Friday, March 21, 2025 by The Brown Daily Herald

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ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE DEPORTED

Deported professor had ‘sympathetic photos and videos’ of Hezbollah, DOJ alleges

BY CATE LATIMER UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

Federal prosecutors claim Assistant Professor of Medicine Rasha Alawieh was deported after U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents found “sympathetic photos and videos” of Hezbollah figures on her cell phone, Politico reported on Monday. This provides the first public explanation as to why Alawieh was deported.

According to the filings, she told agents that she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah out of support from a religious perspective but not a political one.

In a statement posted to X, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Alawieh “openly admitted” to traveling to Beirut for Nasrallah’s funeral, “as well as her support of Nasrallah.”

Hezbollah is an Iranian-backed militant group operating in southern Lebanon. It has been designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.

“A visa is a privilege not a right — glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied,” DHS said in the statement.

“This is commonsense security.”

In a statement on X, the White House wrote “bye-bye, Rasha” with a waving hand emoji. An additional White House

SEE DOCTOR PAGE 3

Hundreds protest deportation of Brown professor, doctor at RI State House on Monday evening

Protesters demanded U. support campus immigrant community

BY CIARA MEYER METRO AND UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

On Monday evening, approximately 300 people gathered at the Rhode Island State House to protest the recent deportation of Assistant Professor of Medicine Rasha Alawieh. Alawieh — a kidney transplant specialist with Brown Medicine — has lived in the United States for six years and held an H-1B visa, a type of visa for highly specialized workers.

The Party for Socialism and Liberation helped organize the rally alongside several members of the “medical community,” said Brown Pediatrics Resident Physi-

cian Laura Schwartz. Activists from the Deportation Defense Coalition of Rhode Island, which includes PSL, also spoke at the event.

“We’re rallying here in support of Dr. Alawieh in particular, because this is so emblematic of the injustices occurring” with deportations across the country, Schwartz said. “We know her name, so we can stand here and shout it, but we care just as much about all the people whose names we don’t know.”

“She’s wonderful, just a really wonderful person,” said Allie Lee MD’27, who did research with Alawieh for several months.

Alawieh also mentored Nicole Tanda MD’27 and Noah Feldman ’22 MD’26 in Warren Alpert Medical School’s weekly small group sessions. “I’m a naturalized immigrant,” Tanda said. “Immigrant rights are a topic near and dear to my

UNIVERSITY

heart.”

Feldman said that Alawieh’s deportation was exemplary of the risks facing immigrants across the country. “If they can deport a doctor, then they can deport anyone,” Feldman said.

Many rally attendees, including Feldman and Tanda, expressed disappointment in Brown’s response to increased risks of deportation.

“My most generous interpretation is that they’re scared out of their minds that they’re going to get federal funding cuts,” Feldman said. “I love Brown. It’s a really great place. But I think that they’re mostly worried about their bottom line.

… I think that’s shameful.”

Feldman said he wanted Brown to “mount a defense” in Alawieh’s support

What we know about Brown doctor, professor Rasha Alawieh and her deportation

BY CLAIRE SONG AND CATE LATIMER UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITORS

Assistant Professor of Medicine Rasha

Alawieh was deported to Lebanon on Friday despite a federal judge’s order and holding a valid H-1B visa — a decision made after Alawieh “openly admitted” to traveling to Beirut for the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Here is what The Herald knows about her.

Alawieh, a 34 year-old Lebanese citizen, earned her bachelor of science and medical doctorate degrees from the American University of Beirut in 2011 and 2015, respectively. She then completed her residency at American University of Beirut Medical Center in 2018.

That same year, Alawieh was approved to come to the U.S. on a J-1 student visa. She completed a nephrology fellowship at The Ohio State University in 2020, a transplant nephrology fellowship at University of Washington in 2021 and the Yale Waterbury Internal Medicine Program in 2024.

In July 2024, Alawieh began her assistant professorship in the Division of Nephrology at Brown Medicine, which sponsored her H-1B visa to complete her work, according to court filings.

An H-1B visa allows employers to hire

Paxson details how U. would respond to federal attacks

on academic freedom

The announcement comes after federal funding threats at Columbia and Penn

BY ROMA SHAH SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In a Thursday morning letter, President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20 laid out the principles that would guide the University’s response should the Trump administration threaten Brown’s academic mission. Paxson’s three principles included defending freedom of expression, providing resources to international community members and following the law.

The announcement came amid concerns over possible cuts in federal funding at Brown and peer institutions. Earlier this month, fed -

eral agencies announced the cancellation of $400 million of funding at Columbia due to its alleged inaction in protecting Jewish students against harassment. Penn has also faced a $175 million funding freeze over its policies surrounding transgender athletes.

Columbia administrators are currently in negotiations regarding a list of demands the Trump administration has put forth as necessary to restore federal funding. The measures include banning masks on campus, implementing restrictions on the timing and location of campus protests and placing the Middle East, South Asian and African Studies Department under “academic receivership,” meaning it would no longer be under faculty control.

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Brown advises all international community members to postpone, reconsider travel

Announcement comes after deportation of Assistant Professor of Medicine Rasha Alawieh

BY CATE LATIMER UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

One week before spring break, Brown advised international community members, including visa holders and permanent residents, to postpone international travel in a campus-wide email sent on Sunday.

“Potential changes in travel restrictions and travel bans, visa procedures and processing, re-entry requirements and other travel-related delays may affect travelers’ ability to return to the U.S. as planned,” Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy Russell Carey wrote in the email.

He advised community members to evaluate domestic travel plans, as “it is unclear whether there may be implications also for domestic travel within the United States as the federal policy landscape continues to evolve.”

The federal government has not publicly communicated travel restrictions or bans.

The guidance will remain in place until the University receives additional information from the U.S. Department of State, Carey wrote.

“Please know that we are closely monitoring the situation and will share updates if and when the federal government issues a significant new restriction or ban,” Carey wrote.

The advisory comes after Assistant Professor of Medicine Rasha Alawieh was held by customs of-

SEE ALAWIEH PAGE 3

NEWS

ANNA LEUCHT / HERALD

UNIVERSITY NEWS

In her letter, Paxson wrote that many individuals in higher education worry these instances “may be only the first examples of unprecedented government demands placed on a private university as a condition for restoring federal funding.”

“A troubling picture is taking shape regarding the enormity of what’s at stake for Brown and other institutions,” Paxson added. “Some of these demands raise new and previously unthinkable questions about the future of academic freedom and self-governance for those that are committed to continuing to serve this country as leading research institutions.”

She emphasized the University’s “ethical and legal obligations” under Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in the face of recent federal actions.

“Brown stands firmly by its responsibility to protect all members of our community from harassment and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, national origin and other protected factors,” Paxson wrote.

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT

According to Paxson, the University has strengthened its policies and practices to make sure that claims of harassment are addressed.

“We have done this not only to follow the law, but because it is the right thing to do for our campus,” she added.

In the letter, Paxson also wrote that the University will continue to support its international community members in response to potential travel bans by President Trump’s White House and fears of deportation.

“It is heartbreaking to see the level of anxiety and fear being felt by international students, faculty and staff,” Paxson wrote. “In addition to the fear of deportation, many are afraid that they could be denied re-entry to the United States following international travel.”

The announcement comes after the deportation of Assistant Professor of Medicine Rasha Alawieh despite her holding a valid H-1B visa and a federal judge’s order, The Herald previously reported.

Alawieh was first held at Boston Logan International Airport on March

13 after visiting family in Lebanon. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Alawieh was deported to Lebanon on March 14 after she “openly admitted” to traveling to Beirut for the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Over the weekend, Brown advised its international community members to delay international travel until the University receives further information from the U.S. Department of State, The Herald previously reported.

In her letter, Paxson also affirmed the University’s commitment to defending its academic freedom and “spirit of free inquiry,” specifically highlighting the ability of students and faculty to pursue their academic interests without fear.

If the University faced actions that infringed upon its academic and operational functions, it “would be compelled to vigorously exercise our legal rights to defend these freedoms,” Paxson wrote.

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on Mar. 18, 2025.

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ficials at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday after travel to Lebanon. Alawieh was in possession of a valid H-1B visa when landing in the U.S., according to court documents filed on Alawieh’s behalf.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency did not clarify why she was held. On Friday night, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ordered that Alawieh not be moved out of Massachusetts without 48

hours’ notice. But Alawieh has since been deported from the country, according to court filings and her relative Yara Chehab. She is now in Lebanon, Chehab wrote. The University previously advised all international students to return to campus before President Trump’s inauguration, The Herald previously reported.

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18, 2025.

The federal government has not officially communicated travel restrictions or bans.

Students seeking jobs in government face challenges due to federal hiring turmoil

The Herald spoke with students whose career plans have changed

BY ETHAN SCHENKER & HADLEY CARR UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITORS

Nearly two months into President Trump’s second term, efforts to slash the federal workforce have left thousands without jobs — including some students seeking to enter civil service as interns or employees.

On Jan. 20, Trump signed an executive order enacting a 90-day freeze on all federal civilian hiring. Following the order, the federal government sent a flurry of emails canceling or putting student internships on hold.

Fiona Harrington ’25 had been interning in the National Weather Service’s Office of Observations for over a year.

On Feb. 27, she was sent an email at 3:40 p.m. notifying her she was terminated effective at 5 p.m. the same day.

As an intern in the federal government’s early-career Pathways Internship Programs, Harrington would have been eligible for full-time employment in the federal government after graduating college. But the termination crushed her hopes of working for the government after her internship.

At the NWS, Harrington, an environmental science concentrator, conducted spatial data analyses to determine where to place new water buoys. After working in the role full-time during summer 2023, Harrington continued to work part-time during the school year and over the next summer, she said.

“I really enjoyed it,” Harrington said, adding that her coworkers were “definitely some of the best people I’ve ever worked with” and helped her expand her professional network.

But leading up to her termination, Harrington started looking for other post-graduation jobs because she began considering “the possibility that my position wouldn’t be guaranteed once I

“There is nothing good about having an internship or job offer rescinded by forces out of your control,” Jim Amspacher, the assistant dean of the College for Careers in the Common Good and the director of the Professional Pathways Programs, wrote in an email to The Herald. “It feels terrible.”

graduate,” she said.

On March 17, less than three weeks after she was terminated, Harrington received a letter from the U.S. Department of Commerce, informing her that she was now on a “paid, non-duty status,” meaning that she would not be actively working but would still be paid. The letter referenced a March 13 order from a Maryland federal district court judge that required the reinstatement of thousands of probationary employees.

In an email to The Herald, Harrington wrote that she was unsure of what her reinstatement letter meant for her future at the National Weather Service, but the letter noted that she could be fired again if the order was overturned.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

“I think it is just really disheartening,” Harrington said in an interview with The Herald before her reinstatement.

“I feel like it’s really just discouraging people from going into the environmental field at all.”

Sophia Janssens ’27 was considering applying for a position in the Environmental and Natural Resources division

of the Department of Justice. But after seeing Trump’s executive orders from his first day in office, she reconsidered.

“I don’t think that there would be any real progress made” in the environmental field, she said. Instead, Janssens is applying to other internships in environmental law and policy and said she is just “hoping for the best.”

“The short-term plans for students interested in federal jobs will change drastically,” wrote Jim Amspacher, assistant dean of the College for Careers in the Common Good and director of the Professional Pathways Programs, in an email to The Herald.

“There is nothing good about having an internship or job offer rescinded by forces out of your control,” he added. “It feels terrible.”

“There’s a general sense of anxiety” in the environmental field, Alexander Lee ’25 said. “Because things are changing so rapidly in the federal government, it’s kind of hard to say what my career field will look like in the next few months.”

Lee began applying for positions in the federal government over winter break, but after the hiring freeze, he

began receiving emails that said the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Patent Office were no longer hiring for entry-level positions.

“It seems like it’s going to be difficult to get a federal position at least for the next two years, and especially for environmental engineering,” he said. Now, Lee has shifted his focus to state government positions and nonprofits. He added that he would be interested in working in the federal government in the future, but now that interest is currently “on the back burner.”

To help students still searching for summer and full-time positions, the Career Center has hosted events like the Feb. 7 Climate Careers Exploration Fair, at which Lee searched for opportunities in the environmental field.

The Career Center is also organizing workshops detailing “how to find internships and jobs in state and local government, which some students are considering as an alternative to federal work,” Amspacher wrote.

“Some are looking for Congressional jobs or other policy or advocacy positions in D.C.,” Amspacher added. But others

“are reconsidering their plans entirely.”

For Nicholas Sanzi ’25, working in the federal government was “kind of a dream for a little bit.”

Sanzi’s dad was a police officer and his mom is a teacher, “so public service was always kind of baked into the equation” for him, Sanzi said. During summer 2023, he interned in the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he worked on expanding internet access nationwide through a broadband infrastructure program.

“It was very apparent to me that though the bureaucracy was large, it had an immense capacity for good,” Sanzi said. “And I wanted to be part of that.”

This fall, Sanzi worked on the Harris-Walz campaign in North Carolina. When Harris lost the election, the “calculus changed,” Sanzi said, but he continued to apply for positions in the Department of the Treasury.

Due to the saturation of the job market, Sanzi said he’s had to “broaden the scope” of jobs he is considering.

Students participating in Brown in Washington, a program that matches students with internships on Capitol Hill, have not been impacted by the recent federal actions, according to Jocelyn Frelier, the associate director of the program.

This isn’t the first time that Brown students have had job offers rescinded from the federal government. According to Amspacher, the Career Center also helped students navigate rescinded positions and narrowed job markets during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2008 financial crisis.

“There are many other paths students can take to reach their long-term career goals. Career Center staff are ready to help students identify other options and navigate those paths,” he continued.

While the future is uncertain, Frelier said she is “optimistic that there will be a rebound in the number of opportunities available to students.”

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 17, 2025.

REBECCA HO / HERALD

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ELLIS ROUGEOU / HERALD

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X post replying to the DHS’s statement

featured a photo of President Trump dressed in a McDonald’s apron, waving out of a drive-thru window.

In an email to The Herald, University Spokesperson Brian Clark wrote that “we continue to seek to learn more about what has happened.”

Alawieh was held by customs officials at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday. She has been deported and is now in Lebanon, The Herald previously reported. This comes after an order by federal judge Leo Sorokin requiring 48 hours’ notice of her removal from the country.

Legal filings claim she was in possession of a valid H-1B visa that she recently received from the U.S. consulate in Bei-

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foreign workers for positions that require specialty knowledge. Her visa petition was approved June 2024, court filings say.

At Brown, Alawieh has worked at Brown Medicine’s Division of Kidney Disease and Hypertension and is affiliated with Rhode Island Hospital, Miriam Hospital and Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

and “place more protections among students and faculty” against deportations.

Tanda added that she hoped Brown would ask for Alawieh’s immediate return to the United States so she could continue her work in Rhode Island.

The University did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Before the rally, Brown Spokesperson Brian Clark said Monday that “we continue to seek to learn more about what has happened.”

rut, The Herald previously reported.

The new claims were submitted in court filings from Justice Department lawyers in anticipation of today’s scheduled hearing regarding Alawieh’s deportation. Court filings made on behalf of Alawieh claimed that CBP “wilfully” disregarded the court orders when they deported the Brown doctor.

CBP said in their filing that Alawieh “had already departed the United States” by the time it was notified of the court order. The hearing has since been postponed.

Some of Alawieh’s lawyers withdrew from the case Sunday evening. The reason for their withdrawal remains unclear.

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on Mar. 17, 2025.

Alawieh’s research has focused on the kidney, including risks associated with kidney transplantations and clinical trials for kidney stones. According to PubMed, Alawieh has authored six publications.

“My colleagues and I are outraged at Dr. Alawieh’s detention and deportation without due process,” George Bayliss, Brown Medicine doctor and associate professor of medicine wrote in an email to The Herald.

ing 48 hours’ notice of Alawieh’s removal from Massachusetts, Alawieh was deported on Friday.

Earlier on Monday, the Department of Homeland Security posted in a statement on X that Alawieh attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Politico reported that Customs and Border Protection agents found “sympathetic photos and videos” of Hezbollah leaders on her cell phone.

UNIVERSITY NEWS

“Beyond the affront to democracy, this is wrong on a personal level. She went home to see her parents,” he wrote. “This deprives her of the chance to practice medicine and deprives her patients of her knowledge and skills.”

Alawieh was first held at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday after visiting family in Lebanon. According to court filings, she was in possession of a valid H-1B visa that she

reasoning behind Alawieh’s deportation. “I find it hard to believe anything that this administration puts out,” said Schwartz. “I don’t believe it, until they give me some proof,” said Christine Kennedy, a family doctor for Brown University Health.

recently received from the American consulate in Beirut, The Herald previously reported.

Yara Chehab, Alawieh’s relative contacted her attorneys after learning she would be deported on Friday. A petition was then filed on Alawieh’s behalf, claiming she was being held “without any justification” or permission to access legal counsel.

According to Chehab, she was then

attended.

Lehrer mentioned the recent detentions of Fabian Schmidt and Mahmoud Khalil as evidence of the Trump administration’s targeting of immigrants. Rally attendees chanted “free Fabian Schmidt now, free Mahmoud Khalil now” and “hands off our doctors now.”

deported to Lebanon on Friday. In a Monday filing, CBP agents claimed that they found “sympathetic photos and videos” of Hezbollah figures on Alawieh’s cell phone, Politico reported. This provided the first public explanation as to why Alawieh was deported.

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18, 2025.

Alawieh was detained at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday following travel to her home country of Lebanon. Despite a judge’s orders requir-

Frank Shea, who attended the rally with Kennedy, added that regardless of the reasoning, he was concerned about “a violation of process” with Alawieh’s deportation. “If there’s a process, go through the process. Don’t just remove somebody.”

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18, 2025. PROTEST FROM PAGE 1

According to filings, Alawieh told agents she attended the funeral due to religious — not political — support for Nasrallah. Multiple attendees and organizers at the rally questioned the legitimacy of the claims made about the

Maya Lehrer MA’23, an organizer with PSL, noted in a speech at the rally that Nasrallah’s funeral was widely

“We demand that (Brown and Brown University Health) use all of their power to put pressure on the government” to bring Alawieh back to Rhode Island, said Lehrer.

In a statement to The Herald, Providence City Councilman John Goncalves wrote that Alawieh’s detention and deportation were “an appalling failure of

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our immigration system.” Goncalves encouraged community members to attend the Monday rally. “We must demand accountability and work to bring Dr. Alawieh home,” he wrote. Schwartz said that immigrants are “the backbone of our medical system.” She noted that Rhode Island is currently experiencing physician shortages in many specialties. If deportations of medical professionals increase, “it’s only going to make an incredibly severe problem worse.”

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ALAWIEH

AARON SETO / HERALD

According to the filings, Alawieh told agents that she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, supporting him from a religious perspective but not a political one.

ACTIVISM

Community members protest Israeli airstrikes, shattered ceasefire agreement

Over 100 gathered outside of Textron in protest of attacks, deportations

BY MAYA KELLY AND ZARINA HAMILTON METRO EDITOR AND SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Over 100 people gathered at Textron’s headquarters in downtown Providence on Tuesday evening to protest Israeli forces’ recent attacks in Gaza. Earlier that day, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas broke down as Israel launched a series of aerial strikes targeting the Gaza Strip.

The protest was organized by a coalition of activist groups from Brown, the Rhode Island School of Design and greater Rhode Island. The demonstration included speeches from members of the Party of Socialism and Liberation, Brown

CITY COUNCIL

Divest Coalition and others.

Tuesday’s protest aimed to “draw campus and local attention to the attacks on Gaza and mobilize our communities to continue fighting for Palestinian liberation,” according to a statement from BDC.

Amid “Trump’s racist prosecutions against Palestinians and Arabs in the U.S., we are expressing our outrage and solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and people of the diaspora,” the statement reads.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a speech to the gathered protestors, an activist who only identified themselves by their first name, Reem, condemned Israel’s alleged violation of the ceasefire agreement and called for continued support for Palestinians.

Reem also criticized the Trump administration’s new efforts to deport

immigrants.

“They’re not using the due process of law anymore. They’re not using the equal protection of the law. They have gone rogue,” Reem said. “And if you think you will not get affected by it, you are all mistaken.”

Maya Lehrer MA’23, a PSL organizer, noted that “the only way for us to seriously combat this political targeting is by standing together and by organizing.”

Protest organizers demanded “the release and return of political targets who have been targeted because of their participation in the Palestine movement,” a U.S. arms embargo on Israel and an end to the “bombardment of Gaza” and “the Israeli occupation,” Lehrer said.

Throughout the rally, Lehrer and others referenced recent developments regarding Assistant Professor of Medicine Rasha Alawieh, who was deported after

returning from Lebanon when U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents allegedly found “sympathetic photos and videos” of Hezbollah figures on her cell phone.

Demonstrators also referenced Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia student and prominent pro-Palestinian organizer on the school’s New York campus. Khalil, a U.S. permanent resident, is currently being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Protesters carried signs reading “Justice for Rasha Alawieh!” and “Release Mahmoud Khalil! Hands off our students!”

Several attendees called on the University to take further action with regard to Alawieh.

Providence gains sixth sister city: Athlone, Ireland

Idea born out of a friendship between two people across the globe

BY ALICE XIE STAFF WRITER

Late last month, Providence began a partnership with its sixth sister city: Athlone, Ireland.

Providence and Athlone officially became sister cities after the Providence City Council passed a resolution approving their partnership.

Providence already has five such agreements in place with the cities of Praia, Portugal; Florence, Italy; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Zhuhai, China; and Guatemala City, Guatemala, according to Providence City Council Press Secretary Roxie Richner.

The agreement seeks to develop initiatives in both Providence and Athlone,

including “academic and student exchange initiatives,” “business and trade partnerships” and “joint historical preservation and research efforts,” among others, Richner wrote in an email to The Herald.

Athlone Mayor Frankie Keena said the

idea for a sister city agreement was first brought forth by Athlone-native Patrick Griffin, who is president of the Providence St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, and John Henson, chairman of the Athlone St. Patrick’s Day Committee.

Although he currently resides in Providence, Griffin consistently returns to Athlone to visit friends and family. Griffin and Henson formed a “deep friendship” while in Ireland with “the common goal of keeping close links between Providence and Athlone,” Keena said.

The idea for the agreement came from “a friendship with people based there and with business there,” said County Councillor Aengus O’Rourke, who represents Athlone.

“The whole purpose of our twinning is to open up lines of communication,” Henson said.

He helped draft the signed agreement, which clarifies that communication between the countries comes in the form of academic, economic and cultural initiatives to bridge the physical gap between Providence and Athlone.

Each city set up a committee to manage this partnership, Richner explained. Both

Track 15 food hall repurposes downtown Providence train station

Long-awaited eatery aims to foster connection and community

BY CHELSEA LONG CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After years of anticipation, the 18,000-square-foot Track 15 food hall opened inside the former Union Station in downtown Providence on Tuesday.

From seafood fare to Mexican cuisine, Track 15 brings together seven local vendors serving a variety of food options. Each vendor has their own station in a central dining area, allowing diners to purchase meals from any restaurant and eat in a common space.

“We wanted to do something that would create a spark of energy,” said Christopher Marsella, president of the Marsella Development Corporation.

The primary motivation for the project was a desire to draw people into downtown Providence and revitalize the area, according to Marsella, whose family has been involved with the development of Providence for the last 50 years.

Union Station, which opened in 1847, closed after the decline of the rail industry in the 1980s. The original station operated with 14 rail lines, with Track 15 symbolizing the 15th railway.

In an email to The Herald, City of Providence Deputy Press Secretary Samara Pinto wrote that “Track 15 will be an exciting addition to downtown Providence.”

“This project will strengthen Downtown as a hub for dining, culture and economic activity,” she added.

Several Rhode Island political figures attended Track 15’s opening, including Rhode Island’s entire congressional delegation, Gov. Dan McKee and Mayor Brett Smiley. In a short speech, McKee thanked Marsella for providing “good-paying jobs” to the Providence community and bringing people together through food.

The food hall has undergone a yearslong development process, facing numerous delays due to supply chain issues.

“We know we’re in a historic building,” Marsella said. He explained that the design process emphasized the building’s historic features through the selection of materials, equipment and lighting.

The design process emphasized the building’s historic features through the selection of materials, equipment and lighting, developer Christopher Marsella said.

“We wanted to ensure it looked and felt like it was always there,” Marsella added.

Marsella also said that he and his team wanted to “make sure people from all backgrounds feel comfortable walking through the door.” When selecting the vendors for Track 15, he aimed to bring together a diverse group of local talent in the culinary industry.

Rhode Island business owner Sanjiv

The University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Monday, University Spokesperson Brian Clark said “we continue to seek to learn more about what has happened.”

The protest began outside of Textron’s headquarters before protesters marched down Westminster Street and into Kennedy Plaza. Textron is a company involved in defense manufacturing.

“I think it’s important now more than ever to be standing up in the face of fear and protecting each other,” said Etta Robb ’26, who attended the rally. “It’s good to be in a community of other angry people.”

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18, 2025.

“It’s clearly for Islamophobic, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian reasons that she was deported,” said Alicia Joo ’26, who attended the rally. “Brown still has yet to comment on her situation explicitly, to name her or the reasons that she was deported.”

cities’ committees will collaborate to “ensure residents in both cities benefit from initiatives such as exchange programs for students, athletes and artists.”

While Providence and Athlone vary in geography and population size, “the opportunities under tourism, arts, culture are endless as both locations have so much to offer,” Keena said.

The agreement, which has been in the works for over a decade, is something Henson believes will push both cities toward “exciting times.”

According to O’Rourke, this agreement is more than just an economic policy. In a time of international conflict and political unrest, O’Rourke noted, “twinning arrangements like this are a good idea.”

“It provides us with an opportunity to be responsible and be respectful to one another,” O’Rourke said. He believes that the agreement is “worthwhile” even if it is “just a really small piece of the jigsaw.”

Dhar, whose restaurant Little Chaska just opened up in Track 15, said he looks forward to bringing Indian cuisine to more people. Dhar also owns Kabob and Curry on Thayer Street and several other Rhode Island restaurants.

“As people get used to enjoying Indian food, they also get to enjoy our culture,” he added.

Married couple Alp Gumuscu and

Tarci-Lee Galarza, co-owners of Tolia, are similarly excited about sharing Turkish cuisine with Track 15 visitors. In an interview with The Herald, Galarza said she eagerly anticipates introducing the Providence community to new flavors.

Highlighting how the food hall fosters collaboration among vendors, Gumuscu said that “in this kind of environment, everybody became part of the team. We are all together in this journey.”

The opening ceremony drew a crowd of locals interested in the food hall, including Providence residents Louis Morales and Katrina Juganas.

“It’s something we needed,” said Morales, who looks forward to bringing friends and visiting family members to a new dining spot.

“I think we’re going to love this place,” Juganas added.

Located at 1 Union Station, Track 15 is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18,

CHELSEA LONG / HERALD

ISABELA GUILLEN / HERALD

LEGISLATION

Community members protest Israeli airstrikes, shattered ceasefire agreement

Over 100 gathered outside of Textron in protest of attacks, deportations

BY MAYA KELLY AND ZARINA HAMILTON METRO EDITOR AND SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Amid “Trump’s racist prosecutions

ARREST

against Palestinians and Arabs in the U.S., we are expressing our outrage and solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and people of the diaspora,” the statement reads.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reem also criticized the Trump administration’s new efforts to deport immigrants.

Maya Lehrer MA’23, a PSL organizer, noted that “the only way for us to seriously combat this political targeting is by standing together and by organizing.”

“bombardment of Gaza” and “the Israeli occupation,” Lehrer said.

Throughout the rally, Lehrer and others referenced recent developments regarding Assistant Professor of Medicine Rasha Alawieh, who was deported after returning from Lebanon when U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents allegedly found “sympathetic photos and videos” of Hezbollah

figures on her cell phone.

Several attendees called on the University to take further action with regard to Alawieh.

The University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Monday, University Spokesperson Brian Clark said “we continue to seek to learn more about what has happened.”

The protest began outside of Textron’s headquarters before protesters marched down Westminster Street and into Kennedy Plaza. Textron is a company involved in defense manufacturing.

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18, 2025.

Protesters carried signs reading “Justice for Rasha Alawieh!” and “Release Mahmoud Khalil! Hands off our students!”

Providence City Council chief of staff arrested at protest in Trump Tower

June Rose detained at protest for Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil

BY ANDREA LI SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Providence City Council Chief of Staff June Rose was arrested on March 13 during a protest in support of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate and permanent resident who was recently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Khalil was a prominent negotiator during Columbia’s Gaza Solidarity Encampment last spring.

The March 13 protest, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, took place at Trump Tower in New York City. Rose was arrested

LEGISLATION

alongside over 90 other activists and released on the same evening, according to a press release from the City Council.

Rose declined The Herald’s request for comment.

“This is a perilous moment for our democracy and taking action is not something to be scorned,” Council President Rachel Miller wrote in a statement. “June was using vacation time yesterday and chose to use their time to defend constitutional freedoms.”

Rose’s arrest has sparked criticism from members of the Rhode Island Republican Party, with the Rhode Island GOP Chairman Joe Powers calling for their resignation.

“Elected officials and their staff should be focused on serving the people, not taking part in lawless, childish stunts that embarrass

Rhode Island and erode public trust,” Powers said in a press release on Monday.

Councilman James Taylor (Ward 8) also called for Rose to step down, stating his disappointment in Rose’s decision to attend the protest during the “busiest time of the year for the Council” in a statement to WPRI.

Majority Whip and Councilor Miguel Sanchez (Ward 6) expressed “full support” for Rose on social media, citing his pride in their “fight for a better world.”

Rose was also detained in July 2024 at a separate protest in Washington, D.C. calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18, 2025.

New bill proposes to extinguish PFAS chemicals in firefighter protective gear by 2027

Exposure to PFAS correlated with cancer, reduced fertility rates

BY MEGAN VU CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On March 6, the Rhode Island House of Representatives passed a new bill aiming to ban “the manufacture, sale or distribution” of firefighting personal protective equipment containing PFAS by 2027.

PFAS — which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are man-made chemicals often found in industry and consumer products. They are associated with a variety of adverse health effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are long-lasting and do not easily break down in the environment.

Firefighter protective gear commonly uses PFAS chemicals because it makes the equipment waterproof, Rep. June Speakman (D - Bristol, Warren), one of the legislators that sponsored the bill, explained.

Firefighter protective gear commonly uses PFAS chemicals because it helps waterproof protective equipment, according to Rep. June Speakman (D-Bristol, Warren), one of the legislators that sponsored the bill.

“This bill is the most recent in a long line of bills that we have passed in the Rhode Island General Assembly to regulate PFAS,” Speakman said.

The General Assembly passed legislation in 2022 that required state officials to set standards for PFAS levels in drinking, ground and surface waters. Last year, a

separate bill banned PFAS from consumer products in the state, including clothing, cosmetics and outdoor apparel. That same bill also banned PFAS in class B firefighting foam.

Speakmen highlighted that exposure to PFAS has been correlated with increased prevalence of cancers among firefighters and has been linked to reductions in wom-

en’s fertility and reproductivity rates.

Joseph Braun, professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Climate, Environment and Health, linked PFAS to other adverse health outcomes, including “low birth weight in babies, reduced vaccine response, cancer as well as elevated lipid levels.”

“Bills like this are important in that they eliminate the use of PFAS, which is going to limit its spread in the environment,” Braun explained in an interview with The Herald.

PFAS legislation has garnered support nationwide. According to public policy think tank Rockefeller Institute of Government, just one PFAS-related bill was enacted in 2016, while 39 were implemented in 2023.

Chief Richard Susi — a retired Cumberland fire chief who currently serves as secretary and executive director of the Rhode Island Association of Fire Chiefs — said that eliminating PFAS in firefighting equipment is “important because of the (associated) cancer-causing agents” in PFAS that firefighters are exposed to.

“We’re absolutely in support of it,” Susi added.

Speakman, who is optimistic about the bill passing in the state Senate, noted that the legislation has encountered little opposition so far.

This bill “will make firefighting safer,” wrote Ieva Jusionyte, an associate professor of international security and anthropology, in an email to The Herald. But she believes that “providing new PFAS-free firefighter gear will be more costly for fire departments,” which will “hit smaller, volunteer-run departments harder.”

According to Susi, several fire departments across the state are currently testing the use of non-PFAS firefighting gear. But it remains unclear whether or not they are equally effective.

“We need to remove as much of (PFAS) as possible everywhere,” Speakman said. “We need to find ways to protect our firefighters from exposure.”

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18, 2025.

CLEMENTINE KIM / HERALD

ANNIE DENG / HERALD

June Rose was arrested alongside over 90 other activists and released on the same evening, according to a press release from the City Council.

MAYA KELLY / HERALD

Protesters carried signs reading “Justice for Rasha Alawieh!” and “Release

Mahmoud Khalil! Hands off our students!”

LACROSSE

Men’s lacrosse falls short 9-8 in Ivy League opener against No. 21 Penn

Marcus Wertheim ’26 stood out, scoring 4 goals amid offensive struggles

BY GUS BAILEY SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Over the weekend, the men’s lacrosse team (2-5, 0-1 Ivy) came up short in a hardfought 9-8 loss against No. 21 Penn (4-4, 1-0 Ivy). Saturday’s match-up marked Brown’s first Ivy League game of the season.

Marcus Wertheim ’26 led the charge for the Bears with four goals. Despite a strong offensive effort overall, Brown’s momentum was stalled by an outstanding performance by Penn’s goalie.

“I was really proud of the way the guys competed,” Coach Jon Torpey wrote in an email to The Herald. “Our biggest goal for the team this year is to get better every single day, and we know that if we can do that individually and as a team we will be in a very good position by the end of the season.”

On Saturday, the teams traded goals early. Though Penn drew first blood, Aidan McLane ’25 equalized for Bruno less than five minutes into the first quarter. After the teams exchanged another pair of scores, the Quakers’ Ben Smith caught fire. Netting three straight goals, Smith helped Penn claim a 5-2 lead — their largest lead of the game — early in the second period.

Down by three, the Bears needed a star to dig them out of their hole, and

Wertheim shone brighter than any other. He scored his first goal of the game five minutes into the quarter, and assisted Felix Rockefeller ’27 just three minutes later, cutting the deficit to one. Before the half, Wertheim struck once more. But despite Bruno’s relentless offensive pursuit, Penn tacked on two more goals, sending the Bears into the break trailing 7-5.

The third quarter was a gritty defensive battle, with each team scoring just once. Entering the final period, Penn maintained their two-goal lead.

For the first seven minutes of the

fourth quarter, both teams went scoreless. But Bruno refused to back down, and, aided by Wertheim’s third goal of the afternoon, the Bears pulled within one yet again.

Though Brown’s hopes were momentarily dashed as Penn responded with a goal of their own, Wertheim scored a dramatic fourth goal in the final minute of the game to keep the Bears in the game. Twelve seconds later, he tried one final shot, but Penn’s goalie Emmet Carroll came up with a crucial save as the buzzer sounded.

By the end of the game, Bruno dom-

inated the stat sheet, out-shooting Penn 38-31 and winning 15 of 21 faceoffs. But the Bears failed to capitalize on those advantages, as multiple saves by Carroll held Bruno to only eight goals.

“I thought our execution was a bit off at times and not up to our standards offensively, defensively and in the middle third of the field,” Torpey wrote.

But with the team struggling to score, Wertheim took matters into his own hands.“The key to my performance was my teammates doing their job extremely well,” he explained. “The defense getting

stops and our faceoff unit getting us the ball allowed the offense to create open looks that we were able to finish.”

Standing out alongside Wertheim were Matteo Corsi ’25 — who tallied a goal and an assist — as well as McLane, Rockefeller and Ennis Udo ’28, each of whom added one goal apiece.

Though the Bears fell short in their season opener, Wertheim is optimistic that the team will improve. “Penn has one of the best defenses and goalies in the country, so we know we are capable of much more moving forward,” he wrote.

After a loss to Villanova University on Monday, the Bears are looking to turn things around. Torpey stressed that to get back on track, the team needs to “continue to get better, make adjustments and execute at a high level against some really good opponents.”

“I’d really love to see us continue to win our matchups offensively and defensively and provide support when necessary,” he wrote. Torpey also wants to see the team improve their shot selection, contest every attempt and maintain a strong presence in the middle third of the field.

The Bears will be on the road again this weekend as they take on University of Massachusetts at Amherst on Saturday. The game is scheduled for 12 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 20, 2025.

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COURTESY OF JON RATNER VIA BROWN ATHLETICS

“I was really proud of the way the guys competed,” Coach Jon Torpey wrote in an email to The Herald. Courtesy of Jon Ratner

RUGBY

Reigning rugby national champions dominate in season opener

Women’s rugby team won the Northeastern 7s tournament

BY LYDELL DYER SPORTS EDITOR

This weekend, the Brown Women’s rugby team began their spring season campaign as the reigning national rugby 7’s champions. The rugby team (4-0) — looking to defend their title for the third year in a row during the Collegiate Rugby Championships in April.

Throughout the weekends’ tournament, the Bears faced Roger Williams University, Northeastern University and Boston College. After going undefeated in regular play — taking down the Hawks 24-22, the Maddogs 39-0 and the Eagles 50-0 — Brown defeated Northeastern 41-7 in the tournament finale.

“The team is very focused on improving each game, staying positive and uplifting each other,” Head Coach Rosalind Chou wrote in a message to The Herald. “That energy they get from each other really carries the team through and is a big part of our success.”

The Bears faced an early scare against Roger Williams during the tourney’s opening match-up on Saturday. Only one minute into the game, Brown fell behind, and for the remainder of the 14-minute contest, the Bears were locked in an offensive slugout. Trading tries back and forth, Bruno still trailed 17-12 by halftime.

But after the break, the Bears came out with renewed vigor. Following two quick tries by Valentine Detheux ’27 and Jiya Sandhu ’27, the Bears claimed the lead. Aided by stellar defensive play, they secured the 24-22 win.

ICE HOCKEY

“We got off to a slow start and were relatively tentative on defense,” Chou wrote.

“After that first match against Roger Williams, we discussed in our post-match debrief that we really need to be the aggressor on defense and launch against our opponents to take away space and opportunity.”

With one game under their belt, and the rust of an off-season dusted off, the Bears returned to their old rhythm: dominating their opponents. In the following two games against Northeastern and Boston College, the Bears completely shut out their opponents, racking up a cumulative 89 points while allowing zero.

“We contained our opponents through solid and constant communication amongst each other, a strong and united push up everytime the ball was played and relentless determination to stay hungry for the ball,”

Olivia Baptiste ’26 wrote in a message to The Herald. “The game plan was to work hard on defense, so our offense would come easier and maintain low body height in our tackles.”

When the final matchup of the tournament arrived — the championship game against Northeastern — the team was well in form. Only thirty seconds into the contest, the Bears pounced.

Getting the ball deep in her own territory, walk-on Laryssa Barbosa ’26 flashed her blazing speed, scorching two Maddog defenders in a 70-meter sprint down the right flank. Following her try, and a successful conversion by Genie Dickens ’28, Brown claimed an early 7-0 lead.

The tournament was a chance for the team to “really look at our younger players, underclassmen and folks new to rugby,” Chou said.

“So many of them were impressive,” Chou wrote. “Freshmen Genie Dickens and Yona

Allouche (’28) really were playing at an elite level, and 2nd year walk on, Laryssa Barbosa was dominant. All three will play important roles in this year’s 7s season.”

Once the Bears drew first blood, they swarmed. Putting relentless pressure on Northeastern four minutes into the game, Brown forced the Maddogs to punt the ball in a last-ditch effort to avoid being swarmed outside their own try zone. That decision proved fatal for Northeastern.

Rushing back, the Bears recovered the ball and pivoted it out to Jordan Wiseman ’27. Exploiting the Maddogs’ frantic defensive scramble, Wiseman blew past the Northeastern defense along the left flank to tally the second try of the game.

Now ahead 12-0, the floodgates opened. Just two minutes later, Brown struck again. Recovering the ball after a scrum inside Northeastern’s 22-meter-line, Lily Nowak ’27 burst ahead to claim a 17-0 lead — an advantage the Bears took into halftime.

Only one minute into the second half, Nowak scored again. Traversing the field from right to left in three quick passes, the Bears beat Northeastern’s defense horizontally and enabled Nowak to plow ahead and into the try zone. Before the Maddogs were able to put up a single point of their own, Brown already had 22.

Though Northeastern scored once, 10 minutes into the contest, their brief offensive success only reinvigorated an already hot Brown offense. After the Bears Maddogs’ kickoff, it only took one pass to get the ball into Barbosa’s hands. From there, she did the rest. Putting on the afterburners, she embarrassed the Northeastern defense for the second time of the game. With blazing speed the

Maddogs simply could not contest, she raced for 75-meters to score.

Already ahead 29-7, Baptiste cemented the victory with back-to-back tries. The Bears won the game 41-7, securing the overall tournament victory.

“The 7s season is all about quick ball movement and exploiting openings in the defense to break through the line and score,” Baptiste wrote in a message to The Herald. “We were lucky enough to find those spaces and execute on our passes, and I am glad I got to score for my team.”

“A big reason for the team’s success yesterday was the strong leadership from the upperclassmen and developmental captains,” Dickens added. “They set the tone for the team, holding everyone to a high standard and serving as great role models.”

“Their achievements are incredibly inspiring,” she continued, referencing teammates Akilah Cathey ’25 and Nikki Lynch ’25 who earned first team All-NIRA honors in Febru-

ary, among others. “They help encourage and mentor the younger players.”

Only one week into the season, the team already has lofty goals.

“Our main focus is undoubtedly securing another CRCs win,” Dickens wrote. For the past two years, the Bears have dominated the CRC stage, taking home national titles in backto-back appearances. “But leading up to that tournament,” Dickens continued, “a victory at Ivy Sevens would be a great achievement as well.”

The Bears will next compete on March 22 at Brown 7s.

“We are really excited to host our Brown 7s tournament at home,” Chou wrote. “We haven’t held the tournament since 2022, so it will be very exciting to host so many wonderful teams right here in Providence.”

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18, 2025.

Men’s ice hockey season ends with pair of quarterfinals losses to Quinnipiac

The Bears lost 4-1 and 4-0 in a best-of-three series while on the road

BY MILES MONROE STAFF WRITER

This weekend in Connecticut, the men’s ice hockey team (14-15-3, 9-11-2 ECAC) was swept by first-seed Quinnipiac (24-102, 16-5-1) in the Eastern College Athletic Conference quarterfinals, losing 4-1 on Friday and 4-0 on Saturday in a best-ofthree series.

Despite the loss, the ice hockey team gave fans a sensational season. The Bears reached the ECAC quarterfinals for the first time since 2019 and tallied 13 regular season wins along the way — the most since the 2004-05 season.

“It’s a tough ending, but it doesn’t diminish what Brown Hockey accomplished this year,” Head Coach Brendan Whittet ’94 said in a message to Brown Athletics. “We took a huge step as a program and I couldn’t be more proud of the way the guys played and battled.”

While hoping to pull off the upset against the talented Bobcats, the Bears struggled from the very beginning. Just 5:23 into the opening matchup on Friday, Quinnipiac’s Cooper Moore fired a missile from the blue line, which was deflected by Victor Czerneckianair past Bruno goaltender Lawton Zacher ’27 to put the Bobcats up 1-0.

Despite the early Bobcat momentum, Brown’s defense stepped up for the remainder of the period. Their effort was highlighted by a power play kill over 10 minutes in when Brown’s lockdown defense did not let a single shot on goal despite being a man

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

This season, the Bears reached the ECAC quarterfinals for the first time since 2019, and they tallied 13 regular season wins — the most since the 2004-05 season.

down. Play was deadlocked for the rest of the period, which ended with a score of 1-0.

“Quinnipiac is a very gifted hockey team, and they have some skill,” Whittet said. “If you make a mistake, they’ll make you pay and the mistakes you make are magnified because they end up in the back of the net.”

After the first intermission, both teams came out swinging, but Quinnipiac once again grabbed the upper hand. Less than five minutes into the period, the Bobcats exploited a fastbreak, leaving the Brown defense dumbfounded and extending Quinnipiac’s lead to 2.

Though the Bears kept fighting, they could not seem to find the back of the net.

After nearly 14 minutes into the second period, a holding call on the Bobcats resulted in Bruno’s first power play of the match. Despite a valiant effort of three shots on goal during the man-up advantage, Bruno could not convert.

The third period continued to be a physical battle, underlined by the period’s four total penalties. Over halfway through the period, the Bobcats capitalized on one such penalty to make it 3-0.

Less than two minutes later, Tyler Kopff ’27 was able to net the first Bruno goal of the day. Taking advantage of a power play, Kopff tipped in his own deflected shot on the crease.

Though Zacher continued to be a

force in the net, finishing the game with 21 saves, the Bobcat offense proved too much to handle. Quinnipiac eventually netted their fourth goal of the game to end the match-up 4-1.

“We have to play a little bit more to our identity,” Whittet said after the first loss.

“We’re a hard-nosed, tough, physical hockey team and I thought we got away from that at times tonight. It’s a new day tomorrow, it’s a series for a reason.”

Unfortunately, Saturday’s do-or-die game was a replay of Friday’s beating for the Bears. During the first period, both teams flexed their defensive strength and the game remained tied at 0-0.

Brown’s offense peppered the Bobcats

with chances, outpacing Quinnipiac 12-5 on shots on goal in the first period, but Bobcats star goalie Matej Marinov did not let anything through.

The Bobcats pulled through with the first tally of the game just under five minutes into the second period when Tyler Borgula ripped a rocket top-shelf on Zacher to make it 1-0.

Trying to keep up with the Bobcat offense, Brown relentlessly pressured Quinnipiac with shots throughout the second period. But the Bobcat goalie remained strong, fending off every shot, including five shots on goal during Brown’s lone power play. By the end of the period, despite a total of 13 shots on goal by Bruno, the score remained 1-0.

Brown conceded their second goal just two minutes into the third period after Mason Marcellus fired a shot from the middle of the Bruno defensive zone. The remainder of the period continued to be an uphill battle for the Bears.

Borgula scored his second goal of the game for Quinnipiac on a power play with under three minutes to go, making it 3-0. This was the only power play goal scored by the Bobcats over the game’s five Quinnipiac power plays.

The nail was hammered into the coffin with an empty net goal by Quinnipiac with under a minute left, ending the game 4-0. Brown finished with 34 shots on goal as opposed to Quinnipiac’s 25, with Marinov saving all 34.

Quinnipiac advances to their fifth consecutive ECAC semifinals this Friday.

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 17, 2025.

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

The Bears have won the CRC 7’s national championship for two years in a row, and look to three-peat this spring.

post-

Letter from the Editor

At long last, the week we have all been patiently waiting for is finally here: Spring Break! Whether you’re going off on an adventure abroad, taking a trip home, or sticking around in good ol’ Providence, this next week is surely one to be excited about, and I hope that it brings a well-deserved break to one and all. After all, spring is a time for resetting and refreshing, and I hope this upcoming week brings you whatever you need to power through the rest of the semester. As for me, I’m off to Spain and Malta to get the crisp stamps in my passport that I’ve been craving as of late... Here’s to safe travels all around and the only baggage getting lost along the way being the emotional kind!

This week, our writers are unpacking some of their thoughts and reflections. In Feature, Ivy writes about queerness on campus, discussing what sexuality means to her and to some of her friends. In Narrative, Gabi reminisces on a special meal her mom made during a trip back home and the various ways that she is connecting to her Chinese roots.

In Arts & Culture, Johan reviews ANOHNI’s 2023 album, My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross , and considers its unnerving relevance in the current political climate. On a lighter note, Sofie discusses season two of The White Lotus and recalls some of the themes that the show triumphantly tackled. In Lifestyle, Zoe reflects on her experiences with psychics and tarot card readings, while Ishan gives some personal advice on how to teach children to play the piano. Ishan also created this week’s crossword, so don’t forget to check it out! Finally, in post-pourri, Francis tells us about all the random mini-projects that he just hasn’t gotten around to doing yet—this piece is a wonderful yet cruel reminder of all the things piling up on my to-do list that I’m pushing off until after the break…

As you’re preparing for your travels, checking in to your flights, and cramming those last-minute items into your carry-ons (because who wants to pay $50+ for a checked bag?), remember to take a deep breath and a moment to appreciate whatever adventures lie ahead of you. And if, by any chance, you have a long layover on that itinerary you bought months ago because you were trying to get the cheapest flights possible (#relatable), do what I plan to do: Sit back with this week’s issue of post-, and let’s go on a journey together.

Catching flights and not feelings,

Jessica Lee

Copy Chief

“I’m upset that Tony Stark isn’t a Christian man, or at least that people think he couldn’t be!"

“I know I cheated on him, but the Holy Spirit told me to do it!”

Breaks s

1. Spring 2. Dance

3. “We were on a…” – Ross Geller 4. a leg!

5. -ing Bad 6. -fast

7. A lucky 8. Prison 9. -downs 10. -ups

by Ishan Khurana

“There are myriad of reasons to take to the road. To write a new chapter. To leave your home, return, and wonder at everything that’s changed—all odysseys are, after all, attempts at traveling home.”

— AJ Wu, “Journeys in Haibun”

“One night, too dark to read but not wanting to go back to my room, I wandered the perimeter of the library. Reaching a patch of grass, I saw a flash of light, then another, then another. Fireflies, dancing through a grove of trees.”

— Sydney Pearson, “Planted”

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emilie Guan FEATURE Managing Editor Klara Davidson-Schmich

Section Editors

Daphne Cao Elaina Bayard

ARTS & CULTURE

Managing Editor

Elijah Puente

Section Editors

Lizzy Bazldjoo AJ Wu

Section Editors Gabi Yuan Chelsea Long

LIFESTYLE

Managing Editor Tabitha Lynn

Section Editors Daniella Coyle

Hallel Abrams Gerber

POST-POURRI

Managing Editor

Susanne Kowalska

Section Editor

Olivia Stacey

HEAD ILLUSTRATORS

Kotapally

Grandolfo

Section Editors Eliot Geer Chloe Ovbiagele

LAYOUT CHIEF Gray Martens

Layout Designers Amber Zhao

Irene Park

STAFF WRITERS

Nina Lidar

Gabi Yuan

Lynn Nguyen

Ben Herdeg

Daphne Cao

Indigo Mudbhary

Ishan Khurana

Sofie Zeruto

Sydney Pearson

Ayoola Fadahunsi

Samira Lakhiani

Ellyse Givens

CROSSWORD

AJ Wu

Ishan Khurana

Lily Coffman 03.14.24

Gonzalez

Junyue Ma Kaitlyn Stanton

Alexa Gay

James Farrington

Illustrated By Allie Abraham

OPINIONS

Lair ’28: The solution you’re looking for isn’t trending

When I opened TikTok to see a pink bedazzled Motorola flip phone, I immediately wanted one for myself — maybe minus the glitter. I envisioned myself reading at a park, browsing vintage stores, enjoying a cup of coffee, completely engulfed in the moment. A flip phone seemed like the key to my dream “unplugged” life.

Social media forces these quick fixes onto us all of the time. Some product, service or habit is promised to completely change the way we live. A fitness challenge, 75 Hard, is supposed to leave you unrecognizable physically and mentally. An iPad will reinvigorate your academic performance. Reading Robert Greene’s “The 48 Laws of Power” will make you a leader and a visionary. These makeshift solutions, while not total wastes of time, miss the point of pursuing self-improvement. It’s not about finding a cure-all — it’s about changing your attitude. Being unplugged has itself

fallen victim to this online trend cycle. And while a less digitized lifestyle is a worthy goal, this habit change has to come from a place of self-fulfillment, not external validation.

For those who don’t keep up with the latest social media trends — kudos to you — the flip phone has experienced a considerable resurgence online. In fact, there has been a crusade of anti-social media content that is, ironically, finding audiences on social media platforms. There is a growing desire — especially among youth — to replace time spent scrolling with more fulfilling experiences. Especially in college, a period in our lives in which time moves stressfully fast, this mindfulness is necessary. We should make the most of “the best four years of our lives,” not ignore them as we overload our cerebrums with short-form content.

But mindfulness is achieved gradually. Don’t get me wrong, you and I should probably both spend

These makeshift solutions, while not total wastes of time, miss the point of pursuing self-improvement. It’s not about finding a cure-all — it’s about changing your attitude. “ “

less time on social media, but there is no miracle purchase that will reach that goal for us. Though I was tempted, I realized that if I bought a flip phone, I would probably just start scrolling on my computer instead. The same goes for all of these quick fixes: They’ll never replace self-discipline.

Lifestyle trends, while well-intentioned, lack earnestness. Just as I envisioned my perfectly unplugged life through the lens of an outsider, most of these supposedly transformative changes are performative. We don’t follow them to improve our own experiences, but instead to change how our lives are perceived.

The need for instant gratification and constant stimulation are at the real root of social media addiction, whether that comes from a smartphone or not. These tendencies can be overcome, but it has to be through intentional steps that curb our cravings.

A good (and maybe obvious) starting point is finding offline hobbies. Hobbies lay the foundation for a more present life, but they require genuine interest. It’s quite the challenge to stop scrolling without an exciting alternative. On several occasions, I’ve forced myself to try “cool” hobbies but I abandoned all of them within a week. Find-

Barth Wu ’26: Chew on This: Dune

Just as a pizza joint should be judged by its cheese slice and a bakery by its plain croissant, a fish shop ought to be measured by its clam chowder and fried fish. Spoiler: Dune Brothers excels at both.

Wedged into a corner of Ives Street, Dune Brothers serves as both a restaurant and market. The inside smells like — well — fish, but we’re in the Ocean State afterall. They don’t hesitate to lean into their marine theme: The walls are a collage of red and blue nautical paraphernalia and the bathroom walls feature black and white photos of men catching and cooking fish.

The restaurant is supremely cozy. A small wall decorated with hooks for hanging coats makes it feel like a home. Seating is tight, which may or may not suit your preference.

The chowder comes in a white and clear variety. Both are made with quahogs, a clam native to the Rhode Island coast. We opted for the white which was accompanied by a plastic packet of oyster crackers ($12). I appreciated that Dune Brothers wasn’t above serving packaged crackers on the principle that being pretentious doesn’t make food taste better. Oyster crackers, on the other hand, do make food taste better, especially clam chowder.

Despite the cream, the soup was gentle and light. It was scantily salted, but not underseasoned. The quahogs had a bouncy chew and the

Dune

Brothers is

salt pork lent a resonant smokiness. The occasional cube of potato had sharp edges — an indication that it hadn’t been overcooked — and gave the whole creamy affair a surprising freshness.

Expecting a mix of greens, we were surprised when the Point Judith Squid Salad ($24) arrived as a mountain of marinated squid atop a slice of grilled sourdough. The quantity of tentacles was generous, to say the least. The squid was tossed with mild salami, briny Castelvetrano olives, diced red pepper, red onion and flat-leaf parsley. A garlic aioli had been swiped across the bread, and a dressing of red wine vinegar and olive oil struck such a high pitch that a few bites were plenty. I did feel that the bread was sabotaged under the squid’s weight and the volume of vinegar.

In a flurry of plates, our final two dishes arrived. The fish and chips ($24) were dramatically topographic: a craggy and carsted terrain of batter coated a fillet of pollock. This all sat on a throne of thick Old Bay seasoned french fries. This was a dish of sound: the sharp crunching of collapsing batter and the softer crisp of a french fry exterior.

The best bite on the entire table, though, was the house-made tartar sauce with chopped capers and fresh dill. It was rich and just a little tangy, making the experience of eating a french fry — already top notch — even better.

a casual spot, meant for a meal that will fill you right up. Make sure to come hungry. “ “

ing a real interest is a surprisingly hard task. Social media makes it hard to do something without any care about how it makes you look from the outside.

Older generations are a great source of inspiration. Most exist outside of the pressures of social media; They feel no need to show off just how unplugged they are. For example, I come from a board game family. For a good amount of time, games felt like an interruption between scroll sessions, but college made me realize just how much I actually like them. My parents, grandma and I don’t play “Trivial Pursuit” because it makes us appear a certain way, but for the experience itself. We live in an abundance of uncanny, parasocial lifestyle improvement trends, and we often lunge for the perception of self-motivation, discipline and authenticity without actually executing them for our own benefit. To achieve a fulfilling lifestyle, we have to ditch our phones for the right reasons.

CJ Lair ’28 can be reached at craig_lair@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

Brothers Fox Point

Dune Brothers doesn’t mess around when it comes to malt vinegar, and during the meal we were brought three different bottles: Heinz, a British variety and a local New England one. The English brand was the biggest hit — a medium acidic vinegar that harmonized with the fatty fish and chips.

Our last fish was a Sakonnet Point skate with brown butter, capers, golden sultanas and a delightful cruciferous slaw ($29). The capers and sultanas had been lightly fried in the butter, leaving them pleasantly chewy. The shredded savoy cabbage with fennel, apple, radish and mustard seeds was a refreshing and welcome break from the richness on the rest of the table.

At Dune Brothers, the portions are plenty. We left with two takeaway boxes and no room for dessert. With its soprano vinegars and percussive crunches, dinner was somewhat musical too. I had recorded a sound bite of the fish and chips

which we listened to on our walk back to campus. The crackle of a knife through a crisp coating dominated, but the background noises were convivial and warm. Dune Brothers is a casual spot, meant for a meal that will fill you right up. Make sure to come hungry.

Service: good-humored Sound level: conversational

Recommended dishes: white chowder, fish and chips

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Price Range: Appetizers $12-24, Entrees $1537, Dessert $11 /5.

Eleanor Barth Wu’26 can be reached at eleanor_barth_ wu@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

ANDREA SUN / HERALD

ISABELA GUILLEN / HERALD

Sandhu ’25: Freedom of thought requires freedom from the purse

When things are going well, there are many things in our lives that we take for granted. It’s like flying an aircraft in clear skies on autopilot. We zone out, taking in the scenery, losing sight of the myriad of complex calculations being done on our behalf by the computer. But, when severe turbulence causes the autopilot to disengage, we must jump into action to take back manual control. The same principle applies to higher education institutions navigating today’s political landscape: When external forces threaten to destabilize the seemingly balanced equilibrium between modern research universities and the federal government, we must take the controls, assess the situation and safely fly our aircraft to our destination.

The current administration’s attack on research university funding may have an ulterior motive: to limit the impact of institutions that hold the highest concentrations of historical opposition to conservative viewpoints. By understanding the intricate relationship between government and higher education, we can reclaim our agency and become active participants in this rebalancing. But if we overlook the mechanisms of federal control, we remain dangerously unaware of the forces at work in this fight. We must first appreciate the fundamental distinction between rights and privileges that should guide us in responding to these changes. Educational institutions were designed as spaces of academ-

Letter:

ic freedom. While universities have historically had the right to operate free from government overreach, by accepting and relying on large amounts of research funding from the federal government, universities, including Brown, have accepted the strings that come attached to that money. Since much of the federal funds in question originate from the taxpayer, Brown and its peer institutions have become subject to the changing views of the voter. Despite hav-

pendent funding opportunities. This could include retaining partial ownership of Brown-originated intellectual property, which has the potential for value creation. Brown is investing in online master’s programs, a very high profit, strategic effort to leverage our educational credentialing power. Additionally, the University could always increase fundraising efforts from private donors.

There is a growing sentiment of frustration on

To retain the autonomy and integrity of our institution, we must be prepared to consider independent funding opportunities. “ “

ing limited options for alternative funding, receiving taxpayer funds is a privilege. While we can and should lobby for change, we must recognize that this is still a reliance of our choosing.

To retain the autonomy and integrity of our institution, we must be prepared to consider inde-

campus, but it is often misdirected. Some students and faculty have lost faith in our institution, channeling their anger inward rather than recognizing the broader threat. But when we embrace cynicism and turn against the very institution fighting for us, the adversary wins. The reality is that Brown holds

Response to Peter Mackie

’59:

more power than any of us as individuals. History has shown that strong institutions play a crucial role in resisting outside influence. The power to defend ourselves does not come from individual voices alone, but from collective action and institutional resilience.

The Brown Daily Herald itself is a financially-independent institution that does not receive funding from the University. Part of the motivation behind this choice is that it allows us to publish independent viewpoints without fear or favor. By the same logic, it has become evident that Brown requires this same freedom from the influence of the government.

The political storm will undoubtedly continue to rage, and while we may experience wind shear and updrafts that cause rapid altitude fluctuations, the University should fight to stay on course. Brown must fortify its values, acquire independent funds and resist being manipulated into internal division. It is imperative that we do not acquiesce. The preservation of higher education depends on our ability to navigate these turbulent times — not by yielding to the external environment, but by steering deliberately toward the future we believe in.

CJ Lair ’28 can be reached at craig_lair@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

Brown’s unfinished business: pedestrianizing Brown and Benevolent Streets

To the Editor:

I wholeheartedly support Peter Mackie’s ’59 suggestion to complete the brilliant campus improvement project Brown began 13 years ago but inexplicably abandoned. Pedestrianizing sections of Brown and Benevolent streets would tremendously benefit our campus, enhancing its coherence, accessibility, sustainability and safety. I’ve lost count of how many times students, absorbed in their phones, have crossed the street right in

front of my bicycle or car without ever glancing up.

Our central campus and its buildings were designed before the automobile reshaped urban environments, and the sidewalks function significantly better without being obscured by parked cars. Eliminating traffic on sections of Brown and Benevolent streets would not only benefit the University but would also enhance the surrounding neighborhood. This intervention — primarily

replacing asphalt with grass, trees and walkways — would have a substantial impact at a relatively low cost. At a time of financial uncertainty, it could be an affordable, high-reward initiative.

Brown’s uniquely beautiful campus is one of its greatest assets, and its ongoing maintenance and improvement should remain a priority for the administration. Acquiring streets from the city for pedestrianization could eventually lead to closing George Street between Thayer and Prospect

streets, seamlessly unifying the core of our campus. For now, the creation of Paxson Way and Simmons Way has a nice ring to it.

Dietrich Neumann is a professor of the history of modern architecture and urban studies. He can be reached at dietrich_neumann@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

LeVine ’93 P’25 P’27: We can thwart Trump’s attack on our nation’s universities

Earlier this week, inspired by a Harvard Crimson op-ed, I sent a letter to President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20 and Provost Francis Doyle with recommendations on how Brown might help our country’s academic institutions escape the Trump administration’s encroaching darkness.

In my letter, I did not simply request that the University take action. I proposed that the administration enlist and equip the entire Brown community — alumni, students, staff and faculty — in its effort to repel the Trump administration’s attacks. I am writing here to share the same message: Please, regardless of your relationship to Brown, advocate for the University in the face of President Trump’s academic coup.

Administrations acting alone are ill-equipped to defend against Trump’s war on academia. Without any alterations to their strategy, universities will continue to be plucked off one by one, as is happening to Columbia and Penn. In addition to universities better collaborating with each other, they can expand their capacity and improve outcomes by tapping into the power of their collective communities.

The fight for our democracy must come from the whole of the University’s community — not only its administration. We are the ultimate influencers to and for Brown. Our students are invigorated. Our alumni network spans the globe, and contains a versatile group of critical thinkers and organizers. Our staff and faculty are out-

spoken, talented and experts in their respective fields. If the Brown community mobilizes its unique and effective assets, Brown could lead the charge and set the tone for other institutions.

Collectively, we can — and must — fight back.

Paxson’s March 20 and March 5 letters on navigating federal actions and the recently released proposed values and voice are a good start

Trump's actions impact Brown so we can amplify these threats through our social, economic and political channels.

I also recommended that Brown leadership share this effort with the Association of American Universities and encourage other universities to light up and leverage their communities.

Rather than feeling paralyzed and over-

The fight for our democracy must come from the whole of the University’s community — not only its administration. We are the ultimate influencers to and for Brown. “ “

for how Brown might navigate this moment. To complement their initiative, I urged Brown’s leadership to consider a number of other actions. Among those, was one in particular aimed at mobilizing the Brown community.

Specifically, I recommended that the University increase its communication with Brown alumni, students, staff and faculty regarding how

whelmed right now, we, as part of the Brown community, have an opportunity to step up and meet this moment. It’s not enough to ask others what they’re going to do. Each of us also needs to ask ourselves — “What am I going to do?”

To that end, we can all call upon the Brown administration to be a leader at this moment and then, if they equip us with the stories and infor-

mation, we can advocate for and with Brown. We can each be a megaphone amplifying the impact of new federal policies to our legislators, social media channels and real world communities. We can also reach out to friends, family and neighbors affiliated with other colleges and universities and encourage them to follow suit in fighting against these threats to federal funding, individual rights and academic freedoms that touch every corner of our country.

This is a perilous moment for our nation in which our universities — and frankly, truth and science — are under attack. But this period could also be a time for our institutions to shine and to lead us away from the darkness.

The core value that led so many of us to Brown and that remains deep in our souls is that of engagement and standing up for what’s right. We now have the opportunity and obligation to put those values to action. Together, we can both spur universities to action and help them succeed!

Suzan LeVine ’93 P’25 P’27 is the former U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein and is an Advisory Council Member for the University’s School of Engineering. She is also a Policy Mentor at the Watson Institute. Please send responses to this op-ed to letters@ browndailyherald.com and other op-eds to opinions@ browndailyherald.com.

ARTS & CULTURE

CAMPUS ART

New art exhibit turns Sayles Hall partly cloudy

Sanford Biggers's “Unsui (Cloud Forest)” is on display until 2026

BY AURA MACHANIC STAFF WRITER

Those venturing into Sayles Hall this spring might notice an unusually cloudy ceiling atop the portrait-lined walls. Visitors can now experience the building’s main hall in a new light — literally — thanks to interdisciplinary artist Sanford Biggers’s new installation, “Unsui (Cloud Forest).”

“Unsui (Cloud Forest)” — which means “clouds and water” in Japanese — boasts 10 glowing cloud sculptures suspended from the rafters of Sayles. Biggers told The Herald that each cloud is constructed from LED lights with the ability to change color, dim brightness and “dance” in displays of light to illuminate the interior of the hall.

Biggers largely drew the inspiration for this installation from Sayles itself, he said.

“I was really interested in working with the aerial space within the interior of the hall,” Biggers said. When he first toured the hall, he said, he was especially intrigued by the floor and the ceiling.

Sayles houses a portrait gallery for some of the University’s most influential presidents and historical figures, which posed a challenge for the installation. Avoiding disruption of existing works required careful planning, according to Kate

STUDENT GROUP

Kraczon, director of exhibitions and chief curator for the Brown Arts Institute.

“One of the most brilliant things about this piece is that Sanford intentionally doesn’t interfere with the sight lines of the portraits,” Kraczon said. “Instead of doing any type of intervention with the portrait exhibition, he moved it to the ceiling.”

Biggers said he sought to create something that would coexist with, rather than compete with, the hall’s historic and artistic legacy.

“I wanted to do something that could live in that space and claim its own space within it,” he said.

Nicole Wholean, university curator and registrar at the Brown Arts Institute, described the installation as “transformational and playful” in an email to The Herald.

“Viewers are encouraged to look up and see cartoonish clouds hang from massive buttresses,” Wholean wrote. “In a space otherwise formal, the clouds add whimsy and light.”

Biggers explained that clouds and their ever-changing nature have always acted as a metaphor for “limitless, boundless, formless reference” throughout his work.

For this reason, he said, he hopes that the piece sparks deeper reflection among viewers beyond its visual intrigue.

To Wholean, “Unsui (Cloud Forest)” reflects the fluidity of Brown’s Open Curriculum.

“It adds a very comic book kind of effect,” said Chuyu Xiong GS, a graduate

student studying art history. “I really like how it contrasts the classical oil paintings and everything else here.”

Emily Walsh ’28 was surprised to see the cartoon clouds appear in Sayles.

“Before I saw any news about the installation, I thought it was for a play or some sort of performance,” Walsh said. “But I think it’s a very cool addition to the space.”

“Unsui (Cloud Forest)” isn’t the first light-centered installation to make its

way onto Brown’s public art scene. Several existing contemporary installations on campus, such as Leo Villareal’s “Infinite Composition” in the lobby of the Lindemann Performing Arts Center and “2 x 5 (brothers)” by realities:united in the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts, also integrate light.

“Brown’s public art collection spans from antiquity to present day,” Wholean wrote. “This piece complements those works.”

Biggers hopes viewers of “Unsui (Cloud Forest)” come away with “a moment of pause and a moment of meditation.” “I hope it allows the viewers to let their minds and their associations run free, and to bring new ideas into the piece itself,” he said.

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18, 2025.

Brown Original Series premieres ‘Shopfront,’ ‘Pas de Deux’

investigative

psychological

BY RAJAA GHANDOUR CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Thursday night, Brown Original Series premiered its two latest productions, “Shopfront” and “Pas de Deux,” to a packed audience at the Avon Cinema on Thayer Street. The screenings showcased months of writing, filming and editing, after which cast, crew and friends gathered to see the club’s work come to life on the big screen.

“Shopfront” head writer and director Diqiu Liu ’27 described the series, which blends humor with investigative storytelling, as a project born from casual discussions about small businesses in Providence.

The story follows CJ Sullivan, a determined yet awkward student journalist, played by Claire Diepenbrock ’25, a former Herald photo chief and current staff photographer. Alongside her laid-back cameraman Sam Smith, played by Gideon Buddenhagen ’26, CJ stumbles upon a mystery that might be bigger than she ever anticipated. Their evolving friendship serves as the show’s emotional backbone.

“Shopfront” is a “fun mystery that blurs the line between mockumentary and drama,” Buddenhagen said. “It’s a sweet story with elements of comedy, suspense and mystery.”

For Diepenbrock, “Shopfront” marked her acting debut. She auditioned to overcome her stage fright. But once on set, Diepenbrock’s nerves faded away. “It felt really natural right off the bat,” she said. Buddenhagen noted how the on-

screen friendship between Sam and CJ mirrored his real-life bond with Diepenbrock. Developing that friendship both on and off screen was the best part of the process, he said.

The series’ ending, in which CJ seemingly compromises her journalistic integrity, was intentionally ambiguous. Liu told The Herald she wanted to leave room for interpretation.

“I don’t have one specific message I

want people to take away,” Liu said. Instead, she hoped audiences would walk away with a variety of interpretations.

On the other hand, “Pas de Deux” delivers an intense psychological drama. Written and directed by Dri deFaria ’26, the show explores the fraught relationship between two ballet dancers, Rowan and Edith, who are locked in a cycle of jealousy, ambition and unspoken desire.

“The antagonist of this story is ballet

itself,” deFaria explained. “It’s the thing that drives them to go to these extreme and manipulative measures and ruin their friendship.”

Alice Jokela ’25, who plays Rowan, highlighted the show’s underlying themes of race and privilege. “There are themes of non-Black people getting ahead for not doing as much work,” Jokela said. One of the biggest challenges for Jokela was playing a character who is “oblivious to her obvious privilege.”

“I’ve always wanted to make work about ballet because it’s such an interesting art form with both problems and beauty,” deFaria said.

But bringing these shows to life was not without its challenges. Filming “Shopfront” required extensive coordination with local businesses.

“There’s a lot of effort that goes into asking a shop to close for three to five hours of their busy day so we can shoot,” Buddenhagen noted.

Filming “Pas de Deux” also proved time consuming. Originally scheduled to wrap in December, production delays meant the team needed a few extra months to finish.

In addition to directing and writing, deFaria took on the entire editing process herself, spending over 90 hours in the editing room.

Jokela underscored the BOS’s role in expanding opportunities for student filmmakers. “When I got to Brown … (filmmaking) was sort of restricted to Brown Motion Pictures. I really like that people are branching out and figuring out other ways to explore film.”

For deFaria, student filmmaking is about both community and professional growth. “Student film is a great opportunity to meet people with similar interests and figure out if filmmaking is something you want to pursue,” she said.

“There’s pre-law, and there’s pre-med. BOS is like pre-film,” Liu explained. “Many of us want to do this professionally. This is a playground of ideas where we can test our potential and push ourselves forward.”

This

BOS brings

comedy,

drama to the big screen

MAYA MURAVLEV / HERALD

Artist Sanford Biggers told The Herald that each cloud is constructed from LED lights with the ability to change color, dim brightness and “dance” in displays of light to illuminate the interior of the hall.

ANNIE DENG / HERALD

Brown Original Series cast, crew and friends gathered Thursday night to see the club’s work come to life on the Avon Cinema's big screen.

REVIEW

Dan Berk and Robert Olsen's ‘Novocaine’ packs a punch

The film delivers a fresh and unique take on an often-stale genre

BY GABRIELLA WRIGHTEN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Since their inception, action movies have been the subject of a polarizing debate. Cinephiles hate them and argue that they’ve ruined cinema. Casual movie fanatics and sarcastic dads across the globe believe they’re the best films ever created. While there’s definitely an argument to be made against the cliche, overdone blockbuster action movie, the genre has produced more than a few gems in the last few decades. And while “Novocaine” won’t be remembered among hits like “John Wick” and “Mission: Impossible,” it deserves its time in the limelight.

“Novocaine” follows Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid), an assistant manager of a financial institution with a genetic disorder that makes him unable to feel physical pain. It’s the kind of gimmick that could be exhausting and flat — think the endless bee jokes in “The Beekeeper” — but writer Lars Jacobson and directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen make it work. Caine’s condition actually feels real: He’s scared to eat solid food in case he unknowingly bites his tongue off, he has to set an alarm to remind him to go to the bathroom so his bladder doesn’t burst and, on a more fun note, drinks a shot of hot sauce with ease. But when bank robbers seemingly take his new love interest hostage, he puts his

REVIEW

condition — abilities, perhaps — to good use, setting off to find her and get revenge.

It’s tempting to say the film is a battle of the nepo babies — Quaid is the son of stars Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, while Ray Nicholson, who plays the film’s central villain, is the son of Jack Nicholson — but the title doesn’t do either of these actors justice. Quaid is just as talented as he’s always been, and Nicholson, though only at the beginning of his career, shines as an unhinged and violent bringer of chaos.

Pedro Almodóvar’s ‘The

Film fails spectacularly to hit its mark as an emotional drama

BY REBECCA GOODMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

By nature, movies are expected to do more showing than telling. Yet Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door” fails exceptionally at this task. The film is the first English-language feature film for Almodóvar, whose 2002 movie “Talk to Her” won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. For a screenwriter with such accolades, any moviegoer would have high expectations for his latest film. But the script of “The Room Next Door” is ingenuine, riddled with unnecessary description and obvious throwaways. Though the movie has such a grave focus — death — there is no suspense, no intrigue and no forward thrust.

The movie follows Ingrid (Julianne Moore), an author who has reunited with her old friend Martha (Tilda Swinton). Although Martha has now fallen ill, the women reconnect and become as close as they were in their 20s. But when Martha’s diagnosis becomes terminal, she is determined to end her life on her own terms and enlists Ingrid to accompany her in her final days.

The women retreat to a modern house upstate, where a bright red door marks the entrance of Martha’s bedroom. As long as Martha is alive, the door stays open. But the day Ingrid wakes up to a closed door, Martha explains, will be the day Martha has taken her life with illicit euthanasia pills.

Despite accompanying these women in intimate moments, the audience

But it is the writing and directing, not the acting, that distinguishes “Novocaine” from the pack. This film takes a real disorder, congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis, and displays it with some accuracy given the fictional, exaggerated circumstances. And instead of losing the commitment to this condition, the writer and directors take it as far as it can go. Because of Caine’s unlimited pain tolerance, the sheer level of gore in this film is ridiculously high. If you get queasy at the sight of blood, you won’t even

make it through the first act. But in many action movies, it’s easy to wonder if the hero could actually survive the endless punches. They always walk away largely unscathed, emerging only slightly tired with a broken nose. Caine is not that kind of hero, and “Novocaine” is infinitely more enjoyable for it. He breaks nearly every bone in his body and does the same to almost every villain he faces. The fights are incredibly well choreographed — so much so that it’s hard to turn away even during the most gruesome scenes.

As far as action movies go, “Novocaine” is both simple and innovative. Like all the best heroes, Nathan Caine is really just a man, but a bit of drive and a twist of fate makes him perfect for this story. On top of that, “Novocaine” is simply just funny. In a genre with some pretty terrible writing and boring plots, the film’s humor alone makes it worth the watch.

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 17, 2025.

Room Next Door’ says too much

Even with a subpar script, both Swinton and Moore deliver as best as they can, yet the same cannot be said of the other actors in the movie.

does not learn anything substantive about them. Over several days, the two women interact awkwardly, over-explaining and under-delivering the drama of the situation. Even though a woman is dying, their conversations are insincere and unnatural. Everything feels relatively inconsequential.

There is a useless subplot pertaining to Ingrid’s ongoing relationship with Damian (John Turturro), Martha’s ex-boyfriend. Ingrid and Damian meet only twice in

the film. Their first conversation is entirely uncompelling and their second is preachy and off-putting. Damian offers overstated sermons on climate change — an undoubtedly relevant issue in the present-day, but one that is thrust so surprisingly into the film that its potential impact does not land. He also muses on death with dignity so frequently that it is overwhelming, even in a film about death with dignity. These scenes are the perfect example of Almodóvar’s refusal to let the

movie speak for itself.

Even with a subpar script, both Swinton and Moore deliver as best as they can, yet the same cannot be said of the other actors in the movie. The only exception is Esther McGregor, who shines in her few scenes as a younger Martha.

After Martha’s passing, Swinton returns as Martha’s daughter. But her appearance in a brunette wig is so hard to take seriously that even her performance

cannot save the scene.

Despite its lackluster script, “The Room Next Door” is a visual triumph. With beautiful, brilliantly colored sets — especially the house where the women retreat — each scene boasts excellent cinematography and production design. Too bad looks aren’t everything.

March 20, 2025.

COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES

While “Novocaine” won’t be remembered among hits like “John Wick” and “Mission Impossible,” it deserves its time in the limelight.

COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.

DATA

New data initiative uses Brown resources to support community needs

Collaborative supports over 50 projects with nonprofits and agencies

BY JONATHAN KIM SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Providence’s rich history — stretching from the pre-revolutionary period to today — can be found in the 110 acres of North Burial Ground, where more than 100,000 people have been buried over the last 300 years.

Yet as the tombstones — and the stories engraved upon them — begin to deteriorate over time, the cemetery is at risk of losing this history that predates even the founding of the country, says Annalisa Heppner, the city cemetery director.

Through the Community-Engaged Data and Evaluation Collaborative, Heppner and North Burial Ground staff have partnered with Jordi Rivera Prince, a presidential postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Anthropology, to preserve the cemetery’s history by documenting and digitizing the burial ground’s tombstones and handwritten burial logs.

First established in 2023 as a two-year pilot program, CEDEC “leverages Brown University’s resources to address the data, evaluation and research priorities identified and valued by nonprofits and public agencies in Rhode Island,” wrote Dan Turner, the assistant director of the initiative, in an email to The Herald.

CEDEC’s partnership with North Burial Ground was born when Turner reached out to Heppner about the cemetery’s needs and asked how Brown’s resources could help the burial ground accomplish its goals.

“Those headstones are really the only record of the cemetery at all, from 1700 to 1848, so it’s really important that we keep up with them as they deteriorate over time, which all stones do,” Rivera Prince said.

ART AND TECHNOLOGY

The need for documentation arises not only from the weathering of tombstones, but also because the city did not officially document burials in the cemetery between 1700 and 1848. But even after North Burial Ground began keeping records in 1848, the burial logs were largely handwritten, making many of the records difficult to access for the public.

“A lot of the tombstones are made of marble, and marble does not react well to pollution,” said Rivera Prince. She added this issue is compounded by the cemetery’s location next to the I-95, which sees excessive car emissions that exacerbate the weathering of the tombstones.

With a group of 14 students, Rivera Prince and her team go to the burial ground multiple times a week to collect data about the tombstones and digitize handwritten records with the help of an artificial intel-

ligence tool.

According to Rivera Prince, students also do archival work, including uncovering the history of individuals from Hardscrabble, a predominantly Black neighborhood in Providence during the 19th century. In 1824, the neighborhood was subject to racially motivated riots that led much of the community’s history to be forgotten.

For Allyson Frisbie ’26, an assistant field technician supporting the research, one of the most valuable aspects of the project is preserving the memories of those buried in cemetery.

“If this project didn’t exist, we probably would have just forgotten” about them, Frisbie said.

Blanca Payne ’25.5, the student lab manager, shared Frisbie’s sentiment about the value of saving parts of Providence’s past before it is too late. She also believes that

making historical burial records publicly available is “part of the duty of a public institution like North Burial Ground.”

According to Turner, CEDEC assists community organizations by supporting data collection and visualization, “organizing new or existing data (and) building out data collection protocols,” among many other steps.

The initiative has partnered with five Brown courses that aim to support “R.I. community partners’ data priorities,” Turner wrote.

One of these courses is DATA 1500:

“Data Visualization and Narrative,” where students learn the basics of compelling storytelling through data visualizations.

“You can analyze a bunch of data and get a really interesting finding, but that doesn’t matter at all unless you can actually communicate your findings to other

people in an effective way,” said Reuben Fischer-Baum, the course’s adjunct lecturer and a senior data editor at Yahoo News.

For their final projects, the 25 students in DATA 1500 will use publicly available data and the skills they’ve learned throughout the semester to tell a compelling story about a topic of their choice. While the course was first offered in spring 2024, this semester is the first time students have been able to pursue projects through CEDEC, and two students have chosen to collaborate with data partners.

Laura Romig ’25, a student in the course, is working on creating data visualizations for the Rhode Island Center for the Book, a nonprofit organization that provides free books to institutions throughout the state.

Romig’s project is focused on “demonstrating the impact and spread of (the Rhode Island Center for the Book’s) past and current work in Rhode Island schools and libraries, as well as helping them determine how to expand their reach,” she wrote in an email to The Herald.

As a comparative literature concentrator, Romig wrote that she was interested in helping the organization “grow literacy and increase appreciation for reading and writing (among) Rhode Island students.”

While CEDEC was originally launched in 2023 as a two-year pilot project, the initiative has expanded to support over 50 projects this spring, involving over 100 students and 15 faculty and staff. These projects have been crucial to support the needs of many community organizations by bringing the resources Brown has to offer to the table, Turner wrote.

“Most of the students who engage through CEDEC have not previously worked with RI community partners before, so it’s been a fantastic way to apply the skills they learn at Brown in meaningful, local ways,” Turner added.

MIT, RISD and Brown researchers develop computers you can wear

These single-fiber computers can provide health insights about wearer

BY SHARANYA JAIN STAFF WRITER

A world in which the clothes you wear can monitor your health vitals is now one step closer to reality.

A group of researchers at Brown, the Rhode Island School of Design and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed “single-fiber computers”: synthetic fibers with computing capabilities that can be woven with natural fibers to turn everyday clothes into wearable health devices.

“There’s tons of data coming out from humans, and it’s coming out from all different parts of our body,” sa er to the organs at which signals are created,” Gupta added.

“Clothes are something that everyone wears,” he said. “We wanted to create something that looks, feels and behaves like a normal fabric, but has the functionalities of a computer.”

CIARA MEYER / HERALD

This feedback also aimed to help “designers to understand how the engineering components fit into traditional fabric formation techniques like knitting and weaving,” Gupta added.

Ella Son, a textile designer with a master’s of fine arts from RISD and a co-author of the paper, assisted in weaving the computer fibers with natural ones. Son emphasized the challenges of working with the computer fibers, particularly due to the fragility of the “waveguide” — a component that is used to help “navigate the electronic interaction” and that would frequently break during the “laborious” weaving process.

Gupta shared that U.S. military personnel are currently testing out merino mesh shirts integrated with the fiber computers in the extreme conditions of the Arctic. He added that these shirts will “provide real-time information about (the military personnel’s) health and activity.”

Future improvements to the technology will focus on “increasing the fiber functionality and decreasing the size, so it continues to feel more and more like traditional yarn and textiles,” Gupta added.

“These fibers are robust enough to be washable and withstand extreme conditions, creating opportunities for physiological monitoring and increased access

“Our research successfully developed a seamless method for integrating functional fibers directly into fabric construction and garment sewing processes,” wrote Vivian Li ’25, a computer science concentrator at Brown and a co-author of the paper, in an email to The Herald.

to health data through garments that fit naturally into everyday life,” she added.

The research combined insights from fields like electrical engineering, material science, textile design and computer sci-

ence. Discussing the cross-institutional collaboration in the research, Gupta said that meshing textile design with engineering required “constant feedback in order to make the engineering design smarter.”

VALEN GARCIA / HERALD

Cemetery director Annalisa Heppner (left) and other North Burial Ground staff have partnered with Jordi Rivera Prince (right), a presidential postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Anthropology, to preserve the cemetery’s history by documenting and digitizing the burial ground’s tombstones and handwritten burial logs.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Josiah’s to offer milkshakes after spring break

Students will now be able to get 8-ounce or 20-ounce milkshakes

BY LIZAURA GOMEZ CABRERA STAFF WRITER

After months of anticipation, Josiah’s will officially begin churning out milkshakes on April 2, marking the end of a year-long initiative by the Undergraduate Council of Students. The announcement came via an email from the UCS on March 17. Students will be able to choose between a 20-ounce milkshake with a side or an 8-ounce milkshake with a meal for one meal swipe, according to a campus-wide email sent by the UCS. The milkshakes will be offered every day starting at 6 p.m.

Jo’s did not have the electrical capacity for blenders at the time, so the installation was not immediately possible.

shared in the coming weeks.

Since Jo’s did not have the electrical capacity for blenders at the time, the installation was not immediately possible, Reddick wrote. Instead, the UCS launched the sundae bar in February 2024.

“The sundaes are good, but I think the milkshakes will be better,” Daniel Amadi ’27 said. “I think it’s a long-awaited addition to the dining hall, and I’m really excited about it.”

But not all students are excited by the milkshakes.

initiative that began in 2007 as part of an initiative to bring local, healthy food options to Brown.

Although he said he was initially excited, Tony Fusco ’28 raised concerns about the practicality of the new milkshakes and the impact the station will have on the Jo’s atmosphere.

“Josiah’s has some of the best music in the dining halls, and I’m not sure how the blending machines will affect that atmosphere,” he said. Fusco added he was also worried about the increased traffic due to the addition of milkshakes.

STUDENT LIFE

“We are finalizing install details and operational training,” Barboza wrote in an email to The Herald.

The UCS Vice President Talib Reddick ’26 said that after seeing Sidechat posts about the demand for milkshakes, he “decided to take on the challenge of bringing them to Jo’s.” While working on the initiative, Reddick said he worked closely with George Barboza, the vice president of Brown Dining Services, and Robert Noyes, the director of retail.

“This wouldn’t have happened without the heavy lifting from Brown’s Dining Team and without students using their voices to make their wishes clear,” Reddick said.

“Too much work has been put into this for it to only be a limited-time offering,” Reddick said. He added that a “variety of flavors” will be offered, which will be

“I think Josiah’s is already a dining hall that has a lot of processed foods, and adding milkshakes on top of that isn’t the best,” Ohemaa Sarpong ’28 said, noting the fried chicken sandwiches and burgers that are offered daily.

“I think it leads to a lot of temptation,” Sarpong said.

Sarpong proposed adding smoothies to Jo’s to “reduce wait times at Ivy Room.”

The Ivy Room offers smoothies daily, an

But Amadi said the milkshakes will provide a “good balance” with Jo’s current offerings.

“I love Jo’s,” Amadi said. “I think it’s turning into one of the best dining halls on campus.”

This article originally appeared online at browndailyherald.com on March 18, 2025.

Muslim students find community in faith, food during Ramadan

This year, Ramadan spans from Feb. 28 to around March 30

BY TIFFANY XIAO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

During the early hours of March 14, students from Brown Muslim Students Association, or BMSA, returned to the basement of Champlin House to perform their daily Fajr prayer after a 3 a.m. feast at IHOP.

From the evening of Feb. 28 to around March 30, Muslim communities around the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan, which commemorates the revelation of the Quran — the Muslim holy book — to Prophet Muhammad. During this month, many Muslims choose to fast between the hours of sunrise and sunset while engaging in prayers, spiritual reflection and community connection.

At Brown, Saja Alaggad ’28 and her friends hover over various mobile apps in the evening, debating over the exact time of sunset, which marks the beginning of

iftar — the meal Muslims share to break their fast.

“Back home, you would listen out the window to hear the mosque and if the prayer was called,” said Alaggad, a Palestinian who grew up in Jordan.

For many Muslims, iftar offers an opportunity for family and friends to gather after a day of fasting. “One of my favorite things back home was hosting an iftar,” Alaggad said. “It just made me feel happy, and it was a way to bring everyone together.”

Alaggad continues finding community through spending quality time with friends when gathering for iftar. On one occasion, Alaggad sat together with a group of students to share traditional Arabic food that her friend cooked from ingredients, such as grape leaves and lamb, that her mother mailed from home.

For Sarah Wafa ’28, a first-year student from California, the celebration of Ramadan also reminded her of home. “You lose an aspect of Ramadan when you’re away at college because so much of the emphasis is on spending time with your family and growing your relationships with them,” Wafa said.

During Ramadan, BMSA aims to foster community through religious programming, informal gatherings and nightly community Iftars hosted in coordination with the Chaplains Office and Brown Dining Services, according to BMSA Service Chair Layla Ahmed ’27.

But at Brown, she’s found belonging in the Muslim student community “because we’ve bonded so much over Ramadan.”

At 4 a.m., she eats Suhoor in Woolley kitchen with her friends, cracking jokes while attempting to slice through a stack of parathas that fused together in the fridge.

“It’s just a funny time to be awake to-

gether,” Wafa said. “You feel like you’re the only people on campus awake at 4 or 5 a.m. eating.”

During Ramadan, BMSA aims to foster community through religious programming, informal gatherings and nightly community iftars hosted in coordination with the Chaplains Office and Brown Dining

CNN host Van Jones reflects on state of American politics

Jones talked strained ties between Jewish, Black communities

BY AMBER MARCUS-BLANK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

On Wednesday night, the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs welcomed CNN host Van Jones for a conversation on the state of American politics. In his talk, Jones explained increasingly strained ties between Jewish and Black activist communities, unpacked what he called the “Silicon Valley takeover” of Washington and examined Democratic Party failures in the 2024 election cycle.

Jones opened the lecture — moderated by Wendy Schiller, interim director of the Watson Institute — sharing details of his upbringing in rural Tennessee, detailing the unexpected journey that led him to American politics. Raised by his parents in the South while it was undergoing desegregation, Jones was taught the importance of hard work and education as means of upward

mobility, he said.

“I didn’t feel any pressure to be successful, but I felt the freedom to,” Jones said.

Before attending Yale Law School, Jones had never driven north of Kentucky and felt “out of place” when he first arrived in New Haven, he said.

But Jones explained that his father’s advice drove him to succeed at Yale despite these initial uncertainties. “Everything they know they learned out of a book,” Jones recalled his father telling him. “You can learn that. What you know — they’re never going to know.”

In the lecture, Jones traced the origins of the alliance between Black and Jewish communities to shared experiences of oppression via anti-Black racism and antisemitism. He highlighted that the two communities have long been on the frontlines of defending democracy.

“Why are these two groups continuing to show up and do this hard work of deeply defending democracy?” he asked attendees. The answer, Jones said, is a set of common values passed down for generations in each group: “Tikkun Olam” for Jewish people, and “Justice

for All” for the Black community, he noted.

“You take a cultural DNA of ‘Justice for All’ and a cultural DNA of ‘repairing the world,’ and you put them together, you get a double helix of hope for humanity,” Jones said.

But Jones asserted that there is a growing divide between these two communities, and he faulted the progressive left for sidelining concerns over antisemitism while prioritizing campaigns against racism and other identity-based discrimination.

Jones said that responses to the Israel-Hamas war have highlighted this fragmenting alliance. He argued that the Black community has historically been “anti-war” and this growing divide poses a threat to democracy by splitting two communities that have long sought to defend it.

“If you can split the Blacks and the Jews, who’s gonna defend democracy now?” Jones said.

“We can and should love and support the Palestinians, the Muslims, the Arabs and the Persians, who are often the victims of anti-Muslim hate,” he said.

“We have to love and defend and support the Jews and the Israelis,

who are often the victims of anti-Jewish hatred and double standards.”

The conversation then shifted to Jones’s perspective on the Department of Government Efficiency’s impact in Washington, D.C.

“It’s a scam,” Jones said. “To reduce government inefficiency, you fire all the good people and throw them out the door? It’s going to make everything more inefficient and crazy.”

In his criticism of DOGE, Jones identified “four corners” of American power: Washington, D.C. for democracy, Wall Street for finance, Silicon Valley for technology and Hollywood for media.

Silicon Valley “ate up streaming services with social media … then they start trying to eat up Wall Street with cryptocurrency,” he explained. “Now, this is Silicon Valley eating up D.C. with DOGE,” Jones said, adding that courts need to play a critical role in holding President Trump accountable and checking the organization’s power.

In looking back on the 2024 election, he pinpointed the roots of former Vice President Kamala Harris’s defeat. Jones said the party de-

Services, according to BMSA Service Chair Layla Ahmed ’27.

Hosted in the Brown Muslim Student Center from Monday to Thursday and the Leung Gallery on weekend evenings, BMSA’s community iftars bring together “60 to 100 people each night,” Associate Chaplain of the University for the Muslim Community Imam Amir Toft wrote in an email to The Herald.

A box of dates sits at a table for people to share at each iftar. After breaking fast with a date and a drink, the community members perform Maghrib, the sunset prayer, and share dinner. “It’s also kind of a casual thing,” Ahmed said. “We all get to sit together and catch up.”

On March 9, BMSA collaborated with the Muslim Student Associations at the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and Johnson and Wales University to host a joint iftar at the Leung Gallery.

A lot of students show up in “their nice abayas, which is a cultural dress,” Ahmed said. “It was really cool to see everyone and to be able to meet other Muslim students in the area.”

fended a “broken” status quo, offended “half of the country” by labeling them as “racists” and lost in places they never attempted to reach.

Nya Muir ’27 said she felt “enlightened” after attending Jones’s lecture.

“When he talks, it makes a difference,” Muir said. “I knew that I had to be here and really just take advantage of seeing him in person and observing his knowledge.”

In a separate interview with The Herald, Jones advised young people to take on different roles and experiences to refine their beliefs.

“I was a radical, grassroots outsider for a while, and then I was a White House insider for a while,” he said. “I was a target of the right-wing media, I’ve been a target of leftwing media, I'm a part of the establishment media. Over the course of your life, you should play different roles, but I would say whatever role you're playing, try and do it with real excellence.”

HENRY WANG / HERALD

PRIYANKA KUMAR / HERALD

24 HOURS IN PHOTOS

The Herald sent out 22 photographers to capture the first day of spring on College Hill, from noon on March 19 to noon on March 20.

by Jesse Benitez, Valen Garcia, Andrew Hsieh, Sophia Leng, Anna Leucht, Jason Mao, Maya Muravlev, Bomi Okimoto, Max Robinson, Ellis Rougeou, Liano Valenzuela, Henry Wang and Kaia Yalamanchili

Photos