Volume 106 Issue 11

The Fordham Ram Volume 106, Issue 11

Serving The Fordham University Community Since 1918 TheFordhamRam.com

Arts and Sciences

Barnyard BBQ

Reorganization

Owner Tells All

Proposal

About False

In Progress

Closure

By SOFIA DONOHUE

April 24, 2024

By HAILEY BAKER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Fordham University is spearheading a proposal to reorganize the Arts and Sciences. The project was initiated by the Office of the Provost. The Office of the Provost is proposing the installation of a dean of Arts and Sciences who will oversee the vice deans for undergraduate education, graduate education, faculty affairs and the executive director for finance and administration.

“In 2018, a faculty committee issued a report entitled ‘Reimagining the Function and Structure of Arts & Sciences at Fordham University’ that provided a set of recommendations.

One of those recommendations was to revisit the leadership structure of Arts and Sciences in about five years,” said Dennis C. Jacobs, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

On March 7, members of the Rose Hill College Council voted 21 in favor, 13 opposed and two abstaining on the

After experiencing a decrease in patrons over the past few months, Barnyard BBQ announced its closure effective Sunday, April 14.

However, on April 18, Barnyard’s Instagram page (@thebarnyardbbq) posted that they will remain open.

A widespread rumor among Fordham University students is that the bar’s owner Simon Kajatazi committed tax evasion to stay open. “Many people have the misconception that I was committing tax evasion. Now, if you’re doing tax evasion, you’re getting arrested,” Kajatazi said. “You don’t get arrested for not paying your taxes on time.”

Kajatazi admitted that Barnyard endured significant financial setbacks from COVID-19. During the pandemic, the government’s recommendations on social distancing decreased Barnyard’s number of patrons and the prohibition of outdoor seating, a significant business revenue system for Barnyard, also

SEE CORE, PAGE 4

SEE BARNYARD, PAGE 4

COURTESY OF LUCAS HJERTBERG AND ERON MALTZMAN FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Hjertberg and Maltzman recieved 818 votes; both previously served on the Budget Committee.

Lucas Hjertberg and Eron Maltzman Win USG Executive Ticket

By SOFIA DONOHUE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, and Eron Maltzman, GSB ’25, will serve as the executive president and vice president of the Fordham University Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) for the 2024-25 academic year. The USG election began on April 21 andconcluded on April 23.

Hjertberg and Maltzman have both previously served on USG’s Budget Committee. In Hjertberg and Maltzman’s platform, the pair emphasized responsible financial management, transparent decision-making and inclusive governance. The ticket’s platform also detailed specific proposals such as implementing a fixed tuition rate, installing air conditioning units in residence halls, pushing for equitable

distribution of career resources across both Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) and the Gabelli School of Business (GSB) and adding IDs to students’ Apple Wallets.

“Our understanding of the Fordham University community goes beyond numbers and budgets. We have actively engaged with students from all walks of life, listening to their concerns, advocating for their SEE USG, PAGE 5

Teezo Touchdown, Chelsea Cutler Set to Headline Spring Weekend Concert

By ADITHI VIMALANTHAN ASST. NEWS EDITOR

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Kennedy is special envoy to Northern Ireland and former Massachusetts representative.

Joseph P. Kennedy III To Speak at Commencement

By JOSHUA FIORENTINO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On April 12, Fordham announced that former Massachusetts representative and current special envoy to Northern Ireland, Joseph Patrick Kennedy III, will be the speaker for the 179th

Fordham Commencement. According to Bob Howe, the associate vice president for communications at Fordham, the process of choosing a speaker starts in the fall when the Commencement Committee meets to discuss nominees. Contestants are nominated

by students who fill out a form on the commencement’s website, and, as part of the form, the students describe why the chosen candidate deserves an Honorary Fordham Degree. Afterwards, the committee creates a list of the nominees SEE SPEAKER, PAGE 5

Fordham Campus Activities Board (CAB) recently announced Teezo Touchdown and Chelsea Cutler as their 2024 Spring Weekend concert headliners after much anticipation from students. The Spring Weekend concert will occur on Martyrs’ Lawn, weather permitting, on Saturday, April 27.

The announcement of the headliners comes after much

effort on behalf of CAB’s concert committee. Adeyinka Maddy, FCRH ’25, current vice president of CAB and previous member of the concert committee, explained that securing a headliner is a nearly year-long process.

“Their [the concert committee’s] process begins early in the summer, creating a master list of potential headliners and openers sourced primarily from artists considered in previous SEE CAB, PAGE 4

in this issue

News

Page 3

Opinion Page 10

RHA Relaunches Under the Tent

New York ’s Weed Regulations Are Unsafe and Irresponsible

Culture Page 11

Sports

Reflections on a Semester Abroad

“I Didn’t Hear No Bell”: Track and Field Rescues Season

Page 19

NEWS

Page 2

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS April 16 University Garage 3:09 p.m.

On Tuesday, a Fordham employee reported to Public Safety that, as they were exiting the university garage, their vehicle struck a temporary stop sign which lodged under their vehicle. Public Safety responded and dislodged the sign. There were no injuries reported. There was minor damage to the vehicle’s front bumper.

April 18 Walsh Hall 7:20 p.m.

On Thursday, a student resident of Walsh Hall became stuck in an elevator car. The elevator mechanic responded, and the student was safely removed. The car was tested for proper operability before being placed back in service.

April 19 Loschert Hall 8:20 a.m.

On Friday, the fire alarm was activated in Loschert Hall. Public Safety personnel responded and evacuated the building. The alarm was activated as a result of a smoke detector activation in a storage room on the fourth floor. The FDNY responded and inspected the area. The investigation did not reveal any smoke or fire in the building. The supervisor reset the panel.

April 19 Lombardi Center 7:30 a.m.

On Friday, a member of the football coaching staff notified Public Safety about a theft of a computer from one of the training rooms. The room, located in the Lombardi Center, was secured at 8:30 p.m. on April 18, and a coaching staff member opened the room at 5 a.m. on April 19, where the discovery was made. A video review was conducted and did not identify an offender.

Follow us on Instagram! @thefordhamram

April 24, 2024

Bronx Night Market Resurrected Following Quality-of-Life Concerns

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson celebrates the Bronx Night Market’s return with Marco Shalma.

By ALEXANDER HOM CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After shuttering for the apparent final time despite public outcry on Oct. 28 due to quality-oflife concerns, the Fordham Plaza Bronx Night Market is back for a seventh season. Organizers of the bazaar, held the first Saturday of every month, had initially announced that last fall’s market would be the end of its uninterrupted run since 2017, save for a four-month pause for COVID-19 in 2020. The Night Market celebrated its return on April 6 with food, festivities and gratitude aplenty to be back.

“After we announced our closure, there were over 10,000 DM texts from the community,” said Bronx Night Market founder Marco Shalma of organizer collective Masco Hospitality Group.

“99% were very supportive and appreciative of what we’ve done over the past seven years.

1% stood out: ‘We appreciate what you’ve done, but why can’t we have anything good in the Bronx?’ And that messed with us internally as a company because it brought back every reason why we started doing this in the first place.”

Benjamin Coco, FCRH ’24, is a Resident Assistant (RA) in O’Hare Hall. “The Bronx Night Market’s a really great cultural fixture that we’re really lucky to have so close to Fordham. As a

Resident Assistant, I and other RAs have held walkover events to the Market as a program and to help introduce residents to a variety of cultures and support local businesses.” Coco, who’s of Caribbean descent, said that he enjoyed seeing his culinary heritage represented. “It was really fun; the first Bronx Night Market I went to, I got to have some good sweet plantains which I had a lot at home, and I got a taste of home after having moved to Fordham and being away from my family.”

“I remember going to the Night Market my freshman year,” said Aurora Marcianti, FCRH ’26, who visited it as part of an RA’s walkover program. “There was a woman selling custom waist beads, and she was very cool and told me all about the culture behind them.

I was always super fascinated by how many different cultures were represented by the Market and how it shows the diversity of the area where our campus is located.”

Shalma attributed public reaction from Bronxite customers and vendors with igniting the push to reopen the Market. “We have over 700 small businesses, predominantly POC, women-owned, and for them it’s a primary source of income, so they wanted us to create a way to come back. That was the main effect. I’ll be honest, when it comes to that ‘anything good in the Bronx?’ that really affected us, to think, ‘Let’s figure out

if we can figure it out.’ After we left, there was a big push to get us to return and together work to make all those changes that made us leave in the first place.”

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “It gives us great pride to know our Bronx Night Market is set to resume another season of delighting both visitors and neighbors on Fordham Plaza. Not only is the site boosting tourism, it’s now a major Market, has become one of our borough’s premier tourist draws, and has transformed into a major well-oiled economic engine providing our Bronx vendors an opportunity to demonstrate our rich diversity in culture and cuisine.” Shalma thanked community leaders Gibson, City Council Member Oswald Feliz and new DOT Borough Commissioner Anthony Perez. “Those three stakeholders have been monumental, pulling everyone in, having conversations with DOT, DSNY and FDNY. So when I say it takes a village, that’s literally what it took to combat certain issues to return.”

The issues Shalma spoke of?

“Vandalism. I had to personally clean human feces every time I got to the plaza. There were safety issues with unsavory folks coming and stealing and breaking stuff from my vendors.” Shalma bemoaned unlicensed hawkers touting homemade alcoholic

“nutcracker” cocktails. “Though we’re in the realm of social justice for everyone, it came to the point where we had 20-30 illegal vendors every frickin’ time.” He noted that city workers weren’t enforcing security. “Our actual vendors were very discouraged, because they have to go through the processes and get certified.

Stakeholder conversations ensured DOT, DNSY, FDNY and NYPD understand we all have a critical situation, and that, if they wanted us to come back to the Plaza, they had to help us.”

When community leaders asked Shalma what it would take to reopen the Market, he knew the answers. “We gotta figure out a way to make sure our vendors, customers and teammates feel safe, and have departmental activation throughout Fordham Plaza, not just during the Market.

The more activation there is, the less likely we’ll see those issues.

We have to think about it in a more holistic approach. We also have to create more activities, events and experiences to tip it over in our favor, and we can reclaim that positive space for the community.”

“I’m honestly really excited for the Night Market’s return and to try an assortment of new foods, some of which I might never have even had an opportunity to try before,” Marcianti said.

Coco added, “When I went to the Market and held our walkover as a program, it was a really great opportunity to talk with the residents about our cultures that we grew up in, and learn about them and their backgrounds fairly early in the semester.” Coco added he looks forward to seeing all that it has to offer again.

When asked if the future of the Market is secure, Shalma sighed, “The intention is to accept the fact that the Bronx Night Market is part of the experiential fabric of the Bronx... It’s something that represents to the community that: not only can we indeed have good things, but also represent ourselves to the NYC community as fun, loving, diverse people that want to celebrate global cuisine with each other.”

Spring Weekend at Fordham Wednesday April 24

Thursday April 25

Friday April 26

Saturday April 27

Sunday April 28

Kick It at the Kickback!

HAHAHA! HAHAHA!

Meet Me at the Fordham Fair

Touching Down at Martyrs’ Lawn

Rachel Sennott Tells All

Edward’s Parade 2-5 p.m.

Fordham Prep Theater 7 p.m.

Parking Lot A 6 p.m.

Martyrs’ Lawn 1:30 p.m.

Fordham Prep Theater 7 p.m.

CAB’s General Board is hosting their Spring Weekend Kickback from 2-5 p.m. There will be a mechanical bull, inflatable obstacle course, cotton candy and a dunk tank.

Join CAB’s LIVE! committee for Last Comic Standing. Student comedians will compete against each other in two rounds of stand up. Doors for the event open at 6:30 p.m.

CAB’s Special Events committee is having their Spring Weekend Carnival starting at 6 p.m. on Friday. There will be rides, games and food trucks for students to enjoy.

Musicians Teezo Touchdown and Chelsea Cutler are headlining the Spring Weekend concert this Saturday. Organized by the CAB Concert committee, doors open at 1:30 p.m.

Executive Producer, co-writer and star of the hit movie “Bottoms,” Rachel Sennott is this year’s Spring Weekend Speaker. Hear her tell all at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

NEWS

April 24, 2024

Page 3

Palestine Solidarity Network Presents Memorial Mural

By JULIANNA MORALES FEATURES EDITOR

On Monday, April 15, the Palestine Solidarity Network (PSN) put a mural on the fence of Edward’s Parade memorializing the infants who were killed in Palestine before their first birthdays. The mural included the names of the infants who were killed between Oct. 7, 2023, and Jan. 25, 2024. There were a total of 258 infants named on the mural.

The mural listed the names in the shape of a Palestinian flag, writing in the respective colors of each part of the flag. The middle white strip of the flag was filled in with a large, cursive quote by James Baldwin. The mural was further decorated with symbols of Palestinian alliance, such as a Palestinian stamp, a famous saying regarding the Gaza Strip and other artwork representing the “Free Palestine” message.

When asked what inspired the project, PSN member Lele Nigg, FCRH ’25, explained, “We wanted to take up space on campus to honor the Palestinian martyrs of the settler-colonial Israeli occupation as well as make our organizing efforts on campus more visible and potentially connect with more people looking to get involved.”

PSN President, Heba Elsetouhi, FCRH ’25, explained how they approached the project, knowing its sensitive subject matter. “We put a lot of time and care into making the banner itself because its purpose first and foremost was to honor all of the Palestinian lives taken by the Israeli occupation,” she stated.

Nigg commented that PSN had

to choose an age group to focus on for the mural in order to make the search for names more manageable. After choosing to include those who passed before their first birthdays, the PSN found a list of infants killed after Oct. 7 but before Jan. 25 created by a reliable source. The PSN acknowledges that there have been countless others killed before and after the date range they included names from.

Nigg further explained that the PSN believes that their memorial and honoring of the martyrs is valuable regardless of whether others see the memorial or not. However, they explained that the primary purpose of the project was to create a visual demonstration of the extremity of the tragedy so that the audience would carry it with them and continue to think about it after leaving the display. “We knew going into the project that we wanted to personalize the deaths of some of the recent Palestinian martyrs in some way that named as many as possible. Our main goal was that the magnitude of that many names would stay on viewers’ minds throughout the day and potentially move some to action.”

PSN members tabled next to their mural throughout the majority of the time that it was being displayed. They had numerous individuals come up to them to ask how to donate. However, the PSN would like to emphasize that, though it is great that the students wanted to do something, the purpose of PSN is not fundraising, and money will not be enough to stop the tragedy

COURTESY OF JULIANNA MORALES/ THE FORDHAM RAM

Fordham students in the Palestine Solidarity Network hung up a mural on the gates around Edward's Parade. the Palestinian people are facing.

“PSN came up with the idea to do the banner because it was important for us to make the presence of Palestinian activism on campus known,” stated Elsetouhi. “We know that we have so many supporters at Fordham, so we wanted to do something really visible to show that we are here to stay and inspire others to join the cause.”

“As for future programming, we are currently working on a teach-in to happen Wednesday, [April] 24. We encourage students to keep an eye on our socials over the next couple weeks,” Nigg stated. Interested students can follow @fordhampsn on Instagram.

COURTESY OF JULIANNA MORALES/ THE FORDHAM RAM

There were colors of the Palestinian flag and the names of killed infants.

RHA Relaunches Under the Tent

By CRISTINA STEFANIZZI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

The Rose Hill Residence Halls Association (RHA) is bringing back its annual Under the Tent dance, occurring on April 27 from 9 p.m. until midnight. Under the Tent is a 20+ year-old tradition at Fordham University. The actual tent structure will return for the 2024 dance, following a hiatus in the spring of 2023, when the dance was located in the McShane Campus Center.

Under the Tent is a formal, themed dance held on Martyrs’ Lawn open to all Fordham students. This year’s event is Masquerade Ball-themed.

“We chose masquerade as the theme because we thought the student population would appreciate the classier event, and we knew we could deliver that to them through this theme,” said RHA Executive President Brinda Purimetla, FCRH ’24. Tickets, priced at $25, include a complimentary masquerade mask, snacks, water and desserts.

“Under the Tent is a truly unique event because it has historically been funded entirely by our organization,” said Purimetla. “As a student government, run by students and for students, our funds are not as expansive as other offices at this university.

Whenever we hold Under the Tent, we operate at a large deficit. This is the reason why we must charge a ticket fee to attend the event so that we can continue to hold it in the years to come.”

RHA felt the post-pandemic effects of COVID-19, including the decline in funds for events and the increase in vendor costs. “For Under the Tent, in particular, the year-anda-half-long pause in large campus activities meant that the funds we generally saw coming in from Under the Tent ticket sales were not available to us,” said Purimetla.

Post-pandemic, Under the Tent returned in 2022, but did not perform as well as in prior years.

“When we were finally able to arrange Under the Tent in 2022, we discovered that the increased vendor prices, lack of revenue from the canceled UTTs in years prior and the general unfamiliarity with the event within our board and within our campus community meant that we operated at such a large deficit that ticket sales did not adequately make up for the money we had invested.”

Due to this decline in proceeds, RHA opted to host the inaugural Rose Ball on campus in 2023, held in the McShane Campus Center, instead of under a tent on Martyrs’ Lawn. However, students rallied for the return of the original Under the Tent.

“We wanted to listen, to serve our constituents in the way they saw best fit,” said Purimetla. “This year, in a collaboration with multiple campus offices and administrators, we are bringing back Under the Tent in a way that will allow us

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

RHA is set to host its annual Under the Tent dance. This year, the theme will be Masquerade Ball.

to sustainably hold the event in the future without tapping into the funds available for residential programming.”

“I am so excited to go to Under the Tent because I’ve never gone before because I’m a freshman, and I’m excited to have an excuse and opportunity to dress up!” said Roxanne Fernandes, GSB ’27.

The event is open to both Rose Hill and Lincoln Center students, undergraduate and graduate.

The dress code is formal, with RHA encouraging attendees to wear floor-length gowns and suits. Entertainment includes music by a professional DJ. Tickets can be purchased online, COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM or through the link on RHA’s Last year, RHA hosted Rose Ball, a variation of Under the Tent, in McShane.

Instagram page (@fordhamrha).

NEWS

Page 4

April 24, 2024

Arts and Sciences Up For Revision FROM CORE, PAGE 1

resolution contained in the provost’s plan. Also on March 7, the Fordham College at Lincoln Center Council voted eight in favor, 21 against and two abstaining on the resolution. On March 13, the Arts and Sciences Council voted 26 in favor, 10 against and two abstaining. On April 4, both the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center Councils passed supplementary resolutions.

According to Sarah Lockhart, an assistant professor of political science and member of the Fordham College at Lincoln Center Council, the Lincoln Center Council voted against the resolution out of concern that Lincoln Center’s voice will be diminished.

“Most faculty at Lincoln Center don’t oppose having a dean of Arts and Sciences. Our [the Council’s] concern is that, in the new plan, the top person for each college is going to be a senior associate dean. Right now, the senior associate dean doesn’t have the time and position to be the face of the college,” she said.

Lockhart said that the proposed structure only has one vice dean of undergraduate education. “There was concern that that person might spend most of their time at Rose Hill and not be in touch with the interests of Lincoln Center and

also concern because both these positions [Dean of Rose Hill and Lincoln Center] are being eliminated,” she continued.

In the most recent proposed Arts and Sciences structure, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) and Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) each have their own senior associate dean. The senior associate deans for both campuses will fall under the vice dean for undergraduate education and will be assisted by associate deans on each campus.

According to Jacobs, the position of vice dean for undergraduate education will include ensuring that key elements of a Fordham education are consistent and high-quality, maintaining a presence at both campuses and relying on campus-based teams (led by senior associate deans of FCRH and FCLC) to provide support for students and programs.

The Office of the Provost decided on a new structure after faculty were presented with three models in the fall, according to Lockhart.

Jacobs said that the proposed leadership structure aims to provide the Arts and Sciences with a single leader who has the scope of authority, budgetary control and visibility into both undergraduate and graduate Arts and Sciences programs at both campuses.

“In the proposed structure, a single Dean of Arts and Sciences supported by a strong leadership team will be able to advance a comprehensive, coherent and coordinated strategy for Arts and Sciences that will optimally serve its students, faculty, and administrators well into the future,” shared Jacobs.

Both Jacobs and Lockhart echoed that the reorganization will not significantly affect students.

“In some ways, students will not experience significant changes.

Each campus will still have a dedicated leader; prospective students will still apply to either FCLC or FCRH; and each campus will offer comprehensive and distinctive programs,” said Jacobs.

However, Jacobs also noted that there will be improvements in areas such as major/minor declaration, research and internship opportunities, academic advising and the core curriculum.

“One way we hope to achieve that is by having a single leader, the vice dean for undergraduate education, who is responsible for ensuring Fordham delivers a transformative learning experience to all FCLC and FCRH students.”

Similarly, Lockhart said that she hopes the reorganization will lead to a more equal distribution of resources across campuses.

“Faculty and leadership roles that interact more with administration will see a bigger impact more immediately. My hope is, regardless what happens, it might make things a little easier and streamlined eventually.”

“I think a lot of people think that having this ‘above everybody else’ dean of Arts and Sciences can facilitate the process of streamlining, but we also want to make sure that Lincoln Center students have a voice,” said Lockhart.

Jacobs shared that the university will use the same process that is used in hiring every dean at Fordham to appoint a dean

of Arts and Sciences. The university will designate a search committee composed primarily of faculty to oversee a national search. Both internal and external candidates will be encouraged to apply. The current leadership structure will remain the same through summer 2025.

Lockhart said that many of these available positions are lower salary positions and, according to the Office of the Provost, the university will save money by filling positions whose salaries aren’t as robust as those of the deans of FCRH and FCLC.

COURTESY OF MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM

The plan includes restructuring of the deans in the school.

Rachel Sennot to Speak At Spring Weekend FROM CAB, PAGE 1

years, feedback from previous concert surveys and Fordham student Spotify analytics. From there, they conduct price checks on select artists from this list,” Maddy said.

The concert committee finalizes a shortlist of possible headliners through feedback from the CAB student survey, which then guides them as they further develop their lists. Shortlists are approved by the university before CAB extends official offers to artists.

“Once approved, the committee submits bids and prepares backup options in anticipation of any unexpected developments, as adjustments frequently occur,” Maddy said. “Once a bid is accepted, we

make contracts, and the performance is on!”

Gabriella Koczko, FCRH ’26, a member of CAB’s general board, noted a strong climate of anticipation for the Spring Weekend headliner. “I think that everyone was very anticipatory. We as an organization recognize how hard the concert committee and the rest of the e-board work to put on something that Fordham students will enjoy.”

“We were all excited to get to recognize and celebrate their hard work,” she added.

Students offered a variety of opinions about the headliner, ranging from excitement to curiosity.

“I actually haven’t listened to Teezo Touchdown before… It’s been fun to use Spring Weekend to listen to a small artist and expand my music taste,” said Koczko.

Other students noted their excitement for DJ Drëämgÿrl, the DJ opener selected earlier this month at Rodrigue’s Coffee House’s Battle of the DJs. “I’m excited because DJ Drëämgÿrl is doing a DJ set for it [Spring Weekend] and she won Battle of the DJs at Rod’s,” noted Grace Guerra, FCRH ’26.

Numerous students also expressed excitement for guest speaker Rachel Sennot, actress, comedian and writer.

“I was really jealous when I heard Rachel Sennot is speaking at Fordham,” said Courtney Valente, a first-year at Emerson College. “‘Bottoms’ is one of my favorite movies of last year and she is so funny that I feel like it will be such a fun time. I hope she comes to more schools in the future!”

“I am so excited to have Rachel Sennot on campus to speak, I’ve always thought she seemed very personable and could relate to students in different ways,” said Caitlin Wong, FCRH ’27.

Despite the variety of student opinions, Maddy notes that CAB tries diligently to ensure an enjoyable student experience.

“Our lineup is consistently a topic of debate among students.

There are always assumptions about how artists are chosen, who we can get and how much budget is allocated. When these assumptions don’t align with reality, opinions are bound to come. Nonetheless, the committee diligently selects artists based on student input gathered from our annual survey and within the parameters set by our budget and university guidelines. Our primary goal remains to secure artists who will deliver outstanding performances for our student body, leaving them with an experience they can remember forever.”

Local Bar Experiences Challenges FROM BARNYARD, PAGE 1

impacted business. Throughout the pandemic, Kajatazi attempted to make monthly payments of $17,000 as expected. “That, multiplied by 17 or 18 months, is over $350,000 that I still owe,” Kajatazi commented. “A lot of other landlords gave their tenants a break, but unfortunately, mine didn’t. So now I’m stuck owing all this money.”

When Kajatazi started at Barnyard in 2017, the rent was $10,000 a month. However, with economic shifts and inflation over time, the rent gradually escalated to $21,500 a month. This significant rent increase has outpaced the businesses’ growth, placing substantial financial pressure on the establishment.

In addition to Barnyard’s financial challenges, Simon’s Deli,

located on Arthur Avenue and under Kajatazi’s associations, faces financial difficulties despite ownership being transferred to his mother. In 2018, the deli faced a temporary seizure from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance due to failure to submit tax payments on time.

Despite these struggles, Kajatazi emphasized his love for Fordham.

His connections to Fordham go beyond the demographic of customers he serves. His wife has worked at Fordham as a housekeeper for the past 11 years. “I always, always love Fordham students no matter what. No matter the situation,” Kajatazi said.

Regardless of the circumstances, Kajatazi said that he will remain committed to supporting the Fordham community.

As a bar owner, Kajatazi employs many Fordham students. Shea

Brannon, GSB ’26, has worked at Barnyard since last January.

“Working here is nice because you get to tell [Kajatazi] your opinion, and he values us because we’re students and know when other students will come in. There’s been nothing challenging working with him,” Brannon said. “It’s just always good vibes here.”

As an employee, Brannon said that she feels as though Barnyard is essential to Fordham culture.

In regards to the rumors surrounding Barnyard’s shutdown, Brannon commented, “Obviously, all of our jobs would be gone, which kind of sucks because we did it to make extra money… It would be sad for the school in general because I feel like this is a pivotal place on Fordham Road.” The establishment, only

open eight days a month, serves as a hub for students to socialize, network and have fun on weekends.

Despite the business’ challenges, there is strong support from upper-classmen students to keep Barnyard a staple of Fordham nightlife. “I feel like we do everything right here. We have a good system. Our prices are pretty low compared to other bars. We’ll have four or five people working when some of the other bars will have two people working. I feel like we get to customers super fast. I think this is the most functional bar and best bar,” Brannon said.

However, while Brannon has had an overall positive experience working at Barnyard, another worker raised concerns about Kajatazi refusing to take

suggestions to improve business as well as high schoolers attending the bar. A student who works at Barnyard, who has asked to remain anonymous, said, “Barnyard is perceived as a freshman bar. I think upperclassmen aren’t going there, and obviously, a problem at a lot of the bars recently has been the prevalence of high schoolers. I think Barnyard specifically has trouble with that.”

Barnyard will remain open for the foreseeable future, but if it eventually closes, Kajatazi plans to focus on running Simon’s Deli. While Kajatazi hopes to increase business at Barnyard, he said, “I don’t want [anybody] to feel bad for me, and I don’t feel like anybody should come support me because of what I say.”

NEWS

April 24, 2024

Page 5

Hjertberg and Maltzman Receive 818 Votes FROM USG, PAGE 1

needs, and championing their aspirations. We have collaborated with student organizations, faculty members, and university administrators to foster a culture of inclusivity, diversity, and respect on our campus,” reads their published platform.

Additionally, the ticket’s platform calls for increased funding and staffing for the Office of International Services (OIS) to ensure that international faculty receive adequate support from the university.

Hjertberg and Maltzan received 818 votes. The runnersup, Ava Coogan, FCRH ’25, and

Zachary Visconti, FCRH ’25, received 616 votes. Andrew McDonald, FCRH ’26, and Samuel Daniels, FCRH ’26, received 502 votes. Deborah Adebanjo, FCRH ’26, and Nicola D’Abundo, FCRH ’26, received 434 votes.

“Our campaign was one of possible and positive change, and I think students were very receptive to that idea. I called Eron earlier and both of us are really excited to just get off the ground running. Obviously, he’s in London, but we are more than excited and honored to be blessed with the roles of USG president and vice president.

Again, very very excited to get

to work; could not have done this without everyone around us, who campaigned for us, who voted. Genuinely very honored to be able to represent the school at this level,” said Hjertberg.

The remaining members of the executive board of the 2024-25 academic year are as follows: Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27, will serve as vice president of operations.

Joseph DaProcida, FCRH ’25, will serve as vice president of student experience.

Reese McDonnell, GSB ’26, will serve as vice president of budgets and finance.

Angel Madera, FCRH ’26, was a write-in candidate and

will serve as the vice president of communications.

Emma Blake, FCRH ’25, will serve as vice president of FCRH. Catie Flores, GSB ’25, will serve as vice president of the GSB. Aidan Costella, FCRH ’27, will serve as vice president of health and security.

Nyla Patel, FCRH ’25, will serve as vice president for diversity and inclusion.

Isaac Muir, FCRH ’26, will serve as vice president of sustainability.

Chris Konefal, GSB ’25, will serve as vice president of facilities and dining.

The USG senators for the 2024-25 academic year are as follows: Luke Stinson, FCRH ’25, will serve as the sole senator for the class of 2025.

Joshua Fiorentino, Ava Cascella and MaryClaire McAdams will serve as the FCRH senators for the class of 2026. Ananya Grover and write-in candidate Adil Kadirov will serve as the GSB senators for the class of 2026.

Mike Rodriguez, Anna Brown, and Laila Sayegh will serve as the FCRH senators for the class of 2027. Adivka Dushyanth and Carter Soderberg will serve as the GSB senators for the class of 2027.

Second Kennedy to Speak at Commencement

FROM SPEAKER, PAGE 1

that they send to the Board of Trustees, who then decide who will be the commencement speaker.

“Joe Kennedy III, special envoy to Northern Ireland, is a rising star in the political world. He is a brilliant and engaging speaker, and is thrilled to be speaking at Commencement. We could not be more fortunate to have him with us on Commencement Day,” said Howe.

Seniors had mixed reactions to this announcement. Christian DeJesús, FCRH ’24, said, “I don’t have too much knowledge of him as a person. Obviously,

he has big family connections in a sense, so I’m definitely intrigued, and want to know more about him.”

Jake Verespy, FCRH ’24, stated, “I don’t have anything against him, so I’m excited to see what happens.”

Not every senior is absolutely thrilled about the choice, however. Leah Veneziano, GSB ’24, said that Kennedy was “probably not the person I had hoped [for].” Nathaniel Corven, FCRH ’24, said he felt more lukewarm on the choice: “I’m looking forward to the commencement as a whole, mostly the ceremony in general [but] I don’t have one

strong opinion on the commencement speech one way or another.” That said, some students said they were looking forward to the speech. “I’m looking forward to hearing how he crafts his message,” Veneziano said.

“He is a politician, and I’m sure he’ll be really well-spoken, but I’m not sure what to expect.”

After graduating from Harvard Law School and serving as the assistant district attorney, Kennedy began his political career in 2012 by running for Massachusetts’ 4th District in the House. After winning with 59.3% of the vote, he won the seat that would remain his

until his unsuccessful run for senator in 2020. While serving in the House, Kennedy helped pass bills that authorized research on Autism Spectrum Disorder, expanded education programming for the Holocaust Museum and improved the monitoring of cancers in firefighters in a voluntary registry. In 2020, Kennedy retired from the House to run for the Class II Massachusetts Senate seat against incumbent Ed Markey. He ended up losing to Markey in the primary for the seat by about 10%.

Joseph will be the third member of his family to speak at Fordham’s Commencement after his

grandfather, Robert F. Kennedy spoke in 1967, just a year before his assassination, and his uncle, Ted Kennedy, who spoke two years afterward.

“It’s an honor to be able to celebrate the graduating class of 2024,” Kennedy said. “Fordham has a rich history of being a diverse and welcoming community that centers justice and fighting for those most vulnerable. It is in that spirit my grandfather lived his life, so it’s incredibly meaningful to have the opportunity to address Fordham’s graduating students almost 60 years after he did the same.”

Fordham Catholic Worker Attends Vigil for Gaza Victims

By ADITHI VIMALANTHAN ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Last Sunday, a group of students with the Fordham Catholic Worker joined the Catholic Worker in holding a vigil for the victims of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Roughly 20 participants stood outside the doors of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, holding signs and awaiting the end of the 10:15 a.m. mass. The demonstration was peaceful and well-received by bystanders, many of whom expressed solidarity with those standing.

The Catholic Worker is a religious organization and community dedicated to living in accordance with the principles of justice as set forth in religious scripture and Catholic religious teaching. Their newspaper, “The Catholic Worker,” has been in service for over 90 years and has covered the Fordham Graduate Student Workers’ organizing efforts.

Fordham students have joined the Catholic Worker and have started their own unofficial club, the Fordham Catholic Worker.

The founders of the club learned about the Catholic Worker through the class “Liturgy That Does Justice.”

“Catholic Workers came and spoke to our theology [class] last spring,” said AnnaMarie Pacione, FCRH ’26. “We were encouraged to go to soup line one morning, and the rest was history… [we] began to organize with the Fordham community so the Workers could have some

young people around.”

Carmen Tratta, a Catholic Worker member, said the demonstrations began to refute the church’s silence on the ongoing humanitarian crises.

“This is a historical moment, this ongoing genocide in Gaza and Palestine, so we thought it was appropriate to come to the church because the church is not doing anything about it,” said Tratta.

“These are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and the church is saying nothing… At the end of the homilies here, [St. Patrick’s] one of the things that has happened because of our presence is they do at least mention Gaza — they actually say the word. For the first three weeks that we did this, they didn’t do this. They only talked about the Holy Land.”

“In the face of so much injustice it’s easy to fall into despair, but the vigil proved to be an experience of resistance and surprising hope by standing in solidarity and prayer,” added Pacione.

On March 3, Pope Francis issued an open call for a ceasefire in Gaza, encouraging Catholics worldwide to do so as well. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York has recently concluded a trip to Israel and Palestine last week, intending to meet with the families of hostages as Chairman of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.

In an open letter distrib-

uted outside St. Patrick’s, the Catholic Worker addressed the archdiocese regarding their lack of commentary on the ongoing crisis.

“As we witness the continuing horror of grieving families, orphaned children and a starving populace, we stand in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral to keep vigil and to invite the Archdiocese of New York to speak out and stand with us in this plea for an end to the bombing which has killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians.”

“From the pulpit, no mention was made of this from any priests that we know,” added Tratta.

Students departed together from campus and traveled to St. Patrick’s, where they joined Catholic Worker members who provided signs. The group stood outside the entrance to the cathedral for roughly an hour holding signs with expressions such as “Pope Says End War Now” and “Stop Gaza Genocide.”

During this day of protest, the entrance to St. Patrick’s was also occupied by protestors for Haiti, who both attended mass and sat outside on the steps with flags.

“When people walk past and thank us, or smile, or shed a tear, I know I’m in the right place, even if it’s micro,” said Pacione.

Undergraduate students across

the country have been organizing and expressing solidarity with those in Gaza. Most notably, Columbia students, who, as of Tuesday, entered day seven of an encampment on their campus, have been met with sweeping arrests, expulsions and evictions from university housing. At Fordham, student groups such as Fordham Students for Justice in Palestine and Fordham Law’s National Lawyers Guild have expressed solidarity with Columbia’s demonstration and the Palestinian people.

Additional information on events from the Fordham Catholic Worker can be found on their Instagram, @fordhamcatholicworker.

COURTESY OF ADITHI VIMANLANTHAN/THE FORDHAM RAM

A Catholic Worker and a Fordham student stand together outside of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

OPINION

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R

Serving the Fordham University campus and community since 1918 The Fordham Ram is the university journal of record. The mission of The Fordham Ram is to provide a forum for the free and open exchange of ideas in service to the community and to act as a student advocate. The Fordham Ram is published every Wednesday during the academic year to all campuses.

Website TheFordhamRam.com Email Address theram@fordham.edu Editor in Chief Sofia Donohue Managing Editor Allison Schneider Editorial Director Evan McManus Production Editor Hannah Boring Multimedia Director Grace Campbell Business Director Grace Miller Copy Chief Cailee Zeraat Assistant Copy Chief Madelyn Gerth News Editor Nora Malone Features Editor Julianna Morales Assistant News Editors Cristina Stefanizzi Adithi Vimalanathan Opinion Editor Saisha Islam Assistant Opinion Editors Zachary Badalamenti Eleanor Smith Culture Editors Claire Krieger Caleb Stine Assistant Culture Editor Isabella DeRosa Sports Editor Jonah Ring Assistant Sports Editors Griffin Stevenson Noah Hoffman Social Media Director Alexis Hurchalla Digital Producers Sophie Maselli Sarah Urbano Haniyyah Usmani Photo Editor Mary Hawthorn Advertising Directors Katriina Fiedler Kathleen Hollinger Diana Juarez Emily Roe Faculty Advisor Qun Wang Editorial Policy The Fordham Ram’s editorial reflects the editorial board’s opinions or views.

Opinion Policy The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of The Fordham Ram. Submissions Policy The Fordham Ram reserves the right to reject or edit any submission for any reason, without notice. Submissions become the exclusive property of The Fordham Ram. No part of The Fordham Ram may be reproduced without written consent.

April 24, 2024

From the Desk | Griffin Stevenson

Solving the Intramural Forfeiting Crisis According to a list in the Princeton Review titled “Everyone Plays Intramural Sports,” Fordham University ranks second, sandwiched between Gettysburg College and Texas Christian University. Funny enough, if you have played intramural sports here at Fordham in the past school year, you would have never guessed this.

Intramural sports offered

by Fordham have a forfeiting problem, and if it is not addressed soon, the Rams will be much further down on the list mentioned above.

Everyone knows the excitement of a volleyball or basketball match. After a long week of homework and tests, you show up to the court or field only to find out at the very last minute that the team you were supposed to face is a noshow. I would compare the experience to showing up at a concert venue only to discover that your tickets were fake.

People who don’t care about this as much might say, “Griffin, why are you complaining about intramural no-shows? I’m sure you’ve done it once or twice.”

You know what, they’re right.

I have been a no-show once or twice, but I believe my and most people’s reasons for missing a game can be avoided entirely.

While I don’t believe I will have the power to cause any change, I don’t care. I will give you Griffin’s three-step

plan to fix intramural sports because I want to be number one on the Princeton Review’s list.

For starters, can we all agree that scheduling playoffs during finals week sucks for all parties involved. Whether you are a referee or a player, it is almost always going to be an inconvenience for you to play sometimes multiple matches in one night at 10 p.m. the night before tests worth 20% of your grade. I have personally been eliminated and lost multiple playoff games because teammates don’t want to skip recapping for finance or biology exams, and I don’t blame them!

The next and potentially most effective solution should be to provide less leniency to teams that miss games. Currently, teams can forfeit two games before they are booted from the league. However, in most cases, teams can email the league where they are participating, explain their situation and get one last chance. This final step should be moved up a little bit. I propose that Fordham institutes a “one strike and you’re out” policy, giving teams only one forfeit. I am not entirely unjust in my solutions. Intramural teams that miss a game for whatever reason in this new system would be allowed to send a written apology for missing the game and be granted one last chance,

essentially forcing teams to beg for their place in the league.

These changes will force more teams to get their act together if they are serious about maintaining the league’s integrity. At the very minimum, it provides a way for more committed players to guilt their not-so-committed teammates into showing up while also eliminating the “bad apple” teams more quickly, providing less confusion come playoff time.

The final solution that all intramural players should love is hiring more referees and having officials who are somewhat knowledgeable in the sport they are refereeing. I know it’s beating a dead horse to complain about intramural officiating, but it truly is something that unites all intramural players.

Intramural sports are not life

or death, but when your basketball referee asks you for advice on calls because he’s never watched a game of basketball before (true story), there might be a problem.

If the current referees lack specific sports knowledge, either don’t assign them to those games or hire more.

Tuition was increased again, after all. Knowledgeable referees equal a better playing experience, which in turn equals more players wanting to play.

Lastly, intramural referees, I know you are doing God’s work, and I thank you, but some of you could use a brush-up on the rulebook.

So there we have it; I just solved intramural sports. I’ll see you guys out there for playoffs, which will be taking place smack dab in the middle of us moving out and cramming for finals.

Editorial | Summer Activities

Making the Most of Your Summer

This semester, we have written about many important topics, including the Fordham University guest pass policy, rising college costs and Fordham’s Graduate Student Workers union. Our goal throughout the semester has been to bring a thoughtful and considerate perspective to the Fordham community, and we will strive to continue this goal in the fall. Since this is the last editorial of the semester, we wanted to set our sights past finals and write about the summer.

When we were kids, summer was a time of no responsibilities. It was a break from sitting in class five days a week for months on end. You could spend the whole day outside playing tag with your friends or hanging out inside your living room playing Mario Kart.

Once the summer was over, you would feel recharged and ready to return to school. As we get older, our summers change, and we become busy

with jobs and internships. While we may be busier, taking advantage of the extra time summer break provides us is still important. That is why we encourage our readers to make the most of your summer.

One way to do this is by simply relaxing. Go lounge on a lawn chair by the pool or soak up the sun at the beach. Another way to relax could be to sit in a cafe and have an iced coffee.

Go to a movie theater playing the latest summer blockbuster.

Find a bookstore and search the shelves for a good book.

A nap can also be a great way to relax. You may find none of these options appealing, and that’s okay. The great thing about relaxing is that it’s completely subjective. You can do it in whatever form you like.

While people promoting today’s hustle culture may roll their eyes at the idea of relaxing, it has real health benefits.

Relaxing has been found to improve concentration, lessen

frustration and promote emotional well-being. Resting during break will help you get back in the groove come the fall semester.

Another way to recharge is by taking some time to learn new skills and ideas. During the school year, there is little time to focus on learning anything other than what is taught in our classes. Summer presents an opportunity to take extra time to learn outside the classroom. One of the unique things about the Internet is that it is very easy to find websites with free classes. Many famous American universities, such as Yale University and Harvard University, offer free online courses on their websites. With more time on your hands, it could be a good time to find a class on one of these websites and check it out. However, watching an online lecture is not the only way to learn new things. YouTube has many videos that you can watch to learn skills. Maybe you wanted to learn how to cook a dish during the school year but didn’t have the time — use the extra time to find a video and learn how to cook that recipe. As long as you’re curious, you can find a way to learn something. Once you get back

to Fordham, you can show off your new skills and knowledge to your friends.

If you have enough time this summer, try to travel. What is great about traveling is it helps you learn more about the world and yourself. It exposes you to a new perspective, which can help you think differently. There are so many places you could travel in the world that it can feel daunting to pick a place to go. Nevertheless, traveling does not always mean visiting the other side of the world. There is probably an area near your home that you have always wanted to visit but never had the time. Take the time this summer to see it. We doubt you’ll regret it. Hopefully, you will return to Fordham with a fresh perspective.

Finally, we urge all our readers to challenge themselves to do something new this break. It’s easy to stick with the same routine, especially during a busy semester. Summer presents an opportunity to shake things up and try something new.

Doing this will enrich your summer, and you’ll be back at Fordham in the fall with new stories to tell. Good luck with the coming finals, and have a great summer.

April 24, 2024

OPINION Arrests of Columbia Univeristy Protestors

By ELEANOR SMITH

ASST. OPINION EDITOR

On Thursday, April 18, Nemat Shafik, president of Columbia University, had called in the New York Police Department so they could empty a pro-Palestine student encampment. Shafik did not consult Columbia’s Executive Senate before authorizing the arrest of student protestors, and at least 108 students were arrested. The last time mass arrests took place on campus was during the Vietnam War in 1968, when Columbia and Barnard College students took over five university buildings and shut down the school. The protesters’ demands were met but only after more than 700 students were arrested.

College and university students have historically been very active in protest movements, and the pro-Palestine movement is no exception.

University retaliation against pro-Palestine student activists will not end the movement.

The decisions that universities make about pro-Palestine students are especially informed by the current political climate in which legislators, at both the state and federal levels, view higher education as a battleground in the ongoing culture wars.

Most well-known student movements in the United States took place during the mid-20th century when many

students spoke out against the U.S. in the Vietnam War and advocated for desegregation and disinvestment from apartheid South Africa.

Whether it’s because they have more time than adults in the workforce or because being in university sparks a desire for social change, students have actively engaged in protest movements throughout history and across the world. The pro-Palestine movement, which is by no means limited to university students, is another piece of the ever-unfolding story of student activism and university retaliation.

At Columbia, over 100 students were arrested for peacefully protesting on their campus. In February, 18 students at Stanford University were detained and charged with misdemeanors after protesting at a school event. 40 pro-Palestine student protestors were arrested at a sit-in that went to the University of Michigan, and one student group learned that felony charges have been requested.

Then there are strict protest guidelines. For example, Harvard University enforces strict guidelines so that the university can shut down any protest that “would interfere with the normal activities of the University.” Columbia has designated aptly named “Demonstration Areas” that

are available to protest from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and demonstrations must register two working days before they plan on protesting. In a letter to the Columbia community sent out on Tuesday, April 16, Shafik wrote that “this approach allows for fewer limits on speech — usually a desirable value at a university — because those who don’t want to hear what is being said need not listen.”

The purpose of protests, however, is to interrupt daily life. People don’t protest so they can say their piece and go home. People protest in an attempt to force others to think about issues that they would ignore. University guidelines that ban disruptive demonstrations, or demonstrations that happen outside of certain hours and places, could be missing the point, but I think it’s more likely that they know what they are doing.

On Wednesday, the day before Shafik made the unilateral decision to call in the New York Police Department to disband the encampment, she testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce with three other Columbia administrators. This hearing is part of a larger investigation into antisemitism at Columbia which began in February. In December 2023, President Claudine Gay in Harvard University,

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COURTESY OF ANDREW MCDONALD FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Columbia University maintains demonstration guidelines.

University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth testified before the same committee in a congressional hearing on antisemitism. Although Senator Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) did not provide any evidence of chants calling for the genocide of Jews on university campuses, she pressed for a “yes” or “no” answer on whether protest chants calling for the genocide of Jews broke college speech rules. The responses of the three presidents were legalistic and were condemned by both parties. Donors, students and faculty called for Magill’s resignation, and she stepped down that weekend. Although many were calling for it, Gay and Kornbluth refused to resign. However, after this high-profile trial, conservative activists began closely scrutinizing Gay’s academic work

and found some instances of plagiarism in her doctoral dissertation. Gay stepped down on Jan. 2, and conservatives celebrated her resignation.

Against this backdrop of congressional hearings as well as resignations. Columbia still holds fast on their decision to maintain demonstration guidelines and Shafik called in the NYPD to arrest peaceful student protestors. Yes, universities have been hostile to student activism in the past, even when they were not under immense public pressure and legislative scrutiny. Still, it is impossible to separate the conduct of Columbia and its president from the culture wars on the battleground of higher education institutions.

Eleanor Smith, FCRH ’26, is an American studies and history major from St. Paul, Minn.

The Ethics of Criminalizing Homelessness

By ZOË CHAPITAL

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Is homelessness only a problem when it is visible and inconvenient? I asked this question when learning about the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case, City of Grants Pass, Ore. v. Johnson, which will “determine whether municipalities can use local ordinances to ban homeless people from sleeping outside with a blanket or other bedding materials.” If the City of Grants Pass wins, it effectively criminalizes homelessness by allowing these strict regulations; those who oppose this stance, including me, argue it is cruel punishment to ban people from sleeping outside.

Before going into more detail, I will return to the original question: What is the actual problem with homelessness? For lawmakers, the problem is not figuring out how to get these people safe, fed and housed; instead, the problem is their existence, which leads to these ordinances that attempt to erase homelessness through punitive action. The criminalization of homelessness is a nationwide issue, and it’s clear that municipalities would rather back ordinances that push out, imprison and disappear the homeless population than solve the issue through radical organization

and a breakdown of systemic failures. The issue seems to be the people themselves, their existence and homelessness as an inconvenience to our capitalistic society that everyone else can allegedly participate in normally.

When and if the state can limit a person’s rights to the degree that they can criminalize someone’s status, how does that keep any of us safe?

We are not exempt from the experience of homelessness, especially when it is a side effect of the state; homelessness is a manufactured condition, not a personal failure. Furthermore, it’s dangerous and violently anti-communal to moralize the status of homelessness. As reported by ABC News, Helen Cruz has lived in the city parks of Grants Pass, Ore., for five years. “I was holding down two jobs when I was out here, and it’s still not enough to be able to rent a place,” she said. “The terms of low-income housing here is $1,000 a month, and that’s not workable either.” There are so many systemic failures and points of marginalization that impact the homelessness crisis such as illness, addiction, disability, racism, gendered violence, stagnant wages, the housing crisis and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many worry that the deep

impact will be felt nationwide if the decision goes the way of the city of Grants Pass.

The Jefferson Public Radio states, “Attorneys for the homeless say they fear that the city’s actions will set ‘off a banishment race with other municipalities, resulting in a spate of local punishment schemes that collectively operate as a nationwide ban on homelessness.’” The reality is that criminalizing homelessness will not put an end to it. The National Alliance to End Homelessness states that “until humane shelter, housing, and services are made available, people will still sleep outside.” Furthermore, there are incredible barriers to access; if you don’t have an address, you can’t get an ID; if you don’t have an ID, you cannot get benefits, then you can’t get a housing voucher, and it cycles again and again.

Many argue that shelters exist, so these people have no reason to sleep outside, but it is more nuanced than that.

The Associated Press says, “Grants Pass has just one overnight shelter for adults, the Gospel Rescue Mission.

It has 138 beds, but rules including attendance at daily Christian services, no alcohol, drugs or smoking, and no pets mean many won’t stay there.”

Homeless people deserve the same right to freedom as the

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

It is a cruel punishment to ban people from sleeping outside.

rest of us, yet it seems that courts are dead set on demonizing homelessness and diminishing the personhood of these people.

However, many in Grants Pass are frustrated with “the trash left behind after encampment moves or food handouts,” and it has been reported that used needles often litter the park grounds.

This debate is understandably contentious; residents want the parks to be a safe and clean place for children to hang out, but any move towards a real solution is stagnant. While “Mayor Bristol and advocates have sought to open a shelter with fewer rules, or a designated area for homeless people to camp,” people debate where it could be or who would pay for it.

However, this inaction is not sustainable.

Our governments on both

national and local levels have shown time and time again that they have little care in assisting in securing a decent quality of life for all people, even though housing is indubitably a human right.

Our government should step up and implement national housing strategies. However, in the meantime, mutual aid groups, individuals and grassroots organizations exist nationwide that are dedicated to ending homelessness without criminalization. If this matters to you or frustrates you, I invite us all to get more involved. To start, join your local mutual aid group online, attend community meetings or learn about NARCAN.

Zoë Chapital, FCRH ’24, is an English major from Walnut Creek, Calif.

OPINION

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April 24, 2024

The Race Against Rats: Restrictions on Reproduction

By SAISHA ISLAM OPINION EDITOR

When thinking of New York City, the animals that seem to best represent the city are rats. Resourceful, resilient and vicious, rats are as commonplace as pizza. Whether on subways, apartments or the sidewalk, most people in the city have had encounters with rats.

Videos involving the pizzastealing subway rat and people taking the animals as pets have gone viral.

Despite the humor, there has always been a love-hate relationship with rats in the city, which has recently been veering towards more population control of the rapidly multiplying rodents.

The devastating death of the famous Eurasian eagle-owl Flaco who had been found with rat poison in his system, as well as the uptick in diseases from rat urine in sanitation workers, has brought questions on implementing a new method of rat control. On Thursday, April 11, a new bill was introduced in the New York City Council, which would “require the city’s health department to deploy salty pellets that sterilize both male and female rats in two neighborhoods as part of a pilot program.” When considering the many ways of dealing with rats, I believe this approach to rat population control is more humane

and can be effective when combined with other measures, such as more effective trash storage.

When considering previous rat control methods like sticky glue traps, drowning and toxic rat poison — as well as hunting by dogs and humans alike — these expeditious methods not only show cruelty but also use up a lot of energy in targeting rats.

Rats are intelligent animals, and they are useful to us in conducting research as well.

When conducting research on animals, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee ensures ethical and humane research on animals which minimizes unnecessary suffering. The same approach should be taken when dealing with the population control of rats, especially if it is an effort that is relatively inexpensive and uses less energy than more active methods. If a more ethical and humane solution is available in limiting the population of rats, then it should be taken.

A pair of rats has “the potential to produce 15,000 descendants in a year.” Killing thousands of rats every year is not a feasible option especially considering the seemingly exponential growth the rodents have undergone. Targeting the reproduction of rats will allow less and less of the animals to be produced every year, making the population more manageable.

Contraceptives have been used previously in New York to control the rat population, but officials attribute their failure to the birth control being served in a liquid form as well as a lack of pairing contraceptives up with more effective trash storage and disposal. In contrast, the contraceptive being used this time around is called ContraPest. ContraPest disturbs reproductive functions in rats by targeting sperm cell production and ovarian function. One dose of the contraceptive prevents the reproduction of rats for 45 days. The form of the contraceptive comes in pellets filled with fat and salt which taste sweet and delicious to rats, providing an alternative to trash or even pizza!

When tested in the subway, the contraceptives showed “promising results” according to transit officials and are cost-effective as well, with an expense of about $5 per pound. More importantly, ContraPest doesn’t harm other wildlife, so it serves as a humane way of rat limitation, which doesn’t strain the environment.

Paired with more efficient trash storage methods that prevent rats from getting inside, the pellets will serve as a delicious and preferable alternative that has a higher potential of working more effectively than previous contraceptive methods.

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL /THE FORDHAM RAM

Rats are a perennial problem in NYC, and ContraPest could be the solution.

Overall, it is better to think in the long term when dealing with rats, especially considering their talents in survival and reproduction.

The new bill introducing the use of the contraceptive method ContraPest will help limit rat populations more humanely and more effectively by targeting reproductive function, especially in its pellet form and when

paired with better trash disposal techniques. The rat race isn’t over yet, but recalling the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady always takes first place.

Saisha Islam, FCRH ’25, is a biology major from New York.

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OPINION

April 24, 2024

Page 9

Incoming Debates Between Trump and Biden. Again?

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

The 2024 presidential election may not contain presidential debates.

By MICHAEL DUKE

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When the question over whether or not former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden will debate, one of the only things that can come to mind is President Ronald Reagan’s infamous quote at his own debate in 1980: “There you go again.”

On August 14, news broke that 12 news organizations have urged both presumptive presidential nominees to agree to debates. This news came after many outlets, such as the Associated Press, wrote articles discussing how campaigns, namely Biden’s, have repeatedly declined to

By JAYLIN SELDON

commit to joining debates with Trump.

On the other hand, Trump declined to partake in any of the earlier debates this year as his outlook was that he was his party’s presumptive nominee, and the focus of the party should be to beat the opposition.

Now, the former president has been calling out his rival, Biden, demanding that debates take place after all of his opponents within the Republican Party have dropped out of the race.

However, many people like me have been dreading any potential debates between Trump and Biden. This is

because the memories of the 2020 presidential debates are still fresh in the mind, and the potential for what is to come is both horrific and as embarrassing as inviting two uncles who constantly feud to Thanksgiving.

Looking to the past, Trump hurt himself in 2020 at the first presidential debate as many viewers, according to NPR, found Trump’s fingerpointing at Biden overwhelming and brash, with questionable statements about the Proud Boys being adverse to any positive points he made.

Biden has also proven to voters that the debates will be intriguing. Namely, due to his age, he has had many gaffes which leave voters puzzled. From his comment about Laken Riley at the State of the Union leaving voters confused about who “Lincoln” Riley is, to the bike or stairs mishaps, it is clear that the vigorous and lively Biden of the past has checked out or is completely missing in action.

With this being said, there are also many positives that voters can look forward to in any potential debates to come, as both candidates have had some positive moments since the last time meeting on stage in 2020 which can leave voters hopeful for what is to come if the debates happen.

Trump is still as naturally vigorous in front of cameras

as he has always been. From his many energetic rallies to his on-camera appearances in the wake of many impending trials, he has a fire under his kilt that is motivating him to be one of the best versions of himself that voters have had the opportunity to see.

Additionally, Biden has moments where he appears to be the sage grandfather of the nation as opposed to a geriatric lunatic that many GOP voters have perceived him as being in the past. For instance, he led Democrats in 2022 to win despite the “Red Wave” that was promised, gaining a seat in the Senate and keeping House Democrats standing strong together when contrasted against the current state of House Republicans.

Both presidential candidates have massive positives and negatives, and these are all components that will be present should the two candidates meet on a debate stage over the summer or shortly before the November election.

However, there is nothing set in stone as of right now.

There are no debates, just talk of debates from Trump and dragging of the heels from Biden. Again, these are both positives and negatives as Biden could easily switch the narrative and say he is waiting for the debates to come when voters demand it, not his opponent. This is

something that can damage Trump, as he can be seen as being too eager to take shots at Biden to score points that won’t have lasting effects in November.

However, Trump can also be perceived as holding the best interests of the nation at heart in the face of Biden’s lack of accountability on issues like inflation, the southern border crisis or unrest in Europe and the Middle East over multiple conflicts and wars.

Right now, the ball is in Biden’s court, and he is likely trying to take advantage of this unlikely opportunity to force Trump to make a play that would damage himself.

Hypotheticals aside, a productive take on the issues of incoming debates is that America’s laundry will be hung out to dry. Right now, we are a divided yet unified nation, and by putting the two individuals who are promising to solve the problems of unrest in the political ring of a debate stage, we might actually get solutions and come to a common consensus about the forward trek of our nation. This is something that has always happened before and will continue to happen.

Michael Duke, GSB ’26, is undecided from Scottsdale, Ariz.

Will The Real Ramses Please Stand Up?

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Will the real Ramses please stand up? We at Fordham University have had enough of that imposter and adorable spotlight-stealing thief Ramses down at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — it’s time for Fordham to show our horns and bring back a live Ramses. I’d like to preface this by saying that this is by no means an attack on our brave troops that brandish that surely stuffy Ramses costume at every Fordham event; I just think it would be cool to have a real ram marching alongside you guys to rile up school spirit. After all, two Ramses are better than one. With that being said, it is time to make my case for bringing back the ram.

Live animals have been shown to increase engagement between fans and a school — it is no wonder Fordham’s athletic glory days happened when Ramses was strutting and bleating around campus. Players and students love having a little fuzzy guy to root for. University of Georgia’s dog Uga flies with the team and keeps spirits high on the road as an official player with his own jersey. Players even consider it an honor

to sit in the same row as Uga. UGA class of 2019 graduate Charlie Woerner said, “I sat right next to him on the plane, that was really cool.” Uga is entrenched in every aspect of athletic life at the university; he’s in team photos and is an essential sideline presence — players and fans look forward to seeing him parading on the sidelines and cheering on the team with many forming lines to take a photo with him as writer Joe Kovac Jr. noted, “The longest line at the University of Georgia football team’s picture day is always the one with a droopcheeked English bulldog.”

Fans can’t imagine a world without Uga as whenever a new bulldog is brought in for a new tenure, they pile into the stadium for the collaring ceremony. Uga exists as a living embodiment of school spirit — the university owes a lot to that “damn good dawg.” With the love Uga gets, I think it’s time for us to bring back our own good ram.

My second case for bringing back the live ram is that it’s good marketing — Gabelli bros, you’re gonna love this one. Think about marketable mascots in sports — they’re all live animals. Why? People love animals. Live animals

are also easier on the eyes; put Washington’s Dubs next to the overgrown bird known as the Phillie Phanatic, who Bleacher Report described as “much like the people of Philadelphia themselves, the Phillies Phanatic isn’t always particularly pretty to look at.”

This isn’t to say our current Ramses is ugly, this is just to say that live animal mascots are proven to be cuter; they attract people because they remind us of our own pets.

Real animal mascots also provide fans with a spectacle they usually wouldn’t see, making the game day much more special. You can always see a guy in a costume, but you can’t always see a bear strutting around in Waco, Texas. Fordham knows this, though, which is why back in 2011, Gabelli teased us with a surprise Ramses appearance.

My final case for why we should bring back a live ram is that the students of Fordham yearn for a ram. As evident by the numerous animal accounts around campus and the goose-mania that occasionally strikes the campus, the students here are deeply deprived of a school animal.

I asked around my floor and 10 other students, and there was rounding support to reinstate the ram. Wesley Brown,

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Bringing back a live ram to be the Fordham mascot would maximize spirit.

FCRH ’27, said, “Yes, bring back the ram. No explanation is needed.” He even volunteered to clean the little guy.

Michael Charney, FCRH ’27, also agreed, saying, “Yes, but keep it away from Harvard.”

Jenna Vazanna, FCRH ’27, a noted orca fan, also agreed after I convinced her we could somehow house it in the Bronx Zoo. It could increase cooperation between us and introduce a wellneeded ram exhibit.

Now, before I conclude my argument, I know you’re wondering about the ethics of a live ram. That said, I think Fordham can follow the steps of Colorado State University and UNC Chapel

Hill by devoting proper care to their rams. Fordham can afford to give Ramses his own space, and I’m sure students here are eager to volunteer to make sure he’s loved and tended to. Ramses won’t be a circus attraction here; he’ll be a key member of the Ramily. To President Tania Tetlow, we here at Fordham would like our ram back — and to the current Ramses, we still love you, but imagine if there were two of you to maximize Ram spirit.

Jaylin Seldon, FCRH ’27, is a philosophy major from Harlem, N.Y.

OPINION

Page 10

April 24, 2024

New York’s Weed Regulations Are Unsafe and Irresponsible

By ANDREW MCDONALD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Hopefully, everyone that is reading this, whether you’re anti-weed, pro-weed, sober or California sober, had a good and especially safe 4/20. Safety around New York’s marijuana market has been a major problem. Ever since New York legalized recreational cannabis, the state has grappled with an unintended consequence: a surge of illegal smoke shops, which, in my view, is a direct consequence of New York’s irresponsible lack of regulation of the state’s cannabis market from the get-go of legalization. According to the New York City Council, “It is estimated that New York City is home to approximately 8,000 illegal, unlicensed smoke shops. Consequently, sales by illicit stores undermine the licensed recreational marijuana market, depriving New Yorkers of the tax revenues and community reinvestment funds generated from the 13% tax on legal sales.”

Anyone who’s been in the city of New York in the last few years will notice the absurd abundance of smoke shops that overwhelm communities in NYC more than overpriced coffee shops do.

These unauthorized outlets now overshadow legitimate dispensaries, undermining the legalization’s expressed objectives of social equity, economic growth and criminalization reduction, things that all require taxes from legal weed sales. The situation in New York starkly contrasts with “progressive” state of California and its more successful regulatory approach, which supports

legal cannabis businesses to stay competitive while regulated, effectively curbing illegal and “gray market” operations. As New York struggles to enforce its cannabis laws, there’s growing support for the SMOKEOUT Act, aiming to empower local authorities to shut down these illicit enterprises. “The governor has said she wants to give local governments the power to padlock illegal shops​​,” which gives us an indication from the N.Y. state government about just how far this issue has gone unaddressed.

New York’s journey into recreational cannabis legalization has been marred by the rampant proliferation of illegal smoke shops. These unauthorized vendors significantly outnumber the legally sanctioned dispensaries, creating a parallel market devoid of regulatory oversight and quality control. This lack of regulation not only poses public health risks due to potentially unsafe products but also stifles the growth of legitimate cannabis businesses that comply with state regulations.

Unlike California, where strict regulatory frameworks ensure that cannabis products meet safety standards through rigorous testing and quality assurance, New York’s illegal shops operate with impunity. The state’s failure to effectively enforce cannabis laws has allowed these shops to flourish. Residents express concerns, with one unnamed person noting to CBS, “It’s just everywhere, and unfortunately, I think they’re not taking into consideration the children,” which highlights the community’s unease with the unchecked

spread of these outlets, with no security requiring IDs to enter these smoke shops or dispensaries, unlike the state of California where all “dispensaries shall provide one or more security guards duly licensed by the State of California, Department of Consumer Affairs during business hours.”

Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar’s words resonate with the situation’s urgency: “We’re going to smoke ’em all out and close down all of these illegal smoke shops once and for all.” This statement underscores the growing calls for legislative action to empower local authorities to clamp down on these establishments, aligning more closely with states like California that have successfully managed to curb illegal cannabis operations.

In response to the unchecked proliferation of illegal smoke shops in New York, lawmakers are rallying behind the SMOKEOUT Act, a legislative measure that gives local authorities the necessary power to address this issue effectively. The act, championed by Rajkumar, is designed to empower NYC to autonomously shut down these illegal establishments currently under state jurisdiction only. Rajkumar emphasized, “The SMOKEOUT Act will give New York City the power to close down these illegal smoke shops.

Currently, only the state of New York has the power to do that​.” This legislative move is crucial for restoring the integrity of New York’s cannabis market by enabling swift and decisive action against non-compliant operators, thereby aligning New

York’s cannabis enforcement more closely with successful models like California’s. The support for the SMOKEOUT Act reflects a widespread desire among officials and citizens alike for a safer, more regulated cannabis industry that benefits legal businesses and consumers alike.

The stark contrast between New York and California’s cannabis regulation highlights the challenges and potential solutions in managing legalized cannabis. California, a pioneer and early starter compared to New York in cannabis legalization, has developed a comprehensive regulatory framework that effectively supports legal dispensaries and curtails illegal operations. This system ensures that all cannabis products meet strict safety and quality standards through rigorous testing and quality assurance, making California a model for successful cannabis market regulation, with the state even suing a California marijuana company after its weed wasn’t getting customers high enough.

New York’s approach has been less effective and harmful to almost all parties involved. Stoners want higher quality products, honest legal dispensaries want to remain competitive in the current market and anti-drug advocates want to make these products safer and less accessible to children. New York’s failure to implement a robust regulatory system has allowed illegal smoke shops not only to flourish, but become the market staple in the state, overshadowing all the legal dispensaries that comply with state and sell products regulated

by the Office of Cannabis Management. These illegal smoke shops operate without the necessary health and safety checks, posing clear risks to consumers and undermining public trust in New York’s legal cannabis market.

By adopting a regulatory stance similar to California and many other far more regulated “legal recreational cannabis states,” New York could better support its own legal cannabis market, enhance public safety, and ensure the economic benefits of legalization are realized across the state without an unregulated and uncaring free market, making the issue worse for everyone.

As New York grapples with the challenges of its cannabis legalization, the SMOKEOUT Act represents a pivotal step towards aligning the state with more successful regulatory models like California’s.

This legislation is crucial for empowering local authorities to manage and regulate the cannabis market effectively, ensuring that it operates safely, transparently and beneficially for all stakeholders involved. The future of New York’s cannabis industry hinges on the successful implementation of such measures. By learning from California’s approach and adapting these lessons to its unique context, New York can transform its cannabis landscape into one that genuinely serves its communities’ economic and social interests.

Andrew McDonald, FCRH ’26, is a political science and history major from Sacramento, Calif.

Student Views | Spring Weekend

Are You Excited for Spring Weekend?

MADALENA DIPENTIMA

AVA GRACE

SARVIKA THAMMANA

MIA FELIX

TADAEL MIHRIT

“I’m super excited about Spring Weekend! Last year it was my favorite part of freshman year. I don’t know either of the performers, but I’m excited to hear new music and spend time with my friends!”

“I’m really excited for Spring Weekend! As a transfer student, I wasn’t here last spring so I can’t wait to go for the first time. I know a couple songs from one of the performers so I’m excited to hear those performed! It’s going to be super fun to hear some new music too.”

“I love Chelsea Cutler but only know two songs by Teezo Touchdown. Also, very lame that they cut a student band that everyone loved!”

“I don’t really know the performers, but my friends and I are excited to go!

We’re most excited about the speaker, Rachel Sennott.”

“I’m pretty excited about Spring Weekend this year!

I’m definitely going to go and hopefully Teezo Touchdown plays ‘Modern Jam.’”

FCRH ’26

FCRH ’27

GSB ’25

FCRH ’27

FCRH ’27

CULTURE

April 24, 2024

Page 11

Study Abroad | Granada

Reflections on a Semester Abroad

By LUSA HOLMSTROM STAFF WRITER

As the semester comes to a close in New York while I remain in sunny Spain, I wanted to reflect on my time in Europe with some notes. These aren’t ideas to improve on, though I have a few (too much soup!), but rather places, customs and foods that I have come to love and will soon miss.

Americans love Europe. We love to vacation here, import wines, imitate recipes and study abroad. But what is it exactly about Europe that has such a strong pull? This semester, I’ve found it to be its public spaces.

Here, bars spill out onto streets with exuberant patrons, no one worried about glasses being stolen. In city centers, cars fill roundabouts on the outskirts of bustling plazas, home to restaurants’ tables and chairs, busking musicians and street artists. The party comes to you. At any hour of any day, you’re bound to be welcomed to the street by loud laughter and conversation in corners of cities like Granada, Rome or Lisbon.

In Prague, you can’t walk more than 10 minutes without running into a park, sometimes built into hillsides. The green space was so abundant that my friend and I found ourselves on at least five different park benches a day, each one offering different flowerbeds and city views. In the central plaza, people gather

around the astrological clock to wait and watch it change on the hour, every hour. This feeling of togetherness is reinforced for locals and tourists alike through the appreciation of a slow meal at an outdoor table and people watching while the day passes.

Memories from places like Lisbon and Paris are preserved with the honeyed glow of the cities’ warm street lamps.

When I was younger, the food I ate on a trip had little sway on my experience of the place, whether it was in Paris or Kansas City, Mo. Now, as I cram in every country possible before I leave, I am constantly looking for my next best coffee and meal. While some places weren’t all-too-memorable, there are a few that will be forever cemented in my mind as the best dinners — and cultural experiences — of my life.

In a New York Times article, we found a place that only served roast chicken in Geneva, Switzerland. At Chez ma Cousine, we ordered the specialty, a roast chicken served alongside heartily seasoned potatoes. When they brought out the plate, our identical orders amounted to two whole chickens and a heaping pile of fries.

We ate in silence, savoring every bite of the perfectly cooked meat, ending with the mutual consensus that it was in fact, as good as the New York Times said.

The following weekend, in Istanbul, which will remain

the most incredible place I have ever been, we ate kebab plates in a building that was three hundred 50 years old.

The dishes came overflowing with skewers, fluffy pita, limepickled cabbage, hummus and shredded vegetables. When our plates were taken away, every last piece had been cleared. We unsurprisingly had the most delicious coffee, but also found incredible street food, available for 10 Turkish lira, and truly believe that simit is the new bagel. Cooked fresh, they are light, doughy and topped with black sesame seeds. Though not on the sea itself, I also had incredible Mediterranean food in Lisbon. Chicken served on a bed of hummus (ingenious), red pepper dip and more pita.

In Morocco, while all of what we ate was new, my biggest takeaway was dessert. As an alternative to the other options that had dairy, I was served orange slices with cinnamon at every meal. My host family and I now finish many late dinners with them, a combination I never would have thought of but have wholeheartedly adopted.

Back to Granada. Having packed many weekends with travel near and far, I spend my weekdays creating a fine balance between home cooked meals at my homestay and experiencing restaurants and tapas bars in the city. My two favorites take two very different approaches. The first, called Las Lomas, is a restaurant owned by my host family in the mountains of a nearby town. First started in 1980 by the family, they serve delicious, traditional Spanish food like migas (similar to stuffing) and “patatas a la pobre,” which are slow cooked, thinly sliced potatoes with onions and peppers. The main attraction at Las Lomas is the thick cuts of meat that are served with simple spices and brought out with a hot stone, so that each piece you cut can be grilled freshly to your liking before every bite.

My most recent find here was Bar Poë, a tapas bar run by a husband and wife duo from England and Angola, respectively. As is tradition, each drink comes with a free tapa.

They are listed on the menu as

numbers one through eleven, offering items such as Thai cooked chicken with polenta, pork skewers with pineapple and garbanzo bean salad. The husband works the front, taking orders and running drinks, writing out checks by hand and from memory. The kitchen is also a one-woman show, which requires patience but exhibits authenticity. It is standing room only, with seats at the bar and space for four tables. Dinner and drinks for four never surpasses 40 euros. After trying nearly everything on the menu, it will be the first place I recommend to future Granada students.

As a result of the semester, I have learned Spanish slang and pushed my average dinner time back to 10 p.m. I’ve met people from all over the world and managed to still run into people from high school.

Though studying abroad isn’t always as footloose and fancy-free as it often seems, I’ve found it to be an essential way to experience new cultures while learning to appreciate one’s own.

COURTESY OF LUSA HOLMSTROM FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

The European abroad experience is an entirely new and valuable perspective.

A Must See: “Civil War”

By ALLISON MOFFITT CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I must admit that I was skeptical when going to see A24’s “Civil War.” From the early marketing and online discussions, I feared the film would be little more than a choose-your-own fighter meme with surface-level political commentary. I was incredibly happy to be proven wrong.

Instead of solely imagining the logistics of a potential second U.S. Civil War, the new film by Alex Garland (“Ex Machina,” “Men”) thrives as an intense exploration of the life and mindsets of war correspondents, the ethics of photojournalism and the cost of being willing to do anything for that perfect shot.

Though it vaguely imagines how a modern-day civil war would look in the United States, the film is intentionally ambiguous and apolitical, in part because, for the people it centers around, politics is merely white noise to the thrill and duty of the journalistic lead.

Kirsten Dunst plays Lee Smith, a photographer for Reuters, who, though scarred by the gruesome scenes she has witnessed throughout her

career, has an unrelenting dedication to her work. She and her partner Joel (Wagner Moura), a thrill-seeking war correspondent who often nurses his pain by turning to the bottle, plan to embark on what has become a nearly impossible mission: getting an interview with and photo of the president. In order to do so, they must travel from a fractured New York City to what is left of Washington, D.C. Because nearly all mass infrastructure is destroyed, they have to travel west to Pennsylvania and circle back through West Virginia and Maryland for their trip. Last minute additions to their group include Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), a veteran reporter for The New York Times who may be too old for this dangerous line of work, and Jessie, an eager young photographer played by Cailee Spaeny who mirrors a younger version of Lee. During the trip, Lee becomes a reluctant mentor to Jessie, who at first hasn’t learned to stomach the horrific sites of the job but eventually comes into her own.

Though these descriptions seem rife with cliches, the film

executes them in a way that feels fleshed out and believable.

Throughout their journey, they encounter various unexpected and often guttwisting obstacles. Again, the film provides little exposition for why people are fighting, or how things became that way. During the group’s trip, it quickly becomes

clear that they are in a country so fractured and driven to extremes that questions of “why” and “how” have become irrelevant to the daily quest for survival; the team follows where the story is and does what they have to to get out alive.

Fair warning: the film does not hold back on its imagery and effects. What little context Garland provides is designed

to fit within a discourse that feels vaguely familiar enough to seem believable to any American viewer, a device that intensifies the film’s violence. In the last minutes of the film, the group finally makes it to the nation’s capital, culminating in an intense, bone-chilling final sequence that was etched into my mind for days after I saw the film.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Set in an America fighting itself, “Civil War” is electrifying and relevant, and massively surpassed expectations.

CULTURE

Page 12

April 24, 2024

Overwhelming, Opposing and Outstanding: “The Tortured Poets Department”

By HANNAH BORING PRODUCTION EDITOR

A double album with 31 new songs. Taylor Swift has done it again — given us too much to listen to in one sitting and too many songs for me to add to my various playlists. April 19’s release of her 11th studio album “The Tortured Poets Department” and its surprise second album, “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology,” was an overwhelming one, copiously filled with obsessive mania, difficult themes and a jarring mix of the poetic lyricism of “evermore” and the signature synths of “Midnights.”

Safe to say, I love it.

After going through multiple listening sessions, I’ve compiled a short list of my favorites.

“Down Bad” has been on repeat, whether I’m at Ram Fit suffering through a 7 a.m. workout or on the Metro North to go to my hosting job. “Florida!!! (feat. Florence + the Machine)” is a cinematic masterpiece, and I can’t wait to listen to it when I’m driving again. “I Hate It Here” and “The Prophecy” hit a little too close to home, and “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” perfectly describes being a girl who’s good at compartmentalizing her emotions. Some of my other stand-outs include “Fresh Out The Slammer,” “So Long, London,” “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” and “The Black Dog.” (Can you tell I vibe with the synths?)

“Tortured Poets” has come

with mixed reviews, tied to the uncomfortability and intentional unrelatability of the overall album. One thing Swift is very good at is writing her deeply personal stories in a way that feels communal to the masses. This is how she’s been able to stay at the top of the music charts, after all. However, “Tortured Poets” is different.

This doesn’t feel like a possible Album of the Year winner, nor is this an album that would be a marketable tour — and that is exactly the point.

This doesn’t feel like an album that’s supposed to be digested easily. But let’s be real here: it’s not hard to understand these themes. If I’ve learned anything from this album release, it’s that a lot of people lack simple reading comprehension skills.

That sounds mean, but it’s true.

The lack of critical thinking going on online is baffling. What happened to metaphors? What happened to looking at context clues? Of course, art is always up for interpretation. But when that interpretation is reading one line and taking it at face value rather than looking at the whole picture, — a very detailed picture, might I add — it shows that most online critics of “Tortured Poets” probably did not pay attention in their high school English classes.

One instance of this is regarding a lyric from “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” that states, “You wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where they

raised me.” The number of tweets taking it at face-value, claiming “the ‘asylum’ in question” is her large childhood home in Pennsylvania, makes me laugh. In my interpretation, she is talking about the constant spotlight put on her since she was a teenager, and this would be a pretty simple conclusion for anyone if they just looked at both her career and the rest of the song.

The life of a child star is the asylum, and critics who don’t understand her lyrics definitely could never understand the life she has lived. One user quotetweeted exactly how I feel about this: “I’d say you have rocks for brains but you’d probably tell me that’s biologically impossible.”

Moving on, the idea that Swift’s level of fame comes at a steep price is a theme found throughout the album. The final song in the original album, “Clara Bow,” discusses how living for the approval of others is a curse and that women can never just be considered “good” without that being followed by a disparaging remark about another woman. “But Daddy I Love Him” directly calls out fans who attacked Swift for her rumored relationships: “I’ll tell you something about my good name / It’s mine alone to disgrace / I don’t cater to all these vipers dressed in empath’s clothing.” A controversial song for a few different reasons, “I Hate It Here,” states in the

first verse, “You see, I was a debutante in another life, but / Now I seem to be scared to go outside.”

The fear of the public’s opinion doesn’t even scratch the surface of subjects covered in “Tortured Poets.” There are many mentions of substance abuse, suicidal ideation and mental health issues, paired alongside religious themes — “Guilty as Sin?” — and prison cages — “Fresh Out The Slammer.”

“Tortured Poets” is not totally different from her usual style, though. The repeated beats in “So Long, London” remind me of the anti-climatic ones of “The Archer.” The comedic quips sprinkled throughout the album are relatable to the way we use humor to cope with our hardships, something Swift has done many times before. “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” has the classic, never-ending, gut-wrenching bridge she’s made her signature. Pop-queen

producer Jack Antonoff and Swift have found their personal style, formulaic beats from the original “1989” up to her 10th studio album “Midnights,” while the more acoustic productions of Aaron Dessner showcase Swift’s songwriting abilities the best, as we already saw with the sister albums, “folklore” and “evermore.”

Written over the past two years, Swift’s diary has been exposed in the form of 31 songs, for better or for worse. “This period of the author’s life is now over, the chapter closed and boarded up. There is nothing to avenge, no scores to settle once wounds have healed,” Swift wrote on her Instagram.

“Once we have spoken our saddest story, we can be free of it. And then all that’s left behind is the tortured poetry.” This was not an album for the fans, for the general public or for the Recording Academy, but finally, only for the tortured poet herself.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

Swift’s album is personally poetic, as she continues to add to her legacy.

Fashion | Andie Braithwaite, FCRH ’24

By GRACE CAMPBELL

Senior Shows-Off Her Threads

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

It’s a common experience for your sense of style to grow and evolve as you get older and have new experiences.

And for many Fordham students, just the environment of being in New York City and surrounded by fashionable friends makes you want to step up your game. This was the experience for Andie Braithwaite, FCRH ’24. Her clothes tell the story of where she’s been and who and what she loves.

Her outfit today gives a glimpse into some of that experience. “I’m wearing Adidas Gazelles in the color kelly green because I declared last semester that that’s my new favorite color,” she said. “I’m wearing a long white skirt, and I thrifted my navy blue tank when I was in Florida for spring break, and same with this sweater.”

On top of the effortlessly cool spring look, she wears unique pieces of statement jewelry, letting them act as a keepsake for who she is.

She picked up one of her rings while studying abroad

in Granada, which has had an undeniable impact on her sense of style today. While studying abroad, Braithwhite discovered the hidden gems that are vintage and thrift shops in Europe. “I definitely got most of my clothes abroad at this one shop called Mosaico in Granada,” she said. The affordability and uniqueness of the pieces allowed her to experiment with her style in a way that wasn’t necessarily possible before.

Another standout piece is her oyster ring that was gifted to her by a friend. The ring is significant to her ties to the Jersey Shore, spending every summer on the beach and surrounded by family. This connection to the Shore has shaped not only a large part of Braithewhite’s personality but also her sense of style.

“Whenever I’m thrifting, I have one adjective in my mind and that’s ‘sunny,’ so for the most part, anything that makes me think of the sun and happiness and color I’ll really lean towards,” she says. Thrifting is the preferred method of shopping

for Braithwhite, as is the case for her whole family.

Being able to find unique and personal pieces in this way allows her to express herself best.

Starting at Fordham, she often wore what some may call the college student uniform, a baggy sweatshirt and sweatpants. But in her sophomore year, she made her biggest fashion statement yet: bangs! One small step for hair, one giant leap for selfexpression! Starting there, she found it was easier to define her personal look. Along with the confidence she was beginning to gain in herself and the influence of those around her, Braithwaite was able to create a look that’s all her own.

“I think that’s what fashion is, just taking little pieces of influence from everyone, so I definitely give credit to that.”

Arguably, the best part of fashion is seeing every person’s unique take on it and what makes them feel the most like themselves. All the pieces put together are a window into the heart of who that person is. For Braithwaite, just one look at her outfit today

and you can see she is someone who feels good about the

world around her, and you will feel brighter in her presence.

COURTESY OF GRACE CAMPBELL/THE FORDHAM RAM

Braithwaite shines here in her signature style.

CULTURE

April 24, 2024

Page 13

Who’s That Kid | Cambria Martinez, FCRH ’24

Senior Dedicates Her Fordham Years To Philanthropy

By MARY HAWTHORN PHOTO EDITOR

Cambria Martinez, FCRH ’24, has fostered her passion for philanthropy as President of Fordham Circle K, the university’s chapter of Circle K International, “one of the world’s largest student-led collegiate service organizations, with thousands of members on hundreds of campuses across the globe.”

Martinez is from San Diego with a major in communication and culture and minors in environmental studies and Latino American and Latino studies. Over the course of her four years at Rose Hill, she has made it her mission to make a meaningful impact in the Bronx community and has certainly been successful.

Philanthropy has always been a pillar of Martinez’s character. In high school, she and her best friends founded Foster Friends, a club that partnered with organizations that support families and children in the foster care system. When reflecting back on that experience, Martinez shared, “I felt a connection to the community that I had previously never experienced, and I met people with vastly different life

experiences. Service work can be sombering, there is joy in seeing people unite and care about one another.”

Martinez was eager to get involved with service when she came to Fordham, but unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions hindered in-person community engagement. “When I got to Fordham, I knew I wanted to join a service club and connect in a similar way to the Bronx. Because it was 2020, my friend and I hopped on a virtual club fair site and found Circle K. We attended Zoom meetings and by sophomore year we were doing service… Since then, we have continued to rebuild the club to what it is today.”

Despite some challenges at the beginning of her philanthropic journey at Fordham, Martinez is leading one of the most popular and impactful clubs on campus. Her dedication to the betterment of the community shines through at each meeting rooted in the Jesuit ideology of “men and women for others.” Martinez works closely with the incredible Circle K Executive Board composed of Vice President Julia Rabbia, GSB ’24, as well as Secretary Jillian Beliveau,

GSB ’24, Treasurer Corri Villany, GSB ’24, and Social Media Manager Caley Knox, FCRH ’24. A major part of Circle K is the warm and welcoming community. “It is a super uplifting environment because the other members are all there to make a difference. At meetings, we always have a service activity and students come to meetings after a long day of classes and are all happy to help the community,” said Martinez. Additionally, Circle K receives advice and unconditional support from their parent organization, Fordham Kiwanis.

Circle K has hosted many enriching service events for the community. Some of these include the Diaper Drive for Part of The Solution, Circle Cards for the Jesuits in Murray-Weigel Hall, building gardening beds at Mapes Avenue Garden and the Socks of Love toiletry drive, just to name a few. Although all of these events were absolutely wonderful and impactful, Martinez shared her favorite Circle K tradition: “We always love doing Project Linus, which is when we make blankets for hospitalized children. The turn out is always fun and it’s so satisfying to see the stack of

adorable blankets that we always finish with.”

As graduation approaches, Martinez has laid the framework for the club in the years to come. “My main goal was to continue the momentum we picked up last year in gaining new members and transferring the club into capable hands,” she said.

Martinez’s initiative was to implement a Kiwanis Junior Board, where current members could shadow and learn from the current board.

Members had the opportunity to apply in December and were informed of their

results before the semester began. As the current Junior President, I am so excited to fill this role and am so thankful for Martinez’s leadership and mentorship.

When asked about next year, Martinez commented, “I hope Circle K continues to grow and service participation increases. I’m optimistic; Circle K is in good hands thanks to our Junior Board and Kiwanis advisors.” If interested in joining Circle K, students can email circlek@fordham.edu or follow @circlekrams on their club Instagram.

COURTESY OF MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM

Martinez leaves her mark on Fordham through the Circle K club.

Out Of This World? Lincoln Center’s “The Wedding Gift”

By ONJALI GOMEZ

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The vibrant energy of Fordham University’s Lincoln Center stage was electrified by the performance of “The Wedding Gift,” a theatrical masterpiece that left the audience puzzled but understanding at the same time. The production, displayed from April 11-20, featured a talented cast of graduating actors and rising stars and transcended the boundaries of conventional storytelling, delivering an otherworldly experience that resonated long after the final curtain call. Each actor brought a unique depth to their character through their gestures.

This ultimately enriched the overall performance.

Performed with an environment that consists of an unidentified language spoken throughout, “The Wedding Gift” drew viewers into a mysterious universe. The story starts off with Nahlis and Beshrum’s wedding, where no gift seems appropriate until they receive an unusual one: a human pet whose sixyear-old daughter Hannah is waiting for him at home. A fascinating performance of love, sacrifice and the intricacies of human connection is initiated by this unusual gift.

Crafting a performance where the cast spoke an entirely fabricated language was a challenging feat, yet the

cast of “The Wedding Gift” executed it with remarkable finesse. Despite the unknown meaning of the language, the actors managed to immerse the audience completely in the scenes. Through their expert use of body language, facial expressions and emotive gestures, the cast effectively conveyed the nuances of the story, ensuring that every audience member felt connected and engaged throughout the performance. It was a testament to their skill and dedication that, despite the linguistic barrier, the narrative unfolded seamlessly, allowing us to understand and empathize with the characters on a profound level.

The story delves deeply into issues of love, sacrifice and the quest for belonging. The cast of “The Wedding Gift” takes spectators on a journey of change and discovery through enthralling stories and fascinating performances, leaving them speechless with amazement and admiration. Long after the last bow, the in-depth examination of these subjects continues to ring true, encouraging reflection and discussion.

One of Fordham’s graduating actors, Asa Nestlehutt, FCRH ’24, portrayed Beshrum and illuminated the stage with a larger-than-life presence.

Nestlehutt’s performance captivated the audience from the

moment he stepped into the spotlight with his black boots.

His portrayal of Beshrum added comedic tones to the play’s overall performance and kept the audience entertained whenever he entered the visibility of the audience.

Caroline Pastilha’s portrayal of Kamsuh was nothing short of phenomenal.

Constantly speaking in an amazing tongue, she allowed the audience to understand what she was saying with just her gestures alone. I believed Kamsuh to be a stubborn and strict mother to Nahlis — yet it can be up to anyone’s interpretation. Pastilha’s mesmerizing performance breathed life into the character, showcasing her versatility and skill as an actress.

Making his main stage debut was actor Cade Parker, FCRH ’26, whose portrayal of Doug was a revelation. Parker’s raw talent and natural charisma shone through in his performance, commanding the stage with confidence and poise. From entering the stage as a degraded lifeless being, he made his way to the top through his understanding of others’ emotions around him.

In this play, Doug is the “petlike” being and also the gift given to the couple at their wedding. Parker’s portrayal of Doug brought a refreshing energy to the production, injecting humor and

heart into the narrative.

Doug’s character gives the audience time to pause and reflect on how we treat others based on social hierarchy.

The audience is put in a position as to whether or not they should be trusting and accepting of others who are different from you. Should Doug just accept the fate that he was given? Should he trust this new family that he belongs to? These questions end up being answered in a surprising twist ending that leaves a good impression on the audience that stays long after you leave the theater.

Arden Carethers, a first-year international transfer student,

made her mainstage debut with a captivating performance as Nahlis. Her performance was a testament to her talent and dedication, earning her praise from the audience.

The main female role can be challenging to bring light to yet, Carethers made this difficult task look easy.

In conclusion, Fordham’s production of “The Wedding Gift” stands as a testament to the power of theatre to transport, inspire and transform. With a talented cast, innovative staging and a compelling narrative, the amazing performance leaves an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of all who experience it.

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

‘The Wedding Gift” takes the viewer on an unforgettable journey.

Page 14

CULTURE “Brandy Hellville”: What About the Shady CEO?

By CAILEE ZERAAT COPY CHIEF

“Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion,” a documentary released on March 11, 2024, details the shady practices behind the popular fast-fashion brand, Brandy Melville. The film, which is available to watch on HBO, featured interviews with former Brandy Melville employees, investigative journalists and anti-fast fashion activists. In the hour-and-a-half long documentary, interviewees revealed how brand founder Stephan Marsan

and other company leaders have participated in a slew of horrific actions, including racism, sexism, fat-shaming and worker exploitation. Additionally, the documentary spends time addressing the harmful effects of fast fashion as a whole.

Although the documentary offered new insight into the overall predatory business of Brandy Melville, the brand is not a stranger to being exposed for its problematic practices. Back in 2020, former employees spoke out against the brand’s racism

and body-shaming. While this caused some consumers to criticize the brand, the uproar was short-lived. In fact, the brand has never seen significant financial suffering from criticism, with their sales in 2023 totalling $212.5 million, an increase from $169.6 million in 2019.

So, why has Brandy Melville never been subject to the same scrutiny as other fashion brands? Social activist movements have been on the rise over the past few years, and consumers are quick to cancel brands like Victoria’s

COURTESY OF TWITTER

The documentary did not have as big of an impact on the clothing company as it intended to.

Secret, for failure to feature diverse body types, and SHEIN, for their harmful fast fashion practices. However, Brandy Melville remains unaffected, despite their actions being arguably worse than any other fashion brand.

From its beginnings, the brand has been rooted in elitism. The brand famously has a single size, which is equivalent to that of an American small or extra-small. The clothes are always on trend, seen on the bodies of celebrities and teenage girls alike.

The image of the “Brandy girl” became popular for the social media aesthetic curated on the brand’s Instagram page, featuring mainly skinny, blonde, white girls. The idea that trendy, in-fashion clothing is limited to a specific body type and race is obviously harmful; however, even when the brand has been called out for this exclusionary attitude, people still continue to crowd their stores and flaunt their hauls on social media.

The documentary, although informative, failed to truly focus on the most important issues surrounding Brandy Melville. While fast fash-

April 24, 2024

ion is something everyone should be concerned about due to its environmental impacts, most people who shop at Brandy Melville, and most consumers in general, are already overwhelmed by the constant barrage of anti-fast fashion activism. Fast fashion and overconsumption is not a new issue; it is an issue that most people are already aware of. However, the documentary spent too much time on this issue, rather than focusing on more jarring details, like Marsan dressing as Adolf Hitler and requesting full-body photos of underage Brandy Melville employees.

Because of this out-of-touch approach, the documentary will probably not impact Brandy Melville’s sales or public image. The documentary was released over a month ago, but other than a few news articles and TikToks, there has been no widespread social change to stop shopping the brand.

While it had the potential to cause some serious harm to the brand, “Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion” ultimately centered itself on the wrong issues, explaining why its impact thus far has been negligible.

Editor’s Pick | Film

“Whip It” Promotes Female Relationships: Roller Derby Style

By ALLISON SCHNEIDER MANAGING EDITOR

Some of my favorite movies are those that fail the reverse Bechdel test. It is even better if they do so purposefully. So much of the media I am encouraged to consume is made by men, about men and for men, so when I get the opportunity to appreciate the opposite, I take it.

The reverse Bechdel test refers to cartoonist Allison Bechdel’s accidentally created but now famous checklist for movies to determine if they contain a certain amount of female representation. The original Bechdel test has three criteria wrapped into one: (1) the movie must have at least two women in it (2) who talk to each other (3) about something other than a man. The reverse Bechdel test would be a movie with at least two men talking to each other about something other than a woman. The movies that fail this test are often children’s movies catered to young girls. Think “Barbie” and the Disney princess movies.

However, there are some rare but wonderful occasions when a live-action, mid-budget film finds itself right in the middle of all that animated pinkness.

Drew Barrymore’s 2009 boxoffice disappointment, “Whip It,” is one of those occasions.

The film follows 17-year-old Bliss Cavendar (Elliot Page), a pageant contestant from the small town of Bodeen, Texas.

At the start of the movie she has one friend, works at a restaurant called the “Oink Joint” and is constantly fighting with her mother. Bliss, feeling trapped in her hometown, steps out of her comfort zone and into the intense world of the Austin, Texas, roller derby scene. Throughout the course of the movie, Bliss goes from underage newbie to league superstar as she carries her team, the perpetually losing “Hurl Scouts,” all the way to the league championship bout.

“Whip It” fails the reverse Bechdel test spectacularly.

The only male characters of note are Bliss’ father, Bliss’ boyfriend, Bliss’ coworker, the coach of the “Hurl Scouts” and the announcer for the roller derby bouts who is inexplicably played by Jimmy Fallon. The role of these men is largely to elevate their women counterparts. Even Bliss’ boyfriend, who likely cheats on her towards the end of the film, ultimately augments Bliss’ character because Bliss is able to recognize that she deserves more and dumps him in grand fashion.

The lack of men in the film leaves a lot of room for the movie’s women to develop.

Bliss, her mother, one of her teammates, her roller derby rival and her best friend all have fairly fleshed-out character arcs and complex relationships with each other. As such, “Whip It” watches a bit like a

sports comedy-drama version of “Little Women” in the best possible way.

It’s refreshing to see so much space dedicated to the exploration of young women’s relationships with each other.

Like most teenage girls, Bliss’ relationship with her mother is tense. Their dynamic is incredibly relatable, but the film also gives some good perspective on mother-daughter relationships.

Bliss finds out her mother is not all that different from herself, and the two of them end the movie on much better terms after getting to know each other as individuals.

Bliss and her best friend, Pash, demonstrate another important friendship struggle many young women face: shifting priorities. The two teenage girls, once inseparable, spend less and less time together as the movie progresses. Bliss spends too much time at roller derby while Pash is focused on her SAT-prep classes and college applications. The two girls have to fight to keep their friendship together and adjust to their changing circumstances, especially with college quickly approaching. The coming-of-age themes in the movie obviously speak to a high school-age audience, but these types of changes don’t just end after 12th grade.

Seeing women who clearly value their friendship with each other push through a rough patch is another of the film’s hopeful moments, and it still

rings true for those of us in our early 20s.

Aside from these more serious plot points, the film is also incredibly fun. The way it portrays the world of roller derby, especially in contrast to Bliss’ quieter life in Bodeen, makes me want to pick up a pair of skates myself. From the fishnet tights, colorful outfits and smudged eyeliner to the intense rink fights, sick bruises and the derby crowds waving homemade posters, who wouldn’t want to be a part of the excitement?

Originally based on Shauna Cross’ novel, “Derby Girl,” “Whip It” the movie really amps up the grit and exhilaration of roller derby, and I think a large part of the novel’s and movie’s success is its dedication to uplifting women’s stories. As a high school first-year watching the movie for the

first time, I felt seen in Bliss’ relationship with her mother and her struggle to compress herself into her small town.

Watching Bliss find herself in the world of roller derby was inspiring, and the movie continues to be a fun watch for me, even today.

While I know I’ll probably never join a roller derby league and end up responsible for carrying my team to (almost) victory, I know that I can find myself in other things, hopefully, surrounded by friends who want to lift me up the same way that Bliss’ teammates did for her.

But if “Whip It” taught me nothing else, it’s that I need to get in on the action. You can find me in the crowd at New York City’s Gotham Roller Derby rink, cheering on the Bronx Gridlock this upcoming derby season.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

“Whip It” has a fresh view on female characters and relationships.

CULTURE Scenes From ‘the’ Italian Restaurant: Picciotto

April 24, 2024

By ALEXANDER HOM

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“I apologize if I seem too focused — I don’t want to seem rude, it’s just that…”

Alessandro Ancona gestures to his Margherita coming to life; the picturesque pizza worth a “mille” (thousand) words. “I cannot let myself become distracted,” the softspoken chef smiles apologetically. That’s one of the few times Ancona fully turns toward me, his focus on the food at his blurring hands… but that’s likely where true customers want their beloved chef’s attention to be.

Ancona was born and raised on the island of Sicily, and now at his Picciotto Sicilian Street Food and Cafe, he serves up unrelentingly traditional, freshly-made and delectable food seemingly heaven-sent from the ball on the toes of the Italian peninsula’s boot to the northeastern corner of Queens, steps from the Douglaston stop of the LIRR Port Washington line.

“When I was in the military [back in Sicily], I was one of the smallest guys,” grins the 5-foot-6, slim-built 46-year-old veteran, who entered service due to Italian conscription laws (abolished New Year’s Day 2005). “So the others in my unit began calling me picciotto” — a diminutive moniker for a little boy of intrepid character — “and I’ve kept the name with me since.”

Before Picciotto came to be, when Ancona was a young picciotto himself in his Sicilian seaside hometown

of Castellammare del Golfo, he harvested Castelvetrano olives and milked goats and sheep on his family’s farm.

He would then cold-press the fruits of his labor into extra-virgin olive oil and culture the liquid white gold into cheese. After nationtrotting around the Italian mainland’s cities of Florence and Bologna and back to Sicily for a restoration of his homegrown inspiration, Ancona set out for the familiar city hubbub of Manhattan’s Finance District, which mirrored the enthralling bustle of Sicily’s Palermo, and successfully ran a food truck on Wall Street hawking many of the staples he features today. Desiring a return to the quaint cafe setting of his home, the island hopper finally settled in the practically Long Island hamlet of Douglaston with Picciotto, at which he is the owner, manager and executive chef.

“Our quality is beyond amazing, as we get all our products from Sicily and Italy,” attests waitress and occasional aiuto-cuoco (souschef) Margherita Maschio, as she prepares an order of cime di rapa con salsiccia, or broccoli rabe with sausage. She and her family started off as customers at Picciotto, and when Ancona learned of her name — “Just like the pizza!?” he reportedly exclaimed — Maschio had solidified her spot on Picciotto’s four-person team.

Attention to detail lives in Ancona’s food through carefully chosen ingredients. “I use

the ankle of the prosciutto leg; it is sweeter than its thigh,” he passionately explains as Maschio raises her quadriceps for clarification.

Ancona designed his menu with popular “street foods you’d find at a hawker stall.”

Customary customer favorites include his signature arancini, rice balls done (and pronounced) the Sicilian way: comprising arborio rice and formaggio mozzarella like the Romans’, but with the added twists of ground beef and green peas. Diners can choose from a staggering selection of 14 pizzas, five pasta dishes, 10 paninis and much more. Try delicacies like the salmone affumicato (smoked salmon) or prosciutto pizzas, gnocchi al forno or bucatini ai formaggi pastas, or sausage and pepper panini, but definitely finish off with some homemade cannoli, tiramisu or gelato.

Mango is my favorite.

Picciotto’s clever layout invitingly corrals customers past the glossy-red brick pizza oven fueled by furiously smoldering quarter-split oak logs and filled with pizzas and cast-iron skillets. Shinily spotless stainless-steel bins boasting vibrant freshsliced tomatoes, mozzarella and soppressata decorate the marble countertop lightly dusted for all of eternal perpetuity with soft-wheat lowprotein flour. Exposed bricks continue to the dining room, guided by pleasantly gelatocolored walls adorned with Sicilian maps and art, as well as hanging plants. Turquoise

doors help you believe you’re indeed in small-town Sicily before the food successfully convinces you. The secretless display reveals all of the magic, and a glass faceguard doesn’t filter the joy from Ancona’s face, mirroring the happy customers on their way in and happier customers on their way out. Dean Martin’s baritone cover of “Volare” spills from the restaurant stereo with mutual passion, adding to the culinary symphony that already fills your other senses.

John Valenza’s Sicilian expat parents bore and raised him in America — the latter on his homeland’s customary fare — was enjoying an oreganata (tomato sauce, anchovies, red onions, pecorino cheese and oregano) accompanied by similarly brick oven-roasted cime di rapa con salsiccia

Page 15

and a glass of Nero D’Avola Frappato red wine. He and his family ran The Proof of the Pudding and The Palace Restaurant eateries for decades located in Midtown East Manhattan, which flaunted a classic French cuisineinspired menu influenced by his family’s Sicilian heritage, and contributed decades of experience to his encyclopedic foodie knowledge. What does he call the golden arancini? “Classic.” They have the perfect amount of outer crunch, and inner gooeyness moist with flavor.

“My cafe’s strictly, authentically Sicilian, because that’s who I am,” Ancona beams.

This is the restaurant you’ve always been looking for, or will be seeking now, with all your “cuore.” At Picciotto, one can always find brunch and/or dinner, and a show d’amore; of love, from Sicily.

COURTESY OF ALEXANDER HOM FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Picciotto is a must visit in Sutton Place, Manhattan.

By GRACE GALBREATH ASST. NEWS EDITOR EMERITUS

ACROSS 1.

6.

7.

8.

1 A college student’s favorite meal Found at a baseball game, crime scene and ski slope “_____ on a true story…”

6 Abrv. for nine-digit code that tracks Americans (plural)

DOWN 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Acronym for the primary colors Olde English word used to express sadness and disappointment Flowerless plant known for it’s love of darkness and moist areas Opposite of odd First word in the title of 2005 hit children’s show that included a guide for how to survive school (without the apostrophe)

2

3

4

5

7 8

Instructions Use the clues to the left to fill out the boxes above.

Find the answer key on www.thefordhamram.com!

SPORTS

Page 16

April 24, 2024

Men’s Tennis Wins Back-to-Back Matches

By NOAH HOFFMAN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham’s men’s tennis team has had a rough go lately, losing five in a row after a successful spring break trip.

This past weekend, they looked to bounce back at home against Saint Joseph’s University and New York University before heading to Florida to face Eastern Florida State College in their last regular season match.

After being locked in a 3-3 tie heading into the day’s final match, freshman Stephan Mozhaev played hero with his first collegiate win to break the tie and break Fordham’s losing streak with a 4-3 victory.

The day began with the Rams down 0-1 after losing the doubles point. In first doubles, St. Joseph’s Othman Bezzaz and Ernesto Ruy beat senior Nicholas Kanazirev and sophomore Dhillon VirdeeOakley, 6-3. Fordham bounced back when sophomore John

Mascone and senior Giorgio Soemarno took care of John Butler and Eli Gan-Dy by the same score, 6-3, and sent it to a point-deciding third doubles match. In what was a hard-fought battle, the Hawks prevailed for a 7-5 win, with the duo of Stergios Papadopoulos and Justus Agbo beating sophomore Stefan Stojanovic and senior Bingru Chen.

With Fordham now down 0-1, they moved into singles play. In third singles, the Rams evened up the score with a Virdee-Oakley 6-3 and 6-2 straight-set win over Bezzaz.

Fordham took the lead after Mascone also had a straightset win over Papadopoulos, both sets ending in a 6-1 score.

When the second singles concluded, St. Joseph’s tied the match again at two apiece with a Ruy win over Soemarno in two sets.

With the score now 2-2, fifth singles finished next with Stojanovic overcoming a first COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham Men’s Tennis has bounced back after a rough stretch of games. Right in time for A-10’s.

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Fordham has begun to regain momentum with recent victories.

set 6-3 defeat to Jack Campbell to come back to win the second set 6-0 before closing out with a tiebreak point 7-3 victory to win the third set 7-6 and put the Rams back in front. With Kanazirev holding the keys to a match-clinching win in first singles, he fell behind 0-1 with a first-set loss to Agbo before retaliating with a 6-3 victory in set two. The match came down to another tie-breaking point, with the Hawks this time coming out in front with a 7-5 Agbo victory to win the set and the point.

The match then came down to a nailbiter in sixth singles, with Mozhaev seeking his first collegiate win of his young career. He went down 1-0 after Gan-Dy won a tiebreaking point 7-1 to win the first set 7-6 before Mozhaev

Athletes of the Week

Daniel Bucciero

The sophomore from Ridgefield, Conn., went on an absolute tear at the plate this past week, registering what was likely one of the strongest stretches of offensive production that the Rams have seen in a while. For instance, not only did Bucciero’s OBP across the team’s four games hover around an impressive mark of .474, but he also showcased awe-inspiring power, crushing three home runs, one of which was a walk-off winner, and eight RBIs in the team’s weekend series against Saint Louis University.

Nicki Sudall Sophomore Softball

Sudall once again proved why she is one of Fordham Softball’s most dangerous hitters this past weekend, the sophomore having enjoyed what was likely her strongest singleseries performance of the year in the team’s three-game clash against St. Bonaventure University. To put it mildly, she was simply unstoppable when she stepped up to the plate against the Bonnies, batting a whooping .600 (6-10) with three doubles, nine RBIs, a walk and a run-scored across each of the teams’ three meetings at Joyce Field.

Each week, The Fordham Ram’s Sports section honors two athletes for their on-field performances as their “Athletes of the Week.”

set 7-6 against Boren Zheng and Alexander Lee. In singles, there were multiple close bouts, with the Rams taking five of the six. VirdeeOakley began at third singles, winning in straight sets, 6-3 and 6-4, over Frowein. The hero from the last match, Mozhaev, continued the team’s success with a 6-1 and 7-5 defeat of Freier.

NYU got their only win of the day when Chen beat Soemarno in a close battle that went to three sets. Fordham’s Chen clinched the match victory with a win over Sabapathy 7-6 and 6-4. The Rams closed out the day with wins from Kanazirev and Mascone.

With the two wins Fordham improves to 7-12 on the year. With the Atlantic 10 Championships this weekend.

Varsity Calendar HOME AWAY

Wednesday Thursday April 24 April 25

Saturday April 27

Friday April 26

Sunday April 28

Hofstra 4 p.m.

Saint Louis

Saint Louis

Baseball

FDU 3 p.m.

Rhode Island 2 p.m.

Rhode Island 12 p.m.

Men’s Tennis Men’s Golf

Tuesday April 30

Penn Relays

Softball

Women’s Tennis

Monday April 29

Metropolitan Championships

Rowing Men’s and Women’s Track and Field

Sophomore Baseball

bounced back with a tight 7-5 victory of his own. With the match coming down to the final set of the day, Mozhaev put his team on his back, coming out in front with a 6-4 victory. The Fordham 4-3 win snapped their five-game slide.

Following the nail-biter, the Rams had a much easier duel with NYU, handily defeating them by a score of 6-1.

Fordham began the day by winning two of the three doubles matches, claiming the point. Stojanovic and Chen beat Devan Sabapathy and Zachary Freier by a score of 6-4, while Soemarno and Mascone took care of Jingyuan Chen and Louis Frowein, 6-3. Fordham was on the verge of sweeping the doubles point, but Kanzirev and Virdee-Oakley lost a tiebreaker 7-3 to lose the

A-10 Championships A-10 Championships A-10 Championships

Manhattan 3 p.m.

SPORTS

April 24, 2024

Bayer Leverkusen, Chasing History

By GRIFFIN STEVENSON

Varsity Scores & Stats Men’s Track and Field Mark Young Invitational NO TEAM SCORING

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

In October 2022, German club Bayer Leverkusen in 17th place in the Bundesliga, fighting a relegation battle. That is when the club appointed former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star Xabi Alonso to the manager position. Fastforward about a year and a half, and Leverkusen are champions of Germany, with an invincible treble in their sights. The latter went down as the most outstanding achievement in football history.

It is essential to know how Bayer Leverkusen got to its current position to understand the importance of how it got there.

Facing relegation in late 2022, Leverkusen took a risk on an inexperienced manager, whose previous job was managing Real Sociedad B, a second-division squad in the Spanish league.

He quickly began bolstering the lineup with seemingly ordinary yet immensely impactful signings.

Two signings of note were Alejandro Grimaldo, joining on a free from Portuguese side Benfica, and Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka, who joined the club last summer for a fee of 25 million francs. Grimaldo has 11 goals and 16 assists in all competitions this season, a standout number for a fullback. Xhaka’s performance has been more understated than the Spanish full-back. However, his contributions week-in and weekout have been the energy source in the club’s never-before-seen 44-game unbeaten run. Alonso bolstered this core with additional exciting signings like Victor Boniface and Noah Mbamba, allowing star midfielder Florian Wirtz to step into a commanding role. The manager also oversaw the development of right-back Jeremie Frimpong, who, since joining the club in 2021, has evolved to become debatably the best rightback in the world. Frimpong has scored 13 goals and delivered 11 assists in all competitions, joining his wing-back partner Grimaldo in putting up attacking-wingerlike numbers this season. These players blend with Alonso’s fluid build-up under pressure method of controlling the game, and control the games they have. Leverkusen cruised to victory in the league, securing the first “Meisterchale” or “Champions Bowl,” going from Bayer “neverkusen” to the talk of global football.

To call this club’s achievements a domination may even be an understatement.

Leverkusen wants to be the first side invincible (never lose a game) in a Bundesliga season. While this was an accomplishment in its own right, an unbeaten season has been achieved in other leagues worldwide. Most notably, the 200304 Arsenal and 2011-12 Juventus squads had invincible seasons in England and Italy, respectively.

But forget an undefeated league season. Leverkusen is eyeing up a feat commonly believed to be impossible: going an entire season undefeated in both the domestic league and all cup competitions.

Here is a road map for how they’d do it: In the first and perhaps most challenging step, Bayer Leverkusen must finish the rest of the Bundesliga season unbeaten.

Page 17

The German Fans were elated after their club brought home the title.

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Softball Fordham St. Joseph’s

7 3

Fordham St. Joseph’s

7 6

Fordham St. Bonaventure

8 6

Fordham St. Bonaventure

3 4

Fordham St. Bonaventure

17 1

Men’s Golf Galloping Hill Golf Course NO TEAM SCORING

Women’s Track and Field Mark Young Invitational NO TEAM SCORING Women’s Tennis Fordham St. Joseph’s

4 0

Men’s Tennis Fordham St. Joseph’s

4 3

Fordham NYU

6

Fordham Eastern Florida State

0 7

Baseball Fordham St. Louis

1 6

Fordham St. Louis

8 4

Fordham St. Louis

5 4

-Compiled by Griffin Stevenson

News & Notes Taylor Donaldson Earns All-MET Honors

COURTESY OF TWITTER

Manager Xabi Alonso celebrated the Leverkusen victory infront of the fans.

They have already won the title and have to play European football, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Xabi Alonso fielded weaker lineups; however, the promise of being the first to pull off an invincible treble will no doubt be in the back of the teams’ minds. It will not be an easy final sprint to the finish. Leverkusen will play three of the top six teams in the Bundesliga to finish the year. Although, if one team can do it, it is the Leverkusen side.

The second step to completing the treble is lifting the Europa League trophy. Leverkusen won their group handily in this competition, taking all 18 points from six matches. In the knockout stages, the resilience of Alonso’s men has been on full display. In the round of 16, they trailed Azerbaijani club Qarabağ FK into the 93rd minute before a Patrick Schick gave Leverkusen the 5-4 victory on aggregate. The competition’s aggregate scoring format makes the Europa League a unique challenge for the invincible run. If a team wins the tie’s first leg by a sizable goal margin, they could lose the second leg and still advance. This was almost the case for Leverkusen last Thursday after they once again trailed into the game’s late stages; this time, they were up by a goal on aggregate. Not stopping the run yet, Jeremie Frimpong sealed a draw against English side West-Ham in the

89th minute. Leverkusen will face a red-hot Roma team throughout two legs, and if they win, they will head to Dublin for the final on May 22 to face the winner of Atlanta vs.

Marseille.

The last and perhaps most straightforward of the obstacle comes from the DFB-Pokal Cup. This domestic cup comprises a variety of German football clubs and is a chance for smaller clubs to win silverware. In most leagues, fans can write off the domestic cup as going to a powerhouse team, and the Bundesliga is no different. If you asked most fans at the beginning of the year who’d win the cup, they’d say Bayern Munich. Unfortunately for fans of the German giant, they were knocked out in only the second round by third-tier side FC Saarbrücken. Saarbrücken continued their Cinderella run into the semi-finals before being knocked out by FC Kaiserslautern.

Leverkusen cruised through the tournament, beating Dusseldorf in the semi-finals to book their trip to the semi-finals. Alonso’s men will play the previously mentioned FC Kaiserslautern, a side currently 17th in the second tier of German football, on May 25.

The roadmap is set for an iconic run, with Bayer Leverkusen already etching their names into the walls of football history.

While the 2023-24 campaign was certainly a tumultuous and rocky one for Women’s Basketball, senior Taylor Donaldson nevertheless proved to be a bastion of stability for the Rams, averaging an Atlantic 10 leading 17.9 points per game and playing shutdown defense all season long. Such excellence rightfully did not go unnoticed, as the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association named her to the AllMET second team this past Tuesday, effectively deeming her as one of the 10 best women’s college basketball players currently walking in the Big Apple.

Basketball Secures Major Transfer in Matt Zona Fordham Basketball added another player to the squad this past week through their recruiting efforts in the transfer portal, with exNotre Dame forward Matt Zona having committed to suit up for the Rams for their 2024-25 campaign. Zona is a massive pickup for the program, as the former Power Six hooper will not only bring some much-needed experience to the team (he played in 75 competitions during his four years in South Bend), but he will also hopefully bring out the best in sophomore guard Will Richardson, the two having played high school ball together at Bergen Catholic in N.J.

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Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong has been adored by the fans this season.

SPORTS Rangers Enter Playoffs At Top of Table

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By ALLIE COPPOLA STAFF WRITER

After one of the team’s most consistent seasons in recent years, the President’s Trophywinning New York Rangers begin yet another playoff run: this time, looking to go all the way. Two years ago, the Blueshirts made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals but fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.

Last season’s knockout was a heartbreaking seven-game effort against the New Jersey Devils in the first round. This year, they find themselves in a battle against the Washington Capitals, who snuck into the playoffs through a wild card bid after a season of exceeding expectations. The Rangers will attempt to translate a strong season into a long playoff run.

The Caps are always a tough matchup for the Rangers and this series will be no exception. Bad blood still boils from the incident at the end of the 2021 season, in which Tom Wilson slammed Artemi Panarin down into the ice during a skirmish. The two teams have a storied history of playoff matchups against each other, especially within

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The Rangers look primed to make a serious run at the Stanley Cup in this year’s iteration of the NHL Playoffs.

the last 15 years. The Rangers teams that stayed relatively the same throughout 2011-15 beat the Alex Ovechkin-led Capitals in 2012, 2013 and 2015, the last of which was a series win after going down 3-1. Former Ranger Derek Stepan’s now immortal overtime goal to seal the win is widely recognized as one of the best goals scored in recent history, and Henrik Lundqvist’s back-toback shutouts in 2013 to lift the Rangers into the second round was his best stretch in a host of legendary playoff performances. In their first

playoff meeting in almost a decade, the series will be as entertaining as years past.

The road to the playoffs this season was not necessarily a tumultuous one. Through the second half of the season, the Rangers rarely gave up their spot at the top of the division and clinched the President’s Trophy for the best record with one game yet to be played.

Many players on the Rangers took huge steps forward to lift the team to the top, including Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere.

Igor Shesterkin was infinitely less dominant than he was in

the last two years, but backup goalie Jonathan Quick held his own and put the team on his back when necessary. Vincent Trocheck reached a careerhigh in points with 77, and Panarin smashed his previous high of 96 with an astounding 120 points. Lafreniere was the final player on that line all season, who also recorded a career-high in points with 57.

With these major performances, the Rangers had little need to rely on the trade deadline market as they had in past years. It both keeps the core group together and sends a

April 24, 2024

message from management to the team: we like who we have and we’re confident that we can go all the way. There were no splashy pickups like Patrick Kane or Vladimir Tarasenko, but small-depth trades to fill in the gaps. Alex Wennberg and Jack Roslovic have played their roles well and stepped up when they needed to, which is all the Rangers could ask for when there was already an established momentum.

While the matchup against the Capitals seems uneven in favor of the Rangers, there is rarely an easy game in the playoff environment. The Capitals will also be playing against their former coach, Peter Laviolette, now the Rangers coach. If Laviolette decides that he’ll play, adding Matt Rempe to the lineup will give the Rangers an edge against Wilson and the heavy hitters of the Capitals. No matter how you spin it, the Caps are always tricky and never easy to play against.

They’ll be the first obstacle in the Blueshirts’ hopes for the Stanley Cup this season. This past Sunday’s game resulted in a 4-1 win for the Rangers at home, but it’s a long series that will surely bring its fair share of ups and downs.

Bucciero Leads Fordham To Series Win

By NOAH HOFFMAN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Baseball came into the past week sitting right in the middle of the pack with a 5-4 record in the Atlantic 10 Conference. They’d hoped to stay afloat above .500 against the A-10 leader Saint Louis University for a three-game series at home in the Bronx.

In game one of the series, St. Louis proved why they are the number one ranked seed in the conference with a convincing 6-1 victory over the Rams.

The Billikens began the scoring with three in the second inning recording two RBI singles and a double. They added to their lead in the fifth with a solo shot. In the bottom of the inning, Fordham manufactured their lone run when senior Ryan Thiesse singled, advanced to second on a fielder’s choice and scored on junior Cian Sahler’s single. St. Louis responded with two more runs in the sixth to take a 6-1 lead, which they held until the final out. Although the Rams only scored one run, they had their fair share of opportunities with 12 hits, but they could not get the crucial base knock they needed, going 1-10 with runners in scoring position. The Rams left a total of 12 men on base and at least one in every inning.

In game two of the series, the Rams rode a career day from sophomore Daniel Bucciero, who had five RBIs, to an 8-4 victory and even the series at one game a piece.

The Billikens once again opened the scoring, with one in the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead. However,

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Baseball picked up a major series win this past weekend, toppling the Billikens of Saint Louis University.

in the bottom of the third, Bucciero started his big game with an RBI single to cut the deficit in half. Two batters later, graduate student Andrew Kanellis scored Bucciero on a single to tie the game up at two. The Rams weren’t done in the inning, as Thiesse, who doubled before Kanellis’ RBI single, scored on a wild pitch to give the Rams a 3-2 lead.

The game remained 3-2 until the sixth inning when Bucciero came up with two on and two outs, hitting a threerun home run to give Fordham some breathing room with a 6-2 advantage. Kanellis added another RBI single later in the inning to extend the lead to 7-2. After St. Louis cut the lead to three with two in the seventh, Bucciero continued his hot hitting with an RBI double for an insurance run to make the game 8-4. Junior Robbie Stewart pitched the final five innings in relief of freshman starter Aidan Dowd to earn the win, his first of the season. Bucciero finished 3-5 on the day, tying a career-high

with five runs batted in and finishing a triple shy of the cycle.

In the rubber match of the series, Bucciero continued his scorching hot streak, hitting two more bookend home runs, leading the Rams to a 5-4 win and 2-1 series victory over the A-10’s top opponent. Bucciero started right where he left off last game, leading off for Fordham with a solo home run.

Two singles and a Sahler runscoring double followed the home run, putting the Rams up 2-0 before St. Louis could record a single out. Graduate student Henry Pelinksi added on to the lead in the third inning with an RBI single to make it 3-0 Fordham. In the fourth inning, the Billikens started to claw back with a solo shot, making it 3-1, before taking the lead with a threerun home run in the 6th to give them a 4-3 lead. It looked like the Fordham bats had gone quiet and the Rams were going to lose the game and the series. However, in the ninth inning, senior Chris Genaro

hit a one-out single to bring up Bucciero as the game-winning run. Bucciero did exactly what he has been doing all season, leading the Rams offense to wins, this time by way of a walk-off two-run home run, to clinch the series victory 2-1. On the pitching side, it was a full bullpen effort, with sophomore Aric Berg leading the way with the final three scoreless innings, allowing Bucciero and

the offense a chance to stage a comeback.

In the series, Bucciero went 7-14 with three home runs, eight runs batted in, a double, four runs scored and a stolen base, doing it all on the offensive side of the ball.

With the 2-1 series win, the Rams improved to 16-22 overall, along with pushing their conference record to 7-5. They currently sit in a tie for fourth place in the A-10 standings with the University of Richmond. Next up for the Rams is a Wednesday matinee home game against Fairleigh Dickinson University on April 24th before another three-game conference away series at the University of Rhode Island over the weekend. Following that, they’ll have one last exhibition game at home against Manhattan College on April 30. After that, they’ll close out the regular season with nine straight A-10 series before they begin their A-10 Championship journey on Tuesday, May 21.

COURTESY OF KATE CASSIDY FOR THE FORDHAM RAM

Baseball now sits at a respectable 16-22 on the season.

SPORTS “I Didn’t Hear No Bell”: Track and Field Rescues Season

April 24, 2024

By JONAH RING SPORTS EDITOR

Fordham Track and Field looked to rescue their outdoor season this past weekend under a blue-gray Connecticut sky as the team traveled to Yale University in order to compete in the Mark Young Invitational.

This meet was essentially a junction point for the Rams, functioning as a competition that would ultimately determine the trajectory of their season.

If they performed well, they’d break their negative slide and take some desperately-needed momentum into their most important three-week stretch of the year, one which includes the Penn Relays, the Atlantic 10 Championships and the ECAC/ IC4A Championships. However, should they have fared poorly, they’d likely find themselves stuck in freefall, intensifying and doubling all the bad mojo the squad collected from their horrific showing at the Larry Ellis Invitational at Princeton University. Thus, the Rams were able to exhale a bit when the men’s team won the meet with a phenomenal team score of 109 points.

The duo of freshman Jabril Carter and sophomore Liam Volz started this bounceback for the Rams, as the two set the tone early by claiming gold and bronze, respectively in the men’s 100-meter dash.

Volz was not finished yet, as he continued to set the standard in the men’s 200-meter dash, this time earning silver with his impressive mark of 22.57 seconds. He was not the only Ram to finish in the event’s top five, as graduate student Erik Brown came firmly in fifth place with a time of 23.03 seconds, while junior Chris Martinez managed to sneak up onto the podium with Volz,

COURTESY OF MARY HAWTHORN/THE FORDHAM RAM

Track and Field experienced somewhat of a bounce-back this weekend, the men’s team winning the Mark Young Invitational.

taking bronze in the event with a time of 22.72 seconds.

The tandem of Martinez and Brown also cracked the top five of another event together: the men’s 400-meter dash. There, the two replicated their finishes in the 200-meter dash, Martinez (50.86 seconds) again claiming the bronze medal and Brown (51.09 seconds) again finishing in fifth place. However, this time, they had another Ram sandwiched between them in the standings, as senior Safo Kirton recorded a fourth-place finish with his own impressive time of 50.92 seconds.

Next, it was much of the same domination in the men’s 800-meter dash, the Rams once again placing two runners into the event’s top five. It was new faces who spearheaded the domination this time, with the Rams’s success coming from sophomore Trevor Rinn and

freshman John Corrigan: Rinn claimed bronze with a time of 1:54.25, while Corrigan finished in fourth with a time of 1:55.73.

It was a while until the Rams had their next podium finish, as the team had to wait until the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase. There, sophomore Darren Croke would lay claim to silver, breaking the medal drought with his second-place time of 9:45.25.

Looking at the field side of things, the men potentially had even more success there, winning an astounding four events. The first of these wins came in the men’s high jump, as freshman DaRon Elam propelled himself into first with an impressive mark of 1.86 meters. Senior Justin Rhee replicated this level of success for the Rams in the men’s triple jump, comfortably claiming gold on the back of

his season-best mark of 13.43 meters. Finally, the Rams’ last two field event wins came via the arms of sophomore George Pomer, as he claimed gold in both the men’s discus throw (31.79 meters) and the men’s javelin throw (51.40 meters).

While the men’s team enjoyed all this success, the women’s team did not fare as well, finishing second to last at the meet. Their day was marked by many rather inconsistent performances, with the team’s track athletes struggling to crack their respective event’s topfives.

One of the few athletes who performed at a consistently high level was sophomore sprinter Dillyn Green. Green not only claimed silver in the women’s 100-meter dash with her solid time of 12.53 seconds, but also won another silver medal in the women’s 200-meter dash via a time of 25.57 seconds.

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It then wasn’t until the women’s 1500-meter run that Fordham claimed their next and final medal in a track event, as freshman Megan McCann (4:43.88) was able to lay claim bronze in the race on the back of her stellar mark of 4:43.88.

However, the women fared better on the field, enjoying a handful of solid showings, especially in the women’s high jump. There, a trio of Rams cracked the top five, sophomore Zoe Arakelian leading the charge with her second-place mark of 1.63 meters, sophomore Leia Ruvo claiming bronze with a mark of 1.55 meters and freshman Lexi Fujita brought up the rear in fifth.

Ruvo’s day was not finished there in the high jump. She also put on strong performances for Fordham in the women’s long jump and triple jump. She finished just one spot shy of the podium in the long jump, recording a fourth-place finish with a mark of 5.43 meters.

Then, in the triple jump, she dropped a ranking and finished in fifth place, with a time of 11.39 meters.

Finally, of note for the women was their performance in the meet’s throwing events, as the duo of freshman Sarah Cooley and sophomore Tanicha Saintigene combined for a pair of top-five finishes. Cooley’s rtop-five performance came in the women’s discus throw, as she finished in fifth with a time of 33.99 meters. For Saintigene, her respective topfive finish came in the women’s javelin throw, as she collected a silver medal for the Rams, finishing in second-place with an impressive mark of 23.02 meters.

In terms of what is next for these Rams, the team is slated to compete in the legendary Penn Relays this coming weekend.

Women’s Tennis Wraps Up Impressive Regular Season

By JOE HENRY STAFF WRITER

In their last appearance — a trip to play the Minutemen of the University of Massachusetts (UMass) — the Rams saw their eight-match winning streak snapped; a week later, in another intra-conference tilt, Fordham got back into the win column in dominant fashion.

The Rams will charge into the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament and vie for its second consecutive conference championship riding very high after taking care of a scuffling Saint Joseph’s University’s (SJU) squad, effectively putting the cherry on top of what was an absolutely phenomenal regular season. The team finishes with a 13-6 record, tied with the University of Rhode Island (URI) Rams for the second-best overall winning percentage in the conference.

On Saturday, April 20, the Hawks flew into the Bronx to try and play spoiler against a Rams team that dedicated the match day, its final on home turf, to its alumni. The 3-17

COURTESY OF CRISTINA STEFANIZZI/THE FORDHAM RAM

After having a strong regular season, Women’s Tennis will now look to continue their success in the A-10 Tournament.

SJU crew proved no match for a deep and cohesive Rams unit that has made quick work of most of its A-10 competition.

A point of close scrutiny for the Rams this season has been at doubles: the Rams have been inconsistent, yet generally improved, winning the bulk of their matches on the back of strong singles play.

At this point in the season, the Rams have some wellestablished duos at doubles. At #1, graduate student Raffaela Alhach and freshman Anlin Xie continued to build their chemistry by taking a 6-1 win over the Hawks’ top pairing.

At #2, seniors Eleni Fasoula and Rose Hu clinched the point by way of a 6-4 showing, the

tandem’s sixth win in their last eight matches.

The match then proceeded to singles play, where the Rams continued to appear as if they were already in tournament form. Xie took command at #3, where she delivered a 6-1, 6-1 performance — her seventh straight singles win and an impressive team-leading 10th

overall. Fasoula would likewise appear equally overpowering in her #4 match, as she utterly dominated with a straight-set victory, 6-2, 6-4. Hu clinched the win for Fordham, breezing to a 6-3, 6-3 win at the twospot, making her 7-2 in her last nine finished singles matches.

The Rams imposed their will over a scuffling Hawks team, failing to drop a set; they’ll look to ride this momentum into postseason play.

While the official seeding for the tournament has yet to be finalized and released, you can certainly anticipate your Rams to be in contention for a top-three seed and a firstround bye. As such, it’s likely that the Rams’ first postseason matchup will be on Thursday, April 25, in the quarterfinals.

Among the conference’s top contenders are Fordham (#2 in the pre-season poll), Virginia Commonwealth University (#1), URI (#8), UMass (#4) and the 14-3 St. Louis Billikens, who initially polled at #7. However, regardless of how things shake out, the tournament is slated to be an exciting one.

Page 20

SPORTS

Softball Rises to Second in A-10

By LOU ORLANDO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS

Coming off a week where Fordham Softball was shut out in each of their last two games, all eyes were on the offense as the squad readied up for the week, bringing forth five conference games. The bats did not disappoint, leading the Rams to win four of five games and climb to second in the Atlantic 10.

The spotlight thus naturally gravitated towards a massive doubleheader against Saint Joseph’s University. Entering play with a 12-3 conference record that placed them atop the A-10, the Hawks posed as another formidable test for a Fordham squad coming off a gritty series loss against the University of Dayton Flyers.

Fordham just about immediately quelled their recent offensive woes, putting up four runs in the opening frame of game one as all nine batters saw an at-bat in the inning. St. Joe’s cut the deficit to one by the fifth inning, but Fordham responded immediately, retaking a four-run lead as graduate student Gianna Sarlo stole home.

Graduate student ace Devon Miller added another complete game to the ledger, allowing three runs and striking out six as part of Fordham’s 7-3 winning effort. Senior Bailey Enoch and sophomore Neleh Nogay set the tone at the top of the lineup, posting identical three-hit, two-run lines.

In game two, St. Joe’s flipped the script, taking a 4-0 lead in the first against sophomore Holly Beeman. Three of the four runs were unearned as the Hawks took advantage of backto-back errors at third base

COURTESY OF FORDHAM ATHLETICS

Softball continued their upward march this past weekend, registering a 4-1 record over their past five games.

from Sarlo to open the frame.

The Rams did not go down quietly. Junior Sydney Wells slammed a three-run bomb in the third, her A-10 leading 11th of the year. An inning later, senior Bella Ayala added a solo jack to even the score at four.

The Hawks retook the lead with a run in the fifth, but the Rams enjoyed the last laugh.

Nogay led off the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff single and subsequently stole second base, setting up Wells for her fourth RBI of the day as she belted a double to tie the game at five.

Several batters later, graduate student Michaela Carter would line a sac fly into left, scoring junior Mallory McClellan to clinch a thrilling 6-5 walk-off victory and a Wednesday sweep.

Beeman responded well after a tough first inning, going all seven innings while allowing just two earned runs. Meanwhile, Nogay managed to one-up her game-one performance, going 4-4 and scoring a pair of runs.

The Rams tried to avoid whiplash as they went from

playing the A-10 leaders to the A-10 bottom feeders, traveling to Olean, N.Y., to take on the lowly 2-28 Saint Bonaventure University Bonnies. With the worst offense and pitching staff in the conference, everything pointed toward another Rams series win. That’s precisely what happened, as Fordham took two out of three, adding an exclamation point with a dominant Sunday rubber match win.

Fordham took the series opener 8-6 on the backs of a three-hit game from Enoch and three RBIs from sophomore Nicki Sudall. Freshman Olivia Simcoe earned the second win of her collegiate career, allowing zero earned runs and recording the final 14 outs of the ballgame.

The Rams dropped the back whalf of the doubleheader despite out-hitting the Bonnies 13-5. Beeman allowed her first two earned runs of the game in the fifth, giving the Bonnies a 4-3 lead which they didn’t relinquish. Those two earned runs were the only ones that Beeman surrendered, charged

with an unfortunate loss despite her six-inning complete game. Enoch and Nogay both tallied three hits apiece, but the Ram offense could not muster a run after the second inning.

After giving the Bonnies just their second conference win of the season, the Rams entered Sunday’s rubber match with an all-business mindset. They left no doubt, posting seasonhighs with 17 runs and 16 hits in just five innings as Fordham ran away with a 17-1 victory.

Simcoe threw the first complete game of her young career, going the full five innings with one run and three hits allowed, but the story of the game was Fordham’s offensive onslaught.

Every starter in the lineup recorded a hit, with five enjoying multi-hit games. Sudall led the way with four RBIs, but arguably most impressive was that Fordham provided all this damage without a single home run, and Fordham’s top bat, Wells, was not in the lineup.

Enoch and Nogay stood above the rest in a week filled

April 24, 2024

with high-powered offensive production. Enoched slashed .647 across the five games this week, recording four multihit games and scoring seven runs, raising her average to a team-high .347. Nogay hit .579 over the course of the week, also adding seven runs of her own. It was a slow start for the sophomore, whose average sat as low as .180 on March 20, but she’s erased all doubts with a phenomenal run since the start of conference play. Her .457 batting average and 15 stolen bases in A-10 play are both first on the team, and has made the top of Fordham’s lineup an absolute gauntlet for any opponent. Sudall also deserves some love with a team-high nine RBI in three games against St. Bonaventure, raising her batting average to an excellent mark of .338 on the season.

With wins in four of their last five, Fordham is above .500 on the season with a 23-22-1 record.

More importantly, their 13-7 conference record slots them in at second place in the A-10, tied with Saint Louis University.

It’s the highest the Rams have sat in the standings since the beginning of conference play.

Fordham will play Saint Louis next weekend with a prime chance to take sole possession of second place. Believe it or not, just seven games remain before the A-10 Softball Championship, which Fordham will host starting on May 8. Six of those seven games come against conference opponents. All-in-all the Rams are in prime position to not just qualify for the tournament but to enter with a top seed. With just two weeks left, Fordham enjoys the privilege of holding their fate in their own hands.

Well John, I Thank You

By NOAH HOFFMAN ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Here at Fordham University, some of the most iconic sports broadcasters ever have walked across campus: Vin Scully, FCRH ’49, Mike Breen, FCRH ’83, and Michael Kay, FCRH ’82, just to name a few. However, Fordham cannot claim the absolute greatest of them all, the voice of the New York Yankees, John Sterling, who just recently decided to hang up the mic and call it a career.

I started listening to Sterling when I was just a baby. While other parents played their children lullabies or sang to get them to sleep, mine put on Sterling. I have continued that tradition for the last 22 years, from the days of trying to get a signal on my radio before lying down in bed up until today when I put on the Yankees game on my phone before I fall asleep. Each and every night, hoping to hear the legendary “Ballgame over!

Yankees win! THEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN” in my dreams.

Like many others, Sterling has not only been an integral part of baseball, but been an integral part of my life as a

COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

John Sterling has officially retired, the longtime voice Yankees having signed off for the final time after decades of work.

whole, creating memories for me that will last for a lifetime.

Growing up in Massachusetts, when my dad and I would go to a Yankees game, it would be an all-day venture. We would get up early in the day to drive the two hours to the stadium, listen to the pregame show on the way, watch the game and almost always leave about an inning early in order to avoid the traffic for the two-plus hour drive back home. For most

people, leaving a game early would be considered a sin and, early on, I thought it was, too.

But over the years, I started to love leaving early because it meant that my dad and I could hear and say the classic “Yankees win” line together.

The iconic line was always great to hear because it meant that the Yankees did, in fact, win. But I would not say that was my favorite part about Sterling calling a game. Again,

when either driving in the car with my mom or dad, listening to the game at Nonni’s Lake or on the lawn mower on a hot summer day, calling a homerun ball with him will be what I miss most about Sterling calling games for the Yankees.

There was no better feeling than being caught off guard with a “Hit in the air to deep left, that ball is high, it is far, it is goneee!” Along with the accompanying unique home run

call for each individual player on the team throughout the years.

Some of my personal favorites are “Robbie Cano! Dontcha know?,” “Gardner plants one!” and number one on my list, “Mark sends a Tex message!

You’re on the Mark, Teixeira!”

It is hard to put into words the impact that Sterling has had on my life, and there aren’t nearly enough that would do it justice. Through hard times, through relationships fostered with family members and friends, through all the up and down emotions that following the Yankees comes with, one thing has always been constant: Sterling and his soothing and perfect narration of Yankees baseball. In a way, with Sterling retiring, it feels like my childhood is over, and it is time for the real world, almost in perfect sequence with the trajectory of my own life.

There will never be another John Sterling, someone who can paint a picture of the beautiful game of baseball, allowing you to see each and every play that is made without watching a single second. For all these years of doing just that, making words vibrantly come to life, John, I forever thank you.