The Tufts Daily - Thursday, March 31, 2022

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VOLUME LXXXIII, ISSUE 37

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Thursday, March 31, 2022

MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.

BREAKING: Tufts accepts record-low 9% of applicants to Class of 2026

by Ethan Steinberg News Editor

Tufts University offered admission to 9% of applicants to the undergraduate Class of 2026, the admissions office announced Tuesday, marking the lowest acceptance rate in university history.

In a year that saw applications climb and admissions offers plunge, the Class of 2026’s acceptance rate eclipses the previous record-low of 11% set by the Class of 2025 and falls nearly six percentage points below the admissions rate from 2020. More than 34,880 students applied for admission, and fewer than 3,200 were left with letters of acceptance.

Despite the university’s intent to grow the undergraduate student body, the size of the admitted class has shrunk considerably over the last two years. Approximately 600 fewer students were admitted to the Class of 2026 than to the Class of 2024 and nearly 400 fewer than to the Class of 2025.

Dean of Admissions J.T. Duck said in a statement on Tuesday

that higher yield for the Class of 2025 motivated the contraction of this year’s admitted class. Just over 50% of admitted students chose to enroll at Tufts last year, a jump from 42.97% for the Class of 2024.

Last year’s higher-than-expected yield left university officials scrambling over the summer to house the incoming class, which occupies an additional residence hall that formerly housed sophomores and includes approximately 100 students who are housed in the Hyatt Place in Medford.

Just over 56% of students in the admitted class are people of color — matching the record-breaking total set by the Class of 2025 — including 11% who identify as Black, 14% who identify as Hispanic or Latinx and 20% who identify as Asian American.

Twelve percent of admitted students would be the first in their family to attend college, up from 10% a year ago.

Women comprise a majority of the admitted class at 55%, a slight decrease from last year’s

56%. Women also account for 55% of students admitted to the School of Engineering, setting a university record. Four percent of admitted students identify as nonbinary or genderqueer, up from 2% in the Class of 2025.

Students admitted to the Class of 2026 hail from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

International students account for 11% of the admitted class, representing citizenships from 84 countries, according to the university’s press release.

Admitted students also represent 15 tribal nations.

Twenty-four students matched with Tufts through the QuestBridge National College Match program, up slightly from 20 for the Class of 2025.

For the second consecutive year, about 60% of the admitted class, compared to roughly 50% of applicants, chose to submit SAT or ACT scores.

KATRINA AQUILINO / THE TUFTS DAILY

Bendetson Hall, the location of the Tufts Office of Undergraduate Admissions, is pictured on March 29.

The current application cycle is the second year of Tufts’ three-year test-optional pilot.

Regular decision offers of admission were released Tuesday at 7 p.m., following two rounds of early decision offers sent in December and February, respectively. The university has not publicized the number of students admitted through each round.

For the first time in three years, admitted students will be invited to campus for in-person ‘Bo Days in April.

These admitted students’ days will be supplemented by virtual programming throughout the month, according to the press release.

Students have until May 2 to reply to Tufts’ offer of admission.

Massachusetts ballot initiative to reevaluate employment of app-based drivers

René LaPointe Jameson wins 2022 Wendell Phillips Award

by Emily Thompson

by Daniel Vos

Deputy News Editor

Voters in Massachusetts may see a ballot question about the employment and benefit status of gig drivers during this November’s elections. Senator Elizabeth Warren and a coalition of labor groups have vehemently opposed the ballot question, while rideshare companies like Uber, Lyft, Doordash and

Instacart have backed the initiative. There is a possibility that the state legislature intervenes before then, eliminating the need for a ballot question.

If passed, the ballot initiative would declare app-based drivers — ones who work for companies like DoorDash, Uber and Lyft — to be independent contractors as opposed to employees. It would also create minimal protections for this new class of independent contractors, including a new

standard for minimum pay, the possibility of a health insurance stipend and reimbursement for miles driven.

Leila Skinner is an organizing intern with Massachusetts Is Not for Sale, an organization fighting the ballot question and endorsed by Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. Skinner works with the organization’s coalition of labor unions, civil rights groups and environment groups to help spread the word about the ballot question and organize alongside them.

“Money follows corporations,” Skinner, a senior, wrote in an email to the Daily. “At the end of the day, Uber and Lyft’s motivations are for their CEOS to increase their profits at the expense of workers’ rights.”

Flexibility and Benefits for Massachusetts Drivers, a committee supporting petitions for the ballot initiative, received $14.4 million in donations from Lyft. Solomon, McCown & Cence is one of a few well-known

COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Ride-sharing app signs on a car are pictured.

see DRIVERS, page 2

Staff Writer

René LaPointe Jameson has received the 2022 Wendell Phillips Award and will deliver the Wendell Phillips Address at the Baccalaureate Ceremony during commencement weekend. The Committee on Student Life selected LaPointe Jameson, a senior, for the award after a months-long nomination and audition process.

The Wendell Phillips Award was established in 1896 as an opportunity for seniors in the graduating class to reflect on their cohort’s experience at Tufts through the lens of civic engagement and public responsibility.

University Chaplaincy Program Manager Nora Bond explained the significance of the address for the Tufts community.

“The Baccalaureate Ceremony is the one time a senior speaks publicly during Commencement Weekend,” Bond wrote in an email to the Daily. “To have a student voice sharing their Tufts experience, galvanizing their

SPORTS / back

ARTS / page 5

OPINION / page 7

Women’s swimming takes home 2 NCAA victories

‘Cheaper by the Dozen’ reboot offers refreshing representation

Op-ed: Migration is crucial for narrowing global wealth gap

peers to more civic engagement, and delivering their speech with compelling energy reminds the Class of 2022 of all they have accomplished and all they will make true in the world.”

LaPointe Jameson was selected after auditions in Goddard Chapel where she and three other candidates — Kathryn Lazar, Chidiebele Ikpeazu and Zahra Rizvi, all seniors — performed 10-minute versions of their speeches.

CSL member Sofia Friedman described how the committee selected LaPointe Jameson for the award.

“First, seniors are self-nominated or nominated by faculty and peers,” Friedman, a senior, wrote in an email to the Daily.

“Then, seniors are invited to send in their resume, an essay explaining their reasons for applying, and a video giving a taste of the speech they would like to give. … Lastly, finalists are invited to audition in-person, giving a ten minute version of their speech to see AWARD, page 2 NEWS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Thursday, March 31, 2022

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Ballot initiative would make app-based drivers independent contractors DRIVERS

continued from page 1 political consultanting firms in Massachusetts on the committee’s payroll.

Conor Yunits, spokesperson for Flexibility and Benefits for Massachusetts Drivers and senior vice president for Solomon, McCown & Cence, said Flexibility and Benefits for Massachusetts is working to amplify the voices of drivers on this issue through sharing their stories with legislators, the media and voters.

“Drivers in Massachusetts support this ballot question by a margin of 8:1 because it protects the flexibility and independence that are most important to them, while also delivering new benefits like paid sick time, paid family & medical leave, health care stipends, protection against discrimination, occupational accident insurance, and a minimum earnings guarantee of $18 per hour,” Yunits wrote in an email to the Daily. “That’s what drivers want.”

Evan Horowitz, executive director of the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tisch College of Civic Life, is currently putting together an analysis of the ballot initiative meant to inform voters

about the question and provide legislators with accurate information to inform their opinions.

Horowitz said that while it is important to consider how current workers in an industry feel, surveys that report the drivers are happy with their status as independent contractors are not entirely representative.

“You’re asking people who have chosen to be in this industry whether they’re happy about being in this industry, and of course they say yes, because if they weren’t, they wouldn’t be there,” Horowitz said. “If you ask a bunch of skydivers whether skydiving is scary, lots of them will say no, they don’t find it scary. But of course, the people who choose to be skydivers are not particularly afraid of skydiving.”

Skinner is coordinating with the Tufts Labor Coalition as part of a larger strategy to harness the energy on college campuses to vote against the ballot initiative.

“If you’re a Tufts student or a person who claims to stand for racial justice or workers’ rights, you’ll stand against Uber and Lyft’s Loophole Bill,” Skinner wrote. “Let’s not forget when it’s 2AM and you’re ubering back

from Boston that your driver may have a family at home and deserves the same worker protections and livable wage that every other person in Massachusetts is guaranteed.”

As November approaches, the state legislature can intervene by creating a law establishing the status of these gig workers, superseding the need for voters to make a decision on the ballot. Horowitz discussed this possibility.

“My sense in this case is that it is not particularly likely, but it is not impossible,” Horowitz said of the possibility of the legislature intervening.

The current language of the initiative guarantees minimum pay of 120% of the minimum wage for time spent driving. Horowitz said the legislature could theoretically alter that to potentially satisfy opponents. They could also revise the language around the health care stipend. But, Horowitz said, they could also say gig workers are employees and should be classified as such, strengthening the law.

“We continue to pursue a legislative solution and remain confident that our legislative

leaders can come together at the State House and agree on a modern legislative framework that protects the flexibility that gig economy workers overwhelmingly prefer, while also establishing new benefits and protections,” Yunits wrote.

Horowitz said that interest groups often pursue their issue through ballot question initiatives rather than in the legislature because they believe they will have a better chance of getting the outcome they prefer, which often relies on which group has the most money to push for their issue.

Horowitz added that this ballot initiative could be the beginning of an ongoing policy battle to examine the status of workers, industry by industry.

“The universe of gig workers is way bigger than just drivers right now. … You can find people to walk your dog through an app or even find medical care and therapy through an app. … There are lots and lots of … app-based fields.” Horowitz said. “So the ballot question isn’t going to resolve the full landscape of those jobs and, in some ways, that needs to be resolved.”

LaPointe Jameson to speak at Baccalaureate Ceremony AWARD

continued from page 1 an audience of CSL and community members.”

LaPointe Jameson said she was excited to be nominated but almost decided against applying. Her mother eventually convinced her to apply.

“I think it was [9 p.m.],” LaPointe Jameson said. “I finally got back from work for the day and [was] doing homework, and I called my mom. I was like,

‘Should I do it? I’m exhausted.

Can I not?’ And she was like, ‘You’re gonna regret it if you don’t. You will want to do this.’

And I was like, ‘You’re right.’”

LaPointe Jameson considered multiple options before settling on a subject for her speech. She described the original angle of her speech as “Amanda Gorman-esque,” referencing the National Youth Poet Laureate who famously delivered her poem “The Hill

We Climb” at President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021.

“We do climb this hill every day to get to class, and we make a choice to show up for each other and climb this hill, and I thought that was something that I could play around with,” LaPointe Jameson said.

“It didn’t fit.”

Mulling potential speech topics, inspiration struck as she reflected on the Class of 2022’s first days at Tufts.

COURTESY GABE REYES

René LaPointe Jameson, 2022 Wendell Phillips Award recipient, is pictured.

“I kept thinking about matriculation for the Class of 2022,” LaPointe Jameson said. “Our matriculation and actually our pre-orientation period was just terribly hot, like some of the hottest temperatures that happened in Medford [and] Somerville, I think, on record at that time. …

I was like, I think I should play into this and the concept of the pandemic that people would say a lot [about] what is normal and unusual.”

In addition to her speech, LaPointe Jameson was awarded for outstanding experience in public service, which she says she’s been involved in from a young age.

As a Tisch Scholar, LaPointe Jameson points to food justice advocacy as one of her greatest passions.

“I started the food drives in high school and then the gardening, and I think that building local power has to be tied to and is dependent on food sovereignty and access to fresh foods and things that can empower us,” she said.

LaPointe Jameson ultimately revealed that the main theme of her speech is asking what ‘normal’ should look like as the Class of 2022 goes out into the world.

“I think my speech is about having our class reflect on what is normal and how normal can actually be something that’s violent,” LaPointe Jameson said. “So as we move through this difficult time and reflect on the amazing ways we’ve showed up for each other, I think we can be more imaginative, more creative, more grounded in equity and justice and how we want our normal to look moving forward.”

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Features

Mask recycling initiative expands across Tufts campuses

by Maya Katz

Contributing Writer

During the COVID-19 pandemic, masks have become an essential part of daily life. Unfortunately, single-use masks generate a lot of waste, which is important to consider amid climate change. A mask recycling initiative implemented by the Office of Sustainability aims to manage this increased waste. The OOS Recycling and Waste Reduction Coordinator, Kaitlyn Reed, oversees this initiative. Reed feels the initiative is important in drawing attention to the number of masks that Tufts goes through as well as focusing on managing waste aside from traditional recycling bins.

“You want to always be looking for different ways to expand waste streams and to figure out better ways and more effective ways to divert because we want

the landfill to be the last resort location for an item to end up,” Reed said.

Mask recycling first came to the Tufts community at the start of the pandemic when the Office of Sustainability put a few mask recycling locations on the Grafton campus. Prior to the university requirement of single-use medical masks, the Office of Sustainability had been encouraging the use of reusable masks. Once they could no longer do this, Reed worked with the Office of Sustainability to bring the mask recycling initiative to the Medford/ Somerville campus.

“There is always a balance between sustainability initiatives and public health, and I think that was something that we kind of had to navigate and adapt to,” Reed said. “That’s how we ended up implementing mask recycling on this campus because we want to always be adapting to the best public health options

and then, from there, finding the most sustainable option.”

Once the bins are full of masks, they are shipped to Terracycle, a company that focuses on waste elimination by turning recycled materials into consumer products. “[Terracycle] has a system to clean and sort the masks and get rid of contamination, if there is any, and then it gets turned into composite deck furniture,” Reed said.

The Office of Sustainability also works to divert waste in other ways aside from mask recycling through the recycling of other types of used goods like plastic film, batteries and small electronics.

Another on-campus recycling initiative is the “freecycling” program which allows people to give away their goods for reuse rather than disposal. see MASKS, page 4

CORA HARTMANN / THE TUFTS DAILY

A sign advertising mask recycling at the entrance of the Mayer Campus Center is pictured on March 27.

3 Thursday, March 31, 2022

David Wingens Potty Talk

Boweling Hall

M

ost Tufts students probably haven’t been in Dowling Hall since their campus-touring days in high school. Others visit frequently to pick up the newest copy of JUMBO Magazine. Whichever camp you fall into, Dowling Hall’s bathrooms are indubitably the gateway into Tufts lavatories.

AMBIANCE There are plenty of bathrooms on campus that contain study spaces, but perhaps none are as well appointed as Dowling’s.

There is a comfortable and sleek blue desk chair and a desk built into the wall. Next to the desk sit two large cabinets that contain several reams of printer paper and ample storage space for school supplies.

It is unclear if this study space is meant to be used with the door locked, or if the intention is for the studier to leave the door unlocked so that the bathroom can be used as they work. Either way, this creates a positive, studious environment. 9/10 PRIVACY The privacy is pretty good, but right next to the public bathroom there is a bathroom that is only available to staff. At risk of incriminating myself, I will admit that I tried to enter the staff bathroom but was thwarted by a locked door. I can only imagine the amenities they have in there, and it is unfortunate that students have no way to access a bathroom with that level of security.

There are really two major privacy concerns. The first is that you may end up using the bathroom while someone is studying at the bathroom desk. And the second is that you risk running into prospective students or their parents as they wait around in Dowling to find a Jumbo to interrogate about academic playfulness. 7/10 CONVENIENCE Historically, Dowling was not convenient, but with the altered student commute patterns that have arisen since the opening of the Cummings Center, it has suddenly risen in popularity. The Dowling elevator is by far the easiest way to get from the Academic Quad down to the Cummings Center. This shifts Tufts’ lavatorial limelight onto Dowling’s idiosyncratic bathroom.

On the convenience front, this bathroom is notable because it is designed to accommodate people who stand while wiping. The toilet paper is positioned high enough on the wall that reaching it while sitting on the toilet would be simply unfeasible. You simply must admire Dowling’s principled stand, but it may be inconvenient for some. 7/10.

HOW MANY THINGS DO I HAVE TO TOUCH Dowling gets points for having an automated sink and hand dryer. The problem is that the sink is a bit difficult to trigger, and I found myself waving my hands wildly in the middle of a giant bathroom on the top floor of a glorified parking garage. This was damaging to my self-image. Additionally, the hand dryer is extremely weak, which is presumably why the bathroom also has paper towels that essentially cancel out the presence of a hand dryer. 5/10.

This very solid bathroom with renewed logistical importance gets a 7/10.

David Wingens is a junior studying international relations. David can be reached at david.wingens@tufts.edu.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Features | Thursday, March 31, 2022

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Mask recycling bins on campus offset single-use mask waste MASKS

continued from page 3 “If you are trying to get rid of an item that is perfectly good that you don’t want anymore, you can use a freecycle location,” Reed said. “If you have three water bottles but you only want one … don’t put [them] in the landfill, give them to someone who can use [them].”

Mask recycling bins on campus can be found using the Office of Sustainability’s online Eco-Map or on their website. Under Reed’s direction, a group of interns and other Tufts community members manage these bins across the university’s different campuses. While the Office of Sustainability wants to encourage students to recycle as many masks as they can, Reed emphasized that students cannot set up their own mask recycling bins in dorms because this violates masking guidelines.

“I want people to be excited about finding ways to divert waste,” Reed said. “But we do have to make sure and be cautious that we are continuing to follow the guidelines that are set out from health and safety.”

The mask recycling bins are funded through the Tufts Green Fund. The Green Fund is an endowment that gives grants to Tufts community member projects that help promote sustainability on campus. The Green Fund selection committee is responsible for determining grant recipients for sustainability initiatives. Assistant Professor of Public Health and Community Medicine Laura Corlin joined the Green Fund selection committee this winter, and she said that all members of the Tufts community are encouraged to submit proposals for sustainability initiatives on campus.

“This is a really amazing resource on campus,” Corlin said. “Students can generate and implement really high impact ideas to ensure that our campus is meeting our local [and] global sustainability goals.”

To be awarded a grant from the Green Fund, an applicant must submit their project ideas in the fall to be reviewed and selected by the Green Fund selection committee. The applicants awarded the grant can then use this money to implement their project. While Corlin has not gone through an application cycle as part of the selection committee yet, she will be part of this process in the fall alongside her fellow committee members.

“It’s a cool committee because you have people represented from across the university and all the different campuses and also

people who are staff and faculty and students,” Corlin said. “I really like that about Green Fund because I think it’s a nice way to think about all the constituencies on campus.”

According to former Green Fund intern Tom Paugh, the Green Fund gets its finances from the Sustainable Investment Fund’s endowment payout, which allows for a budget of $40,000 that goes towards grants. While interning at the Green Fund, Paugh worked alongside the selection committee during the grant application process. Paugh sees the mask recycling initiative as an important resource in response to the large amounts of waste that have been generated due to mask use.

“Providing community members with a resource to

help reduce landfill waste is extremely important and can help increase awareness about the environmental impact of single use items like masks,” Paugh, a junior, wrote in an email to the Daily.

Paugh encourages students to get involved in the Office of Sustainability. Some ways that Paugh suggested for students to promote sustainability on campus are signing up for the Office of Sustainability newsletter, getting involved with the Office of Sustainability green moveout, talking with Eco Reps and going to Office of Sustainabilitysponsored events.

“Get involved with the OOS in any way you can,” Paugh wrote. “It is a great way to learn more about environmentalism and make a direct impact on the Tufts community.”

Arts & POP ARTS Pop CULTURE Culture

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Thursday, March 31, 2022

RaiAnn Bu Micro-Trend of the Week

Putting a twist on ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’

by Odessa Gaines Staff Writer

In the year 2022, viewing audiences are intimately familiar with reboots, sequels and spinoffs of dearly loved TV shows and movies. By March of this year alone, Hulu released “How I Met Your Father” (2022–), Peacock released “Bel-Air” (2022– ) and Disney+ has released “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” (2022–) and “Cheaper by the Dozen” (2022).

All reboots and remakes aim to put a new spin and perspective on the original, but “Cheaper by the Dozen” chooses to do this by telling the story through a new lens — one of a mixed and blended family.

The original 1950 film was first remade as “Cheaper by the Dozen” (2003) and its sequel “Cheaper by the Dozen 2” (2005) before this 2022 adaption, but what is significant is how similar the newer adaption feels to another very popular film, “Yours, Mine and Ours” (1968), that also got a 2005 reboot.

The basic plot of “Cheaper by the Dozen” is an all-American family with a lot of kids — 12 to be exact — and all the chaos that comes with them. The plot of “Yours, Mine and Ours” is similar, except this one focuses on two large families coming together to form an even larger one. The newest 2022 addition to this big family film trope takes inspiration from both plots to begin its story.

In this film, Paul and Zoey Baker fall in love after ending their marriages with their former partners. When the two unite, their family of seven starts with the children from their previous marriages. Shortly after, the two add to their family as Zoey gets pregnant with two sets of twins. At the real start of this film, the family consists of 11 members, with Paul’s silly ex-wife hanging out and helping around.

When Paul and Zoey’s family-owned breakfast spot and new sauce begin to go big, the Bakers move up in socioeconomic class and into a newer, wealthier neighborhood. They end up also taking in Paul’s nephew, Seth, when his mother is no longer able to take care of him, and their family of eleven turns into a ‘Baker’s dozen.’

What is truly significant about this new adaptation is that it remains a story of a large, love-filled, all-American family while bringing in the messiness that comes with it. Both Paul and Zoey’s ex-partners are present throughout the film, attempting to keep connections with the kids and each other. One child was adopted by Paul and his ex as an infant. Another child is taken in by the family when he needs a home. Most significantly, Zoey and her ex-husband are Black.

The story adds more complexity, representation and realism to it with this single switch — half of the main cast are Black

5

or mixed. The film makes an effort to represent what a blended family looks like in both big and small ways.

The youngest four of the family, two sets of twins, are all mixed with coils and curly hair, and throughout the film, they and their two older Black siblings are seen with traditional Black American hair — everything from box braids to cornrows.

In almost every nighttime or waking up scene, Zoey can be seen with a simple silk hair wrap that Black women sleep in to protect their hair.

The film consistently tackles the question of what makes a family and, specifically, what makes someone one’s child. As Zoey’s ex, Dom, argues, Deja and DJ are his children because they are his blood. Meanwhile, Paul argues that they are still part of the Baker family because he’s “boots on the ground” with them every day and helps to raise them.

Both points are valid because blood is important but is not the only thing that

makes a family. Deja and DJ may not call Paul “dad,” but he is still a father figure in their lives.

As conflict rises in the plot and the family needs reassurance that they are family, there is an important scene between Paul and Dom as Dom brings up that Paul will not understand what Deja and DJ need because, simply put, he’s not a Black father. Paul may raise Black kids, have Black kids and be married to a Black wife, but as a white man, he will not understand what is like for his kids in the world and the fear that comes with being a Black person in the world.

Paul acknowledges this and acknowledges that he loves his entire family and will do what he can when he can.

Maybe film producers need to be done with reboots and sequels at this point, but this “Cheaper by the Dozen” reboot did a good job at expanding a well-known story to allow it to be a form of representation to more people and families.

COURTESY IMDB

The poster for the Disney+ film “Cheaper by the Dozen” (2022) is pictured.

When life throws you a financial challenge, you’ve proven you have what it takes to ace it.

Now it’s time to tackle your retirement savings at AceYourRetirement.org

‘I’M SCREAMING’

I

n recent marketing and advertising trends, there has been a shift from high production value to an intentionally unpolished bid for authenticity. Ads have become sponsored hauls: an ordinary girl following the familiar template and vernacular of another haul video, seemingly devoid of a secondary motive to sell you a product, or a Twitter screenshot posted on Instagram captioned with “I’M DYING” or “THIS IS SO CUTE,” followed by pictures of some trendy piece of jewelry.In the caption is a much too convenient link to the item and a sheepish #ad hiding in the corner.

This form of marketing imitating authenticity has been on the rise since the growth in popularity of Instagram, TikTok and Twitter as sources of entertainment and the resulting fall of the empire of television. The high production, cleanly shot, studio light-bathed Toyotathon genre of ads have fallen to the wayside in exchange for people in their rooms filming on an iPhone.

My introduction to Mirror Palais was in the form of such covert advertising: an iPhone-shot Instagram post of a supermodel posing in a sparkling dress, as if ripped off from her own Instagram page, captioned, “I NEED THIS DRESS.” It could’ve been a completely ordinary post except for the telling signs of the store written in the caption and the corporate account who posted it @betche.s something or other.

Marketing on the internet comes with the intention of going viral. See the Duolingo owl threatening to kill you or the original: Justin Bieber rising to fame after a viral video. Brands have recognized that in the era of the internet, virality, good or bad, is the best form of marketing. Likewise, they have recognized the power of relatability by its positive correlation to virality.

Hence, the insurgence of the Twitter post screenshot ad.

Microtrends are a symptom of this viral culture. Viral pieces by definition are ephemeral, the instant saturation of an item until the bubble inevitably bursts.

Mirror Palais has had a number of pieces go internet-viral. By consequence, they have also suffered from copious knockoffs, reducing their pieces to a momentary trend as the look becomes ‘overdone.’ The “Fairy Dress,” their inaugural viral hit, immediately disseminated onto the likes of Zara and AliExpress.

Mirror Palais’ brand identity revolves around their commitment to small batch production, sustainability, fair wages and handmade quality. Their long creative process and commitment to originality has resulted in wide recognition and popularity for any of their different pieces.

However, viral craze has diminished their meaningful brand intentions to a cog in a fast fashion machine.

9/10 Their pieces are so beautiful and well thought out, but I simply don’t have the disposable income. I’M SCREAMING about Mirror Palais.

RaiAnn Bu is a sophomore studying community health. RaiAnn can be reached at raiann.bu@tufts.edu.

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Opinion

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7 Thursday, March 31, 2022

OP-ED

Migration as a remedy for global inequality

by Brie McGowan and Ian Boldiston Globalization, defined by Merriam-Webster as “the development of an increasingly integrated global economy,” is inextricably tied to the global inequality that has shaped the lives of billions across the globe. Economists Thomas Piketty and Emmanuel Saez suggest globalization has led to an increasing gap between the rich and poor. The 2022 World Inequality Report highlights this gap, finding that the globe’s richest 10% have 75% of global income while the poorest 50% of individuals share just 2% of income. The issue of global inequality is exacerbated by a number of factors like gender and race. For example, research shows that women make up just 27% of individuals in the top 10% of the income distribution and less than 17% at the 1% income level. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, racial discrimination is also prevalent in the discussion of global inequality, with white workers earning approximately 22% more than Black workers. Other data strengthens this finding, highlighting that a median Black family owns $24,100 in wealth compared to the average $189,100 held by a median white family. Globalization has certainly played a role in increasing this high level of global inequality.

Similar to almost all other aspects of our world, global inequality has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years. Development has been significantly set back; both the between-country wealth gap and the in-country income inequality are compounded by COVID-19’s effects, and low-income groups have experienced the worst job and income losses. The extraordinary nature of the pandemic will necessitate extraordinary solutions to build back from these setbacks and create a more equitable world.

Migration is not only critically important to the development of the solutions we need, but it also has the power to reshape how we conceive borders. Remittances sent by migrants are a significant source of income for those living in low- and middle-income countries helping to alleviate inequality, with $597 billion sent in transfers in 2021. However, migration significantly slowed during the pandemic, with movement to high-income Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries falling by almost one-third. To revive this income stream, global migration will need to rebound and continue to provide access to overseas opportunities for migrants that will ultimately progress towards income convergence.

A number of academics, such as the renowned SerbianAmerican economist Branko Milanović, support the idea that

the movement of people across international borders provides an opportunity for the improvement of livelihoods and reduction of inequality. In his research, Milanović articulates the shift in explanations for global inequality from the mid-19th century to the early 21st century. Through a combination of theory and realworld analysis, Milanović argues that global income inequality in the mid-19th century was between classes just as much as it was between countries.

On the other hand, global inequality in the early 21st century is primarily explained by location as income differences between countries. In fact, a whopping 85% of the current global Gini index of 65.4 points can be explained due to variation of mean incomes between countries, while just 15% is explained due to class. Milanović shows the extent of global inequality between countries, noting that the poorest 5% of Americans are better off than 60% of the world.

By providing this comparison between global inequality in the mid-19th century and today, Milanović contends that migration will remain “the key mechanism whereby incomes of the poor people in the world are to be raised.” Numerous studies complement Milanović’s assertion, such as the work of Harvard Kennedy School Professor Gordon Hanson, who calculated that the flow of Mexican migrants into the

U.S. raises global income by an amount equal to 1% of the United States’ GDP — over $209 billion. As opposed to being seen as an issue needing to be solved, international migration in this context is seen as a potential solution to global inequality.

While there are many different avenues for helping to reduce global inequality — such as foreign aid and development projects — economic gains from such policies do not always reach the communities that need them the most. Money from foreign aid can end up in the hands of corrupt leaders. International financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank have been criticized for problematic lending policies and histories. Funding spent on development can stay within the organizations based in high-income countries that fulfill contracts given for projects. Migration, however, sidesteps these intermediaries and provides a direct means to obtaining better incomes and job opportunities through which people can support networks back in their home countries through remittances.

Less constraint on global migration is not a fringe concept, and in certain cases, is a necessity. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the safety and livelihoods of Ukrainians have become dependent on their ability to cross borders into neighboring countries like Poland,

Slovakia and Hungary. Given the uncertainty of how long the conflict will last, many Ukrainians may need to find more permanent work in the EU. It is important that not only Ukrainians, but migrants from all over the world, have access to the best work opportunities for them, regardless of where they move to. This will help to ensure that countries that may be underdeveloped or facing conflict are not left behind compared to the rest of the world.

In the face of the increasing effects of transnational issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, it is clearer than ever that our fates are intertwined, irrespective of borders.

Migration must be acknowledged and supported as an opportune tool to bridge the gap of inequality that permeates our global community.

The topic of global inequality and migration, among other pertinent transnational issues that have been magnified by globalization, will be discussed at the 2022 Norris and Margery Bendetson EPIIC International Symposium on Problems Without Passports from March 31 to April 2.

Brie McGowan is a senior at Tufts studying international relations. Brie can be reached at briana.mcgowan@tufts.edu.

Ian Boldiston is a senior at Tufts studying international relations. Ian can be reached at ian.boldiston@tufts.edu.

Sports

8 Thursday, March 31, 2022

tuftsdaily.com

Women’s swimming and diving wins 2 national Panthers, Rangers championships

Timothy Valk The Wraparound

triumph on Deadline Day

D

eadline Day in the NHL has come and gone, with some intriguing movement and surprises taking place. Now that general managers have put down their pencils, clubs will jockey for playoff positioning in the home stretch of the regular season. Let’s take a look at some of the winners and losers from last week’s trade deadline: Winner: Florida Panthers An already deadly Panthers offense became even more lethal with the addition of former Flyers captain Claude Giroux.

Florida also acquired defensemen Ben Chiarot and Robert Hagg with the hopes of ending their 25-year playoff series win drought come May. Loser: Washington Capitals As a member of the Eastern Conference’s Elite Eight, the ‘Caps failed to keep up with their competitors at the deadline.

While Boston made their mark with shutdown defenseman Hampus Lindholm and Pittsburgh added sniper Rickard Rakell, Washington finished the day with only depth forwards Johan Larsson and former Capital Marcus Johansson.

Winner: New York Rangers The Rangers filled the holes they needed to around their roster. Winnipeg’s Andrew Copp was their big fish, bolstering the lineup with a faceoff-guru top nine forward.

Vancouver’s Tyler Motte and Philadelphia’s Justin Braun provide depth that could prove valuable come playoffs.

Loser: Edmonton Oilers Depth was the word around Edmonton last week, as the Oilers’ splashiest move was trading a fourth round pick for grizzled veteran Derick Brassard. McDavid and Draisaitl make anything possible, but this trade deadline doesn’t exactly inspire confidence for a postseason run in Alberta.

Winner: Minnesota Wild Coming away with last year’s Vezinawinning goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury, for no more than a conditional first round pick has ‘steal’ potential. Minnesota also strengthened their blue line with bottom-pair defender Jacob Middleton.

Loser: Nashville Predators David Poile’s Predators were dead silent last Monday, leaving their grand prize to be Seattle expansion pick Jeremy Lauzon.

Lauzon, a former Bruins defenseman, had 6 points and a -9 through 53 games with the Kraken this year, and yet Nashville coughed up a valuable second round pick for him.

Winner: Chicago Blackhawks It doesn’t salvage a lost season, but the ‘Hawks received the biggest draft haul of the day: two first round picks from Tampa Bay in exchange for young, cost-controlled middle-sixer Brandon Hagel. These assets will be crucial for Chicago as they enter a seemingly inevitable rebuild.

Loser: Philadelphia Flyers The Flyers’ hands were tied in the Giroux trade, receiving only a first round pick in 2024 or 2025 and young winger Owen Tippett.

Philly reportedly received a better offer from Colorado but Claude’s no-movement clause prevented them from netting a bigger haul.

Enjoy the action this week!

Timothy Valk is a sophomore studying quantitative economics. Timothy can be reached at timothy.valk@tufts.edu.

COURTESY NORIE HAMMOND

Claire Brennan, winner of the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming 200 Freestyle National Championship, is pictured on March 17.

by Ethan Grubelich Sports Editor

The Tufts women’s swimming and diving program put on a display for the ages two weeks ago at the 2022 NCAA Division III Championships held at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind. The team’s seventh place finish at the meet, the best for the Jumbos since 1982, was headlined by championship-winning performances in the 800-yard freestyle relay and the 200-yard freestyle.

On the third day of four-day meet, the Tufts team consisting of junior Katelin Isakoff, graduate student Abby Claus, junior Claire Brennan and senior Mary Hufziger won the 800-yard freestyle relay finals with a time of 7:19.17, beating the runners-up from Denison University by a slim 0.08-second margin.

Although the Jumbos had entered the finals heat as the top seed in the event, their 3:42.01 mark after 400 yards trailed Denison’s 3:38.55 mark by 3.46 seconds.

Brennan’s 1:48.85 200-yard split in the third leg cut the Jumbos’ deficit to 1.92 seconds.

“When I dove in, we were pretty behind, and I was like, ‘I know I’m not going to be able to catch the girl next to me, but if I can make up enough ground that I’m next to her feet, then Mary can do what she needs to do in the last leg,’” Brennan said.

In the final leg of the relay, Hufziger completed the Jumbos’ thrilling comeback with a team-best 1:48.31 split, which was two seconds faster than Denison’s

final split and marked the first NCAA title won by a relay in Jumbos’ program history.

The day before, Brennan won the 200yard freestyle finals, becoming the first female swimmer in program history to win an NCAA championship with a time of 1:48.46. Runner-up Lydia Dacorte of Wheaton College swam slightly faster splits than Brennan in the second half of the race, but Brennan’s brilliant first 100yard split of 52.94 seconds provided the cushion for a final margin of victory of 0.46 seconds.

These historic victories for the Tufts program were a cause for major celebration among Jumbo swimmers past and present.

“Looking at my phone after I won was so special, like people who graduated like three to four years ago were texting just like so much support, so that was really really awesome to see,” Brennan said as she described the aftermath of her victory in the 200-yard freestyle.

For Isakoff, Claus, Brennan and Hufziger, their victories capped off almost exactly two years of hardship imposed by the response to the COVID19 pandemic, which interfered greatly with their training and cost them a year of eligibility as undergraduates during the 2020–21 academic year.

“Sophomore year was very sad,” Brennan said. “We couldn’t really do anything. We could swim for four weeks, maybe six weeks per semester, but we could only have one person in a lane at a time, so you didn’t really get to see

your teammates, you couldn’t practice for more than an hour a day, and so we definitely weren’t getting any real training in. And then second semester, we got to do something similar, so we basically missed a whole year of training. So it was very terrifying starting this season and not really knowing what was going to be able to happen.”

Emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, however, provided the team with a new, valuable outlook heading into the 2021–22 season.

“Having the pool shut down just made me appreciate so much more the opportunities to race that we did get,” Isakoff said.

“Every meet we had this year, it just felt really special to get to be there, and I was really grateful just to have the opportunity to race rather than just the one hour of training.”

Isakoff and Brennan, still each with two seasons of eligibility left, look ahead toward a senior season in which they will likely step into greater leadership roles within the team.

“I’m just really excited for next year because I think we accomplished so much more than we thought we could this year,” Brennan said. “It feels like this year we accomplished everything you could ever want to accomplish, so now next year can just be like a victory lap. It feels almost less stressful. Since we’ve done so many amazing things this year, I feel like next year can just be like a fun celebration for all of that.”