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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
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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
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