The Pulp section of The Daily Orange strives to shed light on various moments and members of the Syracuse community. The stories shared during the fall semester of 2019 were no different in their creativity and inspiration. The Daily Orange Pulp staff has rounded up 10 of the most well-written stories of the past semester before heading into the new year.

Emily Mcneill | Staff Photographer

SU senior invents watch to monitor glucose levels after diabetes diagnosis

Russell Fearon’s journey with diabetes began during his sophomore year at SU. He initially felt that the process of drawing blood draws too much attention to the condition. So, Fearon decided to invent a more discreet device: a glucose-monitoring watch.

Fearon’s invention was showcased at the EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator Program at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. After this article was written, Fearon, along with his project partner Ricardo Sanchez ‘21, won the first place prize of $50,000 as well as the fan-favorite prize of $5,000.

Lucy Messineo-Witt | Contributing Photographer

Walt the crane, an internet sensation in Syracuse

T-shirts, tattoos and more than 5,000 Instagram followers can be attributed to SU’s construction sensation: Walt the crane. Niko Benelli and his rowing teammates first gave name to the 3-million-pound crane one day after walking back from Marshall Street. The crane is currently being used for renovations to the Carrier Dome.

Walt, one of the largest cranes in the country, is now one of the most popular ones as well due to Benelli’s efforts. After creating the Instagram account @walt.the.crane, Benelli has attracted the attention of his peers as well as the CEO of the crane company.

Lauren Miller | Staff Photographer

SU senior finds path to self-discovery through music

Gianni Villegas used his passions for music to develop into his own career. The SU senior curated his sound through inspiration from Steve Lacy to Colombian salsa, a style of music he always heard growing up.

During his early years at Syracuse, Villegas struggled to connect his IT major with his passions. But during his sophomore year, he dove into music-making and began to merge some of his academics with creating music. Villegas’s hard work manifested on stage when he opened for S.O.B’s in New York City earlier this year.

Corey Henry | Photo Editor

SU professor trains for 100^th marathon

Outside of the classroom, Cliff Davidson can be found running throughout the neighborhood—even in the daunting Syracuse winter. For the last seven years, the SU environmental engineering professor has run the same 10-kilometer route almost every other day. The workout is part of Davidson’s training for 100 marathons in less than 19 years.

In October of this past year, Davidson ran his 100^th marathon: The Empire State Marathon in Syracuse. It was his third time tackling the local competition, but he has been running his whole life.

Elizabeth Billman | Asst. Photo Editor

Community members, organizations donate food to #NotAgainSU movement

The #NotAgainSU sit-in, a demonstration made in response to racist incidents and hate crimes in November of this past year, needed help. Adia Santos began a GoFundMe page for student protestors to buy food and supplies.

While the page raised money, members of SU and the local Syracuse community stepped up to provide food and hygiene products. Members of the Syracuse/Onondaga County Chapter of the NAACP and Vegan CNY were among those that offered support.

Diana Riojas | Senior Staff Writer

 Students paint over racist graffiti found in art facility

After Jessica Oh found racist graffiti toward Asian people written in the Comstock Art Facility, students and professors gathered to cover the hate with images of unity. The graffiti was one of at least 16 hate crimes found on SU’s campus toward the end of the semester. The mural featured phrases such as “SU UNITED” and “When they go low, we go high,” a popular quote from former first lady Michelle Obama.

Students and faculty alike engaged in conversations about safety, as some had not felt safe on campus within the last few days of the semester. For many participating in the painting, the activity provided some peace and empowerment.

Madison Brown | Contributing Photographer

Restaurants Las Delicias and Camino Real Mexican Restaurant II serve authentic Hispanic food

Francisco Rodriguez grew up eating empanadas and fried plantains in the Dominican Republic, and Roberto Lazaro learned how to cook traditional Mexican dishes in Acapulco, Mexico. Now, they both serve authentic Latin American food at restaurants in Syracuse.

Rodriguez owns Las Delicias, a restaurant in the Westcott neighborhood that offers Dominican and Puerto Rican dishes, including mofongo, which is made with fried pork and smashed-up plantains. Lazaro serves Mexican dishes such as fajitas, tacos and chicken tamales at Camino Real Mexican Restaurant II in North Syracuse. Las Delicias and Camino Real Mexican Restaurant II are two of only a few restaurants in Syracuse that are run by Latin American people and serve authentic Latin American food.

Talia Trackim | Presentation Director

SU alumna Betsy West co-directs Oscar-nominated documentary ‘RBG’

After a long career as an executive producer for ABC News and associate professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, Betsy West set off to create a film capturing the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The film garnered both audience criticism and praise because it highlighted Ginsburg’s crucial legal activism in regard to the women’s movement.

West’s story mirrors that of Ginsburg, as during her time at Syracuse University and thereafter, she was often the only woman in newsrooms and radio stations. The resulting documentary landed her and her co-director, Julie Cohen, Oscar nominations and a Primetime Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking.

Diana Riojas | Senior Staff Writer

Professor Margaret Susan Thompson advocates for women’s rights

Throughout her time at SU, Professor Margaret Susan Thompson has seen the campus change. But her fight for women’s rights has remained. Thompson uses her voice and platform as an educator to speak out on the current women’s movement and personal experiences with sexism in the academic community. She is as a survivor of sexual abuse and offers advice for those struggling with assault.

Thompson brings these conversations throughout all aspects of life, including the church. As a Catholic, she has been outspoken about the treatment of women in the church. However, to achieve any progress in eliminating sex discrimination, harassment and assault, Thompson believes that feminists across all generations must unite.

Courtesy of Austin Cieszko

SU alumna Bri Tolani releases debut single, music video about mental health

SU alumna Bri Tolani had been creating EDM songs with acclaimed producers from the confines of her dorm room for years. But on November 20, Tolani took her musical career in a different direction with her debut single, “Hazy.” The song delves into Tolani’s feelings of anxiety and dissociation.

On the same day, a music video, which was produced by and featured SU alumni, was shot mimicking a real-life therapy session. In making the accompanying music video, Tolani hoped to spark inspiration in her fans to share their own difficulties regarding mental health.

Published on December 31, 2019 at 5:49 pm