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The Daily Northwestern Friday, November 5, 2021
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Keep culture wars out of the Court
By AVANI KALRA
the daily northwestern @avanidkalra
For Evanston resident Bindu Reddy, celebrating Diwali is important because she wants her 7-year-old to know the culture of India. Typically, Reddy meets up with a group of Indian families to tell traditional stories, perform Lakshmi Puja and light sparklers. Diwali, sometimes referred to as the “Festival of Lights,” is one of India’s biggest celebrations of the year. On Nov. 4, the Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities of Evanston celebrated the third and most important day of Diwali, a festival symbolizing the victory of light over darkness. Though Diwali celebrations in Evanston aren’t quite what Reddy was used
to growing up in India, she tries to re-create a feeling of festivity for her son. “It’s different in India,” Reddy said. “It’s friends, family, the whole city lights up… But I can talk to my little guy about Diwali. He knows the characters, and he knows that good will win over evil… there is always brightness after dark. It makes me happy.” Other than events on Northwestern’s campus, there aren’t any publicly organized Diwali celebrations in Evanston this year, though Evanston resident Anu Dewan says she is still grateful she will be able to celebrate with her close friends and family. This year, Dewan plans to light diyas, small lamps, around her house, and decorate with rangolis — intricate patterns made of rice, sand or flower petals. “My parents passed down the cultural aspects of Diwali, as well as the
» See DIWALI, page 10
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Marty gets chance to start on Senior Day DIWALI
Evanston residents celebrate Diwali This year, there are no city-organized celebrations
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Angeli Mittal/Daily Senior Staffer
Hindu Chaplain Amar Shah (Weinberg ‘16) leads a ceremony to celebrate the holiday with NU students, faculty and staff.
NU hosts its first-ever Diwali event
Students gather in Cahn, also display nearly 5,000 diyas across campus
By SYDNEY HOGAN
the daily northwestern
Northwestern’s first-ever institution-backed celebration of Diwali included a gathering in Cahn Auditorium, a student-created display of nearly 5,000 diyas
across campus and Indian dishes in all major dining halls. Religious & Spiritual Life, OM at Northwestern and the South Asian Students Alliance sponsored the Thursday celebration. Amar Shah (Weinberg ’16), NU’s first Hindu chaplain,
said University support for the holiday was significant for NU’s Hindu community. Diwali, sometimes referred to as the “Festival of Lights,” is one of India’s biggest celebrations of the year. Nov. 4 marked the third and most important day of Diwali, a five-day
festival celebrated within the Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities. Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. The holiday celebrates life and provides an opportunity to strengthen relationships.
» See NU DIWALI, page 11
Vintage Vinyl brings the city grooves NU law student The collectors’ record store will open its doors in time for Record Store Day died on Sunday By HENRY ROACH
the daily northwestern @itshenryroach
The “King of Rock and Roll” launched Steve Kay’s interest in music at the age of five. Several decades later, pink and black — Elvis’s favorite colors — adorn the walls of Kay’s record store, Evanston shop Vintage Vinyl. “I had an aunt who got me my first record player and my first 45s, and that was it,” Kay said. “They were records by Elvis Presley. And that just changed the world.” A New York native and avid music lover, Kay came to Chicago in the 1970s to complete his master’s degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1979, he opened Vintage Vinyl in Evanston because he felt the city lacked a business that served a “specialized”
community of record collectors. The store sells records from the 1950s through the present, with an emphasis on the music of the 1960s, Kay said. Vintage Vinyl has also operated a mail-order service, VVMO, since 1998. “We’ve always specialized in looking for records that are long out of print, but also in top condition,” Kay said. “We’ve never tried to appeal to mainstream taste.” While he focuses on catering to collectors, Kay said the shop has also received rave reviews from casual listeners, especially as records have become more popular in recent years. A few years ago, Kay bought an adjacent storefront to sell budget records around $5 apiece, compared to the collector’s item records in the main store that are priced at $25
» See VINYL, page 10
Pritzker first-year Mabel Sodeinede dies, NU dean says
Angeli Mittal/Daily Senior Staffer
Steve Kay, the owner of Vintage Vinyl, opened the shop in 1979 to deviate from the mainstream titles and give the younger generation a taste of out-of-print records.
First-year law student Mabel Sodeinde died Sunday, Pritzker School of Law Dean Hari Osofsky announced in a Wednesday email to the Pritzker community. “Mabel cared deeply about making a difference in the world and advancing civil rights,” Osofsky said. “She will be greatly missed.” Sodeinde, who called Arlington, TX home, graduated magna cum laude with numerous honors from Texas Tech University and degrees in political science and history. She had a special interest in African American and women’s history and was a staff writer for the Daily Toreador during her undergraduate years.
Counselors will be available for law students Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Parrillo Courtroom and were also on campus Thursday. The Student Services, Inclusion and Engagement and Academic Affairs teams, as well as Osofsky herself, are available for individual and group support. The University recommends students call Counseling and Psychological Services’ 24-hour hotline at 847-491-2151 for support processing this loss. Students, faculty and staff can also talk with the Chaplain’s staff at 847-4917256, and staff can connect with services through the Employee Assistance Program. The University will share plans to honor Sodeinde shortly, Osofsky said. — Maia Spoto
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