The Tufts Daily - Thursday, February 18, 2021

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Thursday, February 18, 2021

Tufts announces recommendations from university-wide antiracist initiative

VINTUS OKONKWO / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Bendetson Hall, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, is pictured on Feb. 28, 2018.

by Sarah Sandlow Deputy News Editor

Un i ve r s i t y Pre s i d e n t Anthony Monaco shared the reports of the five workstreams that were created in July 2020 as part of the “Make Tufts an Anti-Racist Institution” initiative.

The workstreams are Institutional Audit and Targeted Action, Campus Safety and Policing, Public Art, Compositional Diversity and Equity and Inclusion.

Monaco reported that the senior leadership team is now evaluating 180 recommendations from the five workstreams in his email to the community on Wednesday afternoon.

In addition to the reports from each workstream, an executive summary of the efforts

was also included. The executive summary listed each workstream, its leaders and goals.

The current state of anti-racist work at Tufts was evaluated and areas of success that the university should build upon were identified. Additionally, opportunities for the university to improve its pursuit of becoming an anti-racist institution were brought forward.

“The initiative pledged to audit, investigate, and provide recommendations ‘to find and eradicate any structural racism at Tufts and to take the steps necessary to become what every member of our community would view as an anti-racist institution,’” the introduction of the executive summary said.

In the email, Monaco said that Tufts is committing to exe-

cute as many of the recommendations as possible and put at least $25 million of university resources, over five years, to those efforts.

The senior leadership team and the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council are currently evaluating these recommendations to develop implementation plans and timelines, and are determining the necessary costs and resources for implementing their plans.

The executive statement also mentioned that the community will be updated on the initiative’s progress through town halls, written communication, faculty meetings and other media once the recommendations are formally implemented.

“We are also exploring ownership groups for each of the

recommendations, designating a governance structure for accountability, and investigating options for the ideal working groups at different schools and units to help in the implementation of these steps,” Monaco said.

Monaco noted that some members of the Tufts community may be dissatisfied by possible shortcomings in the reportsor feel as though the reports are not the best way to address racism at Tufts. He acknowledged these concerns but expressed confidence that these efforts will lead to a different and better future at Tufts.

“We should not shy away from these tensions,” Monaco said. “Respectful discourse and debate are the hallmarks of a thriving academic community.

Tufts should be at the forefront of dialogue on such a vital and imperative initiative.”

Monaco expressed gratitude for the students, faculty and staff that worked on the five workstreams, as well as community members who participated in smaller feedback sessions and discussions.

“I am especially thankful to the many Black and Brown students and colleagues, underrepresented minority members of our community, and all people of color at Tufts who contributed so much to these recommendations,” Monaco said. “Institutional racism is not your problem to solve, but your unique perspectives and valuable thoughts have been instrumental in this effort.”

Office of the Provost hosts ‘Envisioning Tufts announces ban of an Antiracist Institution: A Virtual direct investments in coal, Tufts Table’ event tar sands companies

by Peri Barest

Assistant News Editor

The Office of the Provost and the Bridging Differences Initiative hosted the event “Envisioning an Antiracist Institution: A Virtual Tufts Table” on Feb. 16. The event featured keynote speaker Abi Williams, professor of the practice of international politics at The Fletcher School and director of the Institute for Global Leadership, and a speech from Tufts student René LaPointe Jameson. The event is part of

a larger conversation about anti-racism at Tufts.

Associate Director of the Tisch College initiative on Social-Emotional Learning and Civic Engagement Deborah Donahue-Keegan, who is also a lecturer in the department of education, moderated the program. Provost and Senior Vice President Nadine Aubry, Associate Provost and Chief Diversity Officer for the Health Sciences Schools on the Boston and Grafton campuses Joyce Sackey and Associate Provost

and Chief Diversity Officer for the Medford/Somerville campus Rob Mack gave opening remarks.

“Bridging differences was established in 2015,” Sackey said. “At the time its mission was to create space for people to come together to engage in dialogue over differences…In 2020, given the racial reckoning which we were all living, and the fact that the university declared that it would like to work towards see ANTI-RACISM, page 2

by Alicia Zou News Editor

Tufts’ Board of Trustees has voted to ban direct investments in 120 coal and tar sands companies with the largest reserves, according to an email sent to the community on Feb. 10. Tufts currently does not have any direct investments in coal and tar sands companies; the policy change will prevent future direct investments, according to the email.

WEEKENDER / page 6

FEATURES / page 5

OPINION / page 9

Tufts dental student and ‘web sleuth’ featured in Netflix docuseries

Former congressional candidates team up in new Tisch College course

Viewpoints: Understanding the difference between controversy and conspiracy

The announcement outlined the recommendations of the Responsible Investment Advisory Group (RIAG), a group of students, faculty, administrators and trustees that can be convened when there are concerns regarding the social impact behind the university’s investment decisions, according to a statement made by the Office of Trustees last year.

To call for the RIAG, members of Tufts Climate Action see SUSTAINABILITY, page 3 NEWS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Thursday, February 18, 2021

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Tufts community gathers for conversation about antiracist accountability ANTI-RACISM

continued from page 1 becoming antiracist, the tasforce decided to revisit its mission … and revise the mission to actually include dialogue around race and racism.”

In his speech, Williams spoke about the urgency of addressing racism and the collective responsibility necessary to do so.

“It is a transformational challenge because we are seeking to eradicate a virus that has plagued our country and its institutions for centuries,” he said. “The existence and prevalence of this virus — the virus of racism — is precisely why anti-racism is so desperately needed and is absolutely vital.”

He also spoke about the ways racism is spread and what is necessary to prevent that.

“We know that no one is born a racist,” Williams said. “Children learn racism from their families, from their societies as they grow up. And so a task of building an antiracist institution would be of course education and learning education about anti-racism … but it will also mean unlearning certain things.”

Williams said that accountability is crucial to the success of anti-racism efforts.

“Nothing is more dangerous than to let people think that they can get away with actions that are wrong,” he said. “The university has to build and to maintain a robust system of accountability.”

In her speech, LaPointe Jameson, a junior, said that everyone’s liberation is connected, and that racial justice can spark justice of all kinds, including environmental and economic justice.

She also added that race and racism are nothing more than social constructs.

“Race is a social construct,” LaPointe Jameson said. “It was made up to justify the placement of Black and Indigenous people, [and] it has no fundamental basis in biology or anything like that. All racial groups are equal. No group is more athletic or more intelligent inher-

COVID-19 AT TUFTS

ently. These are things … repeated over time to further support white supremacy.”

LaPointe Jameson also talked about ways in which the university has failed to achieve anti-racism efforts on campus.

She specifically referenced the treatment of dining and custodial staff and the administration’s response to Tufts Students for Justice in Palestine and Tufts for a Racially Equitable Endowment’s referenda.

She reminded participants that students of color have drastically different experiences at predominantly white institutions than white students.

“Our students of color and white students have wildly different experiences in college,” LaPointe Jameson said.

“Students of color have to learn everything their white counterparts are learning on top of literally how to liberate themselves and their people, how to change oppressive systems. These are things that Tufts and other institutions for higher education aren’t going to teach us.”

Following these presentations, participants discussed in breakout rooms the importance of making Tufts an antiracist institution and the steps necessary to work toward this goal. There were eight breakout rooms, each led by two or three facilitators. Once back in the main session, one facilitator from each group shared highlights from their discussion.

Assistant Dean of Research for the School of Arts and Sciences and Assistant Dean of Diversity and Inclusion for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Jackie Dejean’s group discussed the generational benefits of anti-racism efforts.

“There was general agreement that we benefit by being an inclusive campus environment, and not just for the students and faculty and staff who are here but the students who learn from the antiracist environment will then become people in the workforce who change and will impact their families and raise their children to be anti racist,” Dejean said.

Flo Tseng, assistant dean for diversity, inclusion, equity and

climate at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine’s group discussed changing how to view accountability.

“Normally when we think about accountability we’re thinking about accountability to those who are above us in the hierarchy and our supervisors,” Tseng said. “We should have accountability also to our BIPOC community members and managers should be accountable to those who are managed, and all of these should motivate us, I think, to move our anti-racism efforts forward.”

Other groups discussed cluster hiring faculty of color and prioritizing funding for anti-racism efforts.

In her closing statement, Aubry thanked Williams and LaPointe Jameson for speaking, as well as participants for joining.

“I know we have an enormous [amount] of work to do here at Tufts, but hearing all your comments, all your passion, all your dedication and your commitment to these issues … gives me a lot of hope,” Aubry said.

SEOHYUN SHIM / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Director of the Institute for Global Leadership Abi Williams poses for a portrait on the President’s Lawn.

News

Thursday, February 18, 2021 | News | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Tufts to invest $10-25 million in climate change-related funds SUSTAINABILITY

continued from page 1 ( TCA) submitted a proposal on Dec. 6, 2019, detailing why Tufts should divest from fossil fuels and what divestment could look like, according to Temple Miller-Hodgkin, a co-author of the proposal and a member of the RIAG. The RIAG discussed research that TCA compiled in the proposal, and also relied on the expertise of other RIAG members, Miller-Hodgkin, a junior, wrote in an email to the Daily.

Nearly all of Tufts’ endowment is held in funds managed by third parties of whichthe university has no direct control, including commingled funds and separately managed accounts. According to the RIAG’s report, Tufts had about $10.3 million invested, as of June 30, 2020, in the restricted 120 coal and tar sands companies through commingled funds and separately managed accounts.

Since these commingled funds and separately managed accounts are outside the university’s control, they are not included in the new policy, but the university has committed to try to influence these indirect investments through external investment managers, according to the email.

“Many of the managers Tufts has invested with have already made substantial progress on integrating [envi-

ronmental, social, and governance] considerations into their investment processes, but there is always more that can be done,” Patrick Collins, executive director of media relations, wrote in an email to the Daily. “We are working with our partners to ensure on-going improvement on these dimensions and will continue to assess each investment in the portfolio to make sure they reflect the values of Tufts and the investment requirements of the endowment.”

As a representative of TCA, Miller-Hodgkin is unsatisfied with this announcement.

He believes Tufts’ announcement does not actually entail modifying any current investment.

“The university is saying this is divestment, and it’s definitely a step in the right direction, but it’s definitely the weakest possible form of divestment,” Miller-Hodgkin said. “They’re not saying the third party managers have to divest … they’re also not touching oil and gas, either in the investments that Tufts directly controls or in the third party part of the endowment.”

Re-evaluation of Tufts’ progress following RIAG’s report in two to five years was one of the actions outlined in the email.

Emily Witherell, a member of TCA, emphasized that more work needs to be done by student activists during a TCA

CONNOR DALE / THE TUFTS DAILY

A banner hangs in the Mayer Campus Center as Tufts Climate Action advocates for fossil fuel divestment. meeting on Feb. 15 addressing Tufts’ announcement.

“This is a climate crisis and we don’t really have time to wait until the RIAG re-evaluates the situation in two to five years,” Witherell, a sophomore, said.

“Re-evaluation can only be triggered by student pressure, so this timeline isn’t actually set in stone … it’s just if TCA writes another proposal that then has to be evaluated and go through the whole bureaucratic system.”

Witherell also noted that it has taken eight years since the founding of TCA for Tufts to reach this decision.

Jada Sullivan-Brito, a member of the RIAG and a Board of Trustees representative for Tufts Community Union

Senate, expanded on the challenges of pushing for change as students.

“From the Board’s perspective, at least, [students] have a shelf life [of ] four years to them,” Sullivan-Brito, a senior, said. “I think that contributes to why we’re not taken seriously when it comes to presentation of our concerns.”

Other promises from Tufts include investing $10 to $25 million to climate change-related positive impact funds in the next five years and, to increase transparency, creating a dashboard that reports on the progress of the actions, according to the email.

In contrast, Sullivan-Brito noted the lack of transparency

when working with members of the Board on the RIAG. “It kind of seems like some of this information is just conjured up and handed to us,” Sullivan-Brito said.

Though not completely satisfied, Miller-Hodgkin noted that this announcement is an improvement from the administration’s previous stance and sentiments on the issue.

“The argument in the previous divestment campaigns they said ‘no’ to was ‘the endowment is completely apolitical … there’s no way that we can change the endowment,’” Miller-Hodgkin said. “Now they finally admitted that there’s some wiggle room there around what the endowment actually like can be used as a tool for.”

In Photos: A snowy start to the semester Over the past few weeks, the Tufts campus saw several snowstorms. Here are a few photos that members of the Daily’s photo section took at the beginning of the spring semester.

This spread depicts how students decided to gather safely.

AVA IANNUCCILLO / THE TUFTS DAILY

Bench pictured in the snow outside of Barnum Hall.

NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY

Crawford Path is pictured near the summit of Mount Pierce in the morning of Jan. 10.

MINA TERZIOGLU / THE TUFTS DAILY

Students prepare to sled on President’s Lawn in the evening snow.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | PHOTO | Thursday, February 18, 2021

tuftsdaily.com

AVA IANNUCCILLO / THE TUFTS DAILY

Tufts student and Jumbo statue are pictured on the Academic Quad during a winter snowstorm.

MINA TERZIOGLU / THE TUFTS DAILY

Snowy view near Goddard Chapel and President’s Lawn is pictured in the evening.

NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY

A hiker is pictured near the summit of Mount Pierce looking out towards Mount Washington on Jan. 10.

SARAH GOLDSTEIN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Students assemble a snowman behind Houston Hall after the first snow on Nov. 30, 2020.

AVA IANNUCCILLO / THE TUFTS DAILY

Two students walk through the Academic Quad during snowfall.

ELAYNE CHEN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Students prepare to sled down President’s Lawn.

MINA TERZIOGLU / THE TUFTS DAILY

Yellow lights illuminate the white President’s Lawn in the evening.

tuftsdaily.com

Features

5 Thursday, February 18, 2021

Jesse Mermell, Dave Cavell discuss congressional campaigns, new Tisch College course

by Owen Bonk

Assistant Features Editor

Before joining together to teach a course in the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life for the spring 2021 semester, longtime friends Jesse Mermell and Dave Cavell (LA’06) were competitors in Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary.

Their course, “Talking Points, Tweets, and TikTok: Modern Political Communications and Message Development,” reflects their experiences on the virtual campaign trail.

Much like the rest of the country, Mermell and Cavell were caught completely off guard by the chaos-precipitating midsection of March 2020. As COVID-19 projections became increasingly troubling and case numbers climbed, the two hurriedly prepared for total lockdown by canceling social engagements and resigning themselves to prolonged housebound isolation. They regarded the future with unease.

It didn’t help that, for both of them, there was still an election to win. As political candidates, they saw the restrictions borne of the pandemic as significant setbacks to daily operations. Their contest, Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary, was crowded and competitive; social isolation was an added difficulty to the already formidable challenges involved in running their intense campaigns, they said.

Even so, Mermell and Cavell knew that COVID-19 would inevitably bring the very issues that had initially motivated their candidacies to the forefront. Amid copious uncertainty, one thing seemed clear to them: The repercussions of a long-lasting pandemic would exacerbate the wide variety of struggles faced by the working families whom they had hoped to advocate for in Washington. For Mermell and Cavell, there was no time for doubt –– the only option was to adapt and press onward.

“For us, it was very much building the plane as we flew it,” Mermell said.

She and her team had coincidentally planned to celebrate the opening of their new campaign office in the second weekend of March. According to Mermell, the event was to be headlined by congresswoman and supporter Ayanna Pressley. She hoped it would set the tone for an energized (and non-socially distanced) six months of teamwork.

Mermell discovered shortly before the event that it would not go on as planned. Approximately 48 hours prior to the date, Mermell quickly changed her plans.

“It just became clear that that wouldn’t be safe, and so on a dime, we … canceled it and turned it into a virtual event,” Mermell said.

PATRICK MILEWSKI / THE TUFTS DAILY

The outside of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Barnum Hall is pictured on Feb. 21, 2020.

The substitute event, what Mermell called a maskless “MTV Cribs style” walking tour of the new headquarters followed by an interview with the congresswoman, still makes her cringe, she said.

“We didn’t understand masking and social distancing yet, so there’s literally footage of the congresswoman standing right next to me,” Mermell said.

While considerably safer than the prior iteration of the event would have been, her makeshift planning demonstrates the growing pains of adjusting to virtual campaigning. Cavell also reflected on the rapid changes brought about by the pandemic.

“It’s fascinating to go back …

In late February, we had what turned out to be the only in-person debate of the entire campaign,” Cavell said. “This is, what, two, three weeks before the entire world changed, and not a single question was asked about coronavirus.”

Virtual outreach was not unfamiliar territory for Cavell, whose prior experience as dep uty director of new media for the Office of former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick provided some guidance.

“It was my job to launch the first YouTube channel and Twitter account for the governor of Massachusetts,” Cavell said.

“We had to think through all the issues, like, okay, what should we call the account: If we call it ‘@ GovernorPatrick’ then that account leaves with him, so we decided to make it ‘@MassGovernor.’”

With the basics of online communication out of the way, Cavell contemplated the more subtle points of political messaging in a crisis. He considered deleting a humorous, pre-shutdown TikTok video that depicted him washing his hands to a Lizzo song, but was advised to keep it up.

“We were talking to public health people who were like, ‘Look, any way that you get in front of people and show them that it’s important to wash your hands right now is worth it,’” Cavell said.

Lizzo-soundtracked TikToks aside, both candidates initially decided to pursue a more serious engagement with the issue on social media platforms.

“Every single day, I was recording and posting videos about whatever the news of the day was,” Mermell said. “Sometimes it was science based, sometimes it was almost like recording a public service announcement.”

As revelations about masking, sanitizing and other practices rolled in, Mermell and Cavell worked to publicize them. They posted interviews with food bank directors and mental health specialists. They taught constituents how to protect themselves and others, on screen, in real time. Cavell also continued community outreach by hosting a weekly Shabbat dinner Q&A on Facebook Live.

“I said to the team, ‘The good news is there is no blueprint.

Nobody knows what we should be doing and what will work right now, so let’s just try stuff,’” Cavell said.

Despite their best efforts and an unprecedented campaign season, neither candidate prevailed in the 4th Congressional District Democratic primary.

Cavell dropped out in the last weeks of the campaign, endorsing Mermell, who went on to lose the contest by about 1.2% of the vote. Jake Auchincloss, a former Republican, was chosen as the Democratic candidate in September and was subsequently elected in November to represent the district in Congress.

Although the 2020 campaign was behind them, Mermell and Cavell said they found that they still had work to do –– at Tufts University, of all places. According to Mermell, Dean Alan Solomont (A’70) of Tisch College invited them to teach a course based on their experiences both during and prior to their campaigns. They accepted, and “Talking Points, Tweets, and TikTok: Modern Political Communications and Message Development,” a class that aims to give students and aspiring politicians the communication skills to succeed in the modern digital world, entered the course registry for the spring 2021 semester.

“We’re not looking to make this … an academic, research-based experience,” Mermell said. “This is real-world, tangible examples, using students’ own expertise as consumers of political media to learn about what’s happening out there in the field right now.”

Cavell, who graduated from Tufts in 2006, has found teaching

the course to be especially meaningful.

“Tufts gave me the opportunity to have this career and then supported me during it, so I feel like teaching this class is … a way of sharing the experiences I’ve been able to have with a new generation of students,” Cavell said.

Mermell stressed the importance of social media in campaigning and said she hopes to convey this through the course.

“Candidates, elected officials, public servants — period — regardless of party, need to do a better job of understanding that social media is a tool, a twoway tool, for communicating,” Mermell said.

Nevertheless, she said that having a larger social media presence may not be enough to sustain a successful campaign.

“Is it important? Yes,” Mermell said. “Is it the only thing that you need? No, at least not right now … You know, really expensive TV ads, really expensive mailings — that all still makes a difference in winning races.”

According to Mermell, the course looks to explore social media as just one of many communication methods used by political campaigns.

Looking retrospectively at the 2020 election, Mermell said the class will build off the experiences of the co-professors and guest lecturers.

“It’s about meeting people where they are, and it’s certainly about being authentic,” Cavell said.

6 Thursday, February 18, 2021

WEEKENDER

tuftsdaily.com

Tufts dental student John Sobhani speaks on work with true-crime Netflix documentary

VIA IMDB

Cecil Hotel is pictured.

by Stephanie Hoechst Arts Editor

Content warning: This article addresses death, murder, suicide, violence and mental illness.

Since 2013, the disappearance of 21-year-old Canadian student Elisa Lam at the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles has captured the Internet’s attention, causing much speculation about the strange circumstances of Lam’s death. Now, director and executive producer Joe Berlinger (executive producer of “Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” (2019) and “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich” (2020)) brings a fourpart docuseries to Netflix in an attempt to uncover the truth behind the Elisa Lam case. The series reached number one of the top 10 TV shows in the U.S. on Netflix last weekend.

“Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel” (2021) (one of whose other producers is famed actor and director Ron Howard) features a third-year student at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, John Sobhani, as a source on the case. Sobhani recently spoke with the Daily about his experience working on the series, as well as how he first got involved investigating the case itself.

A quick overview of the case: Lam was a tourist from British Columbia in Los Angeles staying at the Cecil Hotel. The hotel itself carried a reputation of violence, murder and suicide prior to Lam’s stay; for example, serial killer Richard Ramirez, also known as the “Night Stalker,” is believed to have stayed there

in the 1980s. After disappearing on Jan. 31, 2013, Lam was discovered dead almost three weeks later in one of the water tanks on the hotel’s roof.

During their search, police released the last-known footage of Lam in the hotel’s elevator to the internet. During the video, Lam behaves very strangely — peering outside the elevator door, darting back to the corner of the elevator as though she’s hiding, exiting the elevator and seeming to converse with someone in the hallway — which led to all sorts of speculation online.

The documentary tracks all the clues of Lam’s disappearance, and contextualizes it within a conversation about the Cecil Hotel’s history, the systemically oppressed area of Los Angeles in which the hotel is located, the police response and mental health.

One particularly notable facet of the case, however, was the internet’s involvement in figuring out how Lam disappeared.

Online investigators’ theories ranged from measured and methodical to wild and conspiratorial, even paranormal. The documentary includes testimony from a few of these ‘web-sleuths,’ of which Sobhani is one, in order to fill out this crucial aspect of the Elisa Lam case.

Sobhani has been investigating Elisa Lam’s disappearance for the last eight years, starting the day she was reported missing in February of 2013.

“The case drew my concern,” Sobhani said. “When the news broke out when Elisa went missing, notifying the public of

her disappearance, it put me on high alert.”

During his investigations, Sobhani was actually able to visit the Cecil Hotel.

“I did visit the area, and eventually went inside,” Sobhani said, “and, from what I saw, it lived up to its reputation.”

As for the case itself, Sobhani explained some of his findings and observations from his investigations.

“Basically, Elisa had gone missing for two weeks, and the last known footage of her was an elevator video, and it’s difficult to tell, but she was not acting as someone would normally act when they’re entering an elevator or exiting an elevator. With that said, if that was the last known footage of her before she went missing, it makes you wonder what happened,” Sobhani said.

Sobhani also pointed out some of his observations regarding the autopsy report: “At first, if you look at the autopsy report, something was marked that opened the possibility of thinking that there were suspicious circumstances that led to her death, then… it was erased [and] corrected to accidental drowning. And then looking deeper into the autopsy report, which I spent a lot of time studying, there are a lot of questions.”

One complication in the Elisa Lam case, which Sobhani made sure to address, was that Lam struggled with mental health issues, including bipolar disorder and depression.

According to Sobhani, “Elisa was on two different medica-

tions and it was known that she had suffered from depression, and one of the medications is documented to have overpowering effects over another medication. And, unfortunately, the medication that has that overpowering potential has a side effect of suicidal ideation. That’s not to say that suicide was definitely the cause, but it’s a reason as to why people have different opinions regarding the case.”

Because the elevator footage of Lam eventually went viral, many groups on the internet have had their own speculations about her disappearance — whether she was murdered, whether she committed suicide or whether someone was pursuing her the night the elevator footage was captured.

Sobhani’s investigations eventually led him to create a Facebook group and a documentary about his findings.

Online, Sobhani had a keen interest in combating much of the exaggerations or speculations surrounding the case.

“I emphasized simply presenting facts. A lot of my work throughout these last eight years has been telling people, ‘No, this is rumor. It’s not been documented — this is something that Elisa has been labeled as, but it’s not necessarily what really happened,'” Sobhani said. “I guess through the creation of the Facebook group and through my own documentary that I was directing over the years, I detailed the vulnerabilities and possibilities of what could’ve happened, emphasizing representing facts, separating facts from rumor,

despite many, and to present, I have been doing my best to present Elisa as a human being rather than as a subject.”

It was through this Facebook group, according to Sobhani, that a producer of “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel” reached out to him, asking to provide his expertise on the show.

“I had a wonderful experience working on it,” Sobhani said, “and I’m grateful for the opportunity every day.”

Throughout all of this, Sobhani emphasized his desire for people to understand Elisa Lam as a person.

“I hope that the viewers’ takeaway is being aware of Elisa’s case,” Sobhani said. “I want people to open up about mental health, for one thing. I also want people to know that Elisa mattered, and that she was a human being deserving of love and dignity. We should take more care to people with mental challenges … It would be great if people watched the documentary to understand what really happened, and I hope that I can be a small part of helping to give her a voice so that I can bring further attention to those suffering with mental illness, as well.”

Though he did not reveal any conclusions about the case that the Netflix series may or may not reach, Sobhani did end his interview with an assurance.

“You will have an answer when you watch the show to the end,” he said.

“Cr ime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel” is on Netflix now.

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Thursday, February 18, 2021 | WEEKENDER | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Priyanka Chopra Jonas introduces ‘Unfinished’

by Sadie Leite

Assistant Arts Editor

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Lilly Singh, both successful women of South Asian descent in the entertainment industry, discussed Chopra Jonas’ new book, “Unfinished” (2021), during a Feb. 9 event hosted

by Harvard Book Store. Chopra Jonas is an actress, singer and film producer. Singh is a popular late-night talk show host, actress and comedian.

To start, Singh asked, “Why now a book?” after a warm greeting which set a supportive tone for the following conversation, one fitting for two friends with overwhelming respect for each other.

Chopra Jonas chuckled, admitting that her project was delayed.

Still, she explained, this was significant, as quarantine allowed her to focus her intentions. The process of writing a memoir “has a funny way of reminding you of a lot of things,” Chopra Jonas said. Singh described the entertainment industry as forcing a quick lifestyle. The details that paint a life story are lost in between more pressing projects that quickly pile up. The unexpected help of seemingly endless quarantine time allowed Chopra Jonas to remember her sorrows and mistakes.

Singh then defined Chopra Jonas as one of the most complete people she knows. In response, Chopra Jonas explained the meaning of her memoir’s title.

She believes she has so much more still to do with her life.

Naturally, then, her existence is ‘unfinished.’

Chopra Jonas overcame the misconception that only 20-yearold actors are desirable. At 30, she

started her career in the American entertainment world after working in Bollywood. Now 38, she has secured multiple prominent roles in Hollywood, developed her production company Purple Pebble Pictures and is confident about future projects. Singh criticized the common trope that female actors have “an expiration date.” Chopra Jonas applauded Singh, as she too is severing norms as the first Indian to host an American late-night television show. “The silver lining is progress” for women in this uncertain time, Singh said.

Singh delved into the intricacies of Chopra Jonas’ career in the Indian film industry. Her voice fluctuated, as she recalled watching the “iconic” and “legendary” Chopra Jonas on screen.

Chopra Jonas acknowledged that her perceived confidence grew from struggle. She was plucked from high school, thrown into the pageant world and then pitted against other girls to win roles, all while not knowing the fundamentals of acting. She gained acting skills along the way, emerging from the caricature of “lots of hair, lots of makeup,” she said. Instinctively, she was drawn to roles that interested her, like the movie “Aitraaz” (2004), where she played a “sexual predator, almost” at the age of 22. Thus, she arose from the “untouched” female role as a powerful actress capable of tackling the American industry.

Singh then recounted her surprise at Chopra Jonas’ career move to America. Chopra Jonas’ career in America began with music; her first two singles, “In My City” (2012) and “Exotic” (2013), featuring will.i.am and Pitbull, respectively. Chopra

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is pictured.

Jonas admitted she was “hungry … to push [herself ] as an artist,” and the American industry presented her with the materials to do so. She completed four songs and ended up pivoting to acting because it was more comfortable. She said that it is okay to leave things “unfinished,” referencing a theme of her memoir.

Lastly, Singh questioned Chopra Jonas about the “tangible difficulties” of being South Asian

in the American entertainment industry. Chopra Jonas recounted an anecdote, remembering a magazine writing “[Creative Artists Agency] signs its first Bollywood star.” Her name was not present; the only aspect that was significant to the writer was her race. Chopra Jonas lamented that she does not want roles to always highlight her ethnicity.

She just wants to be “a girl trying to save New York.” “Quantico”

(2015–2018) gave her that opportunity, as ABC saw Chopra Jonas for her talent. Still, it took years for her to finally get leading roles in American films – her most famous to date being in “The White Tiger” (2021). Reflecting, Singh and Jonas both determined that the South Asian community must come together to demand change and give each other opportunities when no one else will.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Fun & Games | Thursday, February 18, 2021

F& G

tuftsdaily.com LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Megan: “Someone say something funny. ”

Fun & Games

SUDOKU

LINDA C. BLACK ASTROLOGY

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Enjoy home comforts. The next month gets especially lucrative, with the Sun in Pisces. Get especially productive with domestic support. Tap into new silver.

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Difficulty Level: The organic chemistry grind.

Tuesday’s Solutions

CROSSWORD

Before anything else, we are all human.

It’s time to embrace diversity.

Let’s put aside labels in the name of love.

Rethink your bias at lovehasnolabels.com

tuftsdaily.com

Opinion

9 Thursday, February 18, 2021

VIEWPOINTS

A difference in opinion is debatable, a difference in reality isn’t

SAM FARBMAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

by Caroline DePalma and Reya Kumar Contributing Writers

Over the last few decades, the United States’ political landscape has become increasingly polarized. The starkly divergent beliefs arising from this polarization have brought a persistent issue to the forefront: how to maintain a political environment that allows for vast differences in opinion while also holding people accountable for dangerous words and views.

This tension, and the failure of U.S. institutions to enforce accountability, was clear during the Senate impeachment trial last weekend, in which most Republican senators decided that former President Donald Trump should not be convicted for inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

Questions about accountability and maintaining a diversity of opinion amid a tense political climate have surfaced numerous times at Tufts. In September 2019, Karl Rove, deputy chief of staff and senior aide to former President George W. Bush, came

to Tufts as part of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life’s Distinguished Speaker Series.

The event was met with controversy and protest from students, with some expressing that citing Rove as “distinguished” was akin to promoting his behavior and the policies he helped enact — specifically, initiating and politicizing the Iraq War. After the event, some argued that the opportunity to discuss and debate with someone who is vehemently opposed to your view is productive; it allows you to fine-tune your own argument and gain a better understanding of the opposing side.

It is undeniable that debate is a cornerstone of a functioning democracy and a well-rounded education. Whether or not the Tisch College event was the best setting for it, students and listeners were given the space to hold Rove accountable and engage in constructive conversation. While Rove’s actions are inexcusable, the question of whether the nation was justified in going to war is something that can be argued from both sides.

Unfortunately, mainstream political discussions have become increasingly centered on issues that are unbalanced, with one side often lacking validity. Over the past few weeks, controversial Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has been called out by others in Congress for her lies and propagation of conspiracy theories, leading to her removal from her committee assignments.

She has supported the QAnon movement, made antisemitic statements and suggested that school shootings were hoaxes and harassed survivors. She has also liked and shared posts that threatened the lives of top Democrats such as Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and promoted the lie that President Biden did not win the 2020 election.

Despite the damage that the spread of such lies can cause, only 11 Republican representatives voted with Democrats to remove Greene from her committee assignments, and only seven Republican senators voted to convict former President Trump during his second impeachment trial. Greene’s

noxious statements are not a matter of free speech or sharing an alternative opinion; she does not have any evidence to support the many allegations she has made. Even more concerning, her current position of power as an elected representative lends credence to her lies. Republican leaders should hold those who bring not a difference of opinion, but objective untruths to the table and deceive the American public, accountable.

Unlike Trump, Greene has been held accountable to an extent, but she still retains her position and platform. She continues to promote lies and make blatantly discriminatory statements. Her views are baseless and undeserving of rational debate. While Rove’s actions and views regarding the war are extremely controversial, his perspective can be understood by an opponent in conversation, even if they still disagree with his view in the end. To do the same with Greene would mean providing some level of legitimacy to dangerous conspiracy theories and antisemitic rhetoric. Debate is

untenable against hate and webs of lies.

It is important that we unite against the conspiracy theories permeating American society.

Even if government institutions are unable to build a consensus to condemn elected officials’ roles in spreading blatant, violence-provoking misinformation, we must set standards of accountability within our own communities. While we should be willing to have discussions with people of opposing views, we must also avoid giving a platform to misinformation and discrimination. We may have to engage in difficult conversations with those we know have been convinced by those lies.

And perhaps most importantly, we must be ready to recognize the distinction between a difference in opinion and a difference in the way some view objective reality.

Reya Kumar is a firstyear studying psychology. Reya can be reached at reya.kumar@tufts.edu. Caroline DePalma is a first-year who has not yet declared their major.

Caroline can be reached at caroline.depalma@tufts.edu.

10 Thursday, February 18, 2021

Aiden Herrod The Fast Break

Predicting the Western Conference in 5 Years

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or the teams stuck in futility, rebuilds or perpetual disappointment, one concept binds them together: building for the future.

The NBA often puts an emphasis on the long haul, especially with so many draft prospects entering the league before they can even legally enjoy a beer. For this exercise, I’m considering Western Conference teams’ current situations.

What young players, draft assets or bona fide superstars does each franchise have?

Is a franchise so stable organizationally that it can contend with any competent roster? After careful consideration, I give you my Western Conference playoff picture in five years.

Memphis Grizzlies I love how this roster is constructed.

First there’s the obvious in Ja Morant, who will be knee-deep in his prime in five years with the upside to crack the top-10 players

Samuel Charlton Long Shot

Ray Austin and the FCFL

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his is the first edition of my new column called “Long Shot,” where I will look at former and current athletes’ moves in the business world. This installment is about Ray Austin, former NFL defensive back, and his new business venture, the Fan Controlled Football League.

The Fan Controlled Football League is an exciting new league in which all participating fans become part of a team and subsequently vote on every decision the team makes. These fans vote on every aspect of the teams’ operations, from jersey colors to play-calling. If the fans think that certain positions could use some work, they can even trade players with other teams.

The new league truly resembles reallife fantasy football, and it’s aiming to let every armchair quarterback’s dream come true.

Currently, the league has four teams: the Glacier Boyz, Beasts, Zappers and Wild Aces. The league has also benefited from a good deal of celebrity involvement. Richard Sherman and Quavo are co-owners of the Glacier Boyz, while internet celebrity Bob Menery leads the Zappers and Marshawn Lynch runs the Beasts. These celebrities’ inherent advertising power has helped the league — which has been in the making since 2017 — gain that last bit of traction, and

Sports in the league. He’s a dazzling playmaker who makes his supporting cast a lot better.

And that cast is no pushover either. Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke and others have been brought together to play beautiful, harmonious basketball. It’s a roster effectively matching enticing upside with rock-solid role players. In a few years, this could be one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference from top to bottom, especially if the Grizzlies time the addition of another star with Morant’s peak years.

Denver Nuggets Denver is just getting started. I love the trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. These guys are all relatively young and will continue to grow and thrive together. The Nuggets already have quite a bit of nail-biting playoff experience, and I expect this team to just get better with every subsequent run. I also expect Jokic to score himself an MVP one of these years, especially since he’s only 25 and scarily capable of getting even better.

Oklahoma City Thunder What the heck will the Thunder’s roster be in five years? No one really knows, but I’d argue that no one should really care.

This team has the most stacked haul of draft assets in recent memory, and a savvy general manager in Sam Presti to piece it all together. The first-rounders in his allowed teams to play their first set of games this past week.

Ray Austin got the idea for the league when he was watching a few of his buddies play in a semi-professional league in Chicago, and thought the team would be doing better if he was the one calling the plays. Many investors and potential fans had serious concerns when the league was first announced. The first major concern was that the league was never going to be able to “compete” against the NFL. From the beginning, however, Ray tried to stress that the league was never intended to compete against the NFL, but instead fill a completely different void in the market.

The league plays its games in a studio without fans, livestreaming the game while fans make the decisions from their couches. This was another serious concern that many had when the concept was thrown out there, as a sporting event that doesn’t prioritize in-person fans seemed like a ridiculous concept to some potential investors. However, the COVID-19 pandemic proved that leagues can have high viewership and some degree of financial success without fans in attendance.

The first week went well, opening to generally positive reviews from both critics and participants. Most agreed that it was extremely entertaining and occupied a different niche than the NFL. The Glacier Boyz fell to the Wild Aces and the Zappers lost to the Beasts. On Saturday, the Beasts will go up against the Wild Aces and the Zappers will face the Glacier Boyz. The games are streamed exclusively on Twitch.

Samuel Charlton is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Samuel can be reachd at samuel.charlton@tufts.edu

war chest could become a top-end young prospect or trade ammunition for a star on the block, several times over. The only limit to this team at this point is Presti’s imagination.

Dallas Mavericks Two words: Luka Doncic. I don’t care that this season has seen Kristaps Porzingis take a colossal step back and the supporting cast regress mightily. If the Mavericks can keep Doncic, it won’t matter. They have the cap space and assets to land Doncic another co-star, and Doncic himself is a LeBron-caliber player who can absolutely grow to carry this team through the playoffs.

New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson is already one of the league’s most dominant offensive forces at age 20. Throw in Brandon Ingram, a load of draft assets and young players, and you’ve got yourself a great team two or three years down the line. While this squad may be a bit disappointing right now, one needs to consider the raw nature of Williamson’s development, especially on the defensive end. He can get a whole lot better. This team’s arrow is still firmly pointed up.

Phoenix Suns The Suns have finally built themselves a playoff-caliber roster in 2021, but a

Matt Chen 3-Point Play

Trade rumors, disappointments, All-Star Game

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ith the March 25 trade deadline drawing closer and closer, the rumor mill has been heating up across the NBA as teams and players alike consider trade or buyout possibilities. As we near the halfway point of the season, many teams have exceeded expectations, while others have fallen short. The NBA also recently released its plan for this year’s All-Star Game.

1. To trade or not to trade?

The trade deadline is a little over a month away, but that isn’t stopping teams from getting a head start on inquiring about potential trade targets. The Cleveland Cavaliers have decided to sit Andre Drummond as they look to trade the big man. The Detroit Pistons have done something similar with forward Blake Griffin, also sitting him as the team works on either a trade agreement or a buyout. With both players, bloated contracts and a lack of significant on-court impact could make finding a trade partner difficult.

2. Time to press the panic button?

Could the Boston Celtics’ Sunday loss to the lowly Washington Wizards be rock bottom? Who knows. One of the biggest disappointments this season has got to be the Celtics. Coming into the season projected as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and a championship contender,

tuftsdaily.com lot of that is predicated on the success of their offseason acquisition of Chris Paul. However, supporting Paul is a pair of young stars on the upswing in Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, who will prop this team up for years provided the Suns keep Booker happy and Ayton continues to develop effectively.

Los Angeles Lakers This will eventually be Anthony Davis’ team. He’s learning under the mentorship of LeBron James to be “the guy,” and barring injury, I expect him to fill that role admirably. The Lakers have built a deep, intriguing roster in 2021 with some young pieces that could stick around for years to come. I also love what Dennis Schröder and Talen Horton-Tucker have cooking.

Utah Jazz My final pick comes primarily at the hands of Donavan Mitchell’s presence as a superstar in the making. I don’t really care about the rest of this roster five years down the line, in all honesty. Mitchell will still be at near-prime level at age 29, and he can still get much, much better, a scary sentence for me to write.

Aiden Herrod is a junior studying film and media studies and entrepreneurship. Aiden can be reached at aiden.herrod@tufts.edu the Celtics currently hold a 14–13 record and sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. It doesn’t help that Kemba Walker hasn’t been able to find a rhythm since returning from injury, and no one on the team can consistently score besides Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

With the trade deadline looming and teams like the New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets right behind them, Danny Ainge, the Celtics’ general manager and president of basketball operations, needs to make a move now, or this team could be headed for a potential first-round exit a year after making the Eastern Conference Finals.

3. All-Star Day? The NBA recently released its plans for this season’s All-Star weekend in Atlanta, as well as a set of health protocols to ensure the safety of players participating in what is basically an ‘All-Star day’ this season. With a five-day break between March 5 and March 10, the NBA will hold its All-Star events on March 7. Anyone participating in an All-Star event will be required to travel to Atlanta via private transportation, register negative COVID-19 tests on March 6 and 7 and will not be allowed to leave their hotel unless traveling to the arena. All-Star events have been condensed into one night. The 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge will take place before the All-Star Game, while the Slam Dunk Contest will take place during halftime, a novel schedule that makes sense given the need to restrict travel during the break, even if it is only between the hotel and the arena. It’ll be interesting to see how this works out, especially if players are participating in more than one event.

Matt Chen is a first-year studying economics and film & media studies. Matt can be reached at matthew.chen@tufts.edu