Volume 94, Issue 11

VOL 94 : 11 november 16th, 2016 The independent student newspaper of St. John’s University

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'love, not hate'

SJU reacts: Students on campus protest the charged rhetoric from the election See the full story on pages 10 and 11 TORCH PHOTO/GINA PALERMO

Outcry over Trump posters in residence hall window

Full story page 3

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Writing Center celebrates 20th anniversary

MARYBETH GERDELMAN

TORCH PHOTO/LAUREN FINEGAN

TORCH PHOTO/LAUREN FINEGAN

Staff Writer

On Nov. 3, the St. John’s University Writing Center celebrated two decades of helping Johnnies become more confident and talented writers.

St. John’s students, faculty and alumni gathered at the Writing Center in St. Augustine Hall to reflect on 20 years of growth and dedication.

According to Derek Owens, Director of the Institute for Writing Studies, when it first opened in 1996, the Writing Center was merely one desk and two chairs in the basement of St. John Hall.

With the help of Sister Julia Upton, R.S.M, and Dean of St. John’s College, Bishop David M. O’Connell, it soon took over two rooms on the second floor of St. John Hall.

The Writing Center continued to grow through the support of its directors and consultants. Today, it occupies a large room on the first floor of St. Augustine Hall that provides a warm learning environment for students.

The celebration began with opening remarks from Owens, who spoke about the history of the Writing Center. He also shared his own personal experiences about how working in the Writing Center alongside associate directors Alison Perry and Tom Philipose continues to be a rewarding experience.

The main focus of the celebration was on the essential tools that make the St. John’s

(Left) Students who cuurently work and formerly worked for the Writing Center shared their experience. (Right) Derek Owens, Director of the Institute for Writing Studies, spoke about the positive impact the Writing Center has on students.

Writing Center so successful. These essential tools are the writing consultants.

“Everyone knows writing centers help students with their many writing tasks, and that this can lead to better GPAs and enhanced retention,” Owens said. “What people often don’t know is that writing centers are where many of a University’s best and brightest become consultants and discover their intellectual community.”

Writing Center consultants, Mikayla Torres, Carly Johnson, Samira Korgan, Michael Benjamin, Kennedy Idedevbo, Lexi Bennett, Ceci Sturman, Yugi Paul, Miguel Vasquez, Anna Cairney, Tina Iemma and Chief Copy Editor Emeritus, Sarah Guayante, participated in a round-

table discussion about how working in the Writing Center has contributed to their personal and academic growth.

“Becoming a consultant in the Writing Center here at St. John’s University has undoubtedly been the most significant experience thus far in my academic and professional career,” student writing consultant, Ellen Urtecho, said. “Everyday that I walk into work, I am challenged in the best ways possible by my peers, clients and directors.”

Consultants are making an impact not only in the St. John’s community, but internationally as well.

“It helped me foster communities in Morocco, in Budapest and in Panama

where I’m utilizing things I’ve learned here,” writing consultant Torres said.

For St. John’s alum Steven Williams, a member of the class of 2011, returning to the place where he worked during his college career was very special.

“The Writing Center was a home on campus,” Williams, who was a commuter at the time, said. “I found the first job that I thought was truly fulfilling.”

Everyday for the past 20 years, the Writing Center has lived out its mission of helping students find their voice.

“You have a role and that role is important,” Torres stated. “We’re going to help you utilize those tools to create a better community.”

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The Trump Window

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TORCH PHOTO/GINA PALERMO

ANGELICA ACEVEDO, ISABELLA BRUNI

News Editor, Chief Copy Editor A group of St. John’s students in Century Hall is receiving backlash for demonstrating support for President-elect Donald Trump on their dorm window.

An image of the window, which has made waves on Twitter, shows a Trump and Mike Pence flag on the left, the U.S. flag in the middle and another Trump flag sporting his campaign motto, “Make America Great Again,” on the right.

The five students living in the suite, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are concerned for their safety, believe that hanging their flags in support of Trump is their constitutional right.

One of the students said they have had these flags on display in their common room since classes started, however once Trump won they chose to put them on the window in celebration.

“We never thought it would be controversial, since people hang things in their windows all the time,” one of the students said. “It is harmless, we are expressing our freedom of speech.”

Four out of five students living in the dorm support Trump. One said he supports Trump because he was raised Republican and agrees with whomever the party nominates. Someone else said they backed Trump because they are tired of the U.S. being “so politically correct.”

Another one said, “I support Trump because we believe that he will get this country back on its feet. He is not a politician, but he does know what he is doing, especially when it comes to the economy.”

The suitemate who didn’t vote for Trump said, “I actually voted for Hillary [Clinton], but I don’t see anything wrong with the flags. I think it is absurd that people are going out of their way to comment on social media and harass us.”

The students admit they have received a lot of hate directed at their room since the flags have been up, including Snapchat stories, tweets accusing them of being a part of the KKK and people yelling profanities outside their door and window.

Over the weekend they received a letter taped on their door written by other Century Hall residents that requested they take down the flag, citing the University’s code of conduct. In the letter the other residents state in bold that these students are “creating a hostile environment.”

This controversy has caught the attention of the conservative news outlet National Review.

In a statement to the Torch, University

spokeswoman Elizabeth Reilly said, “We do not prohibit freedom of speech at St. John’s University but do prohibit the use of any foul and inappropriate language.”

The students say they intend to keep the flags up despite the request from their fellow Century Hall residents.

“The letter is completely hypocritical,” one of the students said. “They are the ones creating the hostile environment by taking action against our room. We are being respectful; we have never acknowledged the protesters, who are still being disruptive.

We kindly ask everyone focuses their negativity toward the election elsewhere. This should be a non-issue.”

The students also provided The Torch with a second letter they have received.

This one, which purports to be from an anonymous Century Hall resident, applauds the five students not for who they are “backing,” but because they are defending their right to freedom of speech.

The students don't believe they are doing anything wrong with the flags.

“We would have taken the flags down after Thanksgiving,” one of the students said. “We decided to just keep them up, and honestly, the hate doesn’t phase us at all.”

In response to the flags, some other suites in Century have displayed their political views – including more Trump flags, a President Barack Obama poster, a gay pride flag and a love trumps hate sign.

Sophomores Abby Murray, Itzel Hurtado and Emily Fisher, who live in the suite with the “love trumps hate” sign, believe the five students haven’t owned up to their beliefs because they did not publicly express their support for the Republican nominee until after Trump won.

In a statement to the Torch, those three students said, “We were upset by the outcome of the election, and even more upset that people have been using this as an excuse to be hateful and cruel to people across the country ... We want to help [people] not feel discouraged and know that there are people fighting alongside them and standing with them.”

On Friday, Nov. 11, President Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw, Ph.D., sent an email to the St. John’s community reminding them that the University will “continue to focus our efforts to be a more welcoming and respectful community.”

“We reiterate our commitment to our University core values of truth, love, and respect so I ask that we continue to respect each other, even those with opinions and views different from our own,” Gempesaw said. “Any form of intolerance or intimidation has no place in our University community.”

TORCH PHOTO/GINA PALERMO

Twitter Reactions

SJU hosts annual Veterans Day celebration

Elliott spoke about her lessons such as “the myth of race,” “Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes” BEVERLY DANQUAH

Contributing Writer

TORCH PHOTO/BEVERLY DANQUAH

Veterans were honored on Nov. 7 during the annual Veterans Day celebration held at the D’Angelo Center Ballroom.

The melodic sounds of St. John’s University’s Mixed Chorus infused the D’Angelo Center Ballroom Monday Nov. 7, recognizing the country’s most courageous people.

The St. John’s community reflected on the lives of the men and women who responded and continue to respond to the needs of the nation.

Speakers at the ceremony, including Lt. Colonel Marci Miller, spoke about the multitude of achievements veterans have made, both during their time in the military and in civilian life.

“Being here today means everything to me, to be able to honor and respect men and women who have sacrificed everything for this country,” sophomore ROTC student Nicolas Van Slyke said.

“I’m even more driven after this event because as part of ROTC, I am planning to go to the military but I’ve never been on a deployment. Seeing all these men and women in their camaraderie and how they treat each other is truly moving.”

Organized by the Office of Community Relations, the annual Veterans Day celebration featured a proclamation presentation from the Queens Borough President’s Office, Veterans Affairs liaison Dan Brown.

Speakers at the ceremony spoke about

the multitude of achievements veterans have made, both during their time in the military and in civilian life.

The annual Veterans Day celebration has become a well-attended event. Vice President of Community Relations, Joseph Sciame, claimed they witnessed the biggest audience yet this year.

Sisters from Theta Phi Alpha Sorority paid their respects in this year’s ceremony.

They said they love to support different organizations, especially their veterans.

“I loved the presentation of the colors,” junior Abby Agresta said. “My brother is actually a Marine and I have past family members who are veterans.”

Student Veterans Association President, Jonathan Delacruz, was especially excited about this year’s ceremony because he saw it as a way to bring student veterans together.

“Bonding events like this where we can all just come together and enjoy the atmosphere with everyone else is great,” Delacruz said. “The more veterans know how veteran friendly this school is, the happier they’ll be to come here and join the veteran community instead of coming to school just for the classes.”

One of the veterans at the ceremony, a WWII veteran, celebrated his 98th birthday with the crowd.

“Moving forward, I hope to get active duty and I hope to serve to the best of my ability,” Van Slyke said.

Students march together on Black Solidarity Day MEGAN SOLOMON

Staff Photographer

Philando Castile. Trayvon Martin. Sandra Bland. These were some of the names being chanted throughout the Queens campus on the evening of Monday, Nov. 7.

More than a dozen students participated in the march organized by Haraya, with other student organizations such as NAACP and LASO. On the event’s poster, sixteen different organizations are listed as participants, along with the proclamation of solidarity as “love in action.”

Each organization involved seemed to embrace this, and the common theme of the event seemed to be that of overwhelming support.

Starting at 6 p.m. in Marillac Terrace, the march made stops in front of D’Angelo Center, Montgoris Dining Hall, Carey Hall and St. Augustine Hall.

Over 300 students joined by the end of the march, and headed to Marillac for dinner concluding the day, according to

“

“

We as millennials, as young people, actually do care about making a change in our community.

- Kenneth Shelton Jr. -

TORCH PHOTO/MEGAN SOLOMON

A group of students gathered and marched throughout the Queens campus on Nov. 7.

Ebony Calvin, Student Associate Director of Campus Activities.

During the march, Haraya gave participants signs reading phrases like “Black Love” and “I Ain’t Sorry That I’m Black!”

The marchers held signs as part of Haraya’s Black Solidarity Day: A Seat at the Table Experience, inspired by Solange Knowles’ recent album, “A Seat at the Table.”

At each stop, speakers shared spoken-word pieces, personal stories and words of encouragement for all who would listen.

In front of Montgoris, Kenneth Shelton Jr., Black Lives Matter activist and junior, spoke about his experiences in the movement as an advocate for black solidarity.

“We as millennials, as young people, actually do care about making a change in our community,” Shelton said. “It’s possible! It really is only possible when we come together like we are now.”

Marchers were encouraged to wave at the Public Safety vehicles parked feet away from the protest’s path.

The tone of this act was not disrespectful, rather an expression of the frustration many students at St. John’s feel when the school chooses not to speak or act on the movements that are important to so many of them.

In front of the library, students shared their struggles with mental illness and microaggressions, and how they were trying to improve those things on campus.

Others encouraged listeners to make art, and create a positive representation that is so lacking for people of color in the media.

Sophomore, Tamara Garcia, one of the marchers in the crowd thought that not every college campus is able to come together as they did for the march. She believed one of the most important parts of the experience was seeing students of all backgrounds coming together.

“St. John’s is a campus where the students are aware, they do not simply sit back,” Garcia said. “They actually act on this, and they actually try to make their peers aware of the situation we are facing together.”

Though most participants in the march were members of Haraya, many non-members were present to show their solidarity with the movement.

Supporters were encouraged to wear all black throughout the day, and almost all were dressed head to toe in the color.

Junior Doh, Vice President of Services for Haraya, was a main organizer of this event, calling it a “celebration of black culture,” and “[a collection of ] students that appreciate black culture coming together and celebrating that culture.”

“We can come together and heal from that and celebrate our culture,” Doh said. “You can’t escape the fact that the world we live in is imperfect... Despite everything that’s going on in the world, we’re still strong and we won’t let them take that magic away from us.”

Almost as if in response, the marchers echoed words of hope through the St. John’s community, proclaiming that no matter what, “we gon’ be alright, we gon’ be alright.”

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Jane Elliott challenges students’ perceptions of race Educator spoke about her lessons such as “the myth of race,” “Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes”

TORCH PHOTO/MEGAN SOLOMON

Jane Elliott, activist and educator, came to St. John’s University on Nov. 7 and talked to a crowd of students at the Little Theatre about the perceptions of race in America.

ARIANA ORTIZ

Assistant News Editor Noted anti-racism activist and educator Jane Elliott spoke to a crowd of more than 400 students, according to Ebony Calvin, Associate Director of Campus Activities, at the Little Theatre as part of the University’s Academic Lecture Series on Nov. 7.

The lecture was organized in collaboration with Student Development, Student Government Inc. (SGI) and Haraya whose focus is “to facilitate events that will uplift, enlighten and educate the St. John’s University community, in turn creating an outlet for students to reach out to administration,” according to its official OrgSync website.

In 1968, Elliott was a third grade teacher who rose to prominence after conducting her “Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes” exercise as a direct response to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., which is the focus of ABC’s documentary “Eye of the Storm”, released in 1970.

She hoped that by dividing her all-white classroom based on eye color, she could show her students “what it is like to walk in the moccasins of African-Americans in the United States,” according to Elliott.

She sparked controversy in her methodology, as well as an enduring international conversation about racism.

“I’ve been doing this work for 48 years and I should never have had to do it at all, but I certainly shouldn’t have had to be doing it 48 years later,” Elliot said in her opening remarks. “This is insane.”

“I wanted to hear her speak on what she has to say on issues that are going on in our country right now, and all those issues that she had dealt with in the past,” Katherine Daniels, a junior at St. John’s, said.

Daniels learned about Elliott from viral videos of her activism.

“There were a few surprises [in the lecture], like I didn’t know just how long she’s been doing the work that she’s been doing,” Daniels said.

Elliott spoke on the 500-year history of the concept of race itself, referring to it as “the myth of race,” and urged students to be a part of ending its widespread acceptance. “There is only one race on the face

TORCH PHOTO/MEGAN SOLOMON

Student Development, SGI and Haraya organized Elliott’s event to educate the St. John’s community.

of the earth, it’s called the human race,” she said.

Throughout the roughly one hour-anda-half lecture, Elliott encouraged students’ active participation by asking the audience questions and taking volunteers for activities.

In one activity, Elliott illustrated the geographical errors in the Mercator projection, a widely used map in schools across the nation. This map depicts North America and Europe both as the center of the world map and as larger than their true sizes, with other continents portrayed as significantly smaller. She maintained that in using the map as a teaching method, schools are misleading students.

Elliott referenced then-presidential candidate and current president-elect Donald Trump a few times throughout the evening, and suggested that his ability to run as a serious candidate hinges on the fear of white Americans being a minority in the near future.

“You need to realize that we are living in dangerous times right now, because of white fear. We’ve got to create a present that will make the future better,” Elliot told the audience as she encouraged stu-

dents to vote. “‘Black Lives Matter’ is the most important thing to have happened on this continent since Martin Luther King Jr.” Elliott addressed her famous “Blue Eyes/ Brown Eyes” exercise and gave the audience details on her experience in conducting such a radical social experiment in her hometown of Riceville, Ind. She spoke about the marked differences in her third grade students’ behavior once one group was emboldened for having blue eyes and the other demeaned for their brown ones.

Brown-eyed students who had excelled in their schoolwork just prior to the exercise performed poorly that day, while blueeyed students who had learning difficulties seemed to excel. Elliott remarked that one child in particular, who once had severe issues with spelling, received a perfect score on his spelling quiz.

Elliott thanked the audience for being one of her best thus far. Following the lecture, “Eye of the Storm” was screened for remaining audience members who wished to see the documentary on Elliott’s exercise.

“I definitely did learn more about the historical context behind racism, like with

TORCH PHOTO/MEGAN SOLOMON

Elliott spoke about one of her lessons, “the myth of race,” during her presentation to Johnnies.

the map, that’s something I would never ever learn otherwise…I think we’re just kind of ingrained to follow and listen to whatever we’re taught, even if it is untrue or incorrect or biased,” Essence Walden, a freshman at St. John’s, said. “So [Elliot] makes you want to be more aware and more observant of what we’re being taught, and look at it from different perspectives and who’s teaching it.”

“They’re tired of the nonsense; they know we’ve been lying to them,” said Elliott in a conversation with the Torch on why she considers college-aged people to be more receptive to her lectures.

“All college students have to learn, [what is] engraved on this shirt, number one: Prejudice is an emotional commitment to ignorance,” Elliot said. “They have to read the Frederick Douglass quote that says, ‘if there is no struggle, there is no progress…’

They’ve got to learn it, and they’ve got to practice it.”

Elliot continues to say that students should appreciate the individuals that are working against racism to make a change.

“There’s only one race on the face of the earth, and we’re all members of it…There are not four different races, there’s only one race,” said Elliott. “We’ve got to get that in these kids’ heads, and their hearts and their minds and their souls.”

Following the lecture and screening, Elliott was invited to attend the Black Solidarity Day March hosted by Haraya.

However, Elliott was only able to stay for dinner.

Haraya’s President Ricardine Laventure, senior and International Communications and French major, said that they chose to invite Elliott to St. John’s after a summer of a resurgence of police brutality and killings of African Americans.

“We felt it would be a really good idea to bring somebody in whose very well versed in diversity and race and overall just a very good educator,” Laventure said. “Bringing her was a really special experience for us...I personally really admire her work so it’s good to see even in her age she’s still willing to come to campus and, you know, really welcome us and embrace us cause she stayed after her speech. It was a really great experience.”

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Features

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How to make a great first impression What to bring home to your S/O’s parents for Thanksgiving KAYLA GONZALEZ Staff Writer

Thanksgiving is that time of the year where we dress up in our favorite fall colored outfits and where overeating turkey and mashed potatoes is a must. But what happens when you go to your significant other’s house for thanksgiving break?

What do you bring, what do you wear, what do you do? Gift ideas are already hard when you are picking them out for your boyfriend/girlfriend, and it's even harder picking out the perfect thing for their parents.

First impressions are everything, so getting the perfect gift is essential. There are a variety of things that you can purchase to win the hearts of parents.

Here are some helpful hints that could potentially help in your search for the golden ticket to winning the hearts of your significant other’s parents.

Thanksgiving is known for eating tasty foods and appreciating family, so you can never go wrong with bringing a dish. If it is homemade, even better, you can show off your cooking skills. Yummy ideas include pie, some pastries or even purchasing a bottle of wine if you are of age. If not, bring over apple cider.

Still a winner.

“You can’t go wrong with sweet potato pie with marshmallows,” said sophomore Matthew Daquin who loves bringing over this sweet dessert to his girlfriend's home during the break.

Parents love when their home smells festive, so candles are the second best thing to bring home for them.

The moms will definitely love this idea. Hit up a candle store and choose from the copious amounts of scented candles. They are an easy yet thoughtful gift.

Junior Angel Pereza, talks about his idea of the perfect gift, “You know, something that represents

something important for that person, but also means something meaningful for you.”

So it is not always about who the gift is for, but how much effort and time you put into picking the perfect gift for your companion’s parents.

Lastly you can bring over the typical gift of flowers. You can never go wrong with fresh smelling flowers that could be placed in your loved ones home.

These can be used as a simple decoration that will light up any room.

Whether it's flowers, candles or something yummy to eat, your significant other’s family will enjoy anything that you took time to think about. Parents love thoughtful gifts from the heart, so don’t be afraid to get creative to show his/her parents how much you care with a gift that is meaningful for to you. This will also show just how grateful you are to be spending turkey day with them.

Everybody loves getting to spend time with their families on a day that is known for giving thanks for the blessings that come with everyday life. So make it extra special by bringing something over to your sweethearts home to bring more than just a smile to their face, but to their families face as well. Happy shopping lovers.

We all have those mixed feelings Follow these steps to cope with being home for the holidays WANDY ORTIZ Staff Writer Whether you dorm or commute, coming home for winter break is a joyous occasion for some, and stressful for others. Or if you’re like me, it’s joyous up until about day four when you’re already tiptoeing on your family’s last nerve and vice versa. Here are three things you can do to ensure you spread that holiday cheer when you’re trapped indoors with your loved ones.

Eat to Avoid Uncomfortable Questions The holiday season is a great excuse to be baking 24/7, and an even better excuse to be shoving sugar cookies down your throat around the clock and make sure your mouth is far too full to answer any question from family and friends that makes you cringe. Your aunt knows you’re still single and asks you if you have a boyfriend/girlfriend anyway. Sorry, can’t answerI just shoved an entire warm freshly baked homemade cinnamon roll in my mouth.

“What are you going to do after you graduate?” Huh? I couldn’t hear you over the sound of me chewing these s’mores I made over the fireplace.

“How do you feel about the election results?” Can’t stay and chat, my hands are covered with raw cookie dough and I need to go wash my hands in the bathroom for the next six hours straight, oops. Don’t want the salmonella.

Go holiday shopping No matter what you’re celebrating this holiday season, late November to mid-January is prime shopping season. It can help you survive your family in one of two ways. 1) You shop together for gifts, and enjoy some cheerful bonding as Frosty the Snowman plays over the mall speakers and you snack at the foodcourt. 2) You divide and conquer, so that although you might be suffering the massive crowds of shoppers, you use your shopping outing to finally get that me time you’d usually find during your common hour nap in an empty classroom. play dumb Blissful ignorance might just be the best holiday gift of all. Say “I’m just totally going to pretend that you totally just didn’t say [insert embarrassing, unpleasant, judgemental comment here]. “Here have a cookie.” Maybe even sprinkle some white glitter or fake snow on them for a winter wonderland effect.

That way, you’ll have them wondering where on earth they even had the audacity to ask make such terrible comments. If you’re lucky, they might just bah humbug their way on out of your sight, and you can enjoy your hot cocoa in peace.

Hope these silly snippets of advice bring some Joy to Your World- enjoy the break, Johnnies.

Features 7

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Face by Fatima takes SJU by storm

Student takes advantage of her talents on campus

PHOTOS/ SHELBY WARREN

Fatima Sajjad puting makeup on friend inside her dorm.

CASSIDY SEAGREN Staff Writer Today’s beauty standards call for eyebrows trimmed, plucked and filled in to perfection, highlight on cheekbones poppin’ and a matte lip an essential. For a broke and busy college student, some of these beauty necessities can be hard to maintain when down to the last hour of studying or last dollar in your account.

Freshman Fatima Sajjad wants to change that horrific reality for students and beauty obsessed people. Her self-taught hand is providing a pampering and inexpensive service for college students on a budget and time crunch through her underground, amateur business, Face by Fatima.

Sajjad herself is always put together. She always has a “beat” face with the greatest Kylie Jenner lip kits, Stila mascara that she swears by and Too Faced highlighter.

She is prim and proper, typically dressed in neutral tones and in minimalistic but fashionable pieces. Her long, flowing hair is always perfectly curled at the tips and she fluffs it up in mirrors whenever she

passes by one. Her great care for her own appearance makes trusting her with your own an easy task.

It was Sajjad’s mom who first got her into makeup and beauty. “Ever since I was little I would go up to my mom’s vanity and play with her makeup,” Sajjad said, with her legs crossed and perfect posture.

Her mom’s love for looking good spread right into Sajjad and flowed stronger as years carried on and she explored other facets of fashion and beauty. At first she would flip through Vogue and InStyle for inspiration, but eventually Fatima got into YouTube beauty gurus, Michelle Phan and Jessica Harlowe, who helped train her into a self-taught makeup artist.

In fact, long-time friend, Marsha Varghese, reported Sajjad’s love of makeup and beauty starting in grade school. Varghese and Sajjad became friends in fifth grade, but Sajjad moved to Ohio in seventh grade. Despite the distance, the girls would facetime constantly and Varghese watched as Sajjad’s love for beauty and makeup intensified. “She would try and teach me how to do a wing over FaceTime and show swatches of lipsticks before swatches were even a thing,” Varghese

shared proudly. Varghese also recalled that all gifts from Sajjad involved makeup or Sephora gift cards. Sajjad excitedly shouted across the room about this with a smile gleaming across her face, “I just love to give the gift of beauty to my friends!”

For Sajjad, makeup and beauty is something she enjoys and credits as a stress reliever. The stress of college and her journalism major call for some down time, which she always fills with using her hands to pamper and beautify. It started just within Sajjad’s suite in Hollis Hall. She exchanged cleaning up her suitemate Amy Roman’s eyebrows for French braids by Roman’s hands. From there, Sajjad would return every night from class and want to destress from the pressures of college by giving her suitemates facemasks, eyebrow treatments and practice makeup looks on them.

Since every suitemate was extremely satisfied by Sajjad’s talent and personality, Face by Fatima was born. She offers eyebrow fillings, reshaping and cleaning up, full face of makeup and face mask facials.

All business is done within her common area of her dorm room to make it accessible for on campus students, however, she is willing to travel to another dorm

for makeup looks before a night out. The best part however is her prices. A typical eyebrow treatment at a local business is at least $10 and full face of makeup can start at $30. Face by Fatima is maintaining its status as an affordable, student-run business by providing eyebrow services priced at $2, face mask facials at $4 and full face of makeup at $7, with the client just providing their own foundation and eyebrow pencils.

Her first ever client, Roman, still goes to Sajjad and swears by her abilities. “She makes you feel pampered and cared for; it is an overall five-star experience,” Roman boasted with her gorgeous, freshly cleaned up eyebrows after her most recent appointment three weeks from her last.

Sajjad’s beautiful and put together exterior paired with her bubbly and friendly personality makes her pampering experience wonderful for the client. If you are a college student looking for affordable beauty, then don’t be afraid to get a sense of Fatima’s beauty at her Instagram @ face_by_fatima. Here is to affordable and great glam, tailored perfectly for the stressed college student.

An open letter to the University community, from your campus newspaper Managing Board XCIV Suzanne Ciechalski, Editor-in-Chief Gina Palermo, Managing Editor Michael Ambrosino, General Manager Angelica Acevedo News Editor Bryant Rodriguez Opinion Editor Steven Verdile Design Editor Gina Palermo Photo Editor Isabella Bruni Chief Copy Editor Jim Baumbach Adviser Troy Mauriello Co-Sports Editor Carmine Carcieri Co-Sports Editor

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About the Torch

Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of the Torch. Columns are the opinions of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of the Torch.

The Torch is the official, independent student newspaper of St. John’s University. The Torch is written, edited, designed and produced by students of the University.

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All contents are the sole responsibility of the editors and the editorial board and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of St. John’s University unless specifically stated.

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The Torch is typically published on Wednesdays and publishes approximately 20 issues throughout the academic year. Copies are distributed for free on campus and through mail subscriptions.

It’s time to talk about the Torch’s role as student journalists.

Leading up to the election, our editorial board planned several articles, designs and possible front pages depending on the outcome. While those ideas constantly changed, one thing remained certain: the front page would feature the winner of the race regardless of who it was.

At around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, when the final results came in and it was confirmed that Hillary Clinton had conceded to Donald Trump, we got to work designing our front page, which featured an image of Trump speaking. Underneath the photo stood the headline “History” with a quote from his acceptance speech as the subhead: “It is time for us to come together.”

Little did we know that the next day, some of our papers would be torn up on campus, some stacks flipped over to hide the front page and our organization cursed at on social media.

While we acknowledge that the presidential election paved the way for high tension and emotions throughout the last year and a half, we cannot refrain from fully conducting our journalistic duties.

Our decision to put Trump on the front page was an editorial decision that we stand by. Although we are a student-run newspaper, we make every effort to embody the traits of a professional news outlet. We pride ourselves on our efforts to be fair in our reporting.

Last week’s front page is an example of this.

As we wrote in our editorial “Dear Mr. President” last week, our own editorial board did not agree on the outcome of the election. Therefore, it’s understandable that our readers also have mixed feelings.

As student journalists, it is our duty to report the news ethically and truthfully.

While we are not yet paid professionals in our field, we are building ourselves up to that, and must embody the traits of who we hope to become.

Recently, the New York Times promised

to “rededicate” themselves to honest reporting following months of accusations that their reporting was biased. Situations like these are another reason why we want to make sure that our readers understand that as an E-board, we will do everything in our power to bring to St. John’s University the most accurate, fair and vetted articles that we possibly can. We will try our very hardest to be the change we all need to see in the legacy of media today.

Our job is not easy. It’s difficult to remain neutral when certain situations affect some of our closest friends, professors and families.

It’s hard to not exercise our passions and voice our beliefs - simply because before we’re journalists, we’re human beings. But we have to remain objective if we want to be considered a true source of news for our fellow students.

Tearing up newspapers is a form of censorship, and we will not stand for it. And that isn’t because we’re bothered by the fact that our work is being destroyed by our peers, it’s because we firmly believe that you, our readers, have a right to unbiased news.

With that being said, we welcome criticism. We welcome all points of view. We always want to hear from you.

Our opinion section is our way of committing this to the University. Students will always have a space to voice their thoughts so long as the Torch remains at this campus.

So, write us a letter, or send us an email at torchopinion@gmail.com. Come to our office, located in the basement of O’Connor Hall, and talk to us. Our door is always open and we’d be happy to hear from you.

After all, you, the students of this University, are the reason we do this job.

So to our fellow students who were upset by our paper - we hear you. But we will not stand for, or condone, any type of censorship.

We’re here to report the news, and that is what we will continue to do.

Being thankful this holiday season VICTORIA LOHWASSER Staff Writer Everyone’s favorite time of the year is upon us. The weather is getting colder, and the holiday season is beginning. In the midst of the excitement, we often get caught up in the celebration and overlook what we should be thankful for.

There are the usual things, like friends and family or passing that difficult class, but there are also small things that we take for granted. You may think that it is a little sappy, but we truly need to be thankful for everyday that we are given and the opportunities that we have.

People in other countries do not have the luxury of soap, designer clothes, education and more to which we have access. We should definitely be thankful that, as Americans, we have the freedom to follow our dreams and go after the future we want.

I know that I am thankful for every second I spend learning something new in class and the people I have the opportunity to meet everyday.

There are many things I take for granted, including my

mom bringing me lunch unexpectedly or a simple “how is your day going?” text from my best friend.

Those little things may not seem like a big deal, but I am grateful they take a moment out of their day to think about me. I am thankful that I have friends and family that I want to spoil and take care of. So, take a moment out of your day to call a loved one and thank them for being special and making time for you.

Remember, actions speak louder than words, so do something nice for them to show how appreciative you really are. Be thankful that your roommate or that person you met in freshman math is now your best friend for life.

Be thankful that you landed your internship and are getting a glimpse of your future career. Simply be thankful for the sun shining on a windy November day because you have something in your life that others may be missing.

Whether it is something as easy as hanging out with you or being forgiven for a wrongdoing, be thankful for that person in your life who gives you new memories to add to your collection.

Life goes by too quickly to not enjoy every minute, so remember every now and then the good things in your life and even the bad because they make the life you have uniquely yours.

Remember, whether today is hard or great, we should be thankful for it. We have got to live, got to experience something and got to make a memory that lasts a lifetime. That is

STUDENTS REACT TO ELECTION RESULTS Photographs of SJU Love March by Gina Palermo and NYC Protest by Jon Manarang

Torch Photo / John Manarang

SUZANNE CIECHALSKI Editor-In-Chief

It’s a time for healing and a time for action, some students say. Following last Tuesday’s presidential election, students across campus organized events for their peers to discuss its outcome.

From marches to protests to uncomfortable classroom discussions, the overwhelming theme of these events is coping.

For many students, the election of Donald Trump to the presidency was shocking in ways that extend far beyond the history of it all. His election feels personal, and not in a good way, according to several students and student groups around campus.

The reaction has been tense, but at the same time, overwhelmingly nonviolent.

University spokeswoman Elizabeth Reilly, said, “There were a few isolated matters that Public Safety handled regarding signs displayed, and in written messages in the residence village that were removed due to inappropriate language. We do not prohibit freedom of speech at St. John’s University but do prohibit the use of any foul and inappropriate language.”

Last Friday, President Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw, Ph.D., released a statement to the University, addressing the election.

“We will continue to focus our efforts to be a more welcoming and respectful community. We reiterate our commitment to our University core values of truth, love, and respect so I ask that we continue to respect each other, even those with opinions and views different from our own,” the emailed statement said. “Any form of intolerance or intimidation has no place in our University community. We must be compassionate and understanding towards members of our community who are concerned or may feel threatened by the outcome of the presidential election.”

Through their actions, students followed suit.

LASO Last Thursday night, the Latin American Student Organization (LASO), held an event in a classroom in Marillac. A safe space, they called it, for students to discuss their feelings following the election. Students set up the desks in a circle, making it easier for them to see one another as they spoke.

“Please--tensions are high, people are afraid, scared-but feel free to express yourselves freely, in this room,” Esteban Acosta, LASO’s vice-president, said at the start of the night. “Respect each other’s opinions, because we all have different opinions on the issue, and let’s just have this event.”

About 35 people were in attendance, including Dr. Meghan Clark of the Theology Department, who said she was attending to show faculty support for students. The ebb and flow of the conversation shifted between students’ views of the election, and personal stories. Twins Maria and Cristina Villon shared their story of recently becoming citizens in the United States.

Tearing up, Cristina began the story, prompting the room to erupt into congratulatory claps.

Her sister talked about their mother’s fear of being separated, despite the family’s recent citizenship.

“Her mentality, that she thinks that we can be separated, broke our hearts,” Maria said.

Other students shared stories that echoed the Villon’s, as they spoke about their own family’s fears and hopes going forward.

Students also spoke about the protests taking place following the election. Junior Melissa Lozano said that, following the election, she couldn’t bring herself to protest, and added that she was looking for “a place of love and understanding.”

“And how do you move forward, and how do you find your place in a space where there’s also people who aren’t supporting your struggle, how are you going to shift it in a positive way?” Lozano, LASO’s Co-Public Relations Chair, asked.

Manhattan March Safe space events aren’t the only thing students are organizing, though. On Saturday afternoon, sophomore Kenneth Shelton Jr. helped organize a group of students to march to Trump Tower in Midtown.

“Me, all my friends, all my family members are here today because we want to send a message that we’re not going to stand for the racism, the misogyny, the transphobia and the sexism that’s going on in America,” he said at the march. “America’s better than that.”

Students, along with other protesters, marched from Union Square Park to Trump Tower on 5th Avenue. Thousands attended, including acclaimed documentary maker Michael Moore. Interestingly

enough, the march’s starting point is where New Yorkers have been hanging Post-It notes with messages of love and peace on the walls of the Union Square subway station.

Overall, students showed immense pride in the unification that formed.

“I am so proud that this many people of so many different backgrounds, races, religions and sexualities can come together and protest, fight for our rights, which a xenophobic, sexist and racist presidential elect, and his vice presidential elect wants to take away from us,” sophomore Sabrina Matis, said.

“This march gave me hope again after the terror of this election.”

Chants of “Show me what democracy looks like!

This is what democracy looks like!” and “Build bridges not walls!” filled the air that afternoon, as students protested the controversial rhetoric synonymous with Trump’s campaign.

“It’s important to participate in events as such for a few reasons, the first being, it’s in many ways therapeutic to be surrounded by people who share similar values, but more importantly, it’s important as an individual and group to assure we don’t normalize discrimination, be that sexism, racism, homophobia or transphobia,” said junior Mikayla Torres.

NAACP LASO’s event was just one of many that student organizations would hold on campus.

SJU’s NAACP chapter held a separate event in the D’Angelo Center on Monday called “State of Emergency.” Students were invited to discuss topics of concern relating to the election during the event on Monday.

“I think that the event was incredibly important for healing on our campus,” said Tembe Denton-Hurst, who participated in Tuesday’s event. “A lot of us are left feeling fragmented and unsafe and I think it’s crucial that we’re able to engage with each other on the things that matter to us. This election has left a lot of us wondering where we fit in, where we go from here, how do we make a change and tonight gave us the opportunity to figure some of these things out.”

The room was split into three groups: agree, disagree and in-between. Several questions were asked about Trump’s proposed policies and stances. They

included questions about Trump’s stance on regulating student loans, his views on law enforcement, and LGBT and abortion rights.

Depending on how students felt about the questions, they would move to the agree, disagree or in-between side.

“Everyone has something to say and it’s all different, yet similar in a sense. We all felt a sense of fear, anger, confusion, sadness or relief that now this election process is over. To pinpoint a specific subject we talked about the most is difficult,” junior William Gill, who attended, said. “But I think it would be how the election [affected] all of us. For most, it’s on how we feel on our government’s role, and how our politicians ‘failed us.’”

On Campus march On Tuesday evening, another protest took place, but this time, on the St. John’s campus.

Student organizations collaborated to form a “Love March.” About 100 students marched, coming together on the Great Lawn at the end to speak their thoughts on the election.

“We all know why we’re here given these troubling times post-election, but honestly thank you because as we look around, we know that we have allies in this crowd. And for the people that couldn’t make it, they’re with us as well,” said senior Miguel Vazquez.

“The whole point of this march is, throughout all the jargon that’s full of hate and negativity, that we

stand together representing ourselves, representing marginalized groups, and the efforts of promoting peace, love, and not equality but equity for all of those people.”

Some of the chants included “No justice, no peace!

Our fight will never cease!” and “No hate, no fear, all people are welcome here!”

As the students marched through campus, they were met with the chant of a passerby yelling “Build the wall! Build the wall!” Another group yelled, “Make America great again and build the wall!”

They continued to walk, refusing to acknowledge the shouting. But that doesn’t mean that it didn’t bother some students.

“I felt a little uncomfortable, because I saw a lot of people watching and maybe saying some degrading things,” graduate student Jordan Nichols said.

“But it felt good at the end of the day to be able to protest.”

The organizations were also joined by faculty Tuesday night, who voiced support for the students.

“I was really glad to join in the chanting with people, I’ve never been to the dorms before so I liked seeing people going to the windows and waving, I just felt a different perspective on campus,” said English professor Lee Ann Brown. “I felt the energy of people coming together.”

--Bryant Rodriguez, Yves Nguyen and Ariana Ortiz contributed to this story.

12 Opinion

torchonline.com “I don’t think America is bad to begin with. There’s nothing to make great.

We’re all just living here trying to make ends meet one way or another. Saying MAGA is implying that America is bad, that America is collapsing: it’s not.

There are problems, and we can fix them, we just need to work together.”

“A lot of conservatives want a social culture reminiscent of the 50s. There are a lot of people who wouldn’t benefit from that.”

Quinten Lagmay ‘20

“MAGA means make America full of hate again.”

Carmyn Cosey ‘19

Orestis Avlonitis ‘19

“America is already great.

But we can always get better.”

Connor Cox ‘18

“As an international student, my motive to come to America was basically the American dream.

I don’t think America is bad, so MAGA doesn’t make sense when I think America is pretty great now.

It just makes me believe that he wants to back in time when things were bad, but good for white people.”

Anieth da Silva ‘19

Student Sparks: ?

“What does ‘Make America Great Again’ mean to you?”

“MAGA means make America white again.

Someone like Trump doesn’t like my people — me being a minority — but he definitely looks out for the people that look like him, blonde hair blue Mikayla Lawrence ‘19

“Getting a more dynamic economy and bringing our jobs back to America.”

Derek Klingel ‘20

SAHN CHOI Staff Writer

“[MAGA doesn’t mean…] much right now, because I don’t agree with what he came into the election saying, what he was going to do, MAGA doesn’t mean anything to me other than hate, and I associate it with the hate that he promotes.”

Valerie Velez ‘20

“From my perspective, America was never really 100 percent great. If you look through our history, we’ve done a lot of things that can be perceived as terrible. So the slogan MAGA doesn’t really have a meaning to me because there’s nothing great we’ve truly done in our history.”

Nasiér Cotten ‘19

“White supremacy — how America was before President Obama.”

Ariana DeGrate ‘20

Opinion

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Shock and disbelief on electing Donald Trump ANGELA KELLETT Staff Writer It has been said countless times this past week: some of us cannot believe we elected Donald J. Trump as our 45th President.

Throughout this election he was mocked, and doomsday was projected for our world if he was elected. Yet, somehow, he won the Electoral College, and he will be standing in the oval office in January as our president.

We are a divided nation, and I do not know how this will change. Voters who supported Trump are rejoicing that their candidate won, while those who voted against him are in utter disbelief.

How did we become so divided that the spectrum is so vast? We have people on both sides who are represented

on all aspects of the political and social spectrum. We have people who are KKK members proudly supporting Trump. We have seen the video of the road rage incident where a man, who is apparently a Trump supporter, yelling racial slurs at a black driver.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, we have the “Not my President” movement sparking violence with protesters setting fires. There was such an internet race to the Canadian immigration site that it crashed.

We are a fiercely divided nation right now, and I do not know how we will heal the wounds that were so deeply impacted during this election.

Both sides believe the other is wrong and that they supported a criminal. That word, “criminal,” has been used to describe both candidates.

What baffles me is that our political system, consisting

of citizens and delegates, nominated Trump and Clinton as the face of each party during the primaries.

On one hand, you have a candidate whose campaign slogan was “Make America Great Again,” and who enticed millions of voters through anti-establishment rhetoric. He appealed to the blue collar farmer or factory worker, despite the fact that he is a New York City billionaire who made his money by inheriting his father’s business.

On the other hand, you had the candidate who has been in politics for decades, in all different variations.

She is the establishment, her name alone is known for American politics.

Many millennials who voted this election feel defeated, but will not be discouraged. This is the time to stay strong and support one another no matter what.

Fears and hopes on the results of the presidential election Upon waking up Wednesday morning after Election Day, I immediately grabbed my phone to see the election results. I was devastated after reading that the new president of the United States of America will be Donald J. Trump. Even though Trump was leading in states that Tuesday night, I still had hope that more votes would come in for Hillary Clinton allowing her to win the presidency.

Throughout the entire day I could not accept the fact that after Trump is inaugurated in January 2017, he will be running this country for the next four years. To many others, including myself, it sounds

“

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RASHEEDA CAMPBELL Staff Writer

like a complete nightmare. toral College vote. Over 59 million peoIn my opinion, the election results ple voted for Clinton. That should mean were unfair. According to CNN, as of something. Trump being able to win because of the Electoral that Wednesday evening, Clinton had College votes is like Throughout the entire day 59,755,284 popular saying that our votes I could not accept the fact votes while Trump had do not count. that after Trump is inaugu59,535,522 popular It seems as though rated in January 2017, he votes. That is a 219,762 things in the United States are going will be running this country difference. However, backwards instead of for the next four years. the reason why Trump forwards, especially was able to take the since Trump is going election was because he to be the new leadhad 290 Electoral College votes, while Clinton only had 228 er of this country. My biggest fear is that Electoral College votes. some of the worst parts of American hisI strongly believe that the popular vote tory will be repeated. However, I have reshould hold more weight than the Elec- alized that it is not just up to the president

to prevent the horrible parts of history in America from being repeated, but it is up to the people of this country.

I understand how upset voters and angry protestors feel, but we must let go of any hatred we may have for our president-elect. We will go onward. Our president-elect has shown ways of being racist, sexist, and intolerable -- among many other distasteful qualities. This, however, does not mean we should give up and turn our backs on America. The people of this country need to come together in peace.

I believe that the only way for this country to be able to really move forward and progress is that if the people of America begin to truly love, tolerate and support each other.

Finding hope with Thanksgiving KRISTEN CATALANO Staff Writer

Although many Americans are still reeling from what happened on Election Day there is another very important day for Americans coming up: Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is important to Americans because it is a day to forget all of our troubles and to celebrate all that we have with loved ones, whether that is friends or family.

Thanksgiving was originally established as a way to give thanks for the blessing of the harvest and the preceding year. Americans may be finding it hard this year to get into the holiday spirit because of recent events in our country, including the election and the attacks on law enforcement.

One of the main reasons that Americans feel hopeless and like we have nothing to celebrate this holiday season is because of who was just elected president, however I do not agree with this pessimistic view. Although I personally did not vote for Donald Trump and do not feel that he is the best fit to run our country, I also feel that you need to find the good in everything and that there are always things to be grateful for.

If you are having a hard time figuring out what to be

grateful for, then you should revert back to what your teacher made you do in elementary school: start with the basics. Even though you may not realize it, there are things that you do every day and use every day that others would kill for. For example, having a supportive group of friends and family, a house, three meals a day are all things to be grateful for. Beyond the things that we take for granted every day, we should be grateful for our country. Although many feel hopeless because of the man that was just elected president, America is an amazing country and place to live. Americans are allowed to express themselves in ways that some people can only dream of; they are allowed freedom of speech and freedom of the press in order to spread their ideas and beliefs even if they differ from the general public. I think that during what may become a dark few years in American history, everyone needs to remember that American government positions are not permanent and we will have the option to change this in four years.

Life in itself is a blessing, some days you may need to fight harder to find the good, but I am a strong believer that there is at least a little bit of good in everyday. This Thanksgiving everyone should choose to be grateful for what they do have, no matter how minuscule, because it is better than being upset about things we cannot change.

14 Opinion

torchonline.com

STUDENT REFLECTIONS ON Living in my (br)own skin with Trump RAHUL LAL Staff Writer When Barack Obama was elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012, that was motivation that I could be somebody.

When Donald Trump was elected, that was motivation that I needed to be somebody. While disappointed, I’ll go out into the world with brown skin, a beard and tattoos. To some Trump supporters, that negates the fact that I am an educated, hard working man destined for success in this country I call home.

But, I can’t lie, it hurts.

“59.5 Million?! For him?!” These are the words I astonishingly remarked while watching CNN just after the polls closed. I could talk about the electoral college, I could talk about a lack of political experience, I could talk about a lot of things. I want to talk about how heartbroken I am.

The man that nearly 60 million people took time out to vote for is the same man who announced to the world that

men who look like me are a threat.

The same man who has been accused of sexual assault and is running on an anti-abortion platform. The same man who believes an entire community of African-Americans are thugs because of “the inner-city” and that Mexican people should pay for a wall to keep themselves out.

Regardless of upcoming legislation, 60 million people said, “Donald, you’re right,” to at least one of these. Social media has played a huge role and I have gotten too used to seeing incredibly hurtful posts about marginalized people like myself.

Despite the fact that I am just somebody who wants people of all colors, genders and races to be able to see happiness, I am also somebody who wants to be surrounded by love.

I now feel that America wasn’t made for me. Many Americans still have to label my parents becoming successful citizens and having a family “The American Dream.” This country wants me to be part of some conforming, indivisible melting pot. One where my culture, my idiosyncrasies,

melt away and we are considered part of this bland liquid.

I’m not moving to Canada. I’m not budging. I grew up to be the conscious thinker I am in Barack Obama’s America. One where celebrating my culture wasn’t considered a threat to white culture or American culture as a whole. I’m tired but I’m not resting.

White privilege is all around me. White privilege is being able to not care about the election because everyday life hardly changes; white privilege is being elected president after saying insensitive and racist things. White privilege is not being able to walk down parts of this country post-election without my own mother being worried about my health and safety.

Am I angry? Yes. But, I’m not the terrorist, anti-American man that too many Trump supporters make me out to be because of my skin. Instead, I hope to be the face of a generation; angry and starving for success. I want to show this country that my culture and generation are something.

If we can’t do it, it can’t be done.

I do not feel safe with our new President-elect CHEYANNE GONZALES General Manager Emeritus The past year and a half, the social media world took the presidential election to a level that no one in history has ever seen. Each candidate was ridiculed for every move they made from interviews, to tweets, to memes, to scandals, as the country watched on.

As a mixed woman, as a college student and as a U.S. citizen, I am angry at my country. This past year, I’ve seen as society juggled being serious about sexual assault to making it a running joke. I am scared for what my future holds, and I am scared for my country.

On the night of Nov. 8, I received a phone call from of my best friends, an Indian-American and the daughter of two immigrants, her voice shaking and worried as she quietly stated, “He’s going to win, what’s going to happen.

I’m so scared.”

It was in that moment reality sunk in; the country that I was born and raised in made a decision that I’m not completely accepted here. The day after the election, New York City was somber, cloudy and quiet. I could feel the sadness and the uncertainty around me, through the people I talked to, to sitting on public transit, there was fear.

Our President-elect Donald J. Trump has this nation divided in half.

The country has watched as he openly bashed Mexicans, expressed his hatred towards Muslims, called climate change a hoax created by the Chinese, encouraged Rus-

sia to hack into Hillary Clinton’s emails and encouraged hatred and racism.

Trump is currently involved in a class action lawsuit for fraud involving Trump University. His foundation is being investigated by New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for violating state law.

Nearly a dozen women have accused Trump of sexual harassment or assault, but none have pressed charges. The woman who has accused Trump of raping her when she was 13 years old dropped her case last week. This is the next president of the United States, this is the man the country has chosen as its leader, a man who has faced many legal troubles and public outrage for not being true to his word.

A man who built his campaign on “Making America Great Again” and building a bigger wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

This election has many women, people of color and others scared for the future. The past week since Trump’s win, the public outcry is only the beginning. There will be

Opinion

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president-elect trump A day to remember BEATRIZ DA COSTA Staff Writer Dread. Embarrassment. Determination.

I feel dreadful regarding the results of this election because I know America’s future, my future, is not as bright and secure as it should be.

I am embarrassed by Donald Trump’s victory because I know the rest of the world is watching the United States wondering how we let this happen.

However, I am now more determined than ever to fight the consequences that come with a Trump presidency and to never let this happen again.

As Americans, we allowed a racist, sexist reality TV star with zero experience take the highest position of leadership in our country. We decided to let a more-than-capable woman, with 30 years of experience in politics, lose against that man.

Nov. 9, 2016 is not a day I will forget easily. It was a day that I shed many tears once I saw Hillary Clinton lose Florida. It was a day I had to console my friends far and near about the results, even though I was feeling no better myself. Nov. 9 was the day that I heard my former high school had students screaming “white power” down its hallways.

As an 18-year-old black woman with foreign parents, currently seeking a college education, Nov. 9 was the worst day of my life.

By electing Trump, Americans opened the door for dangerous ideologies and rhetoric. By electing Trump, those Americans who had previously hidden their racist and sexist thoughts now feel that it is okay to express them. They now see that if an ignorant man can be elected president without consequences, then they can speak their mind without consequences.

The dread I felt after Trump was elected is not a feeling that will go away, not even in four years when we can elect a new president. The fear I felt that someone would harass me while I walk around campus is one that will not disappear regardless of where I am.

Some say to give Trump a chance, that perhaps he might make a great president.

However, my only question is this: When did Trump give Hispanics a chance when he called them rapists? When did Trump give Muslims a chance when he said he wanted to ban them from entering the country?

There is not a point in his campaign that Trump gave them a chance. Therefore, I will never give him a chance. I will never consider him my president.

All those votes that placed Trump in office are all votes against me.

Coming together

SAHN CHOI Assistant Opinion Editor

This election has divided the nation.

Some steadfastly refuse to associate with any given supporter of Donald Trump. For these people, support for a particular political candidate says everything.

‘Racism’ has been one of the more popular buzzwords these past few months. There’s no shortage of people who hold the thought that he and his supporters are universally racist.

Surely, if Trump’s supporters are willing to support a candidate they perceive as racist, then his supporters must be the same way. Media outlets spent the entire election cycle promulgating the notion that Trump is racist.

As a result, it becomes easy — almost habitual — to associate his supporters with these same characteristics.

However, this election was not an indication of the country suddenly becoming rife with evil and racism. The belief that Trump was elected because his supporters are racist is statistically unfounded. Nate Cohn, a writer for the New York Times, wrote that “Clinton suffered her biggest losses in the places where Obama was strongest among white voters. It’s not a simple racism story.” Trump won by flipping

historically blue states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. All these states voted for Obama twice.

Trump’s voters did not succumb to the people who denigrated them. If one had a different opinion — or if one was a Trump supporter — he or she was racist, evil and deplorable. Not surprisingly, ad hominem insults did not persuade voters to abandon their candidate.

As Bernie Sanders said days before the election, “I do not believe that most of the people who are thinking about voting for Mr. Trump are racist or sexist. Some are, but I think most are people who are hurting, they’re worried about their kids, they’re working longer hours for lower wages.”

Come January, President Trump will become a reality. President Obama, after his first meeting with Trump, told reporters “I believe that it is important for all of us, regardless of party and regardless of political preferences, to now come together, work together, to deal with the many challenges that we face.”

By shunning and disparaging Trump’s supporters — 60 million Americans — without knowing anything else about the individual, people are disregarding our current president’s plea for unity. Once Americans can realize they aren’t enemies, the future will be bright.

Donald J. Trump: Not a politician, but better ANTHONY SAVINO Staff Writer

more protests and marches, people will continue to stand up against Trump and what he stands for. I don’t know what the future holds for this country.

It’s not expected for everyone to understand this fear that people have, but it should be acknowledged, not mocked, that there are people living in fear because of one man.

As a college student and as a woman, I am saddened by the results of the presidential election.

Though, this will be an election and a presidency that will be significant in our history books, it will impact this country in ways no one can foresee.

This is a country founded on freedom, but I do not feel free.

Election night was an unbelievable and exciting night. I, like many of you, was shocked when Donald Trump was officially named president-elect. There always is backlash when change occurs, but I truly believe there is not very much to worry about. I voted for Trump, but don’t be mad at me. Do not be mad in general.

If you are one of the millions of Americans that are sincerely scared or upset at the election, take comfort in the fact that Trump has great potential to be a good president. He outsmarted his opponents, came into this race being a non-politician, and had many factors against him. Yet, he still pulled off the win. His intelligence cannot be discredited for accomplishing this.

Trump’s main qualification can arguably be his business background. He knows how the economy works, and he has worked on both successful and failed business ventures. While he may not try to add new trade agreements throughout his presidency, most existing agreements will probably be left untouched since global trade is necessary for a successful world economy.

Something that goes hand and hand with global trade is global relations. A good businessman like Trump knows how to create allies. He believes in

helping people domestically before we extend our reach to other countries. That said, the Middle East is very unstable at the moment, and as president, Trump will have to be cordial towards Muslims. Putting foreign policy aside, Trump will also have to be respectful of all races in our melting pot of a nation.

People are scared that Trump is a racist. Trump is not a racist. His supporters are not racists. He has said absurd things in the past - we all have - but he will shape up. In his first speech as President-elect, he was humble, firm and he said he will get the job done fully. There is no need to divide the country just because your candidate lost. Do not generalize a group of people as being racist. Our county is by no means united, but maybe this can ignite motivation to change.

President Obama and Secretary Clinton both said it in their speeches on Wednesday: we need to come together as a nation.

As for deportation of illegal immigrants, Trump knows our economy needs them. According to Forbes, undocumented immigrants pay more than $11 billion in taxes. I also believe Trump will try to implement harsher entry measures for immigrants from Mexico to get in. As for the criminal immigrants who add nothing to this county other than headaches for law enforcement, Trump will implement harsher deportation measures for them. Trump’s wife and grandfather were immigrants, and the America we know today

was built by immigrants.

I hope that Trump runs this country just as he ran his successful businesses. I hope and believe he will take his flashy personality a notch or two down. I know he will not abuse his power to target minorities.

I know he will adjust our economical landscape.

He did what he had to do, and said what he had to say in order to clinch the W, now it is time for him to prove himself and Make America Great(er) than it is now.

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SJU screening of “Eva Hesse”

Empowering documentary explores the work of controversial artist YVES NGUYEN Staff Writer On Nov. 10, The Department of Art & Design and the Women’s and Gender Studies program presented a documentary film about the life and art of Eva Hesse, one of America’s pioneers in post-minimalism art, followed by a short discussion with Art History professor, Dr. Amy Gansell.

Eva Hesse pioneered the use of latex, plastic and fiberglass in sculpture making and facilitated the post-minimalist art movement, while inspiring passionate love and adoration from those around her. She died at the age of 34, leaving behind a dense and complex portfolio of works that defied her time, despite her short career.

“Eva Hesse,” Marcie Begleiter’s documentary, tells the full story of Hesse’s tragically short, yet fulfilling life, as it focuses on her artistic growth and development into a fully realized woman asserting her talent and belonging in a male-dominated profession.

The documentary aptly applies drawn animation and parallax-like photography to show different moments in Eva Hesse’s life. Much of the documentary explores Hesse’s emotional development

and instability through expansive letters and journals with the help of voice actors such as Selma Blair, narrating the journals and letters belonging to Hesse, her friends and family. These artistic choices fit Hesse’s original, chaotic and comical style of work and honored her experience from a first-hand perspective.

Marcie Begleiter’s documentary also uses interviews with Hesse’s artistic peers such as Richard Serra and Dan Graham,

who have nothing but admiration for her.

She is remembered by friends and family, especially her sister, Helen Hesse Charash, who tactfully addresses their past in Nazi Germany and their mother’s bipolar disorder. Her work is analyzed by curators and critics throughout this documentary. Tom Doyle, her husband, is there to reflect on the ups and downs of their relationship that would later affect her art career.

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“Eva Hesse” documentary; official image of the artist in the 1960s

Moreover, the documentary goes as far as to name Hesse’s work as “the beginning of feminist art.” Hesse never clearly makes her art about feminism, but her very existence and success in the 1960s makes her a feminist icon with quotes like, “The way to beat discrimination is by art, excellence has no sex.”

Dr. Gansell leaves students with the same closing thought saying, “Eva Hesse said she wanted to be known as an artist not a woman artist. Why is there always a label like Muslim artist, black artist, then who is the artist? White men? We can take from that because we are all labelled.”

Students of St. John’s took notions of empowerment and excellence from Eva Hesse’s life after watching the documentary. Sophomore Communications major, Jamia Brooks, said on the issue of St. John’s addressing feminism, “I thought this film was very cool…I can appreciate that St. John’s hosts events like this just to get people more aware of what’s going on.”

“I didn’t know who Eva Hesse was before, but I would take Professor Gansell’s advice and use her as a definite role model because she’s a really strong feminist. Now I know someone I can look up to in the art world,” said freshman Illustration major, Erika Madera.

Julie Ruin reunites with NYC

JON MANARANG Staff Writer

Launching into “I Decide” off their latest record, The Julie Ruin made their hometown return with open arms from the sold out crowd. The latest from vocalist Kathleen Hanna, The Julie Ruin combine both the electropop sensibilities of Le Tigre with the political lyricism of Bikini Kill. On “I’m Done” the singer decries the bevy of internet commentators who hide behind the computer keys to spout hateful comments on the internet.

Opening the show were Harsh Crowd, a band comprised of Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls alumni. The New York quartet comprised of 14-year-olds have already played alongside major indie acts like Sharon Van Etten and Mac Demarco. Loaded with a brash approach of adolescent angst, the tracks at times show the band’s age but speak to the crowd in an almost universal sense of being young, frustrated and finding your voice to speak out about injustices. The band, coached by Caryn Havlik of sludge metal band Mortals, truly speaks to a sense of the Rock Camp’s core values of intersectionality and empowering women.

“As much as you need us, we need you tonight,” an emotional Hanna welcomed with arms outstretched to the crowd. The Julie Ruin returned to NYC at Irving Plaza in support of their latest record, “Hit Reset” days after the upset of the 2016 Election. Known for her feminist beliefs, Hanna is considered one of the

PHOTOS BY JON MANARANG

core frontwomen of the “riot grrrl” movement. The punk singer recalls the misogynistic dissent when touring with other male centered acts, who would dismiss the band as a novelty, while those bands themselves would only last six months.

Closing out their encore with “Rebel Girl” from Bikini Kill, the band brought the mostly older audience back to 1993.

Though, as I scanned the faces of the crowd, I noted the disparaging level of representation in the crowd. While some of the other journalists around me were femme people/women of color, most of the audience were undoubtedly

white passing. While Hanna’s cries of “Girls to the front” in the 90s were seen as radical feminist politics, it was blind to the sense of inclusivity that modern spaces truly need. Though forming musical groups along with trans people and even men, the evident lack of women of color shows the band’s age more than anything else. Even former genderqueer bandmate JD Samson was critical of Hanna’s “Michfest” whose “women born women” policy was perceived as transphobic. The changing scope of the world may no longer regard the “riot grrrl” movement as its safe space, and

represent an outdated ideology.

Statements from the band like “We survived the AIDS crisis, we survived the Bush era, we will survive this” felt like the brand of liberalism was less reassuring than colorblind. While they may have survived those times, history is littered with LGBT people and POC who didn’t exactly make it through these oppressive regimes.

If The Julie Ruin are the old guard of gender equality, Harsh Crowd will be the ones shattering the glass ceilings in their way.

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“Arrival” proves that less is more DAVID ROSARIO Staff Writer It’s a shame that trailers so often ruin the movie that they’re trying to promote. Now more than ever, studios release far too much footage in the marketing materials prior to the release of a film, leaving very little to the imagination by the time the actual theater experience arrives.

Rarely does a film like “Arrival” come along which, aside from the talent involved all around and the fact that it’s a science-fiction story about mysterious alien ships landing on earth, so very little has been revealed about prior to its release. All you really need to know is this: “Arrival” is the single most astonishing film you’ll see this year.

Amy Adams plays a linguist summoned by the U.S. government to communicate with the alien life forms in hopes of answering the question that so many of these movies ask: “Do they come in peace?” Much of the movie is spent following Adams’ character as she attempts to decipher a language that’s so very different from any language

spoken here on this planet.

Just as her understanding of these beings grows throughout the course of the film, the audience gradually learns more about her character, leading to a game-changing revelation toward the end that absolutely nobody will see coming.

Having tackled more intimate dramas like “Prisoners” and “Sicario” in the past, director Denis Villeneuve works his magic behind the camera once more to deliver a spectacle that defies any preconceived notions of what an “alien invasion” type movie should be.

While the cinematography on display is stunning and the visual effects are flawlessly done, one thing that should be made absolutely clear to anyone planning to go see “Arrival” is that it isn’t an action-packed extravaganza with elaborate space battles and peppy one-liners. This is a multi-layered story that uses this concept of extra-terrestrials to shine a mirror back on humanity and our tendency to shun the unknown.

Part of the film’s brilliance comes from its deliberate pacing, taking its time to let every detail sink in to deliver

the final dramatic twist. There’s a sense of self-awareness to the film as it constantly fiddles with your expectations regarding what this sort of film should entail.

Moments of genuine suspense are scattered all throughout, but some of the film’s more quiet and subdued moments will be the ones that stay planted in the mind’s eye after the film ends. Quite a few of the “talking scenes” that don’t initially seem important turn out to be the foundations of understanding crucial information later on.

“Arrival” is a film that’s incredibly difficult to fully praise without getting into spoilers, and to spoil a film like this would be a huge disservice to everyone who worked so hard to bring it to the big screen and preserve its mysteries. Aesthetically, the film is always beautiful to look at and each still frame is a work of art in and of itself, but the visuals are always in service of the story, not the other way around.

This story is one that deserves to be told and one that deserves to be seen because without a doubt, “Arrival” will be talked about for years to come.

“Moonlight” illuminates cinema MICHAEL AMBROSINO General Manager Entertainment Editor

Don’t you love it when movies make you feel something? That’s what makes cinema great, after all – it has the power to communicate thoughts and feelings and emotions, which ultimately generate an authentic response from the viewer. That’s the true beauty and artistry of film (and all entertainment, for that matter), and this year’s terrific, heart-breaking film “Moonlight” is a testament to that fact.

This is a wonderful movie, directed with great skill by Barry Jenkins and acted to pitch-perfection by the three performers playing the lead character, Chiron: Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes.

It’s a tough and often terribly sad viewing experience, as it depicts the struggles of bullying and isolation being inflicted upon

a young boy, but one that’s brutally honest and emotionally valid.

“Moonlight” tells its story in three acts: “Little,” “Chiron” and “Black,” where we, the audience, walk alongside the lead character as a child, teenager and adult, respectively.

In all three acts, we’re taken through both the dark moments and light moments in Chiron’s life as a gay person struggling to find his place in a rough neighborhood.

Thanks to the three lead performances, and writer/director Barry Jenkins’ tremendous attention to detail, we’re reeled into the head of Chiron almost instantaneously. The film is stylized but not to a fault, as it maintains its realism and remembers its characters and the story it’s telling.

However, Jenkins’ approach to “Moonlight,” visually and stylistically, is absolutely riveting and lends quite a bit of detail and substance to the narrative and the harsh world as seen from the point-of-view of Chiron.

All of these elements in “Moonlight” – from the cinematography and overall visual aesthetic to the unsettling music and

outstanding jobs of acting – helps us see the world as Chiron sees it.

For example, the first two acts of “Moonlight” look and feel very cold. The color scheme appears very blue, and I think the intention of this visual approach is to convey the feeling of sadness that haunts Chiron.

Another example is the music, which is haunting and unsettling, appropriately so because that’s the environment Chiron is forced to live in.

All three performers – Alex R. Hibbert as Chiron in “Little,” Ashton Sanders in “Chiron” and Trevante Rhodes in “Black” – break through, here.

They’re all wonderful but what’s most admirable about them is that they each nail Chiron’s mannerisms perfectly. The character has a very distinct personality; he walks, talks and moves a certain way, and each actor at different ages match that personality precisely.

“Moonlight” is one of the very best films of 2016 and an amazing offering from filmmaker Barry Jenkins. He’s a director to keep an eye on.

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“Moonlight” film official promotional poster

SJU Women top William & Mary in opener DYLAN HORNIK Staff Writer It was a great start to the season for the St. John’s women’s basketball team, taking an early lead and never looking back en route to a 73-57 victory against William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. The Red Storm took the lead for good with six minutes to play in the first quarter after breaking a tie at six. A 24-8 run followed, effectively putting the game out of reach before the half.

Coach Joe Tartamella dialed up the defensive intensity to start the season, holding the Tribe to 25 percent shooting in the fourth quarter and 33 percent shooting for the game.

It seems that Tartamella will use a similar formula this season to try to replicate last season’s success, forcing 18 turnovers and out-rebounding William and Mary by three while using 11 players in his rotation.

“I was really happy with our effort this afternoon. I thought we had two really good spurts that opened the game up and allowed us to take control,” Tartamella said.

“I also thought we did a good job scoring off of turnovers and we got 30 points off the bench, which is a big lift for us. I’m really proud of our effort and of this team and we will get ready for next week.”

Three Red Storm players finished in double figures in scoring. As a team they

shot nearly 57 percent from the field, utilizing their stellar forwards inside to take control of the game. Jade Walker led all scorers with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Two St. John’s players made their first career starts. Freshman guard Alisha Kebbe got the nod, but scored two points and played only 13 minutes.

Sophomore guard Akina Wellere started as well, dropping 12 points and grabbing five rebounds in 25 minutes.

The Red Storm will take on Duquesne in their home opener on Nov. 17 before facing Miami on Nov. 20.

Three Stars of the Game Jade Walker- The senior figures to be the team’s biggest inside threat, and she proved it in the very first game with statsheet stuffer: 18 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.

Aaliyah Lewis- The Red Storm will look to her for leadership, and she provided by playing nearly the full game and leading the defensive charge with a team-high six steals.

Crystal Simmons- She didn’t see much time last year, but Simmons might be the best long-range shooter on the team.

She shot 50 percent from three and will give defenses something to worry about from deep as the season progresses.

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Aaliyah Lewis was a force on the defensive end for the Red Storm with six steals. She also added 12 points and tied for the team lead with three assists.

St. John’s soccer season recap NICK MCCREVEN Staff Writer

St. John’s soccer ended this past week for both the men and the women. The men ended with a 6-7-4 record overall and 2-5-2 in the Big East after losing their final game late to Providence.

Despite the under-.500 record, this season showed the promise that this young team has going forward. Only four players, Simon Tchoukriel, Josh Dillon, Eric Mirkov and Filip Kula, are seniors, so most of the team will return for next season including 10 of the 11 starters from this year’s squad.

Alistair Johnston took Big East All-Freshman Team honors as he scored the third-most goals on the team with four. Johnston started off the season hot with three of his goals coming in his first four matches.

Harry Cooksley was named to the AllBig East First Team after leading the Red Storm in points with five goals and six assists.

The junior who transferred from Limestone College is ranked top-50 nationally and ended in the top-five in the NCAA in shots per game with 4.47.

The Johnnies gave us a few notable and exciting wins this season. Filippo Ricupati’s two goals pushed the Red Storm past St. Joseph’s on Sept. 27, and Cooksley delivered a late goal to seal a victory over Big East rival Butler on Oct. 15.

Head coach Dr. Dave Masur remained reserve in his outlook of the future of his team.

“There’s always optimism for the future,

but if you don’t do better the things you need to do better, then you’ll be finding yourself with the same result,” he said.

“So guys need to mature and get better with their games.”

The women’s team lost in the Big East semifinals to Marquette after an impressive season with a final record of 11-4-5 and a 5-2-2 in-conference record.

Junior Allie Moar was named to the AllBig East Second Team and sophomore Anna Maria Baldursdottir took All-Big East First Team honors.

Moar showed that she was one of the best defensive midfielders in the Big East while also taking nine shots on goal for the season.

Baldursdottir led the Johnnies’ strong defense that ranked first in the conference in goals-against total and average. She marked the opponent’s’ top forwards all season.

However, goalkeeper Diana Poulin produced one of the best seasons in the goal in Big East history.

She was named to the All-Big East First Team alongside Baldursdottir and received her third straight Big East Goalkeeper of the Year Award, becoming only the second player in conference history to win it three times.

Poulin set the program’s career win record and single season clean sheet record this year while ranked 12th in the country amongst goalkeepers and leading the Big East in goals-against average with a 0.47.

The Red Storm stomped Fairfield 5-1 on Sept. 4 and snapped DePaul’s seven-game win streak on Oct. 15, two outstanding wins that added to what was a successful season for St. John’s.

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Harry Cooksley was named All-Big East First Team after his stellar performance this season.

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Diana Poulin was honored with her third straight Big East Goalkeeper of the Year award.

Goff selected as new Athletic Director CARMINE CARCIERI Co-Sports Editor St. John’s officially named Anton Goff as their new Director of Athletics on Sunday, Nov. 13. He was introduced as the sixth AD in the history of the university.

“We are very pleased to welcome Anton Goff to St. John’s University,” University President Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw said. “The University community looks forward to collaborating with Anton in his role leading the Department of Athletics, as we collectively work to ensure the success of our student-athletes.”

“I am honored to join the St. John’s family and extremely humbled that President Gempesaw has entrusted me to lead the Department of Athletics,” Goff said. “It is with great excitement that I look forward to providing the resources and support services for our student-athletes to excel at the highest levels.”

“I am confident St. John’s will once again ascend to the top of the Big East Conference and become a competitive force nationally,” he said.

Prior to his successes at Hartford, Goffwas the athletic director at Bowie State University in Washington D.C. Under his watch, Bowie State won a pair of conference championships in men’s basketball and women’s bowling.

At Hartford, Goff revamped the athletics’ brand and formed a partnership with Under Armour to design and provide athletic apparel to his teams.

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St. John’s 100, Bethune-Cookman 53

Mussini’s 20, LoVett’s 19 lead Red Storm to dominant opening victory TROY MAURIELLO Co-Sports Editor In their season opener, a rejuvenated St. John’s roster showed why things should be different for the Red Storm in year two of the Chris Mullin era.

Behind 20 points from Federico Mussini and 19 from Marcus LoVett in his Red Storm debut, the Johnnies routed Bethune-Cookman 100-53 on Nov. 11.

With four players scoring in double figures and four others scoring more than five points, St. John’s put on display an offense that is already showing vast improvements from last season. The Red Storm shot 62 percent (33-53) from the field on the night and 71 percent (23-32) during the second half.

The 100 point-output was tied for the most points in a game in the Chris Mullin era, however the Red Storm’s head coach was most impressed with how those baskets came about.

“After the game, I told them the thing I liked best was 21 assists on 33 made baskets,” Mullin said. “We shared the ball and when you play like that all your teammates can be involved which is nice.”

Leading the way in the distribution effort on offense was LoVett, who added a game-high seven assists to go with his

19 points. He had just one turnover in 24 minutes.

“It was fun playing with my brothers out there, just having fun out there,” LoVett said on his debut. “These guys are just ready to work and ready to play hard.”

The St. John’s effort on the defensive end was very encouraging as well. The Red Storm held Bethune-Cookman to just 33 percent shooting from the field (20-60) and 21 percent (5-24) from three-point range.

The turning point of the night was a 31-6 St. John’s run that stretched from the end of the first half into the first five minutes of the second half.

The Red Storm finished off the first half on a 16-6 run, spearheaded by 11 points from LoVett. They then scored the first 16 points of the second half, with seven of them coming from Tariq Owens, who was also making his St. John’s debut.

Overall the Red Storm’s depth and offensive prowess was put fully on display throughout the night, and it seems like baskets should be much easier to come by in 2016-2017.

“This team definitely feels different.

I really like this team,” Mussini said. “I think this team is really unselfish and we truly enjoy playing with each other.”

what we learned

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3 Marcus LoVett is the real deal: After just 40 minutes of regular season gameplay, it’s clear that LoVett will be a game changer on offense for St. John’s. The redshirt freshman looked poised running point with seven assists and just one turnover. He regularly set up his teammates with highlight reel passes and showed off a nice shot throughout the night. He shot 3-5 from three-point range and got to the rim repeatedly.

3 Life will be easier for Federico Mussini: After Mussini was asked to be the focal point of last year’s offense, he will certainly benefit from increased support in the backcourt this season. With help from LoVett and Shamorie Ponds (seven points), Mussini had open shots all night, and he responded by hitting five of his six three-pointers to give him 20 points in just 18 minutes.

3 Tariq Owens impressed on offense- Tariq Owens was a force on the defensive end for the Red Storm with five blocks, however the real highlight of his night was his offensive play. He showed some real confidence on the offensive end and even displayed a nice jump shot at one point. If Owens can provide anything at all on offense that will be just another weapon the Johnnies have at their disposal.

St. John’s 77, Binghamton 61 CARMINE CARCIERI Co-Sports Editor

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Shamorie Ponds recorded his first collegiate double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Without a true point guard in 20152016, St. John’s struggled to initiate their offense and failed to run Chris Mullin’s NBA space-and-space system successfully. The result: One of the worst seasons in program history.

This year, St. John’s doesn’t just have one dynamic point guard; they have two.

And on Monday night, Marcus LoVett and Shamorie Ponds proved why they could become one of the more underrated backcourts in the Big East in a 77-61 win over Binghamton at Carnesecca Arena.

LoVett scored a game high 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, while Ponds dropped 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out four assists.

The duo combined to turn the ball over just five times and played solid defense, forcing four steals.

“We (LoVett and I) bring the best out of each other,” Ponds said. “We just try to go out there and play are hardest each and every day and lead.”

Both LoVett and Ponds are lefties who stand just over six-foot. They are unselfish, smart and quick. The duo can score from deep, get out in transition to finish easy baskets, play in the pick-and-roll and attack the lane and look for open teammates.

And their play has made the jobs of other players on the team much easier.

Federico Mussini only scored five points on Monday night, but he is now sliding into his regular position off the ball. Yankuba Sima and Kassoum Yakwe are focusing in on their defense and rebounding skills. And Malik Ellison and

Bashir Ahmed have better angles when attacking from the wing.

With LoVett and Ponds in command, the offense looks smoother and the ball movement is impressive. Ponds, in particular, has overachieved early in his St. John’s career. Normally, freshmen struggle to adjust to the speed of the college game, but the confident youngster has looked unafraid in his first two outings.

“He individually is ahead of where I thought he would be,” Mullin said. “And probably more so IQ wise on the court…

His passing, his defensive instincts are really good and he picks things up quick.”

Binghamton clearly had trouble with St. John’s pace and tempo throughout the night. They only trailed by four early in the second half, but they wore down as the half rolled along, failing to keep the Johnnies in check.

As a team, St. John’s hit 44 percent of their shots from the floor, 42 percent from the perimeter and dished out 16 assists on 28 baskets. They had 16 turnovers, but not many of them were live ball giveaways, limiting the Bearcats’ fast break chances.

Moving forward, the Johnnies have some stiff tests that will truly be early season tests to see where they stand as a unit.

St. John’s travels to Minnesota on Friday to take on the Golden Gophers in the Gavitt Games, and then they are taking a trip south to play in a loaded Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas featuring Michigan State, Baylor and Louisville.

But with LoVett and Ponds taking the reigns, this team looks ready to handle the potential battles right away.

RED STORM UPCOMING SCHEDULE

@ Minnesota 11/18

Michigan state 11/23

Baylor/VCU 11/24

SPORTS November 16, 2016 | VOLUME 94, ISSUE 11 |

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Causing a Racket on the Court

Computer science major, Roberto Livi, continues his tennis career success KAYLEE HERNDON Staff Editor

Men’s tennis standout senior Roberto Livi recently made consolation finals at the Oracles/ITA Masters tournament, a prestigious 32-player tournament held at the Malibu Racquet Club in Malibu, Calif.

“To compete against the best players in the country, [I am] very honored...I got some great victories as well as losses...this is the only tournament where players [of this level] get to play all together,” Livi said. “To be able to contribute consistently, it shows that my hard work pays off.” “[Roberto Livi] had a really good tournament and played some of the best tennis I have seen from him. This event gave him the chance to play against five really good players, and to come away with three wins and make it to the consolation finals is a great achievement,” Assistant Coach Cory Hubbard said in a press release.

Most recently, Livi competed with four other teammates in the ITA Northeast

Regionals. The team went 4-7 overall, but in doubles went 1-2 with a victory by Livi and teammate Andrei Crapcenco.

Livi was named Big East Freshman of the Year and is a two time Big East Player of the Year. Livi stated that he was “very happy, very honored” and that it “shows my consistency at St. John’s in tennis” to earn these titles. He hopes to earn himself a third Big East Player of the Year title this season.

Other goals he has for his senior season are to continue to perform consistently, win the conference and lead the team to the NCAA Championship.

“Next spring I am going to try to play in more professional tournaments...” said Livi, who intends to continue his tennis career after graduation, “I will try my best to get high in the rankings.”

Last season Livi had a singles record of 17-5 and a doubles record of 13-8. He won one match in the No. 1 position but primarily won matches at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. He also went undefeated

in doubles while at the No. 1 position and won a majority of his doubles matches with Daniel Skripnik at the No. 2 position.

His sophomore year, Livi had a record of 16-4 in singles and 10-9 in doubles. He went on to win 12 straight to close out the season. He won five matches with MichaelJohn Every, including victory in the Big East Championship finals.

His freshman year, Livi had the most singles wins by a freshman since 2009, while also leading the team in singles wins and clinchers, with a record of 148. He scored a 6-0, 6-2 victory at fifth singles over DePaul’s Paul John in the Big East Championship. St. John’s claimed its third conference title and first NCAA Tournament bid.

Born in Venezuela, Livi moved to the United States when he was three years old.

His family settled in Port St. Lucie, Fla., where he grew up. He began playing tennis at six years old because of his father, who, although not professionally, played when he was younger.

Livi heard about St. John’s University from “a friend from an academy I trained at, he went here, he is graduated now, he told me about St. John’s.” He was looking for a change from Florida and found it here.

He credits the St. John’s tennis program for much of his success. “I came not playing the best...over the years I’ve been improving a lot more... my game is where it is now because of this program,” said Livi.

“Robbie’s deep run at [Oracles/ITA Masters] also showed our program can compete with the best and garnered a lot of respect from players and coaches around the country,” Hubbard said in a press release.

Besides tennis, Livi is a computer science major. He has designed an idea for a video game slated for release in the spring. “I am investing in a video game...I hired a company to make my idea a reality,” Livi said.