Washington Square News February 20, 2018

NYU’s Independent Student Newspaper | est. 1973

nyunews.com

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Volume L, Issue 5

ARTS

FEATURES

OPINION

SPORTS

Breaking Down the Tisch Drama Studios

Perfumarie: A Blind Journey Through Scents

Stamp Out Sexual Harassers

ON PAGE 4

ON PAGE 7

ON PAGE 9

Tisch Senior Reselected for US Wheelchair Basketball Team ON PAGE 10

ARTS

Activist Ravi Ragbir Granted Stay of Deportation

In the Classroom with Wyclef Jean

Files First Amendment Lawsuit

By SARAH JACKSON Deputy News Editor

W

By ANKITA BHANOT Staff Writer

Donning a colorful shirt spotted with palm trees and his signature black shades, legendary rapper and musician Wyclef Jean showed up at NYU on Tuesday night in true celebrity fashion.

Similar to Pharrell’s visit in 2016, Wyclef Jean held a master class and conversation about his life, work and the state of the music business.

NYU’s Program Board partnered with the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music and Sony Music U to put on the event. A majority of students in the crowd were aspiring performers, musicians and producers themselves.

Jean maintained an open and friendly demeanor when addressing the people in the room.

“Call me Uncle Clef,” Wyclef Jean said.

Following the interview, Jean gave four students the unique opportunity to perform for him and receive feedback.

Steinhardt senior Chris “Ceezar” Hearn, Tisch freshman Leyla Blue, Tisch junior Jesse “Jesediah” Sgambati and Tisch senior Ada Obieshi delivered passionate and soulful performances. One of these lucky students will be featured on Jean’s upcoming album “Back To School.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4|

Check Out The

Fashion Week Highlights nyunews.com/FW18

VIA YOUTUBE.COM

A YouTube video capturing the arrests of several people, protesting Ravi Ragbir’s detention by ICE.

hen scores of demonstrators gathered in lower Manhattan on Jan. 11 they did so to attend a peaceful vigil meant to recognize New York families facing deportation. Before the day’s end, however, at least 20 people would be arrested as part of a protest over the detention of an acclaimed human rights leader.

During a check-in that day, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained immigrant rights activist Ravi Ragbir, who serves as the executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition based out of Judson Memorial Church on Washington Square South.

Soon after, the New York Police Department arrested several protesters — including two New York City councilmen — who had gathered to protest Ragbir’s detainment.

“Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been targeting immigrant leaders, including myself, to shut us up because we speak out against the agency,” Ragbir said in an interview with WSN. “They cannot just deport people who are speaking out against them or put them in removal proceedings to scare them and scare everyone else.”

Ragbir entered the United States from his native Trinidad in 1991 on a visitor’s visa and became a legal permanent resident in 1994, according to his website. He was recognized by the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators with the 2017 Immigrant Excellence Award.

The accolade is awarded to those demonstrate a deep commitment to enhancing their community.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3|

FEATURES

Call Me Daddy

By MARISA LOPEZ Contributing Writer

NYU students know it all too well: the almost laughable cost of attending this college. And what’s more? The painful price of living in New York.

The financial stress induced by tuition can’t always been solved by scholarships and financial aid. In fact, some NYU students have turned to an unconventional source of income to foot these bills: sugar daddies.

Making money through apps like SeekingArrangement, which pair “sugar babies” — defined by SeekingArrangement as “attractive people

looking for the finer things in life” — with successful men and women looking to spend money on companionship, has become increasingly popular at a number of colleges. NYU placed third on the list of the fastest growing sugar baby schools of 2018. This list featured six other New York schools: Syracuse University, Pace University, The New School, Fordham University, University at Buffalo and Columbia University.

SeekingArrangement advertises the arrangement as being one that is mutually beneficial, where both parties get exactly what they expect.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7|

An NYU student shows off her jewelry.

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA RUGGIERO

The stigmatization of this work stems f rom society’s deeply embedded misogyny and mystif ication of sex.”

ANONYMOUS

Washington Square News | TUESDAY, February 20, 2018

Page 2

NEWS

nyunews.com Edited by Sakshi Venkatraman and Mack DeGeurin news@nyunews.com

Free Menstrual Hygiene Products Not Always Available

Student Arrested for Disorderly Conduct in Carlyle Court

By CAROLINE HASKINS and NICOLE ROSENTHAL Investigative News Editor and Contributing Writer

The NYU Menstrual Hygiene Products web page on the Student Health Center website does not list consistent information about where free menstrual hygiene products can be found on campus. In addition, the free product dispensaries in the Kimmel Center for University Life are mislabeled as charging 25 cents, according to an investigation by WSN. The web page also claims that seven restrooms have free menstrual products available. However, that web page provides a link to an online survey to report empty dispensers, and it lists 14 restrooms with free menstrual products. Five of the restrooms listed on the NYU Menstrual Hygiene Products web page are not included in the survey, and only two of the restrooms listed in the survey are included on the NYU Menstrual Product web page.

One of these restrooms, the Elmer Holves Bobst Library LL2 all-gender restroom, is indefinitely closed for maintenance. The other restroom, the Kimmel seventh floor women’s restroom, is mislabeled as requiring 25 cents for menstrual hygiene products.

While restrooms on the first, second and seventh floors of Kimmel are all required to have free menstrual hygiene products, the office workers on those floors are responsible for reporting empty dispensaries, according to a representative from the Student Government Office. But, reporting empty dispensaries is an added task to existing work duties, and dispensaries are not always refilled immediately.

After a petition in fall 2016 lead

CRIME LOG

By JAMIE KARNS Contributing Writer

PHOTO BY CAROLINE HASKINS.

Free menstrual products in the bathroom of the Forbes building.

by the all-university group Students for Sexual Respect, NYU began providing free menstrual hygiene products in certain restrooms around the Washington Square and Brooklyn campuses. The availability of these products began as a pilot program on October 2016 and the program started running at full capacity in February 2017.

According to Chief of Staff of Student Affairs Elizabeth Kuzina, stock of menstrual hygiene products in all NYU restrooms is checked by Facilities and Operations custodial staff on their regular cleaning cycle, which rotates several times per day.

However, CAS freshman Anna Liu said that the inconsistent availability of menstrual hygiene products has discouraged her from relying upon NYU restrooms for menstrual hygiene products.

“I knew that the university did offer free [menstrual hygiene] products to students, but I would never expect them to stock [the dispensers] frequently,” Liu said. “I would much rather buy my own products

so I would definitely have a supply at any time.”

Kuzina said that the dispensers in restrooms might be empty due to individuals taking large quantities of product at one time, which she discouraged.

“It is our hope that students will use the [Student Health Center] office pick-up when they would like a larger supply — there is really no limit — and use the restroom dispensers for immediate needs,” Kuzina said.

Kuzina said that any student struggling financially can visit the Student Health Center or the Student Life, Center for Multicultural Education and Programs and LGBTQ Offices in Kimmel, as well as the Student Activities Office and the Student Activities Office in Brooklyn to pick up as many free products as they need.

Email Caroline Haskins and Nicole Rosenthal at news@nyunews.com.

From Feb. 11 to Feb. 18, the NYU Department of Public Safety received one report of alcohol violation, one report of criminal mischief, one report of rape, one report of domestic violence, two reports of assault, one report of harassment, one report of disorderly conduct, one report of forgery, four reports of larceny and one report of trespassing.

ALCOHOL VIOLATION On Feb. 16 at 12:23 a.m., a resident assistant at Palladium Residence Hall reported a case of alcohol violation.

According to the RA, during one of her rounds, she recovered alcohol from one of the dormitories. Police notification was declined. The case is now closed and has been referred to Student Conduct.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF On Feb. 15 at 2:18 a.m., a group of NYU students reported a case of criminal mischief after discovering that a couch in the Lipton Residence Hall lounge had been vandalized with a hate symbol. A police report was immediately filed, and the case is currently open and under investigation.

RAPE On Feb. 12 at 9:50 p.m., an NYU student and Palladium Hall resident revealed that a friend of hers was a victim of rape. Police notification was declined. The case is now open and under investigation.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE On Feb. 12 at 12:20 p.m., an NYU student reported being physically abused by his girlfriend at Gramercy Green Residence Hall. A police report was filed, and an arrest was made soon after. The case is now closed and has been referred to Student Conduct and the Office of Title IX.

ASSAULT

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On Feb. 13 at 1:00 p.m., an NYU student and University Residence Hall resident reported being punched by his roommate. Police notification was declined. The case is now closed and has been referred to Student Conduct.

On Feb. 13 at around 6:10 p.m., an NYU student reported that his roommate physically shoved him during a heated argument at Third Avenue North Residence Hall. Police notification was declined. The case is now closed and has been referred to Student Conduct.

HARASSMENT On Feb. 15 at 1:10 a.m., an NYU student in University Hall reported that another student was harassing her in person and over the phone. Police notification was declined. The case is still open and under investigation.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT On Feb. 15 at 3:55 a.m., three NYU students residing in Carlyle Court Residence Hall reported that their roommate was being disorderly in their dormitory.

Upon investigation, their roommate turned around and became physically aggressive toward various members of Public Safety. The police were immediately notified and the student was arrested. The case is now closed and has been referred to Student Conduct.

FORGERY On Feb. 15 at 6:34 a.m., a lost and found staff member reported a receipt of a forged instrument in 719 Broadway. Police notification was declined.

The case is currently open and under investigation.

LARCENY On Feb. 13 at 10:42 p.m., an NYU student reported that her money was missing. According to reports, the money was placed in an unlocked locker in Palladium Athletic Facility.

Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 13 at 11:15 p.m., an NYU student reported that his bike was missing. According to reports, the student placed his bike under the No Standing sign outside 35 West 4th St. A police report was filed after the incident. The case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 14 at 3:00 p.m., an NYU Bookstore employee reported that a case of rings was missing from the NYU Bookstore. Police notification was declined. The case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 14 at 3:45 p.m., an NYU student reported that his coat was missing from a classroom in Tisch Hall. A police report was immediately filed. The case of the student’s missing coat is currently open and under investigation.

TRESPASSING On Feb. 11 at 11:15 p.m., an Aramark employee reported that another employee refused to leave the premise at Weinstein Residence Hall at the end of the day. The police were informed but arrived after the employee left.

The case is currently open and under investigation.

Email Jamie Karns at news@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | TUESDAY, February 20, 2018

nyunews.com

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NEWS

Edited by Sakshi Venkatraman and Mack DeGeurin news@nyunews.com

Activist Ravi Ragbir Granted Stay of Deportation, Files First Amendment Lawsuit | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Ragbir entered the United States from his native Trinidad in 1991 on a visitor’s visa and became a legal permanent resident in 1994, according to his website. He was recognized by the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators with the 2017 Immigrant Excellence Award. The accolade is awarded to those who demonstrate a deep commitment to enhancing their community.

Ragbir was convicted of wire fraud in 2001 and served five years in federal prison. Since then he evolved into a leading voice for immigrants rights while simultaneously dodging deportation efforts

by ICE. Ragbir has faced a deportation order since 2006 as a result of his felony conviction.

He was granted a stay of deportation on Feb. 9, according to the New York Daily News. A federal judge made the ruling just one day before Ragbir’s scheduled deportation, allowing him to stay in the country at least until his next check-in with ICE on March 15.

With his attorney, Alina Das of the NYU Immigrant Defense Initiative, Ragbir has filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the federal government alleging that ICE targets immigrants for deportation because they oppose the agency’s work.

Rhiya Trivedi, a member of Ragbir’s defense committee, believes the outcome of the First Amendment case will have far-reaching repercussions.

“The retaliation against activists, not just Ravi, by ICE — there’s a lot of people at stake in that case,” Trivedi said.

She added that ICE’s violent response to the community’s support for Ragbir is very telling.

“ICE perceives this work as threatening because accompaniment is about bearing witness to tearing people away from everyone and everything,” Trivedi said.

“If bearing witness is a threat to government, then it needs to rethink its agenda.”

U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest ordered Ragbir’s immediate release on Jan. 29, calling efforts to deport him unnecessarily cruel.

Forrest compared the treatment of immigrants to that of authoritarian regimes.

“We are not that country; and woe be the day that we become that country under a fiction that laws allow it,” Forrest wrote.

Dena Fisher, the administrative coordinator of New Sanctuary Coalition, said ICE attempted to send a message with Ragbir’s deportation — and its plan backfired, galvanizing instead of scaring the community.

“They thought they could make an example of him and therefore all these other people would just

get on a plane and leave, and it’s absolutely having the other effect,” Fisher said. “It’s bringing to the public how evil and malicious they are.”

Among the people rallying behind Ragbir is New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

On Feb. 7, de Blasio wrote a letter to Thomas Decker, the New York field office director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, urging the agency not to deport Ragbir.

“In his more than 20 years as a lawful permanent resident in the United States, Mr. Ragbir has made significant contributions to the city’s civic life and has been widely recognized for his work as a speaker, educator and organizer on issues related to immigrant rights,” de Blasio wrote. “The breadth and depth of Mr. Ragbir’s ties in our city should weigh heavily in favor of a stay of his removal.”

After it was announced that Ragbir was granted a stay of deportation, de Blasio took to Twitter to express his support.

“I’m glad to hear Ravi Ragbir was granted a stay,” he tweeted.

“We celebrate today, but we know the bigger fight against @realDonaldTrump’s inhumane approach to our immigrant communities must continue. #IStandWithRavi.”

Ragbir has been involved in a long and complicated cat and mouse game with ICE for years.

Ragbir received his first stay of deportation from the New York ICE Field Office in December 2011. The stay was renewed in February 2013,

March 2014 and January 2016. He filed another request for renewal in November 2017, and his last renewal expired Jan. 19, although ICE detained him the week before.

Ragbir is not alone in his struggles with ICE. The number of ICE arrests in 2017 rose 30 percent from that of fiscal year 2016, according to data from the Pew Research Center.

Some NYU students also face threats of deportation, especially in the wake of President Donald Trump’s plans to raise funding for immigration enforcement while ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Both NYU Dream Team and NYU Sanctuary have led campus discussions and protests surrounding immigration issues.

Most recently the two joined together to host a workshop at NYU titled, “Know Your Rights Workshop: Immigration and Police Enforcement.”

Ragbir encourages immigrants facing threats of deportation to seek out support from their communities.

“Immigrants need to stop being afraid,” Ragbir said. “It is terrifying and very traumatic to go through the process, but if they understand that there are steps that they can take to fight to stay here with their families in the community, they will deal with them in a much more grounded manner. Reach out to sanctuary, learn and prepare a plan, and then rally support around you to implement that plan and to protect you and your family.”

Email Sarah Jackson at sjackson@nyunews.com.

BIAS RESPONSE LINE PILOT REPORT Reports by semester: 80

74

60

55 44

40

20 11 0

Spring 2016

Fall 2016

Fall 2017

Spring 2017

The relatively low number of reports in the spring 2016 semester reflects Bias Response Line’s May 2016 debut date, and thus spring 2016 was a shortened recording period. Between fall 2016 and fall 2017, the number of reports increased by 68 percent, which the report attributes to a marketing campaign launched in fall 2016. As of mid-January, the BRL has received three bias reports through the beginning of the spring 2018 semester.

Reports by group:

9% Staff 3% Faculty 2% Anonymous 4% Other

82% Students

Groups alleged of bias: 14% Other

1% Anonymous 14% Staff

18% Students

31% Faculty

21% NYU offices/schools/ organizations

Types of bias reported:

20% 1% Other Age 2% Domestic violence/ stalking/sex offense 4% Sexual orientation 4% Gender expression/ gender identity

31% Race/Color/ Ethnicity

8% Gender/sex

7% Sexual/gender based harasment 7% Disability

8% National origin 8% Religion/Creed

Classification of report: 20% Category 3 61% Category 2 19% Category 2

The Office of Equal Opportunity, which oversees the BRL, divides bias reports into one of three categories upon receiving them.

Category 1 reports entail cases that are deemed potential violations of OEO policies, and the OEO conducts a full investigation into the report.

Category 2 reports involve cases that “relate to being a member of a protected class” but do not entail direct violations of OEO policies.

Category 3 reports are determined to be outside the purview of the OEO. VIA YOUTUBE.COM

New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams was one of two politicians arrested after protesting Ragbir’s detainment.

INFORMATION FROM SUMMARY REPORT ON THE BIAS RESPONSE LINE INFORMATION COLLECTED BY ALEX DOMB. DESIGNED BY RACHEL BUIGAS-LOPEZ AND JOSH MAGPANTAY

Washington Square News | TUESDAY, February 20, 2018

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ARTS

Edited by Ryan Mikel arts@nyunews.com

Breaking Down the Tisch Drama Studios

By EMMA HERNANDO Staff Writer

Tisch School of the Arts is one of the best drama schools in the United States, but for the rest of NYU, the multitude of acting studios can be jarring. Everything from the tight-knit communities within to each studio’s off-campus locations seems imposing and elusive to outsiders.

So, what makes these studios so special? Tisch freshmen took some time out of their long studio days to enlighten WSN about the options for first-years.

NEW STUDIO ON BROADWAY New Studio on Broadway specializes in musical theater. Throughout the week, classes focus on subjects in ballet, contemporary dance, acting, spoken voice, speech, music theory, sight singing, vocal performance and small group music.

NSB aims to teach aspiring actors to be present and authentic while integrating that work into vocal training and dancing.

Emily Goes, a freshman in NSB, said she loves being in a community of artists who put their heart and soul into every performance.

“I think it’s so invigorating that I can integrate the approaches I’ve learned in acting into the dance studio or vocal performance,” Goes said. “And find the strength to discover the meaning and intent behind every move or lyric.”

ATLANTIC ACTING SCHOOL Atlantic Acting School –– founded by “Shameless” actor William H. Macy –– follows a technique known as Practical Aesthetics, which centers around script analysis and as if scenarios that personally connect every actor to a character in a scene. Atlantic students have four classes per day and six classes total with a ‘15-minute rule,’ where students have to arrive 15 minutes early to silently prepare for class.

Atlantic freshman Max Vaupen values this emphasis on individuality.

“I’ve seen the same scene performed

[in] drastically different ways because two people analyzed the scene differently,” Vaupen said. “The outcome was still interesting because both analyses made sense within the given circumstances of the play.”

In Vaupen’s opinion, Atlantic kids are similar; they connect with one another very easily.

“Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses and being able to see progress really strengthens our chemistry as a group,” Vaupen said.

PLAYWRIGHTS HORIZONS THEATER SCHOOL

Playwrights Horizons Theater School allows students to study all aspects of theater making and learn a variety of acting styles.

“Every day in Playwrights is different,” first-year Jack Dahill said. “Most have acting and movement followed by either playwriting or design.”

Studio days also consist of a salon, where an industry professional comes to speak to the students. Dahill said he fits right into Playwrights because it allows him to explore all that theater has to offer, especially directing.

“I’ve always been someone that likes to do a lot of different things,” Dahill said.

“Playwrights allows me to do that.”

THE MEISNER STUDIO

The Meisner technique is based on repetition, which emphasizes listening to your partner and reacting honestly to whatever they say or do. Partner work entails one actor going in front of the class and performing an unscripted moment where the goal is to elicit an emotion.

Then another actor comes in and joins after doing emotional preparation outside.

Meisner freshman Nikolas Elrifi finds the studio a good fit for him.

“It really forces you to externalize emotion, which I have trouble doing,” he said.

“Most of the work you have someone pushing you to high emotional states that you can’t keep inside.”

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN STUDIO

Production and Design is the only studio at NYU that specializes in the technical aspects of theater alone.

Students learn the processes behind different focuses of production.

“When I was in middle school, I had no clue that I was able to have a career in a field most people deem as a hobby,” P&D freshman Lauren Blanks said. “Being in this studio gives me the freedom to be creative and build my skills in areas I’d never encountered before” An average class day consists of classes like theater organization, drafting, fundamentals of stagecraft, fundamentals of design, painting and drawing.

“Most people forget that we’re a studio because there’s not that many of us,” Blanks said. “But in reality, we’re a tightly-knit group that all share the same creative minds and want to create beautiful art just like the acting studios.”

EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE WING

Experimental Theatre Wing works to create actors who are prepared conceptually, technically and personally to meet the demands of contemporary and traditional theater.

Studio days consist of voice class and ballet class in the morning with Meisner acting classes and circus class in the afternoon.

Freshman Collin Linnville feels like he belongs in ETW because of its priortization physicality.

“The physicality makes people even more intimate,” Linnville said.

In Linnville’s opinion, ETW kids are characterized by their individualism and freedom to create their own work.

“People always say that ETW is mysterious, but it’s unique and has a large focus on developing great artists as well as great actors,” Linville said

PHOTO BY SAM KLEIN

Studio 3 of the Experimental Theater Wing is one of many studios at Tisch School of the Arts.

LEE STRASBERG THEATRE AND FILM INSTITUTE

At the core of Lee Strasberg is the ability to release complex emotions within, which would be difficult to create artificially for performances.

An average studio day includes two hours of dance, a four hour method acting class, voice and speech and improvisation.

Strasberg freshman Jacob Edwards believes the personal training at Strasberg has helped him discover new aspects of himself and his craft.

“People think delving into your emotions is unhealthy when quite the opposite is true,” Edwards said. “If you’ve dealt with something and then bring it out, you can sense a feeling of relief that’s so refreshing.”

STELLA ADLER STUDIO OF ACTING

At Stella Adler Studio of Acting, the technique revolves around the magnification of the imagination.

Studio Founder Stella Adler provided actors with the tools to use their imaginations to develop roles.

“We believe that acting is ‘doing,” freshman Sorosh Wein said.

“Growth as a human being and [as] an actor are synonymous.”

An average studio day consists of one to three hour classes on topics like movement, voice and speech or scene study.

“The Adler philosophy encourages us to be more than just actors,” Wein said. “I want to be someone that changes the world through his craft. The great endeavors and experiences in life inform and improve your acting.”

In Wein’s opinion, what makes Adler students so unique is the desire for activism and the desire to use their success for social change.

Email Emma Hernando at theater@nyunews.com.

In the Classroom with Wyclef Jean

PHOTO BY BASHIR ABDULKAREEM

Rapper and musician Wyclef Jean performs during an event at the NYU Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life on Feb. 13, marking the end of his masterclass in the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.

“This is New York City’s greatest right here,” Wyclef Jean said.

“The artists in this room represent the next generation of music.

I can’t wait to hear what you all come up with.”

Hailing from Haiti, Wyclef Jean began his musical career more than three decades ago alongside Lauryn Hill and Pras Michel in The Fugees. In the seven years the band was together, the socially-conscious hip-hop and soul group recorded two albums, won a Grammy and went platinum. Their hit ‘Killing Me Softly’ is still revered as one of the greatest hiphop records of all time.

“A true artists suffers before he makes it,” Wyclef Jean said.

After that, Wyclef Jean flew solo.

“You have to keep going when you get that shot,” Wyclef Jean said during the interview. After

recording two successful albums in the late 1990s — “Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee All-Stars” and “The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book” — Wy-

“

A true artists suffers before he makes it.

WYCLEF JEAN

”

clef Jean was featured in Shakira’s smash hit single “Hips Don’t Lie.” Since, Wyclef Jean has released three more albums, a mixtape and a series of singles. He has written

a memoir and worked with artists like Young Thug, Avicii, Akon and Lil Wayne. The 48-year-old shows no signs of stopping. Last month, Wyclef Jean announced “The Carnival Tour,” which began on Jan. 19 will last until May 2.

In the small amount of free time Wyclef Jean has, he works on his mission to inspire the next generation by visiting college campuses across the country. In January, Wyclef Jean spoke with students at the University of Southern California. He was happy to return to the school of one of his oldest friends and collaborators: Clive Davis.

“The epitome of talent trumps all,” Wyclef Jean said in his closing words to the students. “You have to work hard. That’s why we’re here.”

Email Ankita Bhanot at music@nyunews.com.

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Washington Square News | TUESDAY, February 20, 2018

Page 5

ARTS

Edited by Ryan Mikel arts@nyunews.com

The Politics of Joy in ‘RIOT’

By ALEX CULLINA Contributing Writer

COURTESY OF LAURIE SPARHAM

Reynolds Woodcock, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, fits a dress on Alma, played by Vicky Krieps, in a scene from “Phantom Thread.”

Deliberate Complexity at the Heart of ‘Phantom Thread’

By ZUZIA CZEMIER-WOLONCIEJ Staff Writer

Though “Phantom Thread” may only be a minor commercial success, the film is deserving of the delicate and nuanced affection it communicates to audiences. Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest achievement is executed carefully, making for a cinematic experience that never stops giving.

Set in the 1950s London world of haute couture fashion, “Phantom Thread” is an unexpected detour for Anderson, who has previously excelled at interrogating North America’s less glamorous depths.

The film tells the story of Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis), an eccentric and perfectionistic designer; Cyril (Lesley Manville), Woodcock’s sister and business manager; and Alma (Vicky Krieps), a free spirited but headstrong waitress who enters their world upon invitation and inevitably shakes it up.

In classic Anderson style, the film both tugs at conventions and is careful not to fall into well-trodden tracks, striking a perfect balance between drama and comedy, romance and suspense, and theatricality and hesitation.

Woodcock is a universe of a man.

His all-consuming passion for work and charisma draws in everyone around him, but he remains almost too complex to grasp onto. Many women try but fail, and Woodcock sinks further into his rigid habits.

When he meets Alma, she similarly falls into his world but does not yield to it — she simply wants to give, receive and love in her own way. This makes her an equal match for both Reynolds and Cyril, which is something they seem to appreciate.

Anderson doesn’t focus on rivalry, thus eschewing banality. Instead, the relationships between Woodcock and Alma and Alma and Cyril are based in recognition, devotion and a good bit of teasing. The women emanate a quiet power or a strength born out

of resilience rather than pride, and despite his excessive rules, Woodcock is at the mercy of the women that surround him. It’s this complex contradictory nature of Anderson’s protagonists that make them tangible and so human — however theatrical and idiosyncratic they may appear at first glance.

Anderson similarly pulls no punches in bringing the world of “Phantom Thread” to life. The production design portrays all the glamour and glory of high society, complete with satin scarves, polished china and a life-size paper mache space rocket at a New Year’s Eve party. The cinematography catches the most minute details, at times even focusing on the lining of a collar rather than the speaker’s face — a subtle nod to Woodcock’s garments as the fourth protagonist. Each shot is precise and reveals the mystery hidden in every frame, gesture and look.

The web of mannerisms and emotions weaved by Day-Lewis, Krieps and Manville is as intricate as the garments they wear.

Yet, for all this perfection and spectacle there is an air of hesitation.

Woodcock and Alma are constantly discovering each other, learning how to show their affection and where to place their dedication. It is this that makes “Phantom Thread” such an emotionally intelligent film. It welcomes many viewings, each time a new detail coming to light as when looking at a loved one.

A special screening of “Phantom Thread,” with a live accompaniment of the original score performed by the Wordless Music Orchestra and London Contemporary Orchestra, will take place at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Feb. 24. Composed by Jonny Greenwood, Radiohead lead guitarist, the music provides an eloquent commentary on the thoughts and feelings of characters in the film.

Email Zuzia Czemier-Wolonciej at film@nyunews.com.

“RIOT,” Irish theater collective THISISPOPBABY’s multi-genre theater piece, is 100 minutes of spectacle –– both joyful and political –– as it pivots between deadly serious and ridiculously fun.

Co-presented by NYU Skirball and the Irish Arts Center, THISISPOPBABY performed the piece at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts last Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Winner of Best Production at the 2016 Dublin Fringe Festival, the performance combines spoken word, dance, singing, comedy, drag and audience participation into something completely unique.

“RIOT” is comprised of about 20 separate vignettes, each varying wildly in tone, style, form and content, dictated largely by the particular performers. There’s the meld of powerfully political spoken-word and rap performed by Emmet Kirwan, the unruly drag queen emcee Panti, the acrobatics and extended striptease of Ronan Brady –– a crowd favorite –– and a quad of singers serving as something like a Celtic-Greek chorus for the evening.

Friday night’s performance featured a guest appearance by legendary New York drag queen Lady Bunny, performing a dialed-to-eleven Kate Bush impersonation in her signature sky-high wig.

The show’s mixture of pure fun and its deeper meditations on the world’s present troubles can sometimes be a bit jarring. The riotous comedy and dance twosome, Lords of Strut, per-

form in character as two overconfident brothers in ’80s attire. The show also features Up and Over It’s, an Irish dance duo, lively routine set to Britney Spears’ “Work B**ch.” All these elements combined make for strange bedfellows to Kirwan’s piece about a young woman facing down the hardships of teen motherhood in Ireland Somehow, “RIOT” makes it all work.

Some of the most compelling pieces in “RIOT” involve breaking the stage’s fourth wall, whether it’s Panti interacting playfully with members of the audience or when select spectators are commanded to beat a Jesus in a cling-wrap diaper with pool noodles –– this ended up being the most uproarious part of the evening.

While never quite gelling, the show’s distinct sensibility comes closest in Panti’s final piece. Starting as a straight-ahead comedy routine about the adults in her life trying to smash her childhood dream of becoming Farrah Fawcett, Panti skillfully synthe-

sizes her monologue into something like a thesis statement for the night.

Deeply sincere but never cloying, she entreats the audience.

In a fortuitous technical malfunction during a solo number by singer Megan Riordan near the end of the show, the lights and music suddenly went dead.

Her mic still hot and barely missing a beat, Riordan stalled skillfully. Suggesting the audience illuminate the stage with their phone flashlights, she mused on collaboration, artistic or otherwise. She urged the audience to look upon one another for assistance.

“Our great mistake is to act the drama as if we were alone,” Riordan said. “The only thing we can do in times of darkness is to look for the light in others.” She concluded with something like a toast to the audience.

Daring them to repeat her, she declared: “To living in the light!”

Email Alex Cullina at entertainment@nyunews.com.

PHOTO BY AMELIA REARDON

Performers in “RIOT,” an interactive dance experience showing in the Skriball Center for Performing Arts.

‘50th & 4th’ Proves Frigid Festival Has Warm Potential

By EMILY FAGEL Theater and Books Editor

New York playwright Mike Lemme debuted his newest comedy, “50th & 4th,” Feb. 14, as part of the 2018 Frigid Festival –– a fringe festival located on the Lower East Side. Despite some slight drawbacks, the short show is chiefly endearing and resonant for any New Yorker.

“50th & 4th” highlights Rick (Emil Ferzola) and Sue (Gloria Lamoureux), two longtime New Yorkers who have been married for who knows how long.

They reside in Brooklyn and rent their spare bedroom out to younger people desperate for a cheap living space through Craigslist. Coined as a Craigslist mom many times throughout the show, Sue treats her tenants like children and often brags about how she, Mike and past tenants are like a little family.

When their newest tenant, Taylor (Kirsten Dwyer), enters the space for a tour, the show begins.

Taylor, 29, is a naive actress who is trying to make it in New York. Taylor, Rick and Sue spend their first night together grappling with loving New

York, leaving New York, their relationships with their parents and the complexities of love.

The plot and its main dilemmas are resonant for New Yorkers –– both young and old. Taylor represents the struggle of people coming to the city to chase their dreams and suddenly finding themselves surrounded by a million people doing the same thing. Rick and Sue grapple with a familiar question: as magical as New York City is, do we stay here forever?

Erected in the black box theater UNDER St. Marks, “50th & 4th,” with its minimal set, evokes the interior of a dingy New York apartment. Locals attending the show will know these too well: lines about St. Marks Place, anecdotes about bars in Greenwich Village and walks through Washington Square Park.

Replete with jokes about Brooklyn and New Jersey, the show is uniquely New York.

Lamoureux and Ferzola play very charming portrayals of Sue and Rick.

Their thick accents and playful bickering inspire laughter and a familiarity that is almost universal. As the characters

navigate major life decisions, tense moments arise, but there is never a doubt that love between them endures.

In contrast to the stunning performances from Lamoureux and Ferzola, Dwyer’s overstated portrayal of Taylor is a bit exhausting to watch. Dwyer’s fixation on her character’s naive, Brooklyn hipster foibles overpowers Lemme’s writing and leaves punchlines out to dry.

Dwyer intends to draw contrast between Taylor and her proprietors but instead makes the character inauthentic and not very enjoyable to watch.

Lemme wrote and produced “50th & 4th” as “a tribute to everyone who brought you to the city and the new kind of family you create when you’re here.” Overall, he succeeds, and the play is warm and enjoyable. It tells a story about love — for a city and for each other. Lemme’s script is relatable and endearing, and audience members left the opening night performance full of warm nostalgia on a chilly February night.

“50th & 4th” is running at UNDER St. Marks Theater through Feb. 28.

Email Emily Fagel at theater@nyunews.com.

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Washington Square News | TUESDAY, February 20, 2018

nyunews.com

FEATURES

Edited by Yasmin Gulec features@nyunews.com

Beauty Says ‘Yes’ to Kush

By ELIJAH SCOTT Contributing Writer

With marijuana usage becoming legalized in more states and Americans beginning to publicly embrace it, the beauty industry now furiously grapples to keep up with today’s fast-growing and booming cannabis culture.

Cannabidiol, or CBD oil — a pri-

“

PHOTO BY CARINA PANSCH

Inside the Perfumarie store in SoHo.

Perfumarie: A Blind Journey Through Scents

By FRANZISKA WINTERLING Contributing Writer

Scents are powerful. They can be nostalgic, bringing you back to certain memories. However, the experience of shopping for scents, or perfumes, is most of the time, considerably less nostalgic and enjoyable. Either you keep ordering that same fragrance online, or you actually brace yourself and go to a store only to become confronted by a sensory overload. For all scent lovers out there — or those who want to become one — there is a new place for you in SoHo. Perfumarie, located at 135 Lafayette St., describes itself as “a multi-sensory experience space that ignites olfactory encounters.”

So, what does that mean exactly?

WSN visited Founder Mindy Yang, Executive Assistant Ava Steinbrenner and the rest of the team to find out.

The first thing you notice when entering is the calm atmosphere, which Steinbrenner describes as a “safe space.” The interior is minimal but elegant. Some of the perfumes, which are by unknown artisans, are packaged beautifully; others, however, are hidden away in numbered bottles. They are part of the fragrance runway: the abundant line-up that Perfumarie boasts.

Yang created the store to help overcome our scent biases — oftentimes, we choose our fragrances based on general conceptions, such as not liking patchouli even if we only had one encounter with that specific scent. At times, we let our eyes decide for our noses and choose based on packaging and brand name. As a result, many niche perfumers and

artisans are overlooked. Sometimes, cheap though still good perfume brands are disregarded, according to Yang. As an answer to that, the fragrance runway is a complex journey to empower our olfactory sense.

Each month, the Perfumarie team picks up to 30 fragrances — commercial, niche and even homemade — that are installed in a row of little containers. As you walk the runway, you write down all your ideas, associations and preferences on a clipboard as you make your way through the row of scents. The goal is now to narrow the scents down to your top four or five favorites, which will then be applied to your skin. Even if you think you’ve found your signature scent, how the scent reacts with your natural body chemistry is the true test of picking the one. After sniffing your wrist four or five times, it’s time to choose a favorite — students get a special $20 price. However, you can always buy more if you can’t pick just one.

Which fragrance will you choose? The fragrance that you choose will remain a surprise until the end of the month, when the Perfumarie team reveals the names and brands of its past collection and sets up for the next runway. Through paying a visit to Perfumarie, one can discover a plethora of perfumes that would not have been discovered otherwise. Whether it is a trip down the runway, one of their events or workshops or just to treat a loved one to a unique, fragrance shopping experience, Perfumarie hits a sweet note every time.

Email Franziska Winterling at bstyle@nyunews.com.

The closer we get to destigmatizing cannabis, the better it is for all.

CINDY CAPOBIANCO

” mary cannabis derivative that accounts for approximately 40 percent of cannabis extracts — is now being used as a primary ingredient in many lotions, eye creams and lip balms. This chemical compound is completely non-psychotropic, which means that you cannot get high from it, though it still has anti-inflammatory properties that can be used to treat sore muscles and acne.

Many pre-existing brands, such as Ma-

lin & Goetz, have added CBD to their product line-up, and new CBD-focused brands have also emerged to fulfill the cannabis craze.

Lord Jones, a Los Angeles-based company founded two years ago, sells a small range of CBD edibles and topical products. Founders and spouses Robert Rosenheck and Cindy Capobianco, who has done public relations work for Vogue and Allure previously, have been able to successfully market their products as a symbol of a chic, luxurious yet radical style.

Later this year, Lord Jones is expected to open its very own retail shop on Sunset Boulevard, partnering with The Standard Hotel. According to an article published in The New York Times, Rosenheck and Capobianco aimed to normalize cannabis use through this partnership and believe creating products that help consumers relax without actually getting them high might be the best approach. As Capobianco put it, “The closer we get to de-stigmatizing cannabis, the better it is for all.” Public support from celebrities such as Meryl Streep, Olivia Wilde and Katy Perry have also contributed to this de-stigmatization and allowed the brand to grow rather quickly.

In an interview with the NYT, Verena Von Pfetten, the founder of Gossamer, a publication centered on the higher-end weed culture, notes that despite the success of high-end CBD

STAFF PHOTO BY KATIE PEURRUNG

An NYU student displays their CBD oil.

beauty brands, there is still a debate as to how effective all of these products truly are.

In turn, there has been an overall confusion in the marketplace that could end up stunting the CBD beauty industry’s sustainability.

Most of this confusion lies in the fact that very little research has been done on the topical effects of cannabis. Some studies sided with the popular theory of the entourage effect, which concludes that “CBD works best within the plant’s cannabinoid system, meaning that combinations of compounds are more effective than isolated ones.” Others have claimed the opposite. It seems that until a well-rounded study is conducted, CBD beauty might continue to operate as a niche market.

Email Elijah Scott at bstyle@nyunews.com.

Cheesy Goodness at Black Seed

COURTESY OF ALEX OSTROFF

The new Don Angie x Black Seed collaboration bagel — a custom bialy topped and stuffed with green garlic, sesame and different cheeses.

By SCOTT HOGAN Contributing Writer

To many New Yorkers, anything besides the iconic bacon, egg and cheese for breakfast is sacrilege. However, at Black Seed, a store that creates a gourmet breakfast experience with hand-rolled, woodfired and artisanal bagels, they push the envelope. The store offers a monthly bagel special, made in collaboration with restaurants throughout New York City. This month, the Don Angie Bialy was created in partnership between Black Seed’s Executive Chef Dianna Daoheung and Chefs Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli at Don Angie, a modern Italian American restaurant.

The bagel itself is topped with green garlic and sesame seeds and filled with Stracchino and Munster cheeses for $5.50.

Basically, it’s a gourmet grilled cheese.

As a self-proclaimed bagel expert, I was extremely excited to try this sandwich, so I made the trip to Black Seed’s East Village location on First Avenue.

The first thing I noticed was that the prices were definitely a little higher than the average bagel place, featuring a $10 bacon, egg and cheese. This is drastically more expensive than the three dollars I pay at the bodega around the corner from my apartment. Black Seed is definitely something to treat yourself to rather than a daily occurrence if you’re on a student budget. The wait for the Don Angie Bialy was also a little longer than the normal bagels, but when I finally got it, it looked amazing. The crust of the bagel seemed to be perfectly toasted, and cheese oozed out of the sides. When

I pulled the sandwich apart, the cheese stretched in such a glorious manner that it was borderline pornographic. Seriously, the cheese clung on for a foot and a half before giving out. The blend of the two cheeses worked really well together, creating a gooey delicious filling, and the bagel itself was undeniably one of the better bagels I’ve had in my life with an amazingly crunchy crust. The first couple of bites were incredible, pure bliss in the form of a cheese-filled bagel.

Then, I got to the center where the majority of the toppings of green garlic and sesame seeds were. The garlic, however, was extremely overpowering because there was way too much of it. I found myself munching on large chunks of it, getting it stuck in my teeth. The flavor was so strong that I had to scrape off the toppings before continuing, but even then, the stubborn taste stayed in my mouth until I brushed my teeth when I got home.

In the end, while the sandwich had a promising start for me, you’d have to really love garlic to enjoy it. If you are searching for an extravagant grilled cheese experience, Black Seed is the place for you.

However, if you’re just looking for a nice breakfast sandwich to cure your hangover, the bodega around the corner is probably a better bet.

Email Scott Hogan at dining@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | TUESDAY, February 20, 2018

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FEATURES

Edited by Yasmin Gulec features@nyunews.com

Tender Greens Provides a Little TLC

By JOEL LEE Contributing Writer

Tender Greens, a growing California-based chain of fast, healthy comfort food, has finally made its East Coast debut near Union Square at 900 Broadway. Tender Greens holds a high standard on its quality and emphasizes sustainably sourced food. Each location has an executive chef and prides itself on its high level of service. This modern restaurant follows the hype of chains similar to Sweetgreen, as a cashless food restaurants catering to on-the-go professionals and

STAFF PHOTO BY SAM CHENG

The “Happy Vegan” at the newly opened Tender Greens near Union Square.

students looking for healthy and satisfying meals with customizable plates, sandwiches, soups and drinks. Its interior design screams minimalistic, and the service is fast and friendly.

Tender Greens is not particularly distinct from its competitors.

My friends and I arrived during the restaurant’s slower dinner hours ready to eat. Between us we ordered the Fried Chicken Sandwich, the Chef’s Special Pork Bolognese Cavatelli and the Backyard Marinated Steak Salad — the restaurant marks this steak as a staple to their plates and salads.

Despite the array of options and the quality of the food, the pricing and the portion size make Tender Greens a hard sell as a go-to, daily spot. The steak salad was mainly a regular salad with some medium rare slices of quality steak while the cavatelli and fried chicken sandwich had surprising hints of sweet and savory. The ingredients were clearly fresh, but I wish the portions were larger.

Steinhardt freshman Ryan Tsai reflected on his experience, going against the popular buzz Tender Greens has received on Yelp.

“The food was above par,” Tsai said. “But for its price point, it lacked any remarkable aspects that would justify paying $14 plus for

a salad with five pieces of beef.”

What was noteworthy about Tender Greens was the service.

Employees welcomed us with enthusiasm and warmth. I watched from my table as each incoming customer was greeted hospitably while servers were constantly checking in to make sure I was enjoying my own experience. The friendly atmosphere reflected the founders’ emphasises on their values and goals to build a community and provide quality food for all.

Tender Greens is definitely worth a try for days when you desperately want to eat anything but dining hall food or can’t stomach cooking at home. It’s quick and simple, and Tender Greens really emphasizes its to-go service and app, catering towards its busy New York consumers. It may not have that unique and memorable restaurant character, but it meets your food needs. I’d recommend going for lunch, as the portions reflect that time of day, and ordering something hearty like a plate or a sandwich. Tender Greens may be trite, but it is still, for New York’s costly standards, a convenient place to eat for the occasional indulgence.

Email Joel Lee at dining@nyunews.com.

Call Me Daddy | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

However, a sugar daddy arrangement isn’t as simple as SeekingArrangement suggests, no matter how it may sound on the surface. The lavish lifestyle comes at a price.

Despite what many students would like to believe, most sugar daddies aren’t simply seeking company — they’re seeking sex. Oftentimes, the arrangement ceases to be mutually beneficial, leaving the sugar baby uncomfortable or unsatisfied.

A CAS freshman, who asked to remain anonymous, was paid $200 per meetup with her sugar daddy but ended up feeling objectified after her experience, noting she was forced to perform sexual acts she was not comfortable with. The most uncomfortable situation occurred when an older man told her she looked younger than 18 and that he liked it.

There are certainly a great deal of reasons why one might enter a sugar daddy and sugar baby relationship, but financial motivations seem to be top of the list for NYU students.

A sophomore in CAS previously earned $50 to $1000 a month as a sugar baby. She was arm candy that her sugar daddy could take around to events to impress other people.

“At the time [of the arrangement], I felt that it was my only option— I was living alone in a new city, with

no support from my parents,” the student said. “I eventually stopped after three months because using someone else’s money felt like I was somehow cheating or that I owed him something.”

A Stern junior, who also requested anonymity, is currently in the process of locking down her sugar daddy. The arrangement, if agreed on, will earn the student $4,000 a month. The motivation behind joining SeekingArrangement? The student is currently paying for all of their living expenses and wants to begin paying off loans.

“I also grew up in and out of poverty, so I’d like to get to experience luxury for once,” the student said.

This student advised others seeking a sugar daddy to be careful about account owners who make fake promises about the payment and the agreement in general, and said “A lot of the guys you’ll meet on sites like Seeking Arrangements are not the real deal.”

One of the biggest arguments against the sugar baby lifestyle is that some say the whole arrangement is essentially glorified prostitution. An anonymous Tisch freshman, who almost committed to a sugar daddy but decided not to because of the time commitment, commented on the these criticisms of the practice.

“If the baby is enjoying their time

with the daddy and wants to be around them, it is not prostitution: it is free choice,” the student said.

“If it’s purely sex with someone the baby isn’t attracted to and wouldn’t otherwise be involved with, [I think] it’s closer to prostitution.”

Some students, such as a Gallatin freshman who was previously paid $900 a month by a sugar daddy, believe that these arrangements are sex work in some form, but don’t agree with the stigma that surrounds sugar daddy agreements.

“You could say it’s a form of sex work, but I do not think that sex work is morally corrupt,” the Gallatin freshman said. “People should have the freedom and autonomy to exchange their emotional, physical and/or intellectual faculties to get what they want or need … The stigmatization of this work stems from society’s deeply embedded misogyny and mystification of sex.”

Maybe you can look past the faults a relationship from SeekingArrangement may come with, as many NYU students have. Perhaps, the cons outweigh the pros, and you recognize that relationships like these just aren’t for you. Whatever the case, as long as the cost of college remains high, the sugar baby lifestyle isn’t disappearing.

Email Marisa Lopez at features@nyunews.com.

STAFF PHOTO BY TONY WU

A mural on West 138th Street in Harlem.

Explore With Me: Harlem

By CARINA PANSCH Contributing Writer

From noble houses to bustling African market streets, Harlem breathes the history of the city in a special way. Marked by a diverse and creative population, this area of New York is becoming a popular place to not only hang out but also to live. Although the trek up to Harlem is a long one for NYU students, it’s worth experiencing the unique culture that has developed over decades.

The subway takes you to 125th Street — the heart of Harlem.

On the main street of the district, vendors sell African scarves and drums, CDs and African-American literature. Hip-hop blares from the surrounding shops and everything seems a bit more colorful than anywhere else in New York City.

At 253 W. 125th St. you’ll find the Apollo Theater, which has been Harlem’s cultural center since the Harlem Renaissance. In its legendary “Amateur Night,” which took place every Wednesday, musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson were discovered.

The Harlem Studio Museum houses hundreds of pieces by African artists and about African-Americans in America. Past this famous museum lies Lenox Avenue, which is also known as Malcolm X Boulevard after the famous civil rights movement leader. The area around this street forms the gastronomic focus of nightlife in Harlem. Here you can experience the roots of American food at the Red Rooster, or try classic soul food at Sylvia’s.

After dinner, end the evening in one of the surrounding jazz bars, such as Paris Blues. For those who still want more music after that, the National Jazz Museum offers a good insight into the history of the genre.

Diving even more into East Harlem, you can spot street art as you

walk around. Graffiti Hall of Fame on Park Avenue is one showcase of the many talented local artists.

In North Harlem life is calmer, but not quieter. The lively gospel choirs and beautiful architecture make a visit to at least one of the countless churches — such as the imposing Abyssinian Baptist Church worth the time. Further back in time you can walk through the multi-ethnic neighborhoods of Washington Heights and Hamilton Heights. The still-intact mansions show the remnants of a colonial New York and the architectural history of Manhattan. At that time, this part of the island was still farmland and European-born nobles built their country estates there. Between the towering mansions, New York’s most famous cemetery, the Trinity Church Cemetery, holds hundreds of graves of the former elite, including author of “Invisible Man” Ralph Ellison and author of “Moby Dick” Herman Melville. Coming to the end of the day and on the edge of Harlem, it’s especially nice to enjoy the sunset on the George Washington Bridge.

Email Carina Pansch at features@nyunews.com.

STAFF PHOTO BY TONY WU

The Apollo Theater on West 125th Street, where Showbiz legends and amateurs alike take the stage.

Washington Square News | TUESDAY, February 20, 2018

Page 8

OPINION

nyunews.com Edited by Tyler Crews opinion@nyunews.com

CULTURE

Don’t Discredit This Opinion

By VICTOR PORCELLI Contributing Writer

Have you ever been in the middle of an argument, and after you make a really good point, someone says, “Well, that’s just your opinion.”

Such occurrences depict an anti-opinion culture in a society that desperately needs opinions.

With President Donald Trump constantly labeling the media as fake news and an extremely polarized political climate pervading the United States today, opinions have started to be viewed as bias-filled lies that are irrelevant because they aren’t facts. Yet, only accepting the factual is extremely limiting. We as humans rely on our ability to interpret, perceive and infer in our everyday lives. So why are opin-

ions — an extension of this interpretation — seen as unnecessary?

We rely on scientific theories, which are a form of opinion, to understand the world around us.

A theory itself is defined as something plausible, a belief or an unproved assumption. Although we commonly draw a line between theories and other forms of opinion, what makes theories better isn’t the fact that they involve science.

The scientific method, which many may say distinguishes theories from other forms of opinion, is closely related to the philosophical study of deductive logic because both rely on a logical step by step process. However, such logic is applicable to all fields of study. It is not science that makes a theory reliable, but the presence of logic

supported by a strong foundation of facts. These same criteria should be applied to judge opinions.

There are some opinions that do not hold themselves to such standards.

One thing that dimishes the merit of an opinion is too much bias. Everyone has some bias, but minimizing personal bias when forming opinions is vital to creating an informed position.

Today, it is becoming increasingly common to label all opinions as biased. Multiple newspa-

pers, such as The Baltimore Sun and The Los Angeles Times, have been criticized for being biased because they include opinion pieces in their publications. In response to these criticisms, these news sources ascertain that the news and opinion desks are kept separate.

However, the LA Times goes further, making a distinction between opinion and bias. Opinions are judgements based off facts. Being biased means making judgements devoid of facts.

The importance of making this distinction is that if all opinions were disregarded as bias our society would be worse off. News provides facts, but opinions interpret them. What this interpretation does is allow us to better understand and develop our views on the world

around us. As Josh Rivera writes in USA Today, “The news department has an important task, which is to write a first draft of history as it happens; the opinion pages shape how we look at our history.”

For a long time, newspapers have had the job of encouraging the development of ideas and the change which comes with them. Their opinions do not have to be taken as gold, but it is through our discussion of our beliefs and thoughts that we come to new conclusions.

To continue to allow opinions to be stigmatized would be to enter a world in which understanding does not matter, where everything is simply accepted as is.

Email Victor Porcelli at opinion@nyunews.com.

POLITICS

How Unions Can Overcome the Collective Action Problem

By IGNANGELI SALINAS-MUÑIZ Contributing Writer

The Union of Clerical, Administrative and Technical Staff of Local 3882 managed to collectively negotiate with NYU to ratify its new contract on Jan. 26, 2018. In a time where protests are more likely to become exhibitions at museums than change policy, and where unions are often critiqued for their infectivity, UCATS’s success should not be taken for granted.

The collective action problem lies in the fact that people who share the same goal and would benefit from working together often fail to organize, pursue and achieve their goals.

In the case of UCATS, the expectancy of success and structure of the union itself were both key factors in

making this agreement with the university possible. But above all, the merging of these two institutions demonstrates the importance of collective action in achieving tangible goals. If organizing benefits people, then why isn’t it done more often?

Failures in collective action happen for the following three reasons, but it’s important to keep in mind that, like UCATS did, these challenges are possible to overcome: 1. Free Rider Problem: A free rider is someone who takes advantage of an existing institution.

When a public good is produced, it benefits everyone –– even those who did not bear any cost. This in turn creates an incentive for immobilization –– workers would rather not join the union and not protest.

However, UCATS offers additional

benefits to union members. This does not eliminate the free rider problem, but by creating exclusive perks, it increases participation.

2. Pivotality and Cost: When the cost of individual participation is high, and the expected influence is low, people opt not to participate.

At first, clerical and technical workers had many benefits to earn and a high probability of earning them.

NYU was not likely to risk its reputation by mistreating its employees.

Second, compared to a million-person rally, UCATS memberships consist of only 1,400 clerical and technical workers. This increases the importance of each member’s participation and creates a sense of responsibility. UCATS President Stephen Recher wrote “Over 150 UCATS members and supporters sustained a spirited rally today for two full hours. The weather was great, and we were noisy.”

3. Group Size and Unanimous Participation: Research has shown that contrary to popular belief, smaller groups often tend to succeed at having their demands granted in comparison to larger groups. Smaller groups have room for greater accountability. Riding off the second point, UCATS membership is small enough to put a name to a face and

hold members accountable (even by emotional and social standards) of what they do or do not do.

UCATS has done a good job of overcoming these problems. The term of their new contract ends on Oct. 31, 2023. It includes an initial wage increase of three percent and an additional increase following each year until 2022. It also improves training opportunities and child care funding, increases life insurance by $20,000 –– to a total of $50,000 –– and extends paid parental leave to up to six weeks. This is a deal that NYU employees rightfully deserve, but it’s important to remember that, like many benefits, it did not come easy.

Email Ignangeli Salinas-Muñiz at opinion@nyunews.com.

TECHNOLOGY

Snapchat Values Ad Revenue Over User Experiences

By MERT ERENEL Staff Writer

The saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” must be unfamiliar to Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, as proven by the atrocious app update that was released in early February. Many Snapchat users are furious over the update, including myself. There is even a Change.org petition signed by 1.2 million people requesting the app to be changed back to its previous version, and for good reason. While Snapchat presented this update as a move towards improvement of the app, this update was motivated by

one thing: money.

The greatest concern that users have with the update is that it is extremely disorganized.

The individual snapchats are mixed in with the stories, and the stories are not presented in chronological order, but rather in order of whomever you interact with on Snapchat the most.

It is possible to see some stories that were posted yesterday at the top, while new stories are at the very bottom. According to an article about the change, this was done to make the app more personal.

I am not buying this public relations stunt. This update is de-

signed to benefit advertisers, or the one thing that most internet users despise.

Notice that the old story page has now become a discover page, or what I would call “The Ad Page.” Snapchat’s previous version had both Snapchat stories and sponsored content from news outlets and other media sources. Nev-

ertheless, users did not interact with the sponsored content as frequently as Snapchat wanted. Now, Snapchat has glorified its ads by giving them their own page. The personal stories are shuffled in with the chats, creating a mess.

This was all done for monetization.

Snapchat, which competes with copy-cat Instagram, has recently been performing poorly in terms of profits. This horrible, adfriendly update is a result of a net loss of around $450 million in the summer. After this loss, Spiegel said,“In 2018, we are going to build more distribution and monetization opportunities

for these creators.” Spiegel followed through on this promise; however, the update is not worth user dissatisfaction.

Do not be fooled. The update was not created to provide you with a more personal experience on social media or to fight against the dehumanizing aspects of social media interaction — its motivations were purely monetary. Snapchat, in undervaluing its user base, disregarded the most important rule in business: the customer is always right.

Email Mert Erenel at opinion@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | TUESDAY, February 20, 2018

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OPINION

Edited by Tyler Crews opinion@nyunews.com

CULTURE

Here’s a Tip, Don’t Tip Your Waiters

By DIEGO MAGUINA RAZURI Contributing Writer

When many foreigners first receive their bill after eating at a New York City restaurant, two things will take them by surprise: the sky-high prices they have to pay for a simple entree and the few lines at the bottom suggesting tip amounts that were provided for convenience.

This is the disguise of a social norm in the United States that implies if you do not tip, you will be perceived as a rude, cheap and heartless customer. However, this expectation should be ignored.

The main argument in favor of tipping is that, without tips, the waiters will receive only their basic salary, which is too low. But is that really the customer’s problem? In an economy with a relatively free market, why should customers bother to accommodate their servers? That should be the employer’s problem. As a matter of fact, this is how most industries work. We tip waiters, but we do not tip sales associates or delivery men. These occupations also revolve around providing customers with a product. Furthermore, why do we tip waiters, when we do not tip the chefs who

also took part in providing the service?

When we tip, we are actually creating the perfect incentive for employers to pay a low wage. U.S. labor laws state that an employer of a tipped employee must pay at least $2.13 per hour. If such amount and the employee’s gratuities do not add up to the federal minimum wage — which is currently $7.25 per hour — the employer must compensate the difference. However, this does not necessarily occur in reality, and the waiter ends up with a lower return for his work than what the law mandates.

The unfortunate result is that waiters are more likely than other workers to fall into poverty.

Some may argue that waiters are paid according to their performance and, therefore, have the incentive to do a better job. However, this is an-

other myth. A Cornell University study shows that service quality does not seem to be associated with the size of the tip. Determinant factors were customer’s sex, group size and the individual bill amount. This means that, contrary to popular belief, the better service a waiter provides does not mean he will get a higher tip. Furthermore, another study conducted by a team of Cornell University and Mississippi College professors demonstrated that there is racial discrimination in tipping, as black waiters get significantly lower gratuities than their white peers, regardless of the customer’s race. Under a fairer, non-tipped employee job regime, they would receive the same wage.

Tipping is not as bad as it seems — it is worse. Tipping culture indirectly fosters poverty and discrimination at the expense of employees who are not necessarily rewarded according to the service they provided. If politicians do not want to change the labor law, it is up to us, the customers, to generate adequate incentives for them to do it.

Email Diego Maguina Razuri at opinion@nyunews.com.

UNIVERSITY LIFE

Take It Slow, Liberal Studies

By DASHA ZAGURSKAYA Contributing Writer

To release Liberal Studies from the custody of College of Arts and Science was among suggestions advanced during the Student Senate Council meeting on Feb. 8. However, the validity of this idea is questionable. While LS fosters an individual teaching approach and covers a large scope of literary works, its curriculum hardly provides any practical knowledge. Will our familiarity with the ancient Mesopotamian legislation or the Homeric epic tradition earn us daily bread? I doubt it. LS should not become its own school because it is not yet a well developed program.

Introduced in 1971, LS used to be a second-chance program for young people whose academic level didn’t meet the university’s requirements but who were determined to succeed. According to the former LS Dean Fred Schwarzbach, it still is the case for some students but not for all admitted to LS. The general criteria used to decide who will benefit from the LS program seems arbitrary and undetermined. Schwarzbach asserted that “One thing we’re looking for is a student that’s really going to

SUBMITTING TO

thrive in that environment with small classes and intensive advising and close contact with faculty.”

In other words, LS is an exploration program that allows undecided students to spend two years reflecting on their future career path. By the end of their sophomore year, they can either internally transfer to one of the eight schools within NYU or pursue a major in Global Liberal Studies. The LS Core Program aims to develop students’ general knowledge, critical thinking, writing and communication skills, while the bachelor’s degree in GLS is interdisciplinary, including courses that include world literature, history, philosophy, art and science. All in all, LS encompasses courses equivalent to those taught in CAS and doesn’t seem to have much to distinguish it from the faculty part of which it currently is.

I remember talking to students who had already determined their majors prior to applying for NYU but landed in LS — just as I did. They expressed indignation at this administrative decision taken without their consent.

Not only were they bothered by the impossibility of studying what they wanted starting from the freshman year but they were also wondering if they weren’t intelligent enough to be placed in the school of their choice. However, their confusion only lasted for a few weeks, for most of those who became LS students by obligation later became accustomed to the program and grew to like their courses.

The reason LS is unknown and confusing to many lies in a lack of advertising for the program. Before turning LS into a separate school independent from CAS, NYU should consider breaking through the stigma surrounding it. LS should better define its specialty in order to increase the number of students who would willingly apply to it and choose it over CAS. LS needs to first develop as a program before it can become a school.

Email Dasha Zagurskaya at opinion@nyunews.com.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Stamp Out Sexual Harassers

In the wake of the #MeToo movement and the recent unprecedented level of awareness surrounding sexual misconduct, one would think that NYU, a university that prides itself on being a trailblazer in safety and inclusivity, would be at the forefront in attempting to integrate the movement into the world of academia. Unfortunately, this is not the case. At least in terms of the way NYU has approached sexual assault issues relating to faculty, which has been completely reactive. Past instances have shown that the school currently lacks sufficient preventative infrastructure to properly provide safety for its students. NYU should do a more thorough background check on all new hires before bringing them in contact with students. This way, the university can avoid having to come under fire for the past mistakes of these hires.

NYU has seen a few reported cases of sexual misconduct practices among its faculty. Most recently, former Steinhardt Adjunct Professor Bradley Garner, a world renowned flutist, was fired after his history of sexual misconduct came to light. While no NYU students or faculty members made direct allegations, Garner committed unwanted sexual advances toward his former students at the University of Cincinnati while he was employed by NYU. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported allegations from Garner’s students on Feb. 6, and NYU announced two days later that Garner had been let go. What makes this situation even more concerning is that Garner isn’t the only case.

In October, visiting scholar Todd Heatherton was also fired from NYU after the university administration became aware that he was under investigation for sexual misconduct at Dartmouth University at the time.

While the university quickly took action following the announcement of the investigation, NYU’s efforts to safeguard students’ emotional and physical safeties are undermined by cases like Heatherton’s. The university’s response was entirely reactive. And these are just two public cases of misconduct committed by NYU faculty. We don’t know how deep the problem truly runs.

President Andrew Hamilton recently spoke at a University Senate meeting and remarked, “The focus on the #MeToo movement has created an opportunity for all of us to engage in a dialogue here at NYU that will lead to change.” Ironically, the #MeToo movement doesn’t seem to have shifted preventitive measures against sexual assault too much at NYU. Its investigations into these individuals were not thorough and their responses were reactive. It seems that the vetting process at NYU is lackluster. Greater effort should be put into researching professors’ backgrounds. Heatherton was on paid leave. Bradley had past allegations of sexual misconduct. NYU needs to research why prospective professors left their previous institutions.

Colleges and universities are supposed to prepare their students, both academically and morally. However, how are we supposed learn positive conduct when some of us may have been taught by people who embody the opposite? If NYU wants to be a part of the #MeToo movement, it can no longer wait until something goes wrong to try and address it. We want to see NYU at the forefront of these investigations, not cleaning up the aftermath.

Email the WSN Editorial Board at opinion@nyunews.com EDITORIAL BOARD: Tyler Crews (Chair), Paola Nagovitch (Co-chair), Alison Zimmerman (Co-chair) STAFF PHOTO BY ANNA LETSON

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Washington Square News | TUESDAY, February 20, 2018

Page 10

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SPORTS Keeping up with the

Edited by Maddie Howard sports@nyunews.com

BOBCATS

Men’s Volleyball Feb. 20

Women’s Tennis Feb. 23

Swimming and Diving Feb. 24

at Arcadia University

at Wathmore College

at Kenyon Last Chance Meet

Student-Athletes Hit Play on Pre-Game Hype Playlists

By TORI BIANCO Staff Writer

One important aspect of music is its ability to inspire a variety of people.

Especially before a big event, music can lift spirits and spark motivation.

More often than not, athletes use the almost magical qualities of music for a pre-game pump-up.

Stern sophomore and baseball team

STAFF PHOTO BY KATIE PEURRUNG

An athlete in the Palladium Athletic Facility opens the Spotify app before a workout.

member Sal Cammusuli loves to blast music at full volume and jam out before his games. His music choices range from intense electronic dance music to Travis Scott. Some of his favorite songs to listen to before games include “Late Night” by Scott and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver.

“Both songs really get me in the right mindset and ready to play,” Cammusuli said. “They relax me and pump me up at the same time.”

Gallatin sophomore and women’s swimming and diving team member Tessa Lechleider prefers to listen to a playlist that includes a combination of throwbacks and current hits.

“I like to to dance and jump around behind the blocks to get hype,” Lechledier said.

Her favorite song to listen to before races is “Shake It” by Metro Station. She thinks the song is fun and upbeat, the perfect thing to help her loosen up before she swims.

Reiko Johnson, a Stern freshman and women’s basketball player, also loves to listen to throwback music. Some of

her current go to’s include “It Girl” by Jason Derulo and “Right Now (Na Na Na)” by Akon.

Music can also bond teammates together as teams often build rituals around specific songs.

For CAS freshman and men’s soccer player Jake Velvel, there are a few specific pregame songs that he listens to alone, but listening to music with the team is more important to him.

“Most of the time the team has a speaker on the bus, someone takes the aux and we all vibe together before the game,” Velvel said.

Although, some athletes do find music to be distracting. For example, when it comes to preparing for her tennis matches, Stern freshman and women’s tennis player Anna Maria Buraya said that if it gets stuck in her head, she cannot focus on playing.

Nevertheless, whether athletes listen to music or not, student athletes all have different ways of preparing for competitions.

Email Tori Bianco at sports@nyunews.com.

Tisch Senior Reselected for US Wheelchair Basketball Team

By BELA KIRPALANI Contributing Writer

When she was five-years-old, Tisch senior Josie Aslakson’s life changed forever. A brutal car accident left her paralyzed from the waist down. Now, years later, Aslakson has been selected to the United States’ Women’s World Championships Wheelchair Basketball team for the second time. She will compete in the 2018 International Wheelchair Basketball Federation Championships in Hamburg, Germany this August.

“It’s offered me a whole new perspective on life,” she said. “I don’t think I would see things the way I do now if I wasn’t forced into this position.”

Aslakson started playing basketball at age 13. Her father Ted Aslakson explained how she got her start.

“There is a facility in Minnesota called the Courage Center, where Josie was actually learning archery,” Mr. Aslakson said. “The basketball team happened to be practicing during one of her archery lessons, and the basketball coach pushed her to try basketball. And one day, she actually decided to give it a go.”

She played basketball at Jordan High School before attending the University of Texas at Arlington.

“The options for college wheelchair basketball are pretty limited, so I wasn’t sure if any of the schools that offered it were a match for me,” Aslakson said.

“But once I visited UTA and realized that I liked it as a school, I was willing to commit.”

Aslakson transferred to Tisch School of the Arts in 2017, where she is currently majoring in Dramatic Writing.

“It’s different,” Aslakson said when asked how she continues playing basketball in New York City. “I don’t have a team anymore. But I made sure that I got an apartment close to the YMCA, so that’s really nice.”

Every athlete needs a strong support system, and Aslakson is grateful for the support from parents and coaches over the years.

“My parents have always been so supportive and have done everything for me, whether it’s taking me to tournaments or practices, or getting me whatever equipment I need,” she said.

“And in basketball, each coach I’ve had has been so great, from high school to the national team level.”

PHOTO BY PAUL KIM

Josie Aslakson practices for the 2018 World Championships for wheelchair basketball.

U.S. Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Coach Trooper Johnson believes Aslakson has all the qualities of an amazing teammate.

“Josie does all the dirty work for the team,” Trooper said. “She is always setting picks or steals for her teammates and working to get other people open.

Defensively, she anticipates well and does not back away from guarding bigger, faster players.”

Aslakson has high hopes for her team’s success in Germany this summer, though the journey will be a challenging one.

“It’s going to be a tough competition because we have such a young team, and a lot of those European teams who are successful right now will have so much experience,” she said. “But I really like the chemistry that I’ve seen already in our team during training. I feel like everyone is ready to do whatever it takes to win.”

Aslakson continues to inspire many people through her hard work and dedication to the sport of basketball.

“Her level of commitment is amazing,” her father said. “The more exposure her story gets, the more likely it is that it sparks something in another child. For Josie, basketball is about more than just putting a ball in a hoop.

It’s about being around kids she could relate to, and becoming more self-confident on and off the court.”

Email Bela Kirpalani at sports@nyunews.com.

Kaitlyn Read: The Star of NYU Women’s Basketball

PHOTO BY SAM KLEIN

Kaitlyn Read flips the ball to a teammate during an offensive drill.

By WARNER RADLIFF Contributing Writer

Naming an accolade Kaitlyn Read has not claimed during her time at NYU is a difficult task.

Her legacy as a member of the women’s basketball program includes an exhaustive list of conference honors, broken records and academic recognition. From being named a Freshman Athlete of the Year in 2014 to obtaining her bachelor’s degree with honors, Read’s tenure is defined by athletic and academic excellence.

Head Women’s Basketball Coach Lauren Hall-Gregory said that Read will go down as one of the most decorated individuals to ever play at the school.

“Her stats are unreal — she has a fantastic basketball skill set and IQ which, of course, all has incredible positive impacts on the program,” Hall-Gregory said. “Since the moment she stepped on the court for her first practice and every day since — she has raised the level of confidence, focus and competitiveness in this program.”

As a graduate student in Global Affairs, Read is playing out her final year of eligibility after redshirting last year due to a season ending injury that occured only eight games into her senior campaign.

However, the time spent away from competition only further fueled the two-time captain’s recovery process.

“I approached this season just as I have all my others, with a fierce passion to win, but I feel like there was more of a degree of urgency since being injured,” Read said.

“I knew what it was like to sit helpless and wish I could do anything to help my team, to lace up my shoes and play, so this year knowing that made me, above all, not take anything for granted. Every early practice, long bus ride, missed weekend — none of those really bothered me this year.”

With the season coming to an end, there is no doubt about the success of her recovery. Over the course of 23 games, Read has dominated both sides of the court, averaging 20.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.8 steals per game, while boasting a 0.427 field goal percentage and shooting 0.726 from the free throw line.

Regardless of the numbers and acclaim that will be etched into the record books, the biggest takeaway from Read’s time with the basketball program is the network of friends and mentors that remained with her even af-

ter her time on the court.

“I feel a sense of accomplishment that I came and did what I had dreamt about doing when I committed,” Read stated. “I played my heart out and did everything I could to enjoy my time as an NYU athlete.

Above that, though, I reflect and think about how I never imagined how tight-knit the team would be. All five teams I’ve been a part of at NYU have introduced me to some of the most amazing women and I wouldn’t trade those friendships for anything.”

Read’s ability to connect with her teammates on a personal level has further strengthened her leadership skills and hence augmented the team dynamic.

“In the last two years, she has grown from a good leader to a great leader,” Hall-Gregory said. “She expects excellence from herself and from her teammates. Over the last two years she has really worked on her relationship building and communication skills to get the most out of all her teammates.”

Of the many meaningful, lifelong relationships Read has formed with her teammates, coaches and affiliates of the program, one that stands out is that of her younger sister and teammate CAS sophomore Mikaela Read.

“I think playing with my sister at the collegiate level has been an unforgettable experience, and I’ll be extremely sad when she finishes the season, for her and for me,” Mikaela said. “She’s my best friend and it’s really awesome to be with someone who you’re close with when you have so much to do with basketball. It’s great to have someone who understands what you’re going through while also having fun with them. Playing basketball with my sister has just allowed for us to become closer than we already were.”

Playing together has not only strengthened the pair’s bond on and off the court.

It has also elevated their performance on the court. Kaitlyn said that Mikaela is one of her biggest influences during practices and games.

“She continuously motivates me to be better and always gives it to me straight during games if my shot selection is bad, if there are better scoring opportunities I should be looking at,” Mikaela Read said.

“Also, going through an injury with her on the team was a godsend; she knows just what to say or not say, to get my spirits up, to put things in perspective.”

The sisters will share the court one last time together as Violets on Feb. 24 as the team will finish its regular season on the road against Brandeis University.

Regardless of the game’s outcome, the legacy of Read’s storied career as player, teammate, captain, sister and friend will be officially cemented at NYU. Following season’s end, Read has one more year of school left before completing a master’s degree in global affairs. She hopes to stay in New York post-graduation.

Email Warner Radliff at sports@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | TUESDAY, February 20, 2018

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lonely bowery strider

By Maxine Flasher-Duzgunes

Lonely bowery strider crossing the street with baby carriage. No baby, just a beer can sitting where it used to suck its thumb, a withered carpetbag where the baby food jars used to clang.

There was a mother in each of us before we began scouring garbage cans for the return ticket to our childhoods, but they were full of half-bitten falafels and disposable cups trickling cold café au laits onto the other precious things lost–mittens, apartment keys, emptied wallets.

And all we have is enough to fill our tummies and drain the scrap meat into the vents beneath our sleeping bags, the whoosh of subway warmth, and its routine departure.

Couldn’t we sleep with our thumbs in our mouths?— perhaps we weren’t distorted by the thrum of the trains passing well below our thoughts. If only the rails would disconnect from us and let our hands search freely in a garbage can for meaning we call a roof over our heads.

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