Observer Issue 7 Spring 2024

The STudenT Voice of fordham LincoLn cenTer

Protest Rally Draws Hundreds at Lincoln Center

By ALEXA VILLATORO & INSIYA GANDHI Former News Editors

At a rally organized by leaders from Fordham’s undergraduate Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), students and faculty crowded the corner of 60th Street and Columbus Avenue on Thursday, April 25 at roughly 11:30 a.m.

Fordham SJP presented four demands in a petition which has garnered over 1,800 signatures.

The petition urges that the university calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza alongside “an end to the genocide, and an end to the 75-yearlong occupation of Palestine.”

In addition to divestment from companies tied to Israel’s war on Gaza, SJP also insists on full financial transparency of current and future investments, commitment to the Palestinian Academic Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), and cutting ties with the Hebrew University in

Sankofa Show Blends Culture

and The Catwalk

By ELEANA KOSTAKIS Asst. Arts & Culture Editor

On April 27, The Caribbean Students Club (CSC) and the Caribbean and African Student Association (CASA) collaborated to host the Sankofa Fashion Show. Sankofa is Fordham’s first fashion show to highlight the blend of fashion and culture, as well as the first event to bring both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center’s Caribbean Students Clubs together.

The event was sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) as well as the Fordham Career Center, but was primarily put together by the students of CSC and CASA. OMA reportedly wanted the event to take place back in 2020, but they were forced to reschedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Four years later, the spectacular cultural event was finally able to take place.

Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University. Both universities have partnered with Fordham for study abroad programs in the past.

The student group remains an unsanctioned club after the four year long Awad v. Fordham lawsuit, and SJP demanded that the university reinstate the group and re-grant them official club status.

Upon entering the Sankofa Fashion Show, there were many students wearing spring colors, ready and eager to enjoy a celebration of fashion and expression. The clubs both resonated with the term Sankofa because of its definition “go back and get it.”

“(It) signifies the culture that both Caribbean clubs share and want to express in this fashion show. It was executed in a very beautiful way and I loved seeing the people on campus involved in expressing their culture through clothing,” Briannie Cepeda, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’26, said. Sankofa Fashion Show was held to celebrate and feature the works of young creatives in the fashion industry who are of Caribbean and African descent.

see FASHION SHOW page 10

By

Noise Complaints Interrupt McMahon Lawn Party

ELIZABETH CARRILLO Contributing Writer

The Black Student Alliance (BSA), the Caribbean Students Club (CSC) and the Student Organization for Latines (SOL) collaborated to host an event titled “The Family Reunion” on Saturday, April 6. The event was intended to be a celebration of the clubs’ cultures. It was interrupted when police arrived on the scene.

BSA President Kennedi Hutchins, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’25, said the event, which featured lawn games, food and a DJ on the McMahon Lawn, was off to a good start despite cold weather.

But the event would soon face interference. Makayla Fredericks, FCLC ’26 and

president of CSC, stated that Public Safety arrived about an hour into the event to warn that several noise complaints had been made against them.

“It was three o’clock in the afternoon on private property, so I wasn’t expecting any issues,” Fredericks said. “That’s normally a fine time to have loud music.”

According to Robert Dineen, assistant vice president for public safety, his office received several complaints from a resident of a private building adjacent to the McMahon Lawn at around 2:30 p.m. In a comment to The Observer, Dineen stated that public safety supervisors responded to the complaint and determined the volume of the music was at a “reasonable level.”

The public safety officers spoke with the events managers, students working for the Office of Student Involvement (OSI). Fredericks said the event managers told her to lower the volume of the music “a few notches” and the students complied. Dineen confirmed that students lowered the music in good faith.

Dineen said that around 4 p.m., the NYPD appeared and spoke to students through the West 61st Street cul-de-sac lawn gate, alerting the students of a series of noise complaints they received. NYPD told students that the music was too loud and to continue playing music they would need a sound permit.

ALEXA VILLATORO/THE OBSERVER

By CLAIRE HABIG Contributing Writer

RHA Auction Exceeds Expectations

The Resident Hall Association’s Annual Auction makes its post-pandemic return

The Resident Hall Association (RHA) held its first charity auction since before the COVID-19 pandemic on April 18. The event raised over $5,500 in support of Women In Need (WIN) NYC, the largest provider of family shelter and supportive housing in New York City, according to Dylan Vilela, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center ’26 and head of corporate outreach for the auction.

The auction...aimed to raise $5,000 for WIN NYC to support “shelter, housing, and beneficial programs for women in need and their families across all five boroughs.”

The $5,500 fundraising total surpassed the organizers’ goal of $5,000. Funds were raised through the auctioning of a variety of donated prizes for experiences around New York City, including a one-night stay at The Ritz-Carlton hotel, tickets to Broadway musical SIX and Lempicka, and workout class memberships.

Amid the abundance of highvalue experiences around New York City, though, the highest amount was bid for guaranteed assignment to a recently renovated apartment in McMahon

Hall. The apartment features two bedrooms and two bathrooms alongside a recently renovated kitchen. Kayla Thomas, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’27, won it for a hefty $1,135 price tag.

The auction, according to a post on RHA’s Instagram account, aimed to raise $5,000 for WIN NYC to support “shelter, housing, and beneficial programs for women in need and their families across all five boroughs.”

WIN NYC’s website specifies that it relies heavily on donations and community support to fulfill its mission of “transform(ing) the lives of New York City homeless families by providing holistic solutions of safe housing, critical services, and ground-breaking programs they need to succeed on their own–so these families can regain their independence and their children can look forward to a brighter future.”

WIN will utilize the proceeds from the RHA auction to provide essential services and assistance to those facing homelessness and similar hardships in the New York City area.

“ We brought together the Fordham community before, during, and after this process. ”

Ada Holmes, RHA Secretary

RHA’s previous auction was held in 2019, prior to the

cancelation of the planned April 2020 event due to all university functioning becoming remote amid the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

“There were pressures at times because of the successful history of this event as well as this being the first auction after a bit of a hiatus,” RHA secretary Ada Holmes, FCLC ’26, said.

In addition to raising money for WIN NYC, representatives for RHA noted their desire to bring students together while reintroducing the event to the community.

“Our aim was to unite the Fordham community and revive

this long standing tradition,”

RHA president Paulina Delabra Serrano, FCLC ’26, said.

According to both Serrano and Holmes, the auction exceeded its fundraising goals for WIN. They commented that one of the great successes of the event was how it was able to strengthen the community’s bond.

“We brought together the Fordham community before, during, and after this process,” Holmes said.

“We absolutely plan to continue this annual tradition here at Fordham Lincoln Center,” Holmes said, emphasizing the significance of the event.

Holmes noted that this year’s success is intended to be merely a preview of the promising future that lies ahead. This sentiment encapsulates RHA’s goals of fostering a culture of giving and community engagement on campus, with this charitable auction signifying the organization’s mission of making a difference in the lives of others.

Holmes affirmed the administration of Fordham Lincoln Center’s commitment to upholding the tradition of philanthropy through the RHA charity auction.

Insights Into the University’s Class of 2028

Potential students discuss what factors are affecting their decision to attend Fordham

By MEGAN YERABELLI Online Editor

Decision day for the class of 2028 has passed. Regular decision acceptances for Fordham University’s class of 2028 were announced on March 15, and now Fordham’s incoming first year class has begun to take shape.

According to Fordham News, there has been greater interest in attending the Lincoln Center campus. Applications to Fordham College Lincoln Center (FCLC) and Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) have increased.

Potential students in the class of 2028 shared what caused them to apply to Fordham in the first place.

Julian Bober was admitted to FCLC’s class of 2028. His intended major is international studies, and he is a New York City native. He is deciding between attending Fordham or Georgetown University in the fall.

“I think the main reason I applied to Fordham was just because it’s in New York, and I really liked the Lincoln Center location,” Bober said.

Lena Tarva was admitted to GSBLC’s class of 2028. She is originally from New Jersey, and applied to Fordham to study international business with a media concentration. She expressed similar sentiments about being drawn to the Lincoln Center campus.

“It is such a cool campus, Lincoln Center specifically, being right in like the heart of Manhattan. You have almost everything around you being in the city,” Tarva said.

Rachel Tibbs is considering joining the incoming class of Fordham College Rose Hill. She wants to study biology and is originally from St. Louis, Missouri. She described how attending the Rose Hill campus will give her a balanced college experience.

Tibbs said her financial aid package was not the best she has received, and that the cost of a Fordham education is causing her to consider other universities.

“I applied there because I wanted a more traditional college experience, but also liked that Fordham had a sister campus at Lincoln Center that had more of the urban feeling and the opportunities that come with being in New York City,” Tibbs explained.

Other than Fordham, she is considering attending the University of Virginia or Marquette University. However, the idea of living in New York City entices her.

“New York City is so unique,” Tibbs said. “Being on the tour today, I saw a diverse group of students here, who are hardworking, and want an academically rigorous experience, but also are insanely creative and have a lot of different perspectives that I haven’t gotten living in St. Louis.”

According to Fordham news, the university saw an 8% increase

in international applicants, while also receiving applications from all 50 states. Patricia Peek, dean of Undergraduate Admission, commented on the diversity of the incoming class to Fordham News.

“The diverse mix of international and domestic students creates a rich, vibrant campus environment for everyone. Not only are Fordham scholars living and learning in the greatest city in the world — they’re also benefitting from a wealth of perspectives and experiences,” Peek said.

The tuition increase has made the cost of attending Fordham 4.4% higher than the previous academic year. Delays in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid have complicated many universities’ financial aid processes, with some pushing back

their decision day because of it. However, Fordham’s decision deadline remains May 1.

According to Brian Ghanoo, associate vice president for Student Financial Services, the university has been able to give out preliminary financial aid packages.

Bober explained that the scholarship he received to attend Fordham has encouraged him to consider it over other schools.

Tarva echoed Bober’s comments about the merit-based financial aid package she received. She also said the tuition increase is not significantly affecting her college decision.

“I did receive a scholarship which was very generous. That definitely helps in the college decision process, especially with how much college has increased over the past years,” Tarva said.

“Most colleges have increased in the same way and are around the same pricing.”

Tibbs said her financial aid package was not the best she has received, and that the cost of a Fordham education is causing her to consider other universities.

“Hearing that the tuition is increasing and could be in the future is a little bit scary,” she said. “It kind of negatively impacts how I’m viewing the school.”

Despite the increasing cost of attendance, Tibbs said the different resources on campus and the post-graduate opportunities offered draw her to the university.

“It seems like there’s a lot of care for the students, especially through the Jesuit values of the whole person,” Tibbs said.

COURTESY OF ADA HOLMES

The Resident Hall Association hosts its first auction since pre-pandemic times.

STEVIE FUSCO/THE OBSERVER

Prospective students take a tour of Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus.

USG Presidential Election Results Announced

Fiona Shehu won the election by 20 votes, becoming the USGLC President for the 2024-25 academic year

By ALISON BEINHAUR News Editor

United Student Government at Lincoln Center (USGLC) held elections for its 2024-25 executive board on April 25. Fiona Shehu, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’25 and the incumbent vice president of USGLC, won the presidential election, defeating her opponent, Lydia Williams, FCLC ’25.

Undergraduate students received their ballots in the morning of April 25 via a guided link in an email from USGLC and were given a deadline of 5 p.m. to cast their votes. Of 199 total votes cast, Shehu received 53.7% (107), and Williams received 48.7% (87). Five students wrote in additional unlisted candidates. USGLC announced the election results in an Instagram post on April 26 at approximately 5:30 p.m.

“ To those who supported me, I vow to uphold my beliefs and represent the students with integrity and honesty. ”

Fiona Shehu, USG President-elect

Following USGLC’s announcement of her victory, Shehu expressed her excitement and gratitude “to my community who supported me and made me into

the woman I am today.” She also highlighted “the amazing work we will get done this upcoming year and how there is no time to waste in terms of supporting our community.”

“To those who supported me, I vow to uphold my beliefs and represent the students with integrity and honesty,” Shehu said. “I am thankful I was trusted by the student body to take on this role.”

Williams responded to the announcement of Shehu’s victory by posting a concession statement on her campaign’s Instagram account.

“Thank you to everyone who supported my campaign. The students of Fordham LC have spoken and unfortunately I have not been elected as your next president,” Williams wrote. “While

not the result I wanted, I will celebrate the perfectly executed campaign I ran, and the help I had along the way.”

The post thanked Kennedi Hutchins, FCLC ’25, Bianca Ortega, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ’25, for “encouraging me to follow the coin I flipped during spring break and run for president.”

It also acknowledged Nicholas Wesley, FCLC ’24, and Christina Antypas, FCLC ’26, for creating Williams’ launch video and flier photo, and Ashuta Date and Jacob Purdue, both FCLC ’27, for signing Williams into McKeon Hall for canvassing efforts.

Williams’ concession post concluded with an acknowledgement of her supporters, thanking

“everyone who came & supported at the debate! Every follower who interacted with campaign content! Every last person who voted in this election!”

Williams served as first-year and sophomore senator during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years before announcing her decision not to seek re-election for the 2023-24 academic year in an Instagram post on April 18, 2023. She had also served as the inaugural chair of the diversity, equity and inclusion committee within USGLC.

Shehu described Williams as “an amazing candidate,” and said she “admire(s) her work ethic and strength as a student leader.”

She also acknowledged and expressed gratitude for the support of current USGLC President

Police Disrupt Club Event

Tanzema Qureshi, FCLC ’24, throughout her campaign.

“She (Qureshi) has believed in me regardless of the circumstances and positively altered my approach to student leadership,” Shehu said. “I feel privileged to have worked with her and have had the support from such a kindhearted, phenomenal person.”

“ I intend that my first act as USG president is to demand tuition transparency.

The Observer hosted a debate between the two candidates on April 23, during which both candidates discussed tuition transparency and increases, clubs, representation and general campus improvements. During the debate, Shehu described herself as a “Bronx-born, Queensraised” New Yorker and an approachable leader for the student body.

She continued to emphasize tuition transparency as the central tenet of her campaign, repeatedly calling for an “itemized bill” from the university to enable students to track their tuition dollars.

“I intend that my first act as USG president is to demand tuition transparency. It is crucial that students are aware of where our tuition is being allocated,” Shehu said.

Student leaders expressed dissatisfaction with university’s response to neighborhood noise complaints

Dineen commented that while neighborhood residents have made noise complaints in the past, they are “very rare.”

Fredericks and Hutchins were confused as they had complied with Public Safety’s initial request to turn the music down.

Dineen said that Public Safety was not aware of the conversation between NYPD and students until after the interaction.

“ We were playing ‘cultural’ or stereotypical Black and Hispanic music. It is clear that they knew the type of people in that lawn.”

Makayla Fredericks, President of Caribbean Students Club

The police left soon after as the event was nearing its end, but the interaction didn’t sit right with Fredericks. She said that she had never heard of police being called on students and felt it was odd that they were interacting with the students on private property.

“If this ‘noise’ was an issue, Fordham should not allow students to have events there because they are putting them at risk of interacting with the police that could lead to a pretty intense escalation,” Fredericks said.

Fredericks said she believed the police were called because of the race of the attendees.

“We were playing ‘cultural’ or stereotypical Black and Hispanic music,” Fredericks said. “It is clear that they knew the type of people in that lawn.”

Public Safety responds to all notifications they receive from police officers concerning Fordham campuses. If alerted by the police of a complaint made by an off-campus party, public safety officers will directly address the individuals involved in the report received in order to reconcile the issue at hand.

Hutchins criticized the noise complaints, saying the police and public safety response was far greater at the cookout than at the “Ravelengths” event featuring live music by alternative band “Laundry Day” on April 12. Dineen said NYPD officers responded to noise complaints at the event but “just left” before Public Safety officers arrived.

“It was much louder, way higher attendance, later at night,” Hutchins said. “It's just kind of frustrating. When there's events happening at the same place, same time, same area … I guess people interpreted that was different given that we were majority students of color on campus as opposed to the other event.”

Fredericks further voiced her disapproval with the university and shared that nobody from Fordham’s administration, Public Safety, or OSI had reached out to offer support or get more of an understanding of what happened the afternoon of the event.

“This situation made me understand even further that

Fordham does not have my back and won’t create these spaces for people like me and I have to create them. But even then I am receiving pushback when we’ve done nothing wrong. Student events on private campuses should not be

shut down by the NYPD and now I’m worried about this happening in future events. ” Fredericks stated this will not stop these student organizations from having more events in the future. On April

COLBY MCCASKILL/THE OBSERVER

Fiona Shehu (left) elected USGLC President over opponent Lydia Williams (right).

27, CSC hosted

the first ever crossover event with Rose Hill’s Caribbean and African Student Association. This event was a cultural fashion event showcasing young stylists and designers of African and Caribbean descent in New York City.

COURTESY OF KENNEDI HUTCHINS

The communal event hosted by BSA, CSC and SOL was disrupted by noise complaints followed by visits from both Public Safety and the NYPD.

”

Fiona Shehu, USG President-elect

MCMAHON LAWN from page 1

Sports & Health

Fordham Baseball Falls to Fairleigh Dickinson

The Rams rallied in the ninth inning to put runs on the board, but their efforts were too little too late

By JANE ROCHE Sports and Health Editor

In the final game of a five-game homestand at Houlihan Park on Wednesday, April 24, the Fordham baseball team fell to the Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) Knights, losing 6-4.

The Rams entered the day in the midst of a 3-1 homestand, most recently taking two wins against the Saint Louis University (SLU) Billikens over the weekend. The successful run brought the Rams’ season record to 16-22, but on Wednesday, Fordham struggled to carry over its momentum.

Both teams managed to hold off their opponents up until the bottom of the fifth inning.

In the Sunday game against Saint Louis, Daniel Bucciero, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’26, started the scoring with a lead-off home run and finished the day with a walk-off long ball. Those bookend homers made Bucciero the team leader in home runs this season with six blasts. Bucciero surpassed Steve Lutazzi, Gabelli Graduate School of Business (GGSB) ’24, who has four home runs.

On Wednesday, the Rams immediately fell behind to Fairleigh Dickinson. Rams starting pitcher Brixton Lofgren, GSBRH ’27, threw a wild pitch with runners on the corners, allowing Luke Russo, FDU ’26, to score from third. This early start proved that the Rams had a tough fight ahead of them. FDU’s strong suit is their ability to steal bases as they rank No. 6 in the nation in stolen bags.

Bucciero, as the Rams’ first at-bat, hit a single but was caught stealing second base. Knights’ pitcher Nicholas Feretic, FDU ’24, arguably pitched the best outing of his career at Houlihan Park, with nine strikeouts. His first-inning performance was a tell-tale sign of what was to come for Feretic in the matchup, as he was able to hold off the

rest of the Rams’ batters. Feretic has pitched 26 innings for the Knights this season and accumulated a lackluster 8.31 earned runs average.

In the third inning, Fairleigh Dickinson rallied to put five more runs on the board. The Rams’ veteran lefty pitcher, Trey Maeker, GSBRH ’24, struck out only one of the Knights’ batters. Hunter D’Amato, FDU ’24, team leader in home runs with 14 in his four-season career at FDU and a batting average of .337, stole home plate and was called out when the Rams’ catcher Diego Prieto, GSBRH ’25, slid to tag the Knight. The call was overturned shortly after when it was determined that Prieto failed to make the tag. According to the ESPN broadcast, this play was the firstever overturned call at Houlihan Park, thanks to the new instant replay system.

Maeker pitched two more runs before he was pulled from the game, with relief pitcher Dominic Cunha, GGSB ’24, entering in the third inning. At this point, Ben Avila, FDU graduate student ’24, hit two runs batted in (RBI) singles to solidify the visitor’s lead, increasing FDU’s edge to 6-0.

Both teams managed to hold off their opponents up until the bottom of the fifth inning. With Fordham runners on the corners and two outs, the Rams’ Ryan Thiesse, GSBRH ’24, scored off the bat of Cian Sahler, GSBRH ’25, to put the Rams’ first on the board. Sahler, with a batting average of .310, extended his hit streak this season to 16 games. The Fordham record for longest hit streak is 21 games shared by Robert DiVincenzo, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’77, and Ray Montgomery, FCRH ’91.

In the end, the Rams weren’t able to overcome the deficit and the game ended with FDU winning 6-4.

Both teams made several changes in the ensuing innings, but the 6-1 score remained the same.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Rams finally found the offensive mojo that they had lacked all game, but it was too little too late. With Jason Diaz, FDU ’24, on the mound, Chavez hit a single and stole second. Bucciero and Thiesse both walked, then with bases loaded and no outs, the Knights inserted reliever Joey Kosowsky, FDU ’24, to replace Diaz. Fordham’s Andrew Kanellis, GGSB ’24, picked up two RBIs with a single as Chavez

Women’s Tennis Falls to Richmond

The Fordham women’s tennis team failed to defend their 2023 Atlantic 10 (A10) Championship this year. The Rams lost their matchup against the University of Richmond (RICH) Spiders in the semifinals of this year’s tournament on April 26. Fordham entered the tournament as the fourth seed, but was defeated by the eighth-seeded Spiders.

The Rams began their quest to repeat as champions with two consecutive dominant performances. To open the tournament, Fordham swept George Mason University, 4-0, winning five matches.

In its next matchup, the Rams swept fifth-seeded Davidson College by the same score, 4-0, to advance to the semifinals. The swift victories set up the matchup with Richmond.

The Spiders parlayed their victory against Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) into a strong effort against Fordham, taking the match 4-2.

Fordham started the matchup by taking the doubles point, winning two of the three sets to take an early lead. The tide changed once singles rolled around. Leonor Oliveira, RICH ’24, defeated Anlin Xie, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’27, to gain Richmond’s first point. The teams split the next two games, before Richmond closed out the competitive showdown with two wins. Fordham’s crushing loss ended an overwhelmingly successful season for the Rams, as they finished with a 15-7 record. Four of those losses came in the first month of the season, with Fordham closing its campaign winning 10 of 12 matches.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst went on to beat Richmond in the championship match. The Fordham women’s team is sure to undergo some changes during the offseason, but it is evident that the Rams have cemented themselves as contenders in the A10.

and Bucciero crossed home plate. Sahler hit an RBI single to continue the rally, as Thiesse scored once again. In the end, the Rams weren’t able to overcome the deficit and the game ended with FDU winning 6-4.

The Rams couldn’t get their offense going until the final inning and their season record dropped to 16-23, although the team has a strong 10-5 record at home. FDU’s record improves to 15-23 as the Knights continue

their push in the Northeast Conference.

Next, the Fordham Rams hit the road to the University of Rhode Island (URI) Rams April 26 weekend in Kingston, Rhode Island. They picked up two games in the three-game series at URI’s Bill Beck Field. The Rams’ record improves to 18-24 as they look to solidify their seeding for the upcoming Atlantic 10 Championship tournament beginning May 21.

Men’s Tennis Falters

The Fordham men’s tennis team fell to Duquesne University (DUQ) Dukes, 4-1, on April 25. The loss capped a campaign that saw the Rams win only seven of their 21 matchups. The Rams began the match by winning the doubles point to take an early 1-0 lead. Duquesne responded by sweeping the Rams in singles, winning the first four completed games to end the match. Subsequently, Duquesne was beaten by Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the top seed in the men’s tournament. VCU ultimately won the championship a few days later.

Fordham’s Top Tennis Performers

Women’s Singles

Anlin Xie, FCRH ’27 — 19-7

Won eight consecutive matches from March 9 to April 25

Women’s Doubles

Eleni Fasoula, GSBRH ’24/Xiaowei Hu, FCRH ’24 — 11-5

Won their final four matches together, including three wins at the A10 Championship

Men’s Singles

Dhillon Virdee-Oakley, FCRH ’26 — 10-10

Before losing against Duquesne, Virdee-Oakleywon seven of 10 matches

Men’s Doubles

John Mascone, FCRH ’26/Giorgio Soemarno, FCRH ’24 — 4-1

The two won their final three matches including one against Duquesne at the A10 Championship

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The loss was a tough end to a strong five-game homestand at Houlihan Park.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

The Rams attempted a comeback in the ninth inning, but FDU’s defense maintained their lead to wrap up the game.

Rams Women’s Soccer Star Reflects on Career

Olivia Redden discusses her achievements, hardships and the future of her soccer career after four years at Fordham

By JANE ROCHE Sports and Health Editor

Olivia Redden, Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) ’24 and captain of the Fordham women’s soccer team, has faced adversity in her 18-year soccer career. But she won’t let anything stop her from becoming the best player on the field.

Redden began playing at just five years old, with her father as her coach. She felt an immediate connection to the sport.

“I loved it from the start,” she said. “I made instant friends and had so much fun being out on the field.”

“ She always spoke on behalf of the team, put the team first ahead of herself, committed to Fordham women’s soccer and set an example each day. ”

Community was an important part of Redden’s formative soccer years. At Kittatinny Regional High School — in her hometown of Freden, New Jersey — Redden played on the girls soccer team as a center midfielder. Her teammates in high school were the same girls she played with since the beginning, rendering the experience all the more special.

During her sophomore year, Redden pulled her groin and was sidelined for most of the season. She bounced back her junior year even better than she was before the injury. Redden’s first season back ended up being the team’s best performance out of her four years playing in high school.

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t affect Redden’s senior high school season, but it did cut her club soccer season short. She started playing club soccer at 12 years old and continued through high school. She saw the most development in her skill level with her club team. She played at the highest club level and against the best under-collegiate women’s soccer players in the country. During her junior year of high school, Redden and her club team accomplished a very rare feat, reaching the final four in the playoffs.

Redden put a lot of dedication toward her club soccer success

while also being on the basketball team and track team. Redden successfully balanced the rigorous schedule of a three-sport athlete, her academics and club soccer two to three times a week, an hour and a half commute from her home.

Redden’s consistency throughout her formative years helped shape her into the strong team leader she is today.

“She was a fantastic captain,” Magnus Nilerud, Fordham women’s soccer head coach, said. “She always spoke on behalf of the team, put the team first ahead of herself, committed to Fordham

women’s soccer and set an example each day.”

Redden attributes her collegiate success to her time spent playing club soccer.

“Playing on my club team made me a standout player on my high school team. When you play club it is a completely different level than high school soccer,” she said.

In fact, Redden played a different position on the field in club soccer than she did in high school. She was a center-back, also the position she went on to play in college. Without club soccer, Redden said that she would not have gotten the attention she did from Fordham.

“Club soccer is a whole different world with recruiting trips and recruiting in general,” she said. “It is so important to play club soccer to go to the top schools.”

“ After all these years of hard work, I truly realized that this is something I can consider now that I am where I am. ”

Olivia Redden, former Fordham soccer player

Fordham began recruiting Redden during her first year of high school. She visited the school as a sophomore and shortly thereafter committed with a scholarship that year. At just 16 years old, Fordham became home for Redden.

The transition from high school to college was difficult for Redden. An injury she suffered at the beginning of the pandemic certainly did not help. She sprained her ankle and it took her away from the game on and off through her junior year. The injury was very tough for Redden considering her extreme drive for the sport. At the same time, Redden was facing the novelties of being a college first year and struggled to balance all of her new responsibilities.

Redden continued to struggle with her ankle throughout her

early collegiate athletic career. She went on to seriously sprain it, affecting her ability to perform on the field. Eventually, it was clear she needed surgery, but for Redden, that wasn’t an option. She had no intention of missing out on a year of playing, and that is what surgery would have meant. Instead, she went to rehab and worked tirelessly to get it back to where it needed to be.

“It ended up being one of my biggest blessings,” Redden said about her injury.

In a twist of fate, she secured a name, image and likeness deal, a deal between an athlete and a brand with the possibility of compensation, with Ultra Ankle to endorse their ankle braces. Ultra Ankle is an ankle brace company that provides “protection without limiting your performance,” according to their website. Luckily for Redden, the company’s claim rang true.

She wears the ankle brace every time she steps on the field whether it be for a game or practice. Since Redden started to wear the brace, she has not suffered another ankle injury.

Redden’s deal with Ultra Ankle means that she makes money by posting on social media about the braces. Additionally, she receives free ankle braces whenever she needs a new one.

“I am honestly very thankful for everything that happened because I wouldn’t be where I am today without it,” Redden said.

The 2023 soccer season was Redden’s last with Fordham. However, she is not saying goodbye to the sport just yet. Redden will exercise her fifth and final year of eligibility at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) in Baltimore, Maryland, while getting her master of science in marketing.

After her time at JHU, Redden is considering playing soccer overseas, maybe somewhere in Europe, although she has not thought that far ahead just yet.

“It is definitely something I have dreamed about and if I feel like it’s something that suits me at the time, I am definitely going to go through with it,” Redden said. “After all these years of hard work, I truly realized that this is something I can consider now that I am where I am.”

COURTESY OF OLIVIA REDDEN

Redden primarily played as a center back, but was moved into a defensive midfielder at times due to her aerial abilities.

Magnus Nilerud, Fordham women’s soccer coach

COURTESY OF OLIVIA REDDEN

Redden was a member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll all four years she played at Fordham.

COURTESY OF OLIVIA REDDEN

Redden attributes part of her successful comeback to the support her teammates and Fordham staff provided.

Columbia University — ALEXA VILLATORO/THE OBSERVER

Fordham University — ALEXA VILLATORO/THE OBSERVER

The New School — COLBY MCCASKILL/THE OBSERVER

New York University — ALEXA VILLATORO/THE OBSERVER

Fordham Students Protest in Solidarity with Columbia

Activists and protestors have taken to university campuses across the country and faced stiff resistance from adminstrators

Faculty, Fordham alumni and current students delivered speeches and led chants at the rally. Attendees marked the increased momentum in the pro-Palestinian student movement while decrying the high civilian death toll seen in the Israeli military’s invasion of the Gaza Strip, which organizers called a “genocide” against Palestinians.

Public Safety officers and the New York Police Department were also present. Assistant Vice President of Public Safety Robert Dineen estimated the size of the crowd to be around 200 people.

During the rally, a speaker of Palestinian descent, shared that over 50 members of her family had been killed during the ongoing war. The student paid tribute to her seven year old cousin, Ali, “who pedaled his bike to what he believed was freedom, only to be silenced by a bomb,” she said.

Two plaintiffs of the Awad v. Fordham lawsuit returned to address the crowd at their alma mater, Julie Norris, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’18 and Ahmad Awad, FCLC ’17.

“We’re gathered here today shoulder to shoulder with other brave students across the country,” Norris said in a speech at the rally. “Responding to the bravery of Columbia students who saw the historical role that we play in bringing an end to the genocide of the Palestinian people.”

While Fordham’s ban was ultimately upheld, Awad and the original petitioner in Awad v. Fordham, said the rally’s turnout showed that pro-Palestinian students had nonetheless prevailed.

“Fordham actively worked to deny students on campus the chance to form a student group for Palestinian human rights. Unfortunately for them, they failed,” Awad said in a speech to the cheering crowd.

Toward the end of the rally, a small group gathered by the Lowenstein entrance, holding up an Israeli flag. One of the students holding the flag was David Wyle, FCLC ’27. Wyle shared that he held up the flag in support of the Israeli state.

“I do wish for peace and the end of the terrible suffering that Palestinian civilians have faced the brunt of,” he said. “But the state of Israel’s continued existence is indispensable to the welfare of the Jewish people and their future.”

Following the launch of the “Gaza solidarity encampments” by students at Columbia University on April 17, encampments and protests have occurred at academic institutions across the country.

Students at other colleges across the New York City Metropolitan Area, including at The New School, Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), City College of New York and New York

University (NYU) also organized demonstrations and encampments.

Fordham Faculty for Justice in Palestine have also issued a statement, declaring “solidarity with students and faculty at universities nationwide who are peacefully demonstrating and advocating for justice in Palestine and the human rights of Palestinians.”

Over 125 faculty members have co-signed the statement in support of free speech and public assembly on campus. The signatories come as over 800 arrests have been made nationwide as student-led protests face an intense police response.

One of the primary demands of pro-Palestinian advocates are boycotts and divestments from companies with affiliations to Israel’s war in Gaza. In 1988, over 155 universities in the U.S. had partially or fully divested from companies with ties to apartheid in South Africa after a similar wave of anti-war protests on campuses.

In response to an inquiry on the university’s investments, Bob Howe, associate vice president for communications, said Fordham does not have investments in any of the 97 businesses identified by the United Nations Human Rights Council involved in Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory in June 2023.

In its 2022 tax filings, Fordham reported more than $159 million in publicly traded stock assets — however the majority of the university’s securities are not publicly disclosed.

“We’re not going to go into details about our portfolio nor specific industries,” Howe said. Flyers distributed at the demonstration pointed to publicly disclosed allocations of more than $2 million of Fordham’s endowment through the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), which is operated by 24 Gabelli School of Business upperclassmen. A SMIF performance review from Dec. 2023 revealed investments in defense contractors Northrop Grumman and Huntington Ingalls, who supply military hardware to the Israeli military.

Johnny Sullivan, FCLC ’27, has attended demonstrations across the city and was present at the rally organized by Fordham SJP. He stated their hope to see Fordham’s financial disclosures and SJP’s reinstatement as an official club on campus.

“Many of these rallies could’ve been avoided if universities provided financial transparency, these protests and rallies have to happen because we don’t know where our money’s going,” they said. The rally concluded at around 1:30 p.m. EST.

Avery Loftis and Sam Bracy contributed additional reporting to this story.

Opinions

OPINIONS EDITORIAL

PALESTINIAN GENOCIDE DEMANDS SOLIDARITY

We the Opinions editors of The Observer stand with Fordham University’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the faculty and student protestors at Columbia University, New York University (NYU), The City College of New York and The New School. We universally condemn the violent administrative and police response to student protests. In support of Fordham’s SJP and in solidarity with fellow New York students, we the Opinions desk urge Fordham University to call for an immediate ceasefire, divest from Israeli funding and make such financial actions transparent and reinstate SJP.

In the Gaza Strip, Palestinians have been the primary victims of Israel’s attacks. Euromed, a non-profit human rights organization, outlined that over a span of 200 days, 42,510 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army — over half were civilians, including 10,091 women and 15,780 children. The industrial and geographical landscape of the Gaza Strip has been left decimated by warfare; “genocide” is the only word to describe it.

Across the U.S., student-organized protests have surged, calling for their respective universities to sever ties with companies and entities supporting Israel’s military efforts. The vast majority of these protests have been peaceful; at Fordham University, for example, students attending the Disclose and Divest Rally on April 25 were told not to interact with police or block the Fordham entrance — everyone complied, and the protest ran uninterrupted despite the disproportionate police presence. However, not all protests have been met with the same authoritative restraint.

At Emory University’s campus in Atlanta, Georgia, protestors accused police of forcibly dispersing crowds with pepper spray and tear gas. Eventually, a university spokesperson, Laura Diamond, described the peaceful protest to The New York Times as “activists attempting to disrupt our university before students finish classes and prepare for finals.” Diamond added, “the university does not tolerate vandalism or other criminal activity on our campus.”

Any violence witnessed at pro-Palestine movements has only been exacerbated by police presence — on Emory’s campus, demonstrators could be seen screaming as police officers wrestled them to the ground, hand-cuffing their wrists with zip ties. An Emory professor, Dr. Caroline Fohlin, was also struck down by police despite informing them of her position.

Many have commented on the irony of suppressing free speech within institutions that historically uplift critical thinking, which prompted subsequent disputes about what constitutes “free speech.” However, the central point of this wave of protests is not the boundaries of our First Amendment. Rather, students have made the facile moral decision to condemn a genocide and are being brutally repressed by their own educational institutions, their alleged caretakers.

Universities should not

The only way for universities like Fordham to salvage their credibility is full acknowledgment of student demands: divestment, disclosure and ceasefire calls.

only allow students to protest, but extricate themselves from the most contemptible genocidal avarice and restore a sense of co-governance with students. As faculty salaries fall and tuitions rise, universities across America have made it clear that they prioritize trustee profits over student and faculty welfare.

At Columbia University, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced he “no longer feels comfortable supporting the university” after student activists demonstrated support for Palestine through encampments on the lawn. Kraft, as one of the university’s most famous and wealthiest alumnus, threatened to pull his endorsements to Columbia unless “corrective action” was taken to suppress student voices.

The outcome? On March 24, Speaker Mike Johnson announced that he will call upon Joe Biden to deploy the National Guard at Colum-

bia University. “My message to the students inside the encampment is go back to class and stop the nonsense,” Johnson said. “Stop wasting your parents’ money.” It’s evident that justice is being traded in for “beneficiary donations.”

Readers would also do well to remember it was the administrations of Columbia University, NYU and the New School that demanded their own students be arrested. Such political suppression is the manifest paranoia of a dying colonial ideology — one that has rewritten a history of violence.

As the situation spirals across the city, we remember Fordham’s previous ardor in silencing Palestinian voices, contributing to a bottom-rung free speech ranking. In a legal battle dating back to 2014, Fordham won a suit to silence the university’s division of SJP. Despite numerous attempts to censor the club, including Meta banning @ fordham.sjp on April 25, the club has remained far from silent. On the same day of the accounts expulsion, SJP orchestrated a rally outside Fordham Lincoln Center (FLC), with early reports suggesting a turnout of hundreds.

During the rally, student members passed out pamphlets covering the university’s ties to entities like JP Morgan Chase & Co., a top investor in Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems, which “shamelessly boasts ties to the Israeli apartheid state.”

The only way for universities like Fordham to salvage their credibility is full acknowledgment of student demands: divestment, disclosure and ceasefire calls. Additionally, they must rectify the long-term effects of anti-Palestinian arrests, suspensions and expulsions. Ultimately, the exact terms of universities’ return to acceptability must be dictated by the very student organizations that they have been marginalizing. They must hear the complaints of students and stop supporting genocide. In any scenario, it will take time and significant effort to heal the wounds actively being inflicted upon New York’s university life and — more importantly — on the Palestinian people.

Who Forgot to Feed the Swifties?

Taylor Swift’s music is not inherently ‘bad’ — the fanatic zeal in her fandom parallels the growing mental health crisis

WILLIAM LEE Asst. Opinions Editor

Using the foregrounded defense of being a feminist icon, Taylor Swift has long eluded criticism. The fact of the matter is she has strong-armed an industry into an insane amount of personal profit and fame. She has overstayed her welcome in the limelight and leveraged opportunity after opportunity to become the face of modern American culture. The claim seems arduous to rationalize initially, but Swift’s deep pockets and genre-spanning appeal prove it for her. The second a relevant artist emerges from Swift’s cultural dominance, they are often publicly befriended and assimilated — horizontally integrated. Her work itself is supposedly laden with allusions, forming a gnosis for proper Swifties to access. She becomes the perfect engineer for people’s souls.

Many refuse to see she’s no more your friend than Elon Musk is, and that’s the issue — because there’s never been a popstar billionaire.

Creative ambiguity is the driving force behind Swift’s popularity. According to University of Texas at Austin professor Dr. Elizabeth Scala, Swift’s songs are proximal to actual poetry in such a way that they are left available for anyone to interpret patterns from the lyrics. Each song has the occluded opium of “Easter eggs,” potential references to events in Swift’s life or other songs, that drive frenzied theorists forward. TikToks drawing tenuous conclusions from her public actions (down to liking an Instagram post) constantly go viral. This dash to interpret lyrics and symbology is a quasi-religious impulse, with fans forming a community over uncritical defense of Swift and ravenous enthusiasm for vague nuggets of information.

Rabidity is the word, especially after Paste Magazine published a critical review of Swift’s recent album with an anonymous byline to avoid threats. Having failed to pass the strictures of Swift’s online Glavlit, Paste did what it could to avoid the KGB. It did not quite work — alleged author Kayleigh Donaldson received threats absent any proven association with the article.

The referential mania common in Swiftian interpretation leads all roads to a certitude that does not exist elsewhere. Instead of “I read it this way, it could be another way,” fans agree that all the metaphors they see are present, ascribing the multiplicity of truth to Swift’s personal genius. As her popularity has grown, Swiftie’s rancor has grown proportionally. Notably, the notion of diehard “Swifties” was a fixture long before the figure of the “stan” came into vogue. “Swiftie” (trademarked by Swift in 2017) behavior is typically characterized by a parasocial attachment to Swift. Professor Kate S. Kurtin at California State University, Los Angeles called her a “genius” at

cultivating parasocial relationships. Many refuse to see she’s no more your friend than Elon Musk is, and that’s the issue — there’s never been a pop star billionaire. It has never been so easy to form a false emotional connection with someone so wealthy. Swifties pick up on the sexless love and commonplace feelings in the lyrics and form obsessive attachments.

Reissuing Swift’s albums in regular intervals alongside the Eras Tour mechanized the reproduction of her sound in a clever way. The “it girl” in pop music typically rotates — Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, etc. Young stars trade their youth for fame and power and pass the baton. A broader generational rotation happens as well (see: Miley Cyrus pivoting with her “Heart of Glass” cover).

Swift has, objectively, overstayed her welcome. Her ongoing Eras Tour claimed her the titular billionaire status. She reissued six consecutive albums and just released a 31-track album. The opener on that (international, multi-leg) tour was none other than Sabrina Carpenter, the Miley Cyrus of the 2020s. With her witty lyrics and cultural sway, Carpenter might have been positioned to become a pop “it girl” of her generation. It is Swift’s world now. Swift’s continued sponging of the limelight has risen to excess. Her wealth is now comparable to the nobles and royals of the world, rather than that of her fans.

Much like many fashion houses using modern “collabs” to improve traction with younger audiences, Swift takes the same earworms that generated her first musings of fame and remakes them with the exact same hooks from the original tracks. Not only is this move tactical, but it is a core facet of Swift’s rapid escalation to global fame. The decision to re-release and record one’s own entire body of work is quite possibly the most derivative act one could do.

Far from the purported personal reinvention, Swift’s re-releasing tactic has forced the music industry on its head. Current artists who release new content are overshadowed by songs that have circulated publicly for years and are perpetually elevated by the mainstream. The mainstream is, again, not inherently bad, but cognizance

that Swift is a multi-industry mogul operating a profit funnel is needed. Swift is uniquely potent in this regard because of her nature. An artist re-recording her masters to own her own portfolio is something to encourage — if you make it, you should own it! However, it leaves the grounds of celebrating creativity when said recordings become “record-breaking” and art becomes a steady product flow.

Her status as a billionaire should simply emphasize her complete political apathy rather than giving fans another cause to heave a shield in front of.

Instead of individual creative expression, a politburo of songwriters and creatives alongside Swift (like Jack Antonoff) produce a particular sound that fans latch onto. Being white, cis, blonde, thin, pretty, etc., means

Swift was angled perfectly to take on the pop “it girl” mantle, but her social positionality also enables her feelings and ideas to be taken as “default” to the rest of the world. It is the sensible business move — if you were a multi-platinum billionaire who could make money off simple breakup musings by releasing them to a rabid fanbase, wouldn’t you?

In a shocking twist, the billionaire pop star is not some class ally. Swift’s legal team recently threatened litigation against University of Central Florida junior Jack Sweeney for publishing information of her private jet flights online. The team emphasized the lethal threat of Swift’s stalkers in a cease and desist letter. However, Sweeney has committed no crime — flight information about legally registered aircrafts is public by U.S. law. The real threat to Swift and her legal team, and the impetus for her aggression, is the public backlash associated with the information. Swift wants to use her class position to deflect the law and criticism of her frequent private jet flights. She is not relatable, and certainly not within reach.

To address another misgiving, Swift has not acknowledged the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Many artists have failed to do so as well, but it seems unbecoming of the poet who “knows Aristotle” to completely ignore such a grave situation. Common counterarguments give away the game: Swift recognizes her status as insufficiently educated, and no one needs her input! She doesn’t want to get political, and is just focusing on her art! Having only supported voter registration publicly, it is clear that politics is more a question of aesthetics or inconvenience for Swift, as is true for many people. Her status as a billionaire should simply emphasize her complete political apathy rather than giving fans another cause to heave a shield in front of. Swift is just a musician. However, the true sway of billionaires can never be ignored. Hopefully, people’s interpretive faculties do not continue to suffer in the social media age and we can collectively arrive at a better visage of fandom. Regardless, Swift will amass wealth, acolytes and influence at an unprecedented rate in the music industry. She is, in many ways, a nightmare dressed like a daydream.

Swift’s social position uniquely enables her ideas to be taken as “default” by audiences.

RONALD WOAN VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Swift has accrued wealth, acolytes and influence at an unprecedented rate in the music industry.

Arts & Culture

A Journey Woven Through Generations

Indigenous weaver Meghann O’Brien presents ‘Everyone Says I Look Like My Mother’ at Bard College

By MARGO CRAVEN Contributing Writer

On Wednesday, April 10, The Bard Graduate Center, located in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, presented a trio of works by Indigenous weaver Meghann O’Brien in a pop-up installation and lecture entitled “Everyone Says I Look Like My Mother.”

O’Brien is a Northwest Coast weaver of Kwakwaka’wakw, Haida and Irish descent, hailing from Alert Bay, British Columbia. She is also known by the name Jaad Kuujus, or “Deer Woman” in the Haida language, which she inherited from her maternal grandmother. O’Brien was joined by a panel of five other speakers who offered nuanced contributions to the conversation. The panel included Indigenous artist Andy Everson; design researcher Doenja Oogjes; writer, researcher and media professor Kate Hennessy; professor and scholar Hannah Turner; and interdisciplinary scholar and Native American Art Curator Laura J. Allen.

The installation featured three multimedia works — first, “Sky Blanket,” a gorgeous black and white robe, carefully decorated with complex patterns and varying textures. The robe has three stacked faces woven into the center, resembling a totem pole, and layered fringe decoration at the bottom. Completed by O’Brien a decade ago in 2014, “Sky Blanket’’ was woven over the course of two years in collaboration with

two First Nations (a term used to identify indigenous Canadians who are neither Inuit or Métis) artists Jay Simeon and Everson, who also spoke at the event.

“Wrapped in the Cloud,” a digital re-animation of “Sky Blanket,” was 3D-modeled based on the underlying structure of the robe. The replication occurred to allow the original piece to be in “two places at once” due to “Sky Blanket’s” extreme popularity and demand for it to appear in cities and museums across Canada and the United States, O’Brien explained. The final piece, “Untitled,” was created using a TC2 loom, a digital weaving device that rematerialized “Sky Blanket” as a new robe.

The three works were described as a “genealogy of sorts” by Allen, representative of the trans-generational work of indigenous weavers.

“We started using terms like ‘descendant works of art’ because as it has unfolded from the original piece. I feel that the spirit (of “Sky Blanket”) has been carried to new works,” O’Brien said.

“Sky Blanket” features three “ancestor faces” which represent “the past, present and future: ancestors, their living descendants, and those yet to be born,” according to an article O’Brien wrote about the piece on her website.

“The connection of the masks represents visual communication between generations, and conveys how we are connected through art. They are simultaneously

also representatives of the Earth, Ocean, and Sky ancestors,” O’Brien continued.

O’Brien left behind a career in professional snowboarding and began working as a full-time weaver in 2010, and practices traditional weaving techniques known as Yeil Koowu (Raven’s Tail) and Naaxiin (Chilkat). Through these art forms, O’Brien “creates a continuity between herself and her ancestors” according to the Bard Graduate Center website. A student of master weavers Kerri Dick, Sherri Dick and

William White, O’Brien makes traditional weaving styles her own with “Sky Blanket.”

“In traditional Naaxiin weaving the design elements are a solid color. The thin outline of the faces I have done instead represent bones of the ancestors, or the skeleton of the art form. Our bones are a permanent record of our bodies having lived and been here … Bones are where our blood is created, and therefore I see them as strongly connected to lineage,” O’Brien said.

The bottom face woven on “Sky Blanket” is decorated with

vertical lines inspired by the traditional face paint worn during ceremony, and are a “stylized representation of the Pleiades constellation, where oral history tells we originated,” O’Brien explained.

“Sky Blanket” and its accompanying works both capture and transcend tradition, creating a space to honor indigenous culture across time, space and generations. You can find more information about O’Brien, along with other panel speakers, and find similar events at the Bard Graduate Center website.

Sankofa Fashion Show Blends Culture and The Catwalk

The Caribbean Students Club and Caribbean and African Student Association put together Fordham’s first cultural fashion show

It is the first event of its kind ever held at Fordham. Thirteen students from the club modeled clothing from different New York City-based independent designers such as CDJene, Hidden Persona, Duutre, TheNativeline and Motherland Don. The designers set up shop towards the end of the night for students to purchase whatever they would like.

Marie Castro, the assistant director of OMA, emphasized her excitement that the Sankofa Fashion Show was able to come to fruition after years of hold-up.

“

I just love that we have this space to celebrate us and to just be genuinely, truly, fully us, ”

Makayla

“When they talked about collaborating, they came to us, brought the event to us. We thought it was a great event because this is something that they actually wanted to happen years ago,” she said.

The president of CSC, Makayla Fredericks, FCLC ’26, served as the creator and creative director of the event along with two other students, Souwade Benissan, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’25, and Zara Hume, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ’25, who also worked as stylists.

“This is Sankofa, this is a pure celebration of Caribbean and African culture. I just love that we

have this space to celebrate us and to just be genuinely, truly, fully us,” Fredericks said.

Not only did the event include a fashion show and celebration, but there was also a performance of Beyoncé’s “Halo” by students Bethel Berhe, FCLC ’25, and Szohaib Khan, GSBLC ’25, who also walked the runway as models for the event. The crowd erupted in cheers for the multi-hyphenate performers, signifying the end of the fashion show and the beginning of the reception hour.

During the reception hour, one of the models, Isabella Persaud, FCLC ’26, who walked twice,

spoke about modeling and why she felt motivated to be a part of this event.

“In doing this, I think it was a great representation for all the Caribbean and Black people on campus. For me, being Guyanese, it was great to show that off. This being like the first of its kind, I think we did a really good job. It was so fun and it was very fulfilling to do,” Persaud said.

Sinhawe Haji, FCRH ’27, emphasized the importance of featuring Caribbean designers and models at Fordham.

“The reason why I’m here today is because I think it’s a really cool

concept that we’re bringing culture to the catwalk. You often don’t see a lot of people that look like us — in terms of height, size, race, whatever it is — walking the runway, and I think it was a really cool opportunity,” Haji said.

The reception hour was filled with music and food that included mac and cheese, Jamaican beef patties and roasted plantains that the students enjoyed. Although there was a very long line to get food, students took to the dance floor while waiting.

After grabbing some food, attendees discussed the clothing that was seen on the runway.

Some students were stunned to have seen their classmates on the runway as opposed to a classroom, and others were getting ready to purchase the clothing their classmates modeled.

The night ended with more dancing and a final photoshoot of all the participants in the fashion show.

“We never get this kind of space here, and to be able to make this space along with CASA, it’s something that I never would have thought that I would have done here, it is something I never could have thought was possible,” Fredericks shared.

Fredericks, FCLC ’26

FASHION

MARGO CRAVEN/THE OBSERVER

O’Brien’s work explores themes of generational continuity between herself and her indigenous ancestors.

HEAVEN HOLFORD/THE OBSERVER

Student models strut the runway at the Sankofa fashion show put on by creative directors Fredericks, FCLC ’26, Hume, GSBLC ’25, and Benissan, FCRH ’25.

Artists Perform in Battle of the Bands

The musical event at Brooklyn Bowl was a celebration of up-and-coming talent in New York City

BY MATTHIAS LAI

Former Opinions Editor

Four bands and over 100 young people converged at the Brooklyn Bowl for Battle of the Bands on Sunday, April 21. The show was organized by Fordham student Ernie Perez, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’24. It featured performances from Rylie Faith, Loveseat Pete, The Millers and Spencer Arjang, all musicians based in New York City and the surrounding New Jersey area. Proceeds from the event went to the nonprofit organization Backline Care, which provides mental health support for people working in the music industry.

The show was a knockout-style musical performance competition. After all four acts performed, the crowd voted on their two favorite sets, and the finalists played sets head-to-head before the crowd chose a winner, who then returned to stage for a final encore performance.

Each band performed with electrifying sets that had the crowd of young people on their feet and solidified the Battle of the Bands as a huge success.

Rylie Faith

Rylie Faith opened the night with a bang. Her powerful voice and infectious pop-punk energy had the crowd stomping to the beat. She performed a set that included her latest release, “In Love 2.0,” and a cover of Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi” that had the crowd screaming along with her to the iconic pop-punk powerhouse.

“ I loved the bands that played, I couldn’t believe how many people my age are already that talented. ”

Vee Venning, FCLC ’27

While she didn’t make it past the first round of the competition, the New York University (NYU) student wowed the crowd with

a combination of soaring vocals and intimate crooning that showcased her range and versatility behind the mic.

Loveseat Pete

Hailing from Central New Jersey, Loveseat Pete is a four-part alternative band made up of college students Danny Mitchinson, Matt Keenan, Jason Wenzel and Vinny Nigro. Mitchinson, Nigro and Wenzel started the band as a three-piece in high school, and they added Keenan, their drummer, during the pandemic.

Loveseat Pete’s original music, with sweet vocals and catchy riffs, had the Brooklyn crowd feeling the music and swaying to the beat. Although their act didn’t receive enough votes to make the finals, the New Jersey band certainly left a mark on the New York crowd. They have already made a return to the boroughs, playing shows in Queens and Brooklyn the weekend after the Battle of the Bands.

“Playing in NYC has been pretty amazing,” Nigro said. “We hadn’t played in Brooklyn prior, and they definitely showed us love!”

Spencer Arjang

Indie rock artist Spencer Arjang took his act to the finals with a peppy set where he sang and played guitar along with an accompanying band. Arjang is a born and raised New Yorker, and he hopes to make a career in music as a live performer. He played a combination of indie rock staples, such as a cover of “Freakin’ out on the Interstate” by Briston Maroney, and original music, including “Desert,” a stirring song about his experiences with love and heartbreak. Arjang’s soft, inviting vocals and stellar guitar playing had the audience swaying to the music.

“It was such a great opportunity to play my original music in front of so many young people,” Arjang said. “I’m sure I left that night with some fans in the audience.”

The Millers

NYU-based rock band The Millers were the winners of the Battle of the Bands. Their electric first

set rocked the crowd and earned them first place in voting for the finals. They won the audience over again in the face-off with Arjang and took home the championship crown with an encore performance to close the night.

The Millers are a rock band made up of Mio Lopez, Spencer Kra, Hana Saldate, Crosby Doyma and Chiwoo Ahn, who met at the NYU music business program. The Battle of the Bands was only their second band performance, but their chemistry and ferocious energy were reminiscent of a seasoned rock group. Their sound, a mix of rock ‘n’ roll, jazz and funk elements, is perfectly suited for lead singer Hana Saldate’s smoothly sensitive but brilliantly powerful voice and stage presence, and Guitarist Chiwoo Ahn’s thrilling solos.

The Millers are just beginning their takeover of New York City, as all five members are first-year students at NYU. Winning the

Battle of the Bands is not a bad place to start.

“Watching people in our age group vibing to our music and dancing with us was an experience that I never had before,” Ahn said. “I’m really grateful for everyone that came out and shared the moment with us!”

The night was a hit among New York college students. The Brooklyn Bowl was packed with young people who danced to the live music under a massive disco ball and tried their hands at bowling in the 16-lane bowling alley next to the stage, enjoying the atmosphere of community they found with their peers. There was a strong presence of Fordham students who came out thanks to the tireless promotional efforts of event organizer Perez.

“It was a really cool experience, just getting to be around my friends and good music was really awesome,” Vee Venning, FCLC ’27, who went to the Battle of the Bands with their friends, said.

“I loved the bands that played, I couldn’t believe how many people my age are already that talented.”

The dance floor was popping even during the downtime between sets thanks to DJing by Ms. Worldwide, who spun a mix of hip-hop anthems and throwback classics to keep the energy flowing and bodies grooving at the Brooklyn Bowl.

“ It’s crazy to see something that you think in your brain — that you’ve been telling people is gonna happen for 10 months — actually happen. ”

Ernie Perez, FCLC ’24

Ernie

For Perez, organizing the Battle of the Bands was just the beginning.

“The first show is always the hardest,” Perez said. “One thing

that I’m really proud about is that everyone loved the show and had a nice night.”

He plans to continue organizing events like this one, and he aims to cultivate a musical community for young people in New York City.

“ It’s just like, the whole night … It really happened. ”

“I’m already getting calls and texts about the next one,” he said.

The show was originally planned for last December, but Perez faced health issues that forced him to push the date back to the spring. For Perez, however, adversity and doubt are a part of the program that he has learned to rise above.

“There was a bunch of people telling me it was impossible,” he recalled. “And I almost quit. I almost quit, but it just takes one ‘yes.’ One yes and a lot of guts.”

Beyond organizing concerts, Perez is an active member of the Fordham community. During his time at Fordham he served as treasurer of Fordham’s Fashion for Philanthropy (FFP) club. Through FFP, he helped put on events such as drag shows and the Halloween Runway, which electrified the Fordham Lincoln Center community and raised thousands of dollars for charity organizations.

Perez has kept charity central to his mission, using the Battle of the Bands as an opportunity to raise money for the mental health support network Backline Care. He dreams of becoming an organizer for even larger shows and events, and he has dedicated his time at Fordham and in New York City to working toward making this dream a reality.

“It’s crazy to see something that you think in your brain — that you’ve been telling people is gonna happen for 10 months — actually happen,” Perez said. “It’s just like, the whole night … It really happened.”

Additional reporting provided by Elizabeth Corallo.

MATTHIAS LAI/THE OBSERVER

For only their second performance as a band, The Millers energized the crowd all the way to the championship.

Ernie Perez, FCLC ’24

MATTHIAS LAI/THE OBSERVER

NYU student Rylie Faith brought the pop-punk energy, opening the night with an original song and a cover of Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi.”

un & ames

Crossword: Is This the Solve of the Summer?

14. Eureka!

15. Doubling-down response to “Must you?” (3 Wds.)

17. Surname at 4 Privet Drive

1. It often comes in the baseball variety

4. Opposite prefix to “trans-” 7. ¿___ qué?

10. Dad joke, often 13. Reddit Q&A

19. First line of “august” by Taylor Swift (2 Wds.)

20. Connecting phrase in an analogy (2 Wds.)

21. To the extent that (3 Wds.)

23. The “Z” in ZTA

Logic Puzzle: School's Out

BY ABBY GRUNZINGER

24. Rhyming friend of Pooh

25. One third of a water molecule

29. It’s just a joke, guys!

31. ____ vieja: Cuban dish with an unappetizing English translation

33. Gold, in 1-Down

34. Fordham staff like Tetlow and Auricchio (Abbr.)

36. Spot of land

37. Pasta or swimsuit suffix

38. Reznor of Nine Inch Nails

39. “Levitating” singer ___ Lipa

40. As opposed to covalent?

42. ___ Mahal

43. Opponent

45. Darn, cutesily (2 Wds.)

46. Advice preface, in textspeak (Abbr.)

47. Paper unit

48. Indigenous people of Peru

49. Houses made of logs

51. Asner and Sheeran, for two

53. Postgrad degrees many Gabelli students will pursue (Abbr.)

56. Queens neighborhood with the N and W trains

58. Killer whale

59. Talked like a horse

62. If you live on campus, make sure your guests do this when they leave! (2 Wds.)

64. Wardrobe

65. Mitch’s husband on “Modern Family”

66. Nickname for singer Grande

67. Zing, zip

Instructions: Your friends Ryan, Avery, Josie and Reed told you all about their summer break plans, but now you can’t remember who was doing what. All that you remember are the details from the clues below.

Use the clues to deduce where each person is going and what they are doing there. The first clue has been put in for you as an example — use “X” to cross out the incorrect placements and “O” to denote the correct matches. After you’ve determined each friends’ location and activity, you can check your answers @fordhamobserver on Instagram.

1. Josie has a job this summer.

2. Ryan is spending his summer on a coast.

3. Neither Avery nor Ryan are taking classes. 4. Somebody has an in-person internship with Manhattan Theatre Club.

5. Reed will be in either Chicago or Nashville. 6. Of Reed and Avery, one is going on vacation while the other is in Chicago.

7. Somebody is going on vacation to San Diego.

68. What one might say repeatedly to attract a cat?

69. MAX rival

70. ’70s rock band Steely ___

11. Ailment commonly treated with cranberry juice (Abbr.)

12. Neither’s partner

16. Crafty e-commerce site

18. Absorb deeply (2 Wds.)

22. Rams may be excited to partake in the starred clues now that school’s out ___ ______

26. *Exploring new places (2 Wds.)

27. Bert’s roommate

28. Neat, at a bar (2 Wds.)

30. *Opportunity for career experience

32. Skincare brand

34. Room at the top

35. TV show with long episodes, usually

36. A good one is symbolized by a lightbulb

41. Really??? (2 Wds.)

1. City in Andalusia

2. Entertain

3. *Opportunity to make some money (3 Wds.)

4. The Golden State (Abbr.)

5. The start of some gossip (2 Wds.)

6. Early Doja Cat song that went viral on TikTok (2 Wds.)

7. Italian city not to be confused with a similarsounding Italian dish

8. Like some soap (3 Wds.)

9. *Enjoyment of time off

10. What high school couples are notorious for (Abbr.)

44. Empty-____: what many parents of Fordham students are

48. Book before Jeremiah

50. “Othello” villain

52. What frisbees, vinyl records and pancakes all are?

54. Lexus alternative

55. Gown material

57. Praiseful poems

59. Short snooze

60. Before, in 57-Down

61. Little devil

63. Pest-resistant crop (Abbr.)

Rams Create: CRAMMING

BY HONORAH BROZIO