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CELEB RATIN G FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2025

OVE R

50

YE A R S

O F

IN DE PE N D E N T

ST U D E NT

J O U R NA L I S M

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY

YEAR LV. VOLUME B. ISSUE IV

EMMA CLEMENT

Graphics Editor & Layout Co-Editor

FEATURES PAGE 4

‘Rights don’t defend themselves’: More than 50 student newspapers rally behind Stanford Daily lawsuit against Marco Rubio CITY

BY LIAM DUNNE City Co-Editor

After the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression sued U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Aug. 16 for violating First Amendment rights on behalf of The Stanford Daily, student news publications across the country took action.

The Student Press Law Center, College Media Association, the Associated Collegiate Press and more than 50 student news publications filed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs, which also includes two anonymous

legal noncitizens Oct. 15.

According to FIRE’s Aug. 16 press release, the lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of two provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. These provisions allow Rubio to initiate deportation hearings of noncitizens if he “personally determines” the speech to be a national security threat and revoke visas “at any time” for any reason.

The lawsuit and brief allege the federal government’s immigration policies have created a “chilling effect,” where noncitizens and international students are terrified to voice their opinions, as described in

SPLC’s Oct. 15 press release.

Matthew Cate, a member of the Student Press Law Center’s Board of Directors, filed the brief. In a statement to The Daily Free Press, Cate wrote that student newsrooms across the country began feeling these “chilling effects” after the arrest of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University.

After authoring an op-ed in the Tufts Daily criticizing Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, Öztürk had her visa revoked, was forced into a van by masked agents and sent to a detention center in Louisiana.

“It is important to support The

Stanford Daily’s effort to stop the government from punishing or threatening to punish speech by international students that this administration doesn’t like,” Cate wrote.

The managing board of Tufts Daily wrote they “watched and reported on the detainment” of one of their own peers, in a statement to The Daily Free Press.

“We felt that The Stanford Daily’s lawsuit would help prevent that from happening to anyone else on our campus or at any university,” the statement reads.

Boston comes together for second No Kings protest

AVA RUBIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER

SPORTS PAGE 7 Men’s soccer 2025 recruiting class makes an impact

Continued on page 14

Editor’s note: Statement in support of student journalists amid federal attacks on noncitizens

BY LAUREN ALBANO Editor-in-Chief

The Daily Free Press supports the lawsuit filed by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression against U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that challenges the federal government’s targeting of noncitizens, subsequently impacting publications’ journalists and their campus communities.

FIRE sued Rubio on Aug. 16 on behalf of The Stanford Daily, Stanford University’s independent student newspaper, over efforts to deport or revoke the visas of noncitizens for pro-Palestinian political speech. The SPLC, College Media Association, Associated Collegiate Press and 55 student news publications filed an amicus brief Oct. 15 in support of the plaintiffs.

The Stanford Daily claimed these federal immigration policies

ISABELLA OLAND | PHOTO CO-EDITOR

The Daily Free Press office at 708 Commonwealth Ave.

violated First Amendment rights by discouraging noncitizens from expressing themselves in the outlet’s pages.

Following the Trump administration’s actions, The Daily reported receiving requests for name, quote and photo extractions from noncitizens and a decrease in willingness of noncitizens to talk to The Daily’s journalists. The newspaper has also experienced several requests from current or former staff

members to remove opinion pieces from its publication.

The Daily Free Press, too, has received several requests for name, quote and article removal since the second Trump administration took office in January. We have opted to honor these requests on a case-by-case basis.

We have also modified our anonymity policy — such as by using only first names or nicknames circumstantially — to protect the privacy and safety of individuals at Boston University and in Boston exercising their right to free speech.

Our newsroom is home to more than 250 budding young journalists, many of whom are international students or members of marginalized groups. Beyond our office walls, international students make up nearly 25% of BU’s student body, and a number of active student organizations

regularly grace Marsh Chapel to protest.

We strive to represent the diverse backgrounds, opinions and beliefs of our staff, sources and the broader BU and Boston communities we cover.

The SPLC sent The Daily Free Press an invitation to join the amicus brief to a defunct email address. We, unfortunately, missed the window to sign on.

However, we feel compelled to signify our support despite not being legally involved.

Should the case be appealed and a second amicus brief is filed, we hope the future Daily Free Press Editorial Board leaders strongly consider joining the cause.

Thank you to the SPLC, CMA, ACP, The Stanford Daily and every student publication that signed the amicus brief for acting as a voice for student journalists and the communities they serve.

BEN CLARK | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER

LIFESTYLE PAGE 13 My Gay Agenda: Gender euphoria through clothing

EMMA CLEMENT

Graphics Editor & Layout Co-Editor

2 1NEWS

StuGov slate BridgeToBU aims to fulfill campaign promises despite restructuring CAMPUS

BY OLIVIA RUZIC Senior Writer

The Boston University Student Government executive board, BridgeToBU, is working to improve transparency, accessibility and community on campus despite administrative restructuring.

BridgeToBU, elected last year in a student election cycle with recordbreaking turnout, campaigned on four main objectives: Community, Outreach, Response and Empower.

Each objective ties to the larger goal, “building bridges” on campus to unite the BU community, said BridgeToBu Vice President of Finance Hanna Yilma. StuGov aims to build three bridges this year: a bridge between student communities, a bridge between students and administration and a bridge between administration and StuGov, Yilma said.

StuGov plans to connect different student communities by hosting events.

“We have such a lovely, diverse community here, but often students exist in these silos of isolation,” Yilma said. “So we want to host events … to bring different cultures and different communities together to all enjoy the same events.”

In the past there was a “disconnect” between University administration and the student body, Yilma said.

This year, the executive board

has gone to greater lengths to communicate with administration, such as hosting monthly town hall meetings that allow StuGov leadership and BU administrators to communicate directly with students. The town halls are new this semester, and have never been done before.

StuGov hosted its first town hall meeting in September. The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 28.

The executive board will also be meeting with University President Melissa Gilliam and has invited deans of BU’s colleges to speak directly to student leadership at StuGov senate meetings.

BridgeToBU Executive Vice President Tony Wu said the executive board’s biggest accomplishment this year is “redesigning” StuGov to make it more accessible to students.

This includes proactively reaching out to students and improving transparency, collaboration and advocacy, Wu said.

Yilma added that each student in a StuGov leadership position is holding office hours for students at least once a week this semester.

“We’re not trying to come across as … a bunch of pre-law students doing this for a resume boost,” she said. “If I have not made myself accessible to students, I’m failing at my job.”

The executive board has continued its communications rebranding effort to stimulate

community engagement, with a 160% increase in engagement on Instagram.

However, their accomplishments are not without challenges.

Over the summer, administration centralized resources by merging the Student Activities Office and Community Service Center to create the Student Leadership and Impact Center. This eliminated the StuGov Senate’s role in directly allocating funds to student organizations.

In the past, if student organizations made a mistake in their budget requests, did not receive sufficient funds or had their request denied by the Allocations Board, student organizations would go to the Senate for funding. Now, the Senate can no longer directly fund the club, leaving clubs scrambling.

StuGov President Matthew Feliciano said the allocation board is strict about budgeting mistakes, which can put a burden on students in new leadership positions to “figure it out” with no safety net.

Filling out a budget application is a confusing process, especially for those in first-time leadership positions, Feliciano said.

“We’ve just seen that not work in the past, and the Senate was a way to help those students,” he said.

However, Yilma said the change will push StuGov to support student organizations more directly by collaborating to help them utilize their resources.

“It’s going to push us to seek out more in-depth routes of helping out

SIENA GLEASON | ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR

Boston University Student Government President Matthew Feliciano delivers the president’s address. The StuGov executive board BridgeToBU is focused on uniting the BU community by hosting a variety of events.

students and helping out student organizations, and not just giving them the money,” she said.

Beginning this semester, the StuGov Events Department and the Campus Activities Board merged to form the StuGov Campus Activities Board.

CAB Co-Director Kate Dougherty said the change was made to consolidate funding and event ideas that overlapped in the past.

With this change, CAB will have a larger staff and budget to plan events, Dougherty said.

“We’re able to fulfill that goal of really providing students at BU opportunities at low cost or of no cost that they wouldn’t otherwise have,” she said.

The board has yet to accomplish its most ambitious campaign

promise: the Spring Festival.

The Spring Concert StuGov hosts annually does not attract much of the student body, Feliciano said.

Instead, the executive board plans to rebrand the event as a festival, with a “vibe” more similar to Coachella, he said.

The festival will feature food, games and student entertainment groups, Feliciano said, to “make this feel like this is a BU event, not just a concert that the student government is semi-funding.”

In all, StuGov will continue to put students at the forefront of their work, Wu said.

“We want to reimagine how student government works and how we can actually be a student-led government for the students,” he said.

President Gilliam announces 8 core values determined by ‘Living Our Values Initiative,’ community responds CAMPUS

BY JULIA PERIAN Contributing Writer

Boston University released the findings of its “Living Our Values Initiative” on Oct. 15, unveiling eight university-wide values.

The eight values — integrity, inclusion, community, collaboration, excellence, learning, service and global — were identified through surveys, focus groups and discussions with BU community members.

BU President Melissa Gilliam launched the initiative last fall to “identify and practice the core principles and beliefs that unite us all,” according to a letter she sent to the BU community.

“This was an opportunity for us to stop and reflect on who we are and where we want to go,” said Timothy Longman, a member of the initiative’s steering committee and associate dean for academic affairs in the Pardee School of Global Studies.

The year-long process included 94 meetings with faculty, staff, students, alumni and university

leadership, according to the Living Our Values website.

Clark Warner, a steering committee member and a lecturer in the Questrom School of Business, said these meetings included “qualitative discussions” surrounding BU’s culture.

The committee used research methods, such as analyzing how often values were said together, to determine if two values should be combined or kept separate, Warner said.

Participants also selected five values most important to them out of a longer list, Warner said, in order to narrow down the most important.

The steering committee wrote definitions for the final eight values based on their findings, published on the Living Our Values website.

BU defines inclusion as “finding strength in difference,” collaboration as “partnering for progress [and] building together” and excellence as “striving to be better tomorrow than today.”

The value learning defines education as the “soul” of BU, and service is defined as an “enduring part of Boston University’s legacy.”

JOSEPHINE KALBFLEISCH | PHOTO CO-EDITOR

A student studies on a bench behind Boston University’s Marsh Chapel near BU Beach. BU President Melissa Gilliam recently announced the findings of the Living Our Values project, revealing eight university-recognized values.

The value “global” is defined as “embracing [BU’s] global nature.”

To embrace the “global” value, the University will “actively recruit and welcome international students and scholars as vital contributors to our community,” according to the website.

Community is defined as “intentionally building common ground” by “engag[ing] in respectful dialogue across differences.”

BU College Republicans President Zac Segal, who wrote an open letter to Gilliam about conservative beliefs being “marginalized” on campus, said BU lacks space for common ground.

“There’s a lot of problems at this University with people not wanting to look at common ground and just purely looking at differences,” he said.

He added that BU’s campus is an “echo chamber” for a singular ideology.

BU College Democrats Vice President Anabil Biswas, however, does not feel BU’s culture prevents discussion.

“The current atmosphere we have right now, where anyone can involve themselves in any organization, club or group they want to, is perfectly fine and conducive to have dialogue,” he said.

The value integrity is defined as “saying and doing what we mean.”

This means BU “is committed to remaining true to its mission and values,” the initiative’s website reads.

Earth and environment professor Nathan Phillips, who reported having political signs removed from his office window by administration last semester without his consent, said his experience with BU administration has not lived up to these values.

Philips added that BU’s refusal to stand up to the Trump administration amid federal crackdowns on higher education institutions is not honoring the legacy of BU alumni.

JOSEPHINE KALBFLEISCH | PHOTO CO-EDITOR

Students walk past Wheelock College of Education and Human Development.

The Living Our Values project is currently being led by Kimberly Howard, a Wheelock professor.

He cited alum Martin Luther King Jr. and Elie Wiesel, who wrote about the obligation to speak out against injustice.

“BU’s throwing away those values, and that’s our identity,” he said. “If we don’t have that, we have no integrity.”

Phillips said the initiative “speaks to the values that our institution should have,” but does not.

“Actions speak louder than words,” he said. “I’m considering [the values] to be rhetoric, rather than actions, because the actions that have been taken are not consistent with those words.”

The initiative identified “great values for the university to aspire to,” but questioned whether they’d bring real change, Segal said.

“It’s all well writing these words on a website, but is there actually going to be any meaningful change [from this initiative] to see?” he said.

The initiative was co-led by Kimberly Howard, a professor

of counseling psychology and applied human development at the Wheelock College of Education and Development, and Sue Kennedy, BU associate vice president for Strategy and Innovation.

These values define not only what BU should aspire to, but “what BU is” Howard said. “[The initiative will] codify what we’ve already been doing and the way that we’ve already been living and working here on campus,” she said.

Releasing the eight values is just the first step, Howard said. A new steering committee will focus on community engagement efforts to ensure BU lives the values they identified.

Defining these values will guide BU moving forward, Longman said.

“These [values] become guideposts for us,” he said. “The university commits themselves to them, and so we can hold the university to them as well.”

NEWS 3

Four years after city and community climate initiatives take shape, there is still ‘a lot of work to do’ CITY

BY EMMA MULLAY Associate City Editor

AND GRACE WHINNERY DFP Writer

From planting trees to topping bus shelters with green roofs, both city-led and volunteer-run organizations are taking strides to make Boston greener.

The City’s Green New Deal, kickstarted in 2021, has launched a series of policies and programs aimed at fast-tracking decarbonization, building climate resilience and funding public transportation.

“Fundamentally, this is not just about climate,” said Hessann Farooqi, co-coordinator of the Green New Deal Coalition and executive director of the Boston Climate Action Network. “This is about reducing bills and improving the comfort and quality of life for our residents.”

City-wide programs and policies, including Boston Community Choice Electricity and Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance, are striving to improve energy efficiency across Boston.

Boston Community Choice Electricity allows the City to purchase renewable energy on behalf of residents at a rate of their choice, ensuring they are supplied energy “at a lower rate that stays lower for longer,” Farooqi said.

The program, now in its fourth year, has saved residents between $200 and $700 a year on their energy bills, Farooqi said.

“The city is now one of the largest renewable energy purchasers in all of New

England,” Farooqi said.

Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance, or BERDO, establishes requirements for large buildings to slash their greenhouse gas emissions, aiding the city in its goal to reach netzero emissions by 2050.

The ordinance enforces penalties when buildings don’t meet established standards and requires landlords to repair their buildings, which improves “day-to-day quality of life” for tenants while reducing emissions, Farooqi said.

“It is the single most important, most impactful law that we have on the books to address the climate crisis from city government,” Farooqi said.

Farooqi said around 70% of Boston’s greenhouse gas emissions come from its buildings and half of the city’s total emissions come from its largest buildings.

Buildings that BERDO regulates are responsible for approximately 40% of Boston’s total emissions, according to Aidan Callan, BERDO program manager, who wrote in an email to the Daily Free Press.

While building owners have had some difficulty navigating the logistics of BERDO compliance, the City is committed to educating property managers and providing direct technical support, wrote Callan.

The city has also targeted public transit in their mission to tackle climate resilience.

Under the Green New Deal, green roofs sprouting droughtresistant plants were installed at 30 bus stations lining the MBTA 28 Bus route last year. The roofs provide shade, improve air

quality and stormwater retention and benefit local wildlife, such as birds and pollinators.

In 2022, the City also eliminated fares for the 23, 28 and 29 buses through March 2026.

“More residents than ever get to work or to school on buses that are fast and free,” Farooqi said.

“Rider satisfaction is up, and driver satisfaction is up.”

As city-led initiatives continue to take form, community organizations are working to address climate resilience issues in their neighborhoods.

Tree Eastie, a volunteer-driven tree planting initiative founded in 2019, is focused on expanding tree coverage in East Boston, which has the lowest tree canopy coverage of any neighborhood in Boston.

“We plant trees, we maintain and nurture the trees that have already been planted and then we educate residents on the benefits the trees provide to get them to want to support our mission,” said Bill Masterson, Tree Eastie’s founder and executive director.

Tree Eastie has planted 676 trees in East Boston since it planted its first tree four years ago, and he expects to have planted 700 by the end of the year, Masterson said.

“We’re planting trees in people’s yards. We’re planting in parks, on streets, cemeteries, school yards, wherever we find the space,” Masterson said.

The average tree coverage rate in Boston is 27%. East Boston has just 7% canopy coverage.

Masterson added that Boston Logan Airport is a significant source of noise and air pollution.

“Logan Airport is in our backyard,” said Masterson.

“There’s a lot of environmental factors that we’re up against.”

Historically redlined districts, such as East Boston, tend to be subject to substantial environmental inequities, said Joelle Renstrom, a senior lecturer of rhetoric at Boston University who teaches a course about environmental justice and urban tree canopies.

“It is a concentrated, systemic

fix environmental issues without first addressing the inequalities stemming from historic redlining, said Renstrom.

Carlos Garcia, a community outreach organizer for Tree Eastie, said the organization is making efforts to garner more public interest in tree planting.

“Tree Eastie is developing in its plans to become an educational organization, along with doing the

SYDNEY WEISS | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER

Fenway Victory Park, one of Boston’s most known and applauded greenspaces.

Organizations around the city have been working to improve civilian access to greenery and pushing for energy sustainability.

effort between community leaders and banks and all of these institutions to make certain desirable areas to live absolutely inaccessible to people of color,” Renstrom said. “People of color get shunted into certain neighborhoods that are not super great.”

Areas lacking tree coverage are typically more at risk when dangerously hot temperatures arise.

It is “deeply challenging” to

heavy lifting of picking trees and getting work done on the ground,” Garcia said.

Farooqi emphasized the importance of being educated on how elected officials impact climate resilience efforts, especially ahead of next month’s city-wide elections and next year’s state-level elections.

“We have a lot of work to do at the state level in terms of climate and environmental justice,” he said.

Protests follow Fenway Health decision to end genderaffirming healthcare for patients under 19 CITY

BY TAVISHI CHATTOPADHYAY

AND BRIE FOSTER Associate City Editors

Fenway Health discontinued gender-affirming care services for patients under 19 years old in order to comply with new federal requirements from the Trump administration, according to an Oct. 13 statement released by the medical provider.

The decision comes after the Health Resources and Services Administration announced last month it will deprioritize programs offering “hormones and puberty blockers” for patients under 19, according to the statement.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wrote its actions surrounding federal health activities are “guided by gold-standard, evidence-based science,” in a statement to The Daily Free Press.

Fenway Health is a federally qualified health center, meaning it must remain compliant with HRSA regulations to continue delivering care to New Englanders, according to the statement released by the provider last week.

Josh Rovenger, legal director at GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, or GLAD Law, said the Trump administration is prohibited from tying federal funding to state-wide genderaffirming care programs because of an injunction granted by a federal judge in March.

“The administration is putting institutions like Fenway Health in impossible positions [by] trying to use these threats to cut

down this care,” Rovenger said.

“The law does not compel these institutions to do that.”

The decision has prompted outrage among the LGBTQ+ community in Boston. Dozens gathered outside the health center Oct. 17 to rally against the policy switch, which ACT UP Boston — a nonpartisan group originally started to end the AIDS crisis — organized.

More than 100 protesters chanted slogans, including “Say it loud and say it clear, trans youth are welcome here” and “No borders, no nations, trans liberation.”

Some protesters said they began their gender transition at Fenway Health or had family members who use its genderaffirming services.

Other protesters with ties to Fenway

Health are considering finding a new health provider.

Gerry Scoppettuolo, a retired HIV medical case manager and member of ACT UP Boston, said he was shocked by how Fenway Health has changed since David Scondras, one of Boston’s first openly gay city councilors, founded the center in 1971.

Isabella O’Connell, a nursing student at Salem State University, said the announcement was a “total gut punch.”

“There’s a feeling of whiplash in the trans community, where over the past five [to] 10 years, we’ve made strides to access health care and civil rights to keep us safe,” O’Connell said.

“To have them torn away like this is a huge loss and concern for us all.”

Sister Lida Christ of The

PHOTO BY TAVISHI CHATTOPADHYAY

Protesters at the Fenway Health Medical Center on Boylston Street. The center has halted gender-affirming care for patients under 19 after facing federal backlash.

Boston Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence said the decision shows “our transgender children are on the chopping block.”

At another protest outside Fenway Health Oct. 20, Teddy Walker, a Boston resident working in education, said the center was surrendering to federal threats without a fight.

“They’re giving up out of caution,” Walker said. “They’re making a cowardly deal with the Trump administration.”

Despite the change in policy, Fenway Health CEO Jordina Shanks wrote the center is committed to its LGBTQ+ patients, according to a statement released Tuesday.

“This change does not reflect our values, our belief that genderaffirming care saves lives, or our unwavering commitment to the transgender and gender-diverse community,” Shanks wrote. “It reflects a painful reality that we are working to change.”

One protester said Fenway Health’s actions set a “dangerous precedent” and will only heighten demand for these services, subsequently overwhelming other gender-affirming care providers in the city.

City Councilor Henry Santana wrote in a post on X that denying gender-affirming care for transgender youth placed them in “unacceptable risk, threatening their mental and physical well being.”

According to a 2022 study published by Jama Network, gender-affirming care has been associated with reduced risk of severe depression and suicidal ideation in people between the ages of 13 and 20. The study found transgender patients who

received hormone therapy and puberty blockers were 60% less likely to experience moderate to severe depression and 73% less likely to have suicidal thoughts.

“For trans youth, for queer youth or gender-expansive youth, it’s life-changing access. This is life-saving access,” Shaplaie Brooks, executive director for the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth, said.

She added the reductions in care are “devastating.” “[Fenway Health] were devastated to have to make an impossible choice between following their mission and staying open for residents who rely on them,” Councilor Sharon Durkan, who recently spoke with the center, said during a Boston City Council meeting this Wednesday.

The Boston City Council passed a resolution supporting gender-affirming care at the meeting.

A Monday statement from the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ+ Youth called Fenway Health’s statement “deeply flawed” and “shortsighted and avoidable.” However, Brooks said it was important to band together in the aftermath.

“We can’t do anything for us without all of us,” she said.

At the Oct. 17 protest, Casey Pons, the board chair for the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, said there is a network for trans youth who will “continue to love and fight.”

“We are here,” said Michelle Tat, a board member of the MTPC, at the same protest. “We see you. We hear you. We are going to fight tooth and nail to protect you.”

44FEATURES

‘Nobody is free until all of us are free’: 19th annual Boston Palestine Film Festival aims to combat censorship on screen ARTS

BY OLIVIA RUZIC Senior Writer

AND BRONTË MASSUCCO DFP Writer

For nearly two decades, the Boston Palestine Film Festival has presented more than 300 films exploring various facets of Palestinian life, culture and hardship. In its 19th year, the festival is holding screenings across multiple Boston-area theaters and cultural institutions from Oct. 17 to 26.

“I feel like we are giving an avenue to a Palestinian voice and perspective that is largely lost in Western media,” said Fatima Razzaq, an executive committee member for the festival.

This year, the festival comes at a crucial time.

In addition to the recent ceasefire in Gaza, broader concerns about censorship of Palestinian media in the United States have grown.

Despite winning an Oscar and grossing $2.5 million at the box office, the 2024 Palestinian film “No Other Land” received no distribution offers.

Razzaq said she was nervous about backlash when she first started working with the festival, but so far negative feedback has been few and far between.

“Our reception is very positive, and I think that’s because we really position ourselves as a cultural and educational thing, and that just inherently feels welcoming,” she said.

Community engagement has always been an intentional cornerstone of the festival. In the past, BPFF has collaborated with local organizations including the Boston chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace and Brookline Booksmith, as well as other film festivals in the area.

When selecting programming for the festival, Razzaq said BPFF considers films viewers may want to see as well as programming intended to educate their audience.

“We tend to have this mixed bag of films that are geared towards folks that are already sort of fluent in the Palestinian cause and Palestinian culture, and then also films that are more educational and really seeking to engage folks in the discussion anew,” she said.

“Our program does a good job of balancing between those two things.”

Among the numerous films that streamed at the festival was “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk,” which screened at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge on Tuesday.

The 2025 documentary, about Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona, captures her day-to-day life while living through war and famine. Hassona was killed in an airstrike one day after the film was announced as a contender for Cannes Film Festival.

Aida Abujoub said she attended the festival to view films highlighting Palestinian humanity and culture.

PHOTO BY BRONTË MASSUCCO

Spectators in the audience for the 19th annual Boston Palestine Film Festival, hosted by the Museum of Fine Arts. The festival features stories across the sea, aiming to unite Palestinian-Americans and educate local communities about history and culture.

“[The festival] shows them as humans, like any other human being who [is] struggling for their freedom and wants to live free,” she said. “Nobody is free until all of us are free.”

Festival attendee Johnny Guzman said “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” gave him an opportunity to have a more uniquely personal insight into the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“We may never know the full scope of the situation, but stories like these are true, and that’s what’s most important,” he said.

Another festival attendee, David Aitcheson echoed a similar sentiment.

“There’s not enough information about Palestinians and what their world is like,” he said. “By coming here, I am giving some support to having the

information out there.”

Amidst the divisiveness in discourse surrounding the IsraelPalestine conflict, Razzaq said the film festival is meant to provide a space for the Palestinian perspective.

“That is what we’re all about,” she said. “Promoting the Palestinian perspective, the Palestinian voice, the Palestinian experience, and making sure that there is a place for it.”

Local organizations collaborate over shared mission at No Kings protest COMMUNITY

BY JULIA PERMIAN Contributing Writer

From climate activists to immigrant rights organizers, two dozen state-based organizations united to execute Boston’s second No Kings protest in Copley Square Oct. 18.

The event joined a larger series of nationwide protests opposing the Trump administration.

Groups with a variety of focus areas gathered to address social, economic and environmental issues.

“Protests like this are important because it sends a signal to the people we are protesting that we will not sit back quietly and let democracy be undermined,” Rahsaan Hall, the protest’s emcee and president of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, said.

The three primary organizers of the protest — M a s s 50501, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and Indivisible Mass Coalition — partnered with organizations to

include “action tables,” so people could learn to sustain activism beyond the event, said Rebecca Winter, executive director of Mass 50501.

“These days of action are great for rallying people together and for solidarity, but we really need to keep pressure on Washington every single day for us to be successful,” Winter said.

Organizations showed up to advocate for and support communities affected by the Trump administration’s policies regarding immigration, education, housing and climate.

La Colaborativa, an organization that supports Latinx immigrant communities in Greater Boston by providing social and economic support to families, attended the event. Director of Impact Philip White said the group joined to spread safety information, recruit volunteers and protest recent activity by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Regardless of someone’s legal citizenship, White said, if someone is “in the wrong place at the wrong time and a shade too dark,” there’s a possibility they could be detained.

“By the time you get back after six weeks, you’ve missed rent, you haven’t shown up to your job and you have to start from scratch all over again,” White said. “It’s setting people back by decades.”

Among other groups attending was the Educational Freedom Project, a student-led coalition founded at Northeastern University aimed at safeguarding higher education by holding institutions accountable. Members protesting said education has been threatened under Trump’s second term.

Their members worked to garner support for a petition calling for educational reforms at Northeastern, which includes administration transparency, student support and greater speech rights on campus at the protest.

“I have an obligation to fight for [higher education] to be what I know that it can be,” Jenssen Sebree, an EFP member and senior at Northeastern, said.

Fred Davis, president of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network, said that despite the Trump administration’s “antiscience” rhetoric, it’s important to note the majority of Americans do

AVA RUBIN | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER

Protesters hold signs at the No Kings protest at Boston Common Oct. 18. No Kings rallies took place nationwide, and this was Boston’s second No Kings protest since the Trump administration took office in January.

DANIEL GARBER | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER

A protester wears a shirt in support of immigration at the Boston No Kings protest.

believe climate change is real and needs to be addressed.

M C A N primarily advocates for various statewide legislations involving the climate and decarbonization efforts.

“Even though loud people are DANIEL GARBER | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER saying things Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks at the No loudly, never Kings protest. believe that it’s true or that other people believe people she serves have faced even it,” Davis said. greater hardship.

Homes for All Massachusetts, “I’ve seen food pantries running a coalition of tenant organizing out of food within the first 20 groups, aimed to connect to a minutes. I’m seeing people suffer country-wide movement and from chronic homelessness [and] strengthen the Commonwealth having no outlets,” she said. through protesting, said Executive “We’ve lost the ability to give Director Carolyn Chou. people subsidies for their housing.”

“Stabilizing our communities, Bonadio said her patriotism and making sure working class people protection of her rights motivated can stay in our cities and towns her to protest. and limit[ing] the way corporate “The crux of America is being landlords can exploit tenants and able to come out and protest when everyday people is a critical part of you think that your government is how we build a strong movement corrupt. So we’re executing our and fight for democracy,” Chou rights here,” she said. “We love this said. country, and we want it to serve Social worker Annie Bonadio its people, and it’s not serving its said since Trump took office, the people right now.”

FEATURES 5

BU’s luxury business club partners with LVMH to adorn student resumes with high-end success BUSINESS

BY JOHN TATUM

Associate Business Editor

When you hear the word “luxury,” you may think of diamonds, marble floors and expert tailoring. While these are all features, a club in Boston University’s Questrom School of Business wants its members to dive into the business beyond the glamour.

The Retail, Luxury and Consumer Association, founded last fall, seeks to connect students with the world of luxury through talks with professionals from luxury industries, an alumni mentorship program and a

consulting program partnered with prominent luxury brands.

Min Choi, founder and president of RLC and a Questrom senior, said her vision for the club was to “bridge the gap” between students and the luxury industry.

“Students have the perception that the luxury industry is very hard to break into,” she said. “[RLC exists] really to provide a lot of opportunities for students to get hands-on experience.”

This semester, RLC partnered with Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy — one of the biggest luxury conglomerates in the world, owning brands such as Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Loewe — for its consulting program.

COURTESY OF RLC

Mikaela Lim, Joleen Chng, Polyxeni Politis and Tiffany Nguyen of the Retail, Luxury and Consumer Association. As a part of the Boston University Questrom School of Business, RLC was formed to assist students interested in breaking into the luxury industry.

RLC members are currently working with two of LVMH’s 75 maisons, or luxury brands — RIMOWA, a luxury suitcase brand, and Acqua di Parma, a fragrance, hygiene and home goods brand.

For this semester’s consulting program, 42 seniors and juniors were divided into teams, each with the goal of marketing pitches for promotional pop-ups associated with RLC’s brand partners, which they will present to Questrom professors at the end of the semester. The professors will then select the team with the best pitch, and present it to marketing teams from the two brands.

Questrom juniors Tiffany Nguyen and Xenia Politis, vice presidents of curriculum for RLC, lead weekly meetings for members of the consulting program to learn about business principles and how to apply them to their pitches.

Choi said she wants students to know that the luxury and fashion industries welcome everyone, not just those interested in the marketing and public relations side of it.

“This industry is so diverse, and there’s a function and a department for everyone, from engineering to sourcing to data,” she said. “It’s a huge industry, and people should really take all the different opportunities that [are] offered.”

Within RLC, Choi said there are students across all the schools and colleges at BU, including Questrom, the College of Communication and the School of Hospitality Administration.

There are also students in the

COURTESY OF RLC

The Director of Four Seasons gives a presentation to Retail, Luxury and Consumer Association members. RLC recently partnered with several luxury brands for their consulting program.

program studying engineering, computer science and other STEM fields.

For students in Questrom, RLC helps broaden the scope of business beyond its conventional paths, Choi said.

“When I came into Questrom in my freshman year, I felt really pressured that I had to pursue the traditional path of finance and consulting,” Choi said. “I really wanted to show that I don’t have to follow that path, and I can choose an industry that I am passionate about.”

Amid wider economic trouble, the luxury market is currently experiencing its first “luxury slowdown” in 15 years, with an estimated market shrinkage of

2% to 5%, according to Women’s Wear Daily.

Nonetheless, RLC’s leadership is still confident about the industry’s future. “[In] this industry, people who buy luxury will always buy luxury, so I think the consumers will always stay,” Choi said.

While talking with her RLC mentor about the history and future of luxury, Nguyen said she realized the industry is not going anywhere.

“Luxury is a state of mind.

It’s how you carry yourself, how you dress and I think generally, people want to be perceived as pretty put together,” Nguyen said. “So I think luxury is gonna always be around.”

BU researchers receive nearly $200K grant to monitor air pollution in Boston Public Schools SCIENCE

BY MOHAN ZHANG DFP Writer

When mold, pollen and other air pollutants circulate, headaches, asthma and even respiratory illness can follow. For students, who often spend hours in the same building each day, this could be dangerous and could ultimately hinder learning.

Boston Public Schools, a school district serving over 48,000 students across 121 buildings and 17 neighborhoods, knows this — which is why they’ve teamed up with a group of Boston University researchers dedicated to finding a solution.

As part of the 2025 Community Clean Air Grant, Mayor Michelle Wu announced Sept. 30 that the Trustees of Boston University, in partnership with BPS, will receive $194,691 to pilot and assess a new air quality monitoring system.

Patricia Fabián, a BU School of Public Health professor and director of Sustainable Built Environment Lab, is spearheading a research team working on the initiative — named the Clean Air, Health and School Sustainability project, or CHESS. The team has already been working with BPS for the last three years, gathering millions of data points from existing BPS sensors, recording indoor temperature, air ventilation rate and carbon dioxide levels, said Pilar Botana, a team member and SPH doctoral student.

In return, the team reports to BPS on which schools require cooling interventions and where to improve ventilation, helping reduce disease transmission, Botana said.

Now, this funding will help the team implement a fully-developed system into the schools by paying

them for their time and effort.

Jinho Lee, a CHESS team member and BU postdoctoral student in SPH, said a new phase of the project, which started in September, will last two years.

The team is currently building a foundation, developing a plan to apply the actual pilot experiment next year.

The goal of the entire project, Lee said, is to protect students and school staff by making them more aware of air pollutants and how to

combat them.

Beverly Ge, a team member and SPH doctoral student, said the air sensors focus specifically on detecting PM2.5, which she said is widely regarded as “an extremely harmful air pollutant.”

PM2.5 is an air particle that sizes to approximately 2.5 micrometers — 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. When inhaled deeply, these particles can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular issues, according to the Environmental Protection

Agency.

With climate change making natural disasters like wildfires more frequent, Botana said more homes and schools are going to suffer worsened air quality.

“It’s important to put in place a system that ensures we are able to detect events of peaks of poor air quality outdoors and prevent this pollution from coming indoors or, if it comes indoors, to have a plan that can clean the air,” Botana said.

Lee said once the project is

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People enter the Boston Public Schools headquarters in the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Roxbury. Mayor Michelle Wu announced Boston University will receive a nearly $200,000 grant as part of the 2025 Community Clean Air Grant to initiate a new air pollution monitoring system for BPS.

complete, whenever an outdoor event disrupts a BPS school’s indoor air quality, the school will be notified of the event and the steps they’d need to take to lower pollutant levels.

The project will provide schools with simple, feasible strategies to combat air pollution and test their effectiveness, he said. “[It won’t be] a super sophisticated, rocket science prevention approach,” Lee said.

“We are trying to use interventions or strategies that everyone can use, like turning on the air purifier or … closing windows frequently or avoiding outdoor activities.”

Ge said Fabián first reached out when she noticed BPS had installed indoor air quality sensors during the COVID-19 pandemic after public concern arose over wildfire smoke getting into buildings.

With the newly provided funding, Ge said the team will be able to expand the school’s initiative even further.

“When we found out about this funding opportunity … it felt like a really great overlap between something we’d already heard the schools ask for and this funding opportunity, which would allow us to, as researchers, step in and help bring that original idea they had to another level, using our scientific expertise,” Ge said.

Lee said he hopes the project will help set a new policy for maintaining indoor air quality both citywide and nationwide.

Botana said the team is dedicated to ensuring students can go to school without facing the health risks associated with air pollutants.

“Within the CHESS team, we will continue to focus on ensuring good environments for school students that promote wellbeing and optimal learning,” Botana said.

612 FEATURES & SPORTS

BU alum runs Boston Marathon to fund 3D prosthetic printer for Ukrainian hospital, aiding amputees COMMUNITY

BY JACK SCHWED Business & Science Editor

Mariia Yelizarova was a sophomore at Boston University when she crossed the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon, the site of a bombing that left three dead and more than 200 injured.

Thirteen years later, she plans to run the marathon again — only now, her finish line will be at a hospital in Lviv, Ukraine.

In 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion in Yelizarova’s home country of Ukraine. As of February, nearly 380,000 Ukrainians were reported injured, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with NBC News.

In an effort to support those wounded in the war, Yelizarova is running to raise money for 3D printers that will create prosthetic limb sockets.

“My parents still live in Ukraine,” Yelizarova said. “So it’s really important for me to be able to help the war effort for the war to end as quickly as possible.”

While there were a variety of ways to fundraise for this cause, Yelizarova said she chose to run the marathon to symbolize the resilience both Boston and Ukraine have shown in face of tragedy.

“The following days after the bombing were the days where I truly felt like a Bostonian, because I felt a huge, deep connection to the city, and I felt really angry that it was attacked in this way,” she said.

A month after the invasion started, Yelizarova said she traveled to Poland with about 150 kilograms of humanitarian aid, donated to her by Boston residents. She then stayed for two weeks, volunteering as a translator and logistical coordinator for a refugee center housing people who fled from Ukraine, she said.

Upon returning to Boston, she joined the board of two charity organizations that regularly host

fundraisers to support Ukrainians amid the war, she said.

“I can’t just stay at home and do nothing. I have to do something,” Yelizarova said. “So I do whatever I can to the best of my ability to help my home country.”

Last month, Yelizarova met Dave Fortier, founder and president of the One World Strong Foundation, a nonprofit started

by Boston Marathon bombing survivors to support others who have endured traumatic events.

Each year, the foundation assembles a team of around 10 people to participate in the Boston Marathon, with each person supporting a different cause, Fortier said.

“It was a very easy decision to pick Mariia to be on the team,” he said. “Her passion was clear.”

Yelizarova knew she would run for Ukraine, but she wanted to “narrow down” her mission even further, she said.

Meanwhile, Michael Gorski, general manager of Proteor Print, traveled to Ukraine to showcase his 3D printers to humanitarian organizations.

The technology is “much more efficient and much cleaner” than traditional methods, Gorski said.

With this technology, a technician can scan an amputated limb using an iPhone camera, upload the 3D file to the printer and create a socket that perfectly fits the residual limb for a prosthetic to be attached.

He added there is a growing need for prosthetic limbs due to an increasing rate of drone attacks, which he said is almost a guaranteed lower leg amputation for those hit.

Gorski said he has seen the impact these prosthetic limbs can have. For example, he shared how a Ukrainian veteran in his early 20s lost his leg in the war to a landmine, leaving him bedridden for months.

As soon as the man received his socket from the digital 3D printer, Gorski said, the man immediately burst into tears.

“Being able to see the

technology that we developed here in Pennsylvania transforming the lives of those in Ukraine for such a horrible tragedy that’s happening over there, it’s just very meaningful to me,” Gorski said.

When he arrived in Ukraine in September, Gorski demonstrated this technology to Oleksandr Kobzarev, executive director of The UNBROKEN Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit hospital network dedicated to treating wounded Ukrainians.

Gorski said after their conversation, Kobzarev was intrigued and reached out to One World Strong to help raise money to implement these printers into

UNBROKEN’s facilities.

Fortier connected them both to Yelizarova, and the fundraising kicked off on Oct. 7. Days after publicly launching the campaign, she has raised almost $1,000.

The price of one printer is $25,000, but Yelizarova aims to raise enough money for several due to the high demand for prosthetics in Ukraine, she said.

“There are lines of people waiting for prosthetics,” she said.

“It really hugely improves the quality of life of a person who just suffered a hugely traumatic event.”

However, Yeliroza said this is only the first step toward her ultimate goal: for a recipient of

one of these prosthetics to run the Boston Marathon.

“The same resilience that Boston had to show after the bombing is the same resilience that Ukrainians are showing right now, every day during the war,” she said. “Running the Boston Marathon would just be an ultimate testament to that.”

Yelizarova said it is really important for people to support their community, especially during a time of struggle.

“Sometimes, people hesitate to do anything because they don’t feel like what they’re doing is a lot,” she said. “But I think that in the grand scheme of things, every little bit helps.”

COURTESY OF MARIIA YELIZAROVA

Michael Gorski, general manager of Proteor Print, and Mariia Yelizarova, a Boston University alum, pose for a photo while Yelizarova holds a 3D printed socket for a prosthetic leg. Yelizarova, who was inspired after witnessing the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, helped kick off a fundraiser to give Ukrainian hospitals digital 3D printers to create prosthetic limbs for those injured in the invasion.

Title Town Takes: Mike Vrabel gets the best of his former team, Celtics fall short in season-opener, Marchand returns COLUMN

BY TROY BOLDUC Contributing Writer

The New England Patriots New England Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel returned to his old stomping grounds where he defeated the Tennessee Titans 3113 on Sunday. It was the Patriots’ fourth consecutive victory and fifth overall on the season, surpassing their number of wins from each of the last two seasons.

Tennessee’s ownership must be kicking themselves for letting

Vrabel go, especially after firing his successor, Brian Callahan, last week. Vrabel has already won more games this season than the Titans have won since they fired him in January 2024.

Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels called a balanced game and established a strong run game while Rhamondre Stevenson led the team with 88 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

The Patriots’ receiver room has been regarded as one of the league’s weakest in recent years.

But this narrative needs to stop.

Their product on the field has

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proved there is real talent in this room.

Stefon Diggs continues to be a team leader, and his football expertise is evident. The veteran pass-catcher led the team in both receptions and receiving yards on Sunday.

Some respect also needs to be put on Kayshon Boutte’s name.

This season, he has showcased his strong hands and feel for route running. He is a true deep threat for Drake Maye and demands the attention of opposing defenses.

Although his snap count has been limited, DeMario Douglas has made the most of the opportunities he’s been given, especially the past two weeks.

On Maye’s only true errant throw of the game, Douglas made an incredible catch on fourth down that set up Stevenson’s score.

After a slow start to the game, the Patriots’ defense rallied and put together an impressive performance. It kept Tennessee scoreless in the second half and even scored a touchdown of its own thanks to a Cam Ward mishap.

K’Lavon Chaisson played a breakout game, recording two sacks and a scoop-and-score.

The 2020 first-round pick’s performance earned him the AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

The Patriots sit at 5-2 on the

season and currently hold the No. 2 seed in the AFC. They look to continue their success on Sunday, where they will face the 2-5 Cleveland Browns.

The Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are back for the 2025-26 season but started the season 0-1 after dropping their season-opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, 117-116, on Wednesday.

The Celtics led by as many as 13 points in the beginning of the fourth quarter, but the performances of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe put the 76ers over the top. Edgecombe’s 34 points were the most in an NBA debut since Wilt Chamberlain in 1959.

Boston is still going to be reliant on hitting three-pointers to find success.

When teams live or die by the three, they can get burned — and that’s what happened to the Celtics. They shot an inadequate 25.6% to Philadelphia’s 40% from behind the arc.

With under 10 seconds remaining, Boston had two opportunities to reclaim the lead but wasn’t able to capitalize.

When time is a factor, you don’t always get the looks you want, but the team needed to find a way to get the ball to Jaylen Brown, especially with two different

chances.

The Celtics will be forced to find a new identity with Jayson Tatum out for the foreseeable future due to an achilles tear.

Brown — whose 25 points tied the team-high — steps in as the face of the team, and he needs to be given the opportunities that come with that.

With offseason departures raising questions about the Celtics’ frontcourt, Neemias Queta got the start and stepped up. In 25 minutes, Queta put up 17 points and a team-high eight rebounds. If he can correct his fouling issues, he will serve as a solid starting center for this Celtics team.

The Celtics enter Madison Square Garden on Friday to face the Knicks for the first time since New York eliminated Boston in the Conference Semifinals last year.

The Boston Bruins Brad Marchand made his emotional return to play on Tuesday in Boston for the first time since the Bruins traded him to the Florida Panthers in March.

Boston honored him with a tribute video, and he received a standing ovation from Bruins fans.

Marchand’s two assists helped the Panthers take down the Bruins 4-3. Boston is now 3-5-0 and sits at No. 6 in the Atlantic Division.

SPORTS 7

New in Terrier town: Men’s soccer newcomers find their footing and fuel the team’s offense

BY GABBY CHURCH Senior Writer

The last time a true freshman scored the Boston University men’s soccer team’s seasonopening goal, most of the current players weren’t alive.

It was 2003, and then-freshman forward Anders Ostli scored a solo goal for BU’s lone mark in a 4-1 loss against the University of South Carolina.

Twenty-two years later, on the road against the University of New Hampshire, freshman defender Austin Mobray got a hold of a pass over the top in the 48th minute. With a Wildcat defender crowding him, the 18-year-old got just outside the 6-yard box, got a shot off and then hit the inside of the post.

Mere inches separated Mobray’s first-career assist from being a first-career goal — the deflection instead finished by senior forward Alex Bonnington.

The opportunities would continue to come for the freshman and the other incoming players. Mobray’s early-season point only previewed what was to come from the 2025 recruiting class.

During the offseason, BU added 10 players to its roster: four transfers and six freshmen. After the team witnessed the largest percentage decline in goalscoring in the Patriot League from 2023 to 2024, it was apparent that there were holes to patch.

“Coming into this year specifically, one of the areas that we felt we could improve upon was goal-scoring opportunities and production,” Head Coach Kevin Nylen said. “[We] didn’t score many goals in the ‘24 season, but also, there’s an element of wanting to become a little more dangerous in terms of how we play.”

From the jump, the newest recruiting class has helped the team do exactly that — and then some.

Mobray introduced the group to the stats sheet at UNH, and after his first-career goal when the team played Brown about two weeks later, the freshman earned his first of two Patriot League Rookie of the Week awards.

“There’s a lot of pressure going on as a freshman, but the guys have been great [in] supporting us,” Mobray said. “When I come on the field, I have a lot of confidence, and I trust in the guys, and they trust me as well.”

Two games after the season opener, as the Terriers dominated the College of Charleston 5-1, Mobray recorded an assist, and four newcomers — senior midfielder Ethan Gill, freshman midfielder Sebastian Otero, junior forward Lapo Romieri and sophomore midfielder Pharis Petrica — all opened their accounts for the Terriers.

At Boston College, Romieri and freshman defender Anthony Harper combined for BU’s lone goal. Beyond that, Harper has been getting valuable experience while providing quality minutes as a defensive midfielder among a core of seniors in that area.

In the Terriers’ whirlwind upset over Bucknell University, freshmen and transfers led the charge: Petrica, Gill and Otero scored goals — Otero with his second of three game-winners — while assists came from Romieri and Petrica.

Sophomore midfielder Jack Grossman got his first-career goal a little over two weeks later against Northeastern University while Otero and Petrica bolstered their assists totals.

In all but one game in which the Terriers scored this season, at least one new recruit has been involved, proving the newcomers’ technical quality and their ability to read and connect with returning players.

“Since the minute I got here, [it’s been] a family dynamic all around,” Gill said. “We’re just a great group, and we’ve gelled

really well coming into the last stretch of the season.”

As of Oct. 23, five of the top six points-talliers are new: Petrica leads the team with 13, Gill follows with 11, Romieri comes in fourth with eight and Otero with seven, followed by Mobray with six. “[It] provides the confidence knowing that [we] have so much depth and competition from everybody every day, which drives you to be in your best form every day,” Nylen explained.

“It’s raised our level of training [and] the level of competition amongst players in a really good way.”

While contributing more overall under Nylen than any other batch of first-season Terriers, this group also makes up a greater proportion of the team’s total goal contributions than prior recruiting classes.

New players represent just over one-third of the roster and have played 33% of minutes this season. Though this group is made up of more midfielders and forwards than other recruiting classes, meaning this level of production should be expected — their performance is still impressive given their short adjustment period.

They’ve contributed almost 65% of the team’s points — nearly 61% of assists and twothirds of the goals.

The only season under Nylen with similar production from newcomers was 2020, which was shortened to only four games, and therefore is a weak comparison.

New additions played over 55% of the total minutes that year.

Among all standard-length seasons in the Nylen era, 2025 is a standout. The next-closest is 2021, where new players had 44% of goals, about 36% of assists and 42% of points.

The Terriers have played 13 of 16 regular-season games so far.

At the current rate, the recruits would be expected to contribute

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

Freshman defender Austin Mobray, freshman midfielder Sebastian Otero and sophomore transfer midfielder Jack Grossman of the Boston University men’s soccer team. The group was celebrating their first goal of the season against the Northeastern University Huskies on Oct. 14.

three or four Goals Scored by Season more goals and record nearly New Recruits vs Total four to five assists through the remaining three games.

T h i s s e a s o n ’s freshmen and incoming transfers have been huge for the team’s success as it chases another regular-season title and to get back to the Patriot League final.

What this group has shown this season should lend assurance Group New recruits Total in continued conference contention for seasons to come, here at BU, I’m super excited and the staff deserves its flowers [about] what we’re going to see in the years to come.” for effective recruiting.

Through the end of the season, “I look at the size of the group and the production that they’ve these players will continue to had on the field as a young group, be key as the Terriers attempt to and it excites me more,” Nylen clinch a spot in the postseason, said. “If this is what we’re seeing secure favorable seeding and then in the early days of their careers play through mid-November.

Brendan Fitzgerald is on his path from Cape Cod to UFC booth

BY KYLE APPLEBY Associate Sports Editor

“How about that view?”

Brendan Fitzgerald panned his camera from his hotel room to the sunrise-bathed skyline of Vancouver, Canada.

He was in the Great White North to call UFC Fight Night: de Ridder vs. Allen, the latest stop on his winding journey to the apex of mixed martial arts.

Though job opportunities have taken him back and forth across the United States, since childhood, Fitzgerald had little

doubt about where he’d end up.

“Once I figured out [broadcasting] was a job, it was pretty cut and dried,” he said. “I was sitting in math class in sixth grade [thinking], ‘I’m going to be on TV at some point talking about sports.’”

Growing up in Cape Cod, Fitzgerald had plenty of broadcast inspiration to draw from. Boston’s domination of the four major sports — baseball, basketball, football and hockey — played a large role in his beginnings in broadcasting.

“Boston gives you the perfect

JOSEPHINE KALBFLIECH | PHOTO CO-EDITOR

A student scrolls through Brendan Fitzgerald’s channel on Youtube. The UFC announcer opened up about his love of Boston and fondness for songwriting and music in an interview with The Daily Free Press.

example of what you want to be,” he said. “Seeing the sports production at the highest level with your favorite teams was just awesome.”

Fitzgerald specifically cited the work of legendary Boston-area professional sports commentators Jack Edwards, Gil Santos and Don Orsillo. “[Boston’s] a big city that feels like a small town — everybody’s in it together,” Fitzgerald said.

“I think that’s why a lot of broadcasters do come out of Boston.”

While his formative years in Massachusetts shaped his broadcast instincts, mixed martial arts was an entirely new world.

Fitzgerald had never called a fight before when he auditioned for the play-by-play role on “Dana White’s Contender Series.”

In fact, he had little knowledge of mixed martial arts as a whole, and his shows usually spanned an hour or less. Now, he was being asked to head a roughly two-hour show — and eventually, spend six hours in front of the camera at once.

“Going from three-to-five minute news segments to hosting a 30-minute show on ESPNU was a big step up,” Fitzgerald said.

“There’s no other sport that does what we do.”

His prior experiences in broadcasting helped Fitzgerald develop into a mixed martial arts commentator on the fly.

“I went to Wyoming, and I covered rodeos and high school sports, and I went down to south Texas and I was a minority there, and so you can figure your way through a lot of stuff,” he said.

That mentality can also be crucial when the highly unpredictable nature of the sport is made evident, even after years of broadcast experience.

In May, Maycee Barber withdrew from her main event slot against Erin Blanchfield just as the fighters were set to walk out.

“That’s the job description for calling a fight, right? Not knowing how the fight is going to go, and then calling it and picking the words in real time,” Fitzgerald said. “You lean back on your training as a broadcaster, and you relay the information to the fans as good as you can.”

However, his role as the lead play-by-play announcer is not just to explain what he sees, but to craft the story of each fight.

“My job is to make [each fight] a big deal to the fans at home who have never heard of [the fighters],” he said. “What can you tell them that makes them care in that moment and elevate whatever moment they have to be even bigger?

The storytelling doesn’t end with the main event for Fitzgerald. A few days later, he typically sits down with his guitar to write and perform a song about the event to post on Instagram.

The idea for UFC-related

country songs had kicked around in his head for a few years, but an Eric Church concert inspired Fitzgerald to focus on guitar and develop his talent.

“I should probably start doing this UFC song idea that’s been in my head — start it, see what comes of it,” he said. “I think it just caught so many people by surprise.”

Fellow UFC commentator Laura Sanko advocated for a song for each card, and Fitzgerald obliged. Many now eagerly await the weekly video to see how Fitzgerald spins the narrative of the event into song.

“It’s a creative outlet that’s related to my job, that can draw me closer to fans [and] fighters,” he said. “It’s been a hell of a lot of fun.”

He’s not concerned with any career opportunities the songwriting might provide — besides a potential collaboration with a country superstar. On the career front, he’s satisfied with where he is.Fitzgerald has joined his idols as a broadcaster who reached the pinnacle of their respective sport.

One thing stood out the most to him about the quest to achieve his boyhood dream: “to step back and know that what you hoped for is possible.”

“You have to want to do something. You have to have the courage to go for it, and you have to have the belief that you can do it,” he said. “Even though it’s tough, you can do it.”

82PHOTO

Head of the Charles Regatta teams show out on the water

BY JENNY CHEN Layout Co-Editor

Spectators from all around the world lined the banks and bridges of the Charles River from Oct. 17 to 19 to watch the 60th annual Head of the Charles Regatta, the world’s largest rowing competition. Starting at the Boston University DeWolfe Boathouse, more than 11,000 rowers participated in the 74 events, with over 11,750 rowers aged 11 to 90 competing in a “head” regatta — a three-mile race in which boats depart at 15-second intervals and race against the clock. Multiple college rowing teams competed in the regatta, with competitors ranging from high school competitors to Olympian athletes.

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Boats sailing on the Charles River during the Head of the Charles, a three-day rowing event that took place from Oct. 17-19.

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Rowers sail toward Andersen Memorial Bridge, a landmark connecting Allston and Cambridge.

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A rower from Harvard University carries a boat back from rowing.

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A rower sets up his boat at Herter Park.

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Spectators watch the regatta from the top balcony of Cambridge Boat Club.

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A rower makes a turn around the bend across from the Cambridge Boat Club.

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A volunteer sets up the trophies for the winners of the Head of the Charles Regatta. More than 800 clubs with a total of 2,685 entries participated in the regatta.

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The BU women’s rowing team, consisting of eight competitors, rows on the Charles River near Harvard University’s Newell Boathouse.

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A spectator and rower embrace before the boat launches.

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Rowers steer a four-seated boat on the Charles River.

PHOTO39

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Spectators watch the Head of the Charles Regatta from the Cambridge Boat Club.

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BU’s women’s eight crew passes under Andersen Bridge.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

The BU Women’s Alumnae Eights rows on the Charles River.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

Spectators point out specific boats from the bank of the Charles River.

Harvard University lightweight rower Kevin Wu holds up a shaka sign before launching his boat.

Harvard’s men’s lightweight rowing team competed on Oct. 19 and received first place — the program’s fourth consecutive Head of the Charles victory.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

A boat with a single rower racing on the Charles River.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

A rower carries an eight boat out of Newell Boathouse for a launch.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

An eight-seated boat rows under the Andersen Memorial Bridge.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

Cambridge Boat Club sitting along the Charles River. Flags from multiple countries adorn the boathouse, as spectators watch and rowers sail off.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

An eight-seated boat racing on the Charles River.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

Harvard University heavyweight rower Kevin Weldon smiles as he walks out to launch their boat.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

Fans hold up signs to support the Boston University women’s rowing team on Andersen Memorial Bridge.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

A four-seated boat from Harvard University rows toward the starting line of the regatta.

JENNY CHEN | LAYOUT CO-EDITOR

Yale University alumni shake hands at Herter Park.

10 4 ADVERTISEMENT

GAMES 11

12

EDITORIAL BOARD THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY YEAR LVI. VOLUME A. ISSUE IV. Published Friday, October 24, 2025.

The Daily Free Press is published Sunday through Thursday during the academic year, except during vacation and exam periods, by Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc., a nonprofit corporation operated by Boston University students. Copyright © 2025 Back Bay Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

Lauren Albano, Editor-in-Chief Samantha Genzer, Managing Co-Editor Crystal Yormick, Managing Co-Editor Sam Mandala, Campus Co-Editor Elizabeth Mehler, Campus Co-Editor Liam Dunne, City Co-Editor Leia Green, City Co-Editor Karyna Cheung, Investigative Editor Kailyn Smith, Sports Editor Sophie Shatzky, Arts & Community Editor Jack Schwed, Business & Science Editor Anjola Odukoya, Opinion Co-Editor Ada Sussman, Opinion Co-Editor Erica Schwartz, Lifestyle Editor Josie Kalbfleisch, Photo Co-Editor Isabella Oland, Photo Co-Editor Emma Jee, Master of Games Mia Kitaeff, Multimedia Editor Andrew Lay, Podcast Editor Jenny Chen, Layout Co-Editor Emma Clement, Graphics Editor & Layout Co-Editor

ACROSS 1. Peter the Great, e.g.

5. Gave out cards 10. Networking meeting with coffee 14. Loser in Aesop’s race 15. Bow’s counterpart 16. Attendance response 17. Saxby’s drink option 18. John of philosophy 19. Jack, to the door in “The Shining” 20. Stopped texting 22. “BTW...”

24. Norse goddess 25. Language suffix 26. Remedy for 45-Across 30. Oldest performing arts group at BU 32. Grover in “Percy Jackson & the Olympians” 35. Red Sox figs.

36. Bio. energy molecule 38. Area for vehicles 39. Some social media handles, for short 40. October 31st?

45. Freshman sickness 46. Fish egg 47. Canola, e.g.

48. Charged particle 49. Newbury Street component 51. “Take Me Home,

Country __” 55. Light signal 57. BU ENG and CAS majors combined?

59. Billie Eilish album “L’AMOUR DE MA ___” 60. Start over 62. Lighted pumpkin 64. With 55-Across, Boston trick-or-treat locale 67. BC, to BU 69. Singles, in money 70. Type of exam 71. Superior 72. Brownish purple 73. Fuller’s Pub bills 74. Voltaire’s beliefs 75. Workout units DOWN 1. Chicken options 2. Scented packet 3. Iris part 4. BU colors 5. Valleys 6. Wears away 7. Physics trajectory 8. Father of 24-Across 9. Age Taylor Swift feels?

10. Scarlet Witch’s type of magic 11. Witch’s spell 12. “___ you serious?!”

13. “Thank you for coming to my ___ Talk” 21. Part of a vampire costume

23. Winter tree 27. Makeshift knife 28. Compulsion 29. BU timesheet platform, for short 31. Lass 33. To go, in Paris 34. As well 37. Worked with another, as in a project 40. Sunburn treatment 41. Moon goddess 42. Bathroom, to a British international student 43. BUPD car alarm 44. Skill level, in gaming and chess 45. Lie 49. Deuce, to Jayson 50. Brilliant successes 52. Commonwealth, on a map 53. Housing swap request, through Boston University 54. Smell and sight 56. Picks up the phone 58. Massachusetts Halloween locale 61. Foxy 63. Going out ___, clothing 64. Red ___ Hockey, game against Cornell 65. Questrom accounting plan init.

66. Research location 68. BU’s SPH ranking, in Rome

EMMA JEE | MASTER OF GAMES

13 OPINION 12

The gamified reality of online hate | The Innovation Paradox COLUMN

BY VELANA VALDEZ Contributing Columnist

What was once a universal tool for expression has quietly become a system built for manipulation.

Social scientists are noticing a disturbing trend: Platforms that once prioritized connection and communication are increasingly taking on the structure of video games.

Most of us have experienced “gamification” in everyday life, whether you’re “playing” Hinge or climbing leaderboards on fitness apps. As a result, many sociocultural values are being reshaped, or even sacrificed, by this virtual architecture.

Philosopher C. Thi Nguyen offers valuable insight into this rapidly monopolizing trend in his 2021 article, “How Twitter Gamifies Communication.”

Nyugen argues that Twitter warped discourse by incentivizing its users with gamified systems.

From this, two resulting dynamics emerged: Echo chambers, which reward conformity and punish dissent, and “moral outrage porn,” the hedonistic pleasure of moralizing for likes.

Gamification extends far beyond Twitter. Many platforms have conformed users’ initial goals into quantifiable points. LinkedIn turned professional growth into badges and points, and FitBit transformed health into a contest involving streaks and leaderboards.

In both cases, the central purpose

of the application — networking and wellbeing — is distorted into an addictive performance metric.

Extremist networks are no strangers to this distortion — in the past few decades, there has been a rise in extremist content, leeching itself onto internet subcultures including health, fitness, productivity and philosophy without much pushback.

James Hawdon, director of Virginia Tech’s Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention, attests that, among 15 to 21-yearolds in the United States, exposure to online extremist messaging increased from 58.3% in 2013 to 70.2% in 2016.

Why is this the case? A gamified internet presents itself as the perfect host for parasitic thinking.

Oversimplified content that fosters moral outrage consistently drives engagement, and extremists exploit this dynamic to spread ideologies disguised as normalcy.

Youtube is the perfect example of this notion. Its recommendation algorithm has been shown to aggressively push viewers toward extreme content. A 2022 Brookings study analyzing thousands of video recommendations found a small minority of users ended up in ideologically skewed “rabbit holes” — aided by Youtube’s prioritization of emotionally intense, polarizing videos.

It doesn’t help that Youtube’s Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan said 70% of what people watch on YouTube is driven by recommendations.

Algorithms aren’t inherently

malicious — they merely optimize for user engagement. Of course I’d rather watch “6 Vegans vs 1 Secret Meat Eater” than a BBC video on vegan diets.

However, this system doesn’t translate well in the world of extremism. When the most engaging content doubles as the most radical, it stops being an outlier and instead becomes a predictable outcome of the platform’s design.

A 2025 survey by the Safeguarding Network found that nearly 60% of 5,800 teachers in the United Kingdom believed social media had negatively affected student behavior, citing inflammatory influencers like Andrew Tate as a key example.

Educators reported boys as young as 10 using manospheric rhetoric — such as refusing to listen to female teachers, idolizing manosphere figures and using insults like “simp” and “cuck.”

The fact that students also recognize alt-right symbols like “red-pilling,” a reference to “The Matrix” in which a person “wakes up” from progressive culture, “Pepe the Frog,” a meme co-opted by white supremacists, manospheric slang such as Chad/ S t a c y / Becky and the “80-20 rule” — the false belief that 80% of women are attracted to 20%

of men — shows just how deeply highly polarizing ideas pervade mainstream culture.

Extremist celebrities and platforms also make palpable use of engagement optimization techniques. An article written

by Linda Schlegel contends that these subcultures motivate users through competition, achievement and socialization — which has led to the increased platform of this content today.

An article by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue outlines how figureheads mix “red pill” leveling with “hustle culture,” filtered through platform dynamics and reinforced by social media. Within this warped social economy, moral transgression is both rewarded and enforced.

A 2022 study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that hate content can reduce resistance to radical ideas and normalize violence. Likewise, a 2024 PubMed study reported that both incidental algorithmic exposure and an active selection of radicalizing content correlate with stronger violent-

extremist attitudes.

In this sense, extremism isn’t just thriving on a short-lived digital era riddled with gamification — it’s a structural inevitability within our digital ecosystems. Platforms that champion outrage, quantize identity and prioritize engagement above holistic truth will always foster the most provocative, vehement voices.

The contradiction here is these systems feel participatory — every click, post and like feels like agency.

However reality tells a much different story: It’s the inherent platform design and algorithms that are truly at the helm.

And as long as platforms retain their gamified structures built on status, points and inflamed content, we will all fall victim to this system at least once – whether we came to play or not.

EMMA CLEMENT | Graphics Editor & Layout Co-Editor

Popular leftist politics are here. will do anything to Popular leftist politics areDemocrats here.

Democrats will do anything to stop them.

EDITORIAL

A week and a half from now, New York City will have elected a new mayor.

Frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, an assemblyman from Queens, joins a long tradition of popular social policy — a tradition the Democratic Party is determined to stop right in its tracks.

New polling from AARP found that Mamdani will maintain a nearly 15-point lead over Independent challenger Andrew Cuomo if the vote is split between Mamdani’s opposition of Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

With votes transferred from rankedchoice voting, Mamdani earned the most votes in a mayoral primary in New York’s history, according to the City’s Board of Elections. He also appears to have brought tens of thousands of new voters to the polls, primarily below the age of 35, according to The New York Times.

This overwhelming popularity, paired with his steady and unprecedented lead, has positioned Mamdani to bring a long history of municipal social democracy into office. But as long as this history has existed, so has opposition from the socalled progressive establishment, who would rather welcome an authoritarian wave than cede any power to a mass working-class coalition.

Many of New York’s establishment Democrats — some of the party’s most powerful members — refuse to endorse Mamdani, opting to instead withhold their support of a candidate or cross party lines in the three-way race.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies have both refused to endorse a candidate in the race. Kirsten Gillibrand, who holds the other senate seat for New York state, also refused to issue an endorsement of Mamdani and made fabricated, racist claims that

he was in support of global jihad.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, endorsed Cuomo over Mamdani, citing the former governor’s pragmatism and “government know-how.”

Establishment Democrats’ radio silence, or outright opposition, is no doubt motivated in part by anxieties about losing key swing voters ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

But, more importantly, it’s motivated by a fear of losing out on PAC donations by associating with a progressive, pro-Palestinian c a n d i d a t e .

Primarily, they’re worried about losing millions of dollars from — and facing the wrath of — the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the top donor for both

Jefferies and Gillibrand in the last five years.

This phenomenon is not just happening in New York City. The dismissal of progressive candidates by establishment members despite their overwhelming popularity has become a long-standing American pastime.

Here in Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey refused to endorse incumbent Michelle Wu in Boston’s Democratic mayoral primary, who now runs unopposed after opponent Josh Kraft ended his campaign.

Wu embodies a similar vision of municipal politics to Mamdani, prioritizing affordable housing and decreasing public transit costs for riders. She also happened to hold a 50-point lead during the primary elections before Kraft dropped out and maintains a 61% approval rating, making her one of the most popular mayors in the city’s recent history.

In Maine, senate

EMMA CLEMENT Graphics Editor & Layout Co-Editor

candidate Graham Platner is running on a platform of affordable housing and increasing taxes on billionaires, polling seven points ahead of incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins. But despite his popularity, establishment leaders like Schumer have pushed 77-year-old Gov. Janet Mills to run as the Democratic candidate for the seat instead.

In a vacuum, Mamdani isn’t much more than a moderate progressive with a policy-based platform who is working on basic implementation of a welfare state in New York City. His policy should be the rule, not the exception, for any left-of-center political wing. Platner is no different.

Their relative progressivism hasn’t blinded some on the far left, who choose to focus on their actual moderacy and fear stagnance once he takes office.

Mamdani is being put through the paces of a political purity test, and despite his so-far successful overhaul of the Democratic Party politics the left despises, there is a small but vocal contingent of socialist critique online.

The chickens always come home to roost — and blind support for candidates like Sen. Bernie Sanders, who in the past have later shilled for conservative politics after receiving progressive electoral support, has left a bad taste in the mouths of some vocal online leftists.

But while public accountability remains imperative, uniform political purity is a dream that will never come to fruition with the current structure of American electoral politics.

And “sabotage” by the far left through criticism of progressive politicians pales in comparison to the political sabotage enacted by the establishment who refuse to grant party support to some of the most popular candidates in history.

This Editorial was written

by Opinion Co-Editor Ada Sussman.

LIFESTYLE 13

When life gives you lemons | My Gay Agenda COLUMN

BY JULIEN PEDRO Contributing Writer

Before I got my first period, I was 100% convinced the doctor declared my gender wrong when I was born. I didn’t consider myself a boy, exactly, but I knew they were wrong saying I was a girl. I used to stand in the bathroom, look at myself in the mirror and wonder if this is what I was supposed to look like.

When I was in elementary and middle school, I didn’t hear a single word uttered about queer identities. I don’t know what it’s like for younger nonbinary kids now, but I couldn’t have found the words for what I was feeling without having friends w h o were

going through similar experiences.

Now looking back, I realize the intense feelings I had for my best friend in fifth grade would mark my first crush on a girl. But I only realized this after one of my close friends started dating a girl when we were freshmen in high school.

That same year, one of my friends came out as a transgender guy.

At the time, I didn’t understand what that meant. Thankfully, Tumblr existed, and I went down a rabbit hole where I discovered an array of identities previously unknown to me.

I saw the t e r m

“nonbinary,” and something just clicked.

When I was in middle school, my clothes were almost exclusively chosen by my mother: blouses and skirts in pink and sequins. Then, one day in sixth grade, I was playing in the woods with my best friend. There was a stream behind their house, and we would cross it using a few branches we threw together.

One day, when I was trying to cross our makeshift branch bridge, it broke. I fell into the stream, and my clothes were soaked. I borrowed a pair of jeans and an old black t-shirt from a lemonade fundraiser from my friend while my clothes tumbled in the dryer.

It was a simple outfit, but when I looked in the mirror, I felt happier with my appearance than I had in a long time. That feeling, which I later learned was gender euphoria, stayed with me.

In junior high, I chased that feeling. My wardrobe slowly became an exclusive collection of jeans, graphic t-shirts and band sweatshirts. I stopped wearing makeup, and I cut my hair short. When my mom said I looked like a boy, it felt like a compliment.

It confused me at the time, but when I learned about nonbinary identities, it began to make sense.

The way I felt when I looked in the mirror, the dread of shopping for clothes, feeling like the doctors were wrong about me — it was all

EMMA CLEMENT | Graphics Editor & Layout Co-Editor

No, ‘fiancee’ isn’t a pay grade

BY CHLOE SAINT MARD Senior Writer

It’s Monday at 7:30 a.m., and I’m in line at Saxbys, waiting on a green smoothie that’s supposed to carry me through a three-hour 8 a.m. class. I’m scrolling on TikTok as I wait when my phone, volume unforgivably loud, blares that the girl in the video has been upgraded to fiancee.

The word screeches like a tire on marble. The girl on screen slowly turns her outstretched hand, her ring held out like a trophy. I fumble the volume down, cheeks hot for disturbing the quiet line and walk to class where I spend the opening minutes thinking about that word.

An upgrade? Interesting.

I try to name why it makes my eyes do a full 180. It isn’t the love aspect. Love is gorgeous, and I am embarrassingly susceptible to it. Yet, I roll my eyes at the way “fiancee” lands like a new rank pinned to a blazer. You aren’t married yet, but you are no longer a girlfriend — you’re somewhere in between, like a probation period at a new job.

Later that week as I’m hunting for a bedtime video, my feed offers a video titled, “a week in my life as a 24-year-old fiancee!!” It’s from a YouTuber I’ve followed for years, so I give it a try. Maybe there’s a secret syllabus for adulthood. Do fiancees buy special pens? Do they get discounts on skincare?

Instead, it’s an ordinary routine — just with the word “fiancee” tacked onto everything. I watch as she gets coffee as a fiancee, answers emails as a fiancee, does pilates, runs errands and eats pasta as a fiancee. Every so often, the

camera lunges at her hand, shoving the fact that she’s a fiancee into my face through the screen.

Nothing about the errands had changed. It felt like pouring sparkling water into a glass and insisting it’s champagne. I wasn’t mad, just baffled. What exactly got upgraded besides the label?

It’s hard to ignore how neatly the “fiancee upgrade” slides into today’s shift to conservatism in America. The fiancee focus has risen alongside the trad-wife aesthetic, complete with cooking in puffy white dresses, and the “feminine energy/high-value woman” gospel that swears it’s about centering women while still dangling a male as the prize.

Maybe the jokes are meant to be cute, but they rub me the wrong way, especially alongside a very unfunny reality. Millions of women study, work and hustle precisely so they don’t have to depend on a man or be reduced to a housewife, Mrs. or a plus-one to their own lives.

Calling engagement a promotion reminds me of that old arithmetic that measures a woman’s worth by proximity to a man.

There’s the asymmetry, too. I have yet to see a man proclaim he’s “upgraded to fiancee” and then narrate his errands like the groceries acquired more meaning because of his new title. Men are congratulated, patted on the back and life goes on.

And can we talk about age for a second? Once I started noticing them, the shiny rocks were everywhere. They seemed to be on every hand gripping reformer handles in my pilates class, on girls who looked barely older than me.

Online, the engagement “season”

trend skews young, often around 25. Maybe I’m stubborn and refuse to grow up, but what I’m witnessing is what I thought was a 30–35 storyline seems to have moved to 25.

Of course, when to marry — if ever — is a personal decision. I don’t mind if you’re 25 and writing a registry. But we’re too young to crown this as the only goal. There are chapters some of us haven’t even glimpsed yet. There are still cities to try, friends to meet and skills to learn. There is still a future self who knows which medication to take and how to cook a steak without googling it.

I mind the narrative that says a bare finger is a failure and a shiny one makes you morally adult.

A marriage isn’t an achievement.

It’s a beginning, something that happens to you someday when you let life unfold how it should.

When you get married, you don’t ascend a class — you choose a person, and they choose you.

Accomplishments like completing a degree, starting a company or moving across the world are climbs.

None of this denies how moving it is to choose someone. Tying your life to another human is unarguably beautiful, and relationships require

EMMA CLEMENT | Graphics Editor & Layout Co-Editor

part of this gender category that no one had ever spoken about.

My journey with my gender identity remains ongoing. When I started my undergraduate program at the Savannah College of Art and Design, it was integral to me that everyone viewed me as “not girl.”

I dressed hypermasculine and smiled to myself when strangers in the south couldn’t choose whether to address me by “sir” or “ma’am.”

The problem, though, was I was trying to fit myself into another box. Instead of presenting how everyone expected me to present myself as a girl, I was doing everything I could to adhere to how everyone expected me not to present myself. It was, in short, exhausting.

But by my junior year of college, I gave up trying to decide what people expected or didn’t

expect of me. It was time to just be Julien, and it was up to me — and only me — to decide what that meant.

I found clothes that wouldn’t pin me down as super masculine or hyper feminine. I kept my short hair, but I learned to embrace makeup again. By the time I graduated, I was finally at a point where I had my own style, and my friends could see it too.

Everyone’s journey looks different, and this is only the beginning of mine. But that’s one of the beautiful parts of being in the LGBTQ+ community: There are no rules and no single mold you’re supposed to fit into. In a time when so many people are trying to tell us there’s something wrong with us, there’s bravery in embracing who you are — and showing the world just how beautiful that can be.

work — ugh, yes. I’m not anticake. I’ll clap for love until my hands hurt, and I already have a few ruthless lines ready for my sister’s future toast. I just want our categories straight.

Celebrate loudly, but refuse the upgrade story. Let’s stop telling young women that adulthood is a ring ceremony and t h a t everything else is just pregame.

GIANNA HORCHER Associate Graphics Editor

14 NEWS

More than 50 student newspapers defend right to free speech in Stanford Daily lawsuit Continued from page 1 The Huntington News, Northeastern University’s independent student newspaper, was among the 55 student publications that signed the brief. Editor-in-Chief Emily Spatz said Huntington’s student journalists have faced similar issues The Stanford Daily experienced, including students asking to have contributions and attributions removed from past articles.

Spatz said international students are now reluctant to speak to The Huntington.

Several international students have also asked for their opinion pieces to be removed from the publication, Spatz said, taking away “a vital perspective” from the newspaper’s coverage.

“This lawsuit is taking a stand for First Amendment rights of both our writers and our sources,” she said. “We just want to drive home the point that it is affecting student journalism across the country.”

Editor-in-Chief Elijah Horwath outlined how the growing culture of fear has impacted University of Massachusetts Boston’s newspaper Mass Media.

“We had someone call our phone line crying, worried that they would get their visa revoked because they were in the process of solidifying their citizenship, and they were worried that being attached to an op-ed would hurt their chances,” Horwath said.

While few publications have seen their own writers detained, many have experienced the detriments of federal attacks on

free speech. “[It’s] chilling to think about how many perspectives we’re losing from the record as more and more international students feel less and less safe to add their voices,” Horwath said.

Dylan Hembrough, editorin-chief of The Alestle, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s student newspaper, described a firsthand experience of this chilling effect.

After a handful of students at SIUE had their visas revoked and eventually reinstated in April, The Alestle attempted to cover the revocations, offering anonymity to students, but no one was willing to speak.

While some student publications that signed the brief worry about becoming a potential target of the Trump administration, they decided defending student journalism superseded their fears of federal retaliation.

“We’re standing up for the values we believe in,” said Kevin Lieue, co-editor-in-chief of The College Voice, Connecticut College’s student publication.

“So, if that makes us a target … that’s just a decision that we’re totally understanding of and willing to stand up for.”

Hembrough said it was a “critical time” to fight for free speech, despite potential pushback from the federal government.

“It’s even more important for student journalists to be making a stand right now, because it would be easier to silence us,” Horwath said, comparing student publications to national news outlets.

ISABELLA OLAND | PHOTO CO-EDITOR

Student Press Law Center press release regarding The Stanford Daily’s lawsuit challenging U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Fifty-five student news organizations across the country have joined an amicus brief filed by SPLC to combat the effect of federal immigration policies on student journalists.

Cate wrote he does not believe “retaliation is beneath the administration.”

“I’m more worried generally about the administration’s overall attack on what it characterizes as ‘anti-American’ speech that it disagrees with,” he wrote. “I am frequently in awe of the work and courage of the student press. It is worth fighting for.”

Dylan Winward, editorin-chief of The Bruin, the University of California Los Angeles’ student publication, said they signed the brief “purely to protect the right to free speech guaranteed by the

First Amendment.”

“We’re not making a general condemnation of all instances of deportation in the United States,” Winward said. “In fact, we’re not referencing any specific cases of deportation or opining on federal government policy as a whole.”

Looking ahead, Andrea Lewis, president of the College Media Association, wrote in a statement to The Daily Free Press that she hopes the courts will uphold the same free speech values they historically always have.

“This case is about more than one lawsuit; it is about whether the First Amendment remains a

living promise,” she wrote. “It is a reminder of why journalism education matters.

When students learn to report freely and think critically, democracy is stronger for it.”

Cate wrote that, regardless of the lawsuit’s results, he is optimistic this case will show the importance of taking action.

“I’m hopeful that this case, and the many others pushing back against the administration’s attack on fundamental rights and systems, will encourage others to recognize that rights don’t defend themselves,” he wrote.

“We have to stand up and fight for them.”

Boston’s iconic CITGO sign is being moved — but not far CAMPUS

BY HALEY SKY Contributing Writer

Boston’s CITGO sign, the historical landmark of Kenmore square, is being repositioned in hopes of preserving the Boston skyline amidst Kenmore’s redevelopment.

While the sign is moving, its historic place in Kenmore remains unchanged. After its completion, it will sit 30 feet higher and 120 feet east of its current location as part of the final phase of the Beacon Kenmore Square Redevelopment Project, according to a statement sent to The Daily Free Press by Karl Schmidt, vice president of marketing and supply at CITGO. The sign finds its new home on the roof of 660 Beacon St., the approved location prepared to receive the structure, Schmidt wrote.

The sign currently shines a glowing beacon of light on the Boston community, most notably overlooking Fenway Park and signaling the final leg of the Boston Marathon.

“The CITGO sign is a beloved treasure for Kenmore Square and residents across Boston,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, in an Oct. 15 press release.

“I’m thrilled and grateful that so many partners came together to preserve this iconic Sign for generations to come.”

Boston University junior Lina Nassif said she viewed the Citgo sign as a landmark when she first arrived on campus.

“As a freshman, I think I would definitely try to point out landmarks just to get myself around,” Nassif said. “My friend

JERRY SHI | DFP PHOTOGRAPHER

The famous CITGO sign in Kenmore Square. Due to construction on the building below, the sign is moving 120 feet east to 660 Beacon St.

goes to Northeastern … [W]hen she was coming to BU for the first time, she [didn’t] know her way around. I would also use [the CITGO sign] to navigate her.”

Even though the sign’s overall height and dimensions will stay the same, Schmidt wrote, the location it will be repositioned to will “reestablish the original lines of sight” that have been

obstructed.

Installed in 1940 as a Cities Service Sign, the 60-foot by-60foot sign donning the company name and triangle symbol took its famous appearance from the company’s rebranding in 1965, Schmidt wrote.

However, throughout the years, the sign faced challenges in its preservation.

A brief dark period occurred from 1979 to 1982 when the sign’s light shut off due to oil shortages, leading to discussions of removing the sign altogether.

But public outcry in response ensured its place within the city.

In 2018, CITGO Petroleum Corporation and developer Richard Beal signed a 30-year agreement that guaranteed the

sign’s presence in Kenmore Square for decades.

The sign’s repositioning effort also includes plans for its restoration, funded by CITGO. The project will erect a new truss structure for improved stability built into an anchor on the roof of 660 Beacon St., according to Schmidt’s email.

Ethan Foley, a 26-year-old department manager at REI, said he drives by the CITGO sign every day on his way to work.

Although he does not have a strong personal connection to it, Foley said the sign’s presence is a recognizable part of the city.

“I like looking at it,” Ethan said. “It’s like the little gas tanks on I-93 South that have a little paint. It’s just a familiar sight in Boston.”

Schmidt said the redevelopment project team will coordinate closely with all stakeholders, aiming to shorten the length of time the sign is required to stay unlit during the restoration process.

Work for the project is expected to start in the close future, with Suffolk as the selected contractor of record, Schmidt wrote.

According to the Oct. 15 press release, John Fish, founder, chairman and CEO of Suffolk, said he recognizes “the cultural significance of the CITGO Sign and what it represents for Bostonians and visitors.”

“This project is unique because it will allow us to combine the past with the future,” Fish said.

“We will leverage the most sophisticated, state-of-the-art technologies, tools and data to ensure this historic sign remains a defining part of Boston’s skyline for generations to come.”

COLUMNS 15

Chasing Points: How to ruin a football club in 40 days SPORTS

BY ADI JALAN

Contributing Columnist

Rome wasn’t built in a day — but that’s okay, because it also wasn’t destroyed in a day. But if Rome were a city in England best known for Robin Hood and a halfdecent football team, it was most certainly destroyed on Sept. 8.

Nuno Espírito Santo was hired as Nottingham Forest Football Club’s manager on Dec. 20, 2023. At the time, Forest looked more like a deforested patch of woodland, sitting No. 17 in the Premier League and just two points adrift of the relegation zone.

By the end of the season, Nottingham was still No. 17 — but this was a transitional year for Forest. They struggled off the pitch — with basic math, that is — after a four-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules. They clearly struggled on the pitch as well — since Nuno took over midway through the season, he had less time to implement his ideas.

But after a full preseason training camp in the summer of 2024, there was an air of hope for Nottingham. The players knew what the manager expected of them, and they knew how he wanted them to play.

And boy, oh, boy, did they play!

A team once considered genuine relegation contenders managed to finish seventh.

Nuno had taken Forest fans from cowering at the threat of relegation to dreaming of Champions League football.

While seventh place would normally have earned a spot in the Conference League, UEFA’s

dodgy rulebook instead sent Forest to the Europa League — at Crystal Palace’s expense. Either way, it marked the club’s return to European competition for the first time in 30 years.

And what a journey it had been. From beating eventual title holders Liverpool at Anfield, shutting out Manchester City, dismantling Brighton 7-0 in what was perhaps the most painful morning of my life to somehow turning Chris Wood into a 20-goal striker — Nuno had finally made Forest a team worth rooting for.

So he went and created a dynasty there, right? Right?

No. After just three Premier League Games, Nuno was sacked last month in a statement as blunt as the dagger plunged into fans of the Tricky Trees everywhere.

Truth be told, the relationship between Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Nottingham Forest, and Nuno had been strained for quite some time.

Following an injury to striker Taiwo Awoniyi, Nuno and Marinakis had an animated — and well-publicized — exchange on May 13, drawing criticism toward the Greek billionaire.

Then, on Aug. 22, in an interview with The Athletic, Nuno said his relationship with Marinakis had changed, and that the pair were “not so close.” When asked about his job security, Nuno went as far as to say, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”

Later, according to a Sept.

10 article, sources close to the Portuguese manager said they even believed he expected to lose his job before the season started.

After Nuno was sacked, fans and pundits were left befuddled by his replacement: Ange

Postecoglou.

It’s important to note that Nuno and Postecoglou favor very different styles of football.

Nuno is pragmatic — he sets his team up solidly, they grab a goal and they’re happy to sit back and defend. Postecoglou is attack-minded, and nothing — not even going down to nine men against a fit-and-firing Chelsea side — would change that.

Over the course of four days, every Forest player had to get over the loss of a well-liked manager and replace a tried-andtested system of football.

Did it work? Yes — for every single one of Nottingham Forest’s opponents.

Postecoglou managed eight

games before being sacked, with a dismal record of six losses and two draws.

He certainly played attacking football — in the sense that his style made it easy for opponents to score. And they did score, conceding 18 goals in those eight games.

G’day mate? It was definitely a g’day for his opponents.

Postecoglou would leave Nottingham Forest after the second-shortest stint of any manager in Premier League history, being sacked just 18 minutes after the final whistle in a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea.

What’s next for a club with more managers than wins this season? And where does one

draw the line on an owner’s involvement?

That’s a bit of a mystery. But with Forest considering Sean Dyche as a managerial option, it seems they might have their heads on straight again. While Ange was a winner in his own right, it did seem a bit naive to adopt progressive football just for the sake of it. Reverting to Dyche’s football means accepting past mistakes and building upon a platform years in the making.

For a team that hasn’t lifted a trophy in 35 years and finds itself lumbering — pun intended — in the relegation zone again, you need stability — and Dyche is nothing if not stable.

EMMA CLEMENT | Graphics Editor & Layout Co-Editor

An introduction to cooking in your dorm — that’s way more than just instant ramen | Kit’s Kitchen LIFESTYLE

BY KIT HUMBARGER Contributing Columnist

If one activity can bring a group of people together, it’s cooking.

Growing up, I would help my mom around the kitchen — whether it was chopping veggies for dinner or scooping cookie dough onto trays. As time went on, I started doing these tasks on my own, even adding my own personal spin.

I’d add a dash of almond extract to my brownies or chop some walnuts into my banana bread.

JODI TANG | Senior Graphic Artist

I had a sourdough phase too, making breads and sourdough confections — you haven’t lived until you’ve tried sourdough cinnamon rolls.

I use my passion for baking to bring people together. Whether I’m making a friend’s birthday cake or prepping snacks for a movie marathon, the act of feeding people makes me feel fulfilled. The “oohs” and “ahs” I receive for my treats are also a nice confidence booster.

In my first week of college, my passion for baking connected my friends in a way I never thought was possible.

It started with a lemon blueberry

muffin recipe I use all the time at home from Alexandra’s Kitchen.

My friends all gathered in our communal kitchen — thank you, Fenway residences — and we made it a group bonding event, complete with music blasting from a speaker and dancing around while the muffins baked.

Now, we have a weekly tradition: Every Sunday, we take turns baking a dessert to share.

It doesn’t have to be something fancy or time-consuming. We make do with what we have and share it with each other.

My favorite part of this tradition is that no dessert is the same. Last week, one friend made

Dubai chocolate chip cookies. The week INGREDIENTS: before, another made • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour mini cheesecake bites.

• 1 tablespoon white sugar This past weekend, we • ½ teaspoon baking soda enjoyed dulce de leche • A pinch of salt lava cakes.

Not only does this • 1 teaspoon lemon zest variety allow our taste • 1 tablespoon melted butter buds to experience • 2 tablespoons milk new flavors outside the • A splash of vanilla dining halls, but it also • A handful of blueberries gives us the freedom to try new things. In a brave attempt to make STEPS: my cinnamon roll 1. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, dough from scratch, salt and lemon zest together in a I created one of the mug. best desserts I’ve ever made.

2. Add in the butter, milk and vanilla.

It’s incredibly 3. Stir in the blueberries. important to build 4. Microwave the mug for one to connections with the 1.5 minutes, depending on your community around microwave. Start with one minute you. It’s vital to provide a welcoming space and increase the cooking time for others, especially by 10 seconds at a time until the now, when a lot of batter is cooked through. us are experiencing a transition from high school to college. of salt, I mean really a small Whether it’s learning how to pinch of salt. Trust me, a little bit make a dorm-friendly sweet treat goes a long way. or cooking on a budget, I hope Secondly, there’s no exact to share some of the things I’ve science to it, but I like to count learned about cooking in college. out about seven to 12 blueberries Hopefully, you can use these tips per mug muffin. These are weird to connect with the people around numbers, I know, but they work you and enjoy some comfort food for me. I also prefer to use frozen while you’re away from home. blueberries, but use whatever you Even though I have access to a have on hand. kitchen, I know most of you are And third, if you’re not allergic working with just a microwave to tree nuts, I recommend adding and mug. So, I’d like to share a dash of almond extract to the a dorm-approved version of batter. I always do this, and it my muffin recipe. These lemon just adds a little something extra blueberry mug muffins are sure to your dessert, making it 10 to make your dorm smell like a times better. bakery.

And there you have it — a singleHere’s a few tips before we serving lemon blueberry muffin start: in a mug, perfect for your sweet First, when I say a small pinch treat cravings.

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