Lehman Honors Late Professor’s Legacy with Special Collection Reception

The collection of Joseph Tusiani, acclaimed poet, author, translator, and longtime Lehman College professor, at the Leonard Lief Library.
Photo credit: Francesca Verzivolli

By Francesca Verzivolli

On Friday, Sept. 18, Lehman College celebrated the life and literary legacy of Joseph Tusiani, an acclaimed poet, author, translator and longtime Lehman College professor who died April 11, 2020. The event included a guided tour of the Joseph Tusiani Collection, now housed at the Leonard Lief Library, which includes letters to and from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. discussing segregation and loss of morals and humanity in America during the 1960s.

Besides offering a glimpse into Tusiani’s work as a writer and scholar, the collection shows his enduring connection to both his native Italy and his adopted home in the United States. He was born in San Marco in Lamis, Italy, and arrived in New York at age 23. His connection to the Italian community in the Bronx was a powerful one. According to census data from 2000, approximately 67,100 Bronx residents reported Italian ancestry. Tusiani wrote in both Italian and English and became known as the “Poet of Two Lands.” Through his poetry, translations and teaching, he brought Italian literature to American audiences and vice versa.

Professor Kathleen LaPenta, director of the Bronx Italian American History Initiative, said, “The idea that he wrote the Dante book for children is also really fascinating to me, to be able to make classical texts translatable to even young learners.” LaPenta refers to Dante’s Divine Comedy: As Told for Young People, which Tusiani took on retelling in a form intended to be accessible to younger readers. In addition, Tusiani translated major Italian writers such as Boccaccio, Machiavelli and Michelangelo.

LaPenta explained that Tusiani also helped make English literature accessible to Italian Americans who may not have had the opportunity otherwise due to a language barrier, broadening the reach of these literary classics and paving a road to connect Italian speakers to English literature.

“As long as this [library] building will stand, it documents and immortalizes his career.” — Anthony Julian Tamburri, professor of Black, Race and Ethnic Studies at Queens College

Tusiani was “not ours, not Lehman’s,” said Lehman’s president, Dr. Fernando Delgado; rather, he belonged to an entire community that reaches far beyond the walls of the college. Tusiani joined the Lehman College faculty as a literature and Italian professor after a 23-year career as the chair of the Italian Department at the College of Mount St. Vincent, serving 12 years until he retired in 1983.

“He said he liked working at Lehman because he had more students here,” said Dr. Janet Butler Munch, the special collections librarian.

Professor Tusiani’s niece, Paula Tusiani-Eng, recounted Professor Tusiani’s colorful and passionate attitude about the world around him, which made him an amazing writer and great

uncle. The curator of the collection, Marguerite Zappa, highlighted Tusiani’s extensive achievements, including becoming the first American to win the Greenwood Prize from the Poetry Society of England in 1956. The collection also contains humbler items, such as Tusiani’s personal dictionary, which he read in its entirety and heavily annotated.

For Tusiani, literature was never confined to one language, one country, or one generation. From his childhood in Italy to his life and career in the Bronx, he spent decades building connections between cultures and making literature accessible to others. Today, the Joseph Tusiani Collection allows those connections to continue.

As Anthony Julian Tamburri, professor of Black, Race and Ethnic Studies at Queens College, said, “As long as this [library] building will stand, it documents and immortalizes his career.”

Anthropologist Brings Lessons in Fighting Food Apartheid to Lehman

by Rosalía Ramírez

On September 16, professor and cultural anthropologist Dr. Hanna Garth spoke about her book Food Justice Undone: Lessons for Building a Better Movement in the East Dining Hall. This event, organized by Latin American and Latino Studies professor and cultural anthropologist Dr. Alyshia Gálvez, was a continuation of the Bronx Food Humanities Program, an internship program that empowers students from Lehman College, Bronx Community College, and Hostos Community College to combine lived experience, theory, and hands-on work to fight food apartheid in the Bronx.

Galvez chose Garth’s book because she wanted it to shape the intellectual infrastructure of the Bronx Food Humanities program. In the Bronx, there is a glaring issue of food inequality. In the South Bronx, for example, a study from 2022 showed that bodegas outnumber grocery stores 25 to 1. Even though Garth’s work is centered around South-Central LA, Gálvez felt that the work is applicable to the Bronx because it holds a “similar place in the American racial imaginary…These communities are repositories for misconceptions about low-income residents and what they eat.” Galvez praised Garth for being “both loving and critical in her analysis. Her critique exists not to ‘poke holes,’ but to raise awareness of areas for improvement.”

“You could read the book alone, but the real work comes from reading and talking to people about what you read.”

Garth started her talk with an anecdote about when she drove with a fellow non-resident volunteer named Julian through the South-Central LA community. When he spoke, she noticed that her view of South Central and his were diametrically opposed. She said: “As we drove off, I noticed the difference of in what I had been attuned to —specific smells, music, and the vibrant pulse of South Central —and what Julian had fixated on —vacancy, his vision, and misplaced nostalgia.”

She explained that this experience was not an isolated incident, but rather something she kept encountering throughout her ten years working as a volunteer. Organizations stated that they were there to help Black and Latinx residents but built their organizations based on racist assumptions about the people they were serving. Hundreds of millions of dollars were funneled into ineffective food justice organizations which diminished residents' trust in the movement.

While maintaining her critique, Garth also highlighted what she and others had done to combat the power dynamics within the movement. Garth walked the audience through the changes that have occurred over the years because of this work, such as the shift from the term “food desert” to “food apartheid.”

English professor Dr. Tram Nguyen from Hostos Community College commented that while Garth spoke, it occurred to her “that [food] desert and swamp are ‘passive’ ecological states whereas ‘apartheid’ points to human systems and structure.”

During the Q&A, attendees asked questions about topics ranging from policy, pleasure, government spending, intersectionality, performative activism, language, and more. Bronx Food Humanities intern and ambassador Justin Diaz said that he found the event special because he got first-hand knowledge from an expert and an opportunity for communal conversation. He said he considered events like these to be “imperative” in the fight for food justice because, “You could read the book alone, but the real work comes from reading and talking to people about what you read.”

The event ended with a line of people waiting for their book to be signed by Dr. Garth, who told reporters that seeing students and organizations use her book to improve their work was “just a dream.”

Music Meets Healing: Aphasia Therapy for Bronxites Launched in Lehman College

Dr. Tomaino interacting with the elders at Lehman College Music Building.
Image credit: Faith Eguonwu

By: Faith Egwuonwu

On September 10, Lehman College hosted the inaugural session of "Music Has Power® for Aphasia" in Music Building, a weekly initiative offering accessible music speech therapy to local Bronx citizens struggling with language disorders.

"Music taps into intact areas of the brain that bypass damaged language centers," states Dr. Concetta M. Tomaino, executive director and co-founder of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF). "Through rhythm, pitch, and melody, individuals living with aphasia can unlock spoken words and reconnect with their ability to communicate."

Coordinated with the IMNF, the program integrates standard music therapy techniques with speech-language rehabilitation to help local citizens navigate their recovery from strokes and brain injuries.

Tomaino explained that while aphasia damages specific language processing centers in the brain's left hemisphere, rhythmic auditory pacing and Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT) can alter the neural pathways in the right hemisphere. This neurological compensation allows people that have aphasia to find words and articulate phrases through auditory-verbal scaffolding, group singing, and rhythmic exercises.

Aphasia is a neurogenic communication disorder that impairs a person's ability to talk, process, and comprehend language, both spoken and written. According to Aphasia Statistics, roughly 2,000,000 people in the U.S are currently living with aphasia, with more than 180,000 United States citizens developing the condition annually. Stroke is the consistent leading contributor, contributing to aphasia for approximately 33% of all stroke survivors.

The issue is a pressing priority for the Lehman community. The New York State Department Of Health's Bronx County Health Indicators report from 2021-2024 highlights the severe health equity imbalances in Bronx County, where the stroke mortality rate is approximately 27.9 per 100,000 residents. Additionally, over 24% of Bronx residents are living below the federal poverty line, with 15% of them maneuvering through limited access to full healthcare coverage, institutional underfunding, and mobility barriers that impose major restrictions on access to specialized outpatient care.

“Aphasia is not a loss of intelligence; it's a problem of access to the words.” - Adrienne Frohlich, licensed speech-language pathologist

Adrienne Frohlich, a licensed speech-language pathologist with 25 years of clinical experience, provides daily care in acute hospital settings as well as facilitating private practice at Speech Bubble NYC. She noted that family members and the public often misconstrue speech challenges as cognitive decline.

"Aphasia is not a loss of intelligence," she said. "It's a problem of access to the words. All the same things that you've always known are still there. It's my job as a speech therapist to help you get the words out and express all the things you know." Frohlich highlighted that familiar music taps directly into implicit memory, enabling individuals who struggle with basic sentences to sing complete phrases smoothly. Through established methods such as MIT, speech therapists use pitch and rhythm to trigger speech output from patients. Despite these clinical breakthroughs, systemic barriers often stall long-term rehabilitation for Bronx residents. Local stroke patients regularly struggle with transportation to the medical

facilities due to the spoken language barrier, restrictive insurance visit limitations, and little to no access to specialized rehabilitation professionals. "One of the most difficult things is finding care and getting the resources that they need," Frohlich said. "If you have communication difficulty, it's harder to find care."

Dr. Leslie Grubler, director of the Clinical Education and Clinical Services at the Lehman College Speech-Language-Hearing Center, detailed the integration of music therapy and how it helps with the process of speech recovery for the client. "Bringing music therapy and speech-language pathology together allows us to advance our continuous improvement plan and to look at communication through different professional and inter-professional lenses," Grubler explained. "When we collaborate, we share experiences that may engage communication, memory, emotion, rhythm, social interaction, and participation simultaneously."

Reentry@Lehman Spotlights Incarceration’s Impact on Families

Caption: Reentry@Lehman members and attendees gather during the Pizza Meetup on Sept. 16 in the T3 Building, Room 116. Pictured are, among others, Lehman students Heaven Torres and Gabrielle Navarro, Professor Penny Prince and LaGuardia Community College Associate Professor Cory Rowe. Photo by Najee Brown.

By Najee Brown

Reentry @ Lehman brought 20 students, faculty and community members together on Sept. 16 in the T3 Building for a pizza meetup focused on how incarceration affects families and the support available to justice-impacted 
students.

The meetup grew from a request by Lehman students Heaven Torres, a 
social work major, and Gabrielle Navarro, a fine arts major, who wanted 
a place where justice impacted people could share their experiences, according to Penny Prince, a professor in Lehman’s Music Department and the event’s main organizer.

Navarro spoke about growing up with an incarcerated father and how the experience shaped her relationship with education. She described school as a safe place and said having an incarcerated parent motivated her to pursue her education and make different choices for herself.

Navarro also discussed feeling responsible for other members of her family while her father was incarcerated. She described putting her own needs aside while trying to keep others on the right path.

Thousands of New York youths are affected by parental incarceration. A New York City Department of Health analysis of the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 19% of public high school students, an estimated 36,000 students, reported that at least one parent had served time in jail or prison.

Cory Rowe, an associate professor of criminal justice at LaGuardia Community College, told The Meridian that education can play an important role for incarcerated people and their families.

“Education can set people free,” Rowe said. “Both literally, through legal education, but also by empowering people to pursue new paths that have better outcomes.”

Rowe said the effects of incarceration on families often receive little attention.

“The worst part is, most of the time this is invisible,” Rowe said. “Families, wives, children of incarcerated parents are not really seen by the system. Their stories are rarely told.”

Rowe also said colleges can provide an important space for students who may otherwise feel excluded or misunderstood because of their experiences.

“Creating space is a way of directly confronting exclusion,” Rowe said.

The idea that eventually became Reentry@Lehman began in 2017, according to Prince. She said she encountered a student on her first day at Lehman who was “looking teary and anxious” after being sent from office to office while trying to find help.

“I then realized that there may be many new, reentering and transferring students, some who had been incarcerated, who need our support and we must be there for them,” Prince told The Meridian.

Prince later proposed creating a committee at a Lehman College Senate meeting.

“By the time I got home from Senate, 25 people had emailed me wanting to join,” Prince said. “We now have 50 members.”

The program connects students with help related to enrollment, financial aid and other needs. The Reentry@Lehman website also lists referrals for housing, employment, legal services, personal finances and scholarships.

Despite its growth, Prince said awareness remains a challenge.

“We have our Reentry@Lehman on the Lehman website, yet people still don’t know we are here!” Prince said.

Reentry@Lehman serves both formerly incarcerated students and students whose family members have been incarcerated. Prince said students do not have to identify themselves as formerly incarcerated when applying to Lehman. While she views that privacy positively, she said it can make it difficult for the program to know who may need its support.

Prince said Torres and Navarro, along with Professor Suzette Ramsundar, plan to start a student club this month where students can share their experiences and become involved in issues affecting incarcerated people and their families.

Reentry@Lehman also reached another milestone this year with the opening of its own office in T3-116, the same room where the pizza meetup was held.

“This is important to us as members of society: not just to think of ourselves, but to care for our brothers and sisters,” Prince said.

Medical Professionals Dismantle Cannabis Stigma for Bronx Elders

Cannabis reflecting on a table.
Author: HerrBlaze

By Savon Williams

On March 11, Martha McDermott, Lehman College’s Cannabis Case Manager, facilitated a Zoom seminar called “Golden Years, Greener Options: Medical Cannabis for Older Adults,” which featured medical officers Dr. June Chin and Dr. Ken Weinberg.

Chin, chief medical officer for the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, opened with a story about one of her patients. Ms. Rodriguez was suffering from arthritis and needed a form of care that would allow her to live without pain and sleep at night. While Rodriguez’s mind went to cannabis, the stigma and fear surrounding cannabis use caused her to act without any advice from a medical professional. As a result, she overspent on cannabis, paying up to $300, and misused what she bought, leading to a panic attack and an emergency room visit. “The problem wasn’t that Ms. Rodriguez made a bad choice; the problem is the system…made the safe choice feel inaccessible,” concluded Chin.

Chin stated that from 2023 to the present, one million adults in the U.S. use cannabis daily, which is comparable to the number of Americans who buy coffee. There has been a 50% increase among older adults who use cannabis over the last two years. “The question has shifted: it’s no longer who’s using cannabis; it’s how can we make sure people have the information they need to use it safely,” said Chin.

“I was able to go back to work...I truly credit [that] to having the cannabis.”

Dr. Kenneth R. Weinberg, chief medical officer and creator of Cannabis Doctors of New York, presented a general history of cannabis use that focused on the stigma around it. He noted that this stigma has only existed for the last 80 years. Weinberg explained that it was generated as part of an effort to criminalize marginalized communities as adversaries rather than for any reason based on science. To dismantle the negative myth, Weinberg explained the science regarding the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and how it affects our bodies’ ability to send signals throughout, resulting in, for example, our ability to eat, sleep, and experience pain. The study of cannabis, he said, is important because there are chemicals in the plant that can influence the way that we experience these signals in the body, especially for older patients who experience chronic pain from these signals.

“Everyone thinks about THC [tetrahydrocannabinol] for its psychoactive properties, but it’s also very good for inflammation... [and] for muscle spasticity... It’s good for appetite, it’s good for nausea,” Weinberg said. He also pointed to specific use cases for specific cannabis chemicals. “You want to start low and go slow... because people have very different sensitivities.”

Michelle Sajous, ex-director of River Bay Corporation for 16 years and a medical cannabis patient, reported on her experience with losing her leg from diabetes and experiencing chronic pain because of neuropathy. Sajous’ doctor originally avoided conversations about medical cannabis, leading her to rely on the standard medical practice of opioids, which left her in an uncomfortable state. However, after reaching the Bronx Verilife Dispensary, the pharmacist explained how to access cannabis, its purpose, and methods of consuming it. “He explained to me that it’s not about getting high; it’s about getting a healing,” Sajous said. “I did go with tinctures...It did get rid of some of that inflammation in the morning...and that dull ache. I was able to go back to work...I truly credit [that] to having the cannabis.”

Medical cannabis offers an alternative to the standard series of opioids that cause additional pain to the body. Through proper education, careful selection, and guidance from medical professionals, medical cannabis is a solution that will allow older New Yorkers like Sajous to continue to live in peace, without being held back by pain.

Over 2,000 Attend Lehman Tax the Rich Rally with Bernie Sanders

NYC Artist Allegra Krieger Tuning Her Guitar
Credit: Gilbert Areizaga

By Gilbert Areizaga

On Sunday, March 29, 2,000 community members packed into Lehman’s Performing Arts Center for a high-energy rally sponsored by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and headlined by Senator Bernie Sanders to urge New York Governor Kathy Hochul to raise taxes on the wealthiest members of the city.

“Right now you are living in a country where the top 1% owns more wealth than the bottom 93%,” Sanders said. “One man - Mr. Musk - owns more wealth than the bottom 53% of American households.” Zooming out and analyzing the gap between the richest in America and the working class, Sanders continued citing statistics, each one highlighting just how wide the gap between the rich and the rest is and how this manifests in the lives of average people. “We have 85 million Americans who are uninsured and under-insured, over a half a million Americans go bankrupt each year because of medically related debt, tens of thousands of our people die every year because they don’t have enough money to get to a doctor when they should in the richest country in the history of the world.” Sanders then explained how billionaires and large corporations pay less in taxes than the average American.

Following the rally’s main slogan “Tax The Rich,” many of the other speakers also emphasized how the extra money could be used. James Davis, President of the Professional Staff Congress union (PSC CUNY), which represents faculty and staff at the City University of New York (CUNY), spoke about the lack of up-to-date campus infrastructure that is present on CUNY campuses. Teachers and faculty, he said, “would love to negotiate for better labs and facilities, if only they had the budget.”

““One man - Mr. Musk - owns more wealth than the bottom 53% of American households.” – Senator Bernie Sanders

Senator Gustavo Rivera also put healthcare at center stage, stating that by July of this year, 450,000 New Yorkers will lose access to health coverage due to federal changes, and that number is projected to reach 1.2 million by the end of 2027. Leader of the New York City Nurses Association Nancy Hagans shared how patients and healthcare workers are struggling now, saying, “From a hospital like mine that serves the low income [to] underinsured patients, and hospitals in the north country that are being threatened with closure every day, [hospitals and nurses] need to deliver the service [patients] deserve and support our communities. I know we can do it by taxing the rich.”

The rally’s ultimate message was that these conditions do not have to remain a permanent fixture in America. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has already proposed a tax increase for millionaires within the city, and Sanders stated that 54% of people in New York state are in favor of this bill. Sanders, who himself introduced a bill that would levy a 5% tax on American billionaires, urged Governor Hochul to follow his example and raise taxes on the richest in New York. The call was for action, with Sanders saying, “Unless we change the nature of this economy, which is what we are intending to do, our younger generation will have a lower standard of living than their parents. We will not allow that to happen.”

CJ Gallagher, co-chair of the Lehman chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), was excited about Sanders presence in the Bronx. “It means a lot to us. I feel like [the Bronx] often gets left out of the public discourse. I think that a lot of people don’t consider that this is a working-class borough. This is where a lot of stuff happens. I really hope that it [will] get more people from the Bronx involved in politics because I think there is a lot of power here.”

Recent Bronx resident David Z agreed: “It makes me happy that I moved to the Bronx about six weeks ago.”

Sude Atar, a German exchange student at Lehman College, also said the Bronx should get its fair share of resources. “Any extra money should go to the people who need it the most; the people from here, the Bronx.”

Conference Highlights Hands-on Learning

By Savon Williams

On April 17, Lehman’s Excellence in Education and Community Conference showcased human-centric educational practices such as hands-on, experimental learning and a design thinking model. Sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning, the event empowered students to access their multilingual abilities and personal histories and trained educators to ensure that empathy is at the front of their work with students.

Magdelena Sagardia-Jimenez, a lecturer in Latin American & Latino Studies, focused on the importance of cultural identity, which, to her, is important as a human identity. “A Puerto Rico without Puerto Ricans [is like] a quesito without cheese,” she argued. To illustrate her argument, she analyzed the historical context of Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” album, where one photo showed the “mono bloc” plastic chair, a mass-produced, plastic-molded chair that makes space for a larger community of family to participate in gatherings. This, she said, is a perfect example of an artifact, an object manipulated by humans that creates a deep emotional connection between its users.

“My idea is to share with my students certain objects and encourage them to write about their own culture and own experiences,” said Sagardia-Jimenez. This activity encouraged students to use knowledge in both reading and art history to analyze objects. Students pored over a single object to find all possible meanings in it, as the student becomes a scholar of their own past. She also invited the audience to participate in an exercise where she passed around items from her own cultural identity, including Puerto Rican-branded dominoes and dolls from her childhood. She then asked participants to write a post on a gallery-style website about the ideas the object inspired them.

“If you’re only looking at what multilingual students can do in English, you’re not looking at everything they can do.” - Martha Rosas, Assistant Professor in Early Childhood & Childhood Education

Another presenter, Martha Rosas, an assistant professor in Early Childhood & Childhood Education, focused on translanguaging: when an individual communicates by using all known languages without limitation. “If you’re only looking at what multilingual students can do in English, you’re not looking at everything they can do,” said Rosas. In translanguaging, by intentionally changing the languages a student uses, they are given an opportunity to strengthen all known language skills. Instead of only having “kitchen Spanish,” said Rosas, while putting all energy into learning English, bringing attention to this method allows a student to gain “academic Spanish” by empowering biliteracy skills.

Richard Finger, the vice president for Enrollment Management and an adjunct lecturer, and Andrew Gold, a clinical professor in Management and Business Innovation, shared their work on design thinking, which they defined as a method of academic advisement and empathetic student

problem-solving by brainstorming as many possible solutions within a short two-minute period. “One of the problems we face in higher education is people tend to stay in their jobs for a long time…, [so] they automatically fall into this mindset of ‘this is how we’ve always done it, we’ve tried that already and it’s failed, and no I don’t want to revisit it again,’” said Finger. To illustrate this, he asked participants to perform a task associated with the Design Thinking Process in groups.

Participants had to identify a person’s goals and problems. Then, by selecting a single problem from that person, participants had to brainstorm a list, as long as possible, within a two-minute period, filled with any solutions to the selected problems. Finally, participants created a musical jingle for their solution to their selected problem. In a real-world use of design thinking, the process would repeat if the solution proved ineffective after feedback. “I learned a very important lesson: to never build something… without first finding out if there’s a need for it or desire for it,” said Gold.

Lehman Students Struggle to Access Affordable Healthy Food on and off Campus

Photo of Nutritionist Dina R. D'Alessandro, MS, RDN, CDN
Credit: https://dishwithdina.com/about/‍ ‍

By Jainabou Sakho

Students at Lehman College in the Bronx say accessing affordable, healthy food remains a major challenge, as rising costs and limited options push many toward cheaper, less nutritious meals. This issue affects students both on campus and in surrounding neighborhoods, where fast food is often more accessible than fresh, healthy alternatives.

“I don’t think healthy food is available in all neighborhoods,” said Dilainy Iona, a Lehman student. “It’s super expensive, so even if you travel to get it, you have to come out of pocket.”

According to a report from the New York State Comptroller, food costs in the NYC metropolitan area rose by 56.2% between 2012 and 2023, which was higher than the national increase. The report also found that households making less than $15,000 spent almost 70% of their income on food in 2022–23. These rising costs contribute to food insecurity and show how economic inequality can affect people’s health and access to nutritious food.

Lehman College nutritionist and adjunct lecturer Dina D’Alessandro explained that the issue goes beyond individual behavior and reflects broader systemic problems. “Anything having to do with equity and accessibility comes from the top down,” she said. “Some neighborhoods have more access to healthy foods, while others don’t—and then people are blamed for the choices they make.”

D’Alessandro also pointed out that processed foods are often cheaper because they are mass-produced and contain additives that extend shelf life. In contrast, fresh foods spoil quickly and are more expensive to produce and distribute. “It becomes a cycle,” she explained. “The cheaper foods are less nutritious, but they’re the most available.”

Another Lehman student, Emmanuel Nyamekye, admits that he tries to prioritize healthier eating despite the cost. “Even though it can get expensive, that doesn’t really stop me,” he said. “I go for foods like chicken, vegetables, and potatoes because I can stretch them for days…it supports my goals and keeps me consistent.”

“It becomes a cycle. The cheaper foods are less nutritious, but they’re the most available.” - Dina D’Alessandro, Nutritionist and Adjunct Lecturer

Farmer’s Fridge, a vending machine prevalent on campus, tries to promote convenient, healthy eating. However, almost no students use the machine, which is most likely due to the high prices. For instance, a simple Greek salad costs $8.79, and a small Napa Chickpea Wrap costs $8.19, while a chicken sausage breakfast bowl costs $6.69 in the breakfast section.

An NYC Health Epi Data Brief found that “fresh produce stores made up just 3% of establishments, highlighting major gaps in healthy food access.” In the report, they found that the

ratio of healthy foods to unhealthy foods is 1 to 5. This isn’t good news in the eyes of the NYC Department of Health, which found that “limited access to healthy food...contributes to the high rates of diabetes and obesity in the Bronx.”

On campus, resources such as the Basic Needs Center food pantry aim to help students by providing free groceries. However, reliance on such services raises larger concerns about food insecurity.

“Why do we have to rely on donations to feed students?” D’Alessandro asked. “Why isn’t this already available to everyone? Students have not stopped asking for healthy food on campus,” she said. “But they have not been given it, at least not affordably.”

Despite these challenges, students continue to seek ways to balance cost and nutrition, whether through meal prepping, shopping strategically, or seeking campus resources. Still, D’Alessandro thinks that meaningful change will require action beyond the individual level. “It’s not just about food,” she said. “It’s about access, education, and making sure people have real choices.”

From Stigma to Storefronts: The Rise of the Cannabis Industry in the Bronx

Cover for the Medical Cannabis Webinar at Lehman’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies
Photo by https://www.lehman.cuny.edu/news/

By Jennifer Estrella

Cannabis in the Bronx doesn’t look the way it used to, and that change didn’t happen overnight. Since New York passed the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act in 2021, legal dispensaries have slowly started to take shape across the borough. But even now, the shift from illegal to legal isn’t as simple as it sounds.

For Levent Ozkurt, co-owner of Hush Dispensary, the process has been anything but easy. He and his cousin opened their shop in late 2023 after what he describes as a “challenging path through the state’s licensing process.”

“The industry has gone from almost non-existent legal retail to a growing presence,” Ozkurt says. When Hush first opened, there were barely any legal dispensaries in the Bronx. Now, more are starting to appear, bringing what he calls “safer, tested products” into the community.

Still, he’s clear that the transition hasn’t been smooth. “The shift has been gradual but meaningful,” he explains, pointing out that licensing delays and competition from unregulated shops continue to be real obstacles.

Even with those challenges, Ozkurt believes the industry has the potential to benefit the borough. This potential is already reflected in broader market growth across New York State. In December 2024, the official New York State site highlighted more than $1 billion in cannabis-related equity and investment initiatives, designed to support communities impacted by past cannabis enforcement and increase access to the legal market.

“Some people still have that mindset that it’s all bad or connected to crime, but when you actually go into these places, it’s not like that at all.” - Stephanie Boyer, Regular at Bronx dispensaries

Further reporting from the New York Post showed that in 2025, legal cannabis sales had surpassed $2.5 billion statewide, and the number of licensed dispensaries more than doubled during the year, showing how quickly the industry has expanded from its early rollout phase.

From the customer side, the experience feels different, too. Stephanie Boyer, a regular at Bronx dispensaries, says the biggest change is the environment. Buying cannabis legally feels more open and less uncertain.

“Before, you didn’t really know what you were getting,” she says. “Now you can actually ask questions, and it feels more legit.”

For her, the shift isn’t just about convenience; it’s about trust. Being able to walk into a licensed shop and know the products are tested makes a difference. Still, she notices that not everyone sees it that way.

“Some people still have that mindset that it’s all bad or connected to crime,” she says. “But when you actually go into these places, it’s not like that at all.”

For others, cannabis plays a more personal role. Julie, a certified patient, uses it as part of managing her health and says legalization has made that process easier.

“It feels more normal now,” she says. “I don’t feel like I have to hide it the way I used to.”

She adds that having access to licensed dispensaries has helped her better understand what works for her, especially with guidance from staff. But stigma, she says, hasn’t fully gone away, especially among older adults.

“There’s still hesitation,” Julie explains. “People are more open than before, but there’s still a lot they don’t understand.”

Back on the business side, one of the biggest misconceptions is how easy people think the industry is. Running a dispensary comes with strict regulations, high costs, and constant competition from unlicensed sellers who often offer cheaper, untested products. On top of that, access to banking and funding is still limited, making it harder for small, local businesses to grow.

Even so, Ozkurt stresses that supporting legal dispensaries matters.

“The legal cannabis industry is far more than just retail sales,” he says. “It’s a heavily regulated sector focused on consumer safety, public health, and economic equity.”

From Para-Professional to Cultural Icon: Kid Mero’s Homecoming at Lehman College

The Kid Mero headlines the 2026 Lehman Lecture. From right, artists Rumarie Denizard, Tasheba Gallimore, and Estephanie Quiroz; Mero; and interviewers Julisha Evans and Molly Varillas

By Jainabou Sakho

The atmosphere in the Lovinger Theatre was electric on March 31 as Lehman College gave a massive welcome to one of its most successful alumni, the Bronx-born and -based Dominican comedian and media powerhouse, the one and only Kid Mero. Taking place in the Speech and Theatre Building, the event was way more than just a celebrity appearance; it was a homecoming for a Lehman graduate who has reached the levels of the New York Times best-seller list and the NAACP Image Awards.

After his entrance to thunderous applause, Mero had an in-depth conversation led by two Lehman students, Julisha Evans, a junior film major and a journalism minor, and Molly Varillas, a senior business administration major. Proceeding straight to the humor that has made him well-known, Mero declared, “Brooklyn is dirtier than the Bronx!” and the audience laughed their lungs out.

He started with Brooklyn gentrification but quickly moved to the pride that he feels for his home borough. “The environment shapes who you are,” Mero told the audience. Being born and raised in the Bronx, he said, made him independent and gave him the hustle necessary to make it in life. He also spoke of the beauty of the borough that mostly gets ignored by the media, highlighting free Bronx Zoo Wednesdays alongside Botanical Gardens serenity. “We always hear about the bad in the Bronx, but there is so much good here.”

“You never do it on your own." -- Bronx-born media powerhouse Kid Mero

Mero’s journey was not always glamorous. He candidly spoke about encounters as a para-professional making only $20,000 annually. He made use of his platform to warn students about the industry: “Know your worth and know who you are.” He also emphasized, “Everyone needs a team to help them be successful. You never do it on your own.”

He advised aspiring creatives such as filmmakers that success is not just about being in front of the camera; the industry needs talented editors and camera operators. He also congratulated Evans, one of his interviewers, on her professionalism, praising her for taking her craft seriously. Furthermore, Mero made it clear that he is not willing to change the way he speaks or dresses so as to impress others. He urged students, “Always stay the same: it doesn't matter who you're next to.”

The conversation touched on a little bit of everything—from his love for the Yankees as he recalled the 1996 Championship, to the Knicks, to his favorite Bronx rappers, like Slick Rick and A Boogie. He threw in a joke about adult life struggles, such as his “horrible” behaviors in managing time and the pain of inflation, recalling how, “One dollar took us far back in the day.”

A collaborative mural accompanying the event also celebrated teamwork and community. Supported by Gina Dominique Hersey, the chair of the Art Department, it was composed by student artists including Tasheba Gallimore, Estephanie Quiroz, and Rumarie Denizard, who worked together to create a collage based on photos taken off campus.

For Danna Carmona, a Lehman student, the entire event was a semester highlight. “I had so much fun,” she said, adding she was genuinely surprised and moved by the people who showed up and showed out for the Bronx legend. By the time Mero left the stage, his message had landed clearly: Be real, be consistent, and do not forget where you came from.

Bronx Artist Reflects on Public Responsibility at Lehman

The artist King Bee with his mural at Lehman College. 
Credit: Kurt Boone

By Arlin Rodriguez

To close out the exhibition “The Painted Word: Text, Gesture, and Expression in Contemporary Art,” Bronx-based artist The Royal Kingbee spoke at the Lehman College Art Gallery about his artistic journey and connection to the Bronx through his Rotunda mural, which anchored the exhibition.

The event, led by street photographer and author Kurt Boone, drew students and Bronx community members, highlighting the role of local artists in shaping public art and cultural identity. The Royal Kingbee’s honeycomb mural, titled The BeeUtiful Bronx, includes neighborhoods such as Kingsbridge, Belmont, Tremont, Baychester, and Marble Hill, connecting various parts of the borough in a honeycomb design. The Royal Kingbee explained that the mural represents places where he has previously created work and described it as a “full circle” moment that reflects both his artistic journey and connection to the Bronx.

The Royal Kingbee said his work has always been rooted in personal expression rather than place. “It wasn’t really the environment,” he said. “I was putting how I felt at the moment onto the walls.” He explained that, early in his career, he used graffiti to express emotions he could not openly share, often embedding personal messages into his work.

Over time, his approach changed and continued to evolve. While his earlier work focused on self-expression, he now considers the impact his art has on others. “What you put out there, especially in public, you have to be responsible for,” he said, noting that viewers interpret and carry meaning from what they see.

“I was putting how I felt at the moment onto the walls.” --Bronx-based artist The Royal Kingbee

Raysa Leon, another audience member, discussed how the topic resonated with her and how public art reflects emotion and identity. “I liked how he explained that graffiti was a way for him to express feelings he couldn’t always say out loud,” she said. Leon explained that hearing the artist describe the meaning behind his work made her view murals and street art differently, especially in the Bronx, where they are part of everyday life.

She also said the honeycomb mural stood out to her because it represents different Bronx neighborhoods coming together through art and shared experiences. “Even if people come from different parts of the borough, everybody can still relate to the message behind it,” she said. Leon added that the talk made her realize how public art can create conversations and help people feel represented in their communities.

Damien Garcia, a Bronx resident who attended the talk, also noted how the artist’s work exists in everyday spaces throughout the borough. “I’ve seen the one next to Rite Aid before,” he said.

Garcia also added that the honeycomb mural brings together various parts of the Bronx, creating a sense of inclusivity and shared identity across communities.

The Bronx has long been recognized as a center of graffiti and street art, where artists use public walls to communicate personal and cultural messages. The Royal Kingbee’s appearance at Lehman College underscores the continued influence of Bronx culture in contemporary art and the importance of local voices in shaping how stories are told through public space.

Spring Dance Concert Highlights Identity, Culture, and Transformation

Photo credit: Jayleen Maldonado

By Arlin Rodriguez

On April 22, the Spring Dance Concert at Lehman brought together 16 student choreographers who presented performances that explored identity, cultural pride, and the body in society through a mix of contemporary, street, and Latin dance styles. Developed through a choreography course, the concert featured both new and returning student artists, with performances emphasizing how dance can be used to communicate ideas about culture, identity, and personal transformation beyond words.

“Culture and community were the most important factors in my piece,” said Keany DeLeon, student choreographer and performer. “Growing up in New York, we see all kinds of ethnic groups, and I wanted to highlight the importance of coming together, regardless of where we all come from, because at the end of the day, we come from the same motherland.”

DeLeon also emphasized the importance of connection across differences. “I hope the audience resonated with my piece even if they speak a different language. The whole point is to come together and bring out the joy in each other.”

Other choreographers focused on broad social themes and the state of the world today. Hazel Avila, a student choreographer, described her piece “ThE anthology of uNbounD souls” as a reflection on both brokenness and growth. “This world at times can be bitter and filled with hatred and brokenness,” Avila said. “However, we can take that brokenness and turn it into something new.” She emphasized the importance of unity and collective care, adding that she hopes audiences understand that “if we choose to love each other and stand united…we can break free from all the world imposes upon us.”

Gabriela Moore, a student choreographer, explored personal and spiritual themes in a reflection on transformation and growth. Moore explained that their piece focused on “humans being God’s earthen vessels where Jesus takes us through all the processes of refinement whether through deep waters or blazing fire.” The piece highlighted the idea that individuals go through challenges but come out “filled with life and life more abundantly.”

Moore also hoped audiences would take with them the idea that “each individual on earth has access to something very precious from within,” describing a journey of “transformation, molding, and refinement” that begins with personal surrender.

“The whole point is to come together and bring out the joy in each other.” --Keany Deleon, student choreographer and performer

These ideas connect to the broader conversation about how dancers experience both their physical bodies and societal expectations. According to Dance Data Project, dancers often navigate pressures related to appearance, identity, and representation, which can shape both

performance and opportunity. Several pieces in the concert reflected these tensions by challenging traditional movement styles and presenting diverse perspectives on the body.

The concert also explored how performance elements such as lighting, costuming, and staging contribute to how identity and culture are presented on stage. Mx. Cooper, the artistic director, explained that these elements are carefully considered to reflect real-life experiences.

“While developing elements that support choreography, we spend time considering how cultural values and perspectives are reflected in aesthetics. All of these elements reflect underlying values, and making performances for the stage is a way to highlight those values as living, embodied truths.”

Cooper discussed the value the concert placed on supporting student voices and choreographers’ creative development. “The most important thing for me is supporting each choreographer in discovering what they want to say with their artistic voice and having that intention reflected in their design choices.”

The Lehman Art Gallery’s New Spring Exhibition Opens

The Beeutiful Bronx by The Royal KingBee
Photo by: Monserrate Godinez

By Monserrate Godinez

“The Painted Word: Text, Gesture, and Expression in Contemporary Art” opened on February 11 as the newest exhibition in the Lehman Art Gallery, exploring the deconstruction of language through diverse art forms and inspiring the community with artwork from both famous and emerging artists.

When asked about how he hopes the exhibition speaks to both the Lehman and Bronx community, director of the Lehman Art Gallery, Bartholomew Bland, said, “It works wonders for our design students.” Referencing the playwriting festival held in the gallery in 2024, he added, “I hope we get classes from the English department." He hopes that the exhibit will inspire Lehman students to create and make the general public think about language and the way we use it more deeply.

Maribelle Ceballos, one of the curatorial registrars and researchers, said, “The word fine art isn’t what certain companies and institutions want you to think. As someone from the Bronx, graffiti comes up. I want this to show people that fine art is stuff that comes from low-income places, from people who are not formally trained.”

Both Bland and Ceballos pointed toward the mural on the rotunda as the piece that best encapsulated the theme of the exhibition. “It’s so big, you’re surrounded by the Bronx,” Ceballos said.

The Beeutiful Bronx mural greets guests as they step into the gallery. Painted on the rotunda of the art gallery by a local Bronx artist, The Royal KingBee, the mural displays different neighborhoods of the Bronx and nearby communities inside his iconic honeycomb design. The rotunda makes it so the mural encompasses viewers, with different neighborhoods all highlighted in unique fonts designed by KingBee.

The exhibit features many more graffiti artists and their work that can be considered unconventional. One of these is Voices Carry by Lee Quiñones, a piece done on plywood with enamel, spray paint, ink marker, pencil, and paint markers. It is a collaborative piece that is a collection of messages and signatures from many different artists.

“Like the title implies, both in letter form and in human form on the 
surface, this work is the mark of my studio practice,” said Lee Quiñones about the piece on his Instagram. He refers to the voices that carry etched on the plywood and the voices that carry physically, in collaboration, in connection. 

The exhibition runs from February 11 until May 2.

Rising Financial Stress affects Bronx College Students' Mental Health

Photo from Lehman Website

By Jennifer Estrella

As mental health challenges continue to rise in the Bronx, college students across the borough say the pressure of working full-time, supporting their families, and keeping up with classes is pushing many to seek counseling or step away from school entirely.

Karen Salazar, a 29-year-old Bronx college student and mother of two, said she paused her studies before her final semester after developing anxiety.

“I was working full time, taking classes, and taking care of my daughters,” Salazar said. “I felt like I was constantly behind. I couldn’t sleep. It just built up.”

For Salazar, rising rent, grocery bills, and transportation costs made it harder to focus on school. “You want to finish,” she said. “But when you’re stressed about money all the time, it affects everything.”

Jessenia Fajardo, a student at Lehman College, said many students 
are constantly worrying about basic needs before they can even think about their coursework.

“The cumulative impact of unmet essential needs leaves your mind thinking more about ‘Where am I going to get the money to pay my light bill?’ instead of thinking about reading Shakespeare,” Fajardo said. “Your brain stays stuck in survival mode.”

That constant pressure often affects academic performance, she added. “That kind of overthinking leads to anxiety, depression, and procrastinating on schoolwork.”

Jaylene Rodriguez, a New York Police Department officer who works in the Bronx and a former Lehman College student, said financial strain and emotional distress are often connected in the 
communities she serves.

“A lot of people are overwhelmed,” Rodriguez said. “When someone is juggling bills, childcare, and school, stress builds up fast. It doesn’t just disappear.”

In the study, Association Between Food Insecurity and Mental Health 
Among College Students in the Bronx, New York (NY), by Brown et al., the researchers identified a strong link between financial insecurity and mental health struggles among students.

Marta Gil, a psychologist with 15 years of experience working with college students in the Dominican Republic who now resides in the Bronx, said those findings mirror what she has seen professionally and personally. Her daughter currently attends college in the borough.

“Students today are not just students,” Gil said. “Many are providers, caregivers, and full-time workers. When basic needs are unstable, anxiety becomes almost inevitable.”

“They keep pushing through exhaustion,” she emphasized. “But long-term stress eventually impacts performance, health, or both.”

Although there are resources aimed at helping students, such as Lehman’s Counseling Center, many students may not know how to access them or may not have the time.

“I wouldn’t be able to name them specifically off the top of my head, but I know the school does have resources,” Fajardo said. “The real 
question is whether students know about them, feel comfortable accessing them, or even have the time to go.”

“Schedule flexibility, online classes, weekend options, weeknight classes, and those things matter,” she said. “And honestly, more grants and scholarships would make a real difference.”

Photo from Lehman Website

Lehman College’s Food Bank Improves Students Quality of Life

Photo by Jada Duffus

By Jada Duffus

Herbert H. Lehman College’s Food Bank is often open on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Room B015A in the Old Gym basement. The bank provides students with access to fresh produce, grocery bags, and grab-and-go items to fuel students. During spring 2026, the food bank experienced an increase 
in numbers due to many current issues increasing food insecurity.

Dr. Jay Jones, director of Student Support Services Programs, said, “We have seen a steady increase in students seeking support as a result of rising financial instability, challenges with SNAP 
benefits, and increasing fears about their future.” She also mentioned that awareness within the campus, as well as destigmatizing getting help, has urged more students to seek to use this resource.

Gabriela Rodriguez, who manages the operations daily, noticed a rise in 2026 during the spring as well. “Some students have mentioned the SNAP benefits caused them to have less access to food and would come to the Food Bank just to find their dinner 
that night.” She also talked about some students living in shelters and not having access to a stove or fridge, along with not being able to store frozen food.

Sabrina Garcia, a Lehman College student, said, “Lehman’s food bank currently supports students on campus by providing food and pantry items for those in need. Because the prices have 
increased, it is more difficult to obtain donations from food vendors.” The Lehman community can contribute by adding members to help with donating cans and jarred goods with other pantry items.

“Food insecurity at Lehman College is closely tied to the rising cost of living and education, with increasing tuition, housing, transportation, and grocery prices forcing many students to choose between basic necessities,” Dr. Jones said.

However, increased demand has created new challenges for the food pantry to support the community. “One of the primary challenges we face is navigating the high cost of food, which increases our required spending to maintain a diverse range of options for our students,” Dr. Jones said.

Rodriguez also mentioned how infrastructure and space limitations can have a negative impact on the operation. “The biggest challenges we are facing are [a lack of] Wi-Fi connection, space 
in our freezers (this causes us to order less frozen items), storage 
space in general, and the check-in process. All of these have been brought to light, and it’s under review,” Rodriguez said.

Monetary donations are essential because they extend the bank’s budget, allowing the team to support more students at Lehman. “Cash contributions also allow us to purchase specific high demand items we know students need and allow us to consistently stock 
culturally diverse food options that may not always come through traditional donations,” Dr. Jones said.

“Students today are not just students. Many are providers, caregivers, and full-time workers. When basic needs are unstable, anxiety becomes almost inevitable.”
— Dr. Marta Gil, psychologist

Photo by Jada Duffus

Homelessness Keeps Rising in New York City

Photo from Lehman Website

By Arlin Rodriguez

Homelessness within New York City and the Bronx in 2026 continues 
to rise, with residents and social workers noticing inflation, high rent, 
and limited access to mental health services as key factors contributing to the increase.

According to Claudia Mendez, a Bronx social worker and Lehman College alumna, “Homelessness increased in 2024, and with 2025 data expected later this year, I would not be surprised if that upward trend continues. Both children and adults are being significantly impacted, facing instability that affects their health, education, employment opportunities, and overall well-being.”

Mendez also said that service reductions are worsening the crisis. “Many communities are seeing reductions in services and funding that are meant to address homelessness,” she said. “When support systems are cut back while the need continues to rise, it creates an even greater challenge for individuals and families trying to regain stability.”

Bronx resident Diana Barrientos, who works in social work administration, pointed to the cost of living in New York City as still being too high—even for those living alone. “In New York City, the rent is way too high,” Barrientos said. “The wages don’t equate with the standard of living, which causes people to not be able to pay their bills and, ultimately, sometimes even getting laid off and not being able to have a place to live.”

Recent extreme winter conditions have highlighted the risks faced by people experiencing homelessness. A February report from The 
Guardian noted that at least 17 people died during severe cold weather in New York, with 13 deaths linked to hypothermia. Additional reporting from THE CITY found that city officials were questioned during a City Council hearing tafter multiple cold-related deaths among people experiencing homelessness during the January–February cold snap.

Community members also emphasized the connection between 
homelessness and limited access to mental health care. Barrientos described barriers people face when trying to seek support. “Some 
people don’t know where to look, especially in a time when they’re too 
lost in their mind.”

“When support systems are cut back while the need continues to rise, it creates an even greater challenge for individuals and families trying to regain stability.”
— Claudia Mendez, Bronx social worker and Lehman College alumna

Jayla Booker, a Lehman College public health major who lives and works in the Bronx, said community advocacy could help reduce those barriers. “What communities can do to make mental health more affordable is to use their platforms, if they have one, to advocate how important mental health is,” Booker said.

Mendez suggested partnerships with established agencies to expand access. “Communities and organizations can improve access to mental 
health care by building strong connections with agencies that provide 
free or low-cost services,” she said, citing groups such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the New York State Office of Mental 
Health. She also noted that resources such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis 
Lifeline offer free, 24-hour support.

“Food insecurity at Lehman College is closely tied to the rising cost of living and education, with increasing tuition, housing, transportation, and grocery prices forcing many students to choose between basic necessities.”
— Dr. Jones, Director of Student Support Services Program

History, Justice and the Next Generation: A Black History Month Call to Action

Photo By Amadou Kane

By Amadou Kane

On Feb. 19, Urban Male Leadership students from Lehman College attended a Black History Month program at Queens Theatre in partnership with the Macon B. Allen Black Bar Association to examine the legacy of Black legal advocacy and its influence on the future of justice.

The event was organized around the theme that the struggles and achievements of Black Americans in the past have shaped the present, and the actions taken today will shape the next generation. Organizers said the program was especially important during Black History Month because it encouraged students to see history not as distant events, but as a living foundation for their own ambitions. By connecting Urban Male Leadership students with Black judges and attorneys, the gathering aimed to inspire young people to believe they can make a difference in the courts and in the legal profession while continuing the work of those who came before them.

The program comes as conversations about racial equity, access to justice and representation in law continue nationwide. Black Americans remain underrepresented in the legal field, and speakers 
emphasized that visibility and mentorship are essential for building confidence and opportunity among students of color. The partnership between Lehman College and the Macon B. Allen Black Bar Association highlighted how education and community leadership can 
work together to address long-standing barriers.

“Today, more than ever, it is so important that we continue to come together, engage in collective sharing of information and coordinate efforts to help move this country toward a more civil and just union,” said Jawan Finley, president of the organization that helped coordinate the event. Finley said this year’s Black History Month focus was on a century of Black excellence. The event featured visual displays to highlight how history connects to lived experiences.

Finley said, in reference to a quilt that was displayed, “The people that 
you see on that quilt, one of them was my grandfather. He fought 
in World War II.” She explained that her grandfather served during a 
time when segregation still existed in the military, demonstrating how 
Black Americans defended democracy abroad while facing discrimination at home.

Justice Janice A. Taylor placed the event in a historical context, emphasizing the deep roots of Black legal leadership in Queens. “All Black history in this country is American history,” Taylor said. She traced the origins of Black History Month to historian Carter G. Woodson in 1926. Additionally, Taylor described how early Black attorneys worked through the NAACP to fight for school integration, community employment and educational access.

“These attorneys worked to get jobs in African American neighborhoods, prevented the expansion of the Clearview Expressway through Black communities and fought to change the 
original location of your college from College Point to Jamaica,” Taylor 
said. She added that the Macon B. Allen Black Bar Association, founded in 1971, became a central force in advancing civil rights and professional opportunity for Black lawyers in Queens.

Honorable Cassandra A. Johnson focused on the importance of trust in the legal system, particularly for families navigating loss through Surrogate’s Court, saying, “The court is not merely validating a document. It’s protecting the decedent’s expressed intent.” She noted that historical discrimination has shaped how many Black families experience courts. “For some families, walking into a courtroom is not a neutral act. It’s shaped by memory,” she said.

John Jay College senior Rugens Jean Baptiste said seeing Black judges 
and attorneys changed how he imagines his own future. “There was a time in this country where Black lawyers were not allowed to go into certain courts,” Baptiste said. “Representation is not abstract. It changes what you believe is possible.”

Baptiste described his recent internship in Queens Supreme Court 
and the impact of watching a Black woman judge lead a courtroom, saying, “Justice does not happen by accident. It requires discipline, clarity and courage.”

Organizers said the event demonstrated how Black History Month can 
serve as both reflection and motivation. By showing how past struggles shaped the present, the program aimed to empower a new generation of leaders to pursue careers in law and public service with purpose and confidence.

UMLP Injects Funding to Support Lehman Students

Members of the Urban Male Leadership Program attend the 10th Annual Awards & Scholarship Brunch. Photo: Lehman Multimedia Center

By Daniel Douglas

Amid growing concerns over federal funding cuts under the Trump administration, the Urban Male Leadership Program at Lehman College marked the return of its largest fundraiser, its annual brunch, after a six-year COVID-19 pause. UMLP aims to surpass the $20,000 raised at its last in-person brunch during its 10th Annual Awards & Scholarship Brunch on Feb. 7 at Eastwood Manor in the Bronx.

The fundraiser comes as the City University of New York system faces uncertainty in federal support. In 2025 and 2026, dozens of CUNY research projects were threatened after federal grant cancellations put millions of dollars at risk, prompting the university to launch a “Research Bridge Fund” to sustain affected work.

“We understood how important this was not just for us, but for the organization itself and for future generations.”

-Ferdinand Essizewa, Lehman Alumnus

Increasing tuition and cost of living in the Bronx add to the financial strain on students. According to CUNY data, most undergraduates come from households earning less than $30,000 annually, making scholarships and private fundraising essential to closing financial gaps.

“We do receive money from the City Council and the state, but those tax levy dollars can only be used for operational expenses,” said Dr. Jermaine right, vice president for student affairs at Lehman. “With the fundraiser dollars, we’re able to provide scholarships for books and tuition - things that help students make it to the finish line.”

Proceeds from the event will go directly to programs and services that help students succeed beyond the classroom, filling gaps that government funding cannot cover.

“The funds raised today will support our spring induction ceremony and other student programming,” said Adeleke Akano, student life manager for UMLP. “It’s an example of what happens when the community comes together to support our students.”

Students and alumni said the program also provides mentorship and leadership opportunities.

Gabriel Bencosme, a Lehman senior graduating this semester, said UMLP transformed his college experience.

“All I wanted was a bachelor’s degree,” Bencosme said. “I had no intention of joining programs or finding a community.”

But through UMLP, Bencosme said he gained mentorship and professional preparation that extended beyond academics.

Alumnus Ferdinand Essizewa said the program’s fundraising and mentorship model helps support future students.

“We understood how important this was - not just for us, but for the organization itself and for future generations,” Essizewa said.

As federal funding remains uncertain, UMLP leaders said expanding scholarships and strengthening community partnerships will remain central to helping more Lehman students graduate.

The Urban Male Leadership Program supports students at Lehman College by strengthening academic skills, leadership development and personal growth. With a focus on historically underrepresented Black and Latino males, the program aims to improve retention and graduation rates while fostering a strong sense of community, making events like the annual brunch a critical investment in student success.

Lehman College Faculty Begins Initiative to Experiment with AI Education

Image from Wikimedia, by JPxG

By Savon Williams

On Feb. 20, a meeting held for Lehman College’s AI Month demonstrated ways AI can be integrated into the classroom through a series of experiments showcasing new, inventive implementations.

According to data from Campbell Academic Technology Services, on 
average, students are using AI more than faculty, leading to a difference in use of up to 40%. The experiments by the faculty present an opportunity to bridge how education is evolving within a year. The goal of these experiments is to highlight the importance of students’ original ideas and develop new ways to encourage students to think critically.

“I strongly encourage students to experiment, but also privilege and 
prioritize your point of view,” said Asma Neblett, student support 
and academic resource specialist and facilitator for the first AI Month 
event. The series of experiments feature new, inventive implementations that show potential in classroom use.

Nicole Walker, a Lehman adjunct lecturer for English composition, conducted an experiment that involved creating an application that 
would visualize a series of thought processes of each student for the purpose of highlighting the importance of a student’s own personal capabilities of output in comparison to the process of using AI. The application was created through long conversations between ChatGPT and Claude, but the result had a mixture of compilations.

When asked about the concerns about using AI, Nicole Walker said, “It’s hard not to think of the ethical repercussions. At the same time, I do feel that I need to get ahead of it.”

Patricia Gonzalez Periche, a Lehman chemistry lecturer, presented 
an experiment that involved using AI to grade open-ended questions 
for a class of more than 100 students. The results of the AI grading 
were compared to a series of other professors who were used as the 
control group. The scoring between the human and AI grading resulted in similar outcomes, although the AI avoided scores that were too high or too low, even if the professors agreed that a student deserved that grade.

While ChatGPT offered a variable experience as a grader, Periche noted that students may not be fond of the idea of professors using their grades for an AI tool, saying, “Are the students going to be OK with us inputting their responses if we decide to use this in our classrooms?”

John DeLooper, a Lehman online learning librarian, informed the panel on the difficulties of searching in the era of web browsing-integrated search engines. “There’s a greatly increased need to examine searches critically,” said DeLooper. “It’s harder to find whether there’s a consensus of ideas or lack thereof.” 

By assuming the role of a student during his presentation, DeLooper 
argued that inclusion in these AI systems is an involuntary practice that must be acknowledged.

Syrian Documentary Shows What ‘Disappeared’ Means

Still from Portrait of Michel by Christine Gedeon

by Daniella Billini

On Dec. 8, the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, the departments of Journalism and Media Studies and English screened A Portrait of Michel, a riveting and eyeopening film that allows the audience to experience a glimpse of what took place under that regime, followed by a Q&A with the director. The 44-minute documentary unfolds the life of Dr. Michel Saadé, who was forcibly disappeared in 1978 by security forces of the Assad regime, and the investigation of the documents he left behind in France, Lebanon, and Syria, pursued by his niece, the Syrian-American director of the film, Christine Gedeon.

By centering Michel’s personal life and the hole his disappearance made in his extended family, the fi lm sketches lightly but clearly the cruelty of the Assad regime, which ruled Syria for more than 50 years and was known for forced disappearances, torture, strict surveillance, and many more horrors. In early 2011, Syrians took inspiration from protests across the region known as the Arab Spring, and started their own mass protests against Bashar alAssad, the son of Hafez alAssad, who ruled from 1971 to 2000. These demonstrations were met with the mass killing and arrest of protesters, which fueled the uprising and became the Syrian civil war. After the regime fell on Dec. 8, 2024, the Human Rights Foundation estimated that more than 150,000 people were forcibly disappeared, and another 306,887 civilians were killed between 2011 and 2021.

Watching the film, I was deeply moved by the level of craftsmanship and thought that went into telling such a story as this. Mostly in black and white, except for some older footage that came from an 8mm family fi lm, the documentary does not follow a linear timeline of events. Rather, it deploys a poetic mode that feels more like a montage of photos chronicling the life of Michel. Along with the mainly black-and-white footage, the sound design was also stark. Unlike conventional films, there was no music.

Gedeon, the director, stated that it purposely did not include music because adding music along with the interviews and text in the film “would feel so forced.” Its use of silences between the texts of the interviews makes the viewer slow down and take the time to process what was really going on. “I wanted people to reflect,” she explained, “and look at that object, and that piece of paper.”

“Christine Gedeon committed to doing the brave work to help find closure for her and her family.” — Kris Aponte, Lehman sophomore in Education

Kris Aponte, a Lehman sophomore in Education, said, “The silence signified moments of despair, as well as acceptance for a family that may never have answers. Christine Gedeon committed to doing the brave work to help find closure for her and her family, and did so graciously.” Another student who attended the screening, Christopher Crum, said, “It was emotional, creative, and really grabs its viewers' attention.”

“I am highly delighted that the Lehman faculty was able to show this documentary as many times films like these are shown for the first time internationally,” said James Mahon, the dean of Lehman’s School of Arts and Humanities. “The black and white of the film is very reminiscent of old Hollywood movies.”

Gedeon added that the fall of the regime had made it possible for her to show the fi lm inside Syria, which would have been unthinkable over a year ago. “I actually showed this fi lm in Aleppo, and many people told me that they know someone who has been disappeared.” The story of Dr. Michel Saadé is only one of many stories that have been told, but there are many others that haven’t.