The Daily Northwestern - October 2, 2023

5 A&E/All

The Daily Northwestern

3 CAMPUS/KEYES

TND sees changes in new school year

Format returns to theatrical production

By ELLA JEFFRIES daily senor staffer @ellaje riess

is year’s incoming freshmen class took part in a redesigned Student Body True Northwestern Dialogue during Wildcat Welcome. e modi cations to the program come a er about three years of criticism from both students and peer advisers who shared a common sentiment that the TND was disrespectful to the topic of sexual violence prevention.

e Student Body TND is designed to introduce students to the Center for Awareness, Response and Education and its resources, and provide a comprehensive sexual health and prevention dialogue. e TND touches on healthy relationships, consent, violence prevention and bystander intervention.

Saed Hill, assistant director of prevention and masculine engagement at CARE, said he received “overwhelmingly positive” feedback from students on the TND.

“Overall, I’m really proud of the work that we did this year,”

Hill said. “A lot of the feedback I received was how emotional the production really was for students and how it felt really beautiful to many students how survivorship was portrayed.”

e Student Body TND is typically conducted in person as a theater production. It changed to a video presentation in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which Hill said students did not resonate with. e class of 2027 was the rst group of students since the pandemic to experience a full theater-production style TND once again.

Saed said because violence is often intellectualized and approached from an analytical perspective, using theater allows students to be part of the experience of understanding relationships and have an emotional response to these topics.

Writer and director of the TND Nik Zaleski said previous students took issue with the use of humor in the online production.

“ e ways in which actors are able to feel audiences and respond to them live just wasn’t possible on a pre-recorded piece, so humor landed honestly pre y o ensive to students,” Zaleski said. “ ey felt like the piece wasn’t taking sexual violence

» See STUDENT BODY, page 6

Fiesta Hispana lights up Evanston

Residents

By MICAH SANDY daily senior staffer @themicahsandy

celebrate

the third annual event in Fountain Square

From the vendors behind their tables to the residents

rocking the dance oor, everyone moved to the groove of music playing at Fiesta Hispana, Evanston Pride’s annual fall event for the city’s Latine community ursday evening. Music could be heard all

Skate park construction commences

Twiggs Park skate park will likely be open at the end of this year

By LILY OGBURN daily senior staffer @lilyogburn

Quentin Herzig started skating when he was 8-years-old, but later stopped because there was no skate park in Evanston, and he didn’t know many other skaters.

During the pandemic, Herzig returned to skating. He noticed skate obstacles popping up at Ridgeville Park District and soon decided to build his own ramps and promote the park’s impromptu setup on Instagram.

“Tons of people started coming, and that’s how I started to meet everyone and get involved,” Herzig said.

Evanston Skates, a wheeledsport community group cofounded by Ald. Juan Geracaris (9th), asked Herzig to help the organization push city o cials to fund a permanent skate park, Herzig said.

After years of advocacy and planning, Herzig’s vision is close to becoming a reality. Construction of a skate park is nally underway at Twiggs Park at 1901 Simpson Street.

City Council approved a $1.76 million contract to construct the skate park in March, and construction began in July. e park will be a 10,000-square-foot custom concrete facility, featuring numerous obstacles, pathways, a shade structure and new landscaping.

“We’re in the process right now of forming all the areas for the new concrete skate park, so there’s quite a bit of intricate formwork that’s being constructed,” Stefanie Levine, senior project manager for the city, said.

According to Levine, the park will likely be open to the public at the end of this year or early 2024, depending on weather conditions during construction.

roughout the design process, the city and its contractors consulted the Evanston skating community. Levine said the skaters were willing to provide feedback on all the details of the park, from the heights of ledges to the appearance of the grind rails.

“We had a pre y big group of community skateboarding advocates that were involved in

the design process,” Herzig said.

“( e contractors) really let us in, in the process and the design, and allowed us to really make pre y big changes. ( ey) were really good at incorporating the needs of every single person and the wider community.”

As the park nears completion, Northwestern students also look forward to visiting the park.

Communication sophomore Lara Llamas has skated

around Fountain Square, whether from Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board President Sergio Hernandez, who served as the event’s DJ, or from the Mariachis Sirenas, an allwomen mariachi group.

The event also featured a dance performance of baile folklórico, a complex dance style portraying Mexican culture — though dancers led by example, » See FIESTA , page 6

NU hosts former French President

Talks political extremism and global affairs

By DELILAH BRUMER the daily northwestern @brumerdelilah

Former French President François Hollande warned about the dangers of political extremism and shared his view of global a airs at a Bu e Institute for Global A airs lecture ursday a ernoon.

Hollande, who held office from 2012 to 2017, addressed an audience of more than 850 NU community members both in-person at the Arthur Rubloff Building at the University’s Chicago campus and over Zoom.

“ ere have been so many crises and fears,” Hollande said in French. “But we need to know what is the most resilient: democracy.”

Throughout his hour-long lecture, Hollande touched on global challenges like economic relations between the U.S. and

China, along with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“When the world is increasingly polarized, there are risks of authoritarianism,” Hollande said. “That would mean that strength would be more important than what’s right.”

Throughout the lecture, Hollande alluded to themes of political extremism tackled in his recent book “Bouleversements” — a French term that translates to “upheaval.”

e former head of state discussed economic di culties facing several European countries and condemned the global community’s slow action to combat climate change.

“Europeans have been forced to review their trade policies, especially considering fossil fuels,” Hollande said. “ e climate crisis is here.”

During his time in office, Hollande pushed for the legalization of same-sex marriage and signed onto the Paris Climate Agreement on behalf of France. However, following the 2015 terrorist a acks on Paris, Hollande’s

» See HOLLANDE , page 6

Republican politician and diplomat Alan Keyes speaks at NU College Republicans event

Micah Sandy/Daily Senior Sta er

Fiesta Hispana attendees watch Mariachis Sirenas perform at Fountain Square. The all-women mariachi group was one of many attractions at the third annual event.

Lily Carey/Daily Senior Sta er The skating facility at Twiggs Park is currently in construction and will be open to the public in late 2023 or early 2024. » See SKATERS , page 6

Harvest festival offers city autumnal celebration

By LILY OGBURN daily senior staffer @lilyogburn

As Evanston residents strolled into Eggleston Park on Saturday, they were met with a range of autumn games, refreshments and activities at the city’s rst Evanston Harvest Festival.

Presented by the Evanston Ecology Center, the festival brought residents together to enjoy the changing seasons with cra s, a pumpkin patch, live music and an array of activities for children. Hundreds of visitors owed into the festival throughout the day.

ough Downtown Evanston has hosted a similar fall festival in previous years, this was the rst year the celebration was hosted by the city and the Ecology Center team together. According to Tarika Ranson, a program instructor at the Ecology Center, the group hopes to make the Harvest Festival an annual event to celebrate with the community each fall.

Margaret Isaacson, conservation and outdoors division manager at the Ecology Center, said the festival had been in the works since the spring.

“It’s a nice opportunity for folks to come out and enjoy some outside time, get out into the parks and meet some of the other community members and organizations,” she said.

Evanston resident Weslie Bay enjoyed the festival with her family and even reconnected with old friends.

Bay said the free pumpkins provided by Windy City Garden Center and the pumpkin painting activity were her group’s favorite parts of the

festival.

“We have a couple kiddos that are very passionate about fall and pumpkins, and we also love

to register online prior to voting in person or online.

Members of the community who live, work, study or own businesses in Evanston and are over 14 years old can vote in the program.

the Ecology Center,” she said. “I think it’s fun to center around seasonal events that everyone can invest in.”

their ideas, and then allows the community to vote on how the money is spent, according to the program’s website.

According to Isaacson, the festival was brought to life by Community Garden Coordinator Laura Nusekabel, Program Coordinator Ethan Johnson and the sta of the Ecology Center who ran many of the games and activities.

e festival was also an opportunity to learn, Isaacson noted. Event sta provided tours of the Farme e — an educational garden at Eggleston Park — as well as the bee apiary and food forest during the festival. Representatives from Edible Evanston, Evanston Public Library, Mitchell Museum of the American Indian and others were also at the festival to supply information about their o erings.

Popular activities like the apple cider press and pumpkin bowling drew crowds of participants throughout the day.

Ranson helped operate another popular activity at Saturday’s festival — pumpkin painting tables. People of all ages decorated pumpkins they selected from the patch with colorful designs.

“ e Ecology Center has tried to reach out to varying communities within Evanston and not just one in particular,” Ranson said. “I think having events like this is welcoming.”

For resident Ma Ryan, the Harvest Festival was a “family-friendly” and “green” way to celebrate the autumn season.

He thought the festival was a good way to “raise (ecological) awareness” while bringing residents together.

“Kudos to the City of Evanston for doing (the festival),” he said. “We hope to see it even bigger and be er next year.”

lilyogburn2026@u.northwestern.edu

Community members have until midnight this Saturday to vote in Evanston’s participatory budgeting program. Voters are required

City Council allocated $3 million for the participatory budgeting program with American Rescue Plan Act funding. The program invites community members to develop proposals for

There are a total of 20 proposals currently on the ballot, and voters may select between up to seven proposals when voting.

Northwestern researcher Gus Umbelino, who works with Evanston’s participatory budgeting team, told The Daily earlier in

September the most popular project will be fully funded, and the cost of that project will be taken out of the $3 million budget. This process will continue with the next most popular proposals until all $3 million has been allocated.

The city will fund the winning proposals after voting results are released.

Lily Ogburn

Lily Ogburn/Daily Senior Sta er

Evanston residents and their families picked pumpkins, made s’mores and tasted apple cider at Saturday’s Harvest Festival.

Participatory budgeting voting deadline draws near for community

College Republicans hosts Alan Keyes

By SAMANTHA POWERS daily senior staffer @sqpowers04

Republican politician and diplomat Alan Keyes spoke ursday night at an event sponsored by the Northwestern College Republicans. In front of a small crowd, Keyes discussed America’s reckoning with its history of slavery, his Catholic faith and his disbelief in communism.

“What we produce from our humanity is what we have, all of us, contributed from the diverse perspectives that God has allowed us to embrace,” Keyes said.

Keyes ran for the U.S. Senate in Maryland in 1988 and 1992 before running against former President Barack Obama for Senate in Illinois in 2004. He has also run in Republican presidential primaries three times but never secured the nomination.

Keyes famously led a 2008 lawsuit alleging that Obama was not born in the United States, rendering him ineligible to run for president. His claim has since been proven false.

Katie Scalzo is a McCormick junior and a member of both NUCR and the NU chapter of Young Americans for Freedom. She and other YAF leaders were present at the event.

“I do think that a lot of people will nd … we don’t bring in crazy people,” Scalzo said. “We want to bring in people that we can stand behind and say, ‘Yes, this aligns with our group.’”

Less than 10 students a ended the event. Scalzo a ributed the low a endance to the minimal advertising NUCR did to promote it.

Last Spring Quarter, NUCR and YAF co-hosted conservative activist James Lindsay for a widely advertised speaker event that ended in protests from students who took issue with Lindsay’s antiLGBTQ+ rhetoric.

“It was intentional that we kept the advertising mostly to our own group,” said Weinberg senior arein Potuhera, acting president of NUCR. “We advertised on our own social media without really advertising to all Northwestern groups.”

e controversy surrounding last year’s speaker event resulted in ASG temporarily revoking

NUCR’s activity funding, but Potuhera said funding has since been reinstated. He said NUCR paid for both Keyes’ speaking fee and the presence of Luna Security — a University-contracted company — through ASG funding.

ASG could not immediately be reached for comment on the status of NUCR’s student activity funding.

Potuhera said NUCR contracts Luna Security for events that could be contentious. e only disruption of the evening was a serenade by a saxophonist and a utist from outside the window of Swi Hall. NUCR and YAF leadership quickly shut the windows to mu e the sound, and the event continued.

One of Keyes’ main topics of the evening was the First Amendment. He championed free speech on college campuses and spoke about his Catholic faith, connecting his belief in God to his American identity.

“ e Declaration of Independence has been put in a drawer because the source of authority

mentioned is no longer espoused by large portions of the American people,” Keyes said. “For what’s the source of the people’s authority and the declaration? e laws of nature, and of nature’s God.”

Potuhera said the group aims to host speakers who promote free speech.

Now a conservative activist, Keyes served in former President Ronald Reagan’s administration as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations and as Ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Potuhera said Keyes’ experience in the political arena and the foreign service made him an “extremely compelling” speaker.

“He has such a global perspective, and I think that’s really important to see,” Potuhera said. “He calls himself an ongoing scholar. He said that the main thing that he took away as a diplomat is he always listens before speaking.” samanthapowers2026@u.northwestern.edu

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Samantha Powers/Daily Senior Sta er

Conservative activist Alan Keyes speaks to a small crowd of NUCR and YAF members. He spoke about his Catholic faith, saying his identity as a “child of God” came above his American identity.

A&E arts & entertainment

John Proctor play creates an unconvincing world

By JAHARIA KNOWLES the daily northwestern @jahariia

Content warning: This story contains mentions of sexual assault.

Sit & Spin Productions kicked off Northwestern’s fall theater season last Friday in Shanley Pavilion with “John Proctor is the Villain.” Watching it was an act of patience.

At its best, the production brought to life the chaotic beauty of playwright Kimberly Belflower’s writing. However, jarring and inconsistent directing choices never allowed me to settle into the world of the play.

The script itself is a compelling and raw celebration of girlhood. At the center of the narrative is a group of four teenage girls who start a Feminism Club at their school.

Brainy and high-strung Beth (Communication junior Natalie Tangeman), introspective transfer student Nell (Communication junior Yuni Mora), Raelynn (Communication senior Kylie Kim) and subdued Ivy (Communication senior Elizabeth Yang) make up the ensemble. The actors, with their stellar chemistry and comedic timing, were highlights of the production.

The girls are soon forced to reconcile their personal relationships with their progressive politics when Ivy’s father, along with their teacher Mr. Carter (Communication senior Declan Collins) are accused of sexual assault.

Another complication arises when classmate Shelby (Communication sophomore Poseybelle Stoeffler) returns after leaving the previous semester with no explanation.

Belflower forms each character with specificity and care. This is an impressive feat, as teenagers are notoriously hard to capture. “John Proctor is the Villain” is a vibrant portrait of

adolescence: frenzied, salacious, comical and at times overwhelming. The show begins in the dark. Voices sing a haunting choral refrain: “I went to the woods / The devil, he told me to go…”

Then, blue lights illuminate the stage. The high schoolers settle into their seats � accompanied by the booming bass and whirring engines of hiphop song “Tomboy” by Princess Nokia � a jolting switch in sound.

One could argue that the two songs reflect the differing worlds of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” and modern day America, but the sonic experience was jolting.

At times, the songs played between scenes were clever responses to the dialogue, a credit to Communication senior Lou Stockmeyer’s sound design. In one scene, a song gradually drowns out the sound of Beth ranting during a club meeting. Other times, they distracted from the plot.

After Shelby reveals that Mr. Carter sexually assaulted her, the lights dim as two male classmates,

Mason (Communication junior Kieran Rowe) and Lee (Communication junior Eli Blanks) step forward. In a bizarre turn of events, they begin a choreographed dance to “No Hands” by Waka Flocka Flame.

It was a moment of forced levity that soured my opinion of the production.

The directing team redeems themselves during the second half of the play, refining the transition scenes and allowing the script to shine. But the moment stuck with me nevertheless.

The final moment of the play was particularly poignant: Shelby and Raelynn unabashedly dance to Lorde’s “Green Light” during their final project as Mr. Carter orders them to be seated. Some in the class watch in disgust, others in awe and some join in. The surrounding lights dim as a green spotlight shines on Shelby. A moment of freedom.

jahariaknowles2025@u.northwestern.edu

Evanston + Vicinity Biennial showcases Midwestern art

By EMILY LICHTY daily senior staffer @emilymlichty

Textile artist Delaina Doshi sits on the ground of the Evanston Art Center, carefully hanging a sculpture made of over 150 broken plates and cups that she collected on the gallery wall. After hours of work, her sculpture, “reconciled,” a blue, pink and cream porcelain waterfall, is displayed on the wall.

Artwork from across the Midwest, including Doshi’s, is on display at the Evanston Art Center for the 26th annual Evanston + Vicinity Biennial, a juried exhibition held from Aug. 26 to Oct. 1.

“I really appreciate knowing that all of these artists are within the Evanston area,” said Erica Warren, one of the show’s jurors. “It’s just so special and remarkable to get to see so much of their work.”

The event showcases 55 artists from the Midwest. The pieces on display include a variety of mediums, color palettes, materials and formats. Each was judged by a panel of three curators, though only six were prize winners. Doshi’s piece was named Best in Show.

She said her piece was inspired by the porcelain plates her grandmother used to collect, purity culture in the Evangelical church and the traditions families from different cultures have with porcelain

plates. The dishes used in her piece were collected from local thrift stores, from her own collection or sent to her from family and friends.

“There’s so many bits of history in porcelain plates and different cultures represented,” Doshi said. “It’s a much bigger and global conversation.”

While the opening reception for the exhibition was on Aug. 27, the exhibition is free and available to view in the first floor gallery of the Evanston Art Center.

Liang He was one of two runners-up for the Best in Show prize. He said his sculpture, a lifesize human with a 3D printed grasshopper head, titled “The Ant and The Grasshopper,” was inspired by a utopia imagined by philosopher Bernard Suits where all humans need to do is play.

“I’m still at a very early stage of my career as an artist,” he said. “I’m very young, so I’m very happy that I can get into a show, and I’m very happy to show with the other artists in the Biennial.”

Emma Rose Gudewicz, the director of development and exhibition manager at the Evanston Art Center, was not only responsible for staging the show but also had a piece of her own in the exhibition.

She said to best stage the show she had to consider the aesthetics of each piece as well as sizes, color schemes and mediums. She also said this was the largest gallery she has staged to date, and it was a challenge to arrange the pieces to

fit the space. Her piece, “You’ve Been Here Before,” which she entered into the show before starting her job at the center, is an oil painting of a vacuum.

“It’s such an amazing mix of artists and styles,” Gudewicz said. “I was really having a hard time

looking at all of the pictures online. I (thought) these would never work together. And then, the second I saw them all in person, I (knew) this is a great show.”

emilylichty2026@u.northwestern.edu

Sonya Dymova / The Daily Northwestern “John Proctor is the Villain” explores friendship, power, and self-healing in a classroom setting.

Emily Lichty / The Daily Northwestern

Liang He said his piece “The Ant and the Grasshopper” at the Evanston + Vicinity Art Biennial was inspired by Aesop’s Fables and the nature of play.

‘Birthday Candles’ travels to Skokie from Broadway

By XINYUAN “SOPHIE” ZHANG the daily northwestern

One cup of butter, half a cup of sugar, two eggs, two teaspoons of vanilla extract, two cups of flour. This recipe — pinned to a bulletin board — is the first thing the audience sees when walking into Northlight Theatre in Skokie. Hand-scrawled and simple, it promises the memories of home, family and a delicious cake; this production of “Birthday Candles” delivers.

When the lights finally dim and the show begins, we are introduced to 17-year-old Ernestine Ashworth (Kate Fry). Perfectly over-dramatic and insecure all at once, Ernestine rehearses her audition for a production of “Queen Lear” while learning a cake recipe from her mother, Alice (Cyd Blakewell). They embrace and Alice blesses her daughter: “I wish you so many beautiful hours.”

A trailing chime sounds, floor lights underneath the stage turn on and Alice exits showered with dots of light.

Ernestine is 18 in the next scene, and we learn that her mother died of an unknown illness only days after the “Queen Lear” performance. Each following scene is set on Ernestine’s birthday at different years in her life: 39, 50, 80, 103 and more in between. We meet Matt (Chiké Johnson), Ernestine’s love interest from her teenage years to middle-age. We also watch Ernestine’s son Billy (Samuel B. Jackson) live a life of his own. With every dimming of the lights years and decades fly by.

Performed on Broadway last year, “Birthday Candles” takes place in Grand Rapids, Mich., where its playwright Noah Haidle is from. The Midwestern setting manifests in the play’s homey setting and integral value of family.

A trailing chime sounds again and again as

Ernestine gets older, accompanying the many characters that depart from her life. Yet, Haidle conveys these losses tenderly. Most of the cast play two or three roles. When one character leaves Ernestine, another role played by the same actor soon joins her again as a child or grandchild.

These losses and reunions drew both delighted laughter and choking tears from the audience. Personally, I sobbed when Ernestine, suffering from dementia, sees the shadow of her dead son Billy in the face of a stranger — played by the same actor who played Billy. The way actors play multiple roles reassures us that those who love us and we love will always be with us in some way.

Throughout the highs and lows of the play, the cast creates an actual cake onstage: gathering ingredients, stirring and baking them in the oven. Despite arguments and tragedies, the characters return to the practice each scene. Everyone in the family remembers the recipe. It’s all real, too. By

the end of the show, the cast pulls a fluffy golden cake out of the oven.

As a whole, the production is emotionally and aesthetically beautiful. From the diverse and talented cast to the out-of-this-world stage design (it resembles a kitchen island floating in the sky), the show effortlessly connects the details of reality and meaning of love inside the endless cosmos. The costume changes show a clear distinction between the multiple roles the actors play, though there is poetry in the repetition and reprise throughout generations.

As Ernestine finally steps off the stage into the starlit cosmos to join her family, the smell of golden butter cake gradually wafts into the audience. It reminds us all that though our hours in this life are not limitless, they can certainly be beautiful.

“Birthday Candles” began its run Sep. 7 and will close Oct 9.

sophiezhang2026@u.northwestern.edu

Jorja Smith refreshes R&B with new, pensive album

By JILLIAN MOORE the daily northwestern @jillian_moore7

English singer-songwriter Jorja Smith was “Lost & Found” in her 2018 debut. In her second album, released Friday, she’s still wondering if she’s “falling or flying.”

From her first track “Try Me,” Smith thematically explores past heartbreak, healing and selfdiscovery in her lyrics, singing “Might hurt, but I won’t hide / I know myself, I know I wasn’t / The only one that has been through what I have today.”

With an aching voice reminiscent of Lauryn Hill or Amy Winehouse, even her hopeful messages have an undertone of sorrow. This emotional current is supported by strong beats and

rhythmic guitar at the forefront of each song, likely the input of producer duo Damedame — comprised of Edith Nelson and Barbara Boko-Hyouyhat.

Smith refuses to submit to the new wave of disco popularized by Doja Cat and Dua Lipa, instead going back to her roots with an LP in shades of R&B, rap, pop, neo-soul and UK house.

Smith released the music video for title track and fourth single, “Falling or Flying,” on Aug. 30, along with the complete track list. Barebones visuals show Smith singing to the camera, metallic makeup illuminated by unique light sources in dark settings, conceptually emphasizing both solitude and independence.

In this vein, the lyrics “I could be fallin’ or flyin’ / I wouldn’t know the difference” imply the track — and the album — is an internal dialogue about her specific emotions, not a

ballad to generic passion.

The LP explores Smith’s experiences with love more than the concept of love itself, with relationships at the center of the album.

She creates a fusion of R&B and rave music in “Little Things,” a song about flirting with a crush at a party. The music video features a cameo by rapper Headie One and intercuts video of a couple dancing together with on-thestreet style interviews answering the question, “What do you find attractive in other people?,” a nod to the album’s theme of reflection.

In “Greatest Gift (feat. Lila Iké),”she slows it down to express her gratitude for a lover with “little wings,” singing “I promise to make sure you’ll never fall far from your grace,” incorporating the album’s namesake motifs.

Other tracks explore severed romantic connections. “GO GO GO” is her farewell to

someone who liked to “kiss and tell,” whom she couldn’t get to know on a deeper level. She regrets a relationship she now realizes was bad for her in “Broken is the Man,” but comments on the personal growth that can come from heartache in “Backwards.”

After Smith’s 2019 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, the 26-year-old appears to have found a more mature tone, neither rejoicing for nor mourning her early twenties but taking deep melodic dives into moments in time.

While “falling or flying” runs a gambit of emotions, perhaps that’s the point; in an interview with BET about the album, Smith said, “I want you to feel like you can dance or you can cry or you can laugh or think or feel. That’s all I ever want.”

jillianmoore2027@u.northwestern.edu

All Time Low’s four hour setlist does not dissapoint

By JAY DUGAR daily senior staffer @dugar_jay

When I found out Gym Class Heroes and All Time Low were playing a concert together, I knew I needed to be there — if nothing else to honor my middle school self. I studied the setlist for days, getting excited for the show. The artists and their two incredible openers did not disappoint.

I went to the Chicago leg of All Time Low’s “The Sound of Letting Go on Tour” at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom on Sept. 23. As expected, I thoroughly enjoyed the four-and-a-half-hour long experience, but what I didn’t expect was how interactive it ended up being.

And, what I really didn’t expect was for the artists to be pretty funny.

The show started at 6:30 p.m. with indie artist Lauran Hibberd. To be completely honest, I did not know who she was when I walked through the door, but Hibberd anticipated that and was a good sport. She played a set of seven songs (including a cover of Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” that the crowd very much enjoyed), making jokes periodically about how the crowd did not know who she was, but she was just happy to be there.

After a short gap, the second opener, Grayscale, came on stage. Going into the show, I only knew one of their songs but the set proved incredibly enjoyable anyways. The Pennsylvania-based band opened with “Not Afraid To Die,” their single released a few weeks ago and its first new song since 2021.

As much as the crowd seemed to enjoy Lauran Hibberd and Grayscale, the energy when Gym Class

Heroes came on was a level above. GCH opened its 45-minute set with “Kid Nothing and the NeverEnding Naked Nightmare,” and “Peace Sign/Index Down,” where lead singer Travie McCoy functionally taught the audience how to flip somebody off. Then came the time I’d been waiting for: All Time Low took the stage. ATL’s almost two-hour set was incredible, spanning 25 songs from nine albums across 15 years and featuring one Fall Out Boy cover.

My personal favorite songs performed were “Lost in Stereo,” “Dark Side of Your Room” and “Missing You,” (I swear, hearing that last one live would have made Jay from middle school so happy). But beyond the music, ATL put on an excellent show, having extremely high energy throughout the show and keeping the audience engaged with various interactive elements.

For example, the 19th song in the set, “The Irony of Choking on a Lifesaver,” was selected by the audience using a QR code featured on a screen by the stage.

(Of course, to maintain journalistic integrity, I did not vote … but this is the track I was hoping for). And, before playing the second song in the encore, guitarist Jack Barakat played five rounds of rock-paper-scissors with a random person in the audience. The audience member won and came on stage to press a button that “randomly” generated a song on the screen: “Coffee Shop Soundtrack.”

A few other moments made the show even more interesting — Barakat noticed the ceiling of Aragon Ballroom painted with stars and stopped the show to ask the crowd, “Are we outside right now? Sorry, the mushrooms are kicking in.”

A bit later in the show, Barakat was complaining about acid reflux and asked if anyone in the crowd had a Tums, taking a random pill that somebody tossed on stage. Lead singer Alex Gaskarth apologized for “getting old,” admitting (somewhat embarrassedly) that he’s 35.

All Time Low closed the first leg of its show with “Monsters,” originally featuring Demi Lovato and blackbear. But considering it hadn’t played its hit “Dear Maria, Count Me In,” yet, I knew the show wasn’t over. The performers returned a moment later for a fivetrack encore before closing with DMCMI and exiting the stage.

Even after making music for almost two decades and touring periodically, I was incredibly impressed with All Time Low’s performance. The performers played like seasoned experts while maintaining the excitement and fun you’d expect of rookies. I will definitely be attending its next tour, whenever it may be. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

jaydugar2025@u.northwestern.edu

arts & entertainment

Jay Dugar/Daily Senior Staffer

All Time Low lead guitarist Jack Backarat struts his stuff during the band’s headlining show at Aragon Ballroom on Sept. 23.

Editor Elena Hubert Assistant Editors Emily Lichty Mary Randolph

Design Editors Danny O’Grady Paloma Leone-Getten

Jay Dugar/Daily Senior Staffer

Gym Class Heroes lead singer Travie McCoy instructed the audience on flipping someone off during the song “Peace Sign/Index Down.”

Jay Dugar/Daily Senior Staffer

All Time Low lead singer Alex Gaskarth plays “Lost in Stereo,” a single from their third studio album

HOLLANDE

From page 1

approval rating plummeted into the single digits — one of the lowest approval ratings in modern French history.

According to Buffett Institute Executive Director Annelise Riles, the institute invited Hollande to speak in part because he championed the adoption of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals during his time as president. She said his extensive political experience made him “particularly well-suited” to deliver the lecture.

“Since the Buffett Institute is dedicated to bringing together students and scholars to address global challenges, we couldn’t imagine anyone better,” Riles said.

Prior to his Thursday lecture, Hollande discussed current political events with a group of NU undergraduate students on the Evanston campus.

Hania Daher, an exchange student from France, said speaking to Hollande in a small-group setting was engaging and thought-provoking.

“It was this amazing opportunity to sit so close to someone (and) to have a real interaction with someone who I see on TV,” Daher said. “It’s really amazing to have this really intimate interaction with him.”

delilahbrumer2027@u.northwestern.edu

STUDENT BODY

From page 1

prevention seriously enough, which I deeply respect and honor. So our effort this year was to update the piece to the contemporary needs and concerns of students.”

Both Sexual Health and Assault Peer Educators and Masculinity, Allyship, Reflection, Solidarity were involved in the feedback and design process of the production along with CARE, PAs and any students who wanted to participate as actors.

Zaleski said changes included centering the experiences of survivors and being more discerning and caring in the use of humor. She said having difficult conversations requires some access to joy, so incorporating lightness into the piece was a priority.

“I’ve been most relieved and satisfied to hear from survivors saying they felt much more seen and celebrated in the piece and that people had the experience of not just understanding sexual assault, but actually feeling and embodying it,” Zaleski said. “There’s something about art, storytelling, movement (and) people having real conflict on stage that helps us to have a kind of movement in our own hearts.”

Weinberg freshman Franke Gordon said he found the Student Body TND to be a helpful guide on resources available to students and how to have conversations about heavy or awkward topics.

Gordon said while he was slightly skeptical going

SKATERS

From page 1

throughout her entire life. But her hobby came to a halt during college because she “didn’t have a place to go.” However, she has been following the progress of the skate park at Twiggs Park through Evanston Skates’ Instagram account.

“I do feel like if there is this skate park, it will help so much to bring everyone together and also people will have a place to go instead of just being in the street,” Llamas said.

Llamas plans on jumping on her skateboard as soon as the park opens.

Weinberg sophomore Alan Medina said the surfaces around Evanston and NU’s campus are not very skater-friendly.

“There are a couple of hills or downward slopes in which we can do tricks and stuff,” Medina said. “But the fact that we have this new skate park makes (advanced skating) a lot more accessible to everybody.”

Herzig, Llamas and Medina hope the park will bring wheeled-sport enthusiasts together and create a central location for Evanston skaters.

“I think now (skaters) finally have a place that’s really for them,” Herzig said. “The city has been very considerate of the wants of the community and the skaters, and making it really like the best skate park it can be. So I think that really makes (us) feel included in the community.”

lilyogburn2026@u.northwestern.edu

into the performance, he would consider it a success.

“I thought it actually did a pretty good job of creating an engaging narrative,” Gordon said. “I didn’t know how they would be able to work the topic into a performance, but I would describe it as quite informative for what it was.”

ellajeffries2025@u.northwestern.edu

From page 1

everyone moved to their own beat as music cascaded over the streets.

Vendors lined up their tables along Orrington Avenue, which was closed for the event. Each sold unique goods, ranging from candles to art as popular songs such as “Cielito Lindo” played in the background.

5411 Empanadas, a gourmet empanada restaurant chain named after Argentina’s dialing code 5411, was one of the vendors.

Chicago resident Mariela Pineda, another vendor, attended on behalf of Mexican Elas — her business which sells Mexican goods transported from Mexico, ranging from fish-scale necklaces to wool gabanas.

She said she was surprised that people outside of Evanston’s Latine community were interested in her products. She felt delighted after a resident from France purchased a product from her.

“I feel very content,” said Pineda in an interview translated from Spanish. “I danced … I did well and I had a very good time.”

Representatives from Evanston Latinos and Evanston Pride were also in attendance.

A colorful star-shaped piñata hung down from a tree branch and swayed by the edge of

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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.

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DAILY SUDOKU

the street. A Mexican tradition, it swung with each hit from the long line of children waiting for their turn at bat.

Although this year marked the third Fiesta Hispana, the vendor lineup included many firsttime witnesses of a night full of cultural connection. Two of these first-time vendors included Pineda and another Chicago resident, Joyce Brown.

Brown, owner of a business called Joyfully, said she uses her background as a Mexican and a Native American when creating her array of products, laying out dreamcatchers among her purple display of handmade jewelry.

“I try to sell things that inspire me from my roots,” she said. “In this case, I sell dream catchers from Native American culture and when we have these events, I sell things that remind me of Mexican culture in bracelets or necklaces.”

She said the earrings are what sold the most in her jewelry collection. She looks forward to selling more during her time in Chicago and is planning to attend the event next year.

“I think it was wonderful that people were so nice … I think it’s beautiful they support the Latin culture,” said Brown.

The event concluded with a raffle for a basket, which included one item from each vendor.

micahsandy2026@u.northwestern.edu

DAILY CROSSWORD

Illustration by Shveta Shah

Hollande held office from 2012 to 2017.

Illustration by Shveta Shah SHAPE and MARS were involved in the feedback and design process of this year’s Student Body TND.

FIESTA

New AI “Ask a Wildcat” connects students, alumni

By SAMANTA HABASHY the daily northwestern @habashysam

AI-powered program ‘Ask A Wildcat’ is bringing students a new way to connect with Northwestern’s 80,000-person alumni network. The Austin J. Waldron Student-Alumni Connections Program partnered with artificial intelligence data company Protopia to provide a way for students to directly ask NU alumni for career advice.

The user-friendly interface launched the first week of Fall Quarter. The program asks a student to input a short headline, brief introduction, question for the alum and closing sentence.

Weinberg senior Mirabella Johnson is on the Student Council for the Waldron Connections Program. She was one of the program’s first testers over the summer.

“With AI being so new and pivotal in our era, (the program is) trying to hone in on that and use programming like that for the greater good,” Johnson said.

Students can ask any and all questions pertaining to academic or professional development, including advice on postgraduate pathways, building and growing a startup, to help with class projects or what to look for in an internship.

After submitting a question, AI will share the request with up to 25 of the most relevant alumni and connect the student and alum via email in three to ten business days. The submission page also provides students with a “cheat sheet” on how to follow up with alumni.

Johnson said she heard back from an alum within hours after submitting her question.

“Hearing from experiences of people who used to be in your shoes is really helpful, especially at a place like Northwestern,” she said. “Going forward, the program will definitely make it easier for students to do that without that awkward first conversation and puts you in contact with people who can kind of help you right away.”

Weinberg senior Lauren Malenfant joined the Waldron Connections Program’s Student Council last spring. The student council helps promote and moderate events hosted by the Waldron Connections Program, share resources with their peers and provide feedback on programs.

Malenfant, who studies economics and political science, asked the program: ‘How have your experiences at Northwestern helped prepare you for the career that you’re in now?’

“Within the next three or four days, I got three different responses all from people doing very different things,” Malenfant said. “I remember there was one from someone doing research in physics and someone else in sports management.”

Since 2013, The Waldron Connection Program has focused on supporting students with navigating and curating their interests by connecting them with alumni for career exploration.

The program hosts alumni panels, professional skills development workshops and on-site trips to Chicago.

School of Education and Social Policy sophomore Sara Pena Figueroa said she sees the program as particularly useful for students in SESP.

“My first thought is I would use it to look for possible career options, especially because SESP has a lot of variety depending on your concentration which are broad themselves,” Pena Figueroa said.

Cassie Petosky, director of alumni engagement and the Waldron Connections Program Program said she fostered a connection with

yearbook on CAESAR

Protopia over the last few years. She said the company approached her three years ago with an idea to use AI for community contribution purposes.

Petosky said Protopia’s AI model is not based on another generative model and is designed with the NU platform in mind, aiming to sustain the size of both the student body and the alumni network.

“I’m hoping that this is a tool that students know they can turn to when they have questions and don’t know who to ask,” Petosky said. samantahabashy2026@u.northwestern.edu

Illustration by June Woo

The program connects students with alumni via AI by asking a career or professional development question.

HOCKEY

NU sweeps weekend homestand, extends win streak

By ALEX CERVANTES daily senior staffer @cervantespalex

Deep into the fourth quarter against No. 15 Michigan, No. 3 Northwestern drew its 14th penalty corner of the game.

As sophomore back Maja Zivojnovic’s shot was blocked, the ball bounced toward senior midfielder Lauren Wadas.

“I was standing there ready for the pass just in case anything were to happen,” Wadas said. “But (the ball) came to me and I was like, ‘here’s the opportunity. It’s right there.’”

Wadas’ tomahawk shot flew past the outstretched Michigan goalkeeper and ricocheted off the post into the back of the cage. The Annville, Pennsylvania, native’s tally proved to be the lone point in Sunday’s contest, securing the 1-0

triumph for the Wildcats.

Although NU’s two games against its Great Lakes State opponents this weekend were polar opposite offensive displays, the ‘Cats emerged victorious in both. NU’s wins over Michigan State and Michigan maintained its perfect Big Ten record and nabbed the team’s 10th and 11th consecutive victories, extending the program’s first double-digit win streak since 1990.

“We’re really coming into our own,” coach Tracey Fuchs said. “We struggled a little bit scoring earlier in the season and our corner wasn’t quite where it needed to be because we lost some key players. Each day, we’re trying to get better and improve in those areas.”

Fuchs found her answer to the team’s corner dilemma in Zivojnovic, whose first season in Evanston was cut short after 11 games due to injury. Zivojnovic has replaced program legend and three-time All-American

VOLLEYBALL

Purdue, Michigan State defeated in volleyball

By PALOMA LEONE-GETTEN daily senior staffer @pleonegetten

After No. 17 Purdue decisively handled Northwestern in the first half of Sunday’s match, a loss seemed inevitable.

But from the first serve of the third set, the Wildcats (7-7, 1-3 Big Ten) attacked, keeping pace with the Boilermakers (8-5, 2-2 Big Ten) and ending the match with an upset win.

“It was a huge team effort and (there were) good contributions all around,” coach Shane Davis said.

The first set began with NU hanging tight. With the match tied at 11, Purdue aced the ‘Cats, leading to a 7-0 run for the Boilermakers and eventually a set win. In the second set, Purdue pulled ahead quickly and didn’t look back, winning the set 25-15.

But things began to turn around in the third set for Davis and company. The ‘Cats held tough with the Boilermakers, and with the set tied at 11, NU went on a five-point run. Purdue came back to tie the score 12 times before the ‘Cats won 27-25, thanks to graduate outside hitter Julia Sangiacomo’s eight kills.

“I think at some point — it might have been the end of the third set — Julia Sangiacomo comes up to me and says, ‘I can play all the way around,’” Davis said. “She’s been nursing an injury and coming back, and so if she wouldn’t have said that, I don’t know if we’d have made that adjustment just from a health standpoint.”

Led by Sangiacomo, NU took control of the game in the fourth set. Sophomore outside hitter Averie Hernandez and senior middle blocker Leilani Dodson contributed three kills each, adding to their match totals of 13 and nine, respectively. Aided by several Boilermaker errors, the ‘Cats won the set easily, 25-11.

NU was forced to play catch-up in the fifth after Purdue got off to an early lead. With an unstoppable Sangiacomo on the court, however, the ‘Cats tied the game at 11. A block and two more kills from Sangiacomo brought NU within one, allowing Hernandez to deliver the winning kill.

Senior setter Alexa Rousseau recorded a double-double with 46 assists and 16 digs, setting up the majority of Sangiacomo’s career-high 33 kills.

“She has a big presence but allows everyone else to also be good and help one another and be balanced,” Davis said.

This upset win came after a five-set loss

first team Bente Baekers as Fuchs’ go-to weapon on penalty corners.

Coming off her first career hat trick against Princeton, Zivojnovic tallied two goals against the Spartans on Friday — both of which came on penalty corners. The Dutch international student has adapted well to her new duty, Fuchs said.

“Her sweep, she can hit the ball, she can do everything,” Fuchs said of Zivojnovic. “Her shot is a little bit off the ground, which makes it really tough for opposing goalkeepers and defenders.”

Zivojnovic’s score in the second quarter against Michigan State opened up the floodgates for NU, which proceeded to record a seasonhigh six goals from five different goalscorers. A trio of freshmen — midfielder Ella Kokinis, forward Olivia Bent-Cole and back Ilse Tromp — joined Zivojnovic and graduate student midfielder Peyton Halsey on the scoresheet.

After losing one of the most acclaimed senior classes in program history, Fuchs lauded the trio for providing such immediate production since arriving in Evanston.

“We knew (Bent-Cole) would come in and really make a difference,” Fuchs said. “But to see how Ilse is really stepping up, taking the lead in the midfield and backfield. She might not have the stats, but she’s really communicating and is just a solid player who doesn’t lose the ball. And then Ella, I think she might have the goals per minute on the team. She’s really feisty, works hard and her skills are catching up to her speed.”

Even with momentum from the sixgoal effort against the Spartans, Fuchs and company knew the Wolverines would present a new challenge two days later, and a physical one at that.

Much like the game against Michigan State, NU was the aggressor in

FOOTBALL

to Michigan State on Friday. The ‘Cats fell to the Spartans (11-4, 3-1 Big Ten) in an almost three-hour game.

The match began with NU and Michigan State trading points. The ‘Cats pulled ahead after a couple of offensive moves from Rousseau, who recorded five kills alongside another double-double during the match. NU stayed in control for the rest of the set despite some service errors, winning 25-21.

“Something that we’ve got to do is improve on second and third serves,” Davis said. “We missed a lot of serves that killed our own runs.”

Set two remained close until Michigan State’s seven-point run, allowing it to pull ahead on kills from its standout outside hitter Taylah Holdem and attack errors by the ‘Cats. This momentum allowed the Spartans to win the set 25-20.

The third set was a battle featuring nine lead changes, 19 tied scores and a successful challenge on both sides of the net. But, with the set tied at 25, Michigan State pulled out a kill and an ace to win.

The ‘Cats rebounded in the fourth set, with Hernandez notching six kills, adding to her career-high 15-kill performance Friday. Kills from Sangiacomo, alongside four service errors from the Spartans, helped NU take the set 25-23.

“It was really nice to feel the trust from my teammates,” Hernandez said. “I feel like having this first opportunity to be able to do that, I just want to keep rolling.”

Set five began with a bang, as sophomore middle blocker Kennedy Hill recorded a solo block on the first point, one of her nine on Friday. However, the ‘Cats soon fell behind 7-13, and all seemed lost.

NU immediately went on a six-point run to tie the score at 13, helped along by kills from Hernandez and blocks by Hill and outside hitter Maddy Chinn. The ‘Cats seemed unstoppable until a block error and a bad set ended the match, with Michigan State winning the fifth set 15-13.

“I think we battled really well. We competed really well,” Rousseau said. “I think we had all week to practice what we wanted to come out and do against Michigan State, and I think for the most part, we executed that really well.”

NU will look to keep the momentum going against Michigan and Michigan State next weekend. palomaleone-getten2026@u.northwestern.edu

the clash with Michigan. The ‘Cats constantly threatened the Wolverine defense in Sunday’s affair, outshooting the visitors 25-4. But despite the frequent attacking forays, NU was unable to find a breakthrough after three-and-a-half quarters.

After 54 scoreless minutes, it was Wadas’ turn to play hero. The gamewinning score was Wadas’ first goal of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Riding the momentum of 11 straight victories, Wadas said the ‘Cats are taking it one game at a time.

“We’re all playing great,” Wadas said. “We’re not looking too far ahead. Obviously, we know our goals in the end: Big Ten championship and national championship. But we’re taking it one (conference) game at a time, so we’re 4-0 in the Big Ten now and looking forward to Iowa next week.”

alexcervantes2024@u.northwestern.edu

Special teams key to NU effort

By JAKE EPSTEIN daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

In the buildup to No. 6 Penn State’s Saturday trip to Ryan Field, Nittany Lions’ coach James Franklin turned down the music in University Park to simulate the environment his team would encounter at Northwestern.

Franklin backed his methods to reporters after his Wednesday practice, echoing that Northwestern’s stadium presents a challenging atmosphere to opposing teams — its silence speaks volumes loud enough to rattle an unacquainted visitor.

Despite the national chatter surrounding their opponents’ unique practices and their own razor slim odds, interim head coach David Braun and the Wildcats entered the game preaching their faith in one another.

“It’s just belief in our coaches and everybody in this program because, at the end of the day, our backs are against the wall — they have been for a while,” graduate student defensive lineman Richie Hagarty said. “We just have to lean on ourselves.”

The game’s end result, a 41-13 victory for the visitors, would’ve surprised very few before a ball was even snapped on Saturday. But with all the talk of stadium atmosphere, several young players vying for sustained playing time immediately set the first half’s tone.

Penn State’s phlegmatic preparation proved insufficient once senior kicker Jack Olsen’s opening kickoff bounced its way into Nittany Lions

running back Nicholas Singleton’s gloves. Hesitating for a moment, the return man looked downfield and prepared to make an opening impression on the game.

Instead, he collided with a crew of ‘Cats second-year special teamers, looking to make their own impact. Sophomore defensive back Robert Fitzgerald made initial contact with the runner, setting him up on a silver platter.

Right on schedule, sophomore linebacker Braydon Brus bulldozed into Singleton at the 11-yard line, jarring the ball loose. Keen to play cleanup duty, sophomore defensive back Braden Turner dove on the ball, setting NU up with pristine field position on the game’s first play.

A former three-star athlete unleashed a haymaker on a highlytouted, five-star recruit, embodying Braun’s belief that every player who puts on the pads serves a vital purpose –– regardless of their star status.

“We just need guys that love football, and there’s no greater reflection for how much you truly care about your team than your effort and energy that you put into special teams,” Braun said. “That’s the type of effort, energy, passion (and) selflessness that we need to continue to embody to get the results we’re looking for.”

That very effort and energy right off the opening kickoff — as students still filtered into the designated student section — forced the first Penn State turnover of the season.

While the offense wouldn’t fully capitalize off the takeaway to the tune of a touchdown — settling for a field goal — Olsen gave the ‘Cats their only

first quarter lead through five games. Hagarty said after an emotional comeback victory last week, the special teams’ effort gave NU a much-needed spark of momentum.

That momentum carried over to the team’s ensuing defensive drive, where quarterback Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions’ drive stalled out with a punt after six plays. Carrying a bend-don’t-break mentality, NU capped 30 minutes of football tied 10-10 against a heavily-favored foe.

Although Penn State pulled away in a second-half performance befitting the No. 6 team in the country, Braun and company kept an explosive offense at bay for far longer than expected, as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference struggled to find his footing early.

Franklin’s squad set out to tackle an environment far different from the sellout stands of Beaver Stadium, but the ‘Cats and their half-capacity crowd gave the Nittany Lions a first half to forget, made possible by effort on NU’s special teams.

And make no mistake –– Franklin’s actions and words rang loud in Braun’s ears, as the latter directly addressed the Nittany Lion coach’s comments in his postgame press conference.

“I saw a group of energized fans in that first half, and I see a football program that’s trending in the right direction,” Braun said. “New stadium and a lot of awesome stuff to get behind — I look forward to inviting coach Franklin and Penn State back into Ryan Field and seeing what type of environment we can create for him next time.”

jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

FIELD

Daily file photo by Angeli Mittal Sophomore defensive back Braden Turner dives on a loose ball against Penn State on Saturday. After Turner recovered sophomore linebacker Brayden Brus’ forced fumble, the ‘Cats took a 3-0 lead.