The Daily Northwestern — February 15, 2021

Serving the University and Evanston since 1881

The Daily Northwestern Monday, February 15, 2021 8 SPORTS/Women’s Tennis

2 CITY/DPOE

4 OPINION/LTE

NU women’s tennis picks up new recruits

Democratic Party of Evanston endorses candidates, addresses membership questions

Open faculty letter on cheer team incidents

High 18 Low 12

Candidate declines backing Daniel Biss rejects Ald. Ann Rainey’s endorsement

By ALEX HARRISON

the daily northwestern @alexhairysun

Former state Senator and Evanston mayoral candidate Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) said Friday he could no longer accept Ald. Ann Rainey’s (8th) endorsement.

This statement comes after Rainey apologized, and then recanted, to City Clerk Devon Reid for anti-Black comments she made at a candidate forum last week.

“Ald. Rainey… reiterated the view that she has the right to control the way in which one of her political opponents tells his own personal story,” Biss said. “The principle that we should give everyone an opportunity to be heard simply does not work when one person uses her voice to silence someone else’s.”

At a candidate’s forum last week held by the League of Women Voters of Evanston, Rainey called 8th Ward

Lunar New Year is traditionally celebrated with a large family gathering and dinner. This year, East Asian groups at Northwestern are celebrating by sharing food and hosting Zoom events.

» See RAINEY, page 6

» See LUNAR, page 6

Graphic by Meher Yeda

Students celebrate Lunar New Year at home Northwestern’s East Asian international students celebrate the new year with family

By KATRINA PHAM

the daily northwestern @katrinapham_

East Asian student groups at Northwestern still planned

events online and in-person to celebrate the Lunar New Year together.

Many East Asian countries use the lunar calendar, and student groups at NU such as Chinese Students Association,

Korean American Student Association and Vietnamese Student Association hold events each year to celebrate.

To Communication junior and VSA President Megan Nguyen, Lunar New Year is a

time to reconnect and spend time with her family. Nguyen said this time may be difficult for students on campus spending their first Lunar New Year away from their families.

“Lunar New Year is one of

the most important holidays in our culture and you usually celebrate it with your entire family,” Nguyen said.

So, Nguyen said she and the

ETHS newspaper focuses on inclusive coverage EFBL The Evanstonian prioritizes inclusivity, looks to reach a larger community with coverage backs Nalls

By EJUN KIM

the daily northwestern @ejun_kim

For four years, Nora Miller has labored over misplaced commas, tight deadlines, photo captions, and lunch-time interviews. But Miller’s most important endeavor, the Evanston Township High School senior and student newspaper executive editor said, has been driving the Evanstonian’s coverage to be more inclusive.

“Sometimes it’s rough being in such a White space,” they said.

“We’re prioritizing the stories that are impacting students more and looking to reach the larger community.”

Existing within Google Drive folders and Zoom rooms, the Evanstonian has continued operating through almost a year of virtual school. The three classrooms it once occupied sit abandoned. Students no longer huddle in packs, debating diction and layout.

But Miller said they think

Recycle Me

the pandemic has re-energized the staff. Armed with new ideas and angles, the student journalists focused on writing “powerful” stories — some of their top pieces have touched on unemployment, misogyny in the classroom and the labor of teachers adapting to Zoom school.

In December, the Evanstonian published a well-received four-page feature illuminating how students have managed their mental health over the past year. The mental health feature sparked dialogue on campus and led the ETHS administration to call a meeting with the Evanstonian’s editorial board.

This month, the Evanstonian will publish an issue reckoning with the paper’s racist history.

The issue will only feature writers of color.

John Phillips, the Evanstonian’s faculty adviser, credits the work ethic of students like Miller for the paper’s renewed focus.

“We’ve tried to really decenter the White voices that have been staples of the Evanstonian since its founding,” Phillips said.

“Not only is the writing a powerful reflection on what it means to be a part of a student paper that doesn’t or hasn’t historically valued you and your voice, but also the opportunity to put that out into the world and re-envision what the Evanstonian can be.”

The staff has collaborated with the ETHS group Students Organized Against Racism to facilitate dialogue about diversity and inclusion on campus. To build community and raise awareness, staffers attend SOAR’s monthly equity workshops. SOAR is also helping them craft their special February issue.

Phillips said the paper’s transition online has improved staff communication and proactivity, and students are still cultivating deep relationships with each other. Nonetheless, reporter and ETHS junior Sophie Yang said she’s homesick for her community at the Evanstonian.

She misses scurrying around the halls for teacher interviews.

She misses early morning

» See EVANSTONIAN, page 6

After town hall EFBL endorses Sabastian Nalls

By OLIVIA ALEXANDER

the daily northwestern @oliviagalex

Photo courtesy of Nora Miller

A recent issue cover from the Evanstonian. The student newspaper has been working to de-center the White voices that once dominated its history and coverage.

All three Evanston mayoral candidates committed to defunding the police at a town hall Saturday hosted by Evanston Fight for Black Lives and ETown Sunrise, an Evanston Township High School organization dedicated to climate justice.

Following the town hall, EFBL published a statement officially endorsing Sebastian Nalls for Evanston mayor. The group said Nalls represents what the future of politics could look like.

» See SUNRISE, page 6

INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8

2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2021

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

AROUND TOWN

DPOE addresses questions about membership fees

By DELANEY NELSON

daily senior staffer @delaneygnelson

The Democratic Party of Evanston has endorsed mayoral candidate Daniel Biss, city clerk candidate Stephanie Mendoza and 1st Ward aldermanic candidate Clare Kelly for the 2021 municipal elections. The organization also endorsed Ald. Cicely Fleming (9th), who is running unopposed for reelection.

Throughout January, the DPOE shared candidate endorsement videos on their social media pages. Now, the organization is focusing its efforts on getting out the vote, board president Rachel Ruttenberg said.

But the endorsement process came with controversy, as residents questioned the party’s membership requirements — concerns Ruttenberg said bubble up annually.

To participate in the DPOE’s endorsement session, individuals must pay a one-year $40 membership fee, a two-year $75 membership fee, or complete volunteer hours for the organization.

Some say the requirements perpetuate classism and ableism by shutting out community members unable to afford the fees or volunteer.

Karla Thomas, an Evanston activist and Northwestern graduate student, said DPOE’s requirements privilege more affluent Evanston residents

Illinois to expand vaccine rollout to those with preexisting conditions Illinois will expand vaccine eligibility under Phase 1B to include people with underlying health conditions and comorbidities, such as cancer and diabetes, on Feb. 25.

“Illinois is moving forward in accordance with guidance from the CDC to expand our eligible population as supply allows, getting us closer to the point when the vaccine is widely available to all who want

and bias the group’s endorsements.

“The only way to vote is to pay $40 and become a member, and that creates an equity issue,” Thomas told The Daily prior to the DPOE’s endorsement vote. “That then gives a voice to those who can throw in 40 bucks without a blink of an eye.”

Residents questioned these requirements online after a Facebook user posted screenshots from the Reopen Evanston/Skokie School Districts 65 and 202 Facebook group. The groups had encouraged its members to become DPOE members to vote for school board candidates who support reopening schools.

The DPOE endorsed Soo La Kim and Elisabeth “Biz” Lindsay-Ryan for District 65 school board, and Patricia Savage-Williams, Patricia Maunsell and Gretchen Livingston for District 202 board.

In response to community concerns and conversations with Thomas, at least one party member agreed to sponsor memberships for some residents unable to afford membership fees.

Through Every Single Person Committed to Anti-Racism, a nonpartisan community organization, Thomas helped create and market a Google form, where residents unable to meet membership requirements could sign up to be sponsored for an equity-focused membership. ESPCAR is not affiliated with the DPOE. Thomas said 24 people received sponsored

scholarships through the form. While more people were included in the endorsement process this cycle and she was happy with the party’s responsiveness, she said the last-minute sponsorships were a short-term, “makeshift” solution instituted because residents “put the fire to their feet” and created a “PR nightmare.”

In the future, she hopes the DPOE will distribute more sponsored memberships and improve outreach to community members unable to fulfill membership requirements.

Ruttenberg said the DPOE is open to community input and any community member can meet with the organization. Nevertheless, she said a volunteer-driven party does need to raise money to cover its operational costs, and the DPOE has a “very small budget.”

“If we’re not going to do membership fees, we have to find the money some other way,” Ruttenberg said. “We’re definitely open to a conversation…but logistically we like to keep it simple for people, so right now it’s structured as either you pay the membership to be a member, or you volunteer.”

Lisa Levine, an Evanston resident and D65 employee, was able to take part in this year’s endorsement session after realizing she could log the time she had spent phone banking and postcard writing to become a member. But she said she was “uninformed” on how the DPOE endorsement process worked until she saw the

Facebook post.

Levine said she credits the organization for its problem-solving and responsiveness to resident concerns, but she worries only a small portion of Democrats in Evanston are aware of DPOE membership requirements.

“Through that post, I realized that people who were informed really slanted or created a network that wasn’t representative of all Democrats in Evanston, or what I thought DPOE represented,” Levine said. “It’s another example of elevating networks, versus actively seeking a wide representation.”

This year’s endorsement process also looks different because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ruttenberg said members would normally gather in a church, listen to candidates speak and then vote on endorsing the candidate. This year, the candidates were virtually interviewed and the voting took place online.

For a candidate to win an endorsement, they must meet a threshold of two-thirds of the vote.

Despite voting on each aldermanic race, the DPOE only endorsed two candidates: Clare Kelly and Cicely Fleming, who is running unopposed.

Residents can vote early at the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center until Feb. 22. Individuals can also request mail-in ballots, which must be postmarked by election day, Feb. 23.

it,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement.

Starting Feb. 25, any municipality which has substantially vaccinated eligible residents, can begin to vaccinate anyone aged 16 and older with a pre-existing condition, as defined by the state. Phase 1B currently includes essential frontline workers and seniors.

Even though counties and cities in Illinois are able to expand vaccine access, limited vaccine supplies may restrict the scope of the vaccinate distribution.

In a recent email to Evanston residents, Mayor Steve Hagerty said the city does not anticipate it will have the capacity to vaccinate people with preexisting conditions under the age of 65 at this time.

According to the email, the city still has a large senior

population yet to receive the vaccine.

Qualified residents are able to schedule vaccination appointments through pharmacies, their employer or a “trusted source.” Illinois residents can get vaccinated at Walgreens, which is a part of a new federal vaccination effort to send vaccines directly to pharmacies, as well as Jewel Osco, CVS, Mariano’s, Walmart, Kroger and Meijer.

Cook County and the City of Chicago also announced they would not be expanding Phase 1B access on Feb. 25. Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said they still have yet to vaccinate enough people currently eligible.

There has been a drop in COVID-19 cases across the state in the past month. On Feb. 14, health officials reported 1,631 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus, the lowest total since October of last year.

However, the first case of a coronavirus variant, B.1.351, which was first identified in South Africa, was reported in Illinois last week. This variant is more contagious and has been proven to render vaccines less effective.

Dr. Anthony Fauci and other health officials are concerned COVID-19 variants could lead to another spike in cases.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2021

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

3

ON CAMPUS

Students celebrate love from a distance

www.dailynorthwestern.com

By HANNAH FEUER

eic@dailynorthwestern.com

daily senior staffer @hannah_feuer

Weinberg senior Max Lee spent his first Valentine’s Day with his girlfriend in 2019 at Terra and Vine. This year, the couple stayed in, cooked clam linguini and watched “10 Things I Hate About You.” Like Lee, many students celebrated this year’s Valentine’s Day differently from years’ past. Wary of catching COVID-19 from indoor dining or public transportation, they are opting to stay home.

“There’s not a lot you can do (that is) special on Valentine’s Day, like you’re not going anywhere,” Lee said.

“Even going to downtown Chicago is somewhat iffy.

So just due to lack of options, it kind of just seemed like any other weekend, just a little more deliberate.”

This was the first year Medill sophomore Grace Deng spent Valentine’s Day apart from her boyfriend, who lives in the Seattle area. Last year, her boyfriend visited her in Evanston for the holiday, and before the pandemic, they saw each other in-person every few months.

Though apart, Deng and her boyfriend made steak together on Zoom for dinner. Deng’s boyfriend sent her a package filled with Baby Yoda stickers, a candle, face masks, Pocky’s and other snacks.

“Long distance is really hard,” Deng said. “Both of our love languages are physical touch, so it’s the worst.

But you know, when his gift arrived, it really made me smile, and it’s worth it.”

Weinberg sophomore Nathaniel Unger is used to Valentine’s Day apart from his long-distance girlfriend, who attends McGill University in Montreal. They’ve been calling every night since he started college.

This year, Unger sent his girlfriend a package containing a mason jar filled with daily notes. The couple ordered each other takeout and watched a movie over FaceTime.

Communication senior Sophia Blake had a smaller gathering than usual, hosting a “Galentine’s” celebration with just her roommates. They did their makeup, dressed in red and pink, ordered takeout, drank rosé and watched a movie.

Catie Moore had a similar celebration with a small group of friends. She and her friends dressed up and

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made a baked feta pasta dish she had seen in viral TikToks.

Moore said holidays like Valentine’s Day are a good way to change things up as the days seem to blur together.

“Especially with the pandemic, I feel like my friends

and I have just been finding as many excuses as possible to have events,” the Communication sophomore said. “It just gives us something to look forward to in lieu of going to The Deuce or something like that.”

Wildcat Crossword

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by Henry Alford Welcome to The Daily's new student-created crossword puzzle.

Come back every Monday during fall quarter for a new crossword.

Answers on Thursdays.

"There's Fire" Mon. 02/15/21

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ACROSS 1 A 6 Corp. bigwigs 10 Narrow cut 14 Falafel holders 15 Not straight 16 Helper 17 Bradley and Sharif 18 Credit card charge 20 Salon job 21 *The 2017 Browns, e.g.

22 Exodus leader 24 _____ Moines 25 Invented, as a term 27 Father Flintstone 29 Texter's future 32 Texas A&M athlete 33 One who walks the walk 34 Latte type 35 *Subway cold cuts 38 GoT actress Headey 39 Surface competitor 40 Golfer Palmer, to fans 41 Helms and Sullivan 42 Predator's dinner 43 Like the starred answers 44 Slangy sweetheart 45 Designer Geoffrey 46 *Embargoed tobacco product 51 Without purpose 54 Redo 55 Title character in a Joplin hit 56 Shakespeare's foot 57 Screwed 58 Revel 59 Gold Bond spokesman 60 Messes up 61 _____-wip

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“There’s Fire” DOWN 1 Each 2 Margarita garnish 3 Cold weather birds 4 Mouth organ 5 Donkey 6 Pandemonium 7 Very long time 8 Marriott rival 9 Seattle FC 10 Preserves, in a way 11 Undesirable sentence 12 Notion 13 Abound 19 Like fine wine 21 Headed up 23 Look for 25 DIRECTV alternative 26 Checked out 27 Swift attack 28 Swampy plant 29 Prayed, maybe 30 '50s first lady 31 _______ up (got smart 33 Awesome 34 Historical account 36 Building regulations 37 Docile 42 Breathe heavily 43 Spanish 101 verb 44 Memorial Day celebration, for short 45 Poets of yore 46 Several CBS dramas 47 Joseph Smith's stomping grounds 48 Tide team 49 Bon _____ 50 Apparel 52 Heavy metal 53 Insulated company 55 Ballpark fig.

4 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2021

OPINION

Join the online conversation at www.dailynorthwestern.com LETTER TO THE EDITOR

A letter to NU leadership and community on cheer team incidents To President Schapiro, Provost Hagerty, and the Northwestern community, As women Northwestern faculty, we are dispirited and angry to hear of the recent allegations of racist and sexist practices on the cheer team. Many of us teach topics associated with the history of women, gender and patriarchy, and their intersections with racism and imperialism. We are frankly astounded that at the exact same time that we have been teaching our students about the baneful impacts of these phenomena in history and culture, the university where we work has evidently been engaging in them in blatant and illegal ways.

We take this personally. As women faculty, we stand in solidarity with the women Northwestern students who allege that employees of the university repeatedly demeaned them with racist and sexist policies and did not take their complaints seriously. We are all part of the broader Northwestern community, and we will not stand by in silence.

The “care and support” offered in the administration’s message of Feb. 5 are not what we are looking for. We want accountability. The Daily (Feb. 4 th ) has reported that “interviews with current and former cheer team members indicate consistent negligence and cover-up from other University officials.” We understand that the details that have emerged so far do not represent the whole story and that there is currently at least one case in federal litigation.

We expect that whatever the resolution of the litigation, the university will prioritize

transparency and accountability moving forward. How was it possible that the cheer contract included racist stipulations about cheerleaders’ hair? Which NU employees heard allegations about Pamela Bonnevier’s behavior, and how did they respond? What will be the consequences for those who allowed this to happen, or who failed to follow their legal obligation to report . . . or who tried to keep the matter of Bonnevier’s firing a secret?

Who allowed the perpetuation of this broader climate of racism, sexism and entrenched fear of retaliation against those who dared to speak out?

We want the university to apologize directly and unequivocally to the women’s cheer team and indeed to the entire community for the abdication of leadership that this episode represents.

Beyond this incident: When will

Northwestern change? We are tired of feeling like our employer is incapable of adequately addressing issues of structural racism and sexism. We are tired of not seeing proactive efforts to get ahead of these challenges. We want to see Northwestern become a national leader in creating and successfully implementing policies that emphasize equity and inclusion across the board, for all people associated with the university – students, faculty, and staff. We are sickened that we are starting so far behind. We demand more from university leadership.

— Elizabeth Shakman Hurd, Professor of Political Science and Crown Chair in Middle East Studies; Kate Masur, Associate Professor of History and African American Studies; Jessica Winegar, Professor of Anthropology; Amy Stanley, Professor of History

We need to compensate NFL cheerleaders fairly LILY NEVO

COLUMNIST

The Super Bowl may have marked the end of the NFL season, but we should not stop talking about football, and more specifically, cheerleading. In fact, a lawsuit against the University, and numerous unresolved lawsuits against the NFL, indicates that we, along with the professional league, have a major cheerleading problem.

The most quantifiable metric of inequality in the cheerleading industry is pay. Cheerleaders make between $75 and $150 per game or appearance, which, once practice time is factored in, is roughly $4 an hour. Annually, this can come out to less than $2,000. In contrast, NFL mascots make a minimum of $23,000 annually.

The justification for this compensation– if you can even call it that–is that women should feel lucky to have been chosen as some of the most beautiful and talented women in the world. This assumes, however, that a woman’s ultimate goal is to be praised for her physical appearance. The quarterbacks should feel lucky to take their careers pro, shouldn’t they? Yet no one is telling them to be grateful for this opportunity.

Instead, in 2020, the starting salary for a rookie is 610,000 dollars.

These salaries follow a trend in sports of

women getting paid less for performing better, as brought to light by the U.S.women’s national soccer team. It also reflects the belief that female-dominated sports–dance, cheer, gymnastics–are easier and less “athletic” than other sports.

But the long tradition of underpaying cheerleaders reveals more than just the welldocumented pay gap; it reinforces that men are entitled to women’s bodies for free. A woman’s job is to encourage the men on the field, entertain the men in the stands and obey the men in power. “Woman’s work” is not to be compensated, because it consists precisely of what she exists to do: support men.

This sentiment pervades all aspects of the job. Outside of games, cheerleaders are often required to mingle with fans at tailgates, and it is not uncommon for women to experience groping, slut-shaming and other forms of harassment in these encounters. Some teams pretend that such dangers do not exist. Others have resorted to training women on how to deal with harassment politely, as if stopping the practice of sending them into the crowd is not an option. “She knew what she was getting into” is not a free pass for harassment. Women should be able to play their sport and dress the way they want without having to take a crash course on how not to be harassed. Similarly, many women have had very empowering experiences as cheerleaders, and to label the sport as degrading reduces it to mere sexualizaiton.

Even beyond the actual sport, NFL

cheerleading is full of sexist regulations. For example, women are not allowed to interact with the players, though the men have no such restrictions. If a woman sees a player somewhere in public, she is expected to leave.

Additionally, cheerleaders have very strict social media guidelines, whereas players are free to post whatever they want.

”

The long tradition of underpaying cheerleaders reveals more than just the well-documented pay gap; it reinforces that men are entitled to women’s bodies for free.

- LILY NEVO, Columnist

Cheerleaders are also required to maintain an “ideal weight” and subscribe to mainstream, White beauty standards. With their already meager salary, women have to spend hundreds of dollars on makeup. Though some of these rules may seem trivial, they reinforce the culture of control.

Some will wonder why the cheerleaders have not unionized to protest these rules, but many women fear losing their jobs for

We have far too many streaming services BEN BORROK

OPINION EDITOR

If you were watching the Super Bowl, then more likely than not, you saw a barrage of commercials for Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ new streaming service arriving next month. This overhaul of CBS All Access will feature a wider array of content, with dedicated hubs for Nickelodeon, MTV, and Comedy Central, in addition to the various movies produced by the studio.

It is one subscription service in a long line of services created by networks since the original success of Netflix and Hulu. It is also yet another service that will charge you monthly for content you cannot find anywhere else.

Besides the effect these services have on your wallet, it has also created a time consuming expedition to locate where a certain show or movie is streaming. As more services are rolled out, their valuable media titles are removed from the established services in order to draw an audience.

When NBC launched Peacock, “The Office” was taken off Netflix, much to the ire of long time fans. While newer services have cheaper options with advertisements, it is yet another expenditure to add to the growing list of expenses.

Networks are keenly aware of this, as they have introduced bundles and special deals to lessen the blow. The deal including Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ for $12.99 a month is too good to pass up, especially if you, a Hulu fan for

example, share a household or login with a big sports fan. Disney+ could come in handy if you decide to finally pick up “The Mandalorian” or “WandaVision.” Of course, you need to have Netflix too! You can’t miss out on any of their original releases like “Stranger Things” or “The Queen’s Gambit.” Don’t forget about Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video either! The list goes on and on, with each service dangling a show or two above you, waiting to cash in on your desire to watch the content that matters to you.

”

As more services are rolled out, their valuable media titles are removed from the established services in order to draw over an audience.

- BEN BORROK, Opinion Editor

Now, of course it makes sense that the networks would pivot to streaming, especially as more of the public opts to cut the cord with cable. But with so many options for subscription, it is frustrating for a consumer to make a decision before they are essentially just reinventing their old cable package. Swearing off streaming and opting for a basic cable package means you

miss out on the shows that everyone is talking about. In a sense, the consumer is essentially being priced out of pop culture.

The result, unsurprisingly, is a piracy industry that is worth billions of dollars and consumers who are more familiar with alternate forms of obtaining their desired entertainment. I am not going to endorse piracy, but I cannot say I am shocked that people would choose to watch for free, rather than pay for a yearly subscription to a service that only has a select amount of titles that garner any interest. I like House Hunters as much as the next person, but I will not be spending $60 a year on discovery+ for the privilege of watching it.

I am not sure if streaming is a long term solution, but I expect there to be a number of consolidations between networks, essentially bringing us back to square one. In the meantime, the injection of capital into the networks has paved the way for incredible art and has also promoted work created by women and people of color. Though it has a long way to go before we can declare Hollywood to be an equal playing field, the streaming services have created many more opportunities for getting work out into the world. For now, it is probably best to just sit back on the couch and enjoy.

Ben Borrok is a School of Communication junior.

He can be contacted at benjaminborrok2022@u. northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

doing so. These questions, though they may be rooted in empowerment, blame women for not improving their situation, instead of acknowledging that, as it stands, cheerleading is a grotesque abuse of power for economic profit.

So how do we move forward? Some teams have resorted to disbanding their squads all together, but this is the easy way out. Many people spend years training in their sport and taking away professional opportunities only harms aspiring cheerleaders. If men can’t learn to treat women cheerleaders with decency, women shouldn’t be the ones to suffer.

We can start by treating cheerleaders as employees rather than independent contractors, giving them basic protections such as minimum wage and the right to protest their treatment. More importantly though, we need to evaluate the role of cheerleaders in football. Are they valued for their incredible athleticism, or for their satisfaction of the heterosexual male gaze? The latter may always be a factor, but at the very least, cheerleaders should feel as though their coaches and franchise do not promote their exploitation.

Lily Nevo is a Weinberg Freshman. She can be contacted at lilynevo2024@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern. com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

The Daily Northwestern Volume 143, Issue 8

Editor in Chief Sneha Dey

Opinion Editor Ben Borrok

Managing Editors Austin Benavides James Pollard Janea Wilson Molly Lubbers Olivia Yarvis

Assistant Opinion Editor Simona Fine

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2021

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

5

NU professor helps lead COVID States Project

By MAIA PANDEY

the daily northwestern @maiapandey

Political science Prof. James Druckman is working with researchers from Harvard, Northeastern and Rutgers to survey thousands of Americans every month for the COVID States Project — the largest ongoing national survey tracking people’s opinions and behavior during the pandemic.

“I’ve never been involved in anything that even approaches the speed with which this is moved,” Druckman said. “We wanted to collect data in a way that was able to look at both the spatial dynamics, by having large samples from every state in the country, and the temporal dynamics, by having data over time.”

The team of about 30 researchers and students has published nearly 40 reports since the project began last April, Druckman said. In addition to public health and policy changes, the researchers collect data about how national events have been affecting the pandemic.

“We did definitely pivot at some of those events — around the George Floyd murder, we included in survey questions about protest activity and also tracked gun ownership. We added election questions…we just asked about the insurrection” Druckman said. “You’re talking about a lot of different traumatic events that people are facing.”

Data on issues like mental health provide important insight on the “downstream consequences” of the pandemic, Druckman said. In a May survey, nearly 30 percent of young adults reported feeling depressive symptoms, compared to the typical pre-pandemic rate of approximately 7 percent, he said.

The researchers have also spoken to

NU reinstates twoyear campus residency requirement for the fall Northwestern is reinstating the on-campus residency requirement for the 2021-2022 academic year, according to a Thursday email from

Photo courtesy of James Druckman

Political science Prof. James Druckman. Since last April, Druckman has been working with researchers from Harvard, Northeastern and Rutgers on the COVID States Project, the largest ongoing national survey tracking people’s opinions and behavior during the pandemic.

policymakers about their findings, he added, including to President Joe Biden’s transition team about vaccine messaging. Political science Ph.D. student Jennifer Lin, who is on the research team, said she thinks this data is particularly important as the country ramps up its vaccination efforts. “(The survey asked questions like), ‘If Donald Trump told you to get the vaccine, would you get it?’ or ‘if Joe Biden told you to do it,’ or your favorite celebrity,” Lin said. “We find that, based on who you trust, there’s a significant difference on whether or not you would get the vaccine.”

The researchers send out a survey every month with a slate of core questions and add extra questions based on current events, principal

investigator and Rutgers Prof. Katya Ognyanova said. The team’s weekly Zoom calls and ongoing Slack conversations inform what these questions will be, she added.

The team includes experts on public opinion polling, political science, communication and epidemiology, according to the COVID States Project website. Ognyanova said the range of the disciplines represented on the team have allowed the project to expand its breadth.

Residential Services.

The policy, which was suspended during the 2020-2021 academic year due to COVID-19, requires incoming freshmen to spend their first two years living on campus and incoming transfer students to spend one year living on campus. Greek housing fulfills the requirement and students who took a leave from the University or participated in off-campus programs are expected to fulfill the

requirement upon their return.

“We recognize that public health conditions may necessitate adjustments and we will keep you informed of any changes,” the email read. “Assuming public health guidance allows us to resume pre-pandemic operations on campus (including in classrooms), the residency requirement…will be reinstated and enforced.”

Students who would have been required to

“That’s the thing that makes this project different,” Ognyanova said. “We are able to work across all of these different fields. We are able to both look at the political aspect of the policies that are

being implemented, the public opinion side of it, the communication side of it, but also the health policy, the public health and epidemiology side of this issue.”

Ognyanova said this data will be important in the long-term to understand the consequences of certain public-health decisions and how to mitigate future pandemics.

Weinberg sophomore Anna Wang, a research assistant for the project, said the team’s findings can almost predict and prevent crises. In a report published in January, the team found that while more Americans are social distancing and mask wearing, the rate of increase might not be enough to meaningfully slow the spread of the virus. “(We) take a survey of a really large group of people and find out, ‘What are the diseasespreading behaviors? What are the ideologies that people might have that might make them more prone to spreading disease?’” Wang said. “The project is meant to predict those behaviors and call out hotspots before things get really bad, in terms of COVID testing and numbers.”

Weinberg freshman Evan Myers, another research assistant for the project, said this data about Americans’ political ideologies has been particularly interesting to him.

When reviewing results from a recent survey, he was struck by how many respondents supported the rioters who stormed the Capitol building, Myers said. The project sheds light on how varied people’s beliefs can be, he added.

“There’s really generalized statements about how this percentage of people believe this thing and this percentage of people believe that thing,” Myers said, “but to see how much more nuanced the opinions are of the American people has been really fascinating.” maiapandey@u.northwestern.edu live on campus during the 2020-2021 school year have, by default, earned one credit toward their on-campus residency requirement even if they lived off campus. Current freshmen are required to spend one more year on campus while current sophomores and first-year transfer students have now completed the requirement going forward.

— Binah Schatsky

The Daily

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2021

RAINEY

From page 1

aldermanic challenger Reid, who is Black, a “very scary man,” and later told the Daily he needs to “straighten up” and “grow up.”

Biss released a statement Monday night condemning Rainey’s comments at the forum.

Fellow mayoral candidates Lori Keenan and Sebastian Nalls also released a separate, joint statement against Rainey’s comments.

On her official Facebook page, Rainey said Tuesday her comment about Reid “was inappropriate and for that I apologize.”

“In no way do I find him personally ‘scary’ and I have apologized to Clerk Reid for my poor choice of words,” Rainey said. “In addition, I want to apologize to any one that I have offended. I understand that words matter and I will be more thoughtful.”

But Rainey struck a different tone in a direct email to Reid, which was published Thursday to the Evanston Fight for Black Lives Facebook

SUNRISE From page 1

Nalls, an ETHS graduate and current Purdue University junior, highlighted on Saturday his plans to create a police reform committee and reallocate funds to other city services.

In support of defunding the police, former State Sen. Daniel Biss said the city could be “providing a far greater sense of shared safety for all but at a much lower cost.”

In their voting guide, EFBL wrote that local activist Lori Keenan wanted to the dialogue sound defunding the police to be “more ‘positive,’ ” but that “we, as Black activists, can define our own movement with the language we see fit, and do not feel the need to appease our white counterparts!”

Keenan apologized on Saturday for her past criticisms of the term “defund,” and said she supports a forensic audit of the police budget.

“I did not mean to denigrate the movement at all,” Keenan said. “I have nothing but respect for your organization.”

EFBL asked candidates about their plans for affordable housing and retaining the city’s Black population. Nalls mentioned creating a community land trust for low-cost units and developing a mixed-income housing plan in collaboration with local activists.

Keenan emphasized the inclusionary housing ordinance, which requires residential developments to include a certain percentage of units priced affordably for low- and moderate-income households. She said she is committed to working with existing landlords to ensure residents are not driven out by rent increases and luxury developments.

Biss also favors “tightening up” the city’s inclusionary housing ordinance, getting rid of exclusionary

page.

In it, she told Reid “you know I meant nothing racist by my scary comment,” and “you need to call off the race baiters and the hate mongers.”

“This is the filthiest campaign I have seen in 34 years,” Rainey wrote. “There are other ways to campaign. This is utterly disgusting and it needs to stop.”

Ald. Rainey did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The 8th Ward incumbent will face off against Reid and several other opponents in the Consolidated Primary Election on Feb. 23.

“Until Ald. Rainey is willing to embrace the legitimacy of everyone’s right to tell their own story and engage in public dialogue in the manner they see fit, and to have real, difficult, and public conversations about her offensive comments, her support is not welcome,” Biss said in his Friday statement. alexharrison2023@u.northwestern.edu housing paired with ensuring different wards have equitable access to city resources.

“We’ve got to work on both sides simultaneously,” Biss said.

An ETHS student asked candidates whether they thought Evanston’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan was ambitious enough. All candidates agreed the initiative is outdated.

Nalls emphasized the intersections of race, climate action and community involvement with climate.

“That’s the role of mayor, to be this organizing force, going forward having boots on the ground talking to individuals and pushing for climate action and education,” Nalls said.

Biss said the city should focus on fully implementing the current plan before overhauling it and working toward the goals the city “ought to have.”

Keenan said “climate action is really racial justice” and highlighted her experience with sustainable

Maia Spoto/Daily Senior Staffer

Mayoral candidate Daniel Biss. Biss rejected Ald. Ann Rainey’s endorsement after her comments against Clerk Reid.

integrated architectural work as a business owner.

She said she looks forward to doing similar work for the city.

“I understand how LEED works. I understand about the urban heat island,” Keenan said. “A lot of what we’re going to be talking about with the Climate Action Plan is work that I’ve already done professionally.”

In a statement Sunday morning, EFBL challenged other Evanston organizations to consider whether they endorse the candidates they do because they conform to the identities most politicians hold.

EFBL said a candidate like Nalls, who is confident enough to run for office, should be backed by community support.

“Politics must be a place where young, progressive, BIPOC can be supported,” the statement read.

Scan this QR code with Snapchat or your smartphone camera to listen to The Weekly.

Daily file illustration by Jacob Fulton

Saturday evening, ETown Sunrise and Evanston Fight for Black lives hosted mayoral candidates in a virtual town hall. Afterward, EFBL officially endorsed Sebastian Nalls for Evanston mayor.

LUNAR

meetings with friends, coffee in hand. But virtual school has afforded her more time to write about what she loves — TV and film — and help advance the Evanstonian’s mission.

“We want to uplift voices,” she said. “Nothing’s perfect yet, and we’re not trying to be perfect.”

Miller said their peers find the new focus “comforting.” Phillips said the staff ’s commitment “humbles” him. Yang says it’s an ambitious “work in progress.”

Miller’s work is not done — The Evanstonian will continue to publish and progress. But right now, they’re “happy,” they said.

“I’m proud too,” Miller said. “We’re just trying to make the community better.”

other Vietnamese Student Association board members planned to give care packages to fellow students to help them “feel a little less lonely,” and know that “they can celebrate Lunar New Year with us at Northwestern.”

Students participated in VSA’s Tết event over Zoom on Friday, Feb. 12, which included traditional Vietnamese games like lắc bầu cua and a free care package to be contactlessly delivered to them.

In past years, KA SA would host an event in Parks Hall to celebrate Seollal, Korean New Year.

There, SESP junior and KA SA President Sydney Gil said that they would host a presentation and have traditionally themed games and hanboks for attendees to try on. This year, Gil said that with the restrictions on in-person gatherings,

From page 1

ejunkim2023@u.northwestern.edu

Catch up on some of The Daily’s major headlines with The Weekly. In this episode, The Weekly covers how Evanston’s aldermen are discussing solutions to replace lead water pipes in private residences. While Evanston’s Lead Service Replacement Loan Program is already providing a maximum of $4,800 in interest-free loans toward pipe replacements, city data suggests that the average replacement costs substantially exceed this amount. Now, reporter Jason Beeferman explains how the city is looking into how to restructure the program so that it can be more affordable and accessible.

And we speak with the reporter who put The Daily’s first-ever Valenguide. After speaking with eight different Evanston small businesses, reporter Wendy Klunk heard about everything from hot chocolate bombs to virtual dance parties. The Weekly: Week Five Recap breaks down The Daily Northwestern’s top headlines with the reporters and editors who covered them.

— Ilana Arougheti and Nathan Ansell

EVANSTONIAN From page 1

oliviaalexander2024@u.northwestern.edu

Podcast: The Weekly: Week Five Recap

they are giving away food for students to take home instead.

KA SA planned a pick-up event at Norris University Center where students could pick up Korean food like Gimbap (Kimbap) or rice cake soup.

Gil said she is glad that she can still share food with other students despite being unable to celebrate together in person like they have in the past.

“It makes me happy that (students) can at least experience that,” Gil said. “It’s a nice feeling how, even though you don’t get to eat together, you still get to contribute and share that part with other people.”

Gil said she’s happy to share her culture with other students and see the “similarities and differences” between traditions and those of other cultures. Tradition and family are an important part of East Asian culture, Gil said,

and celebrating as a group helped students form a multicultural community.

CSA and Taiwanese American Students Club hosted Celebrasia, an annual Lunar New Year celebration that included guest presentations, student-produced skits and more. This year, Celebrasia was held over Zoom, but still featured performances by magician Kevin Li and dancer Bailey Sok. McCormick senior and CSA President Olivia Cong said she hoped Celebrasia will bring Asian culture to students at NU. “Recently Asian American representation in popular media has really exploded which is very, very exciting,” Cong said. “I hope just like as a cultural club on campus, we sort of celebrate that and really bring that to the students.”

Wendy Klunk contributed reporting. katrinapham2024@u.northwestern.edu

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Evanston eateries celebrate the Lunar New Year

By CHARLOTTE VARNES

the daily northwestern @charvarnes11

With Lunar New Year celebrations beginning Friday on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, several Evanston eateries, including Koi Fine Asian Cuisine & Lounge, Coffee Lab, 527 Cafe and Coocoo Cookies are ringing in the Year of the Ox with new menu items.

pandemic. Chen said she is missing the dance this year, but still looks forward to offering “the spirit of the Chinese New Year.”

Coffee Lab

Coffee Lab, located on Noyes Street in north

Evanston, is introducing two new menu items in honor of the Lunar New Year: Bibingka, also known as butter mochi cake, and Biko, a coconut sticky rice cake.

Owner Daniel Aquino said the shop tested out some of the items over the past few months and

Koi Fine Asian Cuisine & Lounge

Koi Fine Asian Cuisine & Lounge, a restaurant specializing in Asian cuisine in Downtown Evanston, is celebrating the Lunar New Year from Feb. 12-28 with a special menu that includes several traditional lucky dishes and ingredients such as peanuts for longevity, lychee for close family bonds and dumplings and spring rolls for wealth.

Koi owner Sandy Chen said she was “really excited” to put up the restaurant’s Lunar New Year decor. Outside, two lanterns hang with firecrackers by the door. Inside, Koi is decked out with red chopsticks and tablecloths.

Typically, Koi includes a lion dance in its festivities, but that tradition was cancelled because of the

found they were “really popular” with customers. He said the pandemic left limited options for festivities, but the restaurant was able to add new dishes.

Coocoo Cookies

Coocoo Cookies, a natural-ingredient based cookie company, is taking orders for Lunar New Year cookies through next week. Residents can order through their website or Facebook page for pick-up in downtown Evanston.

Owner Phoebe Huang has already made several batches of cookies, with some shaped like oxen, cows, Chinese lanterns and red envelopes. Residents can work with Huang to pick and choose which cookies they order.

527 Cafe

Graphic by Hank Yang

Some Evanston restaurants are celebrating the Lunar New Year with special dishes and decor.

527 Cafe, a Taiwanese cafe in downtown Evanston, has a limited Lunar New Year menu this year due to COVID-19, but they are still featuring two special items: turnip cakes filled with pork and shrimp, and dumplings.

A manager said she is “really excited” for the turnip cakes because 527 has never offered them before. charlottevarnes2024@u.northwestern.edu

ETHS grad Liana Wallace talks spoken word poetry

By LAYA NEELAKANDAN

the daily northwestern @laya_neel

For Liana Wallace, spoken word poetry means vulnerability.

A Georgetown University sophomore and a 2019 Evanston Township High School alumna, Wallace said a club she joined in middle school introduced her to spoken word poetry. There, she drew inspiration from her peers, who freely described their personal struggles and views.

“I was really drawn to the depth at which they were talking about things,” Wallace said. “It’s just the ability to break down typical things you’re learning, and really profoundly describe those things and talk about them fearlessly.”

She said as someone who was developing her own

racial consciousness, it was “beautiful” to see and participate in poetry that communicated her feelings and let her be completely vulnerable.

Spoken word is now a central part of Wallace’s life.

From local competitions to a recent performance at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, Wallace uses poetry to express her feelings and frustrations.

What starts as a conversation with her family or a story in the news quickly turns into a work of art for Wallace.

“That’s the seed that blooms into this poem — it’s the people I love in life that influence my poetry,” Wallace said. “It’s a huge source of power to say, ‘Hey, here I am as I am’ and be completely human… that shocks people.”

She said she loves how her poetry has different meanings for different people depending on their own personal experiences, and she hopes they take away their own interpretations.

Wallace recently wrote and performed “Ode to 2020” as part of Fleetwood-Jourdain’s Black History Month programming. The poem took the audience through each month of 2020 and examined the year’s broader significance.

Tim Rhoze, artistic director at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, said he connected with Wallace through a friend who had heard Wallace’s poetry.

“Directing her was not a difficult task at all,” Rhoze said. “She’s very talented and a very intelligent, creative individual, so collaborating with her was a joy.”

Rhoze said Wallace’s passion, creativity and intelligence brought the experience to life, and the “humanity she possesses is ever-present.” He said he thought the end product was very powerful.

Dancer Kara Roseborough choreographed and performed a dance to accompany Wallace’s poetry. Roseborough said she “took a more abstract approach” when choreographing, creating a piece

that went along with the poem’s imagery but did not perfectly align with each word. “(The poem) is so powerful — I really appreciate how beautifully crafted it is while being incredibly forthright in its message,” Roseborough said. “She is creating art that is very aware and timely.”

Wallace said the task of writing a poem about 2020 was initially daunting — it’s been a heavy year, especially for the Black community, she said. But breaking it down by month made it easier to do 2020 justice.

Although Wallace is unsure of her future plans, she knows spoken word will always remain a part of her life.

“Spoken word is the centripetal force in my life… it’s how I process things and think about things and move through the world,” Wallace said. “It’s the core of who I am.” laya@u.northwestern.edu

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Monday, February 15, 2021

@DailyNU_Sports

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Northwestern women’s tennis picks up two new recruits

By GRACE CHANG

the daily northwestern

Northwestern’s women’s tennis team will get two five-star recruits for the class of 2025: Sydney Pratt from Glenbrook South High School and Kiley Rabjohns from Lake Forest High School.

Both Pratt and Rabjohns are Illinois natives who played in the United States Tennis Association and lowerlevel tournaments at Northwestern.

The two played in the same junior tournaments, practiced together, and were teammates on a Chicago team.

For head coach Claire Pollard, the two players being local recruits came as an advantage. “ W hen you’re able to recruit locally, you know more people who know them, who you actually have developed a relationship with,” Pollard said. “You actually can get to know really what you’re getting.”

Rabjohns started playing tennis when she was five years old, while Pratt started when she was six. Both recruits played soccer when younger, but chose tennis as their main sport around their middle school years.

Pratt is currently ranked No.1 in the midwest region of USTA, and according to TennisRecruiting.net is the 38th-best college recruit in the nation. She boasts a 41-10 personal record, and has won 35 matches against four- and five-star recruits.

“Because my ranking was not as high as a lot of other girls, I was kind of playing catch-up throughout high school, and playing high school tennis would have taken time away from tournaments and practices that I needed to get better ,” Pratt said.

Rabjohns traveled up the radar of

college coaches as a standout on her high school team, racking up backto-back class 2A singles titles in 2018 and 2019. During the 2019 season, she led her team to the state championship. Her personal achievements include All-State honors and being named team MVP all four years.

For her senior season, Rabjohns got to compete in both conference and sectional tournaments, but did not have a state tournament due to COVID-19 concerns, where she could have competed for her third title.

Rabjohns said she was sad the team could not play in states this year, especially since they were really good this year. But she is happy to have gotten a senior season since she didn’t think it would happen.

Rabjohns kept her options open throughout the recruitment process, but fell in love with NU after talking to Pollard and visiting campus. For Pratt, Northwestern was always an obvious choice.

“It was my number one school that I wanted to go to throughout the recruiting process, and part of it was because I was so close,” Pratt said. “It always had been a dream.”

Pollard, who is in her 22nd season as head coach, looks for recruits who enjoy the challenge of a difficult game, that relish “the risk of winning and losing.”

Rabjohns just wants to join her teammates on the court and get a taste of what it’s like to be on the NU tennis team.

“I think we pride ourselves on a team of supporting people, being there for one another and, you know, accepting everyone,” Pollard said.

Photo courtesy of Sidney Pratt

gracechang2023.1@u.northwestern.edu

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL

NU loses 11th consecutive game

By PATRICK ANDRES

the daily northwestern @pandres2001

Northwestern’s second game in the season against No. 25 Rutgers ended with a loss, the team’s 11th consecutive .

NU (6-12, 3-11) took a doubledigit lead early in the first half, but allowed the Scarlet Knights (12-7, 8-7) back into the contest as Rutgers scored the last 10 points of the first to lead 37-27 at the intermission.

The Cats narrowed the lead to three with 10:29 to play, but could draw no closer after that, falling 64-50.

“We believe we’re a good team,” coach Chris Collins said after the game. “We’re just coming up a little bit short. We gotta play with a little bit of that sense of anger, and confidence that when the time comes, we can make those plays (to win).”

Junior forward Pete Nance’s jumper gave NU a 14-4 advantage in the first, but the Knights steadily worked their way back into the contest, leading 20-19 after center Myles Johnson dunked. The teams crossed the four-minute mark tied at 27, but a three-pointer, two dunks, a layup and a free throw handed Rutgers a lead it wouldn’t give up.

Both teams shot 26 percent in a quiet second half, and a Knights’ scoring drought of nearly eight minutes gave the Cats a chance to get back into the game. A Nance free throw whittled Rutgers’ lead to 43-40 midway through the second, but sophomore guard Boo Buie fouled Knights guard Paul Mulcahy, who sank both free throws to stretch the lead back

Northwestern and Ohio State to face off at a later date Sunday’s contest between No. 21 Northwestern and No. 12 Ohio State has been postponed, according to a statement from Ohio State Athletics.

The game, scheduled to tip-off at 11:30 Central time, was postponed 52 minutes before its start due to a “presumptively positive test during the pre-game testing window,” according to the statement. It also states that the Wildcats and Buckeyes will coordinate with the conference to try and reschedule the meeting.

Both NU and Ohio State are coming off losses ahead of the scheduled clash at

Value City Arena. The Cats fell to Rutgers 70-54 at Welsh-Ryan Arena Thursday, while the Buckeyes were upset by Wisconsin 75-70 in Madison.

The squads last faced each other on Feb. 1, when then-No. 22 NU upset then-No. 11 Ohio State 69-57 behind a stellar performance from junior guard Veronica Burton and a great defensive effort that held the Buckeyes to below 60 points for only the second time all season.

Currently, Ohio State and the Cats rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Big Ten standings. The Buckeyes will not participate in the postseason due to a self-imposed ban.

NU is set to play Nebraska on Wednesday in Evanston.

— Drew Schott

Daily file photo by Joshua Hoffman

Chase Audige dunks. The redshirt sophomore guard had 11 points in Northwestern’s 64-50 loss to No. 25 Rutgers.

to two possessions.

Shortly after, Rutgers guard Geo Baker fouled junior forward Miller Kopp, sending him to the line for a one-and-one opportunity. Kopp missed, the first of three one-and-ones NU would miss in the second half. It was during this stretch that Knights guard Caleb McConnell nailed a pair of threes to put Rutgers up 51-42.

“The free throws were big,” Collins said. “We had an opportunity to try and get eight points at the free throw line, and we got one… when you’re playing a good team on the road, you can’t have those lost opportunities.”

The Knights made all 10 of their

free throws in the second half, helping to prop up a seven-field goal performance in the final 20 minutes. Meanwhile, redshirt junior guard Anthony Gaines, who dropped 11 points in the first half for his highest single-game total since December 2019, was held scoreless in the second, taking just one shot in nine minutes of action.

“I take responsibility,” Collins said.

“I’m not blaming any players. At the end of the day I’m responsible… on the bench, we gotta help them with awareness. We gotta help them make those plays.” patrickandres2023@u.northwestern.edu

Joshua Hoffman/Daily Senior Staffer

Lindsey Pulliam dribbles past a Rutgers defender. No. 21 Northwestern will not play Sunday after its game against No. 12 Ohio State was postponed.