November 13, 2020

The Huntington News November 13, 2020

The independent student newspaper of the Northeastern community

@HuntNewsNU

BOSTON CELEBRATES BIDEN VICTORY

Photo by Harriet Rovniak Masked celebrators carried signs and played music to celebrate the victory.

By Harriet Rovniak News Staff Many residents of the city of Boston erupted in cheers at 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning, celebrating the historic win of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the 2020 election. After almost four days of uncertainty regarding the outcome of the election, Biden defeated incumbent President Donald Trump and is set to become the 46th President of the

United States in January.

Crowds formed in multiple locations around the city to celebrate the victory, the largest being at Boston Common, Harvard Square and the steps of the State House.

While almost everyone wore masks, the energy was high and the celebrations could be heard from blocks away.

“We’re celebrating the potential for a better future, a better chance at environmental change, a better chance at ending this pandemic.

There’s still a lot of work to do, but

I think our future is a lot brighter,” said Caroline Cooper, who was cheering on the parade of cars passing Boston Common.

T-shirts and blue hats reading “Tremendously Under Control” with a picture of President Trump— his eyes covered by a medical mask — were being handed out by the dozen at the Common.

At 78, Biden will become the oldest president in the history of the United States. Trump previously held this title, having been

sworn in at 70, now 74. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris also made history by becoming the first woman and person of color to be elected to the position.

Supporters who were close enough grabbed their cars to drive past the celebration and cheer along with the crowds. Honking and music continued for hours as a line of cars formed almost all the way down Boylston Street.

Biden addressed the country at 8 p.m. Saturday night with a victory speech, and President

Trump’s team released a statement regarding the win, but has yet to concede the race.

“I will not rest until the American people have the honest vote count they deserve and that Democracy demands,” Trump said on the idea of conceding.

There are still 68 days until Biden and Harris are inaugurated into the White House, and until then, the two parties are expected to work together in transitioning to the new administration.

BIDEN (Photo Gallery), on Page 6

Clubs see promise, flaws in diversity email

By Petrina Danardatu News Staff Some members of the Northeastern Students of Color Caucus, or NSCC, found much to discuss about President Joseph E. Aoun’s most recent email regarding Northeastern University’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The email was sent to the Northeastern community Oct. 19, proposing initiatives that Northeastern will enact to address issues

of systemic racism and discrimination, particularly against the Black community.

The initiatives aim to address specific issues and subject areas: representation, student support, NUPD community advisory board, cultural competency and anti-racism training, university-wide accountability, community engagement and amplifying our impact through employer partners. While members of the NSCC said some elements of the

email showed promise, there were other aspects of the email that were unsatisfactory.

“I think there’s a lot of promise in it, and the email can be used as a tool for accountability,” said fifth-year political science major James Lyons, co-founder of NSCC. “But there’s a lot that I find weak or, worse, absent.”

In the second paragraph of the email, before describing the initiatives, were numerous accolades to those who contributed to the

work: six senior vice presidents, as well as several college deans. One of the most prominent frustrations expressed by some members of the NSCC was the absence of acknowledgement for the student work, specifically of Black students in social and racial justice organizations like BlackAtNU and BlackVoicesMatter, which went into creating these initiatives.

Lyons said that President Aoun asked Dean Robert José, Dean Richard Harris and Dr. Richard

O’Bryant to each recommend three students for him to meet with when the Black Lives Matter protests broke out over the summer.

A group of approximately 12 students from both BlackAtNU and BlackVoicesMatter, as well as from NSCC, continued to meet with deans and other faculty to present different racial justice issues. As one of the organizers for BlackAtNU, Lyons was included in that team.

RACIAL JUSTICE, on Page 3

CAMPUS

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November 13, 2020

NU hits highest daily cases since start of testing Daily positivity rate and seven-day average positivity rate since university testing began

0.35%

Graphic by Avery Bleichfeld

COVID-19 testing data released

by Northeastern University indicated that Sunday, for the seventh day in a row, the university’s seven-day average positivity rate was the highest on record since testing began Aug. 17.

According to the data released Tuesday, of the 2,935 people tested Sunday, nine people tested positive.

There is a two-day delay for the release of test results. This made the daily positivity rate 0.31percent positive, the highest since the university started testing for the coronavirus.

The highest daily positivity rate recorded was calculated for Aug. 23, before most students returned to campus.

The seven-day positivity rate on Sunday, calculated by The Huntington News based on seven-day averages, was the highest recorded rate at 0.156 percent. The previous six days of results, those for Monday through Saturday, also each broke the record for highest seven-day positivity rate. Prior to last week, the record

seven-day positivity rate was 0.071 percent, on Sept. 28. On Monday, the positivity rate dipped down to 0.150 percent Compared to Boston at large, Northeastern’s testing results remain low. According to data released Tuesday by the Boston Public Health Commision, as of Monday, the seven-day positivity rate for the city of Boston was 8.2 percent. Data released Wednesday by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said that the state’s seven-day average positivity rate was 2.88 percent.

In May, the World Health Organization described a seven-day positivity rate of 5 percent or lower, for a period of at least two weeks, as an indicator that the coronavirus is under control in a population.

Based on this criterion, Northeastern’s testing indicates that the virus is controlled within the university population. However, the uptick in positivity signals higher spread than recorded since the university began testing in August, and comes as cases surge in Massachusetts, prompting new restrictions statewide.

0.30% 0.25% 0.20% 0.15% 0.10% 0.05% 0.00% 8/17 /202 0 8/21 /202 0 8/25 /202 0 8/29 /202 0 9/2/ 202 0 9/6/ 202 0 9/10 /202 0 9/14 /202 0 9/18 /202 0 9/22 /202 0 9/26 /202 0 9/30 /202 0 10/4 /202 0 10/8 /202 0 10/1 2/20 20 10/1 6/20 20 10/2 0/20 20 10/2 4/20 20 10/2 8/20 20 11/1 /202 0 11/5 /202 0 11/9 /202 0

By Avery Bleichfeld Managing Editor

NU Positivity Rate (daily)

Positivity Rate (7-day avg.)

What is a positivity rate?

Why consider positivity rate?

The positivity rate compares the number of positive tests to the number of tests completed in a given day.

The number of positive tests might be expected to increase if the number of total tests increases. The positivity rate can indicate if a greater portion of the population is testing positive. A rolling seven-day average levels out any especially high or low days for a more complete image of viral spread.

By comparing the two, the rate gives a more complete sense of how much of a population has tested positive.

See full NU testing data here:

Students weigh Thanksgiving travel risks

By Charlie Wolfson Editor-at-Large Later this month, thousands of students, faculty and staff will likely leave the relatively controlled ecosystem of Northeastern for the Thanksgiving holiday. Some will travel across state lines; some will get on airplanes. Many will socialize indoors with people they don’t see routinely. This semester, Thanksgiving presents Northeastern with one of its biggest challenges yet.

“I think this is something we have to figure out how to do properly,” said Michael Mina, a Harvard epidemiologist, on a call with reporters in October. “I think people are going to go home, they’re going to have to see their family. This is just a part of being human … I think it can be done generally safely, but I think it will lead to outbreaks, and that’s unfortunate.”

The holiday is approaching as COVID-19 cases are rising in nearly every part of the country. Massachusetts has recorded more than 1,000 daily cases numerous times

recently, and its infection rate and hospitalizations have crept up. The country has seen its average daily cases exceed 70,000, with many regions seeing the worst surges to date.

Not only do students risk spreading COVID-19 to their hometowns, but following Thanksgiving break, an influx of people may return to Boston with the virus after catching it at home.

Many colleges across the country, including Boston University, are telling students who travel home for Thanksgiving not to return to campus after the holiday to cut down on the risk of transmission. Northeastern, though, is welcoming students back to campus, though they will need to undergo the same testing and quarantine procedures that were required of students arriving at the beginning of the semester.

Mina said Northeastern’s decision to allow students to travel across the country and back during a viral surge is not necessarily a bad one,

and it reflects the fact that Northeastern has greater testing capabilities than schools that have enacted stricter policies.

“The reason these schools and so many institutions have employed very high throughput, high capacity, frequent testing is to account for situations like this,” Mina said.

“Do I think it will necessarily work?

I’m not sure, but I do think that the testing so far has suggested that it is possible to keep outbreaks at bay through frequent testing.”

Northeastern is not considering altering its travel policy in light of the worsening condition of the pandemic in the United States.

“We have clear testing protocols for students who travel outside the region and return to campus. It doesn’t matter whether the purpose of the travel is for Thanksgiving or another reason,” said Michael Armini, senior vice president of external affairs. “Many of the universities placing great emphasis on Thanksgiving travel don’t have Northeastern’s testing program.”

NU’s existing guidance also urges anyone travelling to wear masks and minimize contact with others.

Mina said that colleges in Northeastern’s position should consider tightening mitigation measures after the holiday in anticipation of a greater number of infections.

“Maybe they could test every two days for the first week and a half after somebody is back,” he said.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, said in October that he and his wife won’t have Thanksgiving with their kids this year.

“We would love for them to come home for Thanksgiving,” Fauci told CNBC. “They have said themselves, ‘Dad, you know you’re a young, vigorous guy, but you’re 79 years old.’”

Nicole Rich, a fourth-year English major, is following Fauci’s lead and staying in Boston instead of going to see her family in New York. She said she was worried about potentially transmitting the virus to her grandmother, and she was also concerned

Illustration by Avery Bleichfeld

about receiving the virus from her younger cousins, who attend public school in person.

“I know maybe it’s weird to say that I feel safer on a huge college campus,” Rich said. “But still … kids are germy.”

She said she will spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend in the city, and her parents are likely going to celebrate by themselves too.

Matthew Ostheimer, a fifth-year business administration major, was initially unsure if he would go home for Thanksgiving, but eventually he decided to spend the holiday with his family, north of San Francisco.

He said his family’s holiday will look different than usual, though.

His grandparents won’t be involved, and the gathering will be limited to immediate family only.

He said he made sure to book nonstop flights to cut down on the risk of infection during travel and will upgrade his usual mask to an N95 for the trip.

“I’m not super worried about [the travel], I often feel sometimes more worried being in Massachusetts, like walking through a grocery store where someone’s refusing to put on a mask,” Ostheimer said.

Mina predicted that, even if travelers take precautions like wearing masks, distancing and testing, the holidays will lead to an increase in cases.

“We actually see that a lot, from measles and other infections where we know that when people go home and then go and start school again, this is the time when outbreaks happen,” Mina said. “People have to be understanding of the risks that they’re taking.”

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November 13, 2020

Students of color reflect on Aoun’s plan for equity, inclusion

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NUPD CRIME LOG Compiled by Mike Puzzanghera, News Staff

SUNDAY, NOV. 1st

Photo courtesy Northeastern University Dean for Cultural and Spiritual Life Robert José is one of the NU administrators responsible for the initiatives laid out in the email.

RACIAL JUSTICE, from front Lyons went over the NSCC’s fivepoint cultural competence framework with Aoun that specifically addresses racial literacy. Moreover, Lyons suggested providing one-credit courses in racial literacy to College of Social Sciences and Humanities Dean Uta Poiger when they had met to discuss the BlackAtNU platform in June.

BlackAtNU presented various ideas from its own platform, including increasing representation, increasing procurement spending at Black owned businesses and other minority owned businesses, and mandatory cultural competence and anti-racism training. These were all included as part of Northeastern’s diversity and inclusion initiative in Aoun’s email.

Upon seeing the absence of recognition of the students’ work in the email, Lyons responded to the email almost immediately and sent it to Aoun, Poiger and José to voice his critique.

“Unpaid Black labor is especially heinous when it comes without even a shred of recognition,” he wrote. “You owe student organizers from both Black Voices Matter and BlackAtNU an apology for erasing our time, effort, and dedication in helping you all develop these solutions,” Lyons wrote.

Lyons said he received no response from Aoun or Poiger, but was able to follow up with José to discuss his concerns.

Charles Wallace-Thomas is a fourth-year economics and math major, member of NSCC and one of the co-campaign coordinators of BlackAtNU platform. He said that BlackAtNU has been able to make great strides in addressing issues of social and racial justice.

The platform, in part, calls for

NUPD to be defunded to create more public safety infrastructure at Northeastern. Wallace-Thomas said that the primary barrier in working toward this with Northeastern administration is thinking about what is possible and reimagining what public safety can look like.

Assistant vice-president of Title IX Initiatives Mark Jannoni is also working with BlackAtNU to create a task force to create a Restorative Justice Center based on its recommendations.

BlackAtNU’s goal is to divest funds from institutions, such as the police, that create a feeling of public non-safety, especially for the BIPOC community. In turn, these funds would be invested into initiatives that would put the safety and well-being of BIPOC students at the forefront and deepen their sense of belonging and community at Northeastern.

Lyons hopes to see this mistake being corrected by explicitly addresses the work of Black students to produce and put these initiatives forth in the president’s next email about anti-discrimination.

While backing Lyons’ concerns, fourth-year economics major and Secretary General of NSCC Gisselle Rodriguez-Benitez also voiced her concern that the email is missing detail. Despite its length, she believes there is a vagueness to its content that is insufficient to support its message.

“Keeping [the diversity and inclusion initiatives] vague is easier because it helps them to not be held responsible for what they do not do or what they don’t do to their fullest extent,” Rodriguez-Benitez said. “The next step, in my view is to make a clear announcement about what exactly they’ll be doing so the Northeastern community can keep

Logo courtesy NSCC The Coalition for Northeastern Students Organizations of Color, part of NSCC, promotes work of organizations on campus for collective liberation.

them to account.”

Rodriguez-Benitez suggests that an improvement would be to reframe these initiatives into the form of enumerated lists of explicitly detailed goals with specific targets, plans of action and timelines. This way Northeastern students will be able to hold the administration accountable for not following through on their promises.

NSCC’s Secretary of Treasury Yasser Aponte, a fifth-year international affairs and religious studies major, believes that for the university to maintain transparency on these initiatives, it must create an oversight board. He suggested that the board could consist of people like students, staff, external community and stakeholders and should be appropriately representative of Northeastern’s BIPOC community.

Moreover, Aponte believes that the proposed board should openly communicate what it chooses to implement and what not to, and why, and have records and transaction logs available for public access.

“I hope we continue to get updates about what’s going on, transparent updates about how it is going on.

Solidarity is a big way we can make changes quicker,” Aponte said. “The more people who understand the mission and values we’re trying to support, the more people will want to reach out to administration. We’re finally starting to see institutions really care about social justice issues at the forefront of their agendas.”

At the end of the email, Aoun wrote about how we are all “navigating challenging times due to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty.” Lyons believes that the email missed a vital expression of understanding about why this time is so difficult, especially for the Black community.

“A lot of people don’t consider the impact of being amidst a social justice movement as a Black student. Having to witness and experience profound attacks on Black people’s right to exist and having to return to school like everything is normal is difficult,” Lyons said. “How could you write an email like this and not mention the emotional toll and exhaustion Black students face when constantly having to fight for justice? It’s a severe miss on a part of the authors.”

1:06am

A sibling of an NU student requested a well-being check of her brother in West Village B. Officers attempted to contact the student with negative results. Officers report that the student was conscious but not alert and was highly intoxicated. EMS transported the student to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. A report was filed.

1:32am

A resident assistant, or RA, reported an NU student was intoxicated and carried into a room in East Village.

Officers report the student was conscious and alert and signed a medical waiver. A report was filed.

3:37am

An NU student reported he was robbed near a train station by five males and one female. Officers report the robbery was unarmed and it may have occurred at either the Massachusetts Avenue or the Symphony MBTA station.

Transit police and Boston Police, or BPD, were notified, and transit police assumed jurisdiction. A report was filed.

MONDAY, NOV. 2nd 1:10pm

An NU student reported her laptop was stolen out of her backpack in Knowles Center. A report was filed.

TUESDAY, NOV. 3rd 10:53am

The manager of Wollaston’s Market in Marino Recreation Center reported several incidents of shoplifting involving an NU student. A report was filed.

11:46am

The manager of Wollaston’s Market in Marino Recreation Center reported stopping a shoplifter. Officers reported speaking to the shoplifter, an NU student. A report was filed.

1:54pm

A man unaffiliated with NU reported that someone rummaged through his unlocked vehicle while it was parked in the Renaissance Park Garage. A report was filed.

7:36pm

An NU student reported eight shots were fired in the area of Ruggles Street. Units responded and checked the area.

BPD and Transit Police responded to assist in checking the area, and BPD assumed jurisdiction. A report was filed.

FRIDAY, NOV. 6th 10:06pm

Facilities reported exit signs outside the elevator in Davenport B were vandalized. A report was filed.

SATURDAY, NOV. 7th 3:40am

An RA, reported a student in Kerr Hall was highly intoxicated. Officers responded and requested EMS. EMS transported the student to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for further evaluation. A report was filed.

4:47pm

An NU student reported his bike was stolen from in front of White Hall. A report was filed.

11:25pm

An RA in East Village reported the smell of marijuana outside of a room. Officers responded and reported no signs of marijuana, but spoke with multiple NU students who all admitted to drinking alcohol. A report was filed.

LIFESTYLE

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Calendar compiled by Ingrid Angulo Graphics by Jayden Khatib

Friday, Nov. 13 Aquarium After Dark It’s Sea Turtle Night at the New England Aquarium. Spend the evening surrounded by Boston’s iconic collection of sea life and catch some animals that are especially active in the later hours.

4 p.m. - 8 p.m., $32, New England Aquarium

Begins Nov. 13 The Polar Express 4-D Experience Beginning this month, celebrate the holidays with an immersive, multisensory showing of the classic film “The Polar Express” at the Museum of Science.

Check the MOS website for times and details.

Sunday, Nov. 15 Plant-Based Holiday Cooking Class Ditch the turkey and prepare for the upcoming holiday season with a plant-based holiday-themed cooking class hosted by chef Lauren D’Agostino.

5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., $25, Facebook event

Tuesday, Nov. 17 A Night with Antoni Porowski Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski will be performing a virtual cooking demonstration exclusively for Northeastern students, hosted by our very own CUP and RSA. 8 p.m., Free, Facebook event

Friday, Nov. 20, Saturday Nov. 21 “Knives Out” at Medfield State Hospital Watch the Oscar-nominated thriller at a pop-up drive-in theater right near the movie’s actual filming location, hosted by Coolidge Corner Theatre.

6 p.m. - 9 p.m., $60 per car, Medfield State Hospital

November 13, 2020

Virtual play highlights voices of undocumented immigrants

By Rachel Erwin News Staff “Downtown Crossing,” a play presented by Company One Theatre in partnership with the Boston Public Library and Northeastern University, tested the bounds of theater in a digital format.

Streamed via a private YouTube link Oct. 22 to Oct. 25 as a digital world premiere, “Downtown Crossing” focuses on seven undocumented immigrants traveling on the Orange Line on Marathon Monday. Written

by David Valdes, the play is the result of Company One’s two-year long (un) Documented Project. Valdes talked to current and former undocumented immigrants, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, immigrants’ rights advocates and others involved in the lives of immigrants in the Greater Boston area.

Due to COVID-19 guidelines, the show was rehearsed and performed entirely online, with performers tuning in on Zoom. Tickets were pay-whatyou-can, so audience members could stream the performances for free or make a donation.

The production, directed by Summer L. Williams, featured seven actors performing live in their own virtual settings, with a variety of backgrounds, such as the moving Orange Line train or a basketball court drawing. In addition to the digital backdrops, other design choices, such as the actors’ clothing, drew the audience into each character’s personality and the world of the play, even with its digital limitations.

Each character had their own story to tell, but they were connected by the common thread of being undocumented immigrants. For example, when

Photo by Kelly Thomas NU students worked to put on a virtual theater production of the show “Downtown Crossing.” their train stopped due to police action on Marathon Monday, each character expressed the fear of having to interact with the police.

One of the most memorable moments was when Sarom (Eiko Yamamoto), the mother of a cheerleader, said that she wanted to attend her daughter’s national competition but could not due to her undocumented status and fear of being deported.

Stories like this one, which emphasized how the privileges that many take for granted are not always available to everyone, made the play successful.

Another character, Bolade (Jean Philippe Darang), described being laughed at as a child because he did not know what a social security number was. Many people do not think twice about their social security number or other documentation, but this could be a worry for undocumented people.

A group of Northeastern students had a hand in the creation of this piece.

Darang and Ben Harris (who played Declan) made their acting debuts with Company One. Tarik Jones, who is graduating this semester, was the assistant director. Other students involved were assistant dramaturg Anna Birnholz, design assistant Victoria Rojo, props manager Bianca Estensen-Tijerino and stage manager Emma Nafz.

In addition to the performances, a variety of supplemental events were offered. At the Who’s in the Fight event, audiences could meet some of Company One’s partner organizations working for social justice in Boston.

Multiple pre-show conversations occurred, during which audience members could discuss how to take action and responsibility in Boston for racial, social and economic justice issues.

Company One used its platform

to highlight the voices of those who are frequently silenced. “Downtown Crossing” was a glimpse into the life of an undocumented Bostonian and proof that theater is still impactful and possible, despite the pandemic.

The end of the play was the most haunting and effective. Each immigrant had a particular phrase to repeat.

“Leave me alone for now.”

“I want to be safe.”

“On guard all day, every day.”

As the scene went on, the characters switched to saying each other’s phrases, and gradually, they all began to overlap. It felt as though the audience was bombarded with pleas for peace from these characters, and it left viewers with a sense of how undocumented immigrants feel here in Boston, a sanctuary city.

“One day you’re illegal, one day you’re not.”

Column: The best playlist for fall 2020

By Annetta Stogniew News Correspondent There’s something inherently sentimental about fall. As the leaves morph from dazzling green to soft oranges and yellows and the bite of cool morning air brews, there is a jittery anticipation of some unknown, impending delight.

This sentiment, coupled with the physical transition of my surroundings, fosters the ideal environment for introspection. Here is my fall playlist that embodies nostalgia and thoughtfulness, with soft acoustic tones.

“Bloom” by The Paper Kites Summer is often a period of liberation, and the impending chill of fall can feel like a stark awakening from a dream. This song introduces the concept of awakening as something sweet and endearing. The gentle guitar riff and distant whistles in the background of this song are excellent means of easing into a crisp fall morning.

“Real Estate” by Adam Melchor Another melody saturated with the gentle plucking of guitar strings, this soothing love tune is practically daydream-inducing, which can be much needed on cooler morning excursions.

Lyrics of thoughtful longing fit well into longing for better weather, less work and simpler times.

“Cherry Wine” by Hozier With the addition of birds chirping and the sounds of nature, this gentle guitar melody and folky tune grasps a deep lull that seems as though it could slip away and drift with an autumnal breeze.

“Holocene” by Bon Iver With lyrics that span stories from Halloween to Christmas, “Holocene” is the quintessential fall anthem. A delicate but augmenting melody would perfectly accompany a brisk hike among fall foliage. Self-reflective and mildly critical lyrics cultivate much needed introspection in preparation for the new year to come.

“Paint” by The Paper Kites Another lyrically autumnal song, “Paint” tells the story of something haunted, whether it be a house, a person, a relationship. Described as cold and unknown, the haunting of the song is mirrored in the repetition of mundane fall days. Nevertheless, “Paint” ends with hopeful thoughts of the future — just as any good fall day does.

“Heartbeats” by José González González’s folk cover of this song

by Swedish indie-electronic group The Knife has a transformative nature that brings new meaning and emotion to the electro-pop counterpart. The cryptic lyrics are interpreted as referencing

drugs or relationships, or are sometimes simply accepted as being unclear.

Nevertheless, the soothing aucusticity and ambiguous lyrics of this cover blend into the eerie aura of autumn.

“Hello My Old Heart” by The Oh Hellos The annual welcoming of fall is akin to returning home after a long journey.

The tender lyrics of this song address the singer’s “old” heart, which has been locked away, presumably referring to a state of emotional suppression. As the singer battles with their urge to be emotionally open but remain safe, it is difficult not to confront one’s own emotional turbulence. In order to ascend gracefully into the new year, it is necessary to manage the chaos of what has passed.

“All Too Well” by Taylor Swift Another song whose storyline takes place in the fall, this Swift classic reminisces on a past relationship. A song drenched in remembrance, another emotional ballad to evoke deep introspection finds its place on this list. The nostalgic nature of this song and its recent eight-year anniversary are sure to instigate serious reflection.

“Leaves That Are Green” by Simon & Garfunkel The lyrics not only describe fall in literal terms, but also they mirror autumn on a more subtle level as well.

The discrete message passed by Simon & Garfunkel in this tune is one of aging, and not in a graceful manner.

As our natural surroundings diminish in the year’s later months, it can be cathartic to reflect on one’s own growth.

A lighthearted melody contrasted with somber lyrics in this folk-rock tune fosters the perfect thoughtspace for end-of-year reflections.

“Our House” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young A classic song of comfort, this soft rock staple mandates at least one listen per fall month. With sentimental lyrics and a comfortably redundant piano accompaniment, “Our House” ignites warmth on the coldest of days. It also serves as a gentle reminder to appreciate the mundane minutiae of day-today life, an often forgotten mentality in the subtle misery of fall.

“Another Story” by The Head and the Heart As much as many of the songs on this list encourage somber retrospection, it is also important to appreciate the good that has passed. The intensifying indie melody and lyrics that both long for a time different from now, but find security in the promise of the future, build to a bittersweet remembrance of the past year, much like many of us will settle upon in the winter months.

LIFESTYLE

November 13, 2020

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Wesley Lowery’s ‘They Can’t Kill Us All’ continues to inform the long fight for Black lives

Photo by Kelly Chan Photo by Kelly Chan The book “They Can’t Kill Us All” was written after Michael Brown’s death in 2016, yet it Lowery wrote the book after getting arrested for protests for Black Lives himself, even though still reflects events and protests happening in the present. he was a journalist reporting the event.

By Taraneh Azar News Correspondent The killing of Michael Brown changed the narrative of racial justice in the United States forever.

In his 2016 memoir “They Can’t Kill Us All,” Wesley Lowery gives a detailed chronicling of the modern-day fight for Black lives — a continuation of the civil rights movement that was just getting started in 2014.

He tells the stories of the lives lost, from 17-year-old Trayvon Martin to the countless Black Americans who would come after, and of the people dedicated to fighting for justice. The stories are also placed in the broader context of a technological revolution that changed the way Americans interact with and address the realities of systemic racism and police brutality forever.

Now, it’s been six years since the killing of Michael Brown and nothing has changed.

When George Floyd was murdered May 25, the lack of progress toward racial equality and police accountability was made undoubtedly clear as the death of another Black American was played on an endless

loop that defined the 24-hour news cycle for weeks as protests erupted across the nation. It’s a story that’s all too familiar. Lowery couldn’t have predicted the murder of Floyd and the parallels that Minneapolis would soon come to draw to the small town outside of St. Louis, but he illustrates how in a nation slow to change, this parallel would be inevitable.

A now-former Washington Post journalist, Lowery has dedicated his career to covering the Movement for Black Lives and chronicling the manifestations of systemic racism in the United States. Covering fatal police shootings and pursuing evidence of the disproportionate killing of Black people by law enforcement, Lowery led the Post’s Pulitzer Prize winning “Fatal Force” project, a searchable database that visualizes the number of people killed by police since Jan. 1, 2015. Within the memoir, Lowery tells the story of pursuing truth while being a Black journalist in 2014 — a year defined in many ways by the loss of Black life.

His story is one of perseverance.

On Aug. 9, 2014, 18-year-old Michael Brown Jr. was gunned down in Ferguson, Missouri by a white police

officer, Darren Wilson. Lowery describes the scenes he witnessed and the people he met during his three-month stint in the small town covering the protests that followed.

“Ferguson is not some faraway story. In a country where police kill more than a thousand people each year, Ferguson is in all places a local story,” he writes. “We live in a country where police violence is a pervasive fixture of daily life, not a problem plaguing some distant locale.”

The narrative is sprinkled with historical facts that are essential to understanding the context of this ongoing fight, including the murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955 and the Harlem Riots of 1964.

Lowery details the events that led to his own arrest in Ferguson while covering the protests, clearly identifying himself as press in an incident caught on video for all to see the abuse of power. While Brown opens the story, it certainly doesn’t end with him. Lowery tells of how Eric Garner’s last words, “I can’t breathe,” would become a rallying cry. He also tells of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland, of 25-year-old Freddie Gray in Baltimore and of countless

more Black Americans who were killed at the hands of the state.

Lowery follows incident after incident, delving into the history informing and aftermath stemming from each death chronicled. He tells of all the players — friends, organizers, police chiefs — that were involved. He follows incidents of racial discrimination at the University of Missouri and the tenacious Black students who came together to demand change. Jumping from 2014 to 2015 and later to 2016, Lowery paints a comprehensive picture of all of the steps taken to demand change while illustrating the painful truth that still, nothing changes. Law enforcement officials were on track to take more lives in 2015 than 2014, despite the widespread Black Lives Matter protests.

Lowery situates himself within the broader context of the stories and movement he was covering. At times the piece felt too introspective, too autobiographical. Detailing everything from his childhood to his daily life covering beats, tangents into personal stories at times derailed the core narrative of community efforts and what was happening around him.

A complete dedication to the people who informed and dressed his work as a journalist would have at times been a more effective account of perspective from the outside looking in as a reporter. Even so, Lowery exhibits a level of critical self-awareness weaved throughout the text that seemed to quell my dislike of analysis-turned-autobiography.

Lowery hits so many concepts on the head with striking precision. He presents difficult subjects and asks hard questions, weaving analysis and inquiry into a narrative of thoughtful criticism and proportional celebration of the people who made the movement possible.

“Ferguson would birth a movement and set the nation on a course for a still-ongoing public hearing on race that stretched far past the killing of unarmed residents — from daily policing to confederate imagery to respectability politics to cultural appropriation,” Lowery writes. “The social justice movement spawned from Mike Brown’s blood would force city after city to grapple with its own fraught histories of race and policing.”

Review: New Borat film designed to offend, not teach

By Edith Olmstead News Correspondent The newest installment of the Borat saga, “Borat Subsequent Movie Film,” centers around a disgraced Borat Sagdiyev (Sacha Baron Cohen), who attempts to restore the good name of Kazakhstan in the United States by travelling back to the U.S. to deliver a gift to Mike Pence. Much to his dismay, he is followed by his 16-year-old daughter Tutar (Maria Bakalova) who interrupts his plans.

This movie has all of the qualities that made the original Borat so iconic. Baron Cohen delivers a truly committed performance that is so preposterous and offensive that it warranted a quick Google search of “is Sacha Baron Cohen Jewish?” halfway through, as if the fact would diminish the panic.

Bakalova’s performance is weird, but similarly committed. She is brave for putting herself in the positions which she does. I don’t know any person who would do the bits she executes, whether it’s flashing a bloody vagina during a debutante ball or being alone in a room with Rudy Giuliani.

The movie’s premise seems to be nearly the same as the original. Borat will interact with someone, and his brash, politically incorrect persona invites them to say something abhorrent.

Notably, this movie is different from its predecessor because there are no interviews. Borat interacts with many different real people, but this time in disguise as an American.

These interactions are enthralling, and Borat has a great instinct for knowing when to make someone the butt of the joke and when to take the hit himself.

But not everyone sets themselves up

to be completely humiliated.

This is where some of the more enjoyable bits can be found, in the few moments of human kindness in an otherwise onslaught of inhumanity.

A significant part of the movie relies on an encounter with a babysitter, Jeanise Jones. This scene subverts the Borat premise, and rather than stoking bigotry or cruelty in Jones, she pleads with Tutar to respect herself, and stand up to Borat. This interaction is very sweet, and it’s impressive how well it fits into the plot for something unscripted. There are some moments where maybe people don’t seem so bad.

That’s what’s so hard to understand about these movies. The creators of Borat seem to think that Americans are awful, and if given the opportunity, they will espouse their horrible beliefs to a stranger. They are constantly

proven right by their own design.

Even the people who don’t completely make fools of themselves are still humiliated because they fall for it. They think Borat and Tutar are real.

This begs the question of what the creators of this movie must think about the audience. It is evident that they must think the audience is smart enough to dissect the vitriol on screen and parse through what’s real and what’s fake, what’s good and what’s bad. They hold things up for the audience to be horrified at, but don’t bother to explain what’s horrifying about it. Do they think we’re smart, or are they too lazy to finish the job?

What are they trying to provoke in their audience? In the ambiguity, some of the political poignancy is lost.

The same can be said for Tutar’s plotline. This movie tries to implement character development for both

Tutar and Borat. There were some positive moments in Tutar’s arc as she becomes less sexually repressed and more empowered. But the sexism she endures is unrecognizable in its cartoonishness. She is literally kept in a cage. It made her scene with Rudy Giuliani all the more confusing.

It’s a horrible scene, but it just felt strange to hold up something real next to something so fake. Her entire character seems like an easy foil to Borat’s misogyny, and their character growth feels like such a small win in an overwhelmingly ugly world.

“Borat” is for a very niche audience, and it’s hard to understand why so many people love it. It’s not an easy movie to recommend, but if you like Borat as a character, you’ll watch this movie and like it a lot. If not, watch something else, and don’t worry about it.

Page 6

CITY

November 13, 2020

PHOTO GALLERY: BOSTON CELEBRA

Photo by Harriet Rovniak Lines of cars formed up and down Boylston Street, honking and playing music for hours.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will become the first woman and person of color

ARCHITECTS RETHINK

S PAC E DURING COVID-19

Photo by Kelly Thomas Architects and designers may incorporate what they’ve learned so far from the pandemic into planning spaces for the future.

CITY

November 13, 2020

Page 7

ATES BIDEN’S VICTORY

r to be elected to the position.

By Jill Makin News Correspondent Following the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S., businesses, restaurants and public spaces have had to adapt their existing layouts in order to comply with safety guidelines. Moving forward, architects and designers might have to incorporate what they’ve learned so far from the pandemic into planning spaces for the future.

Julia Barksdale, a fifth-year architecture major and co-director of the Northeastern chapter of Freedom by Design, said that some businesses face greater challenges than others when working with their existing spaces.

“Places like restaurants and even some office spaces are able to adapt pretty quickly because they’re already segmented in a way … I think the biggest struggles right now are the spaces like community centers, libraries or even museums, where their main purpose is just to be one large shared space, and that’s just not possible right now, safety-wise,” Barksdale said. “It’s going to feel empty, it’s going to feel huge.”

Barksdale is currently on co-op at Utile, a Boston-based architecture and design firm. She said the firm has dealt with disruptions to some of their projects, even those that were ready to move forward prior to the pandemic.

“Some projects that were ready to go are now undergoing an additional chapter of design,” Barksdale said.

“It’s definitely an edit that we have to make to the design of spaces, so we are seeing that in real time now.

It’s hard to predict what’s going to be going and what’s not.”

Architecture students are also starting to see some of these changes brought into their classes as they

Photo by Harriet Rovniak

strive to create flexible designs that can be adapted to purposes beyond what the architect originally intended.

“Going through the steps of scenario planning, as we did in one of our studios, thinking what if this has to turn into a school? Or what if this has to turn into apartments, or an office building or a health clinic?” said Ana Leopold, a fifth-year architecture major. “Then [we designed] the structure around that to allow taking out walls in the middle, rebuilding them or having an open space.”

Despite some acknowledgment of COVID-19 in their courses, architecture students find that spatial versatility and planning for the future are already integrated into their education. “As far as coursework, I don’t really expect a huge shift. I think it’s just going to be more of the focus on flexibility, which is something we’ve already been trained to start thinking about,” Barksdale said.

Teaching architecture during this pandemic involves asking students and colleagues to look at the bigger picture and reflect on the way spaces and buildings influence issues of inequity in society.

“There’s a lot of conversation about how to be not just reactive to this moment, but how to be proactive. How can we think about our cities and buildings as just and equitable places?” said Amanda Reeser Lawrence, graduate program coordinator and associate professor in the School of Architecture at Northeastern. “I think it’s important that this isn’t just how to make air flow adequate … We have the tools, we can do that as architects.

What is more important is that we ask bigger questions about how to create designs that are inclusive, and I think this is something that the pandemic

Photo by Harriet Rovniak Biden will become the oldest president in the history of the United States at 78 years old.

has really brought to the forefront.”

Concerns over the safety and importance of cities have also been introduced as people are able to work from home instead of worrying about the risks of close proximity when living and working in urban areas.

“We really see architects and the profession of architecture more generally asking how we can make not just our buildings but our cities safer. One of the big conversations that is happening is about the value of cities in general. I think because there’s an anxiety around density right now, there’s some related apprehension about urban living and talk of people leaving the city,” Lawrence said. “I really believe in the city. I think there’s so many positive things that the city offers, but as architects, this is really asking us to articulate what that value is.”

Leopold has already started to consider how to approach issues with housing in cities, particularly as some struggle with evictions or not being able to pay rent.

“With the amount of people that are homeless, and the people that are getting evicted or can’t pay rent, [the pandemic] is just emphasizing the importance of that. I hope that it leads to new [housing] typologies and more creativity for developing that,” Leopold said. “But I think honestly, on a more psychological, human side, people are going to be scared about being in public spaces for a while … so I think there will be lasting impacts on how people move through public spaces after this.”

While architects mostly see the ramifications of the pandemic in public spaces, it’s possible that home design will start to reflect some of the lifestyle changes brought on by the blending of home and work spaces. “Even those

I think, on a more psychological, human side, people are going to be scared about being in public spaces for a while … so I think there will be lasting impacts on how people move through public spaces after this.

— Ana Leopold fifth-year architecture major categories — your home and your workplace — are attached to physical spaces that historically have been thought of as distinct,” Lawrence said.

Barksdale didn’t anticipate many adjustments to home design, but said that integrating a workspace or more ergonomic furniture into the home

may become more common in the future. “I think the biggest change we’re going to see is a more established home office, or a place where people can find comfort working from home,” she said.

When considering lasting changes to design, architects have found themselves addressing the immediate issues created by the pandemic while also aiming for long-term flexibility.

“We see architecture firms responding to immediate issues so, for example, making schools, workplaces or hospitals safer, and helping to establish social distancing measures through spatial or architectural tools,” Lawrence said.

In the long run, Leopold believes COVID-19 will affect architecture, though she expects the need for flexibility to outlast the changes that come directly from safety measures.

“I would say there’s going to be a lasting impact on architecture, but I don’t think we’re going to see the same attention to circulation, how many people can fit in a space and ensuring proper ventilation to the same extent,” she said. “I think in the future we’re going to be designing around public space in a different way.”

One of the biggest questions surrounding the new focus on spatial planning is whether or not these changes are here to stay. The future of cities is uncertain, as urban living may either become more inclusive or people may be left feeling unsafe and disadvantaged.

“Buildings outlive generations, so it’s difficult to say that an entire industry has to start permanently building for a distanced life,” Barksdale said. “We should just be focused on the design of flexibility, letting pieces be movable and allowing space for distancing.”

SPORTS

Page 8

November 13, 2020

Northeastern winter sports teams return stronger than ever

Photo by Muhammed Elarbi Graduate forward Jason Strong looked down the court as a teammate scored in a game last season against Hofstra University. Northeastern will start its season at the Paradise Jam Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 26 in Washington, D.C.

By Adessa Jayne News Correspondent Northeastern’s winter sports seasons have had an untimely delay due to the pandemic, but are now expected to return starting late November. Given the dangers of COVID-19, an array of protocols and regulations have been implemented to protect the health of the Northeastern community.

“Our student-athletes are, just like everybody else in the student body, getting tested three times a week.

We’re constantly reminding them of the best practices of personal hygiene, mask-wearing and social distancing,” said Bill Coen, head coach of the men’s basketball team. “We’re trying to keep everybody healthy and protect the pack.”

Skylar Fontaine, a senior defender for the women’s hockey team, attested to the new guidelines put in place and the challenges of preparing to play during a pandemic.

“We still have to wear face masks in the rink,” Fontaine said. “Here at our gym, we’re only allowed to have four of us at a time working out, so we don’t get to work out as a team, and you have to sign up for lift and in order to enter the rink you have to swipe in and show a wellness check.”

Jared Auclair, director of Northeastern’s biotechnology program and the Biopharmaceutical Analysis Training Laboratory, expressed his confidence in a safe return of sports at Northeastern — given that proper regulations are followed.

“If all the athletes and students do what they’re supposed to do in terms of wearing their masks when they’re supposed to, getting tested on their three-day cycle, I think that there’s not much risk at all,” Auclair said. “If those guidelines and measures the university put in place to keep us all safe are pushed to the wayside, then I think the

risk is potentially pretty high.”

Northeastern athletes are in no way taking the pandemic lightly and have committed to creating a safe environment in which to play sports.

“My biggest concern would be keeping safe as a team because, as we all know, we are currently in a pandemic and our safety can be compromised at any time,” said Jason Strong, a graduate forward for the men’s basketball team. “We just want to make sure we’re doing the best we can to make sure we stay safe and healthy.”

Coach Coen expressed his confidence in his team and the Northeastern community.

“I’m really proud of the student body here at Northeastern,” Coen said. “I think everybody is taking this pandemic very seriously and they’re being very respectful of their community members.”

This season will also be marked by the growing social justice movement that has spread throughout the country and world.

“With everything that’s gone on with the social justice

movement and understanding the political climate we’re in, what encourages me most is the youth of America,” Coen said. “When you hear some of the young people speak — whether it’s on social justice issues, the pandemic, the political future or economic disparities — I think there’s just so much hope that this next generation can create an even better environment and an even better future for everybody in

this country.”

Northeastern athletes have dedicated themselves to promoting social justice and fighting for a better future.

“We plan on this year having social justice slogans on our warm-up jerseys and uniforms and we plan to use that as a platform,” Strong said. “We plan to bring awareness to it in any way we can on and off the court.”

While the pandemic has brought an onslaught of challenges and uncertainty, athletes have maintained positive attitudes and used this time to create unity within their teams.

“Everyone at all these different schools that we play against is going through the same thing,” Fontaine said. “That’s something that we all try to keep inside our heads — that we’re not alone and we’re all in this together.”

Though the COVID-19 restrictions can feel isolating, Northeastern athletes have taken this opportunity to build stronger bonds than ever before.

“I think this time has brought us even closer together,” Strong said.

“It’s nice to know that we can count on each other because in the end, we’re the people that are going to be there for us.”

Photo by Sarah Olender Senior defender Skylar Fontaine moves the puck down the ice in a game against Boston University last season.

SPORTS

November 13, 2020 Photo by Sarah Olender Matt Filipe skates the puck to the opposing net in a game against UConn last January.

Page 9

New Boston Bruin Matt Filipe fulfills childhood dream

By Rania Kalaaji News Correspondent From a Northeastern Husky to a Boston Bruin, Matt Filipe is always up for a challenge.

After his senior season got unexpectedly cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipe saw his illustrious college hockey career come to a quick end. With the Huskies’ third Beanpot championship in a row and their first Belpot, it seemed like the 2019-20 season would be one of the best for Northeastern men’s hockey yet. This abrupt end to such a promising year left senior athletes like Filipe absolutely devastated.

“We sat back as seniors and were just kind of like, ‘Wow, unfortunately it ends here,’ but we just accomplished so much,” Filipe said. “It sucked that our final season got cut short, but we just looked back at it like, ‘We’re so lucky to experience and go through what we went through in those four years.’”

Filipe’s positive attitude during this situation was nothing new.

“He’s very fun, when you see his smile and see him having fun, it’s contagious,” said former teammate and senior Grant Jozefek. “He’s always very positive — it rubs off on everybody. When you see a guy having fun like that, you want to have fun too.”

Matt’s positive attitude and sports-

manship led him to follow in the footsteps of his father, former Husky Paul Filipe, and became an assistant captain his senior year at Northeastern — a role that Matt graciously took on and embodied.

“It meant a lot. My dad played at Northeastern; he was a captain a while ago in 1982,” Filipe said. “I grew up watching the game and it was sort of my dream to play at Northeastern, so it was a huge honor to be named assistant captain my senior year. I had my teammates’ trust and my coaches’ trust. That means a lot to me.”

Filipe’s success on and off the ice is evident in the accomplishments the Huskies had this past year and the support he provided his teammates. Head coach Jim Madigan also recognizes Filipe’s effort and accomplishments.

“He led on the ice by example of hard work and talked to our younger players and showed them what a winning culture is all about,” Madigan said. “He’s an honest, hard-working kid. He calls it as it is. He demands a lot of himself, he works hard and he demands a lot out of his teammates.”

In addition to his strong work ethic and leadership qualities, Madigan believes Filipe’s size and style of game will translate very well to the professional level.

At 6 feet 2 inches and 205 pounds,

Filipe leverages his size to play a physical game which will serve him well on a physically dominant Bruins team.

While his size will surely help him on the ice, Filipe’s open mind and desire to learn will take him very far in his professional career. During his time with the Huskies, he always looked up to the captains and older players before him as well as his coaches. Similarly, he hopes to be able to learn as much as possible from his Bruins teammates during his rookie season.

“I just want to learn from the older guys, take it all in and do whatever I can to help the team win,” Filipe said.

A dream come true, this Lynnfield, Massachusetts native is ecstatic to be playing for his home team that he grew up watching. Now signed, Filipe is up for any challenges he may face trying to make it on the Bruins’ roster this coming season.

No matter what happens, Filipe will always be trying harder to succeed and has learned how to let go of any roadblocks along the way and use them to motivate him toward reaching his goals.

As Filipe begins his professional career, he had a few words for young, aspiring hockey players: “There’s going to be ups and downs, but you just really got to stick to it,” he said. “First and foremost, you have to believe in yourself.”

Swim and dive team makes new waves

By Eamonn Ryan News Correspondent In a normal season, Northeastern’s swimming and diving team would have had multiple meets and would be gearing up for the bulk of their season.

Instead, they are now trying to get up to speed in the pool and on the boards.

Typically, they start practices on the first day of classes, but this year the team was unable to get into the pool until later in September.

Head coach Roy Coates said their competitors have also had problems keeping COVID-19 out of their locker rooms, so they have not been able to compete in-person.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen with competitions,” Coates said.

“We’ve been advised not to have any face-to-face competitions until after January 1.”

Coates and other coaches across the country had to be creative,

so they set up virtual meets against various schools across the country.

While these meets are not recognized by the NCAA as valid for competition, Coates believes that they still help with experience.

The athletes are also enthusiastic about these virtual competitions and are looking forward to being able to swim and dive competitively again.

“I think it’s a creative way for our team to still compete against other teams, and sometimes even other teams that we don’t usually compete against,” said junior diver Elly Morrison.

While COVID-19 has drastically changed how meets and competitions will work, the team’s practices have been returning to a level of normalcy.

“Our actual practices don’t feel

that different,” Morrison said, since divers often practice at different times than swimmers. “It’s pretty easy to stay spread out and to feel safe.”

The swimmers on the team have had a different experience with practices. This semester, they were eased back into it, with smaller groups practicing at different times.

“We’re still not back to our full practice hours, but we’re slowly adding more in,” said senior Kristy Kirchoff, a breaststroke and individual medley swimmer. “Our team’s been healthy so far, and it’s really nice being back together as a whole team.”

Some swimmers were able to swim over the summer and prepare for the return to competition, such as senior Cloe Bedard-Khalid, who normally competes in the butterfly and freestyle competitions.

“Getting that extra practice in

Senior swimmer Cloe Bedard-Khalid is excited to be back in the pool despite new COVID-19 restrictions.

Getting that extra practice in and being able to swim during the quarantine time is helping me feel more prepared going into our meets and the season.

— Cloe Bedard-Khalid senior butterfly and freestyle competitor

and being able to swim during the quarantine time is helping me feel more prepared going into our meets and the season,” Bedard-Khalid said.

Returning to practice and competition has been a unique experience for both the swimmers and divers, but they have felt safe doing so.

Frequent testing, mandatory mask wearing and staggered practicing have all played a role in keeping the team safe.

“I feel really safe at practice knowing that my other teammates are getting tested every three days,” Morrison said. “We have pretty good rules in place.”

No matter the restrictions or rules, everyone is excited to be back in the pool and preparing for competition.

“I never thought we’d be here, being able to practice this much,” Bedard-Khalid said. “It’s really just a happy thought that this is going really well and in a really positive direction.”

Photo courtesy Northeastern Athletics

OPINION

Page 10 The Huntington News EDITORIAL BOARD

Op-ed: Electoral College erodes democracy

Editor-in-Chief

Kelly Chan

editor@huntnewsnu.com Managing Editor

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BUSINESS

Business Manager

Rhyia Bibby

business@huntnewsnu.com Development and Outreach Coordinator

Photo by Kelly Thomas In response to President Donald J. Trump’s calls to “stop the count” of legally-casted mail-in ballots, protestors gathered in the streets of several U.S. cities, hoisting picket signs denouncing his administration and chanting “count every vote.”

However, President Trump has not been the sole enemy of democracy throughout this grueling election cycle. The Electoral College has been undermining the right to free and fair elections for centuries.

The Electoral College was founded as a compromise between a nationwide popular vote and a congressional vote. This system hinges on the philosophy of representative democracy, with each state allotted a certain number of electors based on the number of senators and representatives serving in the state. The presidential candidate who wins the

Rhyia Bibby

COPY EDITORS Alex Choung, Alexis Santoro, Ariana Bennett, Dayna Archer, Grace Horne, Hannah Anthony, Hannah Rosman, Jenna Chin, Jill Makin, Joanna Zhao, Maria Lovato, Marta Hill, Mike Puzzanghera, Petrina Danardatu, Samantha Cadenasso, Sarah Brinsley, Savannah Miller, Vishrut Sundararajan

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popular vote in the state receives all of its electoral votes, a “winner takes all” structure that erases the votes of millions of Americans.

In the 2016 presidential election, 4.5 million Californians voted for Trump, yet all 55 of California’s electoral votes went toward the state’s popular vote winner, Hillary Clinton. Similarly, 3.9 million Texans voted for Clinton, yet all 38 of Texas’s electoral votes went toward Trump.

In total, 55 million Americans in the political minority of their state saw their votes disregarded under the Electoral College.

Votes are also disproportionately weighted state by state. In the nation’s most populated state, California, one electoral vote represents about 718,000 voters. In the least populated state, Wyoming, one electoral vote represents only 193,000 voters. A single vote in Wyoming holds almost four times the weight of a vote in California, despite the “one-person, one-vote” constitutional principle asserting that every vote is equal.

Furthermore, a vote cast in a “swing state” holds greater weight than a vote cast in a Democratic stronghold like Massachusetts or a Republican stronghold like Alabama.

Coastal states in the West and Northeast are considered guaranteed wins for the Democratic party, while rural, southern states are considered guaranteed wins for the Republican party.

As a result, the election often comes down to the decisions of voters in swing states such as Pennsylvania,

Florida, Wisconsin and Michigan, which do not lean heavily Democrat or Republican.

Trump’s 2016 victory was contingent upon his 0.7 percent win in Pennsylvania, 0.3 percent win in Michigan and 0.7 percent win in Wisconsin. Though he lost the nationwide popular vote to Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton by 2.9 million votes, Trump won the presidency thanks to just 80,000 voters in these three states.

The events of the 2020 election seem all too familiar. President-elect Joe Biden won the popular vote by more than 4 million votes, yet throughout the electoral process, Trump maintained a very feasible pathway to victory in the Electoral College. Biden eventually secured his seat in the White House not through his clear popular vote majority, but through just thousands of voters in Pennsylvania. The president should be elected by the majority of all Americans, not just by the majority of Americans in a select cohort of swing states.

The inherent flaws of the Electoral College boost voter turnout in certain states and suppress it in others.

Voters in solidly red or blue states are less inclined to show up at the polls, guided by the conviction that the fate of their preferred political party is already determined. In swing states, on the other hand, voters participate at higher rates. Only 64.7 percent of eligible voters in largely Democratic California voted in the 2020 election,

while 76.1% of eligible voters in tossup state Wisconsin casted a vote.

So what is the benefit of an election process that discards votes, disproportionately represents voters, distorts turnout and delegates the ultimate decision to a handful of swing states? The answer is simple: the Electoral College enables the Republican Party to hold onto power in an increasingly Democratic society. Of the 2020 electorate, 44 percent leans Republican and 49 percent leans Democrat, and these numbers are expected to skew even more in favor of the Democrats in coming election cycles as the overwhelmingly liberal Generation Z reaches voting age.

The current system subverts the nation’s Democratic majority by overrepresenting right-leaning states composed largely of white, non-college-educated voters and underrepresenting states with left-leaning urban populations.

To borrow a phrase from President Trump himself, the Electoral College is a “disaster for democracy.” If the United States wishes to continue calling itself a democracy, it must adopt a popular vote that weighs each vote equally and takes every American’s choice into account. We are a united nation, not a discrete collection of independent states, and we deserve a voting system that reflects the will of the United States as a whole.

Elena Plumb is a second-year journalism major. She can be reached at plumb.e@northeastern.edu.

Op-ed: Why Americans need to care about global unrest

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Ali Dusinberre, Ananya Sankar, Annie Probert, Christie Ya-Chi Lee, Clara McCourt, Elena Plumb, Isaac Stephens, Jacob Kemp, Julia Carlin, Madison Boudreau Popovic, Marisa Lijoi, Mihiro Shimano, Mike Puzzanghera, Natalie Duerr, Niyati Parikh, Petrina Danadatu, Rachel Erwin, Riley Robinson, Seamus McAvoy, Taylor Hsu

November 13, 2020

Photo by Kelly Thomas In the midst of one of the most pressing presidential elections in the United States, it may seem difficult to divert attention away from anything that isn’t about the election. The past few months, however, have made it abundantly clear why Americans must start directing their attention outside of the country.

About two weeks ago, the hashtag #EndSARS trended worldwide on social media. Attached to this hashtag were videos and posts pleading for international attention to turn toward Nigeria. Following the online circulation of a video showing the extrajudicial execution of a Nigerian man by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, or SARS, the person who took the video was promptly arrested, leading to major

protests across Lagos and other Nigerian cities.

The demonstrations called for an end to SARS, a police unit notoriously known for killing and terrorizing everyday youth for simply dressing a certain way or portraying a specific lifestyle. In response, the federal government officially disbanded the unit. Many argue that this response was performative and failed to implement any real change, as the officers were not prosecuted and were merely transferred to other units.

What started as a protest against police brutality morphed into a demand for a re-evaluation of Nigeria’s infrastructure, from an end to governmental corruption to increased funding for public resources. This may seem like a fight reserved for the Nigerian people, but in light of the past few months the United States has endured, it is more than obvious as to why Americans should address these protests with the same concern as they did their demonstrations.

After the murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the United States endured weeks of civil unrest as people protested police brutality, reviving the Black Lives Matter movement in the process. Though primarily concerned with the issue of policing and racism throughout the United States, the protests extended beyond the country. Worldwide demonstrations took place in support of the American people,

with international media widely covering the American people’s struggle towards racial equality. The world supported the American people in their fight, so why shouldn’t Americans do the same?

Several U.S. officials condemned Nigerian officials thus far, and protests — primarily organized by Nigerian Americans — have taken place in a few American cities, but for a large percentage of the domestic population it seems as though the issue is not a priority. Looking at the past decade or two, I noticed a trend that much of the American public seems to ignore or only graze upon issues that don’t directly affect their country. Humanitarian crises in Yemen or Afghanistan are a couple of places that come to mind when thinking of countries the United States intervened in and left worse off, while little concern is raised within the United States aside from communities directly affected.

While this can be seen as a priori-

tization of issues directly affecting an individual, it often reflects an ignorance toward events happening in the rest of the world.

Growing up in a multicultural household, I see this pattern in my own life through the interactions I have had with friends and family abroad versus here in the United States. Americans tend to pay only a small amount of attention to global events like tensions in Syria or unrest in Hong Kong before quickly moving onto the passing of a new Congressional bill or the latest presidential act.

National issues should in no way be belittled. However, it’s time Americans widened their scope of involvement to include the rest of the world in their considerations, just like the world has been doing for them for years.

Zeynep Tuncer is a second-year business administration major. She can be reached at tuncer.z@northeastern.edu.

Graphic by Ashley Mandel

OPINION

November 13, 2020

Page 11

Op-ed: Northeastern needs to go the extra mile in its sustainability efforts

Photo by Kelly Thomas A couple days ago, my friend told me an unfortunate story about a man she saw getting off the T with reusable bags filled with Haymarket vegetables and fruits. As he stepped off the train, the bags spilled and the produce rolled all over the station platform, and both of us felt sorry for the man who had to take home bruised and dirty produce. However, there was a part of me that wistfully related to those reusable bags.

Like that man, I try to do whatever I can do reduce my carbon footprint on campus, but it never seems like I am making a difference. Even with my collection of reusable water bottles and attempts at composting in the dining halls, I know my efforts are just a proverbial spit in the bucket. Real environmental progress comes in the form of much

bigger and more organized projects targeting energy efficiency and waste removal.

October was campus sustainability month. The objective of the initiative is to make universities more aware of their carbon footprint.

Ever attuned to these issues, I have paid attention to sustainability efforts here at Northeastern — some of which are very good, while some are questionable at best.

During the last meeting of the sustainability coalition, Joseph Ranahan, the director of energy and facilities management at Northeastern, gave a presentation on creating a sustainable and resilient campus. Northeastern has ambitious plans to build on previous efforts to make the campus more energy efficient.

The university already improved upon the old system, where each building had its own energy supply, heating system and fuel source. Now, electricity is distributed underground at a higher voltage. Additionally, there are multiple energy grids, so if one fails, the campus can still run on the others.

Going forward, the school has three major initiatives in the works for further improvement: a combined chilling and steam plant, a combined electrical sub-grid and reusable energy sources. Ranahan also discussed incremental energy adjustments that would make

the campus more efficient, such as replacing 15,000 fluorescent lights with LED lights by 2021 and retro-commissioning buildings with new, more efficient appliances.

Implementation of these plans will reduce thermal energy use and CO₂ emissions on campus, ultimately leading to a more energy-efficient campus.

That said, I believe more can be done. For example, the university should consider installing a microgrid, which is a self-sufficient energy system that serves a certain geographic area, perfect for a college campus. A microgrid uses multiple kinds of reusable energy, which increases energy resilience and reliability. Moreover, it has a builtin failsafe against power outages.

A microgrid stores some of its reusable energy in batteries that can fuel hospitals and other important infrastructure on their own electrical grid until power can be restored.

Implementing a microgrid would not be a radical departure from plans currently under consideration, given that most of the steps needed to implement a microgrid are already accounted for in the current plans.

In addition, Northeastern’s waste handling practices definitely have room for improvement. Trips to the dining halls routinely end with me leaving with three to four containers filled with more than what I will actually eat. The usual takeout

containers are compostable, but not advertised as such. The salad containers and cups are not. The compost bins and trash rooms in each dorm work in theory to address the excess waste, not everyone uses them in reality because they are either unadvertised or inconveniently located. While some waste is merely a byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic precautions, the administration needs to do more to encourage the student body to join in efforts to reduce waste.

I come from a small town where the vast majority of the people really care about sustainability. My

expectations were that Northeastern — with its emphasis on research and the environment — would bring a similar level of commitment to sustainability endeavors, especially since our campus is an arboretum in the middle of a city. Far too many universities are playing catch-up in environmental sustainability, and Northeastern should devote more resources to become an innovative leader in the field.

Maeve Singer is a first-year computer science and environmental science combined major. She can be reached at singer.ma@northeastern.edu.

“Energy-Efficient Windows: Technologies for the Future” by Berkeley Lab is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Northeastern should become a leader in campus environmental sustainability.

Op-ed: Swipe2Care must be revisited

Photo by Kelly Thomas We’re all slaves to the private education system, whether we acknowledge it or not. We all know colleges in America are set up to make profits. But what excuse could they make for not feeding their students?

As a first-year, I didn’t realize the Swipe2Care system at Northeastern is not new. I thought it was something developed during quarantine to help students who are less able to afford food. But it’s not new: the system was developed two years ago through the Student Government Association, or SGA, in response to the high prices

of Northeastern’s meal plans, where students can donate extra meals on a voluntary basis.

I commend the SGA for trying to help their fellow students, given that they have no control over Northeastern’s prices. But, it should not be left up to other students to ensure that their peers are fed.

It’s true some of us have more meal swipes than we’re ever going to use, and instead of watching our money go to waste, we can give it to someone else in need. It sounds like a system designed to make you feel good about helping students in need. It’s perfectly well-intentioned, similar to charities that donate food and clothes to homeless shelters and lower-income families. However, charities don’t have the discretion to change the system itself, so they provide whatever immediate relief they can.

Unfortunately, Northeastern seems to treat Swipe2Care as an actual solution when it’s more like putting a Band-Aid over a bullet wound — it’s hardly a solution to the real problem.

If Northeastern students can’t afford to eat, why isn’t Northeastern taking responsibility for that instead of

placing the burden on other students?

Here’s a thought: lower meal plan prices, preferably without building those costs in somewhere else. Here’s another thought: guarantee three meals a day for everyone and provide full scholarships to everyone who can’t afford meals for whatever reason.

Now, I know that sounds like a lot to ask. But if Northeastern has room for plenty of remodeling projects every year, they should be allocating money to cover basic necessities such as food. They must also have leftover money from student activity fees and N.U.in excursions that aren’t being used, which could go towards helping students most impacted by the pandemic.

It reminds me of the way that some companies such as Coca-Cola actively tell consumers to recycle more when they are fighting against regulations on plastics.

Coca-Cola also happens to be one of the biggest plastic polluters and wasters in the world — hypocritical much?

This is just one example of dozens of corporations that claim to want to reduce waste and be more environmentally sustainable when their practices don’t actually reflect that. I’m

not saying Northeastern actively tries to prevent students from getting meals, but they definitely do their fair share of deflecting the problem onto students rather than solving the root issues.

I imagine there are a variety of situations that would cause a Northeastern student to request an extra meal. Maybe you used up too many meal swipes at the beginning of the week and need some extras at the end. Maybe you ran out of swipes and can’t afford food off campus. Maybe you can only afford the seven swipe per week plan and rely on free food for the rest of your meals. Whatever the reason, there are students who can’t pay for food, and Northeastern is not directly helping them.

Northeastern should be guaranteeing meals for everyone without relying on other students. The system itself requires you to request a meal swipe, and you can be denied. I don’t think anyone should decide if students get free meals, whether their reasons be because they don’t have enough swipes to give away, or because they deem some students to be more eligible than others. It can also take days to process, making it difficult for students to get

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meals as soon as possible.

If Northeastern has the resources to make large-scale structural changes, as evident by their elaborate response to the pandemic, they have the resources to help its students face food insecurity.

Swipe2Care won’t fix any real problems. If Northeastern students are hungry, it’s Northeastern’s obligation to feed them, not other students. If we can view Northeastern like a business, then it needs to take corporate responsibility into account and work to fix its systemic issues rather than deflecting them onto students.

This system needs to be revisited, especially considering we’re in the midst of a pandemic. Almost everyone is under additional financial stress, and having only students — some who might need more aid than before the pandemic — feed other students is highly unsustainable. Now more than ever, students are relying on the university to provide essential services.

Northeastern should step forward to fulfill that responsibility.

Mia Merchant is a first-year in the Explore Program. She can be reached at merchant.mia@northeastern.edu.

Page 12

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