Wednesday, September 13, 2017

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

VOLUME CLII, ISSUE 64

U. selects new School of Public Health dean Bess Marcus, founder of UCSD’s Institute for Public Health, to assume position Nov. 1

Whiskey to reopen after temporary closing Violence outside popular bar sparks community concern over safety after unruly scene

By ROSE SHEEHAN SENIOR REPORTER

Bess Marcus, founder of the University of California at San Diego’s Institute for Public Health, was named the next dean of the School of Public Health.

A member of the Brown faculty from 1990 to 2011, Marcus will be taking over the role from the school’s inaugural dean, Terrie Fox Wetle, Nov. 1.

“I am elated to return to Brown and build upon the remarkable legacy of Fox Wetle and others in advancing the School of Public Health’s mission of academic excellence, evidencebased research and community service,” Marcus wrote in an email to The Herald.

Marcus’ “excellence in leadership” and interdisciplinary approach to public health equip her for the post, said Stephen McGarvey, director of the International Health Institute and professor of epidemiology.

With her “administrative and people skills” and her ability to “bring different groups together around research,” according to McGarvey, Marcus will build on the school’s success

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By GWEN EVERETT METRO EDITOR

COURTESY OF BETH MARCUS

Former faculty member Bess Marcus takes on role as the next dean of Brown’s School of Public Health Nov. 1. by continuing collaboration with other University departments, such as the social sciences and engineering as well

as the Warren Alpert Medical School.

This interdisciplinary focus was » See DEAN, page 2

The Whiskey Republic, a bar in Fox Point frequented by students at Brown and other universities in the area, will reopen its doors today after the Providence Board of Licenses gave it the go-ahead in a Tuesday afternoon meeting. Whiskey was forced to be closed for 72 hours, and the Board of Licenses had ordered an emergency meeting to evaluate the bar’s liquor license after a late-night fight on the street nearby turned grisly, The Herald previously reported.

It is standard procedure for the city to impose a 72-hour “cool down” period, like this one, when violence erupts at or near a business in the city.

The city will require that Whiskey have a police presence at its Friday and Saturday night events, as well as any other 2 a.m. closing-time nights, said City Solicitor Jeffrey Dana at the meeting. They will re-evaluate this regulation at a meeting on Sept. 20.

Police are continuing their

investigation into the Sunday morning incident, Dana said. Whiskey has cooperated with the investigation, he added, noting that it has submitted all surveillance tapes from that night.

“My clients are just as concerned as anybody” about the violence that occurred just outside of the bar on Bridge Street, said Whiskey Republic’s legal counsel at the meeting, adding that Whiskey’s surveillance videos did not show any evidence that any individuals involved in the fight had gone to Whiskey that night.

Some members of the Jewelry District Association attended the meeting, staying after to discuss their concerns about the bars and clubs in their neighborhood with an attending police officer.

Sharon Steele, vice president of the association, said that her group has been advocating for years in an effort to get what she described as a loud, unruly club situation in the district under control.

Violence has been emanating from a handful of clubs for years, she said, adding that she feels the Board of Licensing only dispenses “slaps on the wrist” in the form of fines and one-day closings.

There “are potentially many issues that can arise at any liquor establishment,” said a police officer at the event » See WHISKEY, page 3

Landlord buys local real estate, draws critics New exhibition portrays society, female immigrant identities Preservation tenants complain of ‘Crossing Borders’ exhibit to arrive at Watson Institute, John Brown Center next month

By CONNOR SULLIVAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Spools of thread sprawled about a table and an imposing metal detector suggestive of xenophobic persecution loom at the Periphery Space gallery in Pawtucket. The exhibition, entitled “Crossing Borders,” speaks to the duality of the identities and perspectives of 21st-century female migrants journeying to the United States. The installation opened Sept.

9 and will be on display at Periphery Space until Oct. 14.

Jocelyn Foye, a multimedia artist and decorated activist, and Judith Tolnick Champa, an arts critic and founder of the Providence Biennial for Contemporary Art, curated the exhibit. Paying close attention to

ARTS & CULTURE

INSIDE

the rise of immigrant-centric art in the wake of the election of President Donald Trump, the curators aimed to collate works that extend this brand of activism to the experiences of mostly female immigrant artists. The female creatives include Venezuelan-American Esperanza Mayobre and IranianAmerican Saman Sajasi. Their works are accompanied by those of male artists such as Mexican-American Camilo Cruz.

The decision to root “Crossing Borders” in feminine perspectives stems partially from Foye’s illustrious involvement with the feminist movement.

“I started a group called the Women’s Project that engages in a lot of performance art action, sort of like the Guerilla Girls,” Foye said, likening her organization’s purpose to that of the acclaimed collective of anonymous feminist artists. “It all traces heavily to the philosophy of the exhibit.”

Sajasi’s “Glory,” is a highlight of the exhibit, featuring a silk-woven mandala interlaid with digital Google » See BORDERS, page 2

houses’ substandard conditions

By LIORA MORHAYIM SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Providence community members have been raising concerns in meetings and various local publications about Walter Bronhard, the owner of Walter L. Bronhard Real Estate, and his handling of his properties on the East Side. Bronhard owns approximately $50 million of property in the College Hill area, according to GoLocal Providence.

Recently, Bronhard came under criticism for his plan to demolish 21 Planet St., also known as the Welcome Arnold House. Because the building is located within one of the city’s local historical district, Bronhard had to apply to the Providence Historical District Commission seeking approval for demolition in May, said Jason Martin, preservation planner at the Providence Historic Commission. The commission has yet to make » See LANDLORD, page 2

JASMINE RUIZ / HERALD

One of Walter L. Bronhard Real Estate properties. Bronhard has drawn criticism for making plans to demolish the Welcome Arthur House.

WEATHER

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

SCIENCE & RESEARCH Brown professor signs UNESCObacked letter calling for dedicated fund to improve water access

NEWS New director of international student life seeks to grow support for students

COMMENTARY Savello ’18: More Brown students should take advantage of foreign language classes

COMMENTARY Oke ’20: For those who don’t feel comfortable protesting, activism can take on many forms

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PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

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» LANDLORD, from page 1

JASMINE RUIZ / HERALD

Walter Bronhard, a local landlord who rents properties to U. students, has come under scrutiny for potential neglect of housing regulations.

» BORDERS, from page 1 Maps-like webbing. The scope of the eight-by-eight foot piece and its juxtaposition of the traditional and modern encapsulate the realities of immigrant women’s labor-intensive lives and the globalization that both drives and drains them. Sajasi is set to speak at the exhibit Oct. 4.

An essay by rising Iranian-American artist Ariana Gharib Lee ’15 features in the exhibition’s illustrated brochure. The piece addresses the dichotomy between the cold observation of art in exhibits and a viewer’s personal relation to it — the former of which, Lee argues, persists heavily and problematically in identity-centric art such as those in “Crossing Borders.”

“I think there is an extra personal and emotional leg you can take that’s very easy to not do in a museum,” Lee said. “Seeing something that’s very

decontextualized from its maker and its environment requires a responsibility that involves seeing how you’re implicated in the oppression an artist is pointing to.”

“It is cool to be engaged with art and politics at the same time,” Tolnick Champa said, alluding to the politically-charged nature that all the works on display share. The exhibit “is so subtle and not rhetorically inyour-face.”

The seamless subtlety achieved by “Crossing Borders” might best be epitomized by the exhibit’s own migrations. The collection is slated to move from Pawtucket’s Periphery Space to Brown’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs and John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage Oct. 27. In its transience, the exhibit performatively emulates the migratory themes of its works.

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a decision on the demolition of the Welcome Arnold House, though discussion on the future of the house will continue Sept. 25.

Community members are upset over the potential demolition of the Welcome Arnold House due to the house’s historical significance, said Brent Runyon, president of the Providence Preservation Society. Along with being a historic house from the 18th century, the Welcome Arnold House was built by Welcome Arnold. Arnold was believed to take part in the Gaspee Affair, a ship-torching that preceded the Revolutionary War, Runyon said.

Many consider Arnold a part of the founding history of both Rhode Island and the country as a whole, he said.

The Welcome Arnold House, though historic, is deteriorating in its current state due to a termite infestation, according to a February 2017 article from Providence Journal. The Providence Preservation Society put the house on its “2017 Most Endangered Property List,” citing work on the house that began in 2016, but stopped abruptly. “In the following months, broken windows and doors were left unrepaired, exposing the interior to the elements,” according to the preservation society’s website.

If the Providence Historical District Commission were to approve demolition — which is unlikely due to the high bar an owner must meet for approval — the Providence Preservation Society will try to take legal action, Runyon said.

“We believe that the building should be given a chance to continue its life; it holds a lot of historical significance,” Runyon said.

Additionally, the Providence Preservation Society has received multiple complaints in recent years from other property owners in the neighborhood about Bronhard’s conduct, Runyon said. The property owners have voiced concerns about exterior maintenance issues and property management of Bronhard’s houses on Benefit Street, he said. The society would receive complaints about sidewalks not being shoveled during winter time, trash being everywhere and overflowing mail boxes — all of which are a landlord’s responsibility under state law, Runyon added.

Concerns go beyond the historic and legal — ­ tourism and the viability of local businesses could also be at stake, Runyon said. “Benefit Street is Providence’s signature historical tourist attraction, so that can have some impact on the tourism and the economy of Providence.”

“We are sort of forcing people to practice the migratory processes the exhibit details by literally forcing people to migrate between the two to see all of the art,” Foye said. “We are also really excited that two institutions that are not centered around art are taking on the exhibit,” Foye added. “It is really addressing what the exhibit is about by way of where it’s going.”

“An academic setting and structure are going to be really wonderful,” Champa said. In contrast with the more creatively oriented communities involved with Periphery Space, “Brown is going to provide a sort of foil.”

The installation will remain at the Watson Institute and John Nicholas Brown Center through January, after which it will relocate to other locations around Rhode Island in a continuation of its elegant and enlightening nomadism.

“Glory” by the Providence-based, Iranian-American Saman Sajashi instances the power of the exhibit’s art by female immigrants.

» DEAN, from page 1 developed under the leadership of Fox Wetle, who communicated that the goal of the school was to be “greater than the sum of (its) parts,” McGarvey said. This goal was instilled in the faculty who entered the school “from several disparate departments and research centers.”

Bronhard Real Estate has also drawn criticism from former tenants, most of whom are students in Providence. Barry Nickerson, a student at Providence College, lived at 34 Benefit St. for a year. As an occupant of the house, Nickerson experienced many problems with the house, such as gas leaking from the stove, sudden increases in the water temperature which he says left scars on his body, a showerhead that was held together by duct tape, a hole in the ceiling from which animals urinated and a broken smoke alarm, he said. When he reached out to representatives from Bronhard Real Estate about these issues, Nickerson said they promised to fix the problems but never did. Though they deposited his monthly checks for rent, they were unresponsive to other letters he sent to the company detailing his concerns about 34 Benefit St. Judy Schwarzkopf, another former tenant of Bronhard’s, said that she had to move out after five months because of living conditions. Like Nickerson, Shwarzkopf experienced a gas leak in her apartment that was never fixed despite complaints to the real estate company.

Walter L. Bronhard Real Estate declined to comment or respond to the sources’ allegations despite multiple requests for comment from The Herald.

CONNOR SULLIVAN / HERALD

By working with community partners, students, faculty and staff, Marcus wrote that she looks forward to creating “a dynamic community of public health innovators who solve today’s complex population health issue.”

Marcus will uphold the priorities of the Building on Distinction strategic plan by committing to “reshaping

healthcare and safeguarding vulnerable populations,” Paxson wrote in her community-wide announcement on Marcus’ appointment.

Additional goals “shared by most of the faculty” of the School of Public Health include establishing potential major donors and diversifying sources of external research funding, McGarvey said.

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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 • PAGE 3

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Scientists, scholars sign declaration for universal clean water access Over 50 experts compile statement to UNESCO, addressing solutions to current global water crisis

By JACKSON WELLS SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In an effort to combat the growing international water crisis, 54 scholars and scientists from across the globe recently signed the Geneva Actions on Human Water Security, a document backed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization that stipulates clean water access as a basic human right.

The declaration delineates three actions to help ensure global water security: first, to “secure the delivery of basic water needs for people;” second, to “secure the improvements in the condition of watersheds, streams, rivers and aquifers” and, third, to “secure better water planning, management and governance.”

The document called for the establishment of the Global Human Water Security Fund of 27 billion per year, or enough to provide 1 cent per person per day, said Amanda Lynch, director of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, professor of environment and society and of earth, environmental and planetary sciences and one of the founding signatories of the declaration.

The U.S. government would contribute to the fund in the same way it does to other humanitarian funds, she added.

“We need water for life, and it’s becoming increasingly problematic for people to access,” Lynch said.

“We need to do something more proactive about implementing this idea,” said Gabriel Eckstein, professor of law at the Texas A&M School of Law and another of the founding signatories, about the fund. “Every person is entitled to some amount of good quality fresh water.”

COURTESY OF AMANDA LYNCH

Amanda Lynch, professor of earth, environmental and planetary sciences, was a founding signatory of the document that calls for $27 billion per year to go to water conversation efforts.

The amount of humanitarian and environmental damage attributed to inadequate clean water access is vast, according to Eckstein and Nathaniel Matthews, program director at the Global Resilience Partnership and another of the founding signatories. The dearth of clean water access has caused the deaths of millions of children and a top source of diseases around the world.

“There are 2.5 billion people without

access to improved sanitation,” Matthews said, highlighting water’s integrality to many different issues, such as agriculture, food security and energy.

Lynch emphasized that inadequate water is not the problem; rather, it is an issue with effective use, appropriate governance, pollution and corruption. “We actually hold in our hands the ability for everyone to have access to sufficient clean water. It’s a worthy

HERALD FILE PHOTO

A brawl last Sunday morning outside Whiskey Republic led to a forced three-day shutdown of the bar and required evaluation of its liquor license. Police will be posted outside on all nights that the bar closes at 2 a.m.

» WHISKEY, from page 1 who asked to remain anonymous.

Policing liquor establishments includes monitoring ongoing issues as well as one-time incidents, he said, but he

declined to comment on any specifics about the Sept. 10 brawl, as it is an open investigation.

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priority because it is attainable,” Lynch said.

Eckstein stressed the importance of having a well-rounded team of experts to work on this issue from different directions. As a lawyer, he offers a legal perspective, while others in the group view the issue through other lenses, such as scientific or economic ones.

Subsequently, Eckstein views access to clean water as a legal right and

considers it necessary for governments to recognize this and adjust their own domestic laws.

Lynch said that she and the rest of the signatories were advocating with UNESCO to create the fund and, as all of the signatories come from different parts of the world, to their respective federal and state governments to contribute to it. Each signatory was asked to identify key priorities or actions and analyze the key issues associated with priority geographies, Matthews said.

“We’ll work together as a group to find some substantive areas to address water security around the planet,” Matthews said. He hopes this project will create momentum that allows global water security for people and ecosystems to remain a priority with policymakers.

According to Lynch, since the declaration’s presentation in July, the founding signatories have shared it with media and local representatives and have met with government officials. “Each of us agreed that we would not only sign the document, but that we would take action,” Lynch said. As far as Lynch’s own efforts, she said she has been working with the Australian government encouraging them to contribute, and she is hoping to meet with Rhode Island senators.

The group has also already seen support outside of UNESCO. Eckstein cited a conference at the Vatican to which the signatories were invited in February as an inspirational milestone in their fight for universal clean water. “The pope is extremely sympathetic to this issue, and we were highly impressed and humbled that he took time out of his schedule to come to this conference,” Eckstein said.

Eckstein explained that the major disconnect between clean water availability in the United States and in less developed countries has caused people to lose perspective on the true value of water. He cited Ben Franklin’s quote: “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.”

NEWS

PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

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U. hires new international student experience program director Christina Phillips will focus on expanding, improving support for international students

By MALCOLM NASH STAFF WRITER

Christina Phillips was appointed the new program director for the International Student Experience to serve both undergraduate and graduate students as an “adviser, programmer and advocate,” she wrote in a communitywide email June 23.

For the class of 2021, about 17 percent of admitted students were international, according to the Office of College Admission’s website. 40 percent of the graduate student population is international, the Herald previously reported.

Phillips seeks to help international students transition to and maintain year-long support for daily life through prioritizing “programming, coordinating orientations and student organization advising” for her first year, she said.

“She’s going to bring an exciting, fresh set of eyes in terms of adding to the already great experience that students report that they’re having,” said Interim Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity Shontay Delalue. Delalue expects Phillips to focus on “orientation, supporting existing organizations and creating

new programs based on the needs of the community.”

Though emphasizing that the experiences of international undergraduate students are diverse, Manuel Pereira-Arias ’19, president of Buxton International House, said that the international community lacks easy access to ongoing support after orientation.

“International students (are) left to their own devices, and there’s not a lot of continued support for us.

We need a little more accessibility to resources regarding living in the United States and being far away from home,” Pereira-Arias said. He added that the international community “doesn’t have designated spaces to use, except Buxton.”

President of Brown International Organization, Cristina Belli ’18, echoed the need for better accessibility to resources for international students at the University. “International students have been having a few difficulties as a collective entity in terms of support services. Many students don’t even know some of these resources exist. Or if they do, they’re being pointed in different directions,” Belli said.

Graduate international students may face unique challenges as many are supporting families and attempting to build their careers in a new country, wrote Sophie Brunau-Zaragoza GS, the international advocate of Graduate Student Council, in an email to the Herald.

“Coming here from another country to work and produce high quality research can be really disorienting and stressful. The risk is to feel isolated, overworked and powerless,” BrunauZaragoza wrote. She added that international students are at a higher risk to be taken advantage of by landlords, car dealers and scammers. “(Phillips)has already started some serious community-building work,” Brunau-Zaragoza wrote, adding that Phillips “is creating a stronger sense of belonging among international grad students.”

To help coordinate with and support both the graduate and undergraduate international community, Phillips is in the process of hiring four student employees. The four students will help coordinate undergraduate programming, cultural programming, outreach and communications and programming for the graduate community, Phillips said.

Phillips will also aid in the International Mentoring Program, which offers social, academic and educational support and is run by undergraduate students, according to the IMP website.

“Not only does Christina help us with the logistics of programming that goes into International Orientation, relieving us of a considerable amount (of) work, but she is also an advisor to us who has facilitated important changes,” wrote Beatrice Bugane ’18.5, an IMP coordinator, in an email to

COURTESY OF CHRISTINA PHILLIPS

Christina Phillips, who previously worked in international student support at Lehigh University, will lead programs for international students. the Herald, “It’s nice to have someone whose role is solely to advocate for international student needs,” Sisasenkosi Mandi ’19, an IMP coordinator, in an email to the Herald.

Phillips previously worked closely with the Office of International Students and Scholars at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where she served as an international

orientation leader during her time as an undergraduate and graduate student, Phillips said. She also acted as the International Student Advisor at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.

“While everything’s a bit unfamiliar for the people that come here for the first time, for (international students) it can be just a little more unfamiliar,” Belli said.

TODAY

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 • PAGE 5

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foliage and first-years

menu SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS

Pizza: Spicy Sausage & Garlic, Mushroom, Roasted Brussel Sprouts Grinder, Pho Ba JOSIAH’S

BLUE ROOM

Lasagna Bowl, Bacon Burger, Make Your Own Grilled Cheese

Beef Chili, Grain Bowl, Burrito Bowl

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Caesar Salad Bar, Pumpkin Soup, Chicken Fajita, Beef Tacos, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars

Curried Chicken Divan, Basmati Rice Pilaf, Raspberry Crumble Bars

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Ancho Chili Pulled Pork, Carne Asada, Red Beans Creole, Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Chili Spice Roasted Vegetables, Chili Verde Enchilada, Chocolate Sundae Cake

sudoku KAITLYN LEW / HERALD

As September continues, students get a taste of New England’s colorful fall outside of a first-year dorm. Shopping period is a great time to enjoy studying outside on the green before summer officially comes to an end.

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

“It is cool to be engaged with art and politics at the same time.”

—Judith Tolnick Champa, curator for Providence Biennial for Contemporary Art

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Salsa Club Fall Lessons 6:00 P.M. Alumnae Hall, Crystal Room

Healing Yoga 12:00 P.M. Hillel

Middle East Studies Luncheon 12:00 P.M. Watson Institute, McKinney

Iris Berent, Northeastern University 4:00 P.M. Friedman Auditorium

TOMORROW McKinsey Coffee Chats 11:00 A.M. Cafe Paragon

Getting Started with CareerLAB 4:00 P.M. CareerLAB

Information Session for Brown Concert Agency 8:00 P.M. 115 Waterman Street

Athletes in Action Prime Time Gathering 8:00 P.M. Pembroke Field House

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

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COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 • PAGE 7

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Maximizing language opportunities SAMANTHA SAVELLO staff columnist In my first semester at Brown, I signed up for a Spanish class on a whim. Seated in HISP0600: “Advanced Spanish II” alongside a group of near-fluent students and upperclassmen, I was absolutely terrified when the professor called on me to read a paragraph aloud to the class. I had taken AP Spanish in high school, but we hardly ever spoke in class. I didn’t have the skills I needed to properly pronounce basic words, let alone read a literary text in Spanish. But by the end of the semester, after weeks of oral presentations, quizzes, class discussions and group projects, my Spanish skills significantly improved — as did my confidence, interpersonal skills and ability to express my ideas.

For me, this language class was not just a tedious requirement, but an opportunity to explore a different side of my education and develop my skillset. Unfortunately, not all Brown students take advantage of this opportunity. In fact, many students choose to forego language courses because of the lengthy time requirement — meeting up to four times a week for

most sub-500 level courses and completing time-consuming assignments and projects. Other students take the plunge and begin a language, but eventually discontinue it. The stringent language requirement for International Relations concentrators, for example, forces many concentrators to switch to another discipline in the political realm.

But these students fail to realize the variety of benefits that come with

you a better communicator overall: Once you start expressing yourself in a foreign language, doing the same in English seems effortless in comparison.

The large number of assignments in language classes may be off-putting for some, but in the long run, the coursework will only help. And because there are so many assignments, it is often not necessary to complete every single one to perfection in or-

notable poets and songwriters to athletes and holidays. Many also incorporate immersive elements into the syllabi, giving students the opportunity to apply their skills outside the classroom.

Understanding the value of these courses, the University has established several activities and resources for students to get more involved with languages. For example, the language fair during first-year orientation in-

If the University truly wants students to take advantage of its language opportunities, it needs to address the leading issue that prevents students from signing up in the first place: heavy coursework and the excessive course hours. putting a little extra work into picking up a new language or improving on one they already know. As I can personally attest, the value of speaking a foreign language and the personal growth that accompanies the process far outweigh the burden of extra coursework. We all know that being bilingual — or even multilingual — can boost your career prospects and simply help you connect with people from other cultures. What is less known is that it can also make

der to succeed in class. Most professors in the language departments are understanding and allow for paper extensions, offer support with lengthy projects and even set up plans to help you participate in class if you are nervous about speaking publicly in a new language.

Moreover, language professors often use a culture-focused approach, which allows students to learn not only about the language, but also about the associated cultures, from

forms new students about language opportunities and motivates students to explore these options. There are also student organizations like Brown Language Exchange and Charla, a Spanish conversational group, that allow students to informally learn languages.

Though campus resources and promotional events for language learning are abundant, accessibility is not. If the University truly wants students to take advantage of its lan-

guage opportunities, it needs to address the leading issue that prevents students from signing up in the first place: heavy coursework and the excessive course hours. A simple solution would be to rework the time commitment of early language courses so that more students are able to enroll. And while it is necessary to consistently practice conversation to learn a language effectively, there are several alternatives to the TA-led sections that could provide the same results without the burden of additional class time. Adding more interactive homework activities, creating flexible or voluntary section hours or incorporating online speaking activities could all be potential solutions.

Ultimately, students need to take advantage of the language courses that are offered. To make that easier, Brown needs to reconsider how it structures language courses. Accessibility needs to be a priority if language departments hope to attract and retain students. For many students, college might be the last chance to diligently learn a language, and the University should ensure this opportunity is available to all.

Samantha Savello ’18 can be reached at samantha_savello@brown.edu.

No justice, no peace — reflections on protest culture at Brown BAMI OKE staff columnist An immutable fact of life is that people talk. But when Brown students are frustrated, not all of us can feel better just by talking. Some of us yell, some argue and some even protest.

One of the first things I noticed when I got to college was the overwhelming lack of silence.

While I appreciate the privileges that come with being a Brown student, I often find myself longing for a space in which opinions and outrage can coexist without megaphones and picketing signs.

I’ve found that if you want something done at Brown, you can either make noise or move out the way for someone louder to do it for you.

No one ever asks the quiet kid to lead the movement. And I’m not saying we have to. But I often wonder how helpful a protest can really be to someone like myself, who is not as comfortable in these spaces as other students might be.

After the 2016 presidential elections, I felt an uncomfortable pressure, followed by what seemed like an obligation, to voice my outrage in the form of peaceful protest. I was obviously unhappy, but I mostly just wanted time to process what the president’s election actually meant for myself and for my family. I wanted to know why it had happened and what the politics were behind this unsettling rise of nationalism. Instead, my social media feeds were flooded with calls-to-action, and all people could talk about was what march they were going to attend next.

As a child, I was raised to mind my business and no one else’s. That meant if nobody was attacking me directly, I had no reason to get involved in another person’s drama. To a certain extent, this rule still applies in my household.

I distinctly remember my mother warning me not to go and “embarrass myself ” in public by going to an equal housing protest in Provi-

summer employee wages and unclear program policies. I went to a couple of them, but truthfully, I was more concerned with what my mom would say than with the actual outcome of the protests. Losing my summer job was an expense I knew I could not afford, and yet still I felt this sense of urgency to act immediately by joining the movement.

PIA MILEAF-PATEL/HERALD

dence. “This is not your fight,” she reminded me. “Americans complain too much. Just keep your head down, focus on your grades and be grateful that you’re alive.”

And at the end of the school year, that is exactly what I had planned on doing. Then about halfway through the Summer@Brown program, for which I was a summer residential advisor, there were a series of demonstrations against

In hindsight, I think that the mental pressure had a lot to do with the fact that these protests were headed by people of color. Since moving to the United States, I’ve found myself constantly (and reluctantly) having to prove my blackness — or rather, my authenticity as a black woman — to other people. And because of the way people of color have historically fought for liberation, protests, to me, feel more like tests of

legitimacy. Can I really call myself oppressed if I’m not visibly fighting against the system?

But who’s to say I’m not fighting? In a way, I feel out of place at protests. It seems to me as if everyone there is passionately striving toward a common goal, and I’m just standing in for a friend who couldn’t make it. This isn’t because I lack empathy or anger; it’s simply because of the fact that when I speak, I like to have my individual voice heard. Like many other people in the world, my own voice is the only thing I have to offer. Further, not everyone can take the risk of getting arrested at a march, and while I applaud those who make that sacrifice, I also want to highlight the individuals who choose to sit on the sidelines for various reasons.

It’s easy for someone to dismiss a “problematic” opinion and walk away from the discussion, but I see plenty of opportunity in healthy conversation. Hearing the same story from different sides, sharing my own truths, even listening to opinions I may not agree with are my own forms of activism. Somewhere along the line, I was made to feel as if these aren’t good enough — as if I should be doing more to help the cause.

In no attempt to undermine calls for solidarity and unity, I want to emphasize that skipping a rally to go to work or just spending time with friends doesn’t make you any less of an activist. And by that same logic, chanting loudly at a protest just to make noise doesn’t make you the ultimate revolutionary. Progress looks different depending on who is making it.

Bami Oke ’20 can be reached at bamidele_oke@brown.edu.

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Brown University’s Contemplative Studies Program Welcomes the Class of 2021 and Announces Fall 2017 Classes

COST 0030 Sound, Song and Salvation in South Asia Srinivas Reddy Class: MWF, 11 - 11:50 am Rockefeller Library, Rm. 205 COST 0040 Great Contemplative Traditions of Asia Hal Roth Class: TTH, 2:30 - 3:50 pm Salomon Center, Rm. 202 Meditation Lab: MWF, 9 - 9:50 am Hillel House, Winnick Chapel COST 0200 Meditation and The Brain Jared Lindahl and Willoughby Britton Class: M, 3 - 5:30 pm Salomon Center, Rm. 203 Meditation Lab: M, 2 - 2:50 pm Hillel House, Winnick Chapel ANTH 1240 Religion and Culture Bhrigupati Singh Class: TTh, 10:30 - 11:50 am Lincoln Field Building, Rm. 209 SOC 1871R Knowledge Networks and Global Transformation Michael Kennedy Class: TTH, 4 - 6:30 pm 101 Thayer St. (VGQ 1st fl.), Rm. 116E For more information please go to our website: www.brown.edu/academics/contemplative-studies/ or contact anne_heyrman-hart@brown.edu

COST 1950 Senior Concentrators’ Seminar Hal Roth Class: W, 3 - 5:30 pm J. Walter Wilson, Rm 503 Meditation Lab: W, 12 - 1:30 pm Hillel House, Winnick Chapel RELS 0045 Buddhism and Death Jason Protass Class: TTh, 10:30 - 11:50 am Smith-Buonanno, Rm. G12 PHIL 1520 Consciousness Christopher Hill Class: MWF, 1 - 1:50 pm Salomon Center, Rm. 202 NEURO 1030 Neural Systems Monica Linden Class: TTH, 10:30 - 11:50 am 85 Waterman St., Rm. 130 EDUC 1850 Moral Development and Education Jin Li Class: W, 3 - 5:30 pm Alumnae Hall, Rm. 212