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The Daily Northwestern Friday, October 15, 2021
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Leaders talk local, national reparations Evanston’s first round applications opened last month By KATRINA PHAM
daily senior staffer @katrinapham_
Joanne Haner/The Daily Northwestern
Performing the role of Leonato, Communication sophomore Jordan Muhammad blesses the marraige of Benedick and Beatrice.
L&M stages Shakespeare twist The play moves ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ from Sicily to Miami By MARIA XIMENA ARAGON
daily senior staffer @menitaaragon
Feeling the Miami heat in
Evanston, Lovers & Madmen is transforming Shanley Pavilion into a neon celebration of life this weekend for its rendition of “Much Ado About Nothing.”
p.m., and runs through Saturday, with shows at 2 and 7 p.m. Communication junior Gabriela Furtado Coutinho,
The play puts a twist on a Shakespeare classic, moving the setting of the play from Sicily to Miami. The production premieres Friday at 7, with an additional show at 10
» See L&M, page 10
A few weeks after applications opened for the first facet of Evanston’s reparations program, city organizers and congressional representatives discussed the importance of both local and national reparations efforts Thursday. Beth Emet The Free Synagogue’s Social Justice Coalition hosted the panel on Evanston’s Restorative Housing Reparations program and national reparations efforts. Rabbi Andrea London moderated the conversation. Second Baptist Church Senior Pastor Rev. Michael Nabors explained the purpose of reparations: to repair damage done to the Black community. He said this harm has compounded across time, and action to implement reparations is necessary now. “There’s been an urgency for 245 years,” he said. “I can’t say that there is a more urgent time in 2021 than there was
in 1921 or 1821. The urgency is there and the compilation of the history of discrimination, and the damage that has been, just continues over and over again, and it gets larger and larger.” Former Ald. Robin Rue Simmons (5th) said Evanston officials first committed to reparations in 2002, when City Council adopted a resolution supporting the H.R. 40. The resolution, if passed, would establish the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. At that time, the city also acknowledged the harms it inflicted upon Black residents and community members, she added. Evanston finalized an official reparations fund and subcommittee in 2019, committing $10 million to fund local reparations efforts. Residents can apply for the initial $400,000 allocated to the housing program, which has already received at least 146 applications, by Nov. 5. Residents are eligible based on three categories: ancestors, meaning Black residents who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969; direct
» See REPARATIONS, page 10
End of dining 146 apply for reparations funds so far negotiations nears First 16 ancestors will be notified by mail between Dec. 1 and 6 Compass Group, workers reach tentative agreement By ISABEL FUNK
the daily northwestern @isabeldfunk
Northwestern dining and service workers reached a tentative agreement Wednesday night for a new contract with Compass Group, the University’s food service provider. Committee leaders from UNITE HERE Local 1, the union representing NU’s subcontracted
service workers, will bring the proposal to members for a ratification vote shortly. More details will be released when workers vote to ratify the contract, Union Organizer Dan Abraham said in an email to the Daily. Dining workers voted Sept. 23 to authorize a strike with 95% support. Workers have negotiated with Compass for over two years to meet their demands, including guaranteed health insurance coverage and a wage increase to $19.88 per hour. Since the start of the pandemic, workers’ demands have
» See DINING, page 10
By ALEX HARRISON
the daily northwestern @alexhairysun
Evanston’s Reparations Committee met last Thursday to discuss the prioritization and random selection of beneficiaries for the Restorative Housing Program, which has received more than 146 applicants since it opened on Sept. 21. Deputy City Manager Kimberly Richardson shared the updated application numbers at the committee’s meeting. Out of the applications received, there is demographic data available for 107 applications through Sept. 30.
Of those 107 applications, 77 are from residents claiming direct descendant status, 29 are from residents of ancestor status and one application did not claim a specific qualification. While formal verification hasn’t started yet, Richardson said the city manager’s office has started reaching out to applicants whose documentation appears incomplete. “You can tell when something’s missing,” Richardson said. “We’ve followed up with an email or a phone call so they can provide that documentation, and the majority have followed through.” The committee will meet on Nov. 11 to approve a final list of eligible beneficiaries after the
Nick Francis/The Daily Northwestern
Ald. Bobby Burns (5th). The councilmember said he supports a visual selection procedure so community members can be sure the reparations payment process is transparent.
application window closes on Nov.
» See COMMITTEE, page 10
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