Meridian Comic

Illustrated by: Deon Harrison

Acting a Fool: A Review of Love’s Labour’s Lost

By Steevens Salomon Remelus

BronxShakes’ recent Shakespeare performance ‘’Love’s Labour’s Lost’’  transports the audience into the Roaring Twenties, an era where we moved to the rhythm of jazz and flaunted our newly obtained wealth. This performance has a more lighthearted tone than "Romeo and Juliet," offering a comedy instead of a tragedy.

The production’s standout elements are the costume design by Anthony Paul-Cavaretta, singing by Mariah Eskoh, and the musical score and direction by Alyssa Van Gorder, co-directed by Anthony Paul-Cavaretta. Dresses manipulate the light to their favor, drawing attention with the complex bedazzled patterns, while the casual suits reek of sophistication, with a hint of fun.

The interplay between the two main groups – the King of Navarre and his lords, and the Princess of France and her ladies – creates a delightful contrast. The men struggle to renounce their love, alternating between shame and cooperation, while the women are giddy about their efforts and tease them a bit.   The natural environment of the Amphitheater enhanced the general intimacy of the event by engaging the crowd with the characters. Audience members were brought into the schemes, by reading notes or aiding in quests. According to Dante Albertie, the decision to encourage participatory theater was instinctually made by Alyssa Gorder to boost engagement and anticipation, taking away from the chasm of just sitting and watching and drawing in the whole audience (not just the first two rows).

There was such a childish realism to the performance. The characters mirror the first experiences of love – or rather a crush. It is something we are disgusted by and might try to rebuke. Love makes us do stupid things: act a fool, mock our lovers, try to do some grand gestures. But when love is true, there is no denying how we feel and how far we'd go—or rather, how far it'd take us.

As comedic as the play is, it leaves us with many questions about our lives. Are you interested in them and do you intend on putting your best foot forward? When a loved one passes away it leads us to many questions: Will we be able to continue to move forward so easily? Would that missing piece of us ever be filled again? Would we be able to stick by someone’s side, even if we feel alone?

For anyone considering future shows at Lehman, I'd highly recommend attending the ones closer to the night for the best immersion. Love's Labour's Lost is a beautiful comedy that highlights what love should be about, something that somewhat gets lost today.  This is what makes love so important: we never feel lonely, and we forever feel as if someone cares about us.

The Skin I'm In Book Review

By Amy Thompson 

The Skin I’m In is a young adult fiction novel by Sharon G. Flake. The main character, Maleeka, is a thirteen-year-old Black girl who faces relatable challenges: living in a low-income, single-parent household, experiencing bullying, and struggling with low self-esteem. This story follows Maleeka’s journey to self-acceptance. 

Flake’s vivid portrayal of Maleeka’s struggles deeply reflects the character’s insecurities: “It’s bad enough that I’m the darkest, worst-dressed thing in school. I’m also the tallest, skinniest thing you ever seen.” (Flake 4). This depiction does not shy away from the harsh reality of bullying and its impact on many young people.  

The author details Maleeka’s journey from trying to fit in to eventually realizing her self-worth. For example, Maleeka befriends a popular girl at school, Charlese, and goes to great lengths to fit in, even if it is destructive. The anxiety of going against whatever Charlese told her to do controls Maleeka. The author did a good job of representing the feeling of being trapped in an undesirable relationship due to fear. 

Miss Saunders Maleeka’s middle school teacher sets an example for Maleeka and the reader. Miss Saunders was aware of the ridicule and learned to accept her appearance: “It takes a long time to accept yourself for who you are. To see the poetry in your walk,” (Flake 19). Despite being treated like a spectacle her whole life, her character shows a level of self-acceptance that many people struggle to adopt. 

The Skin I’m In is multi-faceted and nevertheless relatable. When I read it, I could not put it down. It touches on important topics and keeps you on the edge of your seat. It can be inspiring and sometimes heartbreaking. The story has helped me realize that how you see yourself is more important than anyone else’s idea of who you are. 

This story is spectacular and empowering for anyone who can resonate with Maleeka’s character. It can even provide insight for those seeking a different perspective. I related to Maleeka’s character and was comforted by the feeling of not being alone. Flake stated in an interview with Pitt Magazine, “I get kids from all over seeing themselves in my novel because they know what it’s like to be different.” In conclusion, The Skin I’m In delivers the inspiring message that there is nothing wrong with being unique. 

Striking a Fulfilling Balance: Navigating College Life Successfully

By Pamela Duran

Imagine juggling a dozen balls in the air—each labeled with a responsibility like classes, homework, friends, work, and self-care—all while trying to maintain balance on a tightrope. For most college students, this is their reality. The challenge of managing academic and personal life can feel overwhelming, a complex act requiring both careful time management and unwavering dedication.

For many students, particularly those just starting their college journey or still struggling to find their footing, the balancing act can seem daunting. They are tasked with managing a wide array of commitments: attending classes, completing homework, meeting deadlines, participating in extracurriculars, working part-time jobs, and making time for friends and family. On top of all that, students must prioritize their physical and mental health, practice self-care, and maintain a consistent routine.

However, don't worry. There are ways to tackle these challenges effectively. Let’s explore some strategies that can help you confidently navigate your college experience, leaving you satisfied with your results.

First, as the semester progresses, students often face an ever-growing pile of homework and assignments. To manage time effectively, consider the following practical strategies: stay focused on your syllabus and professor's instructions. By staying aware of course requirements, you can gauge your workload early on and make informed decisions about dropping or switching classes if needed.

Next, setting reminders for tasks can also be helpful. Use digital calendars or phone alerts to stay organized. Find the method that best helps you keep track of assignments, deadlines, and study sessions. The Pomodoro Technique is another useful approach—set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on one task. Afterward, take a short break, and after four "pomodoros," take a longer break. This method helps maintain focus and avoid burnout.

In addition, time blocking can also be a valuable tool. Divide your day into dedicated time slots for specific tasks or subjects. For example, schedule 9-11 AM for math study and 1-3 PM for essay writing. This structured routine ensures balanced attention to all your academic needs. The key is to experiment with these techniques and find a combination that suits your personal study style and schedule.

Many students struggle to find enough time for all their responsibilities, but rest assured, 24 hours is enough—you just need to use it wisely. If you don't complete all your tasks in a single day, remember there’s always tomorrow. Avoid procrastination, but also don’t be too hard on yourself. Be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day, prioritize urgent tasks, and spread everything else throughout the week. When it's time to tackle each task, focus solely on it. If you can complete something ahead of schedule, do so. This forward-thinking mindset will help you stay on top of your workload.

Moreover, it's also important to regularly assess how you spend your time. Start by identifying activities that consume the most time and evaluate their importance. Ask yourself, "Am I striking a good balance between academics, social life, work, and extracurriculars?" If you are, take note of what’s working well. If not, consider what needs adjusting.

Over the moon, for students not new to college life, reflecting on how your approach to time management has evolved can be insightful. What strategies have you developed over time? What lessons have you learned along the way? Continual self-assessment is key to finding and maintaining balance throughout your college career. Don’t hesitate to seek campus resources if you need help fine-tuning your time management skills.

Additionally, it's important to recognize that college life, like any journey, has its challenging periods. Bad days, weeks, or even months are normal. When frustration builds, how you channel that energy can greatly impact your overall experience. Make time for mental health, even if it’s just five minutes a day. Self-care is essential, especially amid a busy schedule.

Experienced students remind us that maintaining balance is an ongoing process. As you move through your college career, you may occasionally lose sight of how capable you are, particularly during stressful times. Always be open to adapting your approach as needed. Flexibility is a powerful tool when juggling the different aspects of college life.

Setbacks are inevitable, but they are also opportunities for growth. By embracing challenges as learning experiences, you develop resilience and adaptability—traits that will serve you well beyond college. As you progress through your academic journey, continue reflecting on your experiences, remain open to new strategies, and utilize the support systems available on campus. This approach will help you cultivate a fulfilling college experience and prepare you for future challenges.

On the whole, if you ever find yourself struggling, don’t hesitate to tap into Lehman College’s resources: the Wellness Center, located in the Old Gym Building, Room 007B; the Tutoring Center in Room 205; the CS Lab in Gillet Hall, Room 222; and the Career Exploration & Development Center in Shuster Hall, Room 254 (appointments required).

Ultimately, successfully managing college life is about finding a balance that works for you. Remember, the goal is progress, not perfection. College is a journey of self-discovery, time management, and personal growth. By embracing a flexible mindset and being open to change, you can thrive both academically and personally.

Dealing with AI at Lehman: AI’s impact on the educational system

By Brian Cortes

On November 30th, 2022, ChatGPT was released to the public, marking a significant milestone in the use of artificial intelligence. Since then, its rapid integration into both educational and professional environments has raised important questions about the role of AI in the future of learning. At Lehman College, students and professors alike have experienced firsthand the effects of AI on their daily routines, shaping differing opinions on how it should be used and what its implications could be for students' career paths. 

One such student is Ertis Pashako, a Lehman undergraduate majoring in Film and TV Studies with a concentration in TV. As both a student and freelance content creator, Ertis has witnessed how AI tools have significantly transformed his academic experience as well as his creative endeavors. Reflecting on this change, he observes, “A lot of apps started coming out for photographers where you can fix photos. Just swipe to go to Photoshop and zoom in. You don't fix it. Now you just have a regular app that you download, and you just transfer your photo over, and basically swipe it, and it fixes everything for you. And then stuff like ChatGPT came out, so everybody in school started using it to write their papers.” 

Above, this shift in workflow, from hands-on creative efforts to AI-driven automation, has led Ertis to a broader reflection on the pros and cons of AI in education. On one hand, AI provides powerful tools that can streamline the creative process, helping content creators and editors enhance their work more efficiently. On the other hand, the ease of access to such tools can inadvertently encourage students to cut corners, altering their mindset toward the effort they put into their work. Ertis notes, "I thought of many things. First, this is gonna help editors—once programs or apps get good at it—where you can just upload all your footage, and it does the editing for you, kind of mimicking your style of editing. So, this is gonna be great for content creators. Then there's the negative side, where people use it to cheat, and it makes people lazy. They’re not doing their own work, their own research. They're just typing stuff and getting automated answers, then copying and pasting." 

In the sky, as AI continues to weave itself into both the academic and personal lives of students, questions arise about the role educational institutions should play in this evolving landscape. Ertis advocates for colleges to incorporate AI into the curriculum—not as a substitute for personal effort, but as a tool to complement students’ learning. He emphasizes that while AI is relatively new, its influence will only grow, and schools need to stay ahead by educating students on how to use AI responsibly. “Maybe incorporate a little AI into what we're learning, teach us more about it. It's something very new that even schools and professors haven't picked up. Two years ago, there were few things like ChatGPT. So it had a bad reputation coming in. People were cheating and basically writing their papers, and professors, they didn't know at the time,” Ertis comments. He envisions a future where students learn how to use AI as an aid to their projects, rather than letting AI take control of their creative processes. 

However, students are not the only ones grappling with the ethical and practical implications of AI. Professors, too, are reflecting on how AI is impacting the educational system. Professor Margot Mifflin, who teaches courses on beauty pageants, national identity, and the publishing industry at Lehman, has seen AI affect student writing in real time. She recalls noticing the use of AI-generated work as early as the fall of 2022, pointing out how it often manifested in disjointed and erratic sentence structures that were noticeably different from typical student writing. “I saw it in the fall of last year, and it's sort of easy to detect, or it was then, because it scrambles sentences, and so, you know, a student might be writing and, suddenly there's a lesson on another topic, there's no flow in a way that I've never seen in student writing,” she explains.

For Mifflin, the issue extends beyond just catching AI-generated work; it’s about ensuring that students are developing their own writing skills. She highlights the importance of writing as a fundamental form of self-expression that is essential in both personal and professional contexts. “I think it's going to be harder for students who think they can rely on it. There's just so many parts of life where you have to be able to write, even if you're not an English major. Learning to write is learning to express yourself, and learning to express yourself is such an important part of our world in terms of connecting with other people and understanding them, and helping them understand us. So doing that yourself is pretty crucial for any person,” she adds. 

This concern is not just theoretical. Mifflin shares a personal anecdote in which her book, The Blue Tattoo, was used without her permission to train AI, raising ethical questions about the use of copyrighted work in AI training. "It was kind of jarring to discover that the text was used to feed the AI, and all the tropes and expressions and sentence structures were replicated so it could be reused and regurgitated when people want to compose something," she recounts. This raises broader concerns about the ethical use of AI, especially as more creative and academic content is fed into these systems, often without the original creators’ consent. 

In light of these developments, Mifflin advises students to resist the temptation to rely on AI for their academic work, urging them to reach out to professors for support if they feel uncertain about their skills. “I would say, try to resist the urge to use it. Because it's important for you to develop writing skills of your own. And if you feel the urge to use it because of pressure, like work pressure or insecurity about your writing skills, talk to your professor before you resort to using it. Find out how you can feel better about your own writing without using a crutch,” she advises. 

Ultimately, the debate surrounding AI in education is far from settled. As AI software becomes more advanced and harder to detect, schools will need to adapt continuously, finding ways to address the changing dynamics between students and AI. The discussion extends beyond just academic settings, as the same students who experiment with AI in school will likely encounter it in various professional fields, from literature and entertainment to STEM disciplines. 

Above all, the challenge for both students and educators will be to strike a balance between using AI as a helpful tool and maintaining the integrity of individual skills and creativity. As technology continues to evolve, the conversation surrounding AI will also need to expand, taking into account the long-term implications of its use. In the end, the key lies in learning how to use AI effectively—without letting it undermine the essential human effort and innovation that education is meant to foster. 

Basics of Financial Research using The Bloomberg Terminal

By Jahzanae Evans 

Attending this program with 8 fellow students shattered my understanding of the financial industry, revealing depth I never knew existed. I first heard about the course through my peer, Maria Campos, who shared the application link with me. Then, there was a group interview session, where I learned more about the program from Dr. Nunez-Torres, an Economics professor at Lehman. I remember back in the spring of 2024, I attended an event at the library, which served as a catalyst for my development in professional and academic settings. This was where I formally met Dr. Nunez-Torres and discovered the Bloomberg Terminal for the first time.

While I had my own personal doubts about my ability to succeed at something I was completely unaware of, from what I learned about Dr. Nunez-Torres, I knew that I would be in a safe environment to challenge myself. A few days after the interview, my application was accepted.  

The first three days were, frankly speaking, an overload of information, ranging from learning the basics of the Bloomberg Terminal to using those functions to find numbers and data to connect the dots about a company. A lot of the content was very unfamiliar to me, but there was no moment in time when I felt overwhelmed, in large part because of the support and guidance from my peers, who patiently helped me whenever I asked.

On June 12th, we met Connor Gustafson and Whitney Birtwell from the Wealth Strategy team at UBS and Lehman Alum Ira Cohen. We witnessed professionals in their field sell their stock to Mr. Cohen, who played the client in this hypothetical scenario. The stock in question was Amazon (AMZN), which we had spent the past few sessions familiarizing ourselves with by using the Bloomberg Terminal to identify critical factors and potential risks investors should be aware of.

After the presentation, we heard about Connor and Whitney’s respective career paths. We also got an insight into Mr. Cohen’s journey in his own business, highlighting how a research group is important to assess the risks of buying financial instruments. Before this program, I was unaware of the many different roles an individual could have, and the realization of how many paths someone’s story could take was a jolting one. The program itself had me questioning my own future, knowing that there was so much more to learn in the industry.

In the following sessions, our goal was to emulate Connor’s presentation using our own stock, Coca-Cola. Rather than being full of jacks of all trades and masters of none, we split up to research what we excelled in. By June 20th, we were as prepared as we were going to be. 

An interesting tidbit that increased the immersion was Mr. Cohen telling us that he works with UBS, who manages some of his accounts alongside some family members. He told us that Coca-Cola was already in his portfolio, but despite that, he said our presentation would have influenced him to buy the stock. 

This new program was made possible through a collaboration between several key figures and departments at Lehman. Dr. Nunez-Torres, who nurtured this vision for many years, had attempted to launch a similar program with the help of a former sponsor, but unfortunately, it did not come to fruition. However, his persistence in creating an experiential course remained strong, which led to the program being recognized in the form of a scholarship. It was designed not only to reward academic excellence but to address a critical issue for many students – the lack of time and resources to explore the wide variety of career opportunities available within the finance industry. Thus, BBA 206-Basics of Financial Research was created.

Dr. Nunez-Torres informed me that the program's success was far from a solo effort. The Dean of Lehman’s School of Business, Dene Hurley, made it possible for the program to run as smoothly as it did. Advisors from the School of Business, Deirdre Constant and Griselda Poe, worked tirelessly to inform students of the program through outreach. Additionally, the library staff played an essential role in having the Bloomberg Lab open for us. This collection of people created the foundation necessary for the program to thrive. 

As an alum of Lehman College, Mr. Cohen is deeply committed to giving back to the college. His desire to support future generations of students, especially those within the finance industry, made the program possible. Listening to him talk about his personal journey with his own company was inspirational, and the feedback he gave us after our presentation towards the conclusion of the program was invaluable.  

I interviewed some of my fellow classmates, and hearing some of their takeaways from the shared experience was enlightening. Each of these takeaways highlighted different aspects of our personal and professional growth.  

Wadah Rajeh's hands-on experience with researching and analyzing company data gave him crucial skills in navigating the Bloomberg Terminal, an essential tool in the finance industry. 

Jose Meza emphasized the broader scope of the finance world, stating that it extends far beyond textbook studies. He came to the realization that much of the success in finance comes from the relationships and the experiences built through daily work. In his words, “Finance is a vast world full of many surprises and connections.” 

Curtis Asante, another participant, echoed these sentiments, sharing how this experience gave him a glimpse into the work environment he wishes to enter after graduating. “This program impacted me a lot. I met people I never would have met in the first place. Gaining those connections helps us learn how to navigate the finance and business world a little better.”  

When I interviewed Dr. Nunez-Torres, I asked him how he believes the course will impact students as they go on through college and into their careers. He emphasized the importance of experiential learning and the confidence gained from providing a unique environment for students to test their abilities in a real-world setting.   

As student interviewees told us, this enhanced their understanding of financial research because the program was designed for them to see firsthand what it would be like to commit to researching a stock and presenting it to a real investor. This level of engagement is difficult to replicate in a traditional academic setting. 

BBA 206 was far more than a course—it was a transformative experience that opened doors and provided insights many of us did not know were possible at Lehman. This program is a testament to what can be achieved when passionate students, faculty, and alumni collaborate with a shared vision for student success.  

As a final word, the most important advice I can offer is to never underestimate the power of getting involved beyond the classroom. I cannot stress this enough: take full advantage of Lehman's resources and support because you never know which opportunity might shape your future.  

Brandon Marks Student Experience

Where to begin? I never would’ve imagined everything I gained from coming to Lehman College. From my background in basketball, which drew me to enroll here, to all the friends who have become like family, to the countless life lessons I’ll be able to carry with me forever.

College is what you make out of it. For the first couple of years, it was rough for my generation due to COVID-19; no one was on campus, and besides having basketball, it didn’t feel like the real “college experience.” I would say around my mid-sophomore/junior year is when my real college experience started and it's been somewhat unique.

 We don’t have dorms, and not many parties/hangouts, it’s different than what you would expect in college growing up. Truth be told, it was exactly what I needed: a place to focus on school, play basketball, limit distractions, and grow as an individual.

I faced many challenges at Lehman, mainly balancing school and playing Division 3 basketball, but honestly, it has shaped my life for the better. My coach told me it was better that I went to Lehman and dealt with all these struggles rather than being spoiled at a Division 1 program and overwhelmed with all the challenges that life throws you. 

For the last few years, our team motto has been that ‘we need to adapt and overcome,’ and I’ve done exactly that. I came into Lehman as a boy and will soon be leaving a man. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

Everyone there wants you to succeed. No one's going to do it for you, but they’re by your side if you need them. This year will be my final year at Lehman. The only thing I need is a CUNYAC championship, and then I’ll finally be satisfied. Shoutout to my teammates on the men’s basketball team and to all my coaches and the staff who make what we do possible! 

Navigating the Dual Challenge of College Life and Athletics

By: Adolfo Miliano

The life of a college student can get rather hectic when you combine school, work, friends, and personal matters. You must learn how to manage your time well to deal with everything and, if possible, have time for yourself and relax. But what if you add sports to the equation? Apart from dealing with the matters already stated, student-athletes have to include sports in their busy schedule. That means adding practice, game days, and longer commuting hours for away games. How do they manage it? What or who helps them keep track of everything? Does it ever get easier? Some Lehman athletes spoke about their experiences and the strategies they implemented to help them handle their busy agenda.

	Emmanuel Oladosu, a senior student-athlete who plays on the Men’s Volleyball team for Lehman College, joined the team in the Fall semester of 2021 and has been a part of the team since. On top of academics and Volleyball, Oladosu also works part-time in IT support at MetLife Stadium during the weekends. Oladosu revealed various strategies he implements to balance sports and academics simultaneously. He mentioned how he takes advantage of the off-season to take more classes to work towards his Computer Science degree and fewer classes during the Volleyball season to be able to make it to practice and games. He also mentions that this is an approach many other student-athletes take as well. “In order to play, you need to take 12 credits minimum,” Oladosu mentions. “Last year, I took about 18 credits in the Fall [of 2023], and in the Spring [of 2024] I took 12 credits.” 

Knowing what to prioritize is also crucial to having a cohesive schedule. In Oladosu’s case, choosing the right professor for his classes is his top priority. “If there’s a professor that’s really good, and I know I’m going to learn best from that professor, I’m probably going to take that class,” he said. “I want to have a good GPA. Computer Science is such a competitive market, and once I graduate, I’m going to be in that field. I don’t want to be stuck.” Being a student-athlete is not only about being good at sports. A good academic record is needed for students to be eligible to play for any sports team in CUNY, with a minimum of a 2.0 GPA average required.

When asked about the hardest part of balancing everything out, Oladosu revealed that the mental aspect plays a big role in student-athlete's mind. “Having doubts like ‘Am I good enough?’ or ‘What if I fail?’ or even developing your own career can occur. What if I don’t build the career I want for myself?” he pointed out. Oladosu expressed that as much as he loves the sport and representing the school team, he constantly thinks about his life after college. He prioritizes his academics over sports to make sure he has a proper foundation to become successful in the future. “I don’t want to have this ‘prime’ of my life in college, and then after graduation, I’m working minimum wage, living check to check.” Ultimately, Oladosu shared a piece of advice that all student-athletes should follow. “Truly do your best,” he expressed. “Put in 100% effort in everything you do so that you won’t have any regrets later on like ‘I could’ve done better,’ because those regrets stick with you.” 

	Patria Sanchez, one of the captains of the Women’s Softball team at Lehman College, shared her experiences about being a student-athlete. Sanchez is a junior student-athlete majoring in Exercise Science and is also enrolled in a work-study program on campus. Sanchez had connections with Dily Felix, the assistant coach of the Softball team, before joining the team in her freshman year. She talked about some similar strategies to Emmanuel Oladosu’s, like taking classes in the morning in order to make it to practice and taking advantage of the off-season to work on her Exercise Science degree as she has more time to do so during the Fall semester. Sanchez opened up about her struggles in her first semester as she was adjusting to college life.“My first semester as a freshman, I fell below a 2.0, so I wasn’t able to play in the Spring,” she confessed. “I fought for my grades because I thought that I could’ve done better. I was able to bring it to a 2.0, and I was eligible to play. I think that is something that happens to freshmen- it gets overwhelming.” She talked about how the transition from high school to college can be challenging for student-athletes as they have the pressure of maintaining a 2.0 GPA to be part of the team. She also expressed how it has gotten more manageable through time.“Me, being in my third year of college, I already know how to adjust my schedule. I know the timing of when to attend  practice when to study…” Sanchez spoke about being a captain of the Softball team and her relationship with the rest of the players. Having prior experience as a captain with her travel team, the Lady Twins, she already knew how to take on the role of a leader within the team. “I brought the same attitude and leadership skills from the Lady Twins and brought into Lehman,” she said. “I don’t see ‘captain’ as just one person. ‘Captain’ can be anybody; leadership skills can come from anybody.” She emphasizes how important it is for the team to trust and rely on each other and how she doesn’t view herself as the main person on the team. “Being able to turn to each other to speak about certain issues they are not comfortable with the coaches is something that I love that they do.”

Student-athletes, just like any regular student, have to excel in their academics to obtain their pursued degrees. However, they also have the extra responsibility of their respective sports. Oladosu and Sanchez showed us a glimpse of what a student-athlete goes through and how they manage to fit sports into their already busy schedule. Knowing how to manage your time is crucial for student-athletes as sports commitments can take up most of their time throughout the week. Representing your team, however, makes all those hours of practice worth it in the end.

Need an internship? The New York Jobs CEO Council is here to help.

By Emmanuel Okoli

I recently had a conversation with a student in one of my classes who hadn’t had an internship yet, which nearly resulted in me raving about this organization that I recently learned about. The organization had been involved throughout the semester, bringing KPMG (a top-four accounting firm) CEO Paul Knopp to speak on the Lehman campus. 

They’re called the New York Jobs CEO Council, and I’ve recently had the opportunity to see just how influential and impactful this organization is.  

On August 21st, I had the chance to attend a US Open exclusive event hosted by the New York Jobs CEO Council at the largest tennis organization in the world, Arthur Ashe Stadium, in Queens. There, I conversed with job recruiters, the managing director, and senior associates and learned about the work of the New York CEO Council and how they got to where they are. 

New York Jobs CEO Council

The New York Jobs CEO Council is committed to creating economic opportunities in New York City and beyond, focusing on bridging the skills gap and fostering a diverse workforce. Led by influential CEOs from some of the world’s most prominent companies, the Council has pledged to connect 100,000 New Yorkers, including 25,000 CUNY students, to quality jobs by 2030.  

So far, they’ve helped 7,634 CUNY graduates get hired into family-sustaining entry-level roles and enabled 2,313 CUNY students to get paid internships.  

How do they do this? 

They offer resources like resume and cover letter templates, and events. 

“We want to act as a student resource,” said Niezum Ahmed, a Baruch College graduate interning as a multimedia intern for the New York Jobs CEO Council. “We want to direct you to where you need to go and help prepare you to become career-ready.” 

As I talked with the organization, one thing that kept coming up was its Talent Network, which recently offered students an opportunity to attend an industry trek with Bloomberg, with professionals who spoke about their journeys to Bloomberg. 

The Talent Network is a one-stop shop for much of what the New York Jobs Council has to offer. 

Why it matters to students 

Lehman College has one of the most diverse college communities, with 55% of the community being Hispanic or Latino and 25.4% Black or African American, according to an article by DataUSA. However, this demographic is often underserved and underrepresented, especially in the job market. The New York Jobs CEO Council is looking to help change that. 

“We talk a lot about representation. Representation is the catalyst of our organization. We want to be able to showcase to New Yorkers and, specifically, CUNY students, [...] that you can make it.” says Niezum. “I mean, that’s in our tagline. [...] Because it’s true. It doesn’t matter who you are, what type of background you have, if you grew up with all the resources, or if you didn’t grow up with any resources [...]. We offer opportunities for everyone.” 

Speaking of under-representation, Lehman students can utilize this opportunity to get their name, and Lehman’s, out there, which is why Daniella joined, a sophomore majoring in accounting and Lehman’s New York Jobs Council Ambassador. “People sleep on Lehman so much, and I’m like, Baruch isn’t the only one that can give you these freaking prodigies. Other schools can produce good kids, not only one.” 

The New York Jobs CEO Council offers internships, networking opportunities with CEOs via their talent portal, and access to top recruiters. 

The deal with Internships 

I wouldn’t want to be another broken record, but internships are extremely important to college students. 

The unemployment rate of students with versus without internships is massive, especially those in social work and computer science. The New York Jobs CEO Council is a way to get internships so no one gets left behind in the job market. 

“The way I would describe [New York Jobs CEO Council] is a resource,” said Niezum. Utilizing these resources can mean earnings of 6% more than those who don’t. 

Internships are crucial to today’s college-to-workforce pipeline. Depending on the major, students with internships are 6% to 20% more likely to be employed than students without, resulting in more work experience that can lead to greater work competence, job satisfaction, and higher earnings. 

As students, we are responsible for utilizing these opportunities to build ourselves to compete in an ever-competitive work landscape. 

A message to those without 

I had a conversation with a terrified senior about graduating because they didn’t have any internships. They had jobs, sure, but no job experience directly related to their desired career. Niezum has something to say to them. 

“It’s never too late,” she says. “Your career journey is going to be different from someone else’s, and that’s okay. You should never feel shameful about that; if anything, you should celebrate wherever you are in your career journey.” 

Daniella also concurs. “Don’t be scared. The worst that can happen is the answer is ‘no’, but rejection is just redirection. You can’t be scared when it comes to your career because you have to take risks in life, and your career will be one of those.” 

Many of the students in the New York Jobs Council’s talent network are also financially supporting their families, working numerous jobs, or can’t work numerous jobs because they need to focus on their studies. The organization is a resource that enables students to pursue opportunities at any point. 

Making an impact 

The New York Jobs CEO Council’s Industry Trek (@nyjobsceocouncil Instagram) 

Want to be part of the New York Jobs CEO Talent Network? 

​​​All you have to do is sign up on the organization’s website.  

1. Go to nyjobsceocouncil.org 

2. Visit their Jobs Seekers page  

3. Select the Talent Network Portal and sign up 

Also, follow them on Instagram @nyjobsceocouncil and on LinkedIn at New York Jobs CEO Council. 

The Importance of Financial Literacy Among College Students

By Sarah  Elabid

Learning about financial literacy early on sets students up for a successful future. When it comes to practical financial skills, students should learn about budgeting, saving, understanding credit, and managing debt. These skills will help them make informed decisions, avoid financial pitfalls, and prepare for a successful financial future.

College students often make a few common financial mistakes. When it comes to financial pitfalls, students can sometimes fall into the trap of overspending on unnecessary things, not budgeting, misusing their credit cards, and not saving enough. Additionally, many college students aren’t informed on terms like, interest rates, and repayment options when it comes to paying for their college tuition.

“While being at Lehman, I had a lot of friends who were going into debt while applying for their student loans process or overspending with credit cards. They did not know how to manage their expenses.” An economics major, Juan Santos mentioned in an interview with the Meridian.

Given that college is a significant financial investment, students must become knowledgeable about selecting loans that will not negatively impact their credit score. This can be achieved by learning about interest rates and repayment alternatives.

According to polls conducted by NEFE and AmeriSpeak, “80% said they wish they were required to take a semester or year-long financial education course during high school.” Financial literacy not being taught in schools is a missed opportunity. Because of this, in recent years there has been a push to include this knowledge in the high school curriculum.

This article from The Hill states that financial literacy courses will soon be offered for kindergarten through twelfth grade in 25 states. While the programs are still being implemented in 17 of those states, eight are already offering them. “85% of U.S. high school students say that they are interested in learning about financial topics in school, and 95% of students who currently receive financial curriculum find it helpful,” according to the Intuit Financial Education survey.

In addition to how to manage finances responsibly and understanding student loans, tax literacy is a crucial life skill that will be useful for students to acquire while in school and throughout their lifetimes. Learning about taxes can go on to help students understand how that system works and can help students navigate their financial responsibilities as they start earning more income.  

A great place to start learning about finances is by reading books or articles on personal finance. There are also online resources and Lehman courses available, such as BBA 204 and BBA 207 that cover topics like budgeting, saving, investing, and much more. Additionally, you can reach out to financial institutions or organizations that offer financial literacy programs for students.

“There is nobody in the finance field who is an expert in everything. Everyone I know in this field is constantly learning and educating themselves. It is important to keep learning either through courses here at Lehman, other sources of information online, books, or webinars to upskill your knowledge.” says Assistant Professor Dr. Stein Smith.

For those who are not accounting or economics majors, the Financial Learning Group is a fantastic way for students to grow their financial knowledge here at Lehman College. The Financial Learning Group was established by Lehman College students to encourage and educate their peers to manage and build their wealth responsibly. This club meets weekly on Wednesdays in the Bloomberg Lab of the Leonard Lief Library, from 4 PM to 5 PM.

 Racielly Mella, a biology major states, “As a chemistry major, FLG has allowed me to have access to information that I would otherwise have to pay for or just not have enough time for. I consider the club a haven for learning just about anything that has to do with finance. The club is a true gem and I feel like there truly is a place for everyone there.”

The club covers a wide range of subjects, including investing, tax planning, wise budgeting, mastering credit card rewards programs and debt management. They also have offered students an introduction to cryptocurrencies and bitcoin investing, and are always accessible to help with any financial queries you may have.

Amira Mustapha: Renaissance Woman

Amira Mustapha 

(Photo Credit: Michael Martinez) 

By Ja-el-Lucina Dozier 

When searching for your artistic voice, studying the work of other artists can inspire, new ideas and broaden your perspective. Amira Mustapha, a Ghanaian-American, Bronx-based artist, producer, writer, Founder, and Executive Director of Art Defined Productions, Inc., is a renaissance woman whose magic seems to be everywhere, producing art across multiple genres and supporting her community. Ms. Mustapha was gracious enough to sit down with the Meridian to chat about her artistic journey and give aspiring entrepreneurs some insights on starting their journies.  

Can you tell us a bit about your origin story as an artist? 

I’ve always been interested in the arts whether it was writing, singing, acting, all those things. But growing up, as a first-generation student, I was told, “That’s not something you do. You go to school to become a doctor, a nurse, something more solid.” But then I started taking theatre classes here and fell in love with it. Realizing that this was something you could do for a living and make money from it was something I didn’t know was possible before college. 

Did you get both your BA & MA from Lehman?  

Yes! The Bachelor is in Theatre with a minor in Psychology. And when I first graduated from undergrad, I said I’d never go back to school. But then my boss Henry Ovalles (Associate Director of Lehman Stages) mentioned a new one-year Master’s program in Organizational Leadership. Having that as a Master’s gives me the tools to step back, look at things objectively, make revisions, and strengthen my company. To this day, I still go back to those notes, especially when I’m feeling stuck.  

You’re also the Director of Production Services at Lehman Stages. What are some of the other things you’ve been known to do?  

So backstage, I do lighting design, stage management, and tech for live shows. I’ve also recently acted in a play that I wrote for the Framing the Female Gaze exhibition at the Lehman Art Gallery. My play, Adulting, was based on when my father passed. It was kind of therapeutic because it was a way to deconstruct the world around me and put those thoughts out there so that they wouldn’t overwhelm me. And then we did the web series #30theseries. I wrote that with my best friend Cristy Reynoso and it was a lot of learning. It was crazy but it was fun. 

Because you had to wear a ton of hats for the web series?  

Yes! We were producing, writing, directing, doing our camera work, lighting, postproduction, and promotion.  It was hard, but it was a great experience. That’s what I love about art. 

How long had you been working on the concept before you were able to finally get into shooting the principal photography?  

Even before we got into the arts, me and Cristy were always able to write ourselves as characters in a story. In 2019, we decided to produce a story based on ghetto adulting. Shooting started in Spring 2022. And we were done in three months. 

Poetic Affair	

      (Photo Credits: Gabriela Garcia)		

#30sTheSeries 

(Photo Credit: Richard Acevedo, Jr) 

Circling back to your non-profit company, Art Defined Productions, Inc., what was your inspiration for founding your organization?  

I needed it to exist. When I was a student here, we had so many ideas and dreams. But then we graduate, and it’s so easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of New York. I saw a lot of people start to slowly move away from the arts. And I was like, “No! We went to school for this!” So I started Art Defined as a way to bring people together. Not just friends of mine but also people who were like us, who needed support and a space to continue dreaming.  

You founded Art Defined in 2010. What was it like getting started; finding founding members, trying to get funding, and getting it registered as a non-profit?  

It was difficult and it took some time. I wanted to have everything set before I did my first show. Starting, I did a lot of research on books that gave me step-by-step guidelines on the company paperwork. And I wanted to figure it out myself so that I wouldn’t have to worry about being taken advantage of by an umbrella company. Umbrella companies usually take ten percent of everything a startup earns. After we got our incorporated status, we did our first Poetic Affair as an open mic showcase and fundraiser for the 501c3 application. Once we got our non-profit status in 2013, that made us eligible to get grants. But the paperwork is a lot simpler now than it was back then when you had to mail in hard copies to Albany.  

How has Art Defined evolved from the first production to now?  

Art Defined needed to pause in 2015 so that I could figure out its direction. Then when I graduated from the master's program three years later, I revived the company, gave it a new life, and strengthened its conviction. Then when the pandemic happened, we were able to have access to a lot more people, foundations, and opportunities virtually. Even though it’s based in the Bronx, the goal is for it to grow and go into other underserved communities around the world. And I was able to start that over the pandemic. Because we did our workshops online, we were getting people from the UK, Africa, Australia, etc. And many of the people who connected with us over the shutdown still come to our workshops now. It’s a space for artists to grow, have community, thrive, and make connections.  

How do you choose your team?  

It varies from year to year. When it began, I did a lot of the work on my own. But I’m surrounded by creatives at Lehman, and I would go to specific people for specific things based on the project. I would go to people and ask them, “How can we bring your dream to life.?” Then I started partnering with other organizations to get interns. Now I find that I’ve been doing a lot more networking through the events that I host. 

How do you start to look for grants? Were you doing that before your 501c3 status?  

A friend suggested that I apply for a grant through The Bronx Council of the Arts. They aim to support organizations in the Bronx. But I didn’t start to get huge grants until the pandemic actually, like the Rockefeller Fund.  

Tell us a bit more about the programming over at Art Defined and how that’s evolved through the years.  

The base has always been literary and performing arts. Even though performing arts was my first love, the writing workshops were always a part of the plan. Writing feeds that creative side of me more than just journaling. So in the beginning was Poetic Affair, our most consistent program. Next, we did a few plays. Then our writing workshops started in 2018 at the library. When we moved online, we expanded to poetry, playwriting, and screenwriting. Last year, we got our DOE (Department of Education) license so that we could work on school programming to encourage the younger students. 

What has been the most challenging thing about the Poetic Affair productions?  

Consistency. We started once a year. Then it became quarterly. Now it’s monthly.   

So what’s next?  

Sustainability through fundraising! I need Art Defined to outlive me. Poetic Affair is our poetry night that happens every third Wednesday of the month.  Except this month it will be on May 22nd. And we have our workshops every Sunday from 2 pm - 4 pm. We promote everything on our Instagram. www.instagram.com/artdefinedinc/  

Poetic Affair features a versatile casting process. In addition to spoken word, featured artists can also sing, dance, perform magic, etc. Visit their website for more information about upcoming events. https://www.artdefined.org 

Follow Amira Mustapha: 

https://www.instagram.com/aquarianmuse19/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amira-mustapha 

https://amiramustapha1.wixsite.com/my-site 

Checkout Amira’s Web Series:  

https://www.youtube.com/@30stheseries 

Presenting: The 2nd Annual CUNY Beat Battle

By Jamal Weekes and Brian Cortes 

On Tuesday, April 15th we met with the Lehman College Audio Club to learn more about the upcoming Beat Battle on May 7th. The Beat Battle is a yearly event produced by Lehman College, The Multi-Media Center, Hostos Community College, and Laguardia Community College all broadcasted by the BronxNet. The event kicks off with an introduction from the judges and all competitors from the schools involved. Students from each CUNY school then present their team of 6 as they make their way to the Multi-Media Center’s audio room.    

Competing students from both schools have 45 minutes to create a beat using the several samples provided. Sampling is a music technique that incorporates pieces of existing recordings into a new creation. This method has been used since the 70s and is widely renowned in Hip Hop for the countless records and songs that have utilized it.   

This year the Lehman College Audio Club went up against both Hostos Community College and LaGuardia Community College to see who can produce the best beat in the time given. This year, each team is granted 45 minutes to create a beat while deriving inspiration from the ten samples given. In the end, winners receive prizes for first, second, and third place with the first-place winner receiving a special grand prize by SweetWater.  

Before the event,  Giancarlo Esposito, the Vice President of The Lehman College Audio Club, expressed what goals he had in mind for the event, “[I want] to showcase our skills and what we can provide as an exercise to help us network with other artists.” 

Giancarlo went on to explain the future of the Audio Club, “We want to collaborate with other clubs to bring back more on-campus events [for our club] to boost engagement and fun for everyone.” In hosting the Beat Battle Lehman’s Audio Club seeks to gain new members and hopes it will open the door for future collaborations with other clubs for the fall semester. New members are welcome to join with no experience required and will be able to participate in the event next year! 

When discussing the Beat Battle event, Oliver, a senior majoring in Media Communications, along with other members explained their reasons for being involved in the Audio Club. 

“I have a lot of interest in playing digital music and in music production, it's something that I'm very passionate about and I want to be able to collaborate with people who have that same interest.” 

The Lehman Audio Club has worked their craft for a while, practicing and honing their production skills. This Beat Battle event serves as a platform where they can demonstrate what they’ve learned over time and all the experiences they’ve shared. 

When asked what the best takeaway was from being a participant in the event, Oliver responded, “You could say working under pressure [...]  there are so many things going on in your mind. It’s the amount a lot of pressure put on a person to make the best beat possible under a time crunch” 

Finally, while speaking on what a spectator should take away from the experience of attending, Oliver continued, “It's a vibe in a sense. You get to hear different sounds and beats from different genres that you might be interested in and get a behind-the-scenes look at how your favorite songs on the radio are made.” 

The CUNY Beat Battle was an outrageous success. With Lehman College as the winner in the end. An exciting competition from start to finish, with appearances from Hip-Hop legends Melly Mel and Denzil Porter. 

The Audio Club is welcoming anyone with any interest in music or audio production. Even if you aren’t a music major or minor, they create a space where you can communicate, and work with other individuals who share the same enthusiasm for the process. You can support Oliver, who participated in the CUNY beat battle @Ollie050502. Additionally, you can show your support for the other Lehman contestants by following them on their social media @lehman_audioclub. 

Coach Gojcevic and Lehman Soccer Teams Seeking CUNYAC Championship Double

By Adolfo Miliano  

The Fall semester is fast approaching, and that means it's almost time for the Lehman soccer teams to compete again. With a fresh season in sight, both the Men's and Women’s  

soccer teams will try to surpass last year’s results and hope to get their hands on the CUNY Athletic Conference Championship title. But how are the teams preparing for the Fall 2024 season, what are their goals, and how do they aim to achieve them?  

The Men’s team started the 2023 CUNYAC season strong. After a 4-0 win over City College (CCNY) in the opening game, the Lightning went on to finish first in the CUNYAC standings with a comfortable record of 6-1. This would place them directly in the semifinals of the CUNYAC Championship against Brooklyn College. Unfortunately, they were knocked out of the running when Brooklyn College's Bulldogs beat them 1-0. Toma Gojcevic, Lehman’s Head Coach for the Men’s and Women’s soccer teams, reflected on the result. “It was weird the way we lost,” he explained. “The Brooklyn goalkeeper had a great game. The way I look at it, we didn’t lose. The goalkeeper beat us. We out-shot them 18 to 4 shots. In soccer, sometimes the best team doesn’t win.” The Men’s team was also knocked out of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) in the first round following a 3-1 defeat against St. Elizabeth University. When asked about the early exit, he claimed, “We should have won 7-3. We missed two penalties, and we hit the post three times.” He addressed the lack of leadership in the team and intends to improve it this coming season. 

The Women’s team also started the 2023 CUNYAC season strong after a captivating 5-1 win over Brooklyn College in the opening game. They went on to finish third in the CUNYAC standings with a 3-2 record, qualifying for the CUNYAC Championship semifinals. The season ended in the Semifinals for the Women’s team as well, after a 5-1 loss against John Jay College. “The Women’s team has been a work in progress,” Gojcevic said. “This year, we will get better with the new recruits coming in. I think this year is going to be a different outcome.” 

In total, the Men's Lightning have been crowned CUNYAC Champions 4 times, with Toma Gojcevic serving as head coach for the most recent three. They earned their first title in 2011, won back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017, and most recently in 2022. When asked about the three championships he witnessed them win, Gojcevic praised his players. “You have to give it to the players. Of course, coaching is big because you make the decisions. But you have to have good players.” A former player himself, Gojcevic expressed his admiration for all of CUNY's athletes. “The CUNY Athlete is an amazing athlete,” he claimed. “Not only they are students, but they are athletes, they are working, some of them are taking care of relatives, some of them have kids. So I appreciate these students and the CUNY athletes like no other coach.”  

Winning each title made the Men’s soccer team eligible to play for that year’s NCAA Division III (DIII) Championship, but they struggled to get past the first round each time. In 2011, they lost 3-0 against Stevens Institute. Rowan University beat them 4-0 in 2016, and the following year they lost 2-0 against Lycoming University. In 2022, they fell short against Johns Hopkins University, finishing 3-0 in favor of the Blue Jays. Gojcevic spoke about the differences between the CUNYAC Championship and the NCAA DIII Championship. “CUNYAC is not the toughest conference in America,” he assured. When CUNYAC teams like Lehman College play against NCAA teams, “we play against the top teams in the country. John Hopkins was ranked 8th in the country.” What sets teams in different conferences apart, Gojcevic emphasized, is the difference in quality and resources. 

The Women’s team has yet to bring home their first CUNYAC Championship title. Each of the three times they made it to the Championship finals, they finished as runners-up. First, in 2015, they were defeated 2-1 in overtime by the College of Staten Island (CSI). Two years later, the Lightning and CSI faced each other in the finals once again, and a 2-0 win for CSI's team had them crowned champion for the 8th time in their history. The Women’s team played their most recent CUNYAC Championship final in 2021, ending in a narrow 1-0 defeat against John Jay College. 

Gojcevic's goals for the Fall season are to “win the CUNYAC Conference, win the CUNYAC Championship, and win the first round of the NCAA DIII. No CUNYAC team has won the first game in NCAA DIII in Men’s Soccer. That’s what drives me. I would like to be the first coach to do it. I want Lehman College to be the first team to ever do it.” Gojecvic mentioned how the Men’s squad was transitioning away from the team that won the CUNAYC Championship tournament in 2022 and is very confident about the team he has built for the upcoming season. “This might be the best team I ever had this year. I’m bringing 16 new players. Me and my team recruited well this year. I think technically we are going to be better. The team has changed.” 

Gojcevic is also pushing to bring the Women's team their first CUNYAC title. “With the recruits that we got this year, the goal is to get to the final,” he said. “We’ve been in the semifinal two years in a row. It’s going to be hard, but winning the first title would be awesome.” 

Inside The Game with Kai Parris

By: Jesus Vargas  
On Thursday, May 2nd, the Meridian Sports reporter interviewed Lehman’s rising basketball star, Kai Parris, who was recently named 2nd team All-Met, an award of recognition for being one of the best athletes in the entire metropolitan area. Kai is a Junior majoring in Recreational Education whose love for the sport is instilled in his daily routine.  
The Meridian: What interested you in joining the Lehman basketball team?  
Kai Parris: I began my journey when I attended Westchester Community College. Shortly after my season ended, Lehman's basketball head coach Steven Schulman showed interest in me and wanted to recruit me. I was hesitant at first and was unsure of what school I would attend. Midway in September 2022 I reached out to Coach Schulman and said “I wanna play.” Basketball has impacted my life as a student in a positive way. You have to stay focused on your grades and keep your head down in the books. It teaches discipline and accountability.  
No one man is above the team.  
Through his journey, Kai battled adversity. “It’s different when you're not scoring as much and other teams aren’t paying you mind versus them having a specific game plan just for you.”  


The Meridian: How do you balance individual performance with playing as part of a team?


Kai Parris: You have to go out there and try and win no matter what. My mindset in the game is to help my teammates get better as the game progresses.  
This year, I did have to adjust to the different plans and strategies other teams would throw at me. Coming into the 2024 season, I needed to hit the weight room and build strength because I was getting tired of being pushed around in the game. I needed to get used to playing with two people in front of me instead of one to sharpen my skills.  


Kai’s greatest strengths on the court are his mid-range shot and athleticism. Weighing 185 pounds and towering over the court at a height of 6' 7", he can jump explosively and block shots. Even so, he never settles for less than perfection. Right now, he's looking to improve his 3-point shooting and handling the basketball.  
  
The Meridian: How do you feel about this past season and the way it ended?  
Kai Parris: Truthfully, I think this was a great season. As a team, we overcame adversity and persevered throughout that entire season. We started 0-5 ...  and nobody thought we were gonna make it to the championship, let alone the playoffs. As for the championship game, I'm still upset about that. I feel like we could have won, but I can't dwell on it now. ... I gotta move on to next year.  
  
Kai scored more than any other player on either team in that game with a total of 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. He leads his team in points, free throws, and minutes played, and he’s 3rd in rebounding and 2nd in blocks. Whenever people ask him how he handles the pressure, he responds saying he "[doesn’t] see it as pressure, it's all about performing my best and trying to win.”  
  
The Meridian: When asked about the rivalry between Lehman and Baruch’s basketball team Kai said;  
Kai Parris: we're the 2 best teams in CUNY and it’s always been the two best teams going at it for the past few years so I guess you could call it a rivalry.  
The Meridian: Are there any last words you'd like to share on the upcoming season and whoever Lehman plays?  
Kai Parris: They better be ready, 'cause I’ll be ready.  

MTA New Safety Procedures

By Destiny Hurtado

After growing concerns over safety in the busy areas of New York City's subway system, Governor Kathy Hochul has made plans aimed at increasing security measures. As part of this initiative, National Guard troops will be deployed to subway stations across the city, surveillance cameras will be installed, along with an increased police presence. However, this announcement, for some commuters, has caused mixed reactions.

A week after the implementation of the National Guard, a shocking incident occurred in Lower Manhattan: a man pushed a woman onto the tracks in front of an upcoming train, resulting in severing both of her legs. This tragic event has sent shockwaves through the community, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of the security measures put in place and the capacity of the National Guards to prevent such acts. As the city develops, the need for comprehensive strategies to ensure the safety of subway passengers has become even more urgent. 

“The Governor’s recent deployment of the National Guard was unwarranted and caused fear rather than a sense of safety,” said Jo Anne Simon, an Assembly member who represents the area where the event took place. “There are not enough National Guards to do a bag search for every subway station; we need at least 3,000 Guardsmen." There is growing suspicion among some leading officials and residents alike, regarding the efficacy of the current security measures. A more comprehensive approach is needed to address the complex issues plaguing the transit system.

The intervention of the National Guard may not accurately address the underlying social and economic factors contributing to crime, such as homelessness and mental health issues. Additionally, there are also concerns about the potential militarization of public spaces, which could further up tensions and break community trust. 

This skepticism specifically came from the following two tragic incidents: the fatal shooting on March 15 at a busy Brooklyn subway station A train, and a recent shooting on a southbound D train at the 182-183 Streets station. These events raise questions about the National Guard's ability to prevent such incidents and protect passengers. 

The timeline of these events highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to subway safety that goes beyond law enforcement. Addressing the root causes of crimes requires strategies that incorporate social services, mental health support, and community involvement. 

Despite this, the National Guard's presence can provide an instant boost to security, offering reassurance to passengers amidst growing concerns over crime and violence. The visible presence of armed forces and bag checks may act as a deterrent to potential criminals and help enhance law enforcement efforts to tackle crime within the subway. The National Guard can offer valuable support to local law enforcement, particularly during emergencies or high-risk situations. 

Supporters of the decision say that the collaboration between the MTA and the National Guard demonstrates a productive approach to enhancing public safety and restoring confidence in the subway system. 

The mixed reactions to the deployment of the National Guard show the complexities of ensuring public safety in the city. While some view it as a necessary measure to combat crime and give a sense of security, others remain skeptical about its long-term effectiveness and broader implications. 

This initiative's success will depend on comprehensive strategies that address immediate security concerns as well as the economic factors contributing to crime and unrest. As the MTA and the National Guard continue to collaborate in keeping passengers safe, their efforts will be essential in shaping the future of public safety within New York City's transit system.

Lehman College 2024 Commencement

By Megan Walls  

 College is a journey, and for 4 years students are faced with various hurdles often having to balance the workload that accompanies each semester, on top of daily life responsibilities aside from classes. Though, what motivates most students to keep going is the awareness that the finish line is near, and the thought of hearing their name as they cross the stage on graduation day. To be acknowledged after having put in countless hours of work is what students desire, and for the Spring 2024 commencement, Lehman College is gracing graduating seniors with this honor, upon other changes that will showcase the colleges’ commencement in a whole new light moving forward.  

    In the past years Lehman College’s commencement ceremony has looked a little different and while the focus still centered around the acknowledgment of the students, graduating seniors were not recognized individually. On Thursday June 1st, 2023, Lehman College held its 55th annual commencement where 3,500 graduating students plus an additional 7,500 family members and friends were in attendance alongside staff and faculty.  

    The commencement proceeded as it typically would, but when it came time to honor the graduating class only the schools, and majors in which the students were apart of were called. “I didn't feel special on a day I’d long for my entire life,” said Lehman alumni Ashley Merlanie Castillo who was a part of the Spring 2023 graduating class. As we stepped into the new year of 2024, students have boldly expressed their opinions on how they feel graduates should be honored on such an important day.  

   With Lehman College’s 56th annual commencement growing near, the most noticeable changes in the ceremony this year will be that graduates will now be able to walk across the stage as their names are called. Such an unexpected change started only with a student and an ideal; and Mikayla Sumter Malone, an upper Junior here at Lehman was the defining voice that sparked just the right amount of movement needed to bring this change to life.  

     Malone recalled the thoughts and questions that fled her mind as she watched pre-recorded Lehman commencement ceremonies on YouTube, “why is the commencement an hour long and no students are getting recognized?” Having spoken to a few classmates last semester, according to Malone many voiced their desires to “have their names called at graduation,” while students additionally questioned “why waste time going to commencement if names aren’t going to be called?” Witnessing her peers' desires to be acknowledged lead Malone on January 8th, 2024, to create the Moveon.org petition entitled “Graduation at Lehman College” addressed to Lehman College President Dr. Fernando Delgado. Unsure if her attempt at speaking up for fellow students would even be successful Malone declared “at first I thought that my petition wasn’t going to work,” but the act of a former classmate named Chanel Huston brought forth the right amount of influenced needed to cement Malone’s deed. 

    “She told me that she is on the graduation committee, and she wanted to bring up my petition at their committee meeting” said Malone recounting Houston’s words. No more than a week later Malone received the news from Huston that “they are going to be calling names at graduation,” and the following month on February 8th, 2024, student affairs Vice President Jermaine A.Wright sent out an email notifying all students of the newly implemented changes to this year's commencement. “I was surprised that my petition worked” exclaimed Malone, and following the student affairs announcement Malone was not the only student enthusiastic about these changes.  

    Current Lehman senior Andrew Figueroa voiced his thoughts saying, “I really like it because I feel like the whole point of going to graduation is to hear your name called and walk the stage while your family is watching.”  While emphasizing what a “huge milestone” graduation is for first generation college students in particular, Figueroa resumed saying, “I knew about it, and I’ve been excited for a while now because I know last year they didn’t call names.”  

    As graduates will now be named individually come commencement day, this will undoubtably impact the May 30th ceremony layout. Due to the programs time extension this year student affairs notes that “The graduation begins at 10AM, and due to the new addition of saying graduates' names, will end between approximately 1-1:30PM.” While attendees can expect a new running time of around 2 hours and 30 minutes for the program, other newly incorporated changes to this year's commencement ceremony includes air-conditioning viewing areas within campus buildings for guests, and the providing of tents over the graduates for sun protection. Ensuring that the safety and comfort of both graduates, and guests alike are placed at the forefront, although Lehman’s ceremony this year is lengthier in time everyone can still expect a day full of cheer and celebration.   

   As we inch towards the special date, in the upcoming weeks graduating seniors can further verify that they are set to walk the stage by ensuring they have filed for graduation and preordered their caps and gowns from collegegrad.herffjones.com for the 2024 ceremony. Additionally, caps and gowns will be available at the Lehman College Bookstore for purchase beginning April 22nd.  

    If you want to commemorate your accomplishments, this year Lehman College is also partnering with Island Photography to provide students with professional cap and gown portraits right here at the campus bookstore. From April 15th –16th to May 1st – 3rd dates and times are available to students for bookings.   

Any inquiries may be directed to student.affairs@lehman.cuny.edu or you can stop by their Shuster Hall office Room 204. To stay up to date on all commencement-related information, students may visit https://www.lehman.edu/classof2024 

Residential Neglect from NYCHA

By Julien Torres

In New York on Tuesday, February 6th, seventy NYCHA employees were arrested and charged with bribery and extortion. An FBI investigation revealed that many NYCHA employees received bribes in exchange for non-bid contracts being awarded to contractors. These contracts were given to contractors who provided low-quality maintenance on buildings across the city; depriving many buildings of necessities such as heating, working elevators, or even lights. The seventy workers arrested became the DOJ’s single-day record for federal bribery charges.

Though the news of these arrests may come as a surprise to some, for those who reside in NYCHA buildings across the five boroughs, it is not. According to NYC. gov, NYCHA houses approximately 370,000 residents in over 177,000 apartments across New York City. However, for those residing in these buildings, they can hardly be described as “residential.”

Diana Rice, a senior at Lehman College, describes her mother’s Harlem apartment in the Frederick Douglas houses over a phone interview.   “My mother lives on the 15th floor, the apartment mainly consists of concrete walls and cheap plywood doors. The apartment also has an infestation of roaches.” This aligns with the public image that many New Yorkers have about NYCHA buildings and their residents.  

For Diana, the NYCHA had it coming. “I am not surprised that event took place. NYCHA is a corrupt organization. The money that should have been used for regular maintenance and repairs was never allocated making it not surprising the arrests happened.”

NYCHA’s selfish pursuit of greed has led to the neglect of the elderly, it is anything but “public service.” As a tenant on the 15th floor, I have witnessed that The NYCHA was unresponsive to repairs [of] elevators. And with many of the elderly living in the upper levels, access to a working elevator is vital.

However, these arrests are not the first time NYCHA’s incompetence and resident neglect has reared its ugly head. In 2014, Kishawn Scarboro, a NYCHA employee, was arrested for embezzling around $90,000 in rent payments from residents that were owed to NYCHA. This was reported by a press release from the US Attorney's Office in 2014. The irony of these events being a decade apart is harrowing and speaks to the long-term neglect and corruption NYCHA residents have faced. NYCHA simply does not learn its lesson.

A federal bill is being proposed in Congress, in response to this scandal. This bill aims to require that public housing authorities, like NYCHA, disclose any contracts they enter regardless of the dollar amount. Congressman Ritchie Torres, representing New York’s 15th congressional district, authored this bill to protect the residents of public housing across the country. This will ensure that the public knows about any contracts the NYCHA enters. It will also help to ensure any promises made by NYCHA to improve living conditions are kept. Additionally, New York Mayor Adams has put in place ways to further improve NYCHA’s public image. 

Bribery, Neglect, and Mayor Adam’s Support

NYCHA’s public image has been tainted yet again by corrupt employees.  However, Mayor Adams has been pushing for more funding for NYCHA to repair buildings across the city. In August 2023, residents will get the opportunity to vote for what repairs should be done. According to a press release from the mayor’s office, “With NYCHA buildings needing nearly $80 billion, this process will offer residents an opportunity to vote and determine the future of their development.”  Although this promises a better future for NYCHA residents like Diana and her mother, this is only the first step of a lengthy process.

As the fallout of these bribery charges continued, the CEO of NYCHA, Lisa Bova-Hiatt, was put on the hot seat by neighborhood residents.  The committee focused on how NYCHA will respond to the charges. Bova-Hiatt stated that she has spoken to the U.S. Attorney’s office and will seek compensation from vendors who overcharged NYCHA for services. The New York Department of Investigation recommended about 14 different strategies to address these charges, including mandatory training for superintendents.

The reputation and public image of public housing in this country has never been a good one, and at the heart of it all NYCHA has been the most notorious when it comes to poor living conditions. While NYCHA’s public image has been tainted by a decade of scandals, it should be important to remember that those who are affected the most are the residents of these complexes. These residents are simply looking to have a stable roof over their heads. As politicians and those in NYCHA make promises of a brighter future, many residents only take their words with grains of salt as past promises have yet to become a reality.  

Facing Our Truth: Ten-Minute Short Plays on Trayvon Race and Privilege

By Jael Lucina Dozier

The Network for Stage & Screen Artists presents Facing Our Truth: Ten-Minute Short Plays on Trayvon, Race and Privilege. Written by Dominique Morisseau, A. Rey Pamatmat, Winter Miller, and Dan O'Brien, with music by Quetzal Flores, Mona Mansour, Tala Manassah, and Marcus Gardley. 

The Facing Our Truth series seeks to provoke thought, spark conversations, and challenge preconceived notions about race and privilege. Each play within the collection presents a unique perspective on the aftermath of Trayvon Martin's tragic death. Colored, The Ballad of George Zimmerman and No More Monsters Here explores the broader implications of racial profiling and systemic racism. Night Vision, Some Other Kid, and Dressing encourages audiences to confront uncomfortable truths and discuss the persistent racial disparities and injustices that plague society.

This Spring, The Network for Stage & Screen Artists is bringing a new cast and twist! They will return to the Studio Theatre for a second presentation of Facing Our Truth on Wednesday, April 10th at 7 pm and Thursday, April 11th at 3:30 pm. Directed by Ja-el-Lucina Dozier, this presentation will feature performances by Ashley Brown, Anik Banerji, Christian Toro, David Guallpa, Elise Pinnock-Toliver, Gwendelyn Acosta, Ijeoma Umelo, Janet Norquist-Gonzalez, Kadiatou Diallo, Kaitlyn Igartua, Leosha Bristow, Macarthur Varga, Meika Johnson, Mell Peña, Samuel Boucher, Serg Lockhart, TJ Barber and Jae Dozier. This production is supported by the Office of Campus Life at Lehman College and Lehman Stages.

In her search to find content that would resonate with the members of Stage & Screen, Ms. Dozier (President and Artistic Director) stumbled upon Facing Our Truth: Ten-Minute Short Plays on Trayvon, Race and Privilege. She learned that in 2013, The New Black Fest, an NYC-based organization dedicated to uplifting diverse voices in entertainment, commissioned seven highly accomplished playwrights to write six ten-minute plays inspired by the nationwide protests caused by the outrageous George Zimmerman acquittal. In this spirit of protest, Facing Our Truth was born. The messages held within this collection were nuanced, heartfelt, funny, gut-wrenching, and timeless.  After two rounds of auditions and one year of planning, The Network for Stage & Screen Artists finally realized their dream. In the Studio Theatre, they performed to a sold-out audience on Friday, December 1st, 2023. 

(12/01/23, The Green Room, Lehman College)

The Network for Stage & Screen Artists is a haven for creatives, artists, and storytellers. They welcome actors, directors, singers, writers, musicians, animators, dancers, videographers, poets, graphic designers, and all other artists who enjoy amplifying their work in the spirit of collaboration. The community is committed to creating various production opportunities for the members to build their network, maximize their visual storytelling skills, and gain valuable hands-on experience. If you are interested in film, theatre, music, television, photography, etc, then Stage & Screen is the perfect place! You can find them online at instagram.com/stagexscreenartists or contact them directly at stagexscreenartists@gmail.com.

“Just from reading the title, I thought I had an idea of what to expect. But these six plays, specifically, have such a unique take...and if you’re not paying attention, you don’t realize that such heavy topics are being handled in such an innovative and creative way. (For instance) with Colored and No More Monsters Here, it’s so crazy to think that racism can be handled in such a playful way. But that’s what makes these short plays so different. They’re telling stories about social issues in a way that’s not so in your face.” - Samuel Boucher

“I was shocked at how much my character, Greatest Grand, reminded me of some of my own family members that I grew up with. It’s been fun to infuse my own magic into my character and find ways to make her pop. For me, No More Monsters Here is very significant in its own way of addressing issues that we see every day and that we hear about very often.” - Meika Johnson 

“I kind of relate to the Trayvon Martin character in The Ballad of George Zimmerman because I remember how people got upset when Zimmerman was acquitted. When that happened, my mom looked at me and said, ‘That could’ve been you.’ It could’ve been any of us. And these plays give me some ideas for future films that I want to work on.” - Elias Williams 

On Fire Johnny Pacheco Latin Music & Jazz at Lehman College

By Jamal Weekes 

The Johnny Pacheco Latin Music & Jazz Festival occurred on Wednesday, March 13th, at Lehman College's studio theater. The festival is a beautiful celebration of Latin Jazz, featuring dancing and outstanding musical performances that has been going strong for fourteen years. Johnny Pacheco, the originator of salsa and the founder of the Pachanga dance, spearheaded the festival for years until his passing in 2021. His first studio album with Alegre Records sold 100,000 copies.  

In recent years, the event has been live streamed for viewers to enjoy from the comfort of their homes. This year, many musicians gathered at the Lehman College studio theater to enjoy a night of music. The performances are given by middle school and college student musicians, who get the opportunity to gain experience with professional musicians from the city and beyond. News of the event was promoted on the Lehman College Facebook page, attracting a large audience. Many people from the Bronx and the greater New York City area attended via livestream.    

I had a chance to speak with some of the attendees before the performances began. Paul Rivera, a member of the Latin jazz group the Afrolatineers, learned about the event through the Facebook page. He became interested in Latin Jazz after taking some classes on the topic, and thanks to social media and his love of music, he traveled to Lehman College for a night of Latin Jazz. 

At exactly 7:30 pm, the ensemble started playing, and the studio was filled with the sounds of guitars, pianos, trumpets, and drums. They played songs from Puerto Rico and Cuba, including "Chucy Frito Man." I could also hear popular Latin rhythms like the clave, a commonly used instrument in Latin music. This rhythm pattern can also be found in many pop songs like Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You," "Treat You Better" by Shawn Mendes, and "All of Me" by John Legend. This shows the importance of Latin music not just within Latin America but also in the United States. After the initial performance, the Lehman College Jazz Ensemble made their way onto the stage. They performed multiple songs, captivating the audience's attention with sheer focus and dedication toward their instruments. During the performance, ​​Moises Cruz and Ronald Martinez, Lehman’s guitarists, played with an enthusiasm that electrified the crowd. The audience’s excited applause during the solos added to the energy in the room. “To perform with musicians like these is an experience,” says Ronald after the festival. To him, the festival felt like a different atmosphere altogether.  

The Lehman College Jazz Ensemble set the spark that would stay aflame the entire night of performances. Victor Rendón, the organizer of the event, conducted the ensembles and even took to the drums himself to play ‘’Funky Frijoles’’, a song that took inspiration from​​ Moacir Santos’ Amphibious. Santos was a Brazilian jazz composer as well as an educator. He produced music for Brazilian films and taught many young musicians who went on to expand the genre. A Lehman professor, Victor calls Lehman his home base as the festival continues to attract visitors from the Bronx and New York City. Students get to see and even experience a live musical performance which is often inaccessible due to high prices and other factors.   

Meet the Accomplished Lehman Lecturer and Author of the Exciting Young Adult Thriller, ‘’SUN DON’T SHINE’’

The women behind numerous acclaimed novels who write “to make sense of the world.”

By Emmanuel Okoli

There are novels you trudge through, where the characters and stories are just words on a page, and then there are novels by Crissa-Jean Chappell. I’ve read a lot of good books, and I’ve read my fair share of bad ones. What separates the two is the author’s ability to make the story immersive. Authors who can make the characters and their tribulations matter to you. Crissa-Jean has mastered this craft, not just in her stories but in all her written work.

Crissa-Jean Chappell is a renowned author and Lehman professor who has taught in the creative writing department for nine years. A natural creative, Jean grew up imagining fantastical adventures of dragons, pirates, and tentacles. Her ability to vividly curate immersive fantasies is why her work is so highly acclaimed. 

In books like ‘’Life Inside My Head’’, ‘’Snowbirds’’, and ‘’Sun Don’t Shine,’’ the Florida native spins tales that take your senses for a spin using techniques like concrete language.  This technique allows authors to illustrate aspects you can smell, taste, see, hear, and feel. 

I recently had the opportunity to interview Jean. Here’s what she had to say. 

What inspired you to start writing? 

Crissa-Jean: ‘’When I was little, my dad used to read to me. He would stop at the library on his drive home from work and load up the trunk with stacks of books. Some of my favorites are ‘’Frog and Toad’’, ‘’James and the Giant Peach’’, ‘’Charlotte’s Web’’, and ‘’Anything’’ by Beverly Cleary. After a while, my parents discovered that I was reading the newspaper independently (at first, they thought I’d just memorized my favorite books). Then I started to write my own stories on notebook paper—mysteries about magical ponies and sisters who lived in a treehouse.’’ 

How long have you taught at Lehman? 

Crissa-Jean: ‘’I taught creative writing at the college level for almost twenty years, nine years at Lehman and ten in Miami.’’

How long have you been an author? What is it like? 

Crissa-Jean: ‘’My first novel, ‘’Total Constant Order’’, was published by HarperCollins in 2007. Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of changes in the publishing world—specifically with social media. Authors and readers can share a conversation through pictures on Instagram or videos on TikTok. It would’ve blown my mind as a kid when I was mailing fan letters to Anne Rice.’’ 

Why do you write? 

Crissa-Jean: ‘’I write to make sense of the world. In fiction, we have plot and structure, and everything that happens must serve a purpose (while real life can often feel random and unpredictable). Writing is all about connection. It’s amazing when I receive emails from readers saying: “I relate to this character,” or something in the story speaks to them personally. Of course, once a book is published, it doesn’t belong to me anymore. It becomes part of the reader’s imagination, crafted from their memories. And that’s a little magical, too.’’ 

What do you enjoy most about writing and being an author? 

Crissa-Jean: ‘’I can daydream at my desk for hours when working on a story. In a way, it’s also like time travel. I forget about the noisy outside world and disappear inside my head. I listen to the characters’ voices and wait for them to tell me their secrets. I don’t outline my novels until after the first draft, so seeing what my characters will do next is fun and surprises me!’’ 

What do you dislike about writing? 

Crissa-Jean: ‘’My characters are like friends to me. I’m always a little sad to say goodbye to them.’’ 

How did you develop your writing style?  

Crissa-Jean: ‘’I learned much about story structure from my film professors in college (my MFA is in screenwriting, and my Ph.D. is interdisciplinary). If you’ve taken my classes at Lehman, you know I’m a fan of Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces and how mythology shapes our modern lives. Stories are all about human experience. ’’

What's the most challenging part about being a writer?  

Crissa-Jean: ‘’The first draft is just the beginning. Revision can be a big challenge. I tend to write a lot of stuff that eventually I’ll cut out and toss in the “zombie graveyard” file on my laptop. Sometimes, the zombie parts will resurrect into a new draft, but usually they stay dead….’’ 

How do you deal with writer's block? 

Crissa-Jean: ‘’I always tell my students I don’t believe in writer’s block. Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes get stuck while working on a new book. If I get stuck, I must consider the hero’s dramatic need. If the hero has a specific goal, you will keep building obstacles and problems that force them to grow and change.’’  

What do you want to share with aspirational students who wish to be writers? 

Crissa-Jean: ‘’Trust in your voice. Don’t let the robots (I’m looking at you, ChatGPT!) steal your voice away. Storytelling is all about sharing your unique view of the world. That’s your greatest superpower.’’