The Tufts Daily - Wednesday, April 21, 2021

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VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 46

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Wednesday, April 21, 2021

City Councilor Will Mbah announces candidacy for mayor of Somerville

TCU Senate passes resolutions, funding requests in final meeting of semester

by Chloe Courtney Bohl Assistant News Editor

VIA SOMERVILLEMA.GOV

Will Mbah, an at-large member of the Somerville City Council who recently announced his candidacy for mayor, is pictured.

by Michael Weiskopf Assistant News Editor

Somerville City Councilor Will Mbah announced his candidacy for mayor of Somerville on April 2. Mbah made the announcement through a video on his campaign website.

“I am proud and excited to announce that I am running for the mayor of the great city of Somerville,” he said. “My campaign will be founded on accountability and action.”

Mbah was born and raised in Cameroon and moved to Somerville in 2011 after winning the green card lottery through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, a federal program that awards visas to randomly selected immigrants from countries with low immigration rates to the United States. In addition to being an at-large city coun-

cilor, he is currently a technologist at MIT’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety. Mbah is the only person of color on the Somerville City Council.

A press release from the Mbah campaign further explained his story.

“An immigrant from Cameroon who moved to Somerville in 2011, Mbah understands first hand the challenges faced by the one-quarter of Somerville’s population who are also immigrants,” the press release said. “As a father raising two young children, he is deeply invested in seeing the city of Somerville become the most welcoming, inclusive place it can be.”

In a video, Mbah explained why he believes he is fit to be Somerville’s next mayor.

“We need a mayor who has seen up close the ways in

which our actions have fallen short of our stated beliefs,” he said. “I understand these challenges because I have been through them personally. I have seen what racism looks like in our city government.

I was temporarily displaced from Somerville when I first moved here because of rising housing costs. I know what it is like to be an immigrant fighting to stay in this city.”

He said that these experiences prepared him to succeed as a mayor for Somerville residents.

In his speech, Mbah also highlighted some of his priorities for Somerville. “[My campaign will take] the great promise and progressive ideals that Somerville expresses — a belief in Black lives, a belief in being a sanctuary city, of affordability, our commitsee MAYOR, page 2

In its final meeting of the academic year, the Tufts Community Union Senate passed resolutions and heard supplementary funding and capital expenditure requests.

TCU Diversity Officer Mathew Peña, TCU Treasurer Sharif Hamidi and TCU President Sarah Wiener also delivered speeches to the Senate body.

TCU Senate began the meeting by voting on three resolutions.

The first resolution called on Tufts to make COVID-19 vaccinations accessible for all in-person community members in the fall 2021 semester.

It was originally authored by Senators Ritesh Vidhun, Annika Witt, Ibrahim AlMuasher, Daniel Weber, Valerie Infante and Trenton DeBonis, but was amended significantly before being voted on in its final form.

The original text of the resolution contained a clause asking Tufts to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for all in-person students in the fall, but several senators expressed concern that this would intensify existing racial inequities surrounding access to the vaccine, and that the language of a mandate would unfairly put pressure on students rather than the administration.

“Mandating things doesn’t make them accessible … Tufts mandates so many things that are so inaccessible to first-gen low income students,” Latinx Community Senator Carolina Olea Lezama said.

The senators who submitted the resolution referenced a survey of 346 Tufts students who were asked whether they would support a vaccine mandate. Multiple senators pointed to survey data as an indicator of the inequity of mandating a vaccine.

“Looking at the breakdown [of the survey respondents] who identify as Black or African American, there’s a lot of disagreement, especially compared to that of white students for the question, ‘I would support Tufts mandating a COVID vaccine,'” TCU Senate Historian Sarah Tata said. “But then,

SPORTS / back

ARTS / page 5

OPINION / page 8

Men’s lacrosse lands top spot in division after weekend in Connecticut

Through fashion, Williams pays tribute to trailblazing female athletes

Eli Striker: To minimize compassion fatigue, tell stories

there’s a lot more support for the question, ‘I would support Tufts making the vaccine available to all students,’ which is why I think the focus should shift away from the mandate … and only focus on the accessibility portion of the resolution.”

In its final form, which contained language on accessibility but removed the component calling for a mandate, the resolution passed with 15 senators voting in favor, one opposed and six abstaining.

The second resolution, which was introduced by students Matthew Alswanger, Ananda Kao, Kirsten Grazewski, Sarah Beatty, Dani Coates and Uzochi Oparaji, calls on Tufts to create an on-campus Wellness Center.

The center would offer mindfulness and wellness initiatives, spaces for students to relax and programming that specifically prioritizes the mental health of students or color.

Alswanger, who graduated in February, explained why he believes Tufts needs a Wellness Center.

“Having gone through mental health challenges personally during my time here at Tufts, I, like many of you, recognize the need for supplementary resources to therapy on campus,” Alswanger said. “Not only is this concept scientifically proven from studies, but its success is unquestionable at our peer universities such as Columbia, Georgetown, Stanford, Duke and more.”

Executive Director of Health and Wellness Michelle Bowdler attended the meeting to answer questions from the senators about the resolution. She expressed her support for the idea behind it but said, “I know that we don’t have the capacity to act on this immediately.”

The resolution passed with 23 senators voting in favor, none opposed and one abstaining.

The third resolution called on Tufts to increase student representation on the Board of Trustees by electing a faculty member to the Board’s executive committee. They would be a voting member, elected by students and tasked with representing student interests. see SENATE, page 3 NEWS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Wednesday, April 21, 2021

THE TUFTS DAILY Megan Szostak Editor in Chief

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Mbah to focus on climate justice if elected MAYOR

continued from page 1 ment to education, the artists, the arts, of a Green New Deal for Somerville, a commitment to our seniors, a support of our local businesses, a belief in having a safe and thriving community for all — and then asks the hard questions about how we are living up to these values for all in the community,” Mbah said.

In an email to the Daily, Tufts’ Director of Government and Community Relations Rocco DiRico discussed the university’s relationship with Mbah as a city councilor.

“During Councilor Mbah’s time as a City Councilor, the City of Somerville and Tufts University have collaborated on a number of projects, initiatives, and programs,” DiRico wrote.

“Tufts has enjoyed a great working relationship with Councilor Mbah and the other members of the Somerville City Council.”

DiRico emphasized that, as a nonprofit, Tufts is not permitted to endorse candidates in any type of election, but that the university will remain committed to supporting its host communities no matter who is in charge.

Michael Bowler, Mbah’s campaign manager, shared some of his perspectives on Tufts and how he hopes to engage with the community. “[Mbah] supports State Representative Erika Uyterhoeven’s bill in the state house, H.D. 3207 which would require nonprofits with total property valued at over $15 million to pay 25 percent of the property taxes they would owe as a commercial entity,” Bowler wrote in an email to the Daily.

“For too long, Tufts has under contributed its PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) with the city of Somerville.”

Bowler said Mbah also criticized Tufts’ tiered housing system.

“Introducing ‘luxur y’ options for student housing only further amplifies economic inequality on college campuses,” Bowler said. “[Mbah] would also like to see Tufts more aggressively tackle the housing crisis here in Somerville by building more student housing on campus. So many Tufts students are forced to compete in the Somerville real estate market, driving up their costs and the costs of those trying to rent in the city.”

Bowler noted that Mbah wants to work to develop a relationship with Tufts students as mayor.

“He hopes to engage with activist students from the Tufts community, like Sunrise Tufts, to collaborate on issues of climate justice,” Bowler said.

Beyond issues involving Tufts, Bowler said strengthening unions will be one of Mbah’s top priorities for the city.

“Let’s make it so working people can live here and

COVID-19 AT TUFTS

raise their families,” Bowler said. “As a union member, he understands the importance of collective bargaining and he intends to prioritize ideas that help strengthen union action in our city and in future development projects.”

Bowler also said that Mbah will emphasize climate justice if elected.

“Thanks to the new legislation passed at the state level, we can act more aggressively to require net zero housing construction in the near future,” Bowler said. “We need to divest city funds from oil and gas companies, we need to green our municipal buildings, we need to make biking and public transportation something for all that live in our community.”

He noted that Mbah’s full platform, concerning issues including education, accessibility and policing, will be released in the coming weeks.

News

Wednesday, April 21, 2021 | News | THE TUFTS DAILY

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TCU Senate leaders reflect on challenging year

AVA IANNUCCILLO / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Academic Quad is pictured during springtime.

SENATE

continued from page 1 The resolution was authored

by Trustee Representatives Ayden Crosby, Alex Lein, Veronica Stewart-Frommer and Jada Sullivan, along with Peña and Wiener.

Wiener, a senior, explained the importance of creating increased student representation on the Board of Trustees.

“The actual decisions … that affect student life happen way, way above where [TCU Senate’s] decision-making power reaches, and until those actors are accountable to student interests … there’s nothing for donors, other stakeholders, administrators, Board of Trustees members, et cetera to gain from listening to student voices, so that’s why we should put them on the Board,” Wiener said.

The resolution passed with 26 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.

TCU Senate then heard 14 supplementary funding requests.

Sketch comedy group Major: Undecided requested $81 to purchase club apparel. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

The Computer Science Exchange requested $600 to bring in two speakers for an event. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining.

The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

The Bengali Students Association, a new student organization, requested $240 worth of funding for the remainder of the academic year. Eight mem-

bers of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

Tufts Student Garden requested $274 to purchase new fencing. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining.

The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

Tufts Asian Student Coalition and Korean Students Association jointly requested $3,000 to host Alexander Chee, a writer and professor at Dartmouth College, for a virtual lecture and writing workshop. Seven members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and one abstaining.

The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

Tufts Maternal Advocacy and Research for Community Health requested $90 to purchase prizes for a virtual trivia night. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining.

The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

180 Degrees Consulting requested $1,750 for club apparel. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining.

The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

The Ethiopian Eritrean Students Association requested $380 for club apparel. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

Tufts Asian Student Coalition requested $1,000 to host the

filmmaker Satsuki Ina in a virtual event. Seven members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and one abstaining.

The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

TEDxTufts requested $1,215 to purchase branded tablecloths and thank-you cards. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining.

The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

Tufts Quiz Bowl requested $70 to pay a quiz bowl competition registration fee. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

The Muslim Students Association requested $1,000 to purchase graduation stoles for club members. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

Melisma Magazine requested $553 for club apparel. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

The Japanese Culture Club requested $3,000 to purchase traditional Japanese happi coats. Eight members of the Allocations Board voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining.

The request passed TCU Senate by acclamation.

TCU Senate then voted to spend part of its surplus accumulated from the 2009–19 fiscal years on capital expenditure requests from various student

groups. They are often higher-cost items that help sustain an organization’s operation for multiple years.

The Media Advocacy Board Lab and Tufts student publications received $9,400 to replace computers and printers and purchase a new table.

Tufts Mountain Club received $50,000 to repair and update the Loj. The Sink received $12,000 to relieve a deficit incurred during the pandemic and purchase an ice machine.

Tufts Freeform Radio WMFO received $6,000 for studio equipment replacements and event speakers.

The Robotics Club received $10,000 to purchase a WAZER waterjet cutter, which cuts materials using high-pressure water.

Tufts University Social Collective received $14,400 to purchase camera equipment, a Jumbo mascot costume and other miscellaneous equipment.

Applejam received $1,000 for microphone stands, stage lights and speakers.

The Tufts Daily received $3,680 to purchase a desktop computer, two DSLR cameras and office equipment.

Peña, Hamidi and Wiener then delivered short speeches in which they looked back on their time as leaders of TCU Senate.

Peña, a senior, recognized the TCU community senators for their work during the past academic year.

“I really want to personally thank all of my community senators for always being there to defend the people who can’t defend themselves,” Peña said.

“I still have yet to go to a Senate meeting where I haven’t seen senators call out things that are supposed to be called out in

the moment, and I do love and enjoy the people I work with every week.”

Hamidi, a senior, spoke about the TCU Treasury’s accomplishments during his two years as treasurer and reflected on the makeup of the Allocations Board.

“This year’s [Allocations Board] is majority women for the second consecutive year and has the distinction of being mostly members of color,” Hamidi said. “It’s long overdue, but I’m optimistic that future Allocations Boards will continue to reflect the Tufts community we serve, demographically and substantively.”

He noted how the Treasury in general is doing.

“The state of the Treasury, I’m proud to say, is stronger than ever,” Hamidi said.

In her speech, Wiener reflected on the past year’s highs and lows.

“This year we were tasked with creating a community and carrying out our duties on Zoom in a pandemic and in a global awakening to white supremacy,” she said. “I began the year with a goal of meeting adversity and uncertainty, a belief that each challenging decision was an opportunity, and sometimes, oftentimes, we failed in that endeavor but sometimes we succeeded … I believe we genuinely learned from and with each other throughout the year.”

Wiener also highlighted some of the Senate’s accomplishments from the past year, including its support of multiple resolutions focused on improving racial equity at Tufts, its role in advocating for the Exceptional Pass/Fail grading option and its Staycation programming.

4 Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Casey Cummings Coffee Talk

Revival Cafe

F

inding a time to coerce my friends into eating breakfast with me is already tough, but what makes it even harder is finding a place that has gluten-free and vegetarian options! Generally, my gluten-free friend is left settling for a yogurt parfait — or just a coffee — when we go out for breakfast. Luckily, we realized that Revival Cafe + Kitchen, that small cafe with a mural that we always pass as we drive through Davis Square, has a menu full of fun breakfast sandwiches, gluten-free options and coffee.

While Revival does serve yogurt parfaits, its gluten-free menu extends to oat toast with almond butter, banana and honey, overnight oats, zucchini cardamom muffins, almond flour cake and even a kimchi bowl! Along with its gluten-free menu, Revival offers a variety of other breakfast sandwiches, pastries and coffees.

In the wake of the pandemic, customers have to place their orders online at Revival Cafe.

Orders are typically ready within 15 minutes; however, my order was ready in about five! Given that the cafe is within walking distance of campus, I recommend placing your order as you walk to Davis, and it should be ready once you get there. Another step that Revival Cafe has taken to be COVID-19 safe is to close its indoor seating and instead open up an outdoor seating area. My friends and I were planning to eat back on campus, but seeing Revival’s cute outdoor seating, we decided to eat there.

What are my hot takes?

What I ordered: The Plain Jane (egg and Monterey Jack on Revival’s homemade muffin) with egg whites. The sandwich was so simple, yet so good! The muffin was basically a better, less dry version of a croissant, and unlike every other breakfast sandwich place I’ve ever been to, substituting egg whites was free!

What I want to try next: The Bagelicious: egg whites, a “broccoli situation,” cheddar and spicy aioli, all on Revival’s house-made bagel. I think I would order this just to find out more about this “broccoli situation.”

Coffee: I was feeling basic and just got an iced coffee with lots of oat milk, and it was really good!

I would order the same coffee again; however, the coffee menu is full of drinks like the toasted coconut almond mocha and the iced praline crunch latte which I might need to try!

Pastry: Revival’s mudslide cookies are gluten-free chocolate walnut cookies that look delicious!

Casey Cummings is a sophomore studying international relations.

Casey can be reached at casey. cummings@tufts.edu.

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Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Serena Williams’ powerful fashion through the years

COURTESY ROB KEATING / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

As one of the finest athletes in the world, Serena Williams has used her platform — and her wardrobe — to support women in a variety of ways.

by Colette Smith Arts Editor

Serena Williams is both a fashion trailblazer and one of the greatest athletes of all time. She has a history of using fashion to support her activism, with her most recent statement coming in the semifinals of the 2021 Australian Open in February.

While she has always pushed boundaries and broken glass ceilings with her supreme athletic ability and talent, Williams has used her platform to support women in a variety of ways.

She has invested significantly in women-owned businesses, spoken out about closing the pay gap for Black women and engaged heavily in charitable work through both her position as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador and the Serena Williams Foundation. Furthermore, she has cemented herself as an inspiration for athletes everywhere with her 73 career single titles, 23 doubles titles, two mixed doubles titles and four Olympic

gold medals. The following list reviews the most memorable looks of Serena Williams.

Going all the way back to 2002, Williams won her second U.S. Open title while wearing a black Puma short bodysuit, paired with white and pink sneakers and a pink headband and wristband.

She accessorized this look with a $29,000 Harry Winston bracelet.

This was one of the first times Williams opted for a bolder outfit and it was heavily discussed in post-match press conferences.

Williams stunned at the 2004 U.S. Open in a black Nike dress with matching high black boots. The dress was unique and did not resemble sportswear as it buttoned up completely in the front and featured stud detailing on the hips and shoulders. The dress had extreme warrior vibes and embodied the toughness and power that Williams inspires. It was one of the first looks after Williams transitioned from her partnership with Puma to one with Nike.

The Nike catsuit that Williams wore to the French Open in 2018 generated a lot of debate.

Williams said the catsuit helped her cope with the blood cots that she had suffered when giving birth to her daughter. While fans praised the superhero look, French tennis officials were more apprehensive. Bernard Giudicelli, the president of the French Tennis Federation, said the tournament would introduce a dress code. Speaking of the catsuit, Giudicelli said, “It will no longer be accepted. One must respect the game and the place.” Williams responded that she and Giudicelli had a good relationship and that the federation had a right to issue the ban. While Williams herself did not express agitation toward the Federation, it was another example of Williams’ attracting media coverage for her fashion.

One of the most iconic looks from Williams’ tennis matches was her black tutu dress at the 2018 U.S. Open. This dress was designed in a collabora-

tion between Virgil Abloh and Nike. The dress was inspired

by Williams’ love of dance and ballet. This look is significant because it was a symbol of how Williams embraces her femininity and does not see this as antagonistic to her athletic superiority. Too often, female athletes are pushed to abandon their feminine side since it is perceived as weakness. Just think of the phrase, “You throw like a girl.” Instead of pushing her femininity aside, Williams embraced it in her tutu and looked as powerful and dominant as ever as she played at the highest level of her sport.

The final outfit was her most recent look at the 2021 Australian Open. Her unique asymmetrical catsuit was red, pink, blue and black. Even more interesting than the look itself, however, was the inspiration behind it. The look was a tribute to Olympic runner Florence Griffith Joyner, also known as “Flo-Jo.” Joyner has held the 100- and 200-meter world records since 1988 and,

like Williams, is an inspiration for Black female athletes everywhere. Flo-Jo loved wearing bright colors, long acrylic nails and one-legged track bodysuits.

“I was inspired by Flo-Jo, who was a wonderful track athlete … when I was growing up,” Williams said of the tribute. So, beyond the style component, this is my favorite look because it speaks to the translational power of fashion. Williams took inspiration from another great female athlete and used fashion as a tool to honor her greatness.

Williams has many qualities worthy of celebration and respect, from her status as one of the greatest athletes of all time to her extensive charitable work.

But one aspect of Williams that should not be forgotten is her iconic fashion that has continued to push the boundaries of conservative tennis fashion since the early 2000s. Williams has used her wardrobe to express her blend of power and grace, as well as to pay homage to other great female athletes.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Pop Culture | Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Chris Panella Comfort Cartoons

Futuristic and teenaged ‘Batman Beyond’

B

atman Beyond” (1999–2001) is a futuristic take on the Dark Knight and another installment in the DC Animated Universe. It’s mainly set in 2039, with Bruce Wayne now an old man, retired from crime-fighting. His rogues’ gallery is all but finished, with most villains retired or deceased. This makes way for a new Batman in Neo-Gotham: Terry McGinnis, a teenager. Mentored by Bruce and wearing a fancy Batsuit, Terry is just what the futuristic megalopolis needs.

It’s the first time the man behind Batman is not a grown adult. Sure, we’ve had teenage Robin, but “Batman Beyond” gives audiences a younger, less experienced protagonist to follow. Terry takes on the role after his father is seemingly murdered by a gang of Jokerz, a street gang continuing the legacy of the infamous Clown Prince of Crime. But Terry and Bruce discover it wasn’t the Jokerz who killed his dad — it was Derek Powers, the leader of the WaynePowers company.

That’s another interesting aspect of “Batman Beyond”; much of “Batman: The Animated Series” (1992–95) focuses on Bruce’s daily activities at his company and what makes him a wealthy and successful businessman. In “Batman Beyond,” that business is now under the control of someone else, whose plans are malevolent. It ties into an ongoing theme of the show, which constantly explores the impact of technology and business on society and, specifically, teenagers.

Episodes like “Splicers” follow younger generations having their genes spliced with animals in order to follow new fashion trends. “Hooked Up” features teenage addiction to virtual reality and “The Winning Edge” has a similar outlook on steroid patches called “slappers.” The funniest — and most disturbing — example of this might be “Terry’s Friend Dates a Robot,” in which a high school student illegally obtains a female android and makes her his girlfriend.

All of this might sound like not-so-subtle commentary on issues American teenagers face, but it’s commendable that “Batman Beyond” caters both its protagonist and most of its episodic plots to its younger audience. Similarly, Terry’s romance with Dana Tan and rivalry with high schooler Nelson Nash make up major plot points throughout the show. And while Terry deals with the highs and lows of high school, he also fights futuristic Gotham villains. On the roofs of overwhelming high rises and surrounded by flying cars, Batman faces off against villains like the Shapeshifter, Inque, Sound Manipulator, Shriek and the high school psychologist, Spellbinder.

One thing I’ve been thinking about and researching since rewatching “Batman Beyond” is how so many of its conflicts result in body horror. There’s certainly a lot to explore within that topic, but the show focuses on how villainous deeds often lead to bodily destruction. In “The Winning Edge,” villain Jackson Chappell overdoses on slapper drugs, causing his body to bulge and bubble. Something similar happens in “Splicers,” when Dr. Cuvier transforms into a monstrous blob of different animals after Batman injects him with too many of the splicers.

“Batman Beyond” is streaming on HBO Max. Chris Panella is a senior studying film and media studies. Chris can be reached at christopher.panella@tufts.edu.

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Revisiting the music of ‘Game of Thrones’ 10 years later

by Maeve Hagerty Assistant Arts Editor

Ten years after its debut on April 17, 2011, “Game of Thrones” (2011–19) is still one of the most popular shows of all time. With eight seasons, 73 episodes, more than 100 characters’ deaths and a devoted international fan base, it is no surprise that many are once again turning their eyes to the HBO show on its 10th anniversary.

Its success is striking. Out of 160 Emmy nominations, the show has won 59, and has won a total of 269 awards out of 738 nominations across numerous other awards shows. Breaking records and captivating audiences, “Game of Thrones” redefined television.

But what makes it so special?

The actors deliver stunning performances and the fantastical plots weaved by the books’ author George R.R. Martin keep fans anxiously awaiting the next episode, but there is something else that really separates the show from any of its TV counterparts: its score.

There has rarely been a TV series with an original score as profound and intricate as that of “Game of Thrones.” Thanks to the award-winning talents of composer Ramin Djawadi, the show’s original score is as much a part of the series as its main characters are.

Characterized by twisting string melodies and pounding drums, very often in a minor key, the show’s soundtrack has become iconic. The main title theme has become one of the most recognizable TV show introductory tracks of all time, as have many of the other tracks from the original score.

With hundreds of millions of streams on Spotify, Djawadi’s compositions create the cohesion that ties the show’s narrative together from season to season.

Featuring chilling tracks like “Chaos is a Ladder,” which accompanies one of the show’s signature villains, Lord Baelish (Aidan Gillen), in Season 3, and emotional string movements like the track “Maester” from Season 6, which celebrates Samwell Tarly’s ( John Bradley) arrival at the Citadel, the “Game of Thrones” soundtrack is rich in motifs and notable for its nuances.

In an iconic, infamous scene in “The Red Wedding” episode from Season 3, an acoustic version of the Lannister House’s theme “The Rains of Castamere” plays as many main characters die, hinting at the revenge in store for the Lannister House’s enemies.

The last episode of Season 1 introduces the rhythmic drums and choral singing that become characteristic of

VIA HBO

A promotional poster for Season 8 of “Game of Thrones” (2011–19) is pictured. the theme music for Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) throughout the rest of the show, while “Winterfell” from Season 2 introduces the main theme for the Stark family. And it is with these themes, and the others like them, that Djawadi spins a musical narrative that evolves with the characters. During significant moments throughout the show, a house’s theme plays and the effect on the audience is an immediate recognition of the saliency of the scene.

But there are moments of pure ingenuity in which Djawadi deviates from the normal score stylization. In the final episode of Season 6, Djawadi introduces piano into the show’s soundtrack for the first time. As the season finale begins, a haunting piano theme in the “Light of the Seven” becomes the groundwork for one of the show’s most (quite literally)

explosive episodes. And again, for the second and last time, in the third episode of Season 8, a piano haunts “The Night King” in a mostly quiet musical piece that plays over one of the climactic battle scenes between the White Walkers and humanity at Winterfell. It is this attention to both instrumentation and detail that elevates the soundtrack and, in turn, elevates the show.

“Game of Thrones” is so successful because of its breadth of characters, its ability to connect the audience to their stories and the engaging plotline that drags on across seasons. But the music that underscores it all is remarkable. After a decade, Djawadi’s score does more than just tie details of the series together; the instrumentation creates meaningful motifs that the dedicated fan base has come to adore.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Fun & Games | Wednesday, April 21, 2021

F& G

tuftsdaily.com LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Ethan: “Hahahahahaha.”

Fun & Games

SUDOKU

LINDA C. BLACK ASTROLOGY

Taurus (Apr. 20–May 20) Domestic matters have your attention.

Reinforce infrastructures and support systems. Clean messes and organize spaces. You get more with honey than with vinegar.

CORRECTION A previous version of the article “TCU election results, presidential candidates announced” from April 20 stated that Maya Namasivayam was elected to the Judiciary for the first time this spring, when in fact she won reelection after serving on the Judiciary since last fall. The Daily regrets this error.

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8 Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Eli Striker The Strike Zone

‘The Torture Letters’ and police brutality Content warning: This column discusses police brutality.

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eactions to human rights abuses, such as George Floyd’s killing, often result in the mass publication of graphic imagery online. The constant consumption of shocking media desensitizes the public to human rights abuses through a phenomenon called “compassion fatigue.”

Compassion fatigue affected me during the summer of 2020, as

Opinion

I was bombarded with graphic media depicting police brutality and violent counterprotests within my hometown of Minneapolis.

Nevertheless, I found Laurence Ralph’s Op-Doc “The Torture Letters” about police brutality in Chicago profoundly engaging.

The documentary crafted narrative-based accounts of suffering instead of displaying explicit content, compelling viewers to listen to and center its subjects.

“The Torture Letters” makes persuasive ethical claims on its audience because its first-person narration and focus on children’s experiences allow viewers to empathize with victims of police brutality.

Stylistic aspects of the documentary alleviate compassion fatigue, as Ralph tailors the aesthetics of the documentary to suit his target audience. The documentary was published in The New York Times, and its epistolary style of narration —

in which Ralph writes open letters to victims of police brutality in Chicago — forces the Times’ educated, wealthy audience to empathize with Ralph’s pain rather than abstractly incorporate accounts of torture into their privileged personal perceptions of police violence.

Ralph stated that he narrated in an epistolary manner to “convey the emotional reality and the nature of torture in a more humanizing light.” His narration allows viewers to internalize the pain inflicted through torture, while emphasizing that victims are human beings rather than an abstract, categorical other.

Furthermore, Ralph’s first two letters focus on children’s experiences with police brutality and combat the misleading representation of Black youths because Black children and adolescents are often treated as adults by law enforcement. To counter these perceptions, “The

Torture Letters” emphasizes the youthfulness of adolescent victims. When Ralph narrates the story of children detained by the Chicago police, the kids are drawn disproportionately small relative to the officers, which juxtaposes the overwhelming power difference between the detained youth and the police.

Ralph empathizes with the children by detailing a traumatic childhood experience he had with the police, in which his older brother was interrogated for hours by an officer at a mall. In the animation, when his brother is released, young Laurence nervously hesitates before hugging him in a tender embrace. This moment reminds viewers that police violence is excruciating for victims’ loved ones, and that such trauma leaves lasting scars on children.

Tragically, police violence in Chicago toward Black children and other children of

tuftsdaily.com color persists, as politicized human rights media continues to foment compassion fatigue, which often supplants actual mobilization against systemic injustices. This week, video footage depicting a Chicago police officer killing Adam Toledo, a 13-year-old boy, was published by various news outlets. Necessary systemic police reform is unlikely to occur as long as the public remains desensitized to the suffering of minority communities at the hands of the police.

However, compassion fatigue is likely to remain widespread unless media outlets produce more content like “The Torture Letters,” which helps audiences empathize with victims of human rights abuses.

Eli Striker is a sophomore studying international relations. Eli can be reached at eli.striker@tufts.edu.

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Wednesday, April 21, 2021 | Sports | THE TUFTS DAILY

9

Softball takes 3 of 4 in busy weekend SOFTBALL

continued from page 10 second time in her collegiate career. She also holds a 2.02 ERA and is tied for first in the NESCAC in strikeouts with 37, and Steinberg does not want to take that for granted.

“When we defensively have a longer inning, [DiCocco’s] out there, working on the mound, or [Haghdan] or whoever’s out there is working really hard … let’s give our pitchers a break and let’s give ourselves some chances to get runners on base,” Josie Steinberg said.

The games on Saturday followed a similar pattern: one blowout and one nail-biter. The Jumbos squashed the Bantams in the second leg of the doubleheader by scoring 12 runs in only four innings. DiCocco had her way on the hill for five straight innings, allowing no runs and six hits in total.

Nicole Russo, a junior pitcher who also plays first base, had 11 RBIs over the course of the two games, with a whopping seven RBIs in the second game.

Russo said she felt great about her performance this weekend — especially her three-run home run in the bottom of the first in the second game.

“I think that first at-bat for me in the second game was probably the highlight of my day with the home run but you know, I just went up with the mindset of base hits every at-bat and it worked well for me,” said Russo.

In the first leg of the Saturday games, Haghdan threw another tremendous five innings, holding the Bears to one hit and no runs. The Jumbos put togeth-

Henry Gorelik Off the Gridiron

Answering the biggest questions of the NFL draft

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hich QB should the 49ers select at No. 3?

If I were San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch, I would select Justin Fields without any hesitation. A refined pocket passer and a dynamic athlete, the former Ohio State standout would take the already innovative 49ers offense to another level.

Imagine a two-play sequence in which Fields takes a QB-keeper for 40 yards and then delivers a 50-yard bomb down the seam on the following play — in other words, completing the crucial throw that Jimmy Garoppolo missed in Super Bowl LIV. While I believe Fields is the right choice, I would not be upset if the 49ers select-

er a solid string of at-bats in the fourth inning, when Russo tripled and batted in two others to give Tufts a 2–0 lead.

Later in that inning, senior outfielder Reegan Coleman got to first due to a fielding error and Russo crossed home plate, giving Tufts a sizable 3–0 lead. At the top of the sixth, when senior pitcher Kristi Van Meter replaced Haghdan and had a difficult time finding the strike zone, the Bears capitalized. Realizing she might have made a mistake after taking out Haghdan, head coach Lauren

Ebstein subbed her back into the game.

Coming out cold and without warmups, Haghdan went back to work on the mound, and the first batter she faced took her over the fence for a solo home run. The Bowdoin dugout went ballistic.

But Tufts quieted them thanks to a double from sophomore left fielder Kat Yuzefpolsky in the bottom of the sixth to go up 5–4. Then senior infielder Emma Della Volpe crushed a home run, but was called out after the catcher for Bowdoin appealed the run by arguing that Volpe

did not touch home plate. The home plate umpire agreed, and the inning ended with Tufts up only 6–4. The Bears then scored four times at the top of the seventh on only one hit, with the Jumbos fighting back yet again to equal the score at 8–8 going into extra innings. The Bears scored three times in the eighth inning and the Jumbos fell short, losing just their second game of the short season 11–8. However, Josie Steinberg believes the team’s resilience kept its members from losing their confidence moving forward.

“In general, our team has shown a lot of grit and a lot of heart and there’s not much that can happen to bring us down,” said Steinberg.

In terms of the way this team is feeling, Russo echoed her teammate’s thoughts.

“We had a lot of back and forth with our games this weekend, going into extra innings and whatnot,” said Russo. “And the energy never went down, and I don’t think I’ve played on a team like that before — everybody’s in it to win it, and it’s so much fun.”

LYDIA RICHARDSON / THE TUFTS DAILY

Tufts Softball plays Bowdoin on April 17. ed North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance. With the combination of his 6-foot4, 225-pound frame, speed and arm strength, it is easy to see why some NFL executives have become infatuated with Lance’s highest potential.

Furthermore, with Garoppolo on the roster, the 49ers will be able to mitigate the only knock on Lance that does not make him quite ready for the NFL: the lack of experience against challenging defenses.

Most important to me is that the 49ers do not draft Mac Jones. I don’t have anything against Jones and he could end up being a good starting quarterback in the league, but I just do not feel that he offers significantly more than Garoppolo. Because he is a pure pocket passer who lacks the athletic ability to extend the play once it breaks down, it would be difficult for the 49ers to justify trading three firstround picks to select another Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan or Matt Schaub archetype.

What should the Falcons do at No. 4?

With the No. 4 pick, the Atlanta Falcons could draft their next franchise quarterback, select “unicorn” Kyle Pitts or trade down to accumulate

assets. Yes, there are clear benefits with each option, but I believe being in the position to select a franchise quarterback is too great of an opportunity to pass up. Additionally, 35-yearold Matt Ryan would be the perfect mentor and bridge to either Fields or Lance. Furthermore, the rookie quarterback would be throwing to Hayden Hurst, Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones in head coach Arthur Smith’s quarterback-friendly scheme.

Looking around the division, Tom Brady will not be able to play for much longer, I don’t fully believe in the Saints’ effort to rehabilitate Jameis Winston and I’m not convinced that Sam Darnold is the long-term answer for the Panthers. In other words, the Falcons have to draft and develop their next franchise quarterback so that they are in a position to dominate the post-Brady NFC South.

The Falcons’ roster is not in bad enough shape that they can justify forgoing the opportunity to draft a quarterback in order to shore up the rest of their roster. Even though drafting Pitts to pair with Ridley would give the Falcons a deadly pass-catching pair for years to come, it would mean nothing if they have nobody to throw to them. I’m starting to get

worried that the restructuring of Matt Ryan’s contract means that the Falcons are leaning toward not drafting a quarterback. If I were the Falcons’ general manager, I would begin the Arthur Smith-Terry Fontenot regime by drafting the Falcons’ next franchise quarterback and thus provide some clarity for the post-Ryan era in Atlanta.

Should the Bengals go with Sewell or a pass catcher at No. 5?

Sitting at No. 5, the Cincinnati Bengals are deciding whether to protect franchise quarterback Joe Burrow or provide him with a game-changing pass catcher. They are likely choosing between Oregon OT Penei Sewell, Louisiana State University WR Ja’Marr Chase (Burrow’s former teammate) or Florida TE Kyle Pitts (if Atlanta does not take him). If I were making the decision, I would select Sewell in a heartbeat.

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I settled on the Sewell side of this debate after seeing a meme on Twitter. The now viral meme captures the idea that if Cincinnati drafts Chase instead of Sewell, it doesn’t matter who Burrow is throwing to because he’ll be on the ground. Yes, the Bengals need another outside receiver to complement Tee Higgins

and Tyler Boyd, and any team could use Pitts. However, the pass catchers become irrelevant if the quarterback cannot get them the ball.

Drafting Sewell would dramatically improve the Bengals’ offensive line, even if it means sliding one of the presumptive tackles Jonah Williams or Riley Reiff, or Sewell himself, to guard or center. Furthermore, selecting Sewell does not mean that the Bengals are completely ignoring their WR room.

History has shown us that elite outside receivers can be found in the second round, recently including Davante Adams, A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf and Allen Robinson. I think it’s much safer for the Bengals to select Sewell than to take a pass catcher like Terrace Marshall Jr, Rashod Bateman or Dyami Brown in a later round. Having already suffered a nasty knee injury playing behind a lackluster offensive line, it is time for the Bengals to invest in protecting their franchise quarterback and give him a legitimate opportunity to elevate the players around him.

Henry Gorelik is a sophomore studying international relations.

Henry can be reached at henry. gorelik@tufts.edu.

10 Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Sports

tuftsdaily.com

Conquest in Connecticut as men’s lacrosse picks up wins against Wesleyan, Conn. College

by Isabel Castro

Contributing Writer

After the second weekend of competition in its 2021 spring season, the Tufts men’s lacrosse team remains undefeated. On Saturday Tufts defeated Conn.

College 24–16 in New London, and on Sunday the team defeated Wesleyan 27–11 in Middletown.

The Jumbos, who were recently ranked by the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association as the No. 3 Div. III team in the country, continued to flex their offensive power a week after setting the school record for goals scored in a game. The Jumbos’ set another team record with their combined 51 goals scored over the weekend, breaking the previous record of 39, which was set during the NESCAC championship weekend in 2014. Sophomore attackman Kurt Bruun thinks the team was locked in during the Connecticut road trip.

“I think overall this weekend we did a good job staying at the same focus and intensity level and not getting too high, not getting too low,” Bruun said.

“When the team started scoring a couple of goals we just played our game and stayed focused. I think that’s a big reason why we were successful.”

Fifteen different players scored against Wesleyan on Sunday afternoon. Tufts shot 70 times (41 on goal), while Wesleyan attempted just 41 shots total (23 on goal).

The Cardinals were first to put a point on the scoreboard, with senior forward Ben Shapiro winning the opening face-off and assisting Jake Sexton on a goal just six seconds into the game.

The Jumbos responded with five straight goals and finished the first quarter with an 11–3 lead. The first quarter explosion was more than enough to put the Jumbos comfortably ahead for the remainder of the game.

Graduate student Matt Treiber led the way with five goals, senior

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Men’s lacrosse plays Colby on April 10.

Max Waldbaum had three goals and three assists, junior Mac Bredahl tallied two goals and three assists and Bruun chipped in with three goals and one assist.

The Jumbos defeated the Camels 24–16 during their match Saturday morning, with 11 Jumbos putting points up on the board. Bredahl led the way with five goals and three assists and junior midfielder Cam Kelleher wasn’t too far behind with four goals of his own. Tufts was actually outshot on Saturday, as the Camels racked up 53 shots (38 on goal), while the Jumbos totaled 48 shots (35 on goal). A strong first half allowed the Jumbos to withstand a solid second half effort by the Camels, in which they outscored the Jumbos 8–7.

Senior Joe Theure and sophomore Cody Wiebe split time holding down the fort in goal for

the Jumbos, saving a combined 21 out of 36 shots.

Joan Carlo, the grandmother of senior defenseman Taggart Eymer, has attended or watched every game her grandson has played at Tufts. After watching the Jumbos dominate this weekend, she commented on what she saw from the team.

“The way I saw the team today, I thought it was amazing how they were so in sync with each other and the camaraderie of how they really cared about what the other person was doing,” Carlo said. “When I see [Eymer] play on the field everything he does is full of passion, and I think that’s the way the team plays. And every time I see them I’m in awe because of the camaraderie within the group.

I can see how when a good play is made that they go to each

other and there’s a gathering, and when it’s not so great there’s a little tap on the back or on the waistline to say ‘It’s OK, you’ll do better next time.'”

The camaraderie that Carlo speaks of has impacted players like Bruun during their time at Tufts, and has led to the team’s fun, unselfish approach to the game.

“I think what we do well that leads to our success is just playing fast and having fun,” Bruun said. “I mean it’s probably some of the most fun lacrosse I’ve ever played. Everyone is just having a good time, sharing the ball, playing fast and it’s honestly just a ton of fun to play with everyone.”

Bruun also commented on what the players can do to finish out their season strong.

“I think for the remainder of the season we have to keep get-

ting better in practice, in games, just keep doing what we’ve been doing. Keep having fun, keep working hard, keep focusing,” he said. “I don’t think a whole lot of changes [need to be made] … but there’s always room for improvement … even after three wins we know that there are bigger goals at hand.”

The wins from this weekend place the Jumbos as the top team in the East Division of the NESCAC. With the split division and shortened season, every game counts for each team in the conference. The men’s lacrosse team is scheduled to close out the season with games at Bates on April 24, at Colby on May 1 and home against Trinity on May 2. The NESCAC championship is scheduled for May 8, so the Jumbos have less than a month to secure a spot in that game.

Tufts softball stays resilient through nail-biters and blowouts

by Isaac Karp

Assistant Sports Editor

Another weekend of Tufts softball comes to a pass as the Jumbos make their final push toward the end of their regular season with only six games left. Now, sitting atop the East Division with an 8–2 overall record and 5–1 mark in conference play, the Jumbos seem sure to make the NESCAC championship, but not without some obstacles along the way. In terms of their strength of schedule, the teams Tufts has beaten have a combined winning percentage of around .455 in the NESCAC, while Bowdoin — who split wins

with Tufts in their matchup this weekend — is the only opponent with a winning percentage for conference play of at least .500. This makes predictions hazardous, especially in a condensed season when teams are missing players and are playing four games almost every weekend. While there is no doubt the Jumbos have one of the best teams in the NESCAC, they need time to patch up some holes that, if left unattended, could sink the ship later on.

On Sunday, the Jumbos swept a twofer against the Bantams. In the second game, first-year pitcher Sophia DiCocco threw for nine tortu-

ous innings to earn her fifth win of the season. A pitcher’s duel through the first four innings, run support came first only in the fifth, when senior shortstop Mia Steinberg and the graduate student at first base, Casey Maggiore, combined for three RBIs, and drove the Jumbos to a 3–0 lead. The Bantams scored in the bottom of that inning, but their bats were more active in the seventh when they knocked in two runs to tie everything up at 3–3. The Steinberg sisters, Mia and sophomore catcher Josie, sent two batters home on sacrifice flies to give Tufts a 5–3 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. Although Trinity

scored once more, Tufts won 5–4. The clutch gene must run in the family.

Tufts easily won its first game at Trinity 6–0. Josie Steinberg went three for four with one RBI, and although she is just 5 feet 4 inches tall, she puts the ball in play consistently and with power. Steinberg has refined her prowess at the plate by working this past year on her mechanics and bettering her grasp of situational hitting.

But she also has a bone to pick when it comes to this part of her game.

“I guess kind of my whole life I’ve always been looked at as a little person … People don’t

really think that I can actually swing the bat,” Steinberg said.

“And I think, to a certain extent, that gives me a lot more confidence because I’m just like, ‘Oh, they want to pitch to me.

They don’t think I can hit. I got to show them what I can do.’”

But the Jumbos won with more than just their bats.

Senior pitcher Kristina Haghdan pitched a complete game shutout with nine strikeouts, no walks and only three hits. Haghdan has been outstanding this season and just received the NESCAC Pitcher of the Week award for the see SOFTBALL , page 9