The Justice, April 2, 2024

Screening of “Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story”

■ To conclude AAPI celebrations, BAASA hosted a talk about the work and legacy of Corky Lee.

By LIN LIN HUTCHINSON JUSTICE EDITOR

On March 31, the Brandeis Asian American Student Association held its second event to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. This year's theme of “Reflection” aims to “celebrate the efforts by our predecessors to create an hospitable and safe environment for AAPI,” an Instagram caption from BAASA’s account states. Sunday’s event included a screening of “Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story,” followed by a question and answer session with director Jennifer Takaki.

The documentary examines the work and effort made by Chinese American photographer Corky Lee, who began documenting the struggles, success and everyday lives of the Asian American Pacific Islander communities in the early 1950s, primarily in New York City. Lee strived to get the AAPI community into American history and through his photography drew attention to the xenophobic attitudes throughout American history, with the most recent rise in anti-Asian attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You believe what you see,” Lee said in the documentary’s early moments. “In junior high school they showed a photograph of the completion of the railroad. I didn't see any Chinese. The audacity. They didn't want the Chinese to be photographed as part of the celebration.” In the documentary, Lee is referencing a well known photograph from the 1869 “Golden Spike” ceremony. The photo depicts the celebration of the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, connecting the eastern and western sections of the railroad with a golden spike. However, the photo does not show the thou-

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sands of Chinese immigrants who came to the United States and risked their lives constructing the majority of the western part of the Transcontinental Railroad from 1863 to 1869. It is estimated that between 150 to 2,000 Chinese laborers were killed from tasks like dynamiting mountains for tunnels.

“That sort of set my course,” said Lee. “I think my contribution was for me to use photography as an organizing tool for social change.”

What began as a response to the erasure of Asian American in American history, became a 50-year endeavor to capture moments in Asian American history that many large publications failed to cover.

Some of Lee’s work included photographing protests held in 1974, by leaders of Asian Americans for Equality, in response to a private firm, the DeMatteis Corporation, refusing to hire Asian construction workers for the construction of Confucius Plaza in NYC’s Chinatown. In 1983, Lee chronicled the uproar and protest by the Asian American community after the Vincent Chen murder trial. Chen, a Chinese-American who was falsely suspected of being Japanese, was accused of having stolen jobs from two laid-off auto workers and was beaten to death.

The perpetrators face no jail time.

Most recently, Lee photographed the Asian American experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and during the height of anti-Asian hate.

In January of 2021, Lee passed away at the age of 73 to COVID-19.

“I don't think people need to remember who I am,” Lee said in the documentary. “It's more important that they remember the images.”

Director Jennifer Takaki, joined the event via Zoom, and shared that she was initially interested in producing five minute vignettes of people in NYC “who had a singular vision.” Takaki elaborated, explaining that the subjects “live life to the beat of their own drum …. In some ways they sacrificed so much for whatever they believed in.” In pursuing the

See

Student Union Constitutional Review

On Friday, March 29, the Student Union sent an email revealing that their proposed constitutional amendments, including consolidating several seats, removing several identity-based seats, such as racial minority and midyear, and reducing elections was rejected by the undergraduate student body. The changes would have required a two-thirds majority vote to pass, but only 64% of voters were in favor of the changes.

In response, the Student Union has adapted both their proposed constitutional amendments and their voting process. First, the Student Union is no longer considering removing the racial minority seats in the Senate. Instead, their email reads that they will “share concerns [they received] with the University and work collaboratively with students and other stakeholders to identify solutions.” Second, students now have the opportunity to vote for each change individually rather than as an all-or-nothing package.

The Student Union encouraged students to vote over March break using the link provided in their email. Additionally, readers were encouraged to seek out the Student Union Instagram or email studentunion@brandeis. edu with any questions.

- Zoe Zachary

Creative changemaking

WALTER E. FERNALD DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER

“They Haven’t Done Their Homework.”

■ How the city of Waltham is failing to preserve the legacy of the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center.

By LIN LIN HUTCHINSON JUSTICE EDITOR

A little over four miles away from Brandeis University, in Waltham, Massachusetts, sits the 180+ acre campus of the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center. Originally established in 1848 as the Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded by Samuel Gridley Howe in South Boston, the center’s inception marked a pivotal moment in the history of disability care in the United States.

What was once a beacon of hope and a place of refuge for countless individuals and families is now marred by instances of neglect and abuse — a reflection of the darker chapters in the history of intellectual and developmental disabilities care. The federally funded institution was the oldest institution that served people with developmental disabilities in the Western Hemisphere. Since Waltham acquired the center from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2014, many Waltham residents, advocacy groups and former Fernald residents have expressed discontent and anger about the city’s management and preservation plans of the historical site.

Howe, Fernald’s founder, was known as an abolitionist during the Civil War era and as the first director of the Perkins Institution for the Blind in Massachusetts. According to a City of Waltham written history of Fernald, Howe and the second superintendent, Edward Jarvis, had a “primarily moral / religious mission” of making “clean, productive, responsible citizens of high-functioning disabled youths.” This mission included classroom training, manual training like shoe repair and sewing, music therapy and physical activities like dancing and athletics. As the care and education gained traction, there was an increasing push for the school to accept adults with more chronic disabilities that needed additional care. As a result, in 1887 the legislature appropriated $25,000 for the purchase of land in Waltham for the expansion of Fernald. Land purchases continued into the 20th century, eventually totaling more than 180 acres of land. According to the city, the institution witnessed sig-

Television talks

By ISABEL ROSETH

nificant growth, expanding from 142 residents in 1889 to 494 by 1911, further growing to 1,330 in 1926 and reaching 1,890 by 1945. Its peak came in the 1960s, boasting a peak population of 2,600 residents. The care and education as it was under superintendents Howe and Jarvis changed as Walter E. Fernald became the third superintendent in the institution's history.

Under superintendent Fernald, the school became more scientifically driven, especially when pseudoscience, notably eugenics, gained in popularity in the 20th century. In the United States, the eugenics related atrocities committed in concentration camps during the Holocaust inspired segregation of individuals with disabilities and fostered the growth of institutions like the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center. This ideology manifested through widespread Intelligence Quotient testing, which led to the separation of children, whose IQ tests were not considered sufficient, from their families — institutionalizing them and not allowing them to reintegrate into society with the intention of keeping the genetic pool “clean.” Many of Fernald’s ideas like the segregation of intellectually disabled children from society, caused a lot of damage despite his efforts in walking back on some of the ideas during the later parts of his career. Conditions at the school were often brutal where residents were deprived of food and forced into manual labor.

“His work bears a significant responsibility for the mistreatment and segregation that hundreds of American mental institutions practice during and after his lifetime,” said Oliver Egger, the great great grandson of Fernald, at a March 24 People’s Fernald meeting. Fernald’s scientific inquiry continued under Dr. Ransom Greene, who became the next superintendent in 1925. During Greene’s leadership, the increase in the institution's population in combination with decreasing funding per capita, caused a heavy reliance on the unpaid manual labor of non-disabled residents in order to keep the state school in operation. In the previously mentioned city’s recording of the center's history, “people who did not have developmental disabilities were virtually incarcerated at the Fernald and institutions like it. These included people who tested below average on IQ tests (termed ‘morons’), children from broken or disordered, poor families and orphans in state foster care.

 Photographer Shelley Polanco ’24 shares how she centers her art on her AfroLatina heritage.

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

See LEGACY, 7 ☛ Waltham, Mass.

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

FERNALD CENTER : The Walter E. Fernald Center, though permanently closed, remains a part of Waltham's history.

Photo courtesy of SHELLY POLANCO

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Press release on the Fernald Developmental Center

On the morning of March 27, a press release titled “After Months of Scandals, Waltham City Council to Hold Community Hearing on the Fernald Developmental Center” was distributed by Jonathan Paz, a founding member of “The People’s Fernald Working Group” and former Waltham City Councilor. Paz publicized this announcement before the citizen input hearing on March 27 regarding “the future of the former Walter E. Fernald Development Center property,” hosted by the Waltham City Council.

According to the email, “This meeting … marks a significant milestone in response to the advocacy efforts of the People’s Fernald, a citizen initiative advocating for a transparent redevelopment process at the historic property.” This initiative has been calling for a “transparent redevelopment process” regarding the national historic register property that spans 196 acres. As a part of their mission, the group has hosted community forums, “providing community education to hundreds of Waltham residents about historic properties whose fate has been shrouded in secret amid multiple scandals in recent years.”

The release provided a list of the attendees’ hopes for Waltham. They called for a halt of the “current efforts to construct an amusement park at the edge of the grounds; commit to a sitewide investigation into the possibility of unmarked graves at the

POLICE LOG

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Mar. 23—There was a medical

property; and open up a transparent, accountable community process after a decade of secrecy and political giveaways at the site.” A member of the People’s Fernald Working Group stated, “The people of Waltham deserve a clear master plan, budget and input to the process.”

The center was the “first public institution for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” and closed its doors in 2014. The city purchased the site from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that same year. Since then, it has been shrouded in scandal “following revelations that the City of Waltham allowed vandals to ransack tens of thousands of patient records left behind by the Commonwealth and spent millions of dollars of taxpayer money intended for preservation to demolish historic buildings at the site.”

Waltham has faced backlash in recent weeks from its own Conservation Commission, “which alleges that the City is knowingly filling in existing wetlands to build an amusement park at the edge of the campus and [provides] insufficient and inaccurate documentation in an attempt to continue filling in the wetlands.”

Anna Martin

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Chillbox renovation and reopening

Over Brandeis University’s winter break, Chillbox, a Greek frozen yogurt store in the Charlesbank Shopping Center, announced that it would be closing for renovations over the winter and reopening in the spring. Chillbox was first established in 2012 in Patra, Greece. From Patra it expanded to other parts of Greece as well as the United States and the United Kingdom. Chillbox opened its Waltham location in 2017, replacing a former auto repair shop.

On March 26, owner Yianni Mitrousis announced in a Facebook post that “Creamery Ice Cream Shop will be officially opening its doors soon!” In a March 30 Facebook post seeking to hire employees for the Creamery Ice Cream Shop, Mitrousis clarified the opening. When asked by Facebook user Lauren Agetstein in the hiring post “Is this opening where chill box is in its place?” Mitrousis responded “yes,” and that the shop would open “in a few weeks.”

The location and the owner of the shop where Chillbox resided will remain the same, however the Creamery Ice Cream Shop will be replacing Chillbox in the Charlesbank Shopping Center. It has previously employed Brandeis students.

The Creamery Ice Cream Shop is currently looking to hire new employees.

for a student not feeling well. The patient was treated by BEMCo and refused further care.

Mar. 24—There was a medical

for an intoxicated party. The patient was treated by BEMCo and Armstrong Medics and transported to the hospital for further care.

Mar. 24—A party was not feeling well. They were treated by BEMCo and refused further treatment.

Mar. 24—A caller requested medical assistance for an intoxicated male. The male was gone upon the arrival of officers.

Mar. 24—A party was having a potential medical emergency. The party was transported to a local hospital for further care.

Mar. 26—A party fell and hit their head. The party was transported to a local hospital for further care.

Mar. 26—A party stated that a parking barrier landed on their foot. The patient refused medical treatment.

Mar. 27—A party reportedly passed out on a walk. The patient refused medical treatment.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

■ A News article incorrectly stated that Lisa Fishbayn Joffe “opened their lecture.” It was corrected to “opened Dr. Keren R. McGinity’s lecture.” (March 26, Page 1)

■ A News article incorrectly stated that Dr. McGinity is a “Mandell L. Berman Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Contemporary American Jewish Life at the University of Michigan Frankel Center for Judaic Studies.” It was corrected to “an inaugural Interfaith Specialist at United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and a Research Associate at the HadassahBrandeis Institute at the University.” (March 26, Page 7)

■ A Sports photostory graphic was not attributed to Creative Commons. It was corrected to “Graphic courtesy of Creative Commons.” (March 26, Page 21)

■ A Sports photostory graphic was not attributed to Creative Commons. It was corrected to “Graphic courtesy of Creative Commons.” (March 26, Page 24)

■ A Sports photostory incorrectly credited photographs “Photos: SAM SCHACTER and ELIZA BIER/The Justice.” It was corrected to “Photos courtesy of SAM SCHACTER and ELIZA BIER/The Justice.” (March 26, Page 23)

■ An Arts photostory was incorrectly titled “The Korean Student Association presents KNITE.” It was corrected to “The Korean Student Association presents K-NITE.” (March 26, Page 19)

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

— Eliza Bier

— Editor’s Note: Justice Associate Sophia De Lisi ’26 was a former employee of Chillbox and did not edit nor contribute to this brief.

Mar. 27—A party called in concerning a previous sports injury. The patient was treated by BEMCo and refused further care.

MISCELLANEOUS

Mar. 23—Writing was found on a bathroom wall. The situation was cleared.

Mar. 24—A case of in-person harassment was reported and an investigation is to follow.

Mar. 27—A caller reported that the residents next door were making loud noises. The area coordinator on call was called to handle the situation.

—Compiled by Zoe Zachary

students.

Riley, pet dog of Leah Berkenwald ’07, taking a snooze on a bright blue beanbag during a sunny day. Berkenwald is the Director of Health Promotion and Wellness Initiatives and is often accompanied by Riley, providing comfort to Brandeis

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

Panel discussion sheds light on healthcare injustice in prisons

■ The discussion, moderated by Prof. Rosalind Kabrhel (LGLS), focused on the prison system’s health crisis.

By DIANE MEYER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Aiming to bring a diverse group of educators and community leaders together in conversation, the Carceral Awareness, Reform and Education club at Brandeis, hosted “Health in Prison: A Panel Discussion,” which took place at the Heller School for Policy and Management on Monday, April 1. The panel included Sashi James, the director of Re-Imagining Communities at the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, which is an organization working towards the abolition of the American carceral system. Also contributing her voice and experience was Angelina Jefferson, who provides education services and support to formerly incarcerated people through the Partakers Empowerment Program and the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative. Rounding out the profuse assembly of perspectives was Stuart Grassian, M.D., who advocates for solitary confinement reform, and Brandeis Prof. Sanaullah Khan (ANTH).

In addressing the focus of the panel, Kabrhel acknowledged that “the title of this talk is health in prison, but [we have] to start … with health before prison.” In addressing systemic healthcare injustice inside the prison system, it is necessary to first address the root of the problem in outside communities, which involves layers of systemic social and political injustice. As Grassian put it, “the sicker [people] are, the harsher they are treated,” and it is “indisputable” that unequal and sometimes impossible access to healthcare outside of prison contributes to healthcare injustices inside. Khan added that “people entering prison coming from low income neighborhoods … [which] have been engulfed in violence for a long time” has obvious impacts on mental health as well as physical. James supported this assessment of the problematic inadequacy of American healthcare with her own personal experience. She said that “as a daughter of formerly incarcerated parents, and a member of the most incarcerated neighborhood in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” she knows that having access to healthcare is important through witnessing and experiencing its shortcomings. James sees suffering in her community and believes that leaving this unaddressed creates a genera-

ELECTION SECTION

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL CONTINUES

tional cycle. She referenced her own financially motivated decisions that have meant foregoing health insurance, and fears how this will impact her daughter, who she does not want viewing healthcare as a financial sacrifice.

If the healthcare system is troubled outside of prison, Jefferson testified to the fact that it is disastrous inside. Jefferson is a cancer survivor and was formerly incarcerated for 31 years before having her conviction overturned 21 months ago. She said that “behind the wall all [she] was saying was … please God don’t let me die in here.” When she returned home, all she wanted to do was to see a doctor. Jefferson described her first visit to the doctor outside of prison, saying that “when [she] got there, [she] broke down and cried [to her doctor] ... and had every test you could name.” She said that “it made [her] emotional … and made [her] think: this is what I have been missing.”

Diving deeper into the health crisis hidden within the walls of American prisons, Jefferson explained more about the alarming lack of accountability that allows people to go without the treatment and care they need. She remembered that she had to pay three dollars, which was a whole week of work in prison, for a “sick slip” when “she felt something was wrong.”

The “sick slip,” which promised a checkup in 24 hours, did not actually guarantee treatment and it was normal for people to not be seen for weeks. She said that she was lucky she had family advocating for her, remembering that “they knew when my grandmother was calling … I would hear my name over the loudspeaker saying ‘[that] the head of medical need[ed] to see me.’”

James also touched on the issue of accountability. Prisons are supposedly the social and legal symbol for accountability, yet as James articulated, they ironically demonstrate a profound lack of this value. She described a friend dying from stage four cancer after she got out of prison, having been ignored in prison despite having meticulously documented her symptoms, as well as a friend with lupus who died while serving an 18 month drug charge because his underlying condition was not taken seriously.

The discussion made apparent the litany of dangers incarcerated people face in not receiving proper health care because of the removal of “their liberty, … their autonomy and control over their bodies.” As an example, Jefferson described the chronic prescription of pain medication to mask more serious problems, which is especially dangerous for people with substance abuse issues, and James chimed in to affirm that “we’re responding to people that are dealing with substance abuse issues [ect.]... and

After securing the requisite number of delegates from their respective parties, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are officially the presidential nominees for the 2024 election. Trump’s eight-month election campaign, according to The New York Times, is “one of the longest in modern American history.” This presidential rematch will be the first of its kind in 70 years.

The Washington Post notes that this week, on their campaign trails, Trump and Biden will be focusing on “dueling issues that both believe play to their advantage” as the November election approaches. Trump will be highlighting matters related to illegal immigration in Michigan on April 2 in what the Associated Press calls an “alarmist message.” The AP reports that Trump has referred to migrants as “dangerous criminals” who are “‘poisoning the blood’” of the U.S. because of Biden’s immigration policies. However, the same article notes that the former president’s rhetoric “often relies on falsehoods about migration,” despite appealing to voters beyond Trump’s typical base of supporters.

Trump has pledged to restore his 2019 “Remain in Mexico” program which mandated that nonMexican people who are seeking asylum in the U.S. must wait at the southern border until their cases are resolved. Promising to enact more “humane” immigration policies, Biden terminated this program. Despite this promise, Biden’s presidency has faced a record-high 6.3 million individuals attempting to illegally cross the border since Biden’s presidency began in 2021.

On the other hand, the same Washington Post article predicts that President Biden will be focusing on healthcare issues during his campaign event at the White House on April 3. A White House fact sheet outlines healthcare costs as a goal of the Biden administration, claiming that “thanks to the President’s efforts, more Americans have health insurance than under any other President, and are better protected against surprise medical bills and junk fees.”

— Sophia De Lisi

we’re packing them down with more trauma.” Kabrhel added that “when you receive healthcare in prison it’s reactive not preventive, [and] when you come from a background where you don’t know what preventive care is like, you don’t know what to ask for.” This creates an environment that sets people up for inadequate care. James also touched on the incarceration of intoxicated people in general and how dangerous this forced detox can be. She highlighted the necessity for wellness checks and pointed out that “these people should be in the hospital [instead of behind bars]. … Before you do anything, get their health straight first.”

Mental health becomes a major issue as well, which Grassian sees especially in regards to solitary confinement as a punishment. Solitary confinement is sometimes even the solution for imprisoning people with serious mobility issues or disabilities. Jefferson said that in her experience, addressing mental health in prison meant being locked up “in a room in a turtle suit … [where] you’re just lying on the floor … and an officer sits there writing down every single move.” Grassian added that because “[inmates] know that this is how they deal with mental health issues, … [with] those suicide cells, [with] nothing to distract yourself … of course you won’t reveal that you have mental health problems because they’ll threaten you with that.” According to Jefferson, what is really necessary is “someone who’s going to listen and [help you] deal with the issues that you [are facing].” Simply put, according to James, “if you’re my doctor we should be a team,” but instead, healthcare in prison results in more disenfranchisement and more trauma.

Jefferson said that instead of receiving support for mental health from the state, help came from building community within prison. She helped create a peer support and restorative justice program inside the prison and explained that “a lot of women trusted us more than they trusted the system.” Further highlighting the fact that community groups and grassroots organizations offer the support needed when the state does not, Jefferson gave a shout out to New Beginning Reentry Home and Families for New Beginnings — “two major organizations that had [her] back” when she eventually got out of prison. She added that if she hadn’t gotten mental health treatment she “wouldn’t be sitting here right now.” She went on to describe that even living in her own home with the freedom and autonomy that represents for her does not allow her to fully escape the trauma she has from prison. She “never closes the door … [because] it takes her back to a place [she] doesn’t want to be.”

Grassian concluded that the failure of Ameri-

can justice and its intersection with the healthcare system is due to “the emphasis is on control and power” and “control for control’s sake.” Kabrhel stated that “some [people in government] like to stand on the platform of prison as a retributive place for people that have harmed others … without addressing the fact that prison is a place where we harm people [too].” To Grassian, this proves that society is “set up for disaster” because the “system is not geared toward rehabilitation … you’re not getting tough on the prisoner — you’re getting tough on the community.” Even with his “tremendous amount of work on solitary confinement reform,” Grassian explained that although some of these reforms have made a change on paper, the “culture doesn’t want to change.” James agreed, saying that she feels as though “we’re at war everyday with the state, with the DOC … [and] they just got billions of dollars to build a new prison while we’re addressing real harm.”

However, James described her own work for Reimaging Communities as a light in the darkness. She said that the organization “covers so much work, from policy and litigation to [literally] reimaging communities.” She said this approach “is the answer for how we abolish the system … we are not flexible in abolition — [we are] organizing for seven generations in the future and seven generations behind.” This emphasis on supporting the community, especially by focusing on building up women and girls and getting them out of prison, was a point of pride as James gestured to Jefferson saying, “she’s not a lifer anymore — she’s Angie Jefferson.”

Concluding the discussion, James encouraged attendees to spread awareness and get involved: “it’s about the power and the people.” At the current moment, CARE is aiming to support the work of organizations such as James’ Re-Imagining Communities by campaigning for the passage of a Prison Moratorium in Massachusetts so alternatives to incarceration can be implemented. BEJI, of which Jefferson is involved in, works “alongside Brandeis to build a program that centers on vital supportive mentorships that provide access to critical resources and understanding that returning citizens need to rebuild their lives.” More information on how to get involved with BEJI can be found at Partakers.org.

— Editor’s Notes: Justice Editor Nemma Kalra ’26 is employed by Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative and did not contribute to this article. Justice Associate Editor Julia Hardy ’26 is a part of CARE and did not contribute to this article.

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

Goose: A Canadian goose stands on grass littered with fallen leaves on a sunny day. It is facing the left, with its head tilted slightly toward the camera. The bird probably just flew back for the first sight of spring.

Brandeis’ financial state remains uncertain, amid budget cuts

■ In response to President Liebowitz’s recent email expressing financial concerns, The Justice seeks clarity.

By SOPHIA STEWART JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Thursday, March 14, students received an email from University President Ronald Liebowitz which detailed the recent financial situation that Brandeis has found itself in. Liebowitz, along with Provost Carol Fierke and Vice President of Finance and Administration Stew Uretsky wrote that Brandeis is facing short and long term financial shortfall, so they must address the unanticipated budget cuts. The University is making four specific changes: temporarily increasing spending from Brandeis’ endowment, delaying merit increases until Fall 2024, pausing Science 2A construction to build a new dormitory, and more carefully considering filling staff and faculty positions that are not externally funded. Deans and Vice Presidents are making their academic decisions based on the financial updates.

In a March 25 interview with The Justice, Phi-

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Task Force on free expression

losophy department chair Prof. Kate Moran said that announcements about financial cuts are similar to the financial crisis in 2008 and following COVID-19. To save up, the administration has decided to delay the annual staff performance review and merit increases. Each year, the faculty reviews the scholarship of faculty members and then faculty members earn merit increases. There is a similar process for Brandeis University staff members. Per the email, the delay of the merit increases aims to allow the university to meet its goals of greater financial sustainability.

As for the new dormitory announcement, the Brandeis Department of Community Living has not finalized plans for construction. In a request for input on dorm construction plans, Timothy Touchette stated “It will take some time before plans are developed and finalized. I do not have any information to share at the moment.” Based on the March 14 email, the University seeks to upgrade residential spaces because they know it is “an area that [they] need to enhance as competition for students grows more intense.” The email communicates the administration’s decision to focus on students’ academic and social experiences, thus postponing the construction of Science 2A.

On an academic level, Brandeis Deans and Vice Presidents are leading their departments in conversations to accommodate for recent un-

precedented budget cuts and decline in graduate student enrollments. The restructuring of curriculum and departmental offerings, as well as undergraduate research opportunities, will be an ongoing process, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Jeffrey Shoulson shared in a March 20 interview with The Justice. The decision to restructure academic departments occurred after the schedule of class offerings was already set in stone. Shoulson leads conversations with division heads and program chairs about how to efficiently adhere to student academic interests and cooperate with the financial updates. In the School of Arts and Sciences, there are 260 tenured faculty with 230 off the tenure stream, according to Shoulson. The administration has been trying to create new majors based off of student interests, but Brandeis has had to make cuts. Although the School of Arts and Sciences does not yet have a clear plan for how they plan to deal with budget cuts, Shoulson said that he is pleased to be having these challenging, but necessary conversations. Moran said there has always been a sense that Brandeis tries to do a lot with limited resources. She went on to say that it is hard to be competitive and have enough money to support academic programs, undergraduate research, athletics and student life. In the spirit of saving money, Moran reported that the University is not granting a lot of hires for the 2024-25 school year. In order

to hire new faculty, departments must make a strong case for why a new faculty member would be beneficial. The plans for maintaining financial longevity are meant to benefit students’ academic experiences at Brandeis. According to Moran, professors at Brandeis are simultaneously very active in research and great teachers. In implementing the new financial plans, Brandeis will maintain its academic prestige to compete with other universities for enrollment and for the sake of academia itself. The University’s policies on hiring faculty and prioritizing undergraduate research experiences, as Shoulson said, aims to meet its goal of academic excellence.

Brandeis will continue to adhere to its values of strong liberal arts, a deep and wide range of disciplinary approaches and career preparation, according to Shoulson. In the School of Arts and Sciences, Shoulson said that in developing new curriculum and in conversations about budget cutting, the faculty departments are informed by an inclusive and strong vision about what the University should be doing to enhance the student experience in a well-rounded way. A plan for implementing more inclusive and rich student experiences will inform budget cutting in the Arts and Sciences, according to Shoulson. As the University adjusts financial plans in the future, administration will communicate the changes to students, faculty, and staff.

On March 28, President Ronald Liebowitz sent an email to the Br andeis community about the creation of ‘The Presidential Task Force on Free Expression.” The group, led by the chair Prof. Kate Moran (PHIL), consists of faculty, staff, students and trustees.

Professors include Linda Bui (ECON), Shai Feldman (IMES), Anita Hill (HS), David Katz (HIST), Dr. Donald Katz (PSYC), Dan Oprian (BCHM) and Stuart H. Altman Chair in U.S. Health Policy Karen Donelan. Undergraduate students Mona Houjazy ’26, Shai Goldberg Kellman ’26 and Ph.D candidate in International Relation, Nathanial Walker are also involved, as well as trustees Barbara Dortch-Okara ’71, David Harris P’ 05, H’ 22 and Marjorie Hass. General Counsel, Steve Locke, Director of Communications, Student Affairs, and Family Liaison, Dvora Pemstein and Communications Coordinator for the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, Mel Ptacek, are also in the task force.

Liebowitz highlighted Brandeis’ “history of openness,” in accepting Jewish students and “recruiting and making a home for high-achieving students and faculty regardless of background.” Brandeis’ Principles of Free Speech and Free Expression was published by the Board of Trustees in 2018, but in light of developments in acad emia and the world, Liebow -

itz stated that it is necessary to “conduct a review of these Principles and how university policies and procedures relate to them.”

The two goals of the task force are to “examine our current Principles of Free Speech and Free Expression and make recommendations for changes or improvements” and “review the processes and protocols Brandeis uses to apply these Principles to our academic and co-curricular activities, and make recommendations for changes or improvements.”

Recommendations are expected to be submitted to Liebowitz by Dec. 31, 2024. Liebowitz hopes that this course of action will be a productive self-examination and lead to a more “open, civil, and secure environment for the pursuit and creation of knowledge.”

— Momoca Mairaj

DOCUMENTARY: "Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story"

original project, Lee, one of the original subjects, whose story became more and more integrated, ultimately pushed Takakit to shift the project to focus on Corky Lee’s work and legacy.

“Hanging out with Corky was … like AAPI history studies every day with him,” Takaki said. “He just made everything so relevant … in every-

day conversation. Like he could talk and interject history, like no one you’ve ever met. I find that fascinating.” Lee was very knowledgeable about the AAPI community in NYC, as he attended major events, protests and gatherings, dating back to the 1950s. Prior to the beginning of the Q&A session, Takaki asked attendees to raise their hands if

they had heard and/or met Corky Lee. Only a couple hands went up. “Yeah, so we have a lot of work to be done because if you meet Corky once you'll never forget him,” Takaki said in response to the low number of hands raised. Although Takaki has been able to get to know Lee for many years, Lee’s work and memory remains unknown to many.

Takaki expressed the desire for the documentary to raise awareness of Corky Lee to the status of Bruce Lee. “Think that they both provided a sense of pride and confidence and a sense of belonging and transcended [in their] own areas,” Takaki said. She thinks that the idea that they can both be “iconic to so many people” sends an important message of unity and community.

LEGACY: The Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center

CONTINUED FROM 1

Reggie Clark, a former Fernald resident in the 1960s, remembers having to go to bed at 6:00pm and waking up at 5:00am everyday. He remembers doing the laundry for 52 buildings, making 24 beds and not being allowed to leave the grounds of Fernald or interact with individuals outside of his ward. Clark was admitted into Fernald in the early 1960s and released in 1969.

“When you're in that ward, you're there for a reason,” Clark said in a March 29 interview with The Justice. “You're there for a reason, because your family puts you there … I didn't have no choice.” Clark's story exemplifies the lack of personal agency throughout the institutionalization experience.

“I had to take care of patients who were very disturbed,” Clark recalled. “Because the nurses were afraid to go near them.”

The state school became a research institution with its residents as test subjects. Most famously, between late 1940s and early 1950s, a group 73 boys from the Fernald, between the age of 10-17, were involved in joint experiments by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Quaker Oats, where the the boys were fed oatmeal and milk laced with radioactive iron and calcium, as an effort to prove the nutrients in Quaker’s oatmeal travels throughout the body. The boys did not give consent to partake in the experiments, and were led to believe they were joining a science club. In December of 1995, a $60 million class action lawsuit was filed against MIT and Quaker Oats. In 1998, a $1.85 million settlement was reached, requiring MIT to pay the bulk of the settlement.

Due to the high expenses needed to maintain the facilities’ operations, then Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney announced his plans of closing the center in an effort to the a $3 billion budget gap for the 2004 fiscal year. The last resident did not leave until 2014, as employees, institution residents and affected families were determined to stop the closure — slowing down the closing process. In 2014, Waltham obtained the property from the state for the price of $3.7 million. 50 acres of the land was purchased with city funds, while 140 acres was bought through the Massachusetts’ Community Preservation Act. Through state funding, the city was responsible to ensure historic preservation efforts, the

reuse of buildings, hire sitewide security and restore wetlands that address floods that occur within the surrounding neighborhood.

Since the purchase, the Fernald Reuse Committee, which was established in 2004, has come up with a tentative plan for the campus, including a miniature golf course, electric train, athletic fields and playgrounds. However, residents, former residents and other stakeholders have expressed their dissatisfaction with the city’s closed door planning and discussion surrounding the repurposing efforts of the Fernald grounds.

“I am one of the dissenting voices,” said Diana Young, a former chair of the Community Preservation Committee and member of the Waltham Land Trust, in a March 10 interview with The Justice. “Part of the reason is the concern about the property being changed improperly … The other thing is we were hoping we were expecting more of an iterative process with the public.” Young expressed concerns about the specific potential violations the city is violating within the Community Preservation Agreement. Section 12a of the CPA “requires that a permanent restriction be placed on any ‘real property interest’ acquired using CPA funds to ensure that the property continues to be used for the applicable CPA purpose. Given this statutory requirement, a CPA project involving acquisition of any real property interest is technically not complete until the restriction is approved by the appropriate state agency and filed at the Registry of Deeds.”

Young explained that the city of Waltham has yet to obtain any holders of registration. “So there's been no holder to kind of watch what the city is doing and hold this city's feet to the fire,” said Young.

Transparency and communication throughout the planning process has been a common frustration shared by community members. “I think a big starting point is the notion of participatory justice,” Hezzy Smith, Director of Advocacy Initiatives at Harvard Law School Project on Disability, said in a March 10 interview with The Justice. “Where people with disabilities have to be at the table, making decisions about how that land is used.” Opponents of the city’s current plans have pushed for opportunities for community input and the inclusion of people with disabilities, as they were most impacted. Smith suggested that the preservation plans should consider the inclusion of accessible housing, recreation center, service center and a museum where former residents and people with disabilities, the same as those who were institutionalized, to be paid docents and tell the

history of Fernald. “If there is not going to be a strong preference for prioritizing people with disabilities and accessing whatever service or program is based at that site, then there's something seriously, seriously wrong,” Smith said.

“None of these people don't care about what's important to us until they get punished,” Clark said when expressing his frustration around the lack of input from the disability community in the planning process. “They haven’t done their homework … I'm sure that if their son or daughter was in an institution, they would’ve already stepped up and did their homework.” Clark shared how it is a “whole different ball game” if you haven’t experienced or made an effort in understanding the ugly past to develop a preservation plan for the Fernald, and it's a “slap in the face” to build recreational and amusement attractions on land where abuse and neglect occurred.

Similar sentiments shared by Clark, Smith and Young were expressed by attendees of the third People’s Fernald meeting held on March 24. Egger, the great great grandson of Walter E. Fernald, shared the concerning legacy of his great great grandfather and his disappointment with how Mayor Jeannette McCarthy has handled property since obtaining it in 2014. He stressed that the limited security on the property led to vandalism and for sensitive medical records of former residents to be abandoned and up for grabs — poor handling of the property by the local and state officials.

Also in attendance at the March 24 meeting was Bryan Parcival, a photographer who was part of a team hired by the city to perform a recording of the site. His work includes juxtaposing thousands of current and past photos of all the buildings on the Fernald campus. Parcival emphasized the “lack of imagination” by the city, as pictures depict what was and what could have been architectural beauty, rich in history, but now is overridden by trespassers due to the lack of restorative efforts from the city.

Three days later, on March 27, with short public notice, the Waltham City Council hosted a public input hearing on the preservation plans of the Fernald. Many residents shared their discontentment with the city’s current plan and advocated for the city to follow its CPA obligations and push for more community and disability groups’ input throughout the planning process. They also expressed fear of improper land changes, construction noises and traffic as a result of the Fernald and other projects and the need for clear and transparent communication. Many gave suggestions of how to repurpose the land, suggesting the creation

of a new cemetery, more affordable housing and memorials like a museum.

One concerned Waltham resident expressed the fear of rumored unmarked graves and the city’s active bulldozing efforts without any regard for doing ground penetrating radar. “I find that really shocking,” the resident said in the hearing. “Even if the city believes there are no graves there — as your legacy, as the council — wouldn’t we want to verify that before disturbing the earth and disturbing any potential final resting places and human remains?” The resident questioned the city council.

The possibility of unmarked and/or unnamed burial grounds on the Fernald property may not be a far possibility. Alex Green, a disability historian and consultant to the city when Fernald was purchased, an adjunct lecturer in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and a Visiting Scholar at the Brandeis Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, worked on a project with an 11th grade class to uncover the name and stories of those buried in MetFern Cemetery. According to Green’s research, between 1947 and 1979, the Fernald School and the Metropolitan State Hospital, another nearby institution, buried 296 of their patients in unmarked graves. “The belief was that you had to, and this is common all over the United States … spare the family any shame,” siad Green in a March 13 interview with The Justice. “So you couldn't put their name on a headstone out in the cemetery.” The burials are marked with a sunken slab of stone with “C” or “P” for Catholic and Protestant, and a number etched into it.

To Green, the project highlights not only the historical context and rippling effect felt today of the neglect and abuse committed at the Fernald and other institutions throughout the country, but more positively highlight “a positive way that the community could look at how to move forward with this property and do something that isn't a lasting sort of stain on the image of what Waltham seems to believe Fernald was about.”

However, this is no small battle. Green spoke about the need for outside support and was “shocked” that the state and federal government have not said enough about the city’s management of the Fernald property. “We've seen that left to their own devices while holding those sentiments about disabled people and their history, the city will go from passive forms of neglect to actively criminal violations of personal privacy and civil rights,” Green elaborated.

features

Photography

Jeannette Rankin, first woman elected to U.S. Congress, assumed office in 1917.

The Dominican Republic is the only country in the world with a Bible on the flag.

In Focus: spotlIghtIng creatIve changemaker shelley polanco

Shelley Polanco ’24 details her journey as a self-taught photographer, her experience being Afro-Latina at Brandeis and how she has incorporated her heritage into her work.

Shelley Polanco ’24, a double major in African and African American Studies and Politics, is an Afro-Latina multi-hyphenate creative. Since her youth, she has always been drawn to creating change. Whether through poetry and creative writing or photography and cinema, she is always uplifting and building a legacy that visualizes people of color. Today, Polanco runs a freelance photography business called Shot by Shell and is embracing other mediums of artful expression.

On March 27, I had the opportunity to interview Polanco. Polanco sat across from me on a cloudy afternoon, her curls and glasses framing her face. She was vulnerable in sharing her experiences navigating being a creative, academic and being Afro-Latina at Brandeis. Polanco began her journey with photography amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. She shared, “I picked up a camera [...] because I felt the world was changing so much. I felt like my camera and film, in particular, helped me take this moment and hold it and immor-

talize it.”

At Brandeis, Polcanco gained experience in politics through an array of leadership roles on campus through the Diversity Inclusion Initiative and Student Union. She noted that politics and photography are not as separate as they may seem. She says that the nature of photography is a political act “because no one can say something did not happen.” Polanco explained, it provides evidence of existence.

“In itself, a photo is very political because to me it’s truth,” Polanco emphasized. She is selfassured in maintaining ethics and morals with regards to her photography and filmmaking practice. “You have to be responsible in the way you take photos. Of course, you can be a deceptive photographer, you can craft and frame and reenact things that may not be the true story, but that is not my philosophy as a creator,” she adds.

Polanco is primarily selftaught through the internet and playing around with a camera, but she grew exponentially in her work through mentorship

By MINA ROWLAND JUSTICE ASSOCIATE EDITOR

and her fellowship as an Emerging Artist through Dunamis Boston. She created a capstone project that served as “an immersive photo gallery about un-

housed women in Boston.” Her curatorial experience through her capstone exhibit and other projects prepared her for one of her largest and most successful exhibitions to date, La Fuerza de Brandeis.

In her own words, La Fuerza de Brandeis is “a project that complicates the ways people at Brandeis see and think about Latinx people.” Born out of her willingness to visualize and disrupt the negativity, disrespect and colorism she’s witnessed at Brandeis, this project came alive. Polanco discussed her close relationship with hospitality workers and being able to connect with fellow Latinx folks on campus and comfortably speak Spanish, whereas she witnessed so much dehumanization from students towards staff.

As a recipient of the Race, Ethnicity and Migration Grant from the Latin American Studies Department in the 2022-2023 academic year, she embarked on creating La Fuerza de Brandeis. Through her camera, she photographed and framed 47 Latinx individuals from Brandeis whether they were associate professors,

hospitality staff or undergraduate students. She found this to be “a productive way to address the harmful implications of stereotypes surrounding Latinx folks being the help.” Fostering a sense of belonging was important to Polanco and she created this through her style in doing photoshoots.

Polanco emphasized her desire to achieve authenticity and for folks to bring themselves as they were to La Fuerza de Brandeis. She let each subject author have complete control over location, clothing attire, props, and poses. “I let them construct the image, they had a say on whether or not they wanted to smile or look into the camera, how many pictures they wanted to take, how they wanted to display their Latinx heritage, if they even wanted to,” Polanco explained. She spent time getting to know her subjects, listening to their stories before photographing them.

Polanco did not achieve this work alone. Humble in her talents, she expressed gratitude in working with and being mentored by academic administra-

GRAND OPENING: Polanco’s photography exhibition opened on Nov. 3, 2023.

ARTIST: Shelley Polanco ’24 is a self-taught photographer.

Polanco did not achieve this work alone. Humble in her talents, she expressed gratitude in working with and being mentored by academic administrator Mangok Bol and the Chair of the Latin America, Caribbean and Latinx Studies Department, Elizabeth Ferry. Polanco intended on having the portrait exhibition in the Dreitzer Gallery in Spingold Theater, but when it was not available she reflected on the Mandel Center for the Humanities as a walkway in which the portraits would gain a lot of attention but also remain safe. She got approval for the exhibition to stay up towards the end of the fall 2024 semester. She planned for the celebration and opening of the exhibition and worked tirelessly to make sure everyone was represented in other aspects outside of the photography. The Latinx Portrait Project came to life on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023 when her exhibit opened.

The photography itself is visually immersive but Polanco did not stop there. Through her reception in her opening, she invited the idea of allowing other senses such as sound, touch and smell to immerse audiences in the Latinx experience. She hired the growing Latinx pop band, Olas de Surya, to amplify sound design behind Latinx music. They performed covers of classic Latin music and invited people to sing along. In including taste and smell, Polanco successfully

orchestrated orders that catered from all 17 countries represented in appetizers, drinks and candies — each decorated with their flag.

The La Fuerza de Brandeis in the Mandel Center for Humanities and Olin-Sang American Civilization Center passageway closed as students returned from winter break. Polanco was still in discussion with Ferry about memorializing the exhibition in another space and was connected to Mary Calo, manager of Public Services for the Brandeis Library. Their next step was to find a space where Polanco’s work would be seen but also safe. She shared an extremely negative experience during the installment process where a caucasian student made fun of one of the portraits. Polanco recalled that the student got very close to one of the portraits and joked to his friend, “don’t we look alike?” while filming. She calmly inquired if the student identified as Latinx, to which he replied that he is Jewish but he was joking around since he speaks Spanish. “I encountered a lot of ignorant comments and hateful action toward the work itself,” she said.

Polanco shared that she felt unsafe because white violence does occur on and off the Brandeis campus and often is not acknowledged. However, she felt that by not showing the project she would be minimizing and hiding her culture to appease others. The staff at the Brandeis Library were incredibly appalled by the

negative interactions and they provided her with support and care in preserving her work.

Polanco’s Latinx Portrait Project now lives near the entrance of the Goldfarb Library. Her statements are framed along a wall of faces that serve as an ode

expressed discontent with her personal experience and not finding belonging within student cultural organizations particularly because she is Afro-Latina and is often forced to pick a race. Yet she explained both are central to her identity. “I know that [a ma-

invisible or minimized. Upon creating community with multiracial students and creatives, she recognized the power of her camera and photography.

The Latinx Portrait Project has moved many but none have been more affected than Polanco herself. “Photography has demanded of me to dream bigger, and [it] has had me reinvent what is important,” Polanco shared. She admits that she was not always comfortable with calling herself a photographer or an artist. Like a lot of students of color in a single parent and immigrant household, Polanco felt the expectation of finding a stable career. However, she has been able to discover and change the narrative surrounding what defines a good career.

Polanco has many people who have inspired her work. She discussed other creatives and artists in and outside her personal sphere. Her top inspiration is Issa Rae, a young Black creator who is unapologetically herself. Rae has been inspiring to Polanco because “she never takes no for an answer.” Chidera Eggerue, known on social media as @theslumflower, inspires Polanco because of the philosophy of centering dreams and being true to yourself. Polanco has

to the Latinx experience, an invitation to cultivate curiosity and a visually stunning framework to look at Latinx narratives. She hopes to create an atmosphere of understanding and acceptance on campus. Polanco

jority] of Dominican people don’t like to claim their Black ancestry because of the Trujillo dictatorship and a lot of internalized hatred,” she added. Polanco knows she is not alone having her identities rendered

been heavily impacted by Jasmine Garcia who was a mentor through Dunamis and encouraged and validated Polanco’s journey as a creative and intellectual. In terms of musical inspiration, Flo Milli has been unapologetically herself in a male dominated industry despite receiving criticism, and Polanco aspires to be like her, showing up authentically in her creative work. Finally, Black feminist thinker Audre Lorde has been on Polanco’s mind and shaped the way she moves in the world as an Afro-Latina woman.

Her relationship with photography has allowed for her to be a part of crafting a narrative that is self-written by folks often marginalized in society and the global world.

Her advice for first-year students, particularly students of color, first generation and lowincome college students, is to live boldly and loudly and to embrace the journey of higher education. “It is normal to be overwhelmed but do not stay there.

Think about what you can’t stop thinking about — what is the object of your attention?” Polanco invites students to discover their passion and make as many connections and networks as possible during their time as undergraduates. “Redirect the resources back to you,” Polanco adds, acknowledging the vast amount of resources Brandeis has to offer.

“Collective wisdom is really important to me,” she adds. Polanco’s work is a living document of her culture and creates a platform for dialogue. As an advocate for social change, Po-

EXHIBITION: An attendee views the photos on display at Polanco’s Nov. 3 opening.

PORTRAITURE: Polanco stands in front of her collection of 47 portraits of Latinx community members.

SPREAD: The food spread at the Nov. 3 exhibition opening represented all 17 countries of South America.

Photo courtesy of VIMUKTHI MAWILMADA.

Photo courtesy of SHELLEY POLANCO.

Photo courtesy of VIMUKTHI MAWILMADA.

Eliza Bier, Anna Martin, Lauryn Williams, Deputy Editors

Owen Chan, Ceci Xilei Chen, Sophia De Lisi, Zachary Goldstein, Julia Hardy, Mina Rowland, Associate Editors

Lil Lin Hutchinson, Anika Jain, News Editors

Grace Doh, Features Editor

Rani Balakrishna, Sports Editor

Nemma Kalra, Arts & Culture Editor

Jonas Kaplin, Bryan Wolfe, Photography Editors

Sara Samuel, Madison Sirois, Copy Editors

Marina Rosenthal, Layout Editor Elizabeth Liu, Ads Editor

Amanda Chen, Eden Osiason, Online Editors

Letter to the class of 2028 EDITORIALS

Dear students of the class of 2028,

As college admissions decisions have been released, this board would like to send you a message of congratulations and support. First of all, you did it! You survived the hardest part of high As college admissions decisions have been released, this board would like to send you a message of congratulations and support. First of all, you did it! You survived the hardest part of high school and are turning the page to a new chapter in the book that is your life.

While the transition to college is a hard one, we would like to assure you that you will overcome the challenges that are ahead. You are about to embark on a journey of discovery — one where you learn what it means to be you in a new environment, surrounded by a new community. While leaving family, friends and a familiar routine can be hard, we encourage you to take steps outside of your comfort zone. You are entering the perfect time to explore and experiment to find out how you want to spend your life and who you want to spend it with.

We would like to offer some advice regarding friendships. High school friends are often those of convenience, placed in the same class or the neighbors that you grew up with. While these friendships are treasured and often lifelong, college is a place where you have the opportunity to start anew. Even if you are entering college with friends from home, we encourage you to open yourself up to the possibility of forming new connections. This board acknowledges that many of the first friends that you will make when you enter college will be of similar convenience to those in high school, often being those in your orientation group or those who live in your dorm. While these friendships are great and help the transition to college become easier, there is a high possibility that your freshman friend group will not survive to the end of the year. This board would like to assure you that that is totally normal.

Learning that people will enter and leave your life is necessary. While a hard lesson to learn, it is an important one. College is the time to learn these meaningful lessons and make mistakes. We encourage you to talk to that person in your class that you think is really cool, and to not be scared when outgoing upperclassmen approach you at the club fair. Differing class years and majors should not be a deterrent — talk to anyone and ev-

eryone that you cross paths with. Friends will be found in the most mysterious places. College will be a much better experience if you are surrounded by true friends — ones with common interests and strong connections.

This board would also like to speak on college prestige. We would like to emphasize that happiness is way more important than the name of the college in your Instagram bio. While an Ivy League name carries weight, so do things such as grade point average and extracurriculars. When choosing your future school, we encourage you to weigh all factors and think about what is the best fit for you, not what you think you are supposed to choose. A name does not guarantee happiness, and every school has both strengths and weaknesses no matter the ranking. We encourage you to think about your decision holistically and consider all of the options presented to you with an open mind, as you are much more likely to succeed in a place that is a good fit for you.

We would also like to discuss a frequently considered option for first-year students: transferring. While necessary in some cases, this board would like to advise you to try your best to find your place in the community that you chose. Often, reasons behind transferring relate to factors such as roommates, classes and friend groups — all of which can and will change as you advance throughout your college career. Not only does transferring mean you have to start all over again in a new community, but you may also lose progress made at your previous institution, including the community of connections that you have built. When moving forward and establishing a career, your network of connections can be a very valuable resource. However, while it may be difficult to start over, we understand that transferring may be the necessary option for you and encourage you to do what is best for your future.

As a board, we would like to emphasize that we are really proud of you. Not only are college applications mentally exhausting, but they are a lot of work. We have all been there and we all empathize with how hard the last few months have been for you. We encourage you to take some time for yourself this summer before you begin the next chapter of your life. We can assure you that it is going to be a good one.

With love, The Justice editorial board

Taking advantage of opportunities and supporting student organizers

Founded

ing considering how numerous the Brandeis student body is and just how many students have a passion for the arts. Some issues regarding the lack of student participation are that not enough professors encourage students to go.

An example of how professors can encourage students to participate is Professor Neil Swidey in the Journalism Department. He has often encouraged students to attend and even cover events through extra credit. Swidey has emphasized the importance of having a strong sense of building community.

The events are not exclusive to artists, students from all majors and interests can find valuable information and networking opportunities through attending various events and supporting the community at Brandeis. This Board asks professors to encourage students to participate in these events, as it is an opportunity to bring the Brandeis community together.

While college life can be overwhelming, especially for students at Brandeis who tend to be overachievers, participating in other ex-

periences outside of academia and branching outside of your comfort zone can be exciting.

The opportunities offered by our university are a unique part of the college experience, and we encourage you to take full advantage of them.

We also encourage students to recognize their peers in their leadership and the work

that goes into planning and holding events. Not showing up affects a lot of folks who put their heart and soul into producing said event. In an effort to combat this we encourage you to check out the full list of events through the Festival of the Arts website.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

that the “Nakba” was self inflicted.

CALA ignores or willfully denies CONTEMPORANEOUS Muslim and Arab journalism in order to promote the antisemitic calumny of “the 1948 forced displacement of 700,000 Palestinians and the creation of the State of Israel”.

CALA ignores the reality that even a cursory glance at contemporaneous Muslim newspapers and other contemporaneous Muslim media makes clear that it was Arab leaders in 1947/1948 who commanded the local Arab population in Mandatory Palestine to “flee” their homes in anticipation of the genocide of the Jews — and an Arab populace who willingly obeyed that command.

On April 3, 1949 the Near East Arabic Broadcasting Station reported: “It must not be forgotten that the Arab Higher Committee encouraged the refugees’ flight from their homes in Jaffa, Haifa and Jerusalem”. (“The Palestinian Delusion, The Catastrophic History of the Middle East Peace Process”, Robert Spencer, 2019, page 83)

On October 12, 1963 the Egyptian daily “Akbar el Yom” reported that : “The 15th May, 1948 arrived…On that day the Mufti of Jerusalem ( the Grand Mufti Amin al-Husseini) appealed to the Arabs of Palestine to leave the country, because the Arab armies were about to enter and fight in their stead”. (“The Palestinian Delusion”, page 83)

On April 9, 1953 the Jordanian daily “Al Urdan” reported: “For the flight and fall of the other villages it is our leaders who are responsible because of their dissemination of rumours exaggerating Jewish crimes and describing them as atrocities in order to inflame the Arabs..By spreading rumours of Jewish atrocities, killings of women and children etc., they instilled fear and terror in the hearts of the Arabs in Palestine, until they fled leaving their homes and properties to the enemy”. See: “The Palestinian Delusion”, , page 83; . See also: “The Massacre That Never Was: The Myth of Der Yassin and the Creation of the Palestine Refugee Problem”, Professor Eliezer Tauber, 2021)

Even the contemporaneous reporting of “The Economist” makes clear that the “Nakba’ was self inflicted. On October 3, 1948 “The Economist” reported: “Of the 62,000 Arabs who formerly lived in Haifa not more than 5,000 or 6,000 remained. Various factors influenced their decision to seek safety in flight. There is but little doubt that the most potent of the factors were the announcements made over the air by the Higher Arab Executive, urging the Arabs to quit…It was clearly intimated that those Arabs who remained in Haifa and accepted Jewish protection would be regarded as renegades”. (“The Palestinian Delusion”, page 82).

On August 19, 1951 the Beirut weekly “Kul-Shay” opined: “Who brought the Palestinians to Lebanon as refugees, suffering now the malign attitude of newspapers and communal leaders, who have neither honor not conscience? Who brought them over in dire straits and penniless, after they lost their homes?

The Arab states, and Lebanon amongst them, did it”. (“The Palestinian Delusion, , page 84).

In 1955, the secretary of the Office of the Arab League in London, Edward Atiyah, admitted:

“This wholesale exodus was due partly to the belief of the Arabs, encouraged by the boasting of an unrealistic Arab press and the irresponsible utterances of some of the Arab leaders that it could be only a matter of some weeks before the Jews were defeated by the armies of the Arab states and the Palestinian Arabs enable to re enter and retake possession of their country”. (“The Palestinian Delusion”, , page 84).

Furthermore, the Jordanian newspaper Filastin on February 19, 1949 stated: “The Arab States encouraged the Palestine Arabs to leave their homes temporarily in order to be out of the way of the Arab invasion armies, have failed to keep their promise to help these refugees” (“The Palestinian Delusion”, , page 82-83).

Ahistorical revisionism today by CALA and other academics in the tradition of Edward Said cannot change the true history of the self inflicted “Nakba” as accurately reported by contemporaneous Arab and Muslim journalists.

Also, Syrian intellectual Constantine Zureiq in August 1948 FIRST used term nakba as “a self- inflicted and humiliating wound caused by the Arabs themselves”.(“Israel: A Simple Guide To The Most Misunderstood Country On Earth”, page 114, Noa Tishby, 2021)

As Professor Richard Landes insightfully points out, the original meaning of “nakba” was “when we Arabs did it to ourselves”.

See : “Can ‘The Whole World’ Be Wrong? Lethal Journalism, Antisemitism and Global Jihad”, Richard Landes, page 195, 2022).

Further Zureiq imputed agency to the Arabs and made them responsible for their own humiliation. Zureiq’s own words make clear that “the Nakba” has nothing to do with Israel or the Jews:

“When the battle broke out, our public diplomacy to speak of our imaginary victories, to put the Arab public to sleep and talk of the ability to overcome and win easily — until the Nakba happened….We must admit our mistakes…and recognize the extent of our responsibility for the disaster that is our lot”.

(“Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth, page 114).

Only after 1968 did the anti-semites of the PLO encouraged by the KGB and their jew hating allies on the Left and later Hamas pervert Zureiq’s clear meaning, create the fiction of Palestinian Arab victimhood, and make the Jews the villain. Clearly CALA like so many academics today is a sycophant of this KGB balderdash and shows total disrespect -- racism? -- for contemporaneous Muslim and Arab journalists.

— Richard Sherman POB 934853, Margate, Florida 33093(646)267-7904.

CECI XIELI CHEN/The Justice

Photo courtesy of BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY

The devil’s advocate: Debating the Law of Gravity

By JACK GRANAHAN and STEPHEN GAUGHAN JUSTICE STAFF WRITERS

Context: Legend has it that in the mid-17th Century, Isaac Newton “discovered” gravity after watching an apple fall down from a tree. Almost four hundred years later, this discovery — and the Law of Gravity itself remain among science’s most hotly controversial topics (at least among these columnists). Devil’s Advocate co-columnist Gaughan has indeed often found himself its victim. While others might harp on his own recognition of his utter lack of physical coordination to explain his tendency to trip, slip and nearly or fully walk into things,

For (Gaughan):

In 1689, roughly two decades after Newton’s theory of universal gravitation was developed, Enlightenment philosopher John Locke laid out some of the fundamental principles governing democratic governments in his Second Treatise of Government. In this text, Locke acknowledged that although man was created “with a title to perfect freedom,” it would be unfeasible for an individual to, without institutional assistance, “preserve his property, that is, his life, liberty and estate, against the injuries and attempts of other men.” In order to solve this conundrum, Locke invoked the concept of the social contract, acknowledging that people must surrender some of their freedom in exchange for security and protection from their government.

To some extent, the Law of Gravity takes the form of a social contract. In exchange for humanity being perpetually bound to the Earth, humanity is protected from spontaneously levitating into the desolate void of outer space.

In that respect, gravity has upheld its end of the social contract. Despite the conniving attempts of devious humans to break free from the benevolent clutches of gravity, only three humans — Soviet cosmonauts Georgy Dobrovolsky, Viktor Patsayev and Vladislav Volkov — have died above the limits of outer space, during the ill-fated Soyuz 11 mission. Gravity has clearly done its job, preventing the cataclysmic losses of countless humans to the vacuum of space that would likely accompany an absence of gravity. It is therefore only fair for humans, as the subjects of gravity, to adhere to its laws.

Even according to the laws of the United States, gravity is an entirely legal phenomenon. The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution stipulates, among other provisions, that every citizen is subject to the equal protection of the law. Throughout U.S. history, the extent to which the Equal Protection Clause can be applied has been fiercely debated, with some arguing that

Gaughan elects to tie his target to gravity itself. Of this conclusion, however, Granahan has not found himself fully convinced.

While previous editions of the Devil’s Advocate have evaluated prominent political controversies, in observation of April Fools’ Day, this column will attempt to incite one. Below, Granahan will argue in favor of the Law of Gravity, while Gaughan will argue against it.

Against (Granahan):

it can’t be enforced against private actors. But as demonstrated by the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and affirmed by the Supreme Court case Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States, even private entities are forbidden from discriminating based on a protected class.

According to Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation, every single particle — regardless of size, state, temperature, or any other distinction — experiences gravitational force. For that reason, the Law of Gravity can be seen as an extension of America’s storied history of promoting social and political equality.

It is also important to draw attention to the most influential moments in the history of the modern world, none of which may have been possible without the presence of gravity. One must imagine, for instance, an Operation Overlord devoid of gravity, in which Allied troops storming the beaches of Normandy began to float into the airspace of Caen, leaving them entirely visible and defenseless against Nazi gunfire.

Or perhaps, imagine a March on Washington D.C. for Jobs and Freedom, at which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s only dream would be one of survival for a quarter of a million activists left struggling to stay on Earth. And without gravity, there would be no iconic game-winning plays made by Michael Jordan in 1998, nor David Tyree in 2008, nor Kris Bryant in 2016.

I certainly empathize with my co-columnist’s frequent struggles against gravity. However, to quote University of Oklahoma master’s scholar, two-time Pro Bowler and current Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback, Jalen Hurts, “The most important thing is to be where your feet are.” Without the institution of gravity, it would be impossible for us as a people to be on the ground, standing on our feet. Thus, the only sensible conclusion is that gravity, for all its flaws, is a necessary evil.

Old institutions that rely on our acceptance, without question or criticism as to why their continuity is necessary, can never be beneficial for a democratic society. When the founders of our great nation signed our Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776, they knew this. From the earliest days of our republic, constitutionalists have promoted continuous reevaluation of the character of our country. This resulted in the introduction of a new constitution less than a decade after the formal activation of the preceding Articles of Confederation to better adjust for the needs of our nascent country. Of course, institutional backbone is vital for the continued maintenance of a democratic society, but never without contemporaneous reflection. In this manner, on one screeching subject, our leaders have failed us.

This manner is not the continuity of the perpetually embattled Electoral College — an institution worthy of debate elsewhere — or anything else pondered by our Founders at the time of our national birth. It is that of gravity.

The so-called “Law of Gravity,” which remains an enforced rule on American soil, has long been a shot in the foot of our republican society. If we do attribute this “law” to Sir Isaac Newton, then we must yet dig further into just how much its continuity has flown in the face of American federalism. What authority this long-dead scientist has garnered over modern American society, he has achieved without any form of American political legitimacy.

While Newton should not be considered a fully apolitical figure by nature — having served as a Member of Parliament and affiliated himself with the British Whig Party — any political and law-making legitimacy he may have enjoyed must surely have been forfeited over this land when our forefathers moved for independence. Thus, we must consider the constitutional ramifications for the continued acceptance of this

“law,” and subsequently, its justiciability.

Constitutionally speaking, in this important debate concerning whether we, as a democratic society in the 21st century can continue to abide by the so-called “Law of Gravity,” we must turn to the Tenth Amendment. Passed among the original set, the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states clearly: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

In this case, given the fact that neither Congress nor the states, nor the people themselves have legislated such a restriction against themselves, this “Law of Gravity” must surely be held unconstitutional without caveat

Finally, we must consider not just the unconstitutionality within our borders of so barbaric a “law,” but the illegality thereof on the international stage. When in 1948 the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, its authors provided us with yet another point from which gravity must be rebuked. Article 13, Section One of the same states clearly that “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.” With respect to gravity, there is no overriding issue of national security or politics over which the United States, or to this student’s knowledge, any nation-state has proclaimed gravity a law of its own.

Thus, without existing objection, we must hold that gravity, for its automatic restriction on our freedom of movement, is not only unconstitutional within the U.S., but illegal internationally.

In all, we must finally realize that the “Law of Gravity” is one entirely without political or legislative legitimacy. As a free people, we must now accept that the time has come to take a stand and make clear that gravity can hold us down no longer. The only thing that ought to fall is Newton’s lasting demagoguery.

respective author and do not reflect the viewpoint of the Justice.

Sabrina Loui ’25 shows her grit on and off the court

■ The Justice sat down with one of the women’s tennis team’s key players and leaders, both on and off the court.

By BRONWYN ROTHMAN-HALL JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

How does an athlete who has spent so much of her collegiate career on the sidelines have nothing but a smile on her face talking about tennis? Let’s ask Sabrina Loui ’25.

Loui is a junior on the Brandeis women’s tennis team and a well-known face around campus. Hailing from Honolulu, Hawaii, the junior studies Biological Physics and is highly involved on campus. She serves on the executive board of the StudentAthletes of Color Group and works in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Despite strong performances at first position doubles this spring, Loui’s athletic career at and prior to Brandeis has not been completely smooth sailing.

Since she was a kid, Loui was inspired by tennis stars, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, noting their work ethics and respectful attitudes as central to their influence on her. She mentioned an admiration for their “method of just putting your head down and getting to business and not making a show of it.”

Following discussing her tennis inspirations, Loui’s face lit up at the opportunity to talk about one of her biggest non-tennis influences. Loui credits her role model and close family friend, Lillian “Pokey” Richardson, formerly Watson, for the never-ending support she received growing up. Pokey, who Loui affectionately refers to as “auntie” and “the most badass person I know,” is an athlete as well and one of the youngest ever Olympic gold

BRIEF

medalists, taking home hardware in swimming at both the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Games.

With the guidance of these figures, Loui was able to find the strength and grace to overcome the physical and mental setbacks that she has endured in her athletic career.

In Loui's freshman year of high school, she began to have pain in her right shoulder. She was forced to serve underhand in doubles and pull out of singles in the championship that year. Throughout high school, she did physical therapy exercises and had inconsistent bouts of pain that would fade with time, a pattern she hoped would not worsen.

Towards the end of her first fall season at Brandeis, the pain came back and was exacerbated during the team’s February trip to California. The exercises and rest that had previously managed her pain for years were wholly unsuccessful.

Upon returning to campus, Loui got an Magnetic Resonance Imaging and spoke of the lack of professionalism by the doctor who, upon a cursory examination of the test, diagnosed her with tendinitis and prescribed exercises, rest and oral steroids. After following this program, she saw little to no improvement and returned to tennis, serving underhand and playing through the pain. There was a look of stark determination in her eyes when she told me she “just wanted to play.” In the face of injury, she just barely missed a bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament and received All-University Athletic Association honors from the UAA for her performance.

Home for break, Loui spent that summer resting and doing physical therapy exercises to no avail. Just before returning for her sophomore year, she went to a different doctor for a second opinion on her MRI results and remembered that she “immediately started crying” when the doctor saw a labrum tear within moments of looking at the same MRI from earlier in the year.

Back at Brandeis, Loui was in for a taxing recov-

Brandeis hires new Director of Athletics

Last week, Brandeis Athletics and Andrea Dine, Brandeis Vice President of Student Affairs, announced the new Director of Athletics, Jessica Chapin ’10. Chapin is currently the Director of Athletics at American International College and will leave the institution after a successful 10-year career with the Yellowjackets. She comes to Brandeis with extensive experience and success in fundraising, National Collegiate Athletic Association committee work, and winning records.

Chapin’s predecessor, Lauren Haynie, was promoted to be Brandeis’ Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs last fall and Haynie graciously juggled both wi -

thin her new role as well as the role of Director of Athletics. According to Brandeis Athletics, Haynie commented “Andrea and I worked very closely with the search committee, campus colleagues, faculty, department staff and student-athletes to identify experienced and qualified candidates for the role. Jessica's energy, passion, and clear enthusiasm for Brandeis were evident through every step of the search process, and we cannot wait to see how she seizes this opportunity.” Student-athletes and coaches as well as the search committee were able to provide feedback on the finalists in the interview process for the decision so that the community could make

ery process. After getting surgery in October 2022, she spent five weeks in a sling and struggled with the structure of her physical therapy as she had to travel to a clinic while juggling a busy college life.

As a teammate, Loui upheld the importance of her role even while unable to compete. She mentioned that “it makes a difference to show up not only for my teammates but for myself” to affirm the reciprocal support system of the team. This commitment did not go unnoticed. Teammate and captain, Cecilia Denis ’25, brought up how “she would do workouts during practice but instead of going into the gym away from the courts she would work out right by us on the sidelines” and emphasized the importance of taking responsibility for oneself and recovery to best contribute to the team.

Throughout this process, Loui learned how strong she is and constantly reiterated the vitality of gratitude in her healing process. She is not the only one who learned from this experience. Brandeis men’s soccer player and Loui’s boyfriend of over two years, Gabe Haithcock ’25, spoke with me about being by her side during recovery. He said, “It was a very humbling experience because it made me take a step back to realize that every day I get to spend on the field, in the weight room or in the locker room with my teammates isn’t promised so I need to make sure to recognize and appreciate how lucky I am for it.” Her self proclaimed “number one fan” admires Loui’s “sheer determination and passion” in all that she does and specifically in the face of adversity.

Now in the spring of 2024, Loui is “still getting back into it,” finally seeing progress in her shoulder mobility for the first time in years. She ardently anticipates “that feeling of contentment when you know you've left everything on the court” which every athlete knows all too well. When she steps up to the line to serve she focuses on the emotions she felt while injured on the sidelines, “that eagerness to play and love for tennis,” to ensure her mindset

and energy are competition-ready. Looking to the future, Loui plans to become a physical therapist and directly apply the lessons she learned from being a patient to her practice. After a lengthy process of feeling dismissed and unheard, she intends to “do everything in [her] power” to “make sure they know they are being listened to.” The tennis player is in the midst of her spring season and you can catch the action at her next home match at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 6 at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center.

their voices heard.

The 13th Director of Athletics in school history, Chapin has already had plenty of success at Brandeis. As a student-athlete, she was a two-time Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-American. The women’s basketball player was also named the University Athletic Association Player of the Year as a senior and she was a four-time All-UAA selection.

As a student, as per Brandeis Athletics, Chapin received a degree in Psychology and Health: Science, Society and Policy. As a graduate student at Springfield College, she then got her Master’s degree in Sports Administration in 2013. Before joining the

staff at American International, she spent four years as an assistant coach at Western New England University.

Chapin declared her excitement for “the possibilities that lie ahead,” and we wish her the best in her endeavors in this new position leading Brandeis Athletics. Her tenure will begin on June 3, 2024.

-Rani Balakrishna

Photo courtesy of BRANDEIS ATHLETICS

Women’s tennis smashes Springfield College, 9-0

UPCOMING GAMES:

Today

College Total

Marc Maestri M’24 lead the

TENNIS: Indian Wells recap

CONTINUED FROM 16

SOFTBALL

MEN'S TOP FINISHERS

Singles

Dylan

Doubles

MEN'S UPCOMING MATCHES: STANDOUTS

Dylan Walters '24 and Tommy

WOMEN'S TOP FINISHERS

Singles

Lika Bolkvadze '27 and Bhakti

Doubles

'25 lead the team with a record of 6-4.

Bhakti Parwani '25 and Rebecca

WOMEN'S

Thursday vs. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

Results from the Snowflake Invitational on March 30.

MEN'S

'26 lead the team with a record of 12-2. UPCOMING

200m

Shaniece Nugent '26 came in thirteenth with a time of 26.68 seconds. Wind +/-0.0.

400m hurdles

Olivia Zarzycki '24 won the event with a time of 1:06.93.

The Judges take on the Amherst Spring Fling on Saturday, April 6.

For the rest of the Indian Wells tournament,ŚSwiatek only lost 18 games within five matches. At the end of the tournament, Swiatek was the player lifting up the championship trophy. She exclaimed her gratitude and excitement over this win stating, “I am really proud of myself. I’m super happy.” She continued to describe her mindset in the last two matches as playing with “a big amount of confidence,” then redescribed her contentment, restating “I’m really proud of myself.”

On the men’s side, although Alcaraz was the one walking away with the title, his journey to the Indian Wells final was quite different in comparison to Swiatek. One of his two closest matches was against No. 38, 23-year-old Matteo Arnaldi from Italy, with a final score of 6-7(5), 6-0, 6-1, and a final time of two hours and 14 minutes. Alcaraz described his first half of the match as, “a surprise.” Although there was a challenge at hand, he eventually walked offcourt with the win.

Alcaraz’s second closest match was against his new rival, No. 3 Jannik

Sinner from Italy, with a final score of 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 and a final time of two hours and five minutes. Before Alcaraz could explain his thoughts about the match, Sinner exclaimed in a YouTube video that facing Alcaraz is “always tough.” He then added that after the first set, Alcaraz “raised his level.” Finally, Sinner pays his respect to Alacraz by stating, “I wish him good luck in the final.” On the other hand, Alcaraz describes his win and what it means to him as “I’m really really happy to classify for another final. It means a lot to me.”

Alcaraz defeated Medvedev in the BNP final. After the match, he reflected on what it means to defend a title saying, “It is never easy. It is even more difficult if it is a Master 1000.” He then described his final performance, noting “I’m really happy to show really good tennis.”

During the Miami Open, another ATP Tour Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 from March 17-31, Swiatek and Alcaraz were both faced with defeat. Although their defeats put a halt on their possible achievements, tennis fans are hoping to see both Swiatek and Alcaraz succeeding in the upcoming clay court tournaments in preparation for the second Grand Slam of the year, Roland Garros in late May.

NCAA: The Madness continues

CONTINUED FROM 16 she was also impressed with her shot tolerance and how she handled the match overall. She describes her satisfaction by stating, “I am just happy I kept my focus and stuck with my game no matter what Danielle was doing on the other side of the net.”

What can be expected for the remainder of the tournament? Well, the most significant will be the most highly anticipated matchup of the entire tournament between Iowa and LSU. Kickstarting the Elite 8, this game is a rematch of the previous year’s championship game in which LSU came out victorious. However, the tide may turn. Iowa is No. 1 seed in this year’s bracket, and the defending champs are a No. 3 seed, for their standards.

Caitlin Clark, the most recognizable name in college hoops, has been absolutely magnificent for the Hawkeyes thus far in the postseason. She is averaging 29.3 points per game with all-around play which is evidenced by her 7.3 rebound and 9.3 assist averages. However, the Tigers having a lower ranking should not be an excuse to ignore their continued excellence. Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson lead an LSU squad that is coming off of an impressive win against No. 2 seed UCLA in the Sweet 16. This game also has the potential for some fireworks, as the trash-talking last year between Clark and Reese made national headlines. Al-

though Clark and Reese have made up and squashed any lingering personal feelings of resentment, there is nevertheless palpable on-court animosity between these two teams. The game will be highly competitive, and its winner may be a preview of the eventual champion. Regardless of who reigns victorious this year in the women’s basketball world, it is undeniable that this year’s tournament has been another fantastic exhibition of high-level basketball and dominance from its elite teams. While not as upset-heavy as is the norm — higher-seeded teams were an astonishing 31-1 in the first round of play — teams have still reached unexpected heights. To evidence the tournament’s unpredictability, there are now zero perfect brackets remaining. The championship is up for grabs, and it will be highly entertaining to witness which of these formidable squads ends their season in triumph. Just before press time, Iowa and Clark defeated LSU in a rematch of last year’s championship game. Clark also racked up the most assists and threepointers in tournament history. USC fell to UConn and despite Juju Wat-

kins putting up impressive numbers, Bueckers and the Huskies are headed to the Final Four. UConn will take on Iowa and NC State will face South Carolina on Friday.

Lastly, I want to highlight the significant amount of popularity this year’s tournament has garnered. The viewership levels of women’s March Madness have skyrocketed, with the round of 32 games this year averaging 1.4 million viewers, an increase of 121% from last year. This increase in viewership has been greatly aided by the emergence of star players such as Clark and Reese. Their status as headliners has fundamentally shifted the level of recognition of women’s college basketball. In fact, the ratings on Fox News this year have been higher for women’s college basketball than men, and this has been compounded by the decrease in popularity of the men’s game relative to the growing success of the women. Television ratings will only continue to grow in the women’s game, meaning that a variety of new fans will have the privilege of being exposed to a fantastic basketball product.

Isabella (Bells) Burdenski ’26, is a sophomore on the Brandeis softball team who has been on an offensive streak for the Judges. This weekend, the Brandeis softball team competed in their first University Athletic Association Conference match-up against Washington University in St. Louis with a game on Friday, a doubleheader on Saturday and another game on Sunday.

After the team’s center fielder and leadoff hitter had to retire from the game due to an ankle injury in Friday’s game, Burdenski moved over to center field from left field and stepped up to hit leadoff. During the second game of the doubleheader, Burdenski hit twice in the first inning of the day, allowing the team to score the final point for Brandeis, ending the frame 6-5. In the third inning, she hit and scored a point for the Judges, widening the gap between the two teams and securing the win for Brandeis. By the end of the second game on Saturday, Burdenski racked up five hits — the first Judge to do so in

over 20 years, and she went 5-5 with two RBIs and scored a run herself. A spirited team leader, Burdenski serves as an example for her teammates on and off the field. One of the team’s favorite mottos is to stay “gritty” or tough, and she truly emulated this integrity this past weekend.

Off the field, Burdenski is a diehard San Diego Padres fan and enjoys chocolate ice cream and spending time on Chapels Field. She is majoring in business and minoring in Hispanic studies with an interest in sports, writing and marketing. She loves listening to indie and pop music from artists such as the Arctic Monkeys, Olivia Rodrigo, Spacey Jane, Hippocampus, Cage the Elephant and Tate McRae. Head on over to Marcus Field to cheer on Burdenski and the rest of the softball team in their next home matchup when they take on the Emory University Eagles on

Photos courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS GRAND SLAM: From top to bottom: Carlos Alcaraz poses with his trophy and Iga Swiatek prepares to hit the ball.

WOMEN'S TOP FINISHERS

Sports just

Women’s March Madness recap thus far

■

By

The women’s March Madness collegiate basketball tournament has been in full swing the past couple of weeks, and the highly competitive games and storylines thus far have been electric. A number of teams have championship aspirations, and rivalries will be revisited in order to crown an ultimate winner. The tournament only promises to amp up in intensity the rest of the way, so let’s recap some of the most memorable tournament moments yet. We’ll also take a look at a future matchup that very well may define who will stand atop women’s college basketball at the Final Four in Cleveland.

One of the tourney’s defining moments came with No. 7 Duke University’s shocking comeback upset of No. 2 Ohio State University in the Round of 32. This game marked an upset, something the tournament is known for, where a higher-seeded team defeated

PROFESSIONAL TENNIS

a lower-seeded team. Although Ohio State got out to an early 16-point lead, the Blue Devils never wavered and came storming back to authoritatively defeat the Buckeyes 75-63. Duke guard Reigan Richardson had a dominant performance with 28 points, and coach Kara Lawson reached the Sweet 16 for the first time in her coaching tenure.

Another crucial element of the tournament has been the play of the premier favorites, the University of South Carolina. They have extended their undefeated season with complete blowouts of Presbyterian College and University of North Carolina and withstood a valiant challenge from Indiana University in the Sweet 16 round en route to taking care of business with Oregon State University in the Elite 8. Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley’s squad now has a mind-boggling record of 35-0. The Gamecocks, three wins away from a perfect season, will dominate headlines as they attempt to accomplish something that has not been done since Breanna Stewart and the 2015-2016 University of Connecticut Huskies. The University of Southern California, UConn, University of Iowa and Louisiana State University all appear to be teams capable of defeating the Gamecocks, but they must play a perfect game to defeat a team that has not lost since March 31, 2023.

See MARCH MADNESS, 15 ☛

Alcaraz and Swiatek are both champions

■ Carlos Alcaraz defends his title and Iga Świątek wins her second at the BNP Paribas Open/Indian Wells tournament.

By REBECCA SUAREZ JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

is one of the highestgrossing, watched and fame-claiming tournaments for both men and women's professional tennis players. The official names for the men’s and women’s circuits are the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Women’s Tennis Association, respectively.

The BNP tournament is categorized as “ATP Tour Masters 1000” and “WTA 1000.” Every year, men and women start in the Australian Open, followed by smaller tournaments, like Indian Wells, before playing the next Grand Slam, Roland Garros. Therefore, playing these tournaments is crucial to tennis players because it will prepare them for what’s to come later this year.

On March 17, 2024, 20-year-old Carlos

Alcaraz, from Spain, ranked second in the world and 22-year-old, IgaŚSwiatek, from Poland, ranked number one in the world. Alcaraz and Swiatek both claimed their respective championship titles in the 2024 BNP Paribas Open.

In the women’s singles tournament championship match,ŚSwiatek defeated 28-year-old Greek Maria Sakkari, ranked ninth in the world, 6-4, 6-0, with a final match time of one hour and eight minutes.

In the men’s singles tournament, during the finals, Alcaraz defended his title and overcame world No. 4, 27-yearold Daniil Medvedev. The match ended 7-6(5), 6-1, with a final match time of one hour and 42 minutes.

Although ŚSwiatek and Alcaraz finished the tournament as champions, their journeys to the finals were quite different. ŚSwiatek did not drop a set the entire tournament. Although her time at Indian Wells was nothing but victory, she has had a difficult time during this tennis season, as she has only captured one title thus far. Her one victory was winning the Qatar Open on Feb. 17, 2024.

ŚŚSwiatek’s longest match occurred in her second round, where she defeated No. 53 in the world, 30-year-old Danielle Collins from the United States. Although the final score was 6-3, 6-0, the final time of the match was one hour and 21 minutes, a long and grueling matchup. After defeating Collins, Swiatek took some time to reflect on her win and described her can-do attitude by stating, “it’s not tournament related, it’s more process related” and that her “goals are kind of healthier.” In addition to the reflection of her mindset,

See JUDGES, 15 ☛

Women's tennis hosted Springfield College on Thursday, Mar. 28 and came away with a 9-0 victory, p. 14.

Maggie Shealy M’25: A true Brandeis national champion

■ The first-year master’s student has had unparalleled success this season, and The Justice sat down with Shealy to take a closer look at her national championship win and her journey leading up to it.

By MILES GOLDSTEIN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Back in September, Maggie Shealy M’25 didn’t even know if she would choose to fence this year. Fast forward to March 19, 2024, Shealy arrived at a Sheraton Hotel in Columbus, Ohio without any running water for her last competition of the year. Three days later, she was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Champion in women’s saber fencing.

A first-year graduate student at the end of her final year of NCAA eligibility, Shealy finishes her career with an impressive string of accolades: the first woman in school history to win a National Championship in a Division I field, the school’s first individual champion in any sport since 2019, the highest placing fencer in school history and the second woman in NCAA history to win a fencing championship for a Division III school – the first in 20 years.

“I try to come from a place of gratefulness,” Shealy explained. It is a quality that has endeared her to many. She’s described as always wanting to help others, checking in on them and putting the team first. Her coach, Elif Soyer, put it simply in an interview with The Justice: “Every single person in this building loves her.”

Now, one week later, it’s back to normal for Shealy, trying to power through the mountain of homework that accumulates before finals. Even still, she is effortlessly able to travel back in time to those final matches she needed to win to capture the championship.

One year ago, Shealy was convinced her fencing career was over. It was the final day of the 2023 NCAA Championships and her senior year at Brandeis. “I had just placed third, and felt it was a storybook ending to a chapter of my life,” she recalled. “At the time, it

felt like enough for me.”

The fencer has dreams of getting a Ph.D. and becoming a professor. Her mind was torn between continuing her academic career or entering the workforce. The obvious choice for her was to forgo her final year of eligibility, granted from COVID-19, and move on. No one in the Brandeis Athletics department would begrudge her if she chose to walk away, but privately, Coach Soyer was preparing to do whatever she needed to get Shealy back for a final season.

“I said, let’s wait until the schedule comes out. You can look and say, ‘I want to do this, I don’t want to do this. I want to fence this many bouts at this competition.’ You’re not going to be squad leader, we’ll take care of that.”

But when one member of the women’s fencing team went down with injury and another took a semester abroad in Australia, no one wanted Shealy to feel obligated to step up. Coach Soyer and the rest of the staff assured her that was not an expectation of theirs. “We all told her, ‘You don’t have to compete,’ she just said, ‘Yes I do.’”

Privately, Shealy knew she had more to do, and that she was not satisfied with her placement last year.

“My friends and other people in my life all told me, ‘You know how you feel when the job is finished.’ Something deep down in me said the job wasn’t done.”

She was electric closing the season, going 11-1 at the Brandeis Invitational, 16-2 at the Eric Sollee Invitational and 9-3 at the Duke Invitational, finishing 59-11 overall. She placed third at the NCAA Regionals to clinch her fourth nationals’ berth.

The NCAA championships start with two rounds of pool play before the top four fencers move on to a tournament called direct elimination to decide the national champion. At the end of pool play, Shealy was ranked in second place.

The intensity and level of competition skyrockets in these final rounds. “You’re competing against the best of the very best,” Shealy commented. It sounds played out, perhaps, but it’s true. In collegiate fencing, many opponents play for or are on the cusp of international and Olympic teams. Her first direct elimination matchup was against a very familiar opponent: Vera Kong from Columbia University.

Shealy had been fencing against Vera since they were both kids.

“I knew what she would do like the back of my hand, the real important thing was not letting Vera do Vera things.” Her preparation and approach paid off as she won, 15-9.

She had surpassed where she fell short one year ago. Now all that stood between her and history was Julia Cieslar of St. John’s University. A fencer on the national circuit for Poland, Julia and Vera were near opposites in terms of style.

“I needed to be the one who took the initiative,” Shealy explained with an analytical intensity her teammates and coaches all point to as her hallmark. “She moves really well, with a power and energy that comes from international play. She’s a really physical fencer. It was going to be a game of mixing things up.”

Coach Soyer could instantly recall the tension in the air as they faced off. “It wasn’t easy, she was down 2-0, 3-1.”

But Shealy stormed back to take the lead, 4-3. After Cieslar tied the score at four apiece, Shealy won four of five to make the score 8-5. She never trailed again and, with a 15-10 score, Maggie Shealy was a National Champion.

“Everyone loves Maggie,” Coach Soyer said, referring, not just to her coaches and teammates, but to opposing fencers. “You notice a pattern: when a Harvard fencer wins, the Harvard section cheers, and so on. Whenever Maggie wins, everyone cheers.” Shealy, for her part, is grateful. For her friends, teammates and everyone else in her life. For Coach Soyer, Saber Coach Matt Zilch and Kaitlin Carlson, the head Brandeis Strength and Conditioning Coach.

Now she sits at her kitchen table, one week removed from winning it all. Much of that competitive intensity is replaced by a marked contentedness as she recalls where she was at the beginning of the year.

“If you told me I would be a champion, or even a fifth-year, I would have laughed at you.”

There is no doubt now, though, that she’s happy she made her choice to return for a final year and take care of what she left unfinished.

“There wasn’t a wrong choice, just a better choice, and I took the better choice,” she says. “I had a lot of moments filled with frustration, but I saw it to the end, and here we are. Champions.”

justArts

Celebrities on broadway: An ethical

dilemma

By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE DEPUTY EDITOR

n When it comes to Broadway casting, there are many factors to consider. While talent is vital, what other factors play pivotal roles in this process?

At any Broadway show, the rustling of programs is a familiar sound. Audiences read cast member biographies, excited to learn about their past performances and accomplishments. These paragraphs are commonly littered with impressive resumes, but in some cases, the one most read looks a little different than the rest.

As I was sitting in the audience engrossed in my program, I saw a hand in the row in front of me raise high into the air. “Will Daniel Radcliffe be at the stage door?” they asked. Heads from surrounding rows all turned in anticipation for the usher’s answer. They proceeded to explain that they cannot guarantee any cast member will exit the theater via stage door following a performance, much less one specific member. This explanation was met with disappointed stares from every “Harry Potter” fan in the audience.

Radcliffe is currently starring in “Merrily We Roll Along” on Broadway, and has gained a significant amount of media attention for this role, though not all of it positive. Variety writes “he’s fun, with moments of brilliance — but he doesn’t have the kind of stage presence of seasoned Broadway actors Groff and Mendez.” Radcliffe has been featured in Broadway shows previously, but does not have the in-depth traditional training and lengthy theater resume of his costars. The review also mentions that the “dissonance is not helped by the fact that Gilmour dresses him a bit like Harry Potter, in an argyle sweater vest, high-top Converse sneakers and big glasses. It’s distracting, and makes one wonder if Radcliffe is there as the draw for Broadway audiences when the musical itself — being real art, rather than commerce — may otherwise not be.”

“Merrily We Roll Along,” originally created by Stephen Sondheim, lasted only sixteen official shows on Broadway before it closed in 1981. Written in reverse chronological order, the show is not one that is particularly easy to follow, and has a complex villain of “art manufactured for the purpose of money.” This show is certainly not written

to preserve an audience’s comfort, as it highlights the idea that every choice you make will have long lasting effects out of your control. The beginning of the story isn’t shown until the end, leaving the audience in a state of confusion for two hours and 45 minutes. The performance was captivating — it has definitely earned its place back in a Broadway theater. However, many audience members seemed more enthralled by Radcliffe’s post show performance, auctioning off a prop that had been utilized during the performance for the charity “Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.” Some stated that it was the “best part of the show” as they left the theater, and many pulled out their phones to document the experience. The prop was a piece of paper found in a typewriter, and ended up being sold for $5,500. Unsurprisingly, the theater has been packed since the show’s reopening in October of 2023. “Merrily We Roll Along” has been extended to close in July 2024, instead of the previous date of March.

Radcliffe is certainly not the only celebrity face currently gracing the Broadway stages. Grant Gustin, star of “The Flash,” has recently debuted in the newly opened show, “Water for Elephants.” This musical, based on the novel published in 2006 and the film made in 2011, is filled with a cast of spectacular circus artists that have been previously seen on stage with companies such as Cirque du Soleil. Before becoming a television star, Gustin had performed with other theater productions such as the national tour of “West Side Story.”

Celebrities such as Gustin are the best case scenario for Broadway shows, as they have both a past on the stage and a name that will bring audiences from far and wide due to their work on screen. However, this is not always the case as celebrities such as Colleen Ballinger, seen in “Waitress,” have made their Broadway debuts post achieving fame. Usually, these runs are much shorter than those of more seasoned professionals such as Gustin and Radcliffe, who as of press time, will be staying with their respective shows for the duration.

Another example of these short term celebrity appearances that garnered much media attention was the addition of Jordan Fisher and Lola Tung to the cast of “Hadestown.”

This show was Tung’s Broadway debut, and in an interview with “The Broadway Show,” she stated “I felt like I was intruding almost … Com-

ing from the TV world right before this, I was like, I don’t want to be in anyone’s way, I don’t want to mess anything up.” Fisher has been in multiple Broadway shows in the past, but empathized with Tung’s statement. He explained that he had come to Broadway the same way as her, and it was nice to watch almost a decade removed. Tung appeared on Broadway for less than two months, beginning in February 2023 and being replaced by mid March. Fisher started at the same time, but has extended his run to Sept. 15, 2024 with a small leave of absence for most of April.

This same idea of short-term runs by celebrities can be seen worldwide, as international celebrities such as Joe Sugg perform in musicals on world stages. Sugg was cast in “Waitress” in London’s West End and held this role for just a little longer than a month in the fall of 2019. Fans traveled from far and wide to catch a glimpse of his performance.

A San Jose State University thesis paper by Douglas Santana states that “This new trend of hiring performers, less for their theatrical talent and more for the potential economic gain their name or image could bring to production, demonstrates a new and different focus for Broadway shows in the 21st century.” The discussed trend has been said to challenge the “authentic theater experience,” but alternatively could be having a positive impact on the finances of the theater industry, allowing new and long running shows to both open and be maintained, as it satisfies both audiences and box offices.

While there is much discourse sur-

rounding how much the shows themselves benefit from the appearances of these stars, no one seems to wonder how they themselves are financially impacted. In a Variety article, Robert Hofler states “There is an assumption made by many Hollywood stars who switch mediums and take on roles in Broadway plays that get paid more than a regular star. Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane were each paid a sum of $100,000 per week for their run in “The Producers,” but the truth is that most stars ultimately take a pay cut — at least in comparison to what could be made in film or television.” This truth illustrates that many of these performers are actively choosing the opportunity of Broadway, prioritizing it over their own personal bank account balances. Does this sacrifice give them the right to take a starring role without doing their time in the corps?

Many often discuss the impact these stars have on the ticket sales of these Broadway shows. Is it ok if the majority of the seats are filled by people there to support their favorite celebrity? In an article published by New York University News, Sarah Nichols stated “Audiences who go to see celebrities on Broadway cheer at the mere entrance of the actor, automatically making the show about the star and not the play itself. They are applauding the fame, the actor’s previous accomplishments, not their performance in the moment.” This statement was proven to be true on March 29, as Radcliffe was met with a theater full of cheers for walking onto the stage. Does it take away from the experience as an audience member if those around you are not as engaged

with the show’s content?

In the conclusion of a paper by Faith Maciolek, she explained that “overall, the act of stunt-casting has been proven to be a money-making tactic that is a risk, with some celebrities being better received than others. However there are generally more stars who are performing well on Broadway in comparison to the number of stars who are bringing box office numbers down.” This statement demonstrates that while not appreciated by many Broadway fanatics, it has not had a negative effect on the industry as an entity. Broadway employs many people, not just those who are seen on stage. If one person loses the chance for a role to a popular celebrity, but hundreds of others are offered increased job security for a period of time, is it worth it? Does this compromise the integrity of the art of theater or does it help the industry successfully continue in an ever challenging economy?

In a telephone interview, former Editor in Chief of Playbill, Blake Ross, stated “Theater has been quote ‘dying’ since the beginning of time … but it will never die because it is the ultimate art form and the ultimate live experience.” This idea can be proven true every day as audiences rise to their feet, applauding and cheering following live performances across the world. While celebrities have been used to grab audiences, the fact is that there are audiences to be had. While not loved by everyone, theater is thriving due to this casting format and will continue to thrive moving forward.

Photos: ANNA MARTIN/The Justice. Design: NEMMA KALRA/The Justice.

CURTAIN CALL: The set of the Broadway musical, “Hadestown,” which retells the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG: Audiences anticipate the entrance of actor Daniel Radcliffe, as he stars in a Broadway musical.

‘P erc Y

J ackson and the olYmPians’: a series in review

Look, I didn’t want to be so critical.

I’ve been waiting for a faithful adaptation since I was eleven years old and read “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” for the first time. Save for a few memorable, laugh-out-loud one-liners, the two film adaptations — as any fan knows — strayed frustratingly far from the source material. Both readers and Rick Riordan himself kept on hoping for an adaptation that preserved the heart of the story. Following the first season of the eight-episode Disney+ adaptation, it is time to consider if this time, they got it right.

The series proved in many ways that the term “faithful” does not translate to “identical to the original novels.” Riordan and the other executives changed, condensed and switched around many plot points, leaving even the most die-hard Percy Jackson fans wondering what would happen in the end. It helps to view the series as separate from the novels, otherwise it is easy to be disappointed, and the series was disappointing at points. While it made sense that Riordan and the producers would make changes, many memorable lines and moments from the novels were traded in for new ones. They may have included “You drool in your sleep” to every Percy and Annabeth fan’s delight, but numerous other iconic interactions were either drastically changed or just removed.

While not an objective negative and irrelevant to those entirely new to the franchise, those missing moments did take away slightly from my own enjoyment of the series. That being said, most of the relationships and characters felt like they were straight out of the novels. The show preserved the core of Percy and Annabeth’s book one dynamic, as well as the friendship of Percy and Grover. The casting and chemistry between most of the actors were spot on. Walker Scobell hit it out of the park as Percy. Because the show lacked Percy’s first-person narration, Scobell had to both embody Percy’s humor — much of which was included in the novel’s narration — and his anger, which readers see less because the books are written in Percy’s perspective.

Leah Sava Jeffries faced much hate for her casting because she is Black, rather than her description in the novels, as white or blonde. That being said, Jeffries’ ability to portray Annabeth should never have been in ques-

tion. There was much backlash online prior to the series’ release, with many proclaiming that Jeffries was “not [their] Annabeth.” While she did not need to prove herself in the role, she went above and beyond. Annabeth is a stoic, serious and witty twelveyear-old, and Jeffries nailed it. She’s already won the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People Image award “Outstanding Performance by a Youth,” and it was well deserved.

Grover’s portrayal was great but different; Aryan Simhardi was phenomenal, but the writing of his character did diverge from the source material. While still awkward, Grover was a lot less timid and notably more brave than in the books. It is enjoyable to watch a Grover with more agency, but it also takes away from his future arc. He grows braver as the series goes on, and it is worth wondering how much more he can grow considering his new starting point.

Annabeth’s writing also differed at points. Her crush on Luke was notable in the novels despite how closed off Annabeth tended to be. However, the portrayal of their relationship in the show seems purely familial. While this is unlikely to cause major changes, her feelings for Luke add nuance and cause her much inner conflict throughout the five-novel series. She feels torn between Percy and the Luke she knew when she was younger, and her insistence on Luke’s ability to be good resulted in tension between her and Percy. A brother-sister relationship can have similar consequences, but likely will cause less jealousy and tension from Percy.

Annabeth is brave and strong, but the show does not venture so far as to present her flaws other than her pride and stubbornness. They cut an integral scene from the novel in which her fear of spiders is revealed and make her head counselor of the Athena cabin at twelve years old, as a result glossing over the fact Annabeth is just a kid. Because Annabeth is more adult or mature, her character feels slightly flat.

Speaking of Luke — Charlie Bushnell’s portrayal was one of the most notable performances in the series. Throughout the eight episodes, his charisma charms the audience, making it clear why Percy and Annabeth both trusted Luke. Luke was kind and understanding to Percy, while still expressing how bitter and angry he felt towards the gods. Luke’s betrayal is so poignant because the

By ISABEL ROSETH EDITOR IN CHIEF

viewer ends up wanting to trust Luke, even if they already know where his true allegiance lies.

Certain elements of the series appeared “sanitized,” and it ultimately lacked a lot of the darker and more troubling aspects that were present in the novels. Gabe Ugliano, Percy’s stepfather, is verbally abusive towards both Percy and his mother Sally Jackson, and Percy realizes that Gabe has hit his mother as well. In the series, however, Gabe came off as buffoonish more than anything, and both the severity of Percy’s situation and Sally’s selflessness were erased. Sally married Gabe to protect Percy from monsters — Gabe’s “stench,” as put by Riordan, prevented monsters from sniffing out Percy — but that element was missing in the series.

Further, in the season finale, Gabe is just gone. Where did he go? Given his characterization in the show, it would not have made sense for Sally to turn him to stone with Medusa’s head, but his unexplained absence was either an oversight or a poor choice on the part of the creators.

While more subtly, Virginia Kull’s Sally Jackson also differed from the Sally in the novels. Sally has always been brave and determined in her own right, but she was considerably more outspoken and in control of her situation in the show. She was not at Gabe’s beck-and-call in the novels, but was not nearly as defiant as she was in the series. Sally was

not meek in the novels, and was just as deserving of Percy’s reverence even if she wasn’t constantly going toe-to-toe with Gabe. Her having so much control over her situation with Gabe in the series makes her sacrifice seem smaller, and less important. The crux of her relationship with her son stays the same — Percy may even be more dedicated to his mother in the series — but the adaptation in some ways feels incomplete.

The one character that may be miscast is Clarisse LaRue. Dior Goodjohn is a great actress, but she did not capture the heart of Clarisse’s character in her portrayal. First and foremost, Clarisse is described as very big, while Goodjohn is lean and thin. That being said, it is true that appearance was not a consideration in the casting process, as Riordan made clear. More importantly, her personality is misconstrued. Clarisse is a bully, but in the novels she takes out her aggression through threats and brute force.

In the series, however, Clarisse comes off as a popular mean girl without much fire. Instead of being the one to force Percy’s head down a toilet, she has her goonies do the job for her.

In translating a novel into an eight-episode season, things have to be cut; that is the nature of an adaptation. That being said, exchanging mystery and urgency with exposition is not an equal trade. Percy, Annabeth and Grover never had to work very hard

to figure things out; Medusa and Procrustes’ identities were revealed almost immediately. The viewer would rarely find themself in the dark or with many questions.

The world they built is, however, very complete. Camp HalfBlood both looks and feels like a home and despite how little time they allowed Percy to stay there before his quest, the viewer can understand why he is so protective of the camp. All the locations are beautiful and complex, from Medusa’s lair to Mount Olympus itself. The gods themselves are both their own characters and part of the series’ worldbuilding.

Notably, Adam Copeland’s performance as Ares is a masterclass in how to play an Olympian, and there was never any question that Jason Mantzoukas would embody Dionysus in every way. Lin Manuel Miranda exceeded expectations as Hermes, and even Timothy Omundson’s brief appearance as Hephaestus explored the complexity of his character. Lance Reddick’s Zeus was intimidating and powerful, and it was heartbreaking to learn of his death in March of 2023.

As a standalone series, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is very high-quality. The casting, writing and production are, for the most part, very well done, and the story is compelling. That being said, as an adaptation, its quality is slightly lower. The heart of the series remains, but

Top Ten STAFF’S

BRYAN WOLFE/The Justice

Top 10 ‘Star Wars’ Films

By ZOE ZACHARY

My ranking of the top 10 “Star Wars” Movies! Please don’t doxx me. <3

1. Episode V - “The Empire Strikes Back”

2. Episode VI - “Return of the Jedi”

3. Episode VII - “The Force Awakens”

4. Episode IV - “A New Hope”

5. Episode III - “Revenge of the Sith”

6. Episode II - “Attack of the Clones”

7. “Rouge One: A Starwars Story”

8. Episode VIII - “The Last Jedi”

9. Episode I - “The Phantom Menace”

10. Episode IX - “Rise of Skywalker”

CROSSWORD

By DAHLIA RAMIREZ JUSTICE STAFF ARTIST

Down

2. International game that switches from summer to winter every two years. This year is a summer game.

4. Barons, Viscounts, Earls, Marquess’, Dukes, Princes, Grand Dukes, …, Emperors

5. World’s first national park, established in 1872

8. A depression or dip in the Earth, also a large round bowl for holding liquids

9. To be so terrified you’re unable to move

11. Standard spelling for the name of the bear that lives within you to prevent wildfires

12. Body of troops kept back from action to

16.

18.

19.

20.

27.

29.

30.

By SMILEY HUYNH JUSTICE MANAGING EDITOR

Across

1. Ice age wooly mammal with large tusks

3. Largest tropical wilderness in the United States, Florida wetland

6. Opposite of Antarctica

7. Girl Scout cookie equivalent to Caramel deLite

10. Woodrow, president to create the National Park Service

14. Synonym for a peak or summit, plural

17. Actor who plays the male tribute for the 74th and 75th annual Hunger Games

21. Washington State Baseball team

22. Nickname for the first law of thermodynamics, energy can not be created or destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another

23. The most glaciated peak in the contiguous US, also the tallest mountain in Washington state

25. Tallest (known) living tree in the world (the tree was named Hyperion)

26. First Sylvester Stallone boxing movie with the now iconic theme song Gonna Fly Now by Bill Conti

28. Most regular geyser

31. Describes a non-alcoholic drink

33. Verb for greedily eating a lot

34. To give in, capitulate, or crumble under pressure

36. The French name for Nova Scotia

39. Shallow body of groundwater that is geothermally heated

41. Quintessential feature of Roman architecture, plural

42. The only state not connected to another land mass like other states or countries

43. Dense growth of trees and underbrush covering a large area.

44. Largest tree by mass and bulk, with its species name literally being giganteum

45. Once said “SNAKES! WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE SNAKES?”

46. Protein that facilitates passive diffusion through a membrane

32. Breeze, air current,

35.

37. Kent, Superman’s secret

38.

40.

View the solution at www.thejustice.org.

reinforce or protect others and are available in an emergency

13. Largest canyon in the United States

15. Largest reservoir of fresh water on the planet, singu lar

The name of a New York hockey team

Name of the city in the Real World in the Matrix trilogy

University Athletics Association teams often visit when competing against Washington University in St. Louis, the feature of the smallest national park

The only continental state to have a coral reef

Ridge just below the surface of the sea, a quarter of all marine species live its coral

Tallest mountain in the North American continent

The result of the impact of a meteorite

etc.

A type of fruit jam, jelly, or marmalade

identity

Marvel comics character Thanos is known to be in love with

Name of the act of 1916 “to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”