Molly Callahan - News @ Northeastern

Making the global musical sensation “Hamilton” available for streaming online is “a harbinger of things to come,” says José Delgado, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre in Northeastern’s College of Arts, Media and Design. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

‘Hamilton’ has gone virtual on Disney+. What does that mean for the future of live theater?

When the global musical sensation “Hamilton” became available to stream online this month, it meant that suddenly, if you have “a laptop or phone and internet access, you have access to the world’s hottest show,” says José Delgado, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre at Northeastern. “This is a harbinger of things to come.”

by Molly Callahan July 15, 2020

Sporting events around the world are beginning to re-emerge after strict public health guidelines that cautioned people against large gatherings and close quarters. In the United Kingdom, professional soccer teams have begun playing to empty stadiums under a plan called “Project Restart.” The return of sports offers a “unique opportunity to change the depth and scope of the public health conversation,” says Dan Lebowitz, executive director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern. (Michael Regan/Pool via AP)

Sports are coming back–but there’s more at stake than who wins or loses

When major sports leagues shut down or were postponed earlier this year, the move was a powerful message for many that the COVID-19 pandemic needed to be taken seriously. Their reopening could also serve to amplify a powerful message: this time, for racial justice, says Dan Lebowitz, executive director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern.

by Molly Callahan July 2, 2020

Northeastern student Yasser Aponte works at The Food Project to help deliver fresh food to local communities in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

In the middle of Boston, he’s growing food for good

Every morning during the week, Northeastern student Yasser Aponte navigates the tight, densely-packed streets of Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood until the streets suddenly, almost without warning, give way to a lush, two-acre farm. It’s there that Aponte (literally) rolls up his sleeves, and gets to work weeding, watering, harvesting, and planting food for his community.

by Molly Callahan June 24, 2020

Jahari Hughes, 11, writes on a sidewalk during a Juneteenth event on June 19, 2020, in Milwaukee. AP Photo/Morry Gash

How to talk to kids about systemic racism and anti-Black violence

Explaining racism to children is an essential conversation in families, irrespective of race or skin color, says Tracy Robinson-Wood, a professor of applied psychology. She and her colleague Laurie Kramer, also a professor of applied psychology, suggest talking to children in ways that are appropriate for their ages, and giving them opportunities to take action afterward.

by Molly Callahan June 23, 2020

More than a quarter of U.S. residents (27 percent) “describe symptoms in a range that would be considered moderate or severe depression,” according to the report. Photo by iStock

Pandemic takes a toll on mental health of US residents, new national survey shows

As the country enters the fourth month of a “new normal” governed by public health guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19, a new survey by Northeastern and other researchers shows that more than a quarter of U.S. residents “describe symptoms in a range that would be considered moderate or severe depression,” according to the report.

by Molly Callahan June 16, 2020

Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Northeastern announces new initiatives to confront anti-Black discrimination

Following discussions among students, faculty, and staff in the wake of protests and demonstrations around the world against racial injustice, Northeastern on Monday announced a number of actions its leadership will undertake immediately to confront bias and improve the experience of Black students, faculty, and staff—as well as other under-represented minorities—at the university.

by Molly Callahan June 15, 2020

The Black Lives Matter movement and protests of police violence played a major role in the 2016 election, and may prove to have a similar effect in 2020, according to new research by faculty from Northeastern University, the University of Massachusetts, Northwestern University, and George Mason University. Photo by Chris Tuite/Sipa via AP Images

Many people who voted in 2016 were motivated by the Black Lives Matter protests. Will the same hold true this year?

A recent study found that the Black Lives Matter movement and its subsequent backlash not only energized people to vote in 2016, but affected which candidate they chose, as well. This year, one thing is clear: Civil rights and racial equality are going to be “really important issues again for this election,” says Kevin Drakulich, a criminologist who helped conduct the study.

by Molly Callahan June 9, 2020

Using American Sign Language while wearing an opaque mask is like “listening to a muffled message,” says Lori Whynot, the new director of Northeastern University’s American Sign Language Program. And for Whynot, who is also part of a team that interprets Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 press conferences, it’s important that the message be totally clear. Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

New challenges–and opportunities–for American Sign Language users in a pandemic

The language relies upon facial expressions to convey important linguistic information. So, wearing an opaque mask is like communicating “a muffled message,” says Lori Whynot, director of Northeastern’s American Sign Language Program. And for Whynot, who is part of a team that interprets Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 press conferences, it’s important that the message be totally clear.

by Molly Callahan May 28, 2020

Wearing gloves, a King County Election worker collects ballots from a drop box in the Washington state primary in Seattle in March. AP Photo by John Froschauer

A majority in the US supports making mail-in voting easier, new study shows

The results, which come as states across the country are planning for what could be a drastically different election in November, show that 60 percent of U.S. residents support making it easier to vote by mail.

by Molly Callahan and Laura Castañón May 28, 2020

According to a survey led by researchers from Northeastern, Harvard, Rutgers, and Northwestern universities, the vast majority (89 percent) of people surveyed oppose the immediate reopening of state economies—though the figure slid 5 percent from late April, when 94 percent of people opposed immediate reopening. AP Photo by Wilfredo Lee

New survey shows growing partisan divide in support for reopening the US

Even as states begin to reopen, a majority of U.S. residents oppose immediate measures. But that opposition is beginning to wane among Republicans, according to new results of a national survey led by researchers from Northeastern, Harvard, Rutgers, and Northwestern universities.

by Molly Callahan May 22, 2020

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