The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022
VOLUME 143, NO. 14
STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR
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BASKETBALL BANGERS
Both the men’s and women’s teams swept their weekend games ahead of big Emory games Friday (Sports, pg 6)
How one freshman is putting together baking, lawn care and DJ-ing (Scene, pg 4)
MITSKI IS BACK
Depressed? We’ve got the perfect new album for you to listen to (Cadenza, pg 8)
Delta Gamma charter withdrawn by national organization: Third WU sorority to cease operations since 2020 OLIVIA POOLOS SENIOR SCENE EDITOR
President Miriam Silberman detailed the importance of this distinction at Tuesday’s meeting. “I believe that the wording is everything, because if we had come forward and said don’t join WPA/IFC, the leadership organizations, that would have been unconstitutional, and would have been an impeachable offense,” she said. “However, because we are specifically saying rushing, [which] is a very specific action, and we emphasize that WPA and IFC social fraternities are not related to Student Union and are only related to Campus Life and ResLife, what we did is constitutional.” However, representative Aidan Stutts, who voted for impeachment, said that the issue extended beyond just the wording of the email. “Even if you don’t like Greek Life, that’s not the point of this,” Stutts said at Tuesday’s session. “The point of this is more so that someone in power…shouldn’t be able to actively discriminate against students
The National Council of Delta Gamma Fraternity voted in January to withdraw the charter for Washington University’s chapter, Delta Gamma Sorority, ending the organization’s nearly 108 year tenure on campus. While Assistant Director for Sorority and Fraternity Life James McLendon said that there was not a singular reason behind the decision, he cited the Abolish Greek Life movement, COVID-19 and older members of the chapter graduating as factors that contributed to the national organization’s choice to remove the charter. “That chapter was having a little bit more of a difficult time bouncing back from some of those things, so the national organization decided they were going to move forward in a process of reviewing their status on the campus,” McLendon said, characterizing the national organization’s eventual charter removal as “unfortunate.” The Abolish Greek Life movement’s Instagram page first publicized the decision in a post Feb. 4, centering their movement as core motivation behind Delta Gamma’s fate. The post said that the national organization “voted unanimously to withdraw the charter of the Alpha Epsilon Chapter at WashU, citing AGL and campus pressure as a reason for discontinuing and closing the chapter immediately.” In Campus Life-reported statistics for the spring of 2021, Delta Gamma had seven active members and gained nine new members. Two years earlier, in spring of 2019, the chapter had reported 142 people in membership and 47 new members. Delta Gamma is not the first chapter to leave campus in recent years, as the Pi Beta Phi and Alpha Omicron Pi sororities voted to disband and leave campus during the 2020-2021 academic year. Still, though other Greek
SEE IMPEACH, PAGE 3
SEE CHARTER, PAGE 3
GRAPHIC BY CYNTHIA CHONG | STUDENT LIFE
Data for this chart comes from the Washington University Fraternity and Sorority Life academic report compiled by Campus Life each semester. Visit studlife.com to see our methodology.
Impeachment attempt against Miao fails by wide margin TED MOSKAL MANAGING EDITOR Student Union Treasury members defeated an impeachment attempt against President Ranen Miao in a Treasury session Tuesday night by a vote of 11-3. The resolution alleged that Miao violated SU’s constitutional mission to “responsibly serve and empower every undergraduate student” by sending an email to freshman titled “Don’t Rush IFC/WPA Greek Life,” which pointed out systemic racism and sexism in the institution of Greek Life and called for the abolition of Greek Life at Washington University. The email was also signed by the rest of SU’s executive board, the Speakers of the Senate and Treasury and the Senate Diversity and Inclusion Chair. Sophomore Treasury Representative Justin Kouch submitted the resolution for impeachment. Kouch and sophomore representatives Aidan Stutts and Ezra Mishkel voted in favor of the resolution, while
the rest of the Treasury voted against it. Per the SU constitution, if Tuesday’s resolution had passed with a two-thirds majority, the resolution would then have required a simple majority in SU Senate before being sent to the Constitutional Council for adjudication. Miao’s email had prompted pushback from some members of SU, who felt that the email did not reflect their positions and values. “I feel like we, as Treasury and Senate, aren’t really being heard or being talked to when SU exec is creating all of these decisions and stances and posting them [through social media and email] to over 7,500 other students,” Kouch said at the Treasury session. However, Miao stood by his decision to send the email, citing other avenues for having important conversations about Greek Life within SU. “It’s unfortunate that these fraternity brothers have consistently refused to engage in good faith discourse,” Miao wrote in a statement
to Student Life after the session. “Student Union has a multitude of avenues to have important conversations, including our Constituent Service Form, the emails of Student Union representatives featured on the website and emails sent out every two weeks to the entire student body.” Dean of Students Rob Wild wrote in a Jan. 31 email to Miao that the SU email to the freshman class did not violate University policy. In the article of impeachment, Kouch wrote that the email’s discouragement of students from rushing “actively discriminates against two SU recognized student groups (IFC and WPA) by actively telling 2000+ students not to join a specific organization.” The Women’s Panhellenic Association (WPA) and Interfraternity Council (IFC), the governing bodies for social sororities and fraternities at the University, are recognized SU groups. The sororities and fraternities that they oversee are not. SU Executive Vice
Less than one percent of WU students The life and lessons of an Uncle Joe’s co-director test positive for COVID-19 during OLIVIA SALVAGE CONTRIBUTING WRITER pre-arrival and entry testing AMANDA YOUNG STAFF REPORTER Washington University students conducted a total of 20,075 at-home pre-arrival and entry COVID-19 tests this semester, yielding positivity rates less than 1% for each round of testing. According to Executive Director of the Habif Health and Wellness Center Dr. Cheri LeBlanc, there were 134 positive tests: 44 prearrival tests and 90 entry tests completed after students had returned to St. Louis. Students who tested positive in their pre-arrival test did not come to campus, and many of the students who tested positive upon entry lived off campus and did not need to use the University’s on-campus isolation housing, LeBlanc said. The University warned in a series of emails sent to students throughout January that failure to submit entry tests by Feb. 4 “may result in administrative withdrawal from your courses, and [students]
would not be allowed to enroll for the duration of the spring 2022 semester.” According to Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Rob Wild, students were “incredibly compliant” with the entry testing system, as fewer than 40 out of 12,592 undergraduate, graduate and professional students had failed to submit their tests as of Feb. 8. “Each individual academic program is currently reviewing those few remaining students to determine if they are here and will un-enroll those who are not compliant later this week,” Wild wrote in an email to Student Life Wednesday. Wild noted the “many unique situations our students are facing,” including international students having difficulty returning to the United States and students participating in remote study, adding that the University does not want to un-enroll students who are not in St. Louis.
LeBlanc wrote that the lower than expected positivity rate affirms the University’s decision to delay in-person classes by two weeks. “Universities that saw their students return when Omicron cases were still rapidly rising in their communities and across the country experienced much higher case numbers than we did here at WashU,” she wrote. Northwestern University, for example, had students return to campus in early January and reported a 5.5% positivity rate from 16,409 tests during the week of January 3, according to The Daily Northwestern, despite having a two-week quarantine period with virtual classes. Dartmouth College reported a 13.5% positivity rate from 9,167 tests during the week of January 17, according to its COVID-19 dashboard. The idea of having students complete entry testing is “one that is very widely advocated for,
SEE POSITIVITY, PAGE 3
Senior Emily Angstreich joined campus peer counseling resource Uncle Joe’s during her freshman fall, and has been a Joe — as the students in the organization are referred to — ever since, now serving as a co-director. “I knew from the beginning that I wanted to be in Joe’s,” she said. “I’ve struggled with my own mental health for a long time and [did] a lot of advocacy work in high school, so I signed up immediately.” The program requires an intense emotional commitment and fosters a close counselor community, Angstreich explained. To build up their cohort of peer mentors, Joe’s requires a rigorous semester of preparation. Student-counselor-led trainings are held Tuesday nights from 7-10 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., totaling more than 100 hours throughout the semester. Trainings are centered on themes such as grief or substance
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abuse, and trainees practice taking calls with active Joes pretending to be clients.They often also bring in speakers or community experts, such as people from the St. Louis Queer+ Support Helpline, to provide additional training on certain topics. Angstreich said that Uncle Joe’s training has given her better preparation for her future career
SARA REED | STUDENT LIFE
Uncle Joe’s co-director Emily Angstreich stands in an Uncle Joe’s shirt.
TED MOSKAL | SENIOR NEWS EDITOR | NEWS@STUDLIFE.COM
2 STUDENT LIFE
theFLIPSIDE THU 10 SUNNY 47/35
FRI 11
AM SHOWERS 52/19
MOSTLY SUNNY 55/45
SUNNY 43/25
Narasimhan sworn in to Treasury after Constitutional Council decision reverses disqualification
PARTLY CLOUDY
PARTLY CLOUDY 30/12
TUES 15
MON 14
SUN 13
SAT 12
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022
WED 16
SHOWERS 57/42
EVENT CALENDAR THURSDAY 10 Gallery Talk: (Un)masking Health Virtual Event, 6 p.m. Faculty curator Ivan Bujan will be discussing ideas of health in relation to “exclusionary ideologies” concerning race, gender, sexuality, ability and class. His Teaching Gallery installation “(Un)masking Health: Counter Perspectives” also looks at the way historical and contemporary grassroots movements have impacted ideas surrounding health and social justice. Bujan is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies in Arts and Sciences. Register online to attend. Craft Lecture by Visiting Hurst Professor francine j. harris Virtual Event, 8 p.m. francine j. harris is an award winning poet and lecturer. Her third — and most recent — collection, “Here is the Sweet Hand” won the 2020 National Book Critics Award. Her second collection, “play dead” won the Lambda Literary and Audre Lorde Awards and was a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. Her first collection, “allegiance,” was a finalist for the Kate Tufts Discovery and PEN Open Book Awards. She is Associate Professor of English at the University of Houston and serves as Consulting Faculty Editor at Gulf Coast. The event will be held on Zoom; online registration is required. CURRAN NEENAN | STUDENT LIFE
Students discuss funding appeals at a November Treasury meeting.
FRIDAY 11 Lunar New Year Festival: ‘Bold Strides’ Edison Theatre, 7 p.m. Lunar New Year Festival (LNYF) is an annual student cultural show staged in commemoration and celebration of the Lunar New Year. The performances range from acting, to dancing and martial arts and explore Asian heritage from both traditional and modern perspectives. LNYF also partners with local non-profits to provide support to the greater St. Louis community. Performances will be Friday, Feb. 11 and Saturday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m.Tickets can be purchased at the Edison Box Office. The Black Rep presents ‘Fireflies’ A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre, 8 p.m. Continuing its 45th Anniversary Season, The Black Repertory Company is proud to present “Fireflies” by Donja R. Love. Opening Feb. 11 and running through Feb. 27, the show is directed by Atlanta-based actor and director Andrea Frye. Featuring Zahria Moore and Eric Conners, “Fireflies” intimately explores personal aspects of the Civil Rights Movement.
MONDAY 14 Love Data Week: Center for Administrative Data Research (CADR) - Overview of Resources and Data Demonstrationhvw Virtual Event, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. This interactive workshop is geared towards people who are new to using administrative data for research as well as those who would like a refresher. The workshop will provide an overview of the resources that the Center for Administrative Data Research (CADR) offers the University community. The full schedule of Love Data Week events is online. Register online beforehand to receive the Zoom link.
WU extends test-optional policy through fall 2024 MEHEER COMMURI STAFF REPORTER Washington University extended its test-optional policy for all freshman and transfer applicants to the classes of 2027 and 2028, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions announced on its website, Jan. 24. Under this policy, students can decide whether or not to submit their standardized testing scores as part of their application. The University first went test-optional two years ago, for applicants to the class of 2025. Last year, after a 20% increase in applications that cycle, a spike also experienced by many peer institutions who went test-optional, the University extended its policy for the class of 2026. Vice Provost for Admissions and Financial Aid Ronné Turner told Student Life that the Office of Admissions is using these test optional cycles to study the “impact of standardized testing to predict student success in college.” “We’ve never had the opportunity to study the impact of our testing policy with students who were admitted without testing,” Turner said. The University’s latest move comes at a time when many other American universities are making similar extensions. Last December, Harvard announced that it
would extend its test optional policy for four years. Turner said that her team looked to other peer institutions and their actions as Admissions made its decision about test optionality. “We’re paying attention to the higher education landscape and what other institutions are doing as it relates to testing,” she said. This recent trend of many major colleges and universities going test optional has pushed testing companies to change their own policies. The College Board announced on Jan. 25 that the SAT will soon become exclusively computer-based and will be reduced from three to two hours in length. During the University’s first test-optional admissions cycle in 2020-2021, 59% of applicants to the University submitted test scores. While the numbers are not publicly available for the ongoing 2021-2022 cycle, Turner said that the percentage of applicants who submitted scores was a few points lower. Freshman Kiran Bhat, who submitted scores despite applying in a test-optional cycle, says that he thought submitting scores would be a good idea and says he sees the value in standardized tests. “I think tests are one of the better indicators of how well a student will do in college and of their academic ability,” said Bhat. “Also, a lot of students from varying
socioeconomic backgrounds don’t necessarily have the same access to extracurriculars and other opportunities, but they are more likely to have access to a [standardized] test.” Admissions currently recommends on their website that those who “feel their scores reflect their abilities” should submit their scores. Turner added that she recommends every applicant at least sit for either the SAT or ACT, if it is available to them and then decide whether to submit scores. “The advice I was given when applying to colleges was that [if my scores were] around the 50th percentile of past years’ scores, that was good enough for me,” said freshman Jacob Song, who also submitted scores despite applying in a test-optional cycle. “I wouldn’t do away with [standardized] tests,” Bhat said. “But, there are definitely ways to improve them… especially since you have to pay to take these tests. But as long as they’re easily accessible, I think they’re a good thing.” Turner said that she does not know the probability of Admissions making another extension or going permanently test optional, but said that the University administration has given Admissions the permission to extend test optionality for the next two years.
MEHEER COMMURI STAFF REPORTER Treasury representative Mishka Narasimhan was sworn in to her position Jan. 21, after a decision from Student Union’s Constitutional Council ruled that the process for her disqualification was unconstitutional. Narasimhan, who was initially disqualified in December due to a late expenditure report, submitted an interpretation request to the Constitutional Council on Nov. 30. Narasimhan argued in the request that post-election disqualifications were unconstitutional and that election commissioner sophomore Bonnie Segel had shown a personal bias against Narasimhan and failed to follow the proper procedure for disqualification. The Council’s majority decision found that Segel violated SU constitutional procedure by not consulting with members of the Election Commission, making the disqualification invalid. However, it also ruled that post-election disqualifications are constitutional and do not infringe on the rights of constituents, and did not rule on whether bias was present. Segel did consult two of the three election commission members about the disqualification on the evening of Nov. 30, but had already sent the email disqualifying Narasimhan over four hours earlier, without consulting or notifying commission members, Constitutional Council found. “In order for a candidate to be penalized in accordance with the Constitution and Statutes, the decision must be made by the Election Commission as a whole, not just the Election Commissioner,” the majority decision read. “In this instance, the petitioner was disqualified by a decision made by the Election Commissioner without any legitimate involvement from the Election Commission.” Narasimhan had argued that disqualification of candidates after an election has taken place infringes on students’ right to vote. The Council’s majority opinion pushed back against this argument, stating that post-election disqualifications in
plurality elections like last fall’s Treasury race are constitutional. In the case of a potential student who voted for a candidate who was then disqualified, the majority decision stated “the integrity of [that student’s] vote was upheld. One of their candidates just had to be removed.” The Council also argued that such a decision would create an “arbitrary and avoidable loophole in the enforcement of election rules,” by only allowing the Election Commission to enforce certain rules before election day. “It is entirely plausible a candidate could flagrantly break one or multiple rules, hide it until after the election, and would receive a get-out-of-jailfree card from the Election Commission,” the decision read. The Council then determined that the Election Commission loses enforcement capabilities only after candidates are officially sworn in. Still, in a concurring opinion, Associate Justice Elijah Wiesman critiqued the majority’s stance on post-election disqualifications, arguing that it “opens a pandora’s box by allowing partial infringements on constitutional rights.” “Central to the right to vote is the understanding that the right extends not only to the ability to cast a vote, but also to have that vote counted,”
Wiesman wrote. “There is no conception of postelection disqualifications that comports with this understanding of a right to vote.” Associate Justice Kevin Wang also submitted a concurring opinion critical of the majority’s decision not to rule on Narasimhan’s allegations of bias. He concluded that it was impossible to be certain that Segel acted in a biased manner, but questioned the proportionality of Narasimhan’s punishment relative to the infraction of submitting late paperwork. “At best, the Commissioner’s decision to disqualify the petitioner was the result of being too lazy or too indifferent to think of a punishment that is actually fair,” Wang wrote. “At worst, it is a constitutional violation for allowing personal biases to interfere with an election outcome.” The majority opinion characterized the question of bias in Narasimhan’s disqualification as “irrelevant,” since its ruling on Segel’s failure to follow constitutional procedure meant that Narsimhan would be sworn in either way. Narasimhan and Segel did not respond to Student Life’s requests for comment. Ted Moskal contributed reporting.
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STUDENT LIFE 3
IMPEACHMENT FAILS from page 1
DG PULLS CHARTER from page 1
who are part of an organization just because your own beliefs don’t align with that organization.” Over the past two years, Student Union has held a firm pro-abolition stance, passing a resolution to dehouse fraternities in the fall of 2020, and the abolition of Greek Life was part of the organization’s 2021-2022 platform. However, last fall’s elections saw the entrance of a small number of Senators and Representatives who disagreed with SU’s proabolition stance. Still, Treasury Representative senior Hannah Shapiro maintained during the session that Miao’s email and SU’s other pro-abolition actions reflected the preferences of the student body. “This exec board did run on a platform where it was clear to see for the entire student body that they were
organizations have faced similar issues, Delta Gamma was the only one to have its charter withdrawn this year. “Even our groups that have been hit the worst have really gotten into a groove this past year and avoided a situation like that,” McLendon said. “So I don’t see any other groups going through this at the moment.” According to McLendon, the decision was made in early to mid-January 2022, but the review process started a few months earlier, in November 2021. Campus Life, as well as the Women’s Panhellenic Association (WPA) advocated on behalf of Delta Gamma, to “be able to hopefully get the national organization to see that
against Greek Life in general,” Shapiro said. “The entire student body had the chance to vote…and they did select the exec board.” When SU surveyed the student body in 2020, 65% of respondents said that they supported the abolition of Greek Life at Washington University. Stutts pushed back, arguing that students who participate in Greek Life and make up part of SU’s constituency should not be condemned in SU’s official messaging. “The point is that if you’re elected to serve the undergraduate community, and people who are part of WPA and IFC, they’re still students, they’re still people who go here, they go to classes with you,” he said. “It’s irrelevant, whether you agree with IFC and WPA or not, but it’s very clear what this message was
trying to say.” Miao maintains that SU representatives involved in Sorority and Fraternity Life (SFL) have failed to engage in productive discourse and instead opted to silence his advocacy of the abolition of Greek Life. “Representatives from SFL have continuously argued that they hope to engage in discourse, but instead of reaching out, have opted for inflammatory tactics that are trying to silence my speech in support of survivors of sexual violence, students of color, LGBTQIA+ students, lowincome students and other groups on WashU’s campus,” Miao wrote. “The only people who try to silence people’s voices are those who know they are losing the argument.
there was something to work with here and that we could do some good things with them,” McLendon said. However, the advocacy efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. According to McLendon, the national decision will stand for the foreseeable future. “In the short-term, yes, it is permanent,” he said. “There can always be discussions about rechartering down the line but as of right now that is a permanent decision for the time-being on [the national organization’s] behalf.” McLendon said the University would have to approve any re-chartering effort and that “We’re not really entertaining any type of expansion for the next handful of years.” As sorority rush for the
remaining six organizations continues this weekend, members of the Delta Gamma chapter are unable to immediately join another chapter. “They have been initiated and have [Delta Gamma] membership,” McLendon said. “There’s a process they could go through on that end to be released from the national organization if they choose to.” The Delta Gamma national organization, WPA President Camilla Maionica and former Delta Gamma President Mackenzie Molina did not respond to requests for comment by Wednesday evening. Editor-in-Chief Matthew Friedman contributed reporting.
LOW POSITIVITY RATE from page 1 including [by] the CDC itself…for institutes of higher learning,” according to Dr. Steven Lawrence, one of the University’s top infectious disease experts. Because campuses tend to see an influx of cases as students return from breaks, entry testing helps “identify people as soon as they walk on campus, then you’ll be able to lower the peak of that initial spike when it occurs,” Lawrence said. The pre-arrival testing, however, was done because of the higher contagiousness of the omicron variant. The University predicted that the peak would occur around Jan. 18, when spring semester classes were slated to begin in person. “We were concerned that, with as explosive as omicron was, if we brought everybody back right at that time, we would run out of resources,” Lawrence said. “However, we still anticipated there would be a lot of cases and a lot of transmission. By doing pre-arrival testing, that would identify some people who were infected before coming onto campus so that they would be able to ride out the isolation period at home.” Washington University’s mitigation strategies this semester will largely remain the same, Lawrence said, with vaccinations, masking indoors and staying home while experiencing symptoms remaining the most important measures. “When everybody’s masking indoors transmission is exceedingly rare, even with omicron…It’s extremely rare, but when it happens, it’s always in the setting where somebody has symptoms,” Lawrence explained. Because of this trend, Lawrence stressed the
importance of completing the COVID-19 daily selfscreening so that students do not come to class with symptoms until they have been evaluated and tested. “[After] a year and a half of operating the undergraduate campus, we don’t have any known instances where there has been transmission from an asymptomatic person to another person when everybody’s masked. We can’t definitively say that has never happened…[but] we have not yet come across a situation where it’s highly likely that transmission occurred in a setting where everybody was masked and the source was asymptomatic,” Lawrence said. Lawrence said that the University has recently shifted to recommend disposable isolation masks. “Even the cloth masks have been successful, but this just gives a little extra reassurance” given the variability of cloth masks and consistency of isolation masks, he said. Over 130 mask dispensers have been installed across Danforth Campus following guidance from the COVID Medical Advisory Group, which provides medical and infectious disease public health recommendations for University leaders. The shift in testing patterns has led to the temporary suspension of the COVID-19 Dashboard because the dashboard only showed results from tests obtained through the University and Barnes Jewish/Christian HealthCare. “Since omicron hit, we’ve had now more than half of the students that test positive test at home or through some outside location, so what was being shown on the dashboard
wasn’t a true reflection of disease activity,” Lawrence said. Going forward, Lawrence said that in the absence of major changes, such as a new variant, he is cautiously optimistic that transmission will drop to pre-omicron levels. “I think we’re likely to see a lot of change over the next few months across the world, the country, the states, our own campus. We’re likely to see quite a bit of change in how we all collectively think about and respond to COVID,” Lawrence said. LeBlanc wrote that going forward, she expects to see a small bump in cases. “If we then continue to see a decrease in the number of active cases on campus, it should have a favorable effect on our mitigation efforts,” she wrote. “We need to remember, however, that community rates and transmissions also influence our mitigation strategies, and those numbers remain substantially high.” Amid those high community rates and transmissions, Lawrence said that the escape from COVID will not be quick. “Even when we do develop a new normal — there’s a general consensus that we have moved from a pandemic to an endemic phase — it is not going to mean that we just forget about COVID altogether,” he said. “It just means that we will be able to have a gradual and scaled, stepwise reduction in mitigation measures. We’re still going to want to hold onto some of the principles that have kept us safe so far, like not coming to class or work with symptoms.”
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January 28–July 31 Drawing on more than 40 works exclusively from St. Louis collections, Impressionism and Beyond traces the complex encounters of artists with modern life, highlighting themes such tradition and innovation, representation and abstraction, and the artist’s studio and the art market. Artists such as Paul Cézanne, Mary Cassatt, Edgar Degas, Gustav Klimt, Henri Matisse, Edvard Munch, Gabriele Münter, Pablo Picasso, Odilon Redon, and Vincent van Gogh address the importance of printmaking and drawing through the dramatic concepts of modernity, and experimentation in techniques. Connect with us! @STLArtMuseum #ImpressionismAndBeyond
Edgar Degas, French, 1834–1917; Ballet Dancers in the Wings (detail), c.1890–1900; pastel; 28 x 26 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Purchase 24:1935
VOLUME 143, NO. 14 Matthew Friedman Editor-in-Chief editor@studlife.com Em McPhie Ted Moskal Isabella Neubauer Managing Editors Ted Moskal Senior News Editor news@studlife.com Olivia Poolos Julia Robbins Senior Scene Editors scene@studlife.com
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Brownies, lawns and music: A freshman’s dive into entrepreneurship BROOK WANG CONTRIBUTING WRITER When freshman CraigAnthony Moore walks past Bears’ Bikes, Bear-y Sweet Shoppe, Wash U Wash, and the South Forty’s other student-run businesses, he has his eyes set on someday adding his own: Moore Services and Company. During his sophomore year of high school in 2019, Moore noticed that several students in his community were attempting to generate extra income by selling candy, but that the market was getting too crowded. In response, he decided to capitalize on his passion for baking by selling brownies. His baking enterprise would eventually be called “Chef Curry’s,” one of the three services that his company currently offers. Once the pandemic started, the young entrepreneur expanded into offering lawn services. And then, right before moving to campus, Moore added in his company’s third service: DJ-ing and providing musical entertainment services to clients. As of right now, Moore Services and Company “operates as a sole proprietorship,” meaning Moore
handles all of the marketing and communications, manages the deals and partnerships and contributes to some of the hands-on aspects of his business, such as baking Chef Curry’s desserts. When his lawn services are in high demand during the summer, Moore subcontracts other lawn care companies to streamline efficiency. Moore grew up in a single-parent household, and was motivated by a desire to contribute to his family’s finances. However, he faced certain limitations. “We lived in subsidized housing, [and] in subsidized housing, your household income cannot exceed a certain amount,” he explained. “So that means that I actually couldn’t work a W-2 or W-9 job because had I done that, we would have exceeded the income gap for the household. So there was always the push to kind of make money, but not necessarily in a formal job or position.” Since coming to WashU, Moore’s main goal for his business has been to “transition from side hustle to official business entity.” Part of this process has included implementing some of the information and skills he’s learned from Olin Busi-
ness School classes into his company strategy. “We have a phenomenal business program here at Washington University — some of the things that I’ve learned, I’ve been able to apply instantly,” Moore said. “I’ve been able to write a business plan. I’ve been able to plan long-term. I’ve been able to evaluate supply and demand.” One of his big future goals is to work with WashU’s Skandalaris Center to establish a physical location for Chef Curry’s on the South 40. After further development, he also plans to sell shares of Chef Curry’s, comparing it to “starting a franchise.” He wants to dedicate the rest of Moore Services to offering a “plethora of services to the St. Louis community. And if we grow beyond the St. Louis community, that’s fine.” Real estate and tax preparations are two of the planned expansions. Moore also envisions his business, especially Chef Curry’s, “giving back to the community.” He would eventually like to create the Chef Curry’s Scholar Program, which would fund scholarships for aspiring student
ELLE SU | STUDENT LIFE
CraigAnthony Moore wearing a chef’s outfit from his company, Moore Services & Co.
entrepreneurs within the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Chef Curry’s has also recently partnered with
Natalie’s Cakes and More in Florissant, Missouri, which Moore says is a great way to “help
each other expand our networks.”
SEE MOORE, PAGE 5
PROFILE OF UNCLE JOE’S CO-DIRECTOR from page 1 as a therapist than what she’s been taught in her psychology classes. “I didn’t expect us to be a catch-all service,” she said. “I thought we would be more specified, but instead we learn how to handle everything that comes our way, and we learn to adapt. There are things we don’t talk about in training; for example, we never talk about COVID during
training, and then COVID happened and we had to learn how to help people through that, and a lot of that is applying the same skills of validating, normalizing, empathizing.” The operations of the organization are detailed to ensure that there are always people on duty, day and night. Two people are assigned to the office every night from 10 p.m.-1 a.m.,
and there are always people on duty for phone calls during the day and night. “The freedom that we have and the way we function is very different from what I expected. Other peer colleges that have counseling like ours set up appointments, kind of like a WUSA relationship, and have nowhere near the depth of our availability, which is to come in
anytime from 10-1 or call anytime 24/7,” Angstreich said. Their on-duty presence doesn’t stop for classes, which she said most professors have been willing to accommodate, although some have been frustrated by the distractions to the class. “If we are in class while on duty, we will get a call, try to leave the classroom
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and listen to the voicemail someone leaves,” she said. “From there we try to identify if this is a real person, and if the answer is yes, we will try to find a quiet place on campus. Some people go to Joe’s office, some people go to a one-person bathroom. I’ve taken calls from my car before.” Conversations with people seeking out guidance for their mental health has helped expand Angstreich’s understanding of the lives of people around her. “The biggest thing I have learned is that there is always something else going on in someone’s life,” Angstreich said. “There is always something going on behind the scenes and it is always important to give people the benefit of the doubt. There are people who will come into the office who I just pass on campus, and then I learn that they’re going through a tough time, and I wonder, ‘Wow, how many other people are going through the same thing?’ From my own guess, I would say everyone — everyone is complex.” Anyone who is “willing and able to learn,” can potentially become a Joe, Angstreich said, but it is harder for some than others: “Being able to take on
the things you are hearing from other people is a big emotional burden, and for people who are just beginning to reckon with things that happened in their own lives, being a Joe can be an additional strain.” In order to decompress from the emotionally-demanding aspects of serving as a counselor, Joe’s holds opportunities for members to bond and unwind. Last semester, the Joes took a trip up to a member’s lake house and spent a weekend there, and they frequently have hangouts outside of campus. “People often take naps in the Joe’s office during the day, so we definitely find ways to prioritize self care,” Angstreich added. The most fulfilling aspect of Joe’s is “those moments where, at the end of an interaction, someone says, ‘Wow I really didn’t expect to feel so much better,’” Angstreich said. “I feel glad in the moment that I was able to help get someone to a place where they were not at before. The goal of an interaction is not necessarily to help someone feel ‘better,’ but to help someone feel heard and understood. And so when I find that I’ve done that for a client, I feel really fulfilled.”
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022
OLIVIA POOLOS & JULIA ROBBINS | SENIOR SCENE EDITORS | SCENE@STUDLIFE.COM
STUDENT LIFE 5
Reasons to watch Super Bowl LVI that aren’t football anyway, here’s a few ways to look on the bright side.
SCENE STAFF If you’re a football fan who’s been waiting all year to watch the championship game of men in shoulder pads crashing into each other, this is not the article for you — you’re already watching the Super Bowl, most likely only leaving for bathroom breaks or to refill the chip bowl. But if you’re a hesitant, bandwagon or disinterested football fan, there might still be merit in watching Super Bowl LVI. Especially if you’ve been roped into watching
For the commercials — kind of The Super Bowl is arguably almost as famous for its commercials as it is for the football, but saying that you should watch the game to enjoy the advertisement feels like an overused recommendation. Instead, I am going to suggest that you watch the Super Bowl for the conversations you can have after the game. The best way to understand the multitude
GRAPHIC BY TUESDAY HADDEN
of pop culture references that inevitably ahrise from Super Bowl commercials is to watch them yourself. You’ll be able to tear up with others about Loretta (Google advertisement, 2020), joke about Drake from State Farm (State Farm advertisement, 2021) and sing along to a reboot of the 2000s pop song “It Wasn’t Me” with Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher (Cheetos advertisement, 2021). Super Bowl ads are a cultural phenomenon, and dissecting them alongside your friends — figuring out which ones were your favorites, which ones were tearjerkers and which ones were straight-up cheesy — is most definitely part of the fun. — Amanda Young, Staff Writer To obnoxiously root for a team that’s not playing If you’re like me, you only really watch football as a way to exhibit city pride. I’m a huge Seattle Seahawks fan because I’m a huge Seattle fan, and want everyone to know it. So even though they didn’t even make playoffs this year, the Super Bowl is the last game of the season to bring up any Seahawks tidbits/pride. For example, no matter
how good a throw Joe Burrows can make, Russell Wilson could have done it better. Did you know that Pete Caroll has won 152 games as head coach of the Hawks, while Bengals’ coach Zac Taylor has only won 16? Try this with your own team, provided they’re not already playing. Not only is it a way to continuously remind everyone of how cool your city is, it’s also the best time to pull out your overpriced team gear that you won’t be able to wear again until September. — Olivia Poolos, Senior Scene Editor To learn a little St. Louis sports history For many in St. Louis, Super Bowl LVI will be hard to watch. For the second time since they left St. Louis for Los Angeles in 2016, the Rams will play on the NFL’s biggest stage. Furthermore, the Rams’ new 70,000-seat palace in Inglewood, California just so happens to be the venue for this year’s game, shining a spotlight on the profitable LA market that lured the team to the city. This year’s Super Bowl is a must-watch event, and has the potential to be one of the most entertaining games in recent history.
That’s in large part because of all the new faces that will be on the field. The Rams made the Super Bowl just three years ago, but that team bears little resemblance to the current roster. Most visibly, quarterback Matthew Stafford was acquired from the Detroit Lions before the season. While already considered a top-tier quarterback, Stafford has proved a great fit for head coach Sean McVay’s offensive system and found the postseason success that eluded him in Detroit. Stafford is surrounded by a talented offense, headlined by receivers Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr., and the Rams sport an elite defense led by Aaron Donald and Von Miller. The Rams’ opponent, however, may be even more exciting. The AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals have reached the Super Bowl for the first time since 1989. Few picked the Bengals to even make the playoffs, but Cincinnati won their division and improbably ran the post-season gauntlet. Though it may still hurt to see the team that left St. Louis compete for a championship, this year’s Super Bowl is full of intriguing
subplots, feel-good stories and extremely talented players. — Max Goldstein, Contributing Writer You never lose when you root for the underdog I’m a big believer in rooting for the team favored to lose: the underdog. First and foremost, if they don’t win, it’s not a huge deal — it’s expected. But, if they do pull through, it’s so much more rewarding than if the team was favored. When the underdog wins, it feels like a victory. In the upcoming Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Rams are playing the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals have not made a Super Bowl appearance in 33 years, they’ve never won a Super Bowl and the Rams are favored to win. Essentially, it will be a pretty big deal should the Bengals win. As first-year Eli Perlin, an avid Bengals fan, said, “To watch your sports team lose year after year, it’s really hard. To be from Cincinnati and finally see someone win, it’s really exciting… I’m going to keep rooting for them, and hopefully they get the win.” — Alice Gottesman, Staff Writer
ENTREPRENEUR CRAIGANTHONY MOORE from page 4 He also has plans to give his leftover products to the surrounding communities. “My goal with my products is to give them back to the unhoused when they don’t sell. So say, for instance, I don’t sell out 150 brownies in a week. The goal would be to gather students from the community, from the Washington University community, and maybe affiliate WUPD, and go to downtown St. Louis, where we have a pretty
large homeless population, and then just get the products out to the unhoused as a way to get back to the community.” If Moore has learned anything about himself through his business endeavors, it’s that he is extremely ambitious. As his ambition continues to grow, he leans on friends and family, who he thanks for “being there since day one.” “My friends were a huge support, and I just want to
say thank you to those who have continued to support me.” Moore’s family has helped him with anything from testing brownie flavors to promoting the company’s services. His mom’s help has been especially significant, as she supports every event and uses her own personal networks to spread the business’ message, Moore said. After graduation, Moore is considering either getting a
master’s degree or working at a real estate firm to gain experience, which he says is “where [his] heart is.” For now, Moore is still working on expanding his company. And his experience has given him insight for any students looking to start their own businesses: “A lot of times we think that we have to start with a business plan, and truth be told, you don’t. Don’t be scared to just do it.”
Washington University Student Media, Inc., publishers of Student Life newspaper, will hold its Spring Board Meeting on Saturday, February 12, 2022. The Board of Directors will take questions and/or answer concerns from the public during the open session of the meeting at 10:10 a.m. If you would like more information about this open session, please send an email request to: BoardMeeting@StudLife.com Please put the words "Board Meeting" in the subject line and your contact information in the email.
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6 STUDENT LIFE
SPORTS
GRADY NANCE & CLARA RICHARDS | SENIOR SPORTS EDITORS | SPORTS@STUDLIFE.COM
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022
Offense dominates as women’s basketball takes two UAA matchups GRADY NANCE SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR Offense has been a strength all season for the Washington University women’s basketball team, but no two games showcased it better than this weekend’s wins over Case Western Reserve University and Carnegie Mellon University. Riding sharp shooting and strong performances from their centerpieces, the Bears cruised to two victories and improved to 12-8 on the season. Coming off an overtime loss to Case last Sunday, the Bears came out in this weekend’s rematch with a clear chip on their shoulder. The Bears jumped out to an eightpoint lead by the end of the first quarter, led by junior Maya Arnott, while the defense held Case to a mere 11 points on 23% shooting. After an onslaught of offense in the second quarter from Arnott and juniors Karisa Granderson and Molly Gannon, the
Bears’ lead had grown to 25, effectively sealing the game by halftime. Arnott ended her night with 28 points in yet another stellar performance; the forward has averaged 13.8 points per game this season while ranking first in the University Athletic Association in rebounds and field goal percentage. The team as a whole outpaced Case in nearly every statistical category, soundly out-rebounding the Spartans and shooting an astounding 50% from three. The 95-64 win was the Bears’ largest margin of victory all season. Head coach Randi Henderson said that while her offense garnered most of the attention all weekend, it was her team’s tight defense that impressed her. “Everyone’s just getting comfortable with each other and their role, and I think right now we have been starting a pretty sound defensive group,” she said. “And because that’s what they’re best at, they set the tone [this
weekend].” Monday’s game against Carnegie Mellon featured much of the same in terms of offense. An early flurry of threes from juniors Naomi Jackson and Sammi Matoush quickly set the tone for the Bears. It seemed like they couldn’t miss for the entirety of the first quarter, dropping 31 points with pristine ball movement and shot choice. Henderson said she enjoyed watching her team facilitate the efficient offense early in the game. “I think what was cool about the last few games is how, offensively, we’re playing together, moving the ball and making it really tough to guard,” she said. “It’s not just one player doing it all, so it’s been fun.” The Bears once again went into halftime sitting on a comfortable lead, and while their offense slowed a bit in the second half (as can be expected with the quick turnaround from Sunday’s game), the defense ensured that Carnegie
Mellon had no chance of clawing back. Five players scored in double digits on Monday, highlighting an offense that has found its rhythm after a bumpy beginning of the season. “That’s the way I like to play, is moving the ball like giving up a good shot for a great shot,” Henderson said of her team’s offensive output. “Just playing to each other’s strengths. And I think they finally not only are comfortable with their strengths, but they know each others’ a little bit better.” The two decisive wins not only improved the Bears’ record, but it demonstrated the team’s high ceiling when playing at full capacity. After starting the season with some tough losses and injuries, the team is now 7-3 since the new year and 6-3 in UAA play. With five games left in the season, the Bears are trending in the right direction at the right time. But despite the positive momentum, Henderson’s message to the team remained the
Swim and dive preps for conference, national meets CLARA RICHARDS SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR After competing in eleven regular season matchups, the Washington University swimming and diving team is heading to the University Athletic Association championships to compete against some of the best teams in Division III. Many of the athletes have been waiting for two years for the chance to compete for a conference championship; this weekend ushers back an important weekend for the nationallyranked mens and womens teams, who sit 7th and 12th, respectively, as they head to Atlanta to compete against familiar rivals. This season has been a return to normalcy for the Bears, who were extremely limited by restrictions last year. Without sufficient time in the pool, swimmers
couldn’t improve their aerobic base, making it difficult to drop time in their events. They were limited to half their normal pool block time and ultimately only competed in two meets. Now, though, they’ve been able to hold consistent practices and get in the weight room. This winter, they traveled down to Florida on a training trip as a team, living and training together for a week. The team has also returned to competing in a full slate of meets, having started off the season with the men sweeping Division I St. Louis University 155-75 and the women falling 89-147 in the non-conference dual meet. From there, the men have finished in the top three in all of their meets, led by a strong group of senior upperclassmen. Barclay Dale, Kevin Hao and Nathan Katz headline many of the Bears’ regular season meets, also
playing key roles in competitive relay teams. On the women’s team, upperclassmen Sandra Meszaros, Grace Wakiyama and Abby Wilson have the potential to make a big impact for the Bears. Meszaros holds the fastest mark in four events for the Bears this season. With two classes of athletes who have never competed in a conference meet, the team lacks the experience that it has had in former years. “It’s a new team in the sense that we weren’t able to see everyone in competition,” said Katz. Still, he added that the athletes are still close, returning to some pre-COVID traditions like the trip down to Florida and spaghetti dinners. The UAA is notoriously competitive; the Emory Eagles haven’t lost a UAA Championship since 1999. Still, the Bears are prepared to fight for a top placing; the
JAMIE NICHOLSON | STUDENT LIFE
Junior Molly Gannon on Sunday against Case. The 95-64 win was the Bears’ largest margin of victory all season.
same as it has been all season: make the most of every moment. “Anything that you’re doing, you want to do with your whole heart, and you just want to love what you’re doing,” she said. “Otherwise, you’re just really wasting time and opportunity. And it doesn’t mean it’s going to be fun all the time or perfect and not without conflict. But you can walk away from every practice and every game with no regrets if you put everything that you have
into your teammates and into your opportunity.” The Bears’ next opportunity comes on Friday night at home against Emory University, with whom they are currently tied for second in the UAA standings. Henderson says that the team is looking forward to a second chance against the Eagles. “We did not score the ball well against them at Emory,” she said. “But I think I’m excited to play them again. We’re better than we were before.”
Weekend Home Sports Schedule
men’s goal is to improve on their placing from 2019, when they finished in fifth place, while the women finished in fourth. Individually, swimmers are also trying to get within the top 16 times in the nation in order to qualify for the NCAA Championships, where athletes qualify with seed times. “The events are a lot faster than I would have expected,” Katz said. “It just comes with the territory and makes it more exciting and makes me more eager to get back to competition as a whole.” For many of the seniors, the next few weeks will be their last time competing for WashU. “It’s tough when you think about the chances that we missed because of last year, but I’m happy to finish strong,” Katz said. “I think we’ll be able to see some top times and top finishes as I close out my career.”
Friday 5:30 7:30 Saturday 6:00 6:00 Sunday 12:00 2:00
Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball Men’s Tennis (Woodsmill TC) Women’s Tennis (Woodsmill TC) Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball
Men’s basketball clutches out two key wins against Case and Carnegie
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FORUM
REILLY BRADY & JAMILA DAWKINS | SENIOR FORUM EDITORS | FORUM@STUDLIFE.COM
STUDENT LIFE 7
STAFF EDITORIAL
Let the snow day remind you to appreciate essential workers
T
his past Wednesday, Feb. 2, many of us went to sleep to the sound of blowers and shovels scraping away snow as it fell. Over the next few days, Washington University landscape workers continued to diligently clear paths and salt icy streets until nightfall in order for the community to walk around campus safely. Though many professors held classes on Zoom, urging students to not risk driving on the roads, dining workers braved the weather to come to work. Yet on campus, complaints abounded as some dining hall stations and cafes were closed and lines lengthened for anything still open. Some students even became brusque with the workers who showed up.
As we wait with bated breath for the pandemic to narrow to a more-manageable endemic level, the term “essential worker” has been circulating in our cultural lexicon for nearly two years, meaning basically “the people that we rely on to make our country function as it should.” This includes workers in transportation, food, sanitation and healthcare. In 2020, these people were celebrated, seen as heroes risking their health and safety in order to maintain a sense of normalcy for the rest of the population. Since then, however, it seems as if we have forgotten this gratitude and instead are focused merely on our own discomfort. Though this should not
have to be said, it continues to prove necessary to spell out: Regardless of your own perceived importance, speak to those who serve and help you like the people they are. As WashU students, we often balance being a part of the St. Louis community and being guests in the St. Louis community, and that conversation requires us to recognize that staff are year-round citizens of the city and don’t only exist within our interactions with them. If we can’t even make it across campus to class without remarks about ice on paths and biting winds, why do we complain when workers can’t make the trek across the city to BD? In 2021, the University was ranked a top employer
by Forbes, partially based on “their ability to remain flexible and keep employees safe.” If workers didn’t come to campus while inches of snow fell over St. Louis, ideally that means that the University is living up to this ranking by allowing their workers to assess risk and choose safety. Just as it is our responsibility as students to appreciate, thank and respect campus workers, it is also the University’s responsibility to set a standard for the treatment of workers both on our campus and around it. As the second-largest employer in St. Louis, WashU has the power to impact the quality of life of thousands of workers, as well as denote a benchmark of employee treatment to other employers.
The responsibility of being a major employer of a city also includes dictating minimum wage for those employees, which we encourage the University to continue to consider. In 2019, when the University committed to increase the minimum wage to $15 for 1,200 University employees, then-Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration Henry Webber said that “We as a community should be doing somewhat more to improve the economic security of the lowest-paid members of the University community.” This was true then and is certainly no less true now, two years into a pandemic that has left many of us more economically uncertain than ever. As “hero” pay
raises disappear nationwide and inflation continues to rise, it is more important than ever to monitor the local economy, compensate staff accordingly and continue to provide support and flexibility to WashU employees. Appreciation of the WashU staff should come from all sides, especially as they continue to be the essential workers on our campus and in our community throughout the pandemic and hazardous weather. To the students, remember your privilege and fortune, and express and practice gratitude. To the University, the message is the same, though in this case actions — such as pay and flexible policy — speak louder than words.
The parental right to kill a mockingbird (and other important texts) JASMINE STONE STAFF WRITER
S
ome of my fondest memories from elementary school are of plucking the stories that most intrigued me from the shelves of the school library and making my escape into the text’s fictional world. I traveled through time with Jack and Annie (and subsequently begged my parents for my own non-magic tree house), I memorized spells and visited Hogsmeade with Harry and Hermione and I developed an interest in Greek mythology because of the adventures Percy Jackson offered me. Book banning has always been a hot topic for school districts and libraries alike — and texts depicting marginalized communities, identities and non-Christian themes have often been the target — but recently, unprecedented measures have been taken by parents and conservative politicians to remove books
from the shelves of school libraries. Some Texas school districts are even reporting “more challenges this year than in the past two decades combined.” Currently, books that mention gender and/or sexuality are leading the pack as the number one reason behind book bannings, with anything involving race or racialized content following closely behind. One Mississippi mayor is withholding $110,000 in approved funds from a local library until they remove all “homosexual materials.” “Maus,” a nonfiction graphic novel depicting the horrors of the Holocaust, was banned by a Tennesee school board just weeks before Holocaust Remembrance Day 2022. “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Lawn Boy,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Bluest Eye,” “Beloved,” “The Hate U Give,” “Beyond Magenta” and “I am Jazz” — all books containing themes of gender, race and/or sexuality — are a few among hundreds of others that are
being contested (and in some states, flying from the shelves) amidst the passing of book bans. But if said book banning is supposedly being done in the best interest of children, it begs the rather obvious question of which children are being excluded and even harmed by these measures. What are schools attempting to shield non-marginalized students from? Calls for the banning of books like “Maus” and “The Hate U Give” in the name of the difficulty of the topics being discussed centers students who do not have the lived experiences of racism and anti-semitism. It is also virtually impossible for conversations about either of those topics to be both pleasant and accurate. Students with racialized identities, however, do not get to choose whether or not they are exposed to said issues. Despite this, in addition to the materials being removed after being voted against by school boards or legislators, others are being removed more quietly without
a preceding discussion. Further, a recently-introduced Florida bill, commonly referred to by opposers as “Don’t Say Gay,” aims to ban classroom discussion about gender identity and sexuality in primary grade levels, with supporting Republican Senator Dennis Baxley citing parents’ rights to have a say in what their kids are learning as the primary reason for the bill. According to KCUR, more than 120 bills have been filed since Dec. 20, 2021, by Missouri state legislators alone on teachings about race, bias and “parental rights,” with “elementary and secondary education” being the most popular topic of bills filed so far in 2022. Some have even proposed that parents be informed weeks in advance should a “controversial” topic be in the lesson plan. So who gets to make the decision on what’s controversial? As the subjects of these banned books and topics suggest, there is a specific type of child whose experiences and “well-being” are
HOLDEN HINDES | STUDENT LIFE
A bookshelf in the Olin Library B-stacks.
allegedly being prioritized. Or, rather, there is a specific type of parent whose beliefs are being upheld and written into legal doctrine. Bans like these certainly do not include the well-being of children — or parents — who have seen themselves, their families and their histories represented in the books that are being contested and ripped from the shelves. On the contrary, students who are only just beginning to see themselves reflected in library books and the course curriculum are now being told that their identities are “harmful” or “too inappropriate” to be discussed
amongst other students who do not share them. Banning these books harms both the children who are having their safe spaces and representation stripped away from them as well as non-marginalized students who should still be exposed to a variety of experiences and identities. Ignorance only enables intolerance and bigotry, and to insist on the burial of difficult or “diverse” topics instead of encouraging their discussion in an educational environment is to willingly aid in ostracizing marginalized students and creating ill-informed, intolerant behaviors in others.
OPINION SUBMISSION
DREW PERKOSKI CLASS OF 2022
It is time we fight every nationalism
T
he problem with white nationalism is twofold: First, white racial identity is constructed to oppress others, and second, nationalism (wherever it is found) structurally privileges some group of people in an unjustifiable manner. When white nationalists defaced campus in December, too many students were only primed to discuss the first part. When WUSTL Black and Palestinian Liberation (BPL) posted a critique of the Jewish nationalist program Birthright (rightly pointing out that Birthright manufactures consent for Israel and settler colonialism more broadly), the backlash from otherwise progressive
students made it clear our campus needs discussion about the second. Nationalism, white or otherwise, is indefensible, and it is time for our student body to give it up. Many responses to BPL pointed out that it is inappropriate to use whiteness and Jewishness interchangeably, but these turned into demands that no comparison be drawn between white nationalists and nationalists of a different kind. Certain students attempted to invalidate any critique of the Jewish national movement by misappropriating radical language, relying on a layman’s misunderstanding of indigeneity to lay claim over land two oceans away. Others insisted that Birthright does not manufacture consent, which is blatantly false, and that the trip only is meant to help young
Jews connect with their culture, as if Jewish culture is geographically limited. Among all of this was a common thread: an undeniable right of the Jewish people not just to self-determination but to a nation-state, and that it would be antisemitic to deny that nation-state’s unquestionable status. When the intercampus group Jewish on Campus responded, bringing an undue amount of attention to what could have been a WashU-specific dialogue, they too insisted on the mandatory acceptance of the Jewish national project, calling Palestinian narratives disinformation. Our campus American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) affiliate president posted a response attempting to paint the Jewish nation-state as a
beacon of liberalism, drawing on Islamophobic ideas of a backwardness to the rest of the region. I cannot sit by and watch campus groups promote contradictory ideas as if they are cohesive. There is no liberal nationalism. For my Jewish peers who have renamed nationalism as it applies to our people: There is no liberal Zionism. You cannot support human rights in full, then draw lines on a map and give political privilege to some group within those lines. No magnitude of demographic majority can make the practice palatable. Where the majority of the privileged group is questionable, the violations of minority rights will only become more abhorrent. America cannot be the only place in which one supports
OUR VOICE: EDITORIAL BOARD Staff editorials reflect the opinion of a majority of editorial board members. The editorial board operates independently of our newsroom and includes members of the senior staff. Editor-in-Chief: Matthew Friedman Managing Editor: Isabella Neubauer Senior Forum Editors: Reilly Brady, Jamila Dawkins
Junior Forum Editor: Serin Koh
multicultural ideals. If you are going to be cosmopolitan, hold that view across all geographies. If you can see the racism and xenophobia which come with American nationalism, can you not see the same across all nationalisms? Do you really believe shared ethnic origin is necessary to statecraft when we can see the success brought by diverse communities all around us? With a campus full of budding environmentalists, where are the students supporting ecosovereignty as the way forward? With the ongoing threat of climate change, why are we not promoting models of government which support sustainable land use over ethnic jingoism? Present material reality might change the immediate options available to us in creating political change, but
it does not have to limit our vision for the future. We can organize and build solidarity in new ways to create the world we want to see. We can connect through our neighborhoods instead of parties, meet at community centers instead of church basements, listen to the most oppressed instead of think tanks and their grandstanding politicians. We do not have to join the ranks of projects started by short-minded reformers, the type that continue to pitch two-states or are petrified by the word “abolition.” We owe nothing to the programs which sit in the way of real progress, from Birthright to Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh to Boys’ State, no matter our past relationships to them. We can give up nationalism and work towards something better.
YOUR VOICE: SUBMISSIONS Senior Cadenza Editor: Gracie Hime Senior Sports Editors: Grady Nance, Clara Richards
Senior Scene Editors: Olivia Poolos, Julia Robbins
Senior Copy Editor: Grady Nance Senior Social Media Editor: Sabrina Spence Senior Multimedia Editors: HN Hoffmann, Jaden Satenstein
We welcome letters to the editor and opinion submissions from our readers. Submissions may be sent to forum@ studlife.com and must include the writer’s name, class and email or phone number for verification. We reserve the
right to print any submission as a letter or opinion submission. Any submission chosen for publication does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Student Life, nor does publication mean Student Life supports said submission.
8 STUDENT LIFE
CADENZA ANNABEL SHEN & GRACE HIME | SENIOR CADENZA EDITORS | CADENZA@STUDLIFE.COM
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022
On a weekend of major musical releases, Mitski’s “Laurel Hell” carves out its niche VED PATEL JUNIOR COPY EDITOR I am not a long-term Mitski fan; I got on the bandwagon with “Be My Cowboy.” During the leadup to last Friday’s release of “Laurel Hell,” an undercurrent of anxiety came with my excitement. Mitski had some strong competition for Feb. 4 releases — we also saw drops from cult favorites such as Animal Collective, Hippo Campus and Black Country, New Road. I’ve listened to “Laurel Hell” on repeat and have found it to be an incredibly short but potent record. With “Laurel Hell,” we get to see Mitski’s take on the ‘80s synth-pop sound, something that everyone and their mother seems to be trying now. While the sound is a departure from classic Mitski indie rock, the songwriting is some of her finest. The album tackles incredibly
relevant and relatable themes of isolation, anxiety and depression with killer vocals and polished production. We start with “Valentine, Texas,” a dark and slow track that ushers us into the impending emotional roller coaster. The next stretch of songs escalates in energy, culminating with the lead single “Love Me More,” which featured a banging sample of the ‘80s classic “Maniac.” True to form, each of these tracks are gut-wrenchingly emotional, which works wonders with the nostalgia and familiarity provided by the ‘80s soundscape. Finally, the tail end of the album slows back down, keeping the melancholy. It’s like drowning in depression molasses, but in the best possible way. You’d think that the penultimate track, “I Guess,” is the end for “Laurel Hell,” especially with lyrics such as “I guess this is the
end,” or “From here, I can say ‘Thank you,’” but Mitski throws a real curveball with this one — the party’s not over till she says it’s over. The closer, “That’s Our Lamp,” is extreme. It’s the most happy and energeticsounding track on the record, but the lyrics are the most heartbreaking of all. There’s nothing more I could ask for. All things considered, I’m pretty satisfied with the novel direction Mitski took “Laurel Hell,” and the album has earned its place in my library. I feel like the record has found great company with some of the other Feb. 4 releases I mentioned, especially Black Country, New Road’s “Ants From Up There” (with palpable Bowie energy) and Animal Collective’s “Time Skiffs” (which ended up on Pitchfork’s Best New Albums list). All three are great, radically different and deserve a listen.
GRAPHIC BY CLARA RICHARDS