Tuesday, February 26, 2019

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019

VOLUME CLIII, ISSUE 21

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Fusion dancers perform in 36th spring show State withdraws cuts to bike, pedestrian infrastructure New federal funding from national spending law to go toward bridge repairs, highway enhancements

By ALEX REICE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation withdrew a proposed amendment that would have reduced state funding by $27.67 million for bike and pedestrian infrastructure Friday, citing an influx of federal funds for instrastructure improvements.

The initial amendment would have postponed projects relating to bike infrastructure and transportation alternatives, instead prioritizing bridge repairs, said Pamela Cotter, administrator of Rhode Island Division of Planning. The proposed amendment was not “cancelling any projects,” or removing any bike paths from the ten-year State Transportation Improvement Program, she said.

The state felt they had “to put (their) funding first into bridges that are falling down,” she added.

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COURTESY OF VINCENT PO

Fusion, a student dance company, performed in Alumnae Hall for their 36th Annual Spring Show this past weekend. The show featured several styles of music and dance, including modern, hip-hop and jazz.

Performances feature range of musical, dance styles, utilize spoken word accompaniment

By GRAYSON LEE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Despite a small fire during their final

performance, Fusion Dance Company presented a stylistically diverse and unceasingly energetic 36th Annual Spring Show last weekend.

The show’s performances ranged from thoughtful to light-hearted, including several short comedic interludes. Fusion also utilized diverse styles of music and dance, including modern, hip-hop and jazz. “That’s

typical of Fusion shows, but I think this year we had really strong pieces,” said Megan Gessner ’20, one of Fusion’s dancers and choreographers. She commented on the amount of spoken word used in the musical accompaniment to a few » See SHOW, page 3

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Among other things, the amendment would have delayed funding for the implementation of City Walk in Providence until 2021, as well as eliminated $1.8 million for citywide bike infrastructure enhancements from the 2023-25 fiscal years, according to a staff report by the Providence Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission.

RIDOT withdrew the amendment following news of federal support, which includes $54.5 million for bridge improvement and repair projects, RIDOT announced in a press release. The funding comes from a $69.7 million federal transportation grant to the state, with the remaining $15.1 million allocated to highway enhancement. The federal grant is part of a national spending law written by Sen. Jack Reed, D-RI, ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, which will provide a total of $475 million to aid the states most in need of bridge repairs.One of the central bridge repair projects will be the Henderson Bridge, which connects the city of East Providence with the » See AMENDMENT, page 4

21st French Film Festival ‘95 and 6 to Go’ explores memory, love, loss continues post-Cable Car Festival tradition continues at Granoff Center after Cable Car Cinema closes

By JANGO MCCORMICK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

When Providence’s Cable Car Cinema closed last May after 42 years in business, there was a possibility that the longstanding annual French Film Festival would be lost with it. But thanks to a joint effort between former Cable Car owner Daniel Kamil and various University departments, the Festival is currently in its 21st year, showing 14 films in 27 screenings over the course of nine days at the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts.

The Festival, which began on Feb. 21 and continues until March 1, is screening a selection of French films released in the past year, some of which have previously seen little or no distribution in the United States, Kamil said. The films were selected by Kamil along with the Department of

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INSIDE

French Studies and the Department of Modern Culture and Media.

Although this is the first year that the French Film Festival has taken place on campus, it has always been conducted in close collaboration with the University. Kamil said that this year represented a change in venue more than in organization.

“Everybody sort of throws in ideas,” he said. “We figure out what will work with the budget we’re working with, and what … we think will resonate for the Brown community as well as other people in town who have come to love the festival.” Kamil described the task of choosing the films as a “winnowing process” through which the organizers of the festival narrowed down 60-70 possible titles to the 14 ultimately selected.

The films vary greatly in their intended audience and production costs.

While some, like “The Trouble with You,” or “Knife + Heart” are commercial films with quick plots and large budgets, a film like “The Competition,” which documents life in a Parisian cinema school, is comparatively small and fills a rather specific niche. » See FRENCH FILM, page 3

DANIELLE EMERSON / HERALD

Filmmaker Kimi Takesue speaks about her documentary titled “95 and 6 to Go,” which follows her grandfather over the course of six years. Her film was screened at the Granoff Center last Thursday.

Documentary reflects on family, filmmaker’s relationship with grandfather

By KATHERINE OK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In her documentary “95 and 6 to Go,” Kimi Takesue illustrates a portrait of

her Japanese-American grandfather, offering a moving and intimate perspective on memory, love and family.

The Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America held a screening and a question-and-answer session for the film with Takesue at the List Art Building last Thursday.

“95 and 6 to Go” follows Takesue’s stay with her recently widowed grandfather, opening with scenes of

Grandpa Tom diligently performing his push-up routine. The documentary not only reveals an untapped cre at ivity in Grandpa Tom, but also illustrates aspects of Japanese immigrant life in Hawaii after World War II. Grandpa Tom, through intermittent bites of food like crab, » See DOCU, page 2

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Weekly archaeological illustration club guides students in learning valuable skills

Roundup: Highest per-capita donut ratio, tampon tax, wind farm, alleged racist comment

Kramer ‘20: Encourages students to stay in Providence, contribute to local economy

The Rib hosts series of student comic performances in the Underground, draws crowd

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ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 2 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019

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Archeological Illustration Club promotes observation, drawing skills Student club founded in 2017 encourages illustrators to see objects differently

By GRAYSON LEE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Every Thursday, the Archaeological Illustration Club meets at the Joukowsky Institute to meticulously draw ancient and contemporary objects.

Archeological illustration is the process of observing and drawing items in detail, a skill often used on archeological digs. “There’s something to be said for this quite old-fashioned method of paying close attention through object illustration,” said Sophie Moore ’18, who founded the group in the fall of 2017 during her time as a Joukowsky Institute Postdoctoral Fellow in Archeology and the Ancient World.

Now a lecturer in Archaeological Theory at Cardiff University, Moore explained why she decided to start the club. “It’s something that wasn’t being taught and something that wouldn’t fit within my class structures. … It’s a skill that we use as archeologists in the field all the time,” Moore said. She described her vision for the group as a community building space for faculty and students to learn and practice together. After Moore left, Carl Walsh ’19, a postdoctoral fellow in Archaeology and the Ancient World, partnered with Flannery McIntyre ’19 to continue the club.

“It’s a low-pressure, extracurricular way of gaining a valuable skill,” McIntyre said. The club is open to anyone from any concentration or background, and the people who attend the meetings often have no experience in archeological illustration, Walsh added. “There are a lot of nonarcheology concentrators who come (and) are interested in learning a scientific style of drawing, as opposed to a more creative way of drawing, because when you do archeological illustration there’s a number of conventions you have to follow,” McIntyre said. Walsh and McIntyre teach the basic concepts to new participants, and attendees undertake their own illustrations of a variety of objects from the vault at the Joukowsky.

Even with the availability of photography and 3D modeling, Walsh and Moore believe that archeological illustration remains an important and relevant skill. “When you spend time looking at something that has a lot of

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» DOCU, from page 1 soup and lychee, advises Takesue on a screenplay she’s working on. Proposing scenes of romance and emotion to her project, Grandpa Tom’s advice highlights themes such as family, identity and loss throughout the documentary.

Filmed over the course of six years, the documentary also chronicles her grandfather’s life in his 90s. The film is casually woven together with scenes of watching television, watering plants and even setting off fireworks. Certain

GRAYSON LEE / HERALD

Archaeological illustrations by Flannery McIntyre ‘19 depict ancient artifacts from the Joukowsky Institute’s vault. The Archaeological Illustration Club trains students to meticulously draw objects from the past and present. detail, it provides you with so much more information,” he continued, describing how looking at and drawing an object allows the illustrator to capture its history and wear. Moore agreed, noting how focusing on items changes the viewer’s perception. Walsh also explained that archaeologists use illustration to date objects found at

archeological sites, so a lot of illustration, especially of ceramics, often occurs on these sites.

Moore also elaborated on the practical and conceptual value of archeological illustration. “To be able to know that you have that skill as a student going into the field for the first time is a real confidence builder,” Moore said.

“We create value by spending time with everyday objects.” Although many of the articles drawn by members of the group are ancient artifacts, they also illustrate contemporary objects. In the club’s exhibition at the end of last year, titled “Learning to Look,” one of the illustrations on display was a crumpled tin can, drawn by Walsh. Moore drew

her field glasses and a digital camera.

Both Walsh and McIntyre reflected on the relaxing and soothing nature of the group. “The intention is for it to be completely open,” said Walsh, extending an invitation for anyone to participate when the club meets on Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Rhode Island Hall.

scenes include Ethel, Grandpa Tom’s late wife, as the two recall their early life together in old footage.

Sometimes, Grandpa Tom’s words are succinct and dryly witty, eliciting laughs from the crowd. When presented with his granddaughter’s script, he says, “You got to give the plot more fat.” Other times, Takesue’s grandfather describes ideas, including possible interludes of classic songs and vivid images, with great detail.

Takesue’s film sought to meditate on family dynamics and history from a natural angle. “One of the things I

learned in making this is how easy it is to overlook and underestimate people who are very close to us,” Takesue said during the question-and-answer segment after the screening. “This film brought me to appreciate (my grandfather) on a whole new level.

I hope it inspires you to think about your own families and relationships.”

With expansive views of the Pacific Ocean interspersed throughout the film, the documentary’s imagery harkens back to Takesue’s emphasis on the natural. “I think going back to elements of earth, water and sky are

really important (in) reminding you of the cycles of life and change,” she said.

When talking about the film’s production process, Takesue explained that she had not planned to create a full documentary when she began filming her grandfather. “I actually never thought I was going to make a film, so I was just really gathering,” she said. “It was tuning my senses, and I was finding myself enjoying this connection.”

This past Friday, Takesue led a research seminar for students, discussing her temporally sensitive processes

in going from footage and research to final film. Amy Chin GS found the seminar and Takesue’s creative process to be particularly illuminating for her current dissertation. “I just think it’s really interesting for students who often just work with text to think about storytelling through a visual medium,” she said.

“In filmmaking … or doing a dissertation, there are so many similarities,” Chin said.“You have an idea and you look for data, or footage, and you spin that into a type of narrative.

It doesn’t have to be a linear story.”

ARTS & CULTURE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

» FRENCH FILM, from page 1 Miranda Mo ’22 attended the Festival and found some of the films uncomfortably slow, while others surprised her. She found “The Wild Boys” to be “pretty shocking in the beginning, but the overall plot was very interesting,” adding that the film’s discussion of feminism came as an unexpected conclusion.

Some of the films focus on difficult themes. “Earth Seen From the Heart” is a film about climate change, and “Until the Birds Return” features sections about the fallout from the violence of the Algerian Civil War. “Sorry Angel,” a film that chronicles the love-affair of two men in Paris, deals with the topics of cruelty in love, being gay in France and the personal tragedies brought about by AIDS. Michelle Medina ’22 attended the festival for a class in the French Studies Department, intrigued by the broader differences between French and American cinema. “I was very interested in seeing how the French create thrillers,” Medina said, adding that if one were to consider French thrillers through the lens of “Knife + Heart,” “they’re pretty disturbing.”

The festival has 12 remaining screenings, with student tickets priced at $7.

RÉMY POISSON / HERALD

» SHOW, from page 1 of this year’s performances. “A lot of people are trying to see how dance and prose or poetry can represent two sides of the same idea,” she said. The production also included choreography by an alum as well as a collaboration with Impulse, another student dance company.

The performance Saturday night ended early because of a small electrical fire backstage, but Gessner said that “one of the greatest things to come from this weekend is the spirit that Fusion kept up even after a fire happened.”

“The connection that we have among our group … really is tangible,”

Gessner added, “stretching all the way back to when Paula Franklin established the company in 1983.”

Fusion shows are choreographed by students and alums, which has remained one of the company’s traditions since its inception. Gessner choreographed two pieces in the show, a group piece titled “North Park” and a solo performed by Aisha Zamor ’19 called “Adore You.” The former, set to the song “Save Room” by John Legend, was inspired by the feeling of nostalgia, Gessner said. “Something triggers in your memory, and you remember what it was like to be another version of yourself in the past, … and it washes over you. When I heard the song ‘Save Room’ this summer, that happened to

me,” she added. Gessner also explained that she wanted to explore duet choreography within this piece.

At the performance on Friday night, Amber Morse ’22 called the show “a really good introduction to dance at Brown” and remarked that she enjoyed seeing choreography by students. “I didn’t know what to expect because they do all their own choreography, but … it shows that they put a lot of effort and energy into making it really good,” Morse said. Fusion member Ava Garfinkel ’22 pointed out the flexibility in performing student choreography. “Because it’s student run, I like how relaxed it is in that there are no rules in what you’re allowed to present,” Garfinkel said.

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PAGE 4 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Metro Roundup

BY KATHERINE BENNETT AND CHRIS SCHUTTE, UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR AND SCIENCE AND RESEARCH EDITOR

Providence-Warwick has highest per capita donut ratio in the nation The Providence-Warwick metro area has the highest doughnut per capita ratio of any metro area in the United States, according to a new ranking from BestPlaces.

With 23.25 shops per 100,000 people, Providence-Warwick was closely followed by Worcester and the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area, according to a Providence Journal article. Of the 10 cities with the highest donut density, seven are located in New England, the Journal reported.

Although much of the state’s donut saturation comes from the Dunkin’ Donuts chain, a number of local shops, such as Knead Donuts, PVDonuts and Allie’s Donuts have contributed to Rhode Island’s sweet reputation, according to the article.

State legislators to debate proposed menstrual product tax exemption R.I. state lawmakers will debate a proposed tax exemption for feminine hygiene products for the fourth year in a row, according to WPRI. Known as the ‘tampon tax’, these changes were introduced into both the state’s house and senate in February.

Though Rhode Island has a tax exemption for items classified as “necessities,” menstrual products do not currently fall under this distinction.

“It’s one of those things where it’s not a luxury item, it’s a necessity,” Sen. Louis DiPalma, D-RI, told WPRI. Though hearings on the proposal have not yet been scheduled, they are expected to begin in the next few months, DiPalma added.

Vineyard Wind, R.I. Fishermen’s Board reach compensation agreement In a deal between Vineyard Wind and Rhode Island’s Fishermen’s Advisory Board, about $16.7 million will be dealt to the board as compensation for costs and direct impacts of Vineyard Wind’s new wind farm, according to the Providence Journal. The board unanimously voted on the newly revised deal, which includes $4.2 million in payments over 30 years and $12.5 million in a trust set up over the next five years.

Though the approval from the board was unanimous, many, if not all, spoke out on the unbalanced nature of the deal, leaning in favor of Vineyard Wind, the article reported. Vineyard Wind plans on laying out their turbines in a pattern that will go in opposition of historical agreements, which typically run east to west.

This new deal allowed for more flexibility in structure of the trust, despite being lower than the original offer of $30 million, according to the article.

“It’s not everything they wanted, but it’s something,” Grover Fugate, executive director of the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council, told the Journal.

If the board had rejected the offer, they would have run the risk of losing an appeal and moving forward with no compensation, he added.

Vineyard Wind now aims to gain approval from state coastal regulators as they deliberate over whether the 84-turbine farm is in line with the state’s coastal activities.

President of Bryant University apologizes for campus racial incident President of Bryant University Ronald Machtley offered a public apology to student Quinton Law and community members following concerns over an alleged racist comment aimed toward Law, according to the Providence Journal. Machtley said he also hopes to improve how similar situations are handled in the future.

In a Feb. 4 Facebook post, Law wrote that someone had shouted a racial slur at him while walking home at night. “I just hope one day you realize how hurtful and ignorant your words can be,” he wrote.

Law added that after his Facebook post, many people have reached out in support, adding that they have not only experienced similar incidents, but have been punished for speaking about them, according to the Journal. Law said he was pressured to take down the post from administrators, prompting him to make a second post in response to being asked to take down the original post, the Journal reported.

Machtley met with outside legal counsel Joseph Whelan, Bryant Professor of Management Eileen Kwesiga and Bryant Vice President for Human Resources Tim Paige to review facts and procedures while also meeting with Law to apologize, the article reported.

Machtley “said it was most important that we handle this as a community,” Law said. “It was a lot of the things I was asking for, and I’m glad we got it.”

Law said that he would be collaborating with administrators and student leaders to orchestrate a school-wide conversation surrounding the issue. The university is also organizing a conversation with the campus community about bias, according to the article.

A N N I E WA N G / H E R A L D

» AMENDMENT, from page 4 eastern side of Providence. The bridge was declared structurally deficient in 1996, and millions of dollars have since been spent on repairs, according to the Boston Globe.

With this new influx of federal funding for bridge repairs, the necessity of transferring money from the Transportation Alternatives Program toward bridges is no longer as pressing. But it remains unclear if there will be changes to transportation alternatives in its ten year funding plan going forward.Officials must study their options and “adjust (their) capital programming accordingly,” wrote Lisbeth Pettengill, a spokeswoman for RIDOT, in an email to the Herald.

Funding bike infrastructure is viewed as essential by activists, both

as supporting a cheap and accessible mode of transportation and as an integral method for lowering emissions and making Rhode Island more sustainable.

“Bikes are a main form of transportation,” said Sarah Mitchell, member of Rhode Island Bike Coalition.

“They’re not just something you do for fun. It’s how you get to work, it’s how you get to school, it’s how you go do your errands,” she said, adding that “we can’t wait ten years, we need (bike paths) now.” Mitchell also emphasized the importance of alternate forms of transportation in reducing the state’s carbon footprint, referencing Gov. Gina Raimondo’s recent commitment to join nearby states in cutting down on emissions from the transportation sector.

While Mitchell expressed frustration with the initial amendment, she is now “cautiously optimistic” about the federal funding. On the other hand, former Bikes at Brown member Harry August ’19 remains skeptical. “It doesn’t seem like the city walked back its proposal, they just got lucky with the federal funding,” he said. “My question is whether they actually understand why that proposal was so bad and if it was just an easy way out without confronting what they’re actually trying to do.”

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019 • PAGE 5

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menu

a co lo r f u l r u g

SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS

Grinder, Pho, Late Night Grab & Go: Hummus Cup, Sushi, Salads, Bistro Box, etc.

JOSIAH’S

BLUE ROOM

Dumpling Bar, BYO Burger, BYO Grilled Cheese

Chicken Mushroom Xacuti, Vegetable Mango Curry

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Leek and Potato Soup, Ranger Joe Cookies, Mushroom, Leek, and Alfredo Pizza

Jamaican Style Curried Chicken, Polenta Bread, Aloo Gobhi, Caribbean Style Grain Bowl

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Minestrone Soup, Shaved Steak Sandwhich, Grilled Montreal Chicken, Apple Squares

Red Canellini Scampi with Roasted Broccoli, Mashed Butternut Squash, Angel Cake

sudoku

DANIELLE EMERSON / HERALD

A stitched rug on a table in the Native American room in the Brown Center for Students of Color brightens the space with vibrant colors and complex textures.

Q U O T E O F T H E D AY

crossword

“One of the things I learned in making (the documentary “95 and 6 to Go”) is how easy it is to overlook and underestimate people who are very close

”

to us.

— Kimi Takesue, filmmaker

See documentary on page 1.

CORRECTION The Feb. 25 articled titled “University student’s documentary short wins Oscar” stated that Charlotte Silverman ’22 went onstage to help accept the award. In fact she remained in the audience. The Herald regrets the error.

calendar TODAY

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Seminar by Lalit Kumar Beura, BVSc, M.S, Ph.D. 9:00 A.M. Sidney E. Frank Hall

Study Abroad 101 Information Session 12:00 P.M. Page-Robinson Hall

Wellness Rewards Info Session 12:00 P.M. Petteruti Lounge

How Not to Write 1:00 P.M. South Street Landing

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Talk: Raul Castro Fernandez, MIT 12:00 P.M. Watson C.I.T.

Emerging Scholar Talk with Dr. Carolyn Roberts 12:00 P.M. 94 Waterman Street

Turkish Language Table 2:00 P.M. Sciences Library Lobby

Undergraduate Panel on Research Opportunities 4:30 P.M. Brown Center for Students of Color

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

COMIC: BAD OMEN

RÉMY POISSON / HERALD

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COMMENTARY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Brown alums should invest in Providence ANNA KRAMER op-ed contributor I think I speak for many Brown students in saying that Providence is the city we have unexpectedly fallen in love with. Over four years, we have come to call Providence our home, embracing its Italian flare and New England quintessence. The city that nestles College Hill gives us so much during our time as students: The city’s historic New England architecture, the rich RISDinspired arts culture, the efficient public transportation system and the eclectic food scene, thanks in part to the elite cooking program at Johnson and Wales University. Yet, the city’s economy is still in a slump compared to where it stood a century prior, and it feels like a bit of a ghost town when you walk around downtown Providence in the middle of the day. Providence could use our help to reinvigorate the city.

However, nearly all of us leave Providence after graduation. According to the most recent study conducted by CareerLAB, of the 70 percent of 2017 Brown graduates who immediately entered the workforce, only 5 percent remained in Providence. Brown students move on to a countless array of careers in practically every industry, and yet, aside from those staying to acquire a graduate degree at Brown, hardly any of these post-graduation trajectories seem to keep young alums in Providence.

Though we are only at Brown for

a few years, our time in Providence doesn’t have to be so ephemeral. For three generations my family called Providence home, beginning with my great-great grandfather’s immigration to Rhode Island in 1900.

To my family, the city signified a lot more than just Brown for those who attended it. After exiting the Van Wickle Gates, some went on to be

incredible university.

Upon graduating from Brown, we inherently carry an immense amount of power and privilege. We possess the educational toolset to be trailblazers in industries, reform political movements and spur economic growth wherever we go, including a smaller city like Providence. If you don’t believe that intellectual and

city that Brown could not exist without.

This is not to say that everyone is leaving Providence entirely behind after graduating from Brown. Providence Equity Partners, founded by Jonathon Nelson ’77, is a global private equity investment firm based in downtown. The firm manages nearly $40 billion in aggregate capital com-

A more prosperous Providence means a more prosperous Brown — stronger infrastructure, more diverse culture and more internships and research opportunities.

doctors, others lawyers, even artists — but they stayed in Providence for decades. They saw it as their duty to contribute to the city that had provided them with so much opportunity. In their eyes, contributing to Providence was their way of contributing to Brown, spurring economic growth and stability so that future generations of families and bright young minds would continue to be attracted to the city, and in turn, its

passionate individuals like ourselves have the ability to revitalize a region, just look at how Silicon Valley went from a sleepy San Francisco suburb to the center of the technological universe within a single generation.

It may be true that for the time being more opportunities lie elsewhere, but we have the ability to create and expand upon those which exist here in Providence. And we should. It is our responsibility to give back to the

mitments and has helped to spur a tremendous amount of growth in the Providence region. What Nelson and his team have done is valuable, and other Brown graduates should emulate his dedication to the city in their respective fields.

During my time at Brown, I have felt a continual sense of internal conflict — on the one hand attached to the city’s charm and the bones of its impressive legacy and on

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the other hand incentivized to move elsewhere after I graduate. It is certainly wonderful that Brown alums inhabit such a global network, but there needs to be more of an understanding that we should give back to Providence after graduation.

Brown graduates often feel that they should give back to their alma mater — as exemplified by the 32,000 donors to the University’s Annual Fund in 2018. We should feel a similar responsibility to give back to Providence. A more prosperous Providence means a more prosperous Brown — stronger infrastructure, more diverse culture and more internships and research opportunities. We should receive Brown diplomas with a reciprocal sense of duty to give back to the Providence community in order to ensure that Brown and Providence together continue to grow with every generation. The synergy between the University and Providence would increase from a network of alums devoted to the city. And if we considered our lives in Providence as more than just a fleeting four-year pit stop, Brown’s network of devotees could grow alongside.

Anna Kramer ’20 (who has no relation to Managing Editor Anna Kramer ’20) can be reached at anna_kramer@ brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald. com and op-eds to opinions@ browndailyherald.com.

ARTS & CULTURE THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019

Silverman ’22 wins Oscar The Rib hosts comedy event at Underground for documentary short Alums, assistant professor of visual art nominated in both documentary categories

By ELISE RYAN ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR

“Period. End of Sentence.,” executive co-produced by Charlotte Silverman ’22, won the award for Best Documentary Short Subject at the 91st Academy Awards last night. In addition to Silverman, multiple alums and a professor were nominated for Oscars.

“I can’t believe a film about menstruation just won an Oscar,” said Rayka Zehtabchi, director of “Period.

End of Sentence.,” during her acceptance speech. “To … the women of Kathikhera, know that you are empowering women all over the world to fight for menstrual equality,” she continued.

Melissa Berton, a teacher at Oakwood High School and a producer on the film, thanked the students behind the project, including Silverman, in her acceptance speech. “This film began because high school students here and our brave partners at Action India wanted to make a difference,” she said. “I share this with teachers and with students around the world.

A period should end a sentence, not a girl’s education,” Berton concluded their speech. Some of Silverman’s peers took the Dolby Theatre stage with Berton and Zehtabchi to accept the award, while Silverman cheered from the back with the women of Kathikhera who came to Los Angeles for the ceremony.

“We were all holding hands,” Silverman said, describing the moment before their film was announced as the winner of the category. When the category was announced, Silverman and her row cheered and hugged before joining the rest of their team in the lobby to celebrate. “It was honestly the craziest feeling I’ve ever experienced — it was disbelief and so much excitement. I was uncontrollably smiling,” Silverman added.

Silverman stresses that she and her peers hope that their project inspires others to get involved. “I’m hoping that … people feel like they want to get involved with our project and also just any community initiatives,” she said. “I’m hoping that people take this and feel a connection and drive to do something that they care about.”

“End Game,” co-executive produced by Jim Mittelberger ’78 P’13, was also nominated in the Documentary Short Subject category, The Herald previously reported.

“RBG,” directed by Betsy West ’73 P’17 and Julie Cohen, and “Hale County This Morning, This Evening,” directed by Assistant Professor of Visual Art RaMell Ross, were nominated for Best Documentary (Feature). “Free Solo,” directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, went on to win the award.

Glenn Close was nominated for her portrayal of Joan in “The Wife,” a film based on the novel by Meg Wolitzer ’81. Olivia Colman won the award for her portrayal of Queen Anne in “The Favourite.”

EMILY TENG / HERALD

Comedians, both seasoned and novice, addressed an array of topics in their sets. The event was hosted by co-editors of The Rib, a humor publication written by women and people of other marginalized genders.

Campus humor publication extends its expression of comedy beyond writing

By EMILY TENG SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Underground swelled with the laughter of a large crowd of students as comedians took to the stage Saturday evening.

The Rib, an on-campus humor publication that is exclusively run by women and people of marginalized genders, gathered comedy enthusiasts together on Feb. 23, packing the Underground with students eagerly anticipating the original sketches and stand-up sets that were to be performed by 11 student comedians. The event was MC’ed by Allie Arnold ’20 and Sarah Clapp ’19, co-editors of The Rib. Nico Oré-Girón ’20, Zara Norman ’22 and Mira Ortegon ’20 shared vignettes regarding Valentine’s Day and relationship mishaps. Elisheva Goldberg ’22 and Roxanne Barnes ’21 respectively confessed their love for the Bluno Bear and the film saga “Twilight.”

Tessa Palisoc ’20, Dana Schneider ’20 and Eleanor Meshnick ’20 recounted stories about their family members, while Eliza MacNeal ’20 performed impersonations that elicited frequent chuckles from the crowd.

The performers hailed from a wide range of comedic backgrounds and experience levels. While some performers, like Alyssa McGillvery ’19, were seasoned veterans of the on-campus sketch comedy group Skorts, others like Rib staff writer Gabby Bianco ’21 performed live for the first time.

McGillverly performed a satirical set

reflecting on her racial identity, and Bianco read a piece titled “My Life is a Mess Because my Lucky Bamboo Plant Died.”

“Since we’re a publication only, we wanted to emphasize that you can read an article you’ve already written, or do something that isn’t stand-up or sketch or those things. It could be very fluid in how you approach a performance, so definitely putting an emphasis on the many things you can come up and do here,” Clapp said.

The Rib’s decision to organize a comedy show was inspired by the success of last year’s event, “An Evening with Women in Comedy,” which was held in collaboration with Skorts.

“Some professional comedy writers and professional comedy stand-up people came in and gave some pointers, gave some tips on how to write satire and they offered to workshop with us, and we performed what we’ve done,” Arnold said. While last year’s event was almost exclusively reserved for people who were part of The Rib or Skorts, this year’s show was intended to be more inclusive — “I was like, we should just open this up to everyone,” Arnold added.

The performers were cast through an open call hosted by The Rib. A week prior to the event, Arnold hosted a workshop that taught performers some of the basics of stand-up. “Anyone who wants to be part of this can, and we’re going to prioritize people who have no experience at all,” Arnold said.

“It’s my first time coming to anything like this. It was a fun experience.

People seemed very comfortable performing, and it was very interesting that for a lot of them it was their first time, but they seemed to have it down pat. A lot of the routines seemed well

rehearsed,” said Rémy Poisson ’22, a Herald illustrator.

Established in the spring of 2011, The Rib aims to create “a space for women, people of other marginalized genders (and) people who are usually not heard in comedy to sort of get their start,” Arnold said. In addition to Arnold and Clapp, the publication is headed by a third Editor-in-Chief, Suzanne Antoniou ’20, and manned by a team of staff writers and contributing writers.

“Performance isn’t typically what we do, but since in comedy there (are) diverse avenues to explore, we wanted to incorporate that,” Clapp said. She further explained that The Rib wanted to have an event where people with little performance experience can feel comfortable on stage. “I think it’s really special that there’s a designated place for women and people of other marginalized genders to explore comedy and other creative things. I know I’ve gained a lot of confidence as a writer from it, and it’s been really cool to see it grow and do a lot of things as I’ve been on it,” she said.

This year, The Rib has moved away from a competitive application process and toward a more open, inclusive model. Arnold explained that now anyone who wants to write for The Rib can do so. “I’m very much (of) the attitude that’s like, you can write about whatever you want. I don’t care if it’s a personal essay or if it’s satire, or if it’s something very absurd like a ClickHole article, (or) a funny listicle (or something) parodying a BuzzFeed article.

Anything that you think is funny I think you should just write it here, because where else are you going to do it?” Arnold said.