The Justice, November 7, 2023

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T h e I n d e p e n d e n t S t u d e n t N e w s p a p e r o f B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9 Volume LXXVI, Number 7

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Brandeis professors win National Medal of Science learned more about Profs.

Marder and Pesko's research and recent recognition.

By DANIELA ZAVLUN AND NATANIELA ZAVLUN JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

President Joe Biden awarded Brandeis Profs. Eve Marder (BIOL) and Gregory Petsko (BCHM) with the National Medal of Science on Oct. 24. The National Science Foundation recognizes this achievement as the most prestigious national honor for scientists in the U.S. According to the foundation, the National Medal of Science is given to scientists across all fields for their “outstanding contributions to knowledge in the physical, biological, mathematical, engineering, or social and behavioral sciences.” Its recipients are chosen by a presidential committee of scientists after being nominated by other members of the scientific community. A press release from the National Medal of Science Foundation stated that Dr. Marder won the award for “her visionary application of theoretical

and experimental approaches to understanding neural circuits” and Dr. Petsko for his work on developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, which has “raised the ambitions of our nation regarding aging with dignity.”

Dr. Marder’s research in neuroscience has significantly advanced the field’s understanding of the way that neural circuits generate behavior. She was one of the first to consider the role of neuromodulators, chemicals that affect groups of neurons, in neural circuits and behavior. She later discovered that neural circuits rewire themselves to maintain homeostasis and developed the first models of homeostatic regulation of intrinsic excitability.

Dr. Marder said that she developed these models with Dr. Larry Abbott, who is now the William Bloor Professor of Theoretical Neuroscience at Columbia University. Her work has led to further groundbreaking studies on the mechanisms involved in homeostatic regulation.

Dr. Marder also collaborated with Dr. Abbott to design the dynamic clamp, a technique used to build such models. The dynamic clamp allows experimentalists to change neurons’ conductance and is widely used in studies of neural circuits.

See RECOGNITION, 5 ☛

BRIEF Shuttle driver criminally charged year after crash On Nov. 3, 2023 Jean Fenelon, the driver responsible for the shuttle crash in November 2022, was criminally charged.

These charges consisted of motor vehicle homicide and speeding. He has been ordered not to operate a motor vehicle without a license or have any contact with witnesses.

Fenelon was released on a personal recognizance, meaning the defendant was released on a promise to attend their scheduled court date, in Waltham District Court. His next court date is set to be Feb. 28, 2024 according to a statement made by the Middlesex district attorney.

The Middlesex district attorney’s statement also provides further information regarding the results of the investigation of the crash. The investigation concluded that Fenelon failed to apply the brakes as the bus was crashing into the trees, a result of going 52 miles per hour in an area of a 30 miles per hour speed limit. Fenelon had been found working more hours than was legal in a singular week, as he was also driving school buses in Boston.

Vice President of Student Affairs Andrea Dine, Vice President for Campus Planning and Operations Louis Stanley, and Chief of Public Safety Mat-

thew Rushton sent an email to the Brandeis community following Fenelon’s release and sentencing, alerting community members that the case will be moving through the state court system. This email states that the University has “committed to keeping the community informed of developments” since the crash took place.

As the one-year anniversary of the accident approaches, Brandeis will be holding a moment of silence to remember all of those affected, which will take place in Fellows Garden on Nov. 17 at 2:15 p.m.

Dine also acknowledged that this anniversary could be a hard event for many and listed resources for support on campus including the Brandeis Counseling Center, the Dean of Students Office, the Ombuds Office, the Center for Spiritual Life, and the Office of Graduate Affairs.

— Anna Martin

CECI XILEI CHEN/the Justice

GATHERING: Students displayed Palestinian flags while speakers shared their thoughts and experiences with attendees.

Students for Justice in Palestine hold gathering after derecognition ■ Although the University

revoked SJP's status as a recognized club, community members still gathered to show support.

By ISABEL ROSETH EDITOR IN CHIEF

For the past month, tensions on campus have been steadily rising as a result of the Israel-Hamas war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

This conflict is not a new debate at the University, but it has been exacerbated by the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and Israel’s subsequent declaration of war against Hamas.

While President Ron Liebowitz has released various statements condemning Hamas’ attacks and expressing support for the community, the University had not taken decisive actions concerning the conflict.

However, on Nov. 6, the administration derecognized the Brandeis chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, eliciting strong reactions from the community on multiple sides of the issue.

College campuses have long been a setting for intense and divisive debates surrounding world issues, and the conflict in Israel and Gaza is no exception. Protesters have clashed at multiple universities, including Indiana University on Oct. 9 and the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Oct. 12. Columbia University closed off its campus from the public ahead of a protest led by both SJP and Jewish Voice for Peace and a counter-protest held by Students Supporting Israel.

In recent weeks, Brandeis itself has been at the center of controversy, including when the Student Union originally rejected a resolution condemning Hamas; following backlash, the Union later released a statement condemning Hamas. In an op-ed published by the Boston Globe on Nov. 6, President Liebowitz called on universities to condemn antisemitism on their campuses by dechartering organizations that call for “violence against Jews” or support “annihilation of the state of Israel.”

“To counter this, leaders at colleges and universities must find their moral compass and no longer allow speech that constitutes harassment or threat of violence to flourish on our campuses,” he wrote. “The logic of antisemitism is that left unchecked, it corrodes even the most basic moral standards that stand in its way.”

In a Nov. 6 email attained by the Justice, Vice President of Student Affairs Andrea Dine notified SJP that the University decided to no longer recognize their organization “because it openly supports Hamas,” which she noted has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. government. The National SJP, she said, has called on its

chapters to “engage in conduct that supports Hamas in its call for the violent elimination of Israel and the Jewish people” — tactics which the University condemns. As a result, SJP will no longer receive funding, be allowed to “conduct activities on campus,” or associate itself with the Brandeis name or logo online or otherwise.

Dine stressed that the decision was “not made lightly.” The University, she explained, is dedicated to upholding students’ free speech, values that have been codified in Brandeis’ Principles of Free Speech and Free Expression. She cited parts of the Principles that state “The freedom to debate and discuss ideas does not mean that individuals may say whatever they wish, wherever they wish, or however they wish’” and that “... the university may restrict expression … that constitutes a genuine threat or harassment … or that is otherwise directly incompatible with the functioning of the university.” She said that any students who decide to support Hamas in any way, or “engage in conduct that harasses or threatens violence” through an organization or individually, are in violation of the University’s student code of conduct. Dine told the students that they are still permitted to form another organization if they wish to do so, as long as it complies with University policies.

This decision contradicts the American Civil Liberties Union’s article from Nov. 2 stating that the

See GATHERING, 5 ☛

Student musician

“Across the Spider-Verse”

SSIS struggles with recent budget cuts

 All POC band Olas de Surya's music reflects its members' cultural backgrounds.

 Anna writes her first review on the animated film, looking at its characters and the values they model.

By MOMOCA MAIRAJ

By ANNA NOONY

By TIBRIA J. BROWN

Photo courtesy of SAMUEL YERENA

Waltham, Mass.

COMMUNITY GATHERING

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

■ In an interview, the Justice

Waltham, Mass.

FEATURES 6

Graphic courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

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ARTS 14

NEWS 3

Letter to the Brandeis student body

By ANONYMOUS EDITOR

Rangers win the World Series

By JOSH GANS

COPYRIGHT 2023 FREE AT BRANDEIS.

FORUM 8

SPORTS 12

2

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 ● NEWS ● THE JUSTICE

NEWS SENATE LOG The Student Union Senate gives probationary status to two clubs, keeps Branda’s secured status On Nov. 5, the Student Union Senate gave probationary status to two clubs, maintained Branda’s secured status, appointed new Executive Board Judiciary positions, and approved two Senate Money Resolutions.

Rani Balakrishna ’25, Gabe Haithcock ’25, and Ragini Kannan ’26 requested that the Senate grant Student Athletes of Color probationary status. Student Athletes of Color aims to create a community of athletes of color and provide a safe space for them.

The Senate gave probationary status to Student Athletes of Color by acclamation.

Alex Pickett ’24, Cassie Mastronarde ’25, and Jonathan Roman ’25 requested that the Senate grant Brandeis Swim Club probationary status. Brandeis does not have a club team for swimming, and Brandeis Swim Club wishes to fill that gap.

The Senate gave probationary status to the Brandeis Swim Club by acclamation.

Director of Club Support Sherry Tao ’25 explained why Branda was at risk of being demoted from a secured club to a chartered club. Branda is an app maintained by undergraduate students and alumni designed to offer students key services, such as Brandeis news, a campus events calendar, and a laundry tracker. According to the Department of Student Engagement, Branda leaders did not follow important rules, such as attending compulsory training. Moreover, the club has not been responsive and has not applied for Marathon club funding. A constitutional amendment created last semester solidified the process for de-securing clubs, and the process states that secured clubs will be given a chance to justify maintaining their status in front of the Student Union Senate. The Senate then votes on whether to demote them or not.

The difference between chartered clubs and secured clubs is outlined under Article VI: Union Clubs in the Student Union Constitution. A secured club is “an organization recognized by students as sufficiently important to necessitate annual funding, eligibility to office space in the Shapiro Campus Center, and an advisor, and thus attain secured status through the Student

Union Constitution.” Additionally, secured clubs must have existed for at least five consecutive years and submit an annual impact assessment report to the DSE and to the Student Union Senate. WBRS, the Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps, and the Waltham Group are examples of secured clubs. Unlike chartered clubs, secured clubs can submit budgets and budget adjustments to the Allocations Board earlier than chartered clubs, budget on an annual basis through the Allocations Board, and can only lose their status through a constitutional amendment.

Archer Heffern ’25 and Marco Qin ’24 defended Branda in front of the Senate. They argued that the club will run smoother with their completely new executive board and that they inherited a lot of problems from previous club leaders. They explained that they have difficulty recruiting members because working on the app requires specialized technical knowledge. However, they are working on increasing membership and diversifying the club to include people focused on business, social media marketing, and communication. Moreover, since TripShot is the new app that the school uses to track shuttles, Branda performed market research to find new features for the app. They are also aware that the laundry tracker is often inaccurate and want to address the issue.

The Senate voted to maintain Branda’s secured status by acclamation.

The Judiciary appointed Eva Wibeto ’27 to be the clerk of court.

The clerk of court is a position designed for first-years to acclimate them to the Student Union. Their responsibilities include note-taking and various administrative tasks.

The Senate confirmed Wibeto by acclamation.

The Senate also confirmed Lauren Rifas ’24 as the director of sexual violence prevention.

Senator Sahil Muthuswami ’24, chair of the health and safety committee, proposed a SMR to buy COVID-19 tests for students at the last meeting. The resolution passed by acclamation.

Since the Charles River Quad Senator Kat Xikes ’26, who is the chair of the facilities, housing, and transportation committee, was

not present, Senator-at-Large Yoni Kahn ’24, co-chair of the social justice committee, presented updates from the FHT committee.

They want to create a competition for which student’s dorm has the best interior design. Footage of winners’ rooms will be used to show prospective students what dorms look like and clear up any confusion about room layouts. They also finished flyers with QR codes linked to a survey for students to report concerns with their dorms. The survey is less focused on solving maintenance issues and more on adding infrastructure improvements.

Senator Eamonn Golden ’24 presented updates from the rules committee. They are considering eliminating residential senators and combining them with at-large or class senators. Combining these positions would allow more people to run for the position.

Secondly, they are debating a switch from three election cycles to two spring elections: one for the Judiciary and the president, and one for everything else. Spring elections would allow firstyears to experience Brandeis before running for Student Union.

Lastly, they want to change the Executive Board’s composition.

Currently, the president can appoint and create positions as they like. However, the committee wishes to permanently establish some positions to allow for continuity between Student Union administrations.

Senator Ria Escamilla-Gil ’27 submitted a SMR to fund an event with the Brandeis Gen One Network to hand out free winter accessories, like scarves.

The Senate passed a motion to expedite the SMR vote. The SMR passed by acclamation.

— Editor’s note: Justice Editor Rani Balakrishna ’25, the media coordinator of Student Athletes of Color, did not contribute to or edit this article.

— Amanda Chen

POLICE LOG MEDICAL EMERGENCY Oct. 27—There was a medical emergency. The patient was transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Oct. 28—A patient with an injured knee refused medical treatment.

Oct. 28—There was a medical emergency for a knee injury. The patient was transported to a local hospital.

Oct. 28—A patient with an injured thumb refused medical treatment.

Oct. 29—Community members called for medical assistance for a non-community member. The patient was transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Oct. 29—BEMCo treated an intoxicated party. The patient was transported to a local hospital for further care via ambulance.

Oct. 29—A caller reported an intoxicated party. BEMCo evaluated the patient and deemed them safe to stay in their room.

Oct. 30—A caller reported a party not feeling well. The patient refused medical treatment.

Oct. 31—A party experienced chest pain and numbness in their arm. BEMCo and officers responded. The patient was transported to a local hospital.

Nov. 1—A party called to report that an individual locked themself in the bathroom for a couple hours. The reporting party also said there was water leaking. The patient was transported to a local hospital.

Nov. 1—The party from the previous call reported that the patient returned. The reporting party requested BEMCo’s assistance. The patient was transported to a local hospital.

Nov. 1—An individual who was not feeling well was transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Nov. 1—There was a medical emergency for a party not feeling well. The patient refused medical treatment.

Nov. 1—A caller requested medical aid for a party experiencing flu-like symptoms. The patient signed a refusal for medical treatment.

Nov. 1—There was a medical emergency. The patient was transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

DISTURBANCE Oct. 28—There was a noise complaint. The building was advised of quiet hour regulations.

Oct. 29—Administration reported the destruction of posters in the Usdan Student Center. An investigation is to follow.

Oct. 30—A party reported a nearby party making loud noises and advised that this was an ongoing issue. The area coordinator on-call was notified to respond.

SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES Oct. 28—A suspicious person tried to enter a student’s room. The individual was transported to a local hospital.

Oct. 28—There was a dispute about proper tipping protocol on Uber Eats. An investigation is to follow.

ACCIDENT/NO PERSONAL INJURY Oct. 30—There was a multiple-vehicle accident. The matter was cleared.

Nov. 1—An officer reported that one of the flower pots in front of the Main Entrance was knocked over. A review of CCTV footage shows that it had been knocked over around 2 in the morning by a dark colored vehicle. An investigation is to follow.

MISCELLANEOUS Nov. 2—There is no public information that can be shared for an ongoing investigation.

— Compiled by Anika Jain

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS ■ A News article incorrectly spelled the Waltham mayor’s name. It was corrected to Jeannette McCarthy.

(Oct. 31, pg. 3).

■ A News article incorrectly said that Jonathan Paz is a

“first-term” city councilor from Ward 9. It was corrected to “second-term” city councilor. (Oct. 31, pg. 3).

■ A News article incorrectly said that Jonathan Paz “worked” for an immigrants rights’ lobby. It was corrected to he is “currently employed” by the immigrants rights’ lobby. (Oct. 31, pg. 3).

■ A News article incorrectly said that the Waltham mayoral election is between two Democrats. It was corrected to say that the election is nonpartisan. (Oct. 31, pg. 3).

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Send an email to editor@thejustice.org.

Justice

DAVID ZHOU/the Justice

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The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods.

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CECI XILEI CHEN/the Justice

THE JUSTICE ● NEWS ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

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FUNDING

SSIS faces obstacles as they accomodate newly downsized budget ■ The Student Sexuality Information Service budget was cut by almost half of what they received last year, leaving its staff to adjust.

By MOMOCA MAIRAJ

JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

For the 2023-24 school year, the Student Sexuality Information Service received a significantly smaller budget than they had in 2022-23.

While they received a slightly larger budget than they had in previous years, they have seen an uptick in the demand for their services that is not easily supported by this allocation. SSIS, located on the third floor of the Shapiro Campus Center, offers subsidized products and services such as emergency contraception, sexual pleasure products, barrier methods, and confidential peer support. They also have outreach and training initiatives, as well as a library.

For the 2022-23 school year, SSIS received $50,700 as their allocated budget. This year, they requested an increase to $69,000, “which reflects

the substantial growth we have experienced over the past few years and was thoroughly supported with evidence of our organization’s expenses, such as emergency contraceptive, barrier methods, and other product costs” SSIS staff said in an Oct. 30 email correspondence with the Justice. However, the Allocations Board approved $25,000 — less than a third of their initial request. Following an appeals process, SSIS ultimately secured a budget of $30,000 for this year. “This allocation limits our ability to meet the needs of the community,” they explained.

Last April, multiple clubs encountered significant budget reductions due to the depletion of overall funds following the expiration of COVID-19 rollover funding. Between the first round of Spring Marathon and budget appeals, clubs requested a total of $2,912,000, of which the Allocations Board approved $1,476,415 — approximately 49% of requested funding.

During the 2022-23 fiscal year, the Student Activities Fee, which is supported by 1% of student tuition, had an abundance of rollover funds because “during the pandemic, clubs were not spending money from the Student Activities Fee fund,” A-Board Chairs Rashail Wasim ’25 and Sara Motoyama ’24 said in an Nov. 6 email to the Justice. “The Fiscal Year 2023 budget for SSIS was determined by A-Board during

the Spring 2022 Marathon, when the last of the pandemic surplus was exhausted.” SSIS faced the steepest budget cuts, receiving 36% of their original request for the 2023-24 fiscal year and facing an overall 49% cut from their previous year’s budget.

The A-Board communicated their understanding of the challenges that come with the limited funding available. “We do understand that this is an adjustment for clubs, and we wish we were able to fund all clubs, including SSIS, at a higher amount. Unfortunately, budgetary realities limit us in that regard, and there are 200 or so clubs that we also have to ensure get their fair share of funds,” Wasim and Motoyama said.

The return to their pre-pandemic budget has made it more challenging for SSIS to maintain a fully stocked inventory. To continue offering their services, they have begun to purchase wholesale as well as pursue Community Emergency and Enhancement Fund grants and other supplementary funding opportunities such as fundraising initiatives. CEEF grants, though difficult to obtain, fund student-led initiatives with a long-term impact on the Brandeis community, such as the Branda App and the condom dispensers available in underclassmen dorms. “This ensures our commitment to

serving the community’s needs while prioritizing core offerings over less critical expenses,” SSIS explained, “That being said, we do want to underscore the necessity for adequate funding in the future so we can continue to serve the Brandeis community.”

Over the past five years, SSIS has expanded its offerings to adapt to feedback from the student body. Their services and products have also grown more popular due to their visibility and affordability initiatives. “SSIS has experienced a notable uptick in the utilization of our services, primarily attributed to the increased accessibility of our sliding scale pricing model, which now begins at $0, ensuring financial inclusivity for students ... Additionally, SSIS has enhanced its visibility through networking and collaboration with other clubs,” they said.

SSIS emphasizes that regardless of its budget, they will remain committed to being accessible for Brandeis. “We look forward to the upcoming year, hoping for a more equitable allocation that will enable us to meet the evolving needs of our community,” they said. “We hope that students will continue to utilize our services, and we appreciate the support that we have received from the community thus far.”

WRITING WORKSHOP

David Anthony Durham discusses writing process and root of inspiration ■ Durham delves into his prolific career spanning multiple genres, from historical fiction to fantasy, and provides insight into his creative writing process.

By AMANDA CHEN

JUSTICE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

On Nov. 2, author David Anthony Durham led a writing workshop and discussed his oeuvre. This event was part of the Creative Writing Reading Series and was co-sponsored by the Mandel Center for the Humanities.

Prof. Stephen McCauley (ENG), the co-director of the creative writing program, gave an introduction. The event was supported by the Dafna Zamarripa-Gesundheit Endowment, and McCauley explained that the endowment was created to memorialize Dafna Zamarripa-Gesundheit, who was a Brandeis student.

During the talk, Durham emphasized that perseverance is essential for writers and highlighted advice from author Octavia E. Butler.

Butler believed that the most important trait for a writer to have is persistence. Out of the students Durham has worked with, the ones who kept trying, worked through rejection, and remained incredibly patient with the writing process were the ones who made progress. “Forget about talent, whether or not you have any.

Because it doesn’t really matter,” Butler stated.

“I don’t feel that I have any particular literary talent at all. It was what I wanted to do, and I followed what I wanted to do.”

Similarly, author Neil Gaiman stated that it’s normal if one’s writing doesn’t appeal to everyone. Gaiman’s mindset influenced Durham and showed him that writers should showcase their work even if not everybody likes it. Gaiman stated that ideas can come from anywhere, whether that be at the airport, from one’s imagination, from daydreaming, or from boredom.

However, “the only difference between writers

and other people is we notice when we’re doing it,” according to Gaiman. Durham added that “we [also] write things down.” Durham relates to Gaiman’s statement, and as an undergraduate student, there was a moment where he realized that he had ideas but was not writing them down. His decision to start writing was a significant step because he “was attempting to put them on paper, to make them tangible, shareable, so that I could remember what I’d written, ... develop the stories better, and maybe hopefully other folks could read them.”

Just as Gaiman found inspiration at an airport, Stephen King and Suzanne Collins’ work also drew from mundane occurrences. King fell asleep on a plane ride once and dreamt of a woman who imprisoned a writer and killed, skinned, and fed him to a pig; she then bound the writer’s novel in his own skin. King’s dream provided the basis for his novel,“Misery.” Meanwhile, Collins was flipping through channels on television and saw a show where young people were trying to win money. Then she came across footage of the Iraq War, “and these two things began to fuse together in a very unsettling way … that is the moment where I got the idea for Katniss’s story,” Collins told Scholastic.

Although Durham said that he has never found a story in a dream, he has often taken ideas from the news. He described that when he switches to writing mode, “It’s like an antenna that is always picking up things [and] stealing from the world, from news, from mystery, and finding a good idea and making it your own in some particular way.”

Durham also delved into how his stories challenge other authors’ portrayals of Black characters. He used Victor LaValle as an example.

LaValle grew up reading the horror stories of H.P. Lovecraft and enjoyed them. However, as he got older, he recognized the racism evident in Lovecraft’s work, which created conflicting feelings. LaValle wrote his book “The Ballad Of Black Tom” to criticize the prejudice in Lovecraft’s books.

Similarly, Durham wrote his first book “Gabriel’s Story” partly as a criticism of Cormac

McCarthy’s depiction of a Black character in his novel “Blood Meridian.” Durham admired McCarthy’s writing style but took issue with its treatment of Black characters. He wanted to write a Western with an African American character as the center of the story. Moreover, as a history major for most of his college experience –– before switching to an English major –– he fell “in love with the unexplored history of African Americans in the American West.”

Durham read an excerpt from “Gabriel’s Story.”

His second book “Walk Through Darkness” was also historical fiction. It combines a story of immigration from Scotland, a story of slavery, and the forced migration of African Americans to America. The book reflects his family in two ways: his wife and her family, who are from Scotland, and also his own family. He also read an excerpt from this novel.

“Pride of Carthage” was inspired from a college lecture on Hannibal Barca and the Second Punic War. Durham wanted to explore how the war affected everyone, and he “had no interest in telling the story of the war from one perspective, or from Hannibal’s perspective. It needed to be about everyone who was caught up in it.”

Durham also read a section from “The Risen.” The book is about “the legendary gladiator Spartacus and the vast slave revolt he led that came ever so close to bringing Rome, with its supposedly invincible legions, to its knees.”

His original idea was a vampire and werewolf novel, but his publisher rejected the idea. He joked that there are still some elements in the book reminiscent of vampires and werewolves, though.

Durham additionally authored a trilogy of fantasy novels called the Acacia Series that includes “Acacia: The War with the Mein,” “The Other Lands,” and “The Sacred Band.” “The Shadow Prince” and its sequel “The Longest Night in Egypt” are part of his middle grade solarpunk fantasy series. According to his website, his stories were featured in four of George R.R. Martin’s Wild Cards novels: “Fort Freak,” “Lowball,” “High Stakes,” “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and “Pairing Up.”

In addition to his literary work, Durham has consulted for several shows in development at HBO and is currently writing the film adaption of “The Ice Dragon” by George R.R. Martin.

For his collaboration with George R.R. Martin for the “Wild Cards” novels, Durham had to create his own signature character that had not been done before in the series. Many of his ideas were rejected, but he finally found an idea when he saw his young son Sage’s drawings.

Sage had a binder with character worksheets inside, and each page had a drawing of the character, the character’s name, their origin story, nemesis, special powers, and weaknesses. One of them was a character named Black Tongue, and Black Tongue became the basis for the first character that was accepted for the series.

Durham has also taught at many places, and he is now teaching at the Stonecoast MFA Program of the University of Southern Maine.

He received the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Fiction Award in 1992, the 2002 Legacy Award for Debut Fiction, and was a Finalist for the 2006 Legacy Award for Fiction. He won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 2009. Durham also mentioned his connection to Brandeis through his mother, who attended the University in the 1960s and was the first person in his family to go to college.

After his mother passed away in 2001, he did not want to take life for granted. He started thinking about what his next novel would be, and he turned to the fantasy genre, ultimately resulting in his “Acacia” trilogy. When he was young, he admits that he was a reluctant reader; however, fantasy helped nurture his love for books, and his favorite authors included J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Ursula K. Le Guin.

For the trilogy, he wanted “to write a fantasy world [that] was a lot more representative of our world’s diversity.”

After Durham’s talk, there was a raffle to win free editions of his books. Four winners were chosen from a bucket containing slips of paper with people’s names on them. People could also purchase his novels and get them signed by him.

JONAS KAPLIN/the Justice

WORKSHOP: Durham offered creative writing advice to his audience by recounting his history with creative writing, referencing other writers, and anecdotes that he has learned throughout his career path.

THE JUSTICE ● NEWS ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

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RECOGNITION: Brandeis professors awarded for their research CONTINUED FROM 1

To study how neural systems work, Dr. Marder uses the neural systems of crabs and lobsters because they are small enough to identify all of the neurons within the system and determine how they interact, she explained in a Oct. 31 interview with the Justice. When a graduate student and a postdoc in her lab struggled to build a model of the currents in a neuron called the LP neuron using specific parameters, she and Dr. Abbott hypothesized that the LP cell was changing its dynamics to maintain homeostasis.

“The general principle that cells have to constantly rebuild themselves is almost certainly the case,” she said. “Neurons are going to live for hundreds of years, so they need to rebuild themselves.

Dr. Marder currently runs a biology lab at the University, where she studies how neural circuits maintain their function over a lifetime, how neuromodulators can allow a single neural circuit to generate diverse behaviors, how similar behaviors are generated by different means, and why different animals have variable responses to environmental stimuli.

In the next few years, Dr. Marder hopes to “get a little bit more insight into the long-term changes that are brewing in animals and people as a result of experience.”

“These are the kinds of changes that you see in people who come back with PTSD … They’ve had a really terrible experience, something’s happened, and they can appear to be fine until the wrong trigger happens,” she explained. “I call those cryptic changes, so that’s what we see

in the crabs. If you don’t challenge them, they all look perfectly fine, and then it’s only when you really challenge them and push them you see that they’ve been altered.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Petsko’s research focuses on finding treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, and multi-system atrophy.

He has also raised awareness through many popularly viewed online lectures about the impending global economic and health crisis that could result from a rapidly increasing elderly population, which is particularly vulnerable to these age-dependent diseases. Dr. Petsko predicts that this trend will lead to a drastically diminished workforce, a financially depleted healthcare system, and a future where most people will know someone affected by these diseases. “[The crisis] was, in effect, a comet that was threatening to hit the earth, and we needed to act with a sense of urgency much greater than we currently had. I made it my mission to alert as many people as possible,” he said in a Nov. 3 statement to the Justice.

Dr. Petsko’s lab at the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School researches the biological causes of these diseases in order to better understand how to develop effective treatments. In his lectures from the Science Communication Lab, he explains that a common thread between all age-dependent neurological diseases is the formation of clusters

of proteins, or protein aggregates, in the brain.

Dr. Petsko studies the genetic changes underlying protein aggregation in order to determine which genes or proteins to target therapeutically, starting with yeast and neuron models and then eventually moving on toin human clinical trials.

Dr. Petsko originally studied structural enzymology, but became inspired to study neurodegenerative diseases and aging after reading Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem “Ulysses.”

“I had become, like Ulysses, comfortable with my structural enzymology, and I could have kept doing it for the rest of my career, but where was the adventure in that? I felt a desire to be uncomfortable again, as I had been when I started out, and to pit myself against a new, bigger challenge. Tennyson has Ulysses say this: ‘Old age hath yet his honour and his toil; Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done.’ So I sought one last work of noble note to try to do, and here I am,” he explained. “When I decided to change the direction of my research, I looked around for the toughest, most important problem I could find. It seemed that the neurodegenerative diseases fit that requirement, so I started reading everything I could find about them.”

Dr. Petsko and his collaborators have developed treatments for ALS, Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease, which they hope to soon test in human clinical trials. However, Dr. Petsko said his long-term goal is “to succeed in showing a great benefit to patients.”

Dr. Marder and Dr. Petsko have each won

many awards throughout their careers. Still, this award is distinct to them. “[What’s] wonderful about this one is it’s given in all areas of science … There was another plant geneticist and a physicist or a chemist, so, from that point of view, it’s more special,” said Dr. Marder. “Most of the other awards I’ve gotten so far have been for neuroscience, so this is a broader award.”

“The spirit of science is not a spirit of tyranny, it is a spirit of liberty. And in presenting me and the other awardees with this medal, the President not only celebrated that spirit, he became part of it. That’s special,” said Dr. Petsko.

“The other thing is that unlike, say, the Nobel Prize, this medal is given not for a specific discovery but for a life’s work, and one who receives it must also have demonstrated service to the nation … That’s also special.”

Both laureates shared their advice for aspiring scientists. Dr. Marder divulged the “secret of success” she received as a postdoc from Nobel Prize winner Eric Kandel: “Just keep working.” She explained, “If you just keep going and you do things well, you’re bound to stumble on something interesting.”

Dr. Petsko emphasized the importance of learning from failure, questioning your assumptions, and working in the interest of the public good.

“Science is not a profession because it is a skilled job; it is a profession because it is a service performed for the public good,” he said. “...

[I]f you are called to it you are among the luckiest people in the world.”

GATHERING: Community members attend canceled event CONTINUED FROM 1 Anti-Defamation League has not provided evidence that the National SJP organization has aligned itself in a material way with Hamas.

The ACLU also said that “local chapters of student groups cannot be punished for their association with national organizations.”

The ADL’s website stated on Oct. 19 that “many of the organization’s campus chapters explicitly endorsed the actions of Hamas and their armed attacks on Israeli civilians” and called for a confrontation and “dismantling” of Zionism on college campuses. They wrote that SJP’s “Day of Resistance Toolkit” made it clear “that it advocates for Hamas or other Palestinian forces to conquer all of Israel” and “for the ‘complete liberation’ of Israel and the full influx of Palestinians to Israeli land.” They also attached two chapters’ graphics, one of which was in support of the “Unity Intifada.”

SJP announced the administration's decision to derecognize the organization and the vigil’s subsequent cancellation on their Instagram a few hours before its scheduled time on Monday, Nov. 6. They wrote that the move by the University was an attempt to silence the organization and prevent them from speaking the truth. SJP also recognized the decision as a racist one that violates the University’s founding values of social justice and anti-racism in higher education.

“We thank everyone who stood with us during this beautiful journey, and we encourage you to reach out to us if you need any kind of support,” the post’s caption said.

SJP did not provide a statement to the Justice as of press time.

Derecognition differs from the process of dechartering, which the Student Union oversees. Dechartering typically happens if clubs fail to fill out forms or their executive boards fail to respond to important emails. The decision is ultimately put up to a full Senate vote, to which two-thirds of the vote must be in favor of dechartering the club.

However, the decision to derecognize SJP as an organization was made by the Division of Student Affairs and did not go through the dechartering process, Student Union President Noah Risley ’24 told the Justice in a Nov. 6 text exchange. As of press time, the Justice did not receive a response from the Dean of Students’ office or Student Affairs.

Clubs have been derecognized before, but under different circumstances; for example, the Archon Yearbook was derecognized last semester and received no funding prior to the Union dechartering them this semester.

Union President Risley told the Justice in an in-person interview on Nov. 6 that their current plan is to work with the club support team and SJP to see if the organization wishes to either reorganize or amend their constitution in an effort to be recognized by the University again.

The organization, they clarified, has not been dechartered by the Union.

On Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m., students gathered in the Shapiro Campus Center’s atrium with no official plans other than to give students a space to speak in support of Palestine, hold space for the mourning of the Palestinian war victims, and recount their own experiences. The gathering was officially unaffiliated with SJP. “I don’t think any of us came here with a plan … [we’re] just here to remember,” one participant said.

Police were stationed outside the building with at least one officer inside.

The demonstration began quietly, with a few students on a raised step alongside the build-

ing’s main staircase holding two Palestinian flags. It opened with a moment of silence in memory of the Palestinians that died as a result of the war in the past month. As people began to speak, community members, including but not limited to undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni, continued to gather in the atrium, up the stairwell, and on the walkways above.

Early on, students on the main level gradually took a seat on the floor until most were seated.

Many students chose to speak in front of the crowd and voice their support for Palestine. A common sentiment amongst the speakers was indignation and anger towards the University's choice to derecognize SJP in what many felt was a response to the vigil, whose stated purpose was to mourn the loss of 10,000 Palestinians.

They questioned how their mourning could be considered harassment or violent. Some felt SJP was being discredited simply because they were advocating for Palestinian people. One student said, “The first job of the University is to make its students feel safe, accepted, [and] loved. What are we doing now?”

Those advocating for Palestinians felt frustrated that their activism was commonly deemed “antisemitic” by other members of the Brandeis community. A participant stated, “Our mourning does not come at the expense of the Jews,” and another acknowledged that Jewish attendees were risking a lot to be there. The student said that Jewish students would face “propaganda” telling them they are traitors to their religion for attending, but they stated that wasn’t true. Another speaker also declared that being pro-Palestine does not mean one hates Jewish people, which received much applause.

A few Jewish students also spoke and expressed their support towards Palestinians and the movement.

Participants also expressed outrage at the University’s continued support of Israel’s violence against people in Gaza and the “unjust murders” of thousands of civilians. Most attendees referred to the violence as a genocide.

To many of the speakers, the fact that Brandeis claims to value social justice felt insincere and comical. One student stated that the University was a “disgrace” to social justice due to their constant and explicit support of Israel. “Free Palestine!” was repeatedly declared by many speakers and repeated by much of the crowd.

According to one Palestinian student who spoke at the event, there are only three Palestinian students currently attending the University. The student told attendees their 36 family members who lived in Gaza had been killed, and their immediate family living in Jerusalem had also been attacked in their home. The student repeatedly expressed their gratitude towards everyone who attended the gathering. They said that they had hated their time at Brandeis thus far, and SJP was the only part of their experience giving them the courage to continue living in the U.S. The turnout meant everything, they said.

Another Palestinian student gave an emphatic speech that received much applause and cheers from the crowd. They said that they were “done with the Zionist forces at this school,” and said that in their four years at the University, they had “never been more disgraced at Brandeis” than they were for the cancellation of the vigil.

One of the last few speakers, who had also

spoken at the beginning of the demonstration, called for attendees to show up at the front of the Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center on Friday at 3:30 p.m. to call for the University to reinstate SJP and rescind their support of the Israeli “occupation and genocide.”

At the end of the demonstration, attendees listed off the names and ages of many of the Palestinians who were killed over the past month.

After a few more people spoke, the crowd began to disperse.

The event was ultimately over an hour in duration.

The announcement of the decision to unrecognize SJP followed a controversial statement released by Hillel. In anticipation of the vigil prior to its cancellation, Executive Director of Hillel Rabbi Seth Winberg sent an email to Hillel members the morning of Nov. 5 offering “support, resources, and advice.” He expressed his pride “to be a part of such a strong and resilient community during an immensely difficult time in Jewish history” and asked students to report any “incidents or challenges” they may face to Brandeis Public Safety and the Dean of Students’ office. Additionally, he included his phone number for anyone needing to reach him and encouraged students to reach out to professors if facing academic challenges.

Winberg wrote that the vigil may exacerbate any fears or anxieties amongst students, and he urged students to react in a “constructive and positive manner” and said, “don’t give SJP oxygen.” Students should avoid “disturbing” what he described as the current, relatively quiet equilibrium on campus. The statement said a counter-protest at the vigil would encourage other students to do the same, and such conflict could have long-term repercussions on the broader campus climate. “Encouraging students to go to SJP events is fraught with uncivil activity risk,” he wrote, adding, “Who knows what will be said in the heat of the moment” and that “the press will have a heyday.”

The email stressed the importance of taking care of oneself and relying on the support and strength of the Hillel community. He concluded his statement with, “We are here for you, and we are committed to providing resources to help you be resilient while you navigate these difficult times.”

As of press time, Hillel declined to give a statement to the Justice.

Concurrent with the gathering at the SCC, Hillel hosted a dinner and discussion in the Hillel Lounge with the Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Jonathan D. Sarna (NEJS), on the University’s ties to Israel. The event was announced in Winberg’s email. The email promoted attending Hillel’s event rather than forming a counterprotest.

SJP posted a response to Winberg’s statement on Instagram later on Nov. 5, a message which they described as “a hateful email against one of Brandeis’s smallest minorities.”

The three-slide-long post addressed “racist and dehumanizing” elements of the email and what they described as “rhetoric that seeks to vilify or marginalize Palestinians and Palestine supporters.”

“We believe it is our moral duty to condemn such sentiments and call for a more inclusive and just approach,” the statement said.

SJP specifically took issue with how Hillel’s message seemingly delegitimizes the pro-Palestine perspective. It was, in their view, dismis-

sive and disrespectful — as though they did not deserve to be “granted the dignity of a response or engagement.” They also wrote that Winberg’s email wrongfully insinuated that engaging with SJP was risky and “somehow contaminating,” a sentiment that they stated perpetuates harmful misconceptions about the movement and its supporters. SJP stated that such sentiments discourage the “critical thinking and intellectual growth that universities should foster.”

The statement concluded with a final condemnation of Winberg’s statement and an urge to “take all necessary action” against Winberg, who they said “should be held responsible for any attack or racist incident against any Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim student on campus.”

They also asked for Hillel to “recommit” to principles of social justice and respect for all and to reconsider the organization’s stance on Israel, who SJP said “is committing genocide.”

SJP signed off with “Until Liberation.”

SJP is not the only voice deeming Israel’s actions as committing genocide. In one case, the government of South Africa recalled their diplomatic mission in Israel, describing the nation’s “bombardment” of the Gaza Strip as “genocide.” The Anti-Defamation League has countered these claims; their website states that the use of the word genocide is inaccurate and “serves to demonize the State of Israel and to diminish recognized acts of genocide.”

Since the attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel’s subsequent declaration of war on Oct. 8, over 10,000 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis have been killed as a result of the violence. As of press time, Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza has continued, cutting off Gaza City and effectively splitting the strip in two. The situation in Gaza has been deemed by many, including United Nations Human Rights Council-appointed expert Francesca Albanese, as a “political and humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.”

Hamas is currently holding more than 240 hostages. According to NPR, there have been numerous demonstrations in Israel; some are in support of the hostages and others have been in protest of the Israeli government’s failure to anticipate and prepare for Hamas’ attacks.

Since Oct. 7, Israel has doubled the number of Palestinian prisoners in its jails from 5,200 to more than 10,000.

Antisemitism and antisemitic attacks have surged globally, with ADL reporting in October a 400% increase in antisemitic attacks in the two weeks following Oct. 7. There has also been an increase in anti-Muslim attacks, including the fatal stabbing by an Illinois man of a six year old Palestinian-American boy near Chicago.

Brandeis is the first private institution to unrecognize SJP. As of press time, the resulting consequences and controversy remain to be seen.

This is a developing story.

— Justice editor Cayenn Landau ’23 contributed to the reporting for this article.

features

6 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 ● FEATURES ● THE JUSTICE

just

VERBATIM | Simon Cowell

What people think about me is none of my business.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

The Polish-French physicist Marie Curie was born in 1867.

Ducks do not have sphincters.

Photo courtesy of SAMUEL YERENA

From passion to performance: Marco Ferral Hernandez’s journey with Olas de Surya Currently standing as the University’s only all POC group, Olas de Surya does the work of introducing many at Brandeis and around New England to alternative Latin American music and challenging themselves by continuing to innovate the genre in their original work.

By TIBRIA J. BROWN JUSTICE EDITOR

After having spent the day driving to Rhode Island from Waltham, Massachusetts, setting up their instruments and mics, and prepping for the show, the members of Olas de Surya sit in the greenroom of Fete Music Hall and scramble to complete their homework before their set begins at 7 p.m. Though this night’s performance is a huge step for the band, they can’t forget to study for their upcoming midterm exams.

Despite their academic commitments, the members of the band make the time to play together.

Olas de Surya is a completely people of color band that is comprised of five Brandeis undergrad students and one alum from the class of 2023.

The College Band Showcase, organized by Grrrl at The Rock Show Productions opened with Olas de Surya on Oct. 8, followed by three bands from universities in Rhode Island.

“Hey, we are Olas de Surya! Thanks for coming, everyone,” Marco Ferral Hernandez ’25, the lead singer and creator of the band, called out to the modest audience.

Ferral thanked the audience for attending and explained that the band, since its inception in December 2022, has performed covers of alternative and rock bands’ songs from across Latin America, “but tonight we’ll debut our first two original singles. Hope you like it.”

As the last syllable of appreciation exits Ferral’s mouth, the band explodes and begins playing their first of three cover songs.

The intimate and dimly lit venue, adorned with shades of blue and pink lighting, was set ablaze as the band erupted. The first of three lead singers, Ferral screams the lyrics fervently into the microphone as he played guitar. As the performance continued, two

other members of the band — Vaishnavi Bulusu ’24 and Ana Loza ’24 — stepped away from their respective instruments to sing a cover. While backing away from the microphone, Ferral expertly timed a seamless transition while he effortlessly continued playing guitar.

The music resonated with the spirit of youthful grunge rock, yet it carried a surprisingly calming and feel-good quality. The band’s energetic chords and raw, raspy vocals were juxtaposed with a certain melodic serenity, creating a unique blend. Though the songs were sung entirely in Spanish, non-Spanish speakers could easily connect with the music through the band’s passionate performance.

The raw emotion and intensity of the lead singers, combined with the band’s tight-knit synergy, transcended language barriers. The gritty guitar riffs by Ferral, Juan Jimenez ’24, and Nathalie Vieux-Gresham ’23, and intense drumming by Christopher Li ‘24, were anchored by soothing undertones from Bulusu’s performance on piano and Loza’s bass harmonies, leaving the audience with a sense of invigoration and nostalgia.

A unified energy filled the intimate venue as cheers, applause, and swaying bodies celebrated the universal connection forged through the music. As they swayed, their faces were lit by the blue and pink stage lights. Cheers, claps, and a sea of smiles illuminated the intimate venue, creating an electric atmosphere of togetherness.

After setting the stage and audience alight, Ferral re-announced that this showcase will debut the band’s first two original singles — “7 am” and “Entre Amigos y Enemigos.”

After stepping off stage Ferral noted the experience

WITH THE BAND: Vaishnavi Bulusu sings at concert with band.

as surreal, “It’s hard to believe! Sometimes I’ll write a song and it’s on the computer. But now it’s finally like being in front of people with instruments.”

Ferral’s love for music was passed down through generations, starting with his grandfather, who found solace in music after a challenging upbringing in an orphanage. His grandfather’s passion inspired Ferral’s mother and in turn Ferral himself. He says, “When I’m making music and trying to come up with things, I always think about my grandpa because he was always doing his thing and it saved his life.” The profound influence of his family’s musical tradition became the driving force behind Ferral’s determination to create a band that celebrates their diverse backgrounds.

Like his grandfather, Ferral found his entire life centered around his love for music. “I hear it all around me and I feel it in my body. It’s hard to describe to non-artists how it feels to have an itch to create something.” This all informed Ferral’s desire to begin a band surrounded by like-minded artists.

Though Olas de Surya officially formed less than a year ago, Ferral’s journey to create a band began much earlier, back when he was in middle school in Georgia. He carried that dream to Brandeis but initially focused on honing his musical skills through formal education. It wasn’t until he felt confident enough that he started assembling his bandmates.

“I was trying to catch up with everybody else in my music courses when I started here,” Ferral recalls.

Fall 2022 marked the turning point. Ferral’s search for like-minded musicians led him to each band member. He saw Juan Jimenez playing guitar at a campus event and thought, “Oh, he plays it pretty well — and he’s performing the music that I wanted to do!”

FETE MUSIC HALL: Marco Ferral Hernandez performs with his band.

THE JUSTICE ● FEATURES ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 7

AT THE SHOWCASE: Guitarist Juan Jimenez performed on Oct. 8 at band showcase.

Other members were recruited similarly, either by watching them perform or through social media.

Drummer Christopher Li, known as Barleyanygood in his solo projects, joined when Ferral reached out via Instagram. Li initially had no plans to continue drumming, but Ferral’s passion and ambition drew him in. He appreciated Ferral’s leadership, describing him as “the nicest person” and “humble, even though he’s a great musician.”

“I think it was fall 2022, during a campus event I first saw Juan playing his guitar by himself. Since I saw he was like a Hispanic dude, I thought maybe he would be interested in joining a Spanish Rock band.”

“Olas de Surya just could not exist without Marco,” says Li. Li notes this, not only because Ferral assembled the band, but also because he is the main composer and songwriter for the group.

Li mentioned that he had no plans of continuing drumming, much less joining a band after he began college. “But Marco found me and reached out on Instagram and pulled me in.” Initially Li was apprehensive to commit himself to the project, but after Ferral invited him to sit in on the group’s practice, he became the last member to join.

As Ferral assembled his band, they unintentionally became made up entirely of POC. Ferral explains, “I was hoping that the group would be made up of people who would be open to not just music in English or conventional Western rhythms, so it just sort of happened that we were all POC.” In using rhythms organized in eight counts rather than the traditional Western “4/4” time signature, Olas de Surya’s multicultural lineup fosters a creative atmosphere where members can break

convention and incorporate their cultural roots into their performances. While this approach has been embraced by many, the band has faced challenges when performing at Brandeis due to its predominantly non-Hispanic student body, with 42% white and only 7.5% Latinx/Hispanic students.

“Sometimes the people we perform in front of are not that excited to see us,” Ferral says. “During our earlier performance, I noticed that some people would only show up because we were POC but would immediately tune out when we began speaking Spanish and not catering to them.” However, Ferral is determined to make their sound accessible on the East Coast and not conform to the perception that Spanish music belongs exclusively to the West Coast.

Even with the general Brandeis community struggling to connect with the band’s music at times, there are a handful that make the effort to see Olas de Surya and connect across the language barrier. “On our campus we’re the only BIPOC band that I know of, and there’s just this warmth and support that our audience brings to us that really carries us as a band,” Li noted after their performance in Fete Music Hall.

Almost half the audience followed Olas de Surya from Waltham to Rhode Island to see their performance and hear their debut singles. The audience, the band, and Ferral all share passion for the group’s future.

The band’s dedication is evident. They’re willing to carve out time in their school and work schedules to spend weeks practicing in preparation for performances, doing homework in green rooms — and in the case of Vieux-Gresham, also altering a post collegiate career in order to make time to perform

KEEPING THE BEAT: Drummer Christopher Li performing at the Oct 8. concert.

INSTRUMENTALIST: Nathalie Vieux-Gresham plays guitar.

with her group. “I didn’t know what my relationship with a band would be like considering I was the only person that graduated. I even took a hybrid job that allows me to come up on some weekends,” she said.

The band is also incredibly grateful toward their dedicated supporters, which Li referred to as “the friends and family that come to see us.”

Though the band occasionally experiences instances of microaggressions from some audiences, there are people willing to try to understand their vision.

One audience member, Sydney Schur ’25, stated, “Though I don’t speak Spanish, I think they’re unbelievably talented and their combination of talents and devotion to putting in time to this band is unbelievable. I’m such a strong supporter of them; I’ve been to every single performance.”

In less than a year, Olas de Surya has grown from small campus gigs to opening for established bands, performing out of state, debuting on the radio, and planning to release their debut studio album in late spring 2024. Their ultimate goal is to create music that reflects their cultural experiences, sharing their stories with a wider audience.

Ferral sums it up saying, “I hear it all around me, and I feel it in my body. It’s hard to describe to nonartists how it feels to have an itch to create something.

I think overall, the mission of Olas de Surya would be ‘Sharing our stories with other people,’ because we come from different backgrounds and we’re all trying to connect to our respective roots and show people where we come from.”

BASSIST: Ana Loza played the bass at Fete Hall show.

Photos courtesy of SAMUEL YERENA. Design: GRACE DOH/the Justice.

8 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 ● FORUM ● THE JUSTICE

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Brandeis University

Isabel Roseth, Editor in Chief Smiley Huynh, Managing Editor

If you are interested in submitting advice for the upcoming column, follow our Instagram: @thejusticenewspaper.

Q: A:

Leah Breakstone, Dalya Koller, Lauryn Williams, Deputy Editors Owen Chan, Asociate Editor Sophia De Lisi, Anika Jain, News Editors Cayenn Landau, Features Editor Tibria Brown, Forum Editor Rani Balakrishna, Sports Editor Mina Rowland, Arts & Culture Editor Eliza Bier, Ceci Xilei Chen, Photography Editors Julia Hardy, Jenna Lewis, Madison Sirois, Copy Editors Anna Martin, Layout Editor Elizabeth Liu, Ads Editor Zachary Goldstein, Eden Osiason, Online Editors

How can students effectively communicate with faculty members to seek guidance and clarification on course material?

The most important difference between professors and high school teachers is that in college you are treated as an adult. Therefore, you are able to foster friendships with your professors. These friendships can extend outside of the classroom and well into your career separate from your undergraduate experience, providing mentorship and support.

The most effective way to communicate with professors is to begin by attending their office hours. If not, you can email them to set up an in-person meeting. Moreover, make sure to pay attention and ask questions in their class. They will be more willing to help you if you have demonstrated some level of commitment already. Furthermore, always make sure you are respectful and polite when talking with professors. They are people just like you with stressors outside of the classroom. Being considerate will go a long way!

— Mila Manic ’24 | Roosevelt Fellow

EDITORIAL

The Jury needs to rest: Looking at Brandeis and its “breaks” There is a familiar feeling of anticipation leading up to winter and spring school vacations. However, Brandeis seems to disregard the notion that its hard-working students should actually be able to enjoy their well-deserved time off.

While the early months of the fall semester can seem nice due to the days blocked off for Jewish holidays, for most students these “breaks” are not actual breaks. Some professors assign the same amount of work, if not more, and for students who observe these religious holidays, completing the assigned work over the break is not feasible, impacting their participation and performance in academics. Departments and professors tend to assume that when students have days off for holidays, they have extra time to work on assignments. These days, in reality, are either used by students to observe the holidays or to catch up on work, and rarely are used as a time for self-care or respite. There is typically a heavier workload during these “breaks” to compensate for missing classes.

By the time we reach November, students are burnt out, exhausted, and are in desperate need of downtime. Students should be able to relax during their vacations, whether that be here at Brandeis or in their own homes. Instead, professors treat November break as additional time for students to work on final projects and papers, most of which are not even assigned until the last few classes before break. Between packing and travel time, the Thanksgiving break in late November is barely long enough for out-of-state students to visit home, if they so choose, and is certainly not long enough for international students to go home. As such, professors should not set the expectation for students to work on new assignments during their already short vacation.

Regardless of the inconvenient timing of breaks, professors and departments set expectations of how much work should be completed over breaks. The breaks we get should be a welcome opportunity for students to rest before returning to the high demand of their academic course load and extracurricular activities.

Brandeis has updated many breaks within the 2023-2024 academic calendar. This year, the most shocking modified break is that of winter vacation.

Winter break usually approximates around four

weeks, but this year winter vacation has been reduced to three weeks, with finals ending Dec. 20 and the spring semester beginning Jan. 10. In the past academic year, winter break started on Dec. 19. and ended on Jan.17.

The timing of the winter break affects many people on campus. The later winter break starts, the more expensive travel becomes, as students are competing with holiday demand prices. Many students do not live in the Boston area and may have to fly or take a train. These various modes of transport are not cheap, especially around major holidays because of the inherent price increase.

This additional, unnecessary financial burden creates yet another barrier for students to travel home and be with their families.

Students are not the only ones that are affected by this updated schedule. The fall 2023 exams end on Dec. 20, with final grades due from professors on Dec. 27. This poses a challenge for professors who wish to go out of town or observe the holidays as fall semester grades are due just two days after Christmas.

One professor told a member of this editorial board that because grades are due so late this year, they already told their family that they would not be able to attend Christmas due to the way the schedule worked out. Winter break especially is meant to be a time where both students and faculty can have a reprieve between the fall and spring semesters. Grade deadlines should not prevent faculty from spending the holidays the way they want to.

In the spring semester, Brandeis usually gives its students a February and an April break. Time off in April is often treated like Brandeis’ spring break; the purpose of this is to give those who wish a chance to observe Passover. For students who observe Passover, the time off is partly taken up by celebrations, but this board would like to acknowledge that Jewish students are not obligated to miss class for the holiday at Brandeis while they are at other schools. The University has provided a small, two day break in March to make up for what would be two straight months of classes, but students will still burn out despite the four day weekend.

That being said, this board is grateful for the week off in February. Given how late the University’s

spring break tends to be, it’s good to have a week where there are no religious holidays and students are able to take time off. With the February and Passover breaks, we get about two weeks off in the spring semester, while spring breaks at other schools are typically one week.

Students and faculty alike need time to recharge

and visit family and friends. The Brandeis schedule makes this challenging. This board encourages members of the Brandeis administration to have compassion for both students and faculty when creating the academic schedule, and for professors to be considerate and reduce workloads during breaks.

ANNA MARTIN/the Justice

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Brandeis community, On Nov. 6, 2023, the Students for Justice in Palestine was derecognized by the Department of Student Affairs after they planned to hold a demonstration for the over 10,000 Palestinian lives lost in the Israel-Hamas war. The vigil was set to take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center.

In a move that heavily implied pre-meditation, President Liebowitz wrote an op-ed in the Boston Globe, released the morning of Oct. 6, in which he referenced “university-chartered organizations” as being complicit in antisemitism.

He then said that “leaders at colleges and universities must find their moral compass and no longer allow speech that constitutes harassment or threat of violence to flourish on our campus.” The op-ed was released hours prior to when Brandeis’s SJP announced on Instagram that they were de-recognized. Apparently, a vigil constituted a “threat of violence” worthy of stripping a student group of their rights and protections.

The vigil was set to be a commemoration of life lost, just as the vigil held last month on campus for Israeli life lost was — and praised for. It was set to be a time to hold space for grief, just like the other vigil was — and praised for.

Further, the decision to derecognize SJP did not go through the Student Union,

Sincerely, Anonymous Justice Editor

which goes against the Union’s constitution. As a student journalist, a Justice editorial board member, and a proud Jew, I am furious, disgusted, and disheartened at the blatant disregard of free speech, student rights, and commitment to holding space for a diversity of thought and experiences by the University in this measure. It is a slap in the face to the so-called democratic values the school claims to hold.

However, despite the attempted shutdown, the vigil still took place at 6:30 p.m.

It was an entirely peaceful demonstration, including over 100 students, and was the most impactful experience I have had at Brandeis so far in my undergraduate experience.

I am in awe of the bravery of the students who showed up — many of whom were not affiliated with SJP — who chose to speak for themselves, for their stories, for their families, and in support of each other in the face of the University’s blatant attempt to silence student expression of grief and the right to mourn.

All students deserve the opportunities to speak out and up for their communities and peers without fear of retribution — especially retribution from the University that claims to represent and protect them.

THE JUSTICE ● FORUM ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 9

The devil’s advocate: Debating the death penalty

By JACK GRANAHAN and STEPHEN GAUGHAN JUSTICE STAFF WRITERS

Context: Rather than focusing on a specific political proposal from the news, necessitating thorough background, we will focus on the broader, more existential argument over the retention of capital For (Gaughan): Among the most common arguments against capital punishment as the ultimate criminal penalty is the lack of proof of its efficacy as a deterrent to future potential violent criminals. In fact, according to the National Academy of Sciences, “Research on the deterrent effect of capital punishment is uninformative about whether capital punishment increases, decreases, or has no effect on homicide rates.” To this extent, death penalty opponents are inarguably correct.

Of course, notable is the fact that the same research affords no proof that it is incapable of such deterrence, and surely such a threat would deter at least some subject to such malevolent instincts. Thus, equally inarguable is the fact that the prevention of even one criminal act so cruel as to warrant the invocation of that most solemn lever of justice, perhaps saving any number of innocent lives, is worth a nod of recognition.

Conservatives may cry for the minimization of government while liberals plead for its expansion. But in our republic, born of the Lockean social contract, we should expect, that at least in some respect, both do so in defense of liberty. It is from the same principle of our sacred contract that we should derive the role of the government — of the justice system — in facilitating this gruesome tool.

As citizens of a republic we all must live beneath certain fundamental concepts of law and ethics, even as subjectivity may afford certain deviations therefrom.

And as it is the role of the citizen to live under such tenets at the crossroads of community and individuality, it is the role of the government, with whom they must perpetually engage, to afford protection to their life, liberty, and property. It likewise must exercise maximal restraint in the undertaking of such protection. It should therefore be understood as the last resort of judicial authority to breach this first principle, seizing the life of the one, in protection and service of, and homage to all

others, or itself in cases of critical national betrayal. This is not an unfortunate act of deterrence. It is a grievous act of remedying the damages brought about by the breach of this contract. It is the most significant, most terrifying, most important execution of its contractual responsibility, when the contract itself has been utterly forsaken by another; to take for what has been taken.

The judicial termination of a life is a tragic thing. But perhaps it is also a quintessential act of mercy. Mercy in part for the guilty, otherwise forced to live as long as their health may sustain them, removed from society but not from this world, and certainly not from their guilt. But it should also be viewed as a quintessential act of mercy for those tried by tragedy rather than justice. That is to say, an act of benevolence for the loved ones of victims fallen at the hand of the guilty, offering closure not for the whole of their pain but to that aspect of it pertinent to those who created it. From the ouster of the guilty from the world of the living, the judicial system offers the families of the victims a form of closure from which they can begin to navigate their own paths to internal peace.

Finally we arrive at the fear of inaccuracy.

Per the old Blackstonian maxim, “Better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer.” But the chances of such undue suffering are minimized under most current systems — though no argument is made here for explorations of the highest bars of evidence and conviction.

With most capital punishment prospects demanding entirely separate subsequent trials to determine if the death penalty is even on the table, appeals, and a typical waiting period of years, if not decades for those awaiting such a fate, the justice system has again proven the value it places on the life of the individual, ensuring that all available evidence can be seen, all arguments heard. It is this very value upon which this argument is premised, and likewise upon which it must recognize the validity of its opposition.

punishment.

Gaughan will argue in favor, while Granahan makes the case against — both representing their personal views.

Against (Granahan): In 1764, Enlightenment philosopher Cesare Beccaria voiced his concerns about the impact that punishments of the physical body had on people’s perception of their fellow man, writing: “Let the laws be feared, and the laws only.” In an execution, there will always be a person to be feared, whether they are swinging the ax, firing the coup de grace, or flipping the electrical switch. In a prison cell, a criminal’s worst tormenter is their own mind. Nearly three centuries later we have tragically failed to learn from the wise words of Beccaria.

According to criminological standards cited by the United States Department of Justice, there are four intentions behind criminal sentencing: incapacitation, rehabilitation, deterrence, and retribution.

Incapacitation of a convicted criminal, in order to actively prevent them from committing a crime, can be achieved through life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Although escape is a possibility, prison escapes are exceedingly rare, and the vast majority occur among minimum- and medium-security prison inmates. Rehabilitation is a moot point in the death penalty debate; the justice system has — in my opinion — correctly found some crimes to be so heinous that those who commit them cannot be rehabilitated, and must instead spend the rest of their lives in prison, either naturally or prior to their execution.

Thus, the deciding factors in whether capital punishment or life without parole is a preferable fate for the most despicable of criminals must be which is more effective at deterring other citizens from committing such crimes and which is more effective at providing a sense of justice and vengeance for those impacted by the crime. With regard to the first question: Of the 10 states with the highest per capita homicide rates, seven continue to carry out executions. Clearly, those who continue to commit murders in these states are not deterred from doing so by the fear of execution.

The more subjective question is whether a death sentence or a life sentence provides more justice, closure, and peace of mind to those impacted by the crime. The answer to this question is admittedly very subjective, but consider this: inmates at supermax penitentiaries, the highest level of security reserved for the worst criminals, spend 23 hours a day in their cells, devoid of virtually any human interaction. Although you as the reader may personally disagree with me, I believe that death is a preferable fate to spending decades experiencing such a severe degree of isolation. Conversely, I see the mental anguish of life imprisonment as punishment fit for those who have committed the worst of crimes.

I will also contest the idea that a death sentence is the strongest message against crime that can be sent. Death is a fate inevitable for all humans, and whether a criminal is sentenced to capital punishment or life without parole, they have been condemned to die in prison; the only difference is whether that will happen in a matter of years or a matter of decades.

For his aiding and abetting of the murder of 168 Americans, Oklahoma City bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols is currently serving 161 consecutive life sentences, the longest prison sentence in human history.

That is a stronger message than the death penalty will ever send.

Finally, the prospect of executing a wrongfully-convicted defendant is far more horrifying than anything I have mentioned insofar — to such an extent that I will not entertain the idea of this being justifiable. It is virtually impossible to deny that the death penalty is too inhumane of a punishment for the innocent. That said, the death penalty is also too humane of a punishment for the guilty. By continuing to use the death penalty we have failed to deter crime. We have failed to adequately torment the most heinous of criminals for their crimes. And we have failed to live up to our potential as a nation where the laws are feared and the laws only.

ANNA MARTIN/the Justice

ElLIZABETH LIU/the Justice

The opinions expressed on this page are those of each article’s respective author and do not reflect the viewpoint of the Justice.

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The Staff

Editorial Assistants

Rowland*, Lauryn Williams

Features: Grace Doh

Sports: Josh Gans*, Zachary Goldstein, Prateek Kanmadikar,

Forum: Cindy Nie

Jackson Wu*, Aki Yamaguchi

Arts: Nemma Kalra

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Production Assistants

Photography: Natalie Bracken, Owen Chan, Smiley Huynh,

Forum: Xavier Wilson

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Staff

For information on News: Maria Antonio, Amanda Chen*, Grace Doh, Sydney joining the Justice, Duncan, Max Feigelson*, Lin Lin Hutchinson, Anna Martin, write to editor@ River Simard, Sophia Stewart, Hedy Yang, Lea Zaharoni thejustice.org.

Features: Zev Carlyle, Ria Escamilla-Gil, Jessie Gabel, Meshulam Ungar, Lea Zaharoni Forum: Jack Granahan*, Stephen Gaughan*, Mirabell

Copy: Wenli Cai, Brynn Domsky, Sydney Duncan, Alyssa Golden, Elizabeth Liu, Ava Privratsky, Sara Samuel, Zoe Zachary, Daniela Zavlun, Nataniela Zavlun Layout: Emily Hou, Hedy Yang Ads: Sophia Stewart Online: Amanda Chen, Sabrina Waddell * denotes a senior staff member.

10 THE JUSTICE ● SPORTS ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

Volleyball vs.

Westfield State Brandeis Women’s Volleyball won against Westfield State 3-0 on Nov. 6.

Photos: DANIEL OREN/the Justice. Design: ANNA MARTIN/the Justice.

THE JUSTICE ● SPORTS ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 11

JAPANESE PLAYERS HOLDS MANY PROSPECTS

JUDGES BY THE NUMBERS MEN’S SOCCER UAA STANDINGS Emory Chicago Rochester Case NYU WashU JUDGES Carnegie

TEAM STATS

UAA Conf. Overall W L D W L D Pct. 5 2 0 11 3 3 .735 4 1 2 9 2 5 .719 .719 3 2 2 9 2 5 3 2 2 9 3 3 .700 3 2 2 5 6 4 .467 2 5 0 7 8 1 .469 1 3 3 3 8 6 .353 0 4 3 7 6 4 .529

Goals

Sancho Moroto Tobias '24 and Roee Maor '24 lead the team with 5 goals.

Player Goals Sancho Moroto Tobias 5 Roee Maor 5 Rainer Osselmann-Chai 3

Assists

Sancho Moroto Tobias '24 leads the team with 3 assists.

UPCOMING GAMES: Player Assists 4 The Men's Soccer team has concluded their Sancho Moroto Tobias Aidan Chuang 2 season.

Juan Vera 2 Elan Romo 2

WOMEN’S SOCCER UAA STANDINGS WashU Rochester Case NYU Carnegie Chicago Emory JUDGES

Overall W L D Pct. 14 1 2 .882 12 0 5 .853 11 1 4 .812 12 2 2 .812 11 0 6 .824 9 2 7 .694 8 5 4 .588 6 8 3 .441

UAA Conf.

W L D 4 1 2 3 0 4 3 1 3 3 2 2 1 0 6 1 1 5 1 4 2 0 7 0

UPCOMING GAMES:

The Women's Soccer team has concluded their season.

TEAM STATS

Goals

Sydney Lenhart '24 leads the team with 5 goals.

Player Goals Sydney Lenhart 5 Tanvi Raju 3 Yasla Ngoma 3

Assists

Rachel Watler '25 leads the team with 4 assists.

Player Assists Rachel Watler 4 Lacey Mbugua 2 Zareena Mann 2

VOLLEYBALL UAA STANDINGS UAA Conf.

W L Emory 7 0 NYU 5 2 WashU 5 2 Carnegie 4 3 Chicago 3 4 Case 3 4 JUDGES 1 6 Rochester 0 7

TEAM STATS Overall W L 22 1 26 4 22 7 21 7 10 14 20 7 10 15 18 9

Kills

Pct. .957 .867 .759 .750 .417 .741 .400 .667

UPCOMING GAMES: Friday at New York University Saturday at Emory for UAA Tournament Sunday TBA

Lara Verstovek ’25 leads the team with 363 kills.

Player Kills Lara Verstovek 363 Anna Ertischek 309 Tatiana Wainer 119 Arianna Jackson 99

Digs Ella Pereira ’24 leads the team with 246 digs.

Player Digs Ella Pereira 246 Lara Verstovsek 210 Olivia Nirode 169 Ines Grom-Manseneca 163

CROSS COUNTRY Results from the UAA Championships at CWRU on Oct. 28.

TOP FINISHERS (Men’s) 8-Kilometer Run RUNNER Lucas Dia Dashiell Janicki Henry Nguyen Robert King TJ Carleo

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)

TIME 26:44.4 27:19.9 27:22.4 27:29.9 27:37.4

6-Kilometer Run RUNNER Zada Forde Kyra Au Katriona Briggs Sadie Harrow Ella Warkentine

TIME 23:56.7 24:50.1 25:08.2 25:14.3 25:19.2

UPCOMING MEETS:

Saturday, Nov. 11 at the NCAA Regional Championships Data courtesy of THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION and the BRANDEIS ATHLETICS WEBSITE; Graphics courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

YOUNG TALENT: Yoshinobu Yamamoto played for the Orix Buffaloes.

NPB: Potential MLB pitchers CONTINUED FROM 12

the NPB award” in 2023. A forkball is similar to how a drop ball moves with a sudden drop and slight curve. When compared to teammate and former Yankee Masahiro Tanaka’s slider, which supposedly has significant and sharp movements, Matsui’s slider accelerates towards the batter’s hands and then it suddenly drops. Matsui is a proven quality closer and will most likely remain in that role after his MLB move. Teams looking for a leftie to round out their bullpen and in need of closer talent will be sure to find his service useful.

Uwasawa Naoyuki, a 29-year-old pitcher from the Nippon-ham Fight-

ers, comes in as most likely the least sought after player of this group.

With an ERA of 2.96 and WHIP of 1.18, his statistics do not particularly pop off the screen as they do for the other three. However, Naoyuki led the league this year in innings pitched and batters faced, an indication of the trust placed in him by the coaching staff. He proclaimed in a press conference on Oct. 29 that his biggest strength is his ability to last for long outings and his ability to complete games if he is given the chance. He possesses a wide range of pitch types so that even after facing the same batters repetitively, he should be able to

throw new pitches. While it is hard to project his success in the MLB, a slightly unknown player may be what a rebuilding team could be looking for. He has the potential to become a low-cost high-reward signing similar to Fujinami this past year, and he could certainly become a pitcher who can eat up innings and be a solid bullpen option.

If past precedent remains true, any one of these four pitchers should be able to make a strong contribution to any team. It will definitely be exciting for fans and teams alike to see what these players can do in the MLB.

MLB: 2023 World Series CONTINUED FROM 12

ers folklore, perhaps going down as the most iconic game in franchise history. Down 5-3 in the ninth, eventual World Series MVP Corey Seager hit a game-tying moonshot, subsequently screaming with his bat in hand, acknowledging in a split second what that swing meant. The game went into the 11th inning when ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia continued his heroics from the prior series, sending a lined shot to the opposite field over the wall for a walk-off homerun to take game one home for the Rangers. Garcia had eight postseason home runs and 39 in the regular season. This game finally allowed the Texans to put the ghost of David Freese behind them, with an eerily similar comeback to a game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Diamondbacks took this per-

sonally and stole game two in Arlington by a dominant 9-1 scoreline. One would have thought the series was shifting from here, had they not seen the Rangers’ away record. Needing to steal a game back in Phoenix, the Rangers said they would do one better — and took all three games, as well as a World Series trophy, back to Texas. Winning a pitcher’s duel in game three, 3-1, they decided to let the bats do the work in game four, with an 11-7 win. With a commanding 3-1 lead, the series was effectively over, and Marcus Semien’s ninth-inning home run to make it 5-0 in game five sealed a decisive series win.

World Series MVP Corey Seager hit three home runs during this series, with six total in the postseason. His ninth season as a professional player

was his best yet, batting .327 for the fifth-best batting average in baseball, with 33 home runs and 96 RBI. Arizona had notable stand-outs as well, such as "Rookie of the Year" favorite Corbin Carroll. He batted .285, with 25 home runs, and 76 RBIs this season, and stood out with some big hits in the postseason as well. Ketel Marte, the D-Backs’ second baseman, who also had an outstanding season, broke a postseason record with an 18game hitting streak after game two of the World Series.

Just like the Rangers, the Diamondbacks were impressive on the road, going 7-3 in their travels in the postseason, but it was not enough to win it all. The World Series trophy is returning to Texas, this time making its way north from Houston to Arlington.

section of the Justice is starting a new column called "Jury Duty" that hopes JURY Theto Sports spotlight different athletes every week. Please email sports@thejustice.org if you like to nominate someone. My hope and aim for this is to bridge the gap between DUTY would student athletes and non student athletes by highlighting relatable content to make the community feel more approachable. If you see a highlighted athlete around campus, maybe introduce yourself if you have the same taste in music! Or head to Gosman and cheer them on.

Tristan Boyer '25

By ELIZABETH LIU JUSTICE EDITOR

Photo courtesy of BRANDEIS ATHLETICS

Want to nominate someone? Send them this form!

ELIZABETH LIU/the Justice

Tristan Boyer ’25 is a catcher on the Brandeis Softball team.

Outside of her commitments as a varsity athlete, Boyer is also the president of the Student Athletic Advisory Council. As president, Boyer’s responsibilities include organizing weekly community service, coaches appreciation, and many other activities aiming to improve the lives of student athletes. Get to learn more about Boyer with some fun facts below, and don’t forget to support her and the Brandeis Softball team at their upcoming games in the spring!

When asked to share her taste in music, Boyer expressed her fondness for Harry Styles and said she is a big country music fan. She also mentioned that her favorite ice cream flavor is anything with chocolate ­­ — like a good java chip or mint chocolate

chip. When asked to share a fun fact about herself, Boyer admitted that she was named after a character Brad Pitt played in the movie “Legend of the Fall.” She commented she loves to hang out with her roommates in their Ziv, bonding over homework and watching shows together. However, Boyer’s favorite place on campus is the Barry Harsip '73 Student Lounge, and she likes to do homework in the Shapiro Campus Center, as it is quieter than the library. Boyer also works in the MakerLab and is in the first engineering class at Brandeis, which piqued her interest in 3D printing and design.

While she can’t specify, Boyer disclosed that she has a secret role on campus that involves a gavel.

— Editor’s Note: Justice editor Rani Balakrishna ’25 is a member of the Brandeis Softball team and did not contribute to the writing or editing this story.

just Sports Page 12

By TAKU HAGIWARA

Since Hideo Nomo came over to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995, there has been a steady pipeline between the Nippon Professional Baseball League, Japan’s highest level of baseball, and Major League Baseball. Almost every year since 1995, NPB players have exercised their foreign free agency rights or have been posted by their teams in Japan in order to play in the pinnacle of baseball in the MLB, and this year is no exception.

Posting is a process where foreign teams can offer their players to the MLB and receive a fee, known as a posting fee. This process is a way for players who do not qualify as free agents to join the MLB. So far this year, four players have either been posted, have announced that they will exercise their foreign free agency rights, or be posted by their team. Among them is the ace of Japan, 25-year-old Yamamoto Yoshinobu. This free agency class also includes southpaw Shota Imanaga, Yuki Matsui, and Uwasawa Naoyuki.

Yamamoto Yoshinobu headlines this group and rightfully so. The 25-year-old has won everything there is to win as a pitcher in Japan, being awarded MVP twice, Triple Crown thrice, and the Sawamura Award thrice. Yoshinobu has been the undisputed ace of his NPB team, the Orix Buffalos, and has led them to a Japan series win in 2022. In international baseball, he was a starting pitcher for Team Japan at the World Baseball Classic earlier this year and contributed to the team's undefeated run to the title. In 2023, Yoshinobu posted an impressive 1.21 ERA and 16 wins, hardly numbers to scoff at.

Yoshinobu’s 2023 was highlighted by a no-hit no-run outing in September with Yankees General Manager Bryan

Waltham, Mass.

SEAGER NAMED MVP FOR THE SECOND TIME

Japanese baseball: A pipeline of pitchers to the MLB JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Brandeis volleyball team won against Westfield State, 3-0, p. 10.

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

BASEBALL

■ The ace of Japanese baseball, Yamamoto Yoshinobu, is set to make his MLB debut in 2024 along with a host of NPB stars.

BRANDEIS VOLLEYBALL PHOTO STORY

Cashman in attendance. Yoshinobu possesses MLB-level speed with his fastball clocking in at 95-99 mph, and with a deadly 91 mph splitter he is able to put away batters efficiently. Yoshinobu’s stellar accomplishments, along with his video-game statistics, is what makes him such a highly touted free agent this year, only falling behind fellow countryman Shohei Ohtani, a star player on the Los Angeles Angels.

Fans can anticipate a generational level talent in Yoshinobu, who comes to the league younger than other highly touted Japanese pitchers such as Matsuzaka Daisuke and Hideo Nomo.

Shota Imanaga, the 30-year-old southpaw of the Yokohama DeNA Baystars may be familiar to some American fans who watched the final of the WBC this year as he started in the game pitching the first 2 innings.

Imanaga will be posted to the MLB with a career ERA of 3.18 and a winloss record of 64-50. While Imanaga’s achievements pale in comparison to Yamamoto, he led the league in strikeouts in 2023 and WHIP in 2022.

The leftie pitcher’s arsenal primarily consists of a 91 mph fastball, 83 mph changeup, and 82 mph slider. While he won’t overpower hitters with absolute power, his strong command of the baseball should translate over well to the big leagues. Imanaga’s will be appealing primarily for teams lacking left-handed pitching where he will most likely be able to solidify himself as the 4th or 5th pitcher in a starting rotation.

Yuki Matsui, a 28-year-old lefty closer from the Rakuten Golden Eagles, comes in as the player with the most unique profile out of the four free agents coming to the MLB from the NPB. Matsui, an integral part of the Golden Eagles, has recorded 236 saves as their star closer and at this current rate is on pace to beat the current all-time save record in the NPB. The leftie has led the league in saves for three years, including the past two seasons with a WHIP of only 0.89. Matsui’s fastball tops out at 96 mph and is complimented by two types of sliders, a changeup, and a curve ball. Since 2021, he has also implemented the forkball as his put away pitch which was voted 10th in the “Best pitches in

See NPB, 11☛

AT BAT: Corey Seager, the World Series MVP, prepares to hit.

MLB

Texas Rangers make history and bring home their first World Series ■ The Texas Rangers won 4-1 in a hotly contested series, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the championship trophy.

By JOSH GANS

JUSTICE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

STAR PITCHER: Yamamoto Yoshinobu pitches.

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

This past week was a spooky one for most, but perhaps no one more so than for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

On Wednesday, Nov. 1, the Texas Rangers defeated the Diamondbacks 5-0 to cap off a 4-1 series win, clinching the franchise’s first-ever World Series title. They made league history as well, becoming the first team in Major League Baseball postseason history to go perfect on the road, winning all 11 games on their travels. This came despite going under .500 — with a record of 40-41 — in away games this season.

Last season, the Rangers and Diamondbacks both finished fourth in their division with a combined record of 142-182. In 2021, they both finished last in their respective divisions, with Texas losing 102 games and Arizona dropping a joint-league-worst 110 defeats. It is safe to say these teams came out of nowhere, each making an improbable run to baseball’s biggest stage, knocking off seemingly insurmountable hurdles along the way.

The Rangers completed the regular

season with a 90-72 record, winning the second of three wildcard spots in a wild American League playoff race that lasted up until the final day. They were just two games above the Seattle Mariners, who just missed out on the playoffs.

As the lower seed, they knocked off the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 in a best-ofthree wild card and followed that up by sweeping the Baltimore Orioles 3-0, who had the American League’s best record, in the American League Division Series. In five games, the Rangers managed to knock off the top two teams in the AL, toppling the AL East division — which had been touted this season as one of the best in baseball history. They then faced off with a familiar foe, the division-rival Houston Astros. This was the Astros’ sixth consecutive American League Championship Series appearance, winning the pennant four of those six years, including a World Series title last season. The Rangers won this series in seven games, with every game being won by the away team.

They returned to the World Series for the first time since 2011, when they were a strike away from winning their very first World Series before St. Louis Cardinals’ David Freese hit two clutch hits a game-tying tworun triple in the ninth, followed by a game-winning 11th inning home run to send the series to a seventh game.

The Cardinals would win game seven,

extending the Rangers fans’ misery for another 12 years.

The D-Backs finished the regular season with an 84-78 record, somehow squeezing into the playoffs with a joint third worst record of any team in MLB postseason history. With everybody counting them out, Arizona defied all odds. They won both wild card games in Milwaukee to knock off the Brewers, before sweeping the big-market, big-name, 100-win Los Angeles Dodgers in three swift games.

They faced the reigning NL champion Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS, where they were easily taken care of in games one and two, heading home with their backs against the wall following a 10-0 thrashing. Now needing to win four of their next five, the Diamondbacks won two of three at home, though were still tasked with winning both games six and seven back in Philly. Unable to be counted out, they won both games thanks to grit and dominant bullpen pitching, with no runs allowed in nine innings of relief.

The Diamondbacks returned to the World Series for the second time in history, the first time in 2001, when they downed the ever-dominant New York Yankees 4-3 on a walk-off single

by Luis Gonzalez.

So there it was; two unlikely teams left, with a series to decide which fairy tale would come true. Game one will be written in history books and Rang-

See MLB, 11☛

Vol. LXXVI #7

Waltham, Mass.

November 7, 2023

Photos: David Zhou/the Justice. Design: Eliza Bier/the Justice.

THE JUSTICE | ARTS | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 I ARTS &JANUARY CULTURE I 31, THE2017 JUSTICE 14 TUESDAY,

ANIMATION REVIEW

How ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ feeds the heart and soul of its predecessor

By ANNA NOONEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

of the film in Lego animation which was created by 14-year-old Preston Mutanga, who received the offer after he recreated the entirety of the film’s first trailer with Legos. If I hadn’t known this going in, I would never have realized that it wasn’t made by a professional team; he did a phenomenal job.

Most notable are the little details: the Puerto Rican flag coloring on a character’s finger snap, the differences in how light is absorbed and plays across different characters’ hair and skin, and how hyperrealistic Spider-People blend perfectly with heavily comic-inspired ones. The film spares no details when developing its appearance, blending a comic book aesthetic with a 3D animation to create a constantly moving, beautifully working image. Perhaps the film will receive a VFX nomination as well.

Note: This review contains spoilers for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”

In 2018, Spider-Man fans across the world were first treated to the sight of Shameik Moore’s Miles Morales swinging through the streets of New York City in “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.” The movie was beloved by audience members and critics alike, taking home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 91st Academy Awards in [year] and topping the charts as Sony’s highest-grossing animated film.

While only time will tell if “Across the Spider-Verse” will beat out the competition from other possible nominees, such as Pixar’s Elemental and Netflix’s “Nimona,” it has already taken the latter title from its predecessor, grossing just short of 690 million dollars. But this is only a quantitative testament to An ensemble introducing: an anarthe film’s quality, and it would be chist, a sad buff dad, and flawless remiss to reduce it to just that. genetics So what exactly is so great about While Jake Johnson’s Peter “Across the Spider-Verse?”

B. Parker and Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy are the only characI want to eat the animation ters from the previous film’s team There could — and probably will to make a notable return in the — be entire essays written about sequel, they are joined by the prethe “look” of this film. Due to my viously mentioned Hobie Brown, personal favorite characters, I Oscar Isaac’s stoic leader Miguel would like to draw attention to the O’Hara, and Karan Soni’s cheeranimation style used for the anar- fully optimistic Pavitr Prabhakar. chic BAMF — badass mofo — that Once again, the male characters is Daniel Kaluuya’s Spider-Punk present the audience with a variety a.k.a Hobie Brown. In a post on of Spider-Men who are both alike X responding to a fan’s inquiry and different — for better or worse. about the character’s movement, We see a contrast between Peter, animation lead Chelsea Gordon- who is currently raising his young Ratzlaff revealed that while most daughter, Mayday, with the more animated films moved at around somber Miguel, who despite his ef24 frames per second with position forts to hide it is still mourning the changes on the 2nd frame, Hobie loss of his daughter. And for all his switched on the second, third, and talk of canon events and maintaineven fourth frame with a consis- ing stability, keeping his loss in tent outline around his character. mind is the crux of his motivation; As a result, his movements appear his grief, but also his guilt leads more sudden and jarring than oth- him to lash out and project his selfer characters, a fitting choice for hatred onto the people around him, someone who doesn’t “believe in including the 15-year-old Miles. He is undeniably meant to be a tragic consistency.”

There is also an entire segment and sympathetic figure, but the

film does not attempt to excuse the way he acts towards others; Miguel is a prime example of the difference between an antagonist and a villain.

A complete contrast to Miguel, Hobie Brown serves as one of Mile’s biggest advocates and as an older brother figure — and my personal favorite of the additions.

Miles makes a point of calling Hobie cool, and he isn’t wrong; the electric guitar-wielding, proud and openly anti-fascist rocker is completely confident in his decisions as he consistently tells Miles to question everything and criticizes the others’ efforts to manipulate the younger hero. There is also the fact that the film first hints at him being an … ugh rival love interest of Gwen’s …and then completely subverts the trope by establishing that they have more of a friend or sibling relationship. A refreshing change of pace with a refreshingly healthy male role model. Similarly, Pavitr exhibits a healthy sense of being a teen boy growing into a man. He is great because he spits in the face of any infantilization that is sometimes done to bubbly, optimistic characters — possibly due to the perception of positive thinking as childlike “innocence” or naivety, which is very stupid.

Pavitr is the youngest of the group to join the elite army of SpiderMen, having only been serving for six months at the time of the film.

As such, he is — kind of depressingly — a much more untraumatized version of Spider-Man who still believes — and says — “I can do both!”

He has not experienced the pain that the others have yet (no “Uncle Ben” moment is explicitly depicted), and he can almost come across as arrogant when he is first introduced. Once he’s in action though, this facade falls away to reveal a hero determined to protect his home and its inhabitants.

Apart from Miles, Gwen Stacy is arguably the most significant character in this film, and they do an adequate job of balancing their stories. Gwen is going through a

rough time when the movie begins, with her already strained relationship with her father worsening following the death of her universe’s Peter Parker, before culminating with her father pointing a gun at her after she reveals she’s SpiderWoman.

To add another layer to this, many fans — including myself — noticed the “Protect Trans Kids” poster hanging on Gwen’s wall, as well as the transgender pride flag that her father has on his coat. Coupled with the fact that Gwen is often lit in white, pink, and blue lighting and how she is constantly struggling with her identities as SpiderWoman and Gwen, the rejection of her father takes on the painful connotation of a failed coming-out — which it is, in a way. While nothing has been officially confirmed, this lens contributes another aspect of her character that fans could react to, and grounds her struggles in a much more comprehensive way than her being a superhero.

As a result, what happens at the end is even sweeter. Gwen also makes mistakes in her relationship with Miles, that is true, but the filmmakers take time to craft exactly why she acted how she did. Like Miguel, it wasn’t right, but as a contrast she is an effectively homeless teenager with no adult support system completely separated from her reality. She is completely dependent on the Spider Society for her ability to have a safe space and continue to be Spider-Woman. She also constantly grapples with her decisions, and ultimately positions herself to lead a group of Spider-People as a protective force between Miguel O’Hara and Miles Morales. I cannot wait to see what she does in the next film.

Miles Morales I’ve always said that Tom Holland is my favorite Spider-Man, but as much as I love him, Miles Morales completely blows him out of the water. I can’t completely explain it, but I think part of it is because of Miles’ heart and de-

termination. When the original Spider-Man from his universe dies protecting him, Miles decides to step up and protect his home. When his Uncle Aaron is dying, Miles holds his hands and openly cries while it happens. Miles is allowed to cry; he is allowed to be vulnerable. Morales, like Hobie Brown, is helping to dismantle toxic masculinity. Especially in relation to the Black community and dismantling stereotypes surrounding it, Morales being able to cry alongside his uncle as he apologises and attempts to atone for his mistakes is such an important scene.Later in “Across the Spider-Verse” when Miguel threatens Miles’ father, Miles stands up to an army of superpowered individuals that includes his friends and says “No” — paraphrased here because the actual line loses its impact without context.

Miles never hesitates in fighting for “the little guy” for those he cares about. He hears his parents and uncle tell him to keep going and never give up, no matter who tries to stop him; he takes that advice to heart and fights for what he believes in. Miles Morales doesn’t believe in absolutes; people tell him he can’t do both that he can’t save everyone. Unfortunately they don’t say that as a comfort. They say that to discourage him from trying — to make him compliant. But Miles refuses because he believes there is always another way. At the end of the day, this is still part of Miles’ origin story; he fought for the role of Spider-Man in the first film and made it his own, and here he is fighting to preserve the role of Spider-Man as a warrior for all. The nearly 150-minute film is all about his growth and how he affects his environment and the people around him. I am thrilled to see what he does next in “SpiderMan: Beyond the Spider-Verse.”

ALBUM REVIEW

Taylor Swift’s ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ will never go out of style

By JULIA HARDY JUSTICE EDITOR

Taylor Swift just released her re-record of her album “1989,” and as a major Taylor Swift fan, I was so excited to listen to 1989’s “From the Vault” tracks, which are brand new songs added to the original “1989” album. The first release of “1989” was released on Oct. 27, 2014 and the re-recorded version was released on Oct. 27, 2023. As many “Swifties” know, Swift started rerecording her songs so she would own her own work, meaning she would own the masters of the rerecorded songs. She has six albums that were originally owned by the recording company Big Machine.

Swift has re-recorded “Fearless,” “Red,” “Speak Now,” and most recently “1989.” These re-recordings were a huge power move on Swift’s part, and I have a lot of respect for her as she continues to build her brand. She’s an incredible business woman, even though some people hate her — “haters gonna hate, hate, hate,” I suppose. With each re-recorded album, Swift adds brand new songs — From the Vault tracks — that she didn’t include in the original album. As the rerelease of “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” approached, I couldn’t wait to hear the From the Vault tracks and they did not disappoint! As a disclaimer, I am not the type of Swiftie who obsessively scrolls through Twitter trying to find the most up to date conspiracy theories or updates.

With that in mind I’m so excited to share my opinions and commentaries on the From the Vault tracks.

“‘Slut!”’

Not to start out on a negative note, but I was originally very underwhelmed by “‘Slut.”’ One of my friends was so excited to listen to this song, and within my circle of Swifties it was hyped up a lot. My own expectations of the song most likely affected how I felt about it the first time through. It didn’t appeal to me much apart from the beginning line, “flamingo pink.” I was expecting something very fast paced and pop-ish. “1989” is a pop album and I had anticipated that my expectations would be met, but “‘Slut!”’ did not do that at all. However, once I overcame my initial disappointment, the song really grew on me. It was a slow process — slow as in approximately 24 to 36

Design: MINA ROWLAND/the Justice

hours — but like many songs that I first listened to, I started processing the lyrics and appreciating them. I really enjoy the beginning, because it’s reminiscent of “Invisible String” — a song found on the album “Folklore.” Both songs begin with including colors, which adds a visual component to the lyrics. The opening lines of “Invisible String” are: “Green was the color of the grass where I used to read at Centennial Park.” I love this entire song, but I think Swift’s use of colors brings her lyrics to life.

In the case of “‘Slut!”’, her choice of “flamingo pink” and “aquamarine,” are similar as she endeavors to bring her lyrics and story to life.

Particularly with “‘Slut!”’, the vibrant colors named in the opening lines fits with the overall story of the song, which is all about drawing attention and being confident about it. A line goes, “But if I’m all dressed, they might as well be lookin’ at us.” There is a certain glamor and confidence that this song exudes and visuals of the “flamingo pink” boulevard and the “aquamarine” swimming pool create this amazing image and vibe that brings the song to life for me.

“Say Don’t Go”

story. The same can be said with “mirrorball,” as a lyric goes, “I’m still on that tightrope / I’m still tryin’ everything to get you laughing at me.” This imagery of a tightrope explains the pressure that the narrator of the song feels about pleasing those around her. These feelings are also found in “Say Don’t Go” as the narrator struggles with accepting that she may not be enough to keep her partner — so heartbreaking. There is also a reference to a tightrope in the song: “I’m standin’ on a tightrope alone / I hold my breath a little bit longer.” I love the parallels that Swift draws between her songs, and “Say Don’t Go” has so many of these references.

“Now That We Don’t Talk” When I first heard this song, I neither liked nor disliked it. It didn’t stand out in any real way.

Although the lyric “I called my mom, she said that it was for the best” reminded me so much of the lyric in “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.” The lyric is, “and here’s to my mama, had to listen to all this drama.” I know that many of Swift’s recent songs allude to her break-up with Joe Alwyn, but I think the closing lyrics of “Now That We Don’t Talk” blatantly refers to it. The lyrics go, “Now the only way back to my dignity was to turn into a shrouded mystery / Just like I had been when you were chasing me.” So, as many Swifties know, in 2017 Swift stayed away from the public eye, but had already started dating Joe Alwyn. Then, of course she came out with “reputation,” which was an amazing entry back into the public eye. In “Delicate,” Swift wrote the lyrics, “My reputation’s never been worse, so you must like me for me.” Essentially, when she started dating Alwyn, her public image was not amazing, so disappeared. As “Now That We Don’t Talk” says, she turns into a “shrouded mystery.” The “you” in the lyrics “when you were chasing me” can represent the beginning of Swift’s and Alwyn’s relationship.

Not to get too far into the debate, but I was so sad when they broke up. I understand that people like Travis Kelce, but I miss the idealized Joe-Taylor relationship.

On my first listen through the vault tracks, this was the song that stood out the most to me, mostly because I love the chorus. It’s so heartbreaking, but very catchy.

The lyrics go, “Why’d you have to lead me on? Why’d you have to twist the knife?” Absolutely devastating, but Swift has a history of writing very sad things hidden behind a catchy song — “Death By A Thousand Cuts” for instance. As with most songs, once you have gotten passed the humming along phase, then comes the analysis of the lyrics.

As some know, Swift has certain phrases or lyrics that she embeds in multiple songs. An example of this is “Rosé” found in both “the 1” and “Maroon.” In “Say Don’t Go,” there are two — and probably more — references of past lyrics. In “Say Don’t Go” a line goes, “Strike a match, then you blow it out.”

In “Getaway Car” a line reads, “I struck a match and blew your mind.” Both of these songs discuss the ending of relationships, although in different ways, so I really like that both songs utilize this “Suburban Legends” visualization of striking a match.

It draws a parallel between the two I also felt lukewarm about this songs in both lyrics and the overall song on first listen. It was not until

the second or third time through that it began to grow on me. This song is all about unpacking a past relationship and reminiscing on both the beautiful and challenging times. I think this is possibly my favorite song out of all the “1989” vault tracks in terms of story and message. I think the way that the song accomplishes the story of a powerful relationship and the ultimate ending is very nostalgic.

There is something very sweet and innocent about this song as the narrator looks back at this impactful relationship she had in high school. The title “Suburban Legends” represents the short lived romances that happen in high school, but still linger with people because they were nostalgic and impactful.

The song references diaries, star signs, and gymnasiums, which remind me of high school, and it paints a very vivid picture of the small town romance that this song relates. Additionally, like many high school romances, there was always an understanding that the relationship wouldn’t last. A lyric goes, “You don’t know anymore, and I always knew it, That my life would be ruined.” The romance was always doomed, but it still held a lot of weight for the narrator. A lyric goes, “And you kiss me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever.” I love these lyrics so much. It encapsulates all the angst and complications of young love, but it also captures the powerful parts of it. I think this song tells a captivating story and does it well.

away Car,” and “illicit affairs,” to name a few. However, this song is a slightly different take on the complications of the deterioration of relationships. The song acknowledges that the relationship is over.

The beginning of the song makes it clear that the relationship has died as the second line goes, “with the wilt of the rose.” In other words, the relationship has slowly died.

The song proceeds to outline the ambiguity and complications that sometimes come with breakups and heartbreak. The song title says it all: “Is It Over Now?” Both the narrator and the ex have both moved on, but there continues to be feelings between them. Swift explores complexity in breakups. Through her discography, Swift begins with a very cut and dry, vengeful understanding of breakups — “Should’ve Said No” is an example of this — but as she has gotten older, she has shifted her ideas of breakup to have more nuance. Songs such as “Wildest Dreams,” “All Too Well” and “Is It Over Now?” are examples of more nuanced stories of breakups.

I personally love all the different perspectives Swift takes on breakups, so I was happy to see that “Is It Over Now?” added an additional narrative.

“Is It Over Now?” Although I wasn’t the biggest fan of “‘Slut!”’ on first listen, I was similarly taken aback by “Is It Over Now?” and not in a good way. I found the weird electronic, screeching noise at the beginning so annoying. The song seemed to go on forever and I was not a fan of it. However, now it’s my favorite vault track on “1989.” I barely notice the weird noises anymore. I’m not sure if I have a straightforward answer to why I love this song so much, but it’s been on repeat ever since I got over the beginning.

There is no denying that the entire song is incredibly catchy, and there is no better song to study to, in my opinion.

However, in addition to the fun chorus and verses, I really like the story. Swift has many, many songs about ending relationships and infidelity: “Should’ve Said No,” “Get-

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

TAYLOR SWIFT: Taylor Swift re-released her “1989” album nearly ten years after it was first released.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 I ARTS & CULTURE I THE JUSTICE

THE JUSTICE | ARTS | TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017

15

CAMPUS EVENT

YUM CHA

By NEMMA KARLA

JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

On Saturday, Nov. 4, the Brandeis Cantonese Club — C2B — held their annual culture show, Yum Cha. ‘Yum Cha’ is Cantonese for ‘drink tea,’ and the club perfectly encapsulated the cozy feeling of a warm cup of tea with their showcase theme, “Home.” C2B kicked off their showcase with an energetic performance by the Northeastern University Dragon & Lion Dance Troupe. Their Dragon Dance was complete with live drumming, leaps, and an impressive amount of coordination. Following the dance, the Yum Cha coordinators, Victoria Mei ’26 and Dylan Zhao ’26, introduced the show and presented the C2B

Executive Board Video. With the idea of “Home” in their minds, the audience watched a series of performances honoring Cantonese culture. First, Wellesley University’s Wushu combined dance with “Wushu,” or martial arts, representing their culture in an incredibly powerful manner. The show’s tone then became much calmer with two dances by Dance Revelasian, a semi-professional group from Boston that uses dance to connect to their Chinese heritage. Both of these dances were captivating and graceful as these dancers shared their “home” with the audience. The final dances of the night were performed by C2B’s

DANCE: New England dance troupe, Dance Revelasian, performs a traditional Chinese umbrella dance.

GLEE: A Performer from Boston University’s Verge Dance Company shares her culture through dance.

CULTURAL DANCE: Dance Revelasian preforms a dance representing one of the 56 registered Chinese ethnic groups. They aim to connect Asian Americans with their heritage and inspire audiences.

SPEECH: Yum Cha coordinators, Victoria Mei ’26 and Dylan Zhao ’26, introduce the culture show and its theme of “home.”

very own Executive Board and Boston University’s Verge Dance Company, which specializes in classical Chinese dance. The culture show concluded with musical performances by the two event headliners, JC Alula and Juk Sing. JC Alula, a singer originally from Taiwan, learned Cantonese to perform three classic songs that reminded everyone of the music they listened to growing up. Juk Sing, a Boston-based Cantopop cover band, performed two classic pop Cantonese songs, as well as a Cantonese version of “Dreams” by the Cranberries, creating a bit of nostalgia for everyone in the audience.

BALLET: Boston University’s Verge Dance Company combines classic Chinese choreography and ballet to honor their Chinese heritage.

CLASSIC DANCE: Dance Revelasian poses at the end of their second performance demonstrating ethnic Chinese dance culture.

SINGING: JC Alula, a Taiwanese singer from Berklee, performs three songs in Cantonese.

CANTO-POP: Boston based Canto-pop cover band performs three songs in Cantonese, including one by 80s Hong Kong Canto-pop band “Beyond.”

Photos courtesy of GIANNA MORALES. Design: ANNA MARTIN/the Justice.

16 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023 I ARTS & CULTURE I THE JUSTICE

STAFF’S Top Ten

STUDENT ART SPOTLIGHT

ELIZA BIER/the Justice

By ELIZABETH LIU JUSTICE EDITOR

Top 10 best and worst moms on ‘Dance Moms’ Watching “Dance Moms” growing up, the moms brought all the drama. Here’s my list of the top ten best and worst dance moms from the show across all teams and seasons. Disclaimer: These rankings are not reflective of the dancers, although they are mentioned. Honorable mention: Melissa Gisoni — I acknowledge her place as an iconic and original dance mom even though she didn’t make the list.

Top ten best: 1. Dr. Holly Frazier (Nia) 2. Christi Lukasiak (Chloe) 3. Kelly Hyland (Paige and Brooke) 4. Camille Bridges (Camryn) 5. Jackie Lucia (Sophia) 6. Tricia Farrar (Brady) 7. Jaime Caes (Maesi) 8. Ann Colin (Hannah) 9. Jill Vertes (Kendall) 10. Cathy Nesbitt-Stein (Vivi-Anne)

Graphic courtesy of DAHLIA RAMIREZ

Dahlia Ramirez is an artist interested in many different creative mediums such as drawing, sculpting, fiber arts, fashion, theater, film, and jewelry making. Her goal is to create art that is colorful, fun, and collaborative.

This is her first published comic.

APPLE PIE COOKIE RECIPE

Top ten worst: 1. Yolanda Walmsley (Elliana) 2. CHRISTy Hunt (Sarah) 3. Yvette Walts (Hadley) 4. Ashlee Allen (Brynn) 5. Joanne Paolantonio (GiaNina) 6. Rick Testerman (Jalen) 7. Jeanette Cota (Ava) 8. Ashley Hosbach (Presley) 9. Leslie Ackerman (Peyton)​​ 10. Minister Dawn Check (Regan)

By NEMMA KALRA

JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

I am a firm believer that the best part of apple pie is the crust. If you agree and want to maximize that crust-to-filling ratio, or just like the idea of single-serve pies, this recipe is for you!

Ingredients: 2 boxes of pre-made pastry dough, or absolutely make your own!

Pie filling 2 tbsp lemon juice 3 lbs of apples — my favorite is honey crisp ¼ cups of sugar ¼ cup of brown butter (instructions below) Cinnamon and nutmeg — as much as you desire.

Egg wash 1 egg 1 tbsp cream Caramel 1 cup brown sugar 5 tbsp unsalted butter ½ cup of cream

1 tbsp vanilla extract On medium-low heat, be1 (generous) pinch of gin whisking. Continue salt until the mixture is nice and thick — about 7-8 Instructions: minutes.

Remove from heat and Browned butter set aside to cool.

Cut your unsalted butter into small chunks Pie Filling and place it into a pot.

Roughly chop your I like to use a pot with a light colored base so I apples and pop them into can clearly see the color a bowl with sugar, spice, and lemon juice. Make of the butter.

On medium-high heat, sure all the apples are stir the butter constant- coated.

In a large pan, melt ly. Keep a close eye on your butter because it the butter over mediumcan start to burn very high heat and cook the quickly. If it does burn, apples until the sugar though, don’t fret; your dissolves and begins to pies will still turn out simmer — about 2 minutes. okay!

Cover the pan, reduce When the butter becomes light brown and heat to medium-low, and has a toasty aroma, take cook the apples until it off the heat and trans- soft. You can stop here, fer it into a separate but if you want an extra caramelized filling keep bowl to cool.

Caramel — again, this reading!

Strain the apples to could be store-bought, but homemade caramel catch all the juices in a is definitely worth the separate bowl. Return this liquid to the pan effort.

Combine all the ingredi- and cook over medium heat until it is thick and ents in a pot.

caramelized — about 8 minutes.

Mix your apples with the reduced juices and set aside to cool.

Time to Assemble!

Roll out your pastry dough about a ¼ of an inch thick. One box will be for the base of your cookies and the other for the lattice top. I would recommend keeping the dough for the lattice pretty cold throughout this process.

Cut your base into circles.

Brush each cookie with your caramel.

Add a bit of pie filling to the center of each cookie and brush the edges with the egg wash.

As you lay down your lattice top, continue brushing the strips with egg wash.

If you’d like, sprinkle a little extra cinnamon over each cookie.

Bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes until golden and enjoy!!

NEMMA KALRA/the Justice Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS