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The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

October 7, 2026 VOLUME XLVII, ISSUE 3

Nationwide Outrage Sparked by Cornell Case By MACKENZIE COOPER News Editor

COURTESY OF NATHAN ELLISON/THE CORNELL DAILY SUN

The Chi Phi Fraternity House is the oldest social fraternity in the United States; the Cornell chapter had its house closed in 2024 after the Title IX allegations were ﬁled.

Student Conservatives Debate Iran War By MICHELLE WILSON News Editor

The Iran War began on Feb. 28, 2026 after the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, assassinating Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (who was succeeded by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei) and several other Iranian officials, targeting nuclear and military infrastructure. Since then, the conflict has resulted in approximately 9,000 to 18,000 casualties across Iran, Lebanon, Israel, the U.S. and the greater Gulf region. Iran and Lebanon have seen mass displacement, infrastructure damage and humanitarian crises. Various neighboring states have faced Iranian military and drone strikes. The global economy has suffered, too. The Strait of Hormuz has been closed since the start of the war, causing the “largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market,” according to the International Energy Agency. Oil and gas prices rose, driving up inflation and the cost

of everyday goods. Economists have warned that there could be deeper long-term economic impacts if energy prices remain high. A recent report found that oil transports had risen to 92% of pre-war output due to U.S. military escorts for ships and pipeline bypasses, but it is not certain that these methods are sustainable. Critics of the war have pointed to the economic and humanitarian costs, while supporters point to the violently repressive Iranian regime and (highly contested) concerns around the nuclear threat Iran poses. The U.S. goal of regime change was sparked after the Iranian government massacred tens of thousands of anti-government protestors in January 2026. What do Fordham students think about the war? To answer this question, the Fordham College Republicans (FCR), a conservative student organization at Rose Hill, held an inner-club debate on Oct. 1 in Keating Hall 3rd. see IRAN WAR DEBATE page 4

ELISA LUNA/THE OBSERVER

The intraclub debate was the ﬁrst of its kind for the Fordham College Republicans, and they hope to host more like it.

NEWS PAGE 3

Acting Now

Climate Change NYC hosts climate discussions at Fordham

SPORTS & HEALTH PAGE 7

Achoo!

Fordham provides students with ﬂu shots during seasonal spikes

Last month, a Cornell University student, referred to as “Jane Doe” in court documents, ﬁled a civil lawsuit against seven men. She alleges that she was raped by the men over the course of seven hours while incapacitated in a Cornell fraternity house in October 2024. This case has renewed focus on the issue of sexual assault on university campuses, including at Fordham. The seven men — Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Diego Sarabia, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar — were members of the Chi Phi Fraternity, the oldest social fraternity in the United States. All of them deny any wrongdoing and have no criminal charges raised against them. In 2024, Cornell shut down Chi Phi and barred them from campus. New York State prosecutors reopened their investigation and began the process of pursuing criminal charges after a civil

complaint was filed on Sept. 16. In the immediate aftermath of the event in 2024, the prosecutors chose not to pursue charges. In addition to the seven men, the lawsuit indicts: Cornell University, Inc.; Chi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and affiliates; Jane Doe’s Alpha Beta sorority; and others. The Cornell Daily Sun was the first to break the news. The lawsuit quickly drew national attention. According to the civil complaint, on Oct. 19, 2024, Jane Doe, then a 20-year-old student, visited two bars in Ithaca, New York, with her sorority sisters and consumed the equivalent of 10 drinks within the span of three hours. Around 11 p.m., Jane Doe left the second bar and went to the Chi Phi house to see her friend Ingalls. She was then propositioned into a threesome with Ingalls and Newell. Jane Doe alleges they pressured her into taking ketamine and drinking more liquor, then assaulted her. see TITLE IX page 3

Happy Birthday, Saxbys By MAURA DAGON Contributing Writer

Many university students find that community is something that exists in their classes, friend groups and extracurriculars. But for Emily Owens, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ’28, community is found on the ground floor of the 140 West 62nd Street Building. Owens is the third student chief executive officer (SCEO) of Saxbys, Fordham’s student-run cafe. A global business major with a marketing concentration, Owens applied to Saxbys last year as a team member. During her interview, Aidan Engelmann, GSBLC ’26, Saxbys’ inaugural SCEO, identified her as a potential candidate for the SCEO position. And after a lengthy interview process, Owens is now following suit. Raised just outside of Washington, D.C., Owens says she was drawn to New York City because of its bustling atmosphere and vast opportunities. Fordham specifically caught her attention. “I love how it’s really tight-knit and close, but then you’re also right in the big city — you have a home base, but then you can go out and explore,” Owens said. To Owens, a pillar of her “home base” at Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) is Saxbys. Oct. 1 marked the one-year anniversary of Saxbys’ grand opening, replacing what was formerly Argo Tea. Reflecting on the past year, Owens is proud of what Saxbys has accomplished. She specifically credited her team members for their hard work, emphasizing the crucial collaboration between SCEOs and team members throughout each semester. see SAXBYS SCEO page 5

CENTERFOLD PAGES 8 - 9

Renowned Rowers

Fordham Athletics reﬂects on its historical rowing achievements

COURTESY OF EFRAT MAZOR

Dancers from the Lior Tavori Dance Company performed “Crust.”

Fall for Dance Takes the City Center Stage By INDIRA BUSH Arts & Culture Editor

It’s often said that the best art comes out of the most tumultuous times. Those looking for proof would be hard-pressed to ﬁnd better than the past weeks at New York City Center. The annual festival brings together premier dancers from around the world for two weeks of programming. The festival is notably accessible, with every ticket priced at only $30, so anticipation is high and tickets go fast. For those who were able to snag a seat at this year’s festival, the lineup certainly did not disappoint. The festival featured seven countries and seven premiers (both in the U.S. and abroad), organized into ﬁve three-piece programs. Program one was fully American and somewhat apocalyptic in theme. A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham opened with “In the act of undoing,” choreographed by Jermaine Spivey. The work had an indisputable feeling of urgency — under bright white OPINIONS PAGE 12

Eerily Familiar

Resisting sequel bait, horror ﬁnds success in classic tropes

light, the dancers seemed to be warming up for combat. Along with the occasional alarm noise, the dancers slapped their legs and yelled in a robotic unison. Audiences could not miss one terrifying refrain echoed throughout the performance: “ending completely.” The solo movement felt at times too simplistic, but the dancers were in groups or partnering with one another, the piece was truly captivating. What followed was a masterful technical demonstration. Skylar Brandt and Aran Bell, both principal dancers with the American Ballet Theatre, took the stage with the pas de deux, “L’Air D’Esprit,” choreographed by Gerald Aplino as a tribute to Russian ballerina Olga Spessivtzeva. Watching Brandt and Bell is like watching a fairytale (Brandt’s lilac romantic tutu also played a part), and is satisfactory evidence of that special magic that keeps audiences coming back to romantic ballet. see FALL FOR DANCE page 14

ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 15

The Grapes of Frap

Students ﬁnd relaxation and refuge in NYC’s bookstore cafes

News

October 7, 2026

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

‘Rage Against the Machine’: In Defense of the Humanities

Fordham alumni espoused the value of a humanities education in an AI age and offered career guidance By MICHELLE WILSON News Editor

“Rage Against the Machine,” Fordham’s fourth annual Humanities Day, centered around the question: How does the rise of artiﬁcial intelligence (AI) make a humanities education all the more essential? Seven Fordham alums from a range of creative industries discussed their answers, explained how AI is being implemented in their ﬁelds and gave career advice on Sept. 30 in the McShane Center on the Rose Hill Campus.

“ You can tell your

parents: English, history, philosophy (majors), there is hope for you all.”

Vanessa Rissetto, FCRH '00

The event brought to light students’ fears around securing a job after graduation and what role human creativity will play in an AI future. Humanities Day was divided into three parts: a keynote address, an alumni panel and roundtable discussions for the packed room of students to network and ask direct questions. Alumni Panel The alumni were quite candid about the cruciality of networking and, ideally, receiving internal recommendations when applying for a job. Leah Moschella, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’06, does workforce development for the National Center on Education and the Economy, a non-proﬁt focused on education research, advocacy and professional learning for teachers. For a recent entry-level position, Moschella received 892 applicants, eight of whom got interviews. Of the eight, seven came with personal recommendations. This is not an isolated phenomenon. When asked how students can build professional relationships before they get work experience, the alumni emphasized sending cold emails or direct messages on Linkedin. They pointed out the obvious with respect to coffee chats: Be patient while waiting for a response and be prepared for the conversation. Most importantly though, be human. “(If you’re) coming to people on LinkedIn and you’re like, ‘I would like to work there,’ … bury that thought. … You might be asking for a job three years from now, but you’re planting the seeds and getting to know people,” Moschella said. “Fordham is about curiosity and Fordham is about learning. … (If) you’re curious about the person who is sitting next to you, they will be curious about you.” Moschella was present at the event because someone from Fordham’s Career Center “slid into (her) DMs (direct messages) on Linkedin,” and it is important to her to help students from her alma mater. She recommended that students hone their networking skills with support from the Career Center. Cati di Stefano, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’17, concurred. She works at Chanel in trade compliance and said the best cold DM she has ever received was from a sophomore at Fordham Lincoln Center who acknowledged the inherent awkwardness of the situation, but was kind and curious regardless. Di Stefano “immediately (saw) the humanity

around her outreach” and scheduled a coffee chat with her. Di Stefano added that students should look into joining professional or pre-professional organizations. The next question was: “What do you look for while hiring? … What experiences stand out to you?” Preparedness, of course, surfaced again. But each alum had distinct recommendations. Di Stefano highlighted the value of international experience, whether that be through study abroad, graduate school or work experience abroad, or just fluency in another language. Matthew Smith, FCRH ’06, works in luxury public relations (PR) and, having studied French at Fordham, said proficiency in a second language opened many doors for him. He also emphasized how important it is for students to engage with the broader theory around their field of interest so they can build a unique, memorable voice. He recommended that Fordham students take advantage of their professors to learn and explore new ideas. Moschella said any project that someone crafted from start to finish always stands out to her in interviews, whether it’s a passion project, or connected to a job, club or internship. “I want to see your journey of going from, ‘This is my idea, this is how I created it, these are the barriers I faced and this is what I have developed.’ I don’t care if that came from you working at Dunkin’ Donuts and you implemented something, or if it came from your working at the World Bank,” Moschella said. “That’s something that you are much more passionate about coming into an interview to speak about.” Moschella added that students should advocate for themselves in their internships, both by asking to take on a specific project and negotiating a specific job title. The final question asked the alumni to recommend one resource or experience to students. Vanessa Rissetto’s, FCRH ’00, answer captured the gist of all their responses: “Don’t take the fancy, glamorous job; take the (difficult) work … because then, you’re going to be really good at the craft.” Rissetto was a history major, later became a registered dietician and ultimately co-founded Culina Health, a telehealth nutrition company, in 2020. Since then, she has raised over $22 million in venture funding while battling breast cancer in 2023 and, to use her words, “never missing a beat.” Reflecting on her success, Rissetto joked that her parents still believe she owes them money for her history degree. “You can tell your parents: English, history, philosophy (majors), there is hope for you all,” Rissetto said. Rissetto described being overlooked early on in her career as a Fordham graduate from immigrant parents in rooms full of wealthy Ivy League grads. She urged students to take the difficult work where they will really hone their craft, saying you must “be irrefutably the best one.” Brian Kraker, FCRH ’12 and Fordham Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ’16, agreed. He is a public relations agent who worked for many years as a television producer at CBS News. While at CBS, he noticed that new hires who come from smaller papers with less support were scrappier and more flexible under pressure. “When you’re working in news and you have a deadline that’s in five minutes, you need someone who’s just going to get shit

LUCIEN FISCHER/THE OBSERVER

Allyson Blatz, assistant director of student engagement at the Career Center, opened the event with an explanation of this year’s theme and the history of Humanities Day.

done,” Kraker said. “(The best hire is) somebody who … before I could even turn around, it was already done.” Mia Beverly, FCRH ’20, a fundraising and grants manager at the Paley Center for Media, offered a slightly more unconventional view. She recommended that students work in customer service and try their hand at entrepreneurship to build conﬁdence, self-reliance and adaptability.

“ (I want us to) ask what it can really mean for us here at Fordham, and in the world more generally, to rage against the machine?”

Nick Smyth, Philosophy professor

Students then had 45 minutes to have roundtable discussions with the alumni and ask follow-up questions. The three big events of the 2026 fall semester have included: the Accounting and Finance Career Fair on Sept. 9; the inaugural AI, Tech and Data Career Fair on Sept. 17; and the Oct. 1 Marketing Career Fair. After many opportunities for non-humanities majors, Humanities Day gave students the chance to network in an era where the value of liberal arts is being challenged. Humanities Day was started after two English majors spoke up about what they felt was a lack of professional development opportunities for humanities students at Fordham, particularly compared to the many resources available to Gabelli students. The two approached Chair of the Theology Department Brenna Moore with their concerns, who kickstarted what would later become Humanities Day. However, some students still feel that humanities majors are comparatively under-resourced. Emily Donovan, FCLC ’26, is one such student. “There aren’t many humanities-based events, especially (since) I’m an LC student,” Donovan said. “It’s very Gabelli-oriented at Fordham, which I get, it makes sense, but it’s good to go when there are humanities things.” Donovan transferred into Fordham from Fashion Institute of Technology and is now an international studies major. After graduation, she wants to combine these interests. So, she was particularly excited to talk to di Stefano.

Patience Edosa, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’28, took a more neutral view. Edosa is an English major with a business minor and worked the event as a Fordham Career Ambassador. Because Fordham is well known for its business school, Edosa reasoned, it is understandable that Gabelli has more opportunities. “(Fordham is) trying, which is the most important part, but is it as much as Gabelli students get? Probably not,” Edosa said. Nonetheless, attendees reflected positively on this year’s Humanities Day. Isabella Sabalza, FCRH ’30, appreciated that the event offered practical, grounded advice, instead of being a more immaterial tirade against AI, which she was expecting from the title. “(Unfortunately), what’s going to happen with AI has nothing to do with any of the people in this room. It has to do with the 0.05% of the world,” Sabalza said. “Whoever learns how to use these tools is probably who’s going to stay in the game, even though if it were up to me, I would just get rid of it completely.” Keynote Address Not everyone at the event agreed with this take. Nick Smyth, a philosophy professor, opened Humanities Day with a staunchly anti-AI keynote address, taking the “Rage Against the Machine” theme quite literally. “What I’m about to say will not help you get a job at all,” Smyth said. “(I want us to) ask what it can really mean for us here at Fordham, and in the world more generally, to rage against the machine?” For Smyth, the stakes of this question are real and deeply urgent. He began by defining a machine as a “system of interacting parts organized by someone external to the system in order to efficiently achieve a fixed purpose.” In this definition, a human is not a machine because we set our own, changing goals. However, in our modern machine world, people are being objectified into mere cogs in megamachines, replaceable if they stop being sufficiently useful, Smyth said. The consequence, according to Smyth, is the construction of a world obsessed with power, control and the maximization of profit/output. He added that practically, this looks like: the reduction of human values of happiness, justice and integrity; ecological devastation due to an extractive attitude toward nature; and the dehumanization of the human person in the endless pursuit of utilitarian goals. For students, this plays out in the pursuit of learning for a grade or a degree, rather than for knowledge’s sake itself.

Smyth criticized Fordham for its complicity. The university recently rolled out “Remy,” an AI agent directed toward firstyears and sophomores designed to provide emotional support and answer questions. The rollout has generated some backlash, as “the idea of automating this kind of emotional support can seem intrinsically dangerous and possibly degrading to some students,” Smyth said. Smyth was further critical of Blackboard’s new feature, which offers to send AI-generated emotional support messages to students. Smyth “praised” the digital engagement team at Fordham’s Information Technology for “saying the quiet part out loud, for clearly stating that the automation of human experience is part of their mission.” For Smyth, our culture has already been automating wherever possible for decades, and “the AI-powered computer is just another machine for a power world.” People participate in megamachines every day. Smyth hopes AI will serve as a wake-up call and stir people to action. “If you want to rage against the machine as many of you may, I can certainly empathize. Before you and I direct our anger at systems and forces and governments and corporations … maybe, just maybe, we should start by getting more than a little angry at ourselves,” Smyth said. Smyth finds hope in his students, saying he cannot think of a group more capable than the humanities majors he has taught at Fordham. Ironically, the very next part of the event asked the alumni to describe how AI is being implemented in their fields, and what skills have become more valuable as a result. They had pretty similar views on how AI makes a lot of things easier and faster, but that human oversight is essential. This can be particularly useful, they pointed out, for smaller companies whose teams may lack technical skills like website management. Creativity and discernment are all the more essential as AI increasingly makes everything sound and look the same, the alumni said. Large language models are inherently derivative, so adding a personalized voice is crucial. The alums also highlighted that AI cannot build relationships, an essential part of any business, and warned students not to rely too heavily on AI. This year’s Humanities Day demonstrated the often conflicting fears students face between compromising their stances on AI for the sake of career advancement in a difficult job market, as well as the more existential concerns AI’s rapid dissemination poses.

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

October 7, 2026

Cornell Case Echoes Across Campuses

News

The alleged Cornell rape has reignited conversations around universities’ handling of Title IX cases TITLE IX from page 1

One of the men involved allegedly sent a Snapchat message to a group chat of 57 fraternity members effectively inviting them to join along. Jane Doe says several did. According to New York State law, a person is only legally considered “mentally incapacitated” and unable to consent to sex due to intoxication if the substance was administered to them without their consent. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew van Houten and his team originally turned the case down because of Jane Doe’s inebriation prior to the alleged rape. He later claimed he never saw Jane Doe’s initial statement. In a video sent out to the Cornell Community on Oct. 3, University President Michael Kotlitkoff called the case “a deﬁning moment in Cornell’s history,” describing Jane Doe’s allegations as “deeply disturbing.” Kotlitkoff said he backs New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to hand the criminal investigation over to New York Attorney General Letitia James. Kotlitkoff ended the message by saying Cornell needs to “do better” to prevent sexual violence on campus. Hochul addressed the situation at an Oct. 2 press conference, saying “at every turn (Jane Doe) was failed by people and institutions with an obligation to protect her,” including campus police and the county prosecutor. The university did not publicly disclose the punishments of each alleged individual, but information obtained by The

GRAPHIC BY LEEYA AZEMOUN/THE OBSERVER

Fordham’s Title IX ofﬁce received 137 reports during the 2025-26 academic year.

New York Times shows the sanctions ranged from expulsion to “reflection papers.” Ingalls and Newell were expelled from the university. Sarabia, who had already graduated at the time of the report, was barred from campus. Lee was suspended for two years. Lopes was suspended for three semesters, followed by two years of probation. Both Lee and Lopes had to complete a sexual harassment course and write a reflection paper. Norris and Kretzschmar received lesser punishments, including writing self-reflection essays and attending training. Hochul also criticized Cornell for its investigative procedures, saying that “them sending

a partial record over, is, in my judgement, a failure.” A Frequently Asked Questions page on Cornell’s website regarding the case reads: “The Office of Civil Rights and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards investigated the allegations against the individuals and the fraternity consistent with university policies and Title IX.” Thousands of Cornell students and faculty gathered at the center of the campus and marched to the university president’s house on the evening of Oct. 5 to protest the university’s handling of the case. Hours before the protest, the building was vandalized by activists who sprayed graffiti and shattered the glass door.

The week of protest continued with a town hall meeting on Oct. 6 and a seven-hour sit-in on Oct. 7. This case has sparked conversations at universities across the country regarding Title IX policies, university ethics, Greek life and legal structures, leaving students to wonder what their own schools would do in similar situations. Fordham is no exception. Fordham’s United Student Government at Lincoln Center (USGLC) is one of a few Fordham clubs to release a statement on the case. Posted via Instagram, USGLC afﬁrmed its commitment to “working toward a campus where everyone feels safe and respected.” In the statement, USGLC encouraged anyone who

experiences or witnesses misconduct to use campus resources like Fordham Public Safety and the Title IX office. Fordham’s United Student Government at Rose Hill (USGRH) released a statement expressing similar sentiments. The organization also encouraged students to attend the Student Life Council meeting on Oct. 21 at 3 p.m. in Bepler Commons at the Rose Hill Campus. Elizabeth Fanelli serves as Fordham’s Title IX Coordinator, managing reports of sex discrimination and sexual misconduct, along with coordinating trainings and ensuring that students know what resources are available to them. She will explain Fordham’s Title IX processes at the meeting. A joint statement from Fordham’s Young Democratic Socialists of America and nine other student clubs demanded justice for Jane Doe and all other victims of sexual assault or harassment. They expressed criticism of Cornell and the media cycle, which may “milk a real young woman’s trauma,” along with criticizing higher education and the American legal system. Fordham has given no public comment. During the 2025-26 academic year, Fordham’s Title IX office received a total of 137 reports from both campuses. In the end, Fanelli hopes that students “know that there are resources,” and “people that they can talk to.” Fordham’s Title IX office is located at the Rose Hill Campus in Faculty Memorial Hall, Office 109. Additional reporting was provided by Leeya Azemoun.

NYC Climate Week 2026: From Deliberation to Action

Policymakers, researchers and community leaders convened at both Fordham campuses By LILLIAN HERTEL Contributing Writer

After eight days of programming across all ﬁve boroughs, Climate Week NYC 2026 has come to an end. This year, events were hosted on both Fordham campuses: the State and Local Climate Policy Symposium at Fordham Lincoln Center and the Roots to Renewal Green Careers Reentry Summit at Fordham Rose Hill (FRH). The events focused on contemporary environmental policy issues, the effects of climate change across the city and employment opportunities in the green economy. The State and Local Climate Policy Symposium offered sessions on a variety of subjects, including climate justice, food waste, and state-federal tensions in climate policy and data centers. One morning session, titled “Climate Leadership in Every Community: A Conversation with NY’s Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus Leaders,” convened members of the New York State Assembly to discuss climate justice at the state and local levels. The panel focused on the progress assemblymembers have made toward a greener future in their districts. This year’s Climate Week NYC followed a scorching summer with severe ﬂooding in some parts of the city. Assemblymember Emérita Torres, who represents the 85th District in the Bronx, called attention to what she referred to as the disproportionate effects of climate change in underserved communities. “What we miss when we think about climate change and

LILLIAN HERTEL/THE OBSERVER

A variety of events occurred across the boroughs for Climate Week NYC 2026, including events hosted at Fordham University’s Bronx and Manhattan campuses.

pollutants in the aggregate is … the unevenness of environmental justice. And we see that every day in the Bronx,” Torres said. Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, who represents the 34th District in Queens, emphasized the overlapping political, ethical and environmental implications of climate justice. She explained her belief in the signiﬁcance of having women of color advocating for these issues. “It’s important to have women of color on this stage, because we understand viscerally the layered impact of different policies that impact our lives,” González-Rojas said. Each of the assemblymembers on the panel agreed on the need for community engagement

in policymaking, and the importance of intersectionality in addressing the disproportionate effects of climate change. Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, who represents the 103rd District in Queens, recounted the story of a Nepali man in her district who was deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this year, only to die in the ﬂash ﬂooding that has claimed hundreds of lives in Nepal. Another panel, titled “States Under Pressure: Resisting Federal Climate Rollbacks,” highlighted movements across New England and the mid-Atlantic working to prevent environmentally harmful projects, including pipelines and data centers. There has been a recent increase in proposals for

such projects, notably the Constitution Pipeline, a proposed 125mile pipeline spanning northeast Pennsylvania through upstate New York. Americans’ views on data centers have gotten more negative since the beginning of this year, with over 54% of people believing they are bad for the environment, according to a September 2026 poll from the Pew Research Center. Another panel, “The Data Center Dilemma: Building Smart Policy for the AI Era,” raised questions regarding an equitable path forward for communities adversely affected by environmental issues. One potential pathway is a cap-and-invest program already

in development between the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The program was established by the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, but has yet to be fully defined or implemented. “Cap-and-trade” or “emissions trading systems” (ETS) policies have been in effect in states like California for years. A statewide cap-and-invest in New York state would set a limit on the total amount of emissions permitted annually. If a company exceeds the limit, it has to pay; the revenue from these payments would then be redirected into climate mitigation and adaptation projects. Fordham co-hosted “Roots to Renewal: A Green Careers Reentry Summit” alongside the John Jay College of Criminal Justice’s Institute for Justice and Opportunity on Sept. 23. The event unveiled the Bronx Decarbonization Roadmap Mural on East Fordham Road. The mural depicts milestones on the path to decarbonization, depicting buildings on fire, a child using an inhaler, wind farms and children playing. A painting of FRH’s Keating Hall is placed prominently in the top-center of the mural. However, Climate Week NYC visit to Fordham was not limited to these official events. On Friday, Sept. 25, University President Tania Tetlow celebrated Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson’s $1 million seed funding to Fordham for the construction of the Bronx Green Jobs Center, which will broaden access to green jobs for Bronx residents.

News

October 7, 2026

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

Iran War Divides Fordham Republicans

Discussion centered around the economic and political consequences of the war for the United States IRAN WAR DEBATE from page 1

The ﬁrst of its kind for the club, the event was meant to “highlight free speech and have important debates on topics within (the Republican) party,” according to Jayson McArdle, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’29 and president of the club. The topic was voted on by club members, who were able to volunteer to argue for either side. He added that the debaters’ views do not necessarily represent those of the club as a whole.

The U.S. has spent $43.6 billion on the war as of September. The House passed a budget plan that would allocate an additional $73 billion for the war in July, which has not yet been passed by the Senate. Each side had three minutes for opening statements and delivered two-minute rebuttals. They then responded to host questions, followed by a 25-minute audience Q&A. The debate focused primarily on the war’s impact on Americans and the U.S. economy. Both sides agreed on a few things. Firstly, the war will hurt Republicans in the coming midterm elections. President Donald Trump’s approval rate has dropped to an abysmal 32%, having initially run on a campaign focused on improving affordability and against U.S. intervention in foreign conflicts. Trump did not declare any new major wars during his first term, while his second term has been marked not only by the Iran War, but also the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Republicans currently hold a narrow majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Democrats are favored to win the House in the midterms, and their chances of winning the Senate have gone up. Recent polling puts Democrats at a 12-point advantage, and crucially, independents are leaning strongly toward Democrats. All this is a dramatic shift from public attitudes and polling at the start of Trump’s second term. Secondly, the two teams each expressed a desire for a swift end to the war, but with opposite views on how that should come to pass. The anti-war team wanted the

U.S. to withdraw from Iran immediately, criticizing the amount of money being spent. They conceded that there would be continued short-term instability, but believe things would be better in the long run. “We’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the war and it’s only hurting the average American consumer. The only people beneﬁtting from this war are the military contractors,” Tymon Bielawa, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’30, and one of the anti-war debaters, said. The U.S. has spent $43.6 billion on the war as of September. The House passed a budget plan that would allocate an additional $73 billion for the war in July, which has not yet been passed by the Senate. The pro-war group said the exact opposite. In Saurav Trivedi’s words, GSBRH ’29, the war will lead to “short-term pain, longterm gain” by depleting Iranian weapons stores, damaging their military and nuclear infrastructure, and hiking up the price of U.S. oil being sold internationally. U.S. oil prices have risen due to global shortages. At the same time, U.S. oil reserves are diminishing, which weakens one of the government’s few tools to inﬂuence high gas prices (which would be by introducing more supply into the market). High U.S. oil prices are good for petroleum companies, but this money doesn’t directly translate to individual Americans who face rising gas prices at pumps.

Trump initially said the conﬂict would last between four and six weeks. It has now been seven months, with no immediate end in sight as both sides continue to dispute Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. sanctions on Iran. The pro-war team also repeatedly remarked that the war will damage China’s economy, which would, in their eyes, beneﬁt the U.S. China was initially relatively insulated from the economic shocks of the war due to its substantial oil and gas reserves. However, as months passed, its manufacturing economy began to suffer due to diminished consumer

The event was hosted in Keating 3rd, a small auditorium on the building’s third ﬂoor.

spending hurting its exports. The nation has also long benefited from discounted oil from Iran, the supply of which has been at least partially interrupted. The debaters did not explain how, exactly, a dip in China’s economy would necessarily be good for the U.S. However, the interdependence of global markets and the volume of American exports to China mean that any effects would be mixed. Parker McGinley, GSBRH ’27, gave the pro-war team’s opening remarks. He acknowledged that the war has lasted longer than expected but said the war should not end until the Iranian government capitulates to U.S. demands or a new regime is put in place. McGinley added that the U.S. must guarantee that Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon and is unable to close the Strait of Hormuz again if future trade disagreements arise. He claimed the nation would repeatedly do so, if given the opportunity. This kind of “the only way out is through” mentality was brought up repeatedly by the pro-war team throughout the debate. The anti-war team criticized the idea that Iran would necessarily continue to close the Strait of Hormuz, pointing to the fact that it was open and there was no conflict around it prior to Feb. 28. Trump initially said the conflict would last between four and six weeks. It has now been seven months, with no immediate end in sight as both sides continue to dispute Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. sanctions on Iran. The pro-war team repeatedly stated that the U.S. could not have predicted this outcome. Concerns around Iran’s potential to develop a nuclear weapon

The Fordham College Republicans voted for the debate topic to be the Iran War, over who the 2028 Republican presidential candidate should be or a retrospective on the Trump presidency.

largely center around the nation’s stores of enriched uranium. However, nuclear experts and U.S. intelligence ofﬁcers have said that Iran did not pose an imminent nuclear threat and lacks the delivery infrastructure to launch nuclear missiles. The state of Iran’s nuclear program is now unknown after the war forced international inspectors to leave the region. Kemsley Rajoo, Fordham Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ’27, gave the anti-war opening. He argued that the U.S. has failed at its goal of initiating regime change, destabilized the global economy, made gas and groceries more expensive for Americans, and hurt the U.S.’s military reputation around the world.

The pro-war team argued that Trump should have initiated the war sooner, while anti-government protests were still happening. The pro-war team’s rebuttal said that the U.S. has been able to destroy Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, along with weakening Iran’s government, which they consider a success. “The Iranian administration ... doesn’t have a functional government at all anymore,” McGinley said. “The Iranian military is not really acting cohesively because they don’t really have generals anymore.” The group did not provide speciﬁc evidence for these claims. The statement that Iran no longer has a functional government is factually incorrect. Initiating a regime change in Iran is particularly difﬁcult because the nation’s government is a theocracy, not a personalist dictatorship. So, while killing Khamenei destabilized the government to some degree, the ayatollah sits atop the military, the state bureaucracy and the clerical establishment, creating a decentralized power structure that is harder to eradicate. The exact number of military generals in Iran is undisclosed to the public. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), one of Iran’s two military forces, also functions via decentralized command and is divided into 31 provincial corps. As such, somewhat like the government, the IRGC can remain operational even if one of its top generals is killed. McGinely alluded to this fact in his rebuttal. The anti-war team also claimed that the war is unconstitutional, as only Congress has the power

PHOTOS BY ELISA LUNA/THE OBSERVER

to declare war and the president must end unauthorized military conflicts after 60 days. This is a subject of much debate among politicians, lawyers and laypeople alike. The pro-war team argued that Trump should have initiated the war sooner, while anti-government protests were still happening. They believed that Iranian civilians, in this scenario, would have been capable of participating in an overthrow of their own government alongside U.S. military support. This kind of speculative thinking featured on both sides of the debate, but, of course, is impossible to verify. An audience member asked, aside from the strategic considerations regarding the war, whether or not the teams believe it is a just war. Western just war theory is broadly considered to have been founded by St. Augustine of Hippo. He argued that a war can be morally justifiable under certain criteria, generally that it is fought for justice and peace. Just war has evolved considerably since then and forms the basis of international law, regulating both when it is justifiable for a nation to go to war, and what is acceptable conduct while in war. The anti-war team argued that the war is unjust because it involved a preemptive, not a reactionary, attack. They also pointed to civilian casualties, particularly the over 100 schoolgirls killed in an air strike on a primary school this past March. The Trump administration has not directly accepted responsibility for the bombing. The United Nations, the Associated Press, and Amnesty International each found reason to believe that the U.S. was responsible. Human Rights Watch also said the attack was unlawful and should be investigated as a war crime. For the pro-war side, McGinley said “you have to look at the potential of what you don’t do or what could come about if you don’t go into the conflict, and I think we don’t know the full impact of those things.” The club conducted an entry and exit poll measuring the strength of audience support for the Iran War on a scale of one to 10 in order to determine who “won” the debate. The initial score was a 3.5, and it rose to a 4.5, meaning the prowar team swayed the audience toward their perspective. However, given the small sample size, this number is not exactly statistically significant. The FCR hope to hold more debates of this sort and look forward to their upcoming annual debate with the Fordham College Democrats.

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October 7, 2026

News

New SCEO Looks Back on One Year of Saxbys

As Saxbys celebrates its ﬁrst anniversary, new SCEO Emily Owens reﬂects on her experience at the helm of its student team Saxbys debuted, only Gabelli students were eligible for the SCEO position. As of this year, any major can apply.

SAXBYS SCEO from page 1

Her responsibilities as SCEO include overseeing her team’s daily operations and managing the business side of things with her student vice presidents (SVPs.) The SCEO position is intended to give students the opportunity to take on such responsibilities, which are usually available only in professional management roles.

Following the legacy left by previous SCEOs Engelmann and Borna ShayeiMousavi, GSBLC ’28, Owens believes that the importance of having a strong, collaborative team behind the counter cannot be overstated. Owens is the ﬁrst female SCEO of Saxbys at FLC. “We have such a great team of so many different people from different backgrounds and different identities,” Owens said. “I’m really excited to continue for us to have more milestones like this, for other identities as well. I think it’s been a really great opportunity to be able to offer my perspective.” Following the legacy left by previous SCEOs Engelmann and Borna ShayeiMousavi, GSBLC ’28,

She also mentioned the expansion of SVP roles. There were previously only two positions available to students, marketing and recruiting, but Saxbys has since added a third, ﬁnance.

LUCIEN FISCHER/THE OBSERVER

Emily Owens, a Washington, D.C. native, is a global business major with a marketing concentration and Saxbys’ ﬁrst female SCEO.

Owens believes that the importance of having a strong, collaborative team behind the counter cannot be overstated. As a former Resident First-Year Mentor (RFM) and bakery employee, she has seen ﬁrsthand the signiﬁcance of a cooperative team. Owens was surprised by the amount of behind-thescenes work that the SCEO position requires. “I had assumed that when (you) became the Student CEO, you were always going to be behind bar, but actually, probably about 90% of the (work) is

actually a lot of things on the back end, whether that’s scheduling, or making sure we’re compliant with all our regulations,” Owens said. “So you might not see me necessarily behind bar, but know I am working extremely hard to make sure that the guest experience is incredible, even when I’m not there.” Despite not working behind the counter as often as she anticipated, Owens is proud of the community that Saxbys has been able to foster. As the only student-run café on campus, many of the Saxbys team members are

friends with customers, creating an atmosphere more interconnected than the traditional dining spot. Owens also emphasized how the Saxbys menu constantly develops while keeping around classic staples. The new fall pumpkin roll drinks have been popular with guests, she mentioned. Owens herself recommends any of the smoothies on the Saxbys menu, especially Green Goals and Vacay All Day. When looking toward the next year of Saxbys, Owens hopes to see more expansion. When

“That means that anyone can become Student CEO, so I think continuing that and giving those leadership opportunities to everyone is a really good idea,” Owens said. She also mentioned the expansion of SVP roles. There were previously only two positions available to students, marketing and recruiting, but Saxbys has since added a third, ﬁnance. The SVP of recruiting position has also been replaced by a human resources position. After one year of Saxbys being in business, the cafe has become a popular hub of student life at FLC. With a strong team and the expansion of opportunities to non-Gabelli students, Owens believes that it has many more successful years to come.

Sikh Student Association Offers Safe Space for All

The group welcomes all students to participate in increasing Sikh visibility and fostering connection on campus By SOPHIA STEPHAN Asst. News Editor

Fordham’s Sikh Student Association (FSSA) hosted its ﬁrst event of the academic year on the Rose Hill campus on Wednesday, Sept. 30, kicking off its sixth year as the sole student club committed to Sikh representation, education and practice. FSSA gathered members of the Fordham community around Pugsley’s pizza to introduce their E-Board and discuss their plans for the year. They explained what Sikhism is and established their intentions to connect Sikh students at Fordham with one another, as well as with other faith groups on campus. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion originating in the Punjab region of Southeast Asia, between the present-day states of India and Pakistan. At its core, Sikhism upholds the belief in one omnipotent God, called Waheguru, who is genderless, ineffable and immanent. Key virtues include truth, justice and public service. Sikhs denounce discriminatory systems and encourage humility and honest work. Social chair of FSSA Ramandeep Girn, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center ’27, said that, while there are “some Sikh people” at Fordham Lincoln Center, he appreciates the opportunity to connect with more students and be a part of FSSA’s efforts to increase Sikh visibility. “Growing up here in New York City, there’s not much representation, and a lot of people still don’t know a lot about Sikhism … so this is kind of like a ﬁrst step (toward) making that awareness happen,” Girn said. Sikhs make up 0.02% of the

COURTESY OF SIKH STUDENT ASSOCIATION

The Fordham Sikh Student Association’s executive board all grew up in or just outside of New York City.

U.S. population, with about 70,000 individuals in the U.S. identifying themselves as Sikh alone or in any combination in the 2020 U.S. census. Despite being a small minority population, a large portion of Sikhs in the U.S. live in the New York City area, particularly in Queens. While there are no Sikh temples, called gurdwaras, in the Bronx, FSSA plans to bring its members to the Sikh Cultural Society gurudwara in Queens. This excursion is just one of the activities FSSA advertised during their presentation that aligns with their goals to build community and practice Sikhism’s core values. They also plan on hosting langar, a communal meal typically shared in a gurdwara, on campus. The two other events to be scheduled

are an alumni panel night and a bingo night celebrating Vaisakhi. Generally, Vaisakhi is a festival marking the harvest season in Punjab. For Sikhs, it also celebrates the day that Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (the 10th and ﬁnal human Sikh guru) created the Khalsa (Sikhism’s highest spiritual order) in 1699, which redeﬁned Sikh identity and commitments. Arjun Bhasin, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’27, is president of FSSA. He said that one of the group’s main goals is to provide a welcoming space for Sikh students. “I feel like our main goal is to just have (Sikh) people that feel shy (come) here, especially since they’re already so underrepresented,” Bhasin said. “We just want people to know that there’s

a safe space for them and there’s always a place for them to be with and connect with other people and feel comfortable.” He added that, although there are “not that many” Sikh people on campus, the club is “slowly seeing growth and more Sikh people … Naturally people will ﬁnd their way towards other Sikh people, and having a club like this is a good way for (Sikhs) to be more comfortable here.” In an effort to increase representation, club activities will center around teaching students about Sikh practices and values. “We just want to get people more familiar with what our culture is. So we do langar events (where) we serve food on the ﬂoor, which is what we do at our temples, and we just want to get more

people familiar with our temples as well … so just kind of a baseline of who we are and what we do,” Bhasin said. Herman Singh, GSBRH ’28 and secretary of FSSA, reﬂected on what it is like being “one of the smaller cultural groups,” and how that drives their efforts to create a greater sense of community on campus. “This meeting was a good starting point for us to build what we’re trying to have … a stronger community,” Singh said. “There’s a lot of different culture groups that already have a good standing, and we want to also be up there so we can inform people what our wonderful religion has to offer.” Fordham’s Catholic identity plays a role in FSSA’s interfaith efforts. Singh said that “being at a Jesuit university” makes being “accepting of all other religions … a key factor” of their outreach. FSSA Treasurer Rajveer Gudral, GSBRH ’29, said he looks forward to collaborating with the other South Asian clubs on campus and emphasized the importance of education about Sikhism. “We just want to make sure we have people that are here that want to learn what Sikhism is,” Gudral said. “This year deﬁnitely we had a good turn out, and it’s just going to start to get better from here.” The club said they look forward to connecting with other New York City colleges’ Sikh student groups and welcoming new members, regardless of faith or ethnicity. “Sikh or non-Sikh, there’s always a safe place for you at Fordham’s Sikh Student Association,” Bhasin said. FSSA’s premier meeting yielded high hopes for its executive board for the coming year.

Sports & Health Moving Beyond Differences In Seeing Through Comics

Manging Editor Cora Cost

October 7, 2026 THE OBSERVER

‘Absolute Martian Manhunter’ works to solve challenges faced in interpersonal communication

By JACK BRUDECKI Fact-Checker

This piece contains spoilers for “Absolute Martian Manhunter” (De)mystifying Mental Health It is difficult to speak of one’s feelings and experiences of the world to another person. Not always from a lack of effective vocabulary or fear of judgement — though these are perfectly apt and often apply too; no, communicating with another person is difficult at its core because there is no guarantee that someone besides yourself will be able to see the world in your eyes. At play here are different co-constitutive factors. The ways in which we view and then model the world based on our own experiences are particularized by those very experiences. Another individual cannot come to see an exact replica of these models because they cannot partake in all of those same experiences, in the exact same manner, with the exact same emotional responses. Beyond this, the models shaped by one’s emotional experiences then exercise an influence over future emotional experiences, further differentiating an individual’s mental world from any other. Even if you were able to conceive of the world in the same exact way, say, if someone’s model or the foundational experiences shaping it were described to you, the task of conveying it through language is another problem entirely. The 2025-26 limited series comic book “Absolute Martian Manhunter,” written by Deniz Camp and drawn by Javier Rodriguez, tackles this challenge thematically. Across 12 issues, the comic examines what happens when interpersonal communication, particularly with respect to how one is feeling, fails — and what can happen if the aforementioned limitations could be circumvented. Wonderfully, this speculation is not limited only to the content of the story itself, but also articulated through the comic book as a medium. “Absolute Martian Manhunter” follows FBI agent John Jones as he works in the stochastic crimes task force of the bureau while balancing relationships with his wife Bridget and his son Tyler. What further complicates these endeavors is Jones’ unexpected visitor — the Martian. Jones is enabled through the Martian to see actually — without speculation — the thoughts, emotions and past experiences of others he encounters, a capacity that radically shifts his interplay with the world (as it would for anyone). To uncover the significance of this capacity beyond the fantastical power of telepathy, one must turn to cognitive psychology. At the boulevard of the latter and literature is “What to expect when you pick up a graphic,” an academic article written by professor emerita at University of Kentucky Lisa Zunshine. Zunshine examines the incessant speculation individuals partake in when encountering others, both out in the world and in aesthetic works. “We explain other people’s observable behavior in terms of unobservable mental states and assume that they explain our behavior the same way,” Zunshine says in the introduction.

“I sigh because I feel bad about my laziness. I don’t know what she thinks when she notices my look, but I think up a little narrative about what she might think and what I should do so that she doesn’t think this.” Because Jones no longer needs to partake in this behavior — as “unobservable mental states” are made visible for him — he becomes overwhelmed sensuously. This serves as a reminder of how important this speculative faculty is to a person’s everyday experience of the world. Explored beautifully in the series is communicative differences in language, which are only made examinable because of the comic medium. The Martian’s extraterrestriality is represented through his speech with the uttering of multiple words within a single grammatical position. In the debut issue, the Martian introduces himself as a “mind / hunt / kill / save / redeem / heal / er,” with each word shown as an individual thought bubble for the character. Likewise in the seventh issue, he pleads with Jones about his struggles to communicate, saying “Must talk / communicate connect, John. / Recent cosmic trauma threatens soul sanity humanity. / Without treatment, complete self-destruction assured.” Paired with the overlapping of speech bubbles upon one another as well as the “alien” font of the sentences themselves, this dialogue functions not as a list with one word uttered right after the other, but as a visualization of simultaneity. In other words, it is a marker of the Martian’s nonhuman nature and the differences in interpersonal communication that have arisen in turn from it to bridge that gap. Also important to note is that most mediums greatly struggle to display simultaneously occurring events or speech, something English professor at the University of Maryland Brian Richardson touches on in his article “Unusual and Unnatural Narrative Sequences.” “It is widely afﬁrmed that narrative and its reception are sequential processes and that simultaneous events must therefore be presented and processed sequentially, not simultaneously,” Richardson said. “Absolute Martian Manhunter” features moments that are indicative of the comic medium’s ability to present simultaneous occurrences visually. In a panel of its third issue, tensions surrounding what his wife Bridget is thinking about in their shared silence is answered by a display of possible sentences of her inner monologue and the multitude of emotions she holds at that same moment. Rather than describing a metaphor akin to “her emotions were written on her face,” the comic is able to show thoughts made physically manifest in an immediate, simultaneous manner — rather than saying it within the linear constraints of language. Bridget’s thoughts are not there to be “read” by Jones; they form an aroma that permeates the physical architecture of the living room. As such, like breathing in the air and smelling it in the real world, one does not get a whiff of each note contained within an inhale sequentially. All the varied components that make up what one smells at a given moment are encountered simultaneously.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAVIER RODRIGUEZ/DC COMICS

Bridget’s considerations and emotions are rendered sensuously, mirroring how a person encounters the world prior to describing it.

Thanks to the formal innovation of “Martian vision” made possible by a comic’s thin pages, panels can contain multiple readings without including even a single written word.

The same is true for this panel. There is no defined path by which the reader is supposed to examine each of the nested feelings on Bridget’s mind — which is a stark contrast to how it could be described in a purely written work, where one must always read left to right and up to down, word by word. Just as this occurs within a single panel, this principle of nonlinearity is fundamental to the comic medium. As Raphaël Baroni, an associate professor of literature at the University of Lausanne, explores in “(Un)natural temporalities in comics,” the comic speaks to a more immediate, simultaneous experience of sensations in the word that cannot be captured in language without the distortive linearity of language. “The chronology of the story (in comics) is unnatural … because, in a strip, there are two levels of organisation for the (narrative sequence of events): first, the sequential organisation of the (panels on a page), and second, the whole strip apprehended as one single picture,” Baroni says. “Everytime that a page organisation offers meaningful alternatives to the linear progression, it produces a kind of unfixed (narrative sequence of events), because the reader is invited to read or view the panels several times and in different orders.” Simultaneous presentation also occurs through the series’ most radical stylistic inclusion — Martian vision. In a few places, the reader can leverage a light source against the thinly printed

paper of the comic to experience Jones’ radical shift in perception. For example, when Jones and Bridget’s communicative struggles persist, resulting in the pair living separately for a time, a page in the seventh issue utilizes Martian vision to show the audience the characters’ physical distance and longing for each other. Thinking about Baroni’s words, this page shows that to fully “read” this comic in particular — if not all — hinges upon a constant examination and subsequent reexamination of content from page to page and panel to panel. Returning to considering how this work thinks about interpersonal communication, it is clear that the plot and formal elements function in concord to lend credence to the idea that every individual encounters as well as thinks and speaks about the world differently. In particular, “Absolute Martian Manhunter” showcases the little miracles that can come about when navigating the communicative differences of others. Over the course of the series, Jones, a man who keeps his thoughts and emotions rather close to his chest, navigates conversation with his more emotionally articulate partner Bridget and cultural outsider the Martian, and ultimately grows in his emotional comprehension as a result. This is most clearly shown in the evolution of Jones’ relationship with his son Tyler, who is nonverbal. In the ﬁnal issue of the series, the nature of their rapport (or lack thereof up to that point) is delineated

through a memory that reveals Jones’s frustration. Tyler, up to this point, is shown to communicate in images and art, most notably through the clay figures he makes. Disregarding Tyler’s differing form of communication, Jones demands he instead submit to the more conventional spoken word, saying, “If you want something, ask for it! Use your words! Talk, Tyler! Talk!” This is a heartbreaking moment, as it shows what can happen when one does not recall how differences in experience fundamentally shape how those experiences are communicated. But, in a more hopeful sense, the comparatively heartwarming resolution to these gaps in communication grants further efficacy to the comic medium as a form that uses more than just language. Father and son begin to truly encounter each other for the first time by engaging in the son’s language. Making clay figures together, Jones remarks that he had “learned a few things with the (Martian) … there are all kinds of ways to communicate.” The two seal the deal with a cathartic fist bump. “Absolute Martian Manhunter,” at its core, is a story about empathy. It emphasizes the necessity for us to truly take the time to try to see the world through another’s eyes. And, by virtue of its medium-specific characteristics, the series hopes that we may actually be able to do it, regardless of the work involved. Above all, it shows just how worth it a loving rapport is.

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October 7, 2026

Fordham Flu’d

Sports & Health

Take a look at how the Fordham students are approaching the upcoming ﬂu season By PARIS MATHUKU Staff Writer

Fordham students have surely felt the wrath of New York City’s recent cold winds, and along with autumn comes cold and flu season. While the halls become increasingly rife with sniffles and class discussions fill with coughs, one may wonder how Fordham will handle the annual flu wave this year. When asked whether they observe sickness spreading as their campus gets colder, students’ responses varied depending on how their personal health has been impacted. “I haven’t, no, but I do know a lot of people who have been coming down with something,” Isaac Forson, Fordham Law School ’29, said. Others said they did contract some illness, but their symptoms left them unsure of what they caught, as many seasonal sicknesses do. “I’ve been sick since it’s gotten colder, (but) not with the flu,” Rafael Eganz, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’30, said. Lainie Barnett, FCLC ’30, said that she is sick, but she was still working on the Outdoor Plaza regardless of her condition. Although all the students that were interviewed agreed that sicknesses are going around, (regardless of whether it affected them or not), when they were asked if they got the flu shot to combat the common flu — a common preventative practice of the season — students gave more varied answers. “I feel like every year … the fall catches up to you … but I do get (the vaccine) every year, so this is a good reminder to go sign up and get the flu shot,” Forson said. When questioned, Daniel Chang, FCLC ’30, said that he has not gotten the flu shot because of

As ﬂu season approaches, students roll up their sleeves for the annual ﬂu vaccine.

his lack of trust in the American Healthcare system. “Honestly, I’m planning to get it — not here, but when I go back home for the winter. I’m from Korea, and I just trust the healthcare there (more),” Chang said. Forson stated he believes that the university does offer accessible healthcare services, though he has access to more convenient local services as a New York state native. “I’m from New York, so I typically just go back home to my primary provider or Duane Reade,” Forson said. As listed on the Fordham website, the University’s Health Center offers an array of services, such as primary care, physical examinations, women’s health care, men’s health care, LGBT health care, allergy health clinic and laboratory testing. At Fordham Rose Hill’s (FRH) Emergency Medical Services, x-rays, immunizations, special referrals and physical therapy are provided.

When asked about the quality of Fordham’s healthcare, Forson said he feels FRH provides adequate access. “I think they do; at least when I was undergrad in the Bronx campus, they did offer ﬂu shots and things like that,” he said. Obviously, I can’t speak for people who are coming from out of state, so I think that’s a very different dynamic that I can’t speak to, but from the times I had to go to the Fordham Health Center, it was, you know, satisfactory,” Forson said. Others were not particularly aware of the services provided by the Health Center but stated that they do believe that access is offered. Graduate student Alexandra Wells, Gabelli Graduate School of Business at Lincoln Center (GGSBLC) ’28, responded with positivity. Though it is only her ﬁrst semester at Fordham, she said her and her peers “get a lot of emails regarding what is

LUCIEN FISCHER/THE OBSERVER

afforded and available to students. I haven’t used it, but from what I do see, (it) is easily accessible and understanding (what) the good resources are for students who need it.” When asked the same question, Leonard Chiang, GGSBLC ’27, mentioned Fordham’s statement on “cura personalis,” or “care for the whole person,” the core Jesuit doctrine of the university. “Fordham espouses the doctrine of cura personalis, and I do think that offering things like the ﬂu shot (in the) clinic is in line with that expectation that’s created,” Chiang said. Fordham’s Health Center offers the ﬂu shot for $30 at both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses. The fee is charged under the students’ bursar account, which can be found on the Fordham website under “My E-Bill Suite” in “Account Overview.” Students can book an appointment at either campus by calling or visiting the

health services website. They also accept walk-ins at their office in G16, which is located next to the Garden Lounge at Fordham Lincoln Center’s (FLC) 140 West 62nd Street Building and in the lower level of O’Hare Hall at FRH. Fordham may also offer access to flu shots through seasonal pop-up flu clinics which are advertised. There are also flu shots available at several off-campus sites in the surrounding areas of the FLC campus, including: CVS on 58th Street and 9th Avenue; Duane Reade on 59th Street and 10th Avenue; and Danny’s Pharmacy on 64th Street and West End Avenue. With health insurance, these locations offer access to flu shots for an out-of-pocket payment of $0. The Fordham Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is eligible for this discount as well. However, students without insurance are expected to pay out-of-pocket prices which can vary from $60 or more for a single flu shot. If you do not have access to healthcare, there are still options for you to avoid the flu. The Ryan Chelsea-Clinton Health Center provides free or low-cost options specifically for the uninsured. Located on 10th Avenue between 45th and 46th Street, they are guided by the principle that “high-quality care is everyone’s right and our responsibility.” They also have a sliding fee scale, ranging from $0-30 per visit depending on household income and size. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal is partnering with Mount Sinai Health Systems to also provide free flu shots at her office, 230 West 72nd Street, from the hours of 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Every year, free flu shot events such as these are advertised more and more as temperatures inch toward freezing, so if you need one, keep your eyes peeled.

Find out where Fordham athletics teams currently stand

Senior forward Riley Carroll, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’27, was named the Atlantic 10 Conference’s Women’s Soccer Player of the Week.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Women’s swimming opened the season with a win at Seton Hall.

Statistics

Notes

Women’s Soccer

4-6-1 Overall, 1-3 Conference

The next game will be played at home against Virginia Commonwealth University on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.

Men’s Soccer

4-4-2 Overall, 2-0-1 Conference

The next game will be played at home against Saint Louis University on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.

Water Polo

11-1 Overall, 3-0 Conference

The next game will be played at home against Wagner College on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m.

Football

1-5 Overall, 1-2 Conference

The next game will be played at home against the University of Richmond on Oct. 10 at 3:30 p.m.

Volleyball

6-11 Overall, 0-4 Conference

The next game will be played at the University of Rhode Island on Oct. 7 at 5 p.m.

Team

Sports October 7, 2026

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A Golden Legacy

Fordham Athletics honors key members of Fordham rowing history

By CORA COST Managing Editor

Clad in long johns, swim trunks and a dark sweater, standing on the coxswain’s seat with tiller ropes in hand is how Fordham rowing founder and former coach John Mulcahy is remembered by the late Vincent M. Doherty, a Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) graduate in 1918. Doherty, who was stroke of the ﬁrst boat in Fordham crew’s history, said in an interview with Fordham Magazine that Mulcahy “had the voice of command,” and despite being “a stern master, he had the affection and respect of every man on the squad.” Grounded in his experience as a national title holder and an Olympic champion, Mulcahy set the bar of excellence and hard work that continues to stand strong as the foundation for the Fordham rowing program over a century later. Before Mulcahy found his place guiding the Fordham crew along the Harlem River, he established an illustrious individual athletic career, rowing his way to national and international acclaim. Mulcahy, who attended St. John’s (now Fordham Preparatory School) graduated from Fordham University in three years, and was part of the 1894 class. During his time on the Fordham Rose

Hill (FRH) campus in the Bronx, Mulcahy became the first United States Olympic rower to secure a national title, winning the double sculls in 1891 with his rowing partner Martin F. Monahan. On the water of Creve Coeur Lake, a decade after leaving Fordham, Mulcahy and his then-boat partner William Varley would continue to write their names in the history books of American rowing. In 1904, the United States hosted its first ever Olympic Games in St. Louis, Missouri, alongside the four month-long St. Louis World’s Fair, at the time known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Representing the U.S. at the St. Louis Olympic Games, Mulcahy and Varley won the gold medal in double sculls and the silver medal in coxless pairs. Their Olympic performance that summer not only raised them to prominence in the rowing world, but it cemented Mulcahy in Fordham athletic history as Fordham’s first Olympic champion. In 1991, Mulcahy was posthumously inducted into the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame; however, no family member was available to receive the award on his behalf at the time. This year at the 2026 Hall of Fame induction ceremony on the FRH campus, the Athletic

department decided to rehonor Mulcahy. Alongside the nine Rams who were inducted into the Hall of Fame this year — including two Fordham rowing alumni Mike Snell, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’03, and Fiona Murtagh FCRH ’16 — Mulcahy was honored once more, this time with family present.

“ For Fordham to be

a part of such a rich history of rowing in New York City and in American rowing history is a great honor — and every member of a Fordham crew is part of that ongoing history. ”

James Sciales, Fordham rowing alumnus

Jack Mulcahy, along with his wife Gina Bello, attended the ceremony to receive the award on behalf of his grandfather. The younger Mulchahy had never stepped foot onto the FRH campus until he was tracked down to attend the induction ceremony by James

Sciales, FCRH ’87, an alumnus of the rowing program and current archivist with the Fordham Rowing Association. In being present on the campus his grandfather attended, a community he had contributed so much to, Mulcahy felt he was “closing the loop on the legacy.” “I’m as honored as I could possibly be,” Mulcahy said. Born after the death of his grandfather, Jack Mulcahy never had the opportunity to meet his namesake, but grew up surrounded by the “legend” of his grandfather’s impact on the rowing community. “I never knew my grandfather; he was long gone before I was born. He has just been pretty much a legend in my house. I didn’t really come to know him until I was well into my teen years, (quite when) all of his exploits were laid out for me,” Mulcahy said. Hearing about his grandfather from members of his family and spending recent years tracing recent years his family tree, Jack Mulcahy has been able to piece together the man behind the “legend” of the Olympian, New York Alderman, entrepreneur and coach. “(He was) quite driven, (had) quite an attention to detail, a good judgment of character. When he set out

to start the crew teams, it was with an eye towards getting better and better, into an elite status, which it was,” Mulcahy said. Over a decade after securing his own elite status at the Olympic level, and almost two decades since graduating, John Mulcahy returned to Fordham to start a rowing program. After five years of petitioning the university, on April 10, 1915, the first Fordham Crew was inaugurated. Rowing out of the Atalanta Boat Club on the Harlem River, a boat of eight firstyears made up the first crew to hit the water in Fordham’s history. As the president of the Atalanta Club, Mulcahy extended several shells for the use of the program, along with his role as the team’s inaugural head coach. At the time, Atalanta Boat Club was one of the oldest rowing clubs in American waters and belonged to a collection of boathouses along Sherman Creek, a small tributary of the Harlem River, referred to as “Sculler’s Row.” These boat houses on the shores of New York City made up the epicenter of the U.S.

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rowing scene during the early 20th century. While the great popularity of rowing in New York reigned, Fordham rowing had Mulcahy at the helm. Over the course of the more than a century-long history of Fordham rowing, Mulcahy’s memory has persisted throughout the Fordham community. Sciales, former president of the Fordham University crew team, learned about Mulcahy during his first year with the program. “He is a legendary figure not just among Fordham rowers, but among the New York City rowing community,” Sciales said. “For Fordham to be a part of such a rich history of rowing in New York City and in American rowing history is a great honor — and every member of a Fordham crew is part of that ongoing history.” Proof of that ongoing history is fellow 2026 Athletic Hall of Fame honoree, Fordham women’s rowing alumna Fiona Murtagh, FCRH ’16. Originally from Galway, Ireland, Murtagh transferred from the University of Galway to join Fordham’s Division 1 women’s rowing program in 2013. The women’s program began as a club team in 1982 and was later elevated to its current varsity status in 1997. While a Ram, Murtagh played a key role in winning the Head of Charles Regatta two years in a row, the 2013 first-place finish being the first major regatta win for the women’s program. Over a century after the St. Louis Olympic Games, Murtagh joined Mulcahy in the Fordham athletic history book. At the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, postponed until 2021 due to the COVID19 pandemic, Murtagh won a bronze medal in the coxless four while representing the Irish National Rowing Team. Her performance at the Tokyo games made her Fordham’s first female Olympic medalist. Murtagh has continued to excel on the international stage; at the 2025 World Rowing Championships, Murtagh put on a golden performance and took the international title in single sculls. More than 100 years apart, Mulcahy and Murtagh bookend a rich history between Fordham and international rowing. Several Fordham rowing alumni have been involved with the Olympic Games. Glenn Florio, GSBRH ’89, won a national collegiate single sculls championship while at Fordham, and

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competed in the 1988 Seoul Games. Cynthia Swope, FCRH ’80, was an alternate for the U.S. Olympic rowing team and a chairwoman of the women’s Olympic Rowing Committee. John Sulger, FCRH ’35, was a manager of the U.S. Olympic rowing team in 1960. Most recently, former Fordham rowing coach Ted Bonanno has coached crews at four Olympic Games. The success of Fordham rowing members whether during their time at Fordham or after graduation is never celebrated alone: “(Alumni still) feel they are part of the crew,” Sciales said. “(The) dedication and grit that they put into rowing — it lingers way past graduation.”

“ Every single stroke

we’re taking holds value, and how, even if you’re taking paddle strokes back to the dock, you can still be … making the minutes of practice count. ”

Louisa Sweeney, Women’s rowing captain

This dedication to the Fordham rowing program is more than just revelling in the victories, but being a cornerstone of support. Eventually, Fordham rowing moved from the Atalanta Club to its own boathouse owned by the Fordham Rowing Association, a collection of rowing alumni, which was located on the Harlem River on Dyckman Street. The boathouse stood for 102 years before it burned down completely in 1978. The ﬁre consumed not only the building, but all of the wooden shells, oars and memorabilia that the program had collected over the years. In this moment, the members of the Fordham rowing community rose to the occasion and raised money to build the program back up from the tragedy, a testament to the community fostered between alumni and current members of the program. For the current captain of the Fordham men’s crew team, Mike Rodriguez, FCRH ’27, the history of the program plays an important foundation in how the current team operates. “It is important to know your past, so that way you can build into your present and then build upon it for your future,” Rodriguez said. “(It is important) to understand the legacy that exists and how we can continue achieving

greatness, to prove that there is a legacy of excellence.” Fordham women’s rowing captain Faith Lee, GSBRH ’27, shared her perspective on continued prosperity, expressing how the pursuit of victory is a moving target, and that “you have to define what excellence looks like for that group of women, and what that means to each individual member of the team,” Lee said. The Fordham women’s rowing team is currently in pursuit of continued success from last season, when they took second at the Atlantic 10 Championship. For Lee’s fellow team captain, Louisa Sweeney, GSBRH ’28, the steps to their goal are taken every day at practice. “Every single stroke we’re taking holds value, and how, even if you’re taking paddle strokes back to the dock, you can still be … making the minutes of practice count,” Sweeney said. “Using that to build up over time to the point where you’ve used all of your practice time to its full potential.” Both the women’s and men’s rowing programs have introduced new head coaches in the last two years. Gerry Quinlan joined the women’s rowing program in August 2025, coming from a 26-yearlong career at St. Joseph’s University. The head coach of the men’s team, Jamie Copus, adds to the experience present within the rowing program as a Cornell University alumnus and U.S. National Team member. Most recently, Copus won bronze in the lightweight men’s double sculls at the 2026 World Rowing Championships. From his first year with the program to now, going into his latest season rowing as a Ram, Rodriguez believes the program has grown monumentally. The Fordham men’s crew team finished its 2026 season with two American Collegiate Rowing Association national titles, in both varsity and novice lightweight fours. “I think it’s a new era of Fordham men’s crew that is continuously going to peak. I don’t see a plateau anytime soon, and I think our greatness is going to continue to thrive,” Rodriguez said. For Sciales, “a rowing team’s boat is known as a ‘crew,’ and to be successful in the sport, every member of the crew has to work in perfect harmony.” A perfect harmony is difficult to achieve, but Fordham rowing has been able to find it time and time again for over a century. From National Champions to Olympians, the Rams have proven that the program’s success did not end with their founder, but is built into every member who takes a seat in their boats.

October 7, 2026

Sports

John J.F. Mulcahy 1904 Olympic gold medalist in double sculls

Fiona Murtagh 2020 Olympics bronze medalist in women’s four PHOTOS COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS & FORDHAM ROWING ASSOCIATION DESIGNED BY ROOP SOMAL

Opinions Editor Vee Venning

Opinions

October 7, 2026 THE OBSERVER

You’re Not ‘Just a Girl’

The increasing prevalence of misogynistic language must be taken seriously

Online Editor Sofia Strelnikova

While language around women’s irresponsibilities and youth is used to deny them of their competency and autonomy, similar language is used to relinquish men of their accountability. The use of self-descriptors like “just a girl” is particularly troubling, as using the word “just” as an adverb before “girl” implies that girlhood is an inferior state of being. Additionally, when the word “girl” is used in this scenario, it becomes synonymous with childishness and irresponsibility. Oftentimes, this phrase is used by women when they are excusing themselves for making a bad decision or otherwise irresponsible behavior, further reinforcing the notion that women are inferior to men. While language around women’s irresponsibilities and youth is used to deny them their competency and autonomy, similar language is used to relinquish men of their accountability. Phrases such as “He’s just a boy” or “Boys will be boys” are used as excuses for young men. Their innate immaturity becomes a reason why they should not be held accountable for their actions, allowing them to reclaim their autonomy at a later date. When using this language, the past errors of young men and boys are brushed aside, allowing them to move on with their lives. However, women’s youth and errors are constantly held against them. Any mistake a woman makes is used as a case for why all women shouldn’t be allowed to have power or responsibility, while the errors of men are strictly attributed to their perpetrators. When a man hurts someone or makes a mistake, his errors are speciﬁc to him and not representative of “all men.” However, when a woman harms someone or makes a mistake, her faults are attributed to all women. For example, a man making a math error means he is bad at math, while a woman making a math error means all women are bad at math — thus, “girl math.” These assumptions do not stop at women’s capabilities but instead expand to dictate what women should and should not be able to do. Next, “girl dinner” is a social media trend based on low-effort, no-cooking meals. These meals can be made up of assortments of random snack foods, children’s foods, desserts and so on. Both the concept and the language used to describe “girl dinners” are misogynistic. Once again, the infantilizing adjunct “girl” is being used in a manner to describe these meals as childish or irresponsible, reinforcing the misogynistic view of womanhood. The mixture of random foods conjures the idea of childishness and irresponsibility because no actual meal is put together for oneself.

Editor-in-Chief Leeya Azemoun

Managing Editor Cora Cost

SYDNEY SIMS Contributing Writer

here is nothing that infuriates me more than a grown woman referring to herself as “just a girl.” To see misogynistic language like this inﬁltrate our everyday speech and women adopt this derogatory language without a second thought is especially heartbreaking. In both the digital and physical worlds, there is an uptick in women using and validating increasingly misogynistic language — language that women themselves downplay as a joke. The way someone speaks about themselves affects their perception of self. Therefore, women are harmed by using language that minimizes them and reinforces negative stereotypes centered around weakness. This demeaning language can thus result in a negative perception of self.

Observer the

Creative Director Durga Desai Layout Editor Roop Somal Photo Editor Lucien Fischer Asst. Photo Editors Elisa Luna Adrianna Pizzuta Copy Editors Georgia Bernhard Lara Popovic News Editors Mackenzie Cooper Michelle Wilson Asst. News Editors Aleena Siddiqui Sophia Stephan GRAPHIC BY TOBY GUI/THE OBSERVER

Phrases like “girl dinner” and “girl math” minimize women and their experiences.

When some “girl dinners” are shown, they are presented with captions suggesting the social media user is unwilling to make a substantial meal, evoking the idea of irresponsibility. While not every “girl dinner” is a cause for concern, a large portion of them are. Many “girl dinners” shown online contain an insufficient amount of food for a grown woman’s diet — rather, these meals are comparable to snack plates. Some social media users present their unhealthy “girl dinners” as normal and almost desirable. Repeated exposure to unhealthy, unsubstantial meals familiarizes social media users with them, which allows for unhealthy eating to become normalized. When social media users present their meals, some comment on how they forgot to eat before making their “girl dinner.” As a result, the idea of women not eating enough or not desiring to eat is normal. By presenting unhealthy eating as a normal part of a woman’s experience, restriction becomes easy to ignore. The acceptance of unhealthy meal habits allows for social media influencers to present their unhealthy lifestyles as something to be romanticized. These social media influencers mix displays of their unhealthy eating habits with their glamorous lifestyles, presenting dietary restriction and an attractive lifestyle as a packaged deal.

Watching women engage in this sort of behavior feels like watching them effectively agree that women are not as competent as men. “Girl dinners” do more than just contribute to the normalization of unhealthy eating; they also normalize eating disorders among women as a whole. They normalize undereating as part of womanhood or girlhood, which leads to food-restrictive eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia being tolerated and even accepted. Because eating disorders are viewed as a women’s issue, they aren’t taken as seriously as problems perceived as equally affecting men. In some instances, women and girls restrict their food intake in order to be thinner, and in turn, more attractive. Additionally, while eating disorders affect both men and women, food-restrictive disorders disproportionately affect women, and are therefore recognized as a “women’s problem.” However, many men suffer from binge eating disorders or eat nutritionally unbalanced diets. On the other hand, men’s random meals are perceived much differently from girl dinners; often dubbed “boy dinner” or “boy kibble,” these meals are often low-effort, cooked meals, such as a whole rotisserie chicken or a large plate of ground beef and rice. Rather than being seen as childish or an embracing of restrictive habits, these meals are seen as a part of maturing for young men.

Another misogynistic social media trend is “girl math,” mentioned earlier, a term used to rationalize poor spending habits of a young woman. Although this term may just be a joke, it reinforces stereotypes about women’s lack of financial literacy, poor rationality and frivolous decision-making. The word “girl” is once again associated with irrationality, and when placed in combination with “math,” the phrase jokes that women are unable to make responsible purchases. It mocks women’s intelligence and capabilities by framing budgeting and financial literacy as gender-specific skills. These jokes can influence girls and young women, pushing them toward the belief that women are naturally worse with money or at math. Additionally, “girl math” normalizes poor financial habits made by women. It insinuates that irresponsible spending is a cute, feminine trait. The phrase “I’m just a girl,” along with the terms “girl dinner” and “girl math” all contribute to the larger issue of the acceptance of misogyny in day-to-day life. While all these expressions may be intended as jokes, many of the young women making them do not take into account the implications behind them. These sorts of jokes diminish an image of women as rational, competent people. Watching women engage in this sort of behavior feels like watching them effectively agree that women are not as competent as men. Additionally, it teaches young women and girls to view negative language directed towards women as normal. This, in turn, results in more misogynistic language; as women and girls are taught to accept this rhetoric, they are also taught to participate in it. I truly do find women using misogynistic language to be particularly disappointing. Furthermore, I believe that some women that adopt this language may use it to “dumb down” how they are perceived in order to appeal to the ego of the men in their lives or to fit in with other women. Some women might adopt misogynistic language to seem cool, interesting or updated on trends. While many women may be aware of the connotations behind this language, they might ignore them because of their compulsions to fit in or be seen as desirable. Furthermore, women using this language seems to me like a disservice to women as a whole. Whether it is language degrading other women or degrading the speaker, it ultimately serves to reinforce negative beliefs about women. The words we use play an integral part in shaping who we are. They shape what we think about the world and how we feel about ourselves. When women dismiss their own abilities as rational, competent people for a joke, they unintentionally reinforce misogyny. We can stop women from being considered “lesser” by first changing what we say. Look past shrinking yourself for a joke; instead, treat yourself as an intelligent, rational and capable person.

Opinions Editor Vee Venning Arts & Culture Editor Indira Bush Lainey Collier Features Editor Ikma Inusah Fun & Games Editor Damian Grove Asst. Fun & Games Editor Emaan Ehtasham Fact Checker Jack Brudecki Social Media Editor Sofia Schreiber Asst. Social Media Editor Emaan Ehtasham Podcast Producer Shine Alagba Business Manager Katie Hariprashad Editorial Adviser Richard Rosen

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October 7, 2026

Opinions

Solarpunk as a Counterintuitive Proposition for the Future

Solapunk’s assumption of an ecocentric future based on aesthetics is counterproductive to human ﬂourishing and also creates a societal norm which suggests that the technology we create must not be questioned, regardless of any potential human suffering caused by it. It also asks that all ethnic and cultural backgrounds are abandoned for the sake of a collective natural good. Given solarpunk’s reliance on artistic design — incorporating energy-conscious technology and industrial sustainability practices which place a disproportionate emphasis on the natural world rather than personal prosperity — the outlined aim of solarpunk’s aesthetic runs counterproductively to the needs of individual identity.

RUBY STRAIT Contributing Writer

here is a dreamscape utopia where water rushes blissfully; the wind is warm and clean, almost as if you could pinpoint the exact tree it last rustled. In these ideals, hills are reminiscent of a Windows XP Desktop background, and technology runs solely on clean energy, designed with seamless Frutiger Aero-esque displays. Solar panels, wind farms and hydroelectric power plants are built directly into the landscape. Rainwater is collected, natural resources are all accounted for and repurposed, and ecosystems run up and around urban cityscapes. This is the aesthetic of the solarpunk movement. There is a picturesque and electrifying aspect to solarpunk, with its hopeful nature and promise of a more ecologically advanced society. However, the major issue with these sorts of moments — specifically, the imagery attached to them — is their inherent risk of cultural dissonance and destructivity. The visual identity of any movement is often its most influential means of propagation. Solarpunk in particular has often been criticized for its reliance on mood boards, Reddit threads and hashtags. Attached to solarpunk imagery is the notion that in order to coexist with the natural world, we must give up our individual and communal identities and surrender to the needs of wilderness. To begin the conversation about the harms that come with this sort of identity abandonment, it is important to first understand the initial goals and aspirations of the movement itself. The solarpunk movement first came about from a blog post by an anonymous blogger in 2008, titled “From Steampunk to Solarpunk.” The blog aimed to explore why the steampunk fantasy genre can be the underbelly of the evolving ecological movement termed “solarpunk.”

When considering utopian aesthetics, we must take care not to value progress over pluralism.

Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and sci-ﬁ, one that imagines a futuristic dystopia made up of steam technologies and futuristic gadgets that incorporates magic. Steampunk exists alongside other terms such as cyberpunk and plays on non-conformist, rebellious character arcs and expression. Its importance in the lineage and creation of solarpunk comes from their similar alignment with anti-oil-based industrialization, and implementation of cynical governmental critique in creating a new, more equitable society. As steampunk focused on Victorian technologies as the framework for the evolution of alternate technology, solarpunk understands alternate technology as a means of commerce, such as using sailboats to transport and deliver goods, rather than large, commercial, energy-intensive vessels. Following this blog post, there was increasing interest within eco-conscious online spheres to pick up this notion of a “sustainable” evolution. As the idea of an “ecotastic” (ecologically fantastical) utopia progressed, its movement became reliant on artistic avenues of digital

GRAPHIC BY TOBY GUI/THE OBSERVER

Aesthetics like solarpunk offer a vision of a more ecologically advanced future, but at what cost?

circulation, such as Pinterest boards made up of idyllic solarpunk cityscapes. Artists began picturing solarpunk in cityscapes with architecture that mirrored nature, an abundant and verdant technopolis. A post-carbon, arcadian futurism within vertical forest cities. This new media art allowed for solarpunk to gain traction ﬁrst with its attractive eco-modernism, and then through its conservationist aims.

The solarpunk aesthetic, if executed in its entirety, fails to recognize the ethnic and traditional values built into any given city. In reality, these models of architecture already exist in many modern American cities, however, they exist on a much smaller scale. For example, the Populus Hotel in Denver, Colorado follows this model quite closely. The building itself is made to resemble an aspen tree, with porous walls and arboreal movement in its shape, the building lends itself to the idea that luxury and modern architecture can mirror ecological networks. In addition to the simple aesthetics of the building, it is important to note the functionality within an eco-conscious sphere the design allows for. The Populus has sequestered more carbon than it has vented; it is also incredibly mindful of its greenhouse gas emissions. The hotel’s model of corporate sustainability is focused on the environmental portion of Environmental, Social, Governance reporting. This implies that the corporation reports on its natural impact, such as measuring emissions, waste and resource efﬁciency in order to remain transparent to their clientele as well as their competition in regards to their sustainability forward practices. However, this building and others like it are sparse; therefore, their effect on the urbanscape itself is limited. While the initial imagery associated with any given movement is essential to a collective understanding of the movement’s aim, art’s inability to outline a movement’s entire goals, — aestheticizing the concept rather than deepening one’s understanding of the movement’s objective — becomes easy to criticize when emphasised. Speciﬁcally in the context of Solarpunk, a city’s rich diversity and cultural references in architecture and design that play a crucial role in the success

RUBY STRAIT/THE OBSERVER

of its greater community are disregarded in this utopia. The solarpunk aesthetic, if executed in its entirety, fails to recognize the ethnic and traditional values built into any given city. The deeply rooted heritage and generational tradition of New York City’s boroughs, including cultural enclaves such as Chinatown, Washington Heights and East Harlem are at risk when eco-forward idealism is prioritized over living communities. These distinct communities exist throughout America, and they are deeply embedded into how American society understands and sustains its pluralism. Often included in arguments against sustainable terminology and political movements such as the Green Party is the critique of how much we have to be willing to surrender human individuality for the greater good of the environment. We cannot give up our identities as human beings to allow for a uniform existence focused solely on the natural environment. As society digs deep roots into what it means to exist on any given piece of land, the surroundings begin reflecting the ideals and social codes of its inhabitants. Futuristic utopias and modes of understanding sustainability dull the human condition to a singular experience established in the idea that our survival and ability to flourish comes secondary to the needs of the living world. Within the solarpunk sphere, this sort of surrendering the human condition has historically been explored in ecocentrism, the idea that emphasises the needs of the natural world, ecological success over other forms of human flourishing.

We cannot give up our identities as human beings to allow for a uniform existence focused solely on the natural environment. It is important to also recognize that often some frameworks that advocate land stewardship to its highest capacity inherently assume that humanity’s ability to evolve with technology is a given. This means that when we decide that we must collectively put all of our efforts into sustaining the natural world, we are also deciding that we have complete control and understanding of the needs of the ecosphere. This is dangerous for a multitude of reasons. For one, this sort of thinking is anthropocentric,

Many theoretical fantasylands disregard the progression of humankind, especially when considering their inevitable reliance on efficiency. A term often used to critique the solarpunk movement is its possible integration of “greenwashing.” Greenwashing is introduced as a possible critique when, in a futuristic ideal centered around green garnished architecture, the individual is sold the idea that these ecological practices create a new market to profit on consumers’ lack of knowledge surrounding the true intention behind the infrastructure and honest framework behind the cities model. For example, in this hypothetical solarpunk society; residents would be falsely advertised in their property investments but ultimately be priced out of their homes due to the lack of diligence in focusing solely on the aesthetic of eco-friendly practice while the foundational principles of sustainability are not upheld. Not only from a residential stance, but in the promises made by this utopia followed through with inequitably to the individuals quality of life. This is due to the emphasis on aesthetics as well as the cost increase necessary to maintain these sorts of ecological practices. Many theoretical fantasylands disregard the progression of humankind, especially when considering their inevitable reliance on efficiency. It is important to understand that this sort of ideal is not inherently harmful, as it allows us to understand what eco-conscious practice in an urban setting could look like. However, it is important to recognize how these habits can be implemented on a smaller scale, so as to uplift differences rather than impose cultural heterogeneity. In her article “Democracy is for the Gods,” Costica Bradatan explains that the concept of democracy is a theoretical model, one that resembles the ultimate human good that is naturally as impossible to execute. However, democracy’s simple existence is imperative for directing human evolution toward an arcadian society. This is how I believe we are to understand the solarpunk movement. The artistry solarpunk followers uphold allows us to understand improvements that can be made within our civilization towards climate consciousness. However, recognizing our importance as individuals with our own cultural practices and characteristics exists on a similar plane of importance for those artists.

Opinions October 7, 2026

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THE OBSERVER

The Horror Hack

New horror films are banking on familiarity to draw in audiences show. While seemingly much sillier in concept than the other movies listed, the film’s promotion followed a very similar formula. Advertisements for the movie closely resembled ’90s commercials meant to feel familiar to audiences and conjure their memories of Barney. The film turns nostalgia bait on its head, relying on the audience’s memory of Barney to enhance its comedy-horror tone.

IAN ROGERS Staff Writer

ollywood has spent years betting on what audiences are accustomed to, whether it’s through producing sequels and remakes, or casting recognizable stars. The quality of these films varies, with some maintaining the caliber of their predecessors and others offering little substance beyond nostalgia. Regardless, their financial appeal is undeniable. While lacking originality in their bones, films like “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” “Jurassic World: Rebirth” and “The Devil Wears Prada 2” continue to dominate the box office. I myself am a victim of this, frequently seeing films that can be placed in the “cash-grab” category, which I knew were such long before I bought the ticket. But where does that leave the underdog that lacks the properties that make these blockbusters a reliable bet? There’s a certain difficulty in committing to seeing a movie where you don’t exactly know what you’re going to get. I’ll be the first to admit that there remains a satisfaction to cookie-cutter superhero movies or a guilty pleasure that comes with watching a film based on a Colleen Hoover book. Because of this, short-run indie films are quickly sent to streaming to be watched in between Ozempic ads.

An audience’s fondness for familiarity continues to make established properties dependable, but the horror genre has found a hack for attendance without compromising originality. Last year, during one of the many snowstorms that washed over New York City, I adopted a “Why not?” mentality for watching seemingly random movies in theaters. It was only then that I discerned the distinction between leaving after getting exactly what I expected, as so many franchise films do, and leaving the theater surprised by what I’ve seen. Seeing countless movies as an AMC A-Lister meant seeing even more trailers (and Nicole Kidman ads) that piqued my interest, triggering a domino effect that led me to see a plethora of non-blockbusters. I developed a particular affinity for the horror genre, noticing that the content of these films contains so much more than their trailers suggest. The more I saw, the more I wondered whether the horror genre’s ability to surprise audiences is what makes it so effective at drawing people to theaters in the first place. An audience’s fondness for familiarity continues to make established properties dependable, but the horror genre has found a hack for attendance without compromising originality. Instead of strictly releasing sequels or remakes, horror films are using familiar horror tropes and internet culture to draw audiences to their theaters. Only once a viewer is watching do the innovative ideas in these films reveal themselves. I believe that this horror renaissance truly ensued with the

Big sequels and remakes lack risk, but it’s this exact risk that adds to the admirability of smaller ﬁlms doing well.

In a sea of unoriginal releases, new horror movies are using nostalgia to stand out.

2025 film, “Sinners,” directed by Ryan Coogler. As the clock ticked closer to its April release, trailers and teasers increasingly emphasized its vampiric nature, presenting the film as classic vampire horror. This familiarity worked to its advantage, as the film brought in $48 million domestically in its opening weekend, the first wholly original live-action film to surpass $40 million since 2019. But the film’s appeal didn’t lie solely in the advertised supernatural story; its vampire mythology served as an allegory exploring Black culture, systemic racism, artistic expression and exploitation. Its success beyond its opening weekend can be attributed to its “you just have to see it” quality, with its appeal being difficult to articulate without revealing exactly what makes it so compelling. “Sinners” demonstrated that originality doesn’t necessarily have to be marketed as unfamiliar. The film’s novelty grossed it almost $300 million domestically, surpassing established franchises like Marvel and even renowned horror franchises like “The Conjuring” and “Final Destination.” Its craze didn’t stop there, as it received a record-breaking 16 nominations at the Oscars, resulting in four wins. The film proved that original movies, a typically underperforming category and unreliable bet, are capable of drawing in audiences if they are given something familiar to latch onto. Horror has found a way to disguise complex, often-undiscussed ideas as something recognizable — and “Sinners” was only the beginning.

companies like Disney and Universal despite having only a fraction of their resources. “Obsession” follows the known “be careful what you wish for” trope that we’ve seen in recently celebrated films like “The Substance” (2024). But unlike “The Substance,” “Obsession,” directed by a 25-year-old, had little going for it upon its release in May — no established stars, no major studio production, less than a million dollars in budget, scarce trailers and a handful of billboards for promotion. Its triumph can be credited in part to positive wordof-mouth, yet it also arrived at a moment when audiences were willing to give creative horror a chance after the success of “Sinners.” After 2025, horror became a more reliable draw in theaters, giving a film like “Obsession,” which might otherwise have been left underrated, an opportunity to prove itself. The people’s craving for good horror did not end there, as two weeks after “Obsession,” in the midst of its still-growing popularity, A24 released “Backrooms.” The film is based on popular internet lore surrounding mazelike, endless liminal spaces that evoke unease through a sense of familiarity which viewers can’t seem to place their finger on. In 2022, at age 16, “Backrooms” director Kane Parsons piggybacked off of this concept, creating a short found-footage horror video on his YouTube channel. As the video and internet lore surrounding the backrooms became more widely recognized, A24

GRAPHIC BY TOBY GUI/THE OBSERVER

took a chance on 20-year-old Parsons, making him the youngest person to direct for the studio. Its small budget relied on the pre-established lore to promote the film, tapping into that apprehensive familiarity of the backrooms’ infinite hallways to lure audiences into the theaters. Under the surface, though, the backrooms serve as an allegory for the way people get cyclically trapped in their trauma, unable to leave or help themselves. In “Backrooms,” the instinctive familiarity of the liminal spaces was the source of horror, but the fear of becoming like the characters left audiences uneasy long after the credits rolled. The success of the film proved that there’s a market for lore that previously only lived on the internet, with A24 green lighting a “Backrooms 2.” Development has also hastened on other films surrounding online urban legends like “siren heads” and “the Mandela effect,” suggesting that Hollywood is starting to look beyond traditional intellectual property for its next recognizable asset. The hype surrounding “Sinners,” “Obsession” and “Backrooms” has played a crucial role in encouraging theaters to screen smaller horror titles rather than send them to streaming, with “Buddy” as another example. The comedy-horror movie follows a fictional TV show that bears an uncanny resemblance to “Barney & Friends,” except the host, a large orange unicorn named Buddy, plots to kill the children who appear on the

Beneath its imitation of children’s television, the film’s true horror lies in Buddy’s commentary on child grooming and the trust children place in adult figures. The film uses aesthetics associated with childhood to examine the horrors of how this trust can be exploited. The message Buddy explores remains a lesser-discussed moral in film itself, as it points the finger back at the industry’s producers. This speaks further to how smaller budget films untied to intellectual property can handle unfavorable odds and garner success by making their way to theaters. Horror’s advantage is that its familiarity doesn’t have to come from a recognizable franchise; it could simply come from classic tropes, internet phenomena or an unsettling kids’ TV show. For me, even if a film evokes familiarity, it’s the innovation in these films that builds the craze. Every little detail provides substance for the bigger picture, something that big corporate franchises lack. It’s not hard to tell when a movie doesn’t want to take risks and only wants to bait nostalgia. Indie films are harder to sell due to the lack of a built-in audience that comes with an established property. This is why, when the industry is presented with an authentic idea that might challenge viewers versus an addition to a billion-dollar franchise, the latter is often chosen. Big sequels and remakes lack risk, but it’s this exact risk that adds to the admirability of smaller films doing well. In an era where a trip to the movies could be spent on something with guaranteed satisfaction over something you feel you have to take a chance on, the future of original films relies on convincing audiences to take that chance.

In “Backrooms,” the instinctive familiarity of the liminal spaces was the source of horror, but the fear of becoming like the characters left audiences uneasy long after the credits rolled. Within two months of “Sinners”’ Oscar wins, two horror films were released that redefined what it takes to make a movie successful: “Obsession” and “Backrooms.” Both would go on to rank among the top-grossing films of 2026, surpassing

LUCIEN FISCHER/THE OBSERVER

Hollywood is full of sequels and remakes, but there is a horror renaissance drawing in new audiences.

Arts & Culture Editors Indira Bush Lainey Collier

Arts & Culture

October 7, 2026 THE OBSERVER

‘Resident Evil’: A Monster of a Movie

Based on the hit video game series, ‘Resident Evil’ is a terrifying and darkly comedic joyride By DEVAN SUTTON Contributing Writer

After his success at last year’s Oscars with “Weapons,” director and comedian Zach Cregger’s latest project is another horror film, one that shares its name and likeness with the iconic video game franchise. Released on Sept. 18, “Resident Evil” stars Austin Abrams as Bryan Hodukavich, a medical courier. He is tasked with delivering a mysterious package to the secluded mountain town of Raccoon City and ignores the request of his girlfriend to come home. After accidentally hitting a zombified woman with his car, Bryan is thrust into a night of chaos, violence and terror, facing one grotesque creature after another while venturing deeper into the city. This is Abrams’ and Cregger’s second time working together — Abrams was offered the lead role after being the only actor to not drop out of the original “Weapons” cast. Other notable cast members include “Cobra Kai”’s Paul Walter Hauser and “Severance” star Zach Cherry. The movie’s linear structure allows for the story to move much like the video game it is based on, with the stakes ramping up after each subsequent encounter. Each location visited in the film has a new and original monster for the audience to see. Whenever the characters feel a situation is over because a monster is defeated, another one emerges.

LUCIEN FISCHER/THE OBSERVER

Austin Abrams plays Bryan, a courier who delivers a package in a city overrun by a zombie virus.

The creatures have a lot of scare factor, made even more terrifying by the use of combined practical and computer-generated effects. One scene in particular includes a dog that suddenly transforms into a mutant to try to eat Bryan. The movie lives up to its R-rating, with certain scenes becoming exceedingly blood-soaked. Aside from the monsters, tension is created using the sound design and camera work as well. The score follows Bryan’s anxieties like a heartbeat, escalating rapidly during chaotic moments. Certain shots in the movie intentionally obscure the camera’s view, so you never know what happens next. Occasionally, the camera will

switch to a first-person view, so the audience can experience the nightmare for themselves. On the other hand, Cregger’s comedic roots shine through in this movie, too. Some scenes become borderline slapstick comedy, while others use the absurd nature of Bryan’s situation to its advantage. For instance, in the first act of the film, we see Bryan playfully toss away an item he used to escape a situation, only for the next obstacle to require that very item. He is dismayed, but it makes for a dark and funny bit that gives the audience a good laugh. While the movie does lean more towards comedy at times,

especially in terms of dialogue, these shifts are handled masterfully by Abrams. He portrays Bryan as a clumsy and exasperated, but overall lovable, character. The audience watches as he scrounges for resources, fumbles with firearms and delivers profanity-filled reactions, fitting for the carnage around him. The entire film focuses on Bryan, and that allows the viewer to share in his despair and triumph alike. The movie also sets up an emotional plotline between Bryan and his girlfriend, Michelle, with an early phone call announcing her pregnancy. This serves as Bryan’s internal conflict throughout the film, as he worries about

the responsibilities of having a child. The ideas of family and children are intertwined with the story and some of its creatures, the symbolism being both fitting and heavy-handed. The emotional weight is carried by Abrams’s acting, especially in a standout touching solo scene in the third act where he comes to terms with the new changes in his life. This, combined with the film’s ending, will leave some audience members confused and others thoroughly satisfied. For those wondering where “Resident Evil” fits in with the video game series and Paul W.S. Anderson’s 2000s film series of the same name, it entirely stands alone from them. After Cregger’s film was announced, it shook online spaces, with many fans upset that it was not a direct adaptation of the source material. Despite this, those familiar with the series may spot some background references to the games, with certain shots taking direct visual inspiration from them. “I think I was naive,” said Cregger in an interview when asked about the film’s critical fan reception with BBC Newsbeat. “What I was trying to do is make a movie that really honoured the experience of playing them.” Regardless of the reservations from die-hard fans, “Resident Evil” is a treat for theatergoers and is now playing in theaters nationwide — just in time for the Halloween season.

The Truth About the ‘Verity’ Film Adaptation

The latest Colleen Hoover adaptation is one in a long line of examples as to why many ﬁnd her work unpalatable By EMAAN EHTASHAM Asst. Social Media Editor & Asst. Fun & Games Editor

On Sept. 21, a line wrapped around the AMC Lincoln Square 13 theater, teeming with avid readers, moviegoers and pop culture enthusiasts alike. About 150 of these eager minds were granted entrance to an early screening of “Verity” — the latest movie adaptation of a best-selling, if controversial, Colleen Hoover novel. The suspenseful film follows Dakota Johnson, who plays Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling author given the life-changing opportunity to ghostwrite hit novelist Verity Crawford’s (Anne Hathaway) horror series after a terrible accident leaves her unable to finish it herself. The film is set mainly during a harsh winter in a Vermont cabin where Verity and her husband, Jeremy (Josh Hartnett), live with their son, Crew (Brady Wagner). As Lowen takes up residence in the house to access Verity’s notes and outlines, she finds Verity’s hidden autobiography, which details sinister aspects of her allegedly perfect life. The book was already considered one of Hoover’s more intense works, as it deviated from her standard contemporary romance. Small details solidify the film as a thriller, such as Verity looming over the narrative through her manuscript and her haunting presence in the house. As Lowen uncovers unsettling truths and crosses boundaries with Jeremy throughout the movie, the film’s lighting, music and mood grow darker. However, the plot itself consistently lacks substance. In both the 2018 novel and the 2026 film, there is little to no subtext to be extrapolated from

“Verity” grossed $32.6 million domestically during its opening weekend of Oct. 2 to 4.

the work; rather, every artistic choice is spelled out vividly for the audience. For example, one dissatisfying aspect was the way the film moved the storyline along. It shows viewers index cards of chapter titles from Verity’s manuscript which describe the events that followed each title very literally. It draws an obvious parallel to the “Verity” story, leaving the audience no room to form their own thoughts about the film’s details. Then, the ending is rushed through, with no references to the many threads picked up throughout the film. Hoover’s attempt at an open-ended conclusion leaves the story feeling incomplete. There are ominous depictions of Verity’s caretaker, Anna (Irina Dvorovenko), complete with chilling music and off-putting camera shots sprinkled into the movie.

However, in the action-packed third act, the same person who has allegedly spent days on end with Verity is nowhere to be found, and she has no insight into the secrets that come flying out. Why? It was hard to feel fully immersed in the world of these characters when the actors themselves were not taking any risks. Johnson has played a version of her character from “Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015), Anastasia Steele, in every role since. Each line is delivered with the same monotonous intonation, even though her character is meant to feel isolated and vulnerable in the face of recent traumas. She and the male lead, Hartnett, had no palpable energy at any point in the film, and I found myself cringing at any intimate moment onscreen. There was no buildup of tension, and the film

LUCIEN FISCHER/THE OBSERVER

made no effort to reference the external, toxic factors surrounding their relationship in any substantial way. The film’s director, Michael Showalter, gave an interview to Variety about the stylistic choices in the movie’s more erotic scenes. “It started with ‘We need some sexy stuff to happen,’” he said. In either a reactionary or a progressive reading of this scene, any interpretation renders its message effectively useless. Rather than viewing each interaction between characters as plot-driving moments that would add to the film’s significance, Showalter is essentially reducing them to clickbait for a mass audience. Part of the appeal of the thriller genre is that it is inherently tied to works that test boundaries and push our expectations and understanding of what is normal

in society. “Verity” brings nothing new to the conversation about relationships, trust, or belief in today’s world, instead prioritizing profit maximization. The film had a $40 million budget, which many fans infer was mostly spent on the stacked cast. The film’s promotion places much more emphasis on the actors’ previous work and personal lives than on what they bring to this film specifically. Conversely, fans have noticed that Hoover seems less involved in promoting this film than in the past. In the same interview mentioned above, Hoover was asked about the controversies with the movie adaptation of her novel “It Ends With Us,” starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Rather than fully addressing the many qualms about the film and its message, Hoover quickly brushed off its criticisms and redirected attention to “Verity.” Many critics argued that Hoover’s writing — such as that in “It Ends With Us” — romanticizes abusive relationships and frequently features helpless female leads, which is concerning, considering her audience consists of many impressionable young readers. Relatedly, the online conversation circulating around “It Ends With Us” was about more than the civil lawsuit between Lively and Baldoni regarding sexual harassment and defamation allegations than the movie itself, which Hoover did not address. Without ever providing a concrete response to these controversies, Hoover’s name continues to draw conflicted responses from audiences, and “Verity” is yet another mark on her reputation as a storyteller.

Arts & Culture October 7, 2026

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The Fall for Dance Festival Speaks to Our Feelings

At the New York City Center, the annual Fall for Dance Festival took the stage and ﬁlled seats FALL FOR DANCE from page 1

Closing out program one was the Martha Graham Dance Company, fresh from their centennial season. For the festival, they did not bring a work by Graham but “Cortege” from Baye & Asa, consisting of choreographic duo Amadi “Baye” Washington and Sam “Asa” Pratt. The piece’s relevance was unquestionable, and it hit a chord. It opened and closed with the dancers covered in a black fabric sheath. In between, their movement was quick and precise, continually intertwining while ﬁghting and pushing or holding each other close. In one tender moment, they clothed each other one by one in what seemed like a beige coat of armor. It is difﬁcult to make vulnerability and violence feel beautiful but not gaudy; this work did so successfully, proving itself a true tale of desperation for our times. Program one was half-apocolypse, half-fairytale and no doubt left expectations high for the coming programs, diverse and promising in their own right. Program two featured PHILDANCO! The Philadelphia Dance Company in Juel D. Lane’s “HEIRBORNE (my mama ain’t never touched the sky, but she gave me wings).” Former New York City Ballet dancer Robbie Fairchild followed with his newly formed group, Robbie Fairchild’s Players, in “Lord Chamberlain’s Men.” Boston Ballet closed with a distinctly contemporary piece: “Vertical Road (Reimagined) 2023” by Akram Khan. The third program was stunningly musical, and a welcome

COURTESY OF ISABELLA PAGONO

The Martha Graham Dance Company performed “Cortege,” a hauntingly beautiful work by choreographic duo Baye & Asa.

introduction to Fall for Dance’s global offerings. Spanish ﬂamenco artist Juan Tomás de la Molía opened the night with his “Bulería de la Molía.” His musicality and footwork alone had the crowd cheering (and laughing at the occasional stunt moonwalk), but his accompaniment — three men in dapper suits, singing the whole time — made the piece shine. An energy shift nevertheless came with “Crust,” an unexpected standout from the Israeli Lior Tavori Dance Company, choreographed by Tavori himself. The dancers seemed to be at an imaginary house party, complete with an old rug, a ﬂuorescent overhead light and eclectic party attire. This resonated heavily with a main refrain from the

soundscape: “You were born, and so you’re free, so happy birthday.” Although obscure, the group’s technique was evident, too, especially in segments of partner work. The end hit especially close to home, set to a track of “Silent Night” interspersed with wartime news headlines of decades past. Only for the Israeli group’s program did attendees have to enter through metal detectors, unclear if related to their country of origin and the international backlash to present human rights crises in Palestine. Another refrain described wondering about what lay behind a curtain, begging the questions: Was the rustling behind the curtain before the piece subtle messaging? Are we those confused people gathering in times of despair?

With expectations high, The Royal Ballet served as a spectacular end to program three. In “Paganini — The First Virtuoso,” Steven McRae excelled in both ballet and tap alongside fellow dancer Sarah Lamb, accompanied by Vasko Vassilev on the violin and Pamela Tan Nicholson on the piano. They made music, teased one another and even occasionally climbed onto the piano. Altogether, it was an exciting reminder that traditions can be broken (exempliﬁed by a pas de deux performed in tap shoes) and that classical music is far from a thing of the past. Program four had exciting offerings, but left a little to be desired. San Francisco Ballet’s “Faun,” choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, was a sensual

pas de deux, gorgeous in concept and well-executed, but lacking some ease and chemistry. Friedmann Vogel of The Stuttgart Ballet followed, entering the stage dramatically, pushing in his accompanist at the grand piano. He was no doubt technical, but after such an entrance, one craved a bit more bravado. The Gauthier Dance//Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart closed the night with “Any way the wind blows” by Hofesh Shecter. The standout of the night, the dancers had impressive musicality and were wonderful representatives of Shechter’s signature rhythmic movement language. It too had an eerie energy, once again begging the question: What dystopian party are we all living in? The last program ended the festival with some noteworthy names. Australian experimental theatre group Pony Cam presented “kinda like that.” Miami City Ballet renowned choreographer Alexei Ratmansky’s work, “Roses from the South: Three Waltzes for Toby” followed. The ﬁnal performance of the festival came from the furthest distance: the Australian Ballet brought “Seven Days,” choreographed by Stephanie Lake. This year’s Fall for Dance Festival no doubt had something for everyone, but it also felt about everyone — proof that art has a power to help us see our own lives in a new light. Between dances at the ﬁrst program, fellow attendees and I found ourselves pondering the (somewhat apocalyptic) events of our world right now. It is a valid feeling, but the artists of Fall for Dance have a valid solution: We can always dance about it.

Singing the Blues with Bobby Bryan

Bobby Bryan shares his experiences playing the blues in all corners of the world and how he’s seen the audience of the genre change throughout the decades By BENI CWIAKALA Staff Writer

Fred’s Dog House sits quietly on Grand Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. As the rain falls on a young autumn night, the warm light of one of the only remaining blues clubs in New York City spills out and reflects in the surrounding puddles. Enter through the wide doorway and past the jukebox, and on the retro black-and-white tile floor sits Bobby Bryan, strumming his guitar. The room is mostly empty as the whipping rain deters people from leaving home. However, two groups are sitting near the back, clapping every time Bryan finishes a set. His voice carries through the space, and his presence fills out the room as he sings in front of an American flag backdrop.

Blues, which is the musical foundation of jazz, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll, originated in the Deep South of the United States in the 1860s among African Americans. Bryan, who grew up in Los Angeles, was called to music at a young age and recalls that the blues always felt like the right answer. He describes being drawn to it by the musicians he admired.

Bobby Bryan has been playing blues music around the world for 40 years.

“I’d be in my bedroom, trying to ﬁgure out what Jimi Hendrix was playing,” he said. As a young musician, Bryan worked at the famed Babe’s & Rick’s Inn blues club in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, which was known for cultivating talent. It was there that Bryan played with visionaries such as Keb’ Mo’, Lowell Fulsom, King Ernest and Louie Bluey. These sanctuaries of the art of blues are beginning to disappear in the 21st century. Blues, which is the musical foundation of jazz, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll, originated in the Deep South of the United States in the 1860s among African Americans. The music incorporates work songs, spirituals, shouts and chants to

tell stories of the Black experience in America. Bryan witnessed blues audiences grow and change, and while playing across North America, Europe and China, he observed the varying responses of audiences absorbing his music. He ﬁnds that international shows pay a lot more respect and appreciation for the music compared to its birthplace. “People will sit down and listen to you play, as opposed to talk through your set. You know, it’s more of an event than it is in the (United) States,” he said. As a genre, blues has always laid low compared to its slightly more star-studded brother, jazz. As jazz evolved from the blues and jumped from New Orleans

COURTESY OF BOBBY BROWN

to urban clubs, cocktail bars and concert halls, the blues continued — and continues — to sit among more intimate spaces like bars and juke joints. And, as Bryan’s seen, there’s been a decline in these blues spaces in New York City. “There used to be, like, 10 blues clubs here in New York; now it’s just one,” he said, looking out to Fred’s Dog House, where more people started to trickle in and get ready for Bryan’s next set. Bryan associates the majority reception of blues in the United States with the history of racial segregation and mistreatment that is tied to the genre. He suspects that the roots that blues planted in the country force

greater audiences to confront the pain that the music formed from. “America has tensions over here, and blues music is always associated more with the darker side, even though it’s within the core of all American music,” he said. Yet the blues still captivates today’s younger audiences. Bryan thinks that due to productions like “Sinners,” a film that tells a story of survival and community through blues, folk and roots music, the genre is being introduced to a new generation. While Fred’s Dog House saw a slow start to the night, in time, the club began to fill with young people, drinks in hand, cheering Bryan on as he engaged with the crowd. “I came in here tonight; there was nobody in here. I played for the first half an hour with nobody, and then, all of a sudden, people showed up. It’s always interesting to me that people like whatever I’m doing,” Bryan said. Blues is foundational to the music loved by the masses today. However, its origins derive from the horrors of slavery, forcing America to confront a past it tries hard to gloss over. Musicians like Bryan, who found community in these precious spaces for talent and who keep performing the music in support of its longevity, are dedicated to educating people in the history and impact of the genre. It all comes back to the blues — the chords like heartstrings being strummed with a heavy hand, playing to the common theme of the music. Blues music and blues history flourish despite the pain, while fighting for something crucial: hope.

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October 7, 2026

Arts & Culture

Calling All Sensible and Senseless Students

Across New York City, bookstore cafes are turning into the third spaces college students have been craving, one book-themed latte at a time By LAINEY COLLIER Arts & Culture Editor

For most college students, life runs on a loop between two places: home and campus — and for some, work is added on top of it all. Somewhere along the way, the idea of a “third space,” a spot that is neither home nor work (or school), became difficult to come by, especially in a city as expensive and overstimulating as New York. Lately, though, a very specific kind of third space has been filling that gap: the bookstore cafe. The concept is not new. Barnes & Noble built an empire on pairing shelves with a Starbucks counter, giving readers a reason to linger for decades. But the newest wave of bookstores doubling as cafes popping up around the city is doing something a bit different. They trade large-scale browsing for the kind of intimate, curated spaces that feel less like a chain and more like someone’s very literary living room. SoHo’s Bibliotheque is one of the first such spots that may come up in a search, as publications love to spotlight it — though, the boom in business is a bit disappointing to us longtime patrons who can no longer snag a seat. Chloe Taddeo, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center ’27, found Bibliotheque the way most of our generation finds anything these days: her TikTok “For You” page. “It came up … a couple times, and I always want to try to find new places in New York to study or have coffee,” she said.

GRAPHIC BY TOBY GUI/THE OBSERVER

Bookstore cafes offer the best of both worlds and create cozy atmospheres for busy students.

The space is split into two sections, Taddeo explained: a more traditional cafe area and a cozier nook tucked between the shelves that makes productivity enjoyable. “I feel like we’re always doing work,” she said. “So it’s nice to have a little outlet and do work in a space that’s not always a library or at home.” Over in the East Village, Book Club Bar has been a neighborhood ﬁxture since opening in 2019. The owners built it around a homey feel, pairing a curated book inventory with locally roasted coffee. The concept clearly worked, since they opened a second location in Bushwick this year.

Then there is a new mother-daughter-owned favorite, The Rabbit Books and Bar, which opened just last month. The Rabbit draws on the hush of a library, right down to helpful booksellers stationed by the shelves and adult-sized versions of kid snacks to ﬁll one’s childlike soul. What these spaces share, beyond delicious drinks and warm lighting, is a refusal to treat customers as just customers. On top of the inviting atmosphere, the effort they put in to bring people together, like author events and the occasional singles mixer, makes them feel like community hubs rather than a place to just grab a coffee and go.

Cora Burkholder, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’27, ﬁrst visited Book Club Bar last fall as part of a Lower East Side bookstore crawl with her roommate. “Everyone there was cute and had their own kind of vibe going on,” Burkholder said. “It was cozy (with) dim light. … It felt very intellectual, but also fun.” After learning more about its book club meetups and mingling events, she said she would not hesitate to return. She also pointed out that the scale is part of its appeal. Unlike a sprawling, anonymous third space packed with overwhelming amounts of strangers, a smaller room where you start to recognize the same

faces invites people to actually talk to each other. Not every student has made it to one yet, but they still feel the pull. Abbey Harrison, New York University ’27, first discovered the concept at a bookstore cafe in downtown Los Angeles as a child and has remembered that feeling since. She now searches for a similar place to visit here — and one factor really stands out. “It also is not a super expensive experience,” she said. “You can get a coffee, but you can also have this really cool experience on the side that doesn’t cost much. I appreciate that, being a college student.” The appeal goes beyond that, though. She sees these spaces as a quiet pushback against a generation glued to its phones. “They encourage reading, and they encourage not being on your phone,” Harrison said. “I think Gen Z needs to take a step back and just go into these habitats of reading and writing, and going to a cafe and socializing with a friend.” That may be the real draw. At a moment when conversations about a literacy crisis keep surfacing, a space that makes reading feel social, even glamorous, is not a small thing. Bookstore cafes are not going to fix this issue on their own; but for college students stuck bouncing between their shoebox living spaces and fluorescently-lit classrooms or stress-driven workplaces, they offer something just as necessary — a reason to unplug and a place to stay a while.

Rejection is Redirection: Adéla Making Her Mark

This new young pop artist is making her way into the music industry and onto your playlist By FRANCIE OZAETA Contributing Writer

The phrase “rejection is redirection” is often dismissed as merely a sappy saying, only heard from those dealing with rejection themselves. But such a dismissal disparages the enormous potential of those rejected. The 22-year-old Slovak singer Adéla is the personification of the truth in this adage. Adéla Jergová, professionally known as Adéla, was born in 2003 in Bratislava, Slovakia. She first gained widespread recognition through the show “The Debut: Dream Academy” in 2023, a talent competition reality show that brings girls from all around the world to compete and ultimately form a global girl group. Adéla was 19 years old when she joined the show, and after two intensive weeks of training, was eliminated in the very first round. Despite the positive recognition she received from the judges on the show, the decision relied heavily on public voting, and she was ranked in last place. While reflecting on her time on the show in Teen Vogue, she noted that although she was heartbroken, she knew early on that joining the show did not feel right. “Months before I got eliminated, I just knew deep down (that it was) not the place for me. When it’s not right … it’s like a relationship. When you know, you know,” Adéla said. After the docuseries was released on Netflix, Adéla received major backlash and accusations of being a “mean girl”; as clips were revealed of her coming off as tense to other trainees, the public turned against her. As a result, she received enormous amounts of hate online.

Adéla sold out her show at Brooklyn Steel on Sept. 18.

Despite the public’s initial negative reception, in May 2025, Adéla was ofﬁcially signed to major label Capitol Records, giving her more opportunities to pursue music professionally. She launched her solo career by releasing her debut EP, “The Provocateur,” three months later. The lyrics on this EP directly addressed the “mean girl” accusations she faced. Although her EP did not reach the major streaming charts, it helped Adéla establish herself in the industry. On top of some of these songs, such as “Superscar” and “Homewrecked,” already being released, the overall EP was brushed aside. Despite the fact “The Provocateur” did not initially chart,

COURTESY OF SABRINA SANTIAGO/THE NEW YORK TIMES

Adéla was praised by critics and other listeners for the production and experimental nature of her tracks, drawing on hyperpop inﬂuences. Later on, singles from the EP like “Superscar” ultimately reached around 90 million streams. After this release, she focused on building her brand and establishing her identity in the music world. She began to be recognized for her iconic pink hair and bleached eyebrows, as her “girlnext-door” look quickly shifted to an edgy and bold one. In the spring of 2026, Adéla released more songs like “KGB,” “Red Bottoms” and likely her most well-known song, “Ain’t in LA.” This song received an immense amount of attention

on all platforms, and especially on TikTok. She made the song to highlight that people all over the world — even in areas that might be seen as “small” or “insigniﬁcant” — still have the opportunity to shine, which she connects back to her own experience growing up in a relatively small country like Slovakia. It resonated with millions of people through its heartfelt lyrics and catchy tune and boosted her popularity greatly — within the ﬁrst week of its release, she received over 8 million global streams on Spotify. A notable contributor to the praise for “Ain’t in LA” is the choreography Adéla pairs it with during live shows, including dancing while on pointe, ballet body roll and freezing

mid dance move. As a classically trained ballerina, Adéla blends her dance skills with her edgy, hyperpop style to create a memorable performance. In early August, after the remarkable summer she had in her career, she performed and debuted at Lollapalooza in Chicago. This being her debut performance, she ﬁlled the crowd with her songs and stage presence, further cementing her status as an artist. The concert was widely discussed for her impeccable stage presence and dance skills. Later in August, following her Lollapalooza performance, she played nine shows across four European countries. In early September, Adéla released her debut album, “Prima.” This album immediately took off and was most prominently praised for the song “Nicole Kidman.” Following the release of this track, Kidman herself publicly complimented the song, even posting a TikTok to the track. It quickly reached No. 1 in the U.S. Spotify chart and No. 3 on the Billboard Global 200, after which she reached over 20 million monthly listeners. Adéla was also praised for her iconic music video, in which she recreated scenes from Kidman’s movies such as “Moulin Rouge” and “Babygirl.” Shortly after the release of “Prima,” Adéla shifted into touring full-time with her “Red Bottoms Tour,” for which she is currently traveling through North America. Adéla’s journey through her solo career shows onlookers and fans that although rejection can feel discouraging, it can lead to life-changing opportunities. There is always a way for things to work out.

Fun & Games Editor Damian Grove

un & ames

October 7, 2026 THE OBSERVER

Crossword: Starcrossed Words 1

6 12

25 28

24 26

46 49

50 53

54 58

60 61

62 BY EMAAN EHTASHAM

Across 1. *A star, for one 6. It takes 280 of these to reach the Basilique du Sacré Cœur in Paris 11. Employee’s wage (with the ﬁrst letter shifted one over) 13. Erich Fromm’s “____ ____ of Loving” (2 Wds.)

14. Venetian bridge in “SpiderMan: Far From Home” 15. Afﬁrmative phrase popularized in 2020 16. Legal exam 17. Friendly salutation in France (2 Wds.) 19. Work, as a record producer 21. Greed and gluttony, for two 23. *Movie that features Smash Mouth’s “All Star” 24. Golfer Ballesteros 25. Redo, with make

26. “___ a bird!” 27. ____ leches cake 28. The ﬁrst course of action (2 Wds.) 31. *Star-crossed hunter? 33. The rest (Abbr.) 34. Not against 35. “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened” philosopher 38. *The sun and the star, for two? 42. “It’s __ ____!”: houseparty warning (2 Wds.) 43. Controversial water description 46. “Snow Angel” singer Rapp 47. Dentist’s request 48. *“Fiddler on the Roof” star Chaim 50. Progress made (in something) 51. Fordham’s ____ Life hosts events for those who live on campus 52. Kennedy or Clinton, for two 54. Corinne Bailey Rae song “____ Your Records On” 55. Gold or silver, but not bronze? 57. Hopefully covered by a poor seer’s insurance (2 Wds.) 59. Aware of, as dangers (2 Wds.) 60. “May I speak with your ____?” - Karen 61. Scientist Thomas that Benedict Cumberbatch plays in “The Current War” 62. They're hit in the winter

40. Professors’ goals 41. Trendy Charlotte Tilbury spray that works as this 43. Dumplings found at Din Tai Fung 44. Organization that combats climate change (Abbr.) 45. Pole images 48. 11:50 p.m., in regard to midnight (2 Wds.) 49. Characteristic of a Gryfﬁndor, for example 52. Theatre backdrops 53. Northern Nevada city 56. X-ray alternative (Abbr.) 58. The First Avenger, to his teammates

Down 1. One does after cooking pasta 2. Saxbys’ worker wear 3. __ ____ mode (2 Wds.) 4. Something a psychic reads 5. Some Art Deco works 6. Zelda’s alter ego 7. Jamie Lee Curtis in “Freaky Friday” 8. “___ __ports … it’s in the game.” 9. First, in Spain 10. To have tried hard 12. Super Mario’s dinosaur 13. “So Much in Love” singers, with “The” 16. Eagle Scout’s former organization (Abbr.) 18. *Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” is a famous example 20. Two of these are in Gossip Girl’s closing remarks 22. Honey, pumpkin or sugar alternative? 24. Used a spoon while cooking pasta 29. Condition that can be helped with EMDR (Abbr.) 30. “I’m about to play my ____,” sings Taylor Swift 31. O’er and o’er 32. 2013 Katy Perry hit 35. Los Angeles’ Rancho ___ ____ (2 Wds.) 36. *“The Vampire Diaries” star Kebbel 37. Cereal grain (2 Wds.) 39. Like a good resume (2 Wds.)

The Ramses Reel This past ___________, Ramses had ___________ of his closest friends over day of the week

number

to watch “The ___________ ___________,” since it just became available color

mythical creature

on ___________ TV. They ordered ___________ and sat around the living noun

Sudoku

room to watch ___________ on the “big screen”: Ramses’ ___________. actor

BY DAMIAN GROVE

Instructions: Each row, column and 3×3 box must contain the numbers 1-9 exactly once.

7 2 9 6 4 1 4 2 1 6 5 8 6 4 3 5 4 2 5 8 7 3 4 3 6 8 9 7 2 GRAPHICS BY EMAAN EHTASHAM & DAMIAN GROVE

food (plural)

device

The movie started out ___________, but did a total 180 and made Ramses adjective

___________ by the end. The main character, ___________, dramatically action

your name

___________, like, 10 times throughout the movie, and the main love past-tense verb

interest was super ___________, which reminded Ramses of ___________. adjective

your friend's name

When the movie was over, he and his friends didn’t want the night to end, so they decided to watch the sequel. There are ___________ movies in the number

whole series, so they had a(n) ___________ night ahead of them. adjective

Ramses doesn’t normally like ___________, but he was having fun with his genre

friends, so he decided to thug it out. He was glad he did, because it turned out ___________ was in the next movie. Their character ___________ the celebrity

present tense verb

whole movie, which was ___________. adjective

Overall, it was a(n) ___________ night! Everyone said Ramses was a adjective

great ___________ for hosting, and they decided to do it again next noun

___________ too. day of the week

BY EMAAN EHTASHAM