No. 16 — JournalismReporter, Editor and photographerJournalismFull archive ↗News · Oct. 2026 Economics professors go head-to-head in the “Battle of Economic Ideas”Uniformed in a fitted gray suit, Economics Professor Ahmed Rahman debated Economics Professor Emeritus Frank Gunter on Monday afternoon in Packer Auditorium.By Max Randall and Kat Van Buskirk · Photos by Max RandallRead the story →Sports feature · May 2026Lehigh’s Lily Fandre: Inspired by father, familyOn evenings in Andover, Minnesota, a young, tall and athletic Lily Fandre sits on the gymnasium bleachers working on…Arts · Sept. 2026Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Graham Nash performs at LehighHailing from Blackpool, England, Graham Nash’s show at Lehigh was one of three universities hosting his band with Todd…Column · Sept. 2026Reflections on Jewish identity in 2026The past few weeks I have begun to wrap tefillin, as a way to connect to Judaism and spirituality while at college.News · March 2026A call to action: Students gather to protest at Pace the PrezWith cardboard signs in hand, Giselle Cordon-Rosales, ‘29, and Maya Schwartzreich, ‘29, arrived at Pace the Prez,…News · Feb. 2026 ↗Immigration attorneys speak on international student visasIn August 2025, President Donald Trump’s administration introduced a new rule limiting how long students, professors…News · Feb. 2026The “Ebony Canal” highlights Black, Brown maternal health crisisEmmai Alaquiva — who refers to himself as a “cinematic poet” — said he created “The Ebony Canal” as a love letter to…Column · Feb. 2026Thinking pacificallyIn a society geared toward constant motion and evolution, focus often gets lost in the narrative.News · Feb. 2026 ↗David Chalmers delivers 40th Selfridge LectureDavid Chalmers, professor of philosophy and neural science at New York University, delivered the 40th Selfridge…Edit Desk · Sept. 2025Edit Desk: Rediscovering mountains and the power of placeAs a San Francisco local, I used to think it was ridiculous for people to drive up the mountain.IndexEvery byline is listed below, newest first.Co-bylines and photo credits are noted on each story.

16.1 — Every story21 bylines in The Brown and White, newest first

Economics professors go head-to-head in the “Battle of Economic Ideas” ↗ Oct. 2026
Rock and Roll hall of famer Graham Nash performs at Lehigh Sept. 2026
Reflections on Jewish identity in 2026 ↗ Sept. 2026
Cristiano Burmester documents stories through photography ↗ Sept. 2026
Vehicle Incident on South Mountain Drive ↗ Aug. 2026
Lehigh’s Lily Fandre: Inspired by father, family ↗ May 2026
The Brown and White Weekly: 4/20/26 ↗ April 2026
Forest Park to open first trail on South Mountain ↗ April 2026
A call to action: Students gather to protest at Pace the Prez ↗ March 2026
Gracie Shoup lifts up her teammates, Lehigh women’s lacrosse’s offense ↗ March 2026
Helble hosts community conversation, addresses Greek life pause and campus concerns ↗ March 2026
Lehigh falls to Bucknell in Patriot League men’s lacrosse opener, 12-11 ↗ Feb. 2026
Thinking pacifically Feb. 2026
Immigration attorneys speak on international student visas ↗ Feb. 2026
The “Ebony Canal” highlights Black, Brown maternal health crisis ↗ Feb. 2026
Photo Gallery: “The Ebony Canal” highlights maternal health ↗ Feb. 2026
David Chalmers delivers 40th Selfridge Lecture ↗ Feb. 2026
Photo Gallery: Heavy snow submerges Lehigh’s campus ↗ Jan. 2026
Moravian University unveils new student center ↗ Dec. 2025
Meet the candidates for Bethlehem City Council ↗ Nov. 2025
Edit Desk: Rediscovering mountains and the power of place Sept. 2025

16.2 — Photo deskSelected assignments, 2026

16.3 — On assignmentStory galleries

David Chalmers delivers 40th Selfridge Lecture ↗
Feb. 2026 · words + photosImmigration attorneys speak on international student visas ↗
Feb. 2026 · words + photosA call to action: Students gather to protest at Pace the Prez ↗
March 2026 · words + photos

16.4 — Contact sheetMore frames from assignments

16.5 — ReelsProducer, @lubrownwhite on Instagram · 2026

Oct. 2026Guided hike on South Mountain with Shay Rabineau ↗Oct. 2026Men’s hockey builds culture on and off the ice ↗Oct. 2026Student Senate passes Title IX resolution ↗Oct. 2026Lehigh cuts non-medical benefits for faculty and staff ↗Oct. 2026Sigma Phi Delta members disaffiliate ↗Oct. 2026Men’s tennis, a team from all over the world ↗Sept. 2026Gambling at Lehigh ↗Sept. 2026Mary Massias doesn’t believe in pregame rituals ↗Sept. 2026Reflections on Jewish identity (my column) ↗Sept. 2026Class of 2030 overenrollment ↗Sept. 2026Cross country heads into the season ↗Sept. 2026Football moves to 3-0 against William & Mary ↗Sept. 2026NCAA’s new age-based eligibility model ↗Sept. 2026Choral students push back on Senate cuts ↗Sept. 2026Student Senate slashes club allocations ↗

Lehigh’s Lily Fandre: Inspired by father, family

On evenings in Andover, Minnesota, a young, tall and athletic Lily Fandre sits on the gymnasium bleachers working on coloring books as her father practices with his league basketball team.

She patiently waits for breaks and buzzers between drills and scrimmages. In those moments, she walks onto the court, dribbles a bit, knocks down some shots and returns to coloring. 

These routine snippets of basketball practice introduced Lily Fandre to the game. As she grew older, she began to trade colored pencils for points and percentages in the paint.

Inspired, but never pressured, to pick up a ball by her parents, Clay and Wendy Fandre, who met at the University of Minnesota Duluth playing Division II basketball, Lily Fandre knew she wanted to elevate her game to the highest level.

“It’s always been kind of something I loved and enjoyed doing,” Lily Fandre said. “It’s always been a choice that I made.”

Now, as a senior and co-captain for the Lehigh women’s basketball team, Lily Fandre has carried on her family legacy through personal, academic and Division I dreams, leading the Mountain Hawks with an average of 15.3 points per game during the 2025-26 season.

And family means everything to her.

When Lily Fandre was 4-years-old, her mother passed away unexpectedly. The tragic loss naturally caused significant stress and anxiety, but Clay Fandre said it also led to strength.

“If you can get through the really tough times, then the next time it’s not so difficult,” he said.

So, through those dark and difficult moments, Clay Fandre said Lily Fandre developed social and emotional skills to deal with adversity and challenges, which also materialized on the basketball court.

In Stabler Arena, he shakes and sweats on the sidelines while she stands calm and collected, sinking shots late in the game, with a 79.5% free-throw percentage.

“She knocks down shots, and I think that comes from having been through really tough times and realizing that you can get through it,” Clay Fandre said. 

He’s her biggest supporter, made apparent by his camper van equipped with everything he needs to work his IT job remotely, and which allows him to drive to every game to support the team’s travel, coast to coast.

He’s so dedicated that his makeshift parking in places at Stabler Arena have led campus police to inform him he can’t park there anymore. 

This father-daughter connection is strong, and apart from basketball, they also share interests in music, like Green Day, which Lily Fandre uses to hype up for games. 

The father-daughter duo love “tinkering” and technology. And, largely influenced by her father, Lily Fandre is pursuing a computer science and engineering degree.

“Growing up around him, he would always buy me little robotic kits to build and stuff like that,” Lily Fandre said. “So I think I’ve kind of always had a passion for engineering.”

Lily Fandre recently completed her senior capstone project, which included creating a mobile app for a startup company that helps people traveling with pets find the best seats on airplanes.

Her dad, meanwhile, is always there and eager to help her with homework, coding and engineering problems. She said she will probably work in the engineering field in the future, but for now, Lily Fandre wants to continue playing basketball.

Lily Fandre was drawn to Lehigh both for its engineering program and the women’s basketball team, which she has helped define in the past few years through leadership, confidence and determination.

Gracyn Lovette, a junior forward and co-captain, said Lily Fandre leads with joy and a strong work ethic.

“She’s shown me how you can just be yourself on and off the court, which I think is something that I’ve really grown into,” Lovette said.

She also said Lily Fandre’s confidence has helped instill a similar confidence in herself.

“It’s just how I interact with people (and) express myself,” Lily Fandre said. She believes having teamwork and communication skills will contribute positively to her career,

Coach Addie Micir said Lily Fandre is someone everyone likes to be around and said she’ll be great at anything she does. 

This season, Micir loved how Lily Fandre stepped outside of herself and used her voice as a team captain.

“Since Day 1, people have looked to her on the basketball court, too,” Micir said. “She started early in her first year and has been such an important part of what we’re doing and what we’re building.”

Fandre’s co-captaincy this season led Lehigh’s women’s basketball team to the Patriot League finals and a berth in the first round Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

And her legacy and leadership punched her a ticket to Australia this summer, where she’ll be continuing her career with the NBL1 women’s league, this time solo.

“The next chapter in her playing career will be hers alone,” Clay Fandre said.

Reflections on Jewish identity in 2026
Column by Max Randall · Sept. 25, 2026 · Photo: Israel, 35mm

The past few weeks I have begun to wrap tefillin, as a way to connect to Judaism and spirituality while at college.

In Judaism, binding tefillin to the arm and head during morning prayers is a traditional custom. Tefillin are small boxes with hebrew scrolls and leather straps.

When I wrap, I’m able to take a second out of my day to think about something greater than myself. I meditate for a moment and set intentions for my day.

I think of all the other Jews doing the same, all connected to Hashem (G-d) at the same time.

It’s one way for me to take pride in my relationship with Judaism.

In 2026, when antisemitism is rampant in my communities, media and the news, it feels more important than ever to continue setting Jewish intentions and connect to Hashem.

I’m writing this on Yom Kippur – one of the holiest holidays in the Jewish religion.

But I woke up the day before a bit scared.

Why should I be scared for one of the holiest holidays in my religion?

Maybe because of the coincidences of the day throughout history.

On Oct. 7, 2023, the surprise Hamas attack and rape on southern Israel devastatingly fell one day after the 50-year anniversary of the Yom Kippur war.

This attack was horrifically recorded, live streamed and celebrated amongst antisemites worldwide.

This war amongst Israel and much of West Asia influenced and activated antisemitism in the western world, stronger than I’ve felt in my lifetime.

Yad Vashem, the world Holocaust remembrance center in Israel, describes it as “the worst wave of antisemitic incidents since the end of World War II.”

Last year on Yom Kippur, a man drove through the gates of a Manchester, England synagogue and started attacking people, killing two men, Melvin Cravitz z”l and Adrian Daulby z”l.

This past Sunday night a man opened fire on a policeman stationed outside a synagogue during Yom Kippur services in Belleville, Ontario.

It was a miracle the gunman couldn’t get farther than the policeman stationed outside the synagogue in Ontario.

While it’s too soon to say if the attack was premeditated or a coincidence, I think this was an act of antisemitism.

It’s easy to ignore it.

The hasty whisperings and quick jabs at Jews on college campuses, on YikYak, in the comments of Instagram reels and in the readings assigned by professors.

As a Jewish person, I’m scared.

But I’m not scared of antisemitism flying under the radar, because at this point it’s a mainstream trend.

The Anti-Defamation League reported antisemitism rose over 360% in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.

And it’s continuing to seep into society.

At the University of California San Diego, a historically Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, was vandalized and targeted with racist and antisemetic rhetoric, last month. Student Josh Greenwood wrote the antisemitism he “had seen in the news was no longer distant.”

Despite the attack, people were in the Instagram comments criticizing the paint job of the graffiti.

“They don’t even know how to make a swastika lmao,” one commenter wrote.

“More like Jewish students did this,” another one said.

‘Why aren’t we focusing on the blatant antisemitism,’ I think to myself as I pound my fist on my forehead.

The brothers of University of California San Diego Alpha Epsilon Pi want the world to know they will continue gathering, celebrating and being proud of their identities, instead of letting antisemitism hold them back.

It’s easy to tuck away my Star of David necklace, or stop wearing clothes with Hebrew lettering. It’s easy to stop going to temple and to stop wrapping tefillin.

But it’s more meaningful to continue on through hard times.

I will keep lighting candles on Friday night, keep supporting Jewish businesses and continue being a proud Jew.

Am Yisrael Chai.

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A call to action: Students gather to protest at Pace the Prez
By Max Randall and Amelia Coulton · Words + photos by Max Randall · March 25, 2026

With cardboard signs in hand, Giselle Cordon-Rosales, ‘29, and Maya Schwartzreich, ‘29, arrived at Pace the Prez, President Joseph J. Helble’s weekly run with students, at 5:45 a.m. to begin a peaceful protest against racism.

At the flagpole outside the Clayton University Center, the two first-years looked out on the dark, empty lawn unsure if anyone else would join them.

By 6:30 a.m., more than 30 protesters, students and runners, had gathered at the flagpole. Some wore workout sets and running shoes, while others were bundled in blankets, jackets and hats. Few were there to run, many were there to protest.

The protest was sparked by recent images of racist BORGs circulating on Yik Yak. Students have taken action through social media posts, posters and now a peaceful protest demanding change in the administration’s lack of response to racism.

Cordon-Rosales said the feeling of being seen as an “other” on Lehigh’s campus worsened when minority students’ experiences are ignored or fail to receive justice. As a first-generation Latino student at a predominantly white and affluent university, she said she sometimes feels isolated.

“The current lack of consequences sends the message that our voices and experiences matter less, although we all worked just as hard to make it to Lehigh University,” she said.

She said the administration, including Helble, needs to respond with more than a public statement and should do more to ensure minority students and students of color feel safe and welcome.

Schwartzreich expressed a similar concern, addressing Helble’s leadership.

“(Helble’s) job is to be a leader and comment on things to make sure we feel safe,” she said. “And (students of color) just don’t feel like we are safe.”

One of the protest organizers, Chloe Iannitti, ‘29, printed “racism has no place at Lehigh” on white T-shirts she bought on Instacart and gathered from her room. She distributed the shirts at the beginning of the protest to anyone who wanted one.

Iannitti said protesting allows students to show widespread dissatisfaction, adding that the issue is being condemned not only by those directly affected, but by a broader group of students.

She said it’s important for people to use their privilege to amplify the voices of those directly impacted.

Mia Miranda, ‘25, said the protest was organized by her, Iannitti and Kaitlan Prioleau, ‘27. Iannitti sent a text message informing peers to meet at the flagpole at 6:20 a.m. on Tuesday.

“I think there will be (protests) in the future especially if nothing gets changed, and we are in contact with different pockets of Lehigh if administration keeps protecting racist white students over their Black students.” Miranda said.

Students were advised not share the information on GroupMe or university-administered platforms to avoid alerting Helble and to help keep the protest peaceful.

Kelly Wu, ‘29, a friend of Iannitti’s who also ran with the group, said she attended to take direct action. Wearing one of the T-shirts, she said it’s crucial to speak out and demand institutional change to prevent future racist incidents.

“I think it’s important to make it clear where our school stands against all of this,” she said.

Wu said immediate action is necessary.

The crowd waited, but Helble didn’t appear.

Helble said his absence had been expected, as he told runners the previous week he wouldn’t attend. After the run, he said he heard that students gathered to protest racism.

He said if he’d been present, he would’ve listened to students’ concerns and approach the situation similarly to his Feb. 26 fireside chat with Student Senate.

“I was (at the fireside chat) to listen and engage in conversation,” he said.

Amelia Chandless, ‘26, said she attended the protest because she was disappointed with Helble’s response to students at that event.

“He was at times demeaning and wouldn’t acknowledge the specifics that (the students presenting concerns) were talking about structurally racist issues on campus,” she said.

Chandless said Helble didn’t appear to take suggestions seriously, including a proposal from Diversity Peer Educators for orientation training. Chandless said the administration should be more transparent and that failing to respond worsens the situation.

On March 2, Helble said he didn’t issue a university statement after the first BORG because it’s best to rely on those closest to the incident to comment. However, he said he now plans to send an update addressing recent events.

Chris Cook, vice president for finance and administration, who often attends Pace the Prez, led the run in Helble’s absence.

She began as usual, asking runners to introduce themselves with their name, year and major, while protesters stood behind the group.

After runners left on their four-mile loop, Miranda rallied the protesters to discuss next steps. They decided to walk part of the route and return to the meeting location.

As the group moved down East Packer Avenue and turned onto Webster Street, Lehigh University Police Department officers arrived at the scene.

The officers remained with the group for the duration of the protest and spoke with Cook. They declined to comment.

The event concluded with a photo, a Pace the Prez tradition. This time, protesters’ signs were included in the image.

Although Helble said students were aware he wouldn’t attend, Alana Shuman, ‘27, said she believes he chose not to come because of the protest.

“He’s actively avoiding it because he is scared and uncomfortable that students are finally standing up to this stupid ass racism,” she said.

Shuman also said Helble hasn’t taken sufficient action and should send a university-wide statement.

She said the university should implement a learning module each time a racist incident occurs, similar to the modules for antisemitism training.

“A lot of (racism) gets swept under the rug,” Shuman said.  “So, at this point, I think we need a full-blown investigation into Lehigh’s ability to address racism.”

Iannitti agreed with Shuman.

Iannitti’s coworkers at the Pride Center said a series of antisemitic incidents last year led the university to require antisemitism training.

She said there’s been no comparable response to racist incidents.

“The fact that (the administration) responded to the antisemitic hate that happened last year with antisemitism mandatory training and haven’t had the same response for the racism and the events that have happened on campus (this year) implies that the administration prioritizes the safety of oppressed individuals when they are white instead of when they’re Black and brown,” Iannitti said.

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Economics professors go head-to-head in the “Battle of Economic Ideas”
By Max Randall and Kat Van Buskirk · Photos by Max Randall · Oct. 20, 2026

Uniformed in a fitted gray suit, Economics Professor Ahmed Rahman debated Economics Professor Emeritus Frank Gunter on Monday afternoon in Packer Auditorium.

This was the fifth time the two professors have gone “head-to-head” in an event series, called the “Battle of Economic Ideas,” centered around current economic policy. This event series is hosted by Lehigh’s economic society.

Gunter said Rahman won the four-round duel, focused on comparing fiery economic ideas, due to his crowd management skills. He said Rahman treated the crowd like adults, while he cracked jokes to an almost full house.

Rahman said the students won the debate, in a joking manner.

“I’m very happy with the turnout,” said vice president of Lehigh’s economics society Ella Smith, ‘27.

Smith said the purpose of the match was to highlight the importance of critical thinking and discourse.

A coin flip decided who’d be the proponent or opponent for each topic of debate.

Round one: Should the federal government use broad-based tariffs to shield American businesses from foreign competition, or do imports inflate prices for consumers and provoke retaliatory trade barriers?

Gunter called the coin flip, resulting in him arguing against broad-based tariffs and Rahman in favor of tariffs.

Rahman framed his argument around the idea tariffs could serve the U.S. well even from a free market perspective.

He referenced Alexander Hamilton’s “Infant Industry” argument, which states tariffs can protect newly-established domestic industries while the technology is still developing.

Rahman said for large economies like the U.S., having some level of tariffs can improve terms of trade, allowing it to capture a bigger share of the gains.

He criticized the current administration’s method of rolling out tariffs, but said a poor approach doesn’t make tariff policy bad in general.

Gunter countered Rahman, and said using tariffs to restore manufacturing jobs would move the country backward. He said the U.S. shifted from a farming economy to a manufacturing economy by the mid-20th century, and that it’s now moving towards the direction of services.

“The idea that somehow agriculture was important or manufacturing is more important than services, I don’t really buy it,” Gunter said.

He then called out the impacts of tariffs on prices.

He said if imports become more expensive, the price of imported goods will rise.

Gunter also said this also gives American companies that don’t import goods room to raise their own prices, since they no longer face cheaper foreign competition.

He said imports are such a small share of the economy, and tariffs would do little to boost American industries. He also said the decision to implement tariffs is swayed by politics.

Round two: Should the federal government expand major tax cuts to spur private activity, or prioritize debt reduction to prevent economic instability?

Gunter acknowledged his answer strayed from the question. He argued the deficit is a governmental spending problem, not a tax problem.

He opened by saying he wanted to convince the audience there’s no poverty in the U.S.

According to the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, the U.S. federal poverty line for a family of four is $33,000.

He estimated it would take $400 billion a year to lift every one of these families out of poverty. Gunter then mentioned how there’s still poverty, despite the federal government spending $1.1 trillion on anti-poverty programs.

“It’s not a matter that we’re not spending enough money,” Gunter said. “It’s a matter that the money isn’t being spent in any kind of reasonable fashion.”

Rahman began his rebuttal citing economist Arthur Laffer, who in 1974 sketched on a pizzeria napkin what became known as the Laffer Curve. The curve suggests one could lower taxes and raise revenues simultaneously.

Outside of extremely high tax rates, Rahman said this has never worked.

“It’s a powerful approach because it’s a simple approach, but instead of simple, I would call it a bit simplistic,” Rahman said.

He then reminded the audience the national debt is $40 trillion.

“I could stand up here and say $40 trillion for five minutes, and I think I (would) win,” he said.

He also said fiscal stewardship that hasn’t been demonstrated in Congress is needed to tackle this debt.

Round three: Should the executive branch exercise direct oversight over rate adjustments, or should monetary policy remain insulated from elected officials?

Going into the second half of the debate, Rahman took the reins, arguing for more political oversight than rate adjustments. He said this idea of coordination between the administration and the federal reserve is not far-fetched, because it’s happening now.

Rahman said the current separation between monetary and fiscal policy dates back to the aftermath of World War II when the U.S. economy was facing inflationary pressures and massive debt.

From this, “federal chairman controls liquidity, and the treasury secretary is given powers to deal with the fiscal responsibilities of taxing and spending the American money,” Rahman said.

Rahman called it a “creaky” system, saying just because it’s what the U.S. has had for decades doesn’t mean it has to be held onto. He said splitting the Federal Reserve could keep control of the balance sheet, while interest rate decisions could be made in concert with elected officials.

He also said this would connect the constituents to interest rate decisions.

“When you see a calamity coming down the line, don’t you want as many brains, as many resources as possible to address the problem?” Rahman said.

Gunter reminded the audience the Federal Reserve has a dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment, and they’re often at odds with each other.

He argued monetary policy should remain insulated from elected officials, while reminding the crowd a politician’s goal is to get reelected. He also said when the Federal Reserve raises interest rates to fight inflation, it makes mortgages, car and college loans more expensive.

“The independence of the Federal Reserve is important because what they are doing, trying to control inflation, is not going to get anybody elected,” Gunter said.

Round four: Should the federal government expand legal entry pathways to supply needed workers, or restrict immigration to protect the domestic labor market?

In the final heat, Gunter said throughout history, the U.S. has gained hardworking, smart and courageous people willing to leave their homes to work in the U.S.

He said bringing the smartest people to the U.S. benefits the nation.

Gunter said if it were up to him, “anyone who graduates with a STEM degree in the United States would immediately receive a green card.”

He closed by saying the U.S. shouldn’t abandon its border regulation, but the country does benefit from smart and hardworking people moving and contributing to the U.S.

Before responding, Rahman said he would be arguing against his own pro-immigration research, calling it a hard but important exercise.

He said it was a time to challenge his own perceptions and “shake” himself up a bit.

“(Gunter) and I are up here not necessarily just to show off and show how clever we are,” Rahman said. “But we’re pretty damn clever, right?”

Citing economist George Borjas, Rahman pointed out that for a 10% increase of migrant workers, the native wage of that occupation class decreased by 3 to 4%.

He said while the contribution of migrant workers does increase productivity, those gains aren’t spread evenly across the economy. Instead, they mostly go to companies that benefit from cheap labor.

Rahaman said the U.S. has an anti-immigration sentiment Americans can’t ignore.

He said even when economists point out the positive gains of immigration, people don’t listen.

Rahman joked after challenging his own research.

“Thanks, don’t believe anything I just said.”

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The “Ebony Canal” highlights Black, Brown maternal health crisis
By Max Randall · Words + photos · Feb. 16, 2026

Emmai Alaquiva — who refers to himself as a “cinematic poet” — said he created “The Ebony Canal” as a love letter to Black and Brown women and their children in an effort to save as many lives as possible.

“The Ebony Canal,” a Pennsylvania-made, award-winning documentary narrated by Viola Davis about maternal health among Black and Brown women, was screened in Baker Hall on Thursday night.

The documentary follows the pregnancy journeys of four Black women: Mariah Peoples, Larissa Lane, Rachel Strader and Alana Yzola-Daly.

Yzola-Daly, an associate producer of the documentary and journalist by trade, said she became involved in the project because her cousin was a long-time follower of Alaquiva.

She said her cousin encouraged her to reach out to Alaquiva because he was making a documentary on the “trials and tribulations” of being pregnant as a Black woman.

Yzola-Daly said she contacted Alaquiva to share her own story.

“We showcase people in (technology) who are making a difference, people in healthcare that are making a difference, to show that this isn’t a hopeless cause and it’s just about amplifying and shining light on those who are creating change in our communities” she said.

She also said it was the first time during her pregnancy that she felt seen.

Two weeks after giving birth, Yzola-Daly said she was laid off from her job as a journalist. Afterward, Alaquiva reached out and invited her to serve as an associate producer on the project.

“I was very, very lucky and fortunate that I got to digest this film both as the subject as well as the associate producer,” Yzola-Daly said.

She said what makes the film distinctive is that it doesn’t only focus on the struggles Black women face during pregnancy but also highlights a pathway forward for communities to rise together.

Alaquiva said the documentary’s title is a metaphor for birth and the broader journey of Black women. He said he wanted to evoke a double entendre referencing the birth canal because Black women are scientifically proven as a portal of humanity.

He also said Black women die at three times the rate of their white counterparts, and Black babies, less than one year old, die at two and a half times the rate of white babies.

“Eighty-four percent of this is preventable,” Alaquiva said. “So with the part of this eradication, we wanted to use a vessel of the arts by putting together this film and allowing it to go across the country and across the world, essentially to bring awareness to this very, very serious problem.”

Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, a professor and the academic chair in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Drexel University, said she specializes in maternal care, particularly for women living with HIV.

She said listening to women throughout the pregnancy journey can significantly improve outcomes.

“That’s what the focus of the film is,” Larkins-Pettigrew said. “It’s showing you the challenges that Brown and Black people have in this society and throughout the world.”

Doula Janicca Covington said she’s one of the only certified Black doulas in the Lehigh Valley. She said she’s been certified for four years but has supported family and friends through pregnancy for 13 years.

“I just love this work,” Covington said. “I love being an advocate for women and their babies, and I want to see those outcomes improved for Black and Brown people.”

Tracie Springer, the president of the Lehigh Valley National Council of Negro Women, said she wishes she’d experienced a conversation like the one the documentary fosters when she was giving birth and raising her children.

Springer also said she’s proud of the project’s Pennsylvania roots, with many contributors living locally and sharing stories that highlight Black women’s health in the region.

“(Women) need to advocate for each other more,” Springer said.

Alaquiva said he plans to continue screening the documentary to raise awareness. He said there’s something “magnetic” about bringing together individuals and organizations from around the world to create change.

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Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Graham Nash performs at Lehigh
By Max Randall · Arts · Sept. 29, 2026

Hailing from Blackpool, England, Graham Nash’s show at Lehigh was one of three universities hosting his band with Todd Caldwell, Adam Minkoff and Zach Djanikian on their North American tour.

The two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee of supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and The Hollies rocked a sold-out show in Baker Hall on Thursday night.

Nash has a history of being politically outspoken, and his show in Bethlehem was no exception.

Between songs, he referenced Ukrainian elections, the Iran war, Israeli relations with Palestinian people and the Epstein files.

Nash released his most recent album, NOW, in 2023.

According to his website, the album features songs like “Stand Up” and “Golden Idols,” both focusing on political change.

He and Jackson Browne are co-founders of Musicians United for Safe Energy, an activist group founded in 1979 to oppose nuclear-powered energy.

Alongside other artists like Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor and The Doobie Brothers, Nash and Browne facilitated the “No Nukes” concert series in September 1979 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Nash was also a frequent collaborator and ex-partner of Joni Mitchell, whom he mentioned multiple times in his speeches to the audience.

At the beginning of the show, Nash and his band performed “I Used to be King,” which he said was a song he wrote for Joni Mitchell after they broke up.

Nash also shared an anecdote about Mitchell and him finding a vase at a thrift store on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles on a cold California day.

He said that experience turned into the conception of the hit song, “Our House,” where he references lighting a fire and putting flowers in a recently purchased vase.

The crowd was singing most of the songs alongside Nash and his band.

Mark Wilson, executive director of Zoellner Arts Center, said he’s glad Nash played popular songs the audience would sing.

“I was very happy that the audience loved it,” Wilson said.

Audience member Coleen Finelli said she shed tears during Nash’s rendition of “To the Last Whale.”

“I got my tissue up my sleeve,” she said as she began to tear up.

Finelli said the energy at the show was great. She said she had previously seen Crosby, Stills and Nash play, and said that Nash sounded wonderful.

Standing out amongst an older crowd, Matt Schafer, ‘27, said he got his free student ticket in August.

“I’m a big fan of Graham Nash and all the work that he did with music,” Schafer said. There’s not really another opportunity for me to do this.”

He said he learned about Nash in high school when one of his teachers played him Crosby, Stills and Nash for the first time.

Schafer said ever since then, he’s been a huge fan.

He said Nash’s music from the 1970s is reflective of our times today, and that Nash uses his platform well.

“Whether you agree or disagree with him, you have to respect that he gets up there and sort of does his thing,” Schafer said.

He said his favorite part of the set was towards the end, when Nash jammed out with some of his more iconic and well-known hits.

Nash closed the set with “Ohio,” an upbeat song about the Kent State shootings, and “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” a tune about a breakup between Judy Collins and Nash’s bandmate Stephen Stills.

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Edit Desk: Rediscovering mountains and the power of place
By Max Randall · Edit Desk · Sept. 30, 2025

As a San Francisco local, I used to think it was ridiculous for people to drive up the mountain.

It felt unnecessary and ordinary to watch the sunset or the fog roll in the late afternoon.

However, I forgot to consider the connection people have to a place, and how, when you stand on top of a mountain, you feel more powerful than ever. You feel grounded as you watch what’s happening beneath you.

I came home in June from being at school in Vermont. I was educated with the Green Mountains in the background. I learned to appreciate the importance of nature and the significance of the places we inhabit.

Most of these things I didn’t learn in the classroom, and I was taught by the people and the culture of the state. I admired how people in Vermont cared about their mountains, such as Camel’s Hump, Mt. Abe and Mansfield. Each mountain had its own unique story.

I’ve always appreciated mountains, but Vermont emphasized my heed. Something about how still they are from far away, but they’re alive and breathing up close.

Something about mountains feels so human — the names we attach to them, the stories we tell about them, mountains are omnipresent in humanity.

I was missing the stories I would hear about hikes and animals that people saw in the mountains. The stories of the natural world I would hear at home were bland and usually about spotting a deer.

I wanted to find a mountain that could tell a story. I realized all I had to do was look out my window in San Francisco to see a familiar sight.

It was hard to find beauty in the dusty brown and dark gray mountains in the middle of the city. Littered with cans and tagged with graffiti, the summit was a skater’s haven.

I was eager, however, for that feeling of connection to a mountain that I felt in Vermont, and for some reason, that place I was so pessimistic about was beckoning for me to explore.

This past summer, I decided to start going to Twin Peaks just to experience it. I would sometimes go alone, where I could listen to my own music and have uninterrupted time to think. I would go with my sister, or pick her up after she ran to the top. I would never say no to when a friend asked to go, even if it was late at night and the fog shrouded the view.

As I pointed out each landmark in the city from the university to Market Street, I thought of how connected I was to this city. I knew it all, I could recognize each neighborhood and light trail.

Each time I went, the only thing on my mind was where I’d spent my last four years.

The steep windy grade up the hill reminded me of East-West Road in Dummerston, Vermont, a road that traverses a massive mountain with sharp turns and uneven pavement. Drivers are reckless on East-West Road, as they exceed the speed limit and loudly rev their engines.

With each turn that I lightly tapped the brake, a new memory of Vermont came into my head.

Thoughts of driving my friend’s family Volkswagens and Hondas through the dirt roads during mud season, my friends pumping gas and leaving the door open letting frigid air into the car, reminded me of how cold it is in Vermont.

And because I’ve experienced the Vermont winter, when we would get out of the car on the top of Twin Peaks and the wind whipped around the mountain, I was numbed to that feeling of discomfort, and I felt one with the wind. It reminded me that the mountain is alive up close, and that feeling is something special.

That feeling of standing on top of a mountain or just being connected to nature is unique, but somehow I had accessed it in an urban setting.

I stopped to think about what’s coming next.

I’ve lived away from home for years, but moving to a new place never gets easier. I like to think of my mountains, or places that have significant meaning to me.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is different from anywhere else I’ve lived, but I’ve been able to find things here that make it feel special.

Just a few weeks into my first year here, I’ve already heard, overheard and told stories about the mountains. Something special about a mountain is that it’s not easy to get to the top of.

It requires dedication and care — a motive too. I’m looking forward to experiencing that struggle when it gets icy and watching as the leaves come back in the spring. I am excited to explore more of what the mountain has to offer, standing on top of South Mountain and feeling that connection.

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Thinking pacifically
By Max Randall · Column · Feb. 26, 2026

In a society geared toward constant motion and evolution, focus often gets lost in the narrative.

I’ve learned to shape my personal narrative the way I shape clay: through something both reinventive and formative. Like pottery, success requires focus. To succeed in art, an artist must have a vision for their work. I’m a multifaceted person, but I used to forget to slow down when creating.

That changed when I tapped into my internal metronome: my breath. I’ve found when I use meditation and breathing in my art process, it enhances my work and gives it a deeper meaning.

From a young age, meditation and breathwork were prevalent in my life. My father was a yoga teacher and taught me how to meditate. He meditates every morning to align himself for the day ahead. I knew meditation was important, but I couldn’t muster the energy or motivation to take the time out of my day to just be.

I felt pressure to meditate from my father and teachers. In elementary school, minutes of mindfulness were built into our day, as teachers were required to encourage us to take time for ourselves.

Although mindfulness and meditation were themes of my childhood, I wasn’t very pacific. As a child, I was messy, loud and disruptive. I wasn’t artistic either. I got into trouble a lot, mainly because I never thought before I spoke.

Over time, I realized holding my tongue could open more doors, but I still needed a way to communicate and express my feelings. I found that outlet in pottery.

Ceramics and clay drew me in because of the messy process and endless possibilities. I needed pottery as a release, and it fueled something in me I never knew I had. However, I couldn’t quite identify what it was. As a beginner potter in high school, I was murky, like the water in a bucket after a throwing session.

Pottery has a steep learning curve, and a well-made piece is the result of time spent thinking, creating and choosing. Failure is part of the process, and it’s poetic in a way. When I began, I didn’t understand the care that went into creating sculptures, and I moved too quickly. I wasn’t focused on the goal.

Nothing in my art changed until I relearned how to control my breath.

In addition to learning how to move forward with big emotions, I revisited foundational breathing patterns I’d dismissed from childhood. Still, my breathing felt more like snoring. I wasn’t just struggling in the studio — I was struggling mentally and personally.

As a creative, I struggle to express my feelings and talk about the past. I prefer to look ahead, so when I faced personal challenges, I chose a coach instead of a therapist. I told him I wanted to incorporate breathing techniques into my art practice, and he encouraged me to try.

During my junior year of high school, instead of queuing a Grateful Dead show like usual, I unplugged the speaker and closed my eyes.

I raised a five-pound piece of clay over my head and slammed it onto the bat. As aggressive as it sounds, I felt calm. With my eyes still closed, I dipped my hands in warm water, cupped my left hand around the clay and locked my right hand over the mound. I took a full, deep breath and held it for six seconds before a two-second exhale.

I pressed my foot onto the pedal and felt the clay slowly form into the shape I wanted. I kept that same six-to-two-breathing pattern as I centered, opened, pulled the walls and defined the rim of a bowl.

The piece wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t expect it to be. Still, it meant more to me than the lazily made 10-pound bowls with thick rims and uneven bases. For the first time, I’d connected personal growth to my art practice. I never would’ve thought that turning off one sense and looking inward at my breathing patterns could physically change the clay.

When I’m sitting on the stool, clay in my hands and the wheel spinning, I feel like I’m in another world. Pottery is an escape.

Thinking pacifically has changed how I approach art, and I try to apply that mindset to other aspects of my life. Slowing down is something I still need to work on, but with pottery I feel confident in my growth. It’s as if my pieces have life in them, formed by the rhythm of my own breath.

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