Established in 2002, BAMS aims to provide a space for students of mixed racial and cultural backgrounds to connect with their identities. Nadira Asghar, vice president of BAMS and a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, elaborated on the importance of creating this space.

“We want to allow those of mixed heritage an opportunity to engage in discussions surrounding their experiences, as well as cultivate a community they can relate to and find comfort in,” Asghar wrote in an email. “Whether it’s through fun crafting general body meetings, or more in depth conversations, we want to be that safe space.”

The banquet, titled “Mix It Up,” was themed after Y2K. Attendees arrived dressed to impress in bold colors, low-rise jeans, crop tops and various other pieces characteristic of the late ’90s and early 2000s.

Upon entering the space, guests were immediately greeted with Y2K hit songs from artists like Destiny’s Child, Britney Spears and Beyoncé. Each table was adorned with painted CDs, confetti, plastic stars and Y2K-themed stickers.

“When thinking of a theme for our banquet, BAMS was considering staples of what made up mixed identities,” Alyssa Williams, secretary of BAMS and a sophomore majoring in biology, wrote in an email. “We had so many ideas yet when we thought of Y2K, it was instantly decided. It’s such a fun theme that will make guests really excited to be there. Also, diverse cultures played a pivotal role in the Y2K impact.”

“Mixed identities reflected in Y2K moments and fashion has always been prevalent,” she continued. “To pay thanks to Y2K’s importance and recent revival, it made sense to have a Y2K-themed banquet for our own revival of this event.”

After introductions and acknowledgements by BAMS alumni and the organization’s current president, Emely Perez Alvarado, a senior double-majoring in Latin American and Caribbean studies and art and design, the Binghamton Ballroom Dance Association performed four distinct dances for the audience.

Ammon Kellmurray, captain of the ballroom dance team and a junior double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and history, introduced each type of dance before the performance. The ballroom dances included Mambo, originating in Cuba in the 1930s; Paso Doble, with origins in either Spain or France; East Coast Swing, which comes from a variety of sources throughout the United States; and the Viennese Waltz, which traces back to 13th-century Germany and Austria. Each performance emphasized the rich history of dance and its integral role in cultures across the globe.

“Many organizations, students, and families are attending, which we can’t thank them enough for,” Williams wrote. “It means so much to us, especially since a banquet is very new for BAMS. We haven’t had one since 2011 and to see how many people support us has been very appreciated.”

The Mix It Up banquet encouraged attendee participation with games like “Mummy Wrap,” where contestants tried to wrap their partner up in toilet paper in under a minute, and musical chairs. Each game gave participants a chance to win a $25 Dunkin’ or Starbucks gift card.

After the first game, dinner was served buffet-style, featuring food like Korean BBQ chicken, chana masala and beef and broccoli. Once everyone was seated with their food, Undivided, Binghamton’s first and only multicultural singing group, performed a cover of “Soon as I Get Home” by Faith Evans.

The R&B group’s performance was followed by a fashion show that highlighted cultural attire like Desi wear and attendees’ Y2K-inspired clothing. The emcees emphasized that the show was all about mixing identities and different forms of expression. After the original participants walked down the aisle, guests were invited to showcase their own outfits of the night.

“The banquet showcases the mixed identity and so many aspects of the multicultural community,” Williams wrote. “We are an organization of a variety of voices and stories, and [the] banquet will express just how strong everyone is when together.”

The X-Fact’r Step Team was the final organization to perform at the banquet, closing the evening’s dance showcases with an energetic and powerful presentation. Before the performance, a brief history was shared, highlighting the cultural significance of step within Black communities.

After enslaved people were banned from owning drums, they adapted by using percussive body movements as a means of communication and expression. This tradition evolved into the art form known today as step, which is prevalent in many African American fraternities and sororities.

The banquet’s art gallery, situated near the entrance of Old Union Hall, featured both visual art and poetry by students of diverse backgrounds. During the final portion of the event, five spoken word artists who were part of the gallery read their poetry for attendees, touching on themes like being mixed, tension with religion, legacy and labels.

Kayla Lockhart, a sophomore majoring in philosophy and a member of BAMS, discussed the poetry they read to the audience.

“I think a lot of times poetry can sound more powerful if it’s said through your own mouth,” Lockhart said. “And especially since this is through my own voice, I wanted to use my voice to share my own story and my experience being a biracial person, being raised by a white mother and being devoid of a lot of culture growing up, and that’s the majority of what my poetry was about.”

The art and culture segment of the event concluded with the announcement of the art gallery winners. Alejandra Fernandez, a junior majoring in psychology, took first place with her painting “La Danza,” which highlighted the importance of traditional Mexican dance, in both the pre-colonial era and the Mexican American community today.

“I wanted to showcase not only the movement of the dance but also the beauty of the traditional attire, which further represents cultural pride and unity,” Fernandez wrote in the art label beside her painting. “The meaning behind it goes beyond performance; it is about remembrance, appreciation, and shared connection. Just as people from different cultures can come together to admire and learn from one another’s traditions, art becomes a bridge that unites us all as a community, regardless of where we come from.”

After a night of celebrating students with mixed backgrounds and experiences, the banquet came to a close with a recognition of BAMS’ interns and E-Board members who put together the organization’s first banquet in over a decade.

“This banquet is a true reflection of the dedication and teamwork that went into bringing it to life,” Perez Alvarado wrote in the event program. “Being part of the BAMily and working with such wonderful people has been an amazing experience, and I’m excited for all that lies ahead for us. I truly value the memories we’ve created together and look forward to everything the future holds for our organization.”

The event spanned three days and spotlighted diverse aspects of Serling’s life and career through a variety of presentations. Mark Olshaker, an Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker, author, foundation member and close friend of Serling, discussed this year’s theme and the writer’s relevance to the current state of the world.

“We’ve tried to come back to as many of his speeches, pronouncements, writings as we could to sort of tell what he was thinking and what his ethos was, what his morality and his view of the world was,” Olshaker said. “And I think in today’s political climate, socioeconomic climate, what’s going on, it’s very important to do. It’s very relevant and I think Rod has a tremendous amount to say to all of us, 50 years after he died.”

“The Twilight Zone” was at the forefront of the festival, with various discussions around the show and vendors selling merch. The first day of SerlingFest 2025 featured several screenings, including an episode from “The Twilight Zone” titled “On Thursday We Leave For Home,” presented by television writer and author Joseph Dougherty, which explored themes of leadership and the difficulty of relinquishing power.

Serling, a six-time Emmy Award-winning writer, was celebrated not only for his famous series but also for his activism and fight for social justice, both on and off the screen. According to the foundation’s website, he was known as “the ’angry young man’ of Hollywood, clashing with television executives and sponsors over a wide range of issues including censorship, racism, and war.” The second day of SerlingFest showcased a heavier emphasis on politics and current issues from the audience engaging in the many Q&A’s and discussions.

“In ‘The Twilight Zone,’ Rod wrote about the human condition and the issues that he was passionate about — prejudice, scapegoating, mob mentality, individual morality — and we continue to deal with these issues 60 years after the series broadcast its final episode,” Nicholas Parisi, the president of the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation, wrote in an email.

Presenters discussed recent creative works inspired by Serling and his voice outside of “The Twilight Zone,” like Ariana Grande’s song “twilight zone,” psychological thriller television series “Severance” and the horror film “Sinners.” Frank Spotnitz, a writer and producer for “The X-Files,” introduced key episodes from the science fiction series that took inspiration from Serling.

Staying true to SerlingFest 2025’s theme, Olshaker presented a rare speech given by Serling at the Library of Congress that addressed the responsibilities of a writer and the importance of free speech.

“In these days, when so many of our rights are being challenged, when the administration and all of its functionaries are trying to stifle dissent, trying to take people off the airwaves who don’t agree with them, I think this is so important, that writing, which was so important to Rod, is the one element that can preserve all of our other freedoms,” Olshaker said. “And when writing is challenged, when it’s stifled, that’s when we have to worry about all of our other freedoms.”

Anne Serling, one of Serling’s daughters and author of “As I Knew Him: My Dad, Rod Serling,” commented on the speech during her panel presentation and reading on the second day of the festival.

“Writing was what my father believed in, what he was passionate about, what he thought had a chance to save society,” Serling said. “In 1968, when the country was in the midst of the divisiveness and turmoil of the civil rights and anti-war movements, it would tear him apart.”

“My dad penned his speech at the Library of Congress in Washington by saying, ‘So long as men write what they want, then all of the other freedoms — all of them — will remain intact,’” she continued. “‘And it is then that writing becomes an act of conscience, a weapon of truth, an article of faith.’”

Anne emphasized the continued impact of her father’s writing by discussing the “Fifth Dimension” curriculum at Binghamton schools that teaches fifth graders about Serling’s messages through “The Twilight Zone” episodes like “Eye of the Beholder” and “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.”

Several other presenters brought unique insights about Rod Serling’s impact and influence throughout the event. David Bianculli, a TV critic, columnist, radio personality and professor at Rowan University, discussed teaching Rod Serling’s work to college students and the growing popularity of “The Twilight Zone” among younger generations. He shared his appreciation for Binghamton’s annual SerlingFest.

“For Binghamton and where he comes from, I think this is a great thing,” Bianculli said. “No matter what else I do, I consider myself a writer, and a town that is celebrating a writer — that’s a good town. There aren’t many towns in America that bother to do that.”

Mark Dawidziak, an American author and critic from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, discussed Serling’s impact on his home state from his time as a student at Antioch College and upcoming plans to honor Serling’s legacy with a historical marker on Antioch’s campus.

While day two of SerlingFest primarily featured insightful presentations at the Forum Theatre, the last day of the festival was held at Recreation Park, located a few blocks away from Serling’s childhood home. Foundation members read excerpts from speeches by Serling, which was followed by a “The Twilight Zone” trivia led by Parisi.

To end the festivities, Mr Denton on Doomsday, a band with metal and funk influences based in Lansing, Michigan named after a “The Twilight Zone” episode, performed under the Recreation Park pavilion. The band performed its own music, along with a cover of “Twilight Zone” by Golden Earring with Parisi on vocals.

“I hope that our attendees left with a sense that Rod Serling was a man who used his gifts as a storyteller to explore issues that were important to him,” Parisi wrote. “Joe Dougherty talked about how Rod Serling wrote with a ‘sense of urgency,’ as if Rod were always telling the viewer that if they watched a particular show, they were going to hear something that Rod believed was important and vital and urgent for them to hear. I hope that our attendees came away with an even greater sense of Rod Serling’s passions and how he was able to address them in his work.”

Currently based in the northern suburbs of New York City, the band has played for several years in the Westchester area. In the past, they played “A Hard Day’s Night” as the “record of the month” at a local music venue. Barry Witt ‘80, the band’s lead guitarist and vocalist, explained the process of being able to perform at the University’s annual Homecoming weekend.

“Since I have been playing in a band, The Any Time At All Band, I thought it would be great if we could play on campus,” Witt wrote in an email. “Just by chance, 3 of the 4 members of the band were Binghamton alumni (one is unable to attend this performance at Homecoming), so we thought it would be a great opportunity to come back to campus for the Homecoming weekend and visit our alma mater. I have been to several Homecoming weekends in the past and saw several bands perform there, so I suggested to Alicia Casper, the Alumni Events Coordinator, that maybe our band could come back to perform, and, thankfully, my offer was accepted.”

Band members Aidan Burns ’97, on rhythm guitar, keyboard and vocals, David Nodiff ’84, on bass guitar and vocals and Witt all pursued STEM degrees during their time at the University while also participating in the local music scene. Sean Vinci, the band’s drummer and vocalist, who attended Berklee College of Music, will also be performing at Homecoming. Burns, who took music department classes during his time at the University, is unable to attend.

Witt recalled that music was everywhere during his time at the University, blaring out of dorm windows and on-campus music venues. Additionally, famous bands like The Kinks, Eagles and Talking Heads performed on campus and in the local area.

“My wife and I performed as a duo at several on campus shows including Delaware Days and the Newing Follies, and I performed at the Broome Closet in the basement of Broome Hall,” he wrote. “I was also a member of the on-campus band, Bondy, which included well-known alumnus, Marc Lawrence, ’81, as well as Paul Bogas, ’81, and Barry Pociask, ’81. Remarkably, Bondy was written up in the Pipe Dream in an article where we were described as ‘SUNY-B’s #1 Band.’”

Nodiff explained that he attended the 25th anniversary Homecoming in 2009 and visited campus when his son was a student. During his time at the University, Nodiff participated in various ensembles.

“I loved playing in the orchestra and with the pit band for shows,” Nodiff wrote in an email. “It allowed me to continue playing cello, which was my first instrument. Sue Peters, who directed the music for the shows, was one of my favorite people and she gave me an opportunity to play both cello and bass.”

“That has continued to be the catalyst for my involvement with playing gigs, even today,” he continued.

The Any Time At All Band will primarily play Beatles songs, incorporating well-known hits and deep cuts that the audience may not be familiar with. Witt said the band emphasizes being as true to the original songs as possible, learning the parts for the Beatles’ “incredible vocal harmonies.”

The alumni band is a testament to Binghamton’s lasting impact on students. Both Witt and Nodiff’s children attended the University, and Witt, along with his wife Marjorie Strelzyn ’81, has continued to be an active member of the community through the alumni board and campaigns.

Witt and Strelzyn also created the Strelzyn-Witt A-OK Acts of Kindness Scholarship, which awards students with “fine character” and helps others through repeated acts of kindness. Witt said they are working to develop another scholarship, Say Yes to Success, to allow students who would have been unable to explore their academic passion to do so.

“I am hoping that students will see that as alumni, we have a strong life-long connection to the University, and that even if music is not your day job, it can enrich your life and provide a great outlet,” Witt wrote. “I hope that we can inspire the students to want to maintain their ties to the University after they leave and to continue to contribute to its future success. Finally, I would be pleased if our performance of the Beatles’ music will improve their appreciation of classic rock music and the history of that period in the 1960s when the music really revolutionized the world.”

Twelve multicultural performance organizations tabled at Old Union Hall, showcasing their art and providing information to potential new members.

Precious Ademokun, the president of Undivided and a junior majoring in political science, explained that she organized the group fair after she realized there were no spaces on campus catered to multicultural performers. As the leader of the University’s only multicultural singing group, Ademokun wanted to create a safe space for students of color to find creative communities.

“Coming into the multicultural community as a freshman, I really did see how it really is a family,” Ademokun said. “And I know as a freshman you’re really nervous, and you’re scared to branch out, especially in the multicultural community, so I hope people come and they’re able to find their families through their talents and through their performances.”

Attendees grabbed complimentary food at the front of the hall and leisurely checked out each organization. Tables featured information, free stickers and ways to get in contact with respective groups.

As a recently established dance group that focuses on open-style choreography, Collision tabled to promote one of the newest creative teams on campus.

“We were established last year, and we thought that it would be a great opportunity to just get that promo out for us and spread our name around,” Maggie Liang, co-director of Collision and a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, said. “I think Collison isn’t only a place to really train and grow your passion, but to get to know other people who like to dance as well.”

Throughout the night, short performances by Binghamton Bhangra, Undivided and Collison showcased to guests what the University’s creative teams have to offer.

X-Fact’r Step Team was among the various multicultural organizations tabling. Anna Kabwa, president of X-Fact’r and a senior majoring in anthropology, explained her goals for the event.

“I hope people find a place where they feel comfortable and where they feel accepted,” Kabwa said. “Especially at a PWI, it’s very important for students of color to find places where they can be themselves and express themselves through performance, through cultural performance, and I hope that people can find that here.”

Despite the first-ever performance fair having a good turnout, Ademokun said she hopes the event will continue to expand throughout the years and attract more students. While annual tabling events like UFEST and the Multicultural Extravaganza help organizations reach students, the Multicultural Performance Group Fair provides artistic groups with the space to proudly display their community and art style.

“I think it’s really important to just get to know the different performing organizations and see what effort and grit people put into their work,” Liang said. “Because I feel like we don’t get many chances to just show our passions and perform, so I think it’s a really great opportunity for everyone to learn from each other and watch each other and be happy to be around people who like to do the same thing as you.”

Kanaan Distant, a music director and the historian for Undivided and a junior majoring in music, discussed the importance of the newly established event.

“It shows that we can come together,” Distant said. “Even though we are different forms of art, we can all come together and do an event that showcases all forms of art across genres, across cultures and just be united.”

While the music festival began in 1996 as a way to promote original jam band music, it has been known as the Harper M. Stantz Rec Park Music Fest for the past seven years in honor of Harper Stantz, a 16-year-old girl who tragically passed away in 2019. Stantz, known for her compassionate soul, love of music and connection to the park, lives on through the yearly gathering and her family, who have continued to be strong supporters of the festival.

Sporting Harper Stantz t-shirts, attendees gathered in the shade around Recreation Park’s amphitheater with blankets and chairs to enjoy the evening’s music lineup.

“I always thought it was important to have outdoor venues for live music,” Jim Reyen, the festival’s founder and producer, said in an interview. “But I think it’s even more important now post-COVID for people to come out and gather, meet the community and interact.”

Reyen strives to bring diverse music groups together each year, with the evening’s performances ranging from cover bands like Home Brew, a Grateful Dead tribute group, to local original groups like Heavy Delish and Caviar & Grits. A unique addition to this year’s festival was Sophistafunk, a Syracuse group recruited as Guy Fieri’s house band that brought a mash of funk and rap to the park.

Staying true to the festival’s mission of promoting local music, many performers played original pieces. Vocalist Allie Torto, a Binghamton local dedicated to her hometown’s music community, sang a mixture of covers and her original songs for the audience, accompanied by a full band.

“I love to sing my original songs,” Torto said. “I try to do covers to get people familiar and comfortable with what they know and how my voice is in relation to that because I think it captures their attention a little better. But I love singing originals and having a good response, and that’s exactly what happened today, so it was a wonderful feeling.”

Mitch Distefano, lead singer of Heavy Delish, hailing from Brooklyn, New York, expressed his appreciation for the festival as a way to gather Binghamton’s community and promote his band’s music.

“I just love the fact that kids of all ages can be here,” Distefano said. “It’s friendly, the sound is great and there are kids playing in the background — it’s a family affair, as opposed to being in a bar or a rock and roll club, where people can’t just walk by with strollers. And also, it’s nice to be an original band in a scene where there really aren’t that many. People really appreciate that we work hard on the music.”

For three decades, Binghamton’s beloved historic park has been transformed into a vibrant celebration of music, community and resilience. What began as a grassroots event has turned into a cornerstone summer festival that draws musicians, artists and families from across the region to Recreation Park in honor of Harper’s legacy and the joy that music brings.

“It goes to a good cause,” Benjamin Raub, bassist for Heavy Delish, said. “Jim Reyen has been putting this on for 30 years and it’s just grown and grown and grown, and I think that’s because of the people that volunteer their time with a positive attitude, bringing music, arts and food. Bringing it all together for a good cause, and Harper Stantz’s family is a benefit to that.”

Sage has been recognized by Billboard, American Songwriter, The Bluegrass Situation, Earmilk, PopMatters and Music Connection and her single “Blue Sky Days” made it into Billboard’s Top 40 Indicator Chart. Over the years, she toured with artists like Judy Collins and Ani DiFranco, founded the label MPress Records and released 15 albums — all while using her platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, mental health and inclusivity.

A former ballet dancer with the New York City Ballet and an accomplished visual artist, Sage is also a six-time Independent Music Award winner and a John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize recipient. Her performances have spanned stages from SXSW to the Edinburgh Fringe, and her commitment to social justice has led her to raise funds for causes ranging from women’s cancer research to refugee support.

This stop in Binghamton marks a return to familiar ground for Sage, who frequently performed at the now-closed CyberCafe West. Audiences at Atomic Tom’s can expect an evening of original music, spontaneous storytelling and live collaborations with her band, The Sequins, and singer-songwriter Kristen Ford.

Ahead of the show, Pipe Dream interviewed Sage about how her music has evolved, what inspired the “Joy=Resistance” tour and why Binghamton continues to hold a special place in her heart. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

How did your music career begin and how have you evolved since then?

“My first paid gig was performing at the coffeehouse at Stanford University — I made $100 and was amazed they wanted me to keep playing every week, even though I didn’t play covers. Whoever made that decision really encouraged me to keep going, to experiment with different kinds of arrangements — I invited a violinist and a guitarist to sit in sometimes — and eventually I made my way to the East Village in NYC where I began playing places like The Bitter End and Café Sin-é, where I regularly performed before Jeff Buckley, which seems pretty surreal looking back!

“I like to think that my music has evolved from being strictly about myself, my feelings, and beliefs, into more of a hybrid of many sources of inspiration including more journalistic observation, and certainly a desire to encourage listeners to be more accepting of themselves and others, and to hopefully be encouraged to be their most liberated, expressive selves!”

What inspired the name of the “Joy=Resistance” tour?

“Kristen Ford and I were having a chat at the beginning of our tour planning and it just seemed like every day we were witnessing more bad news, more political division and oppression, more stripping away of LGBTQ+ and immigrants’ rights and a general sense of erosion of our democracy.

“What better way to resist, than to continue to try to spread as much joy and be as visible as possible, sharing our unique perspectives and welcoming diverse audiences to our traveling musical circus — a place where we can laugh, reflect and hopefully reinvigorate ourselves with hope and empathy, the best fuel for any form of resistance!”

How did the collaboration with The Sequins and Kristen Ford come together?

“Believe it or not, Kristen tells me that she saw my poster hanging in a bathroom at Kulak’s music venue in Los Angeles, and something about it prompted her to reach out to me to see if I wanted to do some shows together. Stranger things have happened, but it was an unexpected burst of energy and excitement, because I instantly fell in love with her work and we were laughing so much on our first tour-planning meeting, I knew we would really ‘click’ musically, on and off stage.

“And here we are, doing it! It’s been a fantastic week so far and so many more shows to come.”

Why was Binghamton a stop you wanted to include on this tour?

“I’ve been coming to Binghamton for many years now, ever since I first performed there with Judy Collins years back. I used to play Cybercafe West at least once a year — I miss that place, and of course, Jeff the owner, who sadly passed away but was such a champion of indie artists. He was all heart and always made me feel so welcome. I’ve continued to have a very special relationship with the town and am so excited to return to Atomic Tom’s!”

What should attendees expect from your live performance?

“As the saying goes: ‘expect the unexpected!’ Both Kristen Ford and I are very apt to write a new song on the spot, informed by the day’s current events or wild happenings from life on the road.

“That said, we’re also both practiced musicians who take our craft very seriously and truly love being entertainers, so hopefully we’ll get you singing along, laughing, feeling just a little more human, and a lot less alone! I’ll be joined by Nashville-based violinist Sarah Jean, who’s the newest member of my band ‘The Sequins.’”

How are you weaving themes from your newly released songs “Canopy” and “Just Enough” into your performance?

“Since earlier this year — before venturing out with Kristen — I’ve been playing shows under the title ‘The Under My Canopy Tour,’ and in a lot of ways this is a continuation of that for me because the themes of most of my new tunes are inclusivity, safety, and peace. Of course I include these new tunes, but also the thread of the show is the idea that we should be ok letting all voices be heard, not just the loudest ones.

“I’ve chosen repertoire for this tour that will hopefully encourage people with different viewpoints and beliefs to actually be able to listen to or at least respect one another, and ultimately to celebrate one another’s differences.”

What has been your favorite aspect of this tour?

“It’s been wonderful to collaborate directly with Kristen during her set, and her in mine. I’ve been playing piano on some of her material, and she’s been generously beatboxing on some of mine. I’m not a ‘session’ player by any means, so this is a bit outside my comfort zone, which is always an exhilarating feeling — doing new things and growing as a musician and performer is what it’s all about!”

As someone who prioritizes themes of inclusivity and compassion, how have your experiences shaped your music and performances?

“My music is inevitably an extension of everything I experience and prioritize! My experience as a cancer survivor — or as I like to say, a cancer thriver — has endowed me with a renewed sense of gratitude and appreciation for ‘the helpers’ — the doctors, nurses and frontline workers whose roles are inherently inclusive and, ideally, compassionate by nature. ‘First, do no harm’ is a creed I wish everyone could adopt and the next best thing would be: ‘Second, do some good!’

“Now more than ever, I am so appreciative of my musical collective The Sequins because they are not only some of the best musicians I’ve ever encountered but also some of the kindest and most thoughtful human beings I’ve ever met.”

What do you hope attendees will take away from the performance?

“I hope folks who join us at this performance will come away with the sense that they’ve been deeply, undeniably loved, seen and accepted for exactly who they are just by being present and safe under our musical canopy — a joy that everyone deserves! We also hope they’ll feel especially good about supporting live music and their local ‘scene,’ which needs that engagement now more than ever!”

If you’re unsure where to start, check out some of these creative organizations, events and communities on campus and in the Binghamton area to learn artistic pursuits available to students.

Binghamton University Art Museum

With multiple exhibitions hosted each semester, the BU Art Museum is a great place to visit and get involved with. The museum spans three floors, and the Main Gallery hosts four changing exhibitions per year. Downstairs resides student-curated exhibitions and the permanent collection, which displays thousands of years of art history. If you’re interested in gaining museum experience, the BUAM offers internships each semester, ranging from collections management and curation to marketing and graphic design.

Theater

The University has multiple ways to get involved in theater through the Theatre Department and student-led clubs. The department produces faculty-directed main stage shows and studio productions, many of which are student-directed. Students of all majors are welcome to audition or work on crews in areas like lighting, costume, sound and stage management.

If you’re not looking to take part in department productions, check out the Hinman Production Company, which stages full-length plays and original comedy shows, and the Dickinson Community Players, a philanthropic theater organization that puts on a play and musical every semester.

WHRW Binghamton Radio

This free-format radio station has served Binghamton since 1966. With a commitment to “reflecting the diversity of the local and world community,” WHRW welcomes students, staff, faculty and community members to join and work their way up to being DJs.

The station runs on a free-form format, allowing DJs to control the content of their show. WHRW frequently collaborates with other organizations and businesses to host events like disco nights, paint and sips and raves. Whether you’re into rock, indie or reggae, WHRW has a place for you.

Music ensembles

The University offers various musical ensembles and clubs for students interested in singing or playing an instrument in a larger group. The Music Department’s groups allow students to play music in orchestra, chorus, Nukporfe African drumming and dance ensemble and various jazz groups.
Music organizations outside the department include groups like Undivided, an R&B music group catered to individual expression through music, Unkai Daiko, a traditional Japanese drumming group, and Explorchestra, a student-run orchestra that allows its members to compose and perform their pieces.

Live music and local bands

Binghamton is home to countless local bands and live events on and off campus. If you’re looking to get involved in the live music scene right away, head on over to the West Side’s annual Porchfest celebration on Aug. 31, where hundreds of diverse musicians will perform on porches, driveways, yards and sidewalks. If you’re in a music group or interested in listening to local bands, the Bundy Museum of History and Art frequently hosts shows throughout the year that musicians can book.

On campus, the Student Association Programming Board hosts a variety of shows and concerts. Notably, its annual Battle of the Bands, a competition for students to show off their talent, gives participating groups the chance to win an opening spot for the Spring Fling headliner.

Dance groups

BU has a thriving dance community featuring a wide range of student groups. The Black Dance Repertoire explores “dance in all its forms” and performs at campus events like the African Student Organization’s Afahye, while MajorNoir, the University’s first Black majorette dance team, highlights various forms of Black dances encapsulating the diaspora.

If you want to explore Latin dance, check out the Candela Latin Dance Club, a beginner-friendly recreational and educational dance group. For those interested in ballroom, the Binghamton Ballroom Dance Association offers both a competitive team and more casual club. Binghamton’s Evolution Dance Company offers three levels of nine different styles of dance, and PARAMODA offers both K-pop and hip-hop dance units.

While the list of dance groups goes on, it’s safe to say that there is a place for any dance enthusiast on campus.

Publications

If you’re looking to get involved with an on-campus publication that prioritizes creativity, check out RENA Fashion Magazine and Free Press. RENA celebrates diversity, sustainability and self-expression through fashion, photography and creative writing. Their annual fashion show is a culmination of the work of the E-Board, photographers, hair and makeup artists, designers and models and features outfits that fit under a specific theme.

For students looking to get short stories, poetry and art published, check out Free Press, a free-form arts and culture magazine that publishes creative writing, painting, photography and more.

Produced by Ü Lee, a musician and educator from Apalachin, New York, the concert program will feature famous songs and rare tunes banned in Russia, along with pieces that require a distinct skillset to carry out in a performance. About 50 musicians will perform, including vocalists from the choirs of Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church and St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Church and several instrumentalists like violinists, saxophonists, cellists, pianists and a flutist.

“The pieces specifically are from Ukrainian composers to highlight how incredible their citizens are,” Christina Docenko of Endicott, one of the concert’s violinists, wrote in an email. “One of the pieces (Red Viburnum, a patriotic march) is considered a nationalist anthem, and singing it is punishable by fines and imprisonment in Crimea circa Russian Invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Playing songs like this and the national anthem allow us to loudly support Ukraine in protest of the Russian invasion.”

While some pieces in the program are well-known, like the famous Christmas tune “Carol of the Bells,” based on “Shchedryk,” a Ukrainian New Year’s song, others may be unfamiliar to concert attendees.

“Several songs in this concert state the resilience and the vibrant spirit of Ukrainians,” Lee wrote in an email. “Except the first piece (Star Spangled Banner), the rest of the repertoire in this program is all composed by Ukrainians (1800s – present). It’s very likely that our production may have premiered ‘My Kyiv’ and ‘Klebanov’s Piano Trio No. 2’ for the audience in this area.”

Along with teaching music and performing arts, Lee studies different languages, including other countries’ vocal and musical literature. While studying Ukrainian music, she said the event came together after she posted on Facebook about organizing a concert celebrating the culture.

“I’m a linguist with great enthusiasm to learn languages,” Lee wrote. “I’m also a humanitarian that has put together numerous benefit concerts for nonprofits around the world. When I feel that there’s a voice that should be heard more, I start a project and engage people to make it happen.”

Lee organized the concert with a group of volunteer musicians. While she chose the music, arranged the program and coordinated the event, artists recommended Ukrainian music that resonated with them. Boris Derow of Canora in Saskatchewan, Canada and the concert’s tenor saxophonist, shared the significance of the pieces he suggested.

“The pieces that I sent to her were love songs between people, for Kyiv, and a lullaby about wanting the sun to shine just a little longer before it disappears below the horizon,” Derow wrote in an email. “The piece, ‘My Kyiv’ is a crowd favourite among Ukrainians as it sings about one of Europe’s most beautiful capitals. ‘The Quiet Evening’ was the last song played on Ukrainian national radio before the Soviet Union shuttered the station. It’s always held a special place in my heart.”

“Celebrate Ukraine with Music by Ukrainians” is not only a celebration of Ukrainian culture, but an opportunity to learn about the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and its impacts. At the concert, attendees can donate to UNITED24, the official fundraising platform of Ukraine.

Lee said that the event will allow attendees to engage with the concert and support the Ukrainian diaspora.

“They will be able to hum some famous melodies,” Lee wrote. “They can take pictures with beautiful Ukrainian art. They’ll enjoy some light refreshments made/coordinated by Ukrainians. They will learn a little more about Ukrainian culture and hopefully return and support more cultural activities.”

Rogelio Lopez, a Costa Rican choreographer and the show’s guest director, worked alongside associate directors Neva Kenny, an assistant professor of dance, and Elizabeth Mozer, an associate professor of theatre. Together, they used unique movements, props and costuming to channel various elements of humanity and nature.

A collaboration between students and faculty, the performance exemplified the shared experience of humanity under Rogelio’s guidance and use of “El Teatro de Imagen,” a genre of theater that tells a story through dramatic movement and physicality. The interpretive performance allowed the audience to engage with each act in a way that resonated with them.
Lopez highlighted the versatility of visual and performing arts as a form of communication, rather than spoken language.

“I’m trying to build communication and because I don’t know the language, it’s very difficult for me, but I can talk with you thanks to the image — and that’s perfect,” Lopez said. “That’s my idea of how we are over the limits of the communication. And my life has tried to create that language. My life, it’s almost 50 years, working every day without the words and silent image, because that image, when you see it, you immediately create a connection.”

“And that is ‘Teatro de Imagen,’” he continued. “Because theater is voice — that’s theater in particular. Of course, there’s a lot of ways to do theater, but in particular to speak about how we can build a language without speaking, but speaking a lot — that’s the idea of the ‘Teatro de Imagen.’”

“Encounters” was an evocative representation of the beauty of the human experience, encapsulating both the good and the bad aspects of life on Earth. The audience travels with the characters, exploring different cultures and emotions like love, joy and grief. A poetic metaphor for the complexity of human nature, the show drew attention to current issues like climate change and capitalism.

Lopez explained how he used different physical aspects of theater to build on nonverbal communication in his art.

“And at the same time, for that is to use two elements, the human body and all that is around, like the objects, the projections, the music, etc., etc., etc.,” Lopez said. “But the human and in particular — the gestures, because the gestures is the language without words, isn’t it?”

Lopez said that the performance was created in only four weeks in a more non-traditional rehearsal process, which uplifted students’ unique talents and captured the abstract.

“‘Encounters’ was a devised piece in that it wasn’t necessarily the traditional way of doing theater where it’s top down,” said CK Zaki, an interpreter for Lopez and a senior double-majoring in theatre and Spanish. “You have a playwright who writes a text, and then that text gets interpreted by one director and then the director makes all the choices of how then the actors move. It was a very collaborative environment and process. And I think that that was really cool, because the overall product of it is informed directly by those who were involved in it.”

Kenny and Mozer translated the intricacies of Lopez’s vision to the stage while playing the protagonists in the show. As aliens from an unfamiliar planet, they explore Earth through an outsider’s point of view and discover what it means to be human.

“There was a lot of exploration and opportunity to start to be comfortable in the uncomfortableness of being seen in something in a language that may be different than what you are used to,” Kenny said.

The protagonists are spiritually connected women who challenge the traditional male adventurer archetype. Through each act, Lopez emphasized the importance of making space for women and nature.

Along with live music and songs, “Encounters” also featured spoken word performances in a variety of languages. Jamie Papa, a first-year master’s student studying theater, sang in English and Filipino, while Yulia Garavea, a senior double-majoring in anthropology and sociology and Heidy Batista Garcia, a lecturer of theatre, read letters crafted for their parents in Russian and Spanish, adding an identity-based element to the show.

“Encounters” has a contemplative, interpretive ending, as the characters depart from Earth and leave the audience understanding how to learn from the past to reach for a brighter future. The show defied expectations by bringing contemporary productions to a wider audience on campus.

“I think that there is a lot of beauty in ambiguity, and I hope that the audience was able to sort of fit in the multiple interpretations possible from the show, and to bring whatever they feel is personally relevant to them to it,” Zaki said. “I think the show was really, I mean, it’s called ‘Encounters,’ and I feel like it really is about encountering humanity from different perspectives and different lived experiences and how those different lived experiences kind of communicate a universal humanity. I hope people were able to find something personal and universal in it.”

“We have over 30 different organizations here tabling,” said Martin Larocca, BU’s sustainability manager. “We have student groups, academic departments, offices on campus along with organizations from off campus as well. We’re all tabling, talking about sustainability, the impacts on the environment that we have — giving people the opportunity to learn about all these different things and, at the same time, potentially sign up to participate with those organizations.”

The Food Co-op, BU’s student-run vegan cafe, offered a sustainable alternative to traditional shopping with a clothing swap and repair. Organizations like the Binghamton Upcycle Project allowed guests to pot their own plants to take home. Other activities included a chemistry demonstration, bike challenges, trivia and a raffle.

BU Dining Services, one of the event’s co-sponsors, catered the festival and offered vegan and nonvegan options, and guests had the opportunity to taste the difference between Impossible meat and traditional hamburgers.

A new aspect of this year’s festival was a waste audit, stemming from Executive Order 22, which works toward making New York state more sustainable. The audit is required for each building on campus every five years to assess what materials are being thrown out and if they are being properly disposed of.

“Once we do those audits, we assess what’s going on,” Larocca said. “And then we can start targeting those different types of materials and say, ‘Hey, this could’ve been recycled, this could have been composted, why wasn’t it? Do we not have the infrastructure for it?’ And if we don’t, let’s go through the process of making sure we can capture all of that.”

The next day, student organizations tabled outside the Nature Preserve for the third-annual Ecoblitz festival. Local conservationists and researchers gathered on campus to raise awareness about environmental conservation and biodiversity.

Attendees were encouraged to download the iNaturalist app to document observations of plant and animal species in the area. Organizers hosted guided walks through the Nature Preserve focused on identifying plants, fungi and birds that live in the 190-acre space.

Christina Baer, a research assistant professor for the University’s First-year Research Immersion Program, said that data will be collected and logged into the app for the next two weeks as part of this campaign.

“Everything on iNaturalist is publicly available, and a lot of it also goes to a database called GBIF, which is like a global biodiversity database,” Baer said. “So a lot of it does wind up getting used by scientists in various ways, as well as people who just want to know what something is or know more about what’s in their area.”

At noon, a climate change quilt exhibit was unveiled in the Fine Arts Building’s Grand Corridor. Each of the 27 quilts on display was made with upcycled fabric and other materials to raise awareness for various environmental issues, like climate migration, impacts on medical care, droughts, hurricanes and other disasters. More quilts were displayed in Science 1, focusing on biodiversity, species at risk, future generations who will be impacted by climate change and solutions to the crisis.

Pamela Mischen, the University’s chief sustainability officer, said the project’s goal is to convince other colleges to join and eventually assemble 1,000 quilts to lay out on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The project was inspired by the AIDS Memorial Quilt, which began in the 1980s to raise awareness for victims of the disease.

“Quilts traditionally have been made by scraps,” Mischen said in an interview. “So it’s a way of taking things that would have normally been considered waste and turning them into something practical and beautiful. So there’s that, and quilts were often made communally. Women, typically, would get together in what they would call quilting bees.”

“And so it was a social time as well as a productive time,” she continued. “And I think we need more of that. We need more getting together and doing things collectively.”

Mischen then introduced Meghan Fay Zahniser, executive director of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Zahniser announced that the University received a Campus Sustainability Achievement Award for its Binghamton 2 Degrees project, an initiative focusing how the local community must adapt to climate change.

After the unveiling, Mischen gave a keynote speech on the climate crisis and how people can live more sustainably. A Q&A session followed the talk.

On Sunday, climate justice organizations Zero Hour Binghamton, the University’s chapter of the New York Public Interest Research Group and Network for a Sustainable Tomorrow hosted EarthFest at Recreation Park, a celebration dedicated to combating climate anxiety.

“It’s really important to put a face with the idea of environmental importance and ecological importance,” Lee Hammond ‘24, who researches fungi in the Nature Preserve, said. “And just talking about it in more of a broad, sort of academic style, is useful but not always helpful in terms of the general public. So, to be able to get out and be talking with everyday people and communicating in ways that they can understand and interpret more easily without difficulty — it’s really a very important thing.”

Administrators, directors, professors and students gave remarks at the event. Attendees served themselves food from a buffet — house salad, macaroni salad, marinated chicken, stuffed peppers with black beans and rice and potatoes — and situated themselves at their tables.

Nick Martin, associate director of the Q Center; Leonel Diaz Jr., the center’s director for intercultural affairs; and Matthew Winston Jr., executive director for alumni engagement, gave opening remarks.

“Please, going forward, continue to gather in these types of spaces,” Martin said during the welcome address. “Continue to create these types of spaces. Because this is a two-hour celebration, but for you, going forward, you can continue to create these spaces for others that need these spaces.”

“That goes for everybody — if you’re graduating, if you’re here for another couple years, continue to create these spaces, because we need them now more than ever,” he continued.

Each table was adorned with a purple tablecloth, a centerpiece of lavender flowers and pouches of dried lavender for attendees to take home. Eddie Stakelum, a second-year master’s student studying student affairs administration and an LGBTQ+ Living Community graduate assistant, gave the graduate address. He shared his journey as a queer individual from high school to college and the importance of finding a community.

“Institutions of higher education and spaces like the Q Center and the LGBTQ Living Community are super important because it allows for people to find themselves,” Stakelum said. “The world can oftentimes feel very scary and overwhelming, but by knowing who you are and having people around you that will love and support you — that will help you weather the storm.”

Jade Doswell, assistant director for diversity, equity and inclusion for Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science, gave the keynote address. She shared her story as a lesbian who was raised Southern Baptist and a preacher’s child, and expressed the importance of staying true to yourself, regardless of what other people say or how current legislation affects the LGBTQ+ community.

A unique aspect of Lavender Celebration is the Pride Awards, where graduating students and faculty members are nominated based on their contributions to the University’s queer community. The awards included the OUTstanding Grad Award; Activism Award; “Sunshine” Award; Community Service Award; and Faculty/Staff Advocacy in Action Award. One award was given to a nominee from each category, along with a trophy.

Emily Leighton, president of Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and a senior majoring in mathematics, received the “Sunshine” Award. Sharing her excitement at receiving the award, she stressed the significance of the celebration and the work of LGBTQ+ individuals.

“It’s honestly so important that we’re still here and we’re still fighting for everything,” Leighton said. “Every day, every second that we are truly ourselves is honestly so important, and is just a good old honest fight for our lives. Just being me, using different pronouns and being in a space with them — it’s honestly so important that people like me continue to do the work that they are doing in this community.”

Following the Pride Awards was the graduate cording procession. Each graduate was announced and invited to the stage, where they received a rainbow cord to wear at their commencement ceremonies in May. Jason Tran, a graduate at the ceremony and a third-year master’s student studying public administration and social work, said it was important to uphold LGBTQ+ spaces.

“Sometimes being queer is kind of difficult with our current administration and everything,” Tran said. “And just being in a space with everyone, to actually celebrate our own identities but also our accomplishments, is so needed on this campus.”

Upon entering, we immediately took in the the restaurant’s ambience. Its eclectic decor included paper lanterns that provided a warm glow and colorful butterflies hanging from the ceiling. Paintings adorned the walls and ranged from a blue sky with clouds to the multiple iconic chihuahua portraits throughout the space. Pop music blended with chatter from customers ready to end their day with a delicious meal. Emzie and I were quickly seated by our server, Reagan, who led us to a two-person table in the center of the restaurant.

Lost Dog offers a three-course $30 Restaurant Week menu with options that blend classics from their regular options with unique additions like mofo fried shrimp, banana cake and Mexican chocolate tres leches cake. While I had already looked extensively at the menu and decided on what to order beforehand, we were amazed by the delicious array of dishes that we could choose from.

For the first course, I opted for the lemony hummus, while Emzie chose the caprese burrata. Both appetizers looked so good that we decided to split them. The hummus was creamy and flavorful, especially with the lemon juice, which gave it a tangy twist. There were tomatoes, cucumbers and warm pita to go with the dip. Our favorite, however, was the caprese burrata. At the heart of the dish was the burrata cheese with fresh basil pesto and sweet cherry tomatoes, and the crostini bread on the side provided a satisfying crunch. Overall, our first course was light and refreshing — perfect for spring.

Our second courses were both hearty positions of food and beautifully plated. Lost Dog is famous for its rigatoni ala vodka, so I absolutely had to order it for my entree. The vodka sauce was rich and creamy, and because I decided to try the dish “old school” with a pinch of cayenne pepper, there was a hint of spice that made it even more flavorful. Emzie opted for the grilled beef sirloin with demi butter, fondant potatoes and asparagus. They commented that the beef sirloin was juicy and delicious, especially with the added demi butter.

Dessert was by far our favorite course, especially because our waiter was generous enough to let us sample all three menu options: banana cake with salted caramel glaze, Mexican chocolate tres leches cake and black raspberry ice cream.

Emzie ordered the black raspberry ice cream, and I chose the tres leches cake. However, once the banana cake came out, we both dug into it and determined that it was our favorite dessert by far. It was fluffy with a sweet, fruity flavor, and the cream cheese frosting added a richness to it. We ate it quickly and continued discussing how delicious it was as we moved to the desserts we ordered. Emzie commented that Lost Dog had some of the best raspberry ice cream they had ever had, and my tres leches cake was moist and light. The chocolate was very subtle but still added richness to the cake, especially with cocoa powder sprinkled on top of the frosting.

Overall, we were extremely impressed with our experience. With its great food, lively atmosphere and attentive staff, Lost Dog Café & Lounge is the perfect place for a date or a chill night out with friends. While going out to eat can often be pricey for college students, Restaurant Week is a perfect way to see what Binghamton has to offer. A meal here is practically a right of passage for any student — so make sure to take advantage of this week’s menu and visit this Water Street eatery at least once.

“Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, begins on Friday at sundown and ends on Saturday evening,” Michal Levine, the president of Chabad and a senior majoring in Judaic studies, wrote in an email. “It is a time to step back from the distractions of daily life, connect with family and friends, and engage in prayer, meals, and reflection. The concept of Shabbat dates back thousands of years, and its observance has remained a cornerstone of Jewish tradition.”

“Shabbat 2400 at Binghamton University started as Shabbat 1000 in the Fall of 1994, the first large-scale campus Shabbat dinner of its kind,” Levine wrote. “Since then, it has grown exponentially and has inspired similar events at over 150 universities worldwide. Chabad hosts Shabbat 2400 to unite the Jewish community on campus, provide a meaningful and joyous Shabbat experience for students of all backgrounds, and foster a sense of belonging through shared traditions.”

Commencing promptly at 6 p.m., Shabbat 2400 kicked off with a performance by the Y-Studs, an all-male Jewish a cappella group hailing from Yeshiva University. They sang from a raised platform in the center of the room as the thousands of attendees found their seats for the night. Each table was garnished with challah bread, hummus, carrots, pretzels and pasta. University President Harvey Stenger gave the opening speech and recognized the hard work of those who contributed to Shabbat 2400’s success.

A unique aspect of this year’s celebration was a speech by Sam Salz from Texas A&M University. Known for being possibly the first-ever Orthodox Jew to make a Division I football roster, he shared what Judaism means to him and the importance of committing to your values — even when it is difficult. For Salz, prioritizing his athletic pursuits while adhering to the Torah and its principles — including the observance of Shabbat — allows him to celebrate his Jewish pride.

Chabad’s Shabbats have a record for gathering the most students in one place for a Shabbat dinner. Elizabeth Rubin, a spearhead for Shabbat 2400 and a junior majoring in psychology, expressed her excitement about the event’s turnout.

“Considering that they have a lot less people in other colleges — they have these Shabbat 1000s, but having 2,400 people in one room, the fact that we’re all here together is a very unified feeling,” Rubin said. “Seeing how the progression has gone from 1,000 to 2,400 just shows how much the community has grown and shows how many people want to just come here and celebrate Shabbat.”

Shabbat 2400 was made possible by Levine; Penina Kahane, the vice president of Chabad and a junior double-majoring in history and anthropology; Avigayil Simon, the major programs coordinator; and Liel Aghajani, the Greek liaison. It was also spearheaded by Ilan Blumenthal, Ashley Cohen, Avi Gordon and Rubin.

Students in Chabad created a video to share, where they highlighted what Shabbat means to them — including aspects like community, finding the light in dark times and keeping traditions that span generations alive. The video also included a portion where students expressed how their relationship with Shabbat has changed since Oct. 7. They discussed a rise in antisemitism and hate and expressed that it has felt increasingly important to stay close to the Jewish faith and community. The Y-Studs then performed a song, praying for the release of Israeli hostages.

“In the post October 7th era we find ourselves, this event takes on even greater significance,” Rabbi Levi Slonim, a co-director of Chabad Downtown and director of development with Chabad, wrote in an email. “As the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M Schneerson, always taught that darkness can only be banished with light, and hatred with indiscriminate love.”

Levine announced the winner of a free trip to Israel that was awarded to one attendee. The Y-Studs then performed various upbeat songs that encouraged students, parents and community members to gather around the a cappella group and dance with one another.

Abigail Keller, a freshman majoring in philosophy, politics and law who attended the Shabbat 2400, said this was her favorite part of the night.

“Although it was chaotic, there was a feeling of joy that I think everyone up and dancing together felt; no matter how stressful the week was, no matter what was going on outside that moment, everyone was welcoming in Shabbat with joy,” Keller wrote in an email. “For me, that’s what it’s all about.”

Following this lively portion of the event, Rivkah Slonim, associate director of Chabad, asked the Jewish women in attendance to approach the stage and light the Shabbat candles, which are lit before the sunset — marking the start of Shabbat and the event’s main course. Dozens of candles illuminated the center of the room as attendees put away their technology, embraced spirituality and community, and made their way to the buffets that served matzo ball soup, broccoli and potato kugel, chicken, salad and various desserts.

The night was not only a celebration of Jewish pride but a display of BU’s robust Jewish community. Jolie Mastey, kitchen manager for Chabad and a Day Of Committee member, expressed her gratitude for the community and leaders she has found through Chabad.

“Beyond the meals and gatherings, Rabbi Slonim and Mrs. Rivky Slonim are always there for us offering guidance, support, and a listening ear whenever we need it,” Mastey, a senior majoring in electrical engineering, wrote. “They truly care about each and every student, making Chabad a place where we feel valued and at home. Chabad fosters a warm, inclusive environment where I can connect with my Jewish identity, build lasting friendships, and experience the beauty of Shabbat and Jewish traditions. Their dedication to community, learning, and support has had a profound impact on my college experience.”

The event was coordinated by Goldie Ohana, director of programming and engagement for Chabad, and her husband. Ohana expressed her gratitude for BU and its community.

“We are eternally grateful to Binghamton University for being partners with us and creating a place where Jewish students feel safe and express their Jewish identity,” Ohana wrote in an email. “This event gives each individual a chance to think about their own journey, and be connected to the Jewish community.”

Rubin, who worked to increase attendance through tabling and social media, conveyed the importance of Shabbat 2400 being a space for everyone to have a good time and learn about Jewish culture.

“I think this is a really important event because it’s not only bringing the Jewish community, but it’s bringing people that aren’t Jewish together also,” Rubin said. “When I was tabling on campus, people were like, ‘Oh, but I’m not even Jewish,’ but that doesn’t even matter. This is Shabbat 2400 — this is for everybody to experience the joy and spirit of Shabbos.”

Kahane, Chabad’s vice president, echoed the sentiment.

“It provides an opportunity for students who celebrate Shabbat every week to connect, as well as for those who have never experienced the significance of Shabbat to do so,” Kahane wrote in an email. “Moreover, it represents who we are as a nation and a people — individuals who value one another, our principles, and our unity. Especially in these times, it is crucial for us to demonstrate our pride and strength, showing that we are here to stay.”

The national organization was founded 50 years ago in Los Angeles by civil engineer Rod Garcia as a response to the lack of diversity in engineering. Despite California’s technology boom at the time, Garcia’s workplace was primarily white, which stood in contrast to the rich blend of cultures seen throughout his city, so in response, he gathered Hispanic engineers with similar concerns. Ryan Saco, SHPE’s vice president and a senior majoring in computer engineering, expanded on the organization’s origin story.

“Together, they held meetings in his garage and shared their passions and ideas to contribute to diversifying the STEM field,” Saco wrote in an email. “That was how SHPE was born, and these stories of hispanics feeling lonely and unheard in the STEM field and just working in America, is something that our families and grandparents felt as well, so it is something worth fighting the long fight for.”

At a predominantly white institution, SHPE plays a crucial role in encouraging members of underrepresented groups to thrive in STEM. Janelle Mosquera, a co-fundraising chair and a sophomore majoring in environmental science, described its significance on campus.

“It’s so important to have SHPE at Binghamton University because our organization offers a supportive community for diverse students in STEM fields on campus,” Mosquera wrote in an email. “Historically STEM fields have been known to be dominated by specific demographic groups and with an organization like SHPE, there is more representation, support, and advocacy for those who may not be able to find it elsewhere.”

The organization aims to achieve its goal through hosting events in three primary categories: technical and professional, social, and cultural. Past professional and technical events have included LinkedIn workshops and building a go-kart, while activities like paint and sips, or Jarritos and Dibujitos, encourage connection with the general body and other organizations. On the cultural side, SHPE has hosted events like Loteria game nights and Recuerden su Cultura, where members discussed their own identities during Hispanic Heritage Month.

SHPE recently attended its biggest event where members flew out to Anaheim, California to attend the association’s national convention in November, allowing students to forge connections with like-minded colleagues and network for internships and jobs with top companies from around the world.

“In addition to our mission, we have access to countless alumni and resources from within Binghamton’s chapter as well as scholarships, mentorship, and conferences run by our national organization,” wrote Nicholas Reyes, the president of SHPE and a senior majoring in computer science, in an email. “In fact, our organization very consistently grants full funding to motivated students looking to attend the annual SHPE National Convention, which is the largest gathering of Hispanics in STEM in the country (last year’s convention garnered 15,000+ attendees).”

This semester, SHPE is set to host a soccer tournament and a Women in Stem panel — now called FLAMES — where women will share their advice and experiences from the workforce.

For many, SHPE’s community makes it a home away from home — a family of friends and a network of supporters on campus. The organization stresses that anyone is welcome to join, even if they aren’t Hispanic or a STEM major.

“The people I met here are all so amazing and I don’t see myself disconnecting from these people for a long time,” Saco wrote. “I miss the seniors in SHPE that graduated last year, but I still talk to them and even hang out in the city with them during breaks. I love all the people in this organization, and the great thing is that this organization gives back not only with life-long friendships, but with amazing opportunities to reach my professional goals and dream career.”

Reyes described how the vibrant community that SHPE has built has shaped his college experience academically and personally.

“As I look back on almost 4 years of an undergraduate degree, I’ve come to realize SHPE has been the most impactful thing I could have participated in,” Reyes wrote. “I’ve gained more professional opportunities and grown academically because of SHPE; however, while both of those are nice to have, they are not why I decided to lead and ultimately dedicate so much time to a student organization.”

“The community SHPE offers is unique,” he added. “They are simultaneously the type of people you can pull overnight study sessions with and struggle together with, but also have a good laugh with and enjoy procrastination while it lasts. SHPE is both a professional team and a home away from home. A Familia and a place to help grow into who you want to become.”

“Afahye is our annual banquet where we come together and we showcase our African culture through dance, the decor, the story being told and the food to the Binghamton public and those that might not be in tune with Africa or in tune with the culture and things of that nature,” Jadesola Teriba, the president of ASO and a senior double-majoring in psychology and philosophy, politics and law said. “We throw this event to celebrate ourselves, as ‘Afahye’ does mean celebration. So we throw it to celebrate ourselves and to celebrate our culture and to show everybody that.”

While every Afahye celebrates rich and diverse cultures that originate from Africa, this year’s theme brought an air of mystique by incorporating the African tradition of masquerade dancing and allowing attendees to take part in the theme by wearing their own masks.

At 6:30 p.m., the doors opened and guests were invited to find a seat at one of the banquet tables adorned with black tablecloths and silver masks. Each table’s centerpiece had a vase decorated with beads and a mask with protruding feathers. On the ceiling, draped white fabric illuminated by string lights added a soft, elegant ambiance to the space.

The celebration commenced with an opening scene that featured a performance by Afahye’s masquerade dancer Chidi Okoro, a sophomore majoring in computer engineering. Okoro was dressed in a traditional costume with a mask and danced around the crowd, often coming face to face with audience members or crouching low to the ground and moving with long, sweeping strides.

Teriba explained the history and significance of masquerades and this year’s theme.

“In Africa, masquerades are kind of super scary and it’s something that’s like, ‘oh, if you’re a bad kid the masquerade will come and get you,’” Teriba said. “The dance is beautiful, but it’s kind of scary because of how they’re embodied and so we wanted to redefine it and show people it’s not scary — it’s cool, it’s interesting. The lore behind our culture is interesting.”

Afahye’s first performances were part of scenes that portrayed different aspects of the night’s story and masquerade theme, including the entrance, a love scene and a heartbreak scene. While the masquerade dancer was the central figure of Afahye, groups of performers, many of whom are a part of ASO, brought the night to life and told the story through various types of dance, including a theatrical floor show. An appearance from One World Dance Team, Syracuse University’s first and only African dance team, ended the night of dance performances.

Opportunities for audience engagement occurred throughout the event, ranging from a game of musical chairs with contestants who represented different countries to a scavenger hunt.

The celebration’s menu offered an array of African dishes. For appetizers, fried yam and pepper was distributed to each table. Later in the evening, entrees included Jollof, Indomie stir fry, peppered chicken gizzard and chicken sausage, fried turkey, gob3 and sweet plantains with garri and African salad. The dessert course featured milo cupcakes and malt.

The goal of the Afahye was to honor African culture as a whole through music, dance and food. To celebrate the African identities of many Afahye attendees, there was a roll call for each African country and those influenced by the African diaspora.

“Basically, we’re trying to shorten a very broad African culture of celebration as one event so that the Binghamton community can understand the African diaspora,” said Angel Okoro, ASO’s fundraiser and a junior majoring in electrical engineering.

The evening’s goal was to concentrate on a prevalent aspect of African culture.

“This event is more to show who we are and to show everyone’s culture because there’s so much culture in Africa,” Rana Larry, an intern for ASO and a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said. “And it’s really hard to show each and every single one of them, but we try as hard to make sure everyone gets the time to show who they are and where they’re from.”

Teriba expressed the importance of the organization’s annual Afahye.

“Our goal is just to share our culture with the Binghamton community and let everybody in the diaspora know that we are here, and we wanna be heard,” Teriba said. “We wanna show you the great things that come from our culture and why we are so proud and have so much national pride in ourselves, and this event plays into it by doing just that. Showing the masquerade, we’re literally showing you our culture, and though some people might be scared, it’s not a scary thing, it’s moreso something that’s interesting that you should learn about.”

“Miss Asia: Inside Out” was themed after the movie franchise, and the cultural showcase and pageant featured six student contestants representing the Philippines, China, Japan, India and, for the first time, Uzbekistan and Laos.

“Miss Asia is an annual cultural pageant organized by the Vietnamese Student Association,” Winston Ong, VSA’s president and a senior majoring in mathematics, wrote in an email. “The event celebrates the rich diversity of Asian cultures represented within our community. Participants showcase their heritage through traditional attire, talent performances, and personal narratives. The primary goal is to promote cultural awareness, foster inclusivity, and empower Asian students by providing a platform to share their unique backgrounds and talents.”

Upon entering, attendees were given a pamphlet and tickets for a raffle that they could enter to win four prizes and an invitation for a selection of food that included tofu, white rice, chicken and broccoli and stir-fried vegetables before taking a seat. Guests ranged from students and alumni to representatives from schools part of the Northeast Union of Vietnamese Student Associations.

The Mandela Room was transformed into the “Inside Out” protagonist Riley’s mind, with cardboard cutouts of emotions like Embarrassment, Anger and even the elephant Bing Bong decorating the space. The lighting was on theme, washing the room in the colors that represented Riley’s emotions.

“We felt this concept resonated deeply with the event’s goals — showcasing the inner emotions, struggles, and triumphs of our diverse participants, while also celebrating how these emotions shape their outward cultural identities,” Ong wrote. “It’s a creative and relatable way to connect attendees with the stories behind the individuals they see on stage.”

Johnny Pham, VSA’s cultural events coordinator and a junior double-majoring in biology and Spanish, had been a part of Miss Asia 2024’s planning since the end of last semester. He described the event’s importance.

“It really is a great way to bring all the Asian communities [together] on campus and in addition to [providing] other organizations such as other cultural communities that aren’t specifically Asian [with cultural knowledge],” Pham said. “I think they also have a great time.”

The pageant consisted of five rounds — an introductory catwalk where contestants sported their country’s flag; a cultural catwalk that showcased traditional outfits from their represented countries and an outfit of their choice; a talent portion; a costume walk where the contestants dressed as “Inside Out” characters; and a final walk and Q&A that highlighted the contestant’s respective cultures and social and political issues they hoped to raise awareness for.

EJ Arturo, who represented the Philippines and is a junior majoring in nursing, explained why she chose to compete in Miss Asia 2024.

“I did it for my [organization] first and foremost,” Arturo said. “I wanted them to have a good experience at Miss Asia because I’ve been to these things before. It’s so fun when you are able to support someone in it. I’m in the Philippine-American League, and I’ve been in it since my freshman year. I’ve been to Miss Asia before and I’ve had people in the [organization] that I’m really close to do this so it’s honestly an honor to continue the tradition.”

The cultural catwalk gave contestants the chance to showcase traditional and modern dances. Some performances included Miss India, Ashwathi Chemban, a sophomore majoring in biochemistry, performing three different styles of Indian dance — classical, Bollywood and South Indian — in a traditional sari, and Miss China, Rose Deutsch, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, performing a graceful fan dance in a modern Qipao.

Other traditional garb and performances included a traditional Philippine folk dance performance by Arturo in a Filipiniana dress, and Miss Japan, Cocoro Kitagawa, a sophomore majoring in anthropology, who performed a parasol dance in a Kimono.

Sharon Zohirova, a senior double-majoring in economics and philosophy, politics and law who represented Uzbekistan, performed a Bukhara dance in a vest made from Adras, a handmade fabric part of Uzbek culture. Zohirova said how the song she danced to, “Nazar Nazar” by Sardor Rahimxon, sings about a “Samarkand Flower,” and how her family is from the city of Samarkand.

This year’s pageant also included a lion dance from the Rutgers University Vietnamese Cultural Dance Crew, whose performance was met with roaring applause as the dancers leaped into the air and moved in sync with one another beneath their elaborate costumes. The performance also included a video narrating a tragic love triangle between the three lions, much to the audience’s amusement.

The pageant encouraged audience participation with games and raffles in between rounds. Games included charades where participants had to guess the emotion being portrayed, musical chairs and a scavenger hunt. Raffle prizes included gift cards, a mini projector, Bubble Skincare products and a JBL Speaker.

Contestants’ performances varied greatly, especially in round three’s talent portion. Kitagawa performed a martial arts dance consisting of jump kicks and punches in sync with her backup dancers. Hayden Sokkoth, a sophomore majoring in Korean studies representing Laos, gave a bold improv dance. Sokkoth explained why she competed in this year’s pageant.

“What really pushed me to do it is the fact that Laos has been so [underrepresented],” Sokkoth said. “I wanted to take this chance to find a community on campus because right now, it feels like I’m the only Laos person on campus, so I hope that I brought a community out.”

Zohirova expressed a similar sentiment, as Miss Asia’s first representative of Uzbekistan.

“I hope people learn a little bit about Uzbek culture,” Zohirova said. “I’m glad to be representing it and I’m hoping this opens up the door for other Uzbek girls to come and perform at Miss Asia. I’d love to see it, and just other underrepresented cultures to do the same.”

The three finalists, Chemban, Zohirova and Sokkoth, moved on to a Q&A portion of the pageant, where they answered the question “Why Miss Asia?” and discussed an issue in their country that they felt needed more awareness. Sokkoth expressed concerns about Laos’ economy relying on tourists, while Chemban and Zohirova highlighted issues of women’s rights in India and Uzbekistan and the progress they hope will be made.

Ultimately, Zohirova was crowned as VSA’s 2024 Miss Asia. She expressed her gratitude for her fellow contestants, VSA and her experience as Miss Uzbekistan.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” Zohirova said. “I didn’t know how heartfelt it could be, I never imagined that I would be almost tearing up on stage. I feel like usually I’m a good public speaker but I really was at a loss for words but I’ve loved the whole experience.”

Once again, VSA’s Miss Asia pageant showcased the diversity of BU’s Asian community, especially with this year’s representation of Lao and Uzbek cultures. Hailee Tran, VSA’s secretary and a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, expressed what she hopes attendees took from Miss Asia 2024.

“I hope attendees leave with a deeper appreciation for the rich cultures within the Asian community,” Tran wrote. “Whether learning something new, feeling inspired by the contestants, or enjoying the performances, I want everyone to feel connected and enriched, gaining insight into different cultures through dance, music, and speeches.”

Titled “Roman Religion and the Citizens of Empire, 200-450 CE,” the lecture was delivered by Carl Rice, a visiting assistant professor of Greek and Roman studies at Vassar College, whose research related to his dissertation. The fall lecture series is linked to the graduate seminar “Religion in Late Antiquity,” taught by Nathanael Andrade, the chair of Binghamton University’s history department.

Elizabeth Casteen, an associate professor of history and the director of CEMERS, explained the goal of the center’s lectures.

“We have been hosting conferences and speakers series essentially since the Center’s founding,” Casteen wrote in an email. “The goal has always been to highlight interdisciplinary research into the premodern world, with a particular emphasis on the Middle Ages and Renaissance. For a long time now, we have run two Speakers Series per year — one each semester. One is always tied to MDVL 501, an interdisciplinary graduate seminar that highlights new research and methodological and theoretical questions being debated by scholars.”

Rice, a former student of Andrade, earned his Ph.D. in classics and history and teaches courses on Roman history and society. His research primarily focuses on late Roman culture, and his upcoming book explores normative religious identities in the late Roman Empire.

“When I just started teaching, he was an undergraduate, but he’s gone on since then to Yale University, where he recently got his degree, and he’s written a fascinating dissertation which is gonna make an excellent book,” Andrade said. “When we’re organizing this series, we’re trying to bring in scholars from different phases of their careers — some are very, very well established, some are up-and-coming rising stars, and I think of him as a rising star.”

The lecture was divided into three parts focusing on late Roman law and religion — religious ideals and enslavement, religion and enslaved property, and religion and legal action. Rice also strived to answer two key questions within his three-part talk — “Why did late Roman rulers become so interested in legislating religious identity from the third century onward?” and “What motivated emperors to legislate religion the ways that they did?”

“For much of their history, the Romans didn’t care much about religious difference, at least not from a legal point of view,” Rice explained in his lecture’s introduction, focusing on the Roman Empire before its increased religious persecution. “With only a few brief exceptions, Roman lawmakers of the so-called classical period did not actively legislate matters of religion. So long as individuals were present at collective civic rituals, participated as was appropriate to their station, showed the obeisance to imperial rulers, paid their taxes and didn’t cause any trouble, the Romans largely left what we might today call minority religious communities alone.”

The first part of Rice’s talk on the late Roman Empire focused on enslavement caused by religious identity. He explained how a person’s religious identity came to determine their societal status, like Christians from imperial households being enslaved. However, there were also laws put in place that could free a slave if they were forced to follow their enslavers’ religious practices. Rice concluded this section by stating that Roman law created pathways to enslavement or freedom based on someone’s religious identity.

He continued by highlighting the different ways Romans could lose property based on their religion, explaining how this was a result of Roman imperial leaders wanting to enforce religious norms and require conformity to them.

The third part of the lecture focused on religion and being able to take legal action. Rice explained how Christians were often unable to take legal action against others due to their religion and how, at one point in late Roman antiquity, litigants were required to perform a sacrifice to engage in legal proceedings, which prevented many from taking part. Rice emphasized this aspect of the lecture by showing a picture of a papyrus letter from a man to his wife confirming the requirement of a sacrifice and his refusal to take part in it.

The lecture ended with a Q&A that allowed attendees to ask questions about the lecture and aspects of Rice’s research outside his dissertation.

Liam Malloy, an attendee at the event and a first-year graduate student in history, explained his favorite aspect of the lecture.

“[My] favorite part was how he broke it down really easily, very simple, especially the three ways he defined Roman law,” Malloy said. “Some of the professors can get a little bit too in the weeds with things here, especially in the three-hour seminars, so it was nice how clear it was.”

Andrade described the significance of this fall’s lecture series.

“I think a big theme of this particular series is that we were thinking about issues of civic belonging and exclusion, and very often about the forms of violence that happens with civic exclusion, or people trying to impose a hegemonic perspective on how people should be, or behave or what they should be like,” Andrade said. “I think it’s important for us to explore all that together, and so when we did the series, that’s one reason why we were trying to center perspectives that are typically on the margins of the narrative of late antiquity, because those were the people that were typically harmed by the dominant perspective.”

“In the Garden of Z,” is a new, all-female play written by Sean and Jelizaveta Robinson. Studying the issue of propaganda through the eyes of a 17-year-old Russian girl named Sabina, the production will follow her as she responds to the Ukraine war and examines how the nature of propaganda and ideology can divide communities.

Director James Michalec MA ‘13, the founder of Face It! Theatre, discussed central themes that will be explored throughout the play.

“It deals with very heavy material such as violence, colonization, imperialism, ideology and what happens when ideologies are carried to an extreme,” Michalec said. “One of the brilliant things that’s in this play is that we have these strands of those things coming together, weaving themselves together with our current crisis of the Ukraine war. In that sense it makes the play extremely relevant.”

Michalec has added his own creative touches to the play — including a violin solo by Andy Chadwick, 37, of Binghamton, and a dance routine choreographed by Ania Nikulina, a research assistant professor of German and Russian studies and a lecturer of theatre.

Face It! Theatre’s productions deal with current issues that affect everybody, and this play will be no different. Dori Ganisin of Binghamton, who will be playing the role of Ludmilla — Sabina’s mother and a supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin — described how the play’s issue of propaganda is personal and relevant for many people.

“It really does point out that it’s not just Russia that has propaganda, it’s the U.S. as well,” Ganisin said. “And we can see it in the political scene right now — the mudslinging and the lies, you don’t know what to believe anymore, so I think that is really important for people to see.”

Dana Malikova-Buralkiyeva, the actress playing Olga, a Russian journalist, also takes this play personally. A current first-year graduate student studying political science, she spent the past seven years working with Russian propaganda through journalism in her home country of Kazakhstan.

“I fight Russian propaganda and I take war in Ukraine very personally because that means a lot especially on a human level to me,” Malikova-Buralkiyeva said. “When I heard about this play I wanted to be involved somehow. Things went this way that I’m playing a journalist, which is my actual major. This is a play about Russian propaganda and this is what I’ve been living for [the] last three years.”

Face It! Theatre is constantly looking for new material to work with, and “In the Garden of Z” perfectly applies to the company’s mission with its relevance to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Michalec said that because the company is a social justice and political theater, the current conditions that people are living in are what drives the company to continue putting on productions.

Nina Varano of Endwell, the actress playing Agnessa, discussed the importance of a play about the Ukraine war.

“Just putting it on,” Varano said. “Even for people who don’t see it, I think it’s important that people see that there are already artistic cultural movements like this that are happening, that are relevant now.”

Alexandra Blum, the actress playing Sabina and a senior majoring in theatre, expressed what she hopes people will get out of the upcoming production.

“I just really hope that people come with an open mind, an open heart and are able to hear every character out,” Blum said. “Because every single character is fighting for something, and there’s something deeper within them that makes them do that. It’s good to see how the nature of people come about, how these problems arise and how they affect the general public.”

Like all of Face It! Theatre’s productions, “In the Garden of Z” will be free to the public. The play will be performed at the First Congregational Church Theatre on Nov. 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 3 and 10 at 2 p.m.

SHADES, an organization for LGBTQ+ students of color, hosted their fourth-annual Vogue Ball this past Saturday in Old Union Hall. This year’s theme, “Haunted Ball,” embraced the spirit of Halloween with spider webs and skeleton decorations and E-Board members, performers and attendees alike dressed in extravagant costumes.

The organization’s Vogue Ball celebrates the Ballroom-Drag culture created by Black and Latine individuals. Originally founded by a Black, formerly enslaved man named William Dorsey Swann in the 1880s, the balls provided a space for free expression through performance and fashion throughout the early 20th century.

Between the ‘60s and ‘80s in Harlem, voguing became part of the New York Ballroom scene. The dance style drew inspiration from the poses of models in fashion magazines like Vogue and has become a symbol of self-expression and representation for the LGBTQ+ community. Widad Ibrahim, a SHADES general intern and a sophomore majoring in biochemistry, emphasized the importance of the culture that was created.

“It was made as a way to spark defiance between the cis and heteronormative standards of society,” Ibrahim said. “When people can finally come to a place to express themselves through clothing and dance, which is such a sacred art, they learn community and they learn how to be proud of who they are while expressing themselves.”

“Haunted Ball” was emceed by Luis Hernandez ‘24 and Nashaan Howard ‘24. The two SHADES alumni introduced this year’s E-Board, ramped up the audience for each performance and gave entertaining commentary throughout the night. Eshi Choi, the organization’s president and a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, explained the purpose of the Vogue Balls.

“It’s our major event that we throw every fall semester,” Choi said. “It’s really just to highlight queer voices of color, predominantly Black and brown voices, who have fought in the face of adversity and oppression to express themselves and show their true selves regardless of fear, or objection or the backlash they receive.”

The ball commenced with a performance by MajorNoir, BU’s Black majorette dance team. Dressed in black and red leotards, their performance began with an eerie melody, especially playing into the theme when the song transitioned into Beyonce’s “Haunted.” Their performance ended with “Crazy” by Doechii, where they exited the room in a single-file line. The dancers received cheering and applause from the audience throughout their routine.

A performance by professional voguers Evie Birkin and Jay Valentino followed, making this year’s Vogue Ball especially memorable. With four total performances throughout the night, the professional performers were a testament to the event’s popularity at BU. Alex Clarin, SHADES’ senior advisor majoring in biology, said that the event has continued to grow from previous years.

This year drew a large audience as well, with almost every seat full of attendees dressed in Halloween costumes and cheering for the performers and contestants. It featured four categories where audience members could walk and compete for trophies. They included “Femme Realness,” “Butch Realness,” “OTA” — open to all — and lip sync performance.

Ayman Habib, a general intern for SHADES and a sophomore majoring in computer science, performed for the second year in a row at “Haunted Ball.” While he had previously performed in the lip sync category, he was invited to be a featured performer this year and danced to “Haunted” by Beyonce, making for a full circle moment from the event’s first performance before a brief intermission.

“Last year for me, at least, it was a little scarier because I was putting myself out there,” Habib said. “Whereas this year, it feels like I’m just coming back to do what I know. Last year I found the space, this year I know it’s a safe space.”

A new dance team on campus, “Collision,” made their debut at the event and danced to “Gangsta” by Kehlani and “Calling All the Monsters” by China Anne McClain.

Jessica Guerrier, a sophomore majoring in musical theatre, performed in the lip sync category this year to “MONTERO” by Lil Nas X and was met with applause throughout her performance. They discussed the importance of the annual Vogue Ball.

“It’s hard for a marginalized group to come together — on a campus like this, it’s pretty hard,” Guerrier said. “It’s nice that SHADES is able to throw an event like this every year. You don’t have to have any experience, you don’t have to actually be in it, but just being able to go and see people perform and interact with the people I relate to on such a personal level is really nice.”

After a night full of performances and competitions, the “Haunted Ball” came to an end. Many attendees and E-Board members stayed long after the event to enjoy the music and dance with one another. Choi expressed her gratitude for SHADES as a whole.

“I think that the multicultural community and the queer community here at Binghamton are what make life so beautiful and allow for us to experience things that we might not have been able to experience at this predominantly white institution,” Choi said. “That we as an organization are able to provide the student body with opportunities that they might not have faced going to a university like this is something that makes us really special. Especially when our E-Board is comprised of so many different people of so many different backgrounds and identities, it’s really just a beautiful amalgamation of what I think makes life and existence as a whole beautiful in this special bubble that I get to exist in here.”

For this season’s Restaurant Week, Downtown by Chef Jay Pisculli offered a three-course dinner with an array of options to choose from for the price of $35. The menu featured fall dishes, such as gnocchi with a butternut squash sauce and apple cinnamon cronuts for dessert.

Upon entering the establishment, my photographer, Jacob, and I were greeted by our attentive and friendly server, Morgan, and brought to our table. Seated in the middle of the restaurant, we were able to truly appreciate the luxurious atmosphere, which combined industrial architecture with natural aspects such as falling vines, potted plants and a bright green backbar. The space was lit by warm light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, creating a dim glow and cozy ambiance.

For appetizers, Jacob chose the DT fries, while I opted for the chicken taquitos. The service was quick, and we were able to dive into our first course in no time. Since both dishes looked delicious, we decided to split them. The DT fries were classic french fries topped with pecorino romano and crispy herbs with parmesan aioli on the side. They were perfectly crispy, and the grated cheese on top with the side sauce gave them a unique flavor. The chicken taquitos were my personal favorite — consisting of adobo braised chicken in a crispy taco shell, topped with lime crema, corn veloute, cilantro and jalapeno. The lime crema drizzled on top added a refreshing tang, which went well with the savory chicken.

Choosing our entrees proved to be difficult, as all of them looked absolutely delicious. In the end, Jacob selected the New York strip steak and I chose the gnocchi. Adding to the exceptional dining experience, our server Morgan had Jacob pick his favorite steak knife before our entrees came out. She even let me pick one out, even though I didn’t actually need it. Jacob commented that his steak was cooked to perfection with a nice crust. The steak was topped with a savory black garlic steak sauce, which was complemented by whiskey onion rings and horseradish aioli.

The gnocchi I chose was coated in a creamy, sweet butternut squash sauce topped with sage, crispy kale and pistachio. This dish was bursting with flavors and unlike anything I’ve tried before. I was pleasantly surprised by the pistachios, which gave the gnocchi a satisfying crunch. Overall, it was a delectable blend of textures and flavors.

Dessert was the course that I had been most looking forward to, and it didn’t disappoint. The menu offered four options — apple cinnamon cronuts, chocolate cronuts, coconut milk panna cotta and an espresso martini. Jacob and I both opted for the cronuts, but he chose the apple cinnamon ones while I went for the chocolate ones. The pastries were mouth-watering, with a flaky, crispy exterior and delicious flavors. The apple cinnamon cronuts were the perfect fall dessert with a warm, fruity filling, while the chocolate ones had a rich and savory chocolate ganache.

Jacob and I agreed that our dining experience was unmatched in quality, atmosphere and service. While it may be a little expensive for a college student, a dinner here is undoubtedly worth the price. Whether you go for Restaurant Week or are looking for the perfect spot for a date night, a meal at Downtown by Chef Jay Pisculli is bound to exceed your expectations.

Southern Tier Actors Read performed three readings of Anton Chekhov’s play, “The Cherry Orchard,” in the Phelps Mansion Museum’s ballroom this past weekend.

“The Cherry Orchard” is set in the waning years of the Russian Empire and follows the Gayev family. Owners of a once-prosperous estate, the Gayevs grapple with its approaching sale, financial struggles and the decline of the Russian aristocracy. Their estate includes their greatest asset, the cherry orchard, which holds fond memories for the family. However, following the sale of their home to Yermolay Lopakhin, a businessman raised as a peasant, the orchard is set to be chopped down and turned into cottages leased to summer visitors.

Director James Michalec MA ‘13, also the owner of the Face It! Theatre Company, shared the play’s central themes.

“’The Cherry Orchard’ itself is a complex play that one can spend a lot of time unpacking,” Michalec said. “Covering things from the changes in late 19th-century Russia, the breakdown of social classes, the rise of new classes of people, particularly the serfs who had been freed and also businessmen.”

Taking place only a few years before the 1905 Russian Revolution, “The Cherry Orchard” depicts the late condition of the Tsarist Empire, where the noble class was quickly losing its lavish lifestyle after the emancipation of their serfs in 1861 and the subsequent rise of capitalists.

While the play is a comedy, it includes tragic aspects like the Gayev family’s loss of their beloved estate and way of life. An example of these intertwined tragic and comedic aspects is the character of Mrs. Lyuba Ranevsky, owner of the estate and its cherry orchard who cannot process that she is losing everything. Lisa Dutcher, of Endicott, played the role in the reading. She described what it was like to portray the character.

“I found her to be incredibly interesting and a bit challenging to portray, just because she has so many different switches in her mood,” Dutcher said. “She’s crying, she’s laughing, she’s ordering servants, she’s excited to be home. I think she also is pretty naive at times about the fact that her most treasured orchard is going to be sold, and then eventually when she realizes it is happening, she falls apart and she doesn’t know how to deal with it.”

Since the performance was a reading, there was minimal movement and technical aspects included, and the actors were lined up behind stands. The stage directions were read aloud at the start of each act to provide the audience with the necessary context, however, the actors used parts of the museum to help tell the story.

“We used the double doors back there,” Michalec said. “Constantly people were coming in and coming out. We had voices behind the door, we had noises behind the door when someone falls down the stairs, and we also use the stage, which is not where we’re standing in the performance. But we use the stage at the very end to establish the demise of the estate and the cherry orchard and a social class and a way of life as the head butler lies clearly at the end of his life.”

While the butler, Firs, played by Bill Gorman, 88, of Binghamton, was only in a few scenes, his character represented the death of the Russian aristocracy. After the sale of the estate at the end of the reading, he is accidentally left behind when the Gayevs leave. In the final scene, there is movement as Gorman climbs onto the stage and acts out Firs’ death, forgotten by the family he served.

Pat Chadwick, 74, of Wappingers Falls, New York, was an attendee who had previously read the play. He described the importance of Firs’ character.

“I loved the old butler, Firs,” Chadwick said. “He didn’t have that many speaking parts and really was a background character as I read the play, but when it was performed I saw that he was the historical context and conscience of the play.”

With little more than their scripts and stands, the actors successfully brought their rendition of “The Cherry Orchard” to life. A blend of comic and tragic elements, the reading gave viewers a unique way to connect to Chekhov’s famous play and its cultural context.

Michalec emphasized the message of Chekhov’s play.

“Change brings with it the good and the bad,” Michalec said. “When change occurs as social orders break down, we really don’t know what’s going to happen next. I think ‘The Cherry Orchard’ underscores what happens to relationships, what relationships look like when they’re under strain and when they begin to break down and that applies through time. Those circumstances change, but the lessons of change and what they do to us remain the same.”

Deemed the “Serling Centennial,” this year’s annual festival marked Serling’s 100th birthday, in addition to the 65th anniversary of the 1959 debut of “The Twilight Zone,” the series he created. To celebrate, the foundation’s annual SerlingFest was bigger and better than ever, spanning three days of events and closing with a statue dedication at Recreation Park.

The six-time Emmy award-winning writer was not only celebrated for his famous work but for his activism and fight for social justice both on and off the screen. According to the foundation, Serling “was known as the ‘angry young man’ of Hollywood, clashing with television executives and sponsors over a wide range of issues including censorship, racism, and war.”

Serling used much of his television writing to speak on political issues while providing viewers with the novel entertainment he is known for. With appearances by Serling’s daughters, foundation presenters and guest speakers, SerlingFest 2024 successfully captured unique aspects of Serling’s life and career.

Nicholas Parisi, 54, the president of the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation, discussed the writer’s fondness for the city of Binghamton.

“This was his hometown, and he was never shy about professing his love for his hometown,” Parisi said. “There are people who, once they become successful, they may shy away from their hometown. They may cover up their roots, they may not want to admit where they came from, as if they were just born in Hollywood and that’s where they were developed. But Rod was never shy about saying ‘Binghamton’s my hometown,’ and he dramatized his love for his hometown throughout ‘The Twilight Zone’ and other scripts as well.”

SerlingFest began in the Broome County Forum Theatre at 6 p.m. on Friday with a video marathon that showcased a variety of Serling’s works, from his first script produced on national television titled “Grady Everett For the People,” to episodes from his post-Twilight Zone western series “The Loner.” The night ended with a showing of two “The Twilight Zone” episodes titled “In Praise of Pip” and “Deaths-Head Revisited” introduced by Anne Serling, 69, one of Serling’s daughters and author of “As I Knew Him: My Dad, Rod Serling.”

Saturday’s events, commencing at 10 a.m. and lasting the entire day, featured a video tribute to Serling, multiple presentations, a Q&A and a raffle drawing.

Each presentation shared a unique aspect of Serling’s work and influence. For example, renowned music journalist and foundation member Gail Flug described how “The Twilight Zone” influenced the worlds of rock ‘n’ roll and pop, from Rush’s studio album 2112 featuring a song titled “The Twilight Zone” to allusions to the television series within songs, like Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me.”

Mark Dawidziak, 68, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, described Serling’s impact on his home state from his time as a student at Antioch College, as well as plans to honor Serling’s legacy with a historical marker on the campus. A foundation member and the author of “Everything I Need To Know I Learned in the Twilight Zone,” a collection of life lessons and morality tales, Dawidziak said Serling’s works wield immense influence today.

“There are very few writers who wrote of their time and yet are timeless,” Dawidziak said. “In fact, a lot of ‘Twilight Zone’ episodes are more relevant, more resonant today, than when he was writing them.”

Mark Olshaker, 73, an Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker, a foundation member and a close friend of Serling, discussed the filmmaker’s social conscience and how it informed his life and work along with Dawidziak and Anne Serling in a panel presentation and Q&A.

“Rod was only a professional writer for 25 years, from the premiere of ‘Grady Everett for the People’ in 1950, until he died in June of 1975,” Olshaker said. “He was really a comet across the heavens. The amount of work he did in 25 years is just staggering, and we’re all influenced by that.”

On Sunday, SerlingFest came to a close with the unveiling of Serling’s statue in Recreation Park. Serling grew up only a few miles from the park and played there as a young boy.

Lissa Connelly, 66, of Binghamton, and a retired teacher who was part of the Fifth Dimension Curriculum program that teaches fifth graders about Serling and his messages of social justice, attended SerlingFest. She described the importance of keeping Serling’s spirit alive.

“His messages are timeless, whether they were written in ‘59, ‘57 or could’ve been written in 2024 — racism, tolerance, fascism, conformity, scapegoating, it’s just pretty powerful,” Connelly said. “With everything that’s going on in this world right now, I think we need him, and this statue is going to be a profound reminder of his words and what we need to do as a society.”

The bronze statue overlooks the park and Serling’s childhood home, depicting him in his iconic narration pose from “The Twilight Zone,” with the words “you unlock this door with the key of imagination” engraved into the doorway he walks out of.

The park served as the inspiration for the famous “The Twilight Zone” episode titled “Walking Distance,” one of Serling’s most personal works that follows a man who is unhappy with his life finding himself in his old hometown in the same period as when he was a boy.

Anne Serling, in her dedication remarks, said her father was shaped by his childhood near Recreation Park and his nostalgia for Binghamton.

“Every summer, when we came east, my dad would leave our cottage and take an annual pilgrimage back to Binghamton,” she said. “He would drive by his house on Bennett Avenue and make his way here to Recreation Park, sit on the bench and watch the merry-go-round. It seems only fitting that the statue would be erected here.”

The LUMA Projection Arts Festival, founded in 2015 by a street photographer, film editor and event planner, has since evolved into one of Binghamton’s biggest annual events, showcasing the work of artists from around the world, engineers, city workers and designers who have dedicated themselves to the success of the yearly festival. With powerful projectors and 3D animation, Binghamton’s buildings were transformed into an outdoor art gallery that visitors can view in any order they choose.

This year’s LUMA celebrated the 100th birthday of Rod Sterling, the creator of “The Twilight Zone” and a famous screenwriter who called Binghamton his hometown. The installations varied greatly when it came to artistic style and theme. “Reverie” by Glitch, paid tribute to the Surrealism movement, exploring different phases of sleep by bending abstract forms with imagined landscapes. “Zodiac” by Maxin10sity, explored the meaning of each of the 12 astrological signs with a stylized steampunk twist.

Tara Lange, 30, of Binghamton, described her favorite aspects of “Zodiac.”

“I liked that it was really bright and colorful, and how every different horoscope sign was different from each other, so that was really cool to see,” Lange said. “It was a little bit slower, which I kind of enjoyed, because I could really take in the lights and the technique of all of the art and designs.”

Another display was the “Peg Johnston Living Lights Project,” previously called “Mural Mapping,” which was a community-inspired initiative that allowed artists of all backgrounds to share their works by having them projected at 34 Court St.

“Neon Nexus: An Organic Awakening” by Mindscape Studio, was a fusion of Art Nouveau and Art Deco with sci-fi elements. It featured stone facades and chrome-plated insects that symbolized nature’s guardians. Olivia Graham, a junior majoring in English, shared her favorite aspects of the festival and her interpretation of the piece.

“The sci-fi elements and insects contrasting with the more classical looking architecture really was interesting to see,” Graham wrote in an email. “To me, it represented how art and society has continued to change over time.”

“Casual Fusion” by Los Romeras was a visual depiction of the fundamental elements that make us human. It explored how knowledge allows us to paint our lives with music and art — exemplified by the projection creating illusions of scrolls protruding out of the structure’s windows and the building being splattered with colorful paint.

“BLUE³” by Ruestungsschmie.de was a reflection of the color blue as part of the American flag. The piece was divided into three phases — vigilance, perseverance and justice.

“The projection technology is really unique,” Lange said. “It’s something like I’ve never seen. It’s a different form of art that’s just not really accessible that easily to people, so that was really cool to see on each different building.”

Roberta Villaça, a first-year graduate student studying political science, shared why she believes LUMA is important.

“There are a lot of BU students here who are not from Binghamton,” Villaça said. “So it’s really cool to have events like this so people can actually get to know more of the city.”

Every piece featured at this year’s LUMA was meaningful and extravagant, showcasing the works of artists from around the world and supporting vendors from the Binghamton area. A combination of visual and audio effects, the annual festival continues to provide visitors with a unique glimpse into the stories of global communities and inspire creativity.

The Binghamton University Art Museum’s newest exhibition unites generations of Haudenosaunee artists to share their historical relationship and reciprocity to the land across New York state.

Hosted this past Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the exhibition’s opening reception featured remarks by Anthony Gonyea, a faithkeeper for the Onondaga Nation, and Luanne Redeye, 39, of Berkeley, California, a guest curator of the exhibition and an assistant professor of art practice at the University of California, Redeye taught at BU in the art and design department from 2019-2023.

“Homelands: Contemporary Haudenosaunee Art Across New York” focuses on Haudenosaunee artwork and practices and brings artists together to convey their connection to the land. The exhibition and the works featured are a visual form of knowledge-sharing and an invitation to reconnect with historically Indigenous land through mediums like photography, beadwork designs and documentary.

While Redeye, an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians and Hawk Clan, has exhibited her artwork in various galleries and exhibitions, this was their first curating experience. Similar to the themes explored in Redeye’s own work, her goal for this exhibition was to shed light on Indigenous culture and experiences.

“The Homelands exhibition began with a conversation with Claire Kovacs, the previous BUAM Curator,” Redeye wrote in an email. “I approached her after considering what actions I could take as faculty to bring forward Native voices and representation on the Binghamton campus. Claire was immediately on board with an exhibition showcasing Haudenosaunee artwork.”

The exhibition displays artwork made with or representing materials from the surrounding area, such as baskets made from black ash trees and paintings honoring the Three Sisters — corn, beans and squash — which are significant aspects of the Haudenosaunee Creation Story.

“Organic materials, such as clay, bark, and quills, are culturally tied, bringing forward a connection to the landscape,” Redeye wrote. “Clay is unique for its ability to record time and culture because there is memory in the land, imprints of people and communities. It’s those imprints that I was thinking about throughout the exhibition’s curation.”

At the gallery’s center is an enlarged photograph of a woman in Seneca-style attire standing in a cornfield. This piece, a part of Hayden Haynes’ photo series “The Spirit of the Corn,” is surrounded by a corn installation that occupies floor space, asserting Native presence on ancestrally Indigenous land. The corn also represents the harvest, typically led by Haudenosaunee women and is a gathering of teaching and storytelling.

While Haynes, 41, of the Seneca Nation of Indians Deer Clan who works from the Seneca-Allegany territory in western New York, has been doing photography for five years, his main art practice is antler carvings — also displayed in the exhibition. His work with antlers is a part of his goal as an artist to revive and celebrate traditional Haudenosaunee practices.

“Sometimes it can be historical ideas,” Haynes said. “Because there’s not a lot of antler carvers out there anymore that are Haudenosaunee. Part of my goal is to revive antler carving again, because it’s an ancient practice that our ancestors did … My goal is to show it so that it might inspire somebody to take up the art form too.”

Gonyea, a maker of Haudenosaunee wampum belt replicas and a wood and stone carver, also had works featured in the exhibition. Wampum belts serve as a vital part of Haudenosaunee culture, serving as invitations to other nations for council meetings and as records of important events.

This semester’s main gallery exhibition not only highlights the collaboration between museum field professionals and Haudenosaunee artists but also the need to keep Indigenous voices and culture represented further away from their territories. Redeye shared the significance of cultivating Indigenous expression.

“The exhibition is important because it brings forward the voices, perspectives, and talent of Haudenosaunee artists,” Redeye wrote. “It’s also an opportunity for Native students on campus and native folks in the Binghamton community to feel seen and reflected in the work. Speaking to Contemporary Art in general, it is rare for Native folks to enter a space and feel held by the work.”

“Homelands: Contemporary Haudenosaunee Art Across New York” will be on display from Sept. 5 to Dec. 7.

The Student Association Programming Board is set to bring singer, songwriter and actor Ross Lynch to Binghamton University. The event will take place on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Anderson Center and include an interview, a Q&A session and a subsequent performance by Lynch.

Promoted as “An Evening with Ross Lynch” as part of their Insights series, the Instagram post announcing the event told students to “expect behind-the-scenes stories, career highlights, and maybe even a sneak peek into what’s next. Other events in the series included featured guests Giancarlo Esposito and Rainn Wilson.

Melissa Dalton, the SAPB’s insights chair and a senior majoring in biology, described the most exciting aspect of hosting Lynch.

“Students can look forward to seeing one of their favorite childhood stars at this event,” Dalton wrote. “We grew up watching Ross Lynch on Disney Channel and listening to his music. I think it is exciting that we are coming full circle with him as young adults.”

After his Disney career, where he starred in “Austin & Ally” and “Teen Beach Movie,” Lynch pursued other acting opportunities. He eventually landed a role as Jeffrey Dahmer in the 2017 film “My Friend Dahmer,” and a year later, the role of Harvey Kinkle in Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.”

Alongside his acting career, Lynch began to pursue music as a guitarist and vocalist for R5 — which split in 2018 when he and his brother, Rocky Lynch, started their duo band, THE DRIVER ERA.

Atticus Fauci, the vice president for programming and a junior majoring in economics, shared how the board decided to bring Lynch to BU.

“We heard the student body last semester when Ross and his band’s name kept coming up,” Fauci wrote. “There were a lot of comments on Instagram posts and he was mentioned a lot in our surveys. We then looked into if he was an option and he was. The deciding factor was the 15 minute acoustic performance, something new to excite the student body.”

Booking an event of this caliber requires intense coordination between multiple parties and months of planning. Fauci explained that the board’s process includes scouting potential options through United Talent Agency and releasing an interest survey where students can vote on which guest they prefer to see. The SAPB then compares the potential guests’ availability, pricing and more, while taking the survey into account. Once they’ve settled on a speaker, the SAPB consults lawyers to review the contracts and begins to promote the event.

The board has hosted several events with guest speakers, though Dalton wrote that Lynch adds a uniqueness to the series.

“This event is different compared to some of the other celebrity guests the insights team has brought to Bing because it brings a sense of nostalgia,” Dalton wrote. “Giancarlo Esposito and Rainn Wilson are both incredible entertainers who gave us such interesting perspectives but these are celebrities we recognize in our adult lives. Ross Lynch is someone we can all remember watching and idolizing from such a young age.”

As of Thursday morning, the event was sold out.

The campus community gathered on the Peace Quad this Saturday under the blazing sun for UFest, an annual event organized by Campus Activities and the Student Association.

Commencing at 11 a.m., this year’s UFest featured a variety of student-led organizations, recreational athletics, live music and local vendors to celebrate the start of the academic year and encourage student involvement on campus. Groups were separated into areas of similar interest — including multicultural organizations, pre-professional societies, volunteering and performance.

Batia Rabin, the SA’s executive vice president and a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, described the importance of UFest to the campus community.

“UFest is a great opportunity for new and returning students to see what clubs we have at Binghamton and to get involved in something new,” Rabin wrote in an email. “It’s never too late to join a club. Also, despite what we wish B-Engaged is underutilized and so some clubs may sort of go under the radar. At UFest, people can visually see and interact with a lot of the clubs we have in a way they don’t really get to do for the rest of the year unless they go to the meetings of a club.”

Rabin said if they choose to run for reelection, a priority will be moving UFest to a Sunday to recognize the needs of Binghamton University’s Jewish community, improving the event’s organization and expanding the number of groups that can participate.

Along with clubs, student performers — Binghamton Crosbys, the Binghamton Treblemakers, the Binghamtonics, Black Dance Repertoire and Husband Material — took to the stage throughout the afternoon for students to enjoy. McKenzie Skrastins, the SA president and a junior double-majoring in mathematics and an individualized major in data science, explained how UFest differs from simply attending an organization’s general interest meetings.

“Unlike GIMs where you’re given a bunch of information about the club, UFest is an opportunity to get to know the club members and hear from them personally,” Skrastins wrote.

With a variety of organizations showcased through tabling and entertainment, the event demonstrated how there is a group for everyone on campus, from academic organizations like the Speech and Debate team to recreational sports like Aikido and rowing. Students walked around the Peace Quad, meeting club leaders and signing up to learn more. Some organizations offered gifts, like candy and bottle openers, while others hosted fun games and challenges.

Caitlin McMahon, the SA’s vice president of finance and a senior majoring in accounting, shared what she hoped students got out of UFest.

“We wanted to make sure that both new and returning students knew how many different groups and organizations [there] are at Binghamton,” McMahon wrote. “The Executive Board also wants to make sure we have strong outreach to the students so they know of all the resources accessible to them.”

Skrastins emphasized the importance of UFest for growing campus engagement.

“Ideally, UFest is the start of a student’s fulfilling and enjoyable relationship with a club,” Skrastins wrote. “And so I hope that incoming and returning students got a glimpse at the different clubs that Binghamton has, and that a few of the organizations stood out.”

Whether the name Chappell Roan rings a bell or not, songs like “Good Luck, Babe!,” “HOT TO GO!” and “Pink Pony Club” have become impossible to avoid as of late.

In the past few months, the pop artist emerged into the mainstream and continues to be a rising musical sensation, taking the music industry by storm with her indie-pop songs, bold and emotive performances and extravagant drag-inspired aesthetic. Seemingly, she gained her newfound fame overnight — going from being a somewhat unknown to topping the charts in a matter of weeks. However, while this pop star is currently achieving remarkable success, her journey to the top was undoubtedly a long one.

Born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz in Willard, Missouri, Roan’s music focuses on romantic relationships, sex and coming-of-age as a queer woman. While she put out music as a teenager in her debut album “School Nights,” Roan’s single “Pink Pony Club” — released in 2020 and again as part of her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” — was her first critical success that earned her attention in the music industry. The pop anthem was inspired by Roan’s move from her small midwestern hometown to Los Angeles and follows a girl who leaves home to dance at the titular “Pink Pony Club.” To its core, the song is about finally feeling like you belong, and that struck a chord for listeners both old and new.

“I grew up thinking being gay was bad and a sin,” Roan said in an interview with The Guardian. “I went to the gay club once and it was so impactful, like magic. It was the opposite of everything I was taught.”

The singer remained largely unknown at the time, especially since “Pink Pony Club” was released in the midst of COVID-19 and she was dropped from her record label. However, Roan was finally able to gain momentum through the release of her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” in September 2023 and opening for Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS tour. Videos of her performances blew up on TikTok throughout the beginning of this year, leading to a boom in Roan’s popularity and the singer becoming a Billboard Hot 100 charting artist.

While her campy pop songs and clever lyrics have captured audiences, Roan’s unique sense of style and attitude has undoubtedly bolstered her success and made her immediately recognizable. According to Roan, her stylistic choices are inspired by various drag queens like Sasha Colby and Violet Chachki. In an interview on the Q with Tom Power podcast, Roan expressed how a discussion backstage with a drag queen named Crayola inspired her to embrace her iconic stage persona.

“She was like, ‘Honey, you are a drag queen. You’re not just getting makeup on, you’re a drag queen,’” Roan said. “That was very altering, there was something that switched. I really have taken that on as an identity and it’s been very freeing.”

Following the April release of her hit single “Good Luck, Babe!” and the song reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, Roan’s fame has continued to rise. Without a doubt, her set at Coachella stole the show as the audience sported cowboy hats and danced in sync to the cheerleader song “HOT TO GO!” while she danced around the stage in an extravagant pink butterfly costume.

Her performance at the Governors Ball, where she took to the stage in drag while dressed as the Statue of Liberty, became one of the biggest stories from the music festival. Roan used this performance and costume to advocate for the rights of oppressed groups throughout the United States in a speech about freedom.

Roan has performed in other music festivals, such as Lollapalooza, where her audience size was comparable to headliners such as Blink-182.

“Chappell’s performance was the biggest daytime set we’ve ever seen,” a spokesperson for Lollapalooza told CNN. “It was a magical moment added to Lolla’s DNA.”

Over the summer, Roan was able to further secure herself as a pop star with remarkable talent and stage presence, even being compared to legends like Kate Bush and Lady Gaga. With Roan’s music and fame continuing to advance, it is clear that this queer pop star’s journey is far from over.

Do: Get to know your roommate

Communication is key to having a good relationship with your roommate, especially if you are just meeting them. Go hang out with them, grab dinner at the dining hall or walk around campus. Get to know who you will be living with and talk about shared hobbies and interests. You and your roommate should become familiar with each other’s boundaries from the get-go. Everybody comes to college with different expectations about their living space, so getting them out in the open from the start will help prevent any initial frustrations from growing and save you both from a lot of conflict in the future.

Don’t: Hog the room 

Yes, it’s your space too. However, it can be frustrating to have a roommate who never leaves the room. It’s often difficult to have any alone time or personal space in college, so try to be mindful of this and not spend your entire day inside. Besides, it’s good to get out of your living space to study, make new friends or explore parts of campus and the surrounding area. Give your roommate time to have the room to themselves. This may be more of an unspoken rule, but it can help maintain a good relationship with your roommate, prevent any negative emotions from festering and even get you more comfortable with on-campus living.

Do: Ask before inviting people over 

Even if you know your roommate is comfortable with it, it’s still polite to ask before having any guests over, especially if they will be staying for more than a few hours. Check with your roommate and see if they are okay with having people in the room at that moment. Who knows, maybe they need the room for quiet study time or just want to nap without being disturbed. Doing this can be the most respectful way to have visitors, so don’t forget to ask and give your roommate a heads-up.

Don’t: Be super messy 

While these expectations may look different for everyone, keeping your space clean will help maintain a comfortable living environment and mutual respect between you and your roommate. Try to keep your side of the room as organized and clean as possible. Remember that if you keep your space cluttered, your roommate could be affected by it — even if the mess is confined to your side. A messy space can be stressful and overwhelming to live in and may even impact one’s ability to focus. Staying organized can help you both succeed, and your roommate will really appreciate it.

Do: Actively communicate 

You and your roommate probably won’t get along perfectly, even if you follow these tips. If any frustrations arise throughout the year, communicate them to your roommate as soon as possible. Confronting issues as they arise is necessary to maintain a good relationship. If your roommate does something that upsets you, letting them know can prevent the issue from becoming bigger than it has to be. Similarly, make sure to actively listen to any concerns your roommate may have about the living situation and try to be understanding. Even if there are no apparent issues, occasionally checking in with your roommate will create a more comfortable space and keep a line of communication open between you.

The Q Center hosted its eighth-annual Lavender Celebration on April 27 to recognize the achievements of graduating students who are part of Binghamton University’s LGBTQ+ community.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m. in Old Union Hall, this year’s Lavender Celebration consisted of a brunch, remarks by administrators, speeches by a professor and graduate student, a rainbow cording ceremony and the Pride Awards. Nick Martin, the Q Center’s associate director, explained the celebration’s significance.

“Lavender Celebration is an important recognition of hardships that LGBTQ+ students face during college linked to their systemically marginalized identities, as well as a celebration of their persistence and success in the face of those hardships,” Martin wrote in an email. “A celebration like this is identity-affirming for queer and trans students and highlights their important contributions to the University community among friends, family and supporters.”

The color lavender has a long history of significance in the LGBTQ+ community. A combination of the pink triangle gay men were forced to wear in concentration camps and the black triangle to identify lesbians as war prisoners in Nazi Germany — the light shade of purple was reclaimed and turned into a symbol of pride during the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement, according to Martin. This was apparent at the Lavender Celebration, where tables were adorned with lavender tablecloths, flowers and sachets of dried lavender as centerpieces.

Attendees served themselves various brunch foods from a buffet line and situate themselves at their tables to listen to speeches. Opening remarks were by Martin, Karen Jones, the University’s vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and Matthew Winston, Jr., the executive director for alumni engagement. In her speech, Jones emphasized the work that the Division of DEI is doing to create a more inclusive campus environment and the importance of living life authentically.

“Regardless of who decides what legislation they’re going to impose, what regulations they’re going to write, who’s occupying the seat of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue — we have a right to live, we have a right to exist,” Jones said.

Izzie De Jesus ‘21, a third-year graduate student studying higher education and student affairs, gave the graduate address at the celebration. In her speech, she discussed challenges she has faced as a queer person of color, the importance of respecting yourself and prioritizing mental health, as well as the overarching theme of the Lavender Celebration.

“In a world that often overlooks or marginalizes the LGBTQ community, this celebration serves as a resounding declaration that we are here, and we are never going away,” De Jesus said. “The Lavender Celebration is a testament to our progress and the work that still lies ahead.”

Mansha Rahman, a sophomore double-majoring in art and design and Spanish, expressed their excitement and gratitude for the annual celebration.

“Lavender Celebration is just this huge celebration of the queer community on campus that [BU] has not always had, and I’m really grateful for that,” Rahman said. “I’m really grateful for the celebration, to see a lot of my really good friends that are graduating and I’m really excited for my own celebration in two years.”

Following the speeches was the graduate cording procession, where graduating LGBTQ+ students were announced and given a rainbow cord they can wear at their commencement ceremonies in May.

While Lavender Graduations are not unique to BU, a distinctive aspect of the event was the Pride Awards, where students and faculty members were nominated based on their contributions to BU’s queer community. The awards — including the OUTstanding Grad Award, Activism Award, “Sunshine” Award, Community Service Award and Faculty/Staff Advocacy in Action Award — were given to one nominee of each category, along with a trophy.

Luis Hernandez, a senior majoring in biology who serves as the president of SHADES, a campus organization for queer students of color, was the recipient of the Community Service Award. Hernandez expressed his appreciation for the Lavender Celebration.

“It was really nice having an official closing for this chapter of my life,” Hernandez said. “I think it was very nice to see a space for queer people to be recognized, because sometimes we don’t get that recognition outside in regular spaces … I really put a lot of time and effort into the queer community, so I’m very grateful that I was recognized for all the hard work I’ve put in.”

Rahman conveyed the importance of hosting annual Lavender Celebrations at BU.

“I think it goes without showing that the LQBTQ community needs better representation everywhere in the world,” Rahman said. “I think it needs to become more apparent that there is a very, very large LGBTQ community on campus … LGBTQ+ people go through a lot in their education to be able to get where they are, and to be able to graduate with a degree and be out and proud … that’s why I think it’s just so incredibly important that we have this every year.”

The Binghamton Student Managed Adderall Research Team (B-SMART) hosted Matters of the Mind, an event that emphasized wellness, mental health and substance outreach and awareness, on Wednesday.

Held in the West Gym’s lobby, the event featured over 11 on- and off-campus organizations and businesses — including Active Minds, Southern Tier Aids Program, Binghamton Mentors for the Interdisciplinary Nutrition and Distress Study and Simple Form Pilates. They promoted their resources through wellness pamphlets, training, lessons and giveaways, and held activities including Kahoot!, raffles and writing a letter to your future self. The event was founded and organized by Samantha Bonventre, B-SMART’s assistant research lead and a senior majoring in biology.

“We actually started Matters of the Mind last semester,” Bonventre said. “It was mainly just to promote mental health, as well as substance awareness on campus for students walking through the West Gym lobby … I just felt like there wasn’t really an event on campus to have all these organizations come together. We all promote the same thing, which is mental health, and just having resources available for students and knowing their resources on campus if they are struggling.”

B-SMART is a student-run group founded by Lena Begdache, an associate professor in health and wellness studies. Bonventre explained the organization’s principal focuses.

“We mainly focus on investigating illicit Adderall use — along with other substances — and the effect on mental health having to do with mental distress, as well as nutrition and personality,” Bonventre said. “We are going to various conferences, and we work on manuscripts and abstracts to promote our work, as well as we do a lot of outreach on campus.”

In addition to B-SMART, another organization featured at Matters of the Mind was Mindset Mentors — established as part of BU’s COVID-19 Return to Campus planning to aid students in developing a powerful and positive mindset. Francesca Puleo, a member of the program and a junior majoring in biology, elaborated on what the organization promotes at BU.

“We go around campus educating people on stress prevention and … stress resilience,” Puleo said. “[We also] educate people on how to use coping skills and methods in their life to better navigate stressful situations.”

Puleo described the importance of Matters of the Mind and other mental health organizations on campus.

“I think realizing that obviously you’re at school to learn, but that you’re at school to learn more about yourself,” Puleo said. “Going to these events and being able to get out there shows people that there’s resources to do that, [and that] you don’t have to do this alone. There’s so many different clubs and organizations and professors and doctors that are so educated on the topics and so willing to help.”

The event also featured a talk by Bill Clark, a world champion powerlifter, a Guinness World Record holder and an adjunct health and wellness lecturer at BU. His talk emphasized mental strength and conditioning and taking charge of your life. Clark expressed the importance of people who are experts in their field sharing what they have learned.

“Having been places that most people might not get the opportunity to go to — the Olympic Training Center, different countries and experiencing different things — those are the things that I can help give back to other people,” Clark said. “Whatever field they choose to go [into], they now have some tools that they didn’t have before, and I think that’s such an amazing thing for a university … Right here in this college, there are experts in so many different things, so when they share it, everybody becomes better. That’s the idea — we take each other, we lift each other up to better places and then everybody wins.”

With an abundance of information, activities, organizations and people passionate about their cause, Matters of the Mind allowed students to learn more about mental health resources on campus that they might not have been aware of. Bonventre expressed what she hopes people take away from the event.

“I hope this event will reach people that need it — that’s the biggest thing,” Bonventre said. “If someone’s struggling, maybe this makes their day. As many people as we have coming here, I hope someone will walk away and say, ‘this event really helped me.’”