All four head coordinators said that their search for additional Yale funds has been unsuccessful. They said that conversations with Dwight Hall administrators and Associate Dean of Student Affairs Hannah Peck have yielded no additional sources of Yale funding, with administrators suggesting the organization begin applying to local grants or fundraising externally. 

The lack of options leaves the head coordinators at a crossroads: compete with New Haven nonprofits for grant money or create “slide decks” to appeal to future donors. For the head coordinators, who managed a tight budget last semester, neither option seems like a viable long-term strategy. 

“Our biggest fear, with all these obstacles and loopholes we’ve had to go through this past year, and the genuine stress of oh my god, are 250 people not going to be able to have dinner because we can’t find money? We don’t want that stress for the future to continue,” Enkhjin Gansukh ’25, one of the head coordinators, said.

Gansukh also said she feared that future head coordinators may “give up” due to the financial stress of the role, jeopardizing the longevity of YCK and the services it provides to the community.

Odessa Goldberg ’25, another head coordinator, said that costs have increased in recent years due to the added expense of take-out boxes and utensils, rising food prices and higher demand for meals. When Goldberg began volunteering at the YCK two winters ago, Yale students served around 50 New Haveners, she said. Now, she said, the number of people in one night has tripled. 

“I greatly admire the work of the students running YCK,” Peck wrote in an email to the News. “With the growth of their services and expenses, they are in a difficult position—to support their core mission, they are needing to develop a new funding model. I and my colleagues are available to help as they take on this new challenge.”

Steve Werlin, executive director of the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen in New Haven, said this speaks to rising food insecurity in the area, which has also resulted in a higher number and frequency of people seeking DESK services. He described YCK’s work as “critical” in the effort to provide free meals to New Haven residents, many of whom are unhoused. 

YCK, which has 27 coordinators running shifts and 963 students receiving volunteer sign-ups, falls under the umbrella organization of Yale Hunger and Homeless Action Project. According to the YCK head coordinators, YHHAP receives between less than $1,000 and $3,500 in funding once or twice a semester from the Yale College Council’s Undergraduate Organizations Funding Committee. As a Dwight Hall Member Group, YHHAP also receives up to $1,500 per semester in funding from the Dwight Hall Campus and Community Fund. 

Gansukh said that while YCK uses the majority of YHHAP’s budget, the umbrella organization also funds 12 other student organizations. 

Goldberg noted that these two sources of funding fall short of YCK’s ideal budget of $5,200 a semester. She also said the funding is inconsistent across semesters, making it difficult to preserve quality offerings to residents. 

“What we’re frustrated by is that [the funding] is inconsistent,” Goldberg said. “We don’t want that inconsistency to be offloaded to our guests and the quality of the food they can receive. So whether it is that the Dwight Hall cap is higher, or there is an exception made for YCK, or it’s through the YCC, or there is a non-variable amount that YCK receives every semester, or it is through the administration, we argue that the YCK provides a real service to the University, not just our guests, in terms of preserving Yale’s relationship with the residents of New Haven and community partners.”

Goldberg additionally noted that YCK reduces Yale’s food waste, citing YCK’s use of leftovers from Yale’s dining halls.   

With $5,200 a semester — or $300 per weekend of operations — YCK would not only be able to continue to provide nutritious meals with fruit and sweet and savory snacks but also other goods that YCK guests have expressed a need for, such as space blankets, Goldberg said. 

Mark Fopeano, director of programming and evaluation at Dwight Hall, wrote to the News that it is unlikely that a single funding source at Yale will be able to fund and guarantee $5,200 a semester on a long-term basis. He also said that it is rare that a student organization or Dwight Hall Member Group would have that amount of expenses unless they have previously secured funding, such as an endowment, or “unique relationships” with several offices or departments. 

However, Fopeano said that Dwight Hall reconsiders their funding policies every year in an attempt to better serve Yale students and New Haven partners. Dwight Hall can also provide advice and strategic support to student organizations thinking about their organizational structure, long-term sustainability and financial model, Fopeano wrote. 

“We support any student organization that is building strong relationships in the community and providing pathways for other Yale students to do so,” Fopeano wrote. “Change usually doesn’t happen overnight, so I hope that YCK continues partnering with our office and others!”

Goldberg questioned the University’s lack of available funds to fund YCK, citing the $40.7 billion endowment, and expressed concerns that applying to grants would take away funds from New Haven nonprofits. Hugo Wang ’25 said he believes there are avenues to increase caps on Dwight Hall and YCC funding and that it is a “question of priority” whether Yale chooses to expand funding options for service organizations. 

Wang said that even if YCK takes administrators’ advice to continue cutting costs, the long-term sustainability of YCK is ultimately still dependent on additional funding. 

“More broadly, there is a question here that we want the administration to think about, and hopefully answer, which is how do they fund organizations that have a big impact on the local community but in order to achieve that would need funding that goes beyond the traditional limits on available funding for student clubs and organizations?” Wang said. 

The head coordinators said that last semester, YCK cut costs by shopping at Costco instead of Stop ’n Shop and started relying on snacks and water from DESK. In the past weeks, they also met with Yale Hospitality to pursue the option of ordering bread and containers through Hospitality.

Although Goldberg described YCK’s budget situation as “urgent” last semester, the group received two grants from local foundations this semester, temporarily easing the coordinators’ financial worries. Fopeano wrote to the News that Dwight Hall assisted YCK in grant applications by serving as a lead applicant. 

However, Goldberg said that grant applications and fundraising efforts are a time-consuming and stressful responsibility for head coordinators on top of the four-person job of coordinating logistics for YCK. 

She said that YCK head coordinators have held off on formally creating a grant and fundraising arm of the YCK in hopes that future head coordinators can rely on some form of steady funding. 

Taking on grants and fundraising would fundamentally change the role of head coordinators, which has historically been to “keep the kitchen running,” according to Goldberg. 

“Because YCK has been around for 20 years, we’re cited as a food resource [by New Haven organizations],” Gansukh said. “When people come to us on Fridays and Saturdays hoping for a full nutritional meal, we have to provide that service … We have a duty to a lot of our guests we’ve established a relationship with and … we hope that relationship won’t be compromised because of this funding issue.”

YCK hands out their meals outside 323 Temple St.

The post Yale Community Kitchen faces funding shortage, concerns over long-term viability  appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Ferando, who is a lecturer in the history of art, is stepping down to become the Head of Academic Affairs for the Yale Center for British Art. She along with her husband, Jason Atkinson, and her son are leaving JE in August. She was appointed in 2016 to succeed former JE dean Jody Spooner.   

“JE has the warmest, kindest people and I will miss seeing friendly, familiar faces every day,” Ferando wrote to the News. “I know this is true for every residential college, but I particularly love our JE spirit.”

Before becoming dean, Ferando got a doctorate in art history and archaeology at Columbia University. Ferando has worked with a variety of commercial and non-profit galleries, museums and auction houses including the Yale University Art Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art, and she has taught courses in art history at Columbia and Williams College.

Ferando’s upcoming job as head of academic affairs at the YCBA is an inaugural position that Ferando said will include planning research initiatives centered on YCBA’s collection and British art as well as collaborating with faculty and colleagues across the University. 

“I’m thrilled to be joining this world-renowned museum and working with amazing colleagues there, some of whom I have had the privilege of working with already,” Ferando wrote. “My first book was published this year, and this seemed like a great moment to return to the world of art history, which I have missed the past few years.”

Ferando wrote that she will miss the staff, students and residential college fellows, as well as the dining hall which she called “the heart of the college.”

In an email to JE students on March 7, Head of Jonathon Edwards Paul North wrote that Ferando oversaw the college through contentious political times and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as changes in registration and housing policies. He added that through these challenges, she kept everyone “on track and moving.”

“Dean Ferando is the most caring, and also the most firm, the most knowledgeable, and also the most fun, and all around the most responsible person I could have imagined sharing direction of JE with,” North wrote. “Her capacity for empathy is only equaled by her understanding of the arcane maze that is Yale.”

Anthony Kurz ’26 told the News that Ferando helped him adjust to college life and transition his health care provider when he moved to Yale. 

He described Ferando as a “wonderful dean” and that she has “only ever tried to make things easier for [him].”

“She has a warm and welcoming presence in the role,” Kurz said. “You can go into her office and ask her questions about anything concerning what’s going on in your life.”

Allison Lee ’25 met Ferando as a first year in 2021 and has worked with her as a college aide. She described Ferando as a “powerful and really inspiring character within JE.”

Lee, who is the incoming head first-year counselor for Jonathan Edwards, said she will be working closely with the next dean of JE and hopes that the new dean will be active in JE’s residential college life and traditions.

“She has been an incredibly profound part of a lot of JE students’ lives and we’re really thankful for her work,” Lee told the News. “We’re so sad to see her leave, but she’s only going to the Yale Center for British Art just across the street, so she won’t be very far and so it’s great that we’ll be close to there.”

Jonathan Edwards College is located at 68 High St. 

The post Jonathan Edwards Dean Christina Ferando to step down appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Before Swae Lee takes the stage, twin sisters Coco & Breezy will open the April 27 festival with a joint DJ set, followed by indie pop band Dayglow.

The Spring Fling committee announced the lineup in a video shown on Wednesday night during Woads, the weekly Yale-only dance party at Toad’s Place. Although weather conditions pushed last year’s Spring Fling indoors to College Street Music Hall at the last minute, this year’s event is set to return to its traditional location on Old Campus. 

“It’s such a dynamic lineup bringing in a ton of high energy and nostalgia,” Spring Fling Hospitality Chair Olivia Telemaque ’26 told the News. “The headliner, Swae Lee, is such a force. He brings in so much hype, with easily recognizable songs in his huge discography.” 

The process of curating the lineup of musical acts for the annual festival begins over the summer, when Spring Fling leadership meets to decide their joint vision: genres to explore, goals to accomplish and elements to improve from the following year. The search for artists then begins as soon as members of the committee step foot on campus. 

This year’s committee — led by Telemaque alongside Talent Chair Luis Halvorssen ’25, Production Chair Nour Tantush ’26 and Marketing Chair Karela Palazio ’25 — crafted a student-facing survey intended to gauge interest in different musical genres and festival styles. 

Many college music festivals in the United States take place at similar times in the late spring, Halvorssen said, which can make it challenging to secure the artists before other colleges book them. 

“One surprise about this experience is how dynamic the music industry is,” Halvorssen told the News “One week we’ll be discussing a potential artist and by the next week, they’ll be booked by a different event. It makes for a thrilling process and results in so much celebration when an artist is finally booked.” 

This year’s three acts represent a wide variety of musical genres, performance styles and backgrounds. 

Identical twins and DJ duo Coco & Breezy, specializing in Afro-Latina-infused dance and house music, will open up this year’s festival. 

“They are a hugely talented duo, representing Afro-Latina influences as they challenge the bounds of electronic and dance music,” Telemaque told the News. “They infuse so many genres into their craft. As a Black woman myself, it’s so inspiring to see up-and-coming artists reclaiming genres, and breathing so much life, love, and healing into their music. They’re producers, musicians, style icons, and just such a vibe.” 

Tantush matched Telemaque’s excitement, citing that the pair “encompass[es] a lot of what we were looking for.” She noted that electronic dance music was one of the most requested genres in the survey sent out to students this year, which makes inviting this artist to campus especially exciting. 

Besides DJing, Coco & Breezy are also known for their “cool-girl aesthetic” and “eponymous sunglass brand.” Palazio noted that she’s been incorporating the artist’s album covers into her color inspiration for the “entire festival identity.” 

Following Coco & Breezy, the “fun and vibrant” Dayglow, as Halvorssen described the indie pop band, will take the Spring Fling stage.

Led by lead singer Sloan Struble, audience members can expect to hopefully hear some of the group’s top hits like “Hot Rod” and “Can I Call You Tonight?” 

Telemaque said that she has had the songs on repeat for weeks. 

“Their music to me represents the epitome of band music and is very reminiscent of the spring,” Tantush added. “I spent a lot of time over this New Haven winter listening to Dayglow, and I think they have such a youthful and summery sound.” 

That sound aesthetic has influenced the design of the festival’s merchandise, Palazio said, which will be available for purchase prior to the festival. 

Finally, headliner Swae Lee will close out the night. Swae Lee, who acts as one half of the hip-hop duo Rae Sremmund with his brother Slim Jxmmi, has a long history of iconic performances at major festivals including Coachella, Governors Ball and Rolling Loud. 

“He’s everywhere,” Telemaque said. 

All four Spring Fling chairs described a continuous thread of “nostalgia” in this year’s artist lineup; Swae Lee’s headlining performance is perhaps the most emblematic of that theme. 

“We’ve been listening to his music for years and growing up with the challenges that he’s [experienced] too,” Telemaque told the News. 

In 2016, when the viral “Mannequin Challenge” hit its peak, Rae Sremmurd’s hit song “Black Beatles” became the unofficial anthem of the video trend. 

As part of the committee’s efforts to incorporate an air of nostalgia in all parts of the festival, Wednesday’s announcement video — produced by videographer Reese Weiden ’27 — brought the audience back in time. Just as the internet trend in 2016 had people across the country posing as frozen mannequins, the Spring Fling committee did the same, announcing to cheers from the crowd at Toad’s that Swae Lee would headline the festival.

Besides partnering with Slim Jxmmy, Swae Lee has collaborated with a variety of other artists in a plethora of different musical genres throughout his career, which allows him to appeal to a variety of students, Halvorssen said. In addition to working with world-famous rappers Travis Scott and Drake on 2018’s “Sicko Mode,” Swae Lee collaborated with Post Malone on hit song “Sunflower” from the film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” also in 2018. He also co-wrote Beyonce’s hit single “Formation.” — just three of Swae Lee’s big-ticket collaborations.

“Swae’s collaboration with so many different artists is what makes him an excellent choice for

headlining Spring Fling,” Halvorssen told the News.  “If you put his complete collection on shuffle you’ll hear Rap/Hip-Hop, Pop, R&B, EDM, Reggaeton, and even Country. With Swae having such a wide reach, he’ll be a great fit for all music fans.” 

While the committee does not control the specific set lists of the artists they book to perform at the festival, per Tantush, they do extensive research on each artist’s past performances and how their sets will complement one another. 

For Swae Lee, audiences may expect to hear some of his biggest songs, including “Sunflower,” “No Type,” “Unforgettable” and even some songs from his previous work under Rae Sremmurd, like “Come Get Her” and “Black Beatles.”  

In addition to the booked professional artists, Yale students will also have the opportunity to be a part of this year’s festival lineup. The committee will hold both a “Battle of the Bands” and “The Dock” competition to select student bands and DJs to begin the day’s musical festivities. 

“I think the thing I am the most excited and proud of as Production Chair is facilitating a festival which will showcase both the artists we have chosen and also the student talent on campus,” Tantush told the News. “What makes Spring Fling so unique is our ability to combine mainstream acts with Yale’s very own talented musicians.”  

Last year, the committee hosted “Battle of the Bands” at the Yale Farm. The three winners  — DJ Leon Thotsky, PJ Frantz ’23 and Tired of Tuesdays — opened for Ravyn Lenae, Dombresky and Pusha T at College Street Music Hall. 

The Dock, however, is a new creation this year, which Halvorssen spearheaded to reflect the growing presence of student DJs on campus. 

Both student-artist events will take place after spring break.

The post Swae Lee to headline Spring Fling 2024 appeared first on Yale Daily News.

According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the law intends to address period poverty, as some students may struggle to purchase period products due to lack of household income. However, despite the legislative mandate, many New Haven Public Schools still do not offer free menstrual products for their students.

“Our initial reaction to the lack of implementation was to emphasize advocacy for the importance of this policy; however, after we began discussing with individual districts, we realized that the rollout timeline of the policy had been pushed back,” said Rhea McTiernan Huge ’27, a New Haven resident and a YaleBleeds member working closely with New Haven Public Schools and the Board of Education.

The policy was originally designed to mandate compliance by Sept. 1, 2023. However, as a result of the slow and costly adoption of this updated policy, the date was recently extended to allow schools more time to adjust. Connecticut schools now have until Sept. 1, 2024 to provide free menstrual products for their students. 

The extended timeline means that NHPS is not delinquent as a result of its widespread lack of implementation to date. Rather, YaleBleeds members said that local schools are struggling to comply because they lack adequate funding to do so. 

“Funding and logistics have proven to be the main issues,” McTiernan Huge said. “The state of Connecticut passed the law but proceeded to give no funding to local school boards. Our schools are already underfunded, so it’s a big ask for the state to add this to the docket.”

The legislation provides no explicit mention of funding. 

Following the passage of the legislation, the Connecticut Department of Public Health released a report to guide schools through the implementation process. The report does not mention any sources of funding for schools to draw from, although it does provide some guidance on the quantity of products that schools should purchase.

“As an organization, we want to get involved politically to search for adequate funding, potentially reaching out to the New Haven city council or campaigning a fundraiser,” Jessica Yu ’26 said. “Puberty is a hard time for students; it’s hard to feel that you have no control over your body, especially for children, and having access to the appropriate resources and support is important to build healthier relationships with our bodies.”

According to McTiernan Huge and Yu, YaleBleeds first planned to advocate for a policy requiring free menstrual products in local schools, and only after investigating the state legislative record and “government-adjacent websites” did they find that such a policy already existed. 

McTiernan Huge clarified that the New Haven Board of Education was aware of Public Act No. 23-160; however, because of its extended implementation deadline, NHPS was yet to be made aware of the new regulation. 

Although McTiernan Huge and Yu were unable to identify the exact reason for why the legislative rollout date of this policy was pushed back, they both commented that the New Haven Board of Education remains committed to its timely and effective implementation. 

Both students said they never felt as though the legislation was intentionally neglected, and said that they hope that increased visibility of period poverty and menstrual equity issues will expedite the implementation process. 

“From the various conversations and meetings I have been a part of, I think district staff are supportive, understand the issue, and are working on the logistical issues connected to rolling this out to all 41 schools,” Matt Wilcox, the vice president of the New Haven Board of Education, wrote.

Wilcox also added that this issue is being handled centrally with a “district-wide” approach, not at the school level.

To conclude, Wilcox mentioned that the New Haven Board of Education will present a “restroom report” at an upcoming Finance and Operations meeting, where he will request that the topic of period poverty and free menstrual products be included to get more information about the rollout plans.
Yale Bleeds — formerly known as PERIOD@Yale — was formed in 2018.

The post YaleBleeds supports New Haven Public Schools providing free period products to meet state law requirement appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Director of the Asian American Cultural Center Joliana Yee wrote that she and assistant director Sheraz Iqbal toured 305 Crown St. earlier this semester, along with the lead architect, to see the future home of the newly-announced MENA space. The “cultural suite” will be built over the summer on half of the first floor, according to Yee, who added that she arranged for a workshop on Friday, March 1 to solicit input from MENA students.

The lack of a MENA cultural center has long been a source of student frustration, with the new space coming after nearly six years of student organizing.The Asian American Cultural Center currently has a dedicated room for MENA students on its third floor, and, this year, the AACC sponsored the University’s first AACC-MENA peer liaisons.

“It is my goal to remain in communication with the architect and design team to ensure that the renovated space meets the needs and expectations of the MENA community within the parameters that have been approved by the University,” wrote Yee, who also an assistant dean of the College.

The latest development comes after University President Peter Salovey promised the creation of a “more plentiful and fully dedicated space” for MENA students in December. Salovey’s commitment was part of a larger message on the University’s actions to “enhance support” for students in the wake of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, including permanent security at the Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale and the hiring of a second Muslim chaplain.

“In recent years, university leaders have discussed with MENA students their requests for additional space and recognition, and we are committed to work with them and to provide resources and guidance,” Salovey wrote in his “Against Hatred” message. 

In January, administrators told the News that the new MENA center would have its own dedicated peer liaisons, assistant director and physical space — distinct from the AACC — by the fall 2024 semester. 

Yale added a job posting on LinkedIn for assistant director of the “MENA Cultural Community” on Jan. 18. Responsibilities include liaising with facilities staff to maintain the current MENA space in the AACC and “provide guidance throughout the build out of the new space in 305 Crown,” and to work with the AACC director in “strategic planning, financial management, program assessment, and departmental reporting.” 

Lewis told the News in February that the MENA space will have a separate budget from the AACC with “substantial funding.” He said that the YCDO will use a survey to find out how many students would be engaged with the MENA center because the U.S. Census Bureau, which the Common Application uses, does not include a category for Middle Eastern and North African identity.

“In the case of some races, we get [racial demographic] information after students have been admitted from the Common App, but I think with MENA, because it’s a complex category and not exactly one of the categories in the census, we have to just ask people,” Lewis said.

Although the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action last summer, the University can still use self-reported racial identity data gathered after the application process.

Last April, University administration ordered student groups to vacate their previously assigned spaces at 305 Crown St. by the end of the year, citing “inequities” with the building hosting only 15 student groups out of hundreds on campus. At the time, Dean of Student Affairs Hannah Peck wrote to the groups that instead, each would receive a shelf in the 305 Crown storage room. 

This year, the Yale Herald and the Yale Record both have offices on the third floor of the building, and First Year Outdoor Orientation Trips — one of the Camp Yale orientation programs — also uses rooms on the first and second floors for storage.

The post 305 Crown St. to be renovated to Middle Eastern and North African cultural space appeared first on Yale Daily News.

After a year of planning following the first rendition of the conference, the symposium took place in locations around Science Hill over the weekend and featured a keynote speech from Ambassador Fatima Kyari Mohammed and a guest speech from regional Senator Amara Konneh. The event also featured journalist Stephanie Busari, White House Official Deniece Laurent-Mantey and Blacktag startup founder Ousman Sahko Sow to run a series of YAIS-sponsored “Innovation Labs.” 

The symposium included a panelist discussion with African innovators to showcase the work they have done to improve economic conditions on the continent, and it ended with a celebratory gala and talent show at the Omni Hotel, featuring musicians like Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer Young Jonn. 

“Let me underline here what truly sets Africa apart. It’s the spirit of the young people and their unwavering determination, their boundless imagination, and their relentless pursuit for a better future,” said Mohammed, who currently serves as Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations, at the opening ceremony. “From change-makers driving innovation to disruptors, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. In every corner of our continent, we see examples of innovation reshaping the landscape.”

The symposium hosted a large number of students from schools across the country and its first international visitors, who were visiting from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Visiting students were hosted by committee members, friends and students around the University who expressed interest in the cultural exchange for the weekend. 

The opening ceremony kicked off with a guest speech by Konneh, who thanked African youth not only as future leaders but as “leaders now.” Konneh attributed the regeneration of Africa to the youth and discussed the importance of democratically elected leaders to steer the continent despite current political strife. He urged the attendants and those part of the African diaspora to create “innovative solutions.” 

The symposium showcased its mission to support tangible solutions in its Innovation Labs, where students worked through case studies with Africa’s foremost leaders in the field to create group resolutions later presented at the closing ceremony. The winning presenters were awarded with the Dr. Ernest Ofori Sarpong Innovation Award, named after a prominent Ghanaian entrepreneur. 

Labs were open to students of all majors and disciplines, even if they did not clearly align with the lab’s theme. Yohanna Mbedgue, a first-year student at American University, told the News that even if her lab with Busari, “Unraveling the Web of Fake News and Misinformation in African Journalism,” was not directly associated with her major in public health as a pre-med student, she valued the experience she had gained. 

“Just because you’re not in the rooms where these things are being decided doesn’t mean you couldn’t be in those rooms,” Maudo Jallow, an advisor for the Gulf Cooperation Council and a panelist at the event, told the News. “So it’s just about preparing people to start thinking in the way … that really critical thinking is needed in order to prove that you can be in those rooms, and when you [are there], to be able to come up with innovative solutions.”

The symposium also hosted a panel discussion titled, “Working With and Within the Continent” with Jallow; Wagaye Johannes, chief DEI officer for World Learning; Martha Phiri, director of human capital, youth and skills development at African Development Bank; Angela Kyeremanteh-Jimoh, Microsoft strategic partnership lead for Africa; and Kadmiel Van Der Puije, CEO of media platform The Voice of Africa. 

Speakers discussed the decision-making process in focusing on Africa for growth. Phiri and Jallow discussed the conscious decision to study abroad to come back to the continent and aid in its development after their education. Kyeremanteh-Jimoh spoke about the possibilities of creating initiatives in the corporate world and the hope that others would come back to Africa to focus on its progress. Johannes also emphasized the importance of collaboration and Van Der Pujie spoke about how success is “all about partnerships.” 

“Look for problems within … the organizations and roles, the societies that you are part of. How are you making yourself visible?” asked Kyeremanteh-Jimoh at the panel.  

During the closing ceremony, Innovation Lab groups presented their resolution slideshows, which aimed to tackle the problem in their lab case studies. David Oyebade, a second-year student at Westmont College, who participated in the “Developing a Digital Transformation Strategy for Ghana” lab, told the News that he had not realized just how practical the solutions would be. 

Oyebade told the News that he left the event with a better understanding of the problem his group was solving. 

“I felt like I was challenged to come to conclusions myself based on the material that I’ve been presented,” Oyebade noted. 

Attendees waited in anticipation as previous YASA President Darren Markwei ’25 spoke about Sarpong’s achievements before announcing the winners of the award. The award was presented to the Economic Transformation Innovation Lab, helmed by Konneh, where students presented a monetary transaction app prototype as their solution to the exchange rate difficulties of African countries to trade with each other. 

The symposium ended with a gala at the Omni Hotel, which featured MC Chiboy and DJ Tidéh along with Young Jonn. Attendees were given a free raffle ticket to win a free Ethiopian Airlines flight to a destination of their choice. Proceeds of all additional ticket purchases went to the Congo Children Trust. The gala featured cultural performances along with traditional African cuisine for all attending to enjoy. 

“We’re solution-oriented here and we can come with a lot of our thoughts and areas of improvement for the continent, said Meg Lambert, a freshman at Hamilton College. “But we’re leaving with tangible connections, we’re leaving with relationship-building skills and potential internships.” 

The inaugural Yale Africa Innovation Symposium was held in November 2022.

The post Yale Africa Innovation Symposium hosts visiting speakers and attendees from around the world appeared first on Yale Daily News.

Logvynyuk is not alone. 

In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a continuation of its invasion of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. Three students spoke with the News about how the war has impacted them. 

“The war has taught me a great deal about resilience,” Logvynyuk, co-director of events at the Ukraine House, told the News. “Following the story of individual people putting their whole lives on pause to become soldiers or volunteers, because they have an understanding that they are fighting for something bigger than them, has been very impactful.”

War inspires urgency, takes toll on students

Logvynyuk said that since the start of the war, it has been difficult “making peace” with the fact that she gets to continue her studies as normal while students in Ukraine have to continue their education in the midst of violence or pause it altogether. 

This has caused her to reflect on the value of her education, she said, and has motivated her studies as she hopes to use her degree in the future to contribute to her country. 

“Someone will have to be working to rebuild various parts of the country,” she said. “Whether that is economically or literally working on urban landscapes, there is going to be so much work to do and there will need to be an educated young generation to do that.”

Oleksii Antoniuk ’24, the founder and former president of the Ukraine House, described the war as an “all-encompassing” issue.

He said that it creates a sense of urgency in his goals to support Ukraine now and in the future. 

“Back in the day, I would have entertained the thought of staying [in the United States] for a few years, getting an American experience and then coming back home,” he told the News. “Now, after graduation this May, I’m planning to go back home right away. And the war, even though it hasn’t changed the general direction of my thinking, it has given it urgency.”

President of the Ukraine House Daria Valska ’26 emphasized that every Ukrainian student at Yale is affected by the war, in various ways.

She said that, although it remains under-discussed, the war has taken a “huge” toll on student mental health. 

“The war has also changed my life in the sense that I became even more involved in everything Ukraine-related,” Valska added. “This added to the motivation of working to help Ukraine in any way I can.”

Ukraine House organizes events, fundraising for war

Since the beginning of the war, the Ukraine House has been organizing talks with leaders, social events and cultural events, as well as holding vigils and rallies to raise awareness of the brutality of the war.

“Our main goal with event planning is to amplify Ukrainian voices, who are working actively in various spheres to contribute to war efforts and to keep the student body active and informed,” Logvynyuk told the News.

She said that because the war has been going on for more than two years, some people are becoming “desensitized” to it. Valska characterized this as a product of war fatigue, in which people are becoming “numb to the emotional suffering.”

This forces the Ukraine House to actively come up with creative ways of maintaining attention among students on campus, according to Logvynyuk.

Leaders of the group have also been leading fundraising efforts to support Ukraine in the war. 

Antoniuk told the News that the Ukraine House has been fundraising for Ukraine since the beginning of the war, including technical support for soldiers, such as surveillance to allow soldiers to see deeper into the battlefield, as well as medical assistance and humanitarian assistance.

“Sometimes it is harder to attract people’s attention to the fundraiser but people have not stopped donating or donating less,” Valska told the News. “Support is still pretty strong among the student community.”

Antoniuk also mentioned that the Ukraine House has been lobbying the University on policies that are important for the Ukrainian community.

He said that specifically, students have been lobbying Yale admissions to increase the number of Ukrainian students admitted to the school.

Per Antoniuk, prior to 2022, there were two to three Ukrainian students per class admitted, but in last year’s cycle, there were approximately 10 Ukrainians admitted. 

The Ukraine House has also been lobbying for a Ukrainian language program on campus.

“The program has finally gotten traction and has started, and there is a Ukrainian language professor at Yale,” Antoniuk added. “I hope we helped at least a little bit to push it in this direction.”

Valska said that there are many ways students at Yale can support Ukraine House and its war efforts. 

She mentioned one way is to reach out to local representatives and advocate for Ukraine to show politicians that people are still engaged.

“Please try to stay as engaged as you can,” Valska said, referring to the student body. “Even if it means coming to the speaker events, contributing to the fundraisers, spreading the information on your social media or having conversations with your friends about Ukraine. It all matters.”

Feb. 24 marked the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call 988. 

Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support. To speak with a trained listener, text HELLO to 741741. It is free, available 24/7 and confidential.

To talk with a counselor from Yale Mental Health and Counseling, schedule a session here. On-call counselors are available at any time: call (203) 432-0290.  Appointments with Yale College Community Care can be scheduled here.

Additional resources are available in a guide compiled by the Yale College Council here.

On Wednesday, about 100 Yale students and New Haven residents gathered at the Women’s Table on Cross Campus for a vigil to commemorate U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell and Palestinians killed in Gaza amid Israel’s war against Hamas.  

Bushnell, 25, was an active duty U.S. Air Force airman who died on Monday outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. According to ABC News, Bushnell said “I will no longer be complicit in genocide” and “Free Palestine!” prior to dying in protest.

Four speakers addressed the crowd of about 100 people, who gathered around the Women’s Table. A Palestinian flag, candles, red roses and signs — one of which featured pictures of Bushnell — adorned the monument. A Yale Police Department car was parked on Cross Campus for the entirety of the event. 

All four speakers at the vigil requested anonymity due to safety concerns.

The first speaker discussed the account of Bushnell’s death and her reaction to it. 

“Personally, when I heard Aaron’s screams, I was shaken to my core. My stomach felt ill and my heart deeply ached. Aaron exposes the moral rot at the heart of the empire,” she said. “I am so sickened and angry at the continual neglect of Palestinian humanity and refusal of so many, including the Yale administration, to acknowledge and denounce a genocide which has been going on for over 75 years.” 

The vigil follows months of student activism related to the Israel-Hamas war. On Oct. 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, in which Hamas killed at least 1,200 people and took 250 people as hostages, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry. Israel responded to the attack with a declaration of war and full bombardment of Gaza. As of Feb. 29, Israel has killed more than 30,000 people in Gaza through its military onslaught, according to the health ministry in Gaza. 

After this first speech, attendees participated in a moment of silence “for Aaron, and for the martyrs in Gaza and Palestine,” per the first speaker. 

The second speaker addressed Yale administrators directly, asking the University to “stop calling us on our personal numbers to tell us they disapprove of our actions,” or “threatening us in attempts to silence us.”

According to the speaker, Yale administrators asked organizers to cancel the event on Wednesday due to concerns that “this action will only make things worse, will make more people more upset.”

“To that we respond, we are more concerned. And we are more upset,” the second speaker said. “We have been for months and for lifetimes. We are holding space because there has been no response from the administration. No acknowledgment of the 30,000 deaths. No call for a ceasefire and no response to our demands.”

The University’s spokesperson wrote to the News that the University clinicians and administrators who contacted Yalies4Palestine leadership about the event “intended to remind students about mental health issues on campus and available resources for support.” 

“University clinicians and administrators were concerned about the difficult content of the gathering and the potential impact on students,” Peart wrote. “Yale staff reached out to student organizers to share these concerns and offer mental health guidance and support.”

In January, Yalies4Palestine and Yale Law Students for Justice in Palestine organized a walk-out for Gaza and issued a press release listing demands of the University. Demands included public support by the University for a ceasefire, the implementation of boycott, divestment and sanctions in investment policy and divestment from weapons manufacturing and actions against what they called anti-Palestinian and Islamaphobic harassment on campus. 

The University has not publicly responded to these demands. In University President Peter Salovey’s Nov. 3 “remarks on compassion and civility,” he noted that there are “waves of hatred” toward Jewish, Muslim, Israeli and Palestinian people and emphasized that antisemitism and Islamophobia are “empathetically against” the University’s values. In his Dec. 7 statement called “Against Hatred,” Salovey urged “open exchange of ideas” and directed students toward resources for safety and mental health support. 

Yale’s investments in weapons manufacturing have remained a source of student protest in recent weeks and months. The University’s review of their investments policy is nearing a close. 

The third speaker read two poems. The first poem, by Palestinian author and activist Jenan Matari, describes the speaker’s experience of watching graphic videos of the war in Gaza, and of a video depicting Bushnell’s death. The second, entitled “The Birds don’t know about self-immolation,” is an anonymous poem publicized by Jinx Press, a “radical media collective,” on X on Monday. In the poem, the speaker narrates their reactions to seeing other people, the natural world and birdsong after hearing of Bushnell’s death. 

The fourth and final speaker urged students to support workers in weaponry manufacturing and exportation in using their capacity to strike or boycott. If these workers were to boycott, the speaker said, “not a single bomb or weapon is designed, constructed, loaded or shipped … the system would come to a grinding halt.” 

The speaker cited strikes from early November in Spain and Belgium where transportation workers refused to handle Israeli weaponry shipments. 

“As students who have the privilege of housing and three meals a day, we must help mobilize the workers who are the only class capable of leading a struggle against these genocidal regimes,” he said.

Immediately following the vigil, around 30 of the attendees moved into Sterling Memorial Library to participate in a protest. During this demonstration, students laid on the ground in the main entrance of Sterling for about 20 minutes. At approximately 6:10 p.m., the protesters started chanting “Free Free Palestine” and singing “we breathe together, stop the occupation” and “from the river to the sea,” before exiting the library.

One attendee interviewed by the News said that she came to the vigil because of the importance of commemorating those who have been hurt by the war. 

“I think that it’s important that as a collective, we’re showing that we care about everyone that’s been injured,” said Rosa Serrano GRD ’26 “And I think it’s especially important to do it so visibly at Yale because they still haven’t divested their funds from war machinery manufacturers.”

One attendee at the Vigil said that as a former member of the military, they feel empathy for Bushnell’s “feeling of helplessness at the crimes the military commits.” 

A New Haven resident, who identified themself only as Moss, said they were part of a group of attendees at the vigil associated with the Revolutionary Communists of America, a political party advocating that “the existing capitalist-imperialist systems and institutions of government in this country must be abolished and dismantled” according to their website. 

Sterling Memorial Library opened in 1931. 

Karla Cortes contributed reporting.

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The Wednesday night Yale-students-only dance party at Toad’s, known as “Woads,” has been a staple of the Yale experience for decades. Recently, however, the event has taken on a new form, highlighting Yale DJs to headline the event for three of the past four weeks.

Performances by Yale students had not been a common occurrence for the weekly event prior to this string of special appearances.

On Wednesday, Feb. 7, Eli Simon ’24 took the stage under his DJ name “Dionysus.” On Feb. 21, “IfSoWhatFor” — a DJ duo co-led by Jamis DeKay ’23 — was behind the deck, ending the night with a page out of world-famous DJ Steve Aoki’s book by “caking” an audience member in the face.

“Toad’s wants to bring back the energy that made them so iconic,” DeKay told the News. “Their thought was [to] invite artists from Yale in hopes they’d bring their audience and friends with them. It was a blast, we had a ton of fun.” 

Since COVID-19, students have noted that attendance at the weekly dance party has decreased. The DJ performances come from a larger push by Toad’s Place leadership to increase Yale student engagement with the iconic venue, Yale’s Toad’s Place Ambassador Lily Siegel ’23 told the News.

This week, a “Boiler Room” EDM dance party organized by Joshua Gluckman ’24, Matthew Ross ’25 and Michael Connor ’24 appeared at Toad’s. The event included a lineup of nine different Yale student acts who DJ’d from the middle of the Toad’s Place dance floor: Edu, gunnr, HESTERIA, just Josh, Keebo, Kelli + Kiernan, Leo + Dals, Philly and Red & Imo. 

“We pitched the idea to Toad’s, and they were immediately receptive to it,” Gluckman told the  News. “They worked with us to make the event an authentic ‘boiler room’ experience in their legendary venue, and fortunately people had a great time.” 

Boiler Room is an iconic music broadcaster and nightclub promoter. Its events, which take place across the globe, are characterized as “underground raves” featuring electronic dance music, hip-hop, techno and house music. Gluckman’s idea was to model the event after Boiler Room, and his company Lyricity helped bring the vision to life.

The startup, Gluckman explained, curates musical pop-up events for Yale students. All of their events feature Yale student artists. On Feb. 16, the group hosted “Koffee After Dark:” a “pop-up rave” at Koffee on Audubon Street. Now, the startup is looking to expand beyond DJ events and is actively recruiting new musical artists.

The DJs who performed at the Toad’s Place event had a variety of different experiences with performing. While artists like gunnr have DJ’d at events throughout Yale’s campus, this was Leo + Dals’s first time taking the stage. 

“[What] we’re trying to do is give more students opportunities to do live shows, even if it’s their first,” Gluckman said. 

The events have all been well-received by students and have drawn high attendance from Yalies across grades. According to Gluckman, approximately 650 tickets were bought for the Boiler Room event on Feb. 28. 

Toad’s Place is located at 300 York St.

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Events are held at different locations, from the Founder’s Suite in Benjamin Franklin College to the historic Luther House, and the music ranges from reggae to 2010s pop. The events are planned and organized by Desmos, a senior society.

Most weekday events have a more nonchalant atmosphere, according to Alex Hoang ’24, while Fridays and Saturdays tend to be busier with more dancing. Given the range of experiences and music that Feb Club offers, it provides an occasion to build class spirit and appreciate student performers. 

“Because of the COVID restrictions during my first year at Yale, we did not have many outlets for meaningful connection,” Hoang, who has participated in Feb Club, said. “During the first night, I realized how long it had been since our class year was last united.”

Hoang recalled not knowing what to expect. He added that there was a lot of anticipation, and everyone seemed excited to come together.

The first night of Feb Club occurred at Luther House on Feb. 1, with three bands performing different genres. 

“I think the most fun gig I’ve done so far is the Feb Club’s opening party in Luther,” said Owen Wheeler ’24, lead singer of the band Public Discourse. “Our goal [as a band] is just to be electric.”

Sameer Sultan ’24, bassist and social media manager of the newly founded band Scerface, recounted his experience performing for Feb Club.

“Our first performance was for Valentine’s Day, and our second performance was yesterday at the senior [masquerade],” Sultan added. “There was a variety of music, and people were dancing. I thought, ‘I haven’t seen this many people in my class in the same place for a while.’”

Themes for Feb Club have included “Caribbean x Afrobeats,” “Techno & Tequila” and “Grad Night.” 

Each event had a photo challenge, which required challengers to complete tasks including posing like a DJ and taking pictures with a senior who would not be graduating in the spring. Those who attend all 29 Feb Club parties will be dubbed “All Stars.”

To ensure student safety, each event had three sober monitors.

The final Feb Club event will take place on Thursday, Feb. 29.

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