An article published March 19 about the Comfort Hotel being built on Webster Avenue mentioned negotiations between the hotel’s developer, McSam Hotel Group, and their neighbors, Harold and Virginia Hekimian. While the Hekimians have spoken to the site’s contractor, there has been no direct discussion between the Hekimians and McSam since last winter. The Hekimians say McSam has not responded to repeated requests for information, while McSam says they have received only one phone call, which they asked their contractor to address.
Getting college students to attend anything not required is usually a challenge, much less a movie about something as serious and heavy as human trafficking.
But there they were – 350 students in Manhattan College’s Smith Auditorium last Thursday (akin to the start of the weekend on most campuses) – sitting still and silent for the 90-minute film "Call and Response," which calls attention to the many forms of what is essentially modern-day slavery.
Now, you could say the fact that the film was directed by popular singer-songwriter Justin Dillon, lead singer of the band Cold War Kids – and the fact that Dillon was right there in the room that night – helped with turnout. But that doesn’t explain why practically the entire audience stayed for the whole movie, gave it a standing ovation, and then stayed to ask excellent questions of a panel of experts on this complicated issue. No, the students deserve credit for this and for what many of them are already doing to rapidly turn this issue into a movement.
The film weaves devastating commentary by journalists, actors, performers and other activists about this global criminal enterprise – worth tens of billions of dollars – with stunning performances by pop music stars like Matisyahu and Imogen Heap. Dillon makes a case that music is interwoven with the history of slavery, giving birth to gospel, the blues and other musical forms.
But there they were – 350 students in Manhattan College’s Smith Auditorium last Thursday (akin to the start of the weekend on most campuses) – sitting still and silent for the 90-minute film "Call and Response," which calls attention to the many forms of what is essentially modern-day slavery.
Now, you could say the fact that the film was directed by popular singer-songwriter Justin Dillon, lead singer of the band Cold War Kids – and the fact that Dillon was right there in the room that night – helped with turnout. But that doesn’t explain why practically the entire audience stayed for the whole movie, gave it a standing ovation, and then stayed to ask excellent questions of a panel of experts on this complicated issue. No, the students deserve credit for this and for what many of them are already doing to rapidly turn this issue into a movement.
The film weaves devastating commentary by journalists, actors, performers and other activists about this global criminal enterprise – worth tens of billions of dollars – with stunning performances by pop music stars like Matisyahu and Imogen Heap. Dillon makes a case that music is interwoven with the history of slavery, giving birth to gospel, the blues and other musical forms.
Sixteen-year-old Joanna grimaced as the slender applicator entered her uterus, but smiled broadly as she sat up after the intrauterine contraceptive (IUC) was inserted. Sexually active with her boyfriend for over a year, Joanna had tried the pill and the vaginal contraceptive ring without success, so she had been relying on her less-than-dependable partner to use condoms to avoid pregnancy; she had already taken emergency contraception twice in six months.
With only minutes until show time, production assistants untangle wires, set up props, and position lighting equipment. In a corner, a handful of newscasters huddling to review their scripts shout across the room for pens and make last-minute changes.
It’s a scene typical to any television newsroom, but this one in particular happens to be staffed and run entirely by teenagers.
It’s a scene typical to any television newsroom, but this one in particular happens to be staffed and run entirely by teenagers.