Monday, January 30th, 2023

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Spring Festival celebrates Lunar New Year

Despite organizational difficulties, students enjoy first in-person Gala since 2019

BY HARRY YANG CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Chinese Students and Scholars Associations of Brown, Rhode Island School of Design and University of Rhode Island hosted the Spring Festival Gala in the Salomon Center Auditorium Tuesday night to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit.

The Gala featured 14 acts from performers including bands, rappers and K-pop dance troupes, in total featuring 50 performers and backstage staff, according to Brown CSSA President Jessica Ji ’24 in an interview translated from Mandarin. About 200 students were in the auditorium, decorated with paper lanterns and Chinese knotting.

“It has been a tradition for Chinese students across Rhode Island to celebrate the Spring Festival together,” said Mandy Liu, a RISD student and a Gala director, in an interview translated from Mandarin.

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Liu, who also participated in the production of last year’s Gala for the Year of the Tiger, added that this was the first year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that the event took place in person.

According to Liu, the 2022 Gala was held online with programs recorded in advance. For the 2021 Year of the Ox Gala, all Ivy League CSSAs collaborated for a virtual Gala, The Herald previously reported.

Last year brought unique challenges, such as “extensive video clipping,”

Activist Coalition returns with in-person conference

ago before eventually dying out as activism began to disappear on Brown’s largely virtual campus, according to SEE co-President Jada Wooten ’24.

Liu explained. This year, URI’s CSSA was tasked with publicizing the event, using the popular Chinese social media app WeChat to advertise the event to students, wrote Huimin Li, head of publicity for URI’s CSSA, in an email to The Herald translated from Mandarin. According to Ji, students from Brown and RISD encountered other difficulties in organizing this year’s Gala — primarily understaffing.

ARTS & CULTURE

METRO

Committee approves tax deal for ProvPort

Agreement moves to full council vote after December postponement

BY ELYSEE BARAKETT SENIOR STAFF WRITER

On Thursday, members of the Providence City Council’s Finance Committee voted to approve a revised version of the tax exemption agreement for ProvPort, Providence’s private-public deepwater port operator.

Last November, the initially proposed agreement came under fire by community activists in Washington Park, the neighborhood adjacent to the port, for its timeline and potential negative impacts on public health. Combined with pollution from nearby I-95, port facilities impact air pollution in the neighborhood, which has among the highest rates of children with asthma in Rhode Island.

Following the contentious pro-

cess, the council postponed a final vote on ProvPort’s lease and tax exemption agreement on the day of the scheduled vote in early December, though the council partially moved the agreement forward in the middle of the month, the Providence Journal reported.

The 30-year agreement passed out of the committee includes new community input into ProvPort’s master planning process, increased transparency with the city regarding tenant leases at the port and sustainability projects that aim “to advance climate adaptation and mitigation infrastructure.” The agreement will likely go to the full council on Feb. 2, according to a statement from the committee.

Per the tax exemption agreement, 7% of the port’s revenue will go to the city as a payment in lieu of its property taxes; 1% will go into a reserve account funding “community benefits” projects surrounding racial and environmental

Small Victories, big parties: Founder Alex Norocea ’14 puts ‘Providence on the map’

Norocea reflects on evolution of decadeold, student-founded business

BY JENNIFER SHIM SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Activist Coalition, an alliance of on-campus student groups, held its first conference Saturday afternoon after a period of inactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than a dozen on-campus activist groups — including Students for Educational Equity, Sunrise Brown and Students for Justice in Palestine — presented their organizations’ histories and current work to a packed Petteruti Lounge in the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center.

The Activist Coalition is a revival of a consortium of “various student activist groups, which organized and supported one another” before COVID-19 scattered University community members around the globe, said Aboud Ashhab ’25, an organizer for SJP.

The coalition last held a virtual conference around two years

Women’s basketball loses a close game to the Cornell Big Red 66-61

“The coalition was really a powerful space for me to come into because it taught me some of the activist (groups’) histories (and) connected me to activist alums (and) students on campus,” Wooten said.

“The activist coalition was a space that welcomed me into Brown,” she added, noting that she now wants to create a similar environment for underclassmen.

The idea of reviving the formerly defunct Activist Coalition came from “a feeling of discontent with … how activism (has been) practiced” on campus in recent semesters, according to Isabella Garo ’24, Sunrise Brown co-founder and conference organizer.

“There was a desire to get back on our feet as activists on campus and get together (to) help each other out,” Garo said.

Following an introduction by

BY MAGDALENA DEL VALLE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

From a tiny window in the green room above Fête Music Hall, Small Victories founder Alex Norocea ’14 could survey both the DJs performing on stage and a mass of white-clad Brown students dancing the night away. Last Friday night, SV threw “Winter White Out,” a celebration welcoming students back to school after a month-long winter break.

Norocea, who founded Small Victories as a sophomore at Brown nearly ten years ago, donned a tie-dye hoodie and displayed small gemstones on his cheekbones. He spent the night rushing between Fête’s performance rooms and checking in with artists such as Em’s Femmes and Julien Deculus and the Golden Hour backstage.

From throwing parties where firstyears can find “their people” to providing a platform for student performers to grow their acts, Norocea said he is

Brown has made no major changes to its public health approach to COVID-19

motivated by a passion for helping student artists further their careers in entertainment. Currently, SV employs between five and seven students who help organize parties, book artists and promote the brand.

Norocea’s entertainment company has come a long way since its inception at Brown. As a sophomore, Norocea initially created a brand around the parties he threw with his friends in order to give their events more legitimacy.

Then, in ENGN 0090: “Management

of Industrial and Nonprofit Organizations,” he created a business plan for Small Victories. When he took ENGN 1010: “The Entrepreneurial Process,” the professor challenged his students to make money off of their class projects in order to be rewarded with an A. Norocea and his classmates threw an SV party, got the A and established their organization.

When Norocea graduated, he con-

Campus activists seek to build solidarity among student groups, hold U. accountable

HARRY YANG / HERALD

Many Brown performers and staff were not in Providence for rehearsals ahead of time and only had a few days during shopping period to prepare.

COURTESY OF SAMIYRA AFIFE

After working on Wall Street for four years, Alex Norocea ’14 quit his job at Barclays to dedicate himself to Small Victories full time.

justice, among other initiatives, and another 1% will go into a reserve account funding the sustainability benefits. The agreement also limits the expansion of any infrastructure in the port used for fossil fuels and requires the reporting of “all chemicals stored on the property.”

Community engagement and EPA concerns Monica Huertas, executive director of the People’s Port Authority, an organization that fights for community oversight of the Port of Providence, said in December that the agreement required “much more extensive community engagement,” The Herald previously reported.

“We want to build, but we want to build healthy, good things that are going to be sustainable for the community,” Huertas said at the time.

ProvPort did not want to pass the agreement in “a contentious vote,” said Bill Fischer, a spokesperson for ProvPort. “This is supposed to be a public-private partnership, and we’re supposed to have a good working relationship with the city of Providence.”

“It just felt forced and quick,” Fischer said. “And that’s not the way we want it to go down.”

Sue Anderbois, a city councilor for Ward 3 on the Finance Committee, said that economic development should serve to make residents’ lives better, meaning growth should be balanced with environmental concerns.

The port “can affect people’s lives and their health, so they deserve a chance to weigh in on what’s happening,” Anderbois said. The city “should be talking to the people whose lives are most affected.”

Anderbois added that she once went to a gym located in a neighborhood by the port. While driving there, she said she could smell the byproduct from the ports and would think to herself, “ ‘I should not be exercising here — it’s not good …

and people live there year-round.’ ”

Prior to the Jan. 26 meeting, Ward 2 Councilwoman Helen Anthony, chair of the Finance Committee, said that when the revisions were first introduced in December, “there was no question in my mind that the process was being rushed.”

“We’ve definitely had a lot of community engagement since then,” she added.

When asked about ProvPort’s community and environmental impact, Fischer said that ProvPort “partners with the city and community” and engages with neighborhood associations around the port. He also pointed to the fact that Waterson Terminal Services, the port operator and manager for ProvPort, voluntarily received a Green Marine verification,

an initiative that assists participants in exceeding environmental regulations.

Anthony added that ProvPort is not the only port in Providence, and the city will work with other ports as well to ensure that they are being environmentally conscious.

Stakeholders also received news in early January that Univar, one of ProvPort’s tenants, reached a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act that put neighboring communities at risk.

The EPA found violations in Univar’s locations in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Colorado, leading to $600,000 in penalties. The alleged violations surrounded Univar’s “failure to comply with industry standards of

care” for “hazardous and/or regulated chemicals.”

Anthony said the news about the alleged violations slowed down the process of the agreement after its initial postponement. Similarly, Anderbois added that the news about Univar underscored the importance of accountability and community input.

Fischer said that ProvPort was unaware of the violation until the EPA’s announcement, noting that he found out by reading the Providence Journal. Following the news, ProvPort sent Univar a notice that they needed to adhere to environmental regulations, Fischer said.

Renewable energy hopes

Officials also expressed hopes that

port facilities would contribute to the state’s growing offshore wind industry in the future.

“ProvPort is really positioned to support offshore wind development, not only off of Rhode Island’s waters but off of most of the upper eastern seaboard of the United States,” Fischer said, adding that he believes the port will primarily focus on offshore wind development in the future. The port currently has an agreement with Ørsted, a clean energy company specializing in offshore wind, for an offshore wind construction hub.

“We have an opportunity to be part of the clean energy economy,” Anthony said. “The future will not continue w(with) polluting the port downtown and putting our residents in danger.”

VICTORIES

tinued his role part time at SV, handing over his mantle as leader to other Brown students. After working on Wall Street for four years, Norocea decided to quit his job at Barclays and dedicate himself to SV full-time alongside a team of student workers. Though Norocea currently lives in LA and hosts events throughout the country, the SV brand is still based mainly around the Brown community.

According to Norocea, the first few SV parties in 2014 were populated mainly by athletes — given that Norocea was on the football team —

and played mostly EDM. Now, SV is a grand-scale production featuring live acts such as Julien Deculus and DJs like John Finberg ’24.

“SV has a pretty wide audience at Brown, and they do a pretty good job promoting people and showing people off,” Finberg said.

Friday was Em’s Femmes’ first ever SV performance. The eight-member band is an “all femme funk/jazz band,” according to the group’s Instagram account.

“So much adrenaline is in my body right now,” saxophone player Coco Kaleel ’24 said during the event. The other band members, called

Femmes, echoed Kaleel’s enthusiasm.

“I’ve never felt a more awesome, energetic crowd,” Marina Benson ’24 said. Huddled together, the members complimented one another and emphasized how much making music together meant to them. “I haven’t found a place where I belong more,” Sophia Wotman ’26, the newest addition to the group, told her bandmates.

“These are some of my favorite people in the world.”

Julien Deculus and the Golden Hour, another band that performed Friday night, played several covers and “A Few More Days,” an original song written by Deculus and released

on Spotify earlier that day. According to Norocea, Deculus has had more gigs at SV this school year than anyone else.

Deculus told the Herald that without SV, he “would not have expected to be playing in front of 300 people at (his) band’s second real gig.”

“What I love about Small Victories is getting to keep in touch with Brown and students and hear them talk — hear them mention something that they think is a … faraway dream and then show them that, within the semester, we’re gonna make it happen for them,” Norocea said.

“This is just another step in the

right direction for us,” said drummer Lucas Lieberman ’25, who performed at SV with Deculus.

Norocea said he is proud of how far SV has come, but he does not plan to expand his business to other schools. Instead, he hopes to integrate and grow the company further within the Brown community, hosting student acts alongside other “bigger names” and putting “Providence on the map” with more music-festival-like events.

“Winter White Out” was the start of Norocea’s vision, with Canadian DJ John Zibin traveling from Toronto to play his set, but he still sees “the sky (as) the limit.”

VICTORIA YIN / HERALD

The role of economic development is to make people’s lives better, so it is important to balance the growth of the port with concerns about the environment, said Sue Anderbois, a city councilor for Ward 3 on the Finance Committee.

Women’s basketball falls to Cornell, Ivy record now sits at 1-6

Isabella Mauricio ’25 leads team with 21 points to cap first half of Ivy Play

BY DENNIS CAREY SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The women’s basketball team (8-11, 1-6 Ivy) fell 66-61 in a close loss to Cornell (9-11, 2-5 Ivy) Saturday afternoon.

The team is “definitely disappointed,” said guard Gracie Arnolie ’26. “I think this was a game that we could have (won) if we just tightened up our playing on both offense and defense, but (we) couldn’t pull it out.”

The Bears were led by guard Isabella Mauricio ’25, who shot 9-23 and 3-14 from three-point range, scoring 21 points with two steals.

“I knew that this was a big game (and) we wanted to treat it like a playoff experience, so I needed to come out strong,” Mauricio said. The “coaches gave me a lot of confidence to just shoot the ball.”

The Bears went on short scoring runs, at points combining them with strong defense. But overall, they struggled to find consistency in their play.

“There were times where we had great energy,” said Coach Monique LeBlanc. “There (were) other times that we were really stagnant and not running around on defense really hard. That combination is really tough to overcome.”

The game started off with a quick 6-0 run by the Big Red. The Bears fought back, closing the gap to 12-10, but another strong 8-2 Cornell run to end the quarter put Bruno back in a 20-12 deficit.

Brown’s offense came out strong in the second quarter, outscoring Cornell 17-11. The Bears shot 54% from the field and 60% from behind the arc

while the Big Red went cold, shooting 16.7% from the field and 20% from three-point range. A 5-0 Bears run to close the quarter put them just two points behind Cornell, with a halftime score of 31-29.

The game remained close through the third quarter, which concluded with the Bears trailing 48-47. But in the second half, Cornell found a response for Mauricio, who scored just two points in the third after putting up thirteen in the first half. Brown instead

began feeding the ball to center Gianna Aiello ’25, who scored seven points and gathered two rebounds in the quarter.

In a fourth quarter adjustment, Mauricio drove to the basket more effectively, as Cornell pressured her three point shooting.

“I think in the second half they started to face guard me,” Mauricio said. “I heard the (Cornell) coach saying, ‘no shots for her,’ so I tried to get to the basket (and) backdoor a lot. Thankfully we were able to get

the inside game with Gianna going.”

The Bears gained the lead twice in the opening of the fourth quarter on a layup by Aiello and a jumper by Mauricio, but the Big Red stormed back with a dominant offensive run that put the Bears down eight with just under four minutes remaining in the game. Despite a handful of steals by Arnolie and Ada Anamekwe ’26, the Bears were unable to overcome the deficit, ending the game with a 66-61 loss.

“These situations are tough be -

cause we’re all so emotionally invested right in this moment,” LeBlanc said. “You just feel so disappointed … The only option is to put our head down and keep working on our toughness, keep working on our execution and get our confidence from how hard we’re practicing.”

The Bears will look to bounce back as they open the second half of Ivy Play at home against Dartmouth on Friday night. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.

COURTESY OF DAVID SILVERMAN / BROWN ATHLETICS

The Bears outscored the Big Red 17-11 in the second quarter, shooting 54% from the field and 60% from three-point range. The Bears ended the first half just two points behind Cornell after a 5-0 run brought the score to 31-29.

ARTS & CULTURE

‘Aftersun’ moves viewers with subtle storytelling, compelling characters

BY FINN KIRKPATRICK ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

It’s always exciting when a filmmaker of great stature releases another classic work in an already impressive lineup. But nothing tops the thrill of discovering a rising voice entering the film scene with great promise. In her latest directorial release, “Aftersun,” Charlotte Wells establishes herself as this impressive new voice in the landscape of dramatic cinema, delivering a painfully honest exploration of memory and adolescent innocence.

At its core, “Aftersun” is concerned with the relationship between Sophie (Frankie Corio) and her loving but distant father Calum (Paul Mescal) as they vacation in Turkey. The film is primarily told from Sophie’s perspective, and footage from the 11-yearold’s DVR recording of the trip is interspersed with the main narrative. Audiences move through the film with the highly-intelligent and observant Sophie, struggling alongside her to understand her fractured family and Calum’s haunting past.

Audiences know very little about the lives of these two characters beyond the holiday destination. Instead of outwardly depicting Sophie’s school life in Scotland or Calum’s financial struggles in London following his separation from Sophie’s mother, such background information is alluded to through the film’s subtle dialogue. Audiences don’t learn the mistakes that Calum made in his life, but feel the emotional toll of them deeply. In the same way, viewers never so much as hear the voice of Sophie’s mother, but she is just as much of a presence in the film as any on-screen character.

In part, the film is a near-microscopic examination of the relationship between Sophie and her father. Audiences sense an eerie distance that Calum has from his daughter — a distance that is not from any lack of love but rather a lack of knowing what to do with that love. These interactions place viewers directly in Sophie’s shoes

— they can tell that there is something wrong with Calum but feel powerless in coming up with any form of a solution.

Zooming out of its focus on Sophie and Calum’s relationship, “Aftersun” also depicts endearing moments of adolescent self-discovery as Sophie explores the low-budget resort in Turkey. She tries to hang out with an older group of “cool kids,” finds a first romance at a motorcycle race arcade game and sings a cringe-filled karaoke rendition of R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion.” And though Sophie’s journey may be a little bit mundane, it is certainly not insignificant. These little moments are what come together to make this trip one of personal growth for her.

Occasionally, the film flashes forward to Sophie in the present day, now her father’s age at the time of the trip and looking back on home video foot-

JANUARY

age recorded during that time. But the film makes sure not to dwell on these moments too long, once again only giving audiences brief impressions of Sophie’s adult life. For example, a rug that Calum saw in Turkey and loved but knew he couldn’t afford now sits in present-day Sophie’s apartment — while just a fairly standard patterned rug, its presence carries a whole story of loss behind it.

Scattered throughout “Aftersun” are abrupt shifts to a surreal rave where Calum dances freely as adult Sophie watches from afar. At first occurrence, these scenes are confusing. But as the film’s narrative continues to unfold into a fuller picture, subsequent trips to this imaginary club become more and more impactful.

The film’s title carries a sense of haunting that perfectly mirrors its narrative. At one point early in the

CALENDAR

vacation, Sophie says to Calum that she finds comfort knowing everyone lives underneath the same sky. She tells him that simply being under the same sun makes her feel like they are together, even if they aren’t really. In isolation, this is a touching moment shared between father and daughter. But when placed in the context of this scene, the film’s title “Aftersun,” seems to ask audiences what happens in life when the sky can no longer be shared with those you loves.

The subtle emotional complexities of “Aftersun” rely heavily on the abilities of actress Frankie Corio for success. Corio, making her cinematic acting debut, delivers one of the greatest child performances in film history. Like most of the film, Corio’s acting is impactful not because of the words she says, but because of the emotions she invokes in audiences. She illuminates a quiet long-

ing that lurks underneath the exterior of a jovial but shy young girl. And Paul Mescal, in a much-deserved Oscar-nominated performance, responds with an equally honest and complex portrayal with subtleties that linger in viewers’ minds long after the film is over. Breaking free from the confines of a traditional narrative structure, the character-driven form of “Aftersun” helps the film stand out as a uniquely emotional experience. Wells makes sure that audiences do not feel distanced from the inner workings of the film’s central relationship. This makes many moments uncomfortable to watch, but it also makes the visceral reactions to them all the more true. “Aftersun” is unlike anything that has been made before it. At the very end of the film, each little mundane moment comes together to create a heartbreaking mosaic glimmering with painful joy.

TODAY’S EVENTS

Exhibit: Reflections | Ancient Objects/Modern Issues

9:00am - 4:30pm

Rhode Island Hall

SPRINT|UTRA Information Session 11:00am - 12:00pm Virtual

TOMORROW’S EVENTS

Exhibit | Facing Invisibility

9:00am - 4:30pm

Rhode Island Hall

Brown Semester Internship Program - Information Session 3:00pm

167 Angell St.

SENS Research Foundation 2023 -2024 Research Opportunities

10:00am - 12:30pm

CareerLAB

Neuroengineering Special Seminar: David Herzfeld

11:00am - 12:00pm

Barus and Holley

Fluids Seminar: Jeff Oishi, Bates College 3:00pm - 4:00pm

Barus and Holley

Racial Slavery, Marronage, and Freedom

All day

The Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice

Director Charlotte Wells delivers outstanding exploration of adolescence, loss

ASHLEY CHOI / HERALD

Wooten, activist clubs that are part of the coalition presented their group’s histories and objectives for the upcoming semester. Brown Democratic Socialists, Doulas@Brown, Disability Justice at Brown, End Sexual Violence at Brown, Graduate Labor Organization, Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere, Railroad, Student Labor Alliance and Teaching Assistant Labor Organization all gave

up their items, according to a Jan. 24 Undergraduate Council of Students newsletter.

The change is not a new system for mail pickup, but instead “a new tool for Mail Services to provide additional transparency for our students (with) respect to where they are in our Mail Services queue,” wrote Elizabeth Gentry, vice president for business and financial services, in an email to The Herald.

When a student swipes their ID at the mailroom kiosk, their information — including the student’s name and their available mail — is fed into touchscreen devices behind the Mail Services counter, according to Gentry. Once a staff member claims the responsibility of collecting a student’s items, that student’s information line will turn from white to green on the newly visible monitor.

According to UCS President Ricky Zhong ’23, the new monitor makes the mailroom process “more efficient”

and “makes people less anxious about missing their name” being called. The idea for the monitor came about from student suggestions and UCS discussions, Zhong said, noting that the monitor’s implementation has received a lot of attention on social media platforms such as Sidechat. Gentry described the initiative as

an entirely “student idea” and encouraged similar partnerships between UCS and Mail Services in the future.

According to Rich Morello, a site manager at Mail Services, the process of collaborating with UCS and implementing the change was “fairly straightforward.” In addition to UCS and Mail Services, Facilities Manage-

ment and the Office of Information Technology were involved in installing the new monitor, Zhong said.

The mailroom will also begin to adjust the volume of the music being played based on how busy the room is, Gentry said.

Julianna Chang ’26 said she first found out about the new monitor

activism

now this shows that it’s in full swing.”

via email and knew about the new mailroom queue system before she returned to campus for the spring semester.

Chang described her initial impressions as “pretty positive.”

“It’s nice to know exactly where you are in line,” she said, and “how long it’s going to take.”

was still being revived, but

COURTESY OF RICKY ZHONG

When a student’s name turns from white to green on the newly installed monitor, their mail is ready to be picked up, Elizabeth Gentry, vice president for business and financial services, wrote in an email to The Herald.

ASHLEY CAI / HERALD

U. flu vaccine, COVID booster clinics see continued student demand

R.I. COVID-19 rates in decline following high beginning-of-the-year community levels

BY HALEY SANDLOW UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

The University will continue to offer bivalent booster clinics and provide free masks and tests to undergraduate, graduate and medical students as Brown enters its seventh full semester responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Vanessa Britto MSc’96, associate vice president for campus life and executive director for health and wellness.

There are no significant changes to Brown’s public health approach to COVID-19, according to a Jan. 20 email sent to students regarding the community’s return to campus. The email, written by Britto and Koren Bakkegard, associate vice president for campus life and dean of students, encouraged students to test when symptomatic and required that students report positive COVID-19 test results to Health Services after arriving on campus.

“We’re not doing anything differently,” Britto told The Herald, referring to continued University policies around testing, masking and isolation

practices, although Brown is “strongly recommending” people wear masks indoors and in large groups.

“It’s sort of natural that when people come together and haven’t seen each other, especially when we’re indoors and are unmasked, … we tend to see an uptick” in COVID cases, Britto said. “It’s something that we have come to expect. But the idea is to blunt that curve and try to limit the number of” cases.

Britto emphasized a continued lack of hospitalization and cases of serious illness in the University community due to COVID-19.

According to Suzanne Bornschein, medical director at the Center for COVID-19 Epidemiology at the Rhode Island Department of Health, the state is likely in a “downslope” after three counties in Rhode Island hit high community levels of COVID-19 in early January. After the reported 214.18 new cases per 100,000 Rhode Island residents the week of Jan. 7, rates in the Ocean State dropped to 139.2 per 100,000 last week.

“It looks like, at least for the next couple of weeks, (COVID-19 rates within the community) will continue to decrease,” Bornschein said.

The University hosted a booster clinic for students on Jan. 25 and will hold another on Feb. 2, with plans to continue providing clinics until demand diminishes. According to

Britto, the booster clinics have “all been full,” with 1,700 COVID-19 bivalent boosters and 4,150 flu vaccines distributed so far this academic year.

“I’m so happy to see that people are vaccinating at a relatively high rate,” Britto said.

According to Bornschein, 87% of Rhode Islanders have completed their primary vaccine series, an “astronomically high number.”

“Everyone should get a booster dose,” Bornschein said. “Staying up to date with the COVID-19 vaccines is really the best protection against the virus.” She added that the bivalent COVID-19 booster, which targets the ancestral strain of COVID-19 as well as the Omicron strain, continues to be effective against the XBB.1.5 strain, a highly transmissible variant of Omicron and the current dominant strain in New England.

Any respiratory illness, whether it is COVID-19, the flu, RSV or the common cold, can disrupt schedules and sideline individuals, Britto said. “Our goal is to try to help people stay as healthy as they can be and do (what) we can to support them.”

KN95 masks and COVID-19 test kits are available for pick-up 24/7 at the Key Office in Graduate Center E for all students. The Feb. 2 booster clinic will be held from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Health & Wellness Center.

SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

133rd Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief

Will Kubzansky

Managing Editors

Katy Pickens

Alex Nadirashvili

Senior Editors Augustus Bayard

Caleb Lazar

Peter Swope

Kaitlyn Torres

post-magazine

Editor-in-Chief Kimberly Liu

News

Metro Editors Emma Gardner

Rhea Rasquinha

Jacob Smollen

Julia Vaz

Science & Research Editor

Haley Sandlow

Senior Science & Research Editor

Gabriella Vulakh

Arts & Culture Editors

Aalia Jagwani

Finn Kirkpatrick

Rya Vallabhaneni

Sports Editor Linus Lawrence

University News Editors

Sofia Barnett

Charlie Clynes

Emily Faulhaber

Grace Holleb

Sam Levine

Neil Mehta

Haley Sandlow

Kathy Wang

Digital News

Director of Technology

Swetabh Changkakoti

Opinions

Head Opinions Editor

Alissa Simon

Opinions Editors

Anika Bahl

Bliss Han

Melissa Liu

Jackson McGough

Multimedia

Illustration Chief

Ashley Choi

Photo Chiefs Elsa Choi-Hausman

Dana Richie

Photo Editors Claire Diepenbrock

Mathieu Greco

Rocky Mattos-Canedo

Kaiolena Tacazon

Social Media Chief

Sahil Balani

Social Media Editors

Julian Beaudry

Emily Faulhaber

Kaiolena Tacazon

Production

Copy Desk Chief

Brendan McMahon

Design Chief Neil Mehta

Design Editors

Sirine Benali

Maddy Cherr

Gray Martens

Business

General Managers

Joe Belfield

Andrew Willwerth

Sales Director

Alexander Zhou

Finance Director

Eli Pullaro

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TRACY PAN / HERALD

The University hosted a booster clinic for students on Jan. 25 and will hold another on Feb. 2, with plans to continue providing clinics until demand for the vaccine diminishes.

Wellisch ’26: ChatGPT is our warning to adapt to AI

I met ChatGPT this weekend, and our introduction left me as stunned as the rest of the world. I asked the chatbot to write a 700-word newspaper opinion piece on separating the art from the artist, and it wove together a nuanced, argumentative essay within seconds. Artificial intelligence is encroaching on skill sets that we’ve always thought of as exclusively human. We are called to adapt, not resist, if we want a place in our own future.

OpenAI, a San Francisco-based research company, launched ChatGPT to the public in late November, garnering 1 million users in only five days. ChatGPT, short for “Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer” uses a language-processing AI model that has astounded its audience with how well it communicates at the human level. The model, trained on a vast amount of text data, enables high-caliber responses to our many inquiries. From writing college-level essays and computer programs to passing graduate school exams to explaining complex concepts with enough simplicity for a four-year-old to understand, ChatGPT has broken all precedents for what an AI model like this is capable of.

Even though systemic issues of misinformation and software bias have emerged — and the site is prone to crashing — ChatGPT marks only the genesis of generative AI text models. We should see it as a warning that advanced AI programs are here to stay. AI will get more accurate, and it will also become increasingly

disruptive to historically human functions. It’s important that we act now to reimagine the role that humans can play in an age of artificial intelligence — before it’s too late. This process could be uncomfortable, painful and filled with loss. The thought that something as personal as writing may no longer be an important human skill is deeply saddening. But the more we hold on to

building and fortifying these more abstract features that distinguish humans from technology.

The way schools and universities react to increasingly powerful AI will be pivotal in determining our preparation for AI. Thus far, many educators have chosen the path of resistance with ChatGPT, worrying that AI will lead to a new cheating epidemic. Since its

the luxury to dismiss it. Banishing AI-based tools like chatbots to the margins will only delay inevitable changes in the classroom. We adapted to graphing calculators and redesigned how we test math in the classroom; we adapted to online learning and remote school during the COVID-19 pandemic — we are more versatile than we think we are. The time spent preserving a soon-to-be outdated system is time lost teaching humans new skills that will actually be of value in an AIbased future. Teaching interpersonal skills in the classroom could take many forms including courses on happiness, community building, empathy or the psychology of creativity, for example, all of which would mark a valuable step in redirecting the goals of academia. Instead of pretending that AI doesn’t exist or isn’t a valuable learning tool, teachers should embrace it in their classrooms while preparing their students to inhabit the world that it will create.

what is comfortable and refuse to adapt, the more redundant we make ourselves. We have to begin identifying the skills that will keep each of us relevant in a quickly changing society and job market. Interpersonal communication, emotional intelligence, creativity, critical thinking and judgment are all skills that are not easily replaced. Perhaps we need less time dedicated to conventional subjects like math and English, and more attention on

release, students have already used ChatGPT not only to complete their homework assignments but to excel at them. To preserve the learning process, many school districts — Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Virginia, and Alabama — have already banned students from accessing ChatGPT on school devices and networks.

Yet, banning student access to ChatGPT is a mistake. AI is our future, and we don’t have

As AI advances, we must commit to making foundational changes in our education and reskilling systems. Adapting is the only solution if we want to be the drivers in this imminent technological revolution.

Yael Wellisch ’26 can be reached at yael_ wellisch@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald.com and other op-eds to opinions@ browndailyherald.com.

“It’s important that we act now to reimagine the role that humans can play in an age of artificial intelligence — before it’s too late.”

Eleven years later, ‘Puss in Boots’ sequel lands on its feet

Ten years later, DreamWorks delivers fresh sequel to classic series

BY ASHLEY GUO STAFF WRITER

Among the many fantastic films released in 2022, the animated children’s film “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is a surprising standout. “The Last Wish” is more than just a convoluted “Shrek” spin-off looking to leech off of the success of its preceding films. Instead, its elegant storytelling, heartwarming messaging and vibrant animation bring the fairytale to life and make the film a perfect closing number for the 2022 film slate. The new film is also accessible to those who do not recall the events of the previous “Puss in Boots” movies from more than a decade ago, as no prior knowledge is required for audiences to enjoy the adventures of this sword-wielding cat.

Down to the last of his nine lives,

the legendary outlaw Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas) finds himself forced into retirement, wading aimlessly through life. Grappling with his mortality, Puss embarks on a fantastical adventure to find the Wishing Star, which contains the titular Last Wish and would allow him to restore his nine lives. Joining Puss on this adventure is resentful ex-lover Kitty Softpaws (voiced by Salma Hayek) and eager new friend Perrito (voiced by Harvey Guillén). But hot on their tails are the corrupt pastry magnate Jack Horner (voiced by John Mulaney) and a vicious crime family made up of Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears, all eager to have their own wishes granted.

As he chases after the Wishing Star with uncharacteristic desperation, Puss forces audiences to consider the real motives behind his yearning to restore his nine lives. What seems like a simple quest to stay alive begins to probe the heavy, all-encompassing query: What is the meaning of life? It might be hard to believe that a family movie can even begin to tackle the nuances of

Gala in person.

such an essential, human question. But with multiple characters secretly nursing emotional wounds that they believe a singular wish can miraculously heal, the audience is forced to ask themselves who, if anyone, truly deserves to have their dreams come true.

What makes this film truly stand out is its vibrant, illustrative animation style reminiscent of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” which redefined the industry four years ago. Action scenes jump off of the screen through dynamic movement lines. Vivid pops of color and brush-like textures dominate the senses and immerse audiences into Puss’ fairytale world. “The Last Wish” is an example of animation at its finest: It features visuals that drive storytelling and world-building instead of attempting to feign realism. Animation has capabilities that live action simply cannot replicate, and “The Last Wish” capitalizes on this potential through scenes that look like true art rather than simple movie clips.

But this air of fairytale surrealism

does not detract from the story’s real-life relevance. In one scene, Puss is shown to be having a panic attack as he hyperventilates on the ground. A rapid heartbeat overlays the scene, drowning out all other sounds until Puss’ friend Perrito sits down with him. This film’s depiction of a panic attack has received much online praise for its accuracy. Moments like this make “The Last Wish” a refreshing addition to a lineup of animated movies that often feel too separated from reality.

Fans of the original “Shrek” series have grown with each new franchise installment, which is perhaps why “The Last Wish” contains such mature messaging. But while the first “Shrek” movie, released in 2001, was founded on childish humor, it still subverted typical fairytale tropes — depicting an unlikely ogre-princess relationship. Such originality persists in the franchise 21 years later. Those who dismiss “The Last Wish” as a children’s movie are sure to miss out on an entertaining adventure, beautiful visuals and a lesson on enjoying life.

And because the Spring Festival fell on Jan. 22 this year — two weeks earlier than it typically occurs on the Chinese Lunar Calendar — many Brown performers and staff were not in Providence for rehearsals ahead of time and only had a few days during shopping period to prepare, Ji said.

Still, while organizing the event was challenging, many students expressed excitement about holding the

“This year’s Gala felt much different than last year’s,” said Syd Chen, a RISD student who sang at the event, in an interview translated from Mandarin. “Performing in person is important because you can feel interactions with the audience and have some impromptu responses on stage.”

Koda Li ’26 said that he was happy to spend his first Spring Festival away from home with CSSA.

“I felt really happy to have spent

the holiday here,” Li said in an interview translated from Mandarin.

“My favorite show at today’s Gala is ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.’ I like the song a lot, and the performers were really talented.”

Raul Shui ’25 watched the Gala online last year and was glad to attend the in-person event, he said in an interview translated from Mandarin.

“It feels really different when you can hear the reactions of a live audience instead of computer-generated

applause,” Shui said.

“It also feels like I am home when watching the crosstalk comedy,” he added in reference to a popular performance style in Northern China.

Michael Ling ’25 first celebrated the Spring Festival in China during winter break, he said in an interview translated from Mandarin. When he returned to Providence, he celebrated the holiday again with his friends at the Gala.

“I was very lucky to spend the

Spring Festival with my family this year,” he said. “As an international student, I spent several Spring Festivals away from home. These experiences taught me to value more about this holiday and the people around me.”

“The Spring Festival is irreplaceable to our culture,” Li wrote. “I miss the lively, festive atmosphere in China. We were trying to create a similar vibe here in Rhode Island for the community.”

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND… (BUT ONLY ONE WAY)

GRAY MARTENS / HERALD

Life is a highway, and I’m gonna ride it all the way to the Thayer/George intersection. And then I will turn right and walk to the Ratty, because I have no car and there is no parking in this city and I am hungry.