The Justice, April 28, 2026

Senator Markey discusses how youth can make lasting social change in Trump era

 Markey spoke to a group of students from across the Boston area about pressing political issues in a town hall hosted by the College Democrats of Massachusetts.

On Saturday, April 25, Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey spoke to students from the greater Boston area to discuss some of today’s most pressing issues. The event was held in collaboration with the College Democrats of Massachusetts, the High School Democrats of Massachusetts, the Sunrise Movement and Voters of Tomorrow.

Bailey Kelly, a current student at Tufts University and a member of the College Democrats of Massachusetts, introduced Markey to the students. Kelly cited some of Markey’s accomplishments in the Senate as well as his previous efforts to enact progressive legislative change. Kelly also mentioned Markey’s strong relationship with young people and described him as someone who “never stops fighting for students.”

After Markey was introduced, he expressed his gratitude to the event’s sponsors. He also emphasized the important role young people have in efforts to create progressive change, and addressed systemic flaws in the American government that have in turn had adverse effects on youth. Markey described young people as the “leaders of today” and said he believes “you [young people] deserve a government that is fighting for your future.” Markey also spoke to the current state of American politics and faulted President Donald Trump along with his allies for many of the struggles that youth currently face. He also pointed to issues including the ongoing war in Iran, repeals of protections for LGBTQ+ people and attacks against immigrants. Markey concluded his opening remarks and implored young people to organize by stressing the impact they can have: “Real change in this country has never come from Washington alone. It comes from movements.”

The event was structured so that moderators alternated between lighter, more conversational questions and more serious inquiries about the state of American politics. Joshua Rand, a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who works with the Sunrise Movement, first asked Markey what his favorite sneaker is. Markey stated that he likes Nike Air shoes and joked about a “clean air revolution.” This reply segued into Rand’s next question about the ongoing changes in the climate movement and how young people can work to address the problem. Markey responded by pointing out how President Trump’s ongoing war in Iran has led the price of oil to “skyrocket” and has further contributed to the current “climate

Club Status

apocalypse” the world is experiencing. To combat the climate crisis, Markey believes the government must refocus on the goals of the “Green New Deal,” which he introduced with Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. Some of the bill’s goals include a shift away from fossil fuels, the creation of new “green” jobs and modernized upgrades to infrastructure. Markey was confident that “we [the Democrats] are going to win the House and Senate” as a result of citizens’ discontent with Trump’s America. Rand followed up to ask about jobs for students who want to work in clean energy and climate justice. Markey pointed to the 750,000 new jobs that would have been created in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which has since been terminated by the Trump administration. Markey also stated that he believes young people should have seats “at the table” in every federal agency that deals with issues of climate change.

Kelly thanked Markey for his long-demonstrated commitment to including youth in the decision-making process and proceeded with further questions. She asked Markey what his favorite Dunkin’ order is, to which Markey replied that he enjoys a double chocolate donut, as well as a jelly donut. Kelly shared that in the current moment, many young people are skeptical of “the system” and find it doesn’t work for them.

As such, Kelly asked what reforms are necessary in order to “rebuild trust” in the system. According to Markey, Trump is “fundamentally assaulting the programs that have been put in place” and mentioned the appointments of Linda McMahon as the Secretary of Education and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Markey believes that both McMahon and Kennedy have caused great destruction in their roles and primarily try to “demonize black and brown kids in our country.” As such, Markey believes politicians must address “loopholes for billionaires” and urged the passage of the Equal Tax Act. He also believes that the government should seek to create incentives for students who want to devote their lives to public service through debt forgiveness. Additionally, he focused on the importance of creating programs for students with disabilities and addressing wealth disparities.

Kelly proceeded to ask how we can work together to lower everyday costs for young people, to which Markey responded we must reinstate the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid and that, “the system is rigged and we’ve got to fix it.”

The next question came from Jackson Hurley, a recent graduate of Northeastern University and volunteer at Voters of Tomorrow. Hurley referenced Markey’s experience working in an ice cream shop over the summers and inquired as to what his favorite ice cream flavor is. Markey shared that he enjoys a hot fudge sundae and mentioned that, after working in the ice cream shop for a summer, he would be able to pay his tuition in full. He cited this as another issue that has affected young people. This response transitioned into Hurley’s further questioning about financial is

A report on the Brandeis Mountain Club's newly secured status.

ALYSSA WU

COMMENCEMENT

 The resolution, introduced by River Simard ’26, calls upon the University to rescind Sandberg's honorary degree at 2026 commencement.

By NAWAL IRFANI JUSTICE EDITOR IN CHIEF

Content warning: This article contains mention of sexual harassment.

On Sunday, April 19, the Student Union passed Senate Resolution No. 4, which called on the University administration “to rescind the offer of an honorary degree to the 2026 commencement speaker, Sheryl Sandberg.” River Simard ’26, the Class of 2026 Senator, authored and introduced the resolution and received sponsorships from Luke Farberman ’27, Senator-at-Large and Davvian Pa-

gan ’29, Myra Kraft Achievers Program Senator. “I decided to write this [resolution] after speaking with several other seniors who were very upset about the decision that was made by the administration to appoint Sheryl Sandberg [as commencement speaker],” Simard shared in an April 24 interview with The Justice. “I felt it was important to take action as a representative of the student body and … see if this was something that the other senators wanted to make a statement on,” he continued. The resolution highlighted three distinct reasons for the Student Union’s call to remove Sandberg as speaker. First, “in March 2025, Sandberg was accused of sexual misconduct, which included Sandberg asking an employee to ‘join Sandberg in sharing a bed on a private jet’” and “‘instruct[ing] a different employee to purchase $13,000 worth of lingerie for Sandberg and the employee.’” Secondly, the resolution recognized that “in January 2025, Sandberg was sanctioned by a judge for ‘deleting emails related to litigation over Facebook's Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal, despite being told to preserve the messages.’” Finally, the

Fall 2026 course registration: trends, concerns and advice for students

 As fall 2026 course registration is ongoing, Brandeis faculty, staff and students share their thoughts on course offerings, trends and concerns.

By ALLIE LADJEVA JUSTICE COPY EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

On April 22, early course registration for fall 2026 officially opened, which allowed undergraduate students to build next semester’s schedule. Early registration remains open until May 10, allowing students to continue choosing which classes to take. However, many have already reported being waitlisted for their preferred classes.

To inform this article, a small-scale survey was conducted by The Justice to provide insight into how Brandeis undergraduates felt about fall 2026 course registration and offerings. As of press time, the survey received 35 responses from Brandeis

Night Only"

A sit-down interview with Springfest opening band "One Night

ELLIE HARRIS

students, of which 49% were third-years, 37% were sophomores and 14% were first-years. Among the respondents, the most popular majors were Business, Politics, Biology and Psychology, with Legal Studies and Studio Arts being the most common minors, suggesting a variety of perspectives.

74% of respondents also reported taking language courses at Brandeis, including Spanish, Hebrew, French, Chinese and Italian, with Spanish being the most popular. The answers suggest student interest in taking a variety of languages, regardless of their majors and minors.

Since the opening of early registration for fall 2026, 37% of respondents were able to register for all their desired courses, while 57% of students were waitlisted for one or more courses and 6% are still deciding which courses to take. Most of the students who reported being waitlisted for multiple courses are majoring in Biology, Business and Neuroscience, while most of the students who are waitlisted for only one course are majoring in Psychology. The results indicate that these departments have high demand and some classes might be small in size, unable to accommodate all students.

To better understand which classes are most

Civic participation is necessary

By ARIEL KNUDSEN

POLICE LOG

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

April 17—There was a medical emergency for a party experiencing an allergic reaction. The patient refused medical treatment.

April 20—There was a medical emergency for a party who fell down the stairs. The patient was transported to a local hospital.

April 20—There was a medical emergency for a party with an elevated heart rate. The patient refused medical treatment.

April 22—There was a medical emergency for a party experiencing abdominal pain. The patient was transported to a local hospital.

April 22—There was a medical emergency for a party who reported they had hurt their arm. The patient refused medical treatment.

April 23—There was a medical emergency for a party who reported they had tripped and potentially dislocated their knee. The patient was transported to a local hospital.

April 23—There was a medical emergency for a party who fainted. The patient refused medical treatment.

MOTOR VEHICLE

April 20—A party called to report a past motor vehicle accident. The situation was cleared.

NOISE COMPLAINT

April 19—There was a report of loud music and parties yelling. The Department of Community Living was notified to respond.

MISCELLANEOUS

April 17—There was a report of a suspicious person. The situation was cleared.

April 17—An officer completed a directed patrol of North Road at Loop Road. All appeared in order.

April 20—An officer completed a directed patrol of the North Quad Lot. All appeared in order.

April 20—An officer completed a directed patrol of Chapels Field. All appeared in order.

April 20—An officer completed a directed patrol of the chapels.

Student Union Marathon allocations decline as demand outpaces budget again

Student Union’s annual Marathon report revealed an overall decrease in funds for student organizations in 20262027 from the previous cycle. According to an April 22 email from the Allocations Board, “The total requested amount exceeded the available budget, making allocations limited.”

For chartered clubs, total approved funding was $851,937.68, down nearly $25,000 from $875,541.01 in 2025-26, while total requests fell from $2,108,766.13 to $1,766,062.62. Secured clubs also saw a drop in approvals, and received $795.352.82 compared with $831,498.68 the year before.

“Any requests that did not align with the club’s mission or follow the funding scope were denied, and most requests were funded at a percentage due to limited funding,” the Board wrote.

Among chartered clubs, Brandeis Hillel again received the largest approved allocation at $65,140, although that

was down from $70,420 last year. Chabad Club received $30,550, down from $38,625. Brandeis Mountain Club was approved $32,890, slightly below last year’s $34,490.

There were some organizations that gained funding. Brandeis Ballroom Dance Team increased to $11,884 from $8,150, while Brandeis Taiwanese Students Association rose to $19,724.39 from $16,066.68. Brandeis Vietnamese Students Association also increased to $19,218.13 from $16,731.51.

In their first listed appearance, Archon Yearbook received $494. The National Society of Black Women in Medicine, another newly chartered club, requested $54,742.09 but were only approved for $3,500.

As for secured clubs, WBRS, Brandeis’ radio station, requested $110,282.75 and received $24,945.99. Last year, they requested nearly $80,000 and received $28,920.92. Waltham Group, another secured club, also saw a decrease in fun-

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

All appeared in order.

April 20—An officer completed a directed patrol of the Rose Art Museum. All appeared in order.

April 20—An officer completed a directed patrol of the Linsey pool. All appeared in order.

April 21—A party reported receiving harassing text messages. There will be an investigation to follow.

April 22—An officer completed a directed patrol of the Loop Road tower and Hassenfeld. All appeared in order.

April 22—A party reported the doors at the Shapiro Admissions Center were not locking properly and there was a possible card reader issue. All appeared in order.

April 23—An officer completed a directed patrol of the chapels. All appeared in order.

April 23—An officer completed a directed patrol of Chapels Field. All appeared in order.

April 23—A party reported packages had been stolen from the mail room. There will be an investigation to follow.

— Compiled by Chava

Thiell

ding from $73,000 to $62,582.

The Student Union itself was approved a budget of $39,000, up from last year’s $27,000, making it one of the few secured clubs to receive an increase. Campus Activities Board also received a slight increase from $265,528 to $267,400. Club Sports remained the largest secured-club recipient at $290,000, although they were down from $315,000 last year.

The Allocations Board said that supplementary funding for probationary clubs and chartered clubs that did not participate in Marathon will reopen in the second week of the fall 2026 semester.

— Written by Anika Jain — Editor’s Note: The Justice News Editor Ashhwika Soni is a Student Union Senator and did not contribute to or edit this article.

 A news article was incorrectly titled “Students for Environmental Action pass resolution urging Brandeis University to reopen the Office of Sustainability.” It was corrected to “Students for Environmental Action pass Stop Private Jet Expansion resolution.” (April 21, 2).

 A news article’s kicker incorrectly wrote “The group held a die-in protest on April 19 in addition at the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium in collaboration with the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Arts.” It was corrected to omitt “in addition.” (April 21, 2).

 A news article omitted the phrase “[East Quad].” It was added to the sentence “I think it’s the University’s responsibility to step in and give some kind of clearance because the rumor [of east quad] hasn’t been addressed.” (April 21, 3).

 A news article omitted the phrase “As for the center itself, I think it’s safe to say that the center is not going anywhere.” It was added before the quote “I think it’s the University’s responsibility to step in and give some kind of clearance because the rumor [of East Quad] hasn’t been addressed.” (April 21, 3).

 A features article incorrectly stated “a April 17 interview,” “a April 19 interview” and “a April 20 interview.” It has been corrected to “an April 17 interview,” “an April 19 interview” and “an April 20 interview.” (April 21, 6).

 The Justice masthead incorrectly wrote “news editor.” It was corrected to “news editors.” (April 21, 8).

 The Justice masthead incorrectly wrote “copy editors.” It was corrected to “copy editor.” (April 21, 8).

 The Justice Staff Box incorrrectly stated that Ashhwika Soni and Chava Thiell were editorial assistants. Their names were removed and corrected on the masthead. (April 21, 9).

 A sports article cut off the end of the kicker. It should’ve read “History was made today at the Augusta National golf course as Rory McIlroy sank the winnning putt on the 18th hole.” (April 21, 10).

 A sports article incorrectly wrote “Editors’ Note.” It was corrected to “Editor’s Note.” (April 21, 12).

 A sports article’s editor’s note incorrectly spelled “secial.” It was corrected to “special.” (April 21, 12).

 An arts article incorrectly spelled “interveiw.” It was corrected to “interview.” (April 21, 14).

 An arts article incorrectly wrote Mikey Terrenzi’s byline as “Justice Staff Writer.” It should’ve read “Justice Senior Staffer.” (April 21, 14).

 An arts article included the phrase “before the opening next week” after the sentence “I wanted to share some insights from the conversation.” The phrase was removed. (April 21, 14).

 An arts article incorrectly wrote Sophia Garcia’s byline as “Justice Arts and Culture Editorial Assistant.” It should’ve read “Justice Arts and Culture Editor.” (April 21, 15).

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Send an email to editor@thejustice.org

BRIEF

PARC: creating consent culture

On April 27, the Prevention, Advocacy and Resource Center did a tabling event on sexual violence awareness in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium. The event lasted from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and focused on the F.R.I.E.S model of consent: Freely given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic and Specific.

PARC student representatives were present at the event, and informed the student body about the importance of consent through activity sheets. These included a self-assessment sheet, partnership goals and practicing consent sheet. The event also laid out giveaway items including the F.R.I.E.S model squish-toy, french fries, PARC slime, stress balls and tote bags reading “Create Consent Culture.” Santiago Salazar ’29, a PARC representative, stated that “people have neglected [consent],” and believes we need to “emphasize it for our generation.”

Ella Osen ’26 informed individuals about PARC’s upcoming Denim Day on April 28 in a campaign against victim blaming to show support for those impacted by sexual violence.

The event directed individuals to resources on campus and provided the contact information for the Brandeis Counseling Center, Health and Wellness Promotion, PARC and the Student Health Center. Along with on-campus resources, PARC handed out Recognize Violence and Change Culture cards which included survivor support resources like the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the National Sexual Assault Hotline.

Osen mentioned that this was PARC’s end of year celebration but they wanted to do something that would grab students’ attention, which is why they organized it in such a manner. Additionally, Sydney Jones ’28 stated “[the event served as] a

good way to connect with the community and for people to get to know PARC.” Additionally, Isaac Lambert ’26 mentioned that consent does not only relate to sex or relationships. “[Consent] relates to sex but also [applies to] every area of one’s life.” PARC serves as a confidential resource to students and a campus resource that supports survivors of domestic and sexual violence on campus. Their office is in Usdan G108 and is staffed by student advocates and three professional staff members, Director Kate Richey, Violence Prevention Specialist & Survivor Advocate Becca Van Spall-Hood and intern Alenna Chen.

— Written by Ashhwika Soni

— Editor’s Note: The Justice Senior Editor Julia Hardy is a member of PARC and did not contribute to or edit this article.

Brandeis launches its reaccreditation process

Brandeis’ decennial reaccreditation process with the New England Commission of Higher Education has begun and allows students to engage in an 18-month self study program. This process also allows faculty, staff, students and administrators to critically examine the University’s mission along with its impact.

The New England Commission of Higher Education, established in 1885, is recognized as an institutional accreditor by the U.S. Department of Education and serves as a trusted, independent authority on higher education quality. Beginning in June 2026, accreditation will be guided by five updated standards that emphasize clarity, cohesion and relevance. These standards include institutional mission, academic quality, student success, governance and resources. This shift reflects a broader movement in higher education towards a more integrated and outcome-focused evaluation.

The reaccreditation process encourages institutions to

demonstrate how effectively they achieve their goals. To support this effort, Brandeis is forming committees dedicated to each of the five standards. The reaccreditation process also serves as a bridge between reflection and action. The insights gained from this self-study will inform Brandeis’ strategic priorities for the next decade and will help guide decisions around academic programs.

The University accreditation page updated the changes made as a result of this collaboration with NECHE. These changes include a more streamlined framework that clearly connect Brandeis’ mission to results. Currently, there is also a stronger emphasis on student success and post-graduate achievement. The process also encourages data-driven evaluation to improve institutional effectiveness and accountability. Brandeis aims to foster a sense of shared purpose to keep the community informed at every stage of the process, which is key to this program’s success.

As the October 2027 evaluation approaches, the work

undertaken during the self-study program will culminate in a report that outlines Brandeis as it is now, including its achievements, challenges and vision for the future. Peer evaluators will use this report, along with their on-campus observations, to assess the University’s alignment with NECHE standards and provide constructive feedback. Ultimately, this reaccreditation is both a responsibility and an opportunity for the University. It reaffirms Brandeis’ commitment to academic excellence, institutional integrity and continuous improvement. As this process begins, Brandeis prepares itself to evaluate where it stands and define its future.

— Written by Ashhwika Soni

Student Union celebrates year’s accomplishments, swearing in the president and vice president for the 2026-27 year

dent Engagement Michelle Puls, who serves as Student Union advisor.

On Friday, April 24, the Brandeis Student Union held its annual State of the Union address, where members of the Student Union and the student body were able to reflect on the past year and celebrate their accomplishments. The address was held in Sherman Function Hall and began at approximately 4:30 p.m., offering catering from Veggie Crust. The event began with opening remarks from Student Union President Ria Escamilla-Gil ’27, who reflected on her time serving in the group. Escamilla-Gil shared that she was initially a bit overwhelmed upon joining the Student Union, but “quickly found role models” and grew more comfortable with her role. Escamilla-Gil noted that the role of the Student Union is to support the student body and lauded the group’s hard work throughout the year. She also extended her thanks to Vice President of Student Affairs Andrea Dine, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Shelby Harris and the Director of Stu -

Escamilla-Gil then transitioned into a look at the group’s achievements throughout the academic year. During the fall semester, the Student Union’s notable achievements included the approval of over $200,000 in student enhancement grants from the Allocations Board, as well as 12 new club recognitions from the Union Senate. In the spring 2026 semester, Escamilla-Gil noted the executive board’s approval of four new constitutional amendments, as well as the Treasury’s participation in club leader training and the Allocations Board’s review of over $1.5 million in Marathon funding requests. Escamilla-Gil also extended her thanks to Jeffrey Shoulson, Vice Provost of Undergraduate Affairs, for his support throughout the year.

The event moved into a senior farewell celebration, where each of the graduating seniors of the Student Union was presented with a certificate to recognize their service, and was spoken about briefly to commemorate their work.

Following the senior celebration, Escamilla-Gil presented various awards to members with exceptional levels of service and commitment to the Student Union. The Rising Leader of the Student Union Award was presented to Davian Pagan ’29, who was celebrated as someone who “has shown a lot of growth.” The Best New Club Award was presented to the newly approved DeisBikes program. The Student Senate Committee of the Year Award was presented to the Internal Operations Committee, headed by Emily Cristales Guevara ’28, as they were rec -

SSIS Annual Sex Olympics

ognized as a group that “continued to show excellence.” The Most Trusted Adult Award was given to Deepa Khatri, the associate director for burdget in the Department of Student Engagement, who was not in attendance but received a large round of applause. The Special Senior Award was awarded to Anna Weiss ’26 for her work on the Student Union Executive Board. Finally, the Innovator of the Year Award, which is given to someone who “has been innovative through legislative procedures,” was presented to Senatorat-Large Luke Farberman ’27.

The event then transitioned to the inauguration of the next Student Union Executive Board leaders, Daniel Shin ’27 and Monica Lopez Hernandez ’28, who will serve as President and Vice-President, respectively. After both students took the Oath of Office, they each made brief remarks about their time in the Student Union and their plans for the future. Shin began by sharing a similar sentiment as Escamilla-Gil, and noted that he felt “uncertain” when he first joined the organization. Shin expressed his thanks to his fellow members of the Senate for encouraging him to share his ideas and take initiative. He also touched on his plans for the future, and shared that “I want to acknowledge something bigger” by bringing back valued Brandeis traditions and events. He also expressed his willingness to learn from others, and promised he would “always listen to your feedback.”

Lopez Hernandez then proceeded with brief remarks and shared that she was initially hesitant when joining the Student Union because “I was the only person that

looked like me in the room.” In her previous role as Student Union Secretary, she felt she established meaningful relationships with members of the Executive Board. In her new role, she stated that she will work to support Shin and his efforts and hopes to make “some sort of change in the world, big or small.” Lopez Hernandez concluded by expressing her thanks to those who supported her and placed their trust in her.

Escamilla-Gil concluded the event with closing remarks and expressed her thanks to the various groups that had made the Student Union’s year so successful, including the Executive Board, the Allocations Board and the Treasury. She specifically noted that she “can’t think of anyone else better for the role” as Student Union Vice President than Lopez Hernandez and noted her sibling-like relationship with Shin. She finally expressed her thanks to Michelle Puls, who she described as “a tremendous help.”

After the official State of the Union address concluded, the group moved on to a game of Kahoot where they sought to identify members of the Student Union from their baby pictures. Ultimately, the group was able to reflect on the past year’s successes and celebrate their accomplishments in a relaxed setting, though they have begun to prepare for the coming year.

SANDBERG: Senate resolution urges University to rescind honorary degree

resolution states that “a 2022 Amnesty International report found that Facebook’s algorithm (under Sandberg’s leadership) was promoting hate speech and substantially contributed to the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar in 2017.”

Referencing a recent Letter to the Editor from Laura Limonic ’97, an op-ed by Nora Herndon-Lazerwith ’26 and a petition signed by students and faculty, the resolution cited demonstrated concerns about Sandberg from members of the Brandeis community.

“I wouldn't have authored the resolution if I didn't have the same exact concerns that my classmates had, and as I've presented in the language of the resolution, there is overwhelming evidence that Sandberg should not be our commencement speaker,” Simard explained. Farberman, who signed the petition, affirmed his belief in an April 24 interview with The Justice that “choosing Sheryl Sandberg was unrepresentative of the ideals of both Brandeis … [and] the class of 2026.”

Simard also discussed his intentionality with the resolution’s language. He shared that he aimed to “[characterize] Sandberg in a very truthful but specific way. And this isn’t a conversation about politics, it is a conversation about ethical concerns.” The

resolution, which represents the Student Union and the student body’s opinion, focuses on objective issues with Sandberg’s character and leadership. Commencement for this academic year will happen on May 17, which is less than three weeks away. Simard is hopeful that the administration will take the Student Union’s resolution seriously, but recognizes that the short window might cause some logistical issues. “At the very least, if they’re not willing to remove Sandberg as a commencement speaker … I’m hopeful that the University is at least willing to recognize the flaws in Sandberg.” He continued, “the last thing I would want to see beyond no action being taken is complete silence from the University.”

Farberman is more optimistic that the administration may take action to address student concerns, but he also sees the resolution as a way to show students “that the Student Union is trying to be responsive to what people on campus are saying and be representative of that.”

Before a resolution is passed in the Union Senate, it usually must first pass through the Internal Operations Committee, followed by the Chief Judicial Officer from the Executive Board, who confirms that the resolution follows the bylaws. Typically, a reso-

lution cannot be voted on in the same meeting that it’s introduced, but due to the urgency of the issue, it was passed within the same meeting. Even though the resolution was expedited, “it was dealt with properly … [and went] through the proper channels and everything. I think the outcome probably would have been the same” if the resolution had been voted on at the following meeting, Farberman said.

“I can say that when I had discussed it with other members of the Student Union or other people who had spoken to me about the concerns with Sandberg, I never encountered any level of resistance. It seemed to be an issue that those who[m] I had spoken with had universally agreed on,” Simard said. He clarified that he does believe that there are students who are indifferent or excited about her arrival, but “I do think it was notable … that the people I talked to have all been in agreement about a piece of legislation like this.” When asked whether he believed that the Student Union should be more involved in the administration’s choice of a commencement speaker, Farberman said “that without [the Student Union’s] input, it kind of takes away from the legitimacy of that representation by … a commencement speaker.”

Simard was less confident that student input would work out logistically: “Theoretically … yes, I would love to see the student body selecting their own commencement speaker. But in reality, that’s not the norm at most universities. And beyond selecting someone, you also have to ensure that the speaker is going to be willing to come here.” He added, “there’s no reason that … Bad Bunny or Obama wouldn’t be the commencement speaker every single year based on just [student vote]. With that being said, I do think that the University should be receptive to the concerns of the student body.”

Farberman believes that the Student Union “does … get its time of day,” but also that there is sometimes a disconnect between the administration and the Student Union.

Simard emphasized that “beyond everything happening with Sandberg, it is important to recognize that the class of 2026 has worked very, very hard to be here.” He added, “the last thing I would want to see is Sandberg [take] all that recognition away from the class of 2026.”

ACADEMICS: Survey provides look into how students navigate course registration

popular in different departments and the struggles students face during registration, The Justice reached out to Brandeis faculty and advisors. In an April 24 written statement to The Justice, academic advisor Tim Brown shared that there has been an increased popularity for Engineering, Health: Science, Society and Policy and machine learning-related courses. There has also been a growing interest in courses related to the new majors that will launch in fall 2026 at Brandeis — Quantitative Economics, Communication and Media Studies as well as Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

As the course registration period can be stressful, Brown offered some advice to students. “When registering for your courses, it's important to prioritize a balance for yourself, and that can look different from person to person. Maybe it's keeping in touch with courses that feel important to your current or emerging interests outside of your major/minor. Maybe it's planning a schedule that provides gaps in the day if you work best that way. Maybe it's taking a class or two with some friends so that you can support each other in the shared classroom experience,” he stated.

Roosevelt Fellows, a trained group of junior and senior peer academic advisors, are another helpful resource for students. Greg Roitbourd ’26, a Roosevelt Fellow, shared some of their observations for the fall 2026 registration period. In an April 24 interview with The Justice, they said that some departments tend to fill up more quickly than others, including Psychology, Biology and Neuroscience. Roitbourd also reported that some students have been “unable to fulfill requirements that they need,” especially when there aren’t enough course offerings.

“For example, in the Environmental Studies department, there were a lot of classes that were cut … or in the Film department, both of those are key examples of this. But sometimes there are not enough classes for students to be able to complete a major, and so they are not able to take the class they want to take,” they said.

Roitbourd shared that taking summer classes or classes at universities that partner with Brandeis has been helpful for students facing these challenges. They also gave some advice to students who are currently in the registration process.

“Of course, you don’t know what classes are gonna be offered in the next three years, even if they say they are gonna be offered for three years, but you can try to make educated guesses based off of trends in past course years, talking with your advisors, since we do know all these things and we need to talk about them often and we have a bunch of resources available for you to take use of,” Roitbourd explained.

They also recommended talking to the undergraduate departmental representatives and the undergraduate advising head, all of whom can help with course selection.

Professors from different departments also provided their observations on fall 2026 course registration and advice for students. In an April 24 interview with The Justice, Prof. Dylan Cashman (COSI), Assistant Professor of Computer Science, said that machine learning classes have become increasingly popular over the last decade. In the fall, he will teach COSI 165B: Deep Learning.

Prof. Cashman reported that the Computer Science department has been trying to incorporate Artificial Intelligence into existing courses, rather than creating an entire set of new classes designed around it. There have also been discussions about offering more AI-related courses. On a broader level, the University currently offers an online microcredential, “AI Fundamentals for STEM Professionals,” that enables STEM professionals to learn more about AI and its real-world applications.

“Machine learning changes over time. AI changes over time. And so we are looking to offer courses in the design of the types of models that are driving text-based, agentic AI. We already touched on those in some of the courses, but maybe the course itself didn’t completely focus on it. And so we are exploring having courses like that, and we are also hoping to grow that within our faculty expertise,” Prof. Cashman explained.

However, he also emphasized the importance of students learning the fundamentals and theory, and noted that technology trends change over time. “We want to make sure that we go through the process of learning, computational thinking, learning how to program, even though the tool can give you the answers,” Prof. Cashman said.

Business is another popular program among Brandeis undergraduate students. In an April 24 written statement to The Justice, Prof. Daniel Bergstresser (BUS), Chair of the Undergraduate Business Program and Associate Professor of Finance, shared that there has been strong interest in business and finance courses. He noted that BUS 47A: Business Communication has extremely high demand. Core courses, such as BUS 6A: Financial Accounting and BUS 10A: Business Fundamentals, are also very popular among students.

As courses have started to fill up, Prof. Bergstresser reassured students that the department is working hard to help everyone complete their requirements on time. “Be patient. We use waiting lists to manage the course enrollment process, and we do this to make sure that graduating seniors get the courses they need in order to graduate on time. So the system works, but it always requires some patience as we go through and open up the course waitlist and make sure students can get the courses they need to graduate and graduate on time,” he said.

The Politics department also shared insights into which classes have been in the highest demand and which topics students are interested in

learning more about. In an April 24 interview with The Justice, Prof. Jill Greenlee (POL), the Chair of the Politics Department, noted that it’s hard to identify any trends right now, as many factors contribute to which classes have the highest demand, including the teaching faculty and student interests. She mentioned that students’ interest in politics classes can shift in response to current political events.

“Sometimes what shapes students [is] … when courses connect with things that are happening in the real world, that could be really motivating, unless what’s happening in the real world is worrying or discouraging or depressing, and then, they maybe don’t want to spend all of their intellectual energy focused on those things. That’s just my own observation,” Prof. Greenlee explained.

She also noted that some students might be discouraged from signing up for classes because they think they need a certain level of background knowledge or expertise. However, Prof. Greenless explained that students “do not have to know a lot or know anything to be a part of the class,” they only need to be open minded and do the work. She also shared that Brandeis students tend to be politically active, and there are a lot of “engaged students now.”

When it comes to classes, Prof. Greenlee mentioned that American politics courses during an election year are extremely relevant as well as helpful. However, as the world is dynamic, she also emphasized that “all political classes are relevant all the time” for students to take.

In the small-scale survey, students were also able to report their favorite classes at Brandeis and classes they wished were offered in the fall. Some courses that respondents recommend taking and are offered in fall 2026 were BIOL 16A: Evolution and Biodiversity, PHIL 1A: Introduction to Philosophy, AMST/JOUR 137B: Journalism in Modern America, POL 164A: Seminar: Arabs and Israelis: Conflict and Peacemaking and AAAS/WGS 122A: Carceral Studies.

Respondents also shared about classes they wished they saw in the fall 2026 offerings. Some students expressed their desire to see more Environmental Studies and HSSP class offerings. There were also responses requesting specific classes, such as Anatomy, Sociology: Family, Kinship and Sexuality, Business Law and a legal studies class on the creation of the Massachusetts Constitution. Some students expressed concerns about the lack of class sections.

“[I wanted] a second section of Hebrew 30. Our class has 30 students when it should only have 15,” a student reported.

As registration is still ongoing, student leaders, faculty and staff work together to ensure that students register for classes they want and need. Early registration remains open until May 10, and general registration will reopen on July 17, when students will be able to add, change or drop classes from their fall 2026 course schedules.

SENATOR:

sues affecting young people in the current moment. Markey said he believes that non-profit private colleges and universities should receive more funding to alleviate expenses for students, and also emphasized the need to hold billionaires accountable. Markey also spoke about nationalizing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s platform on holding corporations accountable for poor policies.

Hurley proceeded into a discussion about the pressing issue of Artificial Intelligence and how young people engage with it. Hurley asked Markey what he sees as the biggest risks of AI and big tech in general to which the Senator highlighted that many people tend to have a love-hate relationship with the technology. Markey shared that he believes one of his biggest concerns is the complete replacement of human workers with AI. In turn, he believes the government should enact stronger legislation that protects human workers and limits AI’s environmental impact and also supports stronger AI privacy policies. He also shared there should be a greater look into what the potential impact of AI may be. Speak-

ing about his political opposition, Markey said that “the Republicans are owned by the AI industry” and thinks there should be a greater look at these corporations’ practices.

The next question came from Lauren Peloquin, a member of the High School Democrats of Massachusetts. Peloquin asked about how youth can grapple with their frustrations in light of the current moment. To this, Markey responded, “I believe anything is possible if we don’t get discouraged.” He pointed to the historical power of young people and their involvement in various social movements and assured students that, should everyone work hard during the upcoming midterm elections, we will see a return to positive social change.

The floor then opened to questions from student attendees. The first question asked how students can actively participate and fight against the actions of the Trump administration. “You just got to stand up and fight,” Markey said. He said he also felt that the actions of the Trump administration have been consequential in a way that has triggered a generational

response.

Another student asked about the ways in which Markey plans to help Massachusetts set a nationwide example in disability rights and inclusive disability policy. Markey again scorned the actions of Kennedy and his unfounded claims about individuals with autism, and discussed a bill he introduced which aims to ensure all streaming services provide closed captions as a means of “ensuring full inclusion within our society.” He also expressed concerns about the inclusion of disabled students in school settings as a result of McMahon’s position as Secretary of Education.

The next question asked about the pressing issue of gun violence and how we can work to address it.

Markey emphasized the need for bans on assault rifles and various types of weapons, and spoke about the influence of the National Rifle Association. “The NRA has a vise-like grip over the Republican party,” Markey shared, further saying that it was time to make the NRA “not relevant anymore” in the American political system.

The final question came from a student who applauded Markey’s efforts to center equity and inclusion in all of his work, and asked why he feels it is important to center social justice in his advocacy. Markey spoke about his own experience as a commuter student at Boston College where he often felt like an outsider. This experience, he said, made him empathize with those who are often deemed to be “others” in society. Markey pointed specifically to the plights of the transgender community, as well as people of color, and spoke about his dedication to the principles of justice and fairness for all.

Markey concluded by imploring those in attendance to act and fight for the future they want to see. “You’re the future,” he said, thanking those who attended. Kelly then concluded by thanking Markey for “being a beacon of hope with and for young people” along with his continued advocacy for young people “before it was popular.” Kelly concluded by asking attendees to contribute to and volunteer for the Markey campaign, as his seat will be up for reelection in the November 2026 midterms.

VERBATIM | JOHN MUIR

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.

ON THIS DAY…

Claude Grahame-White pilots the first nighttime flight in England.

FUN FACT

Mountains are typically formed through tectonic plate movements, volcanic activity or erosion.

Brandeis Mountain Club achieves secured status

BMC gains recognition as a core part of campus life.

By ALYSSA WU JUSTICE FEATURES EDITOR

This past weekend, members of the Brandeis Mountain Club (BMC) packed into vans bound for Acadia National Park in Maine. The club has spent nearly four decades bringing Brandeis students off campus and into the outdoors.

Now, for the first time in close to 10 years, BMC has received secured status at Brandeis.

BMC officially became a secured club this semester after passing both a Student Senate vote and a campus-wide vote, joining the small group of organizations the University recognizes as a core part of student life.

“When a club gets secured, that club is basically a representation by the school that that organization is a core part of student life at Brandeis,” BMC President Isaac Lambert ’26 said in an April 27 interview with The Justice. “It’s largely a recognition of that, but also it comes with certain privileges and increased responsibility.” Lambert has served on the executive board for three years and was previously the vice treasurer and treasurer. He explained that the new status will do a lot for the current e-board. “Everybody on e-board is a volunteer, just like every other club, and we spend a lot of hours each week planning and running trips,” he said. “Right now, it’s mostly about, like, recognition of that service for the community.”

That community is hard to miss on campus. Founded in 1987, BMC runs trips every weekend of the semester, including climbing, hiking, backpacking and skiing. “A big part of it is proving that you’re a very large, popular club on campus, that you’re a core part of the student experience,” he said. “For us, to be honest, that wasn’t very difficult to prove, because we run multiple trips every weekend. Each one of them is full.” Lambert said while the actual process to become secured took only about two months, the push behind it has been nearly four decades

in the making. “I think it’s something that every Mountain Club president has thought about and kind of talked about, but nobody has really just gone and done it,” he said. “The whole thing took maybe two months, but that’s built on years and years and years of work on the club’s part . . . [We] have to recognize the work of previous e-boards and previous presidents.”

then the vote was put on the Student Union ballot for the whole student body to vote on. And that vote was passed as well,” Lambert explained.

BMC gear room manager and trip leader Elizabeth Josiah ’28 said in an April 27 interview with The Justice that secured status gives BMC more impact. “There are some distinctions with being secured relating to being

tial space in the Shapiro Campus Center could help keep BMC’s trips running smoothly and free. She also added that potential space in the SCC could ease both gear storage and administrative work, and by extension keep BMC’s trips running smoothly and free. “Another thing is being eligible for space in the SCC. It might be really helpful to

and our goal is to reduce those barriers.”

The process of gaining secured status is time consuming, which is part of what makes it so significant. “It requires a lot of work and initiative from the perspective of all of the executive board members, and it also requires the student body to be involved in and excited about a club on a large scale,” Josiah

The process started with an initial meeting with the Student Club Support Committee, chaired by Luke Farberman ’27. After committee members audited a BMC executive board meeting and confirmed eligibility, Lambert and other e-board members presented to the Student Senate, which voted in favor with the required two-thirds majority. The measure then moved to the entire student body via referendum, where it also passed. “We presented in front of the Student Senate and they voted on it. They voted for us to become secured with a two thirds majority vote. And

eligible to have a P-card, space in the SCC, and also of course makes a difference towards being recognized as being a really important and integral part of Brandeis,” Josiah said. “Being secured kind of means that you have a bigger impact on the Brandeis community.”

One major change for the club will be receiving a P-card, which will allow its treasurers to manage the club’s finances more easily. “[A P-card] is going to make it easier for us to be a more accessible club for everyone because we’ll be able to manage our payments a little bit easier,” Josiah said. She also added that poten-

have a space for both administrative work and maybe also to store gear. So that’s also something that would help us out a lot in just managing and running the club. If things are smoother on our side, it’s a better student experience for everyone involved,” Josiah said. BMC helps students be able to try new things without the worry of costs or even skill level. “We’re all about accessibility and reducing barriers,” Lambert said. “Being outdoors and doing things like climbing and hiking and backpacking and skiing, those can all be very expensive, knowledge-based activities …

explained. “It also requires contributing something new to the Brandeis community that is not already provided by existing secured clubs and organizations.”

She credited the outcome to an e-board “who is super excited about making sure that Mountain Club was the best version of the organization that it could be,” along with the hundreds of students who keep showing up to fill trips.

“We literally could not have done it without all of those individuals who voted for us to become secured,” Josiah said.

“[It] was lovely to see that support as well.”

Graduating senior Lambert is most excited for the friends he’s leaving behind.

“[This was] something that I wanted for the future and all my friends that are still in the club,” he said. “What I’m excited for them to experience … is just being able to be leaders in the community and be on a secured e-board, [to] have a little bit more responsibility, work closer with administrators, to see what we can do for the Brandeis community and student life here.”

This club has had an immensely positive impact on Lambert’s time at Brandeis.

“I’ve been a member of the club for four years, but on the e-board for three,” he said. “My favorite experience might be my first trip ever … an ice climbing trip when I was a freshman. I had never been climbing before, and ice climbing is pretty intense … but the e-board members and the guides made it such a wonderful experience, even for somebody who had never done it. That trip made me fall in love with climbing … now it’s one of my favorite things, and I’m actually going to be a climbing guide after I graduate.”

For Josiah, the recent addition of spring trips to Acadia National Park has been a highlight. “I’ve loved our camping trips to Acadia National Park in Maine. We’re branching out to include a spring trip, which we just led actually this past weekend,” she said. But it’s more about the personal growth that people have on those trips that makes it worth it. “I love to see it when people face their fears on hikes,” Josiah said.

“You can really see that personal growth, and you can be a part of someone experiencing something that’s maybe a little bit challenging, a little bit scary, and seeing them accomplish that is like a really cool feeling and being able to support them through that.”

Established 1949

Nawal Irfani, Editor in Chief Skye Entwood, Managing Editor

Eliza Bier, Sophia De Lisi, Julia Hardy, Anna Martin, Senior Editors

Grace Doh, Nemma Kalra, Zoe Zachary, Deputy Editors

Lily Chafe, Ceci Xilei Chen, Joan Cogliano, Brianna Earle, Reuben Gartenbach, Anika Jain, Sara Samuel, Lucia Thomas, Bryan Wolfe, Associate Editors

Ashhwika Soni, Chava Thiell, News Editors

Alyssa Wu, Features Editor

Ariel Knudsen, Forum Editor

Luca D. Jordan, Ben Khayat, Sports Editors

Sophia Garcia, Arts & Culture Editor

Juliahna Falciglia-Mattes, Justin Gao, Photography Editors

Rivka Resnick, Copy Editor

Ellie Ji, Layout Editor

Keira Shear, Advertising Editor

Ellie Harris, Online Editor

EDITORIAL

Brandeis sports: setting the record straight

Brandeis sports. It seems to be common knowledge, or rather, public perception, that saying these two words next to each other are oxymoronic. Our University has typically been known for the quality of their academics over their sports, and the student body tends to enforce that notion. That being said, The Justice Editorial Board believes that Brandeis sports are currently undergoing a renaissance, and we want to encourage the student body to recognize the work our athletes and coaches put in to compete with other schools.

Where does the bad perception of our athletics come from? One of the issues could be that we lack key sports that bring attention to the program. Since 1960, Brandeis has cut sports such as golf, sailing, wrestling, lacrosse and football. Metrics show that football is by far the most popular collegiate sport, but in the Boston area it is second to hockey, another program that Brandeis does not have. Recent turbulence in the program has included the firing of men’s basketball head coach Brian Meehan in 2018 and women’s basketball coach Carol Simon in 2024 after being reported for racist behavior, as well as an all-new coaching staff for the tennis team being ushered in this year. However, these changes may have opened the door for a resurgence of Judges’ excellence.

Filling the vacant coaching positions, Jean Bain, Julie Prichett and Alan Dubrovsky have had exceptional results with their respective teams. Bain has led the men’s basketball team to an overall winning season every year except for the 2022-23 season and has been commended for his team production, often falling within the top 10 of offensive and defensive efficiency every year in the division. In her short time with the women’s basketball team, Prichett doubled their overall win record from the previous season. Finally, Dubrovsky took the 2-15 men’s tennis team to a 13-7 record this season.

It’s true that while our sports teams do

well overall, they struggle when performing within our conference, the University Athletic Association. This could be due to how competitive the UAA is: The men’s basketball team has a worse record than four teams in the conference, but those teams were ranked second, fourth, 14th and 24th out of all 404 Division III men’s basketball teams. The women’s team was playing against the New York University’s number one D-III team in the entire nation. Despite the competition, both our men’s tennis and women’s soccer programs are the highest ranked they’ve ever been this season at 28th and 25th respectively. Even if our teams haven’t yet been able to match the competition within our conference, it’s important that we give our athletes support for their hard work and dedication.

This year we’ve had many standout stars, notably track and field competitors Sarai Sealy ’28, who placed fourth in the nation in triple-jump, and Peterly Leroy ’28, who placed 10th in the nation in the 400 meter race. Fencer Lev BenAvram ’26 placed fifth at the National Collegiate Athletic Association championships for saber, and is also well on course to compete at the Olympics in 2028. Hugh Licklider ’27 finished first in the men’s 3000 meter at the UAA championships. Elias Rodl ’26 led the men’s basketball team in both points and rebounds, averaging just over 23 and 7. Jordan Wallace ’28 leads the softball team with almost 60 runs batted in. All of these Brandeis athletes have successfully climbed to the apex of their sport and haven’t let negative perceptions of their school’s competitive spirit stop them.

This Editorial Board understands why students may be skeptical of updates to our athletic programs such as a new softball field or adding a lacrosse team, but these changes can have a positive impact on our University if we support the process, rather than trying to tear down the new credibility our Judges are building.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Senate Resolution No.4

A Resolution calling on the administration to rescind the offer of an honorary degree to the 2026 commencement speaker, Sheryl Sandberg IN A GENERAL SESSION OF THE STUDENT UNION SENATE Presented by: River Simard, Class of 2026 Senator Introduced: 4/19/26 Passed: 4/19/26

Whereas, on February 12, 2026, Brandeis University President Arthur Levine an nounced that Sheryl Sandberg would deliver the undergraduate commence ment speech and receive an honorary degree;

Whereas, in March 2025, Sandberg was accused of sexual misconduct, which includ ed Sandberg asking an employee to “join Sandberg in sharing a bed on a private jet.” In a different instance, Sandberg is accused of having “ instructed a different employee to purchase $13,000 worth of lingerie for Sandberg and the employee”;

Whereas in January 2025, Sandberg was sanctioned by a judge for “deleting emails related to litigation over Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal, despite being told to preserve the messages”;

Whereas, a 2022 Amnesty International report found that Facebook’s algorithm (under Sandberg’s leadership) was promoting hate speech and substantially contributed to the Rohnigya Genocide in Myanmar in 2017;

Whereas, Sandberg’s selection as the 2026 undergraduate commencement speaker has led to disapproval from current students and alumni, which has been demonstrated through editorial and letter submissions in the Justice, as well as the circulation of a petition calling for the removal of Sandberg as the commencement speaker.

Be it resolved, That the Student Union —

1. Maintains , ardently, that the selection of Sandberg as a commencement speaker is a dismissal of her unethical and harmful past actions;

2. Maintains , ardently, that Brandeis University has an obligation to select a speaker who is representative of the undergraduate class of 2026;

3. Maintains , that an honorary degree would be an endorsement of all of Sandberg’s past actions, not just her accomplishments;

4. Urges , that Brandeis University Administration explore the possibility of inviting one of the other honorary degree recipients to speak in Sandberg’s place;

5. Demands , the Brandeis University administration not award Sandberg the honorary degree she is slated to receive.

Sponsors: River Simard ‘26, Senator Luke Farberman ‘27, Senator at Large Davvian Pagan ‘29, MKAP Senator

ENACTing democracy: Say no to fascism

By ARIEL KNUDSEN JUSTICE FORUM EDITOR

One of Brandeis’ star initiatives is the Abraham Feinberg Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation, or ENACT network. ENACT endeavors to motivate students towards civic engagement through connections with policymakers, opportunities for research and collaboration. VoteDeis, as a student coalition within the ENACT network, often hosts events in collaboration with ENACT, the most recent of which consisted of a brief lecture from Brandeis professor Daniel Kryder (POL) and a small workshop where attendees had the opportunity to draft and send letters to their local legislators. Student organizations like VoteDeis, as well as university-supported networks like ENACT, are a wonderful example of how individual expressions of liberty lead to measurable change — for example, ENACT’s student advocacy and research fellows’ research on period insecurity led to the implementation of free menstrual product dispensers in every campus building and residence hall. In an age when expressions of individual and cultural liberty are actively being threatened, organizations like ENACT and VoteDeis are among countless nationwide organizations that fight for the voices of students and individuals to be heard and serve as inspiration for individuals and communities alike to mobilize in the name of change.

Though brief, Prof. Kryder’s lecture on expanding voter turnout was dense with information on how understanding past voter suppression can help us overcome it in the present. He encouraged students and voters to stay educated on federal movement, but to remember the fundamental goal of our country: America was founded as a nation that, above all else, valued the agency of the individual and our power to change our government if needed. In this way, remembering to communicate with legislators and vote in state-level elections is an integral part of creating an America that truly delivers freedom for all.

Prof. Kryder also offered various methods of mobilizing voters, all of which emphasize the power of voting as a social action. Voting is an expression of your own rights, to be sure, but voting in elections, no matter how small, also serves as an implicit commitment to your community and has real-world impacts. Specifically, he enumerated three ways to get someone to vote. First, he asks students and voters to frame voting as a social action. Asking someone to vote is different

than asking them if they’re a voter — one is about action, and one is about identity. Your neighbors, your friends and your family are voters — why aren’t you? Secondly, Prof. Kryder underlined the increasingly lost value of personal connection. Though online advocacy is very important, it’s important to remember the value of creating a personal connection with someone. Asking someone to vote in person, though seemingly innocuous, is likely to be more productive because with a personal connection serves as a reminder of the social and political obligations we have to each other. Voting, as I mentioned, is not only a personal right but a responsibility that we have to advocate for the betterment of our communities and homes. The last step to the informal guide Prof. Kryder provided for us also relies on personal connection — making an active plan and demanding results is a good way to overcome the passivity many face when it comes to political action. Intimidation can be a major roadblock that impedes better voter turnout. It can be difficult to know where to begin when it comes to civic participation and political activism, regardless of how passionate you are. Helping someone overcome the many (and increasingly unnecessary) obstacles one can face in the voting process is a surefire way to inspire confidence, mutual respect and continued civic participation. We are living in an age where politics has more similarities to reality television than an arena where political actors diplomatically traverse the many issues affecting our nation. Though the modern state of politics is one of aggression, ignorance and recklessness, it didn’t always used to be this way. That being said, the journey to making politics boring again is paved by the power of the state, your community and personal connections, as well as broader changes on the federal level. Programs like ENACT, student coalitions like VoteDeis and even clubs that don’t directly pertain to politics are all crucial to building a better America. Voluntary expressions of creativity and community opportunities that foster connection, as well as the many other options that the average citizen has for selfexpression, cannot be underemphasized, especially in our current political context. Nationwide as well as community protests are similarly important, but the power of you, the reader, to enact change is real and waiting to be used. What will you do with it?

Happiness and population density

By ERIC CHERNY JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Content warning: This article discusses suicide and its causes.

On Thursday, April 30, I will display a poster about my research on the correlation between population density and suicide rates in the United States. Those of you that have been following my contributions to The Justice know that this type of project is exactly aligned with my pieces on loneliness. The question as to whether or not these two factors are somehow related has been researched since the 1940s on multiple scales, from smaller areas within the United States to the whole country. The United States isn’t the only country where this phenomenon was researched, and despite all these studies, the suicide rate in the United States is still rising.

I wasn’t able to find studies that used the most recent data or any that showed how the relationship between these factors changed over time. So, I decided to test exactly that.

I pulled data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on suicide rates and from the census on the population density of states. Both datasets are publicly available and can be found online. The CDC had available data on every year from 2014 to 2023, while the census had data on every decade from 1900 on. So, I investigated the correlations within the CDC’s range. I compared the density of 2010 and the rates of 2014 to the density of 2020 and the rates of 2023. I found population density to be negatively correlated with suicide rates in both scales, meaning there’s a higher risk of suicide in low-density states. Though states with larger populations have more cases of suicide, this rate is offset by the population size. Such a finding doesn’t occur in a vacuum but is rather the summary of months of research on this issue.

There are several complex factors that may explain why low population density incurs risk. According to a 2021 article published by the National Library of Medicine, there is more firearm ownership in low-density states than in high-density states. Additionally, rural areas have fewer opportunities for socializing and less access to Medicare. Such factors make it difficult for individuals to seek help from others when there are fewer people around and also makes it less likely that a bystander can help stop or call for help should they encounter someone in danger.

According to a 2021 study published in the International Journal of Mental Health, there are fewer job opportunities offered in low-density areas. Although I’ve often heard it’s not good to tie your sense of self-worth to

your job, or generally anything material, it is easier said than done. It would be inhumane to deny the natural pride someone feels from witnessing their actions having an effect on the world, even more so when those actions are rewarded with a paycheck. A rewarding job adds immense value and joy to one’s life personally.

Another important factor of suicide rates is gender. The vast majority of suicides are committed by men who are less likely to seek help. According to the Pew Research Center, men are also more likely to own firearms and on average have fewer friendships than women. Given these statistics, all the risk factors that I previously mentioned are particularly prevalent in men. Men and boys’ typically perform worse in school compared to women, which harms their chances of sociability and employment — and these rates have gotten worse over time according to the CDC. The origins of these differences are up to debate — whether they are social or biological doesn’t take away from the fact that they exist, and care providers need to work to heal people now. That is why many researchers suggest that suicide prevention efforts take on a more gendered lens when interacting with patients. In fact, several studies have found that men and women generally heal better when using different types of therapy. It was found that women benefit more from emotionally supportive and group therapy techniques, while men benefit more from interpretive, action-based and problem-solving therapy techniques. Finally, the more recent scale on the correlation between suicide and population density had a stronger negative correlation than the past scale. For those that took statistics, the older scale had a correlation of r = -0.69 and the more recent scale had a correlation of r = -0.74. For those that did not take statistics, the r variable measures the strength of a correlation, with -1 or 1 indicating strongest possible correlation. The closer r is to either 1 or -1, the stronger it is. The rise in the r variable when comparing population density and suicide indicates that low population density is even more likely to be correlated with a higher suicide rate than it has in previous decades. This could mean that over the past few years the factors that were contributing to the rising suicide rate in the United States seem to be getting more severe. It may be time for suicide prevention research to radically shift its focus, if such research is capable of solving the problem in the first place.

Sports just

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BASKETBALL BEDLAM

ORDER ON THE COURT

Justice Sports Editor Ben Khayat '28 recaps Brandeis men's tennis' best UAA tournament finish of the 2020's.

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Nobody wants to go to the NBA anymore

■ How much would you need to be paid to risk losing out on your dreams?

By BEN KHAYAT JUSTICE SPORTS EDITOR

As a fan of the Memphis Grizzlies, a not-so-storied franchise that has never gotten the first overall selection in the NBA Draft, I can attest to how brutal it is to watch franchise-altering top picks put another team’s hat on draft night. It’s an experience unique to the fans and the franchise as a whole. It’s not like later selections can’t do anything, though I watched Jaylen Wells go from the 39th selection to an All-Rookie team, and now a piece of wood with his face engraved into it is on the wall of The Justice’s office. In the same year, we nabbed UConn guard Cam Spencer with the 53rd pick. After a year of terrorizing the G-League, he earned a standard contract and balled out. He led the league in free-throw percentage, shot a phenomenal 45% from three and showed great improvement with his passing. These two made me recognize the gamble it is for players to stay in the draft. By remaining in the draft, you forgo the rest of your college eligibility and spots on a team are no longer guaranteed. Wells and Spencer got picked up by a franchise that is far more willing to give their second-round selections an opportunity, but not all are nearly as fortunate. With the introduction of players being able to profit off of their name, image and likeness (NIL), the only way you can get these players to declare for the draft is by literally forcing them to, and the Naional Collegiate Athletic Association doesn’t seem too keen on letting their talent go to the next level. Take former USC Trojans forward Chad Baker-Mazara, for example. He is someone who gets more flak than most for sticking around in college for too long. Baker-Mazara graduated high school in 2020 and only lost his college eligibility with the conclusion of the 2026 season.

If you knew you would be able to make millions of dollars playing college basketball, why would you ever leave?

It would be an incredibly unwise financial decision to do so, even as a projected secondround talent.

The basketball world recognized this after Duke center Patrick Ngongba II chose to remain at Duke instead of having a solid shot at the NBA.

The sophomore played some incredible basketball this past season, putting up over 10 points and five rebounds per game for the 35-4 Blue Devils. He’s the kind of player scouts love; players with his stature rarely play with as much finesse and awareness. More than that, he is an incredibly easy fit on any NBA team.

The style of play nowadays rewards having centers that can out-muscle the opponents, opening up space for smaller players to get close to the basket. Despite being projected as a mid-first-round selection, Ngongba decided to return to Duke for his junior season. He would have made a pretty penny as, say, the 15th pick, but the money he could get by sticking around in Durham would be guaranteed and allow him to make even more money next year.

Players selected in the NBA draft are signed to three-year contracts that become cheaper the later they are picked. These contracts, as most NBA contracts do, progressively get more lucrative in their later years. This past season, first overall pick Cooper Flagg earned $11,521,600, but is set to earn over $1 million more by the third year of his contract. For comparison, the highest NIL payout for any men’s college basketball player was when BYU earned a commitment from high school phenom AJ Dybantsa with a deal worth $7 million. Most players earn a lot less, but still in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for the best high school recruits. For comparison, the latest pick in the draft guaranteed to make more than $7 million in one season is the sixth pick.

Transfers are another story.

Players who plan to return to college basketball after

their freshman seasons are allowed to enter the transfer portal, where they can be recruited to join other teams. The Louisville Cardinals have been unexpectedly dominant in the newly opened transfer portal. They nabbed center Flory Bidunga, former Kansas Jayhawk and the number-one player in the portal, as well as a tenured point guard in Jackson Shelstad, formerly of the Oregon Ducks. Although we don’t know any exact amounts, Louisville presumably had to pay a lot for Bidunga and Shelstad. By increasing their spending on these two, Louisville could get away with paying other portal targets less by giving them the chance to play alongside a pair of bigname commits. They were able to pad their backcourt by adding Alvaro Folguieras of Iowa and Gabe Dynes of USC, plus another versatile guard in Dayton’s De’Shayne Montgomery.

Prior to NIL, transferring from one school to another required the player to sit out for an entire season as a penalty for transferring. With the new rules, players have joined teams in the middle of the season and have been allowed to play before the ink dries on their new contract. Canadian center Charles Bediako stirred up controversy this season by leaving the NBA G-League to rejoin his college team, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Bediako made this deal during the season, but was still allowed to appear in five games.

With the new rules the NCAA has put in place governing player rights, why would players ever want to leave college before their eligibility expires? Plenty of seniors are still selected in the NBA draft, you can transfer around all you want with little-to-no penalty and you get paid way more than you would as an NBA rookie. Hell, even if you do declare for the draft and the big leagues don’t call your name, it seems like you can just come back to the program that you left and get handed a wad of cash for giving up on your dream. Why, then, is anyone with remaining eligibility entering the draft?

One projected mid-first round pick that has bucked this trend is Washington Huskies big man Hannes Steinbach. The German carved out the best freshman rebounding season in recent memory in 202526, leading the nation in total rebounds and blocking 1.2 shots a night to boot. Despite being expected to be picked after Ngongba II in the draft and demanding NIL deals in the millions in the transfer portal, he declared for the NBA draft on April 16. In my eyes, Steinbach’s choice is an incredible show of confidence. The term “bet on yourself” gets thrown around a lot, but it doesn’t get much more direct than this. In order to make back the money Steinbach is giving up in NIL contracts for his career, he will need to earn a second NBA contract once his rookie-scale one expires. With how unusually great his rebounding talent and athleticism are, I have no doubt that he can achieve that.

As much as I love that players are able to earn the money they deserve while playing in college, it breaks my heart a little that I don’t get to see some of my favorite prospects in the league sooner. In a year of incredible production from the freshman class, Santa Clara Broncos forward Allen Graves stood out to me as a player with a bright NBA future. He has better defensive instincts than a lot of pros and the wingspan to turn those reads into blocks and steals. Still, this wasn’t enough to get him out of the portal, although he has yet to commit to a new school.

On the other hand, some players who played out all of their eligibility have deservedly jumped up in the rankings. Joshua Jefferson, a forward most recently for the Iowa State Cyclones, is one of these players. He plays a lot like a bigger, less bloodthirsty Draymond Green: great defense and abnormally good passing for a player of his size, but not a very good shooter. I love the “tweener big” archetype that Jefferson falls into, but they don’t often see much success in the NBA, where players are getting more and more freakishly tall and athletic. Having

a player who is too short to hold his own against a center and too slow to keep up with fast power forwards isn’t very enticing for NBA teams. However, I still think Jefferson has the skills to make up for his physical limitations. He processes the game very quickly and accurately, something that allows him to be in a better position than most players are by the time they recognize the play.

Finally, I want to talk about Baylor Bears wing Cameron Carr. While he hasn’t made his decision on where he’ll be spending his next season, he has not gotten the type of publicity he deserves as a prospect. If you watch him play, the most striking aspect of his game is how it doesn’t look like he should be anywhere near as coordinated as he is. He has a ridiculous 7 foot 2 inch wingspan despite being nine inches shorter than that, standing at 6 foot 5 inches. While this does make him look kind of ridiculous on the court, I think it enables him to be very unpredictable. He’s a great athlete, too, so he’ll take off for dunks several steps before the defenders would ever expect him to.

Waltham, Mass.

His combination of lankiness and speed is a nightmare for players trying to match his rhythm, since no player I have ever seen marches to the same beat as Carr. Maybe he hasn’t declared because he’s waiting to do it when everyone least expects it.

Whatever Carr chooses to do, I know that he’ll walk across that stage on draft night someday. Maybe he’ll put on a Memphis Grizzlies hat. Ultimately, I think the timing of when college players enter the draft won’t hurt them anymore. If anything, allowing players to get their bearings at higher levels of basketball might make the product in the NBA even cleaner. It’s hard to expect 19-year-olds to have their heads screwed on right, and if waiting for another year or two enables them to improve and make money in the meantime, I think players will be better off. These changes are so recent that what we’re seeing this year are likely just growing pains that will mellow out once a precedent gets set. In the meantime, I’ll be manifesting that the Grizzlies get the first overall selection in the draft this year.

Brandeis Gymnastics Triumphs at NAIGC National Meet

■ The Judges pulled through at the non-profit's meet in Birmingham, Alabama, and bid farewell to the seniors who helped bring Brandeis' program to excellence.

By ELLIE HARRIS JUSTICE ONLINE EDITOR

The Brandeis Gymnastics Club recently traveled to Birmingham, Ala. for the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs Nationals meet. This year, the Brandeis Gymnastics Club sent six athletes to compete. The NAIGC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create opportunities for

adult gymnasts. While groups from universities make up most of the participants, nonaffiliated clubs may compete as well. The six gymnasts from Brandeis competed in the Nationals meet from April 8 to 11 in the individual Women’s Artistic Gymnastics and Men’s Artistic Gymnastics categories. Within the women’s category, Ella Majeski ’26, Vicky Sagan ’27, Sanya Pandit ’28, Summer Holmes ’28 and Ivana Marinkovic ’29 competed in the silver and platinum categories and Elliot Richter ’27 competed in the advanced group of the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics section, the highest level category within the men’s competition. The national meet of the NAIGC is the organization’s biggest competition every season, and the Brandeis Gym-

nastics Club’s biggest competition as well. This year, there were 12 athletes on the club’s competition team, which is about double the number of competitive athletes the club had last year. The location of the meet switches annually and the majority of the club’s budget and fundraising money goes towards traveling for the meet. Although only half of the competition team was able to attend due to budget restraints and Brandeis’ break schedule, the six athletes each showed stunning performances and exceeded expectations. Majeski explained that the Nationals meet normally has thousands of athletes from many different colleges all over the country and had limited opportunities to place in a competition. Within the women’s compe-

tition, the NAIGC combined the two types of skill categorizing used in women’s gymnastics: the levels system, which goes from 1 to 10, is used primarily for gymnasts training to compete on behalf of a college or professionally. A Level 1 gymnast is able to do skills such as a handstand and a forward roll well, while a Level 10 gymnast would be eligible for national competitions and college athletics. The other system of categorization is Xcel. Xcel is a more creative and slightly less intense program for gymnastics. Instead of levels 1-10, gymnasts are placed in a bronze, silver, gold, platinum or diamond group, with bronze being the lowest and diamond being the highest. At the NAIGC’s National competition, gymnasts can compete in a silver, platinum, diamond

or Level 9 category. Within the women’s competition, Sagan competed in the silver level, Majeski competed in the platinum level and Holmes, Marinkovic and Pandit competed in the diamond level.

The organization hosting this event, the NAIGC, is a nonprofit meant to help college students and adults with a love of gymnastics continue to perform in a competitive environment. The NAIGC was one of the first organizations within competitive gymnastics to allow transgender athletes to compete with their preferred gender. They also allow men and women to compete in events traditionally restricted to one gender. If a female athlete would like to, she may compete on parallel bars and a male athlete can compete on the balance

beam. Athletes can also compete in a “decathlon” where, regardless of gender, the gymnast is expected to compete in disciplines across artistic gymnastics. The inclusivity of the NAIGC is another reason why Majeski, who has competed at this meet for the past four years, loves the organization. She believes that the values of the NAIGC align with Brandeis’ values of inclusivity and social justice, and the NAIGC “blurs the lines between gender binaries in gymnastics.”

Although this past meet was Majeski’s last with Brandeis, the gymnastics club has greatly expanded in club membership and competitive prowess. Brandeis gymnastics has only improved so far, and that pattern is not looking to change any time soon.

BRANDEIS SAILING

On April 24, the Brandeis Sailing Club hosted their second-to-last practice of the academic year. The practices are open to students of any experience level --- this practice featured three new attendees who had never sailed before. The practice took place at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's sailing pavilion. It began with a lesson from the coach on the basics of sailing before the boats were launched onto the Charles River. Each new sailor was paired up with an experienced sailor and a member of the sailing club's executive board. The practice itself consisted of running a few drills in order to teach the fundamentals of the sport.

INTO THE HORIZONS

JUDGES BY THE NUMBERS

TRACK AND FIELD

#20 Judges men’s tennis stun at UAA Championships

■ Wins over the #10 WashU Bears and the #25 NYU Violets propelled the Judges to their best ranking in program history.

By BEN KHAYAT JUSTICE SPORTS EDITOR

Brandeis men’s tennis took a trip down to Altamonte Springs, Florida, to take part in the 2026 UAA tournament last weekend. Going into the tournament, the Judges were already ranked higher than they had ever been. However, several other University Athletic Association teams were also nationally ranked, standing between the Judges and ending their season on the best note possible. A get-right win over the NYU Violets brought some fire to the team heading into the tournament, where they would face the #6 Case Western Reserve Spartans in the quarterfinals.

The Spartans won back-to-back

doubles matches to open the round and clinch the series win, but third doubles Pierce Garbett ’27 and David Wang ’28 bit back with a win to bring the Judges’ record to 1-2. In singles, Garbett was able to outduel his opponent, bringing Brandeis to their lone win in fourth singles.

The Judges fell to the Spartans in the remaining matches, setting them up for a rematch against the #25 NYU Violets in the next round, just five days removed from the last bout between the rivals.

In first doubles, Aidan WangFan ’28 and Oliver Lorenz ’29 won 6-4, but the Spartans were able to equalize in the next match. In third doubles, the Violets broke the tie with a narrow win over Wang and Garbett. The Judges could still win with a dominant showing in singles, which they provided. Garbett won as second singles, coming back from down 4-6 by taking the following sets 6-0 and 6-3. Lorenz provided the knockout blow in fourth singles that allowed him to finish 2-0 that day and set the Judges up for the fifth-place match against the #10

WashU Bears.

The Judges started slow with a loss in first doubles, but Daniel Shemesh ’28 and Huasen Dong ’27 were able to equalize with a 6-4 win. Garbett and Wang were able to bring the series home with a 6-3 win in third doubles, putting the Judges at the advantage heading into singles. As first singles, Shemesh contributed a pair of wins, but the Bears responded with three consecutive wins to put the Judges in a deficit. The Judges were in good hands for second singles, as Pierce Garbett was able to conjure up another rally to keep Brandeis in the running with a 7-2 tiebreaker win. Wang-Fan shut the door on the Bears with a win in sixth singles.

The Judges finish their season ranked #20 nationally and with a trademark win over WashU, a team they hadn’t beaten since 2020. Their fifth-place finish was also their best result at the UAA championships since 2023. We congratulate the men’s tennis team on their accomplishments and are looking forward to next season.

after the bounce. Fielding in cricket is also more difficult just based on the simple fact that catchers don’t have gloves, and the ball is a lot harder, making it much more difficult to grab a falling ball. Running is also seemingly easier in cricket, since it’s based on running back and forth rather than getting to bases, which is also why cricket games score much higher on average than baseball. Catching in cricket is much more complex, since there isn’t a designated place to stand, and catchers have to run forward to grab short hits. Overall, it’s hard to say which is more difficult to play. Both require an incredible amount of skill and stamina as well as quick instincts over a long period of time, but I’m going to give baseball the edge in strategic fortitude.

Zara Larsson just arts & culture

“One night Only’s” Only night

By ELLIE HARRIS JUSTICE ONLINE EDITOR

On Sunday, April 26, the band “One Night Only” performed their set at Brandeis’ Springfest. The band, made up entirely of Brandeis students, was one of three student openers for Notebook P and Zara Larsson. They performed four covers across their 15-minute set.

Leading the band are Emily Confino-Miller ’26 and Isi Bustos ’28. ConfinoMiller and Bustos are lead singers for One Night Only and formed the band after auditioning with vocals for their spots as a Springfest student opener. Ben Selip ’28, Kian Wijnaendts ’28 and Dan Zeidan ’26 play bass, guitar and the drums, respectively. The latter three were scouted by Confino-Miller and Bustos through shared connections through classes and the Undergraduate Theatre Collective. One Night Only began rehearsals in February and has practiced together at least twice a week for about five hours since.

One Night Only’s only night did not come without its challenges. The majority of these student musicians, who make up the band, had not previously worked with each other. Confino-Miller and Bustos remembered being nervous in the early stages of rehearsals over the band’s chemistry. One Night Only was able to find their sound as a band about two weeks into rehearsals and has since bonded as musicians and friends. The day before Springfest, at their final rehearsal, all five members of One Night Only agreed they were ready and excited to perform. However, this year’s Springfest changed some of the details for student openers. Traditionally, student performers are given backstage passes during Springfest. As of Saturday, April 25, One Night Only had not yet received their passes and lamented on CAB’s unwillingness to give them out. A perk of having these backstage passes is being able to meet the opening and headlining artists; however, all student openers need backstage passes to ensure their equipment is in the right spot before their set. This year, the student performers at Springfest were unable to ensure all their necessary equipment would be available to them and were forced to enter Notebook P and Zara Larsson’s performances through general admission, with the same bracelet given to every Brandeis student. This, again, breaks the tradition of how student performers are treated. The bassist, Ben Selip ’28, described a private, roped-off area in past Springfest celebrations that was exclusively for student performers to enjoy the rest of the show after their sets.

The members of One Night Only alluded that the issues they have faced trying to perform at Springfest are related to the decline of the music department at Brandeis as a whole. All five members of the band are extraordinarily talented and have an extensive background in music, but only Confino-Miller, the

auditioning vocalist and arranger for the band, is studying music at Brandeis. For the other four members of the band, music is a passion project, yet most came to Brandeis thinking of studying music. Unfortunately, the music department has faced a number of cuts. Last year, the Lydian String Quartet was defunded and multiple members of the music department were let go. The decline was described as steep and fast by band members and not reflective of how Brandeis advertises its music program to potential students. Dan Zeidan ’26, the drummer of One Night Only, stated that former Brandeis president Ron Liebowitz especially damaged the music department, and current Brandeis president Arthur Levine has been prioritizing the sciences over arts programs. One Night Only also described the difficulties of maintaining a passion for music as a Brandeis student who does not want to or is unable to join the music department. Office practice rooms in Slosberg Music Center are difficult for students who are not majoring in music to use. The band was only able to access their practice room in Slosberg because Confino-Miller is majoring in music. The rest of the band takes any non-academic method of expressing their passion for music they can find. Confino-Miller and Bustos are both members of Brandeis Starving Artists, and and Zeidan is a former member of the a capella group Rather Be Giraffes. Wijnaendts and Selip, mentioned groups such as Jam Club as great opportunities for Brandeis student musicians who are not studying music. All five members of One Night Only agreed that the Brandeis music department suffers from a lack of advertising to the Brandeis student body. Brandeis students tend not to understand what it means to major or minor in music, and, besides a capella, opportunities to pursue music as a hobby are very difficult to discover. Combined with the shrinking music department in both funds and faculty, bands like One Night Only have become extremely unique at Brandeis University.

One Night Only performed after a band, led by Hazel Drew ’28, and were followed by Marakosa, with Jaga, the stage name of DJ Ben Jolluck ’26, performing between each act. One Night Only’s one night at Springfest was triumphant. Their set was lively and exceedingly fun to watch. The audience sang along to covers of “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse and “Ain’t it Fun” by Paramore. Although they may stay true to their name and only perform for one night, we may see their musical prowess soon through band members’ various a capella groups, music clubs and bands they might form after graduating.

the Winter’s tale: shOW reveiW

By HANNAH FELDMAN JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“The Winter’s Tale,” directed by Naomi Stephenson ’26, was a wonderful mix of drama and comedy with the first half of the show taking place in the early 1950s, and the second half set in the ’ 60s. Stephenson did an incredible job of showing the differences in time and featured costume design by Elizabeth Retakh ’28 and set design by Dalya Lessem Elnecave ’28 and Tessa Srebnik ’29. The costume design also helped clarify the character changes, as most of the actors played multiple roles.

The show opens with Bexie Lubitz ’29 and Elijah Operhall ’28 as Arcidamus and Camillo, respectively, speaking on the radio. They brought a wonderful energy to the first scene, setting the stage for the rest of the show. A particularly notable directing choice was when the following scene transition contained music that appeared to come from the radio playing in the next scene, where Leontes, played by Laurel Kane ’26, is silently singing along, and Polixenes, played by Zyley Bender ’27, turns the radio off at the start of the scene. Kane and Bender exhibit a strong dynamic, feeding off each other’s energy throughout the show. When Hannah Shapiro ’28 joins the scene as Hermione, the energy only grows. Shapiro played an incredible Hermione, exhibiting incredible displays of emotion.

I can’t mention showcasing emotions without pointing out Kane’s incredible acting. Her dynamics were incredible, playing with volume, facial expressions and body language. During an intense monologue her character was yelling and falling over on herself, demonstrating the true anger that Leontes felt while believing that his wife was having an affair. Kane continued her passionate portrayal of Leontes throughout the rest of the production, truly convincing the audience of Leontes’ emotions and reactions, immersing viewers into the plot of the play. Her stage presence made her impossible to miss, even when she was in the background of a scene.

Bender also displayed a variety of incredible dynamics. Bender played Polixenes and Antigonus in such different ways, clearly showing which character she was playing, although the costume differences most definitely assisted with that. Her most comedic moment, the famous “exit pursued by a bear,” was done incredibly well, with clear facial expressions and body language, despite not having a bear on stage. Any audience member could tell what was occurring, especially those of us familiar with this stage direction. Overall, Bender did an exceptional job with both of her roles, and every time she was on stage, she showcased her chemistry with the other actors. Her chemistry with Operhall throughout their different roles and dynamics was also a treat to watch. Operhall’s use of an English accent brought comedy to his role as Cleomenes, and I especially enjoyed his entrance as said character.

Shapiro was another incredible actress in this production. She played a passionate Hermione that paired extremely well with Kane’s Leontes. Her insistence that she did not have an affair and her energy on the stage, truly let the audience see Hermione’s thoughts and motivations. Her portrayal of the Old Shepherd was very well done, and her dynamic with Avi Rosen ’26 as Young Shepherd was such a joy to watch. It was truly wonderful to see her portrayal of these two characters.

Rosen played a jailer and a steward in the first act, and played them very seriously — an incredibly sharp contrast to his beatnik portrayal of the Young Shepherd, first seen entering the audience from the side aisle, smoking a joint.

His humor shone throughout his acting, and it was a truly enjoyable portrayal to watch. His dynamic with Dorcas, played by Maya Gonta 28, and Mopsa, played by Ellen Richards ’27, during the second act was hilarious to watch.

Gonta played the roles of Paulina, Dorcas and Time and intently separated each role through physicality and tone. Her fiery Paulina was such a joy to watch, and I personally was drawn to her every time she was on the stage. Her interactions with Leontes were full of passion and intensity as she grew angry at his irrationality and did her best to defend Hermione. Her Dorcas, especially her dynamics with Young Shepherd and Mopsa, were comical, especially when Autolycus, played by Isabel Schumacher ’27, told a story of two women fighting for one man when attempting to sell records to the Young Shepherd, Dorcas and Mopsa. Gonta is a passionate and dynamic actress.

Gabi Steagall ’29 played an absolutely incredible Mamillius and Perdita. She played Mamillius as an innocent and joyful young boy, excited to interact with those around him, hear stories and play with his toys. She had the audience laughing from her first entrance and truly brought joy into the first act. Mamillius’ crying out for his mother was truly heartbreaking and was done very well. In the second half, she played Perdita, Hermione’s other child. Although her parental figure in the second act was also played by Shapiro, Steagall incorporated a different energy. I must also mention how absolutely incredible her costume was. Her dynamic with Lubitz, who played Florizel in the second half, was sweet and brought so much energy into the second half of the show. Her interactions with her fellow actors throughout the show were wonderful to watch, especially as she moved through her various roles.

The most energetic part of the second half, I must say, was the incorporation of the Hairy Men, played by John Henry Holcomb ’27, Lior Baker ’28, Phoenix Yuan ’26 and Yotam Ginsburg-Levin ’29. The choreography, designed by Stephenson, was hysterical and brought the audience to infectious laughter. Yuan’s lipsyncing and Holcomb, Baker, Yuan and Ginsburg-Levin’s interactions with the audience lead to a memorable moment that left the audience discussing excitedly after the show.

I’d also like to highlight the roles that Richards and Schumacher took on as both actors and assistant directors. They were both captivating to watch on stage, having chemistry with every single actor they interacted with and having such a wonderful stage presence. Richards’ facial expressions as Emilia in the first act were one of my favorite things to watch, and Schumacher’s role as Autolycus had me laughing in my seat.

Finally, the technical aspects of the production may have been minimal in some ways, but they perfectly complemented the directing and acting within the production. The costumes, again, were wonderfully done, helping show the energy of each character. The minimalist set was stunning, and the reveal in the second act not only helped the audience understand the setting but was also beautiful. The lighting, designed by Lessem Elnecave and operated by Ian Chen ’27, and the sound, planned and operated by Eva “Ev” Levine ’28, were nicely integrated and did not take away from the performance. The props, done by Schumacher and Ceil Shandell ’26, who was also the stage manager for the show, enhanced every scene. Overall, the production was wonderfully directed, stage-managed, technically done and acted, and I truly had a wonderful time seeing this show.

SHEBAD: COUNTER REVIEW

On Friday, April 24, Brandeis’ WBRS hosted SHEBAD for their annual spring concert. The Guelph, Ontario-based band played a setlist of 16 songs, a combination of their most recent album, “Music is the Answer,” their Extended Play “Inner Openings,” single “Inner Rise” and their upcoming album set to come out next spring. The band describes itself as an “indie soul, jazz, fusion, funk band” and is led by singer Claire Voy and instrumentalist Ciccio Spagnolo. The band also features Emil White on keys, sax, bass and vocals; Bella Tian on keys and vocals and Emmitt Leacock on drums.

The first half of their setlist was jazzy and soulful before they transitioned into a more electronic, experimental vibe that their second album is going to encompass. On their Spotify page, the band cites influence and inspiration from artists like Stevie Wonder, Hiatus Kaiyote, Joni Mitchell, Amy Winehouse, Daft Punk and Erykah Badu. They describe “Music is the Answer” as “explor[ing] music’s power as a life-affirming guide, [with] … 10 new tracks that reflect their dedication to their art.” Their first three songs of the night, “Learning to Un,” “Time Takes Time” and “Vernal Pool,” started the set off with calm, beautiful melodies that had students swaying along gently. Voy then introduced the song, “Terra,” as one of the first ones that she wrote alongside Spagnolo. The song is about losing your sense of home and finding it within yourself, which Voy said helps the band feel at home on the road. A similar theme is found in the song “Brother,” which is about chosen family. The musicians’ talent and prowess were evident in the sheer number of different instruments that each member played across the setlist. Apart from drums, bass, guitar and keys, the band also featured a synth, saxophone, maraca, bongos and a flute. Time signature changes in many of their songs made them each feel fresh and exciting, and the audience was full of energy to match the band onstage.

In a post-show interview with lead singer Voy and keyboardist Tian, I learned a little more about the band’s history. Voy and Spagnolo started writing music together in 2019 after taking a music class together at the University of Guelph. Spagnolo, who played biweekly jazz shows at their campus cafe, the “Bullring,” followed Voy on Instagram, realized she was a singer and asked her to jam with him. A few months later, they wrote their first song together. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Voy and Spagnolo spent a lot of time writing and recording their music together. “As soon as we were able to play live, we gathered as many people as we possibly could,” Voy said. She continued, “We just want[ed] to play music with everyone.” The band originally had 10 members, but has slowly gotten smaller over

PASSIONATE PERFORMANCE

By NAWAL IRFANI JUSTICE EDITOR IN CHIEF

the years. “We had members get big boy jobs and have to leave,” Voy shared. Despite the many changes the band has undergone, they are hopeful that their group will remain as is for the foreseeable future. All of the members have day jobs and make time for SHEBAD, but eventually want to play music full-time.

This summer, SHEBAD will be playing at jazz festivals across Canada and then traveling down the East Coast from Saranac Lake, New York, all the way to Chattanooga, Tennessee, before looping back up towards Ontario. “It’s an amazing thing to be able to just meet people that you would never meet otherwise. … Music brings everything together,” said Voy. She also told me how excited she was for their next album, which she described as “dance-forward acid jazz.” When asked about the role that SHEBAD has played in her life, Voy said, “It’s really what made me choose music for my life. Like I just knew, within the first few years of playing in the band … [that] this is what I want to do forever. It just means so much to me.” She continued, “Music is so healing. It’s the most powerful tool for change and unification, and so it’s my mode of connecting with people in life. … It’s just the way.”

Tian, SHEBAD’s newest band member, shared a similar love for the band and their impact on her life, saying, “Ever since I joined, I feel like there’s been a huge boom in my life of creativity and love and new friendships … I feel like this project gave me a lot of direction in my career.” She continued, “I just didn’t really know where I was going until I got this opportunity and I joined this band … and it’s like I can see it and it’s amazing.” SHEBAD’s love for music and each other is evident in the cohesiveness and beauty of their sound.

I also got the opportunity to interview Isi Bustos ’28 WBRS’s music director and the mastermind behind this event. As music director, Bustos plans the fall and spring concerts alongside discovering and archiving new artists who send promotions for their music to WBRS. Bustos first joined WBRS in the fall of her freshman year. “It was always my dream to join a college radio … it’s so Pitch Perfect,” Bustos shared in an April 25 interview with The Justice. “I love music … [and] I like people that like music. I feel like it’s such a good way to connect with people. And I thought [WBRS] was the perfect thing for me.” Finding new artists and working for a label is something Bustos is interested in pursuing after college.

She also elaborated on her process for planning this event, which began back in late December and early January. Bustos starts by looking for bands and artists that she feels Brandeis students would be interested in. She delves into their music and previous live performances before choosing her favorite artists, and then she emails

labels and proposes the concert and date. After receiving a budget proposal, Bustos can do more work to figure out the logistics of the band’s performance. If the band is out of budget, she asks the label for their roster and can use it to check out other potential artists for the concert. The process involves months of communication with the band’s manager and the Department of Student Engagement to book the concert venue, pay for travel and food, and plan other essentials for the band’s arrival. In the last few weeks leading up to the concert, WBRS focuses on advertising and finalizing any last requests or details for the band. “It was plenty of work, but it’s definitely rewarding,” Bustos said. When asked about her thoughts on the event, Bustos said she was very happy with how it went. “The band was amazing. I think it was a perfect fit … they were super engaging with everyone [and] people were really loving it.” The event had a great turnout and was full of energy despite the cold as the sun set. She added, “Despite … being the person that organized the event, I think that the [WBRS] e-board is such a good team” and played a huge role in the success of the event. Bustos is going to be the music director for WBRS again next year and has already started to email labels for the fall semester’s concert.

El PodEr dE la Voz, El CuErPo y SEr FEmEnino: art, rESiStanCE and EmPowErmEnt on thE hiSPaniC StudiES’ latina PoEtry night

Content Warning: Mention of femicide.

In the late afternoon of March 27, the Hispanic Studies department proved to the community once more that it is able to maintain its high standards of excellence with the revival of a great Brandeis tradition: Latina Poetry Night. After a long hiatus, Undergraduate Department Representatives Kim Avila ’26 and Travis Finnerty ’27, now under Prof. Lucia Reyes de Deu (HISP), brought the event back to life to highlight Latina poetry. Where the Latin American literary canon often forgets its female origins, this night served, ironically, as a beacon of light that highlights the vitality of frequently overlooked pieces. The event empowered the voices of Latina women both in Latin America and across the Hispanic diaspora while addressing matters of intersectionality, bigotry and resistance.

The night’s first speaker was Natasha Gutierrez ’26, who read Echagüe’s “Si Me Matan.” Echagüe’s poem demands that the audience denounce femicide and states clearly that being a woman is the only reason for these murders. The United Nations’ Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe notes that at least 3,897 women have fallen victim to femicide in 2023 across Latin American and Caribbean countries. Nonetheless, it is an unfortunate reality of the Latino context that femicide commonly spreads through media and common conversations with dismissals of the magnitude of misogyny. Latino society will frequently criticize the idea that women are killed for being women, claiming that there is no such thing as femicide because there is no special category for men killed for being men. For instance, the independent journal Serendipia published a piece titled “Dudas sobre el feminicidio: ¿por qué no existen los hombricidios en México” that criticizes laws against femicide, claiming that its criminal motivations could be present in anti-male assassination as well, and therefore the laws would be nonsensical at best and, at worst, discriminatory. The difference here is that these misogynistic murders occur due to a power imbalance: The woman refuses to be submissive to the male’s will and, in a wrathful response, he kills her.

Echagüe writes with anger and despair, tired of having to be one more author addressing this issue even though Latina women have been denouncing this for

By ROGÉRIO VILLAÇA SZUSTER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

centuries. “Que hace siglos denuncie” brings all of these sentiments powerfully and succinctly to the audience. This trend of women being left unheard in their calls for action is a central theme of “Si Me Matan.” If complaints about femicide are ignored, then why would Echagüe write a poem that she knows would cause no difference, where she would not be granted the ethos she deserves? The reason for this poem is established in her last stanza — the poem is not about her own ethos. Instead of writing a poem that focuses on herself, she shifts the spotlight to her audience. She urges readers to amplify her criticism of femicide, makes it our job to fight against societal biases and fight for the dignity of the victims that they were denied in life and, most often, post-mortem: “Gritá bien fuerte que lo hicieron porque soy mujer.”

Another notable poem read during the event was “Y Dios me hizo mujer” by Gioconda Belli, read by Diana Sola Chacon ’26. Belli’s poem works in congruence with Gutierrez’s but has a sharp shift in perspective. Whereas “Si Me Matan” seeks to fight against misogyny by denouncing the perpetrators, “Y Dios me hizo mujer” opposes misogyny by showcasing the singular beauty of womanhood. From her very first stanza onwards, Belli conveys the notion that women were made by divine forces, that being a woman is a reason to rejoice, for He chose to make them so. She explains how important His creation is for He has made them the instrument of life — “me hizo un taller de seres humanos” — and directly opposes the notion that women are biologically emotionally unstable by claiming that God was the one to shape their emotional responsiveness. He was the one who balanced women’s hormones: “Tejió delicadamente mis nervios/ y balanceó con cuidado/ el número de mis hormonas.” Religion plays an important role in Latin American society, so Belli’s perspective forces the audience to see the contradictions between their piety and holding biases against women.

The last poem that I must write of is the night’s very last, the only one written in English, read by Gutierrez. “The Contract Says: We’d Like the Conversation to be Bilingual” focuses on the Hispanic diaspora in the United States and the social repercussions that the descendants of Hispanic immigrants face. The poem, written by Ada Limón, speaks of the supposedly supportive environments in American culture that, in the -

ory, aim to uplift Hispanic American voices. Limón’s piece showcases the fallacies of these environments and how they only enforce the biases they claim to fight against. She writes of a scenario in which a poet is invited to work with a certain group, only to find out that she was invited to fill a “Hispanic quota” in order for the aforementioned group to receive a grant. This group does not care about truly uplifting the individuals who are of Hispanic descent; they solely want to appear as though they are supportive of what they imagine to be Hispanic culture.

This notion of what they imagine to be Hispanic is the central tension of Limón’s poem, for the speaker is denied her right to individuality so as to fulfill a stereotype. What they are seeking is a poem in which she is sipping Patrón, where her father is caught stealing, about her family’s lack of English or one where they wore ponchos. These stereotypes enrage Limón as they disrespect every part of her diasporic identity; after all, her father was an English-speaking teacher, was no thief and she seeks to present herself as an Englishlanguage poet, not a Spanish one. In her last stanza, Limón writes that the group, which was supposedly there to honor Hispanic American culture, wanted the speaker to write how her father “did the thing/ he was trying to prove he didn’t do.” This group that is supposed to honor Latinos is instead forcing them to prove preconceived notions, degrading them, instead of truly uplifting their stories of Hispanic Identity. The poet shows that many of the environments that appear to empower Hispanic representation have failed the Hispanic American community by only reinforcing preconceived, bigoted notions of Hispanic identity. Latina Poetry Night was an utter success for the Hispanic Studies Department. It merged academia with practical social issues and movements, advocating for the safety and dignity of Latina women. Whether directly fighting against misogyny or shifting the Latino perspective on womanhood to inherently contradict these biases, the poets and the reciters effectively advocated for women’s social rights in the Latino context. The event showed the power of Latina art and ensured that Brandeis is a part of this centuries-old movement. Congratulations to all involved.

TUESDAY,

Top Ten STAFF’S

Top 10 Zara Larsson Songs

By ALLIE LADJEVA JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

1. “WOW”

2. “Midnight Sun”

3. “Stateside”

4. “Pretty Ugly”

5. “Ain’t My Fault”

6. “SHE DID IT AGAIN”

7. “Lush Life”

8. “Symphony”

9. “Uncover”

10. “Never Forget You”

SUDOKU

W oven W orlds : e xploring the beauty in culture

By SOPHIA GARCIA JUSTICE ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR

On April 25, The Intercultural Center held its annual culture showcase “Culture X” in the Levin Ballroom. Culture X is the final show presented by the different culture groups that make up the ICC. This year’s theme was “Woven Worlds,” which explored the different ways that cultures intersect and the different ways in which we interact with our own cultures. The showcase featured performances from Brandeis’ expansive collection of culture groups, as well as a performance by a local Waltham group called Africano Waltham, a community-led nonprofit group that is dedicated to supporting African immigrants and their families, as well as connecting families and children to African culture stateside. The African dances coupled with traditional instruments. The dancers were not only skilled and beautiful in their movements, but the pure joy on their faces, translated through to the audience. Their performance was professional and inspiring. The choice to add Africano Waltham as one of the performances of the night highlights the broader scope of the ICC and reinforces the idea that our culture is not just contained to one community, but seeps into the broader world around us.

During my time at Culture X, I was able to talk with one of the student volunteers, Unique Zhang 29. Zhang reflected on her time putting the event together and also as a member of the audience. She added, “Culture X is an annual performance that I’d describe as a melting pot of different cultures present here at Brandeis. It’s organized by the ICC, but the different cultural groups are the real stars of the show. From dance, musical, and literary performances, each group shows off a variety of talent, which is why it’s so important to have events like these. I think at Brandeis, sometimes it’s easy to ignore or not notice the beauty of student life, but when you see cultural shows like what Culture X is putting on, it reminds you how diverse and interesting the students make life at Brandeis. I often feel like I get sucked into the academic world and feel culturally isolated, but when I heard that Culture X was putting on this display, I immediately knew I wanted to join. Seeing how hard the Culture X team worked to brainstorm the set design, to set up the background and to finally put on an amazing show that everyone’s proud of is really inspiring to see. Not only that, but seeing the passion each group has on that stage is outstanding, and is what makes the Brandeis population true to itself.” Her reflection encourages students and people alike to not only actively engage in their own culture, but also

highlights the importance of engaging in the culture of those around us. Culture X, in its existence, is a way for Brandeis students to remember that we all make up the fabric of the greater University that surrounds us and reminds students that we are part of something so much bigger than ourselves.”

The showcase also featured perofrmances from The Korean Student Association, which displayed an upbeat pop dance performance highlighting current K-pop hits. This dance was not only engaging but a fun display of the art of K-pop that made the audience want to join the performers on stage. Other notable performers were Ria Escamilla-Gil 27, who delivered two original poems. Escamilla-Gil’s poetry was captivating and timely as she spoke about her experience as a Mexican-American at a time when Latin Americans are under attack by the current administration. She was able to artfully capture the American immigrant experience and to elicit a fire in the hearts of viewers, showcasing the importance of her works. Her second piece was written entirely in Spanish. Even for audience members who do not speak the language, this piece still held the weight of her first poem, as the words felt just as powerful. Both of her poems were able to engage audience members in a conversation about what it means to engage in culture actively — one of these ways is learning the languages of the cultures you are a part of. Escamilla-Gil, at the conclusion of the event, was also awarded for her continued dedication to Brandeis’ ICC and her overall impact on the Brandeis community.

Woven Worlds was a beautiful display of different cultures that we interact with in our everyday lives as students at Brandeis University. Culture X is an event that encourages students to delve into their own cultures, as well as engage meaningfully with the cultures around them. As Unique mentioned earlier, the beauty of Culture X is the focus on Brandeis as a melting pot of culture. The ICC and the Culture X event highlight the importance of cultural expression, giving students creative outlets to engage with each other both as performers and audience members. Overall, we extend a big congratulations to all of the performers in the Culture X show and thank the Brandeis Intercultural Center for putting together this showcase of culture and creative expression.

ADAGIO SPRING SHOWCASE

ZARA LARSSON LIGHTS UP THE STAGE

This year’s Springfest officially commenced on Sunday, April 26, boasting Swedish singer-songwriter Zara Larsson as the concert’s headliner. Larsson took to the stage after openers Notebook P and student acts, One Night Only, Hazel Drew, Marakosa and disc jockey, JAGA. Hundreds of Brandeis students gathered on Chapels Field to enjoy these performances, jostling to reach the barricade and dancing among friends. After a cloudy morning, the sun managed to peak out just before the student music groups began.

Larsson performed several of her recent Billboard hits. She opened her dynamic set with “Midnight Sun,” performing the viral choreography from her ongoing “Midnight Sun” tour. The tour’s main dancers, Summer Villiers, Lovisa Bengtsson, Chelsea Cooper and Honey Makwana, joined her on the University’s stage, enriching the pop star’s bright and flawless vocals. The four made the challenging, athletic choreography appear effortless, the perfect complement to Larsson’s captivating stage presence.

“Are you a little bit warmed up?” Larsson greeted the cheering crowd, following her opening combination of “Midnight Sun” and “Blue Moon.” She prefaced her set’s next song, “Can’t Tame Her,” and exclaimed, “I want to see you dance tonight! I want to see you sweat. Are you with me?” The audience answered affirmingly with a chorus of enthusiastic cheers. During her performance of “Lush Life,” Larsson chose Hayden Asiedu ’28 to join her and her dance crew on stage. Per her tour’s tradition, Larsson picks a concert attendee from the audience to join her on stage, dance the viral “Lush Life” sequence and pick a design for her to spray paint onto a blank T-shirt. In an April 27 statement to The Justice, Asiedu said that he knew Larsson’s music well before hearing about the Campus Activity Board’s Springfest announcement, having heard hits like “Lush Life,” “Symphony” and “Never Forget You” over the radio while he and his siblings did household chores. Asiedu said that the nostalgia he feels from hearing Larsson’s music made him feel as though he was meeting an old friend.“When I realized Zara had chosen me, it wasn’t a choice that was randomized,” Asiedu wrote. He said that his friends in the audience pointed to him enthusiastically when Larsson and her dancers started their search. Asiedu specifically credited Karolina Komar ’28 as the driving force behind his joining the performance, as she first taught him the dance, along with his friends on Brandeis Posse Scholarship Program.

Asiedu also asked Larsson to paint a heart on the T-shirt, accompanied by the letter “R” to commemorate his late

By SOPHIA DE LISI JUSTICE SENIOR EDITOR

brother, Rangel, who passed away last month. He wrote, “His passing hit me hard and I felt like I needed to dedicate the moment to him because he is such a bright light in my life.” Additionally, Asiedu brought the flag of Ghana on stage with him, blending the personal embellishment into Larsson’s original choreography seamlessly. He emphasized that his culture is a significant aspect of his identity.

“You all look ethereal. Very, very, pretty,” Larsson exclaimed. She asked, “Are you feeling pretty?” In keeping with her tour’s traditions, Larsson led the crowd in the mantras that prelude her song, “Pretty Ugly,” telling the audience to chant “I’m so pretty” after her, repeating the phrase to the music. “It’s about the attitude. It’s about not giving a fuck,” Larsson explained. Following this round of chants, she asked the audience to chant “I’m so ugly, and that’s what makes me pretty!”

Her songs “Hot & Sexy,” “Never Forget You” and “Symphony” rounded out her set. During “Symphony,” Larsson’s team threw a pod of inflatable dolphins into the crowd, referencing the TikTok meme where users post confessional anecdotes about their lives — often depressing — over colorful graphics with the song’s cheerful melody, hopeful playing in the background.

Before Larsson played, returning student opener Hazel Drew ’28 performed with JonAaron Arnell ’28 on drums, Cam Steinberg ’26 on guitar and guest instrumentalist Joey Kane on bass. In an April 27 statement to The Justice, Drew shared that she met Steinberg through their a capella group, Starving Artists, Arnell over Instagram and Kane while they worked as field hands on her family’s farm. The band performed two of Drew’s original songs, “Compromise” and “Nothing No One Never Happened,” both of which she said are available for streaming on platforms alongside her upcoming extended play, “Above the Afterglow.”

“This year’s onstage experience was amazing,” Drew wrote. She highlighted that CAB’s new wristband procedure allowed a larger audience to be present during her set, since attendees could enter the venue faster than last year. Drew added that this was her first performance featuring her original music in some time, and it reminded her of how much she missed it. She wrote, “It was so much fun to see people vibing with my music, even if they didn’t know the words.”

After Drew, One Night Only took the stage, featuring Emily Confino ’26 and Isidora Bustos ’28 on vocals. They performed covers of Paramore’s “Ain’t It Fun,” Amy Wine -

house’s “Valerie” and a mash-up of Adele’s songs “Rumor Has It” and “Someone Like You.” Confino and Bustos sang alongside instrumentalists Ben Selip ’28 on guitar, Daniel Zeidan ’26 on drums and Kian Wignaendts Van Resandt ’28 on bass.

In an April 27 statement to The Justice, Zeidan reflected positively on the band’s performance, feeling proud of their showing, despite his worries during microphone checks. He shared, “I felt very in tune and in synergy with the rest of the band. We worked very hard for a long time practicing, and there’s no one else I’d rather have spent Springfest with onstage.”

Marakosa was the last student act to play before Notebook P, led by vocalist duo Iyegbekosa Ohan ’27 and Divina Ashley ’27. Selip and Stephen Dixon ’26 joined Ashley and Ohan on bass and guitar, Ananya Dalal ’26 played the keys and Godson Ademola-Thomas ’27 played the drums. Marakosa’s set featured three original songs: “Fantastic Tactics,” “JJM” and “Like You,” and ended with a cover of Djo’s “End of Beginning.” Ohan, in an April 27 statement, shared that Marakosa’s initial set also included a fourth original song, “Eucalyptus Mint,” but due to time constraints, the band excluded the piece.

Ohan wrote that Marakosa is “rooted in experimentation” and that “taking the stage felt like inviting people into a world [they] have been building together through songwriting, friendship and collaboration.” She highlighted the audience’s receptiveness to the band’s original works. “It reminded us that student artistry can exist on campus. We strongly believe that Springfest is meant for the celebration of students, not simply entertainment,” Ohan elaborated.

Alongside the musical performances, Springfest also boasted a Food Truck Festival sponsored by CAB, the Department of Student Engagement, President Arthur Levine ’70 and vendors in the Shapiro Campus Center. Some of these vendors included a photo booth, a glitter tattoos station and a station where illustrators spray-painted customized designs on T-shirts for students. Many students showed off their new T-shirts at the festival.

All in all, Springfest was a day of community, joy and artistry at Brandeis, made possible through CAB’s hard work and dedication throughout the academic year. The festival brought the student body under the sun for one last celebration before final exams began, marking the semester’s final days.

artistic voice: Brandeis Fine arts Honors Gallery

Every year at the end of the spring semester, Brandeis University’s Fine Arts Honors program offers an opportunity for students who are passionate and have demonstrated excellence in studio art to create and display their art at the Spingold Theater’s art gallery. Their collective projects that have been cultivated throughout the year are a reflection of what they think about art and how they have grown as artists throughout the year.

Each spring, the studio faculty looks at the work of student artists who have consistently held a creative voice and chooses a few artists to display their art for public viewing. Submitted pieces are reviewed by studio faculty and are selected through a competitive process based on the strength of their artwork, academic performance and commitment to independent studio practice. Artists who are accepted work closely with the faculty thesis committee, participate in critiques and exhibitions and complete a public oral defense of their work during their senior year. The Honor Arts program highlights Brandeis’ commitment to fostering innovative, interdisciplinary artists within a rigorous academic environment. This year, the selected artists showcased multiple media forms, including painting, sculpture, digital media, photography and interdisciplinary installations. One of the senior artists highlighted was Niámh Ní Mhaoláin ’26, whose art conveyed continuous themes of feminism, reclamation and an overall sense of female identity. Mhaoláin’s art consisted of canvas, using oil paints to capture her truly powerful voice and expressive form of storytelling. Through her choice to use bold colors, layered textures and striking figurative imagery, her work challenged traditional representations of women while reclaiming space for vulnerability, strength and self-definition. Mhaoláin’s pieces elicited a kind of “girlhood” feel, as her paintings capture different women living unrestrained by the world around them. Her pieces each feature writing, also done in oil paint, that only adds to her overall voice as an artist. Her art as a whole examines the relationship between the female body and cultural expectations, blending personal narrative with broader social commentary. Overall, Mhaoláin’s art captures the female experience and gives voice to the young girl who lives in the hearts of all women.

The next featured artist was Tako Mikhelashvili ’26, using the medium of photography. Mikhelashvili was able to capture the true beauty in everyday life. Mikhelashvili’s pieces find extraordinary beauty within ordinary moments, encouraging viewers to slow down and reconsider the details of everyday life that often go unnoticed. Among her most

By SOPHIA GARCIA JUSTICE ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR

striking works were a series of photographs capturing ice formations, where she transformed natural textures and patterns into almost abstract compositions. Through careful lighting, close framing and an attentive eye for detail, the images highlighted the delicate fractures, reflections and layered translucency within the ice, creating photographs that felt both serene and emotionally complex. The frozen surfaces appeared suspended in time, evoking themes of fragility, stillness and impermanence. Her work demonstrated a remarkable ability to turn simple natural phenomena into visually captivating studies of texture and light, revealing the quiet artistry present within the natural world. Her photographs capture this essence of stillness in time, as they encourage the viewer to try to find beauty in everyday life through everyday items. Mikhelashvili’s art feels grounded in that it forces the viewer to sit and admire the beauty of the simple. In a world that continues to force the extravagance of things, it is refreshing to see an artist take a simple, natural form like ice and make it into something beautiful. Another artist showcased was Ceci Xilei Chen ’26, who used clay to make delicate pottery pieces. Chen’s work, titled Tea for Absent, explored themes of longing, absence and emotional connection through carefully crafted ceramic forms that evoked the intimacy of shared rituals. Drawing inspiration from the act of preparing and serving tea, the installation transformed everyday objects into symbolic representations of relationships and remembrance. The fragility of the clay mirrored the vulnerability present in human connection, while the soft textures and subtle details gave the pieces a quiet, reflective quality. Also featured in her collection was “We Tried To Hold It Together,” a piece made up of ceramics, staples and wires. This piece embodies the tension between fragility and resilience. Although the title is direct in its meaning, the work carries a deeper emotional complexity through its material choices and structure. The cracked ceramic forms, bound together by exposed staples and twisting wire, suggested attempts at repair that were both physical and emotional, emphasizing the imperfect ways people try to preserve relationships, identities and memories in the face of strain or fragmentation. Rather than concealing the breaks, Chen deliberately highlighted them, allowing the methods of reconstruction to become part of the artwork itself. This created a sense of vulnerability while also communicating endurance, as the piece appeared simultaneously delicate and strong. Through her piece “We Tried To Hold It Together,” Chen explored the idea that unity is often messy and incomplete, yet still

meaningful, reflecting the human desire to maintain connection even when things begin to fracture apart. The last artist highlighted was Alexandra Land ’26 — she used oil paints and bright colors to create hyper-realistic looking paintings of people and animals, combining art with humor. Land’s work stood out for its playful ability to blur the line between technical precision and absurdity, using carefully rendered portraits of people and animals to create scenes that felt both visually striking and unexpectedly comedic. One particularly memorable piece, titled “Snoop Dogg,” featured a realistic portrait of an actual dog, cleverly playing on the well-known celebrity name while transforming the pun into a fully realized artwork. The painting balanced humor with impressive technical skill, as the detailed brush strokes were able to elicit expressive features and vivid background colors to elevate what could have been a simple joke into a sophisticated and engaging piece. Through works like “Snoop Dogg,” Land demonstrated how humor can coexist with fine art, using wit and realism together to create paintings that were both approachable and artistically accomplished.

All of these artists capture what it truly means to have a voice in the creative world. Through blends of technical skill, creativity and different mediums, these artists were able to capture the beauty and broad nature of fine arts. These seniors exemplify the rigor of the Brandeis Fine Arts department, showcasing their deep understanding of art and how it is created. All of these featured artists had different mediums, commentary and styles; however, the exhibit does not feel disjointed as all of the artists have their own method for delivering their messages through art. The Brandeis Studio faculty did an excellent job picking seniors who went above and beyond just creating pieces, picking individuals who not only exemplify what it means to be an artist but also those who have truly found their voices. Congratulations to all artists selected to be a part of the Honors Art Gallery — you all wholeheartedly embody what it means to be an artist.