Established 1874.

The Oberlin Review

Established 1874.

The Oberlin Review

Established 1874.

The Oberlin Review

New Ohio Senate Bill Restricts Curriculum Diversity in Higher Education Institutions
Emily Alletzhauser  March 31, 2023

Republican-led state congresses around the country have been introducing extremist pieces of legislation. Many, such as Florida’s famous “Don’t Say Gay” bill, aim to censor public education. This legislative session, Ohio is getting ready to follow suit with Ohio Senate Bill 83, also known as...

Justice for Palestine Should Be Independent of Religious Opinions
Zane Badawi March 31, 2023

Israel, so it’s said, was established on a land without people for a people without a land. Except, the land was not without people. Palestinians have long suffered apartheid at the hands of the Israeli state. Their status as second-class citizens within Israel’s borders, as well as their daily reality...

SLAC’s latest pamphlet and accompanying exhibit about Oberlin’s 2020 mass layoff was released this March.
Effective Organization Necessitates Call to Action
Emily Vaughan, Opinions Editor • March 31, 2023

Earlier this month, the Oberlin Student Labor Action Coalition distributed a pamphlet around campus with information about the College’s layoff of 113 Campus Dining Services and custodial workers in 2020 and the specific stories and experiences of several of these workers. It provides a detailed timeline...

The Title IX Office operates out of Room 204 in the Carnegie Building.
Title IX Office Must Ensure Support for Survivors Post Doe v. Oberlin
Cecily Miles, Columnist • March 31, 2023

Doe v. Oberlin is in the news again. The most recent case was filed in 2020 by “John Doe,” a student at Oberlin College who was reported to the Title IX Office for sexual misconduct and who alleged that the office had engaged in various violations of federal due process, violations of Title IX, and...

Trump is arrested in an AI-generated image.
AI Images Further Contribute to Misinformation Crisis
Sahil Novetzke, Columnist • March 31, 2023

Last week, news sources far and wide spread speculative stories about former President Trump’s potential arrest. Despite the former president’s indictment for criminal activity Thursday, the initial spread of misinformation surrounding Trump’s arrest demonstrated the potency of social media, particularly...

Decline of Local News Media Jeopardizes Communities
Editorial Board March 31, 2023

In recent years, the ubiquity of print news media has been waning. According to a 2021 report by the Pew Research Center, the combined circulation of print and digital newspapers has been declining relatively steadily since the mid-1990s. An Associated Press article from July of last year noted that...

Live auditions returned this January.
Conservatory Admissions Shifts Back to In-Person Auditions in New Format
Delaney Fox, Conservatory Editor • March 31, 2023

This past January, the Conservatory hosted in-person auditions for the first time in three years. This year’s auditions took place from Jan....

The cast of Candide travels the world in Hall Auditorium. 
Bernstein’s Candide Satirizes Narratives of Hope and Optimism
Kayla Kim, Sports Editor • March 10, 2023

Editors’ Note: This article contains mentions of murder and transphobia. It also features spoilers. Associate Professor of Opera Theater...

Jazz students rehearse in a Kohl Building ensemble room.
Rehearsal Culture in Jazz Department Presents Challenges
Lyric Anderson March 10, 2023

Fresh out of two back-to-back rehearsals for a friend’s upcoming junior recital, Conservatory second-year double-degree Jazz Studies majors...

Students attend a panel discussion on improvisation with guest artists and faculty as part of Oberlin Improv Fest.
Student Interest Drives Creation of First Oberlin Improv Fest
Delaney Fox, Conservatory Editor • March 3, 2023

This weekend, Oberlin hosts the Conservatory’s first-ever Improv Fest, a three-day event filled with masterclasses, workshops, and performances...

Musical Union rehearses in Finney Chapel.
Musical Union Fosters College and Community Collaboration
Gracie McFalls, Senior Staff Writer • March 3, 2023

Founded almost 200 years ago, the Oberlin Musical Union is one of the largest and oldest choirs in the country and continues to uphold and practice...

Fentanyl test strips can be used to test for fentanyl in drugs.
OCS, Rural Response Network Dispense Naloxone, Fentanyl Testing Kits at Pop-up Event
Cal Ransom, News Editor • March 31, 2023

On Thursday, March 23, the Rural Response Network and Oberlin Community Services hosted a harm reduction pop-up event at the Oberlin Public Library, dispensing naloxone — often referred to with the brand name Narcan — kits and fentanyl test strips. Fentanyl test strips are available on a rolling...

Voter Identification laws have changed in Ohio.
Ohio Special Election on May 2, Early Voting Begins April 4
Alexa Stevens, News Editor • March 31, 2023

PSA: The Review encourages all eligible voters to ensure that their voter registration is up to date and to participate in the upcoming election, for which Election Day is May 2 and early voting begins April 4. Eligible voters may also alternatively vote by absentee ballot beginning April 4. On May...

Some City residents have installed solar panels to address personal environmental concerns.
City Council Discusses Carbon Emissions, Reduction Goals
Celia Perks, Senior Staff Writer • March 31, 2023

On March 20, the Oberlin City Council met and discussed emissions within the Oberlin community. Linda Arbogast, the sustainability coordinator for the City of Oberlin’s Office of Sustainability, presented an in-depth overview of the City’s emissions, reduction goals, and ways to reduce the total...

Security Report
March 31, 2023

Thursday, March 9, 2023 A student came to the Campus Safety Office to pick up his lost/ recovered wallet. The student reported $20 missing. An Allen Memorial Art Museum Security officer reported an abundance of spray paint on the west lawn of the museum. A student reported the theft of a Halo...

World Headlines
Katherine Doane March 31, 2023

Netanyahu Responds to Pressure to Drop Judicial Reforms Protests in Israel escalated after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant for speaking out against judicial reforms. The reforms, originally proposed in January, would call any attempt by the country’s Supreme...

Events Calendar
March 31, 2023

Friday, March 31 7:30 p.m.: Benefit Concert for Syria & Türkiye at Oberlin First United Methodist Church Presented by the Musikos Collective, Oberlin Muslim Students Association, and Oberlin Students for a Free Palestine, the event is set to feature performances by students, professors, and...

City Government Engages in Community Discussion on Equity in Oberlin
Isaac Imas and Nikki Keating March 10, 2023

On Tuesday, March 7, members of the Oberlin community gathered to discuss social equity in Oberlin. Facilitated by the City of Oberlin and the Center for Community Solutions, a non-partisan think tank based in Northeast Ohio, the discussion centered on the question “Is Oberlin a great place for people...

Shirley Graham Du Bois sits with W.E.B. Du Bois at Coney Island
Selected Narratives of Prominent Oberlin Women
Eloise Rich, This Week Editor
Latest Episode
This week's show is a special episode about Juneteenth, made up of segments by The Weekly team: Nina Auslander-Padgham, Eric Schank, and Casey Troost. First, Nina and Eric present a segment on the Oberlin Juneteenth festival, how it is different this year, and address potential town and gown tensions as more students participate in the parade. Afterwards, Nina Auslander-Padgham interviews Annessa Wyman, an Administrative Assistant at the College, about her personal involvement in planning Juneteenth festivities for the last decade. Finally, Casey Troost's segment is on the history and meaning of Juneteenth with interviews with African American locals: Ms. Margaret Christian, honoary Juneteenth board member and local historian; featured poet LaTonya Fenderson Warren; Valerie Lawson, chairperson of the Juneteenth executive board; Adenike Sharpley, professor of Dance at Oberlin; and Shelley Shepard. This episode originally aired on WOBC Oberlin, 91.5 FM, Oberlin College and Community radio at 3:00 pm EST on August 2nd, 2021.
COMIC: Ohio Mud Season
COMIC: Ohio Mud Season
Molly Chapin, Layout Editor
COMIC: An Ode to Stevie Grilled Cheese
COMIC: An Ode to Stevie Grilled Cheese
The Allen Memorial Art Museum has adopted a new mission statement.
AMAM Revises Mission Statement, Emphasizes Accessibility and Adaptability
Tate van der Poel, Staff Writer • March 31, 2023

“A Deep Heritage, A Dynamic Future: Community, Creativity, and a Culture of Care,” reads the title of the Allen Memorial Art Museum’s new five-year strategic plan. The plan which includes an updated mission statement, values statements, and vision statement, was approved last month by...

The release of Daisy Jones & the Six earlier this month brought a resurgence in
interest in ’70s culture.
Daisy Jones & The Six Captures Tiktok Obsession with ’70s Culture
Eloise Rich, This Week • March 31, 2023

I read Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & The Six over Winter Term. The novel had dotted my social media feeds for the past three years, from BookTok to Goodreads recommendations, but I was quick to turn it down, time and time again. Ultimately, I needed a poolside read, and I figured...

The Irene and Alan Wurtzel Theater is one of Oberlin’s many performance
spaces. Students designed a theoretical renovation for the Hall Auditorium,
located within the same complex, for the United States Institute for Theatre Technology conference.
Oberlin Students Receive Award for Theater Renovation Project
Lucy Curtis, Staff Writer • March 31, 2023

On March 15, two Oberlin College students traveled to St. Louis for the annual United States Institute for Theater Technology Conference. The conference was a three-day-long event featuring educational sessions, an expo floor with master’s degree programs, companies currently hiring, and companies...

Jason Segal and Harrison Ford star in Shrinking.
Shrinking Aces Comedy in Emotionally Stirring First Season on Apple TV+
Kushagra Kar, Editor-in-Chief • March 31, 2023

Jason Segel hasn’t actually been involved in anything noteworthy since How I Met Your Mother aired its finale nine years ago. Given the drought of — and frankly, lack of demand for — performances from Segel, I’ve found it easy to relegate him to indefinite irrelevance. Similarly, I haven’t bothered...

“A Memory”
Loie Schiller March 31, 2023

Sometimes I lie awake at night and dream I think of all the things I left behind: the whispering woods, the ivy creeping green, the little stones and fossils I would find. The ponds with names given to match our own and little snail shells floating on the top I’d wade in to see how the plants...

Crossword
Crossword
Leah Burdette, Shane Beckwith, and Robert Lanpher March 31, 2023

Across: 1. In math, dy/dx 5. Viral line from Pearl (2022): “Please, I’m a ___!” 7. 10-sided 3D shape 10. With 5-, famous song by Smash Mouth 11. Blind earthbender from Avatar: The Last Airbender 12. Canada’s pastime 14. Killer whale 15. Birds representing Athena 16....

Black History 101 Mobile Museum Exhibit Comes to Oberlin Elementary School
Black History 101 Mobile Museum Exhibit Comes to Oberlin Elementary School
Alexa Stevens, News Editor • March 10, 2023

As part of a national tour, the Black History 101 Mobile Museum was on display at the Oberlin Elementary School gymnasium March 6 and 7. The exhibit includes, per the museum website, “non-traditional museum spaces such as classrooms, conference rooms, libraries, galleries, and even living rooms.” The...

Renaissance Scholars, Alice Dailey, Jennifer Nelson, and Adhaar Noor Desai presented their ideas at a symposium that took place in the Hallock Auditorium in the Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies on Wednesday evening.
Panelists Bring Innovative Perspective to European Renaissance at Symposium
Ava Cantlon, Staff Writer • March 10, 2023

Over the last week, the English department of Oberlin College hosted three scholars exploring innovative new ways to understand the European Renaissance.  Alice Dailey, professor of English at Villanova University;  Jennifer Nelson, assistant professor of early modern art at the University of Wisconsin–Madison;...

Julie Benko stepped into the role of Fanny Brice before Lea Michele joined the production.
Funny Girl on Broadway to Conclude After Controversial Run
James Foster, Production Editor • March 10, 2023

Last week, Funny Girl released a statement announcing the closing of its run at the August Wilson Theatre. The run has been tumultuous to say the least. In February 2022, it was announced that Funny Girl, the life story of famed Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice, would be revived on Broadway later...

Relationship Between Music and Identity is Reductive
Nikki Keating, News Editor • March 10, 2023

“You haven’t seen [insert popular media here]???” I think it’s time we deconstruct the problem with this question. Whether it’s the film buff who’s cornered me at a party or a friend I’m grabbing lunch with, the question seems to sneak its way into any conversation. It’s often...

Darius Butler. Courtesy of Darius Butler.
Darius Butler: Africana Studies and Law and Society Major
Nikki Keating, News Editor • April 1, 2023

Darius Butler is a third-year Africana Studies and Law and Society major from Columbus. Butler was recently accepted into the Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship along with 11 others out of more than 600 competitive applicants. During the four-week summer program, he will travel to Washington, D.C.,...

Ari Henry
OTC: College Third-year, Mellon Mays Fellow Ari Henry
Cal Ransom, News Editor • March 10, 2023

Ari Henry is a third-year History major and Mellon Mays fellow studying misogynoir, a term coined by Moya Bailey describing the dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against Black women. He focuses on misogynoir across social media platforms with Professor Meredith Gadsby. Henry created the...

Mahmoud Meslat
Mahmoud Meslat: Visiting Instructor of Arabic and Human Rights Activists
Kushagra Kar, Editor-in-Chief • March 3, 2023

Mahmoud Meslat, visiting instructor of Arabic, has taught at Oberlin for the last 12 years. In response to the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria Feb. 6, Meslat — who is Syrian-American — as well as his family, friends, and colleagues have worked to provide aid to people impacted by the disaster....

Bryan Rubin and Ben Steger presented a talk Thursday in StudiOC.
Bryan Rubin and Ben Steger: Entrepreneurs, Co-Founders of Virtu.Academy
Lyric Anderson, Senior Staff Writer • March 31, 2023

Oberlin alumni Bryan Rubin and Ben Steger, OC ’18, co-founded Virtu.Academy, a virtual space that connects music teachers with students, in 2018. This business was boosted by Oberlin’s LaunchU competition for entrepreneurs, which is starting up again this year. Rubin and Steger returned to Oberlin...

Wu Man plays the pipa, a traditional Chinese instrument.
Wu Man: Pipa Player, Musician Extraordinaire
Gracie McFalls, Senior Staff Writer • February 24, 2023

Wu Man is regarded as one of the world’s leading pipa performers and educators. The pipa is a 2,000-year-old, lute-like instrument that likely arrived in China by way of Central Asia. She will give a masterclass for students in the Performance and Improvisation Ensemble Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and will...

Inayah Raheem: Classical Vocalist, President of the Oberlin College Black Musicians Guild
Inayah Raheem: Classical Vocalist, President of the Oberlin College Black Musicians' Guild
Nikki Keating, News Editor • February 17, 2023

Inayah Raheem is a double-degree third-year majoring in Classical Voice and Africana Studies. She is the president of the Oberlin College Black Musicians Guild, a student-led organization for Black musicians in the Conservatory. The organization will be performing at the Black History Month “Woven,...

Multidisciplinary artist and Assistant Professor of Dance Al Evangelista
recently contributed to the Dance Studies Association’s Chats issue.
On the Record With Al Evangelista: Assistant Professor of Dance
Dlisah Lapidus, Arts & Culture Editor • March 31, 2023

Al Evangelista is an interdisciplinary artist, performer, choreographer, and assistant professor of Dance. His work focuses on social justice, queer and Filipinx identity, and technology. He is currently choreographing a performance for this semester’s Spring Back event, exploring movement in...

Jennifer Blaylock
On the Record with Jennifer Blaylock, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow
Maeve Woltring, Senior Staff Writer • March 10, 2023

Jennifer Blaylock is a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow and visiting assistant professor of Cinema Studies. Her academic work and research span the fields of media technology, audio-visual archives, postcolonial and decolonial theory, and African studies. She has published a wide array of articles in...

Associate Professor of Percussion Ross Karre
On the Record with Ross Karre
Maeve Woltring, Senior Staff Writer • March 3, 2023

Ross Karre is an Associate Professor of Percussion at the Conservatory. Before working at Oberlin, he spent 11 years working with the International Contemporary Ensemble, where he took on a series of professional roles spanning from performer to production director. On Monday, Feb. 27, Karre gave a talk...

Allen began playing basketball his fourth-year thanks to a connection.
In the Locker Room with Chris Allen Jr., Football Captain Turned Basketball Guard
Ben Ephraim March 31, 2023

“My football career was done, so I just took advantage of it, and thankfully it worked out pretty well,” Chris Allen Jr. said when talking about joining the basketball team at Oberlin. Allen started playing basketball when he was just five years old, and he played every year through his...

Nora Holder just completed her second season on the Swimming and Diving team.
In the Locker Room with Nora Holder, Swimmer, Author of “Happy as Her”
Kayla Kim, Sports Editor • March 10, 2023

Second-year Nora Holder is a fly and breaststroke swimmer who is working on an article series called “Happy as Her.” Through this, she hopes to share her life as a trans person. Her first article focuses on her experience as a trans athlete and is expected to be released on her personal website March...

Assistant Director of Athletic Communications Amanda Phillips
In the Locker Room with Amanda Phillips, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications
James Foster, Production Editor • March 3, 2023

If you’ve ever read a gameday recap, scrolled past media day flicks of Oberlin athletes on Instagram, or even just looked at some of the photos in the Sports section of the Review, you may have Amanda Phillips to thank. A former lacrosse midfielder at the University of the Cumberlands, she has served...

Michigan State’s Malik Hall competes in a game against Kansas State.
Transfer Portal, Extra Eligibility Contributes to Unprecedented Results in March Madness
James Foster, Production Editor • March 31, 2023

There has been an interesting trend in college athletics since the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2020, teams were typically composed of players aged 18–23, and many of the older athletes were fourth-years. Typically, athletes would only play for a fifth year if they lost a season due to injury...

Opening Day for MLB occurred yesterday.
Youthful Cleveland Guardians Set for Another Successful Season
John Elrod, Sports Editor • March 31, 2023

The Cleveland Guardians started their season last night on the road against the Seattle Mariners. The team is coming off a stellar 2022 season in which it won the American League Central and a series in the playoffs with the youngest roster in the Major Leagues. The roster boasts a strong core...

Twitter Breaks Barriers For Sports Journalists
Twitter Breaks Barriers For Sports Journalists
Kayla Kim, Sports Editor • March 31, 2023

One year ago, I watched softball for the first time during the Women’s College World Series. Although I was not previously familiar with the structure or culture, I was able to learn about the importance of RBIs and Oklahoma’s dominance throughout the competition — not through lots of...

“Together We Rise” jersey signify DEI work within the athletic department.
Teams Use Warm Up Shirts to Raise Awareness for Social Causes
Celia Perks, Senior Staff Writer • March 10, 2023

Editors’ note: This article contains mention of gun violence. Many high school, college, and major league sports teams have utilized shirts and other items to show support for certain causes. Whether this is a representative color or an article of clothing with a meaningful message, teams can help...

OHS Should Plan to Build Home Stadium Amid Broader Infrastructural Developments
John Elrod, Sports Editor • March 10, 2023

In 2021, I reported on the lack of an outdoor stadium for Oberlin High School’s athletics teams. A year and a half later, there are still no plans to build one. Given that Oberlin City Schools are working on amassing funds for a 6–12 school, it’s understandable if a stadium is not necessarily at...

The softball team gained experience in weekend trip to North Carolina.
Despite Early Losses, Softball Optimistic for Season
Chris Stoneman, Senior Staff Writer • March 10, 2023

This past weekend, Oberlin softball took a road trip to Raleigh, NC to compete in the Grand Slam Triangle Classic. The Yeowomen played four games against Greensboro College, Shenandoah University, William Peace University, and Ferrum College over two days. Despite losing all of these games, there were...

Favorites, Underdogs to Back in March Madness
John Elrod and Kayla Kim March 10, 2023

John’s Picks Favorites: Men: Kansas Kansas is a certified blue-blood men’s college basketball program. It might not be the most creative move to pick the Jayhawks to have tournament success in the year after they won March Madness, but they are poised for another run. Led by forward Jalen Wilson...

Track and field cheers on basketball during the semifinal round against Wittenberg University.
Track and Field, Women’s Basketball Cheer Each Other On During NCAC Championships in Indiana
Kayla Kim, Sports Editor • March 3, 2023

Last Friday, 333 miles away at DePauw University in Greencastle, IN, the women’s basketball team and the men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in their respective North Coast Athletic Conference Championships events. Each team took time to fully support each other; when Oberlin athletes...

Last Chance U: Basketball focuses on basketball players at East Los Angeles College
New Last Chance U: Basketball Season Highlights Personal Stories
John Elrod, Sports Editor • March 3, 2023

It’s March — the biggest basketball month of the year — which means that the top Division I basketball players will be featured throughout their journey to the championships. But what happened to those who weren’t able to make it to that level? The series Last Chance U does an incredible job...

WWE continues to entertain and bring people together.
WWE Entertains Fanbase With Unique Characters
Nora McIntyre March 3, 2023

In October, I drove to Toledo to attend a taping of WWE’s Friday Night Smackdown. Armed with a homemade sign that read “Pride Fighter” with a rainbow through the center, I made my way to the Huntington Center excited to see my favorite superstars in person for the first time. I went alone, but...

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