The Tufts Daily Volume Lxxi, Number 7
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New federal Dietary Guidelines propose holistic nutrition goals Women’s squash prepares for see FEATURES / PAGE 4 NESCACs after loss and win SEE SPORTS / BACK PAGE The Amalgalmates’ 14th album, ‘Pendulum,’ nominated for four Contemporay A Cappella Awards see ARTS AND LIVING / PAGE 6 THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF TUFTS UNIVERSITY EST. 1980 THE TUFTS DAILY VOLUME LXXI, NUMBER 7 MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016 tuftsdaily.com Sister Mary Scullion discusses efforts against Interfaith homelessness as this year’s Moral Voices initiative Clothing Drive by Ariel Barbieri-Aghib Assistant News Editor collected Last night, Sister Mary Scullion donations for of Philadelphia discussed her expe- riences advocating for the homeless Syrian refugees through Project HOME, an organiza- tion she co-founded in 1989. The lec- by Isha Fahad ture was held in the Cohen Auditorium Staff Writer as a part of Tufts Hillel’s annual Merrin Moral Voices Lecture Series. As the fall semester concluded, The lecture began with an intro- the Tufts Muslim Student Association duction by the Neubauer Executive (MSA), the University Chaplaincy and Director of Hillel, Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, Tufts Hillel collected approximately 40 which was followed by another intro- boxes of donations through an Interfaith duction by Moral Voices Co-chair, Clothing Drive for Syrian Refugees. senior Erica Tooch. Tooch explained These collected items were sent to that each year, Moral Voices chooses a NuDay Syria, a non-government orga- central cause to support, and the group nization based in East Hampstead, N.H., decided to focus on homelessness in according to MSA President, senior America this year. Obaid Farooqui. During the lecture, Scullion, who MARIA FERRAZ / THE TUFTS DAILY Farooqui explained that his motiva- was named by Time Magazine as one Sister Mary Scullion talks to the Tufts community about ending homelessness. tion behind starting the clothing drive of the 100 most influential people in was based on the current international the world in 2009, described her work “HOME gave us a voice; they gave us spirit of a homeless person. This par- events surrounding Syria. at Project HOME in alleviating home- [an] opportunity.” ticular subset of the population is too “Part of what we do as an MSA lessness in Philadelphia, where the Brown noted that he was illiterate often looked at with scorn or embar- involves giving back, and given the organization was founded. until discovering the services of Project rassment, which she noted does not humanitarian crisis that is continuing According to the organization’s web- HOME and attributes his ability to suc- alleviate the situation. in Syria, we felt that it would be a wor- site, Project HOME’s overarching mis- ceed to the education provided to him Scullion also noted in the lecture thy cause,” Farooqui said. “We chose sion is “to empower adults, children through the organization. that homelessness is a larger societal to work with NuDay Syria because they and families to break the cycle of Clanton, alternatively, was homeless issue, which tugs at the very fabric of are locally based out of New Hampshire homelessness and poverty, to alleviate for two years with her three children. American society. and are actively seeking donations for the underlying causes of poverty and “I was addicted to coke and alco- “Mental illness, addiction and phys- the Syrian crisis.” to enable all of us to attain our fullest hol,” she said, explaining her experi- ical disabilities are all equal oppor- He noted that NuDay Syria having a potential as individuals and as mem- ence with homelessness. tunity diseases,” Scullion said. “And network of volunteers working on the bers of the broader society.” Clanton is now 18 years clean, which when you’re poor, that’s enough to put ground to get the supplies to the people Initially, the organization worked to allows her to work within the School people on the street.” who need it also helped the cause, as address the issue of chronic homeless- District of Philadelphia and maintain a Scullion also noted that homeless- they send containers of clothing, medi- ness among women, a large portion of stable income, she said. ness is “symptomatic of our deeper cal supplies, food and hygiene products whom suffered from mental disabili- In an earlier discussion societal problems,” stating that tack- to Syria through Turkey. ties, Scullion said. She also explained with Scullion, Clanton and Brown at ling these deeper societal issues head Celene Ibrahim, the Muslim that she, and the rest of Project Hillel at 4:30 p.m. yesterday after- on is the only way of eliminating Chaplain, believes that NuDay Syria HOME, have been largely responsi- noon, Clanton recounted her experi- homelessness. positively addresses a significant ble for rebuilding the poorest areas of ence striving for sobriety, detailing the However, there is already a large humanitarian issue. Philadelphia by bringing in resources struggles of having to pass through the population of people whom the system “We see ourselves as part of a global to strengthen the communities such same neighborhood where she used for has already failed, she explained in community, and as such, when a mas- as education centers, community gar- a long time. the discussion. Right now, she said she sive tragedy is occurring–even if it is dens and affordable housing. She explained that she would always believes that helping these individuals a continent away–we cannot be idle,” Scullion was accompanied by her col- give a dollar or two to the people in that is the best thing we as a society can do. Ibrahim said. leagues David Brown and Tanya Clanton, neighborhood but then transitioned to Brown agreed, adding that simply According to Farooqui, the end of the both of whom had formerly been home- buying them a meal and giving them speaking to a homeless person as if semester is a time when a lot of students less and opened up to the audience a token for the bus. She stressed how they are human, and making them are packing their bags for winter vaca- about their personal experiences. important it is to readjust one’s habits feel visible and important can help tion. He added that NuDay Syria sent a Brown was homeless for 25 years in order to help, rather than hurt, the their morale and heighten their spirits. U-Haul truck to come and collect the before finding out about Project population in question. Many of the homeless on the street donations. HOME. To him, giving the homeless a During the discussion at Hillel, feel invisible, being looked past every “[As a result], we found the generosity “HOME” is the most important thing Scullion emphasized the importance single day as they struggle to stay alive of the Tufts community to be absolutely one can do, he said. of caring and preserving human digni- and feed themselves. inspiring,” he said. “We were able to col- “The H stands for housing, the O ty when speaking to or interacting with “Nothing happens in one day,” lect about 40 boxes of gently-used and for opportunity, M for medical and E the homeless population. Oftentimes, Scullion said, noting that American new clothing in total.” for education,” he said, explaining the she explained, a simple conversation homelessness should be dealt with in a acronym for the organization’s name. can go a long ways in helping raise the similar fashion. “It’s all a progression.” see CLOTHING DRIVE , page 2 For breaking news, our content archive and Contact Us Please P.O. Box 53018, NEWS............................................1 COMICS ......................................8 recycle this exclusive content, visit newspaper Medford, MA 02155 tuftsdaily.com 617 627 3090 FEATURES ................................4 OPINION ....................................9 Partly Sunny FAX 617 627 3910 /thetuftsdaily @tuftsdaily tuftsdaily tuftsdaily ARTS & LIVING ......................6 SPORTS ........................... BACK 54 / 51 [email protected] 2 THE TUFTS DAILY | NEWS | Wednesday, February 3, 2016 tuftsdaily.com NEWS NEWS THE TUFTS DAILY Interfaith community unites in charitable efforts SARAH ZHENG CLOTHING DRIVE Editor-in-Chief continued from page 1 EDITORIAL Farooqui said it was MSA’s idea to Nicholas Golden have an interfaith drive to inspire stu- Mengqi Sun dents across different faith groups to Managing Editors come together for a project. Nicholas Pfosi “We worked with the Tufts Chaplaincy, Associate Editor and they were incredibly helpful in facil- Arin Kerstein Executive News Editor Isha Fahad News Editors itating it all,” Farooqui said. “The Office Abby Feldman of Residential Life and Learning was also Melissa Kain Sophie Lehrenbaum really supportive in terms of letting us Emma Steiner put up boxes and flyers in the dorms, Ariel Barbieri-Aghib Assistant News Editors Kyle Blacklock especially so late in the semester.” Gil Jacobson According to University Chaplain Robert Katz Liam Knox Reverend Gregory McGonigle, the Catherine Perloff Chaplaincy’s main form of support for Vibhav Prakasam Hannah Uebele the clothing drive was through publicity John “Joe” Walsh and coordination of logistics. Kendall Todd Executive Features Editor “We did also promote [the cloth- Nicole Brooks Features Editors ing drive] at our annual University Nina Joung Jake Taber Chaplaincy Winter Holiday Concert Diane Alexander Assistant Features Editors along with a number of other char- Constantinos Angelakis Emily Cheng itable programs being sponsored by Emma R. Rosenthal particular spiritual communities in