Observer Issue 06 Fall 2025

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The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

Prayer Procession Shows Solidarity with Immigrants

By MICHELLE WILSON News Editor

Almost 100 members of the Fordham and St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church communities gathered for a prayer procession to bear witness to the suffering of immigrants and advocate for their protection through prayers, songs and testimonies on Nov. 13. The procession moved from Fordham’s Rose Hill campus to the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church, passing an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on their way.

The event began at 5:30 p.m. at the University Church Plaza with scripture readings and opening prayers, including the first of five decades of the rosary given alternately in English and Spanish. A decade of the rosary consists of an Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be and a Fatima Prayer, recited while meditating on a specific mystery of Jesus’ life. Members of Campus Ministry, professors and several Fordham students were in attendance, with a leader beginning each prayer and everyone reciting the second half together.

The procession then walked off campus to Fordham Plaza, where they were joined by a much larger group of parishioners from St. Nicholas of Tolentine, rousing cheers and embraces. The group held signs, rosaries and flameless

Attendees carried signs with messages like “Somos una familia” (“We are a family”).

candles aloft, bearing messages like “Jesus was a refugee,” “Somos una nación de inmigrantes” (“We are a nation of immigrants”) and Bible verses. People of all ages attended despite the cold weather, far exceeding the turnout the organizers were expecting.

Diego Lopez, an attendee and Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’26, described the atmosphere of the event as “beautiful, very reverent, very prayerful.”

Juan de la Rosa is the director of the food pantry and soup

kitchen at St. Nicholas of Tolentine — which serves over 600 families — and is an immigrant himself from the Dominican Republic. He delivered a testimony during the procession.

Later, he spoke to the significance of the procession given the climate of fear across his parish, many of whom are undocumented, due to the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

“I would say 70% (of the parish) are immigrants, and

By SOPHIA STEPHAN Asst. News Editor

COURTESY OF CASON DOYLE

The last mainstage production of the semester transformed Pope Auditorium into a mythical seashore.

A Shakespearean Storm in Pope Auditorium

Fordham Theatre’s second mainstage production of the 2025–26 season opened on Nov. 13 in Pope Auditorium. Guest director Ryan Quinn envisioned a nuanced adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic play “The Tempest,” a story following the sorcerer Prospero’s plot to restore his dukedom after he has been exiled to a remote island. With various characters embarking on quests to claim ownership of their fate, the play offers a relevant message on controlling one’s own narrative.

At a time when our generation witnesses and participates NEWS PAGE 2

Global Need

Fordham’s Graduate Program presented findings at annual event

VOLUME XLVI, ISSUE 6

RAs/RFMs Petition to Unionize

By ANA WINSTON Managing Editor

KAITLYN SQUYRES/THE OBSERVER

most of them are undocumented, and they are living in fear. They don’t want to go into the church because they have fear that ICE can take them,” de la Rosa said. “(The procession) wasn’t loud, but (with) our presence walking through the community, we say, ‘Please have mercy, and please stop this. It’s time.’ And whoever is living in this situation at least sees ‘Someone is walking with me. I’m not alone.’” see PROCESSION page 4

Food Pantries Open on Campus

By CAMRYN CADE Contributing Writer

November 19, 2025

in “cancel culture,” the play’s themes of forgiveness and agency grow more resonant.

Quinn shared his admiration for Shakespeare’s storytelling, as the characters in his works often endure common obstacles that connect humanity from the past to the present.

“I think what this play offers is not actually control, but letting go. I feel that there are narratives that people tell us of what we’re supposed to be, how it is that we’re supposed to act and what it is we’re supposed to do,” Quinn said. “We sometimes become secondary to a story that’s already been told about us.” see TEMPEST page 14

SPORTS & HEALTH PAGE 7

Rams Got Their Kicks Both Fordham soccer teams competed in the A10 semifinals

In response to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) federal funding being halted for almost two weeks, Fordham’s Campus Ministry built upon its annual Thanksgiving food drive to create an on-campus food pantry with the Resident Hall Association (RHA) for members of the Fordham community.

Low-income populations across the nation have been wrought with food insecurity amid rising inflation. On the Lincoln Center campus, Campus Ministry and RHA are working together to increase the amount of food assistance they can provide to the Fordham community

by opening new on-campus food pantries, on top of Campus Ministry’s annual food drive.

RHA secretary Chara Blagrove, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’28, reflected on the simultaneously stressful and fruitful timing of the SNAP cuts and the Thanksgiving season, allowing them to place “more emphasis on giving.”

“Especially with college students, we have sometimes so much extra food and there’s always someone that you could give it to,” Blagrove said. “The cans of soup that your mom gave you and that you’re not going to eat, someone will eat it and someone will love it. So just give what you can.” see SNAP CUTS page 3

Resident assistants (RAs) and resident first-year mentors (RFMs) at Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC) moved to unionize on Nov. 17, according to a letter addressed to university administrators.

According to the letter, 32 of 43 RAs and RFMs at FLC have signed union authorization cards.

If approved, the union would join the Fordham Rose Hill RAs under the representation of Local 153 of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU). The letter requested that Fordham voluntarily recognize the FLC RA and RFM union

by Nov. 21.

Jennifer Petra, associate vice president for media and public relations, confirmed that the administration had received the letter from the union. The university provided no other comment.

Om Patel, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center ’27, is an RFM at McMahon Hall and one of the lead coordinators of the FLC unionization efforts. He said that the move to unionize started on Nov. 14, after an “inciting incident” occurred earlier that week.

The letter cites recent “sudden” and “arbitrary” terminations as cause for the RA and RFM union’s formation.

“The enforcement of policies and expectations has been highly variable, and many RA/RFM staff members have experienced discipline that feels disproportionate and lacks transparency,” the letter reads.

Fordham’s Office of Residential Life did not respond to The Observer’s requests for comment on their disciplinary procedures or the letter requesting recognition of the Lincoln Center campus’s RA and RFM union.

Patel said the efforts to unionize moved fast.

“I decided on Friday to start collecting interest for unionization,” Patel said. “I reached out that morning around 12 o’clock to OPEIU 153 for their general contact saying that … I think that I have reason to believe that there might be interest in unionization again at (FLC).”

Patel and other organizing members spent the weekend researching and reaching out to colleagues. They obtained a supermajority of signatures before Patel met with representatives from OPEIU on the morning of Nov. 17.

“I don’t think this is possible without the network that was built by other members who were doing outreach. It was all on them. By myself, there’s no way I could do this,” Patel said. see RA/RFM UNION page 5

GRACE SANTOLI/THE OBSERVER

Emergency food pantries created by Campus Ministry and RHA provided for over 300 members of the Fordham community.

CENTERFOLD PAGE 8-9

Celebrating Sperber

Fordham award for distinguished journalism celebrates 25 years

OPINIONS PAGE 12

Masking Misogyny

Seemingly innocent comments toward women conceal prejudice

ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 15

Whole “Trish” Thing Trisha Paytas joins the cast of Broadway’s “Beetlejuice”

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News

November 19, 2025 THE OBSERVER

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Global Poverty Rate Stagnates at 25.5%, Report Finds

Fordham students and a professor presented an annual global poverty index and found few improvements

By MICHELLE WILSON News Editor

The 2025 Fordham Francis Index (FFI), a multidimensional global poverty report, found that global poverty has stagnated at 25.5% over the last two years following an initial recovery from the acute effects of COVID-19. This indicates that the poor are still worse off after the pandemic than they were before. These findings were presented by Fordham’s Graduate Program in International Political Economy and Development (IPED) at a forum at the Church Center for the United Nations (UN) on the morning of Nov. 14.

Around 100 professors, graduate students and members of the UN and various charities attended in person and over the livestream.

The yearly event commemorates the World Day of the Poor, which falls on the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Nov. 16 this year). This observance was created by the late Pope Francis in 2017 to encourage Catholics to reflect on how alleviating the suffering of those in need lies at the core of the Church’s teachings.

This year’s FFI also marks the decade anniversary of Francis’ Sept. 2015 address to the UN, which urged global leaders to address spiritual and material poverty. The FFI was created in 2016 in response to this call and is part of a spring course taught

by Henry Schwalbenberg, associate professor of economics at Fordham and editor of the FFI. “To enable these real men and women to escape from extreme poverty, we must allow them to be dignified agents of their own destiny,” Francis said. “At the same time, government leaders must do everything possible to ensure that all can have the minimum spiritual and material means needed. … In practical terms, this absolute minimum has three

names: lodging, labour, and land; and one spiritual name: spiritual freedom, which includes religious freedom, the right to education and all other civil rights.”

The FFI, pulling from this mission and the Catholic tradition, is distinct from comparable poverty indices because it not only measures four material needs — water, food, housing and employment — but also three immaterial needs — education, gender equity and religious freedom. This focus sits within a broader aid strategy shared by many humanitarian organizations not only to provide emergency relief, but also to give local people and governments the tools to enact systemic change in their own communities.

“We’re providing services to people in need, but we’re (also) trying to empower people in need so they can take charge,” Schwalbenberg said.

The event was co-sponsored

by Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international humanitarian organization of U.S. Catholics, and Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 162 Catholic aid organizations around the world.

Sean Callahan, president and CEO of CRS, delivered a keynote address at the event, which outlined CRS’s new strategy, “In Their Hands.” Their approach recenters the agency and dignity of those in need by working closely with local governments to make foreign aid programs self-sufficient.

“It’s not in our hands. It’s in the hands of the people that we’re working with. It’s in their hands to make the changes happen and we can help them, but we can’t do it for them and we can’t assume that they can’t do it for themselves,” Callahan said. “The IPED study is a tool that we can use to understand different situations and to help people.”

The 2025 FFI found small improvements in access to water,

PHOTOS BY GRACE SANTOLI/THE OBSERVER

From left to right: Brianna Fitzpatrick, liaison to the United Nations; Sean Callahan, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services; Monsignor Marco Formica, permanent observer of the Holy See to the UN; and Henry Schwalbenberg, associate professor of economics at Fordham and editor of the FFI.

employment and education, while access to food and religious freedom have gone down.

Issues with housing and gender equity have not improved.

As of 2022, approximately 707 million people, 8.8% of the global population, did not have access to drinking water. The report defines adequate drinking water as clean and “readily accessible when needed without undue burden,” meaning collection time cannot exceed thirty minutes. Since 2013, there has been a steady decline in access.

The percentage of people suffering from undernourishment went up from 7.6% in 2018 to 9.1% in 2022. Changes in the definition of inadequate housing made the presenters “hesitant” to analyze global trends over the last nine years.

Employment, the fourth indicator of material well-being, is measured by “distressed labor

The Fordham Francis Index was presented by a professor and two students from Fordham’s Graduate Program in International Political Economy and Development.

The forum was hosted on the eighth floor of the Church Center for the United Nations on Nov. 14.

rate” — including both those who are unemployed and those who are employed, but earn less than a minimum daily salary of $3.65 a day. This measure saw improvement from 2013 until a sharp drop in 2020. It has since recovered, but progress has slowed.

The most severe deficiencies for these four material needs were highly concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and a few countries elsewhere, like Haiti, Afghanistan and Venezuela.

Almost all of the 2025 FFI only shows data up to 2022 or 2023.

The FFI pulls from a variety of external statistical sources, which are not immediately updated.

According to Schwalbenberg, new developments to the current global aid crisis will not be reflected in the data for approximately two years.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was shut down in July after 83% of its programs were systematically cut earlier this year. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency spearheaded many of these changes to counter alleged “waste, fraud and abuse” in how the programs’ funding was being used.

In August, the Trump administration cut another $4.9 billion in foreign aid that had already been approved by Congress. Additionally, even though the government reopened on Nov. 13 — after the longest shutdown in U.S. history — with a temporary funding measure, much foreign aid is still being debated.

Callahan criticized the narrative of “waste, fraud and abuse” as part of a stream of misinformation on the true impact of humanitarian aid, leading to a public crisis of trust.

“This kind of disinformation that the assistance is being misused was incorrect, but I don’t think we did a good job of telling the story on how we could help and move people forward, and I don’t think we did a good enough job of taking risks to show how we would do things differently,.”

Callahan said. “We have to show people (that) we’re changing things now, we’re doing things more efficiently and better, we’re helping people, and be able to prove it.”

CRS’s funding from USAID was cut by 40%, forcing the organization to lay off staff and consolidate programs for greater efficiency. Callahan was optimistic about CRS’s ability to adapt.

However, many humanitarian agencies have expressed concerns that the cuts will lead to millions of preventable deaths, particularly given that many European countries have also

recently slashed foreign aid spending. They are redirecting funds to defense after the 2025 NATO summit approved Trump’s plan to increase the defense budget to 5% of each nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Callahan characterized the global aid crisis in a constructive way, pointing to the long history of both a lack of funding to alleviate global suffering and the dedicated service of organizations like CRS. “When we think about, ‘(Is) international aid in crisis?’, my comment is, ‘Yeah, we’ve been in crisis for a long time,’” Callahan said.

Regarding immaterial needs, recent one-year trends show an improvement in education, as illiteracy rates have mostly declined since 2013. Gender inequity, in contrast, has significantly worsened since 2014, though this rise has plateaued in recent years. In 2023, around two2 billion women lived in countries with severe gender discrimination. This data comes from the Health and Survival Index (HSI), which looks at both the gender gap in life expectancy and female infanticide in countries with strong cultural preferences for male children.

Gender inequality was particularly severe in China, despite the nation’s wealth.

“It’s a much deeper cultural component of life rather than something that can be easily fixed by providing some material assistance,” Schwalbenberg said. “So I think that’s going to come over dialogue and long-term dialogue and … education.”

Schwalbenberg pointed to the interconnectedness of many of the seven basic needs and said an increase in one will likely lead to improvements in another.

Religious freedom also saw a decline, with over 4.7 billion people living in countries where it was severely restricted in 2022.

The three immaterial needs were most lacking around Asia, North and West Africa, and the Middle East.

For both the material and immaterial needs, the FFI found that GDP accounts for 71% of the changes. The other 29% was attributed to social, cultural and political factors. Significant variations between countries with similar economic constraints are likely due to differences in access to immaterial needs, particularly religious freedom.

The FFI was presented by Schwalbenberg to Francis nearly every year since its creation. This year, it was honorifically presented to Monsignor Marco Formica, permanent observer of the Holy See to the UN, who will pass it on to Pope Leo.

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Fordham Responds to SNAP Cuts

Students donated non-perishables to relieve community members affected by federal aid cuts SNAP CUTS from page 1

Erin Hoffman, director of Campus Ministry for Lincoln Center, expressed the especially difficult circumstances many local food pantries are facing as the SNAP emergency compounds the “big strain” they are already under during the holiday season.

Hoffman’s work at the Lincoln Center food pantry reminded her of “how fragile all of our collective situations could be and how interdependent we ultimately are.” “(It’s) just really heartwarming to see, that when these systems and structures that we rely on in our government fail, our community is very quick to say we want to support one another and we care about one another,” Hoffman said.

Campus Ministry at all of Fordham’s campuses holds its annual food drive in partnership with local nonprofit organizations in the Bronx, Manhattan and Westchester.

The food drive collects monetary donations and distributes them across the university’s partnered food pantries and nonprofit organizations. Hoffman explained the impact that Fordham can have through its partners, which “are set up more sustainably to be able to provide (aid) services.”

“It’s a university initiative that Campus Ministry spearheads as a way to really support and invest in these relationships that we have with community partners,” Hoffman said. “(It’s) part of being a neighbor in our community.”

One of the organizations that Fordham Lincoln Center joins forces with for the Thanksgiving food drive is St. Paul the Apostle’s Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry. The pantry operates in the church just a block away from Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus and is piloted by the St. Vincent de Paul Society Conference, a global Catholic community of volunteers. The organization collects donations for its various services, which include providing bags of groceries to families and paying medical bills.

Bonnie Kahn, a volunteer member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society Conference, described the strain caused by the SNAP funding cuts. While claiming that the pantry has not yet been affected, she recalled that there were double the number of people at their pantry this weekend than the previous month.

“We had over 400 people, which we have never seen before,” Kahn said.

The increase in need was not only felt by St. Paul the Apostle’s

pantry. According to Kahn, pantries around the area have also recently faced a spike in demand, causing some to “already run out of food” before the typical Thanksgiving rush.

Kahn expressed her gratitude for the church’s community, feeling “very blessed” that “parishioners support (them) and they keep donating.”

Kahn also encouraged participation from students beyond monetary donations, emphasizing the need for volunteers at the pantry. The church opens its doors to allow access to the pantry for those in need every third Saturday of the month.

On July 4, President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (OBBB) into law. The bill restricted funding to Medicaid, eliminated graduate student loans, increased the national defense budget by $1 billion, changed the eligibility standards for SNAP and ended the government's allocation of funds to the SNAP Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program.

PHOTOS BY GRACE SANTOLI/THE OBSERVER

RHA members decorated donation boxes located in McMahon and McKeon residential halls.

“ (It’s) just really

heartwarming to see, that when these systems and structures that we rely on in our government fail, our community is very quick to say we want to support one another and we care about one another. ”

Erin Hoffman, Director of Campus Ministry at LC

The OBBB changed the work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) to receive SNAP benefits. An ABAWD is now defined as a person “aged 18-64,” “not living with a child under 14,” and “able to work,” according to the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

The age of an ABAWD under this bill was increased to 64 years from 54. Exceptions to the work requirements were removed for veterans, homeless individuals and those 24 or younger who aged out of foster care.

At the end of October, a lower court judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to fully finance SNAP benefits for the month of November.

The emergency food pantries have been the impetus for Fordham administrators to pursue long-term food aid systems.

The administration then turned to an appeals court, which refused their case, before bringing it to the Supreme Court.

The October court order allowed New York state to begin issuing full SNAP benefits to eligible households under the new requirements. On the New York state official website, officials described ongoing efforts to distribute aid despite the administration’s pushback. They estimated that benefits would be fully distributed by Nov. 15, but Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily blocked the previous court order, calling for the appeals court to reevaluate the case.

The New York state website has since edited its SNAP page to explain the eligibility requirements residents must now meet

in order to receive aid.

On Nov. 12, the United States government reopened after a 43-day shutdown, the longest in the country's history. On Thursday, the Department of Agriculture directed state governments to ensure their constituents receive full SNAP benefits, claiming that most should expect to receive them by Nov. 17.

“ I do think that (the

SNAP emergency) has helped to amplify the fact that this isn’t a one-time challenge for people, and that in the economy (and) the political climate that we have right now, it’s not likely to get better before long.”

Erin Hoffman, Director of Campus Ministry at LC

Fordham’s annual Thanksgiving food drive collects monetary donations for their partner nonprofits until the end of Nov.

Hoffman pointed out that hunger crises in the United States “will continue to persist longer than just turning lights back on in the government.”

“I do think that (the SNAP emergency) has helped to amplify the fact that this isn’t a one-time challenge for people, and that in the economy (and) the political climate that we have right now, it’s not likely to get better before long,” Hoffman said. “We know that you have to meet your basic needs in order to meet those higher-level needs.”

Furthermore, Congress approved the end of the government shutdown without reaching an agreement on the extension of enhanced health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. The credits help millions of Americans afford their health care premiums, without which their premiums would double.

The political affordability battles over health care and food, among other policies enforced in the United States recently, have been felt in the Fordham community. Hoffman observed that the “overwhelming” climate has driven students to “want to shut down and tune it out because there’s just so much that people don’t know where to start.”

“I think just having these opportunities here in our community to do something has also been a service to this community in the process,” Hoffman said.

“There’s a more tangible result that can be seen that doesn’t feel like such a small drop in the bucket. There’s always going to be a need and opportunities to do that.”

On Nov. 17, Campus Ministry sent an email thanking those who donated for their contributions to the emergency food pantries, which have allowed them to provide aid to over 300 Fordham community members since they opened on Nov. 3.

In the email, they acknowledged the year-round stress of food insecurity beyond the SNAP emergency and described ongoing efforts to “explore potential long-term resources to ensure sustained support.”

The Fordham Lincoln Center food pantry will operate Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 12 p.m. in room 140A of the 140 West 62nd Street Building.

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November 19, 2025 THE OBSERVER

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Prayer March Advocates for Immigrant Protection

Students and parishioners united in prayer and song to support immigrant communities PROCESSION from page 1

Despite this, de la Rosa remained hopeful about the future and shared a message of unity and solidarity.

“We’ve got to make sure that we cry together, we laugh together, and we’re going to celebrate our victory together. We’re going to see it, that’s our hope. We’re going to see it,” de la Rosa said. “We are together in this. … I’m not going to (just) speak for me, I’m going to speak for my community. And if I have bread, I’ve got to share it with them, and if I have documents, I’ve got to share my documents with them. I’ve got to take care of them.”

AnnaMarie Pacione, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’26, helped organize the demonstration. She echoed the importance of solidarity and said that, while it may seem “silly or small to just gather and to pray and walk together, (she) think(s) that is a facilitator for hope and for community and for faith, which is needed right now.”

“We are truly one family, and we are responsible for each other.

It is not in my power to change the horrors of what is happening, but it is in my power to care, to pay attention, to create relationships, to be together,” Pacione said.

De la Rosa shared a similar perspective on the power of prayer.

As a parish leader, he is keenly aware that, while he can offer his parishioners reassurance, they are all still subject to federal immigration policies. This does not, however, diminish the value of hope, he said. “(I feel) frustrated because sometimes the only thing that we have — and it is powerful, don’t misunderstand – (but) the only thing we have is prayer,” de la Rosa said. “But this is powerful, and we have hope that God is with us, and as a leader, I’ve got to transmit to them the hope that we have in God, and we’re going to continue fighting until we have the right answer.”

Pacione also reflected on the relatively small turnout of Fordham students compared to those from St. Nicholas of Tolentine.

“There were way more people from the parish than Fordham students, and those are people that are at high risk, so what does that say to our community, of our need to show up as allies, as people that don’t need to worry about our citizenship status? I think it’s a call to action for us to put ourselves on the line more,” Pacione said.

Anne-Sophie Gray, FCRH ’28, attended the procession and said it was “absolutely beautiful.” She

had already been planning to attend when she was asked by Pacione to come and “bring (her) guitar to strum along to some of the songs that they were going to be singing.”

“ We are together in

this. … I’m not going to (just) speak for me, I’m going to speak for my community. And if I have bread, I’ve got to share it with them, and if I have documents, I’ve got to share my documents with them.

I’ve got to take care of them. ”

KAITLYN SQUYERS/THE OBSERVER

The procession began on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus and concluded at the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church around two hours later.

Juan de la Rosa, Director of food pantry and soup kitchen at St. Nicholas of Tolentine

“I was kind of planning on coming because I come from an immigrant family, so I get it. I have family that’s just applied for asylum and all this, so I want to stay involved, stay supportive,” Gray said. “I think it’s horrible that we’ve got ICE picking up people right outside our campus, and a lot of people don’t know about it.”

The procession paused in front of an Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) facility located beside the Rose Hill campus. The facility provides routine check-ins for immigrants and has reminded Fordham community members of the current crackdown. This is part of a nationwide trend of ICE arrests being conducted with unprecedented frequency, such as during check-in meetings for migrants seeking asylum.

As the group walked, they sang songs like “Una Mirada de Fe” (“A Glimpse of Faith”) and “Santa Maria del Camino” (commonly translated in English to “Come as We Journey”). The latter was part of the program, while the former was unplanned. “Santa Maria del Camino” is an uplifting hymn reflecting the ethos of the procession: to show people that they are not alone. The lyrics preach that Mary walks alongside every person throughout their lives and includes a call to action to fight for a better, more just world.

The procession concluded around 7:30 p.m. at the St. Nicholas

KAITLYN SQUYERS/THE OBSERVER

The procession drew a crowd of around 100 people, much more than the organizers expected.

of Tolentine Church, where group songs and prayers continued well into the evening.

The event was part of a broader Catholic reaction to recent mass deportations. At this year’s United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) plenary assembly held from Nov. 10 to 13 in Maryland, immigration was a central focus. The bishops elected a new president and vice president, both of whom have been outspoken in favor of better treatment of immigrants and announced a “You Are Not Alone” migrant initiative focused on accompaniment.

Most notably, they voted almost unanimously to issue a “Special Message” (which can only be issued during plenary assemblies

DURGA DESAI/THE OBSERVER

There were two sign-making events on the Rose Hill campus before the procession, where attendees were provided a list of ideas for what to write.

with a two-thirds vote) on immigration on Nov. 12. The rare statement is the first since 2013, when the bishops critiqued a federal mandate requiring all employers to include contraceptives in employee healthcare plans as part of the Affordable Care Act. “We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.

Human dignity and national security are not in conflict,” the statement said. “We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”

Carol Gibney, Director of Campus Ministry for Solidarity and Leadership, also helped organize the event and reflected on the Church’s response thus far.

“I honestly have been saddened by the silence. The silence is deafening. And so I’m very happy now that there’s more of a movement to … ask officials in the church to begin to be not silent,” Gibney said. “At Campus Ministry, we take it very seriously, our call to action.

Love is an action word, it’s not something that is (for) bystanders and quiet.”

As a campus minister, Gibney gives pastoral counseling, during which she said she has spoken with Fordham students and staff that “have been affected and are afraid.” She characterized the ongoing mass deportations as “barbaric” and emphasized the importance of “visibility, imagination and dialogue” in response.

“Visibility: to not look away at these images that are painful and the reality of what’s happening to people and how people are treating

others. Imagination: imagine what it’s like to be in someone’s footsteps that doesn’t have papers and documents and how fearful that is. And imagine what it would be like on the flip side to have communities that are more accepting and loving. … And dialogue: to talk about it and … invite our leaders, our elected leaders and our church leaders, to take action,” Gibney said.

Per this call, Gibney led a letter-writing campaign from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Nov. 13 at the McShane Student Center. Students were provided postcards to send to congressmembers, senators, the USCCB or the Archdiocese of New York, urging them to take stronger action toward the just and humane treatment of migrants.

There were also two sign-making events leading up to the procession. The first was on Nov. 11, and the second was at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 13, right before the event began in the basement of the university church.

The procession was part of a broader “One Church, One Family” movement building on the Oct. 12 binational mass at the U.S.-Mexico border in San Luis.

Religious communities and institutions across the nation participated in public days of witness on Oct. 22 and Nov. 13 — the feast day of Saint Frances Cabrini, patron saint of migrants. At Fordham, there was a small rosary vigil on the Rose Hill campus on Oct. 22.

Big or small, the events all speak to solidarity between Catholic and immigrant communities, and a call for government and church officials to protect immigrants.

THE OBSERVER November 19, 2025

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FLC Resident Assistants and First-Year Mentors Declare Intention to Unionize

News

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Around 74% of RAs and RFMs signed union authorization cards, according to organizers

Patel reiterated that the decision to unionize was not “in opposition, but in partnership” with the university.

“It’s not one of those situations where everyone is completely flippant against their employer and they’re really disgruntled by what’s happened. They just want to ensure that dignity and respect is always being upheld,” Patel said.

RA/RFM UNION from page 1

The Fordham Rose Hill RA Union announced its intention to unionize on Feb. 1, 2023, also by sending a signed petition to the university’s administration. They were not voluntarily recognized by Fordham, and instead filed for a formal election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which they won.

After the union was formalized, contract negotiations with the university began. The inaugural contract between the university and the union was signed in March of 2024, more than a year after the initial petition to unionize.

Seamus Dougherty, Fordham College at Rose Hill ’26, is the chief steward of the Fordham Rose Hill RA union. He was involved in the contract negotiations and lauded the resulting deal with the university.

“The Fordham University RA contract is, and I think it still is, the best RA contract in the entire country right now,” Dougherty said. “I think that the job has really been reified … and given real logistical support.”

Patel expressed confidence that, if the FLC union was not voluntarily recognized by Fordham’s administration, it would be approved by a majority of RAs and RFMs in an NLRB election.

“I think if it ends up going to a vote, I have confidence that the RAs will turn out in solidarity,” Patel said.

“ I imagine a future

union contract would help us better serve the residents as well.”

Om Patel, GSBLC ’27

GIANA VISCONTI/THE OBSERVER

A supermajority of RAs and RFMs at Lincoln Center signed union authorization cards, according to a letter submitted to the Fordham administration.

According to Scott Williams, a lead organizer at OPEIU Local 153, Lincoln Center RAs will benefit from collaborating with other Local 153 members at Fordham.

“We will support members at (FLC) in the same way as we have with Rose Hill RAs and the clerical staff at both campuses who are also Local 153 members. They will work together in contract negotiations, organizing, member engagement, and contract enforcement along with our stewards and staff,” Williams said.

Dougherty spoke to the solidarity between the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses’ unions. He said that he found out about the letter on Nov. 17, and has since been in contact with Williams and the organizers from FLC. “Hopefully, the work that we’ve done at Rose Hill will be helpful to the Lincoln Center folks,” Dougherty said. “I’m very curious to see what happens here, to see if the university is going to change tactics based on how the situation rolled out during

bargaining in 2024.”

Patel said that a large part of the motivation to unionize came from the desire to clarify RAs and RFMs’ agreements with the Office of Residential Life. These agreements, which each hire signs before starting their positions, define the RA and RFM roles.

“These agreements have very vague terms sometimes,” Patel said. “I think that’s one of the main reasons why I, myself and many others, would like a union contract to come in and clarify a lot of things.”

Patel predicted that a union would improve life for everyone in the dorms.

“I imagine a future union contract would help us better serve the residents as well,” Patel said.

“RAs who are happier — who are mentally healthier and physically healthier — are going to be better at doing their job.”

The Instagram account formerly associated with the Fordham Rose Hill RA union, @ fordhamraunion, posted the letter from the FLC RA and RFM union on Nov. 18. The account will publish updates from the FLC union as they petition for formal recognition from the university.

Financing Development in Mandatory Palestine

How a New York-based corporation’s investment programs enabled the expansion of Jewish settlements in what would become modern-day Israel

By ANNIE LANAHAN Staff Writer

Fordham Center for Jewish Studies hosted a lecture on the Palestine Economic Corporation’s (PEC) investments in Mandatory Palestine on the Lincoln Center campus Nov. 13.

The lecture presented the argument that the PEC facilitated the growth of a capitalist economy while contributing to economic inequality, discrimination and resource exploitation.

Mandatory Palestine was a British-controlled administrative territory that existed from 1920 until the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Jacob Beckert, a short-term fellow in the Fordham-New York Public Library (NYPL) Fellowship in Jewish Studies, delivered the lecture.

According to Beckert, the PEC was a transnational development corporation that invested in valuable resources, modernizing the economy and expanding Jewish settlements in British-controlled Palestine in the 1920s’s and 30s’s. While the PEC claimed to take an apolitical stance and that its developments could improve cooperation between Jewish settlers and Arab communities, Beckert explained that they largely exacerbated existing political tensions.

Beckert said that, prior to their involvement, Jewish expansion in the region had been at a standstill due to mounting debt and a recession. Jewish settlements no longer had the funds to expand further, prompting the PEC’s introduction of long-term lending for agriculture and mortgages. This was critical to the

GRACE SANTOLI/THE OBSERVER

Jacob Beckert gave the first lecture in the series on the PEC’s role in 1920’s Mandatory Palestine and its conflicts.

resumption of Jewish expansion, but Beckert said that the benefits remained one-sided as Arab Palestinians were denied access to credit.

Beckert said rising antisemitism and the introduction of the Johnson Act of 1924, which limited Jewish immigration to the United States through quotas, further increased the desire for Jewish solidarity and the establishment of settlements abroad.

Thus, Beckert said, the PEC framed their work as being, in part, a “humanitarian endeavor.”

“The very goal that they came in was to allow more Jews to settle in Palestine, to improve the Jewish economy. So they see no problem in that this is exclusively a Jewish system,” Beckert said. “(Credit) completely transforms the way the economy

function(s), given almost every Jewish agricultural institution in the country applies for these loans … Credit ends up being really, really critical to the ways modern economies function.”

Beckert compared the exclusionary credit system in Palestine with redlining in New York City, pointing to its lasting economic consequences. Redlining is the systemic denial of loans and funds to homeowners in neighborhoods populated by communities of color. This process, which started during the Great Depression, discriminated against Black and immigrant residents and solidified segregation in New York City through economic manipulation.

“We have a similar history in the United States about some groups getting access to credit

and some not,” Beckert said.

“We have not begun to study the ramifications of this difference in that credit access in Palestine, but it is significant.”

According to Beckert, the PEC also funded mining for the extremely valuable mineral potash in the Dead Sea, becoming the largest shareholder in potash mining through an exclusive contract after providing the startup capital.

Beckert also described the PEC’s major construction and development of Haifa Bay, which he said was seen as the “city of the future” and “industrial center of the region.” During development, residents of the region were forced to relocate.

While the single Jewish community was given alternate plans for relocation, the Arab communities

were not, displaying the ongoing inequality between communities.

“This becomes a major source of consternation for Arabs in the Mandate, the idea of loss of land,” Beckert said. “This seemed like a normal capitalist process to the leaders of the PEC, but to the Arabs, who felt this attachment to the land, who had been there for generations and who were forced off without any compensation, this became a major source of political conflict.”

Further, Beckert cited a water well at Wadi al-Hawarith as an example of the inequitable distribution of resources between Jewish and Arab communities.

Although the well was constructed in an Arab community, the water was pumped south to a Jewish settlement in Kfar Brandeis.

“Later, this (Arab) community would also be expelled from the land,” Beckert said. “This becomes actually one of, if not the largest, cause célèbre among Arabs in the area. … The PEC wasn’t involved in that expulsion, but they do have a well right there that is not giving resources to them.”

There were also significant wage disparities between Jews and Arabs during the period of PEC development, according to Beckert. Jewish laborers were paid 10 shillings for each day of work in addition to a living stipend, while Arab laborers were only paid three shillings per day.

The event was part of the Fordham-NYPL Lecture Series in Jewish Studies. Upcoming events in the series include Ilan Stavans’ “Notes on Hispanic Antisemitism” on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m.

Editor In-Chief Jane Roche

Sports & Health

November 19, 2025 THE OBSERVER

Cracking the Code on Dry Skin

How to survive the cold weather without peeling your face off

By ANA WINSTON Managing Editor

As someone who has chronically dry skin, I have always hated winter. The harshly cold winds, resurgence of indoor heating and typical end-of-semester stress usually combine forces to turn my face into a patchwork of irritated and cracked skin. While the holiday season typically finds people looking forward to the first snowfall, I am usually more worried about the flakes of peeling skin falling off my face.

This year, however, I found the key to preventing dry skin: Maintaining healthy skin is not about the products you use, but the consistent procedure you keep up. No matter what your skincare routine is, here are a few changes that might help you keep your skin happy in dry conditions.

When you find your skin is starting to develop dry spots, it likely means that the skin barrier of your face has been compromised. Your skin barrier, the outer layer of your skin composed of lipids, protects you from harmful bacteria and retains moisture. The weaker your skin barrier is, the less moisture it can retain and the more likely it will show irritation; it is common for this to happen during New York City winters due to the habitually dry indoor and outdoor conditions. Psychological stress can also worsen the degradation of the skin barrier.

The first step I recommend is to stop using any irritating products that usually form a part of your skincare routine.

Formerly, my response to parched skin was to moisturize on an ad hoc basis — last winter, I carried a tub of expensive moisturizer in my backpack and reapplied cream between my classes to no avail. This year, I decided to change course — as soon as I felt cracking at the corners of my lips, I stopped what I was doing and strategized as to how I would immediately nourish my skin barrier.

The first step I recommend is to stop using any irritating products that usually form a part of your skincare routine.

This usually includes acne-prevention products, like the topical medication prescribed to me by my dermatologist. Pausing a quotidian skincare routine can understandably

make one nervous — at first, I personally did not want to stop using my acne-preventative creams for fear of returning breakouts.

Applying moisturizer on damp skin rather than dry skin greatly improves the absorption of moisture on your face.

However, it is important to remember that these acne medications work by making your skin lighter and quicker to repair itself, causing it to be more sensitive to damage — that is why you are always warned to apply copious amounts of sunscreen during treatment.

The instructions on the backs of these products recommend that you pause using them immediately if your skin shows signs of irritation. Take it from me, this is a warning you want to pay heed to. Although these products might help you with acne during the warmer and more humid months, they will only exacerbate dry skin.

Once you have put your irritating creams to the side, I recommend researching gentler products that can temporarily replace your usual mainstays. In order to rebuild the skin barrier, it is recommended to simplify your skincare routine so as to not interfere with your skin’s natural regeneration process.

I bought only two new products to replace my former rotation of cleansers and creams — the first was a La Roche-Posay cleanser geared towards sensitive skin, and the second was a Neutrogena gel cream containing hyaluronic acid.

A water-based cleanser with few other ingredients is useful because it removes dirt and other pore-clogging detritus that builds up on your skin without stripping it of its natural oils, that help to keep your skin moisturized.

Hyaluronic acid is a recommended ingredient for moisturizers because it is especially adept at maintaining water molecules on your skin.

The night I began my new routine, I tried out a new moisturizing strategy. I did not wait until my face was dry to use moisturizer — as soon as my face was not soaking wet, but still damp, I gently rubbed in my usual nighttime heavyweight moisturizing

cream, made by Cerave. Applying moisturizer on damp skin rather than dry skin greatly improves the absorption of moisture on your face; even expensive moisturizers are rendered impotent when applied to fully dry skin.

Before I went to sleep, I covered my face in petroleum jelly in a practice known as “slugging.” Although going to bed with a greasy face might seem ridiculous, applying the jelly to your freshly moisturized skin helps protect the skin barrier as it rebuilds itself through the night. Slugging should only be done on skin that has not been treated with irritating ingredients, another reason why it is important to pause acne-preventative rinses or creams. If you have very acne-prone skin, it might not be the best idea to practice slugging, as it risks clogging your pores. However, despite my own acneous history, I did not break out at all — just in case, I applied acne patches on developing pimples before applying the jelly.

There is no reason to change the frequency of your hair-washing — which usually varies based on hair type — to combat dandruff.

Just one night of slugging left my face rejuvenated — the red, itchy parts had disappeared, the cracking on my lips had abated and I could find no flaky skin. I used Aquaphor’s Healing Ointment — a petroleum jelly with added ingredients such as glycerin — to slug, but any typical petroleum jelly

will do the trick. After I slugged my entire face for one night, I have found that it is only necessary to apply the jelly to the especially sensitive parts of my face, such as my eyelids, nostrils and mouth, to maintain upkeep.

As smothering your face in petroleum jelly before you go to sleep might understandably make a bit of a mess, I recommend slugging on a night when you know you will be able to wash your hair immediately after waking up.

The conditions that exacerbate dry skin also tend to cause dandruff, so after my first night of slugging, I took advantage of the necessitated hair wash and used a new anti-dandruff shampoo to combat the dry skin on my scalp.

Dandruff is a different challenge to vanquish — in this case, investing in a good shampoo that is geared to moisturize your scalp is highly worthwhile.

There is no reason to change the frequency of your hair-washing — which usually varies based on hair type — to combat dandruff.

The trick is consistently using anti-dandruff shampoo every time you decide to wash your hair. My strategy is to use my anti-dandruff shampoo first, letting it sit on my scalp for a few minutes before rinsing. Then, I proceed with my usual shampoo and conditioner, albeit in smaller amounts than usual so that I do not deprive my scalp of its natural oils.

Although I had originally thought of my skincare routine overhaul as a first step toward moisturized skin, I was surprised to find that cuts, rather than additions, to my routine were the only changes I needed to make.

I only needed to buy three

Dry skin can be satiated by simple changes to daily skincare routines.

products total — the cleanser, gel and shampoo — to replace the six products that I used daily during warmer, more humid months. Intentionally strategizing which products I would take up for winter only took me one trip to Target, and my morning and nighttime skincare routines have actually gotten shorter than usual.

The key to keeping your skin moisturized is not overloading it with expensive products, but instead being smart about which products you use and when. One night of intensive work on your skin barrier is enough to keep your skin nourished and glowing through the winter months if you keep up with maintenance.

HELENA FRANCO/THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

THE OBSERVER

November 19, 2025

Sports & Health

7

First Double Semifinal Run in 10 Years

The men’s and women’s soccer teams both made it to the A10 semifinals for the first time since 2015

By JANE ROCHE Editor-in-Chief

For the first time in 10 years, both the men’s and women’s soccer teams made it to the Atlantic 10 Conference (A10) championship semifinals.

On Nov. 1, Fordham’s women’s soccer team advanced to the A10 semifinals in penalty kicks against Duquesne University.

The Rams faced the University of Dayton on Nov. 5 and lost, locking in their overall record at 10-7-3 and marking their first semifinal appearance since 2015.

Fordham’s men’s soccer team also faced several rounds of penalty kicks to advance the team to the semifinals in a Nov. 8 match against Saint Joseph’s University.

They closed out their season on Nov. 12 with a 1-2 loss against Dayton University. Overall, the Rams reached a record of 8-6-4.

Star player Daniel D’Ippolito, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’26, was honored with both A10 Offensive Player of the Year and A10 Midfielder of the Year, marking the first time the achievements have been granted to the same player in the same year. The accolades represent D’Ippolito’s many accomplishments on the field this season: He leads the A10 and is seventh in the nation in assists per game, and holds team highs with six goals and nine assists on the year for 21 points, to name a few.

This season marks the second in a row that the men’s team has made the A10 semifinals.

Last year, they made the NCAA championship tournament.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Daniel D’Ippolito was named to the 2025 First Team All-Atlantic 10.

“When I came here … we had three wins that year and weren’t very good,” D’Ippolito said. “It’s nice knowing that I’ve left it a little better than I found it.”

As D’Ippolito makes his exit from Fordham, he passes on his leadership to a strong group of players. Red shirt first-year player Daniel Lang, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’29, was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and is tied with D’Ippolito for a team high six goals.

Women’s soccer also took home the A10 Rookie of the Year honor

thanks to first-year player Renata Mercedes, GSBRH ’29. This year, the accolade was granted to two players, making Mercedes the A10 Co-Rookie of the Year.

Mercedes follows in the footsteps of the team’s star player Liina Tervo, FCRH ’28. Tervo was named the A10 Rookie of the Year last year, the first in women’s program history. This year, she leads the team in scoring with 10 goals and seven assists for 27 points total.

Both players are among the several reasons why the team

was able to improve and advance to the semifinals this season.

Kyla King, FCRH ’26, the team’s goalkeeper and one of three captains alongside Tervo, attributed the team’s success to their new strategy this season: switching up formation.

“Our coaches were really good about adapting our formation to what the game needed,” King said. “We would change our formation and it really threw off Duquesne, and that was the reason why I think we were able to win that game — because

they didn’t know how to handle the second half.”

Despite this season being King’s first in her role as a captain, she has always had a strong presence on and off the field.

“I already felt like I was a leader, being a goalkeeper. I always saw so much of the field and I already had that voice, so to be granted the actual armbands … it gave me the authority I felt I needed to actually use my voice in an even bigger way,” King said.

King, along with her teammates, was able to lead the Rams to two consecutive A10 championship appearances, something the juniors and seniors on the team had not seen at the beginning of their Fordham careers.

“The seniors and juniors that I played with … my freshman and sophomore year, those girls had never made it to an A10 championship, so I think always in the back of my head I’ve been playing for them and realizing the privilege of being someone that can help in this change of the program as we get better and better,” King said.

The seniors on both the men’s and women’s soccer teams facilitated progress in each program that will endure beyond their own time on the field, through the continued success of the players they led and the coaches who taught them.

“Losing even one voice gives opportunity for another voice to step up,” King said. “I know there are so many girls that have the potential to be such great leaders and to carry this team in a different way.”

November Update

Find out where Fordham athletics teams currently stand in their seasons

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Tatum Holderied is ranked second in the nation for blocks per set at 1.83.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Alessandro Salipante was named Rookie of the Week on Nov. 17 by the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference.

Statistics

Notes

Men’s Basketball

3-2 Overall

Next game: Nov. 20 vs. Long Island University

Women’s Basketball

3-2 Overall

Next game: Nov. 20 vs. Seton Hall University

Water Polo

23-3 overall; 12-0 conference

Ranked fifth in the nation, according to CWPA

Football

1-10 overall; 1-6 conference

Graduate student James Conway set a new NCAA Division I record of 585 career tackles

Team

Volleyball

9-19 overall; 3-15 conference

The final season game on Nov. 16 set the new Fordham program record of 306 total blocks in a season

8

News November 19, 2025 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Fordham honors Ali Velshi and Connie Chung for distinguished journalism

By MACKENZIE COOPER News Editor

On Nov. 10, the 2025 Ann M. Sperber Prize was awarded to Ali Velshi, a Canadian journalist, senior economic and business correspondent for NBC News, and anchor for MSNBC News.

Velshi’s book “Small Acts of Courage: A Legacy of Endurance and the Fight for Democracy” was published in 2024.

The book is both a family memoir and a meditation on democratic values: It details his ancestral roots tracing back to India, his birth in Nairobi, Kenya, and ultimately his immigration to Canada and then the United States.

Connie Chung, American journalist and reporter for multiple news

networks, was also recognized at the event and awarded the Distinguished Career Award in honor of the prize’s 25th anniversary.

In 2024, Chung published her book “Connie: A Memoir,” which chronicles her career as a journalist spanning over 50 years. She gives an account of her experience as one of the first prominent woman journalists and the first Asian-American journalist to ever anchor a major network’s evening newscast.

Chung’s career has included notable interviews with former President Richard Nixon after the Watergate scandal broke and with Magic Johnson shortly after he revealed his HIV-positive diagnosis.

“Small Acts of Courage” and “Connie: A Memoir” were in competition with several other finalists for the 2025 Sperber Prize: Stephan A. Smith’s “Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes,” Calvin Trillin’s “The Lede: Dispatches From a Life in the Press,” and Larry Heinzerling and Randy Herschaft’s “Newshawks in Berlin: The Associated Press in Nazi Germany.”

This year, 51 titles were

considered for the award, with only five finalists chosen.

The Sperber Prize is an annual award established at Fordham that selects titles published a year before the ceremony. The winner receives a plaque and an honorarium of $1,000. The Sperber Prize money is given directly to the recipient in accordance with the original funding agreement with the Sperber family.

Members of the selection jury included Amy Aronson, Beth Knobel, John Matteson, Alan Sperber (brother of Ann M. Sperber), Charity C. Elder and Kathryn Olmsted.

Previous winners of the Sperber Prize include Seymour M. Hersh in 2019, whose memoir “Reporter” covered his career as an investigative journalist. In 2013, Douglas Brinkley won for his biography titled “Cronkite,” which detailed the life of Walter Cronkite, the distinguished news anchor often referred to as “the most trusted man in America.” In 2007, Myra MacPherson won for her biography “All Governments Lie! The Life and Times of Rebel Journalist I.F. Stone.”

This book covered the life of I.F. Stone, an investigative journalist known for his newsletter in which he exposed government deception and corporate and political corruption.

The Sperber Prize was established in 1999, honoring Ann M. Sperber, the author of a biography on Edward R. 1935-1994 Murrow titled “Murrow: His Life and Times.” Sperber spent 30 years writing her novel on Murrow, which covered his life and career. The book was one of four finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography in 1987. Sperber passed away in 1994, and the award was established to honor her life and work.

Murrow, who was a pioneer in broadcast journalism, was best known for his courageous coverage of World War II. Murrow is also known for his confrontation with Senator Joseph McCarthy during his March 9, 1954, broadcast segment on his show “See It Now.” Instead of interviewing McCarthy, Murrow ran his program “A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy,” using clips from previous speeches McCarthy had given in regards to his stance on communism in the United States.

“The actions of the junior senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our

Ann M. Sperber

allies abroad, and given considerable comfort to our enemies. And whose fault is that?

Not really his. He didn’t create this situation of fear. He merely exploited it, and rather successfully,” Murrow said.

McCarthy, who is known for leading the anti-communist campaign in the U.S., gained national attention by claiming, in a speech, to have a list of 205 communists working in the U.S. State Department.

Though he never provided any proof of these alleged communists, this spiraled into a Red Scare, a period of widespread fear of communism in the U.S. Murrow was able to use his platform to highlight McCarthy’s actions, which he deemed fearmongering and abusive.

Sperber was born in Vienna on June 20, 1935. Her parents, Manfred and Liselotte, had moved from Germany to Austria in 1933 after Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Manfred served as an accountant for the Jewish community in Vienna.

Sperber and her mother moved to the United States in 1939, later joined by her father in 1940.

After graduating from Barnard College in 1956, Sperber began collecting information and researching during her time as a Fulbright Scholar in Berlin. Before Sperber started writing the biography, she was a children’s book editor working for Putnam and McGraw-Hill.

Sperber passed away on Feb. 11, 1994, from a heart attack.

Sperber’s mother, Liselotte, established the Ann M. Sperber Prize here at Fordham.

University President Tania Tetlow began the event by delivering a welcome speech via video. Tetlow recognized the honorees and their dedication to protecting democracy throughout their careers.

“This year’s honorees, Connie Chung for her beautiful memoir and Ali Velshi for ‘Small Acts of Courage,’ show us how truth-telling can become a form of hope. Through their words and witness, they remind us that integrity still matters and that every act of honest storytelling helps keep democracy alive,” Tetlow said.

To introduce the significance of the honor, Dean of

the College of Arts and Sci- a citizen of India, the country ences Jessica Lang followed of my family’s origin. I’m a citiTetlow, delivering a speech zen of South Africa, the country that reflected on the impact in which my family immigrated of the works celebrated by the before I was born. I’m a citizen Sperber Prize. of Kenya, the country of my “Over a quarter (of a) cen- birth. I’m a citizen of Canada, tury, Sperber Prize recipients my family’s adopted home, have taken us from war zones and for the last 11 years, I’m to editorial rooms, from small a citizen of the United States,” local news desks to global Velshi said. centers of power. These books A commonality between show how those who gather Velshi and Sperber is that the news become translators they were both born abroad, of history. They capture the but ultimately naturalized as split-second judgments and American citizens. quiet persistence that hold open When introducing Chung, a space for truth in public life,” Aronson shared highlights from Lang said.

Chung’s over half a century of Introducing Velshi, Aron- e x p e r i e n c e , callson drew a direct connection ing her “a between his mission and the voice as principles Murrow championed. i n d e l i “Murrow believed truth-tell- ble as ing is the duty of a free people. any in Velshi continues that work Amerevery day, informing, challeng- i c a n ing and refusing to look away.

And in doing so, he inspires us to find within ourselves those same small acts of courage that remind us 25th Anniversary Career who we are as a democratic Achievement Award Winner society,” Aronson said.

After accepting the award from Alan Sperber, Velshi framed his speech around his understanding of citizenship. Having lived in five countries, Velshi shared his family’s journey: moving to a new continent, then to different countries, and again to another new continent, ultimately ending up in Canada.

“I didn’t become an American until 2015, long after I’ve been working here as a journalist, and technically, I’m a citizen of five nations. … I’m

Connie Chung

broadcast news, evocative of the clarity of Edward R. Murrow and the steady moral compass of her mentor, Walter Cronkite.” She noted that over a career stretching across multiple newsrooms and networks, Chung “reported from Washington during Watergate, interviewed presidents and world leaders, and became the first woman to co-anchor the CBS Evening News.”

After receiving the award, Chung recalled the barriers that women faced in the early days of her career. She spoke on how structural discrimination shaped newsroom culture and how collective action helped her to overcome those hurdles. Before sharing her own path in journalism, Chung recounted a moment when a group of women at Newsweek challenged the system that kept them from advancing.

“All the women were only hired as researchers.

They were not allowed to be reporters, writers, editors, anything. They were pigeonholed as researchers; they were very annoyed with this.

They decided that they would meet in the ladies’ room — the only place they could get some privacy — and they met and decided to file a class-action lawsuit against Newsweek, and it was only because the 1964 civil rights law was passed and created the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission,” Chung said.

During the question-and-answer portion of the event, Chung and Velshi shared a similar sentiment about the state of journalism today.

“I think Connie and I probably share the same view that the moment we’re most distraught about is right now in journalism … and when I say ‘this moment,’ I mean the last couple of years, the idea that the interests wof our news organizations are not aligned with what the interests of the American people should be — they’re aligned with something else. … We’ve seen the consequence of (news media) becoming unreliable … (the public) don’t trust us; they don’t watch us,” Velshi said.

Velshi and Chung also shared their

understanding that journalism is constantly changing and how that is reflected in this point in American history.

“You are seeing the best in some journalists and … you are seeing the worst in them on the very same day in many cases. …

The battle for the soul of this country and this world is also the battle for the soul of journalism right now,” Velshi said.

After the ceremony, Velshi reflected on the milestone anniversary and what the Sperber Prize represents at a time when there is a lot of pressure on the press. He emphasized that the award’s significance extends beyond professional recognition, touching directly on the health of a democratic society.

“Listen to that conversation that we had tonight. I mean, these are people who care about the future of democracy.

This is not about journalism anymore, right?” Velshi said.

“It’s this idea that if journalism fails, democracy fails. So in this moment, to be awarded this, I mean I’m very proud of my book, but to be awarded by an institution like Fordham … and to be able to get into this discussion (at) this moment in time, has got to be one of the most v a lu able

discussions I’ve had in a very, very long time.”

Aronson reflected on the importance of the Sperber Awards celebrating 25 years, and the values that the award has championed.

“This milestone affirms the Sperber Prize’s commitment to journalism that pairs courage with conscience — reporting that meets the moment without flinching and enables democracy to recognize itself in full,” Aronson said.

Aronson confirmed that the Sperber Prize Jury has already started to receive nominations for 2026.

Aronson explained that the research process for potential entrants in this year’s ceremony began in January 2025.

Every year, the nomination period ends on Feb. 1, and the jury then receives a narrower list of titles in April. The decision is made in early September and announced by Oct. 1.

Ali Velshi

Ann M. Sperber Prize Winner

LAYOUT DESIGNED BY DURGA DESAI GRAPHICS BY DURGA DESAI & KAITLYN SQUYRES PHOTOS BY GRACE SANTOLI

Opinions

Opinions Editor Tucker Flynn

November 19, 2025 THE OBSERVER

A Holiday of Thanks, a Season of Slaughter The haunting truth behind your beloved holiday meals is appetite-spoiling and bloody

Editor-in-Chief Jane Roche

Managing Editor Ana Winston Online Editor Morgan Johnson

LARA POPOVIC Copy Editor

As November settles in, the city gets quiet. The streets empty out and the chatters soften as non-New Yorkers head back to their hometowns for the holidays. Left behind is a rare stillness, a peaceful, lingering hum only true New Yorkers know. I walk along the East River, gazing at the changing leaves; the gray sky hovers over the city’s silhouette that’s reflected onto the rippling water. The air is crisp, alive — and for a moment, so am I. Yet, beneath that calm, something plagues my mind. While I lose myself in this fleeting serenity, millions of turkeys are being slaughtered for a so-called holiday of “thanks.” The thought hits me like a gust of chilly autumn wind: impossible to ignore.

When we think of Thanksgiving, we usually think of a morning spent watching the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — waiting for their “Tom the Turkey” float — or reruns of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.”

We imagine homes filled with aromas of home-cooked meals. However, the truth behind this gratitude-centered holiday is much darker.

In the United States, 46 million turkeys are killed each year for Thanksgiving, with more than 250 million turkeys killed annually.

99.8% of turkeys raised for meat are living on factory farms — an industrial-scale agricultural operation in which animals are treated as commodities rather than sentient beings in the name of commercial profit. The Food Empowerment Project reported that a single slaughterhouse is capable of killing 360 birds per minute, which would equal 518,000 birds per day.

Animals in factory farming houses are crammed into small spaces — cages or crates where they can barely move, stand up or turn around. They are both born and slaughtered in these spaces. They spend the entirety of their short lives indoors in windowless sheds, never breathing fresh air or feeling sunlight.

Confined to dark, overcrowded environments with barely enough room to move, the animals are forced to stand in their own waste. The buildup of filth leads to high concentrations of ammonia in the air, causing the animals to develop respiratory issues and lesions that often go untreated.

In such harsh conditions, the natural mating of animals becomes impossible. Instead, animals are forcefully bred through violent forms of artificial insemination. Breeding animals are confined for months on end, their sole purpose to produce offspring that will be slaughtered for profit. Once their breeding abilities decline, they too are slaughtered.

In factory farms, turkeys are subjected to debeaking and detoeing without the use of painkillers, usually done from only a couple of days old to the first weeks of life. During this process, workers cut off the toes of birds and force their heads into machines that use hot lasers to cut their beaks off. This is done to prevent animals from fighting back at workers, self-mutilating due to stress and attacking each other due to stress-induced aggression, along with injuring each other in their dense confinement.

The animals are also selectively bred to grow to unnatural sizes at unnatural rates, with the goal of maximizing industry profit. The breeding leads to animals facing debilitating injuries, undeveloped bones, failing organs, heart attacks and growing so large that they can’t stand on their own, move properly or even eat.

Baby birds that are sick, deformed, dying, injured, born male or considered “surplus” are thrown into

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When not confined in small spaces, turkeys can run up to 18 miles per hour and fly up to 50 miles per hour in short bursts.

grinding machines alive and are commonly used in pet food. Transportation and rough handling by workers leads to birds getting trapped in conveyor belts and machinery, resulting in broken necks, missing and bulging eyes, and bleeding wings and legs.

As a result of this aggressive breeding, turkeys raised in factory farms reach their slaughter weight — also known as “market weight” — by just four months old, and sometimes even sooner. In comparison, wild turkeys have an average lifespan of three to four years.

When slaughtered, turkeys and other birds are hung upside down on shackle lines and placed in electrified water to stun them. However, this process often fails, leaving most birds fully conscious before their throats are cut and they are left to bleed out.

Those who do not bleed to death are then thrown into scalding tanks where they are boiled alive. This process is meant to extract their feathers before machines sever their heads, feet and organs.

In the United States, factory-farmed birds are not protected under the Animal Welfare Act or the federal Humane Slaughter Act, meaning that there are no regulations governing their treatment and no laws to ensure they are kept in humane conditions.

This lack of legislation favors the consumerist market, as chickens are the most widely consumed animal in the United States.

In the wild, turkeys prove to be beautiful creatures and highly social birds. There are only two species of turkeys: the wild turkey, found in North America, and the ocellated turkey in Central America. Wild turkeys are striking creatures covered in 5,000 to 6,000 feathers and distinguished by their long legs and necks. Male turkeys are larger than their female counterparts, but both sport thick feathers of varying hues and patterns. They spend their days sunbathing and strutting around the forest, gobbling up fruits, seeds and acorns in flocks. Nighttime calls for shelter from predators, during which turkeys fly up to trees for safety.

While wild turkeys have varying bronze colors, pigmentation and thick feathers, industrial turkeys are totally white — their natural colors are intentionally bred out due to consumer preferences.

Just like people, turkeys experience emotions and pain, forming complex social relations with each other. With their own unique personality, they are known to have 28 distinct calls. To communicate with each other, their emotions are indicated by the changing colors on their heads, shifting from red to blue to white based on the intensity of their feelings.

Turkeys also possess excellent memory, as they can remember the faces of other turkeys by voice and facial characteristics, along with recognizing humans and details about the acres of land they live on. They often show great affection — they groom one another, and female turkeys have been known to adopt hatchlings beyond their own. However, their care is not reserved for others of the same species, as turkeys have also been known to enjoy cuddles from friendly humans.

As you can see, turkeys are not meant for the cruel life of factory farming. That is why this year, I symbolically adopted Tutu, a turkey born on a factory farm and rescued by a New York City student who then brought Tutu to Farm Sanctuary, an organization that rehabilitates animals that were victims of factory farming.

If that wasn’t enough to make you rethink your support of the factory farming industry, it’s worth mentioning how damaging factory farming and the consumption of animal-based products are to the environment. Factory farming not only demands millions of gallons of water, but it also pollutes our waters with the large amounts of animal waste it produces.

Factory farming also exacerbates environmental racism and classism.

Most factory farming facilities are built near low-income communities and communities of color, exposing residents to immense environmental hazards.

Factory farming is a major contributor to global warming, as it pollutes our air and is responsible for 15.4% of the world’s greenhouse emissions, along with the destruction of millions of acres of forest land to make room for slaughterhouses. Globally, factory farming accounts for approximately 16% of the world’s fresh water. On the other hand, gas emissions, water use and land destruction from plant-based food are significantly lower.

I am not saying you shouldn’t celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, reminding yourselves of what you are thankful for. However, it is important to remember that the animals that end up on our dinner tables are sentient beings that should be allowed to live long, fulfilling lives free of suffering. So instead of eating that turkey, how about substituting it for some sweet potatoes, corn, butternut squash, vegan pumpkin pie or some good old harvest chili soup?

Apart from replacing your meat with vegan substitutes, you can always support animal sanctuaries such as The Gentle Barn, Woodstock Farms Sanctuary or Pasado’s Safe Haven by “adopting” turkeys instead of eating them.

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November 19, 2025

Opinions

11

Growing Up: Redefining Mothers on Screen

As cinema grows more honest, it reveals the genuine labor and tenderness behind motherhood IAN ROGERS Contributing Writer

Once upon a time, Hollywood mothers were sanitized and selfless. They served as noble, static anchors, perfect for the background and essentially unchanged by the plot’s developments. Yet, as real-world discussions about women’s worklife balance and independence have gained momentum in the past decade, TV and film began to reflect these conversations.

As our generation has matured, so has the portrayal of mothers in film and television.

Moms in the early 2000s mirrored an industry and audience that were not ready to confront the complexities of womanhood.

As the industry evolved, though, Hollywood mothers have grown into full, flawed and real people, reflecting a generation now mature enough to see them clearly.

Blockbuster films of the 2000s featured mothers used for comedic relief rather than genuine character development.

Blockbuster films of the 2000s featured mothers used for comedic relief rather than genuine character development. In “chick flicks” of the time, such as “Mean Girls” (2004), motherhood is often sidelined. The film relegates mothers to the background, using them to stir conflict or provide humor. For example, Regina’s mother professes herself as a “cool mom,” asking Regina and her friends for the “hot gossip.”

Her identity is so closely tied to her daughter that she neglects her own personal development.

“Gilmore Girls” (2000–07) follows Lorelai, a young mother, and Rory, her daughter, in their relationship. Conflicts in the show often include Lorelai getting irritated with Rory for rebelling as a teenager. The plot holds potential for an emotionally appealing maternal drive, but it’s rarely sustainable in reality. The show frames motherhood as an uncomplicated balance of independence and emotional availability, leaving little room for the messier realities of single parenting.

Lorelai is perceived as an imperfect mother, but her behavior often paints a different picture. She is endlessly patient, emotionally receptive and always available, setting an unrealistic standard for how mothers truly behave. Her hardships are more to serve a certain aesthetic rather than being grounded in struggles akin to reality. The show offers sentimental value to motherhood but lacks complexity.

In either case of mothers on screen in the 2000s, they were never provided with depth, instead being strictly reduced to the butt of a joke.

“Gilmore Girls,” while often praised for its depiction of ambitious women, is largely a cultural fantasy for motherhood, albeit a progressive take on single motherhood. This is exactly the kind of representation that Sophia McDougall pushes back against in her viral 2013 essay, “I hate Strong Female Characters.”

McDougall argues that the concept of a “strong female character,” an endlessly resilient feminine personality in a film or television show, is used by the

industry to suggest feminist progress; however, upon taking a step back, the woman remains one-dimensional, rarely vulnerable and lacking complexity.

McDougall’s critique raises an important question: Why do we only ever talk about strength when discussing women? She argues that true feminist equality is demonstrated when women in these roles can be portrayed as weak, selfish or wrong, not just “strong.”

McDougall’s essay sparked a conversation about steering away from polished “strong female characters” and towards imperfect female roles. She argues that women on screen deserve the same depth that male characters have been afforded for so long.

Paired with the #MeToo Movement, peaking in 2017, Hollywood underwent a shift in its portrayal of women’s stories.

The movement brought attention to the systematic mistreatment of women in the industry, highlighting the emotional turbulence of sexism, harassment and silence in professional settings. As a response, it became crucial to center these stories in forms of entertainment in order to raise audience awareness.

This shift became visible in TV dramas like HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” released in 2017, following mothers and the lengths they’d go to protect their kids. The story sheds light on domestic abuse, tackles repressed anger and explores the mothers’ identities.

They often make mistakes, being vulnerable at times and resilient at others, mirroring authentic human experience.

“The Bear” (2022) follows Carmy, a chef who runs his late brother’s business as he deals with the loss of his brother.

The show takes the evolution of maternal characters further as Carmy’s mother, Donna, isn’t the sole focus of the show; rather, her portrayal deepens the emotional texture woven into the story. She’s far from idealized — she suffers from mood swings and is frequently unstable.

Now more than ever, imperfect mothers are at the core of film discussions.

Rather than being merely a background character, Donna is the reason for much of the show’s depth, as her choices affect her family as the seasons develop.

She serves as a mirror for generational pain that affects everyone she encounters differently, all while playing a supporting role.

Also in 2022, these complexities were highlighted in A24’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” as well. The movie’s nearly year-long theatrical run was proof enough that the story’s compelling mother-daughter relationship resonated with audiences.

The film swept the 2023 Oscars, winning seven awards, including best picture. It signaled that stories centered on flawed, multidimensional mothers were no longer a niche; they were defining cinema. Instead of being described simply as “strong” — and as such, lacking humanity — in the way early 2000s cinema might have developed her character, Evelyn Wang is inarguably human. She is frequently frustrated, yet always loving and often unsure of how to express it. These traits provided maternal depth that drove

She’s not a regular mom, she’s a cool mom.

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Rose Byrne is a leading contender for the 2026 Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.”

the story’s narrative and cultural impact.

The audience’s reception of a character like Evelyn Wang is subjective; some may find beauty in her heroic moments, while others might resonate more with her exhaustion. Her character is relatable: never perfect, always trying.

Now more than ever, imperfect mothers are at the core of film discussions. “Die My Love,” starring Jennifer Lawrence, and “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” starring Rose Byrne, are both recent releases from the last few months following mothers who struggle to cope with stretching themselves too thin for their children.

Lawrence portrays a mother suffering from severe postpartum psychosis. It’s easy to leave her performance feeling uneasy, but more importantly, it sparks conversations about the realities of motherhood being messy, unstable and occasionally dark. Watching her unravel on the screen is disturbing because it’s rooted in reality. Lawrence’s raw depiction of a distressed, spiraling mother is a stark contrast to the comedic, artificial mothers Hollywood once relied on — it marks a dramatic change in how motherhood has evolved on screen.

Similarly, Byrne plays a mother who is pulled in every direction. She is balancing her work as a therapist while tending to her daughter’s illness. She garners empathy from the audience while making objectively questionable choices, depicting quiet resentment paired with care work. She makes many sacrifices for her child, yet occasionally acts selfishly out of exhaustion

and fatigue. Each breakdown she has is never seen as a failure, but rather, as human. She is never entirely “strong”; instead, she struggles to hold everything together, which feels far more potent than if she were perfect.

With these maternal roles rumored to be in contention for this year’s awards season, it could mark a turning point in Hollywood’s depictions of motherhood, shifting the spotlight to complex mothers who deserve attention and acclaim. It remains to be seen, depending on the outcome of these films’ successes, whether Hollywood is genuinely embracing the idea of nuanced motherhood or simply responding to a cultural moment seen as marketable.

Paired with the #MeToo Movement, peaking in 2017, Hollywood underwent a shift in its portrayal of women’s stories.

After seeing these films, I frequently found myself calling or texting my mom more often than usual. I watched the quiet sacrifices Byrne never let her kid see in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” and saw how love is the root of frustration in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” so I knew I had lots to thank my mom for.

It became clear, though, that these portrayals not only reshape film — they serve as a reminder

to look at the women who raised us, allowing us to carry our mothers with more grace and appreciate the lengths they’ve gone to for the sake of their kids.

I asked my mom her thoughts on this recent trend in depictions. She agreed, saying, “We get pulled every which way, no matter how hard we try,” and that the shift toward more realistic mothers is “absolutely necessary.” She added that what many of these films are trying to convey is simple but profound: “No one can do it all and do it all well.”

The empathic knot in my chest watching these mothers stems from knowing that my mother has undoubtedly carried a lifetime of that same love and exhaustion at her own expense.

This knot is not shaped by guilt, but by a renewed appreciation for how I was raised.

The film industry shielded us from the actual colors of womanhood for far too long, providing us with characters who, while admirable, rarely felt real. But now that we’ve matured, having conversations about true feminism that embraces the strengths and weaknesses that come with being human, the screens we watch have begun to catch up. These portrayals reflect a long-overdue shift in our perception of motherhood, encouraging audiences to appreciate mothers as whole characters rather than one-dimensional figures; they validate personal experience, evoke empathy and challenge stereotypical ideals about motherhood. The realism behind these characters we view is the strongest portrayal of all.

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Opinions November 19, 2025

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Burning Coded Language at the Stake Calling a woman intimidating is not the compliment you think it is JANE ROCHE Editor-in-Chief

Allow me to enlighten anyone unfamiliar with the age-old tactic of coded language. It is a phenomenon often used by men to socially police women, frequently disguised as a compliment or feedback.

Throughout my adolescence and early adulthood, I have fielded this faux praise with a “thank you,” because it is giftwrapped and delivered to me in a way that expects that response.

“You are so intimidating” implies that being unapproachable is what defines a woman who is extroverted or confident; it is the price she must pay for commanding a room or simply standing tall with her chin held high.

When men or society call a woman “intimidating,” what they really mean is that she refuses to shrink. She does not flatter or appease. She exists outside of the narrow frame that centuries of social conditioning built for her. “Intimidating” becomes a polite way of saying you don’t know your place — the politeness making the dig all the more insidious.

Am I truly intimidating, or are you intimidated by me? Am I bossy, or are you unwilling to take no for an answer?

Intimidating: Causing a loss of courage or self-confidence; producing feelings of fear or timidity (Merriam-Webster).

Our culture is fluent in the language of female containment.

Most of the women in my life have been confronted with the same language or one of its many variations (“emotional,” “hysterical” and “bossy,” to name a few). This language disproportionately affects women of color, who are often stereotyped as “aggressive” or “abrasive.”

What this language has become is an acceptable way to insult women and control them. It is an accusation that the woman is at fault for the messenger’s insecurities; packaging it as flattery is just another way to compel women to accept abuse from men.

Am I truly intimidating, or are you intimidated by me? Am I bossy, or are you unwilling to take no for an answer? Am I emotional, or are you insensitive?

I would argue that he who heralds the opinion may need to redirect the subject of the sentiment unto himself. Coded language is truly a man’s insecurities and shortcomings repackaged as the responsibility of the woman receiving it. When women refuse to submit to patriarchal roles, they should not then become accustomed to absorbing men’s deficits.

To call a woman intimidating is to absolve oneself of introspection. Instead of asking, “Why do powerful women threaten me?”, we ask, “Why can’t she tone it down?” The label becomes a mirror turned the wrong way, projecting male insecurity onto female identity.

Admittedly, it is true that women themselves are guilty of labeling other women with coded language. We are all collectively brainwashed by the patriarchy; we all need to learn to make acceptable judgments of women.

Women are taught to see each other as competition rather than allies and socialized to elbow each other out rather than lift each other up.

This game is old and overplayed. For centuries, women have been expected to be modest, agreeable and grateful for permission to exist. When they step beyond those lines, language rushes in to discipline them. A woman who argues is “hysterical.” A woman who commands respect is “difficult.” A woman who demands equality is “radical.” And notoriously, women have been labeled as one thing while the male equivalent grants men valiance; she is a “spinster” (an unmarried woman with a negative connotation), while he is a “bachelor.”

In the workplace, studies of performance reviews show that praise towards women is often limited to maternal terms, such as “warm” and “helpful,” whereas men more frequently receive results-oriented praise (i.e., “confident,” “decisive”). According to an article by the BBC, “‘Compassionate’ was a common descriptor of women, whereas ‘competent’ was frequently used for men. In terms of negative feedback, ‘irresponsible’ was more often applied to men, whereas judgmental and gender-coded terms like ‘frivolous’ and ‘temperamental’ were more likely to be mentioned for women.”

The double standard in the workplace bleeds into how women are perceived socially. Instagram influencer @julionomartello posts videos online revealing all the reasons why women cannot come up for air in the dating pool, claiming a spokesperson role for men in his age group (Gen Z, 20s). In one of his videos, he explains his understanding of why women are rarely approached in public by men. His reason is that “you are very attractive” or “you need to understand that a man’s number one fear of all time is fear of rejection in public.”

Translation: The consequence for strength or beauty is loneliness. Men won’t step up, so women should tone it down.

Redirecting the blame from the wrongdoer to the victim is an old tactic that has manifested into something much more harmful, thanks to the manosphere — a neologism referring to misogynistic male internet groups — screaming in our faces every day.

The supposed “tough guys” on the internet whine loudly about what they deem to be women’s flaws that lead to their distaste or lack of attraction towards women.

Labeling them as “witches” was never about demonic fear; it was about social order and control.

History has always punished the woman who refuses to be controlled. One of the most haunting examples lies in the 17th-century Salem witch trials.

The “trials” were not trials and the “witches” were not witches. Rather, “intimidating” people were branded sub-human while accusations of sorcery were heaped upon them. It was a slaughtering of individuals who did not conform to societal norms, the vast majority of whom were women. Labeling them as “witches” was never about demonic fear; it was about social

Think twice the next time you feel intimidated by a woman.

COMIC BY AAYUSHA DUWADI/THE OBSERVER

GRAPHIC BY KAITLYN SQUYRES/THE OBSERVER

“Intimidating” is often delivered as a compliment, emphasizing its underlying dig.

order and control. It was a label used to justify violence against outsiders. Many of the women accused lived at the edges of their community as widows, healers, landowners or women without husbands.

Dismantling the age-old myths of hysterical women is crucial to decoding the destructive language used toward women today. The Broadway play “John Proctor is the Villain” does just that. The production is a modern-day feminist interpretation of Arthur Miller’s 1953 play “The Crucible.” In “John Proctor is the Villain,” which ran on Broadway from March 20 to Sept. 7, high school students were tasked with interpreting “The Crucible” in their English class. The students’ real lives end up reflecting the events portrayed in Miller’s play, drawing parallels between the Salem witch trials and contemporary issues of sexual misconduct and power dynamics between men and women.

A young girl, Shelby, is framed as unhinged, “too much” and aggressive, when in reality, she is responding to sexual abuse from her English teacher. It questions John Proctor’s heroic role in “The Crucible” by translating his role into an English teacher.

Ultimately, the play challenges society to reexamine who the real villains and victims are. It exposes the systemic issue of labeling a woman a liar when, really, she is a survivor. The man once considered “heroic” is revealed as the true tyrant. The ending was a thematic reclaiming of the narrative as Shelby’s

own, making for a cathartic and liberating viewing experience filled with so much emotion. It is a relief to see narratives like this one performed on such a big stage.

Language has evolved, but the underlying impulse to punish women who refuse to submit has not.

It is true that men are also subjected to coded language.

Young boys grow up hearing phrases of destruction used to define their success. “You went in guns blazing” and “You’re a killer,” to name a few, are celebratory descriptors often used towards men that define their triumphs in violence, ignited at an early age by comic books and video games marketed towards boys. What then begins to occur is an understanding that the main way men and boys are able to evaluate themselves is through language related to destruction and death. Our culture predetermines how a man should respond to glory through the language of violence. And in turn, it becomes inherent for men and boys to revert to the fail-safe of justifying their failures by elevating women’s flaws.

The use of coded language is ever-evolving. “Witch” became

“hysterical,” which then became “intimidating.” The violent echochamber within the manosphere that bleeds into the algorithm of young boys and girls on social media begs the question of whether or not this language is regressing back into a more explicit “burn the witch” territory.

On Nov. 6, The New York Times published the transcript of an episode of one of its podcasts, “Interesting Times,” hosted by opinion columnist Ross Douthat.

The original headline was “Did Liberal Feminism Ruin the Workplace?” Since its publication, the headline has been changed several times, likely due to the firestorm of online backlash, before reverting to its original title. One of the headline changes read, “Did Women Ruin the Workplace?” The New York Times and Douthat attempted to masquerade overt misogyny as inquiry or critique.

What they really did was publish an exposé of how the “burn the witch” theory remains alive today. What was once conveyed through an underlying meaning is now published explicitly, in plain words, by a major news outlet.

The New York Times threw a linguistic dagger at all women, reminding us that the age-old mechanisms used to socially police in Salem have not disappeared, but have simply found new forms. Language has evolved, but the underlying impulse to punish women who refuse to submit has not. And historically, history has a tendency to repeat itself.

Arts‘Sentimental & Culture Value,’ a Striking Study of Language

Arts & Culture Editor Nora Kinney

November 19, 2025 THE OBSERVER

Trier’s latest film observes the intricate and unspoken emotional languages within families, finding intimacy in introspection

By SOFIA LAJE Staff Writer

Following his widely acclaimed film “The Worst Person in the World,” filmmaker Joachim Trier returns with “Sentimental Value,” a tender study of family, memory and emotional dialects that link generations. Rather than constructing drama around overt conflict, Trier opts for subtlety, framing the story as an intimate contemplation of the soul where language, silence and gesture carry the weight of unsaid truths.

The film debuted at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and took home the Grand Prix award.

On Nov. 9, Trier was joined by cast members Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for a question-and-answer session moderated by IndieWire’s Head Film Critic David Ehrlich following a screening of the film at the AMC Lincoln Square 13 theater.

“Sentimental Value” follows two sisters, Nora (Reinsve) and Agnes (Lilleaas), and their estranged father, Gustav (Skarsgård), whom they reunite with following the death of their mother. Gustav, a filmmaker whose art has eclipsed his ability to parent, reenters the sisters’ lives in full force. He asks Nora to star in his latest directorial project, which is set in their family home. Upon her refusal, he casts an established actress, Rachel Kemp (Fanning),

MORGAN JOHNSON/THE OBSERVER

Members of the cast joined filmmaker Joachim Trier and Indiewire critic David Ehrlich for a post-screening questionand-answer session at AMC Lincoln Square 13.

in her place. What begins as a professional substitution gradually unravels intricate tensions of intimacy and estrangement within the family that have accumulated over decades.

The four main cast members deliver career-defining performances. Reinsve, who also starred in Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World,” breathes life into Nora, whose quiet and contemplative nature makes her anxieties more visceral to the viewer.

Reinsve spoke about finding Nora’s emotional truth: “I need

a lot of time to kind of tap into something that feels authentic,” and credited Trier’s flexibility, as he made space for the cast to be “open and emotionally engaged” with “room to be authentic.” This emotional exposure became the backbone of the film.

As Gustav, Skarsgård delivers a portrait of raw vulnerability, illustrating a man whose strongest language has always been his art. Skarsgård described the role as playing “hard text” of dialogue and emotional material that reads, on paper, as stern and impenetrable, while

adding vulnerability, revealing “the person behind the words.”

The result is a character defined by his intentions rather than demonstrable impact, even at the cost of his relationship with his daughters.

Spoken mostly in Norwegian, the film uses language as one of its thematic frameworks.

What is withheld, translated and understood is constantly changing, rather than guaranteed. Language and translation form the film’s emotional core, revealing gaps and fractures in human communication. This

unfolds literally through the translation of Gustav’s film into English and Rachel Kemp’s resulting struggle to authentically access her character. Trier positions language as both a bridge and a barrier, suggesting that what is meant is rarely spoken and vice versa. The house in which the family grew up, too, becomes a site of translation.

Its walls hold layers of memory, traumas and the conversations of past generations of Gustav’s family that continue to resonate with those who inhabit them.

The house functions as both a backdrop and a vessel for memory.

Trier collaborated with cinematographer Kasper Tuxen again to bring forward the same visual intimacy that defined and elevated “The Worst Person in the World.” Together, they crafted a visual language built on warmth, stillness and the emotional charge of everyday spaces. This visual approach refuses spectacle in favor of closeness.

If “Sentimental Value” has a central thesis, it is that connection and communication are not linear concepts, especially within a family. Reinsve reflected at the end of the question-andanswer session that “the dynamic between us that kind of came and won’t leave us; we’re stuck in this family dynamic,” a statement that encapsulates the film’s suggestion that emotional bonds, even painful and unresolved ones, resist clean endings and absolute closure.

Ailey-Fordham Dancers Transcend Limits at Fall Concert

Seven works by professional choreographers showcased the artistry of the Ailey-Fordham BFA program

By CHENIYA BROWNLEY WATTERSON Staff Writer

By the time the house lights softened inside the Ailey Studio Theater on the evening of Nov. 13, the room was already alive.

The air hummed with smooth jazz and anticipation as families and friends found their seats. Then, the curtains parted — and silence became movement.

The Ailey-Fordham Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Fall Concert, presented Nov. 12 to 14 at the Ailey Studio Theater, brought all four years of undergraduate dancers together in seven works by choreographers Adam Barruch, Tamisha A. Guy, Adrienne Hurd, Vivake Khamsingsavath, Gaspard Louis and Katarzyna Skarpetowska. The program traced a wide emotional range — from modern abstraction and bright, jazz-inflected play to pieces that wrestled with structure, stillness and release.

“ The intensity (with) which I was focusing left me feeling accomplished after each performance. ” Ella Ratcliffe, FCLC ’26

The night opened with “Search All, Correct All, Clear All,” a brooding contemporary work — precise, sculptural and

GIANA VISCONTI/THE OBSERVER

Seven new works graced the stage of the Ailey Studio Theater, showcasing the diversity of movement styles in the BFA program.

shadow-cut. String music swelled with the dancers’ angular lines before dissolving into silence.

What followed shifted the tone entirely: “IN It,” a neon-lit burst of Horton technique with 1980s flair set to pulsing synths. “Fatal I” slowed the pace to a suspenseful crawl, and its earthy palette and score heightened the tension.

“Breaking the Mold” moved like a unit: uniform and synchronized, with each dancer a part of one disciplined mind.

Ella Ratcliffe, FCLC ’26, described “Breaking the Mold” as “one of the most mentally challenging pieces I have been part of.” The precision required, she said, left no room for autopilot.

“I had to actively be aware of my fellow dancers and feel their presence in order to stay within the mold. The intensity (with) which I was focusing left me feeling accomplished after each performance,” she said.

Ratcliffe connected the work’s tension to her own lived experience.

“I tapped into the struggles and frustrations I face with living in America under such a divided time in history,” she said. “I felt that when I was performing lots of unison movement I was part of the larger systems that keep people ‘in line’ … but when I had moments of breaking away from the group, I was able to find freedom in myself.”

Then came “You’re Inside Out!”

by Vivake Khamsingsavath — a raw, modern meditation that fractured all that order. The stage became a site of rebellion.

Muted screams were punctuated with sharp gestures, and a Latin musical interlude brought out a passionate, rhythmic heat.

Sitting beside Khamsingsavath that evening provided a unique glimpse into the piece itself.

“It’s inspired by my belief that we are made up of the universe,” Khamsingsavath said. “We’re infinite beings, but we’re in this human form … sometimes we feel limited — by our minds, by society, by our bodies. It’s just (about) reminding ourselves that we actually have infinite possibilities.”

Khamsingsavath’s philosophy seeped into the choreography itself, where quiet moments carried the same weight as the piece’s sharper, more explosive phrases.

“I love the moments of quietness where I could see each person in their presence, their stillness, their breathing,” Khamsingsavath said. “Those moments where they ran downstage and just looked out into the abyss … it’s moments to see humans experiencing (together).”

Khamsingsavath, who has spent 20 years teaching and choreographing, described the evening as a “full-circle” moment. After teaching Ailey’s senior class earlier this year, he was invited to choreograph for the juniors.

“At this stage of my career, I just want to nurture them, make sure they feel seen and cared for so they can become whoever they want to be,” he said.

After the quiet intensity of “You’re Inside Out!”, the evening softened with “Noula,” a melodic piece bathed in blue light where dancers moved like water, following every bow stroke in harmony.

The finale, “Tidal Intersections,” was originally commissioned in 2005 by Houston Met Dance. 20 years later, the cast of BFA seniors who took the stage almost doubled that of its original rendition. Dancers swept across the stage in waves of color — skirts of green, red and brown glimmering in the light.

As the final notes faded and dancers bowed, the audience rose to their feet. For a brief moment, everyone in the theater seemed to share what Khamsingsavath described: an awareness of infinity contained inside the human body, breaking free in motion.

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Arts & Culture November 19, 2025 THE OBSERVER

www.fordhamobserver.com

Fordham Theatre Reimagines Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’

The show’s unique direction and performers bring life to the classic text and reinvigorate timeless themes and we aren’t allowed to use it freely and we have to use it at the will of someone else,” Johnson said. “I am currently, in my own body, under complicit service — not on purpose, but because of the systems that are built around our administration and … those who have significant power over me.”

Johnson said that in embodying the role, she learned to “relinquish that power and take back (her) own controlled autonomy.”

One poignant moment of the show is the wedding scene between Ferdinand and Miranda. The ensemble becomes a vehicle to narrate the story of a budding love that begs to be everlasting. The choreographer Suzanne Millonzi used unique movements to create a figurative language.

TEMPEST from page 1

The show began with an atmospheric tension of island ambience and ominous lighting.

Adriana Braganza, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’29, worked as a member of the deck crew and called the opening sequence “eye-catching.”

“ When we play that

fast, we as actors stop thinking, and we just let Shakespeare take the wheel. ” Ryan Quinn, Guest Director

In the first scene, the cast of characters are shipwrecked in a tumultuous sea storm brought upon by Prospero’s sorcery.

Since Prospero has been exiled, he has taken it upon himself to colonize the island, but his main goal is to restore his power as the duke of Milan. The characters on the ship are all subjected to his ensuing schemes, like being hunted down by his subservient monsters, Ariel and Caliban. His daughter Miranda falls in love with Ferdinand, lost son of the Alonza, queen of Naples, and Prospero grapples with wanting the world for his child while simultaneously craving a return to the throne. Many of the other characters also take their new circumstances as a chance to pursue their desired fate.

Audience members may or may not be familiar with Shakespeare’s work, but the process behind the performance allows anyone to digest and comprehend the complex language. Quinn urged his performers to rehearse in an “Italian style” where they said their lines quickly rather than prolonging emotional beats. He said he prioritized “acting the fullness of every beat, but just at the speed of thought.”

“When we play that fast, we as actors stop thinking, and we just let Shakespeare take the wheel,” Quinn said.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CASON DOYLE

The last mainstage production of the semester transformed Pope Auditorium into a mythical seashore.

Cast and crew said working on the show taught them lessons applicable to their lives offstage.

Ariel, a character typically portrayed by one actor, is split into four roles, another example of the innovative nature of this production.

One standout example of Quinn’s adaptation of the text was the scene in which the stranded Neapolitans ponder their fate. Gonzalo (played by Maia Mcgowan, FCLC ’26) tries to inspire hope among the dejected crew, and trails after Alonza (played by Fiona Nealis, FCLC ’27), who is preoccupied with the loss of her son. Sebastian and Antonio (played by Avery Ash, FCLC ’28 and Kei Sugae, FCLC ’26) sit at a distance, mocking the futility of Gonzalo’s efforts. Ariel intervenes by putting Gonzalo and Alonza to sleep, and the power-hungry Antonio sees an opportunity to do away with them both. The incapacitated characters wake suddenly with knives held to their throats.

Without careful stage direction and coaching, the attitudes

The production’s designers made bold choices with wardrobe and set design to emphasize the mystical nature of the show.

and stakes of this scene could have been lost in the web of dialogue. The actors, however, navigated it deftly — revealing the group’s unspoken turmoil and inner corruption.

An interesting and immersive choice was the specific music incorporated throughout the play. In the last scene of Act 1, moments of banter are complimented by the character Stephano (played by Brian Muñoz-Reyes, FCLC ’28) drunkenly singing “Sweet Caroline” and prompting the audience to sing along. Ariel sings a Nina Simone song later on. Both renditions of modern tunes caught the audience off guard and suffused the play with an irony Shakespeare would tip his hat to.

The set design helped transport the audience to a mythical world. A rocky palette on stage and netting that hung above the audience emulated an island terrain. At a few moments in the show, fairy lights twinkled over the house seats. At another, a ring of well-timed LED lights at Prospero’s feet emphasized his sorcery. It was an enchanting sight to see Pope Auditorium completely transformed.

The imaginative costuming added to the effect. Half of the cast wore variations of nautical dresswear, with ballooned trousers, sashes and fashionable vests. Prospero donned a grandiose cape made out of what looked like handwritten letters.

The monster Caliban (played by

Dylan Stern, FCLC ’28) wore a ragged green and brown ensemble that conveyed his subservient nature. Wardrobe crew member Mary Sullivan, FCLC ’29, said she gained new skills working on the production, like learning to paint someone to disguise them as a tree.

Ariel, a character typically portrayed by one actor, is split into four roles, another example of the innovative nature of this production. Carrie Johnson, FCLC ’28, plays one of the entities, and reflected on the role in light of the current political climate.

“The Ariels are these magical creatures on the island. We have power over our own autonomy, but sometimes it’s taken from us,

The actors, creative team and crew worked tirelessly throughout the month of October to develop the tone and look of the show.

Quinn said he hopes the movement conveys that the characters “are going to discover, they are going to feel, they’re going to suffer, they’re going to find joy, but at the end of it, they just get the part of taking that next step over and over and over again.”

There are various points in the show where this physical embodiment of the story acts as a conduit for larger themes.

A supportive rehearsal environment was crucial to developing this intricate production. The actors, creative team and crew worked tirelessly throughout the month of October to develop the tone and look of the show.

Quinn recounted a sentimental memory of a special rehearsal that was scheduled late into Halloween night. As a surprise, everyone came dressed as him.

This is a testament to the community that formed during the rehearsal process, thanks in no small part to Quinn’s strong leadership.

“Our director Ryan Quinn is so uplifting, and I think that’s what makes it so different.”

Johnson said. She claimed this sense of community is only possible “when you have people around you who are willing to not only work with you, but help you grow and connect with you, no matter what happens.”

The positive environment that emerged during the development of such a complex text translated to the final product on stage. The actors moved fluidly as one through choreography and shared palpable energy in different scenes. This was the true mark of collaboration toward their common goal of storytelling.

The power to imagine, transform the stage into another world and let the audience into the atmosphere was made clear within this production. Even if none of us can relate to the events of the play, we can identify with Shakespeare’s timeless explorations of human desire and shortcomings. The fresh take on the story provided insight that audience members can take throughout their lives to understand their relationships with their own fates.

“The Tempest” closes Nov. 22 in Pope Auditorium.

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THE OBSERVER

November 19, 2025

Arts & Culture

15

Pop Culture Icon in Broadway’s ‘Beetlejuice’

Social media legend Trisha Paytas takes on her first Broadway role in the returning show, ‘Beetlejuice’

By LUKE TRESSLER Contributing Writer

Halloween may be over, but spookiness and fright never stop when it comes to “Beetlejuice” the musical. The show opened on Oct. 8 at the Palace Theatre on Broadway. It is only running for a limited time — 13 weeks — before the show’s national tour kicks off in February 2026.

The titular role is played by Justin Collette, an award-winning actor and musician known for playing the lead role in “School of Rock” on Broadway. The other main character, Lydia Deetz, is played by Isabella Esler, who is making her Broadway debut at the age of 21.

Trisha Paytas, the frequently memed social media personality and actress known for her raw emotion and viral “crash out” YouTube videos, made her official Broadway debut on Nov. 4, playing Maxine Dean. Paytas will hold the role until Nov. 23.

On Oct. 10, Paytas announced on Instagram that she would be participating in the revival of the show, and fans went wild. One commenter called her the “queen of manifesting,” while another noted that “the rise of Trisha must be studied.”

Paytas has been “manifesting” her dream of being in “Beetlejuice” since 2020. She made multiple music videos of her singing the songs from the show, like “What I Know Now,” performed by Miss Argentina, and “Say My Name,” performed by Beetlejuice. Both of these well-known songs feature choreography and upbeat energy that captivate the audience.

“Beetlejuice” has taken up residence in the Palace Theatre for its limited 13-week run.

Paytas’ “Say My Name” video, in which she plays both Beetlejuice and Lydia, has 1.7 million views and 61,000 likes on YouTube.

Listeners of the “Frenemies” podcast know that Paytas is a longtime fan of “Beetlejuice” and a self-proclaimed theater kid.

Now finally under the lights at 37, Paytas said in an interview with Playbill that the experience “feels like a dream.”

“You always hear about aging out … My younger self could have never handled this. I wanted it so bad in my 20s and even early 30s,” Paytas said. “This is the first time that I feel like I’m stable. I can enjoy and appreciate everyone around me.”

Speaking to Broadway.com, Paytas talked about what she wants to bring to the stage. She

mentioned how many famous people have played her role before, each introducing their own variations of on the character.

Many have been curious how Paytas would adapt to a live musical on Broadway, which is a significant step up from her self-produced one-woman shows.

“I’m bringing a little bit of Trish energy to her,” Paytas said, referring to her character choices while she dances, sings and “break(s) chairs.”

“Beetlejuice” originally debuted on April 25, 2019 at the Winter Garden Theatre as an adaptation of the 1988 movie starring Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder.

The show’s original run was interrupted due to the COVID19 pandemic. After a couple of years of on-and-off production, it

MORGAN JOHNSON/THE OBSERVER

finally reopened on April 8, 2022, at the Marquis Theatre. The show ultimately closed soon after, despite its relative popularity. With Broadway still recovering from the shutdown, the producers worried about how the show would fare long-term.

But as “Beetlejuice” became its own cultural moment with a fan-favorite 2024 movie sequel, the production found new legs to stand on.

During the show on Nov. 6, Paytas made her first entrance as Maxine Dean toward the end of Act 1. Two swinging doors opened to reveal her, complete with dark black hair, a purple, flowy dress, purple eyeshadow and big, shimmery diamond jewelry. The audience cheered, clapped and hollered for a minute straight

while Paytas stood there smiling and laughing alongside her castmates, who looked thrilled for her to be there.

It was Paytas’ second show, and she seemed slightly nervous.

At some points, she lagged slightly behind on the choreography, and at times it felt like she was following the lead of her castmates. But when she sang, she was in tune and on time, showing that she practiced and put lots of effort into the role. During her primary scene, Paytas had two lines that the audience laughed at, with one mentioning how her character is her husband’s fourth (and best) wife.

After that, she had two solos during the iconic song “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song),” in which the family is possessed

by Beetlejuice to sing and dance during a business dinner.

Paytas was not the only link to the internet and Gen Z culture in the show. The character Dehlia Deetz made a “sixseven” joke when trying to relate to her step-daughter, Lydia. The reference to “six-seven,” a popular joke online, elicited laughter in the audience, particularly from those who were on the younger side.

Most of the show had a dark and mysterious vibe, with flashing strobe lights occasionally used during scene changes.

Fog enveloped the stage area, and purple lights illuminated the actors and actresses.

If you want to have a good laugh, shed a few tears or see Paytas in the spotlight, then this is the show that will blow you out of the netherworld.

Take Thee to ‘Hamnet’

Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal star as a grieving Agnes and William Shakespeare in Chloé Zhao’s ‘Hamnet’

By MORGAN JOHNSON Online Editor

Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao returns to her roots post-Marvel’s “Eternals” with a much smaller story: “Hamnet.”

“Hamnet” is an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel of the same name. The novel and movie both start as a love story between Agnes and William Shakespeare, but evolves into a story about loss and grief in the aftermath of their son Hamnet’s death, the catalyst of the inspiration for Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.”

Agnes Shakespeare (Jessie Buckley) is an outcast with a deep connection to the natural world as she wanders through the woods playing with her pet hawk. William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) is a tutor who longs for something greater — like writing plays — but is stuck working for his father. Buckley and Mescal emphasize the innocence of the Shakespeares’ courtship and the loving escape they bring to each other’s lives.

Agnes and William are unwavering in their love for each other, despite contention from their families.

Jacobi Jupe’s performance as Hamnet, Agnes and William’s son, is the heart of the film, an impressive feat given that the actor is only 12 years old.

His performance haunts the entire movie. Hamnet is like any young boy: innocent, infectious and courageous. He wants to make those around him happy, and he especially loves his father. One scene in particular shows the father and son having a heartfelt conversation about being brave while William is

MORGAN JOHNSON/THE OBSERVER

Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” is a film adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel of the same name.

working in London. Knowing Hamnet’s time in the story is limited, this scene is even more impactful. The rapturous glee that Jupe and Mescal share shows the love between their characters and foreshadows its devastation.

During the film’s festival run, Jupe became emotional talking about his experience on set in an interview with Variety. He described the experience of playing Hamnet as “life-changing.”

“It was so spiritual and with everybody supporting me. …

It was quite incredible. … I’m actually lost for words. … It was so utterly devastating. … When I ended that shoot, there was one thing that I wanted to do, and it was probably to live on for Hamnet because I don’t think it was fair on him.”

Jupe’s connection to Hamnet is evident on screen. He brings Hamnet to life, and knowing his

connection to the character will weigh on your viewing. Sniffles and sobs could be heard by the end of the screening I attended.

In “Hamnet,” Buckley delivers another nuanced portrayal of motherhood. Agnes does everything she can to protect her children; her world revolves around them. Buckley’s performance follows a trend in other recent dramas, like “Die My Love” and “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” that depict the complexity of motherhood. In contrast to those two films, which are primarily centered around the effect of post-partum depression and the stress of raising a child, Buckley portrays the grief of losing one.

Agnes always tries to remain one step ahead, but some things are out of her control.

Buckley is able to capture this confusion, frustration and slow step toward acceptance through

her dialogue and especially through her facial expressions.

When Buckley is acting, you can tell exactly what her character is feeling through a look.

Facial acting is essential for bringing O’Farrell’s novel to the screen. The novel takes its time telling the story, especially for the build-up to Hamnet’s passing, which does not happen until the film’s halfway point. O’Farrell’s prose is lyrical and emotional, as she breaks down the characters’ internal monologues and how they behave in scenes.

For the film, characters could not simply say what they felt; instead, viewers needed to see and feel it. That’s what makes O’Farrell and Zhao co-writing the screenplay great. O’Farrell had created themes, but Zhao worked to translate them into visual symbols. For example, there are many shots of different dark voids,

which represent the impending despair and darkness that loom in the background.

The best example of O’Farrell and Zhao’s teamwork is what scenes they decided were pivotal for the story. When explaining the inciting incident for Hamnet’s death, they had to condense a chapter of the novel. They did it by explaining it through a small theatrical puppet show that William encounters in London. It is a little detail, but it further fleshes out the world and the time.

All of Zhao’s work feels lived and real because she shoots her films on location, and “Hamnet” is no different. The film opens in the woods, where characters are able to connect with the world, setting the stage for the impending life experiences within the film. It concludes on a replica stage of the Shakespeare Globe, where characters are forced to face their emotions and reconcile their grief through the theatrical production of “Hamlet.”

The energy in the Globe was palpable as Agnes began to slowly process Hamnet’s death and understand William’s aloofness. Everybody watched the performance with bated breath.

Hamlet is played by Jupe’s older brother, Noah Jupe, and it is done with purpose. As Agnes looks up at Hamlet, it seems she is symbolically looking at an older version of her son. The familial ties between the actors further solidify the influence of Hamnet in Shakespeare’s creation of “Hamlet,” serving as a means to process his grief.

When seeing “Hamnet,” bring a tissue — you’ll need it. “Hamnet” opens in select theaters on Nov. 26 and expands nationwide on Dec. 12.

Fun & Games Editors Damian Grove Jasmine White

un & ames

November 19, 2025 THE OBSERVER

Crossword: Because I Solved You, I Have Been Changed ...

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BY DAMIAN GROVE

15. Greg Heffley played one in his school production of “The Wizard of Oz” 16. 17-Across is a perfect one for little ginger orphans 17. One who might have a hardknock life 18. Tobacco-drying oven 19. *Gratuitous statement of relief (2 Wds.) 22. “He ____ got a clue!”

23. Methods and procedures (Abbr.)

24. Carne ____

Across 1. Silences 5. Occupy, as a diner booth (2 Wds.) 10. “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” network (Abbr.)

13. Sport with Basque origins: jai ____ 14. “It has __ ____ ring to it” (2 Wds.)

28. Haiku-like poem with two extra lines of seven syllables each 31. ____ and outs 34. *Start of a phrase said when attempted kindness backfires (3 Wds.) 37. Dorothy who lands in Oz 39. Black and white films 40. On the ocean, as a ship 41. *What could be said about the winter solstice? (3 Wds.) 44. Like classrooms in a hallway outside Quinn Library (Abbr.)

45. Often commented on shocking TikToks: “I ____ ___ the comments” (2 Wds.) 46. Syrian leader overthrown in 2024 48. Change in value, in calculus 51. Imitate, as a mime 55. *Quality of flying or floating, evidently (2 Wds.) 59. “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” actor Michael 60. Quick-moving 61. ____ription 62. Prayer ending 63. AMC competitor 64. Little girl, in Spain 65. *Multilayered thematic phrase illustrated in this puzzle’s reference musical, with 67-Across 66. Tom Jones hit “She’s __ ____” (2 Wds.) 67. *See 65-Across

1. Country singer Brooks 2. Hello, at a luau 3. Lavish balls 4. The Marías’ “Submarine” closing track 5. ____ paneer 6. ___ ___ particular order (2 Wds.) 7. Former Yankee Martinez 8. They may cause 27-Down 9. ____ tiny 10. Vulgarity, as an insensitive person 11. Wanna-____ 12. “Quiet on ____!”

15. Open-face taco meal 20. Gold units (Abbr.)

21. Founded (Abbr.)

25. ____ Domini 26. “Champagne Problems” lyric: “Your Midas touch on the Chevy ____, November flush and your flannel cure” 27. Anxiety, for an Italian American 29. Turn over, as a boat 30. Computer programmer Lovelace and poet Limón, for two 31. Tyler, the Creator album with “Earfquake” 32. Grammy alternative 33. Even more thin 35. Municipal legislation (Abbr.)

36. Mama bears, in Mexico (Abbr.)

38. “Conga” singer Gloria 42. Divine

Word Search

Logic Puzzle

BY JASMINE WHITE

Instructions: Search up, down, forward, backward and on the diagonal to find the hidden words.

BY JASMINE WHITE

Ramses and his friends Ramona, Rambo and Rama are all huge musical theater fans, and they are throwing a party to celebrate the release of “Wicked: For Good”! Unfortunately, they seem to have forgotten some very important details of their plans, including what “Wicked” themed treat each friend is supposed to bring and which task each friend is responsible for.

Use the clues below to help Ramses and friends remember the details and have an amazing party! The first clue has been put in for you as an example — use “X” to cross out what’s incorrect and “✓” to denote the correct matches. Remember, no two people picked the same kind of apples or ate the same fall treat. After you have completed the puzzle, you can check your answers with the grid in the bottom corner!

Pink Lemonade

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Strawberry Matcha

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Rambo is supposed to bring the strawberry matcha.

Ramona is either in charge of the music or the invites.

The person who brings the Munchkins is also supposed to make the invites.

Rama isn’t bringing food.

The person who brings the witch finger cookies is either in charge of the decor or the activities.

The person decorating is bringing pink lemonade.

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E E N N N A O I D A E A F R B N N D H S N E M E R A L D Boq Dillamond Elphaba Emerald Fiyero

Glinda Morrible Munchkin Nessarose Oz

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GRAPHICS BY DAMIAN GROVE & JASMINE WHITE