The Hofstra Chronicle February 25, 2020

T H E H O FST R A

HEMPSTEAD, NY VOLUME 85 ISSUE 13

CHRONICLE

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2020

KEEPING THE HOFSTRA COMMUNITY INFORMED SINCE 1935.

NEWS

Film screening shines light on 2018 Parkland shooting

By Annemarie LePard ASSISTA N T N E W S E D I TO R

Two years ago, on a day known for its celebration of love, tragedy struck Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when a gunman killed 17 people and injured 17 others with a semiautomatic rifle on Feb. 14, 2018.

“Someone was hunting my

classmates – someone was trying to kill everyone in that class,” said Brooke Harrison, a student who was in a classroom where three students died.

The massacre shocked the nation, dominating the political conversation with student activists leading protests like “March for Our Lives” to end gun violence.

In memoriam of the two-year anniversary, ABC released a documentary on Wednesday, Feb. 12, which played in more than 100 theaters across the nation. “After Parkland,” directed

by Emily Taguchi and Jake Lefferman, tells the intimate and moving story of Marjory

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Hofstra students to launch mental wellness app

By Samantha Sivert STA FF WRITER

Hofstra University student Michael Lai began working on a mental wellness app, along with students from Brown University, about two years ago. Now a third-year biology major, Lai is preparing to launch his app in mid-March.

Lai said his inspiration for the app came from his aspiration to work in the medical field in the future. “Both my co-founder and I were aspiring physicians and one particular area we were always interested in was mental illness and the psychiatric aspects of medicine.”

The app, CRESS Health, is a personalized mental wellness app that delivers confidential peer support for individuals undergoing a variety of mental wellness disorders. Lai and his

co-founder chose the name to be representative of a real-world health remedy.

“The way we came up with the name is actually the watercress. We wanted it to be kind of representative of how the watercress is like a superfood, so the app is almost like a superfood for your mind,” Lai said.

Most of the app development team is located at Brown University but there are also interns at Hofstra who work on the marketing, outreach and financial aspects. Additionally, the help of Hofstra students, faculty and the Center for Entrepreneurship has played a key role in helping Lai launch the app.

CRESS Health was initially meant to serve as an addiction recovery platform.

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Reed Alexander’s journey to journalism Features

Annemarie LePard / The Hofstra Chronicle Reed Alexander, a Columbia University journalist whose reporting has delved into post-Parkland developments, led a discussion after the film screening.

By Leah DeHaemer

A&E

‘Hermetic Perversions’ now on display in the Rosenberg Gallery

By Madeline Armstrong STAFF W R I T E R

Daniel Giordano’s “Hermetic Perversions: A Charming Night With Vicki Vermicelli” is currently on display in Hofstra’s Rosenberg Gallery. Giordano is an internationally-known sculptor who resides and works in Newburgh, New York. He earned his MFA from the University of Delaware and is

known for his interesting, different and almost perverse work.

This particular display of his is extremely fascinating, and that can be gathered from the title alone. Hermeticism is an ancient tradition and religion that encompassed alchemy, astrology and theosophy. It was extremely mythical and otherworldly. There is also a bit of a story behind the name Vicki

Vermicelli. According to an interview Giordano did with The Rib, Vermicelli was Giordano’s aunt. His grandfather named a clothing store after her, called Vicki Clothing Company, which sold women’s coats until 1996.

Now, the warehouse is used as Giordano’s exhibition space and Vermicelli is the “spirit entity” of the creative space.

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STA FF WRITER

If you grew up in America during the 2000s, you have likely heard of Reed Alexander.

He graced television screens across the country as Nevel Papperman, the antagonist in the hit television series “iCarly,” which aired new episodes on Nickelodeon from 2007 through 2012.

However, Alexander is so much more than just his uppity teen sitcom character.

Alexander enrolled at New York University (NYU) in 2013 as a journalism major. While

studying at NYU, Alexander became a radio contributor for BBC News from July 2014 to June 2016. After graduating with his bachelor’s in media studies and broadcast journalism in 2017, Alexander moved to Hong Kong to be an international reporter for CNN. He later went on to work at Dow Jones & Co. and has since returned to school this academic year to get his master’s in journalism from the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University.

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A2•FEBRUARY 25, 2020

203 Student Center hofstrachronicle@gmail.com

Editor-in-Chief Taylor Rose Clarke Managing Editor Rachel Bowman Business Manager Robert Kinnaird News Editor Melanie Haid Assistant News Editors Annemarie LePard Robert Traverso A&E Editors Victoria Bell Eleni Kothesakis A&E Assistant Editor Jacob Huller Sports Editors Felipe Fontes Anthony Roberts Assistant Sports Editor David Lazar Mike Senatore Features Editor Drashti Mehta Assistant Features Editors Betty Araya Audra Nemirow Op-Ed Editors Sarah Emily Baum Visvajit Sriramrajan Assistant Op-Ed Editors Daniel Cody Jessica Zhang Copy Chiefs Gab Varano Odessa Stork Assistant Copy Chiefs Elizabeth Turley Antonia Moffa Multimedia Editors Robert Kinnaird Adam Flash Talha Siddiqui Audience Engagement Tino Pattigno Social Media Manager Jack Brown The Chronicle is published every Tuesday during the academic year by the students of Hofstra University. The Chronicle is located in Room 203 Student Center, 200 Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. 11549. Advertising and subscription rates may be obtained by calling (516) 463-6921.

The Chronicle reserves the right to reject any submission, in accordance with our written policies. All advertising which may be considered fraudulent, misleading, libelous or offensive to the University community, The Chronicle or its advertisers may be refused. The products and opinions expressed within advertisement are not endorsed by The Chronicle or its staff.

NEWS

Hofstra hosts ‘After Parkland’ screening and discussion CONTINUED FROM A1

Stoneman Douglas High School families as they navigate their way through grief and search for new meaning in the immediate days, weeks and months following the attack.

Hofstra’s screening of the film, sponsored by the Office of Residence Life, Hofstra University Honors College, Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Division of Student Affairs, was followed with a talkback by Reed Alexander, a journalist and Columbia University student.

Back in 2016, Hofstra hosted a similar event for the documentary “Newtown.” Senior Sean Runkle, a speech language and hearing science major, arranged for this screening during his first year at Hofstra because he is from Newtown, Connecticut. “I brought this story [“After Parkland”] here for a similar reason as to why I brought “Newtown” here – to help those indirectly affected by mass shootings [and] understand the impact gun violence has on communities,” he said. “It was about what the Hofstra community needed, even if they didn’t know they needed it.”

Since the mass shooting at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, the United States has seen more than 230 school shootings, not including ones at colleges and universities, according to data from The Washington Post. Parkland is ranked as the fourth-deadliest school shooting in the country.

“It should have been one school shooting and we should have fixed it,” said Andrew Pollack, father of Meadow Pollack, who was shot nine times during the Parkland shooting. “You can’t get the nation together on gun control – it’s not gonna happen – but I just want everyone to come together now and focus on school safety.”

Pollack advocated for change, and on March 9, 2018, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act was signed into law in Florida.

The bill raises the minimum

age to buy all guns to 21 and establishes a three-day waiting period for most firearm purchases. It does not ban assaultstyle rifles like the one used in the attack, despite students’ requests. It does, however, allow certain school employees to arm themselves on a voluntary basis.

In the years since Parkland, there has been a school shooting about every 12 days, according to CNN’s count. “Since my school, there’s been plenty of other school shootings that nobody talks about,” said survivor Victoria Gonzalez, who lost her boyfriend Joaquin Oliver in the Parkland massacre. “It shouldn’t be a normal thing ever. The only thing we can do is move forward, fix what we need to fix so that it won’t happen ever again.”

“There’s just, like, this normalization [around school shootings],” said Hofstra senior film major Mitch Holson. “We all turned around [in the theater] whenever people opened the door.”

“Society is stuck in a deadly loop. There were [more] mass shootings in 2019 than there were days in a year,” said Runkle. “Gun violence is a pandemic; and with each school shooting more and more kids have to fight for their lives when their biggest problem should be getting into college or asking out their high school crush.”

Following the Stoneman Douglas attack, a national debate emerged over whether gun use or mental illness is to blame for the frequent mass shootings in the U.S. “When it comes down to it, people who defend guns and gun legislation will say 99.9% of people out there in the world are not out to hurt you – and that’s true – but it’s about eliminating the resources that those [other] people have, because ultimately, the device that someone has is [what’s] doing the killing,” Holson said.

“And then [limiting] the access to guns. There’s a gun shop right across campus; I could walk in there right now. It’d be a funny photo if I just took a large

panoramic of the gun shop and Hofstra right next door.”

On the other hand, “guns don’t fire themselves,” said freshman health science major Shai Har-Nov, a Hofstra student and Parkland survivor. “No sane person just picks up a gun and shoots people.” “[“After Parkland”] speaks to the real heart of the issue – we understand that there are people seriously hurting, who are suffering mentally, but many of those people won’t raise their hands,” said Alexander, who has covered the aftermath of Parkland extensively.

“They may not know that they’re necessarily suffering. In the case of the shooter, he actually did know, and spoke out a lot and asked for help and didn’t get it.”

The goal of “After Parkland,” however, was not to blame guns or mental health for the tragedy that struck Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. “The goal of this movement was to find renewed hope, and I actually think there was a great deal of hope that came out of that movement,” Alexander said.

“This is a conversation a lot of people know,” Har-Nov said.

“If you don’t know Parkland, you know ‘March for Our Lives’ because it was so big.”

“The whole reason we’re being these annoying kids and fighting this fight is so that we don’t have to worry about going to schools or going to parks or going to concerts, or going to [the] movies or hearing a loud noise anywhere,” said Samuel Zeif, a friend of Oliver.

“This has been the most hopeful story [I’ve done], and people look at me and think that I must really not know what I’m talking about,” Alexander said.

“But the fact of the matter is, this is such a dark and heartbreaking story, but you meet people in Parkland that are fighting back, and they’re finding a reason to live and it’s not always fighting back in big marches, which are incredible, [but] it’s [about] fighting back in small ways.”

THE CHRONICLE

‘Political Science Talks Politics’ talks impeachment, 2020 Rob Traverso A SSISTA N T N EW S ED ITO R

The impeachment of President Donald Trump formally began on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019 and concluded on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 with his acquittal.

On Thursday, Feb. 13, political science professor William Schaefer broke down the partisan nature of Trump’s trial in the Senate and how his impeachment could impact the upcoming presidential election.

Schaefer addressed a crowd inside the packed Guthart Cultural Center Theater, delivering the first installment of the 2020 Political Science Talks Politics series at Hofstra. The talks are presented by the political science department and co-sponsored by the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency.

“We have never seen a more partisan impeachment process,” Schaefer said. “Politics, on both sides of the aisle, dominated what is purportedly supposed to be a legal process.”

He noted that while the process for removing a president is outlined by the U.S. Constitution, “impeachment is what Congress says it is.”

As a result, Trump’s fate was left up to a hyper-partisan Senate, of which, Schaefer noted, 96 of the sitting 100 members had already “given their position on whether they would vote to convict or acquit” before hearing from either the House managers or the president’s team.

“This is the only trial in my lifetime that I’ve ever seen where there was no evidence presented, no witnesses called,” said Schaefer, a former prosecutor.

“In all previous impeachments, we’ve had an average of 33 witnesses testify during the Senate trial; in this trial, we had zero,” he noted, adding that the defense of the president

by Republicans in the Senate prohibited a fair trial.

Schaefer argued that Ameri-

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THE CHRONICLE

NEWS

FEBRUARY 25, 2020•A3

Career Center holds CRESS Health to go live in March second ‘Career Closet’ CONTINUED FROM A1

Visvajit Sriramrajan OP-ED E D I TO R

Hundreds of students gathered in the Multipurpose Room for the Career Center’s annual Career Closet on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Students went home with professional outfits free of cost.

The clothing items were donated to the Career Center via a clothing drive held until mid-February. Volunteers later organized the clothing into categories. CBS reporter Vanessa Murdock reported on the event for that evening’s news, and on Twitter she called the Career Closet a “great event for our future.”

The event’s organizers also aimed to provide an assortment of clothing that would encompass all sizes and gender identities. The Career Closet was open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the first 100 attendees were given a Career Center tote bag.

This year marks just the second year the event has been held at Hofstra University, though other universities have been organizing similar events for years with the aim of alleviating costs associated with purchasing formal attire for professional purposes.

“I’m really glad the Career Center organizes this event,” said Gopal Khandelwal, a junior political science major who paid the Career Closet a visit earlier in the day. “It’s well-attended

and also addresses an often overlooked need.”

Makeshift dressing rooms with black curtains were installed in the back of the Multipurpose Room. These rooms had waiting lines of five or six students at any given time, as students of all class years and majors waited to try on attire. “[The Career Closet] was developed to support our students as they prepare to interview for internships and other employment opportunities,” said Michelle Kyriakides, executive director of the Career Center.

“We are committed to supporting the full student experience, and this event helps to ensure that all students have access to the professional attire they will need to take the next step in their careers.”

The event was free to attend for all Hofstra students. After swiping their IDs, students were able to look around for items as they pleased. A checkout counter was set up at the back of the venue where volunteers bagged students’ selections.

“We spent weeks gathering clothes, separating them by size, boxing them and preparing them for transportation to the other side of campus,” said Averee Dovsek, a sophomore journalism major and student volunteer.

“Our goal was to assist students who might benefit from this clothing in a professional environment.”

However, as Lai and his team gathered research and spoke to several different advisors, they realized how easily their app could be used to provide support to a broad spectrum of mental health disorders.

Once the app launches, it will allow users to enter peer groups where they can receive support from those who are facing similar circumstances. The focus on peer support comes from research Lai and his team have done. “In clinical literature,” Lai said, “it has been shown that support from a peer is more highly regarded than support from an adult or professional.”

Two students shared their thoughts on how they think the app will impact users. “I feel like it would [be] beneficial, if it’s anonymous, because you’re just getting it out there without people knowing who you are,” said sophomore marketing major Nicolette Camardi.

Max Sacco, a sophomore public relations major, had a similar opinion, “People need resources, so any resources that can help will always be good.”

John Guthman, executive director of the Hofstra Student

cidedly tilted in either direction, acting as proof of how equally divided the nation was and remains.

Because of this fact, and a number of other differences, Schaefer admitted that he is “not sure” if the previous presidential impeachments in U.S. history, those of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton – as well as the near-impeachment of Richard Nixon, lend any insight into Trump’s case and how it will impact the November election.

Better predictors for the 2020

election, Schaefer said, have recently been put forth in the work of the political scientist Rachel Bitecofer, who has found that the upcoming election will be decided by two main factors: enthusiasm among the party’s base and the turnout of independent voters.

“As they approach the election, both parties should learn a lesson,” Schaefer said. “For the Democrats, the lesson is do not focus your attention on the impeachment and the issues surrounding abuse of power and

Health and Counseling Center, expressed his opinion on how the app will benefit users. “I think it’s always helpful when individuals have an opportunity to talk with others about emotional or personal challenges they face and providing opportunities for people to do that is a good thing,” Guthman said.

“If folks get to do that with peers that’s good as well because I think it sort of normalizes experiences that many people share and it provides a network of support that goes beyond what you only get in a traditional counseling office or a similar setting,” Guthman said. “And so, I think it’s great that this app may facilitate opportunities for people to communicate.”

Guthman also noted that over the last few years he has noticed a significant increase in the amount of people willing to access mental health counseling.

“I think one of the more rewarding trends is the destigmatization of mental health support over the years,” Guthman said.

“We’ve seen not only a willingness for students to bring themselves in and seek support but also a willingness for students to encourage others to come in and get support and

even escorting them and facilitating, in a number of ways, students’ connection to counseling.”

While the app has yet to be released to the public, Lai and his team have won several awards for their work. Last year they placed third in the Hofstra-Digital Remedy Venture Challenge, which provided them the initial seed funding to start their app.

Last summer, the group won the National GMAT Competition and this past fall, they placed second in the Healthcare Entrepreneurship Challenge. Lai and his team have been using competition funds to run beta tests. The app has undergone numerous redesigns in preparation for its launch.

Lai hopes that when his app launches it will provide those suffering with mental health disorders with a support system of people who are having similar experiences.

“The reason we built this app is to help individuals struggling with mental wellness or identity disorders really get the support they need,” Lai said. “At CRESS what we always say is: ‘Everyone deserves support,’ and that’s what we’re really trying to accomplish.”

The co-founders of CRESS Health said their app is named after the nutrient-loaded vegetable watercress, and likened the platform to a “superfood for your mind.”

Professor gauges impact of impeachment on 2020 election CONTINUED FROM A2 can voters are not upset with the outcome of Trump’s impeachment, but rather the way his trial was treated and carried out by the Senate.

The American population was also further polarized and siloed by impeachment, Schaefer said.

“The Trump impeachment, in my mind, reflects a level of political polarization among the American public.”

Support for either Trump’s removal or acquittal never de-

other actions by the president.”

Instead, he said, they should focus on issues important to the American people and their base.

“Every single public opinion poll we have says that issues such as healthcare, national security, gun safety [and] the economy [are] far, far more important [to voters]” than the Trump impeachment.

“If there was one lesson I think we did not learn from 2016 it is that Democrats must give disaffected Democrats and independents ... a reason to vote

for them and not a reason to vote against Donald Trump,” Schaefer said.

“If the Democrats are able to give them something to vote for, they can flip those states,” said Ibrahim Naseer, a sophomore political science major, referring to the so-called Rust Belt states that were previously Democratic strongholds in the Midwest but were won by Trump in 2016.

“It is not enough to – as Hillary did – say Trump’s crazy and bad; yeah we all know that,”

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A4•FEBRUARY 25, 2020

NEWS

Catch up on credits during Summer Sessions 2020!

Make the most of your summer and stay on track with classes and credits during Summer Sessions 2020: • Session I: May 20 – June 24 • Session II: June 25 – July 30 • Session III: August 3 – 21 • Continue to learn from Hofstra’s dedicated faculty • Create a flexible schedule that works just for you

• Choose from a variety of on-campus and distance learning courses (many that meet distribution requirements) or study abroad programs in Berlin, Florence, France, Ireland, Japan, and Spain

Registration begins Sunday, March 1 at 10 p.m.

Register @ hofstra.edu/summer On-campus housing and job opportunities are also available.

Email summer@hofstra.edu for more information.

THE CHRONICLE

THE CHRONICLE

NEWS

Professor Geology Department hosts advises Dems annual celebration of to focus on Charles Darwin issues, not By Caitlin O’Brien Trump S P E CI AL TO T HE CHR O N ICLE

CONTINUED FROM A3 said Charles Timm, a junior philosophy and history double major. “Democrats need to present an alternative vision for how [they] will improve people’s lives.”

Democratic enthusiasm, which peaked during the 2018 midterm cycle, is currently lower than that of the Republican base, which, as Schafer said, is “taking to heart the argument persuasively made by Donald Trump that this was an attempted coup to de-legitimize the American public’s decision to elect him.”

“I don’t know if Trump should be so gracious to the Democrats ... if he wants to drive the enthusiasm up for his base, he really should hammer hard on this concept that [impeachment] was a coup attempt, because that seems to be paying dividends for him,” said Benjamin Morawek, a junior political science major.

Morawek agreed with Schaefer, though, that by continuing to criticize Democrats and disloyal Republicans following acquittal, Trump “cuts against his whole argument.”

“This way, he looks more like a crime boss ... where his whole point should be that he’s above that, that he hasn’t done things that are wrong, that his impeachment was completely baseless,” Morawek said.

After being acquitted by the Senate, Schaefer said, “[Trump] chose instead to go on to, what many people said, and I think it’s true: revenge, retribution and recklessness.”

“The very conscience of the Republican party is at stake,” Schaefer said. “[Trump’s] behavior is relegitimized if elected in the fall.”

The Hofstra departments of biology and geology held their annual Darwin Day celebration in Monroe Lecture Center’s Fortunoff Theater on Wednesday, Feb. 12, as part of the public lecture series “Science Night Live.”

Darwin Day celebrates the birthday of Charles Robert Darwin, a naturalist best known

Public Safety Briefs Compiled by Elizabeth Turley

as Darwin. “In addition to his books and autobiography, there are literally 40,000 letters written between Darwin and people all over Europe and the Americas that are available and have been transcribed online.”

“The first thing I said when I got home was, ‘What can I do so I can come back here?’” said Caroline Fabian, a sophomore who journeyed to the Galapagos and presented at Darwin Day. “I left the U.S. as an unhappy

“Darwin seems to be someone who captures the spirit of science.” for his study of natural selection in the Galapagos Islands and his subsequent work, “On the Origin of Species.” This day is celebrated around the world to acknowledge Darwin’s contributions to the natural sciences.

This year’s celebration focused on the group of Hofstra students that traveled to the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador this past January for 20 days with the biology and geology departments. Biology professor Lisa Filippi and geology professor Bret Bennington traveled with the students.

“Darwin seems to be someone who captures the spirit of science,” Filippi said, explaining the importance of studying Darwin in modern times.

Many people of Darwin’s time did not agree with him and therefore did not seriously consider the evidence he found, according to Filippi, who addressed the importance of listening to all ideas. “He was the first person to put [evolution] into words and push it as a concept,” she said.

“It’s fun to portray Darwin because [Darwin] left behind so much of his own words,” Bennington said while dressed

FEBRUARY 25, 2020•A5

neuroscience major and came back a very happy soon-to-be [biology] major.”

The students were not alone in their enjoyment of the trip. Both Filippi and Bennington promoted the trip during the Darwin Day presentation.

“Every minute was packed and it was an amazing experience,” Filippi said. “It should definitely be on your bucket list.

It’s not going to be as pristine as it is now. Every year that passes, it’s a little less pristine.”

“It’s the experience of a lifetime. It’s amazing,” continued Bennington. “It’s so interesting and so much fun. I don’t even know where to begin.”

The lecture ended with the audience singing “Happy Birthday” to Charles Darwin before digging into cake to finish the celebration.

Robert Kinnaird / The Hofstra Chronicle

On Feb. 20 at 8 a.m., a Hofstra student reported that another Hofstra student had violated a no-contact order when the student sat next to them in class. PS responded to sdfjs;dlfjk;sldkfj;aldfjk the location in Berliner Hall and the student who violated the order was issued a referral to OCS. On Feb. 20 at 7 p.m., a Hofstra student reported that he had received a random phone call at approximately 5 p.m. requesting information.

The student gave the caller his social security number and banking information. He later became concerned that he might have been a victim of a scam and requested police assistance. The NCPD was notified and an investigation is being conducted into this matter.

On Feb. 24 at 1 a.m., a Hofstra student reported that when he left campus at 10 a.m. on Feb. 23, his $960 pair of designer Gucci sneakers was secured in his room.

When he returned to campus at 1 a.m., the sneakers were gone. The student called all of his suitemates, but none of them knew what happened to the sneakers. Police assistance was declined at this time.

An investigation is being conducted into this matter by PS.

Key PS – Public Safety NCPD – Nassau County Police Department OCS – Office of Community Standard

FEATURES

A 6 February 25, 2020

THE CHRONICLE

Former actor continues dialogue on Parkland’s impact

Continued From A1 Alexander’s professional work is not limited to journalism either. As author of the book “KewlBites: 100 Nutritious, Delicious & Family-Friendly Dishes,” Alexander is a strong advocate of healthy living, diet and lifestyle. He became an ambassador for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation in 2010, which works to battle childhood obesity across America.

“I knew when I was about 16 that I wanted to get out of the entertainment industry eventually,” Alexander said. “I stayed in it because obviously [“iCarly”] was still going, and it was a lot of fun and a big part of my childhood, but I had other ambitions.”

Alexander recalls always being around journalists and politics growing up. His travels resulted in an interest in international affairs. He loved the news: “[I was] always around journalists, as a result of my interest in food ... or on ‘The Today Show’ a lot, so [I was] around broadcast journalists. And I thought, you know, they have the best jobs in the world, because they’re exposed to everything.”

Across his journalistic career, Alexander has covered a story in

practically every category under der is from Boca Raton, Florida. and classrooms in an attempt the sun. He has reported on Part of what drew Alexander to tell what he describes as the education and school segregation to this story was that sense of unseen heroism of the teachers in in Brooklyn and the Olympic geographic closeness, but it also Parkland. He reports that about Games in South Korea, spoken to appealed greatly to his interest 60% of his investigative story is migrant workers that fell victim in mental health and trauma recomprised of accounts regarding to sexual harassment by their covery. Alexander has built part how teachers have now become bosses and covered the triumph of his career reporting on mental a beacon of strength for students of the first woman with Down illness and mental health issues, and someone that they go to for syndrome ever to compete in the seeking to answer the question, support in times of crisis.

Miss USA pageant. “[This] raises a lot of Currently, Alexander’s questions about how we largest project stems out of train teachers to be traua place that hits very close ma-informed,” Alexander to home for him, both figusaid. “Should we be doing ratively and literally. Alexcertifications for teachers, ander is currently working so that they can be proon a long-form investigaviding the kind of strength tion into Parkland, Florida, they’re providing?” centering the timing of his Alexander also reports work around the two-year uncovering a significant anniversary of the Marjory amount of never-beStoneman Douglas High fore-seen data on how School shooting, which many teachers have left occurred on Wednesday, Stoneman Douglas High Feb. 14, 2018. Alexander School since the shooting. was working as a features With this information, reporter at the Wall Street Alexander is attempting to Journal Digital Network at quantify the impact of the Leah DeHaemer / The Hofstra Chronicle the time. trauma that teachers have “I will never forget first Reed Alexander after a screening of the felt, as well as make sure seeing that the news broke, “After Parkland” documentary. that the school district is and just a real feeling of held accountable for supfear that I would know people “How does a community come porting the teachers and making from that community, because back after something like this?” sure that they have access to the I’m from a community quite As a part of his investigation, resources that they need. close by,” he explained. AlexanAlexander has gone into homes “I hope that [my investiga-

El Mofongo: Hempstead’s hidden gem

Robert Kinnaird / The Hofstra Chronicle A Dominican-style pork with rice and beans.

By Robert Kinnaird MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

There are countless hidden gems scattered around Hempstead if you’re willing to venture off campus and try something new. As a predominantly immigrant town, there is no shortage

of excellent Jamaican, Mexican or Dominican food in Hempstead, and El Mofongo is no exception. El Mofongo looks like any of the other local places that serve Latin American food in this area when you’re speeding by it, but if you ever take the time to stick your head in the door

and smell what they’re cooking, you’ll realize quickly that it’s something truly special.

Located just a short walk down Hempstead Turnpike, El Mofongo serves fantastic Dominican food and delicious baked goods at reasonable prices and in generous portions.

Opened by husband and wife duo Hector Henriquez and Marta Caro, the restaurant has been serving the local community, Hofstra students and anyone else who finds out just how good this place is for four years now.

“We get customers from the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens,” Henriquez said. When asked what he recommends, he said, “The roast pork is excellent, the chicken is excellent.” Henriquez also recommended the mofongo, a traditional Dominican dish made with plantains and garlic, from which the restaurant gets

its name. I ended up ordering the pork.

The pork was slow-cooked with a wonderful mix of vegetables and served with rice, beans and plantains. The dish was a fantastic representation of the kind of food you can expect when you go to El Mofongo.

Each individual aspect of the

tion] sparks a discussion around the conclusions that I’ve found and uncovered. And, more broadly, a real discourse around education policy in our country and how we deal with these teachers, and what we should be doing for them.” Alexander said.

“What is a teacher, right? Is it an educator, is it a social worker, is it the person you go to after a shooting? Do they need to be armed to protect students? What is a teacher anymore?”

Alexander explained that he believes his role as a journalist is to spark a discussion. He wants people to continue speaking about it and working with one another to find solutions through compromise.

“The Parkland story ... is not my story either, and I would never dare to make it mine. It’s theirs and it’s terrible,” Alexander said. “But in some regard, it’s like the whole country’s, you know? Because it absolutely changed the country in terms of really appreciating what young people can do when they speak up and speak out. And it’s very inspiring stuff.”

considered ordering more to go.

This was not my first time trying El Mofongo, having gone two times before with friends who found the place. At this point I’ve tried their ox tail, roast pork and chicken, as well as the fantastic cakes and tres leches that Caro makes for the restaurant. I think it’s safe to say you

“El Mofongo is one of the best restaurants in Hempstead and you are doing yourself a disservice if you never give it a shot.” dish shone in its own way. The rice and beans were far more flavorful than what you’d normally get as a side and only got better as the juice from the slowcooked pork slowly soaked into the rice. The meat was so tender and tasty that I couldn’t stop eating it, even after I was full. I

can’t go wrong, no matter what you order. El Mofongo is one of the best restaurants in Hempstead and you are doing yourself a disservice if you never give it a shot, especially with how close it is to campus. I look forward to returning sometime soon to finally try their namesake.

FEATURES

A 7 • February 25, 2020

THE CHRONICLE

The Humans of Hofstra “

By Visvajit Sriramrajan Op- E d E d i t o r

Rhea Bathija Visvajit Sriramrajan / The Hofstra Chronicle

“

I’m an international student from Mumbai, India. When I first got to New York, there were a couple things here and there that were new to get adjusted to, but for the most part, I’ve been very involved on campus ever since I first arrived. I became an RA [Resident Assistant] my sophomore year and eventually worked my way up to be the senior RA for Stuyvesant Hall. I was a Pride Guide for a year and an Orientation Leader for the class of 2023. I met so many wonderful people through these positions.

From my residents as an RA to my fellow peers in other programs I was a part of, each interaction I’ve had affirmed how rewarding being a student leader could be. I participated in the Gold Leadership Program too, which is a year-long cohort coordinated

by OSLE [the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement] that starts up each fall semester and coaches student leaders through projects. The Gold Leadership Program gave me the mentorship I needed to fix up GetInvolvedHU. It allowed documents to be uploaded to it, but SGA [Student Government Association] had never used it before, which was an issue that affected a lot of clubs that needed to keep track of their forms.

I took this on as a project and helped restructure GetInvolvedHU so that clubs could be more efficient by adding their budgets directly to their GetInvolved page. It also meant that club advisors could reference their clubs quicker, and it would help clubs going through leadership transitions access their constitutions and other important forms much faster. I think seemingly small things like this make a huge difference and I’m proud to know that my work helped such an important service on campus run better. Right now, I’m the Comptroller for SGA, where my goal is to help clubs operate smoother. I love music and was in charge of Unispan Records too, the University’s music label, where I headed sales and distribution and managed their budget. I’m passionate about money but I think it serves a larger cause. I think money should be spent with a meaningful purpose. I like how SGA has more of an advocacy focus now. I think that’s important. Hofstra has taught me a lot and given me a lot of great opportunities to get involved as a student leader on campus. I’m very grateful for that. I’m not sure about the specifics, but I know I’m interested in the finance and technology industries, so I hope to break into those after I graduate this year. But, no matter what sort of job I end up in, I want to make sure that I use allocations for advocacy and make a genuine difference in the lives of people.

I have a street sign. A lot of people usually have a picture or something that they keep as a memory but I got a whole street sign. It started with my love for basketball.

I played both basketball and baseball as a kid, but as the years went by I devoted my time to just basketball. I did a lot of other things to help with my training as a player too, like climbing the fourth tallest mountain in New Hampshire, my home state. And New Hampshire is known for its tall mountains. I ran a lot of 5K races in my town too.

Specifically, I used to run this one race my town used to organize around Halloween.

I played on my high school’s varsity team and made a lot of good friends. Basketball wasn’t just another sport for me. It helped me clear my mind and forget about other stress I had in my life from school or other things. One day a few of my friends invited me to a basketball game they were playing in. It was sort of like an all-star game between juniors and seniors. It was a great, entertaining game and I’m glad I attended it.

After the game, we went to a T.G.I. Fridays that was nearby to get food. I was driving back from the restaurant when I saw one of those crossed road signs for intersections.

You know, the ones with one street name going one way and another street name going another way. It was in pretty bad shape, though. There was a big storm brewing and it was one of the windiest days I could remember. The sign was bent and damaged in a lot of places and it was close to flying away. Plus, the wind angled it in a way that people couldn’t even see the sign. I figured it wasn’t serving its purpose as a sign anyway, and I thought it might go hit a car or a person because of how loose it was. So, in a spur-ofthe-moment kind of thing, I grabbed it. It’s been at my friend’s house until then. I love basketball but the sign sort of stood for those golden years at the end of high school. It was more than just games. I want to go into sports journalism. I love sports, obviously, but I love people too.

”

”

Noah Kokkinos Visvajit Sriramrajan / The Hofstra Chronicle

Gab Varano / The Hofstra Chronicle

FEATURES

A 8 February 25, 2020

Man on the Unisp a n What are your predictions for Super Tuesday?

B y Be t t y A r a y a and A udra N emirow

THE CHRONICLE

Overheard @ Hofstra In Gittleson:

“All theater kids are kinky weirdos, and all ‘CATS’ fans are furries.”

In Einstein Bros: “Where do you get the audacity to ruin my midday Instagram scroll?”

In CV Starr: “Last night I was playing drunk mini golf when I realized my Blackboard was due.”

In LHSC:

“For Republican, I’m scared to say, but probably Donald Trump again; for Democrats, I’m guessing Bernie Sanders.”

“Ugh,you didn’t read Goblet of Fire?

She’s a fucking bitch. She’s so savage.”

- Benjamin Rudgayzer, sophomore

In the Student Center: “He wants to be a photographist.”

In Vander Poel: “Good on you for doing adult things and thinking adult thoughts!”

In Au Bon Pain: “I think Bernie will win [for the Democrats], but I personally don’t support him.”

- Manav Shah, sophomore

“This coffee tastes like poop. It looks like poop too.”

In Gallon Wing: “Oh my god, I haven’t had a grilled cheese in like three years.”

In Bits n’ Bytes: “I swear to god someone’s going to punch you in the face one day and I really hope it’s me.”

In Calkins:

“I’ll have to go with Bernie ... When I leave here, I’ll probably have to pay a lot of this shit off, so if we could get that done and we could choose him, that would be great.”

- Isaac Milton, junior Betty Araya and Audra Nemirow / The Hofstra Chronicle

“I hate the DMV. But I like doing paperwork.”

Adam Flash / Hofstra Chronicle

A 9 • February 25, 2020

STAFF WRITER

In an ever-growing world of technological innovation, protecting one’s data online has become increasingly important. Out of this need for safety online, a vital job has arisen: cybersecurity.

Despite the modern problems cybersecurity tackles as a field, it struggles to represent the modern workforce. Just like other jobs within science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), women are greatly underrepresented in cybersecurity. National organizations such as Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) are looking to change that.

Two years ago, several Hofstra students attended the 2018 Women in Cybersecurity Conference. This sparked an interest in creating a WiCyS student chapter at Hofstra. However, a visit to the 2019 WiCyS conference made them even more driven to take action. Over the summer of

COPY CHIEF

Club Spotlight: Women in Cybersecurity Cracking the code to female success

By Leah DeHaemer

By Gab Varano

FEATURES

2019, Edden Kashi began plans to establish a Hofstra chapter.

“I decided over the summer to kind of catapult this club and make it something bigger on campus for all the students,” said Kashi, a senior computer science major who is now president of the Hofstra University WiCyS. “It was my last year, and I kind of felt like there needed to be something done before I left to help all of the girls in the department.”

Hofstra’s WiCyS chapter, which now boasts about 36 regular members, strives to foster a more welcoming environment within the computer science and cybersecurity departments, as well as empower women in cybersecurity and in STEM. “It’s kind of hard to meet women in the department just because there’s just not a lot in the department. So it’s really nice to have a place where all of us can get together and just talk and feel comfortable,” said Kaitlin Parente, a senior computer sci-

ence and mathematics major who serves as external outreach chair for the Hofstra WiCyS. A predominant issue regarding the study of cybersecurity at Hofstra is the retention rate of women from year to year – a problem which mirrors the workforce within the technology industry. Part of this problem, Hofstra WiCyS hypothesizes, is due to intimidation. Female cybersecurity students at Hofstra often find that they are the only woman in a classroom, which can potentially make them feel uncomfortable and unsure about voicing their questions and opinions. Hofstra WiCyS works to create an environment where these women no longer feel alone, allowing them to become more confident about themselves and their chosen major.

“I’m a senior, and for probably like the first two-and-a-half, three years of me going to the department, I really didn’t have any female friends within the department,” said Shelby Mitchell,

a computer science and cybersecurity major and the secretary of the club. “[While being the only woman in a classroom is] not necessarily too terribly awkward or really bad, you definitely feel it and you know you want at least one other person there with you.”

WiCyS has become an incredible community for Mitchell to meet a network of women within the department.

In order to promote women in STEM and cybersecurity, Hofstra WiCyS hosts a variety of guest speakers, workshops and professional development days.

The club also hosts casual events such as movie nights and hours of code, which helps strengthen a sense of community.

Despite its focus on supporting women in cybersecurity, Hofstra WiCyS is not gender exclusive: About 30% of the club’s members are male. WiCyS’s openness to all gender identities is crucial because it helps to break the ice in the gender divide that is so prominent in the cyber-

THE CHRONICLE

security field.

This year, six or seven members of Hofstra WiCyS will be returning to the Women in Cybersecurity Conference. Kashi is even presenting her own work on privacy applications for web and mobile devices at the convention this year. Hofstra WiCyS hopes more members will attend the conference in the future.

Kashi is still the only woman in her network security class. She believes that WiCyS’s presence on campus will be a good thing for the department and the school as a whole and hopes to foster confident students who are not afraid to ask questions in class and express themselves.

“It’s okay to feel intimidated,” Kashi said. “But you don’t have to.”

Hofstra WiCyS posts important information and club updates both on their Instagram @Hofstra_WiCyS,and their website huwicys.github.io.

@GabGrabsGrub: Chicken Soup (for the Soul) Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Wash the chicken, remove the innards and remove most of the skin.

1 chicken, 4-5 pounds Some people prefer to cook the chicken with the skin, but removing 1 large yellow onion the skin eliminates fat and calories.

4 large carrots, peeled and 2. Place the chicken, onion, chopped carrots and celery in a large stock cut into chunks pot and add water. The ingredients should be covered by about 2 4 celery stalks, cut into inches of water. chunks 6 sprigs parsley 3. Bring to a boil.

2 bay leaves 4. Add the parsley sprigs, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 5. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for about 90 minutes. The chicken will start to separate from the bone.

In case you haven’t noticed ... it’s been pretty cold.

Not freezing, but I don’t plan on wearing shorts anytime soon. When the chills arrive in the winter, one of my favorite things to warm up with is my mom’s chicken soup. The word “soup” derives from the Latin word “supper,” which means to soak.

In Old English it was shortened to “sup.” French tradition referred to it as “soupe,” which was basically broth poured on a piece of bread. In the eighteenth century it became fashionable to serve the liquid on its own, sans bread. Soups are some of the easiest meals to make. They are nutritious, filling and easily digested.

6. Taste the broth and add additional salt if needed. Allow the broth to cool.

7. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the broth into a separate container.

8. Separate the carrots and celery into another container and toss away the onion.

9. Separate the meat from the chicken bones so that the meat is in bite-sized pieces. Toss away the bones and any skin. Store the chicken in another container.

10. The soup can be eaten immediately, adding the pieces of vegetable and chicken.

11. You can also add cooked rice, pasta or egg noodles. For a heartier meal, add matzo balls or tiny meatballs.

Follow Gab Varano on Instagram @gabgrabsgrub

Women Engineers Through the Years Panel Thursday, Feb. 20, in the Student Center Theater

Hofstra’s Society of Women Engineers invited three panelists to discuss engineering and what it means to be a woman in the industry. The panelists talked with current students, sharing advice for starting careers and how to navigate the field as a woman.

Bridget Weston was the youngest panelist and a recent Hofstra alumna. She encouraged the women in the room to build each other up, saying that they should “build personal relationships, have fun and enjoy” their time as working professionals. She currently works as an application engineer.

“Your development is your responsibility,” said Marissa Costoro, a project manager and Hofstra alumna, in regards to learning communication skills and taking advantage of the resources your workplace can provide.

“Negotiate your salary like a boss,” said Software Section Manager Ellen Daniel.

“Make sure you are getting credit for everything you’ve done.”

Photos by Robert Kinnaird / The Hofstra Chronicle

Spread by Adam Flash, Robert Kinnaird and Talha Siddiqui

Arts and Entertainment

VOL. 85 ISSUE 13

Post Malone calls NYCB Live his ‘home for the night’ B2

Courtesy of PostMaloneTours.US

B2•February 25, 2020

A&E

THE CHRONICLE

Daniel Giordano stuns with ‘Hermetic Perversions’ CONTINUED FROM A1

The press release associated with this display is a story about two doctors who met together at night to practice Hermetic rituals. Sometimes they would experiment with astral projection or create effigies for one of them to inhabit.

One doctor lived on land and one in the sea. However, they needed each other to perform the magic they were always practicing. The doctors talked one night about if it was worth all that they were risking and the trouble they felt doing the work they do and if they should have just stuck to practicing medicine.

However, in the end they realize Madeline Armstrong / The Hofstra Chronicle that this magic is something bigger and more complicated than Giordano’s work is also centered around Santa Ninfa, a town in southern Italy. they ever thought and could not be given up. ing the covers off to reveal the sculptures, each one majestic One section of the story really rotten sights that bedeviled the and unique in its own way. Not encompasses what this display dust caked streets, the burdened only are they made from typical represents: “He could only populace, the scraps of newssubstances like ceramic, wood look into her eyes and see the paper and Italian banana peels and glass, but they also use Hermetic perversions that would that blew about in the volcano some very interesting materials churn the rotation of the earth winds.” including Tang drink mix, Tiger back to daytime, sunlight tearThe display consists of ten Balm, artificial teeth, urine and

lipstick.

Some hang on the wall while others stand on a chair or a stack of canned tomatoes. A few are quite complicated and others are very simple, but it is obvious that they are the “hermetic perversions that would churn the rotation of the earth back to daytime.” It is almost impossible to fully understand what each sculpture is meant to represent. One will just have to associate them with the emotions and complicated otherworldly magic put forward in the press release.

This is definitely a work of art to see – minds will be expanded and creative yearnings will be fulfilled. “Hermetic Perversions: A Charming Night With Vicki Vermicelli,” works of art by Giordano, will be on display in the Rosenberg Gallery located in Calkins Hall until Sunday, March 1.

was almost electric, it was also full of tension. Lee addressed the recent death of Pop Smoke, and Malone followed suit when he came out later on. Spectators received a surprise appearance from Funk Flex prior to Malone’s main appearance. Funk Flex fired up the already restless crowd for about ten minutes. Then, Malone was welcomed to the stage by a veil of smoke as he began his set with “Hollywood’s Bleeding.”

As Lee had pointed out earlier, fans traveled from as far as Florida to attend this concert.

Malone expressed his gratitude for his fans, saying, “I tour all across the world and play shows for people who want to sing these songs with me and it’s the biggest fucking blessing in the world, so thank you so very much, ladies and gentlemen,” before singing “White Iverson.”

Malone wanted this concert to be an enjoyable experience for himself and all his supporters. His carefree attitude was on display as he smoked between tracks. Some find this and his foul language to be distaste-

Courtesy of Dankanator

HBO has announced production of a “Friends” reunion special, coming soon to their HBO Max service.

Courtesy of Town & Country Magazine

In 2021, the hit musical “Hamilton” will be getting a film adaptation, starring the original cast.

Cover: Post Malone

Post Malone calls NYCB Live his ‘home for the night’ music.

Malone was accompanied by openers Tyla Yaweh and Swae Lee. Lee, who is half of the duo Rae Sremmurd, danced across the stage giving out sunflowers, foreshadowing his upcoming Courtesy of PostMaloneTours.US live performance of Post Malone has won a Billboard Music Award, an “Sunflower” American Music Award and an MTV Video Music Award, with Malone among others. later in the show. He sang Rae Sremmurd

By Arianna Collura fan favorites such as “No Type,” SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE “Come Get Her” and “Black Beatles” and even invited a girl Post Malone brought his from the crowd to dance with Runaway tour to 20,000 him as he debuted his first solo patient fans at the Nassau release of the year, “Back 2 Veterans Memorial Coliseum Back Maybach,” which dropped on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Among Friday, Feb. 21. these fans were many Hofstra Although the crowd’s energy students gathered for a night of

Quick Hits

ful and perhaps even inappropriate, but fans seemed to be consumed by it. His set list was comprised of 22 songs including “Over Now,” “Better Now,” “Candy Paint,” “Saint Tropez,” “Goodbyes,” “Allergic,” “Wow,” “Psycho,” “I Fall Apart,” “Go Flex,” “Circles” and countless others from various albums.

Malone created a unique set list by also deciding to include an acoustic version of his song “Stay” and performing “Take What You Want,” which originally featured Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott.

After Malone performed his song “rockstar,” he grabbed an acoustic guitar and smashed it.

The concert ended quite literally with fireworks to accent his song “Congratulations.”

Malone’s next stop on his Runaway Tour is Thursday, Feb. 27 at the Capitol One Arena in Washington D.C. One thing is for sure – he left the audience on Wednesday night with “No Option” but to “Feel” his passion for music.

Courtesy of Youtube

On Friday, Feb. 14, “Sonic the Hedgehog” opened in theaters, and in the first week has made over $130 million, against an estimated $85 million budget.

Courtesy of The Mary Sue

Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of rape in the third degree and committing a criminal sex act in the first degree, but was acquitted on the count of predatory sexual assault.

Courtesy of The New York Times

On Sunday, Feb. 23, the fifth and final season of “Better Call Saul,” featuring Bob Odenkirk, premiered on AMC.

THE CHRONICLE

A&E

February 25, 2020•B3

‘Parasite’ – a testament against hegemony field of American-centric and Eurocentric movies, which for the longest time were considered wholly representative of the silver screen.

The film follows the financially struggling Kim family – a mother, father, daughter and son – who are all employed by the wealthier Park family.

The plot, which proves to be full of unpredictable twists, is seasoned with witty comedic incidents, courtesy of Bong Joon-ho, the film’s writer and director, previously known for the 2013 dystopian sci-fi Courtesy of American Magazine film “Snowpiercer.” “Parasite” In addition to Best Picture, “Parasite” also won the award for Best Foreign paralleled this movie in its Language Film, the first to win both categories. ingenuity and the rawness of everyday emotions presented through carefully crafted scenes.

By Visvajit Sriramrajan bag a Best Picture win. The vicIt was a comedic thriller that OP-ED EDITOR tory does not just mark multiappealed to enthusiasts of various lingualism, but also the growing film genres.

Earlier this month, the 2020 cognizance of “The Academy” It’s important to note that Academy Awards took place as to the diverse narratives and “Parasite” was largely a jab at the at the Dolby Theater in Los stylistic film techniques that can capitalistic establishment. Film Angeles, where the black comedy constitute brilliant cinematogracritics, moviegoers and Bong thriller “Parasite” made history phy. “Parasite” did not just win Joon-ho himself have reiterated as the first non-English film to on its own; it won among a mine-

this notion. The film does have unique, traditional nuances, such as a supporting character’s gifting of a suseok, or a rock considered a talisman in Korean culture, to the Kim family as a good luck charm. By and large, however, the film transcends ethno-racial barriers and comments on the larger, international issue of class division and income inequality.

Both South Koreans and Americans suffer from a widening wealth gap. Although presented as a comedy, the film touches on very real issues. That’s a big reason why “Parasite” was universally cherished. On the other hand, it was, ironic that a capitalistic institution like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences chose to honor a film with an antithetical premise to classism and affluence.

There are a number of beautiful films released around the world each day. These films explore themes of love and war,

family and friendship, truth and passion and more. Such themes are universal, just as the field of film is. We are all human and feel emotions that go far beyond languages and regionalisms.

Prior to the invention of subtitles and closed captioning in the early 1900s, the world’s various film communities were inaccessible to one another. In the modern age, this is not the case. Movie enthusiasts can, and should, consume a diverse diet of films.

Bong Joon-ho delivered a heartfelt speech in Korean after accepting his award. His translator, Sharon Choi, did translate Bong Joon-ho’s words but could not possibly anglicize the depth his words held when uttered in his native language. On a foreign stage, an incredibly talented man proved to the world that the most poignant works of art don’t have to fit a West-centric model, and that the parasite of occidental dominance has started to come to an end.

‘Cambodian Rock Band’ needs to be seen and heard

By Alexis Friedman SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Playwright Lauren Yee’s “Cambodian Rock Band” shines a spotlight on the Khmer Rouge’s (the Communist Party of Kampuchea) genocide and occupation of Cambodia.

Through impactful use of song and dialogue, the play reveals the Khmer Rouge’s abuses, the genocide’s impact on the people of Cambodia to this day and how unifying and healing music can be. With numerous songs from Dengue Fever, as well as “The Times They Are a-Changin’” by Bob Dylan, Yee transports audience members to both the late 1970s and 2008 as she unearths a story of one man’s friends, survival, violence, secrecy and reunification with his only daughter in light of the Cambodian genocide.

On April 17, 1975, the Khmer Rouge began a massive genocide of Cambodians, which lasted for three years and killed approximately between 1.5 and 2 million people. Dictator Pol Pot, the

head of the Khmer Rouge, was trying to create a “master race” of Cambodians by torturing and killing intellectuals, musicians, religious people, so-called spies and anyone who used or enjoyed anything of Western influence. The Khmer Rouge set up imprisonment centers in cities, the most infamous of which was Tuol Sleng jail in the city of Phnom Penh. The majority of Yee’s play is set at this location.

As is mentioned frequently in “Cambodian Rock Band,” the Tuol Sleng jail was originally a high school that the Khmer Rouge decided to call the S-21 prison. At S-21, of the known 14,000 people who entered the school grounds, only seven were known to have survived.

“Cambodian Rock Band” focuses on one of these survivors named Chum. The show begins like a rock concert with the performance of a couple songs by the titular band, which is later understood to be called The Cyclos. The narrator is introduced as Duch (Francis Jue) and as he formats the

that greatly emphasizes the convey meaning and tell a story show, the other characters are importance of music and joy in better than the lyrics themselves. introduced as Chum (Joe Ngo); surviving.

This story is one that needs to be his daughter Neary (Courtney Yee’s “Cambodian Rock seen and heard by everyone and Reed) and her business partner Band” shows audiences the horanyone, so get your tickets to Ted (Moses Villarama); Chum’s rors of the Cambodian geno“Cambodian Rock Band” at the bandmates Sothea (Reed), Leng cide, while also sharing a new Signature Theatre in New York, (Villarama), Pou (Jane Lui) and perspective on how the emotions now through Sunday, March 15.

Rom (Abraham Kim); as well and feelings behind a song can as Cadre Key (Villarama), an S-21 guard (Lui) and a journalist (Kim).

Ngo has played the role of Chum in three previous productions of “Cambodian Rock Band” and was instrumental in aiding in development of the play. As the only Cambodian actor in the cast, Ngo’s family was very personally affected by the atrocities mentioned in the show. In an interview with Broadway.com, Yee explained how Ngo showed her that “joy can be a surCourtesy of Dengue Fever vival strategy.” Yee took this revelation to “Cambodian Rock Band” is the first play of Lauren Yee’s residency at the Signature Theatre. The play was previously performed at theaters in San Diego and Costa Mesa, heart, crafting a play California, Chicago and Oregon.

B4•February 25, 2020

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THE CHRONICLE

Freeform brings LGBTQ+ inclusivity in ‘The Thing About Harry’

Courtesy of MTV “The Thing About Harry” is also available on Hulu, in addition to Freeform.

By Catie Pfeiffer SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

The LGBTQ+ community has seen a surge of popular movies that depict queer leads in the 21st century, including “Call Me by Your Name,” “Moonlight” and “Carol.” These films have actually been very successful, not only in

the box office but on the awards circuit, and the term “film” seems more accurate than “movie” to describe these motion pictures.

While these kinds of films are often well-received by the public and film-savvy individuals, what about people who prefer sappy and cliche movies like romantic comedies? There seems to be a

lack of LGBTQ+ movies that are accessible for people who don’t necessarily notice camera work, lighting and overall cinematography. This Valentine’s Day, Freeform released a new movie just for those audiences.

“The Thing About Harry” premiered on Saturday, Feb. 15, and there was a lot of advertising leading up to the release. Every ad depicted it as “the gay rom-com for this Valentine’s Day!” The past few years have finally brought about some more young-adult oriented movies featuring LGBTQ+ teenagers such as “Love, Simon” (based on the novel “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” by Becky Albertalli) and “Booksmart.”

However, “The Thing About Harry” worked not only as a movie for young audiences, but also as one for an older generation that still appreciates the classic romantic comedies. In addition, there’s a cameo appearance by Karamo Brown for “Queer Eye” fans.

Sam and Harry, the movie’s leads, are two men who went to the same high school but did not get along. Sam was the queer nerd type, while Harry was a jock.

Like in stereotypical high school movies, these social groups did not mix well. However, things start to change now that the characters are older and forced to spend a long car ride together.

Sam was openly gay in high school and he learns that Harry has only recently come out as pansexual. Pansexuality is a queer identity not commonly depicted in media, so the inclusion of a pansexual character is a progressive thing for a movie to do.

At one point near the beginning of the film, Harry is dating a woman, but later in the movie, he claims to be celibate so people won’t think he falls into the pansexual stereotype of dating a lot. This is a stereotype that many queer people who identify as pansexual, bisexual or anything along those same lines must deal

with, and the movie addresses the stereotype in a positive way.

In addition to all of the groundbreaking inclusion that this movie creates for the queer community, the screenwriters still keep many traditional romantic comedy expectancies with just a little more realism than the classic ones. There are several misunderstandings that stop the two leads from getting together and this rom-com actually takes place over many years.

Unlike most romantic comedies, it’s possible to even second-guess whether or not the leads will end up together, since it feels like such a reality-based movie. However, there are still many scenes that will melt the coldest and most homophobic hearts, because who can resist the sappy cliches of romantic comedies?

The next time you need to curl up to watch a movie, “The Thing About Harry” is definitely a good choice.

‘The Photograph’ will make you fall in love

By Marie-Sybille Rateau SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

On Friday, Feb. 14, “The Photograph” premiered in theaters across the country and was the main event of countless Valentine’s Day dates. The film is about a journalist named Michael (Lakeith Stanfield) who is writing an article about Christina Eames, a recently deceased photographer.

While investigating this story, Michael meets and becomes almost instantly attracted to Eames’ estranged daughter Mae (Issa Rae), a museum curator. At the same time, the movie unfolds the complicated love story of Mae’s late mother. As the relationship between Mae and Michael progresses into love, Mae learns about her mother’s issues with love – as well as her own – as she tries to come to terms with the divide that existed between her and her mom when she was still alive.

At a time when so many modern movies challenge the topic of love and romance with skepticism of its legitimacy in the current world, “The Photograph” instead

fuels audiences with the hope while still allowing for the hope of appreciate the cathartic simplicity that romance isn’t dead. Despite its permanence. of being in either place. most of it taking place in present What makes “The Photograph” “The Photograph” separates times, the plot still manages to unique is the way it goes beyond audiences from the complications progress in such a refreshingly just telling a love story. Its R&B of the world with this idealistic organic way. As soon as the trailer and jazz soundtrack beats with realism as it turns chaotic areas was released, like New York it became clear and Louisiana that this would into perfectly be a movie relaxed and fitworth the watch, ting settings for as it attracts such the story. a wide range of The combinamovie-goers. tion of the sights It draws older, and sounds in nostalgic viewthe movie build ers who crave a tangible verthat old-school sion of what the love story with soft, warm and just enough consteamy feeling temporary flair of love is, and that allows it to this impression Courtesy of The Hollywood still be relevant was apparently and with the intentional.

“The Photograph” currently holds a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. times.

In an interThe film also view with entices younger, wishful audiVariety, Director Stella Meghie flirty, smooth passion, creating a ences searching for that “je ne sais certain relaxed environment that said, “I wanted this film to feel quoi” that seems to have been left sexy and warm and dark – satuaudiences can immediately vibe behind by the current cinematic rated. So it was a pretty tight with. The setting, which switches era. Rather than advertising a forbetween New York and Louisiana, color palette of these rich, earthy, ever romance, the film focuses on you know, colors, jewel tones ... is so low-key and beautifully the beauty of love in the moment There’s a lot of burgundy in the comfortable, making viewers

film, a lot of dark green, a lot of, like, chocolate brown.” These details elevate the film, making it an alluring cinematic love story instead of just another cute rom-com.

The movie is also especially important today because of the example it sets within the movement for equal representation in cinema. Rather than focusing on the hardships faced by people of color, which the film industry too often mistakes as the only form of diverse representation, “The Photograph” uniquely celebrates the colorful but raceless experience of love which happens to be portrayed by two established black actors. Stanfield impressed by adding to the range of characters that he never fails to embody with unexpected perfection, and Rae certainly continued to prove herself as an honorable actress.

“The Photograph” leaves audience members falling in love with these two actors and their characters, but more importantly, it makes people fall in love with love.

OP-ED

A12 • FEBRUARY 25, 2020

THE CHRONICLE

The The views and opinions expressed in the Editorial section are those of the authors of the articles. They are not an endorsement of the views of The Chronicle or its staff. The Chronicle does not discriminate based on the opinions of the authors.

Early bird gets the worm? Not at Hofstra

By Leah Gath

The idea of the productive, early morning riser is an ideal many of us strive to achieve.

We imagine ourselves getting up at the crack of dawn, hopping out of bed with a smile on our face and setting about to tackle the day long before noon rolls around.

Admittedly, for most, it doesn’t actually work like this.

However, that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be a possibility or an option for those who want it to be. On the days where students and teachers are not forced to be awake for classes, the early hours of the morning become an option for other types of entertainment, work and productivity. Athletes are up for practice and competitions, club members are out

the door for events and activities and the optimistic – or desperate – students are preparing themselves to grind the hours away. Weekend mornings present endless opportunities for a shift in routine from the daily norm of schedules and classes.

As has been drilled into our brains since childhood, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the best way to kick off productivity and the best way to wake up. Apparently, this isn’t the case at Hofstra. On Saturday morning, if you happen to find yourself awake before 9 a.m., you can essentially forget the idea of eating on campus unless you have prepared for such a situation beforehand. Both Starbucks and the Student Center, the hubs of campus eating at Hofstra, don’t open their doors

until nine.

For the athletes who have been practicing since six, the hardworking employees whose shifts start at daybreak, the students who aren’t sleeping in or any person with a commitment or plan for the early hours of the day, this is an issue.

While Dutch Treats is open, the convenient locations on campus for eating and caffeinating, which feature the widest variety of choices for all diets and preferences, are blockaded.

The situation only gets worse on Sunday, when the Student Center does not open until 10 a.m. Starbucks opens again at 9 a.m. If you wanted a good, hearty meal for breakfast or even just a bowl of cereal, you better have gone to get it the night before. By the time breakfast is available at the

Student Center on Sundays, for some it is practically time for lunch. If you don’t have coffee in your dorm or you are not willing to make a hike off campus, be prepared to be hungry, under-caffeinated and in a bad mood until the morning is almost done.

The fact that the Student Center and Starbucks, the most prominent breakfast destinations at Hofstra, do not open until mid-morning on the weekends is absurd. Considering that the Student Center opens even later on Sunday, the situation of a productive morning is laughable.

People are lined up and waiting long before the gates open, so it’s clear there is a demand for this. Maybe people would be more encouraged to get up and pursue their early morn-

ing productivity if they knew that breakfast was actually an option.

In short, the Hofstra student body should not be denied their fundamental home kitchen until the morning is half over on the weekends. That is why these dining facilities should be open early on those days as well – so Hofstra students can start their day with hearty, healthy and nutritious foods on any day of the week.

Leah Gath is a freshman bioengineering major, as well as an athlete on the cross country team.

Banning of Silva is a small victory for Tamils

By Visvajit Sriramrajan Last week, Shavendra Silva, the chief of the Sri Lankan Army, was banned from entering the United States.

Silva is a known war criminal who spearheaded the genocide of the Tamil people, an ethnic minority group native to southern India as well as northern and eastern Sri Lanka.

The 25-year civil war that shook the teardrop-shaped island of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians, most of whom were Tamils. The war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan military were especially egregious. Grenades were placed inside wine glasses and dropped from aircrafts onto Tamil orphanages, while rapes and forced disappearances were rampant. Torture persists to this day, as Sri Lanka

is noted by Human Rights a dangerous form of majorisystematic destruction of the Watch and other supranational tarianism. indigenous Tamils’ linguistic humanitarian groups as one Prior to the creation of the and cultural heritage has been of the worst countries in the nation-states of India and in effect for decades. world in terms of abuse and Sri Lanka in 1947 and 1948, Many tend to equate nationtorment.

Tamils moved about relatively states with ethnicities. For inTamils constitute one of freely from region to region stance, Germany is viewed as the largest refugee the home of the Germans groups in the world and Sweden is viewed as “Journalists are censored and the home of the Swedish. and live in nearly every country on tormented, while Tamil citizens’ This Eurocentric view, the planet, while though, is flawed. land is seized and protests dethose who remain in China and Russia their homeland face aren’t just home to the manding answers about the discontinued threats by Han Chinese and ethnic the Sri Lankan central appearances of their loved ones Russians, but also to government. countless other minority remain largely ignored.”

Journalists are cengroups which are often sored and tormented, sidelined by policies, while Tamil citizens’ land is within the Tamil homeland. educational syllabi and govseized and protests demandFollowing the independence ernmental frameworks that ing answers about the disapof both countries from Eurocater to only the majority. pearances of their loved ones pean imperialism, however, This is the case in South remain largely ignored. Just Tamils became a minority in Asian nations like India and as the regimes of Myanmar both India and Sri Lanka. Sri Sri Lanka too. When those and China have been tyranLanka in particular has been in the West talk about Indian nically oppressive against excessively brutal vis-a-vis food or Indian culture, for inthe respective Rohingya and the treatment of Tamils. From stance, their descriptions often Uighur people, the Sri Lankan ambushes and pogroms to point to the specific culinary government has long practiced linguicism and biblioclasm, a or cultural subset of upper-

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class India propagated by its majority.

The banning of Silva from entering the United States was a victory not only for criminal justice but also for the rights of indigenous people like the Tamils who, despite their incredibly rich religious, cultural and literary histories, are considered inferior on the faulty basis of international power. Silva’s ban, nevertheless, is but one small victory in the larger mission of securing indigenous rights in an increasingly nationalistic world.

Visvajit Sriramrajan is a sophomore journalism and linguistics major.

OP-ED

THE CHRONICLE

FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • A13

Okay, Bloomer: Why is everyone taking Bloomberg seriously?

By Robert Kinnaird

Michael Bloomberg attended the Democratic Debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Feb. 19, and it did not go well for him. Senator Elizabeth Warren challenged him on his previous sexual harassment scandals and subsequent nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) with the women who accused him, challenging him to announce that he would release the women from their NDAs on live television. Bloomberg declined and was booed by the crowd. The rest of the candidates were on the offense as well, and Bloomberg got the worst of it. Those attacks were well deserved.

Michael Bloomberg is a horribly racist, misogynistic plutocrat who bought his way onto the debate stage. The fact that the Democratic National Convention legitimized him is one of the greatest blunders the party has made in recent years. Bloomberg does not represent the vast majority of Americans. He represents the

few wealthy enough to buy a political party.

Bloomberg’s time as mayor of New York City is marred with controversy and grossly authoritarian abuses of power.

Between the stop-and-frisk policy and midnight police raids of peaceful protestors, we know Bloomberg’s true colors. He bills himself as the Democrat to beat Trump, but if we’re being honest, he would be even worse for the country than four more years of Trump when it comes to personal liberties and freedoms. He has shown again and again that he has no regard for our rights and will use the police as a weapon against poor minorities, just as he has done before.

Bloomberg’s racist stop-andfrisk policy showed that he is more than willing to suspend the most basic rights of individuals under his rule. In 2013, his last year as mayor, the NYPD made 191,851 stops.

Compare that to 2014’s 45,787 or 2015’s 22,565. This was not a one-year trend. Drastically increased stops, especially of

young black men, were a consistent truth of Bloomberg’s iron-fisted rule over the city of New York.

Bloomberg and his rampant abuse of power at the expense of minority communities would fit much better with a fascist party than with the Democrats. But when you’re as rich as Bloomberg, political parties mean nothing. You can just throw millions of dollars behind whatever party you think you stand to benefit from. Bloomberg was running as a Republican when Donald Trump was still a registered Democrat, but now that the Democratic party is starting to take a wealth tax seriously, he jumped in, claiming he’s the only one who can beat Trump.

He didn’t join the race to beat Trump. He joined the race to beat Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

No Democrat should be taking this man’s campaign seriously. His treatment of women should be disqualifying, and the fact that he still has Democratic support undermines pre-

vious feminist moves made by other mainstream Democrats.

How can you condemn Kavanaugh then turn around and endorse Bloomberg? How can you call Trump a misogynist and not have that same energy for Bloomberg? Any Democrat who takes Bloomberg seriously but condemned Kavanaugh did that not because they care about women, but because they care about the Democratic party. Nominating Bloomberg risks alienating feminists from the party and costing the party votes in the general election.

There is not a single meaningful difference between Trump and Bloomberg and you should be skeptical of anyone who acts like they’re different.

Bloomberg isn’t the savior of the Democrats that can save us all from Trump. He’s more of the same and if he becomes the nominee, young progressive voters won’t turn out.

“Blue No Matter Who” sounds nice and all, but people won’t vote for Bloomberg if they don’t believe he will make things better. I sure as

hell won’t. If the Democrats want to continue to act as if they’re the party that cares about the working class, about minorities, LGBTQ people and about women, they’ll laugh Bloomberg off the next debate stage. This disgusting man is not your friend and his candidacy is the single most heinous part of this primary.

Changing the rules to allow Michael Bloomberg a spot on the debate stage was a mistake. Nominating Bloomberg against Trump would be a mistake that the Democratic party could not recover from.

It would alienate the entire progressive branch and collapse the small amount of trust progressives still have in the Democrats. His history is too riddled with controversy, misogyny and racism to even pretend that the progressives will go out for him.

Robert Kinnaird is is a junior global studies and journalism major.

Kait vs. Kate: There can only be one

Comic by Mark Herron

OP-ED

A14 • FEBRUARY 25, 2020

University administration is not your friend

By Elliot Colloton On Tuesday, Feb. 11, graduate students at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), went into a full wildcat strike.

The reason: The compensation for their labor (which includes teaching, grading and office hours) is so low that graduate students are struggling to get by. A Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), striking students say, is necessary to reflect rising housing and food costs in one of the most expensive cities in the country. This strike didn’t come out of nowhere.

For several months, COLA organizers have been fighting for the university to meet their demands to little success.

UCSC’s response to this strike has been nothing short of hostile. On Wednesday, Feb. 12, a massive police force made 17 arrests during the demonstrations. Two days later, on Friday, Feb. 14, after students showed no signs of

stopping the strike, University of California President Janet Napolitano issued an ultimatum: Stop the strike by midnight on Friday, Feb. 21, or everyone participating will be fired.

University administrators at UCSC like to present themselves as friends of student workers, but don’t hesitate to silence students when they start speaking up. UCSC’s actions against the graduate students striking for a necessary COLA are straight out of the union busting playbook. If the administration – the bosses – act like they’re the good guys and portray student activists as “going too far” or acting out of hand, it’s much easier to force students to settle for a “compromise” that only benefits the administration without making them look bad.

To put it simply: Just because administrators at universities like to host fun events where they show students

they’re friendly and approachable doesn’t mean they’re acting in students’ best interests.

They won’t hesitate to prove this the second things go sour by sending droves of armed police officers to beat peaceful protestors or threatening to fire hundreds of students who need their jobs to survive.

If there’s anything to be learned from watching the strike unfold on UCSC’s campus, it’s that solidarity with fellow students is the only way to make sure our needs are met.

Even a one-time concession, like a wage increase, doesn’t mean that next time there’s an issue on campus, the administration will be eager to help.

When student workers stand together, university administrations have no choice but to work with them. If every student worker on Hofstra’s campus got fired for organizing, how long would it take for the University to grind to a halt? Fellow workers are your

friends, but the boss never is, no matter how much they try to act like it. Student workers need to stand together on campuses like UCSC and Hofstra. It’s long past time to accept bad working conditions and impossibly low pay just because we’re students.

UCSC students voted to continue the strike through Napolitano’s deadline. They’re refusing to cave to the administration’s scare tactics and threats, remaining steadfast in fighting for a necessary COLA. Every student struggling with too-low wages and an unresponsive administration should be taking notes on the UCSC strike. Their struggle is our struggle, too.

Elliot Colloton is a sophomore sociology major at Hofstra and core organizer with the Hofstra Student Workers Coalition.

New York cash bail law has critical flaws

By Greg DeLapi

The new criminal justice reforms that passed the New York State Legislature in 2019, including an overhaul of the state’s cash bail system and changes to discovery laws, went into effect in early January. The changes are the most radical to the state’s criminal justice system since the Rockefeller drug laws in the 1970s.

They have only satisfied the progressive think tanks and police precincts; town halls and middle-class families are paying the price.

The ability to pay bail in order to avoid pretrial detention is one of the most significantly flawed provisions in criminal statutes across the country. It should be reformed by prohibiting pretrial detention for some nonviolent misdemeanors, with adequate protections designed to ensure a balance between advancing criminal justice reform and protecting public safety.

Yet, New York completely ignores the public safety part.

Burglary, arson, the sale of controlled substances and endangering the welfare of children are among the hundreds of criminal offenses for which a violent defendant can now walk free before his or her trial. Judges must have discretion to assign bail to people arrested under the cash bail law in order to enforce the law and ensure the safety of New York’s communities and the families that live in them.

In addition, the new discovery provisions will put more administrative costs on local municipalities across the state, especially on Long Island, and Albany refuses to appropriate the money for it.

In order to ensure compliance with the new laws, local police departments will be required to spend more time addressing paperwork and bureaucratic red tape to appease defense lawyers, which takes time away from their most important duty – law enforcement. Albany is placing more demands on our local communities without providing

the funding for it. Massive increases in appropriations, particularly for police and district attorney offices, are needed to enforce these new criminal justice laws without accruing deficits and raising property taxes.

If the state legislature wishes to secure broad support for any criminal justice reform, they should talk to their neighbors across the Hudson River. The Garden State passed a cash bail overhaul in 2014, but New Jersey judges were given the discretion to order cash bail based on a risk assessment, mandating pretrial detention if the defendant posed a risk to public safety. Some assemblymen and senators in Albany, including Democrats, are trying to make similar reforms here. They, along with legislative Republicans, prosecutors and law enforcement agencies across the state should be commended for standing up for the rule of law in New York State.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea

Stewart-Cousins should listen to them instead of following the pied piper of the social justice activists, resisting any so-called people-first changes to the new laws.

Instead of a common sense criminal justice package that corrects wealth disparities in the justice system while protecting public safety, the state legislature has chosen to pass laws designed only to appeal to an emboldened left-wing base. By jeopardizing public safety and making our counties, townships and villages foot the bill, Cuomo, Heastie and Stewart-Cousins are flipping the bird at ordinary New Yorkers. No wonder this is yet another reason why so many of them are packing their bags and moving to Florida.

Greg DeLapi is a sophomore political science major from Babylon, New York.

THE CHRONICLE

QUICK HITS

NO TIKTOK ON THE CLOCK On Sunday, Feb. 23, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) banned employees from using the popular app TikTok with government-issued devices, citing security concerns.

IT’S ALWAYS SONNY IN THE AFTERLIFE Famed New York mobster Sonny Franzese of the Colombo crime family died Monday, Feb. 24, according to sources close to the family.

THE ANTI-GRETA This past week, 19-year-old German activist and climate change denier Naomi Seibt went viral after a conservative think tank hired her to rally youth voices against environmentalist policies.

SAD SAMOSA Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted President Trump with an Americanized version of the classic samosa upon his arrival in India, drawing ire from the public.

THE CHRONICLE

FEBRUARY 25, 2020 A 15

SPORTS

Pride Performer of the Week

ALYSSA

PARRELLA

11 GOALS 1 ASSIST

Graphic courtesy of Anthony Roberts

VS WAGNER & FAIRFIELD

Pro Focus: XFL bringing new ideas to a beloved sport

By Mike Senatore ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The potential for a professional football league to carve out a niche as an alternative to the NFL has been explored a number of times. From the long-lasting but recently-shuttered Arena Football League, to the shortlived, unabashed failure that was the Alliance of American Football last year, there seems to be an endless line of wealth funding leagues that purport to create a new brand of football.

The 2020 iteration of the XFL, however, might just have the makings of a success.

For starters, the brand has taken every opportunity to distance itself from the 2001 league of the same name.

That league, the brainchild of WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, barely resembled football. McMahon envisioned a perfect fusion of

the sport with the flashiness and presentation of his native form of entertainment: professional wrestling. It didn’t work. Almost none of it worked. Ratings and attendance tanked after opening week, and the league saw itself grasping desperately for eyes with publicity stunts, such as promising an inside look into the cheerleaders’ locker room.

While that league utilized some innovations in presentation that would later be adopted by the NFL, such as sky cams, the league is remembered best for one player, Rod “He Hate Me” Smart. That shows just how much of an unequivocal failure the league’s only season was, and so the 2020 version’s propensity for denouncing its 2001 counterpart is understandable.

This XFL has looked to innovate in search of a different goal: Rather than make the game flashier and harder-hitting, the league has sought to make it

timelier and more exciting. The most visible change to the speed of the game comes as a result of a shorter play clock. Teams have 25 seconds to call and begin a play, as opposed to the 40 seconds given to NFL teams.

Other rules intended to speed up the game include keeping the game clock running at all times until the last two minutes of a half and the allotment of two timeouts per team each half.

The innovations from the league in play style also have the potential to be hits. Double forward passes have produced exciting trick play attempts, and the system for extra points has made it so that a touchdown and extra point could net a team anywhere from seven to nine points. This change has altered the dynamic of obtaining leads and has satisfied fans.

Through the first two weekends of games, it appears to be too early to tell if the league has the ability to last. A

fantastic first week of ratings was followed by an expected drop-off in week two, making the league’s ability to retain fans through week three crucial.

Time will tell if football fans have finally found a lasting spring football league, or if the XFL reboot will fall to the same fate as its earlier counterpart.

Photo courtesy of Scott Taetsch/Getty Images Cardale Jones is the starting quarterback for the DC Defenders.

A 16• FEBRUARY 25, 2020

THE CHRONICLE

SPORTS

Langella leads women’s lacrosse to victory over Fairfield

By Max Sacco STAFF WRITER

Final Hofstra

17

Fairfield

13

On the morning of Saturday, Feb. 22, the Hofstra Pride women’s lacrosse team came out with a 17-13 win over the Fairfield University Stags at home in James M. Shuart Stadium. “[It was] obviously really great to get another win under our belt,” said Hofstra head coach Shannon Smith. “I

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thought we were very dominant on the draws, which was impressive to us.”

The Pride started the game with fireworks when they scored just 13 seconds in, thanks to a quick goal from Florida transfer Sabrina Cristodero.

“I mean, once that first goal was in, the momentum [started] picking up,” Cristodero said.

“I’m thinking, ‘We can do this.’”

The Pride scored four more goals before the Stags got their first goal of the game at the 20:49 mark thanks to a low corner shot from Fairfield’s Meaghan Graham that beat Pride goalie Jess Smith.

The Pride responded with another goal of their own when sophomore Erin Demek got her second goal of the season off a free position shot after taking a hard foul inside the box, making the score 6-1.

Fairfield scored three goals before the end of the half but the Pride scored three of their own to end the first half with a score of 10-4. Erin Demek,

Alyssa Parrella and Katie Whelan also scored goals for the blue and gold.

At the start of the second half, history was made when Darcie Smith won her 201st draw control, giving her the most draw controls in Hofstra Pride women’s lacrosse history.

The Pride continued capitalizing on the recordbreaking draw control when they scored the first goal of the half just three minutes in, thanks to a speedy shot from Parrella into the top left corner of the Fairfield net.

“Our offense has put a lot of work in during the off-season, and to have multiple threats is exciting,” Shannon Smith said. “Go ahead and face guard [Parrella]; she has three goals, but we have seventeen.”

The Stags scored back-toback to make it 6-11 with goals from Camryn Dera and Diana DeVita, but the Pride responded with three goals of their own from Amanda Guerra, Taylor Mennella and Grace Langella.

“I was just really excited

going into today’s game,” Langella said. “Putting the extra work in has really helped us click.”

The teams continued to exchange punches with each other up until the end of the game when Fairfield scored two goals in the final 35 seconds to make it 13-17. However, the Stags still fell short as the Pride held on for the win.

“Hats off to Fairfield, they play a really tough game,” Shannon Smith said. “I’m just really excited to get our third

win and [have] a full week of practice ahead of us.”

Next for the Pride, the team heads on the road for most of March when they travel to Maryland to face Johns Hopkins University and the defending champions, No. 3 University of Maryland Terrapins.

“We’re going through the gauntlet in March,” Shannon Smith said. “I think we have a really strong strength of schedule and it’s going to prepare us for our conference games in April.”

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Sophomore Grace Langella recorded five goals, good for a career-high.

Men’s basketball clinches CAA share of first place with win over Delaware

By DJ Lopes STAFF WRITER

Final Hofstra

Delaware

78

62

NEWARK, DE – The Hofstra Pride men’s basketball team got revenge on the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens in their 78-62 victory at the Bob Carpenter Center in Delaware on Saturday, Feb. 22. They lost their previous matchup to the Blue Hens on Thursday, Jan. 23, 73-71.

The win is their 22nd overall and eighth in a row.

Additionally, this is the 13th win for the Pride in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play, clinching at least a share of first place. “[It’s] something to really be proud about,” said Hofstra head

coach Joe Mihalich. “But ... the only winning streak anybody cares about is that three-game winning streak in March.”

The Pride struggled in the beginning of the game as the Blue Hens pounced on them, immediately jumping out to an eight-point lead. After taking a timeout, Tareq Coburn and Eli Pemberton combined for an 11-2 run, giving the Pride the lead.

The two teams went back and forth for the rest of the first half with neither gaining too much of an advantage.

After starting the first half cold, Desure Buie rattled off six straight points to close the half, including a last-second jump shot that gave the Pride a 32-31 lead heading into the break.

A big part of what kept the Pride in this game – despite shooting just 34.3% from the field in the first half – was their rebounding. They won the battle of the boards 22-16 in the half,

including a 12-4 advantage on the offensive glass. This advantage not only limited the number of possessions for the Blue Hens, but it gave the Pride more opportunities to break out of their shooting slump.

The beginning of the second half went much like most of the first, with both teams trading baskets. An and-one layup by Collin Goss put the Blue Hens up 43-40 with 14:02 remaining, though it turned out to be their last lead of the game.

Over the next seven minutes, Pemberton and Buie combined for 18 points in a 20-6 run for the Pride, catapulting their lead to 11 points. The lead never dipped below nine as the Pride cruised to the final score of 78-62.

After a rough-shooting first half, the Pride ultimately figured it out in the second half, shooting 48% from the field and 60% from three. This change was primarily due to

the dominant performance by the duo of Pemberton and Buie.

They combined for 34 of the Pride’s 46 points in the second half on 69.2% from the field.

In total, Buie and Pemberton combined for 52 points, scoring 27 and 25, respectively. “[Buie] makes big shots, [Pemberton] making big shots, Isaac Kante’s making his foul shots and scoring around the basket,” Mihalich said. “We’ve got a good group. We’ve got to keep developing and we’ve got to stay hungry. Hungry dogs run faster.”

Another significant factor in the Pride’s win was that they limited Delaware’s presence in the paint. The main reason

the Pride lost their last game against the Blue Hens was that sophomore forward Justyn Mutts was unstoppable, scoring 30 points. In this game, they held Mutts to just 14 points.

“We just shaded him better.

We were more conscious of him,” Mihalich said. “[Delaware], you’ve got to guard them inside and outside.”

The Pride’s success inside allowed them to focus on slowing down Delaware’s outside attack, keeping them to only 20.8% from beyond the arc.

The Pride look to extend their win streak to nine games on Thursday, Feb. 27, when they host Towson University.

Check out our website: www.thehofstrachronicle.com/category/sports

THE CHRONICLE

FEBRUARY 25, 2020 A 17

SPORTS

Softball falters late against UNF to conclude tournament

By Mike Senatore ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Final UNF

8

Hofstra

6

BOCA RATON, FL – The Hofstra softball team fell to the University of North Florida Ospreys on Sunday, Feb. 23, by a score of 8-6. The loss brought the Pride’s season record to 2-6, as they went 1-2 in the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Strike Out Cancer Tournament at FAU Softball Stadium.

A barrage of offense from the Ospreys in the sixth inning gave them the lead. They brought in five runs in the inning to make the score 8-4, four of which were unearned after Shannon Glover reached third base on

a fielding error. The Pride was on the verge of a comeback in the seventh inning as Jordan Pietrzykoski brought in a run from Amanda Maffucci with a double before reaching home plate herself off of a single by Madison McKevitt. Alex Musial pinch hit for Chelsea Manto with two outs, but she was struck out by North Florida pitcher Morgan Clausen to end the game.

Lindsey Hay went deep for a three-run homer that gave the Pride a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning. She brought Jaycee Ruberti and Meghan Giordano in for runs with the long ball.

Hay’s home run was the first of her career and garnered her a game-high three RBIs. McKevitt finished with a game-high three hits and tallied two RBIs, and Pietrzykoski batted in another for the Pride.

For the Ospreys, six different players tallied hits and another six batted in runs. Glover was

one of two Ospreys to send a ball out of the park, as she and Rebecca Koskey both had onerun homers. She was also the only player to reach home multiple times, earning three runs.

The Pride struck first, as Alexis Goeke moved Angelina Ioppolo up to third base by stealing second, setting up McKevitt to bring her home with a single up the middle in the second inning.

North Florida’s Paige Pfent broke the 1-1 tie in the fourth inning when she batted in Glover and Taylor Engman with a single. That 3-1 lead was immediately answered by Hay’s three-run homer that gave Hofstra the advantage.

After Koskey’s home run in the sixth that tied the game, Nikki Mullin took Madison Burns’ spot on the mound to close out the game. Burns struck out two batters and allowed just four hits in 19 at-bats, while the freshman Mullin gave up three

hits in the sixth inning alone.

The team will return to action in the Liberty Spring Classic in Lynchburg, Virginia beginning

on Friday, Feb. 28, against the Yale University Bulldogs.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Jay Miller is in his second season as head coach of Hofstra softball.

HOFSTRA ATHLETIC CALENDAR MEN'S BASKETBALL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL MEN'S LACROSSE

TOWSON

JAMES MADISON

@ CHARLESTON

@ UNC-WILMINGTON

2/27 7 P.M.

2/29 4 P.M.

2/28 7 P.M.

STONY BROOK

SOFTBALL

LIU

2/25 6:30 P.M.

WOMEN'S LACROSSE BASEBALL

3/1 2 P.M.

2/29 1 P.M.

JOHNS HOPKINS 3/3 4 P.M.

@ WICHITA ST / NEVADA

@ WICHITA ST / NEVADA

2/28 TBD

YALE / BUTLER

2/28 9 / 11 A.M.

2/29 TBD

LIBERTY / UPENN 2/15 5 / 7:30 P.M.

FAIRFIELD 3/1 10 A.M.

A 18• FEBRUARY 25, 2020

THE CHRONICLE

SPORTS

Rebounding and turnovers plague women’s basketball vs. JMU

By David Lazar ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

F inal JMU

89

Hofstra

52

The Hofstra women’s basketball team struggled against one of the best in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) – James Madison University (JMU) – falling 89-52 on Sunday, Feb. 23, at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.

Last season, the Pride defeated the Dukes in the quarterfinal round of the CAA Tournament.

Again, playing as the underdogs, Hofstra was unable to rewrite history and upset the CAA powerhouse to earn their first conference win.

“We needed to work on rebounding, keeping up defensive intensity and taking care of the ball,” said Hofstra head coach Danielle Santos-Atkinson. “We have grown in these areas over the last two games, but we did not do the best job today.”

Sandra Karsten and Ana Hernandez Gil tallied nine points

each, while freshman Sorelle Ineza recorded 10 points after a career-high, 18-point performance on Friday, Feb. 21, against Towson. Ineza nailed a three-pointer a minute into the game to get the Pride on the board. “[Ineza] has really stepped into a tough role,” SantosAtkinson said. “She is not only starting, but leading our team at that point-guard position. She is listening, growing and getting better.”

Following a five-second violation by Hofstra a minute later, Kiki Jefferson got the scoring started for the Dukes, continuing an impressive week in which she earned CAA Rookie of the Week accolades. She recorded the visitors’ first eight points, while Ineza matched her with Hofstra’s first six points.

At the end of the first quarter, JMU led Hofstra 19-13. The Dukes kept up the pressure in the second frame, entering halftime up 38-22.

JMU took control in the first half, leading for 16:28 and scoring 19 points each quarter.

Hofstra struggled to control possession in the frame, committing

10 turnovers – eight more than JMU. “When facing a great team, you have to be solid and fundamental in what you do,” SantosAtkinson said.

Both teams played tough down low, but Hofstra struggled on the boards early in the second half. JMU snagged 12 straight rebounds in the quarter, helping them start the frame hot.

“They are long ... and they are athletic,” said Santos-Atkinson, referring to JMU’s rebounding ability.

Jakayla Brown gathered the Pride’s first rebound of the half with 9:10 to go in the fourth quarter to end the streak.

JMU co-captain Kamiah Smalls recorded nine points in the third quarter, finishing the afternoon with 20 overall on 6-for-15 shooting. She added to Jefferson’s 16 points to give the Dukes a balanced attack throughout the game.

The Pride continued to struggle in the fourth quarter, allowing JMU to increase their lead. An 11-0 Dukes run put the game out of reach and sent the crowd home disappointed.

“When you give up that many

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Sorelle Ineza scored 10 points, including a game-opening three.

easy baskets, it is tough to win a basketball game,” Santos-Atkinson said. “We have to grow in our next few games.”

Hofstra’s losing streak increased to 17 games with Sunday’s loss, marking another difficult chapter in the team’s conference narrative.

They fall to 3-23 overall and a winless 0-15 in conference play, while JMU improves to 20-4 on the season and 12-2 in the competitive CAA.

“We are building a foundation,” Santos-Atkinson said.

“We have long-term goals and we have to continue to get better every opportunity we have.”

The Pride will return to action Friday, Feb. 28 when they travel to TD Arena in South Carolina to take on the College of Charleston Cougars. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

Baseball shut out in frustrating loss to La Salle

By Eddie Gardner STAFF WRITER

F i nal La Salle

2

Hofstra

0

PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Hofstra baseball team fell to 1-5 on the season as they dropped both games of a doubleheader to La Salle University on Saturday, Feb. 22.

The Pride carried a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning in game one, but the Explorers rallied for two runs off of Hofstra pitcher Jimmy Joyce to walk it off 4-3. In game two, La Salle exploded for 14 runs on 10 hits to sweep the doubleheader over the Pride.

Hofstra jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one after La Salle starting

pitcher Colin Scanlon allowed an RBI single from Anthony D’Onofrio and also walked in two batters.

Scanlon settled down, however, and shut out the Pride for the next six innings while striking out nine batters. The Explorers finally got on the board in the sixth following a single from Ross Mulhall and a throwing error by Hofstra left fielder Will Kennedy that scored two runs.

The score remained 3-2 in favor of the Pride until the ninth inning when Hofstra sent Joyce out on the mound to close the game, but this proved unsuccessful. Joyce immediately got into trouble on back-to-back singles from Alfonse Sadallah and Elijah Dickerson and allowed La Salle to tie the score with a wild pitch.

Following a second wild pitch from Joyce later in the inning that advanced runners to second

and third, La Salle won the game on a walk-off single from Ryan Guckin.

Hofstra’s bullpen coughed up a lead in the sixth inning or later for the fourth time this season.

Scanlon was dominant for La Salle after his first inning struggles and fired seven innings of three-run ball. For Hofstra, starting pitcher Jack Jett was solid, delivering three shutout innings and striking out five batters.

In the second game of the doubleheader, La Salle completed the sweep with a 14-3 victory.

Austin Gauthier hit his second leadoff home run of the season and helped the Pride build an early 3-1 lead, but the Explorers responded with six runs in the second inning.

La Salle roughed up Hofstra starting pitcher Steven Boscia, who remained in the game for one and two-thirds innings.

The Pride sent out relievers Jack Anderson and Mark Faello, but La Salle’s offense continued to pour it on. In the sixth inning, Tatem Levins cleared the bases for the Explorers with a double that brought their run total to 14.

Hofstra’s defense continued to struggle and committed four

errors in the game that resulted in six unearned runs. The bright spots for the Pride were Gauthier and D’Onofrio, who both recorded multi-hit games and are hitting over .500 for the season.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics Both teams left seven runners on base in the contest.

THE CHRONICLE

FEBRUARY 25, 2020 A 19

SPORTS

Joe Mihalich: A historic legacy that extends far beyond the court

By Taylor Rose Clarke EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“Wonderful.”

That is the first word that comes to Hofstra men’s basketball head coach Joe Mihalich’s mind when asked to describe his tenure at the University. Currently in the heat of his seventh season with the Pride, Mihalich’s career has been nothing short of wonderful. He just celebrated his 400th win as a coach and is leading a powerhouse team headed for the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament.

Humbly, Mihalich is quick to contribute his success to the players.

“It’s been a fun year and it’s really a good group of guys,” Mihalich said. “You know, when you’re a teacher or a coach, the pleasure comes in the people that you work with. I’m lucky to be with a good bunch of guys and so we enjoy every day.”

The tight-knit bond and brotherhood among the team members is largely due to Mihalich’s leadership.

Promoting effective communication, he starts every single practice by going around and saying hello to each team member and asking how they are.

“I think we always have to be aware that everyone is different, and you can help motivate them in different ways and it’s really

WIN1

all about communication,” he said. “I go around 14 times [and] say, ‘Hey, how are you doing? How was your day?’

And you know sometimes you can tell, ‘Hey, maybe he’s in a bad mood...’ so then you can act accordingly just to keep everyone’s morale up and keep them motivated.”

The strong connection on and off the court can also be attributed to Mihalich’s unique

into place,” Mihalich said.

His coaching career began in Hyattsville, Maryland at DeMatha Catholic High School.

In 1981, Mihalich made the leap to college basketball, serving as the assistant coach at La Salle University until 1998.

“I was an assistant coach for a long time,” Mihalich said.

“I always said when I get my chance, I know what I want to look for, I know what I don’t

“If you want to be good, you always have to have that mentality that you can learn something new every day.” approach to recruitment.

“People always say, ‘What are you looking for, when you go look at the high school players?’ and I think they think you’re going to say, ‘Well, we need a seven-footer and someone who is really fast and somebody who can jump high,’ but I always talk about six things,” Mihalich said. “[Are you a] good player, good person, good student and then do you love the game? Do you hate to lose? And will you work hard?”

Mihalich believes these criteria are a major component to the program’s success.

“When you throw those six things together and everybody has those things in common, then everything kind of falls

want to look for.”

Prior to coming to Hofstra, Mihalich led the Purple Eagles at Niagara University, where he received numerous accolades for his coaching and drove the team to 265 victories, three appearances at the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and a pair of NCAA Tournament berths.

Now, sitting in the top of the CAA, the Hofstra men’s basketball team is a force to be reckoned with under Mihalich.

The season has been successful thus far, but Mihalich and the team are focused on staying strong and staying motivated.

“In a way, we’re always preparing for those three days in March,” Mihalich said. “We use

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CAREER

WIN 100 CAREER

JOE MIHALICH 402 CAREER WINS WIN200 CAREER

WIN 1

HOFSTRA

WIN 300

that expression, ‘Three days in March, three days in March,’ all the time. I’ve said it since July.”

He emphasized that this mentality continues off the court too, making sure the players are sleeping enough, eating right and getting stronger in the weight room.

“You’re always preparing for it,” Mihalich said.

Mihalich played collegiately at La Salle from 1974 to 1978

WIN 400 CAREER

and served as team captain in 1978. Drawing from his own experiences on the court as a student athlete, Mihalich is able to optimize his coaching strategies.

“I think we all learn from experience, it’s the only way to learn. ... We all learn on the job,” Mihalich said. “Through the years, I’ve learned [about coaching] by being around great teams and I’ve learned [about coaching] by being around teams that weren’t so good.”

As an experienced coach, Mihalich emphasized that he is continuously learning.

“I learn more from the players than they learn from me, and I think coaches learn from each other,” Mihalich said. “If you want to be good, you always have to have that mentality that you can learn something new every day.”

Mihalich gets the opportunity to learn from other exceptional coaches every day right within his own family. His three sons all coach on the collegiate level: Joe is an assistant coach for the University of Pennsylvania men’s basketball team; Matt is an assistant coach for the University of Hartford men’s basketball team and Tony is an assistant coach for the cross country and track and field programs at George Mason University.

But rest assured, it’s always friendly competition among the family.

“We just root so hard for

each other. Because we love each other, we’re not upset if one guy does better than the other. We hurt more for the loss when somebody loses a game,” Mihalich said.

“We do commiserate and compare and talk,” he said.

“Whether it’s a recruiting story or a bad practice, good practice, bad game, good game ... we do always share notes and so forth.”

Over the course of his time with the Pride, Mihalich has brought the team to postseason play three times. Last season, he was named the CAA Coach of the Year after a historic 2018-19 season and a 16-game win streak. He became the first Hofstra coach to receive such recognition since the University joined the CAA. “I’ve had so many great memories,” Mihalich said. “All the memories would eventually lead to the special times I’ve had with special guys. I love them all.”

For Mihalich, some moments that stand out personally in his career at Hofstra, are winning the regular season championship in 2016 and beating UCLA this year.

“It’s hard to pick out one,” Mihalich said.

It is no doubt that Mihalich has changed Hofstra men’s basketball and will be known as one of the greatest coaches in its history. His immeasurable impact spreads into the entire Hofstra community and is more than the team’s astonishing records or star players. The true legacy is in Mihalich’s kindness, determination, his passion and his dedication to the team on and off the court. “[Hofstra is] a fabulous place.

My experience here has been [with] great people, I just feel so lucky to be here at a place like this,” Mihalich said. “It’s a world class institution. We have incredible leadership ... and I just feel lucky to be here, I really do.”

And Hofstra is lucky to have him.

THE HOFSTRA CHRONICLE

SPORTS

February 25, 2020

Lucky number 400

Joe Mihalich earns his 400th career win during Hofstra’s current eight-game win streak Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics