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T h e I n d e p e n d e n t S t u d e n t N e w s p a p e r o f B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9 Volume LXXVII, Number 10
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
MULTICULTURAL HAIR PRODUCTS
Waltham, Mass.
THEFT
Religious theft at the University
■ An unknown party has
targeted a Jewish student twice, first removing their Israeli flag from their residence’s door and 11 days later, stealing their mezuzah, a notable symbol of Jewish heritage. By SOPHIA DE LISI
JUSTICE ASSOCIATE EDITOR
JONAS KAPLIN/The Justice
OFFERING: New multicultural hair products on store shelf at the Hoot Market.
On Nov. 21, a Brandeis University student found their mezuzah and name label removed from their residence’s door, their room label ripped to pieces by the men’s bathroom down the hall and their mezuzah case in the bathroom’s garbage can, according to a Dec. 2 correspondence with a friend of the student. In the same statement, they said that this instance follows the culprit stealing the same student’s Israeli flag on Nov. 10, though at the time, the student’s mezuzah and name label were left untouched. The affected student declined The Justice’s request for comment. A mezuzah is a small decorative container that holds a piece of parchment and is typically hung on doorposts.
Multicultural hair products at the Hoot Market; fight for student equity ■ After decades of products only for straight
hair, products for type four, kinky hair are now available in the Hoot Market, thanks to student efforts. By REBEKAH MARVEL
JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The most recent additions to the Hoot Market’s hair product inventory reflect equality efforts across campus by including options for students with type four hair. Inspired by the Multicultural Hair, Art, and Empowerment Club, Student Union leadership successfully pushed to get multicultural hair products to be sold in what is colloquially known as the C-store. These hair products work best for students with kinky, type four hair. In a Nov. 24 interview with The Justice, Student Union President Rani Balakrishna ’25 explained that she’s living by the words of Massachusetts State Representative Manny Cruz in response to a U.S. Representative’s transphobic comments “he has two ears and one mouth, and he needs to use them with that proportion.” This year’s Student Union administration’s “goal is big-picture equity, and we’re doing everything we can,” starting with making hair care accessible to all students on campus. The initiative started when Vice President Ria Escamilla-Gil ’27 read an article from The Justice by Justice contributing author Eleanor Jones ’27, entitled “Let's get into it: Hair care on campus.” Published on Sep. 19, 2023, the op-ed discusses the lack of hair products for type four hair on campus, pointing out that the closest inclusive beauty supply store is 30 minutes away from campus. Jones stressed the societal and cultural importance of taking care of one’s hair, as well as the expense of monthly trips across town, estimating $225 per semester just in transportation costs. Sharing similar sentiments, Mirabell Rowland ’25, President of the Multicultural Hair, Art, and Empowerment Club, said in a Nov. 29 email correspondence interview with The Justice, “In a
[Predominately White Institution] like Brandeis and in the small town of Waltham, there is a lack of products for multi-cultural hair and especially places like Beauty salons for [People of Color] communities, so it is amazing to see the products actually in the store.” The senior added, “this is just one step of many we see for our club to support our community and cultivate a sense of belonging.” As Escamilla-Gil stated in the interview, “it may seem like something small but it’s hair products, and not having that in a school for social justice was a little shocking to me, so that’s when I got the idea to start an initiative to bring those things to campus.” Escamilla-Gil was co-chair of the Student Advocacy Committee (formerly the Social Justice Committee) during the 2023-2024 school year, and introduced the initiative then. At the time, Balakrishna was director of the Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and therefore a member of the committee. The two started working on the project together, and in the spring, decided to test the waters to see if the idea was possible. With some Student Union money left in the budget, Balakrishna and Escamilla-Gil organized a “Pop-Up Shop” of Mielle hair products on April 11, 2024. The two purchased the higher-end products with the extra budget money and had students donate on a sliding scale to buy a product. Those donations went to the Black Woman’s Health and Imperative Fund, “because we knew this was a population of primarily Black students and those with type four kinky hair who we’d be trying to level the playing field for,” said Balakrishna. She adds that the event was “super popular.” They planned to be open for three hours but sold out halfway through. Bringing this momentum into the fall, they worked alongside the Multicultural Hair, Art, and Empowerment Club to determine which products would be useful in the Hoot Market to Brandeis students with this hair type. They created a form for student input about “hair products, brands, accessibility and more,” said Rowland.
See HAIR, 5☛
Meet Nadine Dyskant-Miller, an aspiring farmer at Waltham Fields Community Farm. By LUCIA THOMAS
Photo courtesy of LUCIA THOMAS
FEATURES 7
Photo courtesy of NINA SOLOGUBENKO
For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org
See THEFT, 5 ☛
BRIEF
Tuition becomes more affordable for certain community members On Nov. 20, Brandeis University’s Instagram account announced a new plan to make tuition more affordable to potential students. Titled the "Brandeis Commitment Program," this new initiative covers full tuition for families with a total income range of $75,000 or below and half tuition for families with a total income range of $75,001 to $200,000. As stated on the Office of Student Financial Services website, “The university has made a firm commitment to clarify the amount of aid students will receive — the Brandeis Commitment.” This website also clarifies that in addition to the implementation of this program, Brandeis will continue to “[meet] 100% of demonstrated financial need for families who do not qualify for the Brandeis Commitment program due to income or atypical assets.” According to the University website, Brandeis’ tuition is currently $67,082, with the total including the most basic meal plan and a double dorm room landing at $87,624. Brandeis defines total income to include “family’s adjusted gross income for the tax year applicable to each academic year (e.g., 2023 for the [2025-2026 academic year]) plus all sources of untaxed income.” The website specifies that a “family” includes both biological and adoptive parents, as well as stepparents in some cases. The Brandeis Commitment program includes a mix of grants and scholarships that include “both need and merit-based gift funds (funds that do not need to be repaid) from Brandeis, as well as federal, state and private sources.” Additionally, the Commitment program takes into account typical asset notation, meaning that if a family has significant assets above
Museums and ethics
Young farmer
The scroll of paper, traditionally created with kosher parchment and ink, contains a handwritten prayer from the book of Deuteronomy, the Shema. In the Shema, which is a central part of Jewish services, God commands people to “keep His words constantly in mind and heart” by writing them on the doorposts of their homes. Thus, it is tradition to roll a piece of parchment inside the container and place it on the right side of the doorpost at an angle. In some cases, the parchment is placed in a way that it would leave the first Hebrew character of God’s name visible. However, the Jewish Virtual Library states that it is more common for the mezuzah container to show the Hebrew character instead. This tradition spans back thousands of years to the biblical period, with the Hebrew name “mezuzah” directly translating to “doorpost” because of its use. Furthermore, the mezuzah symbolizes that Judaism “is not confined to synagogues” and symbolizes protection for the home’s inhabitants. With this religious and cultural importance in mind, the affected student’s friend explained that their primary objective is to find the lost mezuzah scroll. They were able to find the student’s container — in the trash can
“what is typical for their income level,” they may not qualify for the program but will still qualify for need based aid. Assets can include “cash, savings, investments, home equity, business net worth, other real estate and any other assets.” In order to be considered for the Brandeis Commitment Program, students need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, College Scholarship Service and submit the needed tax returns. Students will need to re-apply every year, but families will remain eligible as long as they continue to “meet the total income and asset criteria.” International students, graduate students and commuter students who live with relatives will not be eligible for this program. International students are able to apply for standard aid throughout the application process and graduate students may be eligible for aid from their respective schools. Students who commute from home do not qualify “due to the much lower cost associated with this housing option.” This program is not available for any current Brandeis students as it has been added as a part of the application process. However, the website claims that “Because Brandeis meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all current students, while not eligible for the Brandeis Commitment, current students are already benefiting from similar levels of aid.” The website explains that the purpose of this program is to “mitigate uncertainty for prospective students and their families around the cost of attendance.” — Anna Martin
Research spotlight
During the 37th annual Thanksgiving Tea, Dr. Ratzlaff explores questions of ethics and restituion in relation to museums.
Making the most of winter break
By MIKEY TERRENZI
Getting to know Brandeis Fencing
ARTS AND CULTURE 14
By SOPHIA STEWART
Make your voice heard! Submit letters to the editor to forum@thejustice.org
By ANNA MARTIN
By THE JUSTICE EDITORIAL BOARD
COPYRIGHT 2024 FREE AT BRANDEIS.
NEWS 3 FORUM 10 SPORTS 16