Globalists Print Issue No. 01 by suglobalists

SPRING 2019

ISSUE No.01

BLURRED BORDERS Students of mixed race share their stories about grappling with multiple identities and finding their own.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: “Lost in Latinidad,” “A Case of Mistaken Identity,” and “The Hallyu Wave”

SECTION 1

#BeHomeAtHendricks

2 GLOBALISTS SPRING 2019 2 SPONSORED//CONTENT

SECTION 3

FOREWORD C

ross a border, change your life. Whether it’s a line on a map, a river, a checkpoint, or a frontier in your heart, just cross a border. See how you can change. Many of us cross borders in our own countries when we’re young. My family moved from the American South northward—the latter part of the Great Migration of African American families out of southern racism and lack of opportunity to an uncertain future in colder climes. We were still part of the same extended family, but such movement creates different lived experiences—new challenges to confront and new realities to embrace. You change over time, and you begin to understand how the decision of your parents to move back then helped to shape who you are now. But you don’t need years to gain insight about different experiences. The students of Syracuse University whose writing and personal stories are in these pages have crossed many borders to bring a piece of their lived experiences to you. You just need to cross borders and listen. I promise that you will not regret this. In 2017, a small but dedicated group of students came to me, as the associate dean responsible for international initiatives at the Newhouse School, with an idea for a publication that would provide a voice for students who came to Syracuse University from outside the United States. The publication would be a bridge between them and domestic students. It would value diversity, respect, and cultural expression. It would 4 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

celebrate the journeys and experiences of all students in the Syracuse University community. This seemed tremendously ambitious to me, but the students assured me that they would work hard to make it a reality. I suspected that they would have a little fun doing it, too. And so, Globalists was born. Cross the border into this issue, and you will get more than a hint of the potential for positive change. And I think you’ll have a good time along the way.

Hult Bron HUB BROWN Associate Dean for Research, Creativity, International Initiatives & Diversity, Globalists Advisor

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

EAR READER, Two years ago, a couple of students from different parts of the world sat in a small, poorly-lit South Campus apartment, waiting for change. They had long felt isolated and misunderstood. They didn’t feel like they had a space to express themselves. It didn’t even seem to matter what they thought. No one had asked them, after all. They continued to discuss the need for a platform that celebrated their perspectives, cultures and identities, until one of the students spoke up. “We can’t just sit around waiting for change,” she said. “When we can’t find what we’re looking for, we need to create it.” So that’s exactly what we did. Eighteen months, dozens of e-board meetings and over a hundred articles later, we present to you with great pride and satisfaction our very first print issue. Take a deep dive into the complexities of being of mixed race in “Blurring Borders.” Empathize with Globalists as they share their experiences of self-discovery in “A Case of Mistaken Identity” and “Diction Discrimination.” Indulge your cravings with a hearty meal all the way from Côte d’Ivoire, and take part in the great tomato pie, not pizza, debate. As you turn the pages of this issue and explore the narratives of individuals on the Syracuse University campus and beyond, I urge you to reflect on your own narrative and what shapes your worldview. This issue would not have been possible without the dedication of the entire Globalists team. Whether it was Divya’s keen and critical eye, Jane’s innovative spirit, Maggie’s careful attention to detail,

Krishna’s informed sense of humor, Amy’s ability to bring beauty to just about anything, Gabriela’s consistency, Zero’s reliability and Mansi’s fresh ideas, each team member has left their mark on the copy you are holding in your hands. As I pass down my role as editor-in-chief, I have no doubt the Globalists team will continue to build on the publication’s mission: to be a space where anyone can share their identity, regardless of where they come from. Globalists, it has been an absolute privilege to work with you. Readers, thank you for letting us share your stories. And to the world beyond, we hope you will listen.

SANIYA MORE Editor-in-Chief 5

MEET THE TEAM

DIVYA MURTHY

JANE LEE

MANAGING EDITOR

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

JIAMAN (MAGGIE) PENG

STAFF WRITER

AMY NAKAMURA

KRISHNA PAMIDI STAFF WRITER

DESIGN DIRECTOR

KAIZHAO (ZERO) LIN ASSISTANT EDITOR

GABRIELA KNUTSON

MANSI TANNA

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANT

6 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

ABOUT US EST. 2017 A Globalist is proud of their cultural and social identity unafraid to start difficult conversations to bridge differences and find commonalities. A Globalist values diversity and takes responsibility to show empathy for and share underrepresented perspectives. A Globalist gives great importance to freedom of expression and makes it their mission to be a voice for those who are too quiet or too loud. ABOVE ALL, A GLOBALIST IS A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD. 7

TABLE OF CONTENTS CULTURE AN AISLE TO ASIA | 12

12,400 kilometers away, a food market brings Asian immigrants home.

LOST IN LATINIDAD | 14

The Puerto Rican Student Association on campus aims to peel back the layers of the Latinx identity, commonly misconstrued as a racial one.

A FUSION OF FLAVORS | 16 Salt City Market is a way to celebrate culture, cuisine and craft in Syracuse.

THE HALLYU WAVE | 20

The Korean Wave has engulfed global entertainment culture and is likely here to stay.

COVER STORY BLURRED BORDERS | 22

The rising mixed race population is changing the way we think about multiculturalism and identities â&#x20AC;&#x201D; here, five students share their stories about finding their own.

8 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

PERSPECTIVE A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY | 30

People of mixed heritage often have to choose between parts of their identity. That shouldn’t be the case.

DICTION DISCRIMINATION | 32

Do you have an accent? Or do I?

DIL AND DELHI | 34

Turning away from glamorous European destinations to explore a home culture in India.

WHAT’S ON ... OUR BOOKSHELF: HALF OF A YELLOW SUN | 36

A riveting account of forgotten humanity in times of war.

OUR PLATE: SEASONED CHICKEN WITH PLANTAINS AND CASSAVA WITH ATTIÉKÉ | 40

OUR SPEAKERS: MASTER OF THE ARTS | 37

Belgian artist Stromae uses his music as a mirror for society and a way to constantly reinvent himself.

MIXTAPE MEDLEYS | 38

Dive into our playlist of eclectic artists from Europe and Australia.

Dig into the flavors of Côte d’Ivoire.

EYES ON THE PIES | 42

POSTCARDS

There’s nothing more distinctly Utican than a good slice of tomato pie.

ABROADENED | 47

Counting my blessings in Cambodia. 9

SPONSORED CONTENT

A Conversation Worth Protecting An open and inclusive global conversation can thrive only with the preservation of press freedoms By Amanda Paule This article was sponsored by the Syracuse chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists.

ven as a journalism major, I sometimes find it hard to sit down with an article and make it all the way through to the end. Especially as a college student, living in an atmosphere of constant sensory overload, with hundreds of compelling events simultaneously vying for attention. Every day billions of people live their lives, and every day billions of stories come in and out of existence. Sometimes it is a struggle, and the overwhelming mass of it all coaxes us to stay in our shell, to build a protective bubble and only engage in conversation with voices already familiar to us. But just when it is all overwhelming and we want to shut down, to retreat into ourselves, that is the moment that journalism mat10 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

ters the most. Journalists do the job that holds our communities together, venturing out of their comfort zones and immersing themselves in the global culture. Journalists do the job that many of us would find uncomfortable and overwhelming: common feelings that only make the job that much more crucial. Journalists listen to the voices in our local communities. Journalists listen to the voices in our international community. On a recent reporting excursion, I traveled to QuĂŠbec to engage in conversation with the francophone community there. One woman, a friendly high school teacher whose first language was French, asked me a question that I continued to think about for the rest of the trip: how can you write about the minority without living among us, among our culture? She did not ask me this in a hostile way or in a tone that suggested I had no place there. She was simply expressing her love and appreciation for her culture, and her worry that it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be done

justice by an outsider looking in. I think that this is a relevant worry. We need to focus on increasing diversity in newsrooms, so that people of different backgrounds and races can bring nuance and greater understanding to stories of their own communities. There is no question of the danger in cultural appropriation and intergroup bias. I also think that we need to consider our global community with greater inclusivity. We should strive to learn about the cultures of other countries and peoples, to break out of our own bubbles and hear the voices of different perspectives. We should strive to create a global community with fewer obstructive borders, so that it is not a question of insider versus outsider but a unified and complex human story. Journalists are at the forefront of this story. Organizations like the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) work on both national and regional levels to foster open discussion on diversity and to protect international journalism. Not only is it about encouraging Americans to look outside of our borders, but also about letting international voices in. It is about fortifying press freedoms worldwide, to fight for a global community where journalists can raise the voices of communities without fear of punishment, imprisonment, or death. Global journalists are the

reason that, with a quick online search, we can learn about communities worldwide, regardless of borders. Even when local atmosphere and responsibilities take over my focus, I can focus in peace knowing that there are journalists and organizations working to continue the global conversation. The missions of global journalists to raise the voices of those who need to be heard and of organizations like SPJ to protect international press freedoms inspire me to break out of my own bubble, to take part in the breaking down of borders and the formation of a global community.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Organizations like the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) work on both national and regional levels to foster open discussion on diversity and to protect international journalism.

Sometimes it is overwhelming, the worldwide conversation that happens around us every day. But SPJ reminds me why that is a conversation worth having, and a conversation worth working to protect. SPONSORED CONTENT 11

AN AISLE TO

ASIA

Asia Food Market opened its doors to Syracuse in 2014 and has been providing local residents with food, condiments and utensils from the other side of the Pacific. // PHOTO BY KAIZHAO (ZERO) LIN

12,400 kilometers away, a food market brings Asian immigrants home. BY KAIZHAO (ZERO) LIN

t the gate of Asia Food Market on Erie Boulevard in Syracuse, the strong smell of fresh seafood may make you do a double-take. Inside the market, the refrigerators on the right stock Asian vegetables, such as bok choy, that can hardly ever be found in American groceries; dozens of shelves in the front of the store are packed with Asian sauces, snacks and even cooking utensils. Almost everything an Asian family household would use for cooking can be easily found here. “If my parents only give me $150 per month to spend on extra foods and daily 12 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

needs, Asia Food Market would be the best choice for me to shop [at for] what I need,” says Jacinta Du, a junior dual major in advertising and marketing who has now lived in Syracuse for three years. Asia Food Market is, without a doubt, the most convenient store for Syracuse residents searching for foods and snacks from China, Korea and Japan that they might have never tasted before. Because of the market’s existence, the Asian food culture is becoming more pervasive in the Syracuse area. After the Reform and Opening Up Policy was launched in 1978 in China, a huge wave of Chinese people immigrated to America from the 1980s to the 1990s. Li, the owner of Asia Food Market (he requested his full name not be used) was one of them; his first stop was Rochester, NY. Originally from Fujian Province,

China, Li came to the United States with his relatives in the 1990s to find a better life for himself and his future generations. Everything on this side of the world was completely new to him and he found it challenging to accommodate many aspects of American culture—especially the eating habits. Walmart, Costco, Tops—all these markets meet American customers’ needs. “I really missed the taste of my hometown and wanted to make some Chinese dishes after I arrived in America in the 1990s, but there were no sauces available for me to do so,” says Li. As the number of immigrants from Asian countries, especially China, grew, Li and his relatives considered opening an Asian food market here so that more of these immigrants can feel a sense of belonging and warmth in an unfamiliar land. “We were just joking at first,” says Li. “We felt really tired of going to New York City to buy Chinese food when we first came here, so my relatives and I decided to try to open our first Asia Food Market in Rochester together in 2007.” Surprisingly, for Li’s family, the first Asia Food Market was a great success. They then opened their second chain store in Buffalo, and their third one in Syracuse. Li mentioned that the average Asian population in each city was only around 5 to 7 percent at the time. “We never thought about opening the market in Syracuse because it is a relatively small city and there was not a huge Asian population here,” he says. However, many of their customers urged them to open a chain store in Syracuse to avoid driving an hour to Rochester for groceries. As a result, Asia Food Market came to Syracuse in 2014. The market in Syracuse is like a cultural melting pot, according to Li. “We

have several full-time employees from China and many part-time employees from Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand and even South America.” Though it seems like many cultures are colliding, communication between employees remains unhindered. “Because the work in a market is much easier and requires less skill, we’ve never had any arguments or problems,” Li says. Li and his employees import Asian products every day from several Asian food agencies in New York City. All these products serve a large number of Syracuse customers, especially the Asian students on the hill.

“I REALLY MISSED THE TASTE OF MY HOMETOWN AND WANTED TO MAKE SOME CHINESE DISHES AFTER I ARRIVED IN AMERICA IN THE 1990S, BUT THERE WERE NO SAUCES AVAILABLE FOR ME TO DO SO.” LI, OWNER Thanks to the market, Asian residents in Syracuse and students on campus can indulge their cravings, even when they are tens of thousands of kilometers away from home. “We always want to do our best to welcome international students warmly because they are one of our largest customer groups,” says Li. “We can best empathize with their homesick feelings.” Editor’s note: The interview with Mr. Li was done bilingually, so parts of the article were translated from Mandarin. G CULTURE 13

LOST IN

LATINIDAD The Puerto Rican Student Association on campus aims to peel back the layers of the Latinx identity, commonly misconstrued as a racial one.

ILLUSTRATION BY AMY NAKAMURA

BY JIAMAN (MAGGIE) PENG

rowing up in Puerto Rico, Christian Andino Borrero was taught that being Puerto Rican meant being white, native and black. “We are [of ] African [descent], we are of Spanish [and European] descent, we are of native descent,” says Andino Borrero, the Philanthropy Chair for the Puerto Rican Student Association (PRSA). He ia leading the organization’s latest initiative, a Latinx identity campaign celebrating Latinidad as it is: a mixture of races and cultures. The idea came from a conversation between PRSA members Amber Fernandez and Karina Mendez about the Latinx misrepresentation on campus. Mendez says that people can have a

14 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

difficult time understanding the Latinx identity, especially when they don’t see certain physical features traditionally associated with the culture or if they hear the person speak perfect English, for instance.

Latinx: a gender-neutral term for people of Latin American descent Latinidad: a Spanish-language term that refers to the various attributes shared by Latin American people and their descendants without reducing those similarities to any single essential trait The campaign will highlight Lati-

nas this semester along with women’s rights issues as the idea sprang up during Women’s History Month, but PRSA is planning on a second edition of the campaign on men. Hearing statements like “You’re too black to be Puerto Rican” or “You look too white to be Puerto Rican” initially came as a shock to Andino Borrero. Puerto Rico is the only territory under Spanish colonial possession that never gained its independence, but, as a result of that history, it’s a land of mixed ethnicities. Indigenous Taínos Indians inhabited the island before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. Four decades of Spanish rule brought an influx of West African slaves to meet a growing demand for labor and Europeans settlers migrated there to capitalize on slavery and free land. “Puerto Rico has never been its own country,” says Andino Borrero. What endured after the conquest of the Spanish, African slavery and the colonization of the natives was “this shared experience that then formed this ethnic identity and cultural identity that is Puerto Rico, and it becomes a national identity as well.” The 2018 US Census showed that 99 percent of Puerto Ricans identified themselves as “Hispanic or Latino.” However, the report also noted that “Hispanics and Latinos may be of any race” and considers “race and Hispanic origin to be two separate and distinct concepts.” The ethnic identity doesn’t entail a specific race but does correlate with the racial identity. The campaign hopes to collaborate with other Hispanic and Latinx communities on campus such as La LUCHA (the Latinx Undergraduates Creating History in America), Dominican Student Association and Chicanx students in a photoshoot reflecting the

distinct looks of students self-identifying as Latinx. “It is a mixture of cultures; it is a mixture of races. It’s not a set race; it’s not a set color,” says Andino Borrero, “We don’t want to literally define Latinidad for everyone.” Andino Borrero says that many people in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries grow up seeing their blackness as part of the Latinx identity. How identity is perceived in the continuous U.S. can be very different, and when Latinidad is equated to a racial identity, part of the Latinx identity is lost or separated.

Lucha: the Spanish word for “fight, struggle”

Chicanx: of or relating to Mexican Americans or their culture “It’s a way of education, you could say,” Andino Borrero says, considering it to be one of the goals of this campaign. For Puerto Ricans, the Latinx identity formed slowly and it formed with the mix of races and the intertwining of experiences. “It’s a weird thing for you to question someone’s identity,” says Andino Borrero. He says that there’s the sentiment of “Why are you concluding things about my identity,” when people have a certain image of Latinidad, like the way they perceive Jennifer Lopez and impose that particular image on others. If the Latinx identity is not associated with any particular race, what does it look like? What are its skin colors, hair textures, body shapes and facial features? The question seems to answer itself. G CULTURE 15

ILLUSTRATION BY AMY NAKAMURA

Salt City Market is a way to celebrate culture, cuisine and craft in Syracuse. BY DIVYA MURTHY

ands closed around coffee cups and their pencils drumming away, the crowd at Salt City Coffee on Onondaga Street chattered animatedly. The coffee shop had already closed, but the group of 18 people, ballooning rapidly into 30 people as minutes passed, had shown up there waiting for another door to open. And open it will. Come next fall, Syracuse will unveil Salt City Market, a town-square-style building with about ten food stalls boasting cuisines from around the world and within Syracuse. Besides the food stalls, 16 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

Salt City Market will also be home to a grocery store and a café-by-morning that becomes a bar-by-night and mixed-income housing in the remaining space. The bidding to run one of the ten food stalls began this spring with information sessions — like the one at Salt City Coffee — tapping into the talent base and small business hopefuls in Syracuse. Salt City Market, supported by the Allyn Foundation and Up Start, an organization that supports fledgling food businesses, will offer a variety of trainings for the merchants who get selected to operate food stalls: business plan development, marketing strategies, hiring and training, permits and insurance, to name a few, according to the website. The idea isn’t novel. Minneapolis opened its own internationally-themed public market in 2006 and is now home

to 45 restaurants, grocery stores and gift shops representing over 22 cultures. Adam Sudmann, the marketing manager for the Salt City Market project and the man behind pop-up kitchen My Lucky Tummy and the With Love, restaurant, believes the same model can take off in Syracuse, where there is a veritable medley of immigrant and refugee cultures. An idea ten years in the making for Sudmann, Salt City Market is a way to see what the town really has to offer, he says, one way that he and the talent base don’t miss each other. “I’m just a side story you know, this will come about, with or without me,” Sudmann said. “And so, while I was having these dreams in Brooklyn, unbeknownst to me, there were people up here having those same dreams.” Salt City Market will open at the intersection of South Salina St. and Onondaga Blvd. — a central crossroads for the different neighborhoods in Syracuse, according to Sudmann. “It’s downtown but it’s not in the heart of Armory Square, [and] it’s right by the library and the bus hub,” he says.

“IF YOU HAVE A SPACE LIKE THIS AS A COMMON GROUND, DIVERSITY AND ETHNICITY [ARE] GOING TO INTERTWINE WONDERFULLY.” AZELLA ALVAREZ “The Southside meets the Near Westside meets downtown and it’s a straight shot from the Northside too.” Sudmann is coming together with faith leaders, community leaders and specialty grocery stores to identify potential merchants for the food hall — Syracuse is dotted with diverse regional markets like

the Somali, Iraqi, Burmese, Vietnamese, Indian, Bhutanese, and these are the businesses Sudmann wants to reach. Azella Alvarez operates one of these small businesses, a food truck called Oompa Loompyas that sells Filipino-style egg rolls. She’s vying for one of the ten spots in the market, which she believes will mimic the style and ambience of Chelsea Market in New York. Given the minimal resources and limiting weather in Syracuse, she says she’s always wanted to root her offerings in a food hall — a more stable and accepting space. “My mind would wander to the thought of having something like that, where it’s not killing you to own an actual brick-and-mortar,” the California native says. “This food hall is a good option for business owners who are just starting out for sure, hands down. I didn’t have this when I first started, I did everything just blindsided and went all in.” That’s exactly what Sudmann wants to avoid: the skirmishes people run into when they embark on ventures with great passion but little foresight. Finding somebody that’s right on the sweet spot of having oodles of entrepreneurial spirit and cautious ambition is key, besides having a distinct and unique cultural presence in the hall. “Diversity is everything,” Alvarez says. “If you’re not preaching it, it’s going to stay stagnant. But if you have a space like this as a common ground, diversity and ethnicity [are] going to intertwine wonderfully.” Sudmann agrees; the way he sees it, Syracuse residents, by and large, stick to their own spaces and bubbles until they intersect. As a potential nexus, Salt City Market will be a space where “we can see our hidden gems and cultural riches” — a place for the town to come alive. With several business owners making a beeline for the limited spots and promised resources, Sudmann is betting that the buzz in the Syracuse community isn’t misplaced. “Once we start, it’s go, go, go.” G CULTURE 17

SPONSORED CONTENT

Student assembly brings interfaith leadership to Syracuse campus By Delaney Van Wey The smells of curry, cumin and fresh roti drifted through the grand hall of the Toronto Metro Convention Center, inviting curious eyes and noses. Beyond the doors, folks of diverse backgrounds, ages and races shuffled off their shoes, and participants draped their heads with scarves and bandanas. Simple signs of respect for the great service they were about to receive. The word about this experience had spread quickly: “Have you heard of the Langar?” “Did you eat at the Langar yet?” “You really can’t leave without experiencing it.” Langar, which technically means “kitchen,” is a Sikh tradition of sharing food with the entire community, with doors and hearts open. Sikhism was just one of 118 spiritual and secular traditions present at the 2018 Parliament of the World’s Religions, represented by about 8,000 people from 81 different countries. For a group of students from Syracuse University and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, this was the first time they had heard of the term Langar. But it quickly became an unforgettable moment of an already extraordinary experience in their lives — attending the week-long Parliament. In the months that have followed, they have used the inspiration to reinvigorate student interfaith life in Syracuse. 18 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

“I was inspired by how powerful religious identity was that it united so many people together,” said SU senior Dahabo Farah, a member of the Muslim Student Association. Farah was one of six student delegates from SU’s Hendricks Chapel who attended the weekend segment of the 2018 Parliament of the World’s Religions. These students, who attended the conference with Hendricks Chapel staff and chaplains, identified with five different faith and spiritual traditions, multiple student organizations and various academic majors. The opportunity to support and send a cohort to the Parliament was, according to Hendricks Chapel Dean Brian Konkol, a direct expression of the chapel’s historic mission, vision and values. “The Parliament of the World’s Religions seeks to cultivate harmony in order to sustain a more just, peaceful and sustainable world,” says Konkol. “Our support of this effort is rooted in our conviction that an education informed by multiple points of view, life experiences, ethnicities, cultures and belief systems is essential to academic excellence.” Among other things, the Parliament was a moment of deep inspiration and cross-cultural connection for the students who attended. Junjie “Rec” Ren, a SU junior who

attended the conference, said he had a vague understanding of interfaith work before the Parliament, but the scope of what was discussed and debated at the conference showed him how powerful interfaith cooperation can be. Over the course of the week, major global interfaith leaders shared their deep convictions on topics including climate action, indigenous rights, youth empowerment and countering violence. Ultimately, they all agreed:

If faith leaders worked together towards progress, people of faith can change the world.

Ren, Farah and the other students who attended the conference were inspired to bring that mentality back to campus. As representatives of different faiths, backgrounds and countries, they believed they could be a model for interfaith and intercultural cooperation that could be a force for change, like the Parliament. With that in mind, the group decided to turn Hendricks Chapel’s student interfaith group, previously known as the Spiritual Life Council, into SAIL — the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders. All those who attended the Parliament are involved with SAIL. They see its core mission as modeling interfaith community, developing leadership opportunities, and advising the staff and chaplains of Hendricks Chapel. If they can pursue such aims on campus, Ren said, then they can start to work together to tackle bigger issues. One of the goals of SAIL is to have representation from all of the 28 religious life groups of Hendricks Chapel. “Whatever I think other people believe, practice or do, that’s not usually the case,” Ren, also the vice president of the Student Buddhist Association, said. “That’s not how they actually, in reality, live. It’s a breaking down of stereotypes,

Four members of the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders, Dallin Evans, Junjie Ren, Dahabo Farah, and Haley Sussman (left to right), stand in front of Hendricks Chapel. Photo Courtesy: Hendricks Chapel

or a breaking down of expectations – what you expect other people to be. Instead, you just welcome whatever they are.” At its core, SAIL is a group of friends. They laugh, share stories and talk about life. Most importantly, they learn about each other beyond the stereotypes of their visible identities. SAIL is open to all students, said Dallin Evans, a third year SU graduate student and member of SAIL representing the Latter-day Saint Student Association. Whether you study at SU or SUNY-ESF, are spiritual or secular, or anything between, you’re welcome to join a fun group of friends who teach and inspire each other. “I love making friends that have other religious affiliations than my own, and have learned so much from them,” said Evans. “I also think it is a great resource for others like me who seek a haven for spiritual expressions.” For more information on the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders (SAIL), please contact Junjie “Rec” Ren at jren06@syr.edu. SPONSORED CONTENT 19

THE HALLYU

WAVE ILLUSTRATIONS BY JANE LEE

The Korean Wave has engulfed global entertainment culture and is likely here to stay. BY JANE LEE

fter a phone-less summer camp in a rainy Michigan forest in 2012, I returned to discover the “Gangnam Style” craze that had taken the Internet by storm. My Facebook feed had become plastered with the infamous dance reminiscent of the trailblazing horse riders of ancient Korea. Suddenly, it wasn’t just a few K-BBQ joints and outdated posters of boy bands reminding me of home in Seoul, South Korea — the culture had become a juggernaut of media, technological and beauty innovation. “The Korean Wave,” or “Hallyu,” describes the global popularity of 20 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

South Korean culture and entertainment. While no one knows its origins, Hallyu’s phonetic flexibility in Chinese made for a perfect leeway into audiences throughout East Asia. Pockets of China, Japan and Thailand were singing along to Korean beats and tuning into Korean drama long before PSY’s explosion. “Nobody” by Wonder Girls was the first K-pop song to land the Hot 100 List on Billboard in 2007; the song was performed in five languages all across Asia before its popularity surged in the West. Before 1992, there were only two state-owned broadcast stations in South Korea. Post-war censorship controlled everything from news, music, radio and television in a political effort to increase nationalistic pride. Realizing its economic isolation, South Korea reformed to increase the country’s use of “soft power” — a term to describe the

intangible power of a country through brands and languages, rather than “hard power,” through military and economic strength. By stripping away restrictions and diversifying their creative strategies, the democratic appeal allowed for an international audience. With few natural resources like oil and landmass, South Korea hedged its bets and won large with its global entry strategy: cultural exportation.

MUSIC

The global popularity of Korean music connects the country and its people with the rest of the world. Though PSY broke world records and kick-started the recognized globalization of K-pop, idol groups have always been perceived as mascots of the nation. Celebrities in Korea are the branded aspects of a modern Korean identity. This national support allowed BTS, a Korean boy band, to become the face of UNICEF’s “Love Myself ” campaign and set an unprecedented bar in the U.S. market by appearing on major talk shows like the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

ESPORTS

A new generation of fandoms is exponentially filling the world’s stadiums with competitive multiplayer video gaming. In 2014, Robert Morris University in Chicago granted over $500,000 in athletic scholarships to gamers and as of October 2017, The International Olympic Committee officially recognized esports as part of the Olympic Summit. In South Korea, this movement for recognition began in 2000 with the launch of OnGameNet, a special broadcast station for gaming.

The prominence of PC bangs (internet cafes) coupled with the boom of telecommunications moved gaming teens into the professional world of tournaments, well-financed training and a cult following. With more than 70 million eyes worldwide tuning into broadcasted games, video-gaming is no longer a pastime reserved for male teenagers in the East.

BEAUTY

A conversation about the expansion of Korean culture is incomplete without discussing the beauty industry. A quick internet search will help you find five, ten, or eighteen step Korean skincare routines, a global market Mintel estimated to be worth about $7.2 billion in 2017. The idea of Korean beauty can be dated back to the 14th century when women used lard on their skin to prevent frostbite, resulting in a dewy and softened look. As Sephora and Ulta shelves are filling with gentle, pleasing packages, the promise of “natural,” “luminous,” and “youthful” look, backed by scientific language, serves to increase K-beauty’s appeal and global acceptance.

HOW DID CULTURAL EXPORTATION FARE?

Whether Korean pop-culture deserves a stage with Ariana Grande and Tame Impala or not will be determined by how ready we are to accept a bigger wave breaking into the international scene. The true answer to discovering the impact of Korean culture in the global entertainment scene lies in our ability to expect and celebrate the convergence of culture. G CULTURE 21

BLURRED

BORDERS

The rising mixed race population is changing the way we think about multiculturalism and identities â&#x20AC;&#x201D; here, five students share their stories about finding their own. BY SANIYA MORE AND JIAMAN (MAGGIE) PENG 22 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

hen Sean Dorcellus was a child, if he was ever seen with one of his parents but not the other, people would assume that he was adopted. He has significantly lighter skin than his Haitian father but is significantly darker than his Irish-American mother. “I definitely grew up different, but everyone grows up differently,” says Dorcellus. He’s one of 9 million Americans who identified with more than one racial category in the 2010 U.S. Census. At least 9.8 million people reported a different racial or ethnic background in 2010 than they did in 2000, according to the Pew Research Center. Although the number of mixed people is steadily rising, Dorcellus says he didn’t see that increase reflected where he grew up. “It was diverse, but not within oneself.” His life changed when Barack Obama became president in 2008. Seeing a mixed person, with whom he shares a similar background, at the helm of the free world was incredible to Dorcellus. White people have experienced that with 43 out of the 44 presidents in the U.S., he says. Even though the U.S. Census has included racial categories since the first one in 1790, it wasn’t until 1960 that people could select their own race on the form. The 2000 census was the first time people could select multiple boxes for race and by 2010, the census could yield 57 possible responses — a change that could be reflective of a shift in the way people of mixed race self-identify, according to Paul Overberg, a data reporter at the Wall Street Journal and a recent guest at the Race and the Media Symposium held in April at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. “Some other race” was the third-largest racial group reported in census results from 2000 and 2010, according to NPR. “I think, in a society that’s so tolerant of diversity and has so many different dimensions, a lot of people feel comfortable treating it [racial identity] as sort of a fluid PHOTO BY JIAMAN (MAGGIE) PENG

thing, depending on their circumstance, where they live, or what they now understand about their upbringing, or what they want to honor from their ancestry, or who they’re now married to,” says Overberg. “So I think all that goes into it and it makes it a much more fluid idea than people used to think about 20 and 30 and 40 years ago.” With time, Dorcellus has come to love and appreciate the differences in his background that makes up who he is today. Far from being a hindrance, being mixed race has helped him appear more approachable, relatable and naturally develop a wider cultural understanding.

WHITEBLACK: 28.6%

WHITEASIAN: 21.9%

WHITE-SOME OTHER RACE: 10.8%

WHITEAMERICAN INDIAN: 20.8%

OTHER TWO RACE GROUPS: 17.9%

According to 2010 Census data, there are 9.3 million U.S. multiracial adults and children. This chart shows the percentages of the largest mixed race groups in the populatoin. (2010 U.S. Census)

How people perceive themselves can differ from how others categorize them based on their physical appearances. There’s not only a growing population of mixed-race people, but also a growing awareness and acceptance of the complexity and multiplicity of identities. Dorcellus says that people will always ask him where he’s from, and he will always be proud when explaining his lineage and family genealogy. CULTURE 23

JOCELYN BRONX, NY

indsay’s father is African-American and her mother is Cuban. She grew up speaking Spanish to her grandmother, eating a lot of rice and beans at home and going to a high school predominantly populated with minorities and students of “different shades of brown.” She says that Hispanics and Latinos could have dark skin like she does — not all of them have the stereotypical lighter caramel skin tone. She’s black and Hispanic, but the media most often only portrays people who are mixed black and white and depicts the mixed race experience as a very torn one — which isn’t always the case, she says. She finds hers more positive, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

PHOTO BY JIAMAN (MAGGIE) PENG

24 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

LINDSAY ’22 HEALTH AND EXERCISE SCIENCE

PHOTO BY SANIYA MORE

“WHEN I’M ASKED WHERE I’M FROM OR MY FAMILY’S FROM, I’LL LEAD WITH THE ‘CUBAN’ AND WON’T NECESSARILY SAY THE ‘BLACK.’ I DO SOMETIMES SAY BOTH. SOMETIMES I DON’T SAY BOTH

PHOTO BY SANIYA MORE

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I PRESENT AS BLACK.”

CULTURE 25

TREVOR CLEVELAND, OHIO

PHOTO BY JIAMAN (MAGGIE) PENG

“I THINK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I’VE REALIZED THAT FOR ME TO FEEL LIKE A FULL PERSON, I NEED TO EQUALLY PAY RESPECTS TO BOTH OF MY PARENTS AND BOTH OF THE CULTURES THAT THEY GAVE ME.”

26 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

LIN ’19 ADVERTISING

PHOTO BY SANIYA MORE

revor Lin has been mistaken for Hispanic, white and Chinese among other races and ethnicities. What many don’t know is that Trevor is Asian-American— his father is Taiwanese and his mother is white. After Lin’s parents got divorced, he spent most of his childhood with his mother in Cleveland, Ohio, in what he calls a “very white environment.” When he was younger, he identified more as white, but a slew of ignorant comments from his classmates began challenging his own perception of his identity. Most of them didn’t know Lin was half-Asian, but when they did find out, the Asian half of his identity, already in a state of flux, started to define him in a disconcerting way. Today, Lin wonders what it would be like to really embrace his Taiwanese side and to come to terms with an entire culture he didn’t get to experience much as a child. He reflects: “My identity has always been really closely tied to my mental health. So when I started to question my identity, when I started to become my own person, I found myself struggling from a mental standpoint with my confidence and self esteem. I’m just learning that confidence comes from within, and it can’t be validated by somebody else. If I’d started hammering that into my head ten years earlier, I would probably be a happier person for it.”

PHOTO BY JIAMAN (MAGGIE) PENG

CULTURE 27

ANDREA YIP ’19 TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS // NUTRITION

rowing up, Andrea Yip struggled to identify with the world around her. It didn’t help that she knew few people who were Latina-Asian, both in-person and on-screen. Yip is half-Chinese and half-Honduran. Despite her dual identity, Yip connects most with her Honduran side and grew up speaking Spanish as her first language. Her father was born in China and moved to Honduras when he was four years old after his father started a business and moved the family there. Yip has never been to China, but when she’s back home in Honduras, she stands out because she isn’t full Latina. Yip says she’s fine with this though, because she is proud of both her identities. For her, the best thing about being of mixed race is the food. She says she isn’t a picky eater at all because she grew up eating just about everything. Coming to Syracuse has helped her embrace her identity more closely than ever before, and meeting people from different cultures has pushed her to better embrace her own. She says she has found a community here, a place that “feels like a piece of home.”

“LEARN TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT BOTH CULTURES BECAUSE NEITHER OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE PERFECT.” PHOTO BY SANIYA MORE

28 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

JESUS GHAEL FOBES MORA ’22 BOULDER, COLORADO // BROADCASTING AND DIGITAL JOURNALISM

obes says that in the eyes of most people, he is just a “slight off shade of white” or a bit tanner. The color of his skin fluctuates easily; he tans quickly and can turn significantly darker during the summer while in the wintertime, he can be as pale as his dad. The complexity of his physical traits often prompts people to ask the question, “Where are you really from?” — a classic micro-aggression, he says, the idea that individuals can only be one identity and the other components of who they are must be secondary or not matter as much. Fobes was born in Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico, the home of his mother. His father is from New Jersey. Spanish is Fobes’ first language; it’s something he goes back to and takes a lot of pride in.

“One of the unique things about being mixed race is not that you are from two places, but [that] your experience has been largely founded upon you bridging two places.” Fobes says that having a mixed identity is, in some sense, a blessing in that it enabled him to speak to people who fit more neatly in those different categories. “I think that over time, what would generally make

“WHAT I TELL PEOPLE, WHEN THEY ASK ME WHERE I’M FROM, I SAY, ‘WELL, IT’S A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED THAN JUST A REGULAR ANSWER.’”

PHOTOS BY SANIYA MORE

you feel like an outsider for both places can actually make you feel like almost an ambassador of both places. You can speak, not necessarily on behalf of the place, but you can speak from a place of a little bit closer to truth.” G CULTURE 29

A CASE OF

MISTAKEN

IDENTITY People of mixed heritage often have to choose between parts of their identity. That shouldn’t be the case. BY AMY NAKAMURA

wice a week, I travel to a primary school in the city of Syracuse to be a teaching aide in a second-grade classroom. One day, I stood in line with the students. As I held hands with some of the children, I heard a young boy and girl laughing behind me. When I turned around, they stifled their laughter through clenched teeth and pursed lips. When I turned back, the little boy bent down to whisper in the girl’s ear, “She’s Chinese.” Their laughter continued. After lunch, the teacher sat the whole class down and had me explain that I was Japanese, not Chinese, in an effort to encourage a conversation. The children bombarded me with questions about “eating with sticks” and speaking a certain way. Some of their questions had an obvious tinge of stereotypes towards Asians. Throughout all of this, I wasn’t angry. In fact, I felt excited to have the chance to start a conversation with them and answer any questions they had. It would be a learning experience for all of us. However, it felt wrong for me to become a representation of Japanese culture because I myself am only half-Japanese. Because of that, throughout my life, I have never felt qualified enough to 30 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

call myself an expert on my own culture. I am the product of slight opposites. My mother is Roman Catholic while my dad’s side of the family is Jodo Shinshu Buddhist. My mother is a staunch Republican while my dad is a proud Democrat. Finally, my mother has French and Irish roots while my dad is completely Japanese. I grew up in Hawaii, where having a mixed heritage is often referred to as being “hapa.” However, I was always labeled as one over the other. It wasn’t until this past year when I realized how polarizing that mentality can be and how it destabilized my sense of self.

THE ACCEPTANCE OF INTERSECTIONALITY SHOULD BE INGRAINED INTO OUR RHETORIC AND ACTIONS. It seems like wherever I am, I am labeled by my “otherness.” In Hawaii, where many of my friends, teachers, and family are Asian, I am labeled as white. On the mainland and in many parts of the world where I find Asians a minority, I am labeled as Asian. During the fall of 2018, I experienced

a different type of categorization while traveling in Europe. I was shocked to find that after being told my whole life that I was too white to be Asian, I was now being told that I am too Asian to be white. While in Strasbourg, France, my friends and I decided to go dancing at a bar atop a boat in the city. Well into the night of dancing, as I was walking to the bar to grab a glass of water, a man started yelling at me from across the room saying, “Jackie Chan! Jackie Chan! Come over here!” I panicked and ran back to my friends. The incident was fleeting, but I felt the discomfort the whole way home. That’s the difficult part; being hapa forces one to experience othering at unexpected and jarring moments. Growing up in Hawaii, I felt like I was never enough. I was too caught in the middle to belong somewhere. With a divided identity, I didn’t feel like I could fully claim any part of myself. That being said, I represent and identify with just a very small portion of the mixed pop-

ulation. Focusing and validating only certain aspects of a mixed-race identity prevents us from accepting that a whole rainbow of identities exists — one that’s vital to any global societal progress. The acceptance of intersectionality should be ingrained into our rhetoric and actions. Through more dialogue with and about people of mixed identities and with greater validation and support, the changes to how we act and speak will be tangible and rewarding. Back in that second grade classroom, I took a deep breath and tried to explain my heritage and in a way the students might be able to understand. “Well, lots of things are also Japanese. Do you guys know Hello Kitty?” I asked. Their faces lit up. “Yes!” they answered excitedly. “Well, she’s from Japan!” Their faces changed from confusion to intrigue. They continued to rattle off questions — this time with delighted curiosity. G ILLUSTRATION BY AMY NAKAMURA

PERSPECTIVE 31

DICTION

DISCRIMINATION

ILLUSTRATION BY TALIA TRACKIM

Do you have an accent? Or do I?

BY JANE LEE

he use of the English language as a means of communication spans almost 500 years of international trade, industrial revolution and colonialism. Today, international airlines must have an English speaking pilot, the majority of academic papers are written in English and it is the dominant language of the Internet. While its ubiquity cannot be denied, neither can its diversity. As the language that both unites and divides the world, English holds inherent social stigma against its different applications. In the early 2000s, Harvard linguistics

32 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

professor Bert Vaux established a series of words and questions that the Internet today calls the “accent challenge.” The rise of the YouTube tag began a small celebration of the differences in word choice and pronunciation. From a linguistic perspective, an accent isn’t defined by the auditory pronunciations, but by the social stigma, assumptions and prejudice associated with one’s speech patterns. Professor Tej Bhatia, professor of linguistics and cognitive sciences at Syracuse University, calls this an “invisible source of social bias.” “A hierarchy of accents resides within every speech community,” says Bhatia. “This is beyond the linguistic issue; what is really going on is the social evaluation

of people. To discriminate based on one’s accent is a function of displacement, creating ingroups and outgroups based on social language.” Just as we recognize physical differences — “Hey, you’re taller than I am” — our brain is wired to categorize and make sense of information through socialization. Accents, in this sense, are analogous to race, gender and class. While conversations in Western academia about the discriminatory spectrum of race, gender and class abound, discussions on accents as mechanisms of exclusion are far less prevalent. Perhaps the field of academia is where this exchange should begin. “Presumed Incompetent: The Intersections of Race and Class for Women in Academia” discusses the socio-cultural influence of presentation and thus presumptions about the academic abilities among women of color. “Social-class differences may include family expectations, patterns of speech, emotional expressions, responsibilities to communities, cultural mores, ways of expressing friendliness, warmth, music and dress,” the authors write. “Women of color cannot — and should not — reasonably be expected to change their culture because they have entered a white academic world.” It is not just in academia that the dialogue around accents as social tools needs to be addressed. Remembering the landmark case of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African-American student who was shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer, brings light to the issue in a legislative context. In an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, a juror described the prosecution’s star witness, Rachel Jeantel, as “not credible” because her dialect made her “difficult to understand.” Her testimony was completely dismissed during the 16-hour jury deliberation. On the flip side, in 1992, a reporter

asked then-President Bill Clinton, “Governor Clinton, you attended Oxford University in England and Yale Law School in the Ivy League, two of the finest institutions of learning in the world. So how come you still talk like a hillbilly?” When someone tells us that we have an accent, it is only then that our self-assessment changes. Until then, we presume that our speech is unaccented, or “zero accented.” It’s not a compliment to tell someone they have a “good” accent — it’s condescending because it implies that you have a better accent and have the right to decide what passes for good diction. The conversation should not be about the quality of one’s verbal fluency, but about learning to listen beyond a spectrum of differences. Historically, accents of the elite — the Queen’s English’s place as an exalted accent, for instance — are perceived with more admiration and value than those of the repressed, like dialects of the same language in colonial outposts. In the former, accents are a privilege and in the latter, accents are a detriment. Ironically, those who represent the privileged, “good” accent reside within the fields of education, law, and media — all areas supposedly governed by egalitarian principles. This subjective approach instills regional and national biases that color people’s assessment of one another and further emphasizes the idea of “good” accents and “bad” accents, when really, they are on a spectrum. Efforts in communication are a two-way street. Just as one learns to look past physical appearances, one should not determine the worth of another based on their accent. Accents are distracting by nature — they are meant to distinguish our speech from someone else’s. But learning to accommodate for such differences is part of celebrating the uniqueness in people. G PERSPECTIVE 33

DIL AND DELHI Turning away from glamorous European destinations to explore a home culture in India.

Taj Mahal: Agra, Uttar Pradesh // PHOTOS BY ISHANA SAHABIR

A busy street in South Delhi

34 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

Hawa Mahal: Jaipur, Rajasthan

BY ISHANA SAHABIR

veryone looks forward to a semester abroad, especially when your major almost requires you to spend time in a region that you’ll be studying throughout your undergraduate career. Like many students on campus, I walked into Syracuse’s Study Abroad office bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, skimming the brochures for Strasbourg and London, where I hoped to spend a semester. Little did I know that I would end up traveling much farther. Despite having my eye on European destinations, I began cultivating a deeper interest in South Asian studies and enjoying every class I took about Indian politics, Indian history and Hindi. However, my affinity towards South Asia wasn’t just rooted in textbooks and quizzes: I credit a large part of my interest in India to my Indo-Caribbean heritage and constantly having to reaffirm my “Indian-ness” to others who thought that being fourth-generation Indian meant I “no longer counted.” Without consulting anyone, I went ahead and applied for a semester learning about sustainable development and social change in Jaipur, India. Before I knew it, I was already on the plane to New Delhi, the capital of India. Throughout my time in India, exploring 10 different cities, I had the opportunity to learn about each one and gain a better understanding of the social dynamics and culture prevalent there, especially since in India, almost every state has a varying language and way of life. My time in India was truly my most fulfilling semester in college; it allowed me to explore a spectrum of topics from the social dynamics of mountainous nomads in Uttarakhand, Northern India to the effects of disappearing waterways in Puducherry, Southern India (though swimming there got us into a bit of trouble with the Coast Guards!). Besides academics, I got to enjoy bargaining with local vendors in Jaipur,

experience the serenity of hill stations in Mussoorie and the busy metropolitan life of Delhi during our allotted weekend travels. Throughout my semester abroad, what really astonished me was the way India made my academics “fun.” Every academic paper analyzing history or social dynamics seemed to get done so easily because India never left room for a dull moment. Besides my usual required classes, I also spent a month interning with Aajeevika Bureau, an NGO based in Gujarat that works for the advocacy of migrant workers in India, while conducting my own research on human rights violations of migrant workers. Through this internship and research project, I was able to combine two subjects I am very passionate about: law and culture. The workers I met encounter a variety of workplace issues, from lack of proper legal identification to compensation for workplace injuries, which I began addressing in weekly workshops on legal literacy and rights. Being a pre-law student, I was fascinated by the differences and similarities between the American judicial system versus the Indian and the drastic need for improvement in both. I had never imagined that while studying abroad in India, I would be able to dive into legal related research that would allow me to advocate for others. My time in India allowed me to gain a greater appreciation for a country that mainstream media has dwindled down to Slumdog Millionaire and Bollywood. Now, when people ask me where I’ve studied abroad, I can see the look of confusion and dismissal on their face when I proudly exclaim “India!” I almost always feel the need to start explaining why I chose India as opposed to a glamorous European destination. But the reality is, India isn’t a country that needs justification nor can it be explained in a simple conversation, India is essentially an experience that is best defined by your own visit. G PERSPECTIVE 35

HALF OF A

YELLOW

SUN

A riveting account of forgotten humanity in times of war. BY MADISON BREAUX

enowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie brought us Nigerian and feminism-inspired prose in her bestselling works “Americanah” and “We Should All Be Feminists,” but it’s perhaps her second novel, “Half of a Yellow Sun,” that none of us were ready for. In this 2006 novel, Adichie splits up the tragic history of the three-year Biafran War into the poignant stories of three main characters: Ugwu, the adolescent houseboy of revolutionary professor Odenigbo; Olanna, the mistress of the professor; and Richard, an Englishman infatuated with Olanna’s twin sister, Kainene. While each chapter is from the perspective of one of these three people, the story as a whole revolves around the lives of Olanna and Kainene, who belong to the upper class of Igbo culture. The two lead very different lives, even down to whom they are romantically involved with, but it’s the rumors and then eventuality of the Biafran war that bring the two sisters to a more somber reality. Adichie does a wonderful job of combining the superficial moments of Olanna and Kainene’s different love lives with the unadulterated realness of political unrest. For those unfamiliar with the history of Nigerian independence and the Igbo people, this novel can be difficult to di36 ON OUR BOOKSHELF

gest at times, but Adichie’s mission with this story is not to educate the ignorant. Yes, the book does take place during 1960s Nigeria — a time when unrest, violence, and war raged across the country — but this is not a war novel. Even the novel’s title, which references the Biafran flag— designed with half of a rising sun in the middle — evokes hope and unity, rather than fear and despair. Adichie sets out to tell stories of love, family loyalty, betrayal and forgiveness in the setting of this tumultuous political time in Nigerian history, and by extension, expose those who were unaware at the start of the novel to a moment in history that is otherwise underrepresented. Where the pace and the writing slows, Adichie is quick to counter with yet another horrifying wartime tragedy to pull back the reader. It almost seems that she is reminding her readers that she is writing about the ordinary lives of characters who did not live in an ordinary time. What makes her scenes of wartime havoc so memorable is how unexpectedly they come up. At one point, Adichie describes a moment on a train in which a refugee heading north is carrying her daughter’s severed head in a bowl … braids still intact. This is just one instance where it makes the reader want to re-read the scene to fully digest what just happened. It’s the small, minute details of this narrative where Adichie’s prose really thrives and comes off the page. In a way, we can take this story and apply it to any country, any time or place with conflict and tragedy at the center of it, and see that the raw humanity that Adichie paints in her novel is prevalent without fail. At its core, “Half of a Yellow Sun” is a beautifully intimate story about people that very much could have been real at this time, and any reader would benefit from the rich history, love and hope among ruins that can be found on the pages of this book. G

MASTER OF THE ARTS

Belgian artist Stromae uses his music as a mirror for society and a way to constantly reinvent himself.

BY KRISHNA PAMIDI

he catchy beats, melodious tunes and the exquisite language of French music has slowly caught the ear of many around the world. Belgian musician Stromae (whose name is an anagram of the word “maestro”), winner of the coveted Victoire de la Musique and the NRJ music awards, is a steady but sure star who is constantly reaching new heights. Stromae, or Paul Van Haver as is his real name, was born to a Belgian mother and a Rwandan father. His mother’s interest in and influence over Haver’s musical upbringing, particularly with Rwandan music, destined Stromae to be a prolific musician from a young age. Although he grew up in a musical household with three brothers and one sister, all of whom were dedicated to the art in some form, Haver was the only one who truly accelerated his career in this respect. After interning at multiple French radio stations and releasing YouTube videos around 2010 about how he produced his music, Stromae slowly caught the attention of avid music enthusiasts. However, he really took off after the release of his first two singles, “Up Saw Liz” and “Alors en Danse.” These two hugely entertaining songs landed him a record contract for his first album, “Cheese.” The crux of Stromae’s appeal lies in his efforts to bring awareness to persistent and pervasive social issues through his music. He wrote songs like “Quand c’est” and “Formidable” to raise awareness about alcoholism and cancer. The song “Papaoutai” from the album “Racine Carree” was written to share the stories of boys with absent fathers and how it affects them growing up. As a person, Stromae is at once prideful and shy. In an interview with Elle magazine, he explicitly said “I am not an artist. I have a problem with that word. Words like artist and star put people on pedestals. I am just a musician.” And to that point, Stromae relies on his thought-provoking and urgent lyrics and a combination of diverse musical genres ranging from house to Jacques Brel for some hip-moving, arm-raising and euphoria-inducing music. Still, although Stromae’s music is in a class of its own, he doesn’t advertise. He is just a guy making music. G

ON OUR SPEAKERS 37

MIXTAPE BY LORENZO MALDONADO

he Mixtape serves as our effort to dabble in and discover music across borders. Dive into our playlist of eclectic artists from Europe and Australia. These artists’ influences encompass electronic, hip-hop and pop elements. It’s clear the future of sound bears little resemblance to our current musical styles.

1 AUSTRALIA

PENGEDANS

ECDYSIS FLUME

Two years after his last EP, Skin 2, Australian artist Flume is finally releasing music again. On his latest mixtape, “Hi This Is Flume,” the electronic producer experiments with a new style of his genre-bending music. “Ecdysis”, the first track after the intro throws you into an explosion of synthetic sounds and Flume’s unique cacophony of hip-hop and electronic music.

KESI

The dreamy intro seems to set the vibe for an R&B anthem, but Danish rapper Kesi immediately changes the tone when he enters. His tracks reminds me of American trap music but with more interesting production and melodies. Kesi can truly sing and rap, crafting a fusion of American and Danish musical styles.

PARIS

LORD SIVA, VERA

Things slow down and groove with Danish singer- rapper, Lord Siva, and his unique mash up of singer-songwriter vibes and contemporary production flair. Synths pad the background below the gritty guitars which pan between the left and right speakers. His combination of different styles is one of a kind and it’s truly incredible to hear his songs grow and evolve as they elapse.

38 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

DENMARK

MEDLEYS VUOSIENV PÄÄSTÄ (FEAT. ETTA)

STEREO

As soon as the synths begin to pulse, it’s clear this dance track is a bop. Finnish DJ-producers STEREO teamed up with pop singer Etta for this electronic/hip-hop song with a stadium-size chorus, utilizing acoustic guitars and a gigantic future bass drop. It’s refreshing to hear a fresh sound which borrows from both acoustic and electronic production elements.

LILY

ALAN WALKER, K-391, EMELIE HOLLOW

Silky vocals glide over a guitar drenched in reverb as this smooth pop song brews. Warbling vocal chops, punchy drums and arpeggiating synths support Norwegian crooner Emelie before Alan Walker launches into a flurry of sparkling synthetic sounds. Billboard Music would be insane to keep this off the charts. G

FINLAND

Want to listen to more songs from across the world? Check out our playlists on Spotify and SoundCloud and keep up with our regular content on our social media:

Instagram: @suglobalists Twitter: @SUGlobalists Facebook: @SUGlobalists ON OUR SPEAKERS 39

SEASONED

41 GLOBALISTS GLOBALISTS // // SPRING SPRING 2019 2019 40

CHICKEN WITH PLANTAINS & CASSAVA WITH ATTIÉKÉ SAUCE

SEASONED CHICKEN 1) Wash chicken under water. 2) Clean it with lime or lemon juice and vinegar (anything acidic). 3) Brown the chicken in a pot with either corn or vegetable oil. 4) Once the chicken is brown, add a half cup of water to the pan and let the chicken boil. 5) Add seasoning when chicken is browned: • 1 tsp. Goya Adobo • 1 tsp. Ginger Garlic Pimento • 1 tsp. Garlic & Herb Salt • 1 tsp. Adobo with Sazon • 1 tsp. Maxi bouillon Piment 6) Add ½ cup of water and cover to let the chicken boil more. 7) Cut up two small white onions and add them to the pot. 8) Keep chicken boiling and stirring the pot for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is thick. PLANTAINS 1) Cut up 3 to 4 small plantains. 2) Heat up oil in a pan. 3) Submerge plantains in hot oil. 4) Keep frying in oil until plantains are golden-brown and flip them for about two minutes on each side. 5) Scoop the plantains out of the pan and place them on some paper towel to dry and cool.

This recipe is provided by Aminata Sanogo. Elements for this dish are based on ingredients and dishes from Côte d’Ivoire, the home of Sanogo’s family. PHOTO BY AMY NAKAMURA

CASSAVA WITH ATTIÉKÉ SAUCE 1) Put cassava in a pan on medium heat. 2) Mix together in a small bowl: • 2 tsp. Vinegar • 1 tsp. Oil • Pinch of garlic powder • 2 pinches of Adobo all-purpose seasoning 3) Cut up half of a small tomato, half of a cucumber and half of a small white onion and add to the mix. 4) After five minutes, add water to the pan and cover the pan for five minutes. 5) Break down the cassava into small, ricelike pieces with your hands. 4) Pour mix over cassava to finish. G ON OUR PLATE 41

PHOTO BY TAYLOR WATSON

EYES ON THE

PIES

There’s nothing more distinctly Utican than a good slice of tomato pie. BY TAYLOR WATSON

he disagreement pits me against my family time and time again. It’s three against one, so I usually lose. But even when I lose, I win. I’m talking about the great tomato pie debate, a quintessentially Utican argument. If you attend any gathering in the city of Utica, I can almost guarantee you’ll find some tomato pie. The dish is a staple at

42 GLOBALISTS // SPRING 2019

graduation parties, tailgates, holidays, summer cookouts, road trips—you name it. But tomato pie is not pizza, nor is it really a pie as the name might suggest. At its core, tomato pie is a focaccia-like dough with tomato sauce with a sprinkle of parmesan or romano cheese on top. It’s always rectangular. It’s always consumed at room temperature. While a few other northeastern cities may claim to have tomato pie (I’m looking at you, Philly) none are quite like the pie that Utica is so

proud of. The roots of the dish are not entirely known, but it was likely a creation born from the many Italian immigrants that settled in Utica, a city in upstate New York about 55 miles west of Syracuse. Today, the city prides itself on local Italian-American cuisine, including greens, vodka riggies, and of course, tomato pie. The aforementioned family feud stems from the slight variations in tomato pies made by different Italian delis and restaurants. I prefer my tomato pie from Napoli’s Italian Bakery and Deli. It’s the pie with the most sauce, a thick crust and some parmesan sprinkled on top. The rest of my family is team Roma’s Sausage and Deli, a place known for its sweeter, herbed sauce and garlic-y, spongey crust. But no matter where we order the tomato pie from, the box always seems to arrive home with at least one square missing, a testament to the irresistible pull of tomato pie. In the summertime, my mom makes her own version of the pie using tomatoes from our garden. She cooks the tomatoes down with olive oil and garlic until they become sauce-like. Then, she spreads the sauce onto a dough purchased from a local bakery and tops it with parmesan cheese before tossing it in the oven until the dough is golden. Her pie has a distinct tomato flavor — you can still see the tomato chunks as you bite into the crispy, juicy goodness that is a homemade tomato pie, a testament

to her Italian-American roots. I learned during my semester in Florence, Italy, that there is a large distinction between Italian cuisine and Italian-American cuisine. While related, they are by no means the same. And there was not a tomato pie to be found in Italy. In my four years at Syracuse University, I’ve tried to bring the magic of tomato pie to those who have never heard of it. My freshman year roommate fell under the tomato pie spell and eagerly requested that I bring some back to Day Hall whenever I made the trip home to Utica. I’ve found that purposely eating a pizza-like dish at room temperature freaks people out. One roommate who shall not be named went as far to commit what would be a sin in Utica— microwaving a slice. But there is something more satisfying about walking into one of the many Italian bakeries or restaurants in Utica to get tomato pie for yourself. You’ll find meats and Italian packaged products lining the stores. Most of the bakeries don’t have seating, so you’ll get your dollar slice or full tomato pie to go. You can’t miss the Italian flags and signs claiming the best tomato pie, a title taken so seriously that Utica has “Tomato Pie Day” to put that claim to the test. Don’t just take my word for it. To experience an authentic tomato pie, you’ll have to make the trip to Utica yourself. Then maybe you can help settle the debate of whose tomato pie is supreme.

DANIELLE’S

NAPOLI’S

Tomato skin taste Thinner crust Plain crust Crunchy Grated cheese Orange Restaurant

ROMA’S

Smell of building No seating, deli Sweet sauce Parmesan and herbs Sprinkled Garlic-y oil-y crust

Thick crust Dough-y Crunchy crush Most sauce parmesan sprinkled Traditional Can’t sit down

MOM’S

Local bakery dough Garden tomatoes Cook down tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, salt Spread on pizza crust Sprinkle parmesan Bake Thin crust G

ON OUR PLATE 43