Held in the Mandela Room, the memorial was in remembrance of the 2023 Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel, where about 1,200 people were killed and 250 were taken hostage. Most of the victims were Israeli citizens.

“I think it’s definitely very important to be able to bring our community together on this anniversary, especially in the midst of peace talks going on currently in Egypt that could possibly bring an end to this war,” said Mackenzie Cooper ‘25, BUZO’s vice president and a first-year graduate student studying public administration. “It just brings an added level of significance and remembrance to this day, knowing that there’s an element of hope, knowing that this mourning could reach a resolution sooner.”

Two years after the attacks, 48 hostages, including 26 who are confirmed deceased, remain in Gaza. Negotiations continued this week to strike an agreement that would lead to the release of hostages and a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced on social media that the leaders of Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of a peace plan, which involves an exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

“There has been a mixture of opinion on the politics of the war, and I think that there’s some beauty in that, in the fact that the Jewish population across the diaspora and in Israel is not homogeneous at all, and we have the liberty to have a diversity of opinion,” Cooper said. “So while we all mourn the hostages that are still there, we mourn the life of each and every soldier that is lost, the perception of the political implications and happenings of the war have definitely shifted, but the severity remains the same.”

In the center of the room, 48 yellow chairs displayed images of the remaining hostages. More photos of the hostages were also displayed around the room, along with yellow ribbons, which have been used as a symbol of hope for the release of hostages and to show support for Israel.

“I think for many people in the greater Jewish community, no matter what day it is, every day still feels like Oct. 7, especially when you think about the 48 hostages still there,” said Angelina Palumbo, the president of BUZO and a senior majoring in Judaic studies. “It’s very hard to move on when we’re still stuck on that day.”

Another exhibit honored the Bibas family. Yarden Bibas was held hostage for 484 days and his wife Shiri, 4-year-old son Ariel and 9-month-old son Kfir died in captivity. A crib was displayed to represent “the childhood and youth that was sadly taken away,” Palumbo said.

A sukkah, a hut topped with branches, was set up to celebrate Sukkot, a weeklong holiday that begins five days after Yom Kippur. Pictures were displayed of sukkahs in Israel that had been destroyed or damaged during the attacks, which took place one day after Sukkot ended in 2023.

Another table showed prayers for the state of Israel, captives and members of the Israel Defense Forces in both English and Hebrew.

Moshe Creditor, a junior double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and environmental studies, attended the memorial to remember the victims of Oct. 7.

“This was the most Jews killed on a single day since the Holocaust,” Creditor said. “And after the Holocaust, a promise was made, ‘never again.’ Like, #neveragain, in reference to what the Nazis did to the Jewish population of Europe.”

“And Oct. 7 was an example of us failing that promise of never again, because [about 1,200] people [were] murdered, another 250 kidnapped, so I’m here to honor their memory and continue our promise of making sure this can never happen again,” he continued.

In a 2025 report, the Anti-Defamation League reported a 344 percent increase in documented antisemitic incidents across the United States over the past five years. Fifty-eight percent of incidents in 2024 were related to anti-Israel and anti-Zionist sentiment, according to the report.

BUZO will hold a vigil and another walkthrough memorial on Oct. 16.

“Right after Oct. 7, we were hit with a wave of a lot of heightened emotions and feelings from people of all different communities, and sometimes people react in certain ways when they’re hurt or upset,” Palumbo said. “And I think we’ve definitely seen studies show a 400 percent spike in antisemitism, especially on college campuses. But I think the best way to respond is by coming together as a community and being proud and strong with our identity, and that’s why events like this are so important.”

Garnar prepared the budget amid extensive federal funding cuts and an ongoing cost of living crisis, calling it “one of the most challenging budgets we’ve ever had to prepare.” The cost of living across the United States continues to rise, with the annual inflation rate reaching to 2.9 percent in August — the highest rate so far this year. As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the U.S. House of Representatives also voted to cut $7.5 billion in annual funding for New York State’s Essential Plan, which offers health care for lower-income individuals, and eventually decrease funding for social service programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“Federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP will shift major costs from Washington to states and counties,” Garnar wrote in a statement to Pipe Dream. “For Broome County, that means higher expenses, more administrative work, and greater strain on health and social services just as demand remains high.”

Garnar said the new budget would reduce the county’s discretionary spending by $3.5 million. He emphasized that these cuts would not impact public services and programs, but instead focus on items like office supplies and software purchases.

He also announced that his budget includes a 0.1 percent property tax cut for county residents, made possible by local property values increasing by 10.5 percent over the past year. The budget would also expand the senior citizen property tax exemption for the first time in over 20 years.

“Our seniors are the heart of Broome County,” said Garnar. “They’re the teachers, veterans, nurses, small business owners and parents who raised families here and stayed. They gave their energy and talent to build the neighborhoods and institutions we all benefit from today.”

Turning to housing, Garnar said over 1,000 housing units are currently under construction in the county. Last year, the county executive office launched a $5 million Housing and Economic Development Fund to support quality housing projects. Part of the funding was invested in transforming the Riverside Gardens site in Johnson City, the former site of Davis College, an evangelical Christian institute.

The lot will be transformed into 67 new apartments and more than 22,000 square feet of commercial space.

“The County Executive’s proposed budget makes it clear that housing and economic development remain top priorities for Broome County,” Anthony Fiala, the county’s commissioner of the Department of Planning and Economic Development, said in a statement to Pipe Dream. “Projects like Riverside Gardens and the Oakdale Commons are central to our efforts to revitalize neighborhoods, create jobs, and expand housing opportunities for local families, while also advancing Governor Hochul’s commitment to pro-housing communities.”

The large-scale renovation of Oakdale Commons will include a 125-unit workforce housing project, a new medical campus for Guthrie Lourdes and a child care facility.

The new budget will also increase operating funding to GiGi’s Playhouse, an organization dedicated to providing education and therapeutic services for people with Down syndrome. The expansion will include a workforce training program, increased classroom space and new storefronts to give trainees hands-on practice with customer service and work experience.

Katie Whaley, the site manager for GiGi’s Playhouse, told Pipe Dream there was a community need for a post-high school program.

“We have seen and heard firsthand from our families with adult individuals with Down syndrome that there is a need for continuing education and career development opportunities once our individuals graduate from high school,” Whaley wrote to Pipe Dream. “This kind of programming would equip our participants to continue to work on important skills that will carry them throughout the stages of their life that follows graduating from high school!”

The expansion was funded through the county’s Small Community Grant Program, which provides funding for local organizations to launch community projects. The budget includes an additional $500,000 for the program to “launch innovative, community-driven projects.”

“Budgets aren’t just numbers on a page,” Garnar concluded. “They’re a reflection of our values. This one says we believe in our young people. We believe in safe, quality housing. We believe in strong neighborhoods and good jobs. We believe in taking care of our seniors, our veterans, and our families. And we believe that even when times are tough, Broome County can keep moving forward together.”

The building was shut down over the summer for ongoing demolition work and asbestos abatement. The complete renovation will include replacements of the plumbing, electrical, mechanical and fire alarm systems and updated flooring, ceiling, lighting and furnishings. The construction will be similar to previous projects completed at Seneca, Cayuga and Onondaga Hall.

Built in 1973, Oneida Hall is among the oldest residence halls on campus, alongside buildings like Old Rafuse Hall, which was built in 1958 as part of the original Dickinson Community, now Old Dickinson. After undergoing its own renovations, Old Rafuse Hall reopened to students in 2024.

“It is one of the worst on campus in my opinion, because Binghamton has some pretty nice dorms overall,” Brigitte Tisenchek, a sophomore majoring in biology, said about Oneida Hall, where she lived last year. “In comparison with Dickinson or Mountainview rooms, it can’t even compete.”

This renovation is one of many construction projects across campus. A new 350-bed residence hall will be built between College-in-the-Woods and the rest of Mountainview College. Additionally, crews are preparing land for a new lecture hall, adding a 75,000-square-foot addition to the East Gym and erecting a new Chenango Room building that will house a Panera Bread.

Tisenchek said she believed the Oneida Hall renovation was necessary but was unsure how the University would approach it. She added that the construction around campus has become an “eyesore” that “takes away from the natural beauty of the area.”

Sophia Paone, an undecided sophomore, also lived in Oneida Hall as a freshman. While she said the building was “very old” and lacked several amenities, she loved its convenient location and “close knit community.”

“I have no problem with the renovation that is happening in the Oneida building,” Paone added. “I think it’s great because the building, compared to other CIW buildings, is extremely outdated and needed some TLC.”

Closing Oneida Hall has decreased the amount of on-campus housing available, according to Casey Wall, the University’s director of residential life and housing. Some freshmen must live in super occupancy housing, an arrangement where three students share a double room or three or four students are assigned to a lounge.

According to the Residential Life website, it is a “temporary configuration” while the office works to assign students to standard rooms.

“The demand for on-campus housing continues to be high, while continuing to renovate existing residence halls remains a priority for the university,” Wall wrote.

Oneida Hall offered suites and corridor-style dorms to about 320 students. According to the building’s webpage, it was designed to foster strong connections between first-year students, like social and academic lounges on every floor and a multi-purpose center that provided direct access to support staff.

“I met two of my best friends in Oneida and I’m so happy to have been in that dorm my freshman year,” wrote Paone. “I think it helped ease me into life at Binghamton University.”

The grant was provided through the Strategic Planning and Feasibility Studies Program, a state initiative to increase employment opportunities and economic development in communities. The city plans to create a “detailed roadmap” outlining the redevelopment project and identify potential economic development opportunities after the demolition.

“This study is the next step toward delivering on what North Side residents have spent decades calling for — real change that makes the Binghamton Plaza site a driver of economic development and revitalization,” said Mayor Jared Kraham in a statement.

The battle over redeveloping the site has stretched for over a decade. From 1946 to 1957, the site was used as a municipal solid waste landfill by the city. The land was classified as a “brownfield” site, meaning that contamination could pose challenges to redevelopment. In 2015, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Brownfield Cleanup Program certified that the property had completed all necessary cleanup requirements and allowed the site to be redeveloped.

The city’s next step is demolition of the blighted property, Deputy Mayor Megan Heiman wrote to Pipe Dream, On Aug. 6, the city offered $1.55 million to Galesi Realty Corp., the New Jersey-based owners of the Binghamton Plaza, and gave them 90 days to respond. This comes after the state Supreme Court allowed the city to take control of the property through eminent domain.

The plan will likely involve high community engagement from local businesses, stakeholders and residents. Kraham previously said part of the site would be used to expand the neighboring Cheri A. Lindsey Memorial Park and improve access to the Riverwalk behind the site. New commercial development is also expected after demolition.

While the plaza remains mostly empty, the few businesses there are largely important to North Side residents. New York Pizzeria has been at the site for 10 years, providing catering to the Binghamton University Soccer Team. Leather Corner Shoe Repair has also been at the location for over 50 years, building a loyal customer base. The M&T Bank in the plaza is the only bank present on the North Side of the city.

“The City has been in contact with the handful of businesses that are still operating in the plaza and stands ready to support them in relocation to every extent possible,” Heiman wrote.

Despite the reassurance, some of the businesses were concerned about the plan. The plaza hosts two flea markets, which require large spaces and ample parking that the plaza provides, according to John Tokos, the property manager. Moving locations may be costly for the businesses.

“Like New York Pizzeria, their rent is reasonable,” said Tokos, “They can never get half of what they pay now, if they move. You can’t just move a pizza oven and all your equipment, everything else. It would cost them probably $300,000 or $400,000 just to move the equipment.”

The flea markets and TTJR Oddities, which sell used furniture and merchandise, are important establishments that offer customers a wide variety of affordable items.

“We have a lot of people come here, because if they need something, they can come get it cheaper than if they had to go to, say, a furniture store on Main Street in Binghamton,” said Brian Smith, owner of TTJR Oddities.

About 46 percent of Binghamton’s North Side lives at or below the poverty line, making second-hand stores a more affordable and accessible alternative to retail locations. There is also a shortage of large chain businesses in the area, making the plaza a major shopping center in the neighborhood.

“The only thing left over in the whole side of town is Family Dollar, and they keep threatening to move just because of the problems they have there,” Tokos said. “McDonald’s moved out of there, Burger King moved out of there, [Lupo’s] S&S Char-Pit moved out of there, CVS moved out there and half the Colonial Plaza across the street is empty too.”

“It’s just a big loss for everybody,” he continued.

The organization, part of the Honor Flight Network, is one of 128 hubs across the country, according to Andrea Bartolotto, secretary of the Twin Tiers Honor Flight’s board of directors. The local chapter represents veterans living in 14 counties in northeastern Pennsylvania and New York’s Southern Tier.

The veterans began their trip with breakfast at the American Legion Post 1645 in Binghamton’s East Side before leaving the city on a bus. The Broome County Sheriff’s Office, the American Legion riders and two other motorcycle groups escorted the bus to the state border.

While in the nation’s capital, they visited several sites commemorating Americans who served in wartime, like the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the World War II Memorial, Bartolotto added. They also visited the Lincoln Memorial, the U.S. Navy Memorial, the Marine Memorial, the Air Force Memorial, the Army Museum and the Washington Monument.

“At the Saturday night banquet, each veteran is individually honored and pinned and thanked for their service,” Bartolotto wrote to Pipe Dream. “The veterans receive mail call on the trip home and are given the welcome home many never received — from being escorted in and out of town by motorcycle escorts as well as local law enforcement.”

The next day, the group visited the Arlington National Cemetery and witnessed the changing of the guard. Four honored veterans laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“A ‘welcome home’ is something that many veterans never got, especially those from the Vietnam era,” wrote Kitty Cummings, a veteran who went on Honor Flight Mission 19, an all-female group. “Honor Flight works hard to make sure every veteran gets the recognition and welcome home they deserve.”

Veterans also received “mail call,” or individualized letters of appreciation from family and community members.

“Day before our trip, Honor Flight staff spent hours sorting and organizing large bundles of mail for each veteran — not only from their family and friends, but from local school children and community members — the same types of mail I remember getting and relishing when I was deployed,” Cummings wrote on the importance of the mail call.

Bartolotto added the trip was an important chance for older veterans to find closure, especially for those with health concerns or mobility issues. Priority is often given to World War II-, Korea-, and Vietnam-era veterans or those who are terminally ill, according to the Twin Tiers Honor Flight website. Each veteran is accompanied by a “guardian,” usually a family member, friend or volunteer, on trips.

Traveling with other veterans allows them to share their experiences and find unity with others like them and their families, Cummings wrote.

“It’s powerful when they connect with others who served,” she continued. “For many, this trip offers real emotional support, a feeling of being valued and appreciated.”

Perlstein is a New York Times bestselling author of a four-book series tracing the rise of American conservatism. In 2001, he received the Los Angeles Times Book Award for his first book, “Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus,” and made a dozen “best of” lists with his second, “Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America.” Over his career, he has contributed to major outlets like The Nation, The Washington Post and The New Yorker.

Perlstein said his book’s title, “The Infernal Triangle,” refers to what he believes is the tendency of political discourse since the early 2000s to waver between three points: the “increasing authoritarianism of the Republican Party”; the Democratic Party’s inability to resist it; and the poor “performance of elite, mainstream political media in explaining what was going on.”

During the talk, he discussed a section of his book exploring the 2000 U.S. presidential election, which pitted incumbent former Vice President Al Gore, a Democrat, against George W. Bush, the then-Republican governor of Texas. On Nov. 8, one day after the election, a preliminary Florida vote tally showed Bush around 1,700 votes ahead in that state, which carried 25 electoral votes. With neither candidate earning the 270 electoral votes required to get elected, the presidential election came down to Florida.

Under state law, an automatic recount was triggered, trimming Bush’s lead to an even slimmer 317-vote margin. Gore then asked for a manual recount in four counties. On Nov. 26, Katherine Harris, Florida’s secretary of state, certified the election results before all recounts were completed, showing Bush up by 537 votes.

“So Bush worked to affect a favorable outcome by cementing the impression that he had already won,” Perlstein said. “On the day those pitilessly neutral computers took away his 1,457 votes, he stepped up to a podium designed to look like the one in the White House press room and announced he was quote, ‘in the process of planning in a responsible way, a potential administration in the best interest of this country.’”

On Dec. 8, after Gore filed a lawsuit, the Florida Supreme Court ordered all state counties to recount undervotes, or paper ballots that were not fully punched. Bush appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled 7-2 that the state court’s order was unconstitutional. A bare majority of justices further held that no constitutional recount could be implemented before a Dec. 12 deadline.

Perlstein said Gore was initially going to concede soon after Fox News proclaimed on Nov. 8 that Bush won the presidency. When he switched course, William Daley, Gore’s campaign chair, was sent to publicly announce “they were taking their concession back.”

William Daley is the son of Richard J. Daley, the former Chicago mayor whom some conservatives accuse without evidence of “stealing” the 1960 presidential election from Richard Nixon. Perlstein said this connection between the two elections furthered Republican claims regarding fraud, which is seen in current rhetoric.

“Its truth, though never proven, is still a Republican article of faith, crucial context for understanding how Republicans think about presidential elections all the way through Donald Trump’s 2020 ‘stop the steal’ remonstrations and the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol that followed,” Perlstein said. “Democrats can’t win without cheating — it is an article of faith for many political junkies of all descriptions, most decidedly including those inhabiting the nation’s most prestigious newsrooms.”

In an interview after the talk, Perlstein said it was important for students frustrated with the Democratic Party to understand the historical context that explains current political realities. He pointed to the recent retirement of Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, as opening up an opportunity for more active voices in government.

“When I think of polarization, I think of a barbell with equal weights,” Perlstein said. “When we’re talking about a 10-pound weight on one side and 100-pound weight on the other side, right? So if you say, ‘Oh, we’re polarized,’ it’s just not an accurate picture of that barbell.”

“So unless we have an accurate picture of what the Republican Party has been doing and the Democrats’ inadequacy in fighting it, then we can’t fight it,” he finished.

“MajorNoir is a dance organization made up of passionate, talented dancers known as the Noirettes,” Horisia Smith, MajorNoir’s president and second choreographer, wrote in an email. “We express ourselves through the art of dance by combining creativity, imagination, confidence, and joy. As a Black majorette-style dance team, MajorNoir celebrates the rich diversity of Black dance styles across the diaspora.”

“Our mission is not only to perform, but also to uplift, educate, and represent the POC community here at Binghamton University,” Smith, a senior majoring in biology, continued. “We take pride in showcasing our sisterhood, artistry, and cultural knowledge with every step we take.”

The atmosphere of the gala reflected Smith’s vision. Old Union Hall was decorated in black and red, and each table was adorned with feather centerpieces. Doors opened at 6 p.m. to a mocktail hour accompanied by live music from LARJ, a Binghamton-based student band, which set a relaxed mood. Guests arrived wearing formal attire, like suits and evening gowns, fitting the elegance of the night’s theme of “burlesque.”

Smith, who served as the event’s coordinator and ensured the gala ran smoothly, described the gala’s planning process.

“I oversaw the theme, logistics, and performer coordination and ensured every element aligned with the heart and mission of MajorNoir,” Smith wrote. “My goal was to design an event that not only highlighted our artistry but also uplifted our community, celebrated Black excellence, and left a lasting mark on our campus.”

The night began with an electric majorette performance from the MajorNoir team to a mashup of “Show Me How You Burlesque” from the 2010 film, “Burlesque,” and “Run the World (Girls)” by Beyonce from her 2018 Coachella performance. The Noirettes dazzled the crowd with their precise moves and high kicks, wearing sparkly red dresses and bringing up the energy.

Next, the dance competition began, featuring four contestants who co-created their choreography and performed with Noirettes. Smith said the competition allowed contestants to express themselves while showcasing their cultural pride.

A panel of judges watched each performance, providing feedback and deciding each contestant’s score.

The panel consisted of Keilys Nuñez, a senior majoring in psychology who serves as president of MODA, a hip-hop and street-style dance on campus; Jocelyn Ghanney, a junior double-majoring in neuroscience and human development who serves as president of Uyai Nnua, Binghamton’s African dance ensemble; and Keanna White ’24, a founding MajorNoir E-Board member and the organization’s second president.

Donjulio Xavier, a sophomore double-majoring in economics and Spanish, performed first, choosing a salsa and meringue piece to “You Rock My World” by Michael Jackson that featured a flashy reveal using a masquerade mask. The judges complimented the dance’s Latin-inspired choreography and stage presence.

Next, Tomi Adetunji, a senior majoring in computer science, performed a piece with a Noirette, including songs from the film “Mamma Mia” and a powerful step-dance to “Breakin’ Dishes” by Rihanna.

After the dances, a runway segment highlighted the audience’s formal attire, and the Binghamton Ballroom Dance Club graced the stage with a captivating guest performance to “Candy” by Doja Cat.

Kweku Ashon, a senior majoring in economics, performed a chemistry-filled number dressed as a police officer while his Noirette partner dressed as a prisoner.

“I try to mix the sexy and the fun, kind of bringing around an Afrobeat style to it and just having fun,” Ashon said.

Chidi Okoro, the fourth contestant of the night and a sophomore majoring in computer engineering, was the last to perform and gave an exciting dance filled with impressive partner tricks. The dance featured many references to drum majors and majorette dancing, an important part of historically Black colleges and universities.

Dinner was served with catering provided by Kobe’s Kitchen, a New York City-based traveling food service. The E-Board was then introduced, dressed in sophisticated red evening gowns. During speeches by E-Board members, the club’s past presidents were acknowledged for their roles in creating the organization.

“MajorNoir is more than a Black majorette dance team,” Michaelle LouisJacques, MajorNoir’s vice president and a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said. “It’s a space where culture meets confidence, where rhythm meets resilience, and where every eight-count brings us closer together. We are deeply grateful for the women who carry the torch before us and the ones who carry it now.”

Round two of the competition continued with new choreography from the finalists, Ashon and Okoro.

The night was rounded out by performances by the E-Board, another guest performance by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and a final high-energy, burlesque-inspired number by the MajorNoir team. In the end, Okoro was announced as the winner of the competition.

“Dancing with the Noirettes” was a thrilling display of Black dance, from majorette dancing and step dance to salsa, and a celebration of the community MajorNoir fostered with its first gala.

“At its core, the MajorNoir Gala is about visibility, voice, and vibe,” Smith wrote. “It’s our way of saying: We are here. We are powerful. And we are MAJOR.”

McKenna, a devoted member of the rowing team who served as captain of the varsity men’s team, was known for always supporting his teammates, said Lukas Grieb, the McKenna Committee’s logistics chair and a sophomore majoring in physics.

Taylor Grindley, the committee’s coordination chair and a junior majoring in biology, shared the importance of the race.

“The race has been a staple part of the BU Rowing Club since its start,” Grindley wrote in an email. “It is a time for not only Rowing alumni to come together and honor John whether we knew him or not.”

After graduating from BU, McKenna attended officer’s cadet school, where he became a second lieutenant and completed two tours with the U.S. Marines Corps. He then joined the New York State Police as a trooper before serving another tour as an infantry platoon commander with the U.S. Marines in Fallujah, Iraq, where he passed on Aug. 16, 2006.

McKenna was highly decorated, winning many awards and military medals, including the Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary and Service Medals and the Combat Action Ribbon.

Michael Eichler ‘09 first organized the race with the Rowing Association, a group established in 2016 to bring together alumni and community members to commemorate McKenna’s dedication, both to the University and his country. The race helps fund the John J. McKenna IV Military Courtesy room in the Albany International Airport, which offers a “home-away-from-home” for military workers, said Mackenzie Farquharson, the McKenna Committee’s coordination subchair and a sophomore majoring in psychology.

The race started at 10:15 a.m. with a $20 registration fee and discounts available for students and military personnel. Max Marro, a freshman majoring in biology, placed first of the 33 men who competed in the race, and Emily Tozer, a senior majoring in nursing, placed first of 28 women.

Grieb shared his experience running in the race.

“It was really cool, especially from being a member of the team-kind of perspective, to see everyone all come together,” he said. “Because it’s kind of rare that we have events outside of practice that are mandatory and that everyone is actually going to, so it was nice to kind of see everyone come together for something other than just rowing.”

This event also connects members of the rowing community with people who wanted to honor McKenna, like state troopers who served alongside him and his father. Organizers invited local fire and police departments, encouraging community members to unite those who have served to protect others.

Besides the race, attendees participated in other activities. A raffle was offered with prizes including four tickets to a Binghamton Rumble Ponies baseball game and a weekend trip to Lake Placid.

“John J. McKenna was a great man and a valued member of the Binghamton community,” Farquharson wrote. “He gave the ultimate sacrifice and this event is the perfect way to honor his memory.”

The two-story residential building at 190 Main St. was built in 1925, with an addition built on the house’s east side in 1947, according to a historic guidebook released by Broome County. Like other residential buildings in the area, the structure was likely created by the Endicott-Johnson Corporation to house its factory workers.

Johnson City’s Historic District was established in 2011 by the National and State Registers of Historic Places to commemorate the area’s “industrial, social history and architectural significance between 1888 to 1966.” In 2011, the village passed a landmark preservation law empowering the village’s planning board, with consultation from a mayor-appointed advisory committee, to consider whether historic sites can be altered.

The University Foundation acquired the building in June 2020 for $327,000. In 2021, University President Harvey Stenger told WNBF, a local commercial radio station, that student service or city administrative offices were considered to be housed in the building, saying it was “very attractive” with “a great presence on Main Street.”

A University spokesperson said attempts were made to remodel the building, but significant water damage “caused irreparable harm to the building.”

“The decision was then made to demo it,” the spokesperson, Ryan Yarosh ‘02, MPS ‘09, wrote to Pipe Dream. “We will hold the property and maintain it as green space until a new plan for it develops. The demo will take place in the next few weeks.”

Johnson City’s mayor, Martin Meaney, told WNBF that the village’s Historic Review Board had approved the demolition plan and that the state’s Historic Preservation Office was reviewing the proposal.

The University purchased other Johnson City properties as part of a $100 million effort to build a six-block medical research complex east of the UHS Wilson Medical Center.

“We are securing properties that make sense for our campus,” a University spokesperson told the Press and Sun-Bulletin in 2020. “Some might have a future purpose or use and some need to be acquired and taken down to remove blight as well as provide better access for our campus from Main Street.”

Other University-owned properties in Johnson City have recently been demolished. A two-unit house at 58 Broad St., near the University Health Sciences Campus, was torn down in January and is now used as greenspace. Properties on Corliss Avenue have also been torn down in recent years.

Bailey is the founder and executive director of Old Pros, a nonprofit media organization that advocates for sex worker rights through storytelling. She hosts the Oldest Profession Podcast, which profiles stories of sex workers and activism throughout history. Her show was held in the Appalachian Collegiate Center.

She came up with a framework for the show in December 2019. During a residency at the Barbershop Theater in Nashville, Tennessee, she worked with a team to develop it further.

“I’ve been obsessed with sex worker history for a really long time,” Bailey told Pipe Dream. “I wrote my college thesis on brothels in Charleston between 1890 and 1920, and I’ve been studying sex workers really ever since then.”

Her show mixed stand-up comedy with historical accounts of sex work and social stigmas with personal stories from her own time as a sex worker. The show addressed history from the Epic of Gilgamesh to the Catholic Church’s stance on prostitution. At the end of the show, Bailey opened the floor for questions and comments.

“Combining my sort of issues, specific knowledge on not just the history of sex work, but also on sex worker policy, with my stand-up comedy skills, I’ve created something in the ‘edutainment’ category,” Bailey said.

Bailey shared her own history with sex work and gaining acceptance from her father. Theresa Kadish, who is teaching a class called “Sex and Social Media” this semester, said that most people, whether they are aware of it or not, know a sex worker, adding that it is “high time we have a different attitude toward them.”

“Modern capitalism asks people to sacrifice their bodies, and that sex work is particularly evocative because it refers to something that’s so intimate to us,” Kadish said. “But the sacrifices that sex workers make are not actually that much larger or more intense than the sacrifices that many honored members of our society make.”

Kadish said that Bailey is a guest speaker for the class, an elective taken by students minoring in digital and data studies. It explores sexual cultures and identities online, including discussions about online sex work.”

“This performance is absolutely part of that,” Kadish said. “Like, encouraging students to imagine life from a different cultural perspective and to understand people’s activities and behaviors from an emic perspective, right? Like from a perspective that is within the culture that it is trying to understand.”

Kadish, who met Bailey at the New England Sex Workers Summit, said the show was supported by the B-Healthy Initiative, the Digital and Data Studies program, and the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department. The flyer listed the Q Center and SHADES, a student organization for queer students of color, as co-sponsors.

Ultimately, Bailey aims to remove shame around sex work and promote conversations about women in the industry. She implores her audiences to continue learning about sex workers and identifying with their stories to continue the conversation around destigmatization.

“I think it’s part of our cultural narrative that having sex for money is like one of the worst things that a person can do, and I really want to challenge that,” she said. “I believe that sex workers are part of a proud legacy as entrepreneurs and entertainers and philanthropists and also as advocates.”

Held on Saturday, Old Union Hall was decorated with a large light-up sign that spelled out “Punjabi Gala” adorned with colorful balloons. The organization went with a sunset-inspired theme, as described by Jasmin Kaur, co-event coordinator and a junior majoring in biomedical engineering.

A lively mood was set with orange and purple strobe lights, and intricate lace umbrellas and candle centerpieces were on every table. A DJ booth played music throughout the night, keeping the energy up, and guests could take photos in a flowery photo booth or check out the boba cart provided by catering company Sip N’ Snack. Snacks, including cupcakes, macaroons and Gulab Jamun Kheer, a sweet rice pudding with a dough ball soaked in rose syrup and topped with pistachios.

“It’s our biggest cultural event, because it involves bringing North Indian culture to the campus, and it incorporates a bunch of different religions, because Punjab is a very diverse state in India,” Kaur said. “So even though we have the Sikh, which is the religion portion of it, we’re incorporating a bunch of different aspects and trying to bring as many people either that are Indian or not Indian together to have a fun night.”

Harshjeet Singh, the organization’s president, explained how this year’s gala was an important accomplishment for the newly chartered organization. This was the first time the event was completely sold out since SPSA was chartered in 2022.

“So the significance, honestly, is just to show people our identity,” Singh, a junior majoring in business administration, said. “When you look at somebody, like you look at a brown person, you’re going to characterize them as a brown person. You’re not going to say, ‘Oh, they might be Muslim, they might be Punjabi, they might be Indian,’ stuff like that, right? So this event just basically, we’re trying to portray the Punjabi aspect, the cultural aspect of this event. So to show the Punjabi culture, our hospitality, how we like to bring everyone together to try to have fun with everyone, anybody from any community.”

The evening started with an exciting entrance to introduce the E-Board members with a Dhol, a type of drum, and music and confetti. The night included performances by Binghamton Bhangra to a mix of traditional and modern songs, and a performance from Team SPSA featuring several E-Board members.

Guests also participated in several games, including a Panipuri-eating contest, an event where non-Punjabi guests tried to guess Punjabi words and a game called Head, Shoulders, Knees, Cup. Guests could also vote on superlatives like Best Dressed and Most Hype.

Dinner was served with rajma dal, a lentil stew with kidney beans and matar paneer, and a chicken tikka masala gravy with rice and naan on the side.

“I think this is the largest event that we have, and it’s a good introduction for a lot of students who either don’t know about the club or have been nervous to attend those smaller GBMs that we’ve had,” Kaur said. “I know for some of my friends, their first introduction to the club was attending gala last year, and now they’re on E-Board because of it — because they get to see what the club is about.”

“We explain who we are, what our beliefs are and what we’re trying to do on campus,” she added. “So it’s a good way for a lot of students, whether they’re Indian or not, even if they’re international students, to have a space on campus and know that there’s a lot of other people like them. Just because that’s an issue I had when I transferred here, where I wasn’t sure if there were other Punjabi people on campus, and now I’m friends with a lot of them, so it’s kind of nice.”

The DJ played modern pop songs, accompanied by the Dhol, and the night ended on a high note as the dance floor was opened to all guests.

Silly Nice provides artisanally crafted and sustainable products at dispensaries in more than 90 locations across New York. These include Just Breathe in Binghamton, Sacred Bloom in neighboring Vestal and Greenery Spot in Johnson City. LeVar Thomas, a co-founder of Silly Nice, said he faced some challenges breaking into the field as a minority entrepreneur.

“Historically, Black communities have faced disproportionate criminalization for cannabis, and now that the industry is legal, many of those same communities are being shut out of economic opportunities,” Thomas wrote to Pipe Dream.

According to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union in 2020, Black and white Americans used marijuana at similar rates, and Black Americans were 3.64 times as likely to be incarcerated for possession. Convictions like these can become barriers to job security and higher education, limiting communities’ opportunities for economic growth.

As a result, organizations like the Cannabis Association of New York have advocated for a more inclusive industry by establishing a goal for 50 percent of licenses to be issued to “equity applicants,” according to Freeman Klopott, a spokesperson for the Cannabis Association of New York and a vice president of Marino PR. These include communities heavily impacted by inequitable cannabis enforcement, like “distressed farmers and veterans,” and minority- and women-owned businesses.

“By advocating to help make sure that the state is adhering to those goals and building a truly equitable market, we’re making sure that we’re playing a role to help offset some of the harms caused by that disproportionate enforcement of cannabis provision,” Klopott said.

This history of stigma surrounding minority communities and cannabis played a significant role in Silly Nice’s brand identity. Thomas said the business was born to fight the status quo and build a space for small business owners.

The marijuana industry has largely been dominated by larger corporations like Curaleaf and Trulieve. As a part of its mission, Silly Nice looks to foster a more inclusive market by using its platform to spotlight businesses owned by those belonging to marginalized communities, gearing its mission toward equity and support for these communities.

His veteran background also motivated him to work through regulation difficulties within the industry, giving Thomas “a mindset of discipline, resilience, and strategic execution.”

Small brand success is critical to representing historically marginalized communities affected by the criminalization of marijuana. Klopott said small businesses like Silly Nice have helped to reshape communities.

“They’re building in themselves, and they’re helping create jobs and grow the local economy, and at the same time raising significant tax revenue that flows back into their local governments and into state programs that are specifically designed to give back, particularly to communities that were hit hard by the disproportionate enforcement of cannabis prohibition,” Klopott said.

Silly Nice has been committed to giving back and bolstering its community through partnerships with other initiatives like Hospitality Pathways, a nonprofit supporting job placement and workforce training for underrepresented groups entering the cannabis industry.

They have also partnered with the Cannabis Justice and Equity Initiative, which provides education and cannabis career training for communities struggling to enter the legal cannabis market.

“For Silly Nice, success isn’t just about growing our brand — it’s about helping others grow alongside us,” Thomas wrote.