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‘It Was a Source of Great Joy’
A short profile of Tufts University faculty member Kristen Wendell
North Dakota Supreme Court races are nonpartisan, but Republicans play a big role
North Dakota voters have a rare contest for a state Supreme Court seat this fall, one that raises questions about Republican politics in the nonpartisan race.
Whether you like it or not, celebrities have an impact on politics
The global groundswell of support for Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian advocacy serves to remind us that maybe celebrity activism really is that deep after all, writes Cheek’s Varsha Yajman. Subscribe In the last week, publications, podcasts, and influencers that have either rarely or never spoken about Israel’s genocide in Palestine have flooded my social feed. And it was all because singer Ed Sheeran and his team dropped Macklemore as his opener for saying “Free Palestine” on stage. Millions raised, millions speaking up in support of Palestine - all of this confirming my view that, whether I like it or not, celebrities do have an impact on political outcomes. And this is interesting when much of the time celebrity activism can induce an eye roll - I love to see Charli XCX pointing out a Palestinian flag in the crowd, but it’s hardly the bold symbol of allyship that some fans would make it out to be. But there’s a line between healthy scepticism and outright dismissal - and I’d argue that the latter lets the rich and powerful off far too easily. For instance, actress Jennifer Lawrence, once outspoken about her political views, last year told The Times she no longer believes celebrities have a role to play: “Celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for. So then what am I doing? I’m just sharing my opinion on something that’s going to add fuel to a fire that’s ripping the country apart.” While it’s a narrative she might find comfort in, it simply is not true. Grassroots movements often garner worldwide attention when celebrities and other high-profile spokespeople bring a mainstream platform to their causes. And this frustrates me. We have had three years of a live-streamed genocide. Macklemore himself has been calling for a Free Palestine long before he booked the Sheeran concert. Yet it’s the high-profile fallout of the last week that finally seems to have made saying “Free Palestine” socially acceptable in the mainstream. It feels like the collective mood has shifted, where calling out censorship is now the obvious response - not just the business of ‘radical’ activists. To recap, Sheeran’s decision followed an ultimatum from billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, one of the venues Sheeran was scheduled to perform at: either drop Macklemore as your opener after only two of the eight scheduled shows, or you do not play at any stadiums. Sheeran’s disappointing decision to stand on the side of billionaire-led censorship has ultimately seen a surge in support for Free Palestine. It began when all his openers and his backing band pulled out of Sheeran’s tour, in solidarity with Macklemore and with the Palestinian cause. It was met with an uproar of support from those who had never or barely touched politics before: influencers lip-syncing to Macklemore’s music, singers like Jack Antonoff singing “Free Palestine,” and publications and podcasts standing with Macklemore. And finally, we saw material support: Macklemore donated $1 million in profits from his two nights opening for Sheeran’s tour to several Palestinian aid groups and called for Sheeran and Kraft to match it, which they have since promised to do. We’ve also seen children’s entertainer Ms Rachel follow suit with a $1 million donation to Palestinian aid, and publication PopBase has donated $10,000. Anera, a humanitarian aid group working in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan, said donations since Macklemore’s announcement were more than triple this month’s daily average. The group’s Instagram page has also gained 8,000 followers. Macklemore far from the first celebrity to speak and participate in politics in the Western World. In 1924, singer Al Jolson supported Republican candidate Warren G. Harding for president, and decades later, celebrities such as Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, and Aretha Franklin voiced their public support for the Civil Rights movement. More recently, in the lead-up to the 2024 US election, ‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah partnered with the organisation Power the Polls to recruit poll workers to address shortages- a problem disproportionately affecting voters of colour. The campaign saw 170,000 new sign-ups - 35,000 of which came directly through the TV show’s link - resulting in the recruitment of 713,000 total poll workers that year, an almost three-fold increase on the organisation’s goal. Alongside recruiting workers, celebrities in the US (where voting in elections is not compulsory) have made a huge difference by calling for people to register to vote. Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024 saw over 400,000 visitors on the voter registration site within 24 hours of her Instagram post. In 2023, Swift had urged her fans to register, resulting in 35,000 new voter registrations. Similarly, Ariana Grande promoted voter registration in 2019 by setting up booths at concerts on the American leg of her tour, resulting in over 33,000 voters registering. And the same thing is happening closer to home. This year, musician Jack River successfully called for government action to ensure creatives in Australia do not have their work scraped by generative AI companies. Celebrity as the mediator between the punter and the politician Celebrity activism isn’t just a feel-good news story - research tells us it actually makes a difference. By directing attention to issues affecting the average person, like voting inaccessibility or a lack of action on a genocide, researchers Alfred Archer and Amanda Cawston state that “celebrities can play a useful bridging role between political elites and the people they represent”. Alternatively, in a world where talking about politics is “not cool,” or where people lack exposure or knowledge to engage with politics, celebrities can act as an educational resource or an entry point into the political world - when they speak up about an issue, their audience gets exposed to it. Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival is a perfect example. Rodrigo partnered with twelve organisations focused on women’s issues, such as reproductive rights. These organisations had stalls at the festival for people to meet them and were also featured heavily on social media, giving their issues global attention and raising $20 million for the organisations. We have also seen celebrities at award shows such as the Emmys wearing F*CK ICE pins, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s treatment and detainment of people - generally people of colour. When celebrities speak up about political issues in public forums, they put the issue at the forefront of mainstream media, rally their supporters, and make it clear that, however much they disagree, the government cannot simply ignore it. Our over-reliance on celebrities versus our politicians As much as I love seeing my favourite celebrity use their platform for a good cause, there is an important question to ask: not whether celebrity activism is good or bad, but whether we should have to rely on celebrities. And the answer would, in an ideal world, be no. In an ideal world, or merely a just world, action on Palestine would’ve happened decades ago, climate change would be taken seriously, and most importantly, people would understand their democratic rights. However, that is not our reality. Only around 28 per cent of Australian Year 10 students reach proficiency in civics and citizenship. In the US, almost two-thirds of people under 30 say high school civics education didn’t prepare them to understand voting deadlines, how to research candidates, or how to vote by mail. When civics education is weak, our trust in these institutions and our understanding of change-making processes also decline. This is where celebrity steps in and becomes our main source of reliance. As Mary R. Connelly notes in _The Tartan, “_Celebrities will always be involved in campaigns in one form or another, but their presence is not what causes people to vote blindly. The lack of political engagement and literacy is what allows celebrities to wield their influence on the political sphere so impactfully.” About the author Varsha Yajman is the Digital Content Producer at Cheek Media. She is a youth advocate and lawyer with a background in climate litigation and is passionate about looking at the intersection between race, climate justice, and mental health. Thanks for reading Cheek Media Co. ! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share
Syneos Health and Tufts CSDD Study Shows Clinical Trial Performance Depends More on Operating Model Design Than Sourcing Strategy
Data From 13 Leading Pharmaceutical Companies Points to Execution, Governance and Partner Coordination as Key Drivers of Trial PerformanceMORRISVILLE, N.C., Sept. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Syneos Health®, a leading fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization, today announced findings from a first-of-its-kind benchmarking study conducted by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development. The research examined one of the industry’s most persistent questions: does the sourcing
Proven behavioral health navigation at scale: Inside Tufts Medicine’s playbook
Behavioral health conditions affect roughly 30% of patients, and these patients remain among the costliest and most challenging to guide to appropriate
How a West Philly Rug Company Turned Yarn Into a Global Business
Inside the West Philadelphia studio where handmade rugs, tufting classes, and community giving built a growing global business.
Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts Health Plan CEO talks GLP-1 weigh-loss drug coverage
A year in, Point32Health CEO sits down to discuss insurance premiums, drug prices, and layoffs.
Hampson Earns College Sports Communicators Academic All-American Honors
MEDFORD, MA (July 15, 2026) -- The College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced its men's 2026 Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-Americans, and Tufts University senior Quinn Hampson was honored as a Second Team honoree as released Tuesday afternoon.
Capitol Hill Programming: The Power and Peril of Food: The Latest Science on Your Mood, Memory, Metabolism, Fertility, and Longevity
On Wednesday, July 29th, join Food Tank and Tufts University Food is Medicine Institute for the U.S. Capitol Hill Programming, “The Power and Peril of Food: The Latest Science on Your Mood, Memory, Metabolism, Fertility, and Longevity.”
Tufts University and Bigelow Laboratory Partner to Expand Marine Science Training
Tufts University and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences have launched a partnership offering graduate students a Marine Science specialization through the Sea Change Semester, combining coursework with hands-on research voyages and laboratory training in Maine.
Devils Sign Winger Riley Tufte to 1 Year, $850,000 Deal
In one of the more under the radar moves today, the Devils announced the signing of 28-year-old winger Riley Tufte to a one-year, one-way NHL contract. A link to the press release can be found here. A 6’6”, 245lb behemoth, Tufte has been one of the most prolific scorers in the AHL, finishing tied for […]
New Collaboration between Tufts University and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences Boosts Experiential Opportunities for Graduate Students
Tufts University is advancing this mission through a new collaboration with Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay, Maine, giving graduate students direct access to immersive real-world ocean research.
A Noninvasive Way to Monitor Babies’ Health
A paper-thin skin patch can monitor multiple vital health signals from a newborn as readable colored spots
Medically Tailored Meals Produce Better Health and Lower Costs
First statewide Medicaid analysis finds fewer hospitalizations and emergency visits—and lower healthcare costs—among meal recipients in Massachusetts
Letter from the editor: Farewell from the executive science editor
Journalism was probably the last thing on my radar when I walked through the club fair as a first-year. And for most of my time at Tufts, it stayed that way. My best friend Carmen was super involved in that world, but her involvement was the closest I got to that space.
The Hidden Opponent spotlights student-athlete mental health
Led by softball player Maddie Manes '26, swimmer Hannah Waldron '27, and baseball player Danny Tambascia '28, Brandeis' chapter of The Hidden Opponent (THO) continues to grow and expand its impact on campus. The Hidden Opponent is a national nonprofit organization that works with high schools and colleges to promote discussions around mental health in athletics. They recently collaborated with the Brandeis softball team during their matchup against Tufts on April 22 to highlight their mission ahead of May's Mental Health Awareness Month.
Op-ed: Dining politics: How a change in catering companies could be a sign of university-wide financial decision
Food Fair, the crown jewel of Tufts Orientation week, is the first chance for all of the Tufts dining locations to show incoming students what they’ve got, and every spot pulls out all the stops. Kindlevan Café smoothies, Fresh at Carmichael Dining Center salmon and Hodgdon quesadillas all meet in this event that students keep talking about and never see again, yet there’s an unsung hero responsible for the whole thing: Tufts Catering.
BankNewport, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan join Salve's Health and Wellness Community Outreach program
Local organizations provide financial support that enables on-site health care education across Rhode Island.
Why forest conservation is also public health
In a lowland forest in southeastern Madagascar, what was missing proved as telling as what was found. Researchers trapping small mammals in the Manombo Special Reserve caught tuft-tailed rats in the intact interior forest. In the nearby littoral forest, despite repeated efforts, they found none. The traps held black rats instead. The observation appears in […]
Can your zip code impact your heart health?
Dr. Deeb Salem from Tufts Medical Center spoke with NewsCenter 5 about the data.
Adam Kinzinger visits Tufts to discuss US politics, a look into the future
Members of the Tufts community sat in a packed auditorium on Wednesday evening while former Congressman Adam Kinzinger reflected on a decision that solidified his reputation and legacy within the American political sphere.
Michael Matt Named as Associate Athletic Director for Business Operations
MEDFORD, MA (March 25, 2026) – Director of Athletics Ryan Pisarri announced that Michael Matt has joined the Tufts University athletics department as the Associate Athletic Director for Business Operations.
Precision Nutrition: Tufts University Expert Q&A On How Personalized Diet Science May Transform Health - Where The Food Comes From
Tufts expert José Ordovás explains precision nutrition and how personalized diet science could transform health and prevent disease.
Tufts professor says students are ditching woke culture and find performative politics 'cringy'
Tufts professor says new college students are rejecting woke culture and demanding real debate. Campus politics shifting as generation embraces discourse.
How violent videos on social media affect mental health
Dr. Varsha Radhakrishnan of Tufts Medical Center discusses how watching violent and distressing videos on social media can have harmful health effects.
This new sugar tastes like the real thing without the usual downsides
Scientists at Tufts have found a way to turn common glucose into a rare sugar that tastes almost exactly like table sugar—but with far fewer downsides. Using engineered bacteria as microscopic factories, the team can now produce tagatose efficiently and cheaply, achieving yields far higher than current methods. Tagatose delivers nearly the same sweetness as sugar with significantly fewer calories, minimal impact on blood sugar, and even potential benefits for oral and gut health.
Tufts Vice Provost for Research Named Foreign Fellow of Indian National Science Academy
Bernard Arulanandam, vice provost for research at Tufts University and professor of immunology at Tufts University School of Medicine, has been named a foreign fellow of the Indian National Science Academy
What’s Behind the U.S. Interest in Venezuela? Oil, Minerals, and Politics
To find out why the U.S. is targeting Venezuela now, Tufts Now talked with Consuelo Cruz, associate professor of political science.
What’s Behind the U.S. Interest in Venezuela? Oil, Minerals, and Politics
The U.S. actions against the Maduro regime in Venezuela is about power politics and natural resources, says a Tufts political scientist
How does lack of sunlight affect our mental health?
Dr. Alice Connors-Kellgren of Tufts Medical Center discusses the importance of getting daily sunlight and what you can do during winter's short daylight hours.