April 3, 2026

April 3, 2026

Volume 94 • Issue 20

FSUgatepost.com

Drag Race at Framingham State!

Former RuPaul’s Drag Race finalist Jujubee performing at FSAB’s Drag Bingo event in Dwight Hall March 30.

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST

Nelson Peña First poet laureate of Massachusetts brings “brain-droppings” to Miriam Levine Reading de Jesús

By Sarah Daponde Arts & Features Editor Framingham State hosted Regie Gibson as the chosen speaker for the annual Miriam Levine Reading in the Heineman Ecumenical Center on Wednesday, April 1.

The event was co-sponsored by the Arts & Ideas series and the English Department.

Jennifer De Leon, professor

of English, welcomed Gibson, “poet, performer, and educator,” to the stage.

De Leon said Gibson was selected from over 100 applicants to become the first poet laureate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He was sworn in by Governor Maura Healey on May 30.

The nominating committee concluded Gibson would become the “defining voice of

poetry and creative expression across the state,” said De Leon.

Gibson is a professor at the Berklee College of Music and an instructor at Clark University. De Leon said he has worked alongside “luminaries” such as Kurt Vonnegut, Gwendolyn Brooks, and John Legend, among others.

See REGIE GIBSON Page 10

Snaps for the Suit Jacket Posse!

Antonio Machado / THE GATEPOST The Suit Jacket Posse cast returning to the stage during their “Landscaping Our Bushes” show on April 1.

selected as 2026 commencement speaker

By Sophia Oppedisano Editor-in-Chief

By Dylan Pichnarcik Associate Editor Nelson Peña de Jesús, president of Nestlé USA’s Global Culinary Kitchen division, has been selected as the 2026 undergraduate commencement speaker.

Nestlé oversees the Toll House cookie brand, made famous by Alumna Ruth Graves Wakefield, Class of 1924, who is credited as the inventor of the chocolate chip cookie.

To make this decision, Dan Magazu, executive director of Marketing & Communications, said, historically, a committee of faculty, staff, administrators, and students is formed.

Magazu also serves as chair of this committee.

He said the committee’s process has been to seek recommendations for speakers from graduating seniors, brainstorm with the working group, and vote to produce a ranked list.

This list is then submitted to President Nancy Niemi, who makes the final decision.

Magazu said the speaker is not paid, however, the University does offer to pay for travel expenses.

See COMMENCEMENT Page 4

INSIDE: OP/ED 5 • SPORTS 7 • ART & FEATURES 9

News GPI pg. 2 NENPA pg. 4

OP/ED BITTERSWEET pg. 5 FAILURES pg. 6

Sports SOFTBALL pg. 7 WOMEN’S LACROSSE pg. 8

Arts & Features SUSTAINABILITY pg. 9 HOPPERS pg. 10

NEWS

2 | APRIL 3, 2026

Gatepost Interview Philip Di Blasi

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Sophia Oppedisano Associate Editors Adrien Gobin Dylan Pichnarcik

FSUPD Chief of Police

Multimedia Editor Antonio Machado

By Avery Slavin Asst. News Editor

Copy Editor Cole Johnson

What is your academic and professional background?

I have a BA in English literature News Editor from Suffolk University. I also Bella Grimaldi have a JD from Suffolk University Law School. I served as a patrol officer at Suffolk University from Asst. News Editor 1994-2000. In 2000, I was proAvery Slavin moted to sergeant at Suffolk University, and I served in that caOpinions Editor pacity until 2004. In 2004, I was Izayah Morgan hired as a lieutenant at Wellesley College. I served as a lieutenant from 2004-2020. In 2020, I was Sports Editor made interim chief of police unIzabela Gage til 2022. In 2022, I was hired by MassBay Community College to Asst. Sports Editor be their chief of police. I served as Taylor Kimmell MassBay’s chief until March 2026, when I was hired as chief at FSU. I have been a member of the MasArts & Features Editor sachusetts Bar since 2001.

Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Sarah Daponde

What drew you to Framingham State?

Photos & Design Editor I enjoy the community of a residential campus. I feel there are Alexis Schlesinger more opportunities to engage Asst. Photos & Design Editors with and assist our students and staff.

Christy Howland Onyx Lovely What do you like best about your new role at FSU? Working with a great team at Illustrations Editor the FSU Police Department. I also Marcus Falcão like the culture of FSU and the pride everybody has in that culStaff Illustrators ture. It is something that is obviRileigh Kelley ously near and dear to the whole Tobias Cotton-Selman FSU community. As chief of police, it is my goal to ensure that we at the police department do Staff Writers what we can to protect that culZaynab Ahmed ture and FSU students’ and staff’s Jesse Burchill right to a peaceful way of life.

Kristel Erguiza Julien Fernandez Paul Harrington Dan Lima Kate Norrish Wenchell Pierre Nathan Piette Andrew Ramirez

Courtesy of FSUPD

What advice would you give to students?

Take some time to look away from your phone and get lost in a good book. I would also say it is important to know your surroundings, so be aware of what is going on around you.

What are some of your favorite hobbies?

My passion is reading. I enjoy everything from literature to science fiction, philosophy, some modern fiction, non-fiction, history, and biography. I have read Russian, Greek, and English authors over the last few years. I enjoy baseball, auto racing, cricket, snooker (a form of billiards), and rugby. Outside of baseball, I tend CONNECT WITH AVERY SLAVIN to enjoy more European-based aslavin1@student.framingham.edu sports.

Police Logs Monday, March 30 11:50 Fire Alarm, Larned Hall

Staff Photographers Meg Dame

Tuesday, March 31 9:23 Welfare Check Corinne Hall Towers

Wednesday, April 1 10:53 Medical Emergency, Corinne Hall Towers

Wednesday, April 1 12:32 Motor Vehicle Accident, Salem End Lot

Advisor Desmond McCarthy Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

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TH E G A T

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Graduate Advising Asst.

Emma Lyons

Weather

T TH EGATEPOS

100 State Street McCarthy Center Room 410 Framingham, MA 01701-9101 Phone: (508) 626-4605 Fax: (508) 626-4097 gatepost@framingham.edu

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Saturday, April 4 @T T HEGATEPartly POS sunny with a high near 60.

Monday, April 6 Mostly sunny with a chance of rain and a high near 50.

Wednesday, April 8 Sunny with a high near 50.

Sunday, April 5 Possible rain with a high near 65.

Tuesday, April 7 Mostly sunny with a high near 50.

Thursday, April 9 Mostly sunny with a high near 60.

NEWS

APRIL 3, 2026 | 3

SGA approves club funding

By Dylan Pichnarcik Associate Editor

SGA approved funding requested by student organizations at a meeting on March 31.

The largest funding request came from the Martial Arts Club, represented by President Mariella Greenan, a sophomore.

Greenan said the club’s sensei conducted a series of 41 classes from 2024 to 2025, totaling $100 each. These classes have gone unpaid.

Greenan said as the newly elected President, she is trying to address this now by funding these previous classes. However, the club’s current budget totals $1,700.

The total cost of these previously held classes totals $4,100.

A motion was made to approve an allocation of $2,400 by Senator Johnathan Sundberg and seconded by Senator Jobe Murphy. It passed with a 17-0-1.

Another funding request was made by Salvation Youth, represented by President Faith Greene, a senior.

The funds will be used for their annual “Fresh Fire” event, in which nine universities gather for Christian fellowship, workshops, speakers, and music.

The allocated funds will be used for a band, instrumentalists, equipment, transportation, and lead and backing vocals.

Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST The total cost of the event will Members of SGA discussing funding requests from various student organizations on March 31. be $2,500.

“We are students, we make mistakes, and if these things happen … the mistake has already been made, and we all understand that, and we learn from this thing,” - Shubham Valand SGA Vice President

A motion to approve the allocation was made by Senator Glanzer Mar and was seconded

by Sundberg. It passed 17-0-1.

The Students of Caribbean Ancestry, represented by Treasurer Vilmarie Santana, a junior, requested funding for their upcoming “Bounce to the Beat” party, which will be held in the Forum on April 17.

Santana said the event “will be soca‑themed. It’ll be primarily for not only our Caribbean students, but anyone else who wants to enjoy that culture as well. I know in our community on campus, there have been a lot of hardships. There’s been a lot of grief, and I feel like this is something that is genuinely needed to bring everyone together.”

The funding will go toward event security, a DJ service, and wristbands.

A motion to approve the allocation was made by Mar and was seconded by Secretary Merlin Clive. It passed unanimous-

ly.

Alpha Omega, represented

by President Stephanie Larrieux, a senior, requested $97 for an event held on March 6.

The event was a worship night held with another Alpha Omega ministry.

This funding request was made to create a paper trail for the funds spent on the event, according to Vice President Shubham Valand.

Events Coordinator Alix Ayoub questioned the funding request because Alpha Omega previously had its funding frozen. However, Valand said after this motion, the funding would be reinstated.

“We are students, we make mistakes, and if these things happen … the mistake has already been made, and we all understand that, and we learn from this thing,” Valand said.

A motion to approve the allocation was made by Senator Nathan Piette and was seconded

by Clive. It passed 17-0-0.

Black Student Union, repre-

sented by President Laila Jenkins, a senior, requested $5,000 for their event “FRAMNIK,” which will be held on April 25.

Funds will go toward a food truck, security, and floodlight rentals. A motion to approve the allocation was made by Clive and was seconded by Ayoub. It passed 16-0-0.

The Hilltop Players, represented by President Zachary Sorel, a senior, requested $1,122.99 for use toward the organization’s rebrand and branded items.

Sorel said the Hilltop Players recently rebranded and commissioned an art student to redesign the organization’s logo.

Now, they would like to purchase branded T-shirts, stickers, pens, and a tablecloth.

Sorel said the request is being made because the club has other expenses this semester, and the organization will only have $5 left in their account.

A motion to approve the allocation was made by Piette and seconded by Senator Kennedy

Thompson. It passed 17-0-0.

The Volunteers of FSU, represented by President Nathan Piette, a senior and an SGA senator, requested $1,317 for a recruiting party, which will be held on April 24.

Funds will be used to pay for food and supplies for the event.

A motion was made to approve the allocation by Ayoub, and seconded by Senator Kait Eller. It passed 13-4-0. [ Editor’s Note: Nathan Piette is a Staff Writer for The Gatepost. ]

CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK

dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

NEWS

4 | APRIL 3, 2026

The Gatepost ranked third best New England college newspaper by NENPA

By Bella Grimaldi News Editor The New England News & Press Association (NENPA) awarded The Gatepost six awards, including third place in the “Newspaper of the Year” category, at the 2025 New England Better Newspaper Competition on March 14.

NENPA is “the professional trade organization for newspapers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Rhode Island,” according to the association’s website.

The organization seeks to “help newspaper professionals successfully fulfill their mission to engage and inform the public while navigating and ultimately thriving in today’s evolving media landscape.”

The Gatepost placed third in the New England College Newspaper of the Year category, with Middlebury College taking first and Suffolk University taking second.

The judges comments on The Gatepost stated, “The writing stands out as consistently stronger than other papers print presentation is solid, but the website needs work on its look and ease of navigation.”

Both current and past Gatepost members were recognized for their work, including Maddison Behringer, Class of ’25, Alain Puma, Class of ’25, Sophia Oppedisano, Class of ’26, Izabela Gage, Class of ’27, and Taylor Kimmel, Class of ’28.

Behringer was recognized in two categories. She placed first in College Feature Photo for “Magic at Mile 6,” and second place for “Boston Marathon” in the College Photo Series distinction.

The judges comments said her work displayed “nice expression at the marathon” and a “nice variety of images.”

Behringer said, “I remember struggling a lot with the creation of that spread initially.

I had a ton of amazing photos from all the photographers who had gone to the marathon. Yet I was just experiencing a lack of inspiration when it came to cre-

ating an actual design for the spread.

“But, it was Thursday night, and a spread had to be made, so I pushed through my inspiration block,” she added. “I chose photos I believed encapsulated the energy that the community of Framingham brings as they cheer on the athletes who are running through the city on their way to Boston.”

Including these awards, Behringer has been recognized five times by NENPA since her freshman year on The Gatepost.

She said, “Honestly, it feels really unexpected! I’m super proud of all the work I have done for The Gatepost over the years.”

Oppedisano and Kimmel were awarded first place for their co-write of “Men’s basketball wins first playoff game in 15 years in spectacular fashion” in the College Sports Game Story category.

The judges said Kimmel and Oppedisano “were able to project the importance of this huge game. Not only were the game details incredibly concise, but they were also successful in capturing the electricity in the gym.”

Kimmel said, “The article was a collaborative effort, so there were different working parts we focused on.

She added, “I think for this article in particular, we also put a heavy emphasis on our interviews to cover as many bases as possible. We talked to coaching staff, younger players, and older players so we could try to involve as many players as possible. ” Oppedisano said, “This article was really exciting because of the gravity of the game. I had worked closely with Coach Donald Morris Jr. in the past and knew how important that game was to the team.

“It was very special to be able to tell the story and watch our home team win. The emotion of being a home fan for such a big game is definitely a huge part of what makes the article great.

And, to do it with Taylor makes this even sweeter,” she said.

Puma won second place in

Courtesy of Desmond McCarthy Members of The Gatepost Editorial Board on a trip to the College Media Association Conference in New York City in March.

College Feature Story for “Making Framingham home: Brazilian community key to downtown’s economic revival.”

NENPA judges said Puma’s article was “A lovely story to read, regardless of whether you’re in the college community or not. An excellent example of good observation, listening, and storytelling that brings to life the critical place of downtown Brazilian businesses in local life.”

Gage received an honorable mention for her College Sports Story, “A night in the rain shows women’s soccer’s resilience.”

Judges commented the article featured “Excellent description and vivid detail, bringing the reader onto the soccer field on a dreary, early spring day in New England.”

They added, “Gage does an excellent job capturing what it’s like to be a collegiate athlete at a small school with no indoor training facility to fend inclement weather: It’s all about heart, passion and love for the sport.”

Gage said, “I created the idea because one of my best friends is on the women’s soccer team and I thought as the sports editor, it would be funny to be on the sideline for once.”

“I contemplated not going

because of the weather, but I thought it would be an interesting perspective to take because not every practice or game for an athlete is picture perfect,” she added.

She said, “I am so proud to earn an honorable mention for such a highly-contested and prestigious award.”

The Gatepost Advisor, Desmond McCarthy said, “It’s gratifying that professionals in the field recognize the quality of the work editors, reporters, photographers, and designers at our independent student newspaper produce week after week.”

Oppedisano, who is now the editor-in-chief of The Gatepost, said, “I am so immensely proud of the work of every single award winner and our entire staff for the finalist award for Best All-Around Newspaper. It’s a privilege to lead this team.” [ Editor’s Note: Sophia Oppedisano is the Editor-in-Chief for The Gatepost, Taylor Kimmel is the Assistant Sports Editor for The Gatepost, Izabela Gage is the Sports Editor for The Gatepost. ]

the parent of a current student, received the same letter in response from Niemi, according to Snedden.

The letter, which was shared to Montano’s Facebook, read in part, “I do not expect that my answer will make you feel any differently about our decision to have Mr. Peña speak at commencement, but your thoughts deserve a respectful answer.

“Mr. Peña’s role as a steward of the Toll House brand connects directly to that legacy. Our invitation reflects an opportunity to highlight the enduring impact of one of our most well-known alumni and to bring that story to life for our students at a milestone moment in their lives. We also want to acknowledge and celebrate the innovation that has come from the women of this university something that is not done as much as it should be,” the letter continued.

Niemi’s letter stated, “At the same time, we recognize that large, global companies - including Nestlé - have complex and often dark histories and

have been the subject of legitimate public scrutiny and criticism. Inviting a commencement speaker does not represent our endorsement of any corporation in its entirety, nor does it diminish the importance of thoughtful dialogue about corporate responsibility and ethical practices.”

Six individuals, including Montano and Snedden wrote a letter to the editor of the MetroWest Daily News, which has not yet been published, Snedden said.

Senior Jordayn Padilla said, “I’m disappointed and wish we had a powerful woman as a speaker.”

Senior K-la Vazquez said, “We should not be rewarding a company that did horrible things.

As a community we should stand up and change it.”

CONNECT WITH BELLA GRIMALDI igrimaldi@student.framingham.edu

Commencement speaker Continued from Page 1 This year, while the committee pursued their candidates, Niemi ran a parallel effort to honor Wakefield at this year’s ceremony.

President Nancy Niemi said the committee’s first, second, and third choices were unavailable, and she suggested contacting Nestlé to showcase the connection to Wakefield. “The Toll House cookie is on the back of that package, and everybody can visualize that yellow package, and Ruth Wakefield is probably one of our most famous alumni,” she said.

A letter was sent to Nestlé headquarters in Switzerland. In response Nestlé recommended Peña de Jesús.

His “deep connection” in his professional role to the history of Framingham State is really what excited Niemi. Further, she said his Puerto Rican heritage is representative of “part of our community.”

Magazu said Peña de Jesús is originally from Puerto Rico and is a “dynamic speaker” with a

very interesting personal story of his early life.

Magazu said, “I’m really excited. If there are folks who are disappointed, I’m sorry to hear that, but I hope they won’t let it become a distraction towards what’s really about celebrating the graduates and what should be a really wonderful commencement.”

Peña de Jesús currently oversees the Toll House brand in America, Magazu said.

He added, “we really think it’s a great way to pay tribute to Ruth and her story, and connect that to graduates at a time when they’re going out into the world and sort of showing them that even small changes can make a huge impact.”

After the announcement, a group of Framingham residents and community members contacted Niemi expressing concerns over FSU’s choice to select a representative of Nestlé.

Two community members, Esta Montano, a former adjunct faculty member in the teaching English as a second language program and Grace Snedden,

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA OPPEDISANO

soppedisano@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK

dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu

APRIL 3, 2026 | 5

OPINIONS THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

A bittersweet commentary On March 25, President Nancy Niemi announced via email that the 2026 Undergraduate Commencement speaker will be Nelson Peña de Jesús, president of Global Culinary Kitchen at Nestlé.

Niemi cited Framingham State’s connection to the chocolate chip cookie as the reason Peña de Jesús is a “sweet” choice for a commencement speaker.

Ruth Graves Wakefield, Class of 1924, invented the chocolate chip cookie and became a Framingham State legend for the global impact of her invention.

Wakefield had a passion for cooking. She and her husband, Kenneth, started the Toll House Inn, where Wakefield invented the chocolate chip cookie, which she called the “Toll House Crunch Cookie,” according to the Henry Whittemore Library Blog.

This is the recipe Wakefield gave to Nestlé, as well as the Toll House name, in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate and the inclusion of the cookie recipe on the back of every package of chocolate chips - something that is still done today.

Wakefield’s invention and its impact have a lasting effect not only here at home but on the global community, and her legacy is not to be ignored. Honoring her is important.

However, this commencement speaker is not the best or most appropriate way to do that.

While The Gatepost Editorial Board acknowledges Peña de Jesús himself will be a great speaker, he is representing a company with a historically troubling past.

Nestlé has a long history of using forced labor and child labor, as well as paying agricultural workers unfair wages in West Africa and China. According to the Harvard Law School’s Systemic Justice Project (SJP), Nestlé has repeatedly tried to sell the narrative that their use of child labor is “not as bad as it looks.” The company maintains that these children are working to help their parents.

Is this how we want to honor a great alumna inventor’s legacy? Choosing a president of one of Nestlé’s divisions as a commencement speaker is essentially a statement that the University endorses this company.

Commencement speakers are not mere figureheads. They reflect our morals, values, and mission as a University, and should be individuals who can relate to our students. Many members of our community do not stand for this corporation’s recent actions.

If we truly want to honor Wakefield’s, why not invite a new female inventor, an alumna, or explore other connections to Wakefield?

Framingham State has had no shortage of commencement speakers who reflect our University’s values. The late U.S. Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis spoke in 2019. U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley spoke in 2023.

Just last year, NBC Boston News Anchor Latoyia Edwards gave an inspirational speech at the 2025 Undergraduate Ceremony. Her commitment to the truth is deeply rooted in our University’s values, and her background and experiences are relatable to many students.

Why are we choosing to step away from that precedent this year?

Niemi wrote in her email that the connection to this speaker is “close to home.” This is a forced tie between the alumna who invented the chocolate chip cookie and a billion-dollar corporation that bears almost no weight on our community.

Her statement feels like a half-baked way to thread the needle between Framingham State and a company headquartered in Switzerland.

We can do better. University administrators need to take accountability for what they are endorsing.

Campus Conversations

“What is your favorite spring activity?”

By Adrien Gobin, Associate Editor and Izayah Morgan, Opinions Editor

“In general, I play basketball, here or on the court back home in Boston.”

“I’m excited because I’m taking a trip to Mexico.”

“Walk around here. There’s some really nice ponds and rivers.”

- Wellbi Perez, freshman

- Czion Inge, senior

- Adnan Sajid, junior

“I am really looking forward to traveling.

I’m going to Paris so I’m excited for that.”

“I’m really looking forward to swimming before it gets too hot out.”

- Shiba Nankya, junior

- JayJay Johnson, sophomore

Atkins: “I’m looking forward to reading on the lawn.”

Snyder: “I’m looking forward to hanging out with my grandparents.”

- Larry Atkins and Ruby Snyder, freshmen

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

6 | APRIL 3, 2026

COLUMNS

The failures of the Democratic Party

By Izayah Morgan Opinions Editor I was introduced to politics at a young age. I was in the seventh grade when I woke up on November 8, 2016 - right on the dot at six in the morning to catch my bus at 6:45 a.m.

However, I remember this day was different. My mom seemed less energetic than she usually was - and not just because of my long gaming sessions the night before. As I looked throughout my classrooms, all my teachers and peers had a look of defeat.

I arrived for my social studies class near the end of the day, and our teacher stopped class to hear what everyone had to say on Donald Trump winning the presidential election.

Many of my peers were frightened, angry, and were at a loss for words. This was my first introduction to politics. It wasn’t Obama, the Black man who had won back to back elections, who little me could have looked up to, instead it was someone who struck fear into the people I loved and cared for.

It has felt like the two-party system in America blended together more and more over the past decade. When I was young, I remember hearing the saying that the “Democratic and Republican parties are just two sides of the same coin.”

While this can seem even truer now as a lot of Americans refused to go to the poll because of the feeling nothing changes no matter the party. we need to examine what the Democratic Party was before to understand how they got to this point.

The New Deal was an act under Franklin D. Roosevelt to combat the Great Depression and was a sum of many federal programs and reforms to circumvent the depression’s negative impact on Americans.

In an article by the LPE project, it is said that “beginning in the 1970s, Democrats moved away from their traditional emphasis on new policies towards a more market, friendly business, friendly agenda.”

This marked a shift towards

Courtesy of Unsplash neoliberalism.

For those unaware, according to Oxford languages, neoliberalism is defined as “a political approach that favors free-market capitalism, deregulation, and reduction in government spending.” It believes in “free markets,” meaning the markets themselves, not governments, can best allocate resources. It minimizes the control the government has over each state and focuses on the individual more than the whole.

Largely this was a bipartisan deal and former President Ronald Regan was one of the main leaders of this movement. Regan had won the election in a landslide as according to The American Presidency project, every state had voted red except Minnesota.

The utter dominance of the Republican party throughout the ’80s caused Democrats to

Courtesy of Unsplash

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

have to respond accordingly.

The Third Way was their response. It was a movement that held a largely centrist position, which blurred the lines between Democratic and Republican ideologies.

President Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Jean Chrétien, and Gerhard Schröder were affiliated with the Third Way Movement and were in a large part why it became so popular.

This push inevitably led to the place we are in America currently, where Republicans are dominating and Democrats are struggling to get voters out to the polls.

I find myself agreeing with the saying “Republicans and Democrats are two sides of the same coin” more and more.

It has reached a point where the question is not “Which side has better policies?” but instead, “Which side is a bit more progressive?”

Virtue signaling and social grandstanding aren’t enough to convince Americans to run out to the polls - especially when everything feels so out of their control.

President Obama always had a certain swagger during - and after - his presidency. He related to general people, whether it’s his love of basketball or showing his annual summer playlists, you never forget he’s a person, too.

He also brought compassion to politics, which is less and less common each passing day.

When he responded to hecklers, it wasn’t to call them a lunatic or stick up the bird at them, but to meet them and respond accordingly.

Contrastingly, Trump’s victory in 2024 marked a key difference in the country’s thinking compared to when he won in 2016.

His victory in 2016 shows a turn against traditional politics in favor of Trump, appealing to Republicans because of his business tactics.

In his victory in 2024, on the other hand, what attracted Republican voters was Trump’s

cult of personality.

Unlike the 2020 election, many Americans were downright done with the Democratic party. They felt that the Biden administration was not so different from any Republican administration. This led many Americans to not even show up to the polls at all.

So how do we shift the narrative away from Democrats just being Republicans but blue?

Trump’s current administration has attacked basic human rights and sent ICE agents running through the streets.

Democrats have to take initiative and show voters that they will respond to these attacks on American citizens.

We have to push back against what Republicans are currently attempting to make the norm.

Democrats need to double down on their commitments to their party and to the American people.

We must continue to support the social and cultural rights of people regardless of their gender, age, religion, race, or religion.

We must remain active in politics, running whenever possible. Democrats need to make their presence felt, especially in communities they aren’t traditionally known to be popular in.

We must contrast the damages Republicans have done to this country. Democrats must explain how they are going to fix them. Make sure that when you’re telling people how it’s going to be fixed, you focus on the person and how the change will fix their issue, not so much on the policy you’re implementing.

I hope the Democrats can respond accordingly. We are at a time where people are scared, tired, and worn out, yet they still manage to protest to put the nation on notice.

Democrats, you got punched in the face during the election cycle. The question is: are you going to fight back, or stay down?

SPORTS

APRIL 3, 2026 | 7

Softball splits doubleheader against Anna Maria inning, as they recorded their Anna Maria’s Emelia Carvalho Jocelyn Pepe singled and was refirst hit of the game and loaded walked and stole second base placed by freshman Grace Gedthe bases with two walks. before Ella Moon singled to right des, who advanced on a sacrifice However, Framingham’s defield, allowing Carvalho to make bunt. Yuricheck then delivered In their first conference douan RBI single and Geddes scored, bleheader, the Framingham fense held firm, forcing two outs it home. on fielder’s choices to end the After their next batter struck extending the lead to 6-4.

State Rams lost the first game, out, Meaghan Doyle sent a fly The Amcats mounted one fibut came for redemption in the inning without allowing a run.

The Rams added another run ball to center field, and Moon nal push in the bottom of the second against the Anna Maria at the top of the seventh inning. scored unearned. seventh, scoring a run on a seAmcats March 29.

Angela Marie Gilmartin quence that included two singles After this loss and win, their Etemad-Gilbertson walked and advanced into scoring position stepped up to the plate for the and an error. conference record now stands at Farris then closed out the 1-1, and their overall record is before Carignan delivered an RBI Amcats next and hit a double to single to center field, extending center field, before the following game with a strikeout, securing 5-9. batter hit a single, and Gilmartin a hard-fought 6-5 victory.

The Rams opened the first in- the lead to 4-1.

In the bottom of the seventh, scored, tying the game 3-3.

Gray said, “Our biggest chalning with immediate pressure, Anna Maria loaded the basThe inning ended with Madilenge in the Anna Maria games as sophomore Ellie Etemadwalks son Levesque grounding out to was not making adjustments Gilbertson earned a walk, then es with three third base. early enough in our at-bats. In moved into scoring position before their next batter After a quiet fourth inning, the second game, we focused with a stolen base and advanced hit a grand the Rams regained the lead in more on staying back and hitting to third on a passed ball. slam to the fifth. Etemad-Gilbertson hard line drives, which made a Though sophomore Isabella singled and stole second before big difference.

MacDonald popped up for the l e f t Carignan drove her in “As a team, we also made a first out, Captain Eliza Cari- field.

The fourwith an RBI single. conscious effort to forget about gnan, a junior, capitalized on F r a m i n g h a m the first game. We came in with the opportunity, grounding out run swing e n d e d left the better energy and a fresh mindto shortstop and driving in Eteb a s e s set, which helped us come out mad-Gilbertson for the game’s with the win,” she added. opening run.

Most recently, the Rams fell to Sophomore Amanda Roche the Babson College Beavers in a struck out to end the inning, non-conference doubleheader, but the Rams had estab5-2 and 3-0, March 31. lished a 1-0 lead.

These losses bring their overThe early advantage all record to 5-11, while their was reinforced by a domiconference record remains at nant performance in the circle t h e 1-1. by sophomore Audrey Gauthier, The Rams host the Bridgeas Anna Maria’s lineup struck game, giving the water State Bears for their next out consecutively in the bottom Amcats a comeback victory despite conference doubleheader April of the first.

4.

Sophomore Ava Gray singled the Rams’ strong performance in the MacDonald said the team is and stole second in the second planning to go in with what they inning, but following two strike- first six innings.

Framhave learned from the last few outs, she was unable to score. i n g h a m losses and overcome the strugAnna Maria failed to respond gles they experienced. “We need offensively, managing only a c a r r i e d the same to keep our energy up and have a walk while striking out twice competitive good mentality, and we will get more. it done. We have the skills to do In the third inning, Fram- energy into game two.

The Rams placed runit - we just need to go out there ingham extended its lead after and apply it.” freshman Nina Buda singled and ners in scoring position in the first inning after Eteloaded Carignan said the team’s moved into scoring position on a a f t e r mindset “is to stay up the entire passed ball before Etemad-Gilb- mad-Gilbertson was hit by a pitch and Carignan singled, sophomore game, no matter the outcome. ertson hit another single. but were unable to score.

Kate Brodzins- The more we stay positive, the MacDonald advanced to first Anna Maria again struggled ki struck out better we will do. We can build on an error, allowing Buda to early, going down in order in the swinging, off of each other’s energy and score an unearned run. b u t confidence.”

The Rams’ next two runners bottom of the first.

Both teams exchanged scorethey She added their coach prepopped up and grounded out, less frames through the second pares them with non-conference but the top of the inning ended inning. games against teams that will in their favor 2-0.

Sophomore Gianna Paolino challenge them, so “when The Rams’ defense remained it comes to conference sharp in the bottom half, retiring hit a single, but left a runner games, when it matters, the Amcats in order again with stranded after sophomore Mikayla Yuricheck sent a fly ball to we will be the most pretwo more strikeouts and a ball right field, and Buda struck out held a 4-3 adpared we can be.” caught at second base. looking. vantage.

This year, the softball team After an uneventful inning for The Amcats struck out, leavA n n a consists of no seniors, four juFramingham, Anna Maria made Maria reniors, 11 sophomores, and three it onto the scoreboard in the bot- ing two runners on base after a double and a hit-by-pitch. s p o n d e d freshmen. tom half of the fourth inning. A The Rams broke once again in the Gray said it has “definitely walk and an error put runners in through in the third bottom of the been an adjustment compared scoring position, and a sequence Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST inning.

Etemadfifth, tying the to last year. Last year, we had of walks forced in a run. game 4-4 with three great seniors with a lot of The Rams responded imme- Gilbertson walked, and MacDonald reached on an a run driven in on a groundout experience. However, our capdiately in the fifth. Buda singled and advanced on a stolen base, error before Carignan advanced following a leadoff single and a tains have really stepped up into stolen base. leadership roles and have done a setting the stage for MacDonald, both runners.

Gray then delivered a two-run In the sixth inning, Yuricheck great job guiding the team.” who delivered an RBI single to home run that gave Framingham hit a single and advanced on a Carignan said, “I love it becenter field. a 3-0 lead. sacrifice bunt before Etemadcause we are going to play toThe inning ended with a runGray said, “When I had two Gilbertson added another bunt gether for a long time. This alner thrown out at home, but runners on, my mindset was to single. lows us to get to know each Framingham earned a two-run drive the ball up the middle and MacDonald drove in a run on a other more on and off the field. cushion at 3-1.

Anna Maria struggled to gen- get at least one run in. The home fielder’s choice, giving the Rams We have such a strong bond with erate offense in the bottom of run just ended up coming from a 5-4 lead when Yuricheck made one another, and I think that it to home plate. also reflects on the field. … The the fifth, with three back-to- that approach.”

She added, “Between every Junior Peyton Farris delivered longer you play together, the back outs.

In the sixth inning, the Rams pitch, I like to step out of the box, clean pitching in the bottom of better you will be. This is just a were set up with walks, but af- take a deep breath, and reset. the sixth, and the Rams’ fielding step to next season.” ter a pop-up ball to the pitch- That routine has really helped held up good defense, not allow- Stats sourced from fsurams.com er, Framingham was unable to me stay focused and locked in ing the Amcats to score and pre- and MASCAC.com during my at-bats.” serving the one-run advantage score.

The Amcats answered in the heading into the final inning.

The Amcats had a chance to CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE In the seventh, sophomore igage@student.framingham.edu score in the bottom of the sixth bottom half of the third when

By Izabela Gage Sports Editor

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

8 | APRIL 3, 2026

SPORTS

Women’s lacrosse falls to USM despite late comeback Emma Kendzulak just 35 seconds in.

Sophomore Maddie Bosma attempted another goal for FramBy Taylor Kimmell ingham in the following minute, Asst. Sports Editor but her shot was saved by USM After fighting to reach a tie goalkeeper Maggie Jones.

Using the turnover to their adand battling back from a 7-1 defivantage, the Huskies managed to cit early on in a non-conference match, the Framingham State find a gap to score again.

A green card against senior University Rams fell to the UniKelley DeBellis forced the Rams versity of Southern Maine Husto play a man down, but good kies 12-9 April 1.

This matchup brings their defensive plays kept USM from overall record to 3-7 and leaves breaking through for another goal. their conference record at 0-1.

The next goal came from DeThe Huskies were quick to gain an offensive edge, winning the Bellis off an assist by McGovern opening draw control and scor- on a man-up play to bring the ing the first goal of the match 31 score to 7-3, still in favor of USM. The first goal of the third quarseconds in. ter came from the Huskies on a USM maintained a steady offensive press, winning the fol- free position shot a little over 3 lowing draw control and sending minutes in.

After another 5 minutes of in another shot, this one going strong defense by both teams, wide of the net.

Just short of 2 minutes in, a the Rams broke through, with turnover by the Huskies placed sophomore Lily Malloy scoring the ball in possession of FSU off an assist by Kendzulak.

DeBellis won the ensuing draw Captain Isabella DiMare, a secontrol for Framingham, but the nior.

Both teams traded possession Huskies capitalized on a ground for the next 2 minutes before the ball pickup and netted their Huskies took control, making a ninth goal.

Shortly after, USM commitdecisive drive to the net for their ted a foul against Kendzulak. She second goal.

USM continued to build on its made the most of her free posisuccessful offensive streak, scor- tion shot, sending it flying past ing again less than 2 minutes Jones and into the back of the net. later.

FSU maintained control of After a foul by FSU, the Husthe ball for the final minute of kies took advantage of their rally, scoring once again on the Rams’ the third quarter, with Malloy winning the next draw control, net, bringing the score to 4-0.

Assisted by freshman Kate Mc- leading to a shot by James that Govern, freshman Jenna James unfortunately bounced off the sent a hard shot to the back of the crossbar.

Two consecutive goals in the net, putting a point on the board first 3 minutes of the final quarfor Framingham 10 minutes in.

The Huskies refused to yield, ter allowed the Rams to gain capitalizing on a failed clear at- momentum. The first goal came tempt by the Rams and scoring from James, assisted by Bosma, and the second was scored by once again.

USM scored twice more before McGovern, also assisted by Bosthe end of the quarter, gaining a ma.

Six minutes of strong defensignificant early lead of 7-1. sive pushes ensued before a The Rams began their comeback early on in the second quar- yellow card was issued against ter, with a goal from sophomore USM, allowing the Rams to take

By Izabela Gage Sports Editor

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST (Front) Kate McGovern setting up for a pass in loss against University of Southern Maine on April 1.

advantage for a man-up goal by is “relying on my teammates. …

Kendzulak on a free position shot Scoring-wise, my teammates set to bring the score to 9-9 for the me up with passing, feeding, evfirst tie of the match. erything like that.

A minute later, USM began “We started kind of slow. Seva strong offensive drive, scor- en-to-one is kind of a hard way to ing three times during the final come back, but I think with our 5 minutes of the match, result- momentum, we just kind of kept ing in a score 12-9 in favor of the getting fired up after every goal, Huskies. and just seeing the ball hit the Kendzulak scored four of FSU’s back of the net, it gets everyone nine goals. going,” she added.

In terms of finding scoring opThe Rams will host the Fitchportunities, she said, “I look for burg State Falcons for a conferthe cuts and I keep my head up. ence matchup April 4.

I look around for my teammates, McGovern said, “We’re going and if they cut in and I see a great into Fitchburg like every other opportunity, and if there’s no one game - keep improving on the near them, I pass it to them so stuff that we’ve been working they can find a gap. on.”

“Our biggest challenge is not Kendzulak said, “We have the getting a lot of the ground balls, opportunity to win this game if and not getting the draws. We we put our hearts into it.” need to get possession in orStats sourced from fsurams.com der to score, so that’s one of our and MASCAC.com downfalls. We’ve been practicing catching during our rides, clearCONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE ing and getting open,” she added. igage@student.framingham.edu McGovern had a goal and two assists during the match. She said when anticipating scoring oppor- CONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL tunities, the most important part tkimmell@student.framingham.edu

APRIL 3, 2026 | 9

ARTS & FEATURES Campus Sustainability hosts awareness events

By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Arts & Features Editor There is a mural in the dining hall listing several facts and statistics about food waste and how students can help reduce it.

There is also a sign outside O’Connor Hall depicting the Earth with the north and south hemispheres flipped, and with fists of various skin tones and Pride flag colors.

Outside of Hemenway Labs there is a small white sign with an image of a bee. It recognizes the University as a member of “Bee Campus USA.” These signs were put up in collaboration with the director of Campus Sustainability.

Previously, the position was filled by Megan Mayer. Now she currently co-chairs the Bee Campus committee with Aviva Liebert.

Ruirui Zhang, who became the director of Campus Sustainability last year, oversees the Bee Campus committee.

Even before becoming the director, she said she attended monthly meetings and participated in events.

One of the goals of Campus Sustainability is to educate students, faculty, and staff on the importance of sustainability, Zhang said.

“It’s not only about the environment,” Zhang said. “It’s not only about economic sustain-

It Helps Me Daydream

By Alexis Schlesinger Editorial Staff Sharing is an essential part in having success in the music industry.

As a musician, you may be sharing vulnerable pieces of yourself in your lyrics, or when you interact with fans who have been inspired by you.

Maybe what you share is simply the time you give when you get on stage and perform for your fans.

For Philadelphia-based bands Slow Burning Daydream and It Helps Me Sleep, they aren’t just sharing their time, music, and passion.

They’re also sharing two band members.

It certainly makes touring together a whole lot easier.

Emo thrash metal band Slow Burning Daydream and post-hardcore band It Helps Me Sleep kicked off their March 2026 tour at Philly Style Pizza in Philadelphia on Thursday,

ability. It’s not only about society’s sustainability. It’s about a balance between the three. It’s a triangle.”

Higher education institutions can go down two paths - the easy way, and the right way, she said.

“I see our University really has a dedication to the right way, which I’m very happy about,” Zhang said.

She said the essence of sustainability is reciprocation and circularity.

“I think it’s very important to create that … circular system, that we want to make materials circulate in the community,” Zhang said.

She said she wants to create this sort of relationship between faculty and students.

Mayer said the University has a Climate Action Plan that was written in 2007, but Zhang is working on updating it.

Zhang said the plan is being updated with initiatives the University is committed to for the future.

She wants sustainability responsibilities in the plan to be “clearer and more actionable,” she said.

“The updated plan organizes our work into four key themes and specific actions so that different units across campus can see how they contribute to the university’s sustainability goals,” Zhang said.

She believes everyone in the community contributes to sustainability in a significant way.

When Mayer was Campus Sustainability coordinator, she helped set up a textile recycling program, built a social media presence, hosted more activities, and achieved a Bee Campus USA certification, she said.

She said she also worked with graphic design students to create signage for residence halls to remind students to turn off their lights when they leave and to be mindful about water usage.

“I also worked with art students to create signs and murals that are up in different parts of the campus,” Mayer said.

Liebert said she served as the interim coordinator for Campus Sustainability while Mayer was on leave.

During that time, one goal she advocated for was making the coordinator a larger administrative role, she said.

The role of sustainability coordinator, now known as the director of Campus Sustainability, is filled by a “faculty member who just teaches one less course and coordinates all of this themselves - and it’s a lot,” Liebert said.

“I think that’s where we need to go if we really want to make more sustainable changes to campus,” she said.

Liebert and Mayer meet with Zhang to discuss the Bee Campus Committee, and Zhang holds regular meetings that anyone can attend - though not many actually do, Liebert said.

She added she also works with other departments across campus.

She said there’s also a student group that works on sustainability called the Green Initiative.

“I think it would be good to have students on the club side be more integrated with what the faculty are doing, and have everybody working toward the same goals,” Liebert said.

March 19.

I’ve been in a handful of interesting spaces in my time going to shows, but a pizza place was not one I expected to be in.

Despite the unexpected setting, the show was fantastic.

SBD and IHMS certainly have the ability to make any room feel like a concert hall, even when you’re 2 feet away from them on the wooden floor of a local pizza shop.

The kickoff show was unique from the rest of the tour, as Henry, the bassist from IHMS, and Sean Crawford, the newest vocalist for SBD, were both unable to join the two bands for the rest of the shows.

The sound of each band with or without their non-touring members was different, but not any better or worse either way.

All of the musicians of both bands are so strong and tight with their performance, they’re able to adapt to however many members they have to perform with.

Following the Philadelphia kickoff show, and the sad departure from the members staying behind, the two bands started their northward travels to Western Massachusetts.

For the remainder of their tour, Slow Burning Daydream consisted of guitarist/vocalist Elijah Senter, guitarist Catharine Daubert, bassist J.D. Joseph, and drummer Trent Huber.

It Helps Me Sleep was composed of guitarist/vocalist Catharine Daubert, lead vocalist Allie Bilger, and drummer Elijah Senter.

There are great music scenes

all over Massachusetts, but if you’re looking for a hardcore scene, Western Mass is the place to go.

SBD and IHMS played with two fantastic local bands, Rhubarb Duo and GLASSS, for their last tour stop inside the United States.

The tour then took the two bands across the eastern region of Canada over the span of a week, with shows in Montreal, Sherbrooke, Halifax, and Moncton.

Of the four shows, Slow Burning Daydream’s most stand-out performance was in Montreal.

SBD played third in a lineup with four additional punk acts, a bill the band liked to call a “tour sandwich,” due to having the touring act directly in the middle of all-local talent.

The pressure to show up and show out was on that night, as SBD contained not only the youngest performers for the night, but were also the only non-Québécois act, and the only band lacking the spiky, alternative, “punk uniform” everyone else seemed to be in.

These guys played in their sweatshirts.

However, having something to prove only made them play harder than they did on any other show of the tour.

The crowd seemed to be just as impressed as I was, and many approached the band following their set to express their compliments.

It Helps Me Sleep had their best set during the Halifax show at Gus’ Pub. Every set each band played

was fantastic, but there was something special that night.

The band’s crowd interaction had gotten noticeably more natural and confident since the beginning of the tour, and led to IHMS having their liveliest crowd yet.

There is endless praise to be sung about these two bands’ musical talent, but after having the opportunity to spend an entire tour with them, it can’t go without mentioning how great they are in character and what they stand for.

Both bands have released and performed music with themes of activism, human rights, community, or reflections on personal struggles, all of which have connected with their fans from all over.

Upon getting to know them on a personal level, it’s clear to see each band member embodies their passion and love for their music, their community, and the greater world through their actions in their everyday lives.

This tour wasn’t their first, but it was mine.

I don’t think I could’ve been any luckier, or picked a better choice of bands to share my first tour with.

Tobias Cotton-Selman / THE GATEPOST

CONNECT WITH FRANCISCO OMAR FERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ

ffernandezrodriguez@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH ALEXIS SCHLESINGER

aschlesinger@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

ARTS & FEATURES

10 | APRIL 3, 2026

Regie Gibson Continued from Page 1

He is a former National Poetry Slam Individual Champion and was selected as one of Chicago Tribune’s Artists of the Year for Excellence for his poetry.

The poet laureate specializes in “bluesey, jazzy” sounds.

“Regie Gibson’s voice carries the full sweep of American experience,” De Leon said.

This event was his second visit to Framingham State. De Leon said he previously hosted a “Shakespeare to Hip-Hop” event.

De Leon, also a published author, said she first met Gibson around 20 years ago, and the two writers have been friends ever since.

She said it is important for writers to “get out in the world,” and find a community to share their work.

“When you write, it’s solitary. It’s you and the blinking cursor, or you and the pen and page, but writing is something that I believe is meant to be shared,” De Leon added.

Gibson greeted the audience as “fellow word nerds.”

He said he loves getting together with people who believe in the power of storytelling.

“This language thing that we do, this communication thing we do as human beings, can actually reach out, heal, connect one another,” he said. “Story-telling is one of our first technologies.”

Gibson was born in Mississippi and raised in Chicago.

He said music was everywhere in his neighborhood and it be-

came a comfort to him long before he could read or write.

His great-grandfather was a “railroad caller,” someone who made up songs for the other workers to hit spikes to, he said.

“He could not read, so he had to sing and make up verses and stories and poems as mnemonic devices to be able to remember,” he added.

Gibson said he grew up around several churches, and gospel singing was common. He said sometimes, as he walked by a church, a voice would “arrest” him.

When hearing a voice like that, Gibson said, “Your covalent bonds just split your atoms, lifted you up, grabbed you by the ankles, and shook you.”

Gibson discussed how important empathy is in human interactions.

Throughout history, human beings have always needed each other, he said. Making “individualism into a religion” is not the way people should act.

When teaching in a prison, Gibson said prisoners were punished through solitary confinement.

“You would think with all the degradation, all the craziness, all of the violence that an individual is subject to, that they would crave to be put in solitary confinement,” Gibson said.

“But no, we need each other, even if that interaction is going to be less than humane.”

He said humans need to feel music, poetry, and “whatever comes from the human soul.”

Gibson shared a few pieces he created about Jimi Hendrix, one of which he imagined to be an interview in his voice after

Christy Howland / THE GATEPOST Regie Gibson performs at the Miriam Levine Reading on April 1.

his “phenomenal” performance about his wife, Kate, and son, at Woodstock ’69. which he wrote over 20 years “Here’s a couple about James ago, he said.

Marshall Hendrix, in honor of Gibson’s inspirations inhim - if you don’t know who clude Nina Simone, whose that is, your life is impover- voice he described as “hauntished,” Gibson added. ing,” as well as Danielle PonGibson closed out the read- der, Gwendolyn Brooks, and ing with “The Song of Massa- D’Angelo. chusetts,” an excerpt taken “If you don’t know who from a longer written piece of D’Angelo is, your life is impovhis, which he read at the induc- erished,” he added. tion ceremony to become the He is a member of the Lexpoet laureate. ington Symphony, where he He said he was working on said he goes to draw inspiratwo separate pieces to read at tion from classical music. the inauguration. His wife, who De Leon said, “I really think he said described herself as a that all of us in the room and “Massachusetts girl through on Zoom can say that we’re so and through,” helped him de- inspired by the visit by Regie cide on “The Song of Massa- Gibson at Framingham State.” chusetts.”

“She’s never led me wrong in that situation,” added Gibson. CONNECT WITH SARAH DAPONDE The oldest poem out of the sdaponde@student.framingham.edu ones he read at the event was

Hop over to a theater and see “Hoppers” today!

By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Arts & Features Editor I’ll be honest - I didn’t think I was going to like “Hoppers” as much as I did - which was a lot.

The trailers didn’t seem particularly appealing to me, but it at least seemed funny. And it was that and so much more.

This Pixar movie hit theaters March 6, and it is easily worth a watch.

The story follows college student Mabel, who lives in Beaverton. She grew up with her grandmother beside a forest glade close to the city.

The movie takes a while to get to the main story, but each minute is spent developing Mabel’s character and the reasons why she acts the way she does. Personally, I believe it’s time well spent that isn’t going to lose impatient audience members.

Mabel argues frequently with Mayor Jerry, who wants to destroy the forest glade so he can build a highway. He points out that the animals have left, so there’s no legal reason he can’t build there.

After failing to convince Jerry or the public to protect the glade, she stumbles upon her professor’s secret project - the Hoppers program. Dr. Sam has somehow invented technology that can transfer a human mind into a robot animal. As a robot animal, she can communicate with real animals and they assume she’s a real animal.

Against Sam’s direct orders, Mabel transfers her mind into a robotic beaver and escapes from the lab. She launches herself into the wild world of the animal kingdom in a desperate

attempt to bring back the missing animals and save the glade.

The story is easily one of the high points of the film. It kept me hooked in the theater and had more depth than I was expecting.

I love how the movie isn’t afraid of dark humor.

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w i t h a voice and personal- ity are eaten or otherwise killed - also known as “squished” - usually with comedic timing.

This is especially apparent in the wilderness, where Mabel saves a beaver from being eaten, only to be asked why by the bear. She had unknowingly broken the “pond rules,” where if a predator catches an animal, they get to eat it. Because she broke their rules, they take her to their king, a beaver named George.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

In about a day, Mabel discovers what the scientists and professors had never thought possible - which, to be frank, goes to show how ineffective those scientists and professors were with this technology.

While George explains the pond rules to Mabel, several animals that say “Hi” to their king get eaten by nearby predators, and the characters just have to move on like nothing happened.

And yet, the deaths are quick and never focused on too much, so it still gets by as a kids’ movie without any issue. Who cares if a random unnamed dragonfly gets eaten, even if it was nice enough to say “Good morning!” to you?

Also, the dynamic between Mabel and George is sweet and touching for the most part. George is the guy who wants to trust everyone and give everyone a second chance, while Mabel thinks some people are simply evil and can’t be trusted.

Speaking of which, her dynamic with Jerry is amusing right from the start. The film goes through a few quick clips of the two of them arguing at various situations, from the steps of city hall in the middle of the day to the steps of his

private home in the middle of the night.

Each of the main characters go through significant growth as the plot takes several unexpected but fully welcomed turns.

The ending could have been better, but without going into spoilers, it gets the job done and still has a strong emotional feeling to it.

The story is great, and the movie both looks and sounds amazing. Overall, I had a great time seeing this in theaters and would recommend anyone to give it a try.

Rating: AHopping for joy!

CONNECT WITH FRANCISCO OMAR FERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ

ffernandezrodriguez@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

Puzzles

23. Cocktail garnished with mint 24. UFC fighting style 25. Minor star, maybe?

28. “Holy smokes!”

30. Actor Damon or LeBlanc 31. Be behind on bills 32. “And how is this surprising?”

36. Altar promise 37. Hard to look at 38. Ending for “movie” or “church” 39. 2014 campaign designed to destigmatize assertiveness in girls 42. Short hairstyle 43. Stow away 44. “Handling that right now!”

46. “The Simpsons” shopkeeper 49. Advanced HS science class 50. Manipulate into feeling ashamed 52. Astronaut Armstrong 53. Manipulated into feeling angry 54. London art gallery 55. Fuel brand with a torch in its logo 56. Regarding 57. ___ out (barely made) 58. Comedian Davidson 59. “___ queen!”

DOWN 1. “Somebody That I Used To Know” singer 2. Significant ___ (partner) 3. Prickly shrub 4. Part of a vampire costume 5. “Wanna quit already?”

6. Student loans, for example 7. Mine material 8. Third-largest city in Italia 9. “Can I leave now?”

10. Feminist slogan since the ’90s 11. ___ OFF 5th (discount store chain)

ACROSS 1. Lump of gunk 4. Dog name from the Latin for “to trust” 8. Bothers repeatedly 12. 2-Down, in Spanish 14. Word before “maze” or “tag” 15. Solo at an opera house 16. “I don’t believe it!”

18. Employee benefit 19. “Uh-huh, sure ...”

20. Some Chipotle orders 21. Call your teacher “Mom” by accident, say 22. “Casablanca” heroine

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APRIL 3, 2026 | 11

13. Blond shade 14. Undefeated boxer Ali 17. Black Sea peninsula 20. Hot dog holder 23. Ballet jump 24. Speed stat 26. Crafty marketplace 27. Fishthrowing Muppet Zealand Puzzle solutions are now 28. Written in it this clue is exclusively online.

29. “No need to be afraid of me!”

30. Parts of a gig 32. Sis or bro 33. Rear end 34. “Just can’t help myself!”

35. Bawl 40. Left unexpectedly, in slang 41. Bear, in Spanish 42. “The Hobbit” protagonist 45. Nephew’s sister 46. Like a creative and crafty person 47. Michelangelo sculpture in Vatican City 48. Some prom hairstyles 49. Initial poker bet 50. Bananagrams or Scrabble 51. Aunt, in Spanish 53. Kendrick Lamar’s genre

Word Hunt 1. Hop

8. Cookie 9. Bee

O

O 2. Lacrosse K 3. Speaker

V

S

I 4. NENPA

11. Police

L

B

S

12. Canada

B

T

J

E

A

F

B

E

E

E 5. Bat M 6. Award

R

A

W

A

H

X 7. Democracy P

10. Movie

13. Softball 14. Poet

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

PHOTOS

12 | APRIL 3, 2026

” V O R P “IM Antonio Machado / TH E GATEPOST

S L O FO DAY Anto nio M acha do / T HE G ATEP OST

ATEPOST hado / THE G Antonio Mac

ATEPOST hado / THE G c a M io n to n A

io Anton

ST ATEPO G E H do / T Macha

Adrien Gobin/ THE GATEPOST

sse presented o P t e k c a J it u S g our Bushes” in p a c s d n a L “ their n April 1. improv show o Lovely is an x y n O : te o N s Editor’ n Editor for ig s e D & s to o Asst. Ph The Gatepost.

Spread by Associate Editor Adrien Gobin and Asst. Photos & Design Editor Christy Howland

@The Gatepost | FSUgatepost.com