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A&E/Dungeons & Dragons
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A&E
STEP INSIDE THE DUNGEON
By MIKA ELLISON the daily northwestern @mikaellison23 mikaellison23
A hundred-year-long science ction odyssey. A quest to resurrect an orphaned 15-year-old in a medieval fantasy world. A sorcerer named
Chad who exclusively wears jorts. What could these things possibly have in common? Students created all three as part of the collaborative storytelling aspect of Dungeons & Dragons. D&D is a tabletop roleplaying game that debuted in 1974 and has grown in popularity since. In 2020, a record number of people played D&D, according to role-playing game company Wizards of the Coast.
In D&D, players cre- ate their own characters, and with the help of a Dungeon Master who oversees the story’s narrative, they work together to accomplish a task over the course of many sessions. Players roll many-sided dice to determine their characters’ powers and actions. Communication freshman Brenden Dahl said he started playing D&D a er a friend recommended it. ey had participated in theatre productions before, but had “never really embraced something as truly nerdy as Dungeons & Dragons.” “When I did (embrace it), I loved it,” Dahl said. “I think it’s a really giving, fun, exciting, silly culture around tabletop games.” Despite the positive culture, a bevy of stereotypes come with the nerdy image of D&D. In the 1980s, D&D players were suspected of engaging in Satanic rituals, and later on, of being hopelessly nerdy. While the stereotypical D&D player was a middleschool boy — think “Stranger ings” — the demographic of D&D players has since become much less male-dominated. As of 2017, about 40% of D&D players were female.
Weinberg freshman Ayana Davies rst encountered
Students talk community, creativity through D&D during her freshman year of high school and continued to play into her sophomore year. However, the friends she played with were all male, and she a ended a boarding school where she wasn’t allowed in the male dorm, she said. So she in a medieval fantasy world. A sorcerer named Dungeons & started her own campaign online. Dragons Davies said D&D is a vehicle for self-expression. She said Davies said D&D is a vehiher online campaign, which she has run for more than two years, encompasses multiple intersections of identity. “ at’s kind of the fun thing about D&D or just “ at’s kind of the fun thing about D&D or just any tabletop campaign: You make your character. So you can say, ‘ is is who they are,’ and then for like an hour or two, just be like, ‘Guess I’m this like an hour or two, just be like, ‘Guess I’m this
In D&D, players cre- person now.’” and with the help Medill freshman Olatunji Osho-Williams decided to create his own campaign and play it with they work friends when the pandemic started. e original campaign friends when the pandemic started. e original campaign evolved into a hundred-year long odyssey into the world sessions. Players roll he built. “It was just a six-month adventure that I’m genuinely never going to forget,” Osho-Williams said. “I was spending wonderful time with my friends.” His experience as Dungeon Master of that campaign led him to join Tabletop Club at Northwestern, which creates community through board games. Davies, Dahl and Osho-Williams all acted as Dungeon Masters Davies, Dahl and Osho-Williams all acted as Dungeon Masters in their campaigns, meaning they took charge of planning the story, telling it to participants and occasionally problem-solving when characters made unexpected decisions. For Dahl, who also writes plays, D&D’s collaborative eleFor Dahl, who also writes plays, D&D’s collaborative elements are what make it worthwhile. “For me, that’s what art is — creating to entertain each “For me, that’s what art is — creating to entertain each other,” he said. “And whether that happens on a stage in front of hundreds of people, or in someone’s basement around a table, either way it’s creating stories for one another.” a table, either way it’s creating stories for one another.” But all three said the best part of D&D is, of course, But all three said the best part of D&D is, of course, the friends they made along the way, even ones that the friends they made along the way, even ones that get side-tracked and go o -script — or acciget side-tracked and go o -script — or accidentally summon a god and remake the entire world, as Osho-Williams did. He wasn’t bothered, though. He wasn’t bothered, though. “You literally roll with the dice,” he said. “No pun intended.” about 40% of D&D players were female. mikaellison2025@u.northwestern.edu
Student-written play conveys high school experiences
By ESTHER LIM the daily northwestern @eshlim1213
Growing up, Communication junior Gabriela Furtado Coutinho noticed how the red dust of her school’s brick walls wore off on her classmates’ shirts. She said the way the physical environment stained its inhabitants struck a chord.
“What history do these bricks contain? What horrors have they seen?” Furtado Coutinho asked.
She incorporated that experience into “The Bloody Bricks and Blows of American High,” Vertigo Productions’ student-written spring play. The show will premiere in Shanley Pavilion on Friday and Saturday.
The play tells the story of Bia, a 14-year-old girl from Brazil who moves to the U.S. after receiving a scholarship to a prestigious high school, American Dream High. However, unfair discrepancies shatter her high expectations.
“(Bia) has to make a choice: Is she going to survive and be exceptional in this environment, or is she going to revolt and potentially lose everything?” Furtado Coutinho said.
Furtado Coutinho based the play off of her own experiences in the education system after she moved to the U.S. from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at five years old. Furtado Coutinho said she hopes this play can be an outlet for challenging assumptions about the U.S. education system.
“I really did have a very hard time growing up,” she said. “I also saw that it was a rough time for people around me. I guess something I always look back on is how these experiences have shaped me and how I wish I could let go of them.”
To bring her experiences to the stage, the production team ensured the play would not be simply “reproducing trauma” before the audience. They hope to go deeper than that, Communication sophomore and Producer Adelina Marinello said.
Marinello said the relationships between the tightly-knit, six-member ensemble cast have been beneficial in dealing with some of the emotionally taxing themes of the play.
“Every member contributes in this equal, beautiful way,” Marinello said. “It really requires a sense of presence and a sense of giving and receiving, and the cast was absolutely receptive to that sort of process from the get-go.”
Communication sophomore Daijah Marie Guillermo, who plays Bia, related to the play and her character’s emotional honesty.
“She messes up as she’s getting acclimated in high school,” Guillermo said. “I feel like I really connect with Bia in the second half of the play when she owns up to it.”
Communication junior Ché Negron plays Chris, a Puerto Rican student at American Dream High who looks up to Captain America and likes to go with the flow.
Negron incorporated aspects of his own background into Chris’ character arc, which deals with questions about how one defines their racial identity and how it shapes their relationships.
According to Furtado Coutinho, the play will end with a call to action to break the status quo and a message of hope to let the audience know that they are not alone.
“I don’t think I ever had the vocabulary to describe what was happening to me when I was younger,” she said. “And I hope that this gives (the audience) a starting point and a touchstone so they also realize it’s not their fault they’re being treated this way. And I really want to give them hope that it can be better.”
estherlim2025@u.northwestern.edu
Seeger Gray/The Daily Northwestern
Gene Kim conveys faith through interpretive dance
By JENNA WANG the daily northwestern @jennajwang
Gene Kim (Communication ’22) knew he always wanted to incorporate his interpretation of Christian faith into his creative pursuits. When he noticed the lack of dance performance related to the Gospel, he decided to choreograph and edit faith-based dance videos for Instagram.
His three-part project is posted on his Instagram account, @thegenekim. He has uploaded two episodes so far: “Fellowship” and “The essence of sin.” Both have casts composed entirely of Northwestern students and aim to appeal to both Christian and non-Christian audiences.
“I thought (the faith-based dance space) was limiting because it wasn’t as relatable or as enjoyable for people that weren’t part of the faith,” Kim said. “I wanted to make a series more applicable for all people.”
Weinberg junior Michelle Lee, who is not Christian, said she appreciated how Kim explained the backstory behind his choreography. As a choreographer herself, she said she finds inspiration in how he incorporates different narratives.
“My choreo was basically just dancing, but for him, it was a lot of storytelling, which I find really cool,” Lee said.
Kim said the messages behind his videos stem from his belief that people don’t know much about Christianity beyond the basics of heaven, hell and the existence of God.
Throughout his journey in faith, he finds ideas in the Gospel everyone can relate to regardless of religious background, he said.
“The Gospel really gets into the human condition, the human psyche. It’s more than, ‘You need to be saved,’” Kim said. “Even if you don’t believe, hopefully it gives better insights to see how humanity is.”
Though most of his cast is not Christian, Kim believes the essence of Christianity is all about inclusivity and letting people come as they are to learn about faith.
Kim said he was initially worried about outside reception of the videos, but he said the series was far more well-received than he expected.
“I was honestly quite terrified when I posted my first one. I was literally shaking,” Kim said. “I felt like it was taboo to talk about faith, especially on social media or public spaces, but it was rewarding to see that people are open and willing to talk about it.”
Weinberg junior Katherine Tu, who is not Christian, said she views Kim as an inspiration both creatively and in the way he treats people.
She said the dance style was new to her, but Kim created an incredibly friendly environment for all. She said Kim is one of the most inspiring people she knows.
“He has the courage, determination and passion to put in a lot of effort and time into things that people usually won’t do,” Lee said. “He sacrifices all the time that normal people would be wasting, and puts all that time together into something he’s passionate about.”
She recalled how he worked at the front desk of a dance studio in exchange for free dance classes as an example of that tendency.
Kim aims to finish the third and final episode in his video series soon. Once he moves to Los Angeles, California this summer, he said he hopes to further integrate faith into his creative pursuits.
“The area of the intersection of faith, dance and videography is so small,” Kim said. “I really want to inspire others to be able to do more of that kind of work.”
jennawang2024@u.northwestern.edu
Applause for a Cause creates student-run film ‘Undying’
By JENNA WANG the daily northwestern @jennajwang
After a year-long hiatus, 63 students from Applause for a Cause gathered to write, produce and direct an original full-length feature film to raise money for charity.
“Undying” is a fantasy-drama about an immortal woman who makes an unexpected friend and has to confront her buried desires for companionship. The movie will premiere in May and raise donations for After School Matters, a non-profit that provides after-school education and summer opportunities for thousands of Chicago teens.
Communication sophomore Minju Hong worked as a producer and assistant director for the first time, which came with its challenges. At one point, Hong said she had to jumpstart a car at 1 a.m. after filming in 6-degree weather for 14 hours.
“I spent 80% of my time working on ‘Undying,’” Hong said. ”But after going home, I still wanted to go back on set, so that showed I really want to work in this industry.”
Despite the cold temperatures and considerable time commitment, Co-Director and Communication sophomore Allan Rodriguez said he found the experience unforgettable.
He said directing a full-length feature film for the first time allowed him to learn how to quickly pivot around mistakes.
“If you’ve ever heard of Murphy’s Law — anything that can go wrong will go wrong — it’s definitely true with most film productions,” Rodriguez said. “At least for me, in a cynical kind of way, that’s where the fun is, where you’re problem-solving moment to moment.”
After the post-production phase, Rodriguez previewed the full rough cut before the film moved on to the colorist, composer and sound designer. Through this process, he said he learned how to identify what flowed well between scenes.
“When you’re shooting, it’s literally just these vignettes of moments. You’re like ‘Oh well, let’s hope this fits into the broader story of everything,’” Rodriguez said. “It’s really cool to see how these six to nine weeks of shooting and the whole year of planning has come to an actual freaking movie.”
Communication junior Nena Martins played one of the film’s main characters, Annie.
As a theatre student, she said she doesn’t usually get the chance to witness the crew at work. However, through this on-screen acting experience, she got to watch the crew up close.
“It was really rewarding getting to see people do their own thing,” Martins said. “All of these people are so creative in such different ways.’”
For all three students, “Undying” allowed them to build new friendships across all departments and grades.
Rodriguez attributed this to the very beginnerfriendly atmosphere on set and having to learn on the go. He said a lot of underclassmen picked up leadership skills that allowed them to advance into larger roles.
“There’s freshmen who knew nothing about film, and now that they went through this, I’m working on projects with them side-by-side,” Rodriguez said. “It’s super cool to see how everyone’s grown in just a short amount of time.”
Jenna Kopp talks real-life experience as inspiration
By AUDREY HETTLEMAN daily senior staffer @audreyhettleman
Weinberg sophomore Jenna Kopp said she can’t remember a time when she wasn’t making music. Her earliest memories include recording an album at age 2 with her sister and the help of her father, Clayton Kopp. Their high-pitched voices played over songs like “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.
Now, Jenna Kopp has since recorded many more (self-written) songs. With the help of her father, a keyboard and a guitar, she has recorded one EP and multiple singles.
Jenna Kopp said she tries to take inspiration from real-life experiences. Many of her songs focus on past relationships, including her latest single, “Can’t Forget This Time.”
“I do like that aspect of songwriting that you can make it like storytelling,” Jenna Kopp said. “A lot of that comes from my own emotions and experiences.”
Clayton Kopp said Jenna Kopp’s songwriting began to seriously take shape after her 16th birthday when he gifted her an acoustic guitar, but she didn’t record songs until her senior year. Along with local producer Chris Smith, who had worked with one of Clayton Kopp’s bands, the three worked together to produce her 2020 EP, “Sunray.”
One of Jenna Kopp’s main inspirations is her father, with whom she grew up singing and watching perform in his own bands. The two now work together to produce Jenna Kopp’s songs.
“I always hoped that (my daughters) would have the same kind of love for (music) that I did, with the dream that when they get older, we’ll be able to jam together,” Clayton Kopp said. “It happened sooner than I would have thought.”
Jenna Kopp almost transferred into Bienen, but said the formal structure and traditional methods were not what she wanted. For now, she is still majoring in computer science, but makes time to pick up her guitar. Jenna Kopp is also a member of the a capella group Northwestern Undertones.
Jenna Kopp said she typically creates the chord progressions that accompany her singing, and her father typically creates the hooks and other important musical elements.
Working with family can be straining for some, but Clayton Kopp said creating music with his daughter brings them closer together.
“We were listening to the raw recording on the way home after butting heads all day, and it was fantastic,” Clayton Kopp said. “We ended up with something like the ‘lightning in a bottle’ effect. That’s a special thing that we’ll always share … It makes it all worth it even after you’re arguing.”
Jenna Kopp said promoting her music is one of the most challenging parts of the process. Along with creating an Instagram to promote her songs, Jenna Kopp also played her songs on local radio shows. In one instance, she was featured on a show run out of a Connecticut town’s fire station, and they had her introduce her song with a fire safety fact.
Smith said he doesn’t know where Jenna Kopp’s music career will lead, but hopes he will be able to stay involved.
“The more that she’s able to explore a variety of different subject matter, maybe trying some different instrumentation or even flirting with some different genres … that would be really exciting,” Smith said. “As she’s liking what she’s creating, I think all that will come naturally.”
While Jenna Kopp said she is unsure whether she will pursue her music career after university, she is excited for the journey ahead.
She will release a new single, “Thinking Bout You,” on April 17 with a music video filmed by NU students Caroline Bates, Allan Rodriguez, Adriana Martinez-Smiley and Jeffrey Hunter.
“I just want people to hear my music,” Jenna Kopp said. “It’s not even like, ‘Oh my gosh, I really want to be famous,’ it’s just exciting for people to listen.”
Check out the first edition of “Sound Source: Deep Dive,” where we take a closer look into the lyrics of “Can’t Forget This Time.”
audreyhettleman2024@u.northwestern.edu
Scan this QR code with Snapchat or your smartphone camera to listen to Jenna Kopp discuss her songwriting process.
By ASHTON GOREN the daily northwestern @ash_goren
On a late evening during Fall Quarter, a group of freshman theatre majors sat in the hanging egg chairs of Shepard Hall’s basement, sharing their experiences as students of color at Northwestern. By the end of the night, they imagined creating a theatre organization dedicated to multicultural productions.
Several months later, these students are bringing their vision to life.
Vibrant Colors Collective, the University’s only multicultural theatre board on campus, aims to highlight underrepresented stories and provide a creative space for students of color.
Communication freshman Ferdinand Moscat said he looks forward to VC2’s celebration of diversity through storytelling.
“We are excited to explore how this group can act as a response to the fact that we are at a predominantly white institution and that we are marginalized theatremakers,” Moscat said. “A lot of times (when) you enter a rehearsal space, there’s this implicit expectation for you to whitewash yourself.”
VC2 recently hosted two informational nights to spread the word about their mission on campus. They plan to organize bonding events this quarter where prospective members can participate.
During the second information session Monday night, students on the executive board said VC2 prioritizes its community first. Communication freshman Sam Hernandez said VC2 is a safe space for students of color to share their stories.
Unlike other theatre groups, VC2 will appoint board members dedicated to social events and bonding activities. Some team members will manage productions and fundraising initiatives while others will spend more time building community.
School of Communication Prof. Henry Godinez, chair of the theater department and faculty advisor for VC2, said collaboration with artists of color has been central to his work as a director and theatremaker. He said he was thrilled to be approached by the VC2 founders.
“There are stories that need to be told in order to see the common threads that we share as human beings,” Godinez said. “Right now, they are not being told with the compassion and urgency that this theater company is going to be able to tell them.”
Next year, VC2’s anticipated season includes a fall open mic, a fully produced winter cabaret and a spring show in Shanley Pavilion. Communication freshman Nathan Hiykel is one of VC2’s co-artistic directors, and he said he is looking forward to creating process-driven productions.
“Our organization is trying to change the theatre landscape in the sense that theatre right now is very product-driven,” Hiykel said. “We want to be a place where people can have fun and be creative throughout the process and not worry about the product being perfect.”
VC2 is still building its foundations. The group has successfully received funding from the Student Organization Finance Office, but it is still trying to join the Student Theater Coalition. StuCo currently includes nine theatre boards, and it is the primary body of student theatre on campus.
Communication freshman Yuni Mora said she is excited for VC2 to officially join StuCo. The executive board also wants to reach out to nontheatre majors interested in the performing arts. She is eager to help students of color find a sense of community on campus.
According to Mora, the NU theatre community is supportive but may feel hard to break into. In order to branch out, VC2’s executive board will connect with affinity groups on campus.
“If you’re not an actor, or you don’t know how to work a stage light, anyone in this community can make theater because they can bring their life,” Hiykel said. “They can bring their story.”
ashtongoren2024@u.northwestern.edu
B.Burlesque celebrates body positivity in ‘Sexy Deadly Sins’
By MIKA ELLISON the daily northwestern @mikaellison23
In its spring 2022 showcase “Sexy Deadly Sins,” B. Burlesque featured solos which promoted body positivity, celebrated Black and queer people of color and of course, showcased the wonders of burlesque dance on Friday and Saturday.
Nala Bishop (Alanna), a SESP junior and president of B. Burlesque, said the bodies of women of color can often be seen in a negative light, or as “too much.” Burlesque is her way of subverting that perception.
“Burlesque really teaches us that our bodies are beautiful, that they are seen, and that we understand them or we are trying to understand them,” she said. “I think it’s just really beautiful seeing it all come together in the end.”
Burlesque dance was brought to the United States in the 1860s, when it was considered coarse and bawdy, but experienced a resurgence in the 1990s. B. Burlesque’s acts included a fan dance, a classic burlesque act, and a dance inspired by Princess Diana, set to “Primadonna” by Marina and the Diamonds.
Most burlesque performers also have stage names and personas. Some B. Burlesque dancers’ monikers include Kitty de Ville, Sinnamon and Enemy of the State.
Communication sophomore Laila Simone (Kitty de Ville) is the Communications Chair of B. Burlesque. She sees the adopted personas in B. Burlesque as a way to be more authentic with herself and the audience.
“Here, it doesn’t really feel like a persona,” Simone said. “It’s more just channeling yourself and finding the beauty in your own personality, and then finding a name that you feel like embodies that.”
Beyond being a teaching space for students, Simone said, B. Burlesque often acts as a safe space for students of color who often do not see themselves represented in performance spaces or in the classroom.
While burlesque is about entertainment, B. Burlesque touched on subjects including racism and fatphobia. Weinberg senior Karina Karbo-Wright’ s (Enemy of the State) solo addressed fatphobia. Their performance featured recordings of their sibling and Black students on campus discussing body shaming and their journeys to self-acceptance.
“It’s really, really emotional, and I’m just so happy I’m able to do something like that for them,” Karbo-Wright said of the people featured in their solo. “I’m definitely going to cry. It’ s just really exciting and really empowering.”
For many of the students performing, this showcase is a chance for them to reframe the perception of burlesque dance — it can be a fun, affirming event for both the dancers and the audience.
“It’s just such a liberating, feel-good experience,” Karbo-Wright said. “I’m really happy to be back in that space again, and it’s exciting to be putting on the show. ”
mikaellison2025@u.northwestern.edu
Evanston Made organizes Art for the Earth month
By CLAIRE O’SHAUGHNESSY the daily northwestern @claireosh
When you’re walking outdoors in Evanston this month, watch your step — you might run into a piece of art.
Throughout April, local arts organization Evanston Made is reprising its annual Art for the Earth month with art installations, workshops, film screenings and more. Community members are encouraged to create their own “nature art” with materials found outdoors and to share them on social media.
Now in its third year, Art for the Earth uses art to educate and inspire, according to Evanston Made codirector Liz Cramer.
“We feel that people engage differently through art,” Cramer said. “It’s not another lecture, it’s not another doom and gloom book.”
Cramer said too many people feel powerless in the face of large-scale environmental issues, so Art for the Earth makes an effort to remain action-focused, emphasizing what individuals and communities can do.
“It’s actually something they can feel good about and know there are things they can still do that will make a difference,” Cramer said.
To bring the community together, Evanston Made teamed up with other sustainability-focused organizations this year. On April 1, Evanston Made co-hosted a kick-off party with local organizations Art Makers Outpost, Citizens’ Greener Evanston, Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse and The WasteShed.
The event featured artist demonstrations, handson activities and local art from repurposed materials. About 200 people attended, according to Cramer. She emphasized the value of incorporating organizations, advocating for education, climate awareness and environmental justice.
Lisa Haskin, local artist and Evanston Made member, sold coasters she made from old bathroom tiles at the kick-off.
“It’s fun, it’s creative and it gets me thinking about ways to use things versus just throwing them away,” Haskin said. “Artists can give a different perspective on what it means to recycle and take care of our Earth.”
Art for the Earth’s upcoming events, including a community clean-up event, are detailed on the Evanston Made website.
Among the highlights is an installation entitled “Daily Walking” from artist Cécile Trentini at the 1100 Florence Gallery.
For last year’s festival, Trentini created a “sand tattoo” on Lee Street Beach by digging shallow ditches and filling them with red sand. The finished product was an outline of the Earth.
Trentini’s exhibit this year features works created from “photos, objects and thoughts” collected on her daily walks. Trentini spent seven years developing a total of 49 pieces, eight or nine of which she said will be shown in the exhibition.
“(Art) can make it easier for (people) to look at certain issues because the art might be nice to look at, might be beautiful, while still thought provoking,” Trentini said.
The Art for the Earth month calendar also features the LEVIATHAN presentation at the Block Museum of Art on April 16 and the Generations of Environmental Justice all-night “teach out” at Alice Millar Chapel on April 22.
Cramer said bringing the community together is a central mission of the event.
“We really invite everyone from Northwestern to come and explore,” Cramer said. “This is about the next step — not just celebrating Earth month, but making every day Earth month.”
claireoshaughnessy2024@u.northwestern.edu
Iris Swarthout/Daily Senior Staffer
By DIVYA BHARDWAJ the daily northwestern
For Northwestern for Ukraine’s first fundraiser, students sold handmade pins made of yellow and blue pompoms as well as Ukrainian pastries and candies. Weeks later, their creations have become visible symbols of support across campus.
Sonya Voloboi, a McCormick sophomore who immigrated to the U.S. from Ukraine in 2010, is a founding member of Northwestern for Ukraine. She said she appreciates seeing other students express solidarity for the organization’s mission.
“Any time that I walk down Sheridan and I see a student with one of our pins or somebody with
Ava Mandoli/The Daily Northwestern one of our stickers on their laptop or water bottle, it makes me feel like the community is rallying behind us,” Voloboi said.
Students in Northwestern for Ukraine have created and sold handmade goods at each of their fundraisers. The group has also collaborated with Knitwestern to create ribbons and bracelets, partnered with fair trade store Ten Thousand Villages Evanston and screened a Ukrainian film about a Crimean Tatar family.
The organization uses art to engage with the NU and Evanston communities and provides opportunities to learn about Ukrainian history and culture.
Recently, Northwestern for Ukraine partnered with Ten Thousand Villages Evanston for a profitsharing event. Fifteen percent of the store’s profits for two hours on April 9 were donated to Nova Ukraine, and students also set up a table to sell their own items.
“We had a lot of outpouring in our hearts for what’s going on with Ukraine,” said Michaela Dix, co-manager of Ten Thousand Villages Evanston. “It goes hand in hand with our missions in general with fair trade and trying to make sure we’re bettering people around the world.”
Inna Sokolenko, a Weinberg first-year from Kyiv, Ukraine and founding member of Northwestern from Ukraine, said she was grateful for the collaborative event and for the community outreach it provided.
“People don’t buy them because of what they look like, but because they want to demonstrate that they support Ukraine, which I really appreciate,’” Sokolenko said.
In addition to raising funds, Northwestern for Ukraine also focuses on raising awareness of Ukrainian culture. By screening the Ukrainian film “Homeward” (“Evge” in the original Crimean Tatar), students had the opportunity to learn more about Ukraine’s history.
“People came to actually see the film and learn more about this part of Ukrainian history,” Sokolenko said. “It shows that people want to learn more about Ukraine — that they are interested and that they care.”
Raising awareness is a key goal for Northwestern for Ukraine — and utilizing art has helped raise cultural awareness and provide a means of solidarity.
“The situation in Ukraine affects me very much, but it doesn’t affect the Northwestern community as much. Sometimes I feel kind of isolated,” Sokolenko said. “Seeing the small signs of solidarity with Ukraine, that people remember, and people care, is a big deal for us.”
Audrey Hettleman contributed reporting. divyabhardwaj2025@u.northwestern.edu
NU startup Concert Hub to host first show
By CLAIRE O’SHAUGHNESSY the daily northwestern @claireosh
Ever gone to a concert in sweatpants? If not, here’s your chance.
Concert Hub, a new student-led performance series, will host its inaugural concert in The Garage Thursday. The event will feature classical and jazz musicians from Northwestern and Chicago performing a setlist that crosses genres.
Concert Hub founder and Bienen senior Natasha von Bartheld said she has wondered for years why there were so few young people at classical music performances. She said one reason is that classical music settings can feel overly formal and esoteric.
“Our mission is to make classical and jazz music more accessible to people who are not concert goers,” Bartheld said.
Concert Hub seeks to create a welcoming environment for listeners across all levels of music knowledge.
There is no dress code, no secret social expectations and no feelings of audience inadequacy. Bartheld said you can even get up and dance.
In Thursday’s concert, Bienen sophomore Emma Truong will be featured on piano. She said she’s envisioned something like Concert Hub for a long time.
“I’ve always wanted to have this sort of retreat for musicians and also for the audience to listen to music without any judgment, and without any underlying fear or expectations at all,” Truong said.
McCormick sophomore Alicia Hartono will sing alongside Truong in French, German, Vietnamese and Indonesian. She said she’s brought friends to other classical performances, but the stifling atmosphere can alienate inexperienced concert-goers. Hartono said Concert Hub will be a more accessible way for students to approach classical music.
Ben Zucker, a fifth-year music composition and technology graduate student, will perform Thursday on vibraphone with local jazz musicians.
Similarly to classical music, Zucker said jazz performances in academic settings often operate under constricting expectations. For Concert Hub, Zucker said they want to honor jazz’s dynamic nature.
“There’s absolutely a way to bring people in as part of playing this music,” Zucker said. “Across genres, that is an element of music making.”
For Thursday’s event, Concert Hub organizers will adapt The Cafe into a cozy concert venue, Bartheld said. Concert Hub will host an afterparty with refreshments, Bartheld said, and the organization’s goal is to dissolve the barriers between performers and audience members. She said connection is the group’s main priority.
“It’s about community,” Bartheld said. “We can really take that further than traditional concerts do.”
arts & entertainment
Editor Audrey Hettleman Assistant Editors Andrés Buenahora Annie Xia Designers Sara Gronich Wendy Zhu
By BRIGID REILLY the daily northwestern @brigid_reilly_
As the sun sets over the Northwestern Lakefill and classes wind down for the evening, the bustle inside Norris University Center remains long into the night.
Overnight employees across campus prepare for the night shift as early as 5 p.m. each evening. From the Norris Center Desk to the University’s late-night dining services, staff work through the night to prepare and serve food and maintain amenities for students.
“Usually, I’m here from 5 p.m. to 1:30 at night,” said a Compass Group retail supervisor, who asked to remain anonymous for privacy reasons. “Not necessarily at Norris, but I’m here at Lisa’s and Fran’s. We get here and it’s pretty calm, but after 9 p.m. it gets a little crazy.”
He said the night shift starts with a rush of students. As dining halls close for the evening, they often rely on Lisa’s Cafe, Fran’s Cafe and various options at Norris for late-night snacks or meals. Consequently, the overnight employees face a sudden influx of customers.
With long hours and frequent customer traffic, the night shifts can become arduous for campus workers. The supervisor said the job consists of repetitive tasks late into the night and the work is sometimes mentally taxing.
“Usually, it’s just a very active shift,” he said. “(There is) lots of movement and a lot of interactions with students.”
He said his experience at Norris has been pleasant, but it can be disruptive to his sleep schedule because working late into the night requires him to sleep throughout the day. A U.S. Health and Human Services Department report found night shift work disrupts the body’s circadian rhythms and increases the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
Seeger Gray/The Daily Northwestern
Students and employees work late into the night inside Norris University Center’s Starbucks.
Norris Center Desk Attendant and McCormick freshman Justin Dong, who works a night shift at least once a week, said he tends to be a night owl, but also finds the shift taxing some nights.
“I’m more of a night person,” Dong said, “(but) some nights I want to go home early.”
When Dong works a closing shift at Norris, he stays until midnight.
Although the time commitment can be strenuous, Dong said he makes the most of the late hours and often finds time to do homework.
Along with working night shifts, Norris employee Yesica Rico is also a local college student. When she arrives for her shift, Rico begins cleaning, checking in on team members or making sure she has all of the food and equipment needed. She said working the evening hours can be mentally taxing and disruptive to her sleep schedule.
“It’s really hard to keep up with school and keep up with work,” Rico said. “Especially when you work a nine hour shift and you go to school for five days.”
One unique challenge of the night shift is that she spends the later hours mostly alone, she said.
“The hardest part doesn’t really involve work or the people, it involves ourselves,” Rico said. “When we’re sick, or sad or in a bad mood we just have to deal with it, keep it to ourselves and just keep moving.”
brigidreilly2025@u.northwestern.edu
District 65/Northwestern theatre program launches to make art accessible
Northwestern is launching a community-based theatre program in partnership with Evanston/Skokie School District 65 and Imagine U to make live theatre more accessible in Evanston and Chicago.
The program, Learn and Imagine Together Through Theater, will begin in the 2022-23 academic year and is the University’s newest social impact partnership.
“The partnership provides our students with the opportunity to step into the role of teaching artists while being mentored by outstanding District 65 teachers,” Imagine U Founder Lynn Kelso said in a University news release.
Starting fall 2022, the Virginia Wadsworth Center for the Performing Arts will host weekday performances of Imagine U productions for District 65 students, which third-grade students will see on field trips to NU. The students will also meet the cast and production teams while on campus.
This will recur annually so all District 65 students have the opportunity to visit NU. Before coming, the students will participate in classroom activities about the play’s themes and watch a virtual backstage tour of the Wirtz Center.
After visiting, drama educators will lead students in lessons to engage dramatic skills. The lesson plans will be collaboratively developed by District 65 drama educators, NU faculty and undergraduate students.
“I’ve long been interested in narrowing the distance between ivory tower and front porch, and engaging Evanston’s children in our theatre for young audiences programming is a critical part of this effort,” School of Communication Dean E. Patrick Johnson said in the news release.
— Isabel Funk
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From page 1 the COVID-19 pandemic and services for students holding marginalized identities. They also outlined several points of improvement for campus life, such as improving dining hall options, expanding genderneutral bathrooms and reassessing Winter Quarter start dates.
Drawing on their previous experience speaking with administrators, Hegelmeyer and Cusick said they would work to make President-elect Rebecca Blank aware of student demands.
“A big priority of ours is going to be getting in contact with administration, President Blank and President Schapiro, and talk to both of them and figure out what the transition is going to look like — not just for us, but for the University as a whole,” Cusick said.
The pair beat out Weinberg junior David Grow and Weinberg sophomore Camila Vicens for the positions. One day before voting closed, the Grow-Vicens slate had incurred three strikes for violation of election policy and faced removal but successfully appealed a strike for “lack of mutual respect” and remained on the ballot.
However, Grow and Vicens retained strikes for pre-campaigning and defamation of the opposite slate. Hegelmeyer and Cusick also incurred a strike for lack of respect in reference to general social media behavior, according to the election commission.
Scaletty said navigating the violation reports were difficult because the election code was written before social media played a major role in ASG election.
EDIBLE EVANSTON
From page 1
Sonders said some volunteers rotate in while others volunteer regularly. On Saturday, there were newcomers and returners alike at the Forest.
“It’s a lot of fun watching people learn to do things that they’ve not done before, that maybe they’ll take home and do in their gardens,” Co-Leader Laura Bradley said.
One volunteer, resident and teacher Michael Ogburn said he enjoys bringing what he learns from the Food Forest into lessons with his students.
Since he joined Edible Evanston, Ogburn said the co-leaders have been very open, focusing their efforts on education.
“I think what’s so great about it is it builds community,” he said. “Everyone can join from all different kinds of walks through life. It is just a tighter knit community.”
Sonders said his interest in the forest stems from the connection he feels to the earth through agriculture. While planting and harvesting, volunteers seek to bridge the “shocking” disconnect between people, nature and the food they eat.
“Growing plants in general gives me joy,” Sonders said. “But (so does) the idea of growing something that will sustain you and teaching people how to do that and how to connect with their food.”
Edible Evanston also centers food sharing, Sonders Anonymous comments about the candidates that ranged from mean-spirited comments to harassment appeared on platforms like YikYak throughout the election, Scaletty said.
Re-examining social media policy will be a priority as the commission conducts a post-election review of the code and submits revisions for Senate consideration, they added.
“Something we’re going to be thinking about is if there is any possibility for us to make sure that the students involved in the election are protected,” Scaletty said. “As far as looking on personal social media of candidates, (we will be) figuring out clear guidelines for what sort of language is and isn’t okay.”
Hegelmeyer and Cusick have pledged to create a student group liaison on ASG’s executive board and support student activist groups in seeking Senate representation.
Throughout the election, the opposing slate noted that ASG has limited visibility and students are seldom aware of its work. Increasing student awareness of the body will also be a priority, Hegelmeyer said.
“(ASG) does fund pretty much every single organization on campus, so people may not know, but they interact with ASG in some shape or form,” Hegelmeyer said. “That’s why it was really good to be on the campaign trail, getting to talk to all these student groups, because that was probably more engagement than ASG has done in a long time.”
maiapandey@u.northwestern.edu
said. The organization runs a produce sharing initiative called “Donate What You Grow,” which collects gardeners’ surplus to donate to food pantries.
The majority of food grown at the Food Forest goes to volunteers and the food pantry system, according to Sonders. He said this year, the nonprofit was able to collect and donate double the amount of food as last year.
“We get it to people who need food and who tend not to get fresh … locally grown food,” Sonders said. “Our food pantries really appreciate it. They appreciate the diversity of produce that everybody donates.”
Bradley said she and other leaders are looking into other partnerships throughout the community. Edible Evanston accepts coffee grounds from Reprise Coffee Roasters for use in composting.
Edible Evanston continues to turn unusable, decorative turf into land that can produce something edible, Sonders said. The organization will have future events like volunteering days at the Food Forest and seed swaps.
“While we do like to be productive and get a yield, … we do consider that community engagement and community education is one of our yields,” Sonders said. “We hope to inspire people to put together these ideas and practices as they can in their own yard and in their own life.”
Nixie Strazza contributed reporting.
karapeeler2025@u.northwestern.edu
From page 1 week, the positivity rate surpassed that of the peak of the omicron wave.
Communication freshman Lola Bodé said her theater group’s stage reading became virtual after a groupwide outbreak placed at least 20 people in Hinman.
“I’m not surprised that there’s now been an uptick,” Bode said. ”We could see a significant (decrease) in cases if we reinforced the mask mandate in at least classrooms.”
New positive cases this week reached 304 — almost double last week’s 157 with about 250 more tests conducted this week.
This trend was also seen across Evanston during the same timeframe, with the city reporting an increase to 197 cases compared to last week’s 95. While case numbers and positivity rates rise, however, the Illinois Department of Public Health decided to stop tracking these metrics per interpretation of national guidelines.
Of the 304 University cases, undergraduate students comprise more than half at 176 — a trend atypical of previous weeks, when non-undergraduate students accounted for the majority.
Non-undergraduate students made up 27% of the cases with 81, staff members constituted 29 and faculty accounted for 18.
While campus COVID-19 positivity rates and cases significantly rose this week, students living in Sargent Hall, Chapin Hall and East Fairchild received emails this week notifying them of heightened COVID-19 positivity in their residence halls.
Residents of Sargent and East Fairchild were not asked to take any additional steps regarding these outbreaks but were instead encouraged to “continue to be mindful” of symptoms, hygiene and large gatherings, according to emails obtained by The Daily. Those living in Chapin were asked to refrain from hosting guests through April 17 and to test if symptomatic.
Weinberg freshman and Chapin President Cara Chang said common spaces in the building have also been temporarily shut down.
The email didn’t require residents to test, and Chang said she does not have jurisdiction to do so either. Chang also said she would have appreciated
BREAKFAST
From page 1 Books & Breakfast website.
Roseborough emphasized the importance of having a diverse group of NU students as tutors.
“For (the tutors) to be able to speak to some of the experiences that our kids are going through is really important,” Roseborough said. “(It’s important) for our kids to be able to see a tutor that looks like them that’s going to study and be a teacher or a doctor.”
Every week, Books & Breakfast partners with local organizations to organize creative activities which students can do after reading. Samantha Younis, an instructor from the Evanston Art Center, leads art projects at Dewey Elementary School with students every Tuesday. Students and tutors can also choose transparency from the University, including notification to the entire campus community about specific outbreaks.
In a Wednesday email to The Daily, the University acknowledged the heightened positivity. University spokesperson Erin Karter said this trend follows that seen in surrounding communities and universities across the country.
While Karter said Quarantine and Isolation Housing is “significantly below capacity and well below the highs seen in January with the omicron surge,” the University has yet to comment on the heightened positivity to the broader campus community. Karter said the University strongly encourages mask wearing where distancing is not possible.
Weinberg sophomore Maria Luiso said she’s felt decently well taken care of in Hinman, from being supplied with blankets and snacks to having a nurse who checks on her every morning.
However, when her symptoms started to worsen, Luiso said she felt concerned, especially given her family’s medical history. She said she had a hard time getting hold of a nurse in the evening when she called and was transferred to another line telling her to visit the emergency room.
When she called the Hinman front desk to ask about her options, the attendant told her they could only offer some over-the-counter medications. Luiso said she called a nurse herself, who told her to schedule an appointment at Searle Medical Research Building.
However, when she asked the Hinman front desk to leave, the supervisor wouldn’t let her.
“I understand that people could lie to them,” Luiso said. “But I was also really scared at that point, and I was like, ‘I can’t believe that I’m not being allowed medical treatment.’”
She called the front desk again asking to see a doctor. When she was transferred to the supervisor, they said they had misunderstood the request and allowed her to go to the emergency room.
Luiso said the entire process took three hours.
“It was scary knowing that it was so challenging to get any assistance,” Luiso said. “Even though we’re young people, we’re still worthy of concern.”
amittal@u.northwestern.edu
to play games together.
Weinberg sophomore Clare Hardiman volunteered for Books & Breakfast last year. She said she felt the organization’s importance on a personal level when she began to see growth in the students she tutored.
“You never know what … one hour of a week can do for kids in terms of helping them read, doing homework or math,” she said. “It may seem really simple, but kids in this program really benefit.”
Like Hardiman, Roseborough said her favorite part of the program was the children.
“I just love seeing those connections for kids,” she said. “I love seeing them have a place to be fully themselves to have just another community that is lifting them up, that’s cheering for them.”
ashleylee2025@u.northwestern.edu
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DAILY CROSSWORDLos Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS
1 “Thor: Ragnarok” actress
Thompson 6 Traditional dress of India 10 Apples reviewed on tech sites 14 The NCAA’s
Huskies 15 Actor Dorsey of
“Queen Sugar” 16 Sonic rebound 17 *Mobile game with a variety of blades 19 “Better late __ never” 20 Surf’s partner 21 “Looking for,” in personal ads 22 Like a smokestack 23 *Inked designs on one’s chin and cheeks, e.g. 27 Convenience called a
“cashpoint” in the
U.K. 30 Luau instrument, briefly 31 Comic Margaret 32 Obedient puppy’s reward 34 Mexican cruise port 39 *Summer cooler 42 Fit together nicely 43 Venomous snake 44 Big coffee vessel 45 Honeybunny 47 Fr. holy title 48 *Meghan
Markle’s husband 53 Literature
Nobelist Munro 54 PC “oops” key 55 Approx. landing hours 59 Insurance quote 60 New beginning, and what the first words of the answers to the starred clues can literally have 63 Great Sphinx locale 64 Adequately skilled 65 Spotted horse 66 Black gemstone 67 Soft drizzle 68 Off-kilter
DOWN
1 Small clump 2 Light beige 3 Whiskey cocktail 4 Scratch and __ 5 Tiny crumb carrier 6 “Evidently” 7 “Are too!” response 8 “The Big Bang
Theory” character 9 Nest egg letters 10 Silence-breaking women’s movement 11 “Bless you!” trigger 12 Makes small talk 13 Walkman developer 18 One of the Jonas
Brothers 22 Drop by 24 Pitch-correcting vocal effect 25 Pt. of 9-Down 26 Som tam cuisine 27 Just barely 28 The Chicks, e.g. 29 “Jeopardy!” creator Griffin 33 Card with one pip 34 Feel rotten 35 Verse starter? 36 “My __ are sealed!” 37 Tech review site 38 Brute of folklore 40 Cop after dealers 41 Eat in style 45 Droopy-eared hound 46 St. Louis landmark 48 Not fancy 49 Very fancy 50 Alpine climbing tool 51 Dressy footwear 52 Bigfoot relatives 53 Cornstarch brand in yellow-andblue containers 56 Aquarium 57 Works in un museo 58 Pack away 60 Sibs, ‘rents, etc. 61 Stat in softball 62 Self-care getaway
By Doug Peterson 4/18/22 Saturday’s Puzzle Solved Thursday’s Puzzle Solved
©2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC 4/18/22
By LILY CAREY the daily northwestern @lilycarey2025
When Rabbi Ari Hart and his congregation at Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob synagogue began hearing news about Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, Hart said he felt sending aid to refugees was not only the right thing to do — it was true to the spirit of Passover. ”It’s a holiday about personal liberation and freedom,” said Hart. “But it’s also meant to turn our eyes outward, and to look into the world and see, where is there oppression? Where is there suffering, and what can we do to respond to it?”
Skokie Valley has worked to fundraise and send medical supplies to Kyiv in an effort to help alleviate the crisis and is also hosting an open seder — a ritual Passover dinner at which the history of the holiday is retold — on Friday evening that is free to attend.
Skokie Valley is one of many synagogues around the world that hold Passover celebrations to commemorate the story of the Jews’ exodus from Egypt. The holiday is observed for seven to eight days, depending on a person’s denomination of Judaism, which often corresponds to their location. For local Jewish leaders in the Evanston area, this year’s celebration presents an opportunity for families to unite after two years of stricter quarantines.
Dara Cameron (Communication ’06), a program associate with the Jewish United Fund’s Young Families program, said her organization focuses on supporting Jewish families with children. The Chicago-based group has worked hard to balance the pandemic considerations associated with school-aged children, family gatherings and travel restrictions.
“This is the third year that we’ve had to find creative solutions to celebrating (Passover),” said Cameron. “It’s a holiday that’s all about gathering together around the table and sharing food and being with your loved ones, and so, certainly this year, we are really grateful.”
Cameron said within JUF, the Young Families program prioritizes “hyperlocal” events, such as a “chocolate seder” they hosted in Evanston last Sunday where children could celebrate by substituting traditional seder dishes for sweets.
Photo courtesy of Dara Cameron Jewish United Fund’s Young Families program hosted an outdoor Passover celebration on April 3 at the Morton Arboretum. The organization is one of many seeking to bring Chicago-area Jews together during Passover, especially following two years of strict quarantines that prevented holiday gatherings.
These events provide a space for Jewish children in the Chicago area to meet others living nearby, she said.
Young Families’ biggest Passover event this year was a celebration at the Morton Arboretum on April 3, which involved an outdoor reenactment of the story of Passover, along with live music and crafts. Keeping this event outdoors was a priority for organizers, Cameron said, especially as a group that serves families and unvaccinated children.
“Kids under five, which we cater a lot to in our department, aren’t vaccinated yet,” she said. “Young families, young parents with young kids are still very hesitant to gather in large groups.”
Rabbi Joseph Ozarowski, the rabbinic counselor and chaplain of JCFS Chicago, said he also centers safety and support for Jewish communities most affected by the pandemic within his organization’s activities and events. JCFS helps provide a range of programming for Chicago-area Jews, with a focus on accessibility and providing support for those experiencing illness, disabilities, loss or addiction.
Though the organization will not hold events during Passover itself, Ozarowski said he recently led a support group, the Empty Chair, on how to navigate Passover following the loss of a loved one. JCFS has also focused on programming for senior citizens ahead of the holiday.
“When we’re reaching out to seniors, we will T:5.0625"acknowledge their place,” he said. “In Judaism,
seniors are considered sages — we look up to them. They’re often marginalized in our society today.”
Ozarowski noted how the complexity of navigating Passover in the continuing pandemic continues reflects the themes he sees in the Passover seder: “Slavery and freedom, bitterness and sweetness, darkness and hope and light.”
“We haven’t fully processed all the losses we suffered, not just the loss of people who’ve died, but the loss of so many things that we took for granted before COVID,” Ozarowski said. “There’s a feeling of hope in the air, tempered by the things happening in the world around us.” lilycarey2025@u.northwestern.edu
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