Works featured highlight gentrification of Manhattan’s Chinatown

Pace University Art Gallery is pleased to present “Degentrification Archives,” an exhibit by the Chinatown Art Brigade (CAB) that uplifts the stories of people most directly impacted by the gentrification of Manhattan’s Chinatown, with the long-­term goal of protecting and preserving their neighborhood. The exhibit opens on Friday, February 10 with a reception from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. and remains on view through Saturday, March 25. This exhibit is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

CAB is an intergenerational collective driven by the fundamental belief that cultural, material, and aesthetic modes of production have the power to create change. CAB is comprised of Asian American and Asian diaspora identifying visual artists, media makers, writers, educators, archivists, and organizers with deep roots in Manhattan's Chinatown.

Together they make work that centers art and culture to support community-led campaigns around issues of gentrification and displacement. In conjunction with the exhibit, a panel of CAB members will give an artist talk on Wednesday, February 22 at 5:00 p.m. at the Pace University Art Gallery.

“Chinatown is one of the last affordable working class and immigrant communities in Manhattan,” said co-founder of Chinatown Art Brigade, Betty Yu. “The rise of predatory real estate practices and large-scale corporate investment sanctioned by city policies has pushed out low-income tenants in Chinatown, raised rents and destroyed the small businesses and homes that are the heart, soul and lifeblood of our city’s economy.”

CAB members explain: “This exhibition centers those at the forefront of protecting Chinatown, one of the last affordable working class and immigrant communities - its low-income residents, tenants, community activists and small business owners. We highlight those spaces that have served the community for decades, which are rapidly being replaced by hotels, condos and galleries. As the city becomes increasingly unaffordable for long-time residents, we ask who are the major players in this wholesale transformation of the city’s poor, and working-class neighborhoods?”

The “Degentrification Archives,” exhibition also includes archival material, photographs, videos, place-keeping maps, large scale projections, banners, and posters from direct actions spanning CAB’s seven-year history of actions. Additionally, the exhibition also celebrates the racial justice, housing rights, and community organizing history of CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, CAB’s partner organization. In the dedicated lab space, a timeline highlights CAAAV’s 37-year history along with photographs, videos and related ephemera.

The Pace University Art Gallery’s exhibits and events are free and open to the public. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday from 12:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. and by appointment. Please note that proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for entry.

IMAGE CREDITS: Tenants Unite projection by the Chinatown Art Brigade, by Louis Chan.

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique programs that combine immersive academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides.

About Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

Pace University’s liberal arts college, Dyson College, offers more than 50 programs, spanning the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and pre-professional programs (including pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, and pre-law), as well as many courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements. The College offers access to numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative education and other hands-on learning experiences that complement in-class learning in preparing graduates for career and graduate/professional education choices.

About the Pace University Art Gallery

Founded with the conviction that art is integral to society, the Pace University Art Gallery is a creative laboratory and exhibition space that supports innovation and exploration for both artists and viewers. Open to students, staff, and faculty from across the Pace campuses and, equally, to the Lower Manhattan community and visitors from around the world, the Art Gallery encourages personal investigation and critical dialogue via thought-provoking contemporary art exhibits and public programming. Enhancing the Art Department's Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts programs, the Art Gallery offers students real-world opportunities to exhibit their own art and to work directly with professional artists to install and promote exhibitions. All exhibits and events are free and open to the public.

When three Millennium Fellows created the Fare Trade program, an initiative aimed at addressing food insecurity on campus, Professor Meghana Nayak, PhD, said, “Every wonderful thing we have at Pace is because a student thought, ‘What if this could happen?’ or because they have taken a great idea to the next level.”

Danielle Harari ’24 is the latest Millennium Fellow to affirm this theory.

“I’ve been taking part in activism for a while and it was starting to just gnaw at me. Protesting wasn’t enough. I wanted to find a way to get more resources, I wanted to be able to do more.” Danielle is a Criminal Justice student with a passion for addressing inequality. When she wanted to expand the scope of her work, the Millennium Fellowship particularly appealed to her. As a Fellow, she is tasked with creating an initiative that addresses one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, with support from professors and other leaders in the field.

Every wonderful thing we have at Pace is because a student thought, ‘What if this could happen?’ or because they have taken a great idea to the next level.

—Meghana Nayak, PhD

Danielle chose the tenth Sustainable Development Goal—reduce inequalities within and among countries—with a focus on period poverty. “Period poverty is lack of access to menstrual products and menstrual hygiene education,” she explains. “Those who menstruate are disproportionately impacted by lack of opportunity, because they have to spend money on menstrual products which aren’t readily available to them.”

Originally, because of her interest in criminal justice, Danielle hoped to address period poverty in prisons, but she wasn’t sure where to start. “It was harder for me to get all the resources needed within prison facilities,” she explains. “As I started my research, I realized the issue was happening within my own community and it would be beneficial to address it here at Pace first.”

Period poverty studies reveal that 64% of low-income menstruators in the US cannot afford menstrual products, and 1 in 4 students struggle to afford menstrual products. Taxed as a luxury item in most states, menstrual products aren’t always accessible to those who may have to prioritize food over period products, increasing potential health risks, such as reproductive and urinary tract infections.

These pain points aren’t just a one-off monthly issue. In fact, according to research by the National Organization for Women, the average cost of menstrual products is about $20 per cycle, or roughly $200–$300 per year. Over a lifetime, that’s nearly $20,000.

Protesting wasn’t enough. I wanted to find a way to get more resources, I wanted to be able to do more.

—Danielle Harari

Danielle presented this research and more virtually at Pace’s third annual Social Justice Week with Sue Maxam, EdD, Pace’s liaison for the Millennium Fellowship. More than 50 people participated, and it quickly grew into a discussion about what they could be doing for their community. “We discussed where we see period poverty in our lives,” Danielle says. “A lot of people there were college students and they said they didn’t see enough menstrual products in the bathrooms on campus. Someone there said they’d be willing to donate products that we could make available on campus. I thought that was an amazing idea, so I looked into how we could do that on a larger scale.”

As Danielle began to discuss tackling period poverty on campus with other Pace Community members, she began to get more input that helped evolve the suggestions of her fellow students. Pace already has menstrual product dispensers installed in every bathroom, but according to Danielle, “We noticed that a lot of the dispensers weren’t getting refilled enough. One student, Tinuade McClish, had the idea to add a QR code to each dispenser that notifies facilities that the dispenser needs to be refilled.” Their new proposal a simple solution to a problem that would likely only be noticed by the people it impacted, brought forward to a student passionate enough to take those steps and make a change.

Danielle’s project is currently underway. She’s created an Amazon Wishlist for those who may not be on campus or prefer the ease of online purchasing to donate period products. On the New York City Campus, students can drop off donations and eventually pick up products at the LGBTQ Center. On the Westchester Campus, donations can be left with the Dean for Students in Kessel Student Center, with picks ups at the food pantry. “I think it’s very beneficial that on the Westchester campus products are being dispersed through the pantry,” Danielle adds, “because it will ensure that those who need them most will have access to them.”

Even in my own community, I’ll never fully understand the extent that period poverty can impact others. But seeing other people’s perspective is always the place to start.

—Danielle Harari

Danielle hasn’t forgotten her original desire to address period poverty in prisons, and she’s hoping to use everything she learns from the on-campus initiative to eventually launch a similar one in prisons. “It’s still a passion of mine,” she says. “I’m taking a course this semester that works with incarcerated people, so I’m really excited for the opportunity to gain that perspective and some resources.”

In the way that it took a student perspective to identify particular needs and solutions on campus, Danielle hopes this unique opportunity to work with incarcerated people through her coursework will help her identify needs and solutions for people who menstruate within a prison.

“I can’t step into the shoes of an incarcerated person as well as I could people within my own community. Even in my own community, I’ll never fully understand the extent that period poverty can impact others,” Danielle says. But she ends on a note of hope. “But seeing other people’s perspective is always the place to start.”

Follow the Pace Period Poverty project on Instagram or email Danielle at dh26927n@pace.edu.

Access the Amazon Wishlist to make an online donation of menstrual products.

Over the past several years, Pace’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems has established itself as a national leader in cybersecurity education. You don’t need to just take our word for it; the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and National Security Agency (NSA) also agree, having designated Pace a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE). Furthermore, the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Defense have collectively awarded Pace millions of dollars in grants and scholarships to further develop Pace’s top talent.

So again, not to brag—when it comes to cybersecurity, we’re kind of a big deal.

What’s the secret to all of this success? It of course starts with the wonderful infrastructure at Seidenberg, from state-of-the-art labs to the accomplished and dedicated faculty. Yet, it is our students—always on the lookout to further improve and develop their skills—who truly enable Seidenberg to stand out.

One example of Seidenberg’s culture of continued excellence is its participation—and continued success—in the National Cyber League (NCL). The league consists of a biannual intercollegiate competition that tests students’ cybersecurity skills through a series of challenges. Unsurprisingly, Pace has consistently outperformed the competition. In Fall 2021, the one of the participating Pace teams placed 7 out of 920 teams; and in Fall 2022, Pace placed 27 nationally among over 7,500 students from 470 colleges and universities.

Furthermore, several Seidenberg students, including computer science major Andrew Iadevaia ’23, placed in the 99^th percentile, outperforming nearly all of the other 6,675 students who participated.

“Coming to Pace, I knew very little cybersecurity-wise,” said Andrew. “I went to the first town hall meeting, fall of freshman year, I met Kyle Hanson—who had just recently graduated—and he encouraged me to join NCL. From there I got hooked on it. I went from wanting to be a software engineer writing code, to ‘I want to solve challenges and be challenged.’”

“Even though it’s a competition, it’s a big support group where everyone is really just helping each other out

Andrew’s enthusiasm regarding the competition is echoed by fellow NCL Pace team members. Nora Broyles ’24, a double major in computer science and mathematics with a minor in IT, was a new Pace transfer student when she heard about the competition through her scholarship and joined the team.

“I had heard about the competition, but didn’t join until I transferred to Pace,” said Nora. “It was definitely a positive experience.”

Another competitor, Joseph Paradiso ’24 was also encouraged by older students to enter the NCL after joining the cybersecurity club.

“I didn’t know much coming into it, and I’ve learned a lot. The club guides you in terms of starting out,” said Joseph. “I always had an interest in cybersecurity but doing the league has definitely put me more on the cybersecurity track.”

Each NCL competition, held once in the fall and once in the spring, consists of both individual and team elements. The individual element, which takes place in a 48-hour window over a single weekend, calls upon students to solve as many challenges as possible, and participants can track their progress via a virtual leaderboard. While the team members enjoyed the individual component—and find that it truly tests your abilities and skills under pressure—it is the Pace team component, held over the following weekend, that they find to be the most rewarding.

“The team component is my favorite part—that Saturday, we typically book a room in Seidenberg and the NYC Campus will come to Pleasantville for the day, we’ll stay there working and people bring donuts and pizza,” says Andrew. “It’s a lot of fun, we joke around but we also get to learn new things from each other.”

“Something that surprised me was how supportive everyone is,” added Joseph. “Even though it’s a competition, it’s a big support group where everyone is really just helping each other out.”

The Pace team—which consisted of seventeen students—was led by faculty coach Andreea Cotoranu, who ensures everything regarding the competition runs smoothly in order to put students in the best position to succeed.

“My role as the coach is to connect students with opportunities in the field, and further to promote the students,” notes Cotoranu. “at the cybersecurity program level, we wanted to empower students to advance in the NCL competition, and those students teach the newer students. We want to turn training into a student-driven event.”

As an educator, Cotoranu finds the NCL and related extracurriculars an essential component of a cybersecurity education. While classroom learning is of course vital, students who go the extra mile and take advantage of the many opportunities Seidenberg offers outside of the classroom are able to maximize both their learning and their potential.

“Competitions such as NCL are also important for us as educators. They provide a context for students to practice with their skills in exercises that are fun and collaborative. The structure and motivation the competition offers is very helpful for students; and it’s especially a great opportunity to connect other like-minded students,” notes Cotoranu. “Additionally, it gives students a way to demonstrate their technical skills and to speak to employers about what they do, and how they learn.”

Nora, whose specialization is on the math side, echoed that the competition is a great way to develop a more well-rounded skill set, which can be invaluable when looking to build technical and professional expertise—and stand out amidst a pile of resumes.

“It helps to diversify your skill set because it’s such a broad competition,” says Nora. “It shows willingness to learn outside of your respective discipline.”

All in all, Pace’s success in the National Cyber League is a testament to Seidenberg’s commitment to providing students with top notch experiential learning opportunities; and empowering our talented students do the rest.

“I came here not knowing a single thing about cybersecurity,” says Andrew. “I was able to build my skills up. Any extracurricular activities like this, I recommend doing. They’ll expand on things that aren’t taught in the classroom that could be very beneficial.”

Connect with the Cybersecurity Club

To learn more or get involved with the team, connect with the Cybersecurity Club on Discord (BergCyberSec server, visit our Instagram page @bergcybersec, or reach out to Professor Joe Acampora.

For information about Pace's cybersecurity programs and scholarship opportunities, visit the Cybersecurity Education and Research Lab.

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University will bestow the 2023 Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence on Veronica Dragalin, Chief of the Anticorruption Prosecution Office for the Republic of Moldova, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field of criminal prosecution and excellence in prosecutorial practice.

“Veronica has led an impressive career demonstrating her commitment to the pursuit of justice both as an accomplished Assistant United States Attorney and now in a challenging, and historic, role as head of Anticorruption for Moldova,” said Dean Horace E. Anderson Jr. “She took on this role at a particularly volatile time in the region and made history as the first-ever female in the position. Her tenacity to leave a successful position in the US to lead the fight against corruption in her native country is truly admirable.”

Veronica Dragalin is a dual citizen born and raised in the Republic of Moldova and educated in the United States. She received an undergraduate degree from Duke University and a JD degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. She spent the first years of her career as an associate at the international law firm, Jones Day. After working as a lawyer on civil litigation and international criminal investigations, in 2016, Veronica became a federal prosecutor in Los Angeles where she worked in the Public Corruption & Civil Rights Section and served as the office’s Hate Crimes Coordinator. Veronica tried ten jury trials as a prosecutor and charged more than 50 cases, including against federal and local law enforcement officers for civil rights violations as well as public officials for bribery and other corruption crimes, including a RICO conspiracy case charging Los Angeles City Councilmembers, a Deputy Mayor, and other public officials and individuals involved in a pay-to-play scheme.

On August 1, 2022, Veronica began her current mandate as the Chief of the Anticorruption Prosecution Office for the Republic of Moldova, taking on the challenging role for a country with a long history of systemic political corruption at an especially turbulent time in the region. Her office of approximately 130 personnel currently handles criminal corruption investigations and prosecutions against high-level officials, including the ex-President, the suspended Prosecutor General, members of parliament, judges, and prosecutors.

Veronica is already making an impact in her new role within a short time. According to Transparency International’s 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published in January 2023, Moldova’s score has increased by three points, one of the most significant improvements made, placing it at 91 out of 180 countries in the CPI. The CPI ranks countries annually “by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys.”

“Veronica Dragalin’s remarkable career is a reflection of the values and commitment in criminal prosecution that we aim to recognize with this award,” said Robert S. Tucker, Chairman and CEO of T&M, whose generous gift has endowed this annual award at Haub Law. “Prosecuting rogue public officials and fighting corruption crimes in the US and abroad is difficult and often dangerous work, but Veronica has demonstrated her resolve and drive to lead reform here and around the world. We are delighted l to present her with the Robert S. Tucker Prize for prosecutorial excellence and to celebrate her accomplishments among her peers and the global law community.”

The Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence is awarded annually to an individual or a group of individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of criminal prosecution and who demonstrate excellence in prosecutorial practice. Honorees are selected each year by a jury comprised of former prosecutors and faculty members from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. The award ceremony brings together prosecutors from across the region and state, civic leaders, members of the judiciary, New York City government and the Haub Law community to recognize these distinguished individuals for their work. The prize is made possible by the generous support of Haub Law alumnus and Pace University Board of Trustees member Robert S. Tucker. Past Award Recipients include Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and the Office of the Bronx District Attorney, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, former New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood, and Richard A. Brown, the late Queens District Attorney.

The ceremony for the Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence will be held on Wednesday, March 22 at 6:00 p.m. at Pace University in Manhattan, NY. For additional information on the ceremony, please email Rachael Silva.