The Tufts Daily - Friday, October 15, 2021.

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VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 21

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Friday, October 15, 2021

Medford director of veterans’ services escorted from City Hall after being placed on administrative leave

by Jack Maniaci News Editor

The director of veterans’ services for the City of Medford, Michael Durham, was escorted from City Hall by Medford police officers on Friday, Sept.

17 after being placed on paid administrative leave by Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn. At the time, Durham was given a notice from the mayor’s office explaining the action and demanding that Durham undergo psychological evaluation.

According to Durham’s attorney Mark Rumley, Durham’s removal from City Hall and placement on leave was provoked by an interaction between Durham and Mayor LungoKoehn in the mayor’s office at City Hall the previous day. On Thursday, Sept. 16, Durham came to the office to ask Mayor Lungo-Koehn about the content of remarks that Acting Director of Human Resources Neil Osborne would be making the following Saturday concerning veterans.

Mayor Lungo-Koehn refused to speak with Durham on the

ALEXANDER THOMPSON / THE TUFTS DAILY

Medford City Hall is pictured on Sept. 16, 2019. matter, citing that Durham was represented by counsel for an unrelated wage dispute.

Michael Marks, a member of the Medford City Council, told the Daily that this wage dispute stemmed from Durham’s

performing the role of hearing officer for a backlog of parking and municipal fines hearings.

The hearings had originally been assigned to another hearing officer, and because the stipend allotted to that hearing offi-

cer had already been paid out, Durham did not receive pay for his work.

According to Rumley, Durham met with City Solicitor Kimberly Scanlon immediately following the conversation with Mayor

Lungo-Koehn on Sept. 16.

Scanlon refuted the mayor’s claim that Durham’s representation by counsel prevented the mayor from speaking with him about Osborne’s remarks. Scanlon also suggested that Durham write a statement to her office about the incident, which he did the same day. The next day, Durham was called into Chief of Staff Nina Nazarian’s office, where he was given the notice of his leave and removed from City Hall.

Mayor Lungo-Koehn’s Director of Communication Jackie Piques has refused requests to comment on Durham’s administrative leave, citing that the issue is an active personnel matter.

Rumley maintains that there was no wrongdoing on Durham’s part, and that the mayor’s decision to place Durham on administrative leave constitutes retaliation for Durham’s comments on veterans in local government and his accusations of wage theft by the city.

“Michael Durham did absolutely nothing to warrant this see DURHAM, page 2

Tufts Dining experiences long lines, labor shortages

by Fernando Cervantes Jr. Staff Writer

Students received an email from Student Life on Oct. 1 addressing the long lines and extended wait times at Tufts Dining locations this semester.

The email, which was signed

by Dean of Student Affairs Camille Lizarríbar, Director of Tufts Dining Patti Klos and Associate Dean of Student Affairs for the SMFA Laura DaRos, attributed the long lines at Medford/Somerville Campus dining locations and the SMFA Café to labor shortages and supply chain interruptions.

“We are reaching out so that you know that we have heard your concerns regarding wait times at some of our dining centers during peak times, and that we are working hard to resolve the current situation. Unfortunately, the challenges we are facing are significant,” the email said.

In an interview with the Daily, Klos said that Tufts Dining is seeking to reduce wait times by adding takeout options and using technology to move students through lines faster.

“We had some technology challenges, but we are able to now have two greeter stations

MICHELLE LI / THE TUFTS DAILY

Tufts Dining is seeking to reduce wait times by adding takeout options and using technology to move students through lines faster. where you check in [at Dewick] so … we can be swiping cards twice as fast,” Klos said. ”Both Carmichael and Dewick are planning to launch their own takeout options.”

Klos explained that DewickMacPhie Dining Center is experiencing a new 3 p.m. rush, which

she presumes is due to class scheduling changes.

Klos expects wait times to get shorter once more dining workers are hired.

“It’s taking longer to fill openings, I think, because of all the labor challenges that restaurants and businesses and every-

one’s facing,” Klos said. “As we’re able to get more staff hired and onboarded, that will enable us to speed service.”

Klos added that students make up a significant portion of the Tufts Dining workforce.

“We have opportunities for more students to work and we’re

OPINION / page 7

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SPORTS / back

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Volleyball beats nation’s third-ranked team

hoping that we’ll be able to offer more jobs to more students … that should help us improve our service.”

Klos addressed speculation that Carmichael Dining Center has lost popularity following its rebranding as Fresh at Carmichael and shift to a gluten-, peanut- and tree nut-free menu. She said that the percentage of students who dine at Carmichael has not shifted significantly this year.

“I monitor the number of people that go at a meal period to Carmichael and Dewick … it’s almost exactly what it was in 2019,” Klos said. “Somewhere between 35 and 40% [of ] students will go to Carmichael for lunch and dinner and 60% or 65% to Dewick.”

Klos said that the Commons Marketplace, Hotung Café and Mugar Café have no plans to accept meal swipes this year as they did during the 2020–21 academic year.

“We kept swipes available at Kindlevan and their volume has tripled,” Klos said. “Mugar, Hotung and Commons aren’t very large; they really don’t have the infrastructure to sustain that see DINING, page 2 NEWS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Friday, October 15, 2021

THE TUFTS DAILY Madeleine Aitken Editor in Chief

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Durham undergoes psychological evaluation, deemed fit for duty DURHAM

continued from page 1 action. It is … retribution for the positions that he has taken to protect veterans, and also for calling out the city on wage violations pertaining to him being a hearing officer,” Rumley said.

“This is retribution for a fine man doing his job and speaking his mind, nothing less.”

Marks explained that the mayor’s office has not been forthcoming about the details of the wage dispute.

“Over several months, as a council, we’ve all asked–and I’ve asked personally–you know: ‘When did this happen?’ ‘Who got paid?’ ‘For what time period?’ ‘What backlog?’ You know, just trying to get some basic answers,” Marks said. “I gotta be honest, the administration has not been forthcoming with that information.”

Marks also explained that Durham visited Mayor LungoKoehn’s office on Sept. 16 to learn more about Osborne’s upcoming remarks about veterans’ benefits and civil service

hiring. Durham is a vocal advocate for granting preference to veterans who apply to civil service positions over equally qualified, non-veteran applicants–a policy that is codified in Massachusetts state law.

On Sept. 28, the Medford City Council voted unanimously to reinstate Durham. The vote was called after Durham brought the issue to the City Council himself. The unanimous decision was symbolic–it is up to the mayor whether or not to reinstate personnel, but the council nonetheless wanted to send a message.

“After hearing Mike Durham speak, after hearing the administration come before us and speak … many of us came to the conclusion that … this gentleman should be reinstated,” Marks said. “We wanted to send a formal message that we’re not happy with this … We may not have a say in it, but we, as seven members of an elected body in this community all at large, we want you to rectify the situation.”

Since being placed on administrative leave, Durham has voluntarily undergone an independent psychiatric evaluation by a board-certified psychiatrist at the VA hospital in Bedford, MA, who determined Durham to be fit for duty. More recently, Durham has also undergone psychological evaluation by Joseph Begany, a psychologist selected by the mayor, who verbally informed him that no problems were found.

“I have talked to Michael and every indication is that … he did extremely well on the visit with their psychologist, and that [Begany] found zero prohibition on Michael returning to work,” Rumley said.

Moving forward, John Martin of KJC Law Firm will act as Durham’s primary attorney, with Rumley continuing to represent Durham on the wage theft matter.

Currently, Durham’s responsibilities as Director of Veterans’ Services are being performed

by Louis Cimaglia, who is the Director of Veterans’ Services for the Town of Wilmington,

Mass. Piques commented on the decision to hire Cimaglia.

“Wilmington was able to most quickly provide support for Medford. Mr. Cimaglia’s office has provided temporary support services for other communities in the past, and Mr. Cimaglia himself has an outstanding reputation in the industry,” Piques wrote in an email to the Daily.

Despite Cimaglia’s good reputation, Marks expressed doubt that Cimaglia is performing Durham’s role to the full extent that Durham did prior to his administrative leave.

“We’ve asked … ‘Are we [the City of Medford] paying him?’ first of all; ‘how many hours?’ ‘what are the hours?’ and … we got a communication back more or less saying that the mayor is handling this,” Marks said. “So personally I don’t think the office is being manned, like [when] we had Mike. Mike was there eight hours a day, five days a week, and then his assistant, so I don’t think that’s happening.”

Carmichael patronage remains stable, despite menu adjustments DINING

continued from page 1 for a long period of time. That was simply a COVID response.”

Although Klos expressed optimism that Tufts Dining will improve its efficiency, some students’ criticisms of their dining hall experiences extended beyond long lines and wait times.

Nathan Reichert, a sophomore, noted broken ice and ice cream machines in Dewick and a consistent lack of knives in the silverware section.

“They should keep their dining halls from being in disrepair, because right now … the machines don’t function, they don’t have cutlery readily available,” Reichert said.

Nafisa Munawarah, a sophomore, expressed annoyance at the long lines in the dining halls, particularly downhill. Munawarah also described a lack of desserts at Carmichael and echoed Reichert’s concern about broken equipment.

“I don’t understand the no desserts at Carm. That’s just sad,

what about people who have to eat there?” Munawarah said.

“A lot of the machines are broken, like the water machines are often broken, which is really annoying because everyone wants water.”

Despite these ongoing problems, Munawarah added that some of the new solutions have genuinely improved students’ experiences in the dining halls.

“I know that they changed stuff around so you can roam around and not have

to stand in line. That’s nice,” Munawarah said.

Klos explained that Tufts Dining is continuing to adapt to changing public health conditions but cannot predict when full normalization of dining services to pre-pandemic conditions will happen.

“We’re just here to meet the moment and do the best we can to provide these services with all the impacts that we’re facing that we really have no control over,” Klos said.

Headlines from off the Hill: Medford implements Adopt-a-Drain program

by Rebecca Barker News Editor

The City of Medford implemented a new Adopt-a-Drain program in August, allowing residents to clean storm drains in their neighborhoods and check the drains for leaves, trash and debris.

The initiative began in Saint Paul, Minn. in 2014. Its initial success resulted in the development of dozens of other Adopta-Drain programs across the United States.

Ali Hiple, a graduate student studying Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning who interned with the city of Medford as a Tisch Summer Fellow, said the idea behind the Adopt-a-Drain program is to facilitate an understanding of the role that storm drains play in keeping water clean.

The contents stored in storm drains empty into nearby water bodies, which in Medford includes the Mystic and Charles Rivers, as well as the Mystic Lakes. Leaves, trash and other

forms of debris in storm drains can eventually end up in the water bodies or block drains.

Anna Cornish, a senior who saw the program through to its completion during her time as a Tisch Summer Fellow, said that any trash blocking storm drains can lead to flooding and contamination of the storm water.

“If there are trash or leaves blocking the drain, then when it rains or when snow melts, water will pool on the streets and it’ll pick up bacteria — it’ll pick up chemicals from car exhaust,” Cornish said. “That’s definitely not healthy for any of the local wildlife or for the water itself.”

While the city of Medford already has a street sweeping program and regularly cleans the catch basins — a part of storm drains designed to filter out debris — the Adopta-Drain program is meant to provide extra help, as well as promote local environmental stewardship.

“In some ways, [the program] was sort of formalizing stewardship efforts that a lot of people were already doing,”

Hiple said, noting that many residents already include storm drain care in their yard work routines. “But it’s a formal way to recognize that and also a good way to educate people about that connection to nearby water, because we don’t always think about what happens in the street ending up in the river.”

Cornish said that the program also assisted the City of Medford in its efforts to keep storm drains clean.

“Medford has over 4,000 drains, so that’s not something that a municipality would ever be able to check in on every single day by itself,” she said.

The process of implementing the program involved researching a number of other Adopt-a-Drain initiatives across the country. Cornish said many cities use the same code as San Francisco, which was one of the first cities to develop the program.

“It’s been so funny to see the same code being used in southern Wisconsin and Savannah, Ga. and across the

country,” Cornish said, though she noted that Medford’s website is tailored to the specific environmental needs of the city.

Cornish said that storm drain care efforts can vary depending on whether a city is near a river or an ocean.

Medford’s Adopt-a-Drain website was designed to be an interactive experience, Hiple said. She explained that people are able to learn about the program, explore a map of Medford with drain locations and sign up to adopt a drain through the website.

As of press time, 136 drains have been adopted in Medford.

Cornish is currently working with the city of Medford to advertise the program at farmers markets and local festivals.

The city is also looking into other funding opportunities.

Hiple is optimistic about the program’s impact.

“I know that Medford has a really good culture of volunteering and engagement,” she said. “I think it’s a program that will hopefully do really well for the city.”

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Features

3 Friday, October 15, 2021

New associate professor Muoki Mbunga explains importance of oral history in his East African research

by Chris Duncan Staff Writer

Universities get new faculty members all the time, but it is not every day that a university gets a faculty member bringing what Muoki Mbunga brings to the table.

Mbunga, who recently finished his Ph.D. in modern African History at West Virginia University and joined the Tufts community this fall, is a historian of modern East Africa, and is sure to expand and enrich the history department’s curriculum with his expertise.

This semester Mbunga is teaching two courses: Reconstructing Africa’s Past To 1850 and Special Topics: Pan-Africanism: Origin & Development. “[Reconstructing Africa’s Past To 1850] is the African history survey from the earliest times to 1850 … I’ve also introduced a new class on the history of PanAfricanism,” Mbunga said. “[For] anyone interested in African history, I’m going to be teaching some of the classes that are already on the books, and I’ll be introducing some new classes in the next couple of semesters.”

Mbunga was originally drawn into the role of a historian through his curiosity as a storyteller, though it took a couple of years in college before he found his true passion.

“I think good history is good storytelling. I think it’s hard to find a good history book that is a terrible story,” Mbunga said.

“In college, my major was communication, but by the time I was a junior, I knew that I was interested in the field of African history … I considered changing majors, but I figured I could pursue African studies in grad school.”

Mbunga’s specific area of study involves weaving compelling narratives through

Sonia Richter Spoonfuls

P

Tu y Yo

owder House Square is home to more than just a chaotic roundabout. It is the launching point for every trip to Davis or to the infamous Pub Tuesdays. It boasts the birthday tradition of Yoshi’s — a likely site for numerous sushi pregames during this fine Scorpio season. I can’t say much on this, but I’m pretty sure there’s a laundromat there as well. Less revered, however, is the unassuming Tu y Yo. In fact, with its current lack of a sign, you’d be surprised to know it even exists.

My first trip to the Mexican restaurant involved a carafe of sangria with a dear friend on an arranged rugby team date. Although the memory of my order has long since passed, I still have a deep appreciation for the buzz of red wine that followed us on our trip to Edinburgh two years later. Admittedly, most of my friend-

MINA TERZIOGLU / THE TUFTS DAILY

East Hall on the Academic Quad is pictured on March 20. intersecting themes and complementary source material to reflect on a violent conflict in 20th-century Kenya.

“I am interested in the intersecting histories of ritual, religion and resistance, so how these three phenomena play into each other,” Mbunga said. “I am currently working on a book that is based on my doctoral dissertation about the war of independence in late colonial Kenya.”

Kenya’s war of independence, known as the Mau Mau Uprising, lasted from 1952 to 1960, although Mbunga notes that the bulk of the actual fighting occurred during a shorter span, from 1952 to 1956. The conflict was one of resistance to British colonial rule from a group of resistance fighters predominantly hailing from central and eastern Kenya known as the Mau

Mau. Mbunga’s work focuses on the Mau Mau fighters’ philosophy of violence and the practices that reflected them.

“Mau Mau fighters invented quite a number of rituals, and they also invented justifications for violence and their violent actions [like] murder, plunder [and] vandalism,” Mbunga said. “It can be a bit gory for some people.”

In his exploration of the conflict and the Mau Mau fighters, Mbunga is especially interested in the motivations that the fighters had to take on the British in the face of the stark differences between the two forces.

“It was an asymmetrical war. [The Mau Mau] had little — if any — chance of winning, and yet they fought,” Mbunga said.

“And that’s what my study is about — the

ships reach their peak over good food and several drinks.

After a particularly long night, Sunday morning called for a hefty brunch and some midday hair of the dog. I wrangled myself and my roommate out of bed for an impromptu food review, passing a rowdy football game on the way. This all felt very “college.”

We were alone in the restaurant with the exception of one other table — the typical (but undeserved) state of most of my chosen restaurants. The dining room felt like a living room, with colorful art on the walls and the smell of chiles and braising meat catching us at the door. It just needed more people in it. We grabbed the table by the corner and started with two mimosas and an order of tamales.

Having spent the summer eating excessive amounts of her mom’s tamales, this was more a test of our loyalty than anything.

The appetizer was a lovely departure from the standard chile and cheese tamale, with a variety of chicken, pork, coconut and sweet corn fillings wrapped in corn husk and banana leaf pouches. We were especially excited about the coconut, which was a delicious pairing to the delicate masa and functioned as our pseu-

do-dessert. I hesitate to take any “fresh” orange juice at face value, but this mimosa was the real deal. That’s a step that few restaurants take nowadays, and the difference in taste is undeniable. This instantly felt like food made with love, and we were merely on the first course.

Next, we ordered the chilaquiles toluquenos and huevos con papas y chorizo, along with some red and green hot sauce. Both plates came out beautifully arranged with some of the best beans you’ve ever had. I don’t say this lightly either — they were perfectly salted and incredibly flavorful with just a touch of spice. The eggs were equally simple yet delicious, topped with ripe avocado and even better when wrapped in one of the warm tortillas they provided. Both salsas were lovely as well, the verde being the milder and creamier of the two while the red salsa had a nice hot, pickled flavor. We are big hot sauce people, so we doused our plates then took the rest home for the leftovers.

I’ve only had chilaquiles once, so I expected something similar to the soggy tortilla strips I had tried at some place in Dallas. This was so much more than that.

It was topped with shredded chicken and crispy chorizo, and the homemade chips

ethical and religious perspectives … no one fights to lose, right? But [the Mau Mau] did not necessarily take up arms thinking they had a fair shot of taking on the British army and all the sophisticated equipment that the British government brought to Kenya.”

Key to Mbunga’s work is the use of both more standard archival evidence in addition to oral history interviews with Mau Mau veterans. Archives, he said, can give him the facts and narrative of the conflict, but the more abstract and differentiating dimension of his study comes from real conversations.

“I’ve been working on this since my master’s, so I have met [Mau Mau veterans] and interviewed them multiple times since 2012. We’ve forged friendships along the way,” Mbunga said. “They give me perspectives about rituals that I can’t find anywhere in the archives.”

Through his conversations with Mau Mau veterans, Mbunga is interested in interpreting and understanding their perspectives and motivations.

“The British government brought several battalions of the British army [and] several bomber jets [to Kenya],” Mbunga said. “Mau Mau were using machetes and homemade guns … and yet they fought, right? So I am interested in [questions like], ‘Why fight regardless? What was driving the Mau Mau?'” When finding answers to these questions, Mbunga has found oral histories to be compelling resources.

“I can’t get that from the archives, I can only get that from the oral accounts, from the rituals they invented, from the justifications that they gave for their acts of murder, plunder and vandalism,” Mbunga said. “They provide context, they provide information that you cannot find in the archives.” were still crisp despite being tossed in more of the salsa verde. Even better, each of the dishes were only $11. For reference, a lunch swipe at Carmichael is worth $15.

After such a lovely and seamless experience, I couldn’t help but wonder why the restaurant was so empty. This kind of business always scares me. I return in fear of a “closed” sign perpetually hung on the door. I convince myself that there was an earlier rush and that we’ve simply come at the very end of it. Perhaps all the students had run to the game. I don’t really know, but I do wish Tu y Yo was at least half as popular as Tufts’ football games.

I hope they get a sign too — and a really big one at that.

The restaurant gets a little pricier at dinner time, so if you’re on a budget, lunch and brunch are what you’re looking for. I personally will be back for the mole enchiladas in no time, partially because I fear what will happen if I don’t. I know I can’t single-handedly keep these restaurants open with my business, but I’ll sure as hell keep writing as if I can.

Sonia Richter is a senior studying English.

Sonia can be reached at sophia.richter@ tufts.edu.

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Arts & POP ARTS Pop CULTURE Culture

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Friday, October 15, 2021

Short story ‘Dumba Chora’ brings Boston readers together

by Sadie Leite Arts Editor

The short story “Dumba Chora”(2021) by author Chandreyee Lahiri was chosen by the Boston Book Festival as the 2021 One City One Story Project.

The purpose of the Boston Book Festival is to celebrate the power of storytelling with events that showcase the impact of strong words. One City One Story is an excellent example of these intentions. In 2010, the project began with the distribution of Tom Perrotta’s story “The Smile on Happy Chang’s Face.” The story was available to the public either by free download or at giveaways throughout Boston. Additionally, the Boston Book Festival hosted discussions about the story. Each year, the Boston Book Festival chooses a new story to bring the Boston community together through a shared reading experience.

Chandreyee Lahiri, a local from Waltham, Mass., was born in Kolkata, India, spent time in Africa and the Middle East, and

lived again in India during her adolescent years. Pursuit of a graduate program led her to the United States. In her spare time, she satiates her passion for writing with blogging, fiction groups and literature competitions.

She has an optimistic view on life, appreciating the little things that make it impactful. These values are reflected in her fiction, especially in her short story “Dumba Chora.”

“Dumba Chora” chronicles the relationship between Shekhar and Sutapa, a recently married couple with lingering trust issues. Their boatman Rehman is an important character as well — his past experiences with love surface through their turmoil. Bound to the delta mud in the twisting mangrove forests of Sundarbans (an area of Bangladesh and India), due to their unyielding boat discouraged by the low tide, the characters must face their conflicts.

The ominous depth of the jungle and the darkness of the settling night establish a pulling anxiety at the start. Lahiri’s selec-

tion of details, such as the “shrill chattering” of rhesus monkeys, the dangerous peaks of the mud expanse and the tiger also add uncertainty.

The new bride Sutapa increases the tension when she reveals to her husband that she had a relationship with another man before their marriage. Shekhar, however, already knows this.

Lahiri explores the complex emotions each partner feels regarding their union, as it is shadowed by strict tradition.

Shekhar never predicted he would be in an arranged marriage; society was more ‘progressive’ now, so younger people could refuse them. He was lonely, however, and an arranged marriage fixed his solitude. Still, he seems to truly love and appreciate his wife.

Sutapa had already been in love, so Shekhar thought she was uneasy with their marriage, fearing she still loved the other man.

Shekhar hates the “archaic” traditions dictating that a woman is ruined if she has premarital relations; it enforces a gross double-standard in

which women face stricter rules than men. Still, Sutapa falsely believes her husband is distant from her because of these traditions, so she confronts him angrily, and he falls from their boat into the mud.

This simple detail reveals Sutapa’s devotion to her husband as she immediately worries she has hurt him. After ensuring that he is OK, the couple reconciles — Shekhar admits he only gave her space because he feared she still loved her previous partner.

With their miscommunication settled, a new conflict arises: a tiger appears from the forest. At this point, having viewed the couple’s fight and reconciliation, Rehman is reminded of his relationship with his bride Roshida, who died after a short life. Caught in the emotion of the newlyweds and his own grief, he bravely scares the tiger away with aggressive noises.

The story ends with Sutapa and Shekhar being rescued by the Forest Service. Sutapa worries Rehman will face more danger while he waits with the boat.

However, Lahiri’s impactful final words reveal his growth: he is no longer afraid of loneliness. He put much effort into his life, was rewarded with a beautiful bride and is calmly aware that with her death, life can take nothing more from him.

A description of the jungle ends the story, fitting as it emphasizes that life continues even with the complications that come from human connection.

Lahiri’s story is available for free download on the Boston Book Festival website. It can also be found in print at locations around Boston. The Boston Book Festival will hold a discussion with Lahiri about her story on Oct. 21 at 6 p.m., which you can register for here. Additionally, there will be a virtual reading and Q&A at the Waltham Public Library on Nov. 3.

Join the Boston community and read “Dumba Chopra.” Its modern, optimistic perspective on tradition and moving stance on relationships will propel you into the “city-wide” discussion.

COURTESY HAIMANTI GOSWAMI AND AMITARA BANERJEE

One of the photos that served as inspiration for Chandreyee Lahiri’s short story “Dumba Chora.”

A r t s & P op Cul t u r e

Friday, October 15, 2021 | Arts & Pop Culture | THE TUFTS DAILY

‘Lamb’: When symbolism doesn’t work

by Paul Osmond For the Culture

PluggnB artists bend rap fashion gender norms

by Miranda Feinberg Staff Writer

Content warning: This review contains spoilers and mentions death and grief.

“Lamb” (2021), a film both praised and condemned for its weird animalistic premise, was surprisingly boring and emptily delivered albeit in a beautifully crisp package of Icelandic nature. The film, Valdimar Jóhannsson’s directorial debut, is so assured in style and yet flounders when it comes to substance and plot.

The lingering shots which create echoes of silence and emptiness throughout are left meaningless when symbols remain underexplained, passive and unfinished.

It is hard to feel immersed in the world, and with this one-foot-in, one-foot-out mentality, the story is far from gripping or emotive.

“Lamb” follows farmers María and Ingvar as they mourn their stillborn child.

When a human/sheep hybrid infant is born on their farm, they raise it with the name Ada, intended for their own child. Despite bizarrely using Ada to work through their grief, they simply continue on with life. There is a minute change in atmosphere, but the changes are minuscule, told only sparsely through images and maybe one concrete line of dialogue, so not a lot of growth is really shown or expressed. The mood changes, but the subtlety of the change and the glacial pace the film follows makes it hard to appreciate.

The film as a whole begs the question: What happens when a symbol — namely Ada — is unsymbolic? How are we, the audience, meant to connect with the story, when the story itself is so disconnected and vignette-like in nature? The slice-oflife framework that “Lamb” follows necessitates unto itself a lack of major conflict or expository dialogue. Perhaps if the film ended with an understanding of what has changed and what the characters had learned, the slowness could be justified, but the ending is a total 180 that not only comes out of nowhere, but leaves the film totally unfinished.

This isn’t to say that every movie needs a reason for existing; movies are abstract and visual constructions that can function according to the filmmaker’s vision.

However, if a movie focuses on a specific problem, the deep emotional wound of losing a child in this case, and then throws it away for a cheap non-payoff that intro-

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VIA IMDB

“Lamb,” a supernatural horror film directed by Valdimar Jóhannsson, was released by A24 on Oct. 8. duces something new sans explanation, it feels overwhelmingly pointless. Paired with the lack of intention felt within the surface-level “weirdness” of the central figure/symbol, it’s hard to justify the choices made. The weirdness of the lamb symbol isn’t enough to make the film interesting, and the oddities don’t translate into the deep realism that is otherwise told.

While the raison d’être is severely lacking, the visuals are almost enough to make up for this. The crisp farmland and openness of the Nordic sky work well to place the story in its very own and introspective setting. The cinematography heightens

Fall 2021

each shot to see the most beautiful version of reality. The CGI used for Ada goes unnoticed, adding to the realistic visuals. The acting is minimalist, which furthers this surface-level feeling of beautified reality.

However, the clear talent that went into the making of the movie cannot save it from its own emptiness.

For a movie marketed as a horror/ fantasy folktale, the film is ultimately a poor imitation on all counts. Minimalism, when applied to story, dialogue and cinematography, and when paired with a long run time, is an inevitable but unfortunate recipe for a boring and hollow movie.

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early eight months ago, my brother introduced me to a musician who had just signed with Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Records: SoFaygo. Although his music has not left my ears since, it is his fashion that has interested me most. Like Jaden Smith and Young Thug, who are other gender-bending fashion influences in rap, SoFaygo is one of the newest artists to bring feminine fashion to an otherwise hypermasculine genre. SoFaygo embodies an uncanny rise of music and fashion that subvert the gender norms of both schools.

Rapping since he was nine years old, SoFaygo belongs to “PluggnB” — an alternative genre originating from the music-sharing platform Soundcloud before Lil Tecca, Roddy Ricch and SoFaygo brought it more into mainstream music.

PluggnB relies on heavy 808s and busy, sharp percussion underscored by soulful melodies and fluttering high-tempo bars to create a fusion of trap, rap and R&B. Although singing is not limited to female artists, or rap to male ones, there was previously an obvious disparity in hip-hop; in many songs, female artists sang hooks while male artists rapped bars (see nearly all of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s collaborative catalog).

Until the late 2000s with Drake, it was quite rare to see male artists cross indiscriminately (and smoothly) between singing and rapping, and vice versa for female rappers.

However, SoFaygo, among other PluggnB artists, combines the two — the ostensibly “feminine” singing and “masculine” rapping.

Accompanying their gender-fusing music, PluggnB artists have developed wardrobes that reflect today’s androgynous fashion and coalesce with classic rap style. In addition to rocking bright, flamboyant colors, some artists wear tighter tops and skin-tight skinny jeans and dye their hair bright colors. Yet, they keep their giant Cuban-link chains and “iced out” Patepk Philippe’s. Moreover, many paint their fingernails, which are dripped with VVS-diamond rings. Even their on-stage presences combine the traditional on-stage rapping presence with once-“feminine” routines — screaming, shouting and forceful gesticulations accompany softer dance moves like Lil Uzi Vert’s “shoulder roll.”

What I noticed most, however, was a movement toward emulating Black drag with outrageous on-stage performances, eccentric behavior, and a fusion of classic and modern, masculine and feminine, hard and soft. Now, this has not necessarily been absent in hip-hop, but it is certainly wonderful to see a subgenre emerge that strongly embodies this previously persecuted behavior. It represents a subtle level of progress that these PluggnB artists have disrupted established norms that can sometimes veer into homophobia and misogyny.

I find it demonstrates how music genres, musicians and their music tie so heavily into fashion and culture that the two spheres seem almost inseparable.

Rock, punk and even pop music all have their own distinct fashion and culture that represent something. For heavy metal, it’s a subversion of traditional standards, and for R&B an appreciation for the intimate.

For PluggnB, it’s a coalescence of femininity and masculinity, and one that reflects the music itself.

Paul Osmond is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Paul can be reached at paul.osmond@tufts.edu.

6

THE TUFTS DAILY | FUN & GAMES | Friday, October 15, 2021

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Opinion

7 Friday, October 15, 2021

VIEWPOINT

The digital era’s new toxic relationship

by Idil Kolabas

Contributing Writer

Five hours. Two hours, 48 minutes. Thirteen hours, 7 minutes.

However long or short our screen time for different social media applications may be, many of us are users of social media.

These are platforms through which we can share ideas, express ourselves, spread awareness about certain topics, connect with other people and more.

But what if those social media apps did not exist anymore?

What if they just froze?

This is what happened on Oct. 4. Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp shut down abruptly on a regular Monday afternoon, forcing many of us to get back to our English essays, math assignments and psychology papers.

The shutdown lasted for nearly six hours, giving us more than enough time to finish our homework. However, Instagram was not back up even after some of us were done being productive, hoping to reward ourselves with some mindless scrolling. Then, maybe a few of us asked the question: Why did the shutdown happen in the first place?

Facebook and platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram shut down less than 24 hours after a 60 Minutes interview with Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen, aired. This interview raised questions regarding the amount of trust we put in these platforms as forms of entertainment and communication.

Haugen discussed what she witnessed as the product manager on the civic integrity team during her time at Facebook, making public dozens of reports

GRAPHIC BY AVRIL LYNCH she had saved that consistently showed Facebook prioritizing “profit over security.”

As one report states, there was evidence that “hate speech, divisive political speech, and misinformation on Facebook and the family of apps are affecting societies around the world.” The idea that violent and hateful content has become a part of many of our daily routines has made many users uneasy and distrustful.

Haugen also expressed her concerns over Facebook’s influence on the violence perpetuated in the real world by saying, “The version of Facebook that exists today is tearing our societies apart and causing ethnic violence.” Haugen stated that this is because it has

become easier to inspire people to anger by putting polarizing content in more people’s algorithms to achieve more user engagement.

Some examples of discriminatory posts on Facebook show the double standards applied to hateful and harmful posts and the decisions to either remove them or to let them remain up.

This ultimately means that we, as social media users, are allowing ourselves to be exposed to more violent content every day as Facebook continues to make more money. This exemplifies Facebook’s true values: profit and growth.

As Facebook regulates what content we are exposed to the most, they can also regu-

late what we are exposed to the least. Facebook activated safety systems to reduce misinformation during the 2020 presidential election, which were later deactivated following the results of the election, exposing users to harmful posts and misinformation again. To Haugen, this is a “betrayal to democracy.”

On an internal Facebook message board, one Facebook employee stated that “colleagues … cannot conscience working for a company that does not do more to mitigate the negative effects of the platform.” Haugen directed much of her criticism toward Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and chief executive officer of Facebook, who has been criticized for the

executive decisions made in regulating algorithms and content.

While she acknowledged that this was not necessarily Zuckerberg’s intention at the onset of the platform’s creation, his subsequent choices have allowed for the continued distribution of hateful, polarizing content.

According to John Tye, the founder of a Washington legal group called Whistleblower Aid, Facebook has also been misrepresenting to advertisers and investors the number of people who have been viewing the ads they have paid for. At this point, the lack of transparency from Facebook regarding what the platform is set out to promote has transformed into a toxic relationship. Many of us use Facebook and its services every day. How do we reconcile this with all of its lies, its continued dissemination of hateful content and the fact that it misinforms its users? What more is needed to declare it as toxic? Doesn’t it already do enough?

Especially in this digital age where it is rare to find someone who does not use social media, it is important to remember that the algorithms we experience within these platforms may not necessarily reflect the truth. We cannot let ourselves get too influenced by its effects.

Even though it may be a coincidence that these two occurrences, the social media outage and whistleblower interview, happened within 24 hours of each other, they present us with a common, important message: We cannot easily trust the Internet, and it will bode well for all of us to become less reliant on social media platforms.

8 Friday, October 15, 2021

Sports

tuftsdaily.com

Volleyball gets back on track, completes 3–0 weekend

by Matt Chen

Assistant Sports Editor

Coming off a tough loss to NESCAC rival Williams, Tufts volleyball bounced back in strong fashion, winning three consecutive games over the weekend to improve its record to 13–4 overall and 4–2 in NESCAC competition.

The wins included victories over the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, a non-conference opponent, Trinity University (Texas), the nation’s No. 3-ranked team, and Trinity College (Conn.), a NESCAC rival. Head coach Cora Thompson spoke about the benefits of playing a variety of non-conference teams.

“They really took care of the ball and limited unforced errors, which forced our opponents to earn their points, putting us in the driver’s seat more often than not,” Thompson said. “We really enjoyed how the tempo of play increased with each team and loved getting challenged.”

Tufts played a Saturday doubleheader against Trinity (Conn.) and No. 3 Trinity (Texas). Tufts beat Trinity (Conn.) in straight sets (25– 15, 25–22, 25–17). Senior outside/ opposite hitter and co-captain Cate Desler led the way with eight kills, while junior libero Stephanie Lee recorded 19 digs.

In arguably the biggest win of the season for Tufts so far, the

MICHELLE LI / THE TUFTS DAILY

The volleyball team secured victories over Trinity University, Trinity College and Coast Guard last weekend.

Jumbos defeated No. 3 Trinity in five back-and-forth sets (12–25, 25–21, 25–23, 17–25, 19–17).

Once again, Desler led the team with 25 kills, while junior middle/opposite hitter and co-captain Grace Legris tallied 10 kills.

Tufts had 75 digs in total, continuing to show strong defense against very tough opponents.

Sophomore middle hitter Cora Cunningham, who tallied three block assists of her own, stressed the importance of strong defense at the net.

“Putting up a strong block and being a big presence at the net has been incredibly successful in limiting our opponents’ offense and from there, giving our back row the ability to put the ball up so we can run a quick offense in transition,” Cunningham said.

The opportunity to square off against the No. 3 team in the country would intimidate most teams, but Tufts is not like most teams.

“Our players were resilient, gritty and relentless against Trinity [(Texas)], and although we all respect Trinity [(Texas)] for their talent, we were not intimidated,” Thompson said. “When our team plays loose and relaxed, they have a lot of fun together and that results in some great on-court performances.”

Tufts opened the weekend by defeating Coast Guard 3–1 (25– 22, 25–10, 20–25, 25–23). Desler led the way with 17 kills, while super-senior middle/opposite hitter and co-captain Jen Ryan and sophomore setter/opposite hitter Rileigh Farragher followed

close behind, with nine and eight kills, respectively. Lee and sophomore outside hitter/defensive specialist Christine Audette combined for 45 out of 76 total digs for Tufts.

Coast Guard’s six-game winning streak heading into the matchup did not faze Tufts, as the Jumbos comfortably adjusted to their opponent and emerged victorious.

“We went into the weekend focused on playing our game at our preferred speed,” Thompson said. “We knew we would have to adjust after we saw their athleticism, but again, that is always part of the plan as we expect teams to prepare game plans to challenge us. I was proud of us for finding our groove quickly and staying with it.”

As Tufts heads toward the end of its regular season schedule, games like the one against Trinity (Texas) provide the Jumbos with excellent opportunities to keep improving their game and provide some momentum for the final stretch.

“Beating Trinity was just further proof that the work we put into practice allows us to effectively execute our game, which is critical as we enter the final stretch of the regular season,” Cunningham said.

As the season has progressed, many of the sophomores on

the roster, who are now playing in their first collegiate season, have begun to see more playing time. The experience gained from in-game opportunities has proven invaluable for players like Cunningham, who have seen vast improvements in their game.

“Over the course of this season thus far, I feel that I have grown much more confident in my playing abilities,” Cunningham said. “My game has progressed by increasing my tempo offensively and by being a bigger presence at the net.”

A lot of this can also be attributed to the leadership of upperclassmen on the roster, who helped acclimate sophomore and first-year players to the speed of NESCAC collegiate volleyball.

“Our tri-captains [Ryan], [Desler] and [Legris] are incredible role models and teammates who have welcomed me, along with the rest of our team, with open arms,” Cunningham said.

With the NESCAC tournament approaching in November, the Jumbos’ preparation continues with two NESCAC matchups this weekend. Tufts will host Amherst on Friday and Middlebury on Saturday before heading back to Williamstown to play in the New England Challenge next weekend.

A new era for Spanish football

by Bharat Singh

Contributing Writer

Cristiano Ronaldo. Lionel Messi. Two names synonymous with sport. Two names that continue to drive a seemingly flawless rivalry crafted in footballing heaven. For over a decade, this fairytale matchup has gripped the sporting world with its never-ending brilliance. As a fan, you either fell for the dazzling footwork and speed of Ronaldo or the elegant movement and effortless precision of Messi.

Thus, it was obvious that when the Portuguese star Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid in 2009, all eyes turned to his contest with FC Barcelona and Messi.

The script couldn’t be more perfect: Both clubs were renowned for their contrasting recruitment philosophy, playing style, political affiliation and, now, leading talisman. Nine seasons and over 785 goals later, this elusive chapter has come to an end.

On Aug. 5., FC Barcelona announced the departure of its most decorated player, Leo Messi. The news marked the official end to a transfer saga that saw relations sour between the player and club. Ultimately, the decision was forced due to financial mismanagement and unsustainable player wages during the pandemic.

In a tearful farewell, Messi stated that, “I never imag-

ined having to say goodbye because I’d never thought of it,” which was followed by an ovation from a crowd including his family and teammates.

Although his destination wasn’t confirmed, experts narrowed the list to two financially capable teams, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain — the latter being his eventual choice.

Three years earlier, Ronaldo chose to leave Real Madrid for Juventus after an illustrious nine years in the Spanish capital. Although La Liga President Javier Tebas claimed that Ronaldo’s arrival in Italy hadn’t “improved Serie A,” Juventus reportedly sold over $60 million worth of Ronaldo jerseys within his first 24 hours, a glimpse of the financial power held by these superstars. Moreover, Ronaldo’s debut season saw Juventus’ overall attendance increase by 4.54%, while Real Madrid’s attendance dipped to an all-time low since the 2009– 10 season. With both players embarking on new chapters in their twilight years, La Liga enters a new era of uncertainty.

According to Brand Finance, one of the world’s leading brand valuation consultancies, Messi’s departure will cause an 11% decline in FC Barcelona’s brand value. This estimation is based on Messi’s previous role in acquiring lucrative sponsorships, sustaining merchandise

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are pictured. sales, attracting valuable talent and continuing to win major titles. The absence of the iconic No. 10 jersey alone is predicted to cause a 30-million-euro deficit in annual revenue. On the field, Messi has functioned as the fulcrum of Barcelona’s success. In contrast to Ronaldo, who served as a lethal goal-scorer, Messi’s playmaking creativity has been the heartbeat of Barcelona’s identity. With both clubs in transitional phases, the Premier League giants have reclaimed European dominance, temporarily pushing La Liga into the shadows.

Although both transfers have altered the landscape of Spanish

football, this phase is an example of the cyclical nature of football. From 2010 to 2018, Real Madrid and Barcelona won six of the eight Champions League titles, with Real Madrid winning a historic three in a row. With star-studded squads including Neymar, Gareth Bale, Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Ramos, the Spanish giants were untouchable. In the early 2000s, most tournaments were dominated

by Italian and English clubs, who have since fallen short in major competitions. Now, a new changing of the guard is underway. Although both Madrid clubs — Real and Atlético — as well as Barcelona will continue

to lead title races, historically overshadowed teams like Sevilla, Valencia and Real Sociedad will start emerging as serious competition in La Liga. The spotlight will broaden to highlight raw talent in smaller teams instead of constantly honing in on the top three sides. A competitively open league, like the English Premier League — that famously saw Leicester City crowned champions with 5,000-to-1 odds — improves the quality of individual games and ensures consistent viewership regardless of a team’s commercial value.

For La Liga, perhaps Messi’s and Ronaldo’s departures are blessings in disguise. An emphasis on youth development at academies, much like the English model, could build the league’s foundation on a generation of incoming Spanish talent. Rumors claim that Kylian Mbappé, the widely-proclaimed French heir to Ronaldo’s throne, will eventually move to Real Madrid. Although La Liga would welcome this, it would be another example of polishing a gun with a broken barrel. There’s no doubt that La Liga’s golden age was glittered with glory to which the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry provided a perfect narrative, but the league must now survive on the competitive merit of all 20 teams. With this priority, La Liga will regain and potentially surpass its previous successes.