fifteen has it at low prices. Many pieces of clothing even have the 1989-2000 Syracuse logo in place of the modern one.

ONLINE Fanatics is a website that represents the NFL, MLB, NBA and many colleges, including Syracuse. The variety of products ranges from basketball jerseys [$54.99] to a Syracuse bikini [Top, $21.99. Bottom, $18.99]. Pros- You can shop without leaving your couch Cons- Added shipping cost and waiting three to four business days

Opened by Lillian and Emanuel Slutzker on Marshall Street in 1967, Manny’s has been providing customers with apparel for over 60 years. Syracuse fans can purchase classic t-shirts, hats, and some unique items, such as the men and women’s Syracuse slippers [$26.98] or the Zoozatz’s Otto the Orange hat [$24.90]. Manny’s also sells a hoodie [$19.98] and a sweater [$19.98] for dogs, providing both pets and their owners with the opportunity to represent Syracuse University.

Pros- Close and convenient Cons- Expensive, if you want the brand names

Pros- There is a never-ending sales deal Cons- The employees can be a bit over-enthusiastic “My favorite is my hoodie. You can definitely tell by the quality. You are definitely paying for quality at the bookstore.”

MANNY’S

Pros- Find unique pieces for a low price Cons- Lack of size variety

360 Magazine

I SPY 5 WITS

Sophomore Cait Cordova describes her experience at Destiny USA’s original “escape the room” adventure By: Cait Cordova

Destiny USA’s featured “Escape the Room” store, 5 Wits, offers a unique place to have fun with friends. 5 Wits describes its virtual gaming systems as “computer-controlled special effects and physical interaction that puts you in the center of the action, and will leave you feeling like you’re in a movie or video game.” A few friends and I took a trip to Destiny USA to check out this “new way to play.” Instead of placing the player in a virtual reality setting as a video game would, 5 Wits creates a physical, exciting course for adventurers to move around in and explore. It was considerably empty for a Friday night, despite it being a usually busy time at the mall. The workers at the entrance were very enthusiastic, and offered us a full introduction to all that the 5 Wits world had to offer. A chain company with three eastern U.S. locations, 5 Wits’ offers four different adventures: Deep Space, Drago’s Castle, Espionage and Tomb. We chose Espionage, which placed us in the position of secret agents on a mission to stop an evil overlord from taking control of missiles. We started at the entrance to an “evil spy lair,” a dimly-lit room that was decorated to look like an underground shelter. We were told that we had to work together to complete a small task before we were allowed to move on to the next room. After some difficulty putting miscellaneous battery cartridges back in their proper power outlets, the gated door that had locked us in

there rose into the ceiling. We crawled through a vent-like tunnel in order to reach the next portion of the course. The last task made us work as a group once again, finally defeating the evil spy trying to take over the world. The whole experience lasted half an hour. Discussing it on the way back to campus, our reactions were pretty varied. Overall, it was not what we thought it would be. Instead of a fast paced, constantly stimulating action-packed course, like we expected, the reality was different. “I expected to use more mental power than physical exertion and speed, so if that’s your thing then this is perfect for you,” says Mary Catalfamo, one of my friends who completed the game with me. Milton Escoto Crispin, who had already done ten ‘Escape the Room’ courses before this one says, “I think it was more of an adventure than an actual escape room. Not as challenging, but definitely fun.” Matt Sacca was the most positively affected in the group, exclaiming, “I thought it was pretty imaginative and immersive! I’ve never done an Escape the Room challenge before that one, but it was absolutely successful enough for me to want to go back and conquer them all!” Personally, I was not impressed. The overall experience was underwhelming, actually. I expected to be challenged on an intellectual basis more than I was, but it was fun for the short bursts of activity the simulation had us do.

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dancing anywhere, with or without a dance group or cultural center. Celebrated for being the first dance company on campus and founded over 40 years ago, “Creations” also prides itself on its involvement in its community. It was started by predominantly African-American women who sought the opportunity to showcase their talent, and today the group honors them by performing an African gospel dance routine once a year. “Creations” also teaches a dance class every Friday to children in the Syracuse community as an after school program at Wilson Park. The children who attend the program vary in the type of dances they want to learn. “Everyone is always eager to learn,” says Jessica Banks, who joined the group as a freshman. She believes the class has left an impact by exposing children “to different dances at a young age, especially since many are not able to afford dance classes.” She hopes this exposure will allow them to develop a passion for a style of dance and pursue it in middle school, high school or college. Dance groups in the Syracuse community encompass the same values as Syracuse University’s groups.

MEANINGFUL MOVEMENTS Syracuse dancing groups share love and passion with the community Words: Shanyah Saunders “Life and sanity,” “expression,” “magnificent,” “everything;” these are just a few of the words that individuals in dance groups throughout the Syracuse community use to describe their art. Dance is considered one of the major forms of expression in many cultures worldwide. That is why dance is meaningful to diverse communities like Syracuse University and Syracuse, New York.

teaching dance in the Syracuse community.

Watching other dancers perform also is a valuable experience, as it provides an opportunity to learn or teach new dance moves, styles, and music. According to the National Dance Education Organization, being exposed to dance at a young age can also have a positive impact on physical, social and emotional development. Some on-campus dance groups, like “Raices” and “Creations,” have recognized the benefit of collaborating with local children and have begun

The group teaches children different forms of Latin dance at La Casita, an off-campus Hispanic cultural center. There, the members of “Raices” demonstrate how to mix traditional and modern dance styles.

“Raices,” proudly known as the only Latino dance group on campus, was founded with the intention to educate the Syracuse University community about the diversity of the Latino culture. “Raices” uses a variety of dance styles specific to different Latin countries.

“Dancing does not stop outside of [the cultural center’s] doors,” says Fatmawati Tuyulawe, a member of “Raices.” The group reassures the children at La Casita that they are able to continue

Tavares Lewis, founder and coach of “ShowOut Majorette Dance Family,” an off-campus dance group, started the group out of love for majorette as a dance style. According to Jonae, the group’s captain, “our style of majorette is a classic dance with added gymnastic tricks and hip-hop steps.” One of the many values both “ShowOut” and the on-campus dance groups share is family. Jonae believes that her dance group is a family because they “provide each other with support, care and respect.” As captain, Jonae is responsible for leading and assisting in teaching dances to her fellow members. She finds that it is very important to have respect and support within the group. Lewis also values loyalty among the dance group, and emphasizes the importance of “dedication, good grades from school and sisterhood.” Lewis believes that dance groups should “dance as one, win as one and lose as one.” Tuyulawe, who is also a member of “Outlaws,” the only hip-hop dance group on campus, reflects on the importance of family and different family dynamics between both dance groups. She refers

to “Raices” as “extremely homely with a strong familial bond,” and describes “Outlaws” as “a bunch of goons,” referring to the group’s silly, rowdy, and “up-to-no-good” persona. It wasn’t just the family dynamic that drew her to “Raices” or “Outlaws,” but the difference between both dance families. Much like Tuyulawe, Banks joined “Creations Dance Company” because of the “tight-knit” family the group provided. When she was researching dance groups to get involved in, “Creations” stood out to her because of its diversity and similarity to the dance groups she had been a part of back home. While dance is often difficult to summarize into one word, the consensus among dancers in on and off campus dance groups, are that dance creates a family. Overall, family, dedication, passion and sharing are just some of the principles that “Raices,” “Outlaws,” “Creations” and “ShowOut” all embody. 11

360 Magazine

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WITH LOVE, PAKISTAN Restaurant owner teaches cooking skills and cultural consciousness Words: Deniz Sahinturk 435 N Salina, soon to be home of new restaurant With Love, Pakistan, is just a few steps away from welcoming guests. Its doors will open to carpeted floors, light blue walls and an open kitchen where students will cook right before guests’ eyes. A traditional Pakistani wooden eating area is set up by a large window that overlooks the street. A payphone is installed by the door, but if guests try to pick up the receiver a Pakistani language learning tape will begin playing. “Everyone’s going to sit on the floor and eat here,” says Adam Sudmann, who runs the restaurant, gesturing to the eating area. “Most of the world eats like this anyway. It’s just us in the West who don’t.” Sudmann is the man behind With Love, Pakistan, a training restaurant run by the collective efforts of Onondaga Community College, the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency, the Land Bank, Up Start and My Lucky Tummy. The restaurant will serve cuisine from a new country every six months, and the name will change accordingly. The restaurant opened on November 11with a free party and is serving Pakistani cuisine for the next six months. The journey leading to With Love, Pakistan goes back three years. Sudmann lived in NYC, where he produced and directed events for what he calls “the .0001 percent of the population.” Working with a very wealthy population, he realized the stark contrast between the richest and the poorest in the world, leaving him feeling disenchanted with everything.

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“You never hear good things about a refugee’s country,” Sudmann says. “These events helped us change that.” Sudmann says With Love, Pakistan was modeled after a similar program by CenterState CEO in Minnesota. The program includes teaching students the necessary restaurant skills that will help them be successful in the food industry. The ultimate goal of the program is to provide them with more job opportunities. Even though the focus of With Love, Pakistan is on the refugee community, Sudmann says you do not need to be a refugee to be a trainee in the restaurant. The cuisine is not completely authentic, as it is still made using local produce, and some of the traditional techniques need reforming to increase the pace of cooking.

“I was in tears after seeing what they did,” Sudmann says. “They didn’t frame the people they were helping as poor pathetic creatures. They instead said, ‘Look at these amazing, resilient people, they’re 90 percent there and all they need is water. They took celebrity culture and made something beneficial out of it.’” Sudmann’s first inclination was to apply for a job at Charity Water, but the group rejected him due to his heavy involvement in the food business. The rejection was hard for him, but he still wanted to do something meaningful. He just didn’t know what. His wife’s family friend, Julie Norman, was working with a refugee settlement in Syracuse a few blocks

“Patience has been here since when we first started. Remember when there were only four burgers for 400 people?” Sudmann asks her, laughing. Patience is very excited to cook her home cuisine, “obwol”. “It’s very healthy. You have no idea,” she says.

“We couple our best ingredients with their best technique,” Sudmann says. Sudmann also mentions one of the trainees in the restaurant, Sarah Robin, who is from Lahore, Pakistan and will leave after the first six months.

Yet, while Sudmann looks to the future of the restaurant optimistically, he recognizes that it may come with some obstacles.

“We’re trying to prepare her for business. She is a great dessert baker, and has a sweet tooth too. Maybe she’ll open a dessert shop,” Sudmann says.

“This is a hard business,” he says. “I don’t know how the town will respond to it.”

away from what would become With Love, Pakistan. She told Sudmann and his wife about a woman she knew who cooked her own country’s food in a church basement. “We were all pretty drunk on whiskey, and I started telling her about my idea of funding an international food court. Next morning I woke up, pretty hungover and embarrassed,” Sudmann says. “I was sure she thought I was crazy, yet she called me that day and offered to help.” Sudmann and Norman called their idea “My Lucky Tummy.” They started out by hosting events where refugees would cook their country’s cuisine and serve it to guests. Their intention was to change the negative connotations people may associate with refugees.

Patience Oyat, a woman from Sudmann who worked at My Lucky Tummy events, hopes to be part of the program’s second six-month interval.

With passionate students like Robin and Oyat, Sudmann hopes that With Love, Pakistan will give refugees and other minorities a chance to escape their bubble and continue to celebrate their culture through cooking.

However, Robin says she wants to open a restaurant that will serve all Pakistani food, not just desserts.

His outlook changed after he produced an event for Charity Water, a nonprofit that aims to provide clean water to populations without access to it.

“It’s going to be authentic Pakistani cuisine, there will be no modifications,” she says. “The food is all going to be very hot and spicy. The desserts will be very sweet, so it’ll create a balance.”

360 Magazine

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GROWING PAINS Lack of affordable and accessible nutritious food poses questions to residents of Central and Northern New York Words: Kristina Atsalis and Caroline Bartholomew Winter is coming soon, and for many people that means breaking out winter coats and boots. However, for many Syracuse residents the arrival of winter brings additional stress in the search for fresh food. Although farmers are finding new ways to continue food production year-round, it still isn’t always easy for people to find access to fresh food in this city. According to the Food Bank of Central New York, one in every seven people in central and northern New York live with food insecurity. Three out of every ten households in Syracuse qualify for food stamps and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, according to CNY Fair Housing. In addition to its high poverty levels, Syracuse is also considered a food desert, which the United States Department of Agriculture defines as areas “vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas… largely due to a lack of grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and healthy food providers.” To help combat the city’s lack of fresh food, several organizations have initiated programs. Syracuse Grows, a group that aims to make fresh food more accessible through community gardens and urban farming, was founded in 2008. It works to provide people with various ways to get involved in the development of the community, according to Dr. Evan Weissman, co-founder of Syracuse Grows and assistant professor of food studies at Syracuse University.

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“It takes existing resources in the city of Syracuse and leverages those and puts them into conversation,” he says. “It’s a strategy for addressing vacant land and for increasing democracy in the food system.” Syracuse Grows does not own and did not start any of the community gardens, but instead is based entirely on partnerships with neighborhood groups, local foundations, Syracuse University and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Since its founding, the number of gardens has expanded from three to at least 25. Syracuse Grows is considered an expert in central New York in terms of food justice and community gardens, Weissman says. Supporting food justice, the idea that a community should be directly involved in their local food system, is one of Syracuse Grows’ main principles. Food justice also addresses the idea of democracy in the food system and prioritizing public health and sustainability before profits.

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Syracuse First works with over 400 local businesses, many of which are food-based. They are currently working on a project called 10% Shift where they are challenging people to shift ten percent of their spending money to local businesses, including farmers.

healthful foods,” Weissman says, “but food justice also includes labor inequality in the food system, or that access to food should not be dependant on other people’s charity. It’s about a food system that is resilient and oriented towards people’s needs, not towards profit.” In addition to growing food, many of the community gardens offer employment to teenagers in the neighborhood and programming for children and senior citizens. Another strategy to address the problem is mobile markets. Like grocery stores on wheels, mobile markets are essentially food trucks that travel to food desert areas, but instead of selling fast food, they sell fresh produce. One of Dr. Weissman’s primary areas of research is mobile markets in Syracuse and what kind of effect they’ve had in increasing accessibility to fresh and healthy foods. He is currently working on a survey to see how mobile markets operate across the country. Weissman said that as of now, the results are mixed. On one hand, people who take advantage of the mobile markets benefit greatly, especially senior citizens and people who don’t have cars. On the other hand, the costs to start and keep the markets running is not always offset by the profits from selling healthy food. While major grocery stores sell all sorts of products to generate profits, the profit margins for healthy foods is very thin, which makes it hard for the mobile markets to make enough money to keep running.

itself was created initially to sort of move away from those sorts of charity-based models but it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be economically viable for mobile markets to sustain in the long term without outside capital.” On the other side of food insecurity is the many farmers in the Syracuse area who don’t always have a place to sell their produce. With a lack of grocery stores, farmers are having to find alternative ways to sell food differently than large chains like Wegman’s. As part of the solution, farmer’s markets and community supported agriculture (CSA) programs have been popping up to provide a direct connection between farmers and the people buying their food. “CSAs are a way to address both consumers and farmers in that are traditionally in places considered food deserts,” says Chris Fowler, executive director and founder of Syracuse First, a non-profit organization that helps local businesses. “New York state, the USDA and other philanthropies have tried to help bridge the gap and to subsidize some of that by creating CSAs for people who don’t have access to grocery stores and full-service produce markets.”

“Part of our charge is to get restaurants and consumers to rethink how they’re eating,” Fowler says. “In order to really change the food system you have to really change the expectations of the eater. There’s a big farm to table movement, which grew out of necessity almost as much as sort of a cool factor.” The program not only benefits students and faculty so they can eat healthier, but also provides a steady source of income for the local farmers. “It’s a link between the consumer and the farmer… You are essentially becoming a member of the farm,” Cecio says. “It ends up being cheaper, and they’re organic, and they are sustainably grown — I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t do it.” Any boxes that are left over at the end of the day are taken to the Hendricks Chapel food pantry. Brainfeeders has partnered with Hendricks Chapel to provide students who are food insecure with choices that are more nutritious than the typical can of soup or nonperishable food item. According to a national survey from Students Against Hunger,

47 percent of college students across the country reported having food insecurity. “That’s one of the biggest kept secrets — students being food insecure,” Cecio says. In addition to running the CSA pickup, Brainfeeders also strives to be an educational resource for students who have questions about food justice or the food system, Cecio says. Last year, they started a station in Schine Dining that provides healthier food options that are locally sourced. Their next project is setting up student-farm alliances to raise awareness about farm labor issues. Jaleh Kermani, another student at Syracuse University known for her health-conscious Instagram account FeelGoodNakie, takes a different approach to maintaining a healthy lifestyle at campus. Kermani attends a farmers market, located at the Destiny USA mall, on Saturday mornings. For people that have never consciously ate healthy, she recommends meal planning for the week ahead. “Sundays, or whatever your free day is, is a good day to set everything out and plan for the week. If you’re all about eating healthy as a college student, routine and schedule really help,” she says. To save money. Kermani says she buys foods like quinoa and brown rice in bulk, and she never buys fruits and vegetables pre-cut.

“Like other sorts of non-profit food system interventions, they become reliant on grant dollars and philanthropy,” Weissman says. “The model

360 Magazine

Fall 2016

aleh Kermani, a student at Syracuse University known for her health-conscious Instagram account FeelGoodNakie, takes a different approach to maintaining a healthy lifestyle at campus. Kermani attends a farmers market, located at the Destiny USA mall, on Saturday mornings. For people that have never consciously ate healthy, she recommends meal planning for the week ahead.

“It’s all about the little things that save money here and there,” Kermani says. Her kitchen is always stocked with the basics: chicken, sweet potatoes, avocado, eggs, leafy greens, and lots of tupperware. And, of course, hot sauce. On the Syracuse University campus, students have the opportunity to become part of the farm to table movement through the CSA group called Brainfeeders. Brainfeeders partners with Common Threads farm in Madison, New York, and aim to get people to eat more sustainably and in season by setting up long lasting food justice and food access type programs on campus, explained president William Cecio, who is a senior food studies major. Brainfeeders sets up a table in the entryway of Huntington Beard Crouse Hall where students and faculty who have placed orders can pick up their food. You may have walked past their CSA pickup before without noticing. Cecio and a few other members man a table with the produce, greet people as they come to pick up their orders, and check their names off an order list and handing them their prepaid box of fresh vegetables. The program not only benefits students and faculty so they can eat healthier, but also provides a steady source of income for the local farmers. “It’s a link between the consumer and the farmer… You are essentially becoming a member of the

“Sundays, or whatever your free day is, is a good day to set everything out and plan for the week. If you’re all about eating healthy as a college student, routine and schedule really help,” she says.

farm,” Cecio says. “It ends up being cheaper, and they’re organic, and they are sustainably grown — I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t do it.” Any boxes that are left over at the end of the day are taken to the Hendricks Chapel food pantry. Brainfeeders has partnered with Hendricks Chapel to provide students who are food insecure with choices that are more nutritious than the typical can of soup or nonperishable food item. According to a national survey from Students Against Hunger, 47 percent of college students across the country reported having food insecurity.

To save money. Kermani says she buys foods like quinoa and brown rice in bulk, and she never buys fruits and vegetables pre-cut. “It’s all about the little things that save money here and there,” Kermani says. Her kitchen is always stocked with the basics: chicken, sweet potatoes, avocado, eggs, leafy greens, and lots of tupperware. And, of course, hot sauce.

“That’s one of the biggest kept secrets — students being food insecure,” Cecio says. In addition to running the CSA pickup, Brainfeeders also strives to be an educational resource for students who have questions about food justice or the food system, Cecio says. Last year, they started a station in Schine Dining that provides healthier food options that are locally sourced. Their next project is setting up student-farm alliances to raise awareness about farm labor issues. “Part of our charge is to get restaurants and consumers to rethink how they’re eating,” Fowler says. “In order to really change the food system you have to really change the expectations of the eater.”

360 Magazine

Fall 2016

According to CNET, virtual reality is “any computergenerated environment that allows users to explore and interact with it with a VR headset.” Users are visually separated from the physical environment and have images fed to their eyes from two lenses. Through VR, you can virtually hike the Grand Canyon, tour the Louvre, experience a movie as if you are part of it or immerse yourself in a video game without ever leaving your couch. Pacheco, who is also the Peter A. Horvitz Endowed Chair of Journalism Innovation, says his job is to explore the intersection of journalism and technology, which he thinks VR plays a huge role in.

VIRTUALLY, A NEW REALITY

Facing a group of 18 students, professor Dan Pacheco pretends his coffee cup is a drone. Moving it through the air, he describes a new video technique being used to shoot stable 360-degree footage. After returning his coffee safely to the table, he turns his attention to something else: showing off the Oculus Rift headset, the newest piece of technology he can offer his students.

Students and professors engage with VR technology

This is Virtual Reality Storytelling, a class in its third semester at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Walking through Newhouse 2, you may miss a short hallway that leads to the “innovation lab,” a small room that only a select few students can access with a swipe of their student ID. This small room houses some of the newest technology in the school.

Words: Jason Chen

“This whole idea of being somewhere else virtually is really powerful in a way that things like Facebook and Twitter are,” Pacheco says. Pacheco encountered virtual reality for the first time when he was working for a newspaper in California that focused on new product development. He was responsible for following different trends on the Internet, one of which was Second Life, a virtual world where users can create their own avatars and interact with each other. Pacheco describes this as the original version of VR. “I still think that there’s something powerful in what Second Life started,” Pacheco says. “We now see that coming to fruition.”

Pacheco says large brands, the government and all kinds of companies were experimenting with Second Life because of its immense potential. Although the graphics and computers were not good enough to really make the experience immersive back then, Pacheco says it was still powerful. Knowing this, Pacheco says he is optimistic about the future of VR because he believes Second Life’s concept has tremendous potential. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration uses VR to take live data from weather patterns across the globe and conduct experiments. He believes this use of the technology can be used in the future of data visualization. “That’s gonna happen at some point,” he says. “It’s always on my mind.” Charles Preuss, a student in Virtual Reality Storytelling class, says he is taking the class because he wants to learn more about how people can consume content in different environments. He says he admires Pacheco for discussing new types of media, because many college classes can be outdated. “Professor Pacheco keeps up-to-date with all of his classes when it comes to all the industry trends,” Preuss says. Preuss recently started a VR business in the Syracuse business incubator, “The Tech Garden,” to extend into the field of using VR experience in the recruiting

360 Magazine

Fall 2016

industry for SU and other companies. He says he wants to help businesses create content to inform users about what they want to know, using VR. He also says VR is not about data visualization in a 360-degree environment, but rather engaging all of a user’s senses, especially sounds and motions. “The user experience is something completely different because you can’t control where the users want to put their gaze,” Preuss says, explaining that users can see what is behind them and even interact with the environment. “We are going to look at threedimensional web versus two-dimensional web in the near future.”

Liu tried three different kinds of VR headsets, but in her favorite she could create 3D paintings holding two controllers. She says she could select the line tool with the controllers to color and draw cartoons. Like Pacheco, Liu believes the applications of VR are not limited to art and design. She says the technology can go far beyond the entertainment sector and be used in news broadcasting and education as well. She would recommend VR to friends who haven’t tried it before because the experience of using it is “amazing.”

“What stage we are at right now is the same that everybody was in when we were building websites for the first time,” he says. “There are certainly some industries that once they start stepping into the power of VR they are really going to blow up.”

“I was excited and surprised by how real the feeling was,” Liu says. “I entered another three-dimensional world that I didn’t even want to leave.”

For now, Pacheco teaches students how to create virtual realities of their own. In one class, he explains it is important not to use text that is small or moving, as it it may make the viewer woozy. Nearing the end of the semester, students are preparing their final projects. The projects can be creative or a depiction of something real, depending on the student’s major. They do, however, spend some class time trying out new equipment. While Pacheco’s class is entirely based in VR, other Newhouse classes have also begun to adopt the technology.

“There are certainly some industries that once they start stepping into the power of VR they are really going to blow up,”

Hongyue Guo, an advertising graduate student at Newhouse, tried the Samsung Gear VR headset in class with Professor Ken Harper. With Gear VR, she says all she needed to do was snap a compatible Galaxy smartphone into a wireless headset. She also tried the HTC Vive, which comes equipped with two control handles.

Jiaxin Liu, also a first year graduate student at Newhouse, says she wore the VR headset for the first time in her new media business class. She hyped herself up by imagining all of the things she might see.

VR has existed for about 20 years now, but it only recently hit the market and is starting to reach larger consumer segments. The HTC Vive, an interactive VR headset, just became available to the general public this summer. Preuss says the focus is not only on the gaming industry, but in real estate and construction, as well as sports media.

By 2020, he expects that the virtual reality market will become an $18 billion industry and a $160 billion market, combining VR and augmented reality.

WELCOME TO THE VR SALON

“It was beyond my imagination,” Guo says. “I felt everything was so true that I even wanted to touch the things I saw. I will definitely recommend VR technology to my friends who haven’t used it before, because that is a totally different and interesting experience.”

In the innovation lab, a bulletin board lists the various VR equipment available to students

CARDBOARD

Most popular version is produced by Google. This set is by far the cheapest, at only $15. You fold the headset yourself, and place your smartphone inside to view 360 video. There is no interactive component to this set, but it is easy to use. Source: vr.google.com

GEAR VR

Produced by Samsung, this set allows users to plug in their Galaxy smartphones to view scenes and video. Unlike the Cardboard, the set comes with a strap and foam padding around the eyes. It also has controls on the side to change video without removing the headset Source: samsung.com

HALOLENS This Microsoft headset lets users “go beyond the screen” with the use of holograms. The technology allows “mixed reality,” as opposed to entirely virtual, meaning the holographic images are combined with the physical world. (Think Pokemon Go, but 3D). Source: microsoft.com

HTC VIVE This headset, created by the technology company HTC, immerses users in a whole new world. Users can walk around freely with a Chaperone Guidance system within the area of play. The front-facing camera on the headset turns real-world elements into virtual reality right before your eyes. Source: vive.com

OCULUS It has been called the technology that “redefines digital entertainment.” It allows you to immerse yourself in games, or go inside scenes from your favorite movies. Users can can connect with other friends using oculus to play games together. Includes Gear VR, which allows you to connect your smartphone to get immersed in VR. Source: ww3.oculus.com

SCAN YOURSELF Allows players to scan their faces to generate high quality, 3D avatar versions of themselves, all from their smartphones. It has previously been used with a program called “3D Around” for 3D food photography, but it will soon be used in the future of gaming. This will allow players to put themselves in a game without needing a gaming device. Source: psfk.com

360 Magazine

ECLECTIC MEETS ECONOMIC Meet the artists behind the Syracuse Indie Market’s unique pieces of art Words: Kristina Atsalis Photos: Jenna Cavanaugh

Kim Bechdel: The Rustic Boheme Kim Bechdel originally started her jewelry business to supply and support her jewelry addiction. “Rings are so expensive,” she says. “But I just wanted all the rings. And so I figured, if I made them all, I could surely have them all.” Soon enough, Bechdel had made so many necklaces and rings that she constantly needed to give them away to friends and family to make room for more crafting. She doubles as a stay at home mom, setting up her Indie market table while simultaneously bouncing a toddler in her arms. She admits to usually needing help from friends or her husband at these market events. Outside the market, Bechdel’s husband creates the electrical sodium bath needed to create the bronze metal coating on the rings. These rings can take up to 10 days to make and the process is one Bechdel describes as “part organic, part rustic, and part science.” Bechdel is passionate about creating custom jewelry and is always encouraging her customers to partake in the creative process. She works with crystals, gemstones, beads, stone, bone, horn and glass. Sarah Deib: Cuppa Candles Cuppa Candles made its debut at the fall 2015 S Jay Indie Market. One year later, Sarah Deib has a table loaded with mugs filled with 100% soy candles. “The main goal for these candles is that the scents are something you would smell steaming up from a mug,” she says. “Coffee, tea, mulled cider, cocoa… each mug is a science experiment of oils.” All of the mugs are either thrifted, rummaged, or were once used by Deib herself. She advocates mug-cycling; that is, if you have burned through a candle made by Dieb, you can return the mug for a discount on your next Cuppa Candles purchase. Dieb, who works full-time for TCGplayer, a Syracuse-based online marketplace, found that making candles was an affordable and eco-friendly way to provide for her love of candles. With encouragement from her boyfriend, she expanded to a wider audience, and now sells them online. 26

Fall 2016

Heidi Detor Heidi Detor began painting after she was let go from her job of 21 years. She started out on canvas, but at this market she displays bottles— liquor bottles, wine bottles, and some vases— all painted with abstract strokes and bright colors. She weaves a strand of lights into the body of the bottle, which according to her takes the bottles from their “day look” to their “night look”. She says she has nearly 400 bottles in her house, many of which come from friends who stop by and encourage her to continue creating these eclectic and unique pieces. Detor has been painting for less than a year, but her art has already made its way into almost every inch of her appearance. At this Indie market, she proudly wears a paint splattered black tank top, a finger-painted necklace and dip-dyed earrings. Her Crocs are even covered in abstract streaks. Bee O’Donnell: To Just Bee Bee O’Donnell took to crafting jewelry as an attempt to find a hobby when she was unemployed. Today, her merchandise has expanded to canvas wall mountings, posters, jewelry, frames and cut t-shirts made from an ex-boyfriend’s left-behind clothing. Almost everything O’Donnell uses has been thrifted. She aims to reuse materials as much as possible, and feels it gives her work a quirky, one-of-a-kind feel. Some of the earrings displayed at her table were attached to cardboard squares from six-pack beers she drank over the summer. Sean Thomas Delpha Sean Thomas Delpa composes impromptu poems upon request. What makes him unique, and what draws many to his table at the Indie Market, is his audible creativity - he types these poems on old-fashioned typewriters. Delpha owns three, all of which are thrifted: two are Smith Corona typewriters, and the other is a Galaxy 12, which he calls his “spaceship.” His first time offering impromptu poetry was along the Onondoaga creek walk in Syracuse. Every Wednesday night is the OverpassFest, where musicians line the path and perform live. “I was the first person to make music on the walk by slamming keys on a typewriter,” Delpha claims. “One time, I was asked to write a poem about Star Wars, puppies, a bike and a garden. But that’s what I love about the on-the-fly poetry. There’s no time for overthinking the subject,” explains Delpha. Delpha also sells pre-written poetry that he has framed.

360 Magazine

Fall 2016

LIVING, LEARNING, LIQUOR SU Professor discusses his experience as alcohol expert Words: Angelica Welch Torrey Grant, adjunct professor of the famous Beer and Wine Appreciation class, has a deepseeded relationship with the Syracuse food and drink scene and the growing wine industry in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. After graduating from Syracuse University in 1997, Grant stayed in the city to pursue a job in the restaurant business but eventually found his way back to SU. In addition to teaching, he works as the fine wine and event coordinator at the local liquor store, Liquor City. An advocate of the unconventional – like pairing Champagne and hotdogs – Grant has melded his trained palate with Syracuse’s homely, simple nature.

Did you ever see yourself staying here in Syracuse, let alone teaching at SU? A: No - when I was in school, because I worked off campus at a bar downtown, I became friends with a lot of people from the area. I had a pretty good job, and then in 1999 I got a really good job managing a restaurant, so I just stayed and all of a sudden it’s 2016.

Q: How did you get involved with teaching? A: It’s funny, I knew people in the position and I used to get lunches with them, so I knew the class was here, but I never took it. But two years ago, oddly enough, this girl I used to date sent me the posting and was like ‘they’re looking for part-time faculty.’ So I was like ‘alright’ and I threw a CV together because I hadn’t applied for a job in a few years at that point. It started out with two sections last semester, three this year and I’m doing four next semester. I teach at [Liquor City], which is my favorite day of the week there. I love doing this – I like the balance between the two.

Q: This class is super popular. Are there any challenges that exist in teaching it? A: Yeah I think so. Last semester, my first semester, we taught from the curriculum that was already established because I got hired the week before class started, and I was actually out of the country. So I didn’t really have an opportunity to change it – and I could tell it hadn’t been changed in a number of years. There was no mention of Spain, no mention of Argentina, really. I can see why the former professor, who was beloved and did a great job, didn’t change it every year because it’s a lot work. But to keep it relevant, you have to change the class along with the industry. I want it to be relevant every single semester, and I also want it to be relatable.

Q: Alright let’s get into some wine questions – how would you describe the wine scene here in Central New York? A: Um, it’s a little weak. I wish there were a few more places that offered a well thought out wine list – even if it’s just ten wines. I think Alto Cinco does a great job, but there are a lot of restaurants that I can go into and open their wine list and tell you who put it together, like which distributor helped them with it, because all of the wines are from one company. I think the scene is getting there because there are people who want it. I just wish there was less reliance on big brands that you can see everywhere you go.

Q: So a cider, is that closer to a wine or a beer? A: It’s kind of in the middle. Beer is harder to make than wine because you have to convert starch to sugar before you make it. Whereas grapes and apples have their own natural sugar. It’s probably still closer to wine, other than the fact that you are going to carbonate it. It’s mostly sold and marketed as beer but I see ciders that come across my desk every day that are put into wine bottles.

Q: Central and Upstate New York is kind of seen as beer country – do you think there is room for wine? A: Definitely. Buffalo and Rochester have seen it more so than Syracuse. I think there’s room for it but, in all honesty, it shouldn’t be up to the consumer – it should be up to the people running the restaurants, the bars and the taverns to introduce people to that. You have to create a market. There were people here that wanted it, but were driving elsewhere to get it.

Q: Do you work closely with any vineyards or wineries up here, or do you stay impartial? A: Yeah, I do [work with them]. Of course the Finger Lakes are only an hour away, so I’ve gone and worked harvest a couple of times in different places. I just went down and did a dinner at the James Beard House a couple weeks ago where I took all New York state wines. I went to the wineries and they were very eager to jump on board with that, so I’ll take a few cases and showcase them in Manhattan. It’s funny though – Manhattanites are much more fond of our wines than people in Syracuse. Syracuse is the hardest market. Finger Lakes wines do great in Rochester; they do great in Manhattan – Syracuse has this weird ‘not in my own backyard’ mentality.

Q: If someone 33 wants to buy a local Finger Lakes wine, what would you suggest? A: The Finger Lakes have made their name on Riesling. Ravines is probably my favorite winery in the Finger Lakes. Morten Hallgren came from Provence, from a centuries-old wine-making family, he did apprenticeship in Bordeaux, and he makes dry Rieslings and Chardonnays that are wonderful. Fox Run is awesome, Keuka Spring too – they got Winery of the Year this year. This summer was a great year. Grapes aren’t like tomatoes, they like a drought. I think you’ll be able to look at the 2016 wines and they’ll be really, really good – reds especially, but also whites.

A: What is the biggest mistake you see when people come into Liquor City and say they want a “good” wine? A: The biggest mistake I see is that they think there is a certain thing that they are supposed to be getting. They should just get what they like. The funniest comment I get all the time is ‘Oh, I’m sorry I don’t know much about wine’ and my response to that is that if everyone knew a lot about wine I would be unemployed. People have this preconceived notion that they are supposed to like something, and they’re not – you’re supposed to like what you like. 29

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Fall 2016

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? GET INVOLVED? WERE LOOKING FOR writers (print and online) photographers illustrators copy editors At 360 magazine, we believe its more than just whats happening within the walls of the campus that makes Syracuse University great. Thats why we take the story off the hill, meeting people and visiting places that students might not see on their walk to class each day. Join us in sharing these stories and help make our Central New York community a little more connected. Think you might fit in with our crew? Send an email to su360mag@gmail.com and join the team!

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