The Tufts Daily - Tuesday, November 24, 2020

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VOLUME LXXX, ISSUE 47

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Tuesday, November 24, 2020

University health officials urge students to follow health guidelines as Thanksgiving break nears

by Yanqing Huang

Executive Layout Editor

As Thanksgiving break approaches, university health officials have continued to urge students to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines. They may consider additional measures such as new procedures for campus dining and reduction of the 10-person gathering size, if cases on campus continue to rise, according to Michael Jordan, university infection control health director.

As of Nov. 21, Tufts recorded 68 cases across its campuses in the previous seven days with a positivity rate of 0.30%, according to the Tufts COVID-19 dashboard. On the Medford/Somerville campus, there were 62 individuals in isolation and 251 in quarantine.

The current statistics show a drastic increase in the spread of COVID-19 compared to the low number of infections seen in September.

In response to the rise in cases, Tufts imposed stricter guidelines for in-person students and recently suspended athletic practices for the rest of the calendar year, according to an email sent to the Tufts community on Nov. 19.

Marie Caggiano, medical director of Health Service, attributed students’ decreased adherence to COVID-19 guidelines to a false sense of security from negative test results.

“We are observing some reduction in student compliance with the health protocols,” Caggiano wrote in an email to the Daily. “Students have told us that routine test results were making them feel safe, and that as a result they were letting their guard down on mask wearing, physical distancing, and limiting close contacts.”

Caggiano emphasized that surveillance testing is designed to identify cases and prevent further transmission, but it

does not protect an individual from infection.

Michelle Bowdler, executive director of health and wellness services, reiterated that students should still follow guidelines despite negative test results.

“There was recently an article in the LA Times indicating that many people are getting infected with COVID-19 after group members test negative … The data in this article confirm that assuming it is safe to gather because a group of people have all recently tested negative is a serious mistake that is contributing to significant spread around the country,” Bowdler wrote in an email to the Daily.

Relaxation of physical distancing is now permitted only between roommates and is no longer allowed between cohort members, even if masks are worn. see CASES, page 2

ZOE GARDERET / THE TUFTS DAILY

Colorful trees frame Carmichael Hall against a cloudy sky on Sept. 26.

Authors Robert Putnam, Shaylyn Garrett discuss US political, economic trends

by Ria Agarwal

Contributing Writer

NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY

Authors Robert Putnam and Shaylyn Garrett spoke to the Tufts community on Nov. 18 about their latest book, “The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again” (2020). The event was sponsored by the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, JumboVote, the Civic Studies program and the Department of Political Science.

“The Upswing” studies economic, social and political trends in the past century and demonstrates how the United States went from an individualistic “I” society to a more communitarian “we” society and then returned to individualism, according to the Tisch College website. It answers the question of how society can learn from its mistakes in the 20th century and become a more unified nation.

Peter Levine, associate dean of Tisch College and Lincoln Filene professor of citizenship and public affairs, moderated the event and introduced the speakers. He opened the discussion by asking the authors to describe their book’s thesis regarding the

Tisch College of Civic Life at Barnum Hall is pictured on Oct. 1.

see UPSWING, page 2

ARTS/ page 5

FEATURES / page 3

SPORTS / back

Broaden your wardrobe with sustainable brands

Fall Festival of Plays wrestles with important topics of injustive, racial inequality

Was Brady the key to Belichick’s system?

NEWS

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FEATURES

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ARTS & POP CULTURE

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FUN & GAMES

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OPINION

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SPORTS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Tuesday, November 24, 2020

THE TUFTS DAILY Alex Viveros Editor in Chief

EDITORIAL Managing Editors Jake Freudberg Associate Editors Jilly Rolnick Alejandra Carrillo Maddie Aitken Jessica Blough Tom Guan Liza Harris Alex Janoff Matt McGovern Sara Renkert Sarah Sandlow Anton Shenk Carolina Espinal Sam Klugherz Alexander Thompson Alicia Zou

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Ryan Shaffer Executive Features Editor Sid Anand Features Editors Amelia Becker Jillian Collins Claire Fraise Evelyn McClure Kayla Butera Assistant Features Editor Megan Szostak Executive Arts Editor Devina Bhalla Arts Editors Ryan Eggers Steph Hoechst Tuna Margalit Chris Panella Yas Salon Elizabeth Sander Colette Smith Rebecca Tang Geoff Tobia Drew Weisberg Assistant Arts Editor Liz Shelbred Priya Padhye Paloma Delgado Amulya Mutnuri Mike Wilkinson Caroline Wolinsky Abhilasha Bhasin Eliza Dickson Sara Kessel Milli Lu Emily Nadler Grace Prendergast Faye Thijssen Sam Wilner Julia Baroni Carys Kong Annabel Nied Valeria Velasquez Juju Zweifach

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continued from page 1 impact of social cohesion on societal trends.

Putnam began by explaining the United States’ current political climate.

“America [has] reached historic levels of anxiety and discontent along many different measures,” Putnam said.

He explained how society today embodies unprecedented levels of political polarization, economic inequality, social isolation and cultural self-centeredness.

“We are about as polarized politically as we have ever been in our national history, with the possible exception of the Civil War,” he said.

Putnam placed society’s current hostility into context, presenting various graphs of political comity, economic inequality, social cohesion and cultural solidarity over the 20th century.

Every set of data displayed a sim-

Please rec ycle this newspaper!

ilar pattern, following the shape of a rough bell curve.

According to Putnam and Garrett, society was polarized and unequal in the early 1900s.

As the 1960s approached, there was an upswing in bipartisan, equal and collaborative values, resulting in progressive reforms.

However, society then regressed, with current trends mirroring exactly those of 125 years ago.

The authors attributed this trend to individualism, calling it the “I/we/I curve.” “[The graphs go from] individualism up to community and then back to individualism,” Putman said.

Society’s polarization and inequality are correlated with an individualistic culture. On the other hand, bipartisanship, economic equality and collaboration are associated with a communitarian society, according to Garrett and Putnam.

Garrett said that 20th century white progressives excluded racial

equality from their list of priorities, specifically for African Americans.

Although data sets demonstrated slow but unmistakable economic progress for African Americans between 1900 and 1970, growth stopped after 1970.

“What we call this subsequent period in the book is America’s foot off the gas period,” Garrett said. “We were driving toward racial equality, then all of a sudden, that drive stagnates, and in many cases, even reverses.”

She said that one of the primary reasons for the stagnation was backlash to the civil rights movement.

“The survey data shows quite literally that when push came to shove, and it was time to make some rearrangements so that equal opportunity was a reality, white Americans were much less in favor of that,” Garrett said.

The resistance to racial equality was intertwined with the transition from “we” to “I,” as white Americans feared racial equali-

ty and turned to protect themselves, according to Garrett.

Garrett and Putnam emphasized the possibility of another upswing; however, they added that the mistakes made in history should not be repeated in creating another upswing.

Putnam discussed the power youth have to change the course of the United States.

“The way this country can make further progress in whatever direction we want to go is if … young people begin to recognize you have real choices,” Putnam said. “And if you make those choices, in connection with your peers, you could change America.”

The authors concluded the presentation with a hopeful message from Theodore Roosevelt. “’The fundamental rule in our national life, the rule which underlies all others, is that, on the whole, and in the long run, we shall go up or down together,'” Garrett said.

Tufts considers additional measures if COVID-19 cases continue to rise CASES

Sruthi Kocherlakota Executive Sports Editor Tim Chiang Sports Editors Matt Goguen Jeremy Goldstein Aiden Herrod Pranav Jain Ananda Kao Delaney Tantillo Arpan Barua Assistant Sports Editors Jacob Dreyer Henry Gorelik Ethan Ling Arnav Sacheti Alex Sharp Eric Spencer

Ethan Steinberg Colton Wolk Brendan Hartnett Julian Perry Mariel Priven Kate Seklir Abigail Zielinski Mykhaylo Chumak Justin Yu Aedan Brown Elizabeth Kenneally Makenna Law

Putnam, Garrett speak on the cycle of individualism to communitarianism UPSWING

Rebecca Barker Hannah Harris

tuftsdaily.com

continued from page 1 “You should maintain six or more feet from your apartment mates or suitemates and wear a mask,” Caggiano said. “With the exception of your roommate or the people with whom you share a bedroom, the less than 15-minute and no closer than six feet guidance applies.”

According to Camille Lizarríbar, dean of student affairs, the university will follow up on all noncompliance reports to enforce the new set

of guidelines. Students who violate the health rules may face consequences.

“As a public health measure, a student who repeatedly misses tests will be placed on remote status and will not be allowed on campus, and they will also be subjected to further disciplinary action,” Lizarríbar wrote in an email to the Daily.

Jordan explained that as the number of cases rise in Massachusetts, Tufts may continue to see an increase in cases on campus in the next few weeks.

He said the university continues to monitor data, and any decision Tufts makes is dependent on a number of indicators, including the university’s capacity to safely quarantine close contacts and isolate students infected with COVID-19.

Despite the rise in cases, the university is not concerned about The Mods’ capacity to accommodate students requiring isolation or quarantine.

“We are not concerned about bed availability at this point,

and we are keeping a close eye on our overall capacity to safely isolate and quarantine students,” Jordan said.

Jordan urged students not to return to campus if they choose to go back home for the Thanksgiving holiday.

“We are very concerned about the impact of the Thanksgiving holiday break if students disregard our guidance and instead travel to and gather with family and others and then return to campus,” Jordan said.

tuftsdaily.com

Features

3 Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Fall Festival of Plays adapts to COVID-19, addresses themes of race, inequality

COURTESY HEATHER NATHANS

The Fall Festival of Plays set is pictured in Balch Arena Theater.

by Kayla Butera

Assistant Features Editor

Lights, camera, (virtual) action. Starting on Oct. 30, the Tufts Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies screened three plays in its Fall Festival of Plays.

Grounded in themes of racism and civility, this semester’s sequence of plays — “The New Black Fest’s HANDS UP: 7 Playwrights, 7 Testaments” (2017), “God of Carnage” (2008), and “Smart People” (2014) — are undoubtedly relevant to the times and seemed like obvious selections for Director Maurice Emmanuel Parent.

“I wanted a play that responded to the times, by the times I mean the times of dual pandemics, one of systemic racism being persistent and people taking a hard look at [it] because of the other pandemic, which is COVID-19,” Parent said.

With that in mind, the plays respond to both societal ails by delving into racism and being performed in a safe environment.

“Hands Up” details the stories of seven Black people and explores their feelings about the well-being of Black people in a society of institutional profiling.

“We are on the tail end of the biggest civil rights protest in history world-wide,” Noirret Francis, an actress, wrote in an email to the Daily. “This production is incredibly relevant,

and they contain stories that we might not have been allowed to tell / people might not have been receptive to, even ten years ago.”

“God of Carnage” follows two children from Brooklyn who have gotten into a violent fight, and upon their families becoming involved, it spirals even more out of control. Kevin Schult, who played Michael Novak, the father of the child who got seriously injured, spoke to the play’s relevance.

“I think it’s relevant to the times because a lot of people in American society today and in years past believe themselves to be good people when they support evil or cruel causes,” Schult said. “And in the past decade, I suppose, we’ve seen more and more of these circumstances where people are pushed to their limit, maybe because of the circumstances, and reveal their true selves and do horrible things.”

Schult believes that the play poses questions of civility and our evolution as a society.

Written by playwright Lydia Diamond, who is Black, “Smart People” is set in on the eve of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential election, where four intelligent Cambridge residents explore the impact of the election on their identities and society altogether.

“Even though this play takes place 12 years ago, it’s as if it’s from the future because we’re

witnessing in this play this monumental play of a Black man getting elected as president, and now that seems like it’s impossible with all of the stuff that’s been happening,” Kenneth Crossman said. Crossman plays Brian, a Harvard neuroscientist who is studying the brain’s responses to race and its societal implications.

In “Smart People,” Andre Cleaver plays Jackson Moore, a surgical intern at Harvard Medical School who is overlooked as a doctor.

“Jackson’s story resonates with me because we grew up without access to academic mentorship and we are also no strangers to being people from historically marginalized communities,” Cleaver wrote in an email to the Daily.

The plays were chosen with great thoughtfulness, as were its formats. The three-play structure allowed for students to have short but intense commitments of in-person rehearsals and an official performance spanning less than one week.

Furthermore, in hopes of relieving some stress, actors did not have to memorize their lines and instead followed a script-inhand reading.

“It’s actually kind of freeing in that if you’re in a standard rehearsal in the old days, you need to worry about your presentation of the line, as well as your stance, or maybe you need

to be moving somewhere, or gathering a prop,” Schult said.

Chair of the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies Heather Nathans, Director of Tufts Medical Center Michael Jordan and Senior Campus Planner Heidi Sokol were responsible for helping to create a safe environment in which to act.

“The three of us did a walkthrough of the space before the year started to map things out, and once we had the plans for the booths we discussed them with Dr. Jordan, and then we sent them up to Dr. Jordan to make sure that they seemed okay,” Nathans said.

According to Nathans and Parent, the department worked to create sanitized pods of clear material where the actors enter, remove their mask and read from their script with the camera or cell phone filming them. The pods’ backgrounds were changed to reflect the scenes. Sound designer Adam Smith was tasked with editing and compiling the scenes together in a coherent sequence. As opposed to crew members helping actors with makeup, hair and costumes, they set out makeup and instructed the actors on how to apply it.

Such as with getting permission to record the performance, Parent spoke of potential hurdles to theater in the COVID-19 digital age: “As we speak, there’s a lot of negotiation between [actor

unions and guilds] speaking to how to navigate this new world.

Is this TV? Is this theater?”

To Parent, this new-age theater is an odd combination, where some rules from both worlds apply. For the actors involved, having no audience was an adjustment.

“It’s certainly different in say, in some comedy you’re always listening for the audience to laugh. Or waiting for the audience to be complicit in what you’re doing,” Schult said. “You obviously can’t do that when your audience is a camera.”

He admitted that with some practice it was quite similar to having a real audience, citing the need to be complicit with the camera without directly looking at it. As for future plays at Tufts, they will be most likely following a similar structure.

“Absent of a miracle, we’re going to need to put everyone’s health and safety at the top of the list,” Nathans said.

She believes the entire production team has felt that they have learned immensely, and the three-play series placed them in a strong position to look toward the spring with experience.

Speaking to the drama that COVID-19 has presented, the cast and crew were in awe of their teamwork and perseverance. As Nathans said, “We’re performance people, we’re artists, this is what we do — we figure it out.”

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Features | Tuesday, November 24, 2020

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Thanksgiving 101: A few recipes to get you started

by Aisha Catena and Sarah Crawford Staff Writers

Enjoy some Thanksgiving recipes from sophomore Hana Tzou and junior Alex Walter! It’s possible to cook most of these dishes in a dorm kitchen with minimal ingredients, so they’re optimal for your Friendsgiving plans if you won’t be traveling home to celebrate with family this year. All recipes can be adapted to be vegetarian friendly.

Glazed Squash Difficulty Level: Easy “I recently found a recipe for this, and I kinda freestyled and made it my own,” Walter said. “I’ve been eating this a lot because I go to the farmer’s market for my produce, and squash is in season right now. I really like the Trader Joe’s umami seasoning, but to make it more ‘Thanksgiving,’ I went with thyme and sage on it. If you use the Trader Joe’s seasoning, use 1-2 teaspoons for a medium squash.

This goes really well on a salad with some pecans and apple!”

Ingredients: 1 squash (Walter uses acorn but says any type of squash works) 1-3 tablespoons brown sugar, depending on how big the squash is 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon dried sage 1/2 teaspoon salt Red pepper flakes (optional) Olive oil (for the baking sheets) Directions Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the squash in half and scrape the seeds and guts out with a spoon. If you’re using an acorn squash or a small butternut squash, you don’t need to peel it, but other types of squashes will need to be peeled.

Slice the squash into thin pieces, no thicker than 1/2 inch.

Mix the brown sugar, pepper, salt, thyme, sage and red pepper flakes together.

Grease a cookie sheet with the olive oil. Lay out the squash pieces so there is no overlap, then sprinkle the top pieces with half of the sugar/salt/spice mix. Flip the squash pieces, and cover the other side with the rest of the sugar/salt/ spice mix.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and flip the squash pieces.

Bake for another 10 minutes or until the squash is tender and the sugar has melted and caramelized.

Grandma Lucille’s Stuffing Difficulty Level: Easy “This is my Grandma’s stuffing recipe that she passed down to my dad, who gave it to me,” Walter said. “I made this vegetarian (because I’m a vegetarian), and it’s pretty easy to turn vegan, but traditionally this uses sweet Italian sausage and turkey stock made from the neck and backbone of the turkey. The walnuts, dates, apple and sausage aren’t necessary, but I really think they add a lot of flavor.”

Ingredients: 1 pound of whatever bread you like, but ideally stale, torn into roughly 1 inch pieces 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped 1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced

1/3 cup dates, pitted and chopped to the same size as the walnuts 1 big or 2 small yellow onions, diced 2 ribs of celery, diced 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 lb vegetarian sausage, chopped into pieces the same size as the onions 1 1/2-2 cups low sodium veggie stock 2 eggs, beaten 1 tsp salt (less if the stock is salted) 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dried 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried 2-3 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup butter Directions Preheat the oven to 350 F. While it is preheating, toss the walnuts with 1 teaspoon olive oil and the bread with the rest of the olive oil.

Toast both in the preheating oven and pull them when they are golden brown.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, salt, pepper and any dried spices, and sauté for four minutes or until everything is translucent and soft. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.

Remove from the pan and place into a large bowl. Add the sausage in and sauté until fully cooked. Put into the same large bowl as the onions, celery and garlic.

Put the bread, apples, dates, walnuts, sage, thyme, parsley and rosemary into the large bowl. Mix, then add 1 1/2 cups of the stock and the beaten eggs. Mix by hand until everything feels moist and hydrated. Add the last 1/2 cup of stock if it still feels dry.

Transfer into a greased 8-inch-by-11-inch baking sheet and cover with foil. This can be frozen or refrigerated until it needs to go into the oven.

Bake covered for 30 minutes, or 40–45 minutes if frozen.

Uncover and bake for another 5–10 minutes to crisp the top.

Tofu Nuggets Difficulty Level: Medium “My replacement for a ‘turkey.’

Really, the turkey is a vehicle for everything else in a Thanksgiving dinner, so that’s what’s happening here,” Walter said. “The first two steps aren’t necessary, but they really improve the final texture of the tofu.”

Ingredients: 1 block of tofu 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs 1 egg, beaten 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary (optional) Olive oil to grease the pan.

Directions The day prior, cut the tofu block in half so it is two thin pieces, and press with something heavy for 30 minutes to two hours. This is to get the water out of the tofu and give it a better texture.

Cut the tofu into 1 1/2 inch chunks. Put into a container and freeze overnight. The day of, remove from the freezer and thaw. This draws even more water out of the tofu.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease a cookie sheet or shallow roasting pan with olive oil.

Mix the flour, salt, pepper and any spices in a shallow bowl. Put the panko in a shallow bowl or on a plate.

Coat the nuggets in the flour, then the egg, then the panko (like making a chicken cutlet). Put the coated nuggets on the pan.

Roast for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Vegetarian Mushroom Gravy Difficulty Level: Medium/Hard The roux can be difficult, but don’t be intimidated!

“Gravy is iconic. Don’t come for her. This uses mushrooms to get the ‘meaty’ flavor you would normally get from a Thanksgiving gravy,” Walter said. “This gravy uses a roux method to thicken it, which sounds intimidating but really just means cooking flour and fat together. Make it vegan by using a vegan butter instead of the regular butter, or make it with turkey drippings to get the traditional Thanksgiving gravy.

Enhance the flavor even more by adding a few dashes of soy sauce for even more umami flavor.”

Ingredients: 2 cups cremini or white button mushrooms, finely diced 1 shallot or half a yellow onion, finely diced 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon dried sage 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Salt to taste Directions Melt the butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are brown and crispy (it takes a while, be patient). When the mushrooms are almost there (just starting to crisp up) add the shallot, garlic, dried spices and pepper.

Once the mushrooms are crispy, add the flour. Mix and allow the roux to cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until it looks golden brown and toasty (but not burnt).

Add in the stock 1/2 a cup at a time, mixing continuously.

With the last 1/2 cup, add in the chopped parsley.

Allow to cook until slightly thinner than the desired result, as it will thicken when it cools. Taste, and add salt.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Level of difficulty: Medium Tzou recommends the “Pumpkin Cheesecake” recipe from “The New Vegetarian Epicure: Menus for Family and Friends” (1991) cookbook by Anna Thomas. Tzou has been making this cheesecake every Thanksgiving for almost five years to the date.

“It’s definitely a Thanksgiving staple,” Tzou said. “It’s basically like a pumpkin pie, but it has the

KEN MAYER / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust is pictured.

VIA CHRISSY TEIGEN

Chrissy Teigen’s honey balsamic brussels sprouts are pictured.

ALEXA / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Thanksgiving stuffing is pictured. texture of a cheesecake and it has a little tang from the cream cheese.

And then, of course, a graham cracker crust, which is just heaven.”

Ingredients: Crust: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 4 tablespoons melted butter 3 tablespoons sugar 1 egg white, lightly beaten Filling: 24 ounces cream cheese 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups cooked pumpkin 1 teaspoon allspice 2 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg A pinch of cloves 4 eggs 4 tablespoons heavy cream Honey Balsamic Brussel Sprouts Difficulty Level: Very easy Tzou also recommends “Honey Balsamic Brussel Sprouts,” a recipe from Chrissy

Teigen’s cookbook “Cravings: Hungry For More” (2018).

She believes it is the perfect Thanksgiving side.

“It’s delicious when the glaze of the honey and the vinegar mixes with mashed potatoes … you can just kind of put [the glaze] on everything,” Tzou said.

Teigen uses blue cheese in her recipe, but Tzou decided to remove that from her own version.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise 15 garlic cloves, peeled ¼ cup olive oil 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts ¼ cup dried cranberries Salt and pepper 1 cup balsamic vinegar ½ cup honey

ARTS & POP CULTURE

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Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Sustainable brands to support this holiday season

by Colette Smith Arts Editor

Last week, I suggested how you can use purchasing power to support Black-owned brands.

Purchasing power is when a consumer directs their purchases to brands that share their values or support a particular issue that they care about. While we focused last week on supporting brands that were Black-owned as a small way to work on racial injustice issues in America, consumers can utilize their purchasing power to have their voices heard on a variety of issues.

Today, we will look at some environmentally sustainable brands that consumers can purchase this holiday season.

The fashion industry is huge and with its size it brings even larger detriments to the environment. The apparel industry accounts for around 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of water pollution. With these huge impacts and protecting our Earth being more important than ever, here are some great sustainable fashion

brands to add to your shopping list this holiday season: Patagonia: Patagonia is one of the most well known sustainable brands out there. Since the time the company was founded in 1973, it has pledged 1% of its sales to environmental restoration and conservation efforts.

Additionally, Patagonia has led the launch of 1% for the Planet, which is a group of businesses that have also agreed to give 1% of their sales to the environment.

Some of the other steps that Patagonia has taken to improve its eco-footprint are that, according to the brand, “68% of [its] line uses recycled materials, 100% of [its] virgin down is certified to the Advanced Global Traceable Down Standard, and 100% of the cotton grown for [its] garments is grown organically.” Patagonia offers a wide variety of clothing that encourages its consumers to get out and explore all that our planet has to offer. tentree: tentree is another great sustainable brand to add to your holiday shopping list this year, especially for the company’s great range of loungewear that is perfect

for working and attending classes virtually. For every item purchased, tentree gives back to the environment by planting 10 trees.

Additionally, the brand tries to use as many eco-friendly materials, like organic cotton, as possible.

Finally, tentree eliminates some of the negative environmental impacts typically seen in the apparel industry by using renewable energy in its supply chain.

Nube: This activewear brand uses recycled plastic to create its pieces. Nube’s unique prints are created by artists and designers from around the world who partner with the brand. These patterns are motivated by the environment issues we are facing and aim to promote connection between people. To add to its sustainability efforts, Nube uses a closed-loop manufacturing process where all the off cuts are recycled. Finally, all the packaging materials, including the kraft mailers, the order confirmation paper and the postcards, are plastic-free and 100% recycled and recyclable.

The R Collective: This womenswear brand reuses and

reimagines excess materials from luxury retailers and reputable manufacturers to make clothes that are on the more sophisticated side. The garments offered by The R Collective are a little more expensive, but they are pieces that will last because of the great quality and the timeless style.

The brand also makes sure to use as many eco-friendly materials as possible to help limit the amount of chemicals, water and wastewater used in production.

Finally, an added benefit of purchasing from this brand is that it ensures living wages throughout its entire supply chain. unspun: unspun offers denim pieces that have ambitious sustainability goals. unspun locally sources its materials, and uses “low-impact fabrics and on-demand manufacturing,” according to its website. This “on-demand manufacturing” process means that the brand has zero inventory, to eliminate the traditional issue of clothing brands struggling with leftover inventory. This process also allows consumers to customize their orders by thread count, waist-rise and

hem-length. unspun’s zero-cutting waste tries to combat the fact that typical pant manufacturing processes result in 15% cutting waste. The company dedicates an entire team to developing a weaving machine that will create woven garments to shape without creating cutting waste.

Since the brand has not quite achieved its zero cutting waste goal, it has partnered with Blue Jeans Go Green to use its cutting waste for denim insulation in homes.

While purchasing from companies like these is always important, using your purchasing power as huge shopping days are around the corner, namely Black Friday and Cyber Monday, is absolutely imperative. Last year, Black Friday raked in $7.43 billion and Cyber Monday brought in $9.42 billion in revenue in the United States alone.

So, with these two days being so important for companies making money, it is a great way to have your voice heard by supporting environmentally sustainable companies for your holiday shopping.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Pop Culture | Tuesday, November 24, 2020

tuftsdaily.com

VIA UNSPUN

unspun’s “offline” jeans are pictured.

VIA THE R COLLECTIVE

The R Collective’s “Gora Jumpsuit” is pictured.

VIA PATAGONIA

Patagonia’s “Lightweight Synchilla® Snap-T® Fleece Pullover” is pictured.

VIA TENTREE

tentree’s “Fleece Golden Spruce Hoodie” is pictured.

VIA NUBE

Nube’s “Artifact Crop Tank” is pictured.

A&P

Tuesday, November 24, 2020 | Arts & Pop Culture | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Netflix’s ‘Dash & Lily’ (unrealistically) distracts from reality

by Annabel Xu

Contributing Writer

VIA IMDB

A promotional poster for “Dash and Lily” (2020) is pictured. what we want to see on TV. The holidays are going to be markedly different this year, and probably not in a good way. No one really knows what the situation is going to be like in a month, but we do know that many parties, traditions and events are going

to have to be sacrificed. “Dash & Lily” makes us forget, for a second, what our real world looks like. For just over three hours, we are brought into a world of caroling, peppermint schnapps and running around the city with no regard to the current infection

rate, one where teenage romance is possible and uncomplicated and where being an outsider ends up being a good thing.

Ultimately, “Dash & Lily” showcases a cast of characters who are inherently kind, helpful and supportive of their budding

relationship. There is a sense of holiday magic, a belief that despite the fact that Dash’s and Lily’s holidays have not been what they expected, there is still the opportunity for a miracle and the hope that something will change.

ION OF STA IAT TE OC

TERS RES FO

NATIONAL A SS

Even though Netflix’s “Dash & Lily” (2020) fits the bill of being a generic, predictable teenage rom-com, this new series is the perfect holiday and COVID-19 romantic escape.

The first season of the show consists of eight 23-to-27-minute episodes, which can be watched in a single day. Set in New York City over the winter holidays, Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis) each have their reasons for being unhappy. Dash is a cynic who hates the holidays; Lily is a romantic who doesn’t have anyone to celebrate with.

With the help of her older brother, Lily sets up a scavenger hunt in a red notebook she leaves at the Strand, a bookstore in New York, and over the course of the season, the two characters use the notebook to send each other on adventures, talk about their lives and slowly fall for each other.

Is the plot realistic? No. But it’s cute. With COVID-19 restrictions and the country facing a socially distanced holiday season, “Dash & Lily” reminds us of a different time — when crowded bars weren’t a public health hazard, when holiday parties were acceptable and when you could meet new people without masks and six feet of distance. Through their notebook correspondence, Dash begins to open up and talk about his emotions, while Lily steps out of her comfort zone and puts herself out there.

The characters absolutely do predictable, Hallmark-movie things that most people in real life would never do. But we also get to see them develop, both in relation to each other and by themselves. Seeing them grow and change is so sweet that it makes up for the cheesiness.

The show’s supporting cast is also fantastic and makes for some heartwarming and funny subplots. Lily’s older brother Langston (Troy Iwata) acts as her emotional sounding board but ironically has trouble in his own relationships. Dash’s friend Boomer (Dante Brown) accidentally finds himself acting as an in-between for Dash and Lily.

There is a motley crew of people and friends around the city who support the two as they write back and forth, passing the notebook and providing the environment for their adventures. Although these people’s relationships and plots are not wholly realistic, they are still awkward, quirky and just real enough to be enjoyed.

“Dash & Lily” works because right now, what is realistic is not

8

THE TUFTS DAILY | Fun & Games | Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Fun & Games Fun & Games

SUDOKU

tuftsdaily.com LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Hannah: “Will someone teach me how to use Twitter?”

LINDA C. BLACK ASTROLOGY

Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 22) Have fun with people you love. Enjoy sweet moments. Tap into your own creativity, artistry and passion. Listen to great music. Share your heart.

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Difficulty Level: Watching the classes you want get filled up and having to make a new plan at the last minute

Monday’s Solutions

CROSSWORD

tuftsdaily.com

Elizabeth Buehl Sobremesa

I

Breaking barriers

mmigration has always been fundamental to the growth of the United States, yet the rights of U.S. immigrants continue to be challenged. Since his 2016 presidential election campaign, President Donald Trump has advocated for “building the wall.” Now, in a time of changing presidential administrations, the protection of the rights of undocumented immigrants has been thrown into question.

There is a wide spectrum of those designated as noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, asylum seekers and refu-

Opinion gees. The rights and protections of these individuals vary depending on their legal status. Under the Trump administration, not much progress has been made on the “build the wall” front; only 15 miles of new, primary barriers have been built in the last four years.

However, the administration has made many other changes that continue to endanger noncitizens.

In 2017 alone, Trump signed anti-Muslim immigration legislation, changed laws to allow for increased detention and deportation, cut back on Middle Eastern refugee admissions, rescinded Obama’s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents program (which allowed parents of legal permanent residents a pathway to citizenship), announced he would terminate Temporary Protected Status from Nicaragua and Haiti

and much more. While many of the effects of these changes are irreversible, including their physical and emotional toll on a substantial percentage of individuals, it is not too late to pass new legislation to work toward a more just and equitable future.

The newly elected Biden administration made several immigration-related promises on the campaign trail. First, President-elect Joe Biden is expected to reverse many of Trump’s restrictive immigration policies. It is also speculated that he will extend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which was first implemented during Biden’s time as vice president. While Biden plans to implement many of these changes right away, this likely won’t be the case for all immigration-related changes. For example, the Biden-Harris administration faces

9 Tuesday, November 24, 2020

a long journey toward reversing Migrant Protection Protocols, a practice that has kept thousands of Mexican asylum seekers from being granted asylum.

While Biden offers a chance at progress, it seems that immigration policy may not be as high up on his list as it was on Trump’s.

This could be a fundamental flaw of the president-elect. We need to both expand the number of people who can immigrate to the U.S. and the rights of immigrants who already reside within this nation’s borders.

Not only is it necessary to expand the number of asylees, refugees and immigrants allowed into the country, but one program that would be extremely beneficial to noncitizens is the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest program, which would allow noncitizens who entered the

country legally to serve in certain branches of the military. In addition to this, allowing more foreign doctors to practice domestically through the Conrad 30 Waiver program would allow for many domestic rural locations to receive improved health care, which is especially important during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Our nation also has a desperate need for increased education, employment, health care, housing and legal programs tailored toward assisting immigrants. In order to consider ourselves the “land of the free and the home of the brave,” we must truly embody what it means to be a welcoming place for all.

Elizabeth Buehl is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Elizabeth can be reached at elizabeth.buehl@tufts.edu.

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EDITORIALS Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily.

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SPORTS

10 Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Matt Goguen Keeping up with the 617

tuftsdaily.com

Patriots’ struggles continue in Week 11

The ballad of a lost Patriots season

T

he short-lived optimism that Patriots fans held following the upset over the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 15 was quickly demolished on Sunday following their crushing defeat to the 3–7 Houston Texans. Even when the Patriots felt like they turned that hypothetical corner after their atrocious losing streak, all that momentum was lost to a Texans team that is essentially playing for a draft pick at this point.

The Patriots took every positive from last week’s win and decided to completely flip the game plan against the Texans. Instead of running the ball down their throats, the Patriots were running these gimpy screens to James White or Rex Burkhead which were completely ineffective. Moreover, they ran fake jet sweeps to draft bust N’keal Harry which led to multiple sacks. They were also running “Lombardi Sweeps” with Damien Harris, who is more effective between the tackles.

On the defensive side, the pass rush seemed nonexistent on Sunday. The Texans are known for having a porous offensive line and Bill Belichick didn’t even attempt to take advantage of their weak link. They mostly only ran a 3–4 defense and kept their linebackers in coverage. Now, I understand that Deshaun Watson is a top 10 quarterback in the NFL and can make plays with his feet; however, you cannot give him five to eight seconds in the pocket because he will eventually stretch the field and find an open receiver.

Last week against the Ravens, 2020 second-round pick Kyle Dugger was an absolute wrecking ball on defense; he notched 12 tackles and was in Lamar Jackson’s dome all night. This week, they utilized Dugger differently, which is a head-scratching move considering Watson has a similar style of play as Jackson. Instead of the safety blitzes that were effective against Baltimore, Dugger was in coverage for most of the day. Bill Belichick is just trying to screw with us Patriots fans at this point. If Dugger is effective as a jack-ofall-trades safety, then why stick him in coverage for most of the game? The Patriots game plan today boggled my mind.

Cam Newton needs to stop focusing on what game day outfit will make him look like a pilgrim and actually learn how to play football seriously. To his credit, he connected on some great throws to Damiere Byrd, who looked like a Pro Bowl receiver against the Texans. Once again, the same story rings true with Newton who failed to piece together a game-winning drive. Each week he looks more uncomfortable in the pocket and chucks up Pop Warner-caliber throws that are either intercepted or tipped. We need a new quarterback.

What stings the most about this season is that the Patriots are essentially stuck between two identities: either tank for a good draft pick, or be a playoff contender. Being completely unbiased, the Patriots will most likely finish between 9–7 or 7–9 and fail to make the playoffs and receive a mediocre draft pick.

The front office must figure out the future of this organization, because right now this team is looking like the Titanic, and it already hit the iceberg.

Matt Goguen is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Matt can be reached at matthew.goguen@tufts.edu.

COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The New England Patriots are pictured.

by Brigitte Wilson Staff Writer

While many Patriots fans suspected that the 2020–21 NFL season would be transitional with the loss of veteran quarterback Tom Brady, most put their faith in their experienced head coach, Bill Belichick, to pull off another success story. However, disappointing performances from individual players and unexpected game results have led fans to wonder whether Belichick’s system is as good as it seemed to be for 20 years.

Tom Brady’s departure from the team came as a surprise to many that assumed he would finish his tenure in the NFL as a New England Patriot. Unlike other football legends such as Peyton Manning and Brett Favre who switched teams late in their career, the renowned Brady-Belichick relationship indicated that Brady would never give up on New England. However, as tensions rose between Brady and his teammates and coaches, it became increasingly clear that it was time for them to part ways.

Once Brady’s status as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer was official, the Patriots had to look for a player that would embody the same principles of their quarterback of 20 seasons. First, they brought back journeyman quarterback Brian Hoyer, their on-off backup quarterback, likely due to his familiarity with the playbook and veteran status.

It was unlikely that Hoyer would be their first choice for starting quarterback due to his inefficiency on the field and inability to deliver in key game moments.

His presence was likely to push backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham into action, their fourth-round 2019 draft pick whose young age and knowledge of the Patriots’ system made him an appropriate heir to Brady. There was speculation that Belichick wanted to prove that the Patriots’ success could be attributed to his system — rather than Brady’s talent — making it seem all the more likely that he would make an internal pick for the starting quarterback position.

However, Belichick’s confidence in the system seemed to falter when he signed Cam Newton, former quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, to a one-year deal with the expressed intention for all three potential quarterbacks to compete for the starting position. Nonetheless, the season began with Newton at the helm and a 21–11 win over the Miami Dolphins.

Newton’s ability to run and his crisp interactions with the offense provided a solid scoring base for the team in the first game of the season, with Newton

scoring his first and second touchdowns on rushing plays and running back Sony Michel tallying the third for the Patriots.

The Patriots’ defense had sustained some losses in the offseason due to linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Patrick Chung choosing to opt out of the season over concerns surrounding COVID-19.

However, cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and JC Jackson gave a sturdy performance that seemed to foreshadow a lucrative season.

Week 2 intended to test the team, as it was matched up against the Seattle Seahawks, led by quarterback Russell Wilson, a skillful player with a 2–1 record against the Patriots. Unsurprisingly, the Seahawks performed strongly, with Wilson throwing for 288 yards and five touchdowns with only one interception.

Newton gave an equally impressive performance, throwing for 397 yards, one touchdown and one interception, with two rushing touchdowns. While the Patriots lost by a final score of 35–30, their impressive tenacity and fight to the bitter end continued to give fans hope for the season. They maintained their favorable performance against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3.

Unfortunately, their worst nightmare amid a pandemic came true when Newton tested positive for the coronavirus two days before the Patriots were scheduled to face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4. Since no other players immediately tested positive, the Patriots played the game with the hopes that system quarterbacks Hoyer and Stidham could pull through a miracle.

While Hoyer started, he did not provide the solid backup quarterback performance that Belichick hoped for. After throwing for 130 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception, he was pulled from the game in favor of Stidham. Even though Stidham managed to throw for one touchdown, passing to wide receiver N’Keal Harry, he threw two interceptions and did not help the Patriots get into a scoring groove, resulting in a 26–10 loss.

Another COVID-19 scare postponed the Denver Broncos’ matchup until Week 6, initially seen as a gift to avoid another embarrassing backup quarterback performance, since Newton was cleared to return to the field. Furthermore, the Broncos’ dismal performance thus far gave the Patriots confidence in their ability to succeed and begin a winning streak.

Regrettably, the Patriots were unable to pull off a win, and even more concerning, they did not score a touchdown in the first half of a home game for the first time since 2016. Furthermore, the

Broncos failed to score a touchdown and still managed to beat the Patriots, suggesting the Patriots executed poor offensive and defensive plays. Rumors swirled about Newton having brain fog as a residual effect of the coronavirus, and the team expressed frustration about their performance and vowed to do better.

However, the next couple of weeks did not squash rumors about Newton’s health or prove that the team was serious about making the playoffs. Their Week 7 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers resulted in an embarrassing 33–6 loss, and Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills ended with a score of 24–21. While both teams had decent performances to that point, the Patriots could have taken the opportunity to show they had depth and a strong desire to prove Belichick’s system right. Unfortunately, it seemed like their chances of being a Super Bowlcontending team were being squandered.

A Week 9 faceoff against the Jets sent Patriots fans into a frenzy, as they held concerns that a loss to the worst team in the NFL would solidify the Patriots’ 2020–21 season as a disaster. However, the Patriots were able to pull off a 30–27 win and celebrated as if they had won the Super Bowl.

Perhaps a bit of an energy boost from a win was what they needed, as their performance against the formidable Baltimore Ravens in Week 10 resulted in a 23–17 win, with the defense and offense operating smoothly. Newton threw for his first touchdown since Week 3, while running back Damien Harris rushed for 121 yards on 22 rushes, and Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger stepped in as valuable members of the secondary.

Unfortunately, Sunday brought the Houston Texans and another loss for the Patriots in Week 11, as the final score was 27–20, leaving New England 4–6 for the season. While wide receiver Damiere Byrd had a surprisingly good game with 132 yards on six receptions, he was not enough to edge out Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Furthermore, New England’s reliable running back Rex Burkhead was carted off the field with a torn ACL during the game, making their already slim chances of making the postseason even smaller.

While it is unclear what the future holds for the Patriots, fans will be sure to watch Belichick in the offseason to see what he does to find an outstanding franchise quarterback for the team. If this season is any indication, the quarterbacks he is currently working with likely won’t last as long-term Patriots, so he must make moves now to make up for their shortcomings next season.