The Daily Northwestern - February 23, 2023

BEST OF EVANSTON 2023

Pickleball players call for more city facilities

Evanston picklers

By JAKE EPSTEIN the daily northwestern @jakeepste1n

Every winter morning, dozens of pickleball players pour into the McGaw YMCA, looking to test their skills and enjoy the company of a growing community.

“There were eight people (on the YMCA mailing list),” local pickleball player Michael Olsavsky said. “In a year and a half’s time, it’s grown — just at the YMCA — to 140 people.”

The game’s spread sparked calls from players for Evanston to dedicate more courts for pickleball. Currently, the city has no courts lined solely for the sport. Local picklers, who play on basketball and tennis courts that are also lined for pickleball, began contacting City Council to voice their concerns earlier in the year.

While the city provided the funds to resurface the tennis courts at four local parks, the Parks & Recreation Board debated whether to line the courts for tennis or pickleball. This led tennis and pickleball enthusiasts to crowd two Parks & Recreation Board meetings Jan.

19 and Feb. 16, asking for courts to be lined for their respective sport.

Pickleball player Patrick Clear said there are many compromises to be reached in the discussion between the two sports.

“There’s negotiating with the tennis community, but we’re also negotiating with the residents, because pickleball is louder than tennis,” Clear said.

One of the concerns some residents have about formally recognizing pickleball is additional noise. The players at the YMCA attributed pickleball’s noise to the social aspect of the game. In back-and-forth play, participants praise good shots and embrace the jovial spirit of play.

Pickleball requires less of a baseline skillset to develop than racket sports like tennis, and players can quickly rise the ranks from the “beginner” to “expert,” local player Andrea Gordon said. The paddle and the ball are harder than a tennis racket and tennis ball, and it’s much easier to make solid contact, resulting in stronger hits, Gordon said.

“This community is extremely welcoming, and everyone’s helpful,” Gordon said. “I’ve become an ‘advanced beginner’ because a lot of people here have really helped me, especially with serving. It’s a

» See PICKLEBALL , page 10

see page 5

NU’s Jack Izzo buzzes in ‘Jeopardy!’

The San Diego native returned to play in high school reunion episode

By ALEX PERRY daily senior staffer @whoisalexperry

The “J” in Medill senior Jack Izzo’s name might as well stand for “Jeopardy!”

With two appearances on the beloved quizzical game show by age 22, Jack Izzo has achieved what Bob’s Pizza trivia fans only have nightmares of: answering semi-obscure questions under glaring stage lights with thousands of dollars on the line.

City reacts to proposed cashless ban

By CASEY HE the daily northwestern @caseeey_he

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Evanston bakery Hewn always accepted cash payments.

But in early 2020, the business pivoted to online sales only.

When the bakery reopened to walk-in customers, co-owner Julie Matthei said the business decided to keep its cashless policy to minimize bookkeeping tasks and reduce risks of theft and counterfeit bills.

“For some businesses, it makes a lot more sense for them to take cash, and I totally respect it,” Matthei said. “I was one of those businesses for many years prior to COVID. But COVID allowed us to see things a little bit differently.”

However, City Council is considering an ordinance that would make it illegal for Evanston businesses to deny cash payments to ensure people without cashless payment methods can still shop at all city businesses.

After heated debate at a Jan. 23 meeting, the council referred the ordinance back to the Economic Development Committee and the

Equity and Empowerment Commission for further discussion and research.

Ald. Devon Reid (8th) told the Daily he proposed the ban last year. He said he became aware of the impact of cashless businesses on the unbanked population after hearing from multiple community members and public commenters.

Citing data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Reid said the percentage of the population without a bank account in Illinois is higher than the national average. The lack of access to a bank account also disproportionately affects the Black and Latine communities, the data shows.

“Some people just have to use cash because that’s all they have access to,” Reid said. “In other cases, some folks are just more cautious about where they want to use their debit card or something that could potentially compromise their identity.”

Sue Loellbach, manager of advocacy at Connections for the Homeless, said although her organization does not track people’s banking status, the majority of the several hundred unhoused people her organization serves have no

bank account.

She said she thinks COVID-19 may have increased the number of people without a bank account.

“(COVID) impacted people’s income in a lot of cases,” Loellbach said. “Many people lost their jobs, and it’s harder to have a bank account for many people if you don’t have enough money.”

She said Connections’ first priority is to help people find housing. Afterward, case managers can help their clients set up a bank account to help them achieve financial stability

In order to understand the prevalence of cashless businesses in Evanston, the city sent out a survey to all registered businesses in the city to collect information regarding their payment policies. Thirty-three of the city’s 830 businesses responded to the survey. Among the respondents, the majority said they accept cash and have no plan to go cashless in the future. Only seven businesses said they currently do not accept cash. Despite the survey results, Reid

» See CASHLESS , page 10

“I made so many friends the first time and was super hyped that I got the chance to do it again,” said Jack Izzo, who first appeared in the Jeopardy! Teen Tournament in 2018 as a high school senior. “The best part of it was being able to go back and see everybody.”

Dozens crowded the first floor of Norris University Center on Tuesday afternoon to watch Jack Izzo face off against Stanford University senior Avi Gupta and University of Texas » See IZZO, page 10

MGC chapters aim to create safe haven

Council leaders say they are working to cultivate community

By KAAVYA BUTANEY the daily northwestern @kaavya_butaney

At a predominantly white institution like Northwestern, some view Multicultural Greek Council chapters as a safe haven for multicultural students.

MGC has eight NU chapters recognized by Fraternity & Sorority Life and about 30 to 40 active members, according to MGC President and Bienen sophomore Magen Zeng.

“MGC as a whole is just a safe place to express yourself, feel like you’re not judged, and there’s power in unity,” Zeng said.

Omega Delta Phi President and Weinberg senior Alberto De La Isla said it is important for MGC to be a safe space at a majority white institution.

“(We are) trying to make sure that we are welcoming and very inclusive and a safe space

for those who want to find community,” he said.

MGC supports minority and first generation-low income students who are typically left out of campus activities or feel out of place, according to De La Isla.

Kappa Phi Lambda President and McCormick sophomore Fay-Ling Laures said she joined her sorority because of its three pillars: sisterhood, cultural diversity and community service.

“I thought that it would be a really great way to make girlfriends, which I have been lacking in my engineering career,” Laures said. “We do work I care about and find meaningful.”

The organizations encourage professional success as well. Zeng said she joined Sigma Psi Zeta partially to follow the paths of successful alumni, like those who later attended Harvard Law School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for graduate school.

De La Isla said there is a strong focus within ODPhi to utilize the chapter’s resources

» See MGC , page 10

Photo courtesy of Jeopardy Productions, Inc.

Jack Izzo (right) stands with “Jeopardy!” host Mayim Bialik. Izzo first appeared on ‘Jeopardy! Teen Tournament’ as a high school senior in 2018.

Jonah Elkowitz/Daily Senior Staffer Two self-check-out machines at CVS that don’t accept cash. Small business owners say their reasons for going cashless include increased efficiency and reduced risk of theft and counterfeit bills.

Advocates ask locals to support Venezuelan refugees

By AVIVA BECHKY the daily northwestern @avivabechky

Kristin Huzar recently became a host for a family of immigrants from Venezuela.

She said she’s happy to house them as long as she can. But the overarching support system for refugees from Venezuela in the Chicago area is simply insufficient, Huzar said.

“We don’t have the interest. We don’t have the infrastructure for this,” Huzar said. “The Chicago area doesn’t have systems put in place. They’re kind of building the plane while they’re trying to fly it.”

Over 3,500 immigrants have arrived in the Chicago area as part of Texas’ Operation Lone Star campaign. Under Operation Lone Star, which civil rights groups like the Immigrant Legal Resource Center have called xenophobic and racist, Texas has bused over 16,000 migrants from the state to sanctuary cities elsewhere, including Chicago.

In Evanston and the surrounding area, advocates have worked to provide food, clothing and housing for new arrivals, but say there isn’t enough support or community awareness.

Carlos, who asked to use his first name only out of fear of retaliation, came to Chicago from Texas in October.

He said he’d like to see a better community-wide and governmental understanding of what immigrants need — particularly when it comes to stable employment and long-term housing. Nevertheless, he’s glad to have access to resources from groups like Park Community Church in Rogers Park.

“I’d like others to receive this type of help,” Carlos said in Spanish.

At Park Community Church, Luisette Kraal, the pastor’s wife, helps coordinate efforts to help refugees.

In addition to clothing, Kraal said the church is hoping people will donate old electronics and hot food. They’ve set up a free store where people can grab the resources they need.

“It’s very organic. Very, very organic,” Kraal said. “I don’t know where (volunteers) come from. They joined us so we are (at) like 40, almost 50 people

now in our group. And a lot of them are from Evanston.”

But though the church received some local assistance, Kraal and Huzar both said the Evanston community seems to be largely unaware of the local need.

When Huzar posted in a Facebook group for help, “so many people” immediately brought over groceries and gift cards — showing her people are willing to contribute if they hear about what’s happening.

“It’s not right in front of them,” Huzar said.

“They aren’t going out of their way to do research.”

She’d like to see the city volunteer to house at least 10 more families, Huzar said. Especially because Evanston is a fairly affluent community, she said, people should be able to donate.

Lee Ann Silva, an Evanston-based volunteer, said she would encourage people to connect with

groups like Refugee Community Connection that are already supporting refugees in the area.

“We’re just here trying to help the people that we can help in very specific and concrete ways,” Silva said. “You know, you need boots. Let’s get you some boots. You need to get to the doctor. Here’s three clinics that can help.”

From fundraising to transportation to translating to working on free stores, Silva said volunteers can choose to step up in a variety of ways.

But the onus should truly fall on local government leaders, Silva and Huzar said, who should be working to find more affordable housing for refugees.

“More often than not, when the crisis is not in your backyard, it’s easy to overlook what’s going on,” Silva said. “As a city, how are we responding publicly to this crisis? I haven’t seen much.” avivabechky2025@u.northwestern.edu

Setting the record straight

An article published in Monday’s paper titled “Swimming and Diving: Northwestern women take seventh at the Women’s Big Ten Swimming and Diving Championships” misstated what place the Swim and Dive team placed, as they ended in sixth place.

An article published in Monday’s paper titled “Community angered by Ryan Field rebuild” misstated whether the Good Neighbor Fund continued last year, as well as what David DeCarlo wants city coalitions to ask City Council to do. The Daily regrets these errors.

We Are Hiring!

Navy Region Mid-Atlantic

FIRE PROTECTION INSPECTOR (Entry and Lateral)

$44,740 to $64,410

FIREFIGHTER-EMT (Lateral)

$55,565 to $89,422

Requires minimum of PROBOARD / IFSAC Firefighter II, HazMat Ops, NREMT reciprocity-eligible Emergency Medical Technician

FIREFIGHTER-PARAMEDIC (Lateral)

$55,565 to $109,388

Requires minimum of PROBOARD / IFSAC Firefighter II, HazMat Ops, NREMT reciprocity-eligible Paramedic

Starting salary dependent on credentials/qualifications

Excellent Federal benefits, plus Tuition Assistance, career path & promotion potential. AFGE union shop. Hiring incentives, relocation available for well-qualified.

Email DirectHireFire@navy.mil and put “Crane Fire Recruiting” in subject line for benefits information and assistance in creating a resume for Federal employment. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Photo courtesy of Luisette Kraal

Some Evanston and Chicago community members are working to support refugees from Venezuela in the city.

ASG committee promotes sustainability

By KARA PEELER daily senior staffer @karapeeler

From the football stadium to the dining hall, the Associated Student Government Sustainability Committee aims to advance environmental efforts at Northwestern and the surrounding community.

With about 50 members, according to Committee co-Chair and Weinberg senior Sadie Bernstein, SusComm is ASG’s largest committee. It has five subcommittees based on different sustainability foci: Resource Management, Green Campus, Food Sustainability, Energy Efficiency and Education, Outreach & Advocacy.

“Our mission is to advance sustainability in all realms, on campus and in our surrounding community,” said Alexis Schwartz, co-chair and Weinberg sophomore. “Most students care about (sustainability), but most students don’t know what to do about that.”

The committee works on projects internally before bringing it to sustainNU and other administration for approval and funding, Bernstein said.

One of the committee’s major initiatives is making Ryan Field zero waste. Bernstein said the project would divert waste from landfills at the football stadium and “has good traction behind it” after getting approval from the Department of Athletics and Recreation.

“We kind of got the green light from them, which is really an important first step,” she said. “We ran a pilot program of our Trash Tacklers initiative at the first football game this year, which was … about having people act as compost, trash and recycling indicators, and that was successful. We learned a lot from it about how we want to run the program.”

According to Schwartz, the committee is working on both the new stadium and the current stadium while it is still in use. However, Bernstein said future goals — such as only having compostable utensils at the new stadium — are slower and harder to make happen. But, the University has expressed its verbal support. “I would love for the football stadium to be zero

waste,” Bernstein said. “I would love for everywhere on campus to be zero waste.”

SusComm has installed energy-saving outlets in campus buildings and LED lighting in Locy Hall and Fisk Hall. The committee is also working to prioritize native plants and increase vegetarian and vegan options in dining halls.

The project Scwartz said she is most excited about is trying to implement a sustainability overlay in the Weinberg course requirements. This would require all Weinberg students to take a course or two related to sustainability or environmentalism, she said.

The committee collaborates with sustainNU and student groups to “lend each other a hand” and “draw on each others’ experiences,” Schwartz said. According to her, ASG grants $1,000 to a group working toward sustainability each quarter.

ASG SusComm has worked with groups like Cats Who Compost, Wild Roots, Cookology and Engineers for a Sustainable World at NU’s AutoAquaphonics by co-hosting events and supplying funds.

Cats Who Compost, a group supporting students’ composting, recently received $750 in a

community-building grant, according to Community Engagement Head and SESP junior Arthur Lebovitz.

Lebovitz said he appreciates collaborating with the committee. “I’d say it’s pretty important in terms of having (ASG) see us as a priority in terms of implementing compost on campus,” he said. “They can play a role with composting, working with us just to give us more of a platform and more tools, just to (have) more spaces to have more interaction with people.”

Lebovitz said Cats Who Compost will use the recent funding for its Snowstainability Ball this Thursday. At the beginning of Winter Quarter, University President Michael Schill invited Schwartz and three other committee members to discuss SusComm’s initiatives.

“I’m happy to say he does seem very supportive of them,” she said. “And so we’re excited to see what that partnership looks like moving forward.”

sustainNU has not yet responded to The Daily’s request for comment.

karapeeler2025@u.northwestern.edu

The Daily Northwestern www.dailynorthwestern.com

Editor in Chief Alex Perry eic@dailynorthwestern.com

General Manager Stacia Campbell stacia@dailynorthwestern.com

Holly and John Madigan Newsroom

Phone | 847.491.3222

Campus desk

campus@dailynorthwestern.com

City desk city@dailynorthwestern.com

Sports desk sports@dailynorthwestern.com

Ad Office | 847.491.7206

spc-compshop@northwestern.edu

The Daily NorThwesTerN is published Monday and Thursday during the academic year, except vacation periods and two weeks preceding them and once during August, by Students Publishing Co., Inc. of Northwestern University, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208; 847491-7206.

First copy of The Daily is free, additional copies are 50 cents. All material published herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright 2020 The Daily NorThwesTerN and protected under the “work made for hire” and “periodical publication” clauses of copyright law.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily NorThwesTerN, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208. Subscriptions are $175 for the academic year. The Daily NorThwesTerN is not responsible for more than one incorrect ad insertion. All display ad corrections must be received by 3 p.m. one day prior to when the ad is run.

not today, maybe not tomorrow, but when you're rich and famous (soon) or even just looking to donate to a worthy cause, think of The Daily Northwestern.

Illustration by Ziye Wang

Mwangi: Unpleasant experiences helped define me

That’s the thing with vulnerability — it’s about relinquishing control over the outcome.

Feb 14, 2023

Dear Diary,

It was a gloomy lover’s day afternoon. I was dressed in my Sunday best, wearing Chanel Platinum Égoïste. I was definitely too cute to get fired from my job at Northwestern Recreation. But I did anyway.

It was my first ever in-person job, and I was making about $13 an hour (before taxes). The loss of this kind of cash has dealt a huge blow to my budget.

Rather than utter the F-word, my bosses told me they were taking me off the schedule and the payroll. It took me a second to figure out what they meant.

An hour before my termination, my therapist and I were talking about emotional vulnerability. He advised me to open up to my bosses about my struggle with drugs, depression and anxiety, even though there was no guarantee I would be granted clemency for my consistent lateness.

Right after I was booted, I went to use the bathroom at Henry Crown Sports Pavilion one last time, something I used to do at the end of every shift. My best friend thinks I should’ve taken a massive dump, just to be petty.

An employee and a security guard followed me shortly after … I don’t know how I’m expected to feel about that, so I’ll take it up with my therapist. I wish I’d nicked the toilet paper, at least.

The feeling of impending failure was clouding my mind as I exited the building. The failure to consistently clock in on time and spend three hours on alert in the likelihood that a dumbbell flies off the rack and hits someone in the face. The failure to be “conversational in a number of settings.” The failure to become a supervisor or keep a job that would allow me to send money back home.

I headed straight to D&D Finer Foods for a new Elfbar, despite my vow to quit vaping. I was

feeling tender, and in those moments, the urge to shut down and self sabotage is usually at its peak. I took a few hits and floated home in sadness, past the buzzing trees and the red manila paper hearts trembling on their twigs.

Over lunch, I contemplated what to make of my day now that I was out of a job. Should I miss my Tuesday lit class on James Joyce’s “Ulysses”?

Our assigned chapter was written in Middle English, and I had barely made heads or tails of it. Meanwhile, I was still about 1,000 words short on a paper for the same class, so I figured I could use my time to patch it up before my extended deadline. Something about this pattern of trying to figure s--t out by myself felt familiar, so I remembered my therapist’s advice on vulnerability and went to class instead.

The only funny thing that happened all day was me being taken off the workplace GroupMe before I even got home. As a neurotic first-generation twenty-something gay person of color, I strangely admire pettiness

in unconventional settings.

At the end of the day, my best friend bought me some Indian food and Insomnia Cookies to celebrate our Galentines. We walked side by side, staring at the lovers who had taken over Sherman Avenue, and we made sardonic jokes about how they would eventually part ways.

My night ended at the Technological Institute, finally getting to write the essay I’d taken so long to come up with. I contemplated Stephen Dedalus and Buck Mulligan’s antagonistic yet codependent friendship, whose value I’d initially dismissed. I was struck by the sincerity of Mulligan’s teasing in the face of Dedalus’s self-loathing. It was easy to see myself in Stephen, a mind haunted by past failures and uncertain futures, and Buck Mulligan as my best friend whose jokes kept me above water.

Eventually, I concluded that unpleasant experiences, such as a friend’s teasing or a termination of employment, are not meant to break us but to help us define ourselves.

Duncan Mwangi is a Medill junior. He can be contacted at duncohmwangi2024@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.

Li: How I choose to claim my Chinese culture is up to me

through books were experienced by my parents and my grandma. What feels almost abstracted as they appear on Wikipedia or in textbooks are part of my personal histories. I just need to be able to ask and understand what my grandma has to teach me.

they left.

I’m a senior, but I only started studying Chinese at Northwestern last year. Sometimes, I wish I would’ve started earlier, but then again, I can’t think of any way I could have found the motivation to learn. Many of my Chinese American peers grew up going to Chinese school. My parents never forced me to. I’m quite grateful, because I believe things like the desire to learn the tongue of my heritage come on their own, always at the right time. Had I been forced to engage with the language any earlier than I eventually did, I feel like I would have developed some resentment. With every word I learn, I feel as if I’m building a dingy little bridge across the Pacific. On the other side are my parents’ hometowns and my grandma — my only surviving grandparent. One thing COVID19 reminded me of was that all things have an expiration date. I don’t have forever to build a closer relationship with my grandma: Both distance and language separate us. Aside from wanting to be closer with family, there is also a lot of history to be accessed through language. History is best learned through primary sources. The events that seem unreal when read

I’ve also come to the realization that what’s left of my cultural heritage in the United States is entirely up to me. To a certain degree, any culture will die if the next generation fails to live it out. But when you’re Chinese in China or American in America, the larger cultural currents and momentums will carry you along — one barely has to make any movements of their own. I don’t feel any particularly strong impulse to preserve American culture in the sense that I already live it out subconsciously at practically every moment. On the other hand, there is nothing to carry me along in terms of my Chinese cultural heritage on this side of the Pacific: What I manage to learn, remember and preserve now will be all there is, whether to give to children or to keep for myself.

Beyond that, I must consider what exactly it is I am preserving. In many ways, the Chinese culture that I grew up in was the one frozen in time from the ’90s — when my parents first left — fused with the realities of American life. Their music and material tastes (or lack thereof, more like utterly uncompromising frugality) have not kept pace with a China that’s glitzier, more glamorous and a lot more materialistic than when

My parents are from the northeast region of China. As with all regions of China, the northeast is quite unique and particular, from the accent to its recognition as China’s “Rust Belt.” A word often associated with northeast Chinese culture is the word “ 土,” literally translating to dirt or soil. The word is also used to describe northeast Chinese fashion, which is a lot more floral and boomer-like, associated with a lack of sophistication and wealth that hasn’t kept up with their more urban compatriots in higher tier cities.

It’s disappointing to learn that 土-ness is sometimes treated condescendingly by other, wealthier demographics in China. I personally find 土-ness endearing, perhaps because I grew up sleeping under floral pattern blankets and pulling out games from floral-patterned cabinets. This is the Chinese culture that I personally want to preserve for myself, and I’m sometimes discouraged that I can’t do more. The more standard Chinese I learn in class, for example, lacks those flairs and colors of my parents’ speech. Even if I were to successfully preserve the entirety of my Chinese cultural heritage — whatever that would even mean — the young and trendy, wealthier Chinese urban elites might have already moved on from those things I care to keep.

That is to say, preserving my Chinese cultural heritage is not simply learning what those of my

Fu: Feminine pop idols shaped my identity

twisty gangly mess of “feminine” energy, I was pigeon toed and stood with a slouchy, cross-legged posture. I tilted my head ninety degrees for pictures, and my voice curled into question marks at the end of my sentences.

And I’m so hot, I need a fan!” I can’t help but scream it too.

I screamed it — until one day, I believed it.

age happen to be doing in China. Attending such a diverse school has given me the opportunity to meet wonderful people from all over the world, including Chinese international students. In interacting with them, I’ve come to understand that their lifestyles are often simply beyond the means and the times of the Chinese culture most familiar to my family — what I want to preserve.

To frame it this way is obviously not to claim anything as less or more valid to Chinese culture. Rather, it is merely to realize that cultures and histories as each person experiences them are deeply and uniquely personal. This is perhaps felt more distinctly by the immigrant child.

In parallel, the responsibility of learning and sustaining that cultural heritage is all the more heavy and personal. Whatever amount of the particular Chinese heritage I grew up in and manage to preserve is what I will be left with. Truly, there is no one who can do it for me. It is all in my hands.

Grant Li is a Weinberg senior. He can be contacted at grantli2022@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 145, Issue 13

Editor in Chief

Alex Perry

Opinion Editor Kadin Mills

It was finally time … I threw on my black leather skirt, black boots and fuschia Flamin’ Hot Cheetos crop top. I had practiced my entire life for this moment, and I was ready to shake my ass until my ass fell off. BLACKPINK was in town.

Year after year, K-pop girl group BLACKPINK captures the top artist slot on my Spotify Wrapped. And “BOOMBAYAH,” the group’s debut single, holds a vice grip on my heart. Boasting 1.5 billion views on Youtube, the music video features highlighter green hair, a tropical jungle, motorcycles and a roller rink. That with the song’s mix of clubready synths with sassy rap lines, I was immediately hooked, and I promise you would be too.

The group’s four members — Lisa, Rosé, Jennie and Jisoo — helped me find strength in my femininity as a queer Asian American teenager and quickly became my role models.

BLACKPINK fuses “pretty” and “tough,” which has earned the band its spot at the top of the charts. Its sound, known as girl crush, “is all about female empowerment,” according to Rhian Daly. She writes in New Musical Express, “Forget being cute and playful — girl crush thrives on dark, mature sounds and themes, as well as being a total badass.”

Personally, I was the opposite of a “total badass.” A

I was a flop. And my parents wanted me to be better. When they would pick me up from the local YMCA, I was always making flower bracelets and jumping rope with the girls instead of balling up with the boys.

The first born son, the oldest and the tallest, my parents have always asked me to be more of a man. “Stand straight! Walk straight! Talk normally!” The commands still echo in my mind. If I could be more of a man, I thought, everything would be fine.

Music was the first thing that made me feel good, and I instantly gravitated toward girl groups. Every new song and music video provided a sugary escape from the gangly-limbed flop of a man I was. And slowly, my confidence emerged.

As Fifth Harmony told me I was “Worth It,” and I lived Little Mix’s “Glory Days” alongside them, I slowly started believing I was an it-girl as well.

BLACKPINK roared onto the international musical landscape right as my favorite girl groups began to fade.

I know now that most K-pop songs include a couple English lines to hook international listeners. The lines are often a little cheesy, and those in “BOOMBAYAH” are no different. But when Lisa, the main dancer and lead rapper, kicks the song off with her audacious “Been a bad girl, I know I am /

Honestly, I never wanted to be “badass.” From childhood, I associated strength with masculinity, and masculinity with insensitivity, brute force and violence. From what I knew, being a man looked like shattering porcelain plates and beating your loved ones when you’re mad. I knew I was better than that.

BLACKPINK gave me another option. I found strength in my self-belief. And instead of trying to reprogram every part of my body to seem powerful, I embraced every bit of who I am — which makes me powerful. When I’m slouching, I’m slouching with the utmost confidence in every bent vertebrae. And when we start playing our girly little hand games, know I’m taking it seriously.

I love my femme sides, I love my masc sides. More importantly, I love the way they blend together to make my own unique x-factor. I still don’t know what being a man is, and perhaps that’s okay. It doesn’t feel quite right sometimes. But I do know that I’m a BLACKPINK stan. And that’s pretty important if you ask me.

Yiming Fu is a Medill junior. He can be contacted at yimingfu2024@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.

Assistant

Opinion Editors

Loretta David Yiming Fu

Managing Editors Seeger Gray

Joanne Haner Angeli Mittal Olatunji OshoWilliams Kara Peeler Nicole Tan

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR may be sent to 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, via fax at 847-491-9905, via e-mail to opinion@ dailynorthwestern.com or by dropping a letter in the box outside The Daily office.

Letters have the following requirements:

• Should be typed and double-spaced

• Should include the author’s name, signature, school, class and phone number.

• Should be fewer than 300 words They will be checked for authenticity and may be edited for length, clarity, style and grammar.

Letters, columns and cartoons contain the opinion of the authors, not Students Publishing Co. Inc. Submissions signed by more than three people must include at least one and no more than three names designated to represent the group. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily’s student editorial board and not the opinions of either Northwestern University or Students Publishing Co. Inc.

I was definitely too cute to get fired from my job at Northwestern Recreation. But I did anyway.

- DUNCAN MWANGI, Op-Ed Contributor

BEST OF EVANSTON The Daily Northwestern PRESENTS

20 23 WINNERS

Letter from the editor: Celebrating Evanston businesses

Every year, The Daily Northwestern shows our appreciation and support for the business owners and employees that make Evanston one-of-a-kind. After hundreds of votes, The Daily Northwestern’s annual Best of Evanston edition is here. As a Chicago native with familial ties to Evanston, I was a frequent visitor; from a young age, it was clear to me that the city’s businesses are the backbone of the community. In my time as a Daily reporter, I’ve also had the opportunity to report on some Evanston storefronts and seen firsthand the incredible impacts they are making.

This is why I’ve looked forward to serving as the Best of Evanston editor and celebrating this city’s vibrant economy ever since joining The Daily. Throughout the past month, my fellow editors and I crafted a unique design, brainstormed and executed new multimedia elements and created new categories to represent Evanston businesses as best as possible. This issue is a product of that work and, although it was fun, it was a challenging undertaking I could not have completed without the rest of The Daily staff.

We’ve compiled a list of your 19 favorite restaurants and businesses, and commemorated four businesses that closed their doors this year.

I encourage you to grab your friends and visit the winners to see firsthand why these businesses have been voted the best and learn more about their role in the community. Lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current state of our economy have made owning and operating a business today very difficult, and they need your help now more than ever to survive.

— Ella Jeffries

Jonah Elkowitz/Daily Senior Staffer

Valerie Chu/Daily Senior Staffer

Aria Wozniak/The Daily Northwestern

Best Clothing Store: Crossroads Trading Co.

As a chronic online shopper, I often struggle with finding a place to return my purchases that just don’t fit right.

Crossroads Trading Co. has been the answer to my prayers — not just because of its quick selling process but also because of the unique pieces I can purchase with the money I earn from selling.

The store buys items for the upcoming season, so Crossroads Trading is currently scouting for spring clothing that fits into one of three categories: “Polished Opulence,” “Serotonin Vibes” and “I’m with the Band.” The store is specifically looking for vintage tees, mesh tops, matching sets and modern suits. They accept clean, current clothing in good condition.

At Crossroads Trading, there are four ways to sell. In-store selling is my preferred method because it’s the perfect break from studying. The storefront is on Sherman Avenue next to Starbucks, five minutes from Northwestern’s campus.

Drop-offs also work if you don’t have the time to wait for a buyer — a Crossroads Trading employee — to comb through your items in person. Just call the store to let them know, complete a brief online form, drop off your items and you’re done!

If buyers purchase your items, Crossroads Trading will pay you up to 30% of your item’s original price in cash. You can also earn trade-in value you can put toward purchasing clothes in the store, earning you 50% of their original price. The choice is up to you.

For your high-end designer items, go the consignment route. Crossroads Trading will pay you anywhere from 50% to 70% of the item’s original value in cash.

If you’re looking for a place to get rid of the pile of clothing you no longer wear at the back of your closet or to add some new trendy clothing, Crossroads Trading is the place for you!

Best Grocery Store: Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s is located almost a mile from The Arch. Yet, Northwestern students are willing to make the trek to seek out items from produce to prepped meals to eclectic snacks like Maple Pancake Snaps and Cacio e Pepe Puffs. The grocery store’s assortment of necessities, creative twists on classic foods and welcoming staff set it apart from the rest.

I grew up in Florida, where Publix reigns supreme. But I had been to several Trader Joe’s before while traveling, and I was beyond excited to have easy access to Trader Joe’s while attending NU.

Some of my favorite college memories have involved gathering with friends and eating food from Trader Joe’s. Throughout my sophomore year, my friends would come over and we’d sit on my floor eating Trader Joe’s Organic Corn Chip Dippers with hummus, tzatziki and Everything and the Elote dip. As Sports Editor in the fall, I invited Daily staffers to my apartment for gingerbread house decorating while we snacked on Trader Joe’s cookies shaped like Christmas trees. Trader Joe’s has you covered no matter the occasion. Galentine’s Day party? The heart-shaped pasta or dark chocolate mini heart cookies will do the trick. Movie night? Trader Joe’s has a variety of popcorn with flavors ranging from olive oil to key lime. Plus, it has everything you may need on a typical grocery outing.

— Charlotte Varnes

Best Bakery: Bennison’s

Best Takeout: Soul & Smoke

Soul & Smoke not only caters to your need for a barbecue: It also makes it easy to grab a lunch or a late dinner.

Behind the menu is a family history of cooking. Executive Chef D’Andre Carter, known for fine dining, began his cooking career helping his grandmother make family meals. After attending culinary school and subsequently building a rapport within the world of fine dining, he decided to found catering company Feast & Imbibe with his partner Heather Bublick in 2013.

To the delight of barbecue lovers who enjoyed the Soul & Smoke option on the Feast & Imbibe menu, the couple expanded its barbecue offerings. Soon enough, the business blazed into today’s Soul & Smoke.

If you want the barbecue without the sides, Soul & Smoke sells meats by the pound with barbecue sauce. However, what makes Evanston’s Soul & Smoke particularly unique is its mustard aioli, which complements the smoked pastrami.

No meat? No problem. Try its signature mac & cheese, which comes in 24-ounce portions.

If you can’t wait for that Fourth of July barbecue, you can get something even better at 1601 Payne St.

—

Micah Sandy

Happy Lemon has sunshine pouring in through floor to ceiling windows.

Founded in 2006 by Taiwan-based tea company Yummy Town Corporation, the bubble tea shop currently has more than 2,000 locations worldwide.

The local outlet, which opened in Evanston in July 2021, is just a 10-minute stroll from South Campus, making it the perfect place for students to hang out and grab a quick drink between classes.

With the impressive selection of items on the menu — from milk tea, smoothies, fruit teas and even waffles — there’s something for everyone. Maybe even try Happy Lemon’s signature item, the Rock Salt Cheese Tea, which is made of cream cheese, whipped cream, milk and a dash of rock salt, giving the drink a savory finish. What I’d personally recommend is the Purple Taro Smoothie with Boba, but be sure to ask for 70% sugar or less.

What makes Happy Lemon stand out among the many boba stores in the Evanston area is its commitment to using high quality ingredients. With freshly brewed tea and every drink made onsite, there’s a difference you can really taste.

As an international student from Taiwan, walking into Happy Lemon really does capture the essence of home, and I’m sure others would agree, establishing Happy Lemon as Evanston’s best boba store.

— Katie Chen

Best

Hidden Gem:

Bookends & Beginnings

Best Local Art: Evanston Made

It isn’t everyday that you stumble upon a local art community featuring exceptional art and out-of-the-box event opportunities. However, Evanston Made offers both.

Whether you’re looking to escape midterm stress by browsing some unique artwork at its gallery, embrace your inner Picasso at a printmaking class, or chat with some of the community’s most talented local artists, Evanston Made is ready to bring out your artistic side.

The gallery not only hosts frequent events such as art shows, virtual painting classes and outdoor art markets, but it also supports a worthy cause. The nonprofit works to connect and support Evanston’s visual artists and artisans with exhibitions and workshops.

While Evanston Made offers memberships to those interested in a larger commitment, including a $25 student membership, many of their events are free to attend.

Art expert or not, stopping by one of Evanston Made for

Evanston’s best hidden gem just became a little less hidden. The independent bookstore Bookends & Beginnings reopened Feb. 15 at 1620 Orrington Ave., after residing for eight and a half years in Bookman’s Alley. Nina Barrett, owner of the treasured local business, began publicizing the store’s relocation efforts in December after a rent increase made the move necessary. The community came together to support the store, contributing more than $110,000 to a GoFundMe.

The new location features two floors and includes an improved event hosting space, a bar and bathrooms. All in all, there’s more space to relax in comfortable chairs and find your next read. With more than 40,000 books, there’s something for everyone of any age. In addition to books, you can find puzzles, stationary, pins, journals and more. A key fixture in the new location is a beautiful mural, painted by local artists Sam and George Booker that captures the joy books bring and the store’s connection with the community. Bookends & Beginnings’ teal walls, hand-labeled shelves, chandeliers and colorful rugs give the store a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. Wandering the new space, lovers of the original store will recognize some of the features in the new location.

Bookends & Beginnings is the perfect place to spend a quiet afternoon, getting lost in the pages of a new book.

— Isabel Funk

— Charlotte Ehrlich

Valerie Chu/Daily Senior Staffer

Illustrations by Gemma DeCetra

Best Place to People Watch: Norris University Center

In the beginning of Winter Quarter 2019, heaps of exhausted students in immaculate dresses crumpled throughout the halls of Norris University Center, loudly and tearfully debriefing their ongoing sorority rush experience. Picking up strains of juicy gossip on my way in and out of The Daily newsroom every day that week, I — a self-aware busybody — knew that I had found my place. Not within the Greek system, but around Norris.

Norris is THE place on campus for people watching. The brutalist, open-concept construction ensures that even the most private of nooks on all three floors are extremely visible. Think the echoey couch area on the second floor landing, the dramatic blue cubicles near Norbucks and the extremely camp bowling-themed booth next to 847 Burger.

Its central location and ample supply of caffeine makes Norris an easy spot for the loudest of casual meetups, though sometimes I wish the theater majors would suddenly forget.

People don’t choose to study at Norris unless they want to be seen. The moderators of @northwesterngarb, an Instagram account dedicated to student streetwear, regularly feature those who flaunt their fashion sense around the building.

Lemonade Mouth had the basement. Gossip Girl had the steps of the Met. And for Wildcats with a reputation to maintain and a penchant for distraction, Norris will always be prime territory.

Best Landmark: The Lakefill

Imagine this: On a warm day in May, you’re lying in a hammock on the Lakefill. The sun shines down on your face — a springtime reward for the brutal Evanston winter. You have a final coming up, but that doesn’t cross your mind. On the Lakefill, time seems to stop, and students become engrossed in a sense of peace.

As its name suggests, the Lakefill is on top of a lake. After World War II, Northwestern sought to expand its campus, but there was a big problem: There was no land to expand toward. So, the University pulled a quite literally walk-on-water move. In 1962, NU began a construction project to build new land off Lake Michigan’s coastline, which we now know as the Lakefill.

The Lakefill was voted as this year’s best landmark and for good reason. From Dillo Day to beach walks with your bae, the Lakefill is the cornerstone of many NU experiences. It’s the perfect location for sunrise-watching, or even creepier — people-watching.

It may be a warm spring day or a freezing day in December, but all year round, our love for the Lakefill runs deeper than Lake Michigan.

— Jessica Ma

Best Place to Cry: The Beach at Night

It’s a miracle Lake Michigan still has freshwater after the tons of tears Northwestern students have shed into it. Whether it’s a situationship gone sour or a midterm that was … quite mid, Northwestern’s beaches perfectly muffle your cries of despair. There are two beaches close to campus. North Beach (also known as Lincoln Street Beach) is right behind Ryan Fieldhouse, and South Beach (or Clark Street Beach) is behind Segal Visitors Center. So whether you receive your 600th internship rejection letter or just finished watching Toy Story 3, there’s a sandy escape within a few minutes’ walk.

NU’s beaches comfort you, too. The sound of waves crashing, the blue water and the night sky dotted with stars reminds us the world is way too beautiful to be sobbing over a tough professor. But who said the beach is only for sadness? Some of my best memories at NU are of my friends and I sitting on the beach gossip ing and drinking 7-Eleven Slurpees, and those memories are good enough to bring tears to my eyes.

— Anita Li

Best Beach: Lighthouse Beach

The peaceful atmosphere of Lighthouse Beach is the exact reprieve Northwestern students need from our bustling campus.

Tucked away along Sheridan Road and only a 10-minute walk north of campus, Lighthouse Beach is named after the neighboring Grosse Point Lighthouse, which was constructed in 1873 in response to multiple shipwrecks near the Evanston shore. Beyond the historical lighthouse, the area contains a cute garden, playground and beach. Lighthouse Beach is especially picturesque in the spring and summer, when the garden’s wildflowers provide a pop of color to the lakefront. On warm days, you may find people sitting in folding chairs immersing themselves in a book or children running in the sand.

A walk along Lighthouse Beach always leaves me feeling rejuvenated. I’ll often end my time there sitting on the rocks, using the quiet solitude to contemplate what I’m doing with my life. So next time your chemistry midterm gets you down, I invite you to head up to Lighthouse Beach.

Lily Shen

LilyShen/TheDailyNorthwestern

MicahSandy/DailySeniorStaffer

IN MEMORIAM

Clarke’s Off Campus

When I visited Northwestern’s campus for the first time in the summer of 2018, my first taste of off-campus life came in the form of a buttery, indulgent blueberry short stack at

Though the iconic downtown diner has now shut its doors forever, the taste will remain with thousands of former students whenever they wake up craving a decadent brunch on a

Clarke’s operated for 37 years in two locations, moving from a sun-drenched nook on Clark Street to a more modern storefront cafe

Alumni families and hungover students have been joined in the diner by dozens of famous visitors over the years, including senators, presidents, royalty, television host Jerry Springer (Pritzker ’68)

Smylie Brothers Brewing Co.

The food was rich and inventive, though classic brunch favorites were the real star. I genuinely mourn the days when you could pair the savory Hollywood skillet with a stack of fluffy golden pancakes. I still can’t believe I’ll never again sink my teeth into an Avocado Abby, a cheesy open-faced take on avocado toast.

For a while, mimosas and other breakfast cocktails were another huge hit on the menu — though the addition of a liquor license failed to keep Clarke’s on course after multiple closures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will miss the walls lined with Cats memorabilia, the welcoming smile of owner Yolanda Ewing-Tsatas — whose father-in-law Nicholas Tsatas bought the restaurant in 1994 — and the consistent good vibes with a side of toast.

— Ilana Arougheti

Flat Top Grill

Despite the variety of Asian culinary options in Evanston, Flat Top Grill was a standout. Upon returning to campus this Winter Quarter, I was heartbroken to learn Flat Top closed its doors just days before. The Asian fusion restaurant was a favorite of many students and my go-to when family or friends came to town due to the commendable ambiance and

Flat Top catered to those with all types of allergies and had a wide variety of menu items. Some of its most popular

dishes included ramen, fried rice, poke and create-your-own stir fry bowls, which was definitely a step up from the Plex East dining hall.

Though I’ll miss taking in the delicious smells of the restaurant and eating Flat Top fried rice on North Beach with my friends, fans of the restaurant will be happy to know Flat Top has a location in Chicago. Will I be making the trip? Definitely.

— Maya Slaughter

What began as a pipe dream of Mike Smylie’s, a former commodities broker, morphed into reality with the inception of Smylie Brothers Brewing Co., an Evanstonbased brewery.

Smylie, the eldest of five brothers, first explored home-brewing while attending Colorado State University. Upon his return to Evanston, and with nearly ten years of professional experience in the financial sector, Smylie elected to open Smylie Brothers Brewing in 2014.

In addition to craft beer, the brewery notably offered Texas-inspired barbecue and wood-fired pizza and flaunted an outdoor patio to be enjoyed in the warmer months. As such, Smylie Brothers was heavily regarded as an Evanston staple, for both dining and entertainment.

Unfortunately, in a not-so-smiley turn of events, Smylie announced the perma nent closure of the 88-year-old brewpub via Instagram on Dec. 31, 2022, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as a source of finan cial instability.

Smylie is one of multiple Evanstonbased storefronts to succumb to closure on account of pandemic-related effects. Deka Lash and Flat Top Grill have similarly shut their doors due to decreased foot traffic and reduced revenue.

Regrettably, I never got the opportunity to dine at Smylie Brothers — however, if its vocal fanbase is any indication, Smylie’s Purple Line brew and signature brisket will be sorely missed.

Deka Lash

After four years of caring for clients’ lashes and eyebrows, Deka Lash Evanston announced Jan. 1 that it was permanently closing its doors.

Located on Church Street, Deka Lash aimed to make specialized services and highend products more accessible. Brow lamination and eyelash extensions remained its core offerings, and it expanded to also offer sugar waxing in November 2022.

Whether for a natural or dramatic look, Deka Lash’s semi-permanent extensions catered to a wide array of preferences, like classic lashes to emulate the darkened length mascara provides or

True Volume lashes to add density and magnitude. Nestled among community favorites like 10Q Chicken and Hokkaido Ramen and Sushi Bar, Deka Lash occupied a prime location for students looking to meet their beauty needs.

Fortunately for frequenters of the location, all of Deka Lash Evanston’s lash artists will be remaining with the company and relocating to other studios. Clients need only head over to the Glenview loca tion to receive the same care and expertise they expect from Deka Lash.

Ilana Arougheti

Micah Sandy/Daily Senior Staffer

Medill alum Omar Jimenez takes CNN by storm

By SIMONE GARBER the daily northwestern @simonegarber

Content warning: This story contains mentions of death.

Whether on or off the court, Omar Jimenez (Medill ’15) is consistently on his game.

The nationally-renowned CNN correspondent didn’t get to where he is today without thinking on his feet, a skill he honed through balancing his roles as a Northwestern student and varsity basketball player. Even now, his work-life balance is a juggling act, but it wasn’t something he learned overnight.

“You’ve just got to be honest with what your schedule is going to be,” Jimenez said. “If you’re honest with your friends about what you can

and can’t do, everybody’s happier in the end.”

For Jimenez, who grew up in Atlanta, becoming a Wildcat wasn’t initially in the cards during his college search. But he said his complementary passions for journalism and basketball ultimately pushed him to attend NU.

A CNN internship after his sophomore year inspired him to commit himself to journalism, he said.

While Jimenez credits the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications for providing him with a critical journalistic framework, he said real-world experience has been one of his most valuable tools for success. After his nationally-televised arrest in 2020 during a Minneapolis protest over the death of George Floyd, he put that experience to use.

“There was the attention of the world on me,” Jimenez said. “It brought so much more exposure to the story. I was trying to incorporate some of my personal experiences into my professional (experiences) without sullying the professional product.”

Off the screen, friends and colleagues emphasized Jimenez’s ability to connect with others and make an impression on those he meets, both personally and professionally.

Medill Prof. Patti Wolter called Jimenez naturally charismatic.

“(Jimenez) is a super genuine person,” said Wolter, who served as Jimenez’s academic adviser. “It’s part of who he is to seek out relationships with people that end up being meaningful for them and him. I truly think the world of him.”

Jimenez recently relocated from Chicago to the CNN offices in New York City, where he plans to continue reporting and anchoring whenever he can.

He returned to NU in January to moderate a panel for the News Literacy Project, bringing him face-to-face with current Medill students poised to enter a competitive job market.

Jimenez attributes his success in the industry and his work ethic to the advice of a colleague during his CNN internship, who said there will always be “one hundred thousand other people” working just as hard as him.

“Those words have really had an impact

on how I chase stories and pursue opportunities,” he said. “I just assume that if I don’t go after it, somebody’s going to. So it might as well be me.”

In less formal settings, Jimenez can be found making music, shooting hoops and playing video games.

Longtime friend Nick Petro said he and Jimenez once stayed up all night playing Xbox at the end of their freshman year.

The two met over a decade ago in their freshman orientation group and have remained close ever since, Petro said. In fact, Jimenez will officiate his wedding in 2024.

“(Jimenez) is the type of person I want to surround myself with every day,” Petro said.

“I feel like he helps make me a better person.”

sgarber@u.northwestern.edu

Photo courtesy of Omar Jimenez Omar Jimenez is a CNN national correspondent based in New York City, who achieved public acclaim in 2020 after being arrested for his coverage of the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis.

Photo courtesy of Omar Jimenez Omar Jimenez reports for CNN in front of a line of police officers. The Medill alum recently came back to moderate a discussion at Medill related to the News Literacy Project.

PICKLEBALL

CASHLESS

wonderful game because of the community.”

The local pickleball crowd consists of players of all abilities and ages, some of whom play every day. The scene features father-son duos, married couples and some who simply wish to stay active and lose themselves in the spirit of the game.

From a woman who recently recovered from brain surgery to a Ukrainian expatriate, the players each carry their own unique story. They come together to see each other’s highs and lows, Chicago resident Uma Murthy said.

“It’s a great place to come and meet people and socialize,” Murthy said. “If you get a great shot, people are happy for you, and if you miss a shot, nobody (says), ‘You lost my game.’”

Though Olsavsky and Clear said Evanston pickleball has seen “exponential growth,” Evanston Haitian Community Festival President Gerald Daye said the sport should improve outreach to the local Black community.

Daye picked up pickleball after playing tennis and now coaches other players. He said he hopes to expand the game to Evanston’s Black community by bringing the game closer to it.

“There’s over a hundred players in our group at the YMCA, but only five or six Black players,” Daye said. “I’d love to bring the game to the 5th Ward and encourage everybody to play.”

Daye said he spoke with Parks & Recreation Director Audrey Thompson about lining pickleball courts at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center so 5th Ward residents can join the expanding pickleball community.

Olsavsky said he hopes people of all ages will pick up a paddle and join the community. He called pickleball “better than any dating app, since you really get to know your partner.”

“I’ve met hundreds of people, and these are great friends,” Olsavsky said. “This is more than a competition. It’s a social event, and I’ve never seen this before.”

From page 1 MGC

From page 1

jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

to build up each individual member.

ODPhi member and Weinberg junior Marcelo Barillas said his fraternity not only offers him a space to meet students with similar backgrounds but it also bolsters his professional development through help from members and alumni with internship applications and interviews.

In recent years, the Abolish Greek Life movement at NU has pushed MGC chapters to reconsider their place on campus as Greek life organizations, according to De La Isla. However, he said AGL eventually shifted its focus away from MGC.

In response to the AGL movement, ODPhi and MGC have tried to return to their purpose of supporting those who feel out of place at a

Classified Ads

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN is not responsible for more than one incorrect insertion of an ad. Corrections must be received by 10am on the day before ad runs again, call 847-4917206. All Classifieds must be paid in advance and are not accepted over the phone. To run online, ad must run in print on same day. The Daily does not knowingly accept misleading or false ads and does not guarantee any ad or claim, or endorse any advertised product or service. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when sending money.

It is the policy of The Daily Northwestern to accept housing advertising only from those whose housing is available without discrimination with respect to sexual orientation, race, creed or national origin. The presumption is therefore, that any housing listing appearing here is non-discriminatory.

said he thinks the city should still move forward with the ban.

“I think it will ensure that as we move further into the future, we don’t have a problem that becomes compounding,” he said. “We (could) cut this off pretty early.”

From page 1 IZZO

Matthei said she has great empathy for people

From page 1

at Austin senior Alison Purcell in the High School Reunion Tournament quarterfinals.

Jack Izzo himself was in the Norris crowd — the San Diego native recorded the episode in January, and since then, has fended off friends and acquaintances who’ve begged him to spoil the results, he said.

“It’s been really funny going through this entire experience a second time because a lot of the things the people asked me the first time, they’ve been asking me the second time,” Jack Izzo said.

His appearance in the Teen Tournament concluded with $10,000 in the semifinals round. Since then, Izzo’s trivia practice has come through his efforts on Northwestern’s Quizbowl team and LearnedLeague, an online, invitation-only global quiz league.

He also occasionally shows up to dominate Tuesday Trivia at Bob’s Pizza.

At NU, Jack Izzo considers himself a multihyphenate: He’s double majoring in journalism and psychology with minors in data science and Italian. Outside the classroom, he solves Rubik’s Cubes, watches YouTube essays and is a DJ on two shows for WNUR, NU’s flagship student radio station.

“I’m like ‘I know that guy,’” Weinberg senior Gretchen Faliszek, who’s been friends with Jack Izzo since their freshman year, said. “I tell people my friend is on ‘Jeopardy!’ and they’re like ‘what?’”

predominantly white institution, De La Isla said. ODPhi developed a social justice curriculum, covering topics such as racism and classism, which is an annual requirement for prospective and returning members alike.

MGC chapters — like other Greek life organizations on campus — still have required dues for their members, though some chapters aim to limit financial barriers for members.

At ODPhi, Barillas said he had to apply to the Student Activities Assistance Fund for financial assistance. He received a response to his application within two days.

“(The scholarship) really eliminates that barrier to entry, which makes it just the question of whether you have the time or not and whether you want to join the brotherhood,” Barillas said.

De La Isla said since many ODPhi members

DAILY PUZZLES & CLASSIFIEDS

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN is not responsible for more than one incorrect insertion of an ad. Corrections must be received by 10am on the day before ad runs again, call 847-4917206. All Classifieds must be paid in advance and are not accepted over the phone. To run online, ad must run in print on same day. The Daily does not knowingly accept misleading or false ads and does not guarantee any ad or claim, or endorse any advertised product or service. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when sending money.

HELP WANTED ADS are accepted only from advertisers who are equal opportunity employers. The presumption, therefore, is that all positions offered here are available to qualified persons without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, handicap, or veteran status.

DAILY SUDOKU

FIRE PROTECTION INSPECTOR Entry Level or Lateral Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire & Emergency Services Naval Support Activity Crane $62,176 to $100,102/year. Minimum of accredited Fire Inspector II, HazMat Awareness required for lateral. Excellent Federal benefits, plus Tuition Assistance, career path & promotion potential. AFGE union shop.

Email DirectHireFire@navy.mil and put “Crane Fire Inspector” in subject line for benefits information and assistance in creating a resume for Federal employment. Equal Opportunity Employer.

facing financial difficulties and houselessness in Evanston. Hewn gives leftover food to local food pantries every day and donates to nonprofits each year.

At the same time, she said the city should pursue initiatives that connect the unbanked population to financial institutions and leave small business owners to decide whether they accept cash.

Loellbach said the cashless ban may not have a significant practical impact, especially because people can already buy necessities from grocery stores like

Jack Izzo said he was surprised to be invited back to “Jeopardy!” to film the reunion. To his knowledge, reunion episodes are very rare, so he never expected the invite.

In preparation for the contest, Jack Izzo studied multiple topics but focused especially on religion, literature and classical music.

“I’ve studied trivia before, so I already have a lot of knowledge,” he said. “It was just bringing it back to the surface.”

During the first round of Tuesday’s episode, Jack Izzo led the trio, scoring points on questions about political science, music and etymology.

Jack Izzo’s favorite question from the episode appeared in the first round. The question, filed under the College Towns category, asked about a town located near New York’s Cayuga Lake. Gupta answered the question incorrectly with “Syracuse” before Jack Izzo followed up with the correct “Ithaca,” ultimately netting $1,000 for his answer.

“My family is from upstate New York, and I know I made them really happy by getting that,” Jack Izzo said.

He concluded the round with a total of $11,200, higher than Purcell and Gupta’s $4,800 and $1,000, respectively.

Jack Izzo’s mom, Christine Izzo, said she was proud of her son for his ability to present himself with class while performing well under pressure throughout the competition.

“He’s always enjoyed and always had a knack for absorbing the factoids and pieces of trivia

both at NU and nationally are first-generation, low-income students, expensive dues are a barrier that contradicts the chapter’s mission of inclusivity.

But, MGC’s overall fundraising often centers on philanthropic causes instead of efforts to pay for chapter members’ dues.

Sigma Psi Zeta, which focuses on combating violence against women, recently fundraised with candygrams for Sarah’s Circle, an organization aiming to support houseless women.

Zeng said she joined the sorority in part because of its efforts to prevent violence against women and support survivors’ efforts to speak out about their experiences.

“The little things we do like donating to women-oriented organizations, that’s what we can do, and I feel like it adds up,” Zeng said. “We’re a very small part of it, but I feel like it contributes

Jewel-Osco with cash. But she agreed it can improve equity in Evanston because it removes a barrier for unbanked people to shop at any store of their choosing.

“That’s a tough decision I think that councilmembers are going to have to make,” Loellbach said. “What’s good for the businesses may be inequitable for lower-income people.”

caseyhe2026@u.northwestern.edu

about all kinds of different things — be it geography, music, sports, pop culture — from a very young age,” Christine Izzo said.

McCormick senior Beni Keown, also a “Jeopardy!” alum, supported Jack Izzo in the Norris crowd. He first met Jack Izzo while on a housing tour during Purple Preview, NU’s admitted students’ day. Though Keown hadn’t yet appeared on Jeopardy at the time, he joined NU QuizBowl with Jack Izzo soon after.

Since then, Jack Izzo and Keown have played with and against each other in trivia competitions around campus.

“It’s normally hard for me to watch this show because I get too stressed out, but you get to root for your friend,” Keown said. “It helps to be on the same team.”

During the Double Jeopardy! round of the episode, Jack Izzo’s lead narrowed, with Purcell netting points on pop culture and Gupta catching up with a Daily Double answer. Jack Izzo led with $19,200. Gupta followed with $16,800, and Purcell was third with $10,600.

However, a question on world leaders switched up the rankings.

By the final standings, Gupta ended with $21,300, Jack Izzo with $4,799 and Purcell with $1 — in addition to the $5,000 all contestants receive.

“Regardless of where he ended up at the very final round, he did himself proud,” Christine Izzo said. alexperry20@u.northwestern.edu

to a larger cause, and that’s why it’s so important that we continue to spread our philanthropy.”

Every year, ODPhi invites the whole University to a Cesar Chavez Day, which hosts a speaker and sends students to multiple volunteering sites.

Zeng said one of her goals as president is to expand MGC’s physical presence on campus, beyond its office on the Norris University Center ground floor. She also hopes to hold more fun events and connect the MGC fraternities and sororities more.

However, despite the changes MGC hopes to implement, its founding mission remains the same.

“The most important thing is just giving a voice to everyone and advocating for the organizations on this campus,” Zeng said.

kaavyabutaney2026@u.northwestern.edu

DAILY CROSSWORD

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce

FIREFIGHTER-EMT (Lateral) $55,565 to $89,422

FIREFIGHTER-PARAMEDIC (Lateral) $55,565 to $109,388

Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire & Emergency Services Naval Support Activity Crane Minimum of accredited Firefighter II, HazMat Operations, and EMT or Paramedic. Salary dependent on credentials and qualifications. Excellent Federal benefits, plus Tuition Assistance. AFGE union shop. Recruitment and Relocation Incentives available for well-qualified candidates. Email DirectHireFire@navy.mil and put “Crane Firefighter” in subject line for benefits information and assistance in creating a resume for Federal employment. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Remembering local aviator, hero Fred Hutcherson Jr.

By ASTRY RODRIGUEZ daily senior staffer @astry_tpwk

Fred Hutcherson Jr., a self-taught aviator, was one of the first African American aviators to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

Born in Evanston on July 6, 1912, Hutcherson wore many hats throughout his career: captain, pilot, entrepreneur and Tuskegee army airman. His interest in aviation manifested at a young age.

Hutcherson graduated from Evanston Township High School in 1931 and taught himself to fly, taking off from farmland west of Evanston. By the age of 20, he began managing Northwest Airport in Des Plaines, Illinois, making him the first Black airport manager in the nation.

“His father supported young Hutcherson’s early fascination with flight,” according to BlackPast, a reference center for Black ancestry. “When his son turned 18, he brought him an airplane, the OX5 Travel Air open-cockpit biplane.”

Dino Robinson is the founder of Shorefront Legacy Center, which archives stories of Black historical figures in North Shore. He said Hutcherson and his ambition have been historically unrecognized because of racism.

“He had these lofty goals and ideas,” Robinson said. “If he was a white male, where would he have been in aviation history, with his talent, his skills and his thought process?”

Hutcherson flew charter flights by the age of 23, BlackPast wrote. He planned to work for the U.S. Ferry Command but wasn’t allowed to because the agency banned Black pilots, according to Robinson.

Instead, Hutcherson enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force — which did not have job prohibitions based on race — after relocating to Canada in 1941 with his wife and son. There, he became a ranking captain, according to BlackPast.

But when the U.S. declared war on Germany and Italy in December 1941, Hutcherson returned and instructed bomber pilots and navigators to aid the Allied powers, according to The Obsidian Collection Archives.

Robinson interviewed Fred Hutcherson III, Hutcherson’s son, who has since passed away.

He said Hutcherson III held his father in high esteem, keeping some of his gear and, as a photographer, shooting a lot of images with and of his father.

Hutcherson transferred to the Royal Canadian Ferry Command, where he became one of the first African Americans to fly a plane across the Atlantic Ocean — though not entirely smoothly. Halfway through his nearly six-hour trip to Scotland, his plane’s engine stalled and Hutcherson dropped 7,000 feet before he could restart it, Shorefront wrote.

Though he found success in Canada, Hutcherson aimed to fight on behalf of America in World War II. He joined and left his brief job

as a British West Indian Airways pilot in 1943 to join the call for Black aviators at Tuskegee Army Airfield, according to Shorefront.

Jenny Thompson, director of education at the Evanston History Center, called Hutcherson a “hometown hero” and critical figure in national history.

“He was so brave to do what he did, and become a pilot at such a young age at the early stages of aviation,” Thompson said. “I think of aviation as the symbolic practice of soaring above your circumstances.”

Hutcherson’s son also went on to enlist in the U.S. Air Force in 1956, which Thompson said demonstrated him wanting to “follow in his footsteps.”

Hutcherson died of leukemia at age 50 on July 6, 1962.

Forty-five years later, former President Barack Obama posthumously presented Hutcherson a Congressional Gold Medal to recognize his wartime contributions. In 2011, Hutcherson III received a replica of the medal at Shorefront. “We’re very fortunate to celebrate his service and his historical presence,” Robinson said. “We had a nice celebration and time with his family and community members … We had toy styrofoam airplanes that were flying around through the theater. It was pretty cool.” astryrodriguez2025@u.northwestern.edu

Illustration by Ziye Wang

What To Watch For: Cats look to extend hot streak

By SKYE SWANN

daily senior staffer @sswann301

More than a year ago, Northwestern stepped onto the field at William V. Campbell Stadium to kick-start its season against the 2021 NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse champions hosted by Boston College.

Suffering a nine-point defeat, the Wildcats were hoping for another chance to avenge their offensive slump and come out victorious. NU hosted the Eagles last Thursday at Ryan Fieldhouse and returned the favor in a thriller ending,

beating Boston College 15 -14 — courtesy of a last-minute goal by sophomore midfielder Emerson Bohlig. Now moving up the ladder, clinching a third-place ranking in the IWLCA polls, the Cats (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) aim to continue their hot streak this weekend on the road.

Traveling to Milwaukee, NU prepares to battle Marquette in its fourth rendezvous. The Wildcats have a high potential to extend their win streak with starter graduate student and attacker Izzy Scane, who’s bouncing back to her 2021 season prime.

After NU’s home opener versus Notre Dame last week, Scane tied her career record with a 10-goal game performance.

Freshman midfielder Madison Taylor

and sophomore midfielder and defender Samantha White will also be top assets for the Cats on the field. Here are three takeaways ahead of Thursday’s faceoff.

1. Izzy Scane’s offensive prowess will play a key factor in determining if the Cats win or lose

Coming back after a season hiatus due to injury, Scane has not missed a beat these past few games, making it known that the graduate attacker is ready to claim her crown as, arguably, one of the best offensive players in Division I Women’s lacrosse. In three games, Scane leads the pack with 19 goals, moving at a faster rate than

her 2021 campaign start. The fifth-year attacker has been leading the squad to win after win, lifting NU to a No. 3 ranking in the polls this week.

While there is minimal doubt on whether Scane will bring her A-game to Thursday’s contest, if the Golden Eagles’ defense isolates her from the eight meter, the Cats could have immense trouble on the attacking end.

The Scane Train’s ability to leave the station and pass through the Marquette stop without any problems will play a crucial factor in whether NU can pull out a win.

2. Draw controls, draw controls, draw controls

Despite NU beating its opponents in draw controls 56-47, inside the draw circle is one of the greatest challenges the Cats will face against the Golden Eagles. Last season, the squad had midfielders Jill Girardi and Brennan Dwyer as its point draw takers. With the graduation of these two players, the Wildcats have been searching for someone to be their star inside the centerfield.

Ahead of Thursday, the Cats need to ensure that they are controlling the draw inside the circle to garner possessions. NU’s ability to gain more possessions from winning draws will help the team have more opportunities on the offensive end of the field.

Midfielders White and Taylor will be key midfielders for the Cats to look out for on the circle’s perimeter. The duo have

combined for a total of 38 draw controls in just three games.

Going into the matchup against Marquette, NU must rely on them to rack up draw controls.

3. Defense needs to become stronger inside the eight meter to reduce opposing goals

In the Cats’ last three games, they scored a total of 48 goals but also let in a total of 44 opposing goals. Similar to the 2022 season, NU wins games solely by outshooting its opponents, rather than toughening its defensive efforts and limiting opponents’ shots in the goal.

If the squad wants to actually secure a spot in the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship this May, the Cats must work on strengthening their defensive unit now against programs like the Golden Eagles instead of waiting to crunch time against a team like the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Graduate student goalkeeper Molly Laliberty completed 28 saves so far this season, culminating a .418 save percentage. Laliberty’s save ratio should be in tip-top shape Thursday if NU wants to come out triumphant against Marquette.

With all these factors in play, the Cats will face Marquette on the road as it prepares itself for its hefty conference schedule later this season.

skyeswann2024@u.northwestern.edu

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Cats seek Senior Night sweep against Badgers

By JAKE EPSTEIN the daily northwestern @jakeepste1n

Fresh off a dominant 76-62 home victory over Minnesota, Northwestern looks to protect its home court one last time Thursday and sweep the season series against Wisconsin.

While Welsh-Ryan Arena did not serve as a home fortress for the Wildcats (9-18, 2-14 Big Ten), coach Joe McKeown’s squad hopes to carry over momentum from its first home conference win this past Saturday and defeat the Badgers (9-19, 4-12 Big Ten).

Wisconsin enters the contest after trouncing Rutgers 88-62 Monday and seeks to pick up where it left off to seal a fifth conference win. Heading into the matchup, the Badgers are on the prowl, vying to split the series with NU.

Buoyed by five double-digit scorers last time out, Wisconsin’s offense appeared to be firing on all cylinders, and the Cats must stymie the Badgers’ attack to avoid a potential shootout.

Here are three takeaways to consider as NU aims for a Senior Night victory over its Big Ten opponent.

Takeaways

1. Big Ten Tournament seeds are on the line

NU currently sits dead last in the conference standings with a 2-14 conference resume. The Badgers are two games in front at a 4-12 record.

With two games remaining in the season, the Cats could catch up to their Cheese State foe with a win this Thursday. McKeown’s team — currently sitting as the 14th and final seed — could shoot up as high as No. 12 in the Big Ten Tournament — a drastic turnaround for a team that dropped its first nine conference games.

On the other hand, a Badger victory would keep the Cats in the Big Ten’s basement. With a loss Thursday, NU could only

reach as high as the No. 13 seed in the conference tournament if it wins its final regular season game at Nebraska on Sunday.

2. Can the Cats count on Caileigh?

Sophomore forward Caileigh Walsh leads the team in scoring, averaging 12 points per game.

Walsh carries game-changing potential but often disappears in contests due to a lack of efficiency. The sophomore forward sinks shots at just a 39.9% clip and hits from beyond the arc at a 27.6% conversion rate.

However, Walsh seemed to turn over a new leaf last Saturday, knocking down a team high of 22 points from 8-of-13 shots in the win against Minnesota.

After the contest, Walsh said she put more of a focus on “playing inside-out” instead of taking low percentage three-point looks.

If NU is to win over Wisconsin for a second time this season, Walsh must carry over her dominant display against the Golden Gophers and continue to find high percentage post shots.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

NU hopes to defeat rival Illinois

By AAYUSHYA AGARWAL daily senior staffer @aayushyagarwal7

When No. 21 Northwestern and Illinois clashed in Evanston, redshirt senior guard Chase Audige and senior guard Boo Buie led the Wildcats to their first victory in five years against the Fighting Illini on Jan. 4.

Both the Wildcats and Fighting Illini have won nine of their 13 matchups. The Cats are one game back from first place in the Big Ten standings and have a twogame advantage over Illinois.

Here are three questions ahead of Thursday’s matchup versus the Illini.

1.

Can Chase Audige balance staying aggressive with playing smart?

A few days ago, Audige fell into foul trouble against Iowa. The redshirt senior picked up his second foul midway through the first half and ended with four, logging just 21 minutes in Sunday’s contest. Audige played all 40 minutes at Wisconsin, registering 38 and 39 minutes respectively in wins over Ohio State and Purdue this month.

2. Will the Cats be able to continue to match up well defensively against the top offenses in the Big Ten?

Over the past two weeks, NU has limited Indiana to shoot 3-for-11 and Iowa to shoot 10-for-21 from three. On Thursday, the Cats will face another top Big Ten offense that they already contained once this season.

their offensive production. In NU’s home loss to Michigan earlier this month, Buie and Audige attempted 35 of NU’s 56 total shots.

Many of NU’s most convincing wins saw the ball spread around more. In Sunday’s victory over Iowa, junior guard Ty Berry scored 16 points and sophomore guard Brooks Barnhizer tallied 12 points. Graduate student forward Tydus Verhoeven and junior center Matthew Nicholson poured in eight and nine points, respectively. At the same time, Audige and Buie only attempted 18 of NU’s total 55 shot attempts, and the squad had 15 total assists.

3.

The best offense for the Cats continues to be a good defense

All season long, McKeown has emphasized how his squad carries a firm defensive mentality. For a team that consistently dropped conference contests by double digits, this seemed irregular.

However, NU’s defensive prowess came to fruition in its Minnesota matchup. McKeown’s team collected 18 steals, with sophomore guard Hailey Weaver racking up a career high of six. The Cats turned up the pressure late in the first quarter and forced the Golden Gophers into 25 turnovers.

The Cats must dial up the pressure and turn steals into points to close off their home campaign on a positive note. With the Badgers averaging 15.9 turnovers per game, expect NU to dial up its defensive pressure and attempt to force its opponent into mistakes.

jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

Audige plays an aggressive brand of basketball. The guard ranks second in the Big Ten in steals per game and maintains active hands in the passing lanes. In the last matchup versus Illinois, Audige recorded four steals and a block and catalyzed the Cats’ 22-2 second half run. He has also recorded at least a steal or block in nine straight games, making his presence on both sides of the floor vital for the Cats’ success.

However, on Sunday, Audige saw the risks of overaggression on the defensive floor first-hand, picking up a few fouls on reach-ins. This forced him to the bench for most of the second half.

In a tough road environment in Champaign, Audige will need to remain mindful of foul trouble, especially if he commits an early foul. NU’s recent success has largely relied on the veteran guard’s ability to remain on the court.

Back in January, NU held the Fighting Illini to 60 points, forcing 15 turnovers and limiting the Illini to 8-for-28 shooting from deep. The Cats only surrendered double-digit points to two Illini scorers, guard Matthew Mayer and forward Coleman Hawkins. The Illini duo has caught fire as of late, with Mayer recording consecutive 20-plus-point performances and Hawkins reaching double digits in five of his past seven games.

“We’re playing an Illinois team (on Thursday) that’s very long and athletic,” Collins said. “They have big guards, they have long wings. They have multiple positions where they can score.

In order for another defensive successful showing, Collins’ squad will need to continue doubling in the post and playing aggressive help defense. In wins over Purdue and Indiana, the Cats escaped with wins by minimizing the impact opposing star big men had. This will need to hold on Thursday to ensure the Fighting Illini do not use their versatility on the offensive end to make it difficult for NU.

3. Will NU be able to maintain its well-rounded offensive production?

The Cats’ starting backcourt fuels

The Cats will find success if they ensure players outside of Buie and Audige remain involved offensively. With opposing defenses now aware of NU’s tendency to keep the ball in the hands of its starting backcourt, it is even more imperative that other players stay ready to contribute on the offensive side of the floor.

“For me, it’s more about taking my shots when I have them and taking what the defense gives me,” Berry said. “Most teams try to take away Boo and Chase, as any team should because they’re really good.

When the two squads matched up several weeks ago, Berry was the only other NU scorer to reach double digits besides Audige and Buie, scoring 13. If NU wants put up points in a hostile environment, the team will need to continue to get players like Berry, Barnhizer and senior forward Robbie Beran involved.

aayushyaagarwal2024@u.northwestern.edu

Daily file photo by Joanne Haner

Daily file photo by Alyce Brown