The DePaulia 5.15.23

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‘This is me being a performance artist day to day’:

look into artist, professor Brother Mark Elder

3,534 students, as of 2021, are enrolled in the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM).

27% of the 2021 freshman student body are enrolled in the CDM.

2,358 students from 2021 are enrolled in the College of Science and Health.

13 staff members are employed in the College of Science and Health office of advising and student services.

CDM students frustrated over abrupt loss of academic advisors

By Samantha Moilanen Asst.

DePaul students began registering for summer and fall classes toward the end of April, leading many to seek assistance from their academic advisors for creating schedules that bring them closer to graduation.

Tabitha Randklev, a sophomore studying film in the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM), relies heavily on her advisor for help registering for classes. However, when she reached out to her former academic advisor, Veronica Dillard, with questions about summer classes, her email bounced back, with a message saying Dillard’s email no longer existed in the DePaul system.

“I can’t find my advisor anywhere on the DePaul website anymore,” Randklev said.

Randklev’s experience is not unique for film and animation students at DePaul this quarter.

Lauren, a DePaul student studying film and television, who requested The DePaulia only use her first name, said she received an email from her former advisor, Sarah Finck, in February saying she will be leaving her advising position at the end of winter quarter.

After Lauren went to the CDM advising website to learn who to contact with scheduling questions, she then discovered students were being directed to their faculty advisors for further assistance.

“Students in the following majors should use their assigned faculty advisor as the primary point of contact for all advising related needs. Animation (BA/BFA/MA/ MFA), Creative Producing (MFA), Documentary (MFA), Film & Television (BA/ BFA/MS/MFA), Screenwriting (MFA),” a statement on the CDM advising staff page reads.

CDM is one of the only colleges that offers both faculty and staff advisors.

According to the CDM advising page, academic advisors assist students with “progression toward degree completion, navigating university technology and resources, course selection and registration issues, and many other things.” On the other hand, faculty advisors are experts in the field a student is pursuing and mainly help students

choose programs and classes that cater to their chosen career.

Lauren said Finck advised her to utilize her faculty advisor until she is assigned a new academic advisor. However, as of now, she said she has not been assigned a new advisor.

According to Theresa Steinbach, the associate dean for the CDM, two academic advisors left the college during winter quarter, followed by another just two weeks ago.

Of the three former advisors, Finck and Becca Berkshire left CDM for positions in the College of Science and Health (CSH), and Dillard no longer works at DePaul. All three advisors did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The DePaulia.

Since the advisors left their positions, only four academic advisors remain in CDM, despite the college containing the highest undergraduate enrollment of any college at DePaul. According to the university’s most recent enrollment data from 2021, of the 14,294 undergraduate students enrolled, 3,534 were in CDM. The college also enrolled the largest proportion of freshmen at 27%.

Even though CSH only enrolled 2,358 students in 2021, the college has 13 staff members employed in the office of advising and student services.

Steinbach said she believes CDM lost some of its advisors because they “have a very flat organizational structure at CDM.”

She said staff advisors in CDM often lack upward mobility because there are not many possibilities for promotions. Whereas in CSH, there are director and senior advising positions that current staff members have the option to apply for if they are looking to advance. Steinbach also said the advisors could have left because of increased workload, due to the college’s growing enrollment in recent years.

“You could be there forever and still be titled as an advisor…but we're working on changing that so we don't lose good employees, because they have nowhere to go,” Steinbach said.

All three of the former advisors primarily worked with students in the School of Cinematic Arts which means film and television and animation students are primarily being affected, Steinbach said.

“I’ve heard a lot of students talking about having issues reaching advisors and getting problems resolved [or] questions answered,” Lauren said.

Lauren said many students in CDM believe there was a lack of communication that could have been avoided.

“A lot of these students aren’t even aware that they no longer have an academic advisor and are having their emails bounced back or simply not responded to at all,” Lauren said. “DePaul didn’t communicate…and it is causing a lot of issues, especially with it being mid-spring quarter.

However, Steinbach said the advising team is working to assist students the best they can until they fill the vacant positions. Steinbach said although they have three new advisors for film and animation students starting in May, it will take time to train them so they’re ready for the next academic year.

“There's been a delay in service that they're not used to because you know, we're usually right on spot with getting back to students,” Steinbach said.

According to Steinbach, while CDM faculty advisors are working to accommodate student’s needs, they only have three hours of advising a week, whereas, academic advisors typically advise for 35 hours a week.

Randklev said she never would have known Dillard did not work for DePaul anymore if she had not tried contacting her for advising assistance.

“DePaul never sent me any kind of email about it, [but] she’s still listed on my Campus Connect as my advisor,” Randklev said. “I wouldn’t have found out about this unless I had tried to email her and didn’t hear back.”

CDM students expressed a lack of communication during this transition period. Randklev said she wishes there had been more communication, especially since it is spring quarter where students utilize their advisors more so than usual.

“It’s crazy how there are hundreds of people at DePaul who just don’t have an academic advisor, and DePaul hasn’t actually said anything about it,” Randklev said.

ERIN HENZE | THE DEPAULIA

The Jarvis CDM graduate admissions office and academic success center located in the DePaul Center. Recently, three academic advisors for CDM transfered or left their positions at the university.

News Editor

John Milbauer appointed School of Music dean

By Kiersten Riedford News Editor

John Milbauer will serve as the DePaul School of Music dean beginning July 1, according to Newsline.

Milbauer, appointed to the position by DePaul Provost Salma Ghanem, is currently serving as the associate dean for faculty affairs in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona.

He is also a Steinway Artist — a title created by Steinway & Sons that names “only the best pianists of his or her time” and gives them their own Steinway piano to perform on — and has “recently performed in China, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland and Japan as well as throughout the United States,” according to the University of Arizona.

Newsline highlighted that Ghanem chose Milbauer for his background in leadership regarding “diversity, equity and inclusion, mission-driven development, and strategic planning.” His work “managing retention, promotion and tenure processes for over 150 faculty, including mentoring faculty in purpose-driven career development” at the University of Arizona made a top choice as well, according to Newsline.

Ghanem said Milbauer’s passion for music education and his background in leadership in arts education made him an ideal candidate for the role.

“He also brings an impressive background in public administration and management that, combined with his other strengths, will be helpful in achieving the School of Music’s goals over the coming

years,” Ghanem told Newsline. Milbauer told Newsline that he is thrilled and honored to serve as dean of the School of Music.

“[DePaul is] an institution clearly poised for growth,” Milbauer said. “By centering imagination in our work, by exploring the intersection of access and excellence, and by developing a culture of artist-citizens who are endlessly curious about their engagement with society, we have the potential to lead the advance ment of the musical arts in a more just world.”

Milbauer told Newsline and the dean search selection committee that he will work to “propel the School of Music for ward through strategic visioning and pri orities built on the school’s existing ex cellence, develop financial opportunities for increased funding support for schol arships and be a dedicated advocate for attracting top student talent.”

He said he is “a tireless supporter of diversity, equity, inclusion and social jus tice” and shows it by supporting many diversity, equity and inclusion initia tives and finding new ways to promote inclusivity and being more welcoming to students, faculty, staff and School of Music supporters.

Since November 2022, Dana Hall has been serving as the School of Mu sic’s interim dean. He will continue to serve in this role until June 30.

“During his time as interim dean, Dana has done a remarkable job lead ing the School of Music since his ap pointment,” Ghanem said. “Having been a student, faculty member and

Center 333 South State St.

administrator in the School of Music since 2002, he has been a stabilizing force for the school during this time of transition, and I thank him for his work.”

With Milbauer’s appointment, the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media remains the sole college at DePaul to remain deanless.

University removes Covid-19 vaccine requirement

By Kiersten Riedford News Editor

DePaul is no longer requiring students, faculty and staff to receive a Covid-19 vaccine as of May 12.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced that May 11 was the end date of Covid-19 being a public health emergency. Currently, Covid-19 is the fourth-leading cause of death in the U. S., according to the National Vital Statistics System.

Like DePaul, Northwestern University and Loyola University Chicago changed their Covid-19 vaccine requirements following city guidelines. University of Illinois Chicago has not yet declared if they will not be requiring the Covid-19 vaccination next academic year.

Some students are in favor of the vaccine requirement going away, but those who are immunocompromised and some faculty members expressed concern about the vaccine not being required to attend classes.

Craig Klugman, a St. Vincent de Paul professor of bioethics and health humanities, said he is nervous about the requirement being removed because there may be many unvaccinated students in an enclosed room for long periods of time. He said this worries him because many of his students do not wear masks anymore.

In the fall, Klugman estimated about 40% of his students were wearing masks. As of now, only he estimates 5% of students wear masks in class. He said of his four classes, he and one other student are the only people wearing masks during sessions.

“The emergency is over, as of Thursday, according to the federal government,” Klugman said. “So what that means really is that our hospitals and our medical system are not being overwhelmed with patients. … Today we have medications, we have an understanding of the disease, we have vaccines. And so the emergency is over, but that doesn't mean the pandemic is over.”

Emmaeilin “Emma” Salgado-Diaz, a junior in the College of Communication, said when removing this requirement, the university should make sure to not diminish the concerns of the immunocompromised population on campus.

“I think DePaul has the right to remove something they no longer feel is necessary, but that doesn’t mean it is vital for other people’s lives,” Salgado-Diaz said. “I think it’s all too soon if I’m being quite frank.”

Cheryl Hover, DePaul’s assistant director of emergency management and Community Health committee member, said DePaul is ending their vaccination requirement in alignment with the city ending its vaccination requirement.

She said many universities in neighboring states ended their Covid-19 vaccination requirements at the end of the 2021-22 academic year. DePaul continued its vaccination requirement because Illinois required higher education students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated until May 11.

Hover said that despite the requirement ending, DePaul is encouraging the university population to continue to get vaccinated and stay current with Covid-19 booster shots.

“We did a clinic earlier this year for both COVID and flu shots,” Hover said. “Hopefully, we can do that again. So any student who's on campus, [the clinics] will make it convenient for them [to get vaccinated]. But of course, go where it's convenient for you.”

The Center for Disease Control and Pre-

Illinois to be first state to withhold funding from public institutions banning books

By Una Cleary Focus Editor

Illinois is set to become the first state to sign legislation that would withhold funding from public institutions that ban books.

Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to sign House Bill 2789 after it passed in the Illinois Senate on May 3. If signed into law, it will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

This law will make it possible to withhold state funding from any of Illinois’ 1,600 public or school libraries if they remove books from their shelves. Currently, libraries across Illinois receive around $62 million in state funding each year, according to Giannoulias’ office.

The bill is being heavily debated among political party members.

Newly elected Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has led the measure in opposition to the national movement to take

away books on topics regarding sexuality, race and gender in libraries and schools across the U.S.

The number of challenged and banned book titles increased by 40% in 2021, according to data released by the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom with a record 2,500 banned books in 2022.

Laws that have made it easier to remove books from public institutions are more prevalent in states such as Texas, Pennsylvania and Florida, making up for 87% of the countries' banned books, according to an April report from PEN America.

The bill requires libraries to adopt the American Library Association’s Library of Bill Rights or create a statement supporting the bill to be eligible for state funding. It also requires libraries to develop an anti-censorship policy or statement.

In opposition, Republican lawmakers have stated that book banning is to con-

vention (CDC) claims that only about 27% of the U.S. population has received the most recent bivalent booster shot. Klugman said the original Covid-19 shot is no longer able to help with many of the mutated coronavirus strands.

“Essentially, if you haven't had the bivalent booster, you are not very well protected,” Klugman said.

Another aspect of the university’s decision was because the last major outbreak of Covid-19 on campus was in January 2022, according to Hover.

Klugman said he will continue to mask while teaching, but he is mainly relying on DePaul’s upgrades to the ventilation systems to keep him and his students safe.

“Scientifically, it is not as effective,” Klugman said.

Klugman said that overall, the DePaul Community Health committee has been transparent with the university about their decision to remove the Covid-19 vaccine requirement. The committee is made up of peo-

ple in administration, Public Safety, health services representatives, faculty representatives, student representatives and staff representatives.

“None of this has been done in a vacuum,” Klugman said. “I think people have been very transparent.”

Klugman said to make sure to respect the people in the DePaul community. He said “if somebody asks you to wear a mask, please wear a mask,” continue being flexible and listen to science-based answers, not misinformation.

“At the end of the day, you have a choice,” Salgado-Diaz said. “But make sure that you’re not only thinking of yourself.”

Hover said DePaul will continue to offer students free Covid-19 rapid tests until Friday, June 9. The tests are available in Lincoln Park Student Center Room 302 and DePaul Center Suite 11016. After June 9, students will be asked to speak with their healthcare and insurance providers for any testing needs.

JEFF CARRION | DEPAUL UNIVERSITY

A DePaul student receives the Covid-19 vaccine at a clinic in the Lincoln Park Student Center in 2021. DePaul no longer has a vaccine mandate.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS

A display of challenged or banned books in the youth services department of the Lansing Public Library. The reason why each book is being banned or challenged is attached to the book's cover.

tain age-appropriate books, according to NPR.

Republican Sen. Jason Plummer said the legislation is an example of

Democrats “pushing an ideology on Illinois citizens, regardless of where they live or what they believe in,” according to POLITICO.

Supreme Court halts Illinois assault weapons ban

By Samantha Moilanen Asst. News Editor

In January, Gov. JB Pritzker signed an Illinois assault weapons ban into law making it illegal to possess or distribute assault weapons and high capacity magazines in the state.

Now, four months later, the plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the ban have appealed rulings allowing the bill to stand in the Supreme Court where it is currently being evaluated by Justice Amy Coney Barrett. The case is being heard in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

The law came in response to the deadly Highland Park shooting last July where a gunman openly fired with an assault rifle at the parade. The assault weapons ban prohibits the manufacture, distribution and possession of more than 190 types of assault rifles as well as large-capacity magazines like the one used in the Highland Park shooting that enabled the shooter to fire off more than 70 rounds in a few minutes.

Immediately after the ban known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA) was signed into law, gun owners across Illinois filed motions to halt the ban on the claim that it violates the second amendment.

Robert Bevis, a gun shop owner in Naperville challenged the state law under this precedent, but according to reporting by

ABC7 Chicago, Bevis has since failed to persuade federal judges in Chicago of his case. He has now asked the Supreme Court for an injunction that will temporarily halt enforcement of the ban until his case is heard.

Barrett is evaluating the legislation to determine whether she will issue a temporary stay on the ban until the court can evaluate its merit. According to federal law, an injunction can be issued in the Supreme Court if a justice deems there is a likelihood the case may be successful.

On May 1, Barrett requested more information from the state and Chicago before she proceeds with a decision.

Last week, the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Action Committee (G-PAC) filed an amicus brief in support of the ban. However, the National Association for Gun Rights continues to pursue its overturn.

Earlier this year, plaintiffs in the case made a substantial stride when the United States District Court judge Stephen McGlynn temporarily blocked enforcement of the ban. McGlynn’s decision came a week after Lindsay Jenkins, a federal judge in the Northern District of Illinois, denied a motion to halt enforcement of the ban.

It is up to Barrett to decide whether to halt the ban until the case is heard by the Supreme Court.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett will rule whether to temporarily halt the enforcement of the assault weapons ban in Illinois after Robert Bevis, a gun shop owner asked for an injunction.

SGA term ends, newly elected members are sworn in

By Kiersten Riedford News Editor

The Student Government Association (SGA) 2022-23 administration closed their term during Thursday’s meeting.

The 20 newly elected SGA members were sworn in by Kevin Holechko, SGA 2022-23 president. Parveen Mundi, SGA’s president for the 2023-24 academic year, and Avery Schoenhals, SGA 2023-24 vice president, said they can tell the elected members are people who are wanting to get started on their work as soon as possible.

“It was so nice to see all of the newly elected and returning senators, especially those who supported me during the campaign season,” Mundi said. “Some people even stayed and chatted with me about initiatives afterward. The group seems ready to get started.”

While the inauguration of the newly elected members was the top of the to-do list for the meeting agenda, many of the members, new and old, were captivated by the outgoing members’ parting speeches.

The departing members addressed speeches to the crowd of members expressing gratitude for all the support they received from SGA members.

Holechko thanked Cathryn Dardon, SGA 2022-23 executive secretary, for her support throughout the year. Holechko said the people in SGA pushed him to continue his work, even in the moments when he was on the verge of quitting.

“Dedicating your life to four years of something you love a lot and to leave it behind, it's a lot,” Holechko said. “But I take comfort in knowing that the group that will be taking over, they're going to be [able] to take the change that we've created in this last year and continue on with that.”

Magoli Garcia, SGA 2022-23 vice president, said in her speech that she has confidence in the new president and vice presidents of SGA. She said she knows Mundi and Schoenhals will go on to do great things.

“I have a lot of confidence in the new administration,” Garcia said. “This next year, [the members are] going to be more receptive. I'm going to be supporting them every step of the way.”

Kellen Brown, SGA 2022-23 chief of staff, said even though he knows the next administration will continue to create change at the university, he is proud of the accomplishments his cabinet and administration have achieved this year.

“[The achievement I am the most proud of is] definitely the intercampus shuttle,” Brown said. “The thing that was kind of unacceptable [was] that we still hadn't had one up until the point that we did. It's made a critical difference in terms of getting students off of public transit at times that they shouldn't be on it.”

Garcia said she is the most proud of her and her administration’s work with the Jewish community.

“We were preparing for how we wanted to approach the situation and how to rebuild that relationship with the community here at DePaul over the summer and as soon as fall quarter hit and we had those conversations,” Garcia said. “To me, that's what true advocacy is — meeting with them and trying to understand what they like [and] what their needs are trying to guess.”

Holechko said he is most proud of how SGA’s culture has changed this past year.

“Coming into it, it was a very, in my opinion, elitist type of vibe,” Holechko said. “I'm really proud that in the two years that I was really one of the two lead officers of the group, we've really established a culture of service to something greater than our-

selves.”

He also noted that while he was running for SGA president, the student voter turnout was not great, it is “clear that in the year that I did lead this organization, we made an impact on the student body's experience.” The student voter turnout tripled in the 2023-24 SGA elections, the highest it has been since 2017.

Holechko said he is proud that SGA has been more actively playing a role in students’ day-to-day life, but he warned the new administration that they cannot be interested in changing the university for their own self benefit.

“You can try and change all the things you want in an organization or across the university,” Holechko said. “But if the group itself is rotten at the core, you're not going to accomplish very much. I'm very proud that in these last two years, I've led a student government that has been focused on service to the student body in the institution, rather than serving itself.”

Holechko said his last address to the student body is that he appreciates the students putting their trust in him to lead.

To the newly elected senators, he said there is nothing more rewarding than seeing their work impact peoples’ lives.

“It was fun,” Holechko said. “And that's why I went into this. But realizing that it was something way bigger than yourself and you had a true opportunity to help people who weren't in the position to help themselves, there's nothing more rewarding.”

Mundi said she and Schoenhals want to be involved with many on campus organizations. She said students can invite her, Schoenhals and the SGA Cabinet to events at any time during the academic year.

“I can't guarantee I'm always available,” Mundi said. “But I'm always happy to encourage SGA members to stop by and support student-led efforts.”

SGA will not meet for an official meeting again until the next academic year begins in September. Students wishing to connect with an SGA representative can reach

via email to

KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA

Kevin Hoelchko, SGA 2022-23 president and senior, tears up while delivering his parting speech.

out

sga@depaul.edu.

KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA

(Left) Parveen Mundi, SGA 2023-24 president, and Avery Schoenhals, SGA 2023-24 vice president, are sworn into their positions on May 11.

KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA

(Right) Nicole Dizon, SGA Senator for Veteran Students, greets Sai Srujan Simhadri, SGA 2023-24 Senator for International Students, at Thursday's meeting during the 15-minute introduction portion.

EARN IT Act ignites debate over how social media should handle data, crime

By Olivia Zimmerman

The Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies (EARN IT) Act, was reintroduced into the Senate Judiciary Committee for the third time. While some groups such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) support the legislation, other groups, including DePaul’s Spectrum organization and the ACLU have voiced concerns.

EARN IT changes how federal law views and regulates the prevention of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The Act has four main goals.

It seeks to establish the National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention that will create guidelines on how social media companies should operate in regards to child safety.

It will limit the liability protections, allowing survivors of CSAM online to pursue lawsuits against social media companies.

It changes the language in federal documents from “child pornography” to “child sexual abuse material” (CSAM).

It will change the reporting requirements for CSAM on social media platforms, meaning that companies will have to provide much more detailed information “sufficient to identify and locate each minor and each involved individual” and retain records for longer.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children endorsed the bill, according to Yiota Souras, the chief legal officer for NCMEC. Souras said that the U.S. is an outlier in waiting so long for the terminology change.

“The U.S. is very far behind the rest of the world,” Souras said. “Most other countries moved away from child pornography to

Four main goals of the EARN IT Act

CSAM.”

However, for the second goal in particular, this is “merely a word change, not a policy change,” Souras said.

The ACLU has come out against the proposed legislation all three times it has been voted on, largely because of privacy concerns.

State-specific ACLU branches are leaving this issue up to the national organization, according to Ed Yohnka, ACLU Illinois Director of Communications and Public Policy.

“Our national office has led the charge on this issue,” Yohnka said.

In their May 3 letter to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the ACLU voiced concerns over free speech, privacy and security.

Laying out specific ways that this bill would harm consumers, Yohnka said that “they incentivize platforms to monitor and censor their users’ speech and interfere with content moderation decisions. Second, they disincentivize platforms from providing end-to-end encrypted communications services, exposing the public to abusive commercial and government surveillance practices and as a result, dissuading people from communicating with each other electronically about everything from health care decisions to business transactions. And third, they expand warrantless government access to private data.”

A concern of this bill is that it would remove all sexual-related content from social media, even if it is not harmful, according to the ACLU.

This could potentially affect the LGBTQ+ community in particular, a community that has seen more and more legislation against them, according to a letter

1. Seeks to establish the National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention that will create guidelines on how social media companies should operate in regards to child safety.

2. Limits liability protections, allowing survivors of CSAM online to pursue lawsuits against social media companies.

3. Changes the language in federal documents from “child pornography” to “child sexual abuse material” (CSAM).

4. Changes the reporting requirements for CSAM on social media platforms. Companies will have to provide information

“sufficient to identify and locate each minor and each involved individual,” and retain records for longer.

SOURCE | CONGRESS

signed by over 60 privacy and civil rights organizations, including GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, and the American Library Association.

It often takes a shallow dive into local school boards to see that any content regarding sexuality and gender being deemed by some as grooming or predatory behavior.

“I think there’s always a relationship between the idea of protecting children and banishing the LGBTQ+ community,” said DePaul Spectrum president Leena Jare. “Online privacy is a big concern to LGBTQ+ people [who may] fear getting outed.”

However, Souras believes that this will

not be the case.

“The definition of CSAM is very graphic,” Souras said.

According to Souras, the threshold for CSAM is a high standard, so it will not treat teenagers creating art online or LGBTQ+ adults and children exploring sexuality as CSAM.

However, some believe the U.S. code for what constitutes this material is broad. The current definition of child pornography is “any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor (someone under 18 years of age),” according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Judiciary Committee has yet to vote on it.

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE |

(Left) Sen. Chuck Grassley is greeted by Sen. Lindsey Graham as the panel holds a hearing at the Capitol about criticisms of the ethical practices of some Supreme Court justices in Washington on May 2.

Staff Writer

Nation & World

Bharat: Soon to be the world’s most populous country

By Siona Chibber Staff Writer

With its population climbing every day, India will usurp China’s position as the most populous country, a position that China held for decades. Comparatively, China’s population has been declining this year as well. The UN proposed that India would surpass China’s population by April 2023. India’s demographic is changing alongside its neighborhooding country due to various factors from within the nation. China’s One-Child Policy, which was only recently abandoned as of 2016, left a lasting impact on the country’s population and economy.

The Hindustani population at 1.210 billion and the Chinese population at 1.345 billion, as of 2011, have both affected the environment within their countries contrastively. With China, a vast majority of its overpopulated demographic consists of an older community and in India, it is quite the opposite. Its immense population consists of young people around the age of 25 according to CNN. These contrasting communities impact the nations differently economically, socially and politically.

What does it mean when media reports tell the public that India’s population is continuously increasing?

“It is not technically exponentially increasing, but rather increasing at a declining rate,” said Dr. Jessica Polos, demographer and professor in public health at DePaul. “There is a demographic phenomenon called population momentum in which a population continues to grow even as the total fertility rate is at or below replacement.”

Many individuals’ immediate thoughts are that overpopulation is bad and inevitable. When looking at the possible solution that was created for China’s dense population, regarding the OneChild Policy, it was negatively viewed worldwide. Several Chinese citizens and others around the world came to see the inferior impacts of this government implemented plan for its nation. This leads people to wonder how this issue could be addressed, if at all, moving forward.

“Having a young population, which is educated of a working age, is a huge

boost to the economy of any country. In India’s case, it is also a challenge because the youth are going to need education and health resources,” said Shailja Sharma, professor of Refugee and Forced Migration Studies. “They are currently at a demographic advantage and need to take advantage of it or it could become disastrous for the country.”

The lack of media coverage from government and political figures on the population matter is another factor. Some actions are being implemented upon but are not enough to tackle this issue longterm. With this in mind, the subject being discussed is not communicated to the public and the Indian majority is kept out of the loop.

“India’s government has done some things like privatizing higher education, liberalizing business rules, etc., but that is not enough. More transparency about planning for the ‘youth bulge’ needs to be had,” Sharma said.

Overpopulation can be deemed difficult for this developing nation should issues remain unaddressed.

“Having too many people can lead to scarcity of resources, increased pollution, overcrowding in cities, and a congested job market,” said Ayeshna Desai, University of Southern California Public Health and Human Sciences Graduate.

“These are already ongoing issues facing this country. With these factors in mind, it doesn’t leave much room for entry level

personnel and younger folk.”

With focus on the younger community, resources given to this demographic directly pertain to the climate of its country, economically.

“In regions like Uttar Pradesh, where educational and job resources are few, we see young people turn to extremist politics and vigilantism. This is the flip side of population growth: a lost generation without adequate education or jobs,” Sharma said.

There are several possible solutions to tackle this issue for this nation, as well as other countries with dense populations. The One-Child Policy was one outcome that did not serve in favor of the Chinese people and their economy longterm. To avoid another situation such as that through a harmful program, the following experts suggested other, more beneficial, suggestions.

Polos shared insight on other types of programs to those who believe overpopulation only has negative implications.

“There has been debate on whether family planning programs should be pushed to reduce family fertility rates,” Polos said. “What needs to be considered in this case, is reproductive justice. What we know is that government control of reproduction has historically led to human rights violations’ as well as problematic demographic patterns.”

What was not heavily considered by the Chinese government was the psycho-

logical and physical effects of its policy on the women who had to carry and birth the future generations of China.

“Broad patterns suggest that strong economic development has been associated with fertility declines in India over the last 75 years,” Polos said. “While policies making family planning services accessible to all those who want them are in line with reproductive justice aims, policies that seek to constrain reproductive choice are not.”

The reproductive aspect of overpopulation is one possible outcome. Another answer is aimed towards the financial components for the citizens who wish to have multiple children.

“One potential offering for these people are through financial incentives for those who have less children or those who choose to only have one child. Safe sex practices and increased access to contraceptives are another potential preventative measure,” Desai said.

The above are examples of safeguards to prevent overpopulation, but another way to tackle the problem is to reduce the congestion population of a nation altogether.

“To continue on with this concept of incentives for citizens, rather than punishing them,” Desai said, “giving people financial motives to move out of major cities and into more rural areas not only help to disperse the overall population, but create a plethora of job opportunities as well. This in turn, allows for economic growth, especially when we’re putting emphasis on the younger generations.”

Having a nation in the top spot places social and political awareness on the impact of a growing people, can encourage other nations to reevaluate and reassess this issue entirely.

“If planned carefully, a young population can be advantageous in our current world. India needs to diversify its economy, set up migration or guest worker treaties with aging countries, as well as develop non-metro areas to spread the wealth,” Sharma said. “Overall, this growing population trend won’t last more than twenty years or so. This could be a boom or a bust, depending on how it’s handled.”

YÙ YÙ BLUE | THE DEPAULIA

RUCHI NAWATHE | THE DEPAULIA | SOURCE: MACROTRENDS

Tragedy in Allen, Texas continues to ignite gun control debate

By Lucia Preziosi Contributing Writer

Eight victims. A dead gunman. Yet another point on the exhausted list of gun related tragedies that is only growing larger, as a shopping center in Allen, Texas becomes the most recent target of a mass shooting on May 8.

The Allen shooting asserted itself in a haunting ranking, with data from the Gun Violence Archive concluding the outlet mall shooting marks the second-deadliest mass shooting thus far of 2023.

Occurring just a week after the Cleveland, Texas shooting in which five people were killed and less than a year after the Uvalde tragedy, Texas is yet again rattled by a mass shooting.

For DePaul students who call Texas home, the recent events only further ignited frustration about a lack of action on part of Texas politicians.

Avery Schoenhals, a sophomore at DePaul, and Student Government Association vice president-elect, is originally from Southlake, Texas, a suburb 30 miles from the shopping center in Allen.

“It’s incredibly frustrating to see how politicians on both sides of the aisle have responded to the gun violence crisis in our country, and in Texas,” Schoenhals said. “Seeing the responses from Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz, it’s easy to feel really disappointed in my home state.”

Both Gov. Abbott and Sen. Cruz vehemently opposes any further restrictions on guns, resulting in a lack of substantive policy towards the gun violence issue.

Other DePaul students, such as Nick Kolasinski, a graduate student and president of the DePaul Rifle and Pistol club, surround themselves with a different rhetoric on the debate of gun violence.

“I personally believe that we live in a very unhealthy society and that an increase in violence across the board is a natural occurrence of that,” Kolasinski said. “It would be better for both sides to embrace that the Second Amendment is here to stay, as are all the weapons.”

A disconnect between the government and the people of Texas becomes apparent, as a July statewide study from the University of Texas at Austin finds that 52 percent of Texans support stronger gun safety laws.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, remains concrete in his stance towards gun control, deciding to stray further away from adopting more progressive policies on firearms by doing away with former laws.

As of June 17, 2021, handgun owners in Texas no longer need a permit to carry their guns, through House Bill 1927.

Texas has notoriously opened up the market to younger buyers. 18 year olds can possess and purchase guns ranging from handguns to automatic rifles.

A momentous movement enacted by parents of Uvalde victims, gun control advocates and bipartisan members of the Texas House set out to raise the age limit

to purchase an AR-style weapon to 21.

Despite the advancement of the legislation following the deadly events in Allen last week, which was met with rare bipartisan support, the bill remains off the House floor.

Abbott has notoriously embraced a hands-off approach to gun control, stating his focus remains on what he identifies as the “root cause” of gun violence, being mental health issues, which he expressed on Fox News following the events in Allen.

“The next step for the state of Texas is partisan rhetoric,” Kolasinski said.

Craig Klugman, a professor of bioethics and health humanities at DePaul, expressed worry about addressing gun violence through a mental health approach.

“It is not mental illness that has led to a mass shooting epidemic,” Klugman said. “Otherwise other countries would be experiencing it too.”

Normalization of such events also poses a roadblock to addressing the true issue at hand, according to Klugman.

“Gun violence is the leading cause of death in children,” Klugman said. ‘We can’t normalize this, that is No. 1.”

Pew Research Center reveals gun deaths amongst children in the U.S. saw a 50 percent spike from 2019 to 2021.

College students who grew up in an era where mass shootings have become a common event are fighting off the pattern of normalization as well.

“I saw the new PSA that the FBI released about how to survive a mass shooting and thought, ‘no other comparable country has to live like this,’” Schoenhals said.

Looking back on the Uvalde shooting, 19 young children’s lives were taken by extreme gun violence. Of the victims in Allen, three were young children attending the mall with their parents.

“We sell backpacks and jackets that are bulletproof for elementary school kids, that’s crazy,” Klugman said. “The answer isn’t bulletproof clothing, it’s ‘let’s not have the guns in the hands of the average person.’”

The former leading cause of death in children, motor vehicle crashes, lost its top spot to firearm deaths in 2020,

according to the National Institute of Health.

In the explosive debate about Second Amendment rights, some, such as Kolasinski, see little purpose in emphasizing statistics surrounding gun related deaths.

“The gun death numbers are now explicitly irrelevant to the debate over the Second Amendment, as they always have been for all other constitutional rights,” Kolasinski said. “It is time for politicians to move on and respect the Second Amendment.”

In addition to diverting the spotlight onto mental health issues, Abbott also sees illegal gun purchases as a prime motivator for gun violence.

“Most gun crimes are committed by criminals who possess guns illegally,” the governor asserted in his Feb. 19 State of the State Address.

But, events in Texas paint a contradicting reality.

The Allen shooter possessed three guns on his body during the time of the shooting, with five more stored in his car. According to authorities, all these firearms were obtained legally.

The Uvalde shooter, at age 18, was able to legally buy assault style rifles in the state of Texas.

“We’re talking about weapons that are designed for war and only have one purpose,” Klugman said. “We’re talking about things just designed to maim people.”

For some, there does remain a sense of hope in politics, as Schoenhals’ recalls Texas’ position in the 2020 election.

“For the first time in decades, our country went blue in the 2020 presidential election,” Schoenhals said, referring to Democrats’ ensuing control of the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and the presidency. “Knowing that there’s a shift on the horizon is helpful for me.”

Schoenhals also asserted his confidence in Generation Z and their mobilization.

“I’ve heard from a number of professors that they truly believe that Generation Z will be the generation to fundamentally change this country,” Schoenhals said. “Knowing that, I just think we have to keep the pressure on our government to take action.”

Klugman urges students to remain resilient, and to continue to put pressure on elected officials.

“We can reach out to our politicians … especially students from other states,” Klugman said. “It’s really important to reach out to your elected officials at all levels.”

For Klugman, remembering the victims of the Allen tragedy remains as a clear signal to not fall victim to apathy and to continue to mobilize.

“We can’t have art, humanity, beauty or education if we’re afraid that everytime we turn the corner we’re going to be shot down,” Klugman said. “I feel like we can still do better.”

“We’re talking about weapons that are designed for war and only have one purpose. We’re talking about things just designed to maim people.”

Craig Klugman

A professor of Bioethics and Health Humanities at DePaul

TONY GUTIERREZ | ASSOCIATED PRESS Mahboubeh Gorgband, of McKinney Texas, lays flower petals at a memorial established for the victims of the Wednesday shooting.

La DePaulia

‘Chalupa’:

La Villita

Para el empresario Gerardo Arroyo Carrillo, ‘Chalupa’ es más que una marca de ropa skater; es una representación de la comunidad unida que ha construido a lo largo de los años en un parque local de La Villita.

El nombre de la marca se originó de un apodo que le dio uno de sus amigos de su grupo de skate patinadores, dijo Arroyo Carrillo.

“Lo escuché y se me hizo chistoso, pero ya días después yo llegué llamando a cualquiera por ese nombre, ‘Chalupa’”, dijo Arroyo Carrillo. “Era como [una manera de] saludar, despedirme de alguien o nomás como nickname”.

El nombre está enraizado en la amistad, aunque no fue hasta que él vio el potencial de una marca de ropa que pudiera unir a todos en La Villita Park, que Chalupa se convirtió en “algo más grande”, según Ninel Jerónimo, asistente de eventos para la marca.

Aunque Arroyo Carrillo nació en Reno Nevada, dijo que lo que ha sostenido su pasión por el skate a lo largo de 11 años fue la comunidad que encontró en Chicago.

“El objetivo principal era reunir a las personas, ya fueran patinadores o simplemente artistas en general”, agregó. “Todos son bienvenidos a apoyar esta marca y ser parte de ella también”.

La identidad cultural de Arroyo Carrillo como skater mexicano-americano también es una parte importante de la estética y los diseños gráficos de Chalupa.

Para el patinador local, Brandon Muñoz, sus diseños son “geniales”.

Arroyo Carrillo crea todos sus diseños a través de su iPhone, donde él dice que tiene la habilidad de cuidadosamente perfeccionar sus ideas y agregar el “sabor de mi cultura hispana”.

Cuando el tiempo permite, a Arroyo Carrillo también le gusta organizar eventos frente a su casa donde vende su ropa mientras disfrutan de la comida que les prepara su mamá: pozole, tacos y tinga.

“Empecé organizando estos eventos para juntar a la gente”, enfatizó. “Al construir una comunidad, nos apoyamos mutuamente. Le doy la bienvenida a otros vendedores y creó un espacio donde pueden demostrar sus talentos”.

Pero navegar por la industria de streetwear y skate como un artista y empresario latino no siempre ha sido fácil por falta de recursos.

“Si tuviera todos los recursos y el apoyo para expresar mi verdadera visión, sé que definitivamente sorprendería a muchos seres humanos en este mundo y en Chicago”, dijo Arroyo Carrillo. “Pero, por supuesto, es por eso que estamos aquí, haciendo lo que sea necesario para acercarnos un paso más a encontrar más oportunidades para nosotros y beneficiarnos constantemente”.

Con el apoyo de su familia y amigos, el joven ha podido mantenerse enfocado en su objetivo de crear una comunidad a través de la marca y toma inspiración de sus ídolos de skate como DGK y Paul Rodriguez, para seguir nutriendo su creatividad.

“Estoy realmente orgulloso de todos los que están aquí en la ciudad de Chicago y en el mundo completo que están empujando a su obra de arte y talento”, dijo. “De eso se trata Chalupa: de tomar riesgos, divertirse y unir a las personas”.

FRANKIE PEREZ | LA DEPAULIA

Gerardo Arroyo Carrillo, el dueño de ‘Chalupa’ en su estudio adentro de su casa donde diseña y crea sus prendas de vestir para su marca de ropa skater inspirada por su cultura.

Por Frankie Perez

Editor de Fotos, La DePaulia

FRANKIE PEREZ | LA DEPAULIA

Una camiseta diseñada for Gerardo Arroyo Carrillo que fue inspirada por uno de sus skaters favoritos, Paul Rodriguez.

Una marca de ropa skater enraizada en la comunidad y la cultura en

Gerardo Arroyo Carrillo diseña todos los gráficos desde su celular para su marca.

FRANKIE PEREZ | LA DEPAULIA

Las comunidades indígenas Kichwa en Chicago preservan su cultura a pesar de la distancia de Ecuador

Por

Con más de 65 mil grupos étnicos diferentes en Chicago, muchos miembros de las comunidades indígenas Kichwa Runa están comprometidos con un mismo objetivo: mantener su cultura viva a pesar de estar lejos de sus tierras.

El grupo indígena Kichwa de Ecuador, Perú y Bolivia, viven en la Cordillera de los Andes, en la parte occidental de Sur América.

Kichwa Community of Chicago es una organización con la meta de preservar y promover la cultura y las tradiciones de la comunidad mientras también proporciona servicios educativos y defiende los derechos de los Kichwas.

Actualmente hay aproximadamente 20 mil ecuatorianos en Chicago, de acuerdo con The Chicago Community Trust y en 2006 había más de 18 mil, más no no hay datos exactos sobre cuántos son Kichwa.

Manuel Chancoso, presidente de una organización llamada Kichwa Runa, dijo que preservar su cultura requiere esfuerzo de la comunidad, y para mantenerlo, es necesario enfocarse en la naturaleza.

“Hay que seguir insistiendo a través de la música, a través del arte, la danza, los sonidos de la naturaleza, que es lo mismo, el viento, el sol, la tierra es lo mismo en todo el mundo”, agregó Chancoso.

Cada danza, como el espirituoso Sanjuanito y el animado Capishca, tiene movimientos, música y trajes distintivos que reflejan la profunda conexión del pueblo de Kichwa con su tierra y sus tradiciones.

Pero de acuerdo a Chancoso, la cultura sólo puede ser sostenida si se tiene orgullo de la identidad.

“No sintamos vergüenza de dónde somos y demostremos todo a cielo abierto que estamos vivos; que por más que nos hayan querido extinguir pues

seguimos vivos y seguiremos vivos con nuestras metas que nuestros antepasados nos han dejado”, enfatizó Chancoso.

Chicago se convirtió en un destino importante para los ecuatorianos en la última década, ya que restaurantes, clubes y tiendas brotaron a lo largo de varias avenidas al norte de la ciudad.

La población ha crecido aceleradamente gracias a los esfuerzos de líderes comunitarios y organizaciones como Kichwa Community of Chicago y Kichwa Runa.

A principios de abril, Kichwa Community of Chicago, una organización sin fines de lucro, celebró el lanzamiento oficial para su logotipo. Este hace tributo a los Mindalaes, un tipo de música folclórica andina, ecuatoriana, y The Bean la escultura icónica de Chicago.

“Nuestra visión está dirigida hacia el fortalecimiento de nuestra identidad cultural por y para nuestras futuras

generaciones expresadas también en el diseño”, un portavoz de Kichwa Community of Chicago escribió en un post de Facebook.

Sin embargo, integrarse en la ciudad no ha sido fácil para ellos.

“Nos veíamos limitados con el presupuesto para poder realizar la festividad”, dijo Nelly Lema, la Presidenta de Kichwa Community of Chicago.

El lanzamiento es un hito importante para la comunidad Kichwa de Chicago, ya que sirve como una forma de establecer su marca en la ciudad y promover su cultura, permitiéndoles tener un lugar establecido en la ciudad.

Kichwa Runa también ha dejado su marca en la ciudad.

Recientemente el grupo participó en DePaul, durante un Concierto de Candlelight de SOMOS, celebrado por la organización cultural latina Tepeyac, en el Latinx Cultural Center.

Para Mariela Aranda, la coordinadora del Latinx Cultural Center, poder ayudar a realizar estos eventos para la comunidad de DePaul es muy satisfactorio.

“La mejor parte de todo es ver a las personas conectarse entre sí”, dijo Aranda.

Chancoso dijo que su objetivo es crear un espacio donde su cultura pueda permanecer viva.

“Me gustaría, al futuro, tener un lugar…dónde informarse…dónde otra gente pueda llegar con esa tranquilidad y comodidad a reunirse: Este es mi sueño grande de cumplir”, dijo Chancoso.

A Chancoso le gustaría invitar a todos a ser fuertes y a valorar de dónde vienen, y no tener ni miedo ni vergüenza de mostrar tus verdaderos colores.

Pueden unirse a la comunidad de Kichwa de Chicago en la celebración de Inti Raymi, el 24 de junio.

El Museo Nacional de Arte Mexicano empodera a negocios de jóvenes artistas con su mercado de arte

El reciente Yollocalli Art Event Market, una iniciativa de inclusión juvenil del Museo Nacional de Arte Mexicano, ha permitido a jóvenes a sentirse empoderados para crear y vender su arte en Chicago.

Claü Rangel, una artista local, y su hermana Ángie Rangel, dijeron que los eventos de Yollocalli las han animado a abrir un estudio para trabajar con jóvenes y adultos en Pilsen. Ellas participaron en el mercado a finales de abril.

“El dinero recaudado es dinero que regresa a la comunidad, creando riqueza generacional dentro de sus fronteras”, dijo Rangel.

Motivado por los esfuerzos de la organización, Rangel se unió al equipo de inclusión de Yollocalli para reclutar a otros artistas en Chicago para unirse a su equipo. Así se busca crear una comunidad más grande de jóvenes emprendedores y hacer crecer sus iniciativas.

El Yollocalli Art Event Market se asoció con el Festival Sueños, un evento musical centrado en la cultura latina, para albergar el mercado.

Yollocalli y Sueños también se aso-

ciarán para organizar su recaudación de fondos, Good Times-Kind People, para recaudar dinero para futuros programas y eventos para jóvenes en la comunidad.

Andrea Miroslava Ramirez asistió por primera vez al mercado en abril.

La vendedora local y profesora de arte dijo que había estado esperando la oportunidad de mostrar su trabajo, pero a menudo se desanima por falta de recursos y apoyo a su arte que desafía estereotipos.

“Mi obra desafía muchos estereotipos que los mexicanos, especialmente los mexicano-americanos, enfrentan a diario”, dijo. “Pero buscó empoderar a las personas y conservar nuestra cultura en mi arte”.

Miroslava está agradecida de haber encontrado el espacio que proveen los mercados de Yollocalli y espera así promover su arte.

Los programas de Yollocalli y eventos especiales como el Yollocalli Art Event Market son gratuitos y de libre acceso.

“Permite a los artistas ser libres y existir en un ambiente seguro y acogedor”, dijo Rangel.

Por Ashley Pérez y Santiago Posada-Jaramillo Escritora Contribuyente y Gerente Editorial, La DePaulia

ERICK QUEZADA | LA DEPAULIA

ASHLEY PEREZ | LA DEPAULIA

Andrea Ramirez vende su arte y muestra el arte de sus estudiantes durante el Yollocalli Art Event Market.

Erick Quezada Escritor Contribuyente, La DePaulia

Miembros del Kichwa Community of Chicago lanzan el logotipo oficial de su organización.

ERICK QUEZADA | LA DEPAULIA Mujeres de Kichwa Runa bailando el Sanjuanito, un baile tradicional de la comunidad.

the Changing desert Chicago’s seasonal farmers markets push lawmakers

By Una Cleary Focus Editor

Spring time in Chicago marks the start of farmers market season, as fresh produce, hot tamales, and organic dog treats are sold from Andersonville to Austin.

Beyond the allure of organic products and handmade soap, these neighborhood common grounds accept government assistance programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), as well as the Link Match program. Farmers Markets processed $33 million in SNAP benefits and the re-

demption rate nearly doubled from 2013 to 2020 according to the USDA. “It’s great for the population of people who are underserved and economically disadvantaged who may be receiving government assistance,” founder and president of Danny’s Natural Juice Blend Daniele Marshall said. But with SNAP and LINK benefits decreasing in March and emergency SNAP ending due to the pandemic, these benefits have ended for many, contributing to the food access debate among lawmakers in Chicago. SNAP participants will see their benefits cut anywhere from $55 to $255 per person per month. The average on-person household saw their ben-

efits go down by $82 in March, according to Greater Chicago Food Depository. According to a 2021 Illinois Department of Public Health report, approximately 3.3 million Illinois residents, or one in four, live in a food desert. Illinois lawmakers are looking to change that statistic with Senate Bill 850 establishing the “Grocery Initiative,” a program that would provide grants to new or existing grocery stores in food deserts. The grants would apply to co-ops and non-

Popular Chicago Farmers Markets

(L) = Link match program accepted

Wednesday and Saturday: Green City Market Lincoln Park (L) 18001900 N. Clark St. & 1800-1900 N. Stockton Dr. April 1 – Oct. 28, 8a.m.1p.m.

Wednesday: Ravenswoood Farmers Market 4900 N. Damen Ave. June 14-Oct. 11, 4 p.m. -8 p.m.

Wednesday: Uptown Farmers Market (L) 4620 N. Broadway May 3-Nov. 1, 2:30-7 p.m.

Thursday: Austin Town City Market (L) 5610 W. Lake St. June 8-Oct. 26, 1 p.m.-6 p.m.

Thursday: Daley Plaza City Market (L) 50 W. Washington St. May 11- Oct. 26, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

Thursday: South Loop Grant Park 1210 S. Michigan Ave. June 1-Sept. 17, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.

Saturday: Division Street City Market (L) 100 W. Divison St. May 6-Oct. 28, 7 a.m.-12 p.m.

Saturday: Mercado de Colores (L) Manuel Perez Memorial Plaza, 4345 W. 26th St. June 3-October 7, 11 a.m. -3 p.m.

Saturday: West Humboldt Park City Market (L) 3601 W. Chicago Ave.

June 3-Oct. 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sunday: Bronzeville City Market (L) 6900-7000 N. Glenwood Ave. June 4- Oct. 29, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sunday: Roscoe Village Farmers Market 3149 N. Wolcott Ave. June 11-Oct. 8, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

City of Chicago

profit organizations, independently owned for-profits, as well as grocery stores owned by units of local government.

Board President of Chicago Market Matthew Ruffi believes that for many corporate stores that set up business in food deserts, the community’s well-being has no impact on their willingness to stay. Last November, The Whole Foods Market in Englewood closed after six years after promising to fill a south side food desert. “They don’t dislike where they are at, they don’t care about the community, they just nothing about it,” Ruffi said. “It’s a line on a piece of paper. When the profits are good they will be there, when the profits are bad they won’t.” Initially introduced by Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year called for $20 million to fund the initiative. Bill sponsor Rep. Mary Beth Canty is continuing to push for it in the House. She believes it is a way to interrupt violence and alleviate some of the root causes of crime. Initiatives and attitudes to the accessibility of organic foods and sustainable practices for all Chicagoans are what many vendors strive for.

In the Albany Park neighborhood on Lawrence and Sacramento Avenue, Global Garden Refugee Training Farm, a one-acre nonprofit farm, serves refugees from all over the world with different agricultural backgrounds, providing fresh vegetables to newly arrived refugee families and the broader Chicago community. Market farmers make a part-time income and sell to farmers’ markets and restaurants around the Chicago area. Farm manager Haley LeRand believes the farm helps them maintain a sense of dig-

Source:

desert lanscape: lawmakers and vendors to advocate for food accessibility

nity while providing them with supplemental income. “I think most refugees go through a lot of trauma,” LeRand said. “It helps them maintain a sense of dignity if they can take a skill they had in their home countries and bring it here.”

At the Uptown farmers’ market, colorful swirls of hand-cut soap line the table of Gracie Pie Apothecary. The sweet fragrances not only are sold at farmers’ markets but are given to domestic violence shelters such as the Harbor House.Owner Rachel Reynolds-Soucie slices travel bars for women living in these shelters. Reynolds-Soucie believes in the importance of markets in the city because of the lack of food access.

“If you live in Naperville, you have a Jewel-Osco at every corner,” Reynolds-Soucie said. “There are often food deserts in the city, people need organic produce.” With countless volunteer opportunities and ways to get involved, many farmers’ markets are looking for help, such as the Illinois Farmers Market Association, Chicago Market, and the Chicago Farmers Market Collective.

“There are so many opportunities to get involved at whatever level you have capacity for,” Ruffi said. Chicago’s Farmers’ Markets open May through July running Monday

The Daley Plaza City Market takes place Thursdays, May 11 to Oct. 26 from 7a.m. to 2p.m. City markets provide fresh produce in dense urban spaces where they are otherwise are difficult to find.

John Bailey Honey. The Uptown Farmers Market is open

1. Jay Williams, employee at Nuts to Go, serves Vanilla and Whiskey roasted nuts at the Uptown farmers market

CLEARY | THE DEPAULIA

MAYA OCLASSEN | THE DEPAULIA

UNA CLEARY | THE DEPAULIA

The fuTure of bollywood is bleak

By Siona ChiBBer Staff Writer

Bollywood is known for its flair, dramatics, glamor and lavish dance numbers. While the films have always caught viewers’ attention worldwide, keeping the engagement has become more and more challenging. The earliest production and concepts for Indian films began in the 1930s when Bollywood began its journey. With the industry located in Bombay, traditionally known as Mumbai, Bollywood was given its name and title as the largest film industry in the world. While there have been and continue to be a wide array of genres, the one that predominantly stands out in the media are its romantic comedy or drama pictures.

From the beginning, Indian directors and writers have always struggled with storytelling. Bollywood films focus on the actors with the plot, aesthetics, and music being a second priority. Because of this mindset, this industry was set up for shortterm success from the beginning.

“I think Bollywood is seen (in the West at least) to be mostly flashy and over-thetop,” said Dee Miller, a film & television major at DePaul “Contemporary audiences prefer nuanced and subtle films, especially when they can go to established franchises.”.

India is known for producing copious amounts of movies in the span of a single year compared to other national film industries such as Hollywood. With this in mind, filmmakers focused more on putting wellknown artists on screen and pushing out complete, two to three hour films with very little depth. This resulted in, and continues to result in, lackluster writing, plot holes and needless longevity. Some recent films that were widely-criticized were “Pathaan”, “Brahmastra”, and “Cirkus.”

Although, this does not mean a production company needs to cut back on its runtimes, as that is central to this film industry. Since the beginning of Indian cinema, going to the theater in India was a luxury Hindustanis could only afford once or twice a year.

The majority of these productions that make it to Indian households or theaters struggle to deliver meaning and satisfaction through visual entertainment. The same formula is used for many of the films with no intricate or groundbreaking ideas in the

stories. This method of mediocre filmmaking may have worked in the past but has begun to lose its followers in recent years.

Bollywood has lost its momentum. Fewer people look forward to going to the theater and seeing these films due to severe disinterest, the use of various streaming platforms and the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Films are expensive, and that means they’re risky, so safe projects are going to dominate there in the same ways that franchise work dominates Hollywood marquees today,” said Jordan Stalker, a DePaul communication and media professor.

An issue clouding both Hollywood and Bollywood is the ever-present nepotism in the industry. The lack of fresh faces and people with credentials who studied the art of filmmaking, directing, writing and acting are heavily omitted from the filmmaking industry. Those in power choose to silence these narratives and keep those unwanted individuals in the dark. If they do not have money, are not conventionally attractive, and do not have a legacy to their name, the interest in the person’s capabilities are neglected.

For Bollywood specifically, the lack of diversity in its productions is quite a slap to the face. India, soon to be the world’s most populous nation, has rotated the same few actors and actresses in most blockbuster films. What an insult to the citizens of this country who have so much potential and so many ideas to share with the country onscreen. If you ask any Hindustani moviegoer to name a movie star that is not Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Rani Mukerji or one of the other many, many Khans, the search would be near futile.

It is nearly impossible to find a Bollywood film with background dancers that are not fair-skinned Europeans. It is to the point of obsession, infatuation, and fetishization to Indian audiences suggesting that these people are what Indian viewers are told to idolize and compare themselves to.

Many actors are forced to appear fairskinned through various filters, lighting and editing. Take Kajol in “Dilwale” or “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.” In contrast, many darker skinned Bollywood actors are repeatedly cast as villains, antagonists, unlovable char-

acters or comedic relief characters. The issue of colorism has been present for a long time in Indian cinema.

This can be tied back to how stringent the conditions of being accepted into the industry is, made worse by the active promotion of skin-lightening products and colorist discrimination in India.

Even with movies that involve female leads are stories about female empowerment, such as “Mary Kom” or “Kahaani,” the women are always portrayed in a distasteful light. Either they are constantly relying on a male character for support through their journey or as a love interest, or objectified. The over-sexualization of Indian women on screen greatly impacts the relationship between female-presenting and male-presenting Indians and their dynamic in their everyday lives.

This in turn creates an issue with consent, sexuality and intimacy for Indians nationwide. With high rates of rape and sexual assault among both men and women in the country, the warped depictions of sexual relations and behaviors creates a damaging environment and encourages negative perceptions of sex. This nation is considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for women, according to CNN.

Indian women are often demonized for expressing their sexuality through their clothing or number of partners. Those who choose to express themselves more conservatively are viewed as “pure” and “innocent.” With the release of the movie trailer for “Pathaan,” people were quick to turn on a famous, beloved actress, Deepika Padukone for appearing in a provocative and skimpy dance sequence with Shah Rukh Khan.

“This industry is about male fantasy and escapism,” Stalker said.

With outdated jokes, fashion trends, offensive vernacular, political and social ideas, it can be difficult for a film industry to change so much all at once. More energy should be focused towards making these changes to match a more modern audience, rather than producing multiple mediocre movies over a course of a small period of time.

This is something that has already been done. Take Aamir Khan, a Hindi film director and producer who has already proven that breaking norms and creating new ideas

in Bollywood is possible. He has explored this through his contemporary projects such as “3 Idiots,” “Dangal” and “Taare Zameen Par.”

What is worrisome about these issues with Bollywood is that they are ongoing and nowhere near changing in pace in any aspect.

“Bollywood as a practice doesn’t take a risk, usually,” Stalker said.

For a while, the stability in concepts, storylines and familiar faces allowed for comfort and safety in watching. Indians would find pleasure and nostalgia seeing the same ideas over and over again. Even still, that can only satisfy such a large and growing population. With a constantly changing world and outlandish accessibility of the Internet and trends, this production company needs to take notes and mirror our new reality.

Obviously, the love for this production company is strong and even personal. As one who criticizes the industry in its entirety, I could still go home and watch the classics and weep away. This is more of a cry for help on behalf of so many die-hard fans who want this industry to continue to flourish and change people’s lives on and off-screen.

While Bollywood is declining in its popularity worldwide, there is a chance to fix things and change the script, quite literally. Higher-ups in this industry need to listen to their audience and do their research on the evolution of Indians across the globe as well as adapting to the changing climate within their nation. Capitalizing on the dramatic flair, which was already one of key components of Bollywood, could help boost engagement as well.

“I think [it] can be saved, it's just a matter of when, not if,” Miller said.

With those tactics in mind, this production company can once again steal the hearts of many more and possibly reach a wider, more global and younger audience.

(In these large industries, these small changes must keep happening.)

MAYA OCLASSEN | THE DEPAULIA

Quarter qualms: short classes, long year

By K aSSem oSSman Contributing Writer

Before drafting this article, I will be honest, I did not have an opinion on the quarter system. As a firstyear student nearing the end of his first year, I had experienced the life of a quarter system student and survived, but I seemed to lack the pure hatred one had for it — so much in fact, she is transferring next year — or the love that others shared. So, I stared at the assignment, not only wondering what my opinion would be on the Opinions section of the DePaulia, but also thought, what do I think of the quarter system?

When coming to DePaul University, I knew that I would be on the quarter system, but it did not honestly seem to faze me. A long winter break was the hook for me, I will not lie. It was not until I started my first week that I caught a glimpse of how hectic the process would be. I was thrown into the arena on day one. I wasn’t idle for long before I had another assignment due, another paper to write, another speech to perform.

My high school, like many others, ran on the semester system, so in the beginning of my fall quarter, I had to put myself out there and apply myself harder so I wouldn’t fall behind. In high school I felt like there was a point in the class where I would have a lull in work and it made me check out of the class. However, at DePaul I feel that I don’t get to check out, which allows me to work harder, and learn more.

Of course, the quarter system does have its flaws. I know

personally I feel as though I do not seem to connect with my classmates or professors until the end of the quarter. Whether that be a personal feeling or just a lack of time, I feel as though I am not able to come out of my shell as soon as the class starts, which inhibits me from connecting with the course. I am taking a course in PR and advertising before I choose to switch my major to see if I connected with the people in that program itself, but I haven’t been able to interact much with the people because the work is so fast paced and individualized.

“I actually like the quarter system for the most part, especially since I like having the opportunity to meet new people,” freshman Claire Edwards said.

“Especially as a film major, I feel like we have more classes that we're able to be in for a smaller amount of time get to know people.”

What I found interesting about DePaul was the number of classes that you could take in such a brief time. I was able to explore what I wanted to do with my life, and this is one of the helping factors as to how I changed my own major. In a semester

Grotesque glamour: the problem with The Met Gala

By ruChi nawathe

Nation & World Editor

Celebrities dressed in the most outrageous, extravagant displays of wealth for the 2023 Met Gala. This year’s dress code was “in honor of Karl,” referencing Karl Lagerfeld, most known for being the creative director of Chanel and Fendi, who passed away in 2019.

Coco Chanel was a Nazi, and Karl Lagerfeld was a xenophobic, fatphobic and all around very problematic person. Despite all of his past racism and sexism, every celebrity in attendance had nothing but good things to say about Lagerfeld.

The event was hosted by Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and is a charity fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. This year the Costume

Institute had an exhibition named “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” celebrating his life and his artistry.

The same people on Twitter who were chanting “eat the rich” not too long ago were fawning over the outrageous looks celebrities were putting out.

I love fashion with all of my heart, and it would be ignorant of me to ignore the impact that Lagerfeld has had on the Western fashion industry. His sophisticated style completely revamped Chanel as a brand, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t admire his artistry or his designs.

There is something to be said for separating the art from the artist, but appreciating Lagerfeld’s art is one thing and honoring him at the largest public gala in the world is another.

The Met Gala has long held a reputation for its exclusivity. Most celebrities are invited to the gala with designers,

school, the average student will take four to six classes per semester, however, at DePaul, you typically take four classes per quarter.

Not only that, but the quarter system does not allow many professors to go in-

courses, students feel as though they are not able to fully digest the information they are handed.

“I feel like I don’t get in-depth on topics as much as I would like to,” sophomore graphic design major Claire Becker said. Becker talked about the struggles she has faced when taking classes following the quarter system.

“I have been in classes where I have taken interest in a topic, but then the class is over and I’m moving on before I can dig into it,” Becker said.

depth on the topics that they are teaching.

“It forces us to make some tough choices about what is most relevant, most interesting, and the readings that most closely align with our learning goals,” sociology instructor Heather Easley said. “There's only so much you can do in 10 weeks, so assigning an appropriate

During the fall quarter when I was taking my Communication 101 class, I constantly wanted to learn more about a certain topic and had to set aside that urge to learn more about said topic or I would fall behind. I have, since then, been able to

amount of reading and work in a 10-week quarter … I would definitely take more time to work on those presentation skills … but I don't [because] it doesn't make sense for the 10-week quarter.” While professors like Easley wish they were able to put more into their

but those that want to purchase their own ticket can fetch it for the low, low price of $50,000, with an invitation, of course.

Actress Jameela Jamil, known for her role in “The Good Place,” expressed her disappointment towards all the celebrities that attended this year’s Met Gala and called out the double standards in “cancel culture,” since those in attendance chose to conveniently forget the horrible comments Lagerfeld made, especially to those that spoke out during the “#MeToo” movement.

On Twitter, people theorized that those that wore pink to the event were secretly protesting against Lagerfeld, since he was known for disliking the color. This is not entirely true, since Lagerfeld had pink designs of his own and was known for contradicting himself and saying inflammatory things for attention.

Even if Lagerfeld truly hated the color pink, none of the celebrities that wore pink had anything negative to say about Lagerfeld. In fact, based on the testimony from the Met Gala, Lagerfeld was an incredible person.

For the past couple of years, there have been protests outside the Met Gala. One year, there was a Black Lives Matter protest and another year, there was a “Tax the rich” protest. Seeing the juxtaposition of not only the protesters versus the celebrities, but those who

comfortably know when I can explore my own topics that I find interesting, but that learning curve is something many must figure out to successfully work with the quarter system.

The quarter system has its flaws, sure, but I feel as though the quarter system is a unique spin on the learning process, and while I can complain about it until I’m blue in the face, I feel like it is a system that keeps me moving, and as a freshman, I felt like I was able to hit the ground running this first year.

cannot afford housing in New York, let alone a dress costing tens of thousands of dollars.

Brands like Cartier and Tiffany also loan their most expensive jewelry to these celebrities, usually featuring blood diamonds that were stolen from colonized countries. Seeing diamonds mined by exploited African workers stolen from royals from my motherland on the necks of privileged white celebrities feels like a slap in the face. People like Emma Chamberlain seem oblivious to the history they are wearing, and the brands that loan them these multi-million dollar pieces will never return their jewelry to the countries they were mined in or stolen from.

The Met Gala continues to receive wide publicity, and I myself am guilty of looking through all the fashion and passing my own judgment on it. As the wealth gap continues to grow and the top 1% continues to hoard more wealth, it is important to be cautious of what we give a platform to.

The Met Gala raised more than $17 million last year, with millions more put towards the fashion at the event. Even a fraction of that money could improve so many lives for the better. It is the duty of the ultra-wealthy to use their privilege to contribute to society in more meaningful ways than funding a costume exhibit.

Column:'God save the king'— I guess

By roSe o'K eefe Staff Writer

Royalty has always fascinated me. I cannot recall a time when I was not aware of the life, impact and legacy of Princess Diana, the long reign of Queen Elizabeth, or the fiery red hair that has slowly receded from Prince Harry's head.

The British Monarchy surged into the world’s consciousness first with the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September and now with the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, the first coronation of a British Monarch since 1953.

After viewing dozens of documentaries on the British Royal family and religiously watching Netflix’s “The Crown,” much to the dismay of my Irish patriot grandfather, instead of feeling more informed, I ended up feeling lost, confused and a bit torn.

Amid the pageantry, crowns, jewels and newly air-conditioned horse-drawn coach present at last week’s coronation ceremony, I find myself wondering why, if at all, the monarchy is necessary.

As Americans, this does not seem like a pressing issue. Nevertheless, it is an important reminder of our roots as agitators of the British colonial system and yet the remarkable endurance of the monarchy, despite pushback and scandal every decade since.

The British monarchy — really any monarchy — that exists today, relies on tradition and clings to the importance of their charitable works, national pride and public image.

Queen Elizabeth II was famously praised for her sense of duty and quintessentially British “keep calm and carry on” mentality.

I sometimes wonder, though, what a monarch’s duty really entails. Smiling and waving from a balcony, sitting on gilded

thrones and meeting with prime ministers? Though this is an enticing lifestyle, it should not be supported on the grounds of tradition alone.

The United Kingdom’s official royal website states, “As Head of State, The Monarch undertakes constitutional and representational duties which have developed over 1,000 years of history. … The Sovereign acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognizes success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service.”

Amid seismic scandals, death and the shrinking of Britain’s colonial empire, the monarchy has sustained its role as the mascot — and often punching bag — for Britain. Most recent among royal scandals are that of Prince Harry’s tell-all novel and Netflix documentary, Harry and Megan Markle’s 2021 interview with Oprah and Prince Andrew, and Queen

Elizabeth’s second son being accused of rape and linked with known pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Anti-monarchists who protested in London on coronation day see the monarchy as frivolous and archaic, not to mention a drain of tax dollars during a financial crisis in Britain. Those who oppose the monarchy also tend to dislike the very idea of a royal family, who lives lavishly and seemingly gives little in return.

Time Magazine explains that if Britain were to abolish the monarchy, they would need to appoint a new head of state to satisfy their parliamentary structure.

“This would most likely be in the form of a president, a role that already exists in parliamentary systems such as Germany and Italy,” said Yasmeen Serhan, a staff writer for TIME. “This person would have most of the existing responsibilities of the monarch, such as certifying laws, going on state visits, and speaking to the nation in times of national crisis.”

Polling among the British public suggests an all-time low approval rating for the monarchy — due in part to lasting controversy with the new monarchs Charles and Camilla. Despite three in 10 Britons who still think the monarchy is “very important,” I think the monarchy faces a very slow demise, one that I believe will come well after Prince William — one of the most popular royals — assumes the throne.

If the monarchy has lasted this long, it can certainly sustain the reign of Charles III. Plus, the public adores Prince William, his wife Princess Catherine and their three young children. When the young monarchs-in-waiting seem unproblematic, then the monarchy is safe.

To this token, I question what approval or disapproval of the Royal family is even based on. Their style? Their per-

ceived friendliness? The charities they support? Whatever it may be, approval among loyal subjects has remained through changing times and does not seem to be going away yet, despite increasing pushback.

In a way, the monarchy is a source of entertainment for the whole world. You are reading about it right now! Continued public interest can be traced to the tradition of respecting and reveling in the assumed glory of royalty. I argue that how the greater public views royalty has not substantially changed over the years but has instead evolved to suit modern sensibilities.

The royals now have social media and more active public relations, as do the tabloids and newspapers that cover them. Every royal move is photographed, reported on, often hyper-analyzed and then consumed by a captive audience of monarchists and anti-monarchists alike.

It is important to remember that people who are born into royal structures are just people and do not deserve the incessant attention that has worked both towards and against their decline in popularity.

The spectacular coronation event itself suggests that the monarchy, even if not unanimously popular, is relevant and fascinating to the thousands upon thousands of Britons who waved Union Jacks’ and cheered for their new “rulers.”

All of this seems to demonstrate that King Charles III and Queen Camilla will not likely lose their jobs — or birthright, depending on how you approach it — anytime soon, despite many Princess Diana devotees who despise the very thought of a “Queen Camilla.”

If the monarchy can teach us anything, it is that tradition is powerful, even if it is expensive and impractical.

AP PHOTO | PETR DAVID JOSEK

Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave to the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their coronation ceremony, in London, Saturday, May 6, 2023.

CREATIVE COMMONS

Queen Elizabeth II wearing her Coronation robes and regalia in June 1953.

Arts & Life

Finding green space in Chicago

By Jonah WeBer Asst. Arts & Life Editor

Chicago’s history with parks tracks back to the 1830s, when the city adopted the term “urbs in horto,” which is a latin term meaning “City in a Garden.” Many of the greenspaces and parks have been in much longer than the city itself. In 1909 Daniel Burnham formed a plan to beautify the city, which included the creation of a park system. Now, Chicago is home to over 600 parks. It can be overwhelming narrowing down and choosing a fun, calm and ambient green space to spend your time soaking up the sun. With Chicago’s lovely summer on the horizon, The DePaulia has picked out five parks to check out this summer. These picks are especially great as alternatives to heavily populated parks and beaches.

Jackson Park

This is one of Chicago’s most historical parks, especially due to hosting the World’s Fair in 1893. Jackson Park is home to the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street Beach and the Garden of The Phoenix. Spanning across 551.52 acres, the park has plenty of green space to explore and enjoy. The park is located in the Woodlawn neighborhood, right on the lakefront. Due to the vast amount of space this park has, it is easy to avoid large crowds if you are looking for some solitude this summer. Jackson Park runs alongside Stoney Island Ave, which the number six bus has numerous stops on.

Clark Park

Clark (Richard) Park offers a variety of outdoor activities that are always open to the public. The park is 22.42 acres of land, sitting right on the Chicago River. There is a boathouse where patrons can rent kayaks to paddle down the river. There are also accessible

hiking and biking trails following alongside the river through the entire park. The Addison, Belmont, California and Western buses all have stops surrounding the park.

Eckhart Park

This smaller, yet scenic, park in the West Town neighborhood sits on Chicago Ave and has a lot to offer. The park was first founded in 1907 and has become a huge part of the West Town community. The park has 8.85 acres of green space, a beautiful stained glass covering the pool, free events in the park, two baseball fields and a basketball court.

River Park

The Chicago River has a complicated, yet important, history. While it has not always been the cleanest body of water that Chicagoans have access to, groups like Friends of The Chicago River have worked hard to make the river safe for wildlife and visitors. For folks wanting to get to know the river, look no further than River Park. Located on the western border of the Ravenswood neighborhood, River Park has the Chicago River North Branch and the North Shore Channel running through it. Sitting on 28.81 acres of land, this park offers opportunities for wildlife interaction, relaxing by the river, fishing, and a public pool.

Berger Park

If you are looking to spend time on the lakefront without the crowd that comes with Belmont Harbor or North Avenue beach, check out Berger Park. Sitting directly on the lakefront in the Edgewater neighborhood, just two blocks west of the Granville Red Line stop, this small park is perfect for watching the sunrise over Lake Michigan while sitting on the boulders in front of the water. There is also a cafe in the park, which offers food, drinks and free live concerts throughout the summer.

ERIN HENZE | THE DEPAULIA

The Garden of the Phoenix in Jackson Park is located on Stony Island Ave and open to the public.

JONAH WEBER | THE DEPAULIA Berger Park, located on Granville and Sheridan Ave., provides visitors access to the lakefront.

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA

The Museum of Science and Industry sits at the north end of Jackson Park located on 57th street. The Woodlawn park offers over 551 acres of green space.

JONAH WEBER | THE DEPAULIA River Park in Ravenswood offers a variety of hiking trails alongside the North Branch of the Chicago River.

JONAH WEBER | THE DEPAULIA Devon Bain (left) and Lonye Scott converse in Clark Park in the North Center neighborhood.

Unveiling the artistic journey

By LiLLy K eLLer Arts & Life Editor

DePaul professor of Fine Arts and Service-Learning Coordinator Mark Elder's — better known as Brother Mark — Byrne Hall studio is as one would imagine. Bottles of paint and duct tape line the workroom's desk, complementing the experimental sketches and abstract compositions that dot the walls, creating a space that is crowded but not messy yet overflowing with budding creativity.

Elder is best known for his pieces on and off campus, such as "We Are DePaul2," the over 36-foot-wide and 68-foot-tall mural on the side of McCabe Hall. Rubber stamps featuring the faces of students, faculty and staff comprise the 2001 portrait of St. Vincent DePaul. His most recently completed project, "The Little School Under the L," showcases the university's past, present and future on pillars beneath the Fullerton stop.

Like his larger-than-life murals, Elder's outgoing presence and regular cowboy getup make him difficult to miss on the Lincoln Park Campus.

When he is not working in his studio or teaching, Elder acts as the service-learning coordinator, connecting art majors to internships around the city.

Yet, before he picked up a paintbrush, Elder's life began as a blank canvas in Quantico, Virginia.

Far from a sedentary childhood, Elder, alongside his seven siblings, moved regularly due to his father's career in the Marine Corps. In 1969, he left home to attend Catholic Minor Seminary in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, hoping to join the priesthood.

However, after leaving Cape Girardeau for the Vincentian novation in Santa Barbara, California, Elder found his love for the Brotherhood.

"I figured early on that I didn't want to work Sunday," Elder said. "I enjoyed living in the community and doing work for the poor and being in a group bigger than myself because it reminded me of the kind of pathway my father took with the Marines."

After taking his Vincentian vows and becoming a brother — a role characterized by working in outside ministries like education, fine arts, and care of the sick and poor — Elder came to DePaul, where he got his bachelor's degree in not art but physical education.

After graduating, Elder drifted between middle and high school classrooms, even formulating a grade school soccer league in southeast Missouri. Still, no matter how comfortably he lived, Elder remained unfulfilled.

"All along I was being tempted by the art fairy, and the art fairy would visit me from time to time and I would do art, purely on my own and purely out of ignorance, because I didn't know any better," Elder said.

It was modesty that delayed Elder's career in the art world.

"If you're going to live off what you do, you got to market yourself," Elder said. "You have to get up there and do the kinds of things that attracted attention to your work. You know, me doing that in the Vincentian community goes against the grain because we're not supposed to be attracting attention to ourselves. There is kind of a rub which should tell you why I'm the only artist in the Vincentian community."

Still, at age 34, Elder participated in his first solo gallery show in Cape Girardeau before enrolling in art school at the University of Denver and finally returning to DePaul as a teacher in 1994.

Influenced by his religion and affinity for helping others, Elder adopted a community-supported approach to art, leading him to murals.

"[St.] Vincent himself said, as members of the community, you have to be inventive unto infinity for the poor," Elder said. "That meant I should be the best artist I can be but do these art projects that would benefit a common good for everybody which is why I do murals."

Described as a "community investment," Elder's murals symbolize neighborhoods and their history, encouraging viewers to understand where the painting comes from and why. His lattermost project, "The Little School Under the L," catalogs the university's rich history through 25 pillars beneath the L tracks.

Beginning in 2016, "The Little School Under the L" has highlighted many leading figures and moments throughout DePaul's history, like Father McCabe, the university's third president; the origins of the 'D-Men,' the sports uniforms responsible for DePaul's demon mascot; but also, those not as well-known, such as Mary Teresita and Marion Amoureux the first female and African American graduates.

The over seven-year-long project saw the contributions of hundreds of students, like senior Tayvia Ridgeway, all enrolled in Elder's creating murals class.

"He's been the driving influence for my time at DePaul," Ridgeway said. "I've been involved with him literally every year, freshman through senior year. … Every step of the way, he's provided me with resources and been a guided mentor."

Much of Ridgeway's time working on "The Little School Under the L," was spent with Elder alone due to pandemic restrictions. Over the thousands of hours

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA

DePaul professor and Service Learning Coordinator, Brother Mark Elder, reflects on his 28 years at the university.

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA

Elder's recently completed project, "The Little School Under the L" highlights DePaul's history through influential themes and figures.

of Mark Elder

she put into the project, the quiet moments in Elder's studio were the most memorable.

"Working with him made me feel like a true DePaul student because I was constantly learning the history of DePaul because every pillar is a dedication to different parts of DePaul," Ridgeway said. "It really just felt like I had a close personal relationship with him because we would share these moments of doing art together."

Elder granted Ridgeway creative freedom on the final pillar of the project. Titled "End of Trail," Ridgeway's mural commemorates the names of students, faculty and staff involved in the mural while paying homage to her past as a Black woman in Chicago.

DePaul alumni Jessica Freeman, who graduated in 2021, was introduced to Elder through a focal point seminar on murals in Chicago.

"My first impression was, I mean he was really intriguing," Freeman said. "I had never, I mean I grew up in Springfield, Illinois, so I understand country folk, and that's not him at all. He has this persona that can put you into a trance."

Never without his wide-brimmed cowboy hat, crimson wild rag and western fringe jacket, Elder is easy to mistake as fresh from the rodeo. However, despite his status as an actual cowboy, Elder's Western attire goes beyond practicality.

"It's still art," Elder said. "This is me being a performance artist day to day. The stuff that I wear are symbols. … My cowboy regalia is there to challenge the viewer … and for me, it's another visualization of Christ. When people put these initial thoughts of what they

see in a person and they judge accordingly, they're not respecting the image of Christ in every person. … The image is challenging them to look deeper."

Still, for Freeman, Elder has been more than a professor but also a colleague and mentor. From co-hosting Elder's former art-centric radio show, "The Buffalo Bro ½ Hour Show," to designing his website, Freeman regards Elder as one of the constants throughout her undergraduate career.

"It [the radio show] was definitely an adventure," Freeman said. "His influence in that was huge, and it brought me out of my shell even more than just, you know, getting to know him. He let me find people to interview and have some control and creative authority."

While Elder may not have enough time to run his radio show anymore, his genial spirit constantly spurred individuals like Freeman to step out of their comfort zone and put themselves out there.

"He was like the follow-up person," Freeman said. "He was always there to remind me of what I could take further and explore."

As Elder enters his 29th year at DePaul, his next project returns him to DePaul Catholic School in Philadelphia. There, he is finishing a mural mimicking the same technique seen in “We Are DePaul2” by using stamps made from the faces of the students, faculty and community. As he embarks on this colorful project, he reflects on his extensive career.

"I look back at many of things that I've done and think wow, I really did that … but I never did them alone," Elder said.

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA Guided by a community supported approach, Elder's murals symbolize neighborhoods and their histories.

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA Elder's current project returns him to the DePaul Catholic School in Philadelphia. The mural mimicks the same technique seen in "We Are DePaul2" on McCabe Hall by using stamps made from the faces of students, faculty and staff.

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA Elder taught physical education before finding his passion for murals.

A ‘hog in the wall’ café makes nostalgia cool

By rose o’K eeffe Staff Writer

The Bourgeois Pig Café on 738 W. Fullerton Ave, just a few blocks from DePaul University’s Lincoln Park Campus, is a ‘hog in the wall’ delight that makes nostalgia cool. Upon entering this modern-day time capsule, customers are enveloped by the distant serenade of Ella Fitzgerald and waves of lively conversation among friends and strangers.

Hundreds of books line tall shelves on nearly every wall of the two-story café, along with multiple distinct, and rather large, portraits of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington that lurk as patrons sip tea and devour simple, yet delicious fare.

“It’s got an old-world style, that's what I always call it,” said the café's owner and founder Mason Green. “It is a throwback to the early 20th century with an emphasis on literary themes.”

Green said he only displays books that predate 1960, such as “The Scarlet Letter,” “The Importance of Being Earnest” and even dictionaries. The literary theme does not stop at the towering bookshelves. The Bourgeois Pig’s sandwiches are named after classic books and plays such as “The Great Gatsby,” “The Old Man and the Sea” and “Hamlet.”

“[The café] feels like an old library or maybe even an old general store,” Green said. “Some parts of it feel like an old schoolhouse.”

The Bourgeois Pig is a cohesive hodgepodge of literary artifacts, American heroes and jazz music accented by a telephone booth near the door that nostalgic adults and curious teenagers flock to for Instagram-worthy photo-ops. Describing The Bourgeois Pig as old or nostalgic comes as high praise to Green who is proud to have created a sophisticated aesthetic that customers love. Green had the idea to open his own independent café while he lived and worked as a waiter in San Francisco.

“An old friend of mine suggested that Chicago would be the perfect location for a café...She was right of course,” Green said. “Chicago was just right, and it had the historical factor that I loved.”

Green said that in May 1993, “The Pig,” as it is commonly referred to, was opened on a meager budget and only $100 in the cash register for change. He was the only employee for the first six months before hiring a barista. Green’s model gained traction and a steady customer base that he said has made small business ownership a joy for 30 years.

“I love the ambiance,” said Riley Richards, DePaul sophomore and frequent patron. “I don't even have to have my earbuds because I'm so entertained by the music and the vibe.”

Richards raved about the lavender lemonade and “Great Gatsby” sandwich with pesto sauce, bacon, turkey, avocado, swiss cheese and spinach. Their sandwiches range from $9.95 to $14.95 and are large and filling.

An afternoon at the Pig can be both en-

A taste of hope and unity in Uptown

By Princess siafa Contributing Writer

Tesfa means hope. The word Tesfa originates from the Amharic language widely spoken in Ethiopia and Eritrea. In Uptown Chicago, it graces the wall in front of a family owned restaurant, Tesfa Ethiopian Cuisine.

“My mother loves cooking, and we always had people over at our home,” said Tesfa Ethiopian Cuisine owner Samuel Sake. “I felt that it was right for her to have her own place.”

With his mother, brother, and others, Sake opened Tesfa Ethiopian Cuisine at 1023 W Wilson Ave, Uptown Chicago in 2016. As the restaurant grew popular in the area, enjoying features on Chicago’s Best, and other food review sites, the family expanded its dining area to accommodate more customers. Traditionally, Ethiopian food is served in a communal plate, the size of a pizza pan. The food is usually meant to be shared family style and eaten with hands, but guests at Tesfa can dine in alone, or order take-out. In a group, each guest can have a taste of everything on the plate, sometimes even feeding each other, a traditional gesture of kindness and respect in Ethiopia known as ‘gursha’. The menu at Tesfa is versatile, with different options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Meal options mostly include the injera bread served with wots, traditional stews cooked with different meats and vegetables. Injera bread is a gluten-free, tangy and spongy texture pancake like flatbread made from teff flour. Teff is a healthy grain with dietary fibers and nutrients like

protein, lysine and amino acids. The bread is used as a spoon to scoop up colorful stews like the doro-wot, a chicken and egg stew spiced with berbere or the yemisir wot, a vegan option with lentils cooked Ethiopian style with spices added. Tesfa is just as colorful and vibrant as the meals they serve. The walls are a bright green and red — colors of the Ethiopian flag — adorned with vibrant paintings that tell a story of Africa. A lone curtain separates the waiting room from the dining area, where speakers blast Ethiopian music videos played on a screen. West Wilson Avenue is a bustling busy street lined with apartment buildings, and fast food restaurants on one side of the street. Across the street from the Wilson station, Tesfa sits on the sidewalk in the middle of Makola African supermarket and Osas African Restaurant. Another thing Tesfa is known for is its complimentary tea. Customers receive free refills of the aromatic tea throughout their meal.

“My mother would always say you can’t let your guest leave your house without giving water or tea,” Sake said. “We took that saying into our restaurant. We want you to feel like I am coming to Mama’s T’s [Sakes' mom] house or Sam and Moses’ [Chef and Sakes’ brother] house.”

Next to Jamaica and Haiti, Nigeria and Ethiopia are the largest African immigrant groups in Chicago. As of 2019, there are 390,000 Nigerians and 290,000 Ethiopians residing in Chicago, according to Pew Research Center. The popularity of Ethiopian Cuisine continues to ascend as more people explore food in Chicago. Tesfa is one of the top rat-

tertaining and satisfying. If you are feeling peckish, their black tea flavored scone is a crumbly reminder of afternoon teas past. Pairing the scone with one of their many blends of herbal tea makes for a cozy snack that can only be elevated by snagging a seat next to one of their two wood burning fireplaces. For a heartier meal, try the all-day breakfast. The Pig’s breakfast bowl at $12.95 includes avocado, egg, tomato, onion and a choice of protein. The Pig brings spice to a morning classic that tastes just as good at 5 p.m. The Pig is a great place to camp out for either a study session or coffee with friends. There is a steady stream of people at every hour emphasizing a sense of community in this neighborhood favorite.

Emily Robinson, another café regular, admires the old-fashioned aesthetic, good food and the proximity to DePaul’s campus.

“The atmosphere is the best, it’s so unique. Plus, it's close to campus, so it just makes sense,” Robinson said. “The staff is all mostly DePaul students and I have hosted

events here for clubs.”

A 10% student discount makes The Pig even more of a no-brainer study spot for college kids. Well before Richards and Robinson started coming to this vintage hang-out, Green said exposure via The Rachael Ray show was crucial in making business boom.

“I couldn't believe it, it was incredible,” Green said about The Bourgeois Pig’s debut on “Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels: Chicago” in 2006.

He said after the show aired, business doubled in the next year.

This good fortune was countered with a drastic change to the neighborhood in 2008 when Lincoln Park’s Children’s Memorial Hospital, now an apartment complex and Chase Bank, closed.

“We had a big captive audience with hospital employees, patients and families,” Green said. “It was always a good escape to get out of the hospital atmosphere and go to another world, another time and escape a little bit.”

He said the café's high point was just before the hospital closed. A greater blow occurred when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. During this uncertain time, Green said he had no choice but to lay off staff and convert to delivery and takeout by himself.

“I worked about 380 days straight, open to close by myself during the pandemic. I was determined to keep our costs as low as possible by working myself,” he said.

Now, three years after the outset of the pandemic, Green said that The Pig’s patronage is up nearly three times what it was during the worst of Covid-19. Though The Pig prides itself on being a renaissance of nostalgia, Green said the future looks bright.

“I would like to thank the customers for 30 years of keeping us alive, keeping the dream alive and being a part of the time travel that is The Pig,” Green said.

ed Ethiopian cuisines that has amassed hundreds of positive reviews. DePaul history professor, Authens Oppong Wadie, also a long time customer of Tesfa, includes visitation of the restaurant as a requirement for students in her seminar class on race/power/and resistance. The class studies Chicago Ethiopianism amongst other topics and offers a multicultural reality of the Black experience in Chicago. Wadie attributes Tesfa’s success to the fact that Ethiopia was never colonized and Ethiopians take pride in the originality of every aspect of their culture.

“They are not only sharing food, they are also sharing culture and art,” Wadie said. “They are bringing healthy food and reawakening the tastes of everybody to what healthy food can taste like.”

Visiting Tesfa for the first time is Uptown resident Katie and a friend.

“I am excited to experience the soul food aspect of Ethiopian food.” Katie said.. “My friend and I googled this place and decided to try it, so this would be my first time at an African restaurant.”

“We want people to come and connect with one another,” Sakes said. “Ethiopian food is more like sharing, and you can strengthen your relationship with friends over a meal.”

For many first time guests like Katie, Tesfa is a unique opportunity to get a traditional African dining experience. Wadie encourages her students to delve into African Cuisine and experience the differences in culture that makes up Chicago.

“This is a new vision of Chicago that is rather old, a place where people of differences can get along,” Wadie said.

In a report published in 2018 by the CDC, one in three of American adults consumed fast food on a given day between 2013 and 2016, which is about 36.6% of the population. A study published in 2015 by the Lancet revealed that Sub-Saharan and West African countries have better diets than countries in Western Europe and North America.

“The impact of Blackness on this city is capable," Wadie said. “We really have no Chicago without Africans and African Americans.”

The Bourgeois Pig Cafe in Lincoln Park offers food and beverages to DePaul students.

CREDIT TO TESFA CUISINE'S WEBSITE

Tesfa Ethiopian Cuisine is a family run restaurant located on Wilson Ave.

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA

What’s Fresh

'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3:' Third time is not a charm

By ethan M attheus Staff Writer

The “Guardians of the Galaxy” films have always been the crown jewel of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While other pictures in the franchise, such as the endless slew of “Avengers” centric media, were repeatedly belittled for being corporate products and lacking in vision, the consensus grew that the “Guardians of the Galaxy” and its sequel were the only two releases that express any individuality.

Guided by the seemingly omnipotent hand of director James Gunn, the films chiseled out a space in the cliff of critical engagement where auteur driven and artistic impulses were melded with more mainstream tastes. Although controversies surrounding Gunn’s past have seen declining box office returns for his projects (such as “The Suicide Squad,” which grossed only grossed $168,717,425 against a $185,000,000 budget), “Guaridans of the Galaxy 3” still had a huge amount of build up. Prior to its release, the third film carried the burden of audience expectations but was simultaneously poised to tie a bow on an acclaimed series of films.

Sadly, tonal inconsistencies and an effort to wrap up every single one of the character’s plotlines leaves the film feeling bloated and disappointing.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is intended to be a swan song before the franchise is retired. It opens just before Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) is severely injured. Desperate to find a way to cure him, the guardians try to find his creator, the High Evolutionary, a dictator who dwells deep within the universe’s outer reaches.

Along the way, they encounter enemies and allies, old friends and lovers. All this culminates in a battle of massive proportions. Flashbacks to Rocket Racoon’s youth and the grisly experiments that spawned him are frequently interspersed.

To some extent, the film deserves

praise for how audacious it is. The segments dedicated to Rocket Raccoon’s backstory often depict gory details that border on an R-rating and, at the very least, warrant a trigger warning for animal abuse. All of Gunn’s previous, more subversive inclinations are apparent. Whether it was “Slither,” a horror film about killer slugs, or “The Belko Experiment,” a “Lord of the Flies'' style thriller set in a white collar office block, Gunn has always been concerned with finding the fissures within genre tropes.

Rocket Racoon’s flashbacks may turn some away for their graphic nature.

However, they also deconstruct many of the elements Marvel is criticized for. Instead of watering anything down, Gunn draws out emotional depth from those ugly moments. It is raw and cathartic, especially considering its PG-13 rating.

Sadly, these poignant moments are

not enough to save the film. If anything, these flashbacks set a trap for the film. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” wants to be an emotional farewell to its characters, but it also wants to be a humorous romp through the stars.

The grim, almost depressing nature of Rocket Racoon’s story chafes against the constant joking of Star Lord (Chris Pratt) and Drax (Dave Bautista). “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” was able to tell a touching story of father/son relations while also using humor to accentuate the thematic catharsis. Volume 3 attempts this but falls short. The film is constantly trying to walk an emotional tightrope, and by the end, it simply cannot keep its balance.

Likewise, since this is the last film in the trilogy, Gunn attempts to give every single major character an arc. The final act tries to handle six distinct plotlines,

which is simply too many when one considers that all this is only dealt with in the last 40 minutes of runtime.

For example, characters will frequently be thrown into ridiculous situations solely for the purpose of being saved later and having unearned character growth. Such a simple mistake seems to violate every rule set forth in entry level screenwriting guides. The result is that the film feels bloated and unfocused.

What makes all this even more disappointing is when one considers what this film could have been. All the components are there for a good picture.

Gunn’s sensibilities coupled with the more touching elements, such as Rocket Racoon’s backstory, point to something that had real potential.

Tragically, the final product is less than the sum of its parts.

Funnies off Jackson

PHOTO FROM IMDB Zoe Saldana (left) and Chris Pratt star in James Gunn's latest Marvel film "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3."

DePaul's spring carnival delights students on the quad

By oLivia Moosey Contributing Writer

For students looking for another reason to lounge on the quad, DePaul’s annual spring carnival created the perfect environment to temporarily forget about approaching finals.

Hosted at the Lincoln Park Campus quad on May 11 by DePaul’s Activities Board (DAB), the carnival included games, food, beverages and fun activities to be enjoyed by students. There were tables everywhere, with plenty of spots to enjoy the sunshine, sit and relax to chat with friends and have a picnic.

Meredith Berkenstock, a freshman at DePaul, was enjoying her last month of freshman year.

“[College is] good, it’s fun, I love it,” Birkenstock said. “[The] quarter system is a bit to get used to, though. I heard about it [spring carnival] just now as I was walking by and wanted to check it out,” Birkenstock continued.

Brooke Traeger, DAB’s arts and amusement chair, is the student behind making this event happen.

“This is our second year doing it,” Traeger said. “Last year, it was a big success, but I wanted to change it up a bit,” Treagar said. “We had a giant slide last year, and it wasn’t a big hit, so we changed it to the hungry hippo,” Traeger continued.

There were many things to do at the carnival keeping students busy. The beverages offered were lemonade, water and soda. They had barbeque-style food such

as hotdogs and chips. Students were scattered across the quad playing the games offered. Other students were sitting on the grass or benches talking and enjoying their company.

“Last year, we had over 100 people show up to the carnival, and we wanted to do it again,” Traeger said.

Grace Samuel, another freshman, wanted to get involved and meet new people during her first year.

“It’s really fun,” Samuel said. “I like being in the city. I was walking past the quad and wanted to know what was going on, and I’m just waiting to play some free games,” Samuel continued.

There were about 20 students who were standing around waiting to play the hungry hippo and tic tac toe games. Students were pleased with the decision to bring these two games for this year’s carnival as they loved it and wanted to play. Everyone was in a good mood and having a fun time, which was the goal in the first place.

“It’s cool to get free food and free games,” Samuel said. “100% every day it’s good weather: it’s a good day,” Samuel continued.

Considering the consecutive years of student enjoyment, it is highly likely that the spring carnival will continue in the coming years. With a greater turnout this year compared to the previous one, the event is poised for growth and improvement.

“Students really like having food and free games, and it was even more of a success this year,” Traeger said.

ERIN HENZE | THE DEPAULIA

Students play Connect 4 at the Depaul Spring Carnival in the Lincoln Park Quad.

Photo of the week

Environmental photojournalism focuses on issues of pollution in the city's parks and river systems. Students of the class toure d the river by boat on Thursday.

QUENTIN BLAIS | THE DEPAULIA

St.Vincent’s

D e JAMZ

“Spinning freSh beatS Since 1581”

By LiLLy K eLLer Arts & Life Editor

Does my mom deserve more than this DeJamz? 100%. However, since taking over as the primary DeJamz writer, I have discovered that these silly little playlists do a pretty good job expressing emotions and feelings that I struggle to put into cohesive sentences.

As my biggest supporter and reason for my incredible music taste, it seems natural to celebrate my mom through music. I invite you first to tell your mom happy Mother’s Day and then listen to the songs my mom passed onto me that have become staples in my library.

“Nite-Runner” by Duran Duran

Not only did this song define my formative years, but it was also my first-ever favorite song. Honestly, you just had to be there to get it. No matter where we were driving to, it could have been the Gen-

eral Store – a five-minute trip from my house – or to the big city of Burlington, I would not shut up until my mom skipped to track No. 3 on “Red Carpet Massacre.” While Duran Duran may no longer be relevant, this song will always have a special place in my heart.

“Vincent” by Don McLean

Whenever this song comes on, I want to cry, and I know my mom feels the same. Going beyond the traditional story of Vincent Van Gogh, “Vincent” meaningfully depicts the 19th-century painter’s struggle with bipolar disorder and ultimate suicide. We all know McLean is a lyrical genius, but the lines “They would not listen / they’re not listening still/Perhaps they never will” haunt me.

“Ask” by The Smiths

We get it. You love The Smiths but hate Morrisey. You do not need to say it anymore. While my affinity for The Smiths may have been a joint effort by my parents, this song in particular always makes me

Crossword

think of my mom when she taught me how to drive. Though our shared anxiety about me getting us into a car crash risked triggering a petty argument at any second, The Smiths and The Moth Radio Hour kept us both in check.

“The Longest Night” – Men At Work

Every summer until I was around 16, my family and I always went camping near New Hampshire. To this day, I still have no idea where exactly in Vermont we were, but on the two-hour drive to the campsite, my mom would always play Men At Work. While it has been over half a decade since I have gone on a family camping trip, whenever this album comes on, I am transported to the back seat of our minivan Big Blue and a bumpy dirt road with a Charlie Tuna sign on it.

“Bad” – U2

We would not be talking about my mother’s musical taste if I did not include a U2 song. A shared favorite between us, U2’s music has defined so much of my

ACROSS

1) Sweet wine

5) Conrad's "_ Jim"

9) Hard tennis shot

14) Nest-egg funds, briefly 15) Fit to serve

16) J ai alai basket

17) Starry-eyed 18) Things to repent for

19) From another world

20) Have liberal views

23) Gain admission

24) Shakers founder Ann

25) Give the green light

28) Fuel-economy org.

30) Concrete ingredient

34) Replicate, in a way

35) Rotisserie League concern

37) Reptilian squeezer

38) Drill sergeant's chant

41) Rescue squad member

42) Sought intel 43) Like Odin 44) An "X" may mark it

46) Mess up 47) Went splitsville 48) Van Gogh's partial loss

50) Warms the bench

51) Show a bit of sorrow

57) Blackmore title

surname

58) Leave off

59) Menthol cigarette brand

61) Adrien of cosmetics

62) Prop for Popeye

63) Popular bidding site

64) Farm machinery pioneer

65) Kane's Rosebud, e.g.

66) Informal denial

childhood and adulthood. Say what you will about that one time they stuck a free album on everybody’s iPhone, but my parents were living their best life. Anyways I love you, Bono and I love you, Mother xoxo.

DOWN

1) Selfish sort

2) Kind of surgery

3) "Road" or "'roid" follower

4) Carry-on bag inspector

5) Freaked out

6) _ dome (St. Basil's feature)

7) East Village musical

8) Recipe guesstimate

9) Sequence of tones

10) Bench-clearing brawls

11) "Yeah, sure!"

12) Dele undoer

13) Dynasty after the Qin

21) "Same old same old"

22) Lift the spirits of

25) Needs

ibuprofen

26) Batter's dry spell

27) _ voce (whispered)

28) Old anesthetic

29) Pal on the ranch

31) Scrub, in a way

32) "It'll never work"

3

3) Had the nerve

35) Tend to the batter

36) Capitol Hill group

39) Puccini offering

40) Abandoned

45) Many a Belieber

47) Like many store-bought olives

49) Singer with the album "25"

50) Credit card action

51) Fighting mad

52) Optimistic view

53) Dandy dressers

54) Disney's boy detective

55) Prefix meaning "mechanized"

56) Bathroom bar

57) Jr., to III

60) Drain unclogger ingredient

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIKI

Sports

From rags to regionals: How DePaul hockey changed the game this year

By Meredith Bach Contributing Writer

“The buzzer went off and that feeling when you get to throw your helmet off, ... it’s a kind of feeling you can’t really explain. We were the first DePaul team in history to win that thing,” said DePaul Hockey President and goalie Asher Motew, as he recalled the moment that the team won the NCHL Division II Conference Championship in February.

DePaul was in line for a challenge as its competitor, Concordia University, already had beaten the Blue Demons during the regular season. Concordia was also ranked as one of the top teams in the nation. With a few points still to gain on the scoreboard and less than 20 minutes to spare, the odds seemed gim for the Blue Demons.

Going into that last period though, something ignited in the locker room — and it was a flame that had been carefully crafted all season. The team recalled what they used to push themselves towards their last successful victory: their unwavering bond of comradery, a strong positive mindset and one saying: “It’s easy to work hard.”

“We can’t control everything,” Motew said. “But we can control how hard we can work.”

Through this belief, the team not only brought home a shiny regional championship trophy — one that Motew proudly displays over a zoom interview — but an impressive list of personal accomplishments and awards as well.

Under the American Collegiate Hockey Association, junior defensemen Chris Lee won the First Team All Athletic Award. Lee also won the First Team Central Region Award with senior defenseman Michael Helf.

Under the Northern Collegiate Hockey League, the Player of the Year was awarded to senior defenseman Michael Helf. Goalie of the Year was awarded to senior Asher Motew. Rookie of the Year was awarded to junior defenseman Chris Lee.

DePaul’s hockey team is a club sport under the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). This means that while DePaul receives financial support from the university, they are still responsible for covering a large lingering budget on their own. Oftentimes, club teams will not be funded with the same amenities or facilities that a D1 team would receive.

“With club hockey, these kids are playing for the love of the game, but they still have to go out and fundraise money,” Motew said. “It’s a lot of hard work to, at the end of the day, just play hockey.”

The more money they raise, the better the playing experience will be. But, according to Brock Ash, with such a taxing budget at hand, it has been hard for the team to garner enough funds in the past to support a serious season.

“Before Asher got here, we didn’t have fundraising at all and that showed with our team budget,”Ash said. “We never really got new stuff, we had two ice slots a week to practice and no off-ice training.”

When Motew came onto the scene, he made it a requirement that every player raise at least $1,000 at the start of the season. Everyone was on board. The team was able to raise an incredible sum to finance their season — far larger than any of the years prior.

Now, the team enjoys 2-3 practices a week, 2 workouts a week and games every weekend. Motew thanks more than the budget for this seismic shift in the season. He attributes the positive change to the powerful mindset and drive that the team has been able to foster with each other.

“We want to work for each other,” Motew said. “Not only do you need good hockey players, you need certain personalities, and we

have those personalities. We have those kids that care.”

The team thrives off a core of leaders that are committed to developing the program further throughout the years. Motew believes that their work so far is the start of something great for the program, but the foundation has only just been laid. The work is being passed on to individuals that can combine their outside interests and skills with hockey to enhance the program.

Head coach Dan Wood has high hopes for his team in the coming years as well. Not only does he respect the collective hard work ethic that the team has maintained through the season, but he also admires their genuine comradery through it all.

“There’s this mentality that you can’t really coach, that’s just an inherent thing,” Wood said. “The guys truly believe in each other and are truly fighting for each other. They go and they work their butts off, pick their teammates up, and are incredibly positive on the bench.”

Wood explains how they are all friends off the ice, which definitely contributes to their cooperation and support in the rink. Ash, who is one of the longest standing players on the team, is quick to point out this sense of friendship as well. He mentioned how, in the past, the hockey team easily split into smaller friend groups between ages and skill sets. Now, they

have never been stronger.

“This is by far the best team we’ve ever had,” Ash said. “There’s not a single kid on the team that I couldn’t just go out to lunch with and have a good conversation with for a few hours.”

Together, the team has a steady gaze towards success in their upcoming season, but like the path they have already traveled, it will not be easy. Their impressive year has put a target on their backs.

Already, Wood mentioned how more teams are reaching out and wanting to play. Additionally, their success has been seen under more than one watchful eye. Extra players are looking towards DePaul to continue their collegiate hockey careers now too.

The team already had enough players for the first time this year to make a roster squad and a practice squad, and now the competition continues to heat up.

DePaul has now won its league championship and made it to the regionals, and now the next step is nationals. The players are already sharpening their blades and preparing for the hard work ahead — planning for a summer of fundraising, recruiting and training before they can truly take to the ice.

“We know we’re capable,” Ash said. “We’ll finish the job and the results will come with hard work.”

DePaul, Cubs host second annual ‘DePaul Night’ at Wrigley

By Lydia Morriss Contributing Writer

DePaul University and the Chicago Cubs hosted its second annual “DePaul Night” at Wrigley Field on Monday, May 8. Despite temperatures in the 50s and cloudy skies, the stadium was filled with 329 DePaul fans, according to DeHub.

“There’s so much going on and sometimes you can use that as an excuse for not being able to break through the noise to get fans to come to your events… or you can use it as the silverlining being able to tag team with these professional teams and getting a little bit more exposure for DePaul teams,” said Kassidy Brown, senior associate athletics director for Marketing and Communications.

Brown said this isn’t the only event where DePaul connects with the city’s professional teams.

“Scheduled approximately once per month, DePaul partners with Chicago professional teams to give the fans as many opportunities as we can to show their DePaul pride,” Brown said.

In hopes of filling DePaul athletics seats in return, Brown and the marketing team plan college nights with Chicago’s major

sports teams like the Cubs, White Sox and Bulls. This is not only encourage DePaul students to get out and active in the city, but to encourage fans of the professional teams to come out and support their local university.

A group of enthusiastic DePaul students from Delta Kappa Alpha (DKA) filled the

seats and celebrated the night.

“I’m here because I wanted to spend time with friends and this is a good opportunity to be in Chicago and go to local events but also spend time with my people,” said sophomore Zoe Thomas.

Despite being a Yankee fan from a die-

hard Yankee family, Trevor Flynn-Stead, sophomore film and television major, says he attended the game for the friends and energy, ending the night with, “now let’s go find the hats.”

DePaul students who can prove they bought a ticket through DeHub got a free DePaul x Cubs ball cap.

DePaul’s women’s basketball head coach Doug Bruno made an appearance in the seventh inning and sang “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” another way the athletics team and university showed their faces in hopes that local fans would do the same in DePaul stadiums and fields.

The game ended with the St. Louis Cardinals defeating the Chicago Cubs 3-1. Former Cubs catcher Willson Contreas drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth inning after connecting with an RBI double off Marcus Stroman.

It may have been a chilly night, but as the crowd jumped and cheered, students were given the chance to be exposed to the great city they call home.

“We are lucky and we know how to have fun,” said sophomore film major Ana Butze.

@DEPAUL ATHLETICS | TWITTER

DePaul Athletic Director DeWayne Peevy threw the first pitch during last Monday night’s game.

CHRISTINA HAMMERSMITH | THE DEPAULIA DePaul Club Hockey reached the second round of the ACHA Men’s Division II Central Regionals to No. 9 Iowa.

DePaul Softball losses in Big East semifinals to Villanova

By Preston Zbroszczyk

Asst. Sports Editor

After 14 long weeks full of ups and downs, DePaul made a strong impression in the Big East Tournament, winning two games and advancing to the semifinals, only to suffer a 4-1 loss to rival Villanova to end their season.

Preseason expectations from the Big East had DePaul holding the number one spot in the conference. After a 4-0 start, the team proceeded to go 8-29, plummeting to the very bottom of the conference, but a late turnaround showed they were not done yet.

Prior to DePaul’s weekend series against the top-seeded UConn Huskies, the team was on a nine-game losing streak and seemed virtually eliminated from contention for the Big East Tournament. However, a mathematical chance to stay alive with a series win against UConn and a subsequent sweep to Georgetown was necessary to secure the sixth and final spot in the tournament.

The Blue Demons took the first two games and won the series against UConn before falling short in the series finale. With a conference record of 6-15, DePaul faced an uphill battle to secure a tournament spot. They defied the odds and swept the Georgetown Hoyas, scoring 25 runs in three games and revitalizing their season.

Against all expectations, they managed to sneak into the Big East Tournament as the sixth seed.

DePaul athletics did not make student athletes nor coaching staff members available to the DePaulia for comments after the games.

The first matchup for DePaul was Wednesday, May 10 against the No. 3-seeded Seton Hall Pirates as both teams took the field in Storrs, Connecticut and battled for an entire seven innings.

This is the tournament’s first season back in Connecticut after its stint in Chicago’s The Ballpark at Rosemont stadium.

Freshman pitcher Bella Nigey started the game and delivered, pitching a one hit shutout into the sixth inning as DePaul led 2-0.

The Blue Demons added two more runs and increased the lead to 4-0 headed into the bottom of the sixth. Then, fatigue finally hit Nigey. A couple of base hits and walks put two on with no outs as Seton Hall’s Kelsey Carr homered, making it a 4-3 game.

Head coach Tracie Adix-Zins pulled Nigey from the game, replacing her with freshman Abbey Pochie. Pitchers struggled throughout the season but saw success from time to time. With a short pitching staff, Adix-Zin’s options were limited.

Heading into the bottom of the seventh, DePaul maintained a 4-3 lead. Pochie struggled to find the strike zone, giving up a walk and two hits in the inning.

Tied at four with two outs and bases loaded, Pochie had a 3-2 count and, on the sixth pitch of the at-bat, gave up a single to center field that drove in the winning walk-off run to win it for Seton Hall, 5-4.

In the double elimination tournament, it meant DePaul was still alive. Just an hour following the loss to the Pirates, the Blue Demons took the field against Butler and took care of business, winning 4-2 advancing to the next day.

The Big East expanded its tournament from four teams to six teams this season allowing for two more teams to join.

Graduate student Brenna Smith pitched the entire seven inning game only giving up two hits and two earned runs in the game. Smith, a Purdue transfer, has been a go-to pitcher for Adix-Zins this season.

Kacy Standohar, a Big East sideline reporter, interviewed Smith postgame following her complete game against Butler.

“My teammates are so great,” Smith said. “I knew they would have my back the entire time. I trusted my defense with anything and everyone was cheering for

me from the bench. It’s easy to do my job when everybody is supporting you.”

The win scheduled a matchup for the Blue Demons against St. John’s. In the regular season, DePaul was 1-2 against The Red Storm.

The script flipped in Big East Tournament play. Junior Nicole Sullivan in the lead-off spot had a three RBI game. Seniors Brooke Johnson and Tori Meyers both had three hits, as the DePaul offense scored eight runs.

Adiz-Zins and her team survived to play another day. Inching close to a potential championship appearance, DePaul’s next task was Villanova.

A season ago in the Big East Tournament, DePaul was defeated 1-0 by Villanova. The Blue Demons were swept by the Wildcats this season, so they were looking to change the recent narrative of the series.

The Demons were looking for a revenge game. Pochie took the mound but was relieved in the third inning. DePaul tied the game at one in the fifth inning. After Smith pitched three and two third innings only surrendering one run, Nigey entered and the Wildcats got the best of her.

Villanova got back-to-back home runs off Nigey in the three batters she faced as the game ended 4-1, which eliminated DePaul.

Still, what looked to be an underachieving season turned around and extended DePaul’s Big East Tournament appearances to 14 consecutive seasons, according to DePaul athletics.

DePaul will lose two key outfielders: Meyer and senior Grace Frazier. With the majority of the core returning next season, the Blue Demons could be placed atop the Big East once again in the preseason coaches poll.

The DePaul softball team huddles to discuss the quarter-final game against St. John’s on May 11. The team’s season lasted three months and ended with a 4-1 loss to Villanova on Friday.

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