The Tufts Daily - September 24, 2021

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VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 8

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Friday, September 24, 2021

Mass. renters struggle to receive rental assistance, face evictions as national eviction moratorium ends

by Jack Hirsch News Editor

In response to the Supreme Court’s blocking President Joe Biden’s order to extend the national eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some local municipalities, including the cities of Somerville and Boston, have instituted and extended their own local eviction moratoriums. Others, including the city of Medford, have let the protections become void.

On Sept. 9, the Somerville Board of Health approved Mayor Joe Curtatone’s request to extend the city’s moratorium on evictions until April 30, 2022.

“We know that there’s a significant population in Somerville that would have been immediately at risk if the moratorium had been lifted,” Ellen Shachter, director of the Somerville Office of Housing Stability, said in an interview with the Daily.

Shachter said the moratorium protects public health during the pandemic.

“We do not want to see people becoming homeless, going into overcrowded situations or being on the street. We do not want to see people unable to quarantine if they need to,” she said. “We need stability for public health, and we need stability … to make sure that COVID does not lead to a significant loss of … vulnerable families in the city.”

GRACE ROTERMUND / THE TUFTS DAILY

City Hall in Medford is pictured on March 12.

Boston Mayor Kim Janey announced on Aug. 31 a similar moratorium as a part of her housing stability agenda.

“My housing stability agenda protects renters with a new eviction moratorium in the City of Boston,” Janey said in a video posted to Twitter. “This mora-

Medford, Somerville, Boston reinstate indoor mask mandates

by Aditya Acharya

Assistant News Editor

torium will block evictions and keep our neighborhoods strong as we face the Delta variant together.”

Despite previously issuing statewide eviction moratoriums during the pandemic, the Massachusetts state government has not extended its own

by Jack Adgate

MICHELLE LI / THE TUFTS DAILY

Due to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts, Medford and Somerville have reinstated indoor mask mandates. which members of the public are invited or otherwise allowed to enter a building or structure to interact with any persons in order to or transact any public or private business,” the Medford mask mandate states. “This includes, but is not limited to, restaurants, bars, offices, social clubs, grocery stores, pharmacies and other retail establishments, indoor performance and event venues, hotels, gyms, fitness clubs, barber shops, hair and nail salons, dance studios and places of worship.”

However, there are some differences between the Somerville and Medford mask mandates, such as the maximum age for a child who is exempt from the mandate. In Medford, everyone over the age of five must wear

a mask, while in Somerville the policy applies to children ages two and up.

Both mask mandates point to the efficacy of masking in preventing the spread of COVID-19 — as well as the ongoing nature of a public health emergency.

“The incidence of the Covid19 virus, and deaths, hospitalizations and serious illness related to the virus, continues in the City of Somerville and the Commonwealth … these recommendations observe that covering an individual’s nose and mouth can reduce the chance of spreading the virus,” the Somerville mandate states.

The Medford mandate also emphasized the importance of see MANDATE, page 2

see EVICTIONS, page 2

Ghenwa Hakim leaves Tufts International Center after 10 years Assistant News Editor

Local mask mandates for public indoor areas were reinstated on Aug. 20 in Somerville, Aug. 27 in Boston and Sept. 10 in Medford. The reinstatement of these mandates follows a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts counties, largely due to the Delta variant.

For these indoor mask mandates, the definition of “public locations” is similar in the cities of Somerville and Medford, referring to stores, public transportation and event venues, according to Doug Kress, director of health and human services for the City of Somerville.

“Public location is defined as any place open to the public, including, but not limited to, grocery stores, pharmacies, and other retail stores, public transportation, taxis, livery, and other ride sharing vehicles, and any location, including hotels, motels, event venues, and private clubs that host indoor events or performances,” Kress said in an email to the Daily.

The Medford mask mandate, described by MaryAnn O’Connor, director of public health for the City of Medford in an email to the Daily, shares a similar view of what constitutes “public indoor spaces.”

“The term ‘public indoor spaces’ shall include all places into

moratorium, nor has the city of Medford.

City of Medford Housing Planner Danielle Evans wrote in an email to the Daily that Medford anticipates seeing an increase in evictions now that the federal eviction moratorium has ended.

Although Medford has not issued a citywide moratorium, Evans highlighted a new city initiative aimed at helping those struggling to pay rent called the Medford Move-In Program, which covers first and last month’s rent for income-eligible households.

State Sen. Pat Jehlen, the vice chair of the Joint Committee

Ghenwa Hakim, associate director of the Tufts International Center, stepped down from her position to pursue a career in immigration law earlier this month.

Hakim worked at Tufts for 10 years, holding positions in both the Tufts University School of Medicine and undergraduate programs. She assumed her role at the International Center in 2018, and supported Tufts’ international students and staff with immigration advice during her three years in the position.

She has since begun a new role as an immigration attorney at the Boston-based law firm Ross Silverman Snyder Tietjen LLP, better known as RSST Law Group. According to its website, the firm handles a range of employment- and family-based immigration matters.

Additionally, RSST possesses many accolades, most notably recognition by U.S. News & World Report as a first-tier law firm in Boston. Heidi Snyder and Rhonda Tietjen, partners at the firm, were also named on the Best Lawyers in America list.

“I’m doing exclusively business immigration practice for the law firm, and I’m just excited for this new page in my career,”

ARTS / page 4

FEATURES / page 3

SPORTS / back

Lil Nas X’s ingenious album ‘Montero’ begs the question, ‘Am I Dreaming?’

Neurodiverse students share unique perspectives, launch organization

Field hockey remains undefeated following victory over Wesleyan

Hakim said. “I wasn’t practicing as an attorney at Tufts. And so this is kind of the next step into getting a stronger foothold in the legal world, and progressing my career path.”

Hakim spoke about how working for Tufts has prepared her for her new role.

“At Tufts I had the opportunity to work with many different departments, many different people, and I had a lot of exposure working with students, faculty and staff,” Hakim said.

“Being able to see each perspective uniquely is something that is extremely valuable, not just generally in the immigration or legal network, but also specifically in the type of work I do now in business immigration law.”

During Hakim’s time at Tufts, the university’s various immigration centers housed in different schools merged into one International Center. Diana Chigas, senior international officer and associate provost at Tufts, commented on how Hakim was able to work through this merger and simultaneously handle the stress of the 2017 travel ban, which banned travelers from seven predominately Muslim countries. “[Hakim] was really helpful in just thinking about how see IMMIGRATION, page 2 NEWS

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FEATURES

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ARTS & POP CULTURE

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FUN & GAMES

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OPINION

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SPORTS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Friday, September 24, 2021

THE TUFTS DAILY Madeleine Aitken Editor in Chief

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State and local politicians take action to protect tenants EVICTIONS

continued from page 1 on Housing, explained that she would be in favor of a statewide ban on evictions, but the state government is currently prioritizing distributing money for rental assistance.

“I would still support a moratorium, but right now that’s not what we’re pushing for,” Jehlen, whose district includes Tufts’ Medford/Somerville campus, told the Daily. “We’re pushing [to get] the money out the door.”

However, State Sen. John Keenan, chair of the Joint Committee on Housing, says that there have been some obstacles to providing rental assistance for those in need. Some tenants have struggled to prove their eligibility for the program, and language barriers and lack of legal representation further impede them from receiving assistance.

“We have literally hundreds of millions of dollars still available in Massachusetts for landlords and tenants and for those who

are facing foreclosure as well,” Keenan, who represents parts of the South Shore, told the Daily.

“And it’s been difficult to connect them to the money.”

Jehlen explained that the process by which rental assistance is distributed in Massachusetts prevents some households from accessing the help they need. A lengthy time frame and overly complicated application process contribute to the problem.

“The problem for both landlords and tenants is that the average time to get even an answer on [a rental assistance] application is 49 days. That’s a long time, especially during the process of eviction which takes a long time also,” she said.

“Fewer than half of applicants get anywhere [with their rental assistance application] … the application is so complicated.

It’s so difficult for people who don’t speak English well, or who aren’t great at computer skills, or just may not have time.”

Douglas Quattrochi, executive director of MassLandlords, shared Jehlen’s frustration with the distribution of rental assistance funding.

“It’s a big mess,” Quattrochi told the Daily. “So anybody who says we need more renter protections might have a real point, because it might be that roughly 50,000 households have asked for help, and have not been able to get it from the state for bulls— reasons.”

Quattrochi further explained that he would like to see a more long-term solution than a moratorium.

“There’s a whole bunch of money they’re sitting on and a whole bunch of people asking for it,” he said. “And so I think that really [is] the main question; it’s not about the eviction moratorium so much as, ‘Why is our safety net failing to award money to people?’”

According to Keenan, in the face of these administrative failures, there are ongoing efforts

to connect those facing housing instability with the state aid that is currently available.

“The state is working to reduce the number of documents that are required [in the rental assistance application],” he said. “An organization called NeighborWorks is having a program … in Brockton, where [they] will have people available to help tenants fill out forms and to make them aware of the programs that are available.”

Keenan said that any policy must take into account the needs of both tenants and landlords.

“We have to make sure that we do what we can to keep people in their homes, while at the same time recognizing that landlords have financial obligations that they have to meet,” he said. “And I think we have enough funds to accomplish both of those. We just have to find the best way to do it. And the quickest way to do it.”

Tufts follows guidance of local, state, federal public health agencies regarding COVID-19 MANDATE

continued from page 1 masking given the increased prevalence of the Delta variant.

“We know that masks slow or prevent transmission of all COVID-19 variants so far … as we see cases rise in surrounding Massachusetts counties and communities including ours, following this season of summer travel and gatherings, we are committed to preventing and/ or limiting transmission,” the Medford mandate states.

In addition to municipal legislation, Somerville has mobilized community members to promote the use of masks. Kress spoke to the educational role of COVID-19 ambassadors in Somerville — while acknowledging that their main role is not enforcement of the masking policy.

“[COVID-19 ambassadors] are part of the educational effort to inform residents, [businesses] and visitors to follow the mask order,” Kress wrote.

“Ambassadors have masks available for those without [them], however they are not the enforcing entity.”

O’Connor believes that most businesses have continued to adequately mask in order to protect their personnel and remain in compliance with federal guidance on masking.

“I feel most retail establishments have kept employees masked as a way to protect [them] and some have continued to encourage customers to wear [masks] in accordance with CDC recommendations,” O’Connor wrote.

Tufts’ decisions about campus COVID-19 policies are impact-

ed by the decisions and guidance of local agencies, according to University Infection Control Health Director Michael Jordan and Medical Director of Health Service Marie Caggiano.

“Tufts public health policies are developed in collaboration with local Boards of Health and with the input of our own public health experts,” Caggiano and Jordan wrote in a statement to the Daily. “Currently, like Tufts, both Somerville and Medford have indoor masks policies in effect.”

In addition to collaboration with local agencies, data from on-campus COVID-19 tests provide a baseline from which to create policies.

“We closely analyze our surveillance testing data, including prevalence and patterns of transmission, which inform our

decisions on when to enhance or relax our guidelines depending on how the data is trending,” Caggiano and Jordan said.

Nonetheless, Tufts will continue to follow the advice of state, federal and global agencies in managing and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

“Tufts also collaborates closely with local public health authorities, including Boards of Health and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, in the development of the University’s COVID-19 policies,” Caggiano and Jordan said.

“We are constantly reviewing the available body of scientific evidence and guidelines published by national and global health agencies including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization.”

Hakim pursues career in immigration law after 10 years at Tufts IMMIGRATION

continued from page 1 we were going to combine all of these [centers and what] the new structure [was] going to be,” Chigas said. “She was really, really important in helping us deal with the travel ban and pulling together information.”

According to Chigas, Hakim was a reliable and knowledgeable colleague who worked well under pressure.

“She was the one helping to hold it together and pull the team together because there were people who hadn’t worked together very much,” Chigas said. “She was really a go-to person because she’s so knowledgeable on several tough immigration issues, so people would go to her and she was always really helpful.”

Chigas shared how she believes Hakim’s experience and work ethic will transfer over to her new position.

“I think her expertise on work visas will translate really well [at her new job],” Chigas said, adding, “She’s just a super thorough and dedicated person, and even on her last day, she didn’t take a vacation day so she could get things done.”

Although she is stepping down from her role at the International Center, Hakim will remain an instructor at the School of Medicine, where she will continue teaching a course she has previously taught on global migration and health.

“I really see that course as my passion project,” Hakim said. “I’m very interested in [the] global health of migrant

groups, and also specifically health care access [for] immigrant groups here in the United States.”

Chigas believes it will take time to find a suitable replacement for Hakim at the International Center. She expects that Hakim’s role will remain vacant for the fall semester as the center searches for a new associate director.

Chigas reflected on the unique skills Hakim brought to her role and the difficulty of finding a suitable replacement.

“Finding people who can do both, who are really good at the immigration stuff but also really good at helping on the social dimension and the programming — there [are] not a lot of [those] people out there,” Chigas said.

COURTESY GHENWA HAKIM

Ghenwa Hakim stepped down from her position at the Tufts International Center to pursue opportunities in immigration law.

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Features

3 Friday, September 24, 2021

Diverse Minds aims to promote inclusion, education around neurodiversity on campus

by Sam Russo Features Editor

Masking is something that most students have been discussing only in the past year and half, but for a smaller group of Tufts students, it’s a term that has been on their mind for nearly their whole lives. For neurodiverse people, masking means trying to hide their disabilities and pass as neurotypical. This is just one of many additional considerations that neurodiverse students at Tufts contend with, from ensuring that they can take tests in the environments given to them to making friends who share their experiences.

To help create a sense of community and educate others about these challenges, junior Tait Smith created a group called Diverse Minds at the end of this past summer. Smith is the president of Diverse Minds, which has not yet been recognized as an official student organization. Members of Diverse Minds who spoke with the Daily have autism and ADHD, and the organization includes spaces for students with OCD, dyslexia and Tourette’s, among other disabilities.

People with the conditions mentioned, among others, often refer to themselves as neurodiverse. Others call themselves disabled, but neurodiverse and neurotypical have become the dominant terms in the modern context.

Smith was also motivated to form the club by a desire to counter ableism on campus, following some of his own negative experiences.

“Some students were treating me like I was some sort of oddity, something to be examined and questioned and understood under a microscope,” Smith said.

“And I wasn’t a big fan of that.”

Smith said that he has self-diagnosed autism, which he discovered in the past year after reviewing old medical evaluations, in addition to diagnosed ADHD. For sophomore Tessie Katz, the club’s treasurer, one of the starting points for educating other students about neurodiversity is simply understanding what it means.

“Lots of people don’t know about the term ‘neurodiversity,’” Katz said. “Instead of neurotypical, people will say [neurotypical people] are normal people. I kind of think that implies that one type of mind is better than the other.”

Smith plans for Diverse Minds’ educational efforts to work in two different directions.

“We want to be able to teach acceptance, and then we also want to educate on the different disorders,” Smith said.

“And so when we meet people, we’re going to talk about ‘Oh, here’s how you can interact with autistic [people].’”

Smith continued to explain how Diverse Minds aims to teach about the challenges behind these disorders.

VIA DIVERSE MINDS FACEBOOK

Diverse Minds hopes to cultivate a more welcoming environment for Tufts’ neurodiverse students by teaching acceptance and providing educational opportunities.

“Educating on that kind of acceptance of things like stimming, things such as eye contact, social cues, verbal communication, nonverbal communication, but also again, a lot of people don’t realize that there are certain disabilities or what is a part of autism, what is a part of ADHD, what is part of OCD, so educating people on what what these disabilities actually are, is an important step,” Smith said.

Stimming, which originates from the term self-simulation, is when neurodivergent people repeat an action or a variation of an action. Junior Chloe Malley, who is planning on joining Diverse Minds as it becomes more active, stims — in the form of twirling their pencil — to concentrate during class but has had other students ask them to stop.

Smith hopes that Diverse Minds will be able to combat instances like that by creating a more accepting environment for neurodiverse students, through speakers, social media initiatives, partnerships with the Tufts administration and tabling. One new idea that Smith hopes to implement is partnering with Tufts Dining in April, which is Autism Awareness Month.

“I would like to be able to work in the dining halls and maybe have … some cookies for people with the symbol for the neurodiversity movement to just get it out there,” Smith said. “I think people will pay attention. If they see a cookie

that says neurodiversity with a neurodiversity symbol, then they’re gonna get intrigued.”

In addition to educating neurotypical students, Diverse Minds will also try to educate neurodiverse students about the resources available to them. This connects closely with Diverse Minds’ second main goal of building community, which both Malley and junior Violet McCabe, two members of the club, expressed particular excitement about.

“People tend to prefer that people that are different be isolated away,” said Malley, “[That] leads to a lot of isolation … so I feel like having a space to talk with others that are similar or going through similar things … would be really empowering and would really help to create a community and a sense of connection that I think is really hard to get for neurodivergent people. It also, I think, would serve as a reassurance that just because we’re neurodivergent, doesn’t mean that we can’t succeed.”

McCabe said they’ve experienced difficulties with institutions within Tufts, including one negative experience with the Career Center. According to McCabe, after they told a career counselor that they were mentally disabled, the counselor responded by saying that they “probably [weren’t] smart enough” for their two majors — environmental engineering and computer science.

Differing from McCabe’s experience, Donna Esposito, interim executive director of the Career Center, described the Career Center as an equitable and unbiased space for all students. She responded to McCabe’s sentiment in an email to the Daily.

“We encourage students who have not had a positive experience with the Career Center to reach out to us so that we can address their concerns,” Esposito wrote.

Negative experiences, such as the judgement passed on McCabe at the Career Center, bring attention to the need for new safe spaces for neurodiverse students. Diverse Minds hopes to provide this guidance to younger neurodiverse students.

“I would have absolutely adored to have met an older disabled student at Tufts, an older student with accommodations, an older autistic student, any of that I would have absolutely loved, and [I] needed that support as a lowerclassmen,” McCabe, who has autism, said.

This sense of community and connection to others seems to be exactly what Diverse Minds is aiming for, with game nights, presentations on areas of interest from members and other fun social activities. Diverse Minds plans to create a center of inclusion and a safe space on campus.

“You don’t have to mask around these people … because you know that they get it,” McCabe said.

TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER

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Arts & POP ARTS Pop CULTURE Culture

tuftsdaily.com

Friday, September 24, 2021

‘Montero’ is monumental

VIA AMAZON

Lil Nas X released his new album “Montero” on Sept. 17.

by Maeve Hagerty and Geoff Tobia Jr. Arts Editors

It has been almost three years since the release of the multi-platinum certified “Old Town Road” (2019) which started rapper Montero Lamar Hill, better known as Lil Nas X, on the proverbial road to fame. Over the course of those years, Lil Nas X went from working two jobs at Zaxby’s and Six Flags Over Georgia to becoming a global superstar. “Old Town Road” was the song that changed his life, and the music scene, dramatically. Pulling together a banjo, collaboration from rock band Nine Inch Nails and a $30 beat, Lil Nas X created the most certified song in history. It seemed likely that Lil Nas X might be a one-hit wonder or struggle to find his footing in a music industry that is often openly hostile to people of color, especially those who identify as members of the LGBTQ community as he does.

Enter the debut album “Montero,” released on Sept. 17, that has changed all of those preconceptions. In addition to 14 other tracks, the album features

the hit pre-release single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” The song resulted in a frenzy of backlash and critical acclaim in March for its provocative music video and unapologetic style, which have come to characterize much of the album as well. Though the song ruffled many conservative feathers, it only grew the artist’s fanbase and signaled an evolution from the Lil Nas X of “Old Town Road” toward something greater and more noteworthy.

However, listening to “Montero” reveals a level of artistry and talent that goes beyond just the ability to create controversy. As the album moves through the 15-song track list, a narrative emerges. The pre-released song “Industry Baby” featuring rapper Jack Harlow has proven to be one of the best party songs of the year. The beat, with producers including Take A Daytrip and Kanye West, is absolutely infectious. The chemistry that Lil Nas X and Harlow have on this song couples electrically with the energy of the horn samples and music video. Lil Nas X has realized his

potential as an artist and is sharing his vision free of inhibitions.

He discusses this attitude on one of the best tracks from the album, “One of Me,” which features Elton John. The drum- and piano-driven ballad addresses his skeptics, whom he quotes as saying, “If it ain’t ‘Old Town Road,’ Lil Nassy, I ain’t playin,” in a reflection on the doubt that he faced before the release of his album. The song builds, playing on the idea that everyone has ideas about how he should act or produce his music, saying, “I like this, I don’t like that/ Do this here, don’t you do that.” It ends with an Elton John-esque piano outro reminiscent of “Bennie and the Jets” (1974).

Lil Nas X also dishes out his unique style of powerful trap songs underscored by guitar and horns in “Scoop” with Doja Cat, “Don’t Want it” and “Dolla Sign Slime” with Megan Thee Stallion. These tracks are some of the best from the album, and they showcase Lil Nas X’s true strength as a vocalist even while performing beside the likes of Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion.

Throughout the tracklist, the album is playful, tender, sexy and powerful all

at once. We see the more personal side of Lil Nas X in tracks like “Void” and “Am I Dreaming.” Additionally, “Dead Right Now” is at once a dark diss to the people from his past who “switch sides,” underscored by gospel singers and a catchy horn riff, but is also a heartfelt detailing of some of his personal and familial struggles. “Sun Goes Down” details some of Lil Nas X’s struggles with his identity as a gay Black man and reasserts his lyrical talent, while “Am I Dreaming” is a reflective duet with Miley Cyrus that focuses on the fallout of a successful music career and the fear of being forgotten. With profound lyrics like “Glitter comes off, battered and blue, but I gotta go on/ As I’m singin’, I rewrite my story,” the song is a strong outro and concludes the album beautifully.

Overall, “Montero” is an amazing album. It is likely one of the best of the year simply because it’s different and fresh but also wholesome and revelatory. Lil Nas X has made a name for himself, and “Montero” establishes him as one of the most iconic, relevant and ingenious artists of our generation.

A r t s & P o p C u lt u r e

Friday, September 24, 2021 | Arts & Pop Culture | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Injury Reserve’s ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix’ expresses pain through groundbreaking music

by Geoff Tobia Jr. Arts Editor

Injury Reserve’s future suddenly became uncertain following the passing of key member Stepa J. Groggs in June 2020. The experimental hip-hop trio, composed of rappers Groggs (Jordan Groggs), Ritchie with a T (Nathaniel Ritchie) and producer Parker Corey, was suddenly a duo. This summer, they finally announced the release of their newest album “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” (2021). The album, released Sept. 15, is their sophomore studio record and it is a genre-demolishing, mind-bending album full of sadness, aggression and hope.

“Outside” is a mysterious yet beautiful opening track. Something about the hodgepodge of bass, warped synths and Ritchie With A T’s distorted rapping gives this song a feeling that something is wrong, but you cannot help but stay and listen. As with songs like “Ground Zero” and “Wild Wild West” on the record, “Outside” pushes the boundaries on what a song really can be.

“Knees,” the lead single, is an incredibly moving song, flipping Black Midi’s “Sweater” into an abstract ballad. “Knees hurt me when I grow, and that’s a tough pill to swallow, because I’m not gettin’ taller,” Ritchie croons. Accompanying the song was a music video of Ritchie and Corey sitting on boxes on a stage, faces in their hands, heads down looking at the ground. Every time the instrumental hits, a bright light flashes behind them, only showing their silhouettes. When Groggs’ verse begins, his silhouette appears with them, but no one is behind the mic stand once the lights dim. The longing for his electrifying presence is a blow to the heart, and the listener feels the pain that Ritchie and Corey feel in this video. The song “Top Picks for You” is similarly saddening, with a beat that sounds like it’s crying and Ritchie sounding like he’s on the verge of tears the entire song.

On the flip side, “Footwork in a Forest Fire” and “Smoke Don’t Clear” feature higher-tempo, more urgent beats with frantic vocal performances. Other than “Knees,” “Footwork in a Forest Fire” is the only other solo verse contribution from Groggs on the album, and Groggs delivers it as if he’s escaping a forest fire.

Another subtlety of this record is that a fair amount of philosophical and political points are addressed through this record.

This track is related to the ongoing forest fires that have plagued the western

VIA AMAZON

The experimental rap group Injury Reserve released their second studio album, “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” on Sept. 15.

United States, including the Phoenix area close to Injury Reserve’s origin in Tempe, Ariz. “Smoke Don’t Clear” brings another moment so hectic it’s unclear if it is even a song.

“Superman That,” the album’s second single, is another hard-hitting song with drums sounding like they’re tripping over each other. Ritchie has one of his most off-kilter verses, rapping as if there is a consistent beat to follow and crying out the chorus, “Ain’t no savin’ me, ain’t no savin’ me or you.” Following this track is “SS San Francisco,” starring an instrumental that sounds as if you’re slowly descending into the abyss of the ocean,

but the water is slowly becoming lava.

Ritchie’s rapping is distorted and drunken as featured rapper Zelooperz comes in with powerful background vocals and an impressive verse. “Know my body mad at me because it be goin’ through it/ Scared to have some kids because the world be goin’ through it” he raps. The concluding song “Bye Storm” is an excellent conclusion to the record, hinting at a shine of hope that everything will be alright.

Injury Reserve has garnered a small but very vocal and passionate fan base.

With the release of a less accessible album, it’s admirable to see the posi-

tive feedback this phenomenal album is receiving from fans and journalists. As mentioned before, the group’s future is still uncertain. They could continue to perform as Injury Reserve, take on a new form or pursue separate musical endeavors. It’s sad to see the band arrive at this point so soon, but fans worldwide are thankful for this piece of art from Ritchie and Core.

Injury Reserve’s live performances are famously intense and enjoyable, and one of their first-ever shows as a duo will take place at Crystal Ballroom on Oct. 12, featuring a performance with Slauson Malone 1 in Davis Square.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | FUN & GAMES | Friday, September 24, 2021

F& G

tuftsdaily.com LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Kate: “I LOVE LIL NAS X.”

FUN & GAMES

SUDOKU

ALIEN DISCOVERS PERSONAL FAN

Difficulty Level: Figuring out what you’re morally allowed to do as a close contact.

By Maddie Perro

Wednesday’s Solutions

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CROSSWORD

The “It’s Not Like I’m Drunk” Cocktail 2 oz. tequila 1 oz. triple sec 1/2 ounce lime juice Salt 1 too many 1 automobile 1 missed red light 1 false sense of security 1 lowered reaction time Combine ingredients. Shake.

Have another. And another.

Never underestimate ‘just a few.’

Buzzed driving is drunk driving.

tuftsdaily.com

Opinion

7 Friday, September 24, 2021

VIEWPOINT

Medford and Somerville elections: The importance of local politics for Tufts students

by Faye Shen Li Thijssen Opinion Editor

Last Tuesday, Sept. 14, marked the deadline for Medford and Somerville preliminary election ballots to be received.

The preliminary elections asked voters to choose their top candidates for a number of offices, including mayors of both cities, six school committee members in Medford, one councilor in Ward 5 and another in Ward 7 in Somerville.

For the first time since 2004, the mayoral ticket in Somerville doesn’t include incumbent Joe Curtatone. His four terms in office have overseen monumental change in Somerville — from its previous nickname of “Slummerville” to its current national reputation for progressive policies. As he prepared to leave office, Curtatone endorsed three of the four candidates on the ticket (excluding independent conservative candidate William “Billy” Tauro), emphasizing Somerville’s need for continuity with progressive leadership.

Unofficial preliminary election results for Somerville place Will Mbah and Katjana Ballantyne as the leading candidates in the race, with Mbah lead-

ing Ballantyne by around 330 votes.

Ballantyne, the first woman to be elected Somerville city council president twice during her seven-year service, expressed her commitment to sustainability and climate resilience. Mbah, who is endorsed by the local Sunrise Movement chapter and Our Revolution, a progressive political organization founded by Bernie Sanders, would be the first person of color to serve as mayor if elected in November. Selfproclaimed as the “most progressive candidate” in the race, Mbah says he will be the first mayor in Massachusetts to reimplement rent control if the statewide ban were to be repealed.

Medford’s preliminary mayoral election results show a strong preference for incumbent Breanna Lungo-Koehn, who leads by over 1,000 votes. With an academic background in criminal justice, psychology and law, Lungo-Koehn began her political career as a city council member. Since her first win in 2001, Lungo-Koehn was re-elected eight times, including as president of the Medford City Council. After 18 years of experience in City Council, she won her campaign for mayor of Medford in 2019 and has served as mayor since.

With the second-highest number of votes, mayoral candidate John Falco entered this year’s election after five years on the Medford City Council and five years on Medford’s School Committee between 2010 and 2015. Despite his opponent’s clear lead, Falco remains hopeful as he moves into the runoff elections set for Nov. 2, claiming that the City of Medford’s need for “an inclusive, professional, and decisive leader” is his motivation for entering the race.

The front-running candidates for Somerville’s preliminary election for councilor of Ward 5 are Tessa Bridge and Beatriz C. Gomez Mouakad, while in Ward 7 Judith Pineda Neufeld and Becca Miller are contesting the seat. Medford’s six leading candidates for school committee are Mea Quinn Mustone, Jenny R Graham, Paul Russell Ruseau, Melanie P. McLaughlin, Sharon D. Hays and Andrew C. Milne.

As voter registration deadlines approach and the final election grows closer, many students on the Tufts Medford/Somerville campus remain unaware of political events in our surrounding community. With over 11,800 students enrolled at Tufts and 5,825

undergraduate students as of 2019, our undergraduate population alone makes up around 4% of the combined Medford/ Somerville populations. Because of the size of Tufts’ student population, our presence here has a profound impact on the communities around us. Additionally, the policies and decisions made by local leaders may affect the way in which we conduct our lives on campus.

Because of the reciprocal influence between Tufts students and the residents of the Medford/Somerville area, Tufts students have a responsibility to remain engaged with local political discourse — regardless of our local voter registration status. Whether it relates to policing in surrounding neighborhoods, inclusionary housing efforts like extending eviction moratoriums or programs designed to address and take action against climate change, we have the ability to lend our voice to important initiatives.

In order to be considerate, engaged and conscious members of this community we need to maintain awareness for candidates in upcoming elections, legislation and policy decisions that affect us and our host communities.

8 Friday, September 24, 2021

Sports

tuftsdaily.com

Field hockey outscores opponents 18–1 in first 4 games

by Sophia Antezana

Assistant Sports Editor

Returning to competition for the first time since 2019, Tufts field hockey kicked off its season against conference foe Williams at Ounjian Field on Sept. 11.

The Jumbos entered the match ranked fourth in the nation, while the Williams Ephs ranked 10th in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association’s preseason poll. Now four games into the 2021 season, the Jumbos boast a perfect record of 4–0, outscoring their opponents with an impressive 18–1.

The Tufts Jumbos faced the Wesleyan Cardinals at home for their second NESCAC game of the season on Tuesday.

The Cardinals were 2–2 overall and 0–2 in NESCAC play on the season coming into the game. The Jumbos were the favorite in this matchup — and certainly played like it — earning a thrilling 7–0 win in front of an excited home crowd. Senior forward Claire Foley contributed to five out of seven of the Jumbos’ goals, scoring four and assisting one. Other remarkable performances included senior forward Gillian Roeca, who had three assists; first-year forward Kylie Rosenquest, who scored her first collegiate goal; and all three Tufts goalies who kept Wesleyan scoreless.

On Saturday, the Jumbos earned another high-scoring win against the Endicott College Gulls, with a final score of 6–1. The Jumbos dominated with an incredible performance from super-senior co-captain Beth Krikorian, who had a hat-trick and scored three out of the six Jumbo goals. This was her second career hat trick.

“We passed really well and just played our game the whole 60 minutes,” Krikorian said. “Everyone did a great job and it was a great team win.”

Following her performance, Krikorian was named a Tufts Athlete of the Week.

The single goal scored by the Gulls has

MICHELLE LI / THE TUFTS DAILY

Tufts field hockey has gone undefeated in its first four games of the season. been the only goal scored against the Jumbos thus far this season, a remarkable feat considering the team has now played four times this year.

Tufts faced local foe MIT at night on Sept. 14, defeating the Engineers 4–0.

The Jumbos got off to a strong start, scoring three goals in the first half while keeping MIT to zero shots. The three goals were scored by senior defender Melissa Manzello, senior midfielder Marin Waddington and senior midfielder Sophie Schoeni. Krikorian added a goal for the Jumbos in the second half, capping off another solid victory for the Jumbos.

“MIT was great competition,” sophomore forward/midfielder Lainie Pearson

said. “They always give 100% and were super fun to play against. We have been putting in the work at practice and I think it is showing on the field. We won as a team, and that’s what we need to continue to do for the rest of the season.”

In their first game of the season, both the Jumbos and the Ephs fought hard from the start, resulting in a scoreless first half.

With just over six minutes left in the third quarter, first-year forward Claire Gavin, in her collegiate debut, scored the only goal of the game.

“I was very impressed by Williams’ level of play during the game, so getting the opportunity to play was already a very surreal moment for me,” Gavin said.

“The goal happened so quickly, but it

felt amazing to have the girls congratulate me on the field. I am so happy that I could contribute to the game and that we had a positive outcome for our first home game.”

Gavin’s goal undoubtedly propelled the Jumbos to a strong finish, allowing them to defeat the Ephs 1–0. The win also came from key performances by junior goalie Sam Gibby and senior goalie and co-captain Andie Stallman — who combined to hold the Ephs scoreless in 60 minutes of play.

With four games under their belt, the Jumbos look to continue to build on their early success during their first away game against NESCAC opponent Colby College this Saturday.

Men’s soccer keeps rolling, dominates Brandeis and Salem State

by Jack Adgate

Assistant News Editor

This week, the men’s soccer team stayed hot, defeating Brandeis University and Salem State University. Tufts showcased an offensive outburst on Saturday, netting four goals and blanking Brandeis.

The Jumbos followed up this performance by putting in five more goals on Tuesday night en route to a 5–1 victory over the Salem State Vikings.

Super-senior forward Mati Cano continued on Tuesday to terrorize defenders, putting in two goals within the first 10 minutes — leaving the Jumbos ahead early.

Salem State fired back in the 27th minute, however, when a rare defensive mistake by the Jumbos allowed a Vikings attacker to get into space in the center of the box and put a shot past first-year goalkeeper Erik Lauta. This was only the second goal Lauta had conceded in five games. The Jumbos, on the other hand, have scored 13 goals on the season.

Nonetheless, the Jumbos’ offensive onslaught proved too much for the Vikings. Putting a total of 20 shots on goal, Salem State’s back line was busy all night.

Super-senior midfielder and co-captain Calvin Aroh and senior defender Ian Daly

VIA CAYLA FERNANDES

No. 1 men’s soccer beat Brandeis 4–0 on Sept. 18. both picked up their second goals of the season, while senior defender Aidan Welsh put in his first to close out the night.

On Saturday Tufts dominated as well, dismantling Brandeis 4–0. The Jumbos’ attack came out firing in the first half, putting nine shots on goal. Cano continued his impressive start to the year, adding two goals and an assist. Just three minutes into the first half Cano put in the opening goal for the Jumbos, assisted by super-senior midfielder and co-captain Derek Enge. Cano then assisted graduate midfielder Travis Van Brewer for a goal in the 20th minute to put Tufts up 2–0.

Despite more of an offensive effort from Brandeis in the second half, the Jumbos’ back line held strong, a common theme to start the season. The Jumbos registered their third clean sheet in five games against the Judges. Cano bagged another goal just two minutes into the second half, assisted by junior forward Sean Traynor. The Jumbos topped off the scoring on a goal by sophomore forward Mikey Brady, assisted by first-year midfielder Ethan Feigin.

“I’m really happy with the win, and it capped off a great performance that we’ve been working towards for the past couple of weeks,” Feigen said. “I’m hoping to con-

tribute even more in the coming games, but the most important thing is winning games and we work incredibly hard each and every day to do so.”

The connection in the 84th minute marked the first collegiate goal for Brady and first collegiate assist for Feigin.

“It was a huge relief … since the first day I stepped on campus last September, I had been waiting to put that first goal in the net,” Brady said. “I want to take advantage of every game and every minute I’m on the field, so I’m very happy to have gotten number one down.”

For Brady, the start to the season has been thrilling, seeing significant field time in an attack full of older role models and prolific scorers like Cano.

“I’m super happy that I have been able to play so much this far and I try to go out and give everything I have whenever I’m on the field,” Brady said.

“Playing around guys like [Cano], [senior midfielder] Zach Seigelstein, [Traynor] and [Van Brewer] — it’s hard to not be successful.”

The wins over Brandeis and Salem State keep the No. 1 ranked Tufts Jumbos undefeated going into a weekend battle with NESCAC foe Colby on Saturday in Waterville, Maine.