Black Panther Has Reached the Top of the Charts
By Zayna Palmer
Poster for Black Panther. Photo courtesy of Flickr.
The first film in superhero history to ever have an all-black cast, Black Panther, is one of the most powerfully invigorating movies of all time. By giving the Marvel template a twist using African culture, director Ryan Coogler has created a masterpiece. It is especially great to see diverse casting in a Marvel Studios production because it appeals to black audiences and it gives a different aspect to the action genre. The film has also been extremely successful at the box office. In just over a month since its release on Feb. 16, it had grossed over 1.2 billion dollars as of Mar. 24.
Starring Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Chadwick Boseman and Angela Bassett, Black Panther focuses on the relationship between a father and son, and citizens fighting to protect a nation. The film’s hero, named T’Challa, does whatever it takes to protect his homeland Wakanda, while he faces danger from the villain Erik Killmonger, who wants to take his throne as king.
Lupita Nyong’o and Chadwick Boseman appear in promotional posters for Black Panther. Photo courtesy of Flickr.
The Black Panther soundtrack is also impressive, featuring luminaries including Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd and SZA. Musician Ludwig Göransson, who created the amazing instrumentals in the movie, traveled to Africa and used a field recorder to capture music for the film. He wrote down the meanings of songs and bought instruments to create traditional African music. He even traveled to Senegal to visit singer and guitarist Baaba Maal, who was also featured in the film.
In addition, the scenery of the movie was beautiful, such as the forest in Wakanda. It reminds me of Senegal due to the instrumentals of the music and the beautiful waters. The characters wore a traditional woven African print, called Kente, and the gold rings that were worn around the necks of the Dora Milaje were inspired by the tribe of South Africa.
Overall, Black Panther is a terrific film because it has a black superhero as the main character.
Student-Led Celebration Praises A Fuller Spectrum of Black History
By Genesis Ramos
Students and professors gathered in the Student Life Building for Victoria Smith’s Black History Month event. Photo by Genesis Ramos.
In celebration of Black History Month, an event called “Lift Every Voice: A Celebration of the Black Diaspora” was held on Feb. 21 in room 222 of the Student Life Building. The discussion expanded the popular conception of black history month beyond solely African-American history to also include Afro-Latino history and the history of the entire African diaspora. James Mercado, a Lehman biochemistry major who attended the event said, “It is reassuring to know that we are no longer willing to let ourselves be divided by cultural and geographic boundaries.”
Lehman sophomore and political science major Victoria Smith created the event in honor of Black History Month. Smith said she was “inspired by a combination of my family and culture,”--because, she explained, black people come in every shape and color. Ni-Emah Bugg, a Lehman alum, poet and a singer/songwriter, performed her poem, “To Be Black & Human at the Same Damn Time,” which touched on topics such as the oppression of African Americans, feelings of being set up for failure, and drugs in African American neighborhoods.
Lehman professors LeRonn Brooks and Lise Esdaile, both in the Africana studies department, also spoke about some issues that the black community is facing, particularly the issue of colorism. Several videos explained the colorist hashtags #Teamdarkskin and #Teamlightskin, which are being used widely in black communities to draw attention to colorism.
#Teamlightskin, used by those who are light skinned, refers to those who fear their blackness because of the negative misconceptions that are associated with being a person of color. This includes those still black decedents who don’t want to be called Afro-Latino, Afro-German, African American, or Afro-Peruvian. They are a part of a community that has been mistreated for a long time. They choose to now reject this community to evade this mistreatment in the belief that the lighter one’s skin complexion, the better chance of success one has.
#Teamdarkskin represents the negative associations with blackness. This negative association can be found in the Dominican Republic which comes from slave times. Haiti and the Dominican Republic are separated into two distinct countries. There is now a cultural whitewashing of black Dominican people, many of whom try to disassociate themselves with anything related to blackness. However, event speakers pointed out that denying their origin is not the way to fix the problem.
Hilliary Frank, a Lehman junior and chemistry major, said, “I thought the event was nice and I got to see different artistic performances from black individuals. I specifically loved the poet who came because she talked about black people as well as mental health as a black person, which is something you don’t hear about especially in non-black culture. I hope to see more events like this one in the future.”
Student Government Considers Costly Event
By Hector Bello
Center for the Performing Arts at Lehman College. Photo by Hector Bello.
The Student Government Association (SGA) is deliberating whether they should spend $17,000 of their $30,000 budget on a concert. This appears to be the latest of a series of initiatives on which the SGA has been working during its tenure. Others include opening the library 24 hours a day during midterms and finals, establishing an SGA scholarship, and building a place for students to pray and meditate. If the SGA reaches a final agreement to have a concert, they would have to spend $10,000 to rent the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts to host American rapper, songwriter and television personality Safaree, who would then charge seven thousand dollars to perform.
SGA president Victoria Antonetti, a physics and math double major, told the Meridian, “We want to make something good to celebrate our student body, faculty and history. So, we came up with a concert. When we’re doing an event and it is something that we would have to spend over $10,000, by responsibility we would have to make at least half of the money back.” To earn this money back, all attendees would be charged an admission fee.
The Monroe and Rose D. Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College. Photo by Hector Bello.
Anthropology, biology and chemistry major and Vice-President of Internal Affairs Erick Peguero proposed the idea of the concert to the SGA. He told the Meridian, “We have two options. Either we bring Safaree for $7,000 or we bring Kesha for $20,000. The only problem with Kesha is that after singing four songs she charges us like if she is performing a full concert.”
Lehman senior Ramsey Tapia says, “I think it is a good idea to have a concert on campus. Many students want to get involved but don’t know how to do it.” Tapia also expressed doubts about the event. “I don’t know Safaree, so I don’t think that bringing him is going to be useful. I am all for the concert idea, but we should bring a popular artist instead.”
Until the SGA decides to spend it, the money will stay on reserve. Although a concert would be a way of using the reserve money for perhaps a large number of students to participate in an extracurricular activity, the concert idea is still being negotiated and will not be confirmed until after their April 16 meeting. SGA elections have also been held, April 17-19. Please log in to our website for the latest update on the concert.
Student Panel Shines at Second Annual Activism Symposium
By Deirdre Fanzo
From left to right, Professor Jessica Yood, Lucero Luna Miranda, Zoe Fanzo, Arlinda Mulosmanaj, and Nicholas Santiago presenting at the Activism in Academia symposium. Photo courtesy of Hardik Yadav.
Lucero Luna Miranda, an undocumented student at Lehman, told her audience that she is not afraid to be herself—not anymore. Miranda was one of four Lehman students who interwove personal narrative with academic writing and research in their presentations at the second annual Activism in Academia symposium, held on Feb. 23 at The CUNY Grad Center. Organized by Lehman English professors Olivia Moy and Dhipinder Walia, the event featured professors from across the country speaking on such panels as “Structural Insurrections in Composition and Rhetoric,” “On-Campus Activism: Protest and Performance,” and “Activist Archives and Histories.”
The highlight of the symposium was the third panel, entitled “Visibility through Scholarship: Undocumented and Underrepresented Voices,” and composed of four Lehman students. Professor Walia stated that this panel “illustrated the way academic interests come from what is not happening in the classroom. Often, the classroom provides the theoretical approaches and sites of study…but students intersect these spaces with their own questions [and hypotheses].” Along with Miranda, Zoe Fanzo, Arlinda Mulosmanaj, and Nicholas Santiago presented their respective research to a room full of academics. (Full disclosure: Zoe is print producer and web designer of the Meridian as well as the author’s sister.) Topics ranged from DACA and DREAMers, LGBT activism on college campuses, to poetry and literature as a form of activism, and digital rhetoric and first-year composition.
Miranda discussed the idea of a model minority, whose members are stereotyped as being quiet, intelligent, and soft-spoken. She said that while that used to be what she aimed to achieve, she is now outspoken in her efforts to challenge an unfair governmental administration and advocate for DREAMers and other undocumented citizens.
Fanzo’s research found similar issues with academic administrations. Her discussion focused on the lack of LGBTQ+ visibility and activism on college campuses. She found that a lack of assistance from conservative college administrations has led to a lack of queer activism. Fanzo expressed hope that Lehman’s current president, José Luis Cruz, will advocate for queer students and LGBTQ+ activism on campus.
Arlinda Mulosmanaj’s research included the translation and analysis of poems by her grandfather, Hysen Mulosmanaj, a prominent Albanian poet and activist. His poetry was important in uniting those forced into exile in communist Albania, highlighting the immense activist power that poetry and literature can contain.
Nicholas Santiago focused on digital rhetoric and first-year composition in his presentation, discussing that the introduction of digitalized platforms into composition classes would provide a familiar format in which students can more easily express their personal narratives, and then develop these narratives into more academic writing.
Hardik Yadav, an English major at Lehman, told the Meridian “The panel was identity-driven,” noting that non-English majors Miranda and Fanzo discussed fighting “irresponsible administrations,” while “Arlinda and Nicholas, both English Honors Program students, found writing to be their weapon.” He added, “It fascinates me to no end how quickly their transformation into leaders happens behind the mic.”
Bronxites Fear New Ice Rink Will Cause Meltdown
By Perla Tolentino
The Kingsbridge Armory has remained vacant since 1996. Photo by Perla Tolentino. [Page 3]
After more than five years of discussions, the monumental Kingsbridge Armory will soon be drastically transformed, and many locals worry they will be on the losing end of the deal.
Built in 1910, the Eighth Regiment Armory has not been militarily active since 1996. Since then however, it has been serving the community as a city management office, and has also welcomed Lehman for special events, conferences, and even served as an arena for concerts. According to The Riverdale Press, soon it will be opening its door to the sports community, holding national games and many other sporting events. The former captain of the New York Rangers, Mark Messier, is the head of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center and is attempting to replace the 750,000 square-foot historical armory with the largest ice rink facility in the world.
The project is the main topic at monthly Kingsbridge Small Business meetings attended by many local residents and small business owners in the area. Mohamed Ali, owner of Grocery Candy Stop 1, said he attended a recent meeting in early March and received flyers from the Commercial Lease Assistant Program. “It’s really happening this time,” he said.
Small business owners around the armory fear they will be pushed out due to rent increases that will occur if this project is finalized. Patrick Lim, 32, has already lost one store to rent hikes. Lim owns a vegetable market with his father in front of the south part of the armory, with a current long-term lease of ten years. Originally, they owned two, with the second store located close to the diner on the north side. Lim said that when they were trying to renew the lease, the landlords refused to give them a long-term contract, and also increased their rent. Their lack of willingness to negotiate forced Lim and his father to close the second store.
“All owners across the armory are operating their businesses without a lease contract, they can ask them to leave any minute now,” said Lim. He also told the Meridian he has also been receiving project newsletters regarding the new project. After closing the mini-market he said some of his employees were let go.
Yamilet Castillo, who works at the local barber shop, echoed Lim’s concerns. She claims that the shop’s rent has doubled, and fears rents will continue to increase, eventually forcing it to shut down.
Businesses across the north side of the armory currently without a lease. The closed gate on the corner is the second market Patrick Lim was forced to close. Photo by Perla Tolentino.
Some residents and business owners, however, were more skeptical about the project’s chances of being completed and stated that the rumors are just speculations. Jenny Vangelatos, owner of New Capitol Restaurant located on the corner of Kingsbridge and Jerome Avenues, was not as alarmed as other business owners. “I have been attending community meetings on a monthly basis and I have heard of this situation since 2014, but it’s not happening yet,” she said. Vangelatos refused to comment on high rent issues.
The project has been delayed by numerous issues. The New York Post announced in 2017 that Messier and the project’s founder Kevin Parker were denied entry to the historical army house because of a lawsuit between the developers and city officials. Apparently, the city is requesting proof of sufficient funds for the project. The paper also stated that Mayor de Blasio was supporting the project.
Many residents are now beginning to believe the rumors may be true. If the project takes place, Kingsbridge will be a center of attraction for many tourists and visitors from around the U.S., but residents will also be forced to pay higher rents and the neighborhood will become gentrified.
In the meantime, according to Sergeant Ramirez of the New York National Guard, the Kingsbridge Armory remains open with activities such as the National Guard Army program. Regardless of the outcome of this project, the armory will remain a cornerstone of the Kingsbridge community and the Bronx.
Nine Apps to Help You Ace Student Life
By Deirra Francis Stevenson
Students rely on their smartphones. Photo courtesy of jeshoots.com.
In just seven years, access to digital devices has risen substantially, with 77 percent of Americans using smart phones in 2017, according to a Pew Research Center report, up from just 35 percent in 2011. Smartphone use is nearly universal among younger adults, the report adds, with 92 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds now owning one. We asked Lehman students what apps they find indispensible to navigate their lives both on and off campus.
Dropbox, an all-purpose storage and transfer app, syncs your files to its cloud the moment they’re uploaded, as well as all future changes. “Dropbox is a great way to transfer files to others,” says Lehman student John Rodriguez. “If you forget your phone or document at home, it’s in the cloud and can easily be accessed through an internet connection.” The versatile app serves a variety of devices from Windows desktop to Mac laptop and Android phone.
During those long nights when you’re stuck on an online quiz or a hard to answer textbook question, Quizlet makes relentless studying a little less overwhelming. Whether it’s robotics or Shakespeare, this flashcard app is a lifesaver, helping students with both studying for tests and homework assignments.
LinkedIn is a networking platform for working professionals. It lets you create an account and upload your resume to showcase your skills and job training. “Instead of just saving connections you’ve met throughout your professional life, actively engage with contacts by liking, sharing, and commenting on their activity,” states Time.com.
Banking mobile apps, Zelle and Venmo, come in handy when students have limited time to find the bank of their choice. Zelle is easy to use because of its three choices: send, request, and split money. However, if the recipient doesn’t already have Zelle it will become a task to activate the sending option, though most banks do offer it. Venmo likewise can be used to split a bill, pay back friends, or purchase products and services. The app is free if you send money from your Venmo balance, debit card or bank account, while a 3 percent fee is added for credit cards. Receiving money and making purchases, however, is free.
Whether you attend college far from home or around the block, safety can be a major concern. An app that makes friends and family as well as students feel safer is SafeTrek, an emergency signaling app. If you feel in danger and there is either no time to make a phone call or you don’t know your exact location, you can open SafeTrek, depress and hold a button, and if you don’t enter a pin number in 10 seconds, the app sends your location and an alarm signal to the police. Jashera Nalls, an Africana Studies major at Lehman who walks to the bus station late nights after class, told the Meridian, “I take precautions such as talking on the phone with my dad and carrying pepper spray. What about if something happens and my dad can’t get to me fast enough? An App that has a buddy system until I’m home would be great.”
For students running late or just looking for alternatives to public transportation, Uber and Lyft are convenient solutions. “The option to share rides makes the cost lower than an already reasonable price,” says Lehman student Jocelyn Carson. “You have the option of sharing a ride with another passenger whose destination is along your route. I use Lyft for my early Saturday class when trains aren’t running their usual schedule.”
The everyday challenges of student life can take a toll. To help students relieve stress, psychologists and educators created a mindfulness meditation app called Smiling Mind. It’s a great energizer bunny for the mind that helps users create a balance between mental health and their studies. “It helps that this app is free,” says Lehman film major Shanese Latiya. “I listen to it during in the morning after my alarm wakes me up or during a crowded train ride in the day. In this day and age people are consumed with social media first thing in the morning, but for me, Smiling Mind helps to focus on living my best life rather than what others are doing.”
Lehman Students Find Self-Expression in Bold Hair Colors
By Deirdre Fanzo
Dyed hair and the positive feedback it draws from others can greatly increase people’s confidence and self-esteem, argues Masey White in USA Today College. While a conservative viewpoint might tie colorful hair to a lack of professionalism, today’s reality is that dyed hair is an expression of personality that does not detract from a person’s work ethic. “My expression of my individuality is not something that affects my work ethic or skills,” White asserts. This notion is clearly shared by many members of the Lehman community, who use colorful hair to express themselves.
Hayong Lau photographed in Lehman’s Music Building Cafeteria. All photographs by Deirdre Fanzo.
Business Administration major Hayong Lau dyes her hair a soft purple, almost periwinkle color. She told the Meridian that her hair color expresses that she is “just crazy and I don’t care.” She added, “I just want to have fun.”
Jasmine Joseph photographed in Lehman’s Music Building Cafeteria.
Jasmine Joseph is an English and Africana Studies double major, whose hair is currently a deep, vibrant shade of red. She says she wants the color of her hair to express that “I just don’t care about what other people think.”
Waverliey Torres photographed in the Lehman College Underground Radio club room.
Waverliery Torres is a biology major and a member of the Lehman College Underground Radio. Her hair resembles the sunset and is a colorful combination of orange, blonde, and pink. Torres stated, “I’m a very artistic person… I enjoy color combinations. I don’t think hair should be boring…I believe your hair should be a creative outlet.”
Abirami Rajeev photographed during an overnight class trip to the Washington DC area.
Math major Abirami Rajeev told the Meridian that she has dyed her hair many different colors. Right now, it is a dark green shade. Abi stated that she originally started dying her hair because she desired something that was “a little different. Now, it’s more expressing my general state of mind.” She added, “I associate green with nature and serenity and it’s a part of my life I’m trying to get more in touch with. Plus, I just love the color green.”
‘Devilman Crybaby’ Delivers a Hellish Reincarnation of a Classic Manga
By Juan Vasquez
Cover of “Devilman Crybaby.”
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
At its core, Netflix’s new “Devilman Crybaby” is a bloody, perverse, visceral masterpiece that appeals to the ear and eye. A 2018 reboot of the classic anime-nasty “Devilman,” originally released in 1972, this modernized take directed by Masaaki Yuasa is filled with freestyle hip-hop, drugs, graphic sex, and gore.
The plot follows Akira Fudo on his quest to save humankind from demons. With some help from his friend Ryo Asuka, Akira merges with a demon and becomes the titular Devilman as he visits a drug filled, sex crazed nightclub.
The shining gem of this new “Devilman Crybaby” is how faithfully it adapts the original manga while introducing a modern twist and a few plot alterations. One such change is the addition of a track team subplot. While I must admit that the subplot seems like a weird addition to the dark, ultraviolent world of Japanese Manga artist Go Nagai, I came to like it and was shocked to see how it added to the plot and setting. Similarly stunning is the more savage killing of a certain main character. While the death in manga was certainly gruesome and leaves quite the mark with you, “Devilman Crybaby” kicks this up to an eleven.
The animation quality is also a cut above your average anime production. The animators at Science Saru clearly put a lot of effort into “Devilman Crybaby.” While there was one scene that may have been animated in Flash, creating a downgrade in animation quality, the studio made sure that this limited OVA (Original Video Animation) series was a feast for the eyes.
This leads to my one criticism of the series: this is not an anime that you can watch with your family. There is a ton of graphic sex, graphic death scenes, casual nudity, and enough diabolical themes to shake a stick at. If you are planning to watch this anime in public or with sensitive friends and family, my one piece of advice would be: don’t.
While viewers may want to advise the utmost discretion while watching this series, Devilman Crybaby is not to be missed.
Bronxites Tackle Discrimination in XFL Revival
By Jorel Lonesome
XFL logo. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Vince McMahon is relaunching his ill-fated Xtreme Football League (XFL), and many Bronx residents object to its new discriminatory rules and what some see as McMahon taking a page from Donald Trump’s playbook.
“I think this is just his Donald Trump maneuver where Vince persuades the masses to get people interested then over time he’ll walk away from it,” said Bronx resident Raquel Brahmbhatt, 29, cashier at Gamestop on Greenwich St in Manhattan. Brahmbhatt believes that McMahon and Trump have similar approaches to gaining an audience for their shows. “Right now he’s a salesman, a clever businessman. So right now he’ll say whatever gets people’s attention.”
This will be the second time McMahon tries to get his extreme league off the ground. The original XFL debuted—and then failed—in 2001 as a joint venture between WWE and NBC. XFL’s gimmicks included fewer rules, rougher play, scantily clad cheerleaders, cross promotion with pro wrestling superstars, and innovative use of technologies during games, including player microphones and aerial cameras. However, fans quickly soured on the poor quality of games and focus on eccentric personalities.
On Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018, McMahon, the chairman and chief executive of WWE, announced his plan to relaunch the XFL. The reboot will be owned by McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment, a separate company from WWE. As he continues to revive the XFL, he will remain in his current position with WWE. This updated XFL will have eight teams, 40-man active rosters and a 10-week regular season schedule followed by playoffs. Its quicker, “family-friendly” version of football will limit games to about two hours.
However, McMahon also created new standards this time around, including a ban on players displaying their “politics” during games, a policy many Bronxites say is unfair, especially the rule against kneeling during the national anthem. In the XFL, players must stand for the national anthem, a practice McMahon sees as an opportunity to gain NFL fans who have expressed dissatisfaction over the ongoing player protests against racial injustice.
“People don’t want social and political issues coming into play when they are trying to be entertained,” McMahon told ESPN. “We want someone who wants to take a knee to do their version of that on their personal time.” McMahon also stated that he will not allow players with criminal records to join the league.
Some Bronx residents and workers argue this is opportunism and that it’s going too far. “Vince McMahon can always change the rules around,” said Bronxite Stephen O’Hara, 41, a retail sales associate at Home Depot in New Rochelle in Westchester County, New York. “I think he will reject players with criminal records that involve assault and domestic violence charges. The DUI and marijuana charges shouldn’t rule someone out. Violence, on the other hand, is a different story. I personally don’t want to see athletes that beat their wives, making thousands or millions of dollars for games that they play.”
Bronx residents also see McMahon’s decision to ban athletes that have criminal records from the XFL as hypocritical since the WWE chairman allows wrestlers with a rap sheet to work for him. “It’s contradictory of Vince McMahon to be annoyed at NFL players for having ‘politics’ interfere with the games and then have rules that are basically ‘no politics unless they’re mine,’” said Bronx resident Nicolás Cruz, 28, a cashier at Hot Topic in Kings Plaza Shopping Center in Brooklyn. “With that rule applied to WWE there’d be almost zero wrestlers on the roster. Wrestler Scott Hall was arrested years ago for choking out his girlfriend after falling into a drunken rage. Hall shot a man with his own gun and admitted that he killed him.”
Fellow Bronxite Daniel Weeks, 33, a volunteer at National Parks Conservation Association in New York City, agreed. “Wrestler Randy Orton might be one of the top stars of the WWE right now, but he has been suspended by the company for violating their wellness policy,” said Weeks. “Randy got arrested for going AWOL many times in the Marine Corps, and disobeyed orders from a commanding officer. He went to military prison for it.”
Kevin Draper argues in the New York Times that “McMahon is following, President Trump’s lead on politics as well as showmanship.” He points out that “Trump, who has denounced N.F.L. players’ protesting racial injustice by refusing to stand during the anthem, has long been involved with the McMahons and W.W.E. Linda McMahon, Vince’s wife, was appointed by Trump to run the Small Business Administration on Feb. 14th, 2017.”
“Trump has also hosted wrestling events at his properties,” Draper adds, “and has been involved in the showmanship, once shaving McMahon’s head in the middle of a ring. Trump was also involved in an alternative professional league in the 1980s, owning the New Jersey Generals of the short-lived United States Football League.”
While Draper states that McMahon had not consulted with Trump about the XFL, he notes that McMahon’s “ban on politics during games would extend to the president’s positions.”
Bronx native Nathan Daniels, 26, a Remote Computer Programmer at Euro-Pro Operating LLC in Boston, MA, agrees that McMahon is backing Trump’s positions. “I think Vince McMahon’s ideas or rules for the XFL are linked to his relationship with President Donald Trump,” Daniels said. “McMahon and Donald Trump worked together for years. Trump was a part of WWE’s main event storyline at WrestleMania 23 ‘The Battle of the Billionaires story arc.”
It remains to be seen whether McMahon’s new XFL venture will gain more traction than the original version. McMahon expects the XFL League to start play in 2020, according to the New York Times.
MTA Moves Lehman Students at a Snail’s Pace—at Best
By Hector Bello
Lehman College students exiting the 4 train at Bedford Park Station. Photo by Hector Bello.
Lehman students have not seen any relief in subway delays and service suspensions, despite an MTA announcement in July of 2017 that promised improvements. This hits many Lehman students hard, as the MTA’s dysfunction often penalizes them as they try to get to class on time.
Danny Rodriguez told the Meridian that he has, “found it challenging to explain to professors why he’s late to class because the subway delays excuse is too commonly used.” Since most professors include a class policy that penalizes students for arriving late, Rodriguez is not the only with this problem.
The Meridian conducted a poll of twenty-three Lehman College students which showed that 84 percent travel to school via mass transit, and that 47 percent have had to explain to their professors the reason for lateness. Nursing major Trinidad Rodriguez says, “I spent almost two years trying to explain [to] my professor why I was late.” Our survey also revealed that 39 percent of students reported being late several times a week because of train delays.
Lehman’s absence and lateness policy states that students can be absent twice with no penalty. But after their first two absences, students’ grades can be affected, and this in turn can also affect their eligibility for financial aid benefits.
Doctor Sarah Ohmer, a Lehman professor of Latin American Studies and African Studies, says that after the first two absences, “you start losing five points for every time that you miss class. If you have three tardies that equals one absence. So, if you’re on that subway that is late then it will not affect your grade until it happens several times, then you have to be accountable for lateness.”
37 percent of students surveyed also consider train delays when choosing their classes. Some do not schedule morning classes because they fear they may not make it on time due to the MTA’s dysfunctional system. Those that do told the Meridian that they must schedule extra time for their trip to school. “For afternoon classes I don’t really care about the train schedule but for morning classes I give myself maybe an hour and a half to make it to school,” says biology major Valentina Castellon.
“If I bike to school, it will take me less time to make it to school than if I take the MTA.”
- Business Administration major Michael New
However, one insider was at least optimistic about future improvements. David Alvarado, a contractor for the MTA, said the chance of delays, “depends [on] which train you take. While I find the four-train to be always crowded and in delay, the D-line takes me wherever I need to go fast and efficiently.” He added that many of the delays can be attributed to the advanced age of the trains. “Every time that the train is delayed it is being maintained. You cannot compare a hundred-years-old train with trains such as the one in France or China that are only forty years old … The older the train is, the more maintenance it needs.”
Alvarado noted that Joseph J. Lhota, the new MTA director, “has worked in train systems in Europe and Asia… [And] he plans to bring the same efficiency here to the United States. Let us pray that he improves train traffic in the city.”
Until these improvements happen, though, students are left paying the price—and looking for alternatives. Business administration major Michael New says, “If I bike to school, it will take me less time to make it to school than if I take the MTA.”
Parkland Shooting Leaves Lehman Students Doubting Campus Safety
By Hector Bello
Unguarded entrance to Lehman. Photo by Hector Bello
“If it can happen in Florida, then it can happen over here in any college in New York too,” said Lehman Biology major Carelitza Fernandez about the shooting in Parkland Florida. Fernandez explained that her fear increased following this Feb. 14 incident at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in which Nikolas Cruz, 19, killed 17 students. “Of course, I am concerned that something similar can happen in our school,” she continued, “because on average there are at least two school shootings a week in the U.S.”
Many blame the high rate of shootings on the lack of laws regulating gun sales. Even for people that need psychiatric help it is easy to acquire semi-automatic weapons. According to ProCon.org, “As much as 40 percent of all gun sales are undocumented private party sales that do not require a background check (aka the “gun show loophole.”)
Along with renewing the national debate on gun control, the Parkland shooting had many Lehman students feeling unsafe, especially since at Lehman only two out of the six entrances are guarded. “It is absurd how anyone could walk through Lehman,” said Lehman business major Jesus Hernandez, “The question is, is our school prepared for an emergency like that? I feel like we should be more cautious and raise awareness. Yes, I am concerned. I believe that we should have an action plan in case of an emergency.”
Although she noted that the campus entrance she uses is guarded, Lehman nursing major Angelica Olivares seconded her sense of potential threat for “other people like women in the night time…it is dangerous and it should be guarded. To be honest, yes, every day I am concerned because anything can happen on this campus.”
Lehman computer science major Alex Mayi expressed mistrust of safety mechanisms in general. “You know, sometimes campus security officers are not so efficient when dealing with things like guns and rifles,” he explained. He added, “I know that gun laws in New York State are a little bit better and can protect us a lot more, but it is definitely still a threat and something that we should be constantly vigilant about and make drills for it to keep our campus safe.”
Lehman Students Denounce Lack of DACA Deal
By Shaiann Frazier
Protestors stand with DACA. Photo courtesy of Flickr.
Nearly two weeks after the Trump administration’s legislative deadline passed, the future of over 700,000 immigrants remains in limbo, and Lehman students continue to demand their renewed protection under legislation known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The White House had designated March 5 as the deadline to reach a bipartisan deal on the bill, but two federal judges, in California and New York, issued injuctions on January 10 and February 13 respectively that block this deadline. While this gives those covered by DACA more time to apply for extensions, it also leaves them worried about their future in America.
Tapanga Perry, 18, a freshmen and nursing major at Lehman, said, “I feel that people’s DACA shouldn’t be taken away because everybody has the right to live the American dream. And it wouldn’t be right to send people back.”
DACA was an executive order created by former President Barack Obama back in 2012. It allowed undocumented immigrants to legally reside in the US for two years without the fear of deportation. Under this order, immigrants received background checks and were given two-year renewable permits that allowed them to receive an education, secure legal jobs, and obtain valid driver licenses.
To be protected under DACA, immigrants had to be between 15 and 31 years old when submitting their request, and to have been residing here since before June 15, 2007 as mandated by the Department of Homeland Security. This past September, the Trump administration rescinded DACA, and gave Congress six months to negotiate a deal that would keep those under DACA free from deportation and protect border security. As the March 5 deadline came and went, neither Republicans nor Democrats managed to come up with a passable bill.
Both parties proposed bills that ensure the pathway to citizenship for most immigrants, but Trump rejected them. A bill needs at least 60 affirmative votes in the Senate to pass, as well as an affirmative majority vote in the House before it reaches the president’s desk, where he may still veto it.
“The fact that a deal hasn’t been reached saddens me because I feel that [DACA] is an opportunity for people to be able to advance in their lives and get a better education.”
- Frances Latalladi, 42, a Lehman senior and journalism major
As the law now stands, those under DACA will continue to reside in the U.S. until their work permits have expired. New applicants who applied before September 5, along with renewal applicants that were processed before October 5, can remain in the U.S. Now that the issue will be taken up in the court system, those who couldn’t make the deadline have a temporary reprieve, but must still live in fear for their long-term future.
George Abraham, 22, a junior and business administration major at Lehman said, “It’s depressing, these are families you’re talking about who are being treated like they have no values. There’s no remorse.”
According to a recent report from the Department of Homeland Security, 983 undocumented immigrants protected under DACA could lose their protected status every day, and nearly 30,000 people could be deported each month for the next two years if Congress fails to reach a deal.
The most vulnerable group under DACA are the “dreamers,” a term used to refer to people covered under the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act of 2001, which offered legal status to undocumented immigrants in return for attending college or joining the military.
According to a report from the Migration Policy Institute in 2014, over 241,000 DACA immigrants were enrolled in college, and nearly 57,000 of them had already earned a bachelor’s degree.
Frances Latalladi, 42, a Lehman senior and journalism major, stressed how vital this opportunity is for many Dreamers. “The fact that a deal hasn’t been reached saddens me,” she said, “because I feel that [DACA] is an opportunity for people to be able to advance in their lives and get a better education.”
Bryan Diaz, 21, a computer science major at Lehman, agreed. “I feel like there’s many [dreamers] that need an opportunity in life,” he said. “And by getting deported they are being deprived of it.”
Michael Anti, 22, a computer science major at Lehman who was born in Ghana, also questioned the logic of the Trump administration. “I have a friend who’s under DACA and he’s a nice person,” he said. “And I don’t see why they would want to deport somebody like him, he’s contributing to society, he has a goal, and he wants to do something good.”
Lehman College Mourns the Loss of Yoryi Dume
By Deirdre Fanzo
Students and faculty write their final thoughts to Yoryi on a board dedicated to his memory. Picture courtesy of the Office of Prestigious Awards.
On the afternoon of Jan. 31st, Joseph Magdaleno notified the Lehman community via email that Yoryi Dume, a senior at Lehman, had passed away over the winter break. The email did not disclose a cause of death. This news came as a terrible shock to students and faculty members, many of whom had forged close relationships with the young scholar.
“The amount of love he had for people is shared throughout. We all loved him as deeply as he loved us.”
- Hilliary Frank, a Lehman chemistry major
Dume entered Lehman in the fall semester of 2014 as a member of the Lehman Scholar’s Program, a demanding program that requires its students to take on a rigorous course load and maintain a high GPA. Dume was an enthusiastic student who had no trouble with these requirements. He approached his studies with determination and set the bar high for the other students in his classes.
Dume spent much of his time in Lehman’s Office of Prestigious Awards (OPA) where, according to its director, Professor Augustine, “he was a very good mentor to many people. Yoryi was like everybody’s big brother. He had big dreams.” It was under Augustine’s mentorship that Dume applied for his very first scholarship, which he was ultimately awarded. Dume had hoped to attend Duke University for graduate school where he would have continued to pursue an education in Latin American Studies.
Dume also spent time studying abroad in Brazil. He fostered a great love for Latin American Studies, and his time in Brazil allowed him to celebrate this passion. According to Augustine, “Travel was where [Yoryi] found his happiest moments.”
Memorial service for Yoryi Dume. Picture courtesy of Jennifer Mackenzie.
On Feb. 1, faculty and students gathered in the OPA for a memorial for Dume. The following day, a separate memorial service was held in the Student Life Building. In the OPA, those who had gathered wrote letters to Dume, which were placed in a box that now holds a place of honor in the office. His professors and peers also shared thoughts, memories, and anecdotes of their times together with him, and there was not a dry eye in the room.
Students Helina Owusu-Sekyere, a biology major, and Hilliary Frank, a chemistry major, knew Dume closely through time spent together at the OPA. Owusu-Sekyere said he “was a wonderful person. He was very determined.” Frank and Augustine both emphasized that “he was always there for you.” Frank added, “The amount of love he had for people is shared throughout. We all loved him as deeply as he loved us.”
For Lehman Students, Plastic Is the New Christmas Green
By Leah Liceaga
A Christmas tree lot ready for the holiday season. Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net.
“To me you’re taking away from nature every time you cut down one of those trees just to have it in your home, or anywhere else,” Christine Auiles, a Lehman English major, explained of her choice to get an artificial tree for Christmas. “They last longer, it’s more durable, [and] you can put it away until you need it.” She added that she does not feel it is necessary to have a live tree at home for Christmas when it will only last a couple of days.
For many Lehman students, like Auiles this holiday season, going for plastic was the greener and more affordable choice. According to Diffen, a website that makes comparison that people worldwide can add to and update, the price of a mid-sized artificial tree can average $100, while a real tree of the same size costs $40 to $50. A fake tree is ultimately better in the long run. The artificial tree will also last up to ten years and require less care than a real tree, which would have to be replaced every year.
Home Depot charges anywhere from $70 to over $200 for an artificial tree, depending on size and appearance -- for example, a tree covered in fake snow or already outfitted with Christmas lights would cost more than a simple artificial tree. While the real trees Home Depot sells are cheaper in the short term, over a period of years, buying multiple real trees becomes costlier than buying one artificial one.
“We got a fake tree,” Sandra Matos, a Lehman English major said of her Christmas tree choice this year. “The prices were better, and we needed one quickly.”
For other students, the issue was not price but durability. Lehman College junior, Laura Leonardo, said her family “used to get real [trees] when I was younger, but my family started getting fake ones when I got older because we got too busy to really care about Christmas like that…a fake tree, and reusing it seemed more practical.”
Buying a plastic tree gets around another problem that has increased in recent years -- a shortage of trees. Due to the recession in 2008, many people who grew Christmas trees either went out of business or had to decrease how many they grew. Since trees take a decade or so to grow, there was a shortage of Christmas trees this year.
“There is a touch of an undersupply," Doug Hundley, spokesman for the National Christmas Tree Association told Newsweek. Drought in the Pacific Northwest also shares blame for the shortage. GWD Forestry -- a company that offers direct investment into sustainably managed agroforestry plantations internationally -- predicted the recent droughts and wildfires in North Carolina and Oregon could keep the tree shortage going until the year 2025. It also noted that the amount of Christmas trees being planted across the country has dropped dramatically; falling from 5.6 million in 2010 to 3.7 million in 2015.
Once the holiday season is over, real Christmas trees are usually thrown out, though some are recycled. From Jan. 2 through 13 of 2018, the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) collected real Christmas trees left at the curb and turned them into mulch to be used for the city’s parks, community gardens, and institutions. They also encouraged those with gardens to use as much of the tree as possible for mulch. The remainder of the tree could be taken to MulchFest at city parks to be chipped, or left for the DSNY to collect.
Marvel’s ‘The Punisher’ Aims High but Falters on Gun Control
By Jorel Lonesome
Logo of Marvel’s “The Punisher.” Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
The Las Vegas Shooting on the night of Oct. 1, 2017 left the upcoming Netflix series “The Punisher” at the center of much controversy. Following the shooting, which left 58 dead and at least 527 wounded, Netflix and Marvel canceled the preview panel for the upcoming series at New York Comic Con and delayed the release of the show until a month later.
The show as it was finally released wants to be more than just another absurd action fantasy. What distinguishes it from other gun-saturated franchises is that it aims to be grounded in real-world 21st century American issues, and whether vigilante justice is ever justified. Though it attempts to critique the consequences of vigilante justice, and tries to include a debate about gun control, it does not provide the right conversation about central issues in the current national conversation. While the writers attempt to address gun violence in America, they fail to capitalize on the issue, and the series largely fails at questioning the violence portrayed in some of its episodes. Despite this weakness, however, “The Punisher” is an excellent addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, sharing continuity with the films and other television series of the franchise.
Its weakness on gun control is evident in episode 9, “Front Toward Enemy,” which tries to introduce a debate about Americans’ right to bear arms, but ultimately lacks the credibility to make the overall message meaningful. The plot has the character Lewis Wilson (Daniel Webber), a young veteran who has difficulty readjusting to civilian society, eventually resort to terrorist actions, planting some bombs throughout the city as part of his pro-gun, anti-government agenda. Following this is a debate on character Ricky Langtry’s (Dov Davidoff) radio talk show between Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and pro-gun-control Senator Stan Ori (Rick Holmes.) This debate is the weakest part of this episode. Senator Ori wants more gun-control laws, a stance that Karen, who carries a gun for protection, opposes. Rather than let the characters have a genuine debate about aspects of the issue, the show reduces Karen and Ori’s positions to a basic pro- vs. anti-gun debate.
The problem with this framing is that their debate isn’t the argument people are having in the real world. Politicians aren’t asking to abolish the Second Amendment. They want to close loopholes in background checks to prevent troubled people from purchasing weapons. They’re also asking for practical gun laws such as banning semiautomatic weapons and attachments such as the bump stocks that allowed the Las Vegas shooter to fire 90 shots in ten seconds.
The series tries to be cleverly ironic when Ori stresses he’s totally against guns, but hires Anvil, a governmental security company of armed guards, to carry guns protect him from retaliation by Lewis. Still, disarming trained security guards isn’t what the actual gun debate is about in America. The thought of mainstream politicians trying to take away everyone’s guns is illegal, given how often that conspiracy theory is used as a topic in anti-gun-control propaganda. “The Punisher” doesn’t need to address the issue of gun ownership. Ultimately, it only adds social commentary without tackling the actual debate.
Similarly, the series fails to resolve its depiction of Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) and his crusade of vigilante justice with any significant challenges to his violent worldview. Supporting characters, Micro (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Curtis Hoyle (Jason R. Moore) encourage Frank’s vigilantism. Likewise, despite her loyalty to the law, Homeland Security Agent Dinah Madani’s (Amber Rose Revah) shows sympathy for Frank after he saves her from a car accident, though she remains suspicious that Frank is not that different from Lewis. Meanwhile, Karen supports Frank’s habits. “We must not tolerate those who use violence to communicate,” Karen writes in her featured article about Lewis, but this very critique of violence being used to solve problems isn’t a message that Frank seems to understand.
Aside from the gun control issues, however, “The Punisher” series triumphs and remains strong. Frank is an unstoppable force, and when it comes to the people he cares about, he will give up his sole mission in an instant. If you want to see intense action and drama, this is one of the best shows on Netflix to watch.
What Tops at Anime NYC
By Juan Vasquez
The first annual Anime convention hit New York City last Nov. 17-19. Held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, it featured some eye-opening participants who collectively made for a jubilant overall success. Here is what topped out at Anime NYC.
The Cosplayers
It is never a convention without cosplayers! Many of them went all out, even when compared to the extravagant works seen at New York Comic Con. Despite Anime NYC being an anime-oriented con, many of the cosplayers came from all four corners of the pop culture world.
The Vendors
Anime NYC had a few dozen vendors, each of them offering unique items of interest to the con-goers.
The Creators
Conventions like Anime NYC give a voice to up-and-coming content creators. Many of the artists at Anime NYC were largely indie artists and manga (Japanese, or in this case, Japanese-style comic).
New Tax Laws Will Hit Lehman Students Hard
By Thomas Behnke
The proposed tax bill would take away interest deduction on all student loans. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
“It’s not fair,” Erica Mejia, a Lehman senior, said. “My family made just too much [for me] to qualify for aid, so it’s all on me. It’s bad enough we have to go into debt to get an education. Now even the little breaks are being taken away.”
Mejia was lamenting the passage of the Trump administration’s wildly unpopular tax plan, passed by the Republican Senate in the early hours of the morning on Dec. 2. Experts say the bill will make students’ lives harder and their pockets emptier. While it raises taxes for the middle- and lower-classes, it gives substantial breaks to large corporations and the wealthiest in the nation. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates it will add over a trillion dollars to the deficit.
Particularly hard on students are provisions within the bill that eliminate any deductions on student loan interest. According to The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS), “Seven in 10 seniors (69%) who graduated from public and nonprofit colleges in 2014 had student loan debt, with an average of $28,950 per borrower.” The site lists New York student debt as slightly below the national average ($27,842). The Department of Education’s Federal Student Loan page lists interest on federal loans ranging from four to seven percent. Interest paid over the life of a loan -- typically 10 years -- can be from $4000 to over $11,000.
A Quinnipiac poll reports nationwide approval of the tax plan at just 29 percent. Lehman students voiced their disapproval of it as well.
“How are we supposed to pay these loans when they are raising our taxes, and eliminating deductions?” Meija said. “I’m going to have a degree, but I’m not making a hundred grand out of the gate.”
“I don’t think this administration is interested in public education at all,” Jose Areas, a Lehman sophomore, said. “They aren’t interested in people who aren’t like them, who don’t have the means.” Areas’ brother is currently paying off over $45,000 in loans and is working as a commercial mover. “He worked full-time and went to school, too. He got his degree and, really what he should be doing is internships, but three months after he graduated, bang, there’s a bill in the mail. He can’t afford not to get paid.”
Citizens protest GOP tax bill. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Forbes Magazine reported CBO statistics for the tax bill. By 2019, people earning less than $30,000 will be paying almost $10,000 more toward the budget deficit in either increased taxes or decreased services. The bill has provisions in it to end mandatory health insurance requirements, which the CBO reports will ultimately cause insurance premiums to skyrocket.
Gabriel Garcia, a junior at Lehman put it succinctly, “I’m graduating in 2019. Last election was the first one I could vote in. I didn’t have a say in the mismanagement of the government’s money. I didn’t give millions of dollars to corporations who ran to the Bahamas with their profits. I know I have to pay back my loans, but how am I responsible for the rest of the government’s debts?”
Bronx Success Story Ends in Tragedy
By Zoe Fanzo
Lowell Hawthorne, Golden Krust founder and CEO. Photo courtesy of Facebook.
“He was the quintessential Lehman student -- determined and dedicated to his family and community,” President José Luis Cruz said in a statement mourning the loss of Lowell Hawthorne, founder and CEO of Golden Krust Bakery & Grill, and a 2016 Lehman graduate. He also called Hawthorne “an icon of the Bronx, the borough in which he launched his extraordinarily successful company.”
Hawthorne, 57, committed suicide on Dec. 2 inside his Golden Krust Bakery and warehouse in the Bronx. The New York Post reported that Hawthorne had evaded millions of dollars in taxes and feared the implications of a federal investigation. According to a family member, in the hours before his suicide Hawthorne was exhibiting strange behavior and “talking to himself.”
Born in Jamaica, Hawthorne came to the Bronx in 1981 and studied at Bronx Community College, later working as an accountant with the New York Police Department. In 1989, he opened the first Golden Krust Bakery on Gun Hill Road, using money that his family pooled together after he was refused a bank loan. When he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in business administration, he served as a student speaker at the commencement ceremony. Today, his fast-food empire has more than 120 locations in the U.S., selling its beef patties to more than 20,000 supermarkets, various school systems, the penal system, and the U.S. military.
The death of Hawthorne and the tragic ending to his Bronx success story has the Lehman community reeling.
“I always react when I hear about suicide, especially because of the lack of access to help. Mental illness is so important to talk about and represent, but there are so many cultural and racial stigmas that it should be repressed or remain unspoken,” said Lehman senior Mena McCarthy, an English literature major, and chemistry and biology double minor, in reaction to Hawthorne’s suicide.
Al Alston, a friend of Hawthorne and owner of a Golden Krust Bakery in Queens stated that his death was “more than unexpected -- it's out of character,” according to the New York Post. Alston described Hawthorne as “an upbeat guy,” and called his passing a “tragic loss.”
The Golden Krust company released a statement the day following his death, affirming, “Our hearts are broken, and we are struggling to process our grief over this tremendous loss. Lowell was a visionary, entrepreneur, community champion, and above all a committed father, family man, friend and man of faith.”
Lehman Students Anguished by Libyan Slave Trade
By Shaiann Frazier
West African migrants are prime targets for Libyan slave traders. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
“As an African, I feel those who have been taken into slavery are my brothers and sisters,” said Felix Mwake, 32, a teacher at Lehman’s Child Care Center. Mwake, who was born and raised in Kenya, was referring to the slave trade in Libya, where migrants and refugees -- mostly young people from sub-Saharan countries -- are being sold as farm laborers via the same smugglers who brought them illegally into the country.
After CNN footage surfaced in November showing two young Nigerian men being sold as farm laborers for $400 a piece in the city of Tripoli, many reacted with disbelief. For Americans, these slave auctions are reminiscent of those that plagued the Americas centuries ago, when Africans were taken from their homeland and forced into slave labor.
However, many Lehman students told the Meridian that they are deeply distressed, but not surprised, by the news of this new slave market. Tashana Allen, 23, a political science major, said, “What is going on in Libya is very heartbreaking. To see that many West Africans are not only hoping for a better life, but are willing to journey across the Mediterranean Sea into Europe, then to be denied their right to life is beyond devastating.”
As a result of increasing cooperation between the EU and the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) inTripoli, the number of migrant arrivals in Europe has dropped dramatically. From August to October, arrivals in Italy, the main entry point, have dropped by more than 8 percent. This has resulted in hundreds of thousands of migrants getting trapped in Libya, where they are exposed to human rights abuses. In a report released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 2,500 refugees and migrants died in the beginning of 2017 compared to the 3,262 refugees who had died the previous year. The report also stated that the rate of mortality would be one death for every 50 people who make it to Italy.
In a 2016 report released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the likelihood of dying en route between Libya and Italy was one in 23. Currently, 47,000 migrants have reached Italy from countries such as Senegal, Nigeria, and Gambia.
According to a report published in August of 2017 by the IOM, migrants from Niger are the most represented nationality, with 59,000 en route to Libya. Migrants from Chad are close behind, numbering 49,000. All of them face the possibility of being auctioned off into forced labor.
Many commentators blame the current slave trade in Libya to the violent ousting of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, and the instability that followed his death. In October of 2011 he was killed following the NATO bombing of Libya. Fleeing from poverty and violence, many traveled the route to Libya in hopes of a better life. According to a 2017 report released by the IOM, 91 percent of sub-Saharan Africans who left their home countries did so for economic reasons.
Lehman student Safiatou Diallo, 21, a computer science major also said, “I’m not surprised…. North Africans have always been racist to Black Africans.”
However, once migrants are freed either by paying off smugglers or through UN organizations that help previously enslaved migrants, they are placed in refugee camps or detention centers. These centers are facilitated under deplorable conditions with many dying from malnutrition and disease. They are often run by corrupt militia groups who subject the migrants to routine beatings, sometimes even resulting in death, in exchange for money. A 2017 report published by Amnesty International said that of the 72 refugee camps, 30 camps had been facilitated by armed groups of criminal gangs.
Lehman students agreed that the issue deserves more public attention in the US. Genaro Perez, 21, a Lehman student and anthropology major said, “I think the issue should be talked about more and ironically maybe we [the U.S] or the UN should get involved. “It’s definitely a large humanitarian issue and one that we should not allow to flourish.”
Anel Vicente, 31, a early childhood teacher at Lehman’s child daycare who is also a minister at the House of Prayer in Times Square, also felt the impact close to home. “It affects me indirectly because a lot of the people that I have friendships or relationships with even the people that I minister are impacted by this. How do we make this stop [the Slave Trade] so that it never actually happens again?”
Mwake concurred, saying, “African leaders …need to go into Libya, stop this, get those who are already esnslaved, bring them back to their countries and give them opportunities.”
Back-to-Back Fires Rip Bronx Residents from Their Homes
Woman lights candle for those killed in fire.
By Leonel Henriquez
2017 ended in flames for tenants of two Bronx buildings that caught fire within 48 hours of one another. The first fire, in the Norwood section of the Bronx, saw an entire building evacuated.
Thirty-seven families were displaced after the four-alarm fire broke out at 3414 Knox Place on Wednesday, Dec. 27. Almost 200 firefighters responded to the early morning blaze that started around 4:30 a.m. while residents were sound asleep. Tenants were awakened by firefighters banging on their doors -- yelling at them to get out.
Red Cross workers on scene talking with displaced tenant.
The fire, which started in a top-floor apartment, could be seen roaring through the windows and engulfing the roof. It took hours to put out and could still be seen smoldering later that afternoon. The FDNY and NYC Department of Buildings deemed the six-floor, 37-unit building unsafe, due to extensive water and fire damage, and subsequently-revealed structural damage to the building -- displacing all its residents. The Red Cross is assisting three-dozen displaced residents.
Displaced tenant looks on two days after re. All photos by Leonel Henriquez.
The second fire, which occurred the following day in the Belmont section of the Bronx, killed 12 people and hospitalized four others. The fire started just before 7 p.m. on the first floor of 2363 Prospect Avenue, on Thursday, Dec. 28, when a three-and-a-half-year- old boy was playing with the stove. It quickly engulfed and destroyed the entire five-story, 25-unit building, permanently displacing residents.
The community quickly rallied in support of the victims. Neighborhood activist Kim Seabrook, working with Justice League NYC said, “We already raised over $1,200 in 24 hours to help the families. They’re currently at the high school and they are taking donations there, too.”
The displaced residents were temporarily being housed at the Grace H. Dodge Career and Technical High School by the Red Cross. However, victims of the fire had to quickly relocate, as school resumed the first week of January. Outside the now boarded-up building, workers could be seen beginning to excavate the structure as upset tenants looked on.
“I live here. My apartment is on the first floor, too,” Thierno Diallo told the Meridian.“I just wanted to see if I could salvage anything from my apartment, but they [New York City Office of Emergency Management] won’t let me in yet. I have to come back tomorrow.”
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on 187th Street and St. Martin of Tours Church were overwhelmed with donations for the survivors. “The people in the neighborhood are coming to together to help the displaced families,” said Seabrook. “It’s a terrible tragedy.” A growing memorial for those killed by the fire sits just feet away from the charred building. “A GoFundMe account has been set up to help pay for funeral costs,” she said.